Chapter 19: Blind Trust (1)

Roman's question was straightforward.

"Hans, have you ever seen me take drugs, or have you noticed any circumstances that suggest I might have taken them?"

"Wh-what?!"

Hans was taken aback.

Drugs.

He had thought Roman was just going to ask him to run an errand as usual, but he couldn't hide his confusion at Roman's sudden question.

And from his reaction, Roman was certain.

If Hans, who had been meticulously taking care of Roman's daily life even before he was possessed, knew the information he was looking for, he would definitely know it.

Roman said,

"I'm not trying to test you, nor do I intend to scold you. I just want to take some time to reflect on myself. I want to confirm how I lived, not from my own memory, but from a third person's perspective."

He didn't add any excuses.

Memory loss due to possession.

It was a matter that required a detailed explanation, but Roman knew that from his position, it wasn't necessary.

His calm question.

The dilemma was Hans's to bear.

Unlike his usual self, he showed signs of hesitation, but then he seemed to make a decision and looked serious.

'The Roman I've recently experienced doesn't speak lightly. If he really wants to confirm the use of drugs from a third person's perspective, I should tell him the truth about what I know.'

"I have never seen you take drugs. However, there were times when your behavior seemed a bit strange."

"When was that?"

"About a fortnight ago, you attended a social party after a long time. In itself, that wasn't particularly unusual, but after the social party, your condition seemed a bit off. You avoided going out and stayed locked in your room, and every night you demanded excessive amounts of alcohol with a lifeless look on your face. I suspected that you might have come into contact with prohibited drugs at the social party."

On the day Roman committed suicide.

Hans had suspected drugs when he saw the possessed Roman.

Given the recent issues among the nobility, it was understandable to suspect someone like Dmitry.

However,

"Other than that, there's no particular evidence. And now, I realize how foolish that thought was. A gentleman as strong as you would never touch such drugs."

It was a suspicion that ended there.

Hans believed in Roman.

The intelligence Roman displayed during the Blood Fang extermination was something a drug addict could never show.

'Social party.'

Roman fell into thought.

Social party.

A familiar term.

After attending a social party, Roman had changed, and not long after, he made the extreme choice of suicide.

And according to Flora, the rumors she heard also originated from the social party.

Then,

"Who hosted the social party I attended?"

The root of the problem.

That was important.

And the answer was,

"You attended a party hosted by the Barco family."

Barco.

The situation was entering a new phase.

The explanation was simple.

"I had known the eldest son of the Barco family for a long time. Although our relationship became a bit awkward after the marriage talks with Lawrence, he was still one of the few noble heirs who frequently associated with you. So, attending the Barco family's social party wasn't particularly strange. Our interests were intertwined, but that didn't mean our previous relationship was completely severed."

The eldest son of Barco.

Antony Barco, like Roman, was a man with a poor reputation.

That's why they got along.

Both from powerful families in the northeast and with similar reputations, the two men often played together.

'They weren't close friends. They were just companions in entertainment because of their similar reputations. But their relationship became entangled around Flora. Antony Barco desired to marry Flora, and so did Roman. In the end, Roman won the battle. The Lawrence family, ultimately rejecting Barco, decided that Dmitry was better than Barco.'

The puzzle pieces fell into place.

Barco's invitation.

If Roman's condition had become strange from that point and he had made the choice of death, the cause was definitely Barco.

'In the current situation, the reasonable suspicion is that Barco induced Roman's suicide. If Dmitry and Lawrence unite, Barco would lose not only Flora but also the fertile land of Lawrence. The simplest way to solve this problem is to prevent the marriage from happening in the first place. From what Hans told me, it seems that Barco once wanted to marry me in place of Lawrence. Now, their only option is to induce a breakup or create a situation where the marriage cannot happen.'

The picture was clear.

Roman's death.

The faction that benefited the most from it was Barco.

I don't know how they induced the suicide, but they tried various methods to achieve their goal.

Spreading rumors to induce a breakup.

And making Roman commit suicide.

'No matter where you go, there are always scoundrels.'

The truth wasn't grand.

But it was

Irritating.

Because he had decided to live Roman's life, the name Barco irritated him.

At that moment,

Hans said,

"Actually, a few days ago, an invitation to a party from Barco arrived. Since you were in seclusion, I didn't pass it on. What should I do with it?"

"Barco invited me?"

"Yes."

A chuckle.

They were openly ignoring him.

They were so bold as to send an invitation after causing him harm.

'Irritating.'

It didn't sit well with him.

The name Barco.

To live as Roman in the future, he needed to clearly resolve the things that irritated him.

Therefore,

"Tell them I'll attend the party."

Facing the problem head-on.

That was how Roman intended to live from now on.

* * *

The party was in two weeks.

With the time to spare, Roman went to find Kevin, who had been waiting for him during his seclusion.

"What should I do from now on?"

Kevin.

He bowed his head and said,

While he had followed Roman's suggestion, the problem was that he didn't know what he could do for Roman.

Kevin was just a teenage boy.

With ordinary talents, he couldn't come up with a role for himself no matter how much he thought about it over the past week.

So, he asked.

About his role.

Why he was accepted.

Roman said,

"I want to use you as my sword. However, a person's usefulness is not determined by others' will. Therefore, I will present you with three paths so that you can choose for yourself."

Sword.

It was unexpected.

To use him, who had never touched a sword in his life, as a sword.

It was an incomprehensible statement, but Kevin didn't raise any objections to Roman's words.

"The first is to give up the role of a sword. If you are afraid to hold a sword and don't want to shed blood, be my hands and feet instead. Follow Hans, learn what he does, and carry out the non-dangerous tasks I assign. You can fulfill your role this way."

A safe choice.

It didn't force him into danger.

Forced danger creates variables, and Roman wouldn't keep a weak human as his sword.

"The second is to guard me as a sword. However, at your mid-teens, with a life far from that of a swordsman, there's no way for you to become strong in a short time. The world is not a beautiful fairy tale. To become strong later, you need the will, and if you choose the second option, I will test your will with the technique of 'Fen Jin Cuo Gu' (分筋錯骨). It is a method that causes the pain of twisted bones and muscles. It's not just a verbal decision but a proof of your will through results."

It was chilling.

Fen Jin Cuo Gu.

The fear the term evoked dried Kevin's mouth.

But the last one.

When Roman accepted Kevin, he thought Kevin might be able to endure the final trial.

"The third is..."

He drew a sword.

And then,

Thud.

"Cut your wrist with this sword. If you can endure the pain of inflicting it on yourself and achieve your goal, you will become strong faster than anyone else."

The sword fell before him.

For the first time, fear appeared on Kevin's face, which had just shown determination.

Mad Demon.

When he first met him, Mad Demon was just an ordinary boy who knew nothing about martial arts.

But,

How did he grow to become one of the Four Kings?

Because of innate talent?

No.

His growth stemmed from a strong will.

'The treasure house of the Demon Sect contains ancient martial arts. Among them, Gui Hun Ma Gong (鬼魂魔功) has turned many demons into cripples with its powerful demonic energy. Mad Demon learned Gui Hun Ma Gong to become a useful sword for me and overcame its trials to become a sword I could trust.'

Gui Hun Ma Gong.

A dangerous martial art.

The moment you use it, your mind is consumed by demonic energy, and you exert power in the midst of excruciating pain that feels like your blood vessels are being torn apart.

It's a pain that ordinary people can't even imagine.

Like the last option Roman mentioned, using martial arts while cutting off your own arm is exactly what Gui Hun Ma Gong is.

A realm that can't be reached with ordinary will.

That's why he chose Gui Hun Ma Gong.

While he didn't think Kevin could really handle Gui Hun Ma Gong, he wanted to give him the option.

Roman said,

"To transcend the limits of talent, a mortal needs sacrifice and will. You are already my person. No matter what choice you make, I will use you in a valuable way, but the role is yours to decide."

He handed over the decision.

Kevin swallowed hard.

His eyes, looking down at the sword, trembled with fear, and his mouth was so dry he couldn't even swallow.

Cut your own arm.

It was cruel.

How could he do such a thing?

"Huff, huff."

His breathing became rough.

He wasn't sure if this was the right thing to do, but he trusted Roman, who was looking at him.

He trusted Roman.

Just as he had saved him.

He believed Roman would save his life again.

"I'll do it."

Crack.

He gritted his teeth.

So hard that he felt his teeth might shatter.

Thud!

Kevin grabbed the sword.

And just as he was about to stab it into his arm,

'Huan Ma (幻魔) technique.'

Whoosh.

Roman's eyes flashed.

At the same time, mana surged.

A martial art of the Demon Sect.

The Huan Ma technique, known to bewitch the souls of many, made Kevin's eyes dazed.

He collapsed on the floor.

In Roman's world, he lay face down as if dead, but in Kevin's world, the moment he was about to stab the sword into his arm remained unchanged.

From now on, it was a world of illusion.

Soon,

Crack!

Kevin's face contorted in pain.