The Greatest Estate Developer - Chapter 61: The Reason for Erecting a Statue (1)

The trade city of Cremo.

Located in the eastern region of the kingdom, it was the central city of the Cremona region. Naturally, the Count of Cremo was the paramount lord of the area, effectively making him the superior of Baron Frontera.

‘If compared to modern-day Korea, he’d be akin to a provincial governor.’

A figure wielding the greatest power in a region, and one of the kingdom’s most influential figures.

This was why Lloyd found himself tilting his head in curiosity. Something didn’t quite add up.

“Hmm, are you saying the Count is actually buying those treasures?”

“That’s right. Why else would he have sent this letter?”

“But why?”

“Why, you ask?”

“To be honest, those treasures… the orcs treated them so roughly as exercise equipment that they can’t be worth that much. They’re probably riddled with scratches.”

It was true.

No matter how rare a treasure might be, it required proper care.

And these treasures had been used for quite some time as exercise gear by orcs.

At a glance, they seemed like precious treasures.

When polished, they shone brightly.

But upon closer inspection, it was clear they were different.

Scratches and dents were etched all over them. Quite a few, in fact.

“So, I assumed that the buyer would be some rural noble looking for cheap treasures to brag about, or a merchant hoping to profit from trading with such customers.”

This was the assumption Lloyd had initially made.

They were, in essence, secondhand treasures.

Thus, it was all the more puzzling.

‘For someone of the Count’s stature, there’s no need to buy secondhand goods like these.’

If he wanted, the Count could amass pristine treasures effortlessly.

Or he could even commission artisans to craft treasures for him.

Yet, he was deliberately purchasing secondhand treasures.

It was undoubtedly strange.

It was like the CEO of a major corporation buying a used car just to experience driving a foreign vehicle.

Or a wealthy madam scouring secondhand markets for a luxury handbag.

“Does he have some other purpose for them?”

Lloyd asked.

The Baron shrugged.

“Who knows? However—”

The Baron stroked his chin and furrowed his brows.

“From what I’ve heard, the Count plans to erect a grand statue in the city of Cremo.”

“A statue?”

“That’s right.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure about that. But my guess is that he intends to use the gems from the treasures to adorn the statue.”

“Ah, that does make sense.”

Finally, Lloyd nodded in agreement.

Adorning a grand statue with small gemstones made sense.

If that was their intended use, it was reasonable.

‘Recycling gems from secondhand treasures would certainly be more cost-effective than purchasing new ones. After all, a grand statue is meant to be admired from afar. Minor scratches on the gems wouldn’t pose much of an issue.’

Lloyd recalled the chandelier stored in the warehouse.

Once, it had illuminated the hall of a noble family.

Then it had been unceremoniously used as a massive hula hoop by orc warriors.

Fortunately, most of the gems embedded in the chandelier remained intact. Extracting them alone would yield a significant number of gemstones.

‘That Count… he’s quite frugal.’

In any case, securing a buyer for the treasures was a relief.

Selling all the treasures at once was an even greater fortune.

The good news that greeted him warmed Lloyd’s spirits, and in return, he shared joyous tidings with the Baron.

“So, I suppose it’s my turn now?”

“Are you referring to the trip to the Viscount’s estate?”

“Yes, the water tax matter I mentioned this morning.”

“What was Viscount Lacona’s reaction?”

“Ah, you should’ve seen it for yourself.”

Lloyd grinned mischievously and recounted the encounter with the Viscount.

He described the pitiful display the Viscount had put on in the reception room.

Hearing the story, the Baron’s lips curled into a delighted smile.

It was as though a century-old weight had been lifted from his chest.

His cheeks practically soared to the heavens.

And rightly so.

‘The last time Sir Courno delivered the Viscount’s threat, it must have been a humiliating experience.’

A threat he could do nothing to resist.

The Viscount had not even deigned to show up personally, sending a mere knight who brazenly insulted the Baron.

For the Baron, it was the ultimate humiliation.

But now?

He was hearing about how the very same Viscount had been reduced to signing a tearful contract.

And Sir Courno had even wet his pants in the process.

The humiliations and dark moments endured by those who had wronged him…

Listening to their disgraceful stories was nothing short of euphoric.

‘It must feel like honey is flowing into his ears.’

Seeing the Baron revel in delight, Lloyd also felt his mood lighten.

Around him, the townsfolk enjoyed a lively festival, their joy spreading warmth through the night.

‘Let’s focus on clearing the debt quickly.’

From the first day he’d found himself possessed, facing threats of foreclosure, he had been working tirelessly.

Now, with just a little more effort, a glimmer of hope was finally in sight.

The small festival night brightened, mirroring that glimmer of hope.

♣

From the next day, Lloyd busied himself once again.

Time was never on his side.

This was a reality he carried in his heart at all times.

Even on this day, when he had stayed up late enjoying the festival until almost dawn.

‘There’s so much to do! Let’s get to it!’

Waking up early and preparing for the day was a habit ingrained in him since his days in Korea.

He woke up at the same time as always.

As soon as the sky began to brighten, his eyes opened, and he woke Javier.

They began preparing for the journey to Cremo.

“A large entourage might actually make things more cumbersome. Let’s keep it as tight as possible.”

“Are you sure about that? What about safety concerns?”

“It’ll be fine. Sir Asrahan will be with us.”

“Hmm. That’s true, but…”

Lloyd planned to personally visit the city of Cremo.

Upon hearing this, the Baron prepared an entourage of 100 people.

Lloyd was, of course, horrified.

“Having too many mouths to feed means we’ll need more supplies. Besides, the engineers need to stay behind to keep working on the ondol.”

It was true.

The more people there were, the more food and other supplies would be needed.

As the supplies increased, so did the preparation time and the difficulty of transportation.

Moreover, winter was fast approaching.

“The contract we made with the residents last spring stated that all ondol systems would be completed before winter. According to the original plan, all the contracted ondol installations should already have been finished by now, but we haven’t managed that.”

This delay was all due to the unplanned water supply construction.

The engineers working on the ondol systems had been entirely diverted to work on the water supply project.

“So, I’ll take as few engineers as possible. The rest will be assigned to ondol construction to ensure its completion before winter.”

“How many do you intend to take?”

“Just enough to handle the treasure-laden wagons and ensure security. I think twenty should suffice.”

“Will that be enough?”

“Yes.”

Lloyd’s firm decision set the team for the journey to the trade city: himself, Javier, and twenty engineers.

Of course, just because the team composition was finalized didn’t mean they left immediately.

There was something that needed to be done first—installing the water pipes to supply the dye workshop in the Viscount’s territory.

‘A contract is a contract, after all.’

The water pipe installation needed to be expedited.

The faster it was completed, the sooner they could start collecting water taxes.

“All right, take it step by step! What’s the top priority at the site?”

“Safety!”

“Good. Everyone remembers doing this endlessly in the mountains, right?”

“Yes!”

“Then, let’s get to it!”

“Woohoo!”

Lloyd mobilized part of the engineering corps.

From the estate’s water purification plant to the dye workshop in the Viscount’s territory, they repeated the processes they had honed in the mountains countless times.

Ppodong dug along the designated route.

The engineers refined the work.

They laid, connected, and buried the giant bamboo pipes.

Everything proceeded like clockwork.

‘Because we prepared everything in advance.’

From the surveying to the design, Lloyd had already completed everything before negotiating the contract with the Viscount.

Even the giant bamboo pipes were prepared ahead of time.

During the mountain pipeline construction for the estate, he had secured extra pipes, already reinforced and polished.

Everything was in place.

In other words, all Ppodong had to do was dig, and the engineers only had to refine the work—allowing the pipes to be installed immediately.

‘Compared to the grueling construction in the mountains, this is like eating instant rice with three-minute curry.’

It was that easy.

It was that quick.

In just 15 days, almost all the pipelines were completed.

The altitude difference between Frontera Estate and the Viscount’s territory allowed for the efficient use of the eastern mountain slope.

As a result, the average slope of the entire pipeline was about 0.7%.

‘That’s more than adequate.’

On the day the final pipeline was connected, the dye workshop in the Viscount’s territory finally received its first water supply.

It wasn’t the limestone-laden water from before but pure water directly from Lake Capua in the mid-mountain range.

Thanks to this, the Viscount’s specialty fabric, Laconata, was revitalized.

Its former vibrant colors and luster returned.

Viscount Lacona was moved beyond words.

“H-hic! At last. Finally…”

“What do you think? Doesn’t this make the water supply project worthwhile?”

“Indeed. Why did I ever hesitate to sign the contract?”

“Well, it was because of the water taxes, wasn’t it?”

“….”

“Make sure you don’t miss the water tax payments starting this month, all right?”

“…Yes, understood.”

Holding the revitalized Laconata fabric, the Viscount was overcome with emotion.

However, his face darkened when he heard the words “water tax.”

A wicked smile crept across Lloyd’s lips.

‘A pushover like this is always welcome.’

Not a gram of pity or guilt crossed his mind.

Turning crises into opportunities—that was his game.

This crisis had been caused by the Viscount himself.

Overcoming it had allowed Lloyd to sink a titanium-grade straw into the Viscount, one that wouldn’t be easily removed for decades.

And the rewards didn’t end there.

‘Ding dong.’

As he turned to leave the dejected Viscount behind, a clear notification sound accompanied a series of messages.

[You have successfully introduced a water supply system.]

[This is the first recorded instance in the history of the Lorasia Continent.]

[Your innovative water supply construction and systematic implementation will be remembered as a pioneering model in the kingdom’s and continent’s civil engineering history.]

[Your name will be recorded in the construction history of the kingdom and continent.]

[As a bonus for achieving a continental-first milestone, you are awarded a large amount of RP.]

[You have gained 600 RP.]

[Current RP balance: 2275.]

‘Oh?’

Lloyd paused.

The messages continued to flow.

[News of your great achievement spreads to nearby regions.]

[Kingdom officials and civil engineers are particularly intrigued by the engineering and societal value of the water supply system.]

[You are beginning to establish your reputation as a builder.]

[Those who hear of your plans will show greater trust in your construction projects than before.]

‘Rewards for introducing the water supply system, huh.’

As Lloyd carefully read through the messages, he grasped their meaning.

‘No wonder I didn’t receive any achievement rewards after finishing the estate’s water supply.’

He had found it a bit odd.

But now, after seeing the messages, he understood why.

‘Simply installing the system wasn’t enough. The conditions required proper utilization of the facilities.’

Merely laying the pipes wasn’t sufficient.

What was needed was actual water supply through the system—culminating in the introduction of a tax-based system.

That was the true condition for completing the achievement.

‘Great. This is excellent.’

The reward messages decorating his view were dazzling.

Grinning in satisfaction, Lloyd chuckled.

‘So much RP. It’s overflowing.’

It was the largest RP he had ever earned at once.

And that wasn’t all.

‘Reputation and trust as a builder.’

‘Although it wasn’t expressed in numbers, this is truly a significant reward.’

Lloyd wanted to continue securing major construction projects.

That way, he could quickly amass a substantial amount of money.

And repay the Baron family’s debt as soon as possible.

In the midst of all this, gaining trust and fame as a builder was invaluable.

In other words, it would be much easier to win construction contracts from clients moving forward.

‘This is a reward that will keep paying off in the future.’

It was a reward that Lloyd found deeply satisfying.

Additional minor rewards followed.

His favorability with the Baron and his wife increased by 3 points each.

With Sir Bayern, who oversaw the construction, it rose by 2 points.

And with the residents of the estate, it increased by 4 points.

Thanks to this, he earned an additional 126 RP.

Lloyd also received warm sentiments from those around him.

“Please return safely.”

The day after completing the water pipeline connection to the Viscount’s territory, Lloyd departed for the trade city of Cremo.

The Baron and his wife came to see him off.

The Baron bombarded Lloyd with endless concerns and instructions.

“Be cautious in everything you do, and don’t act rashly or carelessly anywhere. Understood?”

“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

“If anything happens, hide behind Sir Asrahan.”

“Yes, I’ll definitely do that.”

“If a dangerous situation arises, run away first.”

“What about the engineers?”

“Hmm, then run away with them.”

“…”

The Baroness was no less relentless in her string of concerns.

“If it becomes too hard, you can always just come back. Never go to unfamiliar, dark alleys or dangerous places, all right?”

“Yes, yes. I understand.”

“Don’t skip meals, no matter what.”

“Yes, I’ll make sure of it.”

“Don’t kick off your blanket when you sleep.”

“Um, yes…”

“And take this as well.”

“What is this?”

“It’s a talisman.”

“This… adorable, pink doll?”

The talisman(?) handed over by the Baroness caused Lloyd’s expression to scrunch up slightly.

It was a plump, round teddy bear—so cute that it could’ve been straight out of a teenage girl’s dream.

Its color was an incredibly vibrant shade of pink.

Yet, the Baroness’s expression as she handed it over was nothing but serious.

“Don’t call it ‘just a doll.’ Words have weight, you know.”

“Well, but…”

“This is a talisman I stayed up all night to make myself.”

“Ah…”

“Stop standing there with your mouth open and take it already.”

“What exactly does it do?”

“If you hug it tightly while sleeping, it will ward off nightmares.”

“Cough.”

“Peaceful dreams and sound sleep help everything go smoothly and even attract good fortune. So, make sure to hug this every night while you’re away. Understand?”

“….”

This was clearly a gesture of concern and care.

Rejecting it outright would’ve been heartless.

And somehow, it made Lloyd think of his mother back in Korea.

‘Are all moms like this?’

They gave things that didn’t seem necessary.

At times, it felt bothersome and even embarrassing.

But they kept giving, giving, and giving some more.

Yet back then, he couldn’t understand why he found those gestures unnecessary.

Why he thought of them as nothing but burdens.

Looking back now, it filled him with regret.

He should’ve accepted them every time.

He should’ve expressed more gratitude.

He regretted how he hadn’t done so in the past.

Maybe that’s why he did what he did now.

“Thank you. Really.”

Lloyd smiled brightly as he accepted the doll.

He hugged it tightly, as if to reassure her.

To make up for what he hadn’t done for his own mother.

To atone for the regrets of his younger, more immature self.

And so, with the Baron and Baroness’s heartfelt send-off, Lloyd departed the estate.

Of course, at that moment, no one could’ve known.

That this young nobleman of a rural family, accompanied by his knight, would achieve feats in the trade city of Cremo that would become the stuff of legend.

For now, he was simply heading there to dispose of some old treasures.