Reborn As Noble

Chapter 1495: A Castle Above a Sea of Magma ( 1495 )

Gloria smiled and shook her head, watching the exchange between Liana and Javier’s pekko. The massive orange bird squawked back at Liana with an air of entitlement, his chest puffed out as if he were a king demanding tribute. Liana’s expression shifted from calm to mildly annoyed, her brow twitching as she listened to his demands.

Liana narrowed her eyes, her gaze drifting to Buddy’s noticeably bulging stomach.

”Buddy, I can see your stomach bulging from here. You’ve already eaten plenty. Don’t act like you’re starving.”

Buddy puffed his chest out even more, his beak curling into a smug smirk as he let out a lazy, expectant squawk.

”Cuquawked~” (Still not enough. Since you’re my master’s wife, it’s also your responsibility~ So food~)

Liana pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a long, tired exhale. She glanced over her shoulder at Gloria, her voice flat and weary.

”Gloria, can you make sure to feed this glutton bird before I leave for Father-in-law’s study?”

Gloria stifled a soft laugh, nodding as she adjusted her glasses.

”Okay~ I’ll take care of it.”

Buddy’s head shot up, his eyes gleaming as he let out an urgent, demanding squawk.

”Cuquawked! Cuquawked~” (I don’t want pekko food! I want meat! Or fruit! No veggies~)

Liana’s eye twitched, her lips pressing into a thin line as she turned back to face the smug bird. She bit her lower lip in frustration before raising her voice, her tone sharp and commanding.

”Fine! You’ll get your meat and fruit! Just stop pestering me, you glutton bird!”

Buddy let out a satisfied, smug squawk, flapping his wings once before strutting off toward the pekko pen with his head held high.

”Cuquawked~” (That’s more like it~)

Liana shook her head, watching Buddy strut away with his head held high, his feathers gleaming with self-satisfaction. She let out a tired exhale before turning back to her co-wives, her expression softening as her gaze settled on Gracelle.

”Gracelle, you should follow Gloria later. It’s time for you to meet your own pekko.”

Gracelle blinked, her cheeks still faintly flushed, but a warm smile spread across her lips as she nodded. ”I... I understand, Big Sister.”

Liana then turned her gaze toward Celine, her voice calm but firm.

”Celine, you should go with Gloria too. It’s time for you to start learning about pekkos and meet your own as well. Our husband trusts Buddy to recruit and assign pekkos for both of you. You’ll be spending a lot of time with them, so it’s best to get familiar from now.”

Celine’s eyes widened, a spark of excitement flickering as she clasped her hands together. Her voice came out bright and eager.

”Really? I can’t wait to meet my pekko! Is it Brownie?”

Delya perked up instantly, her head snapping toward Celine with wide, gleaming eyes.

”Brownie? You mean those dense, fudgy, rich chocolate treats? The ones with the crispy top and the gooey center?”

Liana smiled, shaking her head gently. ”No, Delya. The Brownie she’s talking about is the wild pekko that followed Young Master to the elven nation before. The one he calls Brownie because of his color.”

Delya’s expression fell slightly, her shoulders slumping in disappointment. ”Oh... I thought we were talking about dessert...”

Liana chuckled softly, reaching out to pat Delya’s head. ”Don’t worry, Delya. I’ll make you some brownies later if I’m not too busy.”

Delya’s face lit up again, her earlier disappointment melting away in an instant. ”Really? Thank you, Big Sister!”

Liana nodded, her smile warm as she made her way toward the balcony door. She moved gracefully, her silver hair swaying gently with each step. She paused at the door, her hand resting on the handle as she glanced back over her shoulder.

”I’ll be heading to Father-in-law’s study now. I’ll see you all later.”

Meanwhile.

In a certain place.

The sky was a deep, bruised purple, heavy with dark clouds that swirled slowly above a barren, cracked landscape. The ground beneath was dark, jagged stone, glowing faintly with veins of molten red from the magma that flowed in deep, winding channels below. The air was thick with sulfur and ash, carrying the scent of decay and brimstone.

Scattered across the vast, desolate plain were devils of various shapes and sizes, all dangerous and radiating high levels of power. Some were bulky, muscle-bound creatures with thick horns curling from their skulls, their skin like cracked obsidian.

Others were leaner, faster, with wings folded against their backs, their eyes glowing with malevolent light as they patrolled the perimeter with silent, predatory grace.

In the far distance, a massive black castle floated ominously above a churning sea of magma, held aloft by dark, shimmering magic.

A single narrow bridge, forged from blackened, heat-resistant stone, connected the castle to the mainland, its surface glowing faintly from the intense heat radiating below.

Somewhere inside the castle, within a dimly lit dining hall, Selon lay sprawled across a long, dark purple couch, his body draped lazily over the cushions. He held a silver goblet in one hand, slowly sipping a dark, viscous liquid, his eyes half-lidded as he watched the flickering shadows dance across the ceiling.

The door creaked open, and Luvia glided into the room. She moved with a voluptuous grace, her body wrapped in a sheer, dark gown that clung to her curves, revealing just enough to tempt and tantalize.

Her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her eyes gleamed with a seductive, predatory light as she stopped in front of Selon, her lips curling into a disapproving smirk.

”Still lounging around, Selon? Master will not be pleased if you continue to waste your time like this.”

Selon gave her a lazy, unimpressed glance before taking another slow sip from his goblet.

”Go away, Luvia. Let me relax. I’m tired from fetching Wrexa. She got herself beaten by two of Garius’s sons. I had to drag her back through a portal before Garius himself showed up. Do you have any idea how exhausting that was? I could feel his presence approaching from miles away. If I’d been even a second slower, we’d both be dead right now.”

( End Of Chapter )