Chapter 2: The Fool of Dmitry (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 2: The Fool of Dmitry (2)
The members of the Blood Fang gang exchanged baffled looks.
The fierce-looking man who appeared to be their leader scanned the area, checking for any hidden threats.
"What's our young master relying on to act so cocky?"
There was no one around.
Not only were there no Dmitry soldiers, but even the commoners had hastily retreated, leaving the area completely empty.
Only two people stood facing the Blood Fang gang.
Roman Dmitry and his servant, Hans.
"Young Master. I get that you're a sheltered noble who doesn't know how the world works, but it's a real problem when you act like this outside the castle walls—especially against us, the men who bear the fang tattoo. People like us, at the bottom of the ladder, we live and die by our pride. If we just back down after hearing words like that, we won't be able to hold our heads high as members of Blood Fang. Not even if our opponent is a son of the Dmitry family."
Shhhk.
The thugs behind him all drew their weapons. With murderous glints in their eyes, they looked ready to strike the moment their leader gave the word.
Roman smirked.
"That settles it."
"What do you mean?"
"You're trash. If you dare act this way toward the master of this land, I don't even need to ask how you treat everyone else."
"Trash? You son of a— Gasp?!"
The leader couldn't finish his curse.
Just as his face flushed with rage, his pupils dilated as Roman suddenly lunged forward.
"Attack!"
"Yaaah!"
The Blood Fang gang rushed forward in unison. The leader also stabbed at Roman's vitals with the dagger he was already holding, but Roman dodged the attack by a hair's breadth. His black hair fluttered. Roman's sharp gaze locked with the leader's.
In that instant—
Thwack!
"Cough, gurgle…"
The leader choked, blood and foam bubbling from his mouth where a tree branch had pierced his throat.
It happened in the blink of an eye.
Seething with rage, the rest of the Blood Fang gang lunged at Roman.
Facing the onslaught of nearly ten men, Hans stomped his feet in anxiety and hastily picked up a large stone to help. But there was no need. Having already dealt with the leader, Roman dodged all of their attacks with almost supernatural footwork, systematically taking them down one by one. Deflecting daggers with a mere branch was a miracle in itself, but whenever he struck with it, he invariably pierced their vital points, leaving gaping holes.
"M-Monster…!"
"This is Roman Dmitry?"
The men panicked. Though they had fought with their lives on the line at first, they were now gripped by terror as they watched their comrades fall helplessly.
But the tide had already turned.
One after another, the men collapsed.
Just as the last man tried to flee, Roman's hand shot out and grabbed him by the hair.
Grab!
"Let go! Let me go!"
The man thrashed wildly. Looking at his comrades strewn across the ground, his face was deathly pale.
Roman spoke. "You have violated the laws of Dmitry. And instead of repenting, you tried to cover your tracks by threatening me. For a society to progress, the law must be upheld. I will not take your life, but I will make an example of you and show everyone what it means to fear the law."
The man once called the Heavenly Demon.
In the Murim, Roman was the law itself. Having lived his entire life as a ruler, he knew exactly what choices had to be made for the sake of order, no matter how cruel.
Slam.
"Ugh."
He forced the man to his knees. Then, pulling the man's head back sharply, he yanked his tongue out with his other hand.
"For the sin of running your mouth, you will pay the price."
"Mmm… mgh, mmgghhh!"
The man struggled desperately, but there was no escape. Roman's iron grip pinned him down. Picking up a discarded dagger from the ground, Roman sliced the man's tongue clean off. Blood splattered. The man thrashed, his agonizing screams echoing through the area. The villagers squeezed their eyes shut at the brutal spectacle. Yet, without a single change in his expression, Roman finished severing the tongue.
Plop.
The severed muscle fell to the ground. The man's head slumped. With a vacant, tear-stained face, he desperately tried to stem the torrent of blood pouring from his mouth with his hands.
"My name is Roman Dmitry. If you're unhappy with this punishment, feel free to come find me anytime."
The Heavenly Demon Cult.
In a world where the strong prey on the weak, all karma is paid in blood.
Roman looked at Hans. Startled by a side of his young master he had never seen, Hans took a step back in fear.
"Contact the guards. Report what happened and have them send men to clean up this mess."
"Y-Yes, I under—hic—stand."
Hans hiccuped. He glanced at the bodies once more, then ran toward the castle with a pale face.
It had been an overwhelming victory.
Yet, Roman's expression was grim.
This body is trash.
Roman. No, Baek Joong-hyuk.
In the Murim, he was a man who had reached the absolute peak. Hundreds, even thousands, of martial artists had been slaughtered because they couldn't handle him. Only when blood flowed like a river did they finally acknowledge the Heavenly Demon Cult as the ruler of the Murim. For Roman, who possessed the mind of Baek Joong-hyuk, the fact that it took him any effort at all to deal with mere street thugs was unacceptable.
The flow of Qi is a mess. The amount of Qi stored in the body is pitiful.
It was the absolute worst. Although there were traces of some martial arts training, by his standards, it was worse than having done nothing at all.
To think I have to start over with a body like this. The only saving grace is that I possess the experience of honing my martial arts as Baek Joong-hyuk. If I train correctly from the very beginning, I can achieve significant results even in the worst conditions.
Various thoughts crossed his mind. First, he needed to gather information quickly and undergo Shedding Bones and Rebirth to rebuild his body's foundation.
It was then.
"Y-Young Master. Thank you so much for helping me."
It was the boy who had been beaten. Though he limped as if every step was an effort, he bowed his head deeply in a show of utmost respect.
It was a pitiful sight, yet Roman's voice remained cold.
"I didn't help you out of pity. I delivered a punishment because the Blood Fang gang violated the laws of Dmitry, and you aren't exempt from responsibility either. Therefore, explain your situation without a single lie. If I find your words to be false, your tongue won't be safe either."
"...I understand."
The boy's expression became calm and composed. He had grit. The fact that he hadn't let out a single groan while being beaten had been impressive; he was no ordinary boy.
"As you know, Blood Fang lends money at exorbitant interest rates. My parents borrowed from them to lease land, and we would have been able to pay it back if we'd had a normal harvest. However, Blood Fang intentionally sabotaged our farm. At first, we didn't know why, but we eventually found out they did it because they were after my older sister. Young Master, we have been wronged. Though we are not a wealthy family, we have never lived to harm others. There is not a single lie in my words. Please, save us from this evil."
The boy bowed deeply. His words were logical and clear, and his voice didn't tremble once as he explained the situation.
Roman showed a flicker of interest. Though his face was soot-stained and his body was scrawny, intelligence shone in the boy's eyes.
I recruited the Mad Demon, who became one of my Four Heavenly Kings, in an environment just like this. Back then, the Mad Demon was nothing but an insignificant boy, but he grew to become a more reliable ally than anyone. Somehow, this boy reminds me of the Mad Demon.
"What is your name?"
"...Kevin."
"Kevin. I will remember your name. Within a few days, this matter will be handled properly through the official channels."
"Ah! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
The boy named Kevin bowed in gratitude again and again.
Roman smiled faintly.
A new life. A new connection.
His heart was already pounding.
Having sorted out the situation, Roman changed into formal attire with Hans's help. It was almost time for the young lady of the Lawrence family to arrive, and he couldn't very well meet her in clothes stained with blood and mud.
While changing, he listened to Hans explain the story behind the engagement.
"To be frank, this is a political marriage of convenience. The Lawrence Viscount family has fought several wars recently over territorial disputes, leaving them in dire financial straits. To solve their financial problems, they proposed a political marriage to our Dmitry family. Fortunately, you were the one who actively pushed for this marriage, Young Master. Since the young lady of the Lawrence family is renowned as a great beauty in these parts, you fell for her at first sight."
He got the general picture. Lawrence needed funds, and Dmitry needed the connection to solidify their status as a noble family. It was a transaction that served both their interests. The only catch was that Lawrence had wanted the second son, but the marriage was finalized because Roman Dmitry himself had actively pursued it. And today was the day they were to meet for the first time. Roman had only seen the young lady from afar at a party; they had never actually spoken.
Marriage.
In truth, Roman had no interest in it. Although he was going with the flow for now, he was fully prepared to overturn the arrangement at any moment.
Marriage is something that can only happen when two hearts are aligned. In the process of forming a lifelong bond, things like family background are of no importance. I need to find an opportunity to call this marriage off.
The other party's background, the young lady's beauty—none of it mattered to Roman.
Ironically, the problem resolved itself almost immediately.
That afternoon, as scheduled, the young lady of the Lawrence family visited Dmitry.
"I am Flora Lawrence."
She was as beautiful as the rumors suggested. Her long, flowing blonde hair cascaded to her waist, an elegant sight that would draw admiration from anyone, and her features were flawless. She had the face of a classic beauty. Her eyes, as clear and calm as a lake, seemed to pull you in the moment you met her gaze. It was easy to see why Roman Dmitry had pushed so hard for this marriage. Her appearance alone made her a woman of considerable value.
Flora suggested they take a walk.
Once they reached a quiet spot, away from prying eyes, her expression turned ice-cold.
"I want to call off our marriage."
A broken engagement.
That was the reason Flora Lawrence had come to the Dmitry estate.