Miscarriage

"What an interesting invention, my lord. Red Castle should grant you the title of Scholar," Charles exclaimed, marveling as he held up the monocle reading glasses and peered through the magnifying lens at the enlarged image.

Red Castle was the center of power in the Shadowflame Grand Duchy.

The magnificent palace built by the Shadowflame family at the foot of the volcano was named the Shadowflame Grand Ducal Palace. Because its exterior resembled a dark red castle, it was also known as Red Castle.

Russell said calmly, "It's just a small trinket."

"I believe Old Madam will definitely like this gift. Not only is it very practical, but it also contains your filial piety towards her."

"Indeed, heartfelt filial piety."

Russell's mindset was very peaceful as he replied. Having transmigrated to this world and inherited the previous body, he also inherited the bloodline of the Fluorite Mushroom Family.

Whether it was the cause or the effect, the Fluorite Mushroom Family were his kin, and he should maintain this bloodline connection.

Instead of being a lone wolf and thinking he was born of nature.

"Master, the Golden Black Sow has been settled," Butler Morris said as he walked over. "This sow is very healthy. As per your instructions, I've arranged for Male Servant Fox to specifically care for it, and I've also had the kitchen prepare a separate meal for it."

"Mm, very good," Russell said with satisfaction. "I feel a familiar flow of energy from this Golden Black Sow. Be sure to take good care of it."

"As you wish, Master."

"A familiar energy, my lord, what do you mean?" Charles asked curiously, putting down the monocle reading glasses.

"I mean it's similar to Kevin's energy, the faint aura he had after resolving the Half Ghost Beast crisis but before evolving into a Phantom Beast."

"Ah!" Charles's eyes widened. "My lord, are you saying that this Golden Black Sow is carrying a Phantom Beast cub?"

"Perhaps, perhaps not."

"Heavens, Dragon's Gaze!" Charles clutched his head.

Russell waited for him to calm his excitement before speaking slowly, "Don't get your hopes up too high, Teacher Charles. I observed it carefully on the way back. This Golden Black Sow is indeed carrying a Phantom Beast cub, but it will be too difficult for it to gestate successfully."

"Indeed," Charles slowly calmed down. "The success rate of a female beast gestating a Phantom Beast cub is too low."

"So my current idea is to take good care of it, provide it with ample nutrition, and leave the rest to the Grand Duke's Dragon to cast its gaze upon it again," Russell said with a faint smile. In truth, he wanted Little Dream Dragon to intervene.

At this moment, Eric, who had gone to check on the Golden Black Sow, also walked over.

Russell then asked, "How is it? Is the Golden Black Sow really carrying a Phantom Beast cub?"

"Yes, my lord," Eric nodded, then shook his head. "But the aura is a bit weak, and the sow is about to give birth. It should be difficult for it to gestate into a Phantom Beast."

"Perhaps a miracle will happen. Wasn't Kevin a miracle?" Russell was full of confidence. With Little Dream Dragon, the dream dragon, around, helping a Phantom Beast gestate successfully would only take a breath of Dragon Flame.

It might even be overkill.

However, for now, this was the only help Russell could get from Little Dream Dragon.

Yet, after waiting until nightfall and falling asleep, when the Dark Dreamscape descended again, Russell had miscalculated. Little Dream Dragon completely ignored his pleas and had no intention of helping the Golden Black Sow gestate its Phantom Beast cub, only tilting its head cutely.

"Gaa?"

"Breathe... Dragon Flame, just lend me a breath of Dragon Flame!"

"Gaa?"

"Please, Snowflake, this is a Phantom Beast cub. You wouldn't want to see it miscarry, would you?"

"Gaa?"

"Do you remember the Birch Worm? Come on, I'll show you the Birch Worm... Look, what a cute Birch Worm, so plump. This is because you helped it gestate... Alright, you heartless little dragon!"

In the end, Russell gave up on communicating with Little Dream Dragon.

Russell didn't know if Little Dream Dragon was exhausted from its last breath of Dragon Flame and didn't want to expend more, or if it was incapable of helping Phantom Beasts gestate. In any case, it remained indifferent to the Golden Black Sow.

The dream ended.

Sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the curtains, and Russell sat up in bed, recalling what had happened in the Dark Dreamscape.

He shook his head and chuckled helplessly, "Sigh, if Snowflake doesn't agree, then so be it. It's just a Phantom Beast, it's not of much use to me anyway."

In the territory, Eric was the only Great Knight, and he had successfully contracted a Gold-Silver Wolfdog.

The rest, Charles, Tom, Jack, John, James, or Katie, Catherine, did not meet the criteria for contracting a Phantom Beast.

As for Russell himself, it would take a long time to cultivate into a Great Knight.

"But thinking about it, it will also take time for the Phantom Beast cub to grow... I definitely won't contract a Golden Black Pig. Tom and the others can wait." As the Lord, Russell still cared about his reputation.

The Golden Black Pig was truly unsightly. If he contracted it and was later called "Black Pig Knight," it wouldn't sound good.

"Forget it, forget it. The Phantom Beast cub's fate is in its own hands. If it miscarries, it miscarries... I just hope that next time I find a Spirit Worm in gestation, Snowflake will be more cooperative and not be stingy with a breath of Dragon Flame," Russell hoped. "At worst, I'll kill more Snow Ghosts and peel off Hail Beads to feed it."

Now that the warm season had arrived and the trade routes had reopened, Baron Gloomlight would soon lead his troops to clear the Snow Ghosts from the roads.

Russell planned to join them. With Phantom Beast Knight Eric protecting him, safety was not an issue.

After thinking it through, he pulled the bell rope by his bed.

A new day had begun.

After washing up with the help of the servants, Russell went downstairs, ate breakfast, and then began his daily knightly morning practice.

It was still one move from the Radiant Sword Technique, repeated hundreds of times until he was exhausted. But he found joy in it, especially feeling his Battle Qi, guided by the stances, slowly carving open the meridians in his arms.

The taste was, to put it mildly, wonderful.

In the morning, he made his usual rounds inspecting his territory, checking the growth of the crops in the various granaries, and then examining the Insect Grass in the Magic Potion stores.

After lunch at noon, he took a short nap.

In the afternoon, he changed into a well-tailored noble's long shirt, put on expensive beast-skin boots, tied his cravat, and donned a magnificent red cloak. His light-gold hair, over an inch long, was also meticulously styled and tied into a small braid at the back of his head.

He looked in the mirror.

He might still be a bit short of being dashingly handsome, after all, he was only sixteen, and his face was still a little young.

However, his features were sharp, his eyes like stars, his profile distinct, and his lips and teeth were perfectly white without a single blemish. Combined with his tall physique, he truly possessed a handsome appearance.

"Master, you look more like a noble than any other noble," said Head Maid Leona, tidying the hair at his temples, her admiration coming from the heart.

"I have my mother to thank for that, for passing on the beauty of the Monochoria Family perfectly to me," Russell said with a smile.

His older brothers, sisters, and younger siblings resembled Barons. They weren't ugly, but they had no connection to being handsome or beautiful.

Only he had inherited the good looks from his mother's side.

It was just that his talent for Battle Qi cultivation was lacking.

But it was still okay. His previous self had fought with his life on the line, paving a smooth path for his cultivation. As long as he continued to work hard, he would eventually become a Great Knight. Then, by contracting a Phantom Beast and riding a Dragon, he could completely change his destiny and reach the pinnacle.

"Let's go, Eric, Teacher Charles," Russell mounted his horse.

He was going to Fluorite Castle. Tomorrow was Grand Duke Ingrid's birthday.