Reborn As Noble

Eridith threw a punch at Javier, her speed making her fist blur as it got closer. But Javier casually caught her fist with one hand, smirking as if this were just a game. With a small twist of his wrist, he deflected her strike, causing her to stumble back a step.

Her icy blue eyes burned with frustration as she spun around, trying to kick him in the side. But Javier laughed and dodged easily, as if he were dancing.

"Ugh! Stop moving so much!" Eridith growled, her voice filled with anger.

"What? Aren't we exercising?" Javier teased, his grin widening as he dodged another of her attacks. "You're making this too easy, Frosty."

Liana stood nervously on the sidelines, worried about the fight. She knew she couldn't step in—not against a dragon, even in her human form. Her bow trembled slightly in her hand, but she kept her composure. "Young Master! Please stop this! If Lord Garius finds out..."

"Huh?" Javier glanced at her mid-dodge. "But she's the one who started it."

"That may be true, but provoking her like this is reckless!" Liana's voice was firm but filled with worry. "We should have left her alone, yet you just had to provoke her."

Javier scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "Ehehe... okay, fine. That's maybe my fault."

Eridith, mid-swing, suddenly froze. Her gaze darted to Liana when she heard Garius's name. "Wait. What did you say?"

Javier raised an eyebrow, confused by her sudden stop. "What's wrong with you, white lizard? Suddenly asking weird questions?" Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire

Eridith ignored him, her expression serious as she spoke again, her voice low and demanding. "I ask you—do you know Garius?"

"What's it to you?" Javier replied, crossing his arms.

Before he could say anything else, Eridith vanished in a blur of motion. In the next moment, she reappeared behind Liana, her dragon blade pressed against Liana's neck.

"Oi!" Javier shouted, his playful tone gone as his eyes sharpened. "Let her go!"

"Answer me!" Eridith roared. "Do you know Garius?!"

Liana's hands trembled slightly, but she kept calm. "Y-yes..." she stammered. "Lord Garius is the head of the Armand household. Count Garius De Armand."

Eridith's blade lowered slightly, her piercing gaze showing a hint of realization. "You speak the truth?"

"Of course she does," Javier snapped, stepping closer. "Now let her go before I make you regret it, lizard."

Eridith stayed silent for a moment, her intense gaze softening a bit as she slowly released Liana. Liana quickly rushed to Javier's side, her steps unsteady, her usual calm replaced by fear. Buddy and Pikko, clearly shaken, hid behind Javier, squawking nervously.

Suddenly, Eridith started chuckling softly, the sound low and eerie. The chuckle grew into a louder, more genuine laugh, and soon her voice echoed through the clearing as she burst into loud laughter.

"Garius!! After so long!!" she bellowed, her voice a strange mix of joy and madness.

Javier blinked, confused. "What is wrong with this lizard?"

"Young Master," Liana whispered, clutching his arm, "please don't provoke her anymore..."

Eridith stopped laughing suddenly, her smirk stretching across her face as she pointed at Javier. "You! Tell me where Garius is!"

Javier crossed his arms and stared at the dragon-turned-human. "Oi lizard!! Didn't Liana already tell you? My father is Count Garius de Armand, lord and ruler of the Armand region. What's wrong with your ears? Do you need help cleaning them?"

Eridith's smirk grew wider, her sharp teeth glinting in the light. "Garius..." she murmured, her voice shaking. "I've been searching for you. You only told me your name, but you never told me your full name..."

Her chuckles turned into a sinister laugh, her tone shifting between amusement and something darker. "Heh... heheh... heheheehehe..."

Javier frowned, taking an uneasy step back. "This lizard is weird... and creepy."

Eridith's glowing eyes locked onto him, her smirk becoming a grin that sent shivers down Liana's spine. "So, Garius has a son..." she muttered. "Interesting."

"This lizard..." Javier whispered, leaning slightly toward Liana. "She's creepy. Is it just me, or does she seem more unstable now?"

Liana nodded quickly, tightening her grip on his arm. "Young Master, we should leave while we can..."

"Oi, kid!" Eridith snapped, narrowing her eyes.

"Huh?" Javier blinked, confused.

"Tell me..."

"What??"

"How many kids does Garius have now, including you?"

Javier tilted his head, puzzled by the sudden question. "Huh? Why would you—" He paused, counting on his fingers. "Marcellus, Cedric, and me— are my mother's kids. Umm... Aunt Garcinia has one son and one daughter... err... Aunt Phenelopie has one son."

Eridith's expression darkened, her gaze sharp. "They're all adults now?"

"Yes... why?" Javier replied, starting to feel uneasy.

Eridith clenched her fists, her aura flaring slightly as she muttered, "Garius... Garius..." Her voice rose, her wings partially extending as her human form shook with anger. "Now!! I will find you!! And you better keep the promise you made to me!!"@@novelbin@@

"Promise?" Javier repeated, his confusion quickly turning into frustration. "What promise?"

Eridith shot him a glare that could freeze the sun. "None of your concern, mortal!"

Javier glanced at Liana, whose face was pale. "I don't know what kind of mess the old man got himself into, but it's definitely not my fault,"

"Young Master, this is not the time for jokes!" Liana whispered frantically. "We need to leave!"

Eridith roared, her form flickering between human and dragon as she leapt into the air. "Garius!!!" she bellowed, taking off into the sky, leaving a shocked Javier and trembling Liana behind.

"Well..." Javier smirked, dusting off his coat. "Looks like Father has a dragon problem to handle."

"Young Master..." Liana sighed, pressing her hand to her forehead. "Why do I feel like this will come back to haunt us?"

As Eridith soared into the sky, her voice echoed through the forest. "Gariusssss!! You can't run now!!" Her tone was both angry and strangely joyful, filled with strong determination. "I can't wait to see you!!"

Javier and Liana exchanged uneasy glances as her voice continued to ring out.

"Francesca!" Eridith spat the name like it was venom. "You uptight, goody-two-shoes!" she hissed. "Hmph, now you can't do anything about it. A promise is a promise!!"

Javier scratched his head, completely baffled. "Wait... Did she just call my mother's name?"

"It seems she did, Young Master," Liana said cautiously, still watching the sky where Eridith had disappeared. "And from her tone, she doesn't seem too fond of Lady Francesca."

"Well, that's new." Javier let out a low whistle. "I didn't think Mother had an arch-nemesis who is a dragon."

"Young Master..." Liana sighed deeply. "This situation is much more serious than you think."

"Serious? Sounds more like family drama to me," Javier grinned mischievously.

Liana frowned, sensing trouble brewing around the Armand household. "We should head back to the Armand region and inform Lord Garius immediately," she urged, her voice firm.

"Inform him?" Javier shrugged. "Nah, let's just wait for her to show up and let Father handle it. It's his promise, after all. No reason for me to stress about it."

"Young Master..." Liana shook her head, knowing there was no reasoning with him when he was this laid-back.

As the forest quieted, the only sound left was the faint sound of Eridith's laughter fading into the distance.

On his study room, accompanied by Alf and Errinette, Garius suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine.

He glanced quickly to his left and right. Why do I feel something like...

"What are you thinking, my lord?" Alf asked, breaking the silence.

Garius frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ugh... I don't know, but I suddenly—"

Before he could finish, an unsettling feeling lingered in the air, a sense of anticipation that made him uneasy. He glanced out the window, the forest beyond darkening under the evening sky, and felt as though something—or someone—was approaching.

Errinette, sensing his concern, leaned forward. "Is everything alright, My Lord?"

He shook his head, trying to shake off the feeling. "I'm not sure. Something feels... off."

The atmosphere was charged, and Garius couldn't shake the feeling that today would be significant, though he couldn't quite pinpoint why.

( End of Chapter )