I Became the Youngest Prince in the Novel-278 - After the War’s End (2)

TL/Editor: raei

Status: ongoing

Illustrations: none

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In one of the training grounds within the imperial palace complex-

CRACK! CRACKLE!

Tremendous lightning raged through the air.

Its wielder was-

"...Claire."

Rain Dranir, one of the hero's party members who now bore the title Dragon-Striking Emperor.

And her opponent blocking the lightning was-

"Claire!"

None other than Hero Claire Flosimar.

There was a reason Rain kept calling Claire's name.

BOOM!

She wasn't focusing on their sparring at all.

As proof-

"...Huh?"

Claire only responded after Rain had called her name three times.

"Let's stop here. What's been on your mind lately?"

Rain lowered her spear while shaking her head at the hero's state.

"...Sorry."

Claire immediately apologized, acknowledging her condition.

She had been like this for a while now - specifically since Emperor Zion left the palace without a word.

Of course, he was the subject of her thoughts.

'Sigh... why am I acting like this.'

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake these thoughts.

As if Zion's departure had been some kind of signal, thoughts of him had filled her mind, stirring up various complex emotions.

Feelings she had never experienced in her entire life.

She had noticed them slightly before the war with the demon realm, but back then she thought it was just admiration for the Eternal Emperor.

But now that those feelings had intensified, she realized it wasn't mere admiration.

She wanted to be like Emperor Zion, to follow him, to share the same space with him.

'I really don't understand what this is...'

As complex emotions swirled in Claire's eyes over these unfamiliar feelings-

"It's love~ Can't forget him~"

Liushina entered the training ground humming an unfamiliar tune.

The witch, who had been watching Claire flinch unconsciously, suddenly snapped:

"When is Master coming back anyway!"

It seemed reaching the End hadn't changed her difficult personality.

"Did he at least leave any messages with you all?"

The answer to her question came from an unexpected source.

"Hmm, come to think of it, His Majesty did instruct me to relay one message around this time."

Fredo, who had been quietly inspecting the training ground nearby, spoke up.

"What? What message?"

Everyone's heads turned toward the old knight.

"He said to prepare for war."

"War? What war are you talking about? Isn't everything over?"

This was true.

The Agnes Empire had already taken control of every habitable region except the harshest wastelands, and no forces remained that could oppose them.

There was no reason for war.

"Right? There's nowhere left to conquer, is there? Unfortunately."

As the witch nodded at these words-

"Another world."

Completely unexpected words flowed from Fredo's lips.

"He said to prepare for war with another world."

---

The end of the world.

Unlike its name, it was incredibly peaceful.

Like being in the middle of spring in March.

Beyond the split space, what greeted Zion was land covered in flowers, trees, and all kinds of fantastical creatures.

'This seems to reflect Akenidia's taste quite a bit.'

As if proving Zion's thought-

"Welcome, Aurelion!"

The first to appear before Zion was Akenidia, Goddess of Nature and Spirits.

The goddess ran toward Zion with the same vibrant energy as before.

From her momentum, it looked like she might embrace him, but some self-restraint must have existed as she stopped right in front of him.

"Congratulations! You've fulfilled the contract!"

As Akenidia continued speaking with sparkling eyes-

"You've come."

Luminus, God of Light, and Loki, God of Fire, appeared in turn.

"I didn't expect you to fulfill the contract this quickly."

"The faster the better."

Zion answered Loki's shrug, then turned toward Luminus who had taken the form of a middle-aged man.

Unlike before, he could now see the God of Light perfectly.

This meant Zion's own status had risen that much.

"Since you've completed the contract, let's settle accounts."

"...You haven't changed - still cutting straight to the point, now as in the past."

Luminus shook his head, but his next words weren't about the settlement.

"There's something we need to discuss first."

"What's that?"

"Your origin."

More precisely, the origin of Zion's power - Black Star Force.

"I know you've been curious about this too. Aren't you interested?"

"...Go on."

As Zion nodded, the God of Light slowly continued.

"How many fates do you think exist in a single world? Millions? Tens of millions?"

Luminus spread his arms wide.

"No, far more than that. So many that even I, a divine being, cannot count them. Then how many worlds containing such countless fates do you think exist in this universe?"

That too was unknowable.

"Records say eighty thousand, but that's wrong too. There are far more worlds in this universe, and even now countless worlds are being destroyed and born."

The God of Light brought his spread hands together before his chest.

"Thus this universe contains near infinite fates, each unique and diverse. However, all these fates share one common trait."

A tiny light formed between Luminus's hands.

"They all belong to the Great Fate."

Great Fate.

This was an entirely different concept from the ordinary fate mortals spoke of.

The main stream that governed everything in this universe.

It included even the fates of the highest-ranking gods who influenced the entire universe.

"But you're different."

Luminus's eyes turned back to Zion.

"You don't belong to the Great Fate, and your power - your very existence - is completely incompatible with this universe."

There was only one reason for this.

"Outside. It's because you are a being from outside the universe."

The 'Outside' that existed before the Creator God made this universe.

Also called the 'Outer Domain,' even the highest-ranking divine beings including Luminus himself knew nothing about this 'Outside.'

No matter how unfathomable their knowledge and authority, they were still beings within this universe.

Just as a frog in a well cannot see outside.

They too could not know what lay beyond the universe.

A realm of perfect mystery and void.

"A being we know nothing about."

His voice was declarative.

"Uncertain, imprecise, unclear. That's what you are, Emperor."

Luminus's eyes began taking on a strange light.

"Therefore, I'm sorry but... we cannot pay you the contract's price."

His next statement.

Though it was extremely radical, the God of Light's eyes remained unchanged.

As if he had long considered this.

It wasn't about being reluctant to give up causality now.

The damage to himself and other divine beings from unilaterally breaking the contract would be far greater.

"You're too dangerous."

Yet the reason for this decision was, as just stated, Zion's origin.

"To this world, and to this entire universe."

The power Zion had shown in the final battle with the Demon King.

It was so transcendent it made even Luminus, a high-ranking divine being, tremble, but that was precisely why he had solidified his resolve.

They couldn't predict what would happen if the man before them reached divinity.

He might become a new universal calamity.

"W-what are you saying?"

Akenidia cried out beside Luminus, her voice full of confusion.

"Not paying the price? Aurelion perfectly kept his contract with us. No, he did more than that. You might not give additional rewards, but to not even give what was promised? That's nonsense!"

The goddess's face grew increasingly distorted.

As if sympathizing with Akenidia's emotions, the surrounding trees and flowers began trembling.

Unlike Loki who showed no particular reaction, it seemed Luminus hadn't given her any prior notice.

Then-

"There's no need for that."

A quiet voice flowed from Zion, who had been silently listening to the gods.

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"I was planning to take it by force anyway."

As he spoke, Zion slowly raised his head, a faint smile on his lips as if he had known this would happen from the start.

In fact, Zion had long wondered.

Why causality wouldn't accumulate for him alone.

His conclusion was that this world itself didn't want him to reach divinity.

The strange pressure he had felt recently when using his power was likely due to this.

The gods must have known this, and their silence meant they were tacitly participating in the world's will.

'Of course such beings wouldn't willingly give up causality now.'

Yet Zion had silently listened to Luminus to learn the complete truth about his uncertain origin.

"Ha, are you saying you'll face us three... no, us two?"

Loki snorted at Zion's words.

"How? Do you have a method?"

The God of Fire's eyes held disbelief.

This was natural.

Though Zion might be unmatched in this world and a being from the 'Outside'-

He was still just the strongest among mortals excluding divine beings, and he couldn't fully draw out the power of the 'Outside.'

In this situation, claiming he would forcefully take causality wasn't just unbelievable - it was offensive to their pride.

"Emperor, we know you're strong."

Luminus nodded in agreement with Loki.

"With the power you showed against the Demon King, facing us simultaneously might be possible. But... you can't use that power now, can you?"

The God of Light knew.

The power of 9 stars of Black Star Force that Zion had shown in the final battle was a realm he had temporarily reached through Chronos's final question.

The moment that power vanished, he would have lost that realm and mythical status.

Thus Zion's current attitude could only be seen as empty bravado.

"So if you'll discuss compensation other than causality..."

But before Luminus could finish-

"You know what."

A cold voice flowed from Zion's lips.

His eyes slowly curved like a crescent moon.

"Why do you think that power disappeared?"

"...What?"

"I never said I lost my power again."

As the gods' eyes trembled at these incomprehensible words-

SWOOSH-

Nine black stars began rising in Zion's eyes as he faced them.

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