Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 265 - 265 264 February Report

Chapter 265: Chapter 264 February Report Chapter 265: Chapter 264 February Report The Ice Pellet Pearl approached the Black Oil Dragon Egg, and in the blink of an eye, it melted into a beam of white light before merging into the dark red shell.

Having devoured an Ice Pellet Pearl, Russell felt a surge of joyful emotions through the mental connection from the pure little soul within the dragon egg.

“Like eating them, huh? Then have more!” Russell picked up one Ice Pellet Pearl after another, continuously transforming them into beams of white light that merged into the dragon egg.

In just a short moment, the two to three hundred Ice Pellet Pearls in the box had all vanished.

There was no visible change to the Black Oil Dragon Egg, but the pure little soul inside was already excited to a climax-like happiness.

Russell was also delighted, so he simply fed the last dozen or so high-quality Ice Pellet Pearls to the Black Oil Dragon Egg as well.

“Finished, just ten Ice Pellet Pearls remain, kept in reserve in case there’s a need to use Quiet Dream Gaze.” Russell clapped his hands and secured the Black Oil Dragon Egg, which continued to emit warmth, keeping it close even when sleeping at night.

However, tonight.

Russell did not stay at his own Cigar Courtyard but once again spent the night in the Great Mouth Atrium—he even had a room built there, serving as his “travelling palace,” ready for him to stay at any time.

The reason for staying here was simple: to search the Snowfield in his dreams at night.

First, to let Ice Cream strive to find food to sustain itself, and second, to reduce the risk of Snow Specter Invasion Region during the ice age.

“Ga!”

The Gloomy Dreamland descended and the nocturnal hunt in the dreams was about to begin.

Without wandering nearby, Russell directly rode the Little Dream Dragon, flying south at a speed of fifty kilometers per hour.

He flew and flew until suddenly, a faint azure light appeared in the distance.

“The ice age is when the feast is plentiful for you, Ice Cream. Eat to your heart’s content!” Russell raised his small hand and headed straight toward the light.

When the Little Dream Dragon reached the group of Snow Ghosts, it opened its mouth wide: “Ga!”

All the Ice Pellet Pearls from the Snow Ghosts were quickly engulfed by the Little Dream Dragon, which didn’t even need to chew before swallowing them down.

In this manner, he labored until midnight.

“Ga.” The Little Dream Dragon was finally tired and also a bit disheartened; it hadn’t found a single Snow Demon all night.

Russell was also tired and said goodbye to the Little Dream Dragon.

Before the Gloomy Dreamland session was about to end, he quietly thought, “I have to feed the Black Oil Dragon Egg during the day and the Little Dream Dragon at night; I’m really busy!”

…

Hiss-rustle!

A warhorse stopped in front of Cigar Courtyard, and the Messenger Knight, Raphael, hurriedly approached Russell under the guidance of a servant.

“Lord Russell, this is the latest bi-monthly estate report; the lady asked me to bring it to you,” Raphael said respectfully as he handed over the report.

There was a time when he would receive a personal welcome from Russell at Wuyao Snake Manor.

But now, it was he who had to come before Russell to pay his respects. Of course, even if Russell truly came to the door to receive him, he would not dare to accept the honor—as Russell was now considered one of the shining twin stars of Glowing Valley, on par with Roland.

“Thank you for the trouble.” Russell took the estate report and said warmly, “Butler Morris, please take Lord Raphael to have a cup of tea.”

He then began reading the latest estate report.

The monthly Red Castle estate report was mainly sent to all nobles under the Shadowflame Family, and naturally, a copy was sent to Fluorescent Castle as well.

“Hmm, the list of Council of Elders members has been published,” Russell noted directly on the front page of the estate report.

With the demise of Grand Duke Kunstan, the Council of Elders was being reformed.

However, unlike the previous Council of Elders, which only had seven executive officers, this time the membership of the Council of Elders is a bit more complex, operating under a “nine-plus-three” system.

Firstly, the three candidates for the position of Grand Duke, Kunsley Xiangrikui, Augustus Water Willow, and Mel Rain-Longflower, will become the provisional executive officers of the Council of Elders, and their governance skills will be assessed through their management of public affairs.

However, the three candidates do not hold specific positions within the Grand Duchy, and the extent of power they can garner depends entirely on their own abilities.

The next are the Elder executive officers of the Council of Elders, which increased from the previous seven to nine.

“Hmm, Marquis Arno and Princess Anxia have actually entered the Council of Elders,” Russell noticed the highlights on the list.

Topping the Council of Elders is the “Regent Lady” Princess Anxia Sunfire.

Second in the Council of Elders is the “Election Princess Moderator” Marquis Arno Sunfire, who represents the Scorching Torrent Kingdom and oversees the election of the Grand Duke of the Shadowflame Duchy.

These two Elder executive officers, as clearly stated in the gazette, are only responsible for overseeing the candidate princes and will not interfere with the everyday affairs of the Grand Duchy.

“They say they won’t interfere, but the fact that Marquis Arno could become an Elder executive officer is already an interference with the Grand Duchy,” Russell shook his head instinctively, repulsed by the actions of Marquis Arno and the Scorching Torrent Kingdom.

However, the decline of the Shadowflame Duchy makes this reality not hard to understand.

In Russell’s hometown on Earth, there were similarly small countries with foreign troops stationed, and even the selection of leaders had to be conducted in accordance with the wishes of other, bigger countries.

It was no longer strange to him.

He then turned to the rest of the list, seeing that Count Merlin Yujiuhua remained the Chief Executive.

The Chief Steward was Lord Kunbei, a collateral relative of the Flamecrest Dragonblood Family, who had previously served in the same role during the last session of the Council of Elders.

The Chief Justice was Osclo Water Willow.

The Volcanic Minister was Lord Kunstan, also a collateral relative of the Flamecrest Dragonblood Family, responsible for communicating with the Shadowflame Dragons.

The Finance Minister was Baron Roman Luminescent Mushroom, something Russell had already known.

The Lord Seal Minister was Lord Kunqiao, yet another collateral relative of the Flamecrest Dragonblood Family—thus, it was apparent that although the direct lineage of the Flamecrest Dragonblood Family was small, the central power of the Grand Duchy was still firmly controlled by the Shadowflame Family.

The last on the list was the Foreign Minister, Baron Kunbifu Shadowflame.

“Each of the three candidate princes has a direct relative serving as an Elder executive officer, and then there are three collateral relatives from the Shadowflame Family acting as Elder executive officers, in addition to my father,” Russell squinted, finding the list rather delicate.

“My father will certainly support Cousin Mel, and with Grandpa on my side, Cousin Mel will have significant influence in the Council of Elders… But which candidate will the three collateral relatives from the Shadowflame Family support? Most likely Kunsley Xiangrikui.”

Though Augustus Water Willow and Mel Rain-Longflower both have the blood of Quentin III Shadowflame, they are, after all, related by marriage.

Kunsley Xiangrikui may not have the blood of Quentin III Shadowflame, but he is still a distant relative.

“A distant relative is still family, but in-laws, no matter how close, are still outsiders,” Russell sighed. However, he quickly shook his head, “This concept is still from my Earthly hometown; it might not apply here on the Dragon Sleep Continent.”

After indulging in his thoughts for a moment, he refocused.

While he hoped Cousin Mel would win, it ultimately made no difference to him which candidate would succeed.

He would soon be able to ride dragons, and as a Flying Dragon Knight, having privately forged an alliance with the Shadowflame Dragon, he could move freely across the Shadowflame Duchy. It didn’t matter who the Grand Duke was; they would have to pay him respects sooner or later.

“I am the future Dragon Knight!”

Russell continued reading, but there wasn’t much of interest left in the gazette, which mostly introduced newly ennobled lords.

The Second Fall Campaign was a pyrrhic victory, but a victory nonetheless, and the knights who deserved rewards were still to be honored—with Grand Duke Kunstan deceased, the Council of Elders would preside over the honors.

At the end of the gazette, the Council of Elders issued an order stating that from the day of the Grand Duke’s death—January 23rd—for three months, all nobles were prohibited from holding banquets and balls.

“My birthday is on April 21… Hmm, still within the prohibition period.”