Chapter 75: Southern Training Camp (1)

Ten days since leaving Dmitri.

Roman arrived at the final outpost of the southern front.

This was a land without a lord, where people naturally formed a village to do business with those heading to the battlefield.

Before enrolling in the southern training camp, he booked an inn to rest and recover from the journey.

"We will rest here for a day today and head to the southern training camp as soon as it gets light tomorrow."

"Yes!"

Everyone's expressions were bright.

In fact, they did not expect to have such good accommodations.

Usually, common nobles would provide soldiers with shabby lodgings while living comfortably themselves, but Roman rented an entire large and clean inn to ensure they had proper rest.

A situation that naturally made their loyalty well up.

The soldiers moved their belongings inside with enthusiasm.

Meanwhile,

Roman went in first and unpacked his luggage.

Then, he sat in a chair and reread the letter he had received a month ago.

[Word has reached me that you are about to fulfill your duty to the nation. If you had said you wanted to be my man, I would have resolved the issue immediately. However, knowing your determination to serve the country, I will not try to dissuade you. But I cannot leave you to suffer in the harsh environment of the front lines, where you might be injured. I have arranged for you to be deployed to the southern front. Always remember, if you ever need help, the House of Benedict is right there for you.]

Over the past few months,

Roman had been persistently courted by Duke Benedict.

As the leader of the noble faction, he sought to recruit talented individuals to counter the Royal Knights, and Roman's appearance seemed to strike a chord in his heart.

The youngest ranker in the Kingdom of Cairo, Duke Benedict could not help but be captivated, and despite Roman's refusal, he continued to court him with affection.

And now,

Through Duke Benedict's connections, Roman was deployed to the southern front.

As he said,

Compared to the western front, which directly confronts the Kronos Empire, the southern front is a peaceful place with little danger. However, according to the information he had gathered, the reality was different.

Mackin, a member of the Valhalla Intelligence Department, described the southern front as a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

At the time, Roman did not know he would be deployed to the southern front, but he had Lucas investigate just in case.

'In the end, I'll have to see for myself.'

If the information was true,

He was not assigned to a quiet post.

Given the potential for a busy time ahead, Roman decided to take a rest now.

However,

He could not sleep for long.

Bang!

From below,

The sound of men shouting and fighting could be heard.

When he went down,

He saw that a fight had broken out in the hall.

Bang!

"Such filthy brats. Do you know who I am? I am Henry Albert, the second son of the House of Albert! As a descendant of a noble family of the Kingdom of Cairo, I will use this inn. How dare you, mere commoners, stand in my way. Get out now!"

The situation was clear.

It was a one-sided provocation.

To confirm the facts, Roman asked as he went downstairs.

"What's going on?"

"My lord!"

Chris was delighted.

He, who had been on the verge of exploding, reported the incident with a slightly flushed face.

"It's... like this."

The situation was as follows.

Thanks to Roman's consideration, the soldiers were resting comfortably when a group led by the second son of the House of Albert stormed into the inn.

He loudly demanded that everyone leave.

Perhaps because it was the largest and cleanest inn in the area, he intended to use it himself, but there was no reason for them to vacate their rooms.

Moreover,

'The House of Albert is not a prominent family.'

It is not an unknown family.

They once produced notable talents and enjoyed a good reputation, but their reckless expansion led to their decline due to the constraints of their surroundings.

A family living in the past.

Still, in the northeastern region, they were a significant force, but even if they were a noble family, Roman's reaction would not have been different.

"Why should we leave?"

He stepped forward.

Instantly, Henry's fierce gaze turned to Roman.

"Are you the master of these brats?"

"Yes, I am."

"If so, understand the situation. I don't know where you're from, but I, Henry Albert, need to use this inn. Since we're both heading to the southern training camp, it's not wise to make a scene. I'll give you exactly 10 minutes to clear out these trash."

He was confident.

The emblem of the House of Dmitri.

It was the first time he had seen it.

Henry Albert, judging his opponent to be easy, acted as he did.

'Is this the reality of Dmitri?'

A frog in a well.

Dmitri was a strong figure recognized only in the northeastern region.

Naturally, families from other regions would not recognize Dmitri, and even as a noble, there was no reason to treat an unknown family with respect.

Families deployed to the southern front.

Most were classified as powerful figures in the Kingdom of Cairo, so it was wise to back down without trouble.

However,

Roman had been bothered by Henry's direct gaze since the beginning.

"I have no intention of vacating the inn. There's a very simple way to resolve this situation."

His attitude changed.

He dropped the formal tone and drew his sword demonstratively.

"Draw your sword. If you defeat me, I'll gladly vacate the inn."

It was a provocative statement.

Henry's face turned red.

How dare he.

Not only was he being disrespectful, but he was also showing hostility.

It was unforgivable.

Just as he was about to draw his sword,

A knight standing beside him turned pale and stopped Henry.

"My lord, you must stop immediately! Your opponent is Roman Dmitri! The youngest ranker to rise to prominence!"

At those words,

Henry's body stiffened.

Suddenly,

Was this the feeling of goosebumps?

In the same posture, about to draw his sword, Henry's eyebrows trembled.

'...Is this guy Roman Dmitri?'

The youngest ranker in the Kingdom of Cairo.

No one was unaware of his name.

While it was natural for Dmitri, a family from the border, to be unknown, Roman's reputation for defeating Homer at the age of 25 was significant.

The fact that he was still an unofficial ranker was not important.

If the Valhalla Temple recognized Roman's ranking, he must be more than just a rumor.

"Draw your sword."

Once again,

Roman urged.

With a relaxed expression, waiting for him to draw his sword, Henry swallowed hard.

'If I draw my sword, I'll die.'

There was a rumor about Roman.

The war with Barco.

Roman Dmitri, who had cornered his opponent, did not stop there but went to Barco's house and killed the family's heir. That incident left a notorious legacy.

A bloodless and merciless demon who would eradicate his enemies.

Along with the rumors of being a ranker, it was known how terrifying Roman Dmitri was.

Therefore,

Henry subtly turned his gaze.

His pride was hurt.

As a man of the House of Albert, he had never learned to bow down, but in a situation where his head might be on the line, he did not want to assert his pride.

If the other party was indeed the subject of the rumors,

Regardless of pride, he needed to avoid the immediate situation.

His confident attitude was nowhere to be seen.

Henry took a step back and said in a very small voice.

"I just remembered I have an appointment. I apologize for this incident, and let's call it a day. Consider yourself lucky. If I had my way, I would... Ack!"

Thud.

As Roman took a step forward,

Henry fled the inn in terror.

Without their leader, the soldiers had no choice.

As they all rushed out of the inn, Roman smiled wryly.

'Is this the reality of the southern front?'

The southern front.

A vacation spot for noble heirs.

The reality was unfolding before his eyes.

The incident with Henry.

It was not a one-time occurrence.

That day,

Similar incidents happened three times, and each time, they retreated hastily upon hearing the name Roman Dmitri.

The innkeeper said,

"This is a common occurrence here. Unlike the western front, which is threatened by the Kronos Empire, the southern front maintains a cordial relationship with the Hector Kingdom, so there is no significant danger. That's why noble heirs who cannot avoid their duty to the nation try to come to the southern front. Isn't it called a vacation spot for noble heirs for nothing? The training is relaxed, and there's no risk to their lives, making it an ideal place to fulfill their duty to the nation."

The western and southern fronts.

Though part of the same war, the situations were entirely different.

While the troops deployed to the western front were truly risking their lives in battle, the troops on the southern front were mostly idle rich.

As a result, there were many disturbances at the final outpost leading to the southern training camp.

Like Henry, they all lived comfortably in their own lands, so even if someone had reserved the inn first, they would act aggressively if they wanted to.

It was an interesting situation.

Even before enrolling in the training camp,

The reality of the southern front was already clear.

Flutter.

Roman unfolded a map.

It contained information about the southern front, with detailed records for each area.

'48 days ago, scouts from the Hector Kingdom crossed the border. They checked the status of the southern front and returned to their country, but they have checked the southern front three more times since then. I cannot be certain if they have a clear intention of war, but even from the fragmented information I have, the southern front is not a completely safe place.'

War has signals.

The warnings from the Valhalla Intelligence Department.

The actions of the Hector Kingdom, monitoring the border.

While it does not necessarily mean war, there are sufficient signals.

For that reason,

Roman had been training the soldiers.

If there is no war during the two years he will spend on the southern front, he can pass the time safely, but in the worst-case scenario, it is necessary to prepare in advance.

Unlike the other troops who do not prepare for war, mentally or physically,

Roman and the soldiers had spent the past few months in hell.

If war breaks out,

He does not intend to rely on the trash from the southern front who came for a vacation.

He will survive and lay the groundwork for his future plans.

"War."

At the tip of his nose,

The familiar smell of blood was detectable.