Chapter 306: Flashing East, Flashing West (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 306: Flashing East, Flashing West (1)
Marquis Valentino’s way of thinking was rather unique.
While the rest of the world simply marveled at how Roman Dmitry had defeated the Kronos Empire and sparked a revolution in swordsmanship, Valentino’s anticipation as a collector was boiling over. Think about it. What artisans valued most when creating a masterpiece was experience, and Roman Dmitry had just lived through events ordinary people couldn’t even dream of.
If that was the case, just how magnificent would his next creation be?
Burning down a defensive position single-handedly, massacring an army of 300,000, and striking down Shepir—this entire process would surely provide an artisan with immense inspiration. Ever since the war ended, Marquis Valentino had been burning with impatience. He desperately waited for the news that Roman Dmitry had entered the forge, but as time passed, no such rumors reached his ears.
One day.
Two days.
The sun rose and set.
By the time nearly a month had slipped away, Marquis Valentino suddenly bolted upright in the middle of drinking his wine.
"I can't take this anymore!"
True to his moniker, the "Collector of Greed," he couldn't control his emotions once his impatience flared.
Normally, individuals of his high social standing would make appointments days in advance, but Marquis Valentino set off for Dmitry despite the late hour. The sun sank below the horizon as he traveled. He knew his behavior was a nuisance, but he wouldn't be able to sleep a wink until he got answers.
And that brought them to the present.
"Look, I tried my absolute best to hold back because I didn't want to seem like a madman, but when on earth are you going to forge a new sword?!"
He poured out his frustrations. Staring at Roman Dmitry, who sat across from him, Marquis Valentino practically pleaded as he unleashed the words he had bottled up.
"To be completely honest, I know I'm being pathetic, and I really wanted to wait until you announced it yourself, Lord Roman Dmitry. But during the total war with Kronos, even though you didn't give a definitive answer, didn't you say you would review it 'favorably'? I haven't been able to sleep lately! Here I am, wiping the blade of Blaze dozens of times a day, eagerly waiting for your next release. Please, think of it as saving a dying man's life and forge a new sword, won't you?"
His plea was desperately earnest.
But in stark contrast to his solemn, resolute expression, his incredibly frivolous words brought a smile to Roman Dmitry's face. Roman chuckled. He really was an amusing man.
Even when the total war between Kronos and Dmitry had been a matter of national survival, this eccentric soul had kept bringing up swords. In his past life, plenty of people had followed the Heavenly Demon Baek Joong-hyuk around with bags of money just to get their hands on one of his blades. Yet, none possessed an obsession as grand as Marquis Valentino's.
Come to think of it, Marquis Valentino was the very first person to surpass the figures from his past life in a specific aspect.
Roman Dmitry spoke.
"Actually, I was planning to forge a sword as soon as things settled down. I needed time to organize the realizations I've recently gained, and there are also certain aspects I personally want to test. Wait just one month. While I cannot promise to simply give the sword to you, Marquis Valentino, I will forge a new one and give you the opportunity to purchase it."
In an instant, Marquis Valentino's face lit up.
Beaming as if he had just conquered the world, he nodded his head enthusiastically.
"A wise decision! Thank you so much!"
Even though Roman hadn't said he would give it to him as a gift, Marquis Valentino wore a broad grin until the very moment he left Dmitry, repeatedly praising what a wonderful decision it was.
* * *
A few days later.
The Golden Bank indeed sent the 1,000,000 gold.
They must have worried that failing to fulfill the terms of a pledge stamped with their official seal would weaken the validity of the countless other pledges secured under the Golden Bank's name. It went exactly as Roman Dmitry had intended. Had they refused to send the 1,000,000 gold, he planned to use their breach of oath as a pretext to render all of the Golden Bank's pledges useless. Conversely, if they did send the money, he would simply take it and sever ties with them.
Whichever choice they made, it was a win for Dmitry.
The Golden Bank's own methods—unscrupulous enough to earn them the moniker "Devils of Gold"—had ultimately bound Hoffman's own feet.
With the situation settled to some extent and the immediate issues resolved, Roman Dmitry left the training of his private soldiers to Chris and headed to the workshop.
"Hans. I do not intend to step outside the workshop for the next month or so. If something critical occurs, send a signal to let me know. Otherwise, you may handle everything on your own."
"Understood, My Lord."
Hans nodded. Since this was a familiar routine for him, he naturally and meticulously prepared the environment where Roman Dmitry would stay.
Creeeak.
Thud.
Inside the workshop, only Roman Dmitry remained.
Staring at the furnace, Roman picked up the hammer resting on the anvil.
'Forging swords is my identity, a practice I repeated until the very moment of my death. Through a sword, I can project the level of mastery I have reached as a martial artist and the values I currently pursue.'
Many things had happened recently.
Just as Marquis Valentino suspected, his inspiration to forge a sword was overflowing. Through countless battles, Roman had grown incomparably stronger than when he had forged Darkness. That was why he set aside a month. He didn't know how many swords he would forge during this time, but he wanted to pour his utmost inspiration into them.
And, there was something he specifically wanted to test.
'The Fire Demon's Flames.'
Whoosh!
Roaaar!
Flames erupted.
The furnace ignited, and the blazing fire surrounding Roman Dmitry dyed the interior of the workshop in scorching heat.
The power of the Fire Demon. If he forged a sword using this powerful fire—a force he had never experienced even in his past life—what kind of weapon would be born? Even if Marquis Valentino hadn't visited, Roman would have opened the workshop doors within a few days anyway, driven to resolve the question dominating his mind.
It did not feel hot.
Even without actively utilizing the Flame Divine Art, Roman Dmitry slipped into a state of perfect oneness.
Whoosh.
He was enveloped in flames. It was a magnificent sight. Amidst the swirling fire, Roman Dmitry finally delivered his first hammer strike.
Clang—!
A crisp, clear ring echoed out.
And so, the first day of the month began.
* * *
At that same time, Hoffman slammed his fist onto his desk, his face flushed red with boiling rage.
Slam!
"Roman Dmitry! How dare a mere upstart like you threaten me?!"
The Golden Bank. Historically, it was the universally acknowledged backbone of power across the continent. Because the Golden Bank wielded its wealth with the destructive force of a 7-Star Aura, even the mighty empires took care to maintain amicable relations with them.
Yet Roman Dmitry had crossed the line. He had held a blade to the throat of the Golden Bank's president and committed the unprecedented outrage of demanding 1,000,000 gold in exchange for his life.
It was humiliating. Neither the previous president nor any of his predecessors had ever experienced such treatment.
The only reason he hadn't paid special attention to his escort when visiting Roman Dmitry was because he believed rulers like Dmitry would find it impossible to oppose the Golden Bank. He had trusted his past experiences. He thought that while Roman Dmitry might not act subserviently like the others, he surely wouldn't make the foolish choice of baring his fangs at the Golden Bank.
It was a glaring mistake.
As he bowed his head to Roman Dmitry, Hoffman realized he had grown complacent in the comfort of his own power.
And now, he had sent the 1,000,000 gold.
It wasn't out of some ridiculous desire to keep his word. Just as Roman Dmitry had anticipated, Hoffman could not allow a precedent that would give people an excuse to break the Golden Bank's pledges and strip them of their absolute authority. Because it was a pledge stamped with the president's official seal, even if it had been obtained through coercion, Hoffman had no choice but to cough up the money, trembling with rage all the while.
'Roman Dmitry. You picked the wrong opponent. I will show you exactly what it means to make an enemy of the Devil of Gold.'
He summoned his subordinate. Knowing that Hoffman was in a foul mood, the subordinate bowed his head immediately upon entering, careful not to make eye contact.
Hoffman spoke. "The data I requested last time?"
"The investigation is complete. Currently, there are four major entities that trade steel on a large scale with the Dmitry family: Valentino of the Cairo Kingdom, Zenit of the Kronos Empire, Muriel of the Valhalla Empire, and Vincent of the Kingdom Alliance. As you know, they are all tycoons who dominate the commerce of their respective nations, and together they account for roughly seventy percent of Dmitry's steel distribution. The remaining thirty percent consists of independent buyers who travel directly to Dmitry to purchase steel. Additionally, Zenit of Kronos virtually severed all trade with Dmitry immediately after the war broke out."
Seventy percent. It was a significant figure.
Reviewing the documents, Hoffman's eyes flashed sharply.
"Roman Dmitry must be feeling quite secure now that he has 1,000,000 gold in hand. But let's see if he can maintain that arrogance when his trading partners cut ties one by one. Let's see if he'll come crawling to beg for my forgiveness."
The power that defeats the sword. That was gold.
Hoffman was certain from his own life experience that money was the ultimate, absolute value.
"Our first target is Valentino. Book a warp gate to Cairo immediately."
"Understood, sir."
Valentino. A man who followed Roman Dmitry. But as a merchant, he could never ignore the contractual relationship he maintained with the Golden Bank.
Hoffman smirked. The beginning of his revenge would not come from Kronos or Valhalla, but from the betrayal of Roman's closest ally.
* * *
Kairos. The grand mansion of Valentino.
Upon Hoffman's unexpected visit, Marquis Valentino welcomed him with a bright face.
"Welcome."
"It has been a while, Marquis Valentino."
The atmosphere was warm and friendly. Tycoons and the Golden Bank naturally maintained good relations, and Marquis Valentino had met Hoffman privately on numerous occasions. However, upon arriving at the drawing room, Hoffman's expression stiffened slightly when he noticed an unexpected guest already seated there.
"...And who might this be?"
"This is Count Fabius. We had a prior appointment and were in the middle of a conversation. I thought it would be wonderful to introduce him to you, President Hoffman, so I suggested we all meet together. If it makes you uncomfortable, I can have Count Fabius leave first."
It was an awkward situation.
Knowing that Fabius was a loyal subject of Roman Dmitry, Hoffman didn't like it at first, but then he realized this might actually turn out to be quite amusing. If Marquis Valentino betrayed Roman Dmitry right in front of Fabius's eyes, wouldn't that make for a truly spectacular sight?
"There is no need for that."
"Thank you for your consideration."
They moved to their seats. With Count Fabius watching from the side, Marquis Valentino and Hoffman sat facing each other.
Hoffman spoke. "The reason I requested to see you today, Marquis Valentino, is due to a matter regarding Roman Dmitry."
"...What do you mean by that?"
"Recently, I had a major conflict with Roman Dmitry. While emotional disputes are not uncommon in our line of work, the issue is that Roman Dmitry threatened my very life. Marquis Valentino, the relationship between the Golden Bank and the Dmitry family is completely dead. From this moment on, the Golden Bank will stop at nothing to exact revenge on Dmitry."
"Ahem."
Marquis Valentino cleared his throat, looking troubled.
This was his chance. Hoffman pressed his advantage without giving him room to breathe.
"The reason I sought you out first, Marquis Valentino, is out of respect for our relationship. Frankly, if my goal were simply to pressure Dmitry, it would have been more effective to visit Count Muriel of Valhalla first. However, I wanted to explain the situation to you beforehand. I won't beat around the bush. Sever your trade with Dmitry. If you accept my demand, the Golden Bank will waive the interest on all your loans for the next ten years. But if you refuse, you must be prepared to repay every single copper you owe the moment your loan terms expire."
It was a classic carrot-and-stick approach.
Tycoons never conducted business using only their own capital. Leveraging debt was the core of their business model, and Marquis Valentino, like any other tycoon, owed a substantial amount to the Golden Bank. Repaying all of it at once would exert immense pressure on him. Moreover, it wasn't just a matter of settling the debt; he also had to consider the consequences of a ruptured relationship with the Golden Bank.
Hoffman firmly believed in the absolute power of money.
However, Marquis Valentino briefly glanced at Count Fabius before speaking, a strange smile playing on his lips.
"...I am sorry, but I cannot betray Dmitry. I will repay the money borrowed from the Golden Bank in the near future. In fact, I have already received a hint regarding this exact situation from Lord Roman Dmitry. He advised that any faction wishing to maintain friendly relations with Dmitry in the future should not leave themselves vulnerable to pressure from the Golden Bank. And my choice, as you can plainly see, is Dmitry."
"Marquis Valentino!"
Hoffman's eyes widened in shock. He was utterly flabbergasted. Valentino's debt had to be at least tens of thousands of gold, yet he had never expected the man to declare so easily that he would pay it all back at once.
In that instant, a hypothesis crossed his mind. The thought that a portion of the 1,000,000 gold Roman Dmitry had extorted might have flowed straight into Valentino's pockets. If Dmitry was lending them the money to clear their debts, Valentino's incentive to betray Dmitry would naturally vanish.
Hoffman released a fierce aura.
"Do not make a hasty decision on this matter. If you reject my offer, the Golden Bank will seek the ruin of Valentino alongside Dmitry."
It was an overt threat.
Faced with such open hostility, Marquis Valentino's expression twisted in annoyance.
"You really don't get it, do you? Just leave. Seriously, if I get on Lord Roman Dmitry's bad side because of this and he refuses to sell me his swords, are you going to take responsibility? Since your relationship with him is already over, stop letting your pride get the better of you and just back off quietly. My relationship with Lord Roman Dmitry is far more important to me than my relationship with you."
Hoffman's plans had gone completely awry.
Before he could even utter a reply, Marquis Valentino shouted to the servants waiting outside the door.
"Our guest is leaving! Escort him out politely!"