Reborn As Noble

The next day.

Sophia stirred slowly when she felt someone shake her. She rubbed her eyes, blinking away the sleep before sitting up and glancing at who had shaken her. It was her youngest daughter, who was clutching her arm tightly.

”Sweetie? You woke up early today~” Sophia murmured, her voice still heavy with sleep.

”Mama?”

”Hmm? Yes?”

Her daughter clutched her tightly before glancing toward the window, then back at her mother, mumbling softly. ”There’s a lot of people outside, Mama.”

”Hmm? What are you talking about, sweetie?” Sophia adjusted her posture, tilting her head in confusion. She noticed Nathan’s wife, Emalia, was staring outside through the window, her expression a mixture of curiosity and unease.

”Emalia?”

Emalia glanced at her before speaking in a low voice. ”There are more carriages and people we don’t know following us. And new adventurers have joined the escort.”

Sophia’s eyes widened. She rushed toward the window and peeked her head out. Her breath caught as she saw the scene unfolding around them.

More carriages had joined their convoy, their wheels creaking as they rolled along the forest path. Families walked alongside them, some carrying bundles of belongings, others leading children by the hand. More adventurers in full plate armor moved along the flanks, their mechanical beasts striding silently beside them.

The convoy had grown significantly overnight, a small river of refugees flowing through the forest. There were at least eight more carriages and dozens of people on foot, their faces weary but determined. Some carried sacks of grain, others pushed small carts loaded with whatever they could salvage from their homes.

Sophia was surprised, her voice dropping into a low mumble. ”Where did all these people come from?”

Emalia shook her head slowly, her voice quiet.

”Nathan told me before he went to rest. We stopped for an hour at dawn, and the adventurers said they were waiting for more to arrive. They must have been gathering other refugees from nearby villages and settlements. It looks like we’re not the only ones trying to escape.”

Sophia nodded slowly, her gaze still fixed on the growing convoy outside.

”It’s true... the Human Nation is crumbling. The corruption has spread so deep that even the lords who are supposed to protect their people are the ones tearing everything apart. The civil war isn’t just about power anymore. It’s about greed, about nobles who want to expand their territories, who invade other regions just to show off their strength, without any regard for the people caught in the middle.”

She watched a mother walking beside a cart, holding a toddler’s hand while carrying an infant in a sling. The woman’s face was etched with exhaustion.

”The greedy lords and nobles... they see us as nothing more than resources to be used and discarded. They fight their wars, and we’re the ones who suffer. We lose our homes, our livelihoods, our families... and for what? So they can have a little more land, a little more gold, a little more power?”

Emalia sighed softly, her gaze following Sophia’s. ”It’s the same everywhere now. No one is safe. That’s why so many are fleeing. That’s why we’re all here, hoping to find somewhere better.”

Sophia’s eyes drifted back to the silent, silver-armored knights riding alongside them. ”I just hope... wherever they’re taking us... it’s truly better. And I pray that wherever we end up, we can finally find a place where our children can grow up without fear.”

Emalia smiled softly, her expression weary but hopeful. ”I hope so too...”

Just as Sophia was about to say something else, her son shouted in excitement, pointing out the window. ”Mama! Look! A huge, cool monster bird up ahead! And there’s a lot of them!”

B... bird?

Sophia glanced where her son was pointing, and her breath caught in her throat. In the distance, at the edge of the forest clearing, stood a line of massive, majestic birds, Pekko. Each one was ridden by a soldier in sleek, modern armor, their weapons gleaming in the morning light. They stood in perfect formation, silent and watchful, their presence commanding and imposing.

A... Armand soldiers?

Wh... what are they doing here?

Sophia’s heart began to race. She gripped the edge of the window, her knuckles turning white. The convoy began to slow as they approached the waiting soldiers. The silver-armored knights riding alongside them gave no signal, but the tension in the air thickened.

Emalia leaned closer, her voice barely a whisper. ”Why are they here? Are we being stopped? Are they... are they going to turn us away?”

Sophia didn’t answer. Her eyes were fixed on the lead Pekko rider, who dismounted and began walking toward the head of their convoy, his posture calm but authoritative. The other refugees around them had also noticed, their murmurs growing louder, their expressions shifting from weariness to fear and uncertainty.

The pekkos let out loud, proud squawks, puffing their chests as they strutted among the travelers. They glanced down at the refugees with a smug, curious expression before continuing their confident walk. People instinctively gave way, stepping aside as the massive birds moved through the crowd.

”Cuquawked!”

”Cuquawked!”

”Cuquawked~”

Sophia rushed toward her husband, who was sitting with Nathan on the coachman’s seat. She grabbed his arm, her voice trembling with worry. ”George! The Armand soldiers are here! Are they going to turn us away? If they do... where else are we supposed to go?”

George glanced at her, his expression calm but serious. He lowered his voice. ”Sophia, calm down. Armand soldiers don’t have the authority to just turn us away here. This isn’t Armand territory. From the look of the landmarks, I think we’re near the Vurghen border now.”

He reached over, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. ”Just sit with the children for now. Wait for the lead carriage to inform us about what’s happening. The adventurers and Mister Khazan will handle the talking.”

Sophia nodded, moving back toward her children. She settled beside them, pulling her youngest daughter close as she tried to steady her racing heart. Her son was still pressed against the window, his eyes wide with excitement.

”Mama! The big bird is looking at us!”

Before she could respond, a massive feathered head suddenly appeared at the window, its beak slightly open, its sharp eyes studying them. The pekko let out a loud, curious squawk.

”Cuquawked!!”

Sophia flinched, pulling her daughter closer. The pekko tilted its head, its gaze sweeping over the family, let out another squawk before pulling its head back.

Another pekko appeared, peeking through the other window. Its eyes locked onto Sophia, and a smug smirk spread across its beak. It let out a low, satisfied squawk before pulling its head out, puffing its chest proudly, and strutting toward the next carriage.

Sophia blinked, her heart still pounding. ”W... what was that?”

Her son giggled, his earlier fear replaced by excitement. ”They’re so cool, Mama! They’re like giant guard birds!”

Emalia, who had been watching silently, whispered, ”It’s like... they’re... checking on us.”

( End Of Chapter )