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

I learned a lot from Professor Calyps Agrizent.

In particular, I memorized the details about the Valentia Duchy and the other four noble families through several tests. Among these, there were, of course, facts about my cousins, Eisen and Hendel.

According to the lessons, Eisen Valentia was a young man striving hard to inherit the ducal title. He was said to be diligent and steadfast, just like his father. Hendel Valentia, on the other hand, was more interested in the financial side of things than in politics. His sharp mind was said to be instrumental in growing the Valentia family’s wealth.

However, I realized that my uncle was not asking about these surface-level facts. I fell silent, lost in thought, unable to respond.

Once again, my uncle casually tossed a question as if skipping stones on a stream.

“I hear you’ve been spending time with Prince Luver lately.”

“…Yes.”

A chill ran down the back of my neck.

Of course, I hadn’t hidden my interactions with Prince Luver. I didn’t push him away, even when others expected me to.

The Siren Academy had its eyes and ears everywhere. Everyone’s actions and behavior were recorded in the Empire’s Noble Yearbook, and my father, William Ernhardt, had mentioned something similar before.

I didn’t think my uncle would be unaware of this.

But I hadn’t expected it. The words coming from the mouth of Count Ernhardt were different in weight than those from the future Duke of Valentia.

Previously, my father had said that he didn’t intend to get deeply involved in political strife but that Ernhardt would align with Valentia’s goals in a lighthearted manner.

But my uncle… the reason Hendel’s story came up first was unclear to me, so I remained quiet, weighing my response.

I felt a large hand on my head, and I looked up. My uncle’s hand, gently smoothing my hair, wasn’t meant to harm me.

I gathered my expression and tried to steady my voice.

“Could you explain?”

“Follow the money, and you’ll see the people behind it.”

It sounded like a riddle.

It was how conversations often went when speaking with elders from the Central Plains, so it oddly comforted me.

Seeing that I was ready to listen calmly, my uncle didn’t remove his hand from my head as he continued.

“You carry the Ernhardt name, but you also have the blood of Valentia in you.”

“Yes.”

“Recently, Richard Flo’s movements in Siren have been unusual.”

Richard was three years older than Luver.

He was now nineteen. In the Central Plains, he would have already been recognized as the heir by this age, so it wasn’t surprising.

“Has there been an assassination threat?”

“…Not quite that severe.”

I had heard something similar from Princess Lucilla, so I wondered if, before the succession struggles between heirs began, there had been an attempt to eliminate certain individuals from the periphery.

It seemed that wasn’t the case yet, thankfully.

My uncle paused for a moment, then began walking. Realizing that this wasn’t a conversation to be had while standing still, I followed his lead.

Although we might have been unrecognizable to anyone nearby, I knew we still needed to be cautious.

“How much do you know about the Yeldythus family?”

“I know that they’re a large family named after Yeldythus, who farm wheat and engage in trade along the great river.”

“Right. They’re quite similar to Valentia, aren’t they?”

“…Yes.”

“Next summer, Richard is expected to be engaged to the eldest daughter of Yeldythus. Wesley Kiadris has been closely attached to Richard, so with two of the five ducal families supporting him, that’s a significant turn of events.”

The Yeldythus and Valentia Duchies were separated by several countships and baronies, but in the grand scheme of things, they stood side by side.

Both families controlled vast plains and produced staple grains like wheat and barley, which were essential to Siren’s economy.

The Yeldythus family, being near a river, had easier access to trade with Yulran, and they were suspected of manipulating the prices of trade goods.

I now understood why the Valentia Duchy had recently focused on maritime research.

The Floyd Kingdom was a small nation, and Luver’s maternal family, the Antines Marquisate, was wealthy and had close ties with the five ducal families. I had once heard from Sheydon that Richard had little chance of succeeding, but now two ducal families had thrown their support behind him.

I hadn’t realized that.

Despite how excellent the Siren Academy was, I was reminded that it was just an institution for teaching children. I had been so focused on memorizing the interpretations already presented to me that I had never truly analyzed the situation.

Everything around me was still, but my mind was in turmoil.

In the Central Plains, the emperor had difficulty overseeing such vast territories. Those closer to the emperor were corrupt officials who didn’t care about the empire’s matters, making it hard for him to show any real interest.

I didn’t concern myself with who would become emperor or how political struggles unfolded, as it didn’t affect my daily life.

However, the imperial throne of Siren would have a significant impact on the country for at least the next half-century.

Every noble was keenly watching and carefully analyzing who would seize power and who would gain influence.

Since I, too, was born a noble of Siren, it was something I had to pay attention to if I didn’t want to become a country bumpkin.

“Which side do you think is more suited for the throne, Uncle?”

“I don’t know which one is more fit for the throne.”

“…Then?”

“However, Valentia has already aligned itself with Prince Luver.”

“Because of me?”

Oscar silently nodded.

I bit my lip, wondering if, without realizing it, I had pushed my family into the heart of the succession struggle.

My uncle grasped my chin and gently pressed it downward, stopping me from biting my lip.

“And it’s also because of Hendel.”

“…My sister?”

“Richard wanted to compare the Yeldythus heiress and Hendel as potential brides. I didn’t want Hendel to become empress.”

Indeed, when choosing a bride for the emperor of Siren, it was natural to first consider the five ducal families.

There were only two ducal families with girls of the same age, and their influence was on par, so it made sense to compare the two.

I recalled Hendel’s face. Calm and composed, she was wise and steadfast, so even if she became empress, she would have carried out her duties well.

Seeing my puzzled expression, my uncle gave a wry smile.

“If such a marriage were to happen, Hendel would be pitied.”

“So, you sent her to Felix, didn’t you?”

“…Yes.”

Had Marianne not caused a fuss over finding her love, I wouldn’t have understood.

However, I already knew how much happiness love could bring to someone. I wished that Hendel, like everyone else, would meet someone beautiful and shine in the same way.

After nodding a few times, my uncle chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

“Hendel said that Richard wasn’t her type. She prefers men who aren’t so transparent.”

“…Hmm.”

“That’s why everyone is looking at you.”

“Me…?”

What more had I done with that child, Luver? I felt a sense of confusion and, unable to hide my startled expression, I looked up at my uncle.

With a smile, my uncle ruffled my hair once again.

“I hope you… will stop Wesley.”

“Wesley? …You mean Wesley Kiadris?”

“Yes. The Grand Sword Master currently attached to Prince Richard.”

“Please explain.”

“Currently, the Duke of Grimsvane doesn’t have the time or energy to concern himself with political struggles. Duke Widro has been estranged from the Kiadris family for some time, so he will side with me.”

“…Hmm.”

“A Grand Sword Master is a rare figure in the thousand-year history of the Siren Empire. While there have been sword masters before, the fact that Maelo Sanson and Wesley Kiadris share the same era is already a big topic of conversation. And you…”

“Were admitted to the academy at the same age as Wesley.”

“Yes. A prodigious talent.”

Honestly, I felt distant.

I had heard many stories about Wesley Kiadris, but I had never seen him in person.

In my past life, it had taken me forty years to reach an extraordinary level. My achievements were built on martial prowess, while Wesley’s were constructed from nothing.

He was a martial artist who had bloomed more brightly in a shorter life. I knew that the title of genius truly suited him.

I wondered how much my own path, one I took step by step relying on Maelo Sanson, could compare.

I feared that on that path, I might not only risk my own life but also the lives of others.

“…If I can’t become a Grand Sword Master…”

“Then Richard will likely ascend to the throne.”

“Will that cause great harm to the Valentia Duchy?”

“I’m not sure. It depends on what kind of person Richard is.”

My uncle continued speaking in a calm tone.

“I don’t think you’re associating with Luver while knowing all of this.”

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

“If you want to preserve your life, don’t make any bold moves. However, if you want to fulfill your ambitions…”

“….”

“Learn to conceal your true intentions.”

I placed my hand on my cheek at his words.

I wasn’t used to reflecting on my own expressions, so I couldn’t tell what face I was making.

The thought crossed my mind that Luver might not be as innocent and gentle as I had believed, and that realization stung.

Hadn’t Sheydon advised me several times? The reason other nobles didn’t find it strange that Luver and I were associating was probably because they assumed he was being kind to me for the sake of the throne.

However, deep down, I knew I was trusting that child’s bright smile, his red ear tips, and his dark, deep eyes.

…On the other hand, I also found Luver more pleasant than Richard, who had broken off his engagement with Hendel, always looking for ways to charm me and wanting me to show affection.

No matter what his true intentions were, now that we were in the same boat, there was no point in avoiding or distancing myself from him.

Come to think of it, I still hadn’t written that letter.

When I told my uncle I was going to write a letter to Luver, he silently handed me some stationery and draped his arm over my shoulder.

His firm and warm hand, like that of a leader, guided the family.