The Prince from Another World Wants to Save the World

Chapter 21: The Hunt and Negotiation (1)

The rattling inside the carriage was drowned in silence.

Despite five people sitting in a six-person carriage, there was barely any conversation. It made sense—the group was a mix of individuals with such different backgrounds that starting a conversation was no easy task.

First, there was me, a prince, second only to the emperor in rank within the empire.

I might be 16 years old, but I’m less than 150 cm tall, my skin is so pale it makes people wonder if I’m sick, and I always have dark circles under my eyes.

…That was just an introduction. So why do my eyes feel misty?

Anyway, most people unaware of the situation would be baffled by the sudden change in this prince.

Just a month ago, I was infamous as a troublemaker, but now I’m being hailed as a war hero blessed by the Five Gods. It’s no wonder no one knows how to approach me.

To my left sat Meredith, the maid from the estate.

At 16, she’s already near the highest rank of apothecaries, and her potential stretches even further. Of course, to others, she probably just looks like a tall, aloof maid.

On the opposite side sat Kyle, the graduating cadet from the Imperial Military Academy, lost in thought with a complicated expression.

At 18, he had a decent height and a slightly lean build. Aside from his sharp eyes, his appearance was fairly ordinary.

But Kyle’s true value comes from what’s inside his head, not what’s outside.

He has an excellent memory and calculation ability, is skilled at leading troops, and has a knack for buying and selling as a merchant.

Add to that his considerable potential as a knight, and you’ve got an all-around talent who can handle both the military and the economy. Plus, we work well together, which is another reason I value him highly.

Next to Kyle sat Didi, the 12-year-old boy I met just yesterday and brought along for three gold coins.

His height and build were similar to mine, but it was obvious he had a sturdy, agile physique. His dark brown skin, rare in the empire, made him stand out.

Despite having gone through ten regressions, this is the first time I’ve encountered someone with such outstanding talent in “Beast Affinity.” He also has the potential to grow into a third-tier knight, or “Knight Expert,” if properly nurtured.

I’m still not sure how he’ll develop since I didn’t even know he existed before now, but I’ll take him along on various experiences to see how he grows.

Finally, sitting beside Didi was someone I had never known existed until this regression: Trimum, the leader of the Sealing Priests.

At 36, he was the oldest among us. However, he was a peculiar case, with almost no real-world experience after becoming a priest. For some reason, he’d been smiling and humming a tune ever since we started.

“It’s been a while since you’ve left Emperoroad, huh?” I asked.

Emperoroad was the name of the imperial capital. Trimum clapped his hands lightly and replied in a bright voice.

“Yes, Your Highness. I’ve lived near the Great Temple ever since I left my hometown as a child.”

“Your hometown is Yotun, right? How does it feel to return after so long?”

“It feels wonderful. It’s been nearly 25 years since I last returned.”

“You’re from Yotun as well, Priest? That’s my hometown too,” Kyle interjected smoothly, seizing on the shared background.

Trimum smiled gently and nodded.

“That’s right. Although, I don’t have family waiting for me there. I grew up in an orphanage at a temple in southern Yotun.”

“Oh… I see. I’ve been around that area a few times. It’s got a beautiful view overlooking Yotun Bay.”

“You know it well. The sea is truly beautiful there.”

“My family’s home isn’t far from that orphanage. When we arrive, I’d like to invite everyone to my home, if you don’t mind…” Kyle turned to me as he raised the topic in earnest.

“Forgive my presumption, but without knowing the full plan, it’s hard to make arrangements. What do you intend to do when we reach Yotun?”

“First, we pay off the debt,” I said, tapping the large chest in the empty seat beside me.

“Your family runs the Gusf Trading Company, right? We’ll first pay off the urgent debts and then sail straight into Yotun Bay.”

“You mean, right after we arrive?”

“Yeah. We need to deal with the sea serpents.”

“It’s not certain, but the number of sea serpents at the entrance to Yotun Bay is estimated to be at least 100.”

“That’s what I’ve heard too.”

“Is that why you brought the priests along?”

Three carriages followed us, carrying a total of 32 priests. I was grateful to High Priest Essex for lending them without hesitation, even without much explanation. I shook my head.

“I didn’t bring the priests to deal with the sea serpents. They have a job to do afterward.”

“I heard you specifically requested priests skilled in ‘Anti-Corruption’ magic.”

At that, Trimum joined the conversation, summoning a transparent orb of light into his palm.

That was Anti-Corruption magic, which temporarily prevents corruption. Normally, it’s used in funerals, but against undead creatures like zombies or corpse giants, it could serve as an offensive tool.

“Has the Undead Army been involved in this case? I can use Anti-Corruption myself if that’s the case.”

“No, there’s no undead army here.”

I reached out and pressed Trimum’s hand down, dispelling the magic orb.

“Save your magic. We’ll have plenty to do once we arrive.”

Along with Trimum, I had also brought two additional Sealing Priests in the rear carriage. Trimum hastily withdrew his magic and bowed.

“My apologies, Your Highness. It seems I’m a bit too excited about being out and about.”

“I see Your Highness is well-connected with the temple and highly skilled in divine magic yourself, but…” Kyle hesitated briefly before continuing with a cautious tone. “I don’t understand how we’re supposed to deal with the sea serpents. And… pardon me, but isn’t your title that of Commander of the Undead Task Force? Is it right for us to be involved in something like this instead of focusing on the undead?”

“Why? Do you not want to save your hometown?”

“That’s not it at all. I just thought we should keep personal and official matters separate.”

“The undead are on hiatus for a while.”

To be more accurate, they’re closer to being permanently shut down… but who cares.

“I’ve bought us plenty of time. So, let’s use the resources we have to solve other problems plaguing the empire.”

“As expected of Your Highness!” Trimum exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air.

“That’s truly admirable! Those blessed by the Five Gods should indeed always strive to serve and alleviate the suffering of the innocent without rest!”

“It’s certainly a noble goal. But if we act without the regent’s, or rather, the imperial government’s, approval, won’t it cause trouble later?”

Ah, there it is. Kyle hitting the nail on the head again.

Of course, his concern was obvious. Any sensible person would have pointed that out.

But after raising so many people in the past, I knew that few could analyze the situation as clearly and speak their mind so directly. This was why I always scouted Kyle first.

“Trouble will definitely come. But if we achieve big enough success, none of that will matter.”

“Defeating the sea serpents would be a major achievement. The imperial government hasn’t been able to handle them for years. But why do we need so many priests, and why did you bring…” Kyle glanced at Didi, sitting next to him.

“…Why did you bring him? I can’t understand the reason.”

Even Didi himself seemed unsure why he was here. He hadn’t said a word since we boarded the carriage, quietly observing everyone.

“Were you close with Didi at the academy?”

Of course, he wasn’t. Otherwise, he would’ve mentioned Didi during previous regressions.

“No. I only saw him in the stables a few times. The only direct interaction was yesterday when he delivered the principal’s orders to the dormitory.”

So, he at least knew his name. I nodded casually.

“He’s part of the Undead Task Force now. Same team, so get along.”

“Understood.”

Kyle didn’t seem bothered by Didi’s low status, nodding without hesitation.

Of course, Kyle himself wasn’t from a noble background and judged people more by ability than by birth.

Still, it was natural for him to wonder about Didi’s skills, which even I didn’t fully understand yet.

“Your Highness, it’s time for your elixirs,” Meredith said, breaking her silence and pulling out two bottles from a basket.

Grimacing at the awful taste of the detoxification potion, I gulped it down, followed by the even worse-smelling growth potion. I coughed and exclaimed, “Gah! It tastes even worse than before!”

“It’s a sign that the head maid’s skills in alchemy are improving. She also packed these to help cleanse your palate.”

Meredith pulled out a sugar bar from the basket and handed it to me. I snapped off a piece, letting the sweetness dissolve in my mouth as I sighed and asked her, “How many of these did you bring?”

“If you mean the sugar bars, the head maid packed a total of twenty.”

“Then take out

four more and share them with everyone. They should get a taste too.”

“Understood.”

Meredith distributed the sugar bars to the others. I broke my own bar in half, chewing it slowly as I addressed the group.

“Now that we’re all set, listen up. I’ll explain the entire plan for this mission. Here’s how we’ll start…”

—

“Damn, that’s a big ship.”

I’d seen it in previous regressions, but the size of the Gusf Trading Company’s ships still made an impression every time.

“The Gusf Company used to trade with not only the Karim Kingdom on the other side of the continent but even the distant Ragran Continent in the east. At its peak, the company operated ten of these large ships,” Kyle explained calmly.

For now, they’d managed to deploy just two large merchant ships, and even those had been released only after I paid their ransoms on the spot.

Kyle’s father must have had some goodwill left, as the sailors gathered quickly after some inquiries. On top of that, we secured four of the largest fishing boats in Yotun Bay.

“We’re nearing the mouth of Yotun Bay. Should I give the order to halt the fleet?” Kyle asked, pointing ahead. I glanced around at the surroundings and shook my head.

“Not yet. We can get closer.”

Yotun Bay, when viewed from above, resembled a giant crescent moon cradling the bay.

At the entrance of this crescent-shaped bay lay the largest fishing grounds for a species called ‘Crown Blackfish,’ nicknamed ‘Rockfish.’

The sea serpents had taken residence here to feast on the abundant rockfish. In about four years, if left alone, the fishery would be completely depleted, and the sea serpents would leave without a second thought.

Of course, if things were left to that point, the local economy would be irreparably destroyed, triggering a cascade of negative events.

For one, Kyle would lose confidence, unable to reach his full potential, and the “Ogre Rebellion” route nearby would be thrown off track. That alone would be a huge loss.

“There! I see the sea serpent pack!”

A sailor at the bow raised his hand.

Great. It’s starting. Sea serpents, as the sailor described, were sea-dwelling monsters with snake-like bodies adorned with various fins, growing up to 10 meters long as adults.

But beyond their size, they had no special abilities.

They didn’t breathe fire, spit venom, or emit paralyzing shrieks or blinding flashes.

If they lived on land, a single knight order could easily exterminate them.

But these monsters ruled the sea.

Knights, weighed down by their armor, couldn’t exactly dive into the ocean, and even mages struggled to land effective hits when faced with the vast barrier of seawater.

“It’s not like we can shove Tempest into the ocean…” I muttered.

“Excuse me? What did you say?” Kyle asked, tense.

I stepped forward toward the bow and said, “Tell them to stop the ships. It’s time to begin.”

“Understood! Relay the order!” Kyle’s voice suddenly erupted with an astonishing volume.

“Stop the ships immediately! It’s His Highness’ order! Halt the ships and hold position now!”

That booming voice—coupled with his commanding instincts—was what made Kyle such a formidable battlefield leader.

“Alright. Let’s get started…”

I closed my eyes, focusing on the life force deep in the ocean.

‘Life Detection.’

This was a magic spell that allowed the user to detect life forms within a certain radius.

Normally used to find survivors in disaster areas or battlefields, it had other applications if you were creative enough.

“…They’re coming.”

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