On the day Barco announced his statement, Roman sought out his father.
He spoke directly, “I intend to intervene in the war between Barco and Lawrence in the name of Roman Dmitri.”
Baron Romero’s body stiffened.
Just moments ago, he had been sipping tea, but now he looked at Roman with fierce eyes. “Do you know what that means?”
“Yes.”
“Did you say that knowing what it means? The war between Barco and Lawrence is a legally sanctioned conflict approved by the central government. If you had married Lawrence’s daughter, you might have had a reason to intervene as a relative, but now we have no justification. If you are thinking of helping Lawrence out of mere whim, then stop right there, for it could bring disaster upon our family.”
He slammed the teacup down hard.
The trembling beard of Baron Romero revealed his anger. ‘I thought he had matured with his recent actions.’ Intervening in a war was no simple matter.
The central government held absolute power in the Kingdom of Cairo, and especially a fight without justification was a sure path to ruin.
Such was the world of nobility.
In the days when he was a commoner, one could act according to their whims without issue, but managing and operating a territory was a different matter altogether.
The moment Roman decided to intervene in the war between Barco and Lawrence, the nobles in the northeastern region would sever ties with the Dmitris in an instant, and in the worst-case scenario, the central government might send troops to suppress the Dmitris.
At least the reputation and wealth of the Dmitris would help mitigate the situation, but even so, it was a dangerous choice.
Roman asked, “Father, how do you wish for me to live my life from now on?”
“What do you mean by that all of a sudden?”
“My intention to intervene in Barco’s war is not a matter of mere whim. I have recently experienced an unfortunate incident. The eldest son of the Barco family, Anthony Barco, threatened me over my marriage to Flora Lawrence out of jealousy. I have no evidence to prove that day’s events to you. However, I have come to this realization: while people say that the Dmitris are the real power in the northeastern region, Barco already considers us beneath their feet.”
Roman’s voice was calm.
He spoke at a measured pace, emphasizing the necessary points.
It was strange.
His son, whom he had watched over all his life, was now presenting a peculiar atmosphere that tightened Baron Romero’s heart, instantly reversing the anger he had just displayed.
“You are a blacksmith, Father. On the surface, you wish to establish yourself as a noble, but in truth, you possess strength and wealth yet take no action. You are likely content with the current state of affairs. But I, Roman Dmitri, am different. I seek power, and I will not stand idly by while anyone, be it Barco or anyone else, tarnishes the name of Dmitri. The justification is ample. Just as Barco created a justification to declare war without one, for those with power, justification is merely a game of words.”
He looked up at his father.
A new life.
He still felt adrift in a vast sea.
But one thing was certain: even in a situation where he did not know what to do, the identity of Baek Jung-hyeok remained unchanged.
He had to live a life of dominance.
He did not look far ahead.
Not to the end of the sea, but to the immediate threats before him, like sharks.
He would bring them down.
He would tear off the fins of the sharks and prove he was still alive with their flesh and blood.
“I do not ask for the power of the family. I simply wish to express my thoughts to you, Father, hoping you would watch over what I do. I will intervene in the Barco dispute not as the heir of Dmitri, but as an individual, Roman Dmitri. So please, watch me. The actions I take from now on will be the way I choose to live my life.”
It was a one-sided declaration.
He did not expect his father’s support.
However, he understood that at least some form of tacit agreement was necessary.
Roman recognized the truth that his strength stemmed from the Dmitri name, and he did not shy away from that truth.
He acknowledged that to make the most of what he had, he needed the approval of Romero Dmitri, his father.
“... Ahem.” Baron Romero showed signs of being taken aback.
Roman.
His painful finger was swelling day by day.
Looking directly into Roman’s eyes, which showed determination, Baron Romero realized this was not something he could dissuade.
Roman had blossomed.
The Roman who had lived like a dog, called the fool of Dmitri, had awakened to the fact that he was born a beast.
In truth, he had dreamed that such a moment would come someday.
He was of humble birth.
Ultimately, unlike himself, who was satisfied with a small territory, he hoped his sons would surpass the limits of their status.
Silence lingered.
Baron Romero, who had been silently watching Roman, finally spoke with a determined expression. “Do as you wish. And if there is anything I can help with, let me know. You are my son, and I, Romero Dmitri, am the father of Roman Dmitri. Whatever you do, you will not bear the full responsibility alone.”
That was enough.
His father had said what Roman wished to hear.
He did not need his father’s help.
He had planned to handle everything alone, but if he were to receive assistance, there was only one thing he needed.
That was the weapons to arm his soldiers.
Thirty soldiers.
He could not send them into battle unarmed.
All material support, like the money given to the soldiers, came from his father, so he spoke honestly about what he wanted.
Then, Baron Romero readily agreed to help. “Go find Hendrick, the master of the forge. If you say it’s my request, he will support you with everything you need.”
Master Blacksmith.
He was the symbol of the Dmitri family.
In the past, Baron Romero had handled all matters as the master of the forge, but after receiving his noble title, Hendrick, who had worked alongside him, took over.
Hendrick was a renowned craftsman recognized by Cairo.
Therefore, as the master of the Dmitri family, he was responsible for all iron production.
Roman had long wanted to meet this man.
As soon as he parted from his father, he headed straight to the forge, and before long, familiar sounds filled the air.
Clang! Clang! Clang! The Dmitri forge was a place of blazing fire, operating day and night.
The blacksmiths were vigorously hammering metal with their muscular arms, and such scenes stretched endlessly around them.
The Dmitri forge was the largest in the Kingdom of Cairo.
There were as many as thirty workshops where multiple blacksmiths could work simultaneously, all categorized as the street of blacksmiths.
It was impressive.
Seeing this space clarified how Dmitri could amass such immense wealth. ‘The reason Dmitri is strong is that their wealth comes from their own skills.
The iron mine behind the territory has the largest deposits in the kingdom, and the Dmitri blacksmiths possess the technology to sell the iron they mine at high prices.
Therefore, the nobles in the northeastern region of the Kingdom of Cairo would never want to sever ties with Dmitri.
Simply put, not being able to procure Dmitri-made iron weapons in the Kingdom of Cairo would be a critical issue in itself.’
He moved forward.
A few blacksmiths noticed Roman’s presence.
Although the heir of Dmitri had appeared in the forge, no one dared to greet him first.
It was not a matter of reputation.
Baron Romero had once said, “My son, the blacksmiths of Dmitri are proud individuals. They are not the type to show blind loyalty just because you were born into the Dmitri name. Only those who can see and handle iron with skill can truly earn the trust of the blacksmiths.”
For that reason, Roman’s younger brothers had lived in the forge.
In particular, the second son had ambitions of succession and was so passionate that he would go to the master to learn skills.
In contrast, Roman had never even approached the forge.
Sweating and grappling with iron was hard labor, and as a noble who sought only pleasure, it was an unappealing task.
The cold reception from the blacksmiths was expected.
Roman walked silently and finally arrived at his intended destination.
“Did you come looking for me?” Hendrick, a middle-aged man with a dark complexion, looked out with a sweaty face.
Upon confirming that the visitor was Roman, his expression twisted in surprise. “Why have you come here?”
Hendrick, the master of the forge, judged people in two categories: those he liked and those he did not.
Naturally, Roman Dmitri fell into the latter category, and even more so, he was included in the ‘very disliked’ group. ‘What is this brat doing here?’
Once, there was a time when Roman was led by his father to visit the forge.
Back then, Hendrick had been eager to teach the eldest son of Romero, but he soon grew tired of Roman’s constant whining about not wanting to do dirty work.
If that had been the end of it, Hendrick might not have hated him, but there was a decisive incident that caused Roman to fall out of favor with Hendrick.
That day, Roman needed money.
After being denied pocket money by his father, he secretly visited the forge to earn some entertainment funds.
He then stole a sword that Hendrick had painstakingly crafted and sold it to a street vendor for a pittance.
Naturally, Hendrick had every reason to explode with anger.
He beat Roman mercilessly in front of Baron Romero, who did nothing to intervene as it was his eldest son being punished.
From that day on, Roman became an object of hatred for Hendrick, and he even disliked the idea of speaking to him.
Thus, when Roman asked Hendrick for weapons for thirty soldiers, Hendrick naturally did not show a good attitude. “Take those over there in the corner. That should be enough for thirty soldiers.”
In the corner of the forge, there were piles of weapons and armor. ‘Just because they are made of the same iron doesn’t mean they are all good weapons and armor.
Those are failures made by apprentice blacksmiths, but Roman Dmitri has no eye for judging good iron anyway.
He’ll probably be happy just to take those failures with him.’
He understood it was a request from Baron Romero.
However, he still did not want to do anything good for Roman.
Remembering the day he lost his masterpiece, he still wanted to slap Roman’s face.
This was the extent of it.
Handing over such trash was the best he could do for Roman.
Frankly, he thought that since he was Romero’s son, this was the least he could do.
“Are you telling me to take those?”
“Yes.” Roman examined the condition of the items.
There was no need for a detailed inspection.
If Hendrick remembered Roman, there would be no problem, but the Roman infused with the spirit of Baek Jung-hyeok was different.
Roman said, “My father told me to take good weapons and armor to arm my soldiers. Is this truly the best you can offer, Master Hendrick?”
“Best? Nonsense. If you’re not satisfied with that, get out of my forge right now!”
“Master Hendrick.” With a snap, Roman picked up a sword.
He then reflected the blade in the light and looked directly at Hendrick, saying, “So the reputation of Dmitri iron as the best in Cairo is just a facade, is it? To present such trash as armament for soldiers. I will ask again. Do you truly believe this is the best you can offer, Master Hendrick?”
His sharp response was something Hendrick had not anticipated.