Reborn As Noble

Chapter 544: The Price of a Moment ( 544 )

Javier sat on the edge of the stone path, his face still damp from frantic splashing. His breath was heavy as he tried to steady himself.

“Alright… just act normal. Maybe she won’t even mention it…”

His eyes caught movement in the distance.

There she was.

Felicia, now dressed in a fresh, elegant royal day gown, her silver hair neatly tied back.

She was speaking softly with Commander Raikus and a maid, a normal, casual exchange, no signs of panic or embarrassment.

Then, she lifted her hand—a simple, deliberate wave.

The commander bowed slightly and stepped aside.

Her maid stayed nearby, quietly watching.

And Felicia…

Walked slowly toward him.

Graceful, deliberate steps.

Javier stiffened. His body jolted upright, nearly tripping over his own feet as he scrambled to his feet.

Ah… here comes the trouble.

He took a sharp breath, clenched his fists, and bowed deeply.

“Sorry!! I—I will take full responsibility!!”

He kept his head lowered, heart pounding.

Felicia stopped before him.

Her cheeks still held a faint blush, but her voice was calm.

Her eyes flickered briefly, slightly nervous but composed.

Then, she slightly bit her lower lip.

And…

Extended her left hand.

Fingers soft and poised.

Waiting.

Javier peeked up, still half-bent.

He blinked, confused.

His gaze flicked from her hand to her face, then back again.

What is she doing?

“Err… what…?” he asked, genuinely panicked.

His face showed it.

Felicia didn’t speak.

She shifted her gaze briefly, cheeks still tinged pink.

Her hand remained extended, still waiting.

She didn’t speak. Her eyes stayed fixed on his, then dropped slightly.

She still bit her lower lip.

Still shy.

Still… waiting.

“You… you said… you’d take responsibility, right?” her voice was soft, nearly a whisper.

But Javier heard every word clearly.

He froze.

“Err… yes?”

Felicia slowly extended her hand a little more.

Her posture was composed, but her fingers trembled just slightly.

She wasn’t looking directly at him anymore.

And softly, she whispered again—

“Ring.”

Javier tilted his head, confused.

“Huh?”

Felicia’s cheeks were turning bright red now, but her face remained steady.

She took a deep breath.

Still looking away.

“Put… ring on it.”

Javier stood there like a statue.

His mouth was slightly open, his mind completely blank.

“Errr…”

There was a long pause.

He looked at her hand again.

Then at his own.

Then down at his pouch.

“…I don’t have a ring!!!”

Javier’s eyes darted everywhere—he looked at her hand, then his own, then his pouch.

No ring.

No spare accessory.

Not even something that looked vaguely circular—nothing.

His mind was racing in circles.

If Liana finds out… if Gloria hears I gave a ring to another girl first… I’m dead.

No, worse. She’ll cut my length! That’s for sure!

“Umm… errr…”

He scratched the back of his head nervously.

“I don’t have the ring. Right now.”

Felicia’s fingers hesitated.

Her hand lowered slightly.

Her lips pressed together, as if uncertain.

Then…

She looked up at him.

Her eyes soft, silent.

She took a step forward.

And before Javier could move, before he could say anything—

She leaned in.

Closed her eyes.

And..Kissed him.

It wasn’t deep.

It wasn’t long.

But her lips pressed softly against his with a pure, innocent certainty that made Javier’s brain completely shut down.

Her hands stayed at her sides.

Her body remained perfectly still.

Just the kiss.

Her first.

And then—

She stepped back, only a few inches.

Her eyes didn’t open right away.

Then slowly, very softly, she spoke.

“Then… I’ll accept that… as your promise.”

Javier was frozen in place.

Just… blank.

He was still processing what just happened.

“…What just… happened?”

Felicia stepped back, her fingers tightening slightly at her sides.

Her voice was barely more than a whisper.

But it hit harder than any blade she could wield.

“Since… you saw… everything…”

She glanced away, cheeks glowing with heat, yet her expression remained calm.

“I… I can’t marry anyone anymore.”

Javier froze.

Once more.

His mouth opened, then shut, then opened again.

His mind spun wildly, like a puppet losing its strings.

He stared at her as if she had cast some forbidden spell.

Felicia kept her gaze cast downward, her fingers softly curling into her dress.

Her voice remained gentle and steady.

“That’s… how it works. For us.”

“A princess can’t… show herself to a man, then pretend it never happened.”

She looked up—calm but vulnerable.

Her eyes locked onto his, filled with both quiet fire and fragile uncertainty.

And beneath that, a new emotion taking shape.

She whispered softly,

“You said… you’d take responsibility.”

Felicia paused, smoothing the front of her dress with both hands to steady herself.

Her heart continued to race, pounding in her chest.

But her voice remained calm, steady, unwavering.

“So…”

She lifted her gaze again.

“When I return to the Beastkin Kingdom…”

A brief pause.

“I’ll tell my father… about this promise.”

Javier blinked once.

Then twice.

Inside his mind, everything was screaming, a silent chaos.

W-What!? She’s going to tell the king!? The KING!?

Before he could say a word, she offered a gentle, soft smile, familiar, graceful, quiet.

“Thank you.”

She took a step back, folding her hands in front of her.

Her head tilted slightly, eyes steady.

“For taking responsibility.”

Then, slowly, she turned to walk away.

Her hair swayed gently, her expression perfectly composed.

Leaving Javier standing there.

Frozen, staring, still trying to process.

“…I’m doomed.”

In Javier’s mind.

First, there was Mimi…

That clingy little catgirl who’s already calling me husband in front of everyone.

Then, Delya… that innocent-looking demon girl who keeps holding my hand and calling me danna-sama.

And now—this.

Felicia.

Javier stared blankly at the spot where she had been only moments ago. Her graceful steps were already disappearing into the distance.

Wait…

Is she Mimi’s older sister? Or… maybe younger?

He frowned, trying to make sense of it.

She’s shorter than me, but the way she talks… the way she moves…

He glanced down at his own hand.

Then looked up, a dazed expression on his face.

“…I don’t even know how old she is.”

He slumped onto the nearest stone bench, feeling helpless, eyes hollow.

And she kissed me.

Then she said she’d tell her father—the King of the Beastkin.

He blinked once.

Then again.

And finally whispered to himself.

“I’m Screw!”

He wasn’t worried about dying in war.

Not from halflings.

Not from corrupted wyverns.

Not even from some overpowered cosmic monster.

He took a deep breath.

Then looked downward.

“Liana’s going to kill me.”

And then, a darker, scarier thought appeared.

A more terrifying one.

“Gloria… will smash my crotch with her war hammer.”

His whole body twitched at the thought.

One cold bead of sweat slid down his cheek.

“I’m going to die. Not in battle. Not from old age.”

“I’ll be executed in bed.”

He slumped forward, burying his face in his hands.

“I’m not even 14 yet… why is my life already over?”

( End Of Chapter )

Have some idea about my story? Comment it and let me know.