Reborn As Noble

The golden knight grabbed Mulkas by the collar of his shirt and leaned down, whispering in a cold, menacing voice.

”How about you witness true power? Hmm? The kind of power that protects, not oppresses. The kind that serves justice, not greed. The kind that doesn’t bully the weak or betray the trust of those who believed in you.”

Mulkas tried to run, but his shattered legs gave out, and he collapsed, unable to move. Javier grabbed him by the collar and dragged him outside.

Once outside, Mulkas was forced to watch. Invisible forces rained destruction upon his army. Mana missiles streaked through the sky, striking every tower, every fortification, every position where his soldiers were stationed. The whirling sound of attack mana helicopters, invisible to the naked eye, filled the air as they unleashed precision strikes across the battlefield.

Javier chuckled, holstering both his guns at his waist and clasping his hands behind his back.

”If I’m not mistaken, you mentioned something before... hmm... let me remember correctly... ’Become a powerful private army in the Human Kingdom’? Something like that?”

Mulkas’s eyes widened in terror.

”Ah~ Don’t give me that look.” Javier smirked. ”Didn’t I tell you to stop making that face? You are... hmm... what was it again... ah~ General of the New... what was it again?” Javier rubbed his chin before letting out a soft, mocking laugh. ”New Mathrias... Army?”

He turned and glanced at Mulkas, who had now wet his pants in sheer terror.

”If you hadn’t betrayed your lord, you would have been rewarded. You would have been respected. You would have lived a comfortable life. But you chose greed. You chose betrayal. And now... you face the consequences.”

”P... please... spare me... I’ll give you all the gold I have! Everything! Just let me live!”

”Chi chi chi.” Javier wiggled his finger while crouching down to look Mulkas in the eye.

”Don’t get me wrong. All the gold inside that room already belongs to me. You should know by now that in war, the victor takes everything. Your gold, your army, your territory, your life. It all belongs to the one who wins. And you, my dear traitor, have already lost.”

Javier stood and gestured with both hands toward the battlefield, presenting the scene like a grand performance.

”Just look at those magnificent explosions. Beautiful, aren’t they? The screaming, the chaos, the utter annihilation of your so-called ’New Mathrias Army’... and yet, not a single witness will be able to tell who attacked, what magic was used, or where the strikes came from. To the outside world, it will simply look like divine punishment.”

Javier chuckled softly.

”I have more than enough power to conquer any nation I want. To destroy any kingdom that stands in my way. With my inventions, my knights, my weapons, I could bring entire empires to their knees and reshape the world according to my will.”

He paused, his voice turning firm and serious.

”And yet, I have never once thought about doing it. I have never wanted it. I have never liked the idea of ruling through fear and destruction. Because unlike you and the other power-hungry fools, I value peace. I value freedom. I value the time I have to enjoy my life, to be with my family, to invent and create without the burden of endless war.”

He turned to face Mulkas, his voice cold.

”But because of people like you, and all the other greedy nobles who think betrayal and conquest are the only paths to power, I am forced to step in, to set aside my peaceful life and clean up the mess you and the other shithead created. You leave me no choice but to put you down like the rabid dogs you are.”

Javier smirked, a cold gleam in his eyes.

”But... don’t worry~” He crouched down in front of Mulkas, his voice dropping to a mocking whisper. ”I’m not the one you should be afraid of.”

”W... what do you mean?” Mulkas stammered, his face pale with terror.

”My father is the one you should be afraid of~” Javier let out a dark laugh. ”Ah~ I wonder what will happen to you when you meet him. But... well... that’s not my problem anymore. As long as I deliver you alive and in one piece, I’ll be safe from his ’practice duel’... which I absolutely hate.”

He stood up, glancing down at the trembling general.

”Oho~ No, no, no~” Javier lifted something small between his fingers, a tiny black pellet. ”Ah~ This is the poison you were about to consume by biting down on it, wasn’t it? A suicide capsule, hidden in your molar. A last resort for traitors who don’t want to face capture.”

Mulkas’s eyes widened in horror. He quickly checked his mouth with his finger, only to find the capsule gone.

”Chi chi chi~” Javier wiggled his finger mockingly. ”I know all about these kinds of dark magic and techniques, you know. I wouldn’t be a genius inventor if I didn’t know everything I needed to know about my enemies.”

He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a cold, serious tone.

”Oh, by the way. I also know you were the one who gave intel and assistance to... who was it again? Hanarak? Or should I say... the Mathrias Head Butler?”

Javier smirked again, his voice dripping with amusement.

”Ah~ I don’t need you to explain anything about him to me. I already have all the details and information I need about him anyway. And I also know about the assassin team you sent... the one dispatched to the Beastkin Kingdom to kidnap Rolland’s last son. I know everything.”

He leaned in, his tone mocking yet chillingly confident.

”Ooh~ Don’t get me wrong. We didn’t know much about it at first. But you forgot one crucial detail: the Beastkin Nation is Armand’s ally. And they also have instant communication... well, thanks to me, who provided them with mana radios. A slightly different version from what we have, but just as effective. So anything suspicious involving humans...” Javier paused, his voice sharpening, ”...will be reported to Armand immediately.”

Mulkas’s eyes narrowed before he let out a dark, bitter chuckle.

”Eheh... eheheh...”

”Oh? What’s so funny?” Javier asked, his tone dripping with mock curiosity.

”You don’t know... how terrifying Hanarak’s Assassin House is~”

”Ah...” Javier raised the golden knight’s hand and tapped the chin of his helmet thoughtfully. ”Hmm... from what I know, Hanarak’s Assassin House isn’t even ranked first.”

He leaned down, locking eyes with Mulkas.

”Ever heard of Alf? Or more precisely, the strongest assassin on the entire continent? Hmm? Oh... let me guess... you have outdated information... or perhaps you’re just dumb? Ever heard of the Shadow House?”

Javier grinned widely as he saw even more terror creep into Mulkas’s face.

”Oho~ Are you telling me you didn’t know that the Shadow House is serving... ARMAND? Seriously?”

He let out a mocking laugh.

”The Shadow House, the most feared and respected assassin organization in the entire continent, answers directly to my father. And Alf, the man who leads them, is also the head butler of the Armand Estate. So tell me, General... who should be more afraid? Hanarak, or the Shadow House?”

Javier let out hearty laugh.

”You really think your little Hanarak House can compare to the ones who’ve been serving my family for generations? You’re even more clueless than I thought.”

( End Of Chapter )