Reborn As Noble

Chapter 356 356: Wit and Warnings ( 356 )

Hesbeirn stood waiting in the prisoner processing area, arms crossed, his massive frame making the surrounding guards look small in comparison.

When he saw Javier approaching, while liana dragging the Amazarak girl along and he saw Liana smiling far too much, he let out a long, heavy sigh.

”Really, Young Master?” His deep voice rumbled through the room.

”I donʼt know how you convinced Lord Garius, but whatever…” His shoulders slumped slightly, clearly tired.

Javierʼs grin widened. ”Donʼt worry, Uncle!”

Hesbeirn twitched. ”Damn brat, calling me uncle…!”

The surrounding knights and officers looked away, trying to hide their smirks.

It wasnʼt every day they saw the great General Hesbeirn—commander of Armandʼs elite forces—treated like an actual uncle by Javier.

Javier just laughed.

Liana smiled sweetly at Hesbeirn and spoke in a calm, polite tone. ”General, do you want us to process this bitch quickly, or should I prepare the chopping block?”

Zania flinched violently.

Hesbeirn sighed again, rubbing his temples. ”Enough, Liana. Just put her through the damn process.”

”Uncle, you sound so tired,” Javier chuckled.

Hesbeirn glared at him. ”Whose fault do you think that is?”

He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. ”Our officers already set up the gallows in the center of Gaze City for the public execution.” He gestured vaguely. ”Now we have to take it down again.”

Javier, still grinning, waved a hand dismissively. ”Ah, no need, Uncle. Just leave it there for a week.”

Hesbeirn frowned. ”Huh? What for?”

Javierʼs expression shifted. His grin faded, and his casual, mischievous aura melted away. For the first time in the conversation, his gaze turned cold—serious, deadly.

”So the enemy knows weʼre serious.” His voice held no trace of amusement.

Hesbeirnʼs eyes narrowed.

The room grew quiet.

Javier wasnʼt joking.

”So they think twice before doing bad things to my people.” His words were calm, steady, absolute.

Everyone in the room understood.

Javier might be young. He might be playful, mischievous—lazy, even.

But when it came to his people?

He was an Armand.

And an Armand never forgives threats to their own.

The tension in the room was thick.

Javierʼs cold words still lingered in the air.

Everyone felt it—the shift, the weight behind his declaration.

A smirk broke the silence.

Javier grinned, his usual playful mischief returning.

With a dramatic flourish, he reached into his magic storage and—

Poof!

A puppet made of pillows flopped onto the floor, sporting comically stitched eyes and a goofy expression.

Javier held it up proudly. ”Maybe we should hang this one instead?”

Silence enveloped the room.

The officers blinked in disbelief.

Hesbeirn stared, ”…What?”

Liana covered her mouth, stifling a giggle.

Gloria adjusted her glasses, trying not to smile.

Javier spun the pillow puppet in his hands, continuing with a completely serious tone: ”Iʼm sure Buddy will be happy to play with it.”

”Cuquawked!”

Everyone turned toward the open window where Buddy, Javierʼs beloved Pekko, had his head tilted, staring as if genuinely considering it.

Hesbeirn rubbed his temples. ”Damn brat…” he muttered under his breath.

Zania sat frozen, her mind racing.

Why?

Why was everyone laughing?

Why was the man who just declared their seriousness against enemies now joking about hanging a pillow puppet?

Why did no one—not even the soldiers—take this seriously?

What kind of place was this?

Hesbeirn sighed, shaking his head before turning back to Javier. ”Are you sure you donʼt want to use a slave collar on this girl?”

Zania tensed at the suggestion.

Javier, still holding the pillow puppet, smiled. ”Ah, no need.”

He tossed the puppet aside and stretched lazily. ”We donʼt need to do that. She can run and go back to her kingdom ʼif she wants.ʼ”

Zaniaʼs heart skipped a beat.

Her breath hitched.

Slowly, she lifted her gaze to Javier, her eyes widening.

He was letting her go?

But—

”But know this, Amazarak girl.”

Javierʼs voice dropped, chilling the room.

The amusement in his expression faded instantly, and his sharp, piercing gaze locked onto hers.

”Once you step out of Armandʼs borders…”

Zaniaʼs stomach twisted as the air grew thick.

”Then say goodbye to your kingdom.”

Javierʼs words werenʼt a threat.

They were a promise.

Zaniaʼs breath caught in her throat.

Javierʼs words werenʼt casual threats.

They were carefully placed daggers, slicing away any illusion of escape.

”Because my father, the Lord of Armand, has already filed an official complaint to our king.”

His tone was calm, steady.

But Zania felt its weight pressing down on her.

”And that message has already been relayed to our allies.”

Zaniaʼs fingers curled into fists.

She knew what that meant.

The Beastkin Kingdom. The Elven Kingdom. Even the Halflings.

All of them had tense relations with Amazarak.

If Armand declared Amazarak an aggressor…

If Javierʼs father pushed forward with proof…

Her kingdom—her home—would be isolated.

”If you go back to Amazarak,” Javier continued, his eyes sharp, ”then that means your kingdom was planning to attack us from the start.”

Zania bit her lip, wanting to deny it—to scream that this wasnʼt true.

But deep down, she knew better.

Her sister, Queen Zephyra, never thought things through.

She acted on impulse, pride, and blind hatred.

And now…

Javier leaned closer, lowering his voice.

”I tried my best to persuade my father not to put a slave collar on you.”

Zania flinched.

”And he agreed—”

With one condition.

Javierʼs gaze darkened.

”You donʼt leave Armandʼs borders.”

Silence enveloped them.

Zania felt suffocated.

”But if you do…” Javierʼs smirk returned, but his eyes remained ice-cold.

”Just pray your kingdom doesnʼt fall.”

Zaniaʼs heartbeat pounded in her ears.

”Because Iʼm sure my fatherʼs allies—the Beastkin and Elven Kingdom—wonʼt stay silent.”

She felt lightheaded.

This wasnʼt a choice. This was a trap.

Amazarak had no chances of winning a war against Armand and its allies.

If she ran back home…

She would be the reason her kingdom was destroyed.

Javierʼs smirk widened. ”So… choose wisely.”

Zania remained silent, her mind racing to grasp the full weight of his words.

But before she could process her thoughts, Javier continued—his voice light, almost playful.

”Well… itʼs not like we even need our allies to make a move on your kingdom.”

Zania snapped her gaze up.

What?

Javier stretched lazily, tilting his head with a smug grin.

”Based on the recent ʼHoly Warʼ—the one where the Coalition of Nobles from the human kingdom tried to wipe out Armand…”

A cold shiver crawled down Zaniaʼs spine.

She had heard rumors about how the noble factions, backed by the Saint of Three Gods, had declared Armand heretical and raised a massive coalition army to bring it down.

A holy war.

Zaniaʼs people believed the coalition would win. After all, Armand was just one noble house.

But—

Javierʼs grin didnʼt waver as he continued casually, ”They lost over 200,000 troops.”

Zaniaʼs eyes widened.

That wasnʼt possible.

She struggled to keep her breathing steady.

Javierʼs eyes gleamed, his smile turning sharper. ”So tell me, Amazarak princess…

”If a ʼholy warʼ of 200,000 troops couldnʼt bring us down…”

”What exactly do you think your kingdom can do?”

Zaniaʼs mind went blank.

Javier stretched and let out a satisfied sigh.

”Oh well, thatʼs what my father asked me to tell you.”

Zania remained silent, her body tense.

”And seriously, donʼt even think about running away.” Javierʼs smirk didnʼt fade.

”Youʼre lucky enough as it is—not being hanged in public or forced into a slave collar.”

Zania gritted her teeth. Lucky? She didnʼt feel lucky at all.

Javier casually shrugged.

”Youʼre free… well… not fully.” He gave her a wink.

”But hey, close enough.” Then, without another glance at her, he turned on his heels.

”Alright, Uncle! Weʼre heading out now!”

Hesbeirn, still rubbing his temples, waved a hand.

”Haaa… go, go. Iʼm busy here.”

”Oh, Uncle!”

Hesbeirn groaned. ”What now, brat?”

Javier grinned. ”Almost forgot—Father said to tell you to rush back to the estate.”

Hesbeirn froze. ”Huh?”

Javier nodded sagely. ”Yep. Bet heʼs already waiting for you.”

A long pause.

”Damn it, brat! You should have told me sooner!”

Hesbeirn bolted out the door, swearing under his breath.

Javier just chuckled. ”Ttoo easy.”

He rolled his shoulders, letting out a satisfied sigh as he glanced at his two most trusted maids.

”Liana? Gloria?”

The two women straightened slightly, their focus shifting entirely to him. ”Yes, young master?”

Javierʼs lips curled into a familiar smirk. ”Letʼs go. Our pekko are waiting. Besides, thereʼs a place we need to visit after this.”

Liana and Gloria exchanged a glance, understanding without needing further explanation. ”As you wish, young master,” they said in unison. They moved to follow him, their steps light and confident.

But then, Javier came to a stop. Slowly, he turned his head, his eyes locking onto Zania, who had been standing motionless behind them. She stiffened.

For a moment, there was only silence between them. Then, his voice cut through the quiet. ”And you.”

Zaniaʼs breath caught in her throat. Javier didnʼt change his expression, but there was something unshakable in his gaze. His smirk remained, but his tone left no room for argument. ”Make sure you follow us.”

Zania wanted to scowl, to refuse outright—but she held her tongue. She knew better. Clenching her fists, she forced her legs to move. She didnʼt have a choice.

( End of Chapter )