Reborn As Noble

Gloria smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Liana~" she said in a sweet tone, eyes still fixed on the young master.

"Don't look at me like that," Liana replied calmly, crossing her arms. "Our young master insisted on testing his new invention. I was dragged along."

"Ara~ Without inviting me?" Gloria's smile widened as she turned her graceful gaze to Javier. "That's quite cruel of you, young master."

"Err... no?" Javier laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

Before either woman could say more, a soft hum of magic filled the air.

Shironii appeared beside Javier, its body scarred and dented, but fully upright. Its oni mask was slightly cracked at the cheek, but the glowing red eye behind it still gleamed.

Javier crouched and began inspecting the puppet's arm and leg joints.

"Hmm… good," he muttered, half to himself. "The self-repair function activated properly Yep. Perfect."

He stood up, arms crossed with a satisfied grin.

"Another masterpiece, huh?" Liana murmured, watching the proud smile on Javier's face.

"So this is the one you named…?" Gloria asked curiously, stepping closer to examine it herself.

Javier grinned. "I call this one Shironii. Or better yet… the White Demon."

Both Gloria and Liana leaned in slightly, inspecting the gleaming armor now fully restored. The joints that were previously dented and battered had already returned to perfect form—as if the battle never happened.

"Is this stronger than the regular white ore puppet knights?" Liana asked, eyes narrowing slightly.

Javier nodded. "Yes. Only this one is built like this. I used a refined version of the white ore, layered and molded with mana threading. It's faster, stronger, and… smarter."

"Wouldn't that be a problem later?" Gloria asked casually, straightening up. "You know—if they suddenly go berserk or… rebel?"

Javier scoffed lightly. "Nah. Don't worry about that. I programmed it using my own magic crafting—it only listens to me. If anyone else even tries to override it or take control…"

He tapped the center of Shironii's chestplate with a smirk.

"Boom. Core destroys itself from the inside. Instant shutdown and self-erase. No one else can even activate it."

Liana raised an eyebrow. "So... if I tried to issue it a command?"

"Nothing would happen," Javier said proudly. "It would just stand there. Like a noble statue."

Gloria chuckled softly, folding her arms. "Ara~ Dangerous, loyal, and dramatic. A fitting creation for you, young master."

"Ehehe~ I know right?" Javier said, grinning wide.

"So, young master?" Liana asked, arms folded and gaze sharp.

"Hmm?" Javier tilted his head slightly, still brushing dust off Shironii's shoulder.

"What's the point of making this," she gestured toward the white demon puppet, "when you already have so many other inventions? Like those."

She pointed up toward the stronghold wall, where rows of mithril-armored puppet knights stood silently, weapons drawn and glowing faintly, scanning the horizon. Beyond that, several mana cannons and anti-air mana guns rested in fortified towers, humming with power, their lenses glinting under the morning sun. A few floating drones—his flying weapon units—circled slowly above the clouds.

"And don't forget your flying things that can attack from above," she added. "Or your mana relay, or those cannons."

Javier just shrugged. "Nothing, really. I just wanted to make something~"

Liana blinked. "That's it?"

"Yep," Javier said, completely unapologetic. "No reason. I was bored. The idea popped into my head, and I had to try it. You ever get that feeling?"

Gloria let out a soft sigh beside him. "Ara… that's very much like our young master."

"I swear," Liana muttered under her breath, rubbing her temple.

"Your way of inventing something every time you're bored is going to give me grey hair…"

Javier grinned. "But your hair's already silver. Does that mean you're old already?"

Liana's eye twitched. She bit her lip—hard—then stepped forward and punched him lightly in the stomach.

"Oof—! Help! Assault! Abuse!" Javier clutched his stomach dramatically, stumbling back like he was mortally wounded.

Gloria just chuckled. "Ara… how lively."

Javier straightened up with a cheeky smile. "That's what makes life interesting, right?"

He raised his hand, and in a flash of light, Shironii vanished, returning into his magic storage.

Gloria stepped beside him. "So what now, young master?"

Javier stretched with a yawn. "Nothing. I'm hungry."

Gloria smiled warmly. "Shall we head back, then? I'll prepare something warm."

"Yay~!" Javier cheered, already marching toward Buddy like a child promised dessert. "Let's go, let's gooo~!"

The moment the three of them reached the stronghold gate…

There she was.

Felicia.

Standing with arms crossed, tail stiff, ears twitching slightly, and eyes cold.

Her expression? Calm. Too calm. But her lips were in a deep pout.

"Ara~" Gloria tilted her head.

"Oh my~" Liana smiled awkwardly.

"Ah crap." Javier muttered under his breath.

Felicia stepped forward, slowly. "So… you went on a date with them two—" she pointed at Liana and Gloria, "—without inviting me?"

Her voice was composed. Cold. Deadly serious.

"Ah, no! Umm—err—" Javier looked left and right for an escape route. There was none.

Felicia's tail flicked once. "I'm also your future wife, right?"

Javier flinched. "Y-Yes?"

She nodded slowly. Calmly.

"You even saw my naked body already…" she said, still not raising her voice.

Then… a tear rolled down her cheek.

No sobbing.

No trembling.

Just one silent tear sliding down that expressionless, calm face.

"…yet I was left out."

Javier froze.

Felicia stood at the gate, just like that—beautiful, calm, composed… yet with a tear gently trailing down her cheek. Her golden eyes, normally sharp and filled with dignity, now glistened with a soft sadness. No anger. No yelling. Just quiet pain.

"Ah!! I was just testing my new invention!" Javier blurted, raising both hands in panic. "You saw the armor I wore, right? The one I used when I fought you before? This was part of it!"

Felicia nodded softly, not saying a word. Her ears drooped just slightly. Her lips were trembling.

Inside Javier's mind, alarms were blaring.

Ah crap… this is bad. This is really bad.

Commander Raikus said she's the calmest in the kingdom. Never cries. Never throws tantrums. Obeys all rules.

She never plays. Never whines. Never even raises her voice…

But now… she's crying.

And it's because of me.

Gloria and Liana exchanged glances.

Gloria sighed quietly. "Ara~ young master, I think you should handle this with sincerity."

Liana nodded, arms crossed. "You messed up. Go fix it."

Javier took a slow step forward, his usual teasing gone.

He reached out and gently held Felicia's hand.

"…I'm sorry, Felicia."

Her ears twitched.

"I wasn't thinking. I got excited and dragged them out before I even realized… And I didn't mean to leave you out. Really. I wasn't trying to hurt you…"

Felicia looked at him. Still tearful. Still silent.

Javier leaned forward and pressed his forehead to hers.

"I'll make it up to you. Anything you want, I'll do it. Just don't cry, okay?"

Felicia finally blinked, slowly.

Then whispered in a tiny voice:

"…Anything?"

( End Of Chapter )