Reborn As Noble-Chapter 151: Sharing Smiles ( )

"Old man! Grill us meat that’s worth it!".

The shopkeeper’s hands paused as Javier casually dropped 30 silver coins onto the table. His eyes widened before a grin spread across his face. Without missing a beat, he began grilling the meat.

As the rich aroma of the sizzling meat filled the air, the shopkeeper glanced at the Armand emblem embroidered on Liana’s uniform. "So, you both from the Armand region?"

Javier raised a brow, his mischievous grin never faltering. "Hmm? How do you know, old man?"

The shopkeeper chuckled as he flipped the meat. "That emblem gives it away. My brother lives there. I tried to convince him to move to the capital—I even prepared a house for him. But for some reason, he refuses to leave."

"Oh." Javier responded nonchalantly, grabbing a freshly grilled piece of meat and casually tossing it to Buddy. The large Pekko caught it mid-air with precision, letting out a satisfied squawk.

Liana, standing nearby, sighed softly before sitting beside Javier. He had been tugging at her sleeve insistently until she relented.

The shopkeeper’s gaze lingered on the duo, intrigued. "So, Kid, do you want anything else?" Experience more on novelbuddy

Javier’s eyes gleamed with mischief. "Old man! Do you have sake?"

The shopkeeper blinked, tilting his head. "Sa...ke?"

"Wine! Ehehehe!" Javier clarified with a cheeky laugh.

The shopkeeper chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Oh, wine, huh? Your young master here can drink?"

Liana let out a long sigh, her eyes filled with resigned amusement. "He’s... weird. Most children his age would be drinking juice. Yet here he is, acting like an old man."

Javier flashed her a wide grin, raising an imaginary cup in a mock toast. "Wine’s good for the soul, Liana! Besides, juice is for kids. I’m a man!"

The shopkeeper burst out laughing, shaking his head as he went to fetch a bottle of wine. Meanwhile, Liana gave Javier a sidelong glance, her lips curling into a small, reluctant smile.

"You’re impossible, young master," she muttered softly, though there was no denying the fondness in her voice.

The bustling street grew quiet for a moment as the large Pekko, Buddy, leaped up to catch another piece of meat Javier tossed , drawing curious stares from passersby.

"Wow! Look at that bird! Is it a monster?" a child exclaimed, tugging on their parent’s sleeve.

"I’ve never seen anything like it!" murmured another onlooker.

Javier ignored the commotion, his sharp eyes catching sight of a small child in tattered clothes walking by the shopkeeper’s bread corner. The child paused, glanced around nervously, and grabbed two pieces of bread before hurrying away, munching as they walked.

"Hmm?" Javier narrowed his eyes.

Liana, seated beside him, tilted her head. "What’s wrong, young master?"

"Is that... normal in the capital city?" Javier asked, gesturing subtly toward the child.

The shopkeeper, who had just returned with a bottle of wine, followed his gaze. His face shifted into a look of quiet resignation, a blend of pity and pragmatism. "It’s normal here," he said softly.

Javier frowned. "Oh... We’ve never seen anything like that in the Armand region. This is my first time."

Liana smiled gently. She knew her young master well—beneath his mischievous demeanor, he had a heart far kinder than he let on.

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Javier leaned back, his eyes still fixed on the bread corner. "Hey, old man."

The shopkeeper straightened. "Yes?"

"What’s that corner for?" Javier pointed at the small pile of bread stacked neatly on a wooden rack.

The shopkeeper let out a small sigh. "That’s where I put leftover bread. It’s for people like that child—for those who can’t afford a meal. Keeps them from starving, at least."

Javier fell silent for a moment, then stood up abruptly. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a small pouch, and handed five gold coins to the shopkeeper without hesitation.

The shopkeeper’s eyes widened in shock. "Hey kid, this is—"

"Please continue feeding them," Javier said with a soft but firm tone. "Let me help, too."

The shopkeeper stared at the coins, his hands trembling slightly. "Thank you... I—I’ll make sure to do so."

Liana watched the exchange, her eyes softening. She smiled warmly at her young master, pride evident in her gaze.

As Javier sat back down, he waved dismissively at her. "Don’t look at me like that, Liana. It’s no big deal."

"Of course, young master," she replied with a chuckle, her voice laced with affection. "No big deal at all."

The shopkeeper looked utterly dumbfounded as Javier handed five more gold coins, his eyes darting between the shimmering coins in his hand and the grinning boy sitting on the bench.

"K-Kid... this... this is a lot!" the shopkeeper stammered, his voice shaky.

Javier waved him off with a casual shrug, his confident smirk widening. "Nah, don’t worry about it. Just keep grilling more meat and make sure those kids over there eat something good today."

The shopkeeper’s jaw dropped for a moment before he snapped into action. "Alright, kid, I’ll make sure to grill the best cuts I have!"

He turned to his grill, quickly slicing more meat and tossing it onto the sizzling surface. The rich aroma wafted through the air, drawing the attention of several raggedly dressed children who had been watching from a distance.

Javier called out to them. "Hey, you kids over there! Come here!"

The children hesitated, exchanging wary glances, unsure whether they could trust this strange noble-looking boy. But as one brave child stepped forward, the others followed hesitantly, drawn by the tantalizing smell of grilled meat.

Javier grinned as they approached. "Take this." He pointed to the platter of fresh meat and the pile of bread the shopkeeper had arranged. "Eat as much as you want. More’s coming, so don’t hold back!"

The children’s eyes lit up as they cautiously reached for the food. One by one, their nervous expressions melted into smiles as they took bites, the taste of freshly grilled meat and warm bread filling their mouths.

The shopkeeper looked at Javier, shaking his head with a mixture of amazement and admiration. "You’re a strange one, kid. Most nobles wouldn’t even look at these kids, let alone do something like this."

Javier leaned back with a self-satisfied smirk, tossing another piece of meat to Buddy, who caught it effortlessly. "I’m not most nobles, old man. Besides, it’s not like I can eat all this food by myself."

Liana, sitting beside him, let out a soft laugh. "You really are something, young master."

Javier glanced at her, pretending to be annoyed. "What’s that supposed to mean, huh?"

"Oh, nothing," she replied with a playful smile.

Javier walked over to a small juice shop nestled along the street. The shopkeeper, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes, looked up from her work as he approached.

Without hesitation, Javier placed five gold coins on the counter, causing the shopkeeper’s eyes to widen in surprise. "Give me all the juice you can make and send it over there," he said, pointing toward the meat shop, now bustling with children happily eating and chatting.

The shopkeeper blinked, her mouth slightly open. "T-this much juice? For all of them?"

Javier nodded casually. "Yep. Make it good. They deserve it."

The shopkeeper hesitated before breaking into a warm smile, bowing slightly. "Understood! I’ll get started right away."

As she began preparing large jugs of fruit juice, Javier returned to his seat beside Liana.

Liana, watching the entire exchange, shook her head with a gentle smile. "Young master, you’re going to spoil everyone in this city at this rate."

Javier leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, with his signature sly grin. "Nah, just doing my part. Besides," he added, gesturing toward the kids, "look at their faces. That’s worth way more than gold."

Liana sighed, though her eyes softened with admiration. "Sometimes I wonder if you’re truly eleven years old, young master."

Javier smirked, taking another piece of grilled meat and biting into it. "I’m just awesome like that."

Moments later, the shopkeeper’s assistant arrived, carrying several large jugs of juice and handing them out to the children. The kids cheered, holding up their cups and drink with bright smiles.

The scene quickly attracted more attention from passersby. Many stopped to watch the unusual sight of a noble boy handing out food, his massive Pekko gleefully chomping on its share of the feast.

One of the children approached Javier timidly. "T-Thank you" they said, bowing deeply.

Javier waved it off, ruffling the child’s hair. "Don’t mention it. Just eat up and enjoy!"

As the shopkeeper kept grilling and the children ate their fill, the atmosphere around the humble food stall turned warm and lively, filled with laughter and the clinking of plates.

Liana watched silently, her heart swelling with pride and affection for her young master. Despite his playful and sometimes mischievous nature, moments like these reminded her of his genuine kindness and the strength of his character.

( End of Chapter )