Reborn As Noble

Garius raised an eyebrow, his tone skeptical yet intrigued. ”So... Javier. Secretive, huh?”

Alf nodded, a mix of respect and amusement on his face. ”Yes, my lord. He’s been working on something he calls an ’anti-air mana gun’ and a ’mana cannon’ in his own personal workshop, near the pekko pen.”

Garius’s eyes narrowed. ”Does anyone else know about this?”

”Only us and Liana,” Alf replied confidently.

Garius hummed thoughtfully before nodding sharply. ”Good.”

Turning back to Alf, Garius leaned forward, his gaze intense. ”And Alf... did he really charge into that group of over 200 men in the forest—the ones trying to assassinate the family—while laughing?”

Errinette chuckled softly, unable to contain her amusement. ”It’s true, my lord. He tore through them with magic and skill, laughing the entire time. Reminds me of a certain someone from the old days...”

Garius shot her a mock glare. ”Careful, Errinette, or I’ll challenge you to another sparring match.”

She smirked, bowing her head slightly. ”As you wish, my lord. But you must admit, Javier has inherited your reckless streak.”

Hesbeirn chimed in, dry humor lacing his tone. ”He’s certainly got your flair for the dramatic, my lord. Charging headfirst into a crowd of assassins... not something just anyone would do.”

Garius rubbed his temples, a mix of pride and exasperation on his face. ”That boy to reckless.”

The trio shared a knowing smile, the room filled with a comfortable silence as they reflected on the young prodigy causing such a stir.

Alf cleared his throat. ”According to my observations, my lord, young master Javier keeps all his earnings—gold, jewels, and resources—strictly in his magic storage skill. He’s very secretive about it.”

Errinette smirked, crossing her arms. ”Hmm, sounds familiar. Just like a certain someone we know.”

Garius let out a sheepish chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. ”Guh... Errinette, no need to bring that up.”

She leaned forward, her smile widening. ”Oh, I distinctly remember a young lord hoarding every coin and artifact he could find, not to mention those secret stashes all over the estate.”

Garius waved her off with an exaggerated huff. ”Alright, alright! That was years ago. If the boy’s smart enough to earn it, he’s smart enough to manage it.”

Hesbeirn chuckled deeply. ”True, my lord. But it’s safe to say the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.”

The group shared a laugh, Garius shaking his head in mock defeat. ”Fine, I’ll take the blame for that one. But at least he’s putting it to good use… I think.”

Errinette raised an eyebrow. ”Anti-air mana guns and mana cannons? That’s putting it to use, alright—just not the kind anyone expects.”

Garius smiled faintly, pride barely hidden. ”That boy is a wild card. But he’s our wild card.”

Errinette folded her arms, her stern expression softening slightly. ”My lord, it’s time for you to prepare for the celebration in the grand hall.”

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Garius groaned dramatically, leaning back against Giddie’s warm feathers. ”Haaaa... Can’t we stay a bit longer? I haven’t hung out with Giddie in forever. Please?”

Alf and Hesbeirn exchanged amused glances, chuckling softly. Their lord, once a mischievous young master, hadn’t changed much—except when he put on the facade of a strict noble.

Errinette’s smile was patient but unyielding. ”No, my lord. You have responsibilities.”

Garius sighed, slumping further. ”Haaaa... Errinette, you really haven’t changed since back then.”

Errinette smirked knowingly. ”The same could be said about you, my lord.”

Reluctantly, Garius stood and brushed dirt off his robes. ”Alright, alright.”

Errinette raised an eyebrow, her voice light but firm. ”And your posture, my lord. Noble posture.”

Garius rolled his eyes, exaggerating his movements as he straightened up. ”Haaaa... This is why I can’t stand noble life.”

Errinette chuckled softly. ”Perhaps that’s why you married Lady Francesca—because she’s a mage, not a typical noblewoman?”

Garius grinned like a boy caught red-handed. ”Well… she’s hot, and she’s strong. Still is, even now. Hehe.”

Errinette’s smile turned wry. ”Please refrain from that drooling expression in front of others, my lord. It’s unbecoming of your station.”

Garius flinched, turning to Alf in mock despair. ”Guh! Alf, look at your wife! She keeps nagging me nonstop!”

Alf chuckled, shrugging lightly. ”That’s just her way, my lord. She’s always been like this.”

Hesbeirn added with a teasing grin, ”What do you expect? She’s my older sister. Nagging is practically in her nature.”

The group shared a laugh as Garius rubbed the back of his neck. ”Fine, fine. Let’s head back. But I’m blaming all of you if I fall asleep halfway through that boring celebration.”

Errinette shook her head with a soft laugh, stepping ahead to lead the way. ”As long as you don’t embarrass yourself in front of the other nobles, my lord, you’ll survive.”

”Haaaa...” Errinette sighed, glancing at Garius with an amused yet exasperated look. ”My lord, perhaps it’s no mystery why your youngest son is so cheeky and mischievous.”

Garius let out a hearty laugh, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. ”Well, I can’t deny it. The boy does take after me more than I’d like to admit.”

Alf smirked, adjusting his gloves. ”It’s not just his personality. His tendency to hide things and play tricks reminds me of you in our younger days.”

Hesbeirn nodded, grinning. ”He even charges into danger laughing like you. It’s like watching you all over again.”

Garius waved them off with a chuckle. ”Alright, I get it! The boy’s a little me. No need to rub it in.”

Errinette smirked slyly. ”And yet, you scold him for his antics while conveniently forgetting your own escapades.”

Garius crossed his arms with a mock pout. ”Hey, I’m a responsible count now. I’m allowed to scold my son, cheeky or not.”

The trio exchanged knowing smiles as Errinette muttered under her breath. ”Responsible, you say, while sneaking off to the pekko pen instead of preparing for the celebration.”

”What was that?” Garius asked, pretending not to hear.

”Nothing, my lord.” Errinette’s tone was perfectly innocent, though her grin betrayed her.

Garius chuckled softly to himself. ”Cheeky and mischievous, huh? Well, at least the boy knows how to live life with a bit of flair.”

Garius let out a deep sigh, leaning back against a wooden bench near the grand pekko pen. ”Haaaa… I miss the days when I was just a boy. Life was so much simpler before the Klimbert House attacked and wiped out my family.”

The trio fell silent, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the air.

His voice softened as he continued. ”Back then, I didn’t have to worry about noble politics or assassins lurking in the shadows. I could run free, play with Giddie, and dream of becoming a hero. It was… the best time of my life.”

Errinette placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, her expression warm yet firm. ”Those days shaped who you are now. But you’ve built something beautiful from those ashes. Your family and your people are here because you survived and chose to fight.”

Alf nodded, his tone steady. ”You’ve given your children a life your younger self could only dream of, my lord. Though we miss those carefree days, we see the strength you’ve gained through everything you endured.”

Hesbeirn smirked, crossing his arms. ”Besides, my lord, you still act like a boy sometimes. Sneaking off to the pekko pen and sparring with wooden swords—you haven’t changed as much as you think.”

Garius laughed, though his eyes shimmered with melancholy. ”You’re right. Maybe I haven’t changed completely. But I wouldn’t trade what I have now for anything. My children, my people, this territory—we fought for all of it. And I’ll protect it, no matter what.”

Errinette smiled softly. ”And we’ll stand by you, just like we did back then.”

”Always, my lord,” Alf and Hesbeirn said in unison, their voices steady with conviction.

Silence returned, but it was comforting, filled with shared memories and unspoken promises.

”Alright, enough of this gloomy talk,” Garius declared, clapping his hands together. ”Let’s get back to the manor before Errinette drags me there by the ear.”

Errinette chuckled. ”If that’s what it takes, my lord.”

With that, the group made their way back, the weight of the past giving way to the warmth of the present.

( End of Chapter )