Master

Male Servant Thomas was unwilling to follow Russell to Wuyou Snake Manor.

If the previous Russell had still been alive, he would've surely taken a hard blow. After all, Male Servant Thomas had been his personal servant.

He was roughly like the senior personal maids who attended the young ladies in Dream of the Red Chamber.

So he looks down on me. Russell showed nothing on his face and merely said, "You want to stay and work at Fluorite Castle?"

"Uh... yes, Young Master Russell." Thomas replied uneasily. If Russell insisted on taking him along, then as a servant of the baronial family, he had no power to resist. "My mother is ill, and I hope to stay nearby..."

"Fine. I won't take you with me."

"Stay nearby to care for her... Huh? You... you agree?" Thomas froze, his prepared explanation catching in his throat.

Russell said calmly, "In theory, you sold yourself to Fluorite Castle, and your birth family has little to do with you anymore. But the bond between mother and son is only natural, so I'm still willing to grant your wish. Go on, get back to your work. I'll speak with Butler Carter."

Thomas hesitated instead. "Young Master Russell, I..."

But Russell had no intention of paying him any further attention. He merely tugged at his slightly tight collar and walked out of the room.

He went downstairs.

He happened to see Butler Carter making his rounds in the hall, his sharp eyes fixed on every servant and every corner.

Only when he saw Russell arrive did he withdraw his gaze and bow. "Good morning, Young Master Russell."

"Good morning, Mr. Carter." Russell responded, then said, "Thomas's mother is ill. I hope to leave him at Fluorite Castle so he can care for her nearby. So please recruit another personal servant for me."

Butler Carter praised him upon hearing this. "You truly are kindhearted."

Russell smiled faintly.

Butler Carter continued, "I will do my utmost to recruit a personal servant of good character and diligent work habits for you."

"Of course. I trust your judgment," Russell replied, in a good mood.

Thomas's evasion hadn't made him angry. On the contrary, he was delighted to be rid of that personal servant.

Because in the previous Russell's memories, Thomas had been a little too flamboyantly gay.

With Russell's current personality, he didn't want any personal male servant waiting on him at all. A personal Maid would be more like it.

Of course.

Male nobles all had personal male servants, so in order not to stand out, Russell could only accept it for now. But he could accept a normal personal servant, never one who acted flamboyantly gay. It would make him sick to his stomach at all times.

Breakfast was served buffet-style.

There was milk, risotto, bread, fried eggs, bacon, and vegetable salad.

Everything was placed in special serving dishes with charcoal fires beneath them to keep the food warm for a long time. No matter how late the Baron Lord and Baroness rose, they could still eat hot food—the children of the baronial family weren't allowed to sleep in, but the baronial couple were exceptions.

After cultivating battle aura, Russell's appetite had greatly increased.

By the time he had polished off two large bowls of fish-ball risotto and a hefty serving of bacon, he saw his younger sister Laura come downstairs with a yawn.

Russell bared his teeth at her.

Laura immediately covered her mouth. She had forgotten that she was missing a canine tooth.

"Russell, are you moving to Wuyou Snake Manor today?" Laura served herself a small portion of fish-ball risotto and poured a glass of milk, already satisfied.

"Possibly."

"Can I come along and have a look?"

"Mm, that depends on when we leave. If it's in the afternoon, then definitely not." Russell rather liked this little sister with the missing tooth. She looked somewhat ordinary, but she was quiet and gentle, unlike the sister in his memories, Rowena, who was ugly and loved making trouble.

"Then are you leaving this afternoon?"

"Maybe."

In fact, the Baron's efficiency was quite high.

By noon, he had already recruited four Armored Knight Retainers for Russell, while Butler Carter was no slower—the list of ten servants had also been completed.

"Tom, John, Jack, James, we pledge our loyalty to you, Lord Russell!"

In Fluorite Castle's hall, the four Armored Knights knelt on one knee and swore loyalty to Russell Fluorite Mushroom, their young lord.

"Congratulations, Russell. You have your first group of followers." His tutor Charles had, unsurprisingly, attended the occasion.

He and the knight instructor Eric were considered Russell's earliest core followers.

Eric wasn't good with words. He said in a muffled voice, "Congratulations, my lord."

Russell smiled and nodded, accepting his two teachers' congratulations. At that moment, Butler Carter led ten male and female servants over.

"Young Master Russell, these are your servants."

Led by a male servant in his forties, the ten servants knelt on the ground and bowed their heads to Russell. "Greetings, Master."

"Please rise." Russell made a lifting gesture. "Ladies and gentlemen, there's no need for introductions today. We'll have plenty of time to get to know one another."

And so,

the small core of Russell's fief had begun to take shape.

Afterward, the Baron bestowed upon Russell five entire carriages of wealth and gifted him three Spirit Worms whose contracts had been severed. The gifts also included several packets of magic potion seeds and more than a dozen Serf Technicians skilled in growing magical herbs.

Three in the afternoon.

Everything was packed, and they were ready to depart.

"I won't see you off to your fief. Kendall will take my decree and announce the new lord to Wuyou Snake Manor." Baron Roman reached out and patted his second son's shoulder, then stepped aside for his wife.

Meryl opened her arms.

Russell leaned forward slightly and embraced his mother.

Close to his ear, Meryl whispered, "Stay alert at night. Don't skimp on food at the manor, and don't neglect your battle aura cultivation. When it's gone, tell me, and I'll prepare more for you. The cost will come from my dowry."

"Thank you, Mother. If necessary, I won't stand on ceremony," Russell replied sincerely.

The knights of this world prized the noble quality of self-reliance, but he wasn't about to stubbornly suffer when it was time to rely on his parents.

Meryl kissed Russell on the cheek, then released him.

Laura stepped forward and covered her mouth with her hand. "Russell, I want to visit Wuyou Snake Manor. When can I?"

"It's too late today. Another day," Russell said.

He then turned to the Baron Lord and Baroness, struck his chest with his right fist, performed a Knight's Salute, and bowed. "Father, Mother, I'm leaving."

The Baron nodded.

Meryl revealed a reluctant smile. "Go, child."

Russell mounted his horse and looked back at the towering Fluorite Castle, as well as Clay Dragon Ross circling in the distant sky.

No longer hesitating, he waved ahead. "Teacher Charles, Teacher Eric, let's go."

Charles performed a hat-tip salute and said with flamboyant flair, "Respected Baron Lord and Baroness, Charles bids you farewell."

Eric merely bowed before turning to follow Russell.

The four Armored Knight Retainers waited until the servants had boarded the carriages, then surrounded the five carriages and closely followed Russell.

The convoy gradually picked up speed.

Under the afternoon sun, it traveled along the road paved with cinders toward its new home.

Before Fluorite Castle's gates, the Baron returned inside with his arm around the Baroness, while the male and female servants followed one after another to continue their unfinished work.

Only Butler Carter remained standing before the gates, watching the convoy disappear down the road. Only then did he raise a hand and wipe at his slightly warm eyes.

He muttered softly, "A fledgling eagle must eventually learn to fly. Young Master Russell... has grown up."