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

Thanks to the conversation I had early in the morning with Shaiden, I felt more uncomfortable than before when I went to meet Prince Luber at the appointed time after lunch.

The thought of a succession dispute to the throne—something I hadn’t expected to consider upon entering the academy—still didn’t feel real.

It was only natural that I knew little about the royal family’s affairs.

Among the dozens of seeds the emperor had sown were those bearing titles like King this and King that, each leading thousands of conscripts with impressive influence.

Where the royal family couldn’t reach, the martial world had taken root.

Between territories, in places beyond the reach of the imperial army, where outlaws thrived and tormented the common people, heroes had established themselves. They gathered wealth by controlling local merchants, forming clans and factions, bringing order to these places to make them habitable.

Thus, as a warrior of the Southern Palace Clan, one of the elite clans in the martial world, I had lived entirely apart from the emperor and the royal family.

The phrase “separation of martial and civil affairs” had firmly bound my mindset.

However, in this vast empire of Sioren, comparable in size to the Middle Kingdom, imperial power was far more absolute. Here, whether they were scholars, warriors, merchants, or even thieves, all fell under the emperor’s influence.

Millions of people farmed, traded, and served the emperor from their own positions, as if there were no place on earth beyond the reach of the imperial forces.

As the eldest son of a noble family, I was destined to eventually serve at the emperor’s side.

Just as one naturally endures rain or snow, I thought one must naturally serve an emperor upon his ascension. The emperor was as constant as the sun and moon, and I, like the mountains and fields, only needed to do my duty in my place.

I had never thought that I could shape an emperor myself.

That was the way of life in the Middle Kingdom.

Side by side with Benjamin, I headed to the appointed place.

A top martial artist takes as his domain a space roughly five times the reach of his sword. Prince Luber was no different. From afar, his unwavering dark gaze had already noticed Benjamin and me approaching.

“Oh, you’re here?”

“You’re early.”

“Mm, yeah. Just had some spare time.”

It felt surreal that this boy, whose story carried such weight, appeared so casual and even youthful. I met his gaze, so dark it seemed to glisten.

The boy, avoiding my eyes, gave an awkward smile and led the way.

I followed him.

As Shaiden had suggested, was Prince Luber really making an effort to recruit me into his circle? No matter how much I pondered, I couldn’t know.

What purpose could such casual and innocent behavior possibly serve on his path to becoming a supreme emperor?

I looked up at the back of the prince’s head as he slid the key into the training hall’s lock.

While I had readily accepted his previous offerings—notes, advice, and the like—upon further reflection, today’s supplemental study on dagger skills was not strictly necessary at this moment. I could take classes on dagger techniques next semester, or even next year.

It felt like I needed to clarify things before they grew more complicated, so I asked bluntly,

“Earlier, you said there was nothing you wanted from me, didn’t you?”

“Huh? Oh, uh… yeah, I did?”

“Can I believe that?”

I brought up the question again, the one I’d asked after receiving his world history notes.

Holding the weighty lock in one hand and the key in the other, Luber turned to face me.

The boy seemed flustered. His black eyes, shadowed darker than before, blinked.

Both Benjamin and Luber had black hair, but Benjamin’s was a soft shade that reflected light and gleamed faintly white, whereas Luber’s hair was sleek, almost iridescent like a raven’s feathers under light.

Since Luber couldn’t immediately respond, I watched his bangs part, a strand swaying over his dark, straight eyebrows.

Gathering the items in one hand, Luber brushed his face with his other. What might have looked like an impatient gesture on anyone else appeared gentle and almost graceful when he did it.

In a somewhat anxious tone, the boy asked me a question.

“…Do I really seem that way? Like I have an ulterior motive or something…”

“I only wondered because you’ve been so kind. I don’t really understand such things.”

“Such things…?”

“Succession disputes.”

I mumbled the last part to myself, finding it a bit embarrassing to say, though I knew he’d likely heard me anyway.

Benjamin, standing beside me with his daggers packed for practice, tilted his head slightly without comment, signaling that what I’d said wasn’t inappropriate. This gave me enough confidence to look Luber in the eye again.

The prince’s wavering gaze steadied.

“I do want to get closer to you, but it’s not like that. You don’t need to worry.”

“I’ll trust you, then.”

“Alright. …Shall we go in?”

“Yes.”

His firm and composed expression was reassuring.

Dealing with people and managing relationships wasn’t my responsibility.

In my first life, I was born with a sword and raised by the sword. I was given no authority to think, and if many died, there was nothing I could do about it but push my resentment upward to those above.

Now that I could make my own judgments and decisions, there was no way I’d push my blood relatives onto a battlefield again.

In my past life, I couldn’t refuse because I wasn’t the head of the family, but this time, as the eldest son, I thought I had at least that much authority.

Yes, even if I walk down a path that leads only to my death, I can’t bring my family and kin back into power struggles.

Regardless of what others with my family name may say, I silently vowed to stay as far away from those political conflicts and battles as possible.

Stepping into the training ground for dagger practice, I felt the turmoil in my chest settle and open up.

It was a far more spacious and open area than I had imagined, comparable to the magic classroom where I had sparred with Edwin Chiadris before.

However, the architecture was unique.

The training ground was a single-story building, half of it roofed, while the other half was an open courtyard.

There were no walls or ceiling, only a broad net and pieces of cloth barely shielding the place from view. This allowed sunlight and wind to fully sweep over and illuminate the targets.

What looked like a well-tended grassy field was actually a slightly faded green cloth when seen up close. The worn patches sparkled in the sunlight.

I couldn’t help but feel admiration. The targets were round with a red center and clearly marked rings at set intervals. As I had heard, they were spaced at different distances.

Seeing Benjamin place his bundle of daggers on a waist-high shelf, I mimicked him and placed my bundle on another shelf. Prince Luber opened one of the shelves and took out his bag as well.

Three bags on three shelves.

The prince opened his bag first, taking out a set of a dozen or so evenly-sized, neatly crafted daggers for us to see.

“Have you guys practiced dagger throwing before?”

“I’ve thrown a few times.”

“Hmm, not at all. I’ve only used them in close quarters, holding them in a reverse grip.”

“Then it would probably be best for Claudian to show us his form first. Since Ernhardt has a good eye, watching and mimicking him might be easier. Is that okay? I’ll help with the posture and other details.”

“Yes.”

When Benjamin opened his bag and took out a set of well-used daggers, I couldn’t help but be impressed. They were remarkably well-maintained. This guy, who excelled in various aspects of martial arts, was not only admirable but also praiseworthy.

Benjamin Claudian, familiar with such places, rubbed his hands with chalk powder from a shelf and dusted them off.

I watched the white powder sparkle as it fell under the sunlight. After thoroughly dusting his hands, Benjamin gripped the hilt of a dagger, standing with his legs slightly apart and his right shoulder pulled back.

I paid close attention as he extended his elbow backward, as if drawing a bow.

I only realized his hand had shot forward after hearing the swift sound of the dagger slicing through the air.

Seeing the dagger embedded just above the bullseye on the nearest target, I murmured a small compliment.

Prince Luber clapped his hands twice, acknowledging Benjamin’s skill.

“Your form is excellent. It just seemed like your elbow didn’t fully extend when you threw the dagger. Fixing that could improve your accuracy a bit. Have you tried infusing aura into your throws?”

“I haven’t yet been able to infuse aura into objects once they leave my hand.”

“Hmm, me neither… But if you channel aura into the dagger just before letting go, you can throw it faster and with more force. I’ll show you.”

Luber took out one of his daggers.

It was wrapped with a leather cord around the handle’s middle. The worn handle’s end was polished from extensive use, though the blade was still sharp, well-maintained beyond mere oiling.

As he gripped the dagger and focused, a faint aura shimmered along its blade. Though not yet at the peak stage, his skill was evident.

He stood with his feet apart for Benjamin and me to observe his form.

For the first time, I saw Luber, usually reserved and mild, stand with his shoulders squared. Despite his youth, he projected the presence of a man.

Luber, chest open and shoulders broad, drew his right arm back in a straight line.

His taut muscles were visible through his thin shirt, the line from his shoulder to his elbow clear. His left arm, positioned forward for balance, was appropriately aligned. I mimicked his stance, getting a feel for the posture.

With a soft whistle, the dagger flew through the air and struck the target dead center.

Luber turned to me with a satisfied smile. His rounded cheeks and shining eyes made him look as clear and innocent as other boys his age.

As I clapped my hands in admiration, just as he’d done for Benjamin, he gave a shy smile, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

“When you pull your elbow back and extend it forward, you need to keep it moving in a straight line like this. But since this practice ground is open, if it’s windy or rainy, you’ll need to aim a bit higher. So…”

He trailed off mid-explanation, and when I looked at him curiously, he averted his gaze, his voice quieter.

“…Could I watch Ernhardt’s stance as well?”

“Please do.”

It was almost funny to be so formal among men. His hand, which grasped my wrist, trembled faintly.

Even Marianne Philodendor, who handled all the noise of the Magic Department, didn’t hold my wrist this carefully. Nor did my parents show any hesitation in casual contact with family.

I figured it must be the imperial family’s custom, strict about physical contact between men and women outside of close kin.

I let him guide me, spreading my shoulders and raising my elbow as he directed. Rather than throwing a dagger, my stance felt as if I were holding a bow.

When he adjusted my left hand into position, our fingers briefly intertwined. Whether it was accidental or intended for precision, I couldn’t tell. I looked up at him in mild curiosity. His neck had flushed deep red in embarrassment.

After adjusting my hand angle, Luber’s fingers slowly released their grip. Finding it a minor detail, I quickly looked away.

“…Alright. With this stance, go ahead and throw.”

“Understood.”

Recalling what Luber had demonstrated, I moved my arm.

The first time, I discarded any thoughts of imbuing aura. Maybe it was because I was overly focused on the stance or because I’d pulled my elbow back further than usual. The dagger I threw didn’t even reach the nearest target, dropping to the ground instead.

Feeling a surge of determination, I quickly picked up another dagger and adjusted my stance.

“I’ll try again. Was there any part of my posture that was off…?”

“Ah, um, your lower back… May I adjust it a bit?”

“Go ahead.”

It seemed he was genuinely enthusiastic about teaching a junior. Watching his eager expression made my morning worries feel trivial.

Since he showed no signs of caring about the line of succession or anything like that, I decided to focus on learning as well.