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

They introduced each other by name.

Oliver Combine, a friend of Glotin Tenner, was a senior I shared a “Water Magic” class with, so I had exchanged greetings with him a few times. However, this was the first time I saw Glotin Tenner, Marianne’s lover, up close.

Marianne always talked about how Glotin Tenner was so bright and handsome, but Glotin was not much different from the average person in Siren.

His hair was a clear, bright blue, like the color of a lake on a clear day, and it was so striking that it could be spotted from far away. His eyes were a deep green.

He had round eyes, a high nose, and a slim face, but I still couldn’t quite understand if that combination made him handsome. He wore large glasses, which made his big eyes stand out as the thin lenses magnified them.

Curious, I couldn’t take my eyes off Glotin’s face, and Marianne quickly stepped between us, blocking my view.

“Why are you looking at him like that? You’re wearing him out.”

“What?”

“…Marianne, no. I’m not worn out…”

Glotin Tenner, flustered, caught Marianne’s sleeve and stopped her. I stood there for a moment, confused about what she meant, when I felt Shayden, trying to stifle a laugh, pull my sleeve and teasingly say the same thing.

“Why are you looking at him like that? Mika, you’re wearing out too.”

“Handsome ones just stand there while their guardians work hard to protect them.”

“Protecting? What do you mean by that?”

“That’s just how it is, that’s all.”

Everyone laughed out loud, and I couldn’t help but join in, though I was still puzzled. I decided I’d ask Shayden to explain it to me later, suppressing my confusion.

As we stood there, wasting time just looking at each other, Shayden checked the time and, in a friendly tone, invited the two seniors to join us for a meal. The plan was to buy what we needed, take care of our errands, and meet at a set time.

Even Jenny, who usually feels awkward around strangers, seemed more interested in Marianne’s lover and had no sign of hesitation. Since Marianne seemed unwilling to part from Glotin, I also gladly agreed and suggested we go.

After parting from the two boys, Marianne, nervously laughing, quickly covered her flushed cheeks with her hands. Her still pink face looked bright, as if it was blushing with emotion.

“Do you really like him that much?”

“Mm… Ah, do you think it’s awkward? I suddenly… ”

“It was me who suggested we eat first, though. I also wanted to get closer to Tenner.”

“Is Tenner-senpai part of the business department?”

“Yes. I’ve heard he’s doing well academically.”

Shayden and Damian answered kindly, comforting Marianne. Marianne took a few deep breaths, calming herself, and then raised her fist with determination.

“Let’s hurry and go buy some artifacts!”

“Yeah!”

Jenny, cheerfully responding, raised her fist high like Marianne. I briefly hesitated whether I should follow suit, but seeing the boys smile and watch, I just grabbed my things and followed behind.

—

The table was large, as there were many children gathered around.

On top of the white cloth, a huge platter of food was placed, with tongs for each person to serve themselves.

Instead of focusing on the food, everyone was busy asking each other questions.

The others asked Glotin Tenner about various things, and though Glotin Tenner hadn’t eaten much yet, he drank some beverages and answered their questions. No one seemed to mind that the food was cooling down.

Only Ivan and I kept eating steadily.

The questions, which started with professors from the business department and academic courses, soon shifted to Glotin Tenner’s family relations and friends.

Though there seemed to be an overwhelming amount of questions, Glotin Tenner was gentle and didn’t seem to mind, so I let it go.

“Among your friends… I guess Oliver and I are the closest,” Glotin said.

“I don’t think so.”

“Even though you say that, you only hang out with me.”

Oliver muttered with a slightly displeased tone, clearly uncomfortable.

I wasn’t sure if he was upset that no one was paying attention to him, or if it was because we had awkwardly intruded on their private conversation, or if he was just the kind of person who dislikes things in general.

I remembered him as being quite kind when we interacted in class before, which made this seem odd.

On the other hand, Glotin kept a soft smile on his face and, despite being busy rejecting food from a cheerfully serving Marianne, was polite and continued to answer the questions.

“We were born around the same time, Oliver and I. We first met as playmates when we were about five, and we’ve been close ever since. After all this time, I can tell what he’s thinking without him saying anything.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Then, what am I thinking now?”

Marianne’s eyes sparkled as she asked, and Glotin Tenner answered playfully.

“Hmm, I’m thinking that Lady Philodendor is beautiful?”

“What? That’s what you’re thinking, not what Gliri Oppa thinks!”

Marianne burst into laughter, lightly tapping Glotin’s arm. Unlike the sharp gestures she used when she hit me and Benjamin, this was a delicate and graceful motion, like a butterfly fluttering.

As I watched the two of them happily interact, I was suddenly taken aback.

Oliver Combine’s face had hardened into a stiff expression.

It wasn’t just me who noticed this. Shayden immediately changed the subject.

Thanks to that, I learned that Glotin Tenner had many pets when he was younger and that he still has an eight-year-old dog at his family home.

During the conversation about the dog, Oliver Combine also added some remarks, as he usually did.

Oliver shared that when Glotin was a child, he loved reading books but would still go out regularly for walks in the garden with his dog, always taking care of it.

The stories they shared were all so warm that I began to wonder if I had misjudged the unfamiliar faces I had seen earlier.

After a particularly long meal, no one seemed eager to leave, so we set aside dessert and ordered additional tea and treats, continuing to chat.

As we talked, the two seniors and my friends grew closer. It felt just like when I, as a close friend of Je-Gal Amugae, could speak freely with Mo Yong-Yeon.

We compared how we knew Marianne versus how Glotin knew her, and playfully tested Glotin with some mischievous questions.

Glotin was never flustered by any question.

Even from the way he answered, it was clear that he was a sharp guy.

Jenny, who had taken a few spoonfuls of ice cream, smiled brightly and asked another playful question.

“So, are you two going to get married?”

That was the first question Glotin Tenner couldn’t immediately answer.

A brief moment of silence followed, and it felt very awkward. Jenny, too, couldn’t hide her surprised expression. Glotin Tenner, still smiling faintly, took a moment before responding with a question of his own.

“Do you think… Marianne would accept my proposal?”

“Oh, you must be crazy!”

Marianne immediately let out a scream, sounding almost like a shriek.

This time, Glotin winced in pain as Marianne slapped him lightly, and he gave an exaggerated “Ow, ow” in response. His actions made him look like a smooth-talking fox wearing glasses.

Not wanting to hear any more of that, I looked back at Oliver’s expression. He, too, seemed playful, shaking his hands as he made a sour face, much like the other boys.

Feeling a little embarrassed for having misunderstood, I picked up my teacup and took a sip to calm myself.

After chatting for a while, it was late into the evening, so we called for two carriages to head back to the academy.

Marianne and Jenny were separately taken by the two seniors, who offered to escort them to the girls’ dormitory. We boarded our carriage, and just as the door closed, I noticed an unusual exchange of glances between Damien and Shayden.

“Is this alright?” Damien asked.

“…I’m not sure,” Shayden replied.

“What do you mean by that?”

Instead of Shayden, who hesitated, Damien spoke up.

“I think there was something strange about Oliver Combine.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s not certain, but… I feel like he doesn’t quite like the idea of Glotin and Marianne being together.”

That much was obvious to me too.

I had talked about Oliver and this matter with Shayden before, so I glanced at him. He easily picked up on my thoughts and shrugged.

“I think there are three possible scenarios.”

“What are they?”

“First, Oliver might also like Marianne. It’s not uncommon for someone to fall for their friend’s crush… You never really know if it’s fate until the wedding ceremony. I mean, divorce is rare in Siren Empire, but that’s beside the point.”

“Mm.”

“Second, maybe Glotin doesn’t like Marianne. This could be a misunderstanding because Glotin is smooth and very charming with his words… Remember when the topic of marriage came up? He hesitated for a brief moment, like he had never thought about it before. His expression never changed, and he kept smiling the whole time.”

“Mm… And the third?”

Shayden paused for a moment, and Ivan, who had been silently listening, leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand and listening carefully.

Meanwhile, Damien exhaled deeply and sank back into his seat. Shayden, in a similar posture, continued speaking.

“The third possibility is that both the first and second things could be true at the same time.”

“…But Marianne, she…”

“Right, Marianne likes Glotin Tenner. She’s really into him, it’s obvious from the way she acts.”

I felt a strange unease but couldn’t pinpoint why. After hearing Shayden’s explanation, I felt uncomfortable, almost like I had a lump in my throat, and I couldn’t say anything more. From that point on, the carriage ride back was quiet.

Just before we arrived, Damien finally spoke up with one piece of advice.

“For now, let’s worry, but don’t get involved.”

Everyone nodded in silence, agreeing with his words.