Reborn As Noble

Chapter 1236: Before the Stairs ( 1236 )

”Again?”

Liana, who had just finished dinner with everyone, paused in the hallway before the stairs. Gloria and the others were standing at the bottom of the staircase, glancing toward the area where Liana stood with Juria, who was now bowing in a respectful, nervous posture.

Juria kept her eyes fixed on the floor, fidgeting slightly as she averted Liana’s serious face.

”I... I’m sorry, Miss Liana... but... the patient... umm... requests your presence... again.”

Liana rolled her eyes and let out a weary exhale before biting her lower lip and glaring hard at her.

”What is it she wants this time?”

Juria shivered, feeling the weight of Liana’s gaze even though Liana hadn’t done anything overtly threatening.

”U... um... she said... she has something she urgently... umm... wants to ask. She says she needs to... umm... confirm something with you, Miss Liana.”

Liana let out another long exhale and crossed her arms, shaking her head.

”That’s what Kalea said before. Saying she needed to confirm something, and yet when I got there, all she did was chat. Sigh... what a troublesome patient.” Liana pinched the bridge of her nose.

Meanwhile, Gloria, standing at a distance, just smirked.

Felicia leaned in and whispered to her. ”Big Sis Liana is scary. Look at how nervous that girl is.”

”Oh, hush, Felicia. That’s just how Liana always is.”

Mimi tilted her head. ”Nya? Isn’t it the same with you, Nee-sama? Back at the Royal Palace, you were always strict about rules, regulations, and everything. Even the maids’ dresses had to be perfect, or you’d scold them.”

Felicia widened her eyes and glared at Mimi. ”I don’t think I was that bad...”

Mimi giggled, running around to hide behind Gloria’s back while sticking her tongue out at Felicia. ”Nyaaa~ You were always like that!”

She puffed out her chest, mimicking Felicia’s posture and tone with exaggerated seriousness.

”’That maid’s dress is improperly pressed! The hem is crooked! And you there! Soldier! Your armor is dull! Do you think shining the metal every morning is optional? It is a reflection of your discipline!’”

Felicia’s eye twitched. Her expression shifted from annoyance to something far more regal, the cold, practiced authority of a princess who had spent years enforcing order.

She stepped forward, her voice dropping into a measured, aristocratic tone, each word precise as a blade.

”Let us be perfectly clear, Mimi. A royal household does not function on goodwill and good intentions alone. It functions on discipline. When a maid presents herself before the throne with a wrinkled collar and dust upon her hem, she does not merely embarrass herself, she insults the crown she serves. When a soldier’s armor bears a single tarnish, it signals to every foreign envoy that our standards have slipped. That we are lax. That we are complacent.”

She took a breath, her chin lifting.

”And I shall not permit such complacency under my watch. The Beastkin Royal Palace did not earn its reputation through leniency. It earned it through excellence. Every fold of fabric, every polished buckle, every precisely measured bow, these are not trivialities. They are the threads that weave the dignity of a nation. To neglect them is to unravel that dignity, thread by thread, until nothing remains but chaos and shame.”

She glare at mimi who now hiding behind gloria.

”And you, Mimi. Don’t forget you are also a princess. The youngest daughter of our proud father and mother, who are also a cherished friend of our future father-in-law. The way you speak, the way you carry yourself, it reflects not just on you, but on our entire family. A princess must embody grace, poise, and dignity in every word and gesture. She does not slouch, she does not whine, and she certainly does not hide behind others when confronted. She stands tall, speaks with grace, and meets every gaze with the dignity her title demands.”

She paused, brushing down the sleeve of her long princess-styled pajamas in a proper, refined manner.

”Just look at how the Armand maids, staff, soldiers, and officers carry themselves. Everyone we have met in the Armand Estate conducts themselves with discipline and pride. Their uniforms are immaculate, their manners are flawless, and their dedication is unwavering. They do not need constant reminders because they hold themselves to the highest standard. That is what I expect from myself. And that is what I expect from those around me.”

She narrowed her eyes slightly.