[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-died-and-became-a-noble-s-heir":3,"chapter-i-died-and-became-a-noble-s-heir-i-died-and-became-a-noble-s-heir-chapter-106":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","I Died and Became a Noble's Heir",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1523087,1975,"Chapter 106: Stand up when Daddy talks to you","i-died-and-became-a-noble-s-heir-chapter-106",106,"\u003Cp>Five days had passed since the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack woke before dawn, his ribs no longer screaming when he breathed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Next time maybe don’t let someone so strong punch you in the chest.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The memory of that single strike made his skin prickle. He rolled his shoulders, to make sure he wasn’t in any more pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The palace corridors were silent as a tomb, guards stationed at their posts like statues. Jack’s boots made no sound on the polished marble as he made his way to his study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chiron’s words, I’ll be watching this war of yours, still burned behind his eyes with the persistence of branded memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack didn’t know why, but Chiron was interested with Jack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The key slid into the lock with a satisfying click. Reality bent around the edges, shadows deepening until they became doorways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Darkness folded inward like a giant piece of origami. Slowly disappearing after Jack went through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air smelled of scorched metal and blood. A deep vibration hummed beneath his boots, as if the Spire itself had a heartbeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Welcome back]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Local gossip: off the charts.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Good to be missed,’ Jack said dryly, though he could already feel the difference in the atmosphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Eternal Coliseum opened around him like the maw of some primordial beast. Last time he’d left the crowd buzzing with curiosity and unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Conversations stuttered and died as hundreds of heads snapped in his direction. The whispers started immediately, rolling through the stands like wildfire through dry grass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Multiple entities acknowledge your presence]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Status: Observed]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack caught fragments in a dozen different languages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Soul Warden...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Human...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few demons actually turned away, suddenly finding their claws or the arena floor fascinating. Others leaned forward, hunger naked in their inhuman faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attention felt like standing in a spotlight with a thousand knives about to drop on his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He climbed toward the spectators’ tier he’d used before, Corvin perched on his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Think they missed us?’ Jack asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Corvin only gave a low croak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Yeah I’m sure we’re famous.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Probability of ambush: moderate]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Also, you have fans now. Try not to sign autographs.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack snorted and settled into an empty row overlooking the arena.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seats around him remained conspicuously vacant, creating a buffer zone around him that was louder than any conversation or altercation would be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below, two hulking creatures fought below while the crowd roared approval, but Jack could feel attention like heat on his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The denizens of the Third Tier were a motley collection of nightmares. Scaled humanoids with tails. They were green, scaly and slightly slimy. Spikes went down their back and tail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond the empty space around Jack, the third tier were primarily in the stands around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most kept their distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Word had spread about what happened to creatures foolish enough to challenge a Soul Warden directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike Jack, they remembered the last Soul Warden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The binding ritual wasn’t just death, it was spiritual slavery, consciousness trapped and compressed until free will became a memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For beings who valued their independence above almost everything else, it was a fate worse than death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But fear, Jack had learned, could cut both ways. Some creatures were smart enough to stay away. Others were stupid enough or desperate enough to test their luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sulfur tang in the air grew stronger as more spectators filed in for the next match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunder rolled up from the arena as the current combatants tore into each other with primal fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood spattered on the obsidian sand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack let the chaos wash over him, using the noise as cover while he observed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Spire operated on rules he was still learning, politics written in violence and respect earned through demonstration of power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His reputation was growing, but reputation without backing was just a target painted on his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cluster of imp-like creatures in the rows below kept shooting glances his way, their whispered conversation too quiet to overhear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were debating wether approaching him would result in profit or dismemberment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You’re becoming a local celebrity. Congratulations on your newfound fame among interdimensional murderers.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Every career has its perks,’ Jack replied, watching a particularly bold demon actually point in his direction before his companion slapped the gesture down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The duel in the arena ended with a hiss of molten stone and a roar from the stands, but the energy around Jack felt different now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A ripple of silence spread outward from around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Conversations faltered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clawed hands tightened on railings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack could feel them staring at him now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Corvin shifted on his shoulder, feathers rising on instinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Alert: Unregistered medium-level presence approaching you.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Direction?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Behind you.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Wait, medium? So it’s not a strong presence.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp pop cracked the air like breaking glass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shadow pooled in the aisle two rows back. The crowd drew a collective breath, some beings actually scrambling away from the manifestation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The creature that stepped forward was seven feet of scorched-iron muscle etched with ember-bright runes on his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each stride made the obsidian floor creak ominously. His grin bared teeth like broken daggers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, well,\" he drawled, his voice was like grinding stone on stone. \"Look what wandered into my house. A little human Soul Warden, sitting pretty where he doesn’t belong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He jabbed a clawed thumb into his chest. \"Name’s Daddy. Daddy of the Third Tier. Remember it when you’re begging for mercy. I ain’t gonna give you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Scan Complete: Terror-class entity, self-designated alias \"Daddy of the Third Tier.\"]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ego: excessive]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Intellect: questionable.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Daddy? Is this guy a joke?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack didn’t rise from his seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around them, the crowd was starting to take notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Conversations were dying as spectators realized they were about to witness either a binding or a slaughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Really? Daddy?’ Jack asked the System.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Regrettably. Local naming appears to favor psychological intimidation over creativity.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Terror swaggered closer. The stench of scorched metal and sulfur rolled off him in waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Up close, Jack could see that the runes carved into his flesh were still weeping what looked like molten copper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stand up when Daddy talks to you, meat,\" the creature snarled, close enough now that Jack could feel the heat radiating from his skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Or are you scared, little Warden? Maybe I heard some stories about what happens to pretty boys who think they can play with the real monsters?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The insult hung in the air. Everyone was waiting to see how the Soul Warden would respond to such blatant disrespect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Wow, even his insults are bad.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack tilted his head, his expression was as flat as winter stone. The silence stretched until it became uncomfortable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Corvin?’ he said without moving his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The raven gave a low, dangerous croak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His feathers shimmered with violet light, shadows seeming to bend toward him like iron filings drawn to a magnet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not even going to draw a weapon?\" Daddy sneered, spreading his arms wide in a mocking gesture of vulnerability. \"Pathetic. Guess I’ll have to break you in front of all these fine folks. Show them what a real predator looks like when he’s done playing with his food.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jack exhaled slowly, a faint smile ghosting across his lips like the first crack in ice. ’Handle it.’\u003C\u002Fp>",1205,"2026-06-06T05:43:29.280Z",1,"novelbin.me","64f2a1cdfdbf7d81365f8385e5d32b3c04dc8547b741a357a2a08b24f9809bf2","i-died-and-became-a-noble-s-heir-chapter-153","i-died-and-became-a-noble-s-heir-chapter-152",649,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-died-and-became-a-noble-s-heir-cover.jpg"]