Reborn As Noble

Chapter 1570: What Must Remain Hidden ( 1570 )

Liana glanced up from the meat, her gaze sweeping across the beach. She tilted her head slightly, her brow furrowing as she noticed the empty seats.

”Hmm? Where are Celine and Lyzia?”

Buddy’s eyes snapped wide. He panicked, peeking his head back underneath his wing and poking Lyzia harder with his beak. Lyzia stirred slowly, a soft groan escaping her lips as she swatted at the air in annoyance. Just as she was about to mumble something, her eyes fluttered open, and she froze.

Her arms were wrapped around Javier. Her leg was draped over him. Her face was pressed against his neck.

She panicked, her entire body going rigid before she heard Buddy grumble a low squawk beside her.

”Cuquawked!” (Oi, little elf witch. Your sister is searching for you.)

Lyzia hissed low, her voice a frantic whisper. ”W... what do I do!? What do I do!? If Sister finds out about this, she’ll kill me! I’m dead! I’m so dead!”

Liana’s voice cut through the air, calm and sharp.

”Buddy?”

Buddy’s head snapped out from underneath his wing. He tilted his head, pretending to be confused, letting out a casual squawk.

”Cuquawked?” (What?)

Liana’s gaze narrowed with suspicion.

”What were you doing peeking underneath your wing?”

Buddy tilted his head further, his eyes wide and innocent, letting out a confused squawk.

”Cuquawked? Cuquawked!” (Huh? I was preening my feathers!)

Liana stared at him for a long moment. Then she noticed Mimi eyeing the grill from the side. She turned and handed Mimi the spatula.

”Mimi. Flip the meat.”

”Nya? Okay~”

Mimi took the spatula, her tongue poking out the side of her lips, her tail swaying happily as she watched the meat sizzle on the griddle. Liana removed her apron, folded it neatly, and placed it on the table nearby. She rolled up her long maid sleeves, her silver hair catching the morning light, and began walking toward Buddy.

Lyzia hissed low, her voice trembling with panic. ”She’s coming! She’s coming! Buddy! What should I do!? If Sister finds out I was cuddling with her husband, she’ll skin me alive!”

Buddy glanced around frantically, searching for any distraction, but found nothing. He let out a low, grumbling squawk.

”Cuquawked...” (Slip out from my wing and hide behind me.)

”O... okay...”

Lyzia slid off slowly, using Buddy’s wing as cover. Her feet touched the sand, and she crawled quietly around his massive body, pressing herself against his back as she crouched low, hidden from view.

Liana arrived, both hands on her hips, her eyes sharp and scary. She glanced up at Buddy and pointed toward his wing.

”Move it. I want to see what you’re hiding underneath.”

Buddy smirked, his beak curling into a smug tilt as he glanced down at her.

”Cuquawked~” (Don’t wanna~)

Liana’s aura rose slowly, dangerous and heavy. Her eyes narrowed, and the air around her seemed to grow colder. Buddy stared down at her for a long moment before letting out a low, grumbling squawk.

”Cuquawked...” (Fine...)

He raised his wing slowly, exposing the couch beneath. Javier lay there sleeping soundly, his face peaceful, his chest rising and falling in slow, even breaths. Celine was curled beside him, her cheek pressed against his bare chest, one hand draped softly over his stomach. Her lips were parted slightly, her breathing gentle and soft, her pink hair spilling across his skin.

Liana’s aura softened instantly. It faded away like mist in the morning sun. A warm, quiet smile touched her lips as she looked at the two of them.

”Why did you need to cover them like this?”

Buddy puffed his chest out, wiggling his brows with a smug smirk.

”Cuquawked~” (The sun is getting hot. No way I’m going to let my master bake while he’s sleeping~ I’m his loyal pekko, you know~)

Liana placed both hands on her hips and smirked.

”You don’t need to cover them like this. You could have just lifted the cushion with your magic and placed it under the shade of the tree.”

”Cuquawked~” (Hey~ I’m a pekko~ I don’t think much about things like that~ I just do what feels right~)

Liana’s eyes softened. She glanced at Javier again, watching the way his chest rose and fell in slow, steady rhythm. She turned her gaze back to Buddy, her voice calm and warm.

”It would be better if you carried the cushion and placed it over there.”

She pointed toward the large tree near the table where Gloria, Felicia, Delya, and Gracelle were seated.

Buddy let out a low squawk, tilting his head.

”Cuquawked~” (After this~ I still want to sunbathe~)

Liana shook her head with a soft smile. She turned and was about to walk back toward the grill when she paused and glanced around.

”Buddy?”

”Cuquawked?” (What now?)

”Have you seen Lyzia?”

Buddy’s eyes turned mischievous. His beak curled into a sly smirk, and he let out a low, drawn-out squawk.

”Cuquawked~ Cuquawked?” (Ah~ The little elf witch?)

Before Liana could respond, Buddy raised his rear and let out a full, thunderous fart, deep and loud, carrying with it a series of rapid toots that echoed across the beach.

Liana recoiled instantly, covering her nose with her palm. Her eyes watered slightly as the foul stench hit her.

Then she heard it. A strangled gagging sound. She turned and noticed Lyzia stumble out from behind Buddy, gagging, her face pale and green. She dropped to her knees, both hands pressed against the sand, and heaved. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and glared up at Buddy, her voice cracking with fury.

”You! You big orange menace! You almost made me throw up! Do you even know how bad that smells!? I can still taste it in my mouth!”

Buddy just smirked, his chest puffed out with pride.

Liana’s eyes narrowed, palm still pressed over her nose as she looked down at Lyzia.

”Why did you appear from behind Buddy?”

Lyzia froze. Her eyes darted around, searching for an answer. Before she could say anything, Buddy let out a smooth, casual squawk.

”Cuquawked~” (She was about to pull my tail feather~ So I gave her a warning shot~)

Liana let out a weary exhale, shaking her head slowly. She stared down at Lyzia for a moment, her voice flat and tired.

”Next time, don’t try to prank this orange pekko. He always wins. And his methods are... unpleasant.”

She turned and walked back toward the grill, her silver hair swaying behind her.

Lyzia puffed her cheek, brushing the sand off her knees. She stood up and walked toward Buddy, glaring up at him with her hands clenched at her sides. She hissed under her breath.

”How dare you fart on me like that! You big, ugly, oversized chicken! I’m going to remember this! I swear, I’m going to get you back for this!”

Buddy tilted his head, his beak curling into a sly smirk.

”Cuquawked? Cuquawked~?” (Oh? You want me to tell Liana about how you cuddled with my master~?)

Lyzia flinched hard, her entire body going rigid. Her cheeks burned bright red, and she puffed them out in a sulk, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away.

Buddy let out a satisfied squawk.

”Cuquawked~” (You owe me big for this one~ So you should be thankful that Liana didn’t suspect anything~)

Just as Lyzia was about to protest, a voice called from the grill.

”Lyzia! Go eat breakfast with everyone!”

Lyzia huffed, her cheeks still puffed. She stomped her feet once, twice, then reached out and nudged Buddy’s wing hard with her fist, mumbling under her breath.

”Stupid orange bird...”

Buddy smirked, watching her sulk as she walked toward where the girls were seated. He slowly stood, stretching his wings with a lazy flap. He glanced down at the cushion where Javier and Celine were still sleeping, and with a soft pulse of his magic, the entire cushion lifted gently off the sand.

He walked beside it, his talons sinking into the sand with each step, and settled the cushion under the large tree near the table.

Then his eyes narrowed. He leaned in closer, squinting at the back of Celine’s right hand.

There was a faint mark on her skin. Something subtle. Something that no ordinary eyes could see.

His eyes swept across the rest of Javier’s girls. Liana. Gloria. Felicia. Delya. Mimi. Gracelle. One after the other.

Every one of them had it. The same faint mark, glowing softly on their skin.

Then his gaze landed on Lyzia’s hand. She had the same mark, but hers was different. Brighter. More distinct, like a beautiful glowing sigil with numbers on it.

Buddy flinched. He turned his head, his senses prickling. He could feel a presence watching him. His gaze rose toward the far distance.

On the peak of the tallest tree, a woman with golden-brown hair sat with her legs crossed, her chin resting on her knuckles. She smiled down at him, raised one finger to her lips, and gave him a gentle sign before she vanished.

Buddy swallowed hard.

A voice spoke inside his mind. Calm. Deep. Familiar.

”Remember, son. What you have seen today is not for you to speak of. The mark you see on their hands is not something to be shared. Not with the girls. Not with your Master. Not with anyone. You are the only one who can see them. And that is how it must remain.”

Buddy stood frozen, his eyes still fixed on the empty treetop where Fransesca had been moments before.

Understood, Father.

( End Of Chapter )