"Um, my great king," called Lloyd. "I brought your wife, the Dragon Queen, here."
Thump!
What was that noise? The sound of his heart sinking? The tsunami of destruction charging at him? If not, was it a bell that tolled to announce the end of his lazy life of rotting in bed?
What?!
The Dragon King panicked in alarm. His wife was here? He brought her here? But there was some time left before my sweetheart came back from her trip! Yet, she's here already?
She was, according to the voice. And instead of their cave, his wife arrived at the guest chamber of the Frontera Fiefdom where he was lazing around. What would happen next was obvious.
I can't be scolded so openly like this!
Dragon King Verkis was an almighty and powerful dragon. However, right now, he was no different than all the other married men in the world. To save himself from the scolding of his enraged wife, he bolted upright from his bed as though he was never asleep. In 0.1 seconds, he rubbed his eyes which were swollen from sleep. In 0.2 seconds, he flipped his hair as he turned to the voice nearby. And in 0.3 seconds, his face froze.
"Eh...?" She wasn't here. He couldn't find his wife. Instead, he saw a man with a greasy face looking at him.
"My, dear Dragon King! Are you awake?!"
Verkis stared hard at the human before blurting, "Who are you?"
"Hahaha. It's been a long time, my king. Do you not remember me?"
"No."
"It's Lloyd. Lloyd Frontera. You're reliable! Beneficiary!" Lloyd uttered in a groveling tone.
"Oh, you," replied Verkis as if it was all coming back to him now.
"Thank you for remembering me."
"Don't be. What are you doing here?"
"My, of course, I am here to wake you up to have a great morning." Lloyd had a sickeningly sweet smile on.
Verkis's eyes turned icy just as much. "And what about my sweetheart?"
"Eh?"
"My sweetheart," replied Verkis, evidently annoyed.
"Oh, the Dragon Queen?"
"Yeah. I thought you brought her here."
"I actually lied."
Verkis dangerously glared at Lloyd, who didn't lose his composure regardless. In a more brazen and shameless manner, Lloyd instead put on a genuine expression of a loyal man, "Yes, I know. I know how grave my sin is for daring to lie to you and interrupting your sweet nap. But the thing is, I didn't have any other choice."
"What do you mean?"
"The thing is, I am just an insignificant man who hopes that your heart will always be as peaceful and tranquil as a lake. For that reason, I could tell the moment I laid my eyes on you."
"What?"
"That..." Lloyd said dramatically. "You have not woken up a single time in the past few months. And during this time, you have not called your wife in the morning either."
"T-that's-"
"It's a disaster." Lloyd interrupted. "Yes, yes, of course it is."
“...”
"That was why I did it!" Lloyd raised his hands in the air as if he were doing an act. "I wanted to protect you!"
"Hey, hey," Verkis said as he swayed his hands.
However, Lloyd was unperturbed. "Even if I got scolded! I believed I had the duty to wake you up! Even if it brought about a terrible punishment! As long as you can find happiness by calling your wife every morning! I thought that was enough!"
Verkis shot a confused look at Lloyd. "Why... are you crying?"
"That is right! I believe that the happiness of a family is of the utmost importance! I uphold the teachings of my wise ancestors' who said that the peace of a family is the key to maintaining the order of life! For the happiness and wellness of your family! I risked any type of danger, suffering, and tribulation to act on my holy mission to wake you from your deep slumber!"
For a moment, Verkis didn't say anything. "That's why you resorted to lying?"
"Indeed," Lloyd replied as he stood upright.
"As there will be a disaster if I don't call my sweetheart every morning?"
"Yes."
"Were you concerned that I'd get scolded?"
"I did, my king."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"Tsk," Verkis tutted as he frowned. "I don't think so."
"I am being sincere. Truly. I mean what I said."
"Breathe while you talk."
"My sincerity leaves me with no room to breathe."
"What if I say that you're lying?"
"Don't kill me, please."
"What if I say no?"
"Still, don't kill me, please."
"What if I don't feel like it?"
"Forgive me..." Lloyd fell face down. But he was still smiling because he was convinced that Verkis would never hurt him.
Of course. He hasn't woken up a single time in the last few months while I was away to search for the jewel. I'm not the one in trouble. He is.
Just then, Lloyd recalled the event a while ago. When he was teleported to the corridor, he coincidentally overheard the conversation between his maid, Emily, and the others as they passed by.
They said that there was a man who had been asleep in the guest chamber for several months and that they were worried about him. Troubled, they say. But the count only told them to take good care of him.
Their chatter overheard by Lloyd allowed him to grasp what had been going on for the past few months.
The dragon king was so lazy he couldn't be bothered to wake up even once in the past few months. And so, there's no way he's been calling his wife in the morning. But seriously, what's wrong with this dragon? I even left stern instructions for Turtle Neck, Frozen Shoulder, and the other skeletons. They were to dance and party every morning to wake him up. How could he have still stayed asleep despite that?
A pang of admiration rushed through Lloyd. It was marvelous how the dragon could remain in a comatose state with what would have been going on. On one hand, Lloyd figured he could use this to his benefit. "My dear Dragon King, do you not feel troubled right now?"
"Me? Feel troubled? Why would I?"
"Haven't you not called your wife a single time while I was gone?"
At that, Dragon King Verkis clamped his mouth shut. It felt like Lloyd hit the nail on the head.
Lloyd smiled from ear to ear. "I believe I can assist you with this problem."
"Assist? Me?"
"Yes."
"How?" asked Verkis doubtfully.
"It's simple. If you could help me teleport to another dimension, I would be more than happy to offer my help in return, Dragon King."
Verkis huffed. "Are you trying to strike a deal with me now? How dare you."
Lloyd's smile broadened. "That's how important the deal will be to you, my king."
"So, how will you assist me?" Verkis crossed his arms.
"I will vouch for you." Lloyd wiggled his brows.
"Vouch for me?"
"I mean when the Dragon Queen starts to scold you."
"And?"
Lloyd adopted that theatrical tone again. "When that happens! I will do my best! To defend your actions."
"You? Me? Against my sweetheart?"
"Yes."
"You think you could do that?"
"I will try my best."
"Hmm." A look of doubt came over Verkis.
Lloyd immediately added, "My king, please think about it. I know you may not be fully awake from your sleep, but you're in a massive predicament right now."
"I am?"
"Yes."
"How so?"
"Because you stopped trying to contact her after a few calls."
Verkis couldn't say anything.
Lloyd smoothly continued, "So, to put things into perspective, you tried to call her every morning a few months ago, but she ghosted, no, ignored you, right?"
"Yes, she did."
"But what did you do afterward?" asked Lloyd meaningfully.
"I just slept."
Lloyd clapped. "That's the problem!"
“...”
"Dragon King Verkis!" bawled Lloyd. "Consider her perspective. It seemed you were trying to contact her for a bit and showing remorse for breaking your promise. Then boom! You disappeared again after she rejected your calls for a few days to teach you a small lesson! She's probably thinking, 'Fine! Let's see how far you can take this.'”
“...”
"In other words," Lloyd emphasized the latter words to make his point, "You're in an even worse situation than not calling her at all."
Slowly starting to get the situation he was in, Verkis muttered, "Then what am I supposed to do?"
"Beg on your knees. If possible, find a reliable ally who can vouch for you as well."
"Are you suggesting that you're that ally?"
"Yes." It was working. He had fallen for his plan. Confident, Lloyd rattled on, "I'll use all the wisdom and talent that's in me. Your overflowing passion to bring peace to your family! The effort you've exerted to painstakingly open your eyes that are heavy with sleep every morning! The divine sacrifice you made of raising your body from bed! I will report everything in detail to the queen!"
“...”
"How does that sound?" asked Lloyd.
"Hmm, I'm a little touched."
"Aren't you?"
"Yeah," remarked Verkis expressionlessly. "My heart is fluttering a bit from seeing an irrelevant human like you trying to defend me. It's like watching a fruit fly declare it'll protect me...or a roach."
Lloyd raised an eyebrow.
"All right. Okay. It's a deal. I'll teleport you to another dimension."
"Thank you!" Lloyd bowed his head. Lest the dragon king changed his mind, he immediately revealed his desired destination, "Then please send me to Seoul, South Korea in the early 21st century."
"What am I, a taxi?"
"You know what a taxi is?"
"I've ridden it before. Anyway, 21st-century Seoul?"
"Yes, My Lord."
"Oh, I see. You're searching for one of the key construction materials for the jewel, aren't you?"
"Ah, that is correct."
"All right. Do you want me to send you now?"
"That would be my honor. Please make it a roundtrip."
"Tsk. How meticulous of you," the dragon muttered and got up from his bed. It looked like he was about to get ready to enable the dimension shifting. He started to draw something in the air. Lloyd waited with bated breaths to be teleported away. This was really happening. He was going to Seoul.
I will return no matter what.
While a part of him was excited, another part was scared that he might not be able to return. He hoped the dimensional shifting would be ready for operation as soon as possible. He wanted to travel alone this time without any company. The reason was...
"My dear Dragon King, please forgive me for asking you this, but please send me with him."
It was because of Javier. The owner of the voice came into the room without any warning.
Ah.
Lloyd groaned to himself under his breath. And before the dragon could say something, Lloyd immediately spoke first.
"Javier? Are you planning to join me?"
"Yes, Master Lloyd."
"But why?"
"I have to protect you," remarked Javier matter-of-factly.
Lloyd grimaced. But only in his head. Now, he was doomed. Lloyd's plan was to teleport to Seoul before Javier showed up. But now that Javier was here, the situation had become complicated.
Tsk. Seoul is a safe city, so I don't need his protection. It'll be a real fix if he joins me and sees that I'm familiar with the city...
Lloyd didn't feel too comfortable with it. He was afraid that Javier would notice that he was familiar with the city, no matter how much he tried to hide it. He could unconsciously reveal his identity. Lloyd was worried. The problem, however, was that he had no excuse to prevent him from coming.
"What is wrong, Master Lloyd? Is there a problem?"
"Oh, no. It's not that." Lloyd masked his frustration.
"Then what is it?"
"We're talking about traveling to another dimension. I'm afraid it might take a toll on the dragon king if both of us go together."
Verkis, who was getting ready to cast the spell, happily interrupted their conversation. "That won't be a problem at all."
Crap! Lloyd's face turned sulky. Upon seeing him, Javier thought to himself, I knew it. Seoul. That place must have something to do with fake Master Lloyd.
Javier received the feeling that it was the case when Tyrannus first mentioned Seoul.
That's when Lloyd's heart started racing.
Javier could sense it from his transcendental sense unique to grandmasters. Lloyd's heartbeat rocketed at that moment. His hair bristled, and he broke out in a cold sweat. His reaction was too drastic for the location to be unfamiliar.
I should go with him.
For all he knew, Seoul could be the hometown of this fake Lloyd. If so, Javier risked the chance of exposing Lloyd to the temptation of settling in the world he belonged to. That was Javier's biggest concern.
I have to stop that from happening.
Javier felt apologetic for thinking so, but he couldn't allow Lloyd to leave this place. Settling back in Seoul was the last thing Javier would allow since he had become the pillar of the family. Losing him now was impossible. As such, Javier decided to surveil him just in case and use force to take him back, if necessary.
Javier casually asked, "Then do you have a reason why I should not join you to this place called Seoul?"
"Eh?" Lloyd scratched his head. "Of course not."
"Aren't you?"
"Truly."
"Then I will go with you. Like I always have," Javier stressed the last words for effect.
Lloyd's lips twitched while Javier suppressed his smile. At last, everything was all set for the dimension shifting.
"Everything is set. Are you guys ready?" asked Verkis.
Swaa....!
A magic circle with sixteen different layers appeared mid-air as Verkis moved his fingers, and each layer rotated, spun, and zoomed around until all of them wrapped around Lloyd and Javier.
Fwoosh! The starlights enveloped both of them until they burst, spread apart, and reproduced. They chatted, shouted, and chanted until they were absorbed into an unknown time and place and led them through the crevice of their new dimension.
Argh!
Lloyd's stomach churned at the pang of nausea incomparably more serious than the teleportation magic. He couldn't tell which side was up or down or which was light or darkness. But it was only short-lived.
Fwoosh! Amid the ripple of mana, as it dissipated, there appeared a familiar sight.
Honk, honk! Honk! A twelve-lane road with loud honking cars. Shiny neon signs and street lamps were everywhere. Lloyd and Javier found themselves in the middle of rush hour at the Gwanghwamun intersection.
