Chapter 30: Recruitment (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 30: Recruitment (3)
At first, he thought it was strange.
When told to head to the outskirts of the castle instead of the shantytown slums, Kevin had looked utterly bewildered.
'Why did they tell me to come here?'
He never imagined his family would have moved.
His parents didn't have the financial means to relocate into the city. They had already scraped together every last penny of their emergency savings to pay off Blood Fang's extortion. So, he simply assumed they had some sort of errand or business there. That was the only logical explanation. Excited to see his parents and younger sister, he stopped by a bakery on the way to buy a baguette and some fresh whipped cream.
'Marie will love this.'
Every morning, as she gnawed on stale, rock-hard bread, his younger sister Marie would complain, asking why they couldn't eat freshly baked bread.
Back then, even as he watched her set down her meal with a sullen pout, he couldn't bring himself to promise he'd buy her some. The price difference between freshly baked bread and the cold, stale scraps they ate was more than double. Whipped cream to spread over it was an unimaginable luxury. He could have splurged just once, but knowing that the price of such luxury was starvation, Kevin had grown up far too fast. He had simply forced the hard bread down his throat in silence.
But now, things were different.
Even after buying the bread and whipped cream, he had plenty of money left over. Kevin planned to give the rest to his parents as an allowance.
A smile spread across his face. With a light step, he soon arrived at the designated location.
However...
"...What in the world?!"
His jaw dropped. The scene before his eyes felt completely surreal.
His parents, who used to live in a run-down shack, were sitting in the yard of a beautiful wooden house, sipping tea. On the table, freshly baked, steaming bread sat proudly. That wasn't all. His younger sister, Marie, who used to wear tattered clothes made of patched-up rags, was watering the flowers in the yard while wearing a pristine white dress.
Their world had changed.
Kevin's family was no longer destitute; they were living the life of ordinary commoners, enjoying the simple pleasures of a peaceful life.
"Brother!"
"Son?!"
His family finally noticed him. Marie ran over in a single bound and threw her arms around him, while Clark and Michelle's eyes welled with tears at the sight of their boy after so long.
It was a tearful reunion. Although the bread and whipped cream he had painstakingly prepared now felt a bit redundant, Kevin was genuinely relieved to see his family doing so well.
But he was also curious. What had caused this transformation? What on earth had happened in his absence?
His father, Clark, spoke up to explain.
"At first, we were utterly bewildered as well. Young Master Roman's servant, Hans, came to us and said it was the Young Master's command. He gave us this house to live in and land to farm. Not only that, but he also provided us with connections and financial support so we could settle down in the city. For the past few days, I've felt like I'm living in a dream. Back in the slums..."
His father's story went on. He explained in detail how their lives had changed and everything that had happened.
But... at some point, Kevin stopped hearing his father's words. The realization that his family's transformation was entirely Roman's doing brought back a vivid memory of what his lord had told him.
"From now on, your family will never have to worry about making a living. They will live in a warm house that blocks out the cold wind, eat three delicious meals a day, and enjoy hobbies instead of spending every waking hour in grueling labor. The way to make that happen is simple. I intend to make it so."
Roman had made that promise on the very day he accepted Kevin.
Kevin already believed he owed Roman his life just for the grace he had received so far, but without his knowledge, Roman had already fulfilled his vow. His family no longer worried about survival. The wooden house shielded them from the cold wind, and the food on the table was a clear testament to their prosperous new life.
In that moment, emotion welled up inside him. Overwhelmed by the hot surge rising from deep within his chest, Kevin lowered his head and choked back his tears.
...Thank you so much.
He was unimaginably grateful.
In a strict class society where the gap between social statuses was as vast as the heavens, Roman had not ignored his promise to a nobody, a mere commoner boy. His faith had not been misplaced. Roman was a man worthy of his life. If he had to die for him now, Kevin knew he could do so with a smile.
'I must go back.'
Now was not the time to be relaxing like this. Having realized how utterly powerless he was at the Barco family's social party, he needed to train in the Ghost Soul Demonic Art as quickly as possible to become stronger. It didn't matter if he died in the process. Roman would keep his promise to look after his family, and with that absolute certainty, he had no regrets about his choice.
He would become strong. Once again, Kevin steeled his resolve to serve Roman.
But then, Clark, who had been talking endlessly just a moment ago, suddenly froze as he examined Kevin's face.
"...Did Young Master Roman hit you?"
The wound on his face. His red, swollen cheek was undeniably a mark of violence.
Human nature was a fickle thing. Kevin's parents, who had been expressing their bottomless gratitude to Roman just seconds ago, instantly hardened their expressions.
"Tell me the truth. Did Young Master Roman lay a hand on you?"
It was a reasonable misunderstanding. The Fool of Dmitry. The rumors tarnishing Roman's reputation included misdeeds like striking commoners for no reason. If the marks of violence had indeed been left by Roman, Kevin's parents felt they could never tolerate living in luxury at the cost of their son's suffering.
"No! Young Master Roman would never do such a thing!"
"Then why is your face in that state?"
"Well, actually..." Kevin hurriedly waved his hands in denial.
Pressed by his parents' demand for the truth, he had no choice but to tell them what had happened at the Barco family's social party.
"...And that's why a knight of the Barco family slapped me. But Young Master Roman didn't just stand by and watch. Instead, he stepped up for me. He asked how they dared to strike his person, and in turn, he punished the Barco knight right in front of everyone. Thanks to him, I wasn't reduced to a laughingstock. So please, don't misunderstand the Young Master. I know he's called by an unpleasant nickname, but the Young Master I know is absolutely not someone who resorts to senseless violence."
"Is that really true?"
"Yes. You know I would never lie to you. Young Master Roman truly treasures me."
At Kevin's words, Clark and his wife exchanged bewildered glances.
It was a massive relief that it wasn't Roman's doing. But logically speaking, beating Kevin, a mere commoner servant, would have been a much easier way to resolve the conflict than punishing a knight of the powerful Barco family. Yet, according to Kevin, Roman had punished the Barco knight instead.
It was clear. He was entirely different from the rumors.
If even half of what Kevin said was true, Roman was nothing like the fool everyone believed him to be.
Michelle spoke up, her voice trembling. "What a truly gracious man. Not only does he treasure our son, but he even looks after us, his family. Son, what Young Master Roman did was by no means an easy decision. We must remember this and devote ourselves to him even more than what we have received."
"Indeed. If there is ever anything we can do for the Young Master, come and tell us anytime."
It was his parents' sincere wish.
At the time, Kevin didn't know. His parents' deeply moved reaction had completely captivated them with Roman's character, and they had no idea that their gratitude would become the spark that set new rumors ablaze.
Their reunion was brief, but the aftermath spread rapidly.
* * *
The day after Kevin returned.
Reunited with his old friends from the slums for the first time in a while, Clark couldn't keep his mouth shut and blabbed about everything that had happened.
"You really can't trust rumors in this world. You all know our Kevin is serving Young Master Roman, right? Well, according to Kevin, Young Master Roman is a true noble, a perfect example of noblesse oblige."
"The Fool of Dmitry? No way!"
"Hey, my friend. How do you think I got the house I live in and the land I farm? Young Master Roman bestowed them upon us for Kevin's sake. That alone shows you his true character. And that's not all. Kevin accompanied him to the Barco family's social party recently, and an incident occurred. He got into a dispute with the Barco knights, and Young Master Roman, determined to protect his own person, slapped the Barco knight right in front of everyone. That is the kind of man Roman Dmitry is."
"Is that really true?"
"Yes! I tell you, he truly knows how to value his people."
At first, it was just a small rumor. But the tale quickly circulated around Dmitry, and when Michelle heard it, she added fuel to the fire.
At the village washhouse.
While doing the laundry, Michelle eagerly answered the questions of the neighborhood women.
"...Is that rumor true? That Young Master Roman severely punished a Barco knight for Kevin's sake?"
"Oh my, where did you hear that? But since you brought it up, let me tell you—Young Master Roman truly treasures his people, including our Kevin. That's why he took Kevin's side even when the eldest son of the Barco family was screaming to have him severely punished. Have you ever heard of such a noble in this world? The Fool of Dmitry? That's all nonsense. I don't know what kind of scoundrels dare to tarnish our Young Master Roman Dmitry's reputation, but if you actually saw him, he has such an aura that you wouldn't even dare to look him in the eye."
"Didn't you say before that you personally saw Roman Dmitry causing trouble?"
"What nonsense! I must have been seeing things, or it was definitely someone who just looked like the Young Master causing trouble."
For her son's benefactor, Michelle had gone so far as to completely rewrite her own memories. The days when he was called the Fool of Dmitry and the man he was now were simply too different for him to be considered the same person.
Rumors always start from the bottom.
The words of Clark and Michelle spread to their surroundings, gradually gaining traction and completely reversing Roman's image.
People began to say: "Roman Dmitry is a man who treasures his people. If you earn his trust, you can live a completely different life. Kevin from the slums, and the Clark family who successfully entered the city, are living proof of that."
The rumors swelled. And right at that exact moment, Roman posted an announcement to recruit private soldiers.
The timing was entirely coincidental.
"...And that is why so many people are planning to apply for this recruitment. So give up. Every man in Dmitry who can handle himself is clamoring to apply, so don't waste your energy."
The old man finished speaking.
A recruitment frenzy. With just a single post by Roman, all of Dmitry was in an uproar.
Lucas, who had been quietly listening to the old man, reacted with confusion at the discrepancy in his memories.
'The Roman Dmitry I know isn't someone who should have this kind of reputation. Has Roman Dmitry really changed completely? Even if only half of what happened—from the subjugation of Blood Fang to the incident at the Barco social party—is true, Roman is not a pathetic bastard who deserves to be called the Fool of Dmitry.'
His interest was piqued.
Roman Dmitry. Just what kind of change had occurred in him?
And... if he was truly someone who treasured his people as the rumors suggested, it was worth considering a position as a private soldier for Lucas as well.
'The problem is, no such noble exists in this world.'
That was something he would have to see for himself. For now, his appetite was whetted. Since he could always take the test and back out later if he wanted, he figured he might as well apply just for fun. Conveniently, he was also getting tired of mercenary work.
D-3 until the deadline.
Lucas was far from the only one in this situation. Thanks to the people who had broken through their barriers of prejudice, countless individuals headed toward Dmitry Castle on the day of the exam.
The recruitment of private soldiers. Fueled by unintended rumors, it had ballooned to an unprecedented scale.