Reborn As Noble

Chapter 1608: A Place at the Table ( 1608 )

Javier glanced at Gracelle, then at Celine.

"There’s a feast at the main villa hall right now. The delegations have all arrived, and the hall is full of guests. If you both want, I can contact the maids to escort you there. It would be a good time for you to be introduced properly. As my fiancées."

He paused, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a mana pocket watch. He flipped it open and checked the surface.

"I believe by now everyone’s probably already at the hall. The Elven delegation should have arrived. The Beastkin royal family is there. The Demon King too."

Gracelle puffed her cheek, a small pout forming on her lips.

Javier narrowed his eyes at her. "No... I didn’t say that."

He scratched the back of his head.

"I just meant it would be a good opportunity. The hall is full of nobles, royalty, and delegates from every allied nation. Introducing you both there, officially, would be the proper way to do it. It would put you in front of everyone, not as guests, but as my fiancées. It would give you a place. A recognized one."

He paused, his voice softening.

"I wasn’t trying to send you away. I just wanted you to have that moment."

He glanced at Celine and smiled gently.

"And for you especially, Celine. You’re a princess of the Divinity Nation. Introducing you at the Armand feast, as my fiancée, in front of every allied nation... it would show everyone that Divinity is not our enemy. That the alliance between our nations is real. That your father’s secret support for us isn’t just words. It would give your nation a place at the table."

Celine fell silent. She bit her lower lip, her fingers twisting together in front of her. Her gaze dropped to the sand, her expression turning thoughtful.

Gracelle glanced up at Javier, her brow furrowing slightly.

"But what about you, Javier-sama? You’re not attending the feast either. And you’re the next in line for the Armand Throne. Shouldn’t you be there the most? Isn’t it your duty to be present? To meet the delegations? To show yourself to the guests? Wouldn’t they wonder why the youngest prince, the heir, is absent from such an important gathering?"

Javier smiled softly. He glanced toward Buddy, then back at Gracelle, and raised one finger to his lips in a subtle, quiet gesture. His eyes glinted with a knowing look.

"There’s something I need to prepare for. Something important. Something that can’t wait."

He lowered his hand and slipped it back into his pocket.

"Even if I’m not there, my father will be. My brothers will be. All of the Armand Queens will be." He paused. "My mother will be there too. So there will be plenty of people to represent the Armand family. Plenty of people to greet the guests and make them feel welcome."

Celine lowered her gaze to the sand and mumbled softly under her breath.

"But it feels like Husband doesn’t want to spend time with me..."

Javier’s smile softened. He took a step closer, lifted her chin gently with one finger, and leaned forward. His lips hovered near hers, already parted.

"You’re wrong, Celine."

His voice dropped into something low, smooth, and deep.

"I want nothing more than to spend time with you. To sit beside you, to listen to your voice, to kiss those beautiful lips of yours. You have no idea how much I want that."

She swallowed, her breath catching in her throat.

"But there’s something I have to do first. Something I can’t put off. And when I’m done..." He paused, his eyes holding hers. "I promise, I’ll spend time with you. Just you. We have all the time in the world during this vacation. Every day. Every night. I’ll make sure you know exactly how much I want to be with you."

Celine’s breath hitched. Her cheeks turned crimson, her eyes fluttering closed as she leaned in, drawn to him like a flower to the sun.

He closed the remaining distance and pressed his lips softly against hers.

The kiss was gentle. Lingering. Sweet. Her hands trembled, then slowly curled against his bare chest as she leaned into the kiss.

Gracelle puffed her cheek, her small hand shooting out to slap Javier’s arm. The smack echoed softly across the beach, and Javier pulled back from the kiss with a startled grunt.

Celine was left breathless, her eyes still closed, her lips still parted, her cheeks burning bright red. Her hands remained curled against his chest, her body leaning forward as if chasing the kiss he had just pulled away from.

Gracelle crossed her arms and huffed.

"What about me? What about the others? You can’t just say all those sweet things to Celine and leave the rest of us out! That’s not fair! You’re not being fair at all!"

Javier wiggled his eyebrows, a sly smirk spreading across his face. Then he flashed her his most charming smile, his eyes softening into something warm and deep, his voice dropping low and smooth.

"Gracelle~ My beautiful, sweet Gracelle~ You don’t need to worry about that. Every one of you holds a place in my heart that no one else can fill. Each of you is precious to me, like different flowers in the same garden. A rose does not compete with a lily. A violet does not envy the sunflower. They all bloom in their own time, in their own way, and together they make the garden more beautiful than any single flower ever could."

Gracelle’s cheeks flushed. She opened her mouth to retort, but nothing came out.

Buddy narrowed his eyes at them. He flapped his wing hard, and a gust of wind swept across them, blowing sand into their faces and making Gracelle’s hair fly and Celine stumble.

"Cuquawked! Cuquawked!" (Stop flirting already! It’s time for food! The food isn’t going to appear just because you keep standing there making eyes at each other!)

Gracelle puffed her cheek and glared at Buddy, brushing sand off her thigh. Celine dusted the sand from her body, her cheeks still pink.

Just as Javier was about to say something, his mana phone rang. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen.

Liana was video calling him.

Javier tapped the screen and raised the phone to eye level. Liana’s face appeared on the display, her silver hair catching the light, her emerald eyes calm and composed. Behind her, Lyzia leaned into view, her cheek puffed and her arms crossed, clearly still sulking about something.

"Young Master? Are you busy?"

( End of Chapter )