Reborn As Noble

For a moment, the room went quiet.

Alf, Erinnette, and Hesbeirn all turned to look at Garius, who silently read another page before setting it down.

Then Alf cleared his throat. ”My lord...”

”Hm?”

Alf hesitated for a moment, then asked, ”...Are you planning to join the battle too?”

Garius didn’t look up. His hand moved to his chin, thumb resting along his jaw.

”...I don’t know, Alf.”

He finally looked up, his eyes sharp.

”But if Edmund breaks through our first defensive line...”

His gaze drifted to each of them, one by one.

”Then the only ones capable of stopping him are me, Francesca... and the three of you.”

”But my lord...” Alf spoke again, voice low. ”We sealed the Celestials before, because you led the full party.”

Garius nodded, eyes still locked on the document in his hand. ”Yes...”

He set the paper down.

”...But back then, each Celestial was separate. Isolated. We could focus, divide, and counter.”

His eyes narrowed.

”Now Edmund... is a different beast altogether.”

Hesbeirn frowned. ”You mean because he already...”

”Yes,” Garius cut in. ”He has a fifth-stage Celestial fully inside him. And unlike the others, Edmund was already a master swordsman, a strategic commander, and a formidable mage before the corruption.”

His fingers clenched slightly on the table’s edge.

”And don’t forget. He’s also devoured the power of others. Gained their strength, skills, and abilities.”

A quiet pause followed.

Alf exhaled, his brow furrowed. ”Even if he once was your friend... he’s not the same man anymore, is he?”

Garius slowly shook his head. ”No.”

He leaned back in his seat.

”...He gave up everything for power. And now, he’s coming. Not as a king, but as a monster.”

Erinnette’s expression was calm, but her fingers curled tightly over the tray she held.

Hesbeirn crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, his usual carefree smirk gone.

Alf, as always, remained silent. Watching. Calculating.

Then Garius spoke again.

”Tell all squads. Shadow units. Battle maids. Pekko riders. No one is to act without my signal.”

”Yes, my lord,” the three answered in unison.

”We’ll hold the line,” Garius said, voice firm. ”And if that fails...”

He stood slowly.

”Then we bring hell to the battlefield.”

Meanwhile... at the tightly guarded border gate between the Human Kingdom and the Beastkin Kingdom.

Javier was leaning lazily on his Pekko, Buddy, one leg casually crossed over the other.

”Aw come on~ Just open the small gate and we’re outta here.” He grinned at the two beastkin guards standing firm with spears in hand.

The guards stiffened. ”We’re sorry, Sir Javier... even if you’re Princess Felicia and Princess Mimi’s future fiancé... we can’t do that.”

”Ehhh?” Javier tilted his head innocently. ”But I’ve got a permission letter from King Lioness himself. Look!” He waved the scroll dramatically.

The taller of the two guards peered at it and scratched the back of his ear awkwardly. ”I... I see that, sir. But this permit only works for official borders like Beastkin–Dwarven, Beastkin–Elven, and Beastkin–Halfling.”

The shorter guard nodded. ”Right. This gate connects directly to Human Kingdom land... and with the current tension, we can’t let anyone through.”

Javier rubbed his chin and suddenly lit up. ”Alright, alright... I get it.”

He flicked his fingers and pulled out a pouch with a jingle.

”How about this?” he said, voice silky. ”Twenty gold coins. Each.”

The guards visibly twitched.

”Ugh... that’s... hard to refuse...” one muttered, glancing at the other.

”But...but we won’t consider this a bribe!” the other quickly added, straightening up in panic.

”Oh no, of course not! Absolutely not!” Javier raised his hands innocently. ”This is for... beer. A little celebration gift, for your hard work.” He flashed a perfect, smug grin.

Behind him, Liana and Gloria sat on their Pekkos, sighing in sync.

”...And this is our future husband,” Gloria muttered with a faint smile.

Liana pinched the bridge of her nose. ”At least he’s effective...”

”Gate opening!” the guard shouted moments later, unable to resist the gold as a hidden latch creaked and the smaller side gate swung open.

Javier grin happily and guided Buddy forward. ”See? Smooth as always.”

Gloria and Liana followed, the gate closing behind them.

Once outside, Gloria leaned slightly forward on Peanut and whispered, ”Are we not going to talk about how easily he used bribery to bypass international law?”

Liana shrugged with a soft smile. ”We’ll scold him later. After all... it worked.”

”Thank you, man!!” Javier cheerfully waved over his shoulder at the now slightly guilty-looking guards, humming happily as Buddy strutted along the path.

Liana and Gloria quietly followed on their own Pekkos, sharing another weary glance.

Once they’d traveled far enough that the border gate was a distant memory, Liana nudged her mount closer to Javier’s.

”Young master...” Liana began gently, a hint of suspicion in her tone. ”Do you even know where we’re going now?”

”Ah, nowhere special,” Javier answered innocently, scratching the back of his head. ”Since, you know—I completely forgot about the mission my father gave me. Which, by the way, happened because two certain maids left without informing me and vanished from Armand.”

He cast a playful, accusing glance back at the pair.

Liana sighed softly, placing a hand over her heart dramatically. ”You already know perfectly well we were visiting our parents for my sister’s wedding and Gloria’s brother’s wedding.”

Gloria smiled faintly behind her hand. ”Ara~ Young master does have a vivid imagination when left unsupervised...”

Liana raised a brow, continuing pointedly, ”And have you already forgotten your rather embarrassing ’rescue mission’?”

Javier blinked twice, then coughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. ”Uhh... ahaha, well... it was an honest mistake.”

”An honest mistake?” Liana’s voice dripped gentle sarcasm. ”You stormed the Elven Kingdom, almost interrupted the ceremony, and hugged my mother by mistake.”

”And enjoyed it,” Gloria added sweetly.

Javier slumped in his saddle, defeated. ”Ugh... you two aren’t going to let me live that down, are you?”

Liana and Gloria shared a look and smiled simultaneously.

”Never, young master.”

Javier sighed dramatically. ”Fine... fine... Just, let’s go somewhere quiet and rest for a bit. I’m hungry after all that bribing.”

Liana shook her head lightly. ”Honestly, young master...”

Gloria giggled softly. ”As you wish.”

( End Of Chapter )