Chapter 82: The Wrong Answer’s Better Than the Right Answer (1)

“I regret it.”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

The sun was clear in the afternoon even though it was winter. Almost 15 days into the journey since the departure, everyone had stopped to enjoy a meal. Javier, who was picking at his food with his spoon, blurted out something. Lloyd tilted his head to the side.

“Regret it?” asked Lloyd.

“Yes, I regret it.”

“Regret what? Do you regret being born?” Lloyd said playfully.

Javier replied with silence.

“If not, do you have a concern on your mind or something?” Lloyd asked again.

“No, nothing is bothering me. But…”

“But?”

“It dawned on me that I had spent too much time lazing around the past year.”

“Laze around?” asked Lloyd, one of his eyebrows lifting up.

“I have overlooked my sword training too much,” said Javier as he clenched the spoon in his hand. Fixing his gaze at the soup growing cold in the bowl, he added, “To be completely honest, I would like to express my apology to you, Master Lloyd. That is, about what happened back in Cremo.”

“In Cremo?”

“Yes, the night when we fought against the Gigatitan.”

Javier lifted his head and stared at Lloyd.

“I took off with a bold declaration that I would go and battle the Gigatitan,” Javier explained. “But I was far from enough. I wasn’t strong enough. As a result, you had to take the matter into your own hands, Master Lloyd. That put you in great danger, and you almost died in the process,” said Javier grimly.

“Aha. So you’re reflecting your behavior, yes?”

“Yes.”

Javier spoke and nodded. He was sincere about it.

“Had I been stronger or could suppress the Gigatitan on my own, everything would have been different. You wouldn’t have been thrown into danger. That is why…” Javier paused for a second, his eyes glimmering with determination.

“I have come up with a new year resolution.”

“New year resolution?”

“Yes,” said Javier.

“Wow. How grand. So what is this new year resolution you have come up with?”

“Sword master.”

Pfft! Lloyd almost spit out the soup he was eating. Javier maintained his serious gaze as he spoke. It wasn’t that Lloyd thought Javier’s goal was ridiculous. It was never the case. It was the opposite.

His goal this year is to become a sword master? That would be impossible for anyone else, even if they hustled for the rest of their lives. But it sounds like it’s actually going to happen since it’s coming from him. Lloyd indeed felt that way. Javier could actually do it. That happened in the novel.

That’s what’s scary about Javier. An innumerable number of knights had spent their lives in training throughout history, wishing to become a sword master. They risked their lives, fought against each other, and sweated over to internalize the fights on the battlefields. Their lives were literally spent sharpening their swords. And how many of these sword-obsessed people were there throughout history?

I’d give hundreds of thousands probably, but maybe more. On the other hand, how many had rose to become the sword master? Less than 200. Yes, indeed it was. According to the official record written in the Laurasia history book, there were exactly 179. Historians said that the number would increase to less than 300 if they included ambiguous records and unverified stories. So throughout history, there were less than 300 sword masters with only 179 of them who were verified.

That’s about the same number as the amount of kings in Korea during the Goguryeo, Shilla, Baekje, Goryeo, and Joseon periods. The number of sword masters in Laurasia history was similar to the number of kings in the history of South Korea, excluding the years in Gojoseon, Samhan, Gaya, or Buyeo, whose records were relatively lacking.

That’s how strenuous it is to become the sword master. And here was Javier, who set such an extremely laborious feat as his “yearly resolution” and vowed to work hard for it. Had anybody else said it, it would have made them as nutty as a fruitcake. But given that it was coming from him, it didn’t sound like a joke.

What a monster. Lloyd was lost in such thoughts when Javier’s grim voice pierced into his ears.

“I shall endeavor my best to achieve the goal, so that I won’t be surpassed by you.”

“Eh…? Me?”

“Yes.”

“What about me?” Lloyd asked, curious.

To this, Javier replied with nonchalance in his voice.

“You have already created the triple circle and reached the level of owning a manaheart on top of that.”

“Oh, yes, I did.”

“I thought to myself that Master Lloyd may appear slow, dull, and dispirited on the outside, but in fact, he’s actually a genius in sword fighting.”

“What?! Slow and dull?” Lloyd’s brow twitched.

“If we’re only looking at sword fighting, yes, that was definitely the case,” replied Javier as if he was saying an objective fact.

“After all, you weren’t a quick learner or exceptionally strong or fast. To be a little more exact, you were below average.”

“Don’t you think that’s the case because you’re setting the standard as yourself?”

“Anyway, it looked like so to me.”

“It’s like I’m talking to a wall…” said Lloyd.

“What’s important is that I was wrong for thinking such. Truly, I never even imagined that you would create a manaheart in less than a year after you start training.”

“Huh. Is this where the conversation’s going.”

“Yes, so I’ve been feeling panicked that I will be surpassed by you, Master Lloyd.”

“What?!”

Hey, mister knight of the blood and iron. There’s no way that would happen. Lloyd wanted to tell Javier that he wasn’t a genius. He was simply developing things like the Asrahan Core Technique into a skill to invest in RP and enjoy speedier growth than other people. Lloyd could never catch up to Javier no matter how hard he trained. Never. Not in his lifetime. That was true even though he came to possess the triple circle and his triple mana blast was stronger than Javier’s.

I mean, mine is just strong in its output. But it’s nothing compared to Javier, who can make good use of it. It was true. There was no point in comparing in the first place. Basic stamina and strength, overall physique, mana employment skill—which reminded Lloyd of a solo guitar performance by Jimi Hendrix, reflex sense, ability to use strength, balance, employability, combat caliber, experience, fighting spirit, and overall technique… Javier was better in all of the categories. Analogizing it to a car, Javier was a 31st-century Formula-One car that was advanced and futuristic. Whereas he’d be…

A 20th-century Daewoo Tico with a fighter jet engine. Lloyd was equipped with the triple circle and mana blast, but he couldn’t control it. It was like a lottery. That was the objective evaluation he had given himself. So you got nothing to worry about dude. But of course, Lloyd didn’t say it out loud. There was no reason for him to tell Javier about the RP. Instead, he decided to leave his knight in his misunderstood state of crisis.

It’s only a win for me if he trains hard and becomes a sword master early. Javier was burning with a zeal to get better, and Lloyd stole a smile as he looked at him. It began to snow in the afternoon, and the journey toward the royal capital resumed.

♣

The journey ended quickly with no incidents or accidents. The only event worth mentioning was how one of the royal delegation members had been healed from terrible insomnia. It was the result of them overhearing Lloyd’s lullaby service. Anyway, ten more days passed, and at last, the whole delegation arrived at Magenta, the royal capital.

“You will have an audience with Her Majesty right away. You are aware of the proper manners you must keep during your audience with the queen, yes?”

“Of course.”

Lloyd and Javier followed the royal messenger. The royal capital was a city of red and white. Nearly all the walls of the building were painted in warm beige color, while the roofs were made out of reddish brown tiles. The path that led from the outskirts of the royal capital to the palace was wide and immaculate.

But the shape of the royal castle is a bit strange. Lloyd threw his gaze to the distant royal castle as he walked through the path with the royal messenger. The palace had odd architecture. He had a vague image of the palace since he had read the description in The Knight of Blood and Iron. But the actual building held much more uniqueness than the novel had described.

It looks like a half-buried egg or a bunker in Supercraft. It was round, smooth, and flat. At the same time, there was something heavy about its appearance. Overall, it was as if a round and flat bunker was expanded hundreds of time. There were a multitude of different architectural characteristics from previous decades, including identifiable shapes distinct to Middle Age castles. Such piqued interest must have been noticeable to the others. The royal messenger, who was walking ahead, spoke.

“Are you thinking that our palace is shaped in a special way?”

“Yes. Yes, I am,” said Lloyd.

“Understandable,” the messenger said as he let out soft laughter.

“Everyone thinks the same when they see the palace for the first time. Antic and special. Nothing like a typical palace. Tell me, did you think such as well?”

“Not to such an extent,” denied Lloyd.

“I had heard rumors about it.”

“Then have you heard why the palace was built in such a shape?” asked the messenger again.

“Yes.”

Lloyd nodded his head, recalling the portion of the novel that briefly mentioned the palace.

“I heard that it’s because the palace was built hundreds of years ago. Was it around the time when this city was called ‘Taliano’? I heard palace got plucked by the same dragon twice during that time when it was under the unfortunate rule of an idiotic king.”

“You are right. The history books speak of the absolute shock of the incident. And so, the royal castles built during the times took such a shape.”

“Was it to not get ‘plucked’ by dragons,” questioned Lloyd.

“It seemed so. Flat and round. No area to be grabbed. I heard that was the trending style in those days.”

“And that royal castle is the last egg-shaped castle that still stands to this day, am I right?” asked Lloyd.

“Haha. I see that you studied your history well. I like you more the longer I’m with you.”

“You exaggerate,” Lloyd answered modestly.

Lost in the conversation with the messenger, Lloyd found himself near the royal palace in no time. The delegation went through a set of complicated procedures before entering the place. Next, they headed right to the audience room, and it was only when Lloyd put on the new clothes that he realized he was in the royal palace.

Whew… Lloyd would be meeting the monarch soon. If Count Cremo was a big shot, the person he was about to meet was the most powerful individual who had the whole kingdom under her thumb. In other words, she was Lloyd’s VVVIP with the most money.

Time to shine. Lloyd repeated in his head the temperaments and characteristics of the queen, which he had read in The Knight of Blood and Iron. Scenarios Lloyd had played over and over again on the way here flashed through his mind one more time. Now, he inspected for the last time the grand plan he yearned to actualize. Some moments later, the monarch, at last, entered the audience room.

“Presenting Her Majesty the Queen!”

Lloyd instantly got on his knee and lowered his head. He heard the sound of the door opening. The sound of confident footsteps. And the sound of someone sitting on the throne. At last, a clear and energetic voice rang aloud in Lloyd’s ears.

“Lloyd Frontera and Javier Asrahan, lift up your gazes.”

Lloyd lifted up his head and saw a pair of black leather boots beyond the red carpet. He then saw the brown leather pants of rough texture. A used long sword was wrapped around a firm and slim waist. His gaze traveled up to the modest outfit, strong upper torso and shoulders, and immaculate neckline.

The last that came into his view was the face of a woman who seemed to be in her late 30s. She had red hair, which rippled like a blaze of fire. Her emerald eyes brimmed with confidence and dignity, and they shone brightly against its blazing color. The moment his eyes locked with hers, Lloyd almost let out a gasp of admiration.

She’s incredible. The monarch of this kingdom, and one of the two sword masters. The ruler of indomitable spirit, Alicia Termina Magentano. She exuded significantly more dignity and confidence than what he imagined from the description in the novel. It was even more so in the case of her voice.

“Are you Lloyd Frontera?” The queen asked as she looked down at Javier.

Lloyd flinched. And he said, “All hail Her Majesty the Queen. I, Lloyd Frontera, have come to salute Your Majesty, the rightful owner of all the lands.”

“You are…?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Lloyd Frontera?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Hmm. How strange. From the looks of it, he looks more like a noble,” the queen said as she looked at Javier.

“…”

“Moreover, he seems to qualify to try a duel with me based on the aura I am getting from him.”

This time, Javier flinched as he paid his respect to the queen beside Lloyd. It had been only a few seconds since they met, but she saw through Javier and his level. Truly, Javier thought to himself, she was sharp-sighted, befitting the reputation of the sword master. Queen Magentano lifted her red eyebrows and spoke.

“Regardless, I have heard from the loyal and heartfelt testimony of Count Cremo about your heroic feat. Therefore, I commend the valor and the spirit of sacrifice you have demonstrated in Cremo city. However…”

The queen’s emerald eyes grew serious.

“I never hastily judge a person based on a word I hear from another. I trust only my eyes and nothing else. Therefore, I am filled with greed to confirm your abilities. Starting with you, Lloyd Frontera.”

“By ability, Your Majesty, please enlighten your dull subject what it is you wish to confirm,” answered Lloyd.

“It is simple. I have heard that your civil engineering skills are beyond exemplary. Therefore, you should come up with a wise answer to my question.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I am at your service.”

The queen chuckled softly and asked a question.

“Lloyd Frontera, what do you think is the most urgent construction project that is needed here in Magenta?”

The queen’s smile was now meaningful. She had actually taken interest in Lloyd ever since she read the report from Count Cremo about his abilities.

Prove yourself. Then, I shall personally put you to good use. Queen Magentano stared at Lloyd with an answer in her mind. Her eyes flashed with a yearning to have a young talent around her. But, right at this moment, she was absolutely clueless as to what was happening. Lloyd was under her feet, respectfully looking down as he bowed his head. But he was smiling satisfyingly.

The time has come. It was just as he expected. Lloyd had analyzed over and over again his travel here. He went over whatever he could remember about the novel and inspected the rumors and records regarding the royal palace he had gathered. And so, the queen’s most wanted construction in the royal palace was already at the back of his mind. And now, the queen was asking the very question he had come prepared for. It felt like he was taking a final exam that only had questions he studied the night before.

So now, it’s time for me to grill her. The corners of Lloyd’s lips rolled slightly upward, and he wet his lips. He placed more force on his tongue.

“To dare answer your question, Your Majesty…”

Lloyd slyly began to speak. The queen was the biggest client of his in the entire kingdom, and Lloyd made his bid for victory to get construction requests by fulfilling all her desires.