"It's nice and toasty warm, isn't it?"
A wrinkled hand stroked the floor of the room.
Curious, she pressed her palm against it, then flipped her hand to touch it with the back.
Soon, an amazed expression surfaced.
She even shoved the cushion aside.
She plopped her bottom right down on the sizzling hot floor.
A satisfied smile bloomed on the pale, elderly woman's lips.
"Good. Very good."
She was an old woman with a touch of dementia.
That made her all the more honest.
At her words, the tavern owner turned to look this way.
His face was full of satisfied smiles too.
"My mother loves it, Young Master."
"Right?"
"Yes."
"See? I told you I'd make it nice and warm. An ondol room."
Lloyd shrugged.
Good thing.
The ondol room was a smashing success.
It was early spring still, a chilly morning.
With the flower frost in full swing, the outdoors felt cold.
But inside this ondol room, with the fire going, it was different.
The floor sizzled.
The air itself was steamy hot.
The tavern owner had even taken off his overcoat entirely.
"Did you see me stoking the fire earlier? You just light it in the outdoor furnace. Once you get it going good, the heat lasts two days. This thing holds heat better than it looks."
"Two days, you say?"
One fire for two days.
The tavern owner's eyes widened at that.
Lloyd smirked.
"You can test it yourself to see if I'm telling the truth."
"O-Of course I believe you."
"Yeah?"
"Yes. Um, can I be more frank?"
"Go ahead."
"Honestly, I thought you were scamming me, Young Master."
"Me? Scamming?"
"Yes. I couldn't even imagine you'd really build something like this."
...Well, yeah, I guess so.
Thinking back on it again, Lloyd Frontera had been a total scumbag.
He'd never done a lick of service for anyone in his life.
He had no connection to a life of caring for others.
So the tavern owner probably hadn't trusted him either.
"But contrary to my expectations, you really built this amazing ondol. I swear, I've never seen anything like it in my life."
"Yeah?"
"Yes. Thanks to you, my mother's so happy—I don't even know how to thank you. Ondol forever!"
...Tavern lady, are you watching?
Korean pride is flapping vigorously here.
Embarrassment surged, bringing on a reflexive cough.
"Ahem, no need for thanks. It was part of the deal anyway."
"Ah, the deal."
"Yeah. The deal."
It was a transaction based on mutual agreement, after all.
He built the ondol room.
The owner waived the compensation for the broken furnishings.
"But this ondol room... I think it's worth way more than the broken stuff. Young Master, hold on a sec."
Something must've clicked, because the owner jumped up.
He soon returned from the tavern with a leather pouch in hand.
"At least take this."
"What's this?"
"A little token of my appreciation."
Clink.
The pouch hit the floor.
Heavy coin sounds spilled out from inside.
Cash.
"Whoa, you didn't have to..."
Of course, Lloyd snatched up the coin pouch quick.
In return, he tossed in a service tip on ondol use(?).
"See this window? On cooler nights or early mornings, crack it open a bit. Let some cold air in. Then crank the ondol to max heat and cover up with the blanket. Roll around in there peeling tangerines or munching roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes. Know what happens?"
"What happens?"
"The air's cool, but your butt's toasty. You'll understand why cold and hot currents meet to form the Tsushima Warm Current, creating a golden fishing ground—maybe even get the fish's perspective."
"..."
The owner tilted his head.
Lloyd received his thanks and left the ondol room.
A crowd of onlookers surrounded them.
All locals of the territory.
They were still whispering among themselves while eyeing him.
A mix of slight confusion and considerable curiosity.
'Of course.'
He couldn't help but smile.
Recent rumors about him came to mind.
The baron's son had lost his mind.
He was digging his own grave to commit suicide.
He was openly scamming the tavern owner.
Not a single good word.
Yet right in front of everyone, the ondol room stood completed.
All those rampant rumors were debunked before their eyes.
'No wonder they're curious. They see a building went up, but have no clue what it's for or why the owner's so thrilled.'
Truth be told, Lloyd had let the rumors spread on purpose.
He had zero reason to stop them.
No, he liked it.
'It's free advertising.'
Advertising mattered.
Promotion was lifeblood.
Even for a construction firm.
Especially in Korea.
Even for one apartment building, it started with ads.
TV spots, flyers, billboards, telemarketing—basics.
Internet and SNS virals were standard options too.
Every conceivable method deployed.
'You blast ads like that, pull all the aggro. That's how crowds swarm the model house opening.'
Result: a line of presale applications.
Business booms.
Lloyd figured it was the same here.
'Thanks to the rumors, zero ad spend and this big a crowd. Opportunities like this don't come often.'
The locals whispering while watching him now.
Easily over a hundred.
In Lloyd's eyes, they weren't territory folk.
Potential presale applicants.
Customers ready to hand over their money.
'Alright, model house opening time.'
He stepped in front of the onlookers.
All eyes gathered.
He cleared his throat.
"Wondering what I built?"
"..."
No one answered, of course.
They just rolled their eyes, gauging reactions.
Lloyd grinned.
Not bad.
Just as expected.
No need for long talks then.
"Just go in one by one and see for yourselves."
He strode toward the crowd.
Grabbed the sleeve of the woman at the front.
Led the paling woman into the ondol room.
'The real word-of-mouth starts with the neighborhood aunties.'
With the tavern owner's okay, he let her tour.
Her eyes went wide at the heated floor.
After that, it was smooth sailing.
The gathered onlookers.
They toured and experienced the ondol room in turn.
Faces puzzled on entry turned amazed on exit.
Lloyd's prepared table awaited them.
The ondol room presale contract table.
"How was the ondol room?"
"B-Better than I thought. Way better."
"Right?"
"Yes. Feels like no more winter cold worries."
"That's why I prepared this. Wanna see?"
"This?"
"Simple concept drawing. Like a pamphlet."
The paper Lloyd held out to the local.
Truth was, he'd pulled an all-nighter making these pamphlets for this moment.
Two ondol room types illustrated nicely in the pamphlet.
"A type's like the one you saw—a separate annex in the yard. B type's remodeling the first floor of your existing house. Do both together, and you get 10% off as a service discount."
"..."
"Kids at home, right?"
"Yes. Oldest is seven, little one's five."
"Winters with kids shivering indoors, eyes tearing from the cold, coughing but huddling by the fireplace—doesn't it break your heart? Just thinking about it chills mine."
"..."
"Sign now, and for the presale special, five bundles of firewood free."
"..."
"Think it over. Chances like this are rare."
"Um, but still..."
"What? Don't want it?"
"..."
The man clamped his mouth shut.
Lloyd could read his mind.
'He doesn't trust me.'
No, he's scared.
Makes sense, really.
Even if he'd changed, they didn't know that.
To them, he was still Lloyd Frontera.
The territory's wastrel.
A trash who caused havoc drunk.
'So no way they'd blindly trust some sudden ondol demo.'
Probably thinks it's a scam.
Maybe even a prank.
Hence the hesitation.
But Lloyd had anticipated this reaction.
"So? No deal?"
"..."
"Really? You sure?"
"..."
Lloyd stared straight into the man's eyes.
The man flinched.
He got the message in that gaze.
'If he backs out now, territory life gets rough ahead—or so he'll assume. Panic sets in.'
Lloyd swallowed a bitter smile.
A bit sleazy, using the locals' fear and unease toward him.
But it was the best play right now.
'If I'm hated as trash anyway, might as well leverage the image a bit. Not like I'll take deposits and ghost the builds.'
First steps matter.
Force(?) the contracts somehow.
Then he could build good word-of-mouth.
So yeah, time to wield his bad rep strategically, even if shady.
"...A-Alright, fine."
Rational will to not get duped.
Fear of impending havoc.
Torn between, the man finally decided.
He signed with a reluctant face.
The next local, and the one after—same story.
Of course, Lloyd was confident he'd turn those faces bright later.
'As long as the ondol heating efficiency holds up.'
Conclusion from his investigations over the past few days.
Due to the limits of the local fireplace heating.
'Fireplaces look good but suck at efficiency. Only warms nearby. Heats air that cools fast. Heat doesn't linger indoors. Plus ash, smoke, soot stinging eyes all winter. Picky about fuel, hard to manage. And someone stays up all night babysitting so it doesn't die or catch fire.'
Ondol, though?
Counters most of those flaws.
Confident in that, Lloyd boldly pressured(?) the locals.
By afternoon's end, he snagged more contracts than expected.
32 A types.
57 B types, no less.
Chunky advance deposits on top.
'Jackpot.'
Not huge money, sure.
Nowhere near enough to clear the baron's debts.
But the future mattered.
'Pushed some contracts a bit, but nail the ondol builds in the territory, and word spreads good. Can expand to neighboring territories.'
Even brand the ondol construction.
Dominate the regional heating business.
That was Lloyd's phase one plan and goal.
"Whew."
Finishing those calculations brought a sigh.
He glanced back on impulse.
The sunset had turned red before he knew.
Against it, Haviel followed him.
"Hey, you. You're strong, right?"
"Yes. Moderately so."
"How about human excavator or crane?"
"Pardon?"
"You're strong, yeah? Dig dirt hard and haul logs quick with that strength?"
Honest wish.
Haviel was a top-tier knight.
Naturally surpassed human strength limits.
If that Haviel played heavy machinery on-site?
Construction would simplify and speed up hugely.
Efficiency up.
More builds per period.
Income surges.
But Haviel shook his head without a second thought.
"No can do."
"Why not?"
"My lord tasked me solely with protecting you, Lord Lloyd."
"So no construction labor?"
"Correct."
"But you've helped till now?"
"That was knightly duty aiding the tavern owner's mother."
"Protecting the weak?"
"Yes. But your future requests differ."
"Won't help with personal business?"
"Precisely."
"Pretty firm, huh."
"You're too kind."
Stubborn as a rock, that guy.
Lloyd smacked his lips.
'Still, need heavy equipment bad.'
With vs. without construction gear? Worlds apart.
Construction time could differ by tenfold or more.
No, gear availability changes what you can even build.
Shifts the options.
'Big money means big projects.'
Ondol rooms were fine now.
But couldn't stay small-time forever.
Ondol biz had earning limits.
'No way I wanna pay debts till I'm old.'
That'd suck.
He'd hustled for cash in Korea.
No thanks to a lifetime here too.
'So to run a real construction biz and wipe debts, gotta solve the equipment issue.'
Heading home.
Worries deepened.
Thus Lloyd missed it.
Haviel's cool gaze on him.
Its temperature subtly warmer than before.
♣
'Unpredictable guy.'
Haviel felt a touch of confusion.
His eyes on Lloyd's back.
The Frontera baron's eldest son.
Lloyd Frontera.
Son of the lord he served.
His guard target past few months.
Hence more confusing.
'Was this drunk always like this?'
Lloyd was a scumbag.
Not just by Haviel's strict standards—by anyone's.
No patience.
No manners or refinement.
Just a worthless drunk wasting away daily.
Even on the day the family faced seizure.
'Hated it. Still do, honestly.'
The more you knew, the less you liked.
If not the lord's son, might've beheaded him ages ago.
Served him, but despised inwardly.
Human trash, plain.
At least till a few days ago. Definitely.
'But he changed. Too suddenly.'
Probably a few days back.
After causing a ruckus at his regular tavern.
From waking next morning.
Haviel still vividly recalled Lloyd waking that morning.
'Woke on second call.'
Unthinkable before.
Even that human scum wastrel remembered and said his name first time.
Just the start.
'Went to tavern owner, soothed him. Promised ondol instead of compensation.'
Thought it was new trash antics then.
But no.
Actually built the ondol room.
Kept promise to tavern owner.
Not all.
Made contracts to build ondol rooms for gathered locals too.
'For money? No. Money's just pretext.'
Somehow felt that way.
Bigger goal lurking.
Couldn't guess it, sure.
But clear: actions not petty.
'Like he became someone else overnight.'
Speech changed.
Expressions, demeanor too.
Showed skills never learned.
Designed buildings, unveiled new heating.
Confusing.
Did he really become another person?
But no matter how he looked, observed closely.
The man striding ahead was unmistakably wastrel Lloyd Frontera.
'Then... he hid this side till now?'
Only explanation really.
Had to think that to make sense.
'Lounged carefree while family safe, revealed true self when crisis hit?'
Maybe true, he thought.
Too soon to say for sure, though.
'Stick to my duty for now.'
And if possible.
Keep observing this wastrel.
Haviel Asrahan resolved thus.
Burned Lloyd's back into his retina again.
That instant.
Lloyd, walking ahead, faced an unexpected message floating before him.
♣
Ding-dong!
[Haviel Asrahan's affinity toward you has risen by +2.]
[Haviel Asrahan current relationship: -29]
[Minor relationship improvement with key figure grants 36 RP.]
[Current RP: 36]
[Invest earned RP to awaken talent skills.]
'What the hell is this?'
Messages scrolling in mid-air.
Lloyd's eyes widened more as he read.
(End of Chapter 4)
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