Reborn As Noble

Francesca stood off to the side, her calm smile unchanged as she watched Buddy and Pikko squawk excitedly, nuzzling against Javier and Liana. The scene was chaotic but heartwarming, with Javier laughing and scratching behind Buddy's beak while Liana gently stroked Pikko's feathers.

"Haa..." Garius sighed deeply, turning to Alf with a resigned look. "Alf, help me deal with the chaos caused by those two big birds," he said, pointing to the flower garden that had been trampled in their enthusiastic rush.

Alf smirked, glancing at the flattened flowers and uprooted plants. "Of course, my lord," he replied, his tone calm as always. "Though I doubt the gardeners will be happy."

"They'll manage," Garius muttered, rubbing his temple. "It's not the first time, and it won't be the last."

Errinette chuckled softly, stepping forward. "Shall I help as well, my lord?" she offered, her calm demeanor barely hiding her amusement.

"No need," Garius said, waving his hand. "Alf can handle it. Besides, you might have to deal with more surprises if my wife has any other plans."

Errinette raised an eyebrow knowingly but said nothing, while Francesca continued to smile, clearly enjoying the lively scene in front of her.

Javier eagerly climbed onto Buddy's back, ready to run around the courtyard with his usual energy.

"Alright, Buddy! Let's go—" he started, but his words caught in his throat when his eyes met his father's sharp gaze.

Garius stood there, arms crossed, watching his son with a raised eyebrow, as if to say, I dare you.

Javier froze mid-motion, his usual confidence suddenly gone. Without a word, he slid down from Buddy's back, landing softly on the ground. His shoulders slumped as he stood silently, scratching the back of his head and avoiding his father's eyes.

Liana, standing nearby, covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. "Young Master, what's wrong?" she asked softly, though her tone was clearly amused.

"Nothing..." Javier muttered, glancing at Buddy, who tilted his head in confusion.@@novelbin@@

Garius smirked, his gaze steady. "Good decision, son," he said casually, his voice calm but authoritative.

Javier sighed deeply, muttering under his breath, "This is why I hate being watched..."

Javier's gaze wandered to the line of carriages parked in the courtyard—nine in total, each beautifully designed and bearing the Armand family crest. His sharp eyes spotted two familiar figures standing near one of the carriages, trying to blend into the background.

"Marcellus? Cedric?" Javier muttered, narrowing his eyes as he recognized his two older brothers.

Marcellus, usually confident and composed, stood stiffly, his posture unusually rigid. Cedric, who often seemed relaxed, looked tense, his hands clasped behind his back as if trying to make himself smaller.

Both brothers glanced nervously at Garius, their faces showing a mix of respect and fear.

Javier's lips curled into a mischievous grin as he muttered to himself, "Heh, so it's not just me."

Cedric caught Javier's gaze and subtly shook his head, his expression pleading as if to say, Don't make it worse for all of us.

Marcellus, noticing the interaction, shot Javier a pointed look that clearly meant, Behave.

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Javier let out a soft sigh, scratching the back of his head. "Even they're scared of Father," he whispered to Liana, who stood quietly beside him.

"Of course, Young Master," Liana replied softly, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Lord Garius commands respect from everyone—even his own sons."

"Yeah, yeah... But I bet I could get them to loosen up..." Javier muttered, a mischievous glint returning to his eyes as he began to plot.

"Ehem!"

The sound of Garius clearing his throat echoed through the courtyard, sharp and commanding.

"Eek!!" Javier froze in place, his mischievous grin instantly vanishing. His back straightened like a soldier at attention, and he didn't dare move a muscle.

Garius's sharp gaze fell on him, his eyes glinting with quiet authority. No words were spoken, but the weight of that look was more than enough.

"Umm..." Javier stammered, lowering his head slightly and scratching the back of his neck in a useless attempt to look innocent.

Marcellus and Cedric, watching from the sidelines, visibly tensed. Both older brothers exchanged a glance, silently thanking their lucky stars that their father's attention wasn't on them.

Liana, standing quietly beside Javier, kept her composure, though a faint smile tugged at her lips. "Young Master," she whispered softly, "maybe it's best to... stay still for now."

"Yeah, yeah..." Javier muttered under his breath, feeling the weight of his father's gaze on him. "This is why I hate being watched," he grumbled silently, his earlier mischief completely gone.

Garius's smirk was subtle but clear as he turned his attention elsewhere, clearly satisfied that his son had been put in his place—at least for now.

Inside the carriage, Javier sat with his two older brothers, Marcellus and Cedric, while Liana sat beside him as his personal maid. Across from them were Lithia, the dark elf maid attending Marcellus, and Meira, the catfolk maid attending Cedric. Both women were quietly poised, their sharp eyes focused on their charges.

Javier broke the silence with a curious tilt of his head. "Aren't you two supposed to be with the summoned heroes? Why are you here now?"

Marcellus leaned back slightly, crossing his arms with a tired sigh. "Seriously, little brother? You do know how strict Father is, right?"

Cedric nodded, sounding equally resigned. "Yeah, do you really think we can just ignore his request?" He gestured toward the windows of the carriage. "Look at the other carriages. Even our stepmothers can't refuse when Father calls. The whole family is here, including our half-siblings."

Javier glanced out the window, noticing the other carriages following behind, each carrying a member of the Armand family. It was a clear sign of how powerful Garius's authority was.

"Haaa..." Javier sighed, leaning against the side of the carriage. "Yeah, I get it. Father doesn't mess around when it comes to family."

Marcellus smirked slightly, his tone lightening. "Exactly. So, we're all here, whether we like it or not."

"And don't forget," Cedric added, a grin spreading across his face, "if we hadn't shown up, Father would probably drag us back himself."

Javier chuckled softly, though he agreed. "That's probably true. He really doesn't give us much of a choice, huh?"

Liana, sitting quietly beside him, glanced at her young master with a faint smile. "It's because he values the unity of the family, Young Master," she said softly.

"Unity, huh?" Javier muttered, shaking his head with a small grin. "More like keeping everyone in line."

Javier leaned against the window of the carriage, his eyes watching the scenery pass by. His focus shifted to Buddy, strutting alongside the carriage with a proud air. The Pekko moved almost smugly, his head held high as if he were leading the whole procession. Pikko followed closely behind, trotting gracefully beside Liana, who occasionally glanced at the bird with a soft smile.

Javier's gaze moved ahead to where his father's and mother's carriage was surrounded by a strong escort. At the front, General Hesbeirn rode on horseback, his commanding presence clear. On either side of the carriage were Mr. Alf and Mrs. Errinette, their movements sharp and purposeful.

What caught Javier's attention most was the personal guard unit surrounding them. Their armor shone with a bluish-white sheen, clearly made of mithril, and their weapons reflected the same quality. These were no ordinary guards—this was definitely the elite unit of the Armand household, used only for the most important missions and events.

"Hmph..." Javier muttered under his breath, his gaze lingering on the procession. "Father really went all out this time. Even General Hesbeirn and the elite guards..."

Marcellus glanced at him with a smirk. "Impressive, isn't it? Father doesn't do anything halfway, especially when it involves the family."

"Yeah," Cedric added, his voice amused. "It's like he's sending a message to the whole kingdom just by showing up like this."

Javier leaned back, shaking his head with a small grin. "Typical Father... always making a statement."

Liana, seated beside him, noticed his expression and spoke softly. "Young Master, Lord Garius's actions show how much he values all of you. Even this display reminds everyone of the strength of the Armand family."

"Strength, huh?" Javier muttered, glancing out the window again at Buddy, who was still walking proudly. "Well, at least Buddy seems to be enjoying himself."

Liana chuckled lightly. "He's reflecting his master's confidence, perhaps?"

"Ehehe... maybe," Javier replied, his grin widening.

( End of Chapter )