By Zephyria 
The cool glass dome was filled with Evergreen Trees, whose small, pointed leaves were known to withstand winter well. We walked along the connecting passageway.
At some point, a sweet floral scent tickled my nose, and I turned my gaze.
Thump. The sensation underfoot changed. Until a moment ago, it had been a hard stone floor, but suddenly, I was stepping on soft, yielding soil.
“Spring Flower Greenhouse.” As I read the large letters aloud, Damian smiled and teased me, saying I was acting like a child now.
I felt a bit awkward, as I hadn’t thought reading a sign aloud was childish.
Everywhere, flowers bloomed in vibrant clusters, a dazzlingly beautiful sight.
Was every inch from the high ceiling to the floor touched by human hands? Glass was carved like jewels and hung among the flowers, sparkling brilliantly.
I imagined this must be what it looked like where Immortals frolicked.
There was a stall selling bouquets made from flowers that bloomed and faded quickly, so I bought one and handed it to Jenny.
In return, Jenny bought a palm-sized pot and placed it in my hand.
Confused, as there was only soil and no plant in the pot, I looked at it. The merchant smiled ingratiatingly and spoke to me.
He called it a “Random Pot” and said that if cared for well, it would sprout and bloom, but no one knew what kind of flower it would be.
He said waiting for it was part of the fun, and I nodded, but having never grown a single plant myself, I hesitated to accept it immediately.
Shayden, who had been peeking in occasionally, offered to help me grow it, so I thanked him and took the pot.
Jenny, hugging the bright spring flowers and spinning around, was so cute that I couldn’t help but smile.
For dinner, we went to eat the fresh flower course meal that Jenny had wanted to try.
A salad topped with a generous amount of broad, colorful flowers, and a soup rich with cream and milk were served as appetizers. The main dish was steak, garnished with something resembling soil, and decorated with herbs and fresh flowers.
I poked the garnish with my fork and tasted it. It was made from potatoes, bacon, and dark cheese, mixed together and shaped to look like light-colored soil.
The plate was decorated like a garden, and I was so fascinated that I couldn’t cut into the meat right away, staring at it for a long time. Shayden suddenly brought up an old memory.
“All the flowers here are edible, so you can eat them. I can’t buy you wisteria flowers, but eat plenty of these.”
“Wisteria flowers?”
“That was ages ago.”
“It hasn’t even been a year yet! You told me to eat them, then told me not to. It was so absurd.”
Jenny, who was picking a petal and chewing it with a bright smile, asked in confusion. Shayden laughed and exaggerated the story of me wanting to eat stir-fried wisteria flowers to the children.
Without replying, I cut my portion of the meal into bite-sized pieces and ate it.
Listening to the various stories drifting around, I chimed in a few times, enjoying the meal.
When the topic of House Ernhardt’s garden came up, Shayden and Damian knew more than I did, which made me feel a bit sheepish.
All the children present knew the names of many flowers.
I now realized that learning the names of flowers and examining them one by one would help me distinguish medicinal herbs from poisonous ones. I reflected on my past, when I thought memorizing flower names was only suitable for a lady.
However, after taking the Camping Class, I hadn’t stayed at Young Count Ernhardt’s Residence long enough to bother learning the names of those flowers.
When Jenny, who could guess the colors of the flowers in Ernhardt’s garden just by hearing their names, imagined a scene filled with white and pink flowers swaying gently, she said it must be very pretty. I made a blank promise to invite her over sometime.
Ivan, hearing this, stared at me intently. I cut him off, explaining that the flowers were planted not for me, but for my mother.
The conversation also turned to what I did on Tuesday afternoons with Professor Douglas Mustang and Mage Boulder.
Damian marveled at me, a first-year student, having private meetings with professors, but Shayden was more interested in how special my Internal Energy cultivation method must be.
Without going into deep detail, I mentioned that I would show them once Boulder had properly compiled his report.
I listened attentively as they discussed the subjects they were currently taking in the Academic Affairs, Business Administration, and Law departments.
Jenny, aiming for the Imperial Palace’s Secretariat, expressed her consistent interest in history, particularly matters concerning the common people.
Ivan spoke about mathematics, while Damian passionately argued about outdated laws that should be abolished and new ones that should be enacted.
“To do that, first, you need to maintain your current grades until graduation. In the third year, everyone studies like crazy due to job pressure, so there’s a lot you need to prepare in advance.”
“You can be selected as an Imperial Palace official right after graduation?”
“Well… usually, you’re eighteen when you graduate from the Academy.”
Knowing I didn’t understand, Damian explained in more detail.
“You know about debuting in high society at fifteen, right?”
“Mm. I’ve heard that a lot.”
“And that in the Sierran Empire, you become one year old the year you’re born, and another year older each passing year?”
“…I know that much. So?”
“Haha, just in case. Anyway, with that calculation, you become eligible for marriage at fifteen. That’s also why the Academy entrance exam, publicly announced, is held on the first week of December every year. They announce the successful candidates on the third week of December, and you need to distribute invitations for the Debutante event in January.”
“Mm.”
“Of course, Michael isn’t old enough yet, and he entered the Academy through a relative’s recommendation instead of the entrance exam, so he wouldn’t know.”
Indeed.
I naturally understood how ages were counted by passing seasons, but I had no idea that the parties the children talked about, like attending a ball or a tea party in the summer, had already begun in January.
I silently nodded, urging them to continue.
“Although marriage registration is possible from the age of fifteen, unless there are special circumstances like early graduation, deferred graduation, or repeating a year, most people graduate the Academy at eighteen. It’s common to date for two to three years after that before getting married.”
“Mm.”
“…This is just a general rule, so it doesn’t apply to everyone, of course.”
I knew the boy’s added remark was made with my parents in mind. I nodded silently again. Jenny quickly interjected.
“What Damian said is probably about nobles with titles. For commoners in the provinces, it’s common for them to have simple weddings and start living together at seventeen or eighteen. Each province rents out wedding venues, so the wedding ceremony itself doesn’t cost much.”
“Then Jenny too…?”
“My dream is to work hard and earn money to support my parents. I don’t have a man in my life yet.”
After all, in the Central Plains, marriage was permitted at fifteen. By then, boys had taken on the appearance of men, and girls that of women.
All the people I knew were Martial artists who prioritized self-cultivation and training over starting a family, so they were late to marry. However, those who intended to marry became busy soon after passing the age of Geomancy (*fifteen).
Jenny continued to chat cheerfully and casually.
She spoke of how children from common households started earning their own living from the age of twelve, and how even without graduating from the Academy, one could find employment in baronies or duchies from the age of fifteen.
I found it pleasant that the child so candidly shared stories about commoners, and that the children from noble families, who aspired to become Imperial Palace officials, listened so intently.
The Namgung Family was a colossal power.
It was natural that people referred to the Namgung Martial artists as the Great Namgung Family. Including direct and collateral relatives, they numbered over a hundred, and if you added hired martial artists and servants, the total easily exceeded a thousand.
During Namgung Jeong-yeon’s time, I had shown an early talent for martial arts and effortlessly commanded servants, so even after being reborn, I didn’t give much thought to employing them.
Now I understood the hierarchy between retainers and servants, and the procedures one had to follow to find work in a noble household.
I nodded slowly as I was explained that retainers and maids were not just for menial tasks but were responsible for providing what was needed for duties and offering support, requiring titles or extensive knowledge.
Damian added his own story.
“That’s exactly what I want to do. Specifically, I want to become a legal advisor in the Emperor’s secretariat. To do that, I’ll first need to get a job in the Ministry of Justice, gain three years of practical experience, and then pass the promotion exams held every two years to advance four levels.”
“…Huh. Four times every two years.”
“Even if I get promoted without a single setback, it would be around twenty-nine. You can only advance one level per promotion exam.”
After explaining that the Sierran Empire was so vast that many talented individuals were recruited despite such stringent requirements, Damian smiled and looked directly at me.
Caught off guard, I straightened my back and met his gaze. With a mischievous expression, the boy said,
“Still, with Michael around, I’m sure I’ll manage somehow.”
“Hm?”
“You get bonus points on promotion exams if you receive a letter of recommendation. When working in the Imperial Palace, having connections with high-ranking nobles is often helpful in practical matters. When you eventually become a Grand Sword Master, please write me just one recommendation letter.”
“…Huh?”
“Saying I’m a diligent, upright, and honorable friend.”
“Gasp, then me too! I need a recommendation letter too!”
“Please, we’re asking you.”
At Damian’s words, Jenny and Ivan also chirped in noisily, which I found so endearing that I burst into laughter.
I crossed my fingers and promised the three children, all of whom wished to work in the Imperial Palace, that I would definitely become a Grand Sword Master and write them recommendation letters.
It was amusing that the children were so eager to cheer me on for something I myself couldn’t even be sure of.