Reborn As Noble

Chapter 1428: A Serene Smile and Cold Steel ( 1428 )

”I... I will go, Big Sis.” Gracelle fidgeted in her seat, her voice soft but determined. ”I will try my best.”

”Mm... good.” Liana smiled and nodded.

”I do not know how long it will take for Young Master to finish this mission, but I believe you will have enough time.” Her voice turned serious, her eyes locking onto Gracelle’s. ”I want to hear the result, not the failure. Do not come back and tell me you were too shy to speak to him. Use this time wisely.”

She then turned to Celine, her expression calm but direct.

”So, Celine?”

Celine, who had been staring at Liana’s chest, swallowed hard before meeting her gaze. ”Y... yes?”

Liana’s voice was straightforward, carrying no hesitation. ”Are you a virgin or not?”

The question hung in the air, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. Some smiled knowingly, others chuckled softly, while Liana remained completely serious, one arm crossed beneath her breast, the other lifting a crystal glass.

Celine fidgeted slightly, her cheeks flushing. ”I... Is it proper to ask such a question so directly...?”

Liana raised an eyebrow. ”Hmm? So you are saying you are not a virgin?”

Celine’s eyes widened, and she shook her head frantically. ”N–No! I am! I am a virgin!”

”Good.” Liana set her glass down gently.

”As the first wife of Young Master, I do not want a used or cheap woman entering our family. I have set a condition for all the women who will become Young Master’s wives: they must be pure before he claims them. This is not negotiable. Because I want everyone in this family enters it with honor and sincerity.”

Liana put down her glass, crossing her arms beneath her breast.

”Do not get me wrong. I am not referring to widows or those who have been married before. I am referring to cheap women, those who sell their bodies for status, those who betray their partners, or those who treat intimacy as a bargaining tool. That kind of woman has no place in this family.”

Celine nodded softly, her cheeks still warm. ”I... I understand...” She hesitated, turning her head away before mumbling in a quiet, shy voice. ”Y... you... umm... can check it... if you want.”

Liana’s lips curled into a knowing smirk. ”I will do that later.”

”E... eh?”

”Hmm? You said you would allow me to check, did you not? So I will check.”

Lyzia, who had been eating her meal in frustration, suddenly hissed at Liana. ”Sister!”

Liana turned her gaze toward Lyzia, calm and unbothered. ”What? She offered. And as the first wife, it is my duty to ensure that every woman who enters Young Master’s life is worthy of him. If she is willing to prove her purity, I see no reason to refuse.”

Lyzia turned to Celine, who sat next to her, and offered an awkward smile. ”Sorry, Celine. I’m sure you don’t have to do that. Sister is just... being weird and a little rude. She doesn’t know how to be a proper lady.”

Liana smiled softly, her expression serene but her eyes sharp. ”Me? Being rude? Not a proper... lady?”

She stood up, reached for Lyzia’s ear, and pulled it hard, hissing in a dangerously low voice.

”Oh? And who is the one who, despite holding the title of a real elven princess, runs around the hallways like a child? Who neglects her duties as a princess of a nation just to follow her friend around? And who even had the nerve to offer herself to be married off to someone she doesn’t even love, just to stay close to her friend?”

”Eeeeekkk!! Sister! I’m sorry! I’m sorryyyy!!!” Lyzia yelped, her hands flying up in surrender.

Liana pulled even harder, a sweet, terrifying smile on her lips. ”Arara~ Someone who cannot even walk with the grace of a proper princess is saying I am not being a proper lady, hmm~? Really?”

”Arhhh!! My ear! My beautiful earrrr!!!”

Liana let go with a soft, serene smile, gracefully taking her seat again. Lyzia rubbed her ear with pursed lips, muttering under her breath. ”Hmmph! Oni! Demon! No wonder that huge orange pekko said you were a witch!”

”Arara~? Want me to punish you even more?”

”Eeek!” Lyzia let out an awkward smile, chuckling nervously while waving both hands in front of her. ”No, no! I take it back! Sister is the kindest, most beautiful, most graceful, most wonderful sister in the entire world! I was just joking! Please don’t pull my ear again!”

Liana smiled, her expression shifting into something calm yet layered with hidden meaning. Her eyes carried a glint of warning, sharp and deliberate, as she turned her gaze toward Celine.

”By the way, Celine~?”

Celine swallowed hard the moment she noticed Liana’s eyes and that particular smile. ”Y... yes?”

”I warn you~. Never even think about betraying the trust of anyone in this family. Not the Sovereign, not the Queen, and not our future husband.” Liana gestured toward all the girls there. ”Everyone who marries into this family never betrays their spouse. It is not just a tradition; it is a rule that runs through the blood of this household. From the Sovereign himself to every single member of the Armand family.”

She paused, resting her chin on her knuckle while her elbow rested on her gracefully crossed leg, a serene smile playing on her lips.

”Even the Armand staff, the maids, the guards, and every servant who serves under this roof do not take betrayal lightly.”

Her voice dropped into a cold, deliberate tone.

”We do not care who they are or what title they hold. Whether it is the King of the Human Nation, the King of the Dwarven Nation, or anyone else, they will not escape the consequences. Try to betray this family after swearing loyalty or forging an alliance, and you will be crushed without mercy and without a second chance. Even indirect betrayal, such as what the Mathrias soldiers have committed when they turned against their own lord and people. Loyalty is absolute here. Those who break it, no matter who they are, will face the full wrath of Armand. There is no forgiveness for those who choose betrayal, regardless of the reason.”

Liana gracefully leaned back and crossed her arms.

”Just like how our husband is going to crush the Lurghen Army, who betrayed their region, their oath, and their duty to their people... soon.”

Liana glanced at Gloria, who was nudging her glasses up while chatting with Felicia, smiling warmly at her before shifted back to Celine.

”There is a reason why I am warning you, Celine.” She paused, her voice calm but carrying an edge of cold steel. ”It is because of a certain someone who tried to do just that before. She is lucky she was able to distance herself from us before we could reach her. But if she ever appears again...”

Liana raised her palm, and a beautiful white ore long blade materialized in her hand. She gripped it slowly, a serene smile spreading across her lips. ”I will not hesitate to kill her~.”

She held the blade gracefully before wiping it gently in front of Celine and Lyzia. The blade gleamed under the light, its edge sharp and pristine.

”If you wish to back out from being Young Master’s wife, it is best to do so now. Because once you are officially bound to him, once you swear your loyalty and take your place in this family, there is no turning back. Betrayal will not be forgiven. Abandonment will not be tolerated. You will be his, completely and forever.”

Celine smiled softly, shaking her head without hesitation.

”I will not. I have already promised and dedicated myself to be his wife, even if I become the last in his harem. I do not care what place I hold. All I know is that I have given my word, and my heart has already chosen him. I will not betray that promise, no matter what comes.”

( End Of Chapter )