Chapter 149: Construction Guideline (1)
One day later. Lloyd, Javier, and Solitas returned to Frontera county. The trip was a breeze, thanks to Solitas, who teleported both of them with his magic. All they did was step out of the dungeon, stand out of the disruptive magic circle’s influence, and allow Solitas to transport them to their destination. Then, after some flashes, crackles, and momentary pangs of nausea, a familiar scene appeared in front of
“Welcome to Frontera county,” Lloyd said.“Please, follow me this way.”
Lloyd then guided Solitas to Corgidus, the dwarf master. As soon as Lloyd saw Corgidus, he immediately requested Solitas for a place here.
“Excuse me, master Corgidus,” Lloyd called.
“Why are you here? I am swamped with work,” the dwarf curtly replied.
“Of course, I understand that you’re busy. But this affair pertains to what I have told you before,” said Lloyd further.
“What you have told me before?” Corgidus, who was clanging his metal hammer aloud at length, said as he lifted his head. When he saw Solitas behind Lloyd, he raised his brows.
“I have never seen that face around here before,” he continued. “Is he-”
“Yes, he is the one,” said Lloyd. “You have accepted my request before, right? My request about how I asked you to take up an apprentice.”
It really was the case. Lloyd succeeded in persuading Corgidus in advance prior to leaving for the dragon dungeon. With expensive wine and delicious snacks in his embrace, Lloyd groveled as he drank together with the dwarf. And he made sure to inflate Corgidus’s pride as a master until the atmosphere ripened and Corgidus became a happy drunk. Lloyd then sneakily asked for a favor, how there is this young man who is very clumsy with his craft. He asked the dwarf if he could help this unfortunate youngster to get better. But of course, Corgidus flatly turned him down. Corgidus said that he despised the mere thought of having an apprentice under him. It was a fruitless and bothersome endeavor.
But Lloyd’s response to Corgidus’s rejection was unusual. With a solemn look on his face, Lloyd spoke straightforwardly and explained that this young man was actually a dragon. And the fiefdom was in need of that dragon’s help. But it can only happen if the dragon was properly compensated with a reward, which was the teachings of the master, that is, Corgidus. It was rare for Lloyd to be this forthright, but it worked. No, who knows, maybe it was Lloyd’s usual propriety and cap-in-hand attitude toward Corgidus that worked. Nevertheless, Corgidus accepted the offer. This was the event a few days ago.
“So… the one who stands behind you is the gentleman you mentioned the last time?” Corgidus said.
Corgidus knew that Solitas wasn’t a human but a dragon, which was the race that was almost an enemy because it had enslaved a legion of dwarf masters in the distant past. Just then, a glint of naughtiness appeared in Corgidus’s gaze.
“So, to borrow the expression of this young master, I heard that you are a helpless clumsy fellow, eh?” teased Corgidus.
“…”
Solitas nodded, his cheeks blushing red. But it was a mystery why it happened. It could be because of the truth bomb Corgidus just hauled at him. Or it could be because of the shameful reality that he had to stoop down to become an apprentice of a dwarf. Or it could be out of the awkwardness of being in a place other than the dragon dungeon. No one knew except for this dragon himself. Whatever the case was, Solitas behaved with courtesy and gentleness, which was surprising.
“Yes, and I came here prepared,” Solitas said. “I am ready to lay aside my pride, so please teach me.”
“It wouldn’t be easy even for the master to deliver the man from the curse of clumsy hands. Expect to be scolded, as it will happen a lot,” warned Corgidus.
“I expected nothing less. No, I expect nothing less,” said Solitas.
Going out on a date and getting married. Solitas had made the resolution to be humble to live a life of a happy dragon. He was willing to bear the brunt of learning from the dwarf. And besides, this figure was set to save him from the misery of being a poor craftsman. Solitas thought that this dwarf deserved to be treated as his master.
“Good,” said Corgidus.
A content smile appeared in between his beard. From that day on, Solitas became an apprentice to Corgidus. He was made to spend in the latter’s lodging and learned to process the jewels. Of course, the process involved all sorts of scolding. Nagging was an everyday event. There were also times when Corgidus reamed Solitas out so much that the dragon teared up. But Solitas never ever talked back to his master. He instead quietly put more effort, softly comforting himself that all of these were for getting into a relationship. Overcome this, and it was farewell to forever single. And because he stayed quiet and wordless, nobody knew that he was a dragon, minus Lloyd, Javier, and Corgidus. The rest of the people in the fiefdom simply regarded him as a red-haired young man who learned things from Corgidus with daily scolding and nagging. Anyway, Lloyd was relieved after he saw that he had successfully recruited Solitas.
It was complete. I have the laborers, stones, and sludge treatment for the sewer construction. Every element is in place.
The sewer had to be constructed before the winter. That was the only way to prevent the spread of the infectious disease that would plague the whole fiefdom the following spring. So with that determination in mind, Lloyd swung into action and knuckled down to design the project. But before that, he didn’t forget to upgrade his design skills.
This project covers a vast area. No. It’s super vast as it’s happening across the whole fiefdom.
As such, the current intermediate-level design skill wasn’t enough. He needed to improve his skill to design the whole place in one go.
Designing is quite different from surveying. For the latter, I can attain topographical data by simply looking around the place several times even if the range is limited. But it’s not the case with the design. The data doesn’t get picked up automatically. I’ll have to design everything one by one.
But if the design range was narrow, Lloyd had to stop midway when he was designing very well.
To analogize, it’d be like the difference between automatic and manual transmission. Surveying gathers the data all by itself once I use the skill. But the design requires me to manipulate the data laboriously one by one. It’s like pressing the clutch each time I change the manual transmission.
In actuality, it was more laborious than what he described. What was worse was that the design was prone to error when the design skill is used more frequently.
Even a tiny mistake is impermissible to this project. The moment the waste water leaks from the sewer, I’m done for.
Once it does, it will seep into the underground and contaminate the underground water. Then, it would be the start of the epidemic, a reenactment of what Lloyd had seen in the Ending Spoiler.
I can’t let that happen. So, I should level up since it’s been a while since I did.
Thinking that leveling up may be more convenient and reduce the possibility of making mistakes, Lloyd opened the skill window and selected the design skill in the list.
Ding Dong.
A detailed information of the design skill appeared.
[Intermediate Design: Lv 6]
[Volume of structure that can be projected at once: 729,000㎥]
[Skill Options: ① Map Printing ② Floor Plan Marking (2D) ③ Simulation Mode]
[Required RP to level up: 200]
I’m already at intermediate level 6.
Lloyd didn’t invest his RP to level up. But because he had finished several large-scale construction projects, the skill leveled up on its own.
Okay, time to splurge my RP now.
The job involved spending a large amount of RP, which was as precious as gold and his own blood. Lloyd breathed in and out first before clicking on the “Skill Level Up” menu.
[You are leveling up the design skill to <Intermediate Level 7.>]
[Required RP to level up: 200]
[Current RP: 4,070]
[Proceed and level up the skill?]
[YES / NO]
Of course, it’s a yes.
As soon as Lloyd nodded…
Ding Dong!
A message appeared along with a pleasing dinging noise.
[Skill Level Up!]
[Intermediate Design: Lv 7]
[Volume of structure that can be projected at once: 1,000,000㎥]
[Skill Options: ① Map Printing ② Floor Plan Marking (2D) ③ Simulation Mode]
[Required RP to level up: 220]
He leveled up, and the design range increased. But he didn’t intend to stop with this.
Duh. I should do it right while I’m at it. That is until my level is raised.
Since he was investing anyway, he might as well do so until his class increases and he gets a new optional skill. Soon, the level reached 7 and 8 and until 10. And when he invested 280 RP once more, the message Lloyd finally waited for appeared in front of his eyes.
Ding Dong.
[Skill Class Level Up!]
[Your skill class has reached
[A new skill option has been made available following your change in skill class.]
[Advanced Design: Lv 1]
[Volume of structure that can be projected at once: 3,375,000㎥]
[Skill Options: ① Map Printing ② Floor Plan Marking (2D) ③ Simulation Mode ④ Construction Guideline]
[Required RP to level up: 500]
[Current RP: 2,870]
Perfect.
Lloyd clenched his fists. The design’s volume was four times wider, which set him back about 1,200 RP. But Lloyd now had a new optional skill.
Optional skill is important. What is this? Construction Guideline?
Lloyd opened the window to learn more about the optional skill.
[Skill Option 4: Construction Guideline – The blueprint you have designed is marked in the actual terrain in the form of the guideline. This guideline will be visible not only to the designer but also to the workers on the site, and the workers will learn in real-time whether they are faithfully adhering to the blueprint (The Construction Guideline is synced to ② Floor Plan Marking (2D.).]
What the heck?
Lloyd read the description once again, and that enlightened him a little more about what this new optional skill could do.
So, the floor plan marking only I could see will previously be visible to the workers from now on. At the same time, they will receive immediate notice whether the construction is taking place according to the blueprint.
Lloyd thought this skill was something. If it could do just what the description said, the work efficiency will jump to a whole new degree. Expectant, Lloyd rose up and stepped out of bed.
Let’s see what it does.
Lloyd made for the training hall, and he saw Javier training hard under the searing sun all alone. He called for him.
“What brings you here at this hour?” said Javier.
“Why else? I came to see you,” said Lloyd.
“…”
“What? Why? What? What’s so dissatisfying that you’re narrowing your eyes and glaring at me like that?” blurted Lloyd.
“I just can’t trust you.”
“Trust me?”
“Yes,” Javier said. “I am simply wondering what underlying motive you have this time.”
“Oh, are you trying to tell me that we’re the kind of people who never talk unless we want something?” asked Lloyd.
“Obviously,” Javier said as he wiped his forehead with a towel and folded it in half. “Please tell me what business you came here for.”
“All right. Shovel the ground for me,” said Lloyd without beating around the bush.
“Excuse me…?” Javier paused and cocked his head to the side. “You want me to shovel, young master?”
“Yeah,” Lloyd confirmed, “Here, take this first.”
Dazed, Javier took the shovel. Then, Lloyd spoke to Javier.
“Will you please dig up here?” said Lloyd as he pointed at the center of the training hall.
Javier frowned a little before he said, “Why are you telling me to shovel the center of the training hall out of the blue? Could you please at least tell me why?”
“Nah, I can’t.”
“…”
“Dig and you’ll find out. Just dig now. Trust me.”
“Whew.”
Javier sighed at length. He was actually gaining focus on his personal training after a while. The lessons he had learned from the battle against the red dragon were returning to him in the process. But here came this small-hearted young master disrupting him with his absurd instruction.
I should finish it quickly.
Javier decided to finish it fast because he had to do it anyway. Fixing his posture and grabbing the shovel, Javier got into action. He even harnessed the Asrahan Core Technique.
Crash!
It was the shoveling of a sword master. Even when the force was light, the shovel’s head penetrated the ground very deeply. It was like Javier was scooping rice from a bowl of bulgogi rice with his spoon. Much to his surprise, Javier caught a streak of “line” in the ground sometime later.
Eh?
This line was blue and straight, drawn horizontally across the ground. But it looked strange no matter how hard he perceived it. It wasn’t a dye. It wasn’t a thread, either.
It’s light.
It was bright blue light. However, Javier could not identify its source. And since it was light, he couldn’t even erase it if he touched it with his shovel.
What’s happening…?
Flustered, Javier turned and looked at Lloyd. But the latter simply instructed with his gaze to keep shoveling.
“You see a mark, no? Will you keep digging following the line?”
“…”
Curious, Javier maneuvered his shovel to check what it was. He kept digging on and on, following the visible blue line. Later, an outline started to form with the blue line. He then dug following the outline. A shape, which the line formed, appeared. It turned out to be a cube, taking up a huge space in the ground. It was 6.5 x 6.5, and its volume was 8㎥. And so, his efforts of digging up the earth to the light resulted in a sleek, perfect cubic hole.
“What on earth is this?” asked Javier. The question came out of him involuntarily. Lloyd, who was looking down at Javier on the ground, spoke.
“It’s a construction guideline,” he said nonchalantly.
“Excuse me?”
Javier tilted his head in confusion.
From then on…
“So, what I’m saying is…”
Lloyd flapped his lips to tell a preposterous lie, and he chuckled as he looked at Javier. Javier was staring at him. And just then, for some mysterious reason, it dawned on Javier that Master Lloyd was always the same and unchanging. In moments like these, he always told white lies.