I was in my barracks, discussing with my comrades. "Do you really think the king is just Albin? He has continued this war for pride and nothing else!" I heard one yell. I remember glaring at him, not at the disrespect to the king, but the fact that he was telling me things I already knew. I don't remember his face.

"And what shall you do about it, hm?" I sharply retorted. "We are nothing but pawns in the king's board. If we resist? Execution. If we raise complaints to the higher council? Exiled from the kingdom. Good Lord, even asking to go home? An extra year of service." I put my hand on my comrade's shoulder. "We are stuck here, my friend. All we can do is weather the storm and then we can go home to our families." Silence stretched between us before he gave a weary sigh. I watched him trudge away, but I knew I was right, and he did too. With a sigh of my own, I put my armor back on and grabbed my great sword. We needed to go back to the front lines. "Just weather the storm," I muttered.

"Just weather the storm..."

"...Just weather the storm..."

"...J-st we-th-r th- st-rm..."

"..."

I opened my eyes. It was relatively early in the morning, with the sun barely in the sky. I glanced around my room, as if this world was the dream and the dream was the world, yet I knew the truth. To think, I really was reborn into royalty. It seems fate has once more used me as her plaything. How does one realize they were reborn? How do I know this isn't my personal heaven? I will admit, for the first couple of years of my new existence, I truly did believe I was given a gift of living the royal life, no strings attached. As an infant, all of my needs were met instantly. If I was hungry, a butler would be at my side. If I was thirsty, a maid was there with milk in hand. If I wanted to walk, or at least attempt to, I would be watched in case of injury while I roamed around my room. I truly believed I was in heaven.

How naïve I was. A killer wouldn't be placed in heaven, no matter how just they believe they were, and I'm no different.

How does even realize they are in a different world? What marks a place as different, rather than perfect? Well, a subtle thing I noticed was the royals of the Clover Castle and their disdain for "commoners," always complaining about how pathetic those beneath them were. Even butlers and maids, some who had taken care of me since birth, mocked commoners in public, aware of the many ears around them. That was the first hint to my realization.

The second hint was much more obvious. My new mother had died at birth, and was buried in an unknown place. I still don't know her name. However, my new father, that was indeed alive, was never around. I found out that it wasn't because he was busy running the country as a king should, no, it was simply because he was messing with other woman and didn't want to bother raising a child. Those two were the biggest flags, but so many more small insignificant nothings piled together to build one big picture that only I could see. At around the third year of my new existence I was forced to face reality: I wasn't in heaven, nor hell, but in a whole new world.

"Man's greed knows no bounds." Whether the existence of my memories from my previous life were intentional or not, I do not know. However, I remember that quote from a fellow knight that still rang true. In my old world, the king would do everything he could to expand, to fight for more. He would lie, manipulate, and do everything else to take more and more. It appeared that the same rang true in this new world too, but in a different way. While the king held absolute power, all politics, complaints, discussions, and even kingdom ending catastrophes were regulated to someone else, someone called the "Wizard King," while the actual king sits on his throne does essentially nothing. Yes, Wizard King. A person so powerful, so in tune with their magic, they are gifted the right to essentially rule over the Clover Kingdom in the actual king's stead.

Your hearing is correct, magic. This new world held true magic! I first witnessed it when a tailor summoned a book to create clothing for me. The man, effortlessly, created fabric out of thin air and made an entire wardrobe of outfits, specifically tailored for me. I was absolutely astounded! I had never seen magic like it!

Thus started my fascination with magic. Yes, unlike the witches and warlocks of my old world, where their spells were skeptical at best, this new world harbored countless different magics. Fire, water, earth, nature, ice, air, and so much more, magic and it's variants continued to boggle my mind.

So, I gained a new driving force: learning everything I could about this world. If real magic exists, and in so many ways, what else was different? With vigor I never knew I had, I spent a majority of my third, fourth, and fifth years in the royal library, learning a new language and studying every book I could understand with my rudimentary knowledge.

I do not wish to bore you, so I will keep things simple. The Clover Kingdom is one of four kingdoms that rule. There is also the Spade, Heart, and Diamond Kingdoms. These four fight for the areas around each other. Just like my own world, this new one is filled with politics and schemes driven by the desire for more. The Clover Kingdom, however, isn't the one wishing for more. It was actually only the Spade Kingdom that had been fighting for more land over the last few years, although the reason was unknown.

Each kingdom has their own form of an army. For the Clover Kingdom, the "Magic Knights" exist. The Magic Knights are a group of knights that protect the Clover Kingdom from evil forces, inside and out. The Magic Knights are split into squads, each one spearheaded by an exemplary knight, recognized by the Wizard King and bestowed the title of Captain. Meaning, the captains of each Magic Knight squad must answer directly to the Wizard King. There were eight squads when I discovered the knights, each one recognized by a specific color and symbol. For example, the Purple Orca.

However, I was boggled by one thing about the Magic Knights. Peasants and Commoners were almost non-existent in the Magic Knights. One would think that the Royals and rest of the nobles wouldn't wish to fight and risk death, but instead, because those of noble lineage are seen as the strongest magical warriors, they were the first to become Magic Knights. Even more fascinating was since those with noble blood were often apart of the Magic Knights, the role of dying as a warrior was seen as the most noble thing a man can do! In my world, it was the complete opposite, where many royal families would sit back and watch the commoners and peasants die for them. Nobles fighting in the front lines, and the fact that the nobles are the MOST likely to perish in a battle, was something that took me years to properly comprehend. I believe I am ranting, so I'll move on before I lose myself once more.

Next, magic itself. Almost every single person in this world has at least a little magic inside of them, called "mana." Through using mana from within themselves, a person can summon magic. It has been made extremely apparent that a person can only use one type of magic. However, with enough training and experience, a mage can use their single type in multiple ways. Mages can learn a wide variety of spells, and all of them are stored in the grimoires.

Yes, grimoires. Ancient tomes known to be handled with extreme care and caution due to fear of destruction, are given to CHILDREN at the age of fifteen! I was utterly dumbfounded when I discovered this. In fact, it's to be a celebration of sorts known as the "Grimoire Acceptance Ceremony." It was stated that if one has a grimoire with a four leaf clover instead of three, they are blessed with extremely good luck and have the potential to become an incredible mage. There were rumors about five-leafed clover grimoires, but I did not know much about it at the time. Another noteworthy discovery about grimoires was that they are bound to the users soul. A grimoire cannot be used by anyone else besides it's owner, and if said owner perishes, so does the grimoire. I have not, and will not question where these grimoires come from, or where they go when they perish. That particular topic is something I do NOT wish to discuss.

Next comes the hierarchy of the Clover Kingdom. Nobility is split into two: the Royals, which are the three highest ranking families due to their blood tying directly with the first Wizard King, and the rest of the nobles, called...nobles. Royals and nobles are viewed as incredible mages due to their extremely large mana pools, while the rest of the citizens are viewed as either average or downright inferior to the nobles of the land. Hell, even the very geography of the Clover Kingdom highlights the bias for the ones with wealthy blood, with them having a district in the center of the kingdom known as the Noble Realm. Past that is the Common Realm, a ring in the middle for average commoners and normal citizens. Finally, the Forsaken Realm, where the poorest, weakest and most often ridiculed of the Clover Kingdom go, known as Peasants. It was upsetting when I discover there was a whole realm of people forced to fight for survival every day while the rest of the kingdom were able to relax and do whatever they wish. Thus began one of my goals when I become king: a way to have the nobles, the commoners, and the peasants to all live together peacefully.

Finally, there is me. Prince Augustus Kira Clover XIII, formerly known as Sir Albin, the five year old child with the mind of a murderer. Where did I fit in all of this? As I lied in bed, the sun peaking over the hills and into my room, I pondered over this question and more. I pondered questions like these for the last couple years, truthfully. What was I doing? What could I do to improve the kingdom? What did I need to do to become the best king I can be? What could I do to play my part? I closed my eyes and let my mind flow.

"Could I really become a beloved king?" The king of my world never cared for others outside of his royal chambers, and he was still seen as a just man.

"Should I change anything?" I was an unexpected variable in a new world, an outsider looking in. Would things be better if I don't get involved?

"...Do I WANT to change anything?" I had everything I yearned for. A comfy bed. Wealth beyond belief. Countless servants at my beck and call. Did I want to risk giving it all up?

...

"I do." I opened my eyes. Whether I could truly make this new world a better place, I did not know. But the burning in my heart, the desire to strive for better, to right the wrongs of my past… Without realizing it, my hand was outstretched, reaching towards the light above. "I swear, on the name Augustus Kira Clover XIII, I will become the best king this kingdom has ever seen!" Albeit a bit late, I realized that I shouted that last statement out loud.

"Aren't you a little young to be worried about your future?" A new voice, one that wasn't of the normal butlers or maids, entered my ears. Her voice was light and airy, yet held an undertone of steel any warrior would have. I turned to her and gave her a look over. She was quite beautiful, with her long silver hair, slightly pale skin, and warm amethyst eyes. Before I could say anything, she gave a small bow. "My name is Acier Silva, Your Highness. I was tasked by the king to examine and test out your mana reserves." She gave a quick smile as well. "It's an honor to talk to and serve you, Your Highness."

I nodded and quickly jumped out of bed. Quickly soothing any wrinkles of the green robes I was wearing, I gave a small nod. "You have my thanks, Acier Silva. I will meet with you shortly, I need to get dressed and have breakfast."

Acier nodded and began to exit the room. As she did, I heard her say "Meet me in the courtyard as soon as possible Your Highness!"

Thus, I was alone. Without any hesitation I dressed myself in proper attire. White leggings and royal purple trousers, a matching tunic, and black single buckle shoes. It would take a long, long time for me to get used to wearing noble clothing, I must admit. Another problem was that the types of clothing the royal family must wear was quite uncomfortable. It was difficult to move efficiently once everything was put on, but I surmised efficiency wasn't what many nobles aimed for.

With a sigh, I combed my hair and placed my gold crown atop of my head. Looking into my dressers mirror one last time, I gave myself a nod and walk out. While I could have easily have a butler or maid dress and beautify me, I admit the thought of it was, and still is...humiliating. Perhaps my pride as a knight is too strong, but the moment I could take care of my basic needs, I demanded the staff to not dress, bathe, or assist in any matter regarding my dressing and personal well being. They agreed, but only to an extent. They still prepared all my meals and cleaned my room, but outside of those, I was given full control of myself.

After heading to the Royal Dining Hall and having a delicious breakfast, I once more met with Acier Silva in the Royal Courtyard. "Must everything be labeled Royal? It feels a bit excessive..." I idly thought as I approached the silver haired lady.

She was currently reading some kind of book, slowly flipping through the pages. However, I noticed that it seemed less like she was reading for pleasure and more like she was studying for something. She wasn't completely absorbed into it due to her looking up as I approached, but I was curious nonetheless. "What are you reading?" I asked.

She seemed to ponder for a moment before a playful smile graced her lips. "What, no hello? No greeting? Just a question once you arrive Your Highness?"

I gave a small smile back and replied, "You are correct, Miss Silva. My apologies. Hello."

Silence engulfed the courtyard as Acier stared. After another moment of silence, she broke it. "That's it? Hello?"

Genuinely confused, I raised an eyebrow. "Did you want something from me? I must admit I don't make small talk with many nobles, or people in general." "In this life, and the last..."

Acier's eyes began to moisten a little and gave me a pitying look. "You poor child, so sheltered." She started to reach out, but stopped herself, as if she just realized what she was doing.

With a sigh, I raised an eyebrow once more. "As much as I enjoy being pitied, shall we begin the tests?"

The noblewoman blinked, as if she completely forgot about the mana reserve tests in the first place. "Oh! Right!" She clapped her hands together and beckoned me to sit next to her. As I sat down, she began her explanation. "Alright Your Highness, it's really simple. First, close your eyes." I did as she instructed and my vision went dark. "Next," I heard her continue, "slowly get rid of any and all needless thoughts from your mind." As I began to do as she instructed, I realized that I was supposed to be meditating. Back during my knight days, when the burden of everything I did became to much, I would often do this very technique. Soon, all my worries, my thoughts, my inquiries, and everything else washed away. My mind was empty. Acier's voice pierced the silence like an arrow, instructing, "Now look for your mana, deep inside. Search yourself, and see if you can find anything apart from the nothingness."

I do not know how long I stayed in that position, eyes closed and mind empty, but eventually I felt it. At first, it was small. A small stream in the corner of my soul was slowly circulating through my body. Then, I willed it forward to the front of my mind. Slowly but surely, the tiny stream grew stronger. More and more I pulled until I realized that it wasn't a small stream, my mana was a raging ocean with what felt like endless potential. I realized I couldn't stop it. More and more my mana flowed, and I could do nothing but get overwhelmed. I thought I heard Acier's voice, but my mana was overtaking me.

Before I realized it, my eyes were open and I was laying on the grass in the courtyard with Acier leaning over me with a greatly concerned look. "Are you aright Your Highness? That was… quite intense!"

I slowly blinked, and focused on myself once more. The mana that I never noticed was flowing through my body, filling me with strength I never knew I had. "...What happened, Miss Silva?"

She paused then began to explain. "Your mana went out of control. It's understandable, but the amount of mana you have is incredible! It might even rival the Wizard King in potential alone! I've never seen someone with so much mana at such a young age!"

I quirked an eyebrow at her. "Is this amount of mana unusual?"

Acier's face contorted into exasperation for all but a moment before she schooled her features as she began to explain. "Incredibly so, Your Highness. As I said before, the amount of mana you have rivals the Wizard King." She saw my confused face and decided to elaborate, saying, "A persons mana grows with age. A commoner as a child barely has any mana. As they grow, so does the amount of mana they have. Your Highness, the Wizard King has the most mana in the whole Clover Kingdom, and you have enough mana at age five to compete with him. You will be, without a doubt, the person with the most mana in the Kingdom when you become an adult. It is astounding!" Once the lecture was over, she grew a curious look. "I wonder why that is though? Even though your father and mother have incredible amounts of mana, it is nowhere near to yours or the Wizard King's..." She trailed off as she sunk into her own thoughts.

"It is most likely due to the age of my soul," I mused. "If I include the last five years, I would be twenty nine." A sobering thought, realizing I've been gone for five years already. "I wonder how my mother and father reacted when they were told the news. Mother would most likely be heartbroken, and father would be prouder than anyone." I almost chuckled as I imagined my father running up and down the streets yelling how I was a hero.

Silence reigned over the courtyard as the two of us were lost in thought. Nothing but the sounds of birds accompanied us. After a little while, Acier Silva suddenly perked up, as if she remembered something. "Your Majesty, you never answered my question earlier."

"Question?"

She nodded. "Aren't you a little young to be worried about your future?"

I had forgotten that she heard my self declaration. Buying myself some time, I threw my own question back at her. "You never answered mine either, Miss Silva. What book were you reading?"

She shook her head with a playful smile. "Come now Your Highness, I asked first! Besides, it's proper etiquette to answer a woman!"

I hid my grimace and took a moment to collect my thoughts. After a few moments, I came up with a proper answer. "...When I was three, I had a royal tailor visit me. He arrived, took my measurements, and used his grimoire to make the most beautiful clothes I've witnessed, all from his magic. I was enthralled with magic the moment I saw that." I smiled at the memory only I could see before continuing. "So, for the next two years, I learned everything I could about magic. At the same time, I learned about the history of the Clover Kingdom as well." I looked over and saw Acier listening intently. "I am proud of the Clover Kingdom. Yet, the kings of it are… disappointing. Ever since the first Wizard King arrived and slew the demon that ran rampant, all kingly duties were given to the Wizard King, instead of the real king." I took another breath and continued. "For the last few centuries, the last kings have slowly but surely stopped caring. They still hold power, they have the potential to improve the kingdom beyond even the Wizard King himself, but instead they sunk into riches, power, and debauchery. It's frustrating." I realized that I had a nasty glare on my face and quickly shook it off. "A prime example of that is my father."

There was a moment of silence as I noticed Acier staring at me quite intensly. "Do you know how many times I have even seen my father?" Acier blinked and shook her head. A mocking smile crawled onto my face. "Once. When I was born. For the rest of this life of mine, my lousy father sat high in his chamber surrounded by booze, money, and woman."

I quickly stood up and turned to face Acier, still silently watching me rant. "He never ate with me! He never comforted me when my dreams turned into nightmares! He's never said my NAME, Acier Silva!" I saw her subtly wince. My face continued to twist further and further into rage. "I would've understood if he prioritized the kingdom over his son. It is only natural for a king to give himself up for the people. If that was what he was doing when I awoke at night in the dark, I would've easily forgiven him. If he was too busy arguing with ambassadors from neighboring kingdom to feast with his only son, I would've understood. If he truly cared about this kingdom, I would've loved him." A brief moment of silence returned before I broke it once more. "I am ashamed to bear the same name as my father, Acier Silva." Her face morphed into shock at that blatant admission, yet I continued. "When I awake and realize that I am still the son of Augustus Kira Clover XII, I am filled with shame. When I am reminded that I share the name of my father, I am filled with anger. When I look in the mirror and see his face, I am filled with resentment." I paused to catch my breath, and continued to speak. "However, there is still hope. The last few generations may have been embarrassments, but I will do everything I can to stop the shameful pattern. I will use my determination and my resolve to help the Clover Kingdom flourish, and through that I will turn the name I despise into a name that will be held high as a hero. The face of a man I hate into the one that changed the kingdom for the better. I will turn Augustus Kira Clover into a true king."

I let Acier process everything I stated before speaking once more. "That is why I worry about the future, Acier Silva. I strive to be better than the man that created me, better than any past king, and better than any king after me, so that my subjects, and myself, can say my name, can see my face, and be filled with pride!" At least, that is what I told her. I couldn't state that I was actually a knight that was reborn into the prince's with memories of my past life intact. I didn't lie, though. I just didn't tell her everything. With a sigh I sat down next to her once more. "So what are you reading?"

Acier simply stared at me with wide eyes for the longest time, stunned by the sudden shift in topic and mood. Then, she began to smile. Then her smile turned to giggles. Then her giggles turned to laughter. Her light laughter lit the land, replacing the once somber and contemplative mood with a new mood: serene. She sighed and gave me a warm smile. "And here I thought the prince would have everything he ever needed." She hesitated before looking around, then quickly put a finger to her lips. "Don't tell anyone what happened here, okay? Or even mention your beliefs concerning your father, please? I would prefer to not be charged with dirtying the king's name and corrupting his child."

I laughed out loud at that one and nodded. "Of course not, Miss Silva. You are fun to talk with. It'd be a shame to lose a comrade so soon after meeting."

She giggled and showed me her book. As I examined it, Acier began to speak. "Next year, after my eighteenth birthday, I am marrying the man I am currently engaged with. I… never really had experiences with love or dating before, so..." Her voice puttered off as I read 'Ten Ways to Woo a Man and Have a Happy Marriage!' off the front cover.

I raised an eyebrow at the book before I gave a nod and smiled. "Of course, I understand. You are indeed reaching the age for marriage. In fact, I'm surprised you aren't married already. You are truly beautiful enough for endless suitors."

She laughed and ruffled my hair, which irked me a little. "Well, as captain of the Silver Eagles I'm a bit too busy to be flirting with any guy coming my way! Besides, my family already decided who I would marry ages ago."

"I see."

Acier raised an eyebrow at my rather calmness at her admittance of her status. "Really? Not surprised at all?"
I shrugged. "I have spent the last two years learning everything I could about the Clover Kingdom. Of course the latest captains of the Magic Knights would be mentioned at some point. Either that or I would've figured it out eventually through servant gossip." I threw a smirk her way. "Did you know that people are putting bets on who you'll marry? The number one belief is that you won't marry at all."

Acier, caught off guard completely, blushed from embarrassment. "W-What? I-I'm capable of finding love, you know?! I can do that!"

I chuckled. "I believe you, Miss Silva."

"Acier."

I turned my attention to her with a raised eyebrow. "Pardon?"

Her face no longer holding the resemblance of a tomato, Acier gave me a warm smile, and said, "Acier. Call me Acier, Your Majesty. I would be honored if you did so."

I nodded. "Very well, Acier. I thank you. You may call me what you wish as well."

I immediately regretted that decision as her smile turned wicked. "Anything?" I hesitantly nodded. In an instant, her smile turned from devious to innocent, too innocent for the warrior she was. Right as I processed it, she had picked me up and was pushing my face into her bosom. "I'll call you Little Highness! Or maybe Baby King!"

I would that it was quite a pleasant experience, if I wasn't slowly losing breath as she squeezed me tighter and tighter. "A-Acier, let go, p-please!"

Completely deaf to my predicament, she continued to squeeze as she talked. "How about Kiri? Or Augy? How about Thirteen? No, not that one. I know! Little Brother! What do you think?!"

By the time she finally pulled me out, I was already fading. As my vision darkened and Acier's surprised and worried cries faded away, I managed to utter out one sentence. "...Just call me Kira..."

Everything went dark.