The Extra Prince Sets Out To Conquer The World

As the kraken’s corpse collapsed, Aili immediately created water spears in the air with mermaid magic and aimed at Malcram’s subordinates.

I stopped her, using Rami’s power to dismantle the water spears.

“Don’t interrupt when I’m finally enjoying the show.”

“They are the kraken’s…!”

“The battle is already won. If you consider me your savior, stay still.”

When I rejected her protest, Aili closed her mouth with a displeased expression.

But she had no choice.

It was thanks to me and my companions that we could handle their sudden attack and furthermore win.

Moreover, to shorten the time to purify the defiled energy of the sea, the root of the kraken, my spirits’ power or Geor’s research was needed.

As Aili fell silent, I watched the bitter, bloody fight filled with grudges and asked Gilbert.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Just a shallow cut. It’ll heal with some saliva.”

“Don’t try to act tough and get treated right away. Jade, please use healing magic and curse breaking.”

Malcram’s sword was the notorious cursed sword Pale Rot.

It wasn’t for nothing that Malcram came to dominate the empire’s underworld without being superhuman.

The cursed sword and the Orb of Gluttony that infinitely replenished mana to its owner within a certain range made him a monster that even superhumans couldn’t recklessly challenge in his territory.

Come to think of it, the Orb of Gluttony was made from the kraken’s jewel.

I thought it was too much for a back-alley thug to have, but the source was here.

If it’s the kraken’s jewel, it’s sufficiently understandable.

Although the many restrictions on the power prevented him from becoming a Numbers, a core executive, it was more than enough to make Malcram one of the high-ranking executives threatening the Numbers’ position.

Seeing the sword I picked up, Jade immediately raised his magic staff.

“That’s no ordinary magic sword. Recovery inversion and decay curse? I’ll break the curse right away.”

It was a curse that not only blocked healing magic but also natural recovery to induce death by blood loss, and a curse that rotted wounds.

Just like the name Pale Rot.

Still, prioritizing his companions over his research curiosity was just like Jade.

No, does he not even bother asking because he believes I’ll let him research it?

I put the cursed sword in my dimensional storage and said,

“I’ll hold onto this sword for now.”

The cursed sword’s power was inferior to the Seven Star Sword I gave Precia, but far superior to the pure white dwarf-made sword I gave Gilbert.

Giving the cursed sword to Gilbert would be fine, but not now.

It was too soon to give such a dependable sword to someone who still had a long way to grow.

As I took the sword, Precia’s eyes sparkled.

“Good idea.”

Judging from her slightly flushed expression, she seemed to think she had found an excuse to teach me the sword.

Whenever I flipped through a grimoire, Precia couldn’t hide her impatience and agonized over how to convey the sword’s appeal to me.

For some reason, that tendency seemed to intensify after Jade joined the party.

I smiled brightly and avoided Precia’s gaze.

I don’t want to die yet.

I’d rather learn the sword from Gilbert than Precia.

At the end of the desperate, bloody struggle, six were left alive.

“Only four died, you all held back.”

Since one of the four charged at me and died to the Gillian series, only three died in the infighting.

And even those three weren’t one side being annihilated among those who fought in groups of three.

One of the dead was Orthodox, who killed his friend to steal his friend’s lover.

Even at my mockery mixed with ridicule, the survivors gritted their teeth and bowed their heads.

They were all seriously injured and couldn’t move properly anyway.

“Too bad the sick chicken Ducks died.”

The seasoned thug could have been useful in many ways.

Of course, that’s in the sense that he had some use among these trash. I wouldn’t mind killing them all.

At my words, the tiny Gig and cat-eared Chepel who killed Ducks flinched and trembled.

Those who lived in an environment where alertness determined lifespan couldn’t fail to know who held their necks.

Gig knelt before me, clutching his bleeding abdomen.

“I-if it’s me, I can deliver results surpassing Ducks… Guh! Gurgle!”

Gig had his throat pierced by my wind arrow and died spitting blood.

“Who said you could flap your mouth without permission? Trash that can’t even be recycled.”

This guy was disposable waste that couldn’t be recycled, let alone having use value.

Dying here would benefit this world.

“Young master!”

Precia looked at me worriedly. I patted her head and smiled bitterly.

I’m not strong enough or magnanimous enough to give a chance to incorrigible trash.

Such fellows should be disposed of when possible.

Gig’s death brought both joy and sorrow among them.

One-legged Jerksauce who had his elderly mother’s medical funds stolen was rejoicing.

On the other hand, Rotten Arm Decboble bit his lip as Gig, the only one who knew the curse arts user’s location who cursed him, died.

But neither those rejoicing nor lamenting dared to open their mouths recklessly.

I said one thing to those idiots.

“Don’t needlessly try to appeal your value. Anything trash like you can do will only make my ears rot.”

At my scathing words, the surviving trash swallowed dry saliva.

They probably thought they would die like this.

“And where can I use idiots who try to kill each other in front of enemies?”

Of course, they had grudges worth fighting to the death without regard for front or back, and it’s not something I who instigated them to kill each other should say.

At my words, some closed their eyes as if resigned, and some rolled their eyes seeking a way to live.

Seeing that, I chuckled and said,

“I’d rather cleanly kill you, but I’ll open a path for you to live. Offer your lives to me, then I’ll spare you.”

At my suggestion, Chepel slowly raised her hand.

When I allowed her to speak, she cautiously asked,

“By lives, do you mean our loyalty?”

At that question, I openly scoffed.

“Ha! I don’t need the loyalty of trash like you. Even if I tell you to be loyal, you’ll only pay lip service, so don’t talk nonsense.”

At the harsh evaluation based on facts, this time Decboble raised his hand.

“Th-then, do you perhaps mean lives in the black magic sense?”

At that question, I nodded.

“Similar.”

Then everyone’s complexion turned pale.

“I said similar, not the same. To be exact, I’ll place a curse on your souls. You will absolutely obey my orders, and I can cause pain or kill you whenever I want.”

Those flies clinging to life were relieved at the words that they wouldn’t die right away.

They probably think they can somehow lift the curse if they can just escape the current situation.

Stupid fools, it will be impossible to lift unless you’re a sage-level mage well-versed in ancient magic and magic codes.

“If you can lift it after leaving here, go ahead. Then whoever lifts it is free. Of course, anyone who neglects my orders trying to lift the curse will die before succeeding.”

At my warning, the trash tensed up again.

After healing them, I picked the most vicious curses from Aquila’s grimoire and cast them on the five survivors with Jade’s help. Then I issued an order.

“Chepel, you are the new boss of the Scar Face Family. Inherit everything of Malcram’s.”

“I-I will be loyal!”

Chepel was happy to become the boss as the youngest executive of the family, but also glanced at her colleagues.

But being a proper mage with a good head, she soon realized those here absolutely couldn’t betray her and smiled.

“Return to the empire and conquer all the underworld. I’ll give you a few collars imbued with the curse I placed on you, so if you see any useful-looking trash, put it on and make them your slaves. I’ll leave the conquest method to you, but maintain appropriate lines and don’t get targeted by the imperial family for subjugation.”

“I will keep that in mind!”

Originally, this was a task Malcram would carry out under Arcana’s orders, but I decided to move it up.

“Decboble, from now on, you are Chepel’s right-hand man. When you return to the empire, go to Azlan’s red-light district, find a pimp named Azdog, and kill him. Then seize the secret vault.”

“Understood.”

“Everything of Gig’s is in there. The information you’re looking for is there too, so I’ll turn a blind eye when you take revenge in your spare time.”

At my words, he bowed his head, his eyes flashing.

“I will be loyal.”

I informed them of how to report to me in the future, the weaknesses of the Scar Face Family executives, a rough method to start the underworld unification war, and the scenario for when Arcana demanded information about what happened here.

Of course, just thinking of divulging information about us would trigger the curse and kill them.

With this, I planted a dagger under Arcana.

Whether this dagger would secretly penetrate and become a fatal one to sever the enemy’s lifeline or end up as a trivial attempt was unknown for now.

This was just an insurance policy for now. It would be fine if it was never used until the end.

“Now then, get off this island, you trash!”

At my shout, the five boarded the boat they came on and left the island as if fleeing.

Watching the boat move away, Aili laughed hollowly.

“The polite attitude at first, the playful sneering when facing enemies, the merciless and oppressive side just now. Which one is your true self?”

At her question, I smiled brightly and replied,

“They are all my true selves. Unlike mermaids, humans are multifaceted creatures.”

Then I plopped down on the floor. Exhausted from depleted mana, I groaned as my whole body ached.

“Oh my, I can finally rest a bit. Let’s take a short break before purifying. While resting, could you sing for me?”

At my quip, Aili snickered and cleared her throat.

“Of course I should grant any request from the savior who saved my life and fulfilled my lifelong wish.”

The mermaid’s song was so sweet and beautiful.

*****

“Phew~! I feel alive.”

After burning all the clothes reeking of the kraken’s rotten fish smell and taking a shower, I felt refreshed.

While I was washing up, Aili had finished putting the kraken’s corpse back in the tank and cleaning up.

I climbed the ladder to the top of the tank again.

This time, Precia and Jade followed me up, saying they would protect me.

“The kraken won’t rise again, you know?”

At my words, the two simultaneously rejected it firmly.

“It’s a precaution.”

“Of course, there’s no harm in being careful.”

They seem to have a rivalry usually, but at times like this, they get along really well.

I chuckled and drew up mana, spreading the spirits’ power following Aili’s guidance.

The spirits’ power that spread all around purified the nearby defiled energy and concentrated it in one place.

As dawn broke through the hole in the ceiling, the mermaid began to sing when all the defiled power gathered in the kraken’s jewel.

The song was the mermaid’s power and magic.

As her voice spread, her emotions and memories began to rise hazily before my eyes.