The Banished Black Swordsman Wants a Peaceful Life with the White Saint in the Frontier ~Huh? You Want Him to Come Back with the Saint? It’s Already Too Late~ - 64

Chapter 64: Elena and Fran’s Request

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“What took you so long to get here? And what’s this? This isn’t a meeting hall, you know.”

The moment Lloyd and the others entered, Cron spoke with an expression that perfectly embodied displeasure. His eyebrows were slightly raised as he flipped through order slips with the tip of his quill, yet his gaze stayed fixed on them, piercing.

As expected, he seemed to have sniffed out the scent of trouble from the air alone. That keen instinct was precisely what marked him as a capable merchant.

“Sorry we’re late. Mornings can be… Well, a lot happens. We just want to borrow the place for a bit.”

As he spoke, Lloyd glanced sideways. From beneath the brim of a hood, pale aquamarine eyes peeked out. The instant their eyes met, Lusha’s cheeks faintly colored, and she quickly lowered her gaze. Her shoulders shrank just slightly, enough to pierce his chest. He nearly forgot to breathe. Cron scrutinized the entire exchange with the eyes of an assassin who refused to miss anything, then narrowed his eyes thinly.

“…Well, if you’ve made up, that’s good. So then, who are those two ladies? Planning to start a harem kingdom or something?”

“Like hell I am!”

The words burst out before he could stop them. Even he was surprised by how sharp the retort sounded. Lusha flinched, her shoulders trembling slightly. Uncontainable embarrassment—and unmistakable irritation. Even as a joke, he didn’t want Cron saying things like that in front of Lusha.

“I’m kidding. So? Should I step out?”

Shrugging, Cron returned to his usual tone. Lloyd cleared his throat and replied as he normally would.

“No, it’s fine if you stay.”

“Then I’ll keep working here without worrying about you. Help yourselves to the tea. Make sure you lock the door.”

He pointed at the pot with his quill, then indicated the door. It was the usual “You know the drill, right?” gesture. It probably also meant that since Elena and the others weren’t his clients, Lloyd could entertain them himself. Lloyd nodded and turned the key in the door.

A faint metallic click fell into the room. When he heard the outside clamor fade away, some of the tension finally left his shoulders. Without a word, Lusha approached the pot and held her hand over it, sending magic into it. Warm air swelled beneath her palm, and the clear surface of the water began to tremble with soft bubbles. Normally it would be heated over a stove, but it seemed Lusha could boil small amounts of water with magic.

The quiet rise of heat was oddly soothing, much calmer than feeding firewood into a hearth.

“Have a seat.”

Lloyd gestured to the sofa. Elena and Fran exchanged a brief glance, then sat down as instructed. Lloyd then lowered himself into the seat across from them, the one Cron usually used to face his clients. The low table between them formed a clear boundary of distance.

Before long, Lusha returned with a tray holding four cups. Without a sound of pouring, steam rose gently from the tea. Her movements seemed slightly awkward, likely because the deep hood narrowed her field of vision.

“Thank you.”

Elena offered a short bow and took the handle of her cup.

“Thanks—oh? Wait… Have we met somewhere before?”

Fran tilted her head, trying to peer into the hood’s depths. Lusha startled and stepped back half a pace, lowered her face, then shook her head vigorously. She then quietly sat down beside Lloyd. Her sleeve brushed against the back of his hand, leaving behind only her warmth.

“Lloyd. And who is this young lady?”

Elena’s gaze shifted from Lusha back to him. Her blue eyes were as clear as ever, so clear that lies or half-truths felt useless.

“…I’ll explain about her after we hear your business. Why did you come looking for me? What happened to Hero Julius and the others?”

“Hero Julius!?”

Behind them, Cron’s voice jumped louder than expected. A drop of ink splattered pitifully onto the margin of an estimate sheet.

Damn it.

He hadn’t told him yet. Before Lloyd could tighten his lips, Elena stood from the sofa and lightly pinched the hem of her robe, bowing politely.

“Please excuse us. My name is Elena Luibel, formerly the mage of the Hero’s Party. I apologize for appearing so suddenly.”

“And I’m Fran Arcury.”

Fran also stood and bowed. Her relaxed smile tightened slightly as she spoke her apology. Cron rose with a dazed look, yet returned the bow properly. He placed his fingertips on the desk, bowed deeply, then immediately returned to words befitting his role.

“I’m Cron. Just a humble merchant running the Barmasty Trading Company by myself.”

“Humble? Is that so? You’re rather famous around town as a sharp ‘boy merchant,’ aren’t you?”

“That’s an insult to me, you know? Well, I’ve learned to live with it. Given how I look, no need for honorifics.”

As he spoke, Cron gestured for them to sit, then returned to his own chair. The look in his eyes had already shifted to that of a calm observer at the negotiating table.

“Honestly… First that young lady, and now two former members of the Hero’s Party. Just what kind of office is this turning into?”

He seemed to swallow the word Saint mid-sentence. That was a relief. Cron glanced once at the hood’s shadow and deftly rephrased. At that point, Fran blinked and asked innocently,

“Aren’t there three of us?”

“Huh?”

“The number of former Hero’s Party members.”

Fran pointed in turn at herself, Elena, and Lloyd. The moment it clicked, the color drained from Cron’s face.

“W-wait a second… Lloyd, don’t tell me you’re—”

“Huh? Didn’t I mention it? I was also a former member of Hero Julius’s party.”

“Y-you never told meee! That’s the first I’m hearing of it! I thought you were just her bodyguard!!”

It was a straightforward shout that matched his childlike appearance.

Thinking back, since arriving in this town, neither of them had had the leeway to dig into each other’s pasts. Just explaining Lusha’s circumstances had taken everything. Only now did Lloyd realize they’d never shared the basics.

Cron let out a long sigh and opened a drawer on the shelf.

“Uh… Do you want some snacks? If you’re hungry, I can order delivery from a nearby place.”

“That’s a sudden change in attitude.”

“Of course it is. Three former Hero’s Party members and all… Maybe I should make this office feel a bit more dignified?”

His shrug carried both exasperation and a strange sort of resolve.

“Thanks. Just the snacks are fine.”

At Lloyd’s words, Cron lined up some baked sweets on the table and jerked his chin as if to say “Go on.” He retreated to his work desk and re-gripped his quill. One ear was surely tilted this way. Lloyd took a breath and returned his gaze to Elena and Fran.

“Let’s get back to it. Why did you come looking for me?”

The two nodded and spoke in turn.

Julius had reported Lloyd’s “death” to the king and installed Captain of the Knights, Garo, as his replacement. Garo proved useless in actual combat, and both the front lines and daily life began to collapse as everything fell out of sync. Elena had advised Julius to apologize and reinstate Lloyd but Garo, who overheard, flew into a rage and tried to lay hands on her. In that instant, Fran intervened, and they barely escaped unharmed.

With lingering anger and fear, they left the party and came to this town in search of Lloyd. That was how it had unfolded.

“…I see. That’s rough.”

When misfortune he’d anticipated took on the heat of reality, a metallic taste spread in the back of his throat. At least they were both safe, that was the one saving grace.

“So? You finally got out of that crappy party. You don’t need to go looking for someone like me. Why not just enjoy your freedom?”

Even as he said it plainly, Lloyd knew his voice sounded dry. He wasn’t trying to push them away, but he was deliberately putting distance between them. From today onward, he had begun a new relationship with Lusha. His purpose and direction in life were finally set. He didn’t want to be dragged back into Hero Julius’s problems now.

“That might not be possible anymore… that’s why we came to you.”

Elena’s voice was calm, but there was a clinging desperation beneath it. Fran traced the rim of her cup with a finger and continued.

“Lloyd’s officially ‘dead,’ so hiding might be enough for you… But we don’t know what Julius told His Majesty about us. We definitely disobeyed a royal order.”

“That’s true.”

Depending on how Julius had rewritten his report to the king, their lives could change drastically.

Incidentally, Lloyd learned for the first time that he had been declared dead. If that were the case, continuing to live quietly on the frontier was theoretically possible. Theoretically, as long as Lusha’s identity didn’t come to light.

“Lloyd, you were closer to His Majesty than we were, weren’t you? So… If it’s not too much to ask, would you go report to His Majesty with us? That Julius has been lying for self-preservation, and that it wasn’t us who defied the royal command. If we do that, I think both you and we can be freed from the royal order, and from pretending to be dead… And then we can return to our former lives.”

“…So that’s it.”

What they wanted was a guarantor with access to the king. If Lloyd appeared, Julius’s falsehoods would collapse, and Elena and Fran’s safety would be secured under royal protection… At least in theory. But there were things in this world that couldn’t be decided by logic alone.

“Please, Lloyd. I know it’s asking a lot, but right now, you’re the only one we can rely on.”

Fran leaned forward. Her fingers nearly reached out, then stopped atop her knees. He’d never disliked being relied upon. In fact, his former self would’ve leapt at the chance. But… He glanced sideways. At the same moment, Lusha, who had been looking down, quietly lifted her gaze. Her aquamarine eyes fixed straight on him. In the light peeking from beneath her lashes, yesterday’s tears overlapped with this morning’s warmth.

Yeah. That’s right.

He had decided to protect her. He had said it out loud. Then there was only one path he could choose.

“…Sorry. I can’t help you.”

Silence fell like a hard stone. Elena’s brows twitched slightly, and Fran’s smile vanished. The old Lloyd would have nodded here. He never refused when asked. But now was different.

“May we ask why?”

There was no blame in Elena’s voice, only a request for explanation. Lloyd nodded and answered honestly, without dressing up his words.

“First… The idea that I’m close to His Majesty… That’s a misunderstanding. That wasn’t about me, but about my clan, which has already been wiped out. As an individual, I have no connection to the king.”

“B-but! You were directly appointed by His Majesty as our support, weren’t you!?”

Fran clutched her cup, staring at him as if suppressing a tremor in her voice. Her green bangs fell against her cheek, and her pleading gaze pierced through the steam. Lloyd steadied his breath.

“That came out of nowhere too. Until then, I thought I had no ties to the royal family. Seems like I was just being monitored because I was a surviving descendant.”

“That’s awful…”

Fran’s shoulders slumped. Elena pressed her lips together and lowered her eyes. One path they’d envisioned disappeared before them. But that wasn’t the end.

“And one more thing. Even if I really were in a position to contact His Majesty, I still couldn’t do it.”

“Why?”

“I’ve decided to protect this girl. I honestly want to avoid anything that might put her in danger.”

When Lloyd looked beside him, Lusha nodded slightly and took a small breath. Then she reached for the cord of her hood. She loosened the knot, pinched the brim, and slowly lifted it. Silvery-white hair tinged with moonlight spilled free. Pale skin, beautifully shaped features, long lashes, and aquamarine eyes. In that instant, the air in the room seemed to draw still. When the two saw the silver-haired girl and realized who she was, their faces drained of color.

“Wha—?”

“N-no way!?”

Elena’s eyes wavered, and Fran nearly slumped back against her chair before hastily correcting herself. Shock was written plainly on their faces. Naturally so, they were staring straight at someone who should never have been here. Lusha straightened her posture and folded her hands on her knees. Then she bowed deeply.

“My apologies for introducing myself so late. My name is Lusha Catomiar. Until recently, I served as the Saint.”

A beat later, steam from the tea wavered above the table. Lloyd let out a single, quiet breath deep in his chest. From here on, the conversation had entered a point of no return. But that was fine. If he had decided to protect her, then the necessary truths should come from him.

Cron’s quill had fallen silent at some point. Elena swallowed, and Fran’s lips trembled as they stared at Lusha. The evening light broke softly against the window frame, stretching the shadows of the four in the same direction.

Everyone waited for the next words.

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