The Greatest Estate Developer - Chapter 17: Setting an Example (2)

“I, Lloyd Frontera, son of Arcos Frontera, have something to say as the rightful heir to this estate.”

Lloyd’s voice echoed throughout the training grounds.

Everyone’s eyes were drawn to him in an instant.

A farmer swallowed nervously.

A lumberjack clenched his fists without realizing it.

A brewer anxiously bit his lips repeatedly.

This was a situation no one had imagined.

Sir Neumann, the estate’s senior knight, had been defeated.

And not by another knight but by Lloyd, the son of the lord, whom everyone thought was just a spoiled wastrel.

That alone was shocking enough.

But it didn’t end there.

Even after the duel was over, Lloyd continued to beat Neumann.

The baron, unable to watch any longer, scolded Lloyd to make him stop.

Yet Lloyd responded even more confidently.

He accused Sir Neumann of betraying both the estate and their lord.

Everyone was in disbelief.

But when the baron read the letter Lloyd produced, his complexion turned pale. His legs gave out, and he sank into his seat, staring at Sir Neumann in stunned silence.

From this, the gathered crowd began to piece together what was happening.

“Could Lloyd’s words be true?”

Judging by the baron’s reaction, it seemed so.

The question on everyone’s mind now was what would happen to Sir Neumann.

All eyes around the training grounds were now on Lloyd, waiting for his next words.

Lloyd could feel the weight of their gaze.

‘This is the crucial moment.’

He had put in so much calculation to bring things to this point.

He had thoroughly analyzed the events of the novel *The Iron-Blooded Knight* from his memory.

Taking into account the current situation of the estate, the relationships and emotions of key figures, he had even predicted how the plot of the novel might shift due to his actions.

In other words, he had meticulously planned every scenario to get to this point.

Among those scenarios was also how the baron would react now.

‘If I push for a harsh punishment, it might backfire.’

The baron was a kind-hearted man.

Soft-hearted, even.

Even though Sir Neumann had betrayed them, the baron wasn’t someone who could immediately hand down a cold-hearted judgment.

If Lloyd demanded severe punishment outright, it would likely provoke resistance.

‘Now is the time to fish.’

After all, Lloyd could only make suggestions.

The baron held the final authority to decide.

Thus, Lloyd needed to first reel the baron in.

Only then could he steer the outcome in the direction he wanted.

Clearing his throat, Lloyd spoke.

“This must be a difficult decision. It is for me as well. Sir Neumann has served our estate for a long time and has made significant contributions.”

“Hmm. Go on.”

Perhaps Lloyd’s unexpected defense of Sir Neumann intrigued the baron, as he tilted his head in curiosity.

Lloyd continued.

“Of course, the betrayal exposed by this incident is shocking. He turned his back on his lord and harmed the estate.”

“So, are you suggesting that Sir Neumann has both merits and faults?”

“Yes, that is what I mean.”

Fortunately, the baron seemed to follow his reasoning.

Though kind-hearted, the baron was not a fool.

“So you want me to judge Sir Neumann by both his merits and his faults in handling this matter?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Hmm, you seem to have a specific punishment in mind.”

“Indeed, I do.”

Lloyd smirked.

And without hesitation, he presented the punishment he had prepared in advance.

“How about we drop a ‘mouse’ on his head?”

“…A mouse?”

“Yes.”

Lloyd elaborated further.

“We drop a mouse on his head. If he emerges unscathed, I suggest we give him a chance to reflect on his actions.”

“And by a chance to reflect, you mean…?”

“I believe demoting him to the rank of a regular soldier would be appropriate.”

“You want him to redeem himself by serving as a common soldier, proving his loyalty through his actions?”

“Yes, exactly.”

The baron fell silent for a moment.

His wife clasped her hands together tightly, anxious.

Meanwhile, the gathered crowd began whispering among themselves.

“Did you hear that? Dropping a mouse on him?”

“That’s what I heard, too.”

“Is that supposed to be the punishment? Just that?”

“I mean… I think that’s what it is?”

A farmer shrugged.

A lumberjack tilted his head in confusion.

They couldn’t make sense of it.

“Can someone really get hurt from just having a mouse dropped on them?”

“Well… it could happen.”

“How?”

“I’m terrified of mice. If one startled me, I might scream and stumble.”

“…But Sir Neumann probably wouldn’t react that way, right?”

“Probably not.”

“Yeah. He’s a knight, after all.”

The women in the crowd also whispered amongst themselves, trying to guess the meaning behind the strange punishment.

But no matter how hard they thought, they couldn’t see how dropping a mouse could harm Sir Neumann.

So, they interpreted Lloyd’s proposal as a gesture of forgiveness.

“He’s letting Sir Neumann off the hook, isn’t he, Javier?”

“I think so, too.”

It was Lord Bayern who voiced the question, and Javier nodded in response.

“This punishment seems sufficient in Lloyd’s eyes.”

“From Lloyd?”

“Yes.”

Javier continued thoughtfully.

“Sir Neumann has already been humiliated in front of everyone. Even if he is forgiven, the disgrace will follow him.”

“True. Losing his title and serving as a regular soldier would be humiliating.”

“Yes, it would be the ultimate disgrace for a knight. However…”

“However?”

“There’s something puzzling about this.”

“Puzzling? How so?”

“Lloyd’s proposal. It’s… surprisingly lenient. Uncharacteristically merciful, even.”

Lord Bayern gave Javier a curious glance, prompting him to explain.

“To be honest, it doesn’t fit with the Lloyd I know. The Lloyd I’ve been guarding wouldn’t let things slide this easily.”

Indeed, that was the case.

The Lloyd Frontera whom Javier had closely observed was not the kind to let grudges go easily.

‘He’s spiteful. Thoroughly so. Meticulous, persistent, and even petty.’

Lloyd wasn’t a bad person.

But he certainly wasn’t a saint.

He had a stingy streak that made sure he never incurred a loss.

In short, he was a calculating individual.

That was Javier’s honest evaluation of Lloyd.

‘There must be more to this.’

If it were the Lloyd he knew, he would never forgive Neumann so easily.

There had to be some hidden scheme behind his actions.

With that thought, Javier shot Lloyd a skeptical glance.

But he was the only one doubting Lloyd’s intentions.

Everyone else saw Lloyd’s unexpected generosity as admirable.

The baron, in particular, was deeply moved.

‘I see. Lloyd has matured.’

The baron nodded inwardly, pleasantly surprised.

‘I thought he was just a reckless child who knew no fear.’

But that wasn’t the case.

His son had grown into someone impressive.

‘How wise of him to foresee Sir Neumann’s betrayal and act accordingly.’

The baron admired his son’s clever strategy: punishing Neumann publicly to set an example and then showing unexpected leniency to benefit the estate.

‘How fortunate we are to have such a capable son.’

The baron felt a lump in his throat, his emotions overwhelming him.

“Very well, Lloyd. I accept your proposal. Sir Neumann, do you accept this chance to redeem yourself?”

“Yes! I do!”

Though battered and defeated, Sir Neumann eagerly nodded.

He had heard every word of Lloyd’s proposal.

And it sounded like a golden opportunity to him.

‘A mere mouse? If that’s all, I’d be a fool not to accept!’

He clenched his teeth in determination, careful not to betray his true intentions.

“I will prove myself right now. Please, give me this chance!”

“Good,” the baron said with a nod.

“Lloyd, is the ‘mouse’ ready?”

“Yes, I’ve prepared it in advance.”

“Then proceed.”

“As you wish.”

With the baron’s permission granted, Lloyd smiled wickedly.

And from his pocket, he pulled out…

A small hamster.

In his other hand was a bright red sunflower seed.

Only Sir Neumann, standing closest, could see it.

“There’s no better way to beg for forgiveness, don’t you think?” Lloyd whispered.

“…What?” Neumann stammered in confusion.

And at that moment, the hamster chomped down on the sunflower seed with a crunch.

Lloyd tossed the hamster into the air.

“Ppodong! Go!”

“Ppodong!”

In an instant, a massive hamster—ten meters long—descended upon Sir Neumann, smothering him completely.