Reborn As Noble

Chapter 18 More Than Just a Maid ( 18 )

"Mama! Let me buy that Pekko!" Javier pleaded with a cheeky grin, practically bouncing with excitement.Francesca, seated gracefully in her chair, pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. "No! You snuck out of the manor without telling anyone, causing a fuss, and now you want something completely inappropriate for a noble like you!" She let out a deep sigh. "What am I going to tell your father about this, hmm?"

Javier leaned forward with a charming smile. "Mama, just this once, okay? Please?"

Francesca gave him a firm look. "No! If you want to ride, we have perfectly good horses ready for you. Horses are dignified and suitable for someone of your status. Why on earth do you want those strange birds?"

"Horses are boring, Mama! The Pekko is way cooler!" Javier whined, trying to spark her sense of adventure.

Francesca's patience was wearing thin. "Absolutely not! And stop arguing."

Knowing he wasn't going to win this one, Javier huffed and stood up. "Tch, fine!" He stomped off toward his room.

But once he was out of sight, his mischievous grin returned. Ehehehe… If Mama won't buy it, I'll just find the gold myself. Who needs permission when I can get it on my own? Ehehehehe...

Meanwhile...

Outside the big house, the sounds of swords clanging filled the training yard as Marcellus and Cedric practiced hard, moving quickly and skillfully.

"Do you think you can beat me?!" Marcellus teased, striking powerfully while being careful.

Cedric smiled and sidestepped. "Let's see if you can catch me!" He quickly jabbed with his sword, but Marcellus blocked it and retaliated with a spinning kick.

Their fight was full of energy, mixing attacks and defenses with quick moves and occasional punches and kicks. Meira and Lithia watched from a distance, cheering lightly whenever one of the brothers pulled off a good move.

Javier walked toward the training yard, keeping an eye on them. He frowned when he saw Meira and Lithia standing proudly with his brothers.

Damn it, he thought, feeling annoyed. They look so happy being with my brothers. Those were my maids first!

He leaned against a tree with his arms crossed, watching the fight. Soon, he lost interest. Their moves were predictable and boring. Javier sighed loudly. What are they doing? Just fighting like the trainers told them? So dull.

Marcellus and Cedric noticed him and paused their sparring. A smirk spread across Marcellus's face as he pointed his sword at Javier.

"Look who's here! Our useless little brother," Marcellus said mockingly.

Cedric laughed. "No wonder he only has one maid. Poor Liana must be tired dealing with someone like you!"

"How can you be so lazy, Javier?" Marcellus added loudly. "At this rate, even your step-siblings will be better than you!"

Their laughter echoed across the training yard, but Javier just smiled and stayed calm.

"Uh… I'm… going… now..." he pretended to say nervously, scratching the back of his head and shuffling away as his brothers kept laughing.

But inside, he was really smiling. Why should I show them anything? Let them think I'm useless. It's better this way! Ehehehe…

As he walked off, he started looking around. "Where's Liana?" he muttered.

The thought of resting on her lap while she stroked his hair made him smile even more. He hurried his pace, eager to find her.

"Hmmm... where can I find 15-20 gold? Hunting monsters? Yeah, that should work. Tomorrow, I'll head out... secretly... ehehehe." Javier grinned to himself as he plotted his next adventure.

With his plan decided, he looked around the manor. "Now... where's Liana? She's supposed to be taking care of me. After all, she's assigned only to me," he muttered as he wandered through the halls.

His

Liana blinked, her cheeks flushing a soft pink. "Young master, you can't be serious. I'm your maid, and you're a noble."

"So?" Javier shrugged. "Who cares about that? I don't see anyone else who cares about me the way you do. You're more than just a maid to me, Liana. You've always been."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, but she quickly composed herself, returning her focus to the stove. "Young master, you're still so young. You don't understand what you're saying. Besides, your family…"

"I don't care what they think," Javier interrupted firmly. "When I turn 18, I'll be the one to decide my future. And I want you to be a part of it."

Liana stirred the pot in silence for a moment, her emotions swirling as much as the soup inside. She knew how determined he could be, but she also understood the weight of societal expectations that surrounded him.

"You're impossible," she finally said with a soft sigh, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"And you love me for it," Javier replied, his grin returning.

Despite herself, Liana felt a small smile tug at her lips, even as she tried to maintain her composure. "Let's discuss this when you're older, young master."

"I'm holding you to that," he said, his voice brimming with confidence.

As Liana placed the finished meal in front of him, she couldn't help but glance at his face, her heart quietly fluttering. What am I going to do with you, young master? she thought, a mix of fondness and uncertainty swirling in her chest.

( End of chapter )