I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel

Chapter 53: Imperial Magic Tower (1)



TL/Editor: Rungir

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One of the five palaces surrounding Baeksung Palace was Hyukseong Palace, home to the 3rd Prince Enoch. Its basement was a place of mystery, even to the palace staff.

Only a chosen few could enter, and they faced strict checks and controls when they did.

Deep in the basement of Hyukseong Palace was a hidden room.

"Uaahhhh!"

Here, 3rd Prince Enoch was screaming, brutally hitting something in front of him.

Enoch's eyes blazed with rage.

"This jerk!"

His words didn't specify a target, but it was easy to guess.

6th Prince Zion Agnes.

Zion had struck Enoch a major blow.

It felt like he'd lost a limb.

Lergan was that important to Enoch.

Through him, Enoch controlled a group of wizards and a tower as easily as his own body. Lergan's brilliant mind helped to craft various plans.

Lergan's worth was beyond measure.

"How dare youuuu!"

Enoch continued to lash out at the object in front of him.

"Hoo, hoo...."

Whether his anger had faded or not, Enoch paused to catch his breath.

Thud.

Something dropped to the floor.

A body.

A body so brutally beaten that it was barely recognizable.

There were already many others like it scattered about.

All victims of Enoch's rage.

"You've decided to cross the line."

Enoch muttered, picturing Zion next to the bodies.

Sure, Enoch had always wanted to eliminate Zion, but he hadn't made it a priority.

There were too many other concerns, too many other foes.

But now, Enoch planned to put Zion at the top of his list.

"Should I ask him for advice?"

Enoch murmured, considering the 'entity' who watched over all that happened in the basement, at the very heart of Hyukseong Palace.

This entity had approached him one day with a proposal of cooperation.

They had maintained a silent partnership, as they shared some common interests.

'If this truth gets out, the empire will go into chaos.'

This matter was of a magnitude that would dwarf even the recent events of Zion taking down Lergan and the Icarus Wizarding Division.

That was the taboo and danger that this entity represented within the empire.

Clang!

Finishing his thoughts, Enoch opened the heavy iron door.

As he stepped into the basement corridor, he saw...

"Please... help... Ahhhhhhh!"

"Just... end it...."

People were trapped in glass cells lining the walls, crying out in pain, their bodies twisted.

---

---

An observatory at the city's edge, often deserted because of its isolation.

A man, average-looking and emotionless, and a seductive woman dressed in a habit stood side by side, overlooking the city.

"It's confirmed."

The man's rough voice echoed.

"Yes."

The woman nodded, as if she understood his statement despite the lack of a subject.

"Cainliss has completely vanished. The same goes for the others. The 'coordinates' are gone too."

"Zion Agnes likely did this."

They were only suspicious before, but now they were certain.

Zion Agnes, the forsaken prince, was armed with information and hunting them.

"How did he find out? It was top-secret, even among us, wasn't it?"

"I don't know."

The man shook his head slightly at the woman's question.

It was something even he couldn't understand.

They'd infiltrated the human world over hundreds of years, and even the empire's best couldn't fully identify or stop them.

Yet, Zion Agnes not only pinpointed their identities and movements, but was hunting them.

As if he knew what was coming.

It was unfathomable.

"Does he have something like our Future Eyes?"

"Future Eyes aren't precise."

"So what is it?"

"......"

The woman, after watching the silent man, changed the topic.

"An unexpected twist. Could our intel on Zion Agnes have been wrong?"

"It's likely. More importantly, we need to consider how to handle Zion going forward."

"Interesting. On our side and the 'hero's' side too."

"It's not interesting, it's a headache."

The man's tone didn't change in response to the woman's words.

"By the way, I heard Zion Agnes is visiting the university tower?"

"I heard that too. Couldn't figure out why though."

"Isn't Hiduk with you? Shouldn't you warn him? Although, given his nature, he'd likely avoid capture..."

The woman stopped speaking there.

Given Zion Agnes's past deeds, she couldn't help but feel apprehensive.

"We should warn him."

The man's voice broke the silence.

---

---

The Imperial University Magic Tower, also called the Imperial Tower, was situated in the capital, Hubei. It was the most prestigious among all the empire's university magic towers.

Only the most gifted magicians gained admission, and a graduation certificate guaranteed recognition and entry into the imperial city.

In essence, it was the dream destination of every young magician in the empire.

"Haah..."

Priscilla, a sophomore at the Imperial University Magic Tower, heaved a sigh as she walked down the tower corridor.

"Miss Priscilla, is something wrong?"

A young wizard, who seemed to have been waiting for her, asked.

Known for her beauty, she was among the top ten in the entire empire.

Her illustrious family background inevitably attracted followers in the university, and this young wizard was one of them.

But Priscilla didn't hear the wizard's words.

'How do I become stronger?'

Her mind was preoccupied with the harsh words Zion had previously spoken.

She consistently topped the grades at the magic university.

Her skills were exceptional, attracting scouts from nearby regions, even before graduation.

However, the qualifications Zion referred to weren't of this level.

'He said that ordinary skill levels won't suffice...'

She was clueless about how to enhance her skills dramatically in a short span.

"Haah..."

As Priscilla sighed again and was about to enter her next lecture room, she noticed:

"Who's that person? Why did the professors go to meet them?"

"Didn't they arrive from the Imperial City?"

Students huddled by the window, gazing outside.

'What's going on?'

Sensing the students' odd behavior, Priscilla joined them at the window.

Through the glass, she could see the main gate of the magic tower.

"…!"

Suddenly, her eyes widened.

At the gate stood a figure. Or rather, one person in particular. Priscilla stared in disbelief.

"Prince Zion, we're honored to welcome you to our Imperial University Magic Tower. I'm Proud Lindel, the instructor of frost magic here."

Zion regarded the professor who had come to greet him at the tower's main gate, then bowed in acknowledgment.

He could see the surprise in Professor Proud's eyes.

Zion understood the reason.

He had only notified the Imperial University Magic Tower of his visit an hour ago.

While the royal family did occasionally visit for morale, this was the first time the tower received such a spontaneous royal visit.

Moreover, the royal visitor happened to be the reclusive crown prince, who until recently had not engaged in any public activities, adding to the confusion.

"I understand you wish to meet the Tower Master... However, he is currently unavailable. While you wait, allow me to guide you to a guest room."

"No, I'd prefer to tour the tower in the meantime."

With that, Zion made his way into the tower.

"Huh? Oh, alright. Then I'll accompany you."

Swiftly, Professor Proud followed after Zion.

Zion's visit to the Imperial University Magic Tower, even before the dust had settled from the recent Lergan and Icarus Wizard Division incidents, had a purpose.

'Is it tonight, perhaps?'

Regardless of any subplots, the principal narrative of the Frosimar Chronicle revolved around the Hero and his comrades.

One of the key turning points in this main narrative was stated to happen that night at the Imperial University Magic Tower.

It wasn't a cataclysmic event like the vanishing of Rain Dranir's city or the Illusion Army incident.

Yet, in Zion's perspective, the event here held equal weight.

Depending on what transpired here, the timeline of the Hero's party's full emergence could significantly shift.

"The classrooms on the fourth floor have all incorporated state-of-the-art magic engineering systems, and concurrently..."

As they stepped into the tower, Professor Proud commenced his pre-prepared tour guide speech.

Zion listened attentively as they navigated the premises.

'It seems to be over there.'

Zion's eyes gleamed as he spotted something amongst the myriad classrooms bordering the corridor.

"May I attend a lecture?"

"Huh?"

Professor Proud's expression registered surprise at Zion's question.

To be frank, ever since Prince Zion's visit, numerous aspects had puzzled Professor Proud.

Prince Zion, whose popularity had been surging daily since he expertly eliminated one of the calamities, the Illusion Army.

Why had he, who had commenced his royal duties later than other royal members and should be focused in consolidating his power in the royal city, decided to visit the University Magic Tower at such a critical time?

And that too, on such short notice and unaccompanied.

Moreover, Professor Proud was unaware of Prince Zion ever studying magic.

It was baffling why he chose to attend an advanced course magic lecture at the University Magic Tower, bypassing even the basic courses.

He wouldn't understand anything.

'Is he here to scout magicians to join his ranks?'

No, that was too presumptuous a leap.

Despite being the premier university magic tower in the Empire, the majority of students here were fledgling magicians yet to complete their training. If he intended to recruit seasoned magicians, it would be more effective to visit another magic tower.

"I'd rather not repeat myself."

Zion's soft voice disrupted Professor Proud's musings.

"Yes, yes! Of course, it's allowed, but…"

Feeling an undeniable pressure emanating from him, Professor Proud quickly agreed.

Rattle!

Without a moment's delay, Zion strode towards the door of a classroom he had noticed earlier and opened it assertively.

"…?"

As he entered, both the professor and the students inside turned their attention towards him.

'I've found him.'

Zion's eyes sparked as he spotted a particular figure among the curious onlookers.

The image that seized Zion's attention wasn't the middle-aged professor casting a questioning glance from the podium, nor Priscilla, who sat in the middle of the classroom wearing a surprised expression.

Right at the back of the classroom.

There sat a young man with blue hair, regarding Zion with an indifferent expression.

Dull eyes, as if somewhat detached from reality.

In contrast, a sharp nose and slightly parted lips.

His face was lean, yet possessed a masculine charm.

Seeing the figure so accurately mirroring the description in the chronicles, a subtle smile played on Zion's lips.

Tirian Friharden.

The reincarnation of the unparalleled grand magician who shattered the boundaries of the magic system at level nine and first ascended to level ten.

A future comrade of the Hero Frosimar.

That was one of the primary reasons Zion had ventured to the Imperial University Magic Tower.

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