That's it.
Lloyd saw a faint ray of hope. It wasn't anything significant. However, it was enough to overcome his current situation.
I shouldn't try to solve everything right away, especially with important matters like this.
One thing at a time, as if he was untangling a ball of yarn.
The first thing I need to do is take care of the trigger for the second version of the restoration of destiny.
This was something that had been on his mind. Once he took care of the trigger and stopped the restoration of destiny...
Then, the third and fourth versions of the phenomenon will likely begin one after another.
But Lloyd didn't care. Each version of the restoration of destiny would come with a trigger that sparked its beginning.
I just need to stop the event that acts as the trigger.
That way, he'd be able to put a stop before the situation took a serious turn and took everyone's lives.
I know it's not a permanent solution. But it will buy me more time. That is good enough.
He needed to stop the trigger and the restoration of destiny with it. If he had to, he would use his Time Freeze skill to buy more time and figure out the answer to the dilemma of choosing his or Javier's life. The more he thought about it, the more confident he felt.
It's doable. I also have a way to stop her paralysis.
Lloyd gave a small smile and looked at Javier, who was sitting alongside him on Ggoming, before asking, "How about we teach the Asrahan Core Technique to the queen?"
"Come again?" Javier retorted in mild disbelief.
Lloyd chuckled. "I'm thinking of teaching her the Asrahan Core Technique. But since we created the technique together, I wanted to hear your opinion first."
"Teach her the Asrahan Core Technique?" Javier chuckled as if the suggestion wasn't making any sense. "Master Lloyd, you do know how tedious and difficult it is for a knight to master a mana utilization technique, right?"
"Of course."
"If you're asking me while fully knowing that, it means your conversation with the King of Hell did not go well."
"Thanks for catching on quickly."
"Is that what you finally came up with? Teaching her the Asrahan Core Technique?"
"Um, maybe."
"Anyhow, I have a question."
"What is it?" Lloyd looked at Javier.
"What did you talk about with the king?"
"Are you interested?"
"A little bit," Javier confessed. Lloyd noticed how sincere his eyes were.
I can tell he's not just curious. He genuinely wants to help.
Lloyd pondered if it was for his family, himself, or both. Lloyd smiled. "The King of Hell and I..." Lloyd then repeated their conversation to Javier, keeping just two aspects of it hidden: his real name, Kim Suho, and the truth about the restoration of destiny.
I can never tell Javier that this world is fictional, everything's happening because I took away his role as the original protagonist, and the only way to completely get out of this situation would be for one of us to die...
Lloyd could not tell him. Was it because he feared Javier would hurt him? No, it was the opposite. If he found out, Javier would immediately commit suicide to rescue Lloyd and his family. That could never happen. Their world was inside The Knight of Blood and Iron for crying out loud. But more than anything else, he would miss the reliable presence of this knight who always stood by his side to protect him. But even without these practical reasons...
I don't want that.
Javier had already become his best friend. There was no one else he would be able to trust as much as him even if they always bickered with each other. Lloyd refused to lose him before he could even find another solution. That was why he revealed the discussion with the King of Hell, including the latter's decision to make the restoration of destiny begin earlier, how it was now unstoppable, and how the triggers for the phenomenon needed to be dealt with. He didn't hide anything besides the cause of the phenomenon.
"That is how you came up with the idea of using the Asrahan Core Technique as a way to treat the queen's left arm," observed Javier after hearing the whole story.
"You're right," agreed Lloyd.
"Hmm."
"What? Do you not like it?" asked Lloyd.
"No, I am concerned. You should know that she has no chance of properly learning the Asrahan Core Technique."
"Yeah, I know," said Lloyd as he nodded, feeling the hot air in the sky. He knew it well. Of course. "The Asrahan Core Technique is a specialized skill for mana absorption, circulation, and discharge. That means she will have to relearn all of her skills. Her mana circulation system and mana circle will need to be restructured."
It was true. The process of learning the technique was developing the foundation of a mana circulation system. It was the same for Lloyd when he first started learning it.
It was easy for me since I was a complete novice at the time without a manaheart. If I were a painting, I would be a blank piece of white paper.
That made the job a lot easier, and he was able to learn the technique without much struggle. But Javier had a difficult time as he was a high-level sword expert.
The process was a lot harder for him than me since he had to unlearn everything and start from scratch. It was comparable to trying to change the underdrawing of a nearly finished painting. Honestly, it was at an impossible level of difficulty.
But Javier did it. There was no grand secret behind his success.
He's a genius swordsman that will be remembered in history. Tsk.
This was the reason people were afraid of geniuses. The knight could perform feats that would be impossible for anyone else as if they were nothing. When it came to swordsmanship and its related subjects, Javier was a genius or perhaps a monster.
But the queen is different. Without a doubt, she's an excellent swordswoman. But she's not quite as brilliant as Javier.
Moreover, Queen Alicia had already become a swordmaster a long time ago. To give an analogy, she was akin to a perfectly finished painting that had been put into a frame. For her to learn the Asrahan Core Technique, it would be no different than having to redo her entire underdrawing while not damaging the finished painting within the borders of her frame.
The chance of success would be one in a million, close to impossible. Her circumstances made it far more difficult for her to learn the technique than Javier, and she was considerably less talented than him.
"I suppose you have a plan in mind, given that you will continue moving forward despite being aware of this," said Javier.
"Somewhat," Lloyd said, pleased that Javier could understand him without any lengthy explanation. It must have been the time the two spent together. "Your guess is correct. It will be a tedious process, but one that's worth trying."
"I see." Javier nodded. "Let us do it your way, Young Master."
"Really? Are you sure you won't be upset?"
"Yeah, I am fine." Javier turned and faintly smiled at Lloyd. "In the first place, we both made it together, so it is not just mine to begin with. You have joint rights to it, Master Lloyd. And..."
"And?"
"I know that you are not suggesting this for your personal gain."
"Hmm."
"I know that you are doing it for the lord, your family, and everyone else that's involved. I know that you are acting this way, knowing you will sometimes appear selfish and be criticized as sly or manipulative.
"Hmm..."
"I will trust you, Master Lloyd. Please act on your plan if you have something in mind. I will help you to the best of my abilities."
"Hmm..."
"Master Lloyd...?" asked Javier.
"Yeah."
"Why are you giving me that strange look?"
"Oh, I was just wondering how you can manage to be this cheesy."
“...”
"Be honest. You aren't Javier, right? The Javier that I know would never compliment me so openly. He thoroughly enjoys chewing me up and spitting me out. At the very least, he isn't someone who would suck up to me."
“...”
"If not, did you secretly invest in stocks? Or did you buy betcoins and lose money on it?
"I do not know about the stocks, betcoin, or whatever it was. But..."
"But what?"
"I never expected to regret what I said so soon."
"Right?"
"Yes, truly."
"See? There was no need for the toe-curling words."
Javier's brows furrowed after his first defeat in a long time.
A mischievous smile appeared on Lloyd's mouth. "Anyway, I know that you're willing to help, so I'll carry out my plan. Although, I'm strictly doing this for personal gain and not the greater good."
"Is that so...?"
"Uh-huh. Of course." Lloyd nodded. "Think about it. No one in this world is happy about sacrificing their life for someone else. I'm not a saint. I'm just doing this to live a peaceful life of absolute leisure."
He was only half-serious about it. He was not anyone great like a police officer, firefighter, or another brave citizen who willingly risked their lives for others. He was just a normal person who wanted to become rich and have a long, normal life in good health. An ordinary man whose goal was to live a luxurious and hearty life. Although he didn't want to cause harm to anyone, he didn't want to save countless people, bravely sacrifice himself, pledge himself to the greater good, or act like he was a hero in any other way. The thought of it made his toes curl and sent a chill down his spine.
That's not the kind of person I am. Honestly, it makes me feel guilty to embellish myself that way.
Lloyd shook off his chills. "So, it's decided. We're going to teach her the Asrahan Core Technique."
Fwoosh! Lloyd then encouraged Ggoming to fly faster, and when they arrived at the Hell gate connected to the North Pole, they entered and felt the biting coldness. There, they hopped on Yong Yong's back. "To the south!"
The flight path changed to the south, across the North Pole sea, enormous range, woodlands, farmland, and cities, until they arrived at the capital, when Lloyd immediately entered the palace and demanded an audience with the queen.
"Hmm... It appears we meet quite frequently these days."
"Hahaha, don't we?"
Lloyd was greeted with a grin from Lord Chamberlain as if he were the man's regular customer for business. His request for an audience was quickly granted, and he was taken to the queen's office.
"I, Lloyd Frontera, the eldest son of Frontera County, am honored to be in the audience of the rightful owner of this land."
Queen Magentano, who was reviewing the report in her office, chuckled and replied, "You are here again, Lloyd Frontera."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"I wonder what you want from me this time." Her voice sounded reproachful and seemed to demand Lloyd to get straight to the point about whatever it was that he wanted.
Lloyd smiled bitterly and revealed, "Yes, Your Majesty. But this time, I came for a matter about you, not me."
"For me?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Interesting. Go on."
"I am overwhelmed with gratitude, Your Majesty. I have found a way to treat your left arm."
"My left arm?" Her face froze.
Lloyd nodded nonchalantly. "Yes, Your Majesty. But..."
"But what?"
"There is one tedious element with the treatment I found, which you have to shoulder."
"What could that tedious thing be?"
"Do I have your permission to tell you?"
"Tell me."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Lloyd lowered his head again. Their conversation from here on out was what really mattered. The surefire way for Queen Magentano to overcome the impossible and perfect the Asrahan Core Technique. "Please forgive me for what I am about to say, but you will have to be stuck with me for every minute of the next two months."
