The Heavenly Demon Can’t Live A Normal Life [EN]: Chapter 67

Baron Romero sat in his chair, tapping his fingers on the wooden armrest. He was waiting for Hendrik, and his stomach felt tight with worry. He thought back to a meeting three years ago…

During the meeting to decide the heir, Hendrik reacted furiously to a noble’s suggestion that being the eldest son should count for something.

“Is the fact that he is the eldest son so important that we should throw the family’s future to the dogs?” Hendrik asked angrily. “Yes, Roman is the eldest son of the Dmitry family. And if you go out into the street and ask what kind of person Roman Dmitry is, ten out of ten people will click their tongues and call him Dmitry’s fool. And yet you still want Roman to be Dmitry’s heir? Please, everyone, get a grip!”

He spat out his anger.

And then, he made a statement that put an end to the controversy.

“Lord,” Hendrik said. “The foundation of Dmitry lies in the smithy. Most of those who follow you work in the iron mines and the smithy. What would they all think if the next heir couldn’t handle iron at all? There’s nothing more ridiculous than that. And it’s not as if we don’t have other options. Rodwell Dmitry has been learning the trade since he was a child, doing odd jobs in the smithy. He’s a remarkable talent who has proven his skills even in the capital. I think putting Roman Dmitry forward as the heir is a decision that puts the family in danger.”

Hendrik took the lead.

His point was something everyone couldn’t help but be cautious about.

At the statement to remove the eldest son from the position of heir, the nobles also added their voices and supported Hendrik.

Thus, Rodwell Dmitry was chosen as the heir.

Roman did not know he was not chosen as heir. He continued to act foolishly, which made the nobles think they had made the right choice to pick Rodwell.

‘Now, three years later, Roman has changed. Even the nobles who used to rant like Hendrik have asked for Roman’s potential as heir to be reconsidered. The people in the iron mines and the commoners feel the same way. But that doesn’t mean we can ignore the opinion of Hendrik, the master of the smithy. As he says, the foundation of Dmitry lies in the smithy, so we can’t blindly support Roman, who has been neglecting his duty as heir.’

His head ached.

His son’s growth.

If he had proven his worth a little sooner, the problem could have been solved easily. But now that he was trying to think about the heir issue, he couldn’t help but feel a headache.

Baron Romero knew Roman had been doing well lately. But he saw this as a different issue.

Although Roman had become a better swordsman and showed amazing skill, Hendrik thought it was important that Dmitry’s heir understood the work of the smithy.

That was definitely a basic requirement for the Dmitry family.

If he took over the family, he would have to manage the work of the smithy directly. But Hendrik would not respect a guy who knew nothing and follow his orders.

Hendrik was the master of the smithy and Baron Romero’s colleague.

If such a person disagreed, Baron Romero could not force the heir issue.

‘Hendrik will probably strongly oppose my opinion. But I have no choice but to ask. Since most people want Roman, if I run into Hendrik’s opposition, I will have to discuss the current problem once again.’

That was not a guess, it was a strong conviction.

Having known Hendrik for a long time, he could be sure of how he would react.

But then…

“I agree,” Hendrik said. “I think Roman Dmitry is fully qualified as an heir.”

Baron Romero blinked in disbelief.

Hendrik, the master of the smithy, was expected to be furious and rant at the statement to put Roman back as the heir.

“Wait, are you serious?” Baron Romero asked.

“Why would I lie to you, Baron?” Hendrik replied. “There was a time when I thought Roman Dmitry was not right as an heir. But it is different now. As he proved in the recent war with Barco, Roman has worked hard, shedding blood and sweat in places we do not see. Because of this, he was able to grow as an aura swordsman, and he is trying to understand Dmitry so much that he even works in the iron mines himself.”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Hendrik was defending Roman.

As if he had not finished speaking, Hendrik recalled what had happened in the past.

“Actually, there was an incident with Roman a while ago. Roman placed an order to arm the soldiers, and I told him to take bad items because I disliked Roman. But do you know what Roman said to me at that time? He got angry at me, saying that handing over such items to arm the soldiers is like murder. That’s right. It was an act that went against the spirit of craftsmanship. That night, I thought carefully about Roman’s actions.”

Today, Hendrik saw Roman’s true colors.

Hendrik was now remembering the past in a better way than it really was. Even the times he argued with Roman, he now saw as good things.

“Roman Dmitry has the insight to suit the Dmitry family,” Hendrik continued. “If not, he would not be able to accurately understand the condition of the items with the eyes of an ordinary person. And today, I saw Roman working directly in the smithy. Watching him focus on his work, facing the hot flames of the furnace… Haa, that was a sight that I couldn’t help but admire as a fellow blacksmith.”

Once upon a time, they had a bad relationship.

However, from the moment he received the gift from Roman, Hendrik admired Roman.

Hendrik handed over the sword.

Baron Romero looked at the sword, which shone brightly under the light, with a questioning look.

“What is this?” he asked.

“It is a sword made by Roman Dmitry himself. You will know right away, Lord, how great the value of this sword is. I didn’t believe it was Roman’s skill at first, but after checking his work today, I knew it was true.”

Baron Romero’s eyes widened.

The sword in front of him was a masterpiece.

Like Hendrik, Baron Romero knew the true value of the sword right away and could not hide his surprised feelings.

“…What is this?”

How on earth did Roman make such a sword?

Baron Romero had a hint of regret about Roman’s recent actions.

Although he was growing quickly as a swordsman, he felt sorry that he was neglecting the duties of the family, since he had once risked his life for the smithy.

If he was his son, if he was the eldest son of the Dmitry family, he thought that he should at least show interest in the smithy, as Hendrik had strongly insisted.

But then, Hendrik showed a shocking truth.

This was not simply the result of interest, but proof that Roman had more than enough qualifications.

Hendrik said, “The foundation of Dmitry lies in the smithy. Although Rodwell was chosen as the next heir three years ago, now that Roman is proving his worth, we need to reconsider the decision.”

The situation was reversed.

Hendrick, the Master Blacksmith, had disagreed with Baron Romero. Hendrick said it was against tradition. But Baron Romero was not trying to convince Hendrick anymore. Now, Baron Romero was trying to convince himself.

“Oh, dear,” Baron Romero sighed quietly.

He laughed, but it was a sad, empty sound.

*Hendrick,* he thought.

*Even Hendrick, the Master Blacksmith.*

The problem Baron Romero had worried about most was now falling apart easily, like dust.

He went into his private office. After asking Hendrick to leave, Baron Romero was alone. He sat at his desk, the room quiet around him. He picked up a letter he had read many times before. It was from his son, Rodwell, written a year ago.

The letter said: “Father, this is Rodwell. I have been promoted to the highest class, S-class, at the Cairo Royal Academy. Now, I will not just learn from books. I will also train as a commander in real situations. Father, I know the Dimitri family wants peace in our lands. But I want more. I will graduate at the top of my class and come home to you, a son you can be proud of. I will show you a new, great future for Dimitri.”

Rodwell Dimitri.

This letter was from his second son. Rodwell was different from the rest of the Dimitri family. They were known for being quiet and humble, like Baron Romero himself. But Rodwell was born with a strong desire to be the best. He was ambitious.

And he proved he was talented. The Cairo Royal Academy was the best school in the Cairo Kingdom. Rodwell reaching S-class, the highest level, showed everyone that he was truly gifted.

Baron Romero remembered a time when these letters filled him with hope for Dimitri’s future. He had believed Rodwell would build upon the family’s work and make them even stronger. But recently, Roman had changed everything. Roman had become… different. This made Baron Romero’s feelings complicated.

Roman and Rodwell.

Both were very talented sons.

But.

From what Baron Romero had seen lately, Roman’s talent was more than just talent. It was something extraordinary.

*Roman has the talent to become famous not just in Cairo, but everywhere on the continent,* he thought. *Rodwell is a good son, loyal to his duty as the future head of the family. But even Rodwell, who everyone calls a genius, is not as impressive as Roman now. What should I do? What is the right choice for my two sons?*

Baron Romero was deeply worried.

Then, he made a decision.

He realized the people wanted Roman.

His loyal followers, the servants who worked for Roman, and even the important leaders of the iron mine and smithy – they all wanted Roman to be the next Baron.

Because everyone wanted Roman, Baron Romero knew he could not stick to his old plan and force Rodwell to be the successor.

So, he decided.

*There is still time,* he thought. *When Rodwell finishes school and Roman is done with his duty to defend the country, I will announce a competition to decide who will be the next leader. I will not choose based on who is older. Whichever son proves he is the best to lead Dimitri, that is who I will choose and support.*

At last.

The worry that had been giving him a headache was gone.

Baron Romero left his office.

For the first time in a long time, he felt like he could sleep well next to his wife, Rihanna.

Meanwhile, for the past month…

What had the priests of Valhalla been doing?

Willas, a priest who should have reached Dimitri by now, had been delayed. He was stuck far away, in a region on the other side of Dimitri.

“Priest,” said the apostle, sounding surprised. “This ranking match result is amazing! Just a year ago, Bertoff was ranked 99th. Now, he has beaten Fernando, who was ranked 30th and known as the ‘gatekeeper’ of that rank. When the new Cairo Kingdom rankings come out next year, everyone will be shocked. Bertoff isn’t part of any group yet, is he?”

“No,” Willas answered, sounding bored.

They were about to leave for Dimitri when they got the official request for a ranking match.

Bertoff, ranked 99th, had challenged Fernando to a fight. Fernando had accepted right away.

It had been a long time since an official ranking match happened.

Fernando lost. Willas had to spend a lot of time dealing with the paperwork and official steps after the match.

Willas explained, “Actually, Fernando’s loss was predictable. People respect Fernando as the gatekeeper of 30th place. But even though he became a 4-star swordsman a long time ago, he never got into the top 20. He reached his limit. Anyway, this match wasted too much of my time. If everything had gone as planned, I would be in Dimitri already.”

“Do you want to see Roman Dimitri?” the apostle asked.

“Of course,” Willas replied immediately.

The reason Willas seemed so uninterested in the ranking match was Roman Dimitri.

Rumors about Roman were spreading quickly in the northeast.

People said the Barco family had been destroyed, and that Roman had really defeated Homerus in the fight.

Most people didn’t believe these stories.

But still, Willas wanted to see Roman for himself.

*It’s logical to think something unexpected happened in that fight with Homerus,* he thought. *The problem is, Roman Dimitri was known as ‘Dimitri’s fool’ – a terrible person. Even if the stories about him being a great warrior are exaggerated, something must have changed to shock people like this.*

Life in Cairo was very boring for Willas.

As a priest of Valhalla, he had been sent on a mission to this area. He was only halfway through his time here, and he needed something to make things more interesting.

That’s when he heard about Roman.

Everyone was excited about the Bertoff and Fernando match, but Willas was more interested in seeing the truth about what was happening in the northeast with his own eyes.

He walked faster.

Now that he was finished with the ranking match paperwork.

It was time to go to Dimitri.

“Let’s go to Dimitri now,” he said. “Since Homerus, ranked 49th, died in an unofficial fight, we need to see if Roman Dimitri should even be ranked, even at the lowest level, don’t you think?”

Just a few days later.

The journey was quick.

Soon, the gray walls of Dimitri appeared in the distance, getting closer and closer.