The Knight Commander of the Second Male Lead [Novel] Chapter 83

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 83

Chapter Title: The Sage's Dangerous Glasses

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Nina patted him and fell deep into thought.

'Hmm... The story is diverging more and more from the book I read.'

By now, she could see why his personality was a complete one-eighty with the glasses on versus off.

The longer this situation dragged on, the more deeply it must have taken root.

'Those glasses were a dangerous item.'

She understood why Kiril was so averse to the Isle of Sages.

'But did his master really make those glasses with such intent?'

She hoped not.

People get hurt as much as they love, and the one who loves the most ends up hurt the deepest.

When Randell spoke of his master, there had been affection in his voice.

So...

Nina lightly wound one of his curly golden hairs around her finger. Unlike Adrian's straight locks that fell smoothly, these had a soft, fluffy texture.

"Aigoo, what's this now."

Nina eyed the bead bulging from his pocket. It was securely wrapped in the hood, but it looked uncomfortable.

'Should I take it out? It'll be fine, right?'

He wouldn't drop dead just from her touching it.

She didn't want to handle it, but leaving it stuffed in a sleeping man's pocket didn't sit right. She could at least tuck it into the nearby nightstand.

Nina gently tugged the hood. A pretty one adorned with a blue star.

'I should make him one later.'

Nina lifted the fragment—hood and all—and placed it straight into the nightstand.

It stung like static electricity, but she couldn't tell if it came from the fragment or just a real spark.

Nina checked if Randell had woken. He was snoring peacefully, face serene.

No signs of nightmares.

Relieved, Nina slipped out of the room and headed for Adrian.

When she arrived, Adrian was already poring over the stack of documents Jack had brought. Nina marveled at his speed.

"Back already?"

"Already? The moon's high in the sky."

"..."

His phrasing felt off, but there was no nitpicking it. Nina sidled up behind Adrian and looped both arms around his neck.

"Something written in there?"

"Take a look."

He flipped open one of the notebooks he'd sorted and held it up for her to see comfortably.

"Says he got a spirit fragment from the heretics. Just a piece of it."

"A piece?"

Nina snatched the notebook and straightened up.

Diary or doodle pad, it didn't matter—there were notes on contacting the heretics, spotting the shard of the corrupted spirit lord, and receiving a portion of it.

"Ah, so the main body's elsewhere. But even a piece feels that repulsive? Hate it, seriously."

And it meant the heretics already had their hands on a fragment.

'We need to bolster our forces even more...'

Maybe she should actively track down Fiona too.

'As long as I'm alive, we won't be short on power.'

"Young Master."

"Why?"

"The Paradive prince—are you backing him?"

Adrian, gaze glued to the papers, finally turned to her.

"Why?"

Nina answered his question earnestly.

"Don't we need ties to high places? Handy to have allies at the top, right?"

And above a duke, only the emperor remains, no?

"Not yet."

Nina backed off with a meek "I see." Politics was Adrian's domain, far beyond her own grasp.

Jack spoke to Nina.

"Found the sage's luggage inside too."

"Oh, really? Thanks."

Jack grinned at her words—"This much is nothing"—then sobered.

He rubbed his stubbly chin.

"And the investigation you requested. About any dead bodies."

"Yeah."

"Plus, you said you'd explain later."

"Ah."

She'd asked how to spot heretics.

"This is personal intel I dug up—"

Jack arched both eyebrows at Nina's words.

"Heretics need a necklace to summon Belak, it seems. Special one—you can't call it while wearing it, only holding it in hand."

That's what she'd learned.

Jack's face turned profoundly dubious.

"Personal intel?"

"Yeah."

"I didn't know that."

"Does your ignorance mean mine too?"

"Mind sharing the source?"

"Nope."

Nina added slyly.

"Wasn't a hundred percent sure, so I was verifying. Got nabbed by Benzel... Wait, that guy's cost me twice now."

First Randell, then the heretics.

Maybe "bad timing" was coined for guys like him.

Jack still looked skeptical, lost in thought. He exhaled deeply and met her eyes.

"Fine, my update then. They're dead. Vomited blood out of nowhere. Capital guard blames Belak poison... but..."

"But?"

"Checked the corpse myself—no. Identity confirmed; investigating now."

"Impressive."

Her admiring look drew a grin from Jack.

"It's my trade."

He stared at Nina then. "What?" she prompted, and he asked lowly,

"You really Nina la Del, right?"

Nina blinked—"Huh?"—poised for a quip, but sensed the mood.

She answered straight.

"Yes, Nina la Del."

Jack muttered, "You'd say that..." Nina crossed her arms.

"Problem?"

"Nah, nothing."

Jack waved it off.

"Master, I'll withdraw."

Adrian acknowledged with a hand; Jack vanished into the secret passage.

"What was that?"

Nina tugged at empty air—habit from her twintails, forgotten today.

"If I'm not Nina, who is?"

No one else like her out there.

Nina sighed.

"It's all so hectic."

Adrian closed the documents with a smile.

"Need some comfort?"

"Hmm. Once we're out of the capital with some breathing room, I'll spoil rotten."

Nina patted her cheeks lightly, then turned serious.

"Incidents piling up like this—we won't last. Prince, Benzel, Belak, sages' gathering."

She frowned; Adrian offered,

"Good news."

"What?"

"Reached the Chara viscountcy's dismissed servants—they're willing to rehire. And—"

"They'll work?"

"Yes."

"Wow—!"

Truly a relief; Nina clutched her chest. Hiring's the toughest part.

Swallowing that expense whole? Music to her ears.

Skilled hands make onboarding newbies a breeze.

"Fix the townhouse right, wait on the first harvest."

Rorokomo's coin was nice, but wheat yields mattered most.

'No rushing.'

Haste wrecks nothing good. Craving quick wins? Straight to burnout.

Nina steadied her heart.

"How's Randell-sha?"

She gave Adrian the concise rundown.

"Master talk came from the villain—for now. Truth needs checking."

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Adrian blinked—"What?"

Nina flung herself into his arms, laughing.

"Why the sour face? Hate a sage crashing here?"

"No, not that."

He scooped her up—warm as a child—and sighed.

"Complicated."

"Ask Kiril? Isle of Sages native—she'd know sages better than us."

Adrian eyed her, then chuckled.

"Should."

"Experience is king."

Chattering on, she went fully limp against him.

Adrian soon realized Nina was out cold.

'No wonder she's beat.'

Belak all day, near sleepless night—exhausting.

Gently cradling her, he rose and carried her to her bedroom.

Her steady breaths and solid weight drew an unwitting smile.

One-armed carry, door open, bed laid—boots off, hair unbound.

Dawn light leaked through the curtains.

"Sleep well, Nina."

Blanket tucked, bed curtains drawn.