I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

Gregor collapsed on the floor, his head thudding against the ground.

Zion's attention immediately shifted to Arto, who was beside him.

They were both high-ranking nobles with access to the Imperial Palace, but Zion didn't hesitate.

From harsh words to aggressive actions.

After all, they instigated this situation.

“Wha, what…!”

Arto stuttered in confusion, taken aback by Zion's reaction.

He was lost in the sequence of events, from Gregor reaching out to him to his sudden fall.

Trying to back away, Arto was slow compared to Zion's speed.

Whoosh!

Arto's necklace, an artifact, sensed its master's peril and shone, creating a blue shield around Arto.

However, this didn't deter Zion. His hand didn't slow.

In fact, it seemed to speed up.

Swoosh-

A black glow appeared at Zion's fingertips.

The instant Zion's hand made contact with Arto's shield.

“…!”

Arto's shield was extinguished.

It didn't shatter or pierce.

It simply disappeared as though it never existed.

This left Arto and Priscilla, who was observing, shocked.

Then, Zion grabbed Arto's head and smashed it against the wall.

Crack!

Arto's body fell limp, just like Gregor's.

“Take them away.”

After studying Arto and Gregor for a moment, Zion turned towards Priscilla, rooted on the spot.

“They're still breathing.”

With that, Zion started to walk away, seemingly finished here.

As he moved further away, Priscilla, who had been blankly staring at his back, finally came to her senses and called out.

“Wait, just a moment!”

Zion turned his head with a look of annoyance, and Priscilla, who had approached unnoticed, spoke.

“Could I stay here for a while, if you don't mind?”

Her face suggested she wasn't really worried about the two unconscious men.

Her eyes were full of intense curiosity and interest.

“As you know, preparing for a divorce takes many steps.”

“Well…”

Zion paused, intending to reject her weak excuse, aware that allowing it could cause problems.

However, a glint appeared in Zion's eyes.

If managed well, Priscilla could be useful.

Priscilla, dubbed the 'Unfortunate Princess' in the novel, had a unique attribute.

It seemed possible to use that attribute to uncover the 'true enemy' hiding in this palace.

“Suit yourself.”

Zion consented, his eyes meeting Priscilla's red ones.

Priscilla briefly looked surprised, apparently not expecting such swift agreement. She then spoke.

“…Very well. I'll be in your care.”

---

---

“Sigh……”

Wandering through Chimseong Palace's corridors, Priscilla exhaled a sigh.

Three days had passed since she moved into the palace.

While she was content with her decision to stay, the problem was that she hadn’t seen Prince Zion once during this time.

He seemed like a man consumed by training, spending the whole day on his personal training grounds, retiring to his room only to sleep. This summed up Prince Zion's daily routine.

He even ate all his meals there.

As expected, Prince Zion didn’t invite her to either his training area or his room.

“Why invite me to stay if it’s going to be like this……”

Priscilla initially chose to stay due to a newfound curiosity about the changed Prince Zion. Understandably, she felt frustrated.

The only progress she made was with the knights and palace servants.

Their previously subtle disdain and contempt for Prince Zion had entirely vanished.

Now, they seemed to fear Zion.

The only exception was Sir Fredo, who served Zion closely and didn't show such fear.

‘What happened?’

Even when she questioned the servants, they kept their lips sealed, refusing to speak.

As if speaking would cost them their lives.

‘And that power he demonstrated that time…….’

Days ago, Prince Zion had displayed a power against Gregor and Arto that was formidable enough to defy public opinion. But the power he used...

had piqued her interest.

The black substance that erased Arto's shield upon contact.

It was a power unknown to her, despite being a seasoned magician like Priscilla.

‘He’s a mystery.’

Until recently, she thought she had figured out Prince Zion.

They had grown up together after all.

But now, she realized she knew nothing.

“Hello, Miss Priscilla.”

While lost in thought, Knight Fredo approached and greeted her.

“I won't say hello.”

“Excuse me?”

At Priscilla's blunt reply, Fredo looked confused.

“You’re aware that the Prince has changed, aren't you?”

“I am.”

“So what on earth happened?”

“About that……”

Fredo looked troubled in response to her question.

To answer her would inevitably mean discussing the attack on Chimseong Palace and the traitors' punishment. But Zion had strictly ordered silence on the matter. Aware of what Fredo's reaction would be Pricilla nodded her head and changed the subject.

"By the way, what is Prince Zion doing? Even though I've been staying in the palace, I haven't seen him..."

"His Highness has been very busy lately. Oh, he is currently with the knights in the training hall, would you like to go there together?"

"Let's go immediately then."

Even before Fredo had finished his sentence, Priscilla had begun walking.

She almost ran since she didn't want to miss the opportunity she had finally stumbled upon after a long time.

How long was she walking for?

Priscilla kicked open the door of Chimseong Palace and found Zion with the knights outside the training hall.

Zion seemed to be instructing the knights.

"Prince Zion." Priscilla approached Zion swiftly and sang his name, her cheeks flushed.

On the other hand, Zion gave her a strange look, as if there was something wrong with her.

"What are you trying to do?"

"Why didn't you show your face even once?" Are you avoiding me? Why did you ask me to stay in the palace then?"

"First of all." Zion's cold voice interrupted Priscilla's words.

"Watch what you say." Zion's gaze pierced Priscilla's crimson eyes.

"And don't overstep your boundaries."

It was a warning that he would no longer tolerate her antics.

"I never asked you to stay here." Zion's voice rang out from the training hall.

Priscilla, who had been quiet, gave Zion a quick glance before he opened his mouth once more.

"I simply didn't stop you from staying. And am I obligated to come see you?"

After hearing his words, Priscilla realized that he was right. Zion had never asked Priscilla to remain in the palace. He had just stated that she could stay for as long as she pleased.

Struck by that reality, she replied with a bitter expression on her face.

"No you're not... I understand."

Zion's gaze lingered on Priscilla's back as she walked away. He wanted to request something of her, but the timing wasn't right.

Before that, he had a task to complete.

"Over the next week, we will double the number of night guards." Zion announced his order as his gaze fell back on the knights.

"The patrol team will also be increased from a group of two to a group of three, and all knights are required to wear iron plates covering their neck and heart."

"As you command!"

They were just following orders.

'At least three days.'

With these thoughts, Zion turned and began calculating time in his head.

Contrary to Zion's expectations, those who ordered the recent attack didn't bother to check on his condition or employ any other tactics.

An unusually passive response.

There was only one plausible explanation for this.

---

---

Some wizards attempted to explain why the moon in the sky was progressively turning red.

They proposed that the moon was God's eye, observing us, and due to its ceaseless vigil, it was becoming bloodshot.

Thus, they explained, a lunar eclipse was when God chose to rest his eyes.

'Clearly, that's nonsensical....'

No. 4 held this belief, gazing at the sky where even the moon had lost its luminescence.

While there was consensus about the absurdity of the tale, No. 4 held an affinity for nights when a lunar eclipse took place.

That's because he felt comfortably settled in the darkness that remained when all the light vanished.

Additionally, his success rate for his undertakings also escalated.

'Is it there?'

Considering this, No. 4 studied the palace emitting a faint glow ahead of him.

Chimseong Palace.

Tonight, No. 4 had a target to eliminate within this palace.

'I can't believe there's a plot to assassinate within the Imperial Palace.'

No. 4 was conscious that he was in the heart of Huangcheng, the core of the Agnes Empire.

The client was oblivious to this.

Nonetheless, even though it was on the outskirts, the fact that No. 4 was permitted to operate within Huangcheng signified that the one who assigned this task was in an extremely high position.

'I've heard there was a previous failed attempt.'

He was unaware of the reasons for the failure.

None of the assassins dispatched had returned.

Therefore, the assassination team No. 4 belonged to had sent an overwhelming force this time.

A force potent enough to obliterate an entire noble house without a trace.

That also meant they were taking the client's opinion extremely seriously.

"Eradicate all life in the palace before dawn."

As No. 4 murmured softly to the assassins quietly standing behind him, his figure started to move, embraced by the darkness.

The assassins swiftly followed him.

Despite the movement of dozens of feet, not a whisper of sound escaped.

Thud, thud!

With a subdued slicing noise, the heads of the knights guarding the palace's main gate tumbled from their bodies.

Without a moment's hesitation, the assassins stepped into the palace, stepping over the falling bodies.

Shortly thereafter, the palace lights began to extinguish in areas infiltrated by the assassins.

"......"

On the top floor of such Chimseong Palace,

Zion was idly observing the palace, where the lights were slowly disappearing.

The anticipated second assault, and the adversaries who were far stronger than before.

But they weren't the ones doing the hunting tonight.

Hiss-

The one doing the hunting was Zion himself.

Zion's eyes traced the vanishing lights.

Shortly, Zion's form started to dissolve into the darkness.

Thanks for reading! Sorry for the missed chapter yesterday, had a bunch of stomach issues whoops! Will be back on pace starting today.

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