The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 31

The day before the test.

Knight Commander Jonathan announced, “Test preparations are complete.” Baron Romero, holding a teacup that looked tiny in his large hand, listened carefully. “We will use only a few people to manage the test. Master Roman will watch over everything.”

Baron Romero sighed. “So, it’s finally here, the test day?”

“Yes,” Jonathan replied. “Many more people have come since this morning. They all want to volunteer as soldiers.”

“Really?” Baron Romero murmured.

He thought back to the first time he heard Roman’s idea. He was more surprised by the idea of private soldiers than whether it could actually work.

*Roman wants soldiers just for himself, not for the Dmitry family,* Roman had said. *That’s not normal for nobles. Giving power to one son before we decide who will lead next… it could cause problems that cannot be fixed.*

However.

Even though it was unusual, Baron Romero quickly said yes.

Most people thought the second son should lead Dmitry, not the oldest. Even though it cost a lot to pay 8 silver coins a month to 30 soldiers, Baron Romero didn’t even ask Roman why he wanted them.

In fact.

Roman’s actions lately didn’t make sense.

When Baron Romero heard that Roman had ended his engagement with the Lawrence family and gone to a party hosted by Barco, he thought Roman was trying to use people he knew to work with Barco. It was all about who would be the next leader. Barco’s support was a good way to push out the second son and take power.

But it didn’t work out that way.

In front of the nobles, he slapped a knight’s face, even though Antoni Barco tried to stop him.

He went too far.

Antoni Barco was a small-minded man, so he would definitely be angry at Roman for embarrassing him. He couldn’t threaten Roman directly.

That meant the Dmitry family was strong, but Antoni Barco had many ways to get revenge on Roman, even if he couldn’t do it openly.

For example.

He could cause trouble with who becomes the next leader.

If Barco supported the second son, not Roman, then Roman would lose his chance to lead. This would happen because people inside and outside the family would agree.

Therefore.

Because of all these complicated reasons about succession and Barco, Baron Romero decided to agree to Roman’s request for private soldiers.

Roman Dmitry had been known as ‘Dmitry’s fool’ for ten years, ruining how people saw him. But now, starting with the Blood Fang incident, he began to act differently, taking charge of his life.

He wanted to watch.

He knew that Roman’s chances of becoming the next leader were very small, but he still wanted Roman to do what he wanted.

A father’s heart ached. Even though he knew it might be foolish, he couldn’t deny his ailing son this chance. He wanted to support Roman, just once.

His second son was already successful, with people recognizing his talents even in the capital.

Baron Romero said,

“So how many people applied? 50? 100? Because of Roman’s bad reputation, it would be lucky if more than 50 people applied. Being a private soldier for one person, not a family, is not a good job for most people.”

That was right.

Private soldiers.

The job was mainly for personal matters, so it wasn’t popular.

It was different from being a soldier for a noble family.

Being a soldier to protect a family was a stable job, but private soldiers could easily be left behind.

At best, 50 people.

That’s what Baron Romero expected. He thought so few people would want to be private soldiers that a test wouldn’t be needed.

However.

Jonathan shook his head and said.

“The guards say that over two hundred people have said they came to Dmitry for the private soldier exam. And the exam isn’t even today. We think at least five hundred people will take the test.”

Five hundred people.

Baron Romero’s teacup stopped halfway to his lips. His eyes widened in disbelief. He had truly misjudged the situation.

“…That many?”

Suddenly.

Baron Romero felt that he still didn’t understand Roman.

At that moment.

The Dmitry Inn buzzed with energy. It was packed, shoulder-to-shoulder, with men talking loudly, the air thick with the smell of beer and anticipation. Laughter and rough voices filled the room.

Lucas, a B-class mercenary with scars that told silent stories of battles fought and won, sat at the bar, drinking beer.

Thunk.

“Krooooh.”

The beer was smooth and wonderful.

Lucas frowned at the strong taste of Dmitry’s black beer and looked around carefully.

‘People are coming here even the day before the test. There will be more people applying than I thought. And the people applying to be private soldiers are better than I expected.’

This was a recruitment for regular soldiers.

Eight silver coins a month was a good reward, but veterans like him had no reason to do it.

Yet, the reason Lucas applied was more than just curiosity. It was a pull, a nagging feeling that something important was happening with this ‘fool’ Roman Dmitry. He had to see it for himself.

Therefore.

Lucas was different from the others.

He thought mostly regular people would apply, but there were more skilled people than he expected.

‘The three men talking loudly at the corner table are probably C-class mercenaries, judging by their bronze tags. And the men drinking at the bar don’t look like mercenaries, but they are skilled fighters.’

This inn was just one of many in Dmitry.

But even in this small place, there were 5-6 good applicants, so the level of applicants was higher than expected.

Of course, he still didn’t see anyone better than himself.

In the mercenary world, B-class was much better than C-class, and he was valuable enough to be treated well anywhere.

Lucas wondered.

Why were they here?

He understood why regular people would apply, but why were men who had fought and killed applying to be private soldiers?

He didn’t think it was just because of the rumors.

It was impressive that Roman had changed the lives of the Clark family and punished the Barco family knight for hurting Kevin.

But money was still the most important thing.

The 8 silver coins a month was only good for people who didn’t know better, and it wouldn’t attract someone like him.

‘I don’t understand.’

Glug glug.

He finished his drink.

As he stood up, he heard a voice that caught his attention.

“Henderson, why are you here? You said you would be a soldier for the Lawrence family.”

Lucas sat back down and listened to the two men.

One man was named Henderson.

He was from Lawrence.

Lawrence was preparing for war with the Barco family and needed soldiers.

Most of the strong men were joining the army.

Henderson had planned to fight for Lawrence, but one thing changed his mind.

Henderson said.

“I wasn’t required to join the army, but I was going to anyway. If Lawrence fell, my life would be meaningless. But after seeing Roman Dmitry defeat Blood Fang in Lawrence, I changed my mind. I knew he was a real leader.”

Henderson had been in the square that day.

It was a new world.

The young master, who had grown up rich, stood covered in blood in front of regular people.

Roman grabbed Ben Miles by the hair and dragged him.

People like Henderson held their breath because it was so dangerous.

And Roman killed Ben Miles.

People who weren’t there didn’t believe it, but Henderson couldn’t forget it.

“Blood Fang has hurt Dmitry. They made the people of Dmitry suffer and even tried to kill me for stopping them. Blood Fang is guilty. So, I will destroy them.”

Roman had come to Lawrence to punish Blood Fang for hurting the people of Dmitry.

Blood splattered.

Ben Miles’s head flew off.

The children screamed, but Henderson saw the blood splattering.

‘Ah…’

He was thrilled.

Look at Roman!

A leader who fights for his people!

Henderson, with a red face, explained why he wanted to be Roman’s soldier.

“People don’t believe what happened in Lawrence. They don’t think Roman Dmitry could do that. But I saw it myself. Roman Dmitry is not weak, but a leader who will fight for his people. And this is a great chance to work for Roman Dmitry. I want to pass the test, live in Dmitry, and be Roman Dmitry’s man.”

His reputation had been bad.

But now, a new story was being told.

Defeating Blood Fang.

The Clark family.

Kevin’s incident.

People were coming to see Roman because of all these things together.

People thought.

If it’s Roman.

Maybe it’s worth being loyal to him.

He rewards loyalty, values people, and will fight against evil forces like Blood Fang.

They had to apply. Even people who thought they were worth more than 8 silver coins felt excited when they heard Roman’s story.

This private soldier craze was not an accident.

People have eyes and ears.

Therefore.

Roman’s true colors were slowly being revealed.

Test day.

The day began.

Lucas was still thinking as he stood in the crowded test site.

‘If what I heard is true, what should I do?’

This was the same for everyone else.

People who were unsure about applying would soon see the truth about Roman.

It was time to choose.

Should they really take the test?

Or should they just see what happens and then leave?

Lucas, who had been a B-class mercenary, wondered if it was worth risking his life for only 8 silver coins.

He would never normally consider it.

But his gut feeling, the feeling that made him a B-class mercenary, brought him to the test site.

The test site was loud.

At least five hundred people were talking loudly like they were in a market because no one was controlling them.

“Hahaha!”

“Did that really happen?”

“Let’s get a beer after the test!”

Then.

No one told them to be quiet.

Suddenly, the noise stopped.

People looked to one side.

Lucas did too.

“…!”

He gasped.

His hair stood on end.

He felt the same tension he felt when risking his life, and he lowered his head.

He felt like he had to.

A man.

His appearance, his walk.

Lucas, like the others, lowered his head and greeted him.

‘The rumors were true.’

Then, silence fell. It wasn’t ordered, it just *happened*. Every head turned. A path seemed to open in the crowd, and through it, he came. Roman Dmitry. He moved with a quiet power, his presence silencing the room like a sudden cold wind.