After a fierce battle, the knights returned to a warm welcome. The young caravan bosses brought out food and wine to entertain the two knight squads.
"How were the spoils, Lord Karis?" Russell asked with a smile.
"Two Ice Soul Beads!" Knight Captain Karis grinned broadly. "My luck was much better than Lord Stephen's."
Russell smiled. "Congratulations!"
In truth, he felt a little sour inside. Back when the three Snow Demons had been laid out before him, he had picked the most imposing one for Little Dream Dragon to devour, yet it had yielded only one Ice Soul Bead. Who would have thought that the shortest, sorriest Snow Demon would produce two?
What a huge loss!
Still, those were Karis's hard-won gains from a bloody battle. Russell felt no greed whatsoever, only sincere congratulations for him.
"Thank you!" Knight Captain Karis replied. He had yet to become a lord and needed Ice Soul Beads as military merit.
Then he added, "The caravan has set out a late-night meal. Lord Russell, come have a drink with us."
"No, they're entertaining the knights who fought the Snow Demons. I watched the whole time and didn't contribute in the slightest." Russell politely declined.
He went back to his tent to sleep.
But before falling asleep, he could not help muttering, "Actually, I'm the guardian who contributed the most. Little Dream Dragon and I wiped out one or two hundred Green Skins, plus a Blue Skin... Forget it. Keep a low profile, keep a low profile."
The Fluorite Mushroom Family's way of survival was to keep a low profile.
Russell had failed to inherit that trait in appearance, but in his actions, he had truly surpassed his predecessors.
October 15th, under blazing sunshine.
The warmth of the sun could not be felt on