Reborn As Noble

Chapter 1173: Past Affection and Present Duty ( 1173 )

Javier walked down the hallway toward the main courtyard when he noticed Liana and the others walking toward his room.

”Liana?” Javier stopped and called her.

”Yes, Young Master?” Liana smiled and glanced up at him, both hands clasped gracefully in front of her.

Gloria stood beside her, while the others were behind her.

”Ara, Young Master~”

”Husband~” Felicia smiled shyly.

”Danna-sama~” Delya greeted with her usual dreamy smile.

Mimi rushed straight to him and hugged him. ”Nyaaaa~ Husband~”

Javier patted her head and looked at Liana.

”I have something to talk to you about.”

”What is it, Young Master?” Liana looked into his eyes.

”You remember Gracelle?” Javier asked in a low voice.

”Mm... I still remember. Back when you were ten years old, during Lady Francesca’s birthday. What about her, Young Master?” Liana smiled teasingly. ”Don’t tell me you miss her already~ After all these years?”

Javier just went silent, his expression growing somber.

Liana noticed how Javier’s face suddenly turned serious and looked at him with worry. ”Young Master?”

He looked at her. ”Will you all follow me to the Mathrias Region?”

”Can I ask... why?” Liana glanced at him with concerned eyes.

”Father told me... she might not have much time left.” Javier’s voice was quiet, carrying a weight of sadness.

”I’m... sorry...” Liana stepped forward and hugged him, whispering softly. ”Can I ask what happened?”

Javier returned the hug and whispered to her. ”According to the letter Father received from High Baron Rolland, Gracelle fell ill long ago. No one knows what kind of sickness it is. It started around her eleventh birthday, if I’m not mistaken.”

He tightened the hug and whispered again. ”Father said I should prepare the GAASAD and fly us to the Mathrias Region as soon as possible. Since the letter came a week ago, Father believes her condition has worsened since then.”

He buried his face in her neck.

”Young Master...” Liana whispered softly. ”Maybe that’s why she stopped replying to your letters. I’m sorry if I... said anything that might have seemed insensitive.”

Javier shook his head and took a long breath before letting out a slow exhale. ”Mm... don’t worry about it.”

Liana patted his back and pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes.

”Do you want me to prepare our clothes?”

Javier shook his head and smiled faintly. ”I already have clothing you all can use. I don’t know how long we’ll be there. Father also gave me another mission to assist the Mathrias Region... I’ll explain it to you later.”

He glanced down into her eyes. ”So... will all of you follow me to Mathrias?”

”Mm... yes, Young Master. I will always follow you wherever you go. Any decision you make, I’ll stand by you.” Liana gave him a reassuring smile.

He looked at Gloria, Felicia, Delya, and Mimi.

Gloria showed him a faint smile, adjusting her glasses. ”You already know me, Young Master. I will follow you.”

Felicia nodded shyly. ”I don’t want to be left behind.”

Delya nodded with a faint, dreamy smile. ”I want to stay with Danna-sama, so I’ll follow.”

Mimi’s tail swayed gently as she spoke softly, noticing the sadness in Javier’s expression. ”Nya... I don’t mind another journey. Since Husband is ours nya~ and we are yours~”

Javier gave them a small, grateful smile and looked at each of them.

”Since we don’t know how long this mission will be, if there’s anything you all want to bring, make sure to take it with you.”

”Mm... I’ll go to our room and get some items I need,” Liana said with a soft smile.

Gloria nudged her glasses. ”Ara~ I think I have something I want to bring, too.”

Felicia nodded shyly, fidgeting slightly. ”I also have something I want to bring.”

Delya gave her usual dreamy smile. ”I’ll check our room and see if there’s anything I need.”

Mimi placed one finger on her lips, her tail swaying softly. ”Nya? I don’t know...”

But before Mimi could finish what she was about to say, Liana took her wrist and gently pulled her. ”We’re going to our room now, Young Master.”

”Mm...” Javier smiled faintly and nodded, both hands in his pockets. ”Be at the courtyard in 20 minutes.”

”We’ll be there, Young Master,” Liana replied, taking Mimi’s hand and leading her toward Javier’s room, with the others following close behind.

After leaving Javier, Liana glanced over her shoulder with worried eyes, watching him continue walking toward the main courtyard.

Young Master must feel really sad.

I shouldn’t have teased him about that.

I’m sorry, Young Master, for making light of it.

Gloria, who was walking beside her, whispered softly.

”Liana?”

”Hmm? Yes, Gloria?”

”Who is this Gracelle? And why did Young Master look so sad just now?”

Liana exhaled softly while the others fixed their eyes on her.

”You really don’t know, Gloria?”

”Hmm? I do heard her name mentioned before.”

Liana shook her head gently. ”You were the head of household maids back then. I’m sure you must have heard the gossip when Young Master was ten, especially during Lady Francesca’s birthday feast, back when the Armand household was still a viscount.”

”Really?” Gloria placed a finger on her lips thoughtfully. ”All I heard was that Young Master kissed someone back then after the dance. I was busy helping with the feast preparations, so I didn’t pay much attention.”

”Yes... the girl he kissed back then was Gracelle. The youngest daughter of High Baron Rolland from the Mathrias household.”

”Ah...” Gloria looked at Liana as they walked. ”You’re serious? But I heard she was only nine.”

”Yes... and did you forget Young Master was ten back then?” Liana glanced at Gloria.

”Ah... right. But why did he kiss her?”

Liana’s cheeks flushed, and she mumbled in a low voice. ”Because... he wanted to see... my reaction back then.”

”Eh?”

”And because of that, Lady Sylvia and Lord Rolland were... let’s just say... agreeable if Young Master wanted to take her as his official wife when he was older. She even called him... Javier-sama... even though Young Master was never really interested in her. She even declared she would train to be a very good wife for him, learning how to cook and everything.”

Everyone looked at Liana as she let out a long exhale. ”From then on, she was always sending Young Master love letters. They kept writing to each other for a while. When Young Master was sent to noble school at eleven, the letters kept coming, but Lady Francesca helped reply to one of them, informing Gracelle that Young Master was at school and would reply once he finished at the end of the year.”

Liana smiled faintly. ”And she never stopped sending him letters.”

Her expression grew somber, a mix of sadness and quiet reflection. ”When Young Master returned from his blessing ceremony and graduated from noble school that same year, he wrote back to her, even though he was reluctant. I told him he should take responsibility since he kissed a maiden like her.”

”And when Young Master turned twelve, after the first war, I believe... that’s when you were already in his harem as the future second wife. You noticed he never wrote any letters again, right?” Liana asked Gloria.

( End Of Chapter )