Chapter 122: While Staying in the Capital (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 122: While Staying in the Capital (6)
Count Fabius had a nickname: the "Raccoon of Cairo."
Though he approached others with a goofy, harmless smile, the moniker was born from his uncanny knack for always securing his own interests. Naturally, people used "raccoon" as an insult. The owner of the nickname, however, didn't mind his reputation in the slightest.
'Every noble in Cairo dreams of advancing to the capital. Many possess outstanding abilities, but those who actually survive are of my breed. You need an eye for reading the tides of power. By aligning with those who can guarantee my interests, I can succeed without exerting much effort.'
The Fabius family was not particularly grand. Yet, they had successfully entered the Central Government and secured a place by Marquis Benedict's side simply because Fabius always aligned himself with the right side at the right time.
It was the same this time.
He had read the flow of power. While others obsessed solely over Roman Dmitry, Fabius had realized that Roman's subordinates were the key. Although his attempt to recruit them had failed due to their unexpectedly blind loyalty, the strategy itself hadn't been flawed.
And now, Count Castro was seeking his help.
"Count Fabius. Since you have watched this situation unfold from beginning to end, I must ask you a favor."
Fabius's mind spun rapidly. Even before Castro finished speaking, he was already weighing the two entities on a mental scale.
'Count Castro. He hails from a prestigious Cairo family that everyone acknowledges, and he has shared a close relationship with Marquis Benedict since childhood. That is precisely why, as soon as I entered the Central Government, I put so much effort into building a connection with him. The problem is his opponent: Roman Dmitry. Under normal circumstances, taking Count Castro's side would be the obvious choice. But Roman Dmitry is the hero of Cairo, a man Marquis Benedict is putting immense effort into courting. If I touch him carelessly, there's no telling what kind of disaster I might face.'
It was a complex problem. To solve it, he needed to consider two crucial points.
'First, whose side will Marquis Benedict take? The Marquis is a man who would shake hands with the enemy at any given moment for the sake of victory. His decision to abandon the Southern Front against Hector proves it. The fact that he doesn't draw a clear line between friend and foe means he can discard even a close friend whenever it suits him. The only exception might be blood relations. However, Marquis Benedict recently showed his intention to accept Roman Dmitry as his son-in-law, which means he might very well turn his back on Count Castro.'
He wouldn't discard Castro openly. But if he chose to stand by as a bystander out of consideration for their past relationship...
That brought Fabius to his second, and most important, point.
'If the Castro family and the Dmitry family clash due to Marquis Benedict's neutrality... who wins that fight? The answer is simple. Although Castro is recognized as a prestigious family of Cairo, they cannot compare to Roman Dmitry, who demonstrated overwhelming military might against the Hector Kingdom.'
He reached a conclusion. He trusted what he had seen and heard. He tried to imagine fighting Roman Dmitry, but no matter how he simulated it, he couldn't envision a single scenario where he won.
Therefore, he turned his back on Count Castro.
Avoiding the man's gaze, he firmly committed to his course of action.
"Having watched the situation unfold, this is clearly William's fault."
At this crossroads of his life, Count Fabius trusted his experience.
* * *
It was an unexpected turn of events.
Count Castro showed clear signs of panic. Having never once imagined his request would be rejected, he couldn't hide the shock written all over his face.
"C-Count Fabius?"
He felt his blood run cold.
The Raccoon of Cairo. He had known from the start that Fabius was a thoroughly calculating man, but it was precisely because of that trait that they had maintained a good relationship. It meant Fabius had judged him to be a highly beneficial figure. Swayed by Fabius's sweet talk, which constantly elevated his worth, Castro had ignored the rumors and accepted him.
Yet, that very man had just turned his back on him.
His mind, which had been boiling with anger just moments ago, snapped awake as if doused with a bucket of ice water.
'The Raccoon of Cairo must have finished his calculations. Count Fabius concluded that taking Roman Dmitry's side is more beneficial. Damn it. Is Roman Dmitry really that formidable?'
His mouth went dry.
The southern expedition. Even knowing it was an unprofitable endeavor, Count Fabius had volunteered to head south. And the result? Marquis Benedict was immensely pleased with Fabius's dedication. By enduring those hardships, Fabius's standing in the Central Government had risen significantly. In truth, anyone could have done it. However, the nobles enjoying comfortable lives in the capital lacked the courage to march south, whereas Count Fabius was prepared to do whatever it took to rise.
'It's certain. If we wage war against the Dmitry family, we will plunge into the abyss.'
Goosebumps broke out over his skin. He forced himself to look at the situation objectively.
The Dmitry family. Though they originated from the fringes of the kingdom, their wealth could not be ignored. In fact, judging coldly, they lacked almost nothing. It was a well-known fact that the Benjamin Mercenary Group originated from Dmitry, and with Roman Dmitry leading their forces, Castro would inevitably be at a severe disadvantage even in a Great Warrior Battle.
They had only one weakness: their humble birth.
He had thought the power of the Central Government would be enough to crush Dmitry, but Count Fabius turning away from him shattered that illusion.
He could clearly see the future. If Marquis Benedict did not take his side—just as Fabius had calculated—Castro would not be able to avoid an all-out war with the Dmitry family. It was a fight where they had nothing to gain, even in victory. The risk of utter defeat was far too great to face Roman Dmitry just to save his son's pride.
Furthermore, the rumors of Roman's cruel nature suddenly surfaced in his mind. In the process of annihilating the Barco family and crushing Hector, Roman had been absolutely merciless to his enemies.
'I cannot rush into ruin just for the sake of pride.'
Swallowing his anger, Count Castro forced his facial muscles to relax.
"...Hearing Count Fabius's words, it seems I have made a mistake. I am truly sorry. Because this involved my son, I lost my reason for a moment. Count Fabius, thank you very much for clearly pointing out my error."
His attitude shifted instantly.
Such was the nature of nobles. Flipping their stance like a coin depending on the situation was the ultimate secret to surviving in politics.
"Father!" William Castro shrieked.
To the young man, it felt as if the sky was collapsing.
Count Castro suppressed his son's protest with a demonic glare, forcing the boy's head down as he spoke.
"I will comply with Lord Roman Dmitry's demands. My son was clearly in the wrong this time. He will offer a proper apology to Lord Roman Dmitry's younger brother, and as soon as this matter is settled, he will withdraw from the Cairo Royal Academy. Please, understand the heart of a father just this once."
Count Castro bowed his head.
The situation, which had seemed on the verge of exploding just seconds ago, ended with one side raising a white flag.
* * *
Roman had crossed the line on purpose.
His reasoning was clear.
'The nobles of the Central Government always delude themselves into thinking they hold the upper hand. Now that my value is soaring, there is a high chance my family and I could suffer from their petty jealousy and envy. Therefore, I need to show them exactly what kind of person I am. Count Castro is the perfect target for that.'
His position had changed.
Roman was always quick to assess his own standing objectively. Instead of letting his reputation sit idle, he knew exactly how to weaponize it. Had the opponent not backed down, the situation would have spiraled into a catastrophe, but he was confident that wouldn't happen.
Roman Dmitry was the ultimate weight on the scale.
Since the balance of power would collapse drastically the moment he shifted to one side, Marquis Benedict could never choose to take Count Castro's side over his. Roman had crossed the line with absolute assurance of his victory. But even if the situation had escalated to total ruin, Roman was confident he could wipe out the Castro family.
A single goal. Countless paths.
Roman was not a man who spoke lightly. Even when his actions seemed extreme, they were always backed by a meticulous plan.
Roman spoke. "Very well. We will conclude this matter with a direct apology and his withdrawal from the academy."
"Thank you sincerely for your broad-minded generosity."
At that moment, William Castro's face turned deathly pale.
His world crumbled. As his father expressed gratitude with a desperately bright face, William's eyes met Roman's for a brief second.
'I'm finished.'
Only then did he realize what kind of monster he had provoked.
Roman Dmitry was the one who held the true power.
* * *
Meanwhile, Lauren Dmitry was still at the academy.
The excitement of being praised by the professor had not yet subsided, and he desperately wanted to meet Roman to hear his answer.
'Where on earth is Brother?'
Roman had mentioned qualifications. Lauren was curious. Had he shown enough qualification?
Although he had suffered a one-sided defeat against William Castro, he knew better than anyone that he had behaved differently today. A throbbing pain continued to radiate from where he had been struck. In the past, such pain would have made him endlessly depressed. But now, as if he actually enjoyed the sting, a proud smile kept slipping onto his lips.
Just then, a familiar face spotted Lauren and rushed over.
"Lauren! We have a huge problem!"
Lauren's expression stiffened. The boy was a classmate from the academy. The issue was that he wasn't a friend—he was one of the gang members who, along with William Castro, used to torment him.
Lauren spoke in a harsh tone. "What problem? Why are you telling me this?"
He had nothing left to lose. Even if it meant getting beaten again, Lauren was prepared to fight back. To avoid bringing shame to his family's name, he was determined to live with his head held high.
However, his classmate's intentions were entirely different.
"Damn it, now is not the time to be so defensive! Your brother, Roman Dmitry, got into a fight with William Castro! Because of that, he was dragged away to the Castro estate! If we leave things like this, there's no telling what Count Castro might do to your brother!"
"...What?!"
Lauren's eyes widened.
What on earth was going on? Roman Dmitry, whom he had been searching for so desperately, had suddenly gotten into a fight with William and been dragged to the Castro estate?
His classmate hurriedly explained the whole story.
"Listen, William was so furious about you landing a blow on him that he was raging about breaking your arm. Your brother happened to overhear it. He grabbed William by the face, threatened him, and then they headed to the Castro estate together. It might be really dangerous this time. You know William's personality is just like his father's. Count Castro is more than capable of harming your brother!"
Lauren's heart sank.
His brother. Roman Dmitry had stepped forward because he couldn't tolerate someone threatening his younger brother, and now he was in danger.
'...Brother.'
Tears welled up in his eyes. Not once had Lauren ever received help from his brothers. His friends often asked if it felt reassuring to have older siblings, but both of his brothers had always been too busy with their own lives to care about him.
Yet, Roman had risked walking into the lion's den for him.
Lauren could not just let this slide.
'If Brother gets hurt because of me, I will never forgive myself.'
"Thanks for telling me!"
He immediately broke into a sprint.
His time in the capital had been difficult and lonely. He had always hidden the truth of his bullying because he didn't want to be a burden to his father, but he absolutely could not stay silent now.
Tears spilled down his cheeks.
Arriving quickly at his quarters, Lauren Dmitry grabbed the magical communication device. His voice was thick with sorrow and panic.
"Sob... Father! Brother is in danger! He stepped in to help me, and he was dragged to the Castro estate!"
At those words, the people on the other side of the communication device were thrown into an absolute uproar.
Completely unaware that Roman had already resolved the situation with overwhelming dominance, the Dmitry family could not simply ignore the explosive news Lauren had just delivered.