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

Benjamin Claudian. It was a name I couldn’t remember.

At best, he was a first-year student at the academy, barely 15 years old, yet the boy had a well-built body that could easily be called that of a young man. His tall stature was nearly six feet (*180cm), and his broad shoulders exuded a sense of purpose, as if they clearly knew where they were heading.

The raven-black hair, shining like a crow’s, was trimmed short enough to be convenient for riding. If it weren’t for the tiger-like yellow eyes, one would have thought that a creature from the northern plains had crossed over to this land.

“Yes, nice to meet you.” Glow…

“Benjamin Claudian.”

“Cloudian Youngsik.”

I took the outstretched hand and shook it.

The pronunciation of the name I heard a moment ago was unfamiliar, and I struggled with it, but he immediately corrected me, as if he knew I wouldn’t be able to remember his surname at once.

The hands clasped together were warm and firm. It felt like he had mastered the Shaolin technique called “Iron Wire Palm” (a martial art that toughens the skin by thrusting the hand into hot sand), as if he were holding a well-heated stone.

I let go of his hand. You could tell just by looking at their face. Curiosity and ambition, competitiveness before being refined.

Even after I became an adult, it was a gaze that I couldn’t hide and that had been dragging along from my previous life. It is to gauge how strong the opponent in front of me is, how they compare to me, and what I need to do to win.

I knew I would become close friends with Benjamin in no time. The eager fighters, itching for a fight, needed someone who wouldn’t tire and could match them.

Benjamin Claudian was a top-tier martial artist. Even at a young age, his well-honed body must have enabled him to wield the aura. After giving me enough time to look him over, Benjamin extended his hand again.

“What?”

“I am planning to refer to the timetable of the Ernhardt Young Method.” It looks like there will be a lot to learn ahead.

Without adding any more words, I pushed the second page of the handout forward. I heard Shaden next to me stifling a groan, but I didn’t pay any attention.

Benjamin looked at my schedule, clicked his tongue, handed it back, and left. I was curious about how many classes would overlap, and I felt a surge of excitement.

A few others also lingered nearby, but they didn’t initiate a conversation, so it was postponed for another time.

Please provide the text you would like to have translated.

I submitted the prepared document to the department office and then headed to the dormitory building.

There were a total of six dormitory buildings at Shiran Academy.

It was said that it was common for nobles to use the upper floors of the dormitories for first, second, and third-year male and female students, while commoners used the lower floors. It was amusing to see that they couldn’t stand the thought of a commoner sleeping above them, even if it meant enduring the stairs.

Well, isn’t it a place where one’s status is elevated? The lower three floors of the five-story building were used by commoners, while the upper two floors were occupied by nobles. Considering the ratio of one to three, it means that the people on the upper floors use exactly twice the space of those on the lower floors.

I was not from a noble family and did not have royal blood, so I was assigned to the fourth tier.

Originally, I had only experienced buildings with multiple floors like this in the von Ernhardt Baron’s family home, and even there, I used the middle floor under my parents, so it wasn’t awkward, unpleasant, or particularly enjoyable.

The room I was assigned had a bedroom, a living room, a dressing room, a study, and a bathroom, just like the private room in my family home. The width wasn’t large, but it was sufficient for living alone.

To be honest, I never expected the study room, but I was a bit surprised to see the sword and armor I brought fully displayed on the study room wall.

The four school uniforms that had never been packed and the clothes that had been sent in advance were all neatly taken out and organized.

I wondered if the reason for advising us to keep our valuables with us was because of this, but I was also curious about the dormitory rooms on the lower floor. Because no inn I stayed at in my past life was ever this splendid.

I thought that the guest room of Hongjing Tower in Xi’an, which burned down three days before my death, might have looked like this.

I opened the thick leather-bound notebook that was neatly placed in the center of the parlor table.

On the front page, there was a calendar, notes, the academic schedule, and a map of the academy, while the middle section, which took up most of the notebook, was blank. On the last two pages, the names, office locations, and subjects taught by all the professors in the academy were listed.

I looked at the calendar again.

It was Friday, the first day of February. After gathering the necessary items and resting over the weekend, the first week of classes was set to begin on Monday.

It was possible to change the classes to take for the week, but starting the following week, students would face a disadvantage in their grades if they didn’t attend their assigned classes.

Meals were provided three times a day in the communal dining hall on the first floor of each dormitory.

After reading the instructions twice, I changed into my training clothes. Now that I knew the location of the practice yard, I planned to clear my mind while running there.

Just as I was about to leave the room and secure my sword to my sword belt, I heard a knock on the door. I opened it.

It was Shayden Rose.

The boy, who resembled a red fox, smoothly entered the sitting room as if he were stepping into his own room and took a seat in a chair. I stood there for a moment, unsure how to respond, but he soon called me over with a voice that was as wilted as salted cabbage, as if it were the most natural thing.

His manner was bold, almost as if we had been close for over a decade, and it was both audacious and curious.

“Have you finished tidying up your room? Come sit down, Mika.”

“What’s the matter? I was just about to head out for training.”

“I know. You’re like a wild pony with horns who can’t sleep unless you run for four hours a day. But before the academic schedule starts, there’s something I need to tell you when it’s just the two of us.”

“Just the two of us?”

“Of course, where else would I say something like this? Think about it, Mikael Ehrenhardt. You’ve been famous even before you enrolled.”

“Hmm?”

“Please don’t ask why, just don’t. You’re only thirteen, and you’ve already reached the level of a Sword Expert. And on top of that, you’re ridiculously good-looking with your noticeable pink hair. You can’t even remember people’s names, but all the new freshmen, except for you, are fifteen, and they’ve probably already mastered the assignment of memorizing the noble yearbook for commoners in your liberal arts class!”

I decided to sit down without a word. As I quietly observed, Shayden pressed his palms firmly against his solar plexus. His delicate brows furrowed, and I silently held back my thoughts, finding that he looked a bit fiercer than usual.

“So?” I asked.

“I understand that you want to take not only ‘Advanced Swordsmanship Basics’ but also ‘Principles of Magic and Formulas Basics’ and ‘Hunting and Camping with Alchemy.’ So, I did a little research on the students who applied for those classes.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why?”

“Why go so far for me?”

Shayden Rose made an expression like he was seeing something strange—like watching an elephant dance with purple peacock feathers. He opened my notebook and began writing down a few names on the second page, responding slowly as though carving each syllable.

The soft, gentle words sounded just like when I first met my father and mother in this world, like a song.

“Of course, because you’re my friend, Mika.”

I realized there was no need for further words and nodded in understanding. I had finally remembered that the friendships of young ones don’t involve calculating gains or losses.

I decided that next time I received an invitation to a birthday banquet from the Rose family, I would definitely attend, and I looked at the notebook.

Shayden’s handwriting was elegant, flowing like him. He wrote down three names, adding brief notes underneath. As I scanned the notes, just barely avoiding touching the top of my head, Shayden began reading aloud in his clear voice what he had written.

“I don’t really know who is who among the first years. I haven’t experienced them yet. The ones I know, except for you, are all nice and well-behaved. The third years don’t overlap much with the first-year classes, so try not to act too arrogantly if you happen to meet them.”

“Hmm.”

“Just think of it as using honorifics with anyone whose face you’re not familiar with and greeting them with a simple bow. Bowing too much would be too much for your status, and it might come off as mockery to some, so be careful.”

“Got it.”

“…There are three people in the second year you really need to be careful about. In the Swordsmanship Club, there’s Ruber Anti Sheeran and Lucilla Anti Sheeran. I hope you won’t measure them with the same eyes you used to judge the teachers. Just looking at their last names should tell you enough. They’re of royal blood. If you act the wrong way, the next forty years could be miserable.”

“…”

“The guy with jet-black hair and eyes as dark as his hair is Ruber, and Lucilla has brown hair with black eyes. If they ask you anything, answer as politely as you can. You’ll run into both of them in the Advanced Swordsmanship class.”

I nodded quietly.

“And in the Magic Department, there’s someone with lavender-colored hair and golden eyes. His name is Edwin Kyadrys. He’s the younger brother of Grand Sword Master Wesley Kyadrys, and his personality is complete garbage.”

“Huh?”

“He’s like a mad dog tied to a leash with three other mad dogs. I’ve never talked to him directly, but you need to be cautious around him. He’s from a duke’s family, so his title can’t be ignored. I’ve heard rumors that he really dislikes the Swordsmanship Club.”

“Even though his older brother is Wesley?”

“Exactly! I don’t know why, but if you can avoid him, do so. He has a lot of followers, and it’s hard to get close to him. If you don’t provoke him, you should be fine. Just don’t engage with him unnecessarily. Don’t talk to him like you do with me—keep your answers short, no more than seven words. Got it?”

“Huh? Uh…?”

What was this about seven words? Not knowing how to speak like a thirteen-year-old, I was embarrassed and fell silent. Shayden Rose’s gaze immediately became sharp.

To reassure Shayden, I spent the rest of the time practicing pronouncing the three names elegantly and had dinner with him, so I didn’t make it to the practice yard.