Uncle Dave

Russell galloped ahead on his horse, with Eric following closely on another warhorse. Although Eric had contracted a Phantom Beast, the Gold-Silver Wolfdog Kevin was not a mount.

Phantom Beasts could be mounts, but they were not limited to being mounts.

Kevin's physique was a bit small. While it could carry the weight of an adult without any problem, it was difficult for it to cooperate with its Knight in battle.

The true way for Phantom Beasts to fight was through "transformation."

Of course, at this stage, Eric and Kevin had not yet cultivated to the point of transformation, so they could only fight individually and cooperate as a team.

Behind the two were Knight Retainers like Charles and Tom, as well as their personal servant, Ram.

After galloping for two hours, they arrived at Fluorite Castle.

"Young Master Russell, welcome home." The old Butler, Carter, waited with a smile outside the main gate. Every time Russell returned, he would personally wait outside the gate.

"Has Grandmother arrived, Mr. Carter?" Russell asked, casually taking off his cloak and coat and handing them to Ram.

As for Charles, Eric, and the others, they would be taken care of by others.

"The Old Madam plans to come tomorrow. She hopes to soak in the hot springs for a while in the morning to gather her strength before dealing with the grand occasion of the birthday banquet."

"It is indeed a grand occasion. Who has confirmed their attendance this year?"

"Two pieces of good news: Lord Cooper and Miss Rowena will attend the birthday banquet. They might arrive tonight or tomorrow morning. The other is Young Master Roland. He has finished his service with the Dragon Blood Knights and will be traveling with Lord Cooper."

"Mmm, Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister's family will all be here." Russell smiled. "Grandmother will be overjoyed."

"It's rare for the members of the Fluorite Mushroom Family to gather together. We servants are equally happy," said old Butler Carter with relief. He had never married in his life and had long since regarded Russell, Roland, and the others as his own children.

Russell said with a smile, "You're not just a servant; you're our family."

Old Butler Carter was deeply moved. "Young Master Russell..."

Without giving old Butler Carter any more time for emotional outbursts, Russell turned and entered the living room, where he saw a group of people in noble attire chatting happily around Baron Roman.

"Russell, you've arrived just in time." Baron Roman beckoned Russell over. "Let me introduce you to some Lords. This is Lord Orte Willow from Gravel Territory... This is Lord Dave Golden Mushroom from the Golden Plains..."

The two Earls and five Barons of the Shadowflame Grand Duchy were intermarried and deeply intertwined; they were basically all related by blood.

Therefore, for Old Madam Ingrid's birthday, every family would send a collateral Lord to offer congratulations.

In the future, as Russell grew up, he would also shoulder this responsibility, representing the Guangguang River Valley in diplomatic interactions with other territories.

Of course.

Russell was still too young for this, so this task was undertaken by his uncle, Rosen Fluorite Mushroom, who worked tirelessly for the family.

"Russell, do you still remember your Uncle Dave?" A rough middle-aged man, without waiting for Baron Roman to introduce him, strode forward and gave Russell a hearty bear hug. "You've gotten stronger too! I knew your training wouldn't fall behind, haha!"

"Uncle Dave, when did you arrive?" Russell asked with a smile.

Inheriting the memories of his predecessor, Russell naturally recognized this middle-aged man, Dave Golden Mushroom.

He was a vassal of Baron Davis Golden Mushroom and also Davis's cousin, frequently traveling between the two territories.

"I arrived yesterday. Your aunt was in a hurry," Dave said with a laugh. "The ice period receded late this year, and your aunt isn't feeling well. Otherwise, your uncle-in-law would definitely have come with your aunt to visit Old Madam Ingrid."

Russell quickly asked, "Is my aunt's health alright?"

He not only had a biological uncle but also a biological aunt, who was married to Baron Davis Golden Mushroom.

They currently had one daughter named Diana.

"It's about the same as other years. It's nothing serious, just that she can't stand the cold wind," Dave replied.

"That's good then."

After greeting Dave Golden Mushroom, Russell greeted the other four Lords one by one before sitting down to chat.

"The Grand Duke has just ascended the throne. Currently, the Red Castle's intention is to prioritize stability. Once their wings are strong, especially after the Shadowflame Dragon recovers from its injuries, they will then campaign externally and open up new territories," said Orte Willow. "But the Grand Duke seems a bit impatient."

"What is the Gravel Earl's stance?" Baron Roman asked.

"My lord clearly supports stability. The Shadowflame Dragon has been campaigning year after year; it's time for it to rest for a few years and recuperate."

Baron Roman then asked, "Dave, what are Baron Davis's thoughts? I remember he's also a hothead, isn't he?"

Dave shrugged. "I don't know. The Baron rarely discusses these topics on his fief."

Russell curiously interjected, "The Grand Duke is the same age as me and is not yet married. Would the Shadowflame family agree to him going to war?"

The previous Grand Duke had died in battle on the snowfield, leaving only the current Grand Duke, the sole surviving heir.

If another accident were to happen, the Shadowflame Grand Duchy's crown would fall into the hands of a collateral branch, which would likely cause significant upheaval in the Shadowflame Grand Duchy. Especially since the Shadowflame Dragon had already been seriously injured once; any further mishap would spell disaster for the entire country.

The Barons and others fell silent.

Only Dave Golden Mushroom shrugged again, "Who knows."

Baron Roman quickly moved past this topic, as everyone present was just an ordinary Lord and could not offer opinions on state affairs.

He patted Russell's shoulder. "You go see your mother first and ask her if she needs any help with tomorrow's banquet."

"Okay." Russell got up and excused himself.

In truth, he did not enjoy these kinds of social interactions among nobles.

If he could just be an observer, that would be fine; he enjoyed listening to various rumors from the outside world. But having to join in the conversation, either by agreeing or playing along, was quite tiring.

Mother Meryl was in the banquet hall on the second floor, preparing for tomorrow's feast with Laura. Servants, retainers, and hired workers bustled in and out, reporting every detail to the Baroness, who then coordinated and assigned tasks.

A feast was a major undertaking, involving the elaborate etiquette and grandeur most valued by nobles, and could not be handled carelessly.

Laura, only eleven years old, had to start learning now—she would eventually marry into a barony, or even an earldom, and then be in charge of arranging such feasts herself.

"Mother, Laura," Russell greeted them.

"Russell, you're here," Meryl said with a smile as she looked up. "I'm too busy here. Go to the main hall and chat with your father and the others for a while, then wait to welcome your sister, your brother-in-law, and your eldest brother."

"Okay," Russell replied with a smile.

He went downstairs and returned to the main hall, continuing to listen to several noblemen chat about their stories from the snowfields. However, there weren't many good stories; most were lengthy battle descriptions. Perhaps the barons and others felt deeply immersed, but Russell found it tedious.

He hadn't experienced the brutal battles on the snowfields himself.

He had only, at the edge of the territory, under the watchful eyes of the Phantom Beast Knights, cooperated with a knight squad to kill twelve Snow Ghosts.

So, it wasn't long before he began to recall his eldest brother, Roland, and his sister, Rowena.