Chapter 3 – Dmitry’s Fool (3)
About a month ago, Lawrence and Dmitry both talked about getting married.
Flora's father, Viscount Lawrence, sat Flora in front of him and said with a troubled look on his face.
“My wise daughter, I don't think it's necessary for me to explain how bad the land’s situation is right now to you.
We need strength now.
It could be financial power, and it would be even better if it were military forces.
What is certain now is that in order to receive a force sufficient to solve our difficulties, the Lawrence family's treasure, you, must be presented for the arranged marriage.
I am so sorry.
Because of this ugly father, you have to endure such a choice.”
On that day, Flora's world collapsed.
Although most noble daughters are sold in arranged marriages, Flora still had her own values.
Forging her lifelong bond with the person she truly loves.
She believed that even if the person was not a prince on a white horse, conditional problems could be overcome if there was love between them.
But to think it would be Dmitry!
This was out of the blue.
‘Twenty years ago, the Dmitry family was an ordinary commoner’s family.
I was not expecting a prince on a white horse but to have to make a lifelong bond with Dmitry, who is infested with workers in the mines.’
It is said that the conditional issue is not very important, but that is acceptable when I actually love the other person.
No matter how hard I think about it, I don’t love Dmitry.
I don’t want to dedicate my dream of marriage, which I always had, to Dmitry's miner like this.
The problem wasn't just that.
At first, she tried to marry Dmitry's second son, who had a promising future, but at some point, the subject of marriage changed to Dmitry's eldest son.
I've heard rumors about him.
What a lousy person he is; even my father knows that Roman Dmitry is called Dmitry's Fool.
‘I really hate it.’
It was terrible.
Dmitry's Fool.
This person has the rumor that he is confined to the territory of the outskirts and immersed in enjoyment without even dreaming of entering the capital until his mid-twenties because he lacks talent in both martial arts and cunningness.
At a noble party which was held a while ago, I had heard that he wasn’t even good-looking.
In my mind, there wasn't even the slightest bit of intention of marrying Roman Dmitry or loving him.
So, I was worried.
Flora had been living a good life as a wise daughter, but this was an area she could never compromise on.
‘This cannot be real.’
The land’s situation?
Of course, I know it well.
But even so, I don’t want to be sold to Dmitry's Fool.
She wasn't as wise and devoted daughter as her father thought she might have been, and she decided to leave the situation to the heavens after breaking her engagement.
Although the purpose of the visit to Dmitry is to meet and spend time with the target of the marriage, which was arranged in advance without her permission, her actual purpose is to inform him of breaking the engagement.
That's how she met Roman Dmitry.
And she was sure.
'As the rumors say, he's unattractive.'
His height seemed to be around 170cm.
The impression from his dark hair was sharp and manly, but his charisma eroded as his skin was not in great condition.
Above all else, there was a strong scent of perfume coming from Roman.
Nobles originally liked to use perfume, but right now, Roman had clearly used too much of it.
Flora was unaware of the fact that it was Roman's consideration to get rid of the smell of blood; she thought that Roman, who was immersed in pleasure as rumored, had been buried with the scent of a woman.
The more she saw him, the more certain she became.
Flora said firmly, “I wish that our marriage doesn’t happen.”
Right, he will probably object.
As a person who actively argued for an arranged marriage for her beauty, it would take considerable effort to convince him otherwise.
Flora clenched her little fist.
No matter how Roman Dmitry reacted, she would give her all to persuade him to end this marriage.
However.
“Yes, let’s do that.”
Roman's answer was completely unexpected.
At the unexpected answer, Flora's eyes widened.
“…Are you really fine with breaking up the marriage?”
Flora's voice trembled slightly.
She tried to manage her expression somehow, but her overall awkward expression showed a sign of embarrassment.
“I am a human too, so I am well aware of what others are saying about this marriage.
You are called Lawrence's flower, the beauty that every man wants, but I, who is called Dmitry's Fool, am too lacking to embrace you.
So, I thought about it a lot.
I pondered every night whether this marriage was the right thing to do, but in fact, our families had already made the decision, so there was no way for me to stop the marriage with just my own opinion.
However, that’s not the case now.
Now that I know what you think, I must go forward with my decision as well.”
Roman was glad.
In fact, from the moment he heard the word breakup, Roman thought that things were going according to his intentions.
Flora Lawrence.
She was, as rumored, a beautiful woman.
However, for Roman, the criterion for judging a woman is not limited just to her appearance.
When he was living as Baek Joong-hyuk, the number of women who would dedicate their whole bodies and mind to him was large enough to cover The Great Sea.
The Murim world’s apex and his handsome appearance.
Along with that, because of Baek Joong-hyuk's humane attitude towards people, women tried to win over Baek Joong-hyuk by any means and methods.
Of course, there were also conspiracies from hostile forces in the process.
Baek Joong-hyuk, who had to think a lot when meeting people, naturally put the value of their appearance in the background.
She’s beautiful, of course.
However, that is all.
Roman is now in the midst of designing a new life, and he has no intention of carrying the burden known as Flora Lawrence.
Flora asked, “Are you really serious?”
“Why would I lie?”
“However, isn’t this marriage happening because you wished for it? Originally, I was in a situation where I was getting married to the second son of the Dmitry family, and I heard that you strongly wanted to marry me, so the situation ended up like this.
And now you’re telling me that you're going to accept the divorce without any conditions? It just doesn't make any sense to me.”
Pfft.
Roman laughed.
She was truly a strange woman.
In the spirit of persuading him by any means, she asked for the breakup, and when he readily accepted it, she became rather curious.
“So, do you want to marry me?”
“…That’s not it.”
“Then let’s not do something that makes each other tired for nothing.
I respect your opinion and plan to break up the marriage because we both agreed.
Also, I will take full responsibility for the breaking of the engagement.
I'm called Dmitry's Fool anyway; even if I get another title as a man who broke his engagement, there won't be any big problems, but it’s surely different for the flower of Lawrence, who has a bright future, isn’t it? If you were to be the reason for the breaking of the engagement, rumors would be everywhere.
I think this should be a satisfactory answer.”
Honestly, there was no consideration for Flora.
A man who broke his engagement.
That title will be a good excuse to cut off the troublesome conversation that I might get into in the future.
It was entirely for his own sake, but Flora had to take it differently as she didn't know the truth.
‘What the hell is this man?’
Flora's eyes fluttered wildly.
She was embarrassed.
According to rumors, Roman’s insides are as ugly as his looks, but the more you look at Roman's words and deeds, the more I realize it doesn't match Dmitry's nickname of a fool.
One's own clear subjectivity and the ability to act on it.
A person who meets at least these conditions cannot be small enough to be called an idiot wherever he goes.
Her mind was intricately intertwined.
However, the water has already been spilled, and the breakup has already become a reality.
“The more important the task, the better it is to be dealt with quickly.
So, drink some tea and wait.
I will go speak to my father about this matter.”
She couldn't hold Roman back any longer.
Seeing Roman walking away so casually, Flora looked at his back with a confused look for a while.
Slam!
“What do you mean?! Breaking off the engagement?!”
The reaction was as Roman had expected.
The moment he mentioned the word of breaking off the engagement, Baron Romero, the lord of Dmitry, could not hide his exploding anger.
“It is just as I said.
I don’t want to do this marriage.
Since I have already finished talking to Lawrence’s esteemed daughter, I don’t think we can reverse this decision.”
“This, this…!”
Baron Romero's face flushed red.
This was a notice.
Rather than asking for permission to make a choice, Roman had already made a decision and informed him about it unilaterally.
“What a stupid bastard! Even if people called you Dmitry's Fool, I tried to pass on a good environment to you as a father's duty.
You are different from my other children.
They enjoyed wealth and honor as children of the aristocracy from the moment they were born, but you and I experienced the days of commoners together.
So, I still accepted you even if you acted like a fool.
Since your environment had changed suddenly, you must have wanted to do things you dreamed of ever since you were a child.”
His beard was trembling.
It was just as Baron Romero had said.
Baron Romero had an only son, Roman, when he got the opportunity to supply weapons to Cairo.
A child who was a commoner became the son of a nobleman.
Roman's childhood went like this.
As the children who looked down on him scratched his head, Roman's personality worsened.
And now, Roman had become Dmitry's embarrassment.
It symbolizes that Dmitry was a commoner, and that's why he doesn't want to show it to others.
“The union with the House of Lawrence is a very important matter for Dmitry to fully establish himself as a nobleman.
Did I expect a big role from you? All you have to do is marry the pretty noble young girl you so desperately wanted, and you can't even do that.”
“I’m sorry.”
“This is not a matter of apologies!”
Smack!
Baron Romero threw an object he could get his hands on at Roman.
A strong shock hit Roman's head, but Roman calmly bowed his head despite the blood dripping from his head.
This is a matter of responsibility.
He broke his promise, so it is right to accept the price for it.
“If all goes well, I was trying to somehow solve the problem of you performing your national defense duties.
But now, things have become messed up, so you have to leave for the battlefield within the next six months.
Do you have anything to say about this?”
“I do not.”
“And I heard that there was an incident with Blood Fang.
Witnesses say you punished them, but I don't believe it.
Well, that doesn't make sense anyway.
How can a guy, who can't even wield a sword properly, punish them? I am sure someone helped you.
The problem is that Blood Fang is a beehive that even I cannot touch.
Son, the moment you fail to fulfill your duties as a child, you are obliged to solve your own problems.
So, you have to solve this problem yourself.
I am not going to give you any help on that.”
It was not a rational decision.
Baron Romero was furious and uttered every word that could punish Roman.
Military duty and Blood Fang.
They were problems that an ordinary Roman could not handle by himself.
Of course, Baron Romero expected that Roman, as usual, would get down on his knees and weep for his forgiveness.
‘If the news of the breaking of the marriage is not known externally, there is still a chance for the resolution of this issue.’
It was his judgment.
He thought of breaking Roman's spirit completely and doing things as intended.
However.
“I understand, father.
I will take care of it myself.”
“What?”
“It happened because of me.
As father said, I think it is right for me to deal with it.”
Baron Romero was perplexed.
An unexpected development.
Roman lowered his head, stood up, and spoke one last time.
“Then I will solve all the problems and come back.”
Roman left.
Baron Romero was so stunned that he couldn't even catch Roman.
Roman came back outside.
He wiped the blood dripping from his forehead with his sleeve, and right in front of him was a person staring at him bewilderedly.
It was Flora Lawrence.
She heard all the conversations from outside the room and unwittingly told him her inner feelings.
“Are you really crazy?”