Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 272 - 272 271 Princess Anxia Summons

Chapter 272: Chapter 271 Princess Anxia Summons Chapter 272: Chapter 271 Princess Anxia Summons “It doesn’t recognize you, and just like that, you cease to live?”

“Father…”

“Learn from your brother, he was never as talented as you were. What you and Rolin could easily accomplish, Russell needed relentless practice to achieve. Even his Qi Seed did not blossom until a few days before his coming-of-age ceremony!”

In the study of his tower, Baron Roman was advising his heir, the first son of the Fluorescent Fungi Family, Roland.

When it came to Russell’s achievements, he couldn’t help but sigh deeply, “I always thought talent determined a person’s worth, but your brother’s efforts changed my mind. With sweat, he changed his destiny and won the attention of the Great Dragon!”

“He’s always so lucky…” Roland muttered under his breath.

Baron Roman immediately shot him a stern look, “It’s not luck, it’s the strength he earned through effort. Russell never fantasized about riding dragons. He steadfastly practiced his Battle Qi, took the opportunity to make contracts with Fantasy Beasts whenever possible, and then fought hard to make a name for himself. That’s what gave him the chance to ride a dragon!”

“Yes,” Roland had to admit to this point.

Baron Roman continued, “So you should give up those unrealistic dreams too. Pick out a Fantasy Beast from the Fantastical Beast Park in Red Castle and make a contract with it as soon as possible.”

“Father, I want to try again!”

“Try my ass!” Baron Roman swore uncharacteristically, “You’re just like that dead Kunstan of yours, unrealistic, always daydreaming! You fantasize about riding dragons all day without even contracting a Fantasy Beast, as if a dragon would recognize you!”

Roland did not dare to argue back.

But he grumbled inwardly, recalling how Baron Roman had once instructed him not to think about contracting a Fantasy Beast too early, to keep his “virginity” in order to win favor with Mr. Ross.

Now he was being scolded again; he couldn’t even get a contract with any Fantasy Beast, yet he was thinking about contracting a Bipedal Flying Dragon.

Regrettably, he dared not retort, only nodding in response, “Yes, Father, I will make a contract with a Fantasy Beast as soon as I can.”

“Hmm,” Baron Roman’s anger subsided a little, “After you’ve made the contract with the Fantasy Beast, make sure to frequent the Draco-breed Gardens. There are eleven Bipedal Flying Dragons without knights. Go and interact with a couple of them, and you’re bound to find one dragon that takes a liking to you!”

“Yes, Father.”

“Alright, stop being an eyesore, go get some rest, there’s official business to attend to tomorrow. Once the relief work for this great war is completed, I will return to the estate to help Russell train Rossay. You’ll take over my work as Finance Minister.”

“Yes, Father.”

…

The next morning, Russell was ready to continue exploring Red Castle. His last visit was too rushed, and he hadn’t really seen much before returning.

This time, he planned to visit thoroughly.

However, before he could even leave, a court messenger hurried to the small castle, “Lord Russell, the Regent Lady invites you to dine at the inner castle at noon.”

“The Regent Lady… you mean the Princess invites me to dine?” Russell was surprised.

“Yes.”

“What is this about?”

“The Regent Lady, she just wants to see an exemplary young knight from the Grand Duchy, that’s all, Lord Russell. There’s nothing else to it,” said the court messenger, who then left a pass for Russell.

This certainly dampened Russell’s mood for exploring the town.

Since Baron Roman, his elder brother Roland, and his cousin Mel were all at the Council of Elders attending to official matters, he couldn’t even find someone to discuss this with.

He could only wait in the small castle until nearly noon, then hurried to the inner castle.

After showing his pass, he was quickly led by the inner castle’s guards to the depths of the fortress, where all the guards had been replaced by women. Russell was escorted into a magnificent palace, and the opulent decor indicated it was Princess Anxia’s chambers.

After a brief announcement, Russell soon saw Princess Anxia again.

Different from the battlefield, where she had seen her son die and cried with red, swollen eyes and a pale face, the current Princess Anxia, though not wearing makeup, looked much recovered. Her black hair was casually tied up, giving her an air of nobility and gentleness.

However, there were already faint crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes and a melancholic expression between her brows, clearly indicating she had not yet recovered from the pain of losing her child.

“Your Highness, the Princess,” Russell bowed respectfully.

“Call me Lady,” Princess Anxia said gently, “There is no Princess Anxia here, only the Regent Lady.”

“Yes, Lady,” Russell complied amiably.

“I’ve invited you over for a meal this time, there’s nothing else, you needn’t be nervous, Russell,” Princess Anxia consoled, “I just wanted to meet the standout youths of the Grand Duchy, for you are the future of the Grand Duchy.”

“You flatter me, Lady,” Russell said, somewhat puzzled.

In the Second Fall, he was merely a bystander, despite being a Phantom Beast Knight, he only performed at the level of a Great Knight, gaining some experience with the Knight Regiment.

There were no shortage of knights on the battlefield younger and more valiant than him.

It didn’t make sense to elevate him as a paragon of the Grand Duchy’s young generation—was it simply because he was born into high nobility, one of the few presentable heirs?

Of course not.

Russell didn’t think that was the reason. He speculated it likely had something to do with the Shadowflame Dragon. It was very possible that it was the Shadowflame Dragon’s glance at him that had caught others’ attention—over the years, there weren’t many who had caught an extra look from the Shadowflame Dragon.

“Hungry, are we? Let’s eat first,” Princess Anxia beckoned Russell to take a seat, then summoned Princess Kunlaya to join them for the meal.

Princess Kunlaya still had the air of a little fairy about her, one that inspired tenderness in others.

At first, Russell felt somewhat nervous, fearing that Princess Anxia might ask him for something bizarre, like “handing over the Black Oil Dragon Egg.” But as the meal went on, he realized she simply engaged in casual conversation and had no other intentions.

So he relaxed, and ate heartily. There weren’t many dishes, but each was made with exquisite ingredients.

Russell loved eating magic-infused food the most.

Seeing Russell eat with such gusto, Princess Kunlaya also loosened up and curiously asked, “Mr. Ross…”

“You can just call me Russell, Princess,” Russell said with a smile.

Then Princess Anxia spoke up, “And you may call her Kunlaya. No need to keep up the formalities. After all, we are all family here.”

“Alright.”

“Russell, do you ride a white horse? I heard from the guards that you ride a very beautiful white horse,” Princess Kunlaya inquired.

“That’s a unicorn, named Polly. Besides, Polly really dislikes being called a white horse,” Russell explained with a laugh while dishing up another spoonful of fried rice. “She might look like a white horse, but her lineage seems a bit different.”

“Oh, Polly.”

Princess Kunlaya, curious about the outside world, asked many questions over the meal, to which Russell responded one by one.

And so the meal ended calmly, nothing unusual occurred until Russell took his leave—seeming as if Princess Anxia truly had just invited such a fine young man as Russell for a meal and nothing more.

“Kunlaya, what do you think of Russell?” Long after Russell had gone, Princess Anxia suddenly asked.

Princess Kunlaya answered without understanding the implication, “A very gentle big brother.”

“What if one day, your mother sends you to marry into the Scorching Torrent Kingdom, would you be willing?” Princess Anxia asked further.

“Ah!” Princess Kunlaya exclaimed, “Why, mother? I don’t want to leave you.”

“Silly child, you will eventually grow up and get married,” Princess Anxia said as she stroked her daughter’s face. “Your mother came from the Scorching Torrent Kingdom to marry into the Shadowflame Grand Duchy. You could also go from here back to the Scorching Torrent Kingdom.”

“I don’t want to,” Princess Kunlaya clung to Princess Anxia, “Mother, can I stay in the Shadowflame Grand Duchy? I don’t want to be too far from home.”

Princess Anxia said nothing, just quietly gazed at the sky.

Looking out from the grand entrance of the palace, the towering main body of the castle shrouded half the sky, leaving just a small gap through which one could see the azure sky.