I had reincarnated as a prince named Asha and turned four years old.
I still hadn't met my younger brother.
Or rather, after calmly observing the situation for a year, there was something I had finally realized.
It seems I'm being ostracized.
"Asha, have you been well? Oh, you've gotten heavier again. Haven't you grown taller?"
A black-haired man around thirty picked me up, spinning around the spacious room with a laugh.
Even though I had memories of my previous life, I was still only four.
I didn't hate this kind of attention—it was fun.
"It is a great honor to meet you, Father. Thank you for taking the time to visit despite your busy schedule."
"So formal. But I suppose you're old enough to say such things now. My son shows great promise for the future."
The one smiling with narrowed golden eyes was my father—the Emperor, sovereign of an empire that controlled an entire continent.
My hair was gray with a hint of black, showing some influence from my father.
My eyes were blue, which Harty said came from my mother's blood.
"Ahem, Your Majesty. If you indulge in play too much, you may compromise your dignity."
One of Father's aides remonstrated him, stopping our frolicking.
And for a moment, he glared at me.
I remembered receiving such looks in my previous life too.
Just because I had been scolded by my parents to be polite, I was glared at for acting like a good boy, for sucking up to them.
I never thought I'd encounter it here, in this gathering of adults at the imperial court.
"I've barely been able to visit, leaving him lonely. Let me cut loose here, at least. It harms no one."
Father said this while setting me down and taking a seat in the prepared chair.
This was a corner of the Emperor's palace.
However, it was a separate building from the main residence where the imperial family lived.
It was known as the Left Wing of the palace, where the princes resided.
Even this building alone was more luxurious and spacious than the estates of lesser nobles, with dedicated servants and chefs for the Left Wing.
However, the section allotted to me, while spacious, was the farthest from the main residence.
Moreover, I didn't meet Father in my assigned rooms, but in an audience chamber one floor above.
The intention to keep us separated was obvious.
"I must apologize for the trouble I cause Harty as well. Is there anything you need?"
"Hardly any trouble at all, since Lord Asha is also my nephew. However, Lord Asha's shoes have become somewhat tight."
"Ah, is that so? Indeed, you grow quickly. I wish I could visit more often."
Father said this, then instructed his aide to provide Harty with funds from his own purse.
The aide responded with cold bureaucratic efficiency, without the obvious glaring he had directed at me earlier.
This place was far from where Father worked, and it took time to come here.
From what my attendants discussed, apparently the initial plan had been to dump me in a distant detached palace.
Though within the same grounds, it would have required a carriage to reach, so Father had gotten angry and stopped it.
Thus, they had pushed me into the farthest room without making it obvious to Father.
The room was spacious but excessive, and positioned so that it didn't directly connect to the main residence.
It was impossible not to sense the malice.
"Asha-sama has been working hard at his studies. Recently, I have been teaching him geography and history."
"Oh, impressive. When I was Asha's age... I don't remember studying much at all."
Well, that was to be expected for the third son of a count.
With no inheritance to claim, destined either to marry into another family or to secure a one-generation noble status through service, he should have been exploring ways to make his way through social connections or martial arts rather than academics.
I simply wanted to know what kind of world this was, so I had asked Harty to teach me.
On this continent, there were six races including humans—Beastmen, Elves, Sea Folk, Dwarves, and Dragonkin—each having established their own nations.
The Empire that unified these nations lay at the center of the continent, landlocked and surrounded by mountains on all four sides.
Apparently, it had been treated as a secret realm before the Empire's founder cleared the way.
Furthermore, there was both magic and alchemy—honestly, it was fascinating, a world that never ceased to interest me.
I was still too young to practice, but learning as preparation was enjoyable, broadening my dreams.
"Father, I would like to read books."
"Oh, is that so? Is there a library in this Left Wing?"
"There is, but it holds no collection."
Harty answered briefly to avoid showing dissatisfaction.
It was a noble's hobby—the higher one's status, the more maintaining a personal library served as status.
Since I used a former prince's room, there was a room lined with bookshelves that had likely been a library.
But after its owner died and it was vacated, it remained empty.
"I see. Assembling a collection would take time. Very well, take whatever books you like from my library."
"That would be somewhat problematic."
Just as Father was about to answer casually, his aide stopped him.
It wasn't that the aide bore any particular hostility toward Father.
He simply didn't like that the conversation was proceeding in my favor.
The reason being—though not limited to this aide—Father's surroundings were filled with those connected to the Duchess's family, the House of Lucaios.
Father, raised in a count's household, held no influence at court.
His backing was his wife's family, and the Duke of Lucaios had orchestrated this political marriage hoping his grandson would become the next emperor.
And the only rival to the younger brother who was expected to be the next emperor was me, for now.
So I had perceived since recovering my previous life's memories that there was a tendency to suppress me.
"Then where would be acceptable? What repository of books may my son use?"
"That... the Imperial Library would be appropriate, perhaps."
The aide answered with obvious reluctance—not wanting to let me use it, yet unable to say the Emperor's son couldn't.
Father had pressured him for an answer, ensuring he couldn't claim there was no usable library.
From the aide's perspective, it seemed sufficient to prevent me from approaching Father on my own.
Otherwise, the Duke of Lucaios's intention in pushing me to this remote corner would be thwarted.
Without letting any of these thoughts show, I smiled at Father.
"I'll be able to read lots of books. Thank you, Father."
"Is that so, is that so—Asha likes books, does he? Is it that children become clever when their mothers are wise?"
Father was doting on his son.
But I wished he wouldn't misunderstand.
"I also want to try sword practice as soon as possible. I'm looking forward to learning from Helkov."
"Yes, Helkov was strong even in his active days. He trounced me when I served in the army for a time. You may get injured, but if you learn properly, you won't suffer serious wounds. Follow Helkov's instructions well."
"Yes!"
Oops—this was a happy miscalculation.
I had thought he would stop me, but instead he encouraged me.
My mother from my previous life would have shrieked.
I actually had experience being forced to quit soccer.
I had enjoyed sports and had friends, but the moment I got injured, she stormed into the soccer team.
I couldn't defy her, and besides, I needed money and transportation, so if she opposed it, there was nothing a child could do.
My father in this life was very understanding and affectionate.
I thought he was a good father.
"Your Majesty, if you do not return soon, you will be late for your next appointment."
"Already? It feels early."
"No, please look at that clock."
The aide interrupted our pleasant atmosphere.
But I knew.
That clock was set fast.
Even if we tried to fix it, we couldn't remain in this room, and afterward it would be locked, so we couldn't adjust the time.
I couldn't welcome having our father-son time disturbed.
So I decided to get a shot in.
"Since you are His Imperial Majesty, you cannot do things that set a bad example for others. I am lonely, but it cannot be helped. Um, if I may ask, when might I be able to see you next?"
"Hoo, my son is truly too excellent—it troubles me. I couldn't be happier. Harty, I leave him in your care."
"Yes, Lord Asha is both adorable and intelligent."
Father embraced me, and Harty smiled as if troubled.
Only the aide reluctantly confirmed the next schedule, so during that time, I asked secretly.
"Father, may I go to see my younger brother?"
"...The Empress says he is not yet old enough to be left unattended."
Father seemed to want to let us meet, but apparently the Empress from the House of Lucaios refused.
"Asha, you are a good child. I'm sure you will become a fine example for your brother as an older brother?"
"Yes, of course."
Though Father smiled apologetically, I resolved from the bottom of my heart to do exactly that.