Reborn As Noble

Chapter 676: A Mother’s Love, a Daughter’s Patience ( 676 )

Meanwhile...

In a quiet, upscale district of the elven town—

Gloria finally arrived, letting out a soft sigh as she passed the final checkpoint after enduring a barrage of questions from various gate guards. The elven security was... persistent, to say the least.

Before her stood a large, well-maintained estate. Tall walls surrounded the elegant manor, and the wide courtyard within was filled with vibrant flora—a perfect blend of elven grace and human structure. The gate itself gleamed with magical runes for identification.

As she approached on her Pekko, Peanut let out a soft chirp, but the guards at the front gate immediately raised their hands.

”Stop right there.”

Gloria smiled gently, reins still in hand.

One of the guards stepped forward. ”Sorry, but this is the private residence of Minister Sythaeryn Carqirelle. No unauthorized personnel—”

”Yes, yes... I’m aware.” Gloria dismounted calmly.

She dusted off her dress, then let out a small, theatrical sigh.

”I apologize,” she said sweetly, then pulled out a folding fan from her waist pouch.

With graceful precision, she opened the fan and—

Smack! Smack! Smack!

She lightly tapped all three guards on their foreheads with the fan, startling them.

”My~ how rude of you three,” she said with a polite smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. ”To think you wouldn’t recognize the face of Madam Genevieve’s daughter?”

The guards blinked.

Now that they took a closer look...

This human girl—no, young lady—shared an uncanny resemblance to Madam Genevieve. Same poised smile, same sharp yet elegant gaze, and even the way she covered her lips with her fan—

Exactly like the Minister’s wife.

”I’m her daughter, of course,” Gloria added, letting out a refined little laugh. ”Now, can I go in, or must I wait for my own mother to remind you?”

The three guards straightened in panic.

”E-Er... Please wait just a moment, Lady Gloria! We’ll confirm immediately with Madam Genevieve!”

”Do hurry,” Gloria said, fan still half-lifted as she walked gracefully toward a shaded bench nearby. ”I’ve come a long way, after all.”

As the guards scrambled inside, Gloria leaned back slightly, one leg crossed over the other.

Home sweet home, she thought. Still as dramatic as ever.

After a while...

A flurry of footsteps echoed from within the manor.

”Ahhhhh~!!! My daughter!!!”

A delighted voice shrieked from the entrance.

Gloria instinctively let out a breath.

Here we go.

From the manor doors came a blur of energy—blonde hair fluttering behind her, dressed in a vibrant gown, arms wide open.

Genevieve, the ever-youthful and overly dramatic matron of the Carqirelle household, sprinted like an excited child seeing her long-lost toy.

Before the full-speed hug could collide—

Smack!

A neatly aimed fan tapped Genevieve’s forehead.

”Eepp!! Mou~!!” Genevieve pouted, skidding to a halt, rubbing her forehead dramatically. ”You always do that! Why must you smack your own mother!?”

Gloria sighed and shook her head. ”Mother... could you at least try to act your age?”

”No~!” Genevieve whined, twirling with a little spin. ”Your father loves me like this~! Look, look~ I still look young, right? Not a single wrinkle~!”

She struck a cute pose, beaming like a teenager.

Gloria held her fan up to hide her face and sighed again.

”I’m going to pretend I didn’t just watch my forty-something-year-old mother try to reenact a magical girl transformation.”

Genevieve crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue. ”Hmph! I’m only forty-eight!”

”Mother, I’m twenty-eight.”

”That’s basically the same!” Genevieve grinned proudly. ”Come, come! Your brothers will faint if they see you. You’re even prettier than I imagined! Ahhh~ my baby girl is back~!”

Gloria finally gave a soft smile and stepped forward.

”...It’s good to be home.”

Genevieve immediately latched onto her daughter and nuzzled her like a clingy cat.

”Ehehe~ now tell me everything! Did you meet a man? Anyone cute?”

Gloria let herself be pulled inside, her refined composure melting just slightly.

”You know, Gloria... I missed you sooo much~! Kyaaaa~!!”

Genevieve squealed and dove into her daughter’s arms for another dramatic hug.

Gloria let out a soft sigh, though her expression stayed calm. ”Mother... I did write to you every six months, remember?”

”Letters aren’t enough! I want to see my baby girl~!”

Genevieve tightened her hug before pulling back to get a better look at Gloria.

And then—her hands made their move.

Boing.

Genevieve cupped Gloria’s chest, inspecting with a dead-serious expression.

”Mou~!! It’s growing again!” she whined. ”Why do you get such big assets?! It’s not fair!”

Gloria didn’t even flinch—just stared down flatly at her mother, who was now pouting with exaggerated drama.

”I’m your mother! I should have passed down better balance to the family!!”

She stomped her foot on the marble floor once, her cheeks puffed like a sulking child.

”...Mother, please stop touching my chest.”

”Hmph! So cold~ You act just like your father when he’s being stubborn!”

Genevieve twirled away, arms crossed, nose in the air.

”You are the one who gave birth to me,” Gloria said flatly.

”I was expecting grace and elegance,” Genevieve whined, ”but instead I got the calm, composed, perfect one with no silly bones in her body!”

”Would you prefer I act like you?” Gloria raised a brow.

Genevieve blinked. Then her face brightened with pure glee.

”Yes!! That would be adorable!”

”...Absolutely not.”

”Awawa~ So mean~!”

Genevieve stumbled like a rejected heroine in a stage play.

Despite herself, Gloria’s lips curled into a faint smile. She reached forward and gently straightened her mother’s slightly crooked hair clip.

”You’re still the same.”

”And you’re still my perfect little angel~” Genevieve beamed.

”Look at me~ your youthful, adorable mom~!”

Genevieve twirled dramatically in the hallway like a little girl showing off a new dress.

”Your papa loves girls like me. Small, easy to hug~ Ufufufu~”

She wrapped her arms around herself and did a playful spin, stopping only to flash a peace sign toward Gloria.

”He gives me a bottle of elven vitality drink once a month so I can stay this fresh and lovely forever~ Aren’t you lucky, Gloria?”

Gloria exhaled slowly. ”Yes yes... you’ve said that everyday. Now, where’s my brother—the future groom?”

Genevieve’s lips curled mischievously. ”Hmm? That pointy-eared lazy eldest brother of yours?”

She leaned in and whispered with a wink, ”I bet he’s panicking right now, pretending to act calm, but his hands probably sweating like a novice scribe.”

Gloria chuckled. ”He always was bad at hiding pressure.”

”Exactly! Just like your papa when he proposed to me. Fumbled his words, dropped the ring, tried to kiss my hand and missed~ Ufufufu~”

”I doubt my brother will be that clumsy...”

”Hmm? Who knows?”

Genevieve skipped ahead a few steps.

”But if your future sister-in-law’s beautiful, he might just faint before the ceremony even begins!”

Gloria smiled as she followed. ”Let’s just hope he doesn’t run away.”

”Huhuhu~ If he does, I’ll drag him back by the ears myself~”

Genevieve puffed her chest with pride.

( End Of Chapter )