I Became the Younges 202 - World Conference (4)

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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In an office at the top floor of the Star Palace...

"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 blankly out the window.

Though Diana often gazed out windows lost in thought, this ti 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 replaying Zion's appearance at the Rulers' Conference.

'It was like seeing Father.'

Not the dying emperor, but one in his pri.

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.

But lately, 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 planning for the competition?"

Zion had declared he would prove the demon realm's complete infiltration of the empire at the upcoming World Competition.

Diana couldn't begin to guess how her youngest brother planned to accomplish this.

"And he told everyone to keep it absolutely secret..."

These were Zion's final words to all present before the conference ended.

He seed extrely 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 beco extrely difficult if word spread. In that case, what if..."

"You don't an..."

"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 claim 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 contemplation filled Diana's eyes.

Then,

"I..."

Her lips slowly began to move.

* * *

In the Sinking Star Palace's reception room.

"The World Competition in three days."

Zion, visiting after a long while, addressed White Fla Emperor Ahmad and Blood Tower Master Kerma before him.

"Can you complete the detection circle's refinent by then?"

The refined detection circle would play the most crucial role in Zion's proof at the competition.

He had already witnessed its effectiveness in the floating city.

Zion believed that once fully refined, it would perfectly serve his current plan.

"Ho ho, quite the tight schedule."

Ahmad stroked his beard as he replied.

Despite his words, his expression remained relaxed.

"You've already completed 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 place."

Ahmad's voice carried clear confidence in the refined detection circle.

Then,

"However, Your Highness, though the refinent is complete, its range remains limited. We'll likely need a dium 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 sothing."

"Pardon?"

"Ah, here she cos."

Zion smiled slightly at Kerma's questioning look and turned toward the reception room door.

"Lady Ball has arrived."

The attendant's voice ca from outside.

"I'll send additional instructions through shadows starting tomorrow."

At Zion's dismissal, Ahmad and Kerma left the reception room, imdiately followed by a woman entering.

"It's been a while, Prince Zion."

It was Priscilla.

The noblewoman bowed respectfully to Zion.

Though only months had passed, Priscilla truly felt like she hadn't seen Zion in ages.

So much had happened since their last eting, changing both her and Prince Zion significantly.

Moreover, she felt Prince Zion had beco almost unreachably distant.

Of course, so 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, Priscilla's eyes held complex emotions as she answered.

Admiration and fear, reverence and... sympathy.

The sympathy particularly 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 accepted that was no longer possible.

"You've worked hard, it seems."

Zion smiled slightly as he looked at Priscilla and spoke quietly.

"...Pardon?"

"You've grown well."

His voice was utterly calm, his praise almost too plain.

But,

Drip.

At those words, a tear unconsciously rolled down Priscilla'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 beco 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 Priscilla to compose herself.

After so ti passed,

"Then... have I earned the right to stand beside you?"

Priscilla asked, looking at Zion with makeup-sared face while sniffling.

"No, not yet."

Zion imdiately shook his head.

Though he acknowledged her efforts, she still had far to go before standing beside him.

As Priscilla's face fell at this,

"But being unable to stand beside

doesn't an you can't help ."

Zion's quiet voice continued.

"What do you an..."

"The upcoming 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.

The last person Zion t was a knight who appeared to be in his early thirties, with erald hair.

His carelessly maintained sword and slightly undone shirt gave him quite a relaxed impression.

"I never expected Prince Zion to request a eting with ."

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 eting 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 such combat power go to waste.

"I'd like your help this ti."

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 mbers can't command us unless they beco 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 becoming 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 ?"

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 na suggested - a competition where the strongest martial groups from the palace, Five Great Families, Three External Worlds, and other powers gathered to test their abilities.

Naturally, its popularity soared sky-high, drawing huge crowds and boasting a larger 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 palace's great training ground, specially opened even to lower nobles during the competition.

"Seems like an even bigger crowd than last ti?"

A thick-eyebrowed man nodded in response to the man with a long mustache beside him.

"Of course it is. Uniquely this ti, 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 Claws, and more. Most think this will be the greatest competition in history."

"Haha, hearing that makes

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 sothing 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 available, and even after becoming 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 achievent 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 sothing completely different?

With word spreading that he was most likely to take the throne next, curiosity only grew stronger.

"Now that you ntion it, I'm getting curious too. I heard he's quite handso..."

Before the mustached man could finish-

In an instant.

It happened in just one instant.

The training ground, bustling like a marketplace with tens of thousands gathered, fell silent in a single mont.

As if soone had thrown cold water over everyone.

Step, step.

A single set of footsteps echoed through the silence-blanketed training ground.

As if enchanted, people turned toward the sound and finally saw:

Leading the expressionless-masked Twilight Sword mbers.

A man walking into the training ground with languid 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 sothing, widened as much as physically possible.

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