Chapter 160: Two-Way Street (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 160: Two-Way Street (3)
The incident began with a report from the guard captain.
Shortly after opening the city gates early that morning, the captain rushed to his superiors with news of a notable arrival.
"Are you telling me that Roman Dmitry's people have entered our city?"
"Yes, sir."
"For what purpose?"
"There is a servant in the Dmitry family named Hans. He is the one who personally attends to Roman Dmitry. His granddaughter, who resides here in the Adelian Territory, is celebrating her birthday today. Judging by the sheer amount of party goods and presents they brought with them, it seems they are telling the truth."
"...Hmm."
Count Adelian narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
Hans was merely a servant.
Sending a delegation just to celebrate a servant's granddaughter's birthday was completely incomprehensible by noble standards.
‘But I can't just let this slide, either.’
Roman Dmitry.
He was the true power of the northeast.
By absorbing the Northeast Association that had once opposed them, the Dmitry family had acquired truly overwhelming authority. Recently, Roman Dmitry had even been acting as the lord's proxy. Anyone with half a brain could see which way the winds of power were blowing. Even those who pretended to be indifferent were secretly watching Roman Dmitry’s every move.
And a man like that...
...had sent his people here.
Count Adelian strongly suspected there was an ulterior motive.
‘The northeast has united under the banner of the Dmitry Alliance. While it was ostensibly created so the provincial nobles marginalized by Cairo could protect one another, the alliance exercises a powerful binding force. Anyone who falls out of favor with the Dmitry family cannot expect to receive their protection.’
Adelian.
Located on the outermost edge of the northeast, their geographical advantage made them a bustling hub of commerce. However, that same location made them the most vulnerable target in the event of a civil war. It was a cruel irony. Because Count Adelian understood this reality perfectly, he always paid meticulous attention to his relationship with Dmitry.
This time was no different.
He latched onto this seemingly trivial event, refusing to let it go, even if others might have easily dismissed it.
Thirty minutes later.
The guard captain returned with a detailed background check on Hans.
"Hans is the man who practically raised Roman Dmitry. He stayed by his side even when Roman was mocked as 'The Fool of Dmitry.' Perhaps because of those years spent together, he reportedly holds a significant amount of influence within the Dmitry family. It seems Roman's intention truly is just to look after him. Considering Roman Dmitry’s consistent track record of generously rewarding his loyal subordinates, it isn't entirely strange that he would go out of his way for Hans."
"Exactly!"
Count Adelian's mind cleared instantly.
If Hans was someone Roman Dmitry held dear...
...then the Adelian family stepping forward to actively host him would be a golden opportunity to make a strong impression.
His status as a lowly servant?
That didn't matter in the slightest.
If Roman deemed Hans important, then from this moment on, Hans was no longer someone to be treated as a mere servant.
"Summon the family's vassals immediately! From this moment on, we will brainstorm everything we can possibly do for Hans. We must ensure he is treated like royalty and that his son, Harrison, is absolutely delighted. Their happiness will eventually reach the ears of the Dmitry family, which will make Roman Dmitry look upon us favorably!"
Five hours before the party.
The Adelian family was the quickest to seize the opportunity.
* * *
Adelian was not the only family keeping a close eye on Dmitry.
Lawrence.
They received the information just a step slower than Count Adelian.
"My Lord! According to an informant working within the Dmitry family, the servant Hans is scheduled to leave Dmitry early today to celebrate his granddaughter's birthday. What should we do? You instructed us to report all matters, big and small, related to the Dmitry family, but I wasn't sure if we needed to go so far as to track a servant's family events."
The information was incomplete.
While Adelian had confirmed the purpose of the visit through their guard captain, Lawrence had no way of verifying those details.
Even so.
Viscount Lawrence did not let the opportunity slip by.
‘Hans is the one who personally attends to Roman Dmitry. Even if Roman doesn't consider Hans to be that crucial, it is absolutely necessary to meticulously look after Roman's people. Human emotions always stem from the smallest things. If everyone who follows Roman harbors positive feelings toward the Lawrence family, then even if it takes years, those feelings will eventually reach the top.’
Over the past year, Viscount Lawrence had kept track of every single event in Dmitry.
At first, he hadn't paid attention to people like Hans. He had focused on making appearances at the family events of key figures, including Baron Romero, Rihanna, and Knight Commander Jonathan. But now, he had expanded the scope of his attention. Knowing that Roman Dmitry cherished his people deeply, Viscount Lawrence had no intention of ignoring this, even if Hans was merely a servant.
Celebrating a birthday.
It didn't require any extraordinary effort.
He firmly believed that a strong, friendly relationship with Dmitry would be built upon a foundation of such minor efforts.
"Hans is a person whose family events are well worth our attention. Find out what his granddaughter likes, and prepare a gift to be delivered to her immediately."
"Understood, My Lord."
It started with Adelian.
Next was Lawrence.
They thought they were moving in secret, but there was no way the other sly foxes of the northeast would miss such suspicious movements. The nobles who caught wind of the news late suddenly found a fire lit under their feet. Since they hadn't been as meticulous as Viscount Lawrence, they scrambled to hurriedly prepare gifts, absolutely determined not to fall behind their peers.
The gift-giving craze spread like a fever.
Two hours before the birthday party.
Viscount Conrad, who had been sleeping in due to heavy drinking the night before, was the last to hear the news.
"What?! Why are you only telling me this now?!"
"...You were asleep, My Lord. I didn't dare wake you."
"Ugh, you idiot! Haven't I told you a thousand times? If it's anything related to Dmitry, you report it to me immediately, even if the sky is splitting in two! We already have past karma to make up for, so we need to try our absolute best to get on their good side. What are we supposed to do if we fall behind everyone else?!"
"I apologize, My Lord."
The knight bowed his head.
There was no time for scolding now.
With a pale face, Viscount Conrad's mind raced.
‘What kind of gift should I give?’
Time was running out.
Ideally, he wanted to prepare a customized gift for the girl, but with only two hours left, just delivering anything in time would be a tight squeeze.
Ultimately, he rushed straight to his wife's room.
When his wife greeted him with a bright smile, he didn't even spare her a glance as he ruthlessly raided her jewelry box.
"D-Darling?!"
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"
Just a few days ago, he had gifted his wife an incredibly expensive ruby ring.
Thinking it would make the perfect present, Viscount Conrad snatched the ring and bolted without looking back.
At that sight, his wife hurled whatever she could grab at his retreating back, screaming, "You crazy bastard!"
But what else could he do?
The future of his family was on the line.
Without even considering the fact that Hans's granddaughter was only six years old, Viscount Conrad—having just stolen an adult-sized ruby ring from his own wife—ran off with a triumphant look on his face.
‘With this, I'll completely dominate the birthday party!’
This was the reality of the birthday party.
The truth behind the sudden shower of lavish gifts was that it stemmed entirely from the nobles' desperate, excessive loyalty toward Dmitry.
* * *
The mountain of gifts before his eyes was absolutely dazzling.
Harrison had no idea what to do with the massive ruby ring and the various luxury items that wouldn't look out of place on a high-ranking noblewoman.
‘...What on earth is all this?’
He was grateful for the thought behind the gifts, of course.
But since childhood, Harrison had been strictly taught to know his place.
It was a lesson not just for him, but for anyone of commoner birth—repeated often enough to be carved into their very bones.
One never knew what lethal dangers needless greed might invite.
Because of this, anxiety completely overshadowed his joy.
‘I don't know what hidden intentions the nobles had in sending these, but aside from a few toys, these aren't meant for a child. If I get greedy and keep these items, I might end up paying an unbearable price later. Since they presented them to us publicly, I'll pretend to be overjoyed for now, but I must quietly return them all later.’
He firmly organized his thoughts.
Because his father had lived his entire life as a servant, Harrison knew all too well how dangerous it was to covet things that belonged in the hands of nobles.
"I will open the last gift now."
It was a small, unassuming envelope.
Since it was so light, it didn't seem like another extravagant offering from a noble.
Expecting a modest gift, perhaps a heartfelt letter, Harrison carefully opened it. The moment he checked the contents inside, his eyes widened in shock.
He let out a sharp gasp.
It was a single sheet of paper.
The bold writing at the top instantly drew his gaze.
[Letter of Recommendation for Admission to Glory Academy]
His hands began to tremble violently.
Glory Academy.
Excluding the Cairo Royal Academy, which strictly accepted only the children of prestigious nobles, it was the absolute best educational institution a commoner could ever dream of attending. It was a place where admission was nearly impossible, even with mountains of gold. Harrison had always desperately hoped his daughter could enter Glory Academy and live a better life than his own, but he knew realistically how difficult that would be.
Yet, here it was.
A genuine letter of recommendation for admission.
It evoked a completely different kind of overwhelming emotion compared to the shallow luxury of the other gifts. He quickly checked the signature at the bottom, confirming that the sender was none other than Roman Dmitry.
"...Lord Roman Dmitry has written a letter of recommendation to Glory Academy for my daughter."
Instantly, a heavy silence fell over the room.
The guests were utterly astonished.
The previous gifts from the nobles had been amazing, but everyone present knew all too well that a recommendation to Glory Academy was on an entirely different level. It was a life-changing opportunity.
‘Could it be?’
A sudden thought occurred to Harrison.
A month ago, he had spoken to his father about his daughter's future.
He had briefly mentioned his dreams of Glory Academy back then. Had his father secretly put in a good word for her with his master?
He looked over at his father.
But Hans was unable to hide his own surprise. The old servant looked just as thoroughly shocked as Harrison felt.
Realizing that even his father hadn't known about this, a massive wave of emotion welled up inside him, tightening his throat.
‘Thank you. Thank you so much.’
Roman Dmitry.
His gift was a profound surprise that not even Hans had anticipated.
* * *
That day, the birthday party concluded as a massive success.
Hans, who had hurried back to the Dmitry estate early out of worry for his master's daily needs, immediately went to find Roman.
"...You have given us a gift that is far too generous. I have never wished for any special rewards from you, Young Master. Just the fact that you remember my family and acknowledge my existence is enough to make me feel immense pride in my life's work."
His voice was thick with emotion.
Although he tried his best to speak calmly, it was obvious that Hans was deeply moved by Roman's profound sincerity.
Roman looked quietly at the old servant.
‘Hans is a connection left behind by the original Roman Dmitry.’
It wasn't a relationship the current Roman had intentionally formed.
Back in the days when Roman was mocked as 'The Fool of Dmitry,' Hans had steadfastly stayed by his side. The old man had prioritized taking care of him above all else, silently enduring all kinds of humiliation and contempt from others. Because he had inherited those memories, Roman fully accepted Hans's devotion, even though he hadn't experienced those past hardships firsthand.
As the very first person he had accepted into his inner circle since beginning his new life as Roman Dmitry, he did not view Hans as a mere servant.
"Hans."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Though the memories are a bit faint now, when I look back at my childhood, I realize I spent more time with you than with my own father. Back then, Father had just received his title of nobility and was drowning in official duties. And while Mother was a kind woman, she couldn't look after me meticulously due to her subsequent childbirths and the chaotic events surrounding the estate. That is why the name 'Hans' is special to me. Setting aside our differences in status, that is truly how I feel."
"...Young Master."
Hans's wrinkled eyes welled with tears.
This entire incident wasn't part of some grand scheme.
Roman had simply wanted to take care of his own person. But because he now wielded immense power, his simple gesture had resulted in the region's nobles desperately showering the servant's family with lavish gifts.
Roman had intentionally allowed that situation to unfold.
He wanted his absolute authority to serve as a brilliant light, shining down upon his people.
"Loyalty and affection are not a one-way street. Hans, you are my person. Just as you have blindly offered me your pure, unwavering devotion all these years, you deserve to receive what I give you without ever needing a reason."
Hans looked up at his master.
Meeting the old man's watery gaze...
...Roman offered a warm, genuine smile.
"I sincerely wish your granddaughter a happy birthday."