Reborn As Noble

Chapter 1028: Blinding Lights in the Dark ( 1028 )

Kayra looked at her trembling daughter, at Cliff, at the rest of her escort and the ship’s owner. All of them clinging to the broken wood of the wreckage.

If I hadn’t insisted on moving at night, this wouldn’t have happened. If I’d waited until morning, let them finish the repairs... they wouldn’t be suffering like this.

And my daughter wouldn’t be feeling this cold.

Now it’s all my fault. Now everyone is going to die.

No one can hold on much longer. We have no way to contact anyone.

Please...

At least let them live.

Just take my life and spare theirs.

Her body was growing weak. The cold was a deep, biting ache that seeped into her bones, a numbness that started in her fingers and toes and crept inward, making every breath feel sharp and shallow. The ocean’s chill at night was relentless, sapping warmth and strength with each passing minute.

”I’m sorry... everyone...” Kayra mumbled softly, a faint, resigned smile touching her lips as her eyes began to drift shut.

When a strange whirring sound cut through the wind, and a brilliant, blinding light flooded down from above.

”We found them!!! Lower, lower!”

Kayra covered her daughter’s eyes with her palm, shielding them from the blinding light as she turned her own face away.

Are the angels coming to take our lives?

Please... spare theirs.

She saw a thick, braided rope smack the surface of the water. The whirring sound grew deafening, and a figure in dark gear descended toward them.

”Hold your daughter tightly, ma’am!” a voice shouted from above.

”No... please... just take my life. Spare my daughter,” kayra mumbled, her words almost lost in the rotor wash.

But strong hands were already securing a harness around her waist, then another around her daughter, linking them together with swift motions.

”Secure! Pull up! Pull up!”

The rope went taut, and the ocean fell away beneath them.

Meanwhile, in the Armand Estate.

Command Center.

”Estate! Estate! We found them!”

Javier leaned forward in his chair, pressing the comm button. ”Good! Make sure to secure all of them! No one is left behind!”

”Understood, Prince Javier. We’ll bring them in.”

Javier watched the live feed from the Sky Eyes and the mana helicopter.

Perhaps I should discuss with Father about installing mana transponders on allied ships. For a fee, or as a goodwill measure. If something like this happens again, we’d be able to track them instantly. The Demon Nation, Beastkin, and Elven fleets all operate in these waters. It’d be safer for everyone.

We could also share basic maritime designs. Lighthouse construction, improved hull blueprints, better sail configurations. Nothing from our core magic-tech, just smarter shipbuilding. Wood, sail, and rudder, but optimized. Something they can actually build.

His pen moved steadily as he organized his thoughts.

It’s good that I prepared these mana helicopters and ironclads in advance, and that we trained the naval units in search and rescue...that’s paying off now.

A faint, wry smile touched his lips.

I’ll have to thank Hesbeirn later. That berserker might act like a drunkard, but when it comes to drilling troops and executing orders... there’s no one better. General of all Armand’s forces for a reason.

While in the mana helicopter.

”Here, ma’am, wear this.”

The man in dark tactical gear lifted his visor and offered a warm, reassuring smile, holding out a thick thermal wrap.

”You’re safe now, ma’am.”

W...who are they? Kayra trembled as she helped her daughter into the thick thermal blanket, her eyes darting to the emblem on his shoulder.

The Armand Golden Emblem.

Kayra’s eyes widened.

They’re from... Armand?

How?

How did they know what happened to us? How could they find us in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere?

Is this what the Armand merchants meant... all those stories they told about flying ships and seeing through the dark?

And this blanket they’d given us... it was warm. But... how?

The soldier smiled gently. ”Don’t worry, ma’am. Once we land on the ironclad, we’ll get you and your men something hot to drink. For now, please hold on.”

He signaled to the pilot. ”Move us to the ironclad.”

”Yes, Lieutenant.”

Kayra glanced around. Cliff was nearby, already wrapped in a similar blanket, his face pale but relieved. Then she looked out the window.

The world tilted. Water, sky, and clouds shifted below them.

We’re... flying?

Kayra glanced up at the man in tactical gear, who was standing anchored by a rope fixed to an iron rod along the hull.

”What about my other... people?”

”Oh? Don’t worry about them, ma’am. Everyone’s already on board that next helicopter.”

Heli...what? Kayra looked at him blankly, trying to make sense of the word. What is he talking about?

”H...how did you know what happened to us? And how did you know where we were?”

”Ah... for that, I can’t really explain. We’re just following orders from our ruler. We’re soldiers, ma’am.” He smiled, starting to scratch his head before noticing he was still wearing his tactical helmet.

Kayra glanced down at the strange metal floor of the flying machine.

Is this what they meant when they spoke of Armand’s magic devices? Even their armor looks different... like fabric, but clearly something more.

”Are... are you sure... all my men are safe?”

”Ah, about that, ma’am... the one who confirmed the visual and the heat signature is the Armand Estate. You can check for yourself once we land.”

Visual? Signature? What is he talking about? Is it some kind of new magic spell?

She glanced at the man in tactical gear again.

A strap over his shoulder held some kind of device she’d never seen, sleek, metallic, with faint glowing lines along its length.

On his waist, a black leather holster secured a compact, angular shape made of iron and dark metal. His pants were unlike any fabric she knew, fitted with hidden pouches and what looked like the outline of a short blade along his thigh. His gloves were black, seamless, and gripped the overhead strap without slipping.

Is this how advanced Armand’s army is?

No wonder they never lost the first and second war.

I wonder if their armor can really withstand magic and sword attacks...

”We’ll arrive soon, ma’am,” the soldier said, smiling gently again.

That fast?

He pointed toward the window. ”That’s our ironclad.”

Kayra’s eyes widened.

A huge iron thing... floating in the ocean?

HOW!?

( End Of Chapter )