It had been nineteen years since King Benettogna had ascended to the throne, and he collected a wealth of knowledge from both his loyal and groveling subjects. Therefore, he only needed a few seconds to see right through a person. His wise eyes could clearly see through a person's character and their values. He was certain that this would be true today as well.
Whew...
As he entered the plaza, King Benettogna's eyes shone with determination, eager to meet the stranger despite the supreme commander's disapproval, the latter saying it was too dangerous for him to go alone. However, King Benettogna said everything was fine.
There's nowhere safe in my kingdom since the Bone Dragon is here.
As such, he had to deal with the unwelcome visitor himself and put an end to this situation. He cast a bright gaze toward the center plaza, where he saw the Bone Dragon with an oppressive energy exuding out of him and a young man standing beside his foot.
Lloyd Frontera. I heard he is a young noble who has become the center of attention in Magentano. He is also the meritorious retainer of Queen Magentano.
Despite the natural barrier created by the Pantara Range, rumors spread like wildfire in his kingdom due to their proximity to the Magentano Kingdom's border. This was especially true when the stories were about an extraordinary figure from a potential enemy kingdom.
Rumors say he has countless heroic achievements, beginning with saving people in the east from disaster.
And the moment he laid eyes on Lloyd, he understood why there were so many rumors about him: he was extremely handsome.
Haha, so a human can be this beautiful. How could a person be so blinding? The rumors merely said that he was all right in terms of appearance, failing to elaborate on his dashing looks.
Perhaps the Magentano Kingdom had different beauty standards? King Benettogna made his way, admiring the beauty that the people in the neighboring kingdom seemed to take for granted. He opened his arms wide to make the impression on the nearby crowd that this meeting had been planned in advance.
With a bright smile, he said, "Lloyd Frontera, the eldest son of the Frontera family. I have heard about your reputation. I am beyond happy to meet you in real life."
The young noble that the king greeted turned around, his silver curls spinning with him, crinkled his fine brows and said, "I am honored to meet King Benettogna, the rightful lord of the land. I am Javier Asrahan, a knight." Javier's introduction shocked King Benettogna.
"Hmm?" He gaped in disbelief. This man was the knight, Javier Asrahan? This noble and gorgeous young man?
Hold on. Then, who is Lloyd Frontera?
The young man, who looked like an ugly potato in comparison to the knight standing next to him, bowed as that thought entered the king's mind. He then spoke, "I am Lloyd Frontera, the eldest son of the Frontera family, at your service. I am infinitely honored to be in your presence, Your Majesty."
King Benettogna suddenly felt a shaft of shock and cocked his head to the side, looking at Javier and Lloyd each. That was when he finally realized he had made a mistake.
My. I made a mistake.
He could not believe it. He mistook the silver-haired knight for Lloyd because of his elegant face, and he mistook the real Lloyd for a peasant because of his potato-like face.
"Ehem. Hmm! Ehem!" The king cleared his throat.
The corners of Lloyd's lips rose with remorse. "It is all right. This has happened to me many times. But thank you for accepting my abrupt request for a meeting."
"Thank you? I doubt it." As soon as he came close enough to lower his voice, his friendly public demeanor vanished, and a sharp look appeared on his face. "What is your plan, and what malicious scheme does your queen have in mind for you to come here?"
The king's eyes were filled with doubt. Lloyd and the Bone Dragon were uninvited guests, and this talk wasn't in the schedule. "Do you and your queen plan to threaten us?" There was tension in his voice since this moment marked a critical point. If the talk went well, it meant an increase in his political influence. But something else had to be done first, which was finding out the real intention behind Lloyd's outrageous arrival with the Bone Dragon.
"I am here to notify you, not threaten you," Lloyd said without pulling any punches. The king's brows lifted almost up to his fading hairline, so Lloyd added, "I mean what I say. And it is a notification. Not a threat."
"Notify me? But about what?" replied the king, wondering what it could be about. Demand for surrender? Hand over the territory? His heart thumped in nervousness.
Lloyd shrugged to indicate that it wasn't anything serious. "That a trade route has been opened."
"A trade route?"
"Yes," replied Lloyd.
"What trade route?"
"I am talking about the trade route that connects the Magentano Kingdom to yours."
"There is no such a thing." King Benettogna frowned deeply. He couldn't wrap around what this young man was talking about.
My kingdom is surrounded by lands, and the only trade route, if there is one, must be through the Pantara Range, which is why trade with Magentano is only possible by crossing another kingdom. What is this man saying?
A road had to be paved in the Pantara Range for a trade route to be opened. However, the task was impossible, has been impossible, and will remain impossible in the future.
Perhaps, he is speaking metaphorically?
The king wondered what that could mean. His head was spinning as he tried to find an answer.
That put a smile on Lloyd's face. "There is no other meaning to my words, Sire. A direct trade route has been paved between my kingdom and yours."
“...”
"I am being truthful."
"Do you mean in the Pantara Range?"
"That is exactly right," affirmed Lloyd. "I had the Bone Dragon demolish two peaks, widened the rifts, and flattened the slopes as you may be somewhat aware. And so, we laid a railway on the range."
"A railway?"
"Yes, a railway that allows a train to travel over the Pantara Range twice a day."
"Railway? Train?"
"You could think of it as a metal road that moves through a series of connected carriages."
King Benettogna stared intensely at Lloyd, who was speaking very confidently. He wondered if this young man had lost his mind and how he must react to that strange and illogical drivel. Every word that Lloyd said was met with skepticism, but not so much because of the concept behind the train and railway, which seemed plausible. It was the construction of such a road in the Pantara Range that he had a hard time believing.
"Why do you come to my kingdom and spout lies?" His voice now grew stern. "Is this you and your queen's way of humiliating and mocking me and my family?"
"Hmm... Is that how my words sounded in your ears?" asked Lloyd.
"Indeed."
Clench! "A metal road that allows travel across the Pantara Range? That means you were able to complete a large-scale construction in those rugged mountain terrains. Are you telling me that such a project was completed in just a matter of days?" gritted out King Benettogna.
The king's frustration grew with each word out of Lloyd's mouth. The entire project seemed impossible for him as he was unaware of the Time Freeze skill, which had been in effect for several months. From his perspective, the destruction of the peaks occurred a few days ago. He didn't trust Lloyd's words that the metal road had been built through the range and saw it as a ruse to trick him.
"I will ask you one question," he said, engulfed by doubt and anger. "What do you hope to gain by humiliating me? Are you attempting to make an example of me and send a warning to neighboring countries?"
Lloyd understood where the king was coming from. The Magentano Kingdom was a political powerhouse, and Queen Magentano, who was also a rare sword master, led it very well. There was no civil war in the kingdom, and the land was fertile. Tens of thousands of well-trained elite forces worked directly for her, and Javier Asrahan and the Bone Dragon made them even stronger, which was a nightmare for the countries around it. Just like that, the Magentano enjoyed hegemony like never before, and it owned the capacity to wage wars and wipe out the land as it liked. This was how King Benettogna perceived the Magentano Kingdom.
"I believe this is the reason you see me and my imperial family as nothing more than a pebble on the street. To create a precedent through your carnage and undermine the confidence of the neighboring nations with your heinous accomplishments, eventually establishing an empire. Am I wrong?" His voice faltered, and the world appeared to darken. He went on to believe that there were only two possible outcomes from this situation: Either resist and perish here or submit and become a puppet king. He was not even certain that he would have a choice.
The moment the Bone Dragon landed here, the answer was set.
King Benettogna exhaled a deep sigh. And he resolved to himself. If this pawn of the Magentano bared its teeth and relayed a threat from him to its master...
I shall have to save my soldiers and people, even at the risk of my own life.
That was his duty, he thought, the duty that would make his predecessors proud.
"Hmm, um. I did expect you to act this way... But I guess my words do not really hold value to you at this moment, no?" Lloyd chuckled in embarrassment as the king solidified his misunderstood resolution.
The king's brows lifted again.
"I am truly sorry," Lloyd continued, "It was my mistake to think you would easily trust me. It would have been better to show you from the start, as seeing is believing."
"What are you-"
Before being given any chance to finish his sentence, Lloyd instantly reached out for the former's hand. Grab!
"Shh. Excuse me for a second."
A small amount of mana then entered the king, dominating his entire body like invasive troops. His throat tightened to the point where no sound came out of it, and he became greatly dismayed. However, just as he was about to ask the supreme commander for assistance through bodily gestures, Lloyd yelled aloud, "Okay, rightful lord of this land, as per your request, I shall show you the train built in the Pantara Range!"
Lloyd then yanked the king's arm after he finished, and the movement was so natural that it appeared as if the king was being led to hop on the Bone Dragon's hands.
"Okay, Yong Yong!" called Lloyd. "Time to show the king the rift train!"
Fwish! Yong Yong leaped into the air, clutching Lloyd, Javier, and King Benettogna in his hands, causing the supreme commander and guard commander waiting for their king's cue to hiccup in surprise.
They began hiccupping as they gazed at the distant sky, their king fading away, and this was the first time in history that their king had been abducted.
