Chapter 29: Recruitment (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 29: Recruitment (2)
It was the day Kevin had been summoned by Roman.
Back in the slums, Kevin’s family was busy cleaning up their house, which had been turned into a complete disaster area after they narrowly escaped the threat of Blood Fang.
"Damned bastards. They completely trashed the place."
"Still, we should be glad we could even return," Michelle replied, trying to soothe her husband, Clark. "If it weren't for Young Master Roman, who knows what would have happened to us by now?"
Before this, the Clark family had been living through a waking nightmare.
They had lost their entire life savings to loan sharks. Every single day, rough-looking thugs would kick in their door, shouting and tearing the house apart. Clark's face was never free of dark bruises from the beatings, and Michelle would often collapse to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Yet, even in the depths of that hell, they had gritted their teeth and endured the pain, absolutely determined to protect their daughter.
It all traced back to a single bad loan.
A simple farmer's dream of cultivating his own land had dragged his family into the abyss the moment he crossed paths with a vicious criminal syndicate.
"…But did Young Master Roman really subjugate Blood Fang?" Clark asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "The Young Master Roman we know isn't capable of something like that. Kevin made a huge fuss about how amazing he is, but after everything I've seen and heard over the years, I find it hard to believe."
The past few days had felt entirely surreal to Clark. Not only had Roman Dmitry saved Kevin, but he had supposedly marched all the way to Lawrence to wipe Blood Fang off the map.
Their living hell was over.
Hans, Roman's representative, had personally looked after the Clark family, ensuring they could return home safely. To them, Roman was nothing short of a savior. Yet, a heavy knot of doubt inevitably lingered in their hearts because their only son had left home to follow him.
The Fool of Dmitry.
Knowing all too well how that infamous reputation had been forged, they couldn't help but worry whether Roman was truly a man worth their son dedicating his life to.
Michelle sighed, crouching on the floor to sweep up the scattered shards of broken dishes. The shattered pieces were a vivid reminder of just how agonizing their recent days had been.
"The truth doesn't matter to us," she said softly. "Just as the rumors say, the Dmitry family might have fabricated the whole incident to salvage Young Master Roman's reputation. But the only fact that matters is that we received his help. If Young Master Roman hadn't stepped in, who knows what Blood Fang would have done to us? We owe him a great debt, and no matter what the rest of the world says, we must live the rest of our lives with gratitude toward him."
She believed in Roman. Simply because they had received his grace, Michelle was deeply respectful even when just speaking his name. He was the man her son would follow from now on. That was more than enough reason to trust him. If asked, Michelle would willingly do anything for Roman.
It was then.
Knock, knock.
"Is anyone home?" a man's voice called out from beyond the door.
Instantly, the Clark family froze. The terrifying memory of those brutal thugs barging into their home rushed back, suffocating them with the fear that the nightmare was starting all over again.
However, when Clark cautiously opened the door, they were welcomed by a warm, polite smile.
Hans beamed at them. "I am here on Young Master Roman's orders. From now on, I will be escorting you to your new home."
Hans's words were a lifeline dropped straight from the heavens.
* * *
They were completely dazed. Kevin's family couldn't believe their own eyes.
"…Are you really telling us we're going to live here from now on?" Clark's voice trembled violently.
The structure before them was nothing like the rotting shack they had lived in until now. Pointing to the beautifully built wooden house, Hans offered a gentle smile.
"Of course. And that is not the only gift from Young Master Roman. We will also lease a portion of the land owned by Young Master Roman to you, Mr. Clark. No rent will be required. Young Master Roman promised Kevin that he would take care of his family, and you can consider this house and land as the fulfillment of that promise."
A house and land. It was the dream they had desperately yearned for their entire lives.
Having it handed to him in an instant, Clark choked back his surging emotions and spoke in a cautious, fearful tone. "We have already received a massive favor just by having Blood Fang wiped out. May I ask why he is showing us such overwhelming benevolence? If this is the price for sacrificing my son's life, I cannot accept it, even if you offered me a mountain of gold and silver. So please, tell me the truth."
Roman's gift was simply too much. Kevin was just an ordinary boy from the slums, and his parents knew better than anyone that he lacked the qualifications to earn such an incredible reward. Why on earth was the Young Master treating them so well? They couldn't comprehend it.
Hans chuckled softly. "I don't fully understand Young Master Roman's intentions either. But one thing is certain: Young Master Roman intends to raise Kevin as one of his own people. That is the sole reason for this reward. Because Kevin is his person, Young Master Roman ordered us to ensure his family can live in peace as well."
"…I see."
It was still hard to wrap their minds around. But Hans's reassuring smile, and his firm declaration about raising Kevin as Roman's own person, finally eased their anxious hearts.
Hans soon took his leave.
For a long while, Kevin's family just stood there, staring blankly at the beautiful wooden house. Then, all at once, they collapsed to the ground and burst into tears, none of them able to hold back the floodgates any longer.
A proper home. How desperately had they bled and struggled just for this one simple thing?
The moment it became reality, Clark pulled his wife and daughter into a tight embrace and wept aloud. For a long time, their tears showed no signs of stopping.
And before long, news of their miraculous change in fortune began to spread throughout Dmitry.
* * *
The rumors spread like wildfire. The Clark family from the slums had successfully relocated inside the city walls.
"Did you hear the rumor?"
"What rumor?"
"You know the Clark family? The ones whose lives were ruined because they took out a bad loan from Blood Fang. Apparently, they were summoned by Roman Dmitry and moved into the city. Word is they even received land to farm for free!"
"Are you serious?!" The man gasped in shock.
Entering the city was the ultimate symbol of rising in social status. Those without significant wealth or power had no choice but to rot in the slums outside the castle walls. Yet, the Clark family, whose circumstances had been far worse than anyone else's just a few days ago, had successfully crossed those gates.
At first, the townspeople didn't believe it. They thought there was absolutely no reason for Roman Dmitry to treat a family of slum-dwellers with such lavish hospitality. However, as the days passed, eyewitness accounts of the Clark family living inside the city began popping up everywhere.
"The rumors are true. The Clark family isn't just living in a beautiful wooden house on the outskirts of the city, but they've actually leased land and are farming it. You can believe me, I saw it with my own two eyes."
"You really never know how life will turn out. To think the Clark family, who were inches away from being destroyed by loan sharks, managed to turn their lives around in such a crazy way. By the way, Young Master Roman's recent actions are truly surprising. In the past, we only ever heard rumors of him causing trouble, but now he's subjugated Blood Fang and even brought the Clark family into the city, calling them his own people. He's definitely a different man now."
Roman Dmitry. Once again, he was the talk of the town.
The realization that simply following Roman could instantly elevate one's social status naturally shifted the public's perception of him. Kevin was just an unremarkable boy. If an ordinary kid could be granted a house and land simply for swearing loyalty, it meant that others had a chance, too.
As the Clark family's story echoed throughout Dmitry, people began to whisper that becoming Roman Dmitry's person was a golden ticket to hitting the jackpot in life. It wasn't an empty rumor; the results spoke for themselves.
However, some people, still blinded by his old reputation as 'The Fool of Dmitry,' loudly spat out their disdain.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Fools, the lot of them. How can you live in Dmitry for decades and still get worked up over such nonsense? Does Roman Dmitry look like the kind of person who would treat someone so well just because they're 'his person'? The subjugation of Blood Fang and all of this—it's just a cheap trick cooked up by the Dmitry family! Just watch and see what happens next. I guarantee you, before long, Kevin will show up in front of us looking half-dead."
At the time, the words of those cynics still carried some weight. But not long after, an event would occur that served as the crowning touch, completely and permanently redefining Roman Dmitry's reputation.
* * *
Immediately upon returning to the estate after Barco's social party ended, Roman spoke.
"Take a three-day leave."
"…Leave, sir?" Kevin blinked, completely caught off guard.
A leave. And for three whole days, at that. It was a concept his mind couldn't easily process. There was no such thing as a vacation for the poor. On sunny days, they absolutely had to go out and break their backs working, and they could only rest at home when there was no work available or when the weather was too terrible to survive in. The very word "leave" felt incredibly foreign on his tongue.
Seeing Kevin staring up at him with a blank, bewildered expression, Roman spoke casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Resting well is also an extension of training. You've worked hard, so go spend some quality time with your family."
"…Understood, sir."
Just like that, Kevin was granted a vacation. He was in a daze. Having cut off all contact with the outside world to focus solely on his brutal training, the idea of suddenly returning to his family felt strange.
It was funny when he really thought about it. Kevin had lived with his family his entire life. Yet, despite how little time he had actually spent serving Roman, the man's presence already occupied a massive, unshakeable space in his life.
What is the Young Master's true self?
Roman Dmitry was a man of many layers. When dealing with enemies like Blood Fang, he displayed a ruthless cruelty devoid of even a single shred of mercy, yet he bestowed overwhelming care and generosity upon his own people.
But he wasn't always warm, either. He drew a razor-sharp line between public and private matters. When moving with a specific purpose, he didn't blindly coddle someone just because they worked for him. He was a man of absolute, clear boundaries. That was Roman.
Though Kevin didn't know which side was the 'real' Roman, there was one thing he realized with absolute certainty.
Just before he left for his break, Hans approached him.
"Are you really going to see your family after all this time looking like that? Young Master Roman has prepared clean clothes for you, so wear these when you meet them. And won't you need money to buy gifts? From now on, you'll be paid a monthly salary of 30 silver, so use this to buy presents, indulge in a little luxury, and have a good time."
Clean clothes and silver coins. They were gifts from Roman.
Emotion welled up thick in Kevin's throat. Truly, his lord was a thoughtful man. Even while maintaining a cold, indifferent exterior as if he didn't care at all, Roman always knew exactly what Kevin needed.
It doesn't matter which side is his true self. My lord treasures me. That alone is reason enough to follow him to the end.
A bright smile spread across the boy's face.
Kevin hurried to the washroom to scrub himself clean, then changed into the clothes Roman had prepared. The fabric was entirely different from the coarse, scratchy rags he usually wore. The soft sensation wrapping around his body felt near-ecstatic.
As the silver coins jingled heavily in his pocket, his heart began to flutter with wild excitement at the thought of showing his family how much he had changed.
At that moment, Kevin had absolutely no idea what had happened in his absence—that, much like his own transformation into fine clothes, his family was now living a completely different life.