The rumors spread quickly.
The shocking news that Lawrence had defeated Barco.
Whenever people in the northeastern region gathered in small groups, they naturally talked about the events that had taken place in Lawrence.
"How frustrating it must be for Barco. After all that chaos, to lose to Lawrence."
"But is it really true? I heard Roman attacked the enemy's rear alone and slaughtered hundreds of soldiers in one go."
"Of course it's true! You know my relatives are from Lawrence, right? They told me that from the top of the city walls, they witnessed Roman appearing like a savior for Lawrence. In a dire situation where the walls might collapse at any moment, Roman Dmitri attacked the enemy's rear alone and cut down Barco's soldiers. Moreover, he even destroyed Flare, completely turning the tide. If Roman hadn't shown up, Barco would have already planted their flag on Lawrence's land!"
The rumors were a mix of truth and fiction, much like the legendary tales passed down through generations.
Just as the two men chatted, people in the northeastern region praised Roman's achievements from all corners.
"This war started with Roman Dmitri and ended with Roman Dmitri. This is something only those who were there know, but when the vanguard leader Chris secured the first victory, the people of Lawrence thought they would win just like that. But do you know who appeared then? It was Homeros, the 49th-ranked warrior of the Cairo Kingdom, who came out as Barco's champion. The moment he revealed his name, the people of Lawrence fell into despair. They thought Roman would concede this time and save his life in a fight he could never win. But..."
He wore a solemn expression.
Straightening his shoulders, he spoke as if he were Roman himself.
"Roman Dmitri, no, the hero's judgment was different. He boldly declared he would step forward as the champion. And in front of countless witnesses, Roman Dmitri severed Homeros's head with a single strike. Blood splattered across the sky... Ah! It was truly a magnificent scene. Roman Dmitri, who led the siege to victory, this time put an end to the champion battle."
"…But you weren't even there."
"No, I mean that's what my relatives said. Anyway, putting that aside, Roman Dmitri is not the fool we once knew. Look at him. He defeated Blood Fang, slapped Barco's knight for his subordinates, and now this incident in Lawrence. He is a hero. The hidden dragon of the Dmitri family has finally soared into the sky, beginning to build his own heroic tales one by one."
People were excited.
Roman's actions were impressive, one after another.
Children ran into the streets, playing hero games as Roman Dmitri, and the rumors spread like wildfire.
It didn't stop there.
In the champion battles, Lawrence won all three contests.
While Roman's impact was indeed tremendous, the fact that all the other two contests were won by Roman's people was an important point.
"Heroes are truly blessed with good fortune. Chris, the genius swordsman of Dmitri, defeated the three-star Yanson with his two-star prowess, and even the boy who looked like a mere child completely butchered Barco's knight. In this champion battle, not a single person from Lawrence stepped forward. Those who followed Roman declared themselves champions, and they proved their loyalty to Roman in front of everyone. Things are going to get wild from now on. After a long time in the northeastern region, a talent that will astonish the world has been born."
Flora's prediction was correct.
In this war, Lawrence achieved victory at the cost of many sacrifices, but the glory of victory was all directed towards Roman.
However, no one raised any complaints.
In a battle where victory and defeat were at stake, the people of Lawrence understood how fortunate it was to remain victorious, even if they were wounded.
It was over.
There was no other way to express the current situation.
The defeated Barco lord returned to his family as a remnant of war, despairing at the reality that confronted him.
"Ha."
On the desk, papers piled up like a mountain.
The contents were obvious.
The Golden Bank inquired how they would repay the principal after the defeat in the territorial war, and the Cairo Mercenary Guild demanded a penalty in anger over Homeros's death.
The logic of the mercenary guild, which he checked slightly, was truly absurd.
When they requested the champion battle, Lawrence had clearly stated that they only had two-star knights, thus shifting the responsibility for any variables onto Barco.
In short, they completely looked down on Barco.
With this defeat, the fact that Barco would fall into ruin made everyone eager to grab whatever they could.
"Those damn bastards."
It was bitter.
It wasn't just the two who were ignoring Barco.
The friendly factions that seemed like they would throw a party after the war had not sent any news, and rumors suggested that some had even sided with Dmitri.
It was a cold reality.
Clearly, when Barco had boasted its reputation as a powerful force in the northeastern region, those who had visited Barco almost daily were now turning their backs in such a disgusting manner.
He wasn't unaware of the truth behind the interests of the factions.
The Barco lord, who had lived like a bat, could not simply laugh it off now that he was cornered.
'What should I do?'
The weight of defeat pressed down on his shoulders.
He felt lost.
He had no confidence in repaying the mountain of debt, nor could he think of a way to rise again in a situation like this.
It was a fight he had started with the belief that victory was certain.
If it weren't for that damn Roman Dmitri getting involved, Barco would surely be celebrating its victory with champagne.
"Yes, this is all because of Roman Dmitri. He had no justification to intervene in this war, yet he appeared and ruined everything from start to finish. It's truly absurd. In a noble society where justification is important, Roman Dmitri committed an unforgivable act."
Roman.
Everything was because of him.
The Barco lord thought.
For the Barco family to survive, they had to cling to Roman's existence.
'This is the last chance.'
He stood up abruptly.
The only hope.
From now on, there was much to do.
The Barco lord contacted the nobles in the northeastern region.
Nobles who would still accept a call.
They showed reluctance to the Barco lord's contact but agreed to a single meeting out of sincere request.
A few days later, nobles gathered at the Barco family estate.
If it were in the past, everyone except for the pro-Dmitri faction would have expressed their intention to attend, but there were barely ten nobles seated at the round table.
A grim reality.
It was a visible scene of a family in decline, but the Barco lord straightened his back and spoke to them.
"Before we begin the discussion, I want to sincerely thank you for coming to Barco. You are true nobles. Unlike some nobles who have turned their backs on our relationship due to interests, I believe that with you here, the future of the northeastern region is still bright."
"Ahem."
"Let’s get to the point."
The nobles present did not welcome the praise.
They knew how dangerous this choice was, having only allowed the meeting because their relationship with Dmitri was poor.
The Barco lord said, "I will speak frankly. Justification is very important in conflicts between noble families. Especially in a situation where foreign invasions could occur at any moment, attacking neighboring territories simply out of greed is a clear violation of the rules of the noble world.
Barco attacked Lawrence with justifiable reasons. It was to pay the price of our ancestors, and the central government even sent a judge to confirm that our justification was correct. However, Roman Dmitri intervened in the war without any justification.
Due to his surprise attack, Barco lost Flare and experienced the atrocity of not a single warrior from Lawrence stepping forward in the champion battle."
His voice grew louder.
He strongly emphasized his thoughts, seeking empathy from the nobles.
"Is this even reasonable? What qualifications does Roman Dmitri have to help Lawrence? If the two families had a blood relationship, there would be no problem, but it was clearly stated that Lawrence broke off the engagement due to the responsibility of Flora Lawrence.
Roman Dmitri is merely a bystander to Lawrence, and there is no justification for him to help. This is crossing the line. We also had many forces that could have helped us, yet we fought to the end with Barco's strength to uphold the standards of nobility, and that is why we had to taste the bitterness of defeat."
"That's right."
"Exactly. Roman Dmitri has no justification."
Everyone agreed.
It was not an incorrect statement.
An intervention without justification deserved punishment, and this was a matter that could be sufficiently publicized.
'I don't think this will cause the Dmitri family to collapse.
But at least we can hold them accountable and demand a hefty compensation.
That alone would be enough.
With the Dmitri family's wealth, they could resolve the money borrowed from the Golden Bank.'
The Golden Bank.
It was an urgent issue.
The dispute with the mercenary guild could be resolved with words, but the Golden Bank was thorough when it came to recovering the principal.
If Barco were to say they couldn't repay the principal, they would trample the Barco family down to its very bones.
A noble asked, "So what do you propose?"
Opinions gathered.
The nobles, who had shown reluctance, now showed interest, and the Barco lord knew his intentions had gotten through.
For now, he aimed to gather the support of those present and create a voice strong enough to pressure Dmitri.
"First..."
At that moment, the door to the meeting room burst open.
When the Barco lord glared at the soldier with an irritated expression, the soldier stammered with a pale face.
"Ro, Roman Dmitri. He has come to see you, my lord!"
That was truly an unexpected situation.
This made no sense.
Roman Dmitri was the root cause of the defeat.
For him to come to the Barco family was akin to stepping into a death trap.
'What on earth is he thinking?'
The nobles gathered in the meeting room exchanged glances.
In this unforeseen situation, no one knew what to do.
"You all are gathered here."
It was Roman.
Ignoring the flustered soldiers, he walked into the meeting room with a calm expression.
At that moment, the Barco lord seriously contemplated.
Should he kill Roman? After all, he was at the edge of a cliff.
He wanted revenge even if it meant killing Roman, but doing so would erase his last hope of justification.
A situation where he had to endure even with the target of his anger right in front of him.
As the Barco lord struggled to suppress his boiling rage and merely watched, Roman had already entered and sat down across from him.
There was no invitation to sit.
It was as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Roman sat across from the Barco lord, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs.
"I hear you have many grievances against me."
With a swift motion, Roman stroked his chin.
Then, with a smiling face, he looked into the Barco lord's eyes and said,
"Then please tell me directly. What justification does Barco have for creating this gathering?"