39. Business as Usual Despite Assassins Lurking Around

"Well then, I'll be off."

"Alright, I'll leave the rest to you."

A lively Liz and a still-sleepy Randy. 

Watching the two off were two others who had become fixtures in their lives.

"Young Lady, take care."

"Young Master, make sure to study properly!"

These words came from Rita, Liz's trusted maid, and Harrison, who somehow had taken on the role of Randy's watchdog.

After Randy finally managed to reach the residence with the address in hand, the two had greeted him at the door. 

They had been worried about his long delay in returning, but when Randy awkwardly explained, "I, uh… got lost," all three of them were speechless.

Randy's attempts to explain that: 

• He didn't know the addresses in the capital.

• A drunkard had given him completely false directions, leading him to wander aimlessly.

Harrison with a look of astonishment, explained helplessly

"Young Master, no one rents a house far away when they're attending a school nearby."

Harrison's exasperated tone was spot-on, as the house was just across the main street from the inn and down a side alley. 

It was practically symmetrical with the academy at its center. Logically, there was no reason Lucian would have rented a residence far away, but Randy had trusted the drunkard's words instead.

"Young Master, you're really stupid sometimes," Harrison remarked, shaking his head.

Agreeing wholeheartedly, Ellie appeared while laughing out loud.

"Not just sometimes, He's always stupid all the time!"

With Ellie delivering on insults, the day turned into a chaotic and lively evening. 

However, the excitement didn't last long. 

Likely exhausted from their exams, both Randy and Liz went to bed early without even celebrating their move.

The next morning was business as usual: Liz was wide awake and energetic, while Randy slept until the last possible moment.

In order to buy this residence, Alan had prepared all the necessary documents, Lucian had provided the funds, and Cedric had taken care of the procedures. 

Though the arrangement was temporary—only until graduation—the residence was under Randy's name, with permission to renovate as he pleased.

(I should at least pay back the money to the Marquis…)

Unlike handling documents and procedures, Randy felt that repaying the funds was something he should do. 

While Lucian would likely brush it off, Randy's pride as a man compelled him to act.

Cedric, on the other hand, would probably have the money ready and repaid instantly if their positions were reversed. This thought only strengthened Randy's resolve.

After all, Cedric was far more impressive than Randy had expected. He didn't want to lose to him—a man's pride.

"So, how was your reunion with Lord Cedric?"

"It was fun. Really fun," Liz replied with a bright smile.

Watching her, Randy felt compelled to tell Cedric, "Good for you." 

If Cedric had had a camera, no doubt he'd have taken countless pictures of Liz.

"And you? What did you think?" Liz asked hesitantly. She was clearly curious about how Randy and her brother got along.

"He's a good guy, and it was fun," Randy said, and Liz's face lit up at his words.

"A good guy, but not just that. He's clearly a genius."

"Yes, my brother is a genius," Liz agreed with a smile.

Randy nodded firmly. His words were no exaggeration—they were sincere praise.

Although Cedric was only about 20 years old, he possessed a level of flexibility and intellect that even Randy—despite his prior life's experience and knowledge—found astonishing. 

Though Randy had lived an ordinary life in his previous world, compared to people here, his accumulation of knowledge and experience was incomparable.

In essence, it was like living a second life.

If Cedric had been born in modern world, Randy wouldn't even come close to matching him.

And then, there was his skill with a sword.

Though Cedric likely hadn't spent his days training in the Demon Forest like Randy had, his swordsmanship was exceptional. 

He was overflowing with natural talent but had clearly worked tirelessly, and without arrogance to continuously refine his skills.

"Both his mind and his swordsmanship—everything about him is first-class. Truly a geniu—"

Randy cut himself off mid-sentence as he was about to call Cedric a genius.

"Randy?"

Liz tilted her head, looking at him curiously. Why he stop talking?

"Well, I just thought… calling him a genius feels too shallow, y'know? Like it doesn't do him justice."

Randy gave a wry smile as Cedric's image came to mind.

Hard work without being too prideful of his natural talent

A hunger for more, never content with where he stood

The charisma of a natural leader.

And broad heart to acknowledge the strengths of others.

For now, Randy felt confident in his own cunning and resilience, but it was clear that Cedric would eventually surpass him. It was only a matter of time.

"I don't really know how to put it, but he's an incredible guy."

"An incredible guy?"

Liz seemed bewildered by the vagueness of his praise. Randy laughed and elaborated.

"He's a 'rule-breaker' in every sense, even while staying within the confines of being a noble. Honestly, if someone told me he'd take over the world one day, I wouldn't be surprised."

Randy chuckled but shrugged his shoulders as if to downplay himself. 

"Meanwhile, I'm the complete opposite—a lawless nobody who stepped out of the noble framework entirely."

"In simpler terms," he added with a smile, "he's the kind of guy that makes other men jealous."

He let out a wry grin as he joked, "And let's not forget, he's good-looking too." 

By then, the bustling main street came into view at the end of the alley.

"My brother would be thrilled to hear that," Liz said with a smile.

"Don't tell him, please. That'd sound like I'm admitting defeat."

Liz smiled knowingly. "Ah, so you're just a little competitive, aren't you?"

She wasn't wrong. Randy did admire Cedric, but he wasn't ready to admit defeat just yet. 

If Cedric grew, Randy resolved to move forward as well.

"Alright, let's get these classes over with so I can drop by the guild later."

"You do need to earn enough to pay Rita and Harrison, after all."

"Oh, right," Randy replied, tucking his shirt into his slacks and letting out a soft laugh. "This isn't much different from living in an inn, is it?"

"Not at all! It's completely different. Now we can even renovate the house. And we'll finally be able to work on those magical tool prototypes we couldn't do before!"

Liz sounded excited, and Randy couldn't help but nod along. 

"Yeah, true. First things first, we're gonnaexpand the baths. Separate ones for men and women."

"That's a great idea! Then Rita and Harrison won't have to feel awkward about using them."

Though conspiracies seemed to be brewing behind the scenes, Randy and his group weren't about to let that disrupt their lives. 

Confirming this resolve, Randy stretched once more and turned to Liz.

"The academy festival's coming up, so it's going to be really busy."

"And right before that, we have final exams," Liz teased with a grin.

"Understood," Randy replied flatly, feigning seriousness as they stepped onto the bustling main street.

———-

"So, you've started living together?"

Cecilia's blunt remark made Liz gasp, her face turning red as she stammered, "N-not at all! We're not living together!"

Cecilia gave a playful laugh at Liz's rare flustered reaction. 

Randy, standing nearby, could only manage a strained smile, knowing better than to get involved. If he said too much, it would only backfire on his face.

After all, the marquis's letter had included a cryptic hidden message in the back:

"I trust you understand what I want."

The weight of the words and the firm handwriting made Randy mutter to himself, "Man, he really dotes on her."

While Liz and Cecilia continued their lively discussion, Randy subtly scanned their surroundings. 

Thankfully, there was no sign of the suspicious individuals from the day before.

(Who were those guys, anyway?)

Among the workers and staff milling about, there were a few who seemed unusually skilled. Most likely, they were operatives from the royal family's dark side.

(Doesn't seem like the dark side sent those attackers, though…)

Judging by their ability, they were comparable to B-rank adventurers. It didn't make sense for the elite dark side—equivalent to A-rank adventurers—to hire someone weaker for an assignment.

"Lord Randolph?"

Randy was pulled from his thoughts by Liz and Cecilia, who were both staring at him curiously.

"Ah, sorry. I was just lost in thought."

"Was it about the attackers from yesterday?" Cecilia asked.

"So you knew about that?" Randy furrowed his brows.

"Of course. I mentioned it earlier…" Cecilia replied with a sigh, before explaining again.

It seemed Miranda had sent one of her subordinates to ensure Cecilia's safety after yesterday's incident. The new maid had even been registered at the academy that morning.

(As expected of him, Cedric really works quickly…)

The exact motive for the attack was unclear, but given the timing, it could've been orchestrated by someone in the beauty product industry. 

If that were the case, protecting Cecilia as a business partner was a right decision.

"So, what were you actually thinking about?" Cecilia pressed.

"Oh, nothing much," Randy said, clearly dodging the topic. 

There's no point of speculating too much. Once Cedric or Miranda received some information, they will probably contact him.

"I was just trying to figure out what to make next."

With the shampoo business now in the hands of others for further development, Randy wanted to create something entirely new.

"I've got this idea… something that can capture a single moment as a realistic image, something called a… camera."

"A camera?" Liz said, she was intrigued.

Randy grinned inwardly, imagining Cedric paying a fortune for pictures of Liz. 

Though he had no idea how a camera worked, he had a vague notion: something about focusing an image through a lens and capturing it on a photosensitive material.

"It's all trial and error, but hey, that's how we made the skincare products too. It could be fun."

Even if it didn't work, no harm done. And if it did work, he'd have something to boast about to Cedric—a thought that made him giddy.

Little did Randy know, this seemingly ridiculous idea would eventually shake the foundations of the church itself.

——

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