Reborn As Noble

"Young master... wake up. It's morning," said Liana gently but firmly. She had done this many times before.

Javier groaned and buried his face deeper into the pillow. "Mmm…" he mumbled, moving his arm over his head.

"Young master," Liana said again, this time a little firmer. She stood by his bed, hands on her hips, watching him try to stay asleep.

"Haah… Liana… I'm still sleepy," Javier complained, his voice muffled under the thick blanket as he pulled it over his head.

"Young master, it's time to get up," Liana insisted, leaning down to poke him gently. "You have responsibilities, remember?"

"Responsibilities can wait," Javier muttered sleepily. "Sleep is important for a growing young master, you know."

"Not when you're just making excuses!" Liana replied, narrowing her eyes. She pulled the edge of the blanket away, revealing a messy Javier.

"Eeeeeh!" Javier whined, trying to pull the blanket back over himself. "Liana, come on, just five more minutes… maybe ten?"

"Absolutely not," Liana said firmly, crossing her arms. "Now, wake up this instant, young master, or I'll—"

"Ugh, really, Liana?!" Javier groaned, sitting up with his hair and a look of betrayal. "Do you have to be this persistent every morning?"

"Yes," Liana said simply, a small smile on her face. "Because otherwise, you'd sleep until noon."

Javier sighed loudly and flopped back onto the bed. "Why is waking up so hard?"

Liana smirked and poked his forehead. "Because you make it hard, young master. Now, should I get a bucket of cold water, or will you get up on your own?"

Javier looked horrified. "Alright, alright! I'm up! No need to go that far!"

Liana stood up, happy with herself. "Good. Breakfast will be ready soon, so don't take too long. And fix your hair before coming down—it looks like a bird's nest."

Javier grumbled as he swung his legs over the bed. "Morning lectures, freezing water threats, and now hair insults… this is what I wake up to every day."

Liana, already heading for the door, looked back with a sly smile. "go take shower now,young master."

As soon as Liana left the room, Javier smiled to himself. "Liana gone… back to sleep!" He dove back under the blanket, letting out a happy sigh. Soon, soft snores filled the room.

Meanwhile, in the dining room, the rest of the household was already awake.

"Liana," Lady Francesca called out calmly as she took a sip of her morning tea. "Where is your young master? Shouldn't he be here by now?"

Liana bowed slightly and replied politely, "I believe he is still in the shower, my lady."

Lady Francesca raised an eyebrow, not quite believing her.

Lord Garius, who sat at the head of the table, frowned. "Go check on him," he ordered in a deep, commanding voice.

"Yes, my lord," Liana said with a bow before leaving the dining room.

Lady Phenelopie, the third wife, clicked her tongue in disapproval. "That boy is always late. Such behavior is not right for a noble."

Lady Garcinia, the second wife, crossed her arms and huffed. "Hmmph! He's your boy, Francesca. Clearly, he gets this from your side."

Lady Francesca remained calm but spoke firmly. "Perhaps, Lady Garcinia, you should pay more attention to your own children instead of criticizing mine."

The room went quiet for a moment as tension filled the air.

Lord Garius stayed silent, continuing to eat his breakfast with an unreadable expression. Everyone knew that his youngest son, Javier, had a reputation for being a troublemaker. Mischievous and cheeky, Javier was all those things. Still, Garius couldn't fully disapprove; sometimes, he found the boy's cleverness amusing, even if he would never say that out loud.

Liana hurried back toward Javier's room, her steps quick but calm. She knew better than to leave him alone for too long, especially when he thought he had outsmarted her.

As the family continued their breakfast, Lord Garius looked at Lady Francesca, and his expression softened a little. "By the way, Francesca," he started, setting down his fork.

"Yes, my lord?" Francesca replied, her tone calm as always.

"The land Javier asked for farming—tell him he should meet with the estate manager to finalize the arrangements."

Francesca nodded slightly. "I will inform our son later."

"Good," Garius said with a nod. After a moment, he asked, "By the way, any news about Marcellus and Cedric? No letters from them?"

Francesca smiled gently. She knew her husband was already aware of everything their sons were doing—Lord Garius was very thorough when it came to keeping track of his family. Still, she appreciated his effort to have a conversation with her.

She smiled back, her eyes shining with warmth, and they continued to talk. Their conversation was lighthearted and filled with the ease that comes from knowing each other for a long time. For a brief moment, the formal atmosphere of the dining room became more personal as they shared a rare, pleasant conversation over their morning meal.

As Lord Garius and Lady Francesca continued their conversation, the other two wives at the table, Lady Phenelopie and Lady Garcinia, exchanged subtle glances.

Lady Phenelopie's perfectly manicured fingers tightened around her teacup. Always Francesca. The thought echoed in her mind. It was easy to see why. Francesca, with her flawless skin, youthful beauty, and calm demeanor, always seemed to capture Lord Garius's attention without effort. She was beautiful, yes, but her grace only added to the jealousy simmering inside Phenelopie.

Lady Garcinia, sitting across from her, let out a quiet sigh as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. "It's always Francesca this, Francesca that," she muttered just loud enough for Phenelopie to hear.

Phenelopie raised an eyebrow and smiled wryly. "Well, can you blame him? She looks ageless. It's like she doesn't even try to look… perfect."

Garcinia's expression darkened as she glanced at Francesca, who was laughing softly at something Lord Garius had said. Her long hair fell over her shoulders, catching the light and making her look even more attractive. Even in her simple morning gown, she had an elegance that seemed almost unfair.

"She doesn't have to try," Garcinia muttered, crossing her arms. "It's like the gods gave her everything—beauty, charm, grace. And she knows it."

Phenelopie chuckled bitterly. "If only she'd share some of that attention. We're here too, after all."

The two exchanged knowing looks, their jealousy uniting them in silent frustration.

Francesca, completely unaware—or perhaps too dignified to notice the tension—continued her pleasant chat with Lord Garius. Her voice was calm, her smile genuine, and her every movement showed a quiet confidence that only fueled the envy of the other two wives.

Lord Garius, meanwhile, seemed oblivious to the growing discontent. Or maybe he knew and just chose not to address it. After all, this wasn't the first time such feelings had come up among his wives.

Lord Garius reached out, gently taking Francesca's hand. His sharp, commanding presence softened as he leaned closer, his lips brushing her ear.

"Wanna try for another son or daughter?" he whispered, his deep voice filled with mischief.

Francesca's cheeks turned slightly pink, but she stayed composed. She let out a soft, melodious laugh that highlighted her charm.

"Oh, Garius," she whispered back, her tone playful but affectionate.

Before the other wives noticed, Francesca turned and cupped her husband's face with her hand. Her eyes locked with his, and she leaned in to give him a long, tender kiss.

The room became silent, except for the soft sound of silverware clinking on plates.

Lady Garcinia and Lady Phenelopie stiffened in their seats, glancing away with barely hidden annoyance.

As Francesca pulled away, her serene smile remained, and Lord Garius looked completely pleased. It was a private moment of closeness that only showed their bond and left the other two wives feeling resentful.

"Now, shall we continue with breakfast?" Francesca asked, her tone light and graceful, as if the kiss had been perfectly normal.

"Of course," Lord Garius chuckled, his hand still resting over hers.

Lady Phenelopie quietly stabbed her fork into her plate of eggs, while Lady Garcinia sipped her tea a bit too aggressively. Neither of them spoke, but their thoughts were loud enough to fill the room.

( End of Chapter )