"I, Lloyd Frontera, son of Arkos Frontera, have something to say as the heir to this territory."
Lloyd's voice echoed across the training grounds.
Before they knew it, everyone's eyes were fixed on him.
One farmer gulped nervously.
A woodcutter unconsciously clenched his fist.
A brewer kept licking his lips anxiously.
It was a situation no one could have imagined.
Sir Neumann, the senior knight of the territory, had been defeated.
Not by another knight, but utterly crushed by Lloyd, the lord's son whom everyone thought was just a good-for-nothing.
That alone was shocking.
But it didn't end there.
Even after the duel concluded, Lloyd's beating continued.
The baron, unable to stand it any longer, had angrily tried to stop Lloyd.
Yet Lloyd had responded with even greater boldness.
Claiming that Sir Neumann had betrayed the territory and his lord.
Everyone doubted their ears.
But the baron's face had paled upon reading some mysterious letter. His legs gave out, and he collapsed weakly into his seat, staring at Sir Neumann with dazed eyes.
Thanks to that, everyone had a rough sense of the situation.
'Is what Young Master Lloyd said true?'
Judging by the baron's reaction, it seemed so.
So what would happen to Sir Neumann now?
The eyes of the territory's residents gathered around the training grounds all turned to Lloyd.
They waited for the declaration from his lips.
Lloyd felt their gazes.
'This is the crucial part.'
How much calculation had he done to create this situation?
He had compiled everything he remembered from the novel *Iron-Blooded Knight*.
He had considered the territory's current state as he understood it, the relationships and emotions between people. He had even anticipated how his actions would alter the novel's plot.
In short, he had meticulously designed and guided the situation through dozens of scenarios.
Of course, the baron's upcoming reaction was one of them.
'Pushing too hard here would backfire.'
The baron was a good man.
A soft-hearted one.
No matter how much Sir Neumann had betrayed them.
He wouldn't be able to issue a harsh punishment on the spot.
Suggesting outright severe retribution could provoke the baron's disgust.
'It's time to go fishing.'
After all, they could only propose opinions here.
The baron held the final decision on punishment.
So he had to hook the baron first.
Only then could he achieve the desired outcome.
Lloyd cleared his throat.
"It must be weighing heavily on you. Yes, it is on me too. Sir Neumann has served our territory for a long time and has earned no small merits during that time."
"Hmm. Go on."
Was it because Lloyd was unexpectedly defending Sir Neumann?
The baron tilted his head.
Lloyd continued.
"Of course, Sir Neumann's actions revealed in this incident are shocking. He turned his back on his lord and brought great harm to the territory."
"So you're saying that Sir Neumann has both merits and faults?"
"Yes."
Fortunately, the conversation was going well.
The baron was a good man, but not a fool.
"Then you want me to weigh his merits against his faults and handle this matter accordingly?"
"Yes, exactly."
"Hmm, seeing you speak so earnestly, it seems you have a specific punishment in mind."
"Of course."
Lloyd smirked.
Then, like yanking out a red-hot iron poker, he stated the punishment he had prepared.
"How about dropping a 'rat' on his head?"
"...A rat?"
"Yes."
Lloyd went on.
"We drop a 'rat' on Sir Neumann's head. If he emerges unscathed, how about giving him a chance to reflect?"
"A chance to reflect, you say..."
"Demoting him to regular soldier seems fitting."
"Serving as a common soldier to atone for the past and prove his loyalty?"
"Yes."
"...."
The baron fell silent.
The baroness unconsciously clasped her hands tightly.
The other residents began whispering to those around them, breaking the silence one by one. Murmurs rose.
"Hey? What does that mean?"
"Dropping a rat?"
"Yeah? You heard it that way too?"
"Yep. Says he'll drop a rat on Sir Neumann's head."
"Is that the punishment? Just that?"
"Hmm. Don't know why, but probably?"
One farmer shrugged.
A woodcutter tilted his head.
It didn't make sense.
"Would anyone in the world get hurt from just a rat dropping on their head?"
"Hmm, I think it's possible."
"How?"
"I'm terrified of rats. You could scream in shock, flail around, and trip."
"...But Sir Neumann wouldn't, right?"
"Probably not?"
"Yeah. He's a knight, after all."
The women gossiped animatedly with those nearby.
They tried hard to speculate and puzzle it out.
But no matter how they thought about it, it didn't seem like Sir Neumann would get hurt from such a punishment.
In other words, everyone interpreted Lloyd's proposal like this.
"He's saying to forgive Sir Neumann. Right, Haviel?"
"I think so too."
Sir Bayern's question from beside him.
Haviel nodded.
"He must have judged that this level of punishment is sufficient."
"Young Master Lloyd?"
"Yes."
Haviel continued.
"Sir Neumann has already tasted enough humiliation in front of everyone. And even if he receives forgiveness this way, his shame won't end there."
"Right. Losing his knightly title and serving as a regular soldier."
"Yes. That alone would be the ultimate humiliation. However...."
"However?"
"There's something a bit odd."
"Odd how?"
"About Lord Lloyd's proposal. It feels unexpected, personally."
Sir Bayern glanced over, wondering what he meant.
Haviel paused before speaking.
"It's too lenient. Excessively merciful. It doesn't suit Lord Lloyd. In my view, that man... no, that person isn't the type."
Honestly, that's how it was.
The Lloyd Frontera he had guarded all this time.
Having watched him up close, that man wasn't the type to let things go so cleanly.
'Petty. Very much so. Thorough, persistent, even petty and cunning.'
Not a bad guy.
But far from a good one either.
He had an subtly extreme stinginess.
He never took a loss.
In a word, thoroughly sly.
That was Haviel's most honest recent assessment of Lloyd.
'It can't be helped.'
That man had dramatically changed one day.
He stopped his daily tantrums.
Instead, he became incredibly stingy.
He meticulously collected payments for construction from the residents.
If even a single coin was short, he'd dash over mid-dinner to claim it.
And that wasn't all.
'Lullaby service? He's completely got me wrapped around his finger with that ridiculous nonsense.'
A nightly parade of bizarre academic terms.
Thanks to it, he could sleep deeply.
At first, he was thrilled.
Felt like he owned the world.
But over time, he realized it wasn't that simple.
'The price was too high.'
Several times a day, he faced what weren't quite threats—but were.
'If you don't teach me swordsmanship, I'll cut the lullaby service cold turkey.'
'The Asrahan Heart Method? That's co-authored by us, you know? Don't acknowledge it, and lullaby service stops?'
'Thirsty here. But you know? Chug it down quick, and I'll extend the lullaby service by a day.'
...Like that.
Power play didn't get more blatant.
He felt like a black goat with a ring through its nose, living day by day.
He couldn't escape that demonic beast(?).
No, he couldn't even dream of it.
Because that man's lullaby service was too sweet!
'...Sigh. The more I think, the more pathetic it gets. Anyway, for such a thorough guy to forgive Neumann—who betrayed the territory and confronted him personally? Nonsense. Maybe the old days of drunken rants, but the recent him wouldn't let it slide so easily.'
There had to be more.
Definitely, with that man.
He was surely hiding some vicious scheme.
With that thought, Haviel eyed Lloyd suspiciously.
Of course, in this training ground, Haviel was the only one doubting Lloyd.
Everyone else was different.
They were all surprised by Lloyd's unexpected generosity.
Especially Baron Frontera's surprise stood out.
'Yes. You've made a reasonable judgment, Lloyd.'
The baron nodded inwardly.
It was unexpected.
And thus, heartwarming.
'I thought he was just a reckless brat who didn't know the world's dangers.'
No.
Now he saw his thinking had been wrong.
His son Lloyd had grown into a commendable figure.
'Well done. Now I understand. Why you clashed with Sir Neumann, the territory's senior knight. You had already sensed his betrayal back then.'
So he deliberately created conflict with Sir Neumann.
Staged this duel on purpose.
Punished him harshly in front of everyone.
'Yes. Punish one to warn a hundred. And at this moment, contrary to everyone's expectations, you show mercy to secure the territory's practical gains. True wisdom.'
The more he thought, the more impressive it was.
Even a traitor, Sir Neumann was a valuable asset.
'Hiring a knight of that caliber isn't easy.'
This was still a remote rural barony.
A backwater shunned by most knights.
Especially those at Sword Expert level.
'Straighten discipline with harsh punishment. Offer an unexpected chance for reflection and reform with mercy. Maximize the traitor's abilities without discarding them. Truly excellent.'
Sir Neumann would learn from this.
Be moved by the generous decision to spare him.
Sincerely repent his past wrongs.
And pledge greater loyalty to the territory.
The baron's chest swelled with emotion.
'To think my son came up with this.'
Such broad insight and calculation.
The more he thought, the prouder he felt, nearly tearing up.
Suppressing the stinging joy in his nose, the baron nodded.
"Very well. Lloyd, I accept your proposal. Sir Neumann? What say you? Will you accept the chance Lord Lloyd proposes?"
"...Yes! I will!"
Sir Neumann, who had been limp until now, nodded vigorously.
Though battered and ragged, his ears were wide open.
He had naturally heard Lloyd's proposal to the baron.
For Sir Neumann, it was cause for celebration.
'Just drop a rat on my head? Forgive me if I'm unscathed? I'd take that deal any day!'
Get forgiveness that way.
Brush past this incident.
Then?
'Reflection? Demotion to regular soldier? Ridiculous.'
He had no intention of enduring such humiliation.
'I'll leave this damn territory immediately. And get revenge.'
Grind.
He gnashed his teeth.
But carefully, undetected.
Feigning deep remorse and regret.
With a trembling voice, he addressed the baron.
"I'll prove it right now. I earnestly beg you. Give me the chance to honor Young Master Lloyd's wise opinion."
"Very well."
The baron nodded.
"Lloyd, is the rat ready to drop on Sir Neumann's head?"
"Yes. I prepared it knowing this might happen."
"Good. Then proceed."
"Understood."
Finally, the baron's permission came.
Sir Neumann's lips curled up.
An evil smile bloomed on Lloyd's face too.
"Hey, Sir Neumann? Smiling? Feeling good?"
"Pardon?"
"Well, sure. Congrats. Got a great chance to beg for forgiveness, right?"
"What... do you mean."
Sir Neumann tilted his head.
The situation was welcome, yet somehow off.
Why was that man grinning so happily?
Why did that smile feel so chilling?
"What do I mean."
Lloyd's smile grew more wicked.
In one hand, he now held a small hamster, visible only to the nearby Sir Neumann.
In the other, a red sunflower seed.
"You know there's no better way to beg forgiveness than this, you scum."
"...Pardon?"
The moment Sir Neumann blankly repeated.
Crunch!
The hamster neatly bit into the red sunflower seed.
Lloyd tossed the hamster into the air and stepped back.
And...
Thud!
"Ppongdonga! Squash him!"
"Ppongdong!"
"...!"
A giant hamster ten meters long engulfed Sir Neumann with its entire body.
(End of Chapter 18)
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