Namgung Se-ga, the warrior, was reincarnated in Romance

Asdel, who had spotted a large and colorful fish inside the lake, begged us to chase after it, so Logan and I started rowing furiously.

We moved back and forth, going right and left, until Logan was completely exhausted, at which point we anchored the boat near the shore to change positions.

I decided to sit in the middle and continue rowing, with the two children sitting in front of me and Logan behind me to balance the boat.

Logan asked several times if it would be alright for him to row alone, but I didn’t want to stop playing before the sun set, now that I was getting into the excitement.

I would have liked to bring along the young master of the Serbel family, Evan Serbel, to join in the fun, but I realized I only had two hands, and in case something happened, I wasn’t sure I could manage all three kids, so I gave up the idea.

The boat was light, and it moved easily, even when I rowed alone.

Perhaps feeling guilty about making noise, Michael, who had been the most vocal, turned red with excitement when I started rowing by myself, pointing and shouting to guide the boat in the right direction.

Eventually, we saw the large fish with bright scales disappear into the reeds, its home, and the children, tired but happy, slumped down with contented sighs.

It was a pleasant surprise that, despite their excitement, they didn’t stand up from their seats.

It was clear that everyone, not just us, had enjoyed the day.

Especially my father and Count Serbel, who had been rowing for the first time in a while, were exhausted and complained about how hard it was to hold the reins on the way back.

Seeing them complain so lightly, I could tell they were a bit physically drained. I thought it might be a good idea to suggest teaching my father some swordsmanship in the future, so I made a mental note to bring it up later.

After a tiring day, we had a simple dinner.

The children went to bed early, and the adults, wanting to enjoy a long bath with a massage, left me with nothing to do. So, I took my sword and, as instructed before, went to a corner of the garden to practice my swordsmanship.

The sword gleamed brightly in the moonlight as I extended it in long sweeps and retracted it sharply.

In the middle of my practice, flowers bloomed in the sky, and waves stirred. There was no need to worry about minor distractions—it was just the process of absorbing what I had learned.

I mimicked the movement of the beautiful fish I had seen earlier, gliding as I swung the sword to the side.

I imagined the golden carp swimming through the blue sky.

The gap between each step felt long and elegant, as if mimicking the beautiful fins of the fish. I promised myself that someday this carp would transform into a dragon, and I would make it happen.

The next day, we went horseback riding.

The younger children stayed with the adults inside the fenced area, riding donkeys and playing among themselves, while Logan, Serbel, and I rode up a smooth hill path.

Layla Serbel, a girl three years older than me, had once joked when I was five years old about how I might marry her and have children.

She had a cheerful, friendly demeanor and was currently studying law at Sieron Academy.

Gripping the reins, I tapped my horse’s side to pick up speed. The wind felt good on my face as I ran through the thick grass.

It reminded me that I still needed to practice aerial techniques, but finding the right time had been difficult.

After running for a while, when the horses began to pant, we let them graze freely and sat down on the grass.

I continued the conversation I had had with Logan, asking her about Prince Ruber, and her answer was rather amusing.

“A handsome man who’s kind to everyone is nice, but I think a cold, aloof handsome man is better.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“I think the second prince really knows how to present himself. Even during sword lessons, he doesn’t stand in the hot sun for too long to protect his pale skin.”

I was confused by her words, but Layla continued, speaking in a calm, almost conspiratorial tone.

“Prince Richard, the first prince, is a scholar-type handsome man, graduating at the top of his class in law. So, Ruber, being from the swordsmanship department, would be expected to have a rough, fierce image, but he doesn’t, right? His face has an undeniable charm. It’s cold, cool, calm, and noble.”

“…Couldn’t it just be that Prince Ruber doesn’t like the sun?”

“Even so. He’s so good-looking that even birds stop and look back. And he has such a fair and smooth complexion! It’s the perfect look for someone with royal blood, don’t you think?”

She didn’t seem to be listening to my words at all.

“He has strong shoulders and a slim waist. There’s nothing missing. His eyebrows are sharp, his eyelashes long, and his gaze intense. His nose is so high, and he’s already grown out of his baby fat, giving him a sharp jawline. He has the face that would fit perfectly as an emperor or a northern duke, or even running a café in the capital!”

“…What?”

“…I only listened to half of Layla’s story. She’s like this sometimes.”

It took me a while to distinguish between the faces of people from Sieron. I never really had time to consider who was more or less handsome.

Had Ruber really been that handsome? His thick eyebrows and sharp nose made him look manly, but I hadn’t realized that his appearance was particularly outstanding in the eyes of Sieron people.

So, does this mean Ruber’s cold appearance is true? I wasn’t sure. I thought of his dark eyes and straight eyebrows.

But after listening to Layla, it seemed possible. Thinking it over, I realized she might be right.

He did have a balanced face. Even at his young age, he had already grown tall, with broad shoulders and a solid chest. I didn’t mind that my friend was receiving compliments.

Still, it felt awkward hearing a woman talk about him in such detail.

Layla went on and on about Ruber’s looks—how his deep eyes seemed to draw you in, and how he rarely smiled, but when he did, it made your heart melt.

That didn’t match what I had seen.

To me, Ruber always had a nervous look on his face, constantly aware of what others thought. His expression didn’t change much, but he was shy and cautious. Every time our eyes met, he’d smile awkwardly.

He was quiet and earnest, always diligent in taking notes and practicing swordsmanship. I had never seen him care about his appearance.

It wasn’t his fault that he was born looking like that.

I listened quietly for a while, then chuckled at the absurdity of it all. Layla said that I wasn’t her type yet, so I’d need to try harder, and I agreed, laughing heartily.

* * *

The joyful days passed quickly.

The following week, I practiced swordsmanship only early in the morning and just before bed. There was no one awake in the mornings, and at night, everyone was so tired that they went to bed early, which made it a good time to train.

The rest of the time was spent with my family.

During the day, as promised, we spent time with the members of the Ernhardt and Serbel families, enjoying swimming, fishing, and hunting.

We read books on the sunny grass, indulged in sweets, and played chess with my father, who was a patient opponent.

We sat in a private parlor, enjoying delicious food and fragrant tea, talking while moving the chess pieces.

One topic that came up was the emperor candidates supported by the Ernhardt family.

When I cautiously asked, my father hesitated for a moment, then smiled warmly.

I could sense the pride and satisfaction in my father’s smile, which helped calm the restlessness I had been feeling.

“Well, the Ernhardt family hasn’t decided on a particular candidate yet. If I had to say, we… plan to support the Duke of Valentia.”

“Grandfather?”

“Yes. Many noble families under the Duke of Valentia’s influence probably think the same. But I’m not considering directly participating in political disputes or providing financial support.”

“Is that so.”

“Nothing is set in stone yet. The Emperor is still firmly in power, after all. It’s at least ten years away.”

“…Hmm.”

“It’s just that, before a new Emperor is chosen, when the noble assembly is convened and there’s a need for a vote because the powers are evenly matched… I think the Duke’s faction would likely side with the Marquis of Antines.”

“Why is that?”

“Well, the Marquis of Antines has generally been respectable. If the Kingdom of Floyd promises something significant, it might change things, but given how he’s been challenging recent treaties, I don’t think he’s that remarkable.”

The Marquis of Antines was a distant relative of Prince Luver Antier Sieron.

After hearing my father’s words, I felt much lighter. I realized I didn’t want to oppose the boy who followed me so loyally.

Noticing my relaxed expression, my father moved a chess piece and casually asked,

“You seem to have gotten closer to Prince Luver?”

“Yes. We just happened to get along well.”

“That’s true. Both you and the second prince are picky about the people you get along with, so it makes sense.”

“…Hmm.”

There was no reason to hide how Luver behaved, so I shrugged and shared what had been on my mind. I told him that Luver wasn’t picky at all; in fact, he was a cute boy who would follow people around and was so shy that he could hardly speak for himself. Hearing this, my father, William, looked at me with narrowed eyes, then moved a chess piece.

“Checkmate.”

“…Ah.”

“I think my son still has something to learn. I’m debating whether or not I should tell you now, but I’ll speak, and if you don’t understand right away, you can let it pass.”

“Yes. I’ll listen carefully.”

“Remember, the way someone acts in front of you is not necessarily the whole of who they are.”

“…Yes.”

It was only then that I realized my mistake.

It was true what they said: there’s always something to learn from even a child. The cultures, customs, and even the language were different between here and Central, and so were the reasons and methods for hiding one’s true intentions.

Martial artists, as a rule, were those who extended their swords before their words.

Those who lied in front of me were usually villains, desperately trying to prolong their lives for just one more day, so distinguishing them wasn’t hard.

Those who feared me and crawled on the ground were villains, and those who cried and clung to me like weaklings were the vulnerable ones. As for those who followed me with shining eyes…

The image of faces, both sorrowful and beloved, suddenly rose to my mind, making it hard to control my expression.

I stopped my thoughts and nodded, as if agreeing with my father’s words.

His expression remained calm and warm. In his presence, I felt like a real child again, embarrassed and awkward.

For a while, Luver’s face kept floating in front of my eyes.