I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

Chapter 80: The Monster (3)

TL/Editor: Rungir

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In the bustling heart of the city of Hubris, the secret offshoot of the information guild, the Moon's Eye, operated under the radar.

"Recall our chat about a possible hero?" asked Allen, the guild's deputy chief. He glanced at Aileen, who was busy sorting through a pile of documents.

"Sure, what's up?" She quickly glanced up from the paperwork, meeting Allen's gaze.

"He turned out to be a fake."

"Really? Again?" Disappointment filled her eyes.

This was the fourth time.

They'd been tricked, over and over.

It seemed more plausible now that no hero existed, but Aileen kept faith.

A few months back, they'd learned about a prophecy of the hero sent to the Church of Light. Ever since, the church had acted strangely.

'I bet the church is hunting for the hero, too.'

She wished to collaborate and locate the hero, but the church was secretive, keeping all their intel under wraps.

'We must find him soon.'

Indeed, she had a good reason for this urgency.

Back in the day, when the first hero emerged, the world plunged into warfare.

The Empire and the demonic forces clashed.

A brutal war that only ended with one side's complete eradication.

A second coming of the hero would surely reignite this war.

Nothing comes from the heavens without a purpose.

'The Empire, as it stands now, can't handle another war.'

Though power had grown over time, it was scattered, not focused.

The struggles for power within the Imperial City were growing fiercer.

This conflict would likely persist until war was upon them.

So, Aileen decided to throw her full support behind the hero, not the Empire.

She believed this to be a more promising approach.

'But I've started to see things a bit differently.'

Zion Agnes.

He was the one Aileen had chosen to follow. The one who had changed her mind.

With a natural charisma that effortlessly led others.

His sharp mind, so brilliant it made her shiver.

And, recently, his awe-inspiring power.

Ignoring his brutal tendencies, Zion Agnes was, in Aileen's eyes, the epitome of perfection.

It was hard to believe that he had been labeled a disgrace to the royal family for two decades.

If Zion had been given the same opportunities as the other royals rather than being isolated, Aileen was sure he'd be closest to the throne right now.

'Maybe... just maybe.'

Though it was a long shot.

But still, maybe.

Zion might be the one to unite the Empire's power before war broke out.

Aileen was currently pondering this possibility.

Suddenly,

"Chief!"

An intel agent burst into the room, interrupting her thoughts.

"Emergency news from the Imperial City!"

"Tell me," she said.

As the agent spoke, Aileen's face hardened with seriousness.

---

---

"What do you mean?"

Zion asked, puzzled by Gui's cryptic words.

"Just as I said. How are you even alive?"

She replied, still wide-eyed in disbelief.

"You have no mana in your body. Your pathways are all blocked. Do you understand what that means?"

Before Zion could respond, Gui hurriedly continued.

"Mana is a core part of this world. All creatures, including humans, carry some amount of it."

It wasn't about whether one could control mana.

Just by existing in this world, like breathing, one should naturally have mana.

But the man standing before Gui defied this logic.

As if he didn't belong in this world.

"No creature like you should exist in this world."

In her nearly ninety years, Gui had never seen anything like this.

A creature born to die.

That was her conclusion upon examining Zion's body.

"You must have barely survived until now. Simple movements would have been a struggle, even breathing must have been difficult at times. If fate is decided by a god, yours wouldn't have lasted beyond twenty years. You should have died long before now."

Her words were harsh.

Yet, Zion's face remained stoic.

"You already knew about your condition," Gui observed, intrigued by his calmness.

How could he remain calm knowing he could drop dead at any moment?

"Can you fix it?"

Zion asked, meeting her gaze.

His hopes had actually risen a little after Gui's diagnosis.

In such a short time, she had accurately assessed his condition.

"You realize you should be dead, right?"

Gui asked, then slowly continued, "You must have used something like a healing potion recently. That energy, and a strange power I sense, are keeping you alive. That's why you can move freely now."

Zion guessed she referred to the Millennium Ogre's heart he had eaten and the Black Star Hail.

"But this is only temporary. Soon, it will fade. Before that happens, we need to change your condition at its core..."

She trailed off, furrowing her brow in thought, tapping her forehead with her pipe.

Faced with a case like this for the first time, Gui struggled to find an immediate solution.

"Correcting a congenital condition as yours is very rare. But it's not unheard of."

Gui mused aloud, recalling successful cases of correcting such inherent physical traits.

Some she had treated personally, others she hadn't, but one common factor remained.

"We need a conduit. A conduit powerful enough to override your genetic characteristics."josei

Normally, a high-grade elixir like a 'Sun Apple' would suffice, but in Zion's case, Gui felt this wouldn't be enough.

"So you mean to use the energy within this conduit to forcibly alter my innate condition and reshape it?"

"Indeed. You learn quickly."

"So, hypothetically, what might this conduit be?"

"Something that carries the essence of a transcendent species, like Holy Blood or Dragon Blood."

Both were considered beyond reach in this world.

Holy Blood, the blood of an angel, was said to exist in a few precious drops deep within the Church of Light's headquarters. However, its true nature was unknown. The dragons, once rulers of the world, had long since hidden themselves away.

"Do I just need to find one of these?"

In any ordinary circumstance, this would sound like an impossible task, a cause for despair. But Zion, instead, seemed intrigued.

A memory of his chronicles came to mind.

"Yes... But that won't guarantee a solution to all your problems."

Gui, taken aback by Zion's reaction, soon found herself intrigued.

She was interested in both Zion's unique physical condition, which she was encountering for the first time, and in Zion himself.

"Even if your condition changes, there's no certainty that you'll be able to handle mana."

"That's enough for me," replied Zion, a smile spreading across his face.

After all, he had mastered the Black Star, a power that made everything else irrelevant.

Even if he gained the ability to handle mana, it held no value for him.

So Zion was satisfied with just the possibility of improving his physical condition here.

"What else should I search for?"

"The rest can be managed with the resources I have here. But shouldn't you first inquire how long I'll be staying?"

That indeed made sense.

No matter how many ingredients he managed to find, Gui was the only one who could use them to alter Zion's condition.

And she was known for her nomadic tendencies.

"Are you planning to leave?"

"Well, I initially intended to depart immediately, but..."

Gui trailed off, casting a sidelong glance at Zion, a small smile playing on her lips.

"I've chosen to stay. Your physical condition has piqued my interest, and I do have two referral letters. Shouldn't I at least examine you one more time?"

To those who knew her, Gui's statement would be surprising.

Even armed with a hundred referral letters, Gui would typically refuse to conduct a medical examination if she didn't feel inclined to do so. So, her display of concern was a rare sight.

"I'll prepare a medicine from the ingredients I have and send it to you via Ahmad. Take it weekly. Although temporary, it will prevent your condition from deteriorating. It also aids in accepting the conduit."

"Understood."

As he nodded towards Gui, Zion suddenly seemed to remember something.

"But what about Demon Blood?"

"That won't suffice. It's the elixir of a malevolent entity like a demon. Even though it's blood, its essence is completely different."

Gui instantly shook her head and replied, prompting a flicker of regret in Zion's eyes.

Had it been possible, he could have used Priscilla, who possessed the highest grade of Demon Blood.

Quickly dismissing his regret, Zion stood up. His treatment was complete, and there was no further reason to linger.

"Three weeks."

Gui, pipe once again in mouth, broke the silence.

"That's how long I'll stay in the capital. Will I see you again within that time?"

Her eyes held a playful spark, her question seeming to ask whether he could secure the conduit within that timeframe.

"You'll see me sooner than you expect," answered Zion, smirking.

After bidding Gui farewell, Zion descended the mountain, lost in thought.

The residents of Huang City at least believed he had entirely overcome his former frailty from his days as the crown prince.

If his physical condition were to be revealed now, there could be those who might seek to exploit it.

Of course, he wouldn't be overly affected, but it would be irksome. This was also why he had chosen to conceal his identity today.

'Gui should be fine.'

He hadn't revealed his identity from the start, and it seemed Gui had no desire to discover it either.

Based on past experiences, she probably understood that identifying him would only invite trouble.

'Someone did recognize me, though….'

But he wasn't overly concerned about that either.

So far, they hadn't even attempted to meet his gaze, whether they remembered what happened during the succession ceremony or not.

However, as he exited the cabin once more, the now-awake giant and the fairy man watched him with a strange longing in their eyes.

But this seemed more like admiration and reverence than a recognition of his identity.

'...Might we meet again?'

They even posed this question.

'Perhaps, this could widen my sphere of influence.'

These thoughts coursed through Zion's mind as he neared the foot of the mountain.

"Your Highness Zion!"

A voice rang out from the base of the mountain, and a figure hurried towards him.

It was one of the Shadows of Eternity, who had previously acted as his driver during the auction incident.

"What's happened?"

Zion's questioning gaze met the approaching Shadow.

He had given no instructions to the Shadow, or anyone else, to seek him here.

But his question dissipated with the Shadow's next words.

"The Emperor appears to be on the brink of death!"

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