Chapter 3: The Fool of Dmitry (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 3: The Fool of Dmitry (3)
Talk of marriage between the Lawrence and Dmitry families had begun a month ago.
Flora’s father, Viscount Lawrence, had sat her down, his expression heavy.
“My daughter,” he began, “I don’t think I need to explain to a girl as wise as you just how dire our territory’s situation is. We need power. Wealth would be a blessing, but military might would be even better. To secure a reward great enough to resolve this crisis, we have no choice but to offer you—the treasure of the Lawrence family—for a political marriage. I am truly sorry. It is because of this foolish father that you must make such a choice.”
That day, Flora’s world crumbled.
Most noble ladies were married off like property in political arrangements, but Flora had always held onto her own ideals. She wanted a lifelong bond with someone she truly loved. Her partner didn’t need to be a prince on a white horse; as long as they loved each other, she believed they could overcome any practical obstacle.
But Dmitry, of all families! The news was a bolt from the blue.
‘The Dmitry family was nothing but a commoner household twenty years ago. I’m not asking for a prince, but to think I have to bind my life to a family of miners…'
She believed practical circumstances weren’t what mattered most, but that was only true if she loved the person. No matter how she looked at it, Dmitry was out of the question. She refused to sacrifice her dream—the romance she had always cherished—for some miner from Dmitry.
And that wasn't the only problem.
At first, the marriage was being pushed with Dmitry’s promising second son. But at some point, the groom-to-be was switched to the eldest. She had heard the rumors. Even in the Lawrence territory, people knew just how pathetic Roman Dmitry was. They called him “the Fool of Dmitry.”
‘I absolutely refuse.’
The thought was horrifying.
The Fool of Dmitry.
Rumor had it he was talentless in both scholarly and martial pursuits. Now in his mid-twenties, he couldn’t even dream of entering the capital, instead holing up on a frontier estate, indulging in a life of pleasure. According to what she’d heard at a recent party, even his appearance was pathetic. He didn’t possess a single quality she dreamed of in a partner.
So, she agonized over it.
Flora had always been a good, wise daughter, but this was one line she could not cross.
‘This is absolutely not happening.’
She understood the territory’s situation perfectly well. Even so, she refused to be sold off to the Fool of Dmitry. She wasn't the devoted daughter her father believed her to be. She would leave the consequences of breaking the engagement to fate. Her official reason for visiting Dmitry was to spend time with her fiancé before the wedding, but her true purpose was to call it off.
That was how she met Roman Dmitry.
And her conviction only hardened.
‘He’s just as pathetic as the rumors say.’
He stood around 175 centimeters tall, with black hair and sharp, masculine features, but his poor complexion ruined any charisma he might have had.
Worse, a strong scent of perfume wafted from him. Nobles often used perfume, but Roman had doused himself in it. Unaware that he was trying to mask the smell of blood, Flora assumed the debauched heir had simply arrived caked in the scent of women.
Meeting him in person sealed her decision.
Flora spoke in a firm voice.
“I would like to call off our marriage.”
She expected him to protest. He was the one who had actively pushed for this marriage after supposedly falling for her beauty. It would take considerable effort to convince him.
Flora clenched her small fists. No matter how he reacted, she was determined to see this through.
But then…
“Yes, let’s do that.”
…came Roman’s reply.
His unexpected response made Flora’s eyes widen.
“...Are you really agreeing to break the engagement?”
Her voice trembled slightly. She tried to maintain her composure, but her awkward expression betrayed her bewilderment.
“I’m only human. I’m well aware of what people are saying about this marriage. You’re called the Flower of Lawrence, a bride every man desires, while I’m the Fool of Dmitry, a man utterly unworthy of you. I’ve had many thoughts about it myself. I agonized every night over whether this marriage was right. But since things were already in motion, I couldn’t call it off on my own. That changes now. Knowing how you feel, I must make a decision.”
Roman was perfectly calm.
In fact, the moment he heard the word “annulment,” he knew things were going exactly as he’d planned.
Flora Lawrence.
She was as beautiful as the rumors claimed. However, to Roman, a woman’s worth was not defined by her appearance.
In his days as Baek Joong-hyuk, the number of women willing to offer him their bodies and souls was as vast as the ocean. With his status as the peak of Murim, his handsome looks, and his decent treatment of others, women had used every means imaginable to win him over.
Of course, those attempts were often tangled in the conspiracies of his enemies. Forced to be cautious with everyone he met, Baek Joong-hyuk had naturally come to place little value on physical appearance.
She was beautiful. That was all.
Roman was mapping out a new life, and he had no intention of being burdened by Flora Lawrence.
Flora asked, “Are you being sincere?”
“Why would I lie?”
“But wasn’t this marriage arranged because you insisted on it? I heard that while talks were originally for the second son, you strongly desired me, which led to this situation. Yet you’re accepting the annulment without any conditions? I find it hard to understand.”
Roman chuckled.
What a strange woman. A moment ago, she was ready to fight tooth and nail for this annulment, but now that he’d agreed, she was questioning his motives.
“So, you want to marry me?”
“...No, that’s not it.”
“Then let’s not make this harder on each other. I respect your opinion, and since we’re in agreement, I will proceed with the annulment. Furthermore, I will take full responsibility for breaking the engagement. I’m already called the Fool of Dmitry; adding ‘rejected man’ to my name won’t cause me much trouble. But you, the Flower of Lawrence, have a bright future ahead of you. That’s a different story, isn’t it? We’ll just say my rumored womanizing was the reason. I believe that should be a satisfactory answer.”
This wasn’t out of consideration for Flora.
The title of a rejected man would be an excellent excuse to fend off any other annoying marriage proposals that might come his way. It was entirely for his own benefit, but Flora, ignorant of the truth, interpreted it differently.
‘What is wrong with this man?’
Flora’s eyes shook. It was one shock after another.
According to the rumors, Roman’s character should have been as pathetic as his appearance. But the more she listened to him, the less his words and actions suited the moniker “Fool of Dmitry.” He had clear convictions and the decisiveness to act on them. Someone like that couldn’t possibly be pathetic enough to be called a fool wherever he went.
Her mind was a tangled mess.
However, the milk was already spilled. The annulment was happening.
“The more important the matter, the faster it should be handled. Please wait here and have some tea. I will go speak with my father about this.”
She couldn’t hold him back. As Roman walked away without a backward glance, Flora stared at his retreating figure, her gaze complicated.
* * *
Slam!
“What did you just say?! An annulment?!”
It was the reaction he’d expected.
The moment the word left his lips, Baron Romero, the Lord of Dmitry, couldn’t contain his explosive rage.
“It is exactly as I said. I cannot go through with this marriage. I have already discussed it with the young lady of the Lawrence family, so the decision cannot be reversed.”
“Y-You…!”
Baron Romero’s face flushed crimson.
This was a notification, not a request. Roman had already made his decision and was simply delivering the news.
“You foolish boy! People call you the Fool of Dmitry, but I, your father, have tried my best to leave you with a good life. You’re different from my other children. They’ve enjoyed the wealth and honor of nobles since birth, but you remember the days when I was still a commoner. That’s why I understood when you acted like a scoundrel. Your world changed so suddenly; it’s only natural your young mind had things it wanted to do.”
His mustache trembled with fury. It was just as Baron Romero said.
When he first secured the opportunity to supply weapons to the Cairo Kingdom, Roman had been his only son. A commoner’s child had suddenly become a noble’s. That was Roman’s childhood. Seeing the children who once looked down on him now bow their heads, his personality had warped.
And now, Roman had become Dmitry’s shame—a blemish symbolizing their commoner origins, a fact they desperately wished to hide.
“An alliance with the Lawrence family is crucial for us to fully establish ourselves as nobility. Did I ask you to play some grand role? All you had to do was marry the beautiful noble lady you wanted so badly, yet you couldn’t even manage that! You’ve ruined everything!”
“I am sorry.”
“This isn’t something an apology can fix!”
Thud!
Baron Romero grabbed the nearest object and hurled it at Roman.
It struck Roman’s head with a heavy impact, but he merely bowed, ignoring the blood that began to trickle down his face. This was a matter of responsibility. Since he had broken his promise, it was only right that he accept the consequences.
“If this had gone well, I would have found a way to resolve your military service. But since you’ve ruined it, you will leave for the battlefield in six months. Do you have anything to say?”
“No, Father.”
“And I heard about an incident with Blood Fang. Witnesses claim you punished them, but I don’t believe it. It makes no sense. How could a boy who can’t even swing a sword properly punish them? You must have had help. The problem is that Blood Fang is a hornet’s nest that even I can’t touch easily. My son, the moment you failed your duty, you gained the obligation to solve your own problems. So, handle this yourself. I will not offer you a shred of assistance.”
It was not a rational judgment.
In his fury, Baron Romero was throwing out every threat he could think of to punish Roman.
Military service. Blood Fang.
These were problems the old Roman could never have handled. Baron Romero fully expected him to fall to his knees, weeping and begging for forgiveness as he always did.
‘If the annulment isn’t public yet, there’s still time to fix this.’
That was his calculation. He would completely break Roman’s spirit and force things his way.
But then…
“Understood. I will handle it myself.”
“What?”
“This is a problem that arose because of me. As you said, Father, it is only right that I handle it.”
Baron Romero was dumbfounded. This was not how things were supposed to go.
Roman bowed, and as he turned to leave, he spoke one last time.
“Then I shall return once I have resolved all these matters.”
He walked out of the room. Baron Romero was so flabbergasted he couldn’t even bring himself to stop him.
Stepping outside, Roman wiped the blood from his forehead with his sleeve. Standing right in front of him was a figure staring intently.
It was Flora Lawrence.
Having overheard the entire conversation, she blurted out her thoughts before she could stop herself.
“Are you completely out of your mind?”