The Extra Prince Sets Out To Conquer The World

It took roughly half a day to travel along the river in a small boat.

Although we took a slight detour due to the winding river, we still hadn’t left the Bastille Mountains.

“Judging by the decreasing number of monsters appearing, we should be reaching the end of the mountains soon.”

At Jade’s words as he lightly dealt with a monster in the water that opened its mouth and charged at the boat, I asked in disbelief,

“No matter how you look at it, it’s mountains in all directions, though?”

“Ah, that over there is not the Bastille but the Sokre Mountains. They’re connected to the Bastille but geographically different. According to the map… it should be around here.”

The area Jade pointed to on the map was where the mountain range split.

Just like how the Taebaek Mountains branch off into the Sobaek Mountains.

“Seeing how there are fewer monsters the further we get from the Bastille, there must be a magical reason, right?”

At my speculation, Jade nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. There’s a magic that stimulates the homing instinct of monsters that came from other worlds so they don’t stray too far from the seal, affecting the entire mountain range. Of course, it’s a magic spread too widely, so it doesn’t have an absolute effect.”

“Is that the reason why the ones that swallowed the mana stones of the seal couldn’t leave the mountains?”

Red Eyes had smashed the fortress in Blantzbarg Territory 57 years ago but returned to the mountains.

It seemed it wasn’t simply because it was a territorial creature returning to its territory.

“That’s right. It was a magic aimed at the great magic beasts, so it was close to mind control for them. It would have been better if it was a location tracking magic, but the situation was too urgent at that time. By the way, we’re already here. The waterway is indeed fast.”

If we had walked with golems, we wouldn’t have even reached half the distance.

“If I had known it would be this fast, I should have used the waterway when going to the city to get daily necessities.”

“We have to think about the way back too. Just because one way is fast, if we use the waterway, the return trip will be longer and more difficult.”

“Ah…!”

At my point, Jade made a realization.

This guy is also quite pseudo-smart.

Following the river drawn on the map, the boat soon passed the Sokre Mountains, and the sea started to appear in the distance.

Everyone except me exclaimed at the sight of the horizon sparkling irregularly along the waves under the red sunset.

“Wow! Young Master! Is that the sea? There’s really nothing but water!”

Even Precia’s cheeks flushed as her eyes sparkled.

“That’s the famous Emerald Strait over there. It looks red now, but they say it’s green during the day.”

The Emerald Strait was the biggest reason why Ziliville was called a resort city.

It was said to be quite prosperous due to its beautiful and clear sea and its geographical characteristics as a trading port where all sorts of goods gathered.

Although it was quite a distance from Ziliville.

“Those islands you see on the right are the Whirlpool Archipelago, where mermaids are said to live according to legend. The protruding peninsula on the left is the port city of Akra, where we’re headed. We’ll take a passenger ship from that port city to Ziliville.”

Akra and the Whirlpool Archipelago looked close, but they were actually dozens of kilometers apart.

Akra was also in a decent location, but compared to Ziliville, the currents were stronger and there were more reefs.

Even though it was blocked by the Sokra Mountains, it was a city that couldn’t flourish that much due to reasons such as being adjacent to the Bastille Mountains.

“Before entering the city, I’ll hand out identification cards just in case. These are freeman’s travel identification cards issued in Blantzbarg Territory.”

The identification cards were nothing more than wooden plaques that could be obtained anywhere, with just the name, year of birth, and place of origin engraved on them.

But even so, there were many people who didn’t have them in this era.

Unlike noble identification cards with magic cast on them, they were easy to forge.

However, not many people actually forged them.

There weren’t many cases where identification cards were necessary, and the identification cards had the lord’s seal stamped on them. If you got caught forging them for no reason, you would be beheaded.

If identification cards were needed, there were many alternative methods such as joining a mercenary group, so there was no need to do it.

“…And this is a viscount family knight’s identification tag, and this is a royal knight’s identification tag, and this is a junior marquis family’s noble identification tag, and this is a mercenary group membership certificate, and this is a merchant permit, and this is…”

As I continued to take out various types of identification, Jade was taken aback.

“W-Wait a moment. Why are you giving out so many types of identification?”

At Jade’s question, I asked him back, not understanding.

“Why am I giving them out? Obviously so you can use them interchangeably depending on the situation. Why are you asking about something so obvious?”

It was to enter places that couldn’t be accessed just by talking, or to prevent inconveniences due to identity.

A high status wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

At my words, Precia looked at me as if she had expected it.

Then, as if cutely showing off a bit, she flaunted her subtle dominance over Jade.

“You still don’t know the Young Master well. The Young Master is someone who prepares everything thoroughly.”

Seeing Precia like that, Jade made a displeased expression.

“I’m well aware that Yuan is thorough to the point of being excessive. You can tell just by looking at that wicked trap design.”

Somehow it felt like sparks were flying as the two’s gazes clashed.

Moreover, calling it a wicked trap design is too much. I just prioritized efficiency.

“You’re not fighting, right?”

At my question, the two changed their expressions as if they had never glared at each other and shouted,

“Of course not!”

“Of course not!”

At times like this, their coordination is also good. Yeah, originally, when you start feeling dislike, it can someday turn into fondness.

“Still, forging is a bit…”

At Jade’s concern, I smiled brightly.

“They’re not forgeries, you know? They were all issued according to official procedures.”

Although Demiway semi-forcibly helped at my request, they weren’t forgeries.

The knight and noble identification tags were from retainer families of the Blantzbarg Marquis.

I had also genuinely registered with the mercenary association’s Blantzbarg branch, which had half become Demiway’s private soldiers.

You could say they were identities that only existed on paper, like paper companies.

Of course, if you asked if it was legal, it was infinitely close to illegal, but usually, with these things, it’s fine as long as you don’t get caught.

We even covered almost all of the 6,000 coin repair cost for the dolls without complaint, so they should help with this much with a smile.

“For now, we’ll enter the city as peddlers, so carry the bags, and if there’s an inspection, be ready with the merchant permit.”

Having finished preparing appropriately, we put the boat that we didn’t know when we would use again into the subspace and entered Akra.

Fortunately, there was no separate inspection as the city was located in quite a remote area.

“How many days do we plan to stay here?”

At Gilbert’s question, I pondered for a moment.

“Well, there’s also a date set to meet Abasael, so I don’t think it will be more than a week at most.”

The reason I came to this city was not only because it was the fastest way to Ziliville but also because of the mermaid legend.

Originally, in the novel, when this city appeared, it had already turned into ruins by some crazy mermaid.

The righteous protagonist’s party defeats that mermaid and obtains the ‘Miracle Crystal’ and various other important things from the mermaid’s den.

Since I already had the Miracle Crystal, there was no need to necessarily beat up the mermaid and loot its den.

However, there was a need to find out why the mermaid went crazy and ran amok.

Perhaps Arcana could be involved behind the scenes.

Not all information was given just because it was a novel.

“By Abasael, do you mean my mother’s disciple? Are you meeting him?”

Silua was curious about meeting Abasel.

“If Abasael has finished his work.”

Meeting Abasael was a story for when he broke the curse and regained his magic.

It wouldn’t be strange if he had broken the curse by now, so I had sent a letter to meet.

However, if it took longer than I expected and he hadn’t broken the curse yet, I wrote for him to focus on breaking the curse.

I asked around for a quiet and quality inn in the market street formed near the port and rented a room.

The daily lodging fee was quite expensive, but I was satisfied as it was a relatively clean room. At least it was much better than sleeping outdoors.

“Now, it’s free time from here on. Rest in the room or look around the market, do as you please.”

At my words, Gilbert asked,

“What will you be doing, Young Master?”

At that question, I smiled brightly.

“Me? From now on, I’ll be digging into the mermaid legend of this city.”

Late at night, an old man walked to the port where the fishing boats were gathered, softly humming a song.

“Old man Agni, are you going to launch your boat?”

At the greeting of a fisherman with a bundle of nets slung over his shoulder, the old man laughed heartily.

“Yes. I’m going to launch my fishing boat now.”

“Oh, the kids are worried that you’re launching your boat too late at night.”

When the middle-aged fisherman gently tried to dissuade him, the old fisherman laughed playfully.

“I’ve been steering boats since you were a suckling babe. What do those youngsters have to worry about?”

“Hehehe, that’s true. May your boat be full!”

“Bah, how can an old man handle that much. I’ll just get enough from the sea to fill my boat moderately. You fill your boat.”

The two fishermen exchanged well wishes, briefly greeted each other, and went their separate ways.

The old fisherman, who had boarded his boat, raised the anchor and unfurled the sail to allow the boat to move to the distant sea.

“The wind is good.”

The sail swelled with the land breeze blowing from the cooled city after the sun had set, forcefully pushing the boat out to sea.

Ordinary fishermen who work during the day row together when going out to the distant sea to overcome the wind blowing from the sea and advance.

However, for the old fisherman to go out to sea alone, he needed the power of the wind.

Therefore, he would launch his fishing boat around the time when the wind started blowing from land toward the sea, and return to the port late at night using the power of the tide.

“I wonder how many more times I’ll be able to come out to sea.”

The old man lamented as he hung a lantern on the bow.

Night fishing was a dangerous task that even young fishermen were reluctant to do.

Although he set the boat’s path using his veteran experience and the lighthouse’s light, it was common for a small fishing boat to drift if he made a mistake.

The currents in this area were so fierce that there was a legend that mermaids lived there.

“Well, if it means eternally sleeping in the bosom of the great mother, it’s something I desire.”

The old fisherman’s fear was rather not being able to meet his end at sea due to his senility.

He laughed cheerfully again, lay down on the dusty fishing net, and grabbed the rope connected to the sail to control the boat’s direction.

The dog bowl stars that had already risen in the dim sky became the old man’s compass.

The old fisherman sang the song he had been humming at the port out of joy.

Mermaid lady, sing a song for me

Girl who wraps the waves like a fluttering skirt

Enchant me with your lovely voice

So that I may be envied by many young men

Fluttering sea breeze, green eyes

A voice like a veil illuminated by the sunlight

Take the foolish fisherman’s pure heart

Lift your rippling veil and show me your face

Ah, lovely mermaid lady

Accept this naive fisherman’s love

Even if its end points to the moon

I will have no regrets, I will have no regrets

“I truly have no regrets, so please show me that longed-for face once more. Before I forget even more…”

The old fisherman muttered desolately. The lively melody was buried in the sound of the waves, and only loneliness remained, weighing on his shoulders.

As if the reason his old back was bent was due to the weight of that sorrow.