Reborn As Noble

"Young master~"

Liana's voice echoed sweetly from a distance, light in tone, but the smile on her face carried a clear warning.

She approached atop her Pekko, her long hair swaying with the wind. Behind her, Gloria rode silently, her gaze dark and brooding as if she were ready to devour someone.

Inside Javier's mind, alarm bells were ringing.

Ah... they're coming this way.

No way to run now.

Okay, Javier. Think. Think! How do you escape this? Act like before? Play it cool? Feign innocence? Fake unconsciousness? No....too late for that! They're almost here!!

He sat stiffly under the tree, hands resting on his lap as if meditating.

The moment Liana placed her hand gently on his shoulder.

"Hmm? Yes, Liana?" Javier turned to her, feigning perfect calmness.

"I was calling for you, young master~" Liana smiled.

That beautiful, terrifying smile.

"Yes, young master, we've been calling since the moment we saw you from afar~"

Gloria added in a cold tone, her arms crossed beneath her chest.

Javier slowly turned his head between the two of them.

"Oh... sorry. I didn't notice. I was deep in thought," he replied, voice smooth, face composed.

"Also... I feel a bit tired."

"Ara~ if you're tired, young master, why not go rest~?" Gloria cooed, bending slightly, her smile refined but chilling.

"I want to, Gloria. Really. But there are more serious problems I should think about,"

Javier answered, maintaining his poker face while internally sweating.

Both Liana and Gloria went silent.

Their eyes lingered on Javier, who sat there with that strange, calm look.

Composed, distant, unlike his usual self.

"Young master? Is there anything wrong?" Liana finally broke the silence, lowering herself beside him. Gloria followed immediately, settling down on his other side.

"Nothing wrong, Liana," Javier answered, voice steady, gaze fixed on the horizon.

Gloria leaned forward slightly, her tone softer but probing. "Then what are you thinking about?"

Javier tilted his head a little, his expression unreadable.

"Hmm? About the next mission. I was wondering what mission Father will give me after this."

"You shouldn't force yourself to think like that, young master." Liana's voice carried concern, but also a quiet firmness.

"Yeah, but I really can't stop thinking," Javier replied.

"Since after this, there are a lot of things to do. I can't just sit idly without preparing for the next plan."

Gloria's lips curled faintly. "You sound like Lord Garius now. You're starting to act like him. Thinking ahead, planning for futures that haven't even happened yet."

"Yes," Javier said, tone calm but resolute.

"That's also the reason why the Armand border wall never fell, and why the enemy couldn't advance. And that's how I finished my mission. Always preparing for the worst."

Liana's eyes narrowed slightly, suspicion flickering across her face.

"So tying us up and gagging us was part of that plan too, young master?"

Inside Javier's mind, a chill ran down his spine.

Crap. They're still holding on to that.

He forced a small, composed smile, answering without hesitation.

"No… but I didn't want either of you in danger. It was too risky. That's why I made that choice."

Liana and Gloria exchanged a glance, their silence heavy, unreadable. Javier held his calm facade, but deep inside, he braced himself for whatever came next.

Gloria's voice was firm, carrying a sting of hurt beneath her words.

"Still, you shouldn't tie us with that device and gag us if you worry about it."

Javier turned his eyes toward her, calm and unwavering. Slowly, a faint smile curved his lips.

"If I didn't do that, you both would've insisted on joining me. And I don't want that."

"But still—" Liana began, her tone sharp, ready to argue.

Before she could finish, Javier leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. Liana's breath hitched in surprise as he pressed a kiss to her cheek, then gently to her forehead.

Without hesitation, he turned to Gloria next, embracing her as well and placing the same tender kisses upon her.

When he finally leaned back, his eyes carried a rare softness, though his voice was steady and firm.

"No. I don't want to risk it. Not with you two. Never."

Liana and Gloria were silent for a moment, then both of them smiled softly.

"Thank you, Young Master…" Liana whispered, her arms sliding around him as she leaned in to hug him back, pressing her cheek against his chest.

Gloria followed right after, her eyes shimmering with warmth. Instead of just hugging, she leaned forward boldly and pressed her lips against his. The kiss was tender, lingering long enough to carry the weight of her emotions.

When she pulled back, her voice was gentle, almost trembling.

"Thank you… for worrying about us."

Javier froze for a heartbeat, feeling the sincerity radiating from both of them. The warmth of Liana's embrace and the softness of Gloria's kiss carved themselves into him, reminding him why he had chosen to protect them no matter the cost.

Javier froze for a second, then his stomach betrayed him with a loud growl.

"…Ah…" Javier glanced at Liana and Gloria with an embarrassed look.

Both of them chuckled softly, their eyes warm.

"Let us prepare you something to eat," Liana said, still smiling.

Javier exhaled in relief and raised his hand. With a faint shimmer of light, he pulled out a magic grill from his dimensional storage, followed by a huge pile of marinated meat, neatly stacked and ready.

"How about we have grilled meat?" Javier asked with a calm smile, setting everything down as though it were the most natural thing.

"If you say so, Young Master~," Liana replied sweetly.

Gloria stepped forward, taking some of the meat and carefully laying it on the wooden table near the tree, preparing the setup with practiced grace.

Before long, the sound of cuquawk! cuquawk! filled the air.

Buddy, Pikko, and Peanut all rushed over, their beady eyes locked on the mountain of meat.

Javier pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing.

"…Another three gluttons."

The three Pekko puffed up proudly, as if agreeing with him, completely unashamed.

Liana's smile widened, and Gloria chuckled softly as Javier's sigh escaped.

With a flick of his wrist, Javier pulled out another mountain of marinated meat from his dimensional storage, setting it down on the wooden table with a heavy thud.

"Buddy!!" Javier snapped, pointing firmly at his big orange Pekko. "Wait!! Let Liana grill it first!!!"

Buddy froze mid-step, his beak already halfway open, drool dripping dangerously close to the raw slabs of meat.

"This is raw!" Javier continued. "And you don't eat raw meat!!!"

"Cuquawked…" Buddy deflated slightly, wings drooping as he let out a sulky squawk, glaring at the pile as if it were the greatest injustice in the world.

( End Of Chapter )