The Greatest Estate Developer - Chapter 386: A Weapon Called Faith (Part 1)
“Additionally, I need your permission to blow up the dam holding back Capua Lake in the Eastern Mountain Range.”
Lloyd’s voice was calm as he made his request, but the magnitude of his words was immense.
The Count of Frontera was stunned.
“What… What are you saying?”
Blow up the dam?
That would mean the water in the lake would overflow.
If it overflows, it will rush down the mountain like a flood.
And below the mountain…
“Yes, of course, I’m aware. Our estate is down there. The fields we’ve worked so hard to cultivate, the mines, the water supply system, the roads, people’s homes, and apartments are all there. I know. That’s why I’ll make sure the damage to the estate is minimized as much as possible.”
“……”
The Count swallowed hard.
He wanted to say something, but no words came easily to him.
However, he quickly regained his composure.
The secret? Experience.
He had dealt with Lloyd enough times to trust the vibe, or “Bai Bai,” that Lloyd’s words carried.
‘This child is always like this.’
Sometimes, no, often.
He would propose ideas that would shock people.
Suggestions that made even the word “radical” seem mild.
But whenever he examined those ideas?
There was always a sound reason, evidence, and a clear purpose behind them.
‘This time must be the same.’
Lloyd was not the type to say such things without serious consideration.
The Count calmed himself and spoke in a more measured tone.
“Alright, if you’re suggesting we blow up the dam of Capua Lake, even though it could lead to a serious disaster, I’d like to hear more details.”
“You want to know the reasons, evidence, and purpose?”
“Yes, exactly.”
The Count forced a faint smile.
Lloyd paused in the process of drying his wet hair with the blanket draped over his shoulders.
“To explain the reason first—”
He stopped drying his hair.
He seemed to hesitate for a moment, pondering whether to speak.
Then he sighed.
“Phew. The Hell Legion will invade this place in 90 days.”
“What?”
The Count flinched.
Lloyd continued.
“It’s true. You remember how Lord Berquis left the estate recently? Before he left, he left me with a special magical message. He said that a legion from Hell would invade the estate.”
Of course, this was a complete lie.
He was outright using Berquis’ name to sell his story.
But it didn’t matter.
‘I’m not causing any harm by using his name, and I’m sure Berquis wouldn’t mind. Plus, it makes my explanation easier.’
A legion from Hell invading the human world was an unprecedented event.
If someone asked how he could have foreseen it?
He wouldn’t have a satisfactory answer.
‘I don’t have the ability to foresee the future. And I can’t exactly reveal that I saw this through the Ending Spoiler.’
So, he decided to use the name of someone with unquestionable authority, Lord Berquis.
And the effect was remarkable.
“Lord Berquis?”
The Count was visibly shocked.
He took Lloyd’s words even more seriously.
Lloyd nodded with a grave expression.
“Yes. He said he had urgent business to attend to, so he apologized and warned me. It seems I’ve been under Lord Berquis’ protection, which is why he gave me detailed information about the timing and size of the Hell Legion’s invasion.”
“That’s…”
“Yes, even though it was Lord Berquis’ word, I found it hard to believe at first. It’s such an outrageous event. So, I confirmed it twice.”
“Confirmed it?”
“With Sir Geo-Rexius.”
“Ah.”
The Count nodded.
He understood what Lloyd was saying.
“Are you talking about the Hell Knight you showed me yesterday? The one you called a member of your makeshift team?”
Indeed, yesterday Lloyd had introduced him to a skeletal figure with a powerful aura, claiming it was a newly recruited Hell Knight.
“It was shocking to learn that one Hell Knight had confirmed the information for you.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Lloyd continued.
“I asked if the information Lord Berquis gave me was true. The answer was yes. And he provided additional information.”
“Additional information?”
“Yes. He explained the cause of this event.”
From there, Lloyd recounted the story he had heard from Sir Geo-Rexius in Namaran without changing a single word.
Naturally, the Count’s complexion grew pale.
“A black magician’s spirit inhabited Lord Neumann’s body, and after numerous modifications, it became a Lich? And then it summoned the Hell King?”
“Yes. It’s an uncanny and dire twist of fate. That’s why I verified the truth of his testimony through another method.”
“How?”
“With the Jewel of Truth.”
The Count’s face lit up with recognition.
Lloyd smiled wryly and gestured to his soaked appearance.
“Yes, that’s why I look like a drenched rat. I asked the Jewel of Truth if the information given by Lord Berquis and Sir Geo-Rexius was true.”
“It was true.”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Then, the Hell Legion that will invade in 90 days…”
“Yes.”
“What’s the size of their force?”
“Five hundred Hell Knights, and 6,500 Satans of various ranks. The legion will be led by the Hell King himself, who will possess the Lich’s body as his Avatar.”
“……”
The Count nearly fainted on the spot.
He would have, if Lloyd hadn’t grabbed his shoulder and shaken him.
“Are you alright?”
“Oh? Um, I’m sorry. I must have looked foolish.”
“No, it’s understandable. I was overwhelmed when I first heard it, too.”
“Phew, so, the plan you’ve come up with involves blowing up Capua Lake’s dam?”
“Yes. I have a more detailed plan, but that’s the gist of it.”
“And… will that be enough?”
“I’m concerned about that too, which is why I plan to turn the lake’s water into holy water.”
“……”
“A flood of 2 billion tons of holy water should be fairly effective, don’t you think?”
“……”
The Count almost fainted again.
He barely managed to stay conscious.
He took a deep breath and nodded.
“…Alright, I understand.”
He truly did.
This child had no intention of giving up.
Even though they were facing 500 Hell Knights, thousands of Satans, and the Hell King himself.
Yet, Lloyd remained unfazed, calmly discussing countermeasures.
The Count suddenly felt a deep sense of shame.
‘If it were me, I’d be thinking about how to escape.’
If it were an ordinary enemy, he might have been willing to fight.
But Hell Knights were no ordinary beings.
Even the appearance of just one in history would be recorded as a major event.
‘But there are 500 of them… not to mention thousands of Satans and the Hell King himself descending as an Avatar. Naturally, the thought of fighting back shouldn’t even cross my mind. That should be the normal reaction.’
But Lloyd was determined to fight.
He showed no signs of wanting to flee.
The Count thought he might understand why.
‘It’s because he’s thinking of others. His family, the people of the estate. That’s why he’s doing this.’
His heart swelled with emotion.
After all, Lloyd wasn’t even his biological child.
From one perspective, the Count’s family and the people of the estate were complete strangers to him.
Yet Lloyd showed no signs of running away, intent on protecting everyone.
Of course, deep down, he must have been terrified.
But he had overcome that fear, driven by his concern for his family and the people of the estate.
The Count was impressed, grateful, and deeply moved.
Of course, the Count’s interpretation was entirely off the mark.
Because at that moment, Lloyd was thinking…
‘How could I abandon my treasure trove?’
…about his treasure.
That’s right.
This was all about preserving the treasure that he was meant to enjoy.
The estate, the people—none of it was exempt.
As long as the land and the people remained intact.
He could live a carefree life as a landowner for the rest of his days.
Harboring such hopeful thoughts about his future as a landlord, Lloyd casually asked,
“So, when you say you understand?”
“I’ll follow your suggestion.”
“…Oh, really?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Well, I thought you might suggest we all evacuate together.”
“Do you think I haven’t considered that?”
The Count smiled faintly.
It was true.
The Hell Legion.
Hell Knights and the Hell King’s Avatar.
No matter how much they prepared 2 billion tons of holy water or blew up the dam.
It was hard to imagine it would be enough.
It was terrifying.
The thought of running away was strong.
That was the natural reaction.
But seeing Lloyd’s determination to stand firm and fight, the Count felt ashamed of his own thoughts.
“We’ll consider evacuation later. For now, I’ll follow your plan. Go ahead and blow up the dam.”
“Thank you.”
“No need for thanks.”
“Yes. I’ll also draft the letters I mentioned earlier for you to review.”
“Letters requesting support from the royal family and various other places?”
“Yes. I’ll draft the initial versions and bring them to you.”
“That would be helpful. However… I’m still worried about one thing.”
“Worried?”
The Count frowned slightly.
“When the Hell Legion invades, there will likely be a major battle in the estate, won’t there?”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“I’m worried about the residents getting caught up in the fighting and being put in danger. Just thinking about it makes me feel dizzy and overwhelmed.”
It was a genuine concern.
No matter how well they prepared for the Hell Legion’s invasion.
It was certain that a major battle would take place here.
But could the residents be kept safe during that?
It seemed nearly impossible.
So, the Count asked.
“That’s why I’m asking. Do you have a plan for that as well?”
His voice was filled with worry.
Fortunately.
Lloyd smiled brightly.
“Of course. In fact, I need to go now because of that.”
“Go? Where?”
“To the owner of the place where the residents will be evacuated.”
“What?”
The Count was confused.
He wanted to know more.
But Lloyd didn’t provide any details.
With a slight, rueful smile, he said,
“I’ll tell you once I’ve discussed it with the owner. I’m sure the conversation will go well. I’ll come back with the draft letters later. Try not to worry too much.”
With those words, Lloyd casually left the office.
He exited the lord’s mansion.
He headed down to the central village.
He passed the much livelier market compared to a few years ago.
And entered the workshop filled with the smell of iron and the sound of hammers.
There, he found the ‘owner’ of the evacuation site he had in mind.
“How’s the progress on escaping from being a ‘bad craftsman’?”
“……”
In the corner of the workshop.
A man, or rather, a Red Dragon, who was intently focused on glasswork, stopped what he was doing.
He held up a glass orb and grinned.
“As you can see.”
The Red Dragon, Solitas, held a half-finished glass orb that sparkled in his hand.
But the shape was a bit odd.
Lloyd pointed out the flaw that was all too obvious.
“That orb… looks crooked.”
“…What?”
“One side is bulging out like a lumpy potato.”
“Huh?”
“That wasn’t intentional, was it?”
“Hmm…”
“Still struggling, huh, ‘bad craftsman’?”
“……”
A look of frustration flashed in Solitas’ eyes.
But Lloyd paid no mind.
“It’s fine. You’ve improved a lot compared to before, haven’t you? Just keep at it for a few more years, and you’ll be good to go.”
“Really?”
“Yes, absolutely. In fact, with your current glasswork skills… I’d say you’re close to producing treasures on your own.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. And you might even find a nice bride soon.”
“Haha. That would be nice.”
Solitas laughed joyfully.
He meant it.
Due to the laws created by Lord Berquis, all dragons were prohibited from plundering other races, including humans.
So they had to create their own treasures.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to provide for their offspring.
But Solitas?
He was a terrible craftsman.
He couldn’t fill his lair with self-made treasures.
As a result, he was destined to live his life as a bachelor, never finding a mate.
It was depressing.
It was miserable.
But meeting Lloyd had changed everything.
‘It’s thanks to this guy. I became an apprentice to a Dwarf master and have been learning excellent craftsmanship. Although my progress is slow, I’m a dragon with a long lifespan. A few years of investment is nothing.’
So now, he just needed to keep practicing a little longer.
He would eventually be able to find a bride.
Thinking of that made him smile with happiness.
‘I wonder where my future bride is right now. Has she been born yet?’
His heart raced with anticipation.
But then.
“Yes, that’s why I’m asking. Have you ever heard of a ‘blind date’?”
“What?”
“If you do me one favor, I think I could introduce you to a potential bride soon.”
“……”
Lloyd’s subtle voice and sweet offer tickled Solitas’ ears.
The word “blind date.”
That magical, pink-hued term made the Red Dragon, Solitas’ dragon heart, beat rapidly with excitement.
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