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

This week in the Imperial Genealogy class, we learned about the royal family.

Starting the course with figures of lower titles and gradually moving up was helpful in several ways. First, it increased engagement and interest in the course by starting with familiar figures. Second, it helped train us to prioritize information, which we could apply when learning about higher nobles. Third, learning about various noble families beforehand provided us with a foundation, making the complex royal family tree easier to understand.

“The current emperor, Beneto Loki Sioren, has three children. At the age of 19, Beneto entered into his first marriage with Melatia Floyd, the 3rd princess of Floyd, resulting in his first son, Crown Prince Richard Flo Sioren.”

It was rather impressive to hear the professor casually calling out the emperor’s name, as if speaking about a neighbor.

“When Melatia passed away from illness before Richard’s first birthday, Beneto took Kate Antines, the second daughter of the Marquis of Antines, as his new empress the following year. Together, they had the twin prince and princess you might occasionally see around the academy—Prince Ruben Anti Sioren and Princess Lucilla Anti Sioren.”

I recalled the faces I’d seen earlier that very morning.

In Sioren, noble titles precede given names, with surnames based on who has the inheritance rights. If an individual can inherit the mother’s title, they take her surname; if they inherit the father’s, they take his. Only direct relatives of the emperor use both their parents’ names, with the nation’s name as the surname and the mother’s name as a middle name between the given name and the surname.

Therefore, the first prince is Richard Flo Sioren, taking two characters from Floyd, his mother’s family name, while the second prince and third princess are Ruben Anti Sioren and Lucilla Anti Sioren, taking two characters from Antines, their mother’s family name.

While monogamy was the norm among both nobles and commoners, a few had consorts. The current Duke of Kiadris, for example, held such an arrangement. As the duke’s successor, she wielded unrivaled power within the family, and it was said that she treated her lower-born husband with little respect.

The idea of a woman at the helm of her family and taking on consorts was momentarily surprising, but I quickly accepted it, having encountered all sorts of women back in Zhongyuan.

Zhongyuan had plenty of people who took in sons-in-law, after all.

In particular, the Sichuan Dang family, known for their poisons and hidden weapons, never allowed their bloodline to leave the family. They often took men of strong bodies as sons-in-law to carry on the line.

Even I nearly ended up in such an arrangement, once being kidnapped after unknowingly consuming a poison in an inn. Fortunately, the Nangong family name I bore meant that any marriage without the elders’ approval would result in having my limbs crippled. Had I not fervently prayed for this, I would have spent my life as a son-in-law in a clan of women bearing the Dang family name.

“…After Melatia Floyd’s death, the Kingdom of Floyd demanded that the 7th princess, Amelia Floyd, be married into the Sioren royal family as the new empress. However, Beneto Loki Sioren refused, citing that it was against tradition to marry sisters consecutively. In response, the Kingdom of Floyd raised tariffs by 2%, which Sioren reluctantly agreed to…”

The professor’s explanation was detailed, likely because the royal twins themselves were in the class. I felt a bit embarrassed for reasons I couldn’t fully explain, even though I wasn’t the one directly involved.

Not surprisingly, many half-siblings had poor relationships, and these feuds were exacerbated by succession conflicts. Descriptions of the relationship between the first and second princes suggested that they could be lifelong enemies.

Those supporting the first prince favored a policy of territorial expansion under the guise of diplomacy, while those backing the second prince took pride in Sioren’s thousand-year history and valued stability.

I was learning that even in such a seemingly peaceful land, small regional skirmishes occurred frequently.

Initially, this made me anxious, but upon checking the map, I saw these conflicts took place far from the Earldom of Ernardt, requiring a long horseback ride to reach. For now, there was no immediate need for concern.

Still, I knew that continuing to wield the sword would eventually lead me to participate in such wars.

Everyone says that swords in this land are not meant to cut people, but power is like an awl in a pocket—it can’t be hidden. In fact, even the peace in the Sioren Empire is maintained thanks to its vast lands and power, much greater than the other neighboring kingdoms.

Surely, a time will come when heads must be struck down to maintain peace. I suddenly wondered what would happen if I displayed a skill level that might raise suspicion. I feared losing the current peace even more than I feared my own death.

What if there was someone else in this world who had experienced the strange things I had? Would my parents still think of me as their child, and would these young ones still see me as their friend?

Even though I knew there was no one to doubt me, as there were many who had watched me grow since birth, I couldn’t shake the fear of the unknown.

The more I thought about it, the more unsettling it was to feel like a stranger inhabiting a child’s body. I suppressed a sigh.

That evening, we practiced sword forms during training.

I was eager to master the new techniques quickly, but I no longer planned extra training outside the set schedule. I wanted to grow accustomed to the laws of this land. After using the practice grounds until 8 p.m., I returned to my room, worked on my assignments, and fell asleep.

* * *

I meditated, practiced swordsmanship, attended classes, and conversed and ate with friends.

There were even days when I laughed loudly at the chatter of these young ones.

It was hard to keep up with their ever-changing topics and interests, but their patience in explaining made it easier for me to join in the laughter, even if I only understood half.

As we were left to pack for hunting and camping, our backpacks grew more and more packed, especially for the wealthier kids.

This Wednesday, we toasted marshmallows. Marshmallows are round, soft treats somewhere between a rice cake and bread; in the Ernardt family, we sometimes had them with hot chocolate.

Having never built a fire outdoors before, it was fun to roast the marshmallows, peeling off the toasted layer and savoring it.

In Zhongyuan, sweet foods usually referred to bean paste buns or candies with a light coating of sugar on fruit.

But treats loaded with sugar and chocolate always suited my taste, no matter how often I had them.

When I joked that the saying “the older you get, the more you crave sweets” might be true, the kids pointed out that I only craved sweets because I was still young.

Though I felt slightly indignant, I kept my thoughts to myself.

Beyond enjoying snacks, it was also interesting to harvest herbs in the herbal garden that Professor Cedric had prepared with the academy’s help.

The vast greenhouse was divided into five zones, each with a different climate controlled by magic—some were very humid, while others were quite dry.

We learned to identify herbs used for treating external and internal injuries, detoxification, and stomach ailments.

We also learned which mushrooms among them were safe to eat and which should be avoided.

I made sure to memorize this, knowing it would serve me well to survive even if I found myself in a harsh environment.

And so, Friday came without incident.

Since hearing that Benjamin and I would be training in dagger skills with the second prince, Shaiden had been in a daze, seemingly deep in thought.

I hadn’t brought up the idea of training with Shaiden, so I told him that he didn’t have to join me if he wasn’t interested in learning dagger skills. I reminded him he had plenty of other friends. His response was unexpected.

“Of course, you’re not a child, and I don’t have to follow you everywhere. Right now, it’s not that I want to follow you just because I like you.”

“Hmm.”

“What I’m concerned about is…because he’s the second prince. Our Roze family has survived by maintaining neutrality in the royal succession battles.”

I recalled when Shaiden first lectured me upon my arrival at the academy. In times like these, listening quietly had its benefits.

When I took a seat on the sofa in the lounge, Shaiden, who had been pacing back and forth, also sat across from me and continued.

“Keeping neutrality means minimizing losses. By not taking sides, we can avoid most bloodshed later. Especially since the Roze family holds the White Rose Knights, which means if there were a power struggle, we’d likely be on the front lines.”

Shaiden had once boasted about his family’s knights.

A military group numbering over three hundred could surely turn the tide of any situation. His green eyes sparkled.

“So, since the time of my great-grandfather, the Roze family pledged to use our military for safety and justice. By declaring that we would cover any security gaps resulting from succession disputes, we managed to secure a stable title to inherit.”

“Hmm.”

“But I feel somewhat skeptical about that.”

“Why?”

“Richard, the current first prince, has little advantage other than being born first. Moreover, the kingdom of Floyd is a small nation compared to the Sioren Empire, and Marquis Antines, who is focused on developing a new mine, is quite wealthy.”

“Ah.”

“I believe the second prince will become the emperor.”

“…”

“So, if I get closer to the second prince and establish a relationship with him early on, it would definitely help when he becomes emperor and I inherit my family’s earldom, right? People naturally favor those who support them, and since the second prince already likes you, he’d likely be kind to me, his friend, as well.”

I was somewhat taken aback, as I hadn’t considered these kinds of matters at all, while Shaiden, seeing my close relationship with Luber, had clearly thought deeply about it. Shaiden gave a bitter smile and shrugged.

“But if I do that… if things go wrong, I’d end up betraying my ancestors’ wishes, which have been passed down since my great-grandfather, and may lose the lives of knights who trust and follow me.”

I quietly looked at the red fox-like boy, who used to tear up with hurt feelings, now calmly assessing the situation with a surprisingly steady expression.

Unlike me, who was simply excited to learn new martial skills, spending time together was already politics and battle for him. Realizing this anew, I felt my mouth shut as if glued.

My father and grandfather, wise men of the Ernardt family, had never brought up such matters in conversation.

It wasn’t because I didn’t need to know; they had simply withheld explanations from their young child who seemed uninterested. Surely, they too had definite plans and perspectives on these matters.

At least now, hearing such talk didn’t make me feel dizzy or overwhelmed as it once would have, which I considered a relief.

“I still don’t know the stance of the Ernardt family on this. Should I also be mindful of such things when I meet with Senior Luber?”

“Mm, you’re a bit… different.”

“Why?”

“First, the second prince was the one who extended goodwill to you. If you refuse it, it might even be seen as a form of rudeness. Simply accepting his help isn’t the same as taking a side. No one would think you’re interested in choosing a successor to the throne. Rather…”

“Rather?”

“More people would think that the second prince, who aims for the throne, is treating you well from a young age because he sees you as a candidate to become a Grand Swordmaster.”

“Oh.”

“Anyway, that’s why I’m torn. I don’t qualify for advanced swordsmanship classes yet, but if I could join you in the dagger practice, it’d be a chance to get acquainted with the second prince. But then again, that could go against my family’s intentions.”

“Then, would a simple meal together be okay?”

“Well, when the time comes?”

“Then let’s have a meal together next time we have some free time. It wouldn’t be strange to meet at the dormitory dining hall, right?”

“Oh, hmm… that’s true. Sure, just let me know in advance. I’ll need to mentally prepare.”

I was relieved to have the chance to discuss training with Shaiden in advance. I felt somewhat guilty for having prematurely judged his attitude toward the prince as weak-hearted.

It made me happy to see my friend showing wisdom.