Chapter 58: The Man for Everyone (4)

Before long,

it was time for the party to start.

Roman's appearance was completely different from that of the daytime.

During the day, he was covered in dust from his work at the mine, and he spent time training with Chris right up until the party. However, when he entered the party venue, he appeared neat and well-mannered.

Everyone had been waiting for Roman's arrival. As he walked into the party, the people who had been chatting just moments ago fell silent.

"Master Roman Dmitri is entering."

Roman.

He looked around and greeted the people.

There was no trace of his usual gruff demeanor.

Since this party was being held in his honor, Roman knew how to act as the guest of honor.

Seeing this,

the noblewomen who had been rejected earlier showed interest.

"Master Roman, why did you leave so abruptly this afternoon? I wanted to have a little conversation before the party."

"I had just finished work, and my appearance was so disheveled that I couldn't help but act that way. I hope you can understand my desire to look my best."

"Oh, that was the reason."

Perhaps because Roman's answer pleased them,

from then on, everyone laughed at whatever he said.

Their intentions were obvious.

They were trying to create a connection with Roman, and before long, women surrounded him.

Among them,

Sylvia's presence stood out the most.

"Indeed, you are as remarkable as the rumors suggest. As the heir of a noble family, to work alongside the miners in the mine... My father always said that one must always seek knowledge with humility, but I found it difficult to put into practice like you. If I were to have someone like you as my partner, I could learn and change for the better, couldn't I?"

Her words were overt.

Though others around her gave her disapproving looks, Sylvia paid them no mind.

She was beautiful.

She knew her appearance well and had learned from experience that men often lost their composure when she made the first move.

It wasn't a bad strategy.

If Roman hadn't been the one who remained unmoved by even the beauty of Flora Lawrence, the most beautiful woman in the northeast, it would have worked.

"Thank you for your kind words."

Just that much.

Roman ended the conversation with a smile.

While kindly answering the questions that came from all directions, he never allowed anyone to get too close.

How much time had passed?

After enduring the attention of the women for a while, Roman quietly slipped out of the party and caught his breath.

At that moment,

a familiar voice came from behind.

"You're a good actor, aren't you?"

The owner of the voice approached.

Looking down, Roman saw a familiar face looking up at him.

It was

Flora Lawrence.

There was no trace of the kindness she had shown earlier.

Since no one was watching, Roman put aside the polite facade and spoke coldly.

"It was a necessary action."

"Surprising. I thought you didn't care about relationships between people."

"Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't. But this party was hosted by the Lawrence family in my honor, and my parents and their guests are watching. It's a situation where at least a minimum of etiquette is required. And, to call it surprising, you were the same when we first met."

When they first met,

Roman was dressed in formal attire.

He had even sprayed a strong perfume to cover the smell of blood, which he considered disrespectful.

Roman was that kind of person.

He might act as if he didn't care about anyone, but when necessary, he would act appropriately.

Flora said,

"Thinking about it, that was true. If anything, I was the one who lacked manners."

In her memory,

Roman was a person with clear boundaries.

He maintained his etiquette even in a strategic marriage and became cold after she announced the annulment.

Reflecting on it, it was her fault.

Roman tried to maintain a proper distance at the party, but Flora had trampled on it, ruining their relationship.

A consistent person.

That's why she was even more curious.

How had Roman lived to have such a firm set of standards?

"By the way, why are you working with the miners? Others think it's part of your training as an heir, but I've heard there's no such training. I can understand the forge, but why would Lord Dmitri send his son to the mine?"

Flora's question.

Under normal circumstances, Roman wouldn't have answered.

But,

remembering her performance on the battlefield, Roman wanted to share his thoughts.

"What do you think made the Lawrence family reach their current position?"

"…Pardon?"

"People often think the Lawrences prospered from the fertile land and its crops, but that's not the case. The Lawrences are a family that succeeded in commerce. They knew how to utilize their crops and sold or bartered them to build the Lawrence family we see today. I've heard that the younger brother of Lord Lawrence also succeeded as a merchant in the capital."

Flora was surprised.

The true foundation of the Lawrences.

Few people understood it accurately.

Until recently, Flora herself had thought that the fertile land was all the Lawrences had.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I believe the forge, and by extension, the iron mine, is the foundation of the Dmitri family. If the miners who go to the mine every day, covered in dust, and dig for iron ore didn't exist, the Dmitri family wouldn't have succeeded as they have. I wanted to fully understand the land of Dmitri. Regardless of whether I inherit it or not, I believe it's the duty of someone with the name Dmitri. If I ever face a problem alongside the people of Dmitri, the time I spent in the mine, which others don't understand, will greatly help me understand and empathize with them."

Roman's voice was firm.

As if it were an absolute necessity.

Seeing him assert his beliefs, Flora was momentarily speechless.

"…Ah."

"The time has been delayed. I'll be going now."

The conversation ended there.

Roman Dmitri turned away without hesitation.

Flora watched him, feeling as if she had been hit on the head.

Indeed,

Roman always made her think deeply whenever they met.

Recently,

people called Roman Dmitri "the man for everyone."

The reputation of the foolish Dmitri had sunk, and everyone admired and coveted him.

If

she were in Roman's position,

could she have the same thoughts and work in the mine while receiving praise from those around her?

'No, I couldn't.'

People are like that.

Sweet words can melt the mind, and even the most diligent person will eventually enjoy the reality.

Especially someone like Roman, the man for everyone. Even if he accepted the advances of women and lived a wild life, people wouldn't consider it a flaw.

But

Roman was different.

He didn't get drunk on victory or enjoy the reality.

Immediately after the war, he grabbed a pickaxe and went to the mine, and while others celebrated, he silently dug for iron ore, covered in dust.

What kind of thoughts must he have to act like that?

Even though Flora hadn't wasted her time, she felt ashamed when she met Roman.

'He's a remarkable person.'

She admired him.

She wanted to emulate him.

Regardless of whether he was selfish, Roman as a person perfectly matched her ideals.

Suddenly,

she remembered something her father had said.

"…Live for your dreams from now on. I won't repeat the mistake of dropping your value to the ground, and if you want it, I'm prepared to support you in anything."

Lord Lawrence

wanted Flora to live as Flora Lawrence, not just as the flower of Lawrence.

The promise to support her in anything filled her mind now.

'What is my dream?'

No matter how much she thought,

she didn't have a clear dream.

But what was certain was that watching Roman's actions gave her a new goal.

'I want to become strong. I want to ensure that no other forces can ever covet Lawrence's territory. I don't want to rely on others for Lawrence's safety; I want to become strong enough to overcome such dangers myself. That's my goal.'

She made a decision.

A firm dream.

Her mind, which had wandered after the war, finally cleared, and everything felt organized.

Flora left the venue.

There was no reason to stay at the party.

Roman Dmitri

was no longer a reason to hold her back.

A few days later,

it was later revealed that Flora had left Lawrence and headed to the capital.

The flower of Lawrence, the greenhouse plant, had finally stepped out into the world.

* * *

Time passed.

Two weeks later.

Just as the destruction of the Barco family was becoming widely known, a visitor came to the Dmitri forge.

"Hendrick! Hendrick!"

"What is it?"

"What is it? I just dropped by for a drink."

A short man smiled nervously as he watched Hendrick, who was leaving the forge irritably.

Seeing the bottle in his hand,

Hendrick's mouth watered.

It was lunchtime, so Hendrick quickly cleared a space on a log that could serve as a table.

"Indeed, Jacob, you're the only one who understands me."

"Right?"

The man's name was Jacob.

He managed the mine and poured a drink into Hendrick's glass before drinking from the bottle himself.

"Ah, it's killing me."

"How's work today?"

"Same as always. This mine never seems to run out. We've only developed the entrance of the mountain, but the Dmitri family could mine for hundreds of years without the vein drying up. Yes, that's the truth. I, Jacob, who has lived as a miner all my life, can vouch for it."

Hendrick and Jacob,

the two pillars of the Dmitri family, often spent time like this.

Amidst their daily arduous tasks, a brief moment of drinking was like a breath of fresh air.

After drinking for a while,

Hendrick put down his glass and asked in a subtle tone.

"By the way, Roman Dmitri. How is he? A couple of weeks ago, there was a lot of talk about Roman Dmitri working in the mine, but it's been quiet lately. Has he stopped working?"

"Ah, Roman?"

Jacob chuckled.

He took another drink and said with a grin.

"Don't even mention it. He hasn't missed a single day of work. At first, everyone was wary of Roman Dmitri's intentions, but now there's no miner who dislikes him, right?"

"Really?"

Hendrick's eyes widened.

Miners are as proud as blacksmiths.

For such stubborn men to like Roman was surprising.

"What exactly happened in the mine?"

Over the past two weeks,

a lot had happened at the Dmitri mine.