Furious Wind City.
The capital of the Shadowflame Grand Duchy had a population of nearly five hundred thousand, accounting for almost one-seventh of the population of the Volcanic Oasis.
At Saltwater Pit Manor outside the city.
Lord Minol looked at the invitation in his hand and clicked his tongue in amazement. "Marcus's lord actually has such an outstanding son. The Fluorite Mushroom Family is about to become the foremost noble family in the Grand Duchy. Even the Monochoria Family falls short by comparison."
"How could someone possibly pick up a dragon on the snowfields?" Minol's wife could not help marveling as well.
Every year, countless knights fought upon the snowfields.
Yet throughout the history of the Shadowflame Grand Duchy, only a handful of knights had ever picked up dragons. Every one of them had gone on to establish a family of high nobles.
"That is fate." Lord Minol shook his head. "It is nothing to envy. Even dragons have to take Lord Russell seriously."
"Marcus got lucky too, following such a powerful lord."
Russell was the powerful one, but that did not stop outsiders from viewing him and Baron Roman as one and the same. Both were glories of the Fluorite Mushroom Family.
"Are you still worried about Mickel and Malena's marriage?"
"I am much more at ease now," his wife said. "Malena is indeed a fine girl, but her father used to be merely an ordinary noble lord, while we are Grand Duchy noblemen near Shadowflame Volcano... in any case, it was somewhat unequal."
"Fortunately, you did not reject this marriage. Otherwise, with Marcus now backed by two barons, he might not necessarily think much of Mickel."
"Not necessarily. Our Mickel is outstanding too. Besides, Malena is already nineteen. Before long, she will be an old maid. How would