Chapter 355: Bluff with Confidence (2)
King Venetogna.
The 12th monarch of the Veneto royal family.
He prided himself on his ability to judge people.
He had ruled from the throne for 19 years.
During that time, he had encountered countless loyalists and sycophants.
He had dealt with numerous scholars and fools.
Thanks to these experiences, he believed he could instantly discern a person’s character and value upon meeting them.
Today was no exception.
‘Hoo.’
King Venetogna’s eyes gleamed as he entered the square.
He had brushed aside the head of the guards, who had tried to dissuade him from today’s meeting.
He had reassured the loyal advisor who had said it was too dangerous to face the intruder alone.
‘Since the bone dragon is already here, no hiding place can be truly safe.’
Thus, he had to confront the audacious uninvited guest himself.
He cast a determined gaze toward the center of the square.
The bone dragon dominated the square with an overwhelming presence.
At its feet stood a young man.
‘Lloyd Frontera. I’ve heard that name before. He’s said to be the most prominent young noble in Magentano. He’s been named a hero and a public official by Queen Alicia.’
It was a name he had heard quite often.
It was only natural.
The Kingdom of Veneto bordered Magentano.
While the Pantala Mountains formed a natural barrier, it didn’t block the flow of news and rumors.
Especially news concerning important figures from a potential threat.
‘They say he’s performed numerous heroic deeds at a young age. Saved the east from disaster, rescued many refugees, and accomplished many other unmentionable feats… Indeed…’
Indeed, the first thought was that the young man was extraordinarily handsome.
‘Haha. Can a person be this radiant? I heard his appearance was notable but not particularly special. They said he was reasonably good-looking at best. But how can someone’s appearance be this dazzling?’
Could it be that the standards of beauty in Magentano differ from here?
Is that why someone with such sculptural looks is considered only moderately handsome in Magentano?
King Venetogna marveled as he walked forward.
He spread his arms wide in a gesture of joy.
As if today’s meeting had truly been prearranged.
To make it seem that way to the onlookers.
With a broad smile on his face.
“Oh, Lloyd Frontera, eldest son of the Frontera family. I have heard of your fame. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”
He greeted the young noble from the potential enemy nation warmly.
The young noble turned his head towards him.
His platinum curls of silver hair shimmered.
His distinct, serene, and elegant blue eyes sparkled.
With eyebrows drawn as if by a master painter.
“I am honored to meet the rightful ruler of this land, King Venetogna. I am Sir Javier Asrahan.”
His captivating lips moved as he spoke.
Thanks to this, King Venetogna felt like he had been hit hard on the back of his head.
“Hm?”
What did he just say?
Did he say he was Sir Javier Asrahan?
This exceptionally beautiful, elegant young man?
‘Wait. Then where is Lloyd Frontera?’
As he thought this, the young man next to Javier, who looked like a potato by comparison, bowed deeply.
“It is an infinite honor to meet you. I am Lloyd Frontera, the eldest son of the Frontera family, here to meet the rightful ruler of this land, King Venetogna.”
“….”
King Venetogna was at a loss for words.
He instinctively tilted his head in confusion.
He looked at Javier on this side.
Then at Lloyd on the other side.
Finally, he realized his mistake.
‘Damn. Did I misjudge people?’
He couldn’t believe it.
No matter how he looked, the silver-haired one had the noble aura.
The relatively humble-looking young man seemed to be just an attendant.
“Cough, cough!”
King Venetogna cleared his throat in embarrassment.
Lloyd’s lips twisted into a wry smile.
“It’s fine. It’s not the first time. Anyway, thank you for accepting my unannounced request for a meeting.”
“Hoo, thanks indeed.”
The pretense of joy that he had put on for the audience vanished quickly.
Now at a closer distance, with voices lowered, King Venetogna’s expression turned sharp as a blade.
“What are you planning? What scheme does your liege, Queen Alicia, have in mind, sending you here?”
King Venetogna’s eyes were filled with suspicion.
It was natural.
Lloyd and the bone dragon were uninvited intruders.
A meeting with them had never been scheduled.
“Are you trying to threaten me and my kingdom?”
Tension filled King Venetogna’s voice.
This was a crucial moment.
Up until now, the king had pretended that this meeting had been planned.
He was trying to use the outcome of this meeting to bolster his political achievements and influence.
But that would only happen if the meeting went well.
For now, it was time to bring up the main issue.
It was a golden opportunity to understand the intentions of Lloyd and the Magentano royal family, who had pulled off this unimaginable stunt.
Lloyd met King Venetogna’s expectation with 500% satisfaction.
With blunt, straightforward words.
“I’m not here to threaten but to inform.”
He said.
This made King Venetogna’s eyebrows twitch.
As his eyebrows were about to rise towards his receding hairline, Lloyd continued.
“I mean it. This isn’t a threat but a notification.”
“Notification? What kind of notification?”
Is he asking for surrender?
Is he demanding the cession of territory?
King Venetogna asked anxiously.
Lloyd shrugged, as if the idea was ridiculous.
“A notification that the trade route is open.”
“A trade route?”
“Yes.”
“What trade route?”
“I’m talking about a direct trade route between Magentano and your kingdom.”
“A direct trade route… Where is that?”
King Venetogna’s forehead furrowed deeply.
He couldn’t understand what Lloyd was talking about.
‘We’re a landlocked country, and the only border we share with Magentano is the Pantala Mountains. Trade with Magentano has always required passing through another kingdom. What is he talking about?’
For a direct trade route to exist?
A path through the Pantala Mountains must have been created.
But that’s impossible.
It’s always been impossible.
‘Is he using the term “trade route” metaphorically to mean something else?’
If that’s the case, what does he mean by a direct trade route?
King Venetogna’s mind buzzed with guesses and conjectures.
Lloyd’s lips curled into a small smile.
“There’s no need to overthink it. It’s exactly as I said. A direct trade route has been opened between our Magentano royal family and your Kingdom of Veneto.”
“….”
“It’s true.”
“Are you talking about the Pantala Mountains?”
“Yes, exactly.”
Lloyd smiled brightly.
He continued.
“We pushed down two peaks with the bone dragon. We also widened and leveled the gorge. You’re probably aware of that much. We laid tracks there.”
“Tracks?”
“Yes. Steel tracks for a trade train that will cross the Pantala Mountains twice daily.”
“A train, you say?”
“It’s basically a string of connected carriages that move along steel tracks.”
“….”
Is this Lloyd Frontera crazy?
How should I take this bizarre and illogical nonsense?
Lloyd spoke confidently.
King Venetogna found himself deeply troubled.
He couldn’t believe a word Lloyd was saying.
It was too far-fetched.
Not because he couldn’t grasp the concept of trains or tracks.
That wasn’t it.
Connecting carriages in a line.
Moving them with some form of power.
Laying a steel path for them.
He could conceive of that.
He didn’t even doubt that it could be made.
But he couldn’t believe such things could be built so easily in the treacherous mountains.
“Are you here to mock me?”
King Venetogna’s voice grew stern.
“Are you and the Magentano royal family trying to humiliate me and my kingdom?”
“Hm, does it sound like that?”
“Yes, it does.”
Gritting his teeth, King Venetogna continued.
“You mentioned a steel path crossing the Pantala Mountains. Do you think that’s so easily made? If that’s true, it would mean a major construction project in those rugged mountains. Are you saying you finished such a project in just a few days?”
As he voiced his doubts, King Venetogna’s voice was filled with escalating anger.
From his perspective, it was only natural.
He was unaware of the time freeze.
To him, the incident of the bone dragon smashing two peaks of the Pantala Mountains had happened just a few days ago.
He couldn’t believe Lloyd’s claim about completing a steel railroad in such a short time.
He thought it was impossible.
He believed Lloyd was blatantly lying.
He suspected there was a sinister scheme behind the deceit.
His suspicions grew even stronger.
Fuelled by this suspicion, he spoke in a low, angry tone.
“Let me ask you this. What do you hope to gain by mocking me? Are you trying to use this incident to send a warning to the neighboring countries?”
He considered the possibility.
The Magentano royal family was indeed powerful.
Queen Alicia herself was a legendary Swordmaster.
Her strong leadership brought political stability.
There were no signs of internal conflict or civil war.
Their land was fertile.
The royal army alone boasted tens of thousands of well-trained elite soldiers.
There was also the formidable knight, Javier Asrahan.
And the bone dragon, a living nightmare, was dedicated to the royal family.
They had recently established
friendly relations with the eastern Sultanate, their traditional rival.
The Magentano royal family was experiencing an unprecedented golden age.
If they truly harbored malicious intent?
They could wage war on all the neighboring countries and still come out on top.
King Venetogna assessed the situation as such.
“Are you treating me and my kingdom like mere stones on the roadside? Planning to trample us to set an example, to show your bloody prowess and intimidate the neighboring countries? Is that your plan to lay the groundwork for a conquest empire? Am I wrong?”
King Venetogna’s voice trembled.
His vision darkened.
He thought his only choices were to die resisting or to surrender in humiliating submission to preserve the royal family’s legacy.
‘The answer was set the moment the bone dragon arrived here.’
King Venetogna sighed deeply.
He steeled himself.
If the dog of the Magentano royal family standing before him pressed him?
If this pressure conveyed Queen Alicia’s threat?
‘Even if I must sacrifice myself… I must save my soldiers and people.’
He saw it as his duty.
To be honorable to his ancestors.
As King Venetogna ruminated on his resolution, Lloyd gave a troubled smile.
“Well, um, I did expect this reaction… You really don’t believe me, do you?”
“….”
King Venetogna’s eyebrows twitched.
What was he talking about now?
As he wondered, Lloyd continued.
“I’m truly sorry. It seems my expectation that you’d easily believe me was mistaken. Perhaps, as they say, seeing is believing. Maybe I should have shown you from the start instead of explaining.”
“What are you…”
Trying to say?
The question remained unfinished.
Before he could finish speaking.
Lloyd reached out for a handshake.
Grab!
“Shh. Excuse me for a moment.”
“…!”
As soon as Lloyd grabbed his hand.
A slight amount of mana flowed from Lloyd into the king.
The mana infiltrated King Venetogna’s vocal cords like an invading army.
He could no longer speak.
King Venetogna’s eyes filled with shock.
But he couldn’t call for help from the Supreme Commander or his guard captain.
As he was about to make a desperate gesture.
Lloyd called out half a beat faster.
“I understand, rightful ruler of this land. As you requested, I, Lloyd Frontera, eldest son of the Frontera family, will personally guide you and show you the trade train in the Pantala Mountains!”
With that sly and smooth statement.
Lloyd pulled King Venetogna along.
Naturally.
Making it look like a polite escort.
Using Asrahan’s martial arts to half-subdue King Venetogna, he led him.
Onto Yongyongi’s palm.
Before anyone could react.
He sent a shameless signal to Yongyongi.
“Yongyongi! Let’s take the King of Veneto to see the trade train in the gorge!”
The moment he signaled.
Whoosh-!
Yongyongi leaped from the square.
Soared hundreds of meters into the sky in an instant.
Holding Lloyd, Javier, and King Venetogna gently in his hands.
Thanks to this, the Supreme Commander and the Guard Captain, who were tensely awaiting orders in the square…
“…Hiccup?”
Looked up at their lord ascending into the sky and started hiccuping.
It was the first-ever case of the King of Veneto being kidnapped.
