Reborn As Noble-Chapter 538: The Strategist’s Poise ( )
Chapter 538: The Strategist’s Poise ( 538 )
The battlefield was silent.
The gravity pressure faded slowly.
Javier stood still, katana held loose in his hand.
Then..
In one smooth, elegant motion, he sheathed the blade.
The sound rang out across the ruined field like a closing chapter.
He reached up and removed his helmet, tugging it off with one hand.
The light caught his face.
Tousled hair. Sharp eyes. That unmistakable cheeky grin.
The wind passed through, brushing his bangs aside.
He looked down at her.
“Girl.”
A short pause.
“That was fun. Now let’s get to work.”
Felicia, still on one knee, blinked.
The pressure was gone, but her mind hadn’t caught up.
She stared at him.
At the face.
At the expression.
Her sword was still halfway drawn, but her arms had stopped moving.
“…Huh?”
She blinked again.
“…Work?”
Commander Raikus finally stepped forward, boots pressing into the scorched earth with a tired pace.
He approached Felicia, who was still standing in place.Raikus bowed slightly.
“Princess…”
She didn’t answer.
Still staring at the man ahead, who was now walking away casually, helmet under his arm.
Beside him, the large orange Pekko, towering over him, followed loyally.
Its big head bobbing with every step, neck swaying like a rhythm dancer trying to keep pace with a beat only it could hear.
Javier glanced up at the bird.
And smiled.
That grin.
The way the wind passed behind him.
The low glow of sunset painting the side of his face in golden warmth.
Felicia stood still.
Her grip tightened on the scroll.
Her breathing shifted just slightly.
Her heart—raced.
What… what is this feeling?
Felicia blinked once more.
Then, slowly….she shook her head.
She lowered her gaze.
Her expression returned.
Composed. Cold. Unreadable.
Commander Raikus held out a scroll, sealed with the royal insignia.
“This is the real mission. Your father asked me to hand it to you personally.”
Felicia reached out slowly and took the scroll from Commander Raikus’s hand.
“…Thank you.”
She broke the seal quietly, holding the parchment with steady fingers.
And she read it line by line.
Her eyes scanned the message, slow and precise. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
Raikus stood silently beside her, arms crossed.
He said nothing.
Raikus glanced at her quietly.
“…Princess?”
Felicia said nothing.
Her eyes lingered on the parchment, but her face remained unreadable.
A pause.
“Princess… your order?” Raikus asked again, gently.
Felicia lowered the scroll with calm hands.
She turned slightly, posture straight, voice quiet.
“…Let’s move inside the town.”
Raikus bowed his head.
“As you command, Princess.”
He turned and gave the signal.
The soldiers, already tense and watching from afar, began to move.
Felicia handed the scroll back to Raikus without a word and walked forward.
The gates opened.
Footsteps echoed on the cracked stone streets as Felicia led her group into Gilikan Town.
Shutters creaked as they opened.
A dwarven child peered out from behind a broken fence.
An old man clutched his walking stick tightly, silently watching.
Raikus followed behind her, his eyes moving carefully—calm and alert. He didn’t speak.
Ahead, a pot was boiling over a steady fire.
Two dwarven women quietly stirred it, glancing once at the soldiers, then back down.
A third woman handed a bowl to a child, then looked up again.
Piles of cut logs were stacked near the central well—axes, ropes, and wooden beams already marked and shaped.
A few dwarves carried buckets, walking carefully over the freshly patched stone street.
Near the wall, someone hammered a metal brace into a tower beam.
Felicia paused.
Her gaze drifted upward.
Along the top of the wall, figures stood motionless.
They wore shining silver armor, catching the last light of the day.
Their shoulders were squared, and their helmets shadowed their faces.
Each one stood alone, evenly spaced.
Their swords hung perfectly straight at their sides.
Crossbows and bows—sleek and etched with runes—rested in their hands.
None of them moved or looked around.
They simply stood there.
Watching.
Waiting.
The streets of Gilikan were alive with movement.
Boots thudded past half-built walls.
Armor clinked softly as soldiers quickly adjusted formations at every intersection.
The dwarves didn’t speak. They just watched.
From doorways, rooftops, and dark alley shadows.
A few younger dwarves gripped their tools more tightly.
Others stayed close to the cooking fires, their eyes fixed on the banners crossing the gates.
In the center of town, Javier sat comfortably in a large wooden chair, legs crossed, arms resting on the sides.
His armor was still scratched, and his sword was sheathed.
The setting sun caught the edge of his hair, making it shine.
Next to him, Buddy had flopped down on the ground, legs tucked under him, lazily chewing on something he’d definitely stolen.
Footsteps approached.
Chief Nofan strode quickly across the cracked stone street, his face tense, breath catching in his throat.
He stopped a few paces away, saluting with his fist over his chest.
“…My lord,” he said.
Javier looked up lazily.
Nofan’s eyes flicked toward the stream of soldiers still entering the town.
“…What… what is all this?” Nofan asked.
Javier blinked once, then pointed over his shoulder with his thumb at the hundreds of organized beastkin soldiers filling the streets.
“Oh, them?”
He leaned back, smiling as if it was nothing.
“Reinforcements.”
Buddy let out a lazy flapped wing and a soft squawk, watching the scene.
Javier leaned forward slightly, resting one elbow on the chair’s armrest.
“By the way, Nofan.”
The dwarf straightened.
“The command center. Is it finished?”
Nofan nodded once.
“Yes, my lord. We completed the roof this morning. The structure’s solid.”
Javier gave a small nod of approval.
“Good.”
He stood up slowly, brushing dust from his gauntlet.
His gaze swept the street.
Beastkin soldiers moving through, setting up quiet posts, dwarves watching from doorways.
Then he looked back at Nofan.
“Continue watching over your people, Nofan.”
His voice stayed calm.
Measured.
“Don’t worry about them.”
He gestured lazily toward the army with his chin.
“They won’t do anything.”
He smiled faintly beneath his words.
“Because if they do…”
He stepped forward once, just enough for his shadow to stretch beside Nofan’s feet.
“They’ll have to come to me first.”
Nofan’s chest rose with a breath.
He slammed a fist to his chest.
“As you command, my lord.”
Javier turned halfway, as if remembering something just before walking off.
“Oh—by the way, Nofan.”
The dwarf paused mid-step.
“Yes, my lord?”
Javier tilted his head lazily toward the road behind them, where Felicia’s forces were still organizing along the square.
“Prepare a suitable building.”
Nofan blinked.
Javier’s voice stayed casual.
“For that catgirl to sleep in.Let her maid assist her. She’ll need a place to rest.”
The dwarf looked confused for a second, then glanced toward the silent silver-haired figure standing near the edge of the plaza.
Javier continued.
“Use the best bed frame.”
He stretched his arms lazily.
“Use the mattress I provided before. The good one.”
Nofan didn’t question it.
He simply bowed.
“Understood. I’ll handle it immediately, my lord.”
( End Of Chapter )
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