At that, it gripped my finger tightly.
It’s warm.
To think such a small hand could have so much strength.
I wonder what color its eyes are…
Its skin must be pale since both our parents are.
Since it’s a newborn, I guess it’s a little reddish for now.
After I’d been spacing out for a while, my mother held the baby again and smiled brightly.
Before my eyes, a happy family was smiling joyfully.
If I go closer, I’ll become a part of that beautiful picture.
At that, I made another resolution.
‘I will get stronger, no matter what.
I’ll fix my eyes and grow up healthy.
I must become so strong that no one will dare even look at me.
No matter what happens, I must not be the one to splash ink on that picture.’ A gentle voice broke me out of my thoughts.
“Oh, hehe, why are you spacing out, my dear Imperial Prince.
Now, come closer.” For now, I decided to just enter that picture without any thought.
*** “Alright!
Shall we start the day off fresh again today!” Time flew by, and I’m now 8 years old.
I’m in the middle of sparring with Boss Assassin in my mental image, which has become a daily routine.
“Where should I pierce today?
The neck?
Legs?
Arms?” As I was pondering, the assassin threw a dagger from his embrace.
I snatched the flying dagger with telekinesis, returned it, and then tore up the space beneath both of the assassin’s collarbones.
“Kuaaaaargh!” “Ah!
It’s been a while since I stabbed you here, right?
If you lift your arm, the blood just pours out.” Sparring is sparring.
Thanks to Boss Assassin, my magic has improved a lot.
I’m already looking at the entrance to the 4th Circle from the 3rd.
Thanks, Boss Assassin!
After twisting Boss Assassin’s neck, I pulled it out.
And before my eyes, a red fountain spreads!
It’s truly a beautiful color.
Boss Assassin, who gifts me the only color I can see every morning…
You’re truly The Giving Tree.
That night, by my enraged father’s command, the assassin’s mastermind was thoroughly pursued.
As a result, Boss Assassin was an assassin created by a cultist group called the ‘Inverse Cross Society’.
These crazy cultists had brainwashed ordinary people over a long period of time without any magic and got them hired as imperial palace attendants.
The meticulousness of it gave me chills, and my rage turned towards the cultists, and this is the result.
“Thanks again for today, Boss Assassin!
I’ll be in your care tomorrow, too~” Alright then, I should probably get going.
When I really opened my eyes, our princess was wriggling up onto my body.
Then she started smacking my forehead wildly with her palm.
Just as I was thinking how cute she was, my head started ringing.
Her strength is no joke.
This older brother wishes our princess would grow up to be an elegant lady, without knowing a thing about swords or martial arts…
“Our princess, did you sleep well?” “Oppa!”[1] -Smack!
Smack!
Chwap!
Splat!
“Our pretty princess, you came to be my alarm clock so I wouldn’t oversleep.
So full of vigor, hehe.
But if you keep hitting me, I think I’ll fall back asleep, so shall we get up together?” “Ung!” “Okay okay, ah, Lily, good morning!
Could you prepare some water for washing up?” “Yes, Your Highness~” I washed my face after making my younger sister float with magic.
My younger sister, Serena Luminaria, currently giggling and pulling at my hair.
Contrary to the meaning of her name, ‘calmness, peace,’ her body is overflowing with vigor.
Just grow up healthy…
please grow up a little less healthily.
“Our princess, your brother is going to training now~” “Ung!
Bye-bye!” My younger sister waved goodbye to me while still gripping my hair.
My sister’s amazing sense of kkil-kki-ppa-ppa.[2] She doesn’t even throw a tantrum about not wanting to part.
You’re already equipped with the sense to survive in the imperial castle.
When I arrived at the training ground, Maxim and a boy with lavender hair and golden eyes greeted me.
“You’ve arrived, Hyungnim!” This boy, who’s giving me a folder bow like a low-level gang member in the imperial training ground, is named Andrew Luminaria.[3] This boy, a year younger than me, is my half-brother, born to the 1st Consort.
For the record, I never tried to discipline him…
This bastard is a damn good fighter…
To our ‘Minister of Defense,’ who was filming a daily bleak story because of my pathetic swordsmanship talent, he is like a can of cider.[4] A talent that comes once every 100 years, or so they say…
I’m jealous.
Unaware of my sordid jealousy, he just grins vacantly at me.
‘This kid…
It was worth playing with him often.’ As I was feeling an unseasonable sense of satisfaction, Maxim shouted.
“Alright, let’s begin for today.
30 laps around the training ground!” Today, after basic physical training, we stood side-by-side and swung our swords.
Maxim, who watches over us, is tasting a hellish ‘dan-jjan-dan-jjan’.[5] For reference, Andrew is the sweet, and I am the salty.
I also want to quit and focus on the magic I’m developing, but having keenly felt the importance of muscular strength, I can’t quit and am just swinging diligently.
I’m just going to treat this as health exercises, so I wish he’d stop making that bitter expression.
After finishing our training, we are lying side-by-side on the training ground, catching our breath.
“Hah…
hah…
You worked hard, Hyungnim!” “Uh…
Andrew…
From now on, how about you put ‘Hyungnim’ at the front when you say that?” “Hyungnim, I will correct myself, Hyungnim!” “…Let’s just go get something to eat.” “Hyungnim!
Understood, Hyungnim!” “Just do as you were doing before…” “Yes!
Hyungnim!” Shuddering at the unnecessary problem I’d just created, I lifted Andrew with telekinesis.
This is magic muscle training!
A high-level training method that’s on a different dimension from those sword aura wrappers!
“Ahahaha!
As expected of you, Hyungnim!
You do things I can’t do so nonchalantly!” “Yeah, yeah, let’s eat at the Imperial Prince’s Palace today.” Talking nonsense like that, we made our way.