Chapter 36: The Forge's Flames (1)

On the day Barco issued his statement, Roman went to see his father. He then spoke bluntly.

"I intend to intervene in the war between Barco and Lawrence under the name of Roman Dmitri."

Romeo, the baron, froze. Just a moment ago, he had been sipping tea, but now his eyes turned fierce as he looked at Roman.

"Do you understand what that means?"

"Yes."

"How can you say such things when you know the implications! The war between Barco and Lawrence is a legally sanctioned conflict approved by the central government. If you had married Lawrence's daughter, you could have used that as a pretext to intervene, but now we have no legitimate reason. If you simply change your mind and decide to help Lawrence, you must stop thinking of anything that could bring disaster to our family."

Thud!

He slammed his teacup down. His trembling beard revealed his anger.

'I thought he had matured recently.'

Intervening in the war is not a simple matter. The central government in Cairo Kingdom is absolute, and especially, a conflict without a legitimate reason is a direct path to ruin. That's how the world of nobility works. When he was a commoner, he could act on his whims without any issues, but as someone who manages and operates a territory, that is impossible.

The moment Roman decides to intervene in the war between Barco and Lawrence, the nobles in the northeastern region will immediately cut off all ties with the Dmitri family. In the worst case, the central government might even send troops to suppress the Dmitri family.

While the Dmitri family's reputation and wealth might prevent the situation from worsening, it is still a dangerous choice.

Roman said, "Father, what kind of life do you wish for me to live from now on?"

"What do you mean by this sudden question!"

"My decision to intervene in Barco's war is not a matter of a change of heart. Recently, I experienced an unpleasant event. Barco's eldest son, Anthony Barco, out of jealousy over my marriage to Flora Lawrence, threatened me with some incident. There is no evidence to prove this to you, but I have come to realize something. People say that the Dmitri family is the true power in the northeastern region, but Barco already considers us beneath them."

Roman's voice was calm. He spoke at a moderate pace, emphasizing the necessary parts.

It was strange. His son, Roman Dmitri, whom he had watched grow up, now had a peculiar atmosphere that made his heart tighten, completely reversing the angry situation from just a moment ago.

"You are a blacksmith. On the surface, you aspire to be a noble, but in reality, you possess power and wealth yet take no action. You are probably satisfied with the current situation. But I, Roman Dmitri, your son, am different. I desire power, and I will not stand idly by if anyone, not just Barco, disgraces the name of Dmitri. We have a legitimate reason. Just as Barco created a pretext for the war without a legitimate reason, to those with power, a legitimate reason is merely a play on words."

He looked up at his father.

A new life.

It still feels like drifting in a vast sea.

But one thing is certain: even in a situation where he doesn't know what to do, his identity as Baek Jung-hyuk remains the same.

He must live a life of dominance.

He did not look far ahead.

Not to the end of the sea.

But to the immediate enemies, like sharks, that appear before him.

He will crush them.

He will tear off the shark's fin and get drunk on its flesh and blood to prove that he is still alive.

"I am not asking for the family's power. I just want you to witness what I am about to do. I will intervene in Barco's conflict not as the eldest son of the Dmitri family, but as an individual named Roman Dmitri. Please watch. The actions I will take from now on will define the way I will live my life."

It was a one-sided announcement.

He did not expect his father's support.

But.

He knew that at least implicit consent was necessary.

Roman knew that his power stemmed from the Dmitri family and did not try to ignore this fact.

He acknowledged it.

To make the most of what he had, he needed his father's consent.

"..."

Baron Romeo showed a bewildered expression.

Roman.

The sore thumb was growing bigger day by day.

Seeing Roman's determined gaze, Baron Romeo realized that this was not something he could stop.

Roman had blossomed.

Roman, who was once called a fool of the Dmitri family and lived like a dog, had realized that he was a beast.

In fact.

He had always dreamed of such a moment.

He was born lowly.

Unlike himself, who was content with a small territory, he hoped his sons would transcend their status.

Silence filled the air.

After silently observing Roman, Baron Romeo spoke with a determined expression.

"Do as you wish. If there is anything I can help with, let me know. You are my son, and I, Romeo Dmitri, am your father. Whatever you do, you will not bear the responsibility alone."

That was enough.

His father had said what Roman wanted to hear.

* * *

He did not need his father's help.

He planned to handle everything on his own, but there was one thing he needed if he were to receive help.

It was the weapons to arm the soldiers.

30 soldiers.

He could not send them to the battlefield unarmed.

The material support, like the money given to the soldiers, all came from his father, so he spoke frankly about his needs.

In response, Baron Romeo readily agreed to help.

"Go to Master Hendrick, the blacksmith. If you tell him it's my request, he will provide you with everything you need."

Master Blacksmith.

A symbol of the Dmitri family.

In the past, Baron Romeo managed the forge as its master, but after receiving a noble title, he passed the responsibility to Hendrick, who had worked with him.

Hendrick was a renowned master in Cairo.

As the master of the Dmitri family, he was responsible for all ironwork.

Roman had always wanted to meet this man.

As soon as he parted ways with his father, Roman headed straight to the forge. Soon, he heard the familiar sounds.

Clang!

Clang! Clang!

The Dmitri forge.

It was a place of blazing fire, operating day and night.

The blacksmiths, with their bulging muscles, were hammering away at the iron, and this scene stretched endlessly in all directions.

The Dmitri forge was the largest in the Cairo Kingdom.

Each workshop, where multiple blacksmiths could work simultaneously, was classified as one unit, and there were as many as 30 such units in the area known as the Street of Blacksmiths.

It was impressive.

How the Dmitri family accumulated such vast wealth became clear just by looking at this place.

'The strength of the Dmitri family comes from their wealth, which is derived from their skills. The iron mine behind the territory has the largest reserves in the kingdom, and the Dmitri blacksmiths possess the technology to sell the iron they mine at a high price. Therefore, the nobles in the northeastern region of the Cairo Kingdom do not dare to cross the Dmitri family. Beyond fearing the Dmitri family's wealth, not being able to obtain Dmitri-made iron weapons in the Cairo Kingdom is a very fatal problem in itself.'

He moved forward.

Some blacksmiths saw Roman.

The eldest son of the Dmitri family had appeared at the forge, but no one approached to greet him.

It was not a matter of reputation.

Baron Romeo had once said about this.

"Son, the blacksmiths of the Dmitri family are people with great pride. They are not the type to show blind loyalty just because you bear the Dmitri name. Only those who can recognize and handle iron can truly earn the trust of the blacksmiths."

For this reason.

Roman's younger brothers had lived at the forge.

Especially the second son, who had ambitions to succeed, was passionate enough to seek out the master to learn the craft.

In contrast.

The former Roman had never even approached the forge.

Working with iron and sweating was hard labor, and as a noble who only desired luxury, it was not a desirable task.

The cold treatment from the blacksmiths.

It was expected.

Roman walked silently and finally reached his destination.

Thud.

"Looking for me?"

Hendrick.

A middle-aged man with a tanned face looked out, his face drenched in sweat.

And when he recognized Roman as his visitor, his expression twisted.

"Why are you here?"

Hendrick.

The master of the forge.

He judged people into two categories: those he liked and those he didn't.

And naturally, Roman Dmitri belonged to the latter, and more specifically, to the category of 'people he strongly disliked.'

'What brings this guy here?'

Once.

There was a time when Roman, led by his father, visited the forge.

Back then, Hendrick had the enthusiasm to teach the eldest son of Romeo, but he quickly grew tired of Roman, who complained every day and refused to do dirty work.

If it had ended there, he might not have hated him, but there was a decisive event that made Hendrick lose all patience with Roman.

That day.

Roman needed money.

After being forbidden from receiving an allowance from his father, he secretly visited the forge to make some money for entertainment.

He stole the sword that Hendrick had put his heart and soul into and sold it to a street merchant for a low price.

Naturally, this was an explosive situation for Hendrick.

Hendrick mercilessly beat Roman in front of Baron Romeo, and at that time, even Baron Romeo did not intervene.

From that day on, Roman became an object of Hendrick's hatred, and he even disliked talking to him.

Therefore.

When Roman asked for 30 sets of weapons, Hendrick naturally did not show a good attitude.

"Take those things in the corner. They should be enough to arm 30 soldiers."

In the corner of the forge.

There were piles of weapons and armor.

'Not all weapons and armor made from the same iron are good. These are the failed works of apprentice blacksmiths, but Roman Dmitri lacks the discernment to judge good iron. He will be happy just to take these failures.'

He knew it was Baron Romeo's request.

But.

He did not want to do anything good for Roman.

Even now, when he recalled the day he lost his masterpiece, he still wanted to slap Roman's face.

Just this much.

Handing over these trash items was the best he could do for Roman.

Frankly.

Since he was the son of Romeo, he thought he should at least do this much.

"Do you mean I should take these?"

"Yes."

Roman examined the items.

He didn't need to look closely.

If it were the Roman Hendrick remembered, it wouldn't have been a problem, but the Roman with Baek Jung-hyuk's soul had a different perspective.

Roman said, "Father told me to take good weapons and armor to arm my soldiers. Are these really the best you can offer, Master Hendrick?"

"Best my ass. If you're not satisfied with these, get out of the forge right now!"

"Master Hendrick."

Thud.

Roman picked up a sword.

He then held it up to the sky and, looking straight at Hendrick, said, "The reputation of Dmitri-made iron as the best in Cairo seems to be a false one. Offering such trash as weapons for soldiers. Let me ask you again. Is this really the best you can offer, Master Hendrick?"

The sharp response.

It was a scenario Hendrick did not expect.