Reborn As Noble

Francesca tilted her head gently, her long hair flowing softly in the night breeze.

”Well... what did you tell him, dear?”

Garius smiled faintly, gazing at the distant stars as if recalling the memory.

”Hmm...” he mused, ”I didn’t say anything yet.”

Francesca raised an eyebrow, a soft teasing glint in her eyes.

Garius chuckled.

”But since she’s not pregnant yet, I gave him permission. Told him they can love each other openly, without hiding or sneaking around. And wait for the right time to get properly married.”

Francesca smiled fondly, her fingers brushing lightly against Garius’s arm.

After a small pause, she spoke again, her voice light.

”I’m sure Cedric will also come meet you soon, dear.”

Garius let out a low, amused hum.

”Yeah. Once he knows his older brother already made the move...” He chuckled. ”That stubborn boy will come running for permission too. For him and Meira.”

Francesca covered her mouth lightly, hiding a soft laugh.

”And I believe Zania won’t want to be left behind either.”

Garius let out a rare, deep laugh.

”Yes. That girl is truly hopeless around Cedric.”

Francesca giggled softly.

”Children grow up so fast, dear.”

”They do,” Garius agreed, his voice a little quieter now. ”Faster than we realize.”

Garius turned toward Francesca, a playful grin spreading across his face. He leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice in a teasing whisper.

”So...” He wiggled his eyebrows mischievously. ”How about we make another child?”

Francesca blinked slowly, a soft, knowing smile tugging at her lips.

”Naughty~,” she murmured, her voice light and musical.

She lifted a finger playfully, pressing it gently against his lips.

”Mmm... I don’t mind, dear,” she said sweetly. ”But...” Her smile turned sly, a bit teasing. ”I’m not planning to get pregnant again, you know?”

Garius chuckled low in his throat, catching her hand and kissing it lightly.

”I know,” he laughed. ”Doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy trying.”

Francesca let out a soft laugh, her cheeks tinged with a delicate pink, though she hid it with her usual grace.

”Really now...” she whispered, her voice full of affection.

Garius leaned down, their foreheads touching lightly as they shared a quiet, private moment under the endless sky.

Meanwhile, in Javier’s room, Liana and Gloria were collapsed side by side on his bed, utterly exhausted. Both still wore loose training clothes, their hair messy and cheeks slightly flushed from mana overuse.

The special training under Erinnete had drained everything out of them. They didn’t even have the energy to move, just breathing in the soft, comforting air of young master Javier’s room.

Moonlight filtered through the open window, bathing the room in a peaceful silver glow.

Gloria turned her head slowly, peeking out from under the blanket.

”Liana?” she mumbled sleepily.

”Hmm? What? I’m sleepy...” Liana answered, her voice thick with exhaustion, barely able to open her emerald eyes.

Gloria blinked lazily at her. After a small pause, she spoke again, her voice full of quiet amusement.

”I know you’re sleepy... But why are you hugging young master’s used clothes so tightly?”

She pointed weakly. Liana, half-asleep, had curled herself around one of Javier’s old shirts—a soft, worn one he had tossed aside before leaving. Her arms were wrapped around it like it was a treasured pillow.

And worse—her normally calm, elegant face was flushed pink, wearing a dreamy, blissful expression completely out of character.

Liana cracked one eye open, saw what she was holding, and immediately stiffened.

”...”

Gloria giggled softly under her breath, hiding her mouth with one hand.

”And that face...” she teased gently. ”You look like you’re about to purr.”

Liana’s cheeks turned even redder. She pulled the shirt closer, burying her face into it as if that could hide her embarrassment.

”...Shut up,” she muttered, her voice muffled by the fabric.

Gloria, still smiling sleepily, opened one eye lazily and lifted her hand in mock defense. But Liana wasn’t finished. She turned her head slightly, a small, rare smirk playing on her lips—even half-asleep.

”And look at you,” Liana mumbled softly but teasingly. ”Drooling all over young master’s pillow.”

Gloria’s sleepy smile froze. She blinked, then slowly turned her head to the side—only to see a small wet spot forming on Javier’s personal pillow right under her cheek. Her eyes widened slightly. A mortified gasp escaped her lips.

”U-uh—!” Gloria flushed, quickly wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve.

Liana let out a tiny, muffled laugh, her face still buried in Javier’s old shirt.

”...You’re no better than me, Gloria,” she murmured.

Gloria pouted, cheeks burning, but didn’t argue. Instead, she mumbled into the pillow, barely audible,

”I miss him too...”

Still half-curled around the shirt and pillow, Gloria mumbled softly, her voice drifting in the sleepy haze between dreams and wakefulness.

”What do you think young master is doing right now?”

Liana shifted slightly under the blanket, pulling the shirt closer to her chest.

”...I don’t know,” she answered quietly.

Gloria sighed, her breath warm against the pillow.

”He didn’t contact us through the mana talkie.”

”Yeah.”

For a moment, there was only the soft crackle of the distant night breeze against the window. Then Gloria spoke again.

”Maybe... because the mana relay signal doesn’t reach him anymore.”

Liana opened her tired green eyes slightly, staring up at the wooden ceiling.

”I know. He explained it before,” she murmured. ”The mana relay towers only cover the Armand region. Beyond that... no communication.”

Gloria hugged the pillow tighter, her voice turning even softer.

”Still... I miss him.”

Liana closed her eyes again, a small ache blooming in her chest that mirrored Gloria’s words perfectly. They were used to being close to him, hearing his lazy voice calling out for tea or sweets. Now? The distance felt wider than the sky.

Gloria sniffled once, then forced a small, hopeful smile.

”Let’s just hope...” She paused, then pouted sleepily. ”He doesn’t bring home more wife candidates.”

Liana’s lips twitched, almost smiling.

”...If he does,” she muttered with mock-threat, ”I’ll tie him up myself.”

Gloria giggled faintly into the pillow.

”Me too.”

The room fell into a warm, sleepy silence again, filled only by the quiet rustle of the breeze through the open window.

Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, Gloria murmured,

”I hope he misses us too.”

Liana, still hugging Javier’s old shirt close, smiled faintly, her emerald eyes still closed.

”Yeah...” she whispered back. ”I can’t wait for him to come home.”

And with that promise whispered into the night, they finally surrendered to deep, peaceful sleep—dreaming only of their young master and the day he would return.

( End Of Chapter )