Chapter 244. Those who leave and those who remain (2)
Rumbling….
A train that rattles leisurely.
Outside scenery passing by slowly.
Among them, Xaviel, a knight from Count Frontera’s family, silently crossed his arms.
He lowered his head and bit his lip softly.
His gaze was not towards the floor.
side.
where the voices of the two are heard.
I was only looking in the direction of the train next to me.
A voice continued to be heard from there.
Both voices were very familiar.
Both were voiced by Lloyd Frontera.
Hearing that, the silver-haired knight finally realized.
In the meantime, questions that he had sometimes harbored but did not mention, curiosity that he had been curious about from time to time but did not bother to speak out, and even suspicions that he had suddenly scrutinized but eventually suppressed.
I found out the answers to all those questions and curiosity suspicions.
real and fake.
the stolen and the stolen.
The self-indulgent and the faithful.
The decadent and the constructive.
The contemptible and the respected.
that the two were not one.
that everyone didn’t know that.
Xaviel finally knew.
‘Mr. Lloyd.’
Bite until your lips are white.
Even then, I don’t know who I just called.
I really don’t know which Lloyd I called in my heart.
Is it the real Lloyd Frontier who bought his original voice with his stupidity?
It’s a fake Lloyd Frontier who revived the family with a lot of wit and effort.
who did you call?
who did you serve?
Who do you want to be by your side?
I really really don’t know.
Just like that, Xaviel was seized by anguish.
“….”
I’d rather call
Should I be punished for such a fake?
In principle, wouldn’t that be correct?
A bleak spirit bloomed in Xaviel’s eyes for a moment.
However, the bloody momentum disappeared faster than when it bloomed.
The silver-haired knight shook his head roughly.
‘no.’
Apparently that wasn’t the case.
You like that fake Lloyd Frontera?
It wasn’t.
Xaviel wasn’t a fool to mix his personal feelings with things like this.
There was only one criterion for judging the truth that he finally learned.
The one he swore to be loyal to for the rest of his life.
Count Arcos Frontera.
Who will be his master?
Wouldn’t it be wrong to do something wrong to the lord?
Which decision will be the path to loyalty to the lord.
Xaviel tried to judge the current situation only with that standard.
It was a cold-hearted calculation that excluded emotions as much as possible.
It was a more bitter judgment because it was a cold-hearted calculation.
‘I’m sorry, Mr. Lloyd.’
He made up his mind to give up the ghost of the mad Frontera.
I thought of leaving the current fake Lloyd behind.
It was an unavoidable choice.
A story between two Lloyds.
As I listened to it, I realized that I really couldn’t help it.
‘Because the real Lloyd seems to have already become a specter.’
It seemed that he had become as close to death as possible.
Efforts to get him back seemed to be of no avail.
In other words, there was no way for the real mad Lloyd to come back to life.
But what if you cut the fake Lloyd right now?
What if you condemn fake Lloyd like that?
The answer would be gone.
‘Things won’t get any better. No, it will be much worse.’
the truth anyway
I’m clueless.
That fake had been confidently and naturally pretending to be real until now.
No, he acted much better than the original crazy Lloyd and even saved the family from the pit of ruin.
So let’s cut it like that.
There seemed to be nothing good about the family.
Rather, it is like a building that has lost its huge pillars.
It was clear that the family, which had barely been supported until now, would once again walk the path of collapse.
‘I have no choice but to do that.’
Realistically speaking, it really was.
Who is now King Alicia’s trust?
Strictly speaking, that fake Lloyd, not the head of the household, Earl Frontera, was to receive the king’s trust.
Besides, who receives the water tax from the Viscount of Lacona, a neighboring province?
Who manages the water supply?
After all, it was that fake Lloyd.
As for the secret that prevents the monsters from across the Eastern Mountains from entering the territory?
As expected, that fake Lloyd was a fantasy species that moved like limbs.
In addition, Yeongji Ondol and coal mines are also located.
The maintenance and repair of apartments that have become homes for refugees.
The dragon Solitas, who was in charge of treating the sludge in the great sewer.
All that many businesses and interests revolved around that fake Lloyd.
But what if that fake Lloyd disappears right away?
Nothing in the Prontera estate will work properly.
“….”
At this point, I can’t help but admit it.
That Lloyd is obviously fake.
It’s already fake better than real.
No, it has become an indispensable existence in the territory.
Xaviel let go of the handle of the sword he was holding.
Of course, that didn’t mean he was freed from all worries and anguish.
He still had big concerns.
‘Then should I inform my lord of this fact?’
Your judgment here and now is not final.
He was only temporarily deciding whether to execute a summary judgment.
The final decision on this matter was to be made by the lord, Earl of Prontera.
That’s why Xaviel was worried.
‘It would certainly be right to inform the lord right away.’
Somehow I didn’t like it.
Even though hiding the truth you just knew could be a kind of betrayal of your lord.
Even though I know it all too well.
I was somewhat hesitant to tell the truth.
I myself couldn’t figure out why.
I was able to realize the answer soon after listening to the conversation between the two Lloyds from the next train car.
“…So I’ll take good care of you two. sorry.”
-I’m a baby.
“And I’ll be sure to reveal it with my mouth later. It’s about you and me.”
“….”
Once again, Xaviel bit his lip.
And I thought.
Why is that fake saying something like that?
How the hell do you make people’s hearts weak with words like that?
‘for now…Would it be right to give it a chance?’
A word from the fake Lloyd I just heard.
I could feel the heart in it.
Maybe it’s a pretense, I don’t know.
Still, I wanted to believe it.
That fake must have really felt sorry for the count couple.
The day will come when you will reveal the truth yourself.
So it would be right to wait.
“….”
Maybe you’re crazy
Xaviel suppressed his thoughts for a moment.
At least that fake didn’t turn away from the real Lloyd.
Because he helped the real Lloyd who wandered around as a specter until the end.
Because I have such a sorry heart and I am trying to take responsibility with that heart.
I thought I’d watch it.
At least, I thought it would be right to give that person a chance to reveal the truth on their own.
‘I’m sorry, my lord.’
Xaviel closed his eyes.
I hope that my judgment will not become someone in the family.
He struggled to suppress the confusion and bewilderment that surged into his heart.
In the meantime, the train rolled along with a good rattle.
I ran steadily, slowly, step by step.
And finally, we arrived at the station at the end of Hell, the final destination of the railroad.
“Whoa.”
Lloyd got off the train, rubbing his ass.
As expected, the feeling of riding like a land-air truck cannot be remedied as a memory.
It definitely stings my ass quite a bit.
Even my lower back hurts refreshingly.
‘In a word, it’s an otherworldly ride.’
Lloyd smiled bitterly.
Anyway, since it was a train made for efficient soul transport, I thought this was enough.
Besides, riding comfort is not important now.
There is something much more important and something to be careful about.
‘Couldn’t it be that Xaviel is nearby?’
Lloyd looked around the extension as soon as he got off the station.
Hopefully Xaviel is nearby.
That’s why I’m afraid I’ll see Prontera’s ghost.
With the excitement of taking a 1,000-won note out of my mother’s wallet when I was young, I carefully checked all directions.
After a while, I calmed down a bit.
‘Looks like none.’
I was told to guard this area when I go to Hell Castle to report the completion to the King of Hell.
Did he go to see something?
Or maybe I’m just taking a nap because I’m tired of waiting.
Fortunately, Xaviel was nowhere to be seen around the open station.
‘Now is my chance.’
If you wander around, Xaviel might come.
When he witnesses the specter of Prontera, the situation becomes very difficult.
In the worst case, he may be treated as a criminal and attacked.
At that thought, Lloyd wiped the sweat from his forehead.
I urged the specter of Prontera.
“Hey, get down. quickly.”
– Mr. Ah. it looks ugly
“It’s not that I’m bothering you, it’s that I’m moving a little quickly.”
– So if you’re done, you’re telling me to reincarnate quickly, you bastard?
“Oh no, it’s not like that.”
– Scaring the pups. Are you afraid that Xaviel will find out?
“…Whoa. answer.”
– okay. Let’s go. I don’t want to run into him because he doesn’t taste good either.
“Does the rice taste bad?”
– uh.
At Lloyd’s question, the ghost of Prontera nodded.
He responded in a very casual tone.
– Isn’t it humanly foul if that bastard is like that? Unlucky. Every time I see it, I get annoyed and feel unfair for no reason. After my father put the bastard next to me as my escort, I couldn’t feel it anywhere.
“…Hey, you two?”
– Oh me too.
“shit.”
The two Lloyds resented the face geniuses of the world with a feeling of sympathy (?) for a while.
Meanwhile, he hastened his steps.
The door to reincarnation was at the end of the platform.
It was because the escorted souls were able to enter the door of reincarnation through the platform as soon as they got off the train.
– Whoa.
Are you trembling when you stand in front of the door of reincarnation?
Or are you excited about being able to finish your wandering?
Prontera’s ghost took a breath for a moment.
I turned around and smiled.
– Then go.
“uh.”
There were no particularly special greetings or touching goodbyes.
No, there was no need for that in the first place.
The ghost of Prontera.
Lloyd sees him too.
I was well aware of that fact.
So, I just waved my hand.
It’s like hanging out all day and parting in the evening.
Saying goodbye as if nothing happened, as if seeing you again tomorrow.
Such an ordinary greeting and reply.
With an insignificant hand gesture.
let each other go
then at the end
The moment when you really take the last step to the door of reincarnation.
The ghost of Prontera looked around for a moment.
– ….
He licked his lips as if whispering.
I didn’t know what to say.
That was it.
The boy’s face disappeared.
“….”
Lloyd stared blankly at the door of reincarnation.
Somehow, my mind is complicated.
I don’t know what to say about how I feel.
I took a small breath and turned around.
I trudged back and got on the train.
He sat down on the floor, all rattled.
I looked across the water.
The place where the guy who was sitting opposite to me just a while ago was talking.
Now only the blind tent fluttered in tatters in the wind.
So the train departed.
It still rattles calmly.
Slowly, steadily, slowly.
It moved, pushing back the scenery of hell.
Meanwhile, Lloyd just sat there without saying anything.
And I thought.
Also, hell is not good.
The air is smoky and full of volcanic ash, so it stings my eyes every day.
A few times I rubbed my eyes with my sleeve.
After a while, we arrived at the Hell Castle Station.
When I got off the platform, an unexpectedly friendly face greeted me.
“…uh? Xaviel?”
“Are you back now, Mr. Lloyd?”
“Why are you here?”
Lloyd looked at Xaviel in a bewildered mood.
I was told to stay and wait at the station at the edge of hell.
But why is he here at Hell Castle Station?
While this is puzzled.
Xaviel smiled bitterly.
“I came because I was anxious.”
“Are you anxious?”
“yes.”
“What are you worried about?”
“I was wondering if Lloyd-sama really abandoned me. So I ran all the way here. But when I came back, Lloyd said he had gone to check the train operation.”
“Is that why you waited here for me to come back?”
“yes.”
“…under. It must have been quite distasteful to swim from the polar region to the Prontera estate.”
“yes. I hated it, but seeing Lloyd-sama’s face like this changed my mind again.”
“Is it different? how?”
“I’d rather live without seeing this face.”
“….”
“It’s a joke.”
“Yeah, that was serious enough.”
“Are you caught?”
“maybe?”
Lloyd chuckled.
thank god.
It just happened that Xaviel acted on his own.
Because he couldn’t have witnessed the ghost of Frontera who went to the edge of Hell.
Unexpectedly, you came to meet me here.
It’s nice to be able to share even a silly joke like this.
Because thanks to you, I can laugh hard like this.
I’m so glad
“Then let’s go. We have to report the driving results to the King of Hell.”
“All right.”
Lloyd took the lead with a slightly relieved feeling.
Xaviel looked at Lloyd’s back with a meaningful look.
“….”
thank god.
Just because Lloyd believed the lie he was telling.
So I can deal with that person as usual.
I can still share these silly jokes.
Thanks to that, he was able to pretend he didn’t know about that fake Lloyd’s slightly swollen eyes.
I’m so glad
‘Lloyd-sama, please live a peaceful and happy new life.’
The silver-haired knight sincerely wished.
real and fake.
the stolen and the stolen.
The self-indulgent and the faithful.
Those who once served and those who serve now.
May both of you have a peaceful and happy future.
May all the remaining days be peaceful and warm for both of you as you wish.
those who left and those who remained.
Xaviel prayed for everyone.
And without a word, Lloyd followed.
