Reborn As Noble

Javier dusted himself off, standing tall despite the streak of blood trickling from his nose. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he scanned the yard for his new Pekkos.

”What a weirdo,” Liana thought, crossing her arms and watching him with disbelief. Any other child—especially a noble—would’ve run crying to their mother after a fall like that. Yet here he was, grinning from ear to ear as if nothing had happened.

Not just his behavior, either. He carried himself with an unusual maturity for his age, almost as if he’d lived a lifetime beyond his eleven years. And it wasn’t just his height, though he was taller than most boys his age. It was the way he faced challenges, even minor ones, with a determination that felt more adult than childlike.

”Liana, look at them!” Javier exclaimed, pointing toward the Pekkos as if they were rare treasures.

Liana followed his gaze to the brightly colored birds, pecking around in their makeshift pen. She couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm, even if she still thought he was a little ridiculous.

”Young master,” she said, walking over with her usual calm demeanor, ”you’re bleeding.”

”Huh?” Javier blinked, finally noticing the blood dripping from his nose. He wiped it with his sleeve nonchalantly. ”This is nothing.”

Definitely a weirdo, Liana thought again, though this time with a hint of admiration. ”At least let me clean that up.”

”I’m tough!Dont worry about it!” Javier declared, puffing out his chest proudly.

Liana sighed, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket. ”Young master, let me fix it before you scare anyone else—me included.”

As she gently wiped his nose, Javier grinned up at her. ”Thanks, Liana. You’re the best.”

”And you’re the oddest,” she replied, shaking her head fondly.

Liana stood at a distance, watching as Javier worked alongside the family carpenter to build a proper cage for the Pekkos. It wasn’t every day that the youngest son of a viscount took it upon himself to help with manual labor. The carpenter, a seasoned man in his forties, kept sneaking glances at Javier, his expression caught somewhere between awkward admiration and nervousness.

”Don’t worry, young master,” the carpenter said hesitantly, wiping sweat from his brow. ”We’ve got this covered. No need to trouble yourself.”

”Ehh? I just want to help!” Javier replied, completely oblivious to the man unease. With precise movements, he hammered a nail into the wooden frame, his strokes so clean and perfect it looked as though he’d been doing this for decades.

The carpenter scratched his head, glancing at his assistants, who were equally baffled by the noble boy’s proficiency. ”Uh... well... you’re doing great, young master,” he muttered awkwardly.

Standing nearby, Liana let out a soft sigh, shaking her head at the scene. ”Young master, why don’t you let the carpenters handle it? They’re more than capable of finishing without your help.”

”But I’m having fun!” Javier grinned, holding up the hammer like a trophy.

”Why don’t you ride the Pekkos in the meantime?” Liana suggested with a patient smile. ”I’m sure they’ll finish the job in no time without you, and your Pekkos could use the exercise.”

Javier paused, clearly torn between his newfound carpentry hobby and his excitement over the Pekkos. Finally, he nodded enthusiastically. ”Okay! Ehehehe!”

As he dashed off toward the Pekkos, the carpenter let out a relieved sigh. ”That young master of yours is... something else.”

Liana chuckled softly, her eyes following Javier . ”Yes, he certainly is.”

Javier was having the time of his life, riding his Pekko in wide circles around the open field. The vibrant bird darted around with surprising agility, its cheerful squawks matching Javier laughter.

He suddenly pulled the reins, stopping in front of Liana. ”Hmm... I wonder what Pekko eats?” he asked, tilting his head curiously.

Liana, standing nearby with her usual calm demeanor, replied, ”Pekkos can eat meat, fruits, and vegetables. They’re not heavy eaters, young master.”

Javier eyes lit up with excitement. ”That’s good! Eheheh!” he exclaimed as he climbed down from his Pekko. Reaching into his magic storage, he pulled out a pile of monster meat that tumbled onto the ground with a soft thud.

Javier gleefully ran his hand over the pile of monster meat he had pulled from his magic storage, already imagining a grand feast for himself and his Pekkos. ”How about we grill some for the Pekkos and us? Eheheh,” he said with a mischievous grin, clearly excited about his plan.

Liana’s eyes widened slightly as she immediately stepped forward. ”Young master! Wash the meat first, season it properly, and don’t even think about making an open fire with just sticks and wood. Use the grill set!”

Javier blinked, his grin faltering for a moment. ”Ehhhh!?” he groaned, clearly hoping to take the easy route.

”No ehhhh!,” Liana said firmly, her emerald eyes narrowing. Without wasting a moment, she called out to the workers nearby to fetch the grill set. Then, turning to one of the family maids passing by, she requested salt, pepper, and some additional seasoning.

As the workers hurried to gather the supplies, Javier pulled out a small bottle of crushed herbs, pepper, and other spices from his magic storage, holding them up proudly. ”Can we use these? I’ve got dried herbs and stuff!”

Liana sighed deeply, shaking her head. ”Young master...” she muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Moments later, everything was set up, with the grill ready and the seasoning laid out neatly. Liana supervised Javier closely, making sure he washed the monster meat thoroughly before seasoning it. The young boy pouted as he followed her instructions but couldn’t help the excitement bubbling inside him.

”Fine, fine! I’ll do it properly,” he grumbled before sprinkling the herbs and spices generously over the meat.

Liana watched him closely, her stern expression softening into a small smile. Young master, no matter how reckless you are, you always manage to brighten the mood.

”All right, Pekkos!” Javier called out cheerfully as the meat sizzled on the grill, sending delicious aromas wafting through the air. ”Lunch is on me!”

Liana blinked, utterly stunned. ”This much monster meat could feed all the maids, workers, and probably half the village too,” she muttered to herself, watching the piles of seasoned meat sizzling on the grill.

She eyed the pile cautiously but didn’t dare ask what type of monster meat they were about to eat. Knowing her young master, it was likely something rare—and expensive. The rarer the monster, the higher the price of its meat. It wouldn’t surprise her if Javier had unknowingly cooked up a delicacy fit for kings.

Javier, meanwhile, cheerfully plated the finished grilled meat onto two oversized pet plates for the Pekkos. The vibrant birds wasted no time devouring their meal, gulping it down in seconds before letting out satisfied chirps.

”Wow! They’re full already!” Javier said, grinning proudly. But then he turned back to the grill, noticing the heaps of meat still waiting to be cooked. ”But there’s still so much more here!”

He glanced at Liana with an almost helpless expression, holding up more seasoned cuts of monster meat. ”What do we do with the rest?”

Liana crossed her arms, tilting her head with a small sigh. ”Just cook it, young master. It would be a waste otherwise.”

”All of it? Including the stuff in my magic storage?” Javier asked, his amber eyes wide with enthusiasm.

Liana raised an eyebrow. ”How much meat do you have stored in there?”

Javier scratched the back of his head sheepishly. ”The stuff I took out is just a small part of it...”

Liana’s jaw nearly dropped. ”This much is only a small part!?”

Javier chuckled nervously, rubbing his nose. ”Eheheh... I might’ve gone overboard when hunting last time.”

Liana groaned, pressing her palm to her forehead. ”Young master, you could open a market stall with this much meat!”

”A market stall, huh?” Javier’s eyes lit up mischievously as an idea began forming in his mind.

”Don’t even think about it,” Liana warned, instantly reading his thoughts.

Liana called over the carpenter and workers nearby, gesturing to the mountain of extra meat. ”Take a break and enjoy the grilled meat. There’s plenty for everyone,” she said with her usual calm tone. The carpenter, initially hesitant, finally agree, especially when the delicious smell wafting from the grill.

She then turned to the maids, instructing them to gather the raw, seasoned meat and bring it to the kitchen. ”Ask the cooks to prepare this for the family’s dinner tonight,” she added. Liana also ensured some portions were set aside for the workers, knowing they’d appreciate a hearty meal after a long day.

Within moments, the pile of meat dwindled into manageable portions, leaving just enough for her and Javier.

”Finally!” Javier exclaimed, plopping down on a makeshift seat near the grill. ”Time to dig in!”

With a small smile, Liana took over the grill, flipping the cuts of meat while ensuring they were evenly cooked. Occasionally, she’d sneak a bite for herself, savoring the flavor.

”Mmm! Yummy! This is good!” Javier exclaimed, chomping down on a freshly grilled piece. ”Ehehehe, meat tastes even better when you’ve worked for it!”

Liana chuckled softly. Watching her young master enjoy himself, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Despite all his antics, moments like this reminded her why she’d never trade her position by his side for anything else.

”Careful, young master, don’t choke,” she said, handing him a cloth to wipe his face, which was already smeared with grease.

”Ehehe, thanks, Liana!” Javier replied, grinning widely before taking another massive bite. ”You’ve got to try this one!”

”I already did,” Liana replied with a small laugh, flipping another piece on the grill.

As the sun began to dip low on the horizon, the smell of grilled meat and the sound of laughter filled the air, creating a rare, peaceful moment that neither Liana nor Javier would forget anytime soon.

( End of Chapter )