The Extra Prince Sets Out To Conquer The World

I attached the bait to the fishing hook and cast the fishing rod into the sea.

I should catch a fish and have a spicy fish stew with a drink.

“Finally free.”

From the day after the three-day bet with Purple Dragon Bahamut ended, she had been challenging me with all sorts of derivative rules and variants of Chaturanga, including the original version.

At first, I tried to entertain her since I had already gained everything I could from the bet, but the years she had lived couldn’t be deceived.

She glared at me fiercely and begged me not to go easy on her.

As expected, it wasn’t a lie that she had honed her skills over 1,300 years. By my standards, Bahamut was quite strong.

But unexpectedly, it wasn’t that difficult to deal with her.

I didn’t know, but apparently, I was good at chess-like games.

Or maybe the people of this world were terribly bad at it.

Personally, I had more faith in the latter than the former.

Bahamut lost to me repeatedly and declared with tears in her eyes that she would train and definitely beat me.

Then she went to watch the Sun God’s Church purge the Dawn Star Cult, a demon-worshipping group.

“Haha, you had a hard time yesterday. It seems becoming friends with a dragon is not an easy task either.”

Jade, who had cast his fishing rod next to me, following my lead, chuckled.

Jade was by my side as my escort.

Even in a peaceful resort town, I wondered if anything would happen, so I gave my companions money and told them to have fun, but for some reason, they whispered among themselves and took turns volunteering to be my escort.

Today was Jade’s turn.

“You can say that again. But since I gave you a vacation, you can just have fun without worrying about me.”

Unless I knew when I could give them a vacation again, it was best to enjoy it when they could.

At my words, Jade smiled brightly.

“I’m having plenty of fun right now. But aren’t you going to take out the alcohol?”

When Jade licked his lips and subtly asked, I laughed.

“Being an escort was an excuse, and this was your real purpose?”

When I took out the famous liquor I had brought from the demon-worshipping Count’s wine cellar, Jade’s expression brightened.

“Ahahaha, it’s killing two birds with one stone.”

In the novel, he never touched alcohol, but now, he had become a heavy drinker.

I’m glad to have a drinking buddy, but…

At that moment, I felt a presence and heard a cough from a short distance away.

“Ahem! My, my, there were other anglers here.”

An old man with a sturdy body that could be seen at a glance, wearing a straw hat and carrying a fishing rod on his shoulder, approached us.

****

Upon arriving in Ziliville, Protector of the Nation Adgale had his subordinates contact his territory and the Western Border Command.

Although he was half-retired due to his old age, as one of only five transcendents known in the kingdom, he was contributing to national defense.

Since such a person suddenly left his territory for a vacation, he had to inform them in advance to avoid people’s worries.

His territory had been managed by his eldest son for a long time, so there was no big problem.

However, the Western Border Command might be in trouble if they weren’t informed in advance that they couldn’t receive Adgale’s help for the time being in case of an emergency.

The kingdom that bordered the western, especially the southwestern part, had been a hostile country with poor relations since the founding of the kingdom, so small-scale battles or wars of nerves often took place from time to time.

“It’s about time they graduate from relying on me. Let’s go to the villa.”

Someone of Adgale’s status as the Protector of the Nation would have a few villas here and there in the kingdom.

In particular, the villa in Ziliville was a mansion bestowed by the royal family in recognition of his achievements.

As such, it was exceptionally large and luxurious, even among the buildings in the high-class residential area where high-ranking nobles gathered.

Upon reaching the villa, the mayor of Ziliville was waiting outside the main gate and welcomed Adgale.

Ziliville was a city directly under the king, so it was governed jointly by an observer dispatched by the royal family, not a lord, and the mayor from a powerful local family in the city.

“Thank you for coming to Ziliville! Protector of the Nation!”

Even if he had come to the city for general vacation purposes, he would have visited, but this time, he had rushed over because of the urgent request for help he had sent, so he was even more polite.

Although he immediately figured out the truth and corrected it, it was still the mayor’s fault that Adgale had come here.

“Due to my incompetence, I was about to waste the precious time of Your Excellency the Protector of the Nation, who is busy with public and private affairs…”

“That’s enough. As long as the city is safe, that’s all that matters.”

Adgale, who cut off the mayor’s words, gestured with his head not to block the way.

“I’m tired from the forced march. I’m thinking of enjoying a little vacation, do I need your permission?”

“No! How dare I have a say in Your Excellency the Protector of the Nation’s rest! Just, invit…”

“Ah! Right.”

Adgale, who cut off the mayor’s words as he was subtly trying to invite himself and make connections, looked at the mayor expressionlessly.

“I just want to rest alone. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

It was a half-threatening remark not to bother him unnecessarily, as he wouldn’t give any disadvantages for this incident.

“…Yes, I understand.”

The mayor bowed his head, feeling the aura naturally flowing from the old body.

“Still, if there’s anything you need while resting comfortably, please feel free to contact me anytime.”

At the mayor’s last lingering attachment, Adgale grinned.

“I’ll do that if I need anything. Right now, I need to get some sleep.”

The old knight who entered the villa slept for a whole day.

Waking up from sleep, he rested well for the first time in a long while, away from administration and battles.

But rest was only for a day or two, and with continued rest, he started feeling restless.

Adgale gave his subordinates freedom, changed into light clothing, and took his fishing rod.

The veteran knight who had roamed numerous battlefields took up fishing as a long-time hobby, as it allowed him to feel the thrill of hunting while spending a leisurely time.

“I will accompany you.”

“Tsk! Don’t follow me around and get lost!”

Adgale, who kicked the butts of his subordinates trying to follow him under the pretext of escorting him, confirmed with the villa’s caretaker a spot that was secluded and good for fishing.

Humming a tune in the leisure he was enjoying after a long time, he headed to the place the caretaker had told him.

“Oh my, are there other anglers?”

Good fishing spots tended to get taken quickly, so it wasn’t strange for there to be other anglers.

But what was unique was that the two people holding fishing rods looked young, no, even childlike.

At their age, people usually preferred playing around rather than having a static hobby like fishing.

He was about to go to another spot, thinking it was just a rare occurrence, but the blond boy with a frail-looking impression took out a bottle of alcohol.

Adgale, who saw it from a distance, was stunned and couldn’t close his mouth.

The bottle of alcohol in the boy’s hand was the Tears of Heaven (天淚酒), known as a heavenly famous liquor that even the emperor of the empire couldn’t easily drink.

The old knight unconsciously approached them as if enchanted, making his presence known.

“Ahem! My, my, there were other anglers here.”

His cheeks were slightly flushed with embarrassment.

****

The old man who suddenly appeared was entranced by the alcohol in my hand and couldn’t take his eyes off it.

When I slightly moved the bottle to the right, the old man’s head followed. So that’s his purpose.

“Drinking alcohol in broad daylight is a bit much, so should we drink it next time?”

At my words, Jade looked at me as if I was spouting nonsense that didn’t suit me, and the unnamed old man looked at me as if he was shocked.

“Hahaha! Just kidding~!”

When I smiled playfully, the old man with a sturdy body also seemed to come to his senses and coughed with a flushed face.

“Ahem! Ahem! …Young men, if you don’t mind, may I place my fishing rod next to you?”

At his polite question, I smiled brightly.

Rough hands with deep calluses on the palms, tanned face, a physique that was robust for his age.

A former knight, no, still an active-duty knight.

He may have retired not long ago, but if my estimate of his age is correct, he wouldn’t be able to maintain such a physique if he neglected his efforts for even a few days.

But for a knight, the quality of the clothes he’s wearing is too good.

Although there’s no decoration, judging by the expensive silk, his status is by no means low.

In a class-based society, only a very small number of people could raise their status through their abilities.

“I didn’t buy this land, so feel free to do as you please, sir.”

“Hohoho, thank you.”

At my permission, the old knight laughed in a down-to-earth manner and unfolded a folding chair next to me that didn’t match his large build.

Yet, his gaze kept going to the bottle of alcohol in my hand.

It seemed he really coveted my alcohol.

Whether it was intentional or unconscious, a faint yet domineering wave of energy was felt from the old knight.

Since even Jade didn’t notice, it seemed the old man was releasing it without knowing it himself.

If I hadn’t shared the senses of the spirits, I wouldn’t have noticed it either, that’s how subtle it was.

“By the way, it’s unusual for young people to have a leisurely hobby like fishing.”

“What’s so unusual about it? Fishing is ultimately a hunting activity. Isn’t hunting a rather high-class hobby?”

At my answer, he slapped his knee and laughed.

“Hunting! Hohohoho! That’s right, that’s right! Fishing is also a kind of hunting. Young people these days don’t know that.”

It sounded like he was saying his children or subordinates didn’t understand his fishing hobby.

Somehow, the young people the old man was referring to didn’t seem young at all.

“You seem to be on the same wavelength as me, young man.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

By the way, an active-duty knight who has reached a high level at an old age.

The people that come to mind right away are about seven people.

Protector of the Nation Adgale, Butcher Fabrod, One Strike Dalehorge, Armor Crusher Toil, Bloodsucking Sword Marcontine, Western Border Commander Zermuac, Great Sorcerer Milirar.

They were all famous powerhouses of the previous generation, but two out of the seven weren’t even mentioned in the novel.

And the rest were all extras or only had their names mentioned.

If there was any significant role among them, it would be Great Sorcerer Milirar.

Even so, the Great Sorcerer was an extra standing next to the Sword King, one of the top ten swordsmen in the world and one of the Nine Kingless Kings.

By the way, the reason I knew about those who didn’t even appear in the novel was thanks to collecting various information instead of just relying on the novel’s content after inheriting Aquila’s magic circuits.

Still, it was only public information that the attendant Herion could know.

Well, whoever this old man is, is it my business? It had nothing to do with me.

“Ahem, by the way, when are you going to drink that alcohol?”

The old man, as if embarrassed to covet the alcohol outright, waved his hand in a fluster.

“Ah, no! I’m not asking you to give me that alcohol! It’s just that alcohol has an optimal temperature, doesn’t it? So wouldn’t it be better to drink it before losing that temperature…?”

At his nonsensical excuse, I grinned and picked up a nearby stone to scratch the ground.

I placed the bottle of alcohol on the simply drawn magic circle and infused mana into it.

Then, the magic circle faintly glowed and emitted a chill.

To sustain magic for a long time, catalysts such as ink mixed with ground magic stones were needed, but when maintaining magic for a short time like now, catalysts weren’t necessarily required.

Even magic spells were made up of volatile and disappearing language, but it worked on the same principle as manifesting magic.

In the end, magic was a phenomenon triggered by mana, so the magic formula drawn on the ground could be considered a magic spell that lasted a little longer than language.

“Oh, young man. Are you a mage?”

“I’m not skilled enough to call myself a mage. It’s just enough to maintain the temperature of the alcohol.”

Realizing the meaning of my words that I had no intention of drinking it right away, he smacked his lips regretfully.

The old man I just met had no conscience, coveting my precious alcohol.

“Do you need any side dishes? I can go buy some right now.”

“Aren’t we trying to catch the side dishes right now?”

I’m going to make spicy fish stew. I’ve prepared all the ingredients.

“Still, good alcohol with good side dishes…”

“If I were looking for such side dishes, I wouldn’t be here but at a high-class restaurant.”

“T-Then it seems you don’t have any cups for the alcohol!”

I took out two cups from my subspace.

“You think I wouldn’t bring cups when I brought alcohol? Of course, I brought them. Enough for the number of people.”

“Urgh! Then let’s make a deal! If you share your alcohol with me, I’ll give you ten bottles of rare alcohol!”

“Yeah, even a hundred bottles of alcohol that can’t compare to a single cup of Tears of Heaven are not needed.”

At my unwavering rejection, the old knight trembled.

“I didn’t want to resort to this method! I am a duke of this country! The Protector of the Nation!”

“Oh my, then I am a prince of this country.”

Hmm~ Whether you’re the Protector of the Nation or whatever, I’m not giving it to you.

TN: My baby Jade has been corrupted