Deep in the Duchy of Raymond, in the ancient and stern castle of the Albert Family.
Earl Mills, the old earl with frost-dyed temples, frowned, his knuckles tapping lightly on the heavy oak armrest.
The news that the Scale-Earth Rift Road had been captured and occupied by a monster clan was now irrefutably on his desk.
What weighed even heavier on his heart was that intelligence indicated this fierce group of monsters was highly likely to be The Dragon Flight that had killed his own brother—Viscount Ironthorn, Herato Albert—more than twenty years ago!
Herato Albert, the true name of Viscount Ironthorn.
He and Earl Mills were brothers connected by blood.
Although the Albert Family had gradually faded from the core of the military, its Foundation was built upon piles of military achievements.
Their Family's Marquis ancestor, who once held a prestigious reputation and performed great service for the Duchy of Raymond, was the best proof, having served as a Great General in the military.
Therefore, the Family had always maintained the tradition of sending descendants to dangerous places for training.
Viscount Ironthorn Herato and Earl Mills were not only blood-related brothers but had also fought side by side in the blood and wind of the border, forging a bond of comradeship that transcended ordinary brotherhood through countless life-and-death battles.
Aristocratic blood relatives often had friction due to conflicts of interest, and their feelings were often thin.
However.
That bond of comradeship, forged in the flashing of swords and shadows, living and dying together, and entrusting each other with their backs, was hot and intense.
Earl Mills was able to finally sit in this position of Earl because of the full support and mediation of Viscount Ironthorn Herato behind the scenes.
When he heard the tragic news that Viscount Ironthorn had died under the claws of an Evil Dragon in the wilderness, Earl Mills was furious and had sent the Family's private army deep into the wilderness more than once, swearing to avenge his brother.
However, the vastness of the wilderness and the cruelty of the monsters thwarted his plans time and time again, and in the end, he could only return without success.
As time passed, that deep-seated hatred seemed to have been dusted over, and the thought of revenge gradually faded.
Yet, unexpectedly.
Just when he thought the past was gone, news came of the suspected return of that group of Evil Dragon kin.
Moreover, this was no longer just about a private vendetta.
The other party had brazenly seized his territory, wantonly trampling on the glory and dignity that the Albert Family had inherited for many years and forged with blood! This was tantamount to slapping the Albert Family hard in the face in front of all the nobles of the Duchy.
He had to make the quickest and most powerful response.
Otherwise, falling shamefully into the same pit twice would cause him to lose face, and the Albert Family would become a laughingstock and a synonym for cowardice in the Duchy's aristocratic circles.
However.
The reason Earl Mills was able to stand out among his many equally brave brothers and finally sit in the position of Earl was precisely because he understood the value of calmness and rationality in the game of power better than anyone else.
Anger can ignite blood, but it must never burn away reason.
He was not overwhelmed by the surging anger of revenge; his knuckles kept tapping the solid oak armrest with a heavy and rhythmic beat, thinking quietly and weighing the pros and cons.
"Send the Family's core private army to the Scale-Earth Rift Road."
"Regardless of whether we can successfully expel or even annihilate those entrenched monsters, fighting in such a hellish place in the wilderness will inevitably cause the Family's most precious military force to suffer unbearable and heavy losses. The cultivation and arming of elite private armies are extremely costly; every loss is like cutting flesh from the heart."
"Besides, clearing wilderness threats is the inherent duty of the Federal Garrison."
"The best solution to this matter is to urge the Federal Garrison to come forward and clear out those damned monsters for us."
The Albert Family started with military merit and naturally had a complex network of connections within the Duchy and even the Federal military System that had been cultivated for generations.
Earl Mills quickly contacted an Advanced officer with whom he had a close personal friendship.
After some necessary pleasantries and promising considerable benefits, he euphemistically made his request.
He hoped the other party could find a way to mobilize the Federal Garrison in the Serel Wilderness area to deal with this "small trouble" at the Scale-Earth Rift Road, to save face for the Albert Family, and also to avenge his brother.
The result was beyond Earl Mills' expectations; things proceeded exceptionally poorly.
In less than ten minutes, the other party's response came back through an encrypted Communication Stone.
—The situation in the Serel Wilderness was festering, with Demonic Beasts and Vicious Beasts running rampant, war fires everywhere, and requests for help from various strongholds piling up like a mountain. The priority of such a remote edge area as the Scale-Earth Rift Road was extremely low, and it would take years to be scheduled at the earliest.
Earl Mills felt unwilling, his brows knitting into a knot.
He did not believe that with the other party's position and their friendship, they couldn't even handle this small matter.
He successively contacted several other old acquaintances in the military who held different positions and had also received favors from the Albert Family or had business dealings with them.
The replies he received were exactly the same, all fobbing him off with the excuse that "the wilderness situation is turbulent, and manpower is stretched thin."
"Has the Federation's attention decreased to the point where the situation in the Serel Wilderness has deteriorated to this extent? Can't they even spare a team?"
Earl Mills' brows knitted even tighter, deep as gullies.
However, he did not think deeply about the possible oddities and tricks involved, only thinking that the chaos in the wilderness was far beyond his expectations, and that his connections seemed powerless and insignificant in the face of such a big picture involving overall defense.
He could not imagine in any case.
That the existence deep in the wilderness, which he regarded as a barbarian monster, could actually have connections with a princess of the Kingdom of Lothern behind its back.
He could not imagine that the Princess had already quietly arranged everything.
Even if the Kingdom of Lothern had declined, it still possessed a profound heritage, huge influence, and permeability; the means of a princess were by no means comparable to or resistible by a small Earl Family in the Duchy of Raymond.
Seeing that the path of the Federal Garrison had been completely blocked and there was no possibility of it working in the short term.
After repeated consideration, in order to defend the Family's honor, Earl Mills finally decided that he had to use the power of his Family's private army and go to the wilderness personally to solve this matter.
However, he did not bet all his chips on this private army.
After deep thought, he picked up the magic Communication Stone for long-distance communication again and activated a specific spiritual imprint within it.
"Charles, it's me, Mills."
The Earl's voice carried a trace of exhaustion, yet was full of expectation.
"I have encountered a very thorny matter and hope to get your help."
Charles Hines—the most dazzling hero figure to rise like a comet in the Duchy of Raymond in recent years, a famous hero who was renowned and expected by countless people!
From the moment he embarked on his adventure, he was surrounded by countless praise, flowers, and the screams of young girls.
He won every battle. Whether the opponent was a vampire entrenched in an ancient castle, a giant Demonic Beast group ravaging a village, or an Evil Dragon occupying a dangerous peak, he could always slay them with a gorgeous posture, powerful strength, and impeccable combat skills.
At only nineteen years old.
He created the shocking feat of tracking and hunting down an adult Blue Dragon of the same level as him single-handedly, escaping its Family's pursuit, and bringing its head back to the capital of the Duchy. From then on, he became famous everywhere and was sung about by bards.
Everyone firmly believed that he was destined to achieve Legendary feats and become the pillar supporting the backbone of the Duchy of Raymond in the future.
Because of his handsome appearance, having many female confidantes, and being extremely caring and respectful to women, he was also affectionately called by the world—the Flower Knight.
When this Flower Knight was just starting out, having just shown his edge in a few small conflicts on the eastern border of the Duchy.
Earl Mills, with his sharp eyes, noticed this new star.
He made a long-term and generous investment in him.
When Charles encountered funding difficulties, he provided timely financial assistance; when Charles offended local dignitaries due to missions, he used Family influence to resolve the trouble quietly; even when Charles needed certain rare equipment or intelligence, the Earl's channels could always provide convenience in time.
He provided various conveniences and support without asking for anything in return, yet never asked Charles to do anything for him.
It is worth mentioning.
The Albert Family had many such talent investments.
Every year, the Family allocated a special budget to fund those young people who showed extraordinary talent in the fields of military, magic, or adventure. Regardless of whether they were commoner Geniuses from humble backgrounds or temporarily down-and-out noble descendants.
Although most of these investments sank into the sea, or were entrusted to the wrong person, or the other party chose to forget the favors of the past after becoming successful, the Albert Family never stopped such investment behavior.
This was like sowing countless seeds of hope in the vast fields.
Even if most of them could not sprout, as long as one was willing to spend time managing them, one would sooner or later achieve some harvest.
And among the very few successful fruits, Charles Hines, the Flower Knight, was undoubtedly the most valuable one.
Now, it was time to harvest the returns of this investment.
"What is the matter, please tell me."
After receiving the response, Earl Mills took a deep breath, casting aside the restraint and pride in a noble's bones.
He complained to the rising hero warrior on the other end, almost with tears and blood in every word.
"Charles, those Evil Dragons entrenched in the Scale-Earth Rift Road, their atrocities are countless!"
"They not only cruelly killed my only brother Herato, but now they are making a comeback, trampling on the territory that the Albert Family has guarded for generations, and stepping on the glory that my Family's ancestors exchanged with blood! They treat us as nothing!"
"I am old, Charles. Watching the Family being shamed, watching my brother's blood feud unavenged, watching the territory occupied by monsters, yet I, as an Earl, am powerless. I hate my own incompetence, I have failed the spirits of my ancestors!"
The voice paused for a moment, and he sincerely requested: "Charles, I had no choice but to contact you. Now only you can help me. Please help me, help the Albert Family."
On the other end of the Communication Stone.
The young adventurer Charles Hines listened silently to his benefactor's accusation and plea.
He was in the golden age of his life, the most passionate, the most eager to make achievements, to prove his own value with glorious deeds, full of blood, full of dreams, believing in the philosophy of repaying kindness with kindness and hatred with hatred.
For many years, the kind Earl had supported his adventure journey silently without asking for anything in return, like a kind father giving him various key benefits—from precious magic potion supplies, clues to rare equipment, to resolving thorny political troubles.
At this moment, he had put down his status so much, sincerely requested his help, and pinned all the hopes of Family revival and revenge on him alone.
What heavy trust this was, and what great honor it was.
This heavy trust and entrustment instantly ignited the surging hero spirit and gratitude in the Flower Knight's heart.
The Flower Knight's chest was filled with great passion, feeling that it was his duty.
Moreover, besides repaying kindness, the story of a hero slaying an Evil Dragon was enduring, and dragon slaying was also the fastest way to become famous. Even without the old Earl's request, if he heard that an Evil Dragon was rampant somewhere, he would find a way to crusade against it.
"Mr. Mills, please rest assured."
The young knight's firm response came from the Communication Stone: "I promise you, I will solve this matter for you and return the dignity that the Albert Family deserves!"