Reborn As Noble Chapter 1293: Collapse of Pride ( 1293 )

Gracelle remained seated on the floor, observing Mimi being playfully pursued by Delya, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

What a blessing it is to know all of Javier-sama’s future wives...

Liana, in particular, is admirable. Despite her formidable presence, she ensures my recovery is complete and perfect. Gloria, with her teasing yet kind spirit. Felicia, so elegant and poised. Mimi, brimming with joy and an carefree attitude. And Delya, whose passion shines even in the smallest details.

Their differences only highlight their shared affection for one another... and for me.

Her smile persisted as she watched Mimi skillfully evade Delya’s outstretched hands, the feline agility of her movements and her laughter filling the corridor.

Her gaze then lowered, resting on a solitary dark morsel nearby – a small, heart-shaped piece of chocolate.

A lump formed in her throat.

So this is the delicacy they call chocolate...

The very treat the demon princess cherishes.

Witnessing Mimi’s face light up with sheer delight after sampling one earlier had ignited Gracelle’s curiosity.

I truly wish to experience its taste.

Her hand slowly extended towards the chocolate on the floor.

Yet, before her fingers could make contact, a swift hand intercepted, claiming the treat and delightedly consuming it right before her eyes.

"Ah-ah~ No, no, nya!" Mimi, now squatting before Gracelle, wagged a finger. "No, no~ Husband-sama would be displeased if anything were to happen to you because of this, nya~"

"Mimi! Don’t you dare run off!" Delya’s voice echoed, her pursuit undeterred.

"Eheheh! Chiaw!" Mimi offered a playful salute before darting away once more, her laughter accompanying her mischievous escape.

Meanwhile...

In the Amazarak Fallen Nation.

Within the confines of a grand building.

Vane occupied his throne room, reclining in his chair with arms crossed, his demeanor one of calm composure, yet emanating an undeniable authority. He adjusted his spectacles, the lenses mirroring the room’s subdued illumination.

Gorak and Jaigar stood stiffly before his imposing desk, their gazes fixed downwards, unable to meet his eyes. The atmosphere in the chamber was thick with unspoken tension, making each breath feel labored.

"So, Gorak..."

"Y... yes, Sir Vane..." Gorak swallowed with difficulty, his eyes still glued to the desk's gleaming surface, his fingers fidgeting nervously at his sides.

"I have been informed by Falce regarding the occurrences during your intelligence gathering mission," Vane commenced, his voice steady yet laced with a chilling, controlled edge. "Your objective was to ascertain a secure route through Armand, is that correct? And you were to liaise with a contact for this crucial information."

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze intensifying through his glasses.

"You located a source, a traveler acquainted with the pathways through the Elven Nation into Armand. This individual provided you with the necessary details – the guide's name, the safe passage, all of it."

He allowed a pregnant silence to fall.

"However, you elected not to honor the agreement. You compensated him with base copper instead of refined silver, offered him insult, and subsequently attempted to apprehend him after he publicly shamed you before the dwarves."

Gorak remained mute, his jaw set, utterly incapable of formulating any defense.

Vane shifted forward once more, his tone lowering. "Do you comprehend the ramifications of your actions? You possessed a valuable source of intelligence, an individual who could have yielded further intel in the future. Yet, rather than cultivating this connection, you severed it. You transformed a potential asset into an adversary."

He paused, his eyes narrowing.

"Consequently, due to your presumption, we have forfeited a potential ally. More gravely, that traveler is now aware of our interest in Armand. Should he possess any ties there, he may alert them. You have jeopardized our entire endeavor. Your conduct was not merely a failure; it was a significant liability."

Vane brought his fist down upon the table with a resounding thud that reverberated through the room, yet his expression remained placid, a frigid smile playing on his lips.

"Therefore, enlighten me, Gorak. What course of action should we pursue if this 'Silver Armor' individual relays your behavior, your arrogance, and your botched transaction to the guide? How do we proceed with our investigation into Armand now? Hmm?"

Vane fixed Gorak with a piercing stare before relaxing back onto the throne, his voice saturated with icy sarcasm. "Tell me, Gorak! What report shall I submit to Supreme Leader Julius regarding this matter? Or perhaps, what ought I convey to our Supreme Goddess? Huh? That her chosen champion failed a basic negotiation? That his vanity scuttled a valuable opportunity for intelligence?"

"I... I..." Gorak stammered, his mind desperately seeking any excuse or vindication, but finding none.

Vane slowly shook his head, his voice laden with disdain. "Why did you not engage your intellect for even a moment? Why could you not foresee the consequences? Why did your ego blind you to the larger picture? You were entrusted with a straightforward task, and you transmuted it into calamity."

His gaze shifted to Jaigar.

"And you, Jaigar."

"Y... yes, Sir Vane..." Jaigar stiffened, his voice barely reaching a whisper.

"You were entrusted by Goddess Rafazelia herself to prepare this base for our invasion. And what have you accomplished? The base is barely functional. The prisoners were starving and exhausted. There was no system for resource management, no plan for sustainability, nothing. You focused on meaningless cruelty and shortsighted pleasure rather than the long-term success of our mission."

He paused, his eyes like ice behind his glasses.

"Tell me, Jaigar, how do you plan to explain your failures to your goddess? That you wasted time, squandered resources, and nearly crippled our operations before they even began? If I were to report this to her, do you think she would be pleased?"

Jaigar’s face went ashen as he dropped to his knees, his voice quivering with desperation. "Please, Sir Vane! Don’t report this to my goddess! I swear I’ll follow your orders from now on! I’ll do whatever you say! Just give me another chance!"

Gorak stood frozen, his body trembling until his legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees, his voice shaking with sheer terror. "Please... don’t tell Julius... I’ll do anything... just don’t let him know..."

Vane cast a cold glance at them before his gaze swept towards Gorak’s remaining companions, Valcrea, Noji, and Zume, who stood rigidly in the corner of the room. His aura flared, pressing down on them with an invisible, crushing weight.

"And you three," Vane commanded, his voice sharp as a blade. "Falce told me everything. How you mocked her, threatened her, and treated her like she was nothing more than disposable trash. You are chosen individuals, selected to support your assigned hero, yet you failed to maintain unity within your own group. You let your arrogance and cruelty drive away your most valuable support."

He paused, his eyes narrowing further behind his glasses.

"Perhaps I should inform the Supreme Goddess that you three are failures, unable to fulfill even the most basic duty of supporting your hero. Perhaps she should reassign you to less... important roles."

Valcrea’s eyes flew wide open as she dropped to her knees, Noji and Zume following suit, their heads bowed in utter shame.

"Please, Sir Vane!" Valcrea pleaded, her voice low and trembling with fear. "Spare us! We promise to behave and do better in the future! We’ll follow every order without question!"

( End Of Chapter )