I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

Chapter 9: The Dream of the Stars (1)

Manipulation of the Succession Ceremony and conspiracy to kill the direct royal family at the Palace of Qualification quickly spread throughout the imperial castle yet people were more interested in the fact that the Succession Ceremony had been fabricated rather than in the murder conspiracy. 

The attempted assassination between the successors of the imperial family commonly happened in the Imperial Palace. However, it was the first time that the Succession Ceremony, which was the minimum qualification test to become an emperor and a long tradition, was manipulated. This was able to draw people’s surprise and there was one more thing that surprised everyone in the imperial castle, Prince Zion Agnes had survived the Succession Ceremony and passed the first place.

Who would have thought that the prince who was called the ultimate incompetent and was confined in the Chimseong Palace, would pass the succession ceremony, which is also manipulated and was raised to extreme difficulty. It was an incident that changed people’s perception of Prince Zion, even if only slightly. Then–

Crumple!

The same was true for the man with dark grey hair who angrily crumpled the report placed in front of him.

“You’re not asking me to believe what’s written here, right?”

“…”

The wizard lowers his head, unable to answer the man’s words. In his view, the content of the report was completely unbelievable.

“Not only did he pass the test alone, but he went to the hidden control room and slaughtered all the supervisors?”

It made no sense at all since it was Zion Agnes. The Zion Agnes, who is called the shame of the Imperial Family. Rather, it was more believable to say that some of the supervisors betrayed, fought each other, and were annihilated. In addition, among the supervisors was Lambard, one of the Imperial Guard commanders, one of the ranking generals among the armed groups in the Imperial Castle.

“I’m sorry, but all the traces left there belong to one person—”

“Any witnesses?”

“Two of those who participated together saw Prince Zion in the control room, but the situation was over because they came too late.”

“So no one actually saw Zion fight—”

The man who had been tapping the handle of his chair with his finger for some time while mumbling opened his mouth again: “There is a high possibility that a third party has intervened. Look into it.”

“Understood. And there’s one more peculiar thing. “

“What is it?”

“A fine demonic energy was detected in the Palace of Qualification when Prince Zion was performing the Succession Ceremony.”

“—Again?”

The man’s eyes began to glow strangely at the words.

* * *

The succession ceremony went well at least Zion thought so. Not only did Zion pass without any problems, but the killing of the demon also did not spread to the public. It seems that the unspoken deal proposed by Zion, which they would pass the Succession Ceremony if they closed their mouths, worked.

Renette and Bale did not tell the knights who arrived at the Palace of Qualification about the demon including Evelyn Agnes. They merely said that the supervisors had manipulated the succession ceremony to kill Prince Zion and that Prince Zion had punished them directly.

Most of them didn’t seem to believe it.

It was not that they did not believe that the supervisors manipulated the succession ceremony, but that they did not believe the fact that Zion himself had taken all their lives. That’s why they asked Renette and Bale if there was anything else, but they couldn’t say anything because it was true in the first place.

Well, it doesn’t matter if they don’t believe it.

They’ll find out sooner or later. Zion organized his thoughts and looked at the scenery outside the window that was quickly passing by. Zion was now in a magic carriage, the main means of transport in the Imperial City. It operates on the same principle as the magic train, but it was much more luxurious and it’s a private means of transportation. The reason why Zion was now boarding the magic carriage was simple—

I think I’ll be there soon.

Baekseong Palace, the most central palace in the Imperial City of Agnes, is the heart and core power of the Empire. The place where the emperor, the owner of this world, the one who controls the fate of the empire, resides. Zion was now heading for the Baekseong Palace.

This is not bad.

Zion thought as he looked at the black robe he wore. The black robe was made of fine black cloth and embroidered with gorgeous golden threads, it had been prepared by Fredo to commemorate Zion’s entry into the Baekseong Palace— to see His Highness enter the Baekseong Palace!  This Fredo— will no longer have any regrets even if I die. The sight of the old knight crying while saying so was a little burdensome.

There’s also a silver antique bracelet on Zion’s wrist which was also a gift from Priscilla, who came to Chimseong Palace under the pretext of congratulating him on passing the succession ceremony— Congratulations on your succession. This is a bracelet with protective magic. We still haven’t broken off the engagement, so please accept this. Zion immediately kicked her out, who was secretly trying to stay at the Chimseong palace again. On top of that—

She didn’t have to come.

Zion turned his eyes and looked at this body’s half-sister, Evelyn Agnes, who was sitting opposite him. Evelyn had brought her magic carriage to pick up Zion in front of Chimseong Palace, wondering how she knew about Zion entering Baekseong Palace today.

Then—

“—Baekseong Palace is hell.”

Evelyn, whose eyes met Zion’s, slowly opened her mouth: “The royalty is an open hell. There are only evil spirits who’ll try to step on others and rise to power. Siblings try to kill each other, and the authorities weighing between them will sell everything except their own lives if they benefit. Assassination attempts are also common. Zion— can you survive in Baekseong Palace?”

There was concern in Evelyn’s eyes as she said this to Zion. Of course, Zion has powers she doesn’t know about, although he is legitimately qualified by passing the Succession Ceremony. In her eyes, she could still see a frail Zion as a child. Therefore, Evelyn couldn’t imagine Zion adapting to the Baekseong Palace.

Besides, it’s clear that someone is targeting Zion.

Even if Zion was lucky enough to survive the Succession Ceremony, there was no guarantee that he would do so in the future. Of course, if Zion had dealt with all the supervisors alone according to the rumor, she would have been less worried, but she knew that it was not true.

Because it just didn’t make sense, there must have been someone involved. Then—

“I’m not going there to survive.”

Zion, who was looking at Evelyn with calm eyes, smiled and opened his mouth.

“I’m going to devour it.”

It didn’t matter if there was an evil spirit or a demon. Just block the front, break it down and get it if he wants it. That’s what Zion had always done and would always do.

“…”

An unbelievable remark flowed from the mouth of the confined prince but Evelyn felt an unknown ominousness in Zion’s words.

“I won’t be able to go with you anymore because of the inspection. Be careful.”

After dropping Zion off in front of the Baekseong Palace, Evelyn gradually moved away from the palace with those last words. As he watched Evelyn’s magic carriage moving further and further away, Zion turned his gaze towards the palace in front of him.

Baekseong Palace, like its name, it was a huge white palace. No, rather than a palace, it’s so grand that it’s right to call it a castle. It was indeed the heart of the empire and had an atmosphere that made the viewers overwhelmed.

I feel like I’ve seen it before—

Zion felt something familiar with Baekseong Palace. If it was painted darker, it would have been very similar to the palace where he stayed when he was an emperor. Zion’s eyes turned strangely—

“Pleased to meet you His Highness Prince Zion. I’m Ronniere, who will serve Your Highness at the Baekseong Palace today.”

As if he had been waiting, a knight standing in front of the main gate of the palace approached and bowed his head. The inside of Baekseong Palace was very spacious, so people who usually visited for the first time were guided. Zion was also aware of this fact, so he nodded slightly and accepted the greeting.

“I’ll lead you right away, please follow me.”

Ronniere began to take the lead with a polite step as if his destination had already been set.

Zion quietly followed the knight. In fact, Zion’s visit to Baekseong Palace today was not just for a field trip. The Imperial Family, who performed the Succession Ceremony successfully, went through two procedures at Baekseong Palace. One of the traditions that have been passed down for a long time, is also the reason why Zion came to Baekseong Palace.

The more I look at it, the more familiar it is.

Zion thought as he walked through the hallway inside Baekseong Palace. Not only the appearance he saw a while ago but also the structure of the palace and other parts of the interior were very similar to the palace where Zion lived. Perhaps it could have been because the Imperial Castle in the Flosimar Chronicles was based on the actual Imperial Castle. Zion felt something that could not be explained by that alone. At that moment—

“Your Highness, we have arrived. I’m not allowed in from here.”

Ronniere, who was ahead, stopped walking and opened his mouth toward Zion. A huge gate rose before him, the door was engraved with a large lion symbolizing the Agnes Imperial Family, and on either side of the door were guarded by two Imperial Knights who seemed to possess strong abilities.

“I greet Your Highness Zion.”

Creak!

The knights on both sides immediately opened the door without asking anything. When Zion stepped through the open door, the inside of the room was spacious and dark.

Sssh, sssh.

Soon after, a thin sound of breath came to Zion’s ears, which appeared can be cut off at any moment. Zion turned his head toward the side where he heard the sound of breathing and an old man lying on a bed next to a window was seen in Zion’s eyes. Zion knew who that old man was, he was none other than Emperor Urdios Agnes, the ruler of this great empire, the owner of this world, and Zion Agnes’ father.

The royal family, who passed the succession ceremony, was obliged to meet with the emperor, so Zion was here now.

Sssh, sssh.

His breath seems to be cut off at any minute. The emperor’s face was full of wrinkles, and age spots, and his body was so thin that his bone was visible. He was no longer the emperor of the past who feared the whole world with overwhelming force and charisma. There was only an old man who lay in bed waiting for the day he’ll die as the thick energy of death descended on the area.

Maybe less than two months left?

Zion guessed the remaining lifespan of the emperor. The emperor had been described since the beginning of the Frosimar Chronicles. As such, there were few direct appearances and most of the affairs were largely handled by a proxy. For some reason, the emperor did not name his successor until he died, so after the emperor’s death, full-fledged chaos began.

“…”

The ailing emperor looked up silently at Zion, who was approaching his side. Zion and the emperor’s eyes encounter each other. The emperor’s eyes were already losing their light and there was no sign of life, he even believed that he was already a corpse. How long had they stared at each other like that without saying anything?

“Get out of here.”

A small voice came out of the sick emperor’s mouth. It was not something he would say to Zion.

Sssk–

With those words, the guards who had been hiding in the bedroom, secretly guarding the emperor completely disappeared.  In the space where only the two of them are left—

“Who are you?”

The emperor looked straight into Zion’s eyes and asked as if his appearance earlier had been a lie, numerous stars were shining inside the emperor’s eyes.