Serena excitedly went to get ready, and I washed up and headed to the Training Ground.
“Brother, you’re here!” The only one who greets me like this is our 2nd Imperial Prince, Andrew.
Thanks to my desperate correction, the word order has changed, but I can’t shake off this weird feeling.
“Yeah~ Slept well?” “Yes, Brother!” “Puhaha!
He’s full of discipline!
Puhahaha!” The guy laughing next to Andrew is Lancelot Verstappen, son of the Captain of the Imperial Guard.
An impudent fellow who, from our very first meeting, bluntly told me I suck at swordsmanship.
“For the record, I didn’t order him to do that.” “Anyone can see he’s been drilled, the Imperial Family really is terrifying!” “Impudent fellow…” “Puhahaha!
Yeah, yeah~” This guy, a peer of the same age, is the first friend I’ve made in this world.
Everyone finds it difficult to approach me, but this guy freely spouts harsh language at me.
‘An impudent fellow who knows nothing but the sword.’ As I pondered for a while what to do with this irreverent fellow, Maxim arrived, and we began our basic physical training.
When the basic physical training was over, Lancelot and Andrew faced each other and performed a formal greeting.
“I will definitely win again today!” “I believe the score is still 121 wins and 43 losses~ Doesn’t saying ‘again today’ sound a bit out of place?” “Hyaaaat!” Maxim watched the two of them spar with a pleased look.
He then looked over at me resting on the side with a complicated expression.
It’s like they’re filming Slx Dunk while I’m filming SKx Castle.
‘I’m dying from the pressure.’ I deliberately ignored his gaze and spoke to Maxim.
“Ahem, Maxim, I’ll be in your care again today.” “Yes, Your Imperial Highness.” What I’m asking for is aura perception training.
I asked Maxim for help to increase the range of my Color-Imbuing Magic.
To use magic with detail, the information of the world I could perceive was endlessly scarce.
Feeling that detection magic alone was insufficient, the method I devised was to combine detection magic with aura perception.
Maxim helps me whenever I can’t get the hang of it.
But even after several months of training, it wasn’t easy.
Nevertheless, I steeled myself, thinking it was a necessary process.
As I closed my eyes and concentrated, the sounds began to grow clearer.
The sound of swords clashing, the sound of tree branches swaying in the wind, the sound of birds singing.
I organize the information entering my mind.
Next is the sense of smell.
To receive even more information, I slowly inhale.
As I breathed in the cool dawn air, a blurred image began to form around me.
The forms that manifested were briefly indicating their locations.
Then, Maxim’s voice was heard softly.
“…
Try to focus on your sense of touch as well.” Following Maxim’s guidance, I focused on my sense of touch, and soon I felt a gust of wind on my neck.
As I wondered where this wind came from and why it existed, I realized the wind was blowing from the forms I felt in front of me.
I looked into its source…
Lancelot and Andrew were diligently blowing wind with their mouths…
‘These bastards?’ After the sound of two light taps passed, I began to concentrate even harder.
My thoughts gradually faded as I focused on the air felt on my skin.
It felt like the light shining on the training field had a scent, and the sound of insects chirping seemed to tickle the back of my neck.
“Now, try to spread your mana.” At his words, I spread the surrounding mana.
The image I associated it with was a bat.
I spread the mana wide as if detecting with ultrasound.
I felt this alone was somewhat lacking…
“Now, open your eyes.” The moment I opened my eyes, clarity was added to the amount of information I perceived, and it all came flooding into my mind.
There was no need to collide mana like ultrasound to gain information.
The existing mana particles and senses simply brought all the surrounding information to me as it was.
As I was staring blankly from the dizziness, Maxim tossed a piece of candy into my mouth.
The sweetness in my mouth made my tongue tingle.
The melted sugar seemed to ease my mind.
It was much sweeter than the imperial desserts I usually ate.
“It seems you’ve gotten the hang of it.
Congratulations.” “Brother, that was incredible concentration!” “Father!
I want to practice that too!” Maxim grinned and patted the heads of the two who were kneeling with their hands up.
“Haha!
That was incredible concentration!
But, Your Highness, why is your swordsmanship…” ‘What about my swordsmanship!’ I was slightly annoyed, but the candy in my mouth was sweet, so I decided to let it go.
*** After finishing my training, I washed up and ate.
It was almost 2 o’clock, the time my little demon requested.
Normally I’d be lying down reading a book, but lacking the courage to defy the number one in our house’s hierarchy, I trudged to get ready.
“Lily~ My clothes!” “Yes, Imperial Prince!” At that, Lily pulled out a stream of clothes from the wardrobe.
“Hmm…
I’m going to meet Serena’s friends, so just pick something appropriate.” “Yes, Imperial Prince!
Please leave it to me!” Lily fell into deep thought, holding up various clothes against my body.
‘This one is too flashy, maybe for the masquerade ball…’, ‘This is pretty too, but for the young ladies…’, ‘Ah, what should I do…’.
Before the furrows on Lily’s brow could deepen any further, I urged her on.
“Lily…
just pick something.
I have to go.” “Just a moment, Imperial Prince!
This is an important matter!” I could feel a fragment of madness in the eyes of Lily, who was engrossed in this dress-up game with my body.
Overwhelmed by her spirit, I decided to just shut up.
After pondering for a long time, Lily presented two candidates before me.
“Imperial Prince!
You can choose between these two!” Since they both looked gray to me anyway, I just chose the one on the right.
I put on the clothes and circulated my mana in front of the mirror…
“Lily…
am I some kind of Little Prince?” “Goodness!
A prince!
You are an Imperial Prince!” “Ah.” Lily looked astonished as if she’d heard a horrible sound, and I just accepted it and went out the room door.
*** “We greet the Imperial Princess.” “Kyaa!
Daisy, Laura, Evelyn!
Aren’t you all so pretty today?” “Hehe, you are also very pretty today, Your Highness.” Today is the first time I’ve entered the Imperial Castle.
I remember getting out of the family carriage and into the imperial carriage, but after that, it seems I just came here while staring blankly at the scenery.