The Greatest Estate Developer - Chapter 12: Asrahan Technique (1)
Several days passed.
In that time, swordsmanship training continued.
It wasn’t anything grand.
Lloyd was still running and running in the training yard.
Aside from that, he was learning how to hold the sword, maintain the basic stances, and footwork in between.
It was thoroughly basic training.
But Lloyd never once complained.
He never demanded to be taught powerful techniques, nor did he request skills that would help him in actual combat.
He just silently focused on training.
Javier was surprised every day.
The servants in Baron Frontera’s household were equally shocked.
“Today, the young master only trained again?”
“I’m telling you, not a single complaint. From morning till evening, all day long.”
“My goodness, even though he collapses in exhaustion every day…”
“I know, right? I can’t believe it even when I see it.”
“Me too. Doesn’t this seem impossible?”
“Impossible? How?”
“Hm, maybe the young master is sick?”
“Sick? What are you talking about?”
“You know, something like a mental illness.”
“So, you’re saying he’s gone mad?”
“Yes, yes, that’s right. He seems a bit crazy.”
“…It makes some sense.”
Such conversations frequently took place among the maids.
Meanwhile, the soldiers of the estate also looked puzzled.
“What’s going on with Young Master Lloyd these days?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“He looks a bit strange, doesn’t he? Have you seen him drink recently?”
“Hmm, now that you mention it, I don’t think I have.”
“Right?”
“Yeah, come to think of it, it’s been at least two weeks since I’ve seen him drink.”
“Whoa, creepy.”
“Why?”
“I just thought of something ridiculous, but it’s starting to make sense.”
“What is it?”
“Do you think Lloyd, that guy, is secretly using drugs?”
“Drugs?”
“Yeah, drugs.”
“What kind of drugs?”
“What do you think? It’s gotta be narcotics.”
“What?!”
“Shh, keep your voice down. Think about it. A guy who used to drink every day suddenly quits drinking overnight and starts training diligently all day long? What else could it be but drugs?”
“Come on… You’re talking nonsense.”
“Why doesn’t it make sense? I heard there are drugs that make you obsessively focus on one thing. Maybe he’s on those and that’s why he’s training nonstop.”
“…”
“Am I wrong? Otherwise, how do you explain that trash of a man suddenly working so hard?”
“Well… yeah, hmm… Shut up, idiot.”
“Why?”
“Behind you, behind.”
“…Behind? Oh, ah, hello, ma’am!”
The soldiers, who had been gossiping while guarding the estate’s main gate, quickly bowed their heads.
Standing behind them, Lady Marbella Frontera, the Baroness, smiled gracefully.
“You’re working hard again today.”
“Oh, no, not at all.”
“Here, could you pass this towel to my son once his training is finished?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Thank you. It must get a bit boring standing guard, right?”
“Excuse me?”
“A pleasant conversation is a good way to pass the time. Just make sure to be mindful of your topics, since you are, after all, talking about my son.”
“…We’ll keep that in mind.”
Such conversations happened frequently as well.
The maids thought he had gone mad.
The soldiers suspected he was on drugs.
The baron and baroness looked at him with a mixture of joy and concern.
Meanwhile, Lloyd’s training continued smoothly.
And Javier’s amazement continued.
‘It’s like he’s become a different person.’
The training continued from morning till evening.
It was called training, but in reality, it was more like hell.
He ran all day, even rolling on the ground.
He practiced slashing in the same stance endlessly.
His palms were blistered and torn to shreds.
‘But he never complains. In fact, he seems to be enjoying it.’
At first, Javier wondered how long Lloyd’s enthusiasm would last.
But now his thoughts had changed.
He was starting to worry about injuries.
Lloyd’s eagerness was so extreme that Javier had to keep a close watch on his training. He stepped in with perfect timing to force Lloyd to take breaks and rest.
‘Can a person really change this much?’
Lloyd had been nothing but a drunken troublemaker.
A worthless piece of human trash who caused havoc while intoxicated.
But now, that person was nowhere to be found.
‘And then there are those strange stories he tells at night…’
Thanks to those stories, Javier had been sleeping soundly for the first time in a long while.
Concrete this, stress that, something about bending moments.
It wasn’t magic spells, but he couldn’t remember much since he’d fall asleep almost immediately.
Looking back, it seemed like academic content.
Whatever it was, its effect as a sleep aid was stronger than any drug.
All Javier had to do was sit comfortably in a chair and listen for a few minutes before drifting off.
He had been enjoying restful nights without even realizing it.
It was so amazing, it almost felt magical.
Javier frowned slightly.
‘Who is this person really?’
The reckless past.
The unexpected present.
The gap between the two was too great to simply attribute it to a change of heart.
It was almost easier to believe that someone else’s soul had taken over Lloyd’s body.
‘Of course, that kind of ridiculous thing is impossible.’
Javier shook his head.
As Lloyd approached, finishing his thirtieth lap around the training yard, Javier spoke.
“You should stop here, Sir Lloyd.”
“Whew, huff… Already? I can still keep going.”
“I know.”
“Then why stop?”
“It’s time to move on to the next stage of training.”
“The next stage?”
“Mana sensitivity training.”
“Ooh.”
Lloyd’s lips curled upward.
The moment he’d been waiting for was finally here.
‘Honestly, I was getting a bit tired of just doing basic training.’
He had run himself ragged.
He had focused on training without complaint.
Thanks to that, his stamina had improved considerably.
His complexion had brightened, and his entire body was filled with vitality.
Even waking up in the morning felt much more refreshing.
On top of that, because he had been diligently maintaining a hardworking image, he had gained quite a bit of RP.
‘I’ve earned more than I thought. I’ve already accumulated 97 RP.’
Over the past few days, his favorability with Javier had increased by 1 point.
That gave him 18 RP.
His favorability with Baron Frontera had also increased by 2 points, earning him 20 RP. And with the baroness, it had gone up by 3 points, giving him 30 RP.
As a result, Lloyd was starting to get a better understanding of how this RP system worked.
‘So, from Javier, I get 18 RP for every point of favorability, and from the baron and baroness, I get 10 RP per point? It seems like the amount of RP each character gives varies depending on their importance in the story.’
The more important a character was in the novel, the more RP they seemed to provide.
That was his theory, anyway.
‘Then I should focus on increasing my favorability with Javier. But the baron and baroness are surprising.’
In terms of the novel’s plot, the baron and baroness weren’t major characters.
Strictly speaking, they were extras in the early part of the story.
And yet, they provided more than half as much RP as Javier.
Maybe they had some hidden, undisclosed roles yet to be revealed.
‘Anyway, I’m finally starting the mana sensitivity training.’
He felt a surge of anticipation.
‘I need to start mana training at the very least if I want to stand a chance against Sir Neumann.’
There were only about two weeks left until the duel.
Of course, even starting mana training now didn’t mean he could form a mana heart within two weeks.
Forming a mana heart took an enormous amount of time.
For someone with no talent, it could take over ten years.
For an average person, about five years.
A genius would take roughly two years.
Even the greatest prodigies of the century took at least six months.
Even under the guidance of a skilled teacher, forming a mana heart took that much time.
‘But Javier formed his mana heart in a single day. And he did it all by himself.’
What a monster.
As he thought this, Javier’s voice entered his ears.
“Of course, just because you start mana sensitivity training doesn’t mean you should expect to form a mana heart right away. You must approach this step by step, one at a time. Still, just undergoing this training will gradually enhance your physical abilities.”
Javier continued his instructions.
“Now, sit over here.”
“Like this?”
“Yes, relax. Let go of the tension in your shoulders.”
“Like this?”
“Yes. Now, I’m going to infuse a little mana into your body.”
“And what do I do?”
“Nothing. Just close your eyes and focus on feeling the flow of the mana I’m controlling.”
“This feels like some kind of energy flow technique.”
“What’s energy flow?”
“It’s something like that. Anyway, let’s get started.”
“Understood.”
Lloyd closed his eyes and relaxed. He let go of all the tension in his body.
Soon, Javier’s hand touched his back.
Despite his refined, noble appearance, Lloyd could feel the calluses on Javier’s palm, as rough as crocodile skin, pressing against him.
Soon, a cool and clear energy seeped into his back.
*Swish…*
“…”
Is this what mana feels like?
It was a strange and unfamiliar sensation.
The mana passed through his skin and muscles.
Like water soaking into a tissue, it entered his body.
It flowed down through his organs.
It gathered below his navel.
The place commonly referred to as the “dantian.”
There, the ball of mana made a U-turn.
Like entering a highway, it traveled up along his spine.
Slowly, it stimulated his nerves as it climbed.
It reached the back of his neck, touched the top of his head, and then enveloped his face as it came down.
When the mana finally reached his chest, it wrapped around his heart.
*Thump, thump!*
He could hear the sound of his heart beating clearly.
He felt the sensation of his muscles contracting and expanding.
His heart vigorously drew in and pumped out blood.
The mana merged into that flow.
It naturally entered his heart.
It spread its energy throughout his body.
Lloyd felt a refreshing sensation spread through him.
He stayed like that for a while longer before opening his eyes.
“How do you feel?”
Javier’s voice was clearer than before.
That wasn’t all.
He could see the training ground more clearly.
The shapes of the clouds floating in the sky.
Everything appeared more vivid than before.
If his previous vision was like regular HD, it now felt like his sight had been upgraded to full HD in an instant.
Even the wind brushing against his skin felt more tangible than before.
Just one session of mana sensitivity training.
That alone had sharpened all his senses.
Lloyd turned around.
Javier was smiling faintly, looking somewhat proud.
So, Lloyd smiled back.
His first experience with mana sensitivity training.
He gave Javier his most honest feedback.
“It’s underwhelming.”
“…Pardon?”
“It’s disappointing.”
“…”
The pride on Javier’s face cracked.
But Lloyd, completely unfazed, went on calmly.
“There doesn’t seem to be much of a difference.”
“Didn’t you feel the mana moving inside your body?”
“Oh, yeah, I felt that.”
“Sir Lloyd, that is proof that you connected with mana. In fact, your senses should be sharper than before.”
“Oh, this? You’re really bragging over such a small difference?”
“Sir Lloyd.”
Javier’s eyes became cold.
His voice, too, carried a chill.
“This is not something to be taken lightly. This is how it’s supposed to be.”
“You mean, mana sensitivity training?”
“Yes. Right now, Sir Lloyd, you are gravely mistaken.”
“Mistaken? About what?”
“You are, quite simply, expecting too much.”
“Too much from myself, you mean?”
“Yes.”
Javier’s response grew a bit sharper.
“Just because you start mana sensitivity training doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly become incredibly strong or superhuman. Quite the opposite. When it comes to forming a mana heart, it’s crucial to take things slowly, one step at a time. You can’t fill your belly on the first bite. I’m sure you’re well aware of that.”
“Yeah, of course I know.”
“Then why are you being so unreasonable?”
“Unreasonable? Me?”
“Yes. Are you perhaps feeling anxious because your duel with Sir Neumann is approaching? But that duel was impossible from the start. Sir Neumann is no weakling. He is a knight who has reached the threshold of becoming a Sword Expert.”
“I know. A low-level Sword Expert. He’s not someone I can easily defeat. Not with just a few weeks of learning basic mana training methods.”
“…What?”
Javier, who had maintained a cold demeanor, suddenly froze.
Lloyd looked at him with a meaningful gaze.
“Do you think I’m just being stubborn and unreasonable?”
“Well, obviously…”
“Are you still going to pretend?”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Come on, Javier Asrahan. Do you think I randomly picked you to teach me swordsmanship? Or that I’m stupid enough to think I can defeat Sir Neumann with just two weeks of basic training?”
“Well, of course…”
“Let’s be honest. You’ve been holding out on me, haven’t you? You’ve got a special technique you’ve been hiding.”
“…”
As expected.
Javier was terrible at lying.
‘He’s so obvious.’
Lloyd couldn’t help but smile.
He let out a soft chuckle.
“Shall I spell it out? The Asrahan Technique. Teach me that. Are you still going to deny it?”
“…”
Javier’s eyes widened.
The Asrahan Technique.
It was the ultimate training method Javier had created in *The Iron-Blooded Knight* novel, the very technique that had made him the first Grand Master in history.
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