Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 430 - 430 429 Willem Ginnari

Chapter 430: Chapter 429 Willem Ginnari Chapter 430: Chapter 429 Willem Ginnari In the sweltering summer, the sense of happiness among the people peaked, particularly for those inhabiting the Warm Enclave, who would smile daily.

This was because, during the fierce summer, the growth of all living things was at its most vigorous, yielding bountiful harvests.

It was a time when the power of the Snowfield receded, devoid of any threats from the Snow Demon or the Snow Specter Invasion Region.

News of the first barbecue buffet dinner at Cigar Castle swiftly spread across the entire Blackflame Plains. Six Great Knights and twelve Armed Knights had been taken in as followers by Lord Russell, Baron of Thunderflame.

The most discussed topic was the knighthood of Eric and Charles.

Especially the knighthood of Charles.

Eric was a Phantom Beast Knight, Russell’s knight class instructor, and also his Guardian Knight Leader. Having accompanied Russell in campaigns to the south and north and having participated in two calamities, the ennoblement was an expected affair, not warranting any surprise.

It was Charles, however, who amazed everyone.

Undoubtedly, Charles was one of Russell’s confidants, overseeing all the land reclamation work across the Blackflame Plains.

Yet, Charles’s significant drawback was his poor cultivation in battle qi, unable to form a covenant with a Phantom Beast.

Moreover, he seldom ventured to the Snowfield or earned merit in battle, leaving him essentially without any chance for a title.

After all, in the Shadowflame Grand Duchy, titles were granted strictly based on military feats and lineage—minor sons of great nobles, though of noble blood, could be ennobled without battlefield merits; commoners without such feats, could only pursue atypical paths like scholarship.

Yet, Charles was granted a fief.

This time, the knights, more eager to strive under Russell’s banner, and even the commoners who weren’t knights seemed to see a path to nobility.

Baron Thunderflame endowed his subordinates with rewards observing not just their combat achievements, but also their contributions in other areas.

Of course.

For the serfs, these matters were irrelevant. The key was to plant more fields and keep more of the harvest. Having a full meal allowed raising children who might, by chance, be chosen by the lord.

And sent for battle qi training, to become a knight.

That would truly be under “dragon’s gaze” and on a distinct path from others.

“Lord Eric, good morning!”

“Wishing a good morning to Sir Eric.”

“Greetings to Lord Eric.”

Eric, accompanied by his Gold and Silver Wolfhound, inspecting the reclamation site, distinctly felt the change due to his new status.

In the past, people respected him.

But now, they revered him, even dreaded looking him in the eye. Knights too displayed this reverence.

Eric understood that it was not him as a person they feared, but his noble title. Then again, the noble title was earned by him, so in essence, what difference was there between fearing the title and fearing him personally.

Thus, Eric was internally thrilled for this day had been his yearning for too long.

Luckily, sleeplessness exhausted much of his excitement, allowing him full control over his demeanor now.

Calmly acknowledging everyone’s greetings, he led a few knights, as usual, inspecting various reclamation sites.

“After becoming a knight, Sir Eric seems unchanged from before,” mused many knights.

And they grew even more admiring of Eric: “This is a true knight, consistent in heart and appearance.”

The other newly titled lord, however, was somewhat different.

“Good morning, Lord Charles.”

“Lord Charles, good morning, have you had your breakfast?”

“Greetings to Lord Charles!”

Everyone greeted Charles with warmth and awe, which he acknowledged simply with a nod of his head.

He immediately rode his warhorse, taking a group of knights and clerks, and quickly departed.

“Is Lord Charles in a bad mood today?” Rudi touched his red nose, originally the official and technical officer of Magic Medicine Tun, and now he served as the technical officer for the entire Black Fire region.

His deputy, an elderly serf technician, knocked his pipe and said, “Perhaps his mood is too good.”

“How so?”

“Nowadays, the status of Lord Charles and ours are no longer the same,” the deputy explained, “Sir Rudi, perhaps you should change your address to ‘Lord Charles,’ that might earn you a smile again.”

After filling his pipe with tobacco and lighting it, enjoying a deep puff, the deputy added, “But in my nearly sixty years of experience, changing ‘Lord’ to ‘Sir’ might still not bring Lord Charles’s smile.”

“Why would that be?”

“I’ve seen too many noblemen,” the deputy laughed. “Unless it’s in front of other noblemen, they only show a gentle side. Facing ordinary people, like you and me, they generally are very aloof.”

An old fox indeed, not wrong at all.

Throughout the trip, whenever Charles greeted anyone, it was merely with a slight nod and at most a cold “hello.”

But when Roland rode up on a Nightmare Specter Horse, Charles quickly switched to a brilliant, creased smile.

“Ah, Lord Roland, you’ve arrived!”

“Lord Charles.” Roland, having received the news, greeted with a smile, calling out Charles’s new title, “Congratulations on achieving your wish to receive the title of baron, becoming a noble of the Shadowflame Grand Duchy.”

Charles pounded his chest, saying, “The honor granted by my family’s lord, Charles can only repay with loyalty through generations following the lord’s lineage!”

The two exchanged pleasantries.

In fact, Roland somewhat disapproved of why Russell would bestow a baronetcy on an armed knight. After all, similar officials like Charles were numerous within the Fluorescent Fungi Family, but none had ever received any privilege.

The officials governing the territories, in the eyes of the nobility, were merely slightly higher-ranked servants, and how could servants suddenly become masters.

However, considering that Charles was after all Russell’s family tutor, Roland could still understand.

“Lord Charles, today we also gather the knights for another meeting to arrange the upcoming pioneering tasks.”

“Certainly, Lord Roland.”

…

After inspecting the territory, accepting a few followers, and bestowing titles upon two barons, Russell once again resumed his role as a hands-off manager.

He was busy training with Pseudo-Harpy Dragon Hape and simultaneously strengthening his bond with Ouroboros.

He also needed to find time to coordinate with Unicorn Polly.

Although the combat style of the domain lords of the Dragon Domain wasn’t fundamentally different from that of the Phantom Beast Knights, it involved an advanced “combat form” relative to Origin Breath Armour and Beast Fusion Shadow, and he had mastered the Power of Thunder.

Yet, there were still many details in the techniques that could be further optimized and refined.

In the path of strength enhancement, Russell never found it boring; instead, he was deeply engrossed in this process of becoming stronger.

The exploration of power is endless.

“Become stronger!”

His conviction was unwavering.

Meanwhile, on Charcoal Dust Road leading to Wuyao Snake Manor.

A knight, bearing a distinct exotic appearance, rode a large bird resembling an ostrich but with plentiful, golden feathers, speeding along Charcoal Dust Road.

Soon, he arrived at the gate of Cigar Courtyard.

The gatekeeper immediately came forward to inquire, “Sir, may I ask who you are, and do you have a reservation to visit Cigar Courtyard?”

“I don’t have a reservation.” The knight was very young, seemingly just of age, and his accent was quite odd, “My name is Willem Ginnari, I am Baron Phoenixbird of the Scorching Torrent Kingdom, and I have come to visit Lord Russell Glowcap of Dragon Domain.”

As he spoke, he produced a letter: “This, is a letter from Chosen Son Mel Yujiuhua addressed to Lord Russell, which I have brought.”