Chapter 10. Grumpy spirit (1)
“I will solve your insomnia. how is it?”
“….”
Xaviel clenched his fists involuntarily.
Would this feel like being hit on the head with a hammer?
‘You know my insomnia? Are you Lloyd? how?’
Chronic insomnia that started bothering me a few years ago.
never revealed
no i never told anyone
I don’t even remember making a tee out at all.
“What do you mean by that?”
An awkward smile formed on Xaviel’s lips.
“Insomnia. I don’t know what you’re talking about all of a sudden.”
“Hmm?”
“yes.”
“Tsk tsutsu. Javiel. Are you trying to pretend?”
“Of course not.”
“no?”
“yes.”
“Then why are you laughing? It’s also completely awkward.”
“yes?”
“Isn’t that it? Is this the first time you’ve laughed in front of me?”
“….”
“Oops. See how he erases his smile from being pointed out. So it’s too obvious. Are you perplexed? Tsk ts ts ts ts ts ts ts ts ts ts ts ts ts ts bye with something like this?”
“….”
“It’s okay to pretend because you can see inside. Let’s just make this clear. I solve your insomnia. Instead, you teach me swordsmanship. how is it? I think this is a pretty good deal.”
“….”
Xaviel was silent.
I was honestly embarrassed.
chronic insomnia.
It was a symptom that had been bothering him suddenly for three years.
The reason or cause was unknown.
At some point, my senses became so sensitive.
A trivial grasshopper sound.
The sound of tree branches shaking in the wind.
Even the sound of tossing and turning on the blanket.
sound heard by ear.
Various landscapes reflected in the eyes.
All tactile sensations that come into contact with the skin.
Even the slightest smell in the air felt with every breath.
All of them had been pierced too clearly by his senses.
Even when I closed my eyes, I could feel the blood vessels in my eyelids one by one.
Even the sound of the pulse in my ear pierced my ears every moment and every second.
In a word, it felt like all my senses were piercing my whole body like needles 24 hours a day.
I couldn’t fall asleep completely.
Tired of tossing and turning all night, barely dozing off at dawn was the only way to sleep.
There was no workaround.
All attempts were to no avail.
It’s been 3 years already.
It was a pain that I had been hiding by groaning alone.
Or it was a grievance that could not be revealed without haste.
All I wanted was a good night’s sleep.
‘But you know that? Is that crazy bastard? how?’
Xaviel’s expression hardened coldly.
Lloyd’s eyes widened.
‘How is it? I know because I read the novel.’
Xaviel was the main character in the novel Iron Blooded Knight.
He read and memorized the contents of the novel carefully.
He knew almost everything about Xaviel, even the smallest things.
It was the same with insomnia.
‘Now you probably don’t know the cause of the insomnia that’s bothering you. But I know.’
Sword Master Syndrome.
That was the cause of insomnia.
‘As the realm of swordsmanship approaches the level of a sword master, all senses become abnormally active. I guess it’s a natural phenomenon that humans go through to become superhuman.’
The same was true of Xaviel.
He had reached the advanced level of Sword Expert when he was only 17 years old.
At the same time, Sword Master Syndrome started.
I spent every night tossing and turning in agony.
Still, I didn’t know the cause for a long time.
There is only one reason.
It was because Xaviel was from the countryside.
‘It’s hard to find an intermediate level let alone a high level sword expert in a rural area like this. No, no matter how many kingdom capitals you search, the highest level is at most three or four? That’s why information about Sword Master Syndrome wasn’t common.’
If it were a world with the internet.
It would have been information that could be easily accessed by just searching for ‘Naver knowledge in’.
On the other hand, it was different here.
Transfer of knowledge through limited personal connections or books.
Or transmission through word of mouth, which is difficult to determine the authenticity.
Other than that, there was almost no way to acquire new information.
For that reason, Xaviel in the novel realizes the identity of insomnia only after two years from now. And after another three years, he overcomes insomnia through an accidental opportunity.
‘I’m going to speed it up.’
I know how.
So definitely.
“I think it will be successful. How are you?”
“Are you sure you have to answer?”
“It’s not an obligation.”
said Lloyd, chopping the salad with his fork.
“Do not misunderstand. Isn’t this for sale? I just want you to trust me once.”
“You mean Lloyd?”
“uh.”
“….”
“Good is good. In times like these, trust each other. Build constructive relationships through trust. help in difficult times That is social life and life. is not it?”
“….”
“Why are you looking so grumpy?”
“….”
“Am I a cheater when I say this?”
“To be honest, it is a little bit.”
“Am I that unreliable?”
“yes.”
Xaviel firmly nodded.
Lloyd licked his lips.
“Then how about doing this? Let’s build it once during our implementation.”
“Are you talking about fulfillment?”
“uh. We are trying to build trust with each other. If you’re lucky, I’ll do it.”
“what….”
“Then I will try it with ‘swing’. Now, try your luck.”
“….”
“hurry.”
“…that.”
“You, my faithful knight Xaviel, will you believe me?”
“Yes.”
“….”
“What a sudden transition. If you thought such tricks would work easily, you are mistaken.”
“omg.”
“Rather than that, I also want to ask you a question.”
“Whoa tsk. What.”
“Why are you suddenly wearing summoning books?”
Xaviel’s gaze turned to the table in front of Lloyd.
Basic Summoning Spellbook.
It was the book Lloyd was reading while eating.
“Oh this?”
Lloyd laughed.
“I’m just reading because I’m bored.”
“yes?”
“I am just reading. then no?”
“….”
Xaviel kept his mouth shut.
Lloyd’s smile deepened.
“Xaviel’s intentions are so obvious. Are you trying to change the subject like this?”
“I was just asking a question.”
“It’s okay. Please continue with what you are talking about.”
“….”
“So you won’t trust me?”
“That’s right.”
“why?”
“There is no particular reason.”
“You just don’t believe me?”
“yes. I just can’t believe it. Can’t we?”
“….”
Counter after counter.
As expected, Xaviel was not an easy guy.
Lloyd grinned.
“You think you just punched me?”
“I don’t really have any thoughts like that.”
“Really?”
“yes. I just gave you an honest answer.”
“Okay. Then, I’ll stop talking about ‘today’s story’.”
“Are you talking about today?”
“Let’s talk about tomorrow until tomorrow.”
Lloyd put down his fork.
finished eating
After that, I leaned against the back of the lounge chair and concentrated on reading the summons.
He didn’t even glance at Xaviel.
Of course, he didn’t even talk.
Even when the maids clear the dishes and back off.
It has been that way ever since.
In the bedroom, only the sound of bookshelves being turned quietly rang.
In the meantime, Xaviel faithfully stood by Lloyd’s side.
With a slightly more complex expression than usual.
The night went deep.
♣
Several days have passed.
So far, the construction of the ondol room has progressed smoothly.
Under the proper supervision of Lord Bavaria, the movements of the soldiers became more coordinated.
They were soldiers who barely moved a bag of red clay on the first day.
But as the days passed, things changed.
I got stamina.
strength increased.
There are also tips.
Now I could easily carry both sacks.
It was thanks to adequate daily work, rest and proper nutrition.
Skilled workers also acquired more skills.
They are like a sponge sucking up water.
Or like the sweet and sour pork batter mercilessly absorbing the sauce.
I quickly learned new knowledge and concepts from Lloyd.
So the construction of the first house was completed safely.
From the construction of the second house, it became more comfortable.
You no longer have to stay on site all day.
We only had to visit the site once a day.
Is the field running properly?
Is the construction proceeding according to the drawings?
Are there any places where I missed something or made a mistake?
Even if I just did a general inspection, things went by themselves.
Thanks to this, I was able to faithfully use the time I had plenty of time throughout the day.
It was to peck at Xaviel.
“Did you sleep well last night?”
“Yes, I slept soundly.”
“Really?”
“yes.”
“You really can’t lie.”
“Am I talking?”
“uh.”
“No way.”
“What do you mean?”
“….”
“Aren’t you that? It’s very obvious when you lie.”
“What part are you talking about specifically?”
“You want me to tell you? Nope.”
“….”
“After you tell me, you’re going to act to hide it.”
“no.”
“no?”
“yes.”
While answering, Xaviel momentarily averted his eyes.
After all, that guy has no talent for lying.
Lloyd laughed.
“I hate it though. I won’t tell a person with insomnia.”
“….”
“Where does this come from? About not being able to sleep.”
“….”
“Are you feeling bad? Are you sad? Then accept my offer.”
“I don’t like it.”
“Are you going to get me a good night’s sleep?”
“I still hate it.”
“Because you don’t trust me?”
“That’s right.”
…It was like that.
But Lloyd never gave up.
While eating breakfast, he suddenly asked.
“Hey Xaviel?”
“Yes Lloyd.”
“Did you sleep well last night?”
“….”
“Will you accept the offer now?”
“I don’t like it.”
I asked again while walking down the hallway.
“Hey, Xaviel.”
“Tell me, Lloyd.”
“Is it okay to keep sleeping?”
“….”
“Then accept the offer.”
“I refuse.”
I also asked on the way out of the site inspection.
“That’s right. Xaviel?”
“Yes Lloyd.”
“How do you feel when you can’t sleep all night?”
“….”
“Aren’t you thinking of accepting the offer now?”
“I don’t like it at all.”
Even while eating dinner, I suddenly asked.
“Hmm. Xaviel?”
“…Please tell me.”
“Aren’t you actually enjoying not being able to sleep? Are endorphins just popping up? Are you feeling happy?”
“….”
“Pervert, pervert.”
“….”
Even when I was lying down to sleep, I hit it in and asked again.
“Huh, Javier?”
“….”
“You won’t be able to sleep tonight either?”
“….”
“Instead, I will sleep well. thank you Are you happy?”
“….”
“Hey, Mr. Don’t curse with your eyes and answer me.”
“Huh, I see.”
“You know what?”
“I will accept Mr. Lloyd’s offer.”
“really?”
“yes.”
Lloyd jumped up.
Xaviel bit his lip.
It was very boring now.
It was to the point of dying from having to bother with people like that all day long.
Nervousness was so high that even dozing off was impossible.
‘Of course, I don’t believe Lloyd-sama’s suggestion.’
Lloyd Frontera.
He is a very unreliable person.
But what if you want to stop the damn mocking and questioning?
I thought that this was the only way.
“To the end, it is an acceptance with the premise that if Lloyd-sama really solves my insomnia. So solving my insomnia comes first.”
Of course, nothing will be solved.
I didn’t expect Lloyd to have that kind of ability.
I’d rather accept the offer and let it fail.
It seemed more comfortable to give up so cleanly.
‘Because I don’t want to teach you swordsmanship.’
Lloyd couldn’t be trusted.
He was a man who, not long ago, drank and had accidents every day.
It has changed a bit lately, but I don’t know how long that will last.
You never know when bad habits will rear their head.
‘But to teach such a person how to use a sword. Nonsense.’
I’d rather put a knife in a child’s hand.
Thinking so, Xaviel said.
“Honey Lloyd, please prove it first. That it can solve my insomnia.”
“Ok, fine. Would you like to sit here first?”
“All right.”
Xaviel did as Lloyd told him to, and sat down in a chair.
And I laughed inwardly.
It was because he had seen Lloyd clear his throat.
‘Maybe he’s trying to sing a lullaby.’
It’s a lullaby.
It wasn’t even funny.
I was convinced at the same time.
There will never be a miracle like a lie in which you fall asleep tonight.
But the moment Lloyd’s mouth opens.
His confidence began to crack.
“When performing a tensile test of a reinforcing bar by applying the specified stress of steel corresponding to the yield strength ????y to the reinforcing bar, if the strain is 0.003 or less, the design strength of the reinforcing bar remains unchanged without reducing ????y can do.”
‘…uh?’
It was something I didn’t know what to say.
I’m sure it’s just plain talk.
It’s not like I speak a mysterious foreign language.
That’s why I’m speaking Korean.
Somehow I couldn’t hear anything.
Besides, the words went on and on!
“…However, the yield strength cannot be designed to exceed 5500 kgf/cm2. This is because the yield strain when the yield strength of the reinforcing bar is 5500 kgf/cm2 is almost the same as the ultimate strain of 0.003 of the concrete on the compression side. And….”
‘….’
I was dumbfounded because I was listening to something.
Obviously this is the real world.
I felt like I was losing my mind.
“And about the amount of rebar…blah blah…Excluding slabs that require static rebar…This and that and this and that…Reinforcement ratio P is the cross-sectional area of a given reinforcing bar…This and that…The minimum reinforcing bar ratio must be ????min=14/????y or more…Blah blah….”
‘….’
I became drowsy.
Whole body is wobbly.
Consciousness slips.
The boundary between reality and the universe has become blurred.
Resistance was meaningless.
Even if you try to open your eyes.
Even if you try to wiggle your hands.
didn’t listen to any of them.
‘If you fall asleep…no way….’
“…The unit of ????y here is kgf/cm2…Mijoo Algojual…The reason for the minimum rebar cost is…Yali Yali Yalasheng…This is to prevent sudden bending failure…Flexural members and 0.10????ck⦁A or…Shallarishala….”
‘….’
This is a reading of a major book that boasts destructive power (?) beyond sleeping pills.
That was it.
Xaviel’s eyes widened.
The eyelids slithered shut.
Consciousness flew away.
My whole body slumped in the resting chair.
Without even realizing it, I fell asleep completely.
A smile of repentance formed on Lloyd’s lips.
‘As expected, the scene in the novel is the same.’
One day, the day when Xaviel in the novel overcame insomnia for the first time.
That day, he happened to hear a complicated magic formula recited.
I fell asleep without realizing it in that low and endless reading.
like right now
Now, Xaviel will never forget the taste (?) of the comfortable sleep he experienced today.
Without the lullaby service in majors, you will be unable to fall asleep.
Lloyd’s smile changed from delightful to sinister.
‘Now all of your swordsmanship is mine.’
