Reborn As Noble

Edmund stood tall in the center of the grand hall.

He slowly turned toward one of the disguised royal officers—his soldiers, now deeply tainted by the dark celestial aura coming from him.

His smile was cruel, cold, and full of hunger.

”Bring all the captured men to the courtyard,” he said casually, as if ordering a feast.

The officer saluted stiffly, eyes slightly glazed—already corrupted by the dark miasma leaking from Edmund’s body.

”Yes, Your Majesty.”

Edmund’s smirk grew wider as the corrupted soldiers dragged out the remaining elite guards, servants, and loyal retainers of Klimbert.

Some struggled, some cried out for mercy. Others cursed him, spitting on the ground, refusing to bow even in chains.

It didn’t matter.

They were all the same to him now.

Fuel.

Nothing more.

Around a hundred prisoners were forced to kneel in lines, wrists bound, faces pale but defiant.

Edmund slowly walked out, his boots tapping on the stone floor.

He stopped a few steps before them, looking down like a god among insects.

He raised his hand lazily.

”You should feel honored,” he said. ”To become part of something greater.”

The air around him began to twist.

Thicker, heavier dark mist poured from his body.

The corrupted soldiers stood still, faces blank, like puppets waiting for his command.

The prisoners struggled, some trying to back away— but it was no use.

They were trapped.

Edmund inhaled slowly— then exhaled.

The mist moved. It slithered, crawled, lunged at the prisoners like thousands of grasping hands.

Screams filled the night as the dark aura wrapped around them, sinking into their cores and tearing apart their souls.

The celestial inside him laughed, high and shrill with ecstasy.

”More... more... more!! Become complete! Become supreme!”

Edmund’s body shook with the violent, raw influx of stolen power.

The next morning, in the Armand estate.

Garius stood quietly in the main courtyard, his cape fluttering slightly in the gentle breeze.

His right eye—the Eye of Truth—still glowed faintly, a swirling pattern of magic runes spinning slowly inside it as he looked up at the sky.

Behind him, soft footsteps approached.

”Dear?” Francesca’s gentle voice called to him.

Garius didn’t turn immediately.

Francesca walked to his side, hands folded neatly.

”Worried again?” she asked, her brown eyes full of concern.

Garius exhaled slowly, his gaze still on the horizon.

”Not for Javier.”

Francesca tilted her head slightly.

”Then... something else?”

”Celestial,” Garius answered simply.

Francesca’s lips pressed into a thin line.

But Garius chuckled softly.

”No matter how strong they become...” he said confidently, ”they can’t cross our border walls.”

He turned slightly and looked at Francesca.

”Not unless they break through our army first.”

A small, confident smile appeared on his lips.

”Or better yet...”

Francesca smiled knowingly.

”Javier’s defensive system,” she finished for him.

Garius nodded.

”Did you see last night’s report?”

”About the dark mana monsters that tried to attack the border?” Francesca asked.

”Yes,” Garius said, eyes shining.

He raised a hand, tracing an imaginary line in the air as if thinking about the battlefield.

”How many monsters were there?”

Francesca thought for a moment.

”About hundreds,” she said. ”But Javier’s anti-air system and mana cannons attacked straight away.”

Garius’s smile grew wider.

”Exactly,” he said. ”They didn’t wait for instructions. The system was fully automatic—designed to detect and destroy any corrupted targets immediately.”

Francesca chuckled softly.

”That means any celestial vessel daring enough to come close will face strong resistance before it even reaches the border.”

Garius’s eyes shone with pride.

”Not just that...”

Francesca’s smile grew wider.

”Yes, dear,” she said warmly. ”I still can’t believe it... Javier already learned how to use the white ore and infused it with his White Light skill.”

She looked up at the clear sky, filled with wonder.

”Now, the magic bullets fired by the mana cannons can hit any kind of monster... no matter what type or resistance.”

”Physical, magical, dark, celestial...” Garius murmured.

”They will all be struck down.”

”But we still have some jobs to do, dear,” Francesca softly reminded him.

Garius chuckled deep and low.

”Yes, I know,” he said with a slight gleam in his golden eyes. ”We need to cleanse the dark mana still lingering inside our region.”

Francesca nodded.

Garius tapped his chin thoughtfully.

”Well, Cedric and his Paladin team cleared the western part. Alf and the assassin unit took care of the southern borders. Erinette and her battle maids handled the eastern sector. And Marcellus with his mages finished cleansing the northern hills.”

Francesca smiled softly.

”Which means...”

”All that’s left,” Garius said with a slight smirk, ”is the central part.”

A brief, peaceful silence stretched between them.

The wind carried the scent of morning dew across the courtyard.

Francesca’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she stepped closer and lowered her voice.

She whispered something softly into Garius’s ear.

Garius blinked, then his lips slowly spread into a grin.

”Oho~” he laughed deeply, amused and intrigued.

”If that’s the reward for finishing so quickly…”

He leaned down slightly, bringing his forehead close to hers.

”Then how about this?” he whispered, teasing. ”Let’s have a date. Just the two of us… in the central part tonight.”

Francesca blushed slightly but kept her smile.

She tapped his chest lightly with an elegant finger.

”Naughty boy~” she murmured playfully.

Garius chuckled again, gently catching her hand.

She leaned closer, arms loosely around his waist, teasing softly:

”I don’t think your ’brother’ would like that.”

Garius tilted his head, amused.

”Brother?” he asked. ”You mean Alf?”

Francesca giggled softly, resting her chin on his chest.

”Yes.” she said warmly. ”Our loyal, stubborn butler—who treats you like his little brother no matter how much time passes.”

Garius let out a low laugh and stroked her hair gently.

”Yeah…”

”I don’t think Alf will ever let us go alone,” he said with a fond smile. ”He and Erinnete will be shadowing us.”

He shook his head with a resigned smile.

”Even though he knows…”

He flexed his mana lightly, feeling the dense vibrations around him.

”...I’m already much stronger than he ever was.”

Francesca smiled even more warmly, tightening her embrace.

”Strength doesn’t matter to him, dear.”

”You’re still his precious young master. His pride. His family.”

Garius closed his eyes briefly, appreciating her words and feeling the bond that went beyond duty or blood.

”I know,” he replied quietly.

Francesca chuckled softly, tilting her head.

”And even if Alf insists on following us, we can always find a way to slip away for a little while, right?”

Garius smirked.

”Heh. That sounds dangerously tempting, dear.”

( End Of Chapter )