Chapter 34: Lloyd März

---

Author: 猫夜叉 (Nekoyasha)

Previous | TOC | Raws | Next

---

“…The hero goddess Astaroth caused the stampede? That’s impossible. I mean, she saved the world once,” I responded, trying to stop myself from trembling from joy.

“Did she really, though? I wouldn’t be able to tell; I’ve never saved the world before.”

………I might have found a proper conversation partner.

No, I need Lloyd März in order to create a world suitable for Athena––

“Have you never had doubts about whether this is how the world should be, Yuno Astario?”

Lloyd’s black eyes gazed at me over his shoulder.

I turned my thinking up a gear to properly break apart the meaning of his question.

“…Doubts, huh.”

––I’ve had doubts. Oh, of course I have.

Or perhaps they weren’t doubts. More, conviction.

One of the gods who saved the world from the Demon King, Satan. That was the reason Astaroth was called a hero.

…But, was that really the case? I highly doubted that Astaroth was one who would protect anyone, let alone humanity.

“…Yes, I have had doubts,” I answered as Lloyd gave a dark smile and hid his right eye behind his bandaged hand.

“…Kuku. As expected of you, Yuno Astario. You are fit to be my comrade.”

“Comrade…?”

“Yes indeed. I have had my doubts about this world ever since I was born.”

…Ever since he was born? So, he noticed even earlier than me–

“Have you never felt like the being known as you is being repelled by the world?”

“…!”

I have, I have, I have felt that way! After all, I was mentally fully mature the moment I was born! It was a huge deviation from the way this world worked…!

“That reaction… I knew it,” Lloyd murmured as he walked past me again, back towards the window, the frame of which he then leaned against.

A soft, refreshing wind blew across my face.

“I have too. I have thought that my thoughts, my ideals, couldn’t be understood by the world,” he murmured with a sad look on his face, although I was probably imagining the part where he was about to start crying.

No, I’m not imagining it. His heart is crying.

I could tell. Or rather, nobody but me could tell.

Making a contract with a stray god is wrong? Just because she’s a hero, she wouldn’t cause a stampede?

Wrong, both of them. I don’t think that.

My choices were not wrong at all…!

“There is no night without a dawn,” I murmured.

“What?” Lloyd looked at me with an expression of surprise and wide eyes.

…I continued on.

“If the gods, the world, is wrong, then we should change it… of course, it won’t be easy. There will likely be a lot of pain and suffering. Still, all one needs is a strong will. And if you have companions who yearn for the same goal as you…! Morning will come, even to this dark world!” I said, filling my eyes with all the resolve I could muster as I gazed straight at Lloyd März.

He stared at me, then once again broke out in a dark smile.

“…You’re amazing, Yuno Astario. One-hundred points.”

…………A hundred points.

In other words… I wonder what that meant?

While I was busy wondering what he had meant, Lloyd-senpai stretched his hand out into the sky.

As he did so, a black book appeared in his hand.

I was, of course, surprised. However––

…What a huge amount of magical power. It was only for a split second, but I can tell he’s quite skilled.

“What’s that?”

“…Revelations.”

“Revelations…”

“The secrets of the world are written inside,” Lloyd said, opening the book and holding it out for me to see.

I was astonished by what I saw.

……What the? What’s this doodle-like drawing…?

“…Lloyd-senpai… what’s this drawing?”

“The herald of the End… It is the Final Moment.”

The page was filled by a single, huge, black circle.

There was an arrow pointing at it with the explanation ‘The Power of Darkness’ written next to it.

“…The Power of Darkness.”

“…Yes, verily. You could also call it a conspiracy. And, in order to stop it, just as you said, one needs companions. However, that does not mean just anyone will do. There’s no point if they’re not… unique… like me.”

“…Unique, you say.”

It’s no use. I can’t understand a word he’s saying.

“Kuku… amazing. It has been long since I last felt this way. I never thought a day like this would come. I had noticed you weren’t normal. But to think that that not-normalness went so far…!” he said, then did his ‘Kukuku’ laugh again.

It seemed like he’d taken a liking to me.

“I welcome you, Yuno Astario. From today onwards, you are my comrade,” he said, holding out his hand, which I, of course, took.

“I apologise for the late introduction. I am the third son of the Astario family, Yuno Astario.”

“A praiseworthy attitude, so I shall respond in turn. I am the second son of the März family, Lloyd März. I’m the student council vice president.”

“The student council vice president…!?”

“…So you didn’t know after all. However, that is also fine.”

The heck’s up with him? Just how hard is he trying to get in my good graces?

“By the way, only you and I are the only ones who know about Revelations. I haven’t even shown it to the president. Yet.”

…Something so important… and he chose me to…!

“Of course. I will tell nobody.”

I had found a companion who would share secrets with me.

And the moment I realised that, I had another flash of inspiration.

…If it’s him… it should be okay, right?

I had plenty of things I had wanted to tell someone about.

And, the one that stuck out from the rest––

“…Zeus,” I murmured.

I was sure that Lloyd would know at least something.

Which was why––––

“Do you know anything about that na–”

––I noticed too late.

The overwhelming amount of killing intent Lloyd was releasing.

And the fact that my body had already been robbed of its freedom, caught by a sharp, glowing wire.

“…Where did you hear that name?” came his dark, low voice.

I began to sweat.

And that glowing wire… or was it thread?

Lloyd’s arms crossed each other, and he was minutely moving his fingers as if manipulating something.

Thread manipulation – an assassination technique.

…That was when I realised that there was more to the März family than met the eye.

“I’ll ask again. Where do you know the name ‘Zeus’ from?”

The thread around my body tightened.

…I could tell that he wasn’t someone who would hesitate to kill.

However, at the same time, joy filled me.

He does know something after all. And he probably only got to know it due to being a member of the März family.

“What happened? Not going to answer?”

…I guess I could answer, but… now’s not the time for that.

I chose, grasping for the highest probability.

“Eh? Um, Zeus is like, the strongest god I made up…”

Time to be a clown. Fighting here is not a good idea.

And this should be the right way to gain his trust.

It’s fine if it makes me look stupid. I just need to get him to think I have a few screws loose, and the rest is easy.

The problem is, he wouldn’t be convinced by something li––

“I see, that’s good.”

Well that was easy. Aren’t I amazing.

The thread that had been tying me up melted away as it reflected the sunlight coming in through the window.

“…”

Lloyd’s fingers moved as if he was playing an instrument.

I was inwardly amazed at the perfection of his technique.

Just like my sister, he was at the very bounds of where talent and hard work together could get someone.

Lloyd März was, without a doubt, strong.

“That’s an amazing technique you’ve got there…”

“With your brains, you probably already noticed, but my family has been in charge of the darker side of this country for generations. Only a handful of people are privy to that information.”

…The four great noble families probably know. I’ll try asking Luna or Alice indirectly next time I see one of them.

“Lloyd-senpai, does that mean that you know of a god called Zeus?”

“……A coincidence, huh. Interesting. Perhaps I will tell you one day. However––”

His sharp fingertips were suddenly touching the nape of my neck.

He really is fast. His movements might even be finer than those of my sister.

“––if you can’t dodge an attack like that one, you won’t be able to join the student council, let alone ever be unique.”

…I guess this is where I show off my strength.

I have to make him think I’d be useful.

And I have to do it in a way he’d approve of.

“I see… I guess I pass then.”

“…What? What do you m––”

I crouched down in a split second as if escaping from his hand aimed at the back of my neck and swung my fist upwards towards his jaw.

––I didn’t hit him, of course.

The wind created by my fist blew his black hair.

“…Could your eyes keep up with that?”

“Kuku… good, Yuno Astario. So that’s your true power.”

––The next instant, my right fist, frozen in the air, was pushed down by his left arm, while I deflected his incoming right fist the same way.

What followed was a textbook example of an exchange of blows.

I carefully, carefully measured his strength with every move we made.

Then, after we had gone on like that for a while––

“I lose.”

My palm cut through the air and Lloyd’s right fist stopped in front of my face.

It was my loss.

But, I was fine with that. I didn’t know what would happen in the one-in-a-million-chance had I won.

“…What a surprise, Yuno Astario. Even within the März family’s secret organisation, the Shadow Moon, only the leaders, the Numbers can keep up with what I just did.”

………That name though.

“It is an honour to receive your praise. Still, I’m surprised. If you’re only the vice-president even though you’re so strong, does that mean that the president is even stronger?”

“…A difficult question. But, I think that, at least in something like the fighting competition, I would be the one to lose.”

…That was a surprise. The student council was much more formidable than I had imagined.

“But, in a real fight – I would win.”

And I knew exactly what he meant by that.

He probably wasn’t bluffing either.

“Yuno Astario. You will definitely join the student council. If you so wish, you can become the secretary.”

It was an attractive proposal. If I not only joined the student council but got a position on it, I wouldn’t keep on being called incompetent for very long. In other words, it was a huge chance for me to show off Athena’s skill.

“Thank you, but I would like to focus on winning the competition first.”

I shouldn’t be too greedy. One step at a time, slow and steady wins the race, after all.

“Is that so… you grow even more interesting,” Lloyd smiled at me, and I smiled back.

––It was at that moment–

There came a loud crash from within the room.

“Get down!” Lloyd shouted, suddenly pushing me to the floor.

“L-Lloyd-senpai? What happened!?”

“The organisation might be trying to interfere. Just keep your mouth shut,” he said, placing his hand over my mouth.

Organisation? Hey, I can’t breathe!

I tried pushing him away, but I was stuck to the floor like glue.

Was I just imagining him looking slightly happy as he sat on my back?

“Sh-shit, what the hell, why, am I here…” came a confused voice.

I immediately understood what was going on.

––It was Maro.

“Wwoyd-npaa! Baaaa! (Lloyd-senpai, this isn’t good, Maro has woken up!)” I tried to shout, but–

“…Hm? What did you say? I couldn’t quite catch it.”

Yeah, cause you’ve got your hand in front of my mouth!

I guess I have no choice but to try and––

But by the time I had decided to try and stand up, it was already too late.

“Y-you two, w-what are you doing?” Maro’s voice shook.

Yep. I can imagine what face he’s making right now.

I slowly turned my head to look at him.

“…You’ve got to be kidding me,” he muttered, his face pale as he looked at us.

That was when my thinking broke down.

My school life from the next day onwards and everything that had happened in the last half an hour or so, including Lloyd’s and my bout, mixed together inside my head.

I desperately pried off the hand blocking my mouth to give an explanation.

“Do you want to join in!?”

……I forgot to say ‘our bout’

---

Previous | TOC | Raws | Next