Reborn As Noble

Chapter 1426: The Anchor ( 1426 )

Garden Room.

"Eeeeekkkk!!! Lianaaaaa!! I’m just saying!!" Lyzia, who was sitting next to Celine, winced as her wrist was gripped hard by Liana, who sat gracefully in front of her, smiling sweetly. Lyzia tapped the table repeatedly in defeat, her face contorted in a mix of pain and panic.

"My, my~ Saying what, my little sister~?" Liana’s smile grew even sweeter, her grip tightening.

"I didn’t even mean it!"

"Really? What were you saying again~?" Liana tilted her head, her voice soft and melodic, but her grip remained firm, making Lyzia squirm.

"Ah..ahhhhhh!!! I just said to let me become brother-in-law’s wife."

Liana’s eyes narrowed, her smile still perfectly in place. "Arara~ And why would you want that, my dear little sister?"

Lyzia rubbed her sore wrist, pursing her lips as she averted Liana’s sweet but terrifying glare. She mumbled, her voice barely audible. "I just want to be near my best friend, Celine... If I married brother-in-law, I could stay here in Armand, be with Celine every day, and still be close to you, Big Sis..."

"No, you can’t. Not with the Young Master."

"Eh? But brother-in-law is handsome, tall, manly, a genius, kind, strong, and he has the best inventions in the world! And he treats all his wives so well! And he’s royalty! And he’s..."

"No means no. You are the youngest princess of the Elven Nation. You should marry an elf."

Lyzia puffed her cheeks, narrowing her eyes at Liana. "But you’re marrying a human! Aunt Mylezra also married brother-in-law’s father! Why can’t I!?"

Liana’s hand shot out, gripping Lyzia’s ear and pulling it upward, making her yelp.

"Aunt Mylezra left her position as Queen of the Elven Nation because she married the Sovereign of Armand out of love. And I choose Young Master because I am deeply in love with him, and I have chosen to dedicate my life to him. Both of us made our choices based on love and commitment."

She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

"You are not in love with Javier. You just want to stay close to Celine and me. That is not a reason to marry someone. Marrying into the Armand family is not a game. It is a commitment, a duty, and a life. It is not something you do just to stay near your friends."

Lyzia winced, rubbing her ear after Liana finally released it. She pouted, her voice dropping into a quiet, sulky mumble.

"But... royal and noble marriages are arranged for political alliances all the time. It’s not always about love. Sometimes it’s about strengthening bonds between nations, or ensuring peace. If I married brother-in-law, it would strengthen the alliance between the Elven Nation and Armand even further. Isn’t that a good enough reason?"

Liana’s face turned serious, her eyes narrowing as she looked at her younger sister.

"The reason I ran away from home before you were born was because of an arranged marriage. Our parents wanted me to marry a noble from a neighboring elven house to secure a political alliance. I refused to be a political tool, traded away for alliances and treaties. Marriage without love is not how it was meant to be."

Her voice softened.

"I do agree that some arranged marriages can blossom into love over time, but in royal and noble cases, that is not always the outcome. More often than not, one or both parties end up miserable, trapped in a union built on obligation rather than affection. I didn’t want that for myself. And I don’t want that for you either, Lyzia. Marriage should not be a transaction. It should be a choice made with your heart, not just your head."

Liana’s gaze drifted across the garden, a soft, nostalgic smile spreading across her lips.

"Thanks to our Aunt, who pressured our parents not to force the arranged marriage, using her authority and power to ensure it wouldn’t happen. I was happy to arrive in Armand after running away, doing various jobs in what was then just a region, now a nation. A place that treats everyone equally, not corrupt like the other human noble regions. I was able to work in the Armand household as a maid, and I slowly worked my way up to becoming the Young Master’s personal maid. And there... I finally found my true soulmate."

"Mou!" Lyzia puffed her cheeks, crossing her arms. "Isn’t that even better? If I married into a good family like the Armand family, the reason you mentioned wouldn’t happen."

She pointed toward Harny and Lithia. "Look at them. They share their husband despite being mother and daughter, and they’re happy."

She then pointed with her pursed lips toward Zania, who was enjoying her food with Meira. "An Amazarak princess, who no one wanted to make deals with back then, now lives happily here. So why can’t I? Armand isn’t like other noble families who treat marriage as a transaction."

She narrowed her eyes, a flicker of suspicion crossing her face as she turned back to Liana. "Or is it that you just want to hoard brother-in-law all for yourself?"

Liana’s eyes turned serious, a terrifyingly sweet smile spreading across her lips. "If you mean I want Young Master as mine alone... you’re not wrong. Yes, I really want him for myself and myself only. But fate had different plans. He has a harem now, and I have learned to accept it. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let just anyone join."

"Hmmph! Stingy." Lyzia stuck her tongue out at Liana before huffing and stabbing her meal with her fork, eating with exaggerated frustration.

Celine’s gaze remained fixed on Liana, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and admiration.

Wow... She’s really something else. She’s not just strong and beautiful, but she’s so... confident. She knows what she wants, and she protects it without hesitation.

From a glance, I could feel she loves him so much that she’s willing to share him, but she also draws a line. She doesn’t let just anyone in. She protects what she has built, manages it with care, and ensures that every woman who enters it is there for the right reasons.

She is the anchor. The one who holds everything together with both kindness and an iron will.

No wonder she became the first wife of Javier.

And I can see how all her co-wives respect her. Not out of fear, but out of genuine admiration. They trust her judgment. They look to her for guidance. She doesn’t rule over them with an iron fist; she leads them with wisdom and strength.

Now I feel like I finally understand what it means to be part of this family. It’s not just about being married to a powerful man. It’s about earning your place, proving your worth, and showing that you are there for love and commitment, not for status or convenience.

Celine smiled softly, her thoughts shifting to Javier.

Javier...

Well... it’s my first time seeing a man as handsome as him.

From most of my nation’s women standards, Julius, that creepy hero with his ’kind boy’ look that makes people trust him at first glance, might be considered handsome. But Javier is different. Julius’s charm feels manufactured, like a mask he wears to manipulate. But Javier’s charm is natural, effortless. It comes from who he truly is, not from a carefully crafted persona.

( End Of Chapter )