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

There were always many people who followed us during outings with the Ernhardt family and their attendants.

Although it had only been two months since I entered the academy, I had grown used to walking alone and had forgotten some things that quickly resurfaced.

Just the number of my parents and children alone was five. Then there were the young children, so the nanny and maids followed, and four knights were assigned to guard us.

A servant who ran errands stood in front, and the procession looked so grand that it could be compared to a journey from Anhui (the ancestral home of the Namgung family, located in the eastern part of Zhongyuan) to Sichuan (the farthest and hottest region west of Anhui), no exaggeration.

On the way to the restaurant we had reserved, I placed Michael on my left arm, and with my right hand, I gently stroked his cheek and nose, soothing him. He giggled and laughed, then wrapped his little hand around my neck, which was so endearing that I couldn’t help but keep touching him.

Feeling a rush of emotion, I playfully bit his soft cheek before releasing it, feeling a sense of pride, as if I had found something I had lost.

Looking at the two of us with a pleased expression, my father casually spoke up.

Although we weren’t strangers, because Michael was so excited and chatty, we hadn’t properly exchanged greetings. Instead, we just smiled at each other.

“I didn’t want to disturb you during the term, but it’s good to see you like this.”

“I’m happy to see you both as well. I honestly didn’t expect this.”

“So, how’s your academy life going?”

“Yes, Mother. I’m learning a lot. More than I thought I would.”

The servants and knights set up separate seating for themselves, and the five of us gathered around a round table.

The time apart hadn’t been long, so most of our conversation revolved around my younger sibling, Michael, and Asdel’s studies.

It was so cute and heartwarming to hear the young ones bragging about what they had learned and chattering away about their own stories.

When Michael began talking about what he had recently learned about our family’s affairs, he shared an amusing story about visiting a vineyard, touching and tasting various kinds of grapes.

I noticed my father glancing at me, but I smiled and pretended not to notice.

“I found it difficult, but I’m glad you enjoyed it,” I said.

“Did you find it difficult, Hyung?”

“Of course. Counting so many numbers and distinguishing the taste of the juice was hard for me because my sense of taste is dull. Since you’re better at it, you can study hard and help me with that.”

“Mm! That’s right. I’m better than you, so I’ll help you.”

“I’m so lucky to have you, Michael. Really.”

“I am too! I can count well, even up to twenty now!”

“Will Asdel help me too?”

“Of course! That’s only right!”

The way the two little ones spoke was strangely similar to mine. It struck me as funny, and I laughed loudly, feeding them pieces of meat as they boasted that they could count better than me.

Despite knowing that I wasn’t greedy, my father also laughed comfortably and joined in the conversation, though he seemed a little reserved about anything related to land matters.

The children, in unison, declared that the grape juice they had tasted instead of wine was delicious and promised to let me taste it next time. I thanked them and made sure they were fed.

After finishing the meal, we began our tea time, during which the children grew drowsy and soon fell asleep in the nannies’ arms. The family then moved to a townhouse in the capital, Valencia, which I had heard about but never visited due to my training.

The servants also left, and the three families settled comfortably in the reception room. Only then did I begin to share stories from the academy, placing them on the table one by one.

I had mentioned in a letter that I had made many friends and was getting along well with the professors, but both my father and mother seemed intrigued, as if it were the first time they had heard this.

When I mentioned that I had taken a magic class but couldn’t use any of the spells I had learned, my mother laughed out loud.

“When I was at the academy, I was the same. I thought attending classes would make me able to cast magic.”

“What kind of class did you take, Mother?”

“Well… let me think. I believe it was something like Magic Design for Practical Use? It was something like that. I was shocked when I learned you shouldn’t use a ruler when drawing magic circles.”

“What about Father?”

“Hmm… I had to graduate early, so I only took the management department courses. I never thought about taking magic classes.”

After a brief pause, my father continued.

“I was interested in artifacts, but unfortunately, I wasn’t eligible to take classes related to artifact crafting. All I learned was how to deal with the magic tower, just some basics in business dealings.”

“What about the Swordsmanship Department?”

“I did take a class there… I did try to handle a sword. I wasn’t very talented, though, so I ended up only at the beginner Sword Expert level. I just focused on physical training in the end.”

“My mother actually thought that when she first saw my father, he was just a very handsome knight you picked out.”

At my mother’s sweet, dreamy voice, my father’s face turned slightly red.

“Michael, when you were young, you wanted to be a knight, so I thought you, like me, would love knights.”

“…Maybe I should have practiced more swordsmanship.”

“You’re still a great knight in my eyes.”

My mother continued teasing, her face full of smiles. When my father cleared his throat, I suddenly remembered something I had heard and mischievously decided to ask, now that I was knowledgeable enough.

“I heard a story in class about you, Father and Mother.”

“Oh? …It must have been in the Imperial Genealogy class. What did they say?”

“They said that my noble mother, the jewel of the Duke’s family, first saw Father’s face on their wedding day, and that it was my uncle who set up the match.”

Mother’s eyes narrowed as she carefully studied my expression, as if trying to see whether I would continue speaking. The mischievous smile on her face was something I had never seen before when I was born, and it filled me with a sense of pride once again.

Father, however, had been silent since the story came up, only occasionally clearing his throat.

“I don’t want to hear it from others. I’d rather ask you, Father, something.”

“…Hmm, what is it that you’re curious about?”

“My uncle apparently dragged you to the Duke’s residence straight from the ball when he saw you, and they said the method was violent. I can’t quite imagine it.”

“Violent? That’s the first I’ve heard of it. Is that true, dear?”

“No, well… I was just a bit surprised, but…”

“How did it happen?”

Father looked at me for a moment, as if weighing whether it was something he should tell me. Perhaps, after talking to him often about how he treats my mother, he knew I had grown more mature, so he finally spoke up.

“He grabbed me by the collar and shook me before even greeting me…”

“What?! That really happened?”

Mother was more surprised than me and jumped up. Her face turned bright red, and I grabbed the fan on the table, waving it to cool her off.

Father’s voice, when he responded, sounded thinner than usual, as if he was embarrassed.

“Later, when I asked him why, the young lord of Valencia said he wanted to see if my personality was kind and gentle. It seems I passed his test, so I just considered it a good thing.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about this…?”

“At the time, the atmosphere felt like I shouldn’t say anything… When I think about it now, it’s just a funny memory, so don’t be mad. It was just that the young lord of Valencia wanted to surprise me and see my reaction. I got an apology right afterward.”

“Wait, did he apologize…?”

“He said he would introduce the most beautiful woman in the world, as it was his fault.”

“My goodness! But we don’t remember being introduced!”

“Since we had to submit the marriage registration form right away that day, I met the Duke of Valencia first…”

Mother momentarily rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand, as if feeling a bit dizzy, but soon Father chuckled warmly and took her hand, causing her to smile shyly, her face lighting up like colorful candy poured out of a glass jar.

As for me, I couldn’t imagine my serious uncle behaving in such a way, which left me utterly confused. But seeing the playful and cute interaction between my parents in front of me made me laugh along with them.

It had been over ten years since Father and Mother had naturally started holding hands, but I still felt pleased every time I saw their harmonious bond.

The way the couple cared for and leaned on each other was truly heartwarming.

Having never experienced true love in either this life or the previous one, I briefly felt a pang of envy. But then I quickly shook it off, realizing how silly such thoughts were.

When I was younger, I thought I would someday meet a woman my age and start a family, but now I found the idea a bit unappealing.

It was because every girl seemed so young to me.

I wondered if, with time, my restless feelings would calm down and change, but whenever I saw the youthful joy on my mother’s face, I couldn’t help but wonder how I would ever make any woman smile like that, which made me hesitate.

The hearts of women seemed as distant and unreachable as the inner garden of the imperial palace, something I had never been able to glimpse.

After chatting with Father and Mother late into the night about their past, I went to my room and fell asleep.

The next day, the whole family went to explore a weapon shop.

It was a place I had found most fascinating and enjoyable in the capital, so I wanted to share it with them. As expected, Michael was thrilled and delighted, so instead of letting him touch dangerous swords, I allowed him to handle a few ornate shields.

However, when we later visited a toy shop, encouraged by Mother and Father, the children were even happier there than at the weapon shop, which left me feeling a little awkward.

We also visited some of the restaurants, cafes, and flower shops Mother had often frequented while living in the capital. The whole family even bought matching handkerchiefs and scarves.

We had delicious food and watched the fountain in the square. We gathered in the townhouse of the House of Valencia and admired old portraits.

It had been a long time since I felt that time was passing so quickly.

On Sunday evening, when it was time for me to return to the academy, Michael, holding back tears, bravely gave me a tight hug around my waist. His soft hair tickled my lower stomach.

“Brother, study hard. I’ll go to the academy soon and study with you.”

“Alright, Michael. I’ll write you letters regularly, so make sure to reply.”

“Yes! I’ll help Asdel write letters, too!”

“Right, I’ve already seen. My brave and wonderful little brother. Please keep taking care of things in the future.”

“Me too!”

“Yes, our youngest as well. I’ll be waiting for your letters.”

Jealous of the attention, the youngest, Asdel, jumped in as well, so I hugged both children at once and lifted them up.

Before the academy entrance ceremony, I had made a solemn vow to protect these children no matter what, as I held them close.

Now, the parting felt bittersweet, and I looked forward to the day we would meet again. The joy and lightheartedness made me smile again and again.

After kissing their soft little cheeks several times, I finally boarded the carriage heading to the academy, leaving the children behind.

A sense of expectation for the days to come on this land filled my heart, making it swell with a soft warmth.