Chapter 406: Special Episode - 8 Years Later (1)
*‘Lloyd is really quite pitiful.’*
The silver-haired knight, Javier, mused quietly to himself.
As he thought, a faintly smug smile crept across his face.
*‘At this rate, he might end up being the weakest one in his own family.’*
And in truth, that was quite possible.
The noble he once served, the troublemaker brought from another dimension—Kim Suho—now known as Duke Lloyd Frontera, was once a Swordmaster. He had even led an expedition to conquer hell itself.
However, after the final battle with the Demon King, he lost his body.
He returned to the body of Kim Suho in Seoul, South Korea.
As a result, he lost both his mana heart and his magic circle.
*‘I thought he’d recover his power quickly.’*
Javier had expected that back then.
But the reality?
It was far from what he imagined.
*‘I never thought his progress would be so slow.’*
Normally, those who reach a high level and fall should regain their strength with ease.
They usually grow faster than others.
But somehow, Lloyd—now in Kim Suho’s body—was different.
*‘I’ve never seen anyone so lacking in talent.’*
No matter how hard he trained.
No matter how Queen Alicia pushed him every day.
There was no visible improvement.
And so, eight years later, Lloyd still hadn’t progressed beyond the level of a low-ranked Sword Expert.
*‘He said he was saving up his RP for when he’d face the Swordmaster Syndrome… But what even is RP?’*
Javier still had no clue what this “RP” was.
Lloyd remained as mysterious as ever.
But just then…
“*Haviel Ttamtton!*”
A cheerful voice called out to Javier, like a little chirping bird, pulling him from his thoughts.
He raised his eyes.
He didn’t need to raise them far.
A small girl had already run up to him, her tiny feet pattering across the ground.
“*Haviel Ttamtton! I just did it! The slash-slash thrust-thrust! Did you see?*” [1]
“Yes, I saw, Princess.”
“*Then praise me!*”
“You did very well, Princess.”
Javier’s strong hands gently patted the little girl’s head.
Her face bloomed into a radiant smile, full of satisfaction.
“*Hehe, praise, praise!*”
What made her so happy?
Like an excited puppy, the little girl ran back to the training ground, enthusiastically playing with her wooden sword.
But there was nothing ordinary about her movements.
No, it was no game.
She was only six years old.
In a few days, she would celebrate her seventh birthday.
And yet, her skill was already approaching the level of a low-ranked Sword Expert.
*‘Her talent… is incredible.’*
Princess Charlotte Frontera Magentano.
The daughter of Queen Alicia and Duke Lloyd.
(TL note: OMG!!!!)
It must be that she inherited her mother’s remarkable talent.
From Javier’s perspective as her sword instructor, if things continued as they were, it was clear that in less than three years, she would surpass her father’s skill.
*‘It’s a blessing she didn’t inherit Lloyd’s abilities.’*
Yet in some ways, the girl was very much like her father.
Moments like this made that obvious.
“But, *Ttamtton?*” [1]
“Yes?”
“*Why didn’t you keep your promise?*”
Charlotte had finished playing with her sword and now stood in front of him, her face curious.
Javier furrowed his brow slightly.
“Promise? What promise are you referring to?”
“*You said if I did the slash-slash thrust-thrust right, you’d give me a present.*”
“…Surely not.”
“*But you did.*”
“I’m not denying it, but…”
“*Then?*”
“Could it be that you still remember that promise?”
“*Yup!*”
Charlotte nodded her small head energetically.
“*When I had my first sword lesson at three, you gave me a wooden sword and demonstrated the slash-slash thrust-thrust. You said if I did it right, you’d give me a present.*”
“…”
“*And now, I’ve done it right.*”
“…”
“*But all you gave me was praise.*”
“…”
Could it be?
Had her earlier request for praise been a test to see if he remembered their old promise?
Had she been checking if he would keep his word?
“…”
Javier felt a shiver run down his spine.
In moments like this, Charlotte truly reminded him of Lloyd.
Normally, she was indifferent to things that didn’t concern her.
But when it came to something in her favor, she was relentless.
She absolutely hated losing out.
She was obsessed with getting her due, even if it was just a trivial reward or a single coin.
It felt like he was staring at a miniature version of Lloyd from the old days.
*‘Sigh.’*
She had inherited the extreme sword talent from her mother, the Swordmaster Queen.
And the cunning, miserly ways from her father, the shrewd Duke.
*‘This child is going to be something else when she grows up.’*
Javier smiled as he swallowed the overwhelming feeling rising in his chest.
He knelt down to Charlotte’s level, his usual stern face softening into a rare, gentle smile.
“I’m sorry, Princess. I didn’t realize you still remembered that promise. It was my mistake.”
“*No, Haviel Ttamtton. It’s not a mistake.*”
“It’s not?”
“*Dad said so. If there’s no contract, people will always forget promises where they have to give something back.*”
(TL Note: Damn you Lloyd!!)
“…”
“*So, the one who’s owed something has to remember until they get it. Even when they’re about to sleep, they should go over everything they’re owed.*”
“…”
“*And that’s why I remembered!*”
“…I see.”
“*Yup!*”
“…Alright. As promised, I’ll give you your present.”
“*Really?*”
“Yes. What would you like as your gift, Princess?”
Javier asked, smiling warmly as he wondered what she might ask for.
What would this smart and precocious sword student of his want? Candy? A dress? New shoes?
Maybe even a new wooden sword?
*‘Whatever it is…’*
Javier made a silent vow.
Whatever it was, as long as it was within his power, he would make sure to get it for her.
But then, Charlotte gave her answer.
“A *mythical beast*.”
“…What?”
“I want a mythical beast.”
Charlotte said with complete seriousness.
“*Ppodong Ttamtton is squishy and fluffy. Aunt Bangul is so soft and kind. Hamang Ttamtton is so much fun. Bibeong Ttamtton’s belly is like a playground. And riding on Ggoming Ttamtton is the most fun. But they all only listen to Dad.*”
“So, you want a mythical beast of your own?”
“*Yup! I want a mythical beast to follow me around, too.*”
“But, Princess Charlotte.”
“*Yes?*”
“I’m sorry, but giving you a mythical beast as a present is beyond my abilities.”
“*Why?*”
“Because I don’t know where to get one.”
Javier smiled gently, feeling genuinely sorry.
He spoke carefully, hoping not to disappoint her too much.
“Sir Ppodong, Lady Bangul, Sir Hamang, and Sir Ggoming were all summoned by your father, the Duke. Sir Bibeong is the exception, but it seems he, too, was summoned by someone long ago. But I, unfortunately, don’t have the ability to summon mythical beasts.”
“*Umm…*”
“I’m truly sorry. But how about we do this instead?”
“*What is it?*”
The disappointment in her eyes faded as curiosity returned.
Javier smiled back at her and said,
“In three days, it will be your seventh birthday, correct?”
“*So?*”
“Why don’t you ask your father for a mythical beast as your birthday present?”
“*Ask Dad? For a mythical beast for my birthday?*”
“Yes. I’m sure he’ll say yes. And, of course, he’ll be able to make it happen.”
Indeed, he probably would.
If Lloyd wanted to, he could summon a mythical beast for his daughter’s birthday. Although he might demand a contract or some sort of written agreement in return.
*‘Knowing Lloyd, he’d absolutely do something like that. Even for a birthday gift, he wouldn’t just hand over a mythical beast for free.’*
Lloyd would likely ask for something in return, like a 20% cut of her allowance or a daily kiss on the cheek.
*‘That’s Lloyd for you, always squeezing something out of every deal.’*
But then again, Charlotte wasn’t an easy one to deal with either.
After all, she was Lloyd’s daughter.
Surely, she would show remarkable negotiation skills beyond her age.
Javier’s expectations were spot-on.
An hour later, as the sword lesson was wrapping up, Lloyd appeared at the training ground.
When he arrived, Princess Charlotte squealed with excitement and ran to him, throwing herself into his arms.
“*Dad! I did the slash-slash thrust-thrust today!*”
“Haha, did you now?”
“*Yup! But Haviel Ttamtton didn’t give me a present!*”
“Hahaha, is that so?”
“*Yup! So Haviel Ttamtton said you’d give me a present instead!*”
“Hahaha, did he now?”
**Swoosh!**
Lloyd shot a sharp, sideways glance at Javier.
But Javier just gave a calm, indifferent shrug.
And so began an intense negotiation between father and daughter.
“*So, Dad, my birthday is coming up, right?*”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“*For my birthday present…*”
“What kind of present?”
“*A mythical beast.*”
“That’s expensive.”
“*How much?*”
“It’s more expensive than *he* is.”
Lloyd casually gestured toward Javier.
A vein pulsed on Javier’s forehead.
But Lloyd ignored it and continued.
“Kidding. But still, mythical beasts are really expensive. You’re okay with that?”
“*That’s okay. How expensive?*”
“Hmm, about… 600 kisses on the cheek?”
“*Can I pay in installments?*”
“Nope, has to be all at once.”
“*Then I’d be in trouble. My lips would pop!*”
“Oh, well, then we can’t have that. Should I allow installments?”
“*Yes!*”
“Over the longest possible time?”
“*Yes, yes!*”
“Then how about 600 kisses over 600 days? One kiss per day. How’s that?”
“*Yes, sounds good!*”
“But you know there’s interest on installments, right?”
“*How much interest?*”
“Hmm, I’ll give you a big discount. Just 10%. So, 60 more kisses.”
“*…That’s too many.*”
“You don’t like it? Well, if you don’t like it, we can forget the deal.”
“*No, I don’t dislike it, but…*”
“Then what?”
“*If you don’t shave, your whiskers poke my lips.*”
“You want me to shave every day? Not miss a single day?”
“*Yup!*”
“Hah, fine, fine. It’s a deal.”
“*Deal!*”
“Now that we’ve made a deal, what do we need to do?”
“*Contract!*”
“Exactly. That’s my girl.”
(TL Note: Classic Lloyd. lol)
Father and daughter wrote up a contract on the spot, sealing it with their handprints.
Watching this, Javier couldn’t help but smile.
He approached Lloyd and asked quietly,
“Lloyd, will you really be okay with this?”
“Well, as long as she likes her mythical beast, it’ll all work out, right?”
“I’m sure it will. In that case, I’ll take my leave now and finish the lesson.”
“Alright, thanks. Take care.”
“Thank you. Have a good day.”
Lloyd left the training ground, waving goodbye to his daughter and Javier.
And as he walked away, he clenched his fist in victory.
*‘Nice.’*
He had secured 660 kisses on the cheek.
That meant for nearly two years, he wouldn’t have to worry.
*‘Recently, it’s been getting harder to get kisses on the cheek. This is a relief.’*
Feeling like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, Lloyd quickened his pace.
Since they had made the agreement, he figured he might as well go ahead and summon the mythical beast.
*‘I don’t know what kind of beast I’ll get, but it’ll probably be best to go with the Premium Random Summon. I’ll make sure it’s something cute and fits her taste. That should work. Plus, I’ve got plenty of RP saved up.’*
Eight years ago, after the battle with the Demon King, when he returned to Seoul, he still had RP left.
And now?
Over the years, his RP had only grown.
Currently, he had a total of 27,595 RP.
*‘I saved it up in case I ever needed to break through from Sword Expert to Swordmaster in one go… But now, I’m not even sure I’ll ever reach that level.’*
The RP had been meticulously saved for a future breakthrough.
But since he no longer wielded a sword or faced life-threatening situations, his progress had slowed.
And frankly, he didn’t mind.
*‘I have my wife to protect me anyway.’*
After all, his wife, aside from Javier, was the most powerful Swordmaster in the world.
So there was no need to hoard his RP any longer.
Might as well use it now to summon a new mythical beast.
With that in mind, Lloyd entered the inner chambers of the palace, heading to a private lounge reserved for him and the Queen.
There, he took a deep breath and opened the system interface.
[Premium Random Summon]
[You can increase the chances of summoning a mythical beast that fits your desired traits by spending a bit more RP.]
[Conditional Summon Cost (2nd Attempt): 1,200 RP]
[Current RP: 27,595]
[Would you like to proceed with the Conditional Random Summon?]
[YES / NO]
*‘Of course, YES.’*
Lloyd confidently selected “YES.”
But then, something unexpected happened.
**Ding!**
[Summon failed.]
*‘Huh?’*
A message popped up on the screen.
[mythical beasts are summoned solely for your companionship. However, you attempted the summon with the intention of giving it to someone else. This violates the core purpose of the summon, resulting in a failure.]
*‘What the…’*
Lloyd was taken aback.
He quickly asked,
*‘But I’m giving it to my daughter. She’s not just anyone, she’s my own kid. Doesn’t that count?’*
[This is not allowed.]
The answer came back firmly.
*‘Tch.’*
Lloyd clicked his tongue in frustration.
When the system said something wasn’t possible, it meant it.
He knew from experience that no amount of clever tricks or loopholes would work.
He accepted the outcome swiftly.
*‘Sigh, I guess I’ll have to explain this to her.’*
Just when he thought he had scored a jackpot with all those kisses, it seemed he would have to cancel the contract.
*‘Tch. How do I break this to her without upsetting her? I wonder what penalty she’ll ask for breaking the contract.’*
Picking up his pace, Lloyd hurried back to the training ground.
It was best to tell her sooner rather than later, to soften the disappointment.
When he arrived, Charlotte and Javier were wrapping up their lesson.
Lloyd approached his daughter with a sincere look of apology.
“Hey, sweetheart?”
“*Yes, Dad?*”
“I’m sorry, but about that contract earlier…”
“*Yes?*”
“I don’t think I can keep that promise.”
“*Huh?*”
“The mythical beast… It won’t come right away.”
“*Huhhh?*”
“It’ll arrive… later. Much later.”
“…”
Charlotte’s bottom lip began to pout.
Lloyd felt a pang of guilt in his chest.
This was an emergency.
“Uhm, sweetheart? What I mean is… this year’s birthday present will have to be something else. Not a mythical beast, but something even prettier and cuter. Okay?”
“…”
Her big eyes started to fill with tears.
Lloyd’s heart sank.
This was bad.
“Uh, um, sweetheart? Listen…”
And so began Lloyd’s desperate attempts to comfort his daughter, trying to soothe her disappointment with all his might.
But even after an entire day of coaxing and consoling, he couldn’t get her to stop pouting.
*‘Sigh. I’ll have to try again tomorrow.’*
That night, as he lay beside his wife before drifting off to sleep, Lloyd made a vow to himself.
Tomorrow, he would make it up to her.
He would take her on a fun outing outside the city, maybe a picnic or a carriage ride.
He had no idea.
No idea at all that as he made this resolution, his six-year-old daughter was, at that very moment, using an ability she had been born with—an ability she was just now discovering by accident.
**Ding!**
[Mythical Beast Random Summon]
[You can summon a mythical beast by spending RP.]
[Powerful and unique mythical beasts will offer their utmost loyalty and various abilities to their summoner.]
[1 Summon = 50 RP]
Having woken up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, little Charlotte Frontera Magentano stood in her room, staring wide-eyed at the system message that had suddenly appeared before her.
(TL Note: Awwwww. Such Cuteness!)
