Chapter 181: Father’s Waiting (1)
“Bibeong!”
As always, Bibeong’s vigorous shout resounded across Frontera county, the eco-friendly alarm welcoming the morning. Count Frontera’s heart thumped faster than usual as he met the morning. The day he had been waiting for was finally here.
Today is the day.
The count lifted the warm teacup a maid brought for him and looked out the window. It was softly snowing outside. His bedroom window offered a panoramic view, from the cozy garden all the way to the hill leading up to the manor. Since it was the season when branches went bare, the view was clearer in his eyes. The count was glad it was so because it meant a higher chance of spotting his son returning home.
He would likely be back by today.
Just then, Count Frontera recalled the homing pigeon that had arrived at the manor a few days ago. It contained the letter formed by Count Namaran, and it shared that Lloyd and Javier left Namaran city and were expected to arrive at Frontera fiefdom sometime soon. Count Namaran also expressed his deep gratitude to Count Frontera.
I never expected my son to go through such an event there.
Count Frontera’s eyes grew serious as he recalled the content of the letter. His son had left for Namaran City, saying that he would be back in no time after finishing the construction project. So, it was beyond Count Frontera’s imagination for Lloyd to go through such a terrible event there, that is, eliminating a group of dark magicians and fighting against Hell’s Knight.
Lloyd clutched the enemy’s leg, an enemy that even Javier couldn’t handle so easily… Whew.
What if things went wrong during the fight? The mere thought of it made his heart sink. Sure, Lloyd had merited another accomplishment now, but it didn’t matter to Count Frontera. Accomplishments or bragging rights were not what he needed. Lloyd was his son, and living a good and healthy life was all the count wanted from him. That was enough.
I should scold him when he comes back.
Count Frontera decided to scold Lloyd to stop getting involved in such affairs from now on and run away when things get dangerous. With that resolve in mind, Count Frontera stayed around the window and skipped breakfast, feeling restless and excited at the same time. He drank another cup of tea instead, but it didn’t quench his thirst. Another cup. Another, and another. The maid entered and left each time, brewing a new pot and taking the empty cups. The morning passed, and the afternoon arrived soon until the short sun of early winter moved southward. Even then, he continued hovering near the window.
Could it be that he’s not coming today? Perhaps he will arrive tomorrow? Or did something happen on his way here? And right around the time Count Frontera started growing anxious, he stopped dead in his tracks and bolted out of the room, taking two flights of stairs to descend down. Passing the main chamber and shoving the door open, he went out of the manor and ignored the maid’s hurried suggestion for a coat. He ran across the garden and looked down at the hill that leads to the manor.
“Oh.”
A carriage was coming up against the snow that had considerably grown thicker, leaving a long track behind its way. It was slowly driving up the hill until it stopped at the main gate of the manor. Just then, Count Frontera let out a squeaky noise.
“Eh?”
His gaze moved to the box seat, and the horseman, who was sitting there, greeted him.
Clack! The horseman happily waved its bony hands and smiled as its lower jaw clacked. Bony hands and clicking jaws. In other words, this horseman was a skeleton soldier.
“Eeeek?”
My son was supposed to be here. Lloyd was supposed to be here, not a skeletal soldier sitting in the box seat of a carriage. Count Frontera was about to sink to the ground in shock when the door opened just in time to save him. If it didn’t, he would have dirtied his pants in the muddy snow.
Click!
“Hmm? When did you come out here?”
It was Lloyd who stuck out his face through the door that opened. He smiled pleasingly at the frightened count.
“U-um, you see,” the count said as he struggled to collect his thoughts. “I came out just now.”
“Did I surprise you? You’re not even wearing a coat in this cold weather.”
“Yes, you see…”
Lloyd was already down from the carriage and near the count. He removed the coat and placed it on the count’s shoulders. The warmth calmed his troubled heart.
“I will be honest with you,” the count said, “I ran out to welcome you, and I nearly fainted in shock. What are those skeletons over there?”
The count pointed at the skeleton on the box seat, but it wasn’t alone. Two files of skeleton soldiers marched up the hill behind the carriage like rows of sausage links. Lloyd shrugged.
“Um, Count Namaran mentioned that he would explain the events that had taken place through the letter,” Lloyd mused. “But I suppose he skipped the part about the Skeleton Corps?”
“S-skeleton Corps?” repeated the count.
“Yes.”
“What is that?”
“My new workers.”
“Those skeletons are your workers?”
“Yes.”
“…”
“They’re friendlier than they appear,” assured Lloyd. “They may be eerie at first, but once you spend time with them, you will get used to their company. What’s more, they are hardworking and never slack off. Oh, allow me to introduce you, the one sitting on the box seat. That’s Turtle Neck, the leader of the Skeleton Corps.”
Clack! Turtle Neck waved its hands happily at the count. Lloyd then pointed to the rest of the skeletons.
“The two standing in the very front of each line are Square Jaw and Frozen Shoulder. As for the others… I have yet to memorize them because their names confuse me,” said Lloyd.
“…”
“Anyway, do not be afraid. They don’t bite.”
“…”
Count Frontera thought to himself that they looked like they would bury people alive, not bite, at one false move. He strove hard to push away the eerie feeling. Just then, Lloyd’s face grew serious, and he looked back. The count wondered if there was more to see than the current group of skeletons.
Smirking at the inside of the carriage, Lloyd said, “Hey, don’t you think it’s time for you to come out?”
But no one answered. Lloyd’s smile grew more mischievous.
“Hello?” asked Lloyd, “Are you possibly embarrassed?”
The count wondered who else might be there. That was when he realized that he hadn’t seen Javier. It was a cloudy and snowy day, so the inside of the carriage was hardly visible. Unable to make out who was in there, the count narrowed his eyes to slits. Just then, a cynical response came from the inside.
“Embarrassed? That’s a misunderstanding.”
“Then?” asked Lloyd.
“I was rearranging my skirt.”
“To look pretty?”
“Certainly. I’m trying to mind my manners toward my lord, whom I am meeting after a long while. I could never show such an untidy appearance in front of him.”
With that, Javier stepped out of the carriage. Count Frontera’s mouth hung wide open in sheer shock. But he wasn’t alone. The servants and maids that followed him and the countess that rejoiced in the return of her son from afar suddenly felt as though the world around them had become blindingly bright at the sight of Javier.
Oh, everyone exclaimed. The world was such a beautiful place. They wondered if it was the weather that was bright. That was how gorgeous the sight of Javier getting off the carriage and straightening the hem of his modest dress was. The way he got down on his knee and paid his respect to the count. His appearance, the wig, the apron, and the old shoes were all modest, but they hardly mattered. Javier was ravishingly gorgeous. A simple bow made him glow to the point that nearby onlookers were abruptly overcome with the desire to be crushed between the small wrinkles on his forehead. In short, everyone who stood outside the manor was lost for words at the sudden appearance of Lady Ella.
“Knight Asrahan, I am honored to be in your presence.”
“Oh… mhm.” Cough! Cough! Flustered, Count Frontera broke out into a coughing fit. Lady Ella, no, Javier rose and stood up after paying his respects to the count. He then strode past everyone, still speechless and flustered to the core. Before anybody could stop him or ask any questions, Javier entered the main gate as though he was fleeing the scene. He crossed the garden and hurriedly entered his chamber in an annex building of the manor. A second after he set foot there, he threw the wig and dress into a garbage bin to make sure that they would be unwearable in the future.
“Whew.”
Javier sighed, wondering what led him to do such a thing. Just then, he recalled what happened earlier in the morning. It was the last morning of their journey to his fiefdom from Namaran. Just like always, he tidied up the campsite, and that was when Lloyd approached and asked if he had forgotten anything with a suggestive gaze. Subsequently, he swayed that despicable wig and dress in front of him. Javier couldn’t fight. He had made a bet. A promise had to be kept.
There won’t be any reason for me to wear those clothes now.
Never again. Javier would make sure that was the case. He resolved so as he stared at the wig and dress crumpled inside the bin. Then he sulked inside his room all day, never setting even a toe outside.
The following morning rolled around.
“Hey, Lady Ella.”
“…”
“Lady Ella?”
“…”
“Sir Asrahan?”
“Yes, what do you need?”
Javier’s reply was icy. Lloyd grinned at his attitude.
“Did what happened yesterday upset you a lot?” asked Lloyd.
“Not at all. I was not upset.”
“But your door was locked. I came over at night to sing a lullaby for you since it had been a while.”
“I was sleeping,” said Javier curtly.
“Really?” asked Lloyd, raising his eyebrow.
“Yes.”
“But I heard you sigh.”
“I must have done so while I was asleep.”
“No, it couldn’t be,” Lloyd rebutted. “I heard a shaky sigh coming out of your nose like you were trying to hold back your anger.”
“I must have been having a bad dream,” retorted Javier.
“Like what?”
“Like meeting Master Lloyd in my dream. Or talking to Master Lloyd in my dream. Or eating with Master Lloyd. Or being near Master Lloyd. Or spotting Master Lloyd from afar. Or hearing news about Master Lloyd. Or seeing a cow dung that resembles Master Lloyd. Those kinds of dreams.”
“…”
“Should I go on?” asked Javier.
“Yes, it’s very interesting. It sounds like just hearing me breathe is enough to offend you,” said Lloyd.
“I see you’re aware of it.”
“Yes, that is why it is so fun to tease you.”
“Is that so?” asked Javier. “Master Lloyd, you must be thrilled.”
“Why would I be?”
“For you will be stripping the bachelor title you have been holding for the past 27 years soon.”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
Lloyd cocked his head. He was still single and didn’t even have a girl he was interested in, let alone a girlfriend. So, what was the knight talking about? Javier gave a chilling response.
“Soon, it will be another year, and you will be in your 28th year of being single.”
Lloyd was too shocked to speak.
“Congratulations in advance,” said Javier.
“Ah, yes. Thank you. I’m crying tears of joy,” said Lloyd dryly.
“Not at all.”
“…”
Lloyd felt like he messed with the bull and got the horns. Or as though he threw a tiny marble and then was socked in the gut with a shot put ball. Forcing a bitter smile on his face, Lloyd spoke.
“So, do you feel better?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, a little bit.”
“Yeah? Then let’s go.”
“Where to, Master Lloyd?”
“To the construction site.”
Lloyd spoke as he straightened his collar to block the cold wind. He had fully recovered from his travel after taking a day off yesterday. It was time to do the work he had been pushing off.
“The apartment complex and major sewage system. I received the report from Sir Bayern last night, but I should check with my own eyes.”
While Lloyd and Javier were out in Namaran, Sir Bayern accomplished numerous things. He reported to Lloyd that he had done an excellent job in finishing the apartment complex and the sewage construction.
“So, let’s go see for ourselves.”
Starting that day, Lloyd inspected the apartment complex and main sewage system for the next five days, making sure that everything was built according to the original design and no defects were found. Lloyd inspected the whole place with a fine-tooth comb, even using the surveying skill. The result was highly satisfactory.
Good. I think I can give it 90 points out of 100.
The apartment complex pleased him very much. Those who live upstairs might experience some inconveniences taking the stairs, but it was good enough shelter from the rain and cold. Just like that, people started to move into the apartment complex. The elderly and those with disabilities took the lower floors, while the relatively young and healthy individuals took the upper floors. The units weren’t particularly flashy or large. The structure simply allowed them to sleep inside. But that alone was enough to make them rejoice as they had lost their homes after being stricken by the Monster Domino phenomenon. The event led them to reside in a refugee camp with harsh living conditions for over a year. But now, they finally owned a house that allowed them to stay guarded against the rain and wind.
Well, taking the stairs will surely be a bother, but for now, this should be enough. And once things get a little better for them, they can build their own houses and move out of here.
And when the complex units became empty, Lloyd could turn this whole building into a dorm for the engineering corps and guards.
But that will happen later. As of now, I’ve overcome one major obstacle.
On the final day of the move-in, Lloyd threw his body on the bed, completely drained out and exhausted. Though he was fatigued, he was content. He must have received thousands of thank-yous in the past few days from refugees who were joyful to get a home for their new life. It was his first time receiving so much praise and gratitude.
Well, it kind of makes sense.
If someone suddenly came up to him and handed him a key to a free studio apartment out of goodwill when he was living in a room rental in Korea, he would have been overwhelmed with gratitude too, just like them.
I’ve done a good deed. And it’s going to benefit me in the future.
Now that they had all moved into the apartment complex, they were no longer refugees. They were now proud residents of Frontera county.
And all of them will pay taxes.
A lifetime pension. The thought of it made him smile ear-to-ear.
Ahh. Great! The refugee problem’s been solved. I won’t have to worry about the fiefdom’s finances for the time being, thanks to the money and jewels from Namaran. Well, well, looks like all that’s left is to sit back and enjoy life.
There weren’t any large construction projects or turmoil in his future. He would just enjoy a quiet and luxurious life. Resolving that, Lloyd was able to fall asleep soundly. And the following day, Lloyd welcomed the envoys of Queen Magentano, which were dispatched to depart for the sultan’s kingdom.