The inside of the pub was in shambles. Parts of broken tables and chairs were strewn all around, and the floor was littered with smashed dishes.
"Gosh, I really did make a big mess."
Lloyd instinctively clicked his tongue when he saw the owner trying to clean up the disaster that his pub had become.
The balding man had a bitter expression as he looked around at the chaos. As soon as the owner glanced Lloyd's way, his face became pale, and then flushed with anger. His anger diminished quickly, however, and was replaced by an awkward smile. It was the forced smile of a poor man made to continue doing business at his tavern.
"Uh, welcome…?"
Thinking about what happened last night surely curdles his blood, Lloyd thought. It went without saying. Seeing him that way made Lloyd lose his appetite, reminding him of his past as Suho Kim. Those memories flooded his mind. There were plenty of terrible customers when he worked at the Hope Pub. He had many part-time jobs, and working at the Hope was one of them. Since it was a bar, there were all sorts of customers—bad ones among them.
Actually, there were a whole lot of them. It was a given that once they were drunk, they'd verbally harass the part-time staff. Some of them went so far as to break bottles and flip tables, complaining that the prices were too high, the snacks weren't to their liking, or the employees weren't polite enough. They'd swing their broken bottles and demand to see the manager.
Sigh.
He sighed a lot back then. Such was the plight of a part-timer. Nothing could be said to the VIP customers. He was forced to restrain his boiling rage when they would get rowdy.
Let's stop thinking about that.
They were bitter memories, but Lloyd fully empathized with the pub owner's feelings because of them. Although… he wasn't really the one who had done this. The original Lloyd had torn this pub apart.
He faced the pub owner and gave him a heartfelt apology.
"I'm here to tell you that I am sorry for what happened last night."
"What…?"
"I've done you wrong. I should've drunk quietly and kept to myself instead of causing a big mess. I won't make excuses. It was entirely my fault."
Despite putting his heart into these words, the intended sincerity did not carry over well.
"Um, young master? What are you saying?" The pallor of the owner's face turned a pale blue as if he'd seen a ghost.
"Master, were you not satisfied with last night's business? Please tell me, what did I do wrong?"
"No, I…"
"Why are you being so polite to me? That's even more frightening."
The people of the manor truly loathed him, it seemed. Lloyd smacked his lips and responded, "Is talking casually like this much better?"
"O-of course, sir."
"Do you accept my apology then? I'm thinking of compensating you for the broken items."
"Do you really mean it, sir?"
The poor bloke must've been lied to his whole life. Lloyd clicked his tongue and said, "Of course I mean it! How about a heated flooring system as compensation?"
"Huh?"
"A room with warm, heated floors. Haven't you heard of that?"
"I've heard of heating a stone and sprinkling water on it, but…"
"That's a steam sauna. I'm talking about the floor itself being heated. A heated flooring system, you know?" Of course, he didn't know. Just like Javier a moment ago, the pub owner was speechless. His plans were indeed possible.
Lloyd licked his lips. "It's a shame you haven't heard of it. Your mother would really enjoy it."
"Excuse me?"
"I've heard that your mother is ill."
"Oh, yes. That is true."
"Then I recommend heated flooring. It makes the floors warm. You won't even need a bed. Just lie down on the heated floor, and it will keep you comfortable all day! A sauna can't even compare."
He was becoming convinced. Bit by bit, the owner was being won over. But Lloyd could see him wavering, so he took it one step further. "It's perfect for the elderly and their aching joints in mid-winter when their body gets a chill."
"Elders like my mother?"
"Indeed."
It has been true since the beginning of time that older people enjoy keeping warm.
"So, you're saying that you will give me this, young master?"
"Uh-huh. I'll build a proper one for you."
"You'll make it yourself?"
"Uh-huh."
"You don't believe me?"
"Um, well…"
"Of course, you wouldn't. After all the ruckus I caused, you think I'm pulling your leg. You're wondering, who do I think I am, offering to make some fantastic heated floors for you. You wonder if such a thing actually even exists. Yet, as you listen, you can't help but think of your mother. It catches your ear and draws you in. Am I right?"
The pub owner still hesitated.
"Fine, then let's draw up a contract."
"A contract?"
"Yup. A construction contract."
"But…"
"Bring me a pen and paper."
The confusion on the owner's face was obvious, but he quickly presented Lloyd with a pen and some paper. Swiftly and skillfully, Lloyd drew up a contract.
If it's a form I need, I can make it myself: The pub owner is the client. I am the contractor. The construction site is the vacant lot behind the pub, etc.
"Let's arrange compensation like this… The construction project will cover the costs for all the damage I inflicted on your property last night. What do you think?"
"Are you saying that… instead of paying for the damage, you will install this elaborate heated flooring as reimbursement?"
"That's right," Lloyd nodded.
Since the baron was in debt, he was in no position to offer financial compensation. However, if he completed this project successfully from start to finish… This way, I can take care of the reimbursement neatly while also entirely avoiding accumulating further liability. Not only would this fix his debt problem, but, if all went well, he could make a great deal of money too. This would become the starting point for accumulating wealth instead. That was the big picture Lloyd envisioned.
This is what I do best.
He had studied quite hard in college. He never had any big dreams, of course. He'd selected his civil engineering major based on test scores and assessments, just like everybody else. He did his best to get good grades so that he could snag a stable job. But maybe, just maybe, all the knowledge he accumulated could be used here.
Real estate is always a big money maker—the construction part of it may be more so.
Whether it was apartment blocks, office buildings, bridges, roads, dams, marinas, canals, or ports… All of it was profitable! Construction meant big money, and the larger the project, the truer that was. Lloyd relished in the possibilities of his plan.
"Now, let's sign the contract. What do you think?"
"Then… you're serious?"
"I'm going to build this myself. You don't want it?"
"N-no, that's not it."
Despite his hesitation, the pub owner ultimately signed the contract, with Suho Kim—a South Korean civil engineering student; and Lloyd Frontera—the eldest son of Baron Arcos Frontera.
It was their first work order in this strange world. Although it was a small one, this was to be the first of many steps.
With this began his great construction project.
****
Javier had been silent this whole time. Barely a minute after they left the bar, he suddenly spoke up. "He's a naive and desperate man."
"What do you mean by that?" Lloyd looked back to see Javier's expression was the same as always. It actually seemed colder than before.
"When a person is cornered, they become desperate. Their perspective narrows and their judgment is blurred. Those people become easy prey for those with guile in their souls."
"Prey?"
"Yes, sir."
"Ah, so you're saying the pub owner is the pitiful prey, and I'm the dastardly villain?"
"Whether or not you are dastardly will be judged by your behavior from now on, sir."
"Hey!"
He felt that the mood had become colder than before. Lloyd finally realized what Javier was thinking.
"Do you think I'm trying to scam the pub owner?"
"No, sir."
"Then?"
"I think you're taking advantage of a very vulnerable person."
That's the same thing: Lloyd let out a long sigh. Since entering this body, everything he did seemed to be misunderstood.
"Let's get this straight. You think I have no intention of constructing a heated flooring system for him, right?"
"Yes, sir."
"Why not?"
"Because you're someone who has never once gotten their hands dirty."
"How would you know that?"
"I've heard things… here and there."
"But you've never seen for yourself, have you?"
"That is true."
"Javier. You are less reasonable than you appear."
"Excuse me?"
Javier's sculpted brow frowned ever so slightly, for possibly the first time ever. Lloyd—a mere two inches shorter—looked up at him and said, "I'm disappointed, Javier. Do you judge others based solely on rumor?"
"That's…"
"It's prejudice. Oh yes. It still is. You saw me draw up a contract with the owner of that pub. What did you think I might do with that?"
"Surely…"
"You thought I'd ball it up and toss it into a corner, didn't you?"
"That is not true."
Not true? He had hit the nail on the head. Lloyd noticed earlier that Javier was a terrible liar. Whenever he lied, he wouldn't look at you. Just. Like. Now.
"You thought I was pulling a fast one on that guy, with the contract as a smokescreen. That I'd indefinitely put off building the heated floors and never repay the owner for the damages."
"I just…"
"That's called prejudice. Blindly judging people with only your opinion to go on. This causes conflicts to arise! Racial discrimination runs rampant! Homes to be shaken, and society to collapse!"
Javier didn't anticipate such a response. He shut his mouth. He probably thought it was all a bit of chicanery. But Lloyd didn't try to change his mind. Instead, he motioned to Javier with his chin. "Hmm… Anyway, since I have a general idea of what you're thinking, why don't you step aside?"
"Excuse me?"
"Just two steps to the side. Yes, to that side. I'm trying to take a preliminary survey right now."
It was true. Even before Javier had opened his mouth. This backyard was where he was going to build this house with heated floors. It was of utmost importance to inspect the site before drafting the design and procuring the construction materials. I'm going to make it small, so I won't need super-precise measurements. But the land is slightly uneven. I'll have to raise one side just a bit.
One side of the site reached up to the pub, and the opposite side was where the pub owner's house was located. He figured placing the heated room between the two would be a good idea.
Let's look at the ground. Lloyd knelt and looked at the soil of the building site. He touched it and then squeezed it. Ah, reminds me of college.
As he reached into the dirt, memories of soil mechanics class resurfaced. Studying the soil's volume. Its gaps. He'd scooped up so many different types of turf before. There was so much more to it. He'd roll up the bits of dirt like eraser shreds. He would roll it until it broke down. He'd put the clods in ovens to bake them, roast them, or steam them. Now all this accumulated knowledge was waiting there to help Lloyd out.
This dirt will do. The soil quality wasn't merely okay. Under the surface, a few centimeters down, was reddish soil. It was red clay. Amazing!
Lloyd brushed off his hands as he stood up, then met Javier's curious gaze. "What? You've never seen anyone touch dirt before?"
"I've never seen you do this before, sir."
"Then get used to it. You'll see it often enough from now on."
Javier's eyes reflected a deeper curiosity, but Lloyd ignored it and walked on. He left the site and wandered about the manor. Although he strolled leisurely, Lloyd's gaze was occupied with surveying the land. He focused on a river that ran through the center of town… This seemed like a good place to collect red clay for his project.
"Alright, let's head home."
When he returned home, his work did not cease. This was to be his monumental first construction project. They say it's the first step that counts the most.
It takes just one wrong move to earn a bad reputation. After that, it would be harder to find his next customer. He would be doomed from the start. It was imperative that he did his best to create a high-quality end product to avoid that.
A customer's happiness is my wealth.
He stayed up all night. Schoolwork and part-time jobs had trained him for this moment. From sundown until sunup, he filled many sheets of paper with floor plans. As soon as it was daylight, he set off to find the manor administrator.
"How much lumber do we have in storage?"
"Excuse me?"
It was very early in the morning. The administrator hadn't eaten breakfast or washed up yet. He tilted his head to one side. He was probably wondering if Lloyd was already drunk this early in the day. "What do you intend to use this wood for, sir?"
"What do you think? I'm using it to build a structure. See, here."
"This?"
"Collect the amount of timber I've noted down here. Transport it to the back of the pub. Understood?"
If you're going to do a job, might as well get it done swiftly and boldly like a bulldozer. That was how Lloyd approached this project. The administrator nodded indifferently. The order of lumber was stacked behind the pub by lunchtime.
"With my materials in place, I can begin!"
He removed his cumbersome coat and now wore only a light shirt and heavy workman's gloves. The shovel was a welcome weight in his hands.
Even on vacation, I was doing this sort of work.
It was the same when he was in the army. Majoring in civil engineering, jobs both big and small were always assigned to him. By the time he was discharged, he was treated as their personal work machine.
It's a man's lot in life to always be behind a shovel.
It began with leveling and packing the ground beside the garden, where the heated room was to be built. Carefully, but firmly, he continued to stomp down the dirt.
If you move the dirt all at once and build the foundation, there will be a big problem later.
It was a common mistake when hardening the soil. The upper part is easily made firm, but underneath…? Not so much. So, if you moved and hardened a lot of dirt all at once… To the naked eye, the surface would look solid, but the inside would still be too soft. Then, if you built something on top of it… After a few years passed, the building would lean and cause a disaster.
Knowing all of this, Lloyd scooped up the dirt and packed it over and over again. As he worked, he suddenly noticed Javier. That punk had been standing off to one side for some time now. He was probably just faithfully fulfilling his duty as a guard.
"Hey, you."
"You called for me, Sir Lloyd?"
"Yes, I did."
"Do you have orders for me?"
"Hmm, I do. Come shovel with me."
Javier made no reply.
"You don't want to? Is that it?"
"If you help me, the job will get done twice as quickly."
"Ah, I bet the pub owner's mother is suffering from the chills right now. If she could rest in a room with heated floors, her aches would probably disappear in an instant. But for now, that's impossible! Why? Because the holier-than-thou Sir Javier refuses to pick up a shovel."
"Oh, if only she could soothe her body in a heated room. Her joint pain would subside, and she would wear a huge smile on her face. But for now, she can't. Why? Because the almighty Lord Javier refuses to shovel."
"Ah, for the simple final wish of someone who doesn't have long to live…"
"Please just give me a shovel…"
In the end, Javier couldn't take it anymore and grabbed a shovel. A devilish grin spread across Lloyd's face. With that, the baron's little monster and the future knight worked together, and the site for the room with the heated floor was well on its way. News of this work spread instantly to every corner of the realm.
Translator: https://bettertranslation9.wordpress.com