Reborn As Noble

The classroom was huge and richly decorated, reflecting the luxury expected at a noble academy. Each student had a large, polished wooden desk with elaborate carvings, complete with two chairs—one for the student and another for their escort. This setup highlighted the importance of the noble students, as even their attendants had their own seating.

Javier, however, found himself in the lowest class, far from the prestigious classrooms for the elite students. Liana stood next to his desk, looking unhappy as she glanced around the room.

”Young master, this is unacceptable!” Liana exclaimed, her usual calm replaced with anger. ”The Armand household is so respected, yet they put you here? In this low-ranking class? It’s disgraceful!”

Javier leaned back, hands behind his head, grinning lazily. ”Come on, Liana, it’s not that bad. Don’t stress over it.”

”But young master!” she insisted, narrowing her eyes. ”This placement doesn’t reflect your abilities or your status. It’s clearly an insult to the Armand family!”

Javier sat up, waving his hand dismissively. ”Shh, relax. This place is actually nice. It’s quiet, and I won’t have to deal with all the overachievers in the front. Besides...” He leaned closer to Liana with a smirk. ”Being underestimated is good for me, right? I can do what I want without them watching me all the time.”

Liana sighed, her expression softening as she realized Javier wasn’t upset. ”You’re always so laid-back about these things, young master.”

”Laid-back? Not really,” Javier replied with a wink. ”I just know how to appreciate the little things. Look, we’re at the back, away from the nosy ones. That’s a win to me. And you’re still here with me, right? That’s all I need.”

Liana’s face softened even more, and she couldn’t help but smile faintly. ”You always find a way to make things work in your favor, don’t you?”

”Absolutely. That’s what I do best.” Javier chuckled, leaning back again as Buddy and Pikko peeked through the large classroom windows, their curious eyes scanning the room.

As more students and their escorts entered, Liana straightened up, returning to her composed self. She stood beside Javier’s desk, her presence exuding the grace of a noble elf maid.

Javier, meanwhile, looked completely relaxed, propping his feet up on the empty chair in front of him. His amber eyes sparkled with mischief as he watched the incoming students. ”Let’s see how long it takes for this ’last class’ to get interesting.”

Liana could only shake her head with a small smile, fully aware that wherever Javier went, trouble—and excitement—was sure to follow.

The instructor’s voice echoed around the classroom as the last students settled into their seats. A tall man with a serious face and a strong presence walked to the front, tapping a clipboard with one hand.

”Class! Only one escort is allowed per student! Don’t worry about safety; the academy is well-guarded. All extra escorts, please leave and wait outside in the designated area.”

A few murmurs spread through the room as several students reluctantly gestured for their additional attendants to leave.

Javier leaned back in his chair with a smug grin. He raised a hand and gestured toward Liana, who stood beside him, looking poised and elegant. ”Heh, lucky me, I only have the one and only Liana. Kekeke.”

Before the instructor could respond, his sharp gaze drifted to the windows, where Buddy and Pikko were lounging in the courtyard, clearly visible. The instructor’s expression changed slightly, and he pointed directly at Javier.

”And you! The one with those... big birds outside! Tell them to move farther from the class! Their presence is distracting the other students.”

The room filled with quiet chuckles and whispers as many students sneaked glances at the enormous Pekkos. Javier shrugged casually, his grin still intact.

”Oh, okay, sure. No problem.” He turned to Liana, putting on a mock-serious expression and raising his hand dramatically. ”Liana? My lovely elf maid? Could you relay this completely unreasonable request to Buddy and Pikko? Tell them to scooch over a bit, won’t you?”

Liana sighed, her calm demeanor showing a hint of exasperation. ”As you wish, young master,” she replied with a graceful bow before stepping toward the window.

She opened it slightly and called out to the birds. ”Buddy. Pikko. Please move a little farther from the building.” Her tone was gentle but firm, and the Pekkos let out synchronized squawks of mild protest before reluctantly waddling a few paces away.

Javier leaned on his desk, smirking at the instructor. ”There. Happy now? They’ve moved.”

The instructor rubbed his temple, clearly unimpressed. ”Just... keep them in line. This is an academy, not a barnyard.”

Javier chuckled and leaned back in his seat again. ”No promises, sir. They have a mind of their own.”

Liana returned to her spot beside him, maintaining her usual grace. ”You do love testing boundaries, don’t you, young master?”

”Hey, life’s more fun that way,” Javier replied with a cheeky grin. ”And admit it, Liana—you’d be bored without me.”

Liana didn’t respond, but a slight smile tugged at her lips as the class focused back on the instructor.

The instructor clapped his hands sharply, grabbing everyone’s attention. ”Alright! Today is your first day, so let’s start with introductions. Each of you will come to the front, introduce yourselves, and share a bit about your town, household, or anything else you’d like the class to know. One by one, please.”

The students stepped forward confidently, each giving polished introductions about their noble families, achievements, and hometowns. Applause followed each speech, with murmurs of admiration and polite acknowledgment filling the room.

Javier, however, paid little attention. While the others spoke, he leaned back in his seat, flipping through a book he had brought. Liana stood quietly beside him, occasionally glancing at the other students with polite interest.

When it was finally Javier’s turn, the instructor called out his name. ”Javier De Armand. Your turn.”

Javier sighed audibly, snapping his book shut and standing up reluctantly. ”Tch, here we go,” he muttered under his breath. He walked to the front of the class, hands stuffed in his pockets, his posture lazy and unconcerned.

The room fell silent, everyone waiting for his introduction.

Javier raised his right hand casually, his expression cool, and threw his middle finger in the air with a cheeky smirk. ”The name’s Javier. Yoroshiku.” His tone was laid-back, dismissive, and rebellious.

The class erupted into stunned silence, then whispers and muffled laughter followed.

”Did he just...?”

”What does Yoroshiku even mean?!”

”Is he flipping off the entire class?!”

The instructor’s jaw dropped for a moment before he cleared his throat loudly, his face a mix of shock and barely contained irritation. ”Javier De Armand! This is an academy, not the streets! Your introduction is highly inappropriate!”

Javier shrugged, completely unfazed. ”Well, I was told to introduce myself. That’s me. Done and dusted.” He turned on his heel and strolled back to his seat with the same nonchalant energy, his smirk still in place.

Liana, standing beside his desk, pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. ”Young master, must you always find a way to stir trouble on the first day?”

Javier dropped into his seat and leaned back casually. ”What? It’s efficient. I bet no one’s gonna forget my name now.”

Liana sighed deeply, though the corners of her lips twitched slightly, betraying a hint of amusement.

The instructor took a deep breath, visibly trying to regain his composure. ”Let’s move on... Next!”

The next student hesitated before stepping forward, clearly intimidated by the act he had to follow. Meanwhile, Javier leaned back and opened his book again, completely unbothered, a smug look on his face.

( End of Chapter )