"I feel a bit nervous," Elizabeth admitted.
"Don't worry. Just relax," Randy reassured her.
At the moment, Randy was seated on a sofa in the reception room. Beside him sat Elizabeth, carefully holding a miniature model of the carriage they were using as a sample.
Elizabeth, who had been muttering "Ugh" and other small noises, she was visibly tense.
But Randy wasn't any different. Despite telling her to relax, he was also quite nervous. After all, the people they were about to meet were not only high-ranking nobles but also Elizabeth's parents.
(No, no, it's because this is an important business meeting) he told himself.
The adventurers acting as forerunners had arrived over an hour ago. Alan and Keith were likely entertaining the guests at the moment.
It was no wonder that this awkward wait felt strangely long.
Long waits naturally increase nervousness.
"Phew… Hah…" Elizabeth took a deep breath.
"I'll handle this," Eleonora said, stepping in confidently.
"No, stay out of this," Randy shot back, firmly shutting her down.
Just as it seemed an argument between Randy and Eleonora was about to break out, a soft knock sounded at the door.
The moment had arrived. Both Randy and Elizabeth stood up simultaneously.
Keith opened the door, and following behind Alan, an elderly couple entered the room. Their calm and composed demeanor radiated a sense of refinement.
They wore simple, elegant clothing, and while their noble status was evident to those who knew, they could easily be mistaken for wealthy commoners by anyone else.
(That's quite an elaborate disguise) Randy thought.
He had heard that they were just over 40 years old, so their aged appearance was shocking. But…
"Huh?"
Elizabeth froze in place, her voice trembling.
"Father… Mother…"
As Elizabeth murmured, the elderly couple removed their disguises and smiled gently at her.
"Liza…"
"Oh, truly—"
With tears welling in their eyes, the couple reached out to their daughter, who was utterly bewildered.
Shock.
Joy.
Confusion.
And a hint of anxiety.
Elizabeth's emotions swirled in her eyes as she looked back and forth between Randy and her parents, as if silently asking, Why is this happening?
Randy merely shrugged with a light smile.
"My, what a coincidence that our business partners happen to be your parents, Lady Elizabeth."
"Please don't play dumb," she replied sharply.
A trace of anger flickered in Elizabeth's gaze. It was understandable.
She had been trying to avoid troubling her family, and now they had shown up in person, potentially spoiling all her efforts.
Not only that, but it could also pose a risk to Randy's family depending on how things unfolded.
(She's too kind for her own good… Not that I'm in a position to judge) Randy thought
He couldn't help but admire Elizabeth's concern for others, even as she expressed her frustration.
But this time, Randy wasn't planning to back down.
Even during her exile, Elizabeth had a tendency to think everything would be fine if she bore the responsibility alone.
Reality, however, isn't that forgiving.
The misconception that she could solve everything on her own needed to be shattered here and now—for her sake and for Randy's.
Now that he was involved, he decided to take everything to the end.
"Lord Randolph—"
"I can hear you perfectly fine. You're about to tell me to leave beause we are in the way, aren't you?" Randy said playfully, sticking out his tongue as he gestured for Alan and Keith to leave with him. He reached for the door.
"That's not what I meant," Elizabeth said, her voice stopping him in his tracks.
Alan, standing by the door, gave Randy a chastising look.
(Perhaps I went too far…)
Randy sighed softly and turned back to face Elizabeth and her parents.
"Lady Elizabeth, just one thing—" Randy paused, drawing their full attention.
"—You have not been abandoned by the world. Nor have you abandoned it yourself.."
With that, Randy offered a deep, respectful bow and left the room, accompanied by Alan and Keith.
Outside the reception room, Randy was met by a gathering of servants who had clearly been eavesdropping. He heaved an exaggerated sigh.
"You all know it's rude to snoop, right?"
At his exasperated remark, the servants exchanged sheepish smiles before dispersing. Among them, Randy spotted Rita and called her over.
"Rita, let me know when they're done talking."
Randy gestured toward the door behind him as he spoke. Rita nodded slowly in acknowledgment.
With Rita standing by the door, Randy turned his attention to someone else he'd been looking for.
"Harrison, I'd like to meet the adventurers."
"I though you gonna say that, so they're waiting outside for you."
Harrison gave a thumbs-up, proving once again he was a dependable man despite his quirks. Following Harrison's lead, Randy was guided to the mansion's main entrance.
When the door opened, a group of four adventurers stood waiting.
They are typical adventurers party: two men, a shieldbearer and a cleric, and two women, a mage and a scout. It was a balanced party, with a mix of front-line and rear-line combatants.
The adventurers instinctively tensed at the sight of Randy's large figure stepping out, but relaxed when they recognized Harrison.
"Apologies for keeping you waiting."
Randy smiled and extended his hand. The four hesitated momentarily before the shieldbearer stepped forward, his face mirroring Randy's friendliness as he shook the hand.
"A pleasure to meet you. I'm Randolph, the eldest son of the Victor family."
"Likewise. I'm Ian, leader of the A-rank adventurer party Steel Lions."
"Oh! You're those Steel Lions! I've heard a lot about you."
"We're honored."
(I see. No wonder the marquis hired them for protection)Randy thought
The firm handshake and their polished demeanor confirmed it: this was no ordinary party. The Steel Lions were well-known in the duchy for their accomplishments.
It seemed the marquis had spared no effort. Even though the Victor family's own knights would have sufficed for most tasks, he had gone as far as hiring renowned adventurers for the journey from the port.
Of course, it wasn't just the adventurers providing security.
(So, the marquis's "shadows" are here too.)
Randy's keen senses picked up on multiple subtle presences in the vicinity. His eyes scanned the area briefly, giving a nod to the layers of protection a great noble family would employ.
(They look capable. Well, that's to be expected for the marquis's standard.)
As Randy let his attention wander to the shadow guards, Ian raised an eyebrow and spoke up.
"So, what business does a viscount's heir have with us?"
Realizing he'd been caught daydreaming, Randy quickly refocused on Ian, who wore a puzzled expression.
His tone and demeanor were polite but carried an undertone of curiosity.
"Oh, nothing much," Randy said, shrugging. "I just wanted to meet some adventurers."
He continued, a playful grin on his face. "You see, we're the family in the countryside here. I've never actually seen adventurers before."
Behind him, Harrison stifled a laugh, muttering, "What a blatant lie." Randy silenced him with an elbow to the ribs, then turned back to the Steel Lions with a cheerful, "Thank you for humoring me."
Both statements—Harrison's and Randy's—were partly true and partly false.
Randy had wanted to meet them, but his claim about never having seen adventurers was a lie. He had encountered adventurers many times during his time in the kingdom. However, he had never interacted with those of such high caliber.
There was only one reason he'd wanted to meet them today:
To gauge the capabilities of adventurers deemed worthy of guarding the marquis. The demand for materials from the Demon Forest would only grow in the near future, and Randy would need skilled people to harvest them.
While his knights could continue handling some of this work, relying on them indefinitely wasn't feasible. Adventurers would play a crucial role in securing these resources.
(These guys look like they are good match with our knights. They should be able to handle it.)
Based on his initial assessment, Randy was confident that the A-rank Steel Lions could deliver results even in the Demon Forest. That made this encounter worthwhile. Now it was just a matter of seeing them off properly, ensuring a good working relationship for the future.
"We'll likely need a few days for our business negotiations. In the meantime, please feel free to stay at an inn in town."
Randy smiled warmly, but the adventurers exchanged puzzled glances.
"Lord Randolph, may I ask you something?"
Ian turned back to Randy, his gaze sharp yet respectful. Randy noticed a faint but unmistakable fire in his eyes as Ian continued.
"When people here refer to 'Young Master,' are they talking about you?"
Ian's words carried a faintly probing tone, as though testing Randy. For a moment, Randy's brow furrowed slightly in response.
(What is he getting at?)