Volume 1 Chapter 12 Randy, Behind You
While Randy was meeting with the adventurer, Elizabeth was enjoying a long-awaited conversation with her parents.
At first, she had been hesitant, but now she felt sorry for trying to take all the responsibility on her own after understanding her parents' feelings.
(If Sir Randolph hadn't contacted me...)
From what she heard, the Marquis family was incredibly angry, and there was even a possibility they might rebel against the royal family and other central nobles. With just one choice, she could have turned her beloved family into traitors. The thought shook Elizabeth, and at the same time, her gratitude towards Randy grew stronger for preventing that.
──You are not abandoned by the world. And you, too, have not abandoned the world
She remembered Randy's words.
Indeed, as Randy said, Elizabeth's world (her family) had not abandoned her. And she herself could not abandon her world (her family) either.
Feeling both embarrassed for being seen through and overwhelmed with gratitude, Elizabeth enjoyed a quiet conversation with her parents.
Apologies for worrying them.
That she was doing well.
And most importantly, about Eleonora.
Her parents were surprised by Eleonora, but after greeting them, she promised, in Eleonora's name, that she had no intention of doing anything to Elizabeth.
Just as her parents were starting to accept the irregularity that was Eleonora...
"Harrison! Bring me my wooden sword!"
A loud voice echoed, shaking the entire mansion.
Without a doubt, it was Randy's voice, and just as Elizabeth and her parents rushed out of the reception room, wondering what was happening...
She locked eyes with Alan, who had also peeked out from the next room.
"Oh, don't mind me."
With a strained smile, Alan said, but Elizabeth's father, Lord Lucian, shook his head and stepped into the hallway, saying, "No, this is not just anything."
Following Alan, who looked resigned, the 3 of them, along with Keith, who appeared silently along the way, headed out through the front door of the mansion.
What Elizabeth saw outside was Randy glaring at a man who seemed to be an adventurer.
* * *
Let's rewind a bit...
"Young master, are you referring to Sir Randolph?"
At that strange title, Randy turned around. In front of him was Harrison, trying to sneak away.
"Hey, where are you going?"
At Randy's chilling voice, Harrison replied, "I just need to use the restroom," and ran off as fast as he could.
"That guy..."
Randy muttered, and Ian let out a small sigh.
"We've heard a lot from Lord Harrison on the way here. 'Our young master is as strong as a demon'..."
The word 'interest' appeared in Ian's narrowed eyes. However, Randy had no obligation to respond.
"Harrison is just lying."
Shrugging, Randy turned away, but Ian's provocative voice echoed behind him, "Is that okay?"
"What do you mean, okay?"
Randy turned around, thinking he had seen this before, but instead of a lovely woman, there stood an older adventurer.
"If you back down here, people might say 'The Victor family is cowardly.'"
Randy felt a mix of understanding and annoyance at the man's words.
(He's really interested in provoking me, huh?)
Randy wasn't unfamiliar with the desire for strength. He understood why Ian was so fixated on it, and he was also aware that part of it was his own fault.
Elizabeth had said it too; normal nobles don't bow their heads to commoners.
If the strong man he had heard about from Harrison was actually acting foolishly when they met, it was only natural to want to test if it was true.
Still, it was a hassle. Randy wanted the man to give up, but he scratched his head at the slight mockery reflected in the man's eyes.
(Miss Elizabeth might be right; maybe he's underestimating me.)
With half interest and half disdain, Randy let out a big sigh in front of Ian. He didn't care if he was underestimated, but he couldn't stand the thought of the Victor family and the people working here being looked down upon.
(I guess I have no choice. Considering the future, I should give him a little warning.)
Randy sighed again and narrowed his eyes.
"Are you sure you won't regret this?"
"Of course not."
Ian nodded, and Randy smiled back, shouting, "Harrison! Bring me my wooden sword!"
His loud voice shook the mansion, causing birds to fly from the trees and making the inside of the mansion suddenly noisy. Feeling the commotion behind him, Randy turned back to Ian.
"A wooden sword, huh──."
Ian's expression seemed to say he felt underestimated. Randy just snorted and didn't respond. After a moment of staring each other down, Harrison came running from a distance, holding the wooden sword and panting.
"This, this heavy thing, please spare me!"
Harrison's face was tense as he approached, and Randy glared at Ian while accepting the huge wooden sword.
Though it was called a wooden sword, it looked like a log with a handle attached. To Randy, it was a masterpiece he had painstakingly crafted, inspired by baseball bats and practice wooden swords from his past life, but it still looked like a log with a handle.
"A, a wooden sword?"
"Yes. It's my personal one."
Randy easily rested the oddly shaped wooden sword on his shoulder.
"So? What are the rules?"
Randy smiled, and Ian tightened his previously dazed expression. However, he couldn't hide the nervousness in his voice as he said, "W-we'll keep going until one of us faints or says they give up."
Randy nodded in agreement with the rules, and Ian took a big step back, holding his sword in one hand. It seemed he didn't plan to use a shield. Maybe he felt he couldn't block Randy's heavy weapon with a shield, or perhaps he was just confident.
But Randy had a wooden sword too. He thought it was fair for both of them, so he didn't bring it up. To be precise, it didn't matter whether he had a shield or not, so there was no need to mention it.
"Harrison, you're the referee."
At Randy's firm words, Harrison sighed and stood between the two of them.
"Rules are to either make the opponent unable to fight or to make them say 'I give up.' No killing for either side, got it?"
Harrison's voice made Randy and Ian nod.
"──Now... let's begin!"
The match was over in an instant.
At the signal, Randy closed the distance in a flash.
His step was like a rumble from the ground.
Gathering energy like a log, Randy swung down with one hand from a high position──
──He stopped just a few centimeters from Ian's head.
The delayed rush of air made Ian's short hair and face flutter.
From the leap to the downward strike, it was truly a moment.
Ian, unable to react at all, stared wide-eyed at the log coming toward him.
"What will you do? Do you want to keep going? You can use a shield if you want."
With Randy's changed tone, Ian could only blink in confusion. Still, he trembled slightly, his dry lips quivering.
"...I-I give up."
At Ian's strained voice, Randy laughed and lowered the wooden sword to the ground. He then placed a hand on Ian's shoulder, whispering with a smile.
"You were lucky. I sometimes mess up and can't stop it."
At Randy's mischievous words, Ian shook violently and collapsed. As his friends rushed over to help him, Randy elegantly bowed and said, "Well then, I'm off."
(If I scare them like this, the adventurers coming in the future won't act foolishly in town.)
Satisfied, Randy nodded to himself, thinking he had prevented future troubles between the adventurers and the townspeople. However, he was unaware that he had "gone too far" with his intimidation.
"Wow, as expected from the young master."
As Harrison approached, rubbing his hands together, Randy frowned deeply.
"Harrison. Come train with me tomorrow morning."
"Whaaat! W-Why?!"
"Do you think you can serve Victor's vassals if you call me 'like a demon'?"
"Please, spare me!"
"Don't worry. I'll make sure to stop just in time."
"But you just said you wouldn't stop!"
"There's no way that's true. It's just a scare."
Randy laughed mischievously, but he had forgotten one thing.
"Um... young master. The ladies are already──."
"Huh?"
When Randy turned at Rita's voice, he saw his father Alan with his head in his hands and Keith smiling for some reason. And there stood the shocked Elizabeth's mother and her daughter.
"Ah, ahahaha. How embarrassing..."
Even as he hurriedly scratched his cheek, it was too late. Seeing the dazed expressions of the Marquis couple and Elizabeth, Randy let out a deep sigh.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)