The Knight Commander of the Second Male Lead [Novel] Chapter 113

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 113

Chapter Title: Retrieving the Diary

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“!!”

Randell jerked his head up to look at Nina. Nina waved her hand.

“I didn’t read any more. I closed the notebook as soon as I saw that part of the story. I figured you should read it.”

“Okay.”

Randell snatched the notebook from Nina like a hawk and roughly stuffed it into his pocket.

“I need to check the documents first.”

“Okay.”

Nina nodded.

Once back, Randell skimmed through the documents without really reading them, then headed out, saying he needed some fresh air.

Jack asked,

“What did you hand over earlier?”

“Randell’s master’s diary.”

“He won’t be back anytime soon.”

“Probably.”

“Should we go look for him?”

“He usually wants to be alone. And when he’s had enough time by himself and starts wanting company, he’ll let us know.”

“Why do you put up with that prickly mage? Why not just be as casual with him as you are with the Young Master... Hmm. Not casual, huh.”

Jack scratched his chin, and Nina burst out laughing.

“Hmm, maybe because I’ve been matching the Young Master’s pace for so long? It just feels natural... not difficult at all.”

“That’s only because it’s you, Lady Nina. Anyway, we cleaned the place out, so we’d better have something to show for it.”

“Yeah. We need to figure out Taruk’s materials if we’re going to build that mage tower. Randell will be thrilled.”

The two chatted idly as they tidied up their lodging and erased any traces of their presence.

Jack seemed eager to sneak back in a few more times to explore the other labs and map out the castle’s inner layout, but when it was time to go, it was time to go.

Plus, that dream... If it’s real, this whole place is going under, right?

What’s the point of memorizing the layout then?

Who knows what’ll actually happen.

Randell didn’t return even by dawn. Finally, as the next day began to break, Nina went out to find him.

She didn’t even need to ask North Wind where he was. She knew.

The rocky reef battered by crashing waves.

The spot where they’d first arrived.

There stood Randell, staring out at the sea like a statue in the frost.

Nina stood beside him. The waves slammed against the rocks with a deafening roar. White foam surged perilously close to their feet.

“I didn’t read it.”

Randell spoke first. She turned to look at him, but he kept his eyes on the sea. Nina fixed her gaze on the waves too.

“I couldn’t. So...”

He bit his lip.

“I threw it away.”

Nina’s eyes widened.

“Threw it... and now I’m just standing here. Can’t go anywhere. Why? What am I...”

His face twisted in confusion.

“What do I do, Nina?”

“Hmm, let’s go find the notebook first.”

Nina said simply. Randell asked, “How?” as she stepped to the cliff’s edge.

“We fetch it.”

“W-Wait, Nina!!”

Behold, my magnificent diving form.

Nina leaped into the sea in a graceful arc.

With all those rocks below, anyone else would’ve shattered like an egg. But who am I?

My body light, with North Wind by my side?

She traced a longer parabola, clearing the rocky zone before plunging into the open sea.

Alright, now how do I find that notebook.

The waves aren’t deep enough to carry it far; it’ll just get tossed back onto the rocks. It’s not stuck somewhere on the reef, is it?

This is when I envy Adrian’s spirit.

Shadow would sniff it out in no time. Nina surfaced first and waved to Randell, signaling she was fine.

He shouted something, but the waves drowned it out.

From the snippets breaking through, though, it sure sounded like cursing.

“So, who should I ask for help?”

No wind blows underwater.

“Got it.”

Nina grinned fiercely, took a deep breath, and chanted.

Then Nina dove deep into the sea.

Looking around, she spotted something gleaming like a mirror reflecting the light.

That’s it!

Lucky the sun’s up already. Seriously.

Nina swam toward it, nearly smashed against the rocks by waves several times, but finally grabbed the notebook.

Of course, her arm got scraped wedged in a narrow crevice where it was stuck.

Got it!

Nina tucked the notebook into her pocket and swam back to shore. She climbed carefully over the stones covered in slick moss and jagged barnacles, then called North Wind to return to the original spot.

Randell gripped her shoulders tightly.

“Are you insane?! What the hell was that!!”

“The notebook...”

“I don’t need it! Damn it, Nina Randel! Have you lost your mind? Testing if your head’s harder than the rocks? Never thought you’d be that stupid.”

“Randell.”

“If you want to kill yourself, do it somewhere else—don’t jump into the sea because of me.”

“Randell.”

“If you pull another idiotic stunt—”

Nina reached out, covering his mouth, and sighed.

“I’m fine. I jumped because I knew I’d be fine. Sorry, but I don’t think my life’s so cheap that I’d throw it away for your notebook. So how about dropping that self-sacrificing notion of me leaping into danger like a moth to a flame?”

Randell scowled, then let out a sigh.

“In that situation, anyone would think it’s dangerous. And you call this ‘fine’?”

Randell grabbed Nina’s wrist and lifted her arm. Her torn sleeve revealed the wound.

The thin gash wasn’t deep—blood had already stopped—but a red streak lingered.

“Didn’t realize I was so fragile that a scrape counts as life-threatening.”

“Big or small, danger is danger.”

“If it were really dangerous, I would’ve frozen the sea and walked out.”

Randell was speechless. Nina arched a brow.

You have no idea how awesome I am.

Nina pulled the notebook from her pocket, smacked his forehead lightly with it, and asked,

“Apology?”

“Sorry...”

“Sorry for worrying you too. Next time, I’ll tell you first before I act.”

“If you have any sense of timing at all.”

“Don’t worry, it exists. Now, let’s take a look.”

Nina opened the notebook. Somehow magically preserved, not a single letter was smudged or faded.

As Nina read, she handed it open to Randell.

“See?”

“...”

Randell’s eyes slid over the notebook. His pupils trembled faintly. Taking it from her hand, he began flipping through the pages frantically.

Nina stripped off her soaked outer coat and wrung it out.

By the time she’d dumped the water from her boots and squeezed her hair dry, Randell spoke.

“Master wasn’t trying to use me...”

“Yeah.”

“The glasses too, just...”

He frowned.

“Just trying to teach me emotions beyond anger, I guess. Though the settings seem off.”

Not killing all emotions, just tempering the rage.

“Seems like it.”

Randell sighed and looked at her, drenched. He reached out, caressing her cheek.

“You’re cold.”

“Standing here wet in the sea breeze.”

“Lips are blue too.”

“That bad?”

His thumb brushed her lips lightly. It tickled, and Nina giggled.

“That tickles.”

Randell traced her lip’s corner, then squeezed her cheek.

“Jumping into the sea in this weather—course you’re cold.”

“Ow ow, it’s summer?”

“Early summer.”

Randell scooped her up effortlessly and hoisted her onto his shoulder. Light as she was, even a mage like him could manage.

He’d written off her discarded boots as hopeless, soaked in saltwater, and started walking.

Couldn’t make her walk barefoot over rough stones. Nina braced her hands on his shoulders and laughed.

“What?”

“Nina Randel.”

“Why?”

Randell just wanted to call her name. Maybe if he poured every emotion he could muster into it, she’d understand.