The nobles attending the party had all met Roman before.
He used to hang around with Varko and often showed up at parties, always with a flushed face and acting foolishly, which made many people look down on him.
Naturally, the nobles gossiped about Roman.
They didn’t know the exact reason for the broken engagement, but judging by his usual behavior, they couldn’t see him in a good light.
But when Roman appeared, everyone held their breath.
It wasn’t just because of the Dmitri family’s influence.
The person they saw was completely different from the Roman they knew.
“Is that really Roman Dmitri?”
“He’s so different from before.”
In their memories, Roman was an unimpressive man.
His short stature made him look even smaller, and his rough skin completely ruined his image.
His gait was also frivolous.
Knowing that Dmitri’s second son was different from Roman, there were even rumors that Roman’s lowly origins made it impossible for him to hide his vulgarity.
But now, he was completely different.
Roman’s steps were calm, and his broad shoulders and muscles, which couldn’t be hidden even by his clothes, made him look imposing.
His skin was especially clean.
In the past, his face was full of blemishes that drew attention, but now his milk-white skin, black eyes, and red lips stood out beautifully.
Lastly, his luxurious outfit was the finishing touch.
The black attire with golden embroidery accentuated Roman’s charisma.
Murmurs spread through the crowd.
“Was Roman always like this?”
“Absolutely not. He used to be shorter than me, but now he’s clearly taller.”
The nobles whispered among themselves.
In the past, Roman had tried hard to dress up and win people’s favor, but he never exuded the same aura as he did now.
It wasn’t just a difference in appearance.
It was the difference in the aura that comes from one’s life experiences.
Roman’s life, which had been marked by failure, had always shown through his frivolous appearance.
Roman and Baek Joong-hyuk had lived different lives.
Baek Joong-hyuk, who had stood at the peak and looked down on others, had an aura that immediately captured attention, regardless of his appearance.
A person’s appearance was an important factor.
At first, everyone had planned to avoid Roman, but seeing his changed appearance, they felt the urge to approach him.
Perhaps that was why.
Several nobles stepped forward to greet Roman.
The first to approach was a woman.
She had asked other nobles about Roman and, seeing how different he was from his reputation, couldn’t resist her curiosity.
“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Sophia from the Grisel family.”
Roman stopped walking.
His calm gaze turned to Sophia, who added with a slightly embarrassed expression, “You might not be familiar with the Grisel family. My father, Baron Grisel, has served the Cairo Kingdom for generations. It’s not a prominent family, but it has a long history.”
Sophia was the daughter of a lower noble family.
They had settled in a small, remote area, and their standing in the kingdom was so low that many didn’t even know the Grisel family had inherited the title of baron for generations.
The reason she could attend Varko’s party was because of her beauty.
Her beautiful appearance and status as a noble’s daughter were enough to earn her an invitation from Varko’s eldest son.
Perhaps that was why.
Sophia explained her family background.
Being from a lower noble family hurt her pride, and she felt the need to explain herself to anyone she met.
In contrast, the Varko and Dmitri families were different.
They didn’t need to explain themselves.
Not knowing their names in the northeastern part of the Cairo Kingdom was akin to not being a noble at all.
At that moment, Roman spoke.
“The Grisel family? Of course, I know them. As a noble of Cairo, how could I not know the name of a family with over a hundred years of history?”
“You… really know the Grisel family?”
Sophia’s eyes widened.
She had only intended to have a brief conversation with Roman, but she never expected him to know about her family.
‘Is he just pretending to know?’
Doubt crept in.
It wasn’t uncommon.
Not recognizing a noble family was considered rude, so some would pretend to know even if they didn’t.
Roman must be the same.
Otherwise, how could he know about the Grisel family, which had never made a name for itself in the remote regions?
But then Roman continued.
“I remember my father once explained about the Grisel family. They’ve settled in the northeastern region for a long time, and the timber they produce is renowned for its quality in the Cairo Kingdom. That’s why their family crest is a large tree with spreading branches, right? I also heard that your younger sibling recently succeeded in mana resonance. I sincerely congratulate them on their achievement.”
“Ah!”
In an instant, Sophia’s doubts crumbled.
Now she was certain.
Roman truly knew about the Grisel family, and she didn’t need to explain herself further.
People are fickle.
Just the fact that Roman recognized the Grisel family made Sophia think, ‘Maybe Roman Dmitri isn’t the man the rumors say he is.’
The first conversation at the social party.
It was the moment when the gazes of those watching began to change.
Two weeks earlier.
When Roman expressed his intention to attend the social party, he made an unusual request to Hans.
“Hans. From now on, gather all the information about the families located in the northeastern region. I want to know which families are in the northeastern part of the Cairo Kingdom, their family crests, and any recent events. To attend the social party, I need to know the backgrounds of the people I’ll meet.”
It was an unexpected request.
But as always, Hans didn’t question it and gathered all the information Roman wanted.
And Roman read the information whenever he had time.
It was a tedious task.
Memorizing the crests of families he didn’t know and reading about people he had never met.
But Roman knew it was necessary.
‘I’m not an ordinary commoner.
As the eldest son of the Dmitri family, I’m representing my family at Varko’s social party.
So, I need to show at least some courtesy.
I need to know which families the people I meet belong to and how those families have maintained their lineage.
As someone who’s been labeled the fool of the Dmitri family, I need to put in the effort to win people’s favor.’
When he had reached the peak of the demonic sect, Baek Joong-hyuk had studied the role of a ruler.
In a world of survival of the fittest, strength was the most important value, but his experience had taught him how crucial it was to remember names when building relationships.
Thousands, tens of thousands of subordinates.
When he called out the names of those he had never spoken to before, they were willing to lay down their lives for him.
It was funny.
Just by remembering their names, people would shout Baek Joong-hyuk’s name and say they wouldn’t hesitate to give their lives for him.
‘Relationships between people start with the smallest things.
Those who know me as the fool of the Dmitri family will have preconceptions from the start, but if I remember and acknowledge their names, their attitudes will change.
To receive attention, you must first give attention.
Since I’ve decided to live as Roman Dmitri, I need to put in the effort.’
Sophia Grisel.
Roman didn’t know her.
But when she approached him and introduced herself as a Grisel, Roman remembered everything.
‘The Grisel family…’
Their crest.
Their history.
And even the recent events that had happened to them.
From that moment on, the nobles who had hesitated began to flock to Roman, drawn by the warm atmosphere between him and Sophia.
The party grew lively.
And at its center was Roman.
“It’s an honor to meet the eldest son of the Bolt family. Of course, I know about the Bolt family. Didn’t Viscount Bolt achieve great feats on the battlefield in the past? I read about it in a book and thought I should strive to be as unashamed as Viscount Bolt when I go to the battlefield.”
“How is your mother doing? I heard she’s been suffering from an illness recently. She should take extra care of her health as the weather gets colder.”
“Was it about ten years ago? The Dmitri family gained a lot from a deal with the Heros family. My father always spoke of how much consideration the Heros family showed us, so I’m also grateful to them.”
Roman.
He had once been at the peak of the demonic sect, wielding absolute power.
People said it was because of his immense strength, but strength alone wasn’t enough to rule perfectly.
The qualities of a ruler.
Roman understood the importance of social skills.
Simply remembering others and creating an environment where they could speak freely was what made the foundation of power solid.
Varko’s party.
The flow was different from what he had expected.
At first, he thought the fool of the Dmitri family would be ostracized, but with his changed appearance and his ability to remember names and offer compliments, the nobles naturally flocked to him.
Those who didn’t know Roman began to like him, and those who did know him saw him in a new light.
Over a decade.
Roman’s reputation had been built layer by layer.
Even after being rejected in his engagement, he had been treated as the cause of the problem.
But now, with just a few words, he melted the atmosphere.
One noble said, “It seems I’ve misjudged you, Lord Roman. I always thought you were too drunk to have a proper conversation, but I had no idea you could be so interesting and pleasant! I hope the Bolt family and the Dmitri family can maintain a good relationship.”
The Bolt family.
Just because Roman had praised his father, the noble’s face turned red with joy as he laughed heartily.
The atmosphere had shifted.
No one spoke ill of Roman anymore.
Even those who had just been criticizing him were now subtly approaching him, laughing and chatting together.
Dmitri.
The powerhouse of the northeastern region.
Roman had always been carried by the Dmitri family’s influence but had never been treated well.
The reason was that, even as the eldest son, his chances of inheriting the family were slim, and his frivolous nature made people want to avoid him.
But now, it was different.
Roman, who had changed from the outside, knew how to handle people, and in the warm atmosphere, people finally realized his position.
Roman was the eldest son of the Dmitri family.
If he was truly this capable, there was no harm in getting close to him.
At that moment, a servant from the Varko family pushed through the crowd and approached Roman.
“Lord Roman. Our young master has invited you to the private chamber.”
The servant’s young master.
There was only one person it could be.
Antonio Varko.
In the awaited meeting, Roman excused himself from the nobles around him and said to the servant, “Lead me to the private chamber.”
Now, it was time to uncover the truth about Roman, the truth that would touch his own heart.