Chapter 89
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Translator: Prime Works
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Between Construction and Trust (1)
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“That news is all true?”
“Yes.”
“Really, no mistake or misunderstanding—it actually happened?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“So, you stopped the Gigatitan that was about to land in Creemo, and my brother finished it off. You’re saying that was all real, no exaggeration or anything, right now?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“…….”
Julian swallowed hard.
He looked across the table.
Sitting opposite him was a stunning silver-haired beauty who made even this luxurious royal palace lodging seem plain.
It was Haviel.
“Whew. If Sir Asrahan—you of all people—says so, I can’t not believe it.”
“So you didn’t believe it before?”
“How could I?”
Finally, an incredulous laugh escaped him.
Julian shook his head in disbelief as he spoke.
“Actually, I first heard about it from someone sent by the palace. They told me to keep it to myself for the time being. The details hadn’t reached the capital yet.”
“Is that so.”
“Yeah. They said Her Majesty would soon summon you and my brother to bestow rewards and spread the news far and wide. But that was it.”
“It?”
“How exactly my brother took down the Gigatitan, stuff like that.”
Wrinkles formed on Julian’s round nose bridge.
Suddenly, he recalled the day someone from the palace had visited.
‘You have a truly outstanding brother. I’m envious.’
He still couldn’t forget those parting words from the palace envoy.
Out of honor and pride?
Absolutely not.
“It was ridiculous. Think about it. An ‘outstanding brother.’ Could you believe that?”
“Hmm, did you suspect the palace envoy was a con artist?”
“Of course I did.”
“As expected.”
“Isn’t that obvious? Some stranger shows up out of nowhere, raving about my brother’s feats and how outstanding he is with all that unbelievable praise. Naturally, I was suspicious. But they were legit from the palace.”
“You must have been confused.”
“Yeah.”
Julian nodded vigorously.
“So I figured it had to be some mix-up or misunderstanding. It’s Lloyd Frontera, after all. The guy who was constantly drunk and causing trouble.”
It was true.
That was the Lloyd Julian remembered.
Even three years ago, on the day he left Frontera territory to enroll in the academy.
Right before departing, he’d gone to say goodbye.
They were brothers, after all.
Even if he resented him, he was still his brother.
He’d visited Lloyd’s room.
And got chased out in less than ten seconds.
The moment he opened the door, a wave of foul alcohol stench hit him.
Shouts of “What do you want? I’m sleeping—get out!”
Then a bottle flying, shattering against the door right next to his face.
Alcohol stench, rough yelling, shattering bottle.
That was Julian’s last encounter with Lloyd Frontera as he left his family home three years ago.
“That’s why.”
Julian’s pale hand habitually touched the corner of his left eye.
There, a tiny, dot-like scar indented the skin.
A scar from a shard of the bottle Lloyd had thrown that day three years ago.
“So I thought the real hero—some nameless figure—must have earned that feat, and my brother just happened to be nearby, caught people’s eyes, and got misunderstood.”
“You mean Lord Lloyd stole the credit or scooped it up for free from the true hero.”
“Yeah. Exactly.”
Julian nodded emphatically and added,
“No matter how I thought about it, that was the only explanation that made sense. But to think it was all true…….”
He truly hadn’t known.
A long sigh escaped him naturally.
A faint smile played on Haviel’s lips.
“I get it. I felt the same way, Lord Julian.”
“You too, Sir Asrahan?”
“Yes.”
Haviel nodded.
“It was from one day. No warning, no signs—just an ordinary day. And it was the morning after he’d gotten drunk and caused a ruckus at the tavern the night before.”
“What happened that day?”
“Yes. Lord Lloyd changed.”
“Changed how?”
“Exactly that. Like a completely different soul had entered his body.”
The warm indoor fireplace.
The cozy lodging sealed against any draft.
Haviel’s low voice filled the space.
“He became diligent. He started showing consideration. He quit drinking.”
“……What? No way.”
“But it’s true. Not only did he quit alcohol, he began all sorts of public works I’d never imagined.”
“Like that artificial ground thing he made on commission from Creemo Count?”
“Yes.”
Haviel continued.
“And much more besides. Blending diligence and shrewdness with pettiness and cunning.”
“Pettiness and cunning?”
“A new side emerged.”
Wrinkles creased Haviel’s brow.
“Different from the old days of mindless troublemaking. He got petty. He won’t tolerate even the smallest loss. The moment he realizes the construction payment from that day falls short, he drops his meal and rushes off to collect every last coin.”
“……Hah.”
“And cunning, too. He latches onto even minor weaknesses and torments people with them to the end. He grips them tight and shakes. No way to fight back. And he openly savors their suffering. Truly vile temperament.”
“Isn’t that worse than before?”
“Of course. Oh, one more thing.”
“What?”
“He’s grown subtly proud of his looks.”
“What? My brother?”
“Yes.”
“No way.”
“It’s true. Sometimes he looks at me and burns with rivalry.”
“Tsk tsk. He’s lost his touch.”
“Right?”
“Yeah. You gotta rub against someone on your level.”
“Exactly. At least before, he knew his own face’s worth. How did he end up like that? He even openly envies or gets annoyed at the number of love letters I receive.”
“Tragic. Poor guy.”
“I agree.”
Julian Frontera, second son of the baron’s family.
Haviel Asrahan, the baron’s loyal knight.
The two same-age companions, reuniting after three years, bonded over this odd(?) topic, their conversation blooming.
Thanks to that, Lloyd, who’d been immersed in designs next door, could only lament.
“……I can hear everything, you bastards.”
Why had he ended up with these two as his brother and guard knight?
As the gossip from the living room beyond the wall piled into his ears, Lloyd let out a deep sigh.
But unlike the sigh, a smile graced Lloyd’s lips.
Thanks to the satisfying message popping up before his eyes.
Ding dong.
[Julian Frontera’s favorability towards you has increased by +2.]
[Current relationship with Julian Frontera: -59]
[Minor relationship improvement with a key figure grants 28 RP.]
[Current RP: 2,164]
[Your intimacy level with Julian Frontera has risen from 'Extreme Disgust' to 'Disgust'.]
[Bonus for intimacy level increase: +5 RP.]
[Current RP: 2,169]
‘Heh heh heh. Yes. Good.’
The gratifying RP gain message.
Fresh and exciting no matter how many times, every day, he saw it.
And this one felt especially meaningful.
‘A new RP source has appeared.’
It was true.
Looking back, it had been that way.
Julian was a long-lost person who gave RP.
‘From past cases, definitely. Just getting friendly with anyone doesn’t give me RP.’
Early on, he thought bonding with people would yield RP.
But no.
Creemo Count was a prime example.
‘No matter how close we got or favors I did, no favorability rise messages appeared.’
That didn’t mean Creemo Count lacked goodwill. He’d shown immense favor, even proposing marriage later.
But no messages ever popped between them.
No favorability increases.
No RP gains.
That’s why.
‘People who give me RP have something in common. The relationship only activates the favorability system under specific conditions.’
He’d quietly theorized that.
And now, he had the answer.
‘It’s becoming part of my faction. That’s the key.’
Reading Julian’s messages carefully.
Recalling the orc tribe example.
He was nearly certain.
‘Everyone who’s provided RP so far was mostly under the barony. The baron couple, Haviel, Sir Bayern, residents, and even the orc tribes with official blood oaths.’
Faction members.
Or official allies.
Only with them did the RP system activate.
Lloyd was convinced.
Seeing Julian that way made him feel fresh.
‘Welcome. First time being a sucker?’
Heh.
Thinking of exploiting the guy, squeezing out RP nicely, a pleased smile bared his gums.
At the same time, he pondered future plans.
‘Anyway, I brought him here, so now I take responsibility.’
He’d made Julian take a leave.
Brought him to the royal lodging.
But that didn’t solve the root of the bullying.
‘He needs to toughen up and harden himself.’
Strength means no bullying.
Hardness makes it even better.
The most fundamental counter.
Dirty and unfair, sure.
Truly unreasonable and wrong.
But an uncomfortable truth he couldn’t deny.
‘Of course, rules and systems exist to prevent such misfortunes. But they only mitigate unfairness somewhat. Never absolute shields.’
He recalled the academy dorm supervisor.
And the staff there.
All silent, all bystanders.
Ignoring bullied Julian.
A prime example of how powerless rules can be.
‘So I gotta grind him down to temper him.’
Of course, Julian wasn’t his blood brother.
Never had one in Korea either.
Plus, barely half a day since seeing his face.
But the messages and RP system told him.
The confirmed system condition affirmed it.
‘That kid’s one of mine now.’
I look after my people.
Stick to that principle, and others feel it skin-deep.
Then my people grow, stay by my side.
‘And I get more RP plentifully.’
Lloyd etched that in mind as he planned ahead.
He poured even more focus into the suspension bridge designs and simulations.
Meanwhile, beyond the wall, Julian, Haviel, Ppoding, Bangul, and Hamang’s cheerful voices continued.
Julian’s voice brimmed with the most joy.
Relief and warmth from escaping daily torment and discrimination, surrounded by friendly folks.
Those cozy emotions in every nuance of his voice.
Hearing it, Lloyd thought he’d done right pulling him from the dorm.
He’d take even better care from now on.
Thus passed a night of intense designing and warm chatter.
♣
The next day dawned.
Lloyd got busy.
He left the lodging right after waking.
In his arms, dozens of blueprints for the royal forge.
Drawn that dawn via the design skill’s ‘Blueprint Output’ option, in various forms.
“I’d like to meet the person in charge here.”
He arrived at the royal forge and stated his business.
Mentioning he was the constructor for Her Majesty’s project brought out the forge’s top overseer.
“What brings you all the way here.”
About 120 cm tall.
Barrel-like build.
Incredible shoulder width.
An old man with Santa Claus-like beard stared up with stubborn, wrinkled eyes.
‘So that’s a dwarf.’
First time seeing one outside novels.
But he quickly withdrew his curious gaze.
Instead, he swiftly donned a friendly sales smile.
“Hello. I’m Lloyd Frontera. I’ve come to place some fabrication requests for the project Her Majesty assigned.”
“Fabrication requests?”
“Yes.”
“What grand thing are you making? This isn’t some run-of-the-mill smithy. Especially not for construction gear, not weapons or armor. Take that elsewhere.”
“If other smithies could make it, I wouldn’t come here.”
“Hmm, only we can fabricate it?”
“Yes.”
“Blatant flatterer, aren’t you.”
“I’d call it the honesty of a straightforward man.”
Lloyd grinned.
Suddenly, he recalled content from the novel Iron-Blooded Knight.
The dwarf artisan before him.
Head of the royal forge.
Said to be the kingdom’s finest.
No metal item beyond his skill.
So he absolutely needed this dwarf’s help.
‘Not just any dwarf.’
For a suspension bridge enduring massive loads.
Only top strength and quality were trustworthy.
Had to entrust it to this artisan.
Problem was, he rarely swung the hammer himself unless intrigued, delegating to subordinates.
‘Even royal orders don’t move him without interest.’
So he had to spark that artisan’s curiosity.
Make him want to craft it himself.
Lloyd reaffirmed that as he scanned around.
Spotted an empty workbench.
Approached it.
Unrolled the blueprint.
Rustle!
“Here, take a look at this.”
Lloyd confidently displayed it.
The dwarf artisan’s eyes turned to the blueprint.
‘This is…….’
Wells Cogidus, overseer and master artisan of the royal forge.
His eyebrows twitched sharply.
Then Lloyd’s meaningful words hit his ear.
“Ever heard of a bridge that walks the sky?”