Chapter 360. Preparations for an Audience (2)
“……Hah! Huff, huh…… Whew!”
Clang!
The steel shovel fell to the ground.
Lloyd didn’t pick it up. Instead, he brought his hand to his face and wiped the sweat pouring down his forehead like a natural spring. The sleeve of his clothes soaked through.
“Ugh, oh my.”
He felt his legs give way and collapsed to the ground. Even then, his breathing didn’t settle, leaving him feeling an intense sense of unfairness akin to a bitter espresso.
‘I’m on the verge of death here, and we were sparring together. How is the Queen still so unruffled?’
He raised his gaze, filled with resentment.
Queen Alicia stood before him, utterly unscathed. Not a hair out of place, her breathing steady and calm.
“Lloyd Frontera, are you already tired?”
“Huff, wheeze… already, you say? I feel utterly… wronged.”
“Wronged? Why?”
“I’ve been sparring with Your Majesty here in the training ground for a solid hour… Huff, wheeze, and you say already…”
“Sparring for an hour is no big deal.”
Queen Alicia tilted her head as if baffled by his complaint.
“Isn’t this how proper training is done?”
“…”
“On the battlefield, fighting, slashing, parrying, and rolling around for an hour is common. To prepare for that, training like this is essential. Don’t you think?”
“…”
Excuse me, Your Majesty.
No matter the battlefield, sparring with a Swordmaster, especially one wielding twin clubs, for an hour would leave anyone battered and bruised.
Lloyd wanted to voice this complaint sincerely. He felt deeply wronged.
‘Huff, I just came to report that the Pantara Mountain railroad was completed.’
How did it come to this? How did he end up being the Queen’s punching bag in the middle of the night?
He recalled the events from an hour ago.
It was right after he had arrived at this training ground and witnessed an unexpected sight.
Queen Alicia, holding twin swords—or rather, twin clubs.
‘…’
It was terrifying.
Especially the way she had smiled at him, a smile that could only be described as pure joy, like a girl opening a gift from her first love, or perhaps the eager gaze of someone unboxing a new punching bag.
And the double clubs in her hands only added to the menace.
From there, things had spiraled.
‘There wasn’t even a proper greeting.’
She had insisted they warm up first, suggesting they could talk later. Elegantly raising her clubs, she had started the session.
What had followed was something Lloyd didn’t even want to think about.
‘She treated me like a lab rat.’
Queen Alicia’s twin clubs—or rather, the practice swords with dulled edges she used—had been a nightmare.
She had wielded them as if testing new techniques, freely manipulating both swords.
Though her left-hand movements were slightly awkward compared to her right, her relentless assault left little room for counterattacks.
In front of her, Lloyd felt like a cricket before a typhoon.
Queen Alicia’s level was simply beyond his reach. The duration she had spent as a Swordmaster far surpassed his own.
While Lloyd had become a Swordmaster by enlarging his mana heart through various tricks and opportunities, Alicia had achieved her rank through pure effort and skill.
The difference was immense.
Her understanding of her body, her manipulation of mana and sword, her immediate responsiveness and application of techniques—all were several levels above Lloyd’s.
The result was complete domination.
After an hour of hell, Lloyd was left exhausted.
“Huff, wheeze… Your Majesty.”
Wiping the sweat from his face, Lloyd asked,
“May I now present the purpose of my visit?”
“Hah, I already know your business.”
Queen Alicia smiled, looking down at him with a meaningful gaze.
“You came to report that the Pantara Mountain railroad has been completed, did you not?”
“…You knew?”
“Of course.”
She smiled again and massaged her left arm.
“Did you think I wouldn’t know about the ruckus you caused in the Veneto Kingdom?”
“…”
“According to the reports, you wrapped things up neatly. No need for reprimand. You used quite the tactics, charming and persuading the crafty Venetogna.”
“I am grateful for Your Majesty’s acknowledgment.”
“How could I not? Did you think my eyes and ears were confined to the capital?”
“Of course not…”
“My reach extends even to your estate.”
Queen Alicia’s gaze held a strange expression.
“I have also learned about your ability to manipulate time.”
“…”
“Don’t worry. If I had intended to resent or distrust you for such an ability, I could have used this training session as a pretext to harm you long ago.”
“Your grace is immeasurable, Your Majesty.”
“Really?”
“…”
“Indeed, I know your intentions. Despite your abilities, you hope that I will trust you, that you harbor no malicious intent. I understand your feelings.”
As Queen Alicia spoke, a message popped up in front of Lloyd.
Ding-dong.
[Queen Alicia feels a sense of caution due to your exceptional abilities.]
[The effect of the accolade <Favored by Magentano> is activated.]
[Queen Alicia retains her absolute trust in you. Despite her caution about your abilities, she will not turn against or distrust you.]
The welcome message appeared just as Queen Alicia’s gaze softened.
“I have already taken measures. I have ordered your subjects not to speak of your abilities to anyone. If they do, they will be executed. Additionally—”
Her lips curled into a meaningful smile.
“Anyone who tries to sow doubt and discord about your ability to manipulate time will also be executed.”
“Your grace is immeasurable, Your Majesty.”
Lloyd bowed deeply. This time, he truly felt grateful.
‘I was planning to reveal the time-stopping ability soon anyway.’
He had been contemplating how to disclose it, knowing it couldn’t be hidden forever. The truth had come out when he froze time in front of everyone while building the Jewel of Truth in the Frontera estate.
‘I figured that peculiar ability would eventually reach the Queen’s ears.’
The timing was sooner than expected. The Queen must have been keeping a closer eye on him than he had anticipated.
‘Thank goodness for the accolade.’
Lloyd sighed in relief.
The accolade, <Favored by Magentano>, had likely prevented suspicions of rebellion. Despite Queen Alicia’s magnanimous nature, she was still a ruler who would not tolerate a potential threat.
Without the accolade’s effect, she might have already suspected him of treason.
Feeling grateful for the accolade, Lloyd looked around cautiously.
“However, Your Majesty, I hope it is not presumptuous to ask… is it appropriate to discuss this here?”
“It is fine. If you are worried about Swordmaster Syndrome sufferers overhearing our conversation, you can rest assured.”
“Then, by any chance?”
“Yes. As soon as I received your request for an audience, I sent everyone else away. Only those below that level remain, so they won’t hear us.”
“That is a relief. In that case, the Eye of Summer that Your Majesty promised me…”
“The divine artifact, the Eye of Summer?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Ah, you never change.”
“…Pardon?”
“You always come to me only when you need something.”
“I apologize, Your Majesty.”
“Are you truly sorry?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Really?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Can you look me in the eye and say that again?”
“…Please spare me, Your Majesty.”
“Tsk. To think you would be so brazen before me.”
“Once again, I apologize, Your Majesty.”
“Hmm, if you are truly sorry, should I break my promise?”
“…Pardon?”
“Just a thought that crossed my mind.”
“What thought, Your Majesty?”
“You only come to me when you want something. What if I delay giving you the Eye of Summer as long as possible, so you have to keep coming back to me?”
“…”
“It doesn’t sound like a bad idea to me. What do you think?”
“Um, well, that…”
“Do you think I’m being mean?”
“…”
“Or are you just trying to figure out how to beg more earnestly?”
“Please, Your Majesty, have mercy!”
Lloyd swiftly prostrated himself.
A happy smile spread across Queen Alicia’s face.
“Very well. Since you seem so eager, I shall consider granting your request.”
With a radiant smile, she raised her twin clubs.
“It’s time for round two.”
“…”
Lloyd’s face turned pale with dread.
♣
Several days passed.
Due to the intense sparring sessions, Lloyd ended up bedridden in the royal guest quarters.
Queen Alicia’s rigorous training had taken its toll once again.
However, his efforts were not in vain.
Queen Alicia didn’t delay her promise.
During the following days, she actively swayed public opinion.
She announced that the Pantara Mountain trade route had indeed been completed by Lloyd, both domestically and internationally.
She publicly praised his achievement.
Both in the capital and among the provincial nobles.
No one dared to oppose the Queen’s narrative.
Furthermore, the nobles who had previously supported her proposal in the House of Lords couldn’t contest the justifiable reason for awarding the divine artifact.
The pro-fulfillment faction rejoiced, while the opposition grudgingly accepted.
The process moved swiftly.
A few days later, the royal palace held a grand ceremony to award the divine artifact.
The ceremony was nothing short of spectacular.
It was an event to bestow a divine artifact that had been in the royal family for centuries.
Every noble in the capital attended.
Prominent figures from provincial noble families also vied for a spot.
It was an event of an extraordinary scale, surpassing most royal events.
As a result, Lloyd was tense throughout the ceremony.
Was it because prominent figures were in attendance?
Was it because he was about to receive a divine artifact?
Was it because he was the center of attention?
No.
His tension stemmed from something else.
More precisely, from his own jinx.
‘This is a big event. And whenever a grand event happens, something always goes wrong.’
Be it due to his fate or some strange rule of this world, grand events and ceremonies always seemed to invite disasters.
‘It happened in Cremo, at the suspension bridge completion ceremony here in the capital, and at the completion of the Termina Grand Garden. Yongyong caused chaos. But today’s event is even bigger. So who knows what might happen. Stay vigilant. Don’t let your guard down!’
With this stern resolution, he remained on high alert.
Like a soldier nearing discharge, he was tense, ready to react to even the slightest disturbance.
Fortunately, this time his jinx didn’t come into play.
The ceremony concluded without any incidents.
The only mishap was when he almost blurted out, ‘Thank you, Queen Sister!’ while receiving the Eye of Summer.
‘Phew. Glad I quickly corrected it to Your Majesty.’
If he had called her sister, it would have been recorded in history.
Lloyd Frontera, who insulted the Queen during a ceremony and lost his head—that could have been his fate.
‘But I got what I came for, so it’s all good.’
After the ceremony, Lloyd left the palace with the box containing the Eye of Summer.
Instead of returning to his quarters, he headed to a secluded area outside the city.
With Javier, he crossed the city walls and entered a remote forest.
They waited there until nightfall.
Finally, under the full moon at midnight, he began the final act of his grand plan.
“Ready?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s start.”
“Understood.”
Lloyd asked, and Javier nodded.
Immediately, Lloyd opened the special containment box holding the Eye of Summer.
An indescribable heat surged from the box.
The heat enveloped Lloyd.
Whoosh!
At that moment, Lloyd activated his rapid recharge ability.
He was determined to absorb the divine artifact’s energy completely and finally eliminate the long-standing side effects.
Inside his mana heart, the Spirit King Pantala, who had been enjoying a rare vacation, screamed in terror.
