Chapter 217
“Hoo! Hoo!”
He inhaled deeply, then exhaled.
He stretched his legs and kicked in time with his breathing.
The night air tore past his ears like a whirlwind.
Lloyd ran at full speed.
To escape.
‘Ugh, is this for real?’
He shuddered as he vaulted over waist-high bushes.
Sure enough, completion ceremonies were always the problem.
Perfect, splendid, grand—none of it mattered.
The moment you held a completion ceremony, something was bound to go wrong.
‘This is such an unoriginal, cookie-cutter cliché. Seriously.’
He glanced back with another shudder.
A gray silhouette loomed under the dark night sky.
The truly gigantic dragon skeleton.
A Bone Dragon.
Rampaging.
Letting out a silent roar of Mana.
Sweeping its long tail and neck around.
Its wings—nothing but skeleton—spread wide like an eerie spiderweb etched into the sky as they flapped.
‘How the hell did that happen?’
That dragon skeleton.
Her Majesty the Queen had said it was spoils taken after subjugating the remnants of the Black Wizard.
And once this construction was finished, he was supposed to receive a whole chunk of its tailbone.
‘Damn it!’
At this rate, the royal capital would be destroyed, never mind the tailbone.
Even so, Lloyd didn’t feel so much as a gram of duty or noble fighting spirit.
‘Of course not. Why would I fight something like that?’
Fighting meant risking your life.
No—risking your life might not even be enough.
He’d refuse even if someone offered him billions.
With that firmly decided, Lloyd kept running.
But Javier, who had been running alongside him the whole time, seemed to think differently.
“Lloyd, where are you running to?”
“Out of the garden.”
“Then what operation are you moving under, and what are you planning to do from now on?”
“…”
Lloyd turned his head while running.
No—he stared at Javier.
Javier stared back, as if asking what the problem was.
‘This guy.’
He was misunderstanding.
He thought Lloyd was running because he had some grand operation, some clever plan.
Like he was about to do something to deal with this.
‘I’m not that kind of guy.’
No. He couldn’t be.
He needed to clear that up right now.
Lloyd smirked and shot back.
“Response, operation?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm. If I had to name it… Operation Number 36.”
“Yes?”
“The Thirty-Six Stratagems—running away is the best, you idiot.”
“…”
Javier’s expression hardened.
No, it was more like he turned serious.
Even his voice dropped, as if the temperature had suddenly fallen.
“Are you always like this, Lloyd?”
“Like what?”
“So many people are in danger. And in a situation like this, you’re going to run without hesitation, just to save yourself?”
“Yeah. That’s right.”
Lloyd shrugged, then asked back as if it were nothing.
“Is that bad?”
“…”
“Come to think of it, we had a similar argument before, didn’t we?”
“It was in Cremo.”
“Right. During the Gigatitan.”
“Even back then, Lloyd…”
“Yeah. I was trying to run away. Just like now.”
“…”
“Is this bad? Really?”
Lloyd asked sincerely.
People who threw themselves into disasters.
Firefighters running into flames.
Police and civilians cleaning up accident sites.
They were admirable. They were wonderful.
True heroes.
But him?
He was different.
‘I’m just ordinary. I’m scared in situations like this.’
He didn’t want to die for nothing.
He just wanted to live comfortably.
Great achievements. Heroic praise.
He didn’t need any of that.
But Javier looked at it differently.
“…You haven’t changed at all, Lloyd.”
Javier looked at him.
Disappointment flickered in his eyes.
No—more than disappointment, it was a bitter look.
A bitter smile rose on Lloyd’s lips, too.
“It can’t be helped. I’ll be like this forever.”
“Are you serious?”
“Do you think I’m lying?”
“That’s not it. But—”
“But?”
“Then please live comfortably for my share as well.”
“…Huh?”
Lloyd stopped running without realizing it.
“W-what does that mean?”
At some point, Javier’s expression had become resolute.
And with the utmost seriousness, he spoke.
“It has been an honor to serve you, Lloyd. So please get out of here safely.”
“Hey.”
“And please tell our lady at the Frontera estate that I was grateful for everything, and that I’m sorry I couldn’t stay by her side longer.”
“Hey, you idiot?”
Lloyd was stunned.
Why was he talking like he was about to die?
Why wasn’t he answering?
Why was he turning around with an incomprehensible faint smile?
Why was he running toward the Bone Dragon without looking back?
“…What. What’s with that cheesy line?”
Left behind, Lloyd let out a hollow chuckle.
Sure, it was good to prevent a disaster.
But why was Javier acting like he was about to throw his life away?
‘That’s the problem with novel protagonists.’
That was why they were a problem.
Not only were they drenched in righteousness, they also spewed lines that made you cringe.
‘Well, Javier is originally that kind of guy.’
Lloyd looked to where Javier had run.
Javier’s back was already gone from sight.
Only the Bone Dragon, rampaging under the night sky, remained clearly visible.
“…”
He’s not really going to get hurt, is he?
Lloyd ran again, trying to shake off the sudden anxiety.
He hurried his steps to escape.
‘Still, it’s Javier.’
He won’t get hurt.
That won’t happen.
‘Of course.’
He was a Swordmaster.
He even had the Asrahan Heart Technique.
And he was far stronger than an ordinary Swordmaster.
Stamina. Solid fundamentals. Technique. Adaptation and variation.
Improvisation on the fly.
A genius among geniuses, the kind history would record.
He wouldn’t get hurt easily.
He wouldn’t die easily.
He wouldn’t…
“Ugh, seriously! Why did that bastard say something like that and make me worry!”
Lloyd shouted, irritated.
At some point, he’d stopped running altogether.
He turned his head and glared at the Bone Dragon.
‘This won’t do. That Javier guy is going to die.’
Javier’s words from the novel surfaced again.
Bone Dragon.
Only a Grandmaster—an existence that exists only in theory—could confront it.
But what was Javier now?
Just a Swordmaster.
So if he tried to take on a Bone Dragon head-on…
He would die, genius or not.
‘And that guy won’t back down.’
Knowing Javier, it was entirely possible.
No, not just possible—likely.
‘If the Queen is in danger, he’ll throw himself in front of it. If someone else is in trouble, he’ll run straight into it to handle it.’
Because that was who he was.
In the novel.
And in real life.
He’d always been like that.
So he’d do it this time too.
And this time, he’d die for it.
Lloyd didn’t like that.
“Aish…”
Was this how it felt, leaving a stubborn friend behind at an accident scene?
With another shudder, Lloyd turned around.
Back the way he’d come.
Toward the Bone Dragon.
‘Fine, I’m going, I’m going! You bastard! I’m dragging you out of there even if I have to yank you by the ear.’
Of course, he had zero intention of fighting that monster.
Facing a Bone Dragon head-on was nonsense.
He’d use tricks.
He’d find an opening and pull Javier out. Even if people called him a coward, he’d save the guy first.
With that resolve, Lloyd ran.
“Ugh! That bastard, seriously!”
♣
“This is truly my sincere opinion. Your Majesty, please evacuate quickly!”
“No.”
Her Majesty the Queen dismissed the desperate plea of the captain of the guard at once.
And instead, she scolded him.
“If you truly wish to protect me, lower your voice first.”
“…Ah.”
The captain flinched.
“Was my voice too loud, Your Majesty?”
“Of course. It’s fortunate that thing didn’t hear you.”
The Queen tilted her head slightly.
From the lush bushes where she was hiding, the night sky showed through the leaves.
And she could see the Bone Dragon rampaging soundlessly beneath it.
It looked like nothing could stop that monster.
In fact, the guards responsible for security at the banquet hall were struggling just to avoid being trampled.
It wasn’t a fight.
It was an ant colony scattering before a rampaging anteater.
The captain’s expression darkened as he watched.
“Your Majesty, what are you planning to do now?”
“What else.”
A fierce smile tugged at the Queen’s lips.
“I have to fight.”
“But…”
“Do you want me to run while danger threatens the royal capital?”
“That’s not it. But—”
“But?”
“I believe it is right to retreat briefly and reorganize our ranks.”
“That isn’t wrong. But I think differently.”
The Queen continued.
“I don’t know why that dragon skeleton began moving as a Bone Dragon, or what trick the Black Wizards I subjugated might have used. However, I am glad it started rampaging in this grand garden.”
“Glad? What do you mean?”
“What would have happened if that monster had rampaged in the city center of the royal capital?”
“Ah…”
The captain’s face went pale.
A Bone Dragon tearing through a city where tens of thousands lived.
Just imagining it made his blood drain cold.
“So I have to keep it tied up here. Until the garrison reorganizes and begins an organized response.”
“Then… are you saying you will buy that time yourself, Your Majesty?”
“Of course.”
The Queen looked back at him.
Her eyes and expression clearly asked why he was stating the obvious.
“Who else would do it? Me, a Swordmaster. Or you alone?”
“If you order me, I will gladly—”
“No. You have already proven your worth simply by staying with me and protecting me. Now it is my turn to prove mine.”
“Your Majesty, your worth… You don’t need to. You are already… simply by existing.”
“One who wears the crown to protect the country and its people. Isn’t that what a Queen is?”
“…”
“So I will fulfill that duty.”
“Y-Your Majesty!”
“Shh. I told you to lower your voice.”
“…Then may I fight alongside you, shoulder to shoulder?”
“It would be too much for you. You are not a Swordmaster.”
“But it is my duty and mission to protect you, as I have until now.”
“Set that mission down for today and take care of the troops. At this rate, they’ll all die.”
The Queen pointed with her chin toward the grand garden.
The guards still floundering as they tried to avoid the Bone Dragon.
The captain’s face darkened as he followed her gaze.
“But my mission is to stay by your side, Your Majesty…”
“It’s an order.”
“…I-I will obey.”
The captain bowed his head.
A smile spread across the Queen’s lips.
“Thank you. For understanding my intentions. For protecting me today as well. I’ll leave the rest to you.”
“Y-Your Majesty!”
“Why.”
“Please… I beg you to return safely.”
“I understand. Then.”
That was all.
Shing.
The Queen stepped out from the bushes.
So naturally.
As if it were nothing special.
Before the captain could even reach for her, she walked forward and drew the sword at her waist.
At the same time, she unleashed aura from her entire body.
Fwoom!
Her Mana Heart surged violently.
A fierce storm of aura roared around her.
The Mana roar that had swept the banquet hall earlier.
This was a storm no less imposing.
Hissss!
It was rough and sharp at once.
Threatening, like a beast lying in wait.
The Bone Dragon reacted immediately.
“……”
Towering above.
It stopped its rampage.
The Queen lowered her sword.
A dragon resurrected from death.
A human monarch trying to protect her territory.
Their gazes crossed in the air.
At that moment, the Queen’s whole body trembled.
“…”
This wasn’t a joke after all.
The Bone Dragon’s eyes.
The moment she met them, chills ran through her as if she’d been doused in ice water.
So instead, she laughed.
A brave smile on her lips, she repeated to herself.
‘I’m not afraid.’
To be honest, she didn’t have confidence she could win.
She didn’t even expect to.
But it didn’t matter.
Even if she lost here.
Even if she died.
She would still protect her kingdom.
She would protect the many people who relied on it.
She would buy enough time for preparations, at the very least.
‘So.’
She walked again.
Toward the Bone Dragon.
She approached without hesitation.
‘This is what I have to do.’
Losing.
Dying.
She wasn’t afraid of anything.
She glared at the Bone Dragon with proud, unyielding eyes.
‘I am the Queen, after all.’