Chapter 180
The full-scale construction began.
‘And the anchors I ordered were perfectly made.’
On the morning after he declined Count Namaran’s marriage proposal, a group of blacksmiths from the castle visited Lloyd.
They struggled under the weight of a steel anchor nearly seven meters long.
‘For a prototype, the quality’s excellent.’
These were blacksmiths personally recommended by Count Namaran.
The anchor’s specifications and performance met almost every requirement.
Most impressive was the wedge at the end—crafted to emulate the Wedgelock Bolt’s structure.
Lloyd inspected the carved spiral grooves.
‘They even replicated the spiral threads properly.’
Thanks to that, the construction schedule sped up.
He immediately placed a mass order based on the prototype.
From there, the real work began.
“Alright, everyone! This might feel awkward since it’s your first construction job with me, so let me ask something first. Is there any skeleton here who’s new to construction?”
“……”
“Well, since you can’t speak, raise your hands. Anyone who’s new, raise your hand.”
Clatter!
All 200 members of the engineering corps—now officially renamed the Bone Corps—raised their hands.
Lloyd’s eyebrow twitched.
“What? All of you are complete beginners?”
Clatter!
“Why?!”
He had a guess, but still—every single one?
Turtle Neck, the leader of the Bone Corps, stepped forward with paper and charcoal.
– Don’t worry too much. It’s because everyone has lost their memories from when they were alive.
“What? You don’t remember?”
– Not at all. I don’t remember my job when I was human, nor what kind of person I was.
“Ah. So that’s why everyone’s named Turtle Neck or Frozen Shoulder?”
– Yes. Because we don’t remember our original names.
“Tsk. A blank slate, huh.”
– Still, some of us probably did construction in life. As we work, we might remember familiar tasks.
“Well, that’d be nice. Ahem! Anyway.”
Lloyd clapped his hands to gather attention.
“Whether you have experience or not, all of you are working with me for the first time.”
Clatter!
Two hundred skeletons raised their hands again.
Lloyd sighed.
“You don’t have to raise your hands every time. Anyway—engrave this one thing in your bones. Safety first. On a construction site, safety is everything. Don’t rush. Don’t force your joints. Slow but accurate. Otherwise, you’ll end up with Bone Corps injuries. Understood?”
Clack clack clack!
“…You actually engraved it.”
Every skeleton carved the words ‘Safety First’ in small letters across their ribs.
They then picked up their shovels with renewed vigor.
Beside them, Javier unsheathed his sword.
He was responsible for the most important role in the slope stabilization: drilling.
“You know what to do, right? Drill.”
Lloyd grabbed a large brush and splattered red paint across the cliff face.
It looked random, but it wasn’t.
Every mark was precise—locations meticulously calculated during design.
And Javier knew it well.
“Give me the direction, angle, depth, and diameter.”
“Vertical. Twelve meters deep. One meter in diameter.”
“Understood.”
The silver-haired knight—Lloyd’s living auger crane—stepped forward.
Lloyd stared hard at the painted ground.
There was anger in Javier’s eyes.
But not because he was being used like construction equipment.
Because he was ashamed.
‘I was arrogant.’
He had failed to defeat the Hell Knight alone.
He had needed Lloyd’s help.
He had failed in his duty to protect him.
His pride as a Swordmaster had grown lax.
‘I can’t deny it. If I deny it, I won’t grow.’
The memory of struggling against the Hell Knight burned him inside.
He resolved to grow stronger.
To never again become a burden.
To treat even construction as training.
His eyes sharpened.
And then—
His sword flashed.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
He moved like the wind.
Struck like lightning.
Exploded like thunder.
Thwack! Thwack!
Each thrust triggered a Detonation, but this time it was perfectly controlled.
Unlike before, the explosions did not disturb areas beyond the designated boundaries.
He controlled the impact radius down to the millimeter.
It was grueling, exhausting work.
But Javier continued.
‘Control your power. Control your range. More precision. Crush only what must be crushed!’
Every strike became training.
Every movement refinement.
With fierce resolve, his sword danced through the air.
Before long—
Dozens of perfect vertical shafts, one meter wide and twelve meters deep, lined the cliff.
Next, it was the Bone Corps’ turn.
“Alright! Move it!”
Creak!
Two hundred skeletons lifted a massive log—13 meters long, 1 meter thick.
“Stay focused! Match your steps! If one of you loses balance, the comrades in front and behind will be crushed! Move as ONE!”
Creak creak!
They nodded vigorously.
The log was a Circular Restraining Pile—meant to be inserted into the vertical shafts Javier drilled.
It functioned like a toothpick in a hamburger—holding the structure from shifting sideways.
Iron Pine, abundant in Namaran’s cool highlands, made perfect piles. Dense, rot-resistant, and strong.
Lloyd had confirmed the material countless times through simulations.
“Alright, next—Ggoming!”
“Ggoming!”
At Lloyd’s shout, Ggoming swooped down.
He grabbed the rope attached to the pile, flapped his wings, and lifted it vertically.
“Bone Corps! Align the base!”
Creak!
The skeletons adjusted the bottom of the pile until it matched the shaft.
“Ggoming! Down!”
“Kkomiming!”
Ggoming descended slowly.
The Restraining Pile slid perfectly into the shaft, filling it to the millimeter.
‘Perfect fit.’
Lloyd clenched his fist.
Everything—from drilling to insertion—had been flawless.
“Good! Keep going!”
“Ggoming!”
Creak!
And so construction continued.
For fifteen days, dozens of piles were installed at two-meter intervals. Waler beams were added to support them.
Next came the anchor work.
Javier drilled 45-degree angled holes.
Creak! Crack!
Skeletons inserted anchors.
Lloyd tightened the central rod, expanding the anchor tip until it filled the hole firmly.
Then he injected Grout Solution—slime-based glue mixed with lime.
The anchor rope connected to a granite Hydraulic Pressure Plate pressed the slope firmly.
Needle, thread, and plate.
A tight, powerful reinforcement.
Every day brought sweat, clattering bones, flapping wings, and Lloyd’s shouts.
One day became two.
Ten days became thirty.
Then sixty.
Late-summer cosmos wilted.
Autumn leaves spread.
And on the day the first snow fell—
Construction was finished.
And the results were perfect.
The unstable cliff was now solid and immovable.
Count Namaran cheered.
“Well, here is the promised construction fee.”
“This is… a carriage?”
“Yes.”
“…Surely the carriage itself isn’t my payment?”
“Hahaha! Of course not. Look inside.”
Lloyd felt a strong premonition.
‘Jackpot.’
He opened the door—
And froze.
“…Oh.”
Inside were boxes.
Stuffed with gold coins.
Gold gleaming from every seam.
“…Is it really alright for me to accept all of this?”
“Do you doubt me? Hahaha! This is me being generous. Actually, you deserve far more for saving my daughter and the city. But I reduced it a little because you rejected my request.”
“Haha… you didn’t have to reduce it for that.”
He grumbled.
But the corners of his mouth stretched to his ears.
‘Jackpot!’
Lloyd clenched his fist discreetly.
Five boxes of gold and silver coins.
Enough to stabilize the territory and support the refugee group—even without royal help.
‘Amazing. Truly amazing.’
There was nothing better than money.
Money was the best.
With this much, he could swim in honey for years.
Satisfied, Lloyd set off on his return to the Frontera territory.
Riding a gold-filled carriage.
Accompanied by 200 skeletons.
He received farewells from the Count and Lady Namaran, then departed with dignity.
Twelve days passed.
On the morning of the twelfth day—half a day before reaching Frontera—
Lloyd casually called out to Javier, who was tending the campfire.
“Hey, Javier.”
“Yes? What is it?”
“You. You’re not planning to pretend you don’t know, right?”
“…Pretend I don’t know what?”
“The bet. Lady Ella. You were supposed to return to the territory wearing that outfit.”
“……”
“You didn’t forget, did you?”
“……”
He had forgotten.
Completely.
The Iron Knight’s expression stiffened.
And Lloyd’s face blossomed into a wicked smile.
In his hand—
Lady Ella’s dress and wig were already prepared.