Reincarnated as a Genius Prodigy of a Prestigious Family

5. Talents like This (2)

Familiar.

Specifically, an egg that will become a familiar, though it’s uncertain which kind.

Even if you’re not a summoner, as long as you infuse it with magic and imprint your ownership, you can hatch it and turn a temporary summoned creature into a permanent one. It’s a rare item.

I carefully took out the glass case containing the golden egg.

The light it radiated in the sunlight was so mesmerizing that it seemed valuable just for that.

“Wasn’t I told to infuse it with magic every morning and evening?”

The sun was setting.

I lifted the case and finally placed my hand on the golden egg.

I didn’t feel anything special.

Perhaps because it hasn’t hatched yet?

“Hmm.”

I remembered my sister’s words as I infused it with magic.

A familiar egg requires patience and continuous magic infusion to hatch.

The nature of the magic must also match, and other unknown conditions need to be met for it to hatch.

With few examples, my sister knew only that much.

There are eggs that never hatch, just changing owners over their lifetime without meeting the conditions.

“Am I one of those cases?”

It’s too early to conclude, but even after infusing magic for a while, there’s no reaction from the egg.

Maybe that’s normal.

I tried various ways to change the flow of magic or gently infuse it, but I didn’t feel any response.

I wasn’t disappointed or regretful.

“Wanting results immediately is just being greedy.”

I’ve endured being cursed and beaten by rough soldiers on the battlefield without complaining, even when feeling bad or losing comrades.

Patience is my greatest weapon.

Knock, knock.

“Young master, are you ready?”

“Ah, I’m coming out.”

Just then, I heard Hermann’s voice. I covered the egg with the glass case again and placed it by the sunny window.

“Better in the sun than the shade, right?”

I was about to leave with my short spear when I heard a sound.

“Huh?”

It seemed like something made a noise.

I approached the egg, just in case.

“Hermann, wait a moment.”

“Yes, young master.”

I opened the case and examined the egg.

There were no cracks or changes in position.

I couldn’t feel any remaining magic.

I tried infusing magic again, just in case, but there was no response.

“Sigh.”

It raises expectations for nothing.

Expecting a reaction in a day is ridiculous, isn’t it?

I covered the case and stood up.

I put thoughts of the egg aside.

Right now, I need to focus on spear and magic training.

I also have a tracking lesson with my mother tonight.

“I’m coming out now.”

With great anticipation, I left the room and headed to the training ground with Hermann.

After arriving at the training ground, Hermann took his place on one side.

Thinking he might stand all day again, I told him to sit this time and grabbed my short spear.

“Hoo.”

After a deep breath, I started thrusting.

Training is a series of tedious and dry processes.

After repeating the same action thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, and millions of times, a single action is perfected.

So, I didn’t focus on increasing the number of magic cores immediately.

At this growth stage, one magic core is enough. The path once walked can be walked again.

Following my routine, I did 10 sets of 100 thrusts before taking a short break and putting down the spear.

“Young master, have some water.”

“Ah, Hermann. Thank you.”

As I drank the water he handed me, I heard his praise.

“You’re amazing. To do a thousand thrusts… Even seasoned knights would find it hard to be that consistent.”

I smiled and handed back the bottle.

It’s all thanks to the magic core.

Once you create a magic core, your body becomes energized and less prone to fatigue.

Even just one magic core greatly enhances physical vitality.

Of course, a magic core isn’t everything.

Not everyone can do a thousand perfect thrusts just because they’re fit.

It requires patience.

For someone like me, who grew up on the battlefield, it’s not a big deal.

“You get used to it.”

I smiled and accepted the tart he offered.

A big bite released sweetness in my mouth.

This taste. Not too much is bad, but it’s hard to give up.

All because of my previous life.

In the war, sugar was so precious, and it never reached frontline soldiers.

So, I valued sugar a lot. After making a magic core and receiving better treatment, I even thought of getting paid in sugar.

Sweet things are the best.

“Eat up.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

Seeing Hermann quickly eat the tart, I chuckled. He must have really wanted it.

“It’s delicious, young master. Thank you.”

“Feel free to ask if you want more.”

“No, I couldn’t possibly…”

“If you ask for one at a time, the chef will get annoyed.”

“…Thank you.”

I took another bite of the tart and enjoyed the breeze from the south.

I suddenly thought of Layla. Is she practicing hard? If she misfires a magic bullet in the carriage, the Duke will scold her.

I also thought of Layla’s sword skills.

She has quite a talent.

She declared boldly that she would surpass her brothers and become the head of the family. Thinking I contributed a bit to that made me smile.

Maybe I should have sparred with her?

A spear and a sword duel is tricky, though.

“Hmm…”

I pondered for a moment, then put the short spear down and got up.

I approached the weapon rack and looked at a practice sword.

“Young master? Are you going to practice swordsmanship?”

“Ah, yes. I just want to swing it once.”

I realized I hadn’t wielded a sword since being reincarnated.

There was joy in learning a new weapon, and considering my father’s expectations, I couldn’t just pick up a sword.

But I couldn’t ignore the talent for the sword that shaped my previous life.

Someday, I would wield it again… And it seemed that day was now.

I chose a short sword. Surprised by the different weight balance from a spear, I quickly adapted.

Whoosh, whoosh.

Swinging it a few times in the air, the familiar feeling returned.

A weapon I swung millions of times on the battlefield, between life and death.

I got into a serious stance.

Then I executed basic moves like horizontal, vertical, diagonal slashes, and thrusts.

“Good.”

The returned sense was not dulled at all.

Though not fast or destructive due to my young body, I was very satisfied.

“Should I train with both?”

One day spear, one day sword.

Not a bad idea.

After about ten minutes, I finally put down the sword and noticed Hermann’s dazed expression.

“Young master… When did you train with a sword?”

I was a bit taken aback.

This was my first time wielding a sword in this body, but I swung it like it wasn’t.

Oh, should I say I saw it in a dream?

While I was pondering, Hermann spoke up.

“You are indeed a genius. To have talent in swordsmanship as well…”

Hmm.

Being a genius seems convenient.

* * *

The castle, busy with the banquet, finally found peace. Count Sogress stretched and yawned.

“Hoo. This is tiring every year.”

But this year’s banquet was fruitful.

No less than 30 noble families attended.

It confirmed that many nobles were interested in the southern region.

Most of them hoped to build good relations with Count Sogress’s family.

With the war over, the resource-rich south attracted their attention.

But none of this compared to the attention his son Dane Sogress received.

‘The confrontation with Count Thyren’s eldest son was unexpected, but he handled it wisely, unlike a child.’

Count Sogress was pleased not just with Dane’s victory over Digron but with his calm demeanor and ability to explain the situation clearly and prove his talent confidently.

Everything was satisfactory.

Of course, beating Digron was also pleasing.

But honestly… it was a bit much.

“I wish he could be more like a child sometimes.”

Throwing tantrums occasionally, acting like a child sometimes. He missed those aspects.

Did he learn too much from his sisters?

Or was he too talented?

Others might say it’s a luxury to complain, but he was still the youngest.

He wanted to cherish and see him for a long time.

“I wonder if my daughters did well in their exams.”

Unlike his daughters, who went to the academy because of their talents in magic and summoning, he wanted to keep Dane around longer.

He used the excuse of thoroughly teaching him spear skills.

“Hmm. It’s almost time.”

With that in mind, it was time to train spear skills with his son again.

Count Sogress got up, glanced at his weapon, the Dragon Tail, in the office corner, and paused.

Then he smiled and picked up the Dragon Tail.

“Should I let him try it once?”

A seven-year-old’s body wouldn’t handle it well, but just holding it might spark more interest in spear skills.

Count Sogress headed to the training ground with the Dragon Tail, and was shocked.

“Sword…?”

His son was practicing swordsmanship, not spear.

His heart sank for a moment.