Reborn As Noble

Francesca’s eyes turned serious, her gaze piercing.

”Do you think being handsome gives you the right to be careless with people’s feelings?” she began, her voice steady and firm. ”You flash that smile, you lean in with that charming voice, you make them feel special in the moment... and for what? Because you’re bored? Because it’s fun? You’re not a boy anymore, Javier. You’re a man who has promised himself to five women who adore you. Your ’casual charm’ isn’t harmless. It’s selfish.”

”But Mother... I didn’t mean anything by it,” Javier mumbled softly, avoiding her eyes.

”That’s the problem,” Francesca continued, her tone unyielding. ”You may not mean anything by it, but what about the girl? What about the maid whose heart flutters because the handsome prince smiled at her? Who might start dreaming of something more? You’re not just being playful, you’re being careless with people’s feelings.”

Javier narrowed his eyes, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. ”How am I supposed to control that? I was born handsome because of you and Father. This face, this voice, this... natural charm... it’s part of who I am. I can’t just turn it off like a switch.”

”Ara~?” Francesca smiled, sweet and terrifying. ”Are you trying to talk back to me? Hmm?” She leaned forward, her presence filling the room.

”Eeeekkk!! I didn’t mean it like that!” Javier stammered, his charming facade crumbling under her gaze.

Francesca smiled and slowly stood up, cracking her knuckles with deliberate, ominous softness. ”I already tolerated your cheeky, mischievous behavior when you were a child. The skirt-flipping, the pranks, the sneaking out... I let it slide because you were young and finding your way. But now~” her voice dropped to a dangerous purr, ”I think it’s time I taught you a real lesson before this carelessness of yours goes any further.”

From outside the study, the two guards stationed by the maid’s entrance heard a very loud, pained scream.

”Gyaaarrrrhhh!!! Mother!!!”

One of the guards glanced at his partner. ”Sounds like Prince Javier is at it again.”

”Yeah... the usual,” the other guard chuckled softly. ”Always like that.”

Another scream echoed from inside the room.

”I’m sorry! Please don’t hit my face! My face!!!”

The first guard just shook his head. ”Let’s just... pretend we didn’t hear anything.”

”Yeah...”

Meanwhile, outside the manor, everyone heard his scream.

”Ah... that’s Prince Javier’s voice.”

Several household maids paused, trying to pinpoint where the sound had come from.

”Do you know where it came from?” one whispered.

”What do you think happened?” a younger maid asked curiously.

”I’m sure Queen Francesca is giving him a... lesson,” the first replied with a light chuckle. ”It’s the usual.”

”It’s been so long since I heard Prince Javier’s voice like that,” a senior maid said, a nostalgic smile on her face.

A small group of newer maids, who were clearly among Javier’s admirers, quickly gathered around the senior maid, their eyes wide with excitement.

”Is it true? Is he really being scolded by the Queen?”

”What did he do this time?”

”Does this happen often?”

”Is he okay?”

”Will he come out with that charming smile again?”

The senior maid chuckled softly, holding up a hand to gently quiet their excited bombardment. ”One at a time, girls. Yes, it happens. Yes, he’ll be fine. And yes, he’ll probably come out looking as dashing as ever, maybe just a little more... thoughtful.”

The new maids immediately began excitedly sharing their own brief encounters with the prince, their voices bubbling over each other.

”Ah~ He was so handsome! Yesterday, when I delivered the tea to the office, he smiled and said, ’Thank you, beautiful.’ My heart almost stopped!”

”I saw him on the way to the pekko pen this morning! He was walking with his hands in his pockets and he gave me a little nod and a wink! I nearly dropped my basket!”

”And the day before, I was serving in the dining room when he came in. He asked for extra sugar and his voice was so warm and charming...”

The senior maid laughed softly, shaking her head in amusement. ”He is, isn’t he? But his brothers are also quite handsome, you know.”

The newer maids looked at each other before giggling in unison. ”Yes, but... not as handsome as he is.”

”Ah~ Prince Javier...” they sighed dreamily in chorus.

The senior maid shook her head again.

”Don’t get your hopes up. Prince Javier has always been like that since he was a child. He’s never once raised his voice in anger at any Armand staff or maid. And he rarely shows his true temper in the manor.”

”Really!?” the newer maids surrounded the senior maid, their eyes sparkling.

”Hey! Are you serious?”

”Prince Javier never gets mad? For real?”

The senior maid put a finger to her lips, glancing upward thoughtfully. ”I’ve never seen him truly angry with the staff, but that doesn’t mean he never gets angry. I did hear from the guards and soldiers that he unleashed his fury during the First Noble Coalition War against Armand. He was only eleven then, I think. That was the day he revealed his real talent and marked the beginning of Armand Magic Technology.”

”Whoa! He’s so cool! So he’s the inventor of all the magic tech we use now?”

The senior maid exhaled and smiled. ”Yes. He is. But back when he was a child, he was just cheeky and mischievous. Perhaps because he didn’t like to show off his talent or power.”

”Ah~ Not only is he handsome, but he’s also so talented~ Kyaa!!! Prince Javier... I wish he would marry me!”

The senior maid chuckled. ”Yeah, dream on, girl. Unless you’re as beautiful as Liana or Gloria, keep dreaming~ Don’t forget, those two are ranked second in the partnered maid ranking. And if you look at the single maids, you’d have to match someone like Erisa or Mahira... so, good luck with that~”

One of the newer maids leaned in and whispered with a cheeky smile. ”Do you think Prince Javier... ehem... is looking for... you know... a mistress? Or just... fun?”

The senior maid smirked, shaking her head. ”No. None of the princes have ever taken a maid to bed, or any staff for that matter, outside of their chosen partners. The Armand family, even before King Garius became king and Armand became fully independent from the Human Kingdom, has always been different from other noble houses.”

”So... you mean...” another maid began, her voice trailing off.

”Yes,” the senior maid said firmly. ”In other human kingdoms, nobles often treat their maids as playthings. They sleep with them, discard them, and move on without a second thought. But here in Armand? Not once. Not a single prince has ever crossed that line. Despite having all the authority, power, and wealth to do whatever they want. They treat us with respect. They value loyalty, duty, and honor over... momentary pleasure. ”

She paused, her expression softening. ”It’s one of the reasons so many of us are proud to serve here. We’re treated with dignity, not as disposable toys.”

( End Of Chapter )