Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Hey There, Minister Sir!
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A few days after the Founding Festival banquet wrapped up without the anticipated(?) chaos of assassination attempts.
I was learning magic from Grandfather.
He checked my pulse, then smiled warmly and spoke up.
"Your Highness, it looks like you're ready to form your first circle now."
The Mana Circle event had finally arrived.
What is a Mana Circle, you ask?
It's a ring of mana that spins fiercely within the heart—some kind of fantasy-level system that bizarrely doesn't rip the three-dimensional heart to shreds!
Once this takes root in your heart, you can finally say you've taken your first step as a true mage.
"Grandfather, before we do that, I have a question."
"Of course, Your Highness. Ask away."
"A ring forms inside the heart... but will the heart itself be okay?"
"Hm? Oh ho ho! So that's what you've been mulling over."
Grandfather chuckled like it was the most amusing thing, then conjured a cross-section of a heart above his right palm.
'Ugh, gross.'
"Think of the circle not as a physical ring forming directly in the heart, but as a spiritual circuit."
With that, a ring appeared above his left hand, and he merged it over the heart.
The circle encircled the heart and began to spin, while the heart's interior sparkled brightly.
"That's why we study, cultivate our mental imagery, and gain enlightenment—adding more rings one by one to achieve greater output. See the circle as a device that smoothly channels the mana stored in your heart through your circuits."
The cross-section vanished from his right hand, replaced by a transparent ice cube in the shape of a perfect hexahedron.
"Mages are those who project their will onto mana to work miracles upon the world."
Suddenly, water filled the ice cube in his hand and began to swirl.
"The more circles you have, the greater the output, allowing you to impose your will more forcefully on the world and defy its laws."
A flame ignited at the center of the fully water-filled, spinning cube.
I stared blankly for a good while until Grandfather grinned and shattered the cube in his hand.
Light burst forth, filling the room with starlight.
"In short, think of the circle as a spiritual organ that amplifies the output of refined mana from the heart."
I gazed dazedly at the glowing room, feeling my heart pound fiercely.
Witnessing a miracle—and knowing I could perform one myself—filled me with growing excitement.
'Damn, he's got so much charisma... That was badass!'
As I looked up at him with eyes sparkling from the thrill, Grandfather smiled warmly and patted my head.
"Your Highness will surely reach heights even beyond my own. I guarantee it."
High on magic euphoria, I dove right into forming my circle.
I sat cross-legged, took deep breaths, and focused my mind.
"Now, visualize a circle in your mind. Once you draw it, spin it and let your heart's mana spread through it, taking root in the world."
I drew in a deep breath and closed my eyes.
Focusing on the imagery, I felt a faint tremor and an unfamiliar warmth spreading through my veins.
At first, it flickered unstably like a restless flame.
But gradually, the light threads gathered, forming a single flow.
Deep in my heart, like a star rising in the darkness, mana began to glow.
As the light circled my heart again and again, forming a ring, I felt a strange resonance—like my heart had gained a new rhythm.
Thin lines intertwined layer upon layer, shaping into a perfect ring, and finally, a flawless circle etched itself over my heart.
In that instant, a vibration shook my entire body, my breath caught in suffocating tightness, then a cool wave of liberation washed over me.
My vision seemed to expand, as if I'd extended tiny roots into the world.
"Welcome to the world of mages."
I reached out into the air and enveloped a glass vial in the room with mana.
Something I'd practiced relentlessly since childhood. The surrounding mana wrapped around the vial in a sphere.
Imagining a giant hand in my mind to cradle it, I pulled the mana—and the vial slowly floated toward me.
Grasping the vial, I felt a swell of pride...
"Your Highness, what you just did... do it one more time!"
"Pardon?"
"Quickly, now!"
Grandfather was uncharacteristically excited.
'Isn't infusing mana with weight a basic step? I practiced this last time.'
So I reached out again and levitated a teacup from nearby.
Watching this, Grandfather stared blankly before explaining with thrilled fervor.
"Ha ha ha ha! Your Highness, take a look at this."
He extended his hand and snatched the teacup into his grasp in an instant.
What the? Was this some advanced noob-bullying demo to show the skill gap?
"Normally, using magic involves absorbing ambient mana, refining it, then channeling the output. But what Your Highness just did was wield surrounding mana with pure will alone! A miracle... astonishing mana affinity! It reminds me of legends about dragons who commanded mana just by breathing. Ha ha ha ha!"
"Uh... so does that mean I don't need circles?"
"No, no. More circles mean you can handle greater quantities of mana. What I'm saying is, your mana affinity is astounding. At this level, it's not affinity—it's outright dominance."
'No wonder my spells barely worked against that crown prince bastard. This body's just a total cheat.'
Grandfather checked his wristwatch, smiled warmly, and stood.
"I'd love to teach you through the night, but it's nearly dinner time. I should head out before Her Majesty the Empress voices her displeasure."
After dinner, back in my room, I lay there levitating objects around me and staring blankly.
Grandfather's words echoed in my head, making my heart race.
'In my past life, bedridden and helpless. Now, in this one, a magic genius?'
I chuckled at the silly thought, but pondering my future sobered me right up.
The protagonist party's assault on the palace, Father's cryptic words—they all pointed to secrets hidden within the imperial grounds.
'I have to become the crown prince. I'm the only one who knows even fragments of the future.'
At first, I resented the burdensome role of prince, this unfamiliar reincarnated world, and the ominous imperial secrets—cursing gods I'd never even seen. But not anymore.
The citizens' fervent cheers, this overflowing talent, my family's love.
Too much to hold and protect now.
With these small hands, I couldn't grasp it all—I'd just drop it while fumbling forward.
I want to grow strong. Strong enough that no one dares even glance at my place.
With that, the prince whose eyes gleamed golden spun his freshly forged circle furiously in the room.
A few days later, at the imperial training grounds.
"Pleased to meet you, Your Highness. I am Maxim Verstappen, Knight Commander of the Imperial Guard. Starting today, I'll be teaching you swordsmanship each morning."
The burly redhead standing before me was the commander of the Imperial Guard.
The Minister of Defense himself! I'd asked Father to help me hone my sword skills, figuring it was about time, and he hooked me up with this absurd tutor.
The perks of power never cease to thrill.
Thus, receiving private lessons from the Minister of Defense, I replied with eager anticipation.
"Sure thing, Sir Maxim. Looking forward to it."
"Ha ha! That look in your eyes—the rumors of your sharp mind are true. A blessing to the Empire. Well then, shall we begin? For starters today, just do five easy laps around the training field! Oh, and I heard you've formed your circle. No mana use allowed."
'Hmm? That's an oddly specific number. Sure, newbie warm-ups with laps are a cliché from years of media tropes, but five? Not ten or a hundred.'
As I eyed Maxim curiously, he laughed and explained.
"Ha ha ha! Your Highness, to wield a sword, stamina is essential. Your legs must root firmly to the earth before you can master the blade."
I corrected his misconception.
"No, that's not it. Why exactly five laps?"
"Hm? Ah, since it's your first lesson, you'll be swinging a sword today. To gauge your talent."
Hm, he must want to leave enough energy for me to actually hold a sword.
And so, I started running laps around the field.
Cool dawn air brushed my face.
Young and brimming with energy, my strides were still short, but powering my legs sent me surging forward.
It's been ages since I ran like this. Surrendering to the refreshing freedom, I finished five laps in no time.
"Your Highness, you run better than expected. Now, take a sword and mimic my movements."
Finally, my first time handling a blade! Imagining this cheat body would ace swordplay too, I drew a wooden practice sword.
Fantasizing about becoming the youngest Swordmaster, I followed Maxim's lead.
"First, swing down from above. The basics—puts the most weight behind it. Like this."
"Hup!"
"...Next, a horizontal slash."
"Hah!"
"N...Next, a thrust! Step forward and drive it hard."
"Yah!"
"...Repeat those three motions."
I chained the three moves fluidly. With each rep, Maxim's expression grew more ambiguous, his eyes filled with concern, until he finally spoke.
"...Your Highness, it seems your talents lie more with magic."
Like a civil servant holding back from telling the president's son 'You've got no talent,' it looked like it took real courage for Maxim to say that.
Guess I'm a total klutz after all.