A Warm Scene

"You picked up a White Birch Spirit Worm, and Eric was promoted to Phantom Beast Knight?" Roland exclaimed in surprise upon hearing about Russell's recent experiences at the banquet.

It had only been a month and a half since he received his fiefdom at his coming-of-age ceremony.

"And Pearl, Father said that wearing pearls long-term can moisturize the skin and keep it radiant," Laura said, taking out a black pearl pendant from her neckline. "I've been wearing it, and it really feels great."

Rowena looked over curiously, "Pearl? Where did that come from?"

"Russell gave it to me. Mother and Grandmother have them too."

"Is that so, Russell?" Rowena turned her head. "Didn't you think of giving your dear sister a pearl?"

"I did."

Russell calmly took out a small box from his embrace. "I prepared it long ago, my dear sister."

Being prepared for any eventuality was Russell's principle.

Besides, this cheap sister was once a major nuisance in Fluorite Castle, so Russell naturally had to carefully consider his countermeasures and had long ago crafted the pearls into jewelry.

He handed the box to Rowena. "A necklace and a ring. I gave my last two pearls to you, my sister."

Russell kept none of the five pearls for himself. Besides the three he had given out earlier, these remaining two small pearls were given away together. Otherwise, if he had only given one small pearl, knowing Rowena's personality, he didn't know how much trouble she would have caused.

"They're so beautiful!" Rowena loved shiny, round things. "My dear brother, indeed!"

"This is too valuable, Rowena. Russell just received his fiefdom," Cooper Zi Cao said quietly.

Rowena immediately rolled her eyes. "This is the love between my brother and me, Cooper. You don't have a sister or a brother, so of course, you wouldn't understand."

Cooper could only smile helplessly.

Russell chuckled, "They aren't valuable, just rare. It's uncommon to find magical creations nurtured by river mussels."

"What about mine, Russell?" Roland asked casually.

Russell shook his head and chuckled, "Pearls are good for beauty, but they're useless to us. So, neither you nor Father has one, and I don't even have any left."

Baron Roman looked at his second son's handsome face and felt inexplicably indignant, so he nodded in agreement. "Indeed, men don't need to focus on beauty. Letting the wind and snow leave their marks on our faces is the true mark of a knight."

"I don't think so," Madam Meryl retorted. "If you like leaving scars, fine. I don't want Roland or Russell to have any marks on their faces."

As she spoke, she looked specifically at Russell, a satisfied smile on her face.

She had four children, two sons and two daughters, but only Russell's appearance was the one that satisfied her the most. Talent could be compensated for with elixirs and hard training, but handsomeness was truly a lifelong matter.

The banquet ended, and the noblemen returned to their rooms to rest.

Only Russell's family remained, chatting in another small living room.

Of course, Baron Roman and Roland were mainly discussing court matters, while Madam Meryl and Rowena talked about married life.

Russell, Cooper, and Laura were mostly listening.

"The Grand Duke is indeed ambitious and wants to open up new territories, which will also help the Shadowflame Dragon recover faster," Roland said. "Although the Snow Giant fled heavily wounded, the Grand Duke is always worried it might return, so he hopes to gain the Shadowflame Dragon's approval through this action."

"What is the relationship between the Shadowflame Dragon and the Grand Duke?"

"It should be alright. I rarely see the Shadowflame Dragon. It has been sleeping in the volcano for the past few years, and only the Grand Duke visits it frequently."

"Have there been any results from the investigation into the Snow Giant?"

"No, the Snowfield is too vast. The Red Castle has launched countless dragon reconnaissance missions but still hasn't found the Snow Giant's lair."

Roland continued, comforting him, "Father, you don't need to worry. The Shadowflame Dragon has been stable all these years, and the territories are warm and strong, aren't they? If the Snow Giant dares to set foot in our country, it will surely face a fierce attack from the Shadowflame Dragon."

Russell asked curiously, "Since the Shadowflame Dragon only needs to recuperate, why is the Grand Duke in such a hurry to gain its approval?"

Dragons could suppress and protect a country for thousands of years.

However, very few knights could truly gain a dragon's approval. Most of the time, dragons were solitary creatures. Possessing the bloodline of the Shadowflame family didn't mean one could command them—after all, the power of the contract came from the dragon itself, so it naturally couldn't restrain the dragon.

"The Grand Duke is still young, just like you, Russell," Roland said calmly. "It's normal to be eager to achieve something. But I will advise him more."

Roland added, "The Grand Duke is quite willing to accept my suggestions."

Baron Roman nodded. "It's good that you've established trust with the Grand Duke. Roland, you've retired from the Dragon Blood Knights, but you must not lose contact with the Grand Duke. Not only should you correspond regularly, but you should also visit the Red Castle once every month or two."

"Understood," Roland chuckled.

He then teased, "If Lord Ross could approve of me, it would be much more convenient. I could fly back and forth between the Red Castle and Guangguang River Valley every day."

"You'll have to work hard to earn Lord Ross's approval," Baron Roman said easily. He had long since accepted the reality that he would likely never gain Lord Ross's approval and could only place his hopes on his eldest son.

"Then I'll go visit Lord Ross now. I happened to bring him something good from the Red Castle."

"Go ahead, go ahead."

"Russell, want to come along?" Roland turned and asked.

Russell shook his head. "You go by yourself, Big Brother. I don't know what I did to offend Lord Ross recently, but it seems to dislike me."

"Is that so? That's a pity," Roland said, though his steps quickened as he walked away.

After Roland left, Baron Roman, Lord Cooper, and Russell found themselves with little to talk about and instead listened to the women's gossip.

They talked about which servant had made a mistake and was hung up and beaten by their master; which noble lady had made a fool of herself and become a laughingstock; and where the funny opera performances were good, and which dress better suited their temperaments.

They didn't chat too late. The Baron then told everyone to go back and rest.

Take a bath.

Russell returned to his original room. The window was open, offering a clear view of the towers on the distant city walls.

Lord Ross was crouched on top of a tower, like a gargoyle, surveying the entire Fluorite Castle from above.

Roland lay beside Lord Ross's claws, leaning against the roof tiles, his eyes burning as he stared at Lord Ross, talking incessantly.

Lord Ross occasionally exhaled a faint dragon's breath from his nostrils, responding to Roland's words.

"A heartwarming scene."

Russell glanced at them twice, closed the window, and lay down on the bed to sleep. Once the Dark Dreamscape descended, the entire Fluorite Castle would become his and the Little Dream Dragon's domain.