Reborn As Noble

Chapter 842: Mercy, Boundaries, and Belief ( 842 )

Javier picked up a thick, juicy slice from his own plate and took a generous bite. His eyes lit up.

”Mmm... delicious as always,” he said, smiling at Liana and Gloria.

Liana gave a soft smile. Gloria looked pleased.

Javier spoke again in calm voice.

”Let’s just hope those beliefs don’t start spreading inside Armand. You both remember what they did to that village, right?” He chewed slowly.

”They burned it. Called the people devil worshippers just because they refuse to join their believe. They killed everyone.”

The smile faded from Gloria’s lips. Liana’s gaze darkened.

Javier continued, voice lowering.

”And Kenjirou...” His hand tightened slightly around the wooden plate. ”The so-called ’hero’ who slipped into our land with his party. Who claimed to fight for justice. Fight for true belief.”

He paused.

”But they burned one of our villages to the ground. Slaughtered every man, woman, and child. Not even a baby left alive. All while saying it was the will of the gods.”

Both Liana and Gloria were silent.

They remembered. The fire. The screaming. The ambush. The blade that pierced them.

Javier’s tone turned cold.

”But they’re gone now,” he said flatly. ”I killed every last one of them.”

”No more fake heroes. No more masked priests hiding behind holy words.”

He tore another bite of meat, chewed slowly, then muttered beneath his breath.

”They’re fanatics. The moment you refuse to kneel, they call you wicked. The moment you speak your truth, they call it heresy.”

He looked toward the distant estate wall again, jaw set firm.

”That kind of madness doesn’t belong here.”

Javier’s expression darkened, the playful air gone in an instant.

He set down his plate, gaze cold and voice low.

”If...”

Liana and Gloria stilled, sensing the shift in him.

”If any of them try... Rules or not—”

He leaned forward, eyes hard as steel.

”I’ll make sure none of them... live to see tomorrow.”

The words hung in the air, quiet and absolute. Not just a threat, but a promise.

Liana and Gloria exchanged a glance, worry flickering across their faces, but they knew Javier meant every word.

Suddenly, Javier grinned.

”Hehe... that kind of serious talk? Not good,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. ”Not good for a delicious meal like this.”

He picked up another slab of meat and leaned back with a lazy smirk.

”So we better change the subject. I’m sure Father already has a plan for this anyway, before I even lift a finger.”

Liana let out a soft breath, her shoulders relaxing as she smiled.

Gloria chuckled beside her. ”There’s the usual young master.”

Javier grinned wider and hurled the meat into the air.

”Alright, Buddy—catch!”

”Cuquawk!!”

With a burst of energy, Buddy launched himself up, wings flapping for balance. He caught the meat cleanly mid-air and landed with a proud bounce.

”Whoa... I didn’t know you could jump that high, Buddy!”

”Cuquawked!” Buddy puffed up, beak still dripping with meat juice as if saying of course I can.

Javier turned toward Gloria, still chewing the last bite of his meat.

”Gloria?”

She looked up, calmly eating her portion. ”Yes, young master?”

”Since you’re the one who stayed behind while Liana and I went with Father to the royal capital... what happened with the kings and queens who visited Armand?”

Gloria nodded lightly. ”Ah, they departed yesterday. Just before you and Lord Garius returned from the capital.”

Javier raised a brow. ”So every princess went back with them too?”

Before Gloria could answer.

Pinch!

”Gaaaah!! Liana!! That hurts!!”

He squirmed in place, rubbing his side while Liana gave him a sweet, scary smile.

”My~ thinking about them already?” she said, voice soft and dangerous.

”I... I’m just... err... asking!” Javier looked away quickly, eyes darting to the trees.

”Just because all of them are soon to be my co-wives...” Liana leaned in, fingers tightening as she pinched Javier’s side with a sweet voice, ”you should focus on the two of us here first~”

”Eeekkk!! A-Alright! Alright!!” Javier yelped, wriggling away like a cornered squirrel.

Then Liana turned toward Gloria with a playful smile. ”You know, second wife~?”

Gloria tilted her head with a calm, amused look. ”What is it, first wife~?”

”Kliatana is no longer a princess,” Liana said, still sweet, but her glance toward Javier was sharp as a blade. ”And you know... she’s staying here now.”

Ara~” Gloria’s eyes sparkled behind her glasses. ”That could be troublesome. I hear she’s quite taken with our young master~”

”Yes~, second wife,” Liana replied, her tone as gentle as ever ”It looks like we have yet another problem.”

Javier broke out in a cold sweat, looking between the two. ”C-c-chill... girls? I... I swear, I already promised! No more add-ons to the harem after you two and... and Felicia... and Mimi... and Delya... and Ferine...”

He trailed off, swallowing as the tension grew. Liana and Gloria both turned toward him in perfect unison.

Their smiles gone, eyes far too serious, the air thick with silent understanding.

Liana’s gaze sharpened, her grip on his sleeve tight. Gloria set her plate down, glasses glinting as she regarded him with the calm, focused stare.

Javier tried to recover, hands raised defensively.

”I-I mean, that’s it! No more, seriously! My heart and my sanity can’t take any more surprises!”

Liana leaned in closer, her eyes narrowing. ”Are you sure, young master?”

Gloria echoed her, voice low and even. ”Absolutely certain, young master?”

Javier’s smile strained. ”Positive. Really. You two are more than enough! And, um, everyone else... was a misunderstanding, I swear...”

Liana finally let go, but her stare lingered.

Gloria adjusted her glasses, her lips curling in a cool, elegant smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

”Good. We’ll hold you to that, young master.”

Javier chuckled weakly, sweat sliding down his temple. ”R-Right... noted...”

His eyes darted left and right, desperately searching for a lifeline.

Change the subject. Change the subject fast.

Then, his eyes lit up.

”Ah... Gloria?”

Gloria, still holding her plate but now with a far more curious gaze, tilted her head.

”Hmm? Yes, young master?”

”About Chieftain Gumarak...” Javier cleared his throat, feigning casual curiosity.

”I was supposed to be in charge of sending him back...but you said they already left?”

”Yes, young master,” Gloria replied, resuming her calm tone.

”They departed yesterday morning, before you returned from the royal capital. They were escorted by Erisa along with several elite battle maids and the Pekko Royal Escort Unit. The group used the Armand–Beastkin–Dwarven Kingdom route, bypassing Human Kingdom territory entirely due to its current instability.”

”Hmm...” Javier rubbed his chin thoughtfully, nodding.

”If it’s Erisa, the beautiful new head of household maids, personally trained by Erinnette, then I suppose everything’s in good hands. She’s more than capable of handling such an escort.”

Then he froze.

Wait.

His eyes widened.

Did I just say beautiful...?

The air turned cold.

He could feel two gazes drilling into the side of his face like twin mana drills.

Gloria had stopped chewing. Liana’s expression darkened.

Javier slowly turned, nervous grin twitching at the corners of his mouth.

”L-Liana...? G-Gloria...?”

Then.

”GYYAAAAAAHHH!!”

The scream echoed across the estate.

( End Of Chapter )