Fluorite Castle

Lord Ross was a dragon, but not a true giant dragon. He was a Wyvern, a Clay Dragon by attribute.

Not because he was a dragon made of clay, but because he could produce clay.

Not by pulling it out.

Rather, where he dwelled, his Dragon Breath and bloodline seeped into the earth, and over time, a metal deposit known as Clay Ore would be born.

"Clay... metal?"

Russell had been puzzled at first, but in this world's human understanding, clay was a kind of metal, one that could become incredibly hard through firing.

Clay Dragon Ross had guarded the Fluorite Mushroom Family for more than sixty years since being contracted by the first Baron Gloomlight.

Three Clay Ore veins had gradually been nurtured near Guangguang River Valley.

They continuously produced vast quantities of clay, which the family fired into all kinds of exquisite ceramics and sold throughout the Shadowflame Grand Duchy and even abroad.

At the same time,

Clay Dragon Ross was also the territory's greatest military strength. During several Snow Demon invasions, only Ross's Dragon Breath had been able to drive the Snow Demons back.

Without a dragon, the baronial family would be unable to maintain a foothold in Guangguang River Valley.

Fortunately, Wyverns had long lifespans, commonly living three to five hundred years, while Clay Dragon Ross was not yet seventy.

He could protect the Fluorite Mushroom Family for several generations, perhaps even a dozen.

"Contracting Lord Ross is probably impossible." On the road back to Fluorite Castle, Russell had completely given up on the idea.

It was not that he lacked ambition or did not want to become a Dragon Knight—Wyvern Knights were Dragon Knights too.

Nor was it because he was so modest and self-effacing that he believed his older brother Roland, the future baron and family head, ought to be the one to contract Clay Dragon Ross.

It was because Ross might have noticed that he was a transmigrator.

"A dragon's instincts are too sharp... If Lord Ross could speak, then..." Remembering the time just after he had transmigrated, Russell felt a lingering chill.

Back then, he had been eating Dream Dragon Ice Cream while crossing the street when a fully loaded dump truck had run him over like an assassin.

His consciousness had gone dark, and then he had arrived in this body.

The previous owner's aptitude had been rather poor. He had begun cultivating Battle Aura according to the Battle Qi Cultivation Manual at the age of seven, yet only nurtured a Battle Qi Seed at ten.

His coming-of-age ceremony had been approaching, but the Battle Qi Seed still had not blossomed to produce true Battle Aura.

So he had gritted his teeth and forcibly attempted to break through the Battle Qi Seed.

It had caused him to go berserk, and he had died.

Still, thanks to the previous owner's desperate gamble, the Battle Qi Seed had successfully blossomed. After Russell's soul merged with the body, he had not needed to face that ordeal again. He had directly obtained the Battle Aura he had long dreamed of and become a qualified knight.

But—

The moment he stepped outside, Lord Ross, who had been perched atop Fluorite Castle's tower, had fixed his gaze on him. Through a window, those dragon eyes, larger than a bull's eyes, had stared at him for a full quarter of an hour.

Russell had no doubt that without the restraints of their bloodline contract, Lord Ross would have blasted him with Dragon Breath on the spot.

And burned him to ashes.

Bound by the contract, Lord Ross had ultimately not harmed him, but his attitude toward Russell had taken a sharp turn for the worse.

To avoid exposing anything suspicious, Russell had immediately decided to stay away from Lord Ross in the future. Fortunately, at his coming-of-age ceremony, his father, Baron Roman, had granted him the rank of knight and his own fief. From now on, he would honestly develop his territory.

"As the baron's second son, let me uphold noble virtues and leave the chance to grow close to Lord Ross to my elder brother, the barony's first heir."

The group of three riders parted ways at a fork in the town.

"Teacher Charles, Teacher Eric, farewell." Russell waved.

The fork split into two roads: one led into town, while the other led to the castle atop the hill. As the lords of all Guangguang River Valley, the Fluorite Mushroom Family did not live in the noisy, filthy town, but in Fluorite Castle, which stood apart from it.

Charles made a motion as though tipping his hat, bowed from horseback, flashed his big yellow teeth, and smiled. "Sir Russell, I look forward to your good news."

Eric could not imitate that manner. He merely said in a muffled voice, "Farewell, sir."

After Russell rode away,

Charles invited him, "The sun won't set for a while yet. How about a drink at the tavern?"

"No."

"What a boring fellow."

Seeing Eric already turning to leave, Charles hurried after him and made conversation. "Don't you think Russell has seemed like a different person lately? He used to be quiet and reserved. He still doesn't talk much now, but he seems... more assertive."

Eric replied, "The Baron Lord's son should be like that."

"I mean, he's changed quite a lot."

"Coming of age, advancing in rank. He's already a man."

"Mm, true..." Charles nodded, agreeing with Eric. "A knight only gains confidence after obtaining Battle Aura."

Then he sighed again. "A true knight should bravely ride a dragon!"

Eric rolled his eyes.

As a Great Knight with surging Battle Aura, let alone riding a dragon, he could not even ride a Phantom Beast. Every Newborn Phantom Beast in all Guangguang River Valley belonged to the baronial family. Unless one established tremendous military merit, there was no chance of forming a contract.

"I hope... that by following Russell, I can fulfill my goal of riding a Phantom Beast..."

Meanwhile,

Russell Fluorite Mushroom, in whom such hopes had been placed, had already arrived at the gates of Fluorite Castle.

It was a traditional stone castle. Its walls were built from massive blocks of stone, filled with all kinds of magical materials. Even Battle Aura could hardly leave a visible mark upon them. They were impregnable.

Atop the towering spires hung the Fluorite Mushroom Family's banner. Embroidered upon it was a cluster of lush green mushrooms, vaguely forming the shape of a skull.

That was the Fluorite Mushroom, also known as the Fluorescent Little Mushroom, the family's most important source of magical medicine.

The banner fluttered in the wind.

The green skull swayed from side to side.

"Haa." Letting out a breath, Russell urged his horse through the gate.

The guards standing watch wore heavy leather armor. As he passed through the gate, they immediately struck their chests with one hand in salute.

Beyond the stone archway and bridge corridor stood Fluorite Castle, built of rammed boulders.

To display the family's glory, the entire passage was paved with ceramic tiles, and even the castle's outer walls were covered in a layer of gleaming silver-gray tiles.

The towers and walls were gray, dark, and heavy, while the silver-gray keep shone brilliantly.

This was a castle that had never been tested by war.

The Snow Demons from the snow-covered lands had never broken into the heart of Guangguang River Valley. Frequent noble intermarriage within the Shadowflame Grand Duchy had also ensured that they rarely slaughtered one another. The occasional weathered mark had been scratched out by Lord Ross's claws.

"Chirp, chirp..."

Russell looked up and saw a black shadow sweep overhead, letting out a shrill cry that did not suit its size.

Clay Dragon Ross had returned.

"Snort, snort." Though the black horse beneath him was fine and spirited, it had begun to tremble beneath the dragon's majesty, its nostrils constantly blasting air.

"Easy, easy." Russell stroked the black horse's neck.

Whoosh!

The passing black shadow landed atop a tower on the other side of the castle. Its enormous batlike wings folded in, and the claws beneath the wing membranes, curved like hooks, gripped the tower's edge. While balancing its body, it drew its thick hind legs onto the edge of the tower.

Like a gargoyle, it crouched atop the tower, surveying Fluorite Castle beneath its feet and gazing out over all Guangguang River Valley.

Its entire body was covered in fine dark-red scales layered over one another, making it appear almost black.

Above its ferocious dragon head, its slit-pupiled eyes rolled ceaselessly.

When its gaze swept over Russell riding home, it bared its teeth slightly and exhaled two faint streams of dark-red Dragon Breath from its nostrils. Without lingering, it looked elsewhere.

Russell soothed the black horse beneath him.

He did not look at Clay Dragon Ross. Instead, he lowered his gaze to his left palm. Seemingly stimulated by the Clay Dragon, his palm was faintly hot, and then a dim red mark emerged upon it, shaped like an "M."

Looking closely, one could make out that it was a slender dragon flying with its wings spread.

He clenched his fist.

The mark seemed to be pinched out. Tiny sparks burst from the gaps between his fingers, blending into the air and vanishing.

"I have a dragon too, but... I can only ride it in my dreams..."