While the Dmitry estate was busy, Lauren Dmitry witnessed an embarrassing scene.
Swish!
William was thrown in front of him. He, who always looked down on others, looked up at the person who threw him down in a shabby manner.
“Apologize.”
Roman ordered.
William burst into tears. He had never experienced such humiliation. He always brought up and compared his family’s status to everyone else’s, but no one had ever acted out or treated him this badly.
How did this happen?
William looked at his father with pathetic eyes, but Count Castro just turned his head away. The argument was over. He had bowed his head, and now he couldn’t take back the words to help his son.
Roman said, “Speak now. If you cannot sincerely apologize, I will make sure to be compensated in another way.”
“William! Hurry!”
At Roman’s words, Count Castro urged William, and the latter finally burst into tears. He kneeled before Lauren Dmitry, who hadn’t even grasped the situation, and spoke in a weeping voice.
“… Lauren, I am sorry for bothering you until now. You did nothing wrong to me, yet I tormented you with a horrible grudge. Please accept my apology. If you say that you will forgive me just once, I will drop out of the academy and never appear in front of you again.”
He bowed his head to the ground. Now that the sky he believed in has fallen, he has given up his pride. The students of the academy who watched this scene from a distance were in shock. Among them was the student who informed Lauren of Roman being in danger. The child didn’t expect this to happen.
Lauren Dmitry himself didn’t expect this to happen. He couldn’t grasp the scene unfolding before him.
‘How the hell did this happen?’
His mind felt complicated. Earlier, he was told that Roman was in danger. So he immediately ran to ask his father for help. So what was all this about now?
‘Is he apologizing to me because of my brother?’
That was the only possibility here. Roman Dmitry appeared, holding William by the neck. Despite the fact that the eldest son was being dragged like a dog, Count Castro didn’t do anything other than follow with a somber face.
It was a scene that no one in the capital could have imagined. Contrary to Roman being in danger, Roman had overpowered the Castro family and made William kneel.
Lauren realized that his older brother’s position had completely changed. Roman’s words and deeds were so powerful that even Count Castro could do nothing.
Was it because his heart felt weak?
‘… Brother.’
He was on the verge of tears. Roman Dmitry, his brother, went to the Castro family for him. Even though he knew the dangers that came with it, he took the risk and fought back.
Count Castro said,
“For my son’s sake, I want to apologize once again, and I promise that such a thing will never happen in the future. I am going to submit his resignation letter first thing after this, so you will not have to meet him. I am really sorry.”
His suffering in the academy finally ended.
But at that moment…
‘Ah.’
Lauren Dmitry realized later what he had done.
Lauren didn’t know how to say it.
Roman sent everyone away. Lauren was left alone with his brother, and as he was organizing his thoughts to try and explain the situation, Roman spoke.
“Lauren.”
“… yes?”
He was lost in his thoughts.
Roman added while looking down at Lauren,
“What happened today isn’t for you alone. The Castro family insulted the Dmitry family, and I felt the need to make them pay as the representative here. So from now on, do not take the name of our family so lightly. If you go around with your head down and are ignored by people, they will think that it is because Dmitry was brought up like that.”
“I apologize.”
Lauren showed a sullen look.
What Roman said was right. They were all born with the same name, but Roman and Rodwell had been recognized by people. Thinking that he was the only one painting their name black, he forgot what he was going to say to Roman.
“Lift your head.”
It wasn’t warm. It was a cold voice, yet Lauren looked at Roman.
“Your name is Lauren Dmitry. I don’t ever want my little brother to go through something like this again. The Castro family belongs to the Central Government, but if they had known the power of Dmitry, they would not have been able to treat you badly. Others do not recognize your power. It is entirely up to you to use the power, and if this happens again in the future, I will not help.”
They were cold words. However, Lauren’s eyes were filled with emotions.
‘Little brother.’
Lauren nodded vigorously as he thought about the words ‘little brother’ in his head.
“I will always remember what my brother said. Next time, if the same thing happens to me, I will not just let it pass and suffer.”
Hearing his words and witnessing his determined expression, Roman smiled.
Not bad.
Friendship between brothers was forbidden in the world of the weak because it was food for the strong, but his current life was different. As much as he desired to live his new life, Roman Dmitry did not want to repeat the same terrible life he had.
‘I do not want to have any more fleeting conflicts.’
He turned his gaze and walked first. Lauren hurriedly followed Roman and suddenly remembered what had happened to their father.
“Brother! We need to contact home right now! I don’t know what Father will do if we leave it like this!”
Up until that point, he could not have predicted that a war would occur next.
Count Castro returned to his mansion. Jewels greeted his eyes, but today they didn’t seem like a symbol of power to him.
“What a fucking bastard!”
Chak!
As soon as he got home, he slapped his son on the cheek. William fell to the ground. Grasping his flushed cheek, he looked up at his father with a shocked expression.
“… Father?”
“Do not call me father! How did you end up an idiot despite having my blood? Do you realize what mistake you did today? Roman Dmitry is the new rising star on the continent. Not only Marquis Benedict, but even other powerful people in the Cairo Kingdom are drooling over him, and you planned to harm his younger brother.”
On this day, not only Count Fabius, but also the academy students witnessed the apology, so the rumors would soon start to spread.
“The people will continue to talk about this in the future! They will say that the Castro family are assholes who could do nothing against Dmitry. From the moment you, the son of Castro, fell on your knees, our status fell to the ground.”
There was no way to recover from this. From the moment William crossed the line, he had already foreseen it. Thinking about the reputation he would lose only made Count Castro feel dizzy.
‘Damn it!’
He wondered how to face Marquis Benedict. As Count Fabius said, if his intention was to make Roman his son-in-law, then their relationship would collapse in an instant. Marquis Benedict was that type of person. At the crossroads of choices, even the smallest mistake could get the Castro family kicked out of the Central Government.
He had to cool his head for now. After telling his servants to take his son away, Count Castro sat on the sofa and sipped some wine. He inhaled the wine’s fragrant smell, and as he was about to take another sip,
“Count! We got a call from the Dmitry family.”
“From Dmitry?”
At those words, the Count put down his glass and had a distorted expression.
The issue between Roman and Castro was over, but Baron Romero was unaware of this and pushed forward his plan for violence.
[Count Castro. I heard you harmed my son, the nobles of the Central Government may be arrogant but we will never stand by the atrocities of those who dared touch the blood of my family.]
He could see Baron Romero’s angry face behind the screen. Given the chain of events, Count Castro felt as though he had aged a lot. Not only that, but the psychological impact was too great, and why was Baron Romero bringing this up now that the problem has been resolved?
[Tomorrow morning. We will formally request a Battle of Territory with the Central Government. And from now on, Dmitry’s merchant head will stop any supplies to the Castro family, and we plan to secure all of your bonds left in the Golden Bank. So what do you think? I know that the principal of the repayment date is fast approaching, but it will be a significant financial pressure in the context of preparing for war.]
He didn’t even hesitate. Without listening to the other side, the Baron continued to speak.
[Not only that, but in the future, I will make sure to keep the Castro family and any other hostile forces at arm’s length. We will fully provide the needed funds and do anything to destroy the power you hold, Castro! We don’t know what name you hold in the academy of Cairo, but even if Dmitry has to pay a huge cost for our actions, we will definitely watch you fall.]
The threat from Baron Romero was quite dangerous. If what they were saying turned into reality, the Castro family was bound to be in danger.
‘That can never happen.’
He felt lost. If the bonds were returned and hostile forces formed a group, just the thought made him go pale. Even if they managed to defeat Dmitry, they would be easily intimidated by financial threats.
Besides, it was impossible to have a sure victory in the Battle of Territory. While a typical noble family did not have more than 200 soldiers, Dmitry’s military power exceeded a lot more. In addition, if mercenaries such as Benjamin joined forces, there would be around a thousand troops.
And finally, didn’t they have Roman Dmitry?
At first, he was worried about how to face Marquis Benedict, but the more he thought, the stronger he felt Dmitry’s potential. If he went to war with them, no matter how powerful he was in the capital, he was bound to fall into the abyss.
‘Roman Dmitry is just like his father.’
The fiery nature and not stubborness. He wasn’t sure what to say in order to convince Baron Romero.
It was then… .
[Release my son, whom you are holding in captivity! This will be the last warning!]
Wait, now this felt strange.
Holding his son in captivity?
Count Castro spoke right away, thinking the opponent was mistaken.
“Baron Dmitry! It seems like you are clearly mistaken, but we are not holding anyone from the Dmitry family. My son did something wrong to Lauren Dmitry, and he is fully reflecting on his actions. I personally went with my son to make him kneel and apologize. The problem is already solved, and there is no need to have a Battle of Territory. We already reached a compromise.”
He only spoke the truth. Beyond the screen, Baron Romero looked shocked.
[… Is that true?]
The anger that had flared up like a fire had died down. Baron Romero, who had completed the war preparations, couldn’t quickly grasp the reality that Roman had already received an apology from Castro.
