Reincarnated as a Genius Prodigy of a Prestigious Family - Chapter 6

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Reincarnated as a Legendary Talent Genius of a Noble Family Episode 6

 

 

 

3. Seventh Birthday (2)

 

 

That said, it wasn’t wrong.

Because I’m handsome.

It’s true.

Even I think I have a handsome face.

Silver hair and large eyes, a prominent nose and a beautiful jawline.

It’s a bit awkward to say this, but compared to my previous life, it’s incomparably handsome.

So I said what Leila was expecting to hear.

“You’re pretty too.”

Leila smiled with her eyes and replied.

“Thank you. Actually, I feel good when I see handsome people. Whether they’re men or women. That’s why I felt good earlier. Honestly, I don’t really like following Father around everywhere, but earlier I thought it was good that I came.”

“Then that’s fortunate. Our territory is a peaceful and nice place.”

Leila continued as if she was truly envious.

“It seems that way. Our Termion Territory is always noisy. Nobles come to visit Father every day and bow to him, and sometimes people from the Imperial Palace come too. I have to dress up and go out to greet them each time. I’d rather dress comfortably and swing a sword.”

Leila then briefly swung her sword through the air.

Moonlight reflecting along the blade.

“What about you?”

“I like everything. It’s not always bustling like the Capital. But I also look forward to the time I spend with my spear every day.”

“Spear? Oh, right. Count Sogress’s nickname was ‘Blue Gale.’ I’ve heard it from Father several times. He said you’re an incredibly amazing person.”

The corners of my mouth lifted without me realizing it.

“Duke Termion is the same.”

“Right. My father is amazing. So… I wonder if I can ever become as strong as Father. I have thoughts like that.”

It wasn’t really a concern a seven-year-old should have, but I could still see the seriousness in it.

“Oh, so you’re training with the spear?”

“For now?”

“Then you’re also aiming to enter the Academy.”

I shook my head.

“No. I’m not training with the spear for that reason.”

“Why not? Of course you train to enter the Academy! Just getting in there is so difficult.”

“I’m not training with the spear to enter the Academy, but so I can do even better after I enter the Academy.”

Was what I said too high-level for a seven-year-old?

Leila didn’t seem to understand.

“What if you can’t get into the Academy?”

“I’ll have to try again next time. If that doesn’t work either, then maybe it’s not my path.”

“…Aren’t you afraid of disappointing your family?”

I tilted my head.

“Well. I’m not sure.”

Neither Father nor Mother, nor my sisters, nor anyone else had told me I absolutely had to go to the Academy.

Rather than an atmosphere where they naturally expected me to do well on my own, there was more of an atmosphere where everyone hoped I would follow their respective specialties.

But they weren’t people who put pressure on me either.

But it seemed Leila’s family wasn’t like that.

“I’m envious… Our family doesn’t tolerate failure… Ah. Please pretend you didn’t hear what I just said.”

Leila lowered her head in embarrassment.

I just shrugged my shoulders, pretending not to have heard.

“Ah. The wind seems to have been blowing strongly for a while now?”

I didn’t want to be petty enough to tell on someone about something a kid accidentally said.

Leila looked at me quietly, then smiled brightly.

“Thank you. As a reward, want to see my swordsmanship? Our Termion Family’s swordsmanship can’t be displayed just anywhere.”

No wonder she was so startled when I made my presence known earlier.

A family secret, something like that?

Actually, having rolled endlessly on battlefields, I’d seen countless swordsmanship styles from families that prided themselves on being famous, so I wasn’t particularly moved.

Of course, most warriors and knights were very reluctant to have their training sessions spied on. Partly because they were embarrassed, but also because swordsmanship was their livelihood among them.

Of course, I had caught a glimpse earlier.

Still, I didn’t want to crush this kid’s pride.

“Alright. I’ll watch carefully.”

I settled myself by the fountain.

Leila’s eyes sparkled as she began to display her swordsmanship.

Swoosh, swish!

It was definitely good swordsmanship.

The fact that swordsmanship displayed by a seven-year-old’s hands felt impressive was proof of that.

I could tell the transitions between offense and defense were natural, and the timing for exploiting weaknesses was excellent.

Even I, who had reached Quad-level in just over ten years and was evaluated as capable of reaching Hexa-level, thought it was excellent swordsmanship.

Then suddenly I noticed that Leila’s swordsmanship started to go strangely awry from a certain point.

The stable swordsmanship form she had been displaying gradually became distorted, and soon it became no different from wild swinging.

But I waited until the swordsmanship was finished.

“How was it?”

“It was cool.”

“Tch. That’s all?”

“Really cool. It was a pleasure to watch.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But… from the third sword form, your feet seem to keep moving half a step forward?”

“Huh?”

Leila was flustered.

Don’t tell me she didn’t know?

“Me?”

“Compared to the existing forms, it seems that way. I’m not sure if that’s how it’s supposed to be, but at least because of that half step forward, all the sword forms after that feel off.”

Leila stared at me blankly.

Did I speak too harshly?

Oh no, I thought. I had criticized another family’s swordsmanship, not even our own. A noble’s daughter would have strong pride too.

“If I offended you, I’m sorry. It’s been a while since I’ve seen swordsmanship…”

“That was it.”

Leila exclaimed.

“What I kept failing to realize!”

And suddenly she ran over and hugged me.

For a moment, I swallowed hard.

It wasn’t because I felt my heart flutter from a kid’s hug.

“Thank you so much! Dane Sogress!”

“But put the sword down first…”

“Oops!”

Leila hurriedly stepped back and quickly put her sword in its scabbard.

I aged ten years.

I could have been killed if something went wrong.

“So this was why. Why my swordsmanship kept going wrong from the Fourth Form. Thank you, Dane Sogress. I’ll definitely remember this.”

You don’t need to remember, but I hope next time you’ll put your sword in its scabbard before approaching.

“Oh. I was away from my seat for too long. Well then, see you later at the banquet hall!”

And Leila quickly disappeared from sight.

I thought I should follow her, but figured she would manage to return to the banquet hall just fine on her own.

Hmm.

Should I have brought my spear too?

Just as I was feeling slightly regretful.

“Dane, there you are.”

I turned my head at the familiar voice I heard.

Mother was standing there, having approached without me noticing.

Truly befitting a former assassin.

“Mother. Were you looking for me?”

“It’s almost time to receive your gift, but our youngest was nowhere to be seen.”

Mother looked to be in a good mood.

“It seems you’ve made a friend too, so mom is feeling really good today.”

“Me too.”

It was an unexpected encounter, but that made it all the more fascinating.

“She seemed to be from the Termion family, what did you two talk about?”

“Just, swordsmanship and the Academy and…”

I didn’t mention the story Leila had accidentally brought up, just as I had thought earlier.

I wasn’t sure if Mother had heard, but she wasn’t the type to bring up topics first when I didn’t ask about them.

Suddenly I asked Mother about the Academy.

“By the way Mother, is the Academy a place I must attend?”

“Well? Mom never attended the Academy herself.”

Mother smiled gently.

“When mom’s friends went to the Academy, I received assassination lessons from Grandfather.”

Definitely, Mother is scarier than Father.

“Of course I wanted to go to the Academy and be with my friends. But once I actually learned it, assassination was interesting too.”

“Ah…”

“Dane. Don’t worry. Learning real assassination will come much later. If our Dane is still interested by then, that is. For now, I plan to teach you things like the stealth arts, infiltration, and tracking you’re learning – things that will help our youngest in the future even if not for assassination.”

That makes sense.

On the battlefield, you don’t only engage in frontal combat.

You have to perform various missions like secretly infiltrating the enemy camp to eavesdrop on information or sniping key figures when necessary.

“But for today, since it’s the day of the banquet, just relax and enjoy yourself.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Oh, aren’t you disappointed that your sisters couldn’t come?”

I shook my head at those words.

“If my sisters gave up their midterm exams to come for my birthday, I think I’d feel more troubled instead.”

At those words, Mother made a complicated expression. Soon she knelt down and stroked my head.

“Dane. You don’t need to answer by only considering other people. You’re still young. If you’re disappointed, it’s okay to say you’re disappointed.”

I hesitated for a moment, then mumbled.

“I’m disappointed.”

“Right?”

“Yes. I miss my sisters.”

Honestly, I do miss them.

Even though I possess Agrik’s memories intact, I’m living as Dane Sogress, the youngest son of this family.

I was just unconsciously trying to act like an adult.

It would be stranger if I didn’t miss my sisters who used to dote on me and chatter away when I was a baby who couldn’t even speak properly.

And…

Because this was the very image of the ideal family I had longed for in my previous life.

“They’ll definitely come during vacation. Because they’re sisters who love Dane more than anyone else in the world.”

Perhaps living like a child until it’s time to mature would be happiness too.

Mother and I returned to the banquet hall.

“Oh, the star of today’s birthday has arrived. Hahaha!”

“Young Master Dane. Please try some of this stew. The flavor is very rich.”

I went around several tables eating food, and also encountered Leila, who was acting like a proper lady as if nothing had happened.

However, Leila was having some conversation with her father Duke Termion, so we only exchanged eye greetings.

I glanced at Duke Termion.

He looked quite different from when he had cut me down, as expected.

I could feel the dignity of a noble, but there was no scent of blood.

I’m curious.

Does he remember me?

In the midst of this, music suddenly played and a platform was set up at the end of the banquet hall, beginning the long-awaited gift ceremony.

“Dane! Hahaha. Come over here.”

Father looked quite pleased.

With six mana cores, he couldn’t possibly be drunk, but there are days when you feel good even without being drunk.

Today seemed to be that day for Father.

“Dane, I sincerely congratulate you on your seventh birthday.”

Father had already given me a short spear as a gift.

So Mother handed me a present.

It was a small, well-wrapped box.

“Your first mana core, congratulations. And happy birthday, Dane, with all my heart.”

Mother’s bright smile was visible.

“Go ahead and unwrap it.”

When I unwrapped the gift, inside I could see a brooch made with the Sogress family crest.

A golden lion entwined by a serpent.

I already knew about this elegantly embossed brooch.

Because it was something Big Sister and Little Sister had each received on their seventh birthdays, and they had bragged to me about it.

“Treasure it, Dane. From now on, this brooch will prove your status and honor.”

I nodded.

It was a gift more precious than anything else in the world.

Mother whispered softly.

“If you do well in your lessons, I’ll give you a weapon like dad did, so don’t be too disappointed.”

How could I be disappointed?

When I received such a precious gift.

Mother took the brooch and personally pinned it to my chest, and applause erupted from the audience.

“Young Master Dane! Happy birthday!”

“Grow up to be as wonderful as the Count!”

I had always been a member of the family, but the moment I received the brooch, it felt like I could truly use the Sogress name.

Of course, it didn’t feel like recognition at this point at all.

Rather, it was closer to meaning that since the time had come, I should walk around with my chest out even more proudly.

“Thank you, Father, Mother.”

My parents smiled warmly seeing me like that.

If my sisters had been here too, I could have seen those bright smiles two more times.

Just as I was thinking that.

Thud!

Suddenly the entire banquet hall shook with vibrations.

Silence fell and screams erupted from all directions.

Vibrations spreading from the middle of the banquet hall.

“Everyone stay calm! Knights, draw your weapons!”

The sound of swords being drawn could be heard.

Everyone was moving busily, and Father and the knights surrounded the center of the banquet hall, which was the source of the vibrations.

I was also gulping down my dry saliva when it happened.

Rumble rumble rumble….

As the vibrations gradually subsided, suddenly a teleport gate appeared in mid-air. And the person who appeared was….

“Dane! I’m not late, am I?”

It was Big Sister.

Sister Arabella, who should have been diligently preparing for midterm exams at the Academy.

“….”

“…Oh, isn’t that Miss Arabella?”

“It… seems like it?”

Everyone was speechless and stared blankly at Big Sister’s appearance.

Father, of course, and even the knights who had drawn their weapons and were extremely tense.

Only Mother covered her mouth with a low exclamation of “Oh my.”

“Huh? Did I make too flashy an entrance?”

Yes, flashy indeed.

Very much so.

“So Miss Arabella just used teleport magic?”

“My goodness. I heard you need to be at least 5-Chain to barely open a tiny gate!”

“To think such a genius is our young lady!”

She is indeed a genius.

But who could have imagined she would open a teleport gate in the center of the banquet hall.

And all to celebrate her youngest brother’s birthday.

“But I had no choice! To open a gate at the exact location I wanted from this distance! I’ve been gathering mana for a whole year for this day! Without anyone knowing!”

I finally burst into laughter.

What must have looked like the brightest smile in the world.

But this wasn’t the end.

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

A roar came from outside the banquet hall.

A roar so massive it made everyone’s bodies flinch.

The moment everyone turned their heads toward the window, they could see it.

A massive wyvern and….

Little Sister mounted on top of that wyvern.

Thud!

The unmistakable sound of the wyvern landing could be heard, then the banquet hall doors opened.

“My goodness, it’s a wyvern!”

“It’s, it’s Miss Claire!”

A gray wyvern with its wings spread wide.

Little Sister could be seen landing lightly from it and walking over majestically.

“Miss Claire came too….”

“I heard she’s a genius summoner, indeed!”

“Was Miss Claire sixteen years old?”

Little Sister looked at me near the platform at the opposite end, then finally relaxed her stern expression and smiled.

“Dane.”

Little Sister, who should also have been at the Academy, had come here as well.

“Happy birthday, my brother.”

Just to say those words.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————