Chapter 159: Two-Way Street (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 159: Two-Way Street (2)
Harrison approached his wife and asked, "What on earth is going on here?"
"Darling!"
His wife's face lit up with relief. She paused her work and gestured to the side.
"I was preparing for our daughter's birthday party this morning when that man over there showed up with a whole crowd. I have no idea what's going on either. They said Lord Roman Dmitry sent them, so I just went along with it. But before I knew it, they were busy setting up all of this."
"People sent by Lord Roman Dmitry?"
Harrison followed his wife's gaze to a man directing the bustling crowd. The name was familiar—his father served the Dmitry family, after all—but that didn't make this situation any easier to digest.
Why would Young Master Roman send people here?
It was his daughter's birthday party. Needing to know the reason, Harrison approached the man leading the operation.
"...Excuse me, were you sent by Young Master Roman?"
"Ah! Mr. Harrison?"
"Yes, I am Harrison. May I ask why you are preparing a birthday party for my daughter?"
His tone was cautious. Even though he lived in the Adelian Territory, dealing with someone from the Dmitry family required the utmost care.
The man smiled warmly.
"I am Lucas, and I serve Young Master Roman. There is no need to look so tense. Nothing is wrong. Young Master Roman simply wished to repay Mr. Hans, which is why he sent me and these men. So, why not leave the birthday preparations entirely to us? This party won't just be a celebration for your daughter; it will also be of great help to you, Mr. Harrison, as you continue to live and work in the Adelian Territory."
"...I still don't quite understand. This isn't exactly a normal situation, is it?"
Roman and Hans. Master and servant. Since nobles simply did not care about the grandchildren of their servants, Harrison could not readily accept the explanation even after hearing it directly.
"I completely understand how you feel. But you can think of it simply. Young Master Roman—my lord—truly treasures Mr. Hans. It is a deep affection built up over many years. That is why he planned this with the pure intention of celebrating your daughter's birthday, without any hidden agenda. Haven't you heard your father talk about my lord? Mr. Hans is a man who deserves this level of respect."
Harrison stood dazed.
A man who deserves this.
The words echoed in his mind, stirring a strange, heavy emotion in his chest.
Roman Dmitry treasures my father?
It was completely unexpected.
While people now revered Roman Dmitry for his recent transformation, Harrison—as Hans's son—could never forget the wastrel Roman used to be. An arrogant piece of trash. Harrison's friends used to mock him, sneering that his father was nothing but a lapdog to a useless fool. Though Harrison had enjoyed a comfortable childhood thanks to his father's wages, he had always hated seeing him trail submissively behind Roman in the streets.
Roman Dmitry, shouting drunkenly in public. It had made his father look so pathetic.
That was why he had clawed his way to success. After graduating from the academy, he started his own business to change his fate.
The boy once ridiculed as a servant's son was now a respectable business owner. Though he still had to bow his head to nobles, his current position was the hard-won result of his struggle to escape his past.
And now, he was faced with Roman's goodwill.
Unpleasant memories clashed with reality, leaving him utterly bewildered.
Back when Roman Dmitry was called a wastrel, Father always said he was just acting out because of trials he couldn't handle, but that he was a good child at heart. I denied it. I thought Roman Dmitry was an ungrateful wretch, and that no matter how much his reputation changed now, my father's years of devotion meant nothing to him. But... Roman Dmitry sent these people to me, all for my father.
A lump rose in his throat.
His father's devotion had not been in vain. At the realization that Roman Dmitry was personally expressing his gratitude, a faint smile spread across Harrison's face.
"...'Deserves this level of respect.' That... is a truly wonderful thing to hear."
A good child at heart.
For the first time, he felt he could finally believe his father's words.
* * *
Harrison allowed the party preparations to continue.
Lucas insisted he leave everything to them, and under his direction, the workers busily transformed the venue.
There was still some time left before the party was scheduled to begin, but a few eager guests arrived earlier than expected.
"Whoa."
"What on earth is all this?!"
"Are we sure we have the right place?"
The guests' eyes widened in shock.
The outdoor venue was decorated so exquisitely that it could easily pass for a noble family's banquet. They looked around, utterly dazed. If they hadn't spotted Harrison, they would have assumed they had wandered into the wrong estate.
Harrison briefly explained the situation. He admitted that he had known nothing about it until this morning, when Roman Dmitry sent his people to set everything up.
At those words, the guests exchanged loaded glances. Anyone with even a scrap of social awareness knew exactly what this meant.
Roman Dmitry sent people just for Harrison's father?
Since when did Harrison have such a powerful backer? Damn it. If I had known, I would have prepared a much grander gift for his daughter. Why on earth is he only letting us know now that he has such a close relationship with Roman Dmitry?!
They had heard Harrison complain about Roman in the past and assumed they were on bad terms. But if Roman was willing to throw a party of this scale, no further explanation was needed.
"...I need to step out for a moment."
"Ah, I just realized I left my gift at home."
Several guests quietly slipped away.
They needed better gifts. Now that it was clear Harrison possessed an incredible connection, his social standing was no longer that of an ordinary commoner.
A quiet frenzy ensued. As more guests arrived, none could hide their astonishment. Since they were all commoners, Roman's overwhelming favor left them bewildered.
The start of the party was fast approaching. Just as the final preparations were completed, everyone's attention was drawn to the entrance.
Step, step—
The heavy, synchronized thud of boots echoed.
Soldiers of the Adelian family marched toward the venue in perfect formation. If it had just been the soldiers, Harrison wouldn't have been so shocked.
"...Father?!"
At the center of the escort was Hans. Harrison's father wore an embarrassed smile as he was guided in by the Adelian soldiers.
* * *
Hans had traveled by carriage to the Adelian Territory.
He already felt the private carriage was far too generous, but the moment he arrived, the guard captain of Adelian was waiting to welcome him.
"We have been waiting for you!"
The guard captain had received special orders from Count Adelian to escort Hans the moment he arrived. Even though Roman hadn't made any such request, Count Adelian had somehow caught wind of the event and dispatched his men.
"There is really no need for all this," Hans naturally tried to decline.
It was his granddaughter's birthday party. She was the star of the day, and he had no desire to make a grand, noisy entrance.
However, the guard captain pleaded desperately.
"Please, I beg of you. If I fail to escort you, Mr. Hans, I don't know what kind of furious wrath Count Adelian will unleash upon me. I won't ask for much. Just let us guide you until we reach the venue."
Perhaps because he understood the plight of a fellow subordinate—knowing all too well what it was like to be at the mercy of a master's orders—Hans could not bring himself to turn away the captain's pleading eyes.
And so, Hans arrived at the party.
Just as the guests were shocked to see him, Hans was equally speechless at the sight of the venue.
"My goodness..."
The sight before him was incredibly luxurious.
The modest gathering he had imagined was nowhere to be seen; instead, extravagant decorations and a feast of delicacies captured his gaze. Just then, the soft strains of classical music drifted into his ears.
Realizing that professional musicians had been hired for his granddaughter's party, Hans felt a sudden surge of emotion.
...Young Master.
There was no doubt. This was Roman Dmitry's doing.
Roman had told him to leave a day early for the party. He hadn't just provided a carriage; he had orchestrated this entire grand celebration.
Tears welled in Hans's eyes.
It wasn't that he cared for luxury or extravagance. Rather, he was profoundly grateful that Roman had gone to such lengths for a mere servant.
He was, indeed, a truly good man.
People said Roman had grown cold after his transformation, but Hans knew better than anyone how warm-hearted his young master truly was. The child Hans had always worried about the most—the one who had always been a sore spot in his heart—had gone to such lengths to repay him. It filled him with pure, unadulterated gratitude.
I really am getting old.
His eyes grew red. Wiping away his tears, Hans spotted a familiar face.
"Father!"
It was his only son, Harrison. Seeing him approach, Hans smiled brightly and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"My son!"
* * *
The atmosphere of the party was warm and harmonious.
With delicious food, beautiful music, and wonderful company, it was impossible not to be happy. The guests, in particular, couldn't stop smiling as they enjoyed an experience they normally could never afford.
"Now, it is time to open the gifts!" Harrison announced.
He and his wife stepped forward, bringing their six-year-old daughter with them. Originally, they had planned to open just four or five gifts. But somehow, dozens of gift boxes were now piled high on the table.
"The first gift is from my father."
On behalf of his young daughter, Harrison opened the box. When a beautiful ball-jointed doll was revealed inside, his daughter giggled with delight and hugged it tightly.
"What a beautiful doll. She has been begging for one every single day, and it seems my father knew exactly what to get. Thank you so much, Father. Thanks to you, today feels truly special."
At his son's words, Hans smiled warmly.
Opening gifts in front of everyone was a tradition in Cairo. Following Hans's gift, they opened the others one by one, revealing modest but heartfelt presents.
However, as Harrison went to open one particular box, he suddenly froze.
"Th-this is..."
The box was small, but its contents were more shocking than anything else.
"This is a gift sent by Viscount Conrad. It's... a ring set with a ruby. This is far too extravagant a gift, I don't even know what to say."
The crowd began to murmur.
"Viscount Conrad?"
"Why would a noble send a gift to a commoner's birthday party?"
The guests were bewildered. This was an entirely unexpected turn of events. It was one thing for Roman Dmitry to arrange the party, but the sudden involvement of Viscount Conrad was utterly baffling.
But that was not all.
"This is a gift sent by Count Adelian."
"This is a gift sent by Viscount Lawrence."
As the boxes were opened one after another, more unexpected names rang out.
The gifts themselves were spectacular. The nobles of the northeastern region had sent lavish presents befitting their high status, and the sight of such expensive items—like the ruby ring—left everyone wide-eyed.
In truth, these could hardly be considered gifts for a six-year-old girl. They were bribes meant to curry favor with Harrison—or more accurately, a display of goodwill directed at Hans.
The guests were completely stunned. The grand party alone had been shocking enough, but the realization that high-ranking nobles were sending their congratulations left them utterly dazed.
This series of events was unbelievable even to witness firsthand.
Why on earth are those high-and-mighty nobles sending gifts to Harrison?
What the guests did not know was that, six hours ago, the nobles of the northeastern region had waged a fierce, silent war over a single piece of news.