TL/Editor: raei
Status: ongoing
Illustrations: none
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In an office at the top floor of the Star Pce...
"Your Highness Diana..."
Halegrion, First Leaf of the World Tree, and Lloyd, captain of the first division of the Igrasia Spirit Corps, watched the Fifth Princess with worried eyes as she stared nkly out the window.
Though Diana often gazed out windows lost in thought, this time felt different.
Their lord had remained in this state ever since returning from the Rulers'' Conference.Moreover, her eyes had lost their light, appearing almost lifeless.
"Have I truly lost all chance of reaching it..."
These words slipped from Diana''s lips.
Her mind kept reying Zion''s appearance at the Rulers'' Conference.
''It was like seeing Father.''
Not the dying emperor, but one in his prime.
No, that wasn''t quite right - Zion''s presence had been even more overwhelming.
''Is the fate of an emperor truly determined from birth?''
Until now, Diana had believed that fate belonged to her.
Buttely, she kept thinking that had been an illusion.
Along with this realization, her hopes had shrunk to near invisibility.
''All that''s left is to pray he fails the proof...''
The princess sighed at this thought.
She hated her current passive position.
"I wonder what he''s nning for thepetition?"
Zion had dered he would prove the demon realm''splete infiltration of the empire at the uing World Competition.
Diana couldn''t begin to guess how her youngest brother nned to aplish this.
"And he told everyone to keep it absolutely secret..."
These were Zion''s final words to all present before the conference ended.
He seemed extremely wary of this information leaking.
Then,
"Your Highness, may I offer a suggestion?"
Halegrion, who had been listening to Diana''s muttering, spoke up.
"Go ahead."
"I believe Prince Zion made that request because the proof would be extremely difficult if word spread. In that case, what if..."
"You don''t mean..."
"Yes, as Your Highness has likely already considered - we deliberately leak the information."
Halegrion''s voice grew more secretive.
"Such shocking news would spread instantly with even the slightest hint. And if that causes Prince Zion to fail his proof..."
He would have to forfeit his im to the throne, as promised.
"..."
Diana continued staring out the window in silence at the fairy''s words.
She had indeed considered this approach.
''However...''
This involved the demon realm.
The empire''s greatest taboo, especially for the royal family.
Leaking this information would not only break that taboo but potentially endanger the entire empire.
Deep contemtion filled Diana''s eyes.
Then,
"I..."
Her lips slowly began to move.
* * *
In the Sinking Star Pce''s reception room.
"The World Competition in three days."
Zion, visiting after a long while, addressed White me Emperor Ahmad and Blood Tower Master Kerma before him.
"Can youplete the detection circle''s refinement by then?"
The refined detection circle would y the most crucial role in Zion''s proof at thepetition.
He had already witnessed its effectiveness in the floating city.
Zion believed that once fully refined, it would perfectly serve his current n.
"Ho ho, quite the tight schedule."
Ahmad stroked his beard as he replied.
Despite his words, his expression remained rxed.
"You''ve alreadypleted it, I see."
"Indeed. We fortunately found the final piece we needed during its use in Adegrifa. Now we just need to put that piece in ce."
Ahmad''s voice carried clear confidence in the refined detection circle.
Then,
"However, Your Highness, though the refinement isplete, its range remains limited. We''ll likely need a medium to amplify the magic circle''s power to cover your intended area." ??????????
Kerma spoke up beside Ahmad, looking slightly concerned.
"Don''t worry about that. I''ve already thought of something."
"Pardon?"
"Ah, here shees."
Zion smiled slightly at Kerma''s questioning look and turned toward the reception room door.
"Lady Bamell has arrived."
The attendant''s voice came from outside.
"I''ll send additional instructions through shadows starting tomorrow."
At Zion''s dismissal, Ahmad and Kerma left the reception room, immediately followed by a woman entering.
"It''s been a while, Prince Zion."
It was Prisci.
The noblewoman bowed respectfully to Zion.
Though only months had passed, Prisci truly felt like she hadn''t seen Zion in ages.
So much had happened since theirst meeting, changing both her and Prince Zion significantly.
Moreover, she felt Prince Zion had be almost unreachably distant.
Of course, some things remained unchanged.
''Those eyes.''
His gaze still revealed no emotion when looking at her.
"Yes, about half a year has passed?"
"No, it''s been longer than that."
Unlike Zion''s tone, Prisci''s eyes heldplex emotions as she answered.
Admiration and fear, reverence and... sympathy.
The sympathy particrly confused her, having existed since before.
It made no sense to feel such emotion toward Prince Zion, who surpassed her in every conceivable way.
But since vaguely learning what Prince Zion fought alone, that feeling had remained carved in her heart.
That''s why she wanted to lighten his burden, why she wanted to stand beside him.
Though she had epted that was no longer possible.
"You''ve worked hard, it seems."
Zion smiled slightly as he looked at Prisci and spoke quietly.
"...Pardon?"
"You''ve grown well."
His voice was utterly calm, his praise almost too in.
But,
Drip.
At those words, a tear unconsciously rolled down Prisci''s cheek.
This was his first praise since telling her she needed to earn her qualifications.
She had truly given everything since then.
Training in magic without rest, trying absolutely everything to be useful, all to earn those qualifications.
"Hic... hic!"
Finally receiving recognition for efforts that had gone unacknowledged until now, she couldn''t stop her tears.
"..."
Zion quietly waited for Prisci topose herself.
After some time passed,
"Then... have I earned the right to stand beside you?"
Prisci asked, looking at Zion with makeup-smeared face while sniffling.
"No, not yet."
Zion immediately shook his head.
Though he acknowledged her efforts, she still had far to go before standing beside him.
As Prisci''s face fell at this,
"But being unable to stand beside me doesn''t mean you can''t help me."
Zion''s quiet voice continued.
"What do you mean..."
"The uing World Competition."
As he spoke, his lips curved into,
"I need you then."
What appeared to be an anticipatory smile.
* * *
The day before the World Competition began.
Thest person Zion met was a knight who appeared to be in his early thirties, with emerald hair.
His carelessly maintained sword and slightly undone shirt gave him quite a rxed impression.
"I never expected Prince Zion to request a meeting with me."
The knight''s voice after greeting matched his appearance perfectly.
"Pardon my directness, but may I ask your business right away? It wouldn''t be good if word spread about my private meeting with a specific royal."
Though quite direct, the words made sense given the knight''s identity.
''Mileion Jeffrey.''
Commander of the Agnes Knights, the world''s strongest knight order, and a sword that moved only for the Emperor.
A legendary figure who reached his current position through swordsmanship alone, rated second only to Evelyn Agnes among knights.
Though not included among the ''Seven Heavens'' since he had never properly demonstrated his abilities, he was considered strong enough to join them at will.
''Though he showed little activity in the chronicle except near the end since the throne remained vacant...''
Zion had no intention of letting suchbat power go to waste.
"I''d like your help this time."
Zion answered the direct question just as directly.
"Well... as you surely know, we Agnes Knights move only for the empire and emperor. Naturally, even direct imperial bloodline members can''tmand us unless they be emperor."
Mileion replied with a troubled expression.
"Personally, I''d love to help Your Highness... but rules are rules. Though I know you''re closest to bing the next emperor, you haven''t taken the throne yet."
Though longer and more careful than his image suggested, it was still a refusal.
But Zion''s expression remained unchanged at his refusal.
He had expected this from the start.
"Then how about moving for the empire rather than for me?"
At Zion''s soft words,
"...Pardon?"
Confusion filled Mileion''s eyes.
* * *
The World Competition.
One of the events held during the World Conference, it was exactly what its name suggested - apetition where the strongest martial groups from the pce, Five Great Families, Three External Worlds, and other powers gathered to test their abilities.
Naturally, its poprity soared sky-high, drawing huge crowds and boasting arger scale than any other event.
On this day of the World Competition...
"Wow, this is no joke!"
From early morning, countless people gathered in the pce''s great training ground, specially opened even to lower nobles during thepetition.
"Seems like an even bigger crowd thanst time?"
A thick-eyebrowed man nodded in response to the man with a long mustache beside him.
"Of course it is. Uniquely this time, even the Agnes Knights who never participate are joining in."
"Huh, is that true?"
"Absolutely, and their opponents are no less impressive - the Gray Lion Corps, Spirit Corps, Blue ws, and more. Most think this will be the greatestpetition in history."
"Haha, hearing that makes me even more excited!"
The mustached man couldn''t hide his enthusiasm at the thick-eyebrowed man''s words.
"But you know what? I''m actually most looking forward to something else."
The thick-eyebrowed man continued in a more secretive tone.
"What''s that?"
"Prince Zion Agnes."
"Ah!"
"He was practically imprisoned before with no information avable, and even after bing active this past year, he''s barely appeared in public."
The thick-eyebrowed man''s eyes turned to an empty seat among the royals and External World leaders.
"Many don''t even know what he looks like. Yet every achievement we hear about is unbelievably impressive. Of course we''re curious."
What kind of person was he?
Was he the ruthless tyrant rumors suggested?
Or somethingpletely different?
With word spreading that he was most likely to take the throne next, curiosity only grew stronger.
"Now that you mention it, I''m getting curious too. I heard he''s quite handsome..."
Before the mustached man could finish-
In an instant.
It happened in just one instant.
The training ground, bustling like a marketce with tens of thousands gathered, fell silent in a single moment.
As if someone had thrown cold water over everyone.
Step, step.
A single set of footsteps echoed through the silence-nketed training ground.
As if enchanted, people turned toward the sound and finally saw:
Leading the expressionless-masked Twilight Sword members.
A man walking into the training ground withnguid eyes.
People''s gazes couldn''t break away from him, struck by an alien sensation and pressure they had never experienced before.
"That person is..."
Just as the thick-eyebrowed man''s trembling voice began-
"DIE! AVENGE THIRD PRINCE!"
Everyone''s eyes there, including the man who had witnessed something, widened as much as physically possible.Toggle New Ads
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