The day Kevin received Roman's summons, his family was busy cleaning up their house, which had been turned into a mess after escaping the threats of Blood Fang.
"Those damn bastards. They completely wrecked our home," Kevin's father, Clark, muttered.
"But at least we’re back home, aren’t we? If it weren’t for Young Master Roman, who knows what would have happened to us," his wife, Michelle, replied.
Back then, the Clark family had been living through hellish days.
They had lost all their wealth due to usury, and every day, rough men would come, shouting and turning their home into chaos.
Clark’s face was constantly bruised from the violence, and Michelle would often collapse to the floor, crying her heart out.
Even in such a situation, they gritted their teeth, determined to protect their daughter.
A single transaction.
The dream of a farmer who wanted to cultivate his own land had turned into a nightmare when they encountered a vicious criminal organization.
"... But is it true that Young Master Roman defeated Blood Fang? The Roman we know doesn’t seem like someone capable of such a thing. Kevin has been going on about how amazing Young Master Roman is, but I’ve heard things that make it hard to believe," Clark said.
The past few days had been unbelievable for Clark.
Not only had Roman Dmitri saved Kevin, but he had also gone to Lawrence and defeated Blood Fang.
The nightmare was over.
Hans, Roman’s representative, had come to take care of the Clark family, allowing them to return home.
To them, Roman was a benefactor.
Yet, doubts lingered because their only son had left home to follow Roman.
The fool of Dmitri.
Knowing how that reputation had formed, they worried whether their son’s life was worth dedicating to such a man.
Michelle spoke up, "The truth doesn’t matter to us."
She crouched on the floor, picking up the shattered pieces of dishes.
The broken fragments were a stark reminder of the painful times they had endured.
"Like the rumors say, the Dmitri family might have orchestrated the incident to manage Young Master Roman’s reputation. But the important fact is that we received his help. If Young Master Roman hadn’t helped us, who knows what would have happened to us at the hands of Blood Fang. So, the truth doesn’t matter. We owe him a great debt, and no matter what the world says, we must live with gratitude toward Young Master Roman for the rest of our lives."
They trusted Roman.
Just the fact that they had received his grace made Michelle cautious when mentioning his name.
The person their son would follow.
The basis for trust was solid.
Michelle, too, was willing to do anything for Roman.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
"Is anyone home?" a man’s voice called from outside.
The Clark family tensed up.
Memories of rough men barging into their home resurfaced, and they feared a repeat of those events.
But when they opened the door, they were greeted by a warm smile.
Hans smiled and said, "By Young Master Roman’s orders, I’m here to guide you to your new home, where you’ll be living from now on."
Hans’s words were like a lifeline from heaven.
They were stunned.
The sight before them left Kevin’s family speechless.
"... Are we really supposed to live here from now on?" Clark’s voice trembled.
It was nothing like the shabby house they had lived in before.
A beautifully constructed wooden house stood before them, and Hans, with a smile, added, "Of course. Young Master Roman’s gift doesn’t end here. He plans to lease some of his land to you, Mr. Clark. There’s no rent. Young Master Roman promised Kevin that he would take care of his family, and this house and land are part of that promise."
A house and land.
It was a dream they had longed for all their lives.
In an instant, that dream had come true.
Clark, suppressing his emotions, spoke cautiously, "We’ve already received a great debt by having Blood Fang defeated. But why are you showing us such kindness? If this is some kind of price for sacrificing my son, I can’t accept it, even if it’s gold and jewels. Please, tell me the truth."
Roman’s gift.
It was excessive.
Kevin was just an ordinary boy, and he knew he didn’t deserve such a grand reward.
Why? They couldn’t understand why they were being treated so well.
Hans smiled.
"I can’t fully understand Young Master Roman’s intentions either. But one thing is certain: he plans to raise Kevin as his own man. That’s the only reason for this reward. Because Kevin is his man, he wants to ensure that even his family can live in peace."
"... I see."
It still didn’t make complete sense.
But Hans’s smile and the fact that Roman intended to raise Kevin as his own man eased their anxious hearts a little.
Hans soon left.
For a while, the Clark family stared blankly at the house before collapsing to the ground and bursting into tears.
A proper home.
How desperately they had struggled for just this one thing.
The moment it was realized, Clark hugged his wife and daughter and wept uncontrollably.
For a while, their tears wouldn’t stop.
And soon, news of their situation began to spread throughout Dmitri.
Rumors spread.
The Clark family from the slums had successfully entered the city.
"Did you hear the rumor?"
"What rumor?"
"That Clark family. The ones who got into trouble with Blood Fang over usury. They were summoned by Roman Dmitri and entered the city. Now, the rumor is they even received land for free."
"Really?!"
The man was shocked.
Entering the city was a symbol of rising social status.
Those without special wealth had no choice but to live in the slums outside the city.
Just a short while ago, the Clark family had been worse off than most, yet now they had successfully entered the city.
At first, people didn’t believe it.
They thought there was no reason for Roman Dmitri to treat the Clark family so well.
But as time passed, more and more people claimed to have seen the Clark family in the city.
"The rumors are true. The Clark family is not only living in a beautiful wooden house on the outskirts of the city, but they’ve also been given land to farm. I saw it with my own eyes, so you can believe it."
"Life is truly unpredictable. The Clark family, who almost lost everything to usury, has turned their lives around in an unexpected way. And lately, Young Master Roman’s actions have been quite surprising. Before, all we heard was that he caused trouble, but now he’s defeated Blood Fang and even brought the Clark family into the city as his own people. He’s definitely changed."
Roman.
Once again, he was the center of the rumors.
The fact that simply following him could lead to a rise in social status changed how people viewed him.
Kevin was just an ordinary boy.
If he could receive a house and land just for swearing loyalty, then it meant others could have the same opportunity.
Perhaps that’s why, as the story of the Clark family spread throughout Dmitri, people began to say that becoming Roman Dmitri’s man could turn your life around.
The rumors weren’t wrong.
The results spoke for themselves.
But some, still held back by the reputation of "Dmitri’s fool," spoke negatively.
"Tsk tsk tsk, those fools. After living in Dmitri for decades, they’re getting carried away by baseless rumors. Does Roman Dmitri seem like the kind of person who would treat his people so well? The defeat of Blood Fang and all that—it’s just a scheme by the Dmitri family. Just wait and see. It won’t be long before Kevin shows up before us with a dead look on his face."
Back then, the negative comments still held some weight.
And not long after, an event occurred that would completely overturn Roman Dmitri’s reputation.
After the social party at Varko’s, Roman returned to his territory and said, "Take a three-day vacation."
"... A vacation?" Kevin blinked in surprise.
A vacation.
And for three whole days.
It was something he couldn’t easily accept.
For the poor, there was no such thing as a vacation.
On sunny days, they had to work, and only when there was no work or the weather was bad could they rest at home.
So, the word "vacation" felt foreign to him.
Not knowing what to do, he looked up at Roman with a blank expression.
Roman, as if it were nothing special, said, "Resting well is also part of training. You’ve worked hard, so go spend some good time with your family."
"... Understood."
And so, Kevin received his vacation.
He was dazed.
Having been cut off from the outside world and focused solely on training, the idea of returning to his family felt unfamiliar.
It was funny when he thought about it.
Kevin had lived with his family his whole life.
Yet, after spending just a short time with Roman, his shadow had taken up a significant place in Kevin’s life.
‘What is Young Master Roman’s true nature?’
Roman Dmitri.
He was like an onion.
When facing enemies like Blood Fang, he showed no mercy, but to his own people, he was excessively generous.
Yet, he wasn’t always warm.
He was clear about boundaries, and when he moved with a purpose, he didn’t blindly show favor to his own people.
A man with clear lines.
That was Roman.
Kevin didn’t know what Roman’s true nature was, but he realized one thing for sure.
Before leaving for his vacation, Hans approached him and said, "Are you going to see your family looking like that? Young Master Roman has prepared clean clothes for you. Wear these when you meet your family. And if you want to buy gifts for them, you’ll need money, right? From now on, you’ll receive a monthly salary of 30 silver coins. Use that to buy gifts, indulge, or just have a good time."
Clean clothes and money.
Roman’s gifts.
Kevin was overwhelmed.
Truly, Roman was a meticulous person.
Even though he often appeared cold, he always knew exactly what Kevin needed.
‘What his true nature is doesn’t matter.
My lord values me.
That’s reason enough to follow him.’
A smile broke out on Kevin’s face.
He went to the shower, washed up, and changed into the clothes Roman had prepared.
The texture was completely different from the rough clothes he usually wore.
The soft fabric felt almost luxurious, and as the silver coins jingled in his pocket, he began to feel excited about seeing his family in his new appearance.
At that time, Kevin didn’t know what had happened to his family.
Just as he had changed into clean clothes, his family was now living a life different from before.