The Plum Blossom Swordmaster Reincarnated in the Count Family
The daily life of Kyle, sect master of the modest Mount Hua Sect, was monotonous.
Five in the morning. Kyle rose before the sun. He straightened his bedding and stepped outside. Beneath a tree he settled into a lotus seat and cultivated his internal arts.
After breakfast at seven he taught the newest disciples who had only recently entered the Mount Hua Sect, remaining with them until the evening meal.
It was an excessively monotonous routine.
Yet Kyle was satisfied. No—he had to be satisfied. Founding the Mount Hua Sect had been his dream. Though he had never become Count Frucus himself, with his younger brother’s help the sect had been established. The dream had come true.
A dream fulfilled ought to mean a life of contentment. And yet, in one corner of his heart, Kyle felt a hollow emptiness. Days passed and that emptiness refused to fade.
Whenever the hollowness rose, Kyle stopped training and chose to walk instead. To force concentration with a disordered mind risked qi deviation. He had already fallen into it once. He could not afford to ignore the danger.
Kyle’s walking routes took him around the Mount Hua Sect and out to the city’s outskirts. Refugees had settled there—women, children, and the elderly. Young men were rare. The few he happened to see were missing a leg, just as he himself was missing his left arm.
The longer this goes on, the more wretched their lives become. The war needs to end, even a day sooner…
He would have liked to send them food, but everything Kyle possessed belonged to the Mount Hua Sect. Asking his younger brother Yujin—Count Frucus—for help over something like this felt wrong. Kyle still carried guilt toward him.
Kyle’s meeting with Silly was pure chance.
Whatever urgency drove her, Silly had been running down the road when she caught her foot on a stone and sprawled on the ground. Kyle caught her hand and helped her up.
“Th-thank you.”
Silly’s face flushed with embarrassment as she offered her thanks. The moment Kyle saw her full-on, he froze. Memories of his previous life had surged up without warning.
Junior Sister Nanyeong…
She looked startlingly like Nanyeong, the junior martial sister of the Mount Hua Sect he would never see again—features and presence both.
“You seem to be in a hurry.”
“I was taking potato soup to Grandma Elga. She hates it when people are late.”
“Even so, you should be careful. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine. I’ve been falling since I was little, so I’m used to it. I guess you could say I’ve got a knack for falling without getting hurt…? And the potato soup’s safe too! Thank you for helping me!”
After checking the pot of soup, Silly prepared to run again at once. Without quite meaning to, Kyle stepped into her path.
“Ah… I’m Kyle of the Mount Hua Sect.”
“Kyle…? Oh! You’re Kyle Frucus, aren’t you? I-I didn’t recognize a noble—!”
She started to drop to her knees; Kyle hurriedly stopped her.
“Please don’t. I didn’t give my name so you’d kneel. I simply wanted you to know it. What’s your name?”
“Ah… I’m Silly Jefnik.”
Kyle scratched his head. Situations like this were still unfamiliar to him. The one thing he knew for certain was that he did not want this connection with Silly to end here.
His eyes fell on the pot in her hands.
“That potato soup smells rich. Did you make it yourself?”
“Yes. I did make it, but…”
Silly’s eyes flickered with unease. She silently prayed he would not ask for any of it.
“If it’s all right with you, would you help out in the Mount Hua Sect’s kitchen? We’ve got a lot of people and not enough hands. I’ll make sure the pay is generous. How does two million Ner a month sound?”
Silly’s face brightened for an instant. Two million Ner. For commoners that was no small sum. A steady monthly income of two million Ner would make life far easier.
Then she remembered something her mother Martina always said, and her expression hardened just as quickly.
“I’m grateful for the offer, but… I have to work the fields during the day. I can’t leave Mother to handle it alone.”
Kyle felt her wariness toward him. Ordinarily he would have withdrawn here.
“Then what about coming in the afternoon and only helping with the evening meal?”
Field work finished in the morning. The plots themselves were not large, and there were more than enough people eager for work. If she could work in the freer afternoon hours… Silly hesitated, then decided.
“I’ll do it. Starting tomorrow afternoon I go to the Mount Hua Sect and help in the kitchen, right?”
“Yes. I’ll be waiting.”
“Then… may I go now?”
“Of course.”
Kyle stepped aside. Silly ran off with the same earnest haste as before. Watching her swaying figure, Kyle felt the emptiness inside him vanish.
More than ten days passed after that.
Kyle headed for the entrance of the Mount Hua Sect. In the distance he saw Silly running toward him. Perhaps the field work had toughened her; she had surprising stamina and always seemed to be in a rush—whether arriving for work or leaving.
“Haha. Lord Kyle, it seems you’ve taken a liking to her.”
One of the knights training under him spoke up. Kyle gave a short laugh and shook his head.
“It’s nothing like that. I’m only watching to make sure none of you bother her.”
“She’s beautiful, so she’s popular among us too. The day before yesterday a new recruit confessed to her.”
“What?”
“Haha. Lord Kyle, relax your face. He was rejected on the spot. According to him there was no opening at all—as if she already had someone in her heart.”
“Someone she likes…?”
“Who else could it be but you, Lord Kyle? You’re good-natured, from a fine house, and capable. If I were a woman I’d have fallen for you myself.”
“…Stop talking nonsense and go train.”
“Understood. Looking forward to dinner again tonight. Ah, Lord Kyle—I heard the Third Legion that went up to the northern front is returning in a week. They’re planning a homecoming festival to mark it.”
“I’ve heard about that too.”
“Enjoy the festival with her. Opportunities like this don’t come often. I met my wife at a festival myself.”
The knight smiled and headed for the training ground.
A festival, huh…
For a moment Yuria’s face rose in Kyle’s mind. He shook his head hard. She was the woman who would soon become his younger brother’s wife.
“Kyle!”
Silly called to him. Over the past days the two of them had grown fairly close. When they were alone they could talk freely, without fretting over status.
“You’re here?”
“Yeah. Sorry. Am I a little late?”
“A bit. Something happen?”
“Well… I was playing with Elsie and completely lost track of time.”
“Elsie’s your little sister, right? If looking after her is hard, you can bring her along.”
“She won’t come. Elsie loves staying home and playing. I’d better get to the kitchen.”
“Silly.”
Kyle called her back quickly as she started toward the kitchen.
“Hm?”
“Next week they’re holding a festival for the Third Legion’s return. Want to go together?”
“A festival… I wonder if I’ll have time then…”
Kyle was thrown. Her usually bright reaction was unexpectedly lukewarm. He thought for a moment, then said:
“You mentioned before that you wanted to see the Frucus Count’s estate up close, didn’t you? I’ll show you around during the festival.”
Startled, Silly waved her hands in a hurry.
“N-no! I was only curious what it would look like from nearby!”
“It’s fine. Formally inviting you would be difficult, but guiding you is something I can do. I’m still a member of the Frucus family.”
“B-but—”
“There’s no problem. We’ll just go in and come back out.”
“…Is it really all right?”
“I guarantee it.”
Kyle spoke with a face full of confidence.
After a moment’s hesitation, Silly accepted the offer.
She was far too curious about the mansion where Count Frucus lived his everyday life.
“Thank you, Kyle.”
“It’s nothing.”
“I need to prepare dinner, so I’ll head to the kitchen now.”
That morning I arrived at the Jefnik house and played enthusiastically with Elsie. Maybe I played a little too hard; the moment she sat in a chair she fell asleep. I carried her to a room so she could nap comfortably.
Silly’s gone to work at the Mount Hua Sect… and the only real obstacle, Elsie, just dropped off.
Elsie would wake around evening.
I headed for Martina’s bedroom.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Martina. May I come in?”
“Yes, of course, my lord.”
I opened the door.
Martina sat on the bed.
She wore comfortable clothes. Her long brown hair was gathered in a low bun, exposing the slender white line of her neck. When our eyes met she smiled softly.
“How’s the left leg?”
I sat in the chair beside the bed and asked.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore. I feel as if I could walk right now.”
“No. Follow the doctor’s orders and rest a little longer.”
“Understood.”
Martina answered calmly.
“….”
I stared out the window beside the bed with a grave expression. The view beyond was quiet. Being on the city’s outskirts, few people passed by.
“Um… my lord?”
The unusual atmosphere made Martina’s face stiffen as well.
“Is something troubling you? I don’t have the power to solve a count’s worries, but… I can listen. I know how to keep my mouth shut.”
“Haa… Martina. It isn’t that. This is a matter for the Jefnik family.”
“Pardon?”
I pretended to wrestle with the decision for a long while, then spoke.
“Since it concerns the Jefnik family… I should tell you. Martina, brace yourself. Alphonse Jefnik has fallen in battle.”
“W-what? Th-that’s a lie, isn’t it?”
“…I only received the report this morning myself. The fighting was so fierce they couldn’t even recover the body.”
“A-aah… Alphonse…”
Martina’s upper body swayed. I rose and caught her by the shoulders. Tears streamed from both her eyes.
“Hic… uh…”
“I’m sorry to bring you this news, Martina. And… I’m sorry to you as well. There was nothing I could do.”
“Hic… It isn’t your fault, my lord… You did nothing wrong. Alphonse… hic… uh…”
I drew Martina into my arms by the shoulders. The woman who had always tried to stand tall as a mother of two daughters collapsed against me. Her tears soaked into my shirt. Without a word, I stroked her back in comfort.