Chapter 208

First love.

An emotion like measles—something everyone catches at least once.

And also a regret most people clumsily miss.

Lloyd had a first love like that, too.

Back when there was still a book rental shop in his neighborhood.

Whenever he saw the older girl working part-time there, his heart would pound.

He was confused.

Why was he like that?

Why did his face keep turning red?

He couldn’t figure it out, and that made everything feel awkward.

But strangely, he kept going back to the rental shop on his own.

Every time he went, his heart raced, his face heated up, and he felt embarrassed and confused—

Yet he still went almost every day, pulled by some inexplicable force.

He’d borrow a stack of books he wouldn’t even properly read.

Back then, he didn’t understand why.

He only realized later.

After the older girl quit her job.

‘Tsk.’

He didn’t know her phone number, or even her name.

They’d never even had a real conversation.

And so, Lloyd’s first love at fourteen ended without ever becoming anything.

He gently folded the memory away and looked at Julian.

Then he said it plainly.

“You know, if you keep being this clumsy, you’ll lose Scheherazade.”

“……What?”

Julian’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit.

Lloyd continued.

“I’m not joking. You know why Scheherazade came all the way across the desert, right?”

“Uh, yeah. I heard she has something to get from you, Lloyd. She’s going to record a lullaby…”

“But what if I record it for her right away?”

“……Huh?”

“Then Scheherazade will go back to the Sultanate, right?”

“Uh… that’s probably right?”

“Then what are you going to do?”

“…….”

Julian’s eyes wavered.

“H-Hey, Lloyd? Are you really going to do that?”

His gaze practically begged him not to.

Lloyd’s voice turned faintly suggestive.

“I don’t know. Actually, it’s not up to me.”

“Then who—”

“It depends on Scheherazade.”

His tone grew even more casual, like he didn’t care.

“Actually, I gave her a choice a few days before you came back. Either she gets the lullaby and stays here for five years in the Engineering Corps, or she just goes back.”

“Then…”

“If she accepts, she’ll stay about five years. If not… there’s nothing I can do.”

“Uh, that’s…”

“You don’t like it?”

Nod.

Julian nodded hard.

Good.

Lloyd had successfully stirred him up.

A subtle smile tugged at Lloyd’s lips.

“That’s right. You’ll feel bad and regret it. You’ll want to stay with her. But you don’t know what to do. Right?”

“Uh… yeah.”

Julian looked up at him, almost desperate.

“Lloyd, then what should I do?”

“You?”

“Yeah.”

“I think you start by looking at Scheherazade’s feelings.”

“Scheherazade’s…?”

“Yeah. It’s not only about what you feel.”

That was true.

It wasn’t just about him liking her.

Her feelings mattered just as much.

If you were serious, you had to consider the other person, understand them, and confirm what they wanted.

‘……That’s what I heard. From who? A classmate.’

In reality, Lloyd was also born solo.

He’d never actually experienced it.

A little sad.

But that didn’t matter right now.

‘It doesn’t matter if I’ve experienced it. The point is to get Julian to recognize his feelings and move.’

He only needed to fan the flames.

The rest would sort itself out.

‘Scheherazade is probably in a similar state.’

With that thought, Lloyd patted Julian on the shoulder.

“It’s not hard. You know how you feel now, right? Then be honest about it. Treat Scheherazade better. And when the chance comes… be brave.”

“Be brave?”

“Yeah.”

“You mean… confess?”

“Of course.”

Gulp.

Julian’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

Nervous, even imagining it.

But Lloyd saw it then—

A faint determination rising in Julian’s eyes.

‘You rascal.’

Lloyd swallowed a satisfied grin.

This was enough.

Now it was time to go and nudge Scheherazade, too.

♣

“Hehehe.”

“…….”

“Hehehehe.”

“…….”

The next morning dawned.

And Javier, the Count Frontera Family’s knight, began seriously questioning the mental state of the young master he served.

‘What is it?’

He eyed the back of Lloyd’s chestnut-colored head with unease.

It was their usual walk after breakfast.

But Lloyd, walking ahead, had been letting out sly laughs since earlier.

“Hehehehehe.”

“…….”

In the end, Javier couldn’t stand it.

“What are you so happy about?”

From experience, Lloyd didn’t laugh like that without a reason.

It meant he was plotting something.

Half convinced, Javier asked—and as expected, Lloyd stopped and turned with a meaningful smile.

“Does it look like that to you, too?”

“Yes.”

“Do I look like I’m in a good mood?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve got a good eye. I am.”

Lloyd continued.

“Something I’ve been thinking about seems to be going very well.”

“Something you’ve been thinking about?”

“It’s like two people—born in different places, living different lives, with different purposes—are finally going to become one.”

“Are you talking about Julian and Scheherazade?”

“Huh? How did you know?”

“I couldn’t not know.”

Javier spoke as if it were obvious.

“Lately, the way they look at each other has been unusual. It’s a look I’ve seen often.”

“You? You’ve seen that kind of look often?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“It’s very similar to the look women give me right before handing me a confession letter.”

“…….”

“If I were to count the exact number of times I’ve received that look…”

“Don’t count.”

“Eight hundred and sixty—”

“I said don’t.”

“…….”

Lloyd swallowed the familiar envy and jealousy that always surfaced whenever he met a handsome man.

“Tsk. Anyway, you’re right. Those two look like they’ll be confirming their feelings soon.”

“How so?”

“How so? Because I pushed them.”

“You did, Lloyd?”

“Yeah.”

Lloyd nodded and recalled last night.

“I went to see Julian. Just in case. As expected, that idiot didn’t even know what kind of emotional state he was in.”

“So you told him?”

“Yeah. And I did the same for Scheherazade.”

That was true.

After nudging Julian, Lloyd immediately went to see Scheherazade.

At first, she’d been wary of even talking to him.

Which was fair.

Since the Sultanate, he’d toyed with her countless times.

He’d even cornered her into an employment contract she’d never imagined—after she crossed the desert to get here.

“She looked like she wouldn’t believe a single thing I said.”

“But how…”

“You still pushed her?”

“Yes.”

Lloyd smiled.

“Nothing special. I told her Julian would be leaving for the capital soon.”

That was it.

Simple.

Give someone a reason to feel anxious.

And if that reason is a confirmed fact, the effect is even stronger.

What Lloyd used on Scheherazade was exactly that.

“I told her the truth. Julian is talented—second in his class at the academy. Soon, the Magentano Royal Family will assign him a government post. He’s only staying in his hometown for a short while, waiting for his appointment.”

All of it was certain.

Julian would return to the capital soon.

He’d become a resident there, tied to the royal family.

There would be no reason for him to stay here.

And Scheherazade?

Naturally, they’d drift apart.

“That’s how I gave Scheherazade a reason to look back at Julian. That’s how people are. Even if they don’t think much of something at first, once there’s a time limit, they get anxious and attached.”

That was exactly how it worked.

Even things you didn’t care about before—

Once there’s a deadline, everything changes.

Like limited-time sales.

It’s just a bundle of ramen you don’t really need.

But if it’s half price for one day only?

You throw it into your cart without thinking.

Even though you never planned to buy it.

Because suddenly, it feels wasteful not to.

You don’t need it now, but you’ll eat it someday.

So you convince yourself it’s smart in the long run.

‘Cars are like that too. Especially imported ones. End of the year, they do a clearance sale and spread rumors through dealers that the model will be discontinued next year. Then everyone who wanted it but hesitated rushes in. They don’t want to miss their chance. And then what happens next year? Discontinued my ass. They sell it just fine.’

It was the classic “if not now, then never” mentality.

What Lloyd used on Scheherazade worked the same way.

“I put a time limit on it, saying Julian would be leaving soon. She’ll think she doesn’t want to miss him. Then she’ll start asking herself why she feels that way.”

“You mean she’ll realize her feelings in the process?”

“Yeah. Good. You understand fast.”

“I don’t like you when you’re like this, Lloyd.”

Javier’s face hardened.

“I want to ask. Why are you trying to connect those two? This isn’t pure goodwill, is it?”

“Oh, of course not.”

Lloyd’s smile sharpened.

“I’m doing this so I can live without being pushed around by the Queen.”

“Yes?”

Javier tilted his head.

What did Julian and Scheherazade have to do with the Queen?

Mystery deepened in the silver-haired knight’s eyes.

Lloyd gave a small, bitter smile.

“If those two marry, the Queen won’t be able to exploit me however she wants. Or at least… it’ll lay the groundwork for that kind of atmosphere.”

“May I ask why?”

“Sure. Simply put, if Julian marries Scheherazade, our family will have a foot in both the Magentano Royal Family and the Sultanate.”

“Isn’t that treason?”

“Not at all. Julian isn’t the eldest son.”

Lloyd continued.

“Julian is the second son. He won’t inherit the family, so there’s little problem with him marrying a princess of the Sultanate. No—given the situation, it would be welcomed.”

“Why?”

“Because the Magentano Royal Family and the Sultanate just signed a peace agreement.”

Lloyd spoke with certainty.

“The Sultanate unusually admitted full responsibility for the Monster Domino Phenomenon. They signed a no-recurrence agreement and paid massive compensation. In other words, two royal families who’ve been enemies for generations are in a rare peaceful mood.”

“And in that atmosphere, if the Count Frontera Family’s second son—who suffered from the Monster Domino, became the centerpiece of reconstruction—and the Sultanate’s princess—who admitted responsibility—are united…”

“It becomes a marriage that promises and symbolizes peace. For both royal families. Externally, and for everyone watching.”

In other words, the marriage would become an icon of peace.

And the Frontera Family would become a symbol of peace and reconstruction.

Instead of being suspected of treason, they could naturally place a foot in the Sultanate—openly, with blessings and praise.

‘Besides, I have a useful commendation.’

Lloyd recalled the commendation he’d received earlier.

The one who carries Magentano.

Its option was simple: during Queen Alicia’s reign, he would never be suspected of treason.

Meaning, unless he did something blatantly insane, he wouldn’t be branded a traitor.

“So the Magentano Royal Family will feel disappointed inside, but they won’t show it. No—if anything, they’ll get anxious that we’ll grow closer to the Sultanate, and they’ll try to guarantee us more benefits.”

“……So that’s why Her Majesty the Queen won’t be able to exploit you as she pleases?”

“Yeah. Because if she does, I’ll act like I’m going to go stick with the Sultan.”

“…….”

“And the Sultan will welcome me with open arms. Honestly, the son-in-law the Sultan wanted wasn’t Julian. It was me.”

“…….”

“That’s how our family gains leverage between the two royal families. Neither side can treat us lightly. And my comfortable retirement gets guaranteed.”

“Hoo. Lloyd, you really are something.”

“Really?”

“You’re awful. You’re dirty. I’ve never seen a petty swindler like you.”

“Yeah. Thanks for the compliment.”

Lloyd smiled after laying out his true intentions.

That was the big picture.

Julian and Scheherazade’s marriage.

Through it, both Magentano and the Sultanate would try to please him.

If he could shape the situation like that—

Then he could suck honey in comfort, without guilt, without constantly being dragged in by the Queen.

‘Of course, maintaining that leverage will take effort.’

Ultimately, his goal was autonomy from Queen Alicia—freedom from labor guaranteed.

That was Lloyd’s endgame.

‘I can do it.’

Reviewing his plan, Lloyd looked up at the mansion.

Julian’s window was shut tight.

Scheherazade’s window, curtains drawn.

He looked back and forth between the two and smiled faintly.

‘Yeah. Worry. Be troubled. And react to the arrow of enlightenment I shot.’

The arrow had already left the bowstring.

And it had struck both targets cleanly.

Lloyd was sure.

Julian and Scheherazade would react exactly how he wanted.

And he wasn’t wrong.

Late that night—

Something truly happened.