Chapter 178
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Translator: Prime Works
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: The Skeleton Repaying the Favor (2)
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“So, you’re overwhelmed with gratitude to me for not throwing away your skulls and keeping them safe?”
Creak!
It was just past midnight.
Lloyd, who hadn’t been able to extinguish the inn’s candlelight until then, pressed the heels of his hands firmly against his eyelids.
He was exhausted.
He’d been running around all day.
He’d clashed fiercely with the Hell Knight.
He’d spent the entire day using the Asrahan Heart Method to provide emergency treatment to the citizens.
Just when he thought he could finally rest a little.
An unexpected guest had arrived.
No less than two hundred skeletons, no less.
“It’s more than just gratitude.”
In response to Lloyd’s question, one skeleton soldier nodded its skull.
It quickly wrote its answer on a piece of paper and showed it.
This one was apparently the leader of the skeleton group.
It had said to call it ‘Turtle Neck.’
The skeleton soldier, Turtle Neck, gripped a piece of charcoal and wrote its words.
“We were at a loss. Not only had we died unjustly, but our skulls were arbitrarily buried in the cold ground. Our bodies were used as headless zombies.”
“Ah, so you were those zombies escorting the black mages yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Then what about now?”
“Most of the black mages are dead. Cannavaro’s power has been restrained as well. Thanks to that, we were freed from the curse. In the process, all our rotten flesh disappeared, leaving only pure bone.”
“Hmm, so the zombies I smashed?”
“They’re over there.”
Turtle Neck pointed to one side.
Two skeleton soldiers there raised their hands.
“From the left, Square Jaw and Frozen Shoulder.”
“......”
“Those friends got hit hard when you first ambushed the black mages yesterday. Their torsos disappeared.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“But as the black mages’ curse lifted, their shattered and powdered bones were all restored. We don’t know the exact reason or principle.”
“Still, it’s fortunate in the end, right?”
“Yes.”
Turtle Neck nodded its skull again.
It cleared away the densely filled paper and danced the charcoal lump over a fresh sheet.
It continued the story in black letters on the white paper.
“After the curse was lifted, we gathered in one place. We discussed what to do from now on. The discussion didn’t take long, actually. Because we all felt it.”
“Felt what?”
Lloyd asked.
Turtle Neck tapped its own skull with one hand, thump thump.
“Our heads.”
“The skulls?”
“Yes. We already knew. Someone had unearthed our haphazardly buried skulls. And that they were being kept respectfully without being discarded.”
“No way, you heard what I was saying through the skulls?”
“Yes.”
Turtle Neck nodded its skull once more.
“We heard everything. Every time you collected a gem, you bowed politely toward our skulls. We don’t know what harsh ordeal you went through, but you prayed for our peaceful rest. You wished us eternal slumber.”
“......”
Lloyd closed his mouth.
Those were definitely words he’d muttered to himself each time he dug up a skull.
At the time, he’d just thought of it as respect for the dead.
He’d felt sorry for those exploited by the black mage.
He’d planned to bury them properly in a sunny place later.
It was just voicing his inner thoughts.
‘I had no idea they were listening.’
He felt a bit proud.
At the same time, a little embarrassed.
Suddenly, a memory surfaced.
It was one winter when he was living in a Korean goshiwon.
The day he’d received his daily wage from the site.
Then he saw her on the street.
An old lady selling vegetables by the roadside amid biting winds and sleet.
All she had out were a few baskets of greens.
Yet she hadn’t sold a single one.
Without even a knit hat or gloves.
She was struggling to brush the snow accumulating on the vegetables with her frostbitten hands.
That must have been why.
He’d asked without thinking.
How much for all the vegetables.
He’d pulled out the envelope with his day’s pay.
‘Back then, I thought I’d done something crazy.’
Of course, it was a good deed.
Even he thought it was a pretty decent act of kindness.
But afterward that evening, how much he regretted it.
Sucker.
Idiot.
Moron.
He’d berated himself relentlessly.
He couldn’t even guess how much he agonized over the hunger that lack of a few tens of thousands of won would bring.
That’s when it started.
After that, he stopped meddling excessively.
Having experienced hunger as the price of one act of charity, it came naturally.
He resolved to do good deeds that didn’t exceed his means.
He’d lived by that creed.
Up until recently.
No, even now.
The same went for the two hundred skulls he’d unearthed while collecting gems.
It was just something he could handle with his own abilities.
That’s all.
He’d kept them respectfully, nothing more.
He hadn’t expected it to return in this form of repayment.
“Hmm, so in conclusion, you want me to take all of you in?”
“Yes.”
The skeleton soldier leader, Turtle Neck, nodded its skull and wrote its answer.
“If it weren’t for you, we still wouldn’t have reclaimed our heads. The skulls were buried under magic.”
“I see.”
“Yes.”
“If you follow me, you’ll have to work a ton. Even if you can’t rest peacefully in your graves, that’s fine?”
“We’ve been granted life after death anyway. We can’t find peace. We’d just wander the wilds and face extermination by adventurers or armies. Better to live under someone reliable like you, protected legally.”
“Tch. That makes sense. Doesn’t it?”
Lloyd grinned.
He turned to the side.
There, Haviel sat on the bed with sleepy eyes.
‘What the hell is this?’
Haviel let out a deep sigh.
He’d been sleeping soundly.
Listening to Lloyd’s lullaby as usual.
The silver-haired knight rolling around in the perfect dreamland.
But suddenly, the bedroom grew chaotic.
Lloyd’s voice kept coming.
There were tons of clattering sounds.
An enemy, perhaps?
His eyes snapped open.
The sight in the bedroom shocked him.
If you woke up to two hundred skeletons packing the inn room, anyone would be shocked and scream.
If Lloyd hadn’t explained the situation right then.
He’d have charged in and smashed the skeleton horde to pieces.
‘Never thought I’d live to see someone try to employ skeleton soldiers as laborers.’
And that person was the young master he served.
Another sigh escaped him involuntarily.
Beyond Haviel’s silently spreading sigh, an employment contract passed between Lloyd and the skeleton soldiers.
“What’s this?”
The skeleton soldier Turtle Neck tilted its skull.
Lloyd replied as if it were obvious.
“Employment contract.”
The corners of his lips curled up.
He’d been worrying about manpower shortages.
Even after acquiring the Undead Domination skill, he’d lacked undead soldiers.
[Number of Undead Soldiers that Can Be Dominated: 200]
[Number of Currently Dominated Undead Soldiers: 200]
‘Secured unpaid infinite workers like this. Success.’
Satisfaction bloomed with the rewarding message before his eyes.
Lloyd smiled contentedly.
♣
The next day, Lloyd left the inn as soon as dawn broke.
He headed to the Namaran Count’s office.
In his hand was a rolled bundle of documents.
The ‘Namaran Wall Restoration Construction Plan’ and blueprints.
‘Lalala, la la.’
Thanks to the contract with the skeleton soldiers last night, the manpower issue was resolved. He’d steadily surveyed and designed before the wall incident, so the construction schedule was outlined.
No need to delay the approval anymore.
He just needed to present the construction plan to the Namaran Count and request cooperation for materials and such.
‘Finish the construction in a snap. Get paid handsomely. Return to Frontera Territory. An worry-free life of sucking honey with apartments and the grand sewer shining awaits.’
This construction was the last one.
Nail this, and he’d receive ongoing facility maintenance fees from Namaran Territory forever.
That funding would be ample insurance for his future living.
‘Lalala nana.’
His shoulders bobbed involuntarily.
A humming tune with mangled rhythm flowed out.
Thus, he tap-danced joyfully toward the count’s office, ready to “plug the straw” for construction approval.
And soon, he faced an unexpected situation in the office.
“Won’t you become my son-in-law?”
“......”
What was this now?
Lloyd felt his cooling breath as he stared at the Namaran Count.
The count was wrapped in a thick blanket, coughing repeatedly.
“Ahem, cough! Hack! Is my request too sudden, perhaps?”
“Yes, a bit......”
“Truth be told, I didn’t expect to make such a request myself.”
The count gave a wry smile on his haggard face.
“Lloyd Frontera, you can see my state now, right? How do I look?”
“Hmm, you seem a bit unwell.”
“Exactly. That’s why.”
The count’s sigh.
His words continued.
“It’s because of this incident. I’m so exhausted. My body doesn’t feel like mine anymore. The doctor says a year of rest will improve it, but... who knows. I lost so much vitality to that wicked black mage’s scheme. Honestly, I just want to rest now.”
“Pardon?”
“That surprising? Haha. I mean retirement.”
The Namaran Count laughed casually.
“If I were just an ordinary old man, I wouldn’t do this. I’d cling to this position. But who am I? The ruler of this city. Can I properly govern in this state where I can’t even manage my own health? No. No, that won’t do. It’d be a nuisance to everyone.”
“But, my lord Count.”
“I love this city. I’ve devoted my life to Namaran. That’s why. An old man like me, who needs to focus on recuperation, clinging to this high seat will cause governance issues. So I thought. Someone far sturdier, healthier, wiser, who can help our city. I want to hand over the city’s rule to such a person.”
“Ahem, my lord Count? I feel like I didn’t answer honestly earlier......”
“Hm?”
“You look incredibly healthy right now.”
“......”
“You could probably jump up, run to the wall over there, touch it, and come back without issue.”
“Hey, you.”
The count burst into hearty laughter.
From that sight, Lloyd sensed a sharp crisis.
It wasn’t wearing thin.
The Namaran Count seemed unusually stubborn today.
He must have made some firm resolve.
Lloyd’s premonition soon became reality.
Along with the Namaran Count’s call toward the inner office.
“You’ve waited long; come out now.”
Right after the count’s words.
The inner door opened.
The Namaran Lady appeared.
With a slightly flushed face, she bowed her head and sat quietly beside the count.
The count gazed at his daughter with pleased eyes.
Then turned that gaze this way.
“What do you think? Can you form a bond with this child? And take over governance of my city as well.”
“......”
“It’s this old man’s request.”
“......”
The Namaran Count’s voice grew earnest.
Thus, Lloyd felt even more troubled.
‘Wow, this is insane.’
He’d thought they’d safely overcome the Namaran Wall crisis.
He’d relaxed, thinking he just needed to perfectly execute the construction.
He hadn’t expected this completely unforeseen emergency.
‘Did I rack up merits that were too grand?’
Lloyd felt cold sweat soaking his palms.
It seemed he’d indeed piled up excessively great achievements.
He’d saved the entire city of Namaran.
And taken down the Hell Knight in the process.
He’d anticipated an extraordinary reward, but never dreamed the count would offer his daughter and the whole city.
It was truly an enormous proposal.
If he just nodded?
He could become the count ruling Namaran immediately.
And later inheriting Frontera Territory too, he’d command two counties—a tremendous position.
‘But......’
Somehow, he didn’t want it.
It didn’t appeal.
Not a lack of ambition for power?
Nor feeling unworthy?
No.
‘Too burdensome.’
That was Lloyd’s honest sentiment.
He didn’t want a loveless marriage to the Namaran Lady.
Ruling two counties would just mean twice the headaches.
‘Running Frontera Territory is already intense. Complicated and tough. I just want to live quietly in a small territory, sucking honey in comfort. Why does everyone keep pushing me?’
If he could choose his life’s genre?
Lloyd would pick a peaceful slice-of-life without hesitation.
Or a story with a landlord protagonist lounging luxuriously in daily life.
Power struggles.
Near-death adventures.
Breathless disaster survival.
None suited his tastes.
He was tired.
Especially after suffering so much in Korea.
He truly just wanted a calm, modest life.
That’s why.
‘I have to refuse this proposal.’
Lloyd made up his mind.
And pondered.
A natural way to refuse the Namaran Count’s proposal.
And a fitting pretext to block any future ones permanently.
What would work?
What excuse would prevent repeats?
As Lloyd agonized, his gaze landed on the Namaran Lady.
Then it naturally came to mind.
The novel *Iron-Blooded Knight*.
Her tragic, heroic end in that story. Her noble sacrifice for the city, undertaken willingly.
Perhaps that’s why.
“I understand the intent of your proposal, my lord Count, and the greater good it holds. But I’m sorry. I cannot accept becoming your son-in-law and ruling the city.”
“......What?”
The Namaran Count’s gaze wavered.
He asked.
“You’d refuse such a fine offer? Do you truly not grasp my intent? What’s the reason?”
He seemed greatly flustered.
Understandable.
It was a proposal offering daughter and city alike.
For an ordinary person, it’d be an offer to beg for desperately, eyes ablaze.
But not for Lloyd.
He met the count’s eyes calmly.
With a solemn face and voice, he replied politely.
“Because right here, there’s already a far more suitable and excellent ruler for this city than me.”
His hand was now pointing toward the Namaran Lady.