The Greatest Estate Developer - Chapter 402: Brilliant and Sweet (2) -

“I’ve really wanted to see you like this.”

“Oh, is that so.”

“Yes. But—”

“But what?”

“Seeing it in person… it’s a bit more tragic than I imagined.”

“What the—tragic?”

Javier’s blunt evaluation stung.

I bristled.

What’s so bad?

What’s wrong with me?

But his reaction remained cool. Without answering, Javier walked over to the corner of the groom’s waiting room, picked up a large mirror, and brought it back.

He held it up for me.

The reflection showed me smiling in a pristine white tuxedo.

“Hey, I look pretty good, don’t I?”

I struck a pose, puffing out my chest with pride.

But Javier’s response was far from complimentary.

“Huuu. If it were your old body, your figure would look much better.”

“…”

“Huuu. If it were your old body, your proportions would be better.”

“…Hey.”

“Huuuu. If it were your old body, you wouldn’t look *this* bad.”

“Hey?”

“Yes.”

“Come on, be honest. I look better than before, right?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Seriously, if you look closely, I look much better now.”

“No. The more I look closely, the uglier you seem.”

Javier said this with the most serious eyes, cutting off any hope I had.

“To put it simply, if the old Lloyd’s face was a potato…”

“And now?”

“Now, you’re some unidentified thing that *resembles* a potato.”

“…You’re fired.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“Are you serious?”

“Absolutely.”

“Will you really do it?”

“Why do you keep asking when the answer is obvious?”

“Huu. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have brought you back from that tiny studio apartment.”

“Hey, *I* came back on my own, remember?”

“…”

“You came to me and begged. Pleaded for me to return. *Please, Lloyd-nim, we can’t do anything without you. The estate is falling apart, the knights aren’t listening, and everything’s in chaos. Please, help us,* you sobbed, clinging to my pants.”

“Did you hit your head recently?”

“Nope.”

“No fever either… Hmm.”

“I’m perfectly fine.”

“Then you must be delusional from fear and nervousness right before the wedding.”

“I’m not *that* scared or nervous, though.”

“Then why have you been sweating since earlier?”

“…”

I had no retort.

He hit the nail on the head.

Defeated, I slumped into the groom’s waiting room chair with a loud thud.

I grumbled to myself.

“I mean, I never thought I’d be dragged into a marriage, or rather, swept into a royal wedding just two weeks after coming back.”

(TL Note : WTF? Queen X Lloyd is happening??!!)

It was true.

Honestly, I didn’t see it coming.

Two weeks ago flashed through my mind.

Back then, I had been sitting in my tiny studio, eating kimbap, secretly crying.

Drowning in bottomless despair and emptiness.

Then, as if by salvation, Javier showed up.

Together, we made it back to the Frontera estate in one piece.

Of course, I had some concerns.

The phenomenon of fate restoration.

Would that cursed thing rear its head again?

I feared it deep inside.

But my worry was needless.

‘There’s no longer a Lloyd Frontera body here. It disappeared beyond the gate of reincarnation. I’m here now in the body of Kim Suho.’

Thanks to that, the restoration of fate didn’t happen again.

Finally, that wretched curse had ended.

‘Of course, the mana heart and magic circles I had are gone in this new body.’

Fortunately, the RP, CP, admiration, and my surveying and design skills I had accumulated remained.

And the affection everyone had for me… only grew stronger.

Returning to the estate, the first people to greet me were—

“My dear son, are you ready?”

“…What?”

A sudden voice broke my thoughts.

I snapped out of my reverie to find the Count and Countess had entered the waiting room.

“Father?”

“Yes, it’s me. Your father. What’s got you so lost in thought?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Just… a lot of things.”

I felt my face heat up.

I had just called the Count “Father” without thinking.

‘Ugh, this feels so awkward.’

Two weeks ago, right after returning.

After they welcomed me back with tearful hugs, the Count and Countess started asking me to call them “Father” and “Mother.”

They had said they knew everything now.

That it didn’t matter if I wasn’t really Lloyd.

That sending him to a better place was enough.

That all the effort I’d given was enough.

They’d held my face in their hands, rubbing my shoulders, telling me I’d been their son for a long time.

“And besides, I’m a little nervous. It all happened so fast. I didn’t have time to really prepare myself.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

This time, it was the Countess—no, *Mother*—who patted me on the shoulder.

She glanced at the Count as she spoke.

“I felt the same when I married this man. It all felt like a whirlwind. Isn’t that right?”

“Haha, did I?”

“Yes, and you were so flustered you nearly dropped the ring when you tried to put it on.”

“Uh, that…”

“You almost slipped it onto your toe in your panic.”

“…”

The Count sank, defeated, while Mother smiled triumphantly.

“Anyway, there’s no need to be so nervous. The Queen dotes on you so much.”

“Well, yes, but… I didn’t expect her to actually host a swordsmanship tournament. Seriously.”

I confessed honestly.

The tournament was a shock.

No, from the very first moment I reunited with the Queen upon my return, she was already dropping bombshells left and right.

‘Seeing you now, you look so frail and delicate. How could a man who fought the King of Hell be so easily killed? Isn’t that odd?’

That’s what she had said, staring straight into my face, cool as ever.

And then—

‘It won’t do. I can’t leave you, so weak and fragile, on your own. It’s time to find you a lifelong partner to protect you by your side.’

And then—

‘I shall hold a swordsmanship tournament. A tournament open to every woman in this land. The strongest, most reliable woman will be chosen to protect you, and I will have some peace of mind.’

And she wasn’t finished.

‘I shall also enter the tournament myself, giving it my all, with my full strength.’

And the result?

Of course, the Queen won, naturally and effortlessly.

And right there, she declared, pulling me close:

From now on, anyone who dares touch this man will face her sword.

That was just yesterday.

“Hah… And now, within a single day, we’re rushing into a wedding.”

Her determination was unstoppable.

I didn’t even dare try to stop her.

It felt like any attempt would get me dragged away by her force.

“Still, she cares so much for you. You should be grateful.”

“Well, honestly, I’m not ungrateful…”

“Oh?”

“Yes, to be honest…”

I grinned at Father.

It was true.

When I had gone back to that dingy little room in Seoul, on that day, drowning in despair, two faces had filled my mind more than any other: Javier and the Queen.

Javier, who had always been like a brother to me.

And the Queen, because I had never gotten to tell her how I truly felt.

I had felt sorry. Regretful. Sad.

So, yes, today… I was happy.

Even though I was nervous.

Even though my life ahead would be spent sparring daily with someone who could take on Hell Knights.

Still, my heart raced with excitement.

Seeing all these familiar, friendly faces again brought me joy.

“Queek! My friend Lloyd has changed! His face is all jumbled! He’s more handsome now, queek!”

The groom’s waiting room suddenly bustled with noise.

I turned to see the orc, Arroch, grinning with his tusks showing, waving his hand.

Beside him, the elf chief, Muira, nodded gracefully in greeting.

“Congratulations. Your appearance has changed a bit, but you seem well.”

“…Uh, thank you.”

“But don’t worry too much about your looks. What matters is what’s inside.”

“Uh… yeah, thanks.”

“And besides, you’ve found a partner who values your heart more than your changed appearance, haven’t you?”

“…Urgh.”

That kind of comfort only made me feel worse.

My eyes welled up with tears without me realizing.

Just then, a familiar voice called out, chuckling beside me.

“Bro, you look hilarious in that outfit.”

“….”

I turned to see Julian struggling to suppress his laughter.

Beside him stood Serajard, now heavily pregnant.

And they weren’t the only familiar guests.

“…A mermaid.”

“The muscles are incredible.”

“Look at those abs. Like a washboard.”

The murmurs of admiration followed the arrival of the mermaid queen.

Not to be outdone, the centaur chief clattered in, drawing attention with his full-body tattoos and hoofed steps.

Archangel Raphael made a dramatic entrance, lighting up the venue with his brilliant halo of flames.

Hell Knight Geo-Rexius and the Bone Battalion clattered in perfect sync, completing the procession.

But, of course, not all the guests were friendly.

Some had demands to make.

“So, when are you setting me up on that blind date you promised?”

“….”

Solitas, the young red dragon, slithered into the groom’s waiting room, his face peeking in with a sharp look.

“You. You promised me a date with a female dragon if I made it out of that last battle alive. So, what’s going on here? Why are *you* getting married before setting me up?”

“Ah… ha ha ha…”

All I could do was break out in a nervous sweat.

I had no real excuse.

The blind date promise? Yeah, that was a bluff.

At the time, it was the only option I had, so I’d made the promise without thinking it through.

I figured if I survived, I’d eventually find someone to set him up with.

“I really didn’t think I’d end up getting married so quickly, though?”

“And so that’s it? ‘Oops, my bad’?”

The bitterness of a thousand-year-old single life filled Solitas’ voice as he glared at me.

But then, unexpectedly, I found a savior.

“Hey, are you the human Lloyd Frontera, marrying the human Alicia Termina Magentano?”

“…Yes?”

A girl suddenly appeared next to Solitas and me, her voice catching us off guard.

Startled, I turned to look. A girl with curly pink hair smiled sweetly.

“Are you Kim Suho, also known as Lloyd Frontera?”

“That’s me, but who are you…?”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

I had no clue who she was.

I swear I had never met a girl like this, who looked like a first-year college student with curly pink hair.

But her answer came swiftly.

“I’m here on behalf of my older brother.”

“Your brother?”

“Yes. Dragon King Verkis.”

“Oh.”

I quickly stood up.

I immediately dropped to the floor in a deep bow.

“Uh, what should I call you?”

“Flower… No, just call me Flores.”

“What brings you here?”

“Why else? I came to congratulate you on your wedding. You’re under my brother’s patronage, after all. But my lazy brother? He’s napping again today, getting nagged by my sister-in-law. So, I’m here instead.”

“I see…”

“Yup. So, here’s your gift.”

“…Huh?”

“Take it.”

The girl, who introduced herself as Flores, the Dragon King’s sister, snapped her fingers toward me.

“It’s a lifetime health and longevity service.”

“…What?”

“You’re the guy who defeated the King of Hell, right? Thanks to you, a diligent new King of Hell was chosen, which was a big deal down there. So, yeah, you deserve this reward. Anyway, see you.”

With that, Flores walked out of the waiting room and into the garden outside.

There, I could see five beasts, who seemed to have followed her, mingling.

“Kolorong! Korong!”

“Piggak, Piggak!”

“Kkoii!”

“Deodeok! Deodeodeok!”

“Doodoon! Doon, doodoon!”

An aged manticore, a living armor imbued with a soul, a gargoyle, a flaming salamander, and finally, a massive ice golem.

The five beasts were chatting with my own mythical creatures.

“Ppodong! Ppodong!”

“Bangul! Bangbangul!”

“Hamang! Hamamang!”

“Bibeong! Bibeong!”

“Ggoming! Ggoming!”

“Kolorong! Piggak! Kkoi! Deodeok! Doodoon!”

“Ppodong! Bangul! Hamang! Bibeong! Ggoming!”

“Ko! Pig! Kkoi! Deo! Doon!”

“Ppo! Bang! Ha! Bi! Ggo!”

The beasts and the mythical creatures.

Their lively chatter filled the air, and amidst the crowd, Flores disappeared.

As for Solitas, who had been grilling me about the blind date earlier…

“…Forget the date.”

“Huh?”

“Just drop it.”

He absentmindedly followed after Flores, a dazed look on his face!

“…”

That bumbling red dragon.

Could he have fallen for the Dragon King’s sister?

‘Seems like he’s targeting the wrong person.’

I started to worry if Solitas might end up getting himself killed by the Dragon King.

But I had bigger concerns at the moment.

“Why are you trembling with such anxiety?”

“…Your Majesty?”

The only person here who wasn’t a guest, the Queen, had entered the groom’s waiting room without me noticing.

Dressed in a white gown.

Yet, she still carried her signature haughty demeanor, looking down at me with an enigmatic smile.

“Hmm, I see. Our wedding is making your heart race, isn’t it?”

“Well, of course, Your Majesty. But—”

“But?”

“If you invade the groom’s waiting room like this before the ceremony…”

“Is that not allowed?”

“Well, it’s just that…”

“You aren’t about to prattle on about some silly superstition that the groom can’t see the bride in her dress before the ceremony, are you?”

“…”

“I knew it.”

“But, Your Majesty?”

“No need to worry.”

The Queen smiled warmly, as if to put me at ease.

“Today, such superstitions won’t apply. Because I say so. Anyone who dares to utter such nonsense today will be thrown in prison.”

“…”

Isn’t that a bit of an abuse of power?

No, wait, that’s outright tyranny, isn’t it, Your Majesty?

But I had no room to argue.

“Anyway, I’ve been pondering all night.”

“About what?”

“Where we should go for our honeymoon.”

“Uh, about that…”

“The south seems nice. I hear the beaches in the Canary region are warm and beautiful.”

“Really?”

Warm, beautiful beaches. I’m all for that.

The Queen’s eyes gleamed as she spoke.

“There’s also an ancient training ground overlooking those beautiful beaches. It’s famous for being where countless warriors and knights have shed blood and sweat.”

“…Pardon?”

“I thought it would be nice to enjoy our honeymoon there while also training you.”

“…Excuse me?”

“You’ve lost your mana heart and magic circles, haven’t you?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Then you need to rebuild them, don’t you?”

“Your Majesty?”

“Hm?”

“Couldn’t you just… protect me?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I want to cross swords with you as an equal, as soon as possible.”

“…”

“That’s why. I’m already excited thinking about how wonderful our honeymoon will be. Training you with a sword, while you struggle and sweat—on a beautiful beach.”

“So, in summary, you’re saying our entire honeymoon will be spent sparring?”

“Correct.”

“…”

“Every day. Day and night.”

“…”

“Is something wrong?”

“…”

Something’s very wrong!

I wanted to scream it out loud.

But I couldn’t.

She was smiling so brightly, looking so happy.

So, all I could do was muster a pitiful attempt at resistance.

“If you really put me through that…”

“If I do?”

“I-I’ll die, you know.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

“…Sniff.”

Why do I feel like crying, even though she’s smiling?

The Queen, as if she knew everything, spoke gently.

“Anyway, it’s almost time. I need to finish my preparations as well. So, Lloyd Frontera. Or rather, Kim Suho.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve prepared a warm drink for you to calm your nerves. Drink it and relax. Understood?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Hmph. You’re still calling me ‘Your Majesty’?”

“Then what?”

“You slipped up earlier, calling me ‘noona,’ didn’t you?”

“Well, uh… there are too many ears around here.”

“And afterward?”

“Yes, I’ll call you that as much as you’d like.”

“Good.”

She stroked my cheek gently.

We’ll see each other soon, her eyes seemed to say.

And then she left the room.

Shortly after, Javier entered, carrying a tray.

“Lloyd-nim, the Queen has sent this drink.”

“…Ah.”

He set the teacup down on the table.

It gently steamed.

I couldn’t help but smile.

I couldn’t not smile.

Today, the day I had finally reached.

And the future I’d get to enjoy.

Everything.

I hoped it would all be as happy as today.

I was sure of it.

“Right?”

“I’m not sure what you’re thinking, but congratulations.”

“…Yeah, thanks.”

For once, Javier smiled brightly.

I nodded at him.

Then I picked up the teacup.

I took a sip.

A warm, sweet honeyed drink.

And without realizing it, a smile spread across my face.

“Ah, it’s sweet.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dear Readers,

I want to take this moment to sincerely thank each and every one of you for your incredible support throughout this journey. Your love, enthusiasm, and dedication have meant the world to me, and I can’t express how much I appreciate every single comment, message, and piece of feedback you’ve shared.

This project, being one of my OG translations, holds a special place in my heart. From the very beginning, translating *The Greatest Estate Developer* was a labor of love, and knowing that it has resonated with so many of you has been both humbling and rewarding. It hasn’t always been easy, but your encouragement and patience have made it all worthwhile.

With this chapter, we reach the end of the main story of *GED*, and while the next six chapters are side stories, this moment truly feels like the closing of a major chapter in both the story and our shared experience.

As promised, I will also be adding all the chapters from Chapter 1 in the coming days. It won’t follow a regular schedule, but I assure you that they will be added, so you can relive the journey from the very beginning.

I couldn’t have come this far without your incredible support, and I am beyond grateful to have such an amazing community standing beside me. From the bottom of my heart—thank you for being part of this journey. I hope you continue to enjoy the remaining stories and future projects.

With deepest gratitude,

[G]