Mike patted the stone bricks at the corner of the wall, his voice filled with genuine pride.
"My lord, to be honest, it might not look all that 'grand.'
But it keeps out the wind, holds off the cold, stops thieves and bandits, stands up to battle, and bears the weight of snow."
He pointed to the edge of the gate. "I had the men wrap the base of the walls in three layers of stone brick. They're solid as can be. The gate's reinforced with thick cold iron plating, too. A few blows won't even dent it."
Then he gestured toward the roof with his chin. "Those red tiles are mostly decorative. At least from a distance, people won't mistake this place for a livestock pen."
Listening to Mike, Louis recalled the plans he had drawn and nearly laughed aloud.
Mike continued, "As for those wooden beams and carvings... heh, I had a few laborers spend three days and nights carving them. They don't mean anything, but they make the place look respectable."
He spoke casually, but there was no hiding the smug little note in his voice.
"You did very well. I really like how it looks," Louis praised him frankly.
Mike scratched his head and grinned.
"Come along, my lord. Let me show you the real substance inside." With that, Mike led Louis into the castle.
The moment Louis stepped inside, warmth washed over him, a stark contrast to the biting wind outside.
The air was warm and pleasant, making him relax without even realizing it.
The temperature inside the castle seemed to shut out the bitter cold of the Northern Frontier.
And all of it was thanks to that specially designed Hot Spring geothermal heating system.
Mike explained, "My lord, this is the Hot Spring geothermal