G. Kitsune
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The Soul Reborn: From Silence to Sovereignty Chapter 43
🕑 Added 2025-06-17 22:21:28 +0000 UTCChapter 43: Watch and Learn
“I can’t believe how transparent you all are,” I said, brushing a hand through my hair with exaggerated irritation. “So tell me, purely out of curiosity, is it one of you who secretly covets my husband, or all three?”
They recoiled as if I had struck them.
I didn’t wait for a response. “No need to answer. I already know.”
My expression was unimpressed; I vaguely gestured towards them. “That’s the only logical reason you’d be trying this hard to worm your way so close to me. It’s certainly not because you admire me or want to learn how to run a territory of actual significance.”
I let my words linger in the air like a toxic cloud infecting all of them.
“Honestly, none of you seem to have the backbone or the brains to manage anything larger than a ribbon collection, much less the Archduke’s court.”
One of them opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, I raised a finger.
“Just wait, I’ll make your wishes come true.”
I pulled a piece of parchment from my sleeve, gleaming with faint magical threads. The kind of thing Noah had created just for me with safety in mind. Emergency use, something that worked like a magical text message I had used once before.
My gaze focused on the three girls, who all had wary expressions. I just smirked and started writing.
Honey, come quick, some vampires have entered our castle and want to sink their fangs into you.
Moments later, the door opened with the finality of a guillotine. Noah stepped inside, all poised elegance and tightly restrained fury. The coat he wore was immaculate, his face unreadable, but the force of his presence filled the room.
"He approached without a word, coming to a halt just before me, a silent shield poised to guard against anything."
I smiled, leaning into my seat like I’d just summoned a force of nature.
“Thank you for coming so fast,” I said sweetly. “Now, as you can see…”
I gave a gesture towards the stunned noble girls, now staring at Noah like he’d stepped straight out of a fantasy novel and into their lives. Ambitious little things, were they hoping to become a second wife… or just take me out entirely?
“These three have supposedly come to our home to become my ladies-in-waiting, but I figured it’s better to get right to the point.”
I turned my head toward the first girl on the left, the one with the shiniest dress and dullest brain.
“I don’t recall your name,” I said coolly. “And frankly, it wasn’t worth remembering.”
She made a tiny, affronted sound, but I continued before she could speak.
“There he is… my husband, the Archduke of Coldmere. Standing right in front of you… Go ahead; use your best move to woo him.”
Her jaw dropped.
“But,” I added with a wicked grin, “I will warn you, this man does bite.”
Noah tilted his head slightly, watching her like she was a creature beneath his notice.
“I do,” he said smoothly. “My patience is also limited, and I don’t have time for disrespectful girls who come sniffing around my wife.”
I leaned back on the couch, getting real comfortable, arms folded under my chest, watching the stunned expressions of the three girls slowly crumbling under the weight of their failed ambitions.
“Can you believe these girls, Noah?” I asked, tilting my head towards him with mock disbelief. ”They probably don’t even know a damn thing about you.”
He raised an eyebrow, saying nothing, but the corner of his lips twitched.
Turning to my oh-so-important guests, I offered a sugary smile. “Fun fact, my darling husband has a strong dislike for anyone obsessed with etiquette. If anything, I’ve only encouraged it.”
Their heads snapped towards Noah in unison.
He gave a nod. “I do despise it,” he said casually, as if it meant nothing to him. “Fake smiles, scripted conversations, people who care more about how deep you bow than what kind of person you are.”
The color drained from all three faces.
I clapped my hands once. “So… Let’s break it down, shall we?” I pointed towards the one in the middle, probably Elowen. She carried herself like someone who’d been drilled in posture since the day she could walk.
“This girl wanted to be my front woman,” I said with a slight chuckle at how ridiculous that sounded out of my mouth. “You know, organize my appearance and help me look more elegant and official. Basically, she wanted to puppet me from the background… sweet, right?”
She shrank back into her seat.
Then I turned to the last of the three. Vellaria was the quietest, yet somehow the most blunt. Honestly, it seemed like she was just riding the coattails of the other two noble ladies.
Pointing in her direction, “This one,” I continued, “is about as interesting as a board floating in a river.”
A slight twitch tugged at Noah’s lips, visible to everyone. He wasn’t making any effort to hide his feelings. I turned my attention back to the first girl, Serette, the one who seemed to lead the others. She was easily the most arrogant of the three.
“This one… Her insight is as thin as her manners. If I had to sum her up in one word, it would be… stupid.”
All three inhaled sharply, my face a permanent smile because this was just too much fun. I wonder if any of them are regretting their choices in coming here. Was it even their choice? That's the true question, or were they forced here by their parents?
“For all your carefully chosen words and schemes, trying to mold me into another typical noble, not one of you actually tried to befriend me in any meaningful way. No one asked what I enjoy or what my goals are. From the very beginning, it was all business.”
My grin grew even bigger as I glanced at Noah.
“I brought the man I’m sure you were all drooling over. The very one you probably wanted to get closer to by clinging to me.”
I let the silence bite down hard. “Well…” I asked, smiling like a lioness trying to protect her king. “Make your move.”
No one so much as flinched. They all just stared at Noah, frozen in place and clearly overwhelmed. Honestly, I wouldn’t have been surprised if one of them fainted. At this point, I wasn’t even sure they remembered to breathe.
“Cowards,” I said offhandedly.
Noah let his hand rest on the hilt of his sword. He wasn’t planning to draw it, but the gesture alone made everything feel that much more satisfying. He really does get me, hehe.
“Noah,” I said calmly, as if we were discussing afternoon tea, “What should we do about this?”
He tilted his head slightly, hands loosely behind his back, letting me take the lead, but his gaze was as cold as steel as it swept across the girls.
"This is clear disrespect toward both the Archduchess and my wife." His voice dropped, heavy with displeasure. "It may not demand bloodshed, but it is an insult all the same."
The noble girls fidgeted, their proud shoulders now sagging with visible dread.
“It’s obvious,” I continued, “that they came here with questionable intentions. Not just to flatter me. No… they probably wanted to make me look foolish. Maybe try to cozy up to you and win your favor. Seduce you, even.”
I looked at them again, expression as cold as the snow outside. “Who knows… maybe they’d even try to sneak into our room at night and take advantage of you.” It’s obvious with Noah’s extremely keen senses he would feel their presence before they would even get close enough, but they don’t know that.
I didn’t think their faces could get any paler, but here we are. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought I was looking at Casper, only this one isn't friendly, just terrified.
Their postures stiffened, fingers clenched fabric, and lips twitched in silent horror. What surprised me the most was their complete loss of words the moment Noah entered. Was it infatuation… or fear?
“You never know,” I said with suspicion. “Girls like this don’t have courage, but they have desperation, and that’s probably much worse.”
I paused for dramatic effect, and then sighed.
“If this is the future of the Northern noble class, then frankly… it’s looking bleak.”
I turned my gaze back to them. “Are you all so down and out that you can’t find your own unmarried man? You have to slither towards an already taken one?”
Then I smiled with a slow and dangerous atmosphere as my mischievousness grew with a sudden idea.
“All three of you… Watch and learn just how to woo a man, such as the Archduke.” Getting his attention, I motioned for him. “Come here, Noah.”
Without hesitation, he crossed the space between us and stood in front of me. I looked up at him, feigning innocence.
“Sit.” I pointed my finger to the spot right next to me.
Of course he obeyed without question. I rose from my seat with theatrical grace and settled onto his lap, a scene strikingly similar to that dinner party on my first day in Coldmere.
Then I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pulled him into the deepest, most sensual kiss we’ve ever had. We each had no plans on stopping until each of us got our fill of the other. Seconds turned into minutes, then into ten and beyond.
The three girls sat frozen the entire time, eyes wide and unblinking as they watched the show. I glanced at them a few times during our very arousing make-out session. One of them looked like her mind was headed somewhere inappropriate. The other two had their mouths open, and I swear one was actually drooling.
I gently pushed Noah away after what felt like thirty minutes to an hour of us enjoying ourselves to our hearts' content. This was pretty much the equivalent of showing someone a porno in my time. They just received a free show!
Wearing a grin I couldn’t hide, I motioned between myself and the man holding me like he’d forgotten we weren’t alone. “This is how you win a man of his level.”
I rested my cheek on Noah’s shoulder. “You three are nothing but baby tadpoles trying to mess with a bullfrog. Too calculating and don’t love anything except your own ambition.”
It was getting a little frustrating how they just sat there and stared, saying nothing. Did I do something to them mentally?
Honestly… though, what could they say? They lost before even stepping through the door. The atmosphere on our side of the room was blissful, but on the other side it was gloomy.
Then I tilted my head, smiling innocently. “Soooo…” I said, dragging the word out like a cat toying with its prey. “Do any of you have anything to say?”
Their lips parted, but no words came out. The motion repeated as if they were mimicking the very tadpoles I had just compared them with earlier, creatures stuck in their larval stage opening their mouths in silence.
“I mean, surely, something must be rattling around in those little heads of yours after watching what it actually takes to hold the attention of someone like him.” I glanced at Noah, who was still holding me without the slightest intention of releasing me.
My hands began to roam his body, moving up his arms, across his chest, and down one leg. Then, with a slow tug, I lifted his shirt to reveal his bare chest. Judging by their stunned faces, it was probably the first time any of these noble girls had seen a man's bare chest like this.
“Someone so devastatingly handsome,” I went on with my show, tracing his body and having the full attention of the room. “He’s so sharp and cold to everyone else in this world, except me.”
The grin across my face was so wide; it must have looked absolutely infuriating to them, which made it even sweeter.
They twitched, likely reaching their limit on this kind of stimulant.
“Just so you know,” I added cheerfully. ”This is me being affectionate during the day, but at night?”
I gave them a wink.
“Noah is absolutely insatiable in bed.” With that, I turned away from the girls and met Noah’s gaze, only to find him already watching me with that familiar, intense focus.
He didn’t mind at all that I was showing him off to these girls because, honestly, I’m sure they were nothing more than flies buzzing around at this point. Completely off his radar, and they’re starting to realize that as well. It was a hopeless cause from the beginning.
“It’s not about flattery, position, or scripted double-talk that can win over a real man. The connection you share between both of you is what true companionship is all about.”
I leaned against Noah once again, sighing dramatically.
“Frankly… You’re all much too far out of your depth.”
