Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 428 - 428 427 Lord Eric

Chapter 428: Chapter 427 Lord Eric Chapter 428: Chapter 427 Lord Eric Eric was momentarily stunned, not knowing why Russell had called out his name, but as a follower, he instinctively stood up and walked in front of Russell.

“Sir.”

“Eric, we have known each other for many years,” Russell said calmly, “From the time you became my knight instructor to now, when we are pioneering the new territory together, what has run through our relationship is the glory of knighthood.”

As Russell spoke, everyone listened quietly.

Eric felt a premonition in his heart, but he quickly smothered that glimmer of intuition, for to him, what it represented was unimaginable.

He just listened quietly.

Russell, filled with the desire to perform, paced back and forth, delivering his speech, “And today, this very night, I, Baron Thunderflame Russell Fluorescent Fungus, wish to share my glory with my follower Eric, as is the commitment of a lord to his knight!”

Hum!

In that moment, the many knights had understood the meaning behind Russell’s words.

Envy, jealousy, excitement, anxiety—all these emotions rose, lingered, and fermented in each knight’s heart.

And Eric, the man at the center of it all.

Even as he tried his best to cut off that faint premonition, Russell’s words had given a clear answer, and that intuition became reality.

He could not stop himself from trembling, his legs shaking slightly, with even the circulation of Prime Breath unable to soothe him.

In that moment.

He thought of so many things.

As a child, the joy when he discovered he had a martial spirit; as a youth, the excitement after his martial spirit had blossomed; after graduation, the frustration of daily hard work gone unrecognized; joining the Knight Regiment, the anticipation after becoming a Great Knight.

Being assigned as Russell’s knight instructor, he felt a mix of anger and conflict within.

Contracting with Kevin the Gold and Silver Wolfhound, for the first time feeling a major turn in his life.

Thenceforth, step by step, he followed Russell forward… After the Second Fall, Russell holding the Black Oil Dragon Egg, promising to ennoble him someday… and then Russell’s ascension to Flying Dragon Knight, Dragon Domain Lord, and his successful conferment as Baron Thunderflame.

He knew then that his title as a lord was secure.

But as for when it would truly be bestowed, he did not know, and as long as it was not, he could not feel at peace in his heart.

Because he knew that his lord Russell had flown too high, too far, to the point where he could hardly keep sight of him. Blackfire Plains had also been flooded with waves of knights, many of them highly talented, all with the same goal in mind.

Eric truly worried whether he would fade into the crowd and completely fall out of Russell’s view.

Fortunately.

This moment, he was completely reassured; he knew he had not followed his lord in vain, he knew that Russell would eventually share the glory with him.

“Sir!” Eric’s eyes brimmed with tears, his voice choked up.

Then, with a thud, he knelt down, sprawling at Russell’s feet.

Russell looked down at his Knight Commander, and said warmly, “Eric, from this day on, I grant you the title of lord. You shall become the first lord under me, Baron Thunderflame, bestowed with a manor, a Phantom Beast, and the powers of a lord.”

Boom!

Eric’s mind seemed to explode, his face flushed with a surge of blood.

Years of dreams, generations of hopes, in this moment they came true; he became a noble of the Shadowflame Grand Duchy.

Lord!

Although it was only a non-hereditary title for life, not of the high nobility with hereditary succession, it was a magnificent transformation of identity, a qualitative leap in his lineage and status.

Hum, hum, hum…

His mind buzzed as if dizzy, and with tremendous willpower, Eric overcame this uncontrollable sensation.

Then he opened his mouth, struggling to respond as if a mute had just found speech, his voice nearly distorted, “Eric… swears, die, to, serve… Sir!”

Although the voice was somewhat comical.

But no knight present would mock Eric’s lapse.

On the contrary, everyone thought they would gladly take Eric’s place to experience such a comical performance.

Why the daily hard practice, the battle in the Snowfield, the distance from home, fighting for life and death? All for the status of nobility!

For the chance to walk down the street and have the commoners call him “Lord.”

For having a manor of his own, where all serfs had to kneel before him and then serve him.

“Will I also have such a day?”

“By following Lord Russell, it can surely be achieved!”

“If Eric can do it, I can do it too!”

“My lord…”

“By the Light’s blessing, under the gaze of dragons, I shall become the next lord!” The knights were filled with surging emotions and brimming with hope.

When Russell helped Eric up, it was uncertain which knight took the lead, but a shout went up, “Lord Eric!”

“Lord Eric!”

“Lord Eric!”

The sound echoed throughout Cigar Castle, and even the servants preparing the barbecue feast stopped their work, enviously joining in the chant, “Lord Eric!”

At that moment.

Eric felt he had reached the pinnacle of his life, he hadn’t drunk any wine, and in fact, his stomach was still somewhat hungry.

But he felt intoxicated, so inebriated that he was swaying on his feet, both about to collapse and ready to ascend to the heavens.

“I!”

“Eric!”

“Have become a lord!”

Hearing the shouts around him, his eyes grew unfocused, his whole body became rigid, yet the smile on his lips couldn’t stop at all.

Russell handed him over to Katie for support.

Russell couldn’t empathize with this situation; he had had a smooth sailing all the way, having crossed over as a lord and ruler, and it was predetermined early on that he would create his own kingdom. Thus, he didn’t understand why Eric suddenly became foolish after being made a lord.

It made him think of Fan Jin’s success at the imperial examinations.

Fortunately, Eric was only grinning foolishly and hadn’t done anything excessively frenzied; otherwise, Russell might have had to emulate Fan Jin’s father-in-law and give Eric a couple of resounding slaps.

When the shouting of “Lord Eric” subsided,

Eric also came back to his senses from his stupor and, blushing, apologized to Russell, “I’m very sorry, Sir. I… I lost my composure.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Russell said with a slight smile. “Someone, bring a chair for Lord Eric.”

Having become a noble, Eric had the right to sit in a chair like Russell, instead of sitting on the ground.

Once Eric settled himself awkwardly into the chair,

Russell glanced over the knights, his gaze finally landing on the somewhat gloomy face of Charles, who was looking down, clearly in a complicated mood.

Being one of Russell’s former teachers.

Moreover, Charles’ ancestors had been lords and rulers, but the family had fallen on hard times, reducing them to the status of impoverished nobles. Charles, by a stroke of luck and with a bit of scholarly knowledge, had been recognized by Fluorescent Castle and became a family tutor to a baron’s second son.

At first, his status had been comparable to Eric’s, as one of Russell’s two closest aides, one in the arts and the other in martial matters.

Alas,

Eric had contracted a Phantom Beast and became a Phantom Beast Knight, whereas Charles couldn’t even think about contracting a Phantom Beast, let alone his Diminishing Fighting Spirit.

Unable to become a Knight, unable to journey to the Snowfield, Charles had no hope of earning recognition and the title of a lord in this lifetime.

Especially seeing Eric cheered by everyone, each cry of “lord” stung Charles’ ears and pained his heart even more.

From now on, the gap between him and Eric would become an insurmountable ravine.

“Resign yourself, Charles, you’re used to addressing Eric as ‘Your Excellency’ anyway… Focus on training your son, Sir will not forget your contributions,” Charles comforted himself silently, looking down; usually, this helped to soothe his emotions.

But tonight, it seemed less effective.

A breath of frustration stuck in his chest made him anxious, breathing became distressing, and his mind turned muddled along with it.

In a daze, he thought he heard someone calling him.

“Charles!”

Charles didn’t react at first until someone pushed him from behind. Then, with sudden surprise followed by disbelief, he raised his head.

He saw a handsome and attractive face.

It was the face of his lord, Russell Fluorescent Fungus, the one that countless young ladies sneak glances at during balls.

“Sir, you’re calling me?” Charles asked, his eyes wide.

Russell nodded gently, “Come to me.”

“Ah!” Like an electric jolt had passed through him, Charles clumsily got to his feet and approached Russell.

He was nervous and trembling with excitement, his hands uncertain where to rest.

The eyes of the knights shifted, moving from Eric seated in the chair to the portly Charles.