The Extra Prince Sets Out To Conquer The World

The atmosphere changed drastically once again with the appearance of the Sword Demon.

Everyone was overwhelmed by the sharp and chilling aura she showed in the short process of snatching the cursed sword from my hand and suppressing it, making it impossible to breathe.

Amelie looked at her with tension and asked,

“Who are you?”

Despite Amelie’s question, Anastasia didn’t even spare her a glance and stared at me and Jade standing next to me.

She said she met Jade, so is she recognizing him by the quality of his mana even though he changed his face?

“That cursed sword is an artifact I obtained in this Labyrinth of Constellations. Naturally, the ownership belongs to me.”

At my words, Anastasia narrowed her eyebrows.

As she swept up her ebony-black hair on her white jade-like face, her appearance at that moment looked very much like Jade’s teacher, Yekatrice.

“This cursed sword is dangerous. You seem to know that, so why did you draw it?”

Anastasia asked in a non sequitur manner to my words asking her to return it.

At her question, I lightly shrugged my shoulders.

“Well, you were secretly watching even after arriving in this Corona Borealis area, right?”

“…You drew the sword to make me reveal myself? You sensed me?”

Anastasia asked in a voice that was rarely slightly surprised.

For her, who rarely expressed emotions, it was a reaction akin to astonishment.

“I have slightly superior senses.”

To be precise, it was because I could borrow the senses of spirits whenever necessary, but it was true that I had superior senses anyway.

Honestly, I didn’t know I could see through the concealment of one of the Ten Swords Under Heaven.

Well, I guess she can’t conceal herself. Even the Ten Swords Under Heaven weren’t good at everything.

“Still, it was dangerous.”

“It was, but I also had some countermeasures before drawing it, so it wouldn’t have been very dangerous.”

At my answer, Anastasia narrowed her eyebrows again.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve met someone whose truth and lies are this difficult to distinguish. You, boy, are like someone who has spent his entire life either telling lies or only speaking the truth.”

The Sword Demon said the same thing as the Sword Fairy.

They say extremes attract. Or are they old friends?

Sword Demon Anastasia and Sword Fairy Nayuta had known each other since childhood.

“No, it’s a little different. It’s not completely wrong, but you’re somewhat different. Like someone whose destiny is diverging…”

As Anastasia trailed off, the ignored Amelie got angry and tried to shout something, but Rotulus stopped her and spoke on her behalf.

“Long time no see! Sword Demon Anastasia Heightfill!”

When Rotulus called out the Sword Demon’s name, most of the people present momentarily froze in fear and even forgot to breathe.

Her infamous name was widely known throughout the world.

“That Sword Demon from the Criyoo Massacre?”

“The monster who destroyed the Roxanne Royal family?”

The Izel Expedition Team members and the Sea Domination clergy who were muttering shrank back at Anastasia’s gaze and avoided eye contact.

As Anastasia wandered here and there in pursuit of cursed swords, she was involved in many incidents.

As they were incidents related to cursed swords, bloodshed was always rampant, and she was always at the center of the incidents, so her infamous name had no choice but to spread across the continent.

The incidents Anastasia was involved in were all major and large in scale, but the most famous among them were the Criyoo Massacre and the Roxanne Dynasty Annihilation.

The incident that occurred in the Criyoo region, belonging to a country located in the east, originated from a cursed sword excavated at a famous tobacco farm.

The excavated cursed sword ‘Diverging Madness’ drove the wielder to a frenzy for blood and granted the power of a knight capable of skillfully wielding mana even to a child.

If that were all, the damage might have been limited to at most a few hundred people.

However, the problem was that ‘Diverging Madness’ had the characteristic of creating another identical cursed sword when fed a certain amount of blood, continuously increasing in number.

In a situation where it was unknown which one was the original, the replicated cursed swords gave birth to more cursed swords, and in an instant, there were over 2,000 cursed swords and about 300,000 casualties.

Anastasia, who belatedly arrived after sensing the cursed swords’ presence, killed all the hosts wielding the cursed swords that night.

It could be said that thanks to Anastasia, the situation that could have developed into not just one great duchy but a national-level incident was quickly resolved.

Nevertheless, there were two main reasons why she became an object of fear.

One was that among the hosts enhanced by the cursed swords, there was one transcendent, although just having crossed the threshold, and a platoon of knights equivalent to him.

The other was that she beheaded even the young children who became hosts without a moment’s hesitation.

Not only her immense power but also her ruthless hand was enough to instill fear.

The Roxanne Dynasty Annihilation incident was nothing compared to the Criyoo Massacre.

It was the incident most frequently mentioned along with the Criyoo incident simply because a country was erased.

In the past, the king of Roxanne tried to use an ancient cursed sword as a weapon of war, but was caught by the Sword Demon and Sword Fairy, and the two joined forces to behead all those involved.

As it was discovered in advance, the casualty was only about a hundred people.

However, since all the king’s relatives were involved in the experiment to weaponize the cursed sword, the dynasty’s lineage was cut off, and a new country simply replaced it.

Incidentally, in the Roxanne Dynasty Annihilation incident, the Sword Fairy killed more people.

But the reason Sword Demon’s infamous name grew was largely due to the fact that the incident occurred two months after the Criyoo Massacre, drawing attention to Anastasia.

“It’s been a while, Mercenary King. I was in your debt in Riftell.”

At Anastasia’s greeting, the gazes of the Izel Expedition Team members focused on Rotulus.

Although not as much as Sword Demon Anastasia, he was also a swordsman renowned worldwide, so they were also surprised by his identity.

“It was just a job I did for money. But if you feel even a bit of gratitude, can you tell me why you’re here?”

At Rotulus’s obvious question, Anastasia held up the cursed sword she had snatched from my hand.

“I came because I sensed the presence of a cursed sword. That’s all.”

To be precise, she probably went to another constellation area because she couldn’t find a way to enter the royal tomb, and when I opened the door to the royal tomb, she sensed it and came back.

I was certain she would come because that’s how it was in the novel, but seeing how quickly she arrived, it seemed she was nearby.

“Then, since you’ve obtained the cursed sword, your business here is done, isn’t it?”

Rotulus asked Anastasia politely to go to another area, with extreme tension.

“Oh my! The ownership of the cursed sword belongs to me. I have not yet agreed to transfer it. Don’t you think so?”

When I smirked while putting my arm around Jade’s shoulder, Anastasia’s expressionless eyebrows twitched slightly.

“I see. Do you have something you want? Boy.”

Contrary to the world’s perception, Anastasia was not ruthless or ignorant of human emotions.

She knew how to repay kindness with kindness.

It’s just that she appeared expressionless and became thoroughly ruthless once she made up her mind.

“If I ask you to kill that Mercenary King who is trying to kill me and my friends, would you do it?”

At my question, Anastasia looked at Rotulus.

The Mercenary King, who received her gaze, tensed up and broke out in a cold sweat.

“…I refuse. There is no evidence that what the boy says is true.”

As expected. It was as I predicted.

It would have been easier if Rotulus had drawn his sword, but it’s a pity.

“Huk! Huk!”

At Anastasia’s refusal after a long contemplation, Rotulus exhaled rough breaths as if his airway had been blocked and then cleared, staggering.

Judging by his reaction, it seems Anastasia actually tested Rotulus’s liver?

“Well, it was a joke. Ah, don’t look at me like that. Wasn’t it you who first tried to refer me to that terrifyingly scary religious trial?”

A religious trial basically referred to an ignorant and barbaric trial where the heretic inquisitor tortured the defendant first and then conducted the trial.

Saying they would refer this frail body of mine to a religious trial was no different from saying they would kill me in an accident during the interrogation.

I smiled brightly at Rotulus, who was glaring at me fiercely.

“Hmm, but doesn’t that gaze count as evidence?”

At my question, Rotulus tensed up and stiffened again.

“There is no killing intent, boy.”

At Anastasia’s answer, Rotulus let out a big sigh again.

It’s fun to tease this parrot.

I liked it. For some reason, I wanted to become friends with him.

“That’s a pity.”

“Grind grind!”

At my joke, Rotulus ground his beak.

“Then, while we’re inside the Labyrinth of Constellations, please protect me and my friends.”

When I requested an escort from the Sword Demon, Amelie, who was targeting me, bit her lip.

“You’re trying to hire one of the Ten Swords Under Heaven with just one sword?”

At her interference, I couldn’t help but chuckle in amusement.

“It’s not just any sword. It’s the cursed sword ‘Horns of a Hundred Demons’ that made Devamberve, the 12th Forest Keeper of Erancal, one of the Seven War Gods. As it flowed into the Labyrinth of Constellations and has hardly deteriorated, it’s rather Anastasia who should give change. Don’t you think so?”

At my question, Anastasia looked down at the cursed sword in her hand and nodded.

“You’re right. Is there anything you want as change?”

“No, it’s alright. Consider this friend as a tip.”

When I patted Jade’s shoulder, Anastasia silently nodded.

At Anastasia’s reaction, Jade looked at me in confusion, asking with his eyes what I meant.

I smiled brightly and passed it off, saying I would answer him later.

“Wa-wait a moment! The cursed sword of Devamberve, one of the Seven War Gods? How precious of an artifact is that, and you’re handing it over to the Sword Demon?!”

The deputy leader asked me in surprise, and I shrugged my shoulders.

“I’m not trying to hand it over, I’ve already handed it over. And what guts do I have to take back what’s in her hands? It’s better to just hand it over obediently and secure safety.”

It was a pity, as there was no cursed sword that didn’t disappear once it fell into the Sword Demon’s hands.

“No, but still… Wait a moment.”

He rolled his eyes for a moment and then asked me accusingly.

“If it’s Devamberve, isn’t he a confidant of the Druid King Chilling, the apostle of the Goddess of the Earth and the owner of this royal tomb? Didn’t that come from the royal tomb?”

Oh, sharp. As expected of the renowned deputy leader of the Izel Expedition Team.

“How could that be? We were together inside, weren’t we? Did you see me looting treasures first?”

At my counter-question, he seemed to have lost his words and closed his mouth.

I whispered in his ear.

“We unfortunately suffered great damage while coming here, as I said before. In fact, we discovered an unexplored area, and that sword is what we obtained after suffering that damage.”

At those words, Delevhem’s eyes sparkled.

“Then the reason you tried to enter the royal tomb even after being injured was also…?”

He misunderstood on his own. As expected, it’s easier to deceive someone whose head turns unnecessarily well.

“That’s exactly right. It was to obtain detailed information about that cursed sword.”

“Hmm… I see.”

I made an expression as if trying to hold back tears and said to the deputy leader.

“I belong to the Earth Domination, but I believe all saints are noble and should be safe. That’s why I still think the Saint should leave this dangerous labyrinth as soon as possible. However, it seems I’ve become a thorn in her side.”

“Well, of course, since you used such an extreme method.”

“So, the thing is, we plan to go deep into the labyrinth to accomplish what the Saint wants to achieve in her stead. Mr. Delevhem, could you pretend to cooperate and stop the Saint for us?”

At my request, he made a serious expression as if deep in thought.

“I will confess my sins once I return alive from the labyrinth. Please… Please take care of the Saint.”

When I spoke in a slightly trembling voice and held his hand, he nodded as if he had made a decision.

“I understand. I will do my best.”

“Thank you. Ah, the Saint has a strong will, so she might even lie to try to enter the depths of the labyrinth.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

I showed a kind-looking smile. Then, I passed right next to Amelie and said,

“Then, let’s meet again if there’s a chance.”

“…We will definitely meet again.”

Amelie gritted her teeth and growled, and I chuckled.

“Then, time to make a run for it.”