The Knight Commander of the Second Male Lead [Novel] Chapter 46

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 46

Chapter Title: The Pendulum of Truth

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Randell spat out the words like phlegm, and Nina averted her gaze before looking back at him.

“You seem to be under a misunderstanding. The Duke does, of course, have countless shadows at his command. But he doesn’t share every whisper with me.”

Nina flipped both palms upward and smiled brightly.

“I know nothing of your personal affairs. Nor do I wish to exploit them.”

“How can I believe that?”

“True enough. Without basic trust, what’s the point? So, what exactly do you think I know?”

“……My glasses.”

At his words, chewed out like gristle, Nina let out an “Ah” as she looked at him, then gave a wry smile.

“So you don’t believe what I said back then.”

“It’s odd to act that way based solely on that.”

Nina asked, “Then what do I need to do for you to believe me?” Randell pulled out his pendulum.

Unlike before, his pendulum was now the size of a fist.

He said,

“Pass my magic, and I’ll believe you.”

At that moment, Jin ambled into view from the vegetable garden entrance.

“Nina, the Young Master is almost here—he sent word—”

He flinched upon spotting Randell with the pendulum drawn. As he reflexively yanked out his sword and charged, Nina blocked his path.

“Jin, stay back.”

Jin barely halted in place as Nina raised a hand to stop him. He spoke in a chilling tone.

“If it’s an order to fall back far, I’ll disobey.”

“Disobeying so boldly, my Vice-Captain.”

Nina muttered as much and glanced at Randell. Not even an eyelash twitched at Jin’s arrival.

But Nina’s heart raced.

‘The Young Master is almost here!’

Nina grinned widely, and Randell—caught off guard by the smile—parted his lips slightly.

“My Young Master will be here any moment, so let’s wrap this up quick. Cast that magic.”

“……You sure?”

“Ah, sure, I know there’s a chance you might feign harmless magic and assassinate me while I’m defenseless…… but I trust you, Randell.”

Her tone was light, but the rambling words carried no lightness at all.

Randell was utterly dumbfounded. Jin, with his keen ears, had overheard Nina’s words from a distance and bellowed,

“No way! Don’t make me laugh! Just try laying a finger on Nina!”

Nina waved dismissively at Jin.

“It’s fine, don’t worry.”

Randell, exasperated beyond words, activated the magic as he said,

“You trust too easily—it almost makes me want to mess with you.”

“Make me cry and cling to your legs?”

Randell clamped his mouth shut at her retort. She laughed and shook her head.

“What a cruel guy.”

Like a diviner’s rod, his celestial pendulum began to slowly trace circles in the air.

“Your palm.”

At his command, Nina extended both palms. Randell swallowed the unspoken thought that one hand would have sufficed.

“Say something—anything.”

“I like the Young Master more than anyone in the world.”

The pendulum drew a perfect circle.

“Oh, so that means it’s true? Hm. Then: Nina la Del is a man.”

This time, it simply swung left to right in a straight line.

“Fancy magic. I’m a spirit sorceress. Correct. I’m the cutest thing in the world. Wait, it’s true! Even the magic knows I’m adorable.”

Randell replied with extreme reluctance.

“Because you believe it. Truth and falsehood are subjective propositions.”

Jin gritted his teeth, enduring how Nina’s back-and-forth kept sapping his strength.

“Then: Nina la Del has never heard Randell’s personal affairs from the Duke.”

The pendulum traced a circle.

“Nina la Del has pried into Randell’s personal affairs.”

This time, it swung side to side.

Nina looked at Randell. He stared blankly at his own pendulum. Smiling, Nina closed her eyes and declared brightly,

“I’m certain that even after all these events pass, Randell and I can still become good friends.”

A circle.

Randell bit his lip.

“I……”

“What are you doing?”

Nina’s eyes snapped open at the voice.

Randell witnessed every change up close.

Like tossing logs onto a dying campfire, brilliant light flooded her face in an instant. Her dilated pupils brimmed with joy, shining like the morning star.

“Young Master!!”

Ignoring Randell entirely, Nina bolted straight for Adrian.

She skidded to a halt just before him, then flung herself into his arms with a fierce hug.

“You’re here? You came so fast. Jin just relayed that you were close.”

“I came ahead on my own a bit early. There’s business to discuss with my aides before the rest arrive.”

Adrian wrapped both arms around her waist. He fixed Randell with an unabashed stare and asked,

“Who’s this?”

Randell pocketed his pendulum.

He met Adrian’s gaze without flinching.

Jin scratched his head furiously before sheathing his sword.

“Captain.”

He called softly to Nina.

Nina started, “Oh, right—guest present,” and tried to pull away from Adrian’s embrace, but he held fast.

“Young Master?”

“……”

Adrian gazed down calmly at Nina’s puzzled face.

“Close your eyes.”

“?”

Puzzled but compliant, Nina shut her eyes. Adrian studied her neat silver lashes before averting his gaze and releasing her.

“So?”

Nina opened her eyes and launched into a swift explanation.

“This is Great Sage Randell, who came all the way from the Isle of Sages to assist with the Violet Forest research. And this is Duke Rubaenu.”

“I’d have recognized him without the intro.”

Randell flashed a smile, pulling his glasses from his pocket and slipping them on.

‘Now that I think about it, even without the glasses, his personality isn’t as rotten as I expected. The novel painted it far worse.’

That harsh depiction came years later, when he’d meet the original heroine Fiona. Did his temperament plummet in the interim?

Nina resolved not to base her judgments on the original story.

‘More than that, I figured he wore glasses because he hated his own face—but there must be more to it.’

If that were all, he wouldn’t have reacted with such fury.

Nina gave Adrian a light poke. The host ought to introduce himself.

Adrian placed a hand lightly over his right breast and said,

“Adrian Lakan Rubaenu.”

“Randell.”

“Randell-sha.”

Randell let out a small chuckle at Adrian’s address.

“That’s what they called me on the Isle of Sages when seeking wisdom. Randell suffices now, Duke.”

“I am seeking your wisdom at present, so it fits.”

“What does ‘sha’ mean?”

Randell answered Nina’s question before Adrian could.

“It’s an honorific for a teacher, Lady Nina.”

“I see. Then that’s the proper form.”

Adrian took her arm and told Randell,

“Apologies, but I have urgent matters to discuss with my close aides. Please excuse us. Forgive the impropriety.”

Randell lowered his eyes wordlessly. Nina gave a casual “See you later” and followed Adrian out.

“What’s going on, Young Master? Hehe, Young Master. Young Master~”

As Nina pressed close to him, Adrian’s lips curved faintly. Jin grabbed her nape like prying off a clingy cat and tugged her away.

“What did you come to say?”

Adrian replied curtly.

“He came with me.”

Jin scowled—what nonsense is this?—while Nina cocked her head.

“Who? Mr. Poko? Did you find the pure adamantite? Negotiations go well? Well, that explains coming together. Huh? What about the others?”

Nina fired off questions in a barrage. Adrian answered each in turn.

“Found the pure adamantite. Negotiations succeeded. The rest stayed at the final fortress. It’s the closest spot from there, relatively.”

“But mining pure adamantite means watching for Belak too, right?”

“No Belak around the mine. Just need escorts on the routes in and out.”

“Really?”

“Yes. The pure adamantite’s aura keeps them at bay.”

“Fascinating.”

Nina beamed with satisfaction.

“Still, the idea of forging weapons from it sounds great.”

“It’ll take considerable time. We have the formula, but no one’s actually forged it before.”

“Ah…… Yeah, that’ll be tough.”

Ordinary heat sources couldn’t melt the ore. Boosting firepower required the transparent fruit Nina had discovered.

“So Mr. Poko’s the key asset, then? Why’d he come?”

“To procure necessary equipment. And keeping him separated from the artisans benefits us.”

“Understood.”

Nina nodded deeply, then peeked slyly up at him. She rose on tiptoe to draw nearer, and Adrian bent his head down.

“What?”

His hair brushed her forehead.

“But…… did you really rush here alone just to tell me that?”