"Ppong!"
Ppod jumped down.
It landed(?) with its plump belly fat.
The object caught between its belly and the floor was squashed miserably.
Crack!
The walnut shell crumbled.
Ppod smiled brightly as it pulled the nut meat out from between the crushed shell fragments.
"Ppong? Ppododong. Ppong."
"Tasty?"
"Ppong!"
Ppod stuffed the walnut meat into its cheek pouch at the speed of light.
Lloyd chuckled at the sight.
"Want more?"
"Ppong!"
"Should I crack the shell for you?"
"Ppong? Ppododong!"
"Yeah. Just wait a moment."
Lloyd gripped a walnut in his right hand.
He held up his left hand with fingers spread wide.
Then he circulated the Asrahan Heart Method.
'Hoo.'
His heart pulsed along with his breath.
A strand of suction power formed riding on the small beat. The suction flowed to his raised left hand. It drew in the ambient energy through his open palm.
It was the natural mana dispersed in the air.
'Oh, it's working.'
Of course, it wasn't a great force.
It was merely pulling in a bit of the mana in the air.
Moreover, his Asrahan Heart Method was only at the beginner single circle stage.
But that was enough.
Grgrgrit!
He drew the mana pulled into his left hand outward toward his heart.
He spun it around the single circle encircling his heart.
The mana riding the rotation amplified.
He sent the amplified mana to his right hand.
It bolstered his original grip strength and crushed the walnut.
"Urgh… grgrgrit!"
Crack!
The hard walnut shell shattered.
'Phew, got it.'
Cracking a walnut barehanded.
Something he couldn't have dreamed of before.
He handed the nut meat to Ppod, filled with the joy of success.
"Here you go."
"Ppong!"
"Good?"
"Ppododong!"
"Yeah, I like it too."
He felt like he had somewhat escaped the level of an ordinary person's body.
It was a bit reassuring.
'This is a world where everyone carries swords around.'
This wasn't South Korea.
The moment you stepped out of the territory, it was a place crawling with bandits worse than wild beasts, who might warmly carve knives into each other's bodies.
If he had to live without even the minimum skill to protect himself?
'I don't know when I'd get run through by some blind blade. No thanks to that.'
He was glad all over again that he'd learned the Asrahan Heart Method from Haviel.
That was when it happened.
Knock knock.
Someone knocked on the bedroom door.
"Lord Lloyd? Are you in?"
It was Haviel's distinctive cynical tone.
Lloyd chuckled.
He got up himself and opened the bedroom door.
Sure enough, Haviel stood in front of the door.
"You're no saint either. Come in."
"What do you mean by saint?"
"There's a thing like that. Did you finish the task I gave you?"
"I was just on my way back after reporting to you, my liege."
"Yeah?"
"Yes."
"Did the baron say anything?"
"Are you asking if he made any special remarks?"
"Yep."
"He did."
"What'd he say?"
"He wished Sir Neumann good luck."
"Well, he'll need at least some luck, that Sir Neumann now."
Sir Neumann.
Thinking of him brought a scoff automatically.
At the same time, memories of a few days ago surfaced.
The day they'd dueled, the day his betrayal had been exposed.
'That guy's got some luck.'
No, in this case, maybe he was the unluckiest bastard.
To cut to the chase, Sir Neumann hadn't died.
Even after being crushed under the massively enlarged Ppod's belly fat, he'd shown tenacious vitality.
But the price of surviving was huge.
Dozens of bones throughout his body had snapped with sickening cracks, leaving him gravely injured.
It was so gruesome it looked like a half-dried squid from the dried fish section had been flung to the floor.
Even the territory's doctor who examined him shook his head.
'He won't be living even if he survives. Even if heaven's luck lets him recover fully, he'll never function as a person again. Walking or even sitting up will be impossible, and he'll barely swallow porridge fed to him until he dies.'
…That was the doctor's diagnosis.
And today, after barely passing the critical stage with a few days of treatment, Sir Neumann had been exiled from the territory.
"Well, at least his family was exiled with him, so he won't die right away."
"Probably."
That wasn't all.
Sir Ulrich and Sir Conte, who had followed Sir Neumann, were bundled up like a set menu and exiled together.
Along with having the tendons in one hand and one foot severed as punishment.
'They'll never wield a sword again. A bit regrettable, but this secures discipline within the territory.'
In the novel's story, they were the types to turn their backs on this territory anyway.
Even if forgiven, they wouldn't reform and would cause endless trouble.
He'd wanted to weed them out early.
And today, that goal was achieved.
It felt refreshing.
"Anyway, thanks to you, you've become vice-captain of the knights. So, Sir Asrahan? What're your thoughts?"
"Nothing particular comes to mind."
"Yeah?"
"Yes."
"Why's that?"
"There are only two knights left in the territory now: me and Sir Bayern."
"Hmm, feeling lonely?"
"..."
"Tsk, I get it. Our Haviel's been bored without friends. Got it."
"Of course it couldn't be..."
"It happens. I know. Life's like that sometimes."
"Lord Lloyd."
"What. Why. What're you gonna do if you get all serious."
"..."
"Do you have something else to say to me?"
From his vibe, it seemed so.
Sure enough, Haviel nodded.
"Yes. There's something I'd like to ask."
"What."
"That hamster."
Haviel's hand pointed at Ppod, who was munching walnut meat on the desk.
His expression grew serious.
His eyes became even more cautious.
So Lloyd tensed up a bit.
What was this guy about to ask, dragging it out with such a stern, dignified, serious air?
'What is it? He doesn't suspect my summoning spell, does he?'
It was possible.
It made sense.
'Well, I did carry that basic summoning magic book around for a month on purpose, but that alone wouldn't fully dispel suspicion.'
Summoning magic was proper magic.
So unless you were a rare genius?
Mastering summoning in a month of self-study didn't make sense.
'Whatever. What can he do? Even if I told him straight about the RP System or Fantasy Beast Gacha, he wouldn't believe it. So I'll just stick to my guns.'
That he succeeded through self-study.
That's what he'd claim.
Lloyd thought that as he waited for Haviel's question.
Haviel, who had been building tension with a serious air, finally spoke.
"What should I call its name?"
"...Huh?"
"I'm curious about its name."
"You mean that guy's name?"
"Yes."
"That's what you were wondering about?"
"Yes. Since it's the summon you called forth, Lord Lloyd."
"Ah, you'll be seeing it around a lot, so you wanted to introduce yourselves?"
"That's right."
"But why'd you build up the mood so unnecessarily?"
"Pardon?"
"...Sigh. Fine. It's Ppod. That's its name."
"Ppod, you say?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm, quite a humble name compared to its massive majesty earlier."
"I came up with that name."
"...Naming it humbly is the basics of camouflage to lower the enemy's guard. Well done."
"You serious?"
"..."
"Never mind. It's not mine. Ppod's the name, though."
"Then I..."
"Call it whatever."
"Understood. Sir Ppod?"
Haviel lowered his gaze to match Ppod's level.
Ppod looked up from munching the walnut meat.
"Ppong?"
"I am Haviel Asrahan, knight escorting Lord Lloyd. Nice to meet you."
"Ppong!"
Haviel's long finger and Ppod's tiny front paw shook hands.
Lloyd yawned.
"Done introducing yourselves?"
"Yes."
"Then shall we head out? I was waiting for you anyway since I have business outside."
"You mean me?"
"Yep. You're my escort after all. And way stronger than me."
"That's..."
"Whatever. Everyone hides their skills to some degree. Right?"
"..."
Haviel flinched.
Lloyd chuckled.
Haviel, who had already reached advanced Sword Expert.
At first, he thought the guy didn't fully grasp his own level.
It had to be that way.
Even in the novel *Iron-Blooded Knight*, he was depicted that way.
'But seeing him up close over time, it was a bit different. Not like just reading about it in the novel.'
Bickering with Haviel every day.
Learning swordsmanship from him.
Observing him so closely let him realize.
Haviel knew exactly his own realm.
He was just hiding his skill.
Why?
He didn't know yet.
But he could guess.
'The youngest knight on the verge of Sword Master. Just that news alone would cause an uproar.'
On a small scale, jealousy from superiors like Sir Neumann.
On a large scale, constant recruitment attempts from surrounding great lords.
Such pressure would surely turn Frontera Barony into rags.
'Probably trying not to cause trouble like that. His own way of upholding loyalty to the baron.'
Anyway, an impressive guy.
Not just his skill, but his character was flawless.
"Anyway, let's go. Sun's gonna set at this rate."
He stood up.
As expected, Haviel looked a bit relieved.
He didn't want the conversation to continue on this topic either.
Actually, Lloyd felt the same.
'I'll keep your secret. So you just stay quiet about questioning my bayonet arts. Don't bring it up out loud.'
To repeat, the guy was a swordsmanship genius.
A genius like that wouldn't fail to grasp the essence of bayonet fighting with its long history.
'At least he'd see it's not some amateur hack job like a newbie like me could make.'
In martial arts or sports, you see as much as you know.
Think boxing or MMA.
Watching without knowledge, boxing broadcasts were boring.
MMA with endless ground grinding was worse.
But after learning boxing in high school?
After picking up jiu-jitsu in university club?
It changed.
Boxing matches that were like sleeping pills became thrilling.
Ground fights that looked like mere groaning became intense clashes of dragon and tiger.
Because you see more as you know more.
So what about Haviel, the unprecedented sword genius in history?
Naturally, he'd grasped most of the characteristics of the bayonet arts Lloyd used.
'Yeah. Can't avoid that. But just grasp it. If you keep quiet, I'll keep your secret too.'
He gave Haviel a meaningful look.
Perhaps realizing his intent.
Haviel obediently stood to follow.
"...Let's go. I'll escort you."
With that, he left the bedroom with Haviel.
They left the mansion.
As they walked, they ran into territory folk now and then.
But their reactions were quite different from before.
Previously, they'd hurriedly step aside to the roadside the moment they spotted him.
They'd bow their heads, terrified of even making eye contact.
Not anymore.
One housewife greeted him with a friendly smile.
The same one who, on the first day Lloyd possessed this body, had trembled in fear with hands shaking.
That wasn't all.
A certain farmer outright grinned and asked,
"Hey, Young Master? When can we expect the ondol installation in our house?"
"Huh?"
Lloyd clearly remembered.
The beaming farmer before him had gone pale with fright when they met on possession day one.
Lloyd stroked his chin and asked back.
"Uh, hmm, my memory's fuzzy, but where's your house again?"
"At the rocky spot left of the entrance to the oak forest valley."
"Ah, there. Let's see. By allocation order, you're next after the next one."
"Then when will construction start..."
"From the current situation, earliest in about half a month? So just wait a bit. It's spring anyway."
"But the wind's still chilly."
"Want a hug then? Nice and warm?"
"N-No, that's not it."
"Don't want it? Good. I don't either. Gives me the creeps."
"Anyway, uh, please take care of it, Young Master."
"Got it. Don't forget to pay."
"As if."
"Yeah. Now let go of my hand already?"
Lloyd finally pried off the farmer clinging to him and continued walking.
'Whew. Suddenly feeling like the popular kid.'
It had started a few days ago.
The way the territory folk looked at and treated him had completely changed.
'The looks they're giving me are sparkling for real. Feels like getting carried by the bus driver in a game.'
A wry smile crossed his face.
He could guess why.
Still, he wanted to confirm once.
"Hey."
He casually asked Haviel walking beside him.
"Why're they all like that? Didn't they openly hate me before?"
"Well, they used to."
"Used to? But?"
"Yes."
"So what's different now?"
Haviel replied as if it were obvious.
"The birth of a capable one."
"A capable one?"
"You defeated a senior knight of the territory with just a month of training. Of course, they don't know about the Asrahan Heart Method, so it must seem even more impressive. Plus, you exposed the senior knight's betrayal, and even showed off shocking summoning magic in front of everyone."
"...Hmm, listing it all like that, it does sound pretty badass. In summary, like a talented all-rounder in both sword and summon?"
"That's right."
Haviel nodded and added,
"From the residents' perspective, it's only natural they'd be thrilled. The guy who used to get drunk daily, cause scenes, and be a hopeless nuisance has shown such capable form, it's like he's a different person."
"..."
"The future lord transforming in an instant from an irredeemable piece of trash with no hope of redemption into a competent talent. The territory folk have every reason to cheer and rejoice."
"Uh, that's praise, right?"
"Yes. It is."
"But it's kinda heavy for praise?"
"Heavy how?"
"Feels like a fact punch to the solar plexus at 170 km/h."
"170 km/h?"
"Ah, you'd break bones. You bone-cracking technician."
"..."
Haviel stared at him blankly.
Probably wondering what weird thing he was saying.
Even that look was cool and elegant, like a painting.
'Yeah, nice. So handsome.'
Fights well too.
Character outstanding.
Appearance perfect.
Lloyd grumbled at the guy who was like the flesh-and-blood version of that overhyped "friend of mom's friend's son" with all talk and no substance.
"Done staring? Then move aside. Got business."
"Business?"
"From here to there."
Lloyd pointed at the ground.
From here, the mansion entrance, through the territory to the eastern mountain foothills over there.
As he surveyed it, Lloyd had already activated his surveying and design skills.
Examine the terrain.
Grasp every detail of the information.
Overlay the blueprint of the structure he planned to build on the grasped info.
Thanks to that, a glimpse of this yet-unbuilt place's future appeared only in his eyes.
"All roads lead to Rome. You've never heard that, right?"
Lloyd turned to Haviel with a grin.
Of course, Haviel didn't know what that smile meant.
Nor that a paved road, the major artery of the territory's future development, would be built here.
Nor that Frontera Barony would skyrocket into one of the kingdom's prime transit hubs because of it.
He couldn't imagine any of it.
Not until Lloyd's next words.
(End of Chapter 19)
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