The two remaining Custodians, Rorik and the bearded young man, glared at Charles, ready to attack again.

Rorik gripped his short sword tightly, while the younger one brandished a dagger, circling slowly to flank him.

Charles knew he was at a disadvantage: his energy was low after using 30% on the electric burst that knocked out the lean Custodian.

'Shit, Lira's gonna string me up if she hears about this,' he thought, sweat trickling down his forehead.

He was weighing whether to dodge or risk another attack when a clear, calm voice cut through the silence like a knife.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Nora's voice was low but firm, as if whispering directly into the Custodians' ears, though she stood several meters away, emerging from the trees in her black Master-rank tunic, its golden stripes glinting under the moonlight.

The Custodians froze, clearly caught off guard.

Rorik lowered his sword slightly, while the bearded one turned his head toward Nora, eyes narrowing.

"Miss Nora!" Rorik said, his tone a mix of respect and urgency. "We've caught a spy! This guy was sneaking around the restricted zone, spouting nonsense about 'taking a walk.' We need your help to detain him!"

Nora raised an eyebrow, looking at Charles with an expression that blended amusement and confusion.

"A spy?" she repeated, her tone dripping with disbelief. She gestured at Charles casually. "You're saying he's a spy?"

The Custodians nodded vigorously.

"Exactly!" the bearded one said, pointing his dagger at Charles. "He doesn't know squat about the clan's main area, and he's using weird tricks. He just took out one of ours with an attack that didn't look normal! He's an infiltrator, I'm sure of it!"

Nora went quiet for a second, then, to everyone's surprise, let out a short laugh that echoed through the forest.

"A spy? Seriously?" she said, covering her mouth as if trying to stifle her amusement.

She crossed her arms, feigning exaggerated calm.

"Guys, I think there's a misunderstanding here. This guy's not a spy. He's… my personal errand boy."

Charles's eyes widened, incredulous.

'What the hell is she talking about?' he thought, feeling a mix of relief and embarrassment.

Errand boy? Seriously?

The excuse was so ridiculous he almost wanted to laugh, but Nora's serious look kept him quiet.

The Custodians looked equally baffled, exchanging confused glances.

The bearded one frowned.

"Your… errand boy?" he said, clearly skeptical. "What's your errand boy doing in a restricted zone?"

Nora shrugged, keeping her tone cool but commanding.

"Duh, I sent him to fetch my favorite dessert," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Told him he'd find it at a shop around here. Right, Rian?"

Charles blinked, still processing the lie.

'This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard,' he thought, but he nodded slowly, playing along.

"Uh… yeah, sure," he said, his tone forced. "The dessert. That's it."

From the ground, the lean Custodian, barely recovering from the attack, staggered to his feet, clutching his chest with a pained expression.

"That makes no sense!" he growled, pointing at Charles. "He said he didn't know what the clan's main area was! What kind of errand boy doesn't know something that basic? He's suspicious!"

Nora eyed him for a moment, and Charles could swear he saw a flicker of disappointment in her eyes.

Then she sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Because my errand boy's… kind of a dumbass, okay?" she said, her tone blending exasperation and amusement. "He's always forgetting stuff like that. Right, Rian?"

She shot him a look that screamed 'play along or you're dead.'

Charles pressed his lips together, feeling his ego crumble.

"Yeah, I'm… a bit scatterbrained," he said, his tone barely hiding his frustration.

He was a Cole, part of the family that supposedly led the clan.

How the hell could he be anyone's errand boy?

The idea was absurd, but to his surprise, the Custodians seemed to ease up a bit.

Rorik fully lowered his sword, though he still eyed Charles with suspicion.

"Miss Nora," Rorik said, his tone more respectful. "We understand you're vouching for him, but… he claimed he's a Cole. We need to verify his background. If he's an impostor, it could be a serious issue."

Nora raised an eyebrow, clearly annoyed by their persistence.

"A Cole? Of course he's a Cole," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Can't you see his eyes? Blue, like every Cole. What more do you need? A certificate signed by the council?"

The bearded Custodian frowned, still gripping his dagger.

"We're just doing our job," he said defensively. "If he's a Cole, we don't want trouble, but we need to be sure."

Nora sighed, crossing her arms.

"I'm taking full responsibility for him," she said firmly. "If he turns out to be a spy—which he's not—you can come for me. Clear? Now leave him alone and get back to your posts."

The Custodians exchanged glances, clearly not fully convinced, but Nora's Master rank outweighed their doubts.

Rorik grunted, sheathing his sword, while the bearded one tucked his dagger away with a slow motion.

The lean Custodian, still wobbling, clenched his fists, visibly pissed about being taken down.

"I don't like this," he muttered, glaring at Charles with hatred. "That attack of his wasn't normal."

Nora ignored the comment and stepped closer to Charles, leaning in to whisper in his ear.

"Tell me where you were going, quick," she said, her tone low but urgent.

Charles discreetly pointed in the direction of the blue arrow still glowing in his vision.

Nora nodded, letting out a long sigh.

"Alright, come with me," she said, starting to walk without looking back, ignoring the Custodians' stares.

Charles followed, still processing what just happened.

'Errand boy? Favorite dessert?' he thought, feeling a mix of relief and annoyance.

Nora's excuse was so bad he couldn't believe the Custodians bought it.

But as they walked away from the confrontation, he heard the Custodians' voices fading behind them, talking among themselves.

"You believe them?" the bearded one said, his tone irritated. "A Cole as an errand boy? That doesn't add up."

"Exactly," the lean one growled, still clutching his chest where the attack had hit. "Unless that guy's got no talent. A Cole with no skills, stooping to be a Master's errand boy? Ridiculous."

Rorik, the leader, let out a dry laugh.

"Or maybe he's got a crush on her," he said, his tone mocking. "Didn't you see? The way he looked at her when she backed him up. Bet that idiot's head over heels for Nora."

Charles, still within earshot as he walked with Nora, felt his face burn with embarrassment.

'A crush? Seriously?' he thought, clenching his fists. 'This is the worst.'

The idea that anyone thought he, a Cole, was chasing after Nora like some lovesick puppy was mortifying.

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