Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 348 - 348 347 Princess Anxia Arrives

Chapter 348: Chapter 347 Princess Anxia Arrives Chapter 348: Chapter 347 Princess Anxia Arrives The wind howled with snow.

On the Ice and Snow Great Wall along the warm-season Mountain River Trade Route, a grand caravan arrived, with several bipedal flying dragons hovering above and numerous Phantom Beast Knights escorting the procession.

Among them, a luxurious carriage, drawn by eight splendid horses, traveled steadily upon the Great Wall.

The curtain of the carriage window was drawn.

Blows of warm air gushed from the window as Princess Anxia’s face appeared, taking a cursory glance outside. In fact, there wasn’t much to see, as the Great Wall blocked the view from the carriage, allowing a sight only into the distance and not the immediate surroundings.

“Mother,” Princess Kunlaya’s voice rang out, “how much longer until we reach the Glowing Valley?”

“Soon, if my memory serves me right, the next Cold Spring Point is the Four Seasons Flower Sea Cold Spring Spot, a place I visited in my youth.” That year, during the Dragon Birth Festival, she had come with the still-alive Marquis Quntro.

The purpose was to accompany a young Kunstan on his inspection tour of the great nobles’ fiefs.

To bolster the great nobles’ recognition of Kunstan.

Now, in the blink of an eye, more than a decade had passed, but the few limited inspection experiences of her youth remained deep in Princess Anxia’s memory. Being a canary, she had grown accustomed to the grand and sturdy Red Castle.

But that didn’t mean she didn’t yearn for the world outside.

“I think I heard Russell mention the Four Seasons Flower Sea Cold Spring Spot, Mother. Is this the place with many Quail Dragons?”

“Indeed,” she replied.

“Are Quail Dragons truly descendants of the Pseudo-Dragons?”

“That’s a question for the Grand Scholars, especially those who study fantasy beasts,” Princess Anxia, who had long ceased her magical practice, answered, her interest in such information about fantasy beasts not as keen.

“But Russell said that the Scorching Torrent Kingdom has a Dragon Domain Lord.”

“There is one, but I haven’t seen it,” Princess Anxia shook her head and lowered the carriage curtain, “The ascension of a Dragon Domain Lord is far more stringent than a Flying Dragon Knight, and the lifespan of a Pseudo-Dragon is limited, unlike a bipedal flying dragon that can live many years… it’s fleeting.”

“Oh,” Princess Kunlaya nodded.

“Will Brother Russell ascend to be a Dragon Domain Lord? He’s the youngest Flying Dragon Knight, so he should be able to ascend, right?”

Princess Anxia didn’t immediately answer.

It wasn’t until a long time later that she remarked wistfully, “Anything is possible, but… how many possibilities are there in the world? To always fantasize about possibilities, once those potentials are lost, the pain is even greater.”

The carriage rode so smoothly that one could hardly feel any jostling, and the insulation within the carriage was exceptionally well-done, barely letting in any cold.

However, Princess Anxia’s heart was filled with self-resentment.

Once upon a time.

She too had believed that everything was possible, that love could bring everything, and that steadfast love would lead to happiness. Just like in the knightly tales where princesses with poor knights, or princes with Cinderellas, all eventually come to a perfect conclusion.

But reality was not so.

All those possibilities were merely that—possibilities. For behind those recorded and celebrated possibilities were countless failed impossibilities.

Creak.

The carriage came to a halt.

Soon after, Princess Anxia heard the voice of her guardian Lady Knight: “Madam, we have arrived at the Four Seasons Flower Sea Cold Spring Spot. Lord Merlin invites you to rest within the Cold Spring Point. We will camp here tonight and set off again early in the morning.”

“Understood,” Princess Anxia nodded, “Let the servants come in and pack our things.”

Shortly after, Princess Anxia and Princess Kunlaya, surrounded by servants from Red Castle and wrapped in thick clothing, entered the confines of the Cold Spring Point.

The knights, servants, including Earl Merlin, Chosen Son Mel, and the accompanying family of Chosen Son Kunsley Xiangrikui, as well as the family of Earl Osclo Willow of the Gravel Domain, all lodged at the periphery of the Cold Spring Point.

Only the camp of Princess Anxia and her daughter was set up in the flower garden at the center of the Cold Spring Point.

The prohibition of the Fluorescent Fungi Family, forbidding anyone from trampling the gardens, was inapplicable to the Flamecrest Dragonblood Family.

And it was that night that Princess Kunlaya saw the Quail Dragons that Russell had talked about.

It was a story Russell had told during the meal: “Every Cold Spring Point that has a False Dragon Heir must have experienced a battle long ago, where knights and fantasy beasts, at the brink of life and death, unlocked their latent powers.”

In the end.

The knight and fantasy beast both evolved to become the lord of a Warm Enclave opened within the Dragon Domain.

However, with the withering of the Pseudo-Dragon, following a brief period of prosperity, the Warm Enclave would once again be covered by ice and snow.

Leaving behind only such a Cold Spring Point, perennially in spring.

And some descendants of the Pseudo-Dragon with diminished bloodlines, becoming Primordial Beast heirs of the Pseudo-Dragon, complementing the Cold Spring Point and preserving a sliver of warmth as a legacy.

“The Shadowflame Grand Duchy has never given birth to a Dragon Domain Lord…” Princess Kunlaya pondered, “So what about before? Was there once a powerful nation here that produced many Dragon Domain Lords?”

She shook her head again, “But brother said before, the Shadowflame Grand Duchy was established on a desolate land that had never been trod by humans.”

It was incomprehensible.

The next day.

The caravan departed from the Snowfield and received a warm welcome from Fluorescent Castle when passing through Red Bat Grotto.

Lady Ingrid, Baron Romand and his wife, Russell, Roland, and the many guests who had arrived earlier all came forward to greet the caravan. Princess Anxia, Earl Merlin, the three Chosen Sons, and many other guests timed their arrival to meet the procession.

“Greetings, Regent Lady!” The guests bowed one after another to Princess Anxia as she descended from the carriage.

Even though the Shadowflame Grand Duchy had entered the era of the Chosen Sons, Princess Anxia was still the legitimate blood of the Flamecrest Dragonblood Family, and the noble lord over all the nobility.

“Oh, Your Highness, the old woman has finally seen you!” Lady Ingrid was particularly excited, kneeling on one knee, kissing Princess Anxia’s hand, with tears streaming down.

In the eyes of her generation, Princess Anxia held a different significance.

Because Princess Anxia was the first princess in four hundred years of the kingdom to marry down into the Ducal family—more precisely, the son of a Duke, as Marquis Quntro had not yet succeeded to the Ducal title. Her status was extraordinary, and her demeanor was awe-inspiring.

“Lady Ingrid, please rise, there is no need for such formality,” said Princess Anxia after the hand-kissing ceremony, quickly helping Lady Ingrid to her feet, “You have raised such excellent offspring for the Grand Duchy, your contributions are immense.”

When it came Russell’s turn to greet Princess Anxia.

Princess Anxia was full of praise, “Russell, you are the most outstanding youth in the entire Shadowflame Grand Duchy. You have successfully ridden a dragon and established a Warm Enclave, bringing even greater foundation to the Grand Duchy, His Highness Shadowflame watches over you!”

“Thank you for the commendation, Madam,” Russell responded with a smile, “It will be my motivation to achieve further merits for the Grand Duchy and for His Highness Shadowflame.”

During Earl Merlin’s greeting.

This silver-haired Chief Executive only smiled with a frost-covered cigar in his mouth, giving Russell a strong pat on the shoulder, “Kid, well done!”

Then came cousin Mel’s turn to offer greetings. Imitating Earl Merlin, Mel also patted Russell on the shoulder, “Kid, well done!”

Russell rolled his eyes, “Please address me as Your Excellency, Phantom Beast Knight Mel.”

“Ha, Russell, getting a bit full of ourselves, are we?” Mel punched him hard, then leaned in to whisper, “Don’t forget, the moment grandfather steps down, I’ll be a Manganese Steel Dragon Rider, so don’t get ahead of yourself in front of me, kid!”

“As long as grandfather doesn’t step down, you’ll address me as Your Excellency,” Russell teased with a smile.

Straightaway, the two brothers laughed heartily, embracing each other.

Russell actually felt a stronger camaraderie with cousin Mel, almost closer than with his own brother, Roland.

At this point.

Apart from the essential nobles who stayed behind, almost all nobility of the Shadowflame Grand Duchy had come to Glowing Valley and entered Fluorescent Castle to partake in Russell’s dragon-riding ceremony—Marquis Arno did not come in person, but he sent a congratulatory gift.

The nobility also brought nearly fifteen bipedal flying dragons.

However, none of the dragons could steal the limelight from Black Oil Dragon Rossay, for Rossay was the epitome of size among the bipedal flying dragons. With its wings spread, its wingspan reached a whopping forty meters, surpassing any other bipedal flying dragon.

“Old Shadowflame Dragon, how blind you are!” Chosen Son Augustus Water Willow, standing on the castle’s cloister, eyed Black Oil Dragon Rossay with envy surging in his heart.

“Son, there’s no need to be jealous,” Kunli Shadowflame, who bore a resemblance to Lady Kuna, tugged on Augustus’s sleeve, “Our family has three dragons. If you try hard enough, you too can become a Flying Dragon Knight!”

“Mother, I… I’ve contracted a Fantasy Beast, do you think I still have a chance of gaining the favor of the Three-Headed Dragon?” Augustus was somewhat lacking in confidence.

Ever since Grand Duke Kunstan was killed by a sneak attack from a blue-skinned horse rider.

Those noble youths who were still “virgins” to dragon riding had set aside their obsessions and began contracting Fantasy Beasts to enhance their strength out of fear that they wouldn’t gain the approval of a bipedal flying dragon and meet an unfortunate end.

“Of course, Mother believes in you!” Madam Quenly’s eyes were full of her son.

Just then, a young married woman approached quietly. Madam Quenly spotted her instantly and couldn’t help but reprimand, “Davin, where have you been running off to? I told you to stick with Augustus; how could you be so ignorant of the rules and wander about!”

“Ah, Mother, no, it wasn’t that, Lady Robi called me over to talk, and I…” Davin hurriedly explained.

“What does Lady Robi count for, have you forgotten your identity as a daughter-in-law of the Willow Clan! You actually need to be mindful of a woman who can’t even bear a son!” Madam Quenly scolded, “Such a petty household mentality!”

Davin dared not argue with her mother-in-law and could only look to Augustus with a hopeful gaze, wishing he would speak on her behalf.

But Augustus showed no reaction to his mother schooling his wife.

It wasn’t until Madam Quenly was called away to chat by another lady that Davin whispered, “Augustus, can’t you speak up for me?”

“What can I say?” Augustus said with annoyance, “Remember your place, you are of my Willow Clan, and when your brother succeeds to Baron Gold’s title, he must support me as Grand Duke, too!”

“Of course I support you, our whole family supports you!” Davin quickly affirmed her position.

Her brother was Davis Golden Cap’s nephew Dyson. With Davis having no offspring, he had verbally indicated that he would let Dyson succeed him as Baron Gold and inherit the domain of the Golden Prairie.

But Davin quickly added, “However, relying on me alone won’t convince Uncle Davis; you need to have Father and Mother personally woo him.”

“Of course!”