I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

Chapter 100: Heavenly Punishment (3)

"Prince Zion!"

Nobles who supported Zion gathered around him with visible delight.

Until a moment ago, these nobles, who had been at the banquet without any attendants, couldn't help but feel pressured.

However, that feeling dissipated entirely with Zion's arrival.

Additionally, the various unsettling rumors that had been circulating lately were melting away like snow in the sun.

'I thought he was fine, but this confirms it. The rumors were false.'

Diana watched Zion from a distance, clicking her tongue softly.

She had deliberately spread negative rumors at the banquet in an attempt to tarnish Zion's reputation and seize control for herself.

But Zion overturned all that merely by showing up, with timing so perfect it seemed premeditated.

'And then there's...'

Diana glanced at the nobles flocking around Zion. There were far more than she had anticipated.

'All of them are key players.'

When had he managed to attract so many to his side? Among them were not only those drawn in during Enoch's incident but also nobles who had willingly submitted to Prince Zion Agnes himself.

'If it's revealed here that Zion is the master of the Extinguishing Sword...'

She didn't even want to imagine what would happen next.

"Greetings, Prince Zion. I am Altrio Rodrick of the Rodrick family. It's an honor to meet you..."

"Cleris Hamad here. I still remember the impression your Highness made at the funeral of the previous emperor..."

Moreover, nobles who were not part of Zion's forces were also gathering near him.

The atmosphere emanating from Zion was suffocating, almost deterring others with an underlying sense of ominousness, but that didn't deter them. On the contrary, they welcomed it more eagerly.

This was the kind of ruler they desired.

The Emperor of the Agnes Empire.

A being who could decide the fate of humanity with a single word and alter the course of the world with a gesture. The sovereign of the world.

He had to be special.

He couldn't be like them.

He had to reign as an absolute being from a lofty height, overseeing everything.

Yes, almost like a god.

Until now, only members of the Agnes family had fulfilled all these conditions.

That's why the imperial surname hadn't changed for centuries.

Then,

"Prince Zion, have you considered entering into a betrothal?"

One of the nobles who approached Zion asked in a suggestive tone.

"Your Highness is of age now, so it might be fitting to choose someone to be your spouse."

Although the daughter of the Bammel family was still engaged to Prince Zion, rumors of their impending annulment had already spread throughout the capital.

The Bammel family was trying to stop the rumors belatedly, but there were also whispers that Prince Zion himself had no interest in continuing the engagement.

This made it easier for others to speak up without hesitation.

Gustav Bammel, the head of the Bammel family, grimaced at these words, but no one paid him any attention.

Along with this, the focus of the crowd naturally shifted to Zion's lips.

"No, Zion will follow me and devote himself to the Church of Light, so something like marriage is..."

When Rubrious, who was listening nearby, spouted this nonsense with a serious face,

"Well, it's not impossible."

Zion opened his mouth.

In his original world, where he was an emperor, Zion had not married, but that didn't mean he was opposed to the idea. He simply hadn't found someone he liked.

"Oh!"

At his words, the eyes of the nobles and their daughters in the banquet hall sparkled.

The nobles were excited about Zion's potential, while the young ladies were captivated solely by his appearance.

'How can someone be so handsome?'

'I've never seen someone with such fair skin before.'

Initially, they hadn't paid much attention to his looks due to the alien pressure and ominousness he emitted, but as they continued to observe, his features became more apparent.

His pale, ivory-like skin, long straight eyebrows, the sharp bridge of his nose under his languid eyes, and his slightly closed red lips.

His appearance was stirring the hearts of the ladies who saw Zion for the first time that day.

"Your Highness, then perhaps my daughter..."

"Our family's women have been renowned for their beauty for generations..."

The nobles were eagerly making suggestions to Zion.

They had no choice but to do so. Unlike other royal family members who already had one or several spouses or betrothed, Zion had none.

Then,

"But they must be worthy."

Zion continued.

"Worthy, you say..."

"To stand by my side."

"…?"

The nobles' eyes filled with confusion at his words, but no further explanation came from Zion.

'Worthy...'

However, unlike those people, Priscilla, who was listening to the conversation, knew what he meant by 'worthy.'

She had already heard a harsh critique from Zion himself on the matter.

'Of course, it wasn't about marriage at that time.'

But she thought that the 'worthiness' Zion spoke of now was similar to what he had mentioned before.

'A remarkable ability that could be of help to Prince Zion.'

Knowing vaguely what Prince Zion was up against, Priscilla was aware of how high his standards were.

That's why even she hadn't attained it yet.

'I need to work harder.'

Even if she couldn't re-establish a betrothal, Priscilla wanted to stand by Zion's side.

Knowing the burden he carried alone, she wanted to help him in any way she could.

As her eyes shone with determination,

"Ha-ha! But Zion, are you feeling alright?"

Utekan approached Zion with a smile, as if glad to see him.

"I heard you've been unwell lately and haven't been leaving the palace."

There was no trace of past grudges in the expression of the fourth prince, only concern for Zion.

"That's absurd."

Zion, looking at that despicable face with his languid eyes, spoke.

"It's as ridiculous as saying you're a demon."

"…!"

The atmosphere in the banquet hall froze rapidly at Zion's words.

In the empire, talking about demons was almost a taboo.

Yet, Prince Zion was openly calling a member of the imperial family a demon.

Such a statement was excessively bold, even as a joke.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha! What a funny joke."

Utekan, staying true to his hearty image, burst into laughter, brushing off Zion's comment.

However, a cold light flickered deep within his eyes.

'Could he know?'

Utekan might have guessed that he had some connection to demons since he had already sent Azela, but there was no evidence suggesting that he himself was a demon.

Of course, it could have been just a probing statement.

But considering the persona Zion Agnes had shown so far, there was also a chance he knew.

"A joke, you say..."

Zion looked at Utekan with a meaningful smile.

"Uh, uh?"

One of the nearby nobles pointed upwards with a panicked voice.

Looking up, people saw the chandelier in the center of the banquet hall ceiling swaying as if it were about to fall.

"That...!"

Before others could fully react, crash!

The chain of the chandelier broke, and it plummeted downwards.

And right beneath it,

"Prince Zion!"

Was Zion himself.

"Your Highness! Move away...!"

Despite the shouts, Zion stood still.

Just as the chandelier was about to crash onto Zion, boom!

Something shot from the side shattered it.

The fragments scattered in all directions.

And where the chandelier once was, now stood a hand.

"Are you alright, Prince Zion?"

Soon, the owner of the hand, Alstein Ascalon, asked Zion in a calm voice.

"Thanks to you."

Even after the near accident, Zion looked at him with undisturbed eyes and responded.

"...That's a relief."

With those words, Alstein bowed his head, an odd light in his face.

"Zion! Are you alright?"

"Your Highness! Are you injured?"

"How could they manage the banquet hall like this! His Highness could have been hurt!"

Then, the other royals and nobles also started fussing around Zion, albeit belatedly.

In addition to this, knights and servants were rushing in from afar.

In the midst of the commotion around Zion,

'It's certain... absolutely certain!'

Utekan was the only one whose eyes shone brightly with excitement.

The thrill rising from the depths of his eyes!

Frankly, he initially thought he was wrong when Zion Agnes first appeared at the banquet.

Zion's presence and aura were even more intense than before.

'But it was all a bluff.'

Utekan realized this at the moment the chandelier fell.

Only he, being closest, could see it.

He noticed that Zion Agnes definitely tried to react to the falling chandelier.

'But he couldn't.'

He only slightly staggered as if losing balance.

Utekan thought this indicated Zion's physical condition was not normal.

No, it was severely serious.

'Unable to even react to a falling chandelier.'

As the thrill and anticipation seemed to seep out from the depths of his eyes, Utekan quietly bowed his head and then smiled.

But he missed seeing something.

That the chandelier's chain had been cut by something sharp and that Zion was looking at him with cold eyes.

---

Raei Translations

---

"It's certain."

After the grand banquet, Utekan's first words to the woman in a cloak and Hanosral were,

"I've confirmed everything at the banquet. Now, all that's left is to kill him."

"That's good."

The woman smiled wryly and spoke.

"Zion Agnes probably won't leave the Chimseong Palace for a while. To kill someone like him..."

"We'll have to enter the Chimseong Palace directly."

Hanosral responded in his unemotional tone to the woman's words.

"Do something within the imperial palace? That sounds risky."

Of course, there had been a few instances of attacks on the Chimseong Palace in the past, but the circumstances then and now were completely different.

Unlike the past when Zion was just a secluded prince, now he was a legitimate candidate for the next emperor.

Therefore, the attention on him would be enormous.

"If we're not careful, we might not only fail but also risk exposing our identities."

"No, we still have to do it. We might never get this opportunity again."

Utekan said firmly, shaking his head at the woman's words.

Utekan was well aware of the danger.

But a greater emotion overwhelmed him.

Anxiety.

The anxiety that if they didn't seize this chance, they might never be able to kill Zion Agnes again.

This anxiety was slowly creeping up in his mind.

"...Alright, I understand. Then we must succeed perfectly at once, without any failure."

"Don't worry about that. I'll take care of it myself."

Hanosral spoke in a similarly indifferent tone.

However,

"…!"

The reaction of the other Omareings listening was entirely different.

Their eyes widened, as if they hadn't anticipated this at all.

"What are you talking about, Hanosral?"

"I had planned this from the start. The Holy Blood that Zion Agnes stole. I must retrieve it at any cost."

Hanosral continued calmly, looking at them.

The angel's blood, a key ingredient for the 'Descension' plan.

Its value could possibly even surpass that of an Omareing like himself.

"Besides, is there any more certain way to ensure the success of this mission than one of us Omareings stepping in?"

"…You might be right."

Utekan spoke gravely after a moment of looking at Hanosral.

Until now, Zion Agnes had always exceeded their expectations.

Then, the most certain approach was to deploy overwhelming power that could suppress all those variables.

No matter how powerful Zion Agnes was, he couldn't match the strength of an Omareing.

Especially now, when he was critically wounded.

The woman, shaking her head in uncertainty, spoke.

"…The 'Heavens' within the imperial palace might intervene."

One of the reasons they hadn't acted recklessly until now.

"I'll try to handle that side."

Hanosral nodded slowly to Utekan's words.

Then he spoke to the woman, who still looked apprehensive.

"Don't worry. Taking the life of the critically wounded Zion Agnes will be easier than flipping my hand."

In fact, Hanosral had another reason for stepping in personally, beyond the two he had just mentioned.

It was to kill Zion Agnes with his own hands.

The loss of Kezarus and the Soul troops.

And the most crucial plan of stealing the Holy Blood.

Hanosral's rage over losing all these was beyond imagination.

'After killing him, I will tear his soul to shreds.'

The Soul King's eyes glittered with killing intent so intense that it could make an ordinary person lose their mind at a glance.

In his mind, there was no thought of him failing.