Despite Count Condrius’s intentions, it was extremely difficult for him to approach the Emblem family.
From the moment the Emblem household entered the party venue, they were surrounded by layers of people.
“Lady Melsia, I’ve admired the Emblem Knights deeply for a long time. Meeting you is truly an honor and a glory for our family…”
“I’ve been reading the history of the Emblem Knights to my child through prenatal education since before they were born. I’m truly dedicated to the Emblems!”
“I don’t need anything else, just give me a handshake!”
For ordinary nobles who hadn’t ventured into the capital, seeing the Emblem Knights was an extremely rare opportunity.
Those facing the borders where monsters frequently appeared occasionally saw Emblem Knights dispatched from the center, but their commander, Melsia, was indeed a rare sight.
If an ordinary noble encountered Melsia, the Commander of the Emblem Knights, it either meant involvement in a conspiracy or that their family and territory were in dire straits.
So, while not seeing Melsia, the Commander of the Emblem Knights, throughout one’s life might be good for personal peace and tranquility, human hearts rarely follow such wishes.
“I really, really wanted to meet you…”
Someone was so moved that tears flowed. Excessive fandom sometimes manifested in such emotional outbursts.
“Wow…”
Naturally, deep admiration escaped my lips as I observed all these scenes.
‘It’s like they have their own celebrities.’
Slowly pushed aside, I watched all this unfold from a little distance away, near my dad, who had moved away from my mom.
I had seen footage on TV in my past life where celebrities were engulfed by crowds, unable to take a step. Now, my mom was in precisely that situation.
Although I knew that the Emblem family was well-known even on the continent, advancing the empire’s fame, growing up in a place where everywhere I turned was the Emblem, I hadn’t quite grasped it.
“Dad, was mom always this popular?”
In response to my question, my dad smiled awkwardly and said,
“It’s not quite like this since I’m used to seeing your mom next to His Majesty in the capital, but in gatherings like this, it happens occasionally. At first, emotions run high, but they soon regain composure.”
“When will that ‘later’ happen?”
At my question, my dad quietly gazed toward the entrance of the party venue.
Eyes narrowed as if searching for someone, he sighed and answered.
“When Duke of Gray appears.”
“Why? Does he have even more popularity, so everyone flocks to him?”
“No. Praising the Emblem in front of Duke Gray could be seen as disrespectful.”
I momentarily struggled to understand my dad’s words, tilting my head in confusion.
As far as I knew, Duke Gray’s popularity was no less than that of the Emblem.
Just as people have different tastes in their favorite celebrities, some might prefer the Emblem’s splendor while others appreciate Duke Gray’s calm demeanor.
Shouldn’t everyone just enjoy their admiration for their favorite families?
‘Well, there’s a saying now, not just in the empire but across the continent, that goes, ‘Say the words of looking for Emblem in front of the Gray.”
During the peak of rivalry between the two families, they treated each other like invisible clans. History books even recorded instances where someone spoke of looking for Emblem in front of the Gray and faced bloody retaliation.
‘Still, my mom and aunt Diana get along well, so it should be fine.’
I glanced briefly at my mom, whose face was troubled.
Despite not being able to erase the awkwardness from her expression, my mom listened to people, one by one, answering questions, laughing, and sharing stories.
Her inability to be harsh to those who loved the Emblem was distinctly Mom-like.
“How about it, Cherry?”
“Huh? What?”
“If someday you become the head of the Emblem Knights, that could be you in the distant future.”
“Me?”
I blinked my eyes slowly, devoid of any thoughts. My dad nonchalantly threw a significant stone into the calm pond of my inner self, suggesting I could become the head of the Emblem Knights.
Me, the head of the Emblem Knights?
The thought seemed preposterous.
‘Then I’d have to become strong like my mom.’
Today, for the first time, I faced my mom. She was strong. Even excluding the natural physical limits when a child confronts an adult, my mom was genuinely strong.
Realizing this fact, I understood that I had been indulging in self-importance.
At the mere age of seven, my foundational strength, skill, and determination were unmatched by my peers. If anything, I excelled beyond them.
Moreover, my lack of practical experience, despite facing a criminal wielding a knife in my past life, was cleverly masked under the guise of talent.
So, I thought that if my mom sparred with a sword, I could hold my own. Just like the rumors that Enoch, not long after learning swordsmanship, defeated trainee knights one by one, I believed that I could achieve something similar once I learned the sword.
The idea was that with training and the basic skills I’d acquired, I could fare quite well. After all, I had already beaten up a few older kids at school who underestimated me after I picked up basic sword techniques.
Having a bit of swordsmanship up my sleeve, I believed that, as a seven-year-old, I could handle myself better than a toddler who just picked up a sword.
However, I only realized today that it was a misconception.
“When mom was seven, grandpa personally sparred with her using a sword, and she defended against three strikes. I, on the other hand, got knocked down with just one hit.”
I tried rushing at her several times, but I never managed to parry my mom’s sword even once.
I was still young, and it hadn’t been long since I picked up the sword. Perhaps my mom regarded it as a sort of child’s play.
Even so, at that moment, I felt an insurmountable wall against my mom.
“Your mom has been incredibly strong from birth. Cherry, do you know how powerful your mom is?”
“I know. I just don’t have that.”
Despite my dad’s reassurance, I replied with a pout.
My mom was born with abnormally strong physical strength. She could break rocks with her bare hands and wield spoons or knives like they were made of paper, just by applying a bit of force.
She was born around the time when my grandpa Seifield Emblem awakened as a Swordmaster, which might have influenced her strength, as suggested by some books.
“Cherry, you just need to find your own way. Like all the Emblems before you who became strong in their own ways, you can do it too.”
“Is that possible?”
“Of course. As evidence, you earned recognition to spar with the Emblem Commander’s sword not long after picking up a sword. That’s considered a swift pace in Emblem history.”
My dad comforted me earnestly, and in gratitude for his efforts, I gave him a small, appreciative smile.
Yet, I couldn’t shake off the faint emptiness lingering in the corner of my heart.
‘Cherry doesn’t seem to have any intention of continuously learning the sword. What if you just quickly prove that you lack talent in swordsmanship and live comfortably as you want?’
I recalled Enoch’s words, which had become the catalyst for me picking up the sword.
It was in a fit of anger that I grabbed the sword, driven by Enoch’s constant updates. Every time I caught up, there was news of Enoch’s talent propelling him even further.
Leveraging my past life’s experience to hone my swordsmanship was fun, but the physical and talent limits occasionally made me feel disheartened.
I, a mere inspector in South Korea, was no more than someone who persevered fiercely against peers. I was convinced that there would come a time when the advantages from this experience would wear thin.
In this world where the Lutinas Empire existed on this continent, there was an individual who could break mountains and part seas with a sword.
In a world where only one person possessed a power akin to natural disasters, that was the place I was living in after being reborn.
‘Maybe my current endeavor to wield the sword is a process of proving Enoch’s words right.’
In fact, I once thought it would be easy to shut Enoch up by defeating him with a sword.
But once I actually held the sword, I realized I had come too far to simply say, ‘I beat Enoch once, that’s enough.’
To refute Enoch’s words, I needed to continuously prove my strength, and beyond that, the strength of Emblem.
To deny Enoch’s words, I had to keep demonstrating my strength and, furthermore, the strength of Emblem.
Could I truly walk this seemingly endless path throughout my life?
“Jade Gray, Edward Gray, and Enoch Gray from the Gray Duchy have entered!”
At that moment, the herald’s voice announcing the entrance of the Gray Duchy echoed through the party entrance.
The crowd enveloping us split into two like a sea, making way for the entrance of the Gray Duchy.
“………”
I saw Enoch, clad in Gray Knights attire, walking alongside Duke Jade Gray, just as I was donned in Emblem attire.
