Chapter 1
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Return to Pador Manor
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Watching the massive bird soaring through the sky, it hit me.
This was truly my first life.
The continent of Eneris, where I lived as the youngest son of the Pador Count family, Deyan.
Having grasped the situation to some extent, I called out to Marian in a calmer tone than before.
"Marian."
"Yes?! W-Why, young master?"
Marian, still startled from my earlier behavior, kept flinching.
"...No need to be so scared. I admit the mistake from before."
How was I supposed to know that wasn't a dream but reality?
Marian didn't drop her guard but let out a deep sigh.
"Young master, you're really the young master, right?"
"Of course it's this liege... no, me."
Dang Cheol-woo's habit slipped out uselessly.
I'm not the Supreme Clan Leader of the Sichuan Tang Clan now—I'm the third son of Pador, aren't I?
And sure enough.
Marian shot back.
"This liege...? What's that?"
No way she'd know martial world slang.
Get it together, Dang Cheol-woo—no, Deyan.
At this time, I was an innocent noble boy who knew nothing and thought the world was peaceful and fun, right?
So I had to match that.
I played it cool and replied.
"Did I say that?"
"Yes, but more than that..."
Marian suddenly placed her hand on my forehead and tilted her head.
"No fever..."
"Why check for fever?"
"Well... I thought maybe you're sick. Your speech sounds like an old man in a kid's body."
This is unfair!
Not an old soul—I've seen it all in the martial world at my age.
Can't exactly say that... Frustrating. No, just tell her straight?
Never mind. She's already asking if I'm sick; pushing it would get me labeled crazy.
I swallowed the secret and shook my head at Marian.
"I'm not sick."
I needed to fix my speech first, but I'd lived that way for decades.
And now, I didn't want to act like the spoiled brat around Marian anymore.
Finishing my brief sentiment about Marian, I surveyed the surroundings. If we were here with her on this hill, that place should be visible too.
And as expected, a vast mansion lay below the hill.
I pointed at it and asked Marian.
"Marian, more importantly... that's the mansion I lived in down there, right?"
Marian looked where I pointed and nodded as if it were obvious.
"Of course, young master. The Pador estate, home to the most elegant and great knights on this continent. That's your house."
Confirming once more, I blinked.
Pador.
A nostalgic name. Had I really come back?
As I was swept in strange emotions... Marian urged me.
"Young master, anyway, let's head back. If we're late, Nellin will nag again."
"Nellin... Nellin... That clumsy Nellin?"
"Y-Yes, that Nellin. But young master, why do you keep acting weird? Should we call a doctor...?"
Marian bit her lip seriously.
Any more odd behavior, and she'd really drag a physician—doctor—to me.
Then I'd definitely be treated as a lunatic.
Can't have that.
"Sorry. I was out of it for a moment. The dream was too vivid, I guess."
"I don't know what the dream was, but it sounds like a weird one. Let's go, young master."
Marian picked up the basket with snacks and headed down the hill.
Following her, the Pador mansion drew closer.
My hometown after so long.
But first, a massive gate blocked my path.
The gate that never opened for me in that old dream.
The grand entrance of Pador, engraved with golden vines and a central silver eagle clutching a sword in its wings, like a castle gate.
Returning felt real now.
Facing the Pador gate, I grew subtly tense.
In the dream... it hadn't opened.
For that brief moment, I hoped desperately this wasn't a dream.
Fortunately, the imposing, solemn gate opened without delay.
Creeeak.
"Welcome back, young master."
The guards at the main gate saluted me.
Entering the Pador mansion after their greeting revealed buildings in an architectural style unseen in the martial world, along with gardens.
"Ha..."
I paused, taking in the mansion.
New emotions surged. How much had I longed for this place?
Even when recognized as the Tang Clan's top junior and receiving acclaim, I secretly yearned to return to the Eneris continent.
Was that all?
Even living as an absolute master acknowledged by the world, trembling all martial artists at my title alone, I missed this place.
Despite a life of no lacks.
How often had I imagined returning to the count's youngest son, Deyan, armed with the martial world's efforts and experience?
The Eneris continent was an unquenchable thirst and void for me.
A hometown I could never return to.
Now, the mansion in the clouds stood before my eyes.
Marian looked at me with her big eyes.
"Not coming in, young master?"
My lips curved up.
"Of course. Let's go in."
Now was the time to return as Deyan, the youngest son of Pador Count family.
Hurrying my steps, a maid in the same uniform as Marian came rushing clumsily from not far away.
"Young master!"
A girl with gray hair and green eyes.
The notoriously clumsy maid, Nellin.
Another face after ages.
Nellin ran up hastily but lost her balance. I moved to support her.
"Still so clumsy."
"Pardon? Young master?"
"Nothing."
I steadied Nellin and resumed walking with hands behind my back.
I wanted to take in more of my hometown's scenery.
"Young master seems a bit different..."
I overheard Nellin whispering to Marian.
"Right? I'm a little worried. He said he had a dream—what kind of dream?"
"Not a dream, maybe a seizure?"
"What nonsense about illness. Watch your words."
"No...! I'm worried too!"
The maids' murmurs brought a laugh.
From their words, I vaguely recalled what I was.
In the knightly Pador family, I was like a mutant.
You know those people?
The one odd stone among brilliant relatives.
In Pador, that was me, the youngest son.
Come to think of it, what did I look like?
I couldn't remember Deyan's face.
Flick!
"Eek, mommy!"
Nellin shut her mouth and hid behind Marian.
She thought I'd heard her.
"Any of you got a mirror?"
"A mirror?"
"What was it... right, mirror, mirror."
"Ah, that!"
Nellin quickly pulled a hand mirror from her pocket.
"Here, young master!"
I took it and looked at my face.
"Right, this is what I looked like."
"Of course! You're handsome. The most handsome in Pador!"
Nellin praised, but it fell flat.
The reflection was a pitiful boy.
Pale skin transparent as the mirror.
A face so delicate it sometimes seemed prettier than the girls, making one wonder if the gender was wrong.
Everything was alien to Pador.
Yes, I was a half-breed.
Inherited knight blood but a sickling who couldn't hold a sword.
I handed the mirror back to Nellin.
"Thanks for letting me see, Nellin."
Nellin took it but didn't pocket it right away—instead, she primped herself in it.
Come to think of it, Nellin loved dolling herself up.
Marian, on the other hand, had no interest in that.
Meanwhile... a familiar clashing sound came from somewhere.
I headed toward the source.
"Young master, where are you going!"
Marian and Nellin called from behind.
Clang!
The sound of swords clashing.
Turning a corner, dozens of men sparred with swords.
"Ah..."
Burly men synchronized their forms, crossing blades.
Clang clang clang!
The weapon sounds I'd breathed like air in the martial world felt so foreign now.
This is what it sounded like...
Yes. That's it. Clearer and more steadfast than any other sword.
The sword cry only they could make.
Only then... it felt real.
Pador.
The family of knights.
I'd returned here.
"Young master?"
The knights noticed my presence mid-training and stopped.
Among them, a middle-aged knight with stylishly trimmed beard like a handsome scholar approached.
His name was...
Hazy, but seeing his face draw near and the insignia on his shoulder—a silver eagle wrapping a blue sword blade—I remembered.
Captain of the Blue Eagle Knights.
Janitz, the knight always kind to me. Janitz.
"Has the youngest young master arrived?"
I returned Janitz's bow with clasped hands in greeting.
"Ah... yes."
"...?"
Janitz's expression after the greeting was odd.
Why?
Not just him—the surrounding knights stared like I was some freak acting up.
Awkward.
But following Janitz's gaze, I found the reason.
Clasped hands greeting.
That was it.
Stupid mistake... no such etiquette here.
My face flushed. I wanted to poison them all to sleep!
As I tried to say something,
Janitz suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! Young master, sorry. I'm so ignorant I didn't recognize noble etiquette!"
Janitz's smooth cover.
He glanced at his men, who awkwardly laughed along.
"Hahaha! Captain, how could you not know that?"
"Right!"
"Exactly! Haha!"
Janitz even clumsily mimicked my gesture.
"Good morning as always, young master!"
"Uh... yes."
That looked just like an adult humoring a child's play!
What embarrassment!
I quickly changed the subject.
"If you stopped training because of me, continue."
"Ah, is that so? Understood!"
Janitz replied overly energetically and shouted to the knights.
"Alright, resume!"
A booming cry and
"Yes!"
Responses in kind, and the knights resumed training.
As I watched entranced,
A voice shattered the mood.
"Young master, what are you doing here!"
Marian and Nellin approached.
Why so worried?
"Coming, coming."
I dusted my butt and looked around.
Servants and knights filled the view, along with statues honoring Pador's great ancestors and fountains.
"I'm back... I'm home..."
I wanted to pray to the heavens.
I'd returned to my childhood, when everything could be changed.
The family embrace I'd always longed for, the beautiful home.
But it wasn't all joy.
In my eyes, another side of Pador overlapped.
Burning buildings, screaming people, chilling night air.
The count's family on the verge of ruin years later.
But from now on, it would be different.
Thud!
"...?"
Huh? What?
What happened?
Too absurd, I couldn't even lift my head, just blinked at the ground.
I quickly grasped it.
I'd tripped suddenly, tried to catch myself.
Failed, and face-planted.
"Ah..."
Blood dripping to the ground.
Nosebleed... nosebleed.
Me, who never bled even sparring with sword saints, nosebleeding...?
My vision faded, voices stuttering in.
"Y-Young master!"
"Young master's collapsed!"
"It's a fit, a fit...!"
Countless faces flashed before me. Then I truly felt it.
I was back as Deyan.
Fainting like this was all too familiar to him.
My vow to change the count's family would have to wait.
Looks like not from now.
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