Reborn As Noble

Chapter 1458: Preparing for Trouble to Come ( 1458 )

”R... really?” Celine glanced at Delya, her voice hesitant.

Delya smiled softly, her gaze gentle. ”Mm~ Controlling your mana is the first step for everything. Why do you think the most basic magic lessons always start with mana control? It’s not just for casting spells. It’s for stabilizing your body, steadying your breathing, calming your mind, and enhancing your physical strength. It’s the foundation of everything we do.”

She shifted her chocolate jar to one arm, using her free hand to gesture gracefully.

”Think of mana as the flow of water in your body. If you let it flow freely and smoothly, it strengthens your muscles, stabilizes your movements, and helps you maintain balance. If you let it become turbulent or blocked, your body becomes clumsy, your mind becomes scattered, and even the simplest tasks become difficult.”

Delya demonstrated with her free hand, channeling her mana in an instant. A beautiful, soft purple-dark glow shimmered at her fingertip before she easily lifted the tray with just two fingers, holding it steady as if it weighed nothing. She smiled at Celine before continuing.

”See? Once your mana flows properly, your body naturally becomes stronger and more stable. It’s not about raw strength. It’s about how well you can channel and control your own energy.”

”Oh...” Celine nodded, her eyes wide with understanding. Then her gaze drifted toward Mimi, who was now balancing the tray on her nose while skipping carefree around Felicia. Her tail twitched playfully as she moved, before she tossed the tray up with her face, spun it in the air, and caught it effortlessly with her tail, twirling it around like a toy.

Celine blinked, her mouth slightly agape. ”How... how is she doing that?”

Delya let out a soft, weary exhale, shaking her head. ”Well... that cheeky girl is different. Don’t even think about following what she does.”

Gloria nudged her glasses before smiling at Celine. ”Mimi doesn’t overthink things. She doesn’t stress about the weight of the tray or the risk of spilling. She just moves with pure instinct and joy. Her body and mana are completely in sync because she never lets doubt or fear cloud her mind. That’s why she can do things like that without even trying.”

Felicia crossed her arms and let out a soft exhale. ”More like all she thinks about is playing. She treats training and everything else like it’s just a game, a form of entertainment. She doesn’t take anything seriously, and yet somehow, she still manages to excel at everything she does. It’s honestly frustrating.”

”Nya?” Mimi jumped, landing on her head before crossing her legs mid-air, the tray, refreshments, and porcelain drink set spinning gracefully on her tail. ”This is fun~” She grinned, her voice full of delight. ”Being serious is boring~”

Celine tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. ”Um... Big Sister Felicia? Can you do what Mimi does?”

Felicia glanced at Mimi, who had just flipped onto one foot, balancing the tray on the sole of her shoe, still spinning it effortlessly. Felicia huffed, crossing her arms, her cheeks flushing slightly.

”I can. But I won’t.”

”W... why?” Celine tilted her head, confused.

Felicia gracefully adjusted her hair, tying it up into a neat, high ponytail before speaking, her voice calm but carrying a hint of frustration.

”Because it’s not girlish. It’s not proper. Mimi has always been a troublemaker, ever since we were children back in the Beastkin Nation. She was constantly causing headaches for our parents, never acting like a proper princess should. The advisors and the royal guards had to chase after her constantly because she kept slipping out of the palace to play, to explore, to cause chaos wherever she went.”

She paused, her gaze softening slightly as she glanced at Delya, who was calmly hugging her chocolate jar.

”And somehow, she became best friends with Delya. They’re complete opposites in personality, and yet they’re always together, always causing some kind of trouble. It’s a mystery that I’ve never been able to understand.”

”H... hey!” Delya puffed her cheeks, her voice carrying a hint of protest. ”I’m the one who gets in trouble because of Mimi, not doing the trouble together!”

”Still... you kept covering up for her during the months you two were in training back in the day.” Felicia narrowed her eyes toward Delya, making her fidget and avert her gaze, letting out a soft, silent whistle as if she hadn’t heard anything.

Everyone turned toward where Liana was now teaching Lyzia, her voice calm but firm, her posture strict as she guided her sister through the basics of mana control. Liana’s expression was focused, her movements precise as she corrected Lyzia’s stance and breathing.

Felicia turned her gaze toward Gloria, her voice low and curious. ”Gloria... why is Big Sister Liana insisting on making that kind of promise? Letting Lyzia become the eighth wife if she passes? That’s... not like her. She’s usually so careful about who joins our family.”

Gloria nudged her glasses up, her smile turning thoughtful.

”She didn’t make that promise because she wants her little sister to become Young Master’s wife. She’s doing it to give her a reason to take this seriously, to prepare her for the trouble that’s coming later. Liana knows Lyzia’s personality; she’s playful, impulsive, and easily bored. She never thinks too deeply about consequences, and she rarely takes anything seriously. Without a goal that truly matters to her, she’d never put in the effort needed for this kind of training. The promise is a challenge, something to push her to grow.”

She paused, her gaze drifting toward Lyzia, who was now gritting her teeth in frustration as Liana calmly corrected her posture.

”By setting a goal that seems just within reach but is actually extremely difficult, Liana is forcing Lyzia to take this training seriously. Lyzia wants to prove herself, wants to surpass her sister. That desire is the only thing that will push her to actually focus, to train hard, to listen and learn. Liana knows her sister better than anyone. A gentle lesson wouldn’t work on Lyzia. She needs a challenge, a goal, something to fight for. And what better goal than the one thing she thinks she wants right now?”

Gloria turned her gaze toward Celine, her expression softening.

”Celine.”

”Yes?”

”Focus on your training. Whatever Liana is doing with Lyzia is between them. You have your own path to walk.” She paused, her voice lowering slightly. ”And I don’t need to remind you that there is someone out there who is still searching for you. Someone dangerous. Someone who will not hesitate to hurt those around you to get to you. The stronger you become, the better you can protect yourself, and the less of a burden you will be to those who care for you. So take this seriously.”

( End Of Chapter )