Volume 1 Chapter 18 Let Those Who Want To Say It, Say It
The return to the royal capital with Liz, also known as Elizabeth, was surprisingly smooth.
The two were tense, expecting to be surprised at the checkpoint, but the gatekeeper only looked shocked upon seeing Liz and didn't say anything in particular.
"That guy looked like he saw a ghost."
"Well, there were rumors I was dead until recently."
As Liz scratched her cheek, Randy could only nod and say, "That makes sense."
Randy didn't know why the kingdom's government didn't deny the rumors of Liz's death, even though they knew she was alive. He just guessed it had something to do with how unfairly Liz was exiled.
And if someone asked if he was interested in that, he would say no.
The petty schemes of useless people didn't matter to Randy. All he needed to know was that Liz had been exiled and was now allowed to return temporarily.
"So, there were even death rumors. You're definitely going to be a star at the start of the new semester."
"Ugh... Is that sarcasm?"
Randy laughed, snorting, and Liz puffed her cheeks slightly.
"It's my way of cheering you up."
Randy shrugged and looked at Liz with a teasing smile, saying, "I told you not to hold back, right?"
"That's true..."
Even so, Liz continued to puff her cheeks, and Randy awkwardly looked away out the window.
"Enjoying yourself is the best way, no matter the situation."
Even if people point fingers at you, as long as you enjoy the attention, that's what matters, Randy murmured, and Liz finally realized that his "cheering up" was genuine.
"I'll do my best."
With her fists clenched, Liz declared, and Randy chuckled, saying, "You shouldn't try too hard."
With the two of them in the carriage, they were slowly but surely getting closer to the academy.
As they approached the academy, the number of carriages heading that way increased. With the opening ceremony tomorrow, today was probably the peak for returning to the dorms. Seeing the growing number of carriages, Liz's face tightened.
"Don't worry. You'll only stand out at first."
Randy, showing no signs of hesitation, had a bold attitude, but Liz still nodded with a serious expression. No matter how many words were exchanged, feeling reassured was a different story.
Randy understood that, but he opened his mouth again, hoping to help Liz even a little.
"You're not the only one who will stand out; I will too."
Realizing she wasn't alone, Liz lifted her head.
"And──."
"And?"
"Those who talk from far away can only do that. In the end, they have nothing to do with our lives."
Randy snorted, and Liz nodded in agreement. People who gossip don't know anything about Liz, so they can say whatever they want.
"Let them say what they want. They'll be quiet soon enough."
With a mischievous smile, Randy made Liz pout and say, "Violence is not okay."
"I'm not going to do that. It's you, Liz, who will silence them. Remember who you are."
With a furrowed brow, Randy said, "You, who are...?" and Liz whispered, "Who am I...?"
"That's right. She's the daughter of the super scary His Excellency Marquis, and now she's a top civil servant that our Victor is proud of, right? We can't let the others silence her."
Randy continued provocatively.
"You will definitely soar from here again. So, use your skills to shut them up. Blow them away. Make them regret it. Those fools trapped in the past."
Liz, with her lips tightly pressed together, nodded vigorously. Then, with her eyes slightly glistening, she slowly opened her mouth.
"Randy too... Randy too, you will soar from here as well."
Randy shrugged and said, "I don't want to, but I guess I have to."
"A master who is worse than their servant doesn't look good. I'll do my best as much as I can."
As Randy looked out the window, Liz nodded enthusiastically.
The carriage was soon arriving at the academy... Inside the carriage, which felt lighter than before, Liz suddenly remembered something and spoke up.
"By the way, why did you try to stay low-key at the academy, Randy?"
"Oh, that..."
With a wry smile, Randy began to talk while looking out the window about the truth of studying abroad caught between the Dukedom and the kingdom's intentions.
In recent years, the Dukedom had been receiving offers for special scholarships to the Royal Academy.
It was a prestigious academy in a powerful kingdom at the forefront of the continent. Everyone in the Dukedom raised their hands, and for the first few years, they genuinely sent talented children to the kingdom.
However, things changed in the year the first batch of students graduated.
The talented students who studied in the advanced kingdom returned... but contrary to the Dukedom's expectations, the graduates ended up getting jobs as bureaucrats in the royal capital.
And the next year, and the year after that...
Everyone was captivated by the advanced kingdom and refused to return to the Dukedom. There were even rumors that some were so talented that the kingdom headhunted them.
It might also be partly because the Dukedom was sending the children of central nobles──since central nobles don't own territories, there are employment issues for their younger children──but even so, it wasn't good for the Dukedom to lose all its talented people.
The kingdom wanted talented individuals, while the Dukedom didn't want to lose any more. This created the situation for Randy's study abroad.
There was half a hope that, being a territorial noble, he would return.
And half a thought that even if he didn't come back, there were plenty of lesser nobles to take his place.
With such a passive reason for being chosen for study abroad, it was impossible for Randy to feel motivated.
"Even so, it's a school... and a noble's school at that. There's nothing to learn except for competing for status, so why would I be interested?"
"I see. So, did I do something bad?"
Randy snorted at Liz, who looked a bit down.
"Looking back, it was just a childish tantrum. I'm grateful that you made me realize that."
With a smile, Randy said, "A child's tantrum, huh?" and Liz tilted her head.
"Yeah. I was being cynical and letting a good opportunity slip away. It was nothing but a child's tantrum."
Seeing Randy's exasperated face, Liz smiled softly.
"Regardless of the reason, if there's an opportunity, we should make use of it."
The moment Randy said that, the carriage slowly came to a stop. This meant they had arrived at the academy... at its gate.
Light flowed into the carriage from the door Harrison opened.
First, Randy stepped down with a proud attitude, and then
"Hand──."
"It's not unusual for a master to offer their hand to a servant..."
"It's fine."
As if to match Randy's smile, Liz took his hand and stepped out of the carriage.
A clear buzz of chatter arose from the surroundings, and many gazes pierced the two of them. Despite the strange looks, Randy walked confidently down the short path to the reception, with Liz following him like a proper servant half a step behind.
Randy smiled down at the reception desk.
"Second year, Randolph Victor and──."
"His servant, Elizabeth."
The moment Liz introduced herself, the buzz around them turned into a murmur, with words like "He's really alive" and "Who is that?" flying around.
The female staff member at the reception seemed to notice Elizabeth as well. In a fluster, she began checking the documents, saying, "Uh, Mr. Randolph..."
Strange looks pierced his back.
Words reached his ears, spoken freely.
To blow those away, Randy smiled at the reception staff.
"Thank you for your support this semester."
"Uh, yes. Sure."
Under Randy's undeniable presence, the female staff member nodded nervously.
Various people watched from a distance as Randy and Liz completed their registration.
"Wait, what? Why is he here──."
"Elizabeth von Braubelg... I won't let Cathy lay a hand on her."
"Is it really... Liza?"
A turbulent school life was about to begin.
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