The Greatest Estate Developer - Chapter 40: Friend of the Orcs (2)

*Ding!*

[Skill Level Up!]
[Asrahan Heart Technique: Double Circle Lv. 2]
[Mana Amplification Rate: 220%]
[Exclusive Skill Options: ① Energizer ② Potential Burst ③ Power Save Mode]
[RP Required for Next Level Up: 120]

A clear notification rang in Lloyd’s ears.

Hearing it, Lloyd couldn’t help but cheer internally.

‘It worked! The water’s freezing, and my skill level even increased!’

It was exactly what he had hoped for.

Absorbing only the warm mana from the water using the Asrahan Heart Technique to lower the temperature and freeze it—Lloyd had figured this attempt would also train his skill.

And his expectations had been spot on.

‘This is even better than I thought.’

Feeling the warm mana being absorbed through his hands, Lloyd couldn’t help but feel excited.

At first, it had been difficult and unfamiliar, but once he got the hang of it, it became as natural as riding a bicycle after the initial struggle.

‘Alright, let’s push harder.’

*Whirrrr…*

The two mana circles around his heart spun slightly faster.

The mana absorption through his fingertips grew stronger, pulling more heat out of the water.

The freezing process sped up.

‘Careful not to trap my hands in the ice.’

As the water turned slushy, Lloyd carefully moved his hands, ensuring they stayed free. He eventually kept just his fingertips touching the surface, continuing to absorb the heat from the water.

The warmth flowed from his fingers into his mana circles, which processed it and released it as warm breath from his slightly parted lips.

‘Hah, this makes me look like a human chimney.’

But appearances didn’t matter now.

Lloyd continued his work, and soon enough, the first massive ice block was complete.

‘Whew.’

Pulling his hands free, Lloyd opened his eyes to see the once-liquid water now frozen solid in the mold.

‘Success.’

He looked up, sensing the flow of heat in the air through his technique.

‘The heat is venting properly.’

He could feel the heat he had drawn from the water rising to the arched ceiling and exiting through the chimney. This confirmed that the ice storage was functioning as intended.

‘Judging by the light outside, it must be evening.’

It had been shortly after lunch when he entered the storage. Freezing just one block had taken him the rest of the day.

‘At this rate, I’ll still be making ice blocks by the time I’m ready for my sixtieth birthday party.’

Determined to speed up the process, Lloyd moved to the next mold, submerged his hands again, and began anew.

*Whirrrr…*

‘Good, this is working.’

Within minutes, he felt the water cooling.

‘Let’s go faster.’

Increasing the rotation speed of the mana circles, Lloyd pulled more heat from the water, which quickly became slushy, then solidified into another massive ice block.

The second ice block took about an hour.

The third block was faster, requiring only 40 minutes.

Then 30 minutes.

Then 25.

Eventually, Lloyd was producing an ice block every 15 minutes.

‘Huff… puff… Keep going!’

Absorbing heat and exhaling it in steady streams, Lloyd felt like a living air conditioner.

By the time dawn broke, he had completed the final ice block.

‘Whew, finally!’

Exhaustion from prolonged use of the technique made his vision spin momentarily as he stood.

But the achievement was worth it.

‘My skill leveled up again.’

Upon freezing the last block, the Asrahan Heart Technique advanced to Level 3, increasing its mana amplification rate to 240%.

‘At last, it’s truly finished.’

Lloyd looked around the storage with satisfaction.

The warm, muggy air from before was completely gone, replaced by the crisp, biting cold emanating from the ice blocks. It was cold enough that visible puffs of breath appeared as though it were the dead of winter.

‘Now, let’s wrap this up.’

Though tired, Lloyd couldn’t rest just yet.

Grabbing the straw bundles lining the edges of the molds, he carefully pulled the massive ice blocks free.

*Crack… shhh.*

He placed each block onto thick piles of straw laid in advance, then coated them with sawdust and husks, ensuring they were insulated to prevent melting.

Layer by layer, Lloyd stacked the blocks, ensuring their chill was preserved.

‘This should keep them solid until winter.’

Despite his fatigue, a wide grin spread across his face.

The ice storage was finally complete, and it was time to reap the rewards of his hard work.

—

“Squeak! It’s so cool in here, squeak!”

“Squeak! It’s actually cold, squeak!”

“Squeak! This ice tastes good, squeak!”

“…There’s a traitor among us, squeak!”

Chaos erupted inside the ice storage.

The orcs had come to store their recently hunted monster meat and were immediately captivated by the cold air filling the storage.

Their eyes widened in astonishment, and their excitement turned the place into a frenzy.

Even Chief Akush was astonished.

“I never thought it would actually be this cold, squeak.”

His massive eyes sparkled with amazement as he surveyed the inside of the ice storage.

Lloyd shrugged nonchalantly.

“So, you didn’t fully trust me?”

“To be honest, no. I thought it would just be a slightly cooler underground room. But this… squeak.”

“What’s so amazing about it? Just make sure to keep the door sealed. Keep it shut tight during summer and open it during winter to let in cold air.”

Lloyd went on to explain tips for preserving the ice, the best times in winter to replenish it, and other essential points for operating the storage effectively.

Perhaps because of his thorough advice, Akush placed a massive, hand-like slab of a palm on Lloyd’s shoulder.

“This level of cold should preserve meat until winter. Human Lloyd, you are not just the savior of my son but a true friend and warrior who has solved one of our tribe’s greatest concerns, squeak.”

“Does that mean you’re officially recognizing me as a warrior?”

“Of course, squeak.”

“So, I don’t need to haul a mountain boar statue up the Ural Mountains to prove it anymore?”

“Certainly not, squeak.”

Chief Akush nodded his massive head solemnly.

“We are now friends. Even if you are a weak, flimsy, pathetic creature with legs as brittle as twigs and strength as soft as mud, I will accept you, squeak.”

“…Hey, now.”

“I’m joking! Ha ha ha, squeak!”

Lloyd sighed at the chief’s boisterous laugh, but just then, an unexpected notification appeared before his eyes.

—

*Ding!*

[Race Unlocked]
[Chief Akush of the Orc Tribe has accepted you as a true friend.]
[The orcs now consider you an equal and a companion.]
[You can now increase favorability with orcs and earn RP.]
[Race Unlock Bonus: 100 RP awarded.]
[Current RP: 611]

—

‘What?’

Lloyd’s eyes widened.

‘I can earn RP from orcs now?’

He had secretly hoped for this outcome when he first saved Arosh from the ant pit, wondering if he could gain favor and RP from the young orc.

But back then, no messages about favorability or RP had appeared, even though Arosh clearly viewed him as a benefactor.

‘So I assumed it wasn’t possible to earn RP from orcs.’

He had given up on the idea.

But now, he realized the truth.

The issue hadn’t been with orcs in general—it had been about breaking through the barrier of race.

‘I hadn’t yet built true, equal bonds of friendship with them.’

Now that barrier was gone.

‘What an unexpected reward.’

Lloyd decided he would maintain a strong relationship with the orc tribe going forward.

For now, however, there was the matter of his immediate reward.

“Then I suppose it’s time to fulfill the terms of our agreement.”

“Indeed. You built us an ice storage, so we shall give you the training equipment we’ve used, squeak!”

“I’ll uphold my end too.”

While constructing the ice storage, Lloyd had also been preparing exercise equipment for the orcs.

Using Bangul’s “steel goo” ability, he had crafted pull-up bars, sculpted granite weights for dumbbells and barbells, and more. These heavy-duty training tools were gifted to the orcs in exchange for their treasures.

The treasures in question? Piles of gold and silver hoarded by the orcs over generations.

But the rewards didn’t stop there.

“I, Arosh, promised Lloyd the savior that if he were recognized as a warrior, I would send 120 orc men to his estate! Arosh is a man of his word. Today, I fulfill my promise, squeak!”

Arosh’s proclamation echoed through the village.

Lined up behind him were 120 muscular orc warriors, all volunteers eager to head to the Frontera barony.

“Humans are weak, squeak!”

“We must teach them to work out, squeak!”

“We shall go, squeak!”

And so, 120 orc “fitness missionaries” were assembled in no time.

Lloyd grinned as he surveyed the group.

‘I didn’t think I’d gain this much.’

He now had the ability to earn RP from orcs, access to the tribe’s treasure trove, 120 orc warriors as laborers, and rare magical materials obtained after defeating the black magician.

Counting his gains, Lloyd felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

‘Perfect. Just perfect.’

His initial plan, hatched when he discovered Arosh in the ant pit, had already exceeded expectations.

“Then, let’s set off immediately.”

With an enthusiastic farewell from the orc tribe, the group began their journey back.

The caravan included Lloyd, Javier, the 40 soldiers of the engineering corps, and 120 orc warriors.

Despite the large group, the journey over the mountains was surprisingly smooth.

Monsters generally avoided the intimidating sight of so many orcs, and those foolish enough to attack were swiftly dealt with by Javier and the orc warriors. The defeated monsters were promptly turned into protein-packed meals for the group.

The caravan crossed the mountain range with impressive speed, their massive load of orc treasures causing no trouble at all.

After all, these items were the orcs’ former training tools.

“This weight is perfect for a workout, squeak!”

“I feel the burn in my shoulders, squeak!”

“My fat is melting, squeak!”

Objects too heavy for humans to even lift were joyously carried by the orcs, who celebrated the muscle stimulation with gusto.

For ten days, the group marched, laughed, and worked their way through the mountains.

Finally, the familiar sights of the Frontera barony appeared before them.

They had returned home.

However, a surprising scene awaited them at the baron’s mansion.

“Lord Lloyd, the baron is currently in the reception room,” the steward informed him with a polite bow.

Lloyd raised an eyebrow.

“The reception room? Does he have guests?”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Who?”

“Well…”

“Well?”

“Shylo and Mitrosh, my lord.”

“And they are?”

“Um… the moneylenders who extended loans to the baron.”

“Ah, the loan sharks?”

Lloyd’s memory clicked into place.

The last time those two had visited, he’d managed to scare them off with a mix of clever bluffing and subtle threats.

A sly smile spread across his face.

‘Perfect timing.’

It was high time to deal with the debt issue.

‘It’s like they’ve got a sixth sense for showing up exactly when I need them. How convenient.’

Humming a little tune, Lloyd headed toward the reception room, eager to negotiate with the loan sharks.