The Greatest Estate Developer - Chapter 41: Friend of the Orcs (3)

“I’m back.”

*Creak.*

Lloyd opened the door, his voice deliberately casual.

Beyond the doorway, the reception room came into view, and three sets of eyes turned to him.

“Lloyd?”

The first to speak was Baron Frontera, his expression a mixture of surprise, relief, and faint discomfort.

Lloyd bowed respectfully to him.

“Yes, I’ve returned.”

“Good, I’m glad you’ve come back safely. You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Not at all, thanks to your concern.”

“You’ve lost weight, though.”

“I’m fine. Just worked hard trekking over the mountains.”

Lloyd gave a wry smile, touched by the baron’s concern.

At the same time, he was relieved to have returned to the estate at such a critical moment.

It was because of the two uninvited guests seated across from the baron.

“And it’s been a while for you as well, Mr. Shylo, Mr. Mitrosh.”

“…”

The two loan sharks stared silently at Lloyd.

There was Shylo, the gaunt and wiry one, and Mitrosh, the rotund and burly one.

Their expressions were anything but friendly.

‘Probably because I embarrassed them during their last visit by exploiting the holes in their logic.’

As if confirming his thoughts, Shylo curled one side of his lips into a sneer.

“Well, well, look who it is. The brilliant eldest son of Baron Frontera.”

“So, what excuse have you cooked up to chase us off this time?” Mitrosh added, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Lloyd’s wry smile deepened.

“Surely today you’ve come on a proper invitation?”

“Of course.”

Shylo spoke smoothly.

“We sent word to the baron ahead of time, asking for permission to visit. Your wise father graciously agreed to our request. Isn’t that right?”

“…Yes, that’s correct,” the baron replied, nodding with a heavy heart.

His expression was far from bright, which wasn’t surprising. The baron was deeply in debt to these men, leaving him no room to deny their visit.

Lloyd didn’t need a detailed explanation to understand the situation. He was all too familiar with it.

‘Just like my father.’

Debt collectors who came knocking every other day.

His father, though tormented by their harassment, never dared to turn them away.

No matter what insults they hurled or what havoc they wreaked, he would simply bow his head and mutter, “Yes, yes.”

*The powerless are guilty. The debtor is the criminal.*

His father’s bitter lament, uttered alone over a glass of soju after the collectors had ransacked their home.

‘Enough. Stop dwelling on it.’

Lloyd pushed the painful memories aside and steadied himself.

His gaze locked onto the two loan sharks, his demeanor calm and composed.

Instead of bitterness, there was a sharp cunning in his eyes.

Even his voice carried a subtle ease.

“Haha, welcome. Have you been offered any refreshments?”

“Forget refreshments; we’re more interested in other offerings,” Shylo replied with a smirk.

“Something like… a mine,” Mitrosh chimed in, his fleshy cheeks quivering as his buried eyes gleamed with greed.

“A mine?”

“Yes, a mine.”

Mitrosh’s round face wobbled as he leaned forward.

“The coal mine your dear eldest son has so cleverly established.”

Ah, Lloyd realized.

The coal mine in the Frontera barony—something he had painstakingly created.

Initially, rumors of the mine were dismissed as absurd. How could the barony afford to fund such a project?

But when reports of its success continued, the loan sharks began to investigate.

“I have to admit, I never expected the baron’s son to have such talents,” Mitrosh said, his tone almost mocking. “Inventing strange contraptions like underfloor heating to fleece the villagers and fund a mine? Quite clever.”

Shylo chuckled, his wiry frame shaking.

“And it explains a lot. The baron’s been paying interest diligently lately. All thanks to the profits from this ‘ondol’ contraption and your mine, I imagine.”

“Using that surplus to pave roads and dig a mine? Smart. Really, very smart,” Shylo said, laughing darkly.

The loan sharks’ noses for money told them that the mine was a potential goldmine—if they could take control of it.

“And so,” Shylo continued, smirking, “we were having a *pleasant discussion* with the baron about it.”

“A pleasant discussion?” Lloyd asked.

“A mutually beneficial negotiation, if you will.”

Shylo turned his sly gaze to the baron, motioning for him to speak.

The baron remained silent, his discomfort evident.

Shylo clicked his tongue and raised his pointed chin.

“Well, if the baron won’t explain, I’ll do it. It’s simple: the baron transfers the rights to the mine to us, and we forgive three months of his interest payments. Yet for some reason, he keeps rejecting our generous offer.”

“…”

Lloyd clenched his fist instinctively, his temper flaring at the absurdity of the proposal.

Handing over a mine built through blood, sweat, and tears, in exchange for a mere three months of interest relief?

It was outrageous.

But Lloyd didn’t let his frustration show. Losing his composure would only play into their hands.

The angrier he felt, the calmer his demeanor became.

“Well now, that’s quite the *win-win* proposal,” he said, smiling pleasantly.

“You think so?” Shylo grinned, falling for the bait.

Lloyd’s smile widened internally.

‘Let’s turn this into a win-win situation where I win twice.’

“How about I propose something instead?” Lloyd said. “Care to hear me out?”

“A counterproposal? I don’t see why we should bother,” Shylo replied.

“But you already heard it.” Lloyd’s tone turned faintly teasing.

“…”

Shylo and Mitrosh’s expressions soured.

Mitrosh spoke first, his heavy jaw jiggling.

“That’s not how we do business.”

“Exactly. If you want to repay the debt, do it all at once. No partial payments,” Shylo added.

“So, you expect us to pay the full principal in one go?” Lloyd asked, his voice calm but carrying a hint of challenge.

“Of course,” Shylo replied smugly.

“So, you’re saying we should continue paying exorbitant interest indefinitely?” Lloyd countered calmly.

“That’s how our business works. You knew that when you borrowed the money, didn’t you?” Shylo arched a brow as if Lloyd’s words were ridiculous.

He wasn’t wrong.

Loan sharks like Shylo and Mitrosh thrived on lending small amounts of money with massive interest rates. It was their business model.

They never accepted partial repayments. The principal remained untouched, ballooning over time into a crushing burden. For those desperate enough to turn to loan sharks, repaying the entire debt in one go was nearly impossible, leaving them trapped in a cycle of debt—like ants stuck in a pit.

Struggle as they might, escape was impossible. In the end, all that was left was their dried-out husks.

And when the debtor finally went bankrupt or died?

The loan sharks would seize any remaining property—lands or estates—at rock-bottom prices and resell them for a hefty profit.

This was the grim reality Baron Frontera found himself entangled in, and Lloyd had no intention of letting it continue.

‘If I don’t cut off this vicious cycle now, it’ll never end, no matter how much money I make.’

Lloyd’s proposal had a clear goal: to allow partial repayments and adjust interest rates based on the remaining balance. These two conditions would transform the predatory debt into a manageable one.

It would bring some relief to the barony’s finances, making the path to repaying the debt far easier.

“That’s why I’m offering this proposal. Isn’t it a reasonable and beneficial suggestion?” Lloyd pressed.

“…”

Shylo and Mitrosh scoffed openly.

Unfazed by their mockery, Lloyd wore an unshakable smile as if he had a shield made of titanium.

Shylo sneered openly.

“Has our dear young lord lost his touch today? You’re pushing such nonsense as if we’d ever agree to it.”

“But you will,” Lloyd replied nonchalantly.

“We will? Why?”

“Because I brought a very skilled negotiator with me today.”

“…What?”

Shylo frowned in confusion, and Mitrosh’s thick brows furrowed.

Lloyd turned toward the reception room door.

“You can come in now,” he called out.

At that moment—

*BANG!*

The door burst open with such force it seemed like it might come off its hinges.

The powerful gust from the door’s opening made Lloyd’s shirt collar and even the hair of the two loan sharks flutter.

A booming voice followed.

“Greetings! I am Arosh of the Iron Sand Tribe! I’ve come to meet the master of the Frontera Barony, squeak!”

*Rumble!*

The sheer volume of his voice made the room tremble.

“W-What…!”

Shylo and Mitrosh instinctively clapped their hands over their ears, their faces pale as they leaned back in their chairs.

Baron Frontera looked equally startled.

“Arosh, well, uh… it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“Yes, it has, squeak!”

“And you’ve come with Lloyd?”

“Of course! I’m here to convey our chieftain’s message, squeak!”

“A message?”

“This!”

*THUD!*

Arosh stomped into the room, his massive frame dwarfing the furniture as he strode past the two loan sharks. Their faces paled further as he approached the baron’s table and placed a heavy object onto it.

It was an enormous fang from a colossal monster.

“This is the fang of a Kargas—a beast only the bravest warriors can hunt. Our chieftain wished for me to present this as a token, squeak!”

“A token? What kind of token?”

“A token of blood alliance, squeak.”

“What?”

The baron’s eyes widened in disbelief as Arosh continued.

“Lloyd Frontera is the savior of our entire tribe and one of the rare humans in orc history to be recognized as a warrior of our clan, squeak.”

The baron’s eyes grew even rounder, astonished beyond words.

Lloyd’s claim that he would be recognized as a warrior had come true—something the baron himself had doubted.

Such recognition from the orcs was almost unheard of. The only comparable tale was from centuries ago when an unknown girl earned the respect of Grand Chief Akash. That story was so ancient and obscure that its truth was uncertain.

Yet here was an orc warrior, the son of a chieftain, formally declaring it.

“And as Lloyd Frontera’s father, you are more than qualified to form a blood alliance with our tribe, squeak.”

Arosh’s voice was solemn, his expression grave.

“What do you say, Baron? Will you accept our chieftain’s proposal and become our blood ally, squeak?”

The baron swallowed hard, stunned by the unexpected stroke of fortune.

A blood alliance with the orc tribes would make Frontera Barony an official part of the Orc Union—a monumental honor and protection.

“Of course, I’ll accept,” the baron said firmly, nodding without hesitation.

Arosh grinned broadly, revealing his tusks.

“Good! From now on, the Frontera Barony and our tribe are blood allies! We are friends, brothers, and sisters, squeak!”

The baron and Arosh shook hands firmly, sealing the alliance.

Meanwhile, the two loan sharks could only watch in stunned silence.

Moments later, Arosh turned his gaze toward them, his fierce eyes narrowing.

“And who are these humans? I heard everything from outside. They were mocking the baron, squeak.”

“…”

Shylo and Mitrosh froze, their eyes darting nervously.

Arosh’s next question made their hearts pound.

“Are these humans enemies of the barony, squeak?”

“…”

A blood alliance meant that the baron’s enemies were also the tribe’s enemies—and the tribe’s enemies were dealt with swiftly and mercilessly by orc warriors.

Shylo and Mitrosh were well aware of this orcish custom, and cold sweat began to pour down their backs.

“Well, if they reject my proposal, they might very well become enemies,” Lloyd added cheerfully, his tone light but his words sharp as a blade.

Hearing this, the loan sharks’ faces turned ghostly white, and the sweat dripped faster.