Chapter 122
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Translator: Prime Works
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: Extorting Investment Funds (2)
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Apartments.
The most common housing style in South Korea.
From the capital region to provincial metropolitan cities and even mid-sized towns—not to mention rural township centers where their absence would feel oddly empty, like a dinner table missing kimchi—they generously provided that sense of familiarity.
That was the status of apartments in South Korea.
Naturally, Lloyd had lived in one back in Korea too.
‘From elementary school days right up until the house was auctioned off.’
A standard 34-pyeong apartment in South Korea.
One living room, three bedrooms.
The veranda lined with flowerpots his father tended.
The wall behind the sofa plastered with his mother’s taste in gaudy accent wallpaper.
Looking back now, it felt a bit tacky on one hand, but warmly nostalgic all the same—a place he longed to return to.
It was exactly that kind of home.
Even now, he sometimes dreamed of returning there.
He could even smell the faint bleach scent in his dreams from the days his mother cleaned the bathroom.
That’s how much apartments—how much that home—meant to him back then, a place of fond longing.
‘Of course, I’m not thinking of building one like that here.’
The conditions just didn’t allow it for starters.
And there was no real need to anyway.
The apartment construction he was proposing to the baron now.
It was purely a means for efficiently housing refugees.
“So, I’ve given it some thought. I mulled it over. A way for the maximum number of people to live efficiently and stably in a limited space.”
“Hmm, and your conclusion from that was apartments?”
“Yes.”
The baron tilted his head, not quite grasping the idea right away.
He seemed a bit confused by the unfamiliar concept.
Lloyd nodded vigorously toward the baron.
“Actually, it’s not a concept I came up with or thought of myself. Remember when I went to the capital before and visited the academy to see Julian?”
“Hmm, yes.”
“While waiting for Julian, I happened to see it in a book in the academy library.”
Of course, it was a lie.
He’d never seen any such book.
But the baron had no way to verify it.
So in moments like this, a little white lie was fine.
He could always play it off later as the book must’ve disappeared.
“The book I saw introduced architectural styles from ancient kingdoms.”
“So, you’re saying this ‘apartment’ you’re talking about is an ancient architectural style?”
“Yes, exactly.”
Lloyd grinned.
This part wasn’t a lie.
It was true, real history.
Of course, the slight fake was that it came from Earth’s ancient styles, not the Lorasia continent.
“There was an ancient empire called ‘Rome,’ not very well-known, that had multi-story multi-family housing called ‘insula.’”
“Insula?”
“Yes. Buildings made of wood, bricks, mud, and classical cement. Usually limited to six stories to prevent collapse, but sometimes they went up to ten or more.”
“Heh, ten stories.”
“And that’s not all. There was also a country called ‘Islam.’ In its city of Cairo, there were apartments up to seven stories high, with records of hundreds living in a single building.”
“Hundreds in one building?”
“Yes. Some even reached fourteen stories, and I read records saying they had gardens on the rooftops.”
“Heh. Almost like a castle.”
“Of course. Especially in Yemen’s ‘Shibam,’ there were even eleven-story apartments built entirely from mud bricks.”
“Hmm… So, in other words, you want to build vertically stacked structures like those examples to house many refugees on limited land?”
“Yes, that’s it.”
Lloyd smiled with conviction.
He was introducing the baron to a completely new construction concept.
In sales like this, showing confidence was key, wasn’t it?
‘Obviously. Especially now, you have to sell it hard—even bluff if needed. That’s how you profit in the real world.’
Memories of Korea suddenly surfaced.
Even in simple jobs, it was the same.
Even on dusty sites with flying cement powder.
To get rewarded for good work, you had to make it known.
Even when playing office politics.
Usually, the ones praised for excellence and recruited to better teams were those who actively showcased their skills.
In short, pairing skill with the ability to talk it up meant better rewards and more money than someone with the same talent who didn’t.
‘It’s the same now.’
Time to talk it up.
Sell it as brilliant.
Plant expectations of results.
Lloyd licked his lips, channeling the mindset of a door-to-door jade mat salesman.
He geared up his tongue with vigor.
“Building apartments brings several advantages. First, administrative management of refugees becomes easier.”
“Administrative management?”
“Yes. Say one building houses a thousand people. You can treat them as a unit, elect a representative, track numbers, check health, distribute supplies—that sort of system.”
“Hmm, that makes sense. And the second advantage?”
“With many people in vertically stacked housing, the actual land per person shrinks. Given our territory’s limited space, that’s quite appealing. And it ties into the third advantage.”
“Third?”
“Yes. Once those refugees settle as territory residents, commerce will develop around the apartments.”
“Commerce? You mean taverns, general stores, eateries?”
“Exactly. Apartments create high-density population zones. High population in a small area means high economic purchasing power there.”
It was true.
In Korea, it was ironclad.
Commerce always centered on apartments.
Concentrated population.
Solid buying power.
No one needed to push; multiplexes, franchise restaurants, cafes, academies, hospitals, marts, salons, convenience stores—they all flocked in.
Population lured merchants.
“And another one. They’re easy to build.”
“Why’s that?”
“Standardization.”
Lloyd shrugged.
“If hundreds of households go into one building, all those homes are identical. Like stamped out from a mold. Makes construction easier, maintenance simpler. Plus, better winter insulation.”
“Insulation?”
“Yes. Each unit is surrounded on sides, top, and bottom by other homes. Less heat escapes, so winter heating is easier. Less cold.”
“I see…”
The baron nodded blankly.
Lloyd’s listed advantages.
They all sounded plausible.
And the final one he pitched stabbed right at the baron’s interest like a grand finale.
“Plus the last advantage. In emergencies, it bolsters territory defense.”
“Defense?”
Convenient admin.
Land savings.
Thriving commerce.
Easy build and maintenance.
And now defense too?
Lloyd grinned before the baron’s widened eyes.
He picked up a pen and sketched on the paper atop the table.
It was a donut shape, hollow in the middle.
“I forgot to mention another ancient apartment style. This one. Called ‘tulou’ from the Fujian region. Like this—wide central plaza ringed by buildings. Of course, I plan a square donut shape instead of round.”
“This… it’s like a fortress.”
“Yes. All windows face inward to the plaza. Outer walls are solid, acting as battlements. Only one entrance to the plaza from outside, here. Seal that main gate, and the whole building turns into an impregnable fortress.”
“Then what’s the central plaza for?”
“Communal living.”
Lloyd stated confidently.
“I plan minimal bedrooms and living rooms per unit. Cooking, eating, washing dishes or laundry, bathing, toilets—all done in plaza facilities. Wells, dining halls, public baths, latrines, etc.”
“…”
“That way, you pack in the maximum number like honeycomb.”
“…”
“And all those advantages fit our territory perfectly right now.”
“…”
The baron stared at his son, feeling a bit dazed.
Lloyd smiled with a touch of shamelessness.
“Of course, it’ll take time to build. Site selection, surveying, design, materials… Realistically, aim for completion and move-in by next winter. So temporary shelters for refugees until then are urgent too.”
“Yes, I see.”
“Hmm, but why are you looking at me like that?”
“Sigh. What to say? Just thinking I raised a damn fine son.”
“…”
“Heh, is your old man’s praise that burdensome?”
“Hmm, not burdensome exactly, but, uh, yeah, kinda. Hearing it face-to-face feels a bit cringy.”
Lloyd scratched the back of his head.
He’d talked it up to push things forward.
But direct praise like that still felt awkward.
Even that warm, steady gaze was a tad much.
Maybe deep down, the Kim Suho huddled in a goshiwon room still lingered.
Lloyd just chuckled embarrassedly.
♣
Days passed.
In that time, Lloyd pushed hard on refugee temporary shelters.
‘Keep the structure as simple as possible. Build fast.’
He dug square pits: 20 meters by 20 meters wide, 50 cm deep.
Made formwork matching the pits.
But zigzag channels were carved into the formwork.
Square-cross-section channels, 20 cm wide, zigzagging to cover the entire floor. Opposite end connected to a chimney.
Cement ondol for heating.
‘Last time making ondol rooms, no Bangul or volcano skill.’
Couldn’t make cement then.
But now was different.
Far easier, safer ondol floors.
‘Thanks to this design skill too.’
Even tested heat flow and exhaust with design skill and simulation options. Allowed far more precise, efficient heat-transfer ondol structures.
Then stamped them out like fish-shaped buns.
“Pour!”
“Two, three! Heave-ho!”
“Heave-ho, squeak!”
Human engineering corps and orc miners teamed up.
Mixed cement based on Bangul’s volcanic ash, poured into formwork.
Once cured and dried, a perfect 400㎡ ondol floor emerged.
“Now, lay the wood panels!”
“Yes, sir!”
Finished the flat cement with thin wood.
Erected poles around the edges.
One side 3 meters high.
Other side 2 meters.
Covered with thick cloth.
Thus, a large ondol tent completed—sloped roof for heavy winter snow.
“There, got the knack from one? Now all identical. Same formwork design and specs. Can do?”
“Of course.”
Sir Bayern nodded briskly.
Grizzled now in engineering command, the man had become the finest construction foreman.
Lloyd left the rest of the winter tents to Sir Bayern.
Freeing him to focus on apartment prep.
‘But the problem is money.’
Throughout prep, Lloyd often frowned.
Money was the real issue.
‘Used up funds repaying those loan sharks.’
Sold his soul to clear the debts.
Barely any cash left.
Sure, monthly water tolls from Viscount Racona.
Plenty of Bangul’s steel poop unsold, stockpiled for future sales.
But not liquid cash for now.
‘Material costs are low, luckily. Rebar and cement free from Bangul. Labor cheap—using territory engineers. But still not flush. Pay for masons and smiths alone already short.’
Especially with refugee flood.
Tents for them.
Fabric costs alone hefty.
Daily supplies, food, meds, clothes—barely keeping up.
Now massive apartments on top? Money pinch inevitable.
‘Need to pull funds from somewhere.’
He had a method in mind.
Beg the Creemo Count.
Thanks to new praise from settling debts: [Frontera’s Eldest Son].
‘In Creemo region only, max economic credit rating. Borrow investment at lowest rates, best terms anytime. No debt collection on borrowed sums… something like that.’
Praise option details.
So investment possible.
But he hesitated.
‘Just cleared debts, now more?’
No collections, sure.
Still felt off.
Lloyd delayed, pondered days.
Then answer came unexpectedly.
“This is big trouble. Just flew in from the capital.”
One afternoon amid worries, Baron Frontera summoned him.
Entered the office; baron thrust a letter.
“What’s this?”
“An edict.”
Royal magical seal on the envelope, as baron said.
“Carrier pigeon just arrived. Opened it— this. Probably an envoy with same order soon.”
“…”
Lloyd took the edict.
What royal command?
Unfolded it.
[From ancient times, the royal family has striven for the peace and comfort of the kingdom’s nobles, citizens, and all subjects. Yet lately, great calamity strikes the Eastern Mountains region, filling Us with endless worry.]
It detailed recent Eastern Mountains monster domino.
Lloyd’s eyes scanned down.
[Numerous territories adjacent to Eastern Mountains suffer monster attacks… blah blah… countless folk lose homes and livelihoods… so and so… these lost souls are subjects We must cherish… details… All lords shall actively shelter and protect refugees in the lands entrusted to them by Us.]
‘Hmm.’
Lloyd pondered.
[Directive. All territories in Creemo region east shall prioritize refugee shelter and protection, in the King’s name. Public Era 617, November, proclaimed from capital Magenta by Queen Alicia Termina Magentano.]
“Whew. Truly dire times.”
Finished reading; baron sighed deeply beside him.
Turned—baron’s face ashen.
His mutter full of despair too.
“Of course we must shelter refugees, but a royal edict? No idea how to handle this. No spare funds or food—what more can we do?”
Baron spoke frankly.
Humanitarian aid, yes.
But only within capacity.
Refugees overwhelming.
And this a mere barony.
If only they’d scatter to southern Viscount Racona lands. No—all swarming here.
Lloyd’s fame spreading nearby.
Guardian of Creemo.
Protector of the Queen.
Thrice repelled monster invasions—barony’s heir.
Frontera Territory = safety.
That hope lit refugees’ path.
“Now can’t even refuse incoming hordes politely. With this edict. Sigh, truly no clue now.”
Baron saw doom: refugee crush, cash crunch, territory bankrupt.
Then—
“Well, good timing.”
“…What?”
Son spouted nonsense.
Even grinned.
“Lloyd. You find humor in this?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Happy.”
“…”
Had his clever son cracked under pressure?
Baron asked anxiously.
“Happy? Why on earth?”
“I’ll write a reply. That’s why.”
“Reply?”
“Yes.”
“To whom?”
“Who sent this edict, obviously. Her Majesty the Queen.”
“To Her Majesty? A reply?”
“Yes.”
Lloyd beamed joyfully.
“Perfect. Just what I needed. Been agonizing over cash crunch.”
“So?”
“Replying to Her Majesty—time to deploy ultimate weapon against funds shortage.”
“Ultimate weapon for funds?”
“Yes. She handed me perfect pretext. This edict.”
“…”
Baron felt heart race oddly.
Son’s caliber worlds above his.
‘Same edict— I despaired. He sees turnaround chance.’
Impressive.
Proud.
Baron asked, thrilled.
“Ultimate weapon? Sounds huge from you. What is it?”
Eyes sparkling, baron watched Lloyd.
Lloyd grinned brazenly, titanium plate flower full bloom.
“Acting cute, throwing a tantrum, and whining.”