"Welim Jinnali?" Dressed in a formal tailed coat for receiving guests, Russell carefully sized up the young man before him in the reception hall.
His appearance was hard to describe, steeped in an exotic air.
Even his accent resembled Marquis Arno Lieyang's, though it was even more awkward. Marquis Arno had dealt with the Shadowflame Grand Duchy for many years, and his accent had gradually become more local. The young man, however, could barely speak with a Grand Duchy accent.
Russell was quite surprised by Welim Jinnali's sudden visit. "You said you are the Phoenix Bird Baron of the Scorching Torrent Kingdom."
"Yes, Lord Russell." The young man thumped his chest in salute, his respect for Russell plain and open. "I only came of age this May and successfully inherited the title of Phoenix Bird Baron passed down through my family. However, the family now possesses only a territory the size of an estate."
"Then." Russell raised an eyebrow. "What is Wester Jinnali to you?"
"You know my great-grandfather as well?" Welim said in surprise. "Wester Jinnali was my grandfather, the first Phoenix Bird Baron... But after Grandfather passed away, the territory steadily declined, until only one estate remained."
Wester Jinnali was the Dragon Domain Lord mentioned in the book The Possibility of Dragon Evolution.
The descendant of someone from a book had suddenly appeared before him, and Russell found it somewhat unreal.
Once the servants brought tea, he asked, "Lord Welim..."
"Lord Russell, please just call me Welim." Welim set down his teacup and bowed slightly to Russell. "You are my senior on the path of knighthood and a model for knightly cultivation. Before you, Welim is merely a junior."
That was indeed the truth.
The Jinnali family's territory had declined until it was only the size of an