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

Warm sunlight pours over the vast garden.

The garden that my mother personally tended to was particularly filled with shades of pink and white. I heard the names of the flowers one by one, but I listened with one ear and let it out the other.

It was because they believed that naming each flower was the work of the Cain.

A week before it would have been five years since it was newly born.

In the meantime, I have learned a lot of the language of the new land.

Just as the direct descendants of the families that established their power in the Central Plains inherit their legacy, in this land, the nobles pass down and share their titles through generations.

I had not yet completed my proper education on hierarchy, making it difficult to fully gauge the high and low, but it was fortunate that I was the direct heir of the count’s family.

In such a vast estate, occasionally taking out tables and chairs to enjoy tea with luxurious teapots might be a hassle for many servants, but for the direct descendants of the family, it was a daily routine.

At the Namgung residence, it wasn’t very unfamiliar since they often set up tea on the pavilion by the pond.

“Our Mikael has come.”

“Yes, Mother, Father.”

I politely bowed and took a seat.

Since her body had not yet fully developed, she needed the attendant’s help every time she got on the chair. However, feeling uncomfortable with her body being lifted, as soon as she was able to walk and run on her own, she requested a small platform to be placed under the chair so she could step on it like a staircase.

Thanks to the chair made for a child’s body, the height of the table came down just right below the chest.

Although my hand strength had not yet fully developed, I knew which one was suitable for the tea ceremony.

Following my mother’s example, I held the teacup with one hand, took a sip of the perfectly cooled tea to quench my thirst, and then set the cup down. I placed the teacup on the saucer silently and felt a sense of pride.

My father and mother, who were not very close, often made time to be together like this from the time I was able to speak properly.

As soon as I was able to pronounce words correctly, I advised him several times that it was not the way of a head of the household to neglect the legitimate wife in front of him, and seeing that he listened well to my words, it is clear that he is unexpectedly gentle and kind-hearted.

Since then, my mother’s health has improved a bit more, so I have hope that I might be able to see a couple more younger siblings.

I felt a bit embarrassed by the way my father and mother looked at each of my actions with such kindness.

It is easy to say that I have passed the age of forty, but I have decided not to say it out loud for five years now, as it seems like madness even to me.

I consistently pretended to be their mature, yet young son.

Since there was so much I didn’t know about this world, it wasn’t that difficult.

Just by honestly asking about what I don’t know and asking for help, I became a sufficiently young child in front of them.

“They say you begged to use the training ground again this time.”

“Yes.” I’m already five years old, so if I don’t start training with the sword now, it will be too late. I must start training before my limbs grow any more.

“Is that a story you heard from Sir Lawrence?”

“No.” It’s something I thought of myself.

Sir Lawrence, the knight assigned to guard me, is now just over twenty years old, and according to their words, he is at the beginning stages of becoming a sword expert.

At barely around twenty years of age, reaching the level of a second-rate martial artist was not a bad pace.

Watching them train, it was clear that they were honing their sword techniques not for self-cultivation and martial arts, but for war. What I wanted was similar but slightly different.

In the past life, I reached the pinnacle of mastery, but I did not attain the realm of transformation.

Although he used the sword aura (*the ultimate state, where a sword master overlays their aura onto the sword to enhance its cutting power and attack), he was unable to create the sword force (*the transcendent state, where a grand sword master condenses the sword aura to double its attack power).

Since I was given a new life through the ball, it was only natural for me to feel greedy as a martial artist.

I wanted to see the end of the Eternal Freedom Sword, and I wanted to at least try to imitate the form of the Emperor’s Sword Technique (*the sword technique inherited directly by the Namgung family).

“What do you plan to do by learning the sword?”

“I will become a sword master.”

“Sword, ahem.” Yeah… our son wants to become a sword master.

“It may seem like a distant path now, but by the time your body grows and your skills align, it seems you will be able to show at least the level of swordsmanship.” Please grant me permission.”

“Can you explain to me what ‘ganhap’ is, son?”

“It means that the gap between the swords, which allows you to intercept your opponent, widens as your limbs grow longer.”

“I see… Once our son grows up a bit more, he should be able to easily draw a sword…”

“Yes.”

Of course, it was quite natural for my parents not to believe me.

In this world, it was said that it was common to start wielding a sword only after turning eight. The reason for raising children somewhat more delicately than the children of the Central Plains was due to the widespread reverence for culture and commerce over martial pursuits.

Previously, after persuading his father, he returned to the count’s estate, which was abundant with fruits and grains, and the roads were surprisingly well-maintained. Moreover, the regular buildings, not just the castle, were neatly built up to two or three stories high.

After a moment of silence, the father observed the mother’s expression, hesitated again, and then asked with a look of effort.

“Sure, then should I find a master among the knights of the family?”

“At first, it is enough to use the training hall.” “When the time comes that I need a master, I will ask, but for now, I want a wooden sword that fits my body.”

“…Alright, then… I’ll prepare a wooden sword as a birthday gift this time.”

“I am always grateful for your grace, Father.”

My father, as always, swallowed his boiling resentment and answered, while my mother, with a smile on her face, placed a cookie in my hand.

Because my arms were short and I couldn’t reach the middle of the table, I often had to borrow my parents’ hands to eat the meal without getting up from my chair.

The luxurious sweetness that I rarely tasted in my previous life is enchanting, and the fact that my father easily granted my request this time makes me feel good, causing a smile to bloom on my lips.

“Which does our son like more, cranberry cookies or chocolate cookies?”

“It’s hard to determine which is better between the two.” The sour one is sticky and clings sweetly to the mouth, while the sweet one is moist and settles richly in the mouth, making it hard to tell which is better.

“Yeah, my son really doesn’t picky about food, and that’s great.”

“Isn’t all of this also thanks to your parents’ grace?”

Father soon followed Mother and laughed foolishly.

If a child says something, whether it’s right or wrong, it naturally makes you laugh, so there was nothing embarrassing about it.

Moreover, am I not the eldest son of their family? Even in the Central Plains, the eldest son who would carry on the family line was cherished and regarded as precious, like a golden calf or a jade toad.

In such a vast estate, it was only natural for the parents, who had dozens of servants, to cherish their children who resembled them.

I nodded and repeated once more, “My parents’ grace is like the sky,” and recited the right words.

We talked about various things such as the guests to invite to this body’s birthday party, the dishes to prepare, the products that are selling well in the commercial district, the status of wheat farming, and the political situation of the neighboring countries and the empire I live in.

During that time, seeing my father and mother laugh several times, I cautiously observed their reactions and carefully opened my mouth to speak.

“I have one more birthday present I want.”

“Yeah, you’ve been planning this carefully.” What else do you want?

“Since ancient times, it has been said that nothing is thicker than blood.” I really want to have a younger sibling. I heard that the Serbel family has already had their third child.

“Ahem!” Hmm, that’s not something we can decide on our own, so wait a bit longer.

“I’m already five years old!” The age gap is too wide for us to rely on each other, Father. Are you making an effort?

As the mother stands up, the maids who had been stepping back to avoid overhearing the family conversation approach with curiosity.

Since it was a topic that could be shy for a woman, she glared fiercely at her father instead of holding onto her mother.

Even though I am not yet familiar with this land, what is right is right, and what is wrong is wrong.

A family connected by blood needed not only successors but also a solid ally to support them. A clan with many descendants always thrives more than one without.

Both my father and mother are still young, and since I was born healthy and strong, my younger sibling and that sibling too must surely be healthy, but the reason we still haven’t heard any news is probably because my father and mother haven’t been intimate frequently.

Context: Unable to leave his son alone in the place where his mother had left him, the father covered and then stroked his face with both hands, fidgeting restlessly.
Text to translate: Unable to leave his son alone in the place where his mother had left him, the father covered and then stroked his face with both hands, fidgeting restlessly.

Did they say they haven’t turned 30 yet? Seeing him like this, it seems that even his father is still young.

“Since both Father and Mother are young and healthy, it would be nice to have a couple more younger siblings.”

“⋯Where on earth did you hear such a thing⋯.”

When the father lifted his head to look at the attendants, he saw them shaking their heads as if to say it was absurd.

Since they had done nothing wrong, I confidently waved my hand to catch my father’s attention and demanded another cookie. Father complied.

“These things are not learned by listening, but are gained through experience.” As I go through life, I’ve come to realize that the more family you have, the better.

“…Okay…” Got it.

My father murmured the names of Count and Countess Serbel, who had visited the mansion not long ago.

It seems they have a particularly fertile disposition in this land.

In the previous world, it was quite common for children from respectable families to be betrothed while still in the womb. It seems that this place is not much different either, so I said that if I were to form a bond in the future, a daughter from the Serbel family who is known for having many children wouldn’t be a bad choice, and my father laughed as if he were sobbing.