Reborn As Noble

Javier dusted himself off, turning to Liana with a grin. ”Liana?”

”Yes, Young Master?” she replied, still visibly shaken from their encounter with Eridith.

”Let’s go home,” Javier said casually, referring to their rented house in the capital city.

Liana nodded, her voice steady but soft. ”Yes, Young Master.”

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As they prepared to leave, Javier noticed Buddy and Pikko still huddled together, their feathers puffed up and trembling slightly. He tilted his head, frowning. ”What’s wrong with you two?”

He walked over to them, placing a reassuring hand on Buddy’s beak. ”Hey, I’m here. You don’t have to worry about the ’lizard.’ She’s gone, alright?”

Buddy let out a nervous squawk but gradually calmed down under Javier’s touch. Pikko followed suit, straightening her feathers as her confidence returned.

”See? That’s more like it,” Javier said with a smirk, patting Buddy’s head. ”Now, let’s head back before anything else decides to drop out of the sky.”

Liana, now steadier, mounted Pikko with her usual grace. ”Young Master, are you sure you don’t want to rest for a moment?”

”Rest? Nah, I’m fine. If anything, that was just a warm-up,” Javier replied with a laugh as he climbed onto Buddy. ”Let’s go!”

With a squawk from Buddy and a chirp from Pikko, the two Pekkos began their trot back toward the capital, their steps more confident now under their riders’ reassuring presence.

As Francesca hurried about her chambers, directing her group of personal maids to pack for the journey, the usual hum of activity within the Armand estate was suddenly interrupted by a deafening roar that echoed through the halls.

The ground trembled slightly, followed by the sound of something massive landing in the courtyard. A gust of wind swept through the windows, rattling them in their frames.

”What was that?” Francesca paused, her hands mid-gesture as she turned toward the nearest window.

Outside, a massive white dragon descended into the courtyard, its enormous wings kicking up dust and leaves. Its piercing blue eyes scanned the estate as it called out in a thunderous voice that shook the very walls:

”GARIUS!!!”

The maids froze, some clutching at the packed trunks while others exchanged wide-eyed glances.

Francesca raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a knowing smile. ”Ara, ara...” she muttered under her breath, already suspecting who had arrived. ”It seems an old friend has come to visit.”

Meanwhile, in the study, Garius immediately stood from his chair, his expression shifting from calm curiosity to mild annoyance. ”I had a feeling trouble was heading my way,” he muttered, glancing toward Alf and Hesbeirn. ”Looks like I was right.”

”Should I prepare the troops, my lord?” Hesbeirn asked, instinctively moving his hand toward the hilt of his sword.

”No,” Garius replied with a resigned sigh, waving him off. ”This isn’t a battle—it’s something... else.”

Errinette tilted her head, her serene smile unwavering. ”Shall I prepare tea for our guest, my lord?”

”That won’t be necessary,” Garius muttered as he strode toward the door. ”Let’s see what she wants this time.”

As he stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the courtyard, his sharp eyes met the gleaming form of Eridith in her dragon state. She stood tall, her scales shimmering like frost under the sunlight, her imposing presence making the guards hesitate even as they reached for their weapons.

”GARIUS!!!” Eridith roared again, her tone both commanding and filled with emotion. ”YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM ME ANY LONGER!!”

Garius rubbed his temples, muttering under his breath, ”I should’ve known this day would come...” He then leaned over the balcony railing, his voice calm yet firm. ”Eridith. To what do I owe the honor of this... dramatic entrance?”

Eridith’s piercing blue eyes locked onto him, her massive tail swaying as she let out a huff of smoke. ”Do not feign ignorance, Garius! You know why I am here!”

Garius straightened, his expression unreadable. ”Ah. So it’s about that promise, is it?”

”Indeed!” Eridith declared, her tone unwavering. ”It is time for you to fulfill it!”

Francesca was already making her way toward the front door of the estate. Her expression remained calm, but her purposeful stride showed she had no intention of ignoring the commotion outside.

Without hesitation, she stepped out into the courtyard. In an instant, her figure vanished.

The next moment, she reappeared behind Eridith in a blur and delivered a firm smack to the dragon’s massive head.

”Eeekkk!! Francesca!!” Eridith yelped, recoiling slightly. Her voice lost its earlier thunderous tone and sounded more like a scolded child.

”You shouldn’t scare the maids and guards around here,” Francesca said firmly, her voice calm but with a hint of admonishment. ”Can’t you just walk in like a normal guest?”

Eridith shrank slightly under Francesca’s gaze, her dragon head drooping as she stammered, ”Eheheh... I didn’t mean to...”

The towering white dragon, a being of incredible might and ancient power, now looked like a guilty child being reprimanded by her elder. Her massive claws fidgeted, and her tail swayed awkwardly behind her.

”You didn’t mean to?” Francesca crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. ”Really? Landing in full dragon form, roaring ’Garius’ like the world was ending—does that sound normal to you?”

”Ehehe...” Eridith chuckled nervously, her frost-blue eyes darting away. ”It just... slipped out...”

Francesca sighed, placing her hands on her hips. ”Honestly, Eridith, you’re impossible sometimes.”

Francesca sighed, her arms still crossed as she eyed the towering white dragon in front of her. ”Now, turn into your human form,” she commanded firmly. ”Or I’ll smack you again. And this time, it won’t be a light smack.”

Eridith flinched slightly, her massive form retreating a bit. ”Err... umm... okay, Francesca, jeez... chill out, girl.”

Smack!

”Eeekk!! Francesca!!” Eridith yelped again, this time raising her claws defensively. ”Don’t be that rough!”

”I told you to stop scaring the maids and guards, and you’re still stalling?” Francesca said, her palm twitching as if readying another strike.

Eridith let out a huff, her voice now a mix of exasperation and submission. ”Alright, alright, fine! I’ll do it, okay?!”

With a flash of light, her massive dragon form shrank, her shimmering scales vanishing as she transformed into her human appearance. Standing before Francesca was a tall, elegant woman with flowing silver hair, piercing ice-blue eyes, and an aura of frost that lingered around her. Despite her majestic appearance, she fidgeted like a child caught sneaking cookies from the kitchen.

”There. Happy now?” Eridith muttered, rubbing the spot on her head where she’d been smacked. ”You’re so violent sometimes, Francesca.”

”And you’re so reckless sometimes, Eridith,” Francesca shot back, her hands on her hips. ”Honestly, what kind of dragon acts like this?”

Eridith pouted, her frost-blue eyes darting away. ”Ehehe... only around you,” she mumbled under her breath, still rubbing her head.

Garius, standing on the balcony, slowly began to inch backward. His sharp eyes darted around, searching for a way to slip out unnoticed from the escalating commotion.

Francesca’s voice cut through his thoughts like a blade. ”Dear...”

Garius froze mid-step and turned slowly to face her, the faintest hint of guilt in his eyes. ”Err... Alf, did you mention about... ah, that one thing?” he stammered, pointing vaguely toward Alf as if grasping for any excuse.

Alf, who had been silently watching the chaos with a barely concealed smirk, raised an eyebrow. ”That one thing, my lord?” he repeated, clearly enjoying Garius’s predicament.

”Yes, yes, you know—that thing!” Garius insisted, waving his hand in a vague circle. ”Very urgent. Requires my immediate attention. I’ll just—”

”Garius,” Francesca interrupted, her tone dangerously, ”don’t you even think about running away.”

”Who, me?” Garius chuckled nervously, adjusting his coat. ”Run? Never. I was just... coordinating, you know, with Alf here. Important matters of the estate.”

Francesca raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. ”Important matters like avoiding this mess?”

”Precisely!” Garius nodded quickly, then paused as he realized his mistake. ”Wait, no, I mean—”

”Dear,” Francesca sighed, shaking her head while Eridith giggled softly behind her. ”You’re not going anywhere.”

( End of Chapter )