I was once just an ordinary commoner, but I lost my life in a duel and, through some strange twist of fate, was reincarnated as royalty.
Lloyd di Saloom, Seventh Prince of the Kingdom of Saloom—that is my new name.
I’m ten years old now, and I’d say I’ve grown quite accustomed to this life.
Based on the country’s scenery, culture, and general atmosphere, it seems I was reincarnated into this body immediately after my previous death. Back when I was attending the academy, people were gossiping about how a new prince was about to be born.
I feel a little guilty about it, but there’s no helping what’s already happened.
My older brothers are already adults, and since there is a significant age gap between us, I have almost nothing to do with the struggle for the throne. On top of that, my body is small and my appearance is plain. Since I showed absolutely no interest in politics, no one seemed to expect much of anything from me.
However, seeing my brothers spending every single day thoroughly studying manners, academics, and martial arts to prepare for the crown, I’m glad it turned out this way. Thanks to that, I’m allowed to study the magic I love to my heart’s content.
My days consist of waking up and secluding myself in the library, losing myself in magic books. The sheer volume of the collection is incredible; there are hundreds of books on magic alone. I’ve looked through every single one, from the basics to the most specialized works.
Perhaps because I had a solid grasp of the fundamentals in my previous life, I was able to understand even the most difficult texts. Of course, that includes reproducing the magic; currently, I spend my time constructing spell formulas to apply them in various ways.
Incidentally, the magic that killed me back then was just brute force using an expensive medium; looking at it now, it really wasn't all that impressive. It's a bit disappointing.
I don’t hide the fact that I love magic, but I do hide my true ability—or rather, the fact that I can produce such overwhelming power. If people found out I could use magic like that, it would undoubtedly lead to a lot of trouble, and I wouldn't be able to focus on my research anymore. It would also be a pain if people started expecting things from me regarding the succession.
A slightly eccentric, magic-loving prince—that is the reputation I need to maintain.
"Lord Lloyd! Where are you? Lord Lloyd!"
A woman’s voice broke the silence of the library.
Although I lead a fulfilling life, I still have a few headaches to deal with. One of them is the owner of that voice: Sylpha, the maid entrusted with my education.
Upon finding me, Sylpha ran over, crouched down, and gave me a gentle smile. Her long silver hair fell forward, and she swept it back with her fingers.
"I knew you would be in the library again. Honestly, reading nothing but books all day isn't good for your health. Won't you come play outside with me?"
There was an undeniable pressure behind that smile. To Sylpha, it’s only natural for children to run around energetically outside. She often tries to drag me out, likely because she worries about me being holed up in here.
It’s unwanted meddling... but since I know she’s saying it out of genuine concern, it’s hard to tell her that.
I let out a sigh and closed my book in resignation.
"...Fine, Sylpha."
"Please, don't make such a sad face. You can read your books anytime. Look, the weather is wonderful! Let's head outside."
And so, led by the hand by Sylpha, I stepped out into the garden.
"Lord Lloyd, let's play at swordsmanship today!"
"Ehh, again?"
"A man should have at least a passing interest in martial arts, you know. Now, please take this wooden sword."
Sylpha handed me a wooden sword and took her own stance.
"Now, come at me from wherever you like!"
Sylpha wore a beaming smile. Her stance was relaxed, yet imposing.
And for good reason—Sylpha's father is the Knight Commander and has served as the royal family's Swordsmanship Instructor for generations. As his daughter, Sylpha is also quite skilled; I once saw her being harassed by a soldier, only for her to snatch his sword in the blink of an eye and hold it to his throat.
Serious, beautiful, and utterly inflexible—that’s Sylpha for you. Because of that, she would immediately see through me if I slacked off, so I have to put in a real effort.
I readjusted my grip on the sword and took a mid-level stance.
"...Here I come."
Sylpha gripped her wooden sword and lunged straight at me. While lightly parrying her downward swing, I pointed the tip of my wooden sword back at her. Sylpha blocked it and leaped back to create distance.
"Yes, very good, Lord Lloyd."
With a smile on her lips, Sylpha continued to exchange blows with me.
Good, I'm doing a decent job of faking it.
The first time Sylpha suggested playing at swordsmanship, she actually ended up in tears because of me. Specifically, it was because I was so incredibly weak. I think it's a bit much to expect more from a seven-year-old, but according to Sylpha, my weakness was so profound she thought I was making a mockery of the art.
I intended to take it seriously, but... well, embarrassingly enough, I've been terrible at physical activities since my previous life.
And so, Sylpha's spartan training began. Every day, I was forced to grip a wooden sword and strike a training dummy over and over again. For someone like me who hates exercise, it was absolute hell. It had completely exceeded the realm of "playing," reaching a level that interfered with my reading afterward.
So, I decided to cheat a little.
Among the various types of magic, there are those that manipulate and control objects. This is known as Control System Magic. Using this, it's possible to automatically operate one's own body according to a program. Currently, I'm tracing Sylpha's movements and reproducing them with my own body.
Clack! Clang! Crack!
The sound of wooden swords clashing echoed through the air.
"Aha! Wonderful, Lord Lloyd!"
Since I'm tracing Sylpha's own movements, we are naturally fighting on equal terms. By keeping to a defensive, reactionary style, the physical burden on my body is relatively low.
"...Whew. Well, shall we leave it at that for today?"
After a while, seemingly satisfied, Sylpha wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Phew, it's finally over. Even though I was just moving automatically, it's still quite taxing. My body feels heavy.
As I sat down to rest, Sylpha looked at me with sparkling eyes.
"Your swordsmanship is improving remarkably, Lord Lloyd! At this rate, the day you can fight me on equal terms might not be far off!"
"Ahaha... You think so?"
I could never tell her that I'm just tracing her own techniques. She's obviously holding back, but even compared to the beginning, she's gradually getting faster and stronger. The fact that I'm keeping up despite that is probably why she thinks I'm improving so rapidly. After all, what I'm doing with Control System Magic is merely matching my opponent's movements.
...Well, she probably won't suddenly come at me for real, so my magic cheating should go unnoticed for a while. If I get caught, I'll deal with it then.
For now, I'm in the middle of a book, so I want to get back to the library as soon as possible.
"Well then, I'm heading back to the library."
"Yes, good work today. ...Yes, yes, such wonderful progress. Eventually, a Knight Commander, or perhaps even a Sword Saint... Hehe, I look forward to your future♪"
Sylpha was muttering something rather frightening, but it was probably just my imagination.
Sylpha sent me off with a smile as I hurried back to the library.