Randel woke up before everyone else.
The sun had only just begun to rise above the ruined terrace, its first rays gilding the treetops that had pushed through the ancient stones. Down in the camp, the knights were still asleep—only the sentries quietly conversed by the fire.
He knew where to find Leo.
The Guardian stood at the edge of the terrace, beside the tallest column. His red lenses were fixed on the east.
Randel approached and stopped beside him.
“You’re not sleeping?” he asked.
“I am a Guardian,” Leo’s voice was cold and distant. “Guardians don’t sleep.”
“You’re lying,” Randel smirked. “I saw you sleeping yesterday. Torglin covered you with his cloak.”
Leo froze.
“You…”
“I was training until morning,” Randel interrupted. “And happened to walk past.”
“Spying,” Leo corrected.
“Observing,” Randel didn’t argue. “It’s my job.”
“Your job is to be a prince,” Leo snorted.
“My job is to protect her,” Randel turned to face him. “And for that, I need to know everyone who’s close to us.”
“And what have you learned?”
“That you sleep curled up in a ball,” Randel smiled. “Like a child. And that Torglin calls you ‘my boy’ when he thinks no one is listening.”
Leo spun toward him sharply. The red lenses flashed.
“If you tell anyone…”
“I won’t,” Randel raised his hands. “It stays between us.”
“Why?”
“Because I want you to trust me,” Randel said simply. “And for that, you need to know that I can keep secrets.”
Leo stared at him. For a long time.
“You’re strange, Prince,” he said finally.
“I know,” Randel smiled. “She tells me that every day.”
They stood at the edge of the terrace, watching the sun rise over the forest. Randel remained silent, gathering his thoughts. Leo stayed quiet because he had nothing to say.
“You were talking about your exploits yesterday,” Randel said at last.
“And?”
“I thought about it all night.”
“And what did you realize?”
“That you’re a monster,” Randel turned to him.
Leo froze. Then he laughed.
“Finally,” he said. “The prince figured it out.”
“Don’t laugh,” Randel’s voice was deadly serious. “You killed people in their sleep. You poisoned water. You slit the throats of those who begged for mercy. You—”
“I won battles,” Leo interrupted. “I saved lives. Hundreds. Thousands.”
“At the cost of your honor.”
“Honor?” Leo smirked. “Back to that again?”
“Yes,” Randel stepped forward. “Honor isn’t just a word. It’s what separates a man from a beast.”
“Beast,” Leo repeated. “You’re calling me a beast?”
“I’m calling you someone who has forgotten what honor is.”
Leo removed his helmet. His face was pale, his eyes burning.
“You think I don’t know what honor is?” he asked. “You think I didn’t want to fight fair? To look my enemy in the eye? To die beautifully, like the heroes in ballads?”
“Then why?”
“Because I needed to stay alive,” Leo clenched his fists. “Because if I had died, who would have protected her? Who would have stood guard when you weren’t even there yet? Who would have—”
He fell silent. Turned away.
“You don’t understand,” Leo said. “You’re a prince. You have an army. You have knights. You have her. And I… I only have this armor. And the skill to kill.”
“And your pride,” Randel added.
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“Pride?” Leo smirked. “What pride does a murderer have?”
“You’re proud of your deeds,” Randel didn’t back down. “I saw it. You spoke about them with such excitement, as if they weren’t murders, but victories.”
“They are victories.”
“They’re murders,” Randel shook his head. “And you know it.”
Leo stayed silent.
“You know what?” Randel said. “I want you to become a knight.”
Leo nearly choked.
“What?”
“A knight,” Randel repeated. “In my company. I’ll give you land. A title. Men. And you will fight honorably. Like a true knight.”
Leo stared at him. Then he burst out laughing—loud, genuine laughter that echoed across the entire terrace.
“You!” he said, wiping away nonexistent tears. “You’re offering me a knighthood?! Me?! The one who slits sleeping men’s throats?!”
“Yes.”
“The one who—”
“The one who protected her when I wasn’t there,” Randel interrupted. “The one who gave me his sword. The one who trains my men. You deserve more than to be just a murderer.”
Leo stopped laughing. He looked at the prince.
“You’re insane,” he said.
“I won’t become a knight,” Leo shook his head. “I am a Guardian. That is my place.”
“Then be a Guardian with honor,” Randel stepped closer. “Don’t kill people in their sleep. Don’t poison the water. Don’t slit the throats of those who beg for mercy. Be better.”
“Why?”
“So she can be proud of you,” Randel said quietly.
Leo froze.
“She’s already proud of me,” he said.
“She’s proud that you protect her,” Randel shook his head. “But she doesn’t know how you do it. And if she finds out…”
“She knows,” Leo interrupted. “She knows everything. And she doesn’t mind.”
“Then she also doesn’t know what honor is,” Randel sighed.
“Or she knows what truly matters,” Leo countered. “Lives. Her life. The lives of those she protects.”
“Honor and life don’t exclude each other,” Randel stood his ground.
“You had a chance to test that,” Leo smirked. “Remember? When I challenged you to a duel. You lost. And I could have killed you. Honestly? Dishonestly? What difference does it make? The result is the same.”
“But you didn’t kill me.”
“Because she loves you,” Leo shrugged. “Not because of honor.”
“You could have killed me honorably,” Randel looked him straight in the eyes. “In a fair fight. You chose the dishonorable way.”
“I chose the easy way,” Leo corrected. “Because it was simpler. Faster. More efficient.”
“And you’re proud of that?”
“I’m proud that I won,” Leo crossed his arms. “How — doesn’t matter.”
“It matters,” Randel stepped toward him. “It matters because that’s what makes you who you are. A murderer. Not a warrior.”
“I don’t care about words,” Leo shook his head.
“But I do,” Randel stepped even closer. They were standing almost chest to chest. “I want you to become better. Not for me. For her.”
“I’m already good enough,” Leo snorted.
“You’re a monster,” Randel smiled. “But a monster that can become a man.”
He reached out and pulled Leo into a hug.
The Guardian froze. His entire body tensed.
“What… what are you doing?” he hissed.
“Hugging you,” Randel squeezed him tighter. “Friends hug each other. You are my friend, aren’t you?”
“I… I’m not… let go!” Leo tried to break free.
Randel didn’t let go.
“Let go, I said!” Leo’s voice cracked into a high-pitched squeak.
He jerked, slipped out of the embrace, and stumbled back several steps. His red lenses stared at the prince in pure horror.
“You… you’re crazy!” he shouted.
“I know,” Randel smiled and took another step toward him.
Leo backed away.
“Don’t come near me!”
“I will,” Randel stepped forward again. “And I’ll hug you. Every day. Until you get used to it.”
“I’ll kill you!”
“You won’t,” Randel shook his head. “She’d be upset.”
“Excellent,” Randel nodded. “And now — about arrogance.”
“About what?”
“About your arrogance,” Randel stepped toward him. Leo backed away. “You call my knights mortals, look down on them, and act like they’re dust beneath your feet.”
“They are dust,” Leo snorted. “For someone who has lived a thousand years.”
“Even if you’ve lived a thousand years,” Randel shook his head, “that doesn’t give you the right to look down on them.”
“It does,” Leo crossed his arms. “I’ve watched empires rise and fall. I’ve seen kings come and go. I’ve seen your ancestors crawling on their knees as infants. And now you… you lecture me about arrogance?”
“I do,” Randel didn’t back down. “Because even a thousand years doesn’t make you better. Stronger — yes. More dangerous — yes. But not better.”
“Then what does make someone better?”
“The way you treat those who are weaker than you,” Randel looked him straight in the eyes. “You can be strong and kind. You can be terrifying and just. You can kill and still remain human. But when you look down on others… you become someone who is hated. Even if you’re right.”
Leo stayed silent.
“Remember our first meeting?” Randel asked.
“I remember.”
“You called me an infant. Said I was still learning how to hold a sword, wouldn’t let me near her, and spoke as if I were nothing.”
“You were nothing,” Leo muttered. “To someone who has lived a thousand years.”
“For someone who has lived a thousand years — yes,” Randel nodded. “But not for her. For her, I was the one she loves. And your arrogance was hurting her.”
Leo froze.
“I…”
“You were hurting her,” Randel repeated. “Because she saw how you humiliated me. How you looked down on me. How you called me an infant. And it hurt her. Not for me. For you.”
“For me?”
“She wanted us to get along,” Randel shook his head. “She wanted you to accept me. But you… you were playing the great guardian. And you were hurting her.”
Leo remained silent. His arms dropped to his sides.
“I didn’t know,” he said quietly.
“You did,” Randel stepped closer. “You just didn’t want to admit it. Because admitting it would mean becoming weak. And you can’t be weak. You’re a Guardian.”
He stopped just one step away from Leo.
“But you know what? Weakness isn’t always bad. Sometimes weakness is the ability to forgive. The ability to accept. The ability to be human.”
“I’m not human,” Leo whispered. “I’m a Guardian.”
“You are human,” Randel placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve just forgotten what that means. But I’ll remind you.”
He hugged him again.
“Let go!” Leo roared, but the fury in his voice was no longer the same.
“No,” Randel smiled. “Get used to it.”
Down below, the knights were no longer hiding their laughter.
“My lord… is hugging the Guardian… who nearly killed him… and lecturing him,” Falk said, wiping away tears.
“This is brilliant,” Erhard said. “Absolutely brilliant.”
“This is madness,” Falk corrected.
“This is brilliant madness,” Erhard smirked. “Our lord always knows how to find an approach to people.”
“Even to those who nearly killed him?”
“Especially to those who nearly killed him,” Erhard shook his head. “That’s his talent.”
Up above, Leo finally broke free. He stood there, breathing heavily, staring at the prince with a mix of horror and… respect?
“You… you win,” he said. “I surrender.”
“Excellent,” Randel smiled. “Then let’s have breakfast. And start training.”
“What training?”
“You’re going to teach my knights,” Randel headed toward the stairs. “And I’m going to teach you.”
“Teach me what?”
“To be human,” Randel glanced back. “Come on. Breakfast is getting cold.”
Leo stared after him. Then he slowly followed.
Down below, the knights greeted them with laughter and applause.
“My lord!” Falk shouted. “You’ve tamed the monster!”
“I’m not a monster!” Leo protested.
“You’re a monster who’s going to become a man,” Randel said, clapping him on the shoulder. “Come on, let’s eat.”
Leo sighed. He removed his helmet. His face was red with embarrassment and anger.
“I hate you,” he said.
“I know,” Randel smiled. “She tells me that every day.”
The knights laughed.