Volume 5 Chapter 37 Since There Are Many Things I Don't Understand, I Thought I Would Ask For Guidance
Randy thought about looking into it, but he didn't really have anyone to ask.
So, he decided to wait and study for his exams until they appeared.
But in the end, they never showed up that day... The next day, he felt okay about finishing his math re-exams, which he usually struggled with.
Thanks to the absence of the watchful eye since then, he could really focus on his studies.
With only a few exams left, he was starting to feel confident.
Liz was supposed to come pick him up around the middle of next week.
And right now, it was just the middle of the week.
With about a week left, there was no doubt he could pass the remaining exams.
It was a smart move to tackle math first since it was his weakest subject.
Feeling relieved, Randy headed home earlier than usual.
He planned to start studying early and make sure to get enough sleep.
Ironically, as Randy began to live a more regular life, his cheerful humming suddenly stopped when he walked through the door of his house.
Something felt off.
And it was just a little bit.
It was like the smell or rather, the air felt different.
He could sense the usual smell of their home was faint.
It was exactly like a wild instinct.
Randy closed the door and carefully observed his surroundings.
The slight sense of incongruity turns into certainty...
(It seems someone broke into my house while I was away.)
Rita has been gone for several days.
The dust must have been accumulating in the house little by little.
Of course, Randy cleans as much as he can, but he's not sure if he could remove all the dust that has accumulated in the corners of the large house by himself.
After all, he prioritized studying at school.
There is very little time for cleaning.
But now, as far as the eye can see, the hall is immaculately cleaned.
Just like when Rita was here.
It's strange that after carefully erasing the traces, Randy ends up feeling uneasy.
Of course, the reason Randy noticed was because he had been waiting.
A house with only him inside—quiet, and unguarded.
A house with no one there to look after is like a request to the people behind the scenes of this world to target it.
Randy felt a sense of relief inside, thinking it was good to have Rita join Liz and the others on the trip, just in case.
He decided to have Rita come along when it was clear that he and Liz would be separated on this trip.
Besides, since Harrison was joining as Liz's guard, Rita would be alone during the day, so it was the right choice.
And recently, the atmosphere around Randy and Liz had been calm, but it seemed that bringing Rita along had worked out well in case something happened.
So, in a way, they were well prepared.
All their important items were in Liz's item box; all that was left at home were a few things needed for school.
Still, the fact that there had been a break-in left Randy feeling uneasy.
For now, to think about what to do next, Randy headed to the living room and sat down on the sofa.
The living room was clean and well-kept when he looked around.
Randy got up and went to the kitchen, opening the cupboard.
Inside, there were familiar tea leaves and coffee lined up.
Everything was just as usual.
The scene was the same as this morning, but he threw all the tea leaves and coffee into the trash.
Since they had already allowed a break-in, all the food and drinks needed to be bought fresh again.
Feeling annoyed by the hassle and the slight sting in his wallet──Liz's favorite tea leaves were expensive──Randy sat back down on the sofa.
(All the things in the house are school-related.)
It seems unlikely that the intruder obtained any useful information.
He wonders what such an intruder will do next.
Even Randy couldn't have predicted that.
First of all, he doesn't know what the other person is up to or what their purpose is.
He heard that the royal family is in a great mood, based on information provided by Principal Lucius.
Strictly speaking, the royal family and the government are separate organizations.
Although the royal family is the head of the government, some authority is given to the Prime Minister so that the government can function even if the royal family is not functioning.
But the current Prime Minister is Marquis Weissman, who was put in place by Cedric.
He doesn't think he will move on his own.
In that case, the only options left are people connected to [North Wall] or other organizations.
Randy sighed and looked up at the ceiling to gather his thoughts.
If they are connected to the North Wall, there seems to be no reason for them to take the risk and break in.
He had already communicated with Cedric about a meeting and shared some information.
Randy couldn't understand why someone would want to invade the home where he and the others lived.
(Unless they are connected to another country... that would be a different story)
Randy continued to think while staring at the ceiling but pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind.
It is true that despite being Arthur's fiance, there is something creepy about her having kept silent up until now.
It would be more convincing if she had abandoned her country and secretly collaborated with the Empire.
However, even if that were true, there was no reason for them to break into this house.
The main players in the talks were Cedric and Catherine, while Randy and Liz were just there to support.
(If they wanted to hold something over Sir Cedric, that would make sense)
Liz, who could be called Cedric's Achilles' heel.
If they came all this way to expose that secret, it would make sense, but there was no reason to hold something over him.
If they had no intention of cooperating with Cedric and were already in touch with the Empire, they could simply end the meeting early and leave.
"Ah, this is no good. I've been doing so much mental work lately that I can't think straight."
Even if he thinks about it, it is nothing more than speculation.
In that case, he has no choice but to ask the other person to come again.
Randy thought so, and went up to his room to make the most of the short time he had before his partner showed up and before dinner.
It's not that the intruder doesn't concern him, but the exam is also an urgent matter.
Since he can't see the opponent and surveillance has increased since this talk started, he can't guarantee the safety of the group heading north.
Of course, with Harrison around, they shouldn't face any major problems, but it's always better to be careful with safety.
In other words, he must absolutely pass the exam and be ready to join Liz when she comes to pick him up.
With all this in mind, when Randy opened the door to his room, he was enveloped by a scent so fragrant that it couldn't be described as just white smoke.
* * *
Before dusk, the royal capital was lively with the voices of people hurrying home and merchants calling out during the busy hour.
It felt as if he had been separated from that liveliness in this quiet residential street.
In a section of the upscale residential area close to the academy, a couple was walking.
To an outsider, they looked like a couple in love, but the cheerful conversation they shared was anything but light.
"...I hope it's activating properly?"
The bearded man said with a smile and a lowered voice, to which the woman walking next to him nodded, "Yes. We've tested it many times."
"Well, we took so much time preparing for this. We really need it to activate."
The man sighed and gently looked away from a woman approaching from the front.
He was being extra cautious, paying attention to his surroundings so that the residents wouldn't remember him, and he lifted his gaze.
What is reflected in his eyes is the rented house where Randy and Liz live.
Several people appeared from another street, late after the man.
They arrived at the site separately and were dressed in a variety of outfits.
Some are dressed in expensive-looking clothes, while others are dressed in work clothes.
Just that alone shows that everyone has made careful preparations to blend into the town and arrive at this place in natural surroundings.
In the royal capital where the dark side roams, if you make any suspicious moves, you will be caught right away.
They look up at Randy's house in silence.
The house is silent and it seems as if no one is there, but the slight presence they sense indicates that Randy is at home.
"He's not moving. Seems to be working fine."
"Of course. It's the latest magic circle developed by the Technology Department."
The man lightly raised his hands and apologized, "Sorry," to the woman who sighed.
But that was just a brief exchange.
The man quickly returned to a serious expression and looked around at everyone.
"We don't have much time. In just a few minutes, the neighbors and the dark side watchers will be back."
Everyone nodded quietly at the man's words.
"Team Two will keep watch, Teams Three and One will follow me."
Without hesitation, the man pushed open the gate and dashed through the small garden.
At his signal, a woman inserted a picking tool into the keyhole of the door.
With almost no resistance, there was a "click," and the man and woman slipped inside the house.
"Still, it was lucky that the dark side has fewer members now."
Another man, sneaking quietly inside, smiled.
As he mentioned, the dark side had been watching this house until about 2 days ago, from a distance.
Because of that, they could only guess the actions of Randy and the nearby residents, but now the dark side had decreased in numbers, causing changes in the wide royal capital's watch schedule.
The reason was simple: due to a royal order, they had temporarily assigned guards to [Celestial Pinnacle].
Their mission? To protect the gold and silver orbs believed to unlock the ancient ruins.
Until Chairman Ralien completely seals it away, the dark side is there to guard it.
By coincidence, Randy's information about the ruins ended up helping the enemy.
Even so, the monitoring around him hadn't been completely lifted.
Even though they've allocated guards to Celestial Pinnacle, there's no way the dark side, which protects the royal family and the royal capital, would leave Randy alone, since he's a person of concern.
But that short time was enough for them.
To create a fleeting moment of vulnerability.
In that instant, multiple men and women swiftly moved in, surrounding Randy.
"As expected, this new magic can put even large beasts into a coma."
The leader nodded in agreement and lifted Randy's head to check.
"I hope he has a good dream before the nightmare that is about to begin"
The man snorted and lifted Randy's huge body.
"Alright, Team Three should work with Team Two and regroup after the distraction."
A few men and women nodded at the leader's brief instructions and then vanished from sight.
After a short while of keeping quiet, the remaining men and women disappeared, blending in with the sound of a distant explosion.
On that day, chaos erupted in the capital's commercial district. A series of explosions shook even areas far from the poor neighborhoods.
It was all part of the plan orchestrated by those who had taken Randy.
The blasts were perfectly timed to draw the dark side and the guards' attention away from him. The men's plan was going smoothly.
They deceived the dark side, quietly kidnapped Randy, and further distracted them with unexplained explosions. Everything was going according to plan.
By the time the dark side noticed Randy's absence, their objective was already supposed to be achieved.
Everything was as planned.
But they did not know.
No, they thought they had thoroughly researched Randy and prepared well in advance.
What they failed to account for was his unmatched experience:
The battles in the Beast Forest.
A fierce duel with an S-rank opponent.
And even the instant defeat of the most recent Inferior Lord.
Their actions were based on a clear understanding of Randy's abilities.
But that was just their conclusion.
The reality was completely different.
They don't know the true value of a man called Randoplh Victor.
It will be some time before they realize that they have invited him into their nest.
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