Reborn As Noble

”And let’s not forget,”

Garius added with a faint smirk.

”That brat has stockpiled more gold, jewels, and wealth in his magic storage than even I hold personally. Well—considering Armand’s treasury doesn’t count as mine alone, of course.”

Alf hesitated a moment before pressing his palm gently over his left chest and bowing respectfully.

”My lord, if I may ask... how do you know all this?”

Garius turned back slowly, his lips curling into a faint smile.

His right eye flickered, glowing briefly with a subtle, golden radiance.

Activating his Eye of Truth.

”The same way I discovered your true talents, Alf, Erinnette, Hesbeirn,” Garius said softly.

”The very same way I uncovered your hidden potential all those years ago.”

He paused, allowing the glow to fade, leaving the room once again bathed in normal light.

”Is precisely how I know every little thing my family tries to hide from me.”

Alf nodded slowly, understanding instantly.

Erinnette smiled knowingly, shaking her head. ”As expected of my lord.”

Hesbeirn gave a small chuckle. ”Should’ve known.”

Garius turned back forward, continuing down the hall. His voice was quiet, carrying the weight of undeniable truth.

”No matter how clever they think they are—no secrets remain hidden from my sight.”

Garius suddenly paused mid-step.

A shiver ran down his back.

”...Except this one,” he muttered quietly, gulping once.

From behind, a soft, melodic voice chimed in—sweet.

”Dear~ it’s time to go home. Today’s my turn, remember? We still need to prepare for your wedding... and Queen Mylezra will be arriving soon.”

Garius straightened his back.

”Ah... yes, my love,” he said, tone gentle, respectful, loving.

Fransesca walked gracefully toward him, her expression serene, radiant as ever. Without hesitation, she looped her arm through his, her presence commanding but never overbearing.

”Let’s go~” she said with a warm smile.

Garius smiled back. His eyes softened.

”Yes... let’s go, my love,” he replied.

He looked into her eyes, the same way he had since their youth.

The battlefield strategist, the peerless mage, the unshakable lord of Armand.

Silently melting under the gaze of the woman he loved most.

Fransesca. His first wife. His equal. His everything.

Alf, Erinnette, and Hesbeirn wisely said nothing, pretending not to notice the tiny beads of sweat on their lord’s neck.

Because even the strongest man in the continent knew.

You don’t keep Fransesca waiting.

Meanwhile, deep within the human kingdom territory...

Thick slabs of meat sizzled over an open flame, their rich, savory aroma wafting through the camp. Liana calmly tended to the roast, flipping it with practiced ease, while Gloria sat beside her, slicing bread and preparing plates for three.

”Hmm... a little more char on the edges,” Liana muttered.

”Don’t burn mine,” Javier called from a distance without looking back.

”Who said you get a choice?” Gloria replied dryly, adjusting her glasses.

Not far from them, the captured soldiers sat in quiet groups, cooking their own meals with raw meat drawn from Javier’s magic storage. The quality of the meat and the unexpected kindness stunned many—some hadn’t eaten this well in weeks.

But that wasn’t what truly amazed them.

All around, seventy black-armored puppet soldiers stood like silent wraiths—special operation units, their sleek designs far from anything seen in human armies before. Each one gripped a mana rifle, their motionless stance and glowing eye sensors emitting a subtle, ominous pressure.

What truly shocked them was.

A new war machine had emerged beside the camp.

It wasn’t pulled by Pekko. It wasn’t shaped like a traditional war wagon.

The Anti-Air Mana Gun Platform towered twice the size of a wagon, its rotating turret humming softly with mana pulses. It looked like something from another world—bulky, solid, intimidating. It even had stabilizer legs digging into the ground with sharp crunches, as if ready to shoot down the sky itself.

The surrendered soldiers stared in silence. Some gulped. Others whispered.

”What the hell... is that thing?”

”Another Armand weapon?”

”They... built that?”

”I thought puppet knights were scary enough, but this...”

Off to the side, Javier knelt beside a display panel connected to a swarm of floating mini mana drones. One by one, they carried small purification devices, gently placing them into the ground in a grid pattern.

”Pilot systems stable,” he muttered. ”Mana link at 100%. Ground saturation will be complete by nightfall.”

While he worked, thirty more newly built special ops units—white-armored, sharper in design, crafted from rare white ore—moved silently, swiftly, efficiently.

Javier didn’t even need to give orders.

He just glanced sideways at the stunned prisoners.

”Let ’em watch. Maybe it’ll stop them from doing anything stupid.”

Liana smiled, placing a roasted slice of meat on his plate.

”Eat first, young master.”

”Mm. Thanks.”

Gloria passed him bread.

While they ate, the quiet crackle of fire and the occasional clink of utensils was suddenly broken.

Gunfire echoed from the nearby forest.

Sharp, controlled bursts.

The special operation units made of white ore had opened fire.

Some of the captured soldiers froze immediately, eyes wide. Others flinched and grabbed at the ground as if expecting an ambush.

Gloria’s hand instinctively reached for her warhammer, while Liana smoothly took hold of her white ore-crafted magic bow, tense and alert.

Javier, still munching on a thick slab of roasted meat, remained unfazed.

With a juicy bite still in his mouth, he spoke casually.

”Relax. That’s our squad clearing out corrupted beasts.”

Liana and Gloria hesitated, still on edge.

”Are you sure, young master?” Liana asked, eyes darting toward the trees.

Gloria narrowed her eyes.

”Corrupted monsters this close?”

Javier didn’t even glance away from his food.

”Mhm. The purification device is working. You know how it is—miasma reacts. Draws in anything tainted. They’re just clearing out the ones too slow to run.”

Then he pointed upward with his meat-skewer.

”Besides... look.”

Above them, five battle drones hovered in patrol formation, each armed with dual mana gatling guns and mana missile pods, scanning the perimeter with synchronized precision.

”And down here?” Javier gestured around.

The operation units stood in silence, rifles raised, stances firm.

Not a single one moved unless necessary.

”I don’t think any corrupted monsters are getting close. So sit down. Eat. Enjoy the calm.”

He glanced at the prisoners.

”You too. Eat while you can. I’m not running a charity, but you’re alive, and I’d like to keep it that way—assuming none of you try anything stupid.”

The tension eased slightly.

Liana sighed and lowered her bow. Gloria sat back down and picked up her meat again.

( End Of Chapter )