Reborn As Noble

Chapter 1449: The First and Second Conditions ( 1449 )

Armand Northern Border.

Temporary Forward Base.

Heres arrived at the meeting room, followed by several maids, high-ranking officers, and a squad of Armand Special Forces escorting him. The two soldiers guarding the main door snapped to attention, saluting crisply with fists pressed against their left chests.

Heres smiled warmly, raising his palm in a calm gesture. ”At ease. Is the last heir already inside?”

”Yes, Your Highness. They arrived earlier and are waiting inside.”

”Mm. Keep up the good work.” Heres nodded before stepping forward as the maids pushed open the heavy doors. They moved gracefully, forming a pathway as he entered.

The room was modest, with a long wooden table at its center, maps and documents neatly arranged. Heres walked to the head of the table and took his seat with practiced ease.

The officers accompanying him took their places in the chairs set along the right side of the table, their expressions composed and professional. The maids remained positioned respectfully behind him, standing with perfect posture near the wall, hands clasped in front of them.

The Special Forces escorts took their posts by the door, guarding the meeting area.

Falme stepped forward, holding a sealed document. ”Your Highness.”

”Thanks, Falme.” Heres smiled, taking the document and setting it before him. He glanced at her, lowering his voice.

”Please escort our guests to their seats.”

”As you command, Your Highness.” Falme placed her palm on her left chest, bowing slightly before turning and walking toward Friedrich and Emeline, who were seated at a respectful distance. Heres watched as Falme spoke to them in a calm, formal tone, gesturing toward the two chairs set across from him at the table.

Heres watched as Emeline and her brother stood from their seats and walked toward the table. Emeline moved with a natural grace, her eyes averted in a shy, flustered smile, her hands clasped gently before her. Friedrich stopped a respectful distance from the table, with Emeline standing slightly behind and to his side.

Friedrich placed his right palm flat against his left chest and bowed slightly, his posture formal but weary.

”Your Highness, I am Friedrich de Lurghen, the second son of my late father, Lord Gerhardt de Lurghen. This is my younger sister, Emeline de Lurghen.”

Emeline followed her brother’s lead, offering a graceful curtsy, her head bowed respectfully.

Friedrich’s voice remained steady, but a raw edge of gratitude colored his words.

”On behalf of my sister and what remains of our household, I offer our deepest thanks and eternal gratitude for your intervention yesterday. You saved not only our lives but also the lives of those who remained loyal to us. We are forever in your debt.”

Emeline offered a gentle curtsy, her gaze still lowered, but a genuine warmth in her voice as she spoke softly. ”Thank you, Your Highness.”

Heres smiled calmly, a warm and reassuring expression on his face. He gestured toward the chairs across from him.

”Please, take a seat. Both of you.”

Friedrich and Emeline exchanged a brief, uncertain glance, a silent question passing between them. Heres noticed the pause. He leaned back slightly, his tone measured and direct.

”Time is valuable for both of us, Lord Friedrich. I am certain you have much to discuss, and I have duties awaiting me after this meeting. We are here to decide what comes next. Let us speak plainly, so we may find the best path forward for your people.”

Friedrich exhaled quietly, a subtle tension leaving his shoulders. He gave a small nod, and together with his sister, he stepped forward and took the seat directly across from Heres. Emeline settled beside him, her hands now resting in her lap, her eyes briefly meeting Heres’s before flickering away.

”Now...”

Heres’s expression shifted, the warm smile fading into a calm, serious composure. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, fingers intertwined, his lips resting lightly behind his hands.

”Before we begin any discussion or negotiation, Lord Friedrich, there are several things I must make clear.”

His voice was firm, measured, carrying the weight of Armand’s authority.

”First and foremost, I must speak of betrayal. The Armand family despises betrayal above all else. It is not merely a policy or a law; it is a principle that runs through the very blood of our household. Those who betray their sworn lord, their people, or their oaths are not forgiven. They are not given second chances. They are crushed without mercy, without exception.”

He paused, letting the words settle.

”I am aware that your household and mine have not always seen eye to eye. Your late father held no love for Armand, and we held no love for him. But that is in the past. What matters now is the present and the future. You reached out to us in your darkest hour, asking for our aid and offering your fealty. That takes courage, and I respect that.”

Heres’s gaze sharpened.

”But understand this. If you swear loyalty to the Armand Crown, it is absolute. There is no half-measure, no hidden agenda, no secret alliance with other powers. You will be bound to us, and we will be bound to you. Betrayal, in any form, will be met with the full wrath of Armand. There will be no mercy, no negotiation, no second chance. Do you understand what I am saying, Lord Friedrich?”

Friedrich nodded silently, his expression solemn as he absorbed Heres’s words. Emeline, seated beside him, stole a glance at Heres.

Heres continued, his voice steady and clear.

”Second, I must address the matter of religion. Specifically, the so-called Saint of Three Gods.”

His tone hardened, a flicker of cold disdain passing through his eyes.

”Armand does not recognize this faith. We do not permit its preachers, its missionaries, or any of its agents to operate within our borders. Any representative of the Saint of Three Gods who attempts to enter Armand territory will be detained and executed without exception. This is not a threat. It is a statement of fact. We have buried their missionaries before, and we will do so again.”

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle before continuing.

”Your people, Lord Friedrich, are free to pray to whatever god they wish in the privacy of their own homes. That is their right, and we will not interfere with personal belief. But there will be no public preaching. No proselytizing. No establishment of churches, shrines, or temples dedicated to the Saint of Three Gods on Armand soil. This is not a matter for negotiation. It is a fundamental law of our nation.”

Heres leaned back slightly, his gaze unwavering.

”Armand is home to many races. Humans, beastkin, elves, demons, and others live within our borders as equals. With that diversity comes a wide range of faiths and beliefs, and we have always protected the right of our people to worship as they choose. But that freedom does not extend to those who would use faith as a weapon. The Saint of Three Gods is not a religion in our eyes. It is a cult that forces the poor to pay tithes they cannot afford, that kills innocent children and villagers in the name of their gods, and that brands anyone who refuses to accept them as heretics worthy of death. We have seen their true nature. We have the proof. And we will not allow that poison to spread into our lands.”

He paused, his voice firm.

”Do you understand this condition as well, Lord Friedrich?”

Friedrich nodded, his expression growing heavier as he listened. Heres continued, his voice carrying the weight of history.

”I still remember when the first Church of the Saint of Three Gods was established. They arrived with promises of salvation, eternal peace, and prosperity for all who would kneel before their three gods. They spoke of a world without hunger, war, or suffering. All they asked in return was faith. Simple, innocent faith.”

Heres’s gaze sharpened, a flicker of old, cold anger in his eyes.

”And I also remember, your household, Lord Friedrich, was among those who sent its army to assist that coalition. Your father, Lord Gerhardt, marched his soldiers against Armand, believing he was fighting a righteous cause; a holy war against heretics.”

Both Friedrich and Emeline went silent, the air in the room growing still. Heres leaned back in his chair, his gaze steady on them.

”That is why Armand’s stance is firm. We will never accept the Saint of Three Gods within our land. Not because we are intolerant of faith, but because we have seen what they do. They promise salvation and deliver ruin. They promise unity and deliver division. They promise peace and deliver war. Every region that has embraced them has suffered for it.”

He paused, letting the truth of his words settle.

”Look at the Tybalt region. Look at Mathrias. Once struggling regions, they have begun to thrive after joining Armand and rejecting the influence of that cult. Their people are fed. Their children are safe. Their fields are fertile. That is what happens when a region is free from the grip of such corruption.”

He paused, his tone softening slightly.

”Of course, I am not naive enough to believe the absence of that religion alone that brings prosperity. It is the presence of Armand’s help, our agricultural methods, our irrigation systems, our trade networks, our fair governance, and our protection. But those things cannot coexist with the Saint of Three Gods. Where they take root, they strangle progress, demand obedience, and drain the lifeblood of the people they claim to serve.”

Heres crossed his arms, his tone final and resolute.

”If you cannot accept this condition, Lord Friedrich, then there is no further negotiation. Armand will not help you. We will not shelter your people, we will not defend your lands, and we will not waste another moment on this discussion. The choice is yours.”

( End Of Chapter )