Volume 5 Chapter 41 Bad Guys Tend To Be Found In Dark Rooms
"Hey, it's you, right?"
The next day, Randy frowned at Luke, who approached with a sinister look, and asked, "What are you talking about?"
"A guy in all black who's rumored to be an explosive criminal. He's fast as a flash."
Randy grimaced again as Luke, with a bad expression, patted him on the shoulder and said, "You sound like a cockroach."
According to Luke, who laughed at Randy's reaction, he seemed to have been trying to contact Randy during yesterday's explosion commotion.
Worrying about Randy, who wasn't at home or anywhere in town, was out of the question for Luke.
"I thought 'something' was up when the ruckus happened at night. When I stepped outside, there was a familiar, suspicious figure dressed in all black."
With a bad expression, Luke asked again, "Are you stressed out or something?" as he patted Randy's shoulder.
"Shut up. I had my reasons."
Pouting, Randy checked the surroundings and motioned for Luke and Cecilia to sit on a nearby bench.
Settling down, Randy recounted the events from the previous day.
He was ambushed at home, trapped – actually, he dozed off – and then interrogated in a forest cabin.
"So, with all that going on, I killed them all and came back."
"I see... So that happened."
Beside Cecilia, who murmured with a serious expression, Luke exclaimed, "What a fool. There's a real idiot here!"
After all, the other person deliberately kidnapped him because it was too much hassle, and the result was "a game of tag in the royal capital at night."
One doesn't have to be Luke to call him stupid.
"In that situation, why did you come back wearing all black tights──"
Luke stopped speaking and looked at Randy with a disappointed look on his face, as if he had just had an idea, and said, "You..."
"Maybe you wear full-body tights in private too?"
"No way. I'll kill you."
Randy frowned deeply as he explained that during the interrogation, their magic had burned off most of his uniform, and that he had remade it using clothes from the enemies he had killed, like a bandit.
"Sir Randolph...what can I say..."
"My lady, it would be kind to tell him clearly that this is stupid."
Next to Cecilia, who was holding her head, Luke kept repeating, "He's an idiot. There's an idiot."
After getting taunted and ruining his clothes, he ended up half-naked and turned his opponent into minced meat, resulting in "too little cloth for a full bodysuit."
Even Cecilia, known for her prowess, would be on the verge of shouting "idiot."
"So? What was their goal?"
Luke let out a big sigh, and Randy shrugged his shoulders, saying "Who knows."
"You... did you get information before──?"
"No way. They talked to me at least a little."
Seeing Randy pout, Luke relaxed and said, "Right... they couldn't go that far."
Getting deliberately kidnapped and gaining no information while being chased by the dark side──it's nothing short of idiocy.
But seeing Luke looking relieved, Randy couldn't stop his mockery, saying, "Are you my dad?"
"Still, I was kidnapped, heard some information, but there wasn't much to say... Is that alright?"
"It's fine."
Cecilia sighed, exclaiming, "What kind of man are you..." as she hung her shoulders.
At first glance, Randy seemed to be joking, but looking at Cecilia's expression, that's not the case.
Cecilia understood that Randy's earlier statement wasn't meant to tease her.
Cecilia has known Randy for a long enough time to understand that.
Her shocked expression and attitude were probably directed at Randy's 'kindness,' which he showed even at this late date.
Yes.
Randy's playful attitude is his way of being kind.
──Don't make others worry by joking around in the middle of a serious conversation.
Cecilia has grown accustomed to Randy's kindness, and now she has something to say.
"I'm not worried about you"
Cecilia snorted, and Randy replied with a smile, "I know."
Cecilia's words may seem harsh, but they've known each other long enough that Randy knows she's just being kind.
"However, if something happens, my family will be more than happy to help you."
"That's reassuring"
Randy, showing a smile, looked back at Luke with a mischievous grin and said, "Your lady has grown up."
"You're an idiot. My lady has always been kind."
Randy frowned at Luke, who furrowed his brow, then turned back to Cecilia with an unimpressed expression.
"Well, joking aside, I've heard the other side is doing their research..."
"I understand. I need to stay close to Luke, right?"
Randy nodded silently at Cecilia's serious expression.
"Luke, I'm not worried about you, but──"
"I know without you saying, Randy. Who do you think is guarding her?"
Luke snorted, and Randy nodded, saying, "Alright then."
In addition to the fact that the other side had been doing their research, they had also failed in kidnapping Randy.
It was uncertain what their next move would be.
There's a possibility they might target someone close to Randy.
"I have Luke with me, so there's no problem..."
Cecilia's hesitant gaze showed worry for Liz.
Usually, Randy, who has a mysterious role as both a guard and master, is nearby, but now they are apart.
"Don't worry. Harrison is with Liz."
Luke nodded in agreement, saying, "Yeah."
It is no wonder that he is a deputy at such a young age in the Victor Territory Knight Brigade, which is full of fierce warriors.
He always seems to be a bit of a grinner and unreliable, but when it's time to get things done, he's a real man.
"Yes, Sir Harrison was a great help to us."
Cecilia sighed in relief, but then she turned to Randy again and said, "Well, now I see..."
"The only one we should worry about is Sir Randolph."
Cecilia's unexpected words made Luke and Randy exchange glances.
They shouldn't need to worry Randy at all, yet those were her words.
When Randy and Luke frowned, thinking they didn't understand,
"Sir Randolph. I've been worried from the way you've spoken since earlier──"
Cecilia, with a somewhat exasperated and indescribable expression, continued.
"Haven't you forgotten about your retake exam?"
Faced with the harsh reality, Randy gasped, "Ahhh!"
After all, he had a test scheduled for this afternoon.
He was supposed to study from yesterday evening into the night, preparing thoroughly, but due to being abducted, he couldn't do anything.
...Half of it was his own fault, being caught up in the dark side.
Anyway, Randy, who was going to take the exam completely unprepared, thanked Cecilia and briskly left.
He intended to use the little time left before the exam to study.
The two watched Randy hurry away, glancing at each other and laughing.
"I can't help but feel sympathy for him."
"True. They're provoked the wrath of that idiot and is in the way of the exam... they might just vanish without a trace."
Randy's back was no longer there before their eyes.
* * *
At the same time, somewhere on the continent... The closed curtains block out the soft sunlight, casting a gloomy shadow over the room.
From the dim light, it was clear that it was someone's bedroom, with a large bed, a couple of sofas, and a fireplace by the wall.
In that dark room, the figure of a man slowly rose from the bed and put on a robe that was hanging beside the bed.
His age is unknown, but his slender body and unwavering posture give the impression of youthful strength.
The man wearing a robe began wandering around the room in his slippers.
His destination seems to be the wine cellar by the wall.
Drinking while the sun is still in the east is not something to be praised for, but it seems that no one is going to nag a man.
When the man boldly opened the wine cellar, another shadow appeared right behind him.
The man noticed the shadow, but without caring, pulled out a wine bottle and spoke without turning around.
"...How did it go?"
The voice that echoed was indeed youthful.
However, the shadow did not say anything.
In the brief silence, the sound of the cork being opened and wine being poured into a glass resonated.
As silence returned, the man sighed softly and downed the wine in his glass in one go.
"So it didn't go well?"
The shadow slowly nodded at the sighing man, speaking in a monotone voice.
"Regarding the contact team for the young man... communication has ceased."
"Oh?"
The shadow continued to speak calmly to the man, who was likely frowning.
"The temporary base has been destroyed. We confirmed scattered remains and blood at the site. It looks as if they were ripped apart by a beast; we cannot fully confirm, but... probably──"
"Total annihilation, then?"
The shadow silently nodded at the man, who snorted.
The man sighed and poured more wine into his glass.
"What was the name... Vic──"
The shadow whispered, "It's Victor."
"Oh. That's right, Victor."
The man, laughing mockingly, walks back to the bed with a glass in his hand, muttering "Victor, Victor" over and over again, and ruminating on the fact that he was a nobleman of the Dukedom.
"Even though it's in the countryside, they face the Beast Forest after all."
The man put the wine glass on the bedside table and sat down on the bed.
"For now, tell your allies to calm down... Oh, that's right. And tell Livia to calm down too. She should be on the other side by now. She's been wanting to fight for a long time, that Victor guy."
The man laughed, but the shadow shook their head helplessly and said, "That's..."
"Just as Lady Livia arrived there, we received news that the entire team had been wiped out..."
"Maybe──"
"Yes. She jumped out."
Although there was no intonation, the words themselves seemed to suggest a wry smile, and the man also looked surprised for a moment, but then he let out a sigh of exasperation and a smile, "Hehehe."
"Really... what a reckless girl. The second sword saint is"
The man laughed and downed the contents of his wine glass in one go.
"Shall we bring her back? It's about time we head to the royal capital──"
"That's fine. As long as you're here, no one can catch up to Livia. If worst comes to worst, I can just say someone is the worst kind of guard. No matter how it plays out, it won't affect the plan."
The man set down his wine glass and the shadow simply conveyed "Understood," and blended into the darkness.
The man left alone in the room stood up and finally opened the curtain.
The sunlight streaming through the window brightly illuminated the room──
"Now then. It should be about time for that one to reach the royal capital. Let's see how the game unfolds... I'll take a moment to enjoy the view from above."
──The man, illuminated by the light, had striking golden hair that shone brightly.
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