Chapter 3: Model House, Open (2)
The rumors spread.
And they spread fast.
In any place where people live, gossip always exists. But this time, the rumors spread faster and more intensely than usual.
It was because the content was so strange.
“Young Master Lloyd has finally lost his mind.”
“What?”
“He’s digging with a shovel!”
“What are you talking about?”
“Just what I said. He’s behind the tavern, digging up dirt and packing it down.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Who knows? Some say he’s blackmailing the tavern owner.”
“Blackmail?”
“Apparently, he seized the land behind the tavern.”
“Haha, that can’t be…”
Some whispered over dinner tables, others muttered while working in the fields.
“Did you hear? Young Master Lloyd might be planning to kill himself.”
“What, finally?”
“That’s what I heard. Yesterday, he was digging dirt, and today, he’s laying flat stones over it while mumbling to himself.”
“He’s digging his own grave, isn’t he?”
Wild speculation and absurd theories flew in all directions.
Some claimed the young master was secretly burying alcohol in the ground, others believed he was digging a tunnel to escape his father’s watchful eye, and there were even rumors about him developing strange new tastes.
Curiosity drove the townspeople to come and see for themselves.
And amid all this attention, the *ondol* room slowly began to take shape.
* * * *
‘People sure love to talk.’
Lloyd wiped the sweat from his brow, smearing mud across his face in the process.
But he didn’t mind.
He glanced around at the progress.
The compact *ondol* room was 3.6 meters by 3.6 meters. Over the past few days, not only had the foundation been laid, but the walls had been built as well.
‘It’s been tough.’
Building the *ondol* room had been harder than expected.
He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but the reality surpassed his expectations, especially with the lack of tools.
‘There’s not a single power tool here.’
Everything had to be done by hand.
Lloyd’s experience from part-time construction jobs and military work helped him lay the foundation, but it still took two full days of labor, leaving him with sore muscles.
He got the lumber he needed by pestering the estate administrator, then crafted the framework. The roof beams were raised, and he reinforced the walls with wood.
Using a mixture of straw and mud, he plastered the walls, completing the *hwangto* (yellow clay) structure after three grueling days.
“Phew. Javier?”
“Yes, my lord?”
“Aren’t you tired?”
“I’ve gotten used to it.”
“Really?”
Javier didn’t show the slightest sign of exhaustion.
Even with excellent physical abilities, manual labor like this was a different story, especially using muscles that weren’t typically worked.
Yet Javier remained calm and composed.
‘This guy really is on a different level,’ Lloyd thought, admiring Javier’s near-superhuman stamina. He was certainly reliable—especially when he was being worked for free.
Lloyd’s voice took on a sly tone.
“In that case, let’s get back to work.”
“There’s more?”
“Of course.”
“But you only asked me to help briefly.”
“Did I?”
“Yes. You initially asked for help with digging. Once that was done, you asked me to help process the wood. Then you said the mud mixing was too hard and needed my assistance.”
“So, you’re not happy about it?”
“Of course not.”
“Is it because you’re a knight?”
“…”
Javier remained silent, but Lloyd could tell from his expression that he was holding back his frustration.
It was understandable. Knights weren’t supposed to be out here, covered in mud, using tools like shovels and saws. They were meant to uphold honor, not engage in manual labor.
But Lloyd wasn’t going to let that stop him.
“Well, isn’t a knight supposed to help the weak?”
“What?”
“You agree with that, right?”
“Yes, of course…”
“Exactly. So what we’re doing here is knightly work. We’re helping the weak. Just think—while we’re talking, the tavern owner’s mother is probably shivering in the cold.”
“…”
“And if we finish this quickly, her face will light up with a warm, happy smile…”
“What do you need me to do now?”
Javier sighed, clearly exasperated.
Lloyd grinned wickedly.
“Chop some wood.”
He pointed outside the *ondol* room.
“You saw the logs in the corner of the backyard, right?”
“Yes, I saw them.”
“Good. Those are red pine logs. I need you to chop them into panels for the roof.”
“Panels?”
“They should look like this.”
Lloyd bent down and sketched a rough drawing in the dirt.
“About a hand wide, two hands long, and as thick as your finger. Think of a long, thin wooden tablet. Just make sure they’re all the same size, alright?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to saw them instead?”
“Nope. An axe is better.”
While sawing would have been easier and more precise, it would damage the grain of the wood, making it prone to rot from water absorption.
“If you don’t want to replace the roof in a year, use the axe.”
“…Understood. But.”
“But what?”
Javier looked at Lloyd with a strange expression.
“Where did you learn all of this?”
“All of this? You mean construction?”
“Yes.”
His gaze was cold, but there was a hint of curiosity behind it.
Lloyd answered honestly.
“At Hanguk University.”
“What?”
“I learned it at Hanguk University.”
“…”
“I’m serious. I’m not lying.”
“I’ve never heard of such an academy.”
“Well, I guess you’ve also never heard that I went to any school, right?”
“That’s true.”
“Then keep wondering. Now, let’s get to work. We’ve got a lot to do.”
Lloyd waved him off, sending Javier to chop the red pine.
Cutting the logs and shaping the panels was a task Javier would excel at, given his talent with blades. Whether the target was a person or a tree, Javier had the remarkable ability to slice things with precision.
‘After all, he’s already a top-tier Sword Expert,’ Lloyd thought, recalling details from *Knight of Blood and Iron*.
At this point in the story, no one in the barony knew how powerful Javier truly was—not even Javier himself. But he was already an advanced Sword Expert, one step away from becoming a Sword Master.
In a small kingdom, someone of his skill would be the captain of the knights.
‘And he’s only twenty,’ Lloyd mused, knowing that Javier would realize his full potential after leaving the barony. But that was a future yet to come.
‘Now it’s time for me to get back to work too.’
Lloyd had rested enough. It was time to tackle the most important part of the project.
The heart of the *ondol* room: the heated floor system.
‘This is the crucial part.’
No matter how well the building was constructed, if the *ondol* didn’t function properly, it would all be for nothing.
Lloyd focused all his energy on this step.
‘According to the plan, from here to here…’
He dug the trench for the *gudeul* [1] , the path that would allow heat and smoke to flow under the floor from the fireplace.
‘The goal is to have the heat circulate as much as possible beneath the room.’
He carefully designed the trench, digging a winding path for the heat to follow. The key was to make sure the heat wouldn’t escape too quickly and would linger under the floor, warming it evenly.
He adjusted the height and slope of the trench with precision, ensuring that the airflow would be just right.
First, there was the *bunengi* [2], the entrance where the heat would flow in from the fireplace.
Next, the *gudeulgaejari* [3], where the heat would settle.
The *gudeulgorae* [4], where the heat would spread across the room.
Then, the *goraegaejari* [5], where the heat would be caught before it escaped.
Finally, the *chimdae* [6] to keep out rain and cold air from the chimney.
‘This is exhausting.’
But Lloyd pushed through, checking and refining every detail as he went.
Once the trench was complete, he finished the walls of the tunnel with yellow clay. After letting it dry, he laid flat stones over the top.
‘Thick stones near the fireplace, thinner stones on the opposite side.’
He made sure to place the stones carefully, adjusting the thickness to ensure even heating throughout the floor. The thicker stones would absorb more heat, while the thinner ones would heat up faster.
Next, he filled the gaps between the stones with *saechim* (filler stones) and covered them with more yellow clay. After letting it dry, he smoothed out the surface, finishing the floor with a final layer of clay.
The process took three full days, but at last, the *ondol* floor was complete.
However, the real test would have to wait.
“Excuse me, Lord Lloyd?”
Just as Lloyd was admiring his work, a servant entered the room.
“The Baron is requesting your presence.”
Baron Arcos Frontera.
Lloyd’s father was calling for him.
‘Could it be?’
Lloyd had a sinking feeling as he left the unfinished *ondol* room.
The gossiping crowd fell silent as he passed through, and he headed towards the baron’s mansion.
* * * *
“I hear there are strange rumors going around.”
Clink.
The sound of a fork hitting the plate echoed.
The Baron had picked up his fork to take a bite of sausage, but he stopped halfway and looked across the table at Lloyd.
“I heard you’ve been doing something behind the tavern.”
The Baron’s gaze was not warm.
In fact, it was cold.
He wasn’t looking at his son. He was looking at a troublesome problem.
Lloyd sighed internally.
‘This is the downside of this body.’
Lloyd Frontera, the body’s original owner, was a notorious scoundrel.
He had a reputation for heavy drinking, gambling, and destroying property.
His long history of misdeeds had left a trail of bad blood.
And so, whenever Lloyd tried to do anything, people were quick to assume the worst.
What’s that scoundrel up to now?
Is he planning another disaster?
Is he crazy? Or is he planning to die?
Let’s just hope he doesn’t cause too much trouble.
That’s the kind of judgmental gaze Lloyd always faced.
Now was no different.
“Go ahead, tell me. What kind of trouble are you stirring up this time?”
The Baron’s voice was as cold as his eyes.
Lloyd knew this wasn’t a question—it was a rebuke.
He shrugged.
“If you’ve heard the rumors, then you know. I’m building an *ondol* room for the tavern owner.”
“An *ondol* room?”
“Yes.”
“Are you trying to deceive me with such ridiculous nonsense as well?”
“Well, if that’s what you want to believe, I can’t stop you.”
Lloyd answered vaguely. He knew it wouldn’t help to explain further. No matter what he said, his father wouldn’t believe him.
Besides, he felt uncomfortable around the Baron.
‘If I talk too much, he might suspect something.’
Parents could sense things about their children.
Lloyd wasn’t the original Lloyd Frontera. He was Kim Suho, inhabiting this body.
He didn’t want to risk his father noticing something was off.
“I’ll just focus on my meal if that’s all, Father.”
Lloyd kept his response short, just as the old Lloyd would have. He focused on eating, eager to finish and leave as quickly as possible.
Just as he was about to take another bite, the Baron’s voice interrupted him.
“Is this about the family’s situation?”
“…”
“You must know what’s been happening lately. Are you doing this because of what happened?”
“…”
The Baron was referring to the seizure of their assets due to the scam.
“It’s not a big deal. Just a passing storm. I’m Arcos Frontera, after all. Our family has ruled this land for five generations. I’ll overcome this soon enough. So don’t let it trouble you too much.”
“…”
“Just keep your head straight, and I’ll handle the rest.”
“….”
Lloyd froze.
This was too familiar.
He raised his head and looked at the Baron.
A handsome, middle-aged man.
But his face looked tired.
It was the same expression Lloyd had seen on his father years ago.
‘It’s exactly the same.’
It was during his last leave from military service.
Back then, his father had been struggling with a real estate scam.
He had clenched his fists and said the same things: “Don’t worry. Everything’s fine. It’s nothing.”
“Focus on your studies, Suho,” his father had said with a forced smile.
And so, Lloyd had believed everything was fine.
Until a year later, when his parents, unable to escape their financial ruin, made the ultimate, tragic decision.
Now, the Baron was wearing that same mask.
‘Lies.’
Everything was not fine.
He was just pretending for his son’s sake.
Clink.
Lloyd put down his fork.
His plan to just focus on eating had long since faded.
For a moment, he set aside his decision to keep his distance from the Baron.
Without realizing it, he said something he had wanted to say to his father years ago.
“Don’t give up. I’ll help too.”
It was the thing he had always wished he could say, if he could go back in time.
He stood up quietly.
The Baron looked at him with a strange expression, different from the cold gaze from earlier.
Uncomfortable under that gaze, Lloyd quickly left the room.
Fortunately, the Baron didn’t try to stop him.
* * * *
The construction continued.
The *ondol* room in the tavern’s backyard was starting to take shape.
The curious townspeople gathered in groups, watching the process unfold.
Amidst their murmurs and gossip, Lloyd began baking the roofing panels.
This was to prevent the wood from rotting. At first, he wasn’t used to it, so he ruined a few panels. Some were burned too much and split apart, while others were too soft.
But after a few tries, he got the hang of it.
The key was to char the surface of the red pine panels to a depth of three millimeters.
‘Perfect.’
The panels were now lighter and stronger, and they wouldn’t absorb water easily.
They’d last at least ten years.
With the panels ready, he began roofing the *ondol* room.
Afterward, he carefully laid out the layers for the floor.
He spread out a thick layer of clay over the base, pressing it down. Then, he added an additional layer of paper and glued it tightly. Finally, he coated it with soybean oil and resin for waterproofing.
The *ondol* room was complete.
Lloyd lit a fire to test it.
He placed his hand on the floor.
“Perfect.”
A satisfied smile spread across his face.
Now, it was time to see how the client reacted.
***
Footnotes:
[1] Gudeul (구들) is the traditional Korean heating system, forming the core of the ondol. It refers specifically to the stone slab structure beneath the floor that channels heat. The heat comes from a fire or furnace, with the heated air circulating through stone flues under the house, which warms the floor and radiates into the living area.
[2] Bunengi (부넹이): The firebox or furnace in a traditional Korean ondol system, where the fire is lit to generate heat for the floor.
[3] Gudeulgaejari (구들개자리): The area above the gudeul, where people usually sit or sleep to benefit from the ondol heating.
[4] Gudeulgorae (구들고래): The flue or passage under the gudeul floor that channels the heated air or smoke from the furnace to warm the stones.
[5] Goraegaejari (고래개자리): The end of the flue, where the heat or smoke exits after traveling through the gudeul system.
[6] Chimdae (침대): A bed in modern Korean, though traditionally people often slept on the floor, directly on the heated ondol surface with mats or bedding.
