✦ ✦ ✦
“But, Chief…!”
“And once a man makes his mind up, who are we to argue?” With that, Alka turned back to Lloyd, like a mother looking at her child. “But if it gets too hard, you come right on back, you hear? …This is your home.”
“Th-thanks!”
Everyone who saw her face knew the chief was taking this harder than anyone.
Meanwhile, Alka herself was thinking… I reckon it’ll be hard to not see Lloyd every day, but…I can secretly teleport over. Darn right. And the other villagers ain’t gonna be there to interfere when I flirt with him!
…If the other villagers had known what was running through her head, they’d have been left speechless for a very different reason.
And thus, Lloyd was permitted to leave for the big city.
✦ ✦ ✦
Once Lloyd’s departure was set in stone, the days flew by, each moment a bittersweet reminder of how much he loved the village and how much the villagers loved him.
And finally, the big day arrived. The sky was an unbroken sea of blue, as if celebrating the start of his new journey. Beneath the sun stood Lloyd, wearing sturdy canvas pants and a lightweight linen shirt, a small knapsack slung over his shoulder—the sort of outfit that would make you go, “Wait, are you taking a day trip?”
He had on an apologetic expression.
This was largely because the entire village had put off their work to come see him off. The beautiful carved wooden (treant) arch over the town gate was surrounded by villagers.
At the center of the crowd was Alka. She took a step forward, looking Lloyd right in the eye. “I’d love to escort ya part of the way, but…this is where the learning process begins. Ya gotta go by yourself.”
In truth, the villagers had expressed their worries that she’d never come back if she went with him now. The entire town was of the opinion that the loli hag’s doting knew no bounds. Lloyd alone was oblivious to this—he simply nodded, looking sad as he said yes.
Then his guardian stepped forward and slapped him on the back. “The royal capital’s at the southernmost end of the continent! I reckon it’ll only take two days if you make a run for it! Consider it good training!”
“Ah-ha-ha, that may have been true for you when you were young, but I’d say a week is more reasonable.”
“If you take things slow, how will you ever keep up with the hustle and bustle of the big city? I hear city folk are always in a hurry!”
“R-right…I’ll do my best!”
Lloyd’s voice broke a bit at the end, and someone in the crowd yelled, “Don’t start crying!” Warm smiles flashed all around.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Lloyd! When ya get to the capital, ask for the Witch of the East Side. Show her this crystal, and she’ll help you out.” Alka handed him a crystal the size of his fist, and Lloyd stuffed it in his knapsack.
“Thanks, Chief,” he said, smiling. “And thanks, everyone. All right, I’d better get going!”
He headed off down the mountain path, stopping often to look behind him at the crowd. Seeing this, his grandfather got nervous all over again.
“Sigh… Is that kid really gonna be all right?”
“’Course he will,” Alka said, accidentally slipping out truth before she winced, feigned a coughing fit, and ordered, “Never mind! Everyone, back to work!”
She hustled the crowd back inside, thinking, Boy isn’t the least bit weak! He’s just surrounded by even stronger people. This journey oughtta give him a little confidence. And then…
Alka looked back in the direction he’d gone. Lloyd was out of sight now. A warm spring breeze brushed past her cheeks, and she narrowed her eyes at the mountains in the distance.
For the sake of my heart, I need ya to become a great soldier, my beloved Lloyd…
✦ ✦ ✦
This was the town of Kunlun, the village that stood at the very edge of the world.
After the legendary heroes had saved the planet, they’d departed for distant lands and settled down to make peaceful lives for themselves here. Everyone in the village descended from them. And in that extraordinary village, the feeblest, most earnest boy…was Lloyd Belladonna.
This is a story about that boy. The misunderstandings that arose around him weave this tale together. And if I was to describe the plot with our current cultural zeitgeist in mind, well, I’d say…this is the story of what happens when a kid from the last dungeon boonies moves to a starter town.