Chapter 79
“You fool! How many times have I told you not to do anything reckless?!”
“…Huh?”
What the hell was this situation?
This wasn’t Frontera Barony.
This was a hospital room in Count Cremo’s estate in the trade city.
And yet…
‘Why are the Baron and his wife here?’
Lloyd, bewildered, lifted his head.
The Baron and Baroness were both smiling through their tears as they looked at him.
He didn’t even have time to ask any questions.
The Baron’s hands suddenly grabbed both his cheeks, squeezing them tightly.
“Let me see. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Uh, well, I, uh…”
“Tell me. Are you in pain anywhere?”
“Uh, um, no, not really—”
“Not really?”
“Well, aside from the fact that you’re squishing my face so hard that I can’t breathe.”
“…Ah.”
Only then did the Baron flinch and release his grip.
Of course, the Baroness immediately scolded him.
“How can you lose your temper like that when he’s injured? What if you made it worse?”
“Erm, well, I was just worried… Ahem. Anyway, are you really alright?”
“Ah, yes. I’m fine.”
Lloyd smirked.
The Baroness was reprimanding her husband, but her gaze was still filled with worry as she checked on him.
Meanwhile, the Baron—despite being scolded—had expertly redirected the conversation back to Lloyd’s condition.
It was comforting to see them.
But at the same time, his heart ached seeing how worn out they looked.
‘They must’ve rushed here without rest.’
The Baron and his wife were always impeccably dressed.
But now?
Their traveling clothes were covered in stains.
Their elbows and knees were smudged with dirt.
From Frontera Barony to Cremo City—
It was clear how desperately they had hurried.
They must’ve ridden straight here without even changing their clothes.
Lloyd asked what he already suspected.
“Did the Count send you a message?”
The Baron nodded.
“Yes, he sent us a carrier pigeon.”
“What did the message say?”
“He said you were in critical condition.”
“…Cough.”
“And he briefly explained what you had done.”
“That’s why—”
“We left immediately.”
The Baroness finished his sentence.
It was just as they said.
Ten days ago, they had been going about their daily routine.
Following Lloyd’s instructions, they had been overseeing the completion of the heated flooring installations and checking the water supply lines for the Viscounty.
And of course, they had been praying for Lloyd’s safe return.
Then—
A message arrived.
In the middle of the afternoon.
A bolt from the blue.
Lloyd was in critical condition.
The rest of the message barely registered.
Something about Gigatitan attacking Cremo…
How Lloyd bravely stood against it…
How his courage and sacrifice had become an inspiration to many…
All of it was irrelevant.
Only two things mattered:
Lloyd was in critical condition.
And the Count’s magic seal at the bottom of the letter confirmed it.
Their hearts plummeted.
There was no time to waste.
They packed immediately.
A carriage?
Too slow—it could get stuck in the snow or break down on icy roads.
Guards?
Too many people would require extra supplies, slowing them down.
So instead—
They rode on horseback.
With only one escort—Sir Bayern.
They rode all day, stopping only when absolutely necessary.
They traveled at night, relying on torches and moonlight.
Their horses were exhausted, but they never stopped.
They barely ate.
They barely slept.
And after just nine days—
They arrived in Cremo.
There wasn’t even time to fix their appearance.
They had rushed straight to the Count’s estate.
Only then did they hear the news—
That Lloyd had woken up.
“…I can’t tell you how relieved we were. She may look calm now, but your mother almost collapsed from relief.”
“Oh, please, don’t exaggerate.”
“What? It’s the truth.”
“You’ll make him feel burdened if you say things like that.”
“……”
“You really have no filter, do you? Saying all that in front of an injured child.”
“…Ahem. Anyway.”
“By the way, did you keep your doll with you?”
“…Huh?”
Doll?
What was she talking about?
Lloyd tilted his head in confusion.
Then the Baroness clarified, and he immediately realized.
“I mean the charm I gave you before you left.”
“…Ah.”
He remembered.
That burdensome pink stuffed animal she had insisted would ward off nightmares.
Lloyd swallowed dryly.
“If you mean that doll, well… um… it’s at the inn.”
“The inn?”
“Yes.”
Lloyd quickly added an explanation.
“Before everything happened, I was staying at an inn.”
“So you didn’t bring it here?”
“No.”
“…Then does that mean you never used it?”
“Well, obviously—”
Of course not.
If he slept with that thing, he’d probably have nightmares of pink teddy bears instead.
Lloyd wisely kept that thought to himself.
The Baroness looked disappointed.
“Oh dear. So you didn’t like it.”
“Uhh, if I’m being honest… yes, not really.”
“Then I’ll make you a bigger one.”
“…Excuse me?”
Wait.
What?
A cold chill ran down his spine.
And unfortunately—
His worst fear became reality.
Because the Baroness smiled gently and said—
“Don’t worry. Leave it to me.”
“You didn’t use the doll I gave you as a charm? It must’ve been too small for your liking. That must be why. So, I’ll make a bigger one this time! One that’s much softer and easier to hug.”
“……”
“Or do you still not like it? Maybe I should add a ribbon…”
“No, no, absolutely not.”
Lloyd frantically shook his head.
A strained chuckle escaped his lips.
Honestly, all this attention and affection was a bit overwhelming.
But at the same time, it made his chest tighten.
The Baron and his wife, usually so composed and dignified, had completely abandoned decorum to show their emotions like this.
Seeing them, he suddenly remembered his childhood in Korea.
‘It felt like this back then too…’
When he was young, his father was always busy.
Always working, barely ever home.
And on the rare days his father did stay home, he would sleep all day.
Lloyd had wanted to play with him.
But he had held back.
His mother had told him, “Let your father rest.” So, he had listened.
Then one day, when he was seven, he had fallen off his kickboard outside the house.
His forehead had slammed into the pavement.
He had cried all the way home.
It had been his father’s day off—the man had been sleeping.
But when he saw Lloyd’s injury, he had immediately rushed him to the hospital.
On the way back, they had stopped at a small Western-style diner.
That pork cutlet meal was a taste he would never forget.
That day, he had felt something deeper than just a father’s discipline.
He had felt his father’s love.
The concern in his voice, the look in his eyes—
It had been etched into his memory ever since.
“Haa…”
Lloyd took a deep breath.
He pushed back the emotion creeping up his nose.
Then, he looked at the Baroness and spoke.
“Thank you. So… exactly how big are you planning to make this new doll?”
“This big?”
The Baroness spread her arms wide, smiling brightly.
Lloyd’s own smile widened.
“Perfect. That sounds just right.”
“Doesn’t it?”
“Yes. In fact, while you’re at it, could you make one more?”
“One more?”
“Yes.”
“You want two dolls to sleep with?”
“Not exactly.”
Lloyd shook his head.
Then, he pointed to Javier, who had been standing silently beside him.
“I wanted to get one for Sir Asrahan as well—since he’s always working so hard to protect me.”
Flinch!
Javier, who had been calmly observing the reunion, visibly stiffened.
The Baroness, impressed, sighed in admiration.
“Oh my, what a kind-hearted boy.”
Javier gulped.
Lloyd’s smile turned sinister.
Joy is best enjoyed alone.
Tragedy, however, is best shared.
After all, embarrassment is easier to endure when you’re not the only one suffering.
—
Days Later…
Lloyd’s health improved rapidly.
The bruises that had covered his body healed quickly.
The muscle tears from overexertion regained strength.
All thanks to—
The Baron and Baroness’ devoted care.
His Triple Circle and Mana Heart.
His recovery speed was nothing short of insane.
Even the doctor was astonished.
“You’re completely healed now. You could ride a horse and go hunting if you wanted.”
“Really? And my heart?”
“Beating normally. No issues at all.”
At the time of his coma, it had seemed like his heart had stopped.
But now?
It was strong and steady.
Lloyd only revealed the truth to Javier.
To everyone else, he played dumb.
He simply said, “I have no idea what happened.”
As a result, his mysterious survival became a legend.
People asked, “How did you kill Gigatitan?”
Lloyd replied, “I don’t know. I was fighting, then I blacked out, and when I woke up, everything was over.”
Of course, some people were skeptical.
But he insisted that he had no idea.
After a few times, people simply stopped asking.
‘They probably still believe I took down Gigatitan… They just think I’m keeping the method a secret.
And that’s exactly how I want it.’
It was all because of the Mana Circle.
But no one except Javier knew about it.
And Lloyd had no intention of telling anyone else.
—
Then—
He left the hospital bed.
And stepped out of the Count’s estate.
He walked through the city.
And climbed onto the stage that had been prepared for him.
From the podium, he gazed out at the massive crowd gathered in the square.
“WOOOOAAAAHHHH!!!”
A deafening cheer erupted.
The entire square was packed.
Merchants, dockworkers, sailors, fishermen, scholars, carpenters, even children—
All of them were citizens of Cremo.
And they were cheering for him.
That wasn’t all.
On both sides of the platform, a grand melody was being played on trumpets.
Above, from the rooftops of buildings, a shower of colorful confetti rained down.
Lloyd felt his chest swell.
‘Damn. I feel kinda amazing right now.’
From a cramped exam prep room in Korea, spending every day nose-deep in books, stressed to the point of nosebleeds…
To this.
He never thought he would experience something like this.
It was a bit overwhelming.
But more than that—
He felt proud.
He may have accidentally created this situation.
But credit was credit.
If he was going to be honored, he might as well accept it with confidence.
No need to act shy.
No need to downplay it.
With that resolve, he glanced to his side.
Count Cremo nodded.
It was the signal.
The voice amplification magic was ready.
Lloyd picked up the crystal sphere on the podium.
He cleared his throat.
“Ahem, ahem.”
The sound echoed throughout the square, amplified by magic.
The cheers quieted slightly.
The crowd was waiting for him to speak.
Lloyd took out a folded piece of paper from his sleeve.
A speech he had prepared at the Count’s request.
‘The content is simple.
I’ll give credit to the real heroes:
The sailors who saved people from drowning.
The guards and citizens who dug survivors out from collapsed buildings.
The volunteer firefighters who risked their lives to stop the flames.
And finally—
The people of Cremo themselves, who stood together in the face of disaster.
That should do nicely.’
Lloyd looked at the speech in his hands.
It was painfully boring.
So predictable, it practically reeked of stale tradition.
And yet, he had intended to play it safe, to deliver a smooth, unremarkable speech and move on.
But then—
He looked out at the massive crowd.
A desire began to bubble up inside him.
Something unscripted.
Something more exciting.
A golden opportunity had fallen into his lap.
So—
He made a choice.
A bold decision.
He clenched his jaw.
Then, with reckless determination, he lifted the voice amplification orb to his lips.
“Most of you don’t know this, but there’s something in this world called Ondol.”
His calm, steady voice carried effortlessly across the entire square.
The crowd tilted their heads.
Ondol?
What in the world was that?
Lloyd continued.
“It’s a heating system that warms your entire floor like a perfectly roasted sweet potato. Unlike fireplaces, it doesn’t fill your room with smoke or make your eyes tear up. You won’t have to sit up all night, coughing and watching the flames to make sure your house doesn’t burn down.”
It was completely out of nowhere.
And yet—
It was strangely captivating.
The square fell even quieter.
People leaned in.
Their ears fully open.
And into those eager, unguarded minds, Lloyd poured his marketing pitch—smooth as silk.
“Yes, that’s right. I can build it for you.
I won’t go into details today, since this is a formal event.
But if you’re interested, feel free to visit Frontera Barony in the east of Cremo.
We’re always happy to answer questions and take installation requests.
That’s all for now. Thank you.”
Short. Clean. Just enough to spark curiosity.
Make them wonder.
Make them intrigued.
So that later—orders would start pouring in.
With that, Lloyd bowed politely.
Then, swiftly stepped off the stage.
The crowd was left stunned.
The Count let out a quiet chuckle.
Lloyd ignored both reactions and calmly approached the Count.
“Thank you for organizing this event before my departure.”
The Count didn’t say a word.
He just smiled wryly.
After all—he had heard of Ondol before.
Recently, his information network had brought up reports of an unusual floor-heating system being developed in Frontera.
But to see it advertised in the middle of a heroic speech?
Truly audacious.
‘This one… is getting more interesting by the second.’
Not just bold.
But sharp.
He knew when to hold back.
And when to go all in.
A man who understood timing, who could seize opportunities and maximize profit.
‘And more importantly—he has real skill.’
No one knew exactly how Lloyd had taken down Gigatitan.
But one thing was undeniable.
His construction abilities were the best the Count had ever seen.
‘That artificial foundation at the harbor says it all.’
The Count’s gaze drifted toward the sea.
At the harbor, an artificial island still stood firm.
The mermaid statue that had once adorned it was completely destroyed by Gigatitan.
But the foundation itself?
Only a small section had been dented.
Even after the chaos of battle, it remained largely intact.
They could easily build a new statue on it.
‘This man… isn’t someone who should rot away in a small barony.’
The Count’s eyes gleamed.
And that sharp gaze remained on Lloyd until the moment he left the city.
—
Meanwhile that evening…
The Count stood in his office.
He placed a detailed report on his desk.
A report documenting the achievements and abilities of Lloyd Frontera.
Then, he called for a messenger pigeon.
Carefully, he tied the report to its leg.
The destination?
The royal capital.
The Queen’s castle.
With a flap of its wings, the pigeon soared into the night sky—carrying Lloyd’s name straight into the heart of the kingdom.
