Reborn As Noble

”You know what I’ll do after that?” Javier said with a smirk, his tone turning cold and amused.

Inside Gumarak, the celestial spirit thrashed violently, dark aura twisting like a storm around the bound dwarf’s body. It was trying to escape — to break free from its host and run away.

”Oh no no no~,” Javier wagged his finger mockingly. ”I knew you’d try that the moment you realized you couldn’t win.”

He stepped back, still calm and in control.

”And...” he added, eyes narrowing, his smirk sharp as a blade, ”I also know there are a bunch of disguised humans mixed in here. King Edmund’s special unit... right?”

He snapped his fingers.

From outside the throne room, the sound of screams echoed — brief, sharp, and final.

The doors creaked open.

Heavy footsteps followed.

Javier’s Shironii units marched in — more than a dozen of them. Each wore the same ominous oni mask and white armor, dragging behind them lifeless bodies. Over twenty corpses — all dressed as dwarven soldiers — but their illusion magic had already worn off.

The twisted faces of humans beneath fake beards.

Spies. Saboteurs. King Edmund’s special forces.

”Well...” Javier said, casually brushing dust off his sleeves, ”now that the pests are cleaned out, this place feels a little more breathable.”

He glanced back down at Gumarak, still pinned by the glowing chains and rune cube.

”I bet those rats were just waiting for me to finish the seal,” Javier muttered, sarcasm in his voice. ”Then they’d swoop in, snatch it, and rush it off to their precious king.”

He leaned slightly forward, his eyes flashing with smug amusement.

”But... sad...”

He chuckled darkly.

”They failed.”

Javier rolled his neck with a crack.

”Now let’s finish this quickly,” he muttered, raising his palm toward the tied-up Gumarak. ”I’ve got better things to do... like spending time with my beautiful maids.”

A soft hum filled the air.

The white cube above Gumarak glowed brightly — the Sealing Protocol was activating.

The runic lines on the cube shifted and spun like mechanical glyphs. A high-pitched whine sounded throughout the room.

A brilliant white beam shot straight down from the cube, hitting Gumarak’s chest.

The effect was immediate.

Like a vacuum sucking up fog, the dark, twisted aura of the celestial was ripped out of Gumarak’s body. Thick tendrils of corrupted mana flailed wildly as they were pulled upward into the cube, writhing, shrieking, clawing at empty air.

Gumarak’s eyes rolled back. His body spasmed violently—yet he never managed to break free from the glowing chains.

The celestial’s scream echoed loud in the room.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

The cube hissed and sealed itself with a faint click, trapping the last of the darkness inside like venom in a vial.

Silence.

Smoke curled up from Gumarak’s limp body.

Javier let out a long, tired sigh.

”Well... mission accomplished,” he said.

He turned away, stretching his shoulder.

”Man... I really wanted to kill it,” he admitted with a grin. ”But according to the info passed down from Father—”

”—I can’t kill a celestial with just this skill,” Javier muttered.

He looked back at the cube, smirking.

”But whatever. Soon... once that prototype is finished...”

A wicked gleam shone in his eyes.

”Kekeke... I’ll crush those remaining Celestials myself.”

Javier looked down at the unconscious Gumarak and scratched his head.

”Damn... I used too much power and ended up breaking this old man,” he muttered, crouching beside the dwarven chieftain.

He raised his palm without hesitation.

Healing Light.

A warm glow wrapped around Gumarak’s body. Bruises faded. Bones mended. Burnt skin healed as the mana flowed through him. The dwarf’s breathing eased, though he was still unconscious.

”Well... that should do it,” Javier said, standing up and dusting his hands.

Without making a fuss, he reached for the glowing cube—still sealed, still warm with residual divine pressure—and calmly stored it in his magic storage.

The air fell silent again.

The battle was over. The celestial was sealed. The mission... was complete.

Javier sighed, hands on his hips, looking at the dwarf sprawled in front of him.

”Now... how the hell am I supposed to carry this old man to the Beastkin Kingdom?”

He crouched and poked Gumarak’s cheek. No response—just heavy, unconscious breathing.

”This dwarf is heavy! Seriously, why does Father even want him? Old friends or not... dried plum really didn’t think this through.”

He looked out toward the palace gate.

”I wonder if Buddy would even let me strap this old man onto his back. Hah. Knowing that bird, he’d squawk and throw a tantrum.”

Javier crouched again and muttered under his breath, ”Whatever...”

He slipped his arms under Gumarak’s back and knees, and with a grunt, lifted him.

”Ugh! Damn old man! You’re built like a mountain!”

Wobbling for a moment, he steadied himself and started walking into the royal palace, his armor gently clanking.

”This old man needs to rest first. I’ll figure out the escort plan after.”

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor as Gumarak’s remaining elite guards rushed toward Javier.

But none of them dared to draw their weapons.

They stopped a few steps away, tense and silent—watching the boy who had just defeated their chieftain and sealed something beyond their understanding.

Javier shifted Gumarak’s weight in his arms and calmly said, ”Oi. Show me a room where he can rest.”

”Y-Yes, sir!” one of the dwarves stammered.

”Good. Then take him,” Javier added, gently passing the unconscious chieftain over. ”Damn, he’s heavy.”

Several of the elite dwarves hurriedly moved to carry Gumarak carefully and respectfully.

As they carried him off, Javier looked around the palace interior.

His gaze swept over the halls, cracked pillars, worn carpets—and then to the dwarf maids and staff nearby. They looked thin, weary, clearly malnourished.

War had damaged more than just the walls. It had drained their spirits, their health... everything.

Javier stood silently, watching them.

This... was the true damage of war.

Inside his mind, Javier quietly reflected.

He needed to end this war quickly.

The damage was worse than he expected—not just soldiers, but families, workers, and even children were suffering. These people had held on for so long with barely anything left.

He looked again at the thin dwarf maids moving carefully through the corridors, trying to keep the palace in order despite their fatigue.

Javier’s thoughts turned to logistics.

How can I get more supplies to them fast?

For now, at least, the road from the capital to Gilikan and the next town leading to the Beastkin Kingdom was secure. No miasma. No more halfling ambushes. He had cleared the route during his advance.

But he also knew... the Human Kingdom and Halfling Kingdom were still officially at war with the Dwarven Kingdom.

Which meant this fragile peace was only temporary—a thin thread stretched between battles.

He needed to act quickly—before that thread snapped.

( End Of Chapter )