Chapter 104: Magentano Carry (2)
[Your dire wish has activated a title.]
[
What is this…
Lloyd paused for a second in front of the message that appeared before him. He wondered if this was what it felt like to spot a hopeful torch from an unexpected search party.
Ding Dong.
[Magentano Carry]
[Title Level: The unofficial history of the kingdom]
Faster than anyone else, you have arrived. The poison hungry for my heart, you have plucked. Without reservation, you have left your mark on my heart. You have gasped for air in place of my breath. Your eyes trembled in place of mine. You have even tried to sacrifice your life to save mine. At last, your back carried my body, and you protected me with an indomitable spirit. My dear brave Frontera. How can I ignore you? How can I forget you? My soul is indebted to you for as long as your breath lasts and your heart beats.
[Compliment Effect: As the lifesaver of Queen Magentano, you have her absolute trust. Your opinion and advice will be positively received. Moreover, for as long as her reign continues, you will never be suspected of treason or rebellion.]
[Title Region: Magentano Kingdom]
[Active Period of Title: Queen Magentano’s reign]
“…”
The message brightly floated in his eyes, and Lloyd lifted his head a little and examined Queen Magentano’s face. She looked contemplative. Then her face began to brighten, and the frown on her face gradually faded. Her furrowed brows softened, and the corners of her clenched lips started to move upward, at last forming a smile. Her gaze toward him turned positive, and Lloyd wondered if her smile was wry.
“Lloyd Frontera. You are truly bold and carefree.”
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude, Your Majesty.”
“Overwhelmed with gratitude…?” asked the queen. “Do you even know what I am about to say?”
“I believe that you shall grant my request,” stated Lloyd.
“Ha! You are full of yourself, aren’t you?”
“Please think of it as my effort to be considerate toward you, Your Highness.”
“How eloquent you are,” replied the queen.
“Once again, I am overwhelmed with gratitude.”
“But what if your presumption is wrong? What if I don’t grant your request?”
“Then, please harshly punish me if that time comes.”
“Tsk. You always have a response to everything, don’t you?”
Queen Magentano scoffed and, at last, gave the answer Lloyd waited for.
“All right Your wish will be granted.”
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude, Your Majesty.”
“No more sweet talk.”
“…”
“I have,” the queen went on, “carefully thought about your suggestion. It is truly clever. I can feel how much you have mulled over how to wheedle me into your plan.”
Her smile turned into a sneer.
“I could tell from the simple fact that I have nothing to lose when I follow your suggestion. On the off chance that the disaster of your claim does happen in the east, my reputation and authority will soar for taking pre-emptive action. Even if your prediction is wrong, I–”
“Your Majesty loses nothing,” Lloyd finished her sentence.
“Correct. I can simply argue that it was a routine military training exercise. And that kind of news could shift the attention of the political circle in the capital from the assassination attempt.”
“Therefore,” asked Lloyd, “how much support does Your Majesty have in mind?”
“I am thinking about 500 directly under my command.”
“By that, do you mean the white cavalry, Your Highness?”
“Indeed. Do you need more?”
“Not at all, Your Majesty.”
He didn’t need more, indeed. The white cavalry, which was directly under the queen’s command, may not be the strongest force in the force, but it was an elite force nonetheless. The cavalry at his side would be more helpful than having thousands of random men. Later on, Lloyd negotiated some more with the queen, particularly about the command of the forces and the length of her support. The talk was kept brief as they couldn’t afford to waste even a single second. Once Lloyd received the promise of assistance from the queen, he hastily returned to the barony. The first thing he did to that end was wake Javier and Julian up.
“Is it true…?” Javier asked.
“Very much so. You think I’d be making such a fuss right now if it wasn’t?” Lloyd said.
Lloyd had summarized the information he had taught the queen, and the two of them instantly grimaced despite the grogginess.
“I see. We must depart now, then, I suppose,” said Javier as he flung himself out of bed. He then began to pack his bag for the trip. Julian did the same, too.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“Huh?” Julian asked as he paused packing.
“I said, what are you doing?” asked Lloyd again.
Julian was following Javier’s lead and packing his things, albeit clumsily. Lloyd grabbed him and asked a question, to which Julian answered matter-of-factly.
“I’m packing. Why?”
“Why are you packing?” Lloyd asked as he stared at Julian’s eyes.
“What do you mean? I’m going as well.”
“To the barony?”
“Mhm.”
Julian nodded, his voice assured and firm.
“It’s my home and my fiefdom. You said it was going to get dangerous. I’m going as well. I’ll protect the fiefdom with you guys.”
“Tsk. Don’t even try.”
Grab! Lloyd wrenched the bag out of the boy’s embrace. Julian was startled, and before he could fight back, Lloyd spoke first.
“What if you tag along, and all of us die?” “What’s going to happen afterward?”
“What…?”
“Think about it. Imagine what could happen if we went back to the barony together. What if something goes wrong, and everyone in the fiefdom perishes? Who’s going to continue the family name then?”
“…”
Julian seemed to have understood at last. Lloyd spoke to him.
“That’s why you have to stay. There has to be at least one person left in the family to carry on the family name. Don’t you think so?”
“Um, but…”
“Listen to me, Julian.”
Lloyd lowered his back a little, coming down to Julian’s eye level. He then stared at him intently.
“Our job is to do all the dirty work. And as for you… You stay put. Cheer us from behind. That’s all we need. And if I fall, that’s the time when you should come and take action. Right now, save your energy for when that time comes. Got that?”
“Brother…” Julian muttered.
“What?”
“It doesn’t suit you to be so serious.”
“Dammit.”
Lloyd ran through his curly hair behind with his hand in embarrassment. Meanwhile, Javier spoke.
“Master Lloyd, we’re ready.”
Javier truly was a sword master. He had packed the bags for two at an extreme speed that transcended human capacity. Lloyd straightened his back, looked down at Julian, and grinned.
“I’m off now.”
He carried the bag and turned, feeling relieved about how the conversation went.
Whew. Operation: One Less Baggage was a success.
Lloyd actually feared that Julian would be stubborn about tagging along. That was why he came up with a plan on how to leave him behind in the capital. And thankfully, it worked.
There’s a high chance I might not be able to take care of him once I return to the barony.
It was possible that Lloyd wouldn’t have any free time and have to put his life on the line. And so, taking Julian, who couldn’t even fend for himself, was the same as putting the boy in harm’s way. The others could be put in danger as a result as well. So right now, it was for the better that he stayed in the capital. Feeling relieved, Lloyd stepped out of the lodging, where he found the two promised magical coursers.
“Whoa.”
Lloyd whistled, impressed by what he saw. The two horses were carefully enchanted by a palatial mage. A glowing silver energy swirled around their legs with a half-transparent glimmer.
“Let’s go then.”
Lloyd hopped on the horse before stealing a glance at Julian, who followed behind Lloyd in a hurry.
“See you next time.”
Thwack! Lloyd kicked the horse’s side, and the horse began to gallop.
“…!”
It was an unbelievable speed. Julian grew distant in a second, and everything in front of Lloyd came in hazy and blurry shapes.
Is this some kind of supercar that can go from zero to sixty in three seconds?
Lloyd clenched his teeth as he grabbed the rein. With his body put closely on the horse’s back, a sense of relief flooded Lloyd for having learned how to ride a horse from Javier a little while ago. What was more, this swift horse was smart. She easily avoided and jumped over everything that stood in her way, and she was considerate of Lloyd on her back. So, the terrifyingly fast speed of the trip didn’t shake him much. Lloyd glanced to his side.
“Hey, you okay?”
“Yes, of course.”
Javier’s horse was as good as his. But he seemed to be adjusting to the speed much more smoothly than Lloyd.
“Let’s go then.”
“Yes.”
Gallop! Gallop!
Lloyd and Javier. Their two horses galloped across the main road of the capital at dawn as they left a trace of silvery glitter. Julian waved his hand quietly as he stared at the two growing far. And then his motion stopped, and his hand slowly closed into a fist.
“…”
Julian’s face was stoic, and he unconsciously bit his lower lip.
I guess I’m not much of a help to my brother.
Lloyd had cooed him with good words. He knew where Lloyd was coming from when the latter said that he should stay here to continue the family name. But on the other hand, Julian was quick to catch the meaning Lloyd left behind.
I’m a burden.
Julian wasn’t a fool. There were certain words that didn’t need to be said out loud to be understood. He knew why Lloyd stopped him from going back to the barony with them earlier.
He’s worried about me, that’s true. But it was equally true that he thought of me as a burden.
Julian clenched his fists, but he didn’t do it out of anger.
I feel so ashamed and guilty.
Julian wondered what he had achieved all this while. Javier, who was the same age as him, was already a sword master. Even though he acknowledged that Javier was a rare genius, Julian knew that he had plenty of time to hone his skills, which could’ve been helpful to Lloyd. But he didn’t.
I want to be of help to Lloyd.
To do that, he needed to be good at something. He had to find something he could do. Julian lifted his head with that thought in mind. He gazed toward the road Lloyd and Javier galloped away on and made a determination.
Just wait for a while, Lloyd. I’m going to try as well, so that I can become helpful. Wait just a little more for me.
When that day comes, he would rush back to the barony like Lloyd and Javier did. He would stand tall by their side as they overcame many obstacles in their way. Julian resolutely gritted his teeth under the late summer sky.
Rumble! The horses leaped and galloped, creating a storm of leaves as they sprinted. The magical power of the palace mages was stupendous. The horses barely got tired, and giving about 70% of their maximum speed allowed them to gallop all day long without a break. But that speed was already faster than the full speed of ordinary horses. So, Lloyd and Javier focused on traveling, taking as little time as they could for meals and breaks. The Asrahan Core Technique was now at the triple circle for both, so they were able to pull off such a hectic journey. They galloped on and on toward the east where the sun was rising, toward the barony that was in impending peril. They rushed, ran, and charged for five straight days until they arrived at the border of the barony.
“…”
Lloyd surveyed the familiar land as he heavily breathed. The barony was just as he remembered. The green fields adorned the Maritz land, and the paved road started from there. Three and four villages were adjoined by it, as well as the baron’s manor. The paved road led up to the central plaza, coal mine, and farther east. Lloyd’s gaze traveled farther than that to the mountain range of the east, and he finally gazed at the peak and the sky. It was morning. Supposedly, the sun should be brightly shining over the mountain range, but it didn’t. Was it a dark cloud? No. There was something more black, darker. Something unusual. A giant dark lump was covering the sun, and it was letting out a strange noise more strident than thunder.
Bzzzzzzt! Vooooooo!
Thousands, hundreds of thousands of wings fluttered in the air, and the blaring noise amplified as they approached closer. In no time, the entire swarm of locusts, whose number was too many to count, covered the sky of the eastern mountain range.
“Master Lloyd… What you mentioned… Is that it?”
Could it be because of the unbelievably horrendous scene? Javier’s voice trembled faintly. Of course, Lloyd was the same.
“Are you shaking?”
“A little bit,” Javier confessed. “Do you have any plans?”
“Of course, I do.”
Lloyd did come here with a plan. That was all he had in mind throughout the whole journey. The 500 white cavalry knights should have been marching to get here at high speed. Lloyd and Javier just needed to buy some time until they arrived. The time had come for the two to save the fiefdom as planned.
I can have a luxurious retirement only after I protect this place!
If he failed, he would be reduced to a servant of the queen and spend every minute of his life working for her until he died. Lloyd didn’t like that possibility.
Clank! Lloyd brought out the steel shovel and turned around to face Javier. Their eyes met.
“You will follow me, yes?”
“You know my answer.”
“Then, I will explain more as we run. Let’s go! Hiya!”
Lloyd kicked the horse, and she sped down the hill, entering the Maritz land with much fierceness. And toward the people panic-stricken from the locust plague, Lloyd shouted out the item he had in mind.
“A caldron lid! Give me the biggest one you can find!”