It was not a meeting that had been foretold.
After finishing his training and taking a moment to catch his breath, Roman noticed an unfamiliar servant approaching, not Hans.
"I was sent from Valhalla," the servant stated clearly.
It was evident that he was a servant of Dmitri.
Though his face was unfamiliar, suggesting he had not been working there long, he wore the attire provided by Dmitri.
This meant he had intentionally concealed his identity.
If he were an ordinary person, he would have been flustered and panicked, but Roman spoke with an indifferent expression.
"What brings you from Valhalla? I recall meeting someone from Valhalla just a few days ago."
The Denver family.
They were aligned with the Valhalla Empire.
Roman remembered that they had approached him with their own conditions to recruit him, but he never expected them to come back in this manner.
For a moment, the servant was taken aback by Roman's calm demeanor.
It was as if Roman could see right through him, causing a cold sweat to trickle down the servant's back. 'What kind of gaze is that...?' He swallowed hard.
The servant, tasked with a significant duty, confirmed that no one else was around and spoke in a quiet voice.
"First of all, I apologize for approaching you in such a rude manner. As you mentioned, Valhalla sent someone through the Denver family a few days ago. At that time, we had to act formally, being mindful of the surrounding eyes. You can consider today’s meeting as Valhalla's true intention."
Currently, Dmitri was under the scrutiny of many eyes.
If they had conveyed their main point through the Denver family, there was a chance that information could leak out.
However, if they appeared to be inactive, they would raise suspicion from hostile forces.
Thus, the Denver family had requested a formal meeting.
If Roman had agreed to such conditions, it would have been a stroke of luck for them, but they knew Roman's worth and understood he would not accept immediately.
Right after the battle of the Great Warrior, Valhalla had placed a servant in Dmitri, specifically for today’s meeting.
Once they moved from the open training ground to a more enclosed space, the Valhalla representative immediately got to the point.
"Allow me to introduce myself again. I am McKin from the Valhalla Intelligence Department. I would like to take this opportunity to propose something to bring Roman Dmitri to Valhalla. This proposal is indeed Valhalla's true intention."
An unexpected meeting.
Valhalla had made the first decision.
After the report from Willas, Roman had been elevated to an A-rank.
Valhalla had been preparing to recruit Roman, but the influence of a ranker was greater than they had anticipated.
In this rapidly changing situation, Willas contacted the homeland once more.
"It seems we need to approach Roman sooner than planned. I overlooked what kind of country Cairo is. I thought that if I didn’t reveal that he is a 4-star knight at the age of twenty, we could buy some time.
However, in this country, even those less talented are eager to claim him first. The royal faction, the noble faction, and the Chronos Empire faction are all moving quickly to make contact with Roman Dmitri.
If Roman overlooks his own worth and accepts their proposals first, we might face the worst outcome of missing out on his true value, even after recognizing it."
[So what is needed?]
"Please grant me full authority regarding this matter. I will definitely recruit Roman."
[Understood.
Willas, I grant you full authority regarding the recruitment of Roman.]
The plan had changed.
The youngest ranking in Cairo.
The fact that he had reached the 3-star realm at the age of 25 drew people's attention, even though it was not Roman's full strength.
Valhalla was in a hurry.
They tested the waters through the Denver family and sent another person while avoiding the eyes of others.
McKin spoke.
"Valhalla is impressed by the potential of Roman Dmitri. However, the issue of nationality is not something that can be easily resolved. No matter what proposal we make, abandoning Dmitri, who has already amassed considerable wealth, to naturalize in Valhalla will be exceedingly difficult.
Therefore, I will ensure this issue is resolved first. The moment Roman Dmitri declares he wishes to become a citizen of Valhalla, Valhalla will grant a title of nobility and fertile land for the Dmitri family. Just like Dmitri, it will be land with iron mines, allowing the legacy of blacksmithing to continue as it is now."
The continuation of the family line.
Their proposal was shocking from the start.
A title from an empire, not a kingdom.
It signified power beyond comparison, and that alone crushed previous proposals.
"And if Valhalla desires people, we are ready to provide them. If we desire offerings, we are prepared to offer those as well. However, the most important value for a knight is to grow stronger. Valhalla also wishes for Roman Dmitri to become stronger as a knight, so we will exceptionally allow access to the 1st-grade treasury. I believe you are well aware of what the Valhalla treasury signifies. If you access the knowledge accumulated by our ancestors stored there, you will be able to spread your wings and soar with your talent."
The 1st-grade treasury.
It was a shocking proposal.
Valhalla had stored techniques of martial arts, swordsmanship, and the journals of their ancestors in the treasury.
The treasury was graded based on the quality of its contents, with the highest grade being 1st-grade, excluding the special grade.
It was a place where treasures that others might never encounter in their lifetime were gathered.
To say they would allow an outsider access to such a place meant that the Valhalla Empire recognized Roman's worth to that extent.
Valhalla revealed its true intentions.
Avoiding the eyes of others, they made an offer that could not be refused.
"In the future, Valhalla will conquer the continent and stand tall as the only empire. At that time, being affiliated with a small nation like the Cairo Kingdom will be a shortcut to doom. Stand with Valhalla. If you elevate Valhalla's honor at the forefront, Valhalla will guide Roman Dmitri down the path of glory."
A clear reward and appropriate intimidation.
McKin spoke of a distant future.
As he said, when Valhalla declared war, how strong Roman was would not matter at all.
An individual.
He could not surpass the difference between a kingdom and an empire.
To become a victor, standing on the side of the victor was also a method.
'An intelligent person would have no choice but to accept Valhalla's proposal.
But if he were to refuse the offer...’ McKin concealed his true thoughts.
A talent who reached 4 stars in his twenties.
He could not afford to stand by and watch him be absorbed by another faction.
If he could not belong to Valhalla, it would be wiser to destroy him instead.
In the space where silence lingered, after finishing his words, McKin closed his mouth and waited for a response.
Roman broke the suffocating silence.
"I refuse."
In that instant, McKin's previously gentle expression turned fierce. "…Are you serious?"
McKin's voice trembled slightly.
If he refused after all this, it meant that Roman was essentially someone Valhalla could not recruit.
This implied he was a target for assassination.
If he was not a talent for Valhalla, there was no reason to keep him alive.
Roman said, "The reason I refuse is not due to insufficient conditions or loyalty to this country."
"…What do you mean?"
"Recently, I have received many offers. The Royal Knights of the royal family, Marquis Benedict, Count Gregory, Count Denver. Considering the political situation of the Cairo Kingdom, it means not merely swearing loyalty to one faction but clearly organizing my future steps. Standing at a crossroads in life now, what matters to me is not who can give me more. I want to see if the person Roman Dmitri is worth risking my life for, not just through empty offers, but by taking the time to verify it myself."
At Roman's words, McKin's expression softened.
It was the intended picture.
Roman knew how to act in a precarious situation to buy time.
'The way to elevate one's worth without making any choices is to appear as a loyal subject.
It is difficult to make someone kneel once, but if I can win their heart somehow, they will be a being who swears loyalty until the end.
If I can appear as such, no matter how much I refuse, they will not be able to give up their obsession with me.'
Cheonma Baek Jung-hyeok was not a foolish bear.
If it were a hostile relationship, he would ensure a clear end.
However, in this complicated situation with four factions intertwined, he was born with the wit to utilize those relationships.
At McKin's words, he fell into deep thought.
A person like Roman was truly the kind of talent Valhalla preferred.
'The irony of life.
If Roman Dmitri were to change his mind and swear loyalty to Valhalla immediately, regardless of his abilities, he would always be suspected of his loyalty.
There would be a perception that he was someone who switched allegiances based on good conditions and circumstances.
However, if he is a person who seriously chooses his future regardless of conditions, then it would be worth waiting, even if it takes a little time.'
His heart was moved.
He had no idea it was an intentional act.
Roman displayed behavior that perfectly matched the kind of talent Valhalla desired, and McKin's guard relaxed.
McKin said, "I don't know how you plan to verify Valhalla's true intentions, but we cannot wait too long. Be cautious but do not delay. Please respond to Valhalla's proposal."
That was the end of it.
Valhalla took a step back.
They would watch Roman from now on, lost in the illusion that he would become theirs at any moment.
Before leaving, McKin turned back and said, "I will give you a gift for our future connection. Be cautious of the southern front. It is like a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment, more than the Chronos Empire."
The southern front.
That was unexpected information.
Roman's response was appropriate.
Neither a refusal nor an acceptance.
With an answer that left room for all factions, he would not face direct attacks even in a chaotic situation.
Time passed swiftly.
Before long, the foretold time was upon them.
Seeing his son about to fulfill his duty to the nation, Baron Romero spoke with a worried expression.
"In the end, you are leaving."
His heart ached.
The influential figures in the capital all used underhanded means to prevent their children from being conscripted, but the Dmitri family lacked such power.
The influential figures in the northeastern region were merely frogs in a well.
Having failed to establish connections with the central government, there was no way to spare Roman now.
And Roman did not wish for that in the first place.
He understood that if he turned away from the reality he had chosen to bear, the responsibility would fall on someone else.
"Father, I will return in good health."
"Alright."
The conversation was brief.
Roman turned to leave.
Outside, thirty soldiers, who would depart for the battlefield alongside Roman, were waiting for him.
Thus, Roman departed.
His emotions were complex.
He had been a source of both love and hate during troublesome times, but now that he was about to leave, he found it hard to turn his gaze away.
Seeing this, Lihanna, who was beside him, comforted Baron Romero.
"Don't worry too much. You know well that Roman is a strong boy. And he is not being assigned to the western front, which is under threat from the Chronos Empire; he is going to the southern front. There will surely be no problems."
That was somewhat comforting.
At that time, they did not know what kind of results Roman's departure would bring.