Chapter 165. Undercover (1)
“Lloyd-sama, something big happened.”
“what?”
Xaviel opens his mouth with a serious expression.
An old fluorescent lamp at midnight glowing dimly behind such a guy’s back.
Lloyd got up from the creaking single bed.
He rubbed his sleepy eyes and asked.
“What is it?”
“I don’t think I will be able to pay for the entrance exam.”
“…huh?”
what the heck is that
As soon as I heard it, I woke up right away.
I raised my head.
What you see is the scenery of an old alcove in Gosiwon.
Xaviel was standing against the background of the yellow wallpaper.
It was a transcendent sight.
Then, Xaviel opened his mouth with a more serious expression.
“In addition, starting today, the price of triangular gimbap at convenience stores is all set to rise to 100,000 won per piece.”
“hey. What are you talking about now?”
“I am not kidding. It’s government policy. It has just been announced as an official major issue by the United Nations. In particular, I heard that Lloyd-sama’s favorite Jeonju bibimbap taste will go up to 150,000 won.”
“hey? are you insane now See this?”
“I am sane. It is all because of him.”
Xaviel pointed at his back with a serious face.
It was then.
Click.
The old door opened and a person dressed in dark clothes entered the small room of the gosiwon.
It was Mr. Cannavaro, a philanthropist whom I had seen during the day earlier.
“Nice to meet you. See you first? I am the new secretary of the Gosiwon.”
“…yes?”
“I heard that you are going to be late for the exam this month, so I think you should move out of the room.”
“No, what is that….”
“Besides, I thought you wouldn’t be able to get a scholarship because your grades were a bit short? Ha ha ha!”
“Wait a minute?”
What kind of situation is this?
Am embarrassed.
And it’s scary.
Why am I in a gosiwon?
Why are Xaviel and Cannavaro-san looking at me like that?
What have I been through so far? What is Frontera territory? I am? Who is Lloyd Frontera?
I got goosebumps all the time.
‘Oh, no! wait for a sec! no!’
shouted urgently.
Does this make sense?
Where in the world is there such a law?
I wanted to scream as if I was pleading.
But the cry did not come out of my mouth.
I couldn’t utter a sound, as if I had been pressed by scissors in a terrible nightmare.
If it hadn’t been for the hand that suddenly came and shook my shoulder at that moment, I would have been pressed by the scissors all the time.
“Mr. Lloyd?”
“…Eww!”
“Are you okay?”
“…!”
Lloyd opened his eyes.
As soon as I got up, I raised my upper body.
The top-of-the-line bed didn’t even creak.
Instead of dim fluorescent lighting and yellowish wallpaper, I could see shimmering light and a luxurious interior.
The iron-blooded knight holding a candlestick in the faint light.
“Habiel?”
“yes. That’s me. Are you okay?”
“I am….”
“You seem to have had a bad dream. You were being held down by scissors.”
“….”
crazy. It was a dog dream. It’s pretty nasty too.
Lloyd let out a sigh of relief.
It was really vicious even for a dog dream.
It was so real.
Thinking back, it made my teeth tremble.
He shook his head, shaking off the traces of drowsiness and unpleasant dreams.
“by the way. When did you come?”
“I just came. I have something to tell you.”
“You’re not trying to say that the price of triangular gimbap has risen, are you?”
“…What is triangular gimbap?”
“That’s what you just said in your dream.”
“Did you see me in your dreams?”
“uh.”
“Is that why you were crushed by the scissors?”
“uh.”
“….”
“Anyway. What can I tell you?”
“It’s about Mr. Cannavaro.”
“Has there been anything suspicious?”
“Rather than explain…See for yourself.”
Xaviel unpacked the bundle he was carrying on his back.
Four sets of clothes came out of the bag.
A fairly thick coat.
Three comfortable tops worn underneath.
The colors and shapes were different, but they had one thing in common.
that’s right….
“Dragon head lion pattern engraved with embroidery. where did you get this Could it be that you stole it from Mr. Cannavaro’s house?”
“no.”
Xaviel shook his head.
“I bought it at the market.”
“what?”
What are you talking about?
Xaviel’s words continued.
“It’s been since I left here during the day. As Lloyd-sama asked, I investigated Mr. Cannavaro’s mansion, starting with the distribution center inside the castle gate where he was. I even dressed up as an ordinary passer-by and observed his behavior.”
“Did you cover your face too?”
“yes. Roughly.”
“so?”
“As is customary in wealthy people’s homes, there was an area in his mansion that was magically guarded against entry, but I was able to tour roughly all of the rest. I was able to keep an eye on Mr. Cannavaro’s behavior as well. but….”
“but?”
“For half the day, I could not find any suspicious behavior from Mr. Cannavaro. No, it was the opposite.”
“Was it the other way around?”
Xaviel’s expression became subtle at this question.
“His actions were full of only good will and good deeds. To the point where I think he might be the most benevolent person I’ve ever seen.”
“I only watched half a day?”
“Of course, it wasn’t for a long time. But he…After working at the distribution center, she nursed patients in her mansion. I mean the sick and the whole body rotting away.”
“so?”
“The patient carefully wiped the foul-smelling pus from his body for half a day. Without raising an eyebrow.”
Xaviel spoke slowly of what he had seen.
It was still good in my eyes.
It wasn’t something a normal person could do.
How many people in the world would willingly do such a thing for a stranger, not a family member or friend?
How many people will not lose their benevolent smile without a single hard expression all day long?
“It was amazing. I felt a sense of skepticism. About my own petty behavior of tailing such a wonderful person and prying her back. Then I found it.”
“Which one?”
“Some of the patients I was caring for wore clothes with these patterns on them.”
“so?”
“I pretended to be a volunteer and tried to talk while changing bandages. In the middle of talking about this and that, I hinted at it. They say that this pattern engraved on the clothes is cool. Then the patient replied that it was just clothes sold in the market.”
“At the market?”
“yes.”
Xaviel cast his gaze at his clothes.
“It was true. Some vendors were selling that.”
“So you bought them all?”
“no. I just bought some. There seemed to be dozens of suits that I saw in the market. This pattern is as common as it is.”
“Whoa.”
Lloyd let out a deep breath.
That pattern is commonly engraved on clothes sold in the market.
If so, the story is different.
He frowned between his eyebrows and let his brain run at full speed.
‘Dragon head lion pattern was this the market mark edition? It’s a goal. But I’m sure Cannavaro is the head of the warlocks here.’
It was like that in the novel Iron Blooded Knight.
It was so certain that it was not worth denying.
So I can’t back out here.
The background investigation should continue.
‘Because there is no guarantee that the author will move exactly like the novel. Because it’s definitely likely to show something different. If you try to stop it according to the contents of the novel, you may end up in a mess.’
If you lose weight, you win 100 times.
The more you do this, the more you have to look at the enemy’s trend.
You must gather information with the momentum not to miss even the number of forks placed in the enemy’s house and the color of the underwear you wear.
So what if you catch the number of cases?
What if we find clear evidence that Cannavaro is plotting evil?
Immediately, he should inform Count Namaran of the truth.
Then the count will have him arrested.
With that plan in mind, Lloyd said.
“So you’re sure you don’t want to stop investigating Xaviel?”
“of course….”
“no. continue.”
“But Mr. Lloyd.”
“I have a feeling. There must be something.”
“….”
“You can’t believe me?”
“yes.”
“Only in times like this do you answer quickly?”
“You must be mistaken.”
“It’s not an illusion.”
“….”
“Trust me. I know you don’t like doing background checks on someone, but I’m doing this just in case.”
“Are you talking about one in a million?”
“uh. In any case, if my feelings are true, it won’t be a loss to our territory.”
It’s true.
Of course, to prevent the Namaran situation.
In addition, it may be a way to discover hidden threats in the future.
“So it is an order. Continue your investigation.”
“Usually, at times like this, I would elicit the impression of the listener through a sincere request instead of an order.”
“why me?”
“….”
“I know you will listen if I give you an order, but why do you tirelessly persuade or ask for something?”
“….”
“If it’s black, you have to.”
“Whoa. I didn’t mean to wake you up earlier.”
“You’re going to keep pushing me?”
“You take it for granted.”
With a click on his tongue, Xaviel rose from her seat.
“Then I will go.”
It was before the words were even finished.
At some point, Xaviel’s figure disappeared like the wind.
The only traces left are the candlestick he left behind, the window that was opened before I knew it, and the fluttering curtains.
Seeing that, Lloyd unknowingly stuck out his tongue.
‘As expected, the sword master is amazing.’
This one, too, has reached the expert intermediate level.
Even so, I couldn’t properly sense Xaviel’s movement.
I couldn’t even properly recognize the disappearance.
It seems that there is no need to worry about the work entrusted to him.
‘Then, shall I do my own work in the meantime?’
Lloyd closed the open window and sat down at the desk in the dorm.
Let’s leave the pursuit of the black magician to Xaviel for the time being.
In the meantime, let’s prepare the time and space we received from Count Namaran.
Thinking so, I opened my design skills.
♣
Several days have passed.
In the meantime, Lloyd had detailed plans for this construction.
‘As expected, the best thing would be to use a stake and an anchor as I thought before.’
The sandstone slopes that support this city.
It wasn’t just about reinforcing the surface.
It seemed that a strong support base had to be created by driving stakes and anchors into the deep ground.
But then there was a problem.
‘I need to make an anchor.’
An anchor to drill numerous holes in the cliff face and drive into the bedrock.
It wasn’t something that could just be done by inserting a rebar.
Logs and bamboo were even worse.
An anchor made in a modern style was definitely needed.
‘That’s how the anchor is firmly fixed to the inner surface of the hole drilled on the slope. It needs to be properly fixed to transmit power from the bedrock to the surface, preventing the cliff from flowing down.’
So it was.
After completing the design to some extent, Lloyd went to Count Namaran.
“I would like to introduce you to the best blacksmith in this city.”
“You mean the blacksmith?”
“yes.”
Lloyd explained the outline of the construction and anchor he thought.
In particular, while explaining the anchor, he showed the drawing he had drawn in advance to the count.
“This item is absolutely necessary for this construction. To do that, you will need the help of a skilled blacksmith.”
“To make this anchor?”
“yes.”
The anchor he devised was in fact closer to the ‘Wedgelock Bolt’ used in the field in Korea.
As for how that works….
‘There’s a big nut at the end of a long, cylindrical rod. Push the rod all the way through the hole drilled into the bedrock. And if you turn the nut on the end of the rod and throw it away? As the nut digs into the rod, it stretches the outer surface of the rod. As the rod thickens, it bites firmly into the inner surface of the hole.’
It was literally like a magic wand that gets thicker as you turn the nut.
‘Anyway, to make it, the nut’s spiral groove must be dug properly.’
A spiral groove like a screw.
Only a skilled blacksmith can make it exactly the way you want it.
‘But I can’t call the elder Cogidus.’
The dwarf blacksmith will be hammering iron to be used in the construction of the bee apartment complex today. It was impossible to bring him here by force.
“So it is. The city needs the best blacksmith. Otherwise, you won’t be able to do the work properly. If the construction is not done properly, the cliff will crumble. The Count will be sad when the cliff collapses. If the Count becomes sad, won’t my happiness index draw a strong downward curve?”
“haha? is it?”
“yes.”
“It’s worth seeing.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sure, I will introduce you. The best blacksmith in our city.”
“thank you.”
“Anyway, while the contract was written, what is gratitude? I will tell the magistrate, so follow him.”
Hearing the count’s big laugh, he withdrew from the office.
Waiting in the hallway, after a while the count’s administrator came. Following the guidance of the administrator, they left the mansion. passed through the city. I passed countless times by ordinary citizens under the ordinary early autumn sun.
In the meantime, Lloyd looked carefully in all directions.
‘I have to gather at least one clue.’
Is Xaviel doing well?
He hasn’t come back for days.
Are you digging behind Cannavaro’s back?
It was around the time when I was passing through the city square with the magistrate, thinking so.
“Whoa. They say that these days there are too many people at the food distribution center and it’s a mess, so that’s true.”
The administrator who was walking ahead trembled.
Indeed, the number of people flocking to the food distribution center in the plaza was far greater than before.
Lloyd asked, feeling puzzled.
“Did more refugees come in?”
“Oh, I heard that’s not the case.”
“sure?”
“I heard that in the last few days, a stunning beauty has started volunteering at the distribution center.”
“Beauty…You mean?”
Lloyd tilted his head.
Could it be because of this reaction?
The administrative officer spattered with a somewhat excited face.
“Actually, I haven’t even seen it myself. However, I heard that there is no such thing as a world-class beauty. Did you say that you have such a neat beauty that even the stars and the Milky Way in the sky make you feel jealous? ha. Maybe that’s why even those who are not refugees flocked to the distribution center.”
“You mean to see that beauty?”
“Why not?”
The administrator shrugged.
Then, isn’t it to look at this side with a coy eye?
“While you’re talking about it, how about we stop for a moment and take a look? If Gongja wasn’t too busy….”
“….”
how will we do it.
Lloyd was also curious.
Are you curious about the beauty of the beauty that the administrative officer praises so much?
It wasn’t.
‘Maybe it’s a clue related to the warlock.’
At this point when the Namaran situation was scheduled, a woman of unparalleled beauty appeared.
It was something that had never happened in the novel Iron Blooded Knight.
For some reason, there was an odd corner.
Lloyd nodded.
“Okay. Let’s take a look.”
The mouth of the magistrate caught in his ears.
I joined the crowd at the distribution center with him.
With memories (?) of Sindorim Station on the Seoul Subway during commuting time, they mobilized all their skills, such as digging in with their shoulders, breaking in, and making space naturally by rubbing against each other with their buttocks.
Thanks to that, after struggling for a while, I was able to cut my way through the crowd.
The scene of the distribution center came in at a glance.
Where everyone’s eyes gather.
There was a beauty there.
A plain apron.
But her eyes were shining like the morning stars.
The neat, straight silver hair itself was like the Milky Way.
The peerless beauty holding the ladle with such a dazzling appearance is….
‘Javiel?’
At least, Lloyd almost stabbed his eyeball with the finger he was rubbing around his eye.
