Reborn As Noble-Chapter 428: Pieces on the Board ( )

Meanwhile, in the Armand Region…

Inside the estate's grand war room, Javier stood alone, gazing down at the massive war table—its carved terrain spanning the entire continent, with miniature banners and carved figures marking kingdoms and troop movements.

He narrowed his eyes, fingers lightly tapping the table.

Then—

The door opened with a soft creak.

Garius stepped in, followed by Alf and Mrs. Erinnette, their expressions unreadable.

"Javier?"

"Yes, esteemed father?" he replied without surprise, turning to face them.

Garius raised a brow.

"What are you doing here alone? Where are your maids?"

Javier shrugged lightly.

"They're in the maid dining room right now."

"And you?" Garius asked. "Why aren't you eating? Or at least studying?"

"I'm sorry, esteemed father," Javier said calmly.

"But I was checking the continent map."

Garius's interest sparked.

"Oh?"

Javier gestured over the map.

"Looking at the current situation… My mana radar hasn't detected any large troop movements near our region."

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"Which means they're either not planning to strike us directly… or they want us distracted while something bigger unfolds elsewhere."

Garius said nothing—just watched.

He had already read the reports but didn't stop his son. He wanted to see what Javier would deduce on his own.

Javier reached forward and moved the miniature figure representing King Edmund across the board.

"If I were him…" Javier murmured,

"I'd attack here."

He move the piece to the Dwarven Kingdom.

"The Beastkin Kingdom?" Javier shook his head.

"Unlikely. King Lioness holds too many troops. And he's not a celestial vessel—King Edmund would see no gain."

He tapped the piece firmly onto the dwarven border.

"The Dwarves are isolated. Still rebuilding. They're the perfect target."

Then he reached across the table again.

"And here…"

He slid a piece marked with halfling sigils toward the border of the Amazarak lands, and another toward the Dwarven border from the opposite side.

"If I'm right, the Halfling Kingdom is reclaiming their lost territory from Amazarak… while simultaneously sending another army here—to squeeze the Dwarves from both ends."

He leaned back.

"A two-front siege."

Javier tapped the dwarven region again, then drew his finger in a slow arc toward the Beastkin Kingdom.

"And if the Dwarven Chieftain—Gumarak—is forced into a war on two fronts," he continued,

"he'll likely try to send a messenger requesting aid from the Beastkin Kingdom."

He pointed to the border road connecting the two kingdoms.

"Their regions are adjacent. The Beastkin army is massive, and their supply chains are fast."

Garius crossed his arms, saying nothing, his gaze sharp.

Alf and Erinnette exchanged glances—but remained quiet.

"But..." Javier added, narrowing his eyes and shifting a figurine on the map.

"If I were King Edmund… I'd aim to conquer this area first."

He tapped a key town strategically placed between the dwarven capital and the Beastkin border. Not too close to be suspicious, but near enough to choke movement.

"It's not heavily fortified. A fast assault with 100,000 elite troops could secure it in a few days. If he holds that, he cuts the dwarves off."

Garius finally asked, "And how are you so sure Edmund would plan that?"

Javier looked up, cool and confident.

"Because that's what I would do."

He then walked around the table and picked up a figurine marked with the Beastkin crest.

"Without a formal request for aid, the Beastkin Kingdom is bound by their own treaty codes."

"They can't interfere—if they do, it would be seen as a declaration of aggression."

He turned toward Garius.

"Even their alliance with the Elven Kingdom wouldn't protect them. The Halflings would see it as a power grab."

Javier placed the piece down with a soft click.

"That would give King Edmund justification to form a temporary alliance with the Halflings… and strike the Beastkin Kingdom from both sides."

"…And if he wins?" Alf asked quietly.

Javier shrugged.

"Then the entire western half of the continent would fall under human control. Elves and demons would be next. And the only real threat left for them toward the demon kingdom…"

His gaze slowly rose to meet his father's.

"…would be us."

Javier moved another piece—the one marked for the Elven Kingdom.

"The Elves might send reinforcements to aid the Beastkin Kingdom…" he said, sliding the piece closer to the Beastkin border.

"…because their territories are adjacent, and they've long held a non-aggression pact."

He paused, eyes locked on the intersection between the three regions.

"But that also paints the Elves as a threat."

He looked up.

"If they interfere—without waiting for diplomatic clearance or declaration—it'll look like the Elves are siding with an aggressor."

Alf's eyes narrowed.

"So you're saying… it's a trap."

Javier nodded.

"All of this… is designed to keep everyone busy. Distracted. Off balance."

"While we in Armand are stuck watching every border at once."

He pointed toward Armand's southern wall.

"Even with our anti-air guns, mana cannons, puppet knights, and trained elite troops…"

"our forces are still finite."

He tapped the table once more.

"And our main border with the Human Kingdom… remains wide open."

Silence filled the room.

Then Javier said the part no one wanted to say—

"I'm sure King Edmund has already absorbed the armies of all the noble lords."

"If that's the case… his standing royal force is already over a million."

He stood straight—calm, focused.

"He's not rushing into war…

He's cleaning the board before turning toward us."

Javier stepped closer to the map, narrowing his eyes at the Dwarven Kingdom's mountainous terrain.

"And I'm certain…"

"…the army Edmund sent toward the Dwarves isn't even his main force."

He moved a secondary piece—a placeholder representing an elite unit—and gently tapped it above the dwarven region.

"He's holding his real strength back. Observing. Waiting.

Letting the Halflings wear down the Dwarves from one side… while his initial wave softens their other flank."

Alf leaned forward.

"A probing strike?"

"Yes," Javier said without looking up.

"And when the Dwarves overcommit… that's when he'll strike with full force."

He picked up a wyvern-shaped figure and hovered it above the mountains.

"With their royal wyvern corps leading the charge."

Garius remained silent, studying his son.

"The wyvern force isn't just for show," Javier continued.

"Each rider is a trained mage, able to rain spells from above. Their advantage in lowland and plateau battles is devastating."

"And because of our previous war with the nobles…"

He tapped Armand's border lightly.

"…I'm sure King Edmund had them drilled to strike low ground targets first. To break formations and suppress ranged units."

"The Dwarves have bows, high terrain, and walls. But none of it matters against precision magic bombardment from the skies."

He slowly placed the wyvern piece onto the dwarven border.

"Unless they have anti-air weaponry… which they don't."

( End of Chapter )