Time passed.
It had already been a month since the war with the Barco family ended.
During the regular meeting of the Dmitri family, the vassals reported on the events that had transpired.
"With the fall of the Barco family, there are no longer any forces to keep Dmitri in check. Without a rival, factions that were once aligned with Barco have expressed their desire for an alliance with Dmitri almost daily, and some are even willing to pay a hefty price for it.
However, as you commanded last time, those factions that were excessively hostile while aligned with Barco have outright rejected any dialogue. What should we do moving forward? For now, Dmitri will establish itself as the dominant power in the northeastern region, but the forces cornered like a cliff's edge could certainly rise again as a second Barco."
The fall of Barco.
It was truly a case of the fisherman reaping the benefits.
Without much effort from the family, Dmitri, not even a party to the war, had gained the most.
As the vassal said, every family in the northeastern region clung to Dmitri.
Especially those who had once raised their voices in support of Barco came to Dmitri daily, filled with remorse, but Dmitri's people knew that their feelings were insincere.
If a new rival like Barco were to appear, it was clear they would betray Dmitri and flock to that new power.
Baron Romero spoke.
"Even if a new hostile force appears, we do not need to embrace everything. Joining hands with those who have inflicted unforgettable wounds upon us is not tolerance; it is arrogance. Never allow cooperation with them. We will show them what it means to turn their backs on us through their own actions."
"Understood."
"I will now move on to the next agenda."
The second topic was the expansion of military forces.
Dmitri possessed the strongest military power in the northeastern region, but this incident had made them more vigilant.
"Barco demonstrated how external forces can create variables in war. If Dmitri had engaged with Barco, variables like Flare and Homeros would have posed a tremendous threat to us. Therefore, we must expand our military forces and secure enough magical weapons to prepare for any variables. Dmitri can no longer be regarded as a peripheral family. Having established itself as a solid power in the northeastern region, we need sufficient strength to maintain our position."
Military power.
There is no more certain safeguard than that.
Baron Romero shared the same thoughts and decided to invest a significant budget into military strength due to this incident.
Furthermore, there was good news for Dmitri.
"Lord Roman's words were correct. An astronomical amount was spent to install artifacts throughout the mine, but in a short period, the production of iron ore has increased by 30%. Since we have not yet massively expanded the workforce, if this growth continues, we might expect over 100% production."
"What about the financial expenditure due to the artifacts?"
"No problem. The surge in production alone can sufficiently cover that level of financial expenditure."
Roman's words were indeed correct.
A virtuous cycle of investment.
By investing first, they resolved safety issues, and the workers were provided with an environment where they could focus solely on their tasks.
It was a remarkable decision.
Looking at the results alone, one might wonder why they hadn't thought of it sooner, but in reality, predicting results that had not yet materialized and investing a large sum was not an easy task.
Roman had made it a reality.
Without anyone instructing him, he took it upon himself to experience the issues arising from the iron mine and devised the most ideal solutions with wise judgment.
From process to outcome, it was perfect.
The rapidly changing reputation of Roman was solidified by this incident.
One vassal spoke up.
"My lord, what are your thoughts on the succession issue moving forward?" The succession issue.
This was a statement that proved the changing reputation.
People still believed that the Dmitri family had not yet decided on a successor.
However, that was not true.
Although it had not been officially announced, a successor had already been secretly chosen in internal meetings.
The vassal continued, "Three years ago, we designated Lord Rodwell as the next head of the family. At that time, Lord Roman's actions did not seem fitting for the position of head, and the youngest lord was deemed too weak in character to take on such a heavy responsibility. But now, the situation is different.
Look at Lord Roman's actions. He defeated the ranked Homeros in the war against Barco and has now resolved the safety issues of the iron mine in the most ideal way. The Lord Roman, who was once deemed unfit for the head's qualities, is now demonstrating the dignity of a leader."
"That's right."
"We share the same thoughts."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Roman's progress was shockingly impressive.
It was hard to understand how Roman Dmitri, who had not yet been able to wield a sword properly, had grown into a formidable warrior, but one thing was clear: he was developing at an astonishing pace.
With powerful martial prowess and the ability to solve Dmitri's problems, the hearts of the vassals could not help but waver.
Rodwell Dmitri was also known as a genius, but Roman's progress had surpassed even that of a genius.
And then, "The selection of a successor has not yet been officially confirmed. To prevent confusion within the family, we designated Lord Rodwell in advance, but as Lord Roman proves his worth, I believe a fair competition is necessary."
In the calm Dmitri, ripples began to form.
The once certain succession structure was thrown into chaos, and Baron Romero hesitated to make a rash decision. 'Roman and Rodwell.' Two sons.
Their dispositions were different.
Roman, who had experienced being a commoner, had crumbled under the sense of class disparity, while Rodwell had worked tirelessly to surpass the limitations of his status.
Rodwell's ambition was immense.
He showed such a strong desire for the position of successor that he did not even consider his elder brother a competitor, and it was highly likely that he would not respond favorably to the family's decision to induce competition.
He feared that a bloody conflict might arise.
If Roman had been moderately outstanding, he would have followed the previous decision, but now he could not ignore the results before his eyes.
Baron Romero said, "…There is still plenty of time. For now, I will observe the situation and ponder what decision to make."
"Understood."
That day’s meeting marked the moment when Baron Romero’s concerns deepened significantly.
After the meeting, Baron Romero called for Hans.
Hans was Roman's closest aide.
Having served Roman since the days when he was called the fool of Dmitri, he thought he could be of help regarding the succession issue.
"I greet you, my lord."
Hans bowed his head.
Baron Romero, skipping the lengthy preamble, got straight to the point.
"Hans, what do you think of Roman Dmitri?"
"What do you mean by that…?"
"I am asking if Roman Dmitri is suitable as the successor of the Dmitri family."
At the direct question, silence lingered for a moment.
Hans showed a contemplative expression, then looked up at Baron Romero and spoke honestly.
"If you had asked me the same question three months ago, I would have answered that he is not suitable. While Lord Roman has a kind heart, he has shown actions unfit for a successor, and that is something anyone could see. But the current Lord Roman is different. I am not merely speaking of his recent achievements; from what I have observed, he has grown into a person worthy of being a successor."
"Elaborate."
"During the Blood Fang incident, Lord Roman personally dealt with the evil group that was oppressing the people of Dmitri. I still vividly remember that time. He questioned the wicked who were disturbing Dmitri about the laws of Dmitri and even went to Lawrence to completely annihilate them. That incident was a blessing for the citizens of Dmitri. Those who had suffered under usury broke the chains of evil, and finally, hope returned to their lives."
The first incident.
The justification was simple.
Baron Romero had ordered the handling of Blood Fang, and Roman, moved by his heart, stained his hands with blood.
However, from Hans's perspective, it was different.
He interpreted Roman's actions in his own way.
"Just looking at the recent incident in the iron mine makes it clear. Lord Roman said he worked in the mine to understand the reality of the people of Dmitri. It was not something forced upon him. He lowered himself to empathize with the hearts of the people and faced the reality of Dmitri by working alongside the laborers. And during the collapse incident, he risked his life. As someone who carries the weight of Dmitri, he believes it is his duty to take risks for his people."
Hans's words sounded like a description of a hero's journey.
It was only natural.
As someone who had entered Roman's circle, Hans understood the immense value of being under his protection.
"I understand. You may leave now."
"Yes."
Hans bowed and took his leave.
And then, Baron Romero fell into even deeper contemplation.
He had thought Hans's experience would be helpful, but the blind praise only added to his confusion. 'Rodwell has already confirmed himself as the successor of Dmitri.
But is it truly right to establish a competitive system between the two at this point? Roman has proven his worth in a short time, but Rodwell has shouldered all the responsibilities expected of a successor from a young age.
He dedicated himself to swordsmanship, tactics, and political studies, and whenever he had time, he learned how to handle iron at the forge.'
Still, he was not convinced.
Above all, Roman had no interest in the forge.
This was a different aspect from Rodwell Dmitri, and because of that, Baron Romero could not make a hasty decision.
Ultimately, the succession issue required the agreement of key figures.
The vassals, the master of the iron mine, and finally, Master Blacksmith Hendrick.
At least three factions needed to agree before Baron Romero could risk the chaos and instigate competition.
Baron Romero called for a servant.
"Immediately inform the master of the iron mine that I wish to inquire about the recent incident there."
The second hurdle.
It was now time to hear Jacob's opinion.
Not long after, a voice from outside the door was heard.
"My lord, the master of the iron mine has arrived."
"Let him in."
Creak.
The door opened.
However, there was not just one guest.
Behind Jacob stood another man, and upon seeing the questioning gaze, Jacob cautiously said, "I heard you wished to hear about the incident in the iron mine from a servant. Therefore, I deemed it more appropriate for someone who spoke directly with Lord Roman on-site to come instead of myself."
Glancing sideways, Jacob signaled.
Then, the man stepped forward and bowed politely.
"I am Morcan, the representative of the iron mine."
Morcan.
He was the spokesperson representing the iron mine.