The Greatest Estate Designer

Chapter 29: A Plan With Great Benefits (1)

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. Maybe because he had slept soundly for too long, his eyes were out of focus. No, it was 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 bodys 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 didnt 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 shouldnt do that. Its better to have some RP piled up rather than wasting a lot of it because I have many.

He didnt 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 wouldve happened if I hadnt carried Javier on my back and he hadnt formed a favorable impression of me?

If that was the case, he wouldnt have been able to obtain some RP. It wouldnt have been possible to use RP and convert the Asrahan Core Technique into a skill.

Id be dead without further ado.

Goosebumps sprang up all over his forearms.

So, RP is my trump card and last resort. Lets 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 its been three hours.

Three hours?

Yes, because I took turns with My Lord after breakfast.

Then, youve 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, Im 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.

..

Im just kidding.

Uh, that doesnt sound like a joke.

You must be mistaken.

By the way, are you all right?

Yes, somehow.

Lloyds eyes landed on Javiers ankle.

A faint smile appeared on Javiers lips. Im 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 didnt get hurt that bad that day, right?

What do you mean?

Youre exaggerating your injury.

Ive never exaggerated, Javier said, as if asking Lloyd what he was talking about.

A vein popped on Lloyds temple. Youve never exaggerated huh. You said you couldnt walk with a face that looks like youre about to cry. Saying Lloyd-nim, I cant 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, Its all thanks to the recovery power of a triple circle.

Recovery power? Triple circle?

Thats correct.

Aha. Therefore, thanks to the mana amplified by the triple circle, your resilience is more extraordinary than that of common people?

Thats an accurate summary.

Whoa, thats unfair. My bones are still throbbing.

Theres nothing for you to feel unfair about.

Why?

Its just because youre 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 didnt hit you, however

However?

I would like to say that Im delighted you regained consciousness.

Oh, yeah. Im 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 thats not involved in reproductionbiological cycle and the cells recovery cycle naturally got accelerated. Because of this, most of his muscles and ligamentsthat got strained due to being severely overworkedrecovered 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 barons 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 barons 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 Barons immense monthly interest had been settled.

Thanks to this, Ive regained the Barons trust. Im really glad.

In the [Iron-Blooded Knight] novel, all of the Barons 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, lets move! Dont make a fuss about the heat! Lloyds 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 everyones 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 didnt 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 Lloyds command. Finally, the coal mine was completed. However, Lloyd didnt get excited.

Its 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 theres 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 didnt 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 couldnt 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, theyll fill the vacancy with new workers. And theyll do it until another accident happens again. What if theres another accident? It doesnt matter. They can just find new workers. Because thats the natural thing to do, they say. Its 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, youll 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, hed 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!

Lloyds 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 wasnt 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, Javiers questions came from behind.

Lloyd smiled as he looked at Javier. Yes. Scared?

Thats not it, just-

Just?

I wonder why you want to go there.

Why are you wondering? Its 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. Theyre ants. Ants are known as natural tunnel builders, but there was an explosion down there, right? The ground mustve 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 theres 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 lets go.

Having said so, Lloyd went inside the ant nest together with Javier.

But I still dont understand.

What is it that you dont understand?

Why are you taking the risk yourself?

Youre asking why I dont ask others to do it?

Yes. Javier, who hesitated, organized his thoughts for a while and then said, I dont think Ive ever heard that its common for a nobleman to personally do these kinds of dangerous work.

Why couldnt I be a nobleman who is just like that?

Pardon?

I mean, Im going to personally check the safety of the people wholl 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 its great.

Oh. What brings you to compliment me?

It was made on my assumption that you were being reckless.

Dont be shy, if you want to compliment me, just do it.

I dont want to.

Hoho. Youre a tsun tsun³I think here the author refers to Tsundere, as in a character thats cold outside at first but later warms up. I dont know for sure because the author used some kind of Korean slang..

What is tsun tsun?

Theres 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.

Ill take a look. Javier drew his sword and approached. He examined the place Lloyd pointed at. However, the thing that glinted there.

Its a sword, said Javier.

A sword?

Yes. Javier picked up the sword that was on the ground. I dont think its a human sword. Its crude and out of balance. Judging from the shape of the handle and the damaged blade. I think its a sword used by an orc.

Orc?

Yes.

Why is there a sword used by orcs down here?

I dont 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, Arent they the ones that originally live in the wilderness across the eastern mountain range?

Thats 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, lets 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 there 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 its an orc that got caught by the ants, but seems like its still alive.

What?

Its alive? But its lying down like hes frozen?

Javier nodded. Looks like its gotten 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 Lloyds mind.

. Oh, wait. Bingo.

After Lloyd checked the orcs condition, an unexpected plan that could result in great benefits struck him like lightning. A smug smile bloomed on Lloyds lips.

Authors note : New pushovers are always welcome!

• 1

  Honeysuckle 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.

• 2

  Somatic cells: any normal body cell of an organism thats not involved in reproduction

• 3

  I think here the author refers to Tsundere, as in a character thats cold outside at first but later warms up. I dont know for sure because the author used some kind of Korean slang.