Reborn As Noble

Garius leaned forward, his sharp gaze locking onto Erinnete. ”Erinnete.”

She straightened immediately. ”Yes, my lord?”

”About those two kids.”

”Iria and Iziya, my lord?”

”Yes. Tell me about them. Are they spies?”

Erinnete shook her head. ”No, my lord. I’ve already checked their backgrounds, and our investigation team has been gathering more information.”

Her tone was precise and controlled. ”According to Liana, those two were caught stealing meat when Young Master Javier was strolling through the marketplace with Liana and Gloria.”

Garius’s eyebrows raised slightly. ”And?”

Erinnete exhaled softly. ”Young Master Javier paid for the meat… and ’forced’ them to work for him.”

A brief silence followed. Hesbeirn let out a low chuckle. ”That boy…”

Garius smirked, but his gaze remained cold as he gestured for Erinnete to continue. ”What else?”

”According to our investigation, their parents were villagers. Their village was burned down, and all the inhabitants were slaughtered.”

Francesca, who had been quietly sipping her tea, set her cup down. ”Where?”

Erinnete’s voice remained steady. ”Not in Armand territory. The village was in a distant region, far from our lands.”

Garius’s fingers tapped against the desk. ”They survived? And managed to reach the capital?”

”Yes, my lord.”

”So they avoided monsters along the roads?”

Erinnete hesitated for the first time. ”That… I do not know fully, my lord. Perhaps luck was on their side.”

Garius’s gaze darkened. ”Who burned the village? Who killed its people?”

A chilling silence filled the room.

Erinnete’s next words carried a weight that made even Alf narrow his eyes. ”Our sources confirm it was a group calling themselves the ’Saints of the Three Gods Believers.’”

Garius’s fingers stopped tapping. ”They accused the villagers of worshiping an evil spirit. As ’punishment,’ they slaughtered everyone and burned the entire village to the ground.”

The room’s temperature seemed to drop. Francesca’s grip tightened around the handle of her teacup. Hesbeirn clicked his tongue, his face twisted in disgust. Alf’s expression turned unreadable, but the air around him grew heavier.

Garius’s voice was dangerously low. ”And the lord of that region? Did they do nothing?”

Erinnete exhaled through her nose, her emerald eyes narrowing slightly. ”The lord of the area is one of the highest-ranking members of the ’Saints of the Three Gods.’”

A heavy silence followed. Then—

CRACK!

Garius’s fingers snapped the edge of his desk, splintering the wood beneath his grip. Alf and Hesbeirn immediately straightened.

Garius’s voice filled with cold authority. ”Alf. Hesbeirn.”

Both responded instantly. ”My lord.”

”Don’t ever let those lunatics spread or preach inside Armand territory.” His gaze sharpened. ”Inform all overseers, city guards, village chiefs—everyone. Let them know how dangerous this cult is.”

Hesbeirn’s eyes darkened, his jaw tight. ”Consider it done.”

Alf simply nodded, his presence turning even colder.

Garius leaned back, exhaling slowly. Then, in a quieter, more calculated tone—”And if any of them try?”

His next words were spoken without emotion. ”Eliminate them. Immediately.”

Alf hesitated for a moment before speaking. ”But my lord… what if this decision leads to war with them?”

Garius’s eyes flashed with cold fury. ”Hmm? We fight, of course.”

His voice was calm, absolute. ”How dare they do that to innocent people?”

He leaned forward, fingers pressing against the splintered wood of his desk. ”They were just living their lives. As villagers. As people. Working hard to make a living. And yet, they were forced into something they didn’t want?”

His fists clenched. ”And the result?”

A slow exhale escaped him. ”I hate that kind of thinking.”

Alf lowered his head slightly. ”As you wish, my lord.”

Garius’s attention snapped to Hesbeirn. ”Hesbeirn!”

The warrior immediately straightened. ”Yes, my lord!”

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”Prepare additional recruitment for our personal military.” His tone was sharp and firm. ”Recruit only from Armand locals. No outsiders.”

Hesbeirn nodded. ”Understood, my lord. I will personally oversee it.”

Garius then turned to Alf. ”Alf!”

Alf’s sharp gaze met his lord’s. ”Yes, my lord?”

”Ensure your unit is ready to deploy.”

A pause hung in the air, then his voice dropped lower. ”Hesbeirn. Alf.”

Both men stood at full attention. ”Make sure there’s always a scout in every patrol squad. Add more patrols if necessary.” His next words carried unshakable finality. ”Make sure those bastards don’t step foot into MY REGION.”

Hesbeirn grinned slightly, cracking his knuckles. ”Heh. They won’t even get past the border.”

Alf lowered his head, his voice quiet yet deadly. ”Consider it done, my lord.”

Garius’s voice thundered through the study, absolute and unwavering. ”No preacher from that cult is allowed into MY REGION!”

The air grew heavy with tension. Alf, Hesbeirn, Erinnete, and Rasdingen stood in silent acknowledgment.

Garius’s fingers tightened around the armrest of his chair, his fury barely restrained. ”Tell all of our people—”

He took a slow breath, his words precise and sharp. ”They live as they want. They are free to choose their beliefs. But not this.”

His eyes darkened, cold fury piercing the room. ”Not this fucking ’Saint of the Three Gods’ bullshit!”

Francesca set down her teacup with deliberate grace, exhaling softly. ”I assume this order applies to every town, village, and settlement?”

Garius nodded once. ”Every single one. No exceptions.”

Alf’s voice was calm yet firm. ”Understood, my lord. I will personally ensure this message is delivered.”

Hesbeirn smirked. ”Let’s see them try anything now.”

Garius’s gaze swept across the room, his voice unwavering. ”And tell them—”

He leaned forward, his presence looming over the study. ”If they still want to join these lunatics cult…”

A cold smirk curved on his lips. ”The gates are open.”

The room fell deathly silent. ”They can leave anytime they want.”

His fingers tapped against the desk once. ”But they will never set foot in Armand Region again.”

Alf’s expression remained calm, but a subtle sharpness glinted in his gaze. Hesbeirn exhaled through his nose, grinning slightly. Erinnete’s eyes narrowed; she understood exactly what this meant. Francesca, always the picture of composure, simply sipped her tea.

”Those stupid lunatics have no place in my region.”

Garius’s smirk vanished, his next words carrying a finality that left no room for argument. ”Even if the King himself or the Demon King tries to force us—”

He tilted his head slightly, his voice dropping to a cold whisper. ”I refuse.”

His fingers curled into a fist. ”This land is mine. And no one—” His gaze hardened. ”No one decides its future but me.”

Garius’s eyes burned with conviction. His region. His people. His rules. No fanatic cult would ever change that.

( End of Chapter )