Afternoon.
Clouds massed across the sky like an army in formation. Even Red Castle, where the warm season had yet to end, seemed chilly. Russell rowed across Mirror Lake with his parents.
His elder brother Roland and his wife were fishing from another boat with their one-year-old son, Roger.
"Laura's marriage needs to be arranged. Russell, you're Laura's brother and the Grand Duke of the Shadowflame Grand Duchy. What do you think?" Baron Roman asked casually as he held his fishing rod. Noble families did not care much for free love.
Especially now, the Fluorite Mushroom Family could truly be called the Shadowflame Dragonblood Family.
"Does Mother have anyone suitable in mind?" Russell asked Madam Meryl, who was fanning herself. "Now that I have moved into Red Castle, it does not need marriage alliances to secure its position. So I respect Laura's wishes."
"There really aren't many nobles worth choosing from now." Madam Meryl sighed. "The only one suitable for Laura is Baron Dyson."
"Nobles from the Scorching Torrent Kingdom could also be considered," Russell said with a smile.
"That won't do. A trip between the two countries along the trade route takes at least a month. If Laura marries over there, even meeting her would be difficult." Madam Meryl rejected the idea outright. "Choose from within the country. Roman, what do you think?"
"Dyson," Baron Roman said.
"I'm afraid people will gossip behind our backs. After all, Roby used to be the mistress of Kingtop Castle." Madam Meryl sighed. "And his sister's reputation is not very good these days. Dyson might also..."
Golden Baron Dyson was the nephew of Davis, the former Golden Baron.
Russell's aunt Roby had been Davis's wife. The relationship was a little tangled, making it easy for people to gossip.
Dyson's elder sister Dai Wen