Reborn As Noble

A right held by every true local Armand.

It's simple.

One warning.

Get out in peace, or face consequences.

That's the only mercy granted.

After that?

It doesn't matter if it's a foreign noble swaddled in titles,

A mercenary shielded by coin,

A preacher shrouded in holy doctrine

If you endanger Armand,

If you dare to strike at her people, her walls, her way of life.

You are no longer a guest.

You are a threat.

An enemy.

And enemies are not tolerated.

No debates.

No drawn-out trial.

No games of justice.

It doesn't matter where you're from, another noble's land, another kingdom, even a king's envoy.

Just swift action. Final, without hesitation or regret.

That's why the guards at every gate never hesitate.

Why the mana barrier towers don't wait for a second warning.

Why even the Armand maids, smiling, graceful, the soft-spoken face of Armand.

Carry hidden blades and train for war as fiercely as any knight.

Because in Armand, every citizen holds a single vow.

A promise inherited from Lord Garius himself:

"Peace is sacred.

But peace without defense is only a waiting coffin."

So to anyone who thinks they can tear apart what's been built here.

They will leave with scars.

Or not at all.

Javier looked up at the sky again, his expression calm but resolute.

And the most important thing...

A rule that Father never once compromised on.

Religion.

The Armand region already had its own priests, its own places of worship.

Faith wasn't forbidden here. It was respected as something sacred and private.

The high priest of Armand was chosen not by divine lineage, but by the people's trust and wisdom. He served the people. Not the other way around.

But there was one religion that had no place here.

The Church of the Saint of Three Gods.

None of their branches were allowed to operate inside Armand.

Not even a single preacher. Not even a whisper of their doctrine.

Father had made that clear since the beginning.

They were the only faith arrogant enough to demand tithes by force,

Calling it "divine law."

The only ones bold enough to claim that their gods ruled over land they never owned,

That their voices overrode a noble lord's,

That a child of Armand owed loyalty to a temple, not a homeland.

They judged who deserved mercy.

They punished those who did not kneel.

They praised only those they blessed.

And burned all others in what they call holy fire.

That was never going to work in Armand.

Father's words echoed through every town, every home:

"The Saint of Three Gods' beliefs will never be allowed to be preached, spread, or forced within Armand. If anyone tries to push it here, the Armand Gates are open for them to GET OUT."

In Armand, you could believe in anything.

Worship any god, old or new.

Light a candle in your home, pray beneath the stars, offer a quiet word in private.

No one would stop you.

But you could never use your faith to bind another.

Never use it to divide, to control, to demand obedience.

Never turn belief into authority.

That's why Armand still had shrines. Quiet temples.

Even priestesses from the Forest Moon Sect lived here peacefully.

They asked for no coin.

They offered blessings, not commands.

They lived among the people, not above them.

Because here, faith was personal.

Never a weapon. Never a tool. Never a throne.

And those who tried to change that.

Who came with robed pride and silver tongues,

Who whispered sermons meant to stir unrest.

They won't last. They won't have any chances.

They were reminded, gently or not,

That Armand had already fought this war once.

When the coalition of nobles backed the Church and marched under banners of false righteousness.

When they thought they could subjugate Armand,

Claiming holy purpose.

Armand didn't just defend. It won.

Without losing a single soul.

Because the people stood as one.

Not for power. Not for pride.

But to protect the right to live freely.

So to any preacher still clinging to old dreams.

This land is not yours.

It never will be.

"Young master?"

Liana's voice gently pulled Javier back from his thoughts. She approached with a plate in both hands, steam rising from the freshly cooked meat.

Javier blinked and turned toward her. "Hmm?"

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, placing the plate in front of him.

"Ah… the refugee situation," he replied, his voice calm but distant.

Gloria followed shortly behind, setting down another plate. She reached out without looking and shoved Buddy's head aside with her palm.

"Refugees?" Gloria asked, brushing her hands. "What about them, young master?"

Javier leaned back, arms folded loosely, gaze drifting toward the distant estate wall where the sky met the land.

"Remember the Saint of Three Gods?" he asked.

Both Liana and Gloria's faces changed immediately. The warmth vanished.

"What about them?" Liana's voice was low, serious.

"Whoa, chill." Javier raised one hand lazily. "Nothing happened. Yet."

Then his gaze drifted again, this time toward the horizon beyond the estate walls.

"Since Armand law doesn't allow the Saint of Three Gods to operate inside," he began, his voice casual but thoughtful.

"I was just wondering… what if some of the refugees are their believers?"

Gloria's hand froze mid-motion as she swatted Buddy's beak again.

Liana, too, paused, the tray in her hand tilting slightly. "...You think they might try to spread their faith here?" Gloria asked quietly.

Javier gave a slow shrug. "Not all of them. But think about it. They came from noble territories where that religion is basically embedded in every village and household. Some might've fled because of the war, some because they lost everything... but not all of them came with just clothes and hunger. Some might've brought beliefs."

Liana sat down beside him, her voice calm but steady.

"Then we remind them of Armand's law. No preaching. No tithes. No spreading doctrine. That rule hasn't changed."

"I know," Javier said, tearing a piece of meat and tossing it toward Buddy, who caught it mid-air.

"But it's not that simple." He glanced at the two maids. "If we push too hard, we become the villains. But if we let it slip, even once, if someone starts holding sermons in the corner of a refugee camp, or starts collecting 'donations' in the name of their god."

Liana's face turned serious and said. "Then we shut it down. Quietly. No spectacle. Just like how Lord Garius would've done it. Escort them out. No chains. No drama."

Gloria nodded. "We help the true refugees. Those who came to survive. But if anyone brings in the old rot… they leave. That's the Armand law."

( End Of Chapter )