I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

196 - The Floating City (13)

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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In a cavern at the deepest level of the Tomb of Lament...

-So it was I who would adorn the throne, not you...

At the center of this cavern, a being wearing armor made of bone and leather was slowly fading away.

This was Caletus, King of Lament and ruler of the tomb.

Though his name wasn't widely known since he'd never properly used his power, he was among the highest-ranking demons, worthy of the title "King."

Rain lay spread-eagled on the ground in front of the dissipating Caletus, tossing aside her broken spear.

She wasn't in great shape.

Though she hadn't lost any limbs, her entire body was covered in wounds - including one that could have been fatal if it had been just a bit deeper.

"That's what happens when your training is lacking. You need to work harder."

Turzan approached Rain's prone form and spoke gruffly.

Though his injuries were no better than Rain's, no one contradicted his words.

After all, he had taken most of the King of Lament's frontal attacks.

The fact that he was only as injured as Rain, who had only blocked occasional techniques, proved just how well-trained Turzan's body was.

"What should we do now?"

Tirian watched Elysis healing the two before turning to Claire.

Surprise filled his eyes.

Unlike Rain and Turzan, Claire's body bore almost no wounds.

Though she had fought in close combat like them, her injuries were even lighter than Tirian's, who had provided ranged support.

This indirectly showed just how high her combat ability was.

'So this is what it means to be a hero?'

Then.

"Just heal the critical injuries and get out of here immediately."

Claire spoke calmly while staring off into the distance, not at her companions.

What she was looking at wasn't the cavern or tomb, but the massive rage erupting from far beyond.

Though the source was so distant it couldn't even be perceived, the power emanating from that rage made Claire's body tremble.

"One of the Great Demons is coming here."

Zeloth, Archdemon of Jealousy.

It seemed he had immediately sensed his child's death.

'We can't face Zeloth now.'

Not only did they need him to clash with the other Great Demons, but he was also simply too powerful an opponent at present.

The Four Great Demons.

Excluding the Demon King, they were the four strongest beings whose power was incomparably, unimaginably greater than other demons.

Moreover, these Great Demons each carried a "fate of world destruction," making them even more formidable than previous Great Demons.

Each had practically reached semi-divinity.

Zeloth, the Archdemon of Jealousy, was one of these four. Naturally, they couldn't face him - not alone, and not even all together.

'But later, definitely...'

Claire made this silent promise while feeling that terrifying power rapidly approaching, then turned away.

For now, they needed to retreat.

* * *

Celphia Woodhart.

Her role in the chronicle wasn't particularly significant.

Like Zion Agnes, she died immediately after appearing.

By assassination from the demon realm, no less.

The reason for Celphia Woodhart's assassination was her innate magical characteristic - one that specialized solely in anti-demon combat.

'Her lack of magical aptitude is probably because all her ability is concentrated in that characteristic.'

Zion thought this while watching the pink-haired woman who was still staring at him blankly.

She seemed unable to properly grasp the current situation.

And she wasn't alone - everyone in the classroom shared her confusion.

"What do you mean, Prince Zion? The student before you is..."

"Celphia Woodhart. A failing student at Seifran Magic School who can't even use basic magic, a disgrace to the floating city. Isn't that right?"

Zion cut off the principal's bewildered words.

"Yes, that's correct. But why would you say such things? If you need talented individuals, I can recommend students who maintain top rankings in the school."

The principal had reason to speak this way.

While it was quite pleasing that Prince Zion, a leading candidate for the throne, had come to his school to personally recruit a student, the problem lay afterward.

If that student's poor ability became known, Seifran School would become a laughingstock not just in the city but throughout the world.

Besides, he couldn't understand why Prince Zion would specifically want a failing student.

'I'm... needed?'

Celphia shared this confusion.

As just stated, she was a failing student and the city's disgrace.

There was no reason Prince Zion should need her.

But.

"No, I don't need those mediocre ones. I only want this one."

Zion replied without taking his eyes off Celphia, dismissing their words and thoughts.

"B-but...!"

"I don't like repeating myself."

Zion's quiet but undeniable words immediately silenced the principal, then he addressed Celphia.

"You're coming with me to the imperial palace. You'll have to leave the city next year anyway - just think of this as moving up the schedule a bit."

His words left no room for refusal.

It was an incredibly arrogant way of speaking that completely disregarded the other party's opinion.

But at the same time, it suited Zion perfectly.

"We'll leave the city tomorrow, so prepare accordingly."

"Y-yes!"

Celphia nodded unconsciously, overwhelmed by the intense aura of authority in his voice.

'Taking her to Hubris will naturally protect her from additional assassination attempts.'

Though this concluded the second task he needed to handle in the floating city, concern still lingered in Zion's eyes.

'Should I clean up while I'm here?'

He was thinking of the demons hiding in this school to assassinate Celphia.

They were extremely capable, and even if they failed their assassination, they posed a significant future threat to the floating city.

Since Zion himself wouldn't return to this city after this visit, it might be difficult to eliminate them if not now.

"How's the formula refinement coming along?"

Zion asked Ahmad.

Though he hadn't specified which formula, the archmage's eyes lit up, understanding Zion's meaning.

"About ninety percent complete. It's about time we tested it."

Having made his decision, Zion smiled slightly and turned toward the people who still couldn't fully grasp the situation.

"Since I've come all this way, I can't just leave."

Their eyes filled with question at these cryptic words.

"Where's the largest lecture hall in the school?"

Zion's quiet question met the principal's eyes.

* * *

Seifran Magic School was one of the few advanced educational institutions in the floating city.

Today, countless people gathered in the school's main lecture hall.

All students, professors, and staff were present.

"Is it really true?"

Their faces showed strange excitement.

This was because Prince Zion would soon give a lecture here.

"He's going to lecture about that theory here?"

There was a reason people's eyes held such expectation despite Prince Zion having no expertise in magic.

Earlier this year, when Prince Zion visited the empire's Grand Magic Tower, he had written a formula on "The Correlation between Space-Time and Spatial Distortion through Gravity Magic."

This formula represented a completely new paradigm, different from all previous magical theory.

Even in Adegrifa, where they had only received the formula secondhand, it had caused an enormous reaction. Some magicians were so shocked they completely scrapped all their previous research.

Naturally, they were excited to hear a lecture from the original creator of such a formula.

It even overshadowed the news about Prince Zion recruiting Celphia Woodhart, the school's failing student.

"Well, he didn't specifically say it was that theory, but what else could it be? Prince Zion doesn't have anything else to lecture about. It's not like he's learned magic."

"Wow, this is huge. Think we can record it?"

"No, they're collecting all recording devices at the entrance."

As people chatted excitedly-

'What is this...'

Histon, a demon disguised as a Seifran student, quietly furrowed his brow.

As a nearly top-tier demon commanding other demons hiding in the school, he had been directing their mission.

'We were so close to completing the mission...'

Their mission was to assassinate a certain individual in the school.

It made no sense to commit so many resources to assassinating a mere student - a failing one at that - rather than a professor.

But orders had come from above, so he'd proceeded with the plan without question, and tonight was finally supposed to be its fruition.

Then Zion Agnes suddenly appeared and twisted everything.

'If the target leaves with Zion Agnes, the mission fails. We must kill her before then.'

But he couldn't move right now.

As if knowing their plans, Prince Zion had gathered all students and professors in one place.

Moreover, an inexplicable pressure emanating from Prince Zion as he mounted the platform prevented Histon from moving carelessly.

'How annoying. I can understand why the higher-ups are so wary of him.'

Frustration filled Histon's eyes.

'But... why is he suddenly giving a lecture?'

The demon realm had assessed that Zion Agnes never moved without purpose.

Therefore, this action must also have a hidden intent.

The problem was that they couldn't figure out what that intent might be.

As questions filled the demon's eyes-

"Let's begin right away."

Emotionless words flowed from Zion's lips as he reached the platform's center.

Though very soft, his voice reached everyone's ears clearly.

The lecture hall naturally fell silent as all attention focused on Zion.

Using magical chalk, he began writing something on the large blackboard behind him.

The magicians' expectations rose further.

But soon their expectations turned to confusion.

"...A magic circle?"

What Zion was drawing wasn't a formula but a massive magic circle.

Though one might think he had transformed the gravity formula into a magic circle, any skilled magician could tell at a glance that wasn't the case.

The fundamental basis was too different from the start.

It seemed specialized for finding something...

Then.

"There are too many rats in this world."

Zion's voice continued reaching their ears.

"They hide everywhere trying to nibble at what's mine, and it's quite troublesome that they're so hard to spot."

Was it instinct?

Or intuition?

Demon Histon felt an ominous flutter in his heart at Prince Zion's words.

Along with this, one memory struck his mind like lightning.

'They said Prince Zion had the ability to identify us.'

But the demon realm had judged that this ability had various limitations and could only reveal a small number of nearby demons.

Otherwise, he would have already eliminated all demons hiding in the imperial palace.

But what if...

'What if that judgment was wrong?'

And what if he had further refined and developed that ability?

As warning bells rang in his mind, his heart began beating faster.

This wasn't from anxiety.

It was because of the bright red light emanating from Prince Zion's nearly completed magic circle.

"Today's lecture is about how to find such rats."

Zion murmured softly, as if seeing straight through Histon and the other demons' condition.

"No! We have to get out of here...!"

Just as Histon, finally unable to endure, tried to dash outside-

"It's already too late."

Zion smiled coldly, looking directly at him, and-

SCREECH!

At last, the main lecture hall began filling with grotesque screams and vile demonic energy.

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