Reborn As Noble

The courtyard near the council hall was alive with movement. Dozens of carriages lined the stone square, their lacquered panels and gilded trim flaunting the wealth of noble houses. Liveried attendants clustered near each, polishing wheels, brushing horses, or standing stiffly with banners raised high.

Garius guided his gaze across the crowded field once, his expression calm but unreadable. Then his eyes narrowed slightly at an open stretch of ground set apart from the press of wagons.

”Let’s head further from this place,” he said evenly, his voice cutting through the bustle. His hand lifted, pointing toward the empty ground.

”Alf. Erinnette.”

”Yes, my lord?” the two answered in unison, guiding their Pekko forward.

”Secure that space for our mounts. It’s far enough from the others, and it will serve us well. But go ahead and check it first.”

”As you command, my lord.”

Alf adjusted his gloves with practiced precision as he rode ahead, while Erinnette followed at his flank, her posture composed, eyes scanning the ground and surrounding carriages. Their movement was crisp and disciplined.

Garius shifted slightly in his saddle, his hand brushing Giddie’s neck feathers as his gaze lingered on the open ground ahead. His tone was calm, but it carried the steady cadence of a lesson.

”Remember this. Pekko are no ordinary beasts. These birds can sense what we often overlook, whether a place is good, ill, or tainted with hidden intent. Trust their instincts. If they refuse to settle, it means the ground itself bears something we should not ignore.”

”And I am certain you all already know this,” Garius continued, his voice even.

”Pekko are not prized only for their strength or speed. Each has its own skills, some passive, some active. Instincts sharper than most men, and powers that can turn a battlefield.”

”Yes, Esteem Father. We all know,” his children replied in unison, their voices steady.

”Good.” Garius gave a faint nod.

”Then trust them. Believe in your mount as you would a comrade. A blade may break, a shield may falter... but a Pekko who accepts you will never betray you.”

Garius’s gaze lingered on the proud line of Pekko before him, feathers catching the light, their posture steady.

”This is also why Pekko can only truly live and thrive in the Armand region. They are a sign, a reminder, that our land is unlike any other. The soil, the air, the mana currents... even forces we still may not fully understand. All of it belongs to Armand.”

His hand moved slowly, caressing the neck of Giddie.

”Yes, a Pekko may endure in other lands for a time,” he continued.

”As you know, three were gifted, one to Princess Felicia in the Beastkin Kingdom, one to Princess Mimi, and one to Princess Delya of the Demon Kingdom. It is tradition. A future consort of Armand must not only ride a Pekko, but also understand its spirit.”

His eyes narrowed slightly.

”But those three need Armand’s soil beneath their feet, carried and laid in foreign grounds, or they grow restless. You’ve seen it yourselves, the moment they return to Armand, their strength, their vigor, their spirit flares brighter. Look how they shine when their talons touch our soil.”

”The Pekko are not beasts of burden,” Garius said firmly. ”They are living proof that Armand is more than land. It is sanctuary. Even these proud creatures long for it. And their loyalty is a sign, a sign that Armand’s soil is not just fertile... it is sacred.”

Once the Pekko had settled into the open ground, their behavior quickly shifted from disciplined formation to instinctive comfort. Some lowered themselves onto the soil, wings folding as they rested with heavy, content breaths.

Others began scratching at the ground with their talons, digging furrows as though searching for hidden worms. The deep, rhythmic scrapes echoed across the courtyard, drawing curious stares.

Garius and his children moved in a composed line toward the council building, each step steady, deliberate. Alf and Erinnette followed close behind, followed by two of Armand Elite Knights. The remaining elite knights, along with the household maids, stayed behind with the Pekko.

While walking,

Garius saw several nobles come into view, their silks dragging faintly against the stone as they made their way across the courtyard. At their center walked a tall man in layered robes trimmed with gold, his chin tilted just high enough to remind all who looked that he carried the weight of rank.

”Oh~ Count Garius,” the man drawled, his tone honeyed yet carrying that faint edge of condescension.

”What a surprise to see you here so early.”

Garius slowed his pace, his expression calm, his smile measured.

”Ah... good day to you, Your Honorable Marquis Saten,” he said evenly, inclining his head a fraction.

”It is truly refreshing to see you accompanied so loyally, surrounded, as always, by such... devoted gentlemen at your side.”

The Marquis tilted his head with a thin smile, his voice dripping with polished mockery.

”My~ I couldn’t help but notice... no carriage this time, Count Garius? Instead of a fine team of horses, you choose to arrive on those great monster birds of yours. And if that wasn’t strange enough, you have them settled so far from where the rest of us keep our carriages and steeds. Curious, is it not?”

Garius’s lips curved into a faint smirk.

”Ah, Your Honorable Marquis Saten... as you can see, Pekko and horses are not the best of neighbors. If we placed them too close, I fear your fine horses might panic, or worse, end up as a meal.” His tone stayed calm, but the subtle sting carried clear beneath the words.

”And as for steeds... even the simplest transport wagons in Armand are pulled by Pekko. They carry merchants across mountains and rivers three times faster than horses ever could. Goods reach other regions long before rival caravans even clear the first pass. Tell me, is it truly my birds that seem out of place here... or is it your horses that no longer keep pace with the world?”

Garius let his smirk soften into a calm, almost cordial smile as his gaze shifted briefly toward the Marquis’s entourage. His voice carried the weight of courtesy, yet every word was edged with quiet dominance.

”And as you can see, Your Honorable Marquis Saten, the measure of wealth is not in how much gold one wears on their sleeves or how heavy their chains hang from their necks. True wealth is shown in what follows at your side, in what serves you faithfully.”

He paused, his eyes gleaming with faint amusement as he gestured subtly with a tilt of his chin.

”Did none of you notice? Among them, one gleams brighter than coin itself.”

The nobles turned their eyes, and there stood Giddie, the King of all Pekko. His feathers shimmering with a natural luster like molten gold beneath the sunlight, his towering frame dwarfing the other steeds in the courtyard.

Regal, proud, and untamed, he radiated a presence no jeweled cloak or polished carriage could rival.

Garius’s smile deepened just slightly as his gaze slid back to the Marquis.

”Pure gold, Marquis. Not hammered into chains, not sewn into garments... but living, breathing, and stronger than any horse you have ever stabled.”

( End Of Chapter )