I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

Chapter 109: Ascalon (4)

TL/Editor: Rungir

Schedule: none

Illustrations: none

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"What is the matter, Your Highness?"

Groud Ozlima, looking at the First Prince furrowing his brows in contemplation, asked.

Ever since the Ozlima family had sided with Rubrious, Groud often spent time like this with the First Prince.

Rubrious, of course, was more than welcoming, having one of the Five Great Families under his command.

"There's something that's been bothering me lately," the First Prince said, then fell silent again.

Groud knew what this silence meant.

Rubrious and the Ozlima family were not fully trusted yet, and the First Prince was pondering whether it was safe to discuss his concerns.

After some time had passed, Rubrious spoke.

"Do you think someone who cannot feel the touch of a god can serve a god?"

"The touch of a god, do you mean divine power?"

"No, it's different. I'm talking about the literal touch of a god."

"I... I don't understand what you mean," Groud replied, shaking his head.

Every so often, the First Prince spoke in ways that were beyond Groud's understanding.

This was why he was known as the 'Zealous Prince'.

"I saw such a person in the Imperial City recently," Rubrious continued, ignoring Groud's comment.

"It was a priest from the Order of Light's branch within the city. I first saw them heading towards Chimseong Palace. On the night that incident happened."

"That incident... do you mean the night when a light rose above Chimseong Palace, illuminating the sky over the Imperial City?"

"Yes."

Interest flickered in Groud's eyes for the first time.

He thought the priest mentioned by the First Prince might be connected to what happened at Chimseong Palace.

The light from Chimseong Palace that night was a mystery to him, and he was very curious to find out more.

"I spoke to him that night in the garden. He was alone and seemed quite startled."

"Do you believe that this priest is connected to the incident at Chimseong Palace?"

"I pretended to head towards Chimseong Palace but secretly followed the priest. And then, I saw something unexpected."

"Something unexpected?"

"The priest entered Jaseong Palace."

Groud's face hardened at Rubrious's words.

Utekan does not believe in the god of light.

In fact, he doesn't worship any god.

A priest of light entering Jaseong Palace, where Utekan resides?

Yes, it was possible that Utekan, the Fourth Prince, suddenly decided to believe in the god of light.

'But why would a priest, who was heading to Chimseong Palace alone on the night of the light, suddenly change direction after meeting the First Prince and go to another royal palace?'

Especially to Jaseong Palace, the residence of the Fourth Prince Utekan, who was recently in opposition to Prince Zion?

It might have been a coincidence, but so many coincidences happening at once was extremely rare.

"I'll look into this matter regarding the priest and the Fourth Prince."

"Thank you," the First Prince replied, nodding with a cold gaze.

---

---

Zion stopped in his tracks as a voice suddenly echoed in his head.

"Prince Zion...?"

Rohanna and others stopped too, looking at Zion with questioning eyes.

Without answering their questions, Zion, after pondering for a moment, started walking towards the forbidden area.

"Your Highness, you shouldn't go there!"

Rohanna exclaimed urgently.

"The forbidden area is only accessible to the head of the Ascalon family!"

It wasn't just that others were prevented from entering by the family; it was truly inaccessible to anyone but the 'head of the family'.

Those who were not the head of the Ascalon family, if they even approached the forbidden area, would be blocked by an unknown force or sometimes even cursed.

People speculated that it was due to some 'entity' inside, but only the heads of the family knew the truth about it.

"I know."

Yet, Zion continued towards the black tower, ignoring her outcry.

Soon, as he reached the edge of the forbidden area,

"Your Highness, it's dangerous...!"

Rohanna, hurriedly following, reached out to stop him, but at that moment,

Boom!

A bright light burst forth from the ground where Zion stood.

The light spread rapidly in all directions, enveloping Zion's entire body.

"What, what is this!"

Rohanna stopped in her tracks, her voice a mix of confusion and astonishment, as she witnessed this scene for the first time.

As the light grew brighter, people from nearby buildings started coming out to see what was happening. Then, suddenly, whoosh!

The light engulfing their view disappeared in an instant.

"Prince Zion!"

Rohanna shouted, looking at the spot where Zion had been.

But by then, there was no one there.

---

---

'Is this inside the tower?'

Zion, surrounded by nothing but pitch-black darkness, thought to himself.

From the moment the voice first echoed in his head, he had sensed that the owner of the voice was the entity within the forbidden area.

That's why he had headed straight for it, and as if waiting, the owner of the forbidden area had drawn Zion inside.

Then,

-...What? You are not a warrior.

The same voice echoed once more in Zion's head.

Along with it came a piercing gaze from one side.

Turning towards the gaze, Zion saw a pair of eyes burning red in the darkness.

The pupils, as large as those of an adult man, were slit vertically like those of a reptile.

And beneath it, a long neck and a massive body filling the entire tower.

To someone seeing it for the first time, it would have been an overwhelmingly intimidating sight, but Zion, who already knew its identity, showed no change in expression.

‘The Black Dragon, Kalonix.’

This black dragon was the evil dragon mentioned in the Ascalon family's legends.

Contrary to the legend where it was said to be dead, it actually made a certain pact with the first head of Ascalon and resided within the forbidden area.

-I thought you were the warrior of this generation because you smelled similar to the last one I saw… but it seems I was mistaken.

“A warrior’s scent? What is that?”

Zion immediately asked upon hearing Kalonix's muttering.

After all, he had entered this place to find out why he was being called a warrior.

-Hmm...

The black dragon's eyes shone curiously.

Despite seeing it for the first time, Zion neither panicked nor even asked about its identity.

He simply looked into its eyes with an utterly relaxed gaze.

Intrigued by this demeanor, Kalonix readily answered Zion's question.

-Every being carries their own destiny, and these destinies have unique scents. I can smell such scents.

“So, you’re saying my destiny is similar to that of the previous warrior?”

-That's what I thought when I first sensed it. But now that I see you up close, it's not the case. Even for me, this is a first, and admittedly, a bit perplexing.

Kalonix had never mistaken the scent of destiny in its countless years of existence.

Was there something wrong with its senses?

‘Similar destinies...’

Though Kalonix called it a mistake, Zion thought there might be truth in those words.

After all, hadn’t the god of light also given his oracle alongside the warrior?

Although it was only in name.

Perhaps this too was a clue to why he existed in this world.

Slowly, a clear picture was starting to emerge.

“Then, what was the reason for calling the warrior?”

Zion asked, turning his thoughts back to the black dragon.

-The reason I called the warrior... No.

Kalonix, about to answer, stopped and looked at Zion with a peculiar gaze.

It had not planned to answer the second question, yet found itself almost naturally responding to this human’s words.

This too was an experience it had never had before.

-Before that, how about revealing your identity first? It seems you know mine, but it would be unfair if I didn’t know yours.

“You probably already have a guess.”

Zion replied with a slight smile, pointing to his hair.

A deep gray color.

There was only one family in the world with such colored hair.

-...A bloodline of Agnes, I see. That’s why your questions seemed so natural. Well, if this too is another destiny, then let it be so.

Was the black dragon satisfied with that?

It murmured without asking Zion any further questions.

"Tell me now."

-The fate of this world is already predetermined, and everything flows according to it. You know this, right?

Zion nodded to this unexpected statement.

He had already heard something similar from the Guardian who protected 'Chronos’s Five Questions.'

It was probably about the main story of the Chronicles of Frosimar.

-Dragons like me can glimpse parts of that destiny. That's how I knew a warrior would come here soon. I intended to call upon such a warrior to ask for a favor. That was the destiny I foresaw. But...

Kalonix's blazing red eyes looked at Zion.

-That destiny has already been twisted. By calling you instead of the warrior.

If the warrior's party visited the Ascalon family again, Kalonix thought to call upon them, but it was uncertain how this slightly altered destiny would now unfold.

“So, you wanted to ask the warrior for a favor?”

-Yes. But you need not worry about it. It was my mistake to call you mistakenly. If you wish, I can send you back immediately...

“But what if,”

Zion interrupted Kalonix in a soft voice.

“I were to fulfill that favor?”

Zion said, looking calmly at the black dragon.

-...?

Kalonix looked at Zion, a flicker of surprise in its eyes.

Had it heard wrong?

Soon, the dragon's eyes curved as if it was smiling.

-Ha! The favor I intended to ask the warrior. Do you not understand its significance?

This implied that only someone of the warrior’s caliber, the savior of humanity, could fulfill such a favor.

Of course, it wasn't that extreme, but the favor was indeed very difficult.

Even for the royalty of the empire, Kalonix thought, it would be a challenge.

“I know. And I also know what that favor is.”

-...What?josei

“To dispel the darkness that shrouds the entire Ascalon family?”

-!!!!!!

Kalonix's eyes shook greatly at this.

It was the correct answer.

-How could you possibly know...

The darkness that secretly enveloped the Ascalon family.

Only Kalonix itself and the current head of the family, now bedridden, knew of its existence.

Yet, how could an outsider, not of the family, know this?

“That darkness. I will erase it all.”

Zion said with a smirk, addressing the astonished black dragon.

After all, this was one of the things he had intended to do in the Ascalon family.

Zion could not tolerate other influences touching the Ascalon family, which would soon be his.

'Might as well take the reward this creature offers while I'm at it.'

In the chronicles, the warrior fulfills Kalonix's request and receives a reward.

And Zion remembered that the reward was quite good.

'After all, a reward from a dragon can't be anything but.'

Then,

-Is what you said true?

A doubtful voice emerged from Kalonix.

Normally, it would have scoffed and sent Zion away immediately upon hearing such a claim.

But knowing already about the favor, being of Agnes royalty, and those eyes filled with languid confidence yet certain conviction shook its resolve.

Somehow, looking into those eyes made it feel like his words would indeed come true.

Additionally, Kalonix was in a pressing situation.

'400 years.'

It was the duration of the contract between Kalonix and the first head of the Ascalon family.

If the Ascalon family were to disappear before the contract ended, Kalonix's existence would also vanish.

That was the nature of the pact they had made.

But now, in Kalonix’s view, the Ascalon family seemed on the brink of collapse at any moment.

-Can you really fulfill it?

“I already answered that.”

With those words, Zion extended a hand towards the black dragon.

-...?

Kalonix looked at Zion's hand, as if wondering what he was doing.

Zion then spoke with a slight smile.

“Before we start, I'd like to receive one of the rewards first.”

Perhaps this meeting might make his tasks concerning the Ascalon family much easier.