Reborn As Noble

Javier leaned forward slightly, showing Athine the sketchbook, flipping through detailed designs.

”This one’s your dress,” he said, flipping the page with a finger. ”And this is Aelius’s outfit. Formal, but not too stiff. Should still be easy to move in.”

Athine smiled as she studied the elegant lines and fabric notes sketched in his clean handwriting.

”If you’re going to personally craft this outfit for us...” she paused, setting her teacup down with grace, ”what about your other brothers and their partners? Don’t forget, Meira and Lithia were once your personal maids, before they were assigned to Brother Cedric and Brother Marcellus.”

Javier met her gaze and sighed. ”Hmm? Heres was the first to ask for a design. And Kliatana? Ugh...she’s been pestering me nonstop to craft ’the perfect wedding dress’ just so she can look dazzling in front of Heres.”

He rubbed his temple. ”And don’t get me started on Marcellus and Cedric. Those two bugged me the whole week, and even ’borrowed’ some of my gold on top of that.”

Athine let out a soft, elegant laugh. ”They really do love you.”

”Heh. Couldn’t agree more. Love to bully me because I’m the youngest among all the brothers.”

He stretched lazily and smirked. ”Well... there’s still two younger than me. Heres’s little sister, and our dragon-girl stepmother’s daughter.”

Athine chuckled. ”Yes... that one is going to be a handful when she grows up.”

Javier stood up, closing the sketchbook with a light snap.

”So, pick whichever design you like, and I’ll have it finished before the wedding. If I’m not around, just tell Liana or Gloria. They’ll pass it to me.”

Athine tilted her head slightly. ”Hmm? Where are you going? I thought Father wasn’t allowing anyone outside the estate this month.”

”I know.” Javier turned slightly, his expression relaxed, ”It’s not that I’m going anywhere.”

He glanced toward the window.

”...I just have a feeling. Like Father might be calling for me soon.”

Athine smiled, crossing one leg over the other as her maid gently refilled her teacup. She lifted it with grace, steam curling above the porcelain.

”Is it because of that?” she asked, voice smooth.

Javier blinked. ”Oh? So you do know about it, Athine?”

Her lips curled slightly. ”We’re family. And don’t forget, Father trained all of us. Even if it wasn’t direct guidance... we were never left unguided.”

She took a slow sip, then glanced toward the window.

”He always let us think we were choosing freely. But looking back... every decision, every opportunity... it was placed just right. Like chess pieces on a board.”

Javier exhaled softly and smile. ”I know.”

He shoved both hands into his pockets, gaze shifting to her. ”So that means... you’ve heard about the Human Kingdom’s latest movement?”

”More or less~” Athine replied, casually flipping open his sketchbook and glancing at the designs again.

”You mean their newly formed ’secret division’?”

Javier smirked. ”You could say that.”

Athine leaned back in her chair, still looking at the page. ”Trying to build a new weapon~ perhaps?”

”Oho~” Javier raised an eyebrow. ”So you really do know.”

She gave a faint shrug, swirling her tea gently. ”Let’s just say... some verified information has reached me.”

Javier narrowed his eyes slightly. ”You really went all out forming your own investigation team, huh?”

”Heee~ so you knew~?” Athine smiled, crossing her legs again with effortless elegance.

Athine looked up at Javier from behind her teacup, eyes calm but direct.

”So... what are you going to do?”

Javier shrugged lightly, still standing with both hands in his pockets.

”Hmm? Nothing.”

Athine smiled. ”You sure~?”

”I’m sure,” he replied without missing a beat. ”Aside from improving our border defenses... and, well, launching another mana satellite.”

Before he could finish, Athine gently cut in, her tone graceful but sharp.

”A secret weapon from the sky... right~?”

Javier narrowed one eye at her, grinning.

”Oho~ here she is. The Thorny Flower of Armand. Beautiful... but dangerous.”

Athine set her teacup down with an elegant clink, lips curved.

”Of course~ I’m doing everything to protect this family.”

Her hand drifted briefly to her stomach, the gesture subtle but meaningful.

”...And, naturally, my future husband~”

Javier simply smiled.

He turned his gaze toward the window, eyes trailing up to the open sky.

”...Can’t believe it,” he murmured.

Athine glanced at him, then spoke softly. ”You mean that girl... with King Kimar’s eldest son?”

”Don’t say her name,” Javier replied with a faint smirk, casting a sideways glance at her.

”I’m just lucky,” he continued, ”that the puppet knight I had stationed on their battlement was linked to my dimensional storage.”

He raised his fingers lazily and gave a light flick.

”One gesture, and it vanished, retrieved before they could pull anything off it. Data, enchantment records, runes... nothing left for them to scavenge.”

Athine exhaled lightly, setting her cup down.

”Still can’t believe she tried to extract information from you. Gathering their best blacksmiths, preparing everything behind the scenes...”

She leaned back slightly.

”...And the worst part? Her father didn’t even know a thing.”

”And from our investigation,” Athine continued calmly, ”alongside Alf’s intelligence unit... we confirmed something during the war between the Human Kingdom and the Dwarven Kingdom.”

”Someone on the inside... spoke to Gumarak directly. Persuaded him to accept the Celestial power. Took advantage of his only weakness. And we both know how fond he is of her.”

”...Yeah.”

Athine smiled softly, shifting her teacup aside.

”But that’s not important right now, is it, little brother?”

She leaned in slightly, crossing her legs again.

”Are you really sure you don’t want to do anything? Like... crushing their little ’secret division’ first?”

Javier chuckled, shaking his head.

”No need.”

He stood a bit straighter, hands slipping back into his pockets.

”No need,” he said simply. ”Crafting the kind of weapon I’m designing... it requires a very specific technique. Something no blacksmith, no matter how skilled, can reproduce by hand.”

He paused.

”And even if they somehow find someone with magic crafting talent like mine...” He turned to glance at her, a slow smirk forming. ”I doubt they’ll manage. I’m sure you already know why.”

Athine’s smile deepened.

”You mean... the Bearer of the Seven Powers,” she said softly, eyes glinting. ”And that rare gift, the Hand of Creation?”

She chuckled, folding her hands over her lap.

”You’re a lucky little brother~”

Javier shrugged.

”Only those blessed with a true creation gift can craft from nothing,” he said. ”As long as they have the knowledge... the structure... and the imagination to will it into existence.”

( End Of Chapter )