Reborn As Noble

Meanwhile in the Armand Region, Armand Estate.

Inside Garius’s private room, Alf and Erinnette stood silently beside him as he carefully read through a stack of handwritten reports.

Knock knock.

“Come in,” Garius said.

The door opened, and a man stepped in calmly. Garius looked up and smiled faintly.

The man bowed politely toward Garius, then nodded to Alf and Erinnette.

“My lord. Sir Alf. Mrs Erinnette.”

Garius smirked. “The leader of my shadow unit, finally here. What do you have for me?”

The man stepped forward and presented a sealed scroll.

“Here’s the report you requested, my lord.”

Garius took it. “Good. So, how’s everything?”

The shadow unit leader spoke plainly, his tone sharp and efficient.

“Thanks to young master Javier’s invention—the mana talkie—our shadow teams have been completing missions more smoothly. With the new magic smoke bombs and black uniform enhancements, it’s easier to move unnoticed. Even those without stealth spells can now move in silence.”

He paused and added, “The new daggers, short blades, and the compact magic crossbows… all perfectly designed. Our shadow are stronger than ever.”

Alf gave a short nod. “Good. And the command structure?”

“Still tight. Only high-rank officers know the chain. If anything fails, fallback messages are written and delivered by runners—just like the young master intended. No dependence on tech outside our walls.”

Erinnette folded her arms. “And the loyalty of the shadow unit?”

The leader nodded. “Unshaken. We all owe our lives to Lord Garius. No one questions orders.”

Garius leaned back in his chair. “Good.”

The shadow unit leader then bowed slightly. “Also… regarding the human kingdom’s movement—there are rumors. Nothing confirmed, but we’re watching their messengers and patrol patterns. We believe they’re preparing something near the halfling border.”

Garius looked toward Alf and Erinnette, then calmly unrolled the next report and read in silence for a few seconds.

“Hmm… so Edmund plans to move on Gurdan,” Garius said slowly. “Once he gets Gumarak, he’ll have his fourth celestial.”

“Yes,” the leader replied. “According to our intelligence unit, King Edmund intends to harass the last dwarven capital using his wyvern unit. Hit-and-run tactics—bombardment from the sky using magic.”

Garius closed the scroll with a flick of his wrist. “That’s the Human Kingdom’s usual tactic with wyverns. It’s not surprising.”

Erinnette spoke up. “Your command for our units stationed near the halfling border, my lord?”

Garius didn’t hesitate.

“Do nothing. We do not act until the right moment. Our priority is the safety of the Armand people. Nothing else.”

He glanced out the window briefly before continuing.

“My youngest son… Javier… he knows what he should do. He doesn’t need our interference. He understands what kind of man Edmund is.”

Garius smirked.

“Let King Edmund get what he wants. Let him taste victory.”

Then his gaze sharpened, and his tone dropped lower.

“Because I trust Javier will let him climb high—only to shatter him on the way down.”

“Understood, my lord,” the shadow unit leader bowed again before stepping back.

Garius turned to Alf and Erinnette.

“Alf. Erinnette.”

“Yes, my lord?” they answered in unison.

“Prepare to send our units to the Beastkin Kingdom. The message should have already reached King Lioness by now.”

Alf gave a small nod. “Then we’ll begin coordination immediately.”

“I’m certain he’ll respond favorably,” Garius added calmly. “And I have no doubt Queen Mylezra and King Veldrac will agree to the motion.”

A short silence followed, one heavy with unspoken thoughts.

Erinnette’s expression darkened slightly. “It’s been a long time since the four of you agreed on something like this.”

“Mm,” Garius smirked faintly. “Old debts need settling. And some people need reminding where the line is.”

Alf raised an eyebrow, but didn’t ask.

“Just be ready,” Garius said. “No fanfare. No open movement. Once the signal comes, our units move under full concealment. I want the support subtle, swift, and effective.”

“Yes, my lord.” Alf bowed deeply.

“We’ll make the preparations at once,” Erinnette said.

Garius turned back to the window, watching the wind ripple through the Armand banners.

“Soon,” he murmured.

“For now, we wait for Javier to bring that bastard to the Beastkin border,” Garius said with a smirk, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest.

Knock knock.

Another knock came at the door.

“Come in,” Garius said without looking.

The door opened, and a composed figure stepped in—Erisa, the new head of the household maids. Dressed in a pristine maid uniform, she bowed with grace, her expression calm and efficient.

“My lord,” Erisa said, her voice soft yet firm. “King Veldrac and his escort have arrived.”

Garius raised an eyebrow. “Already?”

“Yes, my lord. He is currently waiting in the grand hall.”

Garius let out a long sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Haaa… it’s still early, and he’s already here. That demon can’t even hide his eagerness.”

Alf chuckled lightly. “He’s always been the impatient one.”

“Mm. No doubt,” Garius muttered, adjusting his coat. “Let’s not keep the Demon King waiting. Erisa, have refreshments brought in.”

“Yes, my lord.” She bowed again and departed swiftly.

Garius glanced at Erinnette and Alf. “Come. Let’s greet our guest.”

“I already told him to wait at the Beastkin Kingdom…” Garius muttered with a sigh, his boots echoing against the polished floor as he walked through the long corridor. “But no, of course not. He just had to show up early.”

Flanked by Alf and Erinnette, Garius finally reached the entrance to the grand hall. The towering double doors were opened by the guards, revealing a lavish hall lit by soft mana-crystals, polished marble tiles gleaming underfoot.

And there—arms wide, voice echoing without a shred of formality—stood King Veldrac.

“YO! GARIUS!!” he called out with a booming laugh, waving one arm high as if greeting an old drinking buddy rather than a fellow ruler.

Garius stopped a few steps in, sighed heavily, and shook his head.

“…Still as loud as ever,” he muttered under his breath.

Behind him, Alf and Erinnette remained silent.

“Come here already, you stiff old goat!” Veldrac shouted again, grinning ear to ear.

“What do you want?” Garius smirked, arms crossed, as Veldrac stepped in closer and casually clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“Aw~ come on! We’re buddies, right? Don’t be a stranger now.” Veldrac grinned wide.

Garius chuckled, amused. “That bastard’s still not captured yet. And besides, he’s being delivered to King Lioness. You came early.”

“Ah, don’t worry about that,” Veldrac said, leaning in slightly, voice lowering to a whisper. “Besides… you know how my wife is. Nagging the whole damn day. This was my chance to escape. And I may have told her I was coming to visit my little sister here.”

Garius raised an eyebrow. “You mean Delya?”

“Exactly!” Veldrac grinned shamelessly.

“She just finished training. Erinnette?” Garius turned slightly.

“Yes, my lord?” Erinnette stepped forward, expression calm.

“How are Delya and Mimi’s progress?”

“They’re both stuck at level 70, my lord,” Erinnette reported smoothly. “Their coordination is improving, but their mana control still fluctuates under pressure. I’ve increased the difficulty of their drills.”

“I see…” Garius nodded slightly. “Push them further. Especially if they want to chase that boy.”

Erinnette smiled faintly. “Understood, my lord.”

“Chasing Javier, huh?” Veldrac laughed. “Damn, that kid’s already got a harem forming and he’s not even fifteen yet.”

Garius just smirked. “Runs in the family.”

( End Of Chapter )

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