Reborn As Noble

”If that’s true…” Javier muttered, crossing his arms with a serious expression, ”then he could probably handle a Celestial with ease!”

”Yes,” Aria answered gently, ”if it’s only one or two… maybe. But not if the Celestial has a stronger vessel.”

Ari added, ”If three Celestials are merged into one vessel, their power multiplies. That kind of fusion… would be stronger than us.”

Javier blinked. ”Wait, hold on. But you are the Seventh, right? The highest one?”

”Yes,” Aria replied. ”But there’s something you need to know.”

”Hm?”

”Celestials grow stronger by absorbing the powers and skills of those they defeat… if they kill them.”

Javier’s eyes widened. ”For real?!”

”Yes,” Aria confirmed with a solemn tone. ”Let’s say they defeat you and kill you. The moment your soul is extinguished… your skills, your magic, your strength—it becomes theirs. They inherit everything.”

Javier leaned back, exhaling. ”So… they’re like parasites that evolve every time they kill someone strong.”

”Exactly,” Aria said.

”Which means,” Ari added, ”if even one Celestial gets too many strong kills… they’ll become something even we can’t stop.”

”This is serious…” Javier muttered, his usual playful tone gone. His gaze sharpened. ”If they manage to kill Alf… and absorb his power… they’ll get Alf’s skills, speed, everything.”

”Yes,” Aria said. ”But you should know something else.”

Javier looked at her. ”What?”

”Alf, Errinette, and Hesbeirn… they’re not just strong. They’re exceptional. We’ve fought them before.”

”You what?” Javier blinked.

Ari chimed in. ”It was during a major confrontation. Your father used them to stall us—while he, Francesca, Veldrac, Mylezra, and Lioness faced the other Celestials directly.”

Aria nodded. ”They were meant to be distractions. But even so… they pushed us hard. Garius didn’t choose them randomly. Each one of them was a wall we had to climb.”

Javier’s jaw tightened. ”So even you two had trouble… with them?”

”More than trouble,” Ari said quietly. ”We nearly lost.”

Aria’s voice softened.

”By the time your father and mother managed to seal the other Celestials… we were already broken.”

Ari continued, her tone trembling with the memory. ”They could’ve sealed us easily. Garius had us bound. I couldn’t even move… and I—” She paused, her voice cracking. ”I was crying… begging your mother not to seal us.”

Javier stayed quiet, listening.

”She didn’t have to show mercy,” Aria whispered. ”But she did. Your mother looked at us… and said, ’If peace is truly what you seek… then earn it.’”

”We promised,” Ari added gently. ”We swore to behave. We only wanted peace… not war.”

Javier leaned back, closing his eyes briefly.

…So that’s how it was.

A silent moment passed.

Then—

A sudden voice echoed from outside the room.

”That was before.”

Javier froze.

”...Huh?”

He whipped his head toward the door just as it slowly creaked open.

There, standing like a scene straight out of a nightmare—or a family meeting from hell—were his father and mother.

Garius strode in with his usual aura of lazy dominance, like this was his living room all along.

Francesca, elegant and composed, followed just behind him.

”C-Crap!” Javier muttered under his breath.

And as if that wasn’t enough—

Errinette and Alf strolled in right after, moving like it was perfectly normal to crash their young master’s secret workshop. Errinette calmly poured a glass of wine for Garius, while Alf handed one to Francesca.

Garius sank into the nearby sofa, stretching his legs out as if he owned the place.

”That was when we were young,” he said, glancing at Javier with that trademark smirk.

”But now? We’re a bit older, you know. Things change when people grow old...”

Garius leaned back on the sofa, swirling the wine in his glass with a calm, thoughtful air.

”Back then, we were younger… could fight the whole day if we wanted.”

He paused, then glanced at Javier with a half-smile.

”But now? Times have changed.”

Javier knew deep down his old man probably could still fight for days without breaking a sweat… but no one dared to say it.

”That’s why it’s your responsibility now, Javier,” Garius set the glass down gently.

”The borders are already reinforced. We’ve done what we can… but the future’s uncertain. Always be prepared.”

Javier straightened up slightly, his expression sharpening.

”Yes, esteemed father.”

Garius locked eyes with him, and his tone turned a bit more serious.

”Train hard. Prepare for the worst.”

There was no smile now—just the weight of experience in his gaze.

Javier nodded slowly, his usual playful attitude melting into quiet resolve.

”Understood.”

”Aria, Ari!” Garius’s voice was calm, but it carried a weight that silenced the room.

”Y-Yes, Garius!?” Aria and Ari answered in unison, clearly flustered.

Garius sipped his wine casually before speaking again.

”Make sure you don’t lose... to whatever Celestial shows up.”

His gaze, sharp and unblinking, lingered as if peering directly into their souls.

Aria and Ari stiffened even further.

”…Y-Yes, of course!” Aria stammered.

”W-We won’t! Promise!” Ari added quickly.

Even Javier felt a chill crawl up his back.

”Scary as always…” he muttered under his breath.

Garius didn’t respond—he didn’t need to. The message was clear.

Francesca, elegantly sipping her tea beside him, gave a soft smile.

”Make sure you all listen to him. Especially you, Honey bun~.” She directed her gaze at Javier.

He chuckled nervously.

”…Yes, Mother.”

As the room remained silent under the weight of Garius’s presence, he rose from the sofa with a graceful ease that belied his overwhelming strength. Francesca followed beside him, still holding her teacup, serene as ever. Alf and Errinette trailed just behind them, as composed as the shadows they moved like.

Just before they reached the door, Garius paused.

His sharp eyes turned toward Javier one last time—piercing, unwavering.

”Take this seriously,” he said, voice low but firm.

”Don’t test it. Don’t try it. Don’t play with it. Make no mistake, Javier.”

Javier, for once, didn’t have a quip or smirk ready. He stood tall and answered clearly,

”Yes, esteemed father.”

Garius gave the smallest nod, then turned away without another word.

The door closed softly behind them.

Only then did Javier exhale.

”…Whew.”

Liana gently placed a hand on his arm, while Gloria adjusted her glasses, her usual calm expression returning.

”That was… intense,” Javier muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

”Seriously, how do you all stay so calm around him?”

Liana smiled gently.

”We’re not. We just hide it well.”

”Ara… you should’ve seen your own face just now, young master,” Gloria teased softly.

Javier gave a tired grin.

”…Yeah, yeah. I’m just glad he didn’t ask to ’spar’ or something…”

( End of Chapter )