Home/The Reincarnated Hero Is Melancholic/ch3

Chapter 3

Startled, I only realized who it was after my body was suddenly lifted into the air.

"Our little tyke has grown so much!"

The familiar nickname, the cheerful voice, and the flash of curly silver hair before my eyes.

"…Little brother?"

Still dazed, I murmured blankly, and Werner grinned.

"Ah, so close. I was going to keep holding you if you got it wrong."

His playful tone finally brought me back to my senses.

"Have you been well?"

Werner von Valentine.

The second of the three Valentine siblings, and my older brother—though I called him "little brother" as a teasing nickname.

With my wits returned, I threw my arms around Werner in a tight hug.

"Brother! When did you get back?"

I cried out joyfully, and I could feel Werner smile with satisfaction.

"Ahem. This big brother worked hard because he missed our little tyke so—"

But Werner's boasting didn't last. Just as he was puffing up with pride, I was lifted up once more.

"How long do you plan to monopolize Rowel by yourself?"

A voice slightly lower and calmer than Werner's, and the arms that supported me were steady and broad—so much so that it was hard to believe he was still a boy.

And I knew only one person like that.

"Kizef!"

"Hey, Rowel."

His gruff eyes, which most resembled our father's among the three siblings, softened gently.

Kizef von Valentine—the eldest of the Valentine siblings, the heir to the house, and my big brother.

The two brothers, who had been away at the academy and on a visit to the family territory, had returned together.

Werner, robbed of his hold on me, pouted and grumbled.

"Tch. Why is he 'Kizef' and I'm just 'little brother'? Little tyke, you shouldn't play favorites."

"What favoritism?"

Kizef lightly ignored Werner's grumbling and remarked with fresh admiration.

"You've grown again since last month."

"I'm a child, after all!"

I couldn't hide my pride and declared triumphantly.

Perhaps thanks to both Mother and Father being tall, I was growing faster than other children my age.

Crawling, walking, and even speaking—all of it came early, which was a great relief to me, who carried memories from a past life.

Just thinking back to the time when I had to leave everything to others still made me melancholy.

'…Come to think of it, Jin was also very tall. Was he about as tall as Isid? Anyway, if I keep growing like this, I might reach my old height.'

Considering that in my past life as Roel I was a half-elf, born between a fairy and a human, the Valentine family's genes were clearly robust.

But my pride was short-lived.

"…Huh?"

Once set down from Kizef's arms, I felt a strange sense of discrepancy. Something felt subtly off…

To identify it, I opened my eyes wide and scrutinized everything—and realized that Kizef's eye level was slightly higher than before.

I whipped my head around to look at Werner—same thing.

"…Did you two grow too? It looks like you both did."

"Heh heh."

Kizef didn't deny it, and Werner smirked triumphantly.

'Oh, come on…'

I thought that as a child, I was shooting up day by day, but seeing Kizef and Werner, I seemed to be getting the mild end of the stick.

'Well… they both inherited Father's genes heavily, so it's only natural.'

Not that I particularly wanted to be that tall anyway.

However, my lack of envy aside, Werner was fiercely competitive with Kizef.

Kizef, of course, found it amusing.

"I'll catch up to you soon enough."

"You seem confident."

At Werner's boast, Kizef chuckled.

"Of course! I'm going to be even taller than Father. You're nothing, I tell you."

"Kizef, Werner."

Their bickering—well, Werner's one-sided provocation—was utterly pointless, but after months apart, the noise was rather welcome.

As I watched them with a satisfied smile, a deep voice came from behind.

Turning around, I saw a man so tall that even his towering brothers couldn't compare.

He was Calips von Valentine.

The master of this estate, the Duke of Valentine, and the father of us three siblings.

"Father."

"We're back, Father."

"Good work."

Father placed his hands on Kizef's and Werner's shoulders in turn, then finally lifted me up.

Werner's hold was fairly steady, and Kizef held me so comfortably I hardly noticed, but neither could match Father.

Even my nanny, Vasha, admitted she was no match for Father when it came to holding children.

Having raised three kids himself, he was practically a childcare expert.

Carrying me, Father strode toward the dining room.

Swinging my feet idly in his secure embrace, I leaned in slightly.

"Father."

"Yes."

"Did you know that the brothers were coming together?"

I glanced back and saw Werner chattering away while Kizef, accustomed to it, ignored him.

"Just you wait. I'll be taller than you within a year, guaranteed."

"…"

"Why are you ignoring me!"

"Because it's nonsense."

"Hmph. You say that, but you're actually worried, aren't you? Because once I'm taller than you, Rowel will prefer to be held by me too!"

"There's no chance, so why bother?"

"…You're really no fun and have no heart, you know that? How can you never yield to your younger brother? Not that I'd want you to go easy on me, of course!"

"Sigh…"

It was a familiar scene, yet one I hadn't seen in a while.

Kizef, now thirteen, had entered the academy last year and lived in the dormitory, while Werner had gone to the family territory two months ago to assist Father.

Compared to the time they'd spent by my side, it was a short separation, but absence always left a large void.

"I knew."

Then Father answered with a low chuckle.

I turned my gaze back to him, and his gruff yet gentle eyes met mine.

"They asked me to keep it a secret from you. Said they wanted to surprise you."

That figures.

"It was Werner's idea, wasn't it?"

"Most likely."

I let out a quiet giggle, and Father's firm lips relaxed slightly.

Today, it seemed, would be a good day after all.

---

"Rowel, try this too."

Werner pushed a plate toward me, but already full, I shook my head.

"I'm full now."

"What? Already?"

Werner's eyes went wide.

No wonder—his plate was still piled high with meat. He'd probably finish that and easily eat another plateful.

"I can't eat as much as you, Brother."

I'd already eaten more than usual, caught up in the lively atmosphere of the rare family meal.

"Our little tyke—your tummy is so tiny! To grow up well, you need to eat a lot… Hmm, though honestly, I wouldn't mind if you never got any bigger."

'…It's not that my stomach is small—your appetite is just astonishing. And if I don't grow any more, that's a real problem.'

The words rose to the tip of my tongue, but watching Werner eat with such hearty gusto, I let it go.

Besides, considering how old I was before I died, getting worked up over Werner's words would be silly.

'If I really wanted to compare, I'd be older than even Father…'

I shook my head vigorously to dispel the thought. I didn't want to tangle up the family tree I'd finally grown accustomed to. Besides, seeing Kizef and Werner, whom I'd missed, had lifted my spirits—I didn't want to sour them.

"Kizef. Was there anything notable at the academy?"

Father asked Kizef then.

I was curious too, so I looked at him in agreement.

Kizef, who had been eating quietly, hesitated for a moment, then lightly wiped his mouth with a napkin before speaking.

"Nothing out of the ordinary, but I was offered a grade-skip."

"A grade-skip?"

"Yes. They suggested I move up to the third year of the middle division right after the break."

My eyes went round, Werner's jaw nearly dropped, and even Father looked mildly surprised—yet Kizef, the one who'd brought it up, was remarkably composed.

"Your answer?"

"I plan to send my reply soon."

"So you intend to do it."

"There's no reason to refuse."

At Kizef's reply, Father nodded.

"Good. Let me know if you need anything."

"Yes."

The laconic exchange between father and son ended.

"…Brother, are you really skipping a grade? No lie?"

Werner, who looked as if he might have swallowed five flies if they'd been outdoors, asked in a fluster.

In a way, this reaction was only natural.

The Royal Academy Kizef attended was the most prestigious in the Tesernia Empire and considered the finest on the continent.

That meant it was top-tier in every aspect—education, students, alumni, and achievements.

To be offered a grade-skip there, especially after just completing the first year of the middle division, was remarkable.

"Why would I lie about that?"

"Wait… don't tell me, you were… top of the class again this semester…?"

Was it my imagination, or did Werner's voice grow more timid as he spoke?

At any rate, Kizef nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Yes."

For the record, Kizef had also ranked first last semester.

Entrance exam, first semester, second semester—all top rank.

Well, that certainly warranted a grade-skip offer.

"Brother, that's amazing!"

"Thank you, Rowel."

I clapped sincerely, and Kizef smiled warmly.

Though Kizef was nearly a carbon copy of Father, that smile carried a trace of Mother's gentle air.

It was a lovely sight.

Since saying that out loud would seem odd from a child six years younger than Kizef, I kept it to myself.

Back   Next