Chapter Text
Today was one of those rare days in the County where there wasn't anything much to do. There wasn't any construction work to be done, or any huge threat they needed to face, or go into some other far away place to do the impossible. In other words, it was peaceful.
Javier was seen looking out at a window, observing how the County thrived from afar. Feeling an odd sense of overwhelm in his chest, so much had changed in the span of years towards a better future, and it all happened under his watchful gaze, right beside his Master Lloyd who made the miracle happen.
Speaking of, where is Master Lloyd?
Tearing his gaze away from the window to stop and take a second to reminisce the County's progress, he began to locate where Master Lloyd was. Which wasn't too difficult as he found him in his bedroom, sitting down on the chair near his table littered with construction blueprints, with a book in his hands. So his Master Lloyd does have a hobby other than scamming people off their money and doing construction work. He had a hobby of reading.
Master Lloyd turned the page on the book, Javier taking this as a chance to silently walk up behind him to know what he was reading in particular at first. From the first few sentences, it talks about a common man who was stalking an unsuspecting noblewoman. A fantasy that is sure to have the possibility of happening in reality. Unnerving, yes, but he's glad it wouldn't happen to his Master Lloyd.
"What are you reading there, Master Lloyd?" Javier asked, now letting his presence known.
Master Lloyd let out a bunch of sputtered curses when Javier talked, making all sorts of ugly faces at Javier as the book fell out of his hands and on the floor. "Can you not sneak up on me!? Jeez!" Master Lloyd groaned, picking up the book from the floor and dusted the book off before turning to a page where he left off.
"Don't worry, Master Lloyd," Javier starts. "I won't judge if you're reading something taboo. Especially if it is something intimate, which you'll never have the luck of receiving."
"Oh shut it, it's not that." His Master Lloyd clicked his tongue. "Someone recommended it to me," He says, showing Javier the fancy leather book he was reading with golden details, the title of the book carved into it. "And it's about a man who's obsessed with a noblewoman, and knows full well he won't end up with her."
Javier raised a brow. "Why read it if the protagonist knows he'll never get his love interest?" He asked, curious about the contents of the book.
"It's because the man would do anything to get her. To the point where he'll harm everyone and everything around her to make them his." Master Lloyd answered, continuing on reading the book.
"Sad. I can never picture myself acting like that for someone, even if they were my soulmate." Javier comments, imagining if he would use his status as a sword master to force a woman into a relationship with him. It felt wrong to him in many ways.
"Heh, same. I'll never understand these Yanderes..." Master Lloyd sneers at no one in particular, his voice low enough to be a whisper as his fingers were ready to turn a page over. He wasn't aware that Javier would end up asking him something he wasn't supposed to hear.
"What is... A Yandere, Master Lloyd?" Javier asked, confused at what Master Lloyd said just now. It wasn't the first time he's heard something foreign come out of this man. The other was insane for a long time now.
"Uhh..." Master Lloyd looked a bit troubled, his face scrunching up to make an unbelievably hideous face. "It's a lovesick person who's so in love to the point it's unhealthy for either themselves, or both them and their crush. Though there are many types of Yanderes. From manipulative, to aggressive, to abusive, to controlling, it's almost endless!"
"Basically," Master Lloyd put the book down on the table to face Javier. "Yanderes are insane people who'd do anything for love. Even if it means harming their crush in any way."
"Interesting..." Javier hummed in thought. "I never knew you could make up a term for insanely lovesick people." Javier then narrowed his eyes at his Master Lloyd. To come up with such a term for them... Was there something going on that he wasn't aware of?
"Master Lloyd, although it is hard to see considering how you look, are you getting targeted by a 'Yandere'?" Javier interrogated immediately, his tone of voice serious as his right hand was now on the hilt of his sword. It was his duty to protect Master Lloyd, so to notice this oversight was detrimental to Javier.
"What? No!" Master Lloyd immediately denied it. "I hate to agree with you, but there's no way a Yandere would go after me!"
"But..." Master Lloyd made a sad look on his face, his gaze still on the book. "It is nice to imagine..." Master Lloyd's lips curled up into a small smile. "That someone would like me that much, no matter what I am..."
Javier shot a disgusted look at Master Lloyd. "You'd rather have an insane person to go after you for romantic reasons, Master Lloyd?" He knew Master Lloyd was insane, that was a given. But to think he'd want another insane person to be by his side... Javier could only be mentally disappointed.
Master Lloyd's face became dour. "No! Of course not, are you dumb!?" He denied, actively opposing the thought. "I want a woman who's from a humble background. Nothing more! I don't want to be tied up with more power or problems, you know!"
Putting his right hand to his chest, Javier let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness you still have some of your sanity left." So Master Lloyd wasn't hopeless after all. He can rest easy. "It'll be troublesome to let the Count know his son is crazy after everything you've done."
"You're so fucking annoying—" That was Javier's cue to give Master Lloyd some space, in which Javier only let out a small laugh.
Yandere, huh? He'll have to watch out for Yanderes now that he has a term for them. Crazy Lovesick people. Master Lloyd would be fine on not having any Yanderes after him, but what about himself? There were many girls who fell for his looks, so this might as well be a warning for his own safety. Not like any of them would land a scratch on him, but what about the people around him?
Javier watches Master Lloyd ignore him and pick up the book on the desk, continuing to read the story about a Yandere. Yes. He needs to watch out for Yanderes for Master Lloyd's sake. He won't forgive anyone who'll harm the one who rose his second home into prosperity.
With that thought in mind, Javier vowed once again in his heart that he'll protect his Master Lloyd. Not by the Count's order, but by his own will.