Reborn As Noble

Inside the Command Center – Gaze City

The capital of the Armand region, Gaze City, stood resilient despite the war raging beyond its borders. Though Armand remained part of the kingdom, it enjoyed independence and autonomy, answering only to the king when necessary.

Within the fortified command center, Garius sat at his desk, his eyes scanning the reports scattered before him.

Beside him, Francesca gracefully sipped her tea, her presence serene as ever.

Across from her, Eridith, lazily leaned against the wall, a playful smirk dancing on her lips.

Then—

Footsteps approached.

Two figures strode toward the table with disciplined precision.

Alf and Erinnete.

The deadliest pair in the entire Armand Household.

Alf stopped in front of Garius's desk, offering a deep bow before speaking.

"My lord."

Garius glanced up from his reports. "Yes, Alf?"

Without hesitation, Alf handed Garius a fresh document.

"The report."

Garius took it, flipping through the pages with a casual air—yet his sharp eyes missed nothing.

A moment of silence.

Then—his eyebrow arched slightly.

"Hmm… so your team really checked every enemy corpse?"

"Yes, my lord." Alf's response was immediate.

"And this is true?"

Alf nodded. "Our scouts confirmed it—House of Klimbert officially sent 7,000 troops to join the coalition army. Yet, when we examined the battlefield… we only found around 300 of their dead body."

Garius tapped his fingers against the desk.

"And?"

Alf exhaled slightly before delivering his next words.

"Based on our findings, my lord… those 300 Klimbert 'soldiers' were merely mercenaries."

Silence.

Eridith let out a low whistle, clearly entertained. "Oh my~ that coward actually held back his real forces?"

Garius remained unreadable as he processed the information.

"So… where is Klimbert's actual army?"

"According to our Special Investigation Unit and Elite Scout Unit, they've been scattered across the region near Klimbert's territory."

"Scattered?"

"Yes, my lord." Alf's gaze darkened slightly. "They are currently disguised as civilians."

Garius let out a slow breath.

Then, he chuckled.

"So, Klimbert is waiting for an opportunity, huh?"

Alf's expression remained serious. "It seems so, my lord. Do you want us to intervene?"

A slight pause.

Then, Garius leaned back in his chair. His eyes gleamed with quiet amusement.

"No."

Alf blinked. "My lord?"

Garius smirked slightly. "We know what kind of man Klimbert is. He takes what he wants, but he knows his limits. He wouldn't dare make a move on our territory again."

Francesca, ever perceptive, closed her eyes and sighed. "Letting a snake coil itself too tightly will be its own undoing."

Eridith, meanwhile, stretched her arms and grinned. "Let the fools fight among themselves, huh?"

Garius nodded. "Exactly. Our concern is our family and our teritory, not their petty ambitions."

He flipped through the report one last time before setting it aside.

"Besides…" he added, his voice quieter but laced with sharpness.

"The lands near Klimbert's territory are already rotting."

Alf frowned slightly. "Because of the high taxes?"

"Partly." Garius's expression turned unreadable. "But also because of the Saint of Three Gods' influence."

A chilling silence filled the room.

Eridith scoffed. "Haaah~ Those fanatics just don't know when to stop."

Francesca placed her teacup down gently. "Their corruption spreads like disease. The people will suffer, and Klimbert's patience will only last for so long."

Garius nodded.

"Which is why we do nothing."

Alf's eyes narrowed slightly. "…You mean, we let them collapse on their own?"

Garius smirked. "Precisely."

Let Klimbert plot. Let the nobles scheme. Let them tear each other apart.

By the time they realized they had destroyed themselves…

Armand would still be standing.

Garius leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk as he spoke in a calm yet absolute tone.

"We only care for our people. Our territory."

Francesca gave a small nod of agreement, while Eridith merely smirked, swirling the wine in her glass.

Alf and Erinnete stood silent, awaiting further orders.

Garius exhaled, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Let Klimbert enjoy his moment."

"Let him think he is clever."

"I want to see if he truly succeeds."

Because he knew.

Once Klimbert got what he wanted—once he expanded his lands and gathered more soldiers—he would grow stronger.

But that wasn't Armand's concern.

Garius tapped his fingers against the desk, his expression unreadable.

"Besides… those Dukes and the other nobles are far worse than him."

Klimbert was an opportunist.

But the real danger came from those who held true power within the kingdom—Duke Ibzles, Marquis Mikele, and the other scheming lords who thought themselves untouchable.

They were the ones truly worth watching.

A moment of silence.

Then—

Garius's gaze darkened.

"But be prepared."

Alf and Erinnete straightened immediately.

Garius's voice turned icy.

"If Klimbert ever makes a move on our region…"

His fingers curled slightly against the desk.

"We crush his territory."

"Fully."

A sharp silence followed.

Then—

Eridith grinned. "Oho~ now that would be fun."

Francesca sighed but didn't disagree. "If it comes to that… we will not show mercy."

Alf nodded. "Understood, my lord."

Garius smirked slightly. For now, they would wait.

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But if Klimbert ever overstepped his bounds…

Armand would erase him.

Garius leaned back in his chair, his smirk growing as he turned his gaze toward Alf.

"So, Alf?"

The assassin straightened, his expression calm. "Yes, my lord?"

Without a word, Garius lifted his palm, waiting.

"Where's the report about the other 35,000 coalition troops that were 'supposed' to arrive at their 'war camp'?"

For a brief second, there was silence.

Then—

Alf shook his head, grinning.

"Really, my lord?" he chuckled. "You're asking for a report when you were right there?"

Erinnete smirked from the side, arms crossed. "He was even enjoying himself."

Alf turned to her, nodding. "Exactly. We all saw it. Our lord was laughing like a maniac, riding Giddie, and charging straight into the camp—

—right after our elite knights, disguised as their commanders and soldiers, BLEW IT TO HELL."

A moment of silence followed.

Then—

Eridith burst out laughing. "Hahahaha! He did, didn't he?!"

Francesca let out a small sigh but didn't bother arguing.

Garius, still smirking, tapped his fingers on the table.

"True. But I still want the report."

Alf chuckled again and handed over the document.

"Of course, my lord. Here. A detailed report—though I doubt anything on this paper is as entertaining as what we saw firsthand."

Garius took the report, flipping through it lazily.

The entire coalition war camp had been reduced to flames, rubble, and corpses.

35,000 enemy troops.

Gone.

Their own 'officers'—actually Armand's disguised elite knights—had led them straight into a trap before detonating the entire camp from within.

And then, at the perfect moment, Garius had led the charge, mowing down any remaining survivors.

It was a massacre.

Garius sighed dramatically. "Haaah~ and here I was hoping for a bit more resistance."

Eridith grinned. "Well, my lord, you did say you wanted to 'clean up efficiently.'"

Francesca took a sip of her tea. "Efficient, indeed."

Garius closed the report, his smirk never fading.

"Then I suppose all that's left is to watch how the remaining nobles react."

Because soon… they would realize.

Their army wasn't coming back.

Alf had barely finished handing over the report when Erinnete suddenly spoke up, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"My lord…" she said, tilting her head slightly, "if your sons had seen how you were laughing during the charge… I wonder how Javier would respond?"

She smiled innocently, her expression almost too pure.

"Like father, like son, right, my lord?"

The room fell silent for a moment.

Then—

Francesca hid a chuckle behind her teacup.

Eridith grinned, clearly entertained.

Alf smirked but wisely said nothing.

Garius raised an eyebrow, then let out a small chuckle of his own. "Oho~ now, now." He waved a hand dismissively. "Don't tell any of them."

Erinnete chuckled, shaking her head. "I still remember how your youngest son—"

"Oops, Erinnete," Garius interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "He's not the youngest anymore."

Erinnete simply smiled. "No, my lord. Among your sons, he is still the youngest. Lady Phenelopie's youngest child is a girl."

Garius paused, then let out a small laugh. "Well, that's true."

Eridith grinned, clearly enjoying the exchange.

"Now, continue," Garius said, waving his hand. "What were you saying about Javier?"

Erinnete's smile never faded.

"Ah, yes. I still remember how he laughed maniacally while handling those assassins Klimbert sent… looong ago."

The air in the room shifted slightly.

Alf smirked, as if recalling something amusing.

Francesca sighed softly but said nothing.

Garius leaned back, resting his chin on his hand.

"…He did, didn't he?"

It wasn't just that Javier fought back against the assassins.

It was the sheer enjoyment in his calculations.

The way he toyed with them, leading them into their own demise.

The way he laughed.

Garius sighed. "Haaah… maybe I really shouldn't let him hear about what happened at the war camp."

Because knowing that boy—

He would be way too interested.

( End of Chapter )