Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 321 - 321 320 Its Better to Have Fun Together than

Chapter 321: Chapter 320: It’s Better to Have Fun Together than Alone Chapter 321: Chapter 320: It’s Better to Have Fun Together than Alone Windmill Manor.

Baron Marcus was complaining to a fat pangolin, “Pang, can’t you keep your descendants in check and stop them from burrowing around the manor? If they must dig, let them go dig in Sharp Knife Mountain. Why must they always dig here?!”

This pangolin was his contracted fantasy beast—the Armadillo King, Pang.

As a fantasy beast with the traits of a Beast King, the Armadillo King Pang could naturally command ordinary pangolins.

However, Pang paid no attention to Marcus and just kept on digging holes in the courtyard, which was its favorite thing to do.

Marcus felt helpless.

Pang was the second fantasy beast he had contracted, and perhaps due to his limited talent or a mismatch in compatibility, he had not been able to perfectly synchronize with Pang. As a result, he had also been unable to advance to a Third-layer High-ranking Mythical Beast Knight.

He glanced at a distance, at his first contracted fantasy beast, the Steel Lightning Beast Aifen, which was leisurely eating grass.

“Aifen is much better, never causing me any worry, and even earns the manor a tidy sum in transportation fees each year,” Marcus praised.

Every year, especially during the hot summer, he would have Aifen lead a team of Thunder Beasts to pull carts for bulk goods transportation.

The subsidies from the caravan alone were higher than a year’s yield from the manor’s lands.

One could say that the Steel Lightning Beast Aifen was not just his contracted partner but also the most important money-maker for the family.

“Marcus, how many days can you rest at home this time?” Lady Shafali approached and asked.

“I don’t know. It depends on when Sir summons the Knight Regiment.”

“Do we really have to keep fighting in the Snowfield without end? Even if it’s three years of hard service, there’s no need to be so devoted,” Mrs. Safarli complained a bit. “Moreover, the knights can take turns serving with the regiment; surely you all don’t have to fight for three years as well.”

“Enough. How many times have I told you not to question Sir’s decisions?” Marcus frowned.

Mrs. Safarli changed the topic, “You need to worry about Malena’s matter; it’s time to settle the marriage alliance with Salt Pit Manor. If we delay a few more years, Malena will become an old maid.”

Marcus nodded, “I will try to make time soon and go to Furious Wind City to discuss the marriage alliance with Lord Minor.”

He then added, “You should also visit Fluorescent Castle more often and have a chat with the Baroness. If we can get the Baroness to help with the match-making, the marriage will not face any trouble, and Malena can graduate from Gale City Girls’ Academy in peace.”

Lady Meryl is easy to talk to. She would definitely be willing to help with the match-making. She has apologized to me several times, saying she’s held up Malena… Sigh, our Malena is so outstanding, how can Mr. Russell not see it!”

“Don’t mention that boy!” Marcus’s face immediately turned cold, “Before becoming a Phantom Beast Knight, he looked down on Malena. Now that he’s become one, he’s even more arrogant, looking down on everyone!”

“That’s not entirely true. I find Russell to be quite cultured and polite, gentle and courteous to everyone, even the servants,” she contended.

“It’s all an act!” Marcus’s disdain for Russell ran deep. “I’ve watched that boy grow up. How could I not know what kind of person he is? Sir and his wife have persuaded me several times before; that’s why I even considered him for Malena…”

As he spoke, Marcus clenched his fists tighter, “If not for Sir’s sake, I would have beaten that boy up long ago!”

“Be careful, Marcus. Don’t act on a whim. Russell is now a Phantom Beast Knight,” Lady Shafali advised. “Moreover, he is a knight who even a Great Dragon looks upon favorably. His future is potentially boundless. Alas, it’s just not Malena’s fortune.”

“Nonsense about a Great Dragon’s gaze!” The more his wife mentioned it, the angrier Marcus became. “He’s just a first-layer Phantom Beast Knight. I can beat him in a matter of minutes! Maybe he will have prospects, but that’s many years away!”

As the couple was speaking, the butler hastily arrived, “Sir, Lady, Lord Russell has arrived with visitors.”

Mrs. Safarli exclaimed at once, “Why has Mr. Russell come over?”

Marcus also frowned, “He dares to come here?”

The butler naturally knew the master was not thrilled with Russell because of the matter concerning Miss Malena, so he simply said, “Lord Russell and the knights he brought are waiting in the living room for Sir and the Lady.”

“Let him wait,” Marcus said indifferently as he sipped his tea.

But Lady Shafali pulled on him directly, “Enough with your anger. It’s rare for Lord Russell to pay a visit. You can’t forget your manners.”

“Hmph!” Marcus huffed, but he didn’t insist any further. His wife pulled him to his feet, and they went together to the living room to meet Russell.

Upon arriving in the living room, they saw Russell leisurely looking over a handwritten newsletter.

“Mr. Russell,” Lady Shafali greeted warmly with a smile.

Russell stood up and bowed, “Lady Shafali, Lord Marcus.”

“What brings you here?” Lord Markus asked, neither cold nor warm, even as his wife signaled him with her eyes, he remained stern-faced, without a hint of warmth.

Seeing her husband’s attitude, Mrs. Shafali felt a headache brewing but was unable to dissuade him, so she could only keep instructing the servants to bring tea and pastries.

Once the pleasantries were over, Russell didn’t beat around the bush.

With a serene smile, he said, “Lord Markus, my visit today is for a single purpose.”

“Speak.”

“You are known throughout Glowing Valley as the second greatest warrior after my father, renowned even in Volcanic Oasis for your title as a third-layer high-ranking Mythical Beast Knight,” Russell said with an easy smile, “Recently, I have made some progress and wish to challenge you as a first-layer Mythical Beast Knight!”

“Hmm?” Markus was taken aback.

Then, he was overjoyed, “You really want to challenge me?”

He had always dreamt of giving Russell a good thrashing, but since Russell was the second son of Baron Roman, he had no good reason to raise his hand without cause.

He never expected that one day, Russell would come to him of his own accord.

“This lad, you really know how to care for an old man’s heart; I’m starting to like you a bit, hahaha,” Markus laughed heartily to himself.

“Why would you want to challenge out of the blue, Mr. Russell? Why not stay for lunch at the manor first?” Mrs. Shafali still wanted to admonish him.

But Markus interrupted her directly, “Enough, this is a knightly challenge. What business is it of a lady’s to interfere!”

Then, turning to Russell, “Will you give it your all, or is this merely a friendly spar? If it’s just a spar, find someone else. I do not have the leisure to play house with you. There’s too much to do in the manor to act as a teacher.”

Russell smiled, “Then, I shall give it my all.”

“Good, it’s a deal!”

Both men, each harboring their own schemes, quickly came to an agreement and donned their armor and long swords, heading to the lawn in front of the small castle.

The weather was fine and sunny.

Behind Russell flew Unicorn Polly, while Markus was backed by the Pangolin King Grove and the Steel Thunder Beast Aifen.

“Father, may you be victorious!” Markus’s son Mask, who had just returned from the Knight Academy in town.

“Sir, may you be victorious,” Markus’s knights also hurried over upon hearing the news, voicing their support for their lord.

Of course.

Russell was not alone either. Eric, Grove, and Katie all came with him.

Leading the cheers for Russell, they too shouted, “Lord, may you be victorious!”

Russell gently drew his Green Ceramic Sword from his waist. Although it was now adorned with only a single emerald, befitting his strength, the Green Ceramic Sword could still serve him for a little while longer in his capacity as a Mythical Beast Knight.

“Lord Markus, are you ready?”

Markus was about to nod when he saw two more knights riding hard towards them from a distance. Struck by a thought, he suggested, “Lord Russell, how about we wait a moment longer? Shared joy is more joyful than joy alone, let’s start the duel when there are more spectators.”

His idea was simple.

He hoped that Baron Roman would hear about the duel and come to witness it personally, to then see Russell being soundly defeated by his own hand.

Firstly, this would give him a legitimate reason to thrash Russell thoroughly.

Secondly, it would serve as a release for the resentment he held in his heart against Baron and Baroness Roman.

After all, it was the Roman couple who insisted on having Malena marry Russell, only for Russell to spurn her, leading to a most embarrassing situation. Since he couldn’t demand satisfaction from the Barons personally, he would have to seek it through Russell.

Russell harbored a similar idea, and so he immediately nodded in agreement, “Alright!”

Thus, the two stood on the lawn, basking in the sun, until after a quarter of an hour, a piercing dragon’s call sounded.

Baron Roman, mounted on a Clay Dragon, had arrived at Windmill Manor.