By Zephyria 
The sun was good today too. No matter where I looked in the high sky, it was full of clear blue light, making me think it was good to come out for a walk.
A warm breeze swept past my head, and I had to brush back my fluffy hair once again. Seeing it obstruct my vision so bothersomely, I thought it was time for a haircut.
Because I was more accustomed to using my body than speaking, while walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Rubel, the laughter of children chattering in the distance sounded closer than the boy’s cautious voice.
I knew the gaze that flickered across my cheek.
It was amusing how, despite knowing that a martial artist who has reached a certain realm can clearly sense even a fleeting glance, the child would quickly straighten his head as if our eyes were about to meet, after briefly scanning my face.
Instead of Rubel, who was only watching and unable to properly start a conversation, I spoke first.
“Did you sleep late yesterday?”
“Huh? Um… No, it’s just… In my dream today.”
“In your dream?”
“…I had a good dream, so I didn’t want to wake up… I think.”
The end of his voice was damp.
I thought I had heard such a voice somewhere before, and as I was thinking, the bright face of Marianne Philodendore flashed in my mind.
Marianne always spoke with a dreamy, damp voice like this when she talked about Glotin Tenner.
Curiosity piqued, I looked up at Rubel’s cheek. He looked back at me, startled, his eyes reddened at the corners.
His face had lost some of the redness from when we first started our walk, but his shy demeanor remained.
“Someone you like?”
“No!”
He denied it vehemently and jumped up, surprising me.
“If it’s no, it’s no, why are you shouting?”
“N-no. I like them… it’s not like that.”
“Then what kind of good dream was it?”
Rubel pondered for a long time, then covered his eyes with one hand and mumbled.
“…I was training my swordsmanship…”
“Ah.”
If it was something like that, it was understandable that he wouldn’t want to wake up, even more so than meeting a soulmate in a dream.
Even in the Central Plains, there were people who gained enlightenment through dreams. I nodded in agreement and asked if it helped his realm, but he said it didn’t, which made me feel a little disappointed.
I advised him that recalling dreams multiple times could also aid in training. At that, Rubel Anti Searon somehow looked like a wilting flower again, fading away.
Since the weather was nice and I didn’t want to go back into the library, I pondered for a moment and then sat on a suitable bench, unfolding some handouts.
Organizing my notes was necessary, but it was also good to listen to Rubel’s explanations as I flipped through the handouts one by one.
Professor Calypse Agrigent’s classes were like memorizing texts, precisely hitting only the core points, whereas Rubel’s explanations were much richer because he added various supplementary details and examples.
As we chatted, it was perhaps natural that the topic of Marianne came up.
As one ages, seeing clouds reminds them of their children, and seeing food reminds them of their grandchildren.
Although Marianne was not my blood relative, she had been acting so charming and chattering so affectionately lately that I couldn’t help but worry about her.
I had subtly hinted once that I wanted Marianne to introduce me to Glotin Tenner.
Marianne initially agreed, but later shyly refused, declaring that she would arrange a gathering with friends only after she and Glotin became closer.
Before that, she even made me promise firmly not to seek him out separately.
Because of that, I, unable to visit Glotin Tenner alone, was as anxious as a grandfather checking the reputation of his potential grandson-in-law.
When I asked Rubel about Glotin Tenner, the boy trailed off.
“…Ah. Those two…”
“Yes, do you know Young Master Tenner well too?”
“I wouldn’t say I don’t know him. After all, I’ve seen him around occasionally…?”
“They say that boy is very kind and good, but I’ve never met him, so I’m curious about what kind of person he is.”
“Hmm… Can I look into it a bit more before I tell you? I don’t really know myself right now.”
It was a welcome thought.
According to Shayden, Rubel also had a good eye for people and kept good people around him.
I also had a hidden agenda: if Glotin Tenner impressed Rubel this time, it might help Marianne achieve her goals later, no matter what she decided to do.
Rubel, who had been silently agreeing with me, suddenly asked something strange.
“Young Master Ernhardt, what is your ideal type?”
“Ideal type?”
“Someone you’d want as a soulmate, what kind of person would that be… Don’t you have one?”
“Well. I don’t think I can get married.”
“Huh?”
“Hmm?”
I looked up in surprise as the child stood up abruptly, looking overly shocked.
In his haste, my notes and books tumbled down.
It was amusing to see his usually gentle eyes widen like saucers, and I let out a small chuckle. The boy, blushing, stammered and lowered his head.
The conversation paused as the flustered child busily picked up the fallen items. I helped him too.
“Ah, no. I was just surprised. Why… do you think you can’t get married?”
“Well.”
I closed my mouth, unable to say it was because my current body and mind were mismatched.
My current body was thirteen years old. According to Shierun customs, a suitable age gap for choosing a soulmate would be within ten years, above or below. I didn’t have the confidence to marry women who were only around twenty.
In my younger days, I had considered it my duty as the eldest son to marry and have children when I grew older.
However, if I were to pass on the name Ernhardt to Michael, it would be better for me not to have any descendants.
Seeing Rubel’s face turn red as he waited for my answer, I realized he was also a young man of Geomancy. It was the perfect age. A natural smile spread across my face.
“First of all… it’s because I don’t know much about feelings of affection. I wouldn’t be able to return the love I receive. I don’t want to see the person I keep by my side sad because of my immaturity.”
“…You have no intention of getting married?”
“Probably.”
The thought of myself, holding an unknown young person by my side and whispering words of love, made me feel embarrassed and awkward, so I gave up on the idea.
There would be no greater foolishness than that in my old age. If I committed such a grave sin, I believed I would have to enter the Wall-Facing Cave and eat only grain pills for forty-nine days, washing myself in cold water.
As I firmly shook my head, the child asked in a trembling voice,
“…Then, by any chance, a man…?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“Ah. Ah, sorry. No, it’s just… I was wondering.”
I cut him off with a surprised, firm tone.
At the same time, I realized how much feelings of affection were valued here in Shierun, seeing Rubel’s reaction. Since I had no intention of marrying a woman, his question about whether I liked men was surprisingly casual.
Even in the Central Plains, there were tales of men forming soulmate bonds, called Dan-su, but I had never seen it up close, so it was beyond my imagination.
I was perplexed by the unexpected question, but since Rubel apologized repeatedly, I told him it was fine.
“Speaking of which, Senior, what is your ideal type?”
“Me? I… I think I like someone who is beautiful and strong.”
“Indeed, if one is to become the mother of a nation, a strong person would be good.”
“Mm…”
I patted his shoulder, wishing him to meet a good person, and he covered his face with both hands as if to hide his embarrassed expression.
I tried hard not to laugh seeing his ears turn bright red again.
As dusk began to fall, I returned to the library with the child and finished organizing my notes.
Rubel studied with such concentration that he didn’t lift his head once, which filled me with satisfaction, thinking he would be an excellent candidate for Emperor.
❖ ❖ ❖
It was Monday of the third week since the semester began.
In the beginner swordsmanship class today, we practiced forms and styles. One child asked how long one had to spend perfecting the forms of swordsmanship.
I was astonished. To think that the practice of the sword had an end; if I were the instructor, I would have severely reprimanded them.
I had first held a sword at the age of five and had never put it down for over forty years, practicing every day. Until the moment of my death, I could not be certain if my sword was drawing the right line.
The sword was something that could be endlessly corrected if one sought to, and endlessly flawed if one sought to.
Moreover, in the swordsmanship department classes at Shierun Academy, one does not learn only one sword art. It is a process of observing various sword arts to find one that suits the body, making the completion of swordsmanship even more elusive.
How could a child who had not yet reached the realm of Sword Energy Manifestation (the skill to create Sword Energy, usable upon reaching the Transcendent Peak or Sword Master realm) discuss its end?
Naturally, it was only fitting to hone it until the day one dies, so I was somewhat displeased. However, Maelo Sanson responded kindly.
“Next month, we will have to learn how to spar using the sword forms we’ve been practicing like this.”
“Sparring? With the Professor?”
“Do you want to fight me?”
“No!”
The other children burst into laughter at the child’s disgusted reaction. I still did not smile.
“By sparring a lot with swordsmen of similar skill, one’s perception improves. With your sparring partner right beside you, why would you look elsewhere? Observe and learn each other’s swordsmanship well. The sword seen from the side and the sword seen from the front will be very different.”
“Yes!”
The child who had asked the question replied cheerfully and began swinging his sword again, as he had at first. My heart softened.
I realized belatedly that there was no need to get angry over the shallowness of thought that came with their young age. Swallowing my embarrassment, I too focused on drawing my sword correctly.
I had already experienced sparring extensively in the advanced swordsmanship class. It was indeed a sound teaching method. It was particularly excellent as a way to guide lower-tier swordsmen, those of the third and second-rate.
The entire process—building physical strength first, refining sword arts, sparring, and learning combined attacks—was so smooth and exemplary that I made sure to remember it well.
I intended to refer to it when training the Magnolia Knights of House Ernhardt later.