Reborn As Noble-Chapter 362: Truths Revealed ( )

The guard turned to a nearby merchant with a grin.

"Hey, can I get a pen and paper?"

The merchant raised an eyebrow but handed them over.

"Sure, but… what for?"

"This one wants to be a 'spy' and study our region," the guard said, jerking a thumb at the flustered halfling.

The merchant chuckled as he handed over the pen and paper.

"Here you go, little miss. Now you can take all the 'secret notes' you want."

The halfling girl flailed her arms. "No, no, no! I don't want to be a spy! I was just asking!"

The first guard grinned. "That's how it starts. First, you're just 'curious.' Next thing you know, you're sneaking around, trying to listen in on officer meetings."

The second guard smirked. "Then we'll have to send you on a one-way trip to the interrogation room. You know, where we ask nicely with ropes and a few buckets of cold water."

The halfling girl paled. "I-I swear I wasn't trying to spy!"

The merchant leaned on his stall, laughing. "Relax, girl. These guys are just messing with you."

The guards burst out laughing, slapping each other's shoulders.

"Hah! Look at her face! Classic!"

The halfling pouted. "That wasn't funny."

The second guard wiped a tear from his eye.

"Maybe not for you, but for us? Absolutely."

The group arrived at the gallows in the city square—a grim, towering structure casting a long shadow over the cobblestones.

The Amazarak woman staggered to a halt, her face drained of color. "No… no… I'm too late…" Her knees hit the cobblestones with a thud as her hands clutched her chest.

"Princess Zania… she's already been hanged…!"

The guards blinked at her, then at each other. "Huh? What's wrong with you?" one asked, scratching his helmet.

She pointed at the large wooden gallows standing tall in the center of the plaza. "The execution site… it's still here… that means she was already hanged, right?"

One of the guards scratched his head. "Uhh… yeah, the gallows is still here, but what are you talking about?"

Another guard chimed in, "Wait… you actually thought someone was executed?"

The Amazarak woman nodded, tears streaming down her face. "Then… where is her body...? Where do you keep the dead...? Please, let me see her one last time…"

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The first guard sighed and crossed his arms. "Lady… I dunno where you got your information, but nobody's been executed here."

She froze. "W-What…?"

The second guard smirked. "Yeah. That gallows? It's been standing there for days."

The halfling girl blinked in shock. "Wait… so there was no execution?"

"Nope."

"No public hanging?"

"Well, at first, yeah," the second guard admitted. "But then Young Master Javier stepped in. Said he wanted her. Dunno why."

The Amazarak woman trembled, confusion and desperation clouding her thoughts.

"You're telling me… Princess Zania is still alive?"

The guards exchanged looks, one of them sighing as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah. Look, lady, I don't know what's going on in your head, but nobody got hanged."

"Then what's with the gallows?" the halfling girl asked, just as bewildered.

The first guard smirked. "Oh, that? Young Master Javier wanted to keep the gallows up for a while. Said something about making an example."

"An… example?" the Amazarak woman echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah. You know, to make any future idiots thinking of messing with Armand reconsider their choices."

The woman's legs wobbled, and she dropped to her knees, gripping the dirt beneath her. She had rushed here, fearing she was too late, only to be told Zania was… alive? Not executed?

The halfling girl blinked. "Then… where is she now?"

The second guard lazily pointed down the road. "Like I said, probably with Young Master Javier."

"She's with who?!" The Amazarak woman shot up, her tear-streaked face twisting in disbelief.

The first guard shrugged. "Javier. Lord Garius' youngest son. I don't know what he's doing with her, but last I heard, he took her back to the estate."

The woman clenched her fists. "Why…? What does he want with her?"

"Beats me." The guard chuckled. "But hey, if you want to find out, go to Armand Estate and see for yourself."

"Please let me see her," the Amazarak woman said urgently.

The guards exchanged glances, and one of them sighed. "Alright, alright. But if you want to go to the Armand Estate, you'll be heavily escorted. That's our lord's domain. We can't just let anyone waltz in, especially someone from Amazarak."

"I understand!" The woman dropped to her knees, pressing her forehead against the dirt. "Please… just let me see her!"

The first guard rubbed his temple. "Haa… we're just guards, lady. We don't make the rules; we just follow them." He turned to the other guard.

"Get the main base on the line. Let's see how they want to handle this."

The second guard nodded and pulled out his mana communication device.

"Main base, this is Patrol Unit. We have an Amazarak woman here requesting permission to visit the Armand Estate."

Static buzzed from the device before a calm, authoritative voice replied.

"Understood. Bring her to the main base for processing."

The guard clicked his tongue and looked back at the woman.

"You heard them. We're heading to the main base first. Every item on you will be inspected. No weapons, no suspicious magical tools. Got a problem with that?"

The woman vigorously shook her head. "No! I'll do whatever it takes!"

The halfling girl sighed. "Guess I'm coming too, huh?"

The first guard grinned. "Oh, absolutely. You vouched for her, so you're part of the process now."

The halfling groaned, but she knew there was no point in arguing.

"Alright then," the second guard said, motioning down the road. "Let's move. The main base isn't far."

"Just so you know," the first guard added, crossing his arms, "if you want to go to the Armand Estate, you'll be under heavy escort. That's our lord's personal domain, and we don't just let anyone in."

With that, they set off toward the heart of Gaze City, where their request would either be granted—or denied.

Meanwhile, in the Armand Estate…

A sharp knock echoed against the door of Garius's private chamber.

"Come in."

One of the estate staff entered and bowed respectfully. "My lord, we have a message from the Gaze City main base."

Garius, seated at his desk, barely looked up. "Speak."

"An Amazarak woman claiming to be Princess Zania's maid, along with her halfling escort, has requested entry into the Armand Estate. The main base reports that she wishes to see her princess."

For a moment, silence filled the room. Then Garius exhaled through his nose and leaned back in his chair.

"Alright. Tell the main base I allowed it."

The staff member bowed. "As you command, my lord."

Once the staff left, Garius turned his gaze toward Alf and Erinnette, his most trusted subordinates.

"Alf. Erinnette."

Both immediately stood at attention. "Yes, my lord?"

Garius's expression darkened slightly. "Prepare our special unit. I want security heightened."

Alf nodded, already calculating deployment. "Understood."

Erinnette smirked, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Precaution, my lord?"

Garius's fingers tapped against his desk. "We don't know what might happen. If they try anything… we will be ready."

"As you command, my lord." Alf and Erinnette bowed before swiftly exiting the room, already issuing silent orders to mobilize the elite units.

( End of Chapter )