Chapter 94: Tattling and Trickery (2)
“Oh, you little boy…”
Lloyd grinned without realizing it. He couldn’t help but feel happy and content as he stared at Julian standing in front of him. But at the same time, a deep sense of embarrassment swelled in him when he thought back to what Julian had just said.
“So you’re not going to hate me anymore?” asked Lloyd.
“Um, no…”
“That means that you used to hate me a lot.”
“Yes, I did,” admitted Julian.
“How are you going to treat me from now on?” Lloyd demanded.
“I… I… Um…”
“With a lot of affection?”
“Um, no. Not like that.”
“Then, how? By being friendly?” demanded Lloyd once again.
“…”
“With a lot of warmth and love and softness?”
“…Ugh, seriously?” Julian spoke as he grimaced.
A teasing smile spread across Lloyd’s face. “Now you know what you just did, eh?”
“Whew, yeah.”
“Really toe-curling, isn’t it?” asked Lloyd again.
“Yeah.”
“I even got goosebumps up to the tip of my toes.”
“…”
“Don’t you ever say something that cheesy again,” said Lloyd.
“…”
“Whew, I thought I was going to get a seizure, really,” Lloyd emphasized as he tapped and stroked his belly.
Even though his tone was teasing, Lloyd didn’t feel offended. In all honesty, Lloyd was instead endlessly elated and delighted. It had little to do with earning a lot of RP. No. Although he was satisfied with the reward of RP in front of him, the contentment in his heart satisfied him much more. At that moment, he suddenly recalled his childhood.
I wish I’d had a younger brother back then.
Anyone with a brother would probably freak out and immediately tell Lloyd to drop the idea, but Lloyd was serious about it because he had grown up as an only child. Throwing a tantrum at his parents became his strategy to make them get him one. He demanded that he wanted to play with someone younger, like the neighborhood kids. One day, he even drew doodles on the wall with some crayons. They were of the popular robot, Gundam. Any boy would have recognized it at the time. About five inches shorter than his height, the robot posed in a V-shaped with his outstretched arms. Lloyd even colored the drawing. That night, his parents came home to a surprising doodle of a robot on the wall, and Lloyd confidently told them that the robot was his younger brother from now on. His parents merely smiled in bitterness and embarrassment without scolding him. He didn’t know at the time, but it was revealed many years later that he was an IVF baby.
Whew… Stop thinking about it.
Sometimes, no, on rare occasions, memories of his past intruded his thoughts, plunging him into unexpected and unnecessary nostalgia. He let out a soft sigh and pressed the pieces of ambushing memories back into his mind. Then, he stared at Julian and spoke.
“Anyway, I’m going back to the barony tomorrow. Oh, that is after I attend an event later tonight,” said Lloyd.
“What do you have later?” asked Julian.
“Oh, Her Highness told me earlier that she wants me to attend a party this evening. She said it’s going to be awesome.”
“A party?”
“Yeah, a banquet hosted by the royal family, celebrating the construction of the bridge. I can already see what’s going to happen there. The orchestra playing music. The nobles wandering around to build connections. Then some rude young noble eventually getting challenged to a duel. It’s the same old same old,” drawled Lloyd in boredom.
“Brother, you have become very imaginative.”
“I’ll take you to mean that I’ve become smart,” said Lloyd. “Anyway, you should come along.”
“Eh? Me too?” Julian’s eyes grew wide.
“Of course,” Lloyd said as he chuckled. “You are the younger brother of the master hand. That alone gives you the right to come. And besides…”
Lloyd’s voice turned meaningful. “You will meet a lot of powerful nobles at this banquet.”
“Um, so that means…”
“There will be families whom I tattled on.”
“Doesn’t that make it a little awkward?” Julian said with hesitation in his voice.
“No, you must attend with your chin held high. You’ve done nothing wrong. You’re the victim. Yet, you’re trying to hide? Nonsense.”
It was true. Julian had to be confident, especially in situations like these. He had to be thick-skinned and callous as if he had a titanium plate on his face.
“So, let’s take this chance to give you some ego. Okay? It’ll make your life easier moving forward.”
“All right. Okay.”
Julian nodded in understanding. Lloyd felt content again, seeing how smart the boy is. He then resolved it in his heart as well.
Tonight’s not going to be a simple celebration. It’ll be something more.
The queen wasn’t clumsy. She would want to keep Lloyd by her side. Whether it be a magnificent position or a jaw-dropping prize, she would offer him such sweet rewards in exchange for making him stay in the capital. That was why she called him up here and tested his abilities in the first place.
I, too, am not going to go so easy on her.
Lloyd’s dream remained the same. He wanted to become a rich man. He didn’t want to suffer anymore. He didn’t want to work too hard, either. He simply wanted to pay his debts and become a couch potato in the barony. So, the time had come for Lloyd to play one more trick so he could happily go back home to his barony.
The soft and slow melody traveled throughout the marble floor, and the glimmers of the chandeliers flowed down like starlight. The banquet hall was unbelievably luxurious and majestic. Amidst everything, Lloyd was dressed in a tuxedo. As he noticed Her Highness approaching, he paid his respect and started talking, almost in a scripted manner.
“All hail Her Majesty. Please forgive me for saying this, but no,” said Lloyd.
“No…? What do you mean?” Queen Magentano quirked her brow sharply to one end. Once again, just like any other time, she noticed how brazen and unpredictable he was.
“I have not asked anything yet,” said the queen. “But what is it that you dislike so much that you reject it before I ask?”
“Were you not going to say that you will be bestowing me with land and a title befitting my skills?” asked Lloyd.
“I was?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Why?”
“So that I shall accept a position in this palace.”
“Hmm… Tell me, can you read minds?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“I can read the room,” explained Lloyd briefly.
“Ha.”
Clink.
The queen laughed shortly and put down the crystal glass in her hand. She then grabbed a new one from the serving tray and sipped it as she glanced down at Lloyd through the slightly slanted glass.
“I have no choice but to admit it. Yes, your presupposition is right. I planned on rewarding you with a fitting land, title, and massive amounts of gold. Moreover, I meant to give you a position in the palace that suits you.”
“Did you host the banquet to announce to everyone about this?” asked Lloyd.
“Indeed.”
She drank from the second glass. The first glass was a dry, sparkling one with high acidity. The next one was a flavorful red wine. It was the typical order of drinking the queen enjoyed. Keeping the routine, she said, “Therefore, I am curious. Why do you reject it when I am ready to bestow you with the title, land, money, and position?”
“It’s nothing extraordinary, Your Majesty. But…”
“But?”
“I like living in the quietude of the province.”
“Is that all… there is?” asked the queen.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Lloyd hung his head down a little lower. The queen was drinking her third glass now. And as he studied her reaction, he thought to himself…
Good. Everything’s going according to plan.
Just then, he recalled what had happened earlier in the day. Right until he set foot in this banquet tonight, Lloyd mulled over how he should reject the queen’s inevitable offer to work for the palace. Even when he got dressed, touched up his hair, and hopped into the carriage, Lloyd thought and thought again about it. He finally concluded that the standard tactics were the best method.
I might be cornered into accepting it by giving clumsy excuses.
In actuality, Lloyd could come up with a whole trove of excuses. First off, he could say that he or his family was sick. Or that he was crushed under work and that he wasn’t ready. Everything around him could be used as an excuse. Just like how everyone made up an excuse to skip class, leave school early, or take a day off work, Lloyd could lie. But he remembered someone saying that the only person who succeeded in life by giving out excuses was an artist who sang the song “Excuse.” Lloyd believed in that, and that this principle applied just the same to him.
The moment I make up an excuse, I’ll be setting myself up to be caught in a trap.
If health was an issue, he could get better anytime. It went the same for family situations or business. The moment the source of his excuse evaporated in thin air, he would have no escape. What was more, the person Lloyd was dealing with was the queen. And so, coming up with dimwit excuses to reject a position in the royal palace may backfire and Lloyd could have no choice but to accept it later on.
I’ll end up the same as Minister Hwang Hee.
At the end of the Goryeo period in ancient South Korea, there lived Hwang Hee, who took the same test as the Taejong of Joseon, Yi Bangwon. In the future, Hwang was appointed by King Sejong, the son of Yi, and toiled away his entire life for the country without any second of rest. He pleaded in vain that he needed to take some rest. He used his health and family as excuses, but it was as if he was talking to a wall. His whole life was spent putting his nose to the grindstone for the government, and just like that, the man died doing nothing but work his entire life.
Ugh… I have the chills.
Lloyd shuddered at the thought, his shoulders trembling. No thanks to lifelong slavery. He concluded that it would be better for him to opt for the standard tactics than to come up with perfunctory excuses. That promised a higher chance of his victory in this situation. When he put this into action, he was able to secure the result he desired.
“I see. You hate it so much that you dare to be this forthcoming with me, the queen.”
“Please forgive my rudeness, Your Majesty.”
“Not at all. Nothing good will come out of pinning you down here when you have no desire to remain in this place. How can you fulfill your duties when your heart’s not in it?”
The queen paused after saying that, smiling.
“I am not a tyrant. You are a loyal subject who has done great deeds for this capital and for Cremo. I shall respect your decision. Therefore, go back to your home and spend the rest of your life in peace.”
“Words fall short of my gratitude to you, Your Highness.”
“Really?”
“…”
“You must be relieved on the inside. I know what you are going through. That is why I give you my word. If you change your mind, do come to the capital,” assured the queen”
Lloyd paused at her words. Then he said, “Do you mean… that Your Majesty’s offer has no expiration?”
“Indeed,” confirmed the queen.
Clack.
Taking a sip from a fourth glass, the queen said, “I swear by my name. Your land, title, and position will always be waiting for you in the capital.”
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude, Your Majesty.”
“I hope you do. Now, I will take my leave.”
Lloyd heard the queen turn around and walk away. The clacking of her heels started to grow distant. That was when he slightly lifted his head.
“Woah.”
The air that was stifled in his lungs rushed out, and he found himself clenching his fist.
It worked!
Lloyd exclaimed inwardly because his choice of tactic worked.
I mean, even the queen can’t force someone to work for her when he doesn’t want to.
Just then, Lloyd recalled The Records of the Three Kingdoms, and the famous three visits of Liu Bei to make Zhuge Liang join him. And so, Lloyd thought the same thing would happen here since this world was no different from the one he lived in. Thankfully, his prediction was spot on”
And since I was promised she’d save some land and a title for me, my future is secure. My later years are promised to be good. Perfect.
The thought of this brought a satisfying smile all over his face. Everything was set. His debt was cleared. The only thing that awaited him was a luxurious life of laziness. Lloyd felt as though he had gotten a newly constructed house without a loan in the most expensive city district in the country, bought a high-end car in one payment, enough resources to pay for the kids’ school, university, and wedding, and to top it all off, his retirement plan was all covered.
Whew. How I wish I could hop back into the carriage and go to the barony at this moment. But since I can’t do that, I should just sit back and eat the exquisite food.”
Thinking such in his head, Lloyd moved around the buffet like a person who had starved for the past three days. He approached the servants holding up the food trays, and just then, something made him stop dead in his tracks.
“The banquet will continue until the moon sets.”
Huh?
Those seemingly innocuous words traveled into Lloyd’s ears, and they sounded plain and harmless to others. But not to Lloyd. The moment he heard them, he felt numb, as though a bucketful of ice water splashed down on his body. He gulped.
Why am I hearing this now?
Just then, Lloyd recalled The Knight of Blood and Iron. After two and a half years, the royal capital goes through something tragic. An assassination attempt on the queen. There was a code shared by the group that took one of her arms after poisoning Queen Magentano. It was so simple that it didn’t attract any suspicion.
The banquet will continue until the moon sets…
Since it was meant to happen much later, Lloyd could not be hearing that now. This should’ve come two and a half years later. But now that he heard the code, he turned to its speaker. His gaze locked on Sir Kyle, the commander of the royal guard, who was happily chatting with the Great Lord Chamberlain. Chills ran down his spine. At that moment, Lloyd was sure in his heart that he had discovered the culprit behind the veiled assassination of the queen, which wasn’t even revealed in the novel.