Reborn As Noble - Chapter 316

Chapter 316: Vows and Bonds ( 316 )
The three of them—Alf, Erinnete, and Hesbeirn—slowly dropped to one knee, bowing deeply.

But before they could fully kneel, Garius try to stop them.

“Stand up.”

They hesitated.

“Don’t kneel before me. A polite bow is enough.”

But none of them moved.

“No, my lord.”

Erinnete’s voice was steady, but her eyes burned with unwavering determination.

“You have done everything for us. For the people. For Armand.”

Hesbeirn nodded, his usual smirk replaced by rare seriousness.

“Without you, we would have been nothing. You gave us a home, a purpose, a future.”

Alf spoke last, his tone quiet but firm.

“And that is why… we swear to protect you. Till the day—”

Before he could finish, Garius’ sharp gaze landed on them.

“Don’t finish that sentence.”

His voice was calm, but there was a weight to it. A silent warning.

A lord who had already lost everything once… refused to hear vows of sacrifice.

“I don’t need you to swear your lives to me.”

He crossed his arms, exhaling deeply.

“I need you to live.”

The room was silent.

The three of them remained kneeling for a moment longer—before finally rising.

Erinnete bowed her head slightly.

“As you command, my lord.”

Hesbeirn grinned, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Fine, fine. No dying, got it.”

Alf simply gave a curt nod.

Garius let out a small chuckle, shaking his head.

“Good. Now get back to work.”

And with that, the heavy atmosphere lifted—replaced by something far stronger.

Not just loyalty.

But a bond unshaken by time, war, or death itself.

Garius stared at the old painting once more, his fingers tracing the faces of his lost family.

In his mind, their voices echoed.

Their laughter. Their warmth.

Gone. Taken from him.

Yet, he remained.

And he had not wasted the life they left behind.

“Mother…”

“Brother…”

“Sister…”

“Father…”

His grip tightened slightly.

“I did it.”

“I gained our land back.”

“I treated our people with kindness.”

“Ensured no one would starve.”

“Made sure everything ran smoothly.”

“Stood with my people.”

“Protected this land from our enemies.”

And now—

“I built a family.”

A family that would never show weakness.

A family that would never bow to an enemy.

His chest ached—not with sorrow, but with something deeper.

“Father… Mother… Brother… Sister…”

“Thank you for giving me a chance to live.”

His family had been taken by betrayal.

But their sacrifice had given him the strength to rise.

To build something greater than any of them had ever imagined.

And he would never let it be taken again.

Never.

Garius exhaled slowly, his gaze never leaving the painting.

“And now…”

His thoughts drifted to the present.

To his children.

To the future.

“All my sons and daughters are strong.”

“They do not show weakness.”

“They carry the name of Armand with pride.”

Marcellus. A magician of unparalleled skill.

Cedric. A paladin feared on the battlefield.

Athine and Aelius. Sharp minds shaping the future of trade and politics.

Heres. A quiet but reliable force, always watching.

They were all strong.

Garius closed his eyes briefly.

“And then… there is one.”

A boy unlike the rest.

A child who had been different from the very start.

From the day he was born… until now.

Javier.

The one who hides his strength behind laziness.

The one who plays the fool but sees everything.

The one who possesses knowledge beyond this world.

The one who, when enraged, brings destruction beyond measure.

A child who should not exist in this era… yet does.

And Garius couldn’t help but wonder—

“Is he the one…?”

The one who would inherit everything?

The one who would surpass them all?

Garius let out a deep chuckle, shaking his head.

He wouldn’t say it aloud—not yet.

But the thought remained.

If anyone could lead Armand into the future…

It would be him.

Meanwhile, in the Pekko pen, Javier was grinning as he watched the ridiculous scene in front of him.

Buddy, his ever-mischievous Pekko, had been caught by Giddie. Now, Buddy was under strict supervision, forced to push soil back into the hole he had excitedly dug up earlier.

Pikko and Peanut watched from the side, tilting their heads as if debating whether to help or stay out of trouble.

“Pfft—Buddy, just accept your fate, man!” Javier laughed, crossing his arms.

But just as he was about to continue teasing—

A shiver ran down his spine.

A deep, primal instinct.

Something was watching him.

His smile faded instantly.

His eyes darted around.

“What…?”

For some reason, he felt like someone had just placed a heavy expectation on his shoulders.

Who?

He checked his surroundings—

The sky? Clear.

The trees? Calm.

The Pekkos? Still acting stupid.

And yet—

Why do I feel like someone just decided something crazy about me?!

Javier kept scanning the area, his gut telling him something was off.

Liana watched him closely, her eyes filled with concern.

“Young Master? What’s wrong?”

Gloria tilted her head, confused.

“Why do you look so uneasy?”

Javier swallowed hard, still glancing around.

“I… I don’t know. I feel like something is watching me.”

Liana calmly reached for her magic bow, subtly preparing herself.

Gloria furrowed her brows.

“Maybe it’s just your imagination?”

“Maybe… but still…”

Javier was about to continue his paranoid investigation when—

Sssssssizzle—

The sound of crackling meat filled the air.

The heavenly aroma of grilled wyvern steak reached his nose.

Liana pointed.

“Young Master… the meat.”

Javier froze.

Slowly, he turned.

The perfectly grilled, golden-brown wyvern steak was seconds away from burning.

“Ahhh!! My meat!!”

He panicked, quickly flipping the steak.

Liana and Gloria exchanged looks, sighing.

Gloria smiled.

“See? Nothing is watching you, Young Master.”

Javier grumbled, poking the steak.

“Still doesn’t feel right…”

Javier felt uneasy.

But he didn’t know why.

This wasn’t the presence of an enemy—if it were, his detection device would have already sent a warning.

His father wasn’t here.

Alf and Erinnete were also nowhere around him.

So why did he feel this strange pressure?

Somewhere in the manor…

Garius took another sip of tea, still smirking.

Heh.

That brat definitely felt it.

“Young Master? The meat is getting burnt.”

Javier snapped out of his thoughts, turning back in horror.

“Ahhh! Shit!”

Liana gasped.

“Young Master! Language!”

Javier froze, then let out a nervous chuckle.

“Oops… sorry…”

Gloria sighed, shaking her head with a small smile.

Liana crossed her arms but said nothing, already used to his antics.

He quickly flipped the steak, muttering to himself while Liana and Gloria sighed.

“First, I feel like something is watching me… now my meat almost burns. Today is not my day.”

Whatever that uneasy feeling was…

For now, saving his precious meal took priority.

( End of Chapter )