“Hey Lloyd, what are you doing?”
As I was enjoying my usual reading time, the refreshing voice of a young man reached my ears.
I turned around to find a tall, slender, handsome man with blond hair standing there.
It was my brother, Albert, who was nine years older than me.
He was the Second Prince of the Kingdom of Saloom and second in line to the throne. However, he was exceptionally talented in both academics and martial arts—so much so that rumors often circulated about him being the next king.
Albert offered a gentle smile when he saw what I was reading.
“Reading magic books, I see. Would you mind if I joined you?”
“Of course not, Albert-niisan.”
“Thank you. Then, if you’ll excuse me—”
Albert sat down directly across from me. He was carrying a book on politics. After a brief glance at the mountain of magic books I had piled on the table, he immersed himself in his own work.
While my other older brothers didn't seem to pay me much mind, Albert looked out for me quite often. He was probably just a genuinely good person. Plus, unlike Sylpha, he didn't try to dictate my every move, which I appreciated.
I shifted my gaze from Albert back to my book and returned to my studies.
A fair amount of time must have passed by the time a soft thud echoed as Albert closed his book.
“…Whew. Your concentration is incredible, Lloyd. You’ve got me beat. You really do love magic, don’t you?”
Albert stood up and raised his arms, his joints popping and cracking. When he tilted his head, it let out another series of loud clicks. Seeing that, I couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.
“Good work, Albert-niisan.”
“I think I’ll move my body a bit for a change of pace. Would you like to come along, Lloyd?”
“To the Training Grounds?!”
“Haha, I thought you’d like that.”
“Yes!”
I replied instantly. I don’t particularly enjoy physical activity, but Albert’s invitation was a different story. It wasn't that I was especially fond of him or anything; it was purely pragmatic.
As a successor with high expectations placed upon him, Albert had the authority to use various facilities. The Training Grounds he was heading to now was the perfect place for practicing magic.
“Well then, let’s go.”
I followed Albert toward the open plaza located at the back of the castle. After greeting the soldier guarding the entrance, we stepped inside to find a vast, lush lawn stretching out before us.
This was the Training Grounds. To put it simply, it was a place where one could practice target hitting with magic. Since it was also used as a site for large-scale experiments, it was considered dangerous, and a child like me wasn't allowed to enter alone.
“Wow! It’s so spacious every time I come here.”
Nearby, the castle mages were firing magical spheres of fire and water at targets. The sensation of using magic varied from person to person. Even when firing a basic Fireball, the individual level of proficiency differed—from the smoothness of gathering mana to the speed and precision of the release. Just watching them was quite entertaining.
Albert smiled as he watched me observe the mages with deep interest.
“Hahaha, you really do love magic, Lloyd.”
“Yes, I love it.”
“Seeing you so happy makes it worth bringing you here. Now then, shall we have a go at it too?”
“Yes!”
Albert nodded and ordered the soldiers to set up the targets. At a distance of about a hundred meters, several targets of various sizes, engraved with numbers from one to nine, were lined up.
Watching others was fun, but doing it myself was the best. I didn't get many opportunities to use magic openly in the castle, after all.
“Well then, you should go first, Lloyd.”
“Understood.”
Target practice was a simple competition. We would take turns firing ten magic spheres each, and the one who knocked down more targets with higher numbers won. Naturally, the higher the number, the smaller the target, making it harder to hit.
Facing the targets, I gathered mana at my fingertips and created a Fireball.
—Of course, it wasn't just a regular one.
It was a modified magic incorporating rotational motion, something I was currently researching. By tinkering with the Spell Formula and giving the core of the mana sphere rotational force, I could make it curve in various directions rather than just flying straight.
I could have easily controlled its movements to move it freely in any direction using my standard methods, but that wouldn't be very interesting. Since this was a precious opportunity to experiment, I wanted to put my theories to the test.
“—Go!”
The Fireball shot out, spinning at high speed as it flew toward the smallest, highest-scoring target, number nine. I had applied an intense horizontal spin to this one; it should curve slightly to the left before impact.
The Fireball flew exactly as I had planned and merely grazed the edge of the target. Since it didn't fall over, I didn't score any points.
—But this was fine.
It would be troublesome if I drew too much attention by hitting the dead center, so I had purposely aimed for a spot where it would graze the target without knocking it down. While my calculations showed that this RPM and angle would result in a hit, things don't always fly exactly as expected in the real world. Experiments are vital.
“That was close, Lloyd. Now it’s my turn.”
Albert took my place. He focused, produced a Fireball at his hand, and fired. His Fireball was about twice the size of mine. It flew perfectly straight and hit the center of the target I had just grazed.
“That was brilliant, Albert-niisan.”
“Thank you. Now, it’s your turn again.”
I stood before the targets once more. Next, I applied a spin that would cause the Fireball to rise upward as it flew. The sphere drew the exact curve I intended and grazed the upper part of the target.
The next one, and the one after that—each Fireball followed the exact trajectories I envisioned and hit the intended spots.
Adding rotational force to a mana sphere was a success. It consumed significantly less mana than controlling the trajectory manually, and the speed was incomparable.
As I was reflecting on the results, I heard whispering from a distance.
“Prince Albert is truly impressive. He’s hitting every single one perfectly.”
“Compared to him, Prince Lloyd is still just a child. He keeps aiming for the high-score targets and missing. He should just aim for the ones suited to his skill level.”
Those were the words of the mages watching us.
Good. It seemed I was successfully deceiving them.
“Good grief, can’t you lot see what’s happening?”
Suddenly, Albert spoke up, addressing the mages. My heart skipped a beat. Had he realized what I was doing? I strained my ears to listen.
“Even if they are only grazes, every single magic spell Lloyd fired hit the targets. And the smallest number nine ones at that. Furthermore, the Fireballs were moving toward the targets, albeit slightly. He likely has a talent for Control System Magic.”
“Oh! I-Is that so?!”
“I didn't notice that at all…”
“Honestly, you people are blind.”
…Phew, it seemed he hadn't seen through me entirely. He just thought I had potential. Incidentally, I had mastered Control System Magic by the age of seven. Since he often saw me reading books on the subject, he likely just connected the dots that way.
“Lloyd has a talent for magic. If he develops that talent from a young age, eventually becoming a Great Mage or a Sage wouldn’t be a dream. If I stay on good terms with him now, he will surely become a great power by the time I ascend the throne.”
Albert was murmuring something with a smile on his face. I couldn't hear him well, but… well, whatever. It didn't seem to involve me anyway.