Reborn As Noble

Chapter 693: Edmund’s Dark Ambition ( 693 )

Inside the throne room of the Human Kingdom’s royal palace.

The air was thick.

Mana crackled from the walls as the king’s rage spread like a storm.

“WHAT!?”

King Edmund stood from his throne, eyes wide, his voice booming across the hall.

“Are you telling me… our 5,000 Wyvern Special Unit, each one mounted by elite mages and archers was wiped out!?”

He slammed his fist on the golden armrest.

“You dare say our magic-enhanced wyverns, trained to evade and counter air-based attacks, were all destroyed!? Those so-called anti-air mana guns were slow. We gathered enough intel to map their fire rate and range!”

The gathered advisors and generals fell into tense silence.

One of the royal advisors stepped forward.

“…Y-yes, my liege. However… it seems the weapons that shot them down were not the same that we investigated.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a new type of mana weapon, Your Majesty. Not a conventional anti-air gun. The scouts report it acted more like… a mana fireball, but with guided precision—unlike anything we’ve seen.”

The king’s face twisted in disbelief.

“Impossible! We scouted that region. We sent pur best intelligence unit toward that area. Where did they even hide such weapons!?”

Another general spoke carefully.

“We… underestimated how deep the Armand Region’s magic tech had advanced. Their intel suppression may have blocked our surveillance unit.”

Edmund’s mana flared violently, the room shaking.

“Then what were our spies, our intelligence division, our shadow unit doing!? Were they sleeping!?”

“…My liege,” the advisor bowed deeply. “They simply didn’t detect the existence of this system. It was either created very recently, or hidden using complex illusion wards and multi-layered cloaking magic.”

Edmund clenched his jaw.

“Magic alone shouldn’t have taken down our wyverns. They’re built to resist high-level spells.”

“…That’s just it, my king,” the advisor said quietly. “This wasn’t ordinary magic. It wasn’t a spell. It was pure mana propulsion and detonation, more like a weapon than a casted spell.”

“…A mana missile…” Edmund echoed, sitting back down, his eyes burning with fury.

“Then Armand… has stepped into a realm beyond this kingdom’s control.”

Edmund gritted his teeth, fingers tightening until his knuckles turned bone-white.

“Fuck!! You’re really getting on my nerves, Garius!!”

He slammed his fist into the ornate council table in front of him.

The massive, carved wood splintered and collapsed beneath his furious strike.

A dark, twisted aura surged around Edmund’s body, the shadows in the throne room growing deeper and colder. His eyes glowed with a hateful, crimson intensity.

His mind burned with rage, dark thoughts seething inside.

That worthless, conniving bastard. Growing his precious Armand Region… expanding it beyond anything I ever imagined…

A whisper echoed inside his mind. The Celestial inside him spoke.

“Why restrain yourself, Edmund? Unleash your full strength. March personally into Armand. Lead your army yourself.”

Edmund clenched his jaw, eyes narrowing, heart racing with dark excitement.

“With your presence,” the Celestial continued, “the dark barrier will protect and strengthen your soldiers. Any warrior who falls shall rise again—undying, fearless, and unstoppable… serving you eternally as your frontline.”

Edmund’s lips twisted into a cruel smile, darkness swirling hungrily in his gaze.

“Yes… perhaps it is time,” he whispered to himself.

“If Armand refuses to bow, I’ll burn it to ash myself.”

He stood, dark energy radiating, as his generals and advisors shuddered silently beneath his oppressive aura.

“Prepare the full army. I will personally lead the next assault on Armand.”

His voice dripped with malice, echoing through the hall.

“Let’s see how your technology fares against me, Garius.”

Meanwhile, in the Armand Region.

Inside the private meeting room of the estate, the atmosphere was calm.

Garius sat at the head of the long, polished table, reading through several sealed reports while sipping warm tea. As always, Erinnette stood beside him, and Alf waited quietly at his usual position.

Across the table, General Hesbeirn sat silently, his arms crossed, sharp eyes watching everything without speaking.

Garius closed one report and looked up.

“Alf?”

“Yes, my lord?”

“Has Javier returned home yet?”

Alf shook his head slightly. “No, my lord. It seems… he might still be enjoying his peaceful journey with his two favorite maids.”

Garius sighed deeply and leaned back in his chair. “Did he forget the mission scroll I gave him…? Never mind.”

He turned his attention to Hesbeirn.

“So your old friend Gilmon’s still being treated under heavy supervision in the main healing base?”

“Yes, my lord.” Hesbeirn nodded once. “He’s alive. Barely.”

“I don’t know what my old, stupid friend Edmund is thinking anymore,” Garius muttered, tapping the report on the table. “Conquering the Dwarven Kingdom and Halfling territory wasn’t enough? Now that he’s reached the fifth stage of a Celestial…”

His voice trailed into thought for a moment before he continued.

“He can regenerate from nearly any attack. That damn celestial parasite inside him… and his dark aura… his entire army gains strength and resilience just by being near him.”

Garius’s gaze turned to Alf.

“Alf.”

“Yes, my lord?”

“How are our shadow units?”

“Fully deployed and awaiting orders at the border, my lord. All routes and perimeter points are covered.”

Garius nodded, then looked at Erinnette.

“And our elite battle maid corps?”

Erinnette bowed slightly. “Erisa is currently assisting Alf’s shadow team. Both forces are on full standby along the second and third defensive lines.”

“Good,” Garius muttered, rubbing his temple.

“Keep them hidden. No movements unless absolutely necessary. Once Edmund personally enters the battlefield… I doubt brute force alone will win the day. That bastard’s not the same as before.”

He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them—sharp, cold, focused.

“For now… let Javier’s magic tech handle them from afar. The first line will hold. If they manage to pass it—then we intercept.”

Everyone in the room nodded silently.

“And Hesbeirn?”

The general glanced up just as he finished gulping the last of his wine straight from the bottle. His fingers still slick with roasted meat grease. He gave a satisfied sigh.

Across the room, Erinnette slowly turned her head, glaring.

Her eyes narrowed like sharpened blades.

Hesbeirn froze mid-chew, then swallowed hastily.

“Y-Yes, my lord?” he replied quickly, straightening his posture.

Garius smirked slightly. “Make sure our troops remain on full alert. If Edmund plans to come here himself… the only route is straight through the front. No subtlety. Just brute force.”

“Yes, my lord. I’ve already doubled the number of mana relay scouts and reinforced all Pekko-mounted divisions. The reserve units are on full stanby.”

“Good,” Garius said simply, returning his gaze to the thick stack of sealed reports.

He exhaled slowly.

“…Let’s hope, for the sake of our people and our region’s safety, that it doesn’t come to that.”

( End Of Chapter )

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