I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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Acrimosia, Archdemon of Madness.

One of the two Great Demons who appeared directly in the chronicle and fought the hero's party.

That's why Zion recognized her immediately.

'Why is the Archdemon of Madness here?'

Originally, beings of Great Demon level weren't supposed to appear at this time.

Though their power approached semi-divinity due to carrying different "fates of destruction," they also had tremendous restrictions.

Of course, these restrictions naturally loosened as the world's end drew closer.

But currently, they shouldn't be able to use their original power outside the demon realm due to how severe the restrictions were.

He couldn't understand why she would reveal herself here despite that limitation.

"How fascinating. How could a human like you exist? You're not even a hero. And you gained this much power in just about a year? Is that even possible?"

Acrimosia leaned forward with her hands behind her back as she studied Zion.

Her eyes were full of interest.

"I'm the one who's fascinated. I didn't expect such a large rat to crawl out so soon."

Zion's cold voice flowed as he met the Great Demon's gaze.

"Oh? Seems you know who I am?"

The Archdemon of Madness smiled brightly and said,

"I was curious, you see. The underlings keep going on about Zion Agnes this, Zion Agnes that - I just had to see for myself."

"But isn't it strange to call me a rat? That's what stronger beings say to weaker ones. Strong enough to kill them whenever they want."

As she spoke, the interest in Acrimosia's eyes began turning to madness.

Then-

"Who are you!"

One of the nearby watching magicians approached Acrimosia.

"How dare you show such disrespect to Prince Zion-!"

Before the magician could finish-

"Don't interfere."

An ice-cold voice completely different from before flowed from the Great Demon's lips.

At that moment-

CRUNCH!

Without warning, everything except the magician's head was torn away by something invisible.

THUD, roll roll.

The magician's head fell and rolled across the floor.

Their face remained frozen in the same expression of shouting at the girl, as if they hadn't realized they were dead.

As everyone's eyes trembled at this gruesome sight-

RUMBLE!

The presence Acrimosia had been hiding suddenly exploded outward, pressing down on the entire lecture hall.

No, her presence began spreading beyond the lecture hall to encompass the entire city.

The magicians' movements stopped, consumed by this presence that casually transcended mortal limits.

Like prey caught in a spider's web.

Their bodies froze, unable to move even an eyebrow or finger.

'Can't... breathe...!'

The less accomplished magicians and students collapsed, blood flowing from their eyes and noses as they couldn't withstand the pressure.

"This should prevent any more interference, right?"

Just as the Archdemon of Madness looked at them with satisfaction-

"Well, I suppose you're not just a rat after all."

A quiet voice reached her ears.

Turning back toward Zion at those words, surprise appeared in Acrimosia's eyes for the first time.

Zion Agnes was watching her with eyes so calm they appeared languid.

Though nothing about him had changed from before-

'He can move normally?'

That's what surprised her.

Though restricted, this was still presence that she had deliberately revealed.

The overwhelming pressure from the resulting gap in status wasn't something that could be withstood so casually.

'He should at least show some discomfort...'

But there was none of that either.

"You... you really are interesting, aren't you?"

As she muttered this, the surprise in her eyes transformed into an even greater interest than before.

'What should I do...'

Meanwhile, deep consideration flickered in Zion's eyes as he watched the Archdemon of Madness.

Though the Black Star Force had reached six stars and he possessed two divine artifacts, Zion knew he still couldn't match the being before him.

As proof, it took raising the Black Star Force to maximum and using Eclipse just to free himself from Acrimosia's presence.

'I could probably handle Great Demons from the First War, but...'

The Great Demons appearing in the chronicle were beings who directly led to the world's end, so their level was much higher.

Even above the Dragon of the End he had seen during the Tower of Causality trial.

Of course, using "Chronos's Questions" would definitively eliminate the monster before him, but he couldn't do that.

The remaining two questions were needed elsewhere.

He had actually planned to keep one question in reserve for situations like this, but that reserve had been used dealing with the Fallen Angel in Lezero.

So Zion's concern deepened.

Then-

"This is definitely enough to look forward to."

In the midst of this tense situation that could explode at any moment, Acrimosia suddenly turned around while watching Zion intently.

Simultaneously, the space before her rippled and a large iron door appeared, engraved with twisted demon faces.

"I believe you'll make things even more interesting next time we meet."

The girl walked toward the iron door as it slowly opened with a heavily rusted sound.

"You're just leaving?"

"Of course. I told you earlier - I came to 'see.' Now that I've seen, I should go."

Though her behavior made no sense, it was perfectly possible for the inherently mad Archdemon of Madness.

Zion didn't try to stop her.

'That works out well.'

He hadn't wanted to clash with a Great Demon here either.

Then-

"Hmm, but leaving without giving a gift would be boring, wouldn't it?"

Acrimosia stopped walking toward the iron door and turned back to Zion while muttering this.

A small sphere shot from her extended fingertip.

A crimson sphere containing part of her "Madness" authority.

This sphere rapidly grew larger while absorbing all surrounding power, then began extending toward Zion.

It looked almost like a small sun rising.

RUMBLE!

Space shattered and time distorted.

'Ah...!'

Ahmad and several other top-ranked magicians' faces turned deathly pale watching this.

They instinctively knew.

The moment that sun containing immeasurable power completed, the floating city of Adegrifa would vanish without a trace.

'We're going to die.'

Just as this thought crossed their minds-

WHOOSH!

Zion, who had been watching the sun with ice-cold eyes, began to move.

He took a large step forward while pressing Eclaxia to his side, like preparing to draw a sword.

Simultaneously-

SCREECH!

The Dark Domain that had been spreading to consume the surrounding space was sucked back in reverse, forming a single line toward his sword.

Eclipse Double Layer.

Partial Eclipse Triple Layer.

Then explosive amplification!

'Cut through the core with one strike before it completes.'

CRACK!

Zion gripped Eclaxia tighter to steady it as it screamed under the unimaginably concentrated power, his eyes now black as he watched the approaching sun.

Those eyes fixed on the tiny, almost invisible core within the sun.

Zion lowered his body further as if taking aim at that core.

Just as the nearly complete sun of madness was about to release all its absorbed power-

Light Extinction.

A moment of absolute stillness, as if time had stopped.

Within this, Eclaxia moved alone, drawing an incredibly elegant curve through the heavily distorted space.

Very slowly.

A curve advancing while cutting through light.

Finally, when that curve perfectly split the core deep within the crimson sun- FLASH!

The resulting explosion of dark light began dyeing the entire floating city crimson black.

"You really are...!"

The Archdemon of Madness smiled more brightly than ever at Zion before completely disappearing into that light-dyed world.

* * *

In a quiet forest far from the floating city.

CLANG!

A demon's iron door completely out of place appeared in the middle of the forest where only small animals lived.

From beyond this door emerged a girl.

It was Acrimosia, the Archdemon of Madness.

"Zion Agnes..."

Acrimosia's face was flushed as she muttered that name.

How long had it been since she'd felt such excitement?

It was the first time her heart had raced like this since killing one of the previous Four Great Demons and taking their place.

"I'm glad I went to see him in person."

Fresh excitement flowed through Acrimosia's entire body, enough to instantly blow away the boredom she had felt for so long.

Especially that final sword strike that split her created sun - it had even given her a thrill.

'To think I'd feel this way about a being who doesn't even carry the fate of salvation...'

Though he still couldn't match her yet, given more time he would surely gain power sufficient to satisfy her.

'But that power feels familiar somehow. I definitely haven't seen it before, but...'

As she tilted her head in thought-

"...Hm?"

Her eyes lit up as she discovered something.

"What's this? Seems I wasn't the only one giving gifts."

The Archdemon of Madness grinned as she spoke.

Her eyes fell on a cleanly cut section of her dress and the rather deep wound revealed beneath.

* * *

After the incident at Seifran Magic School, Adegrifa was literally turned upside down.

While exposing the demons hiding in the city was shocking enough, Archdemon Acrimosia's appearance left everyone astounded.

Perhaps because their belief that the city had never been and would never be attacked by the demon realm had been shattered?

The floating city's leadership raised security to near wartime levels and began searching the entire city, with the city's magicians in full agreement.

The recent incident had been that threatening.

They had literally almost lost the entire city.

Naturally, when the empire received this news, they also fell into chaos and strengthened their defensive posture.

Some even suggested that this incident showed the great war with the demon realm had drawn within visible range.

Amid this chaos and busy atmosphere, at the city's edge-

"Are you leaving right away?"

The city's leadership had come to see off Zion, who stood before the warp gate.

"Why not stay a bit longer? The exchange conference isn't even over."

Ackendelt spoke with a regretful expression.

The conference was just an excuse - his true purpose was repayment.

Repayment for saving the city twice, from both Stigma and the Archdemon of Madness.

Ackendelt recalled that second terrifying yet thrilling moment.

Without this man, the city would have been destroyed.

That's why he felt even more grateful to Prince Zion.

"No, I need to go now."

Though Zion understood Ackendelt's feelings, he shook his head.

There was something he needed to do immediately.

Something even more urgent than the Archdemon of Madness at present.

"Besides, I think we'll meet again soon anyway."

"What? What do you mean?"

Ackendelt's eyes turned questioning at Zion's words.

It seemed he hadn't yet received word from Obergia.

Zion didn't answer, instead turning toward the warp gate.

FLASH!

The warp gate shone brightly as if prepared in advance to welcome Zion.

Behind him, Ackendelt and the gathered floating city magicians began bowing deeply.

"Then we await seeing you again, Your Highness Prince Zion Agnes."

Their farewell was filled with sincerity.

Zion smiled slightly before stepping into the gate without hesitation.

The World Conference.

The world's largest conference and one of the most important gateways determining the next emperor had finally drawn near.

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