Chapter 24: The Incident at the Social Party (2)

This place.

The nobles attending the party had met Roman before.

He used to socialize with the Barco family and frequently appeared at parties, often with a flushed face, making a spectacle of himself, which led many to think poorly of him.

Thus, the nobles naturally spoke ill of Roman.

While they did not know the reason for the annulment of his engagement, his usual behavior made it impossible to view him favorably.

However.

When Roman appeared, everyone held their breath.

It was not out of fear of his background with Dmitri, but because they saw a different person from the Roman they knew.

'Is that Roman Dmitri?'

'It’s so different from before.'

Their memory.

Roman was an unimpressive man.

His not-so-tall stature made him look even shorter due to his small build, and his dirty skin completely tarnished his image.

Moreover, his gait was unrefined.

Knowing that Dmitri’s second son was different from Roman, rumors once spread that Roman’s low birth made it impossible for him to hide his vulgarity.

And now.

He was completely different.

Roman’s gait was composed, and his broad shoulders and muscles, which could not be hidden even by his clothes, were noticeable.

His skin, in particular, was very clean.

In the past, his face was often marred by blemishes, which distracted from his features. Now, his milk-white skin, black eyes, and red lips seemed to highlight his best features.

Finally.

His elaborate attire was the finishing touch.

The black outfit with gold embroidery accentuated Roman’s charisma.

Murmurs arose.

“Was Roman always like this?”

“Absolutely not. He used to be shorter than me, but now, just at a glance, the difference in height is obvious.”

The nobles whispered among themselves.

Even in the past, Roman had tried to dress up and win people’s favor, but he never exuded the same aura as he did now.

It was not just a difference in appearance. It was a difference in the aura accumulated over his life. The vulgarity of Roman’s life, which had achieved nothing, was evident in his appearance.

Roman and Baek Jung-hyuk.

They had lived different lives.

The aura of Baek Jung-hyuk, who had once looked down on others from the pinnacle, had the power to immediately capture attention, regardless of his appearance.

A person’s appearance.

It was an important factor.

Initially, everyone intended to keep their distance from Roman, but the change in his appearance made them want to engage him in conversation.

Perhaps for this reason.

Several nobles approached Roman first.

The first to approach was a woman.

She had asked other nobles about Roman and could not contain her curiosity at the difference from his reputation.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Sophia of the Grisel family.”

Roman stopped in his tracks.

His calm gaze turned to Sophia, who added, with a slightly embarrassed look, “You might not be familiar with the Grisel family. My father, Baron Grisel, has dedicated himself to the Kingdom of Cairo for generations. While not a grand family, we have a long history.”

Sophia was the daughter of a minor noble.

Her family had settled in a small territory on the frontier, and her family’s standing in the kingdom was so low that few knew the Grisel family had inherited the title of baron for generations.

However, she was able to attend the Barco family’s party because of her beauty.

Her beautiful appearance and status as a noblewoman’s daughter made her a suitable invitee for the eldest Barco’s party.

For this reason.

Sophia explained her family.

Being from a minor noble family lowered her self-esteem, and she felt the need to introduce herself to everyone she met.

In contrast.

Barco and Dmitri were different.

There was no need for explanation.

Not knowing their names in the northeastern region of the Kingdom of Cairo was tantamount to not being a noble.

At that moment.

“I am well aware of the Grisel family. As a noble of Cairo, it would be impossible not to know a family with over a hundred years of history.”

“...Do you really know the Grisel family?”

Roman’s words.

Sophia’s eyes widened.

She had only intended to have a brief conversation, never expecting Roman to know the Grisel family.

‘Is he just pretending to know?’

Doubt arose.

Occasionally.

Some people pretend to know a noble family to avoid rudeness, even if they do not.

Roman was likely the same.

Otherwise, how could he know the Grisel family, which had never made a name for itself in the frontier?

However.

“I once heard my father describe the Grisel family. They have been settled in the northeastern region for a long time, and their timber is known for its high quality in the Kingdom of Cairo. Their family crest is a large tree with widespread branches, isn’t it? I heard that your younger sibling recently succeeded in mana sensing. I sincerely congratulate your sibling on this achievement.”

‘...Ah!’

In that instant.

Sophia’s doubts crumbled.

She was now certain.

Roman truly knew the Grisel family and did not need her to explain.

People can be fickle.

Just by knowing the Grisel family.

Sophia thought to herself.

‘Perhaps Roman Dmitri is a different man from what the rumors suggest.’

The first conversation at the social party.

The moment people’s gazes changed.

* * *

Two weeks ago.

When Roman expressed his intention to attend the social party, he made a request to Hans that he had never made before.

“Hans. From now on, gather all the information about the families in the northeastern region. I want to know which families are in the northeastern region of the Kingdom of Cairo, what their crests are, and what recent events have occurred. I want to know the backgrounds of the people I will meet at the social party.”

It was an unexpected request.

But Hans, as always, did not question it and brought all the information about the surrounding area as Roman requested.

And.

He read the information whenever he had a chance.

It was a truly tedious task.

Learning the crests of families he did not know and reading information about people he had never met.

But Roman knew this was necessary.

‘I am not an ordinary commoner. As the eldest son of the Dmitri family, I am representing my family at Barco’s social party. Therefore, I need to show the minimum courtesy. I need to know which families the people I will meet belong to and how those families have maintained their lineage. As someone who has been called a fool of the Dmitri family, I need to make such efforts to gain others’ favor.’

When he reached the pinnacle of the dark cult.

Baek Jung-hyuk studied the role of a ruler.

While brute force was the ultimate value in a world of the survival of the fittest, his experiences taught him how important it was to remember names in forming relationships.

Thousands, tens of thousands of subordinates.

When he called out the names of those he had never spoken to, they pledged their lives to him.

It was a funny thing.

Just by remembering names.

People shouted Baek Jung-hyuk’s name, saying it was not a waste to pledge their lives for Roman.

‘Relationships start from very small things. People who know me as a fool of the Dmitri family will have prejudices from the start, but if I remember and acknowledge their names, their attitudes will change. To receive attention, it is better to give attention first. Since I have decided to live as Roman Dmitri, I need to make such efforts.’

Sophia Grisel.

Roman did not know her.

But when she approached him and introduced herself as Grisel, everything came back to him.

‘The Grisel family...’

Their crest.

Their history.

And the recent events in their family.

With the warm and friendly atmosphere between Roman and Sophia, the hesitant nobles began to gather around Roman.

The party became lively.

At the center of it all was Roman.

“I meet the head of the Bolt family. I am well aware of the Bolt family. Didn’t Lord Bolt achieve great feats on the battlefield in the past? Reading about it in books, I thought I should also show a commendable appearance on the battlefield like Lord Bolt.”

“Is your mother well? I heard she has been suffering from a chronic illness recently. She needs to take care of her health, especially in the cold weather.”

“About ten years ago, the Dmitri family benefited greatly from a transaction with the Heros family. My father always spoke of the Heros family’s consideration, so I also have a deep sense of gratitude towards the Heros family.”

Roman.

He had been at the pinnacle of the dark cult and once wielded absolute power.

People said it was due to his formidable strength, but that alone could not ensure complete dominance.

The virtues of a ruler.

Roman understood the importance of social skills.

Simply remembering the other person and creating an environment where they can speak freely strengthened the foundation of power.

Barco’s party.

It took an unexpected turn.

Initially, it was thought that the bat-like fool of the Dmitri family would be ostracized, but the changed appearance and the ability to remember names and offer compliments drew the nobles to him.

Those who did not know Roman developed a favorable impression, and those who knew him saw him in a new light.

Over the years.

Roman’s reputation had been built up.

Despite being blamed for the annulment of his engagement, he managed to change the atmosphere with just a few words.

A noble said.

“It seems I have misjudged you, Lord Roman. I always thought you were drunk and that it would be difficult to have a conversation without alcohol, but I never expected you to be so interesting and pleasant! I hope the Bolt family and the Dmitri family maintain a good relationship in the future.”

The Bolt family.

He was so pleased by the praise for his father that he laughed heartily with a red face.

The atmosphere changed.

No one spoke ill of Roman anymore.

Even those who had just called him a problem were now subtly approaching, laughing and chatting with him.

Dmitri.

The power player in the northeastern region.

Despite being the eldest son, Roman had not received proper treatment from people, even with Dmitri’s backing.

The reason was that, despite being the eldest son, his chances of inheriting the family were slim, and his character was seen as light and unrefined, so people kept their distance.

But now, it was different.

Roman, with his changed appearance, knew how to interact with people, and the warm atmosphere made people realize his position late.

Roman was the eldest son of the Dmitri family.

If he was indeed such a good person, it made sense to befriend him.

At that moment.

A servant of the