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

I found Bill Brown’s smile to be rather cheeky. I stared at him for a while and then chuckled.

Right now, he looked healthy and robust. He didn’t seem like someone who was on the verge of death, so I felt relieved.

“So, now that we’ve met, how does it feel?”

“It’s exactly as I imagined. I’m so happy to become closer with you, hyung.”

I had no words to say. I sighed and leaned my back against the soft cushion of the carriage.

“I’m really glad you’re healthy now.”

“That’s all thanks to you, hyung. I’ll be loyal to you for life.”

I paused for a moment before speaking.

“But that’s all thanks to your own efforts, not mine. Don’t thank me now. If I ever do something meaningful in the future, then you can thank me then.”

“…That’s why I like you even more, hyung.”

I was momentarily lost for words. The way he spoke reminded me of something similar I had heard from Luver.

I quietly looked at Bill’s face. But his expression, with big eyes wide open like a simple cow’s and without any trace of a blush, reassured me with its innocence.

“Yeah, yeah. I like you too.”

I replied with a sigh, then patted the shoulder of the kid who kept leaning on me.

The Brown family had arrived at the Ernhardt estate before us. The members of the Brown family were all friendly and easy to get along with.

Bill Brown, calling me “hyung” casually, amused everyone by placing Mihail on his shoulder and not letting him down.

Mihail was overjoyed, either sitting on my lap or perched on Bill’s shoulder, never letting his feet touch the ground.

Asdel, acting aloof, stuck only to my side and didn’t go near Bill. I left him be, as just seeing Mihail’s cheerful grin warmed my heart.

Apart from spending time with family, I spent most of my time with the Magnolia Knights.

I didn’t turn down Bill when he eagerly expressed his desire to join the knights’ training. His words about learning swordsmanship to extend his life stuck deeply in my heart.

Ian Ventus, the vice-captain of the Magnolia Knights, grew very close to Bill Brown. It was heartwarming to see him treat Bill like his own younger brother.

It made sense, though. Bill and Ian looked very alike—broad shoulders, muscular builds, tanned skin from the sun, and short, rough hair—they really looked like father and son.

After following the knights’ training rigorously, Bill received a few sparring lessons from me, then collapsed, exhausted, in the training yard.

I couldn’t help but laugh as I saw Bill, sprawled out with his large arms and legs splayed wide.

“The guy who’s also taking intermediate swordsmanship class is struggling this much? What are you going to do?”

“Do you think everyone in the world is like you, hyung?”

Chuckling, I grabbed his hand and helped him sit up. His bright smile as I defended him made me happy.

When I saw his face covered in sweat and dust, I handed him a handkerchief. He acted spoiled, asking me to wipe his cheek and forehead.

“It’s just like the rumors say. They said the Magnolia Knights’ training is no joke.”

“Where did you hear such rumors?”

“Well… Mom says she hears things at tea parties.”

I was curious about what exactly Lady Brown was hearing during these tea parties.

Even now, Lady Brown was probably enjoying a tea time with my mother, Seirn. I couldn’t help but worry about whether Seirn might be influenced by some odd gossip.

As I was thinking about this, Bill tugged at my wrist.

“Let’s rest a little and then spar again.”

“Alright, let’s do that.”

“You should rest too, hyung.”

I couldn’t refuse the kid’s spoiled request. I sat beside him, and we both looked out at the training ground.

The training yard was empty after the morning session ended and all the knights had left, but it had been well-maintained. I felt pleased thinking about the knights who had kept up their training even in my absence.

As I sat in silence, Bill spoke up gently.

“You said you like quiet places, right?”

“That’s right.”

“And that you like honest and sincere people?”

“Mhm.”

“Do you plan to join the Imperial Guard?”

“Probably?”

“Don’t you want to travel?”

“…Travel?”

At the unexpected words, I was about to turn to Bill when the kid, grinning, leaned his head against my shoulder.

He acted so naturally that I reached out and gently patted his head. His damp, sweaty hair gave off a faint but not unpleasant scent.

Even though he seemed like a grown-up, moments like this made him feel like a child.

“When I get healthier, I want to travel everywhere. I even want to go to the ends of the world and see the traces of the gods that are said to be as vast as mountains.”

“Well, now that you’re healthy enough, you can go.”

“After I graduate, if you have time, hyung… would you like to travel with me?”

I thought for a moment.

“Sure, let’s do that.”

“Yay! It’s a promise!”

His bright smile was really nice to see.

Now that I thought about it, this kid was always smiling. From the moment we met until now, I had never seen him with a face that wasn’t smiling.

How could he be so bright, like the sun? For a brief moment, I thought of Luver’s face, which was as mournful as the moon. I shook my head to clear the thought.

“If we’re going to do that, you should work harder on improving your skills.”

“Ah, of course. I’ll become a sword master, just you wait.”

I concentrated for a moment and looked at him again.

“If you keep going like this, it’ll take you at least eight years.”

“…Huh? It’ll take that long?”

“Yep. So work harder.”

I gave his broad back a light tap. He gasped in shock, and the sound of him chattering about how he could work harder didn’t bother me at all; I laughed heartily.

Time spent in happiness always flies by quickly.

I spent quality time with my family, having meals and talking more than before I went to the academy.

I even learned the name of the pink flowers that filled the Ernhardt estate: Prodel Aster. Coincidentally, it was the same name as the flower in the pot in my dorm room.

When I looked closely, they were quite similar in shape. However, unlike the small, fragile flowers in the pot, the ones at home were much larger and fuller, and I only realized that now, which surprised me.

I commented that the flowers’ size and sheen seemed to change according to their environment, and my father laughed heartily.

“There’s an old saying that Prodel Asters bloom with richer and more beautiful colors in homes full of love.”

“So, wouldn’t red be better than pink then?”

My mother smiled and answered.

“That’s why when a few red flowers bloom, it’s really thrilling and makes us happy.”

“Thrilling?”

“Mm-hmm. They resemble your father’s eye color.”

Seeing my father’s face flush with embarrassment at such a teasing comment made me laugh out loud. It was so endearing. They were a lovely, affectionate couple, just like a pair of mandarin ducks.

It was also a lot of fun to soothe Mihail and Asdel, who kept saying, “Me too, me too,” like little birds.

I comforted them with sweet words, saying their eyes were like the sky, clouds, and flowers.

I could live like this every day—warm and content.

I thought about how I wanted to stay with my lovely and cute family even in the far future. Indeed, life wouldn’t be bad even if I never married.

Being happy was just happiness, but there were things I still needed to do.

I prepared to return to the academy.

Now that Mihail had gained the certainty that we would meet again, he no longer clung to me or cried. Instead, he stood beside the carriage, leaned into my embrace, and began to fiddle with the locket around my neck.

“Hyung, if I miss you, I have to look at this portrait and hold back, okay? I’ll do the same.”

“Of course. If I miss you, I’ll look at your portrait too.”

“But what if I really want to see you?”

“Then you’ll write me a letter.”

“What if I write you ten letters?”

“I’ll write you ten replies.”

After a moment of thought, Mihail hugged my neck tightly and said something sweet.

“Mm-hmm. I’ll write you a letter every time I miss you.”

“Alright.”

I pressed my lips gently to the child’s cute, flat forehead, then pulled away and set Mihail down from my arms.

As Asdel, waiting for his turn, came running over, I lifted him up and embraced him next. He pressed his chubby cheek against mine, and I pressed my lips to his cheek in return before pulling away.

“Next vacation, we’re going to the capital. Even if you miss me, you can’t cry.”

“Okay, I’ll hold back and not cry even if I miss you, hyung.”

“Really? If you cry, I’ll give you a spanking.”

“Okay.”

The child grinned mischievously, then gave me a kiss on the cheek.

After setting Asdel down, my father and mother came over and each gave me one more hug. No matter how old I got, the affection between family was always deep and warm, and a corner of my heart tingled with emotion.

After my family bid me farewell, Bill, who was standing by my side, smiled and offered me his cheek.

“Hyung, here too.”

“You’re disgusting.”

I clicked my tongue and gave his cheek a long, playful shove with my palm, causing both families to burst into laughter. As expected, Bill was as charming as always. Even after we got into the carriage, Bill and I opened the window and waved our hands for a long while.

The journey back to the academy was peaceful the entire way.

It was a leisurely trip with no rush. Bill often complained about being bored and begged me to ride together.

Sitting still in the carriage was as tiresome for me as it was for him, so we made it a game to race ahead with Ernhardt’s knights.

Every time we stopped for a break, Bill’s enthusiastic eating made my appetite return as well. His noisy chatter, which used to annoy me, now seemed like a distant memory.

We joked around as if we were already traveling together, occasionally sparring with the basics of the Imperial Sword Style in a mock duel. Before we knew it, we had reached the capital.

I thought to myself that with such a companion, even long journeys would never be boring.

And then, in front of the main gate of the Sieron Academy, I met Edwin Kiadris.