Seven years had passed since Alhaitham was reincarnated into this world.
"Huh~ Magic is truly fascinating."
In a grand and breathtaking courtyard, countless rare flowers bloomed in abundance. Just plucking one and selling it would be enough to sustain a commoner for several months.
And yet, this luxurious and magnificent garden belonged solely to Alhaitham.
"This is how magical energy should be controlled…"
Alhaitham was deeply engrossed in studying magic.
After being reborn into this world, he discovered that it was a two-dimensional realm of swords and sorcery. And as fate would have it, he was the second prince of the kingdom—blessed with a genius-level talent for magic.
However, despite being the son of the king, his mother was not of noble birth, which placed him last in the line of succession.
Though, if one were to be precise, he was technically second in line. His older sister, Anisfia von Paretia, the kingdom's first princess, had already announced her renouncement of the throne.
"Amo~~~~~!!!"
And right on cue, the person in question arrived.
Alhaitham sighed as he watched the blonde princess run into his courtyard. Without even glancing back, he addressed the twin maids behind him.
"Ram, Rem, go prepare some desserts and drinks that my dear sister enjoys. Sigh~ She's probably here to seek comfort again."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The twin maids promptly set off to fulfill his request.
Ram, the elder sister, had short pink hair and a slender frame.
Rem, the younger sister, had flowing blue hair and a curvier figure.
Typically, only nobles could serve as maids for the royal family, but Ram and Rem were exceptions. The two sisters had been found and taken in by Alhaitham during one of his "walks."
Their village had been attacked by bandits, leaving them orphaned and homeless. By chance, they encountered Alhaitham, who had been leisurely strolling nearby.
After swiftly disposing of the bandits, he had whimsically decided to take the sisters in as his personal maids.
To his surprise, he later discovered that both possessed latent magical talent.
Since then, the two had remained devotedly by his side.
After all, Alhaitham had not only saved their lives but also provided them with a home and a purpose. If not for him, they might have been enslaved or perished from starvation.
Thus, no matter the order…
They were willing to do anything for him.
Meanwhile, Anisfia finally reached him—sobbing dramatically as she clung to his neck.
"Uwaaaah! Haitham, comfort me! I'm so sad! They rejected my research again! No one takes my inventions seriously!"
The usually lively princess now looked like a pitiful little animal that had been bullied.
Despite her lack of composure, there was no denying that Anisfia was a strikingly beautiful girl.
Her long golden hair shimmered like the sun, and her emerald-green eyes sparkled with boundless energy. She was always full of enthusiasm and determination.
She was undoubtedly a noble princess.
However…
"Just you wait! I'll prove them wrong! One day, I'll fly through the sky with the magic tools I create! I'll show the Ministry of Magic that my research is worth funding!"
Anisfia had a peculiar trait—she couldn't use magic.
For a royal, being unable to wield magic was a crippling flaw, akin to a man being unable to sire children.
But instead of resigning herself to fate, Anisfia embraced magic even more fervently.
Since she couldn't use it naturally, she resolved to create magical tools that would let her wield it!
She was the embodiment of the phrase: "A girl who loves magic more than anyone else, yet is not loved by magic."
And she shared an incredibly close bond with Alhaitham.
"Haha, Sister, you're as energetic as ever. You don't seem to need my comfort at all."
"Ugh! That's beside the point! I'm still upset! Those jerks dismissed my latest invention like it was worthless! Hmph! So what if they can use magic naturally? What's so great about that? I— I mean, I'm totally not jealous! …Okay, maybe just a little!"
"Pfft, Sister, you're always so amusing."
Alhaitham smirked, closing his book before reaching up to pat her head.
Many looked down on Anisfia, ridiculing her for being a royal who couldn't use magic. Others outright mocked her relentless pursuit of magical engineering.
But Alhaitham was not like them.
"Sister, you don't need to listen to those fools. They're mere mortals—they cannot comprehend the vision of a genius."
"Eh? I'm a genius?"
"Of course. I believe your magic tools have immense potential. It's no exaggeration to say they could change the world."
Alhaitham spoke with a confident smile.
He sighed internally. No matter where one lived, short-sighted people always existed.
Magic tools had terrifying potential. If refined and mass-produced, they could make magic accessible to the common folk. It would shatter the rigid societal hierarchy where magic was a privilege of the nobility.
If her research progressed far enough, it could even restructure the very foundation of society.
But all of that was secondary.
What mattered most was that Alhaitham truly admired Anisfia's unwavering determination.
Her dream of becoming a magician may have seemed absurd to those born with magic.
But to Alhaitham, it was dazzling.
Her research on magic tools was a defiant masterpiece—her way of rebelling against the fate that had been forced upon her.
Even if the world scorned her, Alhaitham would always support her.
"I believe in your vision, Sister. So don't pay attention to the words of clowns. Remember this—"
"A true dream, no matter how heavily bound by fate, will one day break free from its cocoon."
"Even if reality tries to suppress it, it will inevitably shine brighter than ever."