The tavern in Furious Wind City buzzed with noise. Two knights sat at the bar, drinking cheap dark beer and chatting loudly.
"Have you heard?"
"Heard what?"
"The newly promoted Earl Thunderflame killed a Frost Troll the night before last! The official gazette said it was the Frost Troll that ambushed the Torrent Dragon!"
"Seriously? A Frost Troll that even the Torrent Dragon couldn't defeat was killed by Lord Russell?"
"Absolutely true! My cousin's wife's younger brother serves at the Elder Council hall. He heard Minister of Volcanoes Lord Welch say it himself!"
"Magnificent!"
"Busy with his earl promotion ceremony during the day, then busy hunting Frost Trolls at night. Tsk, tsk, I think the Shadowflame Grand Duchy is about to change!"
In a private room at a teahouse in the outer castle of Red Castle, a Grand Duchy Nobleman invited several visiting nobles who had just attended the earl promotion ceremony and had yet to return home for tea.
They discussed the major events that had just taken place.
"...How could it be fake? His Majesty Ares visited Red Castle today, and that proves it. If Earl Russell hadn't slain the Snow Giant, why would His Majesty the King from next door come personally to offer his congratulations? You should know that His Majesty the King visited Red Castle not long ago!"
"This is too unbelievable! Earl Russell isn't a Dragon Knight, so how could he possibly kill a Snow Giant?"
"How do you know Earl Russell isn't a Dragon Knight?"
"Ah, what do you mean by that? Could Earl Russell already be a Dragon Knight?"
"Hehe, although Red Castle hasn't said anything outright, anyone paying attention can guess that Earl Russell will sooner or later... become our nation's new Grand Duke!"
"What about the three Selecting the