《The Greatest Estate Designer》 CH 1 Something novel-like happened to me. When I opened my eyes, I found myself inside a novel. ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ is an indomitable epic led by the icy cold hero, Javier Asrahan. I transmigrated into the world of that grand story as the drunken young master whom Javier served when he was still unknown. I didn¡¯t know back then that this was the beginning of a story in which I, an ordinary civil engineering student, became the guardian of this world. ? [Relationship Point (RP) System has been activated.] [You can acquire RP by improving relationships with key characters.] [You can develop skills by investing the acquired RP.] [Your current RP: 0] Strange messages like an alarm rang inside my head. What is RP? What is skill development? ¡®I¡¯m tired. So sleepy¡¯ On the bed, Suho frowned and tossed his body. It was annoying. Of course it was. I took classes during the day. At night, I worked hard at my part-time job. In the meantime, it was natural that I was tired because I read novels all night long. No, it¡¯s almost karma. ¡®But, I¡¯ve done my homework.¡¯ I could get up 30 minutes later than usual. A satisfied smile arose at the thought. However, Suho¡¯s smile didn¡¯t last long. ¡°¡­Please wake up.¡± I heard an unfamiliar voice. The voice felt cold and sharp. ¡®Is it a dream?¡¯ Maybe it¡¯s the sound that came from dreams. Suho tossed and turned to the opposite direction. But, even that gesture couldn¡¯t stop the voice from being heard again. ¡°It¡¯s late. It¡¯s time to get up, Lloyd-nim.¡± (tl/n: ? or nim is a suffix used to address someone with respect) ¡­.Huh? It was not a dream. There was definitely a voice coming from right next to me. ¡®How?¡¯ I dazedly came to my senses. This was a 2-pyeong goshiwon room12-pyeong goshiwon room: pyeong is a Korean unit of area and floorspace. 1 pyeong is about 3,305 square meter. Goshiwon is a small room filled with everything you can find in a normal house. It is originally a residential facility for exam takers.. I always locked the door. But, there was someone else who came inside and talked to me? Suho carefully opened his eyes. His whole body stiffened without him even realizing it. ¡°Are you awake? You woke up quickly today.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± A silver-haired handsome man was sitting neatly by the bed. I think he was about twenty. He had a face bereft of a smile. His figure looked as good as a blade forged from ice frost. ¡°Javier¡­ Asrahan?¡±, Suho murmured unconsciously. His murmur could be heard clearly. In the ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ novel that I read all night long last night, there was an illustration of the novel¡¯s protagonist, Javier Asrahan, who looked like the man in front of me. No, it was exactly the same, even to his smile with only one corner raised that looked like an elegant painting. ¡°You finally remembered my name, thank you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Just by looking at your face, I could tell you didn¡¯t appreciate it at all. ¡°But, why are you here?¡± I spat out unconsciously. Javier¡¯s face grew a little darker. ¡°Because the Lord has entrusted me to be your escort.¡± ¡°The Lord? Escort?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just in case something like last night happened again.¡± ¡°Last night, I¡­¡± ¡°You were so drunk you couldn¡¯t walk. You went on a rampage in the tavern and destroyed three tables, six chairs, nineteen plates, and six candlesticks. Oh, you also wrecked the buffalo horn ornament the owner used to love. ¡­ I am innocent. I meant it. I only read books at goshiwon last night. My head was throbbing. Getting hungover because of alcohol I didn¡¯t even drink, it was a little unfair. ¡°Hoo, then give me some water first.¡± I wanted to get myself together first. I looked around the bedroom while gulping down the water Javier had brought me. It was an unfamiliar, clean, and spacious bedroom. It was different from my 2-pyeong goshiwon room where the yellow wallpaper was in shambles. ¡®This is a little crazy.¡¯ Could it really be possession like the plot of a novel? And, I possessed a nobleman? Suho accepted this reality readily. This was paradise compared to a life full of anxiety without family at goshiwon. But, there was something that caught his eyes. ¡°What is that?¡± Suho pointed to the cabinet on the other side of the bed. There was a red piece of paper attached to the cabinet that looked odd. It wasn¡¯t just there. It¡¯s on the big bookshelf, on the refreshment table, on the chair where Javier sat, and even on his bed. Everything called furniture had a red label pasted on it. ¡®This can¡¯t be.¡¯ Suho gulped down dryly. My conjecture was confirmed by Javier. ¡°Have you forgotten already? It¡¯s a foreclosure sign that was sticked yesterday.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± That was a concise answer. Thanks to that, it suddenly occurred to me. The baron whom Javier served fell at the beginning of the novel. The baron and his wife were swindled by a vicious scammer and then they committed suicide after losing all of their possessions and land. What about the Baron¡¯s eldest son, Lloyd? He fell ill and died because of alcohol intoxication. Afterward, Javier built Lloyd¡¯s grave and left the territory. That was the prologue of the grand story where the protagonist, Javier Asrahan, took the first step into the world. ¡°So I possessed the young master who died at the beginning because of alcohol? Me?¡± The joy from becoming an aristocrat soon cooled down. This felt like a huge problem. ? ¡°Whoa, this is real. Truly.¡± A few hours later Suho, no, Lloyd, was facing a mirror. On the full-length mirror with a red foreclosure label pasted on just like other furniture, there stood a smooth-looking black-haired man. It was Lloyd. ¡°That¡¯s me now.¡± In fact, I still couldn¡¯t believe it. I didn¡¯t hate it though. No, to be honest, I liked it. Life in Korea was hard. ¡®I¡¯ve had a hard time.¡¯ Originally, I was the only son of an ordinary family. I took the CSAT exam like everyone else. I became a civil engineering student in college. But when I was in the army, the shadow of real estate investment scam strangled my parents. My parents, who died like that, left me with only a large amount of debt. The house and all of the properties were confiscated. In order to not take on the remaining debts, I had to give up my inheritance. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t have been able to go to school without the scholarship for the low-income class.¡¯ At least, I did well in my studies. However, living expenses other than tuition fees were another problem. I had to move back and forth between part-time jobs. It wasn¡¯t easy to maintain my grades while working. In the 2-pyeong cramped goshiwon room, I had nosebleeds seven times a week. The free rice and kimchi provided by the goshiwon were the last barrier of my endurance. So, Suho survived like a crook until yesterday. ¡®By becoming a nobleman in a fantasy novel I¡¯ve read, I could catch my breath for the first time in a while.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t a grand aristocrat like a duke or a count. He was just a baron in the countryside with a single country estate, but Lloyd liked it more. ¡®You won¡¯t get caught in a big trouble. For example, something like treason.¡¯ Whenever he watched historical or medieval dramas, that had always been a problem. No matter how prominent the aristocrats were, if they got tangled up in the treason, it was over. They literally would get decapitated without any excuse given. ¡®I¡¯d rather be a baron on the periphery than that. It¡¯s a niche position on its own.¡¯ There was no way I¡¯d ever get involved with big incidents such as treason. I can live in luxury and prosperity in the countryside as the heir to a countryside baron. Wouldn¡¯t I be able to live contentedly in such a place? ¡®Of course, it¡¯s after settling the Baron¡¯s debts.¡¯ That was the problem. ¡®I can¡¯t believe now is the time I transmigrated.¡¯ Javier¡¯s explanation came to mind. The date of the foreclosure was yesterday. In other words, what if the possession took place just a month or two earlier? I could¡¯ve stopped the con-artist from approaching the Baron. I really wanted to grab the novel author by the collar. ¡®Still, It has already happened so we just have to fix it.¡¯ Otherwise, the Baron couple would commit suicide next year. Then, the mansion and estate would be sold and he¡¯d become a villain ¡®It would turn out the same as when I was in Korea.¡¯ It was a nightmare. I just wanted to avoid that. I didn¡¯t want to go through the same mess again. To do that, I had to make money somehow. Money to pay off the Baron¡¯s debt. I stared at the mirror for a long time. Then suddenly, something came to mind. Lloyd turned to Javier, who stood beside him. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yes, Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Is our fiefdom rich?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How much would it be if I collect money from the fief?¡± ¡°Are you talking about taxes?¡± ¡°No, not like that.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Like IMF¡¯s gold-raising campaign. Huft, no. It won¡¯t work.¡± Lloyd shook his head. He had wondered if collecting money from people in the fief would be useful, but thinking about it, it wouldn¡¯t. If the money was collected without any justification, it was obvious that there would be a huge backlash. ¡®And that¡¯s still not enough to pay all of the debt in one sitting.¡¯ I remembered the contents of the novel¡¯s beginning. The deadline to pay off the debt was within two years but before that time came, the Baron couple killed themselves. The continual pressure because of the debt. The rising interest. The piling debt so high there was no way to repay. Because of these, the couple loses all hope. ¡®That¡¯s exactly a year from now on.¡¯ Five months after that, Lloyd died while throwing up blood inside his favorite tavern¡¯s room. That was mentioned in the prologue of Iron-Blooded Knight. ¡®Damn it. This isn¡¯t some decalcomania.¡¯ How can it be so similar to what he experienced in Korea? The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. ¡°Tsk. Let¡¯s go on a walk.¡± It was best to take a walk when your head was a mess. Walking had been his habit since he was still Kim Suho of South Korea. No, maybe it¡¯s almost the only relief he could afford because a walk didn¡¯t cost any money. So, he left the room with Javier. When he got to the mansion¡¯s hallway, he ran into a woman who was coming from the other side. She was a fine middle-aged woman with an aura full of refinement and grace. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me?¡¯ Suddenly there was a name that popped into mind. Marbella Frontera. The baron¡¯s mistress and Lloyd Frontera¡¯s mother. She was the only middle-aged woman in this mansion who had that kind of atmosphere. Lloyd swallowed dryly. ¡®I¡¯ve run into you, out of all people.¡¯ Were there any parents who didn¡¯t recognize their children? He might get caught just like this. Fortunately, such worries were groundless. It was because as soon as the baroness saw him, she clicked her tongue. ¡°Are you going out for another drink?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The woman gazed at him. Her expression was filled with sorrow and concern. Who would look happy if your son only drank and played every day even though the family was falling apart?! I didn¡¯t know anyone like that. ¡°Enjoy it in moderation. It¡¯s not good for your health.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The woman passed by with a small sigh. Lloyd had to stroke his chest secretly. ¡®I didn¡¯t get caught. Should I say that it¡¯s fortunate?¡¯ Lloyd Frontera was a man who drank every day since he opened his eyes. Thanks to that, Lloyd¡¯s mother seemed to be concerned about him with such prejudice. ¡®It felt a bit bitter though.¡¯ Suddenly, I remembered when I was a freshman at college. It was a time when my family was still well off. I was just a freshman who didn¡¯t know anything. I remembered drinking at OT2OT: Student orientation in Korea, a welcoming event for freshmen. and MT3MT: Membership Training, an event where every student from the same major from freshman to senior spent time at the same place. everyday, Whenever that happened, my mother made me dried pollack soup without saying anything. Now, it was already in the past and I couldn¡¯t turn back time. Lloyd bit hard on his lower lip. His stride grew by leaps and bounds. Maybe that¡¯s why as soon as they saw him on the road, the villagers hurriedly retreated to the side of the road. Everyone lowered their heads to avoid eye contact. A woman trembled with her hands clenched tightly. Some farmers even had their complexions turned pale. Thanks to this, he was able to realize his situation at once. ¡®Yes, this is what kind of person Lloyd is.¡¯ The contents of the novel came to mind again. The son of Baron Frontera was named Lloyd Frontera. When he was drunk, he often broke or threw things. Violent assault and verbal abuse against one¡¯s subordinates were the basics. In short, he was a trashy human being with truly worst qualities. ¡®That¡¯s why everyone hated me so much. It seems that I¡¯m totally hated.¡¯ I laugh bitterly. ¡°Hey.¡± I asked Javier who was by my side. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with everybody? You don¡¯t usually treat your lord¡¯s son like that, do you?¡± That was common sense. The Lord was the most powerful man in the region. So what if the Lord¡¯s son was a mess? They should just smile and pretend to respect him at least in front of his face. They had to try to do that. Just like the owner of a chicken restaurant serving the son of the building owner who stopped by the store, or like a permanent manager who became a ¡®yesman¡¯ to the son of the boss who joined the company as an employee. Wouldn¡¯t that be the case for the people here too? ¡°In general, yes.¡± ¡°In general? Only?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then what about now?¡± Javier answered coldly. ¡°It¡¯s an emergency.¡± ¡°An emergency?¡± ¡°In general, a territorial emergency refers to a time when there¡¯s a great threat to the people¡¯s livelihood, to the well-being of the people, and to the safety of the people.¡± ¡°¡­.. And that¡¯s me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite straightforward.¡± ¡°What¡¯s straightforward?¡± ¡°Oh, you hit the bullseye with facts.¡± (tl/n: Here, the author used ? ????, a Korean slang which meant ¡®to point out a fact that causes mental suffering; ex: a weakness of another person.) ¡°¡­.¡± Javier stared at him with an expression that said ¡®what the hell are you talking about?¡¯. Even so, his appearance was still as cold and elegant as a painting. ¡®Yeah, it was this guy. Javier.¡¯ Javier was a noble and honorable knight. He was a man who doesn¡¯t compromise with any injustice, a hero who is literally the specimen of knights in the novel. Javier¡¯s fame later rose throughout the entire Loracian continent. Of course, his personality wouldn¡¯t change just because he was unpopular right now. ¡°That¡¯s kind of embarrassing. I swear I never assaulted Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Have you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know about factual assault?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°By any chance, have you ever hated me?¡± ¡°No, never.¡± ¡­ no, you looked like you had enough. Lloyd was able to realize that. ¡®He hates me too.¡¯ Javier was a noble knight who valued honor. So, it was only natural for him to hate rascals like Lloyd. Nevertheless, it was this guy who stood by Lloyd¡¯s side until he died. He kept his loyalty to the baron, who was his main master, to the end. ¡®What a great guy.¡¯ A swordmaster who would create history in the continent of Loracian. The Greatest Swordmaster of all time. That¡¯s the kind of guy my faithful escort would be in the future. Feeling a little strange, Lloyd kept on walking. As a result, he ended up standing in front of a shabby building. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tavern.¡± ¡°A tavern?¡± ¡°Yes. This is where Lloyd-nim spent more time than the mansion.¡± ¡°Is this my regular pub?¡± ¡°Of course. Unless Lloyd-nim used another tavern behind my back.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Oh my God. Lloyd clicked his tongue inward. He was just walking aimlessly. After all that, the place he visited was his regular pub. How many times did he come and go to this place? Even though the soul changed, his body automatically came all the way here. ¡®This isn¡¯t some kind of homing instinct. Are you a puppy? Spawning salmon? Or General Kim Yu-shin?¡¯ He lashed out at the eldest son of the baron who was the original owner of this body and then turned away. ¡®I can¡¯t drink during the day, though.¡¯ Lloyd would¡¯ve enjoyed it, but not him. There was already a lot to think about but he didn¡¯t have the slightest intention to drink alcohol. ¡°Are you going back like this?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I replied to Javier¡¯s question right away. However, Javier¡¯s reply was unexpected. ¡°I¡¯m disappointed, then.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°Just as I said, I¡¯m disappointed in Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Did you expect me to drink during the day?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I thought Lloyd-nim came here to apologize and make amends for what happened last night.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re disappointed I just turned around?¡± ¡°Yes, It¡¯s the duty of a nobleman to be responsible, befitting of one¡¯s status¡± ¡°¡­..¡± This guy, I¡¯ve felt this for a while but his straightforwardness is no joke. Even then it hits hard. In other words, Javier had a strange talent for carefully and painfully inserting advice inside his words. ¡°The tavern is a home the owner has been building his whole life, even if it¡¯s a shabby place. Last night, Lloyd-nim caused a riot and damaged the furniture in such a precious space.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Besides that, Lloyd-nim, he took care of his old mother alone.¡± ¡°His mother?¡± ¡°Yes. She has been in poor health lately. So the tavern owner was even more worried.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ve been torturing that poor guy? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± It¡¯s something I didn¡¯t even commit, but Javier¡¯s straight jabs made of facts kept coming. ¡°Actually, the owner appealed to me last night. He said he felt like dying because his mother had suffered so much from the cold and then was faced with this kind of misconduct.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You mustn¡¯t run away. After all, Lloyd-nim is the future owner of this estate¡­¡± ¡°Wait a moment. That¡¯s it.¡± Lloyd cut off Javier. Is it hard to hear more? No, it wasn¡¯t. It was because listening to what Javier said made him ponder about something. ¡°The tavern owner¡¯s mother is having a hard time from the late winter cold?¡± ¡°Yes, young master.¡± ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you just warm the floor with firewood?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°The people here¡­ Don¡¯t they know how to heat things up?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s what he said from the look in his eyes. The moment I realized that, Lloyd suddenly remembered. ¡®Come to think of it, there was nothing like that in my bedroom at the Baron¡¯s mansion.¡¯ He was a civil engineer. It was his habit to look at the structure of the building wherever he went. Thanks to this, he was able to quickly grasp the structure of the baron¡¯s mansion. There were no heating facilities, such as circular heating system or the so-called ondol4Ondol: underfloor heating; a Korean traditional architecture.. Instead, did the fireplace occupy one side of the bedroom? If that¡¯s the case, maybe the tavern owner¡¯s house is similar. No, unlike an aristocrat¡¯s mansion with fireplaces in each room, one fireplace placed in the kitchen would cover for the entire house. ¡®Of course it¡¯s cold. The fireplace has more heat loss compared to the ondol.¡¯ But obviously, it wasn¡¯t without flaws. How to implement a good ondol heating system? The building¡¯s floor should be completely replaced or rebuilt. The insulation of the building should also be reinforced. We would have to deal with the monstrous consumption of firewood. But, both of these shortcomings¡­. ¡®I can overcome it. No, rather, I can use that. It¡¯s possible if it¡¯s me.¡¯ What if I used my major¡¯s knowledge? While thinking of the grim reality on how to pay off the enormous debt, I came up with a plan to raise a large sum of money. The plan was already settled, so then I drew the bigger picture. ¡®This is it. It won¡¯t be over with just the tavern owner¡¯s house. It¡¯s a bigger large-scale construction project. There are plenty of chances.¡¯ I was determined to make the big picture that came to mind a reality. So, I went straight into the tavern. CH 2 The interior of the tavern was as messy as a battlefield. There were broken tables and chairs lying around. Occasionally, broken pieces of dishes could also be found strewn all across the floor. ¡®Oh, geez. I overdid it.¡¯ There was a sweeping sound. It became clearer when he saw the owner who was cleaning up the mess. ¡°Oh, are you here?¡± The bald man was cleaning with a bitter expression on his face. As soon as he saw Lloyd, his complexion paled. There was anger flashed across his face. However, it quickly disappeared. Instead, he could only force an awkward smile. It was a smile of the weak who had no choice as he still needed to make a living in this territory. ¡®Thinking about what I did last night made my blood boil.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t even make fun of it. The sight left a bad taste in Lloyd¡¯s mouth. It was because past memories suddenly popped up. ¡®When I was working at the pub, I had a lot of bad customers.¡¯ I had to work all sorts of part-time jobs just to eat and live. It included a job at the pub. Since it was a pub, there were various kinds of customers. Obviously, there were some friendly customers too. No, it was quite a lot. At the pub, getting drunk and talking down to the employees were a common occurrence. Some people flipped the tables or broke the bottles over trivial matters such as the drinks were too expensive, the side dishes were not good, and the employees didn¡¯t bow politely. In some circumstances, they even swung a broken alcohol bottle around while yelling for the boss to come out. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ I sighed when I recalled that time. At that point in time, he was just an employee. There was nothing he could say to the bossy customer. You wouldn¡¯t believe how enraged he got when such customers came. ¡®Let¡¯s stop thinking about it.¡¯ It was a bitter memory. Thanks to that, Lloyd was able to fully understand how the owner felt. Even though he wasn¡¯t the one who created this mess, even if it was the previous owner of this body who did it, he apologized sincerely to the owner. ¡°I came to apologize for what I did last night.¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I should¡¯ve just been drinking quietly, but I ended up causing a big accident. I won¡¯t gloss over it. All of the blame was on me.¡± I was genuine. However, did he misinterpret my sincerity? ¡°Ex, excuse me, young master? Why are you doing this?¡± The owner¡¯s complexion turned from white to blue. It was as if he¡¯d just met a grim reaper. ¡°Young master, are you unsatisfied about something last night? Then, tell me what I did wrong.¡± ¡°No, I¡­¡± (tl/n: Lloyd was using formal speech to speak with the tavern¡¯s owner.) ¡°Why do you speak so formally? That¡¯s even scarier.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± This body seemed to be firmly hated by the people in this territory. Lloyd smacked his dry lips. ¡°Is it better if I speak comfortably?¡± ¡°O, of course.¡± ¡°Then, will you accept my apology?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to reimburse all the furniture I damaged last night.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Has the owner of this body been deceiving people his whole life? Lloyd clicked his tongue. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true. How about I make you an ondol to make up for it?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a room with a heated floor, do you know?¡± ¡°I know, it¡¯s when you use heated stones and pour water on them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a wet sauna that uses steam. This heats up the floor itself. Ondol. You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As expected, he didn¡¯t know. The pub owner became silent just like Javier before. Then, there was a possibility that the plan would work. Lloyd licked his lips. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. You don¡¯t know Ondol. If you know, it would be great for your mother.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard some rumors. Your mother, I heard she¡¯s not feeling well these days.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I recommended Ondol for you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It heats up the floor itself. You don¡¯t even need a bed or anything. You can just lay on the floor and laze around all day long. It cannot even be compared to a sauna.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It¡¯s getting to him. It¡¯s slowly getting to him. I could see his pupils shake. He wavered even more when he heard Lloyd¡¯s next argument. ¡°When it¡¯s cold in the winter, sometimes the body gets chilled to the bone. So this is perfect for elderly people with stiff joints.¡± ¡°Elderly people like my mother?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Older people like it very much when it¡¯s hot. ¡°However, you¡¯re giving it to me? The young master?¡± ¡°Uh, to be exact, I¡¯ll make it for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making it?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t believe it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a matter of course.¡± ¡°Of course you can¡¯t believe it. Now you must¡¯ve been wondering what sort of scam I was trying to pull, whether I could make that ondol or something, and whether that thing called ondol really exists. But, listening to it reminded you of your mother. So you¡¯re on the edge of your seat right now. It¡¯s tempting, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make a written contract with me, then.¡± ¡°What do you mean, contract?¡± ¡°Uh. Contract for the construction.¡± ¡°What¡­.¡± ¡°Get me a pen and some pieces of paper.¡± The owner had a confused face. Still, he politely brought the pen and paper. Lloyd skillfully scribbled down the form of the impromptu contract on the paper. ¡®It¡¯s only a form anyway. I can make it myself.¡¯ The employer was the tavern owner. The contractor was me. The construction site was at a vacant lot behind the pub. ¡°Let¡¯s do this. The entire price including the contract¡¯s amount will be paid with all of the items I damaged last night. How about that?¡± ¡°Are you saying that instead of paying money for the entire damaged objects, you¡¯re going to make an ondol or something?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Lloyd nodded. It was a fact that the Baron is in debt. The money to reimburse the tavern owner was also lacking. But, what if we could get the job done right? ¡®I could get rid of a splendid amount of deficit from the compensation with it.¡¯ It¡¯s not just about getting rid of the deficit. If I did well, I would get a tremendous amount of benefit. It would be the starting point of huge profits that would get bigger and bigger, just like a rolling snowball. That was the big picture Lloyd was expecting. ¡®Because this is what I can do best.¡¯ I was a civil engineer. I studied hard in my own way. Indeed, I didn¡¯t have any grand dreams back then. Like others, I choose my school and department based on my CSAT score. I was just trying to get adequate grades for a stable job. However, perhaps the knowledge that I had accumulated before could be put to good use here. ¡®It¡¯s land sales, especially construction that makes the most money.¡¯ Apartments, buildings, bridges, roads, dams, breakwaters, canals, ports. Building anything costs money. Among them, construction companies, especially contractors in particular, were the ones who get to sit on a money cushion. The bigger the project, the richer they get. Lloyd was aiming for that possibility. ¡°Well, that¡¯s why we¡¯re going to sign a contract. What do you say?¡± ¡°Then the young master is serious?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be the one making it. Why? Do you dislike that?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not true.¡± The owner, who was hesitating, eventually signed the ¡®Ondol Construction Contract¡¯. Kim Suho, a civil engineering student from South Korea. Lloyd, the eldest son of Baron Frontera. It was the first contract he had gotten in this unfamiliar world. Firstly, even if it was small, he took one step at a time. So, that was how the long-awaited first construction began. ? ¡°He¡¯s a naive and desperate man.¡± It had only been a minute since I left the tavern. Javier, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke. ¡°What do you mean?¡± When I looked back, Javier¡¯s face was as expressionless as before. No, was it just me or did it feel colder just like when a cold wind was blowing? ¡°A man who is cornered will become desperate. As such, it narrows his view of the situation and blurs his judgment. These people are easy prey for a wicked scoundrel.¡± ¡°Prey?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Oh, so the bar owner is a pitiful prey and I¡¯m a sly bastard who preyed upon him?¡± ¡°Whether you¡¯re evil or not will depend on what you¡¯re going to do now.¡± ¡°Oi.¡± Somehow, I thought the atmosphere was colder than usual. Only then did Lloyd realize what Javier was thinking. ¡°You. Do you think I¡¯m scamming the tavern owner?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re taking advantage of the situation of the weak who was cornered.¡± That was it. Lloyd sighed deeply. For some reason, after possessing this body, he was getting misunderstood for everything he did. ¡°Let¡¯s get this straight, then. You¡¯re skeptical that I¡¯m gonna make an ondol for the tavern owner, do you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Lloyd-nim never got dirt on his hands even once before in this life.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard it from here and there.¡± ¡°So it means you never see it in person, right?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s absurd, Javier.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Javier¡¯s picturesque eyebrows frowned for the first time. Lloyd stared at Javier, who was about 5 centimeters taller than him, and then said. ¡°I¡¯m a little disappointed. Javier, do you judge people just based on hearsays?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re prejudiced.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, just now you saw me sign a contract with the bar owner, right? What do you think I¡¯m going to do with that contract?¡± ¡°Of course¡­.¡± ¡°Did you think I¡¯m going to throw the contract in the corner and then play with it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± What do you mean, no? I was right. As I had noticed before, Javier was bad at lying. He had a habit of avoiding eye contact when he lied. It was just like that. ¡°You assumed I am swindling the bar owner with the pretext of a contract. I can just make the ondol some other day. And then, I¡¯ll delay the remuneration continuously for the damage I¡¯ve done with that lie.¡± ¡°I just¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s what prejudice is about. Judging others prematurely based on your own assumptions. It could rouse conflicts, support discrimination, shook the family, and then crumble the territory.¡± I guessed Javier didn¡¯t expect such a counterattack. Javier kept his mouth shut. You¡¯d probably think it was sophistries, but Lloyd didn¡¯t bother to change his mind. Instead, he jabbed at Javier. ¡°Anyway, I know what you¡¯re thinking so could you please step aside?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Just two steps to the side. Yeah, that way. I¡¯m going to do a rough estimation.¡± I was going to do it before Javier opened his mouth. Anyway, this place was where the ondol would be built. The most important thing to do before designing was to observe the ground and prepare the materials. ¡®I don¡¯t think I need precise measurements because it¡¯s going to be small. But, the ground here was slightly tilted. I¡¯ll have to raise it a little bit.¡¯ There was a pub on one side of the land where the building was going to be built. On the other side, there was the owner¡¯s house where he lived. It would be better to build the ondol in the space between them. ¡®Let¡¯s examine the ground.¡¯ Lloyd lowered his body. He examined the soil where the ondol would be built. He touched the dirt and rubbed it on his fingers. ¡®Oh, this reminds me of when I was at school.¡¯ Touching the soil naturally reminded him of the lecture on soil mechanics. It was a subject that studied properties such as the volume, the particles, and the gaps in the soil. Thanks to that, he could know how much soil he needed to scoop up. It wasn¡¯t just that. The dirt he had dug was rolled up like a dung beetle¡¯s poop. It had to be rolled but it shouldn¡¯t break. He had even baked, roasted, and steamed the soil in the oven. Thanks to that, his past experiences would be a great help for Lloyd today. ¡®The soil was good enough.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just fine. Contrary to the dark surface, only a few centimeters in, reddish soil came out. It was clay. ¡®This is awesome.¡¯ Lloyd stood up and shook his hands. Then, he met Javier¡¯s strange gaze. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Have you never seen a man touch the dirt?¡± ¡°At least, I¡¯ve never seen Lloyd-nim do this.¡± ¡°Then, get used to it. You¡¯ll see it often in the future.¡± Javier¡¯s eyes glowed even more strangely. Lloyd ignored him and moved away. He left the scene to wander around the land. It looked like a leisurely walk, but Lloyd¡¯s eyes were surveying the terrain all over the territory. Among them, the focus was on the river crossing the center of the territory. The purpose was to collect clay in large quantities. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go home.¡± Even at the mansion, Lloyd never stopped working. It was a monumental first construction. ¡®Because you must do a great job with the first order.¡¯ One incorrect construction could result in bad reviews. That would make it harder to catch the next customer. Then it would be doomed from the beginning. In order to avoid that, it was important to produce the best quality you could afford. ¡®The customer¡¯s happiness is the foundation of my money-making plans.¡¯ He was used to staying up all night. It was because of his part-time jobs and assignments. He drew a blueprint on a blank paper from dusk until dawn. As soon as the sun was up, he went to the mansion¡¯s administrator. ¡°How much wood do you have in the warehouse?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± It was too early in the morning. Forget having breakfast, the administrator couldn¡¯t even wash his face yet. He tilted his head and pondered. Did this guy have been drinking since this morning? ¡°What are you going to use the wood for?¡± ¡°What am I going to use it for? I¡¯m going to use it to build a building. Here.¡± ¡°This is?¡± ¡°Move as much wood as it says here to the tavern¡¯s backyard. Got it?¡± If you¡¯re going to swiftly make it work, you have to be bold like a bulldozer. Because of Lloyd¡¯s attitude, the administrator nodded before he knew it. Thanks to this, before lunch, the wood he ordered was already piled up in the tavern¡¯s backyard. ¡°Now that the materials are here, let¡¯s get started.¡± I took off my cumbersome outer garment. I wore only a light shirt and worker gloves. I even carried a shovel here, so I couldn¡¯t even be more at ease. ¡®I¡¯m used to this kind of hard work every vacation.¡¯ Even when he was in the army, because he majored in civil engineering, whenever there was a large or small construction job, the administrative officer called him. Finally, by the time he was discharged from the military, he was treated as a major certified working machine. ¡®As expected, a real man shovels.¡¯ Starting from scratch, I dug the ground beside the yard. The excavated soil was moved to the site for the ondol. Every time, the soil was dug carefully and firmly. ¡°If I move a lot of soil at once and build the foundation at once, it¡¯s going to get messy later.¡± That is a common mistake to make when building a foundation. The soil is being hardened very well but the bottom part isn¡¯t done properly. So, what would happen if the soil was piled up thickly and was pressed all at once? The upper surface would look solid, but the inside would remain soft. A few years later, it will be disastrous if the building gets tilted. Lloyd, who knew this fact well, scooped the soil, moved it, and pounded it over and over again. Suddenly, he looked at Javier. Javier has been standing still for a while. He was faithful to his job as an escort. ¡°Oi.¡± ¡°Did you call me, Lloyd-nim?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°Do you have anything you¡¯d like to order me?¡± ¡°Yes, I do. Let¡¯s shovel together.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier was speechless. ¡°You don¡¯t want to? Is that the case?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you are willing to shovel together, the work can be done twice as fast.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Aah, the tavern owner¡¯s mother must be suffering from the cold right now. If she sleeps in a warm ondol room, she¡¯ll be able to relieve that pain soon. But, it¡¯s impossible for the time being. Why? Because the noble Lord Asrahan refuses to shovel.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, if you lie inside the ondol room, the mother¡¯s stiff joints will be loosened and her face will be filled with laughter. But, it¡¯s impossible for the time being. Why? Because the noble Lord Asrahan refuses to shovel.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Aah, the last simple wish of a woman whose days are numbered¡­.¡± ¡°Shovel, please.¡± In the end, Javier, who couldn¡¯t bear it, picked up the shovel. An evil smile bloomed on Lloyd¡¯s face. A Baron¡¯s foolish son and an unknown knight. The two men¡¯s ondol construction was in progress. The news quickly spread all over the territory. CH 3 The rumor had spread. It spread very quickly. There wasn¡¯t a place where people lived without gossiping. However, considering that, it still spread stronger and faster than usual. It was because the content of the rumor was so unique. ¡°Young master Lloyd is finally going crazy.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I heard he¡¯s been shoveling.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Literally. He¡¯s shoveling at the backyard of the tavern. Digging up soil and packing it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either. Have you heard that he threatened the tavern owner?¡± ¡°What do you mean threatened?¡± ¡°I bet he robbed the land in the backyard. Let¡¯s just wait and see.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s kind of¡­.¡± Someone lamented over the table. Another whisper could be heard from people in the vicinity. ¡°Did you hear? I think young master Lloyd is going to commit suicide.¡± ¡°What, finally? ¡°That¡¯s what they say. People said they were digging the ground yesterday and today they¡¯re doing it again.¡± ¡°What do you mean, digging?¡± ¡°He keeps on muttering to himself, something about laying flat stones on the ground.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think that¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not a grave to bury a coffin, then what is it?¡± Different and various speculations based on hearsays run rampant. It was said that the drunkard young master, the Baron¡¯s son, was brewing his own alcohol and storing it under the ground. There was even the rumor that he was digging a tunnel to avoid his father¡¯s surveillance or that he had opened his eyes to a new preference. There was a crowd of onlookers gathered because of the rumors. Amidst all that, the ondol gradually took shape. ? ¡®People, all of you are splendid at gossiping.¡¯ Lloyd wiped the sweat off his forehead. Mud was smeared on his face. But, he didn¡¯t care. He looked around. A small ondol room with an area of 3,6 meters in length and width. Within a few days, the foundation and the walls had been built. ¡®It was hard.¡¯ Making an ondol room was not easy. In fact, it was even harder than expected. First of all, it was because there were no advanced modern tools used to work in the field like in Korea. ¡®Because I don¡¯t have any electricity-powered tools.¡¯ Everything had to be done by hand. He established the foundation by utilizing his past experiences working in the military and part-time jobs. The process took two full days. Full-body muscle pain was a bonus. He processed the wood obtained from the administrator. It was used to make a traditional wooden frame1. He even built a gable roof2 to the frame. Reinforced wood was woven between the pillars. Then, he applied the sticky clay and straw mixture. The walls were completed just now after working for three days straight. ¡°¡®Phew. Javier?¡± ¡°Did you call me?¡± ¡°Are you tired?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just getting used to it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Even in this situation, Javier was out of breath. No matter how well-built your physiques are, this is different. He must¡¯ve wasted a lot of energy because he used the muscles he doesn¡¯t normally use. And yet, he was still being so calm? ¡®It means his remaining amount of power is different from mine in the first place.¡¯ He was amazed by the future master swordsman¡¯s level of stamina. As expected, he¡¯s reliable. Especially when he did it for free like this. Lloyd said he lucked out with a small, soft voice. ¡°Then, do what I tell you to do.¡± ¡°Are there any more?¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± ¡°How come?¡± ¡°Because we haven¡¯t finished building the ondol room yet.¡± ¡°But, Lloyd-nim only asked me for a little help.¡± ¡°Did I?¡± ¡°Yes, you did.¡± Javier cut him off with his characteristic cold way of speaking. ¡°Lloyd-nim first asked me to help shovel. You said that was all I had to do. However, you kept on changing your words afterward. When I finished digging the soil, you asked me to help you cut the wood. And then later you asked me for help while saying that it was tough to compact the clay straw mixture.¡± ¡°Hmm, so you hate it?¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a knight?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier didn¡¯t answer. But, Lloyd knew his silence meant he was right. Maybe he was right. Handling shovels and saws instead of swords, with dirt all over his body. Everybody would think that it was inappropriate for the knight¡¯s honor. But, Lloyd saw a gap in that perspective. ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t knights supposed to help the weak?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You think so too.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Right? So this is a knight¡¯s job too. This is a chivalrous activity because it helps the weak. Does that make sense? Even at this moment when we¡¯re like this, the tavern owner¡¯s mother must be shivering because of the cold, right?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Ah, if only we could finish this one day earlier, happy laughter would bloom at the mother¡¯s lips¡­.¡± ¡°What else can I do?¡± Javier sighed deeply. Lloyd smiled wickedly. ¡°Let¡¯s do some axing.¡± He pointed outside the ondol room. ¡°Did you see those logs in the corner of the tavern¡¯s backyard?¡± ¡°I saw it.¡± ¡°Yes, well done. Those are red pine trees. Cut that with an ax and make some panels for the roof.¡± ¡°What is a panel?¡± ¡°It looks like this.¡± Scritch scritch. Lloyd roughly drew a picture on the dirt floor. ¡°One-span width, two-span length, and one finger thick. If you think of it as a longer version of an aiPad tablet¡­. Oh you don¡¯t know what a tablet is, do you? You can think of it as a plate but instead, cut the size evenly. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to use a saw rather than an ax?¡± ¡°Yes, but no. The ax is better.¡± Of course, it¡¯s more convenient to cut it with a saw. It¡¯s easier to adjust the size to a specific size. However, abrasion will occur severely in the cutting process. The tree¡¯s texture is ruined as a result. When water seeps into the broken texture, it¡¯ll rot away in no time. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to have to change the roof after less than a year, do it with an ax.¡± ¡°¡­.. Alright. But.¡± ¡°But?¡± Come to think of it, Javier was looking at me with a slightly strange look. ¡°Where did Lloyd-nim learn things like this?¡± ¡°Like this? Building a building?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± His stare was still cold. But, there was a faint glimpse of emotions hidden in that coldness. It was intense curiosity. Lloyd answered frankly without hiding anything. ¡°Korea University.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I learned it at Korea University.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m not lying.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve never heard of such an academy.¡± ¡°Ah, of course. You¡¯ve never heard of me going to an academy somewhere, have you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Then just keep wondering. Come on, let¡¯s go. We have a lot of work to do, so let¡¯s move on.¡± Lloyd waved his hands. He sent Javier outside. Cutting red pine trees and making panels for the roof with an ax. It was something that Javier could do better than himself. It was because of the difference in talent. Whether it was a person or a tree, Javier has the best talent in cutting a target into two with a bladed object. ¡®Because he¡¯s already a High-Level Sword Expert.¡¯ It was from the beginning of the novel ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯. It was a fact nobody in the territory knew. Even the baron, baroness, and Javier himself didn¡¯t know. However, at this point, he already had a marvelous amount of power. High-Level Sword Expert. It was just a rank below the Sword Master, the topmost rank. In a small country, there are only three to four of them. They are literally just like knight commanders in a small and medium-sized kingdom. ¡®I¡¯m only 20 years old now.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t until Javier left this territory that he realized his tremendous talent. It was a future that was yet to come. ¡®Anyway, let¡¯s move.¡¯ I took a good rest. Lloyd began the next phase of his work. It was the alpha and the omega of the ondol room. The gleam, salt, and red bean paste of a sweet red bean bread. The graphic card of a high-end gaming computer. It was the floor of the ondol construction. ¡®It¡¯s really important from now on.¡¯ No matter how good-looking the building is, if the ondol doesn¡¯t work properly, it would be a disaster. Knowing this fact very well, Lloyd exerted his utmost concentration. ¡®It¡¯ll be from here to here as designed.¡¯ When he was in the military, the regimental commander was suddenly stuck on a clay sauna. Then he was transferred to the regiment¡¯s headquarters as a representative to build a red clay sauna room. What was the result? The happiness index of the regiment¡¯s wife had risen dramatically. He even was rewarded a vacation thanks to the grace of the regimental commander, who was very satisfied. Lloyd made use of his experiences and memories from that time. He dug the floor to build a passageway where the heat and smoke from the furnace will flow inside. ¡®So the heat can circulate around the longest path and pass through the floor.¡¯ He carved his way around the passage. Meanwhile, he didn¡¯t forget to carefully adjust the height of the passageway. ¡®This is how the heat stays as long as possible without escaping all at once.¡¯ First, when the fire is lit in the fireplace, the heat and hot smoke will pass through the passageway under the room. With the arrangement of the flat stones, the heat that comes will stagnate. The clay will spread the stagnant heat effectively to the flooring. Then, the heat will be caught one last time before escaping. Finally, the chimney¡¯s formation will prevent rainwater and cold air from coming inside the passageways. (tl/n: I might made some mistakes while translating this part. I¡¯m not very sure.) ¡®It¡¯s hard.¡¯ Be even more careful. Reduce errors as much as possible. Dig and check it. Check and refine it again. After that, the passageway¡¯s walls were coated with red clay. I dried the red clay sufficiently and then placed flat stones meticulously on the passageway. ¡®Thick stones on the lower end near the furnace and thin stones on the opposite upper end.¡¯ It was laid out carefully. The upper part was too far from the furnace so it would be heated more slowly and less warm. Therefore, if the thickness of the stones were different, it was possible for the floor to be warmed evenly. ¡®Now, it¡¯s your turn.¡¯ The crevices between the flat stones were filled with rocks. The surface was covered with clay dough. Dry mud was laid on top of it and then was packed again. It was applied again as a plaster to flatten the floor and then it was dried thoroughly. After that, the surface was scraped and finished with the thinnest layer possible. It took him three full days to get to this point. The core of the ondol construction was completed but he had to postpone the opportunity to test it. ¡°Excuse me, Master Lloyd?¡± When I was happy seeing the newly-made ondol floor, a servant came inside. ¡°The Lord is looking for you.¡± The Lord, Baron Arcos Frontera. It was his father¡¯s call. ¡®No way.¡¯ Suddenly, he had to go. Lloyd left the unfinished ondol room. The gossips and chatterings of the spectators, who had gathered in groups of twos and threes, stopped at once. Lloyd passed through the awkward silence and headed for the baron¡¯s mansion. ? ¡°I heard there¡¯s been a strange rumor going around these days.¡± Clack. The fork moved. The iron fork picked up a crude homemade sausage. However, the Baron¡¯s hands stopped there. He didn¡¯t bring the fork to his mouth. I casted my eyes to the opposite side of the table. ¡°You¡¯re doing something in the tavern backyard, aren¡¯t you?¡± That gaze wasn¡¯t warm. To put it bluntly, it was icy. Rather than looking at a son, he looked as if he was looking at a troublesome problem. That look in the Baron¡¯s eyes made Lloyd feel bitter again. ¡®This body has its drawbacks.¡¯ The owner of this body that he owned now, Lloyd Frontera, was a typical scumbag. Gambling away and doing vandalism from binge drinking and drunkenness. In addition to the unfathomable truth, he had such splendid (?) history and karma. Maybe that was why he always had to face the prejudice from people around him. In other words, no matter what he did, people would look at him with a crooked look. What is that rascal doing this time? What kind of accident is he trying to cause? Has he lost his mind? Or is it his time to die? Please don¡¯t cause any inconvenience to the people around you¡­ and so on. It was the same even now. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it. What are you up to this time?¡± The Baron¡¯s voice was as cold as his gaze. As soon as I heard it, I realized. That wasn¡¯t a question. It was a reproach. Lloyd shrugged. ¡°If you¡¯ve heard the rumor, you¡¯d know. I¡¯m making the ondol that the tavern owner ordered.¡± ¡°Ondol room?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you trying to fool your father with empty words just like how you fooled the tavern¡¯s owner?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it if you think so.¡± Lloyd glossed over roughly. At this point, will you believe what I say? On the contrary, it seemed better if he would just buy useless misunderstandings. Because it was hard to persuade the Baron in front of him. It was awkward. ¡®If I talk too long for no reason, I could get caught.¡¯ Somehow parents can recognize their children. I am not Lloyd Frontera. This is Kim Suho who took over this body. I was worried that I would be suspected without any reason. So I chose to avoid a deep conversation. ¡°If you have nothing to say, I¡¯ll finish my meal now.¡± Just like the damned Lloyd did, I spoke out and focused on my meal. Before he could start talking about anything else, I thought I should just fill my stomach with the food in front of me and get up quickly. But then, the Baron¡¯s question reached his ear. ¡°Is it because of the family¡¯s situation?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you have eyes and ears, you¡¯re bound to know what¡¯s happening these days. Did you do this on purpose because you were upset about it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Does he refer to the seizure because of the swindler? As expected, the prediction was correct. ¡°But it¡¯s all right. It¡¯s just a passing windfall. It¡¯s no big deal. Who am I? I am Arcos Frontera of the family who has protected this territory for five generations. This father can overcome this kind of hardship in no time, so don¡¯t let it get into you too much.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°This father will cheer you up, so don¡¯t let it shake you either.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I¡¯ve heard things like that before. Suddenly Lloyd raised his head. He looked at the Baron. A handsome middle-eastern man. But, his face looked somehow exhausted. I could see my father¡¯s face that I had seen that day overlapped with his face. ¡®It¡¯s the same as it was then.¡¯ It was my last vacation from the army. At that time, my father, who was suffering from investment fraud, had that same look on his face. He suddenly grabbed my hand tightly. Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not a big deal. Just mind your studies. He smiled and pleaded me to do so. So I didn¡¯t know, I thought he was really okay. A year after that, I didn¡¯t know that my parents, who couldn¡¯t get out from an enormous debt, would make an extreme choice. The Baron in front of him now had the same expression as my father at that time. ¡®Lies.¡¯ He was not okay. He was trying to pretend he was okay in front of his child. Tuk. Lloyd put his fork down, The thought of focusing only on eating had long since vanished. He also gave up his commitment to distance himself from the Baron for a while. And he unwittingly opened his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t give up. I¡¯ll do my best too.¡± If I could go back to that time a few years ago, it was something I wanted to say to my father. Then, I rose up quietly from my seat. The baron looked at me with strange eyes. A look of determination that was different from the coldness before. The gaze felt burdensome so I hurried off. Fortunately, the Baron didn¡¯t hold onto me. ? The construction continued. The ondol in the backyard of the pub quickly took shape. The gazes from the onlookers were pouring in. Amidst the misunderstandings, murmuring, and rumors, I charred the panels. It was to get a thin film of carbon coating the wood to prevent deterioration. I wasn¡¯t used to it at first, so I messed up a few. Some were so burnt that it split, and some recoiled. However after several attempts, I got the hang of it. The key was to burn only up to 3 millimeters deep from the surface of the red pine panel.3 ¡®Perfect.¡¯ The panel had become durable and lighter. The water didn¡¯t soak in easily. I think this would last at least for 10 years. We weaved the roof with these panels. Vinegar was spread on the panels, dried, and covered with clay from the floor. I applied a slightly thicker sheet of layer with a damp grass and pasted it on top. Then, soybean oil was applied and resin was added to finish the waterproofing process. It was the completion of the ondol room. I lit a fire as a test for the ondol and touched the floor. ¡®This is enough.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Now it was time to check the customers¡¯ reactions. Traditional wooden frame: it¡¯s a traditional Asian construction method by making the frame using heavy wooden logs. Gable roof: Here, it meant triangular-shaped roof. Gable¡¯s definition is referring to the triangular part of a structure. I think the author refers to shou sugi ban technique. Shou sugi ban is a traditional Japanese procedure of skillfully charring wood with fire to make it water resistant. CH 4 ¡°It feels hot?¡± A pair of wrinkled hands caressed the floor. She pressed on it with her palms, then she flipped her hands over to touch it with the back of her hands. An astonished expression soon showed on her face. The cushions were put aside. Then, she rubbed her bottom onto the warm floor. A satisfied smile bloomed on the white-haired old woman¡¯s lips. ¡°Great. This is very good.¡± She was an old woman with dementia. That was why she was more honest. Hearing the old woman¡¯s words, the tavern owner turned around to look at me. His face was also beaming with a satisfied smile. ¡°My mother is very fond of it, young master.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I told you so. I said I would make it, the ondol room.¡± Lloyd shrugged his shoulders. That was a relief. The ondol room was a huge success. It was a cold morning in the early spring. The air outside was very chilly because the cold snap was in full swing. However, the inside of the ondol room where the fire was lit, was different. The floor was hot. Even the air felt hot. That¡¯s why the tavern owner took off his coat. ¡°Did you see the fire earlier? You can light a fire in the furnace outside the door. Once smoked properly, the heat will last for a couple of days. This, it really doesn¡¯t cool down as fast as it looks.¡± ¡°A couple of days?¡± One fire can last for two days. This made the tavern owner¡¯s eyes wide open. Lloyd laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll see if I¡¯m telling you the truth.¡± ¡°O, Of course I believe it.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Umm, can I be more honest?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°The truth is, I thought the young master was swindling me.¡± ¡°Me? Swindling you?¡± ¡°Yes. Because I never thought you¡¯d actually make it for me.¡± ¡­. Well, I suppose so. In retrospect, Lloyd Frontera was a shitty human being. He never helped anyone in his life. He didn¡¯t want anything to do with other people¡¯s life. So, even the tavern owner wouldn¡¯t have believed me either. ¡°But, contrary to my opinion, you really made this wonderful ondol. I swear, I¡¯d never seen anything like this before in my life.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know how to thank you. Thanks to you, my mother really loves it. All hail the ondol, indeed.¡± ¡­. Mother, are you watching? There¡¯s a Korean nationalist fluttering vigorously here. The soaring embarrassment caused me to suddenly cough. (tl/n: here, the author used ??? which can be read as gukppongi. Gukppong is used to pejoratively describe a Korean nationalist. As a result, the word literally means ¡®intoxicated with nationalism¡¯.) ¡°Hmmm. you don¡¯t have to thank me so much. It¡¯s a contract after all.¡± ¡°Oh. A contract.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. A contract.¡± It was a deal made by mutual agreement anyway. I built the ondol room, the owner will write off the compensation for the damaged furniture. ¡°But this ondol room¡­. I think it¡¯s worth a lot more than the broken furniture. Young Master, please wait a moment.¡± The owner abruptly sprang to his feet to get what he had in mind. Soon after, the owner who went to the tavern had a leather bag in his hands. ¡°Please accept some of this.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°My little sincerity.¡± Clink clink. The leather bag was placed on the floor. A heavy sound of coins came from it. It was money. ¡°Oh my, why would you do this¡­.¡± Of course, Lloyd swiped the coin leather bag quickly. In return, he secretly gave him some golden tips on how to take advantage of the ondol room as a service. ¡°You see the window here? Open the window slightly on a cool night or at dawn. Let the cold air in. Then, heat the ondol with maximum firepower and cover it with a blanket. You can roll around in there while eating tangerines, baked potatoes, or baked sweet potatoes. Do you know what will happen?¡± ¡°What will happen?¡± ¡°The air is cold while your butt is hot. With this, you¡¯ll understand why when the cold and warm ocean currents meet to form a landscape, it becomes a golden fishing ground and how the fish feels in there.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± With his head tilted because he was confused, the tavern owner saw me out of the ondol room. There were a lot of spectators around. Everyone in this territory was still chattering among themselves while looking this way. They were showing some confusion and a considerable amount of curiosity at the same time. ¡®It¡¯s obvious.¡¯ Unknowingly, I started laughing. All kinds of rumors about me recently came to my mind. The Young Master is crazy. He¡¯s digging a grave to commit suicide. He¡¯s openly scamming the tavern owner. There wasn¡¯t even a single good rumor. But, the ondol room was finished in front of everyone. All of the baseless rumors were negated before their eyes. ¡®This would make all of you even more curious. It looks like I built a building, but you can¡¯t even fathom what it is used for and why the owner loves it so much.¡¯ In fact, it was Lloyd who purposefully sat by and watched the rumors spread. He had no reason to stop the hearsays. No, it was rather beneficial. ¡®Because it¡¯s also a form of publicity.¡¯ Advertising is important. Promotion is life. Plus, construction is not an exception. It was all the more so in Korea. If you build an apartment, it all will start with an advertisement. Broadcast advertising, flyers, outdoor advertising, and telemarketing were basic. The internet and social media viral ads were also naturally an option. We simply did everything we could. ¡®As such, I hit a big commercial and dragged out the aggro. Thanks to that, people are gathering like clouds on the model house¡¯s opening day. ¡¯ Because of this, there was no shortage of new construction applications. It became a so-called business. Lloyd thought that this was the case too right now. ¡®Thanks to the rumors, we¡¯ve got this many people gathered without paying for an advertisement. Opportunities like this are rare.¡¯ Even now, the residents were still looking over this way. There seemed to be over one hundred people. In Lloyd¡¯s eyes, they didn¡¯t appear as permanent residents of the territory. Instead, they were potential sales applicants. In other words, they were possible customers who would devote their money to him. ¡®From now on, the model house is open.¡¯ He stood before the spectators. Everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on him. He cleared his throat and said. ¡°Aren¡¯t all of you curious? About what I had made?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Of course, nobody answered. Everyone just moved their eyes to look around. Lloyd grinned. Not bad. This was an expected response. Then, there was no need for long words. ¡°Then, go inside in order and check it out for yourself.¡± He approached the people with big strides. Then he grabbed the sleeves of a woman who stood in the front. He took the white-haired woman inside the ondol room. ¡®Because word of mouth started from the ladies in the neighborhood.¡¯ With the consent of the tavern owner, he gave her a tour. The woman¡¯s eyes widened at the heated floor. After that, there was no turning back. The crowd of spectators visited and experienced the ondol room one by one. When they went in, the doubting look on their face was changed into admiration. Outside, they were greeted by a table set up by Lloyd. It was a contract table for the pre-sale of ondol room construction. ¡°How was the ondol room?¡± ¡°Well, It¡¯s a lot better than I thought.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Yes. I think I won¡¯t have to worry about the cold in the middle of winter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, I¡¯ve prepared something, do you want to see it?¡± ¡°This one?¡± ¡°This is a simple conceptual map. It¡¯s kind of a pamphlet.¡± Lloyd held the paper for the residents to look at. In fact, it was actually a pamphlet he made last night for this very moment. Two types of ondol rooms were beautifully drawn on the pamphlet. ¡°Type A, like the ondol room you just saw, is a separate building in the yard. Type B is in the form of remodeling the first floor of your existing house. If you choose to combine the two together, you¡¯ll get 10% off the price as a service.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°You have children at home, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, the older one is seven years old while the younger one is five years old.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt your heart to see your children shivering in the house in winter, crying and coughing with their eyes burning while huddled together in front of the fireplace? My heart ached just thinking about it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And if we sign a contract right now, five bundles of firewood will be provided free of charge as a special service for the opening of the sale.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Think about it. This is a rare opportunity.¡± ¡°Excuse me, but I don¡¯t think¡­.¡± ¡°Why? You don¡¯t want it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The man slammed his mouth shut. Lloyd knew what he was thinking inside. ¡®Because you don¡¯t trust me.¡¯ No, it was because he was scared. In a way, it was obvious. Even if I was different now, people didn¡¯t know. In their eyes, I was just Lloyd Frontera. The bastard of the barony. A scumbag who always acted out whenever he drank alcohol. ¡®So there¡¯s no way you¡¯d believe I¡¯m going to make a decent ondol room for you.¡¯ Maybe you think I was scamming you. Maybe you think all of this was a joke. That¡¯s why you hesitated to sign the contract. However, this level of reaction was already expected by Lloyd. ¡°So what? You¡¯re not gonna sign?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Really? Is that so?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He stared into the man¡¯s eyes. The man flinched. The message he sent with his gaze, the man noticed it. ¡®If you don¡¯t sign a contract here, your future in the territory will be in jeopardy. You¡¯ll feel so anxious.¡± Lloyd swallowed his bitter smile. It was a bit mean to exploit the anxiety and fear of the people. But for now, this was also the best way. ¡®If I¡¯m hated for being a trash anyway, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to use that image. It¡¯s not like I will just take the down payment and not build it.¡¯ The beginning is important. If I could just win a contract, somehow (?). Then I was confident I would make a good word of mouth. So, even if it¡¯s a bit low now, I thought that I should just make proper use of Lloyd¡¯s notoriety. ¡°¡­. Oh, I see.¡± A rational determination to not be deceived. A fear of the impending misfortune. The man who had been at odds between the two of them finally made up his mind. With a reluctant expression, he signed the contract. The same was true for the next resident, and so was for the next resident. Of course, Lloyd was confident he could change that expression on their face in the future. ¡®That¡¯s just how efficient the ondol is.¡¯ It was a conclusion he had come to after some investigation over the past few days. This was due to the fireplace¡¯s limitations, the territory¡¯s own heating method. ¡®The fireplace is less heat efficient than it looks. It¡¯s only warm around the fireplace. The air heats up and cools down quickly. The heat doesn¡¯t stay indoors for too long. Plus the ashes, smoke, and soot were making eyes feel like burning during winter. It¡¯s tricky to manage because you can¡¯t just use any type of firewood. Not just that, the person who guards the fire from going out should stay awake and watch the fire all night long.¡¯ Ondol, on the other hand? It can counterbalance most of these shortcomings. Lloyd was sure about that, so he threatened the residents with confidence. Thanks to this, his business was able to win better-than-expected pre-sale contracts before the end of the afternoon. There were 32 contracts for type A and 57 contracts for type B. The heavy down payment was a bonus. ¡®This is amazing.¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t a lot of money. It was far from enough to settle the Baron¡¯s debt right away. But, what was important was what will happen after this. ¡®Even though they¡¯ve been forced a little bit to sign a contract, if I could finish the construction of the ondol well within the territory, there will definitely be good rumors. We can even reach the other lands from this area.¡¯ Branding the ondol construction as well as running a heating room business around this territory. That was Lloyd¡¯s primary plan and goal. ¡°Phew.¡± When I finished calculating my future plans, I sighed. Suddenly, I turned back to look behind me. It was sunset with the sky tinged red. Javier was following me with the sunset behind him. ¡°Hey, you. You¡¯re strong, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes. Somehow.¡± ¡°Then, how about being a human forklift or crane?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°You said you are strong. Can¡¯t you use that strength to dig the ground or heave logs away?¡± It was an honest wish. Javier had an enormous level of strength and talent. Naturally, he had the power to go beyond human limitations. What if Javier was playing the role of a heavy equipment in the field? Construction would be simpler and faster in the future. In other words, the efficiency of the construction would increase. More constructions would be possible to be carried out in the same time period. With this, the income will come pouring faster. However, Javier shook his head without even thinking twice. ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The duty the Lord gave me is to protect Lloyd-nim¡¯s personal safety at all times.¡± ¡°So you can¡¯t be a construction worker?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°But you have helped me so far, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I think it was to help the tavern owner¡¯s mother.¡± ¡°Was it to protect the weak?¡± ¡°Yes, but Lloyd-nim¡¯s request just now was different.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to help me on my personal business?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re firm.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± I knew it, he was a person who would flatly refuse1. Lloyd smacked his lips. ¡®But we still need heavy equipment.¡¯ The difference with and without construction equipment was really big. In severe cases, the construction period might take more than 10 times longer. No, the type of the construction which can be attempted also depends on the presence or absence of construction equipment. The range of the options available would change. ¡®If you want to make a lot of money, you have to get a big construction job.¡¯ Now, I was satisfied with the ondol room. However, I couldn¡¯t stay on this level forever. There would be a limit to the money earned only from the ondol construction project. ¡®I don¡¯t want to have to repay the debt until I¡¯m old.¡¯ Then this would be difficult. In Korea, I was a mess because of money. It was truly a no-no for me to experience the same thing until the rest of my life here. ¡®So, in order to start a proper construction project and pay all of the debts, I have to solve the construction equipment problem.¡¯ While on the way to the mansion, his worries continued to deepen. That was why Lloyd didn¡¯t realize that Javier¡¯s icy eyes were watching him. The temperature of the gaze was slightly different than before. ? ¡®I can¡¯t figure him out.¡¯ Javier felt a little confused. His gaze turned to look at Lloyd¡¯s back. The eldest son of Baron Frontera, Lloyd Frontera. He was the son of the Lord whom he served. He had also been the subject of his escort for the past few months. That was why it was even more confusing. ¡®Was this drunkard originally like this?¡¯ Lloyd was a total mess. It wasn¡¯t only in his own eyes that were strict in every way, but also in the eyes of ordinary people. He had no patience. There were no expectations in him regarding manners or decency. He was just a rascal who drank alcohol every day and lived for nothing. Even on the day when the family¡¯s properties were seized. ¡®Honestly, I hated him. No, I still am.¡¯ The more I knew him, the less I liked him. Had he not been the Lord¡¯s son, I might¡¯ve cut him. A mortal who was inwardly an abhorrent being inside. Literally a human garbage. At least until a few days ago, he certainly was. ¡®But he has changed. All of a sudden.¡¯ Maybe it was from a few days ago, after he made a ruckus at his regular pub. It was probably when he woke up the next morning. Javier was still able to remember when Lloyd woke up that morning. ¡®I only called him twice, and he woke up.¡¯ It was an unimaginable feat before. That human-speaking son of a bitch even remembered my name for the first time. And these were just the beginning. ¡®He visited the tavern owner and comforted him. He promised to make an ondol room for him instead of paying for the compensation.¡¯ Until then, I thought he was scheming something new. But I was wrong. He really built an ondol room. He kept his word with the tavern owner. It didn¡¯t stop there. He also signed a contract to build an ondol room for the gathered residents. ¡®To make money? No. Money is just an excuse.¡¯ Somehow, I had that feeling. There seemed to be a bigger goal. Of course, I couldn¡¯t guess what the goal was. However, what was certain was that the actions didn¡¯t seem for personal gains. ¡®It¡¯s as if you¡¯ve become someone else overnight.¡¯ His tone changed. His expression and attitude had also changed. He displayed an ability he had never learned. He designed a new building and introduced a new heating system. I became even more confused. Did you really become someone else? But, no matter how much I look at him or how long I keep observing him, the man who was walking a step ahead of me was clearly the lout Lloyd Frontera. ¡®So you¡¯ve been hiding something like this until now?¡¯ In fact, that was the only way to explain this. It would make sense if this was the case. ¡®The baron lived a peaceful life. But when crisis struck the family, he showed his real self?¡¯ It occurred to me that maybe it was the truth. Of course, it¡¯s still too early to conclude. ¡®Let¡¯s stick to my duties for now.¡¯ And if possible, let¡¯s keep an eye on this scumbag. Javier Asrahan vowed to do so. Once again, he engraved Lloyd¡¯s back, who walked ahead, to his retina. At that moment, Lloyd, who was walking ahead, came face to face with an unexpected message that popped into his mind. ? Ding dong! [Javier Asrahan¡¯s favorability towards you has increased by +2!] [Your current relationship with Javier Asrahan: -29] [A slight improvement in your relationship with a key character earned you 36 RP] [Current RP: 36] [You can develop your skills by investing the acquired RP.] ¡®What the hell is this?¡¯ A string of messages appeared in the air in front of him. Lloyd¡¯s eyes widened as he read them. Here, Lloyd said that Javier was like a ??? (danhobak). Danhobak is a Korean slang used to refer to someone who usually refuses instantly without considering it for a second. CH 5 [Javier Asrahan¡¯s favorability towards you has increased by +2!] [Your current relationship with Javier Asrahan: -29] [A slight improvement in your relationship with a key character earned you 36 RP] [Current RP: 36] [You can develop your skills by investing the acquired RP.] ¡®What the hell is this?¡¯ A string of messages appeared in the air. Somehow, it wasn¡¯t strange. ¡®When I first came here, I already saw these.¡¯ Was it when Javier woke him up for the first time? At that time, I think I heard about RP blah-blah-blah. ¡®I thought it was just a silly dream.¡¯ Looking at it now, it didn¡¯t seem to be that. Anyway, this was absurd. What is skill and what is RP? ¡®Favorability? Improving relationships with key characters?¡¯ Lloyd¡¯s eyes moved quickly. He repeatedly checked the messages which were floating in the air in front of him. It wasn¡¯t that difficult to understand. ¡®Javier¡¯s favorability has gone up and the relationship has improved a bit? That must be why I got something called RP which could be used to develop my skills?¡¯ Lloyd stopped walking. He looked back at Javier. ¡°Hey?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What were you thinking?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± ¡°By any chance, have you ever badmouthed or judged me inside your heart? Something like, oh, that guy was a total garbage, but now I see he¡¯s not as trashy as I thought. ¡°I¡¯ve never done any of that.¡± ¡°Yes, you have.¡± ¡°Never.¡± ¡°Really? Didn¡¯t you think of me as the perfect specimen of human garbage before?¡± ¡°I did.¡± With a serious look on his face, Javier spoke. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as pure garbage anywhere in the world. No matter how messed-up a human being is, they will have a very faint sense of humanity somewhere in the corner of their heart. That¡¯s what I think.¡± ¡°¡­. That¡¯s kinda comforting.¡± Once again, Javier had seemed to display his peculiar talent of putting every single ounce of painful straightforwardness into his words with great care. Even while he himself was unaware of it. ¡°Tsk. Come on, let¡¯s go home.¡± I resumed my steps. When I arrived at the Baron¡¯s mansion, Javier was sent to his quarters. After I was alone, I locked the bedroom door. Earnestly, I opened the earlier messages related to skills. The way to open it was simple. ¡°Skill window.¡± I tried it just in case. [Loading the Skill Window.] ¡°Wow, it really works.¡± I thought something novel-like had happened since I entered the novel. But, the reality here was much more novel-like than I expected. Lloyd gazed at the skill window that came up before him with admiration. [List of currently available skills.] [Survey Knowledge to Grasp Terrain and Space detected.] [¡­. Soil Mechanics Knowledge detected.] [¡­. Mathematical Knowledge detected.] [The skills above are integrated and can be developed with ¡®Basic Survey¡¯ Skill] [RP required to develop = 15] ¡®What?¡¯ Survey. It was literally the foundation of civil engineering. Surveying the terrain and space before designing the structure. That was the beginning of all construction. ¡®But you can turn survey into a skill?¡¯ The type of skills that could be cultivated seemed to depend largely on the knowledge or talent he originally possessed. Looking at the ever-coming messages, Lloyd was convinced that was the truth. [Material Dynamics Knowledge detected. Statics Knowledge to deal with stationary objects detected.] [¡­. Structural Mechanics Knowledge detected.] [¡­. Water Supply and Sewage Theory Knowledge detected.] [¡­. Steel Structure and Concrete Design Knowledge detected.] [¡­. Extensive knowledge and experience with CAD1 programs detected.] [The skills above are integrated and can be developed with ¡®Basic Design¡¯ skill.] [RP required to develop = 20] ¡°¡­.¡± Design in addition to survey. Both of them were topics I studied tirelessly at school. Lloyd unconsciously clenched his fists. ¡®This is a jackpot.¡¯ Even so, he was about to start the construction business. In order to settle the baron¡¯s debt, to make a lot of money. In the future, he was even considering launching a large-scale civil engineering project. What was needed most were precise measurements and design. ¡®However I don¡¯t have that kind of equipment here. I can¡¯t even dream about GPS surveying2. And for the design? There were no other options.¡¯ The blueprint of the ondol room had to be drawn by hand. At that moment, I missed CAD which was used conveniently in Korea. All of these steps could be done entirely with the skills I was equipped with. Lloyd boldly decided. ¡®Basic Survey and Basic Design, let¡¯s develop them both.¡¯ First, I invested 15 RP into Basic Survey. The reaction was immediate. [Basic Survey Skill has been upgraded.] [Skill name: Basic Survey] [Consumes a small amount of mana. It¡¯s possible to calculate the terrain, area, and height of the land observed by the eye accurately. In addition, you can get a rough idea of the nature of the soil and water that forms the topographic surface.] [Area that can be surveyed at once: 100m2] ¡®Is this for real?¡¯ Lloyd rubbed his eyes. He could measure an area of 10 meters by length and width at a time with a naked eye. Even the nature of the soil and water within range could be identified manually. This was a fraudulent ability. ¡®Let¡¯s check it out first.¡¯ I opened the bedroom windows. My bedroom just happened to be on the 2nd floor. I glanced down at the courtyard of the mansion below. While looking around the courtyard, I activated my skill. ¡°Basic Survey.¡± [Start Surveying.] A message popped up. At the same time, some of my vision changed like augmented reality. Ten meters in width. Ten meters in length. Numerous numbers and information emerged over the terrain inside the range. ¡°Oh my God.¡± It felt like I had a 3D map device installed inside my head. By investing 20 RP, the Basic Design skill also got upgraded. [Basic Design skill has been upgraded] [Skill name: Basic Design] [Consumes a small amount of mana. Recall contents of the desired design¡¯s drawing in the form of three-dimensional points, lines, and sides. Automatically detect and correct any physical property errors in the drawing.] [Volume of the structure that can be recalled at once: 1000m3] ¡®I¡¯ll also test this.¡¯ Immediately, I activated the skill. A virtual black space was formed in the air in front of my eyes. The points, lines, and sides were free to manipulate. I could even recall the terrain I¡¯ve just grasped from the Basic Survey skill! This was literally like CAD¡¯s design program but the future 3D hologram version which is devoid of any restrictions. ¡®Oh my God. Crazy, this is crazy.¡¯ At this point, I was going to faint from being too excited. This is what it feels like to be a god in architecture. ¡®Of course, the size of the area and volume from these two skills is still a little bit small.¡¯ This would naturally be solved when the skills were upgraded later. However, Lloyd felt a little disappointed. ¡®It would¡¯ve been better if I had a talent related to heavy equipment and construction equipment.¡¯ If that was the case, producing construction equipment would be possible. But he didn¡¯t have that skill. He was a civil engineer. Not a mechanical engineer. Lloyd looked around the skill window while smacking his lips regretfully. Then, suddenly his eyes stopped at one place. ¡®What is this?¡¯ [Random Summon of Phantom Species] [Invest your RP to summon your phantom species] [A powerful and personalized phantom that will offer its absolute loyalty to the master who summoned it and provides a variety of capabilities.] ¡­. It was written in the instruction panel. ¡®Is this some kind of a lucky draw? Like the one in mobile games?¡¯ There were so many different things I wanted to try if it was possible. However, I couldn¡¯t. It was because the remaining RP was insufficient. [One pull = 50 RP] ¡®Geez, I can¡¯t believe it.¡¯ I just spent most of my RP to develop two skills. So, the remaining RP should be only 1. ¡®I need to collect more RP.¡¯ The method was already known. To gain favor from important characters around me by improving my relationships with them. Actually, there were quite a few ways to do it. Especially at this time of the year. ¡®Now is exactly the time.¡¯ Suddenly I recalled the contents of the novel. The very beginning of Iron-Blooded Knight. The days when Javier still worked at the barony. Baron Frontera was severely troubled by the debtors who visited almost every day. Maybe even today as well. I summoned a servant and inquired quietly. The servant nodded. ¡°Oh, yes, young master. However, the guests dropped by to visit the Lord a moment ago.¡± As expected. You were guests at these times. Lloyd grinned. ¡®Look at the timing. Just in time, since I have the perfect present for you.¡¯ Exactly when I happened to need it. A good idea to get more RP occurred to me. Leaving the bedroom, Lloyd headed to the Baron¡¯s office. ? ¡°¡­. -what do you want me to do, the hell!¡± As he approached the front door of the office, an uproar echoed down the hallway. Maybe it was because the mansion was old and not soundproofed. Or maybe because the disturbances inside were louder than you think. It wasn¡¯t until Lloyd opened the door that he knew the answer was the latter. ¡°How long are you going to delay it, Baron? Hasn¡¯t it already been 5 days since the promised date?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If you keep on stalling like this, we won¡¯t give you any more chance.¡± There were two debtors who came. A man with a bulging belly and a thin-skinned man with a sickly complexion. Both of them were standing with their chins raised and hands at their waists. Baron Frontera, on the other hand? He was sitting on the chair in the office while sighing deeply. Somehow, his expression and sagging shoulders were like a man who had sinned. ¡®That¡¯s understandable.¡¯ The pot-bellied man and skinny man who came to visit the Baron today were vicious loan sharks. They never gave up the money they could get. Even when the debtor died, they were the kind of people who made money by selling the corpse. ¡®Of course, they did it and were decapitated by Javier in the end.¡¯ It was a future yet to come. This would happen a year later, after the baron commits suicide. ¡®Tsk. How could you borrow money from people like that?¡¯ Without realizing it, I clicked my tongue. I took a step forward and uttered with a subdued voice. ¡°No matter what anyone says, Baron Frontera is the owner of this territory. If you came here as guests, where are your proper manners?¡± Only then did they realize my existence. The two loan sharks turned to look at me. The baron raised his head, which was bowing deeply. ¡°Lloyd?¡± The Baron¡¯s startled voice was heard. I bowed slightly towards him. The pot-bellied person tilted his head and interjected. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°The eldest son of this family.¡± ¡°The eldest son?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Aha. The eldest son whose conduct was very unique?¡± ¡°Thanks to that, I am kind of famous.¡± ¡°Is that why you interrupted like this while the adults were talking?¡± ¡°It was for the honor of the Baron¡¯s family, the owner of this territory.¡± ¡°Then, what¡¯s the big deal?¡± ¡°How come?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid the landowner will change soon.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see if it changes or not.¡± He chuckled. ¡°First, let¡¯s see your invitation letter.¡± ¡°¡­. What?¡± The pot-bellied man¡¯s eyebrows twitched. I said while sneering at him even more. ¡°Is there no invitation?¡± ¡°What kind of invitation are you talking about in this situation¡­.¡± ¡°The Royal Family and Nobility Act, Article 3, Clause 6. All nobles of the kingdom, regardless of status and rank, have the right and honor to be the vassal of the king. The nobility can exercise their rights to protect their interests.¡± ¡°What¡­.¡± ¡°Strictly speaking, on the basis of The Royal Family and Nobility Act, I am saying that visiting the residence of the nobility without an invitation can be considered as trespassing under the law.¡± ¡°Well, so we¡¯re trespassing right now?¡± ¡°Oh, do you understand now?¡± Clap clap, I clapped my hands. In reality, who will keep that decree? However, it was a law that actually existed. I reminisced about the scene from the beginning of ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ abruptly. Shortly after Baron Frontera and his wife committed suicide, a funeral was held in the Baron¡¯s mansion. The two loan sharks came to the funeral. The baron couple¡¯s bodies were to be sold by them, so they demanded to dig them out. That was when Javier pulled out his sword and recited that law with his mouth. He cut them down with one strike. Later, Javier was put on trial. Fortunately, there was no punishment. It was a fact that the decree existed and the two loan sharks did come without an invitation plus they were acting too much. ¡®Of course, that was not the case right now, so I can¡¯t kill them.¡¯ It was good to kick them out instead. ¡°So you have to get going now. Next time you visit, learn some etiquette.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be any trouble at this rate?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± The two loan sharks growled. I did the same. They left the Baron¡¯s office, trembling mad. I saw them off with a sneer on their back. Only then did I hear Baron Frontera¡¯s bewildered voice. ¡°Now¡­ What have you done?¡± When I turned around, the Baron¡¯s face was completely frozen. Yeah, It was reasonable. ¡®I have provoked and kicked out the debtors who came in a desperate bid while I should¡¯ve appeased them.¡¯ A bitter smile came out. Those guys were like hyenas. Bitter memories when in South Korea also came to mind. Parents who had been tangled in an investment scam. Debtors who had been coming every day. The back of my father became smaller day by day due to suffering from the harassment. ¡®Never again. I¡¯ll never be like that ever again.¡± The weaker you are, the more you get beaten. Especially against those guys. Nevertheless, at present, the Baron wasn¡¯t in that situation. Being confident in a tight situation is a lot harder than you think. No, in reality, it¡¯s practically almost impossible. ¡°Answer me. What did you just do?¡± Before I knew it, the Baron¡¯s face was distorted. Perhaps his thoughtless son was misled and thought he had done things wrong. In this case, it was better to show him than explain with a dozen words. I pulled my money bag out of my arms and put it on the baron¡¯s desk. There was a heavy clattering sound. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This should be enough to pay this month¡¯s interest. Take care of it with this. They¡¯ll be quiet for the time being.¡± ¡°This¡­. What is this?¡± It was the down payment from the sale of the ondol room today. Even so, he didn¡¯t explain it himself. Because at least, there was someone more trustworthy than this one. ¡°If you¡¯re curious, call sir Asrahan and listen.¡± I bowed my head to the Baron and quickly left the office. ¡°Phew.¡± The breath I¡¯d been holding burst out at once. With a shake of my head, I calmed my beating chest. I didn¡¯t head to the bedroom. I headed to the training ground in the backyard instead. The moonlight shone over the empty training ground. I lingered there for a moment and waited. About an hour had passed. ¡®It¡¯s about time for a reaction to happen.¡¯ It was time I think. Finally, the long-awaited reaction came. Ding dong! [Baron Arcos Frontera¡¯s favorability towards you has increased by +6] [Your current relationship with Baron Arcos Frontera: -14] [Improvement in your relationship with a key character earned you 60 RP.] [Current RP: 61] ¡®There we go.¡¯ I clenched my fists excitedly. As expected, the Baron must have called for Javier. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of my recent developments through Javier¡¯s explanation. ¡®It went according to the plan.¡¯ Explaining what you did well yourself would be less effective. This is especially true if the good deed was revealed by the man who used to behave like a bully. ¡®Good job, Javier.¡¯ Javier would have explained it coldly and objectively. Probably, that was why I was confident in his explanation. ¡®Thanks to you, I accumulated 61 RP.¡¯ It was worth it to wait at the deserted training ground on purpose. Finally, the time had come to summon the first phantom. CAD (Computer Aided Design) : using computers to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. GPS Surveying : GPS (Global Positioning System) is a satellite-based navigation system. In other words, GPS surveying is when you use GPS to survey the land. It uses similar technology with nearly all GPS applications, but with more sophisticated technology and different kinds of data collected. The data will be collected, stored, manipulated, and displayed in a GIS (Geographic Information Survey) to be used in a survey model. CH 6 ¡®Good job, Javier.¡¯ My heart was full of gratitude. It was thanks to the message which appeared in my mind. ¡®Javier must¡¯ve explained what had been going on recently in a cool and objective way.¡¯ Javier, the protagonist in the novel ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯, was a cool-headed fellow all the time. Never panicked or wavered under any circumstances. He tried to be objective in everything. That must have been the case a little while ago. Everything that had happened including what I had been doing and what I had done must¡¯ve been informed calmly to the baron by him. ¡®That¡¯s a relief. The baron didn¡¯t think I¡¯m weird.¡¯ In fact, it was a bit of a gamble. He was a son who only made a mess every day. Then out of the blue, he showed knowledge that he had never learned anywhere before. The ondol room, which didn¡¯t exist in this place, had been made in a large amount. Not only that, he started making money by signing construction contracts with the residents of the fief. This situation was suspicious enough. ¡®However, he didn¡¯t get suspicious.¡¯ Of course he would¡¯ve pondered. But I guess he felt more joy than anything else. ¡®Because originally, that¡¯s what parents want.¡¯ His child has changed for the better. Almost every parent in the world would feel joyful first in such a situation. On another hand, it was uncomfortable to take advantage of such psychology. Still, I couldn¡¯t help it right now. ¡®For the time being, let¡¯s just observe.¡¯ Right now is the time to choose benefit rather than conscience. It was the time to seek profit through practical means. Otherwise, my poverty-stricken life could occur once again like when I was in the Republic of Korea. Filled with determination, Lloyd looked around again. A cascade of moonlight was pouring down onto the training ground. Fortunately, I didn¡¯t sense another human being around. I took a deep breath and opened the status window. Waves of information rose before my eyes. Among them, there was a place that caught my eyes. [Random Summon of Phantom Species] [Invest your RP to summon your phantom species] [A powerful and personalized phantom that will offer its absolute loyalty to the master who summoned it and provides a variety of capabilities.] [One pull = 50 RP] [Do you want to do a random summon?] [YES / NO] Naturally, the choice was ¡®YES¡¯. I nodded. [A random summon of phantom species will be done.] 50 RP was consumed along with the notice. At the same time, a change occurred on the ground five steps ahead. Paaats¡­! A pale light was engraved to the ground. The engraved light drew a complex shape. The complete magic circle exudes mysterious energy. ¡®It¡¯s coming out.¡¯ I¡¯ve seen this a lot in mobile games, but it felt a little different seeing it in real life. No, it was very different. It just couldn¡¯t be compared to 3D effects. There was this feeling that something will really come out from there. As I watched it, my heart was pounding. Finally, something came out. Pajijik! Something sprang out from the ground accompanied by an intense shock wave. Soon, it flew over here and fell into my arms. ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Soft, fluffy hair. A plump butt with short limbs. And yet, he¡¯s smaller than half a fist. So, this is¡­. ¡°A hamster?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°Why did a hamster emerge from there?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong! Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°¡­. Are you the one that came out from there?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The hamster nodded his head as if it was natural. Lloyd stared down at him in a daze. ¡°This is a phantom?¡± I tried to summon while consuming a whole 50 RP. However, the only thing that came out was a hamster that no matter how you look at it, it seems like a pet. But Lloyd didn¡¯t panic. Rather, he calmly collected his mind. ¡®Phantom species are said to offer a wide range of abilities. First of all, this guy understands what I¡¯m saying and answers me. This means he¡¯s not an ordinary hamster.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t all. Somehow, I could understand this guy¡¯s answer. In conclusion, having a dialogue was possible. I put the hamster on my palm. Face-to-face, I asked him. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Do you have any special abilities?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong?¡± ¡°You said you were a phantom?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°So, why don¡¯t you give me some evidence that shows you¡¯re a phantom species?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong? Ppo-dong!¡± He put his hand into his mouth. Then, he pulled something out of his cheek pocket and held it out. It was a small envelope and a crumpled paper slip in the size of a business card. ¡°Ppo-dong! Ppo-do-dong!¡± ¡°Are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong-dong!¡± ¡°Read the note?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I opened the note. There, I could see words inscribed on it. Fortunately, the moon was bright, so I could read the contents. [Ppodong¡¯s User Manual] [Ppodong is an adorable hamster. Please take care of him with lots of love.] [As his summoner, Ppodong is absolutely loyal to you. Phantoms are lifelong pet companions and family members. Please don¡¯t throw it away.] [Feed Ppodong one out of two kinds of enclosed sunflower seeds and his size will change.] [Red Sunflower Seeds: makes Ppodong bigger. Maximum retention time= 12 hours.] [Blue Sunflower Seeds: makes Ppodong smaller. Please feed him before he exceeds the maximum retention time of gigantification. After 12 hours without eating a blue sunflower seed, Ppodong automatically returns to his small appearance. However, he will get exhausted and gigantification will be impossible for 24 hours.] [The two-color sunflower seeds set is 1 RP.] [Ppodong can use a variety of skills when in giant state.] [Digging (Lv 1)] [Packing Dirt (Lv 1)] [Cheek Pockets (Lv 1)] ¡®Hmm. Digging the ground and packing it.¡¯ No way, does that mean he plays the role of an excavator? After reading the manual, Lloyd opened the enclosed envelope. As expected, the envelope contained sunflower seeds. ¡®There are 10 red and 10 blue seeds.¡¯ Lloyd looked at the hamster, no, Ppodong. ¡°Hey?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°This, do you get bigger if you eat this?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°How big?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong!¡± ¡°Tremendously?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± How much bigger is it? ¡®This guy, he¡¯s so small.¡¯ Size is a relative concept. I wondered how big he would grow if he got bigger here. ¡®Even if he¡¯s just as big as a human being, he would be really useful.¡¯ I¡¯ve never had a hamster. However, I had heard that hamsters are great at digging tunnels. That¡¯s why I had high expectations that if he was the size of a human being, he could do a few people¡¯s work at once. ¡°Let¡¯s check it first, then.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s put you down first.¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong?¡± I put him on the ground. Then, I held out the sunflower seeds. ¡°Would you like to try some of this?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Smells good, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong? Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Here, it¡¯s going to be delicious.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± He sniffed the sunflower seed. When I gave him the red sunflower seed, he put it in his small mouth and chewed. In the meantime, Lloyd stepped back a few steps. ¡®How big will it be?¡¯ With half expectation and half concern, I looked at Ppodong. And the moment Ppodong swallowed the red sunflower seed he had been chewing. Ta-da! He got bigger¡­ approximately 10 meters in size. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ Awesome. Lloyd raised his head in disbelief. Ppodong, whose face was far above me, has transformed into a giant hamster. ¡®If I hadn¡¯t stepped back enough, I might¡¯ve gotten hit by him and flown away like a ball¡­.¡¯ It was an instant gigantification. Just like popcorn when it pops, or like an airbag when it¡¯s deployed. His volume rapidly increases at once. Then, what if I didn¡¯t clear the streets properly? People could get hit by his growing body and fly away. Just like a car accident. ¡®Let¡¯s be careful next time.¡¯ With a firm resolution, I looked up at Ppodong. Anyway, now I need to test this guy¡¯s performance. ¡°Hey, can you hear me?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± His enormous head looked down my way. Fortunately, his eyes still looked innocent. I didn¡¯t have to worry about being eaten. ¡°Would you like to start digging?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong?¡± ¡°From here to there, can you make it 2 meters deep evenly?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong? Ppo-do-dong!¡± He nodded his head. While stumbling on his huge, fluffy buttocks, he moved to the position I just pointed out. Then, he began to move his two short paws. At almost the speed of light. ¡°Ppo-do-do-do-dong!¡± Hwababababat! It was a storm of dirt. Piles of soil sprang up explosively. Between that, his bulky figure advanced without hesitation. After about 3 minutes had passed, a huge furrow of 2 meters deep and 20 meters long was made in the yard. ¡°¡­. Whoa.¡± This was beyond my imagination. This was also beyond my expectations. However, Lloyd quickly got rid of his admiration. There was no time to be amazed. ¡®Because I don¡¯t know when anyone¡¯s gonna see this.¡¯ Finish the test as quickly and efficiently as possible. Thinking so, Lloyd said. ¡°Good job. Next is packing the ground.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Refill the furrows you just made, as flat as possible.¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong?¡± ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± He moved immediately. Positioning himself in front of the furrow he just made, he shook his bouncy buttocks and spread his front paws wide. Then, he moved left and right like a hurricane. ¡°Ppo-do-do-do~ng!¡± Pababababat! If the move from a moment ago was just like a storm of soil, this move was like a vacuum cleaner. His supple buttocks became his center of gravity. Using the butt as a firm weight, his upper body moved quickly from side to side. Earlier, he dug the ground and splattered soil all over the place. Now, he pushed it back into the furrow. Advancing without an ounce of hesitation, every step forward, the furrow was filled up. However, that wasn¡¯t the end. ¡°Ppo-do-dong!¡± The guy who filled up the furrow until the end laid himself down. Then, he began to roll along the furrow. Once forward. Once backward. That was enough. His heavy and chubby sides literally flattened the ground like a giant road roller. Thanks to him rolling back and forth, the uneven ground has been smoothed out. Not even a trace that a furrow was dug left. ¡®Good. Very good.¡¯ The more I saw it, the more satisfied I was. The 50 RP invested to summon him felt worth it. ¡®Thank goodness. I was in a bit of a sensitive situation while collecting RP.¡¯ I deliberately visited the baron who was in dispute with the debtors. Then, I appealed to him by talking a little too much. All of it was to increase the baron¡¯s favorability. ¡®It¡¯s worth the risk of being questioned. Then, let¡¯s test your final skill.¡¯ Lloyd looked up at Ppodong, who was proud to see the furrow he had filled. ¡°Hey, Ppodong?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Do you have cheek pockets?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°Can you store stuff in there?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong? Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°Is it possible? How much?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± He pointed his front foot to the other side of the courtyard. There laid a rock two meters in diameter. Lloyd¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Really?¡± But, that was the truth. Before I could¡¯ve said anything, he moved and put the rock inside one of his cheek pockets. ¡°Ppeu-deu-eung!¡± ¡°¡­ Whoa.¡± ¡°Ppeu-deu-eung! Ppeu-deung!¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Ppeu-deung! Ppeu-deu-eung!¡± With a proud face, he nodded. Each time, the swollen cheek pockets which were used to hold a two-meter long rock, bounced powerfully. ¡®He could use it as a weapon. He¡¯s totally a tank. Yes, a tank.¡¯ Literally 10 meters big. Seeing this big guy in front of me, I wondered if this was what looking at dinosaurs felt like. The elephant I saw at the zoo once before felt like a local puppy compared to Ppodong. ¡°Now, then, put that rock back in its place.¡± ¡°Ppeu-deung? Ptooey!¡± ¡°Well done. Now, would you like to try this?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± I put a blue sunflower seed into his mouth. In no time, he swallowed the seed and became smaller. Hug. I took the little one into my arms. He felt sleepy, so he came into my inside pocket. Feeling that little touch and warmth, Lloyd thought. ¡®Success. This is a jackpot.¡¯ I recapped Ppodong¡¯s images that I just saw inside my mind. To be honest, the result was beyond expectations. ¡®He dug up a 20 meters long and 2 meters deep furrow in only three minutes. It was perfectly flattened, and he stored a few tons of rock in one cheek pocket¡­¡¯ High-performance excavator, the perfect road roller, plus equipped with a dump truck. This felt like getting a MacGyver of the heavy equipment world, three functions in one body. With this ability, it was worth spending RP to buy sunflower seeds for the transformation. ¡®In addition, he¡¯s very portable.¡¯ Before I knew it, Ppodong was fast asleep in my inner pocket. Perhaps, for the time being, I have to hide this guy. ¡®I¡¯ll have to carry a summoning scroll around with me in case people see him in public.¡¯ That much bait should be sprinkled. That way, the barony¡¯s people will not be suspicious when I suddenly summoned a giant hamster one day. Rather, they will shout ¡®Our master is the best¡¯. So, he left the training ground with Ppodong in his arms. Back in the bedroom, I thought about what was next. ¡®Finally, I have heavy construction equipment to use. Then, the next step will be a full-scale construction.¡¯ The pre-sale of ondol rooms during the day was successful. It¡¯s best to strike while the iron¡¯s hot. Going with the momentum, I¡¯m going to start a construction industry. ¡®I need a professional construction team to do that. The engineers and elite workers who could move in perfect order in the field, and the talents who will lead them.¡¯ Of course I had to think about the formation of the construction team in advance. Tak, tatak. The fire in the bedroom¡¯s fireplace burned all night long. In front of it, Lloyd held up a paper and a pen. Bringing back my memories, I began to make a list of all the main characters who appeared in the early part of the ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ novel. That was a monumental moment when the ordinary knights and guards of Frontera Barony first turned into a full-fledged labor-style combat unit. CH 7 The Barony of Frontera. An ordinary rural area in the corner of the Loracian Continent. The barony¡¯s troop size was beyond small. No, it was so small that it was shabby. In total, there were only 5 knights and 100 soldiers. Even then, those men¡¯s capabilities were like a chaotic vigilante corps. That was the status of Baron Frontera¡¯s forces, as mentioned in the ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ novel. ¡°¡­. However from this day onward, you all will be reborn as elites in this field.¡± It was a sunny morning. The perfect weather to start the construction. Highlighted by the sunlight, Lloyd looked back at the 80 soldiers who gathered by the river and said. ¡°Here, I need you to diligently scoop and transport these.¡± His hand pointed to one side of the river. There was an awful lot of clay. Originally, the clay was buried beneath the ground. ¡®However, I managed to dig it all up. Thanks to Ppodong.¡¯ This dawn, I went here secretly. In just 30 minutes, I made Ppodong transform and created a large-scale clay excavation site. When morning came, I brought 80 soldiers from the territory here. The purpose was to transport clay from the excavation site to the construction site. I looked around at the soldiers. ¡°You must be wondering what all of this is about. You wondered why I mobilized you for this kind of work, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°But, this is how the military is supposed to be. What¡¯s the point of an army? Of course it¡¯s to work and work.¡± The Republic of Korea¡¯s army was like that. Combat training to defend the country? That one was important too, however, the reality was a little bit different. ¡®Constructing a drainage ditch in the military encampment, what to construct today, and what else to build tomorrow. Every time I had a break, I spent it by working and working. So, my military life had gone by just like that.¡¯ I felt as if I was always summoned by the squadron administrator when I was in the military. This was the reason. He wanted the soldiers here to experience that too. Just to bully them? No, that¡¯s not it. ¡®It¡¯s physical training through labor.¡¯ Clay is heavy. What if you walk around with a sack full of clay to transport it? Not only the lower body, but also the core of the abdomen, shoulders, back, as well as forearm muscles will be trained. While at it, improving your endurance was a bonus. ¡®This so-called labor builds up muscles.¡¯ Thinking so, Lloyd said. ¡°Anyway, today, for the revival of this territory, we will be doing the first small but precious shoveling activity. It¡¯ll be used for the fief residents¡¯ ondol room construction project. That means you¡¯ll be transporting the clay from here to the construction site.¡± ¡°¡­. Yes, Young Master.¡± Several soldiers reluctantly responded. Lloyd snickered. ¡°Okay, so let¡¯s start with stretching.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Do you want to get hurt while working? If you excessively move the materials while having a stiff body, your back could¡¯ve given out and your knees could¡¯ve been sprained. In that case, you¡¯re the one who would be at loss. Do you get it? This is why you need to warm up.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Follow me. One, two.¡± ¡°O, one¡­ two¡­¡± ¡°Your voice is too small. Make sure you repeat after me and do the movements. One, two!¡± ¡°O¡­ one, two!¡± Lloyd was slowly warming up his body in front of the soldiers. At first, some soldiers were dumbfounded. But when Lloyd frowned, everyone started to move quickly. He was known as a notorious scoundrel. At this moment, it was time for his usual notoriety which had accumulated for so long to shine (?). (tl/n: the author uses sarcasm and added a question mark on this sentence. The author wanted to say that finally Lloyd¡¯s bad reputation is useful in moments like this, that¡¯s why it¡¯s shining.) ¡®If you get hurt because you don¡¯t warm up your body, there¡¯s no point in training.¡¯ While at a construction site, stretching is more important than you think. The ground usually was uneven all over or littered with dangerous things everywhere. Like most construction sites, the condition would be poor. What if you move heavy stuff in a place like that with a stiff body? The probability of safety accidents occurring will increase. Lloyd¡¯s heart wanted to prevent such a thing from happening anyhow. ¡®I don¡¯t even have money to pay for the treatment. We could save money by preventing it. This is why I¡¯ve to shout out these stupid slogans with all of my heart.¡¯ After finished stretching, he assembled the soldiers in a circle and raised his hand. ¡°Follow me. Hands up.¡± Jajajak! The soldiers looked around and intuitively raised their hands. Lloyd shouted, leading the chant. ¡°I like wearing safety helmets!¡± Tak tak! He hit his helmet with his palm. Soldiers repeated the safety slogan and copied the movements. ¡°Ah, I like¡­ wearing safety helmets!¡± ¡°Well done. I like wearing safety gloves!¡± ¡°I like wearing safety gloves!¡± ¡°I really like wearing safety shoes!¡± ¡°I really like!¡± At first glance, it was a kindergarten-level childish slogan and inspection process. In fact, when Lloyd was working part-time in South Korea, he also used to think like that every morning. But, now that he looked back on it, maybe this inspection process had helped him finish his part-time job safely. That was what he thought. This was why, after completing his inspection, he didn¡¯t forget to inform the soldier about safety protocols for the last time. ¡°Don¡¯t forget the safety rules! If you think you¡¯re going to forget, you should take a look at this.¡± He picked up the sign he had made beforehand and planted it on the ground. On the sign, words were thriftily written. All workers! Let¡¯s follow the safety regulations on-site. Without a safety helmet, you could get brain death and which could perhaps make you a little bit smarter. If you hurry to do your work as if you¡¯re pressed on time, you¡¯d become a patient with a little bit of time remaining. You¡¯re tired of using safety shoes? Yes, just so you know that your big toe is ready to achieve three stages of separation you¡¯d barely manage. Do you think these are all lies? Then ignore the advice and ascend to heaven along with a handful of dioxins1Dioxins: a group of highly toxic chemical compounds that are harmful to health. It can remain for a long time and everywhere around us. It generally is dispersed and attached to soil and dust particles which is invisible to the eye.. ¡°¡­.¡± The soldiers were speechless. Everyone carefully touched their safety equipment without realizing it. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s get started when you¡¯re ready. Group one will shovel the clay and put it in a sack. Group 2 will carry the sacks. Do it!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The transportation work had begun. The soldiers¡¯ movements were quick, perhaps due to the intense (?) mental education I gave just now. I was delighted to see it. (tl/n: I used (?) because the author used it too in the original language.) ¡®They¡¯re soldiers who belong to the territory, so they¡¯re relatively obedient. I¡¯m glad I succeeded in convincing the baron.¡¯ Out of the blue, I remembered the events that happened 2 hours ago in the morning. ¡°So, you want to mobilize the soldiers?¡± It was the baron¡¯s voice, inquiring. The voice was filled with curiosity. Did it include curiosity, doubt, and bewilderment? While casually continuing his breakfast, Lloyd answered. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have something to do.¡± ¡°What do you have to do to mobilize 80 soldiers?¡± ¡°It¡¯s construction.¡± ¡°Construction?¡± Lloyd, who had swallowed the bread, wiped his hands on the napkin. Taking out the documents I had prepared in advance, I held them out to the baron. ¡°This is a business plan.¡± ¡°Business plan.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at it.¡± Thanks to Ppodong last night, I was confident I could start a full-fledged construction project. So, I wrote a business plan all night long. ¡®This business absolutely needs the baron¡¯s cooperation.¡¯ After all, this was a construction business within the territory. Therefore, the baron¡¯s permission as the owner of this territory was a must. The same was true in terms of economics. ¡®It costs money to hire separate workers.¡¯ Labor costs, or a daily wage. It was a must-paid expense at all construction sites. However, what if the baron mobilized his private soldiers for construction? You can get it for free without having to pay anything. After all, they were soldiers who were hired and paid by the baron. ¡°With this, we can save a lot of money.¡± ¡°What if there are complaints among the soldiers?¡± ¡°We can give a little bonus called a special allowance.¡± ¡°Hmmm, but ondol construction¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard Javier¡¯s explanation last night.¡± ¡°Yes, I did. The bizarre yet new heating system by heating up the stones on the floor. But, why?¡± ¡°Are you asking what my intention is?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The baron¡¯s gaze on my way was filled with questions. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t as cold as it used to be. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because I kicked out the debtors yesterday and gave him a sack of money.¡¯ That allowed the baron to afford this month¡¯s interest. His gaze this way was naturally bound to be warmer. Lloyd said. ¡°I wanted to raise money through the residents.¡± ¡°Money?¡¯ ¡°Yes. Money to pay off the debt.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°At first, I was going to collect money by implementing special taxes, etc. But, that¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s going to be a lot of backlash.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why. I came up with a legitimate way to do it to get as little backlash as possible.¡± ¡°So, what you came up with is the ondol construction business?¡± ¡°Yes, I will make money and the fief residents will be able to spend a warmer winter by paying a moderate amount of money. It¡¯s a win-win situation for each other.¡± ¡°But, something like this¡­.¡± The baron¡¯s suspicious gaze turned my way. ¡°Where did you learn this?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the ondol?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve never seen anything like this in my life. Yet, where did you learn to do this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a long time.¡± ¡°Thinking?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lloyd nodded. At times like this, you have to be more brazen. He continued his words. ¡°It¡¯s just something I¡¯ve been vaguely thinking about since long ago. Stones don¡¯t cool down well once heated. So, what if we put flat stones on the floor and heat it somehow with a hot heat source down there?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But this time I got the opportunity to actually make it into reality, and it was better than I thought. It¡¯s warmer than I expected.¡± ¡°The one you made for the tavern owner?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So your idea is to develop it into a business?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded my head as it was obvious. Actually, he was absolutely confident. However, the baron¡¯s eyes which looked over here still had some suspicions that hadn¡¯t disappeared. ¡°That¡¯s right. You have thought of a good plan. This plan was very meticulous to the point of impressing me. To the point where I wondered if you really have this talent. However, you know¡­¡± The baron questioned me, full of suspicion. ¡°Can I believe your intentions?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I mean, can I trust you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean¡­.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t mean to say that you have forgotten what you did two years ago, did you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Two years ago. That was a part that never came out in the ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ novel. Now, it was better to not answer any confusing questions. So, Lloyd waited silently. Fortunately, the baron opened his mouth first. ¡°It was like this back then. Of course, you didn¡¯t have a grandiose business plan like now. I still clearly remember what you said at that time. You said, ¡®Father, this time I made up my mind to really study with all of my heart. So, trust and invest in me.¡¯¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I was delighted. I thought you had finally come back to your senses. Therefore, I willingly gave you the money from selling the vacation villa. To use it as an entrance fee for the academy. But, you got the money¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Squandered. Perfectly, without leaving even a dime. Along with a bunch of scoundrels you¡¯ve been hanging out with for years, getting drunk and throwing a hot, dirty party with the girls.¡± ¡­. Oh, really. Lloyd, you son of a bxtch. I swallowed up the curse that was about to emerge. ¡®That¡¯s a mess, alright. I didn¡¯t expect him to do that.¡¯ No wonder the baron¡¯s response was lukewarm even with the perfect business plan in front of him. Now that this body had done that much, it¡¯s natural that it¡¯s hard to believe me. ¡®Uh, the real Lloyd, you¡¯re such a piece of shxt,¡¯ With the high-leveled trolling the former owner of this body did, I was wondering how to resolve this situation. My brain was spinning at the speed of light. Finally, I came up with a clue to the solution. It was thanks to his past, which he had suddenly recalled. ¡°But come to think about it, I¡¯ve had similar accidents but on a much smaller scale.¡¯ It must¡¯ve been when I was in middle school. At that time, I forgot about the money my mom gave me to pay for school tuition. I remembered playing with my friends in the PC room every evening using it. ¡®From LoL, Underwatch, to the War Ground¡­. It was fun.¡¯ Eventually, I got caught by my mom. I got in a lot of trouble. I had to beg on my hands and feet for forgiveness. In the end, I had made an irrevocable promise so I could be forgiven by my mother. ¡®Well, that¡¯s the only way for now.¡¯ Lloyd, who came up with a solution, raised his head. I looked at the baron face to face. I promised, just like when I promised not to go to a PC room anymore to my mom that day, to the baron. ¡°I¡¯ll quit drinking alcohol.¡± ¡°¡­. what?¡± ¡°I meant exactly what I said. If you believe me this time, I¡¯ll completely quit drinking.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± The look in the baron¡¯s eyes became strange. He seemed to be asking if I was serious or if this was some kind of new trick. Lloyd didn¡¯t answer. He simply looked back and didn¡¯t avoid the baron¡¯s eyes at all. He remained silent, as if answering with those calm eyes. How much time had passed by? Finally, the baron sighed. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I can¡¯t drink well anyway. I don¡¯t really like it. So, I don¡¯t have any lingering feelings about not being able to drink. Therefore, if I gave up drinking and succeeded in gaining the baron¡¯s trust, it would be a benefit, an enormous benefit I reckon. And, finally. ¡°¡­. Alright, I get it.¡± The baron nodded and returned the business plan. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you just this once because you¡¯ve said so much. I¡¯ll let my administrator know. In carrying out the business as written on this plan, you¡¯ll be free to use the soldiers of this territory in the future.¡± ¡°¡­. Thank you.¡± ¡°This will be the last time I believe you. So, please don¡¯t let me down.¡± The baron¡¯s eyes looked at me. Somehow, it seemed more generous than before, or it seemed a little bit sad. At that moment, I felt a little strange because it made me remember my mother¡¯s gaze from the PC room incident in an instant. Lloyd finished his meal in a hurry and left the dining table. ¡®¡­. I went through that process of learning too, but as expected.¡¯ There were still many mountains to climb. At the thought, Lloyd smiled bitterly. While he was momentarily lost in thought, a knight appeared to approach him while protesting. ¡°¡­. As you can see, I am an honorable knight. The order to supervise the transportation of this pile of dirt is unacceptable, even if it¡¯s commanded by the Young Master.¡± The knight was facing me. He had a mean impression. Of course, Lloyd knew the name of this knight. ¡®Sir Ulrich.¡¯ The knight was the one he personally appointed as a supervisor to lead the soldiers on-site today. He was one of the five knights of the Frontera Barony. When the baron fell into such a predicament, he was the first person who betrayed him. ¡®He calmly stole the baron¡¯s favorite horse and ran away.¡¯ That wasn¡¯t all. Didn¡¯t he even spit on Lloyd¡¯s face when he encountered him while he was fleeing? ¡®That was why I entrusted you with this site today.¡¯ I summoned him on purpose and made him lead the soldiers. It was because I expected him to protest in this way. And, he lived up to my expectations. In silence, Lloyd grabbed the shovel. Then he smiled brightly at Sir Ulrich. ¡°Aha. So you will refuse my orders?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying I reject it. I¡¯m just asking you to respect my honor as a knight¡­ kuak!¡± Slap As soon as Sir Ulrich was about to talk back, the shovel¡¯s head, which was wielded by Lloyd, struck Sir Ulrich¡¯s face fiercely. ¡®Certainly, this territory¡¯s constitution needs to be improved at least once.¡¯ Sir Ulrich¡¯s molars were scattered in the air. In the meantime, Lloyd¡¯s eyes coldly glistened. CH 8 Slap! ¡°¡­. cough!¡± Sir Ulrich unknowingly screamed. The world felt like it was quickly swept away. His cheeks felt numb. Something popped out of his mouth. It flew away and scattered in the air. Only then could Sir Ulrich vaguely discern the identity of the flying objects in the air. ¡®Molar teeth?¡¯ Three white molar teeth were flying and spinning in place. Red blood and saliva were intertwined in between, drawing complex trajectories. ¡®Mar¡­velous.¡¯ It was a nauseous feeling, as if time had slowed along with a woozy sensation. In his 26 years of life, he had never seen teeth and drops of blood flying around like this. It was fascinating. On the other hand, he felt dizzy. ¡®¡­. uh, uh uh.¡¯ His feet were losing strength. His back also gave out. Yet, the ground kept drawing near. He didn¡¯t want to, but his head stuck on the ground. His lips were crushed because he was forced to kiss the ground. More blood oozed from his lips. Only then did Sir Ulrich¡¯s senses, which had been in slow motion, return to normal. With his battered lips, pulled-out molars, and a broken cheekbone on one side, he felt a heavy and sharp pain. ¡°¡­ kkeu, kghhh.¡± It hurts. It really hurts. It really hurts so much! ¡°What! Kkeu, kkeuuk!¡± He wrapped his hands around one side of his face. The shock and pain had left him completely distracted. He struggled to figure out the situation. ¡®Did I bump into something? An accident or an attack? And who?¡¯ He racked his confused brain desperately. However, his vehement concern was in vain. The answer was so simple. Then a shovelhead dropped down from above. ¡°What do you mean what!¡± Whack!! ¡°¡­. heuk!¡± The blunt side of the shovel fell vertically and struck his solar plexus. He couldn¡¯t breathe. Like a shrimp, his back was bent. He looked up to see who dared to attack him. Soon, Sir Ulrich¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Young Master¡­.? Kkeok!¡± Wham! The shovel hit him in the face. His lips were torn further and his head jerked away. Nevertheless, Sir Ulrich was still unable to respond properly. Because he was already defenseless and yet had gotten hit so hard in succession. ¡®Oh, for what reason? Why?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t respond, let alone understand. He couldn¡¯t even dream of getting up. Lloyd¡¯s shovel was too ruthless for that to happen. In the face of merciless violence, Sir Ulrich simply groaned and wrapped his arms around his head and face. Pak, whack! Baang! Thwack! ¡°Kkeuu! Euuuuugh!¡± Sir Ulrich¡¯s face was distorted in horror. A strange conviction lurched inside his anguished mind because of all this pain. ¡®I, I¡¯m genuinely going to get killed.¡¯ That was true. Over his arms that wrapped his face, Lloyd¡¯s figure which was peeping through his intertwined arms was telling enough. The rascal¡¯s eyes which stared at him proved that his conviction was right. Right now, the Young Master was wielding a shovel with eyes that were so calm. ¡®Of course. I have to keep my cool if I want to step on someone stronger than me.¡¯ Wham! While brandishing his shovel without mercy, Lloyd thought. If he gave Sir Ulrich a chance to catch his breath, he could¡¯ve gotten up. Then, his plan could go awry. ¡®You think I¡¯m gonna miss this hard-won opportunity? Me?¡¯ In ancient times, the one who attacks first will be the victor, as cited from the laws of war. The surprise attack before gave Sir Ulrich not even a second to respond. Thanks to this, he was able to lead the situation perfectly. ¡®No matter how knightly you are, you¡¯ll have no choice but to collapse if you receive this kind of blow. Especially if you¡¯re just a Low-Level Sword Expert who just made his Manaheart.¡¯ The ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ novel. I remembered every face of the knights I read there. Sir Ulrich was the least-skilled knight in this territory. He was just a Low-Level Sword Expert who had just honed his manaheart. On this subject, usually Lloyd was considered unpleasant by him. But I quietly chose to ignore it. ¡®This is why I called you today. To set an example. In the future, I don¡¯t want anyone to tear into everything I¡¯m going to do. At least not within this territory.¡¯ One¡¯s character is important. What if you bow down once you get involved in a conflict? What if you make a habit of compromising like a good-natured person? After that, concessions and goodwill will feel like a natural thing to give. You will be reduced to being the so-called pushover1The author uses hogu (??): a Korean slang that means a person so foolish that everyone uses them for their own benefit.. He was badly hurt by this experience in South Korea. ¡®Especially in the labor field. There were old uncles with good personalities, but some were bad-tempered.¡¯ Just like the so-called senior coworker 2Sa soo (??): a direct sunbae/senior who teaches you or a direct boss/coworker who also checks your work. There were many good people. However, I was unlucky. I was paired with a senior with an eccentric character. I suffered all day long. It was common to hear swear words throughout work, with him criticizing me for no reason. At first, I endured it. He took me as some weak pushover. But I just smiled and listened to him. ¡®However, that was never the solution¡¯ One day, the senior even cursed my parents. He insulted my parents with various profanities. How did I respond that day? ¡®I did this.¡¯ Lloyd¡¯s shovel this time hit Sir Ulrich¡¯s shin. ¡°Argh!¡± Just in time when Sir Ulrich was about to get up. He grabbed his shin and collapsed. Even so, Lloyd¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change in the slightest. ¡®After going nuts like this, I feel more comfortable.¡¯ At that time, it was the same. The moment I heard the insult ridden with profanities, I flipped out. Immediately, I struck the senior with the shovel I was holding. Naturally, it caused an uproar in the scene. But what about after that? I became relaxed. No one dared to provoke me as easily as before. I learned one truth about life after that occasion. ¡®That¡¯s the reason I summoned you here. You are the weakest knight in this territory. You barely made your Manaheart just a while ago, didn¡¯t you? I thought it would be perfect to step on it first.¡¯ I predicted this based on the novel. Sir Ulrich. I predicted that he would confront me or show a rude attitude at least once on site. The prediction had hit the bullseye. A punishment for white-collars3White-collar refers to a group of people with quite a high status, for example, an executive, supervisor, or in this case a knight.. He was just a scapegoat to be made an example. Whack! Whabam! Taang! Lloyd¡¯s shovel didn¡¯t stop. A scream erupted from Sir Ulrich¡¯s mouth. ¡°Kkeu! Uuh! Yo, Young Master! Why!¡± ¡°Why? Because it¡¯s a mutiny.¡± Whabam! Every time the shovel was swung once, Lloyd¡¯s words fell coldly. ¡°Come on, repeat what you said earlier.¡± ¡°Wait¡­. Kkuak!¡± Baam! ¡°An honorable knight? You rejected the order to oversee the clay transportation process?¡± ¡°But¡­ Heup!¡± Whack! ¡°What buts. Do you want me to get strictly disciplined? Do you think I¡¯m personally using the soldiers unauthorized? Huh?¡± ¡°Keuk!¡± Ssak. ¡°Do you know what this document is? It¡¯s a soldier mobilization permit. This is an official document, approved by father and issued by the administrator. Hence, you-.¡± Sshk. ¡°This means that you, the legitimate knight who swore allegiance to the Lord, dared to speak of honor and revolted against the Lord¡¯s reasonable order. In other words you-¡± . Wham! ¡°One, have disobeyed the Lord¡¯s order.¡± Whack! ¡°Two, have insulted the Lord and forsaken your knighthood.¡¯ Smack! ¡°Three, have abandoned your own qualifications and pride to the ground.¡± Baang! The shovel, which had been swung in full swing, was raised from below. The flat side of the shovelhead lifted Sir Ulrich¡¯s chin. And that was it. Whack! Blood gushed into the air, following Sir Ulrich¡¯s bowed head. Sir Ulrich then crumbled like a doll without its strings. It was a mess. ¡°Phew.¡± Lloyd picked up his disordered breath. After a hard long workout, his lungs felt like they were going to explode. However, it was rewarding. ¡®We have to get rid of him.¡¯ In the Iron-Blooded Knight novel, Baron Frontera, who appeared in the beginning, was a complete disaster. The proof was that he was using knights who lacked both loyalty and quality, just like Sir Ulrich. ¡®These guys need to be cut off and kicked out in the bud as soon as possible. And then we fill the vacancy with those who are talented. That way, there¡¯ll be a future for this land.¡¯ This fief was where I will be getting money for life after all. In order to eat and live for a long time, it was necessary to cultivate talents early on. I glanced around, wiping sweat off my forehead with my sleeves. ¡°What are you looking at? Is there any spectacle?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± The soldiers, who had stopped their hands to watch the chaos, flinched and turned their heads away. Lloyd beckoned at the soldiers who were nearby. ¡°You there. And the two of you. Come here.¡± ¡°¡­.Ye, yes!¡± Like the wind, the soldiers came running. Lloyd pointed to Sir Ulrich with his chin. ¡°Get rid of him. Then go to the mansion and call Sir Bayern.¡± ¡°I understand!¡± They had just witnessed the knight who opposed his order staked his life. The three soldiers moved in perfect unison as soon as he spoke his order. They surrounded and carried Sir Ulrich, whose face was swollen like a blobfish. They returned to the mansion in a haste. Not long after that. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been looking for me, Lloyd-nim.¡± A knight with a strong physique and impression arrived at the scene. It was Sir Bayern, who had been called by the soldiers earlier. As soon as Lloyd saw Sir Bayern, he laughed with satisfaction. ¡®He is better than I imagined when I was reading the novel.¡¯ Sir Bayern. One of the five knights of Frontera Barony. He, along with Javier, didn¡¯t abandon the Lord until the end. In other words, his loyalty had been proven through the novel. ¡®You have to raise someone like this. According to the novel, his talent was ordinary. But still, trustworthiness comes first.¡¯ Sir Bayern is a man of honor and integrity. So, leaving the task to supervise the construction team on-site to Sir Bayern was Lloyd¡¯s final intention. ¡®Well, I designed this situation from the very beginning.¡¯ Summoned Sir Ulrich, who will be harmful in the future. Grab his excuse on the site. Set an example out of him with punishment. After that, summon Sir Bayern, who was originally going to take over this spot. By doing so, he could get rid of the traitor, set the situation of the scene, and naturally gave Sir Bayern, who would be cultivated by him in the future, a touch of warmth. Lloyd said to Sir Bayern ¡°That¡¯s right. I was looking for you. I¡¯d like to entrust the management of the site to you today. What do you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you ask me to do.¡± ¡°Okay. There¡¯s nothing much, actually. The soldiers will collect the clay here and move it to the construction-site. Supervise them so they don¡¯t slack too much while working. And of course, give proper breaks in the middle. It would be problematic if they overdid it and collapsed.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± He didn¡¯t say any questions nor objections. I¡¯m sure he already heard about what happened to Sir Ulrich. He didn¡¯t express anything even once. His figure became more reliable in my eyes. So, Lloyd left the clay excavation-site to Sir Bayern and stepped away. He then went to the ondol room¡¯s construction-site. There, skilled workers such as carpenters, masons4Mason: a person skilled in building with stones and bricks., plasterers5Plasterer: a person whose job is applying plaster to the wall, ceiling, or other structures., and professional handymen recruited from the fief were waiting for him. Of course, there was no such thing as respect in the eyes of the workers who were looking this way. Anxiety because of wondering why the scumbag called for them, and disgust because of not wanting to get entangled as deeply as possible. Their gaze were full of such emotions. However, Lloyd didn¡¯t care in the slightest about how the workers looked at him. He stood in front of the workers. ¡°Starting from now, I will tell all of you about the concepts and construction methods of the ondol. Get a hold of yourselves and listen properly.¡± ¡°¡­.Yes?¡± The skilled workers tilted their heads. In their point of view, Lloyd was a rascal who was raised in very fine conditions all his life. They couldn¡¯t believe he himself was going to teach how to build a building on the spot. It was like getting wrinkles in front of a pupa. Like breathing in front of a dragon.6Here, the author wanted to depict how the situation felt when Lloyd, who was supposed to not know anything about construction, is teaching how to build something to these experts in their respective construction fields. Naturally, it felt ridiculous. However, that only lasted for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s start with this. Attention, everyone.¡± Ssak! Lloyd unfolded the ondol room¡¯s blueprint in front of them. The drawing of the blueprint was so elaborately designed, which had never been seen by these skilled craftsmen who built buildings in rural territories by relying on rough estimation. ¡°¡­.¡± Lloyd¡¯s brilliant and professional explanations flowed endlessly like water. The skilled worker¡¯s eyes and expressions began to gradually change. Half a day had passed. Sir Bayern, obviously, didn¡¯t betray his trust. Sir Bayern¡¯s earnest supervision allowed the soldiers to carry the clay with minimum accidents. In the meantime, their bodies also became fitter because they had a lot of physical training. So far, Lloyd had been busy. He had been leading the skilled workers on site all day. He personally put an extension belt around his waist, sweated, laid the flat stones on the ground, and taught them how to build an ondol. ¡®¡­. Thanks to this process, we managed to complete the first day of construction safely.¡¯ The sun was setting before I knew it. Now that Lloyd had a successful first day on the official construction, he looked around the site while it was being organized. ¡®Then when the basic principles were understood, I could leave the technical work on site to the skilled workers, the miscellaneous work which requires labor to the soldiers, and the overall supervision to Sir Bayern. In conclusion, I could concentrate on other things without having to stay on the site every day during the construction period.¡¯ After all, this was the purpose of setting up a professional construction team. Business should be able to run on its own. Being able to invest in other things while continuously making money from this. Now that the aim had been achieved, it was time to begin the next phase. ¡®The improvement of this territory¡¯s constitution is not over yet.¡¯ Sir Ulrich was just the beginning. There were still thicker rotten roots that needed to be thinned out. ¡®It¡¯s about time for him to react.¡¯ Lloyd had thought that this was about the time. ¡°Lloyd-nim? I¡¯m here to tell you something related to Sir Ulrich¡¯s incident.¡± A haughty and harsh voice came from behind me. Is it Javier? No. ¡®You¡¯re here too, Sir Neumann.¡¯ Sir Neumann, a senior knight of Frontera Barony. The traitor who contributed the most to the downfall of the baron in the ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ novel. Looking back at Sir Neumann, who had finally been able to come here, Lloyd was smiling like a fisherman who had caught a big fish. Tl/n : I¡¯m really sorry for the late updates this week! I¡¯ll try to do some double updates next week. CH 9 Sir Neumann. A senior knight in the Barony of Frontera. His swordsmanship level was at Low-Level Sword Expert. In these rural territories, that was enough to be considered competent. However, he was much more interested in his personal advancement rather than swordsmanship. Money at his hand instead of loyalty to the Lord. An immediate rise in status rather than a knight¡¯s honor. He was one who can do anything for that purpose. ¡®No, he already did it. He sold off Baron Frontera¡¯s internal information to the swindlers.¡¯ The beginning of the ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ novel came to my mind. The fall of the barony was the first ordeal which the protagonist, Javier, had to face in his early days. Sir Neumann was behind all of that. He sold the baron¡¯s information to the con-artist. Based on that information, the con-artist approached the baron. He persuaded the baron to make a large investment with sweet words. Eventually, he gobbled up the investment money and fled. With that, the baron fell into a huge debt. In other words, Sir Neumann¡¯s betrayal triggered the baron¡¯s downfall. ¡®So, of course you¡¯re also going to be disposed of.¡¯ Lloyd softly bit his lips. He transmigrated as the eldest son of a countryside noble, yet unable to live in prosperity and luxury comfortably because he was busy trying to settle his family¡¯s debts. Basically, all of that was because of this human being. However, Lloyd didn¡¯t reveal his feelings. As he looked back at Sir Neumann, his expression had turned nonchalant. ¡°Sir Neumann? What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Exactly as I said.¡± The corner of Sir Neumann¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk to you about your unjust use of violence against Sir Ulrich this morning.¡± ¡°Unjust use of violence? Something to talk to me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then, give it a try.¡± Go ahead and talk to your heart¡¯s content. Lloyd smiled leisurely. Sir Neumann¡¯s expression stiffened seeing this. ¡°As Lloyd-nim already knows, Sir Ulrich is undoubtedly the Lord¡¯s knight. He had made an oath according to the procedures and is entitled to the protection of his honor and rights. Lloyd-nim, this means that he¡¯s a person who can¡¯t be treated recklessly because of some personal feelings.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°But, this morning Lloyd-nim didn¡¯t have the slightest respect for Sir Ulrich¡¯s honor and rights.¡± ¡°Well, I did.¡± ¡°As the first knight of this territory, I¡¯d like to officially hear Lloyd-nim¡¯s answer to this. Do you feel anything about this situation?¡± ¡°Ummm, yes, I think so.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I think he was mad. Sir Neumann¡¯s face was red, even to his neck. Whereas Lloyd¡¯s expression remained composed and brazen. ¡°Does my word sound like a joke, Lloyd-nim?¡± ¡°No. Your words sound about right? So spot on.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The corner of Sir Neumann¡¯s eyes twitched. Lloyd¡¯s smile was getting bigger and bigger. ¡®What the hell. You¡¯re mad at me just because of this?¡¯ Seeing Sir Neumann¡¯s reaction, a snort came out of my nose. In fact, by Lloyd¡¯s standard, this was nothing but a low-level provocation. But he was already pissed off and didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡®If I let him play an online game in Korea, he¡¯s going to die out of anger.¡¯ I meant it. The world of online games in South Korea, which he had experienced routinely since he was a child, was literally a battlefield where the chaos of the century¡¯s end was tap dancing. Even a single mistake in taking a position could make all kinds of profanities from the team members pouring out. It was a feast of personalized curse words and insults. Cursing while acting like one¡¯s parents was basic. Still, what if you get angry? ¡®The one who gets angry loses. They will be ridiculed for being soft and getting mad.¡¯ The world is unbalanced and harsh. Here you can only survive by hitting harder with a decent insult ridden with profanities while smiling. He was a picked elite who trained in such hell. No, most gamers in South Korea would¡¯ve gone through that too. So, by his standards, what is the level of the provocation he just fired at Sir Neumann? It was nothing more than a cute greeting. Nevertheless, it felt different for Sir Neumann. For him, this insult must have been one of the greatest insults he ever encountered in his life. ¡®What kind of person is this?¡¯ He was so baffled it made him speechless. He already knew from the beginning that Lloyd was a scumbag. However, he didn¡¯t think it was this bad. Now that he looked at it, he was mistaken. This madman seemed to see himself as a pushover. ¡°Do you mean to insult me just now?¡± ¡°Um, naturally.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even care about my honors and rights?¡± ¡°Umm, naturally.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about the future?¡± ¡°Ummm, naturally.¡± That was absolutely reasonable. Sir Neumann was a jerk who¡¯d be gotten rid of anyway. He sold his master¡¯s information to the swindler through the back door. However, he also was the one who was crying about noble honor and rights in front of me. I couldn¡¯t help but snort. ¡®He¡¯s just like a voice-phishing1Voice Phishing: is a fraudulent practice of extracting sensitive information over the phone. jerk. I think this is his trick to instigate the rest of the knights.¡¯ The knight is bound to the Lord by an oath. They didn¡¯t pledge allegiance to the Lord¡¯s son. Therefore, it¡¯s not possible to treat a knight recklessly just because he is the son of the Lord. Perhaps, Sir Neumann was trying to incite the other knights by emphasizing that point. Obviously, Lloyd was never worried about this at all. ¡®Because I¡¯m gonna get rid of them all anyway. Except for Javier and Sir Bayern.¡¯ Senior knight Sir Neumann. Then followed by Sir Ulrich and Sir Conte. They were the ones who would turn their backs when the baron collapsed. I don¡¯t have to worry if they¡¯re rebelling now. ¡®Now, it¡¯s more important to create an excuse to get rid of them.¡¯ Lloyd glanced around. Everyone was silent. Is it because there was no one? No, it was the opposite. There were skilled workers and soldiers who were organizing the site. All of them were looking this way while their hands stopped working. Then, when my eyes met theirs, they hurriedly turned their gaze away and pretended to work. Even so, they still kept their ears open to my way. ¡®Of course, this is a rare sight where the Lord¡¯s son and the senior knight were arguing.¡¯ Watching all of these dramas and fights are said to be the best. Lloyd looked at Sir Neumann while recounting the truth of the incident. ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you one thing.¡± Sir Neumann¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Then Lloyd asked. ¡°You know I¡¯ve never learned swordsmanship, right?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°But how can a knight get beaten by such a person like me?¡± ¡°¡­. Yes?¡± Sir Neumann¡¯s eyebrows were twitching even more. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the sight. ¡°Can a man who was trampled upon by someone who has never learned swordsmanship be called a knight?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s not qualified. Obviously. What is the duty of the knight? To defend the territory with a sword that has been polished with hard work. To protect the territory and the residents of the territory in case of an emergency. And furthermore, to protect the Lord¡¯s safety. Aren¡¯t these the main duty of the knights and the reason for their existence?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°But he lost to someone who had never learned swordsmanship properly. Can we really trust and put such a knight under our command?¡± ¡°Now, what are you¡­.¡± ¡°This means I have some doubts about his qualifications.¡± ¡°¡­. But, Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re trying to defend Sir Ulrich, that¡¯s it. Now, I think I have to question your skills at least once too because you keep defending Sir Ulrich.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Did he already get a vague idea of what I meant? Sir Neumann¡¯s face was stiff. His expression made me laugh even more. I affirmed his conjecture. ¡°Your guess is right. Sir Neumann, who is trying to cover for Sir Ulrich by force. I also have questions about your qualifications.¡± ¡°Surely you don¡¯t mean you want to check my skills?¡± ¡°Now you understand.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ Is this a request for a duel?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Are you going to do it or not?¡± Sir Neumann¡¯s eyes, which looked this way, shook for the first time. He was just trying to complain to the young master who was about to leave. He tried to establish some sort of authority under the pretext of that incident. He never imagined that he would be offered a formal duel by the young master who has never learned swordsmanship. Lloyd chuckled. Sir Neumann was troubled by my words, which was unexpected. So, I eagerly helped Sir Neumann to make his decision. ¡°Now, even the senior knight is looking like this. You aren¡¯t afraid to duel with me, are you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If Sir had been confident, he would¡¯ve certainly accepted the duel.¡± ¡°But Lloyd-nim is the heir of the territory and the eldest son of the Lord. Lloyd-nim and I can¡¯t fight with a sword under the guise of a duel¡­¡± ¡°Is that your excuse?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°That was too pathetic for an excuse. If you are confident in your skills, you should¡¯ve been able to defeat me safely and lightly whilst fighting in a duel. Don¡¯t you even have the confidence to do that?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So disappointing. This is why I have to question your qualifications.¡± ¡°¡­. Say, are you done?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not done yet.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I feel like a man such as Sir is the most pathetic. A senior knight? You who don¡¯t prove your strength yourself, have no courage to do so, and have no confidence in yourself. You only rely on your title and act like you¡¯re powerful. Don¡¯t you feel embarrassed for yourself?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What do all of you think?¡± Sir Neumann kept his mouth shut. I turned my gaze away from him and openly asked the soldiers who still kept their ears open to this side. At that moment, I heard Sir Neumann gritted his teeth. Lloyd laughed internally. ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯ An insult to one¡¯s face would be even more disgraceful if the people around heard it too. That¡¯s how human psychology works. This is also the case if someone is scolding you. If you get scolded in a quiet place, you¡¯ll think you just got scolded. However, what if you¡¯re getting scolded publicly in front of everyone who has lower status than you? Cue a broken mental. And now, the effect came out properly. ¡°¡­. I accept it.¡± Sir Neumann replied. A smile bloomed at Lloyd¡¯s mouth, as if he had been waiting for this answer. ¡°Will you do it? A duel?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Good thinking. If there¡¯s any conflict, you have to solve it like a man. So, when would be a good date?¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to Lloyd-nim¡¯s decision.¡± ¡°A month later, in the mansion¡¯s training ground. How about that?¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Sir Neumann nodded with a stiff face. ¡°Then, is there anything you want to ask based on the outcome that day?¡± ¡°Of course there is.¡± Lloyd brought up the answer he had thought beforehand. ¡°If I win the duel that day, I¡¯ll banish Sir.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll demote you out of your position and kick you out of the territory.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do you have any complaints?¡± ¡°None, only¡­¡± ¡°Only what?¡± ¡°Lloyd-nim has to bet something equivalent to that too.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bet on my seat too.¡± ¡°What do you mean by your seat?¡± ¡°The inheritance right as the eldest son of this territory¡¯s Lord. I¡¯m going to give it up.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Lloyd nodded cheerfully. ¡°It¡¯s not a lie, don¡¯t worry. The soldiers here will be the witnesses. Practice hard so you won¡¯t get stepped on like Sir Ulrich.¡± ¡°That being said, I hope you won¡¯t have any regrets.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± In conclusion, this resulted in a duel. Naturally, I have no regrets. The secret plan to achieve victory had been drawn already. I¡¯m telling you for sure, I¡¯m going to take this chance to beat these jerks without mercy. ¡°So, are you confident that you can win?¡± ¡°No. Not really.¡± ¡°I see.¡± This was two hours after that incident. Javier then nodded. This was Javier, who was unusually absent from Lloyd¡¯s side all day long today. I couldn¡¯t help it though. It was because of Baron Frontera¡¯s order, the lord of this territory. ¡®He suddenly summoned me this morning. And for today, he ordered me to stop escorting Lloyd-nim.¡¯ The exact reason was unknown. I could only take a guess. Coincidentally, the only day I was away from Lloyd was the same day when he committed some crimes, as I¡¯d heard from here and there. ¡®He made a suitable excuse to assault Sir Ulrich and he asked for a duel with Sir Neumann, who came to inquire about it.¡¯ Perhaps that¡¯s why Lloyd intentionally separated himself from me today. That was what I speculated. This made me feel puzzled. ¡®Why the hell?¡¯ It didn¡¯t make any sense. Why did he touch the knights that were doing well? For what reason did he assault Sir Ulrich and ask for a duel with Sir Neumann? ¡®Are you just messing around again?¡¯ If you look at it at a glance, you might think so. Although Lloyd¡¯s words and actions have changed recently, a person¡¯s nature doesn¡¯t change easily. Considering that, it could be seen as him having a fuss or a bad temper. However, Javier didn¡¯t think so. ¡®Because it was too deliberate to dismiss it as just being naughty.¡¯ Separating me with himself aside, what about the assault on Sir Ulrich¡¯s aftermath? Sir Bayern was called in and entrusted with the site. When Sir Neumann came, he asked for a duel as if he had been waiting for it. Then what about Lloyd¡¯s attitude now? He is shamelessly calm. That was an attitude which could never be seen unless it had been intentionally and deliberately done. ¡®Besides, given his recent performance, there must be some purpose¡­¡¯ However, that was all Javier could think about. Lloyd¡¯s voice then shattered his thoughts. ¡°Hey. Is that the end of your reaction? ¡®I see¡¯, just that?¡± ¡°It is the end of what? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Whatever. I meant your reaction.¡± Lloyd, who was having dinner, looked up my way and tilted his head. ¡°You asked, didn¡¯t you? You asked if I am confident I can win the duel with Sir Neumann? So, what did I answer?¡± ¡°You said you weren¡¯t confident.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And then, you only said ¡®I see¡¯ to that. For real?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to nag me because you¡¯re worried or ask me why I did it?¡± ¡°Why did I have to react like that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my escort.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, however.¡± ¡°However?¡± ¡°I know the duel was suggested by Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Hmm, does that mean your work on the day of the duel is not included in the escort service? ¡°Undoubtedly.¡± It¡¯s a matter of course. That¡¯s what a duel is. ¡°The fairest and most direct way to resolve conflicts is to fight out of status and positions between the conflicting parties with equal terms. This is what duels are for. Therefore, I have neither the authority nor obligation to interfere in the duel between Lloyd-nim and Sir Neumann.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s the way it is, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well then, how about you teach me swordsmanship for a month until the day of the duel?¡± ¡°Me teaching you?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because personally, I¡¯m unwilling to do it.¡± It was an honest answer. He was nothing but an escort. There was no such thing as obligation to teach an unsympathetic fool his swordsmanship. ¡®I might needlessly teach you swordsmanship but then you might do something even worse.¡¯ That was why I felt like I shouldn¡¯t teach him. But, why? The young master, who heard his straightforward refusal, laughed rather maliciously. ¡°Riiight?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It felt uncomfortable. Somehow, Javier felt an ominous feeling that was creeping out from him. The look on Lloyd¡¯s face was unusual. A look that felt like he knew something about me. A smile that seemed so certain I would bend over and do as he intended. Soon, my ominous premonition became reality. ¡°If you teach me swordsmanship¨C¡± Lloyd¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°I¡¯ll fix your insomnia.¡± Lloyd then grinned. ¡°How about that?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Secretly, Javier swallowed his saliva dryly. A chronic insomnia. That was his secret weakness which had plagued him for years. CH 10 ¡°I¡¯ll cure your insomnia. How about that?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Unconsciously, Javier clenched his fist. If he were hit on the head by a hammer in an untimely manner, would it feel like this? ¡°You know I have insomnia? Lloyd-nim? How?¡± This chronic insomnia had begun to persistently haunt him from a few years ago. He had never revealed it before. No, he never told anyone. He also had no recollection of making it obvious. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± An awkward smile formed on Javier¡¯s lips. ¡°Insomnia? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about all of a sudden.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, Javier. Are you trying to pretend?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But, why are you smiling? Your smile was totally awkward, too.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t it? This is the first time you smiled in front of me, not counting your scornful smiles.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Oh my. Look at him erasing his smile because he got pointed out. Yeah, it¡¯s so obvious. Are you embarrassed? Tsk tsk tsk, what are you going to do with this?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I can see what¡¯s going on inside your mind, so forget it. Let¡¯s just make this clear. I will cure your insomnia and you will teach me swordsmanship. How about that? I think it¡¯s a pretty good deal.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier was silent. Honestly, he was embarrassed. Chronic insomnia. It was an illness that suddenly haunted him 3 years ago. The reason or the cause was unknown. His senses became so sensitive at some point. The slightest sound of grasshoppers; The sound of branches swaying in the wind; Even the sound of him tossing and turning in his blanket. Every sound was audible to his ears. All kinds of scenery were visible to his eyes. Everything that touched his skin. Even the slightest smell from the air could be smelt from every breath. All information has been sharply entering that it was too much for his senses. When he close his eyes, he could feel the blood vessels in his eyelids one by one. Even the sound of his pulse pierced his ear every second. In short, all of his senses were tingling. It was just like getting poked around by needles 24 hours a day on his whole body. He couldn¡¯t sleep at all. After tossing and turning all night, he got so exhausted he barely fell asleep at dawn. There was no solution. All kinds of attempts were useless. It has been 3 years already. It was a pain he had been hiding by enduring it alone. Or, it could be called a weakness. However, it was quite the dilemma because it couldn¡¯t be revealed hastily. All he wished for was just to sleep comfortably for one night. ¡®But he knew about that? That rascal? How?¡¯ Javier¡¯s expression was stiff and icy. Lloyd¡¯s eyes fluttered. ¡®How did I know? I know because I read it in the novel.¡¯ Javier is the protagonist of the ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ novel. I myself had read the novel meticulously and remembered its contents. I knew almost every little thing about Javier. The same was true about his insomnia. ¡®You don¡¯t know what¡¯s the cause of insomnia that has been bothering you until right now. However, I know.¡¯ Sword Master¡¯s syndrome. That was the cause of his insomnia. ¡®As the level of his swordsmanship approaches the level of a Sword Master, all senses were abnormally sharpened. It is a natural phenomenon experienced by human beings who are in the process of transitioning to the superhuman stage.¡¯ That was also the case for Javier. He was only 17 years old when he became a high-level sword expert. At the same time, Sword Master¡¯s syndrome began. He had spent every night tossing and turning since then. Nevertheless, he wouldn¡¯t know the reason for a long time. This only happened because Javier was from the countryside. ¡®In rural areas like this, it¡¯s already hard to find a mid-level one, let alone a high-level sword expert. I mean, if you look through the kingdom¡¯s capital, there are only about three or four official high-level sword experts. That was why we didn¡¯t have access to the information about Sword Master¡¯s syndrome.¡¯ If this was a world with the internet, the information would¡¯ve been easy to access, just by utilizing ¡®NAVER Knowledge iN¡¯1NAVER Knowledge iN: is a popular South Korean question and answer website, similar to Quora or Yahoo Answers. Meanwhile, Naver is like Korean Google.. On another hand, this world is different. Knowledge is transferred through limited personal connections, books, or word of mouth, which is difficult to tell its authenticity. Other than that, there¡¯s almost no other way to acquire new information. Because of this, it was not until two years later that the novel ¡®Javier¡¯ realized the cause of his insomnia. And it¡¯s not until another 3 years that he accidentally overcame his insomnia. ¡®This means I¡¯m going to push that part of the novel forward, I¡¯m going to do it.¡¯ I know how to do that. So I¡¯m sure. ¡°I think it¡¯s going to be successful. What do you think?¡± ¡°Do I have to answer?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not mandatory,¡± Lloyd said while poking and mixing the salad with a fork. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m not forcing you to accept it, see? Just trust me for once.¡± ¡°Trust you, Lloyd-nim?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing. Let¡¯s trust each other at times like this. Building a constructive relationship through trust. Helping each other in times of need. That¡¯s how social life and life works, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Why do you look so sullen?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do I sound like a scammer to you?¡± ¡°A little bit, to be honest with you.¡± ¡°Am I that unreliable?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Resolutely, Javier nodded. Lloyd smacked his lips. ¡°Why don¡¯t we do this, then? Let¡¯s make an acrostic poem2Acrostic poem: is a style of poetry in which the first letter of the poem typically spells out a name, word, or even an entire phrase..¡± ¡°What do you mean with an acrostic poem?¡± ¡°Eh. We¡¯re doing this to build trust in each other. I¡¯ll do it after you start.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°Then, we¡¯ll try it with ¡®?? (geune)¡¯. Now come on, say the poem.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°¡­ ugh.¡± ¡°Will you believe me now, Javier, my faithful knight?¡± (tl/n: Here, Lloyd made an acrostic poem that starts with ? (geu).) ¡°Yesn¡¯t.¡± (tl/n: Here, Javier continued the acrostic poem by replying with ? (ne) as the first syllable. However, he didn¡¯t want to say ¡®yes¡¯ so he combined it with ¡®no¡¯ (ne+aniyo=neniyo).) ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Randomly doing an acrostic poem. If you thought such a trick could work easily, then you¡¯d be mistaken.¡± ¡°Whoa.¡± ¡°Rather, I would like to ask you a question.¡± ¡°Huft, tsk. What is it?¡± ¡°Why are you carrying a book for summoning all of a sudden?¡± Javier¡¯s gaze turned to the thing on the table which was placed in front of Lloyd. Basics of Summoning Book for Mages. That was the book Lloyd was reading while eating. ¡°Oh, this one?¡± Lloyd smirked. ¡°I¡¯m reading this just because I¡¯m bored.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just reading it. Can¡¯t I do that?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier shut his mouth. Meanwhile, Lloyd¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Javier, your intention is so obvious. Is this how you try to turn the subject of the conversation around?¡± ¡°I was just asking you a question.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s finish what we were talking about.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, you won¡¯t believe me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no particular reason.¡± ¡°You just can¡¯t believe me?¡± ¡°Yes, I just can¡¯t believe you. Then, can¡¯t I do that?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± A counter followed by a counter. Javier, too, is not a pushover. Lloyd chuckled. ¡°You think you¡¯ve given me a punch with those words, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Is that sooo?¡± ¡°Yes. I just gave you an honest answer.¡± ¡°Well, okay. Then I¡¯ll yield to ¡®today¡¯s conversation¡¯ right now.¡± ¡°Today¡¯s conversation?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s finish our conversation tomorrow.¡± Lloyd put the fork down. He had finished eating. After that, he leaned into his chair and focused on reading the summoning book. He didn¡¯t even glance at Javier. Of course, he also stopped talking to him. Even when the maids were cleaning the dishes and stepped back. And that had been the case ever since. In the bedroom, only the sound of book pages being flipped could be heard. In the meantime, Javier remained by Lloyd¡¯s side faithfully, with a slightly more complicated expression than usual. The night only got deeper. A few days had passed. In the meantime, the ondol room construction went smoothly. Under Sir Bayern¡¯s proper supervision, the soldier¡¯s movement became more united. The troops were barely able to move a sack of clay each on the first day. However, it changed after a few days. Their stamina had improved and their muscle strength had increased. They also got the knack for it. Now, they could easily carry 2 sacks of clay. All of that was thanks to the proper amount of labor, rest, and nourishment every day. The skilled craftsmen also acquired more skills. Just like a sponge sucking water, or like tangsuyuk3Tangsuyuk: is a Korean Chinese meat dish with a sweet and sour sauce. IT could be made with pork or beef. fiercely absorbing the sauce whilst being fried. They quickly learned new knowledge and concepts that Lloyd was instructing. Thus, the construction of the first ondol was completed without a hitch. Starting from the second construction, everyone became more comfortable. There was no longer a need for him to stay on-site all day long. He just had to visit the site once a day. To make sure if they all were working properly, whether the construction is being carried out according to the blueprint, or to check if they did miss anything or made mistakes. Just by giving a general inspection, the work went smoothly on its own. This allowed him to faithfully use his spare time throughout the day. His time was used to poke at Javier. ¡°Did you sleep well tonight?¡± ¡°Yes, I slept soundly.¡± ¡°Reallyyy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really a terrible liar.¡± ¡°Did you mean me?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°No way what?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You know what? It¡¯s so obvious when you lie.¡± ¡°What are you specifically referring to?¡± ¡°Do you want me to tell you? No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you just tell me about your insomnia, I¡¯m going to act as if I don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Javier momentarily avoided eye contact with me again while answering. As expected, this guy had no talent at lying. Lloyd smirked. ¡°I still don¡¯t want to, though. I¡¯m not going to tell the insomniac guy.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What the hell is this? I can¡¯t even sleep.¡± (tl/n: It was Lloyd who said this. He tried to voice out what Javier might be thinking) ¡°Are you offended? Are you sad? Then you should accept my offer.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you sleep better.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Because you don¡¯t trust me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡­. It was like that every time I asked. However, Lloyd never gave up. Out of the blue, I asked Javier while having breakfast. ¡°Hey, Javier?¡± ¡°Yes, Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Did you sleep well last night?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you accept my offer now, please?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± As I walked down the hall, I asked again. ¡°You know, Javier.¡± ¡°Please speak, Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Are you okay with continuously waking up from sleep?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, accept my offer.¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± On the way out to inspect the site, I asked again. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Javier?¡± ¡°Yes, Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°How do you feel when you can¡¯t sleep at all at night?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Now, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time for you to accept the offer?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Even during dinner, I asked him suddenly. ¡°Hmmm. Javier?¡± ¡°¡­. Go ahead and speak.¡± ¡°Are you, in fact, actually enjoying not being able to sleep? Is it because of the rising endorphin? So you felt pleasure?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a pervert, pervert.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Even though I was lying down to sleep, I snapped my eyes open and inquired once more. ¡°Unggg, Javieeerr?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight, will you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tuck you in for a good night¡¯s sleep tonight instead. Are you grateful? You¡¯re happy, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You know, ahjussi4Lloyd was using ahjussi to call Javier, who is older than him and who he doesn¡¯t know well, with a polite way of speaking. Lloyd was being sarcastic whilst mocking him, though? Don¡¯t swear at me with your eyes, just answer me please.¡± ¡°Phew. I understand.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°I accept Lloyd-nim¡¯s offer.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lloyd sprang up to his feet. Meanwhile, Javier bit his lips. He had enough of it. Lloyd had been teasing him all day long and it was killing him. With all of his nerves on edge, it was impossible to doze off. ¡®Of course, I don¡¯t actually believe in Lloyd¡¯s offer.¡¯ Lloyd Frontera. He¡¯s not very trustworthy. However, what do I have to do if I want to stop his damn mockeries and questions? I think this was the only way. ¡°The premise is if Lloyd-nim really did cure my insomnia, then I¡¯ll accept it. So, curing my insomnia comes first.¡± Obviously, there won¡¯t be a solution. I didn¡¯t have the slightest expectation that Lloyd would have the ability. It would be better to accept his offer and let him fail. If he would give up after that, it would be convenient. ¡®Because I don¡¯t want to teach you swordsmanship.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t believe Lloyd. Just a few days ago, he was a person who was constantly drunk and had accidents every day. Although he has been different lately, I don¡¯t know how long this would last. It¡¯s difficult to know when his bad habit will start showing its heads again. ¡®But to teach such a person swordsmanship? What nonsense.¡¯ Instead of that, it would be better to give a knife to a child. Thinking so, Javier then said. ¡°Then Lloyd-nim, please prove it first, that you can cure my insomnia.¡± ¡°Yes, good. Would you like to sit here first?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Javier sat on the reclined armchair as Lloyd instructed him to. I snorted internally. It was because I saw Lloyd clearing his throat. ¡®You¡¯re not going to sing me a lullaby, are you?¡¯ A lullaby. That wasn¡¯t even funny. At the same time, I was convinced. Tonight, there will never be such a miracle where I get to sleep soundly. However, the moment Lloyd began to open his mouth. His conviction cracked. ¡°If the strain of the reinforced concrete is 0.003 or less when the tensile testing5Tensile testing: is a destructive test process that provides information about tensile strength, yield strength, and ductility of the metallic material. It measures the force required to break a composite or plastic specimen and the extent to which the specimen stretches or elongates to that breaking point. is conducted by applying the prescribed stress of the steel equivalent to yield strength fy to the reinforcement, the designated strength of the reinforcement can be kept without reducing the fy.¡± ¡®¡­. Eh?¡¯ It was full of words I never knew. He was just saying some things plainly. He was not even speaking in a mysterious foreign language. Therefore, he was talking in the same language, this country¡¯s language. Somehow, I couldn¡¯t even understand a thing. Besides, those words also continued endlessly! ¡°¡­.. However, the yield strength cannot be designed to be more than 5,500 kgf/cm^2. This is because when the yield strength of the reinforcement is 5,500 kgf/cm^2, the yield strain is approximately equal to the steel limit strain, 0.003 of the compressed side of the concrete. And¡­.¡± ¡®¡­.¡¯ Somehow, listening to it made me feel dazed. I¡¯m sure this is still the real world. I couldn¡¯t hold on to my consciousness. ¡°And the amount of steel bars¡­. somehow¡­. except for slabs that require steel¡­ this and that¡­ the rebar P ratio has a given rebar cross-sectional area¡­ this and that¡­ minimum rebar ratio is Pmin=14/fy¡­ blah blah¡­.¡± ¡®¡­.¡¯ I felt drowsy. My whole body was pounding. My consciousness was slipping away. The boundary between reality and the universe had become blurred. Resistance was futile. Even when I tried to pry open my eyes. Even when I tried to wriggle my hands. Neither of them listened. ¡®If I fall asleep¡­ No, I can¡¯t¡­.¡¯ ¡°¡­. the fy unit here is in kgf/cm^2¡­. to the last detail¡­. and the reason it has a minimum rebar ratio¡­ lalalalala.¡­ is to prevent a sudden bending failure¡­. bending as well as 0.10fck?A or¡­.. shalalalala¡­.¡± ¡®¡­.¡¯ Reading his major¡¯s book boasts more destructive power than sleeping pills. That was all it was. Javier¡¯s eyes became relaxed. Eyelids slowly closed; My consciousness flew away. Then, my whole body relaxed on the reclined armchair. I fell asleep completely without even realizing it A satisfied smile bloomed completely on Lloyd¡¯s lips. ¡®As expected. It¡¯s exactly the same as the scene from the novel.¡¯ One day, Javier accidentally overcame his insomnia for the first time in the novel. That day, he happened to hear a complicated magic spell being recited. He fell asleep because of the slow-paced and endless recitation. Just like what happened just now. Now, Javier had a taste of the sweetness of being able to sleep comfortably. He will never forget about it. He will not be able to sleep without my lullaby service, which consists of reciting my engineering major¡¯s subjects. Lloyd¡¯s smile turned delighted, but also wicked. ¡®Now, all of your swordsmanship is mine.¡¯ Tl/n: I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t give detailed footnotes on the engineering terms :¡¯) It made my head hurt. Maybe if I have some spare time in the future, I might add some. Plus, I¡¯m not sure if the translation on the engineering terms, especially, is accurate. The double update will be on Sunday this week! CH 11 ¡®I¡¯m tired. So sleepy.¡¯ Lying on the reclined armchair, Javier frowned and tossed his body. It was annoying. Of course it was. He escorted the rascal Young Master during the day. At night, he suffered from insomnia every day. In the meantime, it was natural that he was tired because he hadn¡¯t missed a single sword training in his spare time. No, it was almost karma. ¡®But, did I just sleep more today?¡¯ Somehow, he felt like he had slept longer than usual today. A satisfied smile arose at the thought. However, Javier¡¯s smile didn¡¯t last long. ¡°¡­. Wake up, will you?¡± He heard an amused voice. The voice was as if they had seen something laughable. ¡®Was it a dream?¡¯ No, it wasn¡¯t a dream. Because I hadn¡¯t had a single dream in years. Maybe it was because of my sleep deprivation. Javier tossed and turned in the opposite direction. But, even that gesture couldn¡¯t stop the voice from being heard again. ¡°It¡¯s late. It¡¯s time to get up, you sleepyhead.¡± ¡­. What? It wasn¡¯t a hallucination. There was definitely a voice coming from right next to me. ¡®I am a sleepyhead? What is that?¡¯ I dazedly came to my senses. I¡¯ve been suffering from insomnia for years. At least, I wasn¡¯t the kind of person who needed to listen to other people¡¯s sound to sleep. Moreover, you could say that my senses are sharper than anyone else. But, was there someone else who came inside and talked to me without me knowing? Javier opened his eyes. His whole body stiffened without him even realizing it. ¡°Wake up. If I hadn¡¯t woken you up, you would¡¯ve slept until the sun is on top of your head.¡± (tl/n: Lloyd said Javier would sleep until noon if he hadn¡¯t woken him up.) ¡°¡­.¡± A black-haired young man was standing beside the reclined armchair. I think he was in his mid-twenties. He was full of smiles. The smile looked evil, like the smile of a villain who found a nice toy. ¡°Lloyd¡­ nim?¡± Javier murmured unconsciously. His murmur could be heard clearly. The man I escorted. The Young Master¡ªthe troublemaker of this land¡ªis acting strange recently, which made everyone wonder what kind of wind was blowing. Even the way he smiled with only one corner raised looked so annoying. ¡°You finally recognized me. Oh my God! What should I do?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Just by looking at your face, I could tell that you weren¡¯t flustered at all. ¡°But, why is Lloyd-nim here¡­?¡± Are you waking me up? I spat out unconsciously. I am confused. This situation is so strange. ¡®Why is this person waking me up?¡¯ It had never happened before. It seemed completely impossible. The one who always overslept was that ruffian, Lloyd. Every morning, the first thing I did after I opened my eyes was waking that man up. However, why did the corner of his smug grin only get higher? ¡°Why, I wonder. It was because you slept here.¡± ¡°Me? Slept here?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°How did this happen?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you remember what happened last night?¡± ¡°Last night, I.¡­¡± ¡°You passed out completely. You were sleeping like a baby. Snoring, and then grinding your teeth. It was like a 3D sound effect played on Dolby Orchestra.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Yes. I can relate with you. The reinforced concrete lecture is a bit too much. I thought I was going crazy when I first listened to it. Even when I was the one who recited it last night, I also felt sleepy.¡± ¡­ I don¡¯t know anything about this. I don¡¯t even remember what happened. Seriously. I was just sitting on this chair last night. Nevertheless, my head felt so much clearer right now. Did I truly get to sleep soundly? It felt unfamiliar yet wonderful. ¡°Tsk. Still spacing out, I see. Drink this and pull yourself together.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The ruffian Young Master held out a glass. Fresh cold water could be seen sloshing inside the glass. Gulping the water down at once, I then checked my condition. While clenching my fists, I could feel the vigor that had never been there before. When blood runs through the blood vessels on my clenched fists, there¡¯s a refreshing sensation. The vividness was on a whole different level than when I suffered from sleep deprivation every day before. ¡®This is incredible.¡¯ Could it be that I really got a good night¡¯s sleep? Did I overcome that hellish insomnia? Javier accepted this reality readily. The body¡¯s condition doesn¡¯t lie. With his outstanding inspection skills, he decided to believe the truth his nerves told him. However, there was something that caught his eye out of the blue. ¡°What is that?¡± Javier¡¯s gaze was locked on Lloyd. To be precise, on Lloyd¡¯s waist. Lloyd¡¯s waist was in front of him and a wooden practice sword was hanging there. It wasn¡¯t just that. Lloyd¡¯s attire was also unusual. Light and durable leather armor was worn over his everyday clothes. Leather guards were also tied to his elbows and knees. He even had a towel around his neck to wipe off his sweat. No wonder, his appearance looked very earnest. ¡®This can¡¯t be happening.¡¯ Javier unknowingly inhaled. Something seemed to come to mind. My conjecture was then confirmed by Lloyd¡¯s response. ¡°Have you forgotten already? You promised to teach me swordsmanship if I cured your insomnia.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The answer was obvious. Thanks to that, events from last night flashed across my mind. Last night, I accepted Lloyd¡¯s offer. It was kind of a bet. So, what if Lloyd successfully cured my insomnia? What if I fell asleep? Did I promise to teach that rascal swordsmanship? That was indeed Lloyd¡¯s offer which he accepted last night. ¡®So, now I have to teach that ruffian swordsmanship? Me?¡¯ Insomnia had haunted me for a long time. The joy of overcoming that and achieving a good night¡¯s sleep soon cooled down. This felt like a huge problem. ¡°Then, let¡¯s start with running.¡± In the training ground, the weather was sunny. Javier stood on one side of the training ground and said. ¡°Stand over here, please.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Good. From now on, Lloyd-nim will be running along the edge of the training ground. Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If I have to run, I¡¯ll just run. What?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me. You weren¡¯t preparing to launch a long speech inside your heart, were you? ¡°What do you mean by a long speech?¡± ¡°Are you pretending to be innocent? Why, you know what I meant. With a stern, solemn, and serious look, you¡¯d say things like ¡®Running is the basis of all training. Powerful swordsmanship and flamboyant techniques must be supported with strong basic physical strength, blah-blah-blah-blah¡­¡¯, this kind of atmosphere and speech.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The prickly Javier shut his mouth. Lloyd shrugged. ¡°Then, did you imagine me complaining like ¡®I don¡¯t want to do it! Just teach me powerful swordsmanship!¡¯ and then you¡¯d cooly answer me with ¡®it¡¯s Lloyd-nim himself who asked me to teach swordsmanship.¡¯, and then proceed to make me run?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, gee. I¡¯m not a child. Tsk. Then, I¡¯m going.¡± Step! Step! Step! Lloyd departed. Javier, who remained on the starting line, unconsciously frowned. ¡®I thought you¡¯re going to whine about not wanting to run.¡¯ Lloyd¡¯s reaction was too different from his predictions. He was much calmer than I thought. ¡®But, If I make him keep running, he¡¯ll show his true nature.¡¯ That was what Javier thought. Every human is like that. When they feel comfortable before they start something, they¡¯ll feel ambitious. Feeling confident that they can achieve any goal. However, what if a hard moment arrives? What if they run into a wall that is the limitation of their body and mind? Curiosity and bravado that were initially there vanish like a lie. He¡¯ll try to make some compromise with his inner self, which shrieks when faced with struggles. Just like people who have been on a diet for about 3 days or so. Or, just like those who declared to quit smoking a day ago. Their weak nature will manifest. ¡®Lloyd Frontera. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re the same.¡¯ The ruffian he knew was especially such a person. He was a human being who never faced a situation like this, where he had been forced to run. So, how many laps around the training ground will it take for you to run out of breath? ¡®You¡¯ll regret the bravado you¡¯ve just shown. You might call it quits with learning swordsmanship.¡¯ Frankly, that was what I hoped for. I didn¡¯t want to teach that rascal swordsmanship. I didn¡¯t have any faith in that person. He was a human being who got drunk every day. Every time he did that, he committed all kinds of misdeeds. Even so, teaching such a person swordsmanship? It was dizzying to think about what kind of accident he would cause using the swordsmanship I taught. ¡®That¡¯s unacceptable.¡¯ Of course, the hooligan had changed a bit recently. However, the true nature of a person doesn¡¯t change easily. That rascal is the same. Who knows when his old habits will make a comeback? ¡®So I¡¯m going to treat you as harshly as I can. Until you gave up by yourself. Or, until you can get over it and prove yourself worthy.¡¯ Javier concealed his firm resolution. With icy eyes, I stared at Lloyd. Waiting for the moment this ruffian shouted that he¡¯s giving up. However, things didn¡¯t turn out the way I thought. ¡°Gasp, gaasp! Gasp!¡± Step, step! Step! Lloyd kept running. He just silently kept running. Ten laps, twenty laps, thirty laps, and still counting. While circling the training ground, he passed through in front of Javier a good number of times. In the meantime, he didn¡¯t even utter a single word. Even when his breath was ragged; when his body soaked with sweat; or when his tired legs trembled. Without any rest, he silently ran at a constant speed. ¡®How?¡¯ Little by little at first. Later on, in a straightforward manner, Javier¡¯s eyes shook. Lloyd¡¯s mental strength was so incomprehensible that it was hard to fathom the source. Of course, the secret of Lloyd¡¯s tenacity was actually simple. ¡®Because I¡¯ve been through more than just running like this.¡¯ He actually did. In the army, marching and guerrilla activities are strenuous activities that made him very tired. When he lost his parents and worked part-time jobs, it got even more exhausting. ¡®Have you been climbing up and down all day to transport bricks to the roof of a four-story building? Or have you been loading and unloading delivery trucks all night?¡¯ Only those who have tried it know how difficult it is. The feeling when your body was forced to become mechanical parts. Feeling endlessly worn out with his muscles feeling like it¡¯s gonna get torn apart. ¡®Even though I was out of breath, I kept watching the clock, while holding onto some hope. I¡¯m sure all of this will come to an end. Just a little bit more and I¡¯ll get to rest. However, in reality? Absolutely wrong. It was really sh*tty. The time wasn¡¯t even halfway through! Compared to the despair of having to keep moving in the midst of feeling hopeless just to make some money, running like this feels like heaven!¡¯ In South Korea, such things were my routine. I had to live in such a hopeless situation every day. With a sense of despair, wondering how long I have to live like this. Amidst that, I hadn¡¯t given up on making a living. Let¡¯s make some money. Let¡¯s eat and keep on living. I always had to push my limits. No, I had to move even soullessly, just like a zombie in a state of limbo. Only then could I not starve. On the other hand, what about now? ¡®All I have to do is run.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t forced to move like a slave. I ran to learn swordsmanship because I wanted it. Of course, my body still got tired. But, it was fun. I was happy, even if I was out of breath; even when my whole body was drenched with sweat; even when my legs felt like jelly and was unsteady; even when everything in front of my eyes turned black sometimes. ¡®This is fine.¡¯ Lloyd kept running. And, well past the fiftieth lap, he smiled as he passed in front of Javier. ¡°Huff, huff, huff! The one who is running is me, huff, why are you the one who looked like you had chewed on some shit?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Huuu, huft. You didn¡¯t expect this, did you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Then, will you continuously stand there, huff, in silence?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± After that, Lloyd kept running. It continued like that until Javier couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Please stop running, Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Huft, heuk, why?¡± ¡°You¡¯re already limping.¡± ¡°I, too, huff, heuk, already know that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, please take a break.¡± ¡°Hufft, okay. Roger that.¡± Lloyd stopped running for the first time. ¡°Are you flustered?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m right. You¡¯re flustered.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Hufft. Yeah. You never expected this kind of situation to happen. You¡¯ve probably prepared a bunch of lines like, ¡®I¡¯m disappointed by Lloyd-nim¡¯s weak willpower,¡¯ or ¡®You have to keep running until I tell you to stop.¡¯ Am I right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, huft, why do you discreetly treat people with prejudice?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you take me as a joke when I asked you to teach me swordsmanship?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier was speechless. Lloyd stared into his eyes with a face bereft of a smile. When I saw that look in his eyes, I unconsciously ran out of answers. In my heart, I felt like I was caught. ¡°Is swordsmanship a joke? Is that it?¡± ¡°Of course that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°But, why didn¡¯t you take my words seriously when I asked you to teach me swordsmanship?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°With such complacent spirit, can you even teach others swordsmanship?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I have nothing to say. For the first time, I wanted to hide in a rat hole. The Young Master, who I thought of as only a hooligan, kept talking. ¡°Looking at it, you¡¯ve been checking if I¡¯m qualified to learn swordsmanship. However, I need to make sure you¡¯re qualified to teach swordsmanship too. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So let¡¯s get this right. When you¡¯re going to argue about my qualifications, do some research first on how to teach better, okay?¡± ¡°¡­. I understand.¡± Javier bit his lips unconsciously. I never thought there would be a day when I would be criticized by that scumbag. The back of my head felt like it had been bashed by a blunt weapon. I wanted to refute him somehow, but I couldn¡¯t. ¡®Because he¡¯s right.¡¯ Without a hitch, Javier admitted it. It was exactly the same as Lloyd pointed out. He was only looking at the opponent¡¯s qualifications. He didn¡¯t think about how to teach swordsmanship better. He tried to test his opponent¡¯s mental strength when he didn¡¯t prepare himself properly. I was ashamed to look back on it. At that moment. Ding dong! [Javier Asrahan¡¯s favorability towards you has increased by +1!] [Your current relationship with Javier Asrahan: -28] [A slight improvement in your relationship with a key character earned you 18 RP] [Current RP: 29] A new string of messages popped in front of Lloyd¡¯s eyes. Tl/n: This chapter is so cute, isn¡¯t it? On the first part, the structure is the same with chapter 1, but now Javier changed position with Lloyd. CH 12 A few days went by. In the meantime, the swordsmanship training continued. It wasn¡¯t grandiose. Still, Lloyd ran and kept running in the training ground. Additionally, he learned how to hold a sword, how to do the basic posture, and how to use his feet in his spare time. It was a thorough basic-oriented training. However, Lloyd never complained. Neither did he protest to Javier to teach him powerful sword skills nor did he ask Javier to teach him techniques that might help him in the real world. He just kept training silently. His teacher, Javier, was amazed every day. The very same was true for the people of the Baron¡¯s residence, they were surprised too. ¡°Did the Young Master only train today?¡± ¡°Yes, I told you so. He never complained once all day long, from morning to evening.¡± ¡°Oh my God. Even though it must be exhausting every day¡­.¡± ¡°I know right. I also couldn¡¯t believe it when I saw it.¡± ¡°Me too. This is kinda nonsensical, right?¡± ¡°What do you mean by nonsensical?¡± ¡°Well, maybe the Young Master has some kind of illness?¡± ¡°What do you mean by illness?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a mental illness.¡± ¡°So, do you think he¡¯s crazy?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I think he¡¯s a little crazy.¡± ¡°¡­. You have a point.¡± A conversation like this went back and forth between the maids. The soldiers of the mansion would also look suspiciously. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Young Master these days?¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± ¡°No, it just looks a little bit weird, isn¡¯t it? Have you ever seen that man drink nowadays?¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think so?¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Uh. Speaking of which, apparently it¡¯s been 15 days since last I¡¯ve seen him drink?¡± ¡°Wow, goosebumps.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve come up with a ridiculous guess that makes sense.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Lloyd, that man, taking pills in secret?¡± ¡°Medicine?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Medicine.¡± ¡°So, what kind of medicine?¡± ¡°What kind of medicine? Drugs, dude.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Sssh. Keep your voice down. Listen, a human being who was constantly looking for alcohol every day suddenly stopped drinking overnight. Besides, he only trained diligently all day long? If this isn¡¯t because of pills, it must be because of something.¡± ¡°What¡­ say something that makes sense.¡± ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it make sense? I heard some drugs can make you abnormally focus and immerse yourself in one thing. Isn¡¯t that why he has been training all day?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I? Else, does it make sense for that scumbag to train so hard?¡± ¡°Ugh, um. Shut up, dude.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Behind you, behind.¡± ¡°¡­ Behind? ¡­. Uh, ah, greetings, ma¡¯am!¡± The soldiers, who were chatting while guarding the front gate of the mansion, hurriedly bowed their heads. Marbella Frontera¡ªthe baroness who appeared behind them¡ªsmiled gracefully. ¡°All of you have been working hard today, too.¡± ¡°Oh, not at all.¡± ¡±Here, can you pass this towel to my son after his training is over for me?¡± ¡°I understand, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Thank you. You have a lot of free time while on duty, right?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Pleasant conversations are an excellent way to relieve boredom. However, please moderately keep the line regarding the topic of the conversation. He¡¯s my son, after all.¡± ¡°¡­. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Conversations about this issue often came back and forth. The maids said he was crazy. The soldiers thought he had taken some kind of drugs. The baron and his wife gave a look of joy and concern. So far, Lloyd¡¯s training has gone smoothly. But it was followed by Javier¡¯s surprise. ¡®It¡¯s as if he has become someone else.¡¯ The training lasted from morning until evening. Training is what it¡¯s called, but actually it¡¯s more like a hellish routine. Running all day long, or even rolling on the ground. He swung the sword tediously in the same position. The palms of his hands were on the verge of becoming tattered. ¡®And yet, he never complains. Far from that, he¡¯s enjoying it instead.¡¯ At first, I wondered how many days that curious look would last. But, I¡¯ve changed my mind now. Rather, I was worried about him getting injured. Lloyd was too motivated. I had to watch Lloyd¡¯s training nervously every moment. Then, with a knife-like sharp timing, I stopped Lloyd and forced him to rest. ¡®How can a person be so different?¡¯ A drunkard who was seeking alcohol every passing day. A human scumbag who used to get drunk and acted out. But, I can¡¯t find it in him anymore. ¡®And those weird stories he recites for me every night.¡¯ Thanks to him, I was able to sleep soundly for a long time. Concrete or whatever it was. About strain and so on. The bending is when blah-blah. Obviously, it wasn¡¯t a magic spell. I couldn¡¯t remember properly because I fell asleep quite fast. At first glance, it seemed to be an academic subject. However, the power was stronger than sleeping pills. All I had to do was sit comfortably on a chair. A few words and my consciousness already slipped away. Without even realizing it, I already slept soundly. By this point, it wasn¡¯t surprising anymore, yet it was mysterious. Still, Javier frowned silently. ¡®What the hell is that person¡¯s real self really like?¡¯ Trashy in the past. A succession of surprising behavior in the present. The gap was too big to think of him as enlightened. Rather, it would be more believable to say that someone else¡¯s soul had entered the wretched Lloyd¡¯s body. ¡®Of course, such an absurd thing is impossible.¡¯ I shook my head. Then I spoke to Lloyd, who was approaching from his 30th lap around the training ground. ¡°Please stop, Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Huff, huff. Already? I think I can still run.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± ¡°Then, why?¡± ¡°Now, we¡¯re moving on to the next level of training.¡± ¡°The next level?¡± ¡°It¡¯s mana sensitivity training.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Lloyd¡¯s lips curled up. The moment he had hoped for had arrived. ¡®Honestly, I was getting tired of doing basic training.¡¯ Running hard like he was about to die, he devoted himself to training without any complaints. Thanks to that, he had gained a fair amount of stamina. His complexion became clear and his whole body was full of vitality. Even the feeling of waking up in the morning feels more vibrant. Due to his hard work, he was able to acquire quite a lot of RP. ¡®I¡¯ve got more than I predicted. I¡¯ve already accumulated 97 RP.¡¯ Within a few days, Javier¡¯s favorability to him had risen an additional 1. The RP gained was 18. In addition, Baron Frontera¡¯s favorability had increased by 2 which gave 20 RP, and the baroness¡¯ favorability had increased by 3 which gave 30 RP. With this, Lloyd was gradually getting a feel about this RP acquisition system. ¡®The RP I can get from Javier is 18 per +1 favorability. And then, it¡¯s 10 per favorability points for the baron couple. This means there was a difference in the RP given by each character in the novel.¡¯ Perhaps, the higher the importance of a character in the novel, the more RP it gives. Lloyd speculated that. ¡®Then, I¡¯ll have to focus on Javier¡¯s favorability. By the way, the baron and his wife surprised me a little bit.¡¯ In fact, the baron couple didn¡¯t have a big proportion in the novel. Technically speaking, they were just extras at the beginning of the novel. However, they were giving more than half of Javier¡¯s RP. Perhaps, there were more hidden roles that have yet to be revealed. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯m finally doing the mana sensitivity training.¡¯ There was a new feeling. I was also looking forward to it. ¡®To defeat Sir Neumann, at least from this point on, I have to train mana sensitivity.¡¯ There were only 15 days left until the duel. Of course, starting the mana training doesn¡¯t mean that manaheart can be formed within 15 days. Forming a manaheart takes an incredibly long time. Those who lack the talent would need more than 10 years. An average person would take about 5 years, while a talented person would take about 2 years. Those who are called the geniuses of the century would also take about 6 months. It takes that much time even when learning under the guidance of a skilled teacher. ¡®However, Javier made manaheart in just one day. Even if it¡¯s with my help.¡¯ While I was thinking, I could hear what Javier said to me. ¡°Obviously, don¡¯t expect to form a manaheart right away just because you started your mana sensitivity training. You have to take it step by step. Anyway, just by doing mana sensitivity training, you could enhance your physical capabilities gradually.¡± Javier¡¯s guidance continued. ¡°Then, please sit over here.¡± ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Yes. Relax. Relax your shoulders.¡± ¡°Is this all right?¡± ¡°Yes. Starting from now, I¡¯m going to inject some mana into Lloyd-nim¡¯s body.¡± ¡°So, what do I have to do?¡± ¡°No, just close your eyes and feel the path of my mana.¡± ¡°Is this like, something that¡¯s called ungijosig1???? (ungijosig): is a term used in fictional martial arts novel. Refers to the act of generating energy and controlling the flow through breathing from the pores.?¡± ¡°What is ungijosig?¡± ¡°There¡¯s such a thing called that. Let¡¯s get started.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Lloyd closed his eyes. Being relaxed, I loosened my taut body out of all my strength. Soon, Javier¡¯s palms touched my back. Unlike his noble appearance, I felt his palms which were calloused just like a crocodile¡¯s skin vividly. Not long after, cool and clear energy seeped through my back. Tsssss¡­. ¡°¡­.¡± This feeling, is it mana? It felt strange and unfamiliar. Mana seeped through my skin and muscles. Just like a tissue splashed with water. It went down through my gut and nestled under my navel. It was often called dantian. There, the mass of mana made a U-turn. It climbed onto my spine as if it was on a highway. While climbing up my spine, it also gradually stimulated my nerves. It shot to the top of my head from the back of my neck and then came down while covering my face. So the mana, which reached my heart, finally wrapped around it. Dug! Dug! My heart beating sound could be heard vividly. There was a sensation when the muscle of my heart contracted from the diastole2Diastole: is when the heart muscle relaxes. In this state, blood will fill the heart¡¯s chambers. state. It was vigorously sucking blood and then pushing it away. When a mass of mana permeated the bloodstream, it naturally came into my heart. Then, I controlled the energy to move throughout my body. It felt like my whole body was being opened and cleaned up. Lloyd stayed in that condition for a long time before he opened his eyes. ¡°How is it?¡± Javier¡¯s voice could be heard louder than before. It wasn¡¯t just that. The training ground became even more visible; The shape of the clouds floating in the sky. All of these were more apparent than before. If the previous vision was a normal HD quality, now, it felt like it had been upgraded to full HD quality. Additionally, I could feel the caress of the wind more. With only a single mana sensitivity training, all of my senses had improved slightly. Lloyd turned back. There was a slightly proud look on Javier¡¯s face. So, Lloyd smiled too. The first mana sensitivity training he had done. I gave my most honest impression of the experience to Javier. ¡°It sucks.¡± ¡°¡­. Pardon?¡± ¡°It sucks.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier¡¯s proud expression froze and cracked. But Lloyd casually spat out more, as if his face was made out of iron plate. ¡°There¡¯s not much of a difference than I initially thought.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel the mana moving around in your body?¡± ¡°Oh, yes I felt that.¡± ¡°Lloyd-nim, it¡¯s proof that you¡¯ve sensed the mana. In fact, you must¡¯ve keener senses than before.¡± ¡°Oh, this? Are you only going to give me a splash?¡± ¡°Lloyd-nim.¡± Javier¡¯s eyes which looked towards my side darkened. There was some chill in his voice. ¡°You can¡¯t say that this is bad. This is the way it should be.¡± ¡°About the mana sensitivity training?¡± ¡°Yes, it is. Lloyd-nim is very mistaken right now¡± ¡°A mistake? What kind of mistake?¡± ¡°You expect too much, for example.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m getting ahead of myself?¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± Javier¡¯s answer was a little bit poignant. ¡°Just because of mana training, we¡¯ll never get noticeably stronger or superhuman-like. It¡¯s the opposite. For forming a mana heart, the most important thing is to take it step by step. Just like you couldn¡¯t get satiated at your first drink. Lloyd-nim, if you have some common sense, you¡¯ll know it well.¡± ¡°Yes. Of course I know.¡± ¡°But, why are you in a hurry?¡± ¡°In a hurry? Me?¡± ¡°Yes, Lloyd-nim. Are you feeling nervous as the date of your duel with Sir Neumann approaches? However, a duel was too much from the very beginning. Sir Neumann is by no means a weak man. He¡¯s a knight that has stepped on the threshold of Sword Expert.¡± ¡°I know. A Low-level Sword Expert. I¡¯m not an easy target. However, it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve only learned a normal mana training technique for only 15 days by then.¡± ¡°¡­. Pardon?¡± Javier, who had been reacting coldly all this time, hesitated for the first time. Lloyd looked at Javier with meaningful eyes. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m only good at making a mess and then complaining?¡± ¡°Of course¡­.¡± ¡°Do you want to keep pretending?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± ¡°Look here. Javier Asrahan. Why would I¡¯ve pointed you out and asked you to teach me swordsmanship? Or did I seem like a fool who would dare to challenge Sir Neumann after only 15 days of normal mana training technique?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a matter of course¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be a little honest. You have a separate technique you¡¯ve been working behind my back, not this ordinary one, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As expected. I always feel that Javier is not very good at lying. ¡®Because he¡¯s so obvious.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t stop my laughter at the thought. So I giggled. ¡°Shall I say it out loud? The Asrahan Core Technique. Teach me that. Will you continue to try to get away even after all this?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier¡¯s eyes widened. Asrahan Core Technique. As written in the ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ novel, this technique¡ªwhich is created by Javier¡ªmade him the first Grand Master in history. CH 13 ¡°The Asrahan Core Technique. I want you to teach me that. Will you continue to try to run away even after all this?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier hesitated. His eyes were wide open without him realizing it. It was inevitable. Because the young master, the one he escorted, has said such words that should¡¯ve never come out of his mouth. ¡®You also know about my mana technique? Lloyd-nim knows?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t understand. Just like the case with his insomnia, this technique is also one of his own secrets. Obviously, he never told anyone. Never even made it obvious. No, it was only a month ago when he named that technique ¡®Asrahan Technique¡¯! ¡®That technique hasn¡¯t even been completed yet. How do you know about that?¡¯ Does this ruffian Young Master use a mind reading skill? He looked at Lloyd as if he was facing a mysterious being. Lloyd snorted. ¡°What? Why? What?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Why are you staring at me with your eyes wide open?¡± ¡°That¡¯s natural¡­¡± ¡°Natural?¡± ¡°How did you know about that?¡± Lloyd was a human being who easily uncovered his secrets time after time. The only thing he¡¯ll get if he tries to back out is mockery. Knowing that, Javier won¡¯t even bother to back out anymore now. He wanted to know the answer instead. The reply was quite simple. ¡°You said everything in your sleep.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Really. You passed out and told me everything on your own.¡± ¡°Is that the truth?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Lloyd grinned. Is that the truth? Of course not. Javier has no such thing as sleep talking. Even when he sleeps, his appearance looks like an elegant painting. Lloyd consciously wet his lips. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, should I prove it?¡± ¡°Prove it?¡± ¡°For example, like this.¡± I recited the Asrahan Core Technique theory, which was described in detail in the ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ novel, as I recalled it. ¡°There¡¯s a limit to one¡¯s mana heart. The limit is biological, which is already set from birth. So, the amount of mana you can muster at once will be limited.¡± It has the same principle as a computer¡¯s RAM or a bucket. There¡¯s a clear limit on the amount of data that can be carried at once with an 8GB RAM, or the amount of water that could be transported with a one-liter bucket. The same is applied to the amount of mana that can move into the heart. The heart¡¯s capacity is the limitation. As long as we¡¯re human, we can¡¯t break through these limitations. ¡°Nobody is an exception. No matter how powerful the technique is; no matter how high a knight¡¯s level is; no matter what it takes. The reason is simple. Because we¡¯re born as human beings. The human body, to be exact, can¡¯t go beyond the heart¡¯s biological capacity. Therefore, a dragon with a dragon heart is a cheater.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Sshh. Listen more. So, you then thought. What if you gather mana from outside, not inside of the body? What if you combine the mana you¡¯ve absorbed with the mana heart? Then, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to temporarily emit and handle mana beyond biological limitations?¡± Lloyd grinned. Javier¡¯s expression still looked calm and chic. But, Lloyd didn¡¯t miss the faint tremble of his pupils. ¡°Since then, you¡¯ve been secretly researching the new mana technique. Not too long ago, you gave it a name. It¡¯s called Asrahan Core Technique. Was that about a month ago? Is that right?¡± ¡°¡­.That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Why did you meekly admit it now?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re not wrong enough that I couldn¡¯t even think of how to step out of this.¡± ¡°Right? Then, let¡¯s go back to the story.¡± This is what I actually want to say. ¡°You left that core technique out, huh? Were you trying to teach me the common old technique which dogs and cows all learn to cleanse their mouth? Are you a kindergarten swordsmanship teacher? Did you try to sell me red bean bread without red bean paste?¡± ¡°But, Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°I understand. It¡¯s the technique you¡¯re researching, and you don¡¯t just teach somebody. By the way, am I just a ¡®somebody¡¯ to you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Whoa.¡± ¡°Technically, Lloyd is just the one I escorted. Besides¨C¡± ¡°Besides?¡± ¡°Even if I want to teach Lloyd-nim my core technique right now, that¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because it is still incomplete.¡± Javier¡¯s voice became as firm as his sword. ¡°As you said, that¡¯s indeed the concept of my technique. The key is to absorb external mana and use it as your own. However, it¡¯s also a way in which no one has succeeded yet. Even I haven¡¯t succeeded yet, I¡¯ve only made the theory.¡± ¡°Therefore?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. Especially for a beginner like Lloyd-nim, who doesn¡¯t even know the basics of mana.¡± ¡°Is that soo?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Right now, are you worried about me?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Tsk. You¡¯re a danhobak1???(danhobak): is a Korean slang used to refer to someone who usually refuses instantly without considering it for a second..¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Anyway, since the technique is still incomplete, it¡¯s dangerous. Therefore, you can¡¯t tell me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Then, what if it¡¯s not dangerous?¡¯ ¡°¡­. Pardon?¡± Javier¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly. Lloyd laughed. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re nervous about what this one is going to say. ¡°Let me take a look and I¡¯ll point out why your technique is incomplete and where it is stuck.¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­¡± ¡°You absorb mana from the outside, move it to the manaheart, and fuse it with your manaheart. But you couldn¡¯t do that. You always got stuck there. When trying to combine them, they refuse to merge and then they collide. Hence, you¡¯ve failed every time, right?¡± Javier¡¯s eyes shook. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°How do I know? I told you. I heard your sleep talking.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Hearing him sleep talking about these is a lie. Javier shut his mouth before this invincible cheat-key-like excuse. Lloyd¡¯s smile deepened. ¡®You won¡¯t have anything to say. Because you sleep so soundly that you don¡¯t know what your sleeping habits are like.¡¯ Suddenly, I was reminded of a story in the ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ novel. Javier of this period actually failed to complete this technique because of the mana collision. He had tried various things, yet he failed every time. ¡®And then, it was 5 years later when he finally changed his initial idea and completed the technique.¡¯ Later, Javier further sharpened his technique. Finally, he became the first Grand Master in the history of the Loracian Continent. While recalling Javier¡¯s change of ideas that he would achieve 5 years in the future, Lloyd then said. ¡°It seemed to me that the attempt to mix external mana with your own mana itself is the error, no, I think it¡¯s the mistake?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Javier¡¯s eyebrows twitched and moved. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Literally. Why do you have to combine external mana with the manaheart? Manaheart¡¯s capacity limit is the one causing the heart strain. Besides, is there any specific reason which makes you have to combine the external mana with your own mana? Well, isn¡¯t that a stereotype tied to directions on how to use the mana heart?¡± ¡°That means¡­¡± ¡°You can make it spin around outside. Outside the manaheart.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier¡¯s eyes slowly grew wide in astonishment. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s already figured it out. Lloyd picked up a twig that was laying around on the corner of the training ground. With it, he scribbled on the soil to draw a picture. ¡°How about when we absorb the external mana, we then make it spin around like this? Around the heart, outside the manaheart.¡± ¡°Do you want me to make ring-shaped circles and wrap them around my heart?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Circle, that¡¯s a good name.¡± ¡°Then, the mana I originally had¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to mix it. It will be operated separately. Your mana is inside the manaheart. The foreign mana absorbed from outside is spun into a circle outside the manaheart. What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying whatever comes to mind. You know I¡¯m a beginner at using mana. Maybe that¡¯s why I¡¯m not obsessed with existing stereotypes.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°If you have a doubt, try it yourself.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Javier nodded straight away. He seemed to have gotten the hang of it. From then on, Lloyd firmly shut his mouth. He just took a few steps aside quietly. Watching Javier as he tried out the new technique. How long has it been? At last, Javier opened his eyes. He looked back at me with meaningful eyes. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ding dong. [Javier Asrahan¡¯s favorability towards you has increased by +5!] [Your current relationship with Javier Asrahan: -22] [A visible improvement in your relationship with a key character earned you 90 RP] [Current RP: 187] [Your level of closeness with Javier Asrahan has been raised from to .] [5 additional RP has been earned as a bonus for raising the closeness level.] [Current RP: 192] ¡®You made it.¡¯ Javier¡¯s gratitude; a slightly different expression in his eyes; and the string of favorability messages that popped into my mind. All of these made Lloyd completely certain that Javier had finally completed the Asrahan Core Technique. ¡°Did it go well?¡± ¡°Yes, Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Does the circle work well?¡± ¡°Yes. It seems inefficient to use just one to operate mana, so I made several.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Three.¡± ¡°Whoa.¡± Three circles straight away on his first success. As expected of Javier, he¡¯s a hot-blooded fellow. ¡®So, he¡¯s almost at the edge to reach the level of a Sword Master.¡¯ At this moment, Javier¡¯s level is still at Sword Expert. Still, the gap with Sword Master is quite large. ¡®Anyway, since he has succeeded in creating a triple circle outside the manaheart, it¡¯ll be enough to put a front if we are to fight face-to-face seriously against a smart Sword Master. If luck is on our side, we might even be able to aim for a draw.¡¯ To give extra power beyond the present level. That was the strength of Asrahan Core Technique. ¡®This technique is about adding extra mana absorbed from the outside to the original mana capacity. One auxiliary engine per circle.¡¯ So, what about Javier in the ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ novel? He completed the Asrahan Core Technique when he was already a Sword Master. Immediately, he made a whopping 4 circles. That alone had given him an overwhelming ability among all other Sword Masters. ¡®And even after that, you became a Grand Master equipped with a penta circle. In the final fight, he then became the holder of the hexa circle.¡¯ In that state, the amount of mana Javier could use at once surpassed far beyond Dragonheart, which was described in the novel. Now, I had witnessed the completion of the Asrahan Core Technique, the beginning of the legend, 5 years earlier than the original. However, Lloyd shook his head. Now is not the time to be sentimental because of a penny. It was time to seize the benefit that came into my grasp. With an attitude as if I was showing off, I asked Javier. ¡°So, it¡¯s thanks to me?¡± ¡°Yes, Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Then, now you have a reason to teach me.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°The Asrahan Core Technique.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Oh ho, look at this? You don¡¯t intend to only say thank you and then move on, right?¡± ¡°But Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Yes. Give me an excuse.¡± ¡°I think the basics of basic mana technique is more important.¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Then what?¡± ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you learn the basic technique first and learn my technique separately later?¡± ¡°Uh. No way.¡± Of course I don¡¯t want to. This was all the more so because of the duel with Sir Neumann in 15 days. ¡°You put yourself in my shoes. No matter how hard I try to master the normal mana technique, can I use it in a duel in 15 days?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Then? Are you saying I should just lose the duel?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, I know what you¡¯re thinking of. Right now, you want me to be able to fight longer so that I won¡¯t get defeated trivially. Building a solid foundation for sure is beneficial. You¡¯re right. However, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the way for me.¡± ¡°How come?¡± ¡°This duel is just that important.¡± It was the truth. Sir Neumann is a human being who betrayed the territory through the back door. If I fail to trample on and punish such a man, from then on, straightening the public order of this territory would be a very long way to go. In other words, the improvement of this fief¡¯s constitution, which had been grasping for straws to keep going, would be doomed from the very beginning. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m definitely going to win. I¡¯m going to learn the Asrahan Core Technique as well.¡± ¡°But what if I refuse?¡± ¡°Oh-ho? You¡¯re going to come out strong? Then I still have a way too.¡± Lloyd grinned and took out his lethal card. ¡°If you won¡¯t teach me, then I¡¯ll stop the lullaby service.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°What? Why? What? Why are you looking at me while looking like you¡¯d chewed on some shit? Am I being cheap?¡± ¡°A little bit.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as freebies in this world. If you feel that¡¯s unfair, just teach me your technique.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier¡¯s face was filled with anguish. The corners of Lloyd¡¯s mouth went up. ¡®You¡¯ll never refuse. Why? Because you already tasted the sweetness of a good night¡¯s sleep.¡¯ In the last few days, Javier has been enjoying a better good night sleep than ever before. All thanks to me for reciting the contents of my major¡¯s subject from memory. He wouldn¡¯t expect the service to be cut off in an instant. I¡¯m sure he had a pretty good time. ¡®That¡¯s how psychology originally works. If you have received it and then it got taken away, it¡¯ll feel more bittersweet.¡¯ Everyone¡¯s the same. Once you have a taste of convenience, you can hardly live without it. ¡®Smartphones, once you try it, you won¡¯t be able to use old phones because it¡¯s too stifling. Robotic vacuum cleaners, high height insoles, selfie apps, delivery apps, or an elevator. If you don¡¯t use it after using it once, it¡¯ll feel incredibly frustrating, stuffy, and uncomfortable.¡¯ That¡¯s exactly what happened to Javier right now. He had been suffering from insomnia for years. Then, thanks to me, he learned the taste of the happy and sweet deep sleep. His body would no longer be able to go back to its former state. As expected, Javier nodded. ¡°Phew. I understand.¡± ¡°Understand what?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you the Asrahan Core Technique.¡± ¡°Good decision.¡± Lloyd clenched his fist tightly. ¡®That¡¯s why I bet you, right? All your swordsmanship will be mine.¡¯ Asrahan Core Technique. Now, all I have to do is to work hard. Time flew by. The training continued until now. His basic stamina became more solid. He worked even harder on the Asrahan Core Technique. On the other hand, Lloyd also commissioned the blacksmith to make him a special weapon. ¡°Use steel entirely. Make the design as drawn here.¡± ¡°Lloyd-nim? This is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a weapon I¡¯m going to use, so I drew it myself. Why? Is it strange?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. Only, how will you use this as a weapon ¡­.¡± ¡°Never mind that. Can you make it?¡± ¡°Pardon? Yep.¡± ¡°Then, please take good care of it.¡± The blacksmith was perplexed when he looked at the drawing Lloyd gave. Even if he kept looking at the drawing, this wasn¡¯t something you would use as a weapon. However, he couldn¡¯t help it. Lloyd is the son of the Lord and is known as the reckless ruffian. The blacksmith didn¡¯t dare to refuse the request of such a person. More days passed just like that. The morning of the duel had finally arrived. ¡°Young Master Lloyd. The item you commissioned from the blacksmith has arrived.¡± The weapon he commissioned to be produced had been delivered to the mansion. Lloyd gently clenched his fists as he listened to the servant¡¯s voice announcing the news. Asrahan Core Technique. And his own weapon. All arrangements were already in place. ¡®Sir Neumann. You¡¯re through now.¡¯ Lloyd¡¯s eyes gleamed violently. Finally, the time has come to cut off the rotten sprouts. CH 14 That day was a sunny noon in the early spring. It was time for everyone to finish their morning routine. The farmer who worked while drenched in sweat at the field; the woodcutter who struggled at the foot of the mountain; the shepherd who played flute in the field; the brewer who made liquor at the brewery; and even the laundry woman who fought with her laundry. Aside from that, it was also time for all the residents to stop their hands for a while to enjoy lunch and relax. However, today was a little different. It was due to a special and rare event that was going to be held in the spacious open space of the training ground, which was attached to Baron Frontera¡¯s mansion. ¡°Hey, what do you think will happen in today¡¯s duel?¡± ¡°The duel? Well, anyway, it¡¯s already obvious what¡¯s going to happen.¡± ¡°Do you think so, too?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re right. How can Lloyd-nim defeat Sir Neumann.¡± ¡°Thanks to this, we got to see something fun anyway. Well, if not for times like now, when do we get to spectate something like this.¡± ¡°Kuahaha. That¡¯s right. If not for moments such as this, when will we see the Young Master, who used to tease us the other day, rolling on the dirt?¡± After a day¡¯s work, the farmers gathered around the edge of the training ground. Next to them, there were groups of women, who had postponed their lunch, chatting around in their own small groups. ¡°I¡¯m a little worried, though.¡± ¡°What are you worried about?¡± ¡°Young Master Lloyd. What if he defeated Sir Neumann? If that¡¯s the case, he¡¯ll get even more arrogant.¡± ¡°Oh, my gosh. What a worrywart. Why would you worry about that?¡± ¡°Why? Apparently, I heard that Sir Ulrich was randomly beaten to a pulp by Young Master Lloyd.¡± ¡°Even so, his opponent is Sir Neumann.¡± ¡°Umm. Then, there¡¯s not even a chance for Lloyd-nim to win, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Sir Neumann is the strongest knight in our territory. This is good for us. It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve had such an amusing scene to watch, right?¡± ¡­ Everyone¡¯s conversation was similar to that. Numerous residents gathered in the training ground to watch the duel. Most of them expected Lloyd¡¯s defeat and cheered for Sir Neuman¡¯s victory. The Lloyd they knew was a man who wouldn¡¯t be associated with swordsmanship. He had been quiet lately. However, until a month or two ago, Lloyd Frontera was a man who had been addicted to drinking every day. That wasn¡¯t all. When it comes to bad incidents, he frequently was the one who took the initiative. It was to the point where the fief¡¯s residents who had never been harmed by his violent behavior and misdeeds could be counted on one hand. ¡®For goodness¡¯ sake. I wish I could watch Lloyd, that man, get roughened up today.¡¯ If that happened, he might get a little bit calmer. No, please, I really hope so. That was what the territory residents, who gathered here, honestly wished for. However, it was not as though there were no residents who supported Lloyd at all. ¡°Nevertheless, I don¡¯t think Young Master Lloyd has been acting like a bully lately,¡± said a shepherd boy cautiously. The boy¡¯s words were immediately refuted by a woodcutter who was around him. ¡°Hey, kid. Still, human nature doesn¡¯t change that easily.¡± ¡°Pardon? But that¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. But, what about it? Do you think that¡¯s the end of it just because he had shown a little change for a month or two? No, right? He has to continuously display a favorable image to be able to win my trust.¡± ¡°But, he built an ondol in my home.¡± ¡°Tsk. it¡¯s not even free.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s very warm and nice.¡± ¡°Oh, Arthur, Arthur. Look, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re only a shepherd boy.¡± ¡°You know I¡¯m not lying. It¡¯s real.¡± ¡°Okay. I myself have signed the contract for the ondol pre-sale, we¡¯ll see how it turns out.¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Among the minorities who supported Lloyd, of course there were the baron and his wife. Especially Baron Frontera who personally summoned Sir Neumann, as the other party involved in the duel, to make a special request. ¡°Listen, Sir Neumann.¡± ¡°Please speak, my Lord.¡± ¡°Please take good care of my son today.¡± ¡°I understand. Please don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Right, thank you. Although my son has been disrespectful to you, he¡¯s the one you¡¯ll serve in the future. So don¡¯t be too harsh on him, and please take care so he doesn¡¯t get injured.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡­. It went like that. In conclusion, not a single one of the people gathered here today anticipated Lloyd¡¯s victory. And, these expectations turned into certainty the moment Lloyd appeared on the training ground. ¡°Young Master Lloyd has arrived!¡± A servant of the mansion shouted. The shout drew everyone¡¯s attention to the training ground¡¯s entrance. Before long, Lloyd leapt into the training ground. While holding a shovel in one hand. ¡°¡­. Huh?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes were wide open. A shovel. This is a training ground. Lloyd is going to have a duel here today. Why did he bring a shovel, not a sword, an axe, nor even a spear? ¡°Hey? Does he have any plans to do some construction here today?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°The ondol room construction that Lloyd-nim is doing these days.¡± ¡°Is he doing that here, too? This can¡¯t be true.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The soldiers, who were freed from today¡¯s construction work, were mumbling to each other. This situation was incomprehensible. In the meantime, Lloyd stood still in the middle of the training ground, looking nonchalant. Under the bright sunlight, the shovel in his hand was fully revealed. The shovel was made from steel as a whole up to the handle. That meant only one thing. That shovel was meant to be a weapon, not a tool, nor an extension. As if to answer all those speculations, Lloyd declared to the baron who was sitting at the top. ¡°The son of Arcos Frontera, Lloyd Frontera, is ready for the duel with Sir Neumann.¡± That was a clear and explicit declaration regarding his readiness for the duel. The baron frowned. ¡°Are you ready for the duel?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What about your weapon? Did you bring it with you?¡± ¡°Here, this is my weapon.¡± Lloyd grinned and lifted the steel shovel. ¡°¡­.¡± I was asking just in case. I thought you¡¯ve come to your senses lately. Wondering if you had come back to the right path for the first time in a long time. However, as expected, my eldest son is out of his mind. ¡®I never thought you¡¯d be so lax in a duel.¡¯ The baron secretly clenched his teeth tightly. He was deeply disappointed. With a firmer look than before, I looked at Sir Neumann. Towards Sir Neumann, I nodded slightly. ¡®You can handle him roughly. Help me to pull him back to his senses.¡¯ ¡®Very well. I¡¯m happy to oblige your order.¡¯ Sir Neumann, who noticed the baron¡¯s intentions, also nodded. It was also what he wanted. No, he always really wanted it. Wanted to roughen up this arrogant, reckless, and simpleton Young Master. The moment Sir Neumann saw Lloyd took a stance towards him, his desire intensified ferociously. Chatter, chatter. While the people of the territory kept murmuring, Lloyd was holding a strange pose he had never seen before. The gap between his hands was greatly widened to hold the shovel. His left hand was just below the shovel¡¯s head. His right hand was used to hold the upper part of the handle. While holding it calmly, he bent his arms naturally. Then, as if he was half-embracing the shovel, he aimed the tip of the shovel to face the side. From Sir Neumann¡¯s point of view, this was an unheard-of posture. Impatient, Sir Neumann scrunched his nose. ¡°Lloyd-nim. Have you forgotten? This is a duel.¡± ¡°Yes. I know that too.¡± ¡°But, what¡¯s with that posture?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m ready to fight.¡± ¡°Are you trying to insult me by doing a childish prank?¡± ¡°Yeah, no, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Then, what are you trying to do?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what this is? This is the position I¡¯m going to use to knock your lights out.¡± ¡°¡­. That answer. I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Grtttk! Automatically, he gnashed his teeth. Sir Neumann turned over his head, scorning over the raging anger because of the insult. Then, he said to Baron Frontera. ¡°I¡¯m ready for the duel.¡± The declaration of readiness in the duel was recited in a sullen voice. The coldness of my voice made the residents gulp down their saliva. I clenched my fists unconsciously. For some reason, expectations that the duel today will fulfill everyone¡¯s wishes had risen. And finally, the baron declared. ¡°I, Baron Arcos Frontera, hereby declare that the duel between the two begins!¡± The start of the duel had been formally declared. At the same time, Sir Neumann revealed his fangs. As if he had waited, he immediately kicked the ground. ¡®Cheeky little bastard! I¡¯ll teach you a lesson!¡¯ Paats! Sir Neumann¡¯s feet moved lightly. When he pushed the ground away, his body leapt. It was a swift and concise march forward that was beyond the level of ordinary people. Before the duel began, there was about 4 meters of distance between Lloyd and Sir Neumann. Sir Neumann narrowed the 4 meters distance at once with a single leap from his feet! ¡°¡­ Wow!¡± Exclamations burst from the mouths of the residents who were watching. Before the exclamations were over, Sir Neumann¡¯s sword moved. Without pulling it out of the sheath, the sword swung furiously. ¡®First of all, I¡¯ll break a bone or two!¡¯ Beating with a club is perfect for a crazy dog. In addition, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been fed up with such a poor and shabby territory. Therefore, with a venomous heart, I was determined to trample down on the foolish Young Master who had provoked me while not even knowing anything. ¡®The baron won¡¯t be able to blame me for relieving all this stress! After this, I¡¯ll leave this territory. As I was promised in advance! Keuhahaha!¡¯ My rosy future had been drawn. I remembered the man who had been in contact with me. Others accused him of being a real estate investment fraudster. But, not in my very own eyes. ¡®That¡¯s a very reasonable business, that one!¡¯ The businessman obtained internal information about Frontera Barony through himself. Using the information, the man took over Baron Frontera¡¯s assets. How about me? I received quite a large reward from the ¡®businessman¡¯. Besides, that wasn¡¯t the end. The businessman promised to get rid of this rural territory and asked me to come work for him. Then, he said he¡¯ll give me a more valuable treatment. Worthy of my ability. ¡®Of course I accepted it. I¡¯m not the kind of guy who would rot in the countryside like this!¡¯ The ambition which had been stirring inside my heart. The dream of making a fortune with my swordsmanship. Now, my dream wasn¡¯t far away from my reach. Before that, of course I¡¯m going to step on this arrogant Young Master who stood before me. ¡®Like what I was talking about!¡¯ Woooong! The long sword, which hadn¡¯t even been taken out of its sheath, split the air with a fierce force. It diagonally swung, from top right to bottom left. At the end of its route, there was Lloyd¡¯s left collarbone. ¡®First, one collarbone!¡¯ Sir Neumann¡¯s eyes gleamed cruelly. At that same time, he was certain. A boy like Lloyd would never be able to block this blow on his own. That would be impossible for a guy who was holding a shovel in a bizarre and sloppy posture like that. Everyone had the same thought. Baron Frontera¡¯s face stiffened. Even the baroness also clasped her hands tightly. All other spectators were so certain. Except for one. Javier. ¡®Lloyd¡¯s posture somehow doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s joking.¡¯ Javier was observing Lloyd with his thin eyes wide open. Lloyd¡¯s posture seemed strange, awkward, and eccentric. However, there was a strange sense of stability. It seemed comfortable. That posture was never half-baked. Nor was that a pose he had ever done once before. ¡®But, I¡¯ve never taught him that posture while he was training.¡¯ Could it be that he practiced this posture separately? Only one thing was clear. ¡®I¡¯m sure. That posture¡¯s designed strictly for real-life fighting.¡¯ When I realized that fact, I suddenly got goosebumps. I had a hunch that the outcome of this duel might be the exact opposite of everyone¡¯s expectations. And the next moment, Javier¡¯s premonition was absolutely right. Huik! The steel shovel, which had been dormant until now, moved in an instant. It soared upwards, drawing a concise line. It blocked the long sword that was falling at an angle. Clang! His motion was so simple, clean, and easy-looking. However, even though Sir Neumann¡¯s offensive had been blocked, he was not even a little bit worried. ¡®Oh my, this is hardly a defense!¡¯ Sir Neumann thought Lloyd got lucky out of the blue. He thought Lloyd was just a beginner who was holding a shovel in such a messy way. What about himself? He already reached the stage of Low-Level Sword Expert. Compared to a young master like Lloyd who wouldn¡¯t even dare to use mana. ¡®I¡¯ll destroy your defense with this power!¡¯ Huaak! Sir Neumann¡¯s eyes became ferocious. His long sword dimly shone. Mana was injected into his long sword. A faint aura was emitted. However, in the next moment, the faint aura disappeared in a flash. No, it had been absorbed by the steel shovel which was being held against the long sword. The mana moved. From his own body, even from his manaheart. His mana had been absorbed! ¡®¡­. Eh?¡¯ Sir Neumann¡¯s eyes were filled with horror. At the same time, the steel shovel moved. Fwooosh! He pushed my longsword to the side as if pushing away a troublesome fly. I wanted to hold out. But, I couldn¡¯t resist. Strangely, it felt like my strength had been drained out like a tide from my whole body. And then, the shovel head rushed in from a strange angle. Whack! ¡°¡­ Ugh!¡± An intense impact struck my face. With blood spurting from his mouth, Sir Neumann¡¯s head was jerked back furiously. CH 15 Whack! ¡°Uuugh!¡± A profound blow hit my face. The world in Sir Neumann¡¯s vision swirled away. ¡®What is it?¡¯ For a moment, his mind went black. However, it wasn¡¯t for long. Sir Neumann came to his senses in a hurry. He quickly grasped the situation he was in. ¡®You blocked my attack and even counterattacked? To me?¡¯ Everything felt like it was in slow motion. I could see drops of blood slowly flying into the air. The blood which gushed from my mouth. Come to think about it, the inside of my mouth felt numb. The impact seemed to make the inside of my cheek burst. ¡®Because of that greenhorn bastard? Me?¡¯ Grrtk! Unconsciously, Sir Neumann gnashed his teeth. I moved my feet swiftly, spread my legs wide, and then planted them on the ground. By lowering my waist, I managed to avoid falling down. ¡°Kkeuuak!¡± As soon as I regained my balance, I let out a shout. Gathering mana from the manaheart, I made a U-turn and brandished the sword with renewed vitality. The sword was swung from bottom to top. Determined to counterattack. However, my attack was quickly blocked. Clang! ¡°Oh, but you regained your senses and counterattacked right away. Last time, Sir Ulrich was already out of his mind as soon as he got the first hit.¡± ¡°¡­ Keuk!¡± The broad part of the shovel blocked the long sword. Nonetheless, Sir Neumann¡¯s offense hadn¡¯t ended yet. As soon as he realized his counterattack had been blocked, he changed the sword¡¯s movement. Then, he took a step forward and turned his sword around. Clang clang clang! The sword and the shovel entangled, resulting in the sound of scraping metal. ¡®I¡¯ll make your shovel fly away with this!¡¯ Two rounds of strike on both sides and then glide to hook it. Then, the opponent most likely would lose his weapon. Make Lloyd empty-handed and then trip him over. That was the battle plan that Sir Neumann had set up momentarily. However, he didn¡¯t know yet. The sad truth is that everyone had a beautiful plan before they got beaten. ¡°Tsk. Trying to disarm me. Good intentions.¡± Clack clack! The sword and the shovel, which were moving while being entangled with each other, came to a halt along with Lloyd¡¯s meaningful words. No, to be exact, when Lloyd stopped his shovel, the sword stopped accordingly. At the same time, power began to ebb out of Sir Neumann¡¯s manaheart. From his arms to his sword. From the sword¡­. to the shovel. Just like a drink being sucked with a straw, or spilled water being absorbed by a tissue. His mana was absorbed into Lloyd¡¯s shovel! ¡°Hey, what the hell!¡± Frightened, Sir Neumann hurriedly tried to draw his sword. But, that didn¡¯t work as well as he wanted. Somehow, his movement was slower than usual. More precisely, he couldn¡¯t use mana. In a flash, it felt like he had become a normal person. What about Lloyd, on the other hand? His speed was that of what a Low-Level Sword Expert knight would use! ¡°I¡¯m really glad.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Zoom! Lloyd jumped swiftly to close the gap. ¡°Kkeuk!¡± The first thing Sir Neumann did was hastily tried to wield his sword. But, Lloyd¡¯s next reaction was much faster. Wooong! ¡°¡­.!¡± Before he knew it, the shovel¡¯s handle was closing in. And then, without a hitch, it hit his nose. Whack! ¡°Kkeuuhk!¡± I think my nose¡¯s bone was crushed. With this heavy and lingering pain, it was hard to open my eyes. I stumbled three steps backward unconsciously. Lloyd was moving more persistently. ¡°Actually, I was a little worried. I¡¯ve never checked if a Low-Level Sword Expert¡¯s mana can be digested into a single circle.¡± ¡°Keuuk!¡± Sir Neumann, who was retreating, didn¡¯t like it. So he swung his sword with an urgent gesture. That counterattack contained a little bit of mana, which had recovered for the moment. However, even that counterattack turned into despair the moment the sword got blocked by the shovel. The mana on the sword was absorbed again by the shovel! ¡®Crazy! This is crazy!¡¯ Swoosh! The mana-cladded shovel came near. I was slapped in the cheek by the flat part of the shovel. My head got jerked again and my vision was blurry. This was the first time it ever happened. I¡¯ve never imagined being beaten like this before. ¡®This little brat, my mana¡­. He¡¯s absorbing it.¡¯ Now, I could vaguely assess the situation. However, it made me couldn¡¯t comprehend it even more. Absorbing another¡¯s mana. How could he use that mana as his own? ¡®¡­. how?¡¯ It felt like a fraud. It was unfair. Nevertheless, Sir Neumann didn¡¯t give up. He tried not to fall and continued his counterattack which didn¡¯t work. Of course, the more he did that, the more Lloyd pushed him away. ¡®You can¡¯t pull yourself together, can you? You don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on, do you? That¡¯s why I¡¯ll defeat you. You just spent the last month being convinced that you would win, but I¡¯m not!¡¯ He had analyzed his opponent thoroughly. He had predicted the whole situation that might happen in the duel. All sorts of preparations were made to win. And now, all of that resulted in this situation. Clang, tang! The shovel moved forward swiftly. Never overdid the range; never deviate from the centerline of the body; be as concise as possible. Sir Neumann¡¯s sword, which swung back, was dodged. Upon dodging the sword, Lloyd stepped with his left foot and stretched out the shovel¡¯s head. In the end, he snapped his shovel and slapped Sir Neumann¡¯s cheek with the flat part of the shovel. Lloyd¡¯s heart was beating hard like never before. It was caused by the mana circle which was created and wrapped around his heart. Kiiiing! Lloyd¡¯s first weapon for today¡¯s duel. It was a mana circle produced through Asrahan Core Technique. The mana absorbed from Sir Neumann was used as a power source and it rotated intensely. His heart thundered wildly, resonating with the rotation. With explosive energy, fresh blood was pumped all throughout the body. The blood was full with mana, which is released from the mana circle. ¡®This is the power of a single circle.¡¯ It was truly amazing. I never expected this level of power. I only expected to absorb Sir Neumann¡¯s mana and weaken him a little. The power, which was now radiating from my body, was completely beyond my expectations. In other words, I could take advantage and harness Sir Neumann¡¯s power! ¡®Sword Expert, this is incredible.¡¯ I felt like a superman. I realized how strong knights like Sir Neumann were. So, the second weapon he¡¯d prepared was a real shovel made entirely from steel. Clang! Kaaakakak! The steel shovel in Lloyd¡¯s hand flashed and moved. Whenever that happened, he blocked the sword wielded by Sir Neumann. The shovel was like a shield at the edge of a long pole. ¡®Everyone ignores it, but it turns out to be a great tool.¡¯ People who have done some shoveling in the army would know. The shovel wasn¡¯t something that could be dismissed as just a work tool. What if there¡¯s a troublesome root or a small tree root while digging? You just have to use the edge and strike it. The twisted small stems could be cut in a single swing. In itself, the shovel was indeed capable of performing the role of an axe. ¡®That¡¯s not all.¡¯ Historically, Lloyd knew that shovels had been used as weapons many times. Such as in the western front of World War I, where the horrendous trench warfare took place. Even in the bloody Siege of Stalingrad in World War II. In close combat fights, the shovel shone as a weapon. A determined swing using a shovel often broke the opponent¡¯s helmet and splits the skull. In addition to that, the shovel was indeed capable of performing various roles. ¡®You can use the broad shovel head as a shield. With the lower part of the shovel head, you can pull the opponent¡¯s weapon. With the pointed end, you can stab your opponent like using a spear.¡¯ What if you put the shovel upside down and stepped on the edge? ¡®You can ride it like a pogo stick!¡¯ It was like Carl MacGyver of the weaponry world. Lloyd had handled so many shovels. When he was chosen to become a military officer of the Republic of Korea¡¯s armed forces; or when he was working on construction sites to pay for his tuition. The shovel has always been his reliable companion. It was also his forte. In addition, he had invested his recent RP to develop a new skill. That was the third weapon he had prepared. It was an ¡®Expansion Skill: (Shoveling)¡¯ which I got by consuming 40 RP. Ding Dong! [Extension Skill: (Shoveling) is Active] [The shovel and I are now one! Today I decided to shovel!] [Skill level: 1] [Stamina consumption is reduced by 10% while using the shovel.] [Shovel¡¯s movement becomes 5% faster.] [Shovel¡¯s power becomes 5% stronger.] [The probability of missing with shovel is reduced by 20%] Using my most familiar tool, which is the shovel, plus the skill that makes shoveling efficient. This was his third weapon that was perfect for him. ¡®And, this is the last and fourth weapon.¡¯ Clack! Clang! Lloyd¡¯s shovel moved again. It completely shut down Sir Neumann¡¯s sword stabbing movement. The movement of the shovel head never deviated from Lloyd¡¯s body centerline. Simple, concise, and in a disciplined motion. That¡¯s why it¡¯s extremely efficient and practical. The motion was compatible and amazing enough with a shovel as a weapon. It was a combat method called bayonet that any man who had served in the Republic of Korea¡¯s military would¡¯ve mastered at least once. Whiiiik, clang! Whack, jab! I stepped aside and jabbed to the right. Sir Neumann dodged and swung his sword sideways. I blocked the sword on my lower left side. Whoosh! I followed the retreating Sir Neumann with concise steps. Then, I turned to the left and raised the shovel to block. At the same time, I kicked Sir Neumann¡¯s groin with a front kick. When Sir Neumann was flustered and bent down, I struck his temple with the shovel¡¯s handle. Wham! ¡°Keuuk!¡± Sir Neumann staggered and retreated. A smile crept up on Lloyd¡¯s lips as he breathed heavily. ¡®It works too, the bayonet.¡¯ In fact, the bayonet was never weak. It is considered easy for any Korean military personnel to learn, but its roots were surprisingly based on the small sword technique that was developed in Europe in the 18th century. There are also boxing steps combined. Ultimately, the technique was thoroughly accumulated and refined through various combat cases, such as World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. It was, without a doubt, an extremely practical hand-to-hand combat technique. ¡®Besides, this bayonet skill has great synergy with the shovel!¡¯ There must¡¯ve been quite a lot of people who played pranks by performing bayonet training using a shovel. Lloyd did that too. With the bayonet, Lloyd complemented the basic skills of swordsmanship that he had learned from Javier. The effect was astonishing. A mana circle from Asrahan Core Technique. A steel shovel as a weapon that is highly effective and versatile. An extension skill that can enhance shoveling. There¡¯s also a real-life combat technique, the bayonet, which is done based on Javier¡¯s teachings. The four weapons he prepared for today¡¯s duel created a powerful synergy. Sir Neumann, who was being complacent about the duel, was literally overwhelmed, no, rather crushed unilaterally. ¡°Keuukk!¡± Whack! Sir Neumann staggered when his temple got hit by the shovel¡¯s handle. However, he wasn¡¯t even given the chance to collapse. Lloyd¡¯s shovel caught him and struck again. Tang! I beat his sides with the shovel head. I even hit the top of his foot with the sharp tip of the shovel. Whack! ¡°¡­. Ughhhh!¡± Sir Neumann was going nuts. Every time he tried to counterattack, his mana got absorbed. The shovel, with its odd shape, unleashed a series of unpredictable attacks. That¡¯s right, it was because Lloyd¡¯s skillful movement when handling the shovel was unfamiliar. Moreover, Lloyd¡¯s every move was extremely shrewd. ¡®At this rate, I¡¯d lose!¡¯ I was furious. My temper flared. Most of the residents were here. However, I couldn¡¯t believe I got beaten by the young master who was a mere greenhorn bastard in front of them. He didn¡¯t even use a proper weapon, he only used a shovel. ¡®I¡¯ll kill you. I¡¯m going to kill you!¡¯ Sir Neumann¡¯s pupils were imbued with dark murderous spirit. Now, it didn¡¯t matter whether this was a duel or not. A greenhorn who humiliated me in front of everyone. Somehow, I¡¯ll put an end to that bastard, ¡®Because accidents are a common occurrence in a duel.¡¯ Hence, a mistake could be made when the sword pierced through the opponent¡¯s heart while stabbing the sword incorrectly; or when the sword unconsciously slashed the opponent¡¯s neck off. All these weren¡¯t that uncommon. And, what if these kinds of accidents happened right now? I had the confidence that I could manage the consequences. ¡®This territory is going to be ruined sooner or later, anyway. That¡¯s why I¡¯m leaving earlier than scheduled! I¡¯m gonna work with a new master! In the meantime, what if there are accidents? There¡¯s nothing I could do about it. It happened during the duel, so I can¡¯t be punished for it, right?¡¯ So when the duel is over, I could go into hiding. I can leave the territory earlier and find the new master. Sir Neumann, who had made such a plan, grasped his sword handle vigorously. I held the sword¡¯s sheath with my other hand. And pulled the sword out. Ssrrk! The long sword that had been wrapped in its sheath bared its icy fangs. Without hesitation, I reached straight towards Lloyd. And at the end of its route, there was Lloyd¡¯s heart. ¡°Huaaah!¡± Unlike before, that single strike was filled with bloodthirstiness. The residents, who were calmly watching, screamed unconsciously. Baron Frontera, who was sitting on the platform, jumped up in surprise. However, Lloyd himself wasn¡¯t affected, ¡®Well. So what?¡¯ There was a little bloodthirstiness. But, the strike was slow. He had already been beaten up so many times that was running out of strength. Nonetheless, Lloyd wasn¡¯t one who would fall for such a shabby counterattack, even if he used the sword without its sheath. Because Lloyd had predicted that there would be such a sneaky counterattack at least once. ¡®And I¡¯ve been waiting for this.¡¯ Clang! The steel shovel blocked the longsword as if it had been waiting for it. Just like what Sir Neumann tried to do earlier, he tangled the long sword with his shovel. Kaakakakak! I twisted it and swung, pulling it away. Then I shook it off. ¡°¡­. Uh?¡± Clack! Sir Neumann¡¯s long sword escaped from his grasp and flew into the sky. Then it fell to the ground ten steps away. ¡°¡­.¡± Silence hung around the training ground. Hundreds of the onlookers¡¯ eyes were stunned. Sir Neumann, whose sword flew away. Lloyd, who was pointing a shovel at Sir Neumann¡¯s face. It was an unbelievable, picture-perfect victory. However, Lloyd¡¯s business with him was far from over. ¡°Does a duel end when the opponent is spacing out? Huh?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Kuang! Amidst everyone¡¯s silence, Lloyd¡¯s shovel moved again. The empty-handed Sir Neumann got smacked more firmly on the face. Was it for the sake of venting my anger? No, it wasn¡¯t. ¡®It¡¯s just the beginning. Starting from now.¡¯ Again, I intended to cut the rotten sprouts that had taken root on this territory. ¡®First of all, the confession of the traitor.¡¯ Lloyd¡¯s eyes gleamed as cold as ever when he looked towards Sir Neumann. CH 16 Sir Neumann is a senior knight of Frontera Barony. He hated this rural territory. He wanted to be successful. Living in luxury. However, reality wasn¡¯t that pretty. The Frontera Barony is a remote land in the countryside of the kingdom. In its own way, the place was nice to enjoy some rustic peacefulness. But that was all. Enjoying such complacency, he thought, was only suitable for a retired old man. In other words, this place didn¡¯t suit him. He believed that his talent shouldn¡¯t rot away in a place like this. ¡®I wanted to escape!¡¯ I wanted to abandon this land and leave. I wanted to be successful and play in bigger water. I wanted to enjoy wealth and honor that everyone would envy. To do so, he wanted to withdraw the oath he pledged to Baron Frontera. However, that was impossible. Knights who withdrew their oath to the Lord are ostracized wherever they go. No lord would be willing to take such a knight as a subordinate. A knight who betrayed his master. A knight who strayed from his chivalry. An abandoned knight, he would be branded as such. So, he thought, ¡®If he can¡¯t leave his master and this territory, why not make them bankrupt and perish?¡¯ Like that, he won¡¯t be branded as a traitor. He¡¯ll be able to leave this godforsaken land without any blame. The plan was put into action. He contacted an outsider. He sold information about the territory and the baron. As a result, the baron was caught up in a huge investment scam. After suffering from severe financial shortage, the baron was forced to reach out to the loan shark. He was glad. The baron¡¯s bankruptcy was sure to be imminent. That meant the day of his freedom was near. ¡®All of my plans were successful. All I had to do was to wait a little bit longer. But, why? Why is this happening?¡¯ Why am I here getting beaten up by the greenhorn Young Master right now? Huik! ¡°¡­.!¡± A shovel was closing in. The flat shovel head grew bigger and bigger in his vision. With a clear and fine sound that rang throughout the world, his head turned because he got smacked. The intense impact that resonated throughout the inside of his aching bones was a bonus. Whack! ¡°Keuk!¡± Sir Neumann¡¯s legs felt weak. But, he managed to keep on standing. Instead, he screamed gutturally to the world, feeling unfair. ¡°S, stop! I already have no sword in my hand!¡± That was the truth. He lost the sword earlier. From then on, he was unarmed. The winner of the duel was clearly decided. At this point, the duel should¡¯ve ended. According to Sir Neumann¡¯s common sense and the most universal and reasonable procedure, the result should¡¯ve been concluded. However, reality was even a bigger sh*thole. So what if I was empty-handed? Lloyd¡¯s attack still didn¡¯t cease. When I fell down and tried to stand up, I still got beaten. I repeatedly shouted that I surrendered, however he kept attacking as if he didn¡¯t hear anything. Even when I tried to run away, he followed and swung his shovel again! ¡°Ss, Ssto! Stop! Don¡¯t insult me anymore!¡± I couldn¡¯t stand it so I shouted loudly. However, there was no answer. Instead of an answer, only a shovel swung closer, determinedly. Whaaack! ¡°¡­. Cough!¡± The pain went off again. ¡®Somebody, please¡­ stop him.¡¯ My eyes were unfocused. If I continued to get beaten like this, I felt like I could die. There was no time to think about my pride. I gazed desperately at Baron Frontera, who was sitting on the platform. ¡®My Lord! Please help me!¡¯ Even when the duel was over, Lloyd still swung his shovel like a madman. The only one who can stop that son of a b*tch is his father, the baron. Thinking so, Sir Neumann desperately turned to the baron¡¯s direction. I raised my head and reached out to the baron with a pathetic look in my eyes. ¡®Please!¡¯ As the most forefront knight, it didn¡¯t even occur to me at the moment that I had betrayed my master, the baron. Regardless of my ingratitude, avoiding this situation is much more important. Fortunately, my feelings reached the baron. I saw the baron standing up on the platform. ¡°Lloyd, stop it. I think the duel is already over.¡± Baron Frontera¡¯s voice echoes throughout the training ground. Although it was quiet, the voice contained authority as the master of this land. At this point, everyone thought. Oh, at this point, the scoundrel Young Master will cease his shoveling. Farmer A, woodcutter B, housewife C, and soldier D, all thought the same thing. That train of thought was natural. That was the command from his father and the owner of this territory. No matter how misbehaved Young Master Lloyd was, nobody thought he would disregard the territory lord¡¯s orders by continuing to beat Sir Neumann. Though, everyone¡¯s assumptions were splendidly wrong. The clear beating sound continued to attack everyone¡¯s cochlea1. Wham! The shovel was raised in a beautiful arc just like the tee shot of a skilled professional golfer! It resulted in a powerful blow to Sir Neumann¡¯s jawline. ¡°¡­.Kuak!¡± ¡°What do you mean, kuak? It¡¯s not over yet, You should get hit more.¡± ¡°Keu, keuhhk, ugh! Cough!¡¯¡± ¡°Does it hurt? Is it unfair? Do you think I¡¯m crazy? Huh?¡± ¡°St, grrrrtk, stop¡­!¡± ¡°Do you want me to stop?¡± ¡°Tha, that¡¯s right¡­¡± ¡°Who are you to tell me what to do?¡± Whack! I hit his back with the shovel¡¯s handle. Sir Neumann cowered and screamed about it being painful again. However, Lloyd¡¯s gaze at Sir Neumann was still cold. ¡®Does it feel unfair? There¡¯s no choice for you. Because you¡¯re an example. If you don¡¯t want to get beaten like this, you shouldn¡¯t have turned your back on someone who trusts you.¡¯ Frankly, that was my honest feeling. Technically, he¡¯s a traitor. However, what if you¡¯re being soft and then forgive him? Will there be a beautiful story of repentance, reflection, and rebirth to become a new person? ¡®No, absolutely not.¡¯ Lloyd shook his head. Such stories only exist in fairy tales. I knew too well how vile and nasty reality was. Because I had lived a loathsome life at the very bottom when in the Republic of Korea. ¡®That was also the case in the goshiwon. Just like the man who got caught stealing my soy sauce out of the shared fridge. I should¡¯ve been angry that time. I shouldn¡¯t have let him go.¡¯ Frankly, I was flustered at the time. I missed the timing to get angry. Eventually, I only laughed awkwardly and told him to not do it again next time in a nice tone. And then what? ¡®He kept stealing.¡¯ What¡¯s worse, later he even asked me why I am so inflexible about sharing while living with each other. Looking back at it now, it felt so ridiculous I could only laugh. ¡®But you¡¯re going to let this guy go? That¡¯s nonsensical.¡¯ Human beings got brazen about even a single achievement that wasn¡¯t actually that good. But, what if you forgive the man who sold his Lord out? What if you do him a favor? You became a pushover. After that, those people of the same kind will think that we are easy, so they will hold hands to do similar things and line up just like vienna sausages. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to be an example today. That means you¡¯ll get trampled on until you¡¯re on the brink of death. It¡¯s not over yet. Cut the bullsh*t and get up.¡± I had prepared many weapons only for this day. Lloyd reached out his hand and yanked Sir Neumann¡¯s nape. His other hand raised the shovel. However, at that moment. ¡°Did you not hear me order you to stop!¡± The baron¡¯s roar could be heard. Lloyd flinched. Then, he looked back at the baron and answered casually. ¡°I heard you.¡± Whack! Along with the answer, the shovel struck Sir Neumann¡¯s head again. The corners of the baron¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°Are you aware of what you¡¯re doing right now?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Whabam! Every time Sir Neumann¡¯s head got hit, his body jolted. Anger emerged from the baron¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re dishonoring your opponent when the duel is already finished. And is that all? He is also the descendant of a family who had served our barony for five generations and a senior knight of the territory.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And even though he¡¯s been so trusted, he betrayed the Lord and the territory.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± The baron paused. Lloyd replied nonchalantly. ¡°I knew you would ask me, so I prepared it in advance. Take a look under the cloth of the table at the platform.¡± ¡°What the¡­.¡± ¡°There should be something I¡¯ve prepared.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The baron was taken aback. What the hell is he talking about? Sir Neumann had betrayed himself and the territory? Look under the cloth of the table at the platform? In the midst of confusion, the baron lifted the cloth on the table. Before long, his eyes widened. ¡°This is¡­.¡± There was an envelope under the cloth. He took out the envelope and opened it. Three to four handwritten letters poured out. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when you¡¯re done reading it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Something didn¡¯t feel right. Lloyd¡¯s attitude was too confident to dismiss it as him seeking trouble. The baron shifted his gaze to the letters. At first, slowly, one by one. It was not long before his eyes gradually trembled nervously. Eventually, he hastily read the contents of the letter with shaking hands. ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Grip! The baron gripped the letters. Before he knew it, he glowered at Sir Neumann with an incredible stare. It was inevitable. The letters¡ªwhich Lloyd showed to the baron¡ªwere the letters Sir Neumann received from selling Frontera Barony¡¯s internal information to the con-man. ¡®Tordes.¡¯ A name came to mind. He was a young merchant who had approached him. He was passionate, cautious, and adventurous-looking. One day, he staked his honor. And said that there was good land with good soil. Right now, the land was worthless. However, a few years later, the value would increase. So, what if I bought the land in advance right now? He bet my fortune would be multiplied many times in the future. I took his words. Of course, there are risks in every investment. What if the results of the investment are bad? What if it¡¯s less profitable than he thought? At that time, I thought I could just resell the land I bought. At least, I felt relieved that my predicament still could be salvaged. Without hesitating any longer, I bought the land with the territory¡¯s funds and took a debt. Then, I lost all those funds. ¡®It turned out the property that I bought was a fake property that existed only on paper.¡¯ Naturally, I lost all of my investment. Tordes, who had deceived me, gobbled up my investment and went into hiding without leaving any trace behind. Overnight, I was in debt without an income. ¡®But¡­ was it Sir Neumann who told Tordes the details of the financial status of the territory, my personal tastes, preferences, interests, etc?¡¯ I remembered the gifts I received from Tordes. From mahogany furniture to shirts adorned with pacific sea eagle feathers. All of the gifts were my cup of tea. It was the same with choosing a topic for conversation, too. Our interests always matched when talking to each other. I wondered how he could always scratch at my right itchy place properly. ¡®I thought we¡¯re very compatible. He approached me like that and won my trust.¡¯ The end of that trust was a painful betrayal and bankruptcy. However, it was Sir Neumann who collaborated with that swindler. Ba-dump! Ba-dump! I felt my blood boil. The sound of my heart beating pounded on my eardrums. I felt light-headed as if my eyes turned black. A bitter taste was left on Lloyd¡¯s mouth as he watched the baron. ¡®It must¡¯ve been a shock.¡¯ The truth that the one who had been right next to him was the bane of his destruction. He must¡¯ve felt shocked and betrayed when he realized it. Even from afar, the baron¡¯s complexion was pale. Even if he fell down right now, it wouldn¡¯t be strange. I wondered if I shouldn¡¯t have shown you that letter. But, there was no other choice. ¡®I have to show you evidence like that for you to realize the situation you¡¯re in.¡¯ I had Ppodong scamper around for this. Ppodong infiltrated Sir Neumann¡¯s bedroom, and I had him find those letters. The ¡®Iron-Blooded Knight¡¯ novel mentioned that Sir Neumann stored the scammer¡¯s reply letters in his night table drawer. ¡®As expected, the novel was correct.¡¯ Ppodong secretly snuck into Sir Neumann¡¯s bedroom with his small body as a hamster. Even if he was in his small body, he was powerful so he could open the drawer without much difficulty. That was how I was able to obtain the letter, which was the evidence of the betrayal. ¡®In that letter, the con-man promised to hire Sir Neumann in the future. Along with a magic signature to prove that the letter was real. That¡¯s why Sir Neumann couldn¡¯t get rid of this letter carelessly. Thanks to that, I¡¯m able to catch him.¡¯ Suddenly, it felt even more bitter. If only this had been the case in South Korea. If only the fraudsters who deceived my father had left some evidence. If there was, his family wouldn¡¯t be so miserable. At least, my father and mother wouldn¡¯t have died. ¡®Phew, let¡¯s not get sentimental right now.¡¯ Lloyd shook his head. Now was not the time to be sentimental. It was time to take advantage of the situation he had designed. With that in mind, Lloyd raised his head. He spoke to the baron whose complexion was still pale. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re dizzy, sit down for a while and catch your breath.¡± ¡°¡­. I understand.¡± The baron barely managed to respond. Looking at him, Lloyd thought. As expected, is not a strong man. He is just a kind man who is only capable of leading the territory in a good faith. Such a man is praised as a saint in times of peace. However, in times of crisis, what if the ability to overcome adversity is required? His good heart will be easy to be taken advantage of. He quickly turned into a pushover. In other words, he will get eliminated. ¡®It¡¯s clear that he¡¯s hesitating on how to deal with his underling even though he realized he had been betrayed.¡¯ The baron was obviously looking shocked and confused. Sir Neumann had been considered as his underling until now. How to accept his betrayal. How to deal with him. He must be hesitant because he doesn¡¯t have a strong heart. ¡®Then, I¡¯ll do it for you.¡¯ Someone has to do it anyway. If you don¡¯t do it now, the territory¡¯s law and order will be ruined. Thinking so, Lloyd opened his mouth. ¡°I, Lloyd Frontera, the son of Arcos Frontera, would like to say something as the heir of this territory.¡± ? Cochlea: is a part of the inner ear that plays a key part in the hearing sense. CH 17 ¡°I, Lloyd Frontera, the son of Arcos Frontera, would like to say something as the heir of this territory.¡± Lloyd¡¯s voice echoes throughout the training ground. Before he knew it, everyone¡¯s gaze was focused on him. Some farmers gulped down their saliva; some woodcutter clenched their fists unconsciously; some brewer also had their lips twitching. This situation was something no one had ever imagined. Sir Neumann, a senior knight of the territory, was defeated. He was trampled on not by a knight, but by Lloyd, the Lord¡¯s son who they thought was nothing but a rascal. That alone was quite shocking. However, that wasn¡¯t the end. Lloyd continued to attack even after the duel ended. The baron, who couldn¡¯t stand it, angrily ordered Lloyd to stop. But Lloyd then replied proudly. He said Sir Neumann had betrayed the territory and his master. Everyone doubted their ears. However, the baron¡¯s complexion turned pale after reading the letter which they didn¡¯t know what it was. He sat down helplessly, as if his legs were jelly. Then, he gave Sir Neumann a devastating look. Thanks to that, everyone was able to grasp the general situation, albeit roughly. ¡®Does this mean Young Master Lloyd is telling the truth?¡¯ It seemed likely, judging from the baron¡¯s reaction. Then, from now on, what will happen to Sir Neumann? All of the fief resident¡¯s eyes who gathered on the training ground were drawn towards Lloyd. They waited for a declaration to come out from his mouth. Lloyd also felt their gaze. ¡®It¡¯s important from now on.¡¯ How much preparation did he make to create this situation? He had compiled every content he remembered from the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel. Thus, he had considered the current state of the territory plus the relationships and the feelings of the characters he knew. He also anticipated changes from the novel¡¯s contents that resulted from his actions. In other words, he made this situation by speculating almost dozens of scenarios one by one. Of course, among them, there was the baron¡¯s reaction which could be seen right now. ¡®If I make a too harsh proposal here, it¡¯ll backfire.¡¯ The baron is a kind man. A soft-hearted person. No matter how much Sir Neumann betrayed him, he won¡¯t think of taking a cold-blooded disposition all of a sudden. So, what if I openly suggest harsh measures? It occurred to me that there would be a high risk of the baron showing his disapproval. ¡®Now is the time to bait him.¡¯ I could only express my opinion anyway. The decision maker is still the baron. So, I have to bait the baron first. Only then could I get the result I wanted. Lloyd cleared his throat. ¡°You must be very concerned. Yes, so am I. Sir Neumann had been in our territory for a long time and in the meantime, he had made a lot of contributions.¡± ¡°Hmm. Do speak more.¡± He must¡¯ve wondered because unexpectedly, I was defending Sir Neumann. The baron tilted his head and Lloyd continued, ¡°Of course, Sir Neumann¡¯s role in this incident is shocking. He turned his back to the Lord and caused great harm to the territory.¡± ¡°In other words, are you trying to say that there are both merits and demerits, is that it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Fortunately, it worked well. The baron is a kind man, but not a dull man. ¡°Then his meritorious deeds are for naught. Are you asking me to take Sir Neumann¡¯s every deed into account and deal with this?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Well, from the way you speak, it seems that you have a separate way of punishment in mind.¡± ¡°Of course I have.¡± Lloyd smirked. Just like uprooting a bull¡¯s horn in one go, I told him the punishment method I had thought of in advance. ¡°Let¡¯s drop a ¡®rat¡¯ on his head.¡± ¡°¡­. A rat?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Then, Lloyd continued. ¡°I¡¯ll drop a rat on Sir Neumann¡¯s head. If he¡¯s not hurt at all, why don¡¯t we give him a chance to reflect upon his mistake?¡± ¡°An opportunity for him to reflect¡­.¡± ¡°I think it would be appropriate to demote him to the rank of a regular soldier.¡± ¡°Do you mean that he should repent his past mistake and prove his loyalty by serving as a regular soldier?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The baron fell silent. Unconsciously, the baroness clasped her hands. The rest of the territory¡¯s residents turned to the person next to them and broke the silence. Whispering and muttering to each other. ¡°Hey, what does that mean?¡± ¡°They said they¡¯re dropping a rat?¡± ¡°Right? That¡¯s what you heard too, right?¡± ¡°Yes. They said they¡¯d drop the rat on Sir Neumann¡¯s head.¡± ¡°Is that the punishment? Is that all?¡± ¡°Umm. I don¡¯t know the reason, but perhaps?¡± Some farmers shrugged their shoulders. Some woodcutters tilted their heads. It didn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°Is there anyone who would get hurt just by getting a rat dropped on your head?¡± ¡°Well, I think it might be possible.¡± ¡°How could that be?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re afraid of rats, you could scream after getting startled then fall down while running around, right?¡± ¡°¡­. But Sir Neumann wouldn¡¯t do that, would he?¡± ¡°No matter what?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Because he¡¯s a knight.¡± The housewives also whispered and chattered loudly with their friends who were next to them. They made guesses and tried to rack their brains. However, no matter how much they thought about it, it was unlikely that Sir Neumann would be hurt by such punishment. In other words, everyone interpreted Lloyd¡¯s suggestion in this way, ¡°He¡¯s going to forgive Sir Neumann, isn¡¯t he? Right, Javier?¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± Sir Bayern, who was beside him, inquired. At the question, Javier nodded. ¡°Perhaps, he decided that this punishment is enough.¡± ¡°The Young Master Lloyd?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± Javier continued, ¡°Sir Neumann had already been humiliated enough in front of everyone. And, even if he were to be forgiven like this, his humiliation wouldn¡¯t end just yet.¡± ¡°I suppose so. He¡¯ll be deprived of his rank as a knight and have to serve as a regular soldier.¡± ¡°Yes. That in itself would be a disgrace. It¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Just what?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something odd.¡± ¡°Something odd?¡± ¡°Lloyd-nim¡¯s suggestion. Personally, it¡¯s a bit surprising.¡± Sir Bayern turned his head to look at me, as if asking what I meant by that. After a short pause, Javier said, ¡°It¡¯s too moderate. Too excessively benevolent. That¡¯s why it doesn¡¯t suit Lloyd-nim. I think he¡¯s¡­ No, he¡¯s not that great of a person.¡± Honestly, it was like that. Lloyd Frontera was the one I escorted. That human being, whom I¡¯ve watched from the side, was not the type of a man who wouldn¡¯t hold grudges. ¡®That fellow is quite terrible. He¡¯s thorough, tenacious, and cheap.¡¯ He¡¯s not a bad guy. Though, he¡¯s also not a good-hearted guy. There¡¯s a side of him that¡¯s incredibly petty. He would never ever do anything that would make him lose money. In a nutshell, he¡¯s a thoroughly clever man. That was Javier¡¯s most candid assessment of Lloyd recently. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ One day, that man changed dramatically. He stopped making trouble every day. Instead, he became incredibly petty. He meticulously pocketed the construction payments he got from the fief residents. When he realized he was short a few coins, he ran over to get them even if he was eating dinner. ¡®In addition to that, the lullaby service? He has me at his beck and call completely with that odd thing.¡¯ A parade of weird academic terms every night. Thanks to that, I could sleep soundly. At first, I was happy, as if I had conquered the whole world. However, I had to realize it wasn¡¯t as sweet as I thought. ¡®Because the price is too expensive.¡¯ Several times a day, I had to hear threats and whatnots from that human being. ¡°If you don¡¯t teach me swordsmanship, I¡¯ll stop the lullaby service.¡± ¡°You know that we both are the copyright holders of Asrahan Core Technique, right? If you don¡¯t acknowledge it, I¡¯ll stop the lullaby service.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m a little thirsty. But you know what? I¡¯ll extend the lullaby service for you by one day.¡± ¡­. It went like that. He abused his power that way. It felt like I was being more gullible day by day. I can¡¯t escape from his evil scheme. No, I don¡¯t dare to escape. All because his lullaby service is so effective! ¡®¡­. Sigh. The more I think about it, the worse it gets. Besides, would a man as thorough as him forgive Sir Neumann for betraying the territory and going against him like this? Nonsense. I don¡¯t know what he was like in the past when he was a drunkard. But, the recent him won¡¯t forgive his opponent so easily.¡¯ Surely, there must be something else. That human being certainly had been hiding vicious schemes. Thinking so, Javier looked at Lloyd with his eyes wide open. Of course, Javier was the only one who got suspicious about Lloyd in this training ground. The rest of the people were different. Everyone was amazed at Lloyd¡¯s unexpected generosity. Amongst them, Baron Frontera got surprised the most. ¡®That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve made a moderate judgment on your own, Lloyd.¡¯ The baron nodded internally. It was unexpected. Thus, he was delighted. ¡®I thought you would always be an impregnable child who runs wild without realizing how scary the world actually is.¡¯ No. Now that I look at him, I was wrong. My son, Lloyd, had grown into a praiseworthy man in no time. ¡®This is great. Now it makes sense. I wondered why you were having a dispute with Sir Neumann, the senior knight of this territory. It seems that you already knew of Sir Neumann¡¯s betrayal ever since.¡¯ This must¡¯ve been why he deliberately created a conflict with Sir Neumann. You must¡¯ve intentionally proposed to have a duel. To punish Sir Neumann severely in front of everyone. ¡®Yes, it must¡¯ve been to punish him and alert everyone else. At the same time, you¡¯ve shown your wisdom to seek realistic benefits for the territory by showing generosity at this moment, in contrast to everyone¡¯s expectations.¡¯ The more I thought about it, the more remarkable it was. Even though he¡¯s a traitor, Sir Neumann is a valuable human resource. ¡®Hiring a knight of that level is not easy.¡¯ This land was a rural area on the periphery, all the way to the end. The outskirts were avoided by a tantalizing number of knights. Especially knights who were on the verge of becoming Sword Expert. ¡®Enacting discipline in the territory through harsh punishment. At the same time, it also gives the traitor room for self-reflection and rehabilitation by giving them unexpected generosity and opportunities. Thus, we could make the most out of this without abandoning the traitor¡¯s ability. It¡¯s really great.¡¯ Sir Neumann must¡¯ve also felt something about this. He would be moved by the generous decision that saved him. He would sincerely reflect on his past mistakes and become more loyal to the fief. The baron felt his heart soar. ¡®I can¡¯t believe my son thought of this.¡¯ What a wide range of knowledge and calculation. The more I thought about it, the prouder I got that it felt like I¡¯m going to burst into tears. The baron nodded whilst struggling to press down his joy by crinkling his nose. ¡°Good. Lloyd, I accept your suggestion. Sir Neumann? What do you think? Are you willing to accept the opportunity Lloyd had proposed?¡± ¡°¡­. Yes! I¡¯m willing!¡± Sir Neumann, who had been drooping all this time, nodded his head. Although he was badly beaten and in tatters, his ears were still open. Naturally, he heard Lloyd¡¯s suggestion to the baron. For Sir Neumann, it was a suggestion that would benefit him. ¡®You¡¯re just going to drop a rat on my head? If I don¡¯t get hurt, you¡¯re going to forgive me? If the condition is like this, I¡¯ll certainly accept it!¡¯ I¡¯ll get forgiven If I manage to get through this. And then what? ¡®What do you mean by self-reflection? Demotion to a regular soldier? What nonsense.¡¯ I don¡¯t have the slightest intention of being disgraced like that ¡®I¡¯m going to leave this awful land right away. Then, I¡¯ll avenge myself.¡¯ Grrtk! I gnashed my teeth secretly so it won¡¯t get noticed. With a look of remorse and regret, I spoke to the baron in a quivering voice. ¡°I¡¯ll prove it right away. I beg your pardon. Please give me a chance to accept Young Master Lloyd¡¯s wise suggestion.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The baron nodded. ¡°Lloyd, is there any rat ready to be dropped on Sir Neumann¡¯s head?¡± ¡°Yes, I knew this would happen, so I prepared it in advance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Then, proceed.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± At last, the baron granted his permission. Sir Neumann¡¯s lips curled up. A wicked smile also bloomed on Lloyd¡¯s lips. ¡°Look, Sir Neumann? Did you just smile? Feeling happy?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s right. Congratulations. Do you think this is a good chance to beg for forgiveness?¡± ¡°What¡­ does that mean?¡± Sir Neumann tilted his head. This situation was pleasant, but something felt wrong. Why is that human being smiling so happily? I wonder why that smile felt so cold. ¡°What do you think it means?¡± Lloyd¡¯s smile became more wicked. Before I knew it, there was a small hamster in his hand. On his other hand, there was a red sunflower seed. Only Sir Neumann, who was nearby, saw it. ¡°That means, the best way for you to beg for forgiveness is to remember that there¡¯s none.¡± ¡°¡­. Pardon?¡± The moment Sir Neuman asked back, feeling uneasy, Crunch! The hamster munched on the red sunflower seed. Lloyd threw the hamster to the air and retreated. And¡­. Boom! ¡°Ppodong! Crush him!¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± A giant hamster, approximately 10 meters in length, fell down on Sir Neumann with his whole body. CH 18 ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± Ppodong jumped off. He landed on his plump belly. An object that was caught between his fat belly and the floor was badly crushed. Crack! The walnut¡¯s shell got crushed. Ppodong smiled brightly as he took out the kernels between the crushed shell. ¡°Ppo-dong? Ppo-do-dong. Ppo-dong.¡± ¡°Delicious?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± Ppodong packed the walnut kernels inside his cheek pockets at the speed of light. Lloyd laughed at the sight. ¡°Do you want some more?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°Should I break the shell and give it to you?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong? Ppo-do-dong!¡± ¡°Yeah. Wait a minute.¡± Lloyd gripped the walnut in his right hand. Then he stretched out and held up his left hand. After that, he tried to do the Asrahan Core Technique. ¡®Phew.¡¯ His heart beat as he took a breath. A tiny beat produced a suction force. The suction force flowed to his left hand. The surrounding energy was drawn through his open palms. It was natural mana that spread throughout the air. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s working.¡¯ Of course, the force wasn¡¯t that big. The mana that spread in the air just got slightly dragged. Moreover, his Asrahan Core Technique was only a single circle and at beginner stage right now. However, that was enough. Whirr! He drew the mana he had drawn with his left hand to the outside of his heart. And rotated it alongside the single circle around the heart. The mana in the circle was amplified. He sent the amplified mana to his right hand. The walnut was gripped using the additional power on his original grip strength. ¡°Uuu¡­ghh!¡± Crack! The walnut¡¯s hard shell was crushed. ¡®Whoa, there we go.¡¯ Breaking walnuts with bare hands. In the past, I wouldn¡¯t even dare to think about it. Feeling joyful about the success, I gave Ppodong a walnut kernel. ¡°Now, here.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong!¡± ¡°Yeah, I like it too.¡± Now, there was a feeling that I have a body beyond the level of an ordinary person¡¯s physical strength. I felt a bit relieved at that. ¡®This is a world where everyone brings a sword.¡¯ This is not South Korea. This is a place where there are Ma Dong Sik-like1I think the author here was referring to Ma Dong Seok (???), a South-Korean born American actor, known for his ¡®tough guy¡¯ persona roles. Before becoming an actor, he was the personal trainer of mixed martial artists Mark Coleman and Kevin Randleman. bandits who would engrave friendly marks with a sword on your body right when you leave the mansion. But, what if you live without even the slightest ability to protect yourself? ¡®You never know when you¡¯ll get killed accidentally by a sword. I absolutely don¡¯t want that. That¡¯s a no-no.¡¯ I thought it was good to learn the Asrahan Core Technique from Javier. It was then. Knock knock. Someone knocked on the bedroom door. ¡°Lloyd-nim? Are you there?¡± A peculiar cynical voice tone. It was Javier. Lloyd grinned. I stood up and opened the bedroom door. As expected, Javier was standing in front of the door. ¡°You¡¯re not a good and gentle man either. Come in.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Nothing. Did you do what I told you to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on my way back from reporting to the Lord.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The baron didn¡¯t say anything?¡± ¡°Are you asking if he mentioned something in particular?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°He did.¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Sir Neumann wished me luck.¡± ¡°Well, you do need to be lucky. The same with Sir Neumann from now on.¡± Sir Neumann. When I thought of him, mocking laughs continued to pour out. At the same time, I remembered what had happened a few days ago. The day I dueled with him and exposed his betrayal. ¡®He¡¯s lucky, too.¡¯ No, in this case, should I say that he was extremely unlucky? To begin with, Sir Neumann didn¡¯t die. He showed off his strong vitality that could withstand being crushed by the belly of giant Ppodong. However, the price of saving his life was huge. He suffered massive fractures on dozens of his bones all over his body. The scene looked so terrible. It looked like a half-dried squid from the dried fish section that got thrown and stuck on the floor. Even the fief doctor, who examined his condition, shook his head. ¡®Oh my, this is not what living is. Even if you¡¯re lucky enough to be cured by heaven, you will never be able to live as a human being like others. Walking and standing will be impossible. And, you can only barely swallow the porridge others feed you until you die.¡¯ ¡­. That was the doctor¡¯s diagnosis. And, Sir Neumann was banished out of the territory today after days of treatment, barely surviving the crisis. ¡°Well, at least he¡¯s been banished with his family altogether, so he won¡¯t die right away.¡± ¡°Probably.¡± That wasn¡¯t all. Sir Ulrich and Sir Conte, who usually followed Sir Neumann, were also banished together like a set menu. They got the tendons of one hand and one foot cut off as their punishment. ¡®They won¡¯t be able to wield a sword for the rest of their life. It¡¯s a little unfortunate, but the establishment of discipline within the territory is thus a success.¡¯ In the novel, they were the ones who would turn their backs on this territory anyway. Not only would I be distracted if I forgive them, but they would harm me if left alone. So, I wanted to get rid of them early. And today, that goal was achieved. I felt relieved. ¡°Thanks to that, you¡¯re now the deputy commander. Now, Sir Asrahan? How do you feel?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything particular.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s only two knights remaining in this territory, me and Sir Bayern.¡± ¡°Um, do you feel lonely?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Tsk. I see. Our Javier is bored because he doesn¡¯t have any friends. I see.¡± ¡°Of course not¡­.¡± ¡°I know. I understand. That¡¯s life, I guess.¡± ¡°Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°What? Why? What? What are you going to do with that serious face?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do you have anything to say to me?¡± From what I noticed, it seemed that was the case. As expected, Javier nodded. ¡°Yes. I do have something I want to ask you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°That hamster.¡± Javier¡¯s hand pointed to Ppodong, who was hovering over the walnut kernels on the desk. His expression became serious. His eyes became more cautious. This made Lloyd a little nervous. What the hell is he trying to ask with such stern and serious demeanor? ¡®What? Are you doubting my summon?¡± That possibility occurred to me. It was a fairly likely story. ¡®I mean, I intentionally have been carrying a basic summoning magic book on my side for a month, but that alone seemed to be not enough to avoid suspicion.¡¯ Summoning magic is also magic. So, what if I¡¯m not considered a prodigy? It won¡¯t make any sense if I¡¯m able to use summoning techniques with a month of self-study. ¡®Well, what can I do? Tell him honestly about the RP system or the Random Summon of Phantom Species? You wouldn¡¯t believe it even more. That¡¯s why I have to insist.¡¯ It¡¯s true that he had succeeded in being self-taught. This is how I have to insist. Lloyd thought so while waiting for Javier¡¯s question. Javier, who had been taking his time with his serious expression, opened his mouth, ¡°What should I call him?¡± ¡°¡­. Huh?¡± ¡°I want to know his name.¡± ¡°No way. His name?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re curious about?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Because Lloyd-nim summoned him, after all.¡± ¡°Aha, you¡¯re going to see him often, so you want to know his name?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then, why did you set the atmosphere like that for no reason?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°¡­. Sigh. It¡¯s Ppodong. His name. There you go.¡± ¡°Did you say, Ppodong?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s a shabby name compared to its giant grandeur.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m the one who gave him a name?¡± ¡°¡­. creating a humble name is the basis of camouflage that can catch the enemy off-guard. It¡¯s a good name.¡± ¡°For real?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Blah-blah. Nevermind. I¡¯m not the one who named him. But it¡¯s true that Ppodong is his name.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll¡­.¡± ¡°Call him yourself.¡± ¡°I understand. Sir Ppodong?¡± Javier made eye contact with Ppodong. Ppodong, who was hovering over walnut kernels, raised his head. ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°My name is Javier Asrahan. I¡¯m a knight who escorts Lloyd-nim. I¡¯m looking forward to working with you.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± Javier¡¯s long finger and Ppodong¡¯s small paw met to shake hands. Lloyd yawned. ¡°Have you finished your conversation?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, shall we get out of here? I¡¯ve been waiting for you to leave together because I had some business.¡± ¡°Do you mean with me?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. You¡¯re my escort anyway. Much stronger than me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Okay. Everyone¡¯s hiding their skills to some extent, isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier was surprised. Lloyd grinned. Javier had already reached the High Level SWord Expert. At first, I thought he wasn¡¯t fully aware of his level. I had no choice but to. Because that¡¯s how it was portrayed in the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel. ¡®But, when I actually saw it from the sidelines, it was a little different. It¡¯s different from reading novels.¡¯ Javier and I quarreled every day. As I learned swordsmanship from Javier, I could look at him closely and realize. Javier has an accurate understanding of his own level. He¡¯s just been hiding his skills. Why? I didn¡¯t know yet. I could only guess. ¡®The youngest knight is on the verge of becoming a Sword Master. The mere discovery of his existence will cause chaos.¡¯ For instance, getting scolded by superiors such as Sir Neumann because of jealousy is a small consequence. As for the big consequence, it could be in the form of endless and constant recruitment attempts by nearby Lords. Because of such disturbance, it is certain that Baron Frontera would¡¯ve to put up with it. ¡®He didn¡¯t want to cause trouble like that. It¡¯s also an effort to keep his loyalty to the baron. He is a typical great man. He¡¯s talented and his personality is impeccable. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go out. The sun will set at this rate.¡± I stood up from my seat. As expected, Javier looked a little bit relieved. He didn¡¯t want to continue this topic right now. In fact, I was the same. ¡®I¡¯m keeping your secrets. So don¡¯t mention your questions about my shoveling.¡¯ I repeat, he¡¯s a genius in swordsmanship. There¡¯s no way such a man could fail to grasp the true nature of bayonet technique which has a long history. ¡®At least, you would¡¯ve noticed that for a beginner like me, that technique wasn¡¯t something created from me fooling around.¡¯ Martial arts and sports can be comprehended as deep as your knowledge about it. When I think about boxing mixed with martial arts, I¡¯m certain of this. When I didn¡¯t know about boxing, watching boxing matches was so boring. Throughout the match, mixed martial arts were applied. Nevertheless, what about after I actually learned boxing in high school? After I learned jujitsu in a club at university? Everything changed. The boxing match, which was like a sleeping pill, became so much fun. The ground fight in a martial art scene, which was seen only as a public battle on the floor, became an exciting jackpot. All of this was because what I can see increased as much as my knowledge. Then, what about Javier, the genius and the greatest swordsman of all time in history? Naturally, he would understand most of the bayonet¡¯s characteristics which I used. ¡®Yes, I can¡¯t avoid that. Nonetheless, I¡¯m still trying to figure him out. I¡¯ll keep his secret if he keeps his mouth shut.¡¯ I looked at Javier meaningfully. Did he realize my intentions? Javier gently stood up alongside me. ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll escort you.¡± So, I left the bedroom with Javier. Outside the mansion, I often encountered the fief residents as I walked. However, their reactions were quite different from before. In the past, they used to rush to the side of the road as soon as we ran into each other. They bowed their heads in fear of making eye contact. But, not anymore. A woman greeted me with a friendly smile. It was the same woman who was terrified until her hands were trembling on the first day I possessed Lloyd¡¯s body. It wasn¡¯t just her. A farmer openly smiled and inquired, ¡°Excuse me, Young Master? When will the construction of my ondol room be possible?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lloyd could clearly remember. This farmer, who was in front of him, had his complexion turned pale when I encountered him on the first day of the possession. While touching his chin, Lloyd asked back. ¡°Oh, umm. I can¡¯t remember very well, but where is your house located?¡± ¡°To the left of the rock which is located at the entrance of Oak Forest Valley.¡± ¡°Oh, there. Let¡¯s see. In terms of the order of sale contract, it¡¯s going to be next.¡± ¡°Then, when will the construction begin¡­?¡± ¡°Given the circumstances, in about 15 days? So wait a little longer. It¡¯s still spring anyway.¡± ¡°But, the wind is still cold.¡± ¡°Then, should I give you a hug? It¡¯ll be completely warm?¡± ¡°Tha, that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°No? Thank God. I don¡¯t like it either. It gives me goosebumps.¡± ¡°Anyway, um, please take good care of me, Young Master.¡± ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t forget to pay the construction fee.¡± ¡°Will you be there?¡± ¡°Yes. I understand, now I¡¯ll go first,¡± Lloyd managed to barely separate himself from the farmer who got stuck to him and take a few steps away. ¡®Sigh. I feel like I became a part of them abruptly.¡¯ From a few days ago, the resident¡¯s gaze and attitude had changed completely from before. ¡®The look in their eyes when they look at me is so bright. It feels like welcoming the bus driver when I was playing a game.¡¯ A bitter smile abruptly bloomed on my lips. I¡¯ve gotten an idea why they¡¯re doing that. Still, I wanted to check at least once. ¡°Hey.¡± I asked Javier who was by my side. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with everybody? Didn¡¯t they hate me openly before?¡± ¡°Well, they used to.¡± ¡°Used to?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, what about now?¡± As if it was natural, Javier answered. ¡°It¡¯s the birth of a talented man.¡± ¡°A talented man?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve defeated a senior knight of the territory with just a month of training. Of course they didn¡¯t know about the existence of Asrahan Core Technique, so it looked even more amazing. You exposed a senior knight¡¯s treachery and showed a shocking summoning magic in front of everyone.¡± ¡°¡­. Um, it¡¯s kind of embarrassing when you list all of them together. In short, do they think that I am a talented man in both swordsmanship and summoning skill?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Javier, who nodded, continued. ¡°Of course it must be very welcome from the residents¡¯ perspective. The irredeemable human being, who only drank alcohol every day and caused trouble, was being so capable that they wondered if you¡¯re still the same person.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°The future lord has transformed from a grim human scum who cannot be rehabilitated into a talented man out of the blue. The fief residents of course will cheer and rejoice.¡± ¡°Oh, that one, that¡¯s a compliment, right?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯re correct.¡± ¡°But, isn¡¯t it rather weighty for a compliment?¡± ¡°What do you mean by weighty?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I got stabbed in my solar plexus by the fact that is enough to reach 170 mph.¡± ¡°What do you mean by 170 mph?¡± ¡°Oh, my bone is broken. You bone-breaker expert.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Javier stared at me with a look that screamed ¡®what the hell are you talking about?¡¯. However, even that expression looked as cool and elegant as a painting. ¡®Yeah, that must be nice. To be so handsome.¡¯ Good at fighting, great personality, perfect-looking. Lloyd grumbled at the real-life version of his mum¡¯s friend¡¯s son, whose rumors were lush, but had no substance2I think this is a dig at Asian culture where your mom usually compares you to his friend¡¯s child who is better than you in many aspect. However, sometimes their abilities got exaggerated because the moms are the ones who actually competes.. ¡°Have you looked at everything? Then get out of my way. Let me survey the place.¡± ¡°What do you mean by survey?¡± ¡°From here to there.¡± Lloyd pointed at the ground with his hand. From the entrance of the mansion to the other side, through the territory to the foot of the eastern mountain. While looking around the place, Lloyd already activated his survey and design skills. Examine the terrain, grasp all of the information in detail, and overlay the blueprint of the desired design he wanted to build using the information that had been identified. Thanks to these, some future images of this place, which are yet to be built, were slightly visible to him. ¡°All roads lead to Rome. You¡¯ve never heard of it, have you?¡± Lloyd smiled and looked back at Javier. Of course, Javier didn¡¯t know the meaning of his laughter. The fact that paved roads, which would be the aorta of territorial development, was going to be built in this place. As a result, the Barony of Frontera would become one of the most influential territories in the kingdom. He couldn¡¯t even imagine about it at all. That was certainly the case until Lloyd continued his words next. tl/n: Sorry I¡¯m a little behind the schedule :¡¯) And, this chapter¡¯s illustration is too cute! I¡¯d greatly appreciate it if you would buy me a coffee! CH 19 All roads lead to Rome. It¡¯s something everyone would¡¯ve heard at least once. That saying originated from the numerous roads that were built during the ancient Roman period. ¡®The Roman Empire was completely enamored with roads.¡¯ Roads should be made as straight as possible. It should connect every nook and cranny in the vast territory. For them, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to drill holes in the mountains or build bridges in the valleys. Rome was the empire that upheld such beliefs the most. Thanks to that, they had paved roads with a total length of 85.000 km. Based on the equator, the length of the roads they paved would be enough to circle the earth twice and a little bit more. ¡°The road is just as important. Do you know the factor that has the greatest influence on a land¡¯s value?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really sure.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the traffic, traffic.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Amidst Javier¡¯s silence, Lloyd continued his words. ¡°Let¡¯s say you have a house. However, the road from that house to the market is very rough. You have to go over a mountain, cross the river, and even bungee jump. Whenever you go out, your mentality automatically shouts ¡®Let¡¯s go, Dream Team!¡¯1Let¡¯s Go! Dream Team is a Korean variety show where top celebrities compete against viewer contestants in fierce challenges.. Would you like to live in a house like that?¡± ¡°I think it will be great for training.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you swim and climb a mountain every day, your basic physical strength will get stronger. Bungee jump¡­ I don¡¯t know what that is, but it would also be great for sword training if it also brings an extreme experience.¡± ¡°Tsk, then let¡¯s see it from general public¡¯s point of view, not from a guy with a swordsmanship fetish like you.¡± ¡°Um, that¡¯s going to be a little difficult.¡± ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Now we¡¯re on the same page.¡± Feeling satisfied, the corners of Lloyd¡¯s mouth rose. ¡°It¡¯s not only applied to houses. The territory is the same. Do you know what our territory¡¯s biggest problem is?¡± ¡°In the past, it was Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But now, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Hmhmm. It¡¯s the road, the road.¡± ¡°The road?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Have you ever seen a properly paved road in our territory?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any.¡± ¡°Right? That¡¯s it.¡± It was the truth. Frontera Barony didn¡¯t have a single paved road. Along the road where many people frequented, grasses didn¡¯t grow. So, it naturally formed dirt roads that occasionally froze. I think this was the right time to change that. Additionally, getting the road¡¯s common benefits wasn¡¯t his end goal. Lloyd had a more important plan regarding the road¡¯s utilization. ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t have to know right away what I¡¯m trying to do. Can you step aside? I want to survey the place.¡± The reason for the road¡¯s construction would be apparent from the results regardless. So, rather than wasting time explaining, now is the time to implement it. I shooed my hand at Javier and examined the terrain where the road would be built. ¡®It¡¯d be best if we could lay asphalt, but that won¡¯t work here. Appian Way (Via Appia)2Via Appia or Appian Way: is one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic. The road began as a leveled dirt road, on which small stones and mortar were laid. Gravel was laid above and finally topped with tight-fitting, interlocking stones to provide a flat surface. The road was cambered in the middle (for water runoff) and had ditches on either side of the road that were protected by retaining walls. is the most suitable technology to be used here.¡¯ Lloyd recalled the Appian Way he had learned during his liberal arts lecture. It also happened to be the topic he researched and presented as a group project. ¡®The roads of early Rome. The mother and starting point of numerous roads in Rome. Thanks to the Appian Way, Rome was able to conquer the southern part of the Italian Peninsula successfully. Even to this day, that road still remains strong.¡¯ That road was built more than 2.000 years ago. However, it was still in good shape without needing any repair. This aspect showed a glimpse of ancient Rome¡¯s formidable civil engineering techniques. Lloyd planned to build a road just like Appian Way along the central area of the territory. ¡®From here to there.¡¯ From the entrance of the territory¡¯s mansion over there, straight through the territory to the base of the far eastern mountain. That part of the terrain was perfect to be used as the main road for the territory¡¯s growth in the future. But, there was something that had to be done before the construction began, survey and design. ¡®First, let¡¯s raise the skill¡¯s level. Lloyd opened the skill window. Ding dong. [Loading your skill list] [Basic Survey: Lv 2] [Basic Design: Lv 2] [Extension Skill-(Shoveling): Lv 1] ¡®Hm, I think I need to invest more in my survey and design skills.¡¯ For the time being, I surveyed and designed several ondol rooms. Thanks to the accumulated experience, the level of my basic survey and basic design skill increased by 1 each. However, this was still not enough to survey and design roads. ¡®The basic survey skill can only cover an area of 121 m2 each use. As for the basic design skill, the structure¡¯s volume is limited to 1.331 m3. This is too inefficient.¡¯ Lloyd furrowed his forehead. That was the truth. Not long ago, he tested how many skills he could use at once. The result wasn¡¯t as satisfactory as he expected. The limit was 10 times for basic survey and design skills respectively. Trying more than that brought extreme fatigue and dizziness. Then, the skill naturally canceled on its own. It even took me almost a day of recovery to use the skill again. In conclusion, with my current skill level, only an area of 1.210 m2 and a volume of 13.310 m3 can be measured and designed per day. ¡®This is not going to work. The distance from here to that mountain is so long. We have to hurry the construction a little to finish before the rainy season comes in spring.¡¯ I didn¡¯t have much time. Thankfully, I¡¯d gathered quite a few of RP. [Current RP: 659] ¡­ No, a lot was piled up. ¡®Should I at least give Sir Neumann a thank-you note?¡¯ It was thanks to the duel and Sir Neumann¡¯s defeat that my favorability with many people was improved. 20 points of favorability from the baron, 2 from Javier, and 1 from Sir Bayern. On top of that, the fief resident¡¯s accumulated favorability rose by 6 points. Because of this, I was able to gather a whopping 507 RP that day alone. Even so, I didn¡¯t waste RP hastily. If I keep it, there will come a day when it will be useful. With that faith, I frugally kept the RP up until now. And finally, the time to use the RP I saved had come. ¡®Well let¡¯s see. Let¡¯s raise one level each for a test.¡¯ Lloyd moved his gaze to one side of the skill window. There was a skill-up button. He blinked his eyes at the button, the gesture was similar to clicking a mouse. Ding dong. [Skill Level Up List] [Basic Survey: Lv 2 ¡ú 3 (RP Consumed: 10)] [Basic Design: Lv 2 ¡ú 3 (RP Consumed: 10)] [Extension Skill-(Shoveling): Lv 1 ¡ú 2 (RP Consumed: 15)] ¡®Survey and design.¡¯ Two skills were chosen. Ding dong. [Skill Level Up!] [Basic Survey: Lv 3] [Area that can be surveyed at once: 144 m2] [RP required for next level-up: 15] [Basic Design: Lv 3] [Volume of the structure that can be designed at once: 1.728 m3] [RP required for next level-up: 15] [Current RP: 639] The skill¡¯s impact has slightly increased. However, I couldn¡¯t be satisfied with this. ¡®While we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s invest in them properly.¡¯ Survey and design were his lifelines. It was not the time to be stingy about investing in them. Lloyd boldly poured out his remaining RP. The levels of survey and design skill were increased dramatically. Level 3 to level 4; level 5 to level 6. Finally, I leveled them up from level 9 to 10. When I invested some RP once more and raised those skills to level 11, a slightly different message popped out in my mind. Ding dong! [Skill Rank Up!] [Basic Survey Skill¡¯s rank has been upgraded to ] [Optional Skills have been unlocked due to skill rank up.] [Intermediate Survey: Lv 1] [Area that can be surveyed at once: 1.600 m2] [Skill-Only Option ¢Ù: Land Price Appraisal ¨C Appraise the unit price of the surveyed terrain at present time. (Error rate +/-5%)] [Skill-Only Option ¢Ú: GPR Scanning ¨C Automatically scan the surveyed terrain up to 5 meters underground. Identifies all elements within range, including ground composition, soil, bedrock, groundwater, buried resources, and many more.] [RP required for next level-up: 100] [Basic Design Skill¡¯s rank has been upgraded to ] [Optional Skills have been unlocked due to skill rank up.] [Intermediate Design: Lv 1] [Volume of the structure that can be designed at once: 64.000 m3] [Skill-Only Option ¢Ù: Architectural Printing ¨C Print the drawn design accurately (on designated paper, etc.).] [Skill-Only Option ¢Ú: Floor Plan Display (2D) ¨C Displays the design as a 2D floor plan on the actual land. (Note: Only visible to myself)] [RP required for next level-up: 100] [Current RP: 119] ¡®Oh my, a jackpot.¡¯ The changes in the skills¡¯ description made my eyes wide open. I wasn¡¯t even bothered at the RP which had been consumed tremendously. ¡®The skills¡¯ limitations on survey¡¯s area and design¡¯s volume have increased immensely. However, there was something even more amazing than that.¡¯ Lloyd gazed upon the Intermediate Survey¡¯s optional skills. These optional skills were added when the skill rose above Beginner Lv 10 and ranked up to Intermediate. The contents of these optional skills were truly amazing. ¡®Land appraisal? It¡¯s just like a complete real estate application because you can literally appraise the land¡¯s current market price. In addition, it can also scan the underground.¡¯ Let¡¯s try it for now. Lloyd cast his gaze into the distance and activated the Intermediate Survey skill. ¡°Survey.¡± Bzzzt Lloyd¡¯s eyes faintly glowed blue. At the same time, the landscape he was looking at changed. Within the range of a square-shaped area 40 m2 wide and 40 m2 long that was designated by his gaze, several pieces of information have been added and displayed. The first information was the estimated price of the land. ¡®Oh my God¡­. Our territory, how could it be so cheap?¡¯ Currently, the place he scanned could be called as the center of the territory. Just like the yolk of an egg, with bars and several shops huddled together. However, the estimated selling price per pyeong31 pyeong: 3.3058 m2 was less than one gold! ¡®Hmph. I need to work harder.¡¯ Once again, I realized the condition of Baron Frontera¡¯s wealth. However, it was the story just for now. The price of the land will go up naturally when I cultivate the land. Lloyd then focused on other information that appeared from the survey skill. The information he noticed this time was the result of GPR scanning. ¡®This is a lot better than I thought.¡¯ Just like how the optional skill was described, the underground within the survey¡¯s range was visible clearly up to 5 meters deep. I could see how tree roots are intertwined inside the ground, how the groundwater flows, and even rabbit caves which were made in several places. Lloyd gulped unconsciously. ¡®This is awesome. Seriously.¡¯ So far, only information of the surface could be available when using the survey skill. In other words, there was no way to know what was underground except for digging the ground himself. However, that problem was resolved at once. ¡®This would be very useful especially when it comes to constructing the ground foundation.¡¯ Constructing a ground foundation is an absolute must. In particular, the bigger the building is, the more important the foundation construction is. What if the underground is messy when you are building a large bridge or dam? What if you didn¡¯t do the proper foundation construction? In a few moments, the building will soon reveal its problems. Tilted, cracked, or sunk. Eventually, it¡¯ll crumble and fall apart. Before that, there may be a situation where demolition has to be carried out with tearful eyes. It will be a catastrophe. Because you have paid so much money to build something just to pour more money into its demolition to prevent further damage. ¡®But if the GPR scanning is done automatically, it¡¯ll be much less likely to happen. The time used on constructing the foundation will be greatly reduced.¡¯ I can check the foundation construction in real time. The construction period will also be much shorter. This means I can save more money from the construction. ¡®The Intermediate Design¡¯s optional skills are also formidable.¡¯ This time, Lloyd paid attention and gazed at the two optional skills in the design skill. ¡®Architectural Printing and Floor Plan Display.¡¯ I wanted to use it right away. However, Javier was still by my side. If I print a lot of drawings using design skill, I could be misunderstood as a human printer. ¡®Let¡¯s use the design skill when I¡¯m alone.¡¯ Let¡¯s start with the survey. Bzzzt! From that day onwards, Lloyd began to survey during the day. The path was surveyed by calculating the area for the road. All of the information collected over the past few days was converted into data. Then the data was transferred to the design skill. If daytime was the survey¡¯s stage, then night time was when design became the main character. When night came, he put Javier to sleep first. ¡°Plastic Limit (PL) is defined as the percentage of water content when fine-grained soil is remolded by rolling a soil sample into a thread shape with a diameter of 3,2 mm (1/8¡å) and crumbles. The plastic limit of the soil¡­. Blah-blah-blah¡­.. As for determining the Liquid Limit¡­ thoroughly¡­using an analogous cone with a weight of 240g¡­d=20mm for cone penetration test and the water content ratio in correspondence¡­ blah-blah¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Zzzzz.¡± When Javier was completely knocked out, he began to use his design skill. Road routes and cross-sectional views of the road were designed based on the information obtained from the survey. And then, he quietly printed out the design¡¯s blueprints so it wouldn¡¯t wake Javier up. Bzzzzt! As a test, I tried to print the blueprint on a paper. Then, the blueprint he designed was really printed by the skill. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s working. It¡¯s really working.¡¯ Up until now, he had to hand-draw the blueprints he designed with the design skill. It was a difficult and uncomfortable labor. The accuracy was also slightly reduced. Then, now that the drawings are printed out like a printer, it became extremely pleasant and comfortable. But that wasn¡¯t the optional skill¡¯s only power. ¡°Hey, Javier. Can you see that?¡± ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± In the morning a few days later, Lloyd tried his optional skill on Javier at the site where the road was planned to be built. He pointed to that place. ¡°There. There are lines all over the ground, aren¡¯t there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see that. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little concerned about Lloyd-nim¡¯s eye health or mental health.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m seeing things?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Hohoho, I understand.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Lloyd chuckled slyly. As expected. It was the result of last night¡¯s design skill. Therefore, there were 2D floor plans engraved throughout the site. It was only visible to himself. ¡®Okay. I can do this.¡¯ The survey skill and design skill had become much more powerful than expected. Thanks to this, the construction¡¯s preparations were done quickly. It was time to jump into the real work, the full-scale construction. I¡¯d greatly appreciate it if you would buy me a coffee! CH 20 The full-scale construction had begun. Because his survey and design skill got stronger, the construction went smooth sailing from the first stage. ¡°Hey, Ppodong?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Look, for now, I¡¯m going to draw a line on the ground.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°Then, can you dig inside that line to a constant depth of 1,5 meters?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong!¡± Lloyd asked. On the palm of his hand, Ppodong nodded his chubby head. ¡°Okay. Then, eat this first.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± I held out a red sunflower seed. Ppodong received the sunflower seed and chewed on it as if he had been waiting this whole time. Boom! His size quickly grew to 10 meters. In the meantime, Lloyd picked up a shovel. He drew a line on the ground with the shovel. The shape of the road was drawn while using the 2D floor plan¡ªwhich was engraved on the ground and was only visible to him¡ªas a guide. Grrss! ¡°Well, start here and do it like this. Follow the line exactly where I drew and keep going that way. Please keep it constant at 13 meters wide.¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong! Ppo-dong!¡± Hwabababat! His front paws moved like a gale. Every time his plump bottom bounced up and down, a huge amount of soil was dug and flung behind him. He was literally a living high-powered excavator. Lloyd then gave his order. ¡°Construction Team 1, dispatched.¡± ¡°Dispatched!¡± A group consisted of 30 soldiers from the territory moved with shovels in unison. They jumped into the 13 meters wide and 1,5 meters deep pit dug by Ppodong. They continued to dig inside the pit while following after Ppodong. Ppodong dug the ground and scooped up pieces of soil, stones, and tree roots that flew everywhere. Kangkang! Kaaang! Kang! Whack! Whoosh! 30 shovels looked like they were dancing. The construction team¡¯s sweat drops glistened under the sun. The wall and the bottom part inside the pit were hardened by them each time. And then, Ppodong pressed down the ground that was pounded by Team 1 once more. ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± Whomp! Ppodong rolled to press down the ground like a stamp. It became so smooth! He is as good as a 25 t11 ton=1000 kg=2204,62 lb. 25 t=5600 lb road roller! While the foundation work was underway, another 30-men team worked diligently. Construction Team 2 scooped fine sand from the river. Then, the first group laid the sand evenly on the bottom of the pit and pounded the sand to harden it again. The construction team kept on shoveling while Ppodong pressed on it with his butt. The thickness of the pounded sand was set to be exactly 30 cm thick. Just like that, the work repeated and connected like a cogwheel. They dug, laid, pounded, and pressed the sand. On top of the sand, they laid 30 cm thick egg-sized gravel; 30 cm thick fist-sized rubble; 30 cm thick walnut-sized pebble; and finally, a 20-cm-thick layer of fine sand at the very top. 60 members from two construction teams, as well as some quarriers and miners, worked and sweated together. Efficient work distribution, adequate rest, and sufficient meals were provided. Thanks to these, by the evening of the first day of construction, the foundation work for the section¡ªwhich was about 30 m long¡ªwas finished. ¡°Good.¡± Lloyd laughed, feeling content. The progress was much faster than he initially thought. ¡®Since Ppodong is here, the work has progressed very well. As expected, heavy equipment must be present and utilized in the construction.¡¯ Thanks to Ppodong taking the role of an excavator and road roller, the work speed was as fast as a hurricane. In addition to that, the construction teams who worked in perfect order also contributed greatly. ¡®I¡¯ve done a good job on training them by mobilizing them in the construction of ondol rooms.¡¯ The construction teams which consisted of 60 members in total had already become an elite shoveling team. Their physical strength also improved considerably compared to the past. ¡®It¡¯s all thanks to the muscle-training labor.¡¯ Suddenly, I recalled the days when I was still active in the Republic of Korea¡¯s army. Originally, I went to the army to protect the country. However, reality was completely different. Have you ever been given a squadron? I had to work hard to protect the barracks and facilities of major companies rather than the country. My military life was literally dominated by various labor work rather than training. Every day, I was mobilized for all kinds of work. Cutting thick grass or repairing fences and drainages; repairing the broken barracks¡¯ rooftop because of the rain and guarding the guard post; building a vinyl house behind the barracks and expanding the warehouse with a tool. ¡®All because I graduated from the civil engineering department.¡¯ That feeling of being specially summoned and serving a senior officer for free. ¡®Tsk, I¡¯m getting goosebumps.¡¯ Lloyd looked at the construction troops, remembering his experiences at that time. Then, he smiled wickedly. ¡®You¡¯re going to enjoy that feeling too.¡¯ In any case, the construction troops were soldiers who were paid by this territory. Therefore, if he gave them a small bonus in return for mobilizing the troops, there would be no major dissatisfaction that sprouted. With this, he was able to make them work as much as he wanted while saving labor costs. Moreover, the construction was just in its beginning stage. Before the spring rainy season came, he planned to complete the first section of the paved road somehow. A few days had passed. Fortunately, the weather still stayed clear so far. As the weather was pleasant, the construction also went smoothly. Day by day, the construction sections continued to increase. In the meantime, it went without saying that the fief residents flocked like birds to watch the construction. ¡°Whoa. What the hell is this? What are they trying to make?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know yet, do you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I heard this is a paved road.¡± ¡°A paved road?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that used for?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. Well, I heard it¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°What is it good for?¡± ¡°¡­. Well, it¡¯s a good thing, right?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t actually know, do you?¡± ¡°Tch.¡± Some people turned their heads and whispered to each other. While looking at the road being built across the center of the territory, each person speculated about the road¡¯s usage. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s going to use it as a waterway?¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s going to fill it with water and ice skate on it when it freezes in the winter.¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s a field. A long field so it¡¯s easier to harvest.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to make it any easier. Well, If I have to say, I¡¯d rather sell the land to play dominoes.¡± ¡°Well, I think the waterway is the right answer.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a skating rink.¡± ¡°No matter how much I look at it, it¡¯s a field.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather say it¡¯s a running track for the lord¡¯s territory athletic competition.¡± ¡­. It went like that. Of course, even the territory citizens were not foolish enough to not know the purpose of the road. They knew what paved roads were for. A well-paved road makes it easier for people to travel. It¡¯s also good for carrying goods using carts. Thus, they couldn¡¯t understand this situation. ¡®Our territory doesn¡¯t have a lot of people nor supplies coming and going that it needs a road or something. So, why?¡¯ Why does Young Master Lloyd want to build a paved road on such a tiny piece of land like this? That¡¯s why they couldn¡¯t understand the purpose of road construction. The construction itself felt so out of the blue. Even though the road sometimes gets muddy, it¡¯s only slightly inconvenient. However, is it necessary to mobilize funds and manpower to build roads? Such questions were no exception for the mobilized construction team members. ¡°Keuh! Huff, heuk, huu, it¡¯s hard. I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t goof off. You¡¯re not the only one who¡¯s having a hard time digging.¡± ¡°But still. Isn¡¯t this a little bit too much?¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°The construction. I mean, it¡¯s good. I could get a lot of bonuses other soldiers can¡¯t get. But, you know what? The thing we¡¯re doing right now, no matter how much you think about it, is a huge waste of money.¡± ¡°What do you mean by a waste?¡± ¡°Think about it. What¡¯s the point of making this paved road?¡± ¡°Well, of course it¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Nothing comes to mind, does it?¡± ¡°¡­. Oh, you¡¯re right.¡± The soldier who got asked scratched his head. The soldier who complained nervously wiped the sweat off the corners of his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. Is there anything in our territory? We don¡¯t trade with other territories. Also, it¡¯s not like merchants or troops frequently come and go from time to time.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s even located in the remote eastern part of the kingdom.¡± ¡°Right? Besides, there¡¯s no other kingdom located in the east, there are only mountains and wastelands.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s the fact, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. But, I mean, what¡¯s the point of building a road on such a grand scale? When this road stretches to the east where there¡¯s nothing on that side?¡± ¡°What? Is that true?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s the truth. You¡¯ll see for yourself.¡± ¡°¡­ Whoa, for real?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Sigh. Well, what can I do? If the Young Master told me to do it, I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°Phew. That¡¯s true. Tsk.¡± Whack, whack, whack! The soldier¡¯s shoveling became rough. The work¡ªwhich had continued spinning like a cogwheel for days¡ªdidn¡¯t give them time to breathe. Amidst all this, the construction workers began to wonder what this road construction¡¯s purpose was. Nevertheless, the construction continued without rest. The construction had already begun. Of course, Lloyd knew the soldiers had some complaints. However, he had no intention of stopping the construction that had been underway. It was because he had a clear purpose. ¡®I¡¯m sure everyone must be wondering right now. I¡¯m sure someone must be discontent. But, when this road is completed?¡¯ Then, the story would be different. They will soon finally realize the big picture. Lloyd was confident he could make it. Therefore, he didn¡¯t need to give them any detailed explanation. All he had to do was to show the result. Just like his tenacity, the construction continued to proceed smoothly. Digging the ground; laying gravels and sand; pounding and pressing it. Thus, the construction of the foundation gradually increased the number of its sections. Before I knew it, it had already went through the center of the territory. And reached further to the base of the eastern mountain. I climbed a gentle slope at the foot of the mountain and examined its sides closely. At this point in time, Lloyd moved to the next stage of the construction. The next stage was the full-scale road pavement on where the foundation was just laid. For this, Lloyd mobilized all stonemasons2Stonemason: is a mason who builds with stone of the territory. ¡°Look, your role is important from now on. All foundation construction we did so far was a preparation for the pavement work to begin.¡± ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± ¡°Then listen carefully to my explanation. The method used to pave and lay stones on top of the foundation is¡­.¡± Lloyd continued his instructions for the work. The eyes of the stonemasons sparkled when faced with a method they had never encountered before. Soon, the pavement work began. ¡°Then, let¡¯s move! Don¡¯t forget the safety rules!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± The stonemasons and construction team members were sent in pairs. Large and flat stones were evenly laid above the foundation made of various materials. The stones, approximately 70 cm long on one of the sides, were interconnected together until it was difficult to find gaps at the joint surface. That wasn¡¯t the end. The road, which was 6 meters wide, was made slightly protruding at the center than the edge. By forming a gentle arch shape, rainwater was guided to flow to both sides of the road. At both edges of the convex road, a drainage path of 50 cm wide and 20 cm deep was built. Outside these, a solid, 3-meters-wide sidewalk surrounded both sides of the road. ¡®This way, the road won¡¯t get submerged. The drainage path on both sides naturally handles the water and through gravel, sand, and stones that were laid as the base, water is prevented from seeping through the paved road. Additionally, a separate sidewalk should be provided so that carts and pedestrians won¡¯t mix.¡¯ Finally, Lloyd designated an area where trees are prevented from being planted on either side of the road. It was because tree roots could dig through the ground of the paved road. So, the construction continued again. To the extent where the paved road increased gradually every day. From the mansion¡¯s entrance to the residential area. Through the residential area and markets to the outskirts of the territory. Finally, beyond the outskirts to the eastern mountain¡¯s base. The construction for all sections was over. Finally, the first paved road across the Frontera Barony had been completed. Of course, until that point in time, people still didn¡¯t understand the exact meaning of the road¡¯s completion. Even Baron Frontera, who allowed the construction, couldn¡¯t guess why Lloyd built this road. Just like that, the spring rainy season began. For more than 10 days, rain poured down heavily. Every other road became muddy. Only the newly constructed road was intact. So far, that result was inside the fief residents¡¯ expectations. After all, it was a road that had been painstakingly paved. Naturally, it would be fine in this much rain. So, their questions hadn¡¯t gone away just yet. Why did he build such an undeserved wonderful road? What is Young Master Lloyd trying to use this road for? Through the pouring rain, their questions only got amplified. Finally, in the morning when the rainy season was over, the rain stopped. Amidst everyone¡¯s doubts and suspicions, Lloyd walked along the paved road. At the end of the road, he reached to eastern mountain¡¯s foot. A new construction notification sign¡ªthat no one had expected¡ªwas erected there. Finally, Lloyd¡¯s big picture¡ªwhich had been drawn since he first planned the ondol room construction on the first day of his possession¡ªbegan to gradually unfold. I¡¯d greatly appreciate it if you would buy me a coffee! CH 21 Claang! Clang clang! The steel shovel moved. Every time it moved, the scorching sun of spring got reflected. I hit the top of the sign, which resulted in a loud and unpleasant iron noise. Kakaang! At last, the sign got planted deep on the ground. Only then did Lloyd stop shoveling and wipe the sweat off his forehead. ¡°Phew.¡± A gentle breeze blew away my beads of sweat. Basking in the sun¡¯s warm sunlight made me feel good. And there was this sign that stood right in front of me. A happy smile adorned Lloyd¡¯s face. ¡°Hey, what do you think?¡± I turned my head and gazed at the silver-haired knight that was standing behind me. Javier, the silver-haired knight who had been questioned by me, repeated my question back along with his indifferent icy gaze. ¡°What do you mean by what do I think?¡± ¡°What do I mean? This thing.¡± Lloyd pointed his hand at the sign. Javier¡¯s eyes turned towards the sign. On the sign, there were words written in large letters. ¡°You have to put these things in advance. Otherwise, things could get complicated later.¡± ¡°How does it get complicated?¡± ¡°The land is often used to plant chili peppers and cabbages.¡± There was a bitter smile on Lloyd¡¯s lips. ¡°The grandmothers and ladies of this territory. If there¡¯s an empty piece of land they like a little, they would thoroughly fill it by planting lettuces, cabbages, and chives. However, what if we have to start construction on that place?¡± In fact, such a thing happens a lot in Korea. Usually, in such cases, the garden is often shoveled and thrown away by an excavator. In some cases, a financial penalty is imposed on the grandmothers or aunts who were cultivating the field. It was truly a pity. Of course, Lloyd had no intention of doing that here. ¡°What if I threw away the garden for construction? It will be a perfect reason to accuse me of trampling on a farmer¡¯s precious field. I can also imagine them calling me a tyrant. And what about my image, which I¡¯ve been building up recently? It¡¯ll fly away and ascend to the Hellgate first thing in the morning. Seriously.¡± ¡°¡­. In summary, you meant that you¡¯ll face criticism.¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s it.¡± Lloyd grinned. These days, he has begun to gain the trust of the territory residents. However, he didn¡¯t want to lose it over a small dispute. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re going to start the construction soon. We¡¯ll dig and build a mine here, to dig up the bituminous coal.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s bituminous coal, do/did you mean black coal?¡± ¡°Yeah. You know about it?¡± ¡°Yes, a little,¡± Javier nodded. ¡°I know that it¡¯s a black stone that comes out from the ground. It¡¯s brittle but it¡¯s a lot better than firewood.¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s right. I¡¯m going to dig it from here.¡± ¡°Are you saying that there¡¯s bituminous coal buried in there?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Lloyd chuckled. ¡°When I looked up the records, I found that the former lord had attempted to build a mine around here twice but he failed. The mine collapsed because of the weak bedrock.¡± That fact was mentioned in the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel. The contents of the novel suddenly came to mind. Lloyd¡¯s father, Baron Arcos Frontera, eventually committed suicide after suffering from the debt¡¯s pressure. Just before he hung himself, he let out a groan. If only Matthias Frontera, his predecessor, had succeeded in developing the mine, such a tragedy wouldn¡¯t befall today. Of course, Lloyd remembered correctly when the novel mentioned it. That was why. From the beginning when he decided to develop this territory, the development of the mountain¡¯s vein was engraved on the schedule as an essential course. Needless to say, he didn¡¯t forget to confirm this information. For checking the veins, the survey skill that had risen to intermediate level recently was helpful. By activating the survey skill, identifying everything inside the underground within the range of 5 m was possible. Grasping the composition of bedrock, groundwater, or mineral veins was doable. ¡®It would be nice if I could scan deeper.¡¯ First of all, according to my research, this place was the most optimal. So I built a paved road. Its purpose was to facilitate the coal¡¯s transportation from the mine so it went smoothly. ¡°Coal is going to be the breadwinner of our territory for the time being. Plus, it would probably be the most efficient means of preventing the firewood crisis, which will start this winter.¡± ¡°What do you mean by firewood crisis?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to run out of firewood because of the ondol room I¡¯ve been building these days. This is not a prophecy, but an inevitability and a necessity.¡± Lloyd shrugged his shoulders and continued, ¡°That¡¯s the way old heating technology is supposed to be. It¡¯s hot, but it consumes a lot of firewood. You don¡¯t just heat up a kitchen with a fireplace, but the whole floor of the house. Because of this, our forest resources are going to be used up. To put it simply, in a few years¡¯ time, this mountain will be stripped bare.¡± ¡°Because they¡¯re going to cut down too many trees for firewood?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Did I predict the harmful consequences? Of course I did.¡± Lloyd¡¯s smile became slightly wicked. ¡°Who am I? I¡¯m the one who designed the ondol heating system. Naturally, I expected this much. Everyone will start feeling it after half of this winter has passed. The fact that we¡¯re running out of firewood we¡¯ve been preparing since fall.¡± ¡°So you deceived everyone?¡± ¡°Did I?¡± ¡°Yes, you did.¡± Javier¡¯s voice grew cold. ¡°They believed in Lloyd, so they demolished the fireplace inside their house and installed ondol. But, if we run out of firewood, we¡¯ll spend the rest of the winter shivering in the cold.¡± ¡°Uh-huh. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So you are scamming them.¡± ¡°Hm, that¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°If you do that.¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to sell coal.¡± ¡°To the fief residents?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Coal is the best fuel for fire if we could dig it out. You can¡¯t live without buying it.¡± That was Lloyd¡¯s plan. Spread ondol heating system in the territory. The higher the demand for ondol, the less the supply for firewood. Ondol¡¯s inherent disadvantage, which is the extreme consumption of firewood, will be highlighted. At that time, the coal he stored will be sold to the fief residents. The first round of profit was made from ondol construction. The second round of profit will come from the coal sale. ¡°What if ondol construction spread to neighboring territory? We can just export coal to them.¡± Ondol and coal. These two go hand-in-hand in bringing profits that will be a great help to resolve the territory¡¯s debt. This thought made Lloyd¡¯s smile villainous. Javier¡¯s expression, on the other hand, hardened. ¡°Did Lloyd-nim plan all of this in advance?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°From the very beginning, when I visited, apologized, and signed the first ondol contract with the bar owner together with you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you want to say something, say it. Don¡¯t curse me with your eyes.¡± ¡°May I do it?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Lloyd nodded. As if he was waiting for this moment, Javier said, ¡°You are a manipulative human being.¡± ¡°Better than being naive.¡± ¡°This is why I hate it.¡± ¡°You mean me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But what to do?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°That human being you hate is the one who always gives you a good night¡¯s sleep every night.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t like the lullaby service too?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Punk, what are you thinking hard about? Look at you rolling your eyes.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Ahjussi, it¡¯s so obvious that you fixed your gaze after listening to me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Open your eyes, dude. I won¡¯t tease you.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. So cute.¡± ¡°I¡­.¡± ¡°Nevermind. I¡¯m not going to cut off the lullaby service so don¡¯t whine like a puppy who needs to poo.¡± ¡­. I¡¯m not a puppy! Javier almost cried out unconsciously. However, Lloyd¡¯s remark which came out first interrupted his cry. ¡°Well, I understand roughly why you¡¯re taking sides now. You think I¡¯m cleverly deceiving and exploiting everyone. That kind of attitude feels villainous to you, I guess. I know it all and won¡¯t deny it. But what can I do? For now, let¡¯s save our territory first.¡± Lloyd¡¯s evil smile became a little bitter. ¡°You know what? To be honest, when I was a child, I thought money wasn¡¯t everything in this world. But as I got older, it seems like I was mistaken. Nothing is more important than money. Money is much better than what I had thought in my childhood days.¡± ¡°But, Lloyd-nim¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Money can¡¯t buy happiness, no matter what. But if you have money, you¡¯ll be happier. So, first of all, let¡¯s make some money even if my way is cheap and mean. Let¡¯s settle some of our territory¡¯s accumulated debts, shall we?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier shut his mouth. As soon as he realized Lloyd¡¯s intention, the disgust that had gathered subsided. Lloyd Frontera smiled at himself after confidently saying all that. The look in his eyes seemed to say, ¡®I¡¯ll take on the curses. Blames? Pointed hands? I¡¯ll take those too.¡¯ So, just close your eyes and follow me. That¡¯s what he seemed to say. ¡°¡­..¡± This person in front of me. I thought he was a worthless ruffian. He often was an embarrassing person some time ago. He still is. But now, I don¡¯t hate him at all. ¡®Although your way of doing things is mean and rough.¡¯ After all, what he did was often right. He helped me on completing the Asrahan Core Technique. He revealed Sir Neumann¡¯s betrayal. So, what about now? Maybe he was laying the groundwork for the territory to leap forth. ¡°I understand.¡± Javier involuntarily smiled and spoke frankly to Lloyd, ¡°I¡¯ll agree.¡± Lloyd, the one I escort. I looked at him with sincere eyes. Lloyd looked straight at me too. He then tilted his head. ¡°You¡¯ll agree? To my plan?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°Youu, what are you thinking about just now?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I never asked for your approval nor permission.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m the territory lord¡¯s son. Why would I need your approval to dig a mine? Me?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So put aside your delusions. Will you get out of my way? Let¡¯s do some survey.¡± Javier¡¯s graceful face crumpled up. Lloyd said that while laughing mischievously. As expected, Javier is a fun guy to tease. Starting from that day, Lloyd spent the whole day sticking around the mine site. Surveying the surroundings and analyzing the site. Two attempts to construct a mine in the past. Two consecutive failures. He drew a construction plan in accordance with the case. ¡®The answer is not in the conventional rock drilling methods. It takes a long time, and above all, too dangerous.¡¯ There were records of the past construction failures inside the mansion¡¯s library. As I looked at them, it was recorded that they used traditional rock drilling methods both times. ¡®They proceeded by scorching the rock with fire and cooling it down so the rock split.¡¯ That was the conventional method of breaking rocks. What if a big rock comes out while digging? The workers set the rock on fire until it gets very hot. In that state, they then pour cold water on it. Sudden temperature change gets applied to the heated rock. Along the grain, the rock will split. It also will become easy to break. ¡®That was how they progressed at first. But they couldn¡¯t advance more than 30 m. The mine collapsed. Twice.¡¯ It went without saying that the unlucky workers got buried there. Therefore, Lloyd¡¯s grandfather, Baron Matthias Frontera, gave up on the mine construction. ¡®The reason is simple. Because the bedrock is weak.¡¯ If the nature of the vulnerable bedrock is not properly understood, accidents are bound to occur. The bedrock of this mountain¡ªwithin his understanding¡ªis a kind of soft ground that is made of a mixture of some rocks and loose soil. Thus, mobilizing a customized method for the environment was essential. ¡°So, I¡¯m going to use the shield tunneling method.¡± ¡°Shield tunneling method?¡± They were in the middle of dinner. Lloyd then gave the baron who sat across the table a piece of paper. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it. Here¡¯s the conceptual diagram of the shield tunneling method.¡± ¡°A conceptual diagram.¡± The baron¡¯s eyes turned to the conceptual diagram. Lloyd continued his explanation, ¡°To put it simply, the cylindrical frame made of steel is called the shield. Workers enter the shield to dig up dirt and rocks. In the meantime, the shield will withstand the mine¡¯s pressure and prevent it from collapsing.¡± ¡°Hmm, is it a support that¡¯s sort of a shield?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Have you heard of shipworms?¡± ¡°Ship¡­ worm?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Elaborate.¡± ¡°Roughly, it is an animal that is the distant relative of squid or snail. It¡¯s a terrible fellow who gnaws the bottom of the boat and makes holes on it.¡± ¡°But, what does such an animal have to do with this construction right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the inspiration of the shield tunneling method,¡± said Lloyd with a smile. That was the truth. In fact, in the mid-1800s, the construction of the Thames Tunnel¡ªwhich was drilled beneath the Thames River in London, England¡ªwas carried out this way. At that time, an engineer named Marc Brunel¡ªwho designed the Thames Tunnel¡ªsaw the ecology of shipworms, got an idea, and developed a new method. Which is the shield tunneling method. ¡°Shipworms drill holes onto the wood at the bottom of a ship with a pair of small shells at its end. However, wood swells when submerged in water, and the hole¡ªwhich was dug as far as possible¡ªcould become narrow so the shipworm can get caught in the hole and die. To prevent this, the shipworm simultaneously digs a hole and applies secretion to the inner side of the tunnel. As the secretion hardens, it prevents the hole from narrowing. The shield tunneling method works the same.¡± Lloyd pointed at his conceptual diagram. ¡°The shield acts like the secretion of the shipworm. Protecting the workers while acting as the vanguard when drilling holes. Inside the shield, the workers will form groups. Some are digging the hole while others are installing the equipment to prevent the mine from collapsing in real-time.¡± ¡°Just like that bug that spreads its secretion inside the hole to prevent the hole from collapsing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re going to advance little by little while digging and reinforcing the hole simultaneously.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pretty accurate summary.¡± Lloyd then explained the plan in more detail. The baron listened attentively to Lloyd. In the meantime, the baron got very interested. Coal is a wonderful resource to be used as fuel for fire. If you can dig it up, it¡¯s money. The baron, burdened by an enormous amount of debt, couldn¡¯t help but be tempted. In addition, the new method Lloyd proposed also seemed plausible. Finally, the baron allowed the construction. ¡°Good. But there¡¯s one condition.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°During the construction process, I don¡¯t want you to go inside the mine.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s dangerous?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The baron¡¯s answer was firm. ¡°The fact that it¡¯s a new method doesn¡¯t guarantee it¡¯s perfectly safe.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not going to work.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t go in, what kind of worker will believe the safety of the new method?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Besides, we have to keep an eye on the situation and its changes in the site¡¯s environment. That way, accidents could be prevented.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°I promise. I¡¯ll be safe.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Since then, they continued to argue back and forth. But, Lloyd was the side who was more stubborn. In the face of his stubbornness, the baron eventually raised his hands. That was how the construction of the mine was decided. However, Lloyd didn¡¯t start the construction immediately. This was because he had something to prepare before the construction. He waited for the night to come and put Javier to sleep. In the middle of the night, he stepped out to the training ground in the backyard. The system window was loading. He opened the ¡°Random Summon of Phantom Species¡± menu. ¡°I can¡¯t use Ppodong for this project. He¡¯s too big to dig a tunnel, so it¡¯s rather dangerous. However, it¡¯s going to take a long time to dig a tunnel with human strength alone.¡± If the construction period got prolonged, it would cost more money. The shield tunneling method only makes the construction safer. Speeding up the construction isn¡¯t possible. Therefore, in order to reduce the construction period and save construction costs, competent help is needed. ¡®If possible, it would be better if it had the ability to dig underground.¡¯ Lloyd thought so and ran the ¡®Random Summon¡¯ menu. There was just enough RP after he used it last time. [Random Summon Cost (2nd time) = 70 RP] [Current RP: 119] [Do you want to do a random summon?] [YES/NO] I chose ¡®YES¡¯ [Summoning a random phantom species] Paaatss¡­. A pale light flooded the space. The space fluctuated as a complex magic circle was engraved. An unfamiliar silhouette began to be seen in the turbulent space. A new phantom species finally revealed itself. Lloyd¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at it. tl/n: Oh Lloyd, you¡¯re such a brat. XD I won¡¯t be surprised if Javier wanted to cut you down. Btw, thank you for the Ko-fis! I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t give you all a bonus chapter because I¡¯m still in the middle of my final college assignment. I¡¯d greatly appreciate it if you would buy me a coffee! CH 22 Note: I¡¯m changing phantom species to fantasy species because it sounds and fits better. I¡¯ll gradually edit the past chapters too. Paaatss! A pale light enveloped the space. An unfamiliar silhouette began to show itself. Along with an intense shock wave, its identity was revealed. ¡°Bangul!¡± it softly cried out. It fell down his way. So, Lloyd quickly caught ¡®it¡¯ with both of his hands for fear of missing it. A fluffy thing touched the palm of his hands. What kind of fantasy species was it this time? Lloyd confirmed its characteristics. ¡°Bangul!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± A sturdy figure of 10-centimeters in length with a round, large head. Her eyes were both round and dazzling. At the end of her tail, there was a golden bell tied to a ribbon. ¡°¡­. A snake?¡± The new fantasy species was a snake. But, this snake sported a head that was as wide as two heads. No, I was not insulting or demeaning her. With her chubby enormously-sized head, her head and body length ratio was 1:1! ¡°Hey, are you really a snake?¡± ¡°Bangul!¡± She nodded as I was correct. Her smiling face was demure. When I saw that, I suddenly had a guess. So, Lloyd asked, ¡°Is your name Bangul?¡± ¡°Bangul? Bba-ba-ngul!¡± The new fantasy species, no, Bangul, nodded again. As expected, my guess was right. ¡®Shouting out your name is not uncommon.¡¯ The famous cartoon character ¡®Pikachu¡¯ was also known to shout ¡®Pikapika¡¯. With that in mind, the correlation between the name of the fantasy species and their cries made sense. As Lloyd mulled over it, he looked at Bangul. She was a snake with a head that was twice the size it should be. I wondered whether she could even slither properly. However, Lloyd didn¡¯t make a rash judgment. He had gone through that already when he¡¯d summoned Ppodong. His experience told him that you can¡¯t judge a fantasy species by its appearance. ¡°Hey, Bangul?¡± ¡°Bangul?¡± ¡°You, do you have a manual or something?¡± ¡°Bba-ban-gul? Bangul!¡± I¡¯d asked just in case and it turned out to be true. Bangul opened her mouth wide. There was a lucky bag inside her mouth. When I opened the lucky bag, I found 10 sets of sunflower seeds and a crisply folded note. Lloyd read the note carefully. [Bangul¡¯s Instruction Manual] [Bangul is a lovely rattlesnake. Please take care and shower her with lots of love and attention.] [As her summoner, Bangul absolutely trusts and is loyal to you. Phantoms are lifelong pet companions and family members. Please don¡¯t throw her away.] [Bangul can change her size by eating two types of sunflower seeds.] [Red Sunflower Seeds: makes Bangul bigger. Maximum gigantification retention time = 12 hours.] [Blue Sunflower Seeds: makes Bangul smaller. Please feed this to her before she exceeds the maximum retention time of gigantification. After 12 hours of gigantification, if Bangul doesn¡¯t eat a blue sunflower seed, she will automatically return to her small appearance. However, she will become exhausted and gigantification will be impossible for 24 hours.] [The two-color sunflower seeds¡¯ cost per set is 1 RP.] [Bangul can use a variety of skills in her giant state.] [Chomping Dirt (Lv 1)] [Accelerated Dirt Digestion (Lv 1)] [Steel Dung Launcher (Lv 1)] ¡®Whoa, what? Chomping dirt? Accelerated dirt digestion? Steel dung launcher?¡¯ Lloyd, who was skimming through Bangul¡¯s list of skills, had his mouth opened wide. This combination of skills was absurd. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me you eat soil and poop out steel¡­. You don¡¯t mean that, do you?¡¯ Wondering if this could be possible, I pulled out a red sunflower seed and gave it to Bangul as a test. ¡°Hey, Bangul?¡± ¡°Bangul?¡± ¡°Would you like to try this?¡± ¡°Bangul!¡± As if she had been waiting, Bangul asked for the sunflower seed. Lloyd put Bangul on the ground and stepped back quickly. The moment Bangul swallowed the red sunflower seed¡ª Boom! ¡°Bangul!¡± She became huge. The chubby headed rattlesnake grew to 5 meters in length. ¡®Right, I expected this much.¡¯ Lloyd already experienced this with Ppodong. He then approached the giant Bangul. ¡°Hey, Bangul?¡± ¡°Bangul!¡± ¡°Would you like to test out your skills?¡± ¡°Bangul?¡± ¡°You know, chomping the dirt and digesting it? Can you do it?¡± ¡°Bba-ba-ngul?¡± Bangul¡¯s eyes became teary. She looked at me with a vulnerable expression on her face, wondering if I doubted her abilities. This made Lloyd feel a little guilty. ¡®Hm, a coy response. Bangul¡¯s character is a little bit different than Ppodong.¡¯ It seemed likely. So, I changed my voice to more of a coaxing tone. ¡°Of course, I believe in your abilities. I just wanted to see it, because I think it¡¯s going to be cool.¡± ¡°Bangul?¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°Bangul!¡± Only then did Bangul¡¯s aggrieved expression abate. She wiggled her body, perhaps feeling better. Then, she bowed her large, round head. She opened her mouth while facing the training ground¡¯s floor. ¡°Bba-ba-ngul!¡± Crunch! Munch! Gulp! ¡­. Mom, she ate dirt. Do I look like that when I¡¯m eating chicken? Bangul enjoyed the dirt so enthusiastically that it made me think about another thing entirely. She chomped, munched, and swallowed. After eating like that for a long time, she burped. Then suddenly, she began to wag her plump, short tail vigorously. ¡°Bangul! Bba-ba-ngul!¡± Jingle! Jingle! The ribbon tied to the end of her tail made a lot of noise. At the same time, Bangul raised her tail. She made a certain expression of forceful concentration. The next moment. Pew pew! A red-hot, thin, long steel rod was fired immediately afterward! ¡°¡­..¡± This isn¡¯t some kind of hoax. Lloyd suppressed his confusion in front of this absurdity. He looked at the steel dung that was fired by Bangul instead. Only then did he realize Bangul¡¯s true strength. ¡®This is it. Jackpot.¡¯ The dung launched by Bangul was really made of steel. However, its shape wasn¡¯t messy. ¡®It¡¯s rebar1rebar: the shortest form for a reinforcing bar, usually made of steel and used to increase the tensile strength of concrete.¡¯ The rebar was about 10 m long. The thickness was about a thumb thick.Furthermore, its surface was constant, no jagged spot. From the beginning to the end, the thickness was completely constant. In other words, it was a perfectly smelted rebar! ¡®It¡¯s incredibly hot, too.¡¯ Even now, the steel dung hadn¡¯t cooled down. The heat remained, so it was still burning red. The meaning was clear. ¡®I can cut it before it cools down. I can cut or bend it to any length I want.¡¯ In other words, I can use it as construction material immediately by cutting it or bending it according to the measurements on-site. It also means that steel could be used freely. If she chomped the soil, then she¡¯d be free to do that anytime! ¡®Isn¡¯t this completely crazy?¡¯ It was so good that it felt unbelievable. Come to think of it, it wasn¡¯t just about launching out the rebar. She can chomp the soil. That means she can dig a tunnel. So, what if I included Bangul in the shield tunneling method that I had planned? ¡®Inside the shield device, Bangul feeds on the dirt to dig a hole. At the same time, steel¡­ she¡¯ll discharge the rebar. Then the blacksmiths will cut the rebar right on the spot. Workers can build and erect the segments, i.e. wall plate, to support the mine. When the wall plate is built that way, the shield advances again, and Bangul feeds on the soil and launches out the rebar¡­.¡¯ Inside my head, a work plan was established. The more I thought about it, the more amazed I was. ¡®If this plan can be realized, the time dedicated to construction can be reduced to 1/10.¡¯ Lloyd just thought it would be great if a fellow with a digging-related ability came out. But when he actually pulled her out, it turned out to be much better. Lloyd looked back at Bangul in a daze. ¡°Hey, Bangul?¡± ¡°Bangul?¡± ¡°You, you¡¯re amazing.¡± ¡°Bba-ba-ngul?¡± ¡°No, I think you¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°Bangul!¡± Lloyd raised his thumbs. Bangul smiled brightly. Apparently, she was happy. The preparation for the construction had gained momentum. It was from the day I summoned Bangul at random. Lloyd designed the shield to match Bangul. The composition of the rebar that made up the segments and the wall plates were also matched. This was because Bangul was the keystone of this operation. ¡°Ppo-dong! Ppo-do-dong!¡± ¡°Bangul?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong!¡± Fortunately, Ppodong and Bangul got along well. Since they were a hamster and a snake, I was worried that some tragedy would occur. However, as time passed, it was proven to be only a groundless fear. Maybe it was due to a sense of homogeneity as creatures from the same species. The chubby hamster and the plump wide headed rattlesnake quickly became the best of friends. On days when they had no work, they stuck together all day long and rolled on the floor with their plump bodies. Together, they sunbathed, fell asleep, sunbathed again, and fell asleep again. ¡®Both of you must be happy. Still getting praised for being cute even if you only rolled around all day long.¡¯ While the two fantasy species rolled about, Lloyd moved busily. He went in and out of the blacksmith¡¯s shop every day, pestering the blacksmiths all day long. He directly supervised the production of the shield device he designed. Thanks to this, about 10 days later, the shield device was completed. The shield was a cylindrical device that looked like a coke can lying down, with holes on the top and the bottom. The diameter of the cylinder was about 3 m. At the front of the cylinder, there was a seat for Bangul to sit down. Around it, a solid structure to support the cylindrical outer wall was densely positioned in the shape of a honeycomb. Directly behind that, there was room for the workers. Back there, the workers would receive and cut Bangul¡¯s steel dung, or rebar, while being protected by the shield structure. A wall plate could be erected on the spot to prevent the mine from collapsing. ¡®This is enough.¡¯ The next step was to mobilize human labor. Lloyd organized the workforce. Thanks to permission granted to them from Baron Frontera, the lord, things went smoothly. A group of blacksmiths will cut the hot steel on-site. The construction groups will assist the blacksmiths in their work and move the shield device forward. Lloyd completed the composition of the human resources in no time. The work began immediately. The true power of the shield device shone through. ¡°Bangul! Bba-ba-ngul!¡± Inside the shield device, Bangul moved her large head around. With her mouth wide open, she swallowed the soil and rock. After a while, her chubby stomach began rumbling. She wagged her short tail vigorously. Jingle jingle! The bell tied to her tail rang loudly. ¡°Here it comes!¡± Lloyd¡¯s shout made the blacksmiths nervous. Eventually, Bangul¡¯s steel dung shot out in the form of rebar. Pew! Pew! Pew! A burning red steel rod shot out like a piece of poo. ¡°Hurry, before it cools down. Javier!¡± Lloyd shouted. Javier moved upon hearing Lloyd¡¯s shout. He threw off his coat and pulled out a sword. The glint of the longsword was as cold as Javier¡¯s expression. Like a lightning, the sword slashed down onto the steel rebar. Javier, a High-Level Sword Expert, swung his sword with all his might. The longsword cut the steel bars so neatly. And it wasn¡¯t just once. ¡°Hey! You¡¯re doing it according to my measurements, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Shing! Shing! Slash! Slash! Swish! Javier¡¯s longsword moved dazzlingly. He relentlessly struck the steel bar. In the original novel of [Iron-Blooded Knight], this was the sword he used to cut down countless powerful enemies. But now, it was used to cut into pieces the steel turd of a fantasy species. The sword was as neat, flashy, and accurate as the work of Han Suk-Bong¡¯s mother2Han Suk-Bong is a famous calligrapher from the Joseon Dynasty. Once, he told his mother that there was nothing left for him to learn. So, his mother told him to turn off the light and said, ¡°I will slice rice cakes while you write, then we will compare our skills.¡± After that, it was evident that his letters were crooked and unsightly while his mother¡¯s rice cakes were perfectly sliced with consistent thickness.¡ªwho had been cutting rice cakes at night¡ªor Ms. Kim¡ªwho had worked at Kimbap Heaven3A chain food store located all over Seoul, serving all kinds of Korean food and snacks all her life. Clang! Thud! The steel dung, which was cut into long and short chunks of steel rods, rolled around. All of them had exactly the same measurements as Lloyd had instructed. Lloyd raised his thumb. ¡°Good job! I don¡¯t think there¡¯s even a tiny bit of error.¡± ¡°¡­. Thank you.¡± Lloyd cheered. The reduced-to-a-steel-turd-cutter Javier sighed deeply at his own situation. Next was the blacksmiths¡¯ turn. ¡°Move the rebar before it cools down! Assemble it together!¡± ¡°We understand! Yoshaa!¡± Under Lloyd¡¯s command, the blacksmiths moved in perfect order. The steel bar Javier cut was bent according to the measurements. They weaved and tied them; fixed and assembled them. Step by step the wall plates were made. Then it was erected. The cylindrical wall plate, which was made of tightly woven steel, matched the size of the inner shield. Lloyd, who confirmed it, cried out, ¡°Shield, move forward!¡± ¡°Move forward!¡± Dozens of construction group members repeated it in unison. They pushed the lever behind the shield hard. The heavy shield that carried Bangul and the workers slowly moved forward. It advanced exactly into the one-meter space Bangul had chomped. Then, the one-meter wall plate remained behind. Rumble! The shield device that was supporting the mine had moved forward. The ceiling and the walls of the mine that were made of soil and rocks shook. However, it didn¡¯t collapse. This was because of the wall plate that remained behind in the empty spot where the shield device left, supporting the mine walls and ceiling. Everything went exactly as Lloyd had planned. ¡®Good. It¡¯s working properly.¡¯ Confidence filled Lloyd¡¯s eyes. Lloyd¡¯s voice as he directed the workers became more energized than ever before. At the same time, his eyes examined the front part carefully. Bzzzzzt! Intermediate Survey Skill had been constantly activated all this time. Thanks to it, Lloyd was able to see the situation 5 m ahead of time when he planned to dig the mine further. How is the ground¡¯s condition ahead? Are there any dangerous gas layers? He was able to direct the work while looking at it closely. It was literally a ¡®foresight of the front part of the mine¡¯ in real-time. As a matter of fact, the skill was just like the latest technologies, such as elastic wave propagation (TSP, HSP), or reflective photography4(tl/n: Not sure what ?? ????? translates to) which are used to examine the underground on-site in the modern world. ¡°Now, keep it tight!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡± ¡°Bangul!¡± Lloyd¡¯s command, the workers¡¯ powerful shout, and Bangul¡¯s subtle cries rang one after another. The cries went deeper and deeper into the mountain. The construction progress was rapid. So, nobody knew what kind of creatures would greet them at the end of this mine they were digging right now. CH 23 It was a sunny spring day. This year, the weather was especially clearer than any other year. Maybe, because of this, the construction in the Frontera Barony went smoothly. The construction of ondol rooms, which had been carried out for a long time, continued one step at a time. The ondol room¡¯s supply rate in preparation for the upcoming winter had already exceeded 30%. The mine construction, which had already begun, also showed good progress each passing day. Thanks to the shield tunneling method, the day passed without any accident. At first, the workers were anxious. But now, they felt relieved and able to fully devote themselves to the work. The territory was bursting with vitality. The farmers, whose hands kept moving, were busy. The soldiers, who were sent into the Construction Groups, worked until they sweated endlessly. The housewives also diligently made snacks for them. Even the children were also busy. By this time, these little mischievous kids usually would go frog hunting. This year, however, the frogs in Frontera Barony could enjoy an unfamiliar peace because the children didn¡¯t go to hunt them. They wandered around the mine construction site instead. The children had only one purpose, which was to spectate Bangul¡ªthe fantasy species Lloyd mobilized for the construction. ¡°Whoa! It came out!¡± shouted the children who had been lurking around the construction site all day long when they saw Bangul. Then, Bangul, who came out of the mine to take a break, proceeded to give fanservice without fail. ¡°Bangul! Bba-ba-ngul!¡± Deliberately taking a huge bite of soil near the resting place, she then shook her tail vigorously and performed ¡®The Steel Dung Release¡¯ show. Whenever that happened, the children¡¯s laughter grew louder. Workers who were resting outside the mine also shouted, ¡°Oho, these bastards! Why did you come to the construction site and make a racket? How many times have I told you that it¡¯s dangerous here!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous, isn¡¯t it? Isn¡¯t it safe here so far?¡± ¡°These damn guys. If you won¡¯t listen to the adults, an ant beast as big as a wolf will come grab and take you away.¡± ¡°Then, where in the world would there be such an ant?¡± ¡°Where, did you say? There are so many beasts in the eastern wilderness beyond this mountain.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s none here.¡± ¡°Ugh, you keep on talking back until the end!¡± Just like that, all of Frontera Barony¡¯s residents spent every day full of vitality. No, actually, not all of them. There was an exception, and it was Ppodong. ¡°Ppo-dong¡­¡­ Ppo-do-dong¡­¡­¡± I¡¯m bored. Thinking so, he opened his mouth wide and yawned. I guess I overslept today. No, I woke up briefly in the morning but went back to sleep again. ¡°Ppo-do-dong¡­..¡± In fact, even if he woke up early, there was nothing for him to do. Recently, this had always been the case. Lloyd didn¡¯t take him to the mine construction site. Instead, Lloyd left him at the mansion and said, ¡°Finally, you¡¯ve gotten the time to take a break. You must¡¯ve been taken aback.¡± The reason was actually simple. ¡®Sorry, I¡¯m a little short of sunflower seeds. I think it would only be enough for Bangul to use,¡¯ thought Lloyd. In order to participate in the construction, Ppodong had to eat sunflower seeds. That was how he grew bigger. However, the quantity of the sunflower seeds was limited. A pair of red and blue sunflower seeds was considered as a set. To purchase each set, the system had specified that it would cost 1 RP. So, Ppodong was left alone at the mansion. In addition, Bangul was better than Ppodong at digging tunnels safely. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to be in danger. The tunnel might be a little narrow for you. If it collapsed, you could get seriously hurt. Do you understand?¡± ¡­.Lloyd had said that to soothe him. Ppodong felt a little disappointed, however he couldn¡¯t complain. He knew Lloyd was genuinely concerned. Since then, Ppodong had been enjoying his unemployed life. ¡°Ppo-dong¡­.. Ppo-do-dong¡­¡­¡± Rolling over here. Rolling over there. Sure, he could rest comfortably, but it was so boring. Nobody played with him. All he could do was roll to the left and to the right all day long. After the 20th day, he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. He had to do something! ¡°¡­.. Ppo-dong! Ppo-do-do-do-do-do!¡± Ppodong shook his chubby head. His plump cheeks bounced like a rice cake. All of a sudden, he thought that feeling like this wasn¡¯t quite right. ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± He had to do something right now or he was going to die out of boredom. So, let¡¯s go outside for now. Determined, Ppodong kicked the handkerchief and got up. Heave-ho heave-ho, he descended using the table leg. Dash dash dash, he ran happily to the bedroom door. Climb climb climb, he climbed it. He then pulled the doorknob. Ker-chak, the door opened. After that, he went out to the hallway. ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± This was the first time Ppodong had ever come out alone without Lloyd. Seeing the long corridor, he felt more curious and adventurous than afraid. ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± For now, let¡¯s just go anywhere. Ppodong ran along the corridor. When he arrived at the staircase, he went down. And when the maids passed by, he followed them around. How long had he been wandering like that? Before he knew it, he came out from the mansion to the courtyard. ¡°Ppo-do-dong¡­¡­¡± The sun was warm. The smell of grass blown by the breeze was also good. There was a sweet flower scent coming from somewhere. Ppodong¡¯s steps soon followed the sweet flower scent. At last, he met someone. ¡°Oh my?¡± A gentle voice could be heard from above. Ppodong raised his head and confirmed the owner of the voice. His eyes met Baroness Frontera¡¯s. ¡°¡­. A mouse?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Not a mouse?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± Ppodong nodded his head. Baroness Frontera, who was tending the flower garden, took off her working gloves. ¡°Now I understand. You¡¯re the huge creature my son summoned. Am I right?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°But how did you come to the flower garden?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong? Ppo-dong.¡± ¡°Um, I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. Then maybe¡­ are you here to help me?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°I see. As expected, was it like that?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong?¡± Ppodong tilted his head. A joyful smile bloomed at the Baroness¡¯ lips. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can thank you enough. These days, I¡¯ve been worried about a few mice that have been damaging the flower garden.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°You¡¯re their relative, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong? Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s possible, can you call them? Please ask them to not ruin the flower garden for me.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Can you do it for me?¡± ¡°¡­.. Ppo-dong!¡± Ppodong nodded unconsciously. Actually, he wasn¡¯t related to mice. He had no idea whether he could communicate with them or not, but the Baroness¡¯ smile and voice was so warm. And first of all, if he did her a favor, he ought to not be bored anymore! ¡°Ppo-do-dong! Ppo-dong!¡± Ppodong stood up on both his feet. As if wanting to say ¡®just believe in me¡®, he patted his chest with the palm of his paw cheekily. After accepting the Baroness¡¯ quest, he ran hastily towards the meadow. Boom boom boom! ¡°Push!¡± Lloyd shouted. Rumble rumble! A loud sound rang out. The soldiers were moving about busily. Inside the dark tunnel, the dim light from the torches made the construction team members¡¯ sweaty muscles glisten. The sinews, which were shaped just like earthworms, were firmly etched to their muscles. The steel shield slowly advanced forward. As the shield moved, a wall plate made of woven steel remained standing at the empty place. The wall plate supported the tunnel¡¯s weight that had been dug just a moment ago. How many wall plates had they built? The soldiers didn¡¯t know. They just followed Lloyd¡¯s orders and moved in perfect unison. Lloyd then gave an order to the blacksmiths and the construction members who were catching their breath. ¡°Now, good job. Change shift!¡± ¡°Change shift!¡± ¡°Move quickly and get some rest! Next workers, come in!¡± ¡°Coming in!¡± While a group of blacksmiths and construction members left the shield device, another group of blacksmiths and construction members went inside and filled the vacant spots. ¡°Lloyd-nim, are you not taking a break?¡± asked a blacksmith. Lloyd chuckled. ¡°Why? Are you worried?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a matter of course¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not working as hard as you guys.¡± ¡°But still, the air here is hot and stuffy¡­.¡± ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m grateful for the sympathy. But never mind that, let¡¯s just get to work.¡± Lloyd clapped his hands. The blacksmith, who was still looking anxiously at him, caught Lloyd¡¯s eyes. Actually, his condition wasn¡¯t that good. ¡®It¡¯s so hot I feel like I¡¯m going to go crazy.¡¯ The air inside the tunnel was hot. It wasn¡¯t just hot, it made him feel like he was inside a sauna all day long. Moreover, the air was suffocating too. It was natural. He was at the end of the tunnel, where the excavation was taking place. Since it was underground, the temperature was basically higher than outside. Additionally, the workers¡¯ body heat also had accumulated inside. What¡¯s more, he couldn¡¯t even dream of implementing a smooth ventilation system for this construction. ¡®If only the technology was more advanced, I could¡¯ve implemented a more proper ventilation system.¡¯ Ventilation was important in mine construction. This was also a problem that was directly related to the workers¡¯ safety. Inhaling a lot of dust wasn¡¯t good for the body. However, above all, if they experienced oxygen-deficiency because the oxygen in the environment was low, it might put lives at risk. For this construction, Lloyd dealt with that problem by using a ventilation that was forcibly made. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t step on the air pipe!¡± Lloyd yelled. One of the workers stepped back, startled. That worker was stepping on a pipe as big as his forearm. The pipe was the only way available for the outside air to get inside. ¡®Nevertheless, the existence of this pipe is why I could hold out being inside here.¡¯ The other end of the pipe was placed outside the tunnel. Outside, there would be a few workers working hard on turning the handle. A large pinwheel that was connected to the handle would rotate to force the air to enter inside the pipe. That way, it could supply oxygen for the people inside the tunnel. ¡°What are you going to do if there¡¯s a hole in the middle of the air pipe? We can¡¯t see anything down here. What if we continued to go down while the air leaked from the middle of the pipe? The new air won¡¯t be able to come to the end of the tunnel. Do you understand? Be more careful.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Tsk. Nevermind. Let¡¯s focus!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lloyd felt like his temper became more sensitive because of the hot air and hard task. However, unlike other workers, he couldn¡¯t get out and take a rest from time to time. ¡®I have to check the situation in real-time.¡¯ There were many things he needed to check personally. First of all was the mine¡¯s path. It was necessary to check in real time whether the excavation was proceeding properly towards the coal bed¡ªthe layer of coal that was buried. ¡®It¡¯s because the former Lord had recorded it thoroughly.¡¯ Thankfully, the former Lord had brought three expensive wizards to repeatedly conduct geological surveys. He had left a detailed record of the coal bed he had found at that time. Because of this, navigating the way was easy. However, there were still many other risks underground. ¡®There are numerous invisible dangers lurking in front. Just like groundwater or methane gas layers.¡¯ If we incorrectly dug the groundwater, the tunnel we had dug could get submerged. Additionally, what if there was a methane gas layer? Methane was a flammable gas that could cause a big explosion. ¡®Then all of this would be over. The end.¡¯ This was the scariest part when constructing a coal mine. There were methane-producing bacterias that lived in coal. They produced methane gas using the coal¡¯s compound¡ªwhich was methoxylated aromatic compounds (MACs). Because of the methane gas produced by this microorganism, it was inevitable that there would be methane gas layers lurking throughout the coal mine. ¡®This is why I can¡¯t let my guard down even for a moment.¡¯ He had to use survey skill at least thrice a day to check what was inside the place five meters ahead from where we were digging. Furthermore, the tail void grouting that occurred in the space between the advancing shield and the remaining wall plate was also subject to caution. ¡®Because the shield¡¯s diameter is bigger than the wall plate¡¯s diameter.¡¯ Between the diameter of the advancing shield and the diameter of the wall plate that was assembled inside the shield, obviously there would be a slight difference between the two. Therefore, after the shield advanced, the ground had no choice but to slightly sink as much as the difference in the diameters between the two. The collapse was subtle and was just a few centimeters. However, neglecting to pay attention to it because it seemed trivial could be the start of a catastrophe that could bury everyone who was his responsibility alive. ¡®Do you think I would ever do something like that? Me?¡¯ The heat. The suffocating air. Inside the tunnel, Lloyd struggled to not lose his focus. He took off his shirt and put up with the heat. When his head went blank, he put his face in front of the pipe and inhaled a few breaths of fresh air. So, a few more working days had passed just like that. The mine got longer and deeper. As such, they had come closer to the target, the coal bed. ¡®Just a little more. Let¡¯s cheer up.¡¯ Lloyd suffered from the sweltering heat and stifling air every day, so his fatigue didn¡¯t go away that well. Every morning, he would barely be able to wake up. However, he had no choice but to put up with it. Fortunately, this experience wasn¡¯t unfamiliar to Lloyd. ¡®I¡¯ve experienced worse than this before!¡¯ Compared to his days living at goshiwon, he felt like he was in heaven. At that time, he also couldn¡¯t sleep properly. He had nosebleeds in the lecture class during the day and while working part-time from evening to night. And yet, it wasn¡¯t the end. No matter how he split his time, he had to have some spare private time for himself. That was how he could handle the onslaught of tasks. The easiest time to be split and used for a time for himself was his sleeping time. With the reduced sleeping time, he slept less and less. Extreme fatigue was inevitable. Those were the days he continued to study and work like a zombie, in a state where he could collapse anytime. ¡®But what about now? It¡¯s only hard when I¡¯m at the construction site. I can eat and sleep well in the mansion, right?¡¯ Even the food was incomparably better than when I was at the goshiwon. ¡®At the goshiwon, the basic free kimchi and rice were everything!¡¯ If he thought about it that way, the tenacity that wasn¡¯t there was set ablaze like never before. He didn¡¯t want to go back to those days, so he was very eager to make this territory prosperous. Thanks to such determination and motivation, the construction hadn¡¯t stopped even once. Bangul and the workers had become more proficient in their own jobs. The construction had also gained momentum. And finally, Lloyd¡¯s survey skill identified that there was a coal bed at the targeted range. ¡®It¡¯s finally here.¡¯ Five meters ahead inside the mine, which had been examined by the survey skill, Lloyd saw a black coal bed. Just like finding a high-grade ginseng inside the ground, he found the bituminous coal at last. ¡°Now, the end is in sight! Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s goooo!¡± ¡°Bangul!¡± Lloyd shouted out of joy. The workers and Bangul also shouted in unison. Even Javier, who had been calm, also cried out. Everyone had a hunch. The end of this long and arduous work was approaching. At last, the moment of completion was shining in front of them. ¡°Bba-ba-ngul!¡± Bangul chomped on the last mouthful of soil and advanced towards the bituminous coal bed. Author¡¯s note: Mom, she¡¯s eating dirt. Tl/n: Hi everyone! I¡¯m back! Starting from now, I¡¯m going to make the POV consistent (from 3rd person POV). I¡¯m sorry for the inconsistencies in the past chapters, I¡¯ll redo them gradually and try to improve the quality. Thank you for being so patient and understanding with me.? If there¡¯s someone who would like to help me by proofreading my translations, please contact me on my discord. I really need and will appreciate your help :¡¯) I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m allowed to give my dc id here, so please find my dc from KnoxT¡¯s discord. Sorry for the inconvenience. I¡¯d greatly appreciate it if you would buy me a coffee! CH 24 ¡°Bangul!¡± Chomp! Bangul opened her mouth wide and casually took a bite of the lump of dirt in front of Lloyd. Chunks of black coal could be seen in the empty place where the soil had just been chomped, different from before. So far, there would be another layer of soil or a grayish-white rock when she was digging. However, this time, what appeared was¡­. ¡°It¡¯s bituminous coal. Bangul, stop!¡± Lloyd stepped forward in a hurry. Finally, the coal vein was discovered. From now on, everything that hung on the mine walls¨Dcoal, for example¨Dwould become money. It was too valuable to let it be eaten by Bangul. ¡°The next step will be important. Everyone, stay focused,¡± Lloyd calmed down the workers who were about to cheer. Major disasters and accidents always occurred at moments when you were most careless. Just like now, when the tension loosened after the goal was already in sight. Bearing that fact in mind, Lloyd quickly said, ¡°We¡¯re not finished yet. We¡¯ve only just come in contact with the outer layer of the coal bed. We could cheer later. After we¡¯ve clearly reached our goal, we¡¯ll celebrate. Do you understand? Good job, everyone. Switch with the next group and tell them to bring the support column.¡° As of right now, meticulous work would be required. So, Lloyd sent out the exhausted workers and called in the still lively next batch of workers. In the meantime, Lloyd held out a blue sunflower seed to Bangul. ¡°Hey, Bangul?¡± ¡°Bangul!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve done a great job, too. If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to dig this hole so fast, seriously.¡± ¡°Bangul! Bba-ba-ngul!¡± ¡°Haha, I see. I¡¯ll give you something delicious when we¡¯re above the ground later. So, for now, will you be satisfied with just this?¡± ¡°Bangul!¡± Lloyd put the blue sunflower seed inside Bangul¡¯s mouth. Bangul then nibbled on the sunflower seed. Crack. 3 seconds later, Bangul became smaller. Ta-da! ¡°Bangul!¡± ¡°You did a good job too, thank you.¡± Lloyd put the petite Bangul on his chest. In the meantime, the new batch of workers was carrying the support column inside the tunnel. ¡°As you can see, the coal bed has been found here. Henceforth, it¡¯s really important. We¡¯re going to expand the mining space alongside the coal bed. It¡¯s a dangerous task, so all of you need to heed the instructions thoroughly. Do you understand?¡± The workers nodded their heads. Lloyd activated his Intermediate Survey skill. ¡®Survey.¡¯ Bzzzzt! His eyes were faintly glowing. Next, multiple pieces of information about what was inside the tunnel came to his mind. There was a myriad of information displayed about the coal bed and its surroundings, where his gaze was directed at. ¡®Luckily, the ground near the coal bed is on the solid side. Even if the shield is to be removed, the risk of it collapsing would be small. And for the direction as to where the coal bed extends to¡­. okay, it¡¯s this way.¡¯ Lloyd turned back to look at the workers. ¡°Now, we¡¯re going to dismantle the shield as slow as possible. Be very careful.¡± This is the end of the shield¡¯s role. It couldn¡¯t be pulled out, therefore, the only way was to disassemble it. ¡°Now, grab there. Two, three, pull!¡± Click! The workers moved, abiding by Lloyd¡¯s command. One by one, the shield was dismantled. When the dismantling process had progressed for a while, Lloyd commanded, ¡°Support column!¡± Three workers who were waiting immediately responded to his shout. They advanced while carrying the support columns along with its top and bottom panels. Support columns were erected in the place where the shield was removed, as a temporary measure to prevent the mine from collapsing. ¡°Start working on the reinforcement! Don¡¯t forget what you¡¯ve practiced!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The workers moved in unison. They started to shovel along the wall of the tunnel¡¯s end. With this, the area at the end of the tunnel grew larger. The purpose of this was to enlarge the mining space. Consecutively, Lloyd continued to activate his survey skill. The composition and the situation of both the walls and ceiling inside the mine were examined in real-time. He was taking precautions so everyone could be evacuated on the slightest signs of collapse. Fortunately, the process went smoothly. There were no signs of collapse. ¡®It¡¯s done.¡¯ The most difficult process was over. That was all for today. And, what if they began to proceed on the further reinforcement of the mine starting from tomorrow? Coal could be mined by next month at the latest. ¡°Whoa,¡± Lloyd finally relaxed. The tired and sweat-drenched faces of the workers were also blooming with proud smiles. The fact that the basic mine excavation work had been completed finally dawned on Lloyd. ¡°Well, everybody has been having a hard time. Let¡¯s go up for now. Today, there will be a party with meat, alcohol, and big bonuses.¡± Every hard work had to be rewarded. That was Lloyd¡¯s established ironclad rule. The construction team members, who had worked with him for a while, also had figured out the existence of such a policy to some extent. ¡®Wow! I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be plenty of bonuses this time too, right?¡¯ ¡®What should I buy with the bonus?¡¯ ¡®Wait for me, Rosaria. Your brother is going to pay all of your tuition!¡¯ Those were the gist of what went on inside the workers¡¯ minds. This construction was more difficult than ever. Incomparable to neither the ondol room nor the paved road, so the bonus was bound to be bigger than before. Thinking about that made the corners of everyone¡¯s mouths lifted and stuck to their ears. Their movement when tidying up the work tools also became lighter. Their mind seemed to be already walking around, basking under the bright sunlight outside the mine. However, at that moment- Crack, thud. There was a faint sound from the exposed coal bed. Did the pile of stones crumble and fall? Unconsciously, Lloyd turned around to face the coal bed. All of a sudden- Crack, thud! The sound was getting louder. However, Lloyd didn¡¯t see any debris falling down. Instead, a dull sound from the other side of the coal bed was heard once again. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Something felt strange. No, Lloyd didn¡¯t know how but the sound was coming from across the coal bed. So, he reflexively used his skill. ¡®Survey.¡¯ Bzzzzt! Lloyd examined the source of the sound¡ªthe coal bed¡ªwith his survey skill. Then, his eyes widened subconsciously. ¡®Huh?¡¯ About three meters beyond the coal bed, there was a hole that hadn¡¯t been there before. No, a tunnel about two meters in diameter was being made in real-time! ¡®What? Is it collapsing? No, the signs aren¡¯t the same as when it¡¯s collapsing/a collapse!¡¯ To be exact, something was digging a tunnel. That thing was definitely coming towards this side with an increasingly swift pace. Blatantly. Boom! A head popped out. ¡°¡­.!¡± A giant ant¡¯s head protruded through the coal bed. Its head was twice the size of a watermelon, with wide-open mandibles longer than a forearm. ¡°Uuh? Ugh!¡± Lloyd stepped back in a hurry. In the heat of the moment, he fell flat on his buttocks. He was lucky. Smash! The mandible that had sprung towards Lloyd was right in front of his nose now. Its jaw, with its sawtooth-like edges, glistened under the torchlight. What if I got bitten by something like that? My arms and legs would¡¯ve been cut off, for sure. Thinking so, he got goosebumps. ¡°What?! Why did an ant come out from there?¡± ¡°Euaarghh!¡± screams erupted from the workers. Why did an ant pop out from nowhere? It doesn¡¯t make any sense that this ant is as big as a wolf. Lloyd had neither the time nor mind to ponder about those things. So, he reached out and grabbed everything he could reach. When he grabbed his favorite steel shovel, he lifted it and swung it. Clang! The sharp part of the shovel head pierced a half-centimeter deep into the giant ant¡¯s skull. ¡°Kieeeeeek!¡± the ant shrieked. It shook its head violently, perhaps in pain. Transparent fluids poured out of the wound and sprayed all over Lloyd¡¯s face. Because of it, he came to his senses. ¡°Everyone, evacuate!¡± Lloyd reflexively screamed. That ant¡¯s shriek was the beginning. The workers who were frozen in place rushed to get out of the tunnel. Lloyd also tried to quickly get up. However, there was not enough time. ¡°Kieeeek!¡± the angry ant that was in pain single-handedly charged forward to counterattack. Its wide-open mandibles were aiming for Lloyd¡¯s neck, whereas Lloyd couldn¡¯t fully get up so he was in a state of half-sitting and half-standing. ¡®Uugh!¡¯ There was no way to avoid it. His posture was too bad for that. Lloyd could feel the mandibles closing in to his neck in an instant. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ At that moment- Swoosh! Suddenly, something silver flashed from above. Slash! Slash! The ant¡¯s jaw that was closing in aggressively got cut off. In succession, the silver flash stabbed the top of the ant¡¯s head. Crack! A sword pierced through the top of the ant¡¯s head and stuck onto the floor just like an awl. The next moment, the sword was being rotated. With a crunching sound, the top of the ant¡¯s head cracked even more. ¡°Kieeek!¡± the ant that had been struggling for its life finally went limp, dead. The sword was pulled out and a hand was stretched out to Lloyd. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Javier asked. ¡°¡­.¡± The strong palm full-of-calluses coupled with his cool and calm look even inside this dark mine. He was no other than Javier. Javier was holding out his hand, so Lloyd grabbed it and got up with his help. ¡°That, what the hell is that?!¡± Lloyd freaked out. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s the ant beast that lives in the wilderness across this mountain range.¡± ¡°An ant beast? Why are they coming out from there?¡± Lloyd was genuinely bewildered. This ant beast originally inhabited the eastern wilderness beyond the mountains. If, by chance, this place was over the mountain range, it was still below the ground. It didn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°Contrary to people¡¯s perception, the ant¡¯s nest must¡¯ve stretched out from underground beyond the mountain range to this vicinity. But if this isn¡¯t the case¡­¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s not?¡± Another ant beast came out from the hole on the coal bed. As soon it saw the both of them, it lunged while waving its antennae like a club. Javier continued, ¡°Maybe they sensed the sound of us digging a tunnel, and they approached by digging the hole in front of us.¡± Crack! Javier¡¯s sword became a flash of silver light once again. The ant¡¯s head that was rushing in was split vertically. However, behind it, there was another ant. In other words, a colony of ants was ready to come out of the hole endlessly! ¡°Damn it!¡± Lloyd cursed. Javier¡¯s second guess seemed correct. ¡®When I found the coal bed earlier, there was no hole behind it.¡¯ He knew it for sure because he continued to use his survey skill to scrutinize the perimeter around the mining space. There wasn¡¯t anything that looked like an ant¡¯s nest back then. He just saw the ant nest being dug in real-time and then ant beasts came out of it. ¡®What do I do?¡¯ This was completely unexpected. However, the lack of preparation cut straight to his heart. ¡®In the geological survey from the former Lord, there wasn¡¯t any record about the discovery of an ant¡¯s nest. That¡¯s why I let my guard down.¡¯ Of course, he did try to think about how to prepare for what wasn¡¯t written in the record. Nonetheless, what happened had already happened. He had to resolve this somehow. ¡®Should I block them here?¡¯ Feeling confused and fatigued. The hot and polluted air. Despite these, Lloyd racked his brain desperately. He only knew that one thing was certain. ¡®If these ants got out of the mine, it would be over.¡¯ The mine¡¯s exit led to the territory. What if these ants got out and went there? The soldiers of the territory wouldn¡¯t be able to stop them. The number of ants was too large. In the worst-case scenario, the whole territory could be wiped out. In conclusion, there would be an insurmountable disaster. ¡®This is not going to work.¡¯ Just imagining it made Lloyd had a cold sweat. However, Javier seemed to misinterpret this aspect of him. ¡°Lloyd-nim, get a hold of yourself.¡± Whack! All of a sudden, Javier¡¯s fist came flying. It lightly poke and jabbed Lloyd¡¯s solar plexus. ¡°¡­. Cough!¡± Lloyd couldn¡¯t breathe. According to Javier, it must had been a weak hit. Nevertheless, it still hurts quite a lot because Lloyd got hit while he was unguarded. ¡°You, what are you doing!¡± ¡°In a situation like this, it¡¯s difficult to not be consumed by panic¡± ¡°I¡¯m not panicking, I¡¯m thinking so hard to come up with a plan.¡± ¡°Then please quickly think of something.¡± Slash, crunch! Amidst his calm reply, Javier was keeping the ant swarm at bay. Not even one of his breaths was disordered. Every slash of his sword was perfect. With each slash, an ant¡¯s neck got chopped off or its head got split to two. Needless to say, Javier¡¯s torso was already drenched in sweat. His muscles, which were shown because he took off his shirt, sweated and bulged. ¡®Nobody is invincible. No matter how strong Javier is, he still has limitations.¡¯ Lloyd could see it intuitively. Obviously, Javier was strong. However, this place was small and full of hot and polluted air. No matter how hard Javier tried to stop the swarm of ant beasts, he would hit the limit of his strength soon. ¡®I have to think of a way while he¡¯s holding on.¡¯ A way to stop the ants. A way to stop them from going to the territory. At the same time, a way to minimize the damage for everyone. ¡®Shall we tear down the mine here? No, it¡¯s impossible. The wall plates that were built using the shield tunneling method are so strong that they won¡¯t collapse even if they get damaged in one or two places. Besides, even if we broke it down like that, we couldn¡¯t guarantee the safety of the territory considering these ants¡¯ digging speed.¡¯ Lloyd shook his head. If they did that, there was a possibility that they couldn¡¯t prevent the ant from coming out and they both would die for nothing instead. ¡®So, we can¡¯t half-ass this. We have to kill them all at once while controlling the swarm of these ant colonies¡­. Huh? Wait. ¡® In this urgent situation, something popped into Lloyd¡¯s mind. He raised his head. When he saw Javier, he shouted, ¡°Hey, Javier! You, do you think you can go through them?¡± ¡°What do you mean by go through them?¡± Javier asked while cutting off the antennae of an ant that was coming close in a heartbeat. Lloyd cried out once again, ¡°What do I mean? Can you face them head-on as we went past them?¡± ¡°Towards this flock of ants?¡± ¡°Uh-huh!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier turned to look at Lloyd. While he was still busy cracking the skull of an ant, he kept looking at Lloyd as if Lloyd had gone crazy. Lloyd then yelled more casually, ¡°I think this is the only way for everyone to live and for the swarm of ants to stop. Can¡¯t believe it? Or, are you scared? If you¡¯re scared, just go to hell!¡± ¡°Look now, are you saying I¡¯m scared?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°¡­. This kind of misunderstanding is unpleasant.¡± ¡°Then, is it possible?¡± ¡°Of course. Rather than keeping a defensive stance, attacking seems more plausible. How far do we have to go?¡± ¡°To the inside of the ant nest!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, we¡¯re going to keep on going? Until the end?¡± ¡°Uh-huh!¡± ¡°Do you really not have any better plans in mind?¡± ¡°Naturally! This is a brilliant way!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t believe me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a matter of course.¡± ¡°Hey! We¡¯re in the middle of this chaotic situation¡­.¡± ¡°That brilliant way better not be the crazy method you just mentioned, I hope.¡± Has he made up his mind? Or, does he have a hunch that there¡¯s no other way but to listen to me? Grab! While Lloyd was thinking so, there was a faint sound coming from Javier when he gripped the sword. Even his voice became blood-thirstier than ever before. ¡°Stay close and follow me! Don¡¯t lose me while running around!¡± With a deadly storm of sword flashes, Javier began to break through the swarm of ants. Swoosh! Snap! Crush! At that moment, Lloyd felt that Javier¡¯s swordsmanship was really beautiful. The five ants that were rushing in were swept away and crushed by the wind from his sword. Javier dived inside the swarm of ants in between. His force was beast-like, but silver-colored. Lloyd ran behind Javier while holding the torch and his shovel in both his hands. ¡°Run! Don¡¯t stop!¡± Lloyd shouted. In an instant, they went inside the hole on the coal bed and into the ant nest. Fortunately, the ants chose to chase the intruders who went inside their nest rather than went out of the mine. The two of them cut and split the soldier ant that was blocking them. They ran and ran through the ant nest relentlessly. ¡°Keep going to the base!¡± While running, Lloyd examined every corner of the ant nest using his survey skill. ¡®There¡¯s no other way than this. Kill or to be killed, let¡¯s do this.¡¯ He had only one goal. Find the methane gas layer that should¡¯ve been buried somewhere inside this ant nest. Author¡¯s note: One week before the discharge from the army, time went by so slowly. So, I playfully sprayed water on the ant nest. The donations were very generous (laughs). Tl/n: I¡¯d greatly appreciate it if you would buy me a coffee! CH 25 ¡°My Lord! We have a huge, h-huge problem!¡± It was a sunny noon. A soldier of the territory hurriedly came running to the mansion, huffing and puffing. He broke into the Baron¡¯s office, disregarding all etiquette and formality. After listening to him for a while, the Baron¡¯s teacup fell to the floor. Shatter! ¡°¡­. What?¡± The Baron¡¯s face became pale. ¡°Say that again. Ant beasts?¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord, ant beasts have appeared inside the tunnel where Young Master Lloyd has been digging.¡± ¡°Then, what about Lloyd?¡± ¡°According to the workers who were with him, he stayed behind. He ordered everyone to evacuate quickly¡­.¡± ¡°Is he there alone?¡± ¡°No, Sir Asrahan stays behind with him.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± After reporting, the soldier¡¯s face became somber. Ant beasts inhabited the eastern wilderness beyond the mountain range. They were terrifying creatures. Each individual was much stronger than a wolf. Additionally, there were too many of them. They were also fearless and very organized. In other words, there was no way to survive once caught by them. It¡¯d become even more hopeless especially when encountering them underground. ¡°Sir Bayern first summoned his troops. Right now, they are gathered in front of the mine, starting the preparations to close the mine.¡± That was the best they could do. What if the ant beasts came out of the mine? The hunting grounds would be destroyed. The residents of this estate would also be annihilated. Not only the people, but livestock would also get hunted and made into meat dumplings. If you got lucky, you would be paralyzed alive and then stored in a warehouse, or become a delicious prey for the ant colony¡¯s larvae. To prevent this situation, the right thing to do was to close the mine before it was too late. However, for some reason, the Baron fell silent. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°My Lord?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Sir Bayern told me to ask for My Lord¡¯s command¡­.¡± The soldier timidly glanced at the Baron. The Baron continued to be silent. Then, at some point, the Baron suddenly sprang up from his seat and opened the closet in his office. He took out the armor that had been stored there and began to wear it. ¡°M-My Lord?¡± However, Baron Frontera still didn¡¯t answer. Instead of his answer, only the clinking sound from the Baron¡¯s armor could be heard inside the office. Clink, clink! Thud! He wore a brigandine1Brigandine: is a form of body armor from the Middle Ages, typically made of heavy cloth, canvas, or leather, lined internally with small oblong steel plates riveted to the fabric, sometimes with a second layer of fabric on the inside. with iron plates attached to it and wrapped his knees with silver-colored poleyns2Poleyn: is a component of Medieval and Renaissance armor that protected the knee.. After that, he wore the demi-greaves3Demi-greaves are greaves that only protect the shin. Greaves itself is another part of armor from the Middle Ages which are used to protect the legs. and a bascinet helmet4Bascinet: a medieval helmet of light steel, fits closely to the wearer¡¯s head and typically has a visor.. An iron-rimmed shield was carried on his back while a long sword hung on the waist of his armor. In everyone¡¯s eyes, the Baron appeared ready for a battle. However, the soldier was surprised as the Baron hadn¡¯t held a sword even once in the past ten years. ¡°Excuse me, My Lord? Right now¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t keep up, I¡¯ll leave you behind.¡± Wham! The Baron stormed out after roughly opening the office door by kicking it. He ran through the corridors, down to the horse stable, and climbed on a horse¡¯s back. ¡°Ha!¡± the Baron kicked the horse¡¯s sides. Only one thought occupied the Baron¡¯s mind. ¡®Lloyd, wait for a little bit. Please hang in there, by all means!¡¯ His heart beat accelerated as he rushed towards the mine. Dash dash dash! Swish! After kicking the ground to do a rough jump, a sword fiercely slashed the space. Crunch! ¡°Kieeeeeek!¡± The long sword hit and split the ant¡¯s head. Along with a scream, transparent bodily fluids splattered. However, at that point in time, the longsword had been pulled out of its head a long time ago. The sword had already been searching for its next target, beaming calm and cold light. Slash! Clang! Thud! Javier turned his body sideways to cut its body. He kicked its bottom part to block it. He stabbed, pulled, and lifted the sword. Lloyd thought Javier would slash upwards, but then he advanced with his sword moving like a gale. ¡®One slash to the left, one slash to the right, a jab to the side on its upper left, then what was next, a downright slash?¡¯ Lloyd left his tongue hanging out as he ran through the narrow tunnel. He had no choice but to do so. Javier was running two steps ahead of him, charging forward. Meanwhile, Lloyd looked at Javier¡¯s swordsmanship with eyes full of admiration. ¡®Really amazing. This is the skill of a real knight.¡¯ It was on a different level than his previous duel with Sir Neumann. There was no obstruction in all of Javier¡¯s movements. It flowed naturally just like water, yet also fierce and unstoppable at the same time. Furthermore, in between his connected movements, Javier also added numerous small movements that were too hard to see with eyes. It went in a flash, just like lightning. A myriad of feints and lethal attacks were brilliantly mixed in. In short, Javier¡¯s swordplay itself was an art. The ant beasts got literally slaughtered in front of his elegant but destructive swordsmanship. ¡°¡­.. Even in this situation, don¡¯t you get tired?¡± Lloyd, who had been following Javier, cried out. While swinging his sword, Javier glanced at him. ¡°I¡¯m tired,¡± Javier answered in a single breath. His breath didn¡¯t seem to be disordered just yet. Everybody wouldn¡¯t know that he was tired just by listening to his voice. However, Lloyd knew. ¡®We don¡¯t have much time.¡¯ No matter how strong Javier was, he was still a human. Humans had limitations to their stamina. He couldn¡¯t fight forever. If he had reached the level of a Sword Master, the endless cycle of mana could loosen his stamina constraints, but he hadn¡¯t reached it just yet. Right now, he was just slowing down the accumulation of fatigue with Asrahan Core Technique. ¡°About the brilliant way Lloyd-nim said, are we not there yet?¡± Slash slash! Javier asked while cutting down the ant who blocked his way into three pieces: head, chest, and stomach. Lloyd grimaced. ¡°Not yet!¡± ¡°Then, when will it be?¡± ¡°I also don¡¯t know. I¡¯m searching for it as hard as I can!¡± ¡°What do you mean by you¡¯re still searching¡­.¡± ¡°Stop talking to me, just focus on clearing the path. We have to move as far as we can to increase the probability!¡± Lloyd exclaimed. What he shouted was the truth. Even now, he was still activating his Intermediate Survey Skill to its limit. As an optional skill of the survey skill, the ground composition of the ant nest inside the five meters range he¡¯d targeted would continuously be identified. The thing he¡¯d been desperately searching for was a methane gas layer that must¡¯ve been buried somewhere inside the ant nest. ¡®It should certainly be around here. Here, there were bituminous coal beds embedded all over the place. So, the methane gas layer must be here somewhere.¡¯ Lloyd continued to run. With Javier in front of him, they ran from corner to corner inside the ant nest. The survey skill was used as optimal as possible to detect all possible directions. How hard did he search for it? Finally, Lloyd¡¯s eyes saw something. ¡®Found it!¡¯ Five meters under the ground, Lloyd could see some methane gas lurking there. However, it wasn¡¯t the main part of the layer. Was it a stream of methane gas layer? It was indeed only a small stream. ¡®Nevertheless, there was no way we could immediately come in contact with it from here.¡¯ The one thing he was confident about was that this stream of gas was indeed methane and where it was connected to. Between him and the gas, there was five meters thick of soil and rock. Digging it with a shovel would take a very long time. Even worse, the tunnel wasn¡¯t large enough for Bangul to transform into her giant state. ¡°Javier! Over there!¡± Lloyd pointed at one of the passageways. That direction was where the stream of methane gas was connected to. ¡°From now on, just run towards the direction I pointed at!¡± ¡°I understand, but-¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°We, can we just go outside?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier¡¯s eyes were calm while he was slicing the ants. He looked like he had already made up his mind to face his end here. In front of his subdued eyes, Lloyd stopped smiling. ¡°Why? Are you scared?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid, just-¡± ¡°Just what?¡± ¡°I felt a little resentful.¡± ¡°Is it because you¡¯re afraid of dying in a place like this?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Then, did you hide any dirty paintings under the bed in your quarters and you were afraid of getting caught?¡± ¡°Obviously not. To be honest with you-¡± Javier sighed deeply and continued, ¡°I¡¯m afraid of dying with someone like Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± ¡°It was my greed as a knight, I guess. I think the most honorable death a knight can get is when he sacrificed his life for someone worthy and respectable.¡± ¡°Hoho, so you feel that dying hand-in-hand together with a scumbag like me is unfair?¡± ¡°That¡¯s an accurate summary.¡± ¡°Really? Are we going to leave now, just like that?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to die together here anyhow, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°You¡¯re laying bare your true colors for the last time before we, as companions, are going to the afterlife, aren¡¯t you?¡± asked Lloyd. Javier then retorted, ¡°I¡¯m just saying this because I think I¡¯ll be less resentful if I spoke to you frankly regarding this, honestly.¡± Clang! Clack! Swish! The ants were still running towards both of them. In front of them, large soldier ants blocked the way. Whenever that happened, Javier proceeded to keep on running, cutting, and slaughtering the ants in front of him without rest. Naturally, Lloyd followed closely behind. With a torch and a steel shovel in both of his hands, he worked hard on stopping the ants that were chasing them from behind. As such, the two of them fought against the swarm of ants with their bodies. In the meantime, they still quarreled with each other. ¡°Ha! Okay! Since we¡¯re going to die, let¡¯s do yaja time!¡± said Lloyd. Not knowing what that was, Javier asked, ¡°What is yaja time?¡± ¡°Say anything you want to say without minding our ranks! Heave-ho!¡± ¡°Sounds nice. Hup!¡± Clang! Snap! They jumped to the passageway located on their left. While brandishing a sword, raising a torch, and wielding a shovel, the war of words between them continued. ¡°Then, let¡¯s start with me! You, your luck isn¡¯t humane!¡± said Lloyd. ¡°How come?¡± ¡°You¡¯re very handsome!¡± ¡°I was born with this face.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying, then why am I so unlucky?¡± ¡°Say, are you done talking?¡± ¡°What if I¡¯m not?¡± ¡°Still, I¡¯ll take my turn. It¡¯s unfair to get beaten one-sidedly.¡± ¡°Look at this punk, trying to save some time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Time is gold, my friend. Of course you can¡¯t have all three5Lloyd was talking about 3Ts in life: Time, Talent, and Treasure.!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier suddenly went silent. ¡°Are you crying? Huh? Why did you stay silent while getting beaten under my attacks?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I suddenly feel sorry for you.¡± ¡°Wow, why?¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, I think my nipples are more handsome than your face.¡± ¡°Hurl¡­.¡± It was a more powerful shot than Lloyd had initially predicted. Lloyd clenched his teeth and fought back, ¡°Ha! What have you been doing with that face so far that you couldn¡¯t even get a girlfriend?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been working hard on my swordsmanship training.¡± ¡°Aha. So you¡¯ve been single since birth?¡± ¡°Similar to you, I¡¯m sure Lloyd-nim also hasn¡¯t had a single girlfriend yet.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s as far as I know. Besides, I actually-¡± ¡°Actually?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve received quite a few love confession letters.¡± ¡°What? Love confession letters?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Javier was still fighting with his sword. Inside this fellow¡¯s eyes, Lloyd could see unidentified confidence shining through. While blocking an ant¡¯s mandibles with his shovel, Lloyd shouted back, ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Umm, I think I¡¯ve roughly gotten about two boxes of it. I put them inside my quarters.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°Does that even make sense? What is the population of our territory? I think you¡¯d have to get a confession letter from almost every female in our territory to get that many?¡± ¡°Pft!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me for being solo!¡± ¡°When you brush your teeth, use a toothbrush.¡± (tl/n: Here, Javier mocked Lloyd by playing with the word ¡®solo/??¡¯ inside his sentence. He inserted it into the word ¡®toothbrush¡¯, from ?? to ???.) ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Hello, nice to meet you. You¡¯re do re mi fa solo, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Today, are you going to spend another solo night?¡± ¡°¡­. You gorilla in heat, that¡¯s enough!¡± Lloyd screamed. Was it because he was being pushed by Javier¡¯s words? No, it was because he reached his intended destination. Javier, who was continuing their war of words, also had a different look in his eyes as if he had sensed it. ¡°Is it here?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Lloyd examined the ground. With his survey skill, what was underneath the ground was visible. He could see an indentation that was about 1,5 meters big below. However, that indentation wasn¡¯t just an empty space. ¡®It¡¯s a layer of methane gas. A very big one.¡¯ Only a small portion of the methane gas layer was visible through the skill. It was like he had found the right Wang Geon6Wang Geon was the founder of the Goryeo dynasty who ruled and unified ancient Korea. He traced his ancestry back to a noble Goguryeo family so he could get a legitimate ground to rise to the throne. He claimed that he was a descendant of Emperor Sukjong of the Tang Dynasty. [tl/n: I think this is what the author refers to with this sentence. I¡¯m not a Korean, so I might¡¯ve misunderstood the author¡¯s intentions.]. Lloyd quickly spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll be digging here starting from now. Protect me in the meantime.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± They had come all the way to this place. They were in a situation where the only one they could trust was each other. There wasn¡¯t a reason nor a need for questions. Since then, Lloyd began to frantically dig the ground of the passageway with a shovel. Javier protected Lloyd by keeping the ants that were coming from both sides in check. But, at that moment- ¡°Skreeeeee!¡± A thunderous roar was coming from one side of the passageway. Then, something big was approaching while stomping all over the passageway. Its head was twice as big as other soldier ant beasts with a body large enough to fill the passageway. Its mandibles were completely longer and sharper than a longsword. ¡®A queen ant?¡¯ It seemed likely, but Lloyd didn¡¯t care. ¡®The queen ant isn¡¯t the objective anyway!¡¯ This wasn¡¯t a game of the Three Kingdoms, where you¡¯d win if you beheaded the monarch. Even if the queen was to be caught, the rest of the colony wouldn¡¯t be shaken. If you were unlucky, you could provoke them and they¡¯d get even angrier instead. For now, the best thing to do was to focus on the original objective. ¡°Hold them back until I¡¯m done digging all of this!¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Javier raised his long sword and blocked the queen ant¡¯s way. Did it get angry seeing Javier blocked its way? The queen ant lunged forward. ¡°Skreeeeeee!¡± Boom! Thud thud thud thud thud! The queen ant seemed to almost destroy the passageway. No, actually, it forcibly rushed in by crushing and widening the narrow walls of the passageway. Even so, Javier didn¡¯t back down. ¡°Heup,¡± Javier inhaled. With just a single breath, all of the surrounding mana began to shake. The mana fluctuated, with Javier at its center. He gathered it to his triple circle, which amplified the circles. Then, he poured it out. Clang! Claaang! A longsword that contained the rotation of three circles. A pair of super-strong chitin7Chitin: is a fibrous substance consisting of polysaccharides and forming the major constituent in the exoskeleton of arthropods and the cell walls of fungi-coated mandibles. These two collided with each other. The first clash was a draw. Kakakagak! ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Skree?¡± The longsword and the pair of mandibles confronted each other with similar strength. While both of their weapons clashed between them, Javier¡¯s eyes widened. The queen ant pulled back its jaw in surprise while its cilia8Cilia is the plural form of the cilium, which is referring to the long hairs on an ant¡¯s compound eye. bristled up. They both were shocked at each other¡¯s power that was beyond their expectations. The first one to move was the queen ant. ¡°Skree!¡± Swoooosh! The ant queen whipped its pair of giant antennae around. It was like a bigger and heavier club than a baseball bat. ¡°¡­..!¡± Javier quickly ducked down. He took advantage of the momentum and raised his longsword. As a response, the queen ant also swung its jaw. From then on, Javier and the queen ant¡ªthese two archenemies and two beasts¡ªpoured all of their offensive instinctively toward each other. He blocked and slashed, kicked and smacked, chopped and shoved, being pushed and bashed back, dodged and raised his sword, rolled over and then charged forward. However, things gradually turned against Javier. ¡®Dude, he¡¯s exhausted!¡¯ thought Lloyd. Lloyd¡¯s shoveling became even more frantic. He was tired as well. However, Javier¡ªwho continued to fight for their lives, must¡¯ve been even more tired. ¡®More! A little more!¡¯ If Javier collapsed, it would be over. When it was over, the plan would fail. The ant beasts would be free to go to the territory through the excavated tunnel. ¡®Sh*t! I shouldn¡¯t have made the structure of the mine so strong!¡¯ Now, it was too late to break it down. Even if he tried, only a part of it would collapse. He knew for certain that such collapse wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the ant beasts. ¡®That¡¯s why we¡¯ve to succeed.¡¯ Lloyd¡¯s shoveling became more intense. Every time his shovel moved, dirt was thrown everywhere. Sweat endlessly flowed down his neck and back. Finally, his shovel dug the point he¡¯d targeted. Fwoosh! ¡®It¡¯s done!¡¯ Gas began to leak out from the pit. Methane gas erupted from there. Lloyd quickly packed up his shovel and shouted at Javier, ¡°Dude! Come here!¡± Javier immediately responded to his shout. With a strong single sword slash, he shook off the queen ant and ran to Lloyd. Lloyd waited for Javier before he started running. Then, they ran together through the opposite passageway while the queen ant chased them fiercely. When Lloyd looked back, his eyes met the queen ant¡¯s eyes. At that moment, Lloyd chuckled and threw the torch at the queen ant. The torch hit the queen ant¡¯s head. With a thud, it bounced off in vain. It flew behind the queen ant, circling round and round in the air, and met the invisible, transparent gas¡ªthe methane gas. The methane gas and the flame mixed. A violent chemical reaction began. 891 kJ per mol of energy was generated. Boom! It resulted in a huge explosion that engulfed everything. Author¡¯s note: Boom! It resulted in a huge explosion that engulfed everything. The explosion swallowed the earth. The world had come to an end. Tl/n: I was cackling too hard when I read Lloyd and Javier¡¯s banter. Javier is surely a savage one. Thank you for your support! CH 26 Thud, thud. Thud. Piles of dirt fell down and some of it dropped on Lloyd¡¯s eyelids. It made his eyelashes itch, yet he couldn¡¯t raise his hand. He wanted to shake his head, but he also couldn¡¯t. ¡®Ah, this feeling is exactly the same as when I was tipsy. It¡¯s not that bad.¡¯ The whole world was spinning in his eyes. His vision was completely blurred. His dazed head was ringing. Perhaps, that was why he was seeing random things with no filter. ¡®What is this? This computer graphic that¡¯s approaching me looks so realistic.¡¯ Someone was coming closer to him. The dim light from the luminous mushrooms on the wall delicately illuminated his visage. He wasn¡¯t a human. No, Lloyd couldn¡¯t regard him as a human. All because his visual was too unrealistically perfect to say that it belonged to a person of this world. ¡®Super handsome.¡¯ Grayish-silver hair and blue eyes. His eyes, mouth, nose, and ears were works of art. All the more so even if soot was smeared all over his face. He still looked handsome even though sweat had flowed down and mixed with soot before it dried up. Rather, he seemed to exude a different magical charm that contrasted with his noble appearance. ¡®Oh sh*t, looking at it made me feel annoyed.¡¯ It was unfair for a person to be so handsome up to this degree. His very existence was a major disruption to the ecosystem. So, that thing shouldn¡¯t be a human. It was a CG. Let¡¯s just believe it was a CG that eats, sleeps, and talks. Otherwise, Lloyd felt like his self-esteem would endlessly take a hit. ¡°¡­. oyd-nim. Are you alright?¡± Don¡¯t talk to me, CG. I feel light-headed right now. Feels like I¡¯m going to vomit. However the CG in front of him, no, Javier, didn¡¯t know what was going on with Lloyd and raised his hand. Javier slapped Lloyd on his cheek abruptly. Slap! ¡°Please wake up,¡± Javier said. ¡°¡­..¡± Slap! ¡°You can¡¯t close your eyes here.¡± ¡°¡­. Stop, that¡¯s enough.¡± Lloyd barely came to his senses. He then spoke in a hurry. Javier, whose hand tried to slap Lloyd for the third time, stopped. It was only then that for the first time, a sense of relief showed on his face. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Um, I¡¯m not okay. Because of you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Just now, I knew you perfectly slapped my cheek.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Can you stand?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s going to be a little difficult. Someone with a grudge just slapped my cheek.¡± ¡°I only did what was necessary.¡± ¡°Oh yes, I suppose you did.¡± ¡°Now, get up.¡± Javier held out his hand. Lloyd couldn¡¯t get help from this guy, though. The reason was simple. Javier was still sitting on the ground as well. ¡°Hey? You, did you hurt your leg?¡± asked Lloyd. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Where did it hurt?¡± ¡°I think I sprained my ankle.¡± Javier pointed to his ankle. Is he in severe pain? Lloyd was late to realize that the beads of sweat on Javier¡¯s forehead were cold sweat. ¡°Is it very painful? To the point where you can¡¯t get up?¡± ¡°Both of my legs are injured.¡± ¡°Aha, so the reason you held out your hand to me a while ago was to ask me for help?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± What a shameless fellow. ¡°Am I your shuttle who¡¯d help you move?¡± ¡°What is a shuttle?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something like that. Anyway, hold on a second.¡± Lloyd examined the condition of his party. Javier had injured his legs. Bangul had fainted in his arms. He himself had no particular sprain nor serious injury. At best, there were only minor scratches or scrapes. Of course, the full-body bruise that made his body feel numb was still painful. ¡®This is no joke.¡¯ Every part of Lloyd¡¯s body ached. There was no place that didn¡¯t throb. To some extent, it was similar to the morning after he went to the gym for the first time in his life and got rolled all day long by a large athletic trainer from hell. Or, it felt like being rolled all day long inside a washing machine and got dehydrated. All of his muscles and bones literally hurt. Even his armpit hair felt stiff! ¡®Even so, it¡¯s a miracle that we¡¯ve survived.¡¯ Luminous mushrooms grew all over the surrounding passageways. The dim light it produced allowed Lloyd to look around. The first thing he noticed was the ruined and collapsed passageway. He could also see the body of the queen ant, whose head and chest were left in tatters. It wasn¡¯t until now that he realized why he and Javier were saved from the explosion. ¡®Unexpectedly, the Queen Ant Shield saved us.¡¯ Methane gas exploded from the rear. However, there was the queen ant between where the explosion came from and where they were located, for the queen ant was chasing after them. ¡®The queen ant is so enormous it almost fills the entire passageway. Despite that, that giant creature had saved us. Just like a cork stopper prevents the champagne from bursting.¡¯ The humongous body of the ant queen that almost filled the passageway served as a cork. Seems like it had blocked the pressure from the methane gas explosion. ¡®Thanks to it, most of the energy from the explosion had been dispersed through other passageways in different directions.¡¯ And what if it doesn¡¯t? Right now, they must be dead. ¡®We¡¯re lucky. It almost completely blocked the explosive power, but when I felt my whole body ache, I¡¯m done talking.¡¯ If they had been directly caught in the explosion, their bodies would never be found. The queen ant¡¯s carcass that had been torn to fragments just like a piece of rag was the evidence. ¡®It was perfectly fine when it got hit by the sword imbued with Javier¡¯s power.¡¯ How powerful was the explosion? He had goosebumps thinking about it. Lloyd shook his head vigorously to shake off his goosebumps and said, ¡°Let¡¯s move right away. If we stayed here, we¡¯d die.¡± They were lucky enough to not get caught up in the explosion. Still, he couldn¡¯t be relieved just yet. In fact, their situation was bleak. ¡°The ants on the opposite side, are they dead?¡± Javier asked. He looked around as he stood up with Lloyd¡¯s help. The collapsed passageway was where his gaze was directed at. Lloyd nodded. ¡°Perhaps.¡± In the direction of the path where the explosion took place, across the collapsed passageway, there would be a road from hell. The ant beasts that were swept away by the explosion certainly die an instant death. And what about the others that had survived? ¡°Most of the passageways must¡¯ve collapsed. They must¡¯ve been crushed and buried alive by a huge amount of soil and sand. Then, what about the rest? It¡¯s obvious. They¡¯re going to choke to death.¡± Layers of coal were embedded throughout the ant nest. The coal beds must¡¯ve caught on fire. Toxic gas must¡¯ve been produced in large quantities. They¡¯ll suffocate to death because of the terrible heat and toxic gas. ¡°So, the ant beasts across the collapsed passageway can be considered annihilated.¡± Explosions and fire inside underground tunnels were just as frightening. This was also the case in the modern world where technology was advanced. Even with the best facilities and safety systems, there would always be unfortunate victims each year. That was why the ant beasts were no exception. With massive fire and a lot of combustion, they wouldn¡¯t withstand such oxygen-deficient environment. ¡°By the way, let¡¯s first stay away from it for now. Hup!¡± Now, it was their turn to survive. Lloyd put strength in his arms that supported Javier. He made the man whose legs were injured stand up forcibly. Then, he quickly turned around, showed his back to Javier, and bent down slightly. ¡°Get on my back.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Just get on my back.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Without a second thought, this guy climbed on his back. Javier even tilted his head while being on Lloyd¡¯s back and said nonsense like this, ¡°Lloyd-nim, by any chance?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Did you think I¡¯d hesitate?¡± ¡°No. What? Out of courtesy?¡± Javier was right. Lloyd thought he was going to coldly refuse once or twice. So, Lloyd had prepared to say ¡®I don¡¯t want to carry a dirty man on my back either.¡¯ He had even prepared some clich¨¦ like ¡®I hate this too.¡¯ However, Javier¡¯s impudence¡ªor cool-headedness¡ª far exceeded his expectations. ¡°You¡¯ve made a good decision. It¡¯s a reasonable judgment. It would be easier for you to carry me on your back than help me walk with injured legs.¡± ¡°Hey, I think it¡¯s under the premise that I¡¯ll naturally bring you with me?¡± ¡°Then, are you going to throw me away?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see. Depends on how you act.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve already carried me on your back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, you¡¯re so heavy it¡¯s killing me, man. You look as thin as an anchovy, why are you so heavy?¡± Not that he didn¡¯t look heavy, but Javier, that guy was far heavier than his outward appearance. His body was closely packed with muscles. Lloyd felt like he was carrying a lump of metal on his back. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m heavy, it¡¯s because of Lloyd-nim¡¯s poor physical strength.¡± ¡°Wow, should I throw you away for real?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you go.¡± ¡°Are you a leech?¡± ¡°Have you seen a leech this handsome?¡± ¡°Look at how brazen this man is. He even said he was handsome now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll lend you my mana instead.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, yes. I¡¯m so thankful you¡¯re using me as a shuttle. Should I do a handstand and give you a deep bow1]The author used ???. It¡¯s a Korean meme about bowing down in a hilarious way. Just like this picture. ?¡± ¡°You said shuttle earlier, and now, what do you mean by doing a handstand and giving me a deep bow?¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s such a thing. Just hold on tight so you don¡¯t fall off.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± As he quarreled with Javier, Lloyd didn¡¯t stop walking. Actually, it was hard. He was exhausted. Every time Lloyd got tired Javier would infuse him with mana. The mana was instilled by someone who had a triple circle in Asrahan Core Technique, which was as good as a High-Level Sword Expert. So, the effect was tremendous. Every time Lloyd received mana from Javier, he felt like a power tiller that had eaten a lot of oil. ¡°Huff, heup, I feel energized. Power up, power up. Heup. Huff.¡± ¡°Do you want more?¡± ¡°Oh my God, what a shabby mana for such precious body!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Shut up and give me more. Come on. I¡¯m so exhausted I¡¯m going to die, seriously.¡± ¡°I understand. However, if we were to engage in a conversation and you were short of breath, the Asrahan Core Technique¡¯s performance would also be affected. Your energy will deplete faster. So, please refrain from excessive chatter.¡± ¡°You told me to just shut up and walk? But I don¡¯t want to? Huf, huff.¡± Slap! ¡°Ouch! Why did you hit me?!¡± ¡°Wow wow, giddy up!¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m going to throw you away for real.¡± Both of them used each other as they were arguing. While Javier was using Lloyd as a shuttle, Lloyd was using Javier as a fuel tank. In addition, this kind of small squabbling could bring them comfort. ¡®If I were trapped alone in a place like this, I would¡¯ve gotten a serious mental breakdown.¡¯ Lloyd shuddered. This dark passageway was hundreds of meters underground. The explosion destroyed his torch. The only light available came from the dim luminous mushrooms that grew here and there. If he had been isolated alone without anyone to talk to, he would¡¯ve felt a maddening fear. In addition, perhaps because Lloyd was carrying Javier on his back, a more-than-welcome message popped into his mind. Ding dong. [Javier Asrahan is very grateful for your actions.] [Javier Asrahan shows trust towards you for the first time.] [Javier Asrahan¡¯s favorability towards you has increased by +6.] [Your current relationship with Javier Asrahan : -14] [A visible improvement in your relationship with a key character has earned you 108 RP.] [Current RP : 157] ¡°Dude. Thank you, I guess,¡± said Lloyd to Javier. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Nevermind. I think I¡¯m starting to see a familiar path.¡± ¡°I think I do too.¡± Fortunately, finding a way up wasn¡¯t difficult. On their way down earlier, they had to fight countless ant beasts. The remains from their fight were strewn across the path they¡¯d come down from. To put it in another way, the carcasses of the ant beasts that had been butchered by Javier had made a line. All he had to do was walk in the direction of where the carcasses were spread. The passageway became increasingly familiar to him. Every time that happened, his hope grew. The light in his heart gradually brightened. That was certainly the case, until he met the collapsed and blocked passageway that blocked the way ahead. ¡°Tsk.¡± Did it collapse because of the explosion earlier? Lloyd brushed off the sweat off his forehead. He looked at the collapsed and blocked passageway. He then examined the other side of the blockage with his survey skill. However, no clear path could be seen within the range of five meters. This meant that he had to dig at least 5 meters to be able to pass through the blockage. ¡®I¡¯d rather be a gentleman than dig 5 meters. It might even be 50 meters before we could pass through.¡¯ Seems like searching for another path that didn¡¯t collapse using his survey skill would be faster. Lloyd turned away, they didn¡¯t have much time. ¡®We have to hurry¡­¡¯ It was at that moment- Thud thud thud thud. Rumble! ¡°¡­.!¡± There was a rumble. The whole tunnel shook. A cloud of dust came rushing in. However, Lloyd jumped into the dust and then he saw it. He saw that the way to go back had collapsed. The meaning was clear to him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, are we trapped in here?¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± This time, there was no joking around. Lloyd put Javier down and examined the collapsed passageway at his back. Likewise, inside the 5 meters range, there was no open path that could be seen. ¡®We¡¯re doomed.¡¯ They were completely trapped. Lloyd¡¯s heart was beating fast. His eyes went dark. The worst thing he feared the most had happened. ¡®How long can we survive here?¡¯ Lloyd quickly identified the space they were confined in. It was only a few meters long. As such, the oxygen would deplete faster. ¡®Half an hour? Perhaps even shorter.¡¯ After that, there would be an oxygen shortage. They could do nothing to stop that. But Lloyd couldn¡¯t just sit still and suck his fingers like this. Lloyd took Bangul that had fainted from his chest and gave her to Javier. ¡°You, woke her up quickly. I don¡¯t care if you slapped her on the cheek just like what you did to me earlier or anything else. Do you understand? We need her right now.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Lloyd didn¡¯t know whether Javier understood the situation, but he received Bangul without saying any unnecessary remarks. Lloyd level-headedly racked his brain. ¡®I have to take a gamble. It¡¯s all or nothing.¡¯ There was no going back. If it ended here, it all would be over. He had to try every possible means. The time had come to efficiently pour out the 157 RP he had gathered. When he made his decision, Lloyd opened the skill window. Author¡¯s note: Skill window: Customer, the business hours are over. ^^ Tl/n: I¡¯d greatly appreciate it if you¡¯d buy me a coffee! CH 27 [Loading the Skill Window] Lloyd opened the Skill Window. They got trapped in between the collapsed passageways. The remaining oxygen would be enough for 30 minutes at best. Now, it was all or nothing. ¡®We have to do everything we can.¡¯ Lloyd¡¯s eyes moved quickly. He chose a menu located on one side of the Skill Window that popped in front of him. ¡®Upgrade Skill¡¯ was the menu he chose. [Scanning pre-existing skills that can be leveled up.] ¡®As expected, it works.¡¯ Lloyd clenched his fists. He recalled the first time he had acquired RP from Javier and opened the Skill Window. He had memorized the contents of the messages that had appeared in front of him at that time. ¡®Back then, there was a message like this, ¡®You can upgrade your skills using the acquired RP.¡¯¡¯ There certainly was. The system also could turn one¡¯s talent and knowledge into a skill, which enabled him to convert his hard-earned civil engineering knowledge into skills. Those skills were the Survey and Design Skill. That wasn¡¯t all. ¡®I got a shoveling skill too.¡¯ Lloyd had often went to construction sites for his part-time job. That had made him so fed up with shoveling. The Skill Window also recognized shoveling as a skill. ¡®If it¡¯s like that, then I¡¯ll be able to make some skills out of my new other abilities and knowledge.¡¯ The skill he needed most at this moment. The very ability he had in mind. Surely, he¡¯d be able to convert and upgrade it as a skill. [List of abilities that are currently available] [Ability to absorb mana from the surroundings is identified.] [¡­. Ability to process the absorbed mana is identified.] [¡­. Ability to amplify the absorbed mana is identified.] [Combined, these abilities can be converted into the ¡®Asrahan Core Technique¡¯ Skill.] [RP required to combine : 15] ¡®This is it!¡¯ It went according to plan. He got the most desired result. Without hesitation, Lloyd made a decision. He immediately used 15 RP. A very-welcome message popped into his mind. Ding dong. [Asrahan Core Technique has been converted into a skill.] [Skill name : Asrahan Core Technique] [Stage : Single Circle lv 5] [Absorbs mana from the surroundings. Process/amplifies the absorbed mana into the circle created around the heart and then releases it. As the number of circles increases, the amplification rate will increase significantly.] [Mana Amplification Rate : 120%] [RP required to level up : 10] [Current RP : 142] ¡®Good.¡¯ The result was satisfactory. The Asrahan Core Technique had become a skill. Additionally, he had received a higher rank than expected, Single Circle lv 5. ¡®Perhaps because I¡¯ve been practicing often.¡¯ Lloyd had been training hard. He also had dueled with Sir Neumann and made use of it in a real fight. Since then, whenever he had the chance, he kept on training the Asrahan Core Technique. It seemed to bore fruit already. However, Lloyd had no intention of being satisfied and ending it here. ¡®If this were enough to satisfy me, I wouldn¡¯t have spent RP to convert the Asrahan Core Technique into a skill.¡¯ Converting it into a skill didn¡¯t immediately strengthen his Asrahan Core Technique. His ability to absorb mana, process it, and also amplify its power was still the same as before it was converted into a skill. But now? He would be able to make a significant difference by upgrading the Core Technique as a skill. ¡®Positively, I could upgrade myself to become powerful by using RP without having to train and practice.¡¯ That was the biggest difference. Lloyd poured his RP to the Asrahan Core Technique Skill. [Skill Level Up!] [Asrahan Core Technique : Single Circle Lv 6] [Mana Amplification Rate : 125%] [RP required for next level up : 15] [Current RP : 132] The mana amplification rate increased by 5% due to a single skill level-up. ¡®Okay. This is not bad.¡¯ Lloyd quickly did the calculations inside his head. For every skill level-up, the RP required for the next level-up seemed to increase by 5. So, what if he invested all of his remaining RP? ¡®I¡¯ll be able to get past Single Circle Lv 10 and upgrade it to the next circle. It¡¯s a close call, but possible.¡¯ It was a gamble anyway. If, by any chance, the required RP unexpectedly increased by more than 5, this would fail. Yet, we wouldn¡¯t know before we tried. Plus, there wasn¡¯t time to hesitate. ¡®All or nothing!¡¯ In this situation where he was being driven into a corner, he¡¯d bet everything he had. Lloyd poured out all of his remaining RP. The skill level of the Asrahan Core Technique had increased all the way. From level 6 to level 7. From level 9 to level 10. Finally, when Lloyd scraped up and used his last remaining RP, the message he had hoped for came into his mind. Ding dong! [Skill Upgraded!] ¡®It¡¯s a success!¡¯ Lloyd clenched his fists tightly. As predicted, after leveling up once more after Lv 10, the skill got upgraded. Fortunately, his RP was enough. Lloyd read the message that came before his eyes. [Asrahan Core Technique Skill has been upgraded to .] [Optional Skills have been unlocked due to Skill Upgrade.] [Asrahan Core Technique : Double Circle Lv 1] [Mana Amplification Rate : 200%] [Optional Skill ¢Ù : Energizer ¨C The Double Circle¡¯s efficiency has been maximized. When using this optional feature, you can move for 10 minutes without experiencing fatigue. (Limit : Can be used only once per day)] [Optional Skill ¢Ú : Latent Power Surge ¨C Increases the circles¡¯ amplification rate to the limit. With this optional feature, the mana amplification rate will be tripled for 20 seconds. However, once this feature has been used, the user will get exhausted and will not be able to use Asrahan Core Technique for a day. (Limit : Can be used only once per day)] [RP required for next level up : 100] [Current RP : 7] Ba-thump! Ba-thump! After Lloyd finished reading the skill description, his heart leaped twice as fast. Soon after, an unfamiliar yet powerful sensation¡ªthat he experienced for the first time¡ªenveloped his heart. Bzztttt¡­. Near the single circle he had created before, a new circle was formed at an angle that was exactly perpendicular from the first circle. From the front, it looked like a cross wrapped his heart. The newly-created second circle then began to rotate. Whooosh¡­.! ¡°Hm.¡± Double circle. The two circles rotated and resonated. A powerful wave of force he had never experienced before traveled through the blood vessels and awakened the cells of his whole body. The wondrous sensation made him subconsciously gasp. A smile formed on Lloyd¡¯s lips. ¡®It¡¯s done.¡¯ It was a jackpot. Even Lloyd himself couldn¡¯t believe it when he read the skill description. But when he confirmed how his body felt immediately after, it finally hit him. ¡®This is the power of the double circle.¡¯ He clearly was exhausted, yet now he didn¡¯t feel an ounce of fatigue. No, rather, he felt an unprecedented vitality inside the awakened cells in every inch of his body. When he only had a single circle in the past, he had felt a different level of vitality in his whole body. ¡®I¡¯m glad I converted the Asrahan Core Technique into a skill.¡¯ By making the Core Technique he learned into a skill, Lloyd aimed for two advantages. ¡®The first one is rapid growth.¡¯ If he converted it into a skill, he could invest RP into it. Using a large amount of RP it could be leveled up. Hopefully, he could achieve months or years of growth in a short period of time. It worked like a charm. ¡®The second one was the optional skills that unlocked as the skill upgraded.¡¯ He already had experienced skill upgrades when leveling up his Survey and Design Skills. How much fun did he have with the optional skills that were unlocked at that time? Lloyd guessed that maybe the Asrahan Core Technique Skill could do the same. If the skill upgraded, he might¡¯ve reached the realm of double circle. A suitable reward might also be given as an optional skill. And, he was right on the mark. ¡®The optional skills are really good.¡¯ One could make a person be energized for 10 minutes free of exhaustion once per day. The other optional skill allowed him to unleash explosive power for 20 seconds. Both optional skills would be of great help to his current situation. ¡®Nice. Let¡¯s do this.¡¯ Grip! Lloyd grabbed his steel shovel. The reason why he used his remaining RP in this situation was- ¡®To clear the blocked passageway, like this!¡¯ Whoosh! Lloyd¡¯s shovel parted the air. He tore through the passageway in front of him that was blocked because it had collapsed. With a rough and relentless movement, he began to dig up piles of dirt. Dig! Dig! Dig! Dig! The veins on Lloyd¡¯s forearm protruded. ¡®A little more! Keep going!¡¯ His shovel moved like a gale. Such shoveling was far beyond the power of ordinary people. The shovel poked a heap of dirt. It violently scraped the stone and the soil. After scraping it, he scooped them out as it is. About a hole as big as a bucket formed each shoveling. His shovel continued to move faster than the spoon of a beggar who had been starving for a week. Dig! Dig! Dig! ¡®I¡¯m not tired! This is the best!¡¯ Lloyd had already activated the first optional skill, energizer. The description of the optional skill was true. He moved without a break, yet he didn¡¯t get tired at all. There was neither rain-like sweat nor rough breath. Rather, the amplified mana remained around his heart due to the influence of his double circle Asrahan Core Technique. The amplified mana was also loaded into his shovel. His shoveling became more aggressive and sophisticated at the same time. ¡®You shouldn¡¯t just dig blindly. The passageway could collapse for a second time.¡¯ It was a passageway that had already collapsed because of the shock from the methane gas explosion. With the slightest stimulus, it could collapse again. That was why Lloyd¡¯s shoveling was rough but cautious. It was both fierce and careful. Swift and smooth simultaneously. All thanks to his ample experience in shoveling. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing he had frequented the workforce manager every time he had run out of money.¡¯ This kind of thinking was new to him. Lloyd had often been told that he was good at shoveling on-site. That was the case both in the army and in the construction community. The experience of mixing concrete, in particular, was the most helpful right now. ¡®That was almost my specialty.¡¯ Mixing portland cement into the concrete mix with a shovel. For the men who had served in the military of South Korea or people who had rolled around in this field, it was something everyone had done at least once before. Sand and cement powder would be mixed and piled up. In that state, the middle of the pile would be hollowed until it looked like a crater. An appropriate amount of water would then be poured into it. After that, they would break down the area around the crater and quickly mix it with water using a shovel. The central point of this process was the brilliant and elaborate shovel movement that controls the water inside the crater to ¡®never¡¯ leak outside. Lloyd had a special knack in making this concrete mix. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect I¡¯d make use of that experience right now.¡¯ Shovel! Shovel! He was so experienced that the shovel moved like his third hand. He controlled his strength to his heart¡¯s content. Scraping and digging harder. Scooping it out and being extra careful when removing it. Flipping the shovel over, then quickly and smoothly stabbing it. All of his movements were combined and coordinated in real-time. Thanks to this, he dug a tunnel at a phenomenal speed yet hardly impacted the surrounding ground. This was the case until the tunnel he dug exceeded about 3 or 4 meters. ¡®So now I¡­. Please! Appear!¡¯ Seems like around 5 minutes had passed since the Energizer Optional Skill had been activated. Lloyd nibbled his lips, feeling anxious. While shoveling like a gale, he kept on activating his Survey Skill as well. He could clearly see 5 meters in front of the tunnel he was digging. However, there was still no sign of hope. Within the range of five meters ahead, he could only see soil filling the crumbled passageway. Moreover, to make matters worse, the air gradually became foggy. ¡®I don¡¯t think I can use Bangul here if it¡¯s like this.¡¯ The space available was still too small for Bangul to transform into her giant state. In addition, if he carelessly made Bangul transform, the oxygen that had remained could¡¯ve gotten consumed in no time. Lloyd gritted his teeth. ¡®I have to figure this out.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t stop here anyway. When he gave up, the possibility of finding hope would become zero. Lloyd¡¯s shoveling became even more ferocious. Shovel! Shovel! Shovel! Thud! The tunnel he dug with all of his might grew longer. He had reached about 6 or 7 meters. Around that point in time- ¡®Huh?¡¯ Lloyd began to see something 5 meters ahead. There was an empty space the size of a fist ¡®Could it be?¡¯ Shovel! Shovel! His shoveling got even more intense. He progressed to advance even faster. Whenever he took a step forward, the size of the empty space in front of him¡ªthe one he saw with his Survey Skill¡ªincreased. From the size of a fist to a watermelon. From the size of a watermelon to a drum. Until finally to the size of the original passageway that had been dug. ¡®I found it!¡¯ There was an unburied passageway 4,5 meters ahead! ¡°Javier!¡± shouted Lloyd. ¡°Follow me! If you can¡¯t walk, crawl!¡± Lloyd¡¯s head was already throbbing in pain. The things in front of him seemed to become two and overlapped sometimes. It was a symptom of hypoxia. ¡®We don¡¯t have much time.¡¯ He felt hazy more and more. At this rate, his consciousness would disappear, just like a film that got cut off. If he fell unconscious like that, he would suffocate and die as if he was falling asleep. Hypoxia, or oxygen deficiency, was the frightening reason for his illness. Lloyd moved his shovel and bit down on his lips as his consciousness grew hazier. ¡®A little more. Just a little more!¡¯ He only needed to dig the remaining three meters of soil in front of him. Not all of it, but just a hole as big as a fist was enough. That was all he needed to dig, to ensure the air could get circulated even if it was the minimum amount. All to seize their hope of survival. However, at that moment- Ding dong. [Asrahan Core Technique¡¯s optional skill, Energizer, has been deactivated.] 10 minutes had passed. At the same time, Lloyd¡¯s whole body was losing strength. The fatigue that he hadn¡¯t felt before came all at once. ¡®Still, I can¡¯t end it here.¡¯ It really was just around the corner. Just a little further. Amidst the hazy consciousness because of hypoxia, Lloyd opened his eyes wide. ¡®Latent Power Surge!¡¯ Ding dong! [Asrahan Core Technique¡¯s optional skill, Latent Power Surge has been activated.] [The double circle¡¯s mana amplification rate has been raised to its limit.] [Mana amplification rate will be tripled for 20 seconds.] [Mana Amplification Rate : 600%] Shovel! Shovel! Now, there was no more smooth and elaborate shoveling. With the sole intention of surviving, Lloyd swung his shovel like a wild beast. He stabbed, poked, scratched, and scooped. The passageway beyond the collapsed area remained intact. The distance from there had rapidly decreased. Shovel! Shovel! Shovel! 2 meters, 1,5 meters, 1 meter, 0,5 meter¡­. He stepped forward powerfully towards the hope of survival. And at last, the thinnest part of the soil that blocked the passageway in front of him was only 30 centimeters thick. [Asrahan Core Technique¡¯s Optional Skill, Latent Power Surge has been deactivated.] [You¡¯ll fall into a state of exhaustion due to the penalty of activating the optional skill.] Clang! His whole body was drained of all power. He subconsciously let go of the shovel. Before he knew it, his legs were already buckled. He tried to open his eyes wide but to no avail. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Lloyd reached out his hand, trying to grab his shovel again. He was almost there. It was so close. He had dug a tunnel with a length of 12 meters in just 10 minutes. There was only one last step left. ¡®But, is this the end?¡¯ It was unfair. Lloyd felt so sorry. Even more so when he saw Javier, who had fallen unconscious. ¡®This guy, I shouldn¡¯t have dragged you here.¡¯¡¯ Lloyd laughed dejectedly. Abruptly, he felt sleepy. His consciousness rapidly became hazy. Before he knew it, he started hearing some gibberish. ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°¡­¡­. Huh?¡± But, it was a little strange. The voice was somewhat too distinct for him to be talking in delirium. Lloyd gathered his remaining strength and looked up. At that moment, he could see- Ppodong! There was a fist-sized hole in the 30 cm thick soil that was left. The hamster, who was only the size of a fist, popped out his round head from there. ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± Author¡¯s note: Ppodong, you¡¯re the best. Tl/n: Nice timing, Ppodong! If you want to support me, you can buy me a ko-fi. CH 28 ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± There was a hole in the dirt wall. Ppodong popped his head through the hole. He beamed a smile at Lloyd, who flopped down in front of the wall made of soil. In disbelief, Lloyd said, ¡°Ppo¡­. dong?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°Is that really you?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong! Ppo-dong!¡± Ppodong nodded with all of his might. Inside his small and round head, Ppodong recalled the events that had happened recently. Since a few days ago, Ppodong had been very bored. Lloyd had been working on the development of the mine all day. Bangul also had been away continuously because she was mobilized for the construction. Ppodong had nothing to do. He had spent the days by rolling around inside the bedroom as his daily routine. It was good at first, but as he had done it continuously, he absolutely couldn¡¯t keep on doing that to pass the time. Feeling unpleasant boredom, eventually, Ppodong ran out of Lloyd¡¯s bedroom. Ppodong had been wandering around the mansion. Then, he met a woman who was tending to the flowers in the mansion¡¯s garden. She was Lloyd¡¯s mother, the baron¡¯s wife. The Baroness had been very pleased to see him and said something like, ¡®I don¡¯t think I can thank you enough. These days, I¡¯ve been worried about a few mice that have been damaging the flower garden. You¡¯re their relative, aren¡¯t you? If it¡¯s possible, can you call them? Please ask them to not ruin the flower garden for me.¡¯ ¡­.. It was a request. Of course he had accepted it, he had nothing to do anyway. After accepting her request, Ppodong had run to the meadows excitedly. That was when all of it started. For several days, Ppodong had been searching for the mice near the mansion. Finally, he caught a herd of mice and met with their leader. On the spot, he had made a polite suggestion to the leader of the mice. ¡®Ppo-dong! Ppo-do-dong! Ppo-dong!¡¯ Ppodong had suggested not to use the Baroness¡¯ flower garden as the mice¡¯s playground. But, the leader of the mice had replied with, ¡®Squeak! Squeak? Squeak! Squeak!¡¯ Ppodong had no idea what the leader of the mice was talking about. In short, Ppodong didn¡¯t understand the mice¡¯s language while the mice also didn¡¯t understand Ppodong¡¯s language. Regrettably, they had failed to come to an agreement. It had also become the start of their war. Ppodong had declared war on the herd of mice. Whenever he saw them, he would courageously run to them. Then he¡¯d press them down with his belly, bounce them off with his butt, and strike them with his head. Each time, the mice would be busy running away from their deaths. Today was the same as always. Ppodong had been chasing the leader of the herd of mice. However, the leader was faster than he had thought. The leader had managed to run away without getting caught meanwhile Ppodong had followed after him enthusiastically. After passing through the mansion¡¯s garden, Ppodong had run through the paved road, passed through the village, reached the foot of the mountain, and arrived at the mine construction site. And by chance, he had passed through the tunnel and came inside the ant nest. ¡®Ppo-dong?¡¯ He had arrived at a strange place he didn¡¯t know of. Plus, he had lost the leader of the mice. Ppodong had tried to turn away and go back. If he hadn¡¯t heard a familiar voice that was somewhat nearby, he would¡¯ve returned to the mansion. ¡®Gasp! Heup!¡¯ To be exact, it wasn¡¯t a voice, but the sound of someone breathing. Yet, that alone was enough for Ppodong to recognize whose breathing sound it was. ¡®Ppo-dong!¡¯ The man who had summoned him to this world. The one who had made it possible for him to exist in that way. The breathing sound was Lloyd¡¯s. ¡®Ppo-dong! Ppo-do-dong!¡¯ Ppodong raised his voice, full of joy. However, there was no reply. Lloyd was still breathing heavily somewhere nearby. Plus, each time, the perpetual sound of digging with a shovel could be heard. ¡®Ppo-dong?¡¯ Ppodong tilted his head and then guessed that Lloyd must¡¯ve been digging somewhere nearby. If that was the case, then he could go and help Lloyd. ¡®Ppo-do-dong! Ppo-dong!¡¯ He eagerly perceived the source of the sound. It wasn¡¯t far away. It was just across the passageway where he was located right now. From then on, Ppodong also started to dig a tunnel. He dug enthusiastically towards the direction where Lloyd¡¯s breathing sound was coming from. His soft and fluffy butt swayed while his front paws moved to the point of sweating. And at last, he finally appeared in front of Lloyd. ¡°Is that really you?¡± Lloyd asked. ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rub rub rub. Ppodong approached Lloyd and rubbed his butt on Lloyd¡¯s cheek, as if saying hello. On his tail, there was Ppodong¡¯s unique smell. After smelling it, it finally occurred to Lloyd that this was reality. Really, it was really Ppodong. ¡°Sigh, how did you come here?¡± That was what Lloyd said, but actually, he couldn¡¯t be happier than this. Before, he had thought everything was over. Yet, at that moment, his hazy mind gradually woke up thanks to the fist-sized hole made by Ppodong as he went inside. Because the air could finally flow inside from there. ¡®Of course, I still feel like my head is going to break.¡¯ Lloyd still had hypoxia. The air that entered from the small hole only prevented his condition from deteriorating. ¡®Still, this is much better than dying.¡¯ Lloyd wiggled his fingers. Fortunately, it moved according to how he wanted it to. Then, he said to Ppodong, ¡°Hey, Ppodong? I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Could you bite my nose to wake me up?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I won¡¯t kill you.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Are you asking if I¡¯m serious? Come quick.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± Ppodong, who was on Lloyd¡¯s shoulder, positioned himself. He got up on his feet and put his paws on Lloyd¡¯s cheek. Then, Ppodong nibbled Lloyd¡¯s nose. ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± Bit! ¡°¡­. Ouch!¡± It stung a lot more than Lloyd predicted. His whole body shook as he winced. Still thanks to that, Lloyd came to his senses. ¡°Uuuugh, th-thank you!¡± Lloyd smiled at Ppodong, who in return gave him a thumbs up from on top of his shoulder. After that, Lloyd struggled to get up. He approached the dirt wall, while practically being on his knees. He put his face in front of the hole Ppodong had dug and inhaled the air that flowed from the hole. His condition got a little better. ¡®That guy needs to be saved too.¡¯ Lloyd turned around and crawled to Javier, who was so far away. Javier had completely fallen unconscious. Fortunately, Javier was still breathing. Lloyd dragged Javier along while panting and groaning. He then grabbed Javier by the collar and pulled him up. Then, he put Javier¡¯s face in front of the hole. A moment later, Javier¡¯s complexion looked better. ¡®Let¡¯s get out of here.¡¯ Lloyd didn¡¯t know when another collapse would occur. If there was one in this situation, they would surely die. Knowing this, Lloyd difficultly stood up. He then picked up the steel shovel. Due to the penalty of using the optional skill Latent Power Surge, the Asrahan Core Technique couldn¡¯t be used. Instead, only the power to move little by little remained. Lloyd stabbed the dirt wall with a shovel. Crunch! The tip of the shovel was buried into the wall made of soil about 1 centimeter deep. That was enough. In that state, Lloyd leaned forward and put all of his weight onto the shovel. Crack¡­. The shovel dug deeper into the soil. Deeper and deeper, without hesitation, to the very end. Finally, it passed through. The shovel, which was slowly getting deeper into the soil, suddenly popped through the hole. The head of the shovel broke through the 30 centimeters thick dirt wall and successfully escaped to the other side. ¡®I did it!¡¯ Lloyd leaned forward with more power. His body weight was his weapon. Thud! Lloyd hit the wall with his shoulder. He pushed the dirt wall with his whole body. At last, the wall crumbled to pieces. ¡°Gasp, whoa.¡± Lloyd got crushed under the piles of soil that crumbled, but it didn¡¯t matter. Lloyd took a deep breath as deep as he could. More oxygen entered his lungs than what he had managed to inhale through the small hole. He got even more energized. ¡°So, why don¡¯t you open your eyes now,¡± Lloyd grumbled and carried Javier on his back. Javier felt much heavier than before, perhaps because Javier lost his consciousness or Lloyd was feeling so tired. Either way, Lloyd still took a step forward one at a time. ¡®At times like this, you should walk calmly. Confident without excess power. Put strength on your waist and lower body.¡¯ That was the trick to carry heavy things while in a state of exhaustion. You shouldn¡¯t try to forcefully use strength. If you do so, you wouldn¡¯t carry it far. The heavier it was, the calmer you should get. The harder it was, the better this trick worked. Back in the days when he had been going back and forth from the workforce center every dawn in South Korea, Lloyd had been the one who was carrying numerous cement sacks and bricks. ¡®This paled in comparison to when I was carrying loads of tiles and bricks all day long while going up and down a four-story building!¡¯ Lloyd clenched his teeth hard. He focused only on walking. Thanks to Ppodong who took the lead, Lloyd didn¡¯t have to care about finding the way out. He devoted all of his concentration to walking and checking the spot on the ground where he would take his next step. How long had he been walking like that? An unexpected message popped up in front of him. Ding dong. [You were able to overcome your physical limitations through an impressive trick in extreme situations.] [This particular experience has a major impact on .] [New optional skill has been unlocked.] [Optional Skill ¢Û : Power Saving Mode ¨C Even in extreme exhaustion, you can use the Asrahan Core Technique, albeit weakly. The mana amplification rate is fixed at 10% of the normal amplification rate] ¡®Wow? What is this?¡¯ Lloyd blinked. That was an unexpected optional skill. His body could feel the effect immediately. Kiiiiiiiing¡­. His double circle that wrapped around his heart had stopped rotating because he was in a state of exhaustion. However, it started to rotate again even if the speed was 1/10 from the usual. Still, that was enough. It infused Lloyd, who was extremely tired, with strength that was similar to a long-awaited rain that eased the drought. ¡®The mana is being absorbed again.¡¯ Even if it was unintentional, the Asrahan Core Technique got activated automatically. Lloyd drew and absorbed a small amount of mana from the surroundings. The absorbed mana was sent to the circles and then spread around the body. Fresh energy gushed out. ¡®I can do this. I can get out of here!¡¯ Lloyd¡¯s pace gained speed and strength. He already walked for such a long time. He was still carrying Javier on his back, yet he never stopped. In the meantime, the surroundings began to change. The number of luminous mushrooms that inhabited the walls of the ant nest continuously decreased. However, the passageway wasn¡¯t dark because far ahead from there, the torches¡¯ light that was swaying lightened up his way. ¡°There! It¡¯s Young Master Lloyd!¡± Lloyd heard someone shouting. Then, there were urgent steps of a group of people that were rushing towards him. A barrage of hands approached and reached out to help him. Amongst them, some belonged to the Baron. ¡°Are you okay? Where did you get hurt?¡± the Baron asked with a voice full of bewilderment, while both of his hands clasped Lloyd¡¯s face. Lloyd stopped smiling and he laughed. He wasn¡¯t in the right mind to answer. He survived. The feeling of relief loosened his tension. He couldn¡¯t help but smile. His eyelids closed. ¡®Whoa. What a tough day.¡¯ Even when he was at the goshiwon, he used to sag down like this when he was tired. Lloyd then sunk down into the Baron¡¯s arms. The long and arduous day finally ended. Time had flown by. For the time being, Lloyd fell into a much deeper sleep than everyone expected. Even after a day or two passed, Lloyd¡¯s eyes still didn¡¯t open. Other than the damaged muscles and ligaments because of being overworked, there was no severe injury. There was also no sign of illness. The doctor of the territory said that his body was just resting, and the tired body was recovering through sleep. That was how the doctor comforted the Baron and his wife. The Baron and the Baroness often stayed inside Lloyd¡¯s bedroom. As long as time permitted, they stayed by Lloyd¡¯s bedside. This was especially the case for the Baron. Days before, the Baron was the one who had led the charge against the ant beasts. He didn¡¯t even spare himself more than anyone else to clear the way down to the underground ant nest faster. Although one of his arms got broken in the fight and his body was burning with fever in the aftermath, he refused to be bedridden and stayed on Lloyd¡¯s side. The Baroness¡¯ devotion was also no less than that. She took care of the territory¡¯s affairs on behalf of her husband. She personally visited the wounded soldiers who got injured in the battle against the ant beasts, praised them for their courage, and patched their wounds. Meanwhile, warm rumors quietly spread throughout the territory. The rumor was about Lloyd. When the ant beasts first appeared, the ruffian Young Master was said to evacuate the workers first without hesitating. For their safety, he had said that he would stay behind with Javier. It was also said that he had invaded the ant nest to repel the ant beasts and even rescued the knight, Javier. There were also witnesses. The workers who were being evacuated and the soldiers who were there at the moment of the rescue, witnessed Lloyd carrying Javier on his back. The Young Master risked his life to protect his people from peril. The Young Master never gave up on carrying his loyal knight until the end. The male residents of the territory clenched their fists as they heard the story, the girls felt their heart pounding, while the tender-hearted elderly became tearful. In the meantime, the Baron couple summoned Javier, who woke up first. They asked the young and faithful knight about what had happened inside the ant nest. While listening to the story, the couple sometimes got surprised, they sighed, and patted their chest, feeling relieved. As such, everyone waited altogether. They genuinely looked forward to it and wished for it. May their Young Master regain his consciousness. We hope for him to wake up as soon as possible in good health. By the fourth day after the accident, Lloyd opened his eyes. [Everyone in the Frontera Barony is deeply moved by your heroic courage and initiative.] [For this great social achievement, a large amount of bonus RP will be awarded.] Author¡¯s note : very-proud Tl/n :If you want to support me, you can buy me a ko-fi CH 29 Ding dong. [Everyone in the Frontera Barony is deeply moved by your heroic courage and initiative.] [For this great social achievement, a large amount of bonus RP will be awarded.] [You have earned 500 RP] [Current RP : 507] ¡°¡­..¡± Lloyd blinked. His eyes were out of focus, maybe because he had slept soundly for too long. No, because he saw something that seemed to be an illusion. ¡®RP? A large amount will be awarded? A whopping 500?¡¯ Still in a daze, Lloyd read the message. Then, little by little, he recalled what he had gone through. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Mine development. Ant beasts. Methane gas explosion. Trapped in a dark tunnel. Carried Javier on his back. ¡®We survived.¡¯ He remembered walking with Javier on his back. The last thing he remembered was meeting the Baron and the soldiers. Only then did he understand the meaning of the message that appeared in front of him. ¡®Hohoho. Everyone is praising this body¡¯s achievements?¡¯ It was an extremely good development. Remarkably splendid. Lloyd felt satisfied. He had been struggling to not die. He survived with tenacity as strong as an amur honeysuckle1Honeysuckle or Lonicera maackii is a plant that has high adaptability, flourishes in a wide range of conditions, and grows rapidly. Considered invasive because it impedes reforestation and prevents the re-establishment of native plants.. Thanks to this, he was awarded a large amount of RP, which he didn¡¯t expect at all. It felt just like when he took out his winter clothes in late autumn and found a bunch of 50.000 won he had forgotten about after putting it inside his inner pocket last year. Lloyd sunk into a pleasant agony. ¡®How should I use this? No, I shouldn¡¯t do that. It¡¯s better to have some RP piled up rather than wasting a lot of it because I have many.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know what else would happen in the future. In such unexpected situations, a thick stack of RP was the most reliable card, reminiscent of what he had gone through this time. ¡®What would¡¯ve happened if I hadn¡¯t carried Javier on my back and he hadn¡¯t formed a favorable impression of me?¡¯ If that was the case, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to obtain some RP. It wouldn¡¯t have been possible to use RP and convert the Asrahan Core Technique into a skill. ¡®I¡¯d be dead without further ado.¡¯ Goosebumps sprang up all over his forearms. ¡®So, RP is my trump card and last resort. Let¡¯s not waste it and save plenty.¡¯ Lloyd got rid of his goosebumps. Then, suddenly, he turned to the bedside. He paused and then opened his mouth, ¡°You, what are you doing there?¡± ¡°I am looking at Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Lloyd asked a question and Javier replied. Silence fell between the two. Lloyd then broke the silence first. ¡°No, I mean, how long have you been sitting there like a statue while watching me?¡± ¡°If you asked me how long, um, I think it¡¯s been three hours.¡± ¡°Three hours?¡± ¡°Yes, because I took turns with My Lord after breakfast.¡± ¡°Then, you¡¯ve been sitting there since you had breakfast?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Have you been watching me sprawled out on the bed from there all morning?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you a pervert?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I was just taking care of Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Taking care. How are you taking care of me?¡± ¡°Just in case you stopped breathing when sleeping, I am prepared to call someone right away.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯m just kidding.¡± ¡°Uh, that doesn¡¯t sound like a joke.¡± ¡°You must be mistaken.¡± ¡°By the way, are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes, somehow.¡± Lloyd¡¯s eyes landed on Javier¡¯s ankle. A faint smile appeared on Javier¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯m all better now.¡± ¡°Already? How many days has it been?¡± ¡°Four days.¡± ¡°¡­. Have I been sleeping for four days and woke up just now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And your legs that got sprained, which made you unable to even walk, have completely healed in four days?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wow. You, be honest with me. You didn¡¯t get hurt that bad that day, right?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating your injury.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never exaggerated,¡± Javier said, as if asking Lloyd what he was talking about. A vein popped on Lloyd¡¯s temple. ¡°You¡¯ve never exaggerated huh. You said you couldn¡¯t walk with a face that looks like you¡¯re about to cry. Saying ¡®Lloyd-nim, I can¡¯t walk. hiiiing¡¯. Huh? You were whining a lot. Huh? That was why I gave you a piggyback. Was all that just acting?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Javier shrugged and then spoke with his peculiar cynical way of speaking, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the recovery power of a triple circle.¡± ¡°Recovery power? Triple circle?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Aha. Therefore, thanks to the mana amplified by the triple circle, your resilience is more extraordinary than that of common people?¡± ¡°That¡¯s an accurate summary.¡± ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s unfair. My bones are still throbbing.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you to feel unfair about.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just because you¡¯re older than me and thus less resilient. I do think it would comfort you a little if you think of it like that.¡± ¡°What a straightforward shot! Why do you keep hitting me with facts over and over again?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hit you, however¨C¡± ¡°However?¡± ¡°I would like to say that I¡¯m delighted you regained consciousness.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. I¡¯m glad too, you little brat.¡± Lloyd chuckled. Thank goodness. The fact that he survived and Javier was unharmed. All in all, it was nice to see. Javier seemed to feel the same way. It finally sunk in that they had escaped together from the dark and gloomy ant nest. ¡°Thank God. Seriously.¡± Lloyd slowly got up from the bed. It was indeed a relief. Now, it was time to move. Lloyd recovered quite fast. All because of the double circle he gained when he was underground. Throughout the day, he frequently trained the Asrahan Core Technique. The absorbed mana got amplified by the double circle. And then, the amplified mana was spread to every corner of his body. The somatic cells¡¯ 2Somatic cells: any normal body cell of an organism that¡¯s not involved in reproduction biological cycle and the cell¡¯s recovery cycle naturally got accelerated. Because of this, most of his muscles and ligaments¡ªthat got strained due to being severely overworked¡ªrecovered completely in less than 10 days. There was another piece of good news. The foreclosure sign that was pasted on all over the mansion, those red stickers that had been bothering him since he first transmigrated, had disappeared. This was because the baron¡¯s property seizure was lifted. ¡®All thanks to this body.¡¯ Out of the blue, Lloyd recalled the contents of the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel. According to the novel, at this period of time, the baron¡¯s mansion had become completely empty. The reason was that the seizure got carried out early. But now? The seizure was canceled instead. All due to the money he earned from ondol room construction, which had been steadily expanded by him. With that money, the Baron¡¯s immense monthly interest had been settled. ¡®Thanks to this, I¡¯ve regained the Baron¡¯s trust. I¡¯m really glad.¡¯ In the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel, all of the Baron¡¯s family members had been kicked out of the mansion around this time. The Baron couple fell in despair, meanwhile Lloyd began to live in denial and immerse himself in alcohol. But not anymore. He changed that grim scenario by himself, and he also planned to keep on changing the future. ¡°So, everybody, let¡¯s move! Don¡¯t make a fuss about the heat!¡± Lloyd¡¯s shout echoed throughout the mine construction site. He already returned to finish the final mine construction work. Personally directing the construction, he took the lead with an extension belt fastened around his waist. Lloyd always participated in the most difficult and dangerous tasks. Each time, the skilled workers and the soldiers from the construction teams worked without being negligent until they sweated endlessly. All of this was due to everyone¡¯s trust in Lloyd which grew higher than ever before. ¡®He values our safety more than his own life,¡¯ everyone thought. There was no longer the ruffian from the past. Even if he was once a ruffian, it didn¡¯t matter anymore. On the day when the ant beasts first appeared, Lloyd had remained behind so the workers could evacuate safely. His figure was deeply imprinted on the workers¡¯ hearts. Everyone thought that was not something anyone could do. If it was a work directed by such a person, then they could believe and follow him. Even if there was another dangerous moment, he would take responsibility for their safety. Because of the power of their trust, the completion of the mine was livelier than ever. ¡°This is the last support column! Just a little more! Put it up according to my command! 2! 3!¡± ¡°Heuuap!¡± The final phase of the construction was completed in line with Lloyd¡¯s command. Finally, the coal mine was completed. However, Lloyd didn¡¯t get excited. ¡®It¡¯s just the beginning.¡¯ Even when at a dinner party to commemorate the completion of the construction, all while giving special bonuses to all of the skilled workers and soldiers of the construction teams who participated in the construction, instead of being excited, Lloyd calmly envisioned his next step. Then, he put it into action. Lloyd was not in a hurry and took one step at a time. The next step was the safety inspection for the mine that had just been completed. ¡®I have to work diligently to pay off the debts!¡¯ It was natural. The baron had only just escaped the seizure. The money earned from the ondol construction project was just enough to pay the interest every month. ¡®That means there¡¯s still the main goal, which is to pay back the remaining debt.¡¯ The debt was like a huge chunk of poo that ultimately had to be cleaned up. In order to sort it out, he had to take a rest. At the same time, it was also impossible to be hasty. ¡®Safety first, and the second priority is also safety.¡¯ In fact, if he only thought about money right now, Lloyd could just open the mine. He could recruit miners to work in the mines and start to train them immediately. Coal mining could begin as early as possible. Both time and money could be saved. Yet, Lloyd didn¡¯t want to do that. ¡®If I did that, I would be able to make a little money right away. But, the longer we do it like this, the bigger the damage would be.¡¯ Lloyd recalled many of the things he had seen and experienced in South Korea. The Republic of Korea was a country that valued speed. There, he couldn¡¯t even dream of them doing a safety inspection. No, they used to treat workers as accessories. Most of the time, numerous factories, logistic centers, and even construction sites also did the same. ¡®Hands got cut off by machine, fell into the furnace, electrocuted by a high-voltage wire, got stuck in a train screen door, suffered an accident, got caught on an escalator while repairing it, and then got involved in disaster¡­. Even if such tragedies are constantly reported on the news, those guys who manage the workers will end up pretending to reflect on themselves and care about their safety. After the accident, they¡¯ll fill the vacancy with new workers. And they¡¯ll do it until another accident happens again. What if there¡¯s another accident? It doesn¡¯t matter. They can just find new workers. Because that¡¯s the natural thing to do, they say. It¡¯s as easy as throwing away old accessories and changing them with new ones.¡¯ It was the dark side of Korea that he had seen through the news and experienced first-hand while living as the bottom class. Lloyd was sick and tired of that. He felt a skepticism that was close to disgust. ¡®If you do that, you may like it right now. But in the end, you¡¯ll lose the trust of your workers. And in the future, no one will do what you entrusted them with.¡¯ And, what if an accident happened belatedly? It would cost more money to fix it. No, above all, he¡¯d hate it if the people under his leadership went through such situations. Therefore, carrying out safety inspections before opening the mine was essential. ¡®Fortunately, I have this Survey Skill, which is very convenient. Survey!¡¯ Bzzzzzt! Lloyd¡¯s eyes faintly glowed as he examined every corner of the mine. He carefully inspected the structure inside. He checked whether the ground was stable, the foundation was well laid out, or was there any place that was going to sink. He tried not to miss even a single centimeter. In addition, the scope of his safety inspection wasn¡¯t limited to only the mine. ¡°Are you trying to go back inside the ant nest?¡± As Lloyd tried to enter the hole that was dug on the coal bed at the bottom of the mine, Javier¡¯s questions came from behind. Lloyd smiled as he looked at Javier. ¡°Yes. Scared?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, just-¡± ¡°Just?¡± ¡°I wonder why you want to go there.¡± ¡°Why are you wondering? It¡¯s for a safety inspection,¡± Lloyd said, as if Javier was asking something obvious. ¡°Actually, this is more dangerous than the mine that was made from the construction. They¡¯re ants. Ants are known as natural tunnel builders, but there was an explosion down there, right? The ground must¡¯ve become unstable. If it collapses further on a larger scale, the mine above could get affected.¡± Lloyd continued, ¡°Is that all? We have to see whether there¡¯s any risk of the remaining methane gas leaking out or whether there are some surviving ant beasts moving around. They could come out and hurt the miners. You understand by now, right? Then let¡¯s go.¡± Having said so, Lloyd went inside the ant nest together with Javier. ¡°But I still don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°What is it that you don¡¯t understand?¡± ¡°Why are you taking the risk yourself?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking why I don¡¯t ask others to do it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Javier, who hesitated, organized his thoughts for a while and then said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard that it¡¯s common for a nobleman to personally do these kinds of dangerous work.¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be a nobleman who is just like that?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I mean, I¡¯m going to personally check the safety of the people who¡¯ll work for me. Is it so strange for me to think of that?¡± ¡°Not like that. It is reckless, but on the other hand, I think it¡¯s great.¡± ¡°Oh. What brings you to compliment me?¡± ¡°It was made on my assumption that you are reckless.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, if you want to compliment me, just do it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Hoho. You¡¯re tsun tsun3I think here the author refers to Tsundere, as in a character that¡¯s cold outside at first but later warms up. I don¡¯t know for sure because the author used some kind of Korean slang..¡± ¡°What is tsun tsun?¡± ¡°There¡¯s such a thing. But, what is that?¡± They were in the middle of investigating the ant nest while chatting. Lloyd frowned and pointed forward with his torch. There was something shiny on the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll take a look.¡± Javier drew his sword and approached. He examined the place Lloyd pointed at. However, the thing that glinted there¡­. ¡°It¡¯s a sword,¡± said Javier. ¡°A sword?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Javier picked up the sword that was on the ground. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a human sword. It¡¯s crude and out of balance. Judging from the shape of the handle and the damaged blade¡­. I think it¡¯s a sword that¡¯s used by an Orc.¡± ¡°Orc?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why is there a sword used by orcs down here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that either.¡± It was mysterious. Orcs were monsters with pig heads that often appeared in [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel. But what did it mean that there was a sword made by the orc in the middle of an ant nest, hundreds of meters underground? Lloyd then asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t they the ones that originally live in the wilderness across the eastern mountain range?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Hmm, this is strange.¡± Perhaps some ant bit and brought it here. With that in mind, Lloyd put aside his questions. ¡°If we continue our investigation, we might find something else. For now, let¡¯s keep moving.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± After that, the two of them examined and searched all over the ant nest. The passageways were entangled and made such a vast area. While they were doing a thorough investigation fifteen days flew by. On the 16th day of the investigation, both of them found a young orc warrior lying in a storage room inside the ant nest. ¡°What is this?¡± Why is an orc here? Lloyd looked at the orc with a puzzled look on his face. Javier, who was watching the orc and standing beside Lloyd, replied, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s an orc that got caught by the ants, but seems like it¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°What?¡± It¡¯s alive? But it¡¯s lying down like he¡¯s frozen? Javier nodded. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s been paralyzed.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Suddenly, Lloyd remembered what he had read in the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel about the ant beasts¡¯ ecology. ¡®Right. It said that they kept some of their food alive and paralyzed.¡¯ Maybe, that was what happened to this orc. As he confirmed that fact, a new picture abruptly came to Lloyd¡¯s mind. ¡°¡­. Oh, wait. Bingo.¡± After Lloyd checked the orc¡¯s condition, an unexpected plan that could result in great benefits struck him like lightning. A smug smile bloomed on Lloyd¡¯s lips. Author¡¯s note : New pushovers are always welcome! Tl/n : If you want to support me, you can buy me a ko-fi CH 30 ¡°My name is Arosh. I am the thirty-forty-fifth descendant of the mighty orc, Akush, oink!¡± ¡°Thirty-forty-fifth descendant?¡± asked Lloyd. ¡°That¡¯s right, oink.¡± ¡°Is that, by any chance, thirty plus forty plus five?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s forty minus thirty plus five, oink!¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re the 15th descendant?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you calculated it in a flash. You¡¯re a genius, oink!¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Tsk. With complicated feelings, Lloyd stared at the orc, Arosh, who finally woke up from his bed. And then he thought, ¡®Did I pick up a fool without a frontal lobe?¡¯ ¡®Or maybe this orc has only 15 brain wrinkles.¡¯ Out of the blue, Lloyd recalled today¡¯s events. He was exploring the ant nest with Javier. They were at the final step of the 16-day safety inspection. At last, they arrived at the deepest part of the ant nest, the storage room that was presumed to be on the lowest floor. They found the orc there. To his surprise, the guy was still alive. ¡°I¡¯m a bit puzzled because it¡¯s been such a long time since I was conscious. The ants stung me excessively with paralyzing venom, oink.¡± ¡°Paralyzing venom?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, oink.¡± ¡°As expected, it¡¯s the paralyzing venom.¡± Lloyd seemed to figure out the general outline of what had happened. The orc had been stored inside the storage room in a comatose state. If that was the case, then it was evident that he was stored for ¡®that¡¯ purpose. ¡®The ants must¡¯ve stored him as food by using their paralyzing venom.¡¯ The best way to keep the food fresh was not to kill it. The meat of the living wouldn¡¯t get rotten or spoiled. Arosh laughed, exposing his huge fangs. ¡°As for me, I¡¯ll become Arosh the warrior. I haven¡¯t even completed my coming-of-age ceremony, so I can¡¯t afford to die that easily, oink.¡± ¡°Coming-of-age ceremony?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, oink.¡± ¡°So, are you still a minor?¡± ¡°What is a minor, oink?¡± ¡°Underage¡­ No, it means you¡¯re not an adult yet.¡± ¡°When an orc completes the coming-of-age ceremony, he¡¯ll be recognized as an orc warrior. That¡¯s why I went into the ant beasts¡¯ nest, oink.¡± ¡°Is catching ant beasts the coming-of-age ceremony in your tribe?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, oink,¡± Arosh continued, ¡°It¡¯s a tradition that has been passed down by the great ancestors for generations. Way back since the father of my grandfather¡¯s grandfather¡¯s son settled in the wilderness by the east, oink.¡± ¡°¡­ Just simply say great-great-grandfather.¡± ¡°Anyway, I caught a lot of ant beasts. I beat, sliced, and killed them. Each ant beast was slain 10 times. Then, I got too excited, oink.¡± ¡°What happened after that?¡± ¡°I wanted to catch the queen ant so I could get recognized as the best warrior. That¡¯s why I raided the ant nest, oink.¡± ¡°You raided the ant nest? On purpose? All alone?¡± ¡°Obviously. A warrior should not be afraid of fighting alone, oink.¡± ¡°Crazy.¡± At that moment, Lloyd finally understood why this orc had become the ant beast¡¯s¡¯ triangular kimbap. After unreasonably raiding the ant nest because of his uncontrollable excitement, the orc must¡¯ve gotten exhausted and surrounded. Eventually, he was paralyzed. Lloyd chuckled. ¡®Lucky, for the orc who survived and me who won something valuable for cheap.¡¯ Lloyd remembered the commotion that took place here earlier. As soon as Lloyd found out that this guy was still alive inside the ant nest, Lloyd carried him on his back. Naturally, there was an uproar in the mansion. The maids, who saw an orc for the first time in their life, were scared to death. The Baron who came running in his pajamas when he heard the news also turned pale. ¡®Lloyd, what are you doing?¡¯ asked the panicked Baron. ¡®For me to inherit the territory¡­ No, as you can see, I brought an orc.¡¯ ¡®So why an orc?¡¯ ¡®Because I have something in mind. Here, drink a glass of cold water first,¡¯ Lloyd answered rather casually. His calm manner reassured the Baron. ¡®We found him when we were exploring the ant nest. If we save this orc, it¡¯ll surely bring great benefits to our territory.¡¯ ¡®Great benefits?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve heard that orcs are valiant warriors, they have a unique personality in which they¡¯re determined to repay every goodwill and settle every grudge.¡¯ It was the truth. In the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel, it was mentioned several times. ¡®I¡¯ve heard of that, but will it be okay?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s alright. If this guy wakes up and goes on a rampage, Javier will quickly subdue him.¡¯ That was how Lloyd finally managed to barely reassure the Baron. He laid Arosh on his bed and called the territory¡¯s doctor. Fortunately, the doctor recognized Arosh¡¯s symptoms with just a glance. ¡®Hm, this¡­ seeing as his nails have turned blue, he must¡¯ve gotten poisoned by the venom that was used by the ant beasts to hunt and store their prey. Then, you can give him this medicine,¡¯ the doctor said. Feeling curious, Lloyd asked, ¡®What is this?¡¯ ¡®A powder medicine obtained by drying and grinding Tanaria leaves. It¡¯s excellent to cure symptoms caused by paralysis.¡¯ Lloyd fed Arosh the medicine he had received from the doctor. Indeed, the doctor¡¯s boasting was accurate. The medicine was amazing. Only 10 minutes after taking the medicine, Arosh opened his eyes. ¡°Anyway, thank you. If you hadn¡¯t brought me out of there, I would¡¯ve become Arosh¨Cthe ant¡¯s meal, oink.¡± ¡°Is that so? Are you feeling grateful?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. You¡¯re my benefactor, oink.¡± ¡°Then, you have to compensate your benefactor, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, oink!¡± ¡°I just have to say what I want in return, right?¡± As expected, Lloyd¡¯s intention was conveyed. Lloyd¡¯s voice became softer while Arosh nodded even harder. ¡°Of course. You can tell me anything, human. Oink.¡± ¡°I need about 120 orc warriors to work in the mine.¡± As if he had been waiting for the right moment to bring it up, Lloyd didn¡¯t beat around the bush and said it clearly. In fact, this was the very reason why he saved Arosh. Orcs were strong. They had great stamina and powerful strength. Courageous and fearless, they would jump into dangerous things without hesitation. It was said that they were the most talented race, even rivaling the Dwarves in the backbreaking mine labor. ¡®That was the reason why I saved you. Otherwise, why would I carry you on my back all the way here to take care and nurse you? Just because you¡¯re pretty?¡¯ With Lloyd saving him, Arosh would be indebted to Lloyd. So, Lloyd said whatever he wished for. However, Arosh¡¯s expression looked strange. He furtively avoided making eye contact with Lloyd. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Hey?¡± called Lloyd. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You said if I want anything, I just need to tell you.¡± Lloyd nonchalantly tilted his head. Arosh slowly moved his eyes to the side. ¡°Look, mister?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Mister Orc, can you look me in the eye?¡± ¡°Oink, that¡¯s a little¡­ it¡¯s going to be difficult, oink.¡± ¡°Difficult, what.¡± ¡°I am grateful that you, human, saved me, Arosh. I, Arosh, would do anything I could to return your goodwill. But human, the request you just asked is something else, it¡¯s a little different, oink.¡± ¡°Something else? How is that different?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a warrior, oink.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°He who is not a warrior cannot command a group of male orcs. You don¡¯t have the qualifications, oink.¡± Embarrassment appeared on Arosh¡¯s downcast face. With genuine regret, he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, human. I don¡¯t think I can grant your request, oink.¡± Arosh really meant it. That human named Lloyd, saved him¨Ca stranger. Lloyd was the benefactor who saved him from the dark ant nest when he almost ended up as the ant beasts¡¯ meal. Arosh wanted to repay this kindness somehow. He wanted to do everything the human requested. In repaying every goodwill and settling every grudge, you must not spare even your life. That was the pride and honor of the orc warriors who lived in the wilderness. Very regrettable, it was. Lloyd requested something Arosh genuinely wanted to grant, but couldn¡¯t. ¡°In conclusion, I can¡¯t command and employ orc warriors as workers because I don¡¯t have the qualifications to do so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, oink.¡± ¡°What do I have to do to qualify?¡± ¡°You have to complete the coming-of-age ceremony in the same way as us. And also, your achievement must be acknowledged by the chief, oink.¡± ¡°Oh reallyyy?¡± The corners of Lloyd¡¯s mouth lifted and a grin stealthily formed on his lips. Lloyd then raised his chin and asked back, ¡°In that case, I think I already passed, though?¡± ¡°What, oink?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you said I have to complete the coming-of-age ceremony like you. That means I have to catch those ant beasts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, oink.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s start with that first, okay?¡± Lloyd lifted his hand. He raised his thumb and then pointed it to one side of the bedroom. Arosh¡¯s gaze followed Lloyd¡¯s finger. Over Lloyd¡¯s shoulder, on the bedroom walls, something was hung there. ¡°It¡¯s the head of the queen ant. I hung it as a trophy to commemorate my recent catch, what do you think?¡± ¡°Oink¡­.?¡± Arosh¡¯s mouth was agape. Indeed, there really was the head of the queen ant. Not a counterfeit nor a fake. Who was Arosh? He was the son of a tribe that spent their entire life fighting against ant beasts. It would¡¯ve been impossible for him to not recognize the head of an ant beast, especially the ant queen¡¯s! ¡°How did you do that, oink?¡± ¡°How did I do it, huh. I simply caught it and hung it,¡± said Lloyd with a grin on his face. It was half true and half false. He did catch the queen ant by using a methane gas explosion, but he didn¡¯t catch it by personally fighting it. Lloyd¡¯s face became brazen and thick as if made of iron plate and he licked his lips all over. ¡°By the way, there was something interesting when I caught the queen ant. Do you know what that is?¡± ¡°Wha-what is it, oink?¡± ¡°Somehow, the ant queen was way too weak.¡± Lloyd¡¯s voice became even softer, ¡°It was tired, as if it had fought very hard with someone else. We found this sword nearby, right, Javier?¡± Lloyd turned to look back. Javier, who was standing silently behind him, lifted a sword. It was the iron sword made by an orc that was found when they were exploring the ant nest. Seeing that, Arosh¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oink? That¡¯s my sword, oink?¡± ¡°Is that so? I knew it,¡± Lloyd smiled meaningfully. ¡°Now I understand who the queen was fighting with until it got exhausted.¡± ¡°Could it be me, oink?¡± ¡°Yes, exactly. You¡¯re smart.¡± Lloyd¡¯s smile got even brighter. Obviously, it was all a lie. Arosh¡¯s iron sword was found in a place that had no correlation with the queen ant. However, that fact wasn¡¯t important. ¡®What¡¯s really important is for the other party to believe what I said as the truth,¡¯ thought Llpyd That was how you close a deal. It was all that mattered to Lloyd. Of course, Javier¡¯s judging gaze that seemed to say ¡®this scammer¡¯, the one that was pricking the back of his head right now, still stung a little. However, it was of no importance. ¡°Think about it, wasn¡¯t there a very big ant when you fought inside the ant nest?¡± ¡°Oink¡­ umm.¡± ¡°You were too busy fighting to notice, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, oink.¡± ¡°However, we have the evidence here, haven¡¯t we?¡± Lloyd received the iron sword from Javier and gave it to Arosh. ¡°Here, your iron sword itself is the evidence. The queen ant¡¯s energy was depleted because of you.¡± ¡°So, what are you trying to say, human, oink?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying that the achievement of catching the queen ant isn¡¯t solely my own.¡± ¡°Could it be, oink?¡± ¡°What you¡¯re speculating about is the truth, isn¡¯t it? We caught it, the queen ant, together as the result of our collaboration. You and me. In other words, it¡¯s ours.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Collaboration. Co-production. Joint copyright. Sigh, what beautiful words! Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Then¡­ oink.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say that we caught it together,¡± Lloyd said sharply, not giving Arosh time to think. ¡°Technically, you failed to complete your coming-of-age ceremony. You failed to safely return to your tribe¡¯s village. I mean, if you go back right now just like that, you¡¯ll be treated as a loser, you know?¡± ¡°Oink?¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, imagine returning while carrying the queen ant¡¯s head. How does that feel?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Gulp. Arosh¡¯s adam¡¯s apple bobbed enthusiastically. The mere imagination of it was fantastic. So far, countless warriors have completed their coming-of-age ceremony. Nevertheless, not even one had ever caught a queen ant. However, he couldn¡¯t believe he would be the first one who accomplished such a feat. He would receive heated looks from all orc maidens in the village. Not only that, he would also be respected by all orc warriors. Lloyd¡¯s voice could be heard, it was gently scratching the young orc¡¯s itch. ¡°Think about it, you have nothing to lose. Besides, this is not a scam, it¡¯s an unchangeable fact. If it weren¡¯t because of you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to catch the queen ant, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°If-if that¡¯s the case¡­ oink.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Straighten your shoulders with pride. You totally are a really cool orc.¡± ¡°Oink!¡± ¡°Good, very good. So, you¡¯ll do me a favor, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°A favor, oink?¡± ¡°We joined forces and caught the queen ant together. Take me to your village so I can get acknowledged by the chief. If I qualify as a warrior, send 120 orc warriors to our territory as workers.¡± ¡°In that case, I¡­ oink¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be the warrior who has the best coming-of-age ceremony, you can even return my favor with it, plus everyone will be so happy. What do you think?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Arosh looked at Lloyd. The human being looked back at him and beamed a smile. This human whom he was grateful to for saving him from the clutches of death. This benefactor¡¯s eyes were shining with kindness. He even gave him a plethora of generous offers. Arosh finally decided, ¡°Good human! I, Arosh, am an orc warrior who doesn¡¯t take repaying goodwills for granted. I¡¯ll do everything within my power to help you qualify as a warrior, oink!¡± The young and innocent orc warrior held out his hand that was as wide as a pot lid. Lloyd shook Arosh¡¯s hand energetically. Of course, there was something Arosh didn¡¯t even know nor even dreamed of. The fact that at this moment, Javier was sending him a pitying gaze while Lloyd was smiling warmly like a swindler who had caught the jackpot. Just like this, Lloyd¡¯s big plan of employing the best miners in the newly built coal mine for free had started being drawn. Author¡¯s note : I am the one who made it, but Lloyd, you¡¯re really¨Cgood at speaking even in front of a dragon -ÈË-) *scratch head Tl/n : Sorry for disappearing so suddenly, life has been so hectic > CH 31 ¡°Father, oink!¡± Dash dash dash dash! Arosh darted off. His veins¡ªwhich looked like worms¡ªwriggled. He kicked the ground with his muscular calves that were as thick as a lamp pole. He rushed forward at an unbelievable speed with a body that was as huge as a wild boar from the Ural Mountains. Subsequently, a larger orc responded enthusiastically from the other side. ¡°Son, oiinkk!¡± Dash dash dash dash! A middle-aged orc came running. His bulging veins¡ªwhich looked like snakes¡ªflared. He kicked the ground with his muscular calves that were thicker than a telephone pole. The athletic orc with body as enormous as a Tunguska brown bear charged forward, leaving a storm of dust behind. And then, the two of them collided. Boom! Everyone else pitied the air molecules that must¡¯ve gotten sandwiched between those muscular bodies. However, regardless of their opinion, Arosh and the middle-aged orc hugged each other. The father and son pair had a rather fierce reunion. ¡°Arosshhh this punk, oink!¡± ¡°Fatheerr, oink!¡± ¡°Are you okay, oink?¡± ¡°I¡¯m all right! Uhuhuk, oink!¡± ¡°Thank goodness. Nonetheless, stop crying, son. Oink.¡± ¡°Even at a moment like this, oink?¡± ¡°Of course. If a man, who became emaciated after suffering through hardship, recklessly shed tears, you¡¯ll lose nutrients and your muscles will shrink. Oink!¡± ¡°Huk, muscle loss, oink!¡± ¡°As a warrior, shouldn¡¯t you avoid that, oink?¡± ¡°As I thought, my father is very wise, oink!¡± ¡­. No, he was more muscle-brained rather than wise. Lloyd sighed deeply. The reunion of the orc father and son duo appeared to have reached its peak. If Lloyd threw them to a local gym in his neighborhood, he felt like they would do 3 major workout movements1bench press, squat, and deadlift. using tons of weight as warm-up. And then, as soon as they met, they would start to talk about muscles. In the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel, orcs were written as ¡®acute muscle idiots¡¯, which was quite accurate to Lloyd. He couldn¡¯t help but giggle. Meanwhile, what had happened 15 days ago suddenly flashed through his mind. ? ¡°Will the plan work?¡± the Baron asked. ¡°Yeah, maybe.¡± Lloyd nodded. He picked up the kettle and tilted it. The sound of clear tea being poured could be heard as the Baron¡¯s teacup was being filled. ¡°As I had said, Arosh completely trusts me. He sees me as his life savior. Besides, I heard he¡¯s the tribe chief¡¯s son.¡± ¡°A son of the tribe chief?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lloyd lifted his teacup. He tilted it and took a sip. ¡°Perhaps, he¡¯ll acknowledge what his son had achieved for his coming-of-age ceremony.¡± ¡°Because of the queen ant¡¯s head¡­ I suppose that¡¯ll be the case.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take my share in it too.¡± Worked together, hunted together. Lloyd was going to put these kinds of titles on it. He caught the queen ant together with Arosh. Therefore, he planned to ask the orcs to acknowledge him as a warrior. ¡°But, will the chief acknowledge you that easily?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. I¡¯ll have to give it a try. Anyhow, if I succeed, the potential benefits are too great.¡± That was true. What if the orc tribe¡¯s chief acknowledged him as a warrior? With Arosh¡¯s support, 120 orc warriors would be able to be employed as miners. 120 strong and valiant orcs. They would mine the coals without getting exhausted. They would be more capable than a thousand human miners. ¡°Additionally, the cost of their labor will be very little, except for the cost of their accommodation and food. I mean, it¡¯s a free high-quality labor force!¡± ¡°But, isn¡¯t it dangerous? By any means, personally traveling to the orc village is a little¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Arosh, the son of the chief, regards me as his benefactor.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± The Baron¡¯s expression clouded. He didn¡¯t like Lloyd taking risks. Orc was a violent and rough race. The Baron wanted to stop Lloyd from traveling to the territory of such creature if he could. After that, Lloyd tried hard to persuade the hesitant Baron. It was a battle of stubbornness between the two of them. The winner, of course, was Lloyd. ¡°¡­. Alright, but there is a condition.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Take some soldiers with you. About 30 of them.¡± The Baron insisted that Lloyd needed at least that many escorts for him to be reassured about Lloyd¡¯s safety. Lloyd accepted the Baron¡¯s condition. 30 soldiers as escorts would be good as insurance against unexpected events. ¡°I understand. Then I¡¯ll take Sir Asrahan with me along with 30 soldiers.¡± After that, the preparations for the departure progressed steadily. Fully equipped with camping gear and food, they were able to depart the following morning. The Baron and Baroness saw them off from the gate. They seemed to be genuinely worried about Lloyd¡¯s safety. For a moment, Lloyd felt bad. However, that feeling soon was put aside. Had it not been for him, the Baron and the Baroness would¡¯ve already fallen, just like the original. In short, they were a couple that was supposed to die soon. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be back,¡± Lloyd bid his farewell while feeling a little complicated. After that, they departed from the Baron¡¯s estate. Together with his party, Lloyd crossed the eastern mountain range. Arosh was a capable warrior and guide. Thanks to his familiarity with the mountain range¡¯s geography, the group was able to avoid dangerous monsters¡¯ habitats. Due to this, they safely arrived at Orc village after journeying for 10 days. And lastly¡­.. ¡°Oiinkk! Nice to meet you! I¡¯m Akush, Arosh¡¯s father, if I may say so, oink!¡± ¡­. As hundreds of orcs watched, Lloyd shook hands with the athletic and burly chief of the orc village. ¡°Yes, nice to meet you too.¡± ¡°I heard from Arosh that you had saved my son, oink.¡± ¡°Yes, by chance.¡± ¡°Nice! If that¡¯s the case, then you¡¯re also my benefactor, oink!¡± ¡°Simultaneously, I¡¯m also the warrior who hunted the queen ant together with your son.¡± ¡°¡­ what, oink?¡± Akush tilted his head. Lloyd gestured at Javier with his eyes. Javier unwrapped the bundle of cloth he was carrying on his back. A jet-black mass as huge as a gym ball was revealed. ¡°It¡¯s the queen ant¡¯s head. I brought it as a trophy.¡± ¡°O-oink?¡± Akush¡¯s big adam¡¯s apple was moving up and down. It wasn¡¯t only Akush, the chief, who was surprised. Hundreds of orcs who gathered around them were surprised too. ¡°Ooinkk? What¡¯s that, oink!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen an ant beast with a such big head, ooinkk!¡± ¡°Looks fierce, oink!¡± ¡°Looks strong, oink!¡± ¡°Looks delicious, oink!¡± ¡°¡­. There¡¯s a food thief here, oiinkk!¡± In a nutshell, the whole orc village was instantly bustling with admiration and commotion. Don¡¯t miss a moment like this. Don¡¯t give them time to make a cool-headed decision. It would be more advantageous to push ahead since the atmosphere was still ignited. After making that judgment, Lloyd then quickly said, ¡°I was exploring the nest of the ant beasts. There, I found the queen ant that was wobbling from exhaustion. Therefore, I managed to catch it with difficulty. However, there was an orc¡¯s iron sword near the queen ant.¡± ¡°An orc¡¯s iron sword, oink?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. It was your beloved son Arosh¡¯s sword.¡± When Lloyd finished speaking, he glanced at Arosh. Arosh huffed with his flaring nose, ¡°The benefactor is right, oink!¡± ¡°Does that mean you, son, fought with the queen ant until its energy depleted and then the benefactor caught the queen ant, oiinkk?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, oink. It¡¯s like we fought together, oiinkk¡± ¡°Hmm, oiinkk¡­.¡± Chief Akush¡¯s thick eyelids twitched. His dark green eyes alternated between his son, Lloyd, and the queen ant¡¯s head. He identified the queen ant¡¯s head at a glance. ¡®It¡¯s the real thing, oink.¡¯ He was a chief who had been fighting with ant beasts all his life. He knew better than anyone how powerful the queen ant was. But to think his son hunted such a powerful enemy. The chief¡¯s thick chest muscles trembled because of his strong emotion. ¡°Son, oink!¡± ¡°Yes, ooinnkk!¡± ¡°Congratulations! You¡¯re a warrior now! I, Akush, hereby declare as the chief that Arosh the orc has become a proud warrior of the tribe, oink!¡± ¡°Thank you, oink!¡± ¡°Good. To celebrate it, today will be leg day, oink!¡± ¡°A man¡¯s leg day, oink!¡± As soon as Akush¡¯s command was given, Arosh ran to one side of the village. A large statue was carried on his shoulder. The size was so absurd that it likely weighed about 0,5 tons. The statue was even plated with gold. That wasn¡¯t all. In addition to the plated statue, there were a lot of luxurious objects scattered around the area that were used only as exercise equipment. There was a chandelier used as a weight for weightlifting.The weightlifting bar in the middle was an ornamental pillar decorated with pearls. Even a whole treasure chest full of gold coins was used as a kettlebell! ¡®Whoa, crazy.¡¯ Lloyd recalled a scene from the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel which described how capable orcs were as warriors and plunderers. However, it was even worse in real life. ¡®The loot must¡¯ve been piled up for decades. Even so, the orcs have nowhere to use it, even if they have so many gold and silver treasures.¡± Smacks lips. Gold and silver treasures that had been turned into exercise equipment. The gold-plated statue that Arosh was carrying in his arms to do squats. Looking at them made Lloyd¡¯s mouth water. Meanwhile, Arosh carried the statue on his shoulder while huffing and snorting. He repeatedly did a squat and then stood up, showing off his thigh muscles that looked like anaconda each time. A pleased smile bloomed on chief Akush¡¯s lips, who was watching his son. ¡°Do you see that? Today is a joyful day, oiinkk.¡± The chief looked at Lloyd. He reached out his hand which was as large as a pot lid and touched Lloyd¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thank you, human. Not only did you save my son, but you also showed your bravery in catching the queen ant together, oink.¡± ¡°Then, do you acknowledge me as a warrior?¡± Lloyd asked. Sometimes, you have to be brazen. You were supposed to openly ask for something like this. The chief, Akush, nodded cheerfully as if it had worked. ¡°Of course! I, Akush, hereby declare as the chief that the human¡­ oink?¡± ¡°My name is Lloyd. Lloyd Frontera.¡± ¡°¡­. I hereby declare that Lloyd Frontera the human has been acknowledged as a proud warrior of the tribe, oink!¡± Finally, Akush declared his acknowledgement. Hundreds of orcs gathered together and cheered. And then the chief, Akush, shouted as if it was the natural thing to do, ¡°The human benefactor has become a warrior! To celebrate, the human benefactor will also have a leg day today, oiinkk!¡± ¡°¡­. eh?¡± Wait a minute. This big athletic ahjussi. What did you just say? ¡®You¡¯re not going to ask me to do squats while carrying that 500 kg statue on my shoulder, are you?¡¯ Lloyd dryly swallowed his saliva without realizing it. However, his ominous premonition ended up being true. The chief, Akush, patted Lloyd quite hard on his back while bursting out in laughter. ¡°Let¡¯s go! I¡¯m in a good mood so I¡¯ll join you, oiinkk!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°A man¡¯s leg day, oiinkk!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Heavens. Lloyd was so shocked it felt like everything went black. The cheers around him only grew louder and louder. He felt a surge of helplessness, just like a bone boiled in a beef bone broth. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Oink?¡± ¡°I enjoy exercising and I¡¯ve carried a lot of things that could be considered heavy on-site, but this is a little¡­.¡± ¡°Oiinkk? What are you talking about, oink?¡± ¡°I think this is too heavy for me,¡± said Lloyd frankly. It was true. He was quite confident in his ability to carry heavy things. With the addition of the Asrahan Core Technique to boot, his physical ability had surpassed that of ordinary people. Nevertheless, it was still not enough to do squats with a statue that easily weighed over 500 kg¡ªwhich looked super uncomfortable¡ªwhile smiling! ¡°Thank you for recommending this exercise, but do you have something lighter?¡± Lloyd didn¡¯t want to break his back or leg right now so he asked that. However, Lloyd could see chief Akush¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°What? You can¡¯t lift that, oinkkk?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Even though you¡¯ve been recognized as a warrior, oiinkk?¡± ¡°Naturally¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous that a warrior couldn¡¯t lift that, oink!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°The tool was considered lightweight in the village. It¡¯s usually used by young warriors to warm-up. But if you can¡¯t lift that, you don¡¯t deserve to be called a warrior, oink.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not an orc though.¡± ¡°Still, a warrior has to be able to do it, oink.¡± Before he knew it, Akush was being serious. Lloyd¡¯s expression also stiffened. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ No wonder things were going so well. He didn¡¯t expect to get tackled here because of an unexpected squat. He racked his brain hard. ¡®If I said that I couldn¡¯t exercise my lower body or whatever that is, everything including the acknowledgement as a warrior and this festive atmosphere would be blown away. What should I do?¡¯ It was too regrettable if he had to give up at this point. As long as he was acknowledged as a warrior, he could benefit greatly. He would be able to recruit 120 sturdy orc warriors as free miners. He didn¡¯t want to give up easily. Needless to say, he¡¯d hate it even more if he broke his back because of ego-lifting. ¡®I have to find another way.¡¯ Doing squats was impossible. He had to appeal with something different instead. He should make use of his skills. That way, they¡¯d acknowledge his eligibility. Lloyd¡¯s eyes moved quickly. He checked every inch of the orc village. He collected every information he could find with his eyes, such as the environment and the orcs¡¯ tendencies. The information was categorized and then analyzed. As a result, he abruptly noticed something. ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ His gaze that was moving fast stopped at a pit dug in the corner of the village. ¡°What is that used for?¡± asked Lloyd while pointing at the pit. At that, the chief Akush answered, ¡°That one? That¡¯s a pit to throw away the meat, oink.¡± ¡°You threw away the meat?¡± ¡°Right. We dump it there and bury it in the ground, oink,¡± said Akush who nodded his head. ¡°We threw away what we couldn¡¯t eat because it got spoiled. If you eat something like that, you¡¯ll get sick. You¡¯ll become weak and unable to exercise. If you don¡¯t exercise, you¡¯ll lose your muscles, oink.¡± Unknowingly, the chief¡¯s voice suddenly was filled with deep regret. ¡°It¡¯s so wasteful. If we don¡¯t have to throw it and we can eat it all, it could fully develop into so much muscle mass. It¡¯s a pity every time, oink.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, oink.¡± Akush smacked his lips. The corners of Lloyd¡¯s mouth slightly rose. ¡®This is it.¡¯ Suddenly, the middle-part of the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel came to mind. At some point in time when a fair amount of time had passed, Javier¡ªwho had undergone a series of adventures¡ªconfronted the orc tribe on his own. He showcased his wit in this tough fight and made them surrender. With his wit, he hindered the orcs¡¯ hunt for food. ¡®The wilderness where these orcs live is barren. Farming is completely impossible from the start and foraging can¡¯t procure enough food. That¡¯s why they¡¯re so dependent on hunting. Almost all of their food is gained from hunting.¡¯ Hunting the terrifying and large monsters in the wilderness was how the orcs got their food. They needed to be more and more courageous in facing danger. Still, just like that, there was no technology to preserve the food that had been painstakingly collected. They just knew how to stack their food and eat it. The food would go bad quickly even if they¡¯d prepared it to the utmost of their ability. ¡®When Javier noticed that, he enthusiastically interrupted the orcs¡¯ hunt for food. Less than 10 days later, there were food shortages in the orc village.¡¯ The food couldn¡¯t be piled up and stored due to poor food preservation technology. Every time they failed to hunt, they lost their source of food. Food shortages were bound to occur. Lloyd recalled that kind of event from the novel. ¡°I have a proposal.¡± ¡°A proposal, oink?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Lloyd looked up to make eye contact with Akush the chief and said, ¡°In place of passing the leg day exercise, I¡¯ll build a cold food storage for you, so please acknowledge me as a warrior.¡± With these gold and silver treasures that were rolling around here and there, the orcs could pay Lloyd decently for the construction. And this way, he could be acknowledged as a warrior and be able to take some workers home. So, at that time, he took the construction order and collected the construction fee. Kill two birds with one stone; win with one shot and make a living in the barony; shop and get discount coupons at the same time. A wicked smile formed again on Lloyd¡¯s mouth after he finished calculating his plan. Author¡¯s note: Now that this chapter is over, we¡¯re going to summon the refrigerator! *got punched Tl/n: I¡¯m really sorry for my tardiness :¡¯) I tried to translate it and let it be for a few days to read it over few more times, so hopefully the quality would get nicer from now on? Please correct me if you saw something wrong, though. I¡¯d really appreciate it. CH 32 ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll build them a Seokbinggo1Seokbinggo: An ancient refrigerator made of rocks, only found in Korea.. Whooshh. A breeze blew in the desert. The gust of wind carried grains of sand near the corner of Lloyd¡¯s eyes. Before it got into his eyes, he squinted. He then examined every inch of the slightly slanted vacant lot. ¡°What is Seokbinggo?¡± As Lloyd had predicted, Javier asked him a question in response. A smile naturally formed on Lloyd¡¯s lips. ¡°Bingo.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°No, nothing. Perhaps, have you ever heard of an ice house?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± ¡°Yeah, I figured.¡± Seokbinggo and ice house, both were historical buildings used to store ice during hot seasons. Seokbinggo originated from Joseon Dynasty while ice house was from Europe. Additionally, there was an old ice storage facility called Moayedi located in Yazd¡ªa city in the Middle East¡ªthat still remained intact until now. In other words, wherever you go, there have been quite a few ice storage facilities around the world since ancient times. But then, what about the Loracian continent¡ªthe background setting of the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel? The situation here was a bit different. ¡®The existence of magic hindered the invention of these facilities.¡¯ After all, the rich were the ones who sought ice in the summer. Meanwhile, the world was full of magicians who¡¯d serve them to the best of their abilities. This meant, with only a snap of a finger, they could enjoy a glass of sangria served with ice in the middle of summer. ¡°That¡¯s why, for the first time in history, I¡¯m going to build something like an ice house here.¡± ¡°Is it for the orcs?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Lloyd nodded. The slanted ground seemed like the perfect place to build Seokbinggo. Lloyd roughly calculated the number of orc tribesmen that lived in the orc village, the amount of food they eat, and the average size of their hunting prey. By using these data as the base, he estimated the size of the Seokbinggo that would be built. ¡®I have to make it bigger than the one from Joseon Dynasty.¡¯ While being assisted by his survey and design skills, he had a flashback out of the blue. ¡°Rather than doing the leg exercise, I¡¯ll build a cold food storage for you. So, please acknowledge me as a warrior.¡± ¡°Oink?¡± Chief Akush¡¯s first reaction to his proposal was raising his eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean by food storage, oink?¡± ¡°Exactly like its name. It¡¯s a place to store and preserve food.¡± ¡°Is the one you wanted to build different from the usual food storage, oink?¡± ¡°Yes, it is very different.¡± ¡°What is the difference, oink?¡± ¡°The meat you hunted can last longer.¡± ¡°Oink? Is that possible, oink?¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± Akush frowned, as it was hard to believe. Lloyd beamed a smile at him. In moments like this, being confident was important. Keeping that in mind, Lloyd said, ¡°Please imagine this. You haven¡¯t even eaten half of the monster meat you¡¯ve hunted with all of your strength, yet you saw it started to spoil already. The sorrowful feeling of having to throw away a big chunk of natural protein source that you couldn¡¯t manage to eat.¡± ¡°¡­. OINKKK! I¡¯m angry, oink!¡± ¡°It¡¯s infuriating, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, oink!¡± ¡°But, if you could keep it from getting spoiled, you can eat without wasting some. All that plump meat can be consumed by the Chief, which in return will nourish your body and boost your muscle gain. What do you think? Sounds wonderful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Snort! Instead of answering, Chief Akush let out a rough snort, he was amused. The picture produced by his imagination was very thrilling. ¡°Are you for real, oink?¡± ¡°Of course. After all, who am I?¡± ¡°A benefactor, oink!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, oiinkk!¡± ¡°Alright, thank you for trusting me. First, let¡¯s start by writing a contract for the construction order.¡± ¡°Construction order¡­ A contract, oink?¡± ¡°Yes. In this field of work, contracts are the most important thing. Javier?¡± Lloyd turned his head to look at Javier. Already quite accustomed to this situation somehow, Javier handed Lloyd a piece of paper and a pen. Lloyd quickly wrote a simple contract for the construction order on the paper he received. ¡°This is just how it is. If I received a construction order and decided to do it based on a rule of thumb, there would always be confusion because the boundary between our rights is ambiguous. How could we ever be on one page? Wouldn¡¯t it be sad for us both if that happened?¡± ¡°¡­. Oh. I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about, but yes, I agree somehow, oink.¡± ¡°Great thinking. As expected, you¡¯re so wise. Now, here.¡± ¡°Oink?¡± ¡°Please sign here, on the bottom.¡± ¡°Sign, oink?¡± ¡°The great chief needs to leave a mark to show that he agreed with the contents of this contract.¡± ¡°I like marks! I¡¯m so good at making one, oink!¡± Akush raised his fist which was as big as a basketball. Then, just like that, he slammed his fist down on top of the contract. Whamm! The contract was completely embedded in the rock, to a whopping 10 centimeters deep! ¡®What the hell?¡¯ Monster. He was also a monster, but in a different way than Javier. Lloyd was reminded once again about how strong the Orc Chief was. ¡®Indeed, he is an enemy who gave Javier a hard time to defeat in the original novel.¡¯ At that time, Javier had just reached the stage of a Sword Master. In other words, this athletic muscular orc chief in front of them had the combat ability between a High-Level Sword Expert and a Sword Master. ¡®Even though he only used pure physical power because he doesn¡¯t know how to use mana at all.¡¯ The more Lloyd thought about it, the more terrifying the Orc Chief¡¯s strength became. However, there was no need to be scared now. The muscle monster in front of him was on his side after all. Lloyd grinned. ¡°Thank you for your wise judgment, Chief. Starting from now, you just have to trust me.¡± ¡°Absolutely! I, Akush, believe in Lloyd the human, oink!¡± ¡°Yes, please leave it to me.¡± Lloyd also signed the contract that was completely stuck on the rock. Approximately, the contents of the contract were as follows: [Lloyd Frontera will build a Seokbinggo for the Orc Tribe.] [The Orc Tribe will acknowledge Lloyd Frontera as a warrior and pay for the construction.] [The cost of the construction will be paid with exercise equipment currently used in the village.] [Thereupon, Lloyd Frontera will provide the village with new exercise equipment of the same weight from processed stone.] ¡­. It was a contract where both parties had nothing to lose. ¡®No, it¡¯s not a situation where we have nothing to lose. Rather, it¡¯s a win-win situation.¡¯ The treasures and gold coins¡ªthat were merely used as exercise equipment¡ªwere dispensable for the orcs anyway. Instead of just taking it, Lloyd would create exercise equipment from stone that was easier to use for the orcs. Additionally, the orcs would also get a Seokbinggo¡ªa large refrigerator to store their food. So, this was a mutually beneficial deal. ¡°¡­. That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying, we have to maintain their trust by building it professionally. Okay, I think we could build the entrance over here.¡± As he proceeded to survey the place, Lloyd thought back about what he had said before. In fact, he really wanted to make a Seokbinggo that worked well. It was a matter of course. ¡®Credibility is the most important thing in this kind of business.¡¯ You shouldn¡¯t ever underestimate your client just because they looked simple or easy. If construction projects were tackled in a sloppy manner to reap immediate benefits, you could see blood later. This was especially true when you were facing those muscle monsters. ¡®With the way things are going, maintaining trust is absolutely beneficial in the long run.¡¯ The orc tribe was a powerful force. Each warrior had tremendous combat power. Moreover, dozens of villages from this area would quickly form a coalition when war broke out, forming an army comparable to a group of elite soldiers from a nation. ¡®That¡¯s why, getting a good rating is important this time.¡¯ Perhaps, he could get some RP from them too. With that in mind, Lloyd did his best to survey and design the Seokbinggo. ¡®The entrance will be facing the south, while the main room¡ªwhere ice and food will be stored¡ªwill be on the northern side where the air is cool.¡¯ Lloyd used traditional Seokbinggo from Joseon as the base model. When he had been a freshman in university, he had joined club activities related to traditional architecture. His experience from back then was great help to him now. ¡®By the way, the air is very dry here.¡¯ The desert was very dry. A Seokbinggo that was built here would likely be more efficient than the one from Joseon Dynasty. Besides that, Lloyd also meticulously inspected and classified other numerous factors to ensure the Seokbinggo could function well. ¡®First of all, it¡¯s important that the hot air is able to escape above the ground.¡¯ In general, its structure was semi-subterranean. Only half of the building was buried underground while the other half towered over the ground. The ceiling would be round and arched. Ultimately, let¡¯s not forget part of the structure where the heat would eventually escape from. ¡®Building a hollow spherical space in between the structure that will make the ceiling arched is needed. This will serve as a pocket where hot air is gathered and trapped. Air vents are also going to be made at every arch¡¯s center point2To make it easier for you to imagine, this is the structure of a seokbinggo. And so forth, the heat inside the Seokbinggo can escape outside. To protect it from sunlight and rainwater, I can cover the top of the ventilation shafts with some stone¡­ and, done.¡¯ Bzzzttt¡­! A screen with a 3D design similar to a hologram emerged. Only Lloyd could see it. He steadily designed the structure of the arched ceiling on it. He also made sure to make a sloping floor inside the Seokbinggo. ¡®If the floor is not slightly tilted, water from the melting ice will pool on the ground and in return will make the rest of the ice melt faster.¡¯ The entrance facing the south would be built higher than the main room on the north. At the end of the building on the north side, a drainage channel to discharge water would be built. On top of that, he carefully arranged a structure to release hot air and retain cold air. Next to the entrance and the exit, a retaining wall would be placed on the south and north axis. In winter, the cold wind that descended from the mountain range would hit the retaining walls, which would guide the cold air to enter the Seokbinggo. There was still plenty of room left for insulation. Four days had passed. Finally, the design was finished. ¡°Phew, the blueprint looks okay.¡± The blueprint was neatly drawn by the optional skill he had obtained when his design skill¡¯s level had risen to intermediate. Securing materials for the construction was the next step that needed to be done to build Seokbinggo. ¡®I can procure mud and limestone that¡¯ll be used to form a waterproof layer for the ceiling here. As for the rice husks, straw, and sawdust for the insulation, it can be obtained by sending ten soldiers from the Construction Team back to our territory and then airlifting them back with the materials. I can replace the grass that¡¯ll cover the building from outside with the thorny plants that grow here. The only problem is granite.¡¯ Lloyd gazed towards the west. The eastern mountain range was located between the Barony of Frontera and the desert. The slope at the foot of the eastern mountain was sparkling brightly under the morning sun because of the partially exposed granites. ¡®Granite is certainly essential for building Seokbinggo.¡¯ Granite rock formed when felsic magma slowly cooled down. Hard and homogenous were its few characteristics. Simply put, this meant that the material would hardly get deformed or split because there was no grain in its internal structure. ¡®This is the reason why granite is often used as a base for semiconductor equipment or measuring equipment which requires precision in modern times.¡¯ Yes, granite was so solid that it wouldn¡¯t deform. It was great for buildings that had to keep standing for many years. This case was especially true for buildings that required long-term insulation and waterproofing, like Seokbinggo. Even so, granite also had its downsides. ¡®It¡¯s very difficult to process.¡¯ The rock was hard, so it was difficult to break. Even worse, it had no grain, so it couldn¡¯t be split in the preferred direction. In short, granite was an extremely difficult rock to quarry or process to the desired size and shape. ¡®This is also the reason why old Buddha statues in our country look crudely made.¡¯ The Korean Peninsula was mostly covered in granite. Thanks to this, our old ancestors had to literally ¡®carve¡¯ granite one by one. It had been a long time full of struggle. Of course, Lloyd had no intention of doing the same. This was the orc village, not his territory. He didn¡¯t want to spend a long time building Seokbinggo on someone else¡¯s land. And so, having thought of a solution in his mind, he looked back and called the silver-haired knight who had been guarding him silently from behind. ¡°Oi, Javier.¡± ¡°Did you call me?¡± ¡°Yeah, I did. Let me ask you something.¡± ¡°Please go ahead.¡± ¡°You, can you cut a rock with your sword?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How big is the rock?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve managed up to a little over a meter in one slash.¡± ¡°A one-meter-big boulder?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Javier nodded as if it was nothing. It was amazing. Even if the sword was made of iron, in the end, it was simply a blade that only weighed a few kilograms. It was surprising that Javier could cut about one meter thick and almost a ton in weight boulder with it. Nevertheless, Lloyd just looked at Javier and then sneered. ¡°Is that so? It¡¯s worse than I thought.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I thought with a slash of your sword, you can slice several meters deep, create a hole, and blast everything to pieces, tsk.¡± ¡°¡­. I¡¯m afraid the thing you mentioned is beyond the capabilities of even a Sword Master.¡± ¡°Is that sooo?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not making excuses because of your incompetence?¡± ¡°No, I am not.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°For real?¡± ¡°For real.¡± Lloyd wondered whether Javier thought he was too persistent. Meanwhile, Javier¡¯s voice became slightly colder than usual, ¡°I don¡¯t know what Lloyd-nim is thinking for him to ask me that question. But, if the young master is trying to abuse his position and make unreasonable demands that are outside my capabilities, I¡¯m going to politely decline in advance.¡± ¡°Oh my, are you declaring a strike?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just telling you in advance that I can¡¯t accept impossible demands that are outside of my capabilities. If you ignore it and keep on being stubborn, we¡¯ll both be unhappy.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be mutually unhappy with each other, huh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What if I force you to do something beyond your abilities?¡± ¡°As expected, I¡¯m right. May I speak frankly to you?¡± ¡°Try it.¡± ¡°Right now, Lloyd-nim is trying to collect the rocks needed to build something called Seokbinggo.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re correct.¡± ¡°And then, Lloyd-nim is trying to use me to get the rock. You¡¯re going to order me to cut the rock with my sword. I told you this because I saw it coming from miles away.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re going to refuse to be a quarryman because it¡¯s beyond your means?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible to do with a sword in the first place.¡± ¡°Tsk. You¡¯re impudent.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Javier bowed. Javier probably thought he¡¯d won the fight. The corners of Lloyd¡¯s lips curled up. He threw a meaningful smile to Javier, who looked certain of his victory. ¡°What if I make it possible?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°If I teach you how to drill a few meters into a rock and then blow it up, will you accept my request?¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­.¡± Javier trailed off. Lloyd grinned. He already had a certain destructive technique¡ªwhich Javier had perfected in the middle part of the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel¡ªin mind. He intended to teach that technique to Javier early on. Author¡¯s note: Learning things like this earlier is important¡­. Tl/n: Sorry for disappearing again, my schedule is all screwed up. I¡¯m still trying to pick up my pace. Anyway, salute to you who are majoring in engineering or are engineers. My brain was spinning when I was translating this. I learnt so many new things, though. XD CH 33 ¡°What do you mean by drilling into a rock with a sword?¡± Javier frowned. His eyes were directed towards Lloyd. Those eyes were filled with distrust in response to the nonsense Lloyd was spewing. ¡°I¡¯m a little bit confused. May I be honest?¡± ¡°Are you going to be honest?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a little¡­ You¡¯re going to blurt out without filter to attack me with it, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I repeat once again, I¡¯ve never attacked Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°But you did?¡± ¡°Please tell me, when?¡± ¡°Inside the ant nest. You punched me in my stomach with your fist, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s because¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, and then you slapped me thrice when you were trying to make me regain my consciousness, right?¡± ¡°It was only twice. I stopped in the middle of the third one because Lloyd-nim had regained consciousness.¡± ¡°A-ha, so was that why you were disappointed?¡± ¡°Natura- no, I wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Anyway, back to the point. To be honest with you, I¡¯ve never heard of someone doing such a thing with a sword before.¡± ¡°None at all?¡± ¡°Yes, not even a single Sword Master.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Javier was telling the truth. He was barely able to make a few-meters-deep hole in a rock with only a sword after all. But, what about blasting a hole through a rock? He¡¯d never heard of such a thing. This was also the case even for the tales of many Sword Masters that remained in history. ¡®It isn¡¯t even possible for Sir Michael, the founding king who had been named as the greatest of all time in his later years because he developed much slower than others. According to the records, Sir Michael¡¯s sword aura was about 1 meter long. Even If you add sword aura to the length of the sword, it could only cut the stone for about a little over 2 meters long maximum,¡¯ Javier thought. Sword Aura was a technique of covering the sword with a high density of concentrated mana. A technique that was the symbol of a Sword Master. However, even this destructive technique had its limitations. It was said that you can¡¯t attack an enemy that was out of its range. ¡®The sword is a melee weapon after all,¡¯ Javier thought. No matter how powerful your attack was, you need to approach, slash, and stab the enemy by yourself. You couldn¡¯t attack from a long distance like a magician could. And those were both the characteristics and weaknesses of a Sword Master. ¡°Even so, Lloyd-nim is throwing common sense out of the window. You are declaring that you¡¯re going to teach me an imaginary skill that doesn¡¯t even exist. It was as if¡­.¡± ¡°Do you think I said something crazy?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Javier nodded immediately. ¡°It¡¯s so obvious. That¡¯s a ridiculous statement that would only be uttered by a person who¡¯s either insane, mad, or deranged.¡± ¡°Oi, it¡¯s obvious that you are grabbing the chance to jab at me while you¡¯re at it.¡± ¡°What jab?¡± ¡°Sigh. That¡¯s enough. Anyway.¡± Lloyd chuckled. ¡°What if I teach you that technique?¡± ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°So what will you do? Answer me first.¡± ¡°If Lloyd-nim¡¯s big talk is true¨C,¡± Javier said with a serious look in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll gladly follow what Lloyd-nim tells me to do.¡± ¡°For real? Will you do the work I¡¯m telling you to do?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Javier nodded his head. If what Lloyd said was true, there was nothing to lose anyway. At the same time, Javier thought that the advice would be merely a bluff. Such nonsense couldn¡¯t be possible. ¡°Good. We¡¯ve reached a consensus. Then, starting from now-¡± Lloyd held out his hand to pat Javier on the shoulder and then nonchalantly said, ¡°When you draw your sword, increase your mana circles¡¯ rotation to maximum, and then force at least two of the circles to overlap and collide.¡± ¡°¡­. Pardon?¡± ¡°Oh, you shouldn¡¯t use all of your mana circles in the collision. You have to leave at least one to protect your heart. Otherwise, your heart could stop beating because of the shock after jumping a triple axel. Instantly crossing the Jordan River in one stroke.¡± ¡°Right now, what are you talking about¡­?¡± ¡°Just give it a try once.¡± ¡°Right here? Right now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Lloyd nodded. Meanwhile, Javier felt perplexed. ¡®Is that possible?¡¯ he thought. Javier felt like his common sense was being destroyed. This feeling was similar when he was told to think of Asrahan Core Technique as a part of his body. Nevertheless, these methods were foreign to him. These were something he¡¯d never have thought of. No, he¡¯d never even thought these were possible. Obviously, each mana circle would rotate faster as the power generated was increased. The faster the rotation, the stronger they repel each other, just like magnets of the same pole. Still, we¡¯d force them to collide. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you won¡¯t die if you protect your heart with the circle that remains.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lloyd was too calm. Thus, it felt less trustworthy. Obviously, Javier had no idea that his other self from another space and time¡ªthe one from the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel¡ªwas the one who invented this technique. This technique was one of many that made the novel him the strongest knight in the entire history of the Loracian Continent. ¡®Of course it¡¯s still in the distant future,¡¯ Lloyd thought. He suddenly recalled the contents of the novel. Mana Blast. When Javier developed this technique, he had just reached the level of Sword Master. Moreover, he had been equipped with a quadruple circle too. The combination of a Sword Master¡¯s strength and a quadruple circle alone could make him one of the strongest knights of all time. But, even with such power in his hands, he was faced with the limitations of his strength. The wall of Namaran. It was a defensive wall that was fortified with powerful and malicious black magic. Located behind the wall, there were thousands of refugees he had to save. Neither Aura Sword nor Mana Amplification from his quadruple circle could break the wall. Reaching a stalemate, time had passed fruitlessly. The date the wicked magician had proclaimed continued to draw near. At this rate, thousands of refugees would be sacrificed in the ritual held by the magician. And finally, on one bright fateful day, Javier¡ªwho was still struggling to break the wall¡ªtried his one last final attack. In his desperate attempt, he unknowingly made two of his mana circles collide. That moment was the first time he used Mana Blast, a technique he¡¯d never dared to imagine before. It was also the moment when the Wall of Namaran collapsed instantly due to a power that was beyond imagination. ¡®Since then, Mana Blast has become Javier¡¯s favorite move.¡¯ Along with the Asrahan Core Technique, it had become one of the iron-blooded knight¡¯s signature moves. Still, Lloyd couldn¡¯t believe that he¡¯d be teaching that technique to this guy right now. It felt strange. ¡®I¡¯ll have to learn it too later when I reach the triple circle.¡¯ Even if Lloyd wanted to learn the technique now, he couldn¡¯t. Two circles at least were needed to make a collision. Additionally, he needed to have one more circle to protect his heart. In short, Mana Blast was a technique that could only be learned when you reached the stage of triple circle at least. ¡®Of course it wouldn¡¯t be easy even if you have triple circle.¡¯ That would also be the case for Javier. Lloyd chuckled at the thought. ¡°Hm, you¡¯re still hesitating. Am I that untrustworthy to you?¡± Lloyd said. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Perhaps, are you afraid?¡± ¡°Of course that¡¯s not it. However-¡± ¡°However?¡± ¡°I need you to promise me something.¡± ¡°Hmmm, what do I need to promise you?¡± ¡°Regarding the new technique you just taught me.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s all a lie or a nasty prank to make fun of me¡­.¡± ¡°What if it is?¡± ¡°Please make the lullaby service free with unlimited refills in the future.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± It was a bolder proposal than Lloyd had expected. At the same time, the proposal also cleared up what Javier thought about the lullaby service. ¡°You, I see now-¡± A wicked smile appeared on Lloyd¡¯s face, eyes filled with amusement. ¡°You can¡¯t live without the lullaby service anymore, can you?¡± Flinch. Javier¡¯s shoulder twitched very faintly. Lloyd then continued, ¡°Oh my what to do? Did I get it right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an outrageous speculation.¡± ¡°Oho. Please say it while looking at me straight in the eye?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never avoided making eye contact with Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Are my eyes located on my nostrils?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Nevermind. I promise.¡± ¡°Are you for real?¡± ¡°Yeah. If what I told you was a lie or a prank to make a fool of you, then the lullaby service will have infinite refills in the future. And it¡¯ll be for free.¡± ¡°You promised.¡± ¡°Now that it¡¯s settled, try it. You didn¡¯t forget the technique I told you earlier, did you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Clang. Javier drew out his longsword, soLloyd took a few steps back. ¡®I¡¯m a little worried because it¡¯s his first attempt, but¡­. Javier won¡¯t ever fail learning this.¡¯ Javier was a few steps ahead of Lloyd when it came to Asrahan Core Technique. He had three mana circles. His control on each mana circle was also outstanding. Javier had reached a level of competence and elegance as if he was a master. Even if this was Javier¡¯s first time trying the technique Lloyd had told him about, Lloyd was certain Javier wouldn¡¯t injure his heart. ¡®Of course he¡¯ll be having a hard time for a few days at least.¡¯ This technique was all about colliding mana circles that rotated at high speed inside the body and near the heart. Naturally, it would leave a huge impact and burden on the body. No matter how genius Javier was at swordsmanship, it would take him a while to get used to it. ¡®Perhaps a week at the earliest? It might even take more than 15 days. I think the quarry work can start from then on. I will make a schedule for the construction.¡¯ Bang! ¡°I succeeded,¡± said Javier. ¡°¡­.¡± Something unbelievable had just happened. Lloyd unconsciously gawked. He looked at Javier, who was a few steps ahead, and then cast his gaze a little farther. There was a mark on the ground that wasn¡¯t there before. ¡°It¡¯s not as difficult as I thought.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± A 10-meters-long furrow had been dug. Not just a scratch on the surface, but there was a long tunnel formed under the ground. There were marks of an explosion inside, which turned the ground upside down in a straight line. ¡°Excuse me, Javier?¡± ¡°Yes, Lloyd-nim?¡± ¡°Are you perhaps a monster?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m undoubtedly a human.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier was a monster. Lloyd knew he was right. Either that or he was the son of mom¡¯s friend, an imaginary creature he thought only existed as a legend1I think the author is referring to a culture where moms will continuously compare the accomplishments of their child with their friend¡¯s child. Often, it would be exaggerated. So yeah, you get the gist.. Lloyd looked at Javier, bewildered. Javier smiled gracefully with only one corner of his lips lifted. ¡°Thank you, Lloyd-nim, for not making fun of me.¡± ¡°Did you realize that only now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh my. Look at the audacity.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it. It¡¯s a concept I¡¯ve never thought about.¡± ¡°Then, do you understand now?¡± ¡°Yes, but-¡± ¡°But? What more?¡± ¡°I wonder how Lloyd-nim came up with such a magnificent technique.¡± ¡°Why? Are you saying I shouldn¡¯t be able to come up with something like this?¡± ¡°Of course that¡¯s not it, but¡­.¡± Javier glossed over his last words. Lloyd lifted his chin and straightened his neck. ¡°Nevermind. Just hold on to your promise. Now you know I¡¯m not pranking you, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, will you do what I tell you to do without any hesitation?¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to do anything.¡± Javier was a standoffish guy, but he¡¯d certainly do it. Javier nodded. At that moment, a message appeared in front of him. Ding dong. [Javier Asrahan is very grateful for your teaching.] [Javier Asrahan¡¯s favorability towards you has increased by +3] [Your current relationship with Javier Asrahan : -11] [A slight improvement in your relationship with a key character has earned you 54 RP.] [Current RP : 561] ¡®Nice.¡¯ Lloyd was sure Javier had accepted his teaching with all of his heart. Now, it was time to test this guy¡¯s performance in full-scale quarry work. ¡°So, starting from now on, you¡¯re going to be a human dynamite,¡± Lloyd said. The following morning, they were at a place far west from the orc village. In the area where the granite was partially exposed, located at the foot of the mountain range, Lloyd picked up a large brush. Then, he dipped the brush in the jar he was holding in his arms. The red paint he got from the orcs seeped into the brush. Lloyd held up the brush and then poked the rock with it at regular intervals. ¡°Here, here, and here.¡± Tap, tap, tap! Red fist-sized dots were painted onto the rock. ¡°Do you see the places I marked?¡± Lloyd asked. ¡°Yes. Should I stab the sword there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Very smart, aren¡¯t you? Stab, make the mana circles collide, and bang. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I understand. By the way, is there a required depth?¡± ¡°Yeah, 10 meters.¡± ¡°10 meters?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the deepest you could manage at this level, isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Pierce it with that constant depth and then blow it all up with all of your might.¡± Lloyd clenched his hands and then spread them for Javier to see. ¡°First, I¡¯ve calculated the depth of the material and marked the spot you have to stab to blow it up. However, after you blow it up, you have to run quickly to where I am. If not, you could get crushed by the falling rocks. Do you understand?¡± ¡°¡­. I understand.¡± Javier nodded. Meanwhile, Lloyd moved tens of meters away from the planned bombing site. With arms raised high towards Javier, Lloyd shouted, ¡°Three! Two! One! Fire!¡± A second later, Lloyd saw Javier lifting his sword. Soon, Javier¡¯s figure disappeared. No, his figure became blurred. Moving at a monstrous speed, he stabbed the sword into the rock. Lloyd clasped his hands at the sight. ¡®Please succeed.¡¯ If Javier succeeded, quarrying would become extremely easy. Just like a revolution in the quarry industry when Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel invented dynamite. The rocks dozens of people struggled to dig for a year by using primitive chisels, hammers, and levers were able to be dug out in mere days. If Javier played the role of ANFO or NewMITE¡ªexplosives used in modern times¡ªthe Seokbinggo could be completed within this month. ¡®This is why I taught you how to do Mana Blast. Please pay for the meal.¡¯ Lloyd prayed. And then, he saw it. Flash! ¡°¡­.!¡± Flashes of light bursted from the huge granite bedrock. Shortly thereafter, Javier rushed to Lloyd¡¯s side like a gust of wind. He arrived in an instant and stopped in front of Lloyd. ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± Javier said. Clink. Javier sheathed his longsword. At that moment¡ªBanggg! Fierce shockwaves and blasts of wind came from the place where the granite was located. The entire humongous rock was shattered and crumbled to pieces. Grooowll¡­! There was a massive roar that shook the earth¡¯s axis. Lloyd clenched his fists unconsciously. He believed in Javier. ¡°Alright.¡± Finally, all preparations for the construction were completed. Now, it was time to begin the real construction. Author¡¯s note: This fellow¡¯s name is Heavy Machinery. Javier is his nickname. Tl/n: As expected from the OG protagonist. CH 34 ¡°Fire!¡± Stab, flash! The morning was sunny and bright. Lloyd¡¯s shout pierced the sky while Javier¡¯s longsword flashed at the same time. Pure white light penetrated the granite and exploded from the inside. Crack! Even the granite, which had been standing tall for thousands of years in that place, couldn¡¯t withstand the explosion from within that was calculated elaborately. Cracks began to appear in one direction and expanded instantly. Then, the rock collapsed under its own weight Craack! The granite fell apart after being sliced into giant chunks. Several of these big chunks could very well weigh a few tons. ¡°Good job, Javier!¡± Lloyd gave Javier a thumbs-up while Javier wiped the sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief. So, that was Javier¡¯s job. Next was the fantasy species¡¯ turn. ¡°Hey, Ppodong?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Would you like to eat this red sunflower seed?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong?¡± ¡°I specifically ordered this for you. There¡¯s only one blue and one red sunflower in each set, and it costs 1 RP.¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong?¡± ¡°I bought 50 of them yesterday and paid 50 RP for them. But what can I do? Isn¡¯t it this one¡¯s effort in trying to feed you and Bangul with my blood, sweat, and tears?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why, wouldn¡¯t you eat this deliciously?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± Ppodong, who was on the palm of Lloyd¡¯s hand, received the red sunflower seed. He immediately put the sunflower seed in his mouth and began to chew. In the meantime, Lloyd stepped back to create some distance. And then, he watched Ppodong¡¯s transformation. Boom-! A 10-meter-big hamster had appeared. ¡°Ppo-do-dong!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Well done, Ppodong. There you go, pat pat.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°Aww, there, there. Can you move that for me?¡± Lloyd pointed to a granite cube. ¡°Move it to the Orc Village. What do you think? Can you do it?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± Ppodong nodded his big round fluffy head vigorously. With his chubby butt jiggling along, he went straight to the granite chunks. He stretched out his adorable paws and opened his dainty mouth. After that, he shoved a chunk of granite into his mouth. ¡°Ppeu-deung! Ppeu-deu-deung!¡± One of Ppodong¡¯s cheeks swelled into the shape of the chunk. ¡°Well done, Ppodong. What about the other one?¡± ¡°Ppeu-deu-deung!¡± His other cheek also expanded in the shape of the chunk. Lloyd climbed on Ppodong¡¯s back. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Ppeu-deung!¡± Even with granite cubes that weighed a few tons inside both cheeks, Ppodong still walked with ease. He ran towards the Orc Village, just like a dump truck. After the granite had been moved to the Orc Village, it was time for the next step. Lloyd, Arosh the young Orc Warrior, and 20 soldiers were the main characters in the next process. ¡°The rock is here, oink!¡± ¡°Everyone, get ready!¡± Clank clank clank! All of them had been waiting at the planned Seokbinggo construction site. As if Arosh had been waiting for too long, as soon as the granite arrived, he picked up a hammer and a pickaxe. He then stormed towards the granite that Ppodong spat out. ¡°I¡¯m going to break it down, oinnkkk!¡± ¡°We too, don¡¯t lose!¡± ¡°Uwooh!¡± The soldiers shouted back. Arosh the orc and 20 soldiers worked hard all day long. Following the mark Lloyd drew onto the granite, the rock was broken into smaller chunks and trimmed into cubes. This was done to make large granite blocks for the Seokbinggo. Of course, in the meantime, Ppodong also didn¡¯t take a break. ¡°Hey, Ppodong?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Can you dig here for me? From here to here, this large, and seven meters deep.¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong?¡± Crack crack! Lloyd made cracks on the ground with a branch. It seemed like a random gesture when in fact, the lines he made from the cracks aligned exactly with Seokbinggo¡¯s floor plan design. All thanks to the Floor Plan Display (2D), an optional skill he obtained from his design skill. ¡°Ah, this is so convenient. A floor plan is displayed on the ground in real-time, and only I can see it.¡± All he had to do was prepare Seokbinggo¡¯s previously designed building model. What would happen if he applied it to the actual terrain? A floor plan that was only visible to him would be displayed on the ground. Because of this, the lines he drew reflected the actual design of the Seokbinggo. This enabled him to accurately convey the scope, depth, and shape of the ground that needed to be dug by Ppodong. ¡°Now, please start.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± Ppodong raised his paws. Following the lines drawn on the ground, he then began to dig vigorously. Hwabababat! Even if the soil in the desert was dry and hard, it didn¡¯t matter. Every time Ppodong clawed on the ground, it got dug up. A massive amount of dust also flew into the air. However, Lloyd didn¡¯t back down. Lloyd got closer to Ppodong as Ppodong dug deeper into the ground. He willingly inhaled the dust together with Ppodong who was working for him. He always made sure to carefully inspect the spot Ppodong had just dug. He checked whether there were any errors with the actual design and whether Ppodong dug too shallow or too deep. With both his survey and design skills activated at the same time, he thoroughly scanned every corner. And whenever he found a slight error, he picked up a shovel to dig it himself. Be careful. Don¡¯t underestimate the little things. In the spot where Ppodong had dug more than necessary, he packed the soil. And then, he dug another to fill the spot. Every error, even if it was just 1 centimeter wrong, was corrected personally by him. ¡®Digging the ground is one of the most important processes in all construction, not only in the construction of Seokbiggo.¡¯ It literally laid the foundation for the building. If you neglected this process, problems would be bound to arise later. What if there were many problems with the building? ¡®Loss of credibility and widespread bad rumors. If this is the case, then I won¡¯t be able to stay in this business for long.¡¯ The customer¡¯s trust was of the utmost importance. It didn¡¯t matter whether the customer was a human or an orc. Orc Chief Akush was undeniably a customer as well. Every entity that had a construction contract with him was a customer. Lloyd intended to think of all of them as such, even if they weren¡¯t human beings or if they were orcs or monsters. ¡®Exclusive fine craftsmanship? No. They give you money, and everyone who pays is a customer. The customer is king. The customer is the god!¡¯ Therefore, he had to produce the best result. He had to give it his all. When he considered the cost of his current construction and the money that would come pouring in the future, it was natural to do so. That was why Lloyd was willing to work hard until he was beaded with sweat. Days flew by in an instant. Hectic days became the routine. Javier blew the granite up into chunks. Ppodong carried the granite chunks to the construction site. Arosh the Orc and the soldiers trimmed the granite chunks. Meanwhile, Lloyd worked hard to refine and inspect the building¡¯s foundation on the site. Thus, the foundation¡¯s construction was finally completed after 10 days. ¡°No time to rest! Let¡¯s keep going!¡± Lloyd shouted. The rest of them shouted back, ¡°Yeahh!¡± Lloyd removed his coat and proceeded to join the soldiers of the Construction Team in carrying the granite blocks. The blocks were laid in rows above the foundation that had been built before. His past experience in assisting tile setters on-site in South Korea greatly helped. ¡®This is far heavier and bigger than the tiles he used to arrange.¡¯ The floor¡¯s finishing also used hard materials to make the floor firmer. He had already determined the height of the sloping floor beforehand. He then put more hard stones above to carry out his plan. The method was similar to when he filled the gap between the stone tiles. What was slightly different here was that, instead of targeting the floor gaps, he used mud mixed with lime to waterproof the floor. By this point, the construction went smoothly. However, when the floor was finished and they tried to build the walls, problems began to arise. ¡°Whimper.¡± A cracking sound from the soldier¡¯s waist accompanied by a weird groan could be heard. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± Lloyd asked. ¡°Uh oh¡­. I think I broke my back.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The soldier, whose back broke when building the stone wall, had to lie down while groaning in pain for several days. The granite blocks were too heavy to lift. Other soldiers in the Construction Team were also in similar situations. As the work progressed day by day, the number of casualties increased; someone tore their wrist ligament and someone else dislocated their shoulder. Despite the fact that they had been accustomed to manual labor due to building ondol rooms, a paved road, and a coal mine, all these casualties still occurred. Eventually, Lloyd was the only one left to lift the stone, even though he himself was struggling. Javier needed to rest for a few more days because he had used Mana Blast continuously. Lloyd¡¯s brows furrowed deeply. ¡®This is a little troubling. If only Arosh the orc is here, I could use a little bit of help. Ah, that guy. Why did he go on an expedition to hunt at times like this?¡¯ Unfortunately, Arosh wasn¡¯t in the village. Towards the end of the floor construction, he went on a group hunt with his tribe members. Doing his duty as a warrior. ¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean I could make Ppodong transform into a giant right here.¡¯ They had just finished the construction of the floor. The stone that was laid on the ground to make the floor hadn¡¯t settled down yet. If Ppodong¡ªwho weighed several tens of pounds¡ªmoved around and stepped on it, there was a possibility that the floor they built with very hard work would be slightly misaligned. ¡®Then, what should we do?¡¯ Lloyd pondered the solution. The problem was that the stones were too big and heavy. However, reducing its size wouldn¡¯t do. ¡®It should be at least this thick for the insulation.¡¯ Now, the purpose of building a Seokbinggo was to protect the cold air. In order to block the heat coming from the outside, thick stones had to be used as a whole. ¡®I guess we don¡¯t have a choice but to wait for the floor to settle and then ask Ppodong to do it.¡¯ Lloyd felt that this was better for the safety of the soldiers. That same afternoon, when Lloyd was feeling troubled, an unexpected solution came to him abruptly. ¡°Ooink? You can¡¯t hold it like that, oink!¡± From the beginning of the construction of the Seokbinggo, some orcs had gathered together in groups to watch. They used to watch Lloyd and Ppodong digging and packing the ground, and laying stones on it. Today was no different. Lloyd was building the stone wall all by himself. Of course, it was incredibly heavy. Still, it wasn¡¯t impossible with the help of the Asrahan Core Technique. At that point, he also thought about doing some muscle training while he was at it. But one by one, the orcs who were just watching began to interfere. ¡°Human! That¡¯s not how you lift it, oink!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Lloyd, whose face was red from trying to lift the block of stone, looked up. An elderly orc was speaking to him from outside the pit dug on the construction site.. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Exactly that. If you do that, you won¡¯t be able to do the isolation exercise1Isolation exercise: targeting one group of muscles when exercising. For example: bicep curls, sit-ups, shoulder presses, etc. , oink.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°You have to keep your back straight and pull your hips back. Open your chest too. You have to take advantage of your ankles¡¯ flexibility to properly stimulate the area of muscles you desire, oiinkk!¡± ¡°Excuse me, but I¡¯m not working out right now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, oink!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Starting from then on, the other orcs who were watching began to add some advice. ¡°Squat down further, oink!¡± ¡°Breathing is also important, oink!¡± ¡°Be faster when you stand up, oink!¡± ¡°One more, oink!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lloyd genuinely felt like he was surrounded by gym-addicted uncles, who appeared as though they were born for exercise and that it was their source of fuel, at the gym when he went to one in his first life. The situation finally reached the point where the orcs directly stepped up due to Lloyd¡¯s sluggish movement. ¡°Uaaghh, he¡¯s so frustrating, oink!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you just do what you¡¯re told to, oiinkk!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll show you how to do it, oinkkkkk!¡± ¡°Watch and learn, oink!¡± About fifteen middle-aged orcs¡ªwho flew into rage¡ªcame stomping down to the site. Before Lloyd could stop them, one by one, they hugged a block of granite. Their veins, which looked like anacondas, flared on their backs. ¡°Heave-ho, oink.¡± ¡°Oomph, oink.¡± The same block of stone that made Lloyd grunt when he tried to lift it with the help of the Asrahan Core Technique. The same block of stone that only could be lifted when three to four soldiers of the Construction Team worked together. But, what about these Orcs? It really felt like these athletic gorillas stormed into an Olympic weightlifting stadium and then lifted it with ease, easily overturning the table! ¡°Oh my god.¡± The sight made Lloyd¡¯s jaw drop. However, Lloyd wasn¡¯t that surprised. He quickly grasped the core of this absurd situation. Lloyd quickly said, ¡°My goodness, that¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°Oink! This is nothing, oiinkk!¡± ¡°No, really, you¡¯re so amazing. I couldn¡¯t even dream of putting the stone ¡®up there¡¯.¡± ¡°Up there, oink?¡± Lloyd pointed to the wall that had been built halfway. The muscular orc looked around and then smirked. ¡°That¡¯s the problem with humans. Look closely, oink.¡± The orc lifted the stone he was holding above his head at once. He then put it gently¡ªas if he was handling a half-empty box of ramen¡ªto the place Lloyd had pointed. Kuung! Along with a heavy reverberating sound, the large granite block settled down. Exactly in the place where it was needed to be for the construction. ¡°Heuk, heuuuopp! I can¡¯t lift it!¡± Lloyd said. ¡°Tsk tsk. Step aside, human! This is what a proper demonstration looks like, oiinkk!¡± Swish, kkung! Another huge block of stone was placed in its intended spot. A similar process followed after. Lloyd kept groaning while sweating profusely. His expression¡ªthat could very well win the Academy Award for Best Actor¡ªlooked troubled, and that touched the orc warriors¡¯ hearts. Whenever he did that, the orc warriors would work their biceps while shaking their heads out of a surge of pity. They tried their best to teach the weak and pitiful human the proper posture for exercise. Warm feelings were radiating from their burning bulky muscles and tendons. Thanks to this, Lloyd was able to build the walls of the Seokbinggo in less than a day! Still, the work didn¡¯t end there. ¡°Oh my goodness. It¡¯s harder if I lift it like this! Eup, nggrh¡± The following day, Lloyd intentionally exaggerated his grunting. He looked as pitiful as a beginner who went to the gym for the first time, trying to summon the trainers with this method. Then, more orc warriors than yesterday came over while snorting. Their spirit to teach that unfortunate beginner how to exercise for real was burning. All thanks to their voluntary help, the pillars of Seokbinggo¡¯s arched ceiling and the arched ceiling itself were taking shape in less than two days! ¡®Even if it¡¯s speedy, it¡¯s not flimsy.¡¯ Each orc was like a crane. Because of their strength, they were able to carry and put the extremely huge and heavy stones in the right position. Literally, ¡®long live muscle¡¯ indeed. The light-speed construction Lloyd had only dreamed of was becoming reality. Author¡¯s notes: Long live muscle! Tl/n: Ghahh I¡¯m still a little bit late. No thoughts, head empty. I need to sleep. :¡¯) CH 35 Term change ¡°Oink? What¡¯s this? No way¡­. Have you finished building the Seokbinggo, oiinkkk?¡± Arosh the orc was born as a warrior. Fighting against enemies and hunting for the tribe. Naturally, his virtue was about valor, for he had spent his entire life thinking only about fighting. That was why he had no idea about civil engineering. He didn¡¯t understand both the process and the results of the construction. Nevertheless, he knew that no construction project could be completed overnight. Because of this, Arosh the orc got genuinely surprised today. ¡°It was definitely merely a pit a few days ago! What happened? It¡¯s full of stones now, oink!¡± Arosh was telling the truth. A few days ago, when Arosh was helping Lloyd on building the foundation, he had no choice but to put the shovel down because he needed to go hunting. ¡®I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯ll come back to help after a few days of fighting, oink!¡¯ Arosh thought. Hunting was a sacred duty for the tribe¡¯s warriors. Just like how mandatory military service was a duty for all Korean men even after they had been discharged, all orc warriors regularly had to go on a group hunt. In Arosh¡¯s case, this time was his turn. ¡®I¡¯ll help you again when I come back, oink!¡¯ Arosh then patted Lloyd¡¯s shoulder. As soon as he returned to the village after hunting, he dashed to the construction site to help Lloyd, his savior. But what the hell? In a mere few days, the site had changed drastically. The pit, which had been barely finished being dug, vanished. In its place, there was a meticulously built stone room made of granite blocks instead! And in front of the stone building, no, Seokbinggo, stood Lloyd. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back? I ended up building this much. It¡¯s not complete yet.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lloyd just shrugged as if it was no big deal. At that, Arosh gulped. He felt like he was seeing an unknown entity. ¡®What the hell is my savior, oink?¡¯ Lloyd was amazing. The more Arosh looked at Lloyd, the more amazing Lloyd got in his eyes. Whenever Lloyd¡ªhis savior¡ªwanted something, it was like he snapped his fingers and then *poof*, it materialized in no time. It happened every time, not just a one-time thing. ¡®He gave an order to Javier, half of the stone in the mountain was blasted into chunks in no time. After that, he trimmed the stone chunks he had brought and dug the ground. And then¡­.¡¯ A stone building called Seokbinggo that stood in front of him was built in an instant. ¡®He didn¡¯t even use any magic, oink.¡¯ To Arosh, this was more magical than magic. The young orc warrior sincerely gave Lloyd a thumbs-up from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Savior, you, you have big nostrils, oiinkk!¡± ¡°Big¡­ nostrils?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, oink!¡± Lloyd tilted his head, confused. Meanwhile, Arosh huffed proudly. ¡°You have to have big nostrils to breathe well. If you breathe well, you won¡¯t get tired easily. An orc that hardly gets tired is the best warrior, oink!¡± ¡°Oh, is that a compliment?¡± ¡°Obviously, oink!¡± Arosh smiled broadly, revealing his fangs. Lloyd also smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I got such a great compliment only from building this. It¡¯s embarrassing because, to be honest, I¡¯ve never taken any formal education about Seokbinggo.¡± ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ve never taken a formal education, oink?¡± ¡°It means exactly that. My major is civil engineering, completely different from this.¡± ¡°Civil¡­ engineering, oink?¡± ¡°Yes, something like that. Personally, I¡¯ve been very interested in this field for a long time. Should I say that I¡¯ve benefited from that?¡± Lloyd had been interested in traditional architecture such as Seokbinggo and Ondol. The club he joined also dealt with traditional buildings. When his family¡¯s financial situation was still good, he used to go on field trips with the club members. ¡°Well, it¡¯s already been a long time in the past. Besides, the exterior of this Seokbinggo may look amazing, but right now it¡¯s merely a shell that¡¯s barely been formed. There¡¯s still a long way to go before its completion.¡± Tap tap! Lloyd tapped the wall with his palm. ¡°As you can see, we¡¯ve built a drainage channel, a sloping floor, an arched ceiling with air vents, and so many more thanks to the amazing strength of your tribe¡¯s warriors.¡± Lloyd was being honest. The orc warriors were genuinely amazing. Each one of them had the strength of 100 people. They were like energetic hydraulic press machine gorillas. Because of this, Lloyd managed to keep his hands free of dust from manual labor for a few days. He was able to build Seokbinggo¡¯s walls and arched ceiling with the help of the orcs¡¯ bulging veins and muscles, though it wasn¡¯t finished yet. ¡°Well, the exterior is a little bit too shiny. Supposing that it stays like this, the Seokbinggo won¡¯t be able to work properly. No, it can¡¯t work.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t work, oink?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no insulation yet.¡± Lloyd then continued, ¡°Even though the granite blocks were made as thick as possible, if we leave it like this, the geothermal heat will still come inside the Seokbinggo in the summer. This is the reason why we need insulation, to block the heat outside from coming inside.¡± ¡°Then, where can we get this insulation, oink?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to search for it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to search, oink?¡± ¡°Yes, you just have to wait. I¡¯ve sent 10 soldiers to go and fetch some materials for the insulation from my territory.¡± It was the truth. Before Javier¡¯s first Mana Blast, Lloyd had selected 10 strong soldiers from the Construction Team and sent them back to Frontera Barony along with an order to bring the construction materials that¡¯ll be used for Seokbinggo¡¯s insulation. ¡°In fact, the materials, which is rice husks, straw, and sawdust, can¡¯t be found here.¡± That, too, was true. The Orc Village was located in the desert. Naturally, the village didn¡¯t have any connection whatsoever with farming. This made obtaining rice husks and straw impossible, as both of them were by-products of agriculture. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since the soldiers set off. They should be back in several days.¡± Not that it was a big deal, but the time they should¡¯ve been back was coming nearer. So, the wait had begun. One day, two days, even three days, and then five more days. Ten days had passed, and not a single soldier had returned from their trip to the territory. Far from bringing materials for insulation, not a single strand of hair could be seen. ¡®Hmm, this is weird,¡¯ thought Lloyd, who was killing time in the Orc Village by teasing Javier. In the midst of all this, he couldn¡¯t help but keep on glancing to the west. The wait had been far longer than expected. Suspicions began to arise in his eyes. ¡®These fellows, as per my prediction, should¡¯ve been back by yesterday at the latest.¡¯ Lloyd himself had traveled through the eastern mountain range. Through his experience from that time, it was possible to calculate the time needed for the soldiers to go to the territory and then return here by crossing the mountain range with the materials. According to his calculations, the soldiers should¡¯ve returned yesterday at the latest. ¡°Hey, Javier,¡± Lloyd said while lying in a tent and swinging his legs out of boredom. A voice quickly answered, ¡°Did you call me?¡± ¡°I did. I need you to do something for me again.¡± ¡°¡­. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Go to the mountain range over there, drink some water, and come back.¡± ¡°Is this a search operation?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± They didn¡¯t need to say much to understand each other. After all, Javier knew more or less what Lloyd was waiting for and worrying about. ¡°Are you intending to pick them up?¡± ¡°I guess so. The fact that the Construction Team hasn¡¯t come back yet means something might¡¯ve happened to them in the middle of their expedition.¡± That was Lloyd¡¯s decision. He predicted the goods should¡¯ve arrived yesterday, and his calculations already took into account the soldiers¡¯ average physical strength and the materials¡¯ volume and weight. Additionally, he also already kept in mind the delay that could happen due to traversing through rugged areas. Plenty of leeway for error had been included. ¡°Even so, we still haven¡¯t heard anything from them. There must be one or two reasons why, either something has happened or they¡¯re slacking off.¡± ¡°I understand. I will prioritize searching the road we used to cross the mountain range first.¡± ¡°Okay, be careful,¡± Lloyd said while sticking out his tongue. ¡°¡­. Sorry?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Lloyd said while sticking out his tongue again. ¡°Sigh.¡± Instead of answering, Javier sighed deeply. He immediately got up to pack his backpack and prepare his gear before starting the search. After all of the preparations were done, he walked to leave the tent. Just before he left the tent, Javier suddenly halted. He then looked back at Lloyd with his peculiar chic and icy expression. And then, Javier bluntly remarked, ¡°¡­. Reflect on yourself.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± There was no time for Lloyd to counterattack because, before he could say anything, Javier had already left. ¡°Hahaha.¡± Lloyd couldn¡¯t help but laugh. However, that laugh didn¡¯t last long. ¡®I hope everything is alright.¡¯ Somehow, an anxious feeling welled up in his heart. Another three days had passed. Lloyd¡¯s anxiety had become a reality. ¡°I found this,¡± Javier said. ¡°¡­.¡± Javier, who returned after three days, held out a pair of tattered gloves. Lloyd instantly identified the gloves. ¡®This is our territory¡¯s.¡¯ He must investigate. These work gloves were the ones he personally provided for the soldiers of the Construction Team. Lloyd¡¯s expression stiffened when he asked, ¡°Where did you find it?¡± ¡°I found it in a valley located on the eastern side of the mountain range, in an area marked as ¡®Progia Gorge¡¯ in this kingdom¡¯s official map. I discovered it two days ago.¡± ¡°Keep going.¡± ¡°At first, I focused my search mainly on the road our group had used to cross the mountain range. If the soldiers were coming back and they were just behind schedule, there would be a possibility of crossing paths on the way. However, I still couldn¡¯t find them even after I passed ¡®Fano Peak¡¯ and ¡®Fesano Peak¡¯. Clearly, not a single trace was found. We could conclude one fact from this information.¡± ¡°The soldiers aren¡¯t late because they¡¯re slacking off.¡± ¡°Yes. From then on, I began weighing the possibility of them getting involved in an accident. I discovered the gloves, along with some straws that had fallen around it, in the Progia Gorge.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°There were strands of straw that were strewn around there. So, I followed its trail, which led me to a fairly large cave.¡± ¡°A cave¡­. In Progia Gorge. Then? Did you go inside?¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to that-¡± Javier rolled up the sleeve of his left arm with a nonchalant face. His pale white arm was thus exposed. There was a scar marring his forearm, the sight greatly contrasted his indifferent face. ¡°This happened. As soon as I took a few steps inside the cave, the magic booby trap got triggered.¡± ¡°¡­. Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m okay. It¡¯s just a little scratch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a scratch, it looks like a burn wound.¡± The wound was quite big. Moreover, when he looked closer, it wasn¡¯t the usual burn wound. Javier¡¯s skin had turned red and purple, as if the wound was the combination of a burn and frostbite. ¡°I don¡¯t know precisely what it is, but it seems to be a kind of black magic. Fortunately, I avoided getting hit directly.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really okay. The wound is only superficial, not deep enough to reach the muscle. Perhaps if I continue to use mana like I do right now and focus my energy on recovery, I¡¯ll completely recover in a few days.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m more worried about the soldiers.¡± Javier¡¯s expression, which was calm and collected when he showed his wound, darkened as he mentioned the soldiers. ¡°The trail of the fallen straws continued deep inside the cave. Based on that fact, the soldiers¡­.¡± ¡°They are for sure got dragged in there, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Javier slightly lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯ve tried to enter the cave several times after I got hit by the magic booby trap, but it¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Tsk. You don¡¯t have to be sorry.¡± Javier was not at fault. On the contrary, it was incredible that he managed to escape with only this much injury after getting caught in the defensive magic booby trap. ¡°Still, I am a knight. My duty is not only to command the soldiers of the territory, but also to protect and preserve the troops as much as possible. In such a predicament, I failed to rescue the soldiers because I am not good enough. So, if Lloyd-nim is willing to give me another chance¡ª¡± Javier solemnly continued, ¡°I will return to our territory as fast as I can, get some reinforcements, and then prepare to attack the cave.¡± ¡°Are you going to attack the cave?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Judging from the magical power of the defensive trap and the subtlety of the spell, there must be a black mage of considerable level lurking in there. Perhaps, the black mage kidnapped our soldiers for evil purposes.¡± ¡°Is this predicament like that saying, ¡®time is life¡¯?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The longer they remain in the hands of the black mage, the more danger they¡¯re in.¡± ¡°Hmm. If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s get going right now,¡± Lloyd said immediately and nonchalantly, as if he was just going to go to a convenience store to buy a triangle kimbap or to a local PC room to play a battleground game. Lloyd was so indifferent that he sounded rather confident. Naturally, Javier¡¯s eyes widened at that. ¡°Pardon? Don¡¯t tell me¡­.¡± ¡°What, ¡®don¡¯t tell me¡¯ what? Didn¡¯t you just say that the black mage caught our kids and stole our precious construction materials?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the case, yes, but-¡± Javier shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous for Lloyd-nim to go there without any preparation. It¡¯s too reckless.¡± ¡°Do you think so?¡± ¡°Yes, absolutely,¡± Javier said with a serious look in his eyes. ¡°Even I had to go through a great deal of danger because of the magic booby trap there. It¡¯ll be absolutely impossible for Lloyd-nim¡¯s insignificant skill set. Moreover, the opponent is a black mage, we¡¯ll never know what evil traps they¡¯ve set up.¡± ¡°Oh my, you just said my skill is insignificant.¡± ¡°Compared to mine, it¡¯s the hard truth.¡± ¡°Anyway, did you mean to say if I go right now, I¡¯ll completely get caught?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. You could get miserably cut, frozen, fried, or fractured somewhere. Similar to a little shrimp that¡¯s been deep fried in boiling oil for Thanksgiving Day, but got charred black because it was forgotten.¡± ¡°¡­. Oi, the description seems too specific.¡± ¡°Not at all, it must be a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°What misunderstanding, you totally meant it.¡± Lloyd chuckled and then proceeded to get up. Before Javier knew it, Lloyd already held a backpack in his hand. The backpack was filled with food and supplies, sufficient for traversing the mountains for a few days. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get going.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I already told you. Let¡¯s go to the cave right now. You stated that it¡¯s a race against time; the longer our soldiers are captured, the more dangerous their situation becomes.¡± ¡°It is indeed true, but at this rate¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, just trust me.¡± Lloyd picked up another backpack. He shoved the backpack onto Javier¡¯s chest and hugged him tightly. ¡°Quick, follow me. If not, I¡¯ll leave you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier held the backpack by surprise. His expression hardened considerably. This was too reckless. He couldn¡¯t even dream of doing it like this. The cave on the Progia Gorge, no, the black mage¡¯s dungeon, where Javier was forced to retreat this time, was a place inside the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel. In the novel, Javier would attack the dungeon years later. All Lloyd was familiar with, as the one who read the story, were the events that happened inside the novel. Even if his information right now was limited, he could make a guess. ¡®So, the guy who was decapitated by Javier in the Progia Gorge arc¡­. Was it Lupellan, the black mage?¡¯ Grttk! Lloyd gritted his teeth. The defensive spell that made you fall asleep. If Lupellan touched his soldiers and construction materials, Lloyd would give him a taste of his rage. As a bonus, Lloyd would take all of the things he kept in the dungeon, including his spine, bone marrow, and even the liquid in each of his pores. Even if he wanted to die, he couldn¡¯t. Lloyd would squeeze everything out of him. ¡®So, in conclusion, I¡¯ll say in advance that you¡¯re already dead to me.¡¯ Retribution and exploitation. Fueled by those, Lloyd headed to the gorge. Author¡¯s note: (Ding dong) Map Hack activated. Launch the attack, lol. CH 36 ¡°Lloyd-nim, are you still thinking of going inside that dungeon?¡± Javier asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Lloyd replied while looking up at the sky. There was no cloud adorning the blue sky. The scorching sun should¡¯ve been lighting up the whole place. However, at the place where he and his companion were right now, no sunlight could be found. Dark shadows loomed all over the place. ¡®This place is gloomy,¡¯ Lloyd thought as he shuddered subconsciously. The Progia Gorge was much narrower and deeper than he had expected. Because of that, the sunlight didn¡¯t reach the bottom of the valley¡ªthe place where he was¡ªat all. The sunlight might never really reach this place, not just at this time of the day. ¡®I don¡¯t think this place has ever gotten sunlight for at least tens of thousands of years.¡¯ In this place, damp moss and unidentified mushrooms covered all surfaces, while not a single blade of grass grew. Even more so at the cave, the dungeon¡¯s entrance, where Lloyd¡¯s gaze was directed. ¡°This is too dangerous. I¡¯ve been telling Lloyd-nim this over and over again for the last couple of days,¡± Javier¡¯s characteristic cold, emotionless, and formal way of speaking prickled Lloyd¡¯s ears from behind. ¡°Lloyd-nim, it¡¯s still not too late to turn back. Our enemy is a black mage.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯d be better for us to go back to the territory and go back when we¡¯re fully prepared.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Lloyd-nim?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are you listening to me?¡± ¡°No, something¡¯s buzzing at the back of my ear.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Still staring at the dungeon¡¯s entrance, Lloyd said, ¡°Are you a parrot? You¡¯ve been saying the same thing repeatedly since we left the Orc Village.¡± ¡°When did I¡­.¡± ¡°You keep on saying something like that all the time. ¡®Lloyd-nim, it¡¯s too dangerous¡¯, ¡®Lloyd-nim, you¡¯re being reckless¡¯, ¡®Lloyd-nim, this is impossible¡¯, ¡®Lloyd-nim, lower down the blue flag and raise the white flag¡¯. Aren¡¯t these what you said? Anyway-¡± Lloyd scrunched his nose. ¡°I don¡¯t agree with your train of thought.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Javier immediately retorted. Lloyd also answered back instantly, ¡°Because you¡¯re trying very hard to avoid the uncomfortable truth.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°I mean, you can¡¯t even deny it.¡± Before Javier knew it, Lloyd was already looking at him. The look in Lloyd¡¯s eyes made Javier unconsciously hesitate. ¡°Javier? No, Sir Asrahan. Let me ask you a question. Let¡¯s suppose I followed your suggestion, we¡¯re going back to the territory and then coming back here with complete preparation.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°All the soldiers who were captured will die in the meantime, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°¡­. Yes, probably.¡± Javier nodded helplessly. Lloyd smiled bitterly. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s the painful truth we both know. Still, you¡¯ve made a decision, and it¡¯s not to endanger the heir of the estate¡¯s life just to save a few soldiers, am I right?¡± ¡°Lloyd-nim, I¡­.¡± ¡°Enough. I admit your decision is reasonable. But, it¡¯s only when you don¡¯t know how to get past the dungeon¡¯s defensive magic booby trap.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± What does that mean? Javier¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Do you have any plans to break through the traps in mind?¡± ¡°Yeah, I think we can utilize the Asrahan Core Technique.¡± ¡°The Asrahan Core Technique?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Lloyd nodded. The contents of the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel suddenly came to mind. ¡®That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve made good use of the Core Technique. You, who are a Sword Master a few years in the future.¡¯ In the novel, Javier will raid this dungeon in the future. He had a lot more experience under his belt than he had right now. Taking advantage of his past experience, he devised the most efficient way to get past the magic booby traps. The plan was to use Asrahan Core Technique¡¯s mana absorption ability. So, Lloyd told Javier about the plan devised by the future-Javier in the novel. ¡°You¡¯ve tried to gobble up the surrounding mana with the Asrahan Core Technique, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What do you mean by gobble-up?¡± ¡°Absorb.¡± ¡°Yes, naturally,¡± Javier replied. ¡°I usually do that often.¡± ¡°I bet you did. Me too. It can be done anywhere and anytime. Plus, it¡¯s a good way to train the Asrahan Core Technique.¡± That was a fact. For that reason, Lloyd also often used to train the Asrahan Core Technique by doing it whenever he had the chance. He absorbed the natural mana that was all around him, then amplified it just enough to not be noticeable. It was great for training. ¡°What do you feel when you absorb the mana in the air?¡± ¡°Obviously-¡± Javier thought for a moment and continued, ¡°I feel at peace.¡± ¡°Peace? Why?¡± ¡°Maybe because the mana in the air is always constant.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± That, too, was true. The mana in the air spread evenly every time. There were only a few occasions where they were clustered together in one place or weren¡¯t there at all. Therefore, the amount of mana that was being absorbed from the air to the circle was always stable. ¡°That¡¯s correct, they are always constant, just like when we breathe air. But what if I told you that you could sense the mana clustered around the hidden magic traps when you activated the Asrahan Core Technique and absorbed the surrounding mana?¡± ¡°Sorry? That is, of course¡­. Ah.¡± Javier¡¯s expression changed. He looked at Lloyd in a new light. ¡°The surrounding mana will be abnormally concentrated in one location, which was around the magic booby traps.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Did you get what I¡¯m trying to say? ¡°Yes.¡± Lloyd grinned. Javier repressed his admiration in his heart, preventing it from leaking through. The notion was rather simple, but he hadn¡¯t even thought of it. ¡®Lloyd-nim is right. Originally, magic circles are devices that artificially attract mana¡ªwhich is widely spread in nature¡ªand alter its arrangement to produce magic. Naturally, there would be an irregular cluster of mana around each one of those,¡¯ Javier thought So, how do you find the location of the magic traps? Simply use the Asrahan Core Technique to absorb the surrounding mana while walking slowly. Then, when there¡¯s a magic booby trap that¡¯s near, the mana will be absorbed in lumps. ¡®With this, I can gauge the direction and the distance from where the mass of mana is coming. Even if the magic traps are hidden and can¡¯t be seen, I can sense them,¡¯ Javier continued to think. Javier then turned his gaze to Lloyd. ¡°Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Maybe, it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Javier nodded. Lloyd grinned. ¡°So, are you ready to charge into the dungeon right now?¡± ¡°Yes, Lloyd-nim can wait for me here, I¡¯ll go inside by myself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°What is the reason? It¡¯s dangerous inside.¡± ¡°I know that too.¡± Lloyd cast a glance around their surroundings and continued, ¡°Would you feel more assured about my safety if you left me here and went inside alone?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Is there any guarantee that I¡¯ll be safe here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s none, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier remained silent. Lloyd has got a point. He couldn¡¯t say for sure that there would be only one black mage at the bottom of this gorge. What if he actually left Lloyd here and went inside the dungeon alone? What if Lloyd, who was left behind, got into unexpected danger? He wouldn¡¯t be able to protect him. Javier sighed softly. ¡°I understand. Let¡¯s go in together, but I have one condition.¡± ¡°A condition? Tell me.¡± ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll immediately escape without hesitation when the situation becomes dangerous.¡± ¡°When the situation becomes dangerous?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. I understand Lloyd-nim¡¯s desire to save the soldiers inside. Still, the most important thing is Lloyd-nim¡¯s safety, so¡ª¡± Javier¡¯s expression and eyes turned resolute yet grim. ¡°Please run away immediately should the situation become dangerous. Even if you have to abandon me.¡± ¡°Hm? Isn¡¯t that already obvious?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If my life is in danger, of course I¡¯m going to ditch you and run away. I always do that, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s a new thing for me to do.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Are you upset? Are you pissed?¡± ¡°No, I am not.¡± ¡°What do you mean with no. Do you know the look in your eyes when you¡¯re looking at me right now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know and I really don¡¯t want to know.¡± ¡°See? You¡¯re definitely sulking.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± One of Javier¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Lloyd whirled and picked up his shovel. Before they knew it, they were already inching closer to the dungeon¡¯s entrance. The two of them naturally tensed their bodies and heightened their senses. Javier took a step forward. ¡°From here on, I¡¯ll go first,¡± Javier said. ¡°Right, just go ahead, robot vacuum cleaner.¡± ¡°What is a robot vacuum cleaner?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something like that. It¡¯s a phrase to convey that you¡¯re good-looking.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that good-looking.¡± ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re aware. Let¡¯s focus now, this isn¡¯t the time to joke around.¡± ¡°But Lloyd-nim is the one who jokes first¡­. Sigh, nevermind.¡± Javier¡¯s expression turned cold. He seemed to increase his concentration. The steps he took became cautious and slow. He advanced little by little, one step at a time. Just like a robot vacuum cleaner cleaning the floor, he began to gradually absorb the surrounding mana to get a sense of this place. Kssrk, kssrk, There was no wind blowing at the entrance of the cave located at the bottom of the gorge. Only a faint sound of Javier¡¯s footsteps could be heard. How far did he move forward like that? Suddenly, Javier stopped walking. ¡°Here, three steps ahead.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so vague like that, be more specific. Have you ever seen a pocket watch?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Use the time shown on the clock to specify the direction. If it¡¯s exactly in front, use 12 o¡¯clock. Vice versa, use 6 o¡¯clock if it¡¯s in the back. That¡¯s how it works.¡± It was important for Javier to do this right now. If he just vaguely said the direction like ¡®front¡¯, ¡®right¡¯, etc, a disaster could happen. They could accidentally step on a magic circle with a difference of a few centimeters because their stride and position weren¡¯t the same. As Javier realized what Lloyd meant, he immediately changed his wording to, ¡°One o¡¯clock from here, three steps away.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kssrk, kssrk, They proceeded to move as Javier continued to detect the traps. ¡°2 o¡¯clock, two steps away.¡± ¡°What about the direction at 11 o¡¯clock?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing there.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s take two steps towards 11 o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Did you detect something?¡± ¡°At 9 o¡¯clock. Our front is clear.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s move forward again.¡± Just like that, they continued to move forward after detecting the traps. Of course there were some dangerous moments, as the trap wasn¡¯t only in the form of magic. Tuk, swoosh! There was a faint sound coming from the floor and arrows came flying from a wall. The green substance coating the arrowheads was glistening. The arrows were poisoned! ¡°There!¡± Lloyd¡¯s shovel blocked an arrow that flew towards Javier¡¯s chest. ¡°Phew, thank you,¡± Javier said. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it. Keep moving forward. You detect the magic traps and I block the physical traps, okay?¡± ¡°I understand, but¡­.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± ¡°A-ha, are you trying to say ¡®don¡¯t get hurt when trying to block the arrows¡¯ or something?¡± ¡°Exactly. If Lloyd-nim thinks he¡¯s going to get hurt, you can use me as a shield.¡± ¡°I am planning to do exactly that.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a no-brainer.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sulking again. Let¡¯s get going.¡± Thus, the two of them continued to move forward. Javier detected the magic traps while Lloyd deflected the physical traps. ¡®Naturally, in the novel, Javier did all of this by himself.¡± The story took place a few years later in the future when he had become a Sword Master. On the other hand, right now Javier was only a High-Level Sword Expert. At this point, detecting the magical traps while preparing to defend himself from a physical attack was impossible. No matter how much he was absorbing the mana, in the end, the size of the cluster he should detect was very small. ¡®It was said that the mana would be cluttered, but in reality, hm¡­. It was like drinking a liter of ramen broth and finding a small piece of scallion mixed in there. No, I think it would be subtler than that,¡¯ Lloyd thought. This was something that required such delicate senses. Lloyd had to help Javier so he could focus fully. ¡°Now, now, let¡¯s keep going. Slow down, don¡¯t rush.¡± Both of them took their time to advance. The surrounding area gradually became darker and gloomier. They only relied on the light coming from the torch, their only source of light, as they advanced. They detected a lot of magic traps and avoided physical traps for 30 minutes. 30 minutes became an hour, and then it was already 2 hours. In the meantime, Lloyd constantly tried to remember and recall the contents of the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel. At the end of this long series of traps, Lloyd knew there was a type of trap that could never be avoided at all. ¡®Based on the novel¡¯s description, it should be around here.¡¯ The passage turned sharply to the right. After that, the passage widened considerably. Lloyd could see an open space in the distance on the other side of the passage. Located at the deepest part of the dungeon, there stood the black mage¡¯s laboratory. ¡®Found it.¡¯ At the lab in the distance, Lloyd saw the black mage, who was sitting at the table in the middle, immediately jump from his seat. He also saw the black mage beckoning towards them. At that moment, the trap that could never be avoided was triggered. The trap instantly came down from the ceiling. Click, rattle, bang! A thick steel barrier fell, completely blocking the passageway in front of them. At the back, the same thing happened, another steel barrier fell. Baangg! As a result, the two of them were completely trapped in the middle of the passageway. The trap didn¡¯t end there. Psssh! Lloyd heard the sound of some air coming inside the passageway. Then, a sweet and fragrant smell pervaded the enclosed passageway. It was a powerful aromatic gas that could induce sleep. However, Lloyd wasn¡¯t worried at all. The same also applied to Javier. The two of them hadn¡¯t flinched even once, let alone blinked. ¡°Oi, isn¡¯t this situation rather familiar?¡± ¡°Well, now that you mention it, it does seem like that.¡± A dark passageway, a confined place, and isolated from the outside. Somehow, they thought of the ant nest they had overcome before. The similarities between both situations made the two of them smile. Then, they began to deal with the situation calmly. After a short time had passed, the black mage¡¯s soul¡ªwhich was relieved due to his success at locking them both up¡ªbegan to go out of his body and ascend to the heavens like a dancing eel. Author¡¯s note: Ksrrk ~(-?-)~ Ksrkk TL/n: Lloyd is such a bratty tsundere. XD CH 37 Ppsshh! Colorless gas was pouring out from the ceiling. At the same time, a sweet smell tickled their noses. Lloyd tried to prod the unique drowsiness he felt deep inside. This aromatic gas was said to be capable of immediately putting an elephant to sleep. A lethal gas that could make one fall into an eternal slumber. What made this sleeping gas so potent was the Asonia extract it was made from. Pssshht! If an ordinary person had been trapped here, they would have been knocked out right away. They¡¯d be in a major crisis because that single sleep could lead them to death¡¯s door. But right now, the two men, who were trapped in between two steel barriers, were not ordinary people. ¡®This is nothing. It¡¯s exactly the same as what was written in the novel,¡¯ Lloyd thought calmly as he examined his surroundings. In the meantime, the aroma of the Asonia gas filled his mouth and nose. However, he showed not the slightest sign of drowsiness in his face or eyes. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Lloyd replied with a lip gesture to Javier¡¯s question. He was biting a white leaf in his mouth since earlier. It was an Insonia leaf, the only herb that could neutralize the sleep-inducing effect of Asonia. ¡®I planned this ahead of time.¡¯ Steel barriers and deadly sleeping gas. Both of these were written in the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel. That was why Lloyd could prepare in advance. During the few days of their journey, from the Orc Village until they got here, he always plucked, collected, and stored Insonia leaves in his pocket whenever he found an Insonia plant. He had been holding the leaf in his mouth for quite some time. No matter how much he inhaled the Asonia gas, he wouldn¡¯t feel drowsy. Of course, it wasn¡¯t without some drawbacks. ¡®This, this has a very spicy flavor. No way, is waking people up by slapping them with its spicy taste its fundamental concept?¡¯ That appeared to be the case. The insonia leaves were extremely spicy. It wasn¡¯t the normal spicy, but the one that made the parts of his lips that were biting the leaf felt like burning. No, it felt like his lips were being ripped apart. ¡®I¡¯m glad I was a Korean.¡¯ Fortunately, he was Korean. What kind of people are Koreans? They¡¯re people with strong spice tolerance who eat chili peppers dipped in red chili paste. Lloyd was also one of them. When it was raining, he¡¯d have a craving for spicy food. So, he ordered fire chicken1buldak/fire chicken: heavily spiced barbecue chicken. Very spicy.. When the weather was hot, he¡¯d say ¡®it¡¯s very good to sweat a lot¡¯, and then add a quite generous amount of cheongyang chili pepper2Known to be the spiciest chili pepper grown in Korea to his soybean paste stew. Even after his family collapsed and he began living in a cheap goshiwon, he continued to eat spicy foods. He¡¯d choose the spiciest triangular kimbap, as that was all he could afford. His tolerance towards capsaicin3capsaicin: a chemical compound that makes something tastes spicy, that had been trained for his whole life, was now a big help. In short, he could endure the pain caused by its spiciness and keep on biting the leaf. ¡°How about you? Are you okay?¡± Lloyd asked while enduring the burning sensation on his lips. Javier yawned slightly, which was rare. ¡°Yes. But, umm, I¡¯m a little sleepy.¡± ¡°Sleepy? How sleepy are you?¡± ¡°It feels like spring fatigue. I haven¡¯t felt that in a long time.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Javier was being honest. Right now, he just felt a little drowsy. He was, however, a chronic insomnia patient. Just like insomniac patients usually do, he had tried every means to reach his dream, which was to have a good night¡¯s sleep. From the basics like counting sheep, using a sleep mask, trying foot baths when bathing, using scented candles that were said to be good at inducing sleep, trying meditation to calm his mind, also trying yoga that was popular in faraway countries, and finally, trying to smell the aroma of Asonia they both were smelling right now. Nevertheless, he could hardly fall asleep, so he had spent so many nights staying up all night with bloodshot eyes. He wouldn¡¯t be affected much by this sleep-inducing gas. Lloyd did feel a little bad for him, though. ¡®Sigh¡­. This is not making me as sleepy as Lloyd-nim¡¯s lullaby service,¡¯ Javier thought. Did he already reach the point where he could no longer sleep without the lullaby service? A dreadful feeling sprouted due to the possibility of not being able to escape that person for the rest of his life. On the other hand, a deep and heavy feeling of shame, just like espresso, surged inside. Javier sighed heavily. Just like that, Javier tried desperately to deny reality and drew his sword. It was indeed fortunate that the sleeping gas had little to no effect on either of them, but that didn¡¯t mean they could stay trapped here indefinitely. ¡°Should I blast away the steel barrier?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lloyd shook his head at Javier¡¯s question. ¡°You¡¯re not intending to stab or pierce it, are you? You¡¯re not planning to use Mana Blast, right? If you do that in an enclosed place like this, my eardrums would burst.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Javier lowered the sword he had been wielding. Meanwhile, Lloyd lifted his steel shovel. ¡°Let¡¯s dig downwards. I¡¯ll make a tunnel, so follow me.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Lloyd started to shovel. He also didn¡¯t forget to activate an optional skill from the Asrahan Core Technique. ¡®Energizer.¡¯ Ding dong. [Asrahan Core Technique¡¯s Optional Skill, Energizer, has been activated.] [The efficiency of your double circle has been maximized.] [For 10 minutes, you¡¯ll never get tired.] ¡®Let¡¯s goooo!¡¯ Puk! Puak! Pak! The steel shovel moved swiftly. Every time it touched the ground, a bucket of soil was scooped out. A pit formed in the ground in an instant. It was knee-deep at first, but it quickly became waist-deep. Eventually, it became deeper than his height. After that, Lloyd, who was digging vertically, changed the direction of his shoveling. ¡®I¡¯ll make a tunnel!¡¯ The time limit of the optional skill, Energizer, was 10 minutes. Enough for him to dig a tunnel underground that goes past the steel barrier. Lloyd kept on advancing with brilliant and fierce shoveling movements. Meanwhile, Javier followed quietly. As he watched Lloyd shoveling from behind, he thought, ¡®He looks like a mole cricket.¡¯ Javier kept that in the back of his mind and made a mental note to tease him about it next time. If one day Lloyd tried to trick himself with his words again, he¡¯d fight back with this. He jotted that resolution down in his notebook in his heart and observed the sensation he got from his surroundings, just in case the black mage tried to attack them from above the tunnel. A few minutes went by as Javier stayed alert. ¡°Oi.¡± Javier heard Lloyd calling him. ¡°Come forward. Stab your sword upwards at this angle, and then use Mana Blast. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Will your eardrums be okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, because you¡¯re not mana-blasting steel.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Javier nodded. After they had dug a tunnel and passed the steel barrier from underground, it was time to go up. Naturally, it was impossible for them to quietly shovel their way up. If they did that, they¡¯d become easy targets for the black mage. ¡°Please step back.¡± Javier raised his sword after confirming Lloyd had retreated to a safe distance. He pulled, and then stabbed it upwards. At this moment, the triple circle surrounding his mana heart rotated at high speed. He slightly shifted the orbit of a mana circle, allowing two of his mana circles to collide. The mana circles then violently clashed with each other. ¡­.! A shockwave spread through his heart. It raced through his blood vessels at breakneck speed. Its power was amplified further when it reached the end of his muscles. The power passed through his elbows, wrists, fingers, and finally, the sword. In the sword, it moved in a straight line. Next, it exploded. Booom! In a path that slanted upwards from the underground tunnel, everything within the mana blast¡¯s 10-meter long range disappeared. A long tunnel thus was created. ¡°Let¡¯s get going right away!¡± Lloyd, who was covering his ears, shouted. The two of them swiftly got out of the tunnel. They went out like two wild beasts escaping the zoo. The black mage¡¯s eyes widened when he witnessed the explosion from the mana blast. ¡°Huh? Do-don¡¯t tell me!¡± the black mage exclaimed. The dungeon¡¯s defense system was strong and ready at all times, but they were able to break through it so easily. The black mage refused to believe this even though the evidence was right in front of his eyes. ¡®This is ridiculous. That silver-haired guy fled a few days ago because he couldn¡¯t even get past the entrance,¡¯ the black mage thought. In fact, the black mage had been keeping a close eye on the situation around the dungeon for the past few days. All because of Javier, the silver-haired knight who had attempted to break into the dungeon. It had been a long time since a bastard had tried to break in. Despite the fact that the knight was caught in a magic booby trap near the entrance and retreated, the black mage didn¡¯t feel like he was an easy target. After all, the knight had survived his magic trap. So, the black mage concluded that the knight would be coming back sooner or later. ¡®My prediction was right.¡¯ In the meantime, the black mage obviously hadn¡¯t been idling around. Since the silver-haired knight withdrew, he had been strengthening the dungeon¡¯s defensive system for days. The number of magic booby traps had doubled from before. That was why he felt somewhat relieved. He believed that by doing so, the dungeon would be completely safe. However, just a moment ago, the silver-haired guy and a scum, whom he saw for the first time, suddenly appeared in the deepest part of the dungeon. They didn¡¯t set off any magic booby traps on their way inside! ¡®This is unexpected.¡¯ The black mage was genuinely taken aback. He had no idea they¡¯d gotten this far because none of the magical traps had been triggered. Panicked, the black mage activated his final defensive trap. The trap would block the intruders¡¯ path by confining them between the steel barriers and then the deadly sleep-inducing gas would finish them. ¡®I¡­ can¡¯t believe they escaped the final trap I set!¡¯ Those two intruders powerfully leaped out of the tunnel. This was not a method an ordinary person would use. If he¡¯d let his guard down, he¡¯d be caught off guard by them. The black mage immediately clasped his hands together. ¡°Keuhaak!¡± The hands clasped in front of his chest gestured an unusual shape. His fingers bent and entangled with each other. Mana began to condense around his hands, its flow was adhering to a specific law. The mana that gathered formed a 10-cm-wide pitch-black magic circle in front of the black mage¡¯s hands. He then stretched his hand forward. ¡°Haap!¡± Paaats-! The magic circle roared. An unidentified liquid poured out of it as if it was vomiting gastric juice. Splat! The murky, mucus-like liquid was coming straight towards Javier. At that precise moment, Javier¡¯s sword slashed the air. Whoosh! The sword was swung vertically from the bottom to the top in a flash. The sword¡¯s velocity caused gusts of wind to blow along the path the sword was slashed. When the wind coming from the sword made contact with the liquid, it was split into two, left and right. The wind¡¯s pressure then pushed it aside. Tsssss-! The rock that got splattered by the liquid bubbled and melted. Meanwhile, Javier was already charging forward. Thwack! ¡°¡­.!¡± The black mage¡¯s eyes were tinged with horror. The magic circle he cast shot a highly acidic poisonous liquid. Naturally, it was an unstoppable attack, especially against an opponent wielding a sword and/or a shield. No, he believed that should be the case. ¡®You split it in two with just the wind pressure created by swinging the sword?¡¯ The black mage couldn¡¯t believe such a thing was possible. Crazy. That silver-haired knight was insane. ¡®You aren¡¯t a Sword Master yet, are you?¡¯ He considered the possibility that the knight in front of him was a Sword Master because the knight was different from any Sword Experts he knew of. However, this didn¡¯t mean that he would be obedient and surrender. The black mage¡¯s eyes shone with malice. ¡°Gahaakk!¡± the black mage let out a sharp cry as he fell to one knee. He spread his arms open, palms facing the ground. He then used his arms to touch the ground around him. His fingers were spread out wide before digging into the ground. Keuuk! The mana flow changed according to how much his fingers were bent and how deep his fingers dug into the ground. The changing flow of mana formed a new magic circle engraved on the ground. Growl! The black mage¡¯s magic circle trembled. The black mage¡¯s body began to shake and fall to the ground all of a sudden. At that moment- Swish! A gray hand bore a hole through the ground. It swung to grab Javier¡¯s ankles, who was rushing towards the black mage. ¡°¡­!¡± It did not stop there. Dozens of hands popped out from the ground as Javier faltered for a moment. It was only the hand at first, but then came the wrists, forearms, and shoulders. A half-rotten face eventually emerged. ¡°Keeuuook! Keuuop! Keok!¡± They were ravenous creatures desperate to devour the flesh of a living human being. They were ghouls. ¡°Screeechh!¡± Ghouls randomly popped out of the ground around Javier. Not long after, 50 ghouls had already surrounded Javier, who was stunned for a split second. The black mage¡¯s lips curled into a contented smile. ¡®Keuhahaha! These aren¡¯t your average ghouls! They¡¯re on a higher level than the ordinary, sloppy ghoul that moves slowly and without intelligence! These are the masterpieces I created and worked on for 100 days and nights, using countless reagents and enhancers. With skin as hard as granite and speed as fast as the wind! Furthermore, these ferocious creatures made for slaughter will absolutely obey my orders. Not only are each of them comparable to a Death Knight, but they are also weapons that can manage to be lethal even when flocked by dozens of Sword Experts¡­.¡¯ Crunch! Before the black mage¡¯s smile fully bloomed, a chilling flash of light flashed around Javier. It was followed by icy-cold gusts of wind. All 50 refined ghouls that were approaching Javier came to a complete stop. Then, all of them let out the same sound in sync. ¡°Growl?¡± That was all. Thud! All of the ghouls were sliced into pieces. Their heads dropped to the floor, followed by their arms and legs. Their waists and torsos were also severed one after the other The creatures once called Refined Ghouls, now had devolved into mere chunks of meat piled on the floor like Lego. Pitter patter. The silence was deafening. Javier silently turned his head, locking his frosty gaze on the black mage. ¡°Do you have more friends to summon?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± That was when the black mage realized. Ah, he was going to die today. Author¡¯s note: King of the Underworld: Yes, next customer, please come in~ Tl/n: Merry Christmas to you who celebrates it and Happy New Year! May the next year be filled with happiness! CH 38 ¡°Ugh, eughh.¡± Lupellan, the black mage, retreated. His heart was pounding so fast. A feeling of terror surged inside. He desperately wanted to flee right now. That, however, was impossible. Thud, thud. Javier, the silver-haired knight, was slowly approaching before his eyes. The knight¡¯s eyes were vigilant, not showing any gaps. ¡®Right now, if I even tried to move slightly, he¡¯d definitely throw the sword at me.¡¯ That was the black mage¡¯s hunch. The sword would come flying at him the moment he tried to flee. Let alone dodging or blocking the sword, he couldn¡¯t even dream of counterattacking since he had run out of mana. ¡®The way he used to deal with the refined ghouls never crossed my mind¡­.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t even dream of it. The ghouls were created with all kinds of reagents and black magic. They were then given special treatment for 100 days and nights, during which they were subjected to a specifically created magic circle. As a result, the refined ghouls possessed greater power than that of the average ghouls. Their skin was as tough as steel and could deflect axes. Their movement was as swift as the wind. Furthermore, they possessed some intelligence. The ferocity spawned by their intelligence often was also appalling to him, their master. Simply put, the refined ghouls were his perfect and final murder weapon. But, what the hell was going on with this silver-haired knight? What kind of creature is he, for he was able to turn 50 refined ghouls into minced meatballs with a single sword? ¡°You! What in the world are you?!¡± the black mage exclaimed. His blood pressure rushed to his neck. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?!¡± he shouted. His voice was mixed with fear, resentment, and a sense of urgency. From another perspective, it could also be seen as a cry of desperation. His instincts told him he was about to die. ¡®I don¡¯t want to die.¡¯ The black mage wanted to live. There was a research project he wanted to complete without fail. He had to see the study through to the end. Only then would he be able to resurrect his deceased family members and finally regain his former happy life. He was a black mage who believed in that and had endured anything for that. In the black mage¡¯s eyes, the silver-haired knight who was approaching him seemed to be the Grim Reaper himself. Thud, thud. Javier slowly narrowed the gap. There was no chance to escape, no room for counterattack. The knight did not say a single word, so there was no room for negotiation. This threw the black mage into panic. ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t move! Don¡¯t move!!¡± the black mage shouted in a hurry, but to no avail. The silver-haired knight¡¯s eyes suddenly came to life as his gleaming sword came flying, slicing the air. Swoosh! ¡°¡­. Hiik!¡± The black mage tightly closed his eyes. And at that moment- ¡°Javier, stop!¡± The black mage heard something unexpected. At the same time, a light breeze brushed against the nape of his neck. Whoosh! ¡°¡­!¡± Did I get decapitated? The black mage cautiously opened his eyes. What he saw demanded his mind to process it once more. That was why he belatedly realized that the silver-haired knight¡¯s longsword had come to a halt less than a centimeter from the back of his neck. ¡°Heu-heup!¡± The black mage¡¯s legs trembled. He was quaking in his boots and it made him feel a little weak. At that time, the voice that sounded like his salvation could be heard once again. ¡°Don¡¯t kill him for the time being, Javier. I¡¯ve got some business to do.¡± Who could it possibly be? The black mage¡¯s gaze was drawn towards the source of the voice. Soon, he spotted a man with dark hair. Under the black mage¡¯s gaze, Lloyd smirked. ¡°I need to speak with him about something, so put away your sword first.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Javier lowered his sword. The black mage heavily exhaled in relief. Lloyd then approached the black mage. ¡°Oy, you okay?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± We¡¯ve been exchanging magic spells and sword blows at each other until just now, and you¡¯re asking if I¡¯m okay? However, the black mage didn¡¯t regard Lloyd as impudent. In any case, he was the one who saved his life. The black mage then carefully replied, ¡°Hooh, hoh¡­. I-I¡¯m okay. I¡¯m grateful for your mercy.¡± ¡°Mercy? What are you talking about?¡± Lloyd smirked. He didn¡¯t spare him to look good. He left him alive because the black mage still had some use. It was that simple. It wasn¡¯t yet time for retribution because it was time for exploitation. Simultaneously, a feast of baiting and manipulation would take place. While picturing his clever plans for the future, Lloyd said, ¡°Merciful, huh. I¡¯m not that sort of good person.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You kidnapped my soldiers after all. You also took all of the construction materials, right?¡± ¡°Umm, are you referring to the ones I brought here a few days ago?¡± ¡°Yeah, are they still alive?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Every single one of them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What a relief. I was going to kill you immediately if even a single one had died,¡± Lloyd said while smiling. The corners of the black mage¡¯s eyes twitched slightly. ¡°Yeah, umm¡­. I apologize for that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sorry? With your words only?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± The black mage hurriedly shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll release them right away, so can I move a little bit?¡± ¡°Move around as much as you like.¡± Lloyd granted him his permission. The black mage rose cautiously to his feet. He went to a specific area of the lab and pulled the lever. Clink! Clack! Sounds of metal clanking could be heard. Soon, the entire wooden wall on one side of the lab opened. The prison hidden behind it came into view. ¡°Tsk tsk.¡± When Lloyd saw what was inside the prison, he frowned. He couldn¡¯t help but do so. ¡°All of our children are still snoring.¡± Sure enough, the soldiers¡¯ condition didn¡¯t look good. There were the ten people he had sent to the territory to get materials for the insulation and an additional ten that seemed to have been sent from the territory to bring the materials altogether. All 20 of them hadn¡¯t eaten a proper meal when they were locked up. Their eyes were tightly shut and their cheeks deeply sunk. ¡°I.. I¡¯m sorry,¡± said the black mage. ¡°Do you even understand what you¡¯re sorry about? What would you do if they had died like that?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Now, I¡¯m starting to wonder. Perhaps, are you a pervert? It seems like you locked them up because you wanted to do something.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you be honest with me? Looks like there¡¯s a backstory to tell.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lloyd¡¯s tone was pressing, but strangely soothing. Was it because of that manner of speaking? The black mage, who opened and closed his lips hesitantly several times, finally spoke slowly. ¡°The truth is¡­. Umm, I¡­. I am researching a way to bring the dead back to life.¡± ¡°Bring the dead back to life? An undead?¡± Lloyd turned to look at the reinforced ghouls that had been sliced to pieces. Shaking his head, the black mage said, ¡°No, not that. I don¡¯t do research regarding the undead. It¡¯s different.¡± ¡°Different? What¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°The research I¡¯m doing is literally how to bring the dead back to life.¡± ¡°Dead people? Are you talking about resurrection?¡± ¡°Resurrection¡­. That¡¯s correct, it¡¯s similar.¡± The black mage quickly nodded. ¡°I want to save my family. I mean, my wife and children¡­.¡± ¡°Why? Did something happen?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± For the first time, the black mage¡¯s voice was tinged with sorrow. ¡°Originally, I was an ordinary wizard of a territory. I was also an ordinary breadwinner who lived together with my wife and children. I was happy. No, I¡¯m sure I would¡¯ve been happy this whole time if it weren¡¯t for that unfortunate accident¡­.¡± ¡°Stop. If you¡¯re going to prattle about the accident, stop.¡± ¡°¡­. A-anyway, I wanted to get back the family I lost. That¡¯s why I did all this.¡± ¡°Are you studying magic spells here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to sacrifice other lives to resurrect the dead, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°My suspicion is right.¡± Lloyd¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I guess you¡¯ve tried it several times already, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The black wizard was stunned speechless. Lloyd¡¯s voice became hoarse. ¡°You¡¯re researching forbidden magic. At the very least, you¡¯ve sacrificed dozens of people.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, please. Do you know what you¡¯ve done?¡± Lloyd¡¯s voice now went beyond hoarse as it became rougher. ¡°Resurrect the dead? Do you believe that would be possible? Think with common sense, you idiot!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Enough. Right. What if, let¡¯s say, your crazy attempt was successful? You brought your wife and children back to life. Would they be like, ¡®Wow, thank you for saving us¡¯, like that? Ah, that¡¯s possible. Like that saying, birds of a feather flock together. At least, your wife should be like that.¡± ¡°P-Please don¡¯t insult my wife and children.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who made me insult them.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Why? Do you dislike that? Are you angry? But you have nothing to say to me, have you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Now, do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done? This idiotic guy. The dead are already dead. If they¡¯re already dead, it¡¯s only right to send them to where they belong so they can rest.¡± Perhaps, it was because Lloyd suddenly remembered his parents. He scrunched his nose while the black mage bit his lips. ¡°Of course I¡­ I know that. But I couldn¡¯t forget the wife I love and the children whom I adore even more. They are more precious than my own life. How can I let them go so easily? I can still see traces of them every time I close or open my eyes, and I can¡¯t stand it.¡± ¡°Is that the reason why you can¡¯t let them go?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, all me. It¡¯s because of my greed and lingering feelings.¡± ¡°So, what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°¡­. I¡¯ll try to forget them. Do I have any choice?¡± Suddenly, tears were streaming down the black mage¡¯s face. Instead of wiping his tears away, he looked at Lloyd with his reddened eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to stop my research.¡± ¡°Are you going to quit? For real?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Truthfully, I¡¯m¡­ tired.¡± ¡°Tch. You should be.¡± ¡°¡­. Even if I have ten mouths, I¡¯ve nothing more to say. Instead-¡± The black mage turned his head. At the end of his gaze, there was a huge iron box. Pointing to the box, he then said, ¡±I¡¯ll give you everything inside that box.¡± ¡°That one? What is inside?¡± ¡°All of the magic reagents and supplies I¡¯ve collected to do my research.¡± ¡°Hm, but that¡¯s expensive, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need them anymore.¡± ¡°¡­. You seemed to really have made up your mind.¡± ¡°You deserve it, don¡¯t you think so? Now, here, I¡¯ll open the box for you.¡± The black mage approached the box. In front of the box, he bit his index finger until it bled and then put it on the box¡¯s keyhole. Blood seeped into the keyhole. ¡°It¡¯s a lock made from magic. Only the blood I shed while alive could open it. If there¡¯s even a slightest external shock from outside, I¡¯ve arranged it so that what¡¯s inside the box will melt away and disappear.¡± The box snapped open, as if to prove what he said was the truth. Indeed, there were all kinds of magical reagents, ingredients, and items contained inside. ¡°This is also compensation for the damage I¡¯ve dealt to your soldiers by kidnapping them. Please accept it.¡± ¡°If you insist, with pleasure, then,¡± Lloyd said while smiling contentedly. The black mage smiled as well, albeit bitterly. Only then did he raise his hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes. Behind the sleeve that covered his face, his lips curled upwards. ¡®Stupid bastard.¡¯ The black mage chuckled. He couldn¡¯t believe Lloyd trusted him just like that. It was a real relief. ¡®I¡¯m glad this young lad likes to pretend to be smart.¡¯ Furthermore, he was also adequately greedy and kind. Thanks to this, he was able to receive forgiveness by pretending he truly reflected on his actions. ¡®It¡¯s enough. They¡¯re simply magical items. I can collect them again and remake the reagents. The most important thing to do is to get out of here alive.¡¯ Whatever he needed to give, it was okay as long as he stayed alive. He could resume his research again elsewhere. He could concentrate more on his research and eventually complete his theory. ¡®This way, I can bring them back to life. My wife and my children, we¡¯ll definitely see each other again.¡¯ The mere thought of it touched the black mage¡¯s heart. His heart trembled with sorrow. He wanted to get out of this place as soon as possible and started his research again. ¡®On a grander and more daring scale. Make the sacrifice of hundreds of people instead of dozens. That way, the likelihood of success will increase. What happens next? I can regain my happiness. I can get them back and have that warmth once again in my life.¡¯ Full of determination, the black mage clenched his fists. Now that he¡¯d fooled that kiddo thoroughly, it was time to escape. Naturally, he¡¯d leave with a heartwarming and touching image. ¡°Then¡­. I¡¯ll be on my way now.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. I¡¯m going to wander aimlessly and try farming wherever my feet take me.¡± ¡°Okay, that¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± ¡°Thank you. Well, then.¡± The black mage bowed slightly towards Lloyd. With a wistful and solemn expression, he proceeded to turn away. No, he did try to turn around. However, at that moment- ¡°Javier, let me ask you a question.¡± Some chilling words went out of Lloyd¡¯s mouth. ¡°What¡¯s the punishment for serial killers according to the kingdom¡¯s law?¡± ¡°If the motive for the multiple killings is evident, the evidence is objective, either testimony or confession exists, and the witness is more than ten people, an immediate punishment is permitted to be made under the authority of the nobility within the kingdom.¡± Javier¡¯s sharp answer echoed. The black mage¡¯s shoulders twitched in surprise. ¡°W-what? What are you talking about?¡± The black mage got goosebumps. What does he mean by immediate punishment? What are they talking about? He was certain the atmosphere was warm prior to this. Why did the kiddo suddenly change his attitude? Javier pulled the sword out of its sheath. They weren¡¯t joking around. The black mage urgently inquired, ¡°How come? Why?¡± He retreated in a hurry and asked Lloyd, ¡°Are you really going to kill me? Why? For what reason?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking what my reason is? Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± ¡°Obvious? What do you mea-¡­..¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I just said? You¡¯re a serial killer, yes you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lloyd¡¯s gaze was fixed on him. The black mage could no longer find the same foolishness and warmth from before. It was replaced with an indifferent and bitter expression. He frantically racked his brain. ¡°But, I-I¡¯ve reflected enough¡­ and admitted my wrongdoings.¡­¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°And I shed tears! I even wept remorsefully for my sins!¡± ¡°So, If you cried, it¡¯s over? If you reflect on your actions, will your sins go away?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Oy. Stop talking nonsense.¡± Lloyd showed a strained smile at this ludicrous situation. ¡°I¡¯ve told you earlier. You said you did all of this for your family? Trying to resurrect your beloved wife and children? If that is so, then what about the people you¡¯ve killed? Don¡¯t they have a family too? Don¡¯t they have a life too?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forcefully try to sweep your crimes under the rug. Don¡¯t even pretend to reflect on yourself. Do you think I¡¯ll be fooled by something like that? Do you really think I¡¯ve seen a human being that acts like you only once or twice?¡± Lloyd¡¯s voice became hoarse again. He was suddenly reminded of the Republic of Korea. He also remembered hearing the news about the heinous criminals that were reported every day. In his opinion, those creatures that kidnapped, raped, and killed people didn¡¯t deserve to be called human beings. ¡®Very few of them were adequately punished for their crimes.¡¯ All this stemmed from the trials in South Korea. Those trials were strange. Each time, the murderers¡¯ sentences were like a slap on the wrist. Whenever some people made a mistake because they were drunk or because of mental illness and weak body, or when the criminals were deemed genuinely remorseful, they¡¯d make a lenient verdict because of these sorts of incomprehensible excuses. Lloyd himself often wondered if the judges were truly and genuinely insane. Lloyd, who had seen this happen dozens of times, was naturally able to see through the black mage¡¯s tricks. From the beginning, he acted like he was being played by the black mage. ¡®I did it to get those magic materials.¡¯ Lloyd glanced at the box. In fact, he spared the black mage so he could obtain that. That was why he really wanted to come all the way here with Javier. So, what now? He no longer needed the black mage because he had accomplished his purpose in coming here. No, he wanted to deal with this kind of guy as properly as possible. ¡®Forgive him? I¡¯m not crazy. It was like that in the novel. Even if Javier forgave him once, he¡¯d still be decapitated in the end because he continued to commit crimes..¡¯ That was what happened. So, what if Lloyd spared this guy? Clearly, he would continue his research elsewhere and slaughter hundreds of people. ¡°To sum it up, it¡¯s like this. The fact about your nature will not change no matter how hard you embellish your story and squeeze out water from your eyes that doesn¡¯t look like tears. Do you know what that is?¡± ¡°That, I¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a serial killer.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And serial killers need to be punished accordingly. That¡¯s the right thing to do.¡± ¡°Wa-wait!¡± ¡°Javier, follow the law.¡± Lloyd turned away. The black mage begged in panic. Javier drew his sword and stepped forward. ¡°Under the command of Lloyd Frontera, the son of my Lord, the knight Javier Asrahan will enforce the kingdom¡¯s strict laws.¡± Shringg. The sword flashed without mercy. Author¡¯s note: Karma: You reap what you sow. Tl/n: You know what, cmiiw, but Lloyd seems to be more of an unreliable narrator to me. He¡¯s not as bad as he thinks he is. It¡¯s like he¡¯s convincing himself he¡¯s doing all this for material gains, but actually he¡¯s a kind person inside and he doesn¡¯t want to acknowledge that. CH 39 The black mage was dead. Of course, Lloyd didn¡¯t watch the process in person. Inside, he was still Kim Suho from the Republic of Korea. He had no desire to watch people die. ¡®Once was enough.¡¯ The image of the last time he saw his parents flashed through his mind. Lloyd frowned and buried it deep within his heart before returning to reality. ¡°Hey. hey. Be careful, everyone. Don¡¯t lose focus and step on the wrong spot. Keep an eye on the ground to avoid tripping over a stone.¡± ¡°We understand!¡± the soldiers replied. These emaciated soldiers were imprisoned and nearly starved to death. Because of the remaining magic booby traps, guiding them out of the dungeon wasn¡¯t an easy task. It took them several hours to cautiously get out of the dungeon. After that, Lloyd ordered Javier to retrieve the items inside the dungeon¡¯s laboratory. The insulation materials that were piled on one side of the lab were also brought out. Obviously, this didn¡¯t mean all of the tasks had been completed. After all, the soldiers¡¯ condition was at the lowest point. ¡°Argh, these guys are struggling because of their weakened bodies as a result of what happened, huh. Give it to me, punk,¡± Lloyd said. ¡°Wha-? Young master?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, give it to me.¡± The soldier was struggling when he tried carrying a straw bale for the Seokbinggo¡¯s insulation down the mountain. Lloyd approached the soldier and casually snatched the straw bale. The soldier, whose straw bale had been seized, was understandably taken aback. ¡°Ex-excuse me, young master? I should be the one carrying that. How could a noble be the one who¡­.¡± ¡°Oh my god, you said quite a lot. However, if you collapsed, who are you going to hold back?¡± ¡°I will not collapse.¡± ¡°Yeah, in words only?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Right now, your complexion looks like shit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I told you, due to your tardiness, the construction has been delayed for a long time. What if you passed out here? We¡¯ll have to move even slower because I need to take care of you. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because I want to look good in your eyes, don¡¯t get me wrong.¡± ¡°I-I understand.¡± ¡°If you understand, don¡¯t faint and follow me carefully. Heave-ho!¡± Lloyd slung the straw bale he¡¯d taken from the soldier over his shoulder. Without waiting for the soldier¡¯s response, he withdrew to the very back of the line and matched his walking pace with the slowest soldier. Of course, his mouth itched to nag the soldier incessantly. ¡°Hey, why are you walking while looking at me?¡± ¡°N-no, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°No, what do you mean no? I can sense you staring at me!¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sorry, is your responsibility as a soldier over?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you already crossing the line?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re going to cry if I continue to do this. Enough, let¡¯s keep walking.¡± That way, Lloyd encouraged the soldiers with his nagging and didn¡¯t hesitate to help carry the tired soldiers¡¯ loads. This happened repeatedly as they made their way through the mountain. ¡°Phew, I¡¯m glad I can walk easily today. It seems I¡¯m indebted to Lloyd-nim.¡± ¡°Right? Yesterday, me too.¡± ¡°Oh, me too. I¡¯m extremely grateful.¡± Late at night, the soldiers were gathering at the temporary campsite. They chattered among themselves behind Lloyd¡¯s back, being very careful to avoid being overheard by others. ¡°But, is Young Master Lloyd really here to save us?¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s the case.¡± ¡°What, I think he¡¯s here to get his insulation materials back.¡± ¡°Still, he did save us. Honestly, I thought I was gonna die there.¡± ¡°I had the same thought.¡± The soldiers were deeply thankful to Lloyd for saving them. When they heard Javier¡¯s advice, their gratitude was amplified even more. ¡°You can¡¯t just be awkwardly thankful; you have to live with gratitude to Lloyd for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°Huh? Sir Asrahan?¡± The soldiers were visibly nervous when Javier abruptly intervened in their conversation. Expressionlessly, Javier continued, ¡°I advised Lloyd-nim to return to the territory first to prepare before attacking the black mage. Nevertheless, Lloyd-nim rejected my suggestion. He was afraid that if we did that, all of you would die. That¡¯s why he entered the black mage¡¯s dungeon willingly and recklessly with me alone.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Lloyd¡¯s decision, by now, you¡¯d have starved to death in the black mage¡¯s dungeon or sacrificed for a ritual. I want all of you to remember that fact in your heart for the rest of your lives.¡± ¡°We understand.¡± The soldiers were even more touched. After all, the one who said that wasn¡¯t just anybody but the Sir Asrahan himself! Javier Asrahan was not one to embellish or sugarcoat his words. He was always honest, fair, level-headed, and completely dependable. ¡®For our sake, Lloyd-nim¡­.¡¯ That person was once called a ruffian. There was a lot of gossip and rumors about him. The soldiers themselves had spoken ill of him behind his back countless times. That same person had put his own life on the line to save them, mere soldiers. Touched, the soldiers, who were sitting in front of a campfire, wiped their eyes. The smoke burns our eyes, they reasoned while smiling. Each of them etched their grateful feelings deep within their hearts. Thanks to this, a very-welcome message popped in front of Lloyd¡¯s eyes. Ding dong. [The rescued soldiers from the Construction Team are deeply moved by your actions.] [For the time being, they are the only ones who are impressed. However, when you return to the territory later, a moving story about your actions will be widely spread by the soldiers¡¯ word of mouth. This could grant you a social achievement.] ¡®Oh, look at that~¡¯ ¡®Jackpot!¡¯, Lloyd shouted inwardly. Fortunately, he had succeeded in saving the soldiers and obtaining valuable magic materials. He was also able to return with all of the Seokbinggo¡¯s insulation materials. As soon as he arrived at the orc village, he immediately began to give the Seokbinggo some finishing touches. ¡®The prolonged construction period was a critical failure.¡¯ Civil engineering has always had to contend with the passage of time. Why? Because the longer the construction period, the higher the construction cost. ¡°So, let¡¯s get moving. It¡¯s nice to have some free days to rest without me, right?¡± Lloyd encouraged the Construction Team members who remained in the orc village. Lloyd took off his jacket and personally led the construction on-site. Together with the soldiers, they worked hard. The lime was mixed with mud. Then, he added in appropriate amounts of rice husk, straw, and sawdust. He mixed and folded the mixture until its texture was akin to stiff porridge. The finished product resembled urethane foam, a material used for insulation in Korea, but his was made from natural base materials. ¡®This will do.¡¯ The gaps between the stacked granite blocks and the floor were filled with handmade natural insulation. Then, it was tightly pressed, making sure there wasn¡¯t a single empty gap. The top of the arched ceiling also got the same treatment. ¡°Now, make sure it¡¯s really dense! Press, press!¡± ¡°Press, press!¡± Lloyd¡¯s command was combined with the soldiers¡¯ yells. Amidst the loud commands and shouts, the insulation mixture covered the exterior of the arched ceiling in no time. On top of the insulation mixture, a thick layer of lime mixed with mud was applied once more. It would act as a waterproof layer, preventing water from entering, whether it was from below or above. Finally, a thick layer of soil was applied on top. These made the ceiling bulky, similar to a burial mound. Only the air vents, which had been made in advance, were slightly higher than the mound. The air vents were then covered with a slab of stone each. Lastly, the thorny grass, which was a native plant of the desert, was scooped and densely planted on the ¡®burial mound¡¯. ¡®A substantial amount of this thorny grass was required to block the sun¡¯s heat radiation.¡¯ The blades of grass would primarily block the sun¡¯s heat. Meanwhile, the roots would absorb the moisture from below. ¡°Phew, is this the last thorny grass?¡± Lloyd¡¯s shovel moved to place a clump of the thorny grass, which had been scooped up together with its roots, on top of the ¡®burial mound¡¯. He gently pressed it down with the flat part of the shovel and watered it. The water would aid the roots stay in place. After all of this, the construction of the Seokbinggo was finally finished. However, there were still some things he needed to do. ¡°Oiinkk? The savior has finished building the Seokbinggo. But it¡¯s not as cool as what I heard, oink,¡± Arosh remarked. The young orc had come running with his nostrils palpitating when he heard the news that the construction of the Seokbinggo was complete. The Seokbinggo was supposedly a place that could collect cool air and store food for an extended period of time. Arosh¡¯s pectoral muscles were already tense with anticipation. However, when Arosh entered the Seokbinggo, he was left wondering why. The inside wasn¡¯t as cold as he had anticipated. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this? It¡¯s not that cold, oink.¡± ¡°Right? It¡¯s obviously a little cooler than the sweltering summer heat outside, but it¡¯s exactly how it should be.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a little cooler here than it is outside, but I¡¯m not sure if it makes much of a difference, oiinkk.¡± Arosh tilted his huge head. He was a little disappointed, but he still had complete faith in his savior, Lloyd. Since Lloyd had always come up with mysterious tricks so far, Arosh wondered what was on his mind at this moment. Arosh¡¯s guess was right. ¡°True, it¡¯s not going to be very cold just yet.¡± ¡°Not yet, oink?¡± ¡°Yeah. Ice is an essential component of the Seokbinggo, but the Seokbinggo has yet to be filled with ice.¡± ¡°Ice? Do you mean to say you need to fill it with ice to cool it down, oink?¡± ¡°Exactly. Regardless of how many Seokbinggo you have, it will never be completely cold if left as it is. Just like you can¡¯t get a cold icebox unless you put some ice in it.¡± ¡°Ice¡­ box, oink?¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s something like that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Anyway, where are you going to get the ice, oink?¡± ¡°Normally, there isn¡¯t a way to get ice right now.¡± ¡°Normally, oink?¡± That was a fact. Even now, the scorching sun still shone brightly outside. Let alone getting ice, they had to hope the stream would not dry up. Arosh flared his nostrils and said, ¡°I think you have an idea. Am I correct, oink?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re correct,¡± Lloyd replied while smiling. ¡°Right now, we couldn¡¯t procure ice using normal ways, so I¡¯m going to make some and fill the Seokbinggo with it.¡± ¡°Are you going to make ice? How could it be possible, oiinkk?¡± ¡°How, I wonder. Still, I¡¯ll do an excellent job.¡± It was the middle of summer. Obviously, there was nowhere for him to get ice. Bringing an ice mage, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t an option. Hence, there was only one way left: make the ice himself. ¡®I have the Asrahan Core Technique.¡¯ If he utilized it properly, he¡¯d be able to make ice. Keeping that in mind, he immediately started the process of making ice. First, Lloyd fed Ppodong a red sunflower seed. He then asked Ppodong, who had become huge, for help. ¡°Hey, Ppodong?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Do you know about the river at the base of the mountain range?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°Yeah, that one. Can you go there and get me some water?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong?¡± ¡°Fill both of your cheek pockets with water. Can you do it for me?¡± ¡°Ppo-do-dong! Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°Ah, while you¡¯re at it, take Bangul with you. Hey, Bangul? You should eat a sunflower seed as well. Here, there you go.¡± ¡°Ba-ngul!¡± Boom! Bangul ate the red sunflower seed and became huge too. Ppodong carried Bangul on his back. ¡°Bangul, return with plenty of water! Don¡¯t turn it into steel dung. If necessary, put some strength in your butt and hold it in. Do you understand? ¡°Ba-ngul!¡± The two gigantic fantasy species went on their way with their chubby buttocks shaking. They both returned after a while, their cheeks and belly full of water. ¡°Good job. Can you spit it out here?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong! Uweeeek-¡± ¡°Ba-ngul! Uweeeek-¡± Shwaaa! Water from the two fantasy species was poured into an ice mold made of granite that Lloyd had previously made until it was full. ¡®This is the giant version of the ice cube mold that¡¯s divided into several compartments. The one that¡¯s usually kept in the freezer.¡¯ He made use of the granites that were left over after the Seokbinggo was built. He had worked hard to cut and make the mold, a giant version of the ice cube mold that everyone in Korea had at home. He and the soldiers moved the ice mold, which was divided into compartments, inside the Seokbinggo. After the move was completed, Lloyd sent everyone out and shut the door of the Seokbinggo. Lloyd was left alone inside. ¡®Then, let¡¯s get started.¡¯ Lloyd went to a corner inside the Seokbinggo. He put the straws that were piled there into the massive ice mold that was filled with water. He fixed a thick layer of straws in place by pressing them onto the inner bottom and side surfaces of the ice mold. Its purpose was to allow him to easily remove the ice from the mold without damaging it later, after the water had frozen. After meticulously laying the straws on the inner bottom and sides of each compartment of the ice mold, Lloyd prepared himself before beginning to earnestly make ice. ¡®Stay focused.¡¯ Lloyd kneeled down in front of the mold. With rolled-up sleeves, he dipped his arm into the water. In that position, he calmed himself down to boost his concentration. Then, he activated the Asrahan Core Technique. Kiiiing¡­. Like a car being started, his two mana circles began to rotate. They rotated around his heart, creating a suction force. The force was then expanding through his blood vessels and muscles. It passed through his shoulders, forearms before finally reaching his fingertips. His fingertips absorbed the surrounding mana. Up until this point, the method had been the same as the standard Asrahan Core Technique. Starting here, Lloyd attempted to change one thing. ¡®Only absorb warm mana, not all mana.¡¯ The mana was slowly being absorbed. Naturally, it didn¡¯t work as well as he had hoped. Because he was unfamiliar with the method, the rotation of his mana circles became unstable. However, Lloyd didn¡¯t give up. The more he attempted to do it, the better he became. Completely focused, he kept on trying to pick and absorb warm mana from the water he was dipping his hands in. Lloyd spent a long time working on applying the Asrahan Core Technique method he had in mind. One hour. Two hours. And then it became three hours. There was a change in the water inside the ice mold. Tsss, tsssss¡­. The previously warm water inside the ice mold began to lose heat. Its temperature gradually dropped little by little. A thin layer of ice began to form at the surface. Simultaneously, a message rang inside Lloyd¡¯s head. Ding dong. [A new Asrahan Core Technique application method has been developed.] [This special attempt has raised the Asrahan Core Technique¡¯s level.] After the successful attempt at producing ice, the Seokbinggo was finally completed. Lloyd¡¯s research and attempts to produce ice resulted in the Core Technique¡¯s growth. Author¡¯s note: The owner of a patbingsu (red bean shaved ice) stall who was passing by: This is the talent I¡¯ve been looking for! CH 40 Ding dong. [Skill Level Up!] [Asrahan Core Technique: Double Circle Lv 2] [Mana Amplification Rate: 220%] [Optional Skills: ¢Ù Energizer / ¢Ú Latent Power Surge / ¢Û Power-Saving Mode] [Amount of RP required to level up: 120] These clear notifications rang inside his head. Lloyd cheered inwardly when hearing that. ¡®It¡¯s all done. The water has frozen and my skill has leveled up.¡¯ This was what Lloyd was hoping for. Using the Core Technique to absorb only the warm mana inside the water caused the water¡¯s temperature to drop until it eventually froze. He also predicted that his experimenting with a new method would count as training for the Asrahan Core Technique. He had anticipated it and was completely correct. ¡®This is much better than I expected.¡¯ His hands were still submerged in the water. Warm mana could be felt being absorbed through his fingertips. It was difficult at first because it was a new method. However, once he got the hang of it, it was much easier than he had thought. It felt similar to the time he finally figured out how to ride a bike for the first time. ¡®Now, let¡¯s try again but with more momentum.¡¯ Bzzzttt¡­.. As the rotation of the two mana circles surrounding his heart became slightly faster, the suction force at his fingertips began sucking in far more mana than before. More heat was absorbed into his hand from the water. This caused the temperature of the water to drop faster. ¡®Let¡¯s avoid getting my hands stuck in the ice.¡¯ Lloyd gradually retracted his hands when the water¡¯s consistency was akin to a smoothie. From that point onwards, his fingertips only lightly touched the surface as he continued to absorb heat from the water. The warm mana was absorbed and processed at his double circle before being discharged from his mouth. That was why warm breath continued to get out from his slightly opened lips. It was from the heat he absorbed from the water. ¡®Hm, this way, it appears I¡¯ve kinda turned into a chimney.¡¯ Now wasn¡¯t the time to be concerned about his appearance. Lloyd continued to use the Core Technique until he finally succeeded in making his first large ice cube. ¡°Phew.¡± He let go of the ice and opened his eyes. The previously liquid water inside the mold was now frozen solid. ¡®Good, it¡¯s a success.¡¯ He raised his head to look at the ceiling. By activating the Asrahan Core Technique once more, he observed the flow of the heat in the air. ¡®The heat is able to easily get out.¡¯ The heat he absorbed from the water and expelled into the air rushed to the arched ceiling and escaped through the air vents. The smooth discharge of the heat inside the building was proof that the Seokbinggo was well-made. ¡®Judging by the light coming from the air vents, is it evening already?¡¯ He¡¯d come here shortly after lunch. However, right now, it was already time for dinner. ¡®I¡¯m so slow. If it continues like this, they might have finished setting up the table for my 60th birthday party by the time I finish freezing these into ice.¡¯ Let¡¯s be faster. Lloyd sat down in front of the mold¡¯s neighboring compartment. He inhaled deeply and dipped his hands deeper into the water than before. After that, the Core Technique was then activated. Bzzztttt¡­.! ¡®Oh, it¡¯s working.¡¯ Not even a few minutes later, the water felt cold on his arms. ¡®Let¡¯s go a little faster.¡¯ As the rotation of his double circle became more intense, the suction strength on the tip of his fingers increased. The water¡¯s temperature dropped even faster. A thin layer of ice was formed on the surface, then the consistency changed to that of a smoothie. It eventually froze into a large ice cube. ¡®All right, let¡¯s keep going.¡¯ His second attempt in making ice took about an hour. He was getting the hang of it even more and gaining confidence. He immediately started on the next one. This one was made more quickly. ¡®This took approximately 40 minutes.¡¯ Lloyd continued making more ice. The time it took to make each one decreased gradually. The next ice cube took about 30 minutes, then it was reduced to 25 minutes, 20 minutes, and later it was reduced to 15 minutes. ¡®Huf, huff. Keep going!¡¯ Heat was absorbed by his fingertips and expelled through his mouth. It really felt like he had turned into a human air conditioner. Just like that, he worked all night until dawn to make ice. Finally, at the crack of dawn, he managed to freeze the water inside the last ice mold. ¡°Gasp, gasp!¡± He¡¯d been using the Core Technique for so long that when he stood up, the world went dark for a split second. Nevertheless, it was worth it. ¡®My Core Technique Skill has leveled up again.¡¯ When he was about to finish freezing the last large ice cube, his Asrahan Core Technique had risen to double circle lv. 3. As a result, the mana amplification rate had increased to 240%. ¡®Anyway, it¡¯s finally finished.¡¯ With a proud expression on his face, he looked around Seokbinggo¡¯s interior. The warm interior that had made Arosh grumble the day before was already no more. As the insulation successfully trapped the cold air inside the building, cold air filled the Seokbinggo. Lloyd was just sitting still inside, but his breath fogged as if it was the middle of winter. ¡®Now, should we tidy up?¡¯ He was a little tired, but he couldn¡¯t afford to rest just yet. Once again, he activated the Asrahan¡¯s Core Technique to boost his physique. ¡®This time, let¡¯s do it normally, without any skill. Heup!¡¯ Crack! Lloyd grabbed the straws around the ice mold that were sticking out. He slowly yanked them out. As the large ice cube was slowly pulled out, a cracking sound could be heard. The ice cube was then lifted and placed on top of a thick pile of straw Lloyd had previously laid. He then spread a thick layer of sawdust and rice husks on the ice¡¯s surface. A layer of straw was carefully wrapped around the sides and top of the ice. It served as additional individual insulation to keep the ice from melting. Just like that, Lloyd took out all of the ice cubes from the mold and wrapped it with straw. He stacked them on top of each other so the cold air could stay longer. ¡®Good. This should prevent the ice from melting until winter arrives.¡¯ A wide smile bloomed on Lloyd¡¯s red face. Finally, the moment where the Seokbinggo had reached completion had come. Furthermore, the moment for him to receive a large sum of compensation for building the Seokbinggo after many twists and turns had also come. ¡°Oinkkk! It¡¯s so refreshing, oink!¡± ¡°Oinkkk! It¡¯s really cold, oink!¡± ¡°Oinkkk! The ice is delicious, oink!¡± ¡°¡­ One of them is not like the others, oiinkk!¡± It was chaotic inside the Seokbinggo. The orcs who came inside to store the meat of the large monsters they had recently hunted had their eyes open wide in awe as soon as they felt the cold air inside the Seokbinggo. Akush, the chief, was quite surprised too. ¡°I truly never expected it to be this cold, oink.¡± The orc chief¡¯s wide-open eyes were full with wonder as he took in the sight of the Seokbinggo. At that, Lloyd simply shrugged. ¡°So, you didn¡¯t trust me?¡± ¡°To tell you the truth, yes.I was only expecting a basement that was slightly colder than the temperature outside. This, on the other hand, is¡­ oink.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very impressed, right? All you have to do is make sure to lock the door. Keep it closed in the summer and open in the winter to allow cold air to enter.¡± Lloyd also taught Akush how to store ice inside the Seokbinggo, as well as when to get and how to refill the ice. All these were necessary tips needed for the Seokbinggo¡¯s maintenance. Perhaps, because of that- ¡°I¡¯m certain, oink.¡± Akush¡¯s palm that was as big as a pot lid patted Lloyd¡¯s shoulder. The chief¡¯s eyes were full of trust that transcended species. ¡°With this degree of coldness, I think the meat can last until winter. Lloyd, the human, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You¡¯re not only the savior who saved my son¡¯s life, but also a true friend and a true warrior who has solved the trouble that has been plaguing our tribe for so long, oink.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, are you acknowledging me as a warrior?¡± ¡°Without a doubt, oink.¡± ¡°This Ural mountain range is teeming with athletic orcs¡­. I mean, you¡¯ll still acknowledge me even if I can¡¯t do the leg exercise, which is carrying the statue I can barely lift on my shoulder, right?¡± ¡°Of course, oink.¡± Akush, the chief, nodded. ¡°We¡¯re now friends. I can understand and accept you, a feeble, weak and vulnerable human with a soft appearance similar to an anchovy who is so pitiful that he¡¯ll crumble if he exercises his lower body, oink.¡± ¡°¡­.. Oi, excuse me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m kidding, hehehe, oink!¡± Lloyd burst out laughing at this absurd situation while Akush was laughing uncontrollably. Ding dong. [Interspecies Relationship Unlocked] [The Orc Chief Akush has accepted you as his true friend.] [The Orcs now consider you as a friend of equal standing.] [You can increase the orcs¡¯ favorability towards you and earn more RP.] [100 RP will be given as a bonus for unlocking Interspecies Relationship.] [Current RP: 611] ¡®Huh?¡¯ Lloyd¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡®Can I now get RP from orcs as well?¡¯ Truthfully, it was something he had been looking forward to since he first rescued Arosh. He was thinking perhaps he can make a good impression on Arosh and gain some RP. However, he was somehow unable to obtain a single RP. Even though Arosh saw him as his savior, there was no notification related to favorability. ¡®That¡¯s why I assumed I can¡¯t get RP from the orcs.¡¯ Inside, he had given up and let go of his expectations. ¡®However, the truth is different. There¡¯s another reason as to why I can¡¯t obtain RP from the orcs.¡¯ He was unable to form friendships of equal standing with another species due to the barrier in forming interspecies relationships. That was the reason why he couldn¡¯t get any RP from the orcs. The restrictions, however, had been lifted. ¡®This is a pleasant surprise.¡¯ Lloyd was determined to continue befriending the orcs. Obviously, he also wouldn¡¯t refuse the compensation he¡¯d get any time by now. ¡°Now it¡¯s time to put our agreement as written in the contract to practice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve built us a Seokbinggo, so we¡¯ll give you the exercise equipment we used, oiinkk.¡± ¡°Then, as promised, I¡¯ll give you the stone exercise equipment.¡± Lloyd also made exercise equipment out of stone along the construction of the Seokbinggo. He took the steel that Bangul had pooped and made it into bars. For the weight, he cut some granite. He was able to make super heavy dumbbells, weights, and other exercise items for the orcs using these. As payment, he would receive the orcs¡¯ silver and gold treasures, which they previously used as mere exercise equipment. His compensation didn¡¯t end there. ¡°I, Arosh, have promised my savior, Lloyd, to send 120 male orcs to his territory if he¡¯s acknowledged as a warrior. Arosh is a warrior who keeps his words, so I¡¯ll fulfill my promise today, oinkk!¡± Arosh shouted. 120 enthusiastic muscular orc warriors lined up. All of them volunteered to be sent to the Frontera Barony. ¡°Human beings are so frail, oink!¡± ¡°I want to teach them how to work out, oink!¡± ¡°Let us get going, oink!¡± That was how these 120 muscle gospeler, no, warriors were dispatched. Lloyd turned to face them, a happy smile plastered on his face. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect they¡¯d send so many.¡¯ He was able to gain RP from the orcs by building friendships with them. He took all of the gold and silver treasures piled up in the village. Now, he could mobilize 120 orc warriors as workers. In addition, he also had the valuable magic ingredients and items he obtained from the black mage. The more he took into account what he had obtained this time, the happier he became. ¡®Good, very good.¡¯ The benefits he got from the plan with great benefits he thought of when he discovered Arosh in the ant nest were far superior to the one he had previously imagined. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll get going right now.¡± Alongside the orcs¡¯ enthusiastic farewell, they started their journey back home. The group consisted of Lloyd, Javier, 40 Construction Team members, and an additional 120 orcs. Because of the large number of people in the party, they marched noisily across the mountain range. However, they were safe from the threat of monsters. When some monsters saw 120 orcs flocking together, they sneaked off to flee the other way. On the other hand, those that were occasionally brave enough to attack the party were quickly dealt with by Javier and the orc warriors. They were beaten so hard until the depths of their soul and reduced into a great source of protein. The party crossed the mountain range with raging spirit. Lloyd¡¯s enormous sum of large and heavy compensation was never a problem. After all, these items were originally used as exercise equipment by the orc warriors. ¡°Walking while carrying this is a good workout, oink!¡± ¡°My shoulder muscles are being stimulated, oink!¡± ¡°I¡¯m burning my fat, oinkkk!¡± Those ¡®exercise equipment¡¯ were things ordinary humans could hardly lift. The orcs, however, were rather pleased. They were happy to walk while carrying it. ¡®This stimulates their muscles¡¯, they said. As expected, they were exactly like the uncles at the local gym who kept shouting that sweating profusely while working out was the best. The orcs were even competing against one another in terms of carrying heavier loads on their shoulders. For 10 days, they walked and chatted with each other while crossing the mountain range. After that, the sight of a familiar place finally unfolded before their eyes. It was the Frontera Barony. Lloyd had returned home. When Lloyd arrived at the mansion, he encountered a small unexpected situation. ¡°Young Master Lloyd, the Lord is currently inside the drawing room.¡± The administrator who received them on the Baron and Baroness¡¯s behalf bowed his head. At that, Lloyd inquired, ¡°Is there a guest inside the drawing room?¡± ¡°That is right, young master.¡± ¡°Who is the guest?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Mr. Shiloh and Mr. Meatloaf.¡± ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Uh, the people who lent the Baron a private loan¡­.¡± ¡°Ah, those loan sharks?¡± Lloyd remembered them. They were the skinny and the fat fellows who had come to visit the Baron the other day. Didn¡¯t he get rid of them by mixing some polite bluffs and threats at the time? Lloyd chuckled when he recalled the events that happened at that time. ¡°Just in time.¡± Very good. He was just about to have a talk about the debt with the loan sharks. ¡®I think they are an excellent match for me. How can they come at the right moment just when I need them? I¡¯m grateful.¡¯ Lloyd walked straight to the drawing room. He hummed at the thought of the negotiation he¡¯d be having today with the loan sharks. Author¡¯s note : the left nostril: Yeah ¨J Drop the beat! (Pa ram pa ram boom boom boom) CH 41 ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± Lloyd said before pushing the door open. Creak. When the door was open, he could see what was going on inside the drawing room. Three pairs of eyes focused on him. ¡°Huh? Lloyd?¡± Baron Frontera was the one who spoke to him first. His eyes were filled with a mixture of surprise, delight, and a tinge of embarrassment. Lloyd bowed politely to the baron. ¡°Yes, I have returned.¡± ¡°Yes, I see you¡¯ve returned safely. Are there any injuries?¡± ¡°No, thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°You look tired.¡± ¡°I am okay. I¡¯ve worked hard in crossing the mountain.¡± Lloyd smiled bitterly. He was grateful to the Baron who was concerned about his condition first when he saw him. On the other hand, he also felt fortunate to have returned to the territory at a time when the Baron was in a difficult situation. All because of the two uninvited guests who were currently sitting opposite to the Baron. ¡°Long time no see, Mr Shiloh and Mr. Meatloaf.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The two loan sharks had been wordlessly glaring at him since earlier. Shiloh, the skinny loan shark and Meatloaf, the chubby loan shark. Their gaze towards him was never kind. ¡®Perhaps because they had no choice but to back down after I discovered a loophole in their action the last time they visited.¡¯ Wasn¡¯t he right, though? One corner of the skinny Shiloh¡¯s lip curled upwards. ¡°My, my, look at this. Aren¡¯t you Baron Frontera¡¯s outstanding eldest son?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. What excuses did you come up with today to chase us out?¡± The fat Meatloaf chimed in as well. Lloyd¡¯s sour grin widened. ¡°You must have received an official invitation today, right?¡± ¡°Clearly,¡± Shiloh said. ¡°I sent someone to notify the Baron ahead of time, asking whether we could visit. The wise Baron happily agreed to the suggestion, isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°¡­ That¡¯s right.¡± the Baron nodded his head. His expression, however, wasn¡¯t very happy. It was natural, given that the Baron owed them a substantial sum of money. Therefore, preventing them from visiting wouldn¡¯t be possible. Lloyd was able to deduce these facts without needing further explanation. He was already accustomed to this situation. ¡®This happened to my father as well.¡¯ Day after day, creditors came to visit their house. His father was suffering because of their harassment, but didn¡¯t have the bravery to stop them. No matter what kind of abusive language they hurled, father could only nod his head, saying yes and only yes. The weak was the one at fault. The creditors would kill them. In the evenings after the loan sharks had come and turned the house upside down, father drank soju alone and muttered these words while lamenting fate. ¡®Sigh. Let¡¯s stop thinking about that.¡¯ Recalling that memory was painful to him. Lloyd inhaled deeply and buried the painful memory deep within himself. He then turned his gaze to the two loan sharks in front of him. Just like that, his gaze already turned composed. Instead of sadness because of the painful memories, those eyes were filled with a faint manipulative glint. The same also applied to the voice he directed to the loan sharks. ¡°Haha, I see. I welcome you with my whole heart. Have you tried the drink produced by our livestock?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to get something other than a drink,¡± Shiloh retorted. Meatloaf added, ¡°Something like a mine, for example.¡± ¡°A mine?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, a mine.¡± Meatloaf¡¯s chubby cheeks jiggled. His eyes, half-buried in the flesh of his cheeks, were full of greed. ¡®That coal mine you just built, kid,¡¯ the thought popped in Meatloaf¡¯s mind. The coal mine in the Frontera Barony was said to have been built by the eldest son, who was a notorious ruffian. He built it by mobilizing the soldiers. Meatloaf initially didn¡¯t believe the rumors in the slightest. ¡®What kind of mine was being built in the Barony?¡¯ They wouldn¡¯t even have the money to build it. That was why he only sneered and didn¡¯t take that rumor seriously. Similar rumors had continued to reach his ears since then. Meatloaf had heard that an accident had occurred while they were digging the mine. Ant beasts appeared and nearly exited the tunnel they were digging. In the process, the hooligan eldest son saved the workers. One rumor after another came out from people¡¯s mouths until it all reached his ears. By then, Meatloaf also felt that something was strange. He sent a man to investigate the situation at the Barony of Frontera. Thanks to that, he finally knew. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that our Baron¡¯s eldest son possessed such a talent? Korean floor heating stone? Ondol? You made such weird things and coaxed the residents to raise money, right?¡± How surprised was he when he first heard that? ¡°It wasn¡¯t until then did I realize. No wonder our Baron has been diligently paying his interest lately. The money comes from making ondol or whatever that is,¡± Meatloaf stated. ¡°You¡¯re clever for using the money that remained to build paved roads and a coal mine. For real, kukuku.¡± Shiloh, the skinny loan shark, chuckled. Meatloaf automatically burst out laughing as well. A coal mine?! That one was newly built, too. It was the smell of money, his strong gut feeling said so. If he could make that mine his, he was sure it¡¯d be a goose that¡¯d lay golden eggs for a while. ¡°That¡¯s the reason why we visited the Baron as soon as possible and had a very g~ood conversation with him.¡± ¡°What do you mean by a good conversation?¡± ¡°We¡¯re negotiating a deal that will be beneficial for both of us.¡± Shiloh slyly laughed at Lloyd¡¯s retort. He looked back at the Baron and gave him an arrogant wink. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell your son yourself?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The Baron fell silent. Shiloh clicked his tongue, raising his pointy chin, and said, ¡°If the Baron doesn¡¯t want to, I will be the one who will talk. Simply put, it¡¯s like this. The Baron grants us the rights of the mine and in return we¡¯ll waive three months of the interest. But you know what?! Why does the Baron keep on rejecting our terms?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What does the young one think of this? We believe it would be better if you tried to persuade your father yourself. Aren¡¯t the terms we offered wonderful?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lloyd didn¡¯t think it was wonderful. He couldn¡¯t believe the loan sharks were offering to waive three months¡¯ interest in exchange for the rights to the mine he had worked so hard to build. After listening to it, he knew that these d*cks didn¡¯t even try. Lloyd tightly clenched his fists and was about to grind his teeth. However, Lloyd didn¡¯t raise his fists nor did his expression change. The more he became enraged and displayed it, the more he¡®d be wrapped in their schemes. The harder the situation, the softer he¡¯d speak. The angrier he got, the more cunning he became. ¡°Oh myyy, What a generous offer.¡± ¡°Right?¡± That wasn¡¯t true at all, okay. Starting from now, he¡¯d change that to be a win-win offer, but he¡¯d be the one who won twice. Determined, Lloyd grinned. ¡°Then, I¡¯d like to make one suggestion. Would you like to hear it?¡± ¡°A negotiation? I don¡¯t think we need to listen to it.¡± ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll repay the debt by splitting it up and paying it off in installments. I¡¯m referring to a partial payment. Then we¡¯ll pay the interest. After that, the next interest would have to be proportionate to the decreasing amount of debt.¡± ¡°¡­. what?¡± ¡°Oh, what should I do? You¡¯ve already listened to the suggestion.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Displeasure filled Shiloh and Meatloaf¡¯s eyes. Rubbing his double chin, Meatloaf said, ¡±That¡¯d be difficult.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, It¡¯d be difficult. A partial payment is impossible, that¡¯s our policy.¡± Shiloh continued, ¡°If you want to pay, you¡¯ve to pay it back all at once. No paying in installments. That is not how we do things.¡± ¡°Hoh, so you want me to pay the initial debt all at once?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°So you want us to keep on paying a huge amount of interest all this time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how we do things. Didn¡¯t you borrow the money after knowing that?¡± Shiloh raised his eyebrows, as if asking what nonsense Lloyd was talking about. What Shiloh said was true. They were private loan sharks. It was their purpose and method of doing business, which was to lend money and charge a high interest rate. That was why they refused to accept partial payment. A never-ending circle of increasing interest. How many people in the world could pay back that huge sum of money at once? It¡¯d be even more impossible for people who were forced to borrow money from private loan sharks due to a financial emergency. They¡¯d be struggling to break free from the debt that had bound them, a debt they¡¯d never be able to pay back. Just like an ant falling from its nest, straight into hell. One could never escape even though they struggled. They¡¯d be sucked dry, until only an empty shell remained. ¡®If a debtor goes bankrupt or dies because of their harassment, they¡¯ll buy the territory at a bargain price and resell it at an expensive price.¡¯ Shiloh and Meatloaf. The two loan sharks used that very popular method. That was also the trap in which Baron Frontera was currently trapped. Lloyd intended to break off the wicked loop of the trap right now. ¡®Otherwise, no matter how much money I make, it won¡¯t end.¡¯ He wanted a partial payment for the debt. This way, the interest could be reduced according to the remaining amount of the debt. If these two conditions were met, many things would change. It¡¯d be just like a regular debt, not a private loan anymore. It would also be much easier to pay off the debt in the future. ¡°That¡¯s why I made a suggestion. What do you think? Aren¡¯t the terms I offered wonderful?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lloyd didn¡¯t care whether the other party snorted at him or not. He put his thick-as-an-iron plate face on and pushed the idea. Of course, Shiloh and Meatloaf¡¯s snort only got louder. Shiloh even blatantly sneered at him. ¡°Has our Young Master lost his mind today? You¡¯re being weirdly stubborn. Do you really think we¡¯ll take that ridiculous offer?¡± ¡°You certainly will.¡± ¡°We certainly will?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And why would we?¡± ¡°I brought a friend who¡¯s extremely good at negotiating today.¡± ¡°¡­. what?¡± Shiloh tilted his head while Meatloaf frowned deeply. Lloyd looked back to the door of the drawing room and said, ¡°Hey, you can come in now.¡± As soon as he said that¨C Bang! Whooshh! The door to the drawing room was slammed open with a tremendous force. It was so strong Lloyd wondered if the door would get pulled out. The wind created when the door opened blew Lloyd¡¯s shirt, as well as the two loan sharks¡¯ hair who stood in the back. Then, a roaring shout echoed in the drawing room. ¡°Nice to meet you! I am Arosh, the orc. I am here today to meet the Lord of Frontera Barony on behalf of the Sand and Steel Tribe, oiiink!¡± Rumble! The room¡¯s interior rattled because of the loud shout. ¡°¡­!¡± Shiloh and Meatloaf unconsciously covered their ears with their hands. They tried to bury themselves in the back of the drawing room with a frightened expression on their face. The Baron was no different. ¡°You, umm, l-long time no see,¡± the Baron said. ¡°Yes, oink!¡± ¡°Did you come here together with our Lloyd?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I came here to inform you of the chief of our tribe¡¯s intention, oink!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°This, oink!¡± Boom! Booom! Boom! Arosh walked across the drawing room with his muscular build. He flashed past the two frightened loan sharks, his muscles flared. On the Baron¡¯s table, he placed down a heavy object. It was the fangs of a giant monster. ¡°Only the bravest warriors can hunt the fangs of a Kargas. The chief of the tribe wanted to give this to the Baron as a token, oink.¡± ¡°Token, what kind of token are you referring to?¡± ¡°A token for our blood alliance, oink.¡± ¡°What?¡± The Baron¡¯s eyes opened wide. Arosh continued, ¡°Lloyd Frontera is our tribe¡¯s benefactor. Not only that, but he¡¯s a human being who has been acknowledged as a warrior by the tribe. Of course, this is a rare case in the history of orcs, oink.¡± ¡°No way¡­.¡± The Baron¡¯s eyes opened wider and wider. He couldn¡¯t help it. The orcs acknowledged Lloyd as a warrior. Unbelievably, what Lloyd said really came true. It must¡¯ve been extremely difficult. No, it should be nearly impossible. There were, of course, a few exceptions. One of the most famous anecdotes related to such a case was dated hundreds of years ago. A certain girl without a name was acknowledged as a warrior by the chief of the tribe, Akash. It was a distant story that had been simply recorded in the history books. Whether it was the truth or not, it was difficult to determine. In fact, the Baron had only a sliver of hope that Lloyd would be acknowledged as a warrior when he sent him go. However, that thing that should be unrealistic was officially declared by Arosh, a dignified Orc Warrior and the son of the tribe chief. ¡°Also, as the father of Lloyd Frontera, a warrior and benefactor of the tribe, you¡¯re fully qualified to form a blood alliance with our tribe, oiinkk,¡± Arosh seriously declared. His expression was also serious. ¡°How about it, Baron? Will you accept the will of our tribe chief and form a blood alliance with us, oinnkk?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The Baron swallowed dryly. It was a crazy huge stroke of luck he¡¯d never imagined before. Forming a blood alliance with the orcs. It meant that Frontera Barony would officially be in one union with the orcs. ¡°Of course.¡± This matter wasn¡¯t something to hesitate or worry about. The Baron determinedly nodded his head. Arosh smiled happily, revealing his fangs. ¡°Good! Now the Barony of Frontera has a blood alliance with us. We¡¯re each other¡¯s friends, sisters, and brothers, oink!¡± The Baron and Arosh exchanged handshakes. In the meantime, the two loan sharks could only watch the scene blankly. After a while, Arosh turned his eyes to look at them, who subconsciously flinched. ¡°However, who are these humans? Arosh heard everything from outside the door. Those humans kept on belittling the Baron, oink!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The eyes of the two loan sharks¡ªboth Shiloh and Meatloaf¡ªshook greatly. Arosh¡¯s following question made their hearts race faster than before. ¡°Could these humans be the Baron¡¯s enemies, oink?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The Barony and the Sand and Steel tribe had formed a blood alliance. The enemy of the Baron was the enemy of the tribe as well. It was a warrior¡¯s virtue to kill the enemy of the tribe right away. As such, the orcs were famous for being thorough in returning favors and resolving grudges. Unfortunately, the two loan sharks were quite familiar with orcs¡¯ customs. ¡°Umm, you see, if they rejected my suggestion, they¡¯d unfortunately be our enemies from now on.¡± Lloyd was feeling complacent as he talked in a roundabout manner. Cold sweat began to trickle down the back of the two loan sharks. Author¡¯s note: (Eye glints) CH 42 The two loan sharks, Shiloh and Meatloaf, fled in a hurry. Of course, they didn¡¯t forget to agree to Lloyd¡¯s demands first. They didn¡¯t have much of a choice after all. Arosh, who was standing beside Lloyd, snorted. He glared at the two loan sharks with his angry gorilla-like eyes. He was prepared to lift the table and throw them at the loan sharks¡¯ heads as soon as ¡®they are the enemies of the Baron Frontera¡¯ left Lloyd¡¯s mouth. Perhaps, only a few humans would be able to remain calm in the presence of such an enraged orc. The two loan sharks certainly weren¡¯t one of those. ¡®I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll die at this rate if we don¡¯t do anything about it,¡¯ the two loan sharks thought. Shiloh and Meatloaf¡¯s backs were sweating profusely. What they were feeling right now was more than just vague apprehension or anxiety. They were both well aware that human rules meant nothing to the Orc Warrior. ¡®If we do something wrong, he can just kill us and run away to the wilderness.¡¯ The two loan sharks refused to die untimely at the hands of an angry orc. As soon as they finished calculating the pros and cons in their brains, they immediately put on a business smile. ¡°Oh? When did we say we wouldn¡¯t comply with the Young Master¡¯s demands? Naturally, we have to listen to it. Um, of course, we will,¡± Meatloaf hastily said. Without hesitation, Shiloh also added, ¡°Of course we will do it. What kind of relationship do you think we have? Do you need a written vow? I can write one right away.¡± ¡°Really? Oh, my, I¡¯m so grateful.¡± Naturally, a sly smile fully bloomed on Lloyd¡¯s face. Just like that, Lloyd then gave the written vow to the two loan sharks. Only two stipulations were written inside: allow the Baron to pay the debt in installments, and reduce the amount of interest based on the amount of remaining debt. ¡°¡­.¡± Holding back the bitter feelings in their hearts, the two loan sharks agreed to the written vow. Under Lloyd¡¯s silent pressure that was transmitted from his glare, they had to sign and stamp the written vow as well. ¡°Then¡­. We will get going now!¡± As soon as Shiloh and Meatloaf stamped their fingerprints on the written vow, they bolted like puppies that had to poop. Lloyd¡¯s attempt at negotiating(?) with them went well. His target was achieved. ¡®It¡¯s just perfect. We¡¯ve gotten the best possible result we can get out of this situation.¡¯ Intimidating them with Arosh¡¯s help was very effective. Orc warriors had the personality of acting without properly evaluating or judging the situation. They weren¡¯t bound by human laws. A fist, unlike a law, was a tangible entity. For the two loan sharks who enjoyed exploiting the laws and system, Arosh was almost like their perfect counter pick. ¡®Needless to say, If I were to do it in my own way, I¡¯d like to threaten them properly and ensure I¡¯m free of debt.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t do it since it was impossible to begin with. ¡®It¡¯s a violation of the law. Even though it¡¯s a private loan, it¡¯s a fact that we have a legal debt.¡¯ What if a legal debt was voided due to a threat? The two loan sharks would surely file a report. Roughly, the charge would be a financial crime committed through extortion. Shortly speaking, the entire Barony would be in big legal trouble. ¡®That¡¯d be a hassle.¡¯ On the other hand, what about the two points of agreement Lloyd successfully secured in the written vow earlier? Those were the utmost gains he could get while still remaining inside the bounds of the law. Simply put, he had gained the most benefit he could get from this situation. ¡®Let¡¯s be satisfied with this much for now. If we try to eat too much, we could get indigestion. Take one step at a time, nice and slow, and a path will open up.¡¯ The debt was still far from being paid off. However, if he worked hard enough, he could eventually pay all of them someday. With that in mind, Lloyd returned his gaze to the Baron and Arosh. ¡°Now, now, since our territory and the Steel and Sand Tribe have finally joined hands, which is long-awaited, let¡¯s take a commemorative selfie¡­ I mean, a commemorative painting?¡± ¡°That would be nice.¡± The Baron happily nodded. Meanwhile, Arosh tilted his head at the mention of commemorative painting. Lloyd then asked the mansion¡¯s administrator to summon the painter. The Barony of Frontera, a rural fief in the eastern corner of the kingdom, and the Steel and Sand Tribe, a powerhouse located beyond the eastern mountain range. This was a historic moment in which two different forces were officially reborn as blood allies. The next day, Lloyd began to busily work before the fatigue from his journey across the mountain range had faded off. ¡®Because I don¡¯t have the time to do things haphazardly.¡¯ Time wasn¡¯t on his side. Even while he was doing all this, time continued to tick by. With each passing day, the day to pay the interest came closer. Thus, he couldn¡¯t slack off. He had to be more diligent. Lloyd made a list of tasks that needed to be done. ¡®First of all, I want to sell the pile of treasure I received from the Orc Tribe as payment for the construction of the Seokbinggo.¡¯ The gold and silver treasure had been used as exercise equipment for a long time. Thanks to that, the damage was quite severe. However, what if he sold them all at once? It¡¯d become a quite large sum of money. Even when taking the damage caused by the long, harsh use as exercise equipment into consideration, maybe it could pay 20% of the debt. That wasn¡¯t all. There were also the steel rebars Bangul had pooped occasionally. Excluding some that was stored for future construction projects, some steel rebars were set aside to be sold. ¡®If I sell the treasure and the steel rebars, I might be able to pay off 30% of the debt. However, there¡¯s no way to quickly sell them all.¡¯ No matter how valuable and expensive the items were, it¡¯d be useless if nobody wanted to purchase them. What about the Frontera Barony? Only ordinary farmers, woodcutters, and merchants from the outskirts occasionally stopped by the territory. Lloyd couldn¡¯t find anyone to buy the treasures and the rebars, nor anyone who could pay for them. ¡®But I couldn¡¯t give those to the loan sharks like that. If I do that, they¡¯ll try to cut down the price as much as they can. I have to turn them into gold coins.¡¯ To deal with the loan sharks, Lloyd chose to do it with cash. Lloyd, who had firmly established that principle, thought that he needed to go to a big city soon to sell the treasures and rebars and turn them into gold coins. Of course, going without any preparation was forbidden. What if he blindly went a long way with such a large amount of goods and lost it? What if he couldn¡¯t find a place to sell it? So much time and effort would be wasted. It¡¯d be literally making a trip for nothing. So, Lloyd went to see the Baron to inquire about the merchant who would handle the goods he had gotten this time. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, of course I should be the one who¡¯ll take care of it first. All right, I¡¯ll try to ask the merchants so you can take the goods to Cremo as soon as I get in touch with them,¡± the Baron said. The city of Cremo was the central trading city in the Cremona province, which included Barony Frontera. ¡®Hoo, then I¡¯ll have to wait until it¡¯s time to sell the goods. Let¡¯s do something in the meantime.¡¯ The remaining work that had to be prioritized was coal mining. ¡®This is the reason why I brought orc miners here.¡¯ Lloyd raised his head. 120 orc miners gathered in the open space in front of the entrance of the mine. Lloyd said to them, ¡°Now, now, I¡¯m sure everyone has heard in advance about what we¡¯re going to do today.¡± ¡°I heard, oink!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to dig it up, oink!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to break it down, oiinkk!¡± The orc miners raised their big fists up in the air. Lloyd held back his bitter smile. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. We¡¯re going to go inside the mine right here, dig up coal, split stones, and break them down.¡± ¡°Breaking stones down is fun, oink!¡± ¡°I¡¯m excited, oinkk!¡± The orc miners were getting even more excited. They raised the shovels and pickaxes provided for the job. It seemed as if they were ready to be dispatched to the battlefield right away. Maybe that was why, when they heard Lloyd¡¯s next words, the orcs¡¯ eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Not everyone here will work all at once, there¡¯s a work shift.¡± ¡°What, oink?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, oink?¡± Pondering, the orcs tilted their heads. Lloyd continued, ¡°Everything is for work safety and efficiency. Okay, from there to there, from here to there. Yes, that¡¯s good. Let¡¯s split into groups.¡± Lloyd ordered the orcs with the gesture of his hands. After a little commotion, the 120 orcs were divided into four groups of 30 orcs each. ¡°Good job. Next, let¡¯s decide a name for each group so it¡¯s easy to distinguish.¡± ¡°Chest, oink.¡± ¡°Back, oink.¡± ¡°Shoulder, oink.¡± ¡°Legs, oink.¡± The orc miners shouted loudly. Thus, the names of the four groups were decided in an instant. In response, Lloyd said, ¡°Yes, well done. Next I¡¯ll tell you the work schedule for each day.¡± Lloyd¡¯s plan was to divide the orc miners into groups and put them to work. ¡®There will be 2 shifts in a single day, day and night. And the groups will rotate each day.¡¯ They¡¯d be working for a total of 6 days a week. What about the 7th day? ¡®I¡¯m going to give everyone a break. Rest is important.¡¯ For the 6 days next week, the day and night shift would be swapped. The group that previously worked during the day would work at night, while the group that previously worked at the night would work during the day. When Lloyd announced his plan, there was a commotion among the orc miners. ¡°Then, our team will be the first to work, oink!¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to mine coal all day, oink!¡± ¡°Exercise! Exercise! Oink!¡± ¡­ the orc miners even saw mine work as a form of exercise. Because of this, Lloyd had to work hard for a long time to calm them down. He wasn¡¯t able to persuade them until he explained to them that exercising and relaxing on a regular basis was beneficial for muscle building. Lloyd was also in charge of several other issues for the workforce. ¡®Mining is hard and dangerous.¡¯ Five soldiers were assigned to each group. Lloyd appointed them as security guards. Moreover, additional ventilation pipes were installed in the mine. He also provided masks to protect them from dust. All overtime work was strictly prohibited. A bathhouse was also constructed at the mine¡¯s entrance. Of course, he also provided accommodations for the orc miners so that they could rest comfortably. ¡®Plus the warehouse.¡¯ The warehouse that was attached to the Baron¡¯s mansion had been expanded. It was a facility made to store the coal that was mined. It took him a full month to prepare and establish the whole mining system. In the meantime, the orc miners showed off their majestic skills (?) to their heart¡¯s content. They already perfectly lived up to Lloyd¡¯s expectations from the very beginning. There was really no better miner than the orcs The work was regarded as a fulfilling exercise. They never got tired. They were overflowing with motivation. They kept working using the pickaxe with phenomenal muscle strength. They pushed a tremendously heavy mine cart full of coal very well. Because of this, the coal mining had gained an explosive momentum. Every hour, a cart was loaded with coal. The heavy cart was quickly moved through the paved road. The warehouse at Baron¡¯s mansion was gradually filled with coal. Whenever that happened, a smile adorned Lloyd¡¯s face. ¡®Good. Very good.¡¯ Now, bituminous coal was piling up. When winter came, it¡¯d turn into money. A happy smile automatically bloomed at the thought. There was something else that made Lloyd happy. Ding dong. [There¡¯s a moving story about you spreading throughout the territory.] [You once showed the bravery and initiative to put everything at stake to save the soldiers that were kidnapped by the black mage.] [At the time, the rescued soldiers from the Construction Team had praised you until their mouths dry to their family, relatives, and acquaintances throughout the month.] [All Barony Frontera residents have now heard your moving story.] [All of the residents are praising you for your noble courage.] [As a bonus for this social achievement, a large amount of RP will be specially rewarded.] [300 RP has been obtained] [Current RP: 911] ¡®Good.¡¯ It was another achievement Lloyd had been looking forward to since he had returned to the territory. It eventually yielded a profitable result of 300 RP. ¡®RP is a long-term asset that can be accumulated and used at any time.¡¯ It was both an intangible asset and weapon only he could use. Obviously, in the midst of successive achievements, Lloyd never felt complacent. There was still a long way to go, and the way wouldn¡¯t be smooth all the time. There must be small or big obstacles scattered in the way. He needed to clear foreseeable obstacles or prepare for it ahead of time. ¡°Orc miners¡¯ marvelous appetite is one of those foreseeable obstacles, for example!¡± ¡°What do you mean by marvelous appetite?¡± It was already evening. Javier asked about the words Lloyd had just uttered. The silver-haired knight raised his eyes and looked at the Young Master, whom he was escorting. Then, his Young Master, Lloyd, sat on his bedroom¡¯s desk while grinning. ¡°I mean it literally. They eat like pigs.¡± That was a fact. The orcs had a voracious appetite. If they debuted as a mukbang streamer in South Korea, their success would undoubtedly be guaranteed. ¡°If you calculate it, it¡¯s only natural. Their bodies are huge, aren¡¯t they? Plus, it¡¯s all muscle. Working in the mine for half a day can be physically taxing.¡± ¡°Well, I was a little surprised when I saw them eating earlier.¡± ¡°Right? We¡¯re holding out for now because there is food stocked in the territory, but it¡¯ll be a disaster in the year after the next.¡± That, too, was a fact. Now, the orcs could be fed with the food they had stored. However, after one or two years, the food reserves would run out. ¡°By then, we¡¯ll have to pay a lot of money to buy grain from the neighboring fief. That is, if we do nothing about it.¡± ¡°By the way, it sounds like Young Master has already planned countermeasures in advance.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Ding dong deng.¡± Lloyd smiled contentedly. ¡°Is it because our Javier has been spending so much time hanging out with this hyung? You¡¯ve gotten a lot smarter, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been smart.¡± ¡°Oh, did you?¡± ¡°Yes, and I-¡± Javier replied expressionlessly. ¡°Am not Lloyd-nim¡¯s dongsaeng¡± ¡°Oh, is this how it is?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you get the urge to call me hyung every now and then?¡± ¡°Not at all, absolutely not, never, I swear never, I vehemently disagree, and I refuse to do so.¡± ¡°Do you hate it that much?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hm, I was going to tell you a great secret of mine if you called me hyung even once.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Perhaps, are you curious about what kind of secret it is?¡± ¡°Nope, never.¡± ¡°Tsk. Cheeky guy.¡± ¡°Thank you. However, I¡¯m a little curious about the countermeasures you have in mind.¡± ¡°How to solve food shortage from the orcs¡¯ huge appetite in the future?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Javier nodded. The Young Master he served could be confusing at times. That, too, was the case at this moment. ¡®I don¡¯t know the true him,¡¯ Javier thought. The Young Master frequently said nonsensical things. But, he was also petty sometimes. There was also his clever and evil side. Frankly speaking, he was cunning like a fox, making Javier annoyed to death, it was painful. Sometimes, however, he was making the impossible possible, incomprehensible, and mysterious. For example, there was a moment like now when Young Master smiled as if it was no big deal and nonchalantly talked about a plan Javier would never dare to imagine. ¡°It¡¯s easy. We¡¯ll turn the abandoned swampy terrain at the south of the territory into a farmable land. Well, if I were to consider the method, how about combining and applying the Vertical Drain (VD) method?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± Lloyd grinned towards Javier. Somehow, Javier felt overwhelmed. Author¡¯s note: It¡¯s easy, right? CH 43 The Maritz Wetlands was an abandoned land. There were a lot of muddy swamps there. The dense swamps were home to a plethora of unknown creatures. Naturally, it was impossible to build any buildings or do some farming there. It was a useless land, one that couldn¡¯t be used. Thus, Maritz Wetlands had been treated as a forgotten land for generations. The northern part of the wetlands belonged to the Frontera Barony, meanwhile the southern part belonged to the Lacona Viscounty. Regardless, both parts of the land were being ignored all the same. After all, the land was considered impossible to develop. ¡®¡­ However, that¡¯ll be a thing of the past.¡¯ It¡¯d change from now on. With that in mind, Lloyd raised his head. He looked back and asked cautiously, ¡°Is my Lord all right?¡± ¡°Yes, absolutely.¡± Baron Frontera, who was following behind Lloyd, nodded. Lloyd looked up and down quickly to assess the Baron¡¯s condition. The Baron was wearing knee-high boots. Because the leather was fully oiled, the boots were almost completely waterproof. Unfortunately, the boots were not able to do their job properly today. ¡°I don¡¯t think My Lord looks all right. It seems mud and water have already gotten inside the boots.¡± It wasn¡¯t that the boots weren¡¯t working, but it was because the swamp was much deeper than the Baron¡¯s knees. The water even reached the top of their thighs every time they walked. As a result, water had already filled the Baron¡¯s boots. His pants were also completely drenched. However, the Baron was a manly man with an unexpected tenacity. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I already expected this much.¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so?¡± Lloyd didn¡¯t think so. Suddenly, Lloyd recalled what had happened two hours ago. Two hours ago, Lloyd went to the Baron¡¯s office. He informed the Baron of his intention to develop the Maritz Wetlands that was located at the southern part of the territory. The goal and reason why he wanted to develop the wetlands was clear. It was to boost the territory¡¯s food productivity for the future. ¡®I have to feed the Orc miners. Even if that is not the case, expanding the territory¡¯s farmland is something that has to be strongly encouraged.¡¯ Food Production. Agriculture was the foundation of all industries, regardless of how advanced a society was. Only after problems regarding eating and living were solved would the next step of development become available. This also applied to the territory, Lloyd thought. ¡®The orc miners are just the beginning. One day, the population will increase. However, it will be difficult if the territory¡¯s food production capacity is insufficient to feed the growing population.¡¯ The food production capacity needed to be increased to accommodate the growing number of mouths that needed to be fed. But, there was no other land in the territory that could be cleared and cultivated for farming. The only available land was the Maritz Wetlands, which was located directly at the south of the territory. That was the reason why Lloyd had to drain the swamps and carry out a land reclamation project. To do so, he needed the Baron¡¯s permission. Thus, Lloyd revealed his plan to the Baron. Should the Baron oppose his plan, another plan had been prepared to persuade him. However, things didn¡¯t turn out as Lloyd had expected. The Baron gave an unexpected reaction. ¡°If that is the case, are you thinking of going to survey the topography of the wetlands?¡± ¡°Pardon? Well, yes, I am.¡± ¡°Good. Then, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bring the servants. It will be alright for you to go with this father alone. I should change into some comfortable clothes first. Wait a minute.¡± After that, the Baron went to change his clothes without hearing Lloyd¡¯s answer first. He put on a comfortable shirt, pants, and knee-high leather boots. He also wore a sword on his waist. What was more, he even ordered the maid to pack lunch! ¡°Umm, uh, this is not a picnic.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Then, why bring lunch¡­?¡± ¡°Even if we¡¯re only going to the wetlands, it¡¯ll be a problem if we get hungry, right?¡± ¡°Umm, still.¡­¡± ¡°Am I wrong, by any chance?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lloyd had no choice but to stop talking after that. The Baron wasn¡¯t wrong. However, in Lloyd¡¯s eyes, it seemed that the Baron really considered this trip as a picnic. ¡®A pretty fun picnic, too, to boot.¡¯ This was something Lloyd couldn¡¯t understand. They were going to survey and examine damp wetlands full of swamps. Lloyd couldn¡¯t believe the Baron got so excited and prepared for the trip like going to a picnic. ¡®What¡¯s so fun about it?¡¯ Even when Lloyd left the mansion with the Baron, or when they traveled across the territory towards the south where the wetlands would be, or when they eventually arrived at the muddy swamp and struggled to move in it, Lloyd still couldn¡¯t comprehend the Baron¡¯s attitude. The truth was, even now, he still couldn¡¯t. ¡°Huf, huff!¡± The Baron was gasping heavily. Every time he took a step in the muddy swamp, the Baron was doing a slapstick comedy with his whole body. The reason was simple. It was because he raised his hands high to protect the basket filled with lunch. Unable to watch it any longer, Lloyd asked, ¡°Um, shall I carry the lunch basket?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°But if My Lord keeps on carrying it like that, your arms will be sore, and it¡¯ll be more difficult to keep your balance.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not difficult. You should focus on your work.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think carrying that is going to distract my work.¡± Lloyd was telling the truth. In fact, Lloyd had been activating his Survey Skill for quite some time. The thing was, his Survey Skill didn¡¯t require him staying focused. ¡®Because the results of the survey are automatically saved as data.¡¯ Later, Lloyd could go back to the mansion and whip out the survey data at any time. He only needed to concentrate at that moment. Hence, it wasn¡¯t difficult at all for him to help the Baron carry the lunch basket now. But, the Baron persistently refused. ¡°Aren¡¯t I the one who wanted to go together with you? How could I make you carry this?¡± ¡°Umm, it¡¯s absolutely fine. My Lord doesn¡¯t have to carry that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really okay, so turn around and look to the front.¡± ¡°All right. Then, shall we take a break there first?¡± Lloyd happened to see a slightly higher ground in the middle of the wetlands far ahead. There, dry soil piled up, forming a small mound that arose above the swamps. ¡®It¡¯s not more than a few meters ahead anyway.¡¯ Furthermore, now seemed the right moment for them to take a short break. ¡°Then, please follow me carefully. Don¡¯t fall down,¡± Lloyd said. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry. Huff huf!¡± Lloyd then led the Baron to go towards the small mound. When they arrived there, there was a fairly wide flat rock. Lloyd sat down on the rock and took a deep breath. Meanwhile, the Baron opened the lunch basket. There was a wooden stackable picnic container wrapped in a pure white cloth inside. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering for a while, but what did My Lord bring that he protects so vehemently?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I just brought the most delicious thing in the world.¡± The Baron smiled and opened the stacked wooden container. What was inside the container was¡­. ¡°It was hard-boiled eggs and tomatoes.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°The tomatoes are plentifully doused in honey. Here¡¯s your fork.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was a little unexpected. They were nobles after all. It wasn¡¯t bad, but Lloyd expected something better. The happy smile that was adorning the Baron¡¯s face grew warmer. ¡°Are you a little puzzled because it has been a long time? Still, wasn¡¯t this your favorite food when you were young?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I still remember it to this day. You refused eating all kinds of greasy foods with all of your might. You said hard-boiled eggs and honey tomatoes are the best. How I feel at a loss about what to do every time back then.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Even now, I sometimes regret it. When you said you liked boiled eggs and honey tomatoes back then, I should¡¯ve understood you¡­ and gave you that as much as you wanted.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± How should Lloyd respond to this? Lloyd only pursed his lips, the fork was held in his hand. Before he knew it, he had already stopped using the Survey Skill. He just silently stared at the empty fork. The Baron smiled and offered the egg he peeled himself for Lloyd. ¡°Here, dip it in the salt and eat it. Make sure to drink water afterwards to avoid choking.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet for a while. Does this father make you feel awkward?¡± ¡°Oh, um, no, you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I fully understand how you feel!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The Baron was looking at Lloyd. An inexplicable feeling of regret filled his eyes. That feeling, however, was fleeting. The Baron soon burst into a hearty laughter. ¡°Hohoho, you¡¯re going to get indigestion at this rate. Come on, let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± After that, neither Lloyd nor the Baron said anything. They ate the hard boiled eggs and honey tomatoes while sitting on an unknown gray rock in the swamp. In the meantime, the Baron regretted the past; for the time he had spent feeling disappointed about his son, who failed to meet his expectations; or his past self who had treated his own son like a sore finger the whole time. He wanted to apologize for his past actions. It was, however, difficult to put such feelings into words and and say them out loud. The Baron silently handed Lloyd a bottle of water instead. Lloyd wordlessly received the bottle and chugged it down to moisten his throat. Lloyd then passed the salt for the Baron to dip his eggs in. The whole time, the two of them were enveloped in silence. On their way back to the mansion, Lloyd picked up and carried the lunch basket. Only this time, the Baron didn¡¯t turn down Lloyd¡¯s help. The lunch basket felt lighter than it had been when they first came here. This made their steps feel a little lighter too. With this, Lloyd¡¯s first day of surveying the wetlands had come to an end. The next few days, Lloyd focused on surveying the area. The Maritz Wetlands was larger than he thought. It was impossible for him to cover the whole area with his Survey Skill in only a day or two. ¡®Still, I¡¯m glad that my Survey Skill¡¯s rank is intermediate!¡¯ The skill could now survey an area of about 40 m in width and length, or about 1600 m2 at a time. After pushing the skill usage several times to the limit, he was able to survey a fairly large area. Just like that, 20 more days flew by. Up until now, Lloyd had surveyed most of the area where the main reclamation project would take place. Shortly speaking, all topographic data within the range of the project had been obtained. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean the project would be easy. ¡®The design is a separate issue.¡¯ Lloyd furrowed his brows as he examined the topographic data of the Maritz Wetlands obtained through his Survey Skill. ¡®I already predicted this, but there are too many variables.¡¯ The wetlands was located in a lowland that was surrounded by two river tributaries. Water entered the wetlands whenever the river flooded on a regular basis. However, the water couldn¡¯t flow out. Thus, it accumulated. Eventually forming a swamp after many years had passed. ¡®In any case, regardless of whatever perspective I look at it, this pool of old stagnant water is the problem.¡¯ Just like in games, the principle could be applied into real land. In the game, one had to properly control the stagnant water so that the soil could be revived. Keeping this fact in mind, Lloyd devised a plan to carry out a wetland reclamation project. ¡®The truth is, I¡¯ve already figured out how to do it. I can ask the fantasy species¡¯ assistance to do the vertical drainage method. With that, we can accelerate the soil consolidation1Soil Consolidation refers to the process in which the volume of a saturated (partially or fully) soil decreases due to an applied stress. Land consolidation is an important technology for sustainable agricultural development. Directly associated with the permeability of the soil, the length of the drainage path and the direction or directions of the drainage path.. However, the embankments and waterways have to be properly positioned and built at the same time.¡¯ The area was vast, and the variables were numerous. Lloyd wasn¡¯t confident that the water would drain properly with the design he had in mind. ¡®If I blindly go for it and start the construction, it¡¯ll be a huge failure.¡¯ He¡¯d be in big trouble if he went through all the trouble of building embankments and waterways, only to have the water not drain properly. He¡¯d literally waste a lot of manpower and money to shovel something that¡¯d do nothing. Lloyd wanted to avoid that. ¡®Hmm, I wish I could run a simulation.¡¯ How much Lloyd hoped he could put the topographic data obtained by his Survey Skill into a supercomputer and run a simulation. However, here, that seemed like an impossible tale from the dreamlands. At that moment- ¡°Mmh¡­.¡± In the corner of Lloyd¡¯s bedroom, Javier turned and tossed his body in the armchair. Perhaps, he was having a nightmare. Javier¡¯s elegant eyebrows furrowed. If he left Javier be, Lloyd thought he¡¯d wake up soon. So, Lloyd chanted a magic spell(?) for the silver-haired knight who was tossing and turning in his sleep. ¡°The draining method consists of some drainage sections to collect and distribute the rainwater and river water that has entered the embankment during the flood, a side channel to receive the drained water and a filter section with filter to prevent the drainage from getting clogged. The diameter of the drainage channel is¡­ blah blah blah¡­ at least 0.5 meter above the ground inside the embankment¡­ on average¡­ the average hydraulic slope (H/D) in the entrance of the drain hole does not exceed 0.3¡­ blah blah blah¡­. With a structure that ensures a certain degree of safety against landslides¡­. Sleep tight, bye~¡± ¡°¡­ zzzz.¡± Javier fell deeply asleep. Lloyd grinned softly. When Lloyd was reciting the contents of a textbook he used in his major to put the silver-haired knight to sleep, an idea he could use to replace a supercomputer¡¯s simulation abruptly emerged in his mind. ¡®I¡¯m glad I recited the part about the embankment construction. As expected, the answer is in my major¡¯s textbook. Let¡¯s give it a shot.¡¯ Lloyd exited the bedroom and went to the mansion¡¯s backyard. Under the moonlight, he picked up his shovel. He dug the soil in the backyard, gathered it to one side, and carefully shaped it with his hands. Next, came in the water. Both crushed grass and red clay were properly mixed in the water. He also picked up and collected some small stones. Lloyd¡¯s sweat glistened under the moonlight. From then on, Lloyd continued to work busily. As a result, when dawn finally came, the fruits of Lloyd¡¯s hard work began to take shape. It was a miniature model of the Maritz Wetlands, which was scaled down to 4m x 4m. ¡°Phew, is this good enough?¡± Despite the fatigue that came rushing in, Lloyd smiled happily. The model was quite impressive, even by his standards. ¡®This is the only way. It is made based on the data I gained from the Survey Skill.¡¯ The overall topography¡¯s height and inclination to the degree of the stagnant water¡¯s slight flow; the model reflected numerous variables. With this, he¡¯d be able to run advanced analog simulations. ¡®Then, let¡¯s get started.¡¯ Lloyd rolled up his sleeves and trousers. His fashion style became like rice farmer¡¯s. He then started to sculpt the model. By simultaneously activating his Design Skill, he created a miniature embankment in the model. Then, he drilled a hole in the ground and dug a waterway on one part of the model. After that, he observed the drainage of the water. It was not an easy task. When morning went and noon came, the scorching summer sun fell on him without a filter. It hit him straight in the back. Sweat was pouring down his whole body like rain. The eyes of the people in the mansion were also intensely gathered at him. ¡°Um, what is Young Master Lloyd doing this time?¡± ¡°Did he open his eyes this morning and decide to play with mud?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s working on something.¡± It was a relief that people didn¡¯t criticize him as much as they used to. Lloyd continued to run analog simulations amidst the many attention he garnered. He failed every time. The design¡¯s drainage wasn¡¯t satisfactory enough. Nevertheless, Lloyd didn¡¯t give up. He was not going to give up until he found a solution. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t have even started if I was just going to lazily back down.¡¯ He set his spirit on fire every time he failed. While shouting ¡®again!¡¯, he restored the model with both hands, poured additional murky water, and created various types of embankments and waterways. Many more attempts and failures followed after that. Noon went and afternoon came. Around evening, when the afternoon sun still dimly lit up the sky, Lloyd finally found a great embankments and waterways design that could drain the water well. ¡®Finally!¡¯ Despite his heavy fatigue and pouring sweat, he raised and clenched his fist in celebration. The water was finally draining properly. Not only did it get drained properly, but there appeared to be no difficulty in maintaining its condition. To Lloyd, this felt rewarding because he had done something close to hard manual labor all day long today. That very moment, an unexpected notification popped up before his eyes. Ding dong. [You¡¯ve overcome the hurdle of limited conditions and solved a problem through your wisdom and grit.] [Your efforts have had a major impact on the ] [You have unlocked a new optional skill.] Author¡¯s note: (Ding dong) I summon the supercomputer~ Tl/n: I was so confused because in the manhwa the northern part of Maritz Wetlands belongs to Lacona and the southern part belongs to Frontera, but I¡¯ve double checked it in future chapters that indeed the northern part is Frontera¡¯s while southern half is Lacona¡¯s in the novel. Anyway¡­. Aww, Baron Frontera wants to get closer to his son but his actual son is- I¡¯ll stop. No, I¡¯m not crying. You are. :¡¯) Oh yeah, thank you Sours for the ko-fi! I¡¯ll update twice or thrice next week, sorry I can¡¯t do it this week because I don¡¯t have any chapters stockpiled¡­. I¡¯ll try to update more frequently. CH 44 Ding dong. [A new optional skill has been unlocked.] [Design Skill Option ¢Û : Simulation Mode ¨C Creates a terrain in the virtual design space based on the topographic data obtained from Survey that is able to be manipulated. This skill enables the user to observe various physical changes that will occur when the terrain is manipulated.] ¡®Huh?¡¯ Lloyd blinked. Was it because the beads of sweat running down his forehead had entered his eyes? No, that wasn¡¯t the reason. It was because the contents of the notification that popped in front of his eyes was a bit unbelievable. ¡®Oh my, what is this?¡¯ A Design Skill Option had been unlocked, it said?! And the Skill Option in question enabled him to run a simulation, the one he so desperately wished for?! It was an unexpected and baffling result. However, this wouldn¡¯t make Lloyd that mesmerized this time. Through the growth of Survey Skill to Design Skill, and even Asrahan Core Technique, Lloyd had properly felt the power of Skill Options. It was also the case this time. ¡®Seeing is believing, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ He¡¯d have to try reading the manual for 100 days in the future and doing the tutorial all day long. The basic idea was that hearing a lot of profanities while playing a game was way better than being bad because he rushed to do an actual battle. Lloyd immediately activated his Design Skill. ¡®Design.¡¯ Bzzttt..! A virtual hologram was created in front of Lloyd¡¯s eyes. The virtual design space was only visible to Lloyd; others would never be able to see it. He then entered Maritz Wetlands¡¯ topographic data obtained from the Survey Skill. Bzzt! The terrain of the Maritz Wetlands began to appear in the virtual design space. Up until this point, the process had been the same as the usual survey to design process he had gone through numerous times. However, there was a single thing that had changed. Under the virtual space, there was a button that could be selected. [Simulation Mode On] ¡®This is it.¡¯ Just by a glance, Lloyd knew he needed to press it. Thus, he did just that. [Design Skill Option ¢Û : Running Simulation Mode] [Designating current topography data loaded in the virtual design space as the target of the simulation.] Bzztt! Paats! The background of the virtual design space brightened. Numerous dots and lines appeared on Maritz Wetlands¡¯ terrain that was floating inside the virtual design space. This felt as if looking at a graphic divided by and composed of polygons. ¡®The controls should be the same with simulators.¡¯ Lloyd thought that might be the case. So, he reached out his hand and pinched a line that formed a mound with his fingers. Then, he pulled it upwards. Rumble rumble. The terrain stretched upwards as much as he pulled. A hill was created on a part of the Maritz Wetlands inside the virtual design space. Then, the mud and muddy water that was there previously began to flow down to the lower ground around the hill. ¡®Oohhh.¡¯ It felt as if he had become a god. If not, it felt like he was editing it using a terrain manipulator in a simulation game. ¡®This is amazing.¡¯ Lloyd gulped. He was a civil engineering student, and civil engineering was more than just constructing a building. ¡®I mean, constructing a building is architecture students¡¯ business. Civil engineering is not only about a single building, the scale is a lot bigger.¡¯ Which famous movie was it again, that had this line? The wind isn¡¯t something to be calculated, but to overcome. The way civil engineering thought about terrains, in his opinion, was similar to that line. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not exactly the same though, because we simultaneously calculate and overcome the terrain.¡¯ In a nutshell, it could be said that civil engineering was about planning and improving numerous terrain to enrich human life and activities. For example, digging a hole and building a tunnel in the mountain, building a harbor so the jagged coastline could be utilized, calculating and overcoming numerous terrains to build connecting roads and railways, designing water and sewage systems, filling a hole in the ground, occasionally doing a construction, and building bridges over steep cliffs to connect humans with each other. Since ancient times, civilization had continued to evolve. To Lloyd, civil engineering was a field of study that had the greatest impact on humanity. Therefore, in order to achieve such a scale, close calculations and experimentations regarding the terrain were absolutely essential. ¡®However, it is indeed me who has just gotten the tool to do just that.¡¯ Lloyd clenched his fists tightly. After that, Lloyd took apart the model of Maritz Wetlands he had just built in the backyard. He took a bath to clean off the mud on his body, and locked himself in the bedroom for five days. During those five days, countless embankments and waterways were dug, deconstructed, and built in the Maritz Wetlands inside the virtual design space by using the Simulation Mode Skill. Lloyd ran as many simulations as he could. Just like that, the design for the wetlands development project was meticulously devised and checked. As a result, Lloyd could polish and tidy up his successful first construction model, which he obtained by running analog simulations in his backyard. Of course in the meantime Javier had to practically take care of Lloyd on his own. ¡°Lloyd-nim, it is already time for lunch.¡± ¡°Yeah, leave it there.¡± ¡°I believe it is best if Lloyd-nim eats it right now.¡± ¡°Umm, but I¡¯m still busy right now, can¡¯t you see? Don¡¯t talk to me, okay?¡± ¡°But you haven¡¯t eaten the breakfast I brought a little while ago yet, have you?¡± ¡°Oho, I see. You¡¯re nagging me right now, huh?¡± ¡°I am saying this because I am concerned.¡± ¡°Concerned? You? To me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. You¡¯re concerned about me? Hey! Who are you? Where did you lock up our Javier?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Just kidding. Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m concentrating right now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see my serious expression and eyes?¡± ¡°I can not see it, but-¡± Javier sighed deeply. ¡°I would like to tell you that all I can see is the eccentric behavior of a money-crazed madman flailing his arms wildly in the empty air all day long.¡± ¡°Ah, seeing that you sneakily chewed me out with words like that, you are truly our Javier. But, what do I do? I¡¯m not crazy,¡± Lloyd replied casually, still flailing about his hands in the air like before. Javier¡¯s statement was, in fact, understandable. ¡®I¡¯m the only one who can see the virtual design space created by the Design Skill.¡¯ Actually, even now, Lloyd was still carefully manipulating Maritz Wetlands¡¯ terrain, which had been entered into the Simulation Mode. Just like that, he was experimenting different ways to apply the Vertical Drainage method. However, Javier would never be able to see it. He must¡¯ve only seen Lloyd flailing about, making strange gestures in the air. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to figure something out. People said that all of the nerve endings in the whole body gathered at the hands.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Actively moving your hands in this manner stimulates your nerves and activates your brain. Anyway, I genuinely need to concentrate.¡± ¡°But Lloyd-nim, you must not skip meals.¡± ¡°Ah, really. You¡¯re not my mother.¡± ¡°If you keep doing this, I will notify the Baroness that Lloyd-nim continues to skip meals and drink water.¡± ¡°¡­ Tsk, you can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do this with your loud babbling, you always-righteous man. Okay, then, will you please sit down in the armchair here?¡± ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°If you sit still, I¡¯ll eat my lunch.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Did this one exist solely to deceive you?¡± ¡°¡­ I understand.¡± Javier then sat down in the armchair. A cunning smile formed on Lloyd¡¯s mouth. ¡°That¡¯s right, good boy. Take a little break for a moment. In principle, the Pack Drain (PD) method is similar to the Sand Drain or Paper Drain¡­. Blah blah blah¡­. After simultaneously pressing and fitting in 4 or 6 casings 12 cm in diameter attached to a dedicated machine for that into the ground¡­. Blah blah blah¡­. The depth of the installation can be up to 35 m when the diameter is 12 cm, allowing it to function¡­. Blah blah blah¡­.¡± ¡°Huh? What is this-¡± Shaaa. It was a surprise lullaby service. Lloyd recited diligently the contents of his major¡¯s textbook. Javier¡¯s expression gradually became blank, his eyes began to feel heavy. His body tilted as he began to nod off. Lloyd gently extended his hands. He supported Javier¡¯s slumped body and pushed him backwards so Javier leaned on the back of the armchair. Lloyd continued his powerful lullaby service until Javier fell asleep peacefully. ¡°Plastic Board Drain, or PBD,is broadly classified into two types. The first one is made from a non-woven fabric drainage material. The width of the needle needed to push in the non-woven fabric that was approximately 5 mm thick is about 100 mm wide. You¡¯re doing well. Sleep tight, bye~¡± ¡°¡­. Zzzz.¡± Before he knew it, Javier had already fallen into a deep sleep. After performing environmental maintenance(?), Lloyd was able to continue to concentrate on his simulations in the Simulation Mode. A day, two days, and eventually three days had gone by. Javier¡¯s nagging and Lloyd¡¯s lullaby service became routine each passing day. In the meantime, plans for the reclamation of the Maritz Wetlands were steadily taking shape. ¡°It¡¯s finished,¡± Lloyd said. On the fifth day, a satisfied smile finally bloomed on Lloyd¡¯s lips. Now, it was time to form work groups and organize the heavy machineries(fantasy species) suitable for the construction plan. ¡°Ppodong? Bangul?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°Ba-ngul!¡± On a bright night illuminated by the moonlight, Lloyd came out to the mansion¡¯s backyard. Obviously, Javier was still deeply asleep. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m thinking of summoning a new friend for you both.¡± ¡°Ppo-dong?¡± ¡°Ba-ngul?¡± ¡°Anyhow, it seems that it¡¯d be better if you guys watched the summoning session together with me.¡± Lloyd grinned. Tonight, he was going to summon a new fantasy species for the reclamation of the Maritz Wetlands, which would begin soon. ¡°If possible, I hope a fantasy species that has an ability related to water comes out. But, well, it doesn¡¯t really matter if it¡¯s not. I just need some that could turn gigantic like you guys.¡± For the reclamation of the Maritz Wetlands, Lloyd was planning to use the vertical drainage method. Fundamentally, the Vertical Drainage Method was a method of drilling numerous vertical holes in the bottom of the wetlands and inserting drainage pipes into it to consolidate the soil. ¡®Based on the result of the survey, it can be concluded that the topography of the Maritz Wetlands is similar to the Netherlands prior to the reclamation project.¡¯ A lowland region where mud and muddy water had accumulated for a long time. The thick layer of peat1Peat: the surface organic layer of a soil that consists of partially decomposed organic matter, derived mostly from plant material, which has accumulated under conditions of waterlogging, oxygen deficiency, high acidity and nutrient deficiency. soil was filled full of water, forming a soft, prone-to-collapse terrain. However, what if he succeeded in draining the water? ¡®Things¡¯ll be easier.¡¯ Due to the characteristic of the peat soil layer, when the water was drained, the soil would be compressed downwards by its own weight. This phenomenon was called consolidation. ¡®In short, the most important thing that needs to be done is to drain the water. But, I don¡¯t have the equipment required for vertical drainage. I don¡¯t even have the pump to drain the water.¡¯ Of course, there¡¯d be alternative solutions. Javier¡¯s Mana Blast could be used to drill holes in the ground. The fantasy species could pump out the water in the wetlands. This was the reason why Lloyd was trying to summon an additional fantasy species right now. ¡°Ppodong? Bangul?¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°Ba-ngul!¡± ¡°I hope the newly summoned little one can pump out water as much as you can,¡± Lloyd said wholeheartedly. Ppodong and Bangul were exceptional at pumping water out. Ppodong¡¯s both cheeks had huge capacity. Bangul¡¯s stomach size was huge, it could stretch impressively. They could carry a considerable amount of water and even outperformed a water tank. Basically, it was thanks to their ability to transform into giants after eating a red sunflower seed. ¡®Naturally, other fantasy species would also have the same ability to turn gigantic. Having some other fantasy species that could grow big to Ppodong or Bangul¡¯s size is enough.¡¯ Each fantasy species had its own set of skills and abilities. Moreover, the majority of them could transform their body to become gigantic. Lloyd planned to make full use of the big lil¡¯ one¡¯s abilities that¡¯d soon be summoned. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter what its special ability is. Of course, it¡¯d be a cherry on top if it had water-related abilities, but I don¡¯t have that kind of luck. So, let¡¯s go for a big one! So big that when it transforms, it can carry a lot of water, whether it¡¯s in its mouth or body!¡¯ It was all about chance. ¡®Actually, I¡¯ve been very lucky so far.¡¯ Ppodong and Bangul, both of them had the best and most fitting abilities just when he needed them the most. However, he better not expect such great luck again this time. Lloyd, who had psyched himself up, opened the random pull window. Ding dong. [Fantasy Species Random Pull] [You can use RP to summon a fantasy species.] [A powerful and unique fantasy species that will be absolutely loyal to the summoner and offer a variety of abilities.] [Random Pull Cost (3rd Pull) = 100 RP] ¡®Hmm.¡¯ The cost was 1.5 times higher than the second random pull when he summoned Bangul. ¡®But it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve been saving up a lot of RP for a while.¡¯ Lloyd checked the amount of RP he had saved. He had saved a whopping 931 RPs. He had gotten an additional 20 RPs after the recent picnic(?) in the swamps with the Baron. ¡®I have enough RP.¡¯ Whenever he obtained some RP, the desire to do some impulsive purchase did arise instantly. So, when that happened, he regarded RP as his final weapon and saved it. Lloyd thought it was a wise decision. ¡®The target is to pull about 4 more fantasy species that could grow to Bangul or Ppodong¡¯s size and able to carry water.¡¯ What if the cost of the random pull increased by 1.5 each pull? It seemed feasible to do so with a total of 800 RPs. ¡®Let¡¯s do this.¡¯ Lloyd determinedly gazed to the bottom part of the window. [Would you like to do a random pull?] [YES/NO] Without hesitation, Lloyd chose ¡®YES¡¯. [Summoning a random fantasy species.] Paatss¡­! A magic circle was formed in mid-air. Dim light emanated from all over the magic circle. The space then fluctuated, revealing an unfamiliar silhouette. The first thing Lloyd noticed was its round body. The head that was next revealed was also round, so was the bottom and legs. Its overall silhouette was round, just like a ball. ¡®No way, it¡¯s not going to be the same type as Ppodong, right?¡¯ Lloyd focused all of the nerves in his eyes on the new fantasy species he had just pulled. And finally, after a tingling shockwave, the identity of the third fantasy species was revealed. Pajijik! ¡°Ha-mang!¡± it shouted adorably. It then flew towards Lloyd¡¯s arms to hug him. Lloyd caught the new fantasy species with both of his hands. On his palms, Lloyd could feel something plump and soft. As soon as he felt the touch, he checked the fantasy species¡¯ appearance first. Soon, Lloyd¡¯s eyes opened wide. He then murmured involuntarily, ¡°¡­ No way, this, why does a hippopotamus that can drink so much water at once come out of there?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± ¡®Hamang,¡¯ a small and chubby baby pink hippo on Lloyd¡¯s palm, looked up at him and smiled brightly. Author¡¯s note: Let me introduce the third fantasy species, Hamang ^^ Tl/n: another one or two chapters will be coming soon. CH 45 ¡°Ha-mang!¡± ¡°¡­. Huh?¡± Lloyd¡¯s eyes opened wide. He could feel the baby hippo¡¯s small, chubby butt twitching his palms. His round head and sparkling eyes were fixed on Lloyd. ¡°The hippo whose food is water?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a real hippo, right?¡± ¡°Ha-ma-mang!¡± The baby pink hippo on Lloyd¡¯s palms nodded. Did he feel happy because he could get out, come into this world, and inhale the fresh air outside thanks to Lloyd? The baby hippo was beaming a happy smile. He looked very adorable. ¡®However, a fantasy species should not be judged solely by its appearance.¡¯ Cute was only his first impression about this fantasy species. When the fantasy species ate the red sunflower seed, his real appearance and true value would be revealed. Full with anticipation, Lloyd asked the baby hippo, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. Your name is Hamang, right?¡± ¡°Ha-ma-mang? Ha-mang!¡± ¡°How did I know? Am I a genius, you say?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a genius. I¡¯m just an ordinary guy.¡± ¡°Ha-ma-mang! Ha-mang!¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth. I just guessed based on the sound you make. Anyway, nice to meet you, Hamang.¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± A new fantasy species would always be welcome. The two senior fantasy species also sincerely welcomed Hamang. ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± ¡°Ba-ngul!¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± With that, the three fantasy species had finished introducing themselves to each other. Then, Lloyd asked, ¡°Hey, Hamang? Do you have your manual?¡± ¡°Ha-mang? Ha-ma-mang!¡± ¡°Can you show it to me?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± Hamang opened his mouth and as expected, there was a folded note inside. Lloyd took the note and opened it carefully. [Hamang¡¯s User Manual] [Hamang is a lovely baby hippo. Please take care of him with lots of love and attention.] [Hamang deeply trusts you and is absolutely loyal to you, his summoner. Fantasy species are lifelong pet companions and family members, please don¡¯t throw him away.] [Unlike other fantasy species, Hamang doesn¡¯t eat sunflower seeds.] [Hamang also doesn¡¯t have the ability to transform into a giant like other fantasy species.] One Shot (Lv. 1) ¡®Huh?¡¯ Lloyd tilted his head. ¡®One Shot? Is that the only skill he has?¡¯ Lloyd was a little taken aback. Meanwhile, some doubts also arose in his mind. ¡®What¡¯s more, he doesn¡¯t eat sunflower seeds, and doesn¡¯t have the gigantification ability?¡¯ This summon felt very different from when he had summoned Ppodong and Bangul. It felt a little off and ominous. Trying hard to suppress the ominous foreboding feeling so it didn¡¯t show on his face, Lloyd asked Hamang once again. ¡°Erm, Hamang?¡± ¡°Ha-mang?¡± ¡°Umm, I¡¯m really sorry to ask you this, but, umm, do you dislike sunflower seeds?¡± ¡°Ha-ma-mang? Ha-mang!¡± Hamang nodded his head with all of his might. ¡°Ha-mang! Ha-ma-mang! Ha-mang!¡± ¡°¡­. Do you hate it that much?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± Determinedly, Lloyd asked again. ¡°So, does this mean you can¡¯t transform into a giant like Ppodong hyung or Bangul nuna?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to, you said?¡± ¡°Ha-ma-mang!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay because you¡¯re cute, you said?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Ah, damn it. ¡®I¡¯m doomed.¡¯ This baby hippo seemed to be the type of fantasy species that someone would keep because his only value was his ¡®adorableness¡¯. This had left a bad taste in Lloyd¡¯s mouth from earlier. ¡®Tsk. Well, I¡¯ve been lucky up until now.¡¯ Come to think of it, it was a fantasy species ¡®random¡¯ pull after all. Nobody would¡¯ve known what kind of fantasy species that¡¯d come out. There were jackpots, and likewise, there were duds too. So, what about now? ¡®I hit two jackpots in a row when I was pulling for Ppodong and Bangul. I summoned them, who have the exact abilities I needed most for the moment. Therefore, umm, I suppose it¡¯d be nice if I got lucky again this time.¡¯ No, aside from their unique abilities, at least he should¡¯ve gotten a fantasy species that could do gigantification. The core of his plan was to drain the water from the Maritz Wetlands by utilizing the fantasy species¡¯ enormous size after all. ¡®Still, I can¡¯t believe that a fantasy species that can¡¯t turn into a giant was summoned instead.¡¯ This one was a dud, wasn¡¯t it? Lloyd felt a tad disappointed, but he didn¡¯t let it show on his face. In any case, Hamang was the fantasy species he had summoned himself. Since Hamang had been summoned, Lloyd should be responsible and take care of him. ¡®Moreover, even if Hamang is currently not useful, he may be in the future.¡¯ Or, Lloyd could look for new ways to make Hamang useful. The fantasy species themselves could grow as well. Things could change at any time. Thinking so, Lloyd held Hamang gently. ¡°In that case, Hamang, do you want to come into my chest pocket?¡± ¡°Ha-ma-mang?¡± ¡°Come in together with Ppodong hyung. Good boy. It¡¯s a bit cramped, right?¡± Hamang¡¯s head peeked out from Lloyd¡¯s chest pocket. Lloyd then checked his remaining RP. [Current RP: 831] ¡®Good, there are still plenty.¡¯ Even after summoning Hamang, he still had over 800 RPs left from the RP he had accumulated for so long. This should be sufficient to do about three to four random pulls. Lloyd opened the random summon window again. [Fantasy Species Random Pull] [Random Pull Cost (4th Pull) = 150 RP] ¡®As expected, the cost has gone up again.¡¯ However, this was something that needed to be done. After strengthening his resolve, Lloyd proceeded to do a pull. [Would you like to do a random pull?] [YES/NO] Lloyd clicked ¡®YES¡¯, but at that moment- Bzzttt. Suddenly, there were sparks flying in the air. At the same time, Lloyd¡¯s finger that had clicked the ¡®YES¡¯ button tingled. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Reflexively, Lloyd withdrew his hand that got stung. Soon, an unexpected notification popped in his mind. [You are only allowed to do one Fantasy Species Random Pull per day.] [Next pull will be available in: 23h 47m 16s] ¡®Oh my.¡¯ Lloyd was surprised to learn that there was such a restriction. He smacked his lips, trying to get rid of the bitter taste left in his mouth by this unexpected hindrance. ¡®Haih, I¡¯m wondering if what I had planned absolutely won¡¯t come to fruition today.¡¯¡¯ Lloyd ambitiously tried to summon four or five fantasy species in a row because the Maritz¡¯ Wetlands reclamation project was set to begin the next day. Because the result turned out to be like this, the only option was to change the plan. ¡®I¡¯m not satisfied with the ability of the fantasy species I just summoned, but I can¡¯t pull for more. It seems that there¡¯s really no way for the construction to start tomorrow, huh?¡¯ It would¡¯ve been rather nice if Hamang could transform into a giant. The more Lloyd thought about it, the more disappointed he became. Of course he couldn¡¯t help but feel that way. ¡®Well, feeling disappointed is nothing new to me, especially when I was working on the construction site.¡¯ This reminded him of the time when he was struggling to make ends meet in the Republic of Korea. At that time, he frequently went to the construction site to work because he was in a hurry to make money. It was because the wage was paid daily in cash. So, at first, he had some small fantasies. ¡®I assumed that if I worked every day for a month, I¡¯d make a lot of money.¡¯ He truly thought it was possible. He was confident in his strength and full of motivation. The reality, however, was a little different. ¡®Despite my wishes, working every day was not possible.¡¯ There were many occasions when the weather was bad, such as when it was pouring outside, many people decided to take a break. It didn¡¯t stop there. When he was a beginner, there were times when he carelessly had made a mistake of going to the employment station at dawn only to get no job. Nevertheless, he still made the same mistake even when he was already known for his consistency in frequenting the construction site. Even though by then he had gotten a fixed team, if his senior coworker decided to take the day off, then he, too, had to take a day off. Because in the end, he was a mere helper and assistant to the senior coworker. ¡®There were plenty of days when I couldn¡¯t work unexpectedly. Collecting a month¡¯s worth of money from the daily wage if I worked every day throughout the month? It was a mere pipe dream.¡¯ However, he also shouldn¡¯t be that disappointed. Even if it was half-forced, taking a rest for a few days was also important. What about doing something else when there was no work that day? At most, the daily wage he had received the previous day would be totally spent. Working for a day to earn money, and then taking a rest the next day while spending the money. He really became a person who lived paycheck to paycheck. In fact, Lloyd had seen a few people who did the same in this field of work. ¡®So, whenever I had a day off, I used it to catch up on my studies. Yes, even if I took a leave of absence from school to save money.¡¯ Sometimes in the future, he dreamed of getting a regular full-time job and of living a better life. This was his memory of living in the Republic of Korea, where every day was a struggle. ¡®Compared to that time, this is no big deal.¡¯ Just because things didn¡¯t work the way he wanted for a moment, just because things didn¡¯t go the way he wished for, there was no point in being so disappointed. So what if the progress stalled for a while? Just do what he was able to do for the time being. Checking Hamang¡¯s only skill, for example. Feeling better, Lloyd determinedly peered into his chest pocket. ¡°Hey, Hamang?¡± ¡°Ha-ma-mang?¡± Was Hamang dozing off because it was warm inside? Hamang looked up at Lloyd with slightly drowsy little black eyes. Lloyd automatically smiled warmly as he looked at Hamang¡¯s sleepy expression. ¡°Hamang, can you show me your skill a little?¡± ¡°Ha-mang?¡± ¡°You know, that one skill you have, One Shot.¡± ¡°Ha-mang.¡± ¡°What kind of skill is that?¡± ¡°Ha-ma-mang? Ha-mang. Ha-mang!¡± ¡°Something about drinking water?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± Hamang nodded his head. Lloyd then asked, ¡°Um, I can drink water too. Do you like to drink water?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± ¡°How big is your love for drinking water?¡± ¡°Ha-ma-mang! Ha-mang!¡± ¡°As big as a mountain?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± Hamand nodded again. White looking up at Lloyd, Hamang spread out his short arms. ¡°Ha-ma-mang. Ha-mang. Ha-mang! Ha-ma-mang.¡± ¡°Umm, you can drink as much as you open your arms?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± As much as he opened his arms. Lloyd couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t expect too much.¡¯ Hamang wasn¡¯t even the size of a fist. Even if he opened his arms all the way, it would only be about a hand wide. But, he could only drink that much? If he drank water as much as he could, would he become a small water balloon? ¡®No, but just in case.¡¯ Lloyd shook his head. Let¡¯s not jump into conclusions. Let¡¯s check it with his own eyes. ¡®He might be able to swell up bigger than what I think. Maybe to the size of a gym ball or slightly bigger than that.¡¯ For a while, Lloyd wondered how Hamang could help if it was only that much. Keeping that in mind, Lloyd then began to walk. He was out in the backyard at night right now. ¡°Then, Hamang?¡± ¡°Ha-mang?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a place with lots of water. Do you want to go drink water with me?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± Hamang nodded his head repeatedly out of excitement. Just like that, Lloyd patted Hamang¡¯s head and left the mansion. Under the moonlight, he traveled across the territory. Let¡¯s go to a place with lots of water. Thus, he headed south until he finally arrived at Maritz Wetlands¡¯ northern border. Nguungg ngungg~ As soon as he arrived, a swarm of mosquitoes welcomed(?) him enthusiastically. Lloyd waved his hands to drive away the swarming mosquitoes that were pouncing on him. It only strengthened his decision. ¡®Sigh. Let¡¯s quickly clear these swamps.¡¯ Mosquitoes were the root of all evil. Thinking about this unshakeable truth in his heart, Lloyd reached into his chest pocket. Carefully, he took Hamang, who was sleeping, out from there. ¡°Now, now, Hamang?¡± ¡°Ha-maaang?¡± ¡°Sorry I woke you up when you were sleeping. You said you love to drink water, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± Hamang opened his eyes wide when the word ¡®water¡¯ was spoken. A regretful smile formed on Lloyd¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it. That¡¯s why we came here. Can you see what¡¯s in front of us?¡± ¡°Ha-mang?¡± Hamang turned his round head around. A vast wetlands were spread out before Hamang¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ha-maaaaang?¡± Hamang¡¯s mouth was slightly agape. His eyes were filled with ecstasy. Those were the eyes similar to the eyes of someone who had been starving for three days and had entered a buffet. Still smiling bitterly, Lloyd patted Hamang¡¯s chubby butt. ¡°I¡¯m glad you seem to like it. I brought you here so you can drink as much water as you want.¡± ¡°Ha-mang! Ha-ma-mang?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking if you can drink all of it?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± ¡°Yeah, of course you can.¡± ¡°Ha-ma-mang!¡± Too excited, Hamang jumped at his spot. Lloyd¡¯s bitter smile deepened. ¡®How nice would it be if he really can drink it all up.¡¯ But then he thought, let¡¯s not get his hopes up. Judging from Hamang¡¯s size, it seemed unlikely. In reality, it seemed a bucket of water was the limit. That was indeed what he thought. Before he knew it, Hamang was ready to drink some water. ¡°Ha-ma-mang! Ha-mang!¡± Hamang raised his round butt that was sometimes twitching in the air. He lowered his round head and put his open mouth to the surface of the swamps. Next, he started to drink the water, with a burning vigor. Slurrrrppppp-! ¡°¡­. Huh?¡± The swamp¡¯s water level was rapidly dropping. The water, which used to be right in front of Lloyd¡¯s feet, now a several steps away from his feet. What was more, Hamang grew bigger at the same time! ¡°Ha-mang! Ha-ma-mang! Ha-mang!¡± 2 meters, 3 meters, and 5 meters, Hamang continued to swell like a balloon. The surface of the water receded as much as Hamang swelled. Hamang, who was still growing bigger, chased and moved his head to the swamp water that was getting further away. ¡°Ha-ma-mang!¡± Sluuuuurrrrpppp-! In the blink of an eye, the water in the wetlands vanished. No, it was drunk by Hamang. Before he knew it, the bottom part of one section of the land was revealed. Only then did Hamang raise his head while smiling contentedly. ¡°Ha-mang! Buu-rp.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lloyd looked up at Hamang with a sense of wonder and astonishment. No, before that, he had to scramble off in a hurry for quite some time to avoid getting squashed by Hamang. Hamang was like a giant water balloon that was nearly 50 meters in diameter. That was the first thing that flashed on Lloyd¡¯s mind when he looked up at Hamang. ¡°Hey, Hamang?¡± ¡°Ha-maang?¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Ha-mang! Ha-ma-mang!¡± ¡°No stomachache or anything like that?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Hamang seemed to be in good health. Lloyd had an absurd expression on his face as he looked around the swamp, or rather, the land that was once a swamp. The water that had accumulated here had all vanished. In the place where the water had been drained, trout, tadpoles, and other aquatic organisms were flapping on the ground. Of course, the entire wetlands hadn¡¯t been completely drained yet. The Maritz Wetlands was vast. To the extent that even after Hamang drank so much water, only a portion of such vast wetlands was drained. However, this was enough. He did ¡®One Shot¡¯ a part of the wetlands. ¡®This is crazy. What a huge jackpot.¡¯ Lloyd thought his summon was a dud. It wasn¡¯t a dud, but it was actually a huge jackpot. ¡®This little one is enough. I can start the construction tomorrow without having to do additional random pulls.¡¯ Pumping out water from the wetlands while applying and implementing the Vertical Drainage method. This way, the water that had filled the layer of peat soil on the bottom could be drained. Thus, the soil consolidation phenomenon would get accelerated. This in turn would stabilize the soft ground and eventually turn the wetlands into farmland. Tomorrow, the first step for this project would begin. Feeling confident, Lloyd clenched his fists. This was the beginning of the full-scale construction for Maritz Wetlands Land Reclamation Project1??????(Ÿo¸Ð³±µØǧÍØ): refers to land reclamations that¡¯s done by draining water from the place, which is a lake, a swamp, or a river where the water isn¡¯t combined with seawater. I tried searching for the English equivalent but can¡¯t find it :¡¯) Please tell me if you know.. Author¡¯s note: What if we catch the trout from the newly-drained land and cook a spicy fish stew¡­ (wipes drool) Tl/n: The fantasy species are soooo cute, I want their plushies¡­. Thank you again Sours for the ko-fi! I¡¯ll upload more chapters next week. The engineering terms have stalled the speed of my tl, I¡¯m so sorry :¡¯) CH 46.1 ¡°Starting from today, we will turn this place into a fertile land!¡± ¡°Ribbit!¡± Bangg! Just when Lloyd began his speech, a frog in the swamp croaked loudly as if it was answering him. However, none of the 120 members of the Construction Team who gathered there laughed. How could they laugh, when right beside Lloyd, there stood Sir Javier and Sir Bayern with a serious expression on their faces? Some might¡¯ve done that, but not the majority of the soldiers. ¡®How will this construction proceed?¡¯ the soldiers thought. The ondol room, the paved road, the coal mine, and a part of the seokbinggo. Then, there was the warehouse expansion and the orc miners¡¯ accommodations. Once, they were just ordinary soldiers in an ordinary territory. However, things were different now. The soldiers had been transformed into Construction Team members, trained by numerous construction projects. Therefore, they knew from experience how important this speech today was. ¡®Young Master Lloyd considers this process as important.¡¯ A speech before a full-scale construction. It didn¡¯t contain any rhetoric, nor were there useless aspirations nor empty promises. The speech that came out of Lloyd¡¯s mouth was packed with information that was essential for the Construction Team members. ¡°Now, first of all, let me tell you the things you need to take note of for this construction. This is a swampy terrain. Don¡¯t move around alone if you don¡¯t really need to. If you¡¯re unlucky and get your feet stuck in the swamp, you¡¯ll be in trouble. And what if you got into such trouble? People will have a hard time seeing and finding you because there are so many reeds everywhere. The sunlight will be enough to toast your body dry like a beef jerky. If you don¡¯t want it to happen, move in pairs. Do all of you understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Okay. The next point you need to take a note of is, the weather is hot. But because we¡¯re in the wetlands, it¡¯s also humid. So, what should you do when faced with this situation?¡± ¡°Take a break once every hour!¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. And what¡¯s the other one?¡± ¡°Drink salt water every break!¡± ¡°Ding dong daeng. We will always provide salt water on the construction site, so feel free to drink it. Don¡¯t secretly gulp down too much plain water because you¡¯re thirsty. You¡¯re going to get dizzy after turning around once and then pass out.¡± ¡°Excuse me, what if the salt water doesn¡¯t taste good?¡± a Construction Team member timidly raised his hand and inquired. He seemed to be a newcomer who recently entered the Construction Team as the group had just doubled in size. Lloyd smiled generously at the newcomer. ¡°Even so, you still have to drink it.¡± ¡°Do I have to drink it even if I feel like vomiting?¡± ¡°Yeah. If you didn¡¯t drink it and then passed out, thus missing a whole day of work, I¡¯ll deduct one daily wage from your bonus.¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Lloyd was ruthless when it came to money. Especially when there were a lot of soldiers who volunteered to join the Construction Team hoping for a large bonus. ¡°And finally, the most important thing you need to take note of, Hamang will drink the water from the swamp here. So if you peed in the swamp while working, you¡¯re committing a breach of etiquette and I will throw you into jail. Make sure to use the bathroom that has been installed for that purpose, got it?¡± ¡°I understand!¡± ¡°Now then, let¡¯s get started. Hey, Hamang?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± Lloyd took Hamang out from his chest pocket. The eyes of the Construction Team members widened when they saw Hamang for the first time. Young Master seemed to have summoned a new one. There was a brief commotion among the members of the Construction Team, but soon after, all of their mouths were wide open in astonishment. ¡°Hey, Hamang? Can you drink some of the water over here?¡± ¡°Ha-ma-mang? Ha-mang?¡± ¡°Yeah, you can drink all of it.¡± ¡°Ha-mang?¡± ¡°Oh, after that? Can you see the river tributaries over there?¡± ¡°Ha-ma-mang!¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fine if you roll over there and spit it out. But, don¡¯t spit it out all at once because the downstream will get flooded.¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± Lloyd put down Hamang, who nodded as if he understood his assignment. As if he had been waiting for this, Hamang put his round head into the swamp water. Then, he started to drink the water. ¡°Heu-meung! Gulp gulp.¡± Sluurpppp. Hamang sucked in the water, forming a whirlpool in the surrounding area. It was as if a giant vacuum cleaner was sucking in the water. Hamang was swelling up as much as the swamp water was receding rapidly. He became 10 meters, 20 meters, and eventually 50 meters big. ¡°¡­. Gasp.¡± The jaws of the Construction Team Members, who had been ordered in advance to move far into the distance by Lloyd, dropped to the floor. However, the surprise didn¡¯t end here. ¡°Heu-meung!¡± Hamang, whose body had grown gigantic, moved by rolling his body towards the river tributaries Lloyd had pointed. It was like seeing a 50-meter big water balloon rolling about. When he arrived, Hamang slowly spat out the water. ¡°Heu-meu-meung! Huweekkkkk-¡± Pour pour pour. Thousands of trout, frogs, and other aquatic organisms that had been gulped by Hamang were all suddenly being migrated to the river tributaries, becoming new inhabitants to the ecosystem. After that, the same process was repeated several times. Drinking water from the swamp, swelling up into a giant, rolling over to the river tributaries, and spat out the water that had been drunk. ¡°What is it that I¡¯m seeing right now¡­?¡± the soldiers dazedly murmured to themselves as the water that once had fully filled the swamp nearby had completely vanished. Of course not all of the water in the wetlands, but only water from the area nearby. However, this preparation was sufficient for today¡¯s construction. Lloyd proceeded to give out instructions. ¡°Attention, everybody! Get your shovel ready!¡± ¡°Shovel, ready!¡± ¡°Starting from now, remove all the remaining roots and rotten plants from the ground I marked. Let¡¯s yell our slogan together to start the construction strongly!¡± ¡°UWOOOHHH!¡± The members of the Construction Team were dispatched. They worked hard to shovel while sweating profusely. The rotten roots and branches of various submerged plants that remained were dug out and removed from the place where an embankment would be built. Lloyd took the lead by personally shoveling together with them. ¡®If this basic process isn¡¯t done properly, we will have water leaking out of the poorly-made embankment that needs to be fixed later on. Hup!¡¯ Lloyd thought. When it came to building embankments, many assumed it¡¯d be easy. Just kept on piling up a lot of soil until it formed a mound. However, in reality, things didn¡¯t work like that. Even the most simple-looking common embankments that were frequently seen everyday were built with sophisticated science and engineering at its core. Building embankments wasn¡¯t just about piling up a lot of soil like children playing with soil. This was especially true for this case. ¡®Here, the ground is soft and damp.¡¯ Completely cleaning up the roots and plant remnants from the ground was a necessary procedure. Likewise, stabilizing the ground by draining the water that settled under the ground was a necessary procedure as well. ¡°Javier?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Lloyd turned to look at Javier. Javier, who had been informed of what he needed to do in advance, stepped forward. He then drew out his sword and then stabbed the spot on the ground that had been marked by Lloyd one by one. Boom. Javier¡¯s mana circles started to collide with one another. A strong force erupted from his sword. The force dug straight and deep into the ground vertically. Soon, vertical holes 50 centimeters in diameter and 10 meters deep were drilled into the ground with 4 m intervals in between. Lloyd then shouted, ¡°Sir Bayern!¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Sir Bayern responded to Lloyd¡¯s shout. The Construction Team members under Sir Bayern began to move. They came bringing bamboo straws that had been cut into 11 meters long. Javier then thrusted the bamboo straws into the 10-meter deep holes he had just Mana Blasted into the ground. The bamboo straws were made by stabbing the inner part of the bamboo stems to clean it. Next was Ppodong¡¯s turn. ¡°Ppodong!¡± ¡°Ppeu-deung!¡± Ppodong, who had been waiting, came running while swaying his chubby butt. He then proceeded to pour out the thing that was stored inside both of his cheek pockets onto the ground. ¡°Ppeu-deu-deung! Huweekkk-¡± Sshhhhh! The thing inside was a large amount of sand that had been collected from the riverside in advance. ¡°Construction Team! Make the sand bank!¡± ¡°Roger that!¡± The Construction Team members who were on standby moved with their shovels in hand. They rushed to the mountain of sand Ppodong had spat out. Then, they were scooping the sand to make a sand bank. Obviously, the bamboo straws that were inserted to the holes were at the middle part of the sand bank. Tl/n: This chapter is so long! :¡¯D I¡¯ll update the continuation soon. CH 46.2 ¡®Good. Fortunately, it¡¯s going well!¡¯ The construction was progressing smoothly. Lloyd, who was leading the whole process, clenched his fists tightly. ¡®The Vertical Drain Method, specifically the Sand Drain (SD) Method, is proceeding as planned.¡¯ Vertical Drain Method was a method used to improve soft soil that was first introduced in 1936. The technology had been advancing since the late 1940s. In other words, it was a method that facilitated water drainage and accelerated soil consolidation by digging numerous artificial vertical holes in the soft viscous ground and inserting drainage materials. ¡®Naturally, we can¡¯t use modern techniques as is.¡¯ They didn¡¯t have the necessary equipment to do that. Thus, Lloyd used his own ways. Javier¡¯s technique, Mana Blast, was used to drill vertical holes. With this, the silver-haired knight played the role of a vibration-type sand drain construction equipment. Then, the holes were then filled with the bamboo straws and sand that had been prepared in advance. Lloyd used his own combination of the Sand Drain and Paper Drain methods for this. Next, he ordered Ppodong to pack the ground. ¡°Hey, Ppodong? Let¡¯s pack the ground!¡± ¡°Ppo-dong!¡± Grkk grkk. Ppodong was rolling around on the ground with his body that weighed dozens of tons. His weight entirely pressed the ground. Just like pressing a pile of wet tissues, the pore-water was squeezed out of the soil. The water then gathered at the piles of sand on the ground. Rumble¡­. The ground began to sink a little. This place had been a wetlands for thousands of years. Over the years, huge amounts of vegetation had sunk into the water and hadn¡¯t properly decomposed. Thus, the fibers had accumulated and formed a thick layer capable of holding so much water. This thick and soft layer was called peat beds. Now, however, pressure was applied to the peat beds, forcing the water to get out. Piles of dry sand were made here and there in an orderly manner to further encourage the discharge of the water. Rumble¡­! The water was drained while the peat beds were compressed. The soil became even more compact and firm as a result of being pressed by its own weight. This phenomenon was known as soil consolidation. Lloyd then accelerated this phenomenon further with his following command. ¡°Hey, Hamang? Do you enjoy drinking from bamboo straws?¡± ¡°Ha-mang!¡± ¡°Then, can you drink from there?¡± ¡°Ha-ma-mang!¡± Hamang, who had been waiting for Lloyd¡¯s instruction, approached the bamboo straws that were planted all over the ground. Hamang then began to slurp the stagnant water that pooled on the sand bank using the bamboo straw. ¡°Heu-meung! Heu-meu-meung!¡± Hamang drank all of the water inside. This caused him to swell like a giant balloon. More weight pressed the ground, hastening the soil consolidation process even further. By that time, Lloyd and the Construction Team had begun the next phase of the construction, which was building embankments that¡¯d surround the entire wetlands. ¡°Ppodong, go spit it out! ¡°Ppeu-deung! Ptoeey.¡± Ppodong played the role of a dump truck. He carried a large amount of soil in his cheek pockets from time to time. After the soil had been spat out, the Construction Team members moved according to Lloyd¡¯s instructions. Then, they started shoveling busily to build a strong foundation. The structure obviously had been designed by Lloyd in advance. ¡®Naturally, this process is important. If we pile up soil just as is, the embankment slope will begin to erode, resulting in the piping phenomenon1Piping phenomenon: is defined as the progressive development of internal erosion by seepage, appearing downstream as a hole discharging water. Piping is induced by regressive erosion of particles from downstream and along the upstream line towards an outside environment until a continuous pipe is formed.. Soon after, the base of the slope will collapse, causing water to leak from the embankment.¡¯ All of these would lead to the embankment¡¯s collapse. If this happened, water from the flooding river would enter once again, turning this whole land back into damp swamps. Therefore, an elaborate design was essential to prevent such a shitty situation that would cause everyone¡¯s happiness index to fall in a steep downward curve. The slope of the embankment was made as gentle as possible. The height of the embankment was set as high as possible while also taking into account the height of the ground, which would decrease in the future due to the soil consolidation process. As a result, there was a height difference between the front part of the slope that¡¯d block the river water from entering and the back part of the slope that¡¯d be on the side of the reclaimed land. Some kind of platform made by piling up soil was slowly and steadily built on the back sides of the slope to help support the pressure. Lloyd also didn¡¯t forget to pack the soil on both slopes. Thanks to this, Ppodong got busy rolling on the embankment slopes. ¡°Ppo-do-dong! Ppo-do-do-do-dong!¡± Grkk grkkk. Ppodong¡¯s sturdy body rolled like a bulldozer, or more accurately, a road roller. After that, the Construction Team was deployed to plant grass in dense lines. The grass roots would firmly grip the soil on the slope. With this, the soil wouldn¡¯t be prone to erosion in the future. At last, they meticulously dug channels on the sides to drain the rainwater that fell on the embankment. Ten days of construction flew by just like that. Finally, the construction for a section of the land was completed. ¡®Woah, it¡¯s finally done.¡¯ Lloyd wiped away his sweat as he took in his surroundings. The damp swamps that had been full of submerged plants ten days before were now gone. Now, the land he was looking at was full of dry soil and strong embankments. The reclamation and construction for a section of the wetlands was finished at last. Of course Lloyd didn¡¯t become complacent. After all, the area that had yet to be reclaimed was much larger than the area that had already been reclaimed. ¡°Keep on moving! Once this construction is done, there¡¯ll be a feast of bonuses!¡± After being encouraged by Lloyd, the Construction Team was deployed to the next section. In Maritz Wetlands, the land wasn¡¯t connected by a single swamp. It was a vast wetlands. Thus, dozens of swamps were scattered irregularly around the place. Therefore, dividing the land into zones by counting a swamp as one sector and doing construction in one sector before moving to the next was possible. In short, it was possible to do modular construction2Modular construction is a term used to describe the use of factory-produced pre-engineered building units that are delivered to site and assembled as large volumetric components or as substantial elements of a building. The modular units may form complete rooms, parts of rooms, or separate highly serviced units such as toilets or lifts. The collection of discrete modular units usually forms a self-supporting structure in its own right or, for tall buildings, may rely on an independent structural framework.. Moreover, the summer in this area happened to be dry. The rain hardly came and the scorching sun never stopped shining. The weather was perfect for this Wetlands Reclamation Project. Because of this, the construction gained quite a momentum. ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t get heatstroke! Use your break time to rest thoroughly! Let¡¯s start the construction in the third sector while yelling our slogan! Go!¡± ¡°Uwoooh-!¡± Lloyd and Javier, the fantasy species and the Construction Team; all of them worked in unison. Digging, drinking, spitting, scooping, stuffing, piling, and packing; everyone got used to this repetitive process. They became proficient. The construction time for one sector, which used to take 10 whole days, gradually became shorter and shorter. From 10 days to 9 days, 9 days to 8 days, and 8 days to 6 days. A month, two months, and eventually three months had passed. As the embankment grew longer, everyone¡¯s forearms became sturdier. With every drop of sweat, more damp areas in the wetlands became dry. Originally, the Maritz Wetlands was an abandoned land. There were muddy swamps all over the place. Inside the swamps, there lived many unknown organisms. Naturally, it was impossible to construct a building or do some farming there. A useless land. A land that couldn¡¯t be developed. Thus, Maritz Wetlands had been treated as if it didn¡¯t exist for generations. This had been the case even before the first human roamed around the earth. For tens of thousands of years, this had been the case. Therefore, it was believed that this would continue to be the case in the future. It had been abandoned up until now, and it would continue to be so in the future. To everyone, it was something natural, just like the sun rose in the east and set in the west. Now, however, things had changed. ¡®Lloyd-nim brings about the change in these wetlands.¡¯ The territory¡¯s residents, as well as the Baron and Baroness, were often busy admiring this amazing sight. The useless wetlands was being turned into rice paddies and fields. The process took only three months, not decades. The man who had brought about this phenomenal change was even working together with them. ¡®Perhaps, we¡¯re now witnessing a miracle that¡¯s never seen before and impossible to imagine.¡¯ Before he knew it, the people in the territory¡¯s gaze towards Lloyd changed once again. It evolved into a kind of respect that even surpassed friendliness. Ding dong. [Everyone in the Frontera Barony greatly admires and respects you for the miracle you¡¯ve performed.] [A large amount of RP will be specially awarded as a bonus for this great social achievement.] Author¡¯s note: Bonus: It¡¯s overflowing! Hold it tight! lol Tl/n: Sorry for the wait! I thought I¡¯d post it tomorrow, but I managed to finish it today, so¡­. CH 47 Ding dong. [Everyone in the Frontera Barony feels great admiration and respect for the miracle you¡¯ve performed.] [A large amount of RP will be specially awarded as a bonus for this great social achievement.] [You¡¯ve obtained 450 RP.] [Current RP: 1131] ¡®Let¡¯s go!¡¯ Lloyd clenched his fists. As the large-scale Maritz Wetlands Reclamation Project was nearing its completion, Lloyd sensed the mood was reaching its peak. Lately, Lloyd noticed that the Construction Team members and the residents of the territory¡¯s gaze when seeing him had changed yet again. Now, there wasn¡¯t only a look of surprise, but also a look of admiration in their eyes. Not merely friendly, but gleaming with respect. Thus, Lloyd had roughly expected this much of a reward. ¡®It is exactly as much as I expected. The amount is just right.¡¯ The reclamation project was successful. He also obtained a lot of RP. In an instant, Lloyd felt like he had become a rich man. ¡®Because for the first time, my RP has reached a thousand.¡¯ What should I use the RP for? How to make great investments with it? Just imagining it was enough to make him happy. However, Lloyd didn¡¯t become complacent or succumb to the imaginary temptation. There was no time to dwell on this reward and indulge in temporary pleasures. ¡®The most important thing to do in a project like this is to finish the construction as soon as possible.¡¯ Lloyd raised his head to gaze at the sky. At some point of time, midsummer had come and gone. The sky was still blue and bright, but the sun seemed higher than it had been before. The scorching sun, which had been burning his and the Construction Team members¡¯ back throughout the construction, also felt weaker than before. Autumn was just around the corner. ¡®And together with it, the rainy season will come too.¡¯ Here, in the area where Frontera Barony was located, there¡¯d be a lot of rain in spring and late autumn. Whereas in comparison, the middle of summer and winter had relatively little precipitation, and thus tended to be dry. As a result, the land reclamation had been proceeding smoothly until now. All because it hardly rained. ¡®But, things are going to be different from now on.¡¯ As autumn came to an end and winter approached, heavy rain would begin to fall. At that time, the performance of the embankments and drainage system that everyone had worked so hard to build in this reclaimed land would be fully put into test. More than anything, Lloyd understood the importance of thoroughly preparing the drainage system. ¡°The water should drain properly every time it rains. Otherwise, this land we¡¯ve worked so hard to the best of our ability to reclaim will get flooded again,¡± Lloyd said to Javier. ¡°Is it because the ground level has become lower?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s correct.¡± Lloyd nodded in response to Javier¡¯s question. Then, he continued, ¡°We¡¯ve reclaimed the land by putting pressure on the peat beds after all.¡± The wetlands¡¯ soft soil had now become completely solid. The water that had seeped into the layer of soil had been squeezed out. The gap between the soil particles narrowed as the water was drained, making the entire ground firmer. At the same time, the ground level sank as well. These were naturally bound to happen. ¡°Because the water has been drained, the ground sinks by the same amount as the volume of water that has left.¡± ¡°By sinking, does Lloyd-nim mean the land is getting lower? ¡°Yeah. The lower the ground level, the easier it is for rain water to accumulate. It¡¯ll be challenging to drain it out.¡± ¡°That will be a big problem. Why don¡¯t we pile up more soil to raise the ground level?¡± Javier tilted his head. Lloyd smirked in response. ¡°No, it won¡¯t resolve the problem. Why? Because the ground here is made of peat beds.¡± ¡°What does that entail?¡± ¡°Because of the characteristic of the peat bed, if we pile more soil on top, the ground will sink more due to its own weight. No matter how much soil we piled above it, it¡®s no use. Do you think you can get a lot of girlfriends if you go on a lot of blind dates? It doesn¡¯t work like that, you see!¡± ¡°What is a blind date?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something like that. Something that, despite your best efforts, will often not go the way you want it to.¡± ¡°Just like Lloyd-nim¡¯s face?¡± ¡°Yeah, like your insomnia too.¡± Lloyd laughed as he skillfully returned Javier¡¯s blunt remarks that suddenly came to attack him out of nowhere. ¡°Anyway, this is why I need to build a water wheel.¡± A water wheel was a wheel that spun by using water as its power source. What was more, the newly reclaimed Maritz Wetlands was surrounded by two river tributaries. This meant that the water right outside the embankment could be utilized as a power source throughout the seasons. ¡°Otherwise, why would I dig so many waterways all over the reclaimed land?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it to move the accumulated water in the reclaimed land to one place?¡± ¡°Yeah, it is to gather the water in one place. After that, I¡¯ll pump the water out of the embankment with a screw pump1Screw pump/Archimedes¡¯ screw: is one of the earliest hydraulic machines. Served as a vital aid for irrigation across the ancient world, typically as a means of raising water from rivers and lakes into agricultural lands. water wheel using the river tributaries¡¯ hydropower.¡± Lloyd just happened to know a model design that was great for managing the site indirectly after the reclamation construction was completed. The model in question was Kinderdijk, a reclaimed land in the Netherlands. ¡®Kinderdijk¡¯s topography was similar to the Maritz Wetlands.¡¯ They were both peatlands2peatlands: a land that mostly consists of peat or peat bogs. In Kinderdijk, it took a long time to build the embankment and drain the water. Because of the soil consolidation phenomenon, the ground became solid and sunk at the same time. As a result, water frequently entered the low-lying land. To prepare against flooding, the Dutch built windmills. They took full advantage of the land¡¯s high temperature even in winter, as well as the constantly strong onshore winds caused by the Gulf Stream3The Gulf Stream: is a strong, warm ocean current that starts in the Gulf of Mexico and flows around the tip of Florida, into the Atlantic Ocean, and north along the eastern coast of the United States. Causes warming effect upon the climates of adjacent land areas. blowing around the country and the westerly winds. ¡®That place is an excellent role model. Perfect for reference, but without the windmills.¡¯ There was no need to build windmills here. Utilizing the water power from the river tributaries was enough. Furthermore, like most territories, there were technicians in the barony who knew how to build a traditional screw pump water wheel. ¡°Anyway, the construction of the water wheel is about to begin. I¡¯ve already ordered it in advance.¡± Lloyd was telling the truth. In fact, he had already called in a technician on the first day of the reclamation project. He¡¯d even paid a generous down payment and placed an order in advance. ¡®It¡¯s almost time for them to come.¡¯ The technician was supposed to come to the site today. But for some reason, they hadn¡¯t showed up yet. An uninvited guest came instead. ¡®What is that? Who are those guys?¡¯ At a distance, a group of people was approaching from the southern part of the Maritz Wetlands. The group consisted of approximately 20 people, and all of them were riding horses. ¡®Are they the technician? No, they¡¯re not.¡¯ They also weren¡¯t the members of the Construction Team or workers. Particularly the man who was leading the group. He was riding a white horse, donning a rather luxurious cloak. When Lloyd saw that, he suddenly recalled something from the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel. ¡®Viscount Lacona?¡¯ The Viscounty of Lacona was a neighboring territory located at the south of the Barony of Frontera. Viscount Lacona was briefly mentioned in the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel as a person who enjoyed basking in unrivaled luxury. ¡®Wearing a cloak in this weather. I think it is him.¡¯ As Lloyd was thinking so, the uninvited guests were approaching from the south. As soon as they were near, they got straight to the point and questioned him. ¡°Are you the one in charge of this construction site?¡± asked the man who was riding on a black horse. The man¡¯s attire was simple. However, given his sturdy physique, the sword at his waist, and his skillful horsemanship, he was certainly a knight. Javier stepped forward. ¡°Please mind your words. This person is Lloyd Frontera, the eldest son of Baron Frontera, the lord of the Barony of Frontera. Please state whom you are serving and the reason why you came to this place.¡± ¡°Lloyd Frontera? Hm, we have some business with the lord of this territory. Where is the Baron?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± One of Javier¡¯s eyebrows twitched, but it was barely noticeable. After all, Javier had clearly informed them that the Baron¡¯s son was here. However, the man, who was certainly a knight, didn¡¯t show any courtesy. He didn¡¯t even dismount his horse. What was more, he one-sidedly requested to have an audience with the Baron. The knight behaved disrespectfully. However, Javier was unable to confront his rude attitude. To be more precise, he failed to seize the opportunity to do that. Just when he was about to launch a stern rebuke, Lloyd stepped forward first. ¡°Is my lord perhaps Viscount Lionero Lacona?¡± ¡°Of course he is. The head of the Frontera family should first show courtesy to the Viscount-¡± ¡°Wow wow, there. We nobles are currently conversing amongst ourselves, but a dreg like you couldn¡¯t keep your mouth shut for even a second. Is my lord Viscount Lacona?¡± Lloyd¡¯s gaze shifted to the Viscount, the man who was wearing a cloak. The expression of the knight who was riding the black horse hardened. So did all of the Viscount¡¯s twenty soldiers. The more they did that, the more satisfied(?) Lloyd became. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you. Just as my knight introduced earlier, I am Lloyd Frontera, the eldest son of the Frontera family. May I inquire as to the purpose of your visit today?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Instead of answering, Viscount Lacona stared at Lloyd. Lloyd, on the other hand, stared back and refused to avert his eyes. Under the autumn¡¯s scorching sun, there was an odd chilly breeze between the Viscount and Lloyd. In the end, it was the Viscount who broke the silence first. ¡°Rumor has it that the eldest son of the Frontera family behaves very peculiarly and impudently.¡± ¡°Has the Viscount heard rumors about me?¡± ¡°Obviously. Now that we have met face to face, I do not think the rumor is incorrect.¡± ¡°What an honor, I must have appeared pretty remarkable to the Viscount.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Anyway, would the Viscount mind telling me what has brought him all the way here?¡± ¡°If possible, I prefer to discuss it in person with your father, the Baron.¡± ¡°If possible, I prefer to verify your purpose first.¡± ¡°Tsk. You certainly don¡¯t intend to acknowledge anything I said.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I came here to have a conversation about the territory.¡± ¡°What about the territory?¡± ¡°This is Maritz Wetlands.¡± The Viscount scanned the surrounding area. His goatee and the corners of his mouth twitched. ¡°As a vassal of the king, it is my duty to tend to and defend my territory. However, lately, I¡¯ve been hearing some bad news regarding this place, the Maritz Wetlands.¡± ¡°What does the Viscount mean by bad news regarding this place?¡± ¡°The bad news is that the Frontera family has been developing these Wetlands without getting my permission or doing any consultation with me first.¡± The Viscount continued, ¡°As you are aware, the Maritz Wetlands spans beyond my territory and Frontera Barony¡¯s border.¡± ¡°Yes, of course I am aware.¡± Lloyd nodded. The Viscount was telling the truth. The Maritz Wetlands was located between the Viscounty and the Barony. To be precise, it was divided into two halves, north and south. The northern part belonged to the Barony while the southern part belonged to the Viscounty. The Viscount then spoke in a stern tone, ¡±Henceforth, the southern part of the Maritz Wetlands is under my authority. Think about it, is this territory not a fiefdom entrusted by Your Majesty, The King to be governed?¡± ¡°Yes, that is right.¡± ¡°Then, whose duty is it to govern the fiefdom?¡± ¡°It is the duty of the territory¡¯s lord.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Now we can communicate a little.¡± The corners of the Viscount¡¯s mouth raised in delight. Lloyd, meanwhile, smiled wryly. He couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡®Haha, I understand now.¡¯ Just to be sure, Lloyd inquired about the Viscount¡¯s purpose. And he now roughly understood the reason why the Viscount of the territory south of Frontera Barony had come this way. The reason was simple. ¡®Maritz Wetlands have been useless for generations. But when the Viscount heard the news that the neighboring territory was going to develop it, he was initially puzzled, but he quickly made some calculations right away. And, he must¡¯ve waited silently for the construction to be finished. Why is that? Because he wants to reap the result without having to do the work himself. Showing up belatedly and claiming the land. As they previously stated, it is their territory from here to there. They want to get spoon-fed freely. What a pesky dung fly4???:literally means dung fly, in slangs, means someone who is very annoying or dirty..¡¯ They were just like dung flies that would persistently pounce at the first sight of profit. This kind of humans could be found anywhere. These were also found in the Republic of Korea. For example, the scammers who tricked his father into falling for a fraud, or the voice phishing criminal who swindled people on a daily basis. Not only in the criminal world, but also in everyday life. Just like selfish people who unabashedly said ¡®just one bite¡¯. Or the players who stayed silent throughout the game but stole the last hit. ¡®After all, this is how the world works. Conscience? This is a place where people prioritize their own profit over conscience, heh.¡¯ Lloyd expected this world to be not much different. He had already predicted that dung flies would visit the newly developed Maritz Wetlands. Of course, this noble in front of him was one of the dung flies candidates. ¡®It¡¯s so obvious.¡¯ He had predicted this kind of situation since he first planned to develop the Maritz Wetlands. ¡®In other words, you¡¯ve picked the wrong enemy.¡¯ Lloyd smirked as he looked at the Viscount. Ridiculous, absurd, and disrespectful. This was the land that had been developed with so much hard work. Lloyd couldn¡¯t believe this person tried to reap benefits for free. At this point, Lloyd was considering hammering it into the Viscount¡¯s head so he wouldn¡¯t think of doing this ever again. He wondered if the Viscount hadn¡¯t realized yet what he was thinking about right now. The Viscount was still talking, splattering his saliva everywhere. ¡°Thus, it would only be reasonable for the Frontera family to give the southern half of the Maritz Wetlands to me. Why is that? This is the sacred land Your Majesty The King has bestowed to me, so I have to take care of it with all of my heart. Do you understand?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, bring the Baron here right now. Don¡¯t make me waste any more of my time.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me?¡± ¡°I can hear you very well. The buzzing of the dung flies is very loud.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± The Viscount frowned. Lloyd nonchalantly attempted to clean his ears with his fingers. Then, he looked at his surroundings. It was extremely quiet, from all sides. Was it because there was nobody? No. On the contrary, people were flocking around them. Twenty knights that were brought by the Viscount, dozens of the Construction Team members that had stopped shoveling, plus the water wheel technician who arrived late to the site¡ªwhose hairs stood on end and were hesitant. In conclusion, more than 100 people were looking at them. Everybody was silent, but their ears were perked up. A crowd of onlookers, and the ideal place for the show. ¡®Having witnesses is especially important in disputes like this.¡¯ The stage was quite satisfactory. Lloyd smiled. He raised his head to look at the Viscount, who had yet to dismount from his horse. ¡°I heard everything you said and all the arguments you made. While doing so, as I thought, the Viscount seems to be well-versed in nonsense. Have you done any self-study at home?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Then, from now on, I¡¯ll give the Viscount some of my valuable time to break down the Viscount¡¯s arguments point by point based on the laws and tell you why those are not more valuable than wet tissues that have dried up because the lid isn¡¯t closed tightly enough.¡± Lloyd was trying to hold his beaming smile to the fullest. As he smiled, Lloyd began to spew forth a torrent of bitter words. His extremely cruel attack using facts had begun. Author¡¯s note: The Viscount¡¯s bones: A-nim, please have mercy ;; Tl/n: Man, Lloyd is hella petty hahahaha. I get being pissed off by kill-steal and people who ate almost the entire thing when they asked for just one bite, but I won¡¯t compare them to swindlers. XD CH 48 It hurted. It wasn¡¯t like he got punched, kicked, nor smacked with a club until his body was battered. However, Viscount Lacona felt sharp pain, numbness, and ache. He had no choice but to feel that way. Right now, more than 100 people were gathering here, their eyes and ears focused on the onslaught of facts attacking him. ¡°So, let¡¯s get this straight. The Viscount claimed that the southern half of the Maritz Wetlands is Viscount¡¯s territory, right?¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± ¡°Therefore, the Viscount is insisting that the southern half of the reclaimed Maritz Wetlands should belong to the Viscount?¡± ¡°That is also obvious.¡± ¡°However, there is a major loophole in that argument.¡± ¡°A loophole?¡± ¡°Yes. The loophole is that the Martiz Wetlands have been abandoned for a long time.¡± ¡°What makes that a loophole?¡± ¡°Because this claim goes against the land acts of the kingdom enacted by Her Highness the Queen.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± The Viscount faltered. Lloyd smirked. ¡°Land Act of The Kingdom Ch. 321. It¡¯s based on this special law regarding the development of barren land.¡± ¡°Land Act? Ch. 321?¡± ¡°Yes, it is a law that regulates the ownership of an abandoned land that has been reclaimed. Shall we take a closer look at it in order?¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­.¡± ¡°Clause 1. Purpose. This act aims to reclaim the barren land that has long been abandoned and to establish ownership of the said land.¡± ¡°Now listen here.¡± ¡°Clause 2. Definition. In this Act, barren land refers to a land that has been abandoned for over 100 years, nobody has made it their permanent residence for more than one year, and no cultivation activities transpiring on the land.¡± ¡°Wait a minute, as I was saying¡­.¡± ¡°Clause 3. Eligibility Requirements. A barren land that meets all of the following requirements shall be regarded as a developed land. First, the land must be developed with a clear purpose through investment of capital and labor. Second, the land must be able to support permanent residential buildings. Third, the land must be able to support long-term agricultural activities. Fourth, the lands must have produced at least one harvest of a crop variety specified by the detailed provisions of the law.¡± ¡°Look, let me tell you something, first of all¡­¡± the Viscount rambled in a hurry. However, his complaint went unnoticed. It was quickly buried under Lloyd¡¯s speech, which flowed without interruption. ¡°Clause 4. Ownership. If the developed land meets all of the requirements stated in the subparagraphs of Clause 3, the land will be recognized as belonging to the developer of the barren land and will be able to be registered in the Kingdom¡¯s Land Registry by following the procedure.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Clause 5. The Kingdom¡¯s Laws. Details needed for the enforcement of this Act shall be prescribed by the Kingdom¡¯s Laws. That is all. Listen to it once again. There¡¯s no guidance from an advisor, so shut up and accept your defeat.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lloyd smirked, while the Viscount was speechless. ¡®Why is there such a bastard like this here?¡¯ the Viscount pondered. Dumbfounded, he stared at Lloyd. The eldest son of Baron Frontera. The Barony¡¯s hopeless hooligan. The Viscount had heard the rumors about him. He was described as the type of guy who drank heavily everyday, and did all sorts of bad things. According to the recent rumors, the bastard had apparently come to his senses. So deep down, the Viscount was looking down on him. Even when the ruffian in the rumors stood in his way, and even when the said man started to refute his claim. He simply assumed he could easily refute this greenhorn¡¯s arguments. He even thought of quickly shutting this irritating bastard¡¯s mouth up and going to meet the Baron. However, now that he was in this situation, it appeared that he was mistaken. ¡®This bastard is not a pushover.¡¯ No, he was far from a pushover. He was young, so shouldn¡¯t it be easy to go at him? It seemed difficult to even get a point back. The Viscount swallowed dryly. ¡®Does such a law exist in the Land Act of the Kingdom? I¡¯ve never heard of it, but given that bastard¡¯s confident attitude, it doesn¡¯t seem like a lie. No way, that bastard, did he prepare for my meddling?¡¯ The Viscount wondered if that was the reason why the bastard studied the law in advance. Goosebumps. Suddenly, goosebumps appeared on his forearms. If that speculation was true, then he shouldn¡¯t look down on this guy. What a scary and thorough bastard. ¡®Where did this bastard pop out from?¡¯ The Viscount began to arrange his thoughts. He couldn¡¯t withdraw just like this. The Maritz Wetlands was vast, and so was the southern half of the area. This was a chance to get it for free without spending any money in the development. The Viscount racked his brain to the best of his ability. ¡®Think. Find a loophole in this pale bastard¡¯s argument.¡¯ The Viscount couldn¡¯t even complain about his counterargument¡­. Ah, that! Ting! A lightbulb turned on in his head. The Viscount¡¯s face brightened. Confidently, he looked down to look at Lloyd. ¡°The Land Act of The Kingdom, what an interesting speech.¡± ¡°Is that so? Because if we¡¯re talking about it, the law is always fair.¡± ¡°Right, I suppose so. It gives people like me a fair opportunity, just like now.¡± ¡°What is the Viscount trying to say?¡± ¡°What am I trying to say? I mean it literally. Look here, you¡¯ve developed the Maritz Wetlands, but it appears that an important requirement has yet to be met.¡± ¡°What important requirement does the Viscount refer to?¡± ¡°You see, I¡¯m talking about cultivation. It¡¯s cultivation, hohoho!¡± The Viscount happily burst out laughing. It was the laughter of a beast who had discovered the prey¡¯s weakness. ¡°You¡¯ve clearly stated that while reciting The Land Act of The Kingdom. In order for a barren land to be regarded as a developed land, it has to meet several requirements. Among those, there¡¯s a requirement where the land must have produced at least one harvest of a crop.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Pfft, hahaha! So this is why you¡¯re a mere greenhorn. You, have you harvested the crops?¡± A broad smile formed on the Viscount¡¯s face. It was the smile of a man who was sure of his victory. ¡®I won, you greenhorn bastard!¡¯ The Viscount was proud of himself. To win against the young greenhorn bastard who tried to fight back by sophisticatedly reciting the law, he used the loophole in that same law to shut him up. Obviously, the Viscount believed he had already won. He certainly did, up until Lloyd smirked. ¡°This is really fun. A crop, huh?¡± Rather than being bewildered, a genuine joyful laugh came from Lloyd. It was a laugh that conveyed his enjoyment in watching the opposing party struggle to win the battle. Thus, with a beaming smile adorning his face, Lloyd said, ¡°That¡¯s right, I want to show the Viscount something. May the Viscount please move the horse a little to the side for a brief moment?¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°Two steps will be enough.¡± ¡°What now¡­ Huh? Huhhh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, calm down.¡± Amidst the Viscount¡¯s bewilderment, Lloyd reached out his hand and naturally grabbed the reins of the horse, leading it to the side. The white horse neighed once before moving two steps to the side. It happened so naturally that they didn¡¯t have time to think about it. ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Please wait a minute.¡± The Viscount voiced out his complaint, but to no avail. Lloyd, who had just answered half-heartedly, suddenly bent his waist and reached out his hands towards the ground. Then, while humming, Lloyd said this, ¡°Whew. Fortunately, it¡¯s safe. The Viscount has no idea how worried I was because he stopped the horse here, just in case he stepped on this.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This one here, can the Viscount see it?¡± Lloyd, who was squatting, pointed to the ground. The Viscount¡¯s gaze that was full of suspicion moved to the spot Lloyd¡¯s finger was pointing at. And soon, he saw- ¡°Grass?¡± ¡°Ddaeng. This is an onion.¡± Lloyd pulled a rather long green leaf that rose above the ground. As he pulled, the surrounding ground was being carefully dug. Pop. An appetizing massive reddish-brown thing popped out. Feeling joyful, Lloyd was clearly grinning widely. ¡°Oh dear, this, congratulations! Now you are watching the historic first ever harvest in the Maritz Wetlands that has been reclaimed live. This experience will be free of charge, because I¡¯m not that cold-hearted. Anyway, it is truly fortunate that the crop is strong, hehehe.¡± The Viscount¡¯s expression became blank as Lloyd patted the dirt off the onion. Then, he offered it to the Viscount. ¡°Here. Now that we have successfully harvested the crop, we have fully met the law¡¯s requirements. What does the Viscount think? The Viscount has traveled a long way to come here, so please take this as a souvenir. It would be impolite of me to send the Viscount back empty-handed.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The Viscount didn¡¯t receive the onion. No, he couldn¡¯t bear to do so. He just stared blankly at Lloyd, wondering whether all of this was real or not. The same also happened to the Viscount¡¯s knight. He didn¡¯t even have the time to lose his temper. Lloyd smirked and tied the onion to the viscount¡¯s saddle. As if putting the final nail on the coffin, Lloyd said, ¡°In that case, please carefully take a look at it and go home. Javier?¡± Cheerfully, he called out to Javier. ¡°He is a valuable guest, please see him home safely.¡± ¡°Yes, I will carry out your order.¡± Javier stepped forward quickly. The silver-haired knight had long thoroughly grasped the situation. He knew better than anyone else that Lloyd had prepared for this situation. After all, the mastermind(?) who planned to plant the onion was him. ¡®Phew. Growing onions was pretty hard,¡¯ Javier thought, while sighing lightly. At the peak of construction that was done by implementing the Vertical Drain method, was it the next morning after all of the holes had been drilled in the designated area, the time when he had finished his role in the construction? Lloyd had summoned and given him this order out of the blue, ¡®Starting from today, you should grow some onions.¡¯ At first, Javier had thought Lloyd was saying some kind of slang, something that had special meaning he couldn¡¯t understand. But, it wasn¡¯t slang. Lloyd truly ordered him to grow onions. Javier didn¡¯t realize this until he received a hoe and the manure Lloyd frugally prepared. Obviously, a will to resist bubbled up within him. Javier had been agreeing to participate in the construction so far because it was for the territory¡¯s development. But, growing mere onions? ¡®I was wondering why you were making me do this.¡¯ It was not a knight¡¯s job; it was a farmer¡¯s. So, why did Lloyd order him to do this? At the very least, Javier wanted to know the reason why. So, he asked. In response, Lloyd smirked and nonchalantly answered as if it was nothing. However, the contents of his answer was by no means insignificant. ¡®From now on, the onion you¡¯ll grow will protect this Maritz Wetlands we reclaimed.¡¯ ¡®¡­.¡¯ His answer was full of meaning, and it was not something Javier could simply dismiss. After hearing that, he couldn¡¯t bear to refuse Lloyd¡¯s order. There must be something behind it. There must be a separate purpose that was hidden. Thinking so, Javier accepted the hoe and manure. And then, he began to plant an onion there. Of course, it wasn¡¯t easy. It was his first time planting a crop. ¡®I had no idea that growing something on the soil required so much effort.¡¯ Javier was an orphan. He lost his parents in the war when he was five years old. What if it hadn¡¯t been for Baron Frontera extending a helping hand just in time? He would have died of starvation on the road. Thus, Javier devoted himself to swordsmanship to repay the favor. He was working hard to keep his oath of being a sword to guard his Lord. Because he concentrated fully in doing that, he didn¡¯t have any experience in farming. The same was true when it came to growing onions. ¡®I had to ask for a lot of help from the farmers.¡¯ Javier had received a lot of advice, and heard a fair amount of nagging too. Thanks to the farmers, he was able to successfully grow the onion. And today, that mere onion truly protected the reclaimed Maritz Wetlands from the Viscount. ¡®Did Lloyd-nim truly predict that all of this will happen?¡¯ Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be any explanation about his weird order. The more Javier thought about it, the more he admired Lloyd. However, now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell in his admiration towards Lloyd. It was time to match Lloyd¡¯s meticulous and brazen response to the Viscount. ¡°I am Javier Asrahan, a knight who serves Baron Frontera. I will escort you back from here.¡± Javier quickly walked forward. Meanwhile, the Viscount¡¯s mouth continued to open and close repeatedly. Before the Viscount succeeded in forming a coherent counterargument, Javier naturally led the Viscount¡¯s group to leave. ¡°Let us go. This way,¡± Javier said. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Now that the Viscount fully registered the situation, his teeth clattered. However, it was already too late. Numerous eyes and ears were focused on them, including the Baron¡¯s Construction Team members. In this situation, the Viscount was completely controlled by the greenhorn¡¯s reasoning. What if the Viscount refused to back down? What if he refused to accept the reasoning and got angry? Only the Viscount¡¯s reputation would take the brunt, his reputation would be tarnished. ¡®You¡¯ve raised a good argument,¡¯ the Viscount thought, trying to get over his displeasure. He turned his head to glare at Lloyd one more time. Escorted by Javier, the Viscount gnashed his teeth the entire way back. Meanwhile, at the location where the Viscount finally left, stood a proud Lloyd and the Construction Team members who were looking at him and quietly chatted with each other because of the pleasant mood. ¡°Did you see that? Did you hear that?¡± ¡°Of course I saw it. Viscount Lacona¡¯s expression was perfect, oh-ho.¡± ¡°He was so angry he didn¡¯t know what to do, keukukuk.¡± ¡°Whew. Serves you right!¡± ¡°I know right. This place was all muddy before we developed it.¡± ¡°Whoa, you¡¯re right. We¡¯ve reclaimed this land by shoveling all day long, how could he want to reap the benefits for free, that Viscount.¡± ¡°He really has no conscience at all. Lloyd-nim properly drove that impudent fellow out.¡± ¡°Oh, it was really exhilarating. I was really nervous watching it.¡± The members of the Construction Team laughed cheerfully. This entire land was a muddy wetlands. It was an abandoned land that couldn¡¯t be used. However, who had brought change to this place? It was them. With a shovel in each of their hands and the endless sweat they let out from shoveling all day long, this was a land that had been reclaimed through their hard work and labor under the scorching sun. Thus, there was no way that the Viscount who asked for half of the area they¡¯d been working on for free would sit well with them. When they were listening to Lloyd and the Viscount¡¯s debate, they came to cheer Lloyd with all of their heart. Naturally, Lloyd¡¯s victory felt like theirs as well. ¡®Our Young Master is the best!¡¯ thought all of the soldiers on the scene, with their fists clenched. They were proud. Their hearts were filled with joy. Of course, Lloyd, the source of their pride and joy, simply frowned at everyone. ¡°What are you looking at? Is there a good spectacle here?¡± Whoot whoot whoot. As soon as Lloyd rebuked them, the Construction Team members moved in perfect unison. They resumed shoveling at the speed of light, just like before the controversy. The members of the Construction Team who had worked on numerous construction projects with Lloyd already had a rough grasp of Lloyd¡¯s personality now. ¡®Kukuku, we¡¯re going to get bonuses soon!¡¯ Even though his way of speaking was rough when talking to the Construction Team members, they knew Young Master Lloyd genuinely cared about them. Even when Lloyd nagged them to work like that, he always made sure they all got enough rest. What was more, they were also thankful to the Young Master who always gave them big bonuses every time they finished a big construction project. Thinking about the bonus they soon would receive made them laugh while shoveling. The Barony of Frontera, a rural territory in the eastern corner of the kingdom. The largest construction project in said territory¡¯s history was about to be completed. Of course, no one knew at the time that the construction would not end here. In fact, this was only the beginning of an even bigger development project. Lloyd was not going to stop here. If up until now was the time for land reclamation, next would be the time for land pioneering. Prior to the construction of the water wheel, which was at the end of the reclamation project, Lloyd had proposed a plan to the Baron. The Baron nodded readily when he heard Lloyd¡¯s plan. The very next day, the Barony published the so-called ¡®The Reclaimed Maritz Wetlands¡¯ Migration Encouragement Book¡¯. Viscount Lacona, the Barony¡¯s southern neighbor, fully swung the onion he had been fiddling with to his office¡¯s wall after reading the contents of this book. Author¡¯s note: Viscount, don¡¯t recklessly throw away the onion. Have you ever been a spicy and tasty person even once? (Feat preview Ch 48¡¯s top comment ). Tl/n: The illustration is so cuuute. Javier is truly kind. No wonder he¡¯s the og MC. p/s: I don¡¯t really understand the author¡¯s joke in the note, sorry.