Reborn as a Useless Noble with my SSS-Class Innate Talent

The next morning, Kyle departed early with Bruce and Melissa at his side, heading toward the nameless village that Bruce had scouted the night before.

Their carriage rolled out of the estate gates at dawn, cutting through the mist-covered countryside like a shadow with purpose.

For the first half of the journey, the roads were relatively smooth, lined by sparse woodlands and the occasional farmhouse.

But the further they moved from noble lands and deeper into forgotten territory, the worse the roads became.

Patches of uneven dirt soon turned into muddy stretches. Twisted roots cracked through the soil.

Even the air felt heavier, denser, as if the land itself had been left to rot and fester.

Eventually, the road all but vanished beneath them.

The carriage jolted harshly, wheels sinking into a sloped patch of mud.

The horses whinnied and pulled back, resisting the incline. The carriage groaned in protest, and the driver hastily pulled the reins, coming to a stop.

He turned toward the back, face pale.

"Young master, I… I cannot go any further. The terrain's too unstable, and if we force the horses, the carriage might tip or worse…"

His voice trembled with the fear of punishment.

After all, nobles didn't tolerate bad news kindly. He was clearly bracing for a scolding—or worse, a beating.

Kyle, however, leaned forward and opened the carriage door himself.

"That's fine. You can head back now. Thank you for bringing us this far."

He said calmly, stepping out into the damp, uneven road.

The driver blinked, visibly stunned, before nodding quickly.

"Y-yes, young master!"

He turned the horses around without another word and hurried off, as if afraid Kyle might change his mind.

Melissa watched the man's retreating figure, lips pursed in thought.

"His fear was almost excessive. Are you sure we can trust him?"

Kyle shook his head.

"It doesn't matter. We're not here for him. We're here for the people who have nothing to lose."

Bruce and Melissa exchanged a glance, then followed Kyle down the broken path.

The trees around them thickened, casting long shadows over their route. Insects buzzed, and distant rustling could be heard in the underbrush.

The trail was barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side.

And then Kyle felt it—faint auras, distant yet present.

Weak, fluttering like candlelight in the wind. Not trained. Not hostile. Just… hungry.

Curious. Desperate.

He paused.

Bruce stopped behind him.

"Something wrong, young master?"

"No. Just keep walking. Head into the village. I'll join you in a moment."

Kyle said, eyes narrowing slightly as he analyzed the direction of the aura flow.

Melissa frowned, already sensing something was off. "Should we stay?"

"No. If they see a group, they'll scatter. I want to see who's watching us."

Bruce nodded reluctantly, though Melissa hesitated for a second longer before finally moving along.

Kyle waited until they disappeared around the bend, then activated the new mist-like aura technique he had copied from understanding Louri's mana technique.

A thin veil of translucent energy shimmered around him, blending with the forest fog, masking his presence.

Kyle stepped into the woods silently, tracking the weak auras like a hunter in pursuit of prey.

It didn't take long.

Tucked behind a cluster of decaying bushes, he found them- little more than skin and bones, hunched and shivering in tattered clothing.

They didn't even flinch when he emerged from the mist.

The group of ragged villagers Kyle had tracked down didn't respond the way he expected.

As soon as they noticed him approaching, they stepped back and quickly grouped together, their dirty, starved faces twisted with fear and mistrust.

One of the older men, with a heavy limp and a jagged scar across his jaw, pointed a trembling hand at Kyle.

"You're not welcome here, noble. We don't need charity or lies!"

He said hoarsely.

Before Kyle could speak, another man bent down and picked up a rock.

"Leave, or we'll make you!"

Several others followed suit, lifting stones from the forest floor with shaky hands.

Their auras were weak, their arms thinner than twigs, but the determination in their eyes was real.

The first rock flew, fast and wild.

Kyle tilted his head, and it missed by several feet. The next one came a heartbeat later.

He stepped aside smoothly, letting it sail past him.

Another rock followed, then another—but Kyle didn't flinch, didn't retaliate.

Instead, he calmly raised his hands.

A small pulse of mana built in his palms before he brought them together in a sharp clap.

The sound echoed like a cannon in the silent woods.

It wasn't loud enough to harm, but the shockwave of energy disoriented everyone in its range.

The villagers staggered, blinking and clutching their ears, stunned as if they'd just been slapped by the sky itself.

By the time they regained their footing, Kyle was already speaking.

"I understand why you don't trust nobles. But I'm not here to take anything from you. I'm here to give you something—a choice."

He said, voice calm but strong. The villagers froze, their wary eyes now locked on him.

The villagers glanced at one another, still stunned, still skeptical. Kyle continued, seizing the moment of silence.

"You have no food. No shelter. No future. But I can offer all three—if you're willing to work for it. You don't need to beg or kneel. You don't need to be strong now. I'll make you strong."

Murmurs passed through the group. The scarred man narrowed his eyes.

"What's the catch?"

"You'll serve under me. Fight for me when the time comes. Train under my command. In return, I'll protect you. Feed you. Teach you."

Kyle said simply.

His offer hung in the air like a spark waiting to catch flame. The villagers didn't know whether to laugh, spit, or believe.

"I'll explain everything once we're back in the village. Decide then. But if you want a different life, follow me."

Kyle said.

The villagers were still uncertain, but their curiosity was stronger than their fear.

More than anything, they were starving—for food, yes, but also for a reason to believe that things could change.

And Kyle, with his quiet confidence and piercing gaze, didn't look like any noble they had met before.

So, they followed.

They walked slowly through the forest trail, with Kyle in the lead and the villagers in a ragged line behind.

But just as they neared a clearing, a violent rustling erupted from the underbrush.

A massive wild boar, easily the size of a bull, charged out of the woods with a guttural roar.

Its tusks gleamed with dried blood, and its eyes were wild with hunger and fury.

"Run!"

One of the villagers screamed.

But they didn't run. They couldn't.

Because they knew: if the noble died, they would all suffer.

If word reached the cities that these villagers had let a noble get hurt—or worse, killed—they would be hunted down and exterminated.

One man threw a rock. Another screamed to draw the boar's attention. A few closed their eyes, bracing for the inevitable.

Then—

Shhhk.

The unmistakable sound of metal being drawn echoed through the clearing.

When the villagers dared to open their eyes, they saw him.

Kyle stood between them and the beast, his blade gleaming in the dim light.

The boar lay at his feet, unmoving.

A clean slash across its thick neck poured blood onto the grass. The monster had been felled in one strike.

The villagers stared in stunned silence.

He hadn't hesitated. He hadn't run. He had stood between them and death—when even they had prepared to sacrifice themselves for him.

Kyle turned slowly and looked over his shoulder, meeting their wide eyes.

"Next time, we train so you can handle something like this yourselves."

He said evenly.

No one spoke. But in that moment, something shifted.

It wasn't just curiosity anymore.

It was respect.