The Extra Prince Sets Out To Conquer The World

What Dorothy took out from her subspace was a book.

Moreover, it was a book with a very familiar cover.

“This grimoire is a legendary spirit art book by the unparalleled great spirit master, Lisbeth. The total number of volumes is unknown, but considering the level of the book, there should be around 4 volumes. Although this book is a spirit art book, it greatly helped me reach my current level when I was still inexperienced, to the extent that it’s an extraordinary book. Even for me, who isn’t closely related to spirits, it was to that degree, so for you, who deals with spirits, wouldn’t it be a book you’d sell your soul to obtain?”

I burst into a hollow laugh as I received the book from Dorothy.

I could only say I was lucky to obtain this from an unexpected place.

I made the right decision to entrust the reward to Dorothy.

“I’m truly grateful to receive such a precious book.”

Since Dorothy estimated this book to be around the 4th volume, it won’t be connected to the content of the 1st volume I have.

Lisbeth’s phantom, whom I met in the Dwarves’ Rite of Fire, had said that the spirit art book was planned to be made into a total of 3 volumes.

But that was just a plan, and the Lisbeth at the time of writing the 1st volume was at a point before becoming the queen consort.

Therefore, I couldn’t be certain about the total number of volumes of Lisbeth’s spirit art book.

If there was someone who would know, it would be Spirit King Gavillet, one of the Five Great Kings.

“I’m glad you seem genuinely delighted.”

“By any chance, can I also know where you obtained this book?”

At my question, Dorothy narrowed her brows.

It wasn’t because my question was rude, but to search through old memories.

“Where did I get it… 80 years, no, considering the time I was sealed, it must have been well over 100 years.”

She didn’t know how long she had been sealed.

It was natural, as all she could see right after being sealed was the scenery of a forest where not a single ray of light entered.

I also don’t know exactly how long she was sealed.

Although there was a vivid description of the fierce battle when she was sealed, there was no description of the time.

However, if we investigated the time of the disappearance of the Iron Fist Lucille Hur, who was half a generation ahead of the Duke, Protector of the Nation Adgale, we could roughly estimate it.

Or I could have asked her when she was sealed, but I didn’t bother asking as it wouldn’t be a pleasant memory.

Dorothy also didn’t bother asking us what year it was now.

“It was too long ago, and I was trying not to lose consciousness when I was sealed, so I can’t recall trivial memories well. If I remember later, I’ll contact you.”

“Please do.”

Since Lisbeth said she had hidden another phantom for her distant future successor, there might be a hint in the place where the book was discovered.

Come to think of it, I should probably visit the Queen’s Palace later.

The 1st volume I have was also found in the Queen’s Palace.

Putting the spirit art book into my subspace, I smiled.

“Well then, since I’ve received your gratitude well, shall we settle the storage fee?”

At my smile, Dorothy giggled.

“What a frugal kid. Normally, after being taken care of like this, wouldn’t you exchange greetings and part ways?”

“It would be lacking in affection to just part ways, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s true. The gifts so far are a pure expression of gratitude for preventing those Arcana scoundrels from playing tricks on me and breaking my seal, so don’t feel burdened and tell me your wishes. You can add the reward for helping drive away the lizard as well.”

If she goes that far, I feel like I can make requests with a clear conscience.

“Ah, before that, there’s one thing I’m curious about, is it okay to ask?”

“What is it?”

“It didn’t seem like you were greatly shaken even though Jest Word stuck his head through the warp gate not long after the seal was broken.”

Dorothy was definitely greatly surprised when the white dragon’s head appeared.

However, even though she wouldn’t have the strength to face the ancient dragon, she didn’t feel anxious or nervous.

Of course, with the experience she had accumulated over a long period…

“Ahem!”

Dorothy fake coughed as if displeased and looked at me.

…there was also a possibility that she didn’t reveal her emotions as a mature great mage and a great witch.

“Hmm.”

Dorothy nodded as if satisfied.

Is it true that she really can’t read thoughts? It doesn’t seem like it.

“Did you have some sort of insurance?”

Pushing my doubtful suspicions aside, Dorothy readily nodded at my question.

“That’s right. A mage of my caliber can know what to eat for dinner when waking up in the morning.”

“…Isn’t that just thinking about what to have for dinner after waking up in the morning?”

“What a foolish statement. Human emotions change from moment to moment, and plans are inherently vulnerable to environmental variables. Moreover, not knowing the joy of contemplating what to eat, how pitiful.”

Dorothy looked at me with eyes of genuine compassion.

It may sound plausible at first glance, but I couldn’t empathize as she gave a very trivial example.

“You mean before being sealed, when you still had time, you had a premonition of being sealed. And it was a time when you couldn’t prepare enough to overturn that premonition.”

“Precisely. It was easier than knowing what to eat for dinner. There were also various signs.”

No, how fickle do you have to be for knowing what to eat for dinner to be more difficult than knowing the future of being sealed?

“What was the insurance?”

Dorothy answered my question with a playful smile.

“It’s a secret. If you’re willing to trade this information for the rental fee of my friends, I’ll gladly tell you.”

“Ah, I’m not curious enough to go that far.”

“That’s a pity.”

Dorothy smiled brightly and rested her chin on her hand.

At the time when Dorothy’s seal was broken in the novel, Arcana was also fully prepared.

Additionally, since various forces, including Jade’s group, had gathered in this forest, it was an unprecedented mess.

Therefore, I couldn’t figure out what insurance she had prepared.

To be precise, there were too many possibilities that came to mind, so I didn’t know.

Perhaps all the possibilities I could think of were her insurance.

“Now, tell me what you want.”

She looked at me as if she was anticipating what I would demand. I smiled and said,

“I want Cosette’s Mourning, that ring.”

At my request, Dorothy’s eyes widened in surprise.

“How did you know I had that?”

In response to her question, I lightly shrugged my shoulders and answered,

“It’s a secret. If you pay the price with information worthy of it, I might be able to tell you?”

At my counterattack, Dorothy laughed pleasantly.

“Ahahaha! I got hit this time. You’re indeed a cunning kid. You’re planning to gulp down the information while saying the price is insufficient if I tell you. So greedy!”

As expected, experience is…

“Tsk!”

…wisdom doesn’t go anywhere.

It seems more comfortable to just assume she can read thoughts.

“Well, never mind. I’m not that curious about it either. But do you know what kind of item that is?”

“Roughly.”

Cosette’s Mourning.

It was a ring made by processing a dragon’s heart, and it was a set with the earring “Cosette’s Compassion” that I had, also made from a dragon’s heart.

If Cosette’s Compassion is an auxiliary battery that can store mana, Cosette’s Mourning is a generator.

The amount of mana that can be stored in Cosette’s Compassion boasts a capacity several tens of times larger than the mana crystal that contained the power of an apostle in the Constellation Labyrinth.

As such, when the ring and the earring meet, a gruesome result is born.

If one can produce and store a vast amount of mana, it can be called a dragon in itself.

However, there was a drawback that I couldn’t use it right away because the mana it produced was as enormous as a dragon, and my frail body wouldn’t be able to withstand it.

If the problem with Aquila’s mana circuits was that they had too high of a density, causing a problem of an iron skewer poking my entire body, the problem with Cosette’s Mourning was that an amount of mana exceeding the endurance of a dam would rush in at once.

Of course, the reason Dorothy asked if I knew “what kind” of item Cosette’s Mourning was wasn’t because of that.

“Wouldn’t something else suffice?”

She was worried about me. Cosette’s Mourning was that dangerous of an item.

“I’m sorry, but it won’t. It’s an item I need.”

Of course, it wasn’t absolutely necessary.

There was a possibility that the situation could change contrary to my expectations, and it might become unnecessary.

Even if it became necessary, as I expected, it wasn’t like there were no substitutes at all, and without it, it would just be extremely difficult later on.

To the extent of risking my life.

Even if it wasn’t that, it was useful in various ways and had many uses.

The uses that came to mind right away were using it as a power source for the aerial fortress weapon “Doll’s Castle” or supplying the mana needed for various magic experiments.

Dorothy must have read my sincerity, as she sighed deeply and struggled.

“I see you have no intention of returning my friends if I don’t give it to you.”

“Oh my, of course not.”

When I smiled with a kind expression, she became even more convinced.

“Well, a meticulous kid like you would have definitely prepared for a situation where you would inevitably become hostile to me. And that preparation would be quite fatal to me.”

You’re overinterpreting. You’re making the person who prepared it feel guilty.

“The sapling of the Winter Wood made that preparation.”

At her words, tension slowly began to fill the air.

The opponent was a monster among monsters who had defeated an ancient dragon even in the worst physical condition.

However, since she had exhausted all the mana she had recovered with my help while fighting the ancient dragon, if we attacked first, the odds were overwhelmingly in our favor.

The only sticking point was the insurance she had prepared before being sealed.

I leisurely poured a new bottle of alcohol, not the hard liquor, and said,

“If you’re going to give it, don’t unnecessarily create a scary atmosphere.”

Dorothy responded with a smile.

“Hohoho, was it obvious?”

It was extremely obvious.

For an extremely brief moment of less than a second, she had contemplated killing all of us.

However, seeing her intentionally creating an atmosphere, I could tell that after a short contemplation, she had concluded not to be hostile.

If it were the opposite, she would have killed us in a single blow amidst the light atmosphere.

She was one of the most dangerous people in this world, even though she handed out gifts with a beautiful and kind face.

Dorothy took out a small ring case, handed it to me, and said,

“Don’t be too tense. I can feel how much you need this item. And my gratitude towards you won’t fade just because you prepared a little. The future I foresaw for a long time, the moment my seal was broken, was neither this peaceful nor safe.”

In the novel, she had to pay quite a harsh price to break the seal.

It was a fatal and harsh price to the extent that the precious items she gifted us weren’t even considered as much as a speck of dust.

I checked Cosette’s Mourning and immediately returned the ownership of the familiars to Dorothy.

Receiving the ownership of the three familiars, she slowly stood up from her seat.

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes, I need to hide and recover for a while. But if you ever need my help, contact me. I don’t think I’ve settled the debt to this extent yet.”

Dorothy handed me a magical tool to contact her.

“Ah, come to think of it, I was too preoccupied to ask. Kid, what’s your name?”

“It’s Yuan.”

Her expression hardened upon hearing my name.

“Yuan? Kid, by any chance, is your mother’s name Paramella?”

Dorothy uttered the name of Prince Yuan’s mother.