Part 1
──The most important things for a magician are, first, family background; second, talent; and lastly, effort.
The ancestor of all magicians, William Bordeaux.
At the entrance ceremony of the magic academy, the first words spoken by the headmaster were these.
He continued to say that for magicians, family background and lineage are most important, and that talent and effort are almost meaningless.
Family background, needless to say, comes with a legacy of rare magical books and enormous wealth passed down through generations. The bloodline accumulated over time is refined and deepened to be advantageous for magicians.
Talent is, of course, important as well. Those with a sense for magic, reading comprehension, reproduction skills, understanding, and physical ability often surpass even the stature of their family background.
And lastly, effort, though it’s not that effort is useless.
Effort is simply a prerequisite.
If one aspires to be a magician, it’s a given that one must strengthen both body and mind, continue daily training, and read magical books. Everyone does this.
──So, the speech concluded with a call to strive diligently every day.
Well, honestly, none of that mattered to me.
I was born into a common family with little talent, but I simply loved magic.
The mysticism of fire, ice, and lightning being born from nothing.
The miracles that show various faces depending on the magical formula.
The bliss of having those things performed by my own hands.
Before I knew it, I had become addicted to magic, and life at this magic academy was the best for me.
However, that peaceful life was about to come to an end.
The incident that started it all was the theft of a magical book from the eldest son of a certain duke’s family.
No noble would ever steal such a thing, he claimed, and turned his suspicious gaze toward me, the only commoner at the academy.
It was true that my family was poor compared to the nobles.
I had to work hard just to pay the entrance fee, and I could only afford a basic magical book for my textbooks.
But with that one book, there was still so much I could do, and every day brought new discoveries.
Even basic magic, just by combining magical formulas and catalysts, could create countless phenomena. Magic is incredibly deep.
There were so many things to do, from experiments to gathering materials, that I had no time to care about others.
So, when I told him this, he angrily challenged me to a duel.
I didn’t like fighting.
So, I tried to refuse immediately, but then a thought stopped me.
──What kind of magic do those nobles use?
There’s a huge difference in capital and talent between a commoner like me and them.
I wondered if I could see magic that I had never seen before.
Once I thought about it, I couldn’t help but want to see it, so I ended up accepting the duel.
I might feel some pain, but I didn’t think they would take my life. It was such a naive thought.
──To cut to the conclusion, their magic was amazing.
Was that the so-called advanced magic? A huge flame swirling, an ice storm raging—I could only stare in awe at the spectacle.
I was so mesmerized that I received the full brunt of it, and I died.
──I had often been warned to be careful, as I tend to lose sight of my surroundings when I get too absorbed in something. I never imagined such an end would come. How foolish of me.
But what I thought about in the end wasn’t cursing my foolishness, resenting the noble who challenged me, or even thanking my parents for raising me and sending me to the academy.
It was reflecting on the magic that killed me.
What kind of magical formula was that? What was the logic behind it? Could one person really generate that much output? If so, what was the required amount of magical energy? What was the magical formula? Were there any special conditions for its activation? Or did they use a catalyst? Or perhaps it was a group magic?
The more I thought about it, the more my heart, which should have been stopping, seemed to beat faster.
Ah, it’s truly regrettable.
There are still so many kinds of magic in the world that I don’t know, and yet I’m going to die without ever knowing them all.
If only I could have learned all of it.
To understand, to master, to perfect it.
I wanted to drown deeper into the abyss of magic.
As I thought such things, my consciousness faded away.
◇◇◇
My vision blurred.
My body wouldn’t move the way I wanted it to.
What in the world is happening?
It feels like I’m not myself.
"──,──"
I hear someone’s voice.
It’s a woman’s voice.
As I strain my eyes, I can see her face.
She’s beautiful.
And her chest is exposed.
But somehow, it seems strangely large.
"──,──"
The woman speaks something while approaching me.
Feeling a sense of danger, I desperately move my hands and concentrate, invoking a "fireball."
A small flame, the only offensive magic I can use.
I can only drive away weak monsters, but it should serve as a deterrent.
Or at least, that’s what I thought.
But something feels off.
Sensing the discomfort, I quickly shifted my aim away from the woman and fired.
The moment I did──
Boom! A deafening explosion echoed.
When I looked, there was a massive hole in the wall.
The woman was startled, but I was just as surprised.
It was impossible for my "fireball" to have such power.
What in the world happened...
Just as I thought that, I saw my reflection in a nearby mirror.
A small body.
Short arms and legs.
Big, round eyes...
A baby.
I had turned into a baby.
Come to think of it, I had heard something about this.
That sometimes, those who die can be reborn while retaining their memories.
This is what they call reincarnation.
If I consider it that way, then the "fireball" makes sense.
The status of a magician is determined by one’s family and talent.
Meaning that most of it is decided at birth.
In families of distinguished magicians, there are those who can use magic from a young age.
If I possess that kind of talent now, it wouldn’t be strange to be able to cast such magic.
...But wait?
I’ve never heard of anyone being able to use such magic right after birth.
Also, it seems that the people around me don’t recognize that I did this.
Now that I look closely, the room seems strangely large.
The furniture in the room is like something you'd see in an art museum, with high-end pieces lined up.
There are several women who seem to be maids.
A room like this wouldn't be typical for just any noble.
Could it be a royal family or perhaps a duke...?
As I thought this, I noticed a splendidly decorated crest.
I recognized that crest.
It was the royal crest of the Kingdom of Saloum, where I had lived.
...Could it be that I’ve been born into an extraordinary place?
I, a simple commoner, lost my life in a duel and, by some twist of fate, was reincarnated as royalty.
My new name is Lloyd De Saloum, the seventh prince of the Kingdom of Saloum.
I’m now ten years old, and I’ve grown quite accustomed to this life.
By comparing the country’s landscape, culture, and atmosphere, it seems I reincarnated right after my death into this body.
I remember hearing that a new prince was going to be born around the time I was in the academy.
I feel a bit guilty, but it can’t be helped now.
My brothers are already adults and are much older than me, so I’m almost completely removed from the succession struggle.
Moreover, my body is small, my appearance is average, and I show no interest in politics, so I wasn’t really expected to play a part in it.
But seeing my brothers study etiquette, academics, and martial arts day after day in order to become kings, I think it’s for the best.
Thanks to that, I’ve been able to study magic, which I love, to my heart’s content.
I wake up in the morning, lock myself in the library, and immerse myself in magic books every day.
The collection books are astonishing, and there are hundreds of books on magic alone.
I’ve gone through everything, from the basics to more specialized works.
Thanks to thoroughly learning the basics in my previous life, I was able to understand even the more difficult magic books.
Of course, I’ve also been able to reproduce magic, and now I’m working on applying different spell formulas.
By the way, the magic that killed me back then was a brute-force spell that used expensive catalysts.
Looking at it now, it wasn’t even that impressive.
It’s a bit disappointing.
I don’t hide the fact that I like magic, but I do hide the fact that I can unleash such power now.
If it were known that I could use magic like that, it would definitely cause trouble.
If that happened, I wouldn’t be able to focus on my magic research at all.
I’d be troubled if people started expecting me to claim the throne because of it.
I’d rather have the impression of being the prince who simply loves slightly unusual magic.
That’s how I want to be seen by others.
“Lloyd-sama! Where are you? Lloyd-sama!”
The voice of a woman shattered the silence of the library.
Although I live a fulfilling daily life, there are a few bothersome things.
One of them is the voice’s owner, my tutor, the maid named Sylpha.
When Sylpha spots me, she hurries over, crouches down, and gives me a gentle smile.
Her long silver hair falls, and she scoops it up with her fingers.
“I knew you would be in the library again. My, reading so many books is not good for your health. Would you like to go outside and play with me?”
There was a force in her smile that left no room for refusal.
For Sylpha, it’s normal for children to run around energetically outside, and she often tries to pull me out of the library, worrying about my well-being.
It’s unnecessary, but... I can tell she says it out of concern for me, so I can’t just brush her off.
With a sigh, I close the book and give in.
“...Alright, Sylpha.”
“Don’t look so sad. Books are always there for you to read. Look, the weather is lovely today. Let’s go outside!”
And so, with Sylpha pulling my hand, I ended up going outside to the garden.
“Lloyd-sama, today let’s play sword fighting!”
“Huh? Again?”
“A young man should at least be skilled in martial arts. Now, pick up your wooden sword.”
Sylpha hands me a wooden sword and gets into position herself.
“Now, feel free to strike from anywhere!”
Sylpha beams at me with a broad smile.
Her stance is relaxed, yet dignified.
It’s no surprise, though, as Sylpha’s father is the captain of the knights and has been the royal family’s swordsmanship instructor for generations.
As his daughter, Sylpha is quite skilled herself. I’ve seen her once when soldiers kept bothering her; she swiftly disarmed one and pressed the sword’s point against his throat.
She’s serious, beautiful, but lacks flexibility, a little intimidating. That’s Sylpha.
That’s why, if I hold back, she immediately sees through it, so I have to fight with all my might.
I readjust my grip on the sword and get into a proper stance.
“...Here I go.”
Sylpha grips her wooden sword and charges straight at me.
I lightly deflect her downward strike, then return the tip of my sword toward her.
Sylpha accepts the blow and takes a step back.
“Hmm, good job, Lloyd-sama.”
With a smile on her lips, Sylpha continues to cross swords with me.
Alright, it looks like I’ve managed to make it seem believable.
The first time Sylpha suggested a mock sword fight, I ended up in tears.
I was just too weak.
I was around seven years old at the time, and I didn’t think it was that bad, but according to Sylpha, my weakness was so apparent it seemed like I was joking.
I thought I was trying my best, but, embarrassing as it is, I’ve always been bad at physical activities, even in my past life.
That’s when Sylpha’s strict training began.
Every day, I was forced to hold a wooden sword and practice strikes against a wooden dummy over and over again.
For someone who dislikes physical exercise, it was hell.
It completely surpassed the level of a simple swordplay game, and it even interfered with my reading.
So, I decided to cheat a little.
Some magic involves manipulating and controlling objects.
That’s control-type magic.
Using this, I can automatically control my body as if it were programmed.
Right now, I’m tracing Sylpha’s movements and recreating them with my own body.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of wooden swords clashing echoes around us.
“Ah! Wonderful, Lloyd-sama!”
Since I’m tracing Sylpha’s movements, we’re obviously evenly matched.
By focusing on defense and observing, the physical strain is relatively light.
“...Phew, well, let’s call it a day for now.”
After a while, perhaps satisfied, Sylpha wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Phew, it’s finally over.
Even though I was controlling my movements automatically, it still took quite a toll on me.
My body feels a bit heavy.
As I sit down to rest, Sylpha looks at me with sparkling eyes.
“Lloyd-sama, your swordsmanship is improving rapidly! At this rate, it won’t be long before you can match me!”
“Ahaha... I-I see...”
I can’t exactly tell her that I’m just tracing her movements.
She’s probably holding back, too, but compared to the beginning, I’ve gotten a bit faster and stronger.
Nevertheless, it’s probably because I’m matching her that she feels like she’s getting stronger.
The magic I’m using to control my movements is only adjusting to match hers.
...Well, she’s unlikely to suddenly attack me seriously, so I can probably keep using magic without her noticing for a while.
If she does find out, I’ll deal with it then.
For now, I just want to get back to the library and finish my book.
“Well, I’m going back to the library.”
“Yes, thank you for your hard work. ...Mmhmm, such splendid progress. Eventually, you might become the knight captain or even a sword saint... Hehe, I look forward to your future♪”
Sylpha murmurs something that sounds a little ominous, but it’s probably just my imagination.
With a smile, Sylpha sends me off as I head back to the library.
“Hey, Lloyd, what are you up to?”
As I’m enjoying my usual reading, a cheerful voice calls out to me.
Turning around, I see a tall, handsome young man with blonde hair standing there.
It’s my older brother, Albert, who is nine years older than me.
He’s the second prince of the Saloum Kingdom, with second place in the line of succession to the throne.
He’s also incredibly talented in both academics and martial arts, with rumors spreading that he may be the next king.
Albert smiles when he sees me reading a magic book.
“I see you’re reading magic books. May I join you?”
“Of course, you’re welcome to, Albert-niisan.”
“Thank you. Then, I’ll join you—”
Albert sits across from me at the table.
The book he’s holding is about politics.
He glances at the mountain of magic books I have stacked on the table and then begins to immerse himself in his own reading.
While my other brothers don’t pay much attention to me, for some reason, Albert is always concerned about me.
He’s probably just a genuinely good person.
And unlike Sylpha, he doesn’t tell me what to do, which is nice.
I turn my attention back to my book and lose myself in reading once again.
◇◇◇
How much time had passed, I wonder? With a soft thud, Albert placed his book down.
“...Phew, Lloyd, your focus is amazing. I’m at a loss. You really love magic, don’t you?”
Albert stood up and raised his arms, and with a series of cracks, his joints popped.
When I tilted my head, there was another loud pop.
Seeing that, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Good work, Albert-niisan.”
“I think I’ll stretch my legs and get some exercise to clear my head. Would you like to join me, Lloyd?”
“The shooting range!?”
“Yeah, I thought you’d like it.”
“Absolutely!”
I immediately responded to Albert’s invitation.
I don’t particularly enjoy physical exercise, but Albert’s invitation is different.
It’s not about feelings or anything like that.
As the heir expected to succeed the throne, Albert has access to various facilities, and the shooting range he’s going to for a break is perfect for practicing magic.
“Well then, let’s go.”
Following Albert, we headed towards the square at the back of the castle.
After greeting the soldiers guarding the entrance, we entered, and a vast expanse of grass unfolded before us.
This is the shooting range. In simple terms, it’s a place to practice hitting targets with magic.
It’s also used for large-scale magic experiments, so it’s too dangerous for a child like me to enter alone.
“Wow! It’s always so spacious here.”
The castle’s mages were also sending fire and water magic orbs at the targets.
The way magic is used differs from person to person.
For example, even when casting the same "fireball," the smoothness and speed of gathering the magic and releasing it from the body vary based on each individual’s skill.
Just watching them is quite enjoyable.
Seeing my curiosity, Albert smiled.
“Hahaha, Lloyd, you really do love magic.”
“Yeah, I absolutely love it.”
“It’s nice to hear you so genuinely happy. I’m glad I brought you here. Now, shall we give it a try ourselves?”
“Yes!”
Albert nodded and instructed the soldiers to prepare the targets.
About a hundred meters away, a set of targets numbered from one to nine were lined up in various sizes.
While watching others is fun, of course, doing it yourself is the best.
There aren’t many opportunities to openly use magic at the castle, after all.
By the time I was lost in my thoughts, the target setup was finished.
“Well then, Lloyd, why don’t you go first?”
“Understood.”
Hitting the target is a simple competition that doesn’t really need much explanation.
The participants take turns, each firing magic orbs ten times. The one who knocks down the largest numbered targets wins. That’s it.
Naturally, the larger numbered targets are smaller and harder to hit.
Standing in front of the target, I gathered magic into my fingertips and created a "fireball."
—Of course, it’s not just any fireball.
It’s a modified magic with rotational motion that I’m currently experimenting with.
By altering the magical formula and adding rotational force to the core of the magic orb, it’s possible to not only send it flying straight but also to change its trajectory in various directions.
While it’s possible to control its movement and maneuver it in all directions, doing that wouldn’t be interesting.
Since I have the chance to experiment, I want to try out different things.
“—Go!”
The released "fireball" spun at high speed, flying straight toward the highest-scoring target, number nine.
By the way, it was given a strong lateral spin. It should curve slightly to the left and hit the target.
The "fireball" flew just as I had planned, grazing the very edge of the target.
Since it didn’t fall, it didn’t count as a score.
––But that’s fine.
If I hit the center of the target and gained too much attention, it would be troublesome, so I deliberately aimed for a spot where it would graze but not knock it down.
The rotation, angle, and speed of release would guarantee a hit, but in practice, magic doesn’t always fly exactly as you expect.
Experiments are important.
“Close, Lloyd. Now it’s my turn.”
This time, Albert stood in front of the target in my place.
He focused, then released the "fireball" he created with his hands.
It was much larger than mine, at least twice the size, and flew straight, hitting the center of the target I had missed.
“Impressive, Albert-niisan.”
“Thank you. Now, it’s your turn, Lloyd.”
I stood in front of the target again.
This time, I added a rotational motion from bottom to top, and released the "fireball."
The "fireball" traced the curve I had imagined, grazing the top of the target.
The next shot, and the one after that, all followed the exact trajectory I had planned, hitting the intended spots.
Hmm, adding rotational force to the magic orb to change its direction isn’t a bad idea.
It uses significantly less magic compared to controlling and bending it normally, and the speed is incomparable.
I’d say the experiment was a success.
As I was thinking about this, I heard some whispers from afar.
“Albert-sama is amazing. He managed to hit all of them perfectly.”
“Compared to that, Lloyd-sama is still just a child. He keeps missing the high-scoring targets. He should just aim for what suits him.”
These were the words of the mages watching us.
Hmm, it looks like I’ve managed to deceive them well enough.
“Tch, can’t you see?”
Suddenly, Albert called out to the mages.
Uh-oh, has he noticed what I’m doing...?
I listened closely, my heart pounding.
“Even though it only grazed the targets, every magic Lloyd released hit them. And not just any target, but the smallest one, number nine. Also, there was a slight movement of the 'fireball' toward the target. He probably has talent for control-based magic.”
“Ohh! Is that so?”
“I didn’t realize that...”
“Honestly, you all have poor eyes.”
...Phew, it seems like they haven’t figured everything out yet.
By the way, I mastered control-based magic when I was seven.
They probably misunderstood because I used to read books on that type of magic a lot.
“Lloyd has talent for magic. If he continues to develop it from a young age, becoming a great magician or sage might not be a dream. If we get along well now, I’m sure he’ll become a great asset when I ascend to the throne.”
Albert said with a smile, whispering something quietly.
I couldn’t hear it clearly, but... well, whatever.
It doesn’t seem to concern me anyway.
“Lloyd de Saloum, I have called for you.”
One day, I was summoned to the throne room.
The one who summoned me was Charles de Saloum, the King of Saloum, and my father.
The large elderly man, Charles, greeted me with a broad smile as he sat on his throne.
“Oh, you’ve come, Lloyd. It’s been a while. Has it been about three years?”
“It’s been since my seventh birthday.”
Many children die from illness or injury before the age of seven, so that birthday holds special meaning.
At that time, even busy Charles made time to visit me.
Although the words he gave me then were, “You’re the seventh son, so the struggle for the throne doesn’t concern you. Just do whatever you like,” they were still significant.
As expected of a king, he’s quite busy. I rarely even see him walking down the hall.
So why does he want to see me now...? This is nerve-wracking.
While I kept my head lowered, Charles spoke with a bored tone.
“Hm, now that I think about it, you were like this when we met before. You’re so formal, almost too serious for a child... It’s been a while since you saw your father. You can hug me, you know?”
“...You jest. I could never do such a thing.”
“Hmph, well, it’s fine. I suppose that’s proof that you’ve learned your manners. Now, come a little closer.”
“Yes, Father.”
For now, it didn’t seem like he was in a bad mood, and there was no sense of anger in the air.
I stood up and, as instructed, went over to his side.
Charles stared at my face intently and slowly nodded.
“...Hoh, you’ve got a good look about you now.”
“Thank you.”
“I heard from Sylpha and Albert. It seems like you’ve been working hard with both swordsmanship and magic.”
“! I-I’m not worthy of such praise...!”
At Charles’s words, I hurriedly lowered my head.
“Nothing to be modest about! Sylpha, who taught swordsmanship to my sons, has said that your talent in swordsmanship is the best among all the princes, and that you’ll become the best swordsman in the kingdom! Albert, one of the best mages in the castle, was jealous of your talent! When he was your age, he couldn’t even cast a ‘fireball,’ yet you’re able to control it so well! To have two such accomplished people say that about you, it’s amazing!”
Charles nodded happily, his arms crossed.
...Wow, so those two really said that about me.
I thought I had been hiding my abilities well, but it seems I was too naive.
Using magic in the castle is definitely risky.
If my evaluation keeps rising, there’s a chance I’ll get caught up in the succession to the throne, and that would be a hassle.
I’ll have to be a little more careful. But with my personality, I can’t stop researching magic...
“I have high hopes for you! Keep working hard!”
“U-uh... yes, of course...”
Seeing me give an evasive answer, Charles’s expression darkened slightly.
“...But, even though you’re talented, it would be difficult to add you to the list of heirs to the throne at this point. The other top princes, including Albert, have already been given education for that purpose. If you’ve been working hard thinking it’s for the throne, I feel bad for you. I wanted to tell you this in advance, so I called you here.”
––Ah, so that’s what it is.
In other words, Charles misunderstands that I’ve been working hard for the right to the throne.
Of course, I have no such intention, so I let out a relieved sigh.
“Please don’t worry, Father. I’m simply doing what I enjoy, just as you told me. I’ve never had any interest in the throne.”
Charles widened his eyes at my words.
Then, as if overcome with emotion, he squinted his eyes.
“──Hmm, hmm, you didn’t get upset by my words, and you’ve said it well! I’m proud to have such a son!”
And he even seemed to be teary-eyed.
...It’s the truth, though.
Watching Charles, who was clearly moved, I scratched my cheek awkwardly.
“Rest assured! Your efforts won’t go to waste, Lloyd! Keep pushing forward just like this!”
“Y-yes, Father...”
“Mm, you may leave now.”
I’m not sure what’s going on, but at least it seems like I can keep my current life, and I feel relieved.
I let out a sigh of relief and turned my back on Charles.
“...And yet, showing no interest in the throne and just relentlessly working hard... At only ten years old, you’ve accomplished much. A true king may need to be like that, after all. I may have to reconsider the candidates for the throne.”
Charles mumbled something, but I couldn’t hear it clearly.
Well, it’s probably something about politics. Frankly, I’m not interested.
I just want to go home and read a book. I quickly left the throne room.
——.