Reincarnated as an Elf Prince-Chapter 9: Outside

A few months later, Lindarion found himself facing an unexpected challenge—learning how to dance.

He didn't know whether to laugh or cry from the sheer frustration.

'This can't be real...'

That thought crossed his mind as he tripped over his own feet for what felt like the hundredth time.

His dance instructor, an elven woman named Sylvie, looked young—at least by elven standards. He couldn't quite tell her actual age, but she was probably somewhere around fifty or sixty.

Lindarion barely had time to finish the thought before he stumbled again.

"Prince, you're not moving your feet correctly! I'll show you again!"

Of course, she moved flawlessly. Her brown hair shimmered in the sunlight as she twirled effortlessly in the center of the room.

'...I'm supposed to do that? Do they realize I'm five?!'

This whole dancing nonsense felt harder than forming his Mana Core.

"Now, your turn, Prince."

[Yes, give it a try...]

Lindarion nodded and stepped onto the dance floor again. To any outsider, he must have looked like a fool, especially since he could feel the system trying to hold back its laughter.

'You wouldn't do any better, he thought.'

That thought was immediately interrupted as he fell straight on his butt.

[We'll never know, will we?]

'...Fair point.'

"I think that's enough for today, Prince. Get some rest."

"Alright, Sylvie. Thank you for the lesson."

He gave her a small nod, and she bowed before leaving.

With a sigh, Lindarion slumped against the wall.

'System, put 7 points into Dexterity, 4 into Endurance, and 4 into Mana. Then show me my stats.'

[Points distributed.]

——[INFO]——

——[ATTRIBUTES]——

'I'm growing stronger, slowly. Only at the second sub-stage...'

'Alright, this should make things easier. Let's try again.'

Lindarion stepped onto the dance floor once more, carefully focusing on every tiny movement as if handling a newborn.

It wasn't perfect, but it was progress.

'I'm getting better... it's just a matter of time now.'

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts, followed by a deep voice.

"You'll get the hang of it soon."

Lindarion immediately recognized the voice.

'Eldrin.'

He quickly turned toward his father and gave a small bow.

"Father, it's good to see you. It's been a while."

Eldrin placed a hand on his shoulder, an unfamiliar gesture.

"Follow me, son."

Without another word, he strode out of the room, and Lindarion followed behind him like a lost puppy.

'Why is he always so mysterious?'

They walked past the palace gates. For the first time, Lindarion was leaving through the main entrance.

"Where are we going?"

"..."

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No answer.

The walk felt endless, as if they were moving through a timeless void. Just as Lindarion thought he might die of boredom, his father finally stopped.

'A training ground?'

Elven men and women filled the vast open field, moving in synchronized drills. The place stretched for hundreds of meters, as far as the eye could see.

As they walked closer, whispers spread around them.

"Is that the prince...?"

"The prince?"

"I think so... what was his name again?"

"Lindarion."

His father's voice cut through the murmurs like a blade.

"This is where our warriors train."

There was weight behind those words—memories, unspoken but present.

Even children trained here, ones slightly older than Lindarion, around nine years old.

Weapons filled the area—swords, bows, spears—all gleaming as if forged by a master craftsman from the purest, strongest metal.

"These are the most talented of the new generation. Though they lack real battle experience, their potential is immense."

Eldrin sat down on a nearby bench, far more casual than one would expect from a king.

'So casual'

[Because he's strong.]

'True...'

"You have even greater talent, son."

His words were quiet, meant only for Lindarion. Still, a few warriors nearby glanced in their direction.

"But I'm still just a kid."

Lindarion sighed, sitting beside him.

For hours, they watched the warriors train. Sparks flew as their swords clashed, their movements a blur to Lindarion's eyes.

And yet, deep inside, something stirred. His blood boiled. He wanted to fight. To test his strength.

'If only I were older...'

"Take my hand, son."

The sudden request broke the silence. Lindarion hesitated but nodded, reaching out.

The world around them distorted, warping like shattered glass.

Before he knew it, they stood in a massive library.

'That was teleportation, wasn't it?'

[Correct, and at a very high level.]

'Then why did we walk so much earlier...?'

"I'll leave you here for now. Something urgent came up."

And just like that, Eldrin vanished like a phantom.

'...Are you kidding me? What kind of father does this to a child?!'

Alone now, Lindarion glanced around. The library was eerily silent. If anyone else was there, they remained unseen.

'Might as well read something...'

He browsed the shelves.

'The Prince and the Princess... No.'

Shoving the book back, he frowned.

'Is there anything actually useful here?'

[Yes. A lot.]

'That was a fast answer.'

With thousands—no, tens of thousands—of books, the system was probably right.

One title caught his eye.

"Swordsmanship Guide Vol. 1"

"So there's more than one volume..."

Flipping it open, he found illustrated techniques, almost like a manual. The first few pages covered basic forms, but they were still useful.

"Shame I don't have anything to practice with."

He read through the book in minutes, committing every technique to memory.

Like a fanatic, he scoured the shelves for the other volumes. He needed to read them all.

'Knowledge is addictive.'

After gathering three more books, he realized he wouldn't finish them before his father returned.

Just as he debated what to do, a small black circle appeared before him.

'What's this?'

[Inventory. You can store books and retrieve them later.]

Lindarion froze.

I have this?! Why didn't you tell me earlier?!

[You never asked, Host.]

'...Thanks for nothing.'

Without hesitation, he tossed books into the black void.

'"Basic Manipulation of Mana"—this will be useful as well.'

He threw the book in.

No one will miss a few books in a place this big.

Eventually, he ran out of books to stash and picked one to read.

"The World of Mana"

A particular passage caught his attention.

"The Elven scholars believe that the first beings to wield mana were not mortals, but ancient spirits that still slumber beneath the roots of the world."

'Interesting... I never thought of that.'

Another line stood out.

"The greatest flaw of mages is arrogance. One who controls mana must remember—they are not its master, only its conduit."

'What about those loved by mana?'

Lindarion chuckled. The book had a point—arrogance led to downfall.

But one line made him pause.

"Beyond mere spells and incantations lies the deeper truth of mana: it is not a force to be wielded, but a language to be understood."

'A language...?'

Before he could finish the thought, a hand landed on his shoulder.

"You've made a good choice, son."

Lindarion nearly jumped.

"Father?! Don't scare me like that."

Lindarion exhaled as he looked at his father.

"We should go now."

Eldrin said as he grabbed Lindarion's hand carefully.

A moment later, they were back in his room.

"Read as much as you can, Lindarion. You can use the Palace's library like you did just now. Knowledge will be your greatest weapon."

With that, Eldrin ruffled his hair and disappeared once more.

'So technically... I stole from my own library. Congrats, me.'