Chapter 188. The greedy man’s good deed (1)
A few days have passed.
During those few days, Lloyd lived every day the same.
After dinner, we climbed the back of a camel.
It swayed steadily on the camel’s back.
I had to see similar desert landscapes all day long.
Then, when the moon tilted westward and morning came, they got off the camel’s back.
Half asleep, I ate breakfast and went to sleep in the shade of the camp.
And when evening came, I climbed back on the camel’s back.
Just like that, every day was the same.
After a few days like that, change finally came.
The desert that I saw every day.
It was thanks to seeing a different scene from him within a few days.
“This is Kandara, the central city of Kandahar Province.”
“….”
A female bodyguard assigned by the Sultan himself.
Lloyd pricked up his ears at Serazade’s story.
nice to ask
“So you have reached your destination?”
“You could do that.”
“Whoa.”
Lloyd caught his breath.
Did you finally arrive at your destination?
It was nice.
happy.
‘I guess I’ll be fine with the camel’s back for now.’
He suddenly remembered the past few days.
It must have been the day after signing the construction order contract with the Sultan in Ahinsha.
I had to greet the people sent by the sultan early in the morning.
The journey to Kandahar had to be hastened.
In the meantime, he explained everything to the special envoys who were confused because they did not know the reason.
So, I hurriedly left Ahinsha.
I had to enjoy the feeling of exploring Antarctica on the back of a camel for several days.
‘No matter how cold the desert night is, I didn’t expect it to be that cold.’
Lloyd’s shoulders trembled inwardly.
desert. camel.
Everyone who hears those words will think of hot heat.
Lloyd also came up with such an image when deciding on his journey to Kandahar.
It was the same on the day of departure from Ahinsha.
From now on, we will cross the extremely hot desert.
But I also wondered what to do because there was no sunscreen.
But those worries were unfounded.
It wasn’t just Ki Woo-in, it was as stupid as drinking a one-shot of kimchi soup that hadn’t been warmed up.
It was because the aspect of the journey was the exact opposite of what was expected.
‘On a hot day, I set up camp in the shade and rested. Then, when the sun went down in the evening, we set off and moved all night.’
As the sun went down, the temperature in the desert plummeted.
At the same time, the happiness index on this side also drew a downward curve.
It was cold.
It was cold enough to age.
Besides, how the wind blows.
It reminded me of the cold weather training in the military.
It was also to the point where I missed the old long padding that I used to wear every winter in Korea.
‘Anyway, since I arrived safely like this, I’m saying goodbye to that kind of cold for the time being.’
It was Lloyd who didn’t like the cold from the start.
I was glad to arrive at my destination just by being able to escape the cold.
“So, are you going to stay here for a while?”
Serazade nodded at Lloyd’s question.
“I will. Come this way. Let’s take you to the lodging first.”
“Oh there. then….”
“Do you have any questions?”
“Anyway, at the inn, that person….”
“Feel free to call me Serazade.”
“Ah then Miss Serazade? Are you escorting me at the inn by any chance?”
“That’s right.”
“Hup.”
“Are you sure you’re staying in the same room?”
“As expected.”
“….”
“Why are you like that?”
Serazade has been staring at us for some time now.
Her black pearl-like eyes were burdensome.
Lloyd expressed his feelings frankly with a wry smile.
“I am a little embarrassed. Apparently, that person is a woman.”
“I am fine.”
“…I’m not okay.”
Lloyd’s bitter smile deepened.
“I want to have a comfortable stay at the dorm. I want to change my clothes comfortably and look a little less. Apparently, if Miss Serazade stays with you, that’s a bit….”
“But the great and all-powerful Sultan has entrusted Lloyd’s safety to me.”
“If it’s my safety, Lord Asrahan will protect me.”
“….”
Serazade’s eyes moved.
The silver-haired knight Lloyd pointed out.
Xaviel was there.
“As I introduced you on the day of departure, this is a knight who originally escorted me from my territory. Sir Xaviel Asrahan. His personality is a little chilly, he hits the stomach with harsh words, and he’s a little bit better than me.
“I know. It was an honor to accompany the rumored young sword master like this. Although he seems to be a lot more handsome than Mr. Lloyd, not just a little bit.”
“…Mmm yes Anyway, since Sir Astrahan is here.”
“So?”
“At the inn, I would like to hand over my escort to Lord Asrahan.”
“Are you forcing me to disobey the orders of the great and almighty Sultan?”
“Um, not that.”
Lloyd felt embarrassed.
Is it because the escort warrior Serazade’s attitude is so resolute?
Of course, there were reasons for that.
But there was a bigger reason.
‘Sultan is a very shameless person than he looks. anyway it is Do you openly attach your daughter as an escort like this?’
Serazade.
In words, he was simply an excellent escort warrior.
Even though it was a woman’s body, it was also said to be one of the best swordsmen in the desert.
So, you can trust and be safe.
In addition to her sharp swordsmanship, she would be the best escort thanks to her delicate and meticulous points unique to women.
Did the Sultan even praise it himself and give it to himself?
But Lloyd knew.
It was thanks to reading the novel Iron Blood Knight.
One of the Sultan’s daughters was named Serajad.
Just before the Sultan commits suicide.
He was one of those who fought to protect the besieged tower.
Did you say she was the most talented female swordsman in the desert?
Thanks to this, unlike ordinary desert princesses who cannot leave the palace for the rest of their lives, she said she was able to come and go outside the palace from a very young age. It was said that he blossomed his talent under the special permission of the Sultan.
However, it was mentioned in the novel that no one except the sultan and his closest aides knew that she was the sultan’s daughter or the desert princess.
‘That’s why I’m still openly using my real name and moving. Until now, no one would have guessed his true identity. Not to mention, since I’m a foreigner, I’m sure you think you won’t know more.’
In general, desert princesses are thoroughly shrouded in a veil.
Her face and even her name were unknown outside the court.
‘But what to do? i read the novel I knew right away that she was the Sultan’s daughter from the first day I was introduced to her.’
The sultan who attached his daughter as an escort.
A daughter who insists on escorting her even at the dorm.
Seeing that, it was Lloyd who had a rough feeling.
‘Oh again. again The tentacles are coming. That’s it.’
be my son-in-law
It seemed that the Sultan’s cry could be heard.
In fact, it wasn’t the first time Lloyd had experienced it.
‘It was in Cremo. you will be my son-in-law It was the same in Namaran. Please accept my daughter. If the king’s sister had a daughter, she might have heard that. you take my daughter Whoa. But now, is the sultan of the enemy country jumping into the ranks of full-fledged father-in-law candidates?’
I couldn’t even believe it myself.
The girls don’t seem to be interested in this.
How is it that he is so popular with only the father-in-law candidates every time?
‘Am I the type to be loved by the old men?’
A sudden realization.
Why do sad tears form in the corners of my eyes?
Lloyd laughed with a feeling of liberation, as if brushing off a secret (?) sadness.
Then he looked at the sultan’s daughter Serajad.
“yes. It means breaking the order.”
“….”
“it’s okay. When I go back to Ahinsha, can’t I report the lie to the Sultan? Miss Serajade devoted herself day and night to protect me.”
“of course….”
“Please don’t say no.”
“….”
“Right now, I have the level of Intermediate Sword Expert. To be honest, Miss Serazade is not in a position to risk the crowd for escort.”
“But I….”
“I know. Sword Expert Advanced. So your senses will be at their peak. But what should I do? As I said earlier, Lord Asrahan here is a sword master.”
“….”
“If you can prove that you can provide a more thorough escort than a sword master, you can stay at the same inn. But if not, I want to be guaranteed freedom in the accommodation. I don’t want to bother Miss Serazade either.”
“Are you serious about that?”
“Yes, I am serious.”
“….”
Serazade’s black pearl-like eyes shimmered faintly.
tear?
It wasn’t.
It was a fire of rage.
So Lloyd was content with himself.
‘good. Hate me more.’
You must hate this one.
Only then will the strategy of becoming the sultan’s father-in-law fail spectacularly.
In the first place, this side has no interest in becoming the son-in-law of the sultan or the princess of the desert.
‘I just want to suck honey for the rest of my life living an affluent, ordinary, and small life.’
Lloyd smiled, holding the same longing for a hot iced Americano.
She shamelessly received Serazade’s staring gaze.
Shrug.
blown the finish
“Then, please guide me to the inn. Of course, Miss Serazade should also find a place to stay separately.”
“….”
The desert princess turned away without answering.
As requested by this side, I moved to the inn.
His gestures seemed rougher than usual.
But he didn’t care.
So, I was guided to the accommodation and unpacked.
Before Serazade could catch up, Xaviel and I quickly left the dorm.
no i was going to
“Are you sure you were trying to bully me?”
“…Uh uh ha ha ha.”
Serazade just ran into him in the hallway in front of the dorm door.
Could it be that he had expected and waited for this action?
It seemed like that.
Lloyd smiled awkwardly.
“Did you wait here long?”
“No not so much. I just came too.”
“Then, do you intend to accompany me from now on?”
“Yes, of course.”
Serazade replied as if it were natural.
That’s the problem, Lloyd thought.
‘Oh, that’s annoying.’
I’d like to get rid of it if possible.
In particular, you should start surveying and the like right away.
‘I hate being stuck like that all the time. It’s burdensome.’
Whether it’s actually Serazad trying to escort himself.
Or to make friends according to the sultan’s order.
Either way, it was embarrassing.
I didn’t feel like making friends.
Besides, it was also true that when I was actually doing surveying and other work, it was nerve-wracking and disturbing to concentrate.
‘It’s Xaviel, we’ve been together for so long, so we’re used to it now. It’s because when I’m surveying, it’s sensitive to my gaze, so it sits in a direction where it won’t get in the way.’
But what about Serazade?
no such experience
You probably don’t even know what measurement is.
Of course, you should also put aside the expectation of being cared for by her.
‘I hate that.’
He wanted to finish the project he had won from the Sultan as soon as possible.
Only then will the envoy and the sultan negotiate.
He himself will finally be able to return to the Prontera estate.
It is like enjoying the second act of true life sucking honey.
‘That’s why we have to finish the qanat construction quickly. survey? Of course I have to do it quickly.’
But what if someone wanders around and gets in the way?
It will take that much time.
The day we return to the Prontera estate.
Even on days when you enjoy a life of sucking honey to your heart’s content.
It will be delayed even further.
‘I absolutely hate it.’
Lloyd shook his head inwardly.
And he shook his head vigorously.
What excuse could he use to get rid of Serazade?
Should I just ask Xaviel to knock him out?
Or should I lock it up somewhere?
‘no. that’s a bit though. What if I did that and later told my father, Sultan? Whether it’s a son-in-law, a construction contract, or whatever, neither a mouse nor a bird might die.’
He shook his chilling shoulders.
After thinking about it for a while, I finally came up with an idea.
“Miss Serazade. Shall we talk for a minute?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I don’t think this is a story to share while standing in a hallway like this. If it’s okay, can you come inside for a minute?”
With a smile, he guided Serazade into the dorm.
Anxiety flashed in her eyes.
Until recently, this person was so reluctant to enter the dorm.
But now, he says he has a story to share and asks him to come inside.
“….”
she went inside
And then I saw
The way Lloyd winked at Xaviel.
The look in your eyes telling you to wait outside the dorm door.
‘Hmm.’
Guided inside the accommodation.
Following Lloyd’s gesture, he sat down on the sofa.
Serazade’s eyes deepened slightly.
Suddenly, the Sultan’s name came to mind.
Did you say you wanted to make that man your son-in-law?
So, did he tell you to capture him by any means, even by catching his weakness?
“….”
The opportunity came earlier than expected.
This is the moment when you can have a conversation just for the two of you without interruption or intervention.
Sensing, Serazade made up his mind.
This is your chance to be recognized by your father.
You will be able to make up for the sadness of not being born as a prince.
‘If I could make that man mine.’
I will accept any amount of friendly conversation.
She looked at Lloyd with determination.
So that he can respond in a friendly way to what he is about to say.
So that we can improve our awkward relationship with each other at this time.
So that you can buy that man’s crush.
fully prepared.
But that was the moment.
“Concrete should use high-strength concrete with high compressive strength to improve adhesion with PSC members and reduce cross-sectional dimensions, and for this purpose, the water-cement ratio (W/C) should be as small as possible and workability should be improved.”
‘…uh?’
Lloyd opened his mouth.
Out of nowhere, he started uttering strange, grotesque noises.
‘what?’
I wanted to ask.
What are you trying to do?
But I couldn’t ask.
“The maximum size of the coarse aggregate used in the production of PSC must be determined within the range where concrete can be filled tightly around the PS steel sheath reinforcing bar, etc. In general, 20mm or 25mm is the standard.”
“….”
Without realizing it, I felt numb.
I’m sure I’m just listening to what that man is saying.
Strangely, however, my eyelids became heavy.
‘Strange.’
Is it because I can’t sleep normally?
Because it reached the level of advanced sword expert.
From that day on, I became too sensitive to all sounds.
‘Cause I can’t fall asleep
with one poison.
With willpower alone.
Is it because I endured and endured?
Have I forgotten the feeling of a good night’s sleep?
So, is this sudden drowsiness welcome?
‘now…I can’t fall asleep.’
My whole body became languid.
In my ears, Lloyd’s strange incantation sounded like a heavenly song.
“It is recommended that the compressive strength of concrete when applying prestress to members be 350kgf/cm2 or more in pre-tension and 300kgf/cm2 in pot tension. Both methods…blah blah…It must be 1.7 times or more of the maximum applied stress…Sssssssssla…28-day compressive strength…Yali Yali Yalasheng…It should be 350kgf/㎠ in the pre-tension member…Blah blah….”
“…Quickly.”
In the end, Serazade, who couldn’t hold on (?) fell asleep quickly.
A smile of repentance formed on Lloyd’s lips.
‘The bullying operation succeeded.’
Now just get a good night’s sleep here.
Then I will go
