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

The pale green drink with a yellowish tint, like a new sprout, was sweet in a way I couldn’t quite place. It didn’t help much with thirst, but the sweet taste was pleasant enough that I didn’t say anything about it.

However, I felt a bit awkward because it seemed like all the students at the academy thought I liked sweet food.

Instead of talking about food, I decided to say what was on my mind.

“I want to take a class with Professor Maelro Sanson again next year, but I’m worried because second-year students are supposed to take intermediate swordsmanship… Professor Sanson only taught beginner and advanced swordsmanship this year, after all…”

“By next year, Professor Sanson will be teaching both intermediate and advanced swordsmanship, so it probably won’t be much different.”

“Huh?”

“Do you know how many professors there are in the swordsmanship department? There are four, including Professor Maelro Sanson.”

“…”

“Professor Maelro Sanson is your first-year swordsmanship teacher, right? For second- and third-year swordsmanship, there are different professors for each year. And in case something happens to one of the professors, one of the senior professors comes to substitute, so there’s always someone available.”

“Ah…”

I realized I had been thinking too simplistically.

Of course, the swordsmanship department wasn’t just for first years. I had assumed that Professor Maelro Sanson would teach all years.

It’s a common mistake, as even masters of martial arts forget that a body is only one.

I didn’t understand the connection between different professors for each year and Professor Sanson teaching intermediate swordsmanship next year, so I fell silent. Luver kindly added an explanation in a soothing tone.

“Usually, when a professor takes charge of a class, they teach that class until graduation. The other three professors are also sword masters, so they’re more than qualified to teach both beginner and intermediate swordsmanship. In fact, I don’t have Professor Maelro Sanson as my homeroom teacher.”

“Ah…”

“Of course, Ernhardt Young Master gets along very well with Professor Sanson, but each professor has their own teaching style, so there’s always a preference. For example, if a student wanted to learn about different sword techniques and their characteristics, they probably wouldn’t be a good match for Professor Sanson.”

“Why would anyone want to learn swordsmanship only theoretically?”

“They’d be studying it for research?”

“…Ah.”

I was momentarily speechless at the obviousness of his answer.

That’s right. Even Douglas Mustang wasn’t just practicing swordsmanship for himself; there were scholars researching ways to strengthen not just themselves but also hundreds or even thousands of others, supporting Sieran’s foundation.

I opened my mouth to say something, but then stopped. After giving me a moment to think, Luver smiled and continued speaking.

“Since intermediate and advanced swordsmanship are usually taught by the homeroom professors, your schedule is generally set up to accommodate their classes. If your style doesn’t match the professor’s, you can attend another professor’s class, but you’d have to take it with students from other years.”

“…Hmm.”

“Of course, for advanced swordsmanship, only students with the potential to become sword masters qualify, so Professor Maelro Sanson teaches it every year. But if Ernhardt Young Master wants, you could attend only Professor Sanson’s classes until graduation. Don’t worry about it.”

“I see.”

“Of course, there are many assistant professors who teach things like sword techniques that aren’t the main style, so you can choose accordingly. I know a little about some of them too, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask.”

“Yes.”

For now, though, I didn’t have any more questions. After finishing the meal, I felt content and didn’t want any more desserts after the third plate. So, I suggested we visit the other greenhouses, and Luver agreed eagerly.

There was a space that had been closed off earlier, but now the door was open, so I peered inside.

Soon, the attendant came out and opened the door for us, leading us inside. Unlike the round-shaped greenhouses, this one was sharp and triangular, like a spire. There was another mesh door.

A sound of birds chirping filled the air. Hundreds of birds were flying around, chirping and playing among themselves.

Like many things in Sieran, it was a sight not of the human world.

Between large and vibrant plants with colorful leaves, birds of various sizes, both small and large, flew around, showing off their beautiful plumage.

The birds with soft feathers, seemingly accustomed to humans, came without hesitation. When I spread my hand, one would land on my palm, and when I tilted my head, another would perch on my shoulder.

I stood there, frozen, unable to move.

To catch the one that flew into my arms, I brought both hands forward. As I let one nuzzle against my cheek, I instinctively thought that if it pecked my eye, it would be trouble.

I gently petted the bird under its neck, like a dog or cat, marveling at the soft, melting sensation of its feathers.

Looking around, I realized that Luver and I were the only ones walking on two legs. Everything else in this strange place seemed to be birds.

I followed the words on a sign that was tall enough to reach my chest.

“After 5:00 PM, it’s the birds’ rest time. Food can be purchased at the information booth. Please stay quiet so as not to disturb the birds. When the door opens, please check that no birds follow you…”

The large, heavy bird in my arms resembled a raven.

The feathers at the bird’s tail were adorned with different colored feathers, which looked lovely and intriguing. I even laughed when I saw a long peacock feather stuck in it. What a talented creature. I gently scratched between its wings. The bird opened its beak and yawned widely.

I had never seen a bird yawn before, and it struck me as both funny and fascinating. I turned to look at Luver, and he too had a bird perched on his shoulder.

“Did you see that?”

“Huh? What… what did I see?”

“This little one…”

I realized I had slipped into informal speech and quickly corrected myself.

“Isn’t it adorable to see it yawn?”

“Ah, yes… I saw it too… oh.”

Luver blinked, his black eyes wide in amazement. I couldn’t help but feel a burst of joy thinking about how this scene must have felt to the young child. I gently petted the black bird squirming in my arms as it prepared to fly away, so I let it go.

Some birds, thinking I was offering food, jumped into my open hands, while others suddenly flew onto my shoulder and chirped.

It was both cute and fascinating.

This was the first time I had seen such well-trained creatures in groups. I knew that anyone I knew would be delighted and entertained by this scene.

When I turned to look back at Luver, a bright yellow bird had made a nest on top of his head. I laughed loudly at how cute it was. The still dazed boy blushed and looked embarrassed.

“You look great with that bird on your head. It would be pretty if you added a little decoration too.”

“Uh… I wish you’d help me with it.”

“Why? It’s fine if you leave it a bit longer, right?”

“I… can’t turn my head…”

It was adorable to see him worrying that the bird might fall and get hurt. I carefully cupped the yellow bird on his head and sent it flying far away.

In a cheerful mood, I bought some bird food and sprinkled it around, feeding the birds and enjoying the time.

As we headed to another greenhouse, I couldn’t stop smiling, still thinking about the earlier scene. I brushed off the feathers stuck to my collar and suddenly spoke up.

“Yellow suits you well.”

“Yellow?”

“Like that bird or little chicks.”

“Me? …Me?”

“Yes.”

It was so cute to see him blink his big black eyes and turn to look at me.

I petted his head a couple of times to fix his messy hair. I thought it might be because he had such nice hair, which made me keep touching it.

The soft feathers of the birds I had been petting earlier felt just like his hair.

After playing with the shy young boy for a while, I suggested we take a break and sat down on the bench where Marianne had been with her lover.

In front of us was a large pond, with a fountain rising high in time with the sound of music.

It was amazing to watch the water rise, but the sight of several thin streams of water falling at once and breaking apart felt as refreshing as watching a waterfall.

We sat silently for a while, and when Luver stood up to buy a drink, I allowed him to go.

There were things I hadn’t noticed before, as I had been too busy watching Marianne laughing happily with her friends. Today, I noticed many more details.

I realized I didn’t know I was the kind of person who could laugh so freely. Even when I was left alone and the surroundings became quiet, a smile remained on my lips.

When I took a deep breath, the sharp scent of grass filled my lungs. The sound of drops hitting the water was as lively as the sound of swords clashing. From afar, I could hear music, laughter, and the sound of warm sunlight falling from above…

It was so perfect that a feeling of unease started to creep in.

If I hadn’t learned the rules and principles of how the world works, this happiness would have been unbearable. I tilted my head back to let the light fall on my face.

Every time I realized my own shortcomings, I grew impatient to grow quickly, yet I also wished this moment of happiness would last forever.

The familiar sound of footsteps approached and then paused for a moment.

I didn’t open my eyes, reluctant to let the time pass. Luver stopped at a distance for a long while, unmoving.

I wondered what he was thinking, but didn’t ask.

After some time, he returned with a sweet drink, just like before. We spent the quiet time together. It felt like a peaceful game.

—

The next day, I spent time in the library.

Some of my friends, who had once criticized me for studying after exams, had gathered one by one to work on their camping reports.

Luver, who had originally sat beside me, was joined by Damien and then left to handle some business, saying he would return later.

Jenny and Ivan also came after hearing the news, and we moved to a small meeting room.

We all sat around and leisurely finished our assignments, leaving me feeling relaxed and content.