Reborn As Noble

Chapter 424: A Call to Honor ( 424 )

Garius leaned slightly forward, resting his elbows on the table.

”They were prisoners of war. Only thirty-five survived. Captured by our elite guards.”

Zania stood straighter, listening carefully.

”But I donʼt like keeping people locked up in cells,” Garius continued. ”And technically… youʼre still their princess.”

Zania blinked.

”So—if you really want to marry Cedric…”

”Prove yourself. Control that small group of Amazarak survivors.”

There was no hesitation.

”Y-Yes! Father-in-law!!” she answered, her excitement too overt.

Cedric buried his face in one hand.

Meira gripped her spoon like a dagger.

Garius shook his head, muttering under his breath.

”Ugh… this girl really doesnʼt have shame…”

He looked back at her. ”And if your people refuse to listen?”

Zania tilted her head innocently.

”Hmm? Then… gallows for them.”

Marcellus stared.

Aelius nearly dropped his pen.

Liana quietly whispered, ”Sheʼs serious.”

Garius smirked faintly and stood.

”Good. Thatʼs settled then.”

”Go meet them,” he said calmly, moving to stand.

”Outside. In the courtyard.”

Zania blinked.

”Hmm? Now?”

”Yes.”

She hesitated, then glanced toward Cedric.

”But… Cedricʼs coming along, right?”

”You should address him as Master Cedric!” Meira snapped, finally losing her patience.

”Iʼm the one who should be his wife! His first wife!”

Zania raised an eyebrow.

”So? I already got permission from Father-in-law.”

”I didnʼt say that yet,” Garius interrupted dryly.

The room fell quiet again.

He gave them one final glance and then turned to walk out, Alf and Erinnette following behind.

But just before passing through the door, Garius stopped.

His voice dropped, his aura shifting—heavy, cold, commanding.

”Zania.”

She straightened immediately.

”Go handle your people. You decide their fate.”

Then he walked away.

Javier smirked, hands behind his head, looking at Cedric with a smug grin.

”Heh… at least two of my girls donʼt cause me that kind of problem, brother Cedric.”

He stretched as he stood, yawning casually.

”Seriously though… good luck.”

He chuckled and walked off, acting like it wasnʼt his business at all.

Athine leaned closer into Aelius, wrapping one arm around his as they quietly reviewed the trade routes.

Their tone was calm but focused.

”If war breaks out near the western ports, weʼll reroute all sugar shipments to the south line,” she said.

Aelius nodded.

”And increase Pekko patrols on the merchant roads. No delays.”

They werenʼt warriors, but they made sure Armandʼs gold never stopped flowing.

Heres stood up next, grinning as he stretched.

He gave a lazy wave and headed out the door, clearly eager to get back to his little sister.

Marcellus stood with a smug grin, wrapping an arm around Lithiaʼs shoulder as she quietly picked up the papers.

”Letʼs go, Lithia. See? Iʼm not a womanizer like those two.”

He jerked a thumb at Cedric and Javier.

”OIII!!” Javier called back from the hallway.

Cedric just sighed.

”Alright, Cedric!” Zania beamed, skipping a step ahead.

”Letʼs go meet the slaves.”

Cedric narrowed his eyes.

”Theyʼre your people…”

Zania shrugged.

”Hmm? They are… if they listen to me. But if they donʼt…”

She gave a casual smile.

”…Gallows? Or maybe beheading?”

”Oi!” Cedric frowned. ”Donʼt be that cruel. Theyʼre still your countrymen.”

Zania tilted her head.

”Yes, if they listen well. But if they betray my father-in-lawʼs family?”

She gave him a firm look.

”Then theyʼre no longer mine.”

Cedric groaned.

”Ugh… Father didnʼt say heʼs taking you in yet or approving anything…”

Zania blinked innocently.

”Hmm? But didnʼt Father-in-law give me power?”

She leaned closer with a smile.

”That means Iʼm already his daughter-in-law, right?”

Cedric rubbed his temples.

Javier, already halfway down the corridor, laughed without turning back.

”Lucky me. My Liana and Gloria arenʼt that idiot.”

”OI, JAVIER!!” Cedric shouted behind him.

”Youʼre the one who brought her back here! Now Iʼm stuck with this mess!!”

Javier shrugged, smirking.

”Ehhh? I didnʼt tell her, ʼHey, go fall in love hard with my brother Cedric.ʼ”

He waved casually over his shoulder.

”Thatʼs all on you~”

Cedric groaned.

”Ugh!!”

Liana and Gloria stood nearby, both watching quietly.

Gloria sighed and whispered to Liana,

”You think weʼll ever be that… chaotic?”

Liana smiled faintly.

”No. Iʼd kill you first.”

Zania followed Cedric out of the hall, practically glued to his left side.

On his right, Meira didnʼt move an inch, her hand already wrapped around his other arm.

The two women stared at each other as they walked, silent sparks flying between them.

”Take your hand off Master Cedric,” Meira hissed, narrowing her eyes.

”No way,” Zania shot back with a smug smile. ”Father-in-law already gave me permission.”

”Err… Father still didnʼt say anything about that…” Cedric mumbled, looking very done with his life.

Meira stuck out her tongue.

Zania responded by clinging tighter.

Cedric sighed.

”Both of you, please stop it.”

He glanced at Zania.

”And focus. Youʼre meeting your people next.”

”Okay~” Zania replied sweetly.

Once they arrived at the courtyard, Cedric sat down quietly on a stone bench, arms crossed. Meira stood beside him, still glaring occasionally at Zania.

The thirty-five captured Amazarak warriors knelt in formation before them, hands bound in enchanted chains. Each one was guarded by members of the Armand elite knights, standing silently like statues—watchful and unmoving.

As Zania stepped forward, the prisoners lifted their heads.

Recognition spread through the group.

”Princess…!” several whispered, eyes widening. Even in chains, they lowered their heads deeper in respect.

Zania stared down at them, arms crossed.

”Hmm…” Her eyes scanned the group.

”How did they treat all of you?” she asked bluntly.

Silence.

A few exchanged glances. One of them opened his mouth to speak.

”We—”

”Donʼt lie.” Zaniaʼs tone turned sharp and cold.

”If they hadnʼt fed you properly, your muscles wouldʼve thinned out by now. And none of you would be able to kneel this straight.”

Her gaze swept the group.

”Youʼre not starving. Youʼre not limping. So cut the act.”

The warrior who tried to speak lowered his head.

Zania crossed her arms, eyes narrowing at the kneeling group.

”Oh?” She tilted her head slightly.

”You all donʼt look satisfied to see me.”

A few soldiers looked away.

”Why?” she continued, her voice calm but biting.

”Because Iʼm not defending you right now? Because Iʼm standing beside them?”

She stepped closer.

”Did you think we actually had a chance—any chance at all—if not for the mercy of Lord Garius?”

Silence hung in the air. One soldier clenched his jaw.

”Everything we believed…” Zania shook her head.

”All those things Kenjirou told us about the Armand family, about the so-called tyranny…”

Her voice dropped, cold.

”He lied.”

She looked them over.

”I was in the throne room. I heard him myself. Playing victim. Telling Queen Zephyra how he was ʼambushedʼ by a boy. Claiming Armand was a cruel, godless tyrant.”

”Queen Zephyra—my sister—ordered us to hunt and kill the Armand family.”

”And we obeyed. Without knowing the truth.”

She took a slow breath.

”We thought Armand was a tyrant state. That their people were oppressed. Starving. Beaten down under noble rule.”

She looked directly into their eyes.

”And why did we believe that?

Because of the human hero.

Because of Kenjirouʼs lies.”

Several warriors lowered their heads.

”He told the Queen the Armand family were enemies of the God. That they attacked without warning. That they abused their people.”

She clenched her fists.

”We believed it.”

”We thought it was a righteous mission. A holy cause.”

”So we marched together—like fools.”

Her tone turned bitter.

”We crossed the border. We attacked a peaceful region. We tried to strike at their people—their children, their families.”

”And what did we find?”

”People smiling. Fed. Protected.”

”We didnʼt walk into a tyrantʼs land… we walked into one of the safest places in the entire human kingdom.”

( End of Chapter )