"Trash."
Hendrik's eyebrows shot up at the remark that pricked the pride of a craftsman.
"I can assure you that Dmitri Mountain iron boasts the highest quality in the Cairo Kingdom. Yet, you, who have never even broken a sweat in front of a hot forge, dare to evaluate Dmitri Mountain iron?"
His voice rose in anger.
The items evaluated by Roman were indeed trash that wouldn't even be considered low-grade in Dmitri.
However, he disliked the fact that the one making the statement was Roman.
In Hendrik's memory, Roman was a hopeless human being, and his face flushed with personal emotions.
"If it weren't for the request of your father, Baron Romero, I would not have given you anything at all. Roman Dmitri, you are the eldest son of the Dmitri family, who has taken up blacksmithing as your lifelong profession.
While your younger brother, Rodwell Dmitri, worked under me for years doing menial tasks to inherit the family legacy, you wasted your time on the roadside, coveting the fair skin of women without any purpose. Do you understand what that means? It means that you, Roman Dmitri, are the true trash, irredeemable, rather than those items scattered on the floor.
Though their quality may be poor, if they find a master, they will fulfill their role, but you, as the eldest son of the Dmitri family, are trash who knows nothing and can do nothing."
It was a sharp insult.
The essence of Dmitri lay in the forge.
The eldest son of a family that denied and ignored this could not earn the respect of the workers who had toiled to build the family with their blood and sweat.
'Is it this situation again?' Hendrik thought.
This was a man he had never seen before.
Though his face was not in Baek Joong-hyeok's memory, he was venting his anger towards Roman Dmitri based on his own experiences, not prejudice.
It felt familiar.
Although he had not spent a long time as Roman Dmitri, he had learned that no one showed friendly feelings from the start, no matter where or who he met.
There was only one exception—Hans.
Hans had devoted himself to Roman, and for that reason, he took him into his fold without any special reason.
'I understand Hendrik's reaction.
If the eldest son of Dmitri shows no interest in blacksmithing and comes to evaluate when he has a purpose, it would be natural for him to feel upset.' He understood the other person's thoughts and feelings.
Hendrik's anger was entirely justified, but there was one thing that bothered Roman as he faced that anger.
'Master Blacksmith.
The real power of Dmitri, the craftsman who oversees the forge.
He deserves respect, but looking at the current situation, the story changes.
He is not denying that the items I evaluated are trash; he is angry because the one being evaluated is Roman Dmitri.'
Leaving aside the relationship between Hendrik and himself, this was a separate issue.
Thud.
Roman picked up a sword that lay on the floor.
He walked outside and held the sword up to the sunlight.
"I do not fail to understand Master Hendrik's anger. However, this sword, simply reflecting sunlight, shows that the process of making it was uneven in the transfer of power. It is likely the result of an inexperienced blacksmith's poor hammering. Therefore, this cannot be called Dmitri Mountain iron. Master Hendrik cannot deny this fact, so instead of pointing out the word 'trash,' you chose to blame me, did you not?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Master Hendrik."
He cut off the conversation.
Roman swung the sword a few times in the air and then looked at Hendrik with a stiff expression.
"Just now, one of my soldiers died because he could not cut through the enemy's flesh with this trashy sword. The uneven blade could not slice cleanly, and the soldier, unable to pull the sword stuck in the muscle, was left in shock as the enemy's sword took his head. How unfair is that? He did his best to survive, but because of a trashy lord who gave him trash, he had no choice but to die."
Thud! He threw the sword down defiantly.
This time, he picked up a piece of armor and showed it to Hendrik.
"Why do you think Master Hendrik wears armor? If it can protect the body from an enemy's attack even once, then the heavy weight of the armor is worth bearing. However, the soldier wearing this chain mail that I supplied was betrayed by the armor he trusted and was killed. He believed that the tightly woven pieces of iron would protect him, but the experimental piece made by an unknown blacksmith failed to block the enemy's attack. Holes were pierced, flesh was torn, and entrails spilled out between the chain mail."
"What on earth are you saying?"
"Do you still not understand my words?" He understood the people's prejudices.
He knew that because the former owner lived like trash, he too had to endure prejudice.
However, Hendrik had crossed a line.
In his personal emotions, he did not realize what he had done.
"I asked Master Hendrik to equip my soldiers with weapons and armor. If you could not recognize that those items scattered on the floor are trash, my soldiers might have entrusted their lives to trash without knowing anything. This is not simply a matter of personal revenge. It is a matter involving the lives of thirty people, and even knowing that, Master Hendrik turned a blind eye to the truth. Then can you truly say you are Master Blacksmith, the craftsman representing Dmitri with confidence? You almost caused innocent people to die because of your personal feelings towards me!"
"…!"
Hendrik was taken aback.
Roman's words were correct.
However, Hendrik had not thought that far.
He simply did not want to give Roman good items, and he had not thought that it would lead to the death of soldiers.
"I had no such intention!"
"Intention is not important. Weapons and armor have a clear purpose, and anyone can predict the consequences of giving out such trash. That is why I asked not in the name of Roman Dmitri, but in the name of my father, Baron Romero. I asked for the best weapons and armor possible. And the result is the trash you see before you."
Thud.
He kicked the iron pieces scattered on the floor.
Seeing the iron pieces collapse, Hendrik finally realized the mistake he had made.
"Can I take this action as an act of defiance against my father?"
Defiance.
In that moment, Hendrik felt his mind go blank.
The line that Roman had thought of.
Hendrik's attitude was not the problem.
Master Blacksmith held enough power to reprimand the eldest son of the Dmitri family, but the moment he handed over 'trash' to Roman, who had come seeking him in the name of Baron Romero, Roman thought he had crossed the line.
Roman respected Hendrik.
He was a diligent worker, and if he thought about the future of the family, it was necessary to build a friendly relationship with him.
However,
"I know how Master Hendrik thinks of me. I believe you simply did not want to give me good items, rather than thinking of defying my father. The problem is that even that alone constitutes defiance. Master Hendrik, I came to you with my father's permission. It was not a personal request; the lord of this land commanded me to ask for good weapons and armor."
Cheonma.
Baek Joong-hyeok lived his life as a ruler.
Having governed various people, he maintained one principle in any situation. 'Hierarchy.
The moment the line between lord and vassal becomes ambiguous, the hierarchy and order collapse due to that relationship.'
Even the loyal vassal, even the vassal who seemed like a friend, the moment they crossed the line, Baek Joong-hyeok would deliver a cold and strict punishment.
It was no different now.
Even knowing how important Hendrik was, the moment he crossed the line, Roman spoke the reality to him.
Thud.
Up to here.
Roman pressed down on Hendrik's head.
"I will ask again. Can I take your actions as an act of defiance against my father?"
"…Defiance? That is absolutely not true!" Hendrik shouted desperately.
Master Blacksmith.
He had worked for decades to earn that title.
Baron Romero was not only the lord of the Dmitri family but also his friend, and once they had burned with passion together in front of the forge.
Hendrik respected Baron Romero as a craftsman.
Though he could not visit the forge much now due to his duties as a noble, Baron Romero was the best craftsman in Cairo, as recognized by Hendrik.
Therefore, Hendrik swore loyalty.
He thought it was acceptable to swear loyalty to Baron Romero, who genuinely understood and cared for blacksmiths.
At that moment, the surrounding blacksmiths gathered at Roman's high voice.
Initially, they did not grasp the situation, but their expressions turned grim at Roman's subsequent words.
"If it is not defiance, then explain. Why did you give me such items?"
"This brat."
"How dare you to Master Hendrik!"
The blacksmiths were furious.
The sight of a young brat confronting Hendrik was infuriating.
Their anger erupted.
The blacksmiths were ready to charge at any moment.
As a dozen burly men surrounded Roman, the atmosphere turned ominous, as if violence was about to break out.
There is a saying in the world.
Even the wicked Blood Fang would not touch the blacksmiths of Dmitri.
Blacksmiths wield weapons like swords, and there have been cases where a mere quarrel led to the disbandment of the organization itself.
In this tense situation, Roman remained calm.
He was neither flustered by the blacksmiths' threats nor did he react sensitively.
He simply looked at Hendrik.
In his gaze, seeking an answer, the patience of the blacksmiths reached its limit.
"I do not know what is happening right now, but I can no longer stand by and watch the Dmitri fool dare to confront Master!"
"Subdue him!"
"Yes!"
Hendrik was like the sky to them.
As the blacksmiths charged in unison, Hendrik, who had remained silent, finally spoke up.
"Stop!"
"…Master!"
"I said stop."
Hendrik's expression hardened.
He could not understand the situation.
The Roman he remembered was different from this.
He had the discernment to recognize iron, the guts to question the hierarchy, and the courage to stand tall even when the blacksmiths were yelling at him.
Yet, the Roman before him was bold.
Even in the moment just before the blacksmiths charged, Roman stood his ground, looking at him without taking a step back.
'One thing is certain.' Hendrik said.
"I'm sorry. This incident is entirely my mistake."
The accusation of defiance.
Hendrik took a step back.