Liz and Cedric were reunited after a long time apart, they spent hours reminiscing about old memories and catching up on recent events. Their conversation was lively, filled with endless topics to discuss.
However, as with all enjoyable times, the hours seemed to fly quickly. The view outside the window had shifted from the golden glow of dusk to the deep navy of night.
"It's already this late, isn't it?" Liz murmured, glancing out the window. She smiled regretfully, realizing she couldn't stay any longer.
Cedric, clearly disappointed, spoke up. "You're right. At the very least, let me take you to your inn. Miranda—"
At his call, Miranda nodded and opened the door, leading the way downstairs.
By the time they stepped outside, the sun had fully set. The only hint of daylight was the faint blush of crimson lingering on the western horizon beyond the city walls.
"I didn't realize how late it had gotten," Liz said apologetically as she looked up at the glowing streetlamps.
Then, tilting her head curiously, she muttered, "Huh?"
"Randy? Were you waiting for me?" she called out joyfully as she spotted him under one of the streetlights.
As Liz ran over to him with a bright smile, Cedric's expression turned into a deadpan.
"No way," Randy snorted, scratching the back of his head. "I just happened to be passing by, that's all."
But Liz, now standing before him, peered at him closely.
"Did something happen?" she asked, pressing him for an answer.
Liz muttered under her breath, "Ellie said she caught a faint scent of blood."
Liz's expression turned to one of concern. Randy frowned and ran a hand through his hair. "It's nothing. Just playing with stray dogs."
"That's…" Liz started, but she stopped herself, looking slightly guilty.
"Don't worry about it," Randy reassured her firmly. "It's not your fault. It's the fault of whoever sent them."
With that, Randy turned his gaze to Cedric, who was still wearing a neutral expression.
"I'll take over from here," Randy said, bowing gracefully in the manner of a noble.
Cedric, managing to keep a polite smile, nodded stiffly. "I see. Then I'll leave her in your care."
Internally, Randy couldn't help but admire Cedric. Despite his obvious feelings as a siscon brother, Cedric didn't let them show.
"Randy," Cedric called out just Randy was about to leave.
"Yes?" Randy paused, glancing back.
"This is a message from my father. He said, 'It would be difficult to guard at an inn.'"
Cedric handed Randy a letter sealed with the wax insignia of the marquis.
Randy opened it to find a single piece of paper, with what appeared to be an address written on it.
The implication was clear: from now on, Randy and Liz were to use this residence as their base and go to the academy from there.
(Seriously? Are you sure about this?) Randy thought, suppressing a wry smile.
The marquis had arranged for a proper, secure residence to ensure Liz's safety. But still, the idea of a young woman sharing a roof with a man—no matter how trustworthy he was—was bound to raise some eyebrows.
Cedric, seeing Randy's expression, shook his head. "Don't worry. I've already arranged for personnel to staff the house. There's a knight as her guard and a maid as well."
Even as he said this, Cedric's dissatisfaction was evident.
It was clear that, as Liz's doting older brother, the idea of her living under the same roof as a man was hard to stomach.
Still, Cedric knew that the marquis had a point. After the recent attempt on Liz's life, they couldn't afford to be careless.
"Understood," Randy said. "For now, I'll head back to the inn to cancel my stay and get my belongings. Would you mind escorting Liz to the new house in the meantime?"
At this suggestion, Cedric's expression visibly brightened, practically glowing with enthusiasm.
"Of course! Let's go, Liz!" he said, eagerly taking her hand.
As Cedric led Liz away, Miranda gave Randy a polite bow before following them. Watching the two head off, Randy quickened his pace toward the inn.
———
Later, on the ride back from dropping Liz off at the new residence, Cedric gazed out the carriage window at the lights of the capital.
"Lady Elizabeth seemed to be enjoying herself," Miranda remarked.
"…She did," Cedric replied absentmindedly.
Miranda sighed. "And that's precisely why your marriage prospects keep falling through."
"W-what do you mean by that?!" Cedric shot back, flustered.
With a look of exasperation, Miranda turned to Cedric, who pouted in response. It was true—Cedric, a hopelessly doting brother, had ruined every potential match by derailing the conversations into endless boasts about his sister, Liz.
"Please take this seriously. The Marquis household rests on your shoulders, Lord Cedric."
"Yeah, yeah," Cedric replied dismissively.
When it came to his sister, he turned into a completely useless man. But to Miranda, who had accompanied him for years, this was an oddly adorable side of him.
"Still," Cedric said, gazing out the window again, "he really is an interesting young man."
Miranda hesitated before responding. "…Yes, he is."
"Miranda, do you think you could beat him?" Cedric asked playfully.
"Don't joke," she replied immediately, shaking her head.
"Ha! I thought so," Cedric laughed, glancing back at her with a teasing expression. But his smile faded as he added quietly, "Neither could I."
What lingered in his mind was the bottomless presence of the young man named Randy.
Cedric had heard from his father, Lucian, about Randy's reputation as a genius who trashed the A-rank adventurer 'Steel Lion.'
But when Cedric first met him, Randy appeared so ordinary that he'd doubted his father's words.
That impression changed entirely during their encounter.
Cedric, for testing the validity of Lucian's claims, launched a single, deliberate strike.
If Randy was as capable as rumored, how would he handle it? But to Cedric's surprise, Randy didn't even attempt to dodge.
The strike stopped just short of Randy's face, but Cedric knew in that moment that Randy's true strength was unfathomable. The handshake they exchanged afterward sealed the realization.
In that fleeting moment, Randy released a sliver of killing intent—so overwhelming that Cedric understood immediately:
I can't win.
If Cedric had followed through with his strike, it would have been him lying on the ground.
On top of that, Randy had not only assessed Miranda's strength at a glance but had also dealt with the assassins lurking since morning as if it were nothing.
Although Cedric hadn't witnessed the events firsthand, Miranda's explanation confirmed Randy's extraordinary abilities.
It was painfully clear to both of them: while they could gauge his power, Randy's full capabilities remained a mystery.
"I used to think I was pretty confident in handling dangerous situations," Cedric said with a sigh.
"But there's always someone stronger." He smiled wryly at Miranda.
"Indeed. I had my confidence shattered not long ago as well… and now, I feel like I'll never recover."
Though Miranda's face remained expressionless, Cedric could tell she was pouting slightly.
"Harrison Walker, was it?"
"Yes."
During their mission in the Hartfield County, Miranda had been part of the Marquis's shadow forces, opposing a faction of the kingdom's Dark Side.
There, she encountered Harrison, a figure she'd never heard of before—yet his abilities were undeniably among the best she'd ever seen.
For someone like Miranda, who was well-versed in the notable names of knights and adventurers across kingdoms and empires, Harrison's unknown status had been shocking.
And just as she was grappling with that revelation, she met Randy.
"Harrison was extraordinary, but Lord Randolph…" Miranda paused, searching for the right words. Finally, with slight hesitation, she said, "If I had to put it bluntly… he's a monster."
Her statement made Cedric laugh bitterly. "To think he'd leave even you speechless. A monster, huh?"
Repeating the word, Cedric looked back out the window. "His strength is undeniable, but I underestimated him in other ways."
Cedric recalled their brief meeting and conversation.
Beyond Randy's physical prowess, there was his keen insight—he had seen through Cedric's character, the test Cedric presented, and even the Marquis's intentions.
"I'd heard he was a simple countryside boy," Cedric murmured.
He never would have guessed that Randy, with his rural upbringing, could navigate the intricacies of noble schemes and power plays.
What surprised Cedric even more was Randy's disinterest in leveraging such knowledge.
"No… perhaps he simply doesn't need to," Cedric muttered, his lips curling into a faint smile.
What lingered in his memory was the overwhelming killing intent Randy had shown—enough to make one's blood run cold.
"A man who understands the ways of nobility yet possesses the strength to crush them outright… It's hard not to envy that," Cedric admitted with a wry smile before adding, "But I have no intention of losing to him."
"Randy is truly exceptional—peerless, even. I'll admit, he's someone I can trust with Liz's safety."
Though reluctant, Cedric nodded in acknowledgment. Miranda sighed in exasperation.
"Then why didn't you say that to Lady Elizabeth? You should've praised Lord Randolph properly."
Cedric smirked mischievously. "I already said I don't intend to lose… as a man."
"That's the Cedric I know," Miranda replied with a satisfied nod.
But then, narrowing her eyes, she added, "And as her brother?"
Cedric avoided her gaze, muttering under his breath.
"What was that?" Miranda pressed.
"If I praised him in front of her, Liz would fall for him even more!" Cedric finally burst out.
He continued, "Did you see her eyes? She's already practically in love with him!"
"Practically? I'd say—"
"And Father already sang his praises to Randy! If I joined in, Liz would—"
"She already has—"
"I can't hear you!" Cedric declared, covering his ears.
Miranda sighed deeply. Cedric was an exceptional master and friend, but when it came to his sister, he was hopeless.
But, Miranda doesn't know that Cedric only shows his true side to her, a side that he doesn't even show his family.
And the meaning behind it..
Neither Miranda nor Cedric realized it yet..
——
At that moment, the "monster" Randy, whom Miranda and Cedric had both acknowledged, was…
"Excuse me, could you help me? I'm looking for this address," Randy asked a passerby.
He was lost.
The rustic, country-born Randy had no idea how to navigate the sprawling capital.
Clutching the letter Cedric had handed him, he wandered aimlessly, stopping strangers to ask for directions.
"What? I went the wrong way? That drunk guy gave me completely wrong directions…"
Despite their differences, Cedric and Randy shared one common trait: a freak with adorable clumsiness
——
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