Chapter 1: Became the royal sandbag (1)

I often read web novels as a hobby.

I started with game fantasy, then moved on to modern fantasy, classic fantasy, and finally, martial arts. After more than ten years, I’d read almost everything. I occasionally sampled new releases, searching for something that suited my taste, and then I turned my attention to romance fantasy, a genre commonly called “ropan.”

‘It’s not bad,’ I thought.

Contrary to my initial prejudice against men reading ropan, it was more enjoyable than I expected. No, it wasn’t just enjoyable; it was genuinely fun.

I assumed that because “romance” was in the genre name, it would be all about romantic relationships. I was surprised to find many that weren’t. Of course, not every novel was like that, and many didn’t fit my taste. But wasn’t that also the case with fantasy and martial arts novels? So, having exhausted the fantasy and martial arts genres, I delved into this new world of ropan.

The problem was…

“Adam.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“How can I make her notice me?”

“…”

Living it firsthand, I discovered that the world of ropan wasn’t exactly the most comfortable place to live.

****

One day, I woke up in a fantasy world.

I was dumbfounded. So many people desperately wished to be transported to another world, so why me? Why send me, someone perfectly content with my life in reality, to another world?!

… Contrary to my initial reaction, I adapted to this new world rather quickly.

Of course, that was largely due to my circumstances in this life. Just yesterday, I was a struggling job seeker. Now, I was the son of a Count? At the very least, I no longer had to worry about finding a job. Moreover, my family was wealthy enough to support me even if I remained unemployed for the rest of my life, so I could live comfortably.

“Adam has a talent for swordsmanship.”

But, as a man, wasn’t it a waste to just laze around and do nothing? Especially since, unlike my previous life, I now had the full support of a wealthy family. I thought it wouldn’t be bad to enjoy the isekai life that others only dreamed of. So, I received my family’s elite education and discovered my aptitude for swordsmanship.

The instructors, former knights, praised my talent, and I found a sense of fulfillment in wielding a sword. I believed being a knight was my true calling. The eldest son would lead the family, and the younger siblings would support him in internal affairs or military matters. As the third son of the Smith family, I, Adam, would assist my older brothers as a knight! In novels, siblings often fought fiercely for control of the family. How wonderful our brotherly love was!

“This child is a once-in-a-millennium talent!”

However, the heartwarming scene of my eldest brother shedding tears of gratitude and my second brother embracing me was shattered by an unexpected visitor. It turned out that one of my instructors was a former member of the Royal Guard. He had been teaching as a hobby, concealing his former position. Upon discovering my talent, he reported it to his former workplace.

“M-me?”

“Yes.”

A knight dispatched from the Royal Palace, currently serving in the Royal Knights, stared at me as if I were a treasure and promptly kidnapped me to the King’s residence. A high-ranking noble, a count? Defying the royal family meant certain ruin. So, my parents and even my brothers waved me off without a hint of regret. It stung a little, but what could I do?

“This child?”

“Yes. This lad… let me tell you…”

At the Royal Palace, the knight who brought me began talking with a seemingly higher-ranking knight. Then, they abruptly handed me a sword and challenged me to a duel. And…

“Even if we searched the entire continent, we wouldn’t find anyone with such fitting talent.”

I felt like I just got completely beaten, yet the knight evaluating me called me a genius. A genius unparalleled on the continent, no less. Was this the legendary isekai protagonist buff? Was I finally going to live like a fantasy protagonist?! The words that followed seemed to confirm my hopes.

“It just so happens we needed someone to train with His Highness, the Fifth Prince.”

Studying together. What did this mean? It meant receiving royal education, several levels higher than what I had been learning. There were no better conditions for improving one’s skills. But, more importantly, it meant studying alongside a prince.

Learning together from a young age, naturally entering the academy together, and upon graduation, securing a life as the prince’s confidant. Of course, any mistakes along the way could cost me my head and even ruin my family. But hadn’t my family already abandoned me?! I was reborn as a man, transported to another world! Shouldn’t I at least aim to become a prince’s confidant and rise to prominence?! Thus, I actively appealed and became a knight of the Royal Household.

Royal Education Knights, Instructor.

Those who studied alongside royalty at close proximity, sometimes even teaching them, and protecting them in times of danger. That was my first position, and I expected it to be my last. And the first step in this grand endeavor was…

“This is the Defeat Swordsmanship you will master.”

“…”

…learning how to lose.