Chapter 364. The Fourth Ending Spoiler (2)
This was the guest reception room of the royal palace in the capital, Magenta.
A blue light passage appeared in the space.
Lloyd stepped into it, and his figure disappeared inside.
In the next moment, the time that had momentarily stopped in the world started to flow again.
The clouds drifting across the night sky.
The air in the guest reception room.
The breathing of Javier, who was pretending to sleep.
The quiet fluttering of his eyelids.
They all began to move. Opened. Sparkled.
“…”
In the darkness of the bedroom, Javier rose silently.
He sensed the presence coming from the reception room.
Lloyd’s presence was there.
But when he checked?
‘Gone.’
He looked around the reception room.
Lloyd was nowhere to be seen.
However, his breathing and presence could be heard from all directions.
Even the sound of swallowing.
“…”
Javier suddenly recalled a past memory.
Was it right before they built the grand waterway?
Something similar happened back then.
He had something to report, so he went to Lloyd’s bedroom.
He felt Lloyd’s presence throughout the room.
But he couldn’t find him anywhere.
Not in front of the table.
Not under the bed.
Not behind the curtains.
He searched all possible hiding places but couldn’t find Lloyd.
Yet he kept feeling his presence.
The situation now was exactly the same as then.
“…”
How many secrets is that fake Lloyd hiding?
What is he planning to do this time?
“He didn’t look good earlier.”
Javier recalled how Lloyd looked earlier.
He said he was going to bid farewell to the queen and headed to the palace in good spirits.
But his expression changed 180 degrees after he returned.
Of course, it was almost unnoticeable on the surface.
To someone who didn’t know him well, the change was subtle enough to go unnoticed.
But for him, it was different.
He had been by Lloyd’s side for years.
He could immediately recognize even the slightest change in Lloyd’s expression or emotions.
Thanks to that, he knew instinctively.
‘He was anxious. He was tense and trembling with unease.’
He also seemed to be preparing himself for something.
He hid those feelings while singing a lullaby to him.
So he wanted to know.
What had happened to make him like this?
What was going on that he didn’t tell him?
What was making him so anxious, uneasy, and tense, trying to handle it alone?
And how could he… help him?
‘That’s why I did something out of character.’
He pretended to sleep.
It wasn’t difficult.
Though Lloyd had the keen senses of a Sword Master.
He was far beyond that as a Grand Master.
It was easy to fool Lloyd’s senses.
He tricked Lloyd.
Pretending to sleep with his eyes closed until he sensed a change in Lloyd’s presence.
‘But it’s strange. As soon as I sensed the unusual mana flow in the reception room where Lloyd was, I opened my eyes. And in that short time, Lloyd disappeared.’
Where could Lloyd have gone?
What state was he in?
Why could he sense Lloyd’s presence but not see him?
Moreover, why was his presence making groaning sounds like a person in shock?
‘Like someone having a nightmare.’
Javier sighed softly.
He stood in the dark reception room, pondering for a moment.
Should he wait for Lloyd?
Or should he pretend to sleep again to make Lloyd feel safe to return?
And how could he… help the one who seemed to be in unspeakable distress?
As the silver-haired knight was lost in thought.
The night deepened, and the moonlight dimmed.
♣
The sun was setting.
In the space of the ending spoiler he had just entered.
A glimpse of the future ending at this moment in time.
Lloyd frowned at the sudden blinding light piercing his retina.
No, he tried to frown but failed.
His eyelids wouldn’t move as he wished.
That small fact reminded him of one crucial rule.
‘Ah, right. I can’t move my body now.’
It was always like this when he used the ending spoiler.
He could only experience the situation as if overlaid on his future self’s body facing death.
He couldn’t move or control his body at will.
‘Tsk.’
Lloyd endured the glare and tried to grasp his surroundings as best he could.
Then it happened.
“Lloyd, I’m here.”
A familiar voice whispered beside him.
It was Javier.
Soon, something gently covered his shoulders.
Javier must have draped a coat over him.
But he couldn’t respond.
He had no strength in his body.
He felt a terrible burning and nausea.
Like suffering from a severe hangover.
‘Well, I guess it’s the moment of death.’
It was his fourth time experiencing the ending spoiler.
Lloyd remained calm, unfazed by the premonition of death.
Now wasn’t the time for sentimentality.
He needed to observe the situation and listen to the conversation as much as possible.
Gathering any clue, no matter how small.
Resolutely, Lloyd focused on the situation.
He heard the rustling of grass beside him.
Judging by the presence, Javier was sitting next to him.
Probably.
“Javier.”
A thin voice slipped through his lips.
Javier’s response came immediately.
“Yes, Lloyd.”
“I have something to say.”
“Go ahead.”
“It might take a while.”
“That’s fine.”
Was Javier about to cry?
His voice, usually cold, was faintly trembling with wetness.
The future him chuckled weakly.
Then he spoke.
“This ending spoiler is really harsh. Isn’t it?”
“Pardon?”
“Just listen. I don’t have time to explain everything.”
“…”
“It started right after the Pantara Mountain railroad construction. You probably noticed. The queen’s left arm seemed off. You’re right. Don’t ignore it.”
Lloyd was struggling, stammering, but trying to speak clearly.
As if he were talking to Javier.
Or like a monologue.
But in reality…
‘Is he talking to me?’
It seemed so.
Lloyd focused on the words coming from his future self’s lips.
“The queen’s left arm will get worse. The deterioration will be faster than expected. Just paralysis? If only it were that simple. Unfortunately, in this version, it’s worse. It rots in just two months. Her arm decays as if infected by some disease.”
‘…’
The queen’s arm will rot?
Lloyd’s eyes widened in horror.
The future him continued.
“So she cut it off. No treatment worked. It seemed like her life was at risk if left as is. She bit her lip and did it herself. By now, you should get the picture? Yes, it’s like in The Iron-Blooded Knight. The regicide attempt scenario ended similarly.”
‘…What.’
Lloyd was appalled.
Listening to this was truly terrible.
It felt more gruesome than the first version of the fate restoration phenomenon he had seen.
‘And it’s closer to the original story of The Iron-Blooded Knight.’
Lloyd held his breath.
Focusing more intently on his future self’s story.
“It continued similarly. The queen’s personality changed after cutting off her arm. Experiencing such a horror and cutting off her own arm must have been shocking. Probably. Anyone would be. Especially the queen, who wields a sword. The loss of an arm must have been even more devastating. Anyway… phew.”
His future self took a deep breath.
Then he continued.
“The queen began to suspect those around her. She believed someone had been slowly poisoning her, causing the paralysis and decay. She executed all her attendants. And when that wasn’t enough, she hanged the court magicians too. Do you know why?”
‘…’
He didn’t know.
But he could guess.
“Yes, you can guess, right? Because of suspicion. She suspected it wasn’t poison but a magical curse causing her arm’s decay. So she purged all the court magicians. This caused an uproar among the nobility. Of course. Many of the court magicians were noble children. That’s how the civil war started.”
‘…Phew.’
He could picture the situation.
The entire capital must have been covered in a dark cloud.
It was like that in The Iron-Blooded Knight.
The queen, who lost her arm in the regicide attempt, went berserk, suspecting everyone and executing a massive bloody purge.
‘Which led to a civil war.’
Over half the kingdom was devastated.
Countless fields and villages burned.
More than half the noble families were annihilated.
It seemed the same thing happened here.
Listening to his future self confirmed it.
“The queen’s side and the side opposing the tyranny. A great war. Guess which side our family took? Naturally, the queen’s side. I calculated thoroughly, and it was clear where the balance of power lay.”
That would be the case.
He would have acted the same way.
His future self’s monologue continued.
“We didn’t actively participate, though. I hated meaningless wars. I held a neutral position. Luckily, the queen didn’t completely lose her mind and didn’t press further. But what she did next was problematic.”
‘…’
What did she do?
The following statement from his future self made Lloyd gasp.
“The queen, nearing the end of the civil war, waged war against a neighboring country. To unify the surviving royalist nobles. She invaded the southwest. You know? The Kingdom of Veneto.”
‘…’
No way.
Lloyd felt a chill.
And it was true.
“The Pantara Mountain railroad I built. The trade route became an invasion route. Thanks to that, the Kingdom of Veneto fell in less than ten days. So what did I do? I protested. This wasn’t what the trade route was for. But the price of that protest was high. The title of ‘Benefactor of Magentano’ disappeared.”
‘The title disappeared?’
The Benefactor of Magentano.
It was his first title.
It protected him from suspicion or hostility, ensuring the queen’s full support and affection.
But if it was gone?
And while the queen was a tyrant?
The rest was predictable.
“As you can guess. Once the title disappeared, the barrier suppressing her suspicion was gone. Our family had grown too strong. Any ruler would see it as a threat. The dam holding back her suspicion broke.”
His future self chuckled.
His voice turned self-mocking.
“I was branded a traitor. Became the kingdom’s public enemy. What did I do then? I had no choice but to rebel openly. There was no room for negotiation or compromise. That’s how the second civil war started. The royal family versus our family. Guess who won.”
He could guess.
They did.
His future self nodded.
“You know. We won. We took the capital a fortnight ago.”
‘…’
“Actually, I wanted to stop there. But reality didn’t allow it. The queen committed suicide.”
‘…’
“This wasn’t right. The situation was messed up. From then, I watched the downfall. How reality crumbled and twisted. How it all ended. People’s lives can fall apart so quickly. Just yesterday, I buried the Frontera couple.”
What happened now?
His future self’s voice, more self-mocking than ever, provided the answer.
“While we were on an expedition to capture the capital, someone from the remaining loyalist nobles sent an assassin. Posing as my messenger, carrying an urgent letter, they met the couple. And then… they stabbed them before they could react.”
‘…’
“Of course, they had guards. I’m not careless enough to leave the house unprotected. But the assassin was serious. A rogue Sword Master.”
‘…’
“Anyway, I’ve been drinking heavily since yesterday. I’m weak. But what can I do? My heart aches so much. I couldn’t even tell them the truth, couldn’t call them my parents. I felt so sorry, so guilty. So I drank heavily after a long time. And I made a decision.”
His future self chuckled.
He could tell what the decision was.
What he was thinking.
Why this was the moment of his future self’s death.
“Yes. You know. The Lloyd Frontera using the ending spoiler. You’ve been noticing since earlier? This is a message for you.”
‘…’
He knew.
He predicted he would use the ending spoiler and left this message before dying.
So he thought.
It was like him.
But he was also curious.
‘Just because he drank heavily and felt weak, is this really the moment of death?’
It was a bit strange.
His body looked strained from drinking.
He seemed very distressed.
But he didn’t look like he was about to die.
‘Moreover, he’s acting like he knows he’s going to die soon. Wait, so…’
At that moment.
His future self smiled.
“Yes. The ending spoiler shows the moment of death. And death can come in many ways.”
…No way.
Lloyd thought.
And it was true.
His future self turned his head for the first time.
He spoke to Javier, who was sitting beside him.
“Javier, now.”
“…Do we really have to do this?”
“Yes. This way, I survive, the earl and countess survive, and the queen survives.”
“But…”
“Trust me.”
“…”
Javier’s complicated gaze looked at him.
Judging by the atmosphere, they must have discussed this situation a lot.
His future self must have insisted.
Relentlessly persuaded him.
Dragged the hesitant Javier to this point.
So Javier, near tears, nodded.
“…Understood.”
Javier stood up.
He stood with his back to the setting sun.
His tear-streaked face was covered in shadows.
His shadow covered Lloyd’s face too.
The only thing that shone was the sword Javier drew.
Srrring.
Javier raised the sword.
The tip trembled slightly.
As if confirming one last time, or unable to let go of his hesitation, he asked.
“Is this the only way?”
“Yes.”
“…”
Javier bit his lip hard.
His future self smiled bitterly.
And like leaving a last will, he spoke.
“By the way, after much deduction, I concluded that someone accelerated the fate restoration phenomenon. It’s…”
Javier’s sword fell.
Silently.
The blade cut his body.
That was the end.
The blood poured out.
The body tilted and fell.
The consciousness rapidly dimmed.
In that moment, he whispered a final breath like a sigh.
“…King of Hell.”
Then everything was engulfed in darkness.
