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

To me, who had not yet fully detached from life in the Middle Kingdom, the idea of “survival of the fittest” was still more familiar. Everyone had to endure life on their own.

At that time, I believed that everyone was born carrying the karma of their past lives.

Insects had lived lives deserving of an insect’s fate, the poor were born to poverty due to their own karma, and the noble were born with the virtue that warranted their status. Only by embracing such Buddhist beliefs in reincarnation could I endure all the misfortunes in that harsh world.

However, listening to the Serbel siblings, it seemed that poverty would arise like wildfire whenever a lord mismanaged their territory.

Instead of simply giving to the needy, it was about guiding valuable labor in the most efficient and safe ways to increase productivity—this, they insisted, required a benevolent heart.

Everything they learned was ultimately for the sake of the residents of the Serbel estate, to help them lead comfortable lives.

The siblings held pride in their positions and concluded by saying that a method was needed to guide other nobles who lacked such a sense of responsibility.

I was grateful that they brought up these topics, sensing that it was to enlighten someone as ignorant as myself.

The Serbel siblings patiently spent much time teaching me how I should act if I ever inherited the Ernardt family’s responsibilities.

Of course, it was my wish to eventually pass the title to Michael, but that would be something for the future.

However, I took time to seriously consider what kind of person I should be and what kind of policies I should implement if I ever had to take up the role as head of the family. The more I thought about it, the more difficult it seemed.

How many people could claim to wield a sword out of their own conviction? I was simply learning step by step to fulfill my role as a person. I considered the hard road to be the right one. And I realized why my father kept bringing us closer to the Serbel family and their descendants.

Perhaps he wanted me to learn this kind of mindset.

Though I thought I had embraced the perspective of those who lead, I realized how far I still had to go.

That night, I spent a bit more time practicing my swordsmanship.

* * *

It was a beautiful day, unusually still without a breath of wind. The clear blue sky from early morning without a single cloud was pleasant to behold.

We had breakfast in the garden, but since the weather was so nice, we decided to have lunch outside. It had become tiring to think of new ways to entertain ourselves each day.

After much discussion, both families decided to go out fishing.

The Serbel family lent us fishing rods, and I marveled at the elegant lacquered finish and the graceful curve of the long, flexible poles.

When I swung one in the air, it made a satisfying whoosh, slicing through the wind.

The rod’s weight and resilience as it flexed seemed top-notch; in the Middle Kingdom, someone would surely consider it a prized weapon.

Logan Serbel mentioned that it was one of his father’s cherished fishing rods and asked me to handle it with care. I nodded, agreeing to treat it respectfully.

I chose to sit beside my father.

He seemed a bit surprised that I didn’t sit with the younger children, but I had no other choice.

The little ones were accompanied by attendants and nannies, while Logan and Leila talked far too much to enjoy fishing with.

“Why aren’t you playing with the children?”

“Didn’t you once challenge me to a fishing competition? So here I am.”

“So I did.”

Father smiled proudly for some reason.

I couldn’t tell if he was pleased that I remembered his offhand comment or if he was simply confident in his own fishing skills.

I was only in awe as he pulled out his gear.

In the clear box that William Ernardt brought out were various small lures shaped like insects and fish. Some were soft, and others were hard to the touch.

“… Are these the bait?”

“They’re called lures. I never thought I’d show them to you so soon.”

“… No worms or shrimp, then?”

“I didn’t want to use anything too graphic with you all here. And these are just as effective for catching fish.”

I leaned in closer to the box to sniff it.

Although I wasn’t a fisherman, I’d caught my share of fish in the past, so I found it strange and hard to believe that these artificial lures, with not a trace of a fishy smell, could serve as substitutes for real bait.

However, this fishing lure wasn’t the only thing unfamiliar and strange to me, and since the people of Sioran had rarely lied to me, I accepted it and chose one of the fish-shaped lures adorned with multiple hooks.

Seeing me hesitate rather than cast the line immediately, my father decided to demonstrate first.

With a clean, sweeping motion, the float and hook flew in a smooth arc and landed in the middle of the lake with a small plop.

Using my keen sight, I observed closely. Casting far out and gently tugging and releasing the line while slowly reeling it in was certainly not the fishing method I was used to.

I crossed my arms and sat back, extending my senses to observe under the water.

The fish-shaped lure on the hook wiggled ever so slightly. A few fish approached, curiously nudging it with their mouths.

The rod wobbled and swayed, drawing the fish closer.

Then, as soon as one fish bit down firmly, my father swiftly pulled the rod, and the fish, caught on the hook, was lifted above the water’s surface.

For the first time, I saw my father with such a proud expression.

“Now, that’s how it’s done.”

“Yes, understood.”

I lifted my rod and, imitating my father, cast it out with a smooth motion.

A desire arose to catch a bigger fish than my father, so I cast my line farther. The line sliced through the air with a sharp sound and fell into the water at a distant spot with a faint splash.

I heightened my senses and followed the line, observing the distant area.

If I were told to expand my aura into empty space, I couldn’t reach as far, but the thin fishing line connected to my fingertips aided me.

I tried not to notice my father watching me, seemingly entranced by the smooth movement of my fishing line, and mimicked the behavior of fish I was familiar with.

A few fish soon approached, drawn in, but I teased them by keeping the lure at just the right depth to evade them.

When the increasingly frustrated fish lunged with greater aggression, I gave the rod a light tug.

Two fish were caught on the hook at once.

While my father paused in surprise, I unhooked the fish and placed them in the net beside me.

Fishing in the Middle Kingdom was often done with nets or spears, partly as a means of daily survival. For warriors like myself, however, it was also a practice of spending time and seeking enlightenment.

I had never stooped to the petty act of luring small creatures by using my energy. I would simply cast the bait and sit idly, watching the flow of water and waiting.

Yet, if I wished to, there was no reason I couldn’t do it. And, naturally, I had the advantage over my father, who couldn’t see beneath the water as I could with my awakened senses.

My father looked curious but refrained from asking any questions.

The soft sound of the fishing lines cutting through the air repeated several times.

How much time had passed?

Both my father and I had a few failed attempts. Since we had caught a significant number of fish in the same spot using the same method, even the simplest creatures had surely caught on by now.

It felt too troublesome to gather our things and move to a new spot.

“We’ve probably caught enough by now. Shall we count how many we’ve got?”

“…”

My father didn’t respond, so I looked up at the sky to judge the time.

Not yet accustomed to clocks, I often judged the time by looking at the sky or observing shadows.

We’d set out around midday, and now it was almost evening.

Those who had grown tired of fishing had spread picnic mats near the water’s edge, eating snacks, lying down, or chatting together.

Only my father and I remained focused on fishing for several hours, and both of our nets were already heavy.

“Father?”

“…Yes, let’s do that.”

We began transferring the fish from our nets to the icebox nearby.

I had caught forty-three fish, while my father had caught seventeen. Though we released some of the smaller ones back into the lake, it was still an amount far exceeding what a single fisherman would catch in a day.

Still, we had many mouths to feed.

With this many, even if each person couldn’t get a whole fish, at least half a fish per person seemed possible, which made me feel proud.

As I was thinking this, my father, who was disentangling the fishing line beside me, suddenly asked with a slightly indignant tone.

“Did you happen to use your aura while fishing?”

“Yes? I did.”

“…Why? You know, I’m just a civilian with little skill in aura…”

“Pardon?”

“So… what exactly were you planning to wager on this bet?”

“Oh, well—”

“Well?”

Honestly, I’d completely forgotten about the bet.

Fishing with aura techniques felt similar to the silent arts I practiced, just like the martial techniques of assassins who used celestial silks—special threads woven from silk infused with a mystical aura.

The finesse of this new fishing method made me want to imitate it with all sorts of techniques.

After a brief moment of thought, I replied in a calm tone.

“I’ll tell you in private next time.”

My father remained silent all the way back.

He seemed a bit uneasy, and I wanted to reassure him, but unsure how to begin, I stayed quiet until we returned to the villa.

Reflecting on it, I felt that there would likely be a day in my life when I would go against my father’s wishes, and I held back my words, thinking I’d save them for that day.