Moonlight spilled tenderly over the front of the manor annex, reflecting in shimmering silver across the Glimmering River below the earthen slope.
The study window faced the Glimmering River.
Russell could enjoy the beautiful scenery beneath the moonlight.
Without bringing any wine, Butler Morris carried a candle lamp and knocked before entering alone. "Lord Master."
"Sit."
"Are you admiring the view?"
Without answering, Russell withdrew his gaze and asked, "Have you finished all the work?"
"Yes. The four retainers and two tutors have all returned to their rooms to rest. The servants have also finished sorting the goods and valuables and gone to sleep." Morris reported, "The three Spirit Worms have been placed in your bedroom and fed Jade Powder."
Spirit Worms normally did not need to eat. They could draw nourishment from the earth through their Worm Grass bodies.
However, these three Spirit Worms were undergoing migration. Their Worm Grass bodies had already been retracted into them and could no longer draw nourishment from the earth, so they could only replenish their depleted magic power by gnawing on jade powder.
"I will not be dining at the manor annex tomorrow noon," Russell said.
"Then which manservant will you take with you?" Morris asked. Nobles needed to bring a manservant when traveling, someone to attend to their meals and daily needs.
It was probably similar to the personal attendants of young masters in Dream of the Red Chamber.
Russell currently had three manservants: Ram, William, and Fox. Strictly speaking, Mr. Brown, who remained behind at the manor annex with Mrs. Brown, also counted as a manservant, though he was somewhat older.
"You arrange it." Russell was unfamiliar with all three manservants, so he simply left the decision to Morris.
"Then let Ram try first. He has the steadiest temperament. If you find him unsuitable, you can switch to William or Fox next time."
"Fine."
"As for Mr. and Mrs. Brown, Lord Master, I intend to have Mr. Brown serve as gatekeeper, while Mrs. Brown joins the kitchen to assist Mrs. Moore."
Mrs. Moore was the cook. The cook managed the kitchen and ranked only below the butler, even slightly above the Head Maid.
"Fine."
"Also, would you like to instruct Old Hans, the foreman, to hand over the eggs and flour for Lord's Blessing Day as soon as possible?"
"Lord's Blessing Day?" Russell asked in surprise.
"Of course. When a Lord Master takes office, all serfs in the territory must pay you eggs and flour as praise for you." After speaking, Morris added, "Praising you is not merely a matter of saying a few words."
Only then did Russell recall that the holidays included Lord's Blessing Day.
Rather than a celebratory holiday, it seemed more like an excuse for exploitation. Besides that, on Dragon Birth Festival, commemorating the birth of dragons, and Snow Ghost Festival, mourning humans killed by Snow Demons, serfs also had to hand over some everyday supplies to their lord.
For example, they had to give the lord eggs on Dragon Birth Festival and hens on Snow Ghost Festival.
"Isn't this too harsh on the serfs?" Russell asked.
Morris replied as though it were only natural, "Lord Master, the fields they farm, the chickens and ducks they raise, the cattle, sheep, and dogs they feed are all your property. Since they can eat their fill and stay warm, it is only right that they hand over their harvest to you."
That was indeed what the law said.
Even the serfs themselves belonged to the lord's private property.
Seeing that Russell still seemed hesitant, Morris added, "Lord Master, among the supplies gifted by the Baron Lord, there are very few eggs and little flour. They will not last more than a few days."
"I understand. Lord's Blessing Day only happens once, right?"
"Yes."
"When Old Hans comes tomorrow, I will instruct him. Is there anything else?"
"Nothing more."
"Then good night, Mr. Morris."
"Good night, Lord Master." Morris bowed and took his leave.
That concluded the night. Russell returned to the master bedroom to rest. The thick stone walls shut out every sound of the night, leaving only the sound of his own breathing.
"A lord... I've become a lord..." Smiling, Russell soon fell asleep.
In a daze, his consciousness once again arrived in that desolate, shadowy environment—the Dark Dreamscape that came almost every night.
However, unlike the castle outlined in lines over the previous few nights—
This time, the dim lines within the Dark Dreamscape outlined the manor annex and a stretch of open land around it. There was even a small river sketched in lines, running through the edge of the Dark Dreamscape.
"Beautiful. Just as I expected, the Dark Dreamscape marks out an area centered on wherever I sleep."
When he slept in the castle, the Dark Dreamscape covered the castle grounds.
When he slept in the manor annex, the Dark Dreamscape covered the manor annex and the surrounding land.
"Caw!"
Little Dream Dragon appeared again.
Once it reached him, Russell, in his cartoon-like form, leaped onto its back and instantly opened the Magic Key of the Dark Dreamscape.
Several rays of light rose from the manor annex.
They were the magical lights emitted by the Battle Aura on Charles, Eric, and the four Knight Retainers. Eric's light was the brightest.
After all, Eric was a Great Knight, while Charles and the four Knight Retainers were merely Armored Knights, separated by an entire rank.
Russell had only just cultivated Battle Aura and was also an Armored Knight.
Besides that, scattered magical lights appeared throughout the manor annex. Some came from the three Spirit Worms, while others came from magical creations.
"Compared to Fluorite Castle, the magical light in my manor annex is utterly pathetic."
"Caw caw!"
Little Dream Dragon suddenly carried Russell toward the riverbank.
Once they reached the river, Russell immediately let out a surprised sound. Within the river sketched in dim lines, a faint glow flickered. Because the light was so weak, it could not reveal the object's original shape, making it impossible to tell whether it came from a fish.
Moreover, that faint light was slowly moving.
"It probably isn't a fish. No fish could swim that slowly... It looks more like some living creature such as a river clam moving about."
He suddenly thought of the Black Pearl Wine they had drunk at dinner.
When Charles had been boasting, he mentioned a legend that certain old clams living at the bottoms of lakes could produce magical black pearls.
"Could this be a river clam that has produced a Magic Pearl?"
Unfortunately, he could only look within the Dark Dreamscape. He could not take anything or affect reality. After observing it for a while, Russell rode Little Dream Dragon to inspect the other areas.
Unfortunately.
There were no more new magical lights.
"Little Dream Dragon, farewell for now. I'm going to pick up some pearls." Russell prepared to wave goodbye to Little Dream Dragon, then immediately search for the river clam.
Little Dream Dragon tilted its head, looking at Russell in confusion, unable to understand.
One man and one dragon stared silently at each other.
Very soon.
Russell discovered a problem: he had no idea how to leave the Dark Dreamscape. It was like a real dream—he knew he was dreaming, yet he simply could not wake up.
"Little Dream Dragon, let me out."
"Caw."
"I said I want to go out, leave this place, goodbye, understand?" Russell tried to force his thoughts into Little Dream Dragon's mind.
Little Dream Dragon merely turned in another direction and tilted its head again. "Caw."
After a moment, Russell gave up communicating and raised his middle finger at Little Dream Dragon. "You idiot! You've got four claws and dare to pretend you're a dragon!"
Legend said that dragons possessed four limbs, intelligence no less than that of humans, and could communicate in dragon language.
Little Dream Dragon also had four limbs, but unfortunately, it was an idiot.
Thus, one man and one dragon stared wide-eyed at each other until Little Dream Dragon could no longer endure it and grew tired. With one final "Caw," it ended the Dark Dreamscape.
All consciousness sank into chaos.
Before you continue