The Greatest Estate Developer - Chapter 9

Sir Neumann.

The senior knight of the Frontera barony.

His swordsmanship was at a low level sword expert's level. He was good enough to be treated as a capable knight in this rural fiefdom.

However, he was much more interested in advancing his social status than his swordsmanship. Money over loyalty for the lord. The immediate rise in status over knightly honor. He would do anything to reach his goal.

No, he did achieve this goal. He did it by selling the Frontera barony's inside information to a swindler.

The beginning of the novel The Knight of Blood and Iron came to mind.

The fall of the barony at the beginning, which was the first ordeal upon the main character Javier.

Sir Neumann was standing in the back of it.

He sold information about the barony to a swindler. The swindler approached the baron based on that information. He sweet-talked him to solicit a huge investment. In the end, he took the investment money and ran away. That was how the baron fell into debt.

As such, Sir Neumann's betrayal was technically the trigger for the downfall of the barony.

So obviously you're subject to removal too.

Lloyd gently bit his lip.

The reason why he couldn't comfortably live a lazy life after becoming a rural noble's oldest son, why he was busy helping the family resolve their pile of debt.

It was essentially all this man's fault.

However, Lloyd didn't rashly show his emotions. When he turned to Sir Neumann, his face had already changed into a nonchalant expression.

“Sir Neumann? What did you mean just now?”

“It's just as I said”

The corner of Sir Neumann's mouth twitched.

“I came here as I have something to say about the unfair violence you used against Sir Ulrich this morning”

“Unfair violence? Say something?”

“Yes”

“Then talk”

Go ahead and chatter away to your heart's content.

Lloyd leisurely laughed.

Sir Neumann's face hardened more.

“As Young Master Lloyd knows, Sir Ulrich is undoubtedly a knight of the lord. He followed the procedures to take an oath and is entitled to have his honor and rights protected in accordance with that oath. This means he's not someone you can carelessly treat based on personal feelings”

“Hm, right”

“Despite that, you didn't respect Sir Ulrich's honor and rights this morning in the slightest”

“Mhm, I didn't”

“Thus, I would like to officially hear your answer as the fiefdom's senior knight. Do you feel nothing at all about the situation?”

“Hmmm, probably”

“...”

He must've gotten angry. Sir Neumann's face turned red all the way to the back of his neck.

On the other hand, Lloyd's face was still shamelessly nonchalant.

“Do my words sound like a joke to you, Young Master Lloyd?”

“No. They sound correct. Painfully correct”

“...”

Sir Neumann's eyes trembled.

Lloyd put on a bright smile.

What's up with this guy. Is he riled up from just this?

A snort came out of Lloyd at seeing Sir Neumann's reaction.

Honestly, this was only a low-level provocation by Lloyd's standards.

But he was already angry beyond belief.

This man, he would die in a fit of anger if he played an online fame once in South Korea.

It was true.

The world of online games in South Korea he regularly frequented since he was young.

That was basically a battlefield where the chaos of the century tap danced.

If you made even the smallest mistake in your entrusted position, all sorts of insults would pour from your teammates' mouths. It was a feast of profanities and ad-libs that poked at your character. A probe at your parents was a given. But if you got angry over every little comment? The person who got angry lost. You would tremble with anger and be further ridiculed until your DPS meter exploded.

It was a cold and cruel world where you could only survive by laughing off nearly any insult toward your family and responding with something worse.

He was an elite veteran who trained in that hell. No, most gamers in South Korea would be the same.

So the insult he threw at Sir Neumann just now? It couldn't even be considered a cute greeting. However, Sir Neumann didn't feel that way. For him, this was one of the greatest insults he ever received in his life.

Who is this guy?

It was so absurd, Sir Neumann was at a total loss for words.

He fully knew from the start that Lloyd was a truly troublesome piece of trash.

Still, he thought that he wasn't this bad before.

Come to see that now, he realized he had been mistaken.

It seemed that this insane troublemaker even looked down on him.

“Are you saying now that you will even insult me too”

“Mhm, of course”

“Do you not care about my honor and rights at all?”

“Mhm, of course”

“Aren't you worried about the consequences?”

“Mhmm, of course”

It was only natural.

Sir Neumann was someone he needed to get rid of anyway.

He was a man who sold out his lord to a swindler by the back door.

Yet he was the same man who stood in front of him, speaking of his honor, rights and so forth.

A snort escaped him.

He was like a voice phishing scammer. This time he was probably planning to stir up the remaining soldiers with this incident.

Soldiers were tied together by their lord and oath. They didn't make an oath of loyalty to the baron's son. Thus, you couldn't recklessly treat the soldiers just because you were the baron's son.

It seemed Sir Neumann was trying to stir up the other soldiers using that point.

Of course, Lloyd wasn't worried about this situation at all.

They will all be removed anyway except Javier and Sir Bayern.

Senior knight Sir Neumann. Sir Ulrich and Sir Conte, who both worked under him

They were those who would turn their backs just because they were lashing out right now.

It's more important at present to find an excuse to get rid of them.

Lloyd looked around his surroundings. Everything had quieted down.

Was it because there was no one else? No, it was the opposite.

The artisans, who were cleaning up the site, had stopped working and watched what was happening in his direction. Meanwhile, they would frantically look away and pretend to work if their eyes met. But they still kept their ears open to what was happening nearby.

Of course. A fight between the baron's son and the senior knight is a rare sight after all.

It was a fact that the best spectacle to watch was a brawl or fight.

With that truth in mind, Lloyd looked at Sir Neumann “Then let me ask one question”

Sir Neumann furrowed his brows.

Lloyd asked, “You know I never learned any swordsmanship, right?”

“I am aware”

“So can you be considered a knight if you lose to me?”

“What…?”

Sir Neumann's brows twitched.

He burst out laughing at that sight.

“I'm asking if you can call someone that got wrecked by a complete beginner in swordsmanship a knight”

“That is…”

“They don't have the right. It's a given. What's a knight's duty? It's to guard the fiefdom with the swordsmanship they painstakingly hone every day. In an emergency to protect the territory, its people, and by extension, the safety of the fiefdom. Isn't that a knight's duty and purpose?”

“...”

“But he lost to someone who never learned any swordsmanship before. Could I really trust that kind of knight and let him remain employed?”

“What does that…”

“I'm saying I question his qualifications”

“But Young Master Lloyd…”

“I won't hear anymore protests about Sir Ulrich. Right now, I'm wondering if there's a need to suspect and question your qualifications too as you continue defending Sir Ulrich.

“What does that mean?” He must've guessed what Lloyd meant. Sir Neumann's face completely hardened.

Lloyd laughed even harder at that sight and confirmed his guess “What you're guessing is most likely correct. You defend Sir Ulrich to an unreasonable degree, Sir Neumann. I have grown some doubt about your qualifications as well”

“You can't possibly be saying that you will assess my skills”

“Now you're talking”

“There's… no way you're challenging me for a duel”

“But that's correct”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course”

“...”

“So, will you or will you not?”

Sir Neumann's eyes looked nervous for the first time.

He was just trying to make a complaint to the reckless young master. He was just trying to use that as an excuse to establish his own authority. He never imagined that the young master, who never learned any swordsmanship, would propose a forma duel to him.

Lloyd grinned.

The man's response surpassed his expectations. Hence, Sir Neumann was filled with rage.

He faithfully helped Sir Neumann make his decision.

“Is even the senior knight the same? You can't possibly be scared of the duel, right?”

“...”

“If you were confident, you would've accepted the duel”

“But Young Master Lloyd, you're the baron's successor and oldest son. Considering that, I can't raise my sword at you on the pretext of the duel…”

“Is that your excuse?”

“...”

“Your excuse is too flimsy. If you're confident in your skills, you should easily and safely be able to overpower me. Do you not even have the confidence to do that?”

“...”

“I'm disappointed. this is why I can't help but have doubts about your qualifications”

“Have you finished speaking…?”

“No, I'm not done”

“...”

“I think people like you are the most pitiful. Senior knight? A man, who won't prove his abilities nor has the courage or confidence to do so, hangs onto his title to wield power. Isn't that embarrassing even when you think of it?”

“...”

“What does everyone else think?”

All the attention turned toward Sir Naumann, who had his mouth closed.

Lloyd loudly asked a question to the soldiers listening nearby.

At that moment, Sir Neumann heard a crackling sound.

Lloyd laughed inwardly.

Of course.

He received the insult right to his face. But before that, the fact that people around them heard it was more humiliating.

That was how people thought.

It was the same when someone was getting scolded. If they got scolded in a quiet place, that was the end of it. But if they got publicly scolded in front of everyone, especially their subordinates? They would promptly break down.

And right now, that effect was showing.

“Understood…” Sir Neumann reluctantly answered.

Lloyd's mouth stretched into a smile as if he was waiting for this.

“You will do it? The duel?

“Yes”

“Good decision. You should solve your disputes like a man. When would be a good date?”

“Young Master can decide that”

“One month from now. The location is the estate's training hall. How about it?”

“That sounds great”

Sir Neumann nodded his hardened face.

“Then is there anything you would like to request depending on the outcome of the duel?”

“Of course there is”

Lloyd put forward his predetermined answer “I will banish you if I win the duel that day”

“What?”

“I will remove you from your position and chase you out”

“...”

“Do you have any problems?”

“No, I don't. However.”

“However?”

“Young Master should get a corresponding outcome”

“All right. I will bet on my position as well”

“Your position?”

“My inheritance to this fiefdom as the eldest son, I will give that up”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course”

Lloyd nodded his head without hesitation.

“Don't worry. It's not a lie. The soldiers here will stand as witnesses. You should just train hard, so you don't get wrecked like Sir Ulrich”

“Those words, I hope you don't come to regret them”

“Not at all”

That was how the duel started.

Of course, he had no regret.

He had already found his secret to victory.

To say it directly, he was going to ruthlessly get rid of everyone who was bound for failure.

♣

“So, do you have confidence that you can win?”

“No, not much”

“I see”

Two hours later.

Javier nodded his head.

Javier had been unusually absent from Lloyd's side all day. It couldn't be helped. There was an order from Lord Frontera.

He had called me in the morning and then ordered me to stop escorting Young Master Lloyd for just today.

He couldn't know exactly why, but he could guess from what he heard Lloyd did in his absence today.

Something like he made an excuse and assaulted Sir Ulrich, then proposed a duel to Sir Neumann who came to protest what happened.

He wondered if Lloyd pushed him away today to do those things.

That's what Javier was speculating.

He felt a strange emotion.

Why?

He couldn't understand. Why did he agitate the soldiers who weren't doing anything? Why did he assault Sir Ulrich and propose a duel with Sir Neumann?

Is he just causing trouble again?

That might have seemed like the cause at first glance.

Although Lloyd had been acting differently recently, the truth was people didn't change easily.

Considering that, it could look like he was throwing a fit because of his bad temper.

However, Javier didn't think that was it.

His actions are too intention to say he's just throwing a fit.

Lloyd pushed him away from his side. After he assaulted Sir Ulrich? He entrusted Sir Bayern with the construction site. When Sir Neumann came to him in fury, he challenged him to a duel like he was waiting for him.

But what was Lloyd's attitude after causing all this commotion? He was shamelessly nonchalant. It was an attitude he couldn't have unless he intentionally caused these events.

Furthermore, he certainly has an objective considering his recent actions…

However, that was when Javier stopped thinking. Lloyd's voice broke his train of thought.

“Hey, you. What do you mean, I see? That's all?”

“What do you mean, that's all?”

“What else would I mean, your reaction”

Lloyd, who was having dinner, looked up and slightly tilted his head to one side.

“You asked the question, whether I'm confident of winning a duel against Sir Neumann. What was my answer?”

“You said you aren't confident”

“Right?”

“Yes”

“And you're only replying to it with, I see? Seriously?”

“...”

“You don't have anything to say, like how you're worried about something, why would I ever do this and so on?”

“I'm not sure why I need to show that sort of reaction”

“You're my guard”

“That is correct, however”

“However?”

“I believe you were the one who proposed the duel, Young Master”

“Hmph, so you mean a duel isn't included in your services as a guard?”

“Of course”

It was only natural. What was a duel for, after all.

“A duel is the most fair and direct method to resolve a conflict where the disputing parties are stripped from their social status and position to get on an equal playing field to fight each other. As such, I don't have the power or duty to interfere with the duel between Young Master and Sir Neumann”

“Hmm, I suppose that's how it is, right?”

“Yes”

“Well, then what about you teaching me swordsmanship during the month left until the duel?”

“Do you mean if I taught you, Young Master Lloyd?”

“Mhm”

“I don't want to”

“Why?”

“Because I'm not personally inclined to”

It was an honest answer.

Whatever happened he was just his guard.

He had no duty to teach swordsmanship to a rowdy young master he didn't particularly like.

And he might go around causing bigger trouble if I pointlessly teach him how to wield a sword.

Thus, he felt more strongly that he shouldn't teach him.

So he wondered why the young master, who he just sharply turned down, had on a wicked smile.

“Really?”

“...”

Something felt off.

Javier felt an ominous feeling spread throughout his body. Lloyd's expression toward him was disquieting. His eyes somehow looked like they knew something about him. His smile seemed to say Javier would move as he intended.

In the end, the ominous feeling he had became a reality.

“If you give me lessons on swordsmanship…”

Lloyd's eyes glinted.

“I will cure your insomnia”

Lloyd brightly smiled.

“How about it?”

“...” Javier swallowed drily without Lloyd knowing.

Chronic severe insomnia.

It was his hidden weakness and secret that had been torturing him for several years now.