I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

On the outskirts of the capital of the Agnes Empire lies a five-story stone building. The building was one of the best inns in the capital. At the entrance, it has a large signboard written “Night of Sabbath” and it’s a must-stay spot for a night in the capital.

However, people were unaware that the name of the inn, ‘Night of Sabbath’, had a double meaning because Sabbath meant both rests as comfortable rest and rest as death. The true identity of the Night of Sabbath is that they were one of the most prominent assassination groups in the capital. 

“He was very angry.”

In a secret room on the top floor of the Night of Sabbath building. There, the top executives leading the assassination group gathered with heavy expressions on their faces.

“They’ve failed twice already, so we have to do it.”

In “The Night of Sabbath,” No. 2, who covered his entire face with a mask was told by No. 1, who had the best assassination skills. 

During the two raids on the Chimseong Palace where the abandoned prince stayed, it was them, the Night of Sabbath who attacked. It was an assassination carried out under the order of “him” who had absolute power in the palace, so it was an assassination that had to be successful. However, both attempts failed.

“But honestly, I still don’t understand how the second assassination failed.”

Assuming that the first assassination attempt could fail a hundred times, the second was an assassination attempt that should never fail. The operation involved not only the power of Chimseong Palace and all the variables but also the single-digit number, No. 4. In addition, “He” indirectly intervened to block all external variables so why on earth did they fail?

“No. 4 told me that there is a very powerful man who is secretly guarding the Chimseong Palace. I heard that he was the one who did the whole thing.”

No. 3 opened his mouth, recalling the words of No. 4, who is now locked up in an underground prison due to his failure in his mission and the punishment for fleeing.

“A powerful man like that protects an already abandoned prince? Do you think that makes sense?”

“That’s enough. It already happened. Rather than that, it is more important to pay attention to the request he made this time. Maybe… this is our last chance.”

At the end of No. 1’s words, the eyes of the others sank heavily. It was obvious that if this request fails, the survival of the entire “Night of Sabbath,” including their lives, will be at stake.

“Did you say that this time, the succession ceremony will be held at the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes, as usual, he knows the way into the Palace…”

 At that moment–

“So who is ‘he’?”

From behind No. 1, a high-pitched voice, completely different from the previous one was heard.

At the same time–

Swish!

No. 1 pulled a dagger from his waist and swung towards the side where the voice came from. This is a secret room only for top executives. If it was the first time he had heard that voice and there was only a possibility, that the enemy infiltrated. But…

“You’re quick to make a decision.” (Liusina)

Thud!

It was the arm of No. 1, not the owner of the voice, that fell to the floor.

“I’m not good at that.” (Liusina)

The owner of the voice slowly revealed herself with a low voice. A woman with eerily red eyes and black hair like chestnuts, it was Liusina.

“Kill her.”

Had they already considered her as an enemy? 

No. 1, who quickly widened the distance while stopping the bleeding on his arm, gave the order with cold eyes, without even asking who it was.

Ssksskssk!

At the same time, all the assassins in the room rushed to Liusina ready to fight, yet Liusina looked at the assassins with amusement.

“I’m always welcome to an order like this.”

The reason she was here now was because of Zion’s instructions. Zion did not forget that the Chimseong was attacked, so he left it to Liusina to deal with it because he thought that Liusina could kill everyone without leaving a single one.

Seupapat!1The sound of a person moving fast.

In the meantime, No. 7, who arrived in front of Liusina, threw an iron needle to confuse her vision and immediately stabbed a long awl into her heart.

But–

Crunch!

The head of the beast appeared faster from the air and swallowed No. 7’s head. The eyes of the other assassins were shocked by the bizarre scene. At the same time, No. 5, who did not lose concentration, crossed No. 7’s body and launched a sword into Liusina’s neck. No, he was exactly going to stab her.

Swish!

Before he can even do that, his entire upper body was already split by the blooded line that flowed from Liusina’s fingertips. But in this situation, No. 5 became a…bait? As if they had been waiting for this, Nos. 1, 2, and 3 sprang up simultaneously from the shadows on both sides and behind Liusina as they immediately made a swinging blow.

Stab!

Two swords penetrated Liusina’s vital point as if she was not expecting this to happen. And…

“Die, monster.”

The last sword swung by No. 1 and cut her head.

Thud!

Liusina’s head falls to the floor with a thud sound.

“Haa…”

Relief dawned on the faces of the assassins who survived.

“Who the hell is the monster?” (Liusina)

Before they could ease up, an eerie voice came out of the witch’s head as it rolls on the floor.

“!!!!!!”

Their eyes are tinged with surprise. The assassins saw blood constantly flowing from Liusina’s headless neck; it can be seen all over the room as it covers the entire building.

And…

Kiaaaaak!

Countless monstrums, crawling out of the red-colored world. The “Night of Sabbath” has suddenly turned into hell.

“I mean, I’m not a monster.”

Unconsciously, Liusina, who put her head on the table, was looking forward to the upcoming dinner.

* * *

Succession Ceremony.

A qualification test to Agnes’ bloodline, and a must-have to become emperor. Therefore, it was held only in the year when the direct royal family reached adulthood, but that did not necessarily mean that only the direct lineal family could participate in the succession ceremony.

Agnes’ lineages that were scattered throughout the empire were also able to participate in succession ceremonies with their immediate blood relatives. The reason for their succession ceremony was simply because they could not receive the right to succeed on the throne even if they passed.

In principle, Agnes’ collateral bloodlines were prohibited from entering the imperial castle and advancing to the center itself, and they could not use the Agnes surname too.

However, in one special case, a way to promote was opened, and that was precisely through the Succession Ceremony. This is the only gateway to succeed if one was from a collateral bloodline.

Therefore, nearly ten of Agnes’ collateral blood relatives had gathered in the large training ground outside the imperial castle, where the succession ceremony of Prince Zion Agnes is currently held.

“You said you wouldn’t set your foot on the Imperial Castle… Why are you here?”

A woman with a soft temperament and long grey hair opened her mouth towards a man with a sharp disposition who approached her side. The man’s name is Bale Ilones, he was a genius wizard who was known to have already dabbled in high-ranking techniques in his twenties and was also an emerging newcomer of the Steel Magic Tower.

“But isn’t it the same for you?”

Bale snorted at her and looked at the woman, Renette Ilones. Like Bale, she was one of the only five members of the world’s top adventurers’ party and also a participant in the ceremony, she’s from the same branch as him, an ‘Ilones’.

“I can’t miss this opportunity. I don’t think there would be any succession ceremony for the time being.”

Renette replied with a shrug to Bale’s words. Bale nodded as if in agreement.

“Yes, I agree. Frankly, I was surprised too that the imprisoned prince said he would participate in the succession ceremony…”

The imprisoned Prince Zion Agnes, although he was not actually imprisoned, it was the nickname he was given after being confined to Chimseong Palace since his childhood and never once going outside. Few people saw him externally and only a small portion of the information was revealed, but everyone already knew about him.

The worst pure-blooded royal family of all time. The ultimate incompetence and a disgrace to the Agnes Imperial Family. Therefore, it was an open secret that he was not even treated as a proper member of the royal family.

“If indeed Prince Zion is as rumoured… there should be no reason for him to participate in the succession ceremony.”

“It’s not that there’s no reason that he should not participate.”

Renette looked around surreptitiously as she mumbled this. Then, she and her collaterals, who had the skills that were never inferior to Bale, came into sight. Anyone with the last name of Agnes or Ilones could apply for the succession ceremony, but the reason why only these talents apply was simple.

If you apply with mediocre skills, you will die in the middle, let alone pass the succession ceremony.

What qualities should an emperor possess? The charisma that dominates the public, the ability to judge between truth and falsehood, or the receptivity to embrace the world. There were too many, but the quality that the Agnes imperial family considered the most important was none other than power. The overwhelming force that can crush everything.

Only backed by such force could one become the Emperor of the Agnes Empire, and this tradition has been handed down since the time of the first Emperor. Therefore, in the Succession Ceremony, the minimum qualification test to become an emperor was also focused on military prowess, the lack of which could lead to death.

Of course, nothing like that has happened in the succession ceremony that was held so far.

Despite just reaching adulthood, Agnes’ immediate blood relatives were all monsters and showed an overwhelming gap with those close to their late twenties and as many as mid-thirties. However, such traditions may be broken at the ceremony.

“What was he thinking? Well, it’s good for us.”

The supervisors standing at the front of the training ground were also talking with disapproving faces as if they were thinking the same thing as Renette.

“It’s not enough to live quietly as if a rat is dead.”2This proverb means something like just doing nothing and be quiet. 

“That’s what I’m saying. But why hasn’t he come yet when it’s almost time for the succession ceremony to be held?”

With these words, the supervisors look around the training ground.

However, they could not see Prince Zion.

“…Don’t tell me he is afraid to come now?”

“He might be in bed now with the duvet over his head.”

“It will be the first succession without a direct royal family.”

“Haha, that might be better.”

Supervisors and some of the collateral who heard the conversation also laughed. A prince who was frightened and did not come to the succession ceremony, what a disgraceful stigma this is. Because of this, the name of Prince Zion will fall further. Finally, in the midst of such ridicule.

“Then, since Prince Zion has not come, the succession ceremony will be held with the personnel present here now…”

It was the moment when Lambard, Captain of the 3rd Imperial Guard, who was appointed as the top supervisor of the succession ceremony, was about to announce the start of the succession ceremony.

Tramp.

It was the sound of footsteps, a quiet, deafening sound of footsteps.

Tramp.

But at the same time, it was a footstep that strangely stimulated a corner of one’s mind. Everyone’s head starts to turn in the direction where the sound of footsteps came from as if they were possessed by something.

Soon after.

Tramp.

People could see dark grey hair, the symbol of the Agnes family, and calm eyes of the same colour. He has a languid face and a skinny but solid body. Zion Agnes is now entering the training ground.

“Is he… That imprisoned prince?”

When Renette saw Prince Zion slowly walking toward her side, she muttered unknowingly with blank eyes. She had good instincts. No, she was so good that even good is an inadequate word to describe it. Her intuition had saved the exploration team from danger several times. However, her intuition was now constantly ringing from the moment she saw Prince Zion.

It is ominous and dangerous and this feeling was spreading beyond her to others.

Tramp, tramp.

She can’t take her eyes off that ordinary step. Is that man the same person as the shame of the imperial family that she has been hearing about?

It feels like…

Tramp.

Meanwhile, Zion, who had stopped in the middle of the training ground, which was stained with silence, slowly looked around at the people looking at him. Eyes that seem to suck you at the moment you see them. Soon afterward, from Zion’s mouth,

“Let’s start the succession ceremony.”

A low voice flowed out, and in the depths of Zion’s eyes, a vivid second star was swirling.

T/N: Included parentheses so it’s not confusing to read who’s the one talking.