Squeak, squeak, clatter!
The horses' hooves clattered on the charcoal-gravel paved road, emitting a crisp sound as a trio of knights leisurely admired the manor bathed in the distance by the sun.
On the crooked sign by the road were the words "Wuyao Snake Manor."
Below was a smaller inscription: "Beware of the venomous Blackwaist Serpents lurking nearby."
As if worried someone might not be literate, beside the words, a thick, coiled snake was drawn with charcoal and marked with a large "×."
"Among the nineteen manors of Glowing Valley, Wuyao Snake Manor is quite sizable. Covering close to twenty thousand hectares, there are 580 serf households, totaling around 3,500 people," said the middle-aged knight on the left, his beard unkempt and teeth stained brown.
Flicking his whip contentedly, the middle-aged knight declared, "Lord Baron has granted you this manor as your fief, Russell, a clear sign of his high regard for you."
"It's a hefty responsibility too," replied the handsome young knight in the middle, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, lips red and teeth white, his soft golden hair flowing freely without a knight's helmet, smiling gently, "Mr. Charles."
Mr. Charles, the bearded middle-aged knight, laughed, "At the lower reaches of Glowing Valley, beyond Wuyao Snake Manor, there lie extensive subterranean river caverns. Those freemen make for the best moat, so you really have nothing to worry about."
Upon hearing this,
the knight on the right said solemnly, "The freemen of Echo Water River Cavern are unreliable."
Charles said casually, "Isn't that what you're here for, Eric? As the Captain of the Guard Knights for Russell, the security of Wuyao Snake Manor is your inescapable duty."
Eric, around thirty-something and with a square face, replied, "I'll do my best."
"All right, Mr. Charles and Eric, since Wuyao Snake Manor has yet to be formally handed over, let's make detailed arrangements after the handover," the handsome young knight suggested, lightly kicking his horse's belly, prompting his majestic black steed to charge down the charcoal-gravel path.
Heading straight toward Wuyao Snake Manor ahead.
The wind howled past his ears.
Although the weather was still very cold, with tiny ice crystals in the air hitting his face,
the continuously surging Battle Qi within him effectively counteracted the chill, keeping his body warm despite the thin clothing.
"Battle Qi!"
Even after experiencing it for a whole week, Russell still marveled at the miraculous power.
The horses' hooves raced rapidly.
As he neared his fief, the corners of his mouth twisted involuntarily upward.
Inwardly, he couldn't help but think, "Roman Roland once said, 'There is only one kind of true heroism in the world, and that is, after recognizing the truth about life, still loving it... As someone who has crossed over, I... am content with my life now.'"
Born to a noble family!
His father was named Roman, his elder brother was Roland... he also had a sister named Rolin, and, hmm, a younger sister named Lola.
But their family name was not "Ro."
They were called "Youguangxun," a noble surname derived from the name of a mushroom, tracing back to his great-grandfather, the first Baron Youguang.
The grandfather inherited the barony as the second Baron Youguang.
His father then took over as the third.
By his generation, ambitious Roland Yingguangjun was ready at any moment to inherit the title of Baron Youguang, along with the lands of Glowing Valley.
Of course,
his father, Roman Youguangxun, in the prime of his life, had yet no plans to leave this world.
And so, he, the somewhat inept second son of the baron, could rely on his parents' love to be ennobled as a Lord at his coming-of-age celebration at sixteen and given his own small tract of land—the nearly twenty-thousand-hectare Wuyao Snake Manor.
It may be called a manor, but it's actually about the size of the town where Russell used to live on Earth.
Only, it is sparsely populated.
580 households totaling about 3,500 people—there might be that many people in a village back on Earth. Fortunately, these were all serfs of the fiefdom and belonged entirely to Russell.
"Huff!"
Upon arriving at the entrance to Wuyao Snake Manor, one could see massive farmlands along the banks of the Glowing River where many serfs were toiling, bent over in the fields.
Surrounded by the farmland was a cluster of low-set cottages, the tallest being no more than two stories.
Indistinctly, the sounds of chickens crowing and dogs barking could be heard.
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
The horses' hooves stepped off the main road onto the stones by the riverbank.
"Russell, won't you go in for a look?" Charles, following behind Russell, asked.
"No need, today is just for a quick glance. After the handover is completed, there will be plenty of time to look," Russell replied.
The coming-of-age ceremony had just passed and Wuyao Snake Manor was yet to be handed over; only some serfs and their overseers were here.
He still needed his parents to recruit followers and servants for him and bestow him with enough wealth before he could comfortably settle in Wuyao Snake Manor.
"This will be the place where your dragon soars," Charles flattered and then pointed towards a two-story stone mansion across the Glowing River. "There, the Baron's villa. It could serve as your castle in the future. Would you like to name it first?"
Russell shook his head: "Not necessary."
It was just a two-story building, although slightly larger than the countryside villas back on Earth, it was not even close to being a castle.
How could one even think of naming it.
Seeming to guess what Russell was thinking, Charles laughed heartily, "Don't look down upon this place. Every noble starts as a lord. Russell, your starting point is already steadier than anyone else's. Strive for ten years, achieve military merits, and perhaps promotion to baron isn't impossible."
The slightly gloomy Eric nodded in agreement: "Indeed so."
Russell responded with a faint smile.
Charles suddenly changed the subject, speaking as if inspired by divine revelation. "Of course, I think the most prudent progress would be to win over Mr. Ross. Really, Russell, if you could bond with Mr. Ross, perhaps the barony is yours!"
"Stop, Mr. Charles, don't mention such things again," Russell's smile vanished as he calmly looked at Charles.
Charles immediately gave a sheepish laugh, changing the topic with a chuckle, "Ah, this year's ice age is receding later than usual. By this time in previous years, the waters of the Glowing River would have already turned muddy. This year it is still but a shallow layer."
With that, the topic shifted, and the three men leisurely rode along the river, taking in the rough layout of Wuyao Snake Manor.
As the sun began to set in the west, Russell turned his horse's head, "Let's return."
The horse beneath him charged onto the main road like an arrow, galloping back in the direction they had come from.
Charles followed, turning his horse, watching Russell's swiftly receding figure and quietly signaled to Eric: "The path I mentioned is a good shortcut, isn't it? Winning Mr. Ross's approval is more useful than any battle honor."
Eric responded in a muffled voice: "This is Lord Baron's family matter, Charles."
After speaking, he spurred his horse to chase after Russell.
"Really now... We have already stamped Russell's mark. Russell's rise is our rise... Why are they being so indifferent? There's a shortcut, yet they won't take it!" Charles muttered to himself before quickly catching up with Russell and Eric.
Meanwhile,
Russell, who galloped ahead, was not feeling as calm as he appeared.
This was a bizarre and whimsical world, a world that possessed Transcendent Power: "Snow Demons freezing the earth... Volcanoes nurturing oases... Knights, Battle Qi... Elves, mushrooms, Fantasy Beasts... And most importantly, dragons!"
Dragons could decide everything!
And Mr. Ross was a dragon, belonging to the Fluorescent Fungi Family!
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