Reborn As Noble

Chapter 1457: The Preliminary Assessment ( 1457 )

Armand Nation.

Special Underground Training Facility.

Liana smiled and gestured gracefully toward three sets of steel trays, each carrying a delicate drink set and refreshments, the kind the maids always served to the royal family. Her eyes then turned toward Celine and Lyzia, her voice calm and melodic.

”The first test is simple. You must carry one of these trays and bring it to the next table at the far end of this corridor.”

She pointed toward a narrow, winding path ahead. It was a simple-looking bridge, barely a foot wide, stretching over a deep, dark hole on either side. The destination was a small table visible about thirty feet away.

”Huh? What for, Big Sister?” Lyzia asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Liana placed her palm on her cheek, tilting her head slightly with a serene smile. ”This is the preliminary assessment. It determines whether you are ready to even step into the first real training zone. Before you can enter the first real training zone, you must pass through this assessment. It is not a test of strength, but of control, focus, and grace.”

Lyzia pursed her lips, her expression turning into a pout of protest. ”I was hoping for a real fight, or at least some magic practice... not... tea service over a pit!”

”Ara~?” Liana smiled, glancing at Mimi, who was now stretching her body with lazy, feline grace. Mimi leaned her head toward the tray, playing around with it, arranging and rearranging the cups and plates with her tongue poking out slightly, her tail swaying slowly in excitement.

”I don’t mind if you want to admit defeat or forfeit, Lyzia~”

”Mou!” Lyzia puffed her cheeks, her voice rising in protest. ”I never said anything about giving up! It’s just... I wanted a real test. A real training. Not this!”

Liana’s smile remained serene as she spoke, her voice calm and measured.

”That bridge is not merely a test of balance, Lyzia. It is a test of focus. Of composure under pressure. If you cannot carry a simple tray of refreshments across a narrow bridge without spilling a single drop, then how can you expect to maintain your composure when facing a real enemy? How can you trust your hands to be steady when your life is on the line? How can you keep your mind clear when chaos surrounds you?”

Celine listened intently, her eyes fixed on Liana as she spoke, her voice calm and carrying the weight of experience.

”In any situation where lives are at stake, your mind must remain clear. Your hands must remain steady. A single moment of distraction, a single drop of doubt, can be the difference between victory and defeat, between life and death.”

Liana’s gaze drifted toward the bridge, her expression thoughtful.

”This is not about carrying a tray. It is about learning to move with purpose, with calm, with absolute control. It is about silencing the noise in your mind,; the fear, the doubt, the eagerness to prove yourself, and focusing only on the task at hand. The bridge is narrow. The pit is deep. But if you let fear or frustration into your thoughts, you will fall long before your foot slips.”

Her gaze softened slightly, but her tone remained firm.

”True strength is not just in how hard you can hit, Lyzia. It is in how well you can hold yourself together when everything around you is trying to tear you apart. If you cannot master your own impatience, how can you hope to master anything else?”

She paused, letting her words sink in.

”True power begins with control. Control over your body, your mind, your emotions. Without that control, all the strength in the world is meaningless. It is just chaos waiting to be unleashed. And chaos is never a friend. It is a master that consumes everything, including you.”

She stepped back, gesturing toward the trays.

”So take the tray. Walk the bridge. Spill not a drop. And when you reach the other side, you will have taken your first step toward real strength.”

”Hmmph!” Lyzia pursed her lips, huffing before crossing her arms under her breast. ”You and your big words... always making it sound so deep and important... Fine.”

Celine raised her hand timidly. Liana glanced at her, her expression softening slightly.

”Yes, Celine?”

Celine hesitated before asking, ”Um... if we pass this, will we start the real training right away? Or... is there more?”

Liana smiled softly, her eyes carrying a glint of amusement. ”Let’s see if you can truly pass this first, then we’ll talk about the rest.”

”Ha~ It’s just a tray. This will be eaaaasyyy~” Lyzia said smugly, puffing her chest as she casually walked over, taking Celine’s hand and pulling her along. ”Back at home, I always trained like this with Sister Azariah or Sister Qamara! Especially after Father was appointed the New King of the Elves, after Auntie married the Sovereign of Armand. I’ve been trained in all sorts of royal etiquette and discipline!”

Liana smiled, exchanging a knowing glance with Gloria, who simply smirked and nudged her glasses. Mimi, who had just finished playing with her own tray, watched with a curious tilt of her head.

Lyzia reached for the tray with one hand, casually trying to lift it but didn’t budge.

”Eh?”

She tried again, using both hands this time, her face turning red as she strained against the weight. She let out a frustrated hiss, her brow twitching as she finally managed to lift it, her arms trembling slightly.

”What the!? How heavy is this thing!?” Lyzia shot a glare at Liana. ”Is this what Armand maids normally carry!?”

Liana placed her palm over her lips, her eyes narrowing in amusement. ”No~ This is for the assessment. The selected and elite battle maids of Armand can easily lift it like it was nothing.” She gestured gracefully toward Gloria. ”Our cousin here was among the elite battle maids before she officially became Young Master’s second fiancée. In terms of strength, power, magic, technique, and fighting style, she and I are on par.”

Lyzia set the tray back down on the table, panting slightly, her arms trembling from the strain. Celine stared at the tray, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and concern.

”My my~” Gloria smiled softly, resting her palm on her cheek, her eyes fixed on Lyzia in amusement. ”Look at that~ It seems like she won’t be passing the first assessment within a week~”

She glanced at Liana, her smirk widening. ”No wonder you were so confident, dear cousin. You already knew exactly how this would go, didn’t you?”

Liana’s smile remained serene, tilting her head gracefully. ”I simply have faith in my little sister’s... potential.”

Lyzia, still panting, shot them both a glare while stepping back, rubbing her sore arms.

Celine, who had been quietly observing, suddenly felt a presence behind her. She turned and found Delya standing there, calm and composed, her large chocolate jar hugged against her chest. Delya met her gaze, her dreamy eyes holding a gentle warmth.

”Try channeling your mana,” Delya said softly. ”Controlling your mana is the basic foundation for something like this. If you let your mana flow smoothly through your body, it will help steady your hands and lighten the load. You don’t need to rely on raw strength alone.”

( End Of Chapter )