Chapter 54: The Continent’s First Achievement (1)

A Roman-style aqueduct.

It was a marvel of civil engineering that transcended the era of the Roman Empire.

Structures like the Aqua Appia, built in 312 BCE, the Anio Vetus, completed in 272 BCE, and the Aqua Marcia, constructed in 144 BCE, were testaments to Roman ingenuity.

These aqueducts brought fresh water from distances of tens to over a hundred kilometers, supplying the city of Rome and its suburbs. Thanks to them, Rome’s population, which reached a million at its peak, enjoyed a stable supply of water regardless of the season.

‘And many of those aqueducts are still standing, some even still delivering water.’

Lloyd’s mind drifted back to his college days, recalling his extracurricular activities in a club that researched architectural heritage. They had studied not only traditional local architecture but also structures from around the world, including Roman aqueducts.

‘What amazed me the most was the Aqua Julia.’

This aqueduct, also built in ancient times, was still functional, supplying water to landmarks like the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and Rome’s historic district. Lloyd had been awestruck when he learned about this.

“An aqueduct, if built properly, can serve a community for decades, even generations. Of course, it requires consistent maintenance over time,” Lloyd said, snapping out of his reverie.

He gestured to the cliffs flanking the valley.

“So, this is the perfect spot for an aqueduct. From there to there—the ground is solid, the height difference is minimal, and it’s not a seismic zone.”

“……”

“We can source the stone for the aqueduct locally. See that exposed rock over there? That’s limestone.”

“……”

“And we can get the timber for the arch supports from the nearby forest. The site isn’t too far from the estate, so transporting workers and materials won’t be too difficult. Right?”

“……”

“Hey, why are you so quiet?”

Only then did Javier speak.

“Lloyd, where did you learn all of this?”

“All of what?”

“This knowledge about construction.”

Javier’s question carried a tinge of bewilderment.

“I don’t understand. The Lloyd I remember wasn’t this capable.”

“Wow. You’re saying I was outright incompetent?”

“It’s true,” Javier said matter-of-factly, his blunt honesty hitting like a hammer.

“You were lazy, unmotivated, and reckless. You avoided learning at all costs. The only thing you seemed to enjoy learning was—”

“Math?”

“Not even close. What made you think that?”

“Maybe because I’m naturally gifted?”

“……”

“Come on, don’t give me that look.”

“All you cared about was drinking, shouting, and playing incomprehensible drinking games with a red face,” Javier continued with a sigh.

“That’s why I can’t understand it. Where did you learn all of this?”

Javier’s eyes bore into him, serious and filled with genuine curiosity.

Lloyd sighed deeply.

“Where did I learn all this?”

“Yes.”

“If I tell you, will you believe me?”

“I’ll decide after hearing your answer.”

“Alright, then…”

Lloyd took a dramatic pause before replying, “Korea University.”

“What?”

“I’ve mentioned it before, haven’t I? Korea University. It’s a place that appears in my dreams every night. I don’t know why, but in those dreams, I’m a student there. That’s where I’ve learned all this knowledge and made it my own.”

“That’s…”

“Really! Every time I wake up, my head is filled with new information. All the construction methods I’ve used, the techniques I’ve applied, even the bedtime stories I tell you—they all come from that place. So, do you believe me now?”

“Not really.”

“See? That’s why it’s a lie.”

“……”

“If you believe it, it’s the truth. If you don’t, it’s a lie. Right?”

“So, you never intended to answer seriously.”

“Maybe it’s because you didn’t believe me in the first place.”

Lloyd shrugged with a smirk, exuding an air of playful indifference.

Feigning ignorance and delivering flippant answers was his way of keeping things light, while always leaving himself a way out.

Javier, on the other hand, shook his head in exasperation.

“Lloyd, you’re as inscrutable as ever.”

Just then, a chime sounded.

[Javier Asrahan feels your answer lacked sincerity.]
[Javier Asrahan’s affinity with you has decreased by 1.]
[Current affinity with Javier Asrahan: -9.]
[Your relationship with a key character has slightly worsened, but no RP (Relationship Points) were deducted.]
[Current RP: 1337.]

‘What the hell?’

Lloyd read the message with an incredulous expression.

The “Korea University in my dreams” story had been an intentionally ridiculous answer, meant to confuse Javier. He hadn’t expected Javier to believe it, nor had he cared about convincing him.

And as anticipated, Javier didn’t believe him, even feeling a slight irritation.

But Lloyd’s focus wasn’t on the irritation or the lost affinity—it was on the fact that no RP had been deducted.

‘Haha. This is amazing.’

RP, or Relationship Points, were Lloyd’s secret weapon, his ultimate trump card.

Whether it was dueling Sir Neumann, surviving a disastrous ant cave incident, or summoning mythical creatures for construction projects, RP had always come through at the critical moment.

But there was a catch—earning RP was becoming increasingly difficult.

‘There’s a limit to how much affinity you can gain from others.’

Take the Baron and Baroness, for example. Initially, their opinion of Lloyd had been deeply negative, so even small improvements in his behavior had yielded noticeable gains in affinity.

But now that their affinity had risen significantly, it had become harder to impress them.

‘At first, people are surprised by small changes. But over time, they get used to it, and you have to work much harder to make an impression.’

This psychological hurdle was something Lloyd had been quietly dreading.

‘Right now, it’s manageable because my affinity levels are still middling. But later, when they’re sky-high, even gaining a single point will take tremendous effort.’

Of course, expanding one’s social circle was another way to gain RP—forming new relationships and strengthening bonds with others.

But even that was exhausting.

‘I’m not exactly a social butterfly.’

It wasn’t realistic to expect to be liked by everyone forever.

This meant that accumulating RP, Lloyd’s most potent weapon, would only get harder over time.

However, as he read the message before him, Lloyd felt as though his worries had been solved.

‘Even if my affinity drops, I don’t lose RP!’

This was a revelation.

If someone’s affinity with him became too high, making further increases difficult…

‘Then I can intentionally lower it and gain points again later.’

Gulp.

Lloyd swallowed dryly, glancing at Javier.

Testing his theory, he casually spoke.

“Hey. Did I upset you by not giving a proper answer?”

“No.”

“Hmm, seems like you’re sulking. You are, aren’t you?”

“Of course not. I didn’t expect much anyway.”

Maybe it was the recent 1-point drop in affinity, but Javier’s tone seemed colder than usual.

Lloyd, however, steeled himself with titanium-level confidence.

No matter how Javier reacted, Lloyd was determined to experiment.

“Well, you may not expect much, but I expect a lot from you.”

“…What?”

Javier turned, clearly baffled.

Meeting his gaze, Lloyd continued with as much sincerity as he could muster, suppressing the cringe welling up from the depths of his soul.

“I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me. I’ve never said it before, but I truly appreciate it.”

“……”

“Hey, why aren’t you saying anything?”

“……It’s nothing. I just got chills for a moment.”

“…Was it that bad?”

“Yes.”

Javier nodded firmly, his tone as sharp as a knife.

“For a moment, I thought you’d gone mad. Or maybe you hit your head, or took some strange drug, or got bitten by a rabid dog.”

“Hey.”

“Of course, that must’ve been a slip of the tongue, right?”

“Let’s go with that.”

“‘Let’s go with that’ means…?”

“Obviously, I misspoke. Happy now?”

“Phew. That’s a relief.”

Javier exhaled as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest.

Just then, a familiar sound echoed in Lloyd’s mind.

Ding-dong.
[Javier Asrahan’s affinity with you has increased by +1.]
[Current affinity with Javier Asrahan: -8.]
[You have gained 18 RP due to a minor improvement in a key character relationship.]
[Current RP: 1355.]

“……”

Nice.

Lloyd clenched his fist in triumph, his experiment a success. His intentions had worked perfectly.

‘With this, I won’t have to worry about earning RP anymore.’

He could now play a calculated game—being intentionally abrasive to lower affinity, then making amends to regain it.

The thought brought a sly smile to Lloyd’s face.

“Yeah, what a relief, my precious 18 RP.”

“Excuse me?”

Javier paused, narrowing his eyes.

“Did you just insult me?”

“Not at all. Never.”

“It sounded like you did.”

“You must’ve misheard. Anyway, let’s get moving. We’ve got a lot to do.”

“Fine.”

Lloyd dusted off his trousers and stood, while Javier rose with a still-skeptical expression.

The truth was, there was indeed much work to be done, and Lloyd wasn’t one to procrastinate.

“Let’s head down that way and finalize the route.”

The goal was to determine the most stable path to lay the water pipes.

With his surveying skill and the Underground Scanning option, paired with his Blueprint Display (3D) and Simulation Mode, Lloyd poured his full focus into the task.

His expression turned more serious than ever, as did Javier’s. Watching Lloyd work, Javier couldn’t shake the feeling that his master was an enigma—an increasingly puzzling figure the closer he got to him.

Thus ended the first day of surveying for Lloyd’s aqueduct project.

—

The surveying continued for several days.

By the end, Lloyd had pinpointed the optimal route for the aqueduct, stretching from Lake Capua in the Eastern Mountains to the Frontera estate.

The design work was just as intensive, consuming his nights as he utilized the Blueprint Display (3D) and Simulation Mode to perfect the plans.

‘Being able to test the designs on-site with holographic projections and simulations is invaluable.’

When construction projects are brought to life, they rarely align perfectly with their initial designs.

In reality, even minor discrepancies between the blueprint and the final result are common.

‘But I’m different.’

Thanks to his skills, Lloyd could test his designs dozens of times under various conditions.

He simulated landslides, earthquakes, and countless other scenarios to ensure the pipes’ durability.

After several sleepless nights of planning, testing, and recalculating, Lloyd reached a conclusion.

“This will work.”

On the outskirts of the kingdom, in the remote Frontera Barony, a monumental feat was about to unfold—the construction of the continent’s first aqueduct in recorded history.