Chapter 123: A New Life, New Relationships (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 123: A New Life, New Relationships (1)
Click.
Baron Romero hung up the communication device.
The bright smile that had greeted his youngest son’s call twisted into a grim, menacing scowl, entirely devoid of warmth.
"...Those Castro bastards."
The call had been from Lauren. He claimed that Roman had thrown himself into danger to help him.
Honestly, it was hard to believe. Ever since the Blood Fang incident, Roman’s actions had been nothing short of overwhelming. It was difficult to even imagine him being bested or harmed by anyone now. If the caller had been anyone but Lauren, Romero might not have taken the matter seriously.
Lauren is the kind of child who is careful even when calling just to say hello, terrified of causing unnecessary worry. He inherited Rihanna's cautious and considerate nature. If he’s calling in tears, then something terrible has definitely happened to Roman.
Romero's blood boiled.
He wanted to rally his troops and march on the Castro family this very instant, but he knew he had to remain calm. Baron Romero was well aware of his own shortcomings.
He might have reached the pinnacle as a master craftsman, but his fiery temper—forged in the blazing heat of a blacksmith's furnace—tended to cause trouble in critical situations. He had suffered greatly for it in the past. Because he was prone to acting first and dealing with the fallout later, he had made it a habit to seek his wife's counsel whenever a crisis arose.
Rihanna was wise.
Marrying her had allowed Baron Romero to temper his flaws, and his approach to this crisis would be no different. He went straight to her. She had been watering the garden, but her expression hardened the moment she heard her husband's words.
"Tell me that again. What happened to Roman?"
"Exactly what I just said. What do you think we should do? As you know, the Castro family is part of the Central Government, and they maintain close ties with Marquis Benedict. Crossing them doesn't just mean a fight with Castro. In the worst-case scenario, we could become targets of the Central Government itself."
He spoke as calmly as possible, suppressing his agitation to lay out the cold facts.
However, it was Rihanna whose face twisted with absolute fury.
"How can you even weigh those options right now? Our relationship with the Central Government is a matter for later. The reality staring us in the face is that the eldest son of the Dmitry family is in danger. As parents, we must be a shield for our children. Dmitry isn't so weak that we have to cower, is it?"
Permission granted.
If even Rihanna agreed, Baron Romero had no reason to suppress his raging temper any longer. Heading straight to the conference room, he barked an order at a servant along the way.
"Summon the family's vassals immediately! This is a matter of the utmost importance. No one is permitted to be absent!"
* * *
Dmitry.
Under normal circumstances, this was not a place where the lord flaunted his absolute authority. Baron Romero was a man with no barriers, known to drink and mingle freely with commoners. But when he issued a sudden, thunderous command, everyone obeyed without a single word of complaint.
All regular business ground to a halt. Even those handling urgent matters cast their work aside and rushed over the moment they heard Baron Romero had declared a critical emergency.
Inside the Dmitry conference room, the family's vassals gathered.
Baron Romero looked around the table, his face set like stone.
"You must have heard a brief explanation on your way here. The eldest son of the Dmitry family, Roman Dmitry, is currently in grave danger due to a conflict with the Castro family. According to Lauren's report, Roman was last seen being dragged into the Castro estate. Our opponent is Castro of the Central Government. I know exactly what it means to go against them, but I have no intention of standing idly by while my son's life is threatened."
This matter wasn't simply a question of a father stepping up for his son.
The moment they mobilized troops under the banner of Dmitry, they had to be prepared for the absolute worst-case scenario: the total ruin of their house. Therefore, he needed the consent of his vassals.
"I know better than anyone that this is a dangerous path. I have already made my decision, but the affairs of the Dmitry family are not mine alone to dictate. What are your thoughts? If the majority opposes, I will consider other methods rather than an all-out war with Castro."
Even if the head of the family made the final call, everyone would bear the bloody consequences. Baron Romero was no tyrant; he wanted the genuine consent of the vassals who had helped build the Dmitry of today.
There will likely be strong opposition.
From here on out, it was a matter of persuasion. Expecting fierce resistance, he was already formulating arguments in his head when an unexpected response rang out from one side of the conference room.
"I agree."
It was Knight Commander Jonathan.
As the man in charge of the Dmitry family's military might, he spoke without a single shred of hesitation.
"I understand your concerns, my Lord. Opposing a faction of the Central Government carries immense risk, but the person in question is none other than the eldest son of the Dmitry family. This is not a matter for cold calculation. Young Master Roman Dmitry is the symbol of our family, and we are fully prepared to lay down our lives to protect that symbol."
Once upon a time, Jonathan had despised Roman.
The boy had come to him wanting to learn swordsmanship, yet openly showed his distaste for the art and constantly provoked the people around him. There was no way Jonathan could have looked favorably upon such a fool. But that was ancient history. Although Jonathan firmly believed that turning over a new leaf was no easy feat, Roman Dmitry had completely transformed.
Roman had become the true symbol of Dmitry.
Had he not shattered the record for the youngest ranker in Cairo? Had he not played a pivotal role in the war against Hector and returned hailed as a hero? Jonathan knew that one could not always walk the path of peace.
"Just give the order. People say Dmitry pursues peace, but my blade has never once grown dull. I can present Dmitry's full military might before you at a moment's notice."
One hurdle cleared.
To wage war, Romero needed the absolute backing of three key figures. One was Rihanna Dmitry. Another was Knight Commander Jonathan.
And the last was...
Master Blacksmith Hendrick. To ensure there are no logistical issues down the line, we need his consent as well.
It was a thorny problem. Hendrick was a staunch advocate for peace. Though he had amassed vast wealth by forging weapons, he firmly believed that blacksmiths should never directly involve themselves in war. He was the final hurdle, and persuading him would not be easy.
However, with Roman's life on the line, Romero had no intention of letting the meeting drag on.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak—
"I will fully mobilize Dmitry's forge immediately. Knight Commander Jonathan, tell me exactly what supplies are needed for the war."
Astoundingly, Hendrick was the first to burst out, his voice trembling with fury.
* * *
Just as Baron Romero thought, Hendrick was a man of peace.
He believed that if a weapon maker directly involved himself in the bloody affairs of war, he would forfeit his right to a simple life of hammering iron. And, just like Jonathan, he had once utterly despised Roman.
But that was the past.
If anyone were asked what kind of person Roman was today, the people of Dmitry would answer with a single, unified voice:
"Young Master Roman Dmitry is the future of Dmitry."
Before leaving for the Southern Front, Roman had overhauled the very foundation of the territory. Everyone had known there were deep-seated issues within the mines, but they hadn't been easy to fix. Yet, Roman had secured the safety of the estate's residents through the counterintuitive approach of massive financial investment.
That was the beginning of a virtuous cycle. Thanks to the newly safe environment, the laborers found stability. As the mine's output increased, countless jobs were created. The people no longer worried about putting food on the table, and the coin they spent vigorously stimulated commerce throughout the estate.
A single change had rippled outward, transforming everything. The workers of Dmitry smiled far more often these days, and they all knew exactly who had brought about this golden age.
No one forced Young Master Roman to act. He decided on his own that he needed to look after the iron mines—the very lifeblood of the family. Because he took the time to understand the harsh reality of the estate's commoners, the people of Dmitry are now enjoying peaceful, prosperous days. Young Master Roman is the undisputed future of Dmitry, the only one truly worthy of ruling over us. We can never turn a blind eye when he is in crisis.
Moreover, Hendrick had personally received a priceless gift from Roman.
Even now, whenever he looked at the sword Salamander, he couldn't help but chuckle like a fool, still utterly bewildered that the eldest son of the family had forged such a breathtaking masterpiece.
Hendrick spoke, his booming voice on the verge of exploding, unable to hide his violent agitation.
"Whether it's Castro or the gods themselves, touching Young Master Roman is absolutely unacceptable, my Lord! The blacksmiths of the forge, the miners in the deep earth, and every single resident of Dmitry—we have all received immense grace from Young Master Roman. We are not ungrateful beasts who forget our debts! Not a single soul will oppose this war. So, if you have made your decision, give us our orders!"
The atmosphere in the room shifted completely.
Every opinion perfectly aligned. Seeing how his vassals unanimously agreed to march to war for his son, Baron Romero felt a sudden, overwhelming surge of emotion.
...What on earth is this?
Only then did he truly realize it.
Dmitry. The undisputed hegemon of the northeast was evolving into something entirely different from its past.
* * *
The order was issued.
To prepare for war, every available hand across the territory was mobilized. Not only were the soldiers assembling, but the common folk were moving frantically to secure top-grade armaments and provisions to supply the army.
"What?!"
"Is that true?!"
The miners of the iron mines had caught wind of the news. Upon hearing that Dmitry was preparing for war to save Roman Dmitry, the miners immediately rushed to Master Jacob.
"Who do those goddamn bastards think they are, touching Dmitry's treasure?! Gather all the miners right now! Even if we can't fight on the front lines, we can haul supplies and forge what's needed for the war!"
"Yes, sir!"
The people rose up in an uproar.
Baron Romero's mobilization order had not actually included the miners. It was their designated rest period after grueling labor, and the night-shift workers in particular were fast asleep.
Yet, the moment Jacob's command echoed through the camps, they moved without a single word of complaint. Even the night-shift workers, who hadn't slept a wink, scrambled out of bed with bloodshot eyes.
"Those fucking bastards. They dared touch Young Master Roman? What do I need to do? Do I need to grab a bamboo spear and fight?"
"Wake everyone up! Now is not the time to sleep!"
Among the shouting crowd was Morcan, the safety manager. With their fiery passion spreading like wildfire, Dmitry bustled with a loud, chaotic, yet unified energy.
Whoosh!
Roar!
The massive forges were fired up simultaneously. The furnaces blazed to life, and at Master Blacksmith Hendrick's thunderous command, the blacksmiths frantically began inspecting and sharpening weapons.
Clang!
Clang!
"I believe you have all heard the news! Young Master Roman is in danger! The faster we finish our work, the sooner Young Master Roman can return safely to Dmitry! Lately, you've all been yapping about how happy you are to live here! We all harbor deep debts of gratitude toward the Dmitry family. So, earn your keep! Unless you are ungrateful beasts, swing those hammers without rest!"
Hendrick roared, his voice rivaling the blazing heat of the furnaces.
Dmitry.
The entire territory was on the move. Bound by a single, unwavering purpose, the massive war machine of Dmitry rapidly fell into formation.
And all of this had unfolded less than an hour after Lauren had made his frantic call. The people in the capital could not have possibly anticipated what kind of bomb Lauren had just dropped on Dmitry.