Reborn As Noble

Javier's stomach growled.

Garius's eyes flicked toward his youngest son, a faint exhale escaping his lips.

He didn't scold, but his gaze was sharp enough to make Javier straighten like a soldier under inspection.

Without a word, Garius shifted his eyes toward Erinnette.

The head maid bowed lightly with her usual composed smile.

She clapped her hands twice, sharp and clear.

Several household maids who had been waiting by the side stepped forward in unison. With a single glance from Erinnette, they turned and moved swiftly toward the kitchen.

Javier pressed his lips together, shoulders tight, watching them leave. Inside, he cursed his own body.

Damn it… all because my stomach couldn't wait just a few more minutes. Now the entire household staff is going to scramble in the middle of Father's meeting…

He glanced sideways at Liana and Gloria.

Both were doing their best to hide their chuckles behind delicate hands, their eyes sparkling with amusement at his misfortune.

Javier exhaled, forcing a calm smile on his lips.

Now because of me, the chefs are going to be busy.

Yep… just great. A whole estate on high alert, my father ready to announce something serious, and what steals the spotlight?

My damn hunger.

Garius gave the simple command.

"Now, let's all go inside."

Javier followed after Alf and Erinnette, his steps slow, eyes darting across the long chamber.

The long table stretched out before him, polished wood gleaming under the warm glow of the chandeliers.

And seated around it...everyone.

His mother, Lady Francesca, dignified and calm as always, her posture flawless even when simply sitting.

His three stepmothers, Lady Garcinia, regal, lips curved in the faintest smile but her eyes sharp as ever.

Lady Phenelopie, quiet and reserved, her presence soft but steady.

Eridith, the dragon girl...or rather, Lady Eridith now. Who looked half-bored, half-ready to explode into laughter at any moment.

Javier's gaze slid to his elder brothers. Marcellus and Cedric sat slumped with groans, clutching their foreheads with their palms. They had the look of men recently lectured, or worse, punished.

Aelius and Athine, of course, sat close together as always. Too close. Like a couple, Javier thought with a quiet chuckle in his mind. They didn't even try to hide it anymore.

At the far side, Heres.

The silent half-brother, His expression unreadable, words scarce as ever.

Hesbeirn was there as well, shoulders straight, gaze sharp. A warrior who belonged in every serious council.

And beside him, Rasdingen.

Well....giant dwarf, really. Javier's lips twitched slightly at the thought. The craftsman looked as solid as the weapons he forged.

Javier inhaled, straightened his back, and walked toward his usual seat.

The chair at the end of the long table. The place always left for him.

As he lowered himself into it, he could feel dozens of eyes sweeping over him. For once, he kept his face calm and composed.

Garius sat down, calm but weighed down by what he was about to say. He spread Alf's parchment across the table and looked around at the gathered family before speaking. His voice was steady, yet heavy with importance.

"Now, I must discuss something serious. It will decide the balance of what remains of the Human Kingdom."

He tapped the report with a single finger.

"With the war ending and the corruption Edmund left behind, the Human Kingdom is fractured. Many noble houses are gone, their bloodlines erased. Only a few remain."

"This means instability. The King's throne is cracked. Power has no anchor. There is only one legitimate heir left, Princess Kliatana. Soon, she will be crowned Queen… even though she is the same age as Javier."

Tension tightened the room. Javier shifted a bit in his chair, glancing at his father.

"The other houses know this. Some are already backing her, recognizing that she is the last true heir. But others—"

He paused.

"—are moving in the shadows, plotting to enthrone Edmund's brother, Duke Kimar, as their own figurehead. A coup d'état is forming, and make no mistake, it won't be long before blood is spilled again."

He paused, letting his words settle into the room's quiet. The weight of his message felt not just political, but existential.

Garius's hand tightened into a fist on the table.

"If the wrong side wins… the Human Kingdom will collapse completely. And its chaos will not stay within our borders. It will spill outward."

His eyes turned to each of his children in turn.

"We, as Armand, an autonomous region, were once swore loyalty to the Human Kingdom. Back then, it was under King Edmund. I gave him that loyalty because I believed in stability and because I promised it to him long before he fell into madness… long before he took in the filth."

He paused, letting those old memories flicker behind his gaze.

"We may not be obligated to join this turmoil. We could stay out of it. But look around, entire regions now lie empty, their lords dead, their people leaderless. If we sit idle, chaos will bleed into us. The choice we make there will not just determine our future, but whether this continent holds or collapses."

The tension broke slightly when Eridith leaned forward and asked.

"Then why not just become our own kingdom?"

Garius slowly exhaled.

"Yes, Eridith. We could declare Armand as a kingdom. We already hold the strength, the wealth, and the loyalty of our people. We command armies that even the Human Kingdom's elite feared. None could challenge us directly."

He looked around the table, meeting each gaze again.

"But that decision would not stay within our borders. It would ripple across the continent. Think long-term. Think beyond pride. If we crown ourselves now, what will the other nations see?"

He let the silence answer.

"They won't see peace. They won't see honor. They'll see a threat. A powerful new kingdom rising from the ashes while they're still reeling. They will assume we seek dominance. Even the Halflings and surviving Humans will watch us with suspicion. That fear will turn to envy. And envy to conflict."

He leaned back slightly, his hand resting on the hilt of his ceremonial blade.

"We are already the most advanced region. Our technology, our magic, our infrastructure, our defenses, they are unmatched. Our people are prosperous. We do not need a crown to prove our strength. We already have what most kingdoms dream of."

Then he narrowed his eyes.

"But even so, if the Human Kingdom collapses entirely, instability will still reach us. Refugees. Broken trade routes. Unending border skirmishes. That's why, for now, we stay as we are. Armand will remain an autonomous region under the Human Kingdom."

He raised one hand slightly, halting any further questions.

"Not because we are weak. Not because we fear the crown. But because what the continent needs now is stability. Not more fragmentation."

He concluded, voice unwavering.

"We will support Princess Kliatana's ascension. Her reign is young. Fragile. But with our support… she will hold. And when she does, so will the continent."

"We protect our home best… by protecting the peace beyond it."

( End Of Chapter )