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“It feels hot?”
A pair of wrinkled hands caressed the floor. She pressed on it with her palms, then she flipped her hands over to touch it with the back of her hands. An astonished expression soon showed on her face. The cushions were put aside. Then, she rubbed her bottom onto the warm floor. A satisfied smile bloomed on the white-haired old woman’s lips.
“Great. This is very good.”
She was an old woman with dementia. That was why she was more honest. Hearing the old woman’s words, the tavern owner turned around to look at me. His face was also beaming with a satisfied smile.
“My mother is very fond of it, young master.”
“Right?”
“Yes.”
“I told you so. I said I would make it, the ondol room.”
Lloyd shrugged his shoulders. That was a relief. The ondol room was a huge success.
It was a cold morning in the early spring. The air outside was very chilly because the cold snap was in full swing. However, the inside of the ondol room where the fire was lit, was different. The floor was hot. Even the air felt hot. That’s why the tavern owner took off his coat.
“Did you see the fire earlier? You can light a fire in the furnace outside the door. Once smoked properly, the heat will last for a couple of days. This, it really doesn’t cool down as fast as it looks.”
“A couple of days?”
One fire can last for two days. This made the tavern owner’s eyes wide open. Lloyd laughed.
“You’ll see if I’m telling you the truth.”
“O, Of course I believe it.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Umm, can I be more honest?”
“Go ahead.”
“The truth is, I thought the young master was swindling me.”
“Me? Swindling you?”
“Yes. Because I never thought you’d actually make it for me.”
…. Well, I suppose so. In retrospect, Lloyd Frontera was a shitty human being. He never helped anyone in his life. He didn’t want anything to do with other people’s life. So, even the tavern owner wouldn’t have believed me either.
“But, contrary to my opinion, you really made this wonderful ondol. I swear, I’d never seen anything like this before in my life.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I don’t know how to thank you. Thanks to you, my mother really loves it. All hail the ondol, indeed.”
…. Mother, are you watching? There’s a Korean nationalist fluttering vigorously here. The soaring embarrassment caused me to suddenly cough. (tl/n: here, the author used 국뽕이 which can be read as gukppongi. Gukppong is used to pejoratively describe a Korean nationalist. As a result, the word literally means ‘intoxicated with nationalism’.)
“Hmmm. you don’t have to thank me so much. It’s a contract after all.”
“Oh. A contract.”
“That’s right. A contract.”
It was a deal made by mutual agreement anyway. I built the ondol room, the owner will write off the compensation for the damaged furniture.
“But this ondol room…. I think it’s worth a lot more than the broken furniture. Young Master, please wait a moment.”
The owner abruptly sprang to his feet to get what he had in mind. Soon after, the owner who went to the tavern had a leather bag in his hands.
“Please accept some of this.”
“What is this?”
“My little sincerity.”
Clink clink. The leather bag was placed on the floor. A heavy sound of coins came from it. It was money.
“Oh my, why would you do this….”
Of course, Lloyd swiped the coin leather bag quickly. In return, he secretly gave him some golden tips on how to take advantage of the ondol room as a service.
“You see the window here? Open the window slightly on a cool night or at dawn. Let the cold air in. Then, heat the ondol with maximum firepower and cover it with a blanket. You can roll around in there while eating tangerines, baked potatoes, or baked sweet potatoes. Do you know what will happen?”
“What will happen?”
“The air is cold while your butt is hot. With this, you’ll understand why when the cold and warm ocean currents meet to form a landscape, it becomes a golden fishing ground and how the fish feels in there.”
“….”
With his head tilted because he was confused, the tavern owner saw me out of the ondol room. There were a lot of spectators around. Everyone in this territory was still chattering among themselves while looking this way. They were showing some confusion and a considerable amount of curiosity at the same time.
‘It’s obvious.’
Unknowingly, I started laughing. All kinds of rumors about me recently came to my mind. The Young Master is crazy. He’s digging a grave to commit suicide. He’s openly scamming the tavern owner. There wasn’t even a single good rumor. But, the ondol room was finished in front of everyone. All of the baseless rumors were negated before their eyes.
‘This would make all of you even more curious. It looks like I built a building, but you can’t even fathom what it is used for and why the owner loves it so much.’
In fact, it was Lloyd who purposefully sat by and watched the rumors spread. He had no reason to stop the hearsays. No, it was rather beneficial.
‘Because it’s also a form of publicity.’
Advertising is important. Promotion is life. Plus, construction is not an exception. It was all the more so in Korea. If you build an apartment, it all will start with an advertisement. Broadcast advertising, flyers, outdoor advertising, and telemarketing were basic. The internet and social media viral ads were also naturally an option. We simply did everything we could.
‘As such, I hit a big commercial and dragged out the aggro. Thanks to that, people are gathering like clouds on the model house’s opening day. ’
Because of this, there was no shortage of new construction applications. It became a so-called business. Lloyd thought that this was the case too right now.
‘Thanks to the rumors, we’ve got this many people gathered without paying for an advertisement. Opportunities like this are rare.’
Even now, the residents were still looking over this way. There seemed to be over one hundred people. In Lloyd’s eyes, they didn’t appear as permanent residents of the territory. Instead, they were potential sales applicants. In other words, they were possible customers who would devote their money to him.
‘From now on, the model house is open.’
He stood before the spectators. Everyone’s eyes were focused on him. He cleared his throat and said.
“Aren’t all of you curious? About what I had made?”
“….”
Of course, nobody answered. Everyone just moved their eyes to look around. Lloyd grinned. Not bad. This was an expected response. Then, there was no need for long words.
“Then, go inside in order and check it out for yourself.”
He approached the people with big strides. Then he grabbed the sleeves of a woman who stood in the front. He took the white-haired woman inside the ondol room.
‘Because word of mouth started from the ladies in the neighborhood.’
With the consent of the tavern owner, he gave her a tour. The woman’s eyes widened at the heated floor. After that, there was no turning back. The crowd of spectators visited and experienced the ondol room one by one. When they went in, the doubting look on their face was changed into admiration. Outside, they were greeted by a table set up by Lloyd. It was a contract table for the pre-sale of ondol room construction.
“How was the ondol room?”
“Well, It’s a lot better than I thought.”
“Right?”
“Yes. I think I won’t have to worry about the cold in the middle of winter.”
“That’s why, I’ve prepared something, do you want to see it?”
“This one?”
“This is a simple conceptual map. It’s kind of a pamphlet.”
Lloyd held the paper for the residents to look at. In fact, it was actually a pamphlet he made last night for this very moment. Two types of ondol rooms were beautifully drawn on the pamphlet.
“Type A, like the ondol room you just saw, is a separate building in the yard. Type B is in the form of remodeling the first floor of your existing house. If you choose to combine the two together, you’ll get 10% off the price as a service.”
“…..”
“You have children at home, don’t you?”
“Yes, the older one is seven years old while the younger one is five years old.”
“Doesn’t it hurt your heart to see your children shivering in the house in winter, crying and coughing with their eyes burning while huddled together in front of the fireplace? My heart ached just thinking about it.”
“….”
“And if we sign a contract right now, five bundles of firewood will be provided free of charge as a special service for the opening of the sale.”
“….”
“Think about it. This is a rare opportunity.”
“Excuse me, but I don’t think….”
“Why? You don’t want it?”
“….”
The man slammed his mouth shut. Lloyd knew what he was thinking inside.
‘Because you don’t trust me.’
No, it was because he was scared. In a way, it was obvious. Even if I was different now, people didn’t know. In their eyes, I was just Lloyd Frontera. The bastard of the barony. A scumbag who always acted out whenever he drank alcohol.
‘So there’s no way you’d believe I’m going to make a decent ondol room for you.’
Maybe you think I was scamming you. Maybe you think all of this was a joke. That’s why you hesitated to sign the contract. However, this level of reaction was already expected by Lloyd.
“So what? You’re not gonna sign?”
“….”
“Really? Is that so?”
“….”
He stared into the man’s eyes. The man flinched. The message he sent with his gaze, the man noticed it.
‘If you don’t sign a contract here, your future in the territory will be in jeopardy. You’ll feel so anxious.”
Lloyd swallowed his bitter smile. It was a bit mean to exploit the anxiety and fear of the people. But for now, this was also the best way.
‘If I’m hated for being a trash anyway, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to use that image. It’s not like I will just take the down payment and not build it.’
The beginning is important. If I could just win a contract, somehow (?). Then I was confident I would make a good word of mouth. So, even if it’s a bit low now, I thought that I should just make proper use of Lloyd’s notoriety.
“…. Oh, I see.”
A rational determination to not be deceived. A fear of the impending misfortune. The man who had been at odds between the two of them finally made up his mind. With a reluctant expression, he signed the contract. The same was true for the next resident, and so was for the next resident. Of course, Lloyd was confident he could change that expression on their face in the future.
‘That’s just how efficient the ondol is.’
It was a conclusion he had come to after some investigation over the past few days. This was due to the fireplace’s limitations, the territory’s own heating method.
‘The fireplace is less heat efficient than it looks. It’s only warm around the fireplace. The air heats up and cools down quickly. The heat doesn’t stay indoors for too long. Plus the ashes, smoke, and soot were making eyes feel like burning during winter. It’s tricky to manage because you can’t just use any type of firewood. Not just that, the person who guards the fire from going out should stay awake and watch the fire all night long.’
Ondol, on the other hand? It can counterbalance most of these shortcomings. Lloyd was sure about that, so he threatened the residents with confidence. Thanks to this, his business was able to win better-than-expected pre-sale contracts before the end of the afternoon. There were 32 contracts for type A and 57 contracts for type B. The heavy down payment was a bonus.
‘This is amazing.’
Of course, it wasn’t a lot of money. It was far from enough to settle the Baron’s debt right away. But, what was important was what will happen after this.
‘Even though they’ve been forced a little bit to sign a contract, if I could finish the construction of the ondol well within the territory, there will definitely be good rumors. We can even reach the other lands from this area.’
Branding the ondol construction as well as running a heating room business around this territory. That was Lloyd’s primary plan and goal.
“Phew.”
When I finished calculating my future plans, I sighed. Suddenly, I turned back to look behind me. It was sunset with the sky tinged red. Javier was following me with the sunset behind him.
“Hey, you. You’re strong, aren’t you?”
“Yes. Somehow.”
“Then, how about being a human forklift or crane?”
“Pardon?”
“You said you are strong. Can’t you use that strength to dig the ground or heave logs away?”
It was an honest wish. Javier had an enormous level of strength and talent. Naturally, he had the power to go beyond human limitations. What if Javier was playing the role of a heavy equipment in the field? Construction would be simpler and faster in the future. In other words, the efficiency of the construction would increase. More constructions would be possible to be carried out in the same time period. With this, the income will come pouring faster. However, Javier shook his head without even thinking twice.
“I refuse.”
“Why?”
“The duty the Lord gave me is to protect Lloyd-nim’s personal safety at all times.”
“So you can’t be a construction worker?”
“That’s correct.”
“But you have helped me so far, haven’t you?”
“I think it was to help the tavern owner’s mother.”
“Was it to protect the weak?”
“Yes, but Lloyd-nim’s request just now was different.”
“You’re not going to help me on my personal business?”
“That’s right.”
“You’re firm.”
“You’re welcome.”
I knew it, he was a person who would flatly refuse1. Lloyd smacked his lips.
‘But we still need heavy equipment.’
The difference with and without construction equipment was really big. In severe cases, the construction period might take more than 10 times longer. No, the type of the construction which can be attempted also depends on the presence or absence of construction equipment. The range of the options available would change.
‘If you want to make a lot of money, you have to get a big construction job.’
Now, I was satisfied with the ondol room. However, I couldn’t stay on this level forever. There would be a limit to the money earned only from the ondol construction project.
‘I don’t want to have to repay the debt until I’m old.’
Then this would be difficult. In Korea, I was a mess because of money. It was truly a no-no for me to experience the same thing until the rest of my life here.
‘So, in order to start a proper construction project and pay all of the debts, I have to solve the construction equipment problem.’
While on the way to the mansion, his worries continued to deepen. That was why Lloyd didn’t realize that Javier’s icy eyes were watching him. The temperature of the gaze was slightly different than before.
♣
‘I can’t figure him out.’
Javier felt a little confused. His gaze turned to look at Lloyd’s back.
The eldest son of Baron Frontera, Lloyd Frontera. He was the son of the Lord whom he served. He had also been the subject of his escort for the past few months. That was why it was even more confusing.
‘Was this drunkard originally like this?’
Lloyd was a total mess. It wasn’t only in his own eyes that were strict in every way, but also in the eyes of ordinary people. He had no patience. There were no expectations in him regarding manners or decency. He was just a rascal who drank alcohol every day and lived for nothing. Even on the day when the family’s properties were seized.
‘Honestly, I hated him. No, I still am.’
The more I knew him, the less I liked him. Had he not been the Lord’s son, I might’ve cut him. A mortal who was inwardly an abhorrent being inside. Literally a human garbage. At least until a few days ago, he certainly was.
‘But he has changed. All of a sudden.’
Maybe it was from a few days ago, after he made a ruckus at his regular pub. It was probably when he woke up the next morning. Javier was still able to remember when Lloyd woke up that morning.
‘I only called him twice, and he woke up.’
It was an unimaginable feat before. That human-speaking son of a bitch even remembered my name for the first time. And these were just the beginning.
‘He visited the tavern owner and comforted him. He promised to make an ondol room for him instead of paying for the compensation.’
Until then, I thought he was scheming something new. But I was wrong. He really built an ondol room. He kept his word with the tavern owner. It didn’t stop there. He also signed a contract to build an ondol room for the gathered residents.
‘To make money? No. Money is just an excuse.’
Somehow, I had that feeling. There seemed to be a bigger goal. Of course, I couldn’t guess what the goal was. However, what was certain was that the actions didn’t seem for personal gains.
‘It’s as if you’ve become someone else overnight.’
His tone changed. His expression and attitude had also changed. He displayed an ability he had never learned. He designed a new building and introduced a new heating system. I became even more confused.
Did you really become someone else? But, no matter how much I look at him or how long I keep observing him, the man who was walking a step ahead of me was clearly the lout Lloyd Frontera.
‘So you’ve been hiding something like this until now?’
In fact, that was the only way to explain this. It would make sense if this was the case.
‘The baron lived a peaceful life. But when crisis struck the family, he showed his real self?’
It occurred to me that maybe it was the truth. Of course, it’s still too early to conclude.
‘Let’s stick to my duties for now.’
And if possible, let’s keep an eye on this scumbag. Javier Asrahan vowed to do so. Once again, he engraved Lloyd’s back, who walked ahead, to his retina. At that moment, Lloyd, who was walking ahead, came face to face with an unexpected message that popped into his mind.
♣
Ding dong!
[Javier Asrahan’s favorability towards you has increased by +2!]
[Your current relationship with Javier Asrahan: -29]
[A slight improvement in your relationship with a key character earned you 36 RP]
[Current RP: 36]
[You can develop your skills by investing the acquired RP.]
‘What the hell is this?’
A string of messages appeared in the air in front of him. Lloyd’s eyes widened as he read them.
1
Here, Lloyd said that Javier was like a 단호박 (danhobak). Danhobak is a Korean slang used to refer to someone who usually refuses instantly without considering it for a second.