Chapter 155

“Ggoming!”

A shout echoed from above.

At the same time, something white came flying down.

In an instant, it wrapped tightly around them—like a net.

Shwick! Snap!

“…!”

The sudden restraint made Lloyd flinch.

He glanced down at the white strands binding him.

‘Spiderweb?’

White, sticky, and clinging to every part of him.

Not just him—

Ppodong, who carried him, and the five baby mastodons gripping his tail were also bound, wrapped up like parcels sealed in bubble wrap.

Then, they were yanked forward.

Swoooosh!

“…Guh!”

The web tightened sharply, pulling them with great force.

Before he could react, his entire body was dragged forward.

Ppodong and the five babies were too.

“…Ppdeung!”

“…Ppueeeng!”

Fwoooosh!

They had been running at full speed—

And now the web added its own powerful pull.

The combined momentum sent them shooting forward like a slingshot.

Their speed doubled.

Thanks to that, they barely escaped the range of the massive falling boulders.

KWA-A-AANG!

Each crashing rock shook the earth like thunder.

If one had hit them—

‘What do you mean, what would’ve happened?! I’d be a pancake by now!’

Lloyd gasped, glancing back.

Goosebumps rose down his spine.

But he didn’t have time to dwell on it.

From above, a familiar voice shouted down.

“I’ll pull harder! Hold tight!”

“…!”

He looked up—

And saw a familiar silhouette gliding through the sky.

“Ggoming!”

It was the great shrike, wings spread wide.

And riding on its back—Javier.

“Ha! Javier, you have no idea how glad I am to—Gaaah!”

Swoooosh!

Once again, the web jerked hard—this time upward.

Ppodong’s feet lifted off the ground.

So did the five babies.

They dangled in the air together, like children being lifted up for their first amusement park ride.

“Pp—Ppdeung!”

“Pp—Ppueeeng!”

They flailed in panic.

Ggoming’s wings beat furiously, steadying the load.

Gradually, steadily, they ascended higher—

Past the collapsing cliffs and falling rocks.

Brushing death by inches, they climbed, higher and higher—

Until finally, they reached the top of the canyon.

Then Javier’s voice called out from Ggoming’s back.

“Sir Ppodong? I’ll cut the web. Be ready.”

“Ppdeung!”

Ppodong replied firmly.

In that instant, Javier’s sword flashed.

Slash!

The web snapped under the force of his aura.

Ppodong and the five babies landed safely atop the cliff.

But not Lloyd.

His web line remained intact.

He blinked.

“Huh? What about me?”

“You’ll climb up on your own, Lord Lloyd.”

For some reason, Javier’s tone sounded colder than usual.

Lloyd frowned, gripping the web, and climbed like a rope.

Finally, he pulled himself onto Ggoming’s back.

“Phew.”

He let out a long sigh of relief.

That was too close.

But he didn’t have the luxury of resting.

He hadn’t even peeled off the sticky web clinging to him when Javier spoke.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“…”

Javier’s voice from the front saddle was icy.

Lloyd froze mid-motion, half-removing a strand of web.

Then quietly sat down behind him.

“If I were, what would you do? Blow on the wound for me?”

“I’d rather cut it off before it festers.”

“…Kuh.”

If Javier’s tone were weather, today would be a blizzard.

The chill in his words could freeze steel.

Lloyd glanced down at the landslide swallowing the canyon below.

“So, how’d you know to come?”

“I heard it.”

“Heard what?”

“The explosion.”

“You mean the first one—the corpse explosion?”

“Most likely.”

Javier nodded.

He remembered it clearly.

He’d been at the apartment site, cutting steel bars to size, when he heard the blast from the north.

It wasn’t just a sound—it carried ominous, evil mana, even from afar.

He’d immediately abandoned the site and ran.

First, he looked for Ggoming.

If something had happened where Lloyd was, running wouldn’t be fast enough.

Flying was the only option.

Luckily, Ggoming still had one red sunflower seed—one of the emergency seeds Lloyd had entrusted to the fantasy beasts.

He used it to transform and took flight.

On the way north, he met the evacuating workers and Sir Bayern.

From them, he learned what had happened—

And what Lloyd had done.

And that’s when he became furious.

Deeply furious.

“Phew. So that’s how it was. Thanks, really. If you hadn’t come, I’d be… yeah, let’s not even think about it.”

“…”

From the rear seat, Lloyd caught his breath.

He thanked Javier—rarely and sincerely.

But somehow, that only irritated Javier more.

Maybe that’s why his next words came out sharp.

“So, are you pleased?”

“Huh?”

“Are you pleased—with surviving thanks to me?”

“Uh… what’s with you today?”

“Nothing.”

“Then why so prickly?”

“I’m not being prickly.”

“You are. And kind of hostile too.”

“…”

“You’re mad at me about something, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, not even denying it.”

“I tried not to be, but it’s… difficult.”

“Why?”

“Do you really not know?”

“Because of the White Spear Knights who died earlier?”

“Not at all.”

Javier shook his head.

The young lord behind him truly didn’t understand.

“The six knights who fell today fulfilled their duty. They protected the people as the queen’s sword and shield. Their deaths were honorable. That’s not the issue.”

“Then what is?”

“The issue is that you forgot your own duty—and acted as recklessly as they did.”

“What?”

Exactly. He didn’t realize.

He didn’t grasp how important he’d become to this territory.

Javier’s tone turned even colder.

“Have you ever considered what would happen to the estate if you were gone?”

“Hmm. Yeah, a bit.”

“Then you already know what I mean.”

“Sure. If I die, there’s no one to finish what I started. No one to take over. The estate would collapse. That’s what you mean, right?”

“Precisely.”

Javier sighed heavily.

“In the past, I saw you simply as my lord’s heir—the baron’s eldest son, the next in line. So if I ever had to choose between you and the baron, the choice was obvious. But now…”

“I’ve become more important?”

“Yes.”

He spoke firmly.

“Not because I’ve grown fond of you—but because you now carry far more of this estate’s future than ever before.”

“You didn’t have to add that last part, you know.”

“Regardless.”

“So that’s why you’re mad and sulking?”

“I’m not sulking.”

“You totally are. I can see your lips poking out from back here.”

“Do you think I’m joking about this, my lord—”

“I don’t take it lightly.”

“…”

Lloyd’s tone softened.

He watched the landslide bury the undead herd below.

“I know what you mean. You want me to run next time. To stay safe instead of rushing in. Right?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re mad because I ignored that and nearly got myself killed. Right again?”

“Correct.”

“Well… too bad. I don’t think I can promise that.”

“Why not?”

“Because they trusted me.”

“…”

Javier wanted to argue—but no words came.

So he stayed silent.

And in that silence, Lloyd continued.

“I don’t like danger either. It scares me. I hate the idea of dying. But… people have responsibilities.”

It was his honest truth.

He didn’t want to die. He didn’t want to get hurt.

But the workers who followed him felt the same.

“If it weren’t for me, those people wouldn’t even be digging in that wasteland. I started this project. I’m responsible for that site.”

“But—”

“Responsibility means exactly that to me. No matter how much of a liar I am, no matter how many jerks I scam or annoy—at least to the people who trust me, I won’t turn my back.”

Memories of Korea flashed through his mind.

Construction sites were always dangerous.

One small mistake, and accidents happened.

He’d been lucky, but others weren’t.

Every time he watched the news, more workers died—

From fires during welding, collapsing cranes, endless incidents.

And yet… no one took responsibility.

At best, a site manager got punished while the company gave a token apology and tried to cut compensation.

Then it happened again.

Because fixing the root cause was “too expensive.”

Because it was “too much hassle.”

Because it was cheaper to pay off the dead than to prevent death.

That mindset disgusted him.

“So yeah. I can’t turn away from responsibility—especially not at the site I’m in charge of.”

He spoke with quiet conviction.

He didn’t want to give up that sense of duty.

Even if it scared him. Even if it exhausted him.

He wanted to live up to it.

“And sure, I’ll try to be more careful. I don’t want to die or get hurt either. I’ll keep myself alive—for your sake, too.”

“For my sake?”

Javier frowned, confused.

Lloyd smirked.

“The lullaby.”

“What?”

“Come on, be honest. You’re just scared no one will sing you a lullaby if something happens to me, right?”

“That’s absurd.”

“Oh? The way you flared up just now tells me I hit the mark.”

“Ridiculous.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Absolutely sure?”

“Of course.”

“Then why are your ears red?”

“It’s the cold wind.”

“Your voice cracked just now.”

“You must have damaged your hearing in that explosion.”

“Oh, now you’re dodging?”

“Certainly not.”

Javier turned his head sharply, his tone as frosty as ever.

But then—

Ding-dong.

[Ashrahan Javier has been deeply moved by your honesty and resolve.]
[Ashrahan Javier has discovered a new respect for you today.]

[Javier Asrahan’s affection toward you has greatly increased.]