Chapter 17

"Balere, Balere, Balere, Balere!"

I jumped up and yelled, "WHAT?!" I saw Rexana sitting in a chair next to my bed with a smug grin. "Daddy told me to wake you up." I groaned and sat up. "Do you know how weird it is for you to say that? Maybe Sigmund Freud was right..." She cocked an eyebrow. I got up before realizing I don't have any clothes there.

Before I could ask, Servus walked in. "Master Balere, I have clothes for you. Do you need any help?' I took the outfit and shook my head. "No, I can do this here. Thank you, Servus." he bowed slightly before walking out.

"Do you want to stay in here while I change?" I asked, turning to Rexana. "No, I'm good. If I wanted to see something like that, I could get it with a snap of my finger." She exited the room, and I looked at my outfit. Blue jeans with a small, leather belt. As for the shirt, there was a blue plaid shirt with a matching light-blue tie.

I looked in my mirror as I got dressed. My horns still poked out of my hair, and I put on a baseball cap before exiting my room. I looked around before walking down the hallway that lead to the throne room.

I entered and saw the light poking its head through and landing on the throne, where King Vito sat. "Good morning. I hope you had a good sleep." I looked up at him like he was superior, and that was when I noticed the difference in our mana levels. He was so much stronger than me that it surprised me.

"I did. Why did you need me?" He stood up and began walking toward me. "I wanted you with me while we picked out a tutor for you. I hope this is fine?' He queried. "It's the best idea, considering that it'd be better o choose one I'll get along with while also learning." he smiled and began walking.

he led me into a room, where we were face to face with a glass wall, and on the other side were multiple people, one of them a beastman. "This probably wasn't the best idea," I said, pointing at the glass. "Why—" he's cut off by the glass cracking. "I accidentally crack glass whenever I look at it. It's becoming a problem."

"So it would seem. I'm guessing you can't control it?" I shook my head. "I'm barely restraining it right now," I said. He sighed before saying, "Go ahead."

I let go, and the glass in front of us shattered into a million pieces. Everyone in front of us jumped. "These all are trusted tutors or criminals looking for a second chance."

I sensed who had the most substantial mana levels and went up to them. "What's your name?" I asked. "Bartholomew. I have an affinity for wind magic." I rolled my eyes and moved to the person next to him, "My name is Bell, and I have an affinity for earthen magic." I rolled my eyes.

"Let's make this easier. Does anyone have an affinity for fire magic?" No one raised their hands until the beastman on the very end raised his. "What's your name?" His tired eyes looked up, and they peered through my soul. "...Laurence."

My eyes widened in shock. "Laurence? What are you doing here?" I asked in his native language. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I know you." I raised my hands. 'It is me, Balere. I am surprised you don't recognize me." It was his turn to be shocked. "Balere? Since when can you speak?' He asked. I raised my artifact and he inspected it. "Fascinating. Why didn't you tell me you were the king's son?"

"He isn't, biologically speaking," Vito said in Latin. "You understand Beastman?" I asked. "Of course, I do. Now, Laurence, are you fine with teaching the new prince?" The beastman looked up and scowled at Vito. "Only because it's him. I don't want to see you even once while I train him, though." He scoffed. "I didn't want to see you anyway." I had never seen Laurence like this. He was abnormally thin, and he looked very, very tired.

"You all may leave," Vito said, dismissing the other tutor options. "Beastman, hold out your hand." He held it out, and Vito grabbed it forcefully. I heard a hissing, and when he let go, there was a dark marking on the back of his hand. "If you even think of running away or hurting Balere, the curse will activate, and you'll die. Do you understand?" He looked up at the king. "My name is Laurence."

"Balere, take him to your training area before I kill him myself." He turned and left the room. I began walking, making sure Laurence followed me. "I didn't know you were the king's son..." He said. "Technically, I'm not. I have a family, but Vito seemed to forcefully adopt me. It's fine, though." We continued walking in silence. "How's Pardalis?" He sighed. "I managed to hide her before our tribe was raided. She was always asking about you, y'know." I smiled lightly.

We soon entered the training area, and I stood in front of the dummies. "First off, you should show me what you know about your fire magic." I nodded and lit a flame on the tip of my finger. I let it float toward the dummy, and it barely lit. "So, practically nothing..." He shook his head before walking over to the sword rack. He picked up two and handed me one.

"While your flame's coloration is a little strange, it'll be easy to teach you." He took a deep breath before the blade he was holding lit on fire, except for the handle. "I'm not using the full extent of my magic, so I should be fine." I then remembered the time he stabbed himself before using his magic. "Oh right."

I got a sword of my own and I felt my mana go to the blade. It began glowing a greyish color, but nothing more than that. I frowned at this, but Laurence put his hand on my shoulder. "You aren't going to get it first try. By the way, is fire the only magic you're adept at?" He asked me. I lied and said, "Yes, unfortunately. I wish I could do more, but this seems to be the extent of my power." He smiled. "Thank Adive."

"Let's have a quick spar without using mana." I sighed. This is happening a lot recently, isn't it? I sighed and stood with my sword pointed at him.

He wasn't as fast as Ailuros, but he still had some power in his legs. I raised my sword to my left side and countered by swinging to the left side of his leg. He barely blocked before he stepped back. "You're a little better than when you fought Elder Garnett,' He complimented. "A beastman named Ailuros helped me a little."

I ran at him, unleashing a furry of attacks. He blocked and parries almost every single strike. At the end of the flurry of attacks, I landed a hit on the back of his hand. It was only a small cut, but it was still one, nonetheless. "Seems like the training paid off," He said when he lowered his blade.

"I'm not so sure about that, but I think it may be good." I heard clapping, and I turned my head to see Vito standing in the doorway. "It seems I should also get you a swordsmanship tutor. What was the name you mentioned, Ailuros?" I set my sword down. "He works at Tugrose Academy." The king shrugged. "I'll just hire him to come here after he's done with those kids."

Servus came and whispered something in his ear. "I have some business to attend to, but keep up the good work." The two left, leaving the two alone. "You know, you two do look alike," Laurence said. "I know, that's what scares me about this situation. Anyway, how are we going to start this?" I asked. "First off, we're going to increase the speed of your mana output. I want you to make a cloud." I shrugged and formed one. He nodded before saying, "It takes 3.193 seconds, which is slower than you'd like. We're going to start with that." I nodded. "Can you show me how long it takes you to make one?" He nodded. He held out his hand, and I didn't even get to see the mana flowing to his arm before the cloud had already formed.

"I also trained under Garnett, so I also know a trick or two. Unfortunately, he didn't teach you too much before you left. It's too late for him to teach you now, too..." He looked down. "What exactly happened?" He shook his head. "That isn't anything that a seven-year-old to hear... Anyway, I think we should begin by meditating."

A month passed, and in that time, my mana output speed decreased to around one second. With that, my horns grew a solid inch. I was meditating in the training area when I heard rustling. My eyes shot open and I immediately enhanced them with mana. "Sorry, I was just grabbing this," Rexana said, coming out of the bushes. "I thought it was a wild animal, sorry." She smiled. "Please, even if it was, I don't think you could hurt it," She said, making me remember the vision I had when I still lived in the beastman village. Did I... end up killing her?

"Balere!" I turned to see Laurence. "Hello, Mr. Laurence," Rexana curtsied. "Good morning, princess. Balere, I got you a gift." He reached from his pocket and handed me a wrapped box. When I unwrapped it, I saw a small dagger that was perfect for my size. "What's the occasion?" he raised an eyebrow before explaining, "You can't even remember your birthday?"

"Le gasp! It's your birthday and you don't even remember? I must go tell daddy!" Rexana ran off before I could stop her. "That's why I didn't want her to know..." I groaned. "Whoops, sorry. Wasn't Pardalis similar to learning your birthday whenever it came around?" Laurence remembered. "Yeah, and that's why I didn't want her to know..."

Soon enough, Vito was walking into the training area, Rexana at his hip. "Good morning, Balere. Happy birthday!" He raised his arms in the air, causing his cape to move awkwardly. "Thank you, father.," I said with my head down. "Whenever I forcefully adopted you, I always had this day in mind." I rolled my eyes mentally. "Today, we're declaring you as the official prince of Laupor."

"Wouldn't people recognize me as Balere Lowell instead of Balere..." I then realized I didn't know my last name. "OK, first of all, your last name is Angelo, I told you this on your first day here. Second of all, we already have a solution for that." He snapped, and Servus entered, holding a velvet pillow with a small box on it. He opened it and a necklace was laying in the box. "I'm more of a ring guy myself," I joked. "Put it on and think of any color you would want your eyes and hair to be."

I put it on, and the first thing that came to mind was my face in my past life. I saw my old dirty-blonde hair and light blue eyes. I smiled thinking of it whenever I heard Rexana gasp. I opened my eyes to see people staring at me. "How is it?" Laurence gave me a quick once-over. "I think it suits you well. What are we going to do about his horns?"

"We aren't going to do anything. We'll make up a lie that his mother is a goddess with horns." Rexana raised a brow. "What's a goddess?" I sighed. "A goddess is a female superhuman being or spirit worshipped as having power over nature or human fortunes. Is that even allowed?" Vito shrugged before motioning for us to follow him. "I also want the beastman there so the people can have a more positive light on me. Wait here until I say."

We all sat down on a couch. How did they know these existed? I don't think they had them then... "I remember when Father introduced me to the people. I was around five and super young." I began biting my nails. I don't remember when I started the habit, but I do remember my mom getting on to me for doing it...

I sighed and rubbed my temples. I miss my family. I haven't seen them since around when I turned thirty, but that doesn't mean I don't miss them...

The door to the balcony opened, and King Vio entered the room again with his announcer. "Alright guys, right this way."

I walked onto the balcony and looked down at the people below me. "Ladies and gentlemen, King Vito, Princess Rexana, and Prince Balere!" The crowd went wild as we all stepped up, with me standing on a stool, as I was too short to look above the balcony.

"Quiet down, everyone. Today is a very special day, as today is the day I announce Laupor's prince, Balere!" I looked down at them all with a stern expression. He looked at me for me to speak. I cleared my throat and enhanced my voice with mana to make it louder before speaking. "Greetings, everyone. I hope you all are well. My name is Balere Angelo, and I am your prince. I hope to live up to your expectations," I said before bowing.

"Balere is being tutored in the art of magic by a beastman, Laurence," Rexana said, motioning for him to step up. He stood next o me, and most of the crowd gasped. "Balere is a prodigy of... and he..." I began to zone out as I looked out at the crowd. I examined all of their faces with a sense of superiority. Im already becoming a prick.

I heard a ding, and my skills menu came up.

New skill unlocked!

[Royalty]

~You are now recognized as a member of the royal family. Makes you more charismatic and increases stamina by 2 points~

Vito raised his hands before entering the castle again. I soon followed him before sitting down on the couch. "Congrats, now you're officially one of us!" Rexana yelled while placing her hand on my shoulder. "Now we should get you that sword tutor you were talking about..." Vito quickly left the room, closing the door behind him.

How was he going to get Ailuros here?