In that moment, the expression of Baron Barco twisted into a fierce grimace.
Roman Dmitri's words had completely crossed the line that should not be crossed, even in a hostile relationship.
"You brat! How dare you speak such nonsense in this place!"
Baron Barco and Roman Dmitri were of different standings.
Baron Barco was the head of a family, while Roman was merely a young man from a baronial family who had yet to inherit his title.
Yet, here he was, looking straight at Barco and making such aggressive remarks.
Even if he were a toothless tiger, Barco could not let Roman's outrageous behavior go unpunished in front of others.
"Very well. Let me tell you what you did wrong. You, a vulgar fool who knows nothing of noble conduct, thought you could intervene in another's war without any justification. But that is not permitted in the Kingdom of Cairo. Do you think Barco has only just now declared war on the territory? According to your logic, it would be fine to attack before Lawrence was prepared, but we proceeded according to the noble laws, presenting our justification and obtaining approval from the central government for this matter."
The war with Lawrence had been a long-planned endeavor.
They had publicized the dispute based on forged documents and emphasized justification so that no one could intervene in the war.
It was perfect.
Even if Barco did not like the way things were going, there was no room for others to interfere.
But why on earth had Roman Dmitri appeared on the battlefield? Baron Barco could not understand.
"The nobles of Cairo are not fools. A war without justification deserves to be buried in noble society, and I will hold the Dmitri family accountable for your actions. The Dmitri family cannot escape this responsibility. No matter how great their family's prestige, a family that violates noble laws will be brought down by the surrounding families in an unspoken agreement. If you had shown even a little interest in the history of the nobility, you would know that there are many such examples."
His voice grew heated.
Watching Roman's calm expression in the face of his scathing words only twisted Barco's insides further.
"Not knowing the noble laws is no excuse. Do you understand now? How foolish your actions were? The Dmitri Baron will suffer greatly because of you. Because of the sin of having a foolish son, the Dmitri family, which could have lived in peace, will be scorned by the nobles in the northeastern region!"
Bang! He slammed the table.
As he stood up, breathing heavily, Roman merely looked up at him quietly.
"Is that all you have to say?"
"What?!"
His voice was calm.
Even in the face of a storm of rage, Roman surveyed the faces of the surrounding nobles with a relaxed expression.
"Then let me explain why I intervened in the war, and what my justification is."
The atmosphere settled.
Through the tension that made even breathing feel cautious, Roman's sharp voice pierced the ears of the nobles.
"Lawrence and Dmitri were originally promised in marriage. However, for reasons not publicly disclosed, the engagement was called off, and I became the fool who was jilted. What do you think the reason for the broken engagement was, gathered here today? My reputation? My womanizing? Or simply because Flora Lawrence did not like me? None of that is the truth."
Tap, tap.
He tapped his fingers on the table.
The sound, grating on their nerves, made the nobles swallow dryly.
"Barco's eldest son, Antony Barco, threatened me to break off the engagement."
"……?!"
"We must return to Barco's social party. I, who had a friendship with Antony Barco, attended the party on his invitation, despite being promised to marry Lawrence. And I fell into a trap. Drunk, I woke up in the same room as Emily Barco, a distant relative of Barco, and realized that Antony Barco had set a trap to separate me from Lawrence. As expected, Antony Barco used that incident to threaten me to cancel my marriage to Lawrence."
At Roman's words, the nobles stirred.
If Roman had decided to break off the engagement due to Antony Barco's threat, then the justification for holding Roman accountable became ambiguous.
"The moment a shameful secret is revealed, it is no longer a secret."
During the time when the demonic sect's succession was walking on thin ice, Baek Jung-hyuk suffered from all sorts of slander.
Roman Dmitri's reputation had fallen to the level of a joke, but at that time, Baek Jung-hyuk boldly faced the rumors head-on and resolved the issue.
So what if he was trash? His people trusted Baek Jung-hyuk, and as he dealt with his enemies one by one, the rumors that had been rising behind him gradually disappeared.
Thus, Roman first cut off the grounds for the threat.
After all, he had no reputation left to lose.
Seeing the situation turn awry, Baron Barco shouted angrily, "Nonsense! Do you think anyone would believe such words? Fine, I will immediately call Emily Barco to confirm the truth. Everyone knows how poorly the Dmitri heir has lived, and it is disgusting how you try to cover the truth with such threats."
"I expected you to say that. If you were someone who would acknowledge the truth, we would not have met like this. I would like to take this opportunity to clarify something. The reason I intervened in the war between Barco and Lawrence is not for revenge due to threats, but for another reason."
"Another reason...?" The more he spoke, the more Baron Barco felt himself sinking into a quagmire.
Everything he said and the attitude he displayed moved like a puppet within Roman's expectations.
Roman continued, "It is well known that Antony Barco pursued Flora Lawrence. In that process, Antony Barco crossed the line. He attempted to assault Flora Lawrence and failed, and the shock from that incident led Flora Lawrence to ultimately choose to break off the engagement. The reason for the broken engagement was that she could not show her face at the wedding with a smile after experiencing such an event."
"W-What?!"
"Do you think this is not the truth? Very well. Then call both Emily Barco and Flora Lawrence to confirm the truth."
He turned the argument on its head.
Antony Barco had falsely set a trap.
Then, he could take revenge in the same way.
If Emily Barco falsely accused Roman of misconduct, Flora Lawrence could make the same claim.
The truth? That was not important.
The mere fact that he had grounds to dismantle the opponent's accusations meant that Roman's plan would succeed perfectly.
And, 'After all, Antony Barco did say he assaulted Flora.
While the severity may not be as extreme as what he did to Emily Barco, he certainly crossed the line before the marriage.
Since such actions are known to those around him, even Baron Barco, Antony's father, would not be able to believe the truth.'
He mixed truth with lies.
Finally, Roman completely pressed down on his opponent.
"Antony Barco touched my woman during the time I was promised to marry Lawrence. Baron Barco, and everyone gathered here, I ask you. Do you truly believe I have no justification to intervene in this war? I intervened in the war solely with my own strength, without relying on my family's power. That is the only recompense I can offer for having accepted the broken engagement without knowing the truth about Flora."
It was perfect.
He scattered the argument and seized the justification.
Baron Barco was trapped.
Baron Barco was at a loss for words.
Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, and countless thoughts raced through his mind as he sought a solution. 'There is no way out.
Roman Dmitri's justification is flawless.'
Antony Barco's threat.
The assault.
And revenge.
A perfect justification.
Moreover, Roman had meticulously intervened in the war with his personal strength, anticipating that the Dmitri family's involvement might be questioned.
There was nothing he could say.
The moment Roman's justification for seeking revenge for Flora Lawrence surfaced, Barco would surely face backlash and be blamed.
Dizziness struck him.
His mouth felt dry. 'That monstrous fellow.
The nobles who had come to help me are now swayed by Roman's words.' The nobles who had sought out Barco turned away from him.
If Roman's words were true, then Barco was a rotten rope, and they changed their expressions as if they would not fall with him.
Now, the truth contest was meaningless.
Even if he clung to Emily Barco, Barco realized that he could gain nothing from it. 'There is only one way for Barco to survive.
To buy time.
Rather than giving the opponent perfect justification, he must first evade this situation and seek a new solution.'
He forced a smile.
As if nothing had happened, Baron Barco spoke in a calm tone.
"I do not believe your words are true. Just as you deny your relationship with Emily Barco, I believe Antony Barco is no different. So I will clarify the truth regarding this matter and contact you again. I apologize, everyone. I did not intend to summon you for such a matter..."
His words were lengthy.
He showed signs of panic and struggled to maintain connections with the nobles.
To this, Roman smiled.
Just half a day ago, Roman recalled his conversation with Chris.
"Are you really saying you will go to Barco?! That is suicide! Baron Barco would never let his lord go unpunished!"
Roman's plan.
Chris, who had heard that he would head to Barco, was horrified and tried to stop him.
"Of course. What do you think will happen to my relationship with Barco from now on?"
"…Barco will see his lord as a sworn enemy. If his lord had not interfered, they would have toppled Lawrence and walked a smooth path. But even so, there is no reason to provoke an enemy with nothing to lose. If possible, it is better to avoid a fight."
"No."
To reach the top of the demonic sect, Baek Jung-hyuk had established one ironclad rule while slaughtering many enemies.
"If you have not started, you may not know, but if you have started, you must see it through. We know that Barco will harbor resentment against me. Then, this precarious moment is the perfect opportunity to uproot the roots of revenge."
And now.
Roman looked at Baron Barco.
"Baron Barco."
All eyes turned to him.
Even Baron Barco, who had been calming the nobles with a flustered expression, and the surrounding nobles looked at him with eyes that questioned what he was about to say.
Looking at them, he said, "Now, you must choose one. Will you conclude this matter with Antony Barco receiving appropriate punishment for our personal issue, or will you escalate this incident as a family matter?"
A choice.
Roman pressed a metaphorical knife under Baron Barco's chin.