In her childhood, Flora attended a prestigious academy. Lawrence's name value and wealth from fertile land had enough power, and every morning she was looked after by servants to build up her skills as a perfect noblewoman. Her memories of that time were nothing special.
But now,
In a series of situations, a memory suddenly came to her mind.
'He was of the Joel family.'
Joel G.
A low standing noble family with only a name that makes it doubtful whether it even exists in the northeast region.
In fact, considering the unremarkable prestige of the family, admission to a prestigious academy should have been impossible, but fortunately, a member of the Joel family attended the academy at the same time as Flora.
Flora didn't look at 'him' with a particularly biased gaze.
As students of the same academy, they got along very well, but not everyone shared her perspective.
It stood as an esteemed barrier, a towering wall of societal expectations and exclusivity, casting a shadow over Joel's unconventional existence.
Joel was an anomaly, and in a world where self-proclaimed nobility prevailed, he was met with disdain every time, and from each and everyone.
One fateful day, Joel made a minor mistake.
The children of high-ranking nobles faced no consequences even when they had a big accident, but Joel found himself facing a disciplinary committee held over that minor infraction.
An expulsion crisis.
Seeing the teachers looking at Joel and shouting, a man who appeared to be Joel's father appeared in worn attire and humbly lowered his head.
"I implore you to consider it just once," he pleaded.
"I will ensure my son receives proper guidance and something like this will never happen again."
Looking at the middle-aged man earnestly pleading for his son, Flora indirectly experienced the harsh reality. The harsh reality being that we may have gotten out of the jungle and built proper civilization but this society is still the same, you can either be a tiger or a rabbit, you can either be eaten or you can devour everything you want.
'I'm sorry.'
If only the status of the Joel family had been great.
If they had the power.
Did Joel's patriarch have to bow his head then?
No.
It wouldn't have been a problem in the first place.
He would have taken care of Joel's child.
However, Joel's patriarch had no choice but to apologize because he lacked the power.
And,
It was no different now.
In the face of Baron Romero's anger, Flora's father stood akin to Joel's patriarch.
" As the head of Lawrence family, I bear full responsibility. What Baron Dmitry said is undeniably true a hundred times. It was Lawrence who asked if we wanted to get married in the first place, but we made a big mistake because our daughter was still immature. I should have apologized for that from the beginning, and I sincerely apologize for causing you distress with the unwanted remarks."
Viscount Lawrence bowed his head.
Dmitry's wrath.
Lawrence doesn't have the strength to handle it.
The fact that Dmitry was the way to resolve the dispute with Barco means that they have enough power.
Viscount Lawrence faced reality.
Now is the time to apologize.
At the sight of her father bowing his head without adding any excuses, Flora's hot emotions surged inside her.
'It's all because of me.'
Joel, he was a poor kid.
'It was pitiful, so I wanted to do as well as possible.'
What was once considered the object of sympathy is now projected into this situation.
It was stupid.
'I was pathetic.'
The world had once extended its warmth to her beyond the confines of the greenhouse, but she failed to perceive the shift in sentiment following the decline of the Lawrence House.
childhood memories.
As if looking at the situation of the Joel family from a distance, she did not yet realize what responsibility came with her choice.
'There is no reason for my father to be treated like this because of me alone. It's my fault. If I had taken full responsibility, rather than shifting the blame to Roman Dmitry, I would have been able to handle Dmitry's wrath. I'm really sorry. It's like I hastily judged Roman Dmitry while ignoring the reality I had to deal with.'
She clenched her fists, realizing that the root of the problem lay within herself.
Then she knew that this situation could only be resolved by apologizing herself, not Viscount Lawrence.
"Dmitry M ."
*thack*
"Lord."
That was then.
Just as she was about to open her mouth, a soldier came in and said,
"Master Roman has arrived."
That Moment.
It felt like the world was turning into a mess.
At the sight of Roman Dmitry entering the office, Flora took a deep breath involuntarily.
'Is this guy Roman Dmitry?'
In front of her.
There was a man different from what she remembered.
First meeting with Roman.
It was the worst.
Although Roman was seen worse because of public rumours that he was Dmitry's idiot, his unmanaged appearance and dreadful perfume made Flora's face frown.
Of course, it was only later that she found out that perfume was a choice he made for himself, but even then, she was stricken with prejudice and did not look good at the person named Roman.
But,
Now it was a completely different person.
Roman's gait gave off a fragrant scent that wasn't artificial, and it was completely different from his toes to his head.
Tall stature.
His face, which had been stained with trouble, turned white like white jade, and his dark hair and red lips looked particularly prominent because of his skin.
Previously, he had a normal appearance, but now he looks good enough to be called handsome.
But what truly surprised Flora was the unique atmosphere of Roman Dmitry.
'It's like meeting a giant.'
An overbearing atmosphere that looks down on the world and says that there is no reason to shrink.
It was like a sharp sword.
The first meeting was unexpected, the second meeting was shocking, but the third? The third meeting was mesmerizing.
Now, she knew this thought was pathetic.
However, Roman's figure was very similar to the silhouette she once thought was her ideal type.
*tak tak*
*stopped walking*
Roman, who was not shaken even while receiving the gaze of every body, looked up at Baron Romero and spoke calmly.
"Roman Dmitry, here to see you father."
One week.
The results of the closing practice were enough to shock the people in this position.
Baron Romero was equally embarrassed.
His son's appearance has changed.
There were a lot of things he wanted to ask, but now that Roman has his eyes on him, he tries to show a calm face.
"Did you finish your training well?"
"Yes."
"We'll talk about that separately later, and the reason I called you here is because the Lawrence family who wanted to break up the marriage, now wants to proceed with the arranged marriage again. As a father, I have no desire to continue the relationship with the Lawrence family, who took the couple's ties lightly, but this problem stemmed from your decision in the first place. Whatever choice you make, this father will follow your choice."
If it was a month ago.
Baron Romero may have proposed marriage to the Barco family with the intention of breaking the marriage and outright retaliation.
But.
Now he trusts his son.
He believed that Roman would make the right choice for himself if he was a son who led the life of Blood Fang.
" I know what you mean."
Roman observed the atmosphere around.
The situation was seen.
Although they weren't together from the beginning, it was presumed that Baron Romero had a fight based on the rigid expression on the face of the Lawrence's patriarch.
The Dmitry family, which Roman recognized, has enough power.
He doesn't like to campaign, so he doesn't reveal it, but Dmitry is by no means a weak family.
A strong force in the northeast area.
Whatever choice he makes, Dmitry can handle it.
"I know what the union of Dmitry and Lawrence means. When the Lawrence family thought of me as their marriage partner, they didn't even want a man named Roman Dmitry, but they needed Dmitry's wealth. With the Barco family threatening Lawrence's safety, Dmitry's wealth will ensure Lawrence's safety.
"Did you want to get married even though you knew that?"
"Yes. At the time, I thought that it was worth it."
Roman's words.
Baron Romero showed an expression of surprise.
He thought that his immature son had thoughtlessly wished to marry Flora.
Although he never explained the situation around him, he did not know that Roman was grasping the complicated relationship with the Barco family.
Just before.
It was like what Baron Romero had said to Viscount Lawrence.
Roman was already aware of the surrounding situation through a short investigation, so he knew the correct answer he had to give.
"The union with Lawrence comes at the expense of Dmitry. As long as the Barco family has been approved by the central government, Dmitry's participation in the war will not cause him to resign. Then the woman I will marry, Flora, must be worth it. Whether this Roman Dmitry is worth devoting his life to, beyond simply the family's profit or loss. Once called Lawrence's Flower, Flora found its value in her appearance. But the day I first met her, I changed my mind when I saw Flora talking to me about breaking up."
Men and women do not know each other.
Although each other imagined an image in their heads as rumours of each other, it is only an illusion, not reality.
Nevertheless, Flora made a hasty decision.
She thought that the perfume he sprayed for consideration was proof of his enjoyment, and she thought that the troubles on his face were also suitable for Dmitry's jerk.
Flora was premature.
~ You believed in information you didn't verify, and even if you were hasty, you ruined the relationship with an unwise attitude. ~
"What was Flora thinking before deciding to break up the marriage? You must have heard rumours that I was Dmitry's idiot, and you must have come to the conclusion that you cannot marry such a person. The problem is the process. In dealing with the family's critical issues, Flora was unwise, judging people she had never experienced firsthand by word of mouth. Marriage is about finding a lifelong partner. You cannot live a happy life with your partner simply because you are pretty, or your family is great. What matters is wisdom. How you deal with the various problems you will face in your life will ultimately give you the confidence to make a promise for the rest of your life."
Roman's words were unstoppable.
Every time he says it,
Flora's face turned red, and she couldn't look straight at Roman's face.
Still young.
It was a mistake she made because she had no experience, but as it was a serious problem, she could not be free from responsibility.
"I am proud of the Dmitry family. He started as a blacksmith and built the skeleton of the family, crossing over the wall of status that others would not dare to cross. And in the process, I wish for a woman like my mother, who was always proud of father. No matter how the world judges Roman Dmitry, I hope that you will find someone who believes in what you see and judges and follows you as your companion."
The answer came.
Roman looked at Flora.
As Flora had unilaterally notified in the first meeting, Roman left no room for compromise.
"I want the divorce to proceed as promised."
Water was spilled.
That's it.
The water scattered on the floor left only traces of it, and there was no way to pick it up.