Chapter 23: What Happened at the Social Party (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 23: What Happened at the Social Party (1)
Right around the time Kevin's training was in full swing, a single official announcement from Baron Romero threw the entire Dmitry region into an uproar.
"The marriage between Dmitry and Lawrence has been called off."
A broken engagement.
Everyone knew exactly what those words meant.
It meant the shield of Dmitry, which would have resolved the conflict with Barco, was gone. The Lawrence family was now left to prepare for war entirely on their own. Naturally, the public had plenty to say about the situation. Although Baron Romero officially cited the Lawrence family's irresponsible attitude as the reason for the annulment, the public's interpretation was entirely different.
"The reason for the broken engagement? It's obvious. The precious daughter of the Lawrence family agreed to the marriage for her family's sake, but once she actually met the Fool of Dmitry in person, she couldn't stomach him. Why else would Lawrence unilaterally demand an annulment? If they made such a drastic choice with Barco's blade right at their throats, we have to assume the Fool of Dmitry is even worse than the rumors say."
"No way. What if their family gets wiped out because of it? Besides, aren't there rumors that Dmitry's eldest son subjugated Blood Fang?"
"Do you actually believe that? There's no way a guy who's been called the Fool of Dmitry for over a decade suddenly wiped out Blood Fang out of nowhere. They probably fabricated Roman's reputation in advance to prepare for the broken engagement. They wanted to make it look like Roman Dmitry isn't lacking at all, but rather that Lawrence foolishly demanded the annulment despite him being such an incredible man."
That was the general consensus.
This was why reputation was such a terrifying thing. Roman Dmitry had lived his entire life as a fool, while Flora Lawrence was universally praised as the flower of Lawrence.
One event.
Two vastly different reputations.
Naturally, the public laid the blame squarely on Roman Dmitry. Even though his image had improved somewhat with the subjugation of Blood Fang, it wasn't enough to completely overturn their deeply ingrained perceptions. Yet, the Dmitry family made no move to correct them. They knew that explaining the details wouldn't change what people chose to believe. Besides, it was an undeniable reality that Roman Dmitry had indeed lived like a fool until recently.
However, they believed in Roman.
Because the current Roman was completely different from the rumors, they could simply laugh off the public's reaction.
Under these circumstances, the day of Barco's social party dawned.
* * *
"...Are you really telling me to wear this?"
Roman's expression stiffened.
The fabric before his eyes practically blinded him with its glitter. Roman stared in sheer disbelief at the extravagant, eye-catching outfit, lavishly decorated with gold embroidery.
Hans spoke up.
"Young Master. This is your first public appearance since the engagement was broken. Given the prestige of the Dmitry family and your own status, you absolutely cannot wear just anything. To tell you a bit about this outfit, it is a masterpiece by Pierre, a master artisan active in the northeast region. I spent an astronomical sum to bypass dozens of people on the waiting list and have this custom-made. That man doesn't move for money alone, so even though I brought bags of gold, it took quite some time to persuade him. Surely, you aren't saying you won't wear such a masterpiece—the very fruit of my blood, sweat, and tears?"
Two weeks ago, right after Roman announced his intention to attend the party, Hans had spent every single day searching for the perfect outfit.
Matching fabrics to see which colors suited him best and contacting famous artisans—watching Hans do all this made Roman realize once again just how extraordinarily dedicated the man was.
And now, faced with a firm attitude that brooked no refusal, Roman had no choice but to chuckle and nod.
"Very well. I shall wear it."
In the past, people associated the title of Heavenly Demon with a devil. A bloodless, tearless monster who would decapitate even his own subordinates without a second thought.
And indeed, there were times when he had done exactly that.
On his journey to the summit, there were moments when he had to execute his own men with a heavy heart, Tearfully Upholding the Law. Yet, under normal circumstances, Roman never ignored the sincere devotion of his subordinates.
Hans was someone who devoted himself entirely to Roman. Although the Dmitry family provided him with food and wages, it was out of genuine care for Roman that Hans had gone out of his way to seek out a master artisan and present him with this outfit, without anyone ever ordering him to do so.
Such dedication.
What was the reward for it?
Hans did not desire material wealth; he merely wished for Roman to accept the clothes with a pleased heart.
Therefore, Roman smiled for him.
It was an effortless gesture.
Even though the flashy outfit was quite an eyesore, Roman forced his stiff expression to soften and offered a smile.
Just looking at it makes me lose my breath, but if this is the etiquette of this world, I must follow its rules.
There was a saying: when in an empire, follow the laws of the empire.
Right now, he was in a period of adjustment.
Just as he had adapted to reality in his youth by following orders from above in a pitch-black cave, Roman knew when to take the lead and when to conform to established rules. The decision to wear the extravagant outfit signified his acceptance of reality. In this manner, Roman was gradually adapting to this new world.
Changing clothes took quite some time.
When Roman finally emerged in his new attire, Hans's eyes practically turned into hearts.
"...You look truly, truly magnificent, Young Master."
A harmony of black and gold.
With golden light blooming over a solemn, charismatic black base, Roman looked every bit the noble young lord of high renown.
At this moment, Hans was absolutely certain.
The star of this social party would undoubtedly be his lord, Roman Dmitry.
* * *
Two people were to accompany him to the social party: Chris and Kevin.
Since they were attending as escorts, they were fully armed, unlike their usual selves.
Clank, clank.
The metallic clatter of armor rang out noisily.
Chris wore the custom-made armor he had received upon being knighted. The form-fitting silver plate gleamed brilliantly under the sunlight, and his golden hair fluttered gently in the wind. His appearance proved exactly why he was called the handsome swordsman, and his dignified posture carried the flashy exterior with natural ease.
Shring.
He checked the sword at his waist.
The blade, a perfect length that didn't drag on the ground, was engraved with the crest of Dmitry.
"What's taking him so long?"
Kevin had not yet appeared.
Since it was a fundamental rule for escorts to finish preparing before their lord, Chris showed a hint of displeasure.
It was then.
From a distance, a small, slender silhouette came running in a frantic rush.
Clank, clank.
"...I'm sorry!"
It was Kevin.
His appearance was the complete opposite of Chris's.
Having been a mere commoner until recently, he didn't own custom-made armor, and in his mid-teens, it was impossible to find a perfect fit. Thus, he had thrown on a set of armor from the forge that roughly matched his size.
The problem was that even this was too big for Kevin. Looking at the oversized helmet that covered most of the boy's sweat-drenched forehead, Chris let out a dumbfounded chuckle.
To think I have to stand guard alongside a guy like this.
Kevin looked exactly like a child soldier.
Knowing nothing of military discipline, he struggled to even keep his balance in the heavy armor, looking every bit as clumsy as his appearance suggested.
On the day of their spar, Chris had disliked Kevin's sheer venom. While he understood Kevin's circumstances, that attitude of not knowing his place had rubbed Chris the wrong way.
Perhaps because of that, seeing Kevin constantly clutching at his slipping helmet, Chris spoke in a sharp tone.
"We are our lord's escorts and the face of Dmitry. No matter what happens out there, do not act rashly. The Young Master's reputation depends on our conduct, so you must be exceptionally careful with your words and actions."
Their past spar.
Because of that event, Chris had resolved to follow Roman with all his heart.
In the past, he wouldn't have cared what people thought of the Fool of Dmitry, but now, he could not tolerate Roman being looked down upon anywhere. This was his lord. Roman Dmitry's reputation was now tied to his own, so he knew he had to be extremely mindful of his conduct for his lord's sake.
Therefore, he was worried about Kevin.
Since the boy knew absolutely nothing of etiquette, he might make a blunder at a social party where manners were of the utmost importance.
At Chris's words, Kevin nodded with a solemn expression.
"...I will keep that in mind, Sir Knight."
"Good."
The title "Sir Knight."
A faint smile played on Chris's lips.
Although Kevin and he now served in the same capacity, Kevin still seemed to find Chris intimidating and addressed him as "Sir Knight."
Perhaps because his mood had softened slightly, Chris stepped closer to Kevin and straightened the crooked helmet.
Soon enough, the time had come.
As Roman stepped out, Chris and Kevin gathered their things.
It was time to depart for Barco.
* * *
Barco's social party.
The hottest topic of discussion at this event was none other than the attendance of Dmitry's eldest son, who had just broken off his engagement with Lawrence.
The party was already underway.
Noting that Roman Dmitry had not yet arrived, a noble sipping his wine spoke to the man beside him.
"Roman... what on earth is that fellow thinking? He pushed through with the political marriage even though he knew full well that Barco's eldest son wanted Flora, only to suddenly call it off and then announce he's attending Barco's party."
"That's why he's called the fool. If he had any brains, he would have committed to one side or the other."
"True. The normal way would be to push the political marriage to the bitter end to oppose Barco, or to ignore Lawrence from the start to maintain smooth relations with Barco. Because of Roman Dmitry, the Dmitry family's position has become incredibly awkward. It's true they are the powerhouses of the northeast, but trying to maintain a good relationship with Barco after messing with Lawrence is honestly pure greed."
"Yet Roman Dmitry is attending this party to make up for his mistake. What a hilarious fellow, hahaha."
The nobles laughed.
Roman was nothing but an object of ridicule.
A guy who acted recklessly, ignoring the relationships between families, only to be dumped and abandoned by Flora.
His reason for attending this party was painfully obvious. Abandoned by both sides, he was clearly trying to salvage whatever relationship he could with Barco.
Throughout the venue, conversations centered around Roman were in full bloom. Since most of them had encountered Roman before, they didn't hesitate for a second to disparage him.
Among the groups of nobles, Roman's reputation was rock bottom. While the backing of the Dmitry family prevented him from being insulted to his face, there was nothing to stop the slander whispered behind his back.
In the midst of this, a young noble lady who did not know Roman asked, "What kind of person is Roman Dmitry, exactly?"
"You'll see when you meet him. He has a nasty look, a small, unimposing build, and is completely unremarkable. Yet, just because he's the eldest son of Dmitry, he blusters and puts on airs. His reputation among the nobility has been terrible from the start. Frankly speaking, even if I were Flora Lawrence, I would have bitten my tongue and died before agreeing to marry that fellow."
"Is he really that awful?"
"Do you think they call him the Fool of Dmitry for nothing? There's no smoke without fire, and a person's reputation at a social party is always accurate. Alcohol has a way of revealing a man's true colors, after all."
It was then.
Just as the party was reaching its peak, a servant of Barco announced in a booming voice, "Announcing the arrival of the eldest son of the Dmitry family, Lord Roman Dmitry!"
Roman.
At that name, the attention of the crowd, which had been boisterously chattering just a moment ago, instantly locked onto the entrance.
And then, the doors swung open, and Roman stepped into the hall.