novelraw Chapter 296: Flower Knight, Dragon Quest
Chapter 296: Flower Knight, Dragon Quest
Deep within the Raymond Duchy, at the ancient and imposing castle of the Albert family.
Mills Albert, the old count with graying temples, furrowed his brow deeply, his knuckles lightly tapping on the heavy oak armrest.
The confirmed news about the Serpentine Earth Rift being captured and occupied by monster clans lay undeniably on his desk.
What weighed even heavier on his heart was that intelligence indicated those fierce monsters were likely the very followers of the dragon group that had killed his own brother—Viscount Iron Thorn, Helato Albert—over twenty years ago!
Helato Albert was Viscount Iron Thorn's true name.
He and Count Mills were blood-related brothers.
Although the Albert family had gradually faded from the military core in recent years, their foundation was built upon accumulated military achievements.
Their illustrious ancestor, a marquis who had rendered outstanding service to the Raymond Duchy and once served as a great general, stood as the best proof of this legacy.
Therefore, the family always maintained the tradition of sending their descendants to dangerous places for training.
Viscount Iron Thorn Helato and Count Mills were not only blood brothers but had also fought side by side through the bloody storms at the border, forging a camaraderie that transcended ordinary brotherhood in countless life-and-death battles.While noble relatives often had strained relationships due to conflicting interests, their bond remained thin.
However.
The kind of wartime camaraderie forged in the clash of blades, sharing life and death while guarding each other's backs, burned fiercely and intensely.
Count Mills' eventual ascension to the earldom owed much to Viscount Iron Thorn Helato's full support and mediation behind the scenes.
When news arrived of Viscount Iron Thorn's tragic death at the claws of a wilderness dragon, Count Mills had erupted in fury, repeatedly dispatching the family's private forces deep into the wilderness, swearing to avenge his brother.
Yet, the vastness of the wilderness and the ferocity of the monsters repeatedly thwarted his plans, ultimately forcing him to return empty-handed.
As months and years passed, that deeply etched hatred seemed buried by dust, and thoughts of revenge gradually faded.
Never did he imagine.
Just when he thought the past was behind him, news would arrive suggesting those very dragon followers had returned.
And this was no longer just a personal vendetta.
They had brazenly seized territory under his name, wantonly trampling upon the Albert family's generations-old honor and dignity forged with blood! This was equivalent to publicly slapping the Albert family across the face before all the duchy's nobility.
He had to respond with the swiftest, most powerful countermeasure.
Otherwise, suffering the shame of falling twice in the same hole would leave him utterly disgraced, and the Albert family would become the laughingstock and symbol of cowardice among the duchy's noble circles.
However.
The very reason Count Mills had managed to stand out among his equally brave and capable brothers to ultimately claim the earldom was because he understood better than anyone the value of calmness and rationality in the game of power.
Rage could ignite the blood but must never burn away reason.
He hadn't let the surging flames of vengeance cloud his judgment; his knuckles maintained their heavy, rhythmic tapping on the solid oak armrest as he quietly pondered, weighing the pros and cons.
"Dispatching the family's core private forces to the Serpentine Earth Rift."
"Regardless of whether we ultimately succeed in driving out or even annihilating those entrenched monsters, fighting in that damned wilderness would inevitably inflict unbearable heavy losses on our family's most valuable military assets. Training and equipping elite private troops comes at an extremely high cost—every loss cuts deep."
"Moreover, clearing wilderness threats falls squarely within the Federation garrison's duties."
"The optimal solution here is to push the Federation garrison to handle it, clearing out those damned monsters on our behalf."
The Albert family rose through military achievements, naturally maintaining intricate, generations-old networks within the duchy and even the Federation's military system.
Count Mills quickly contacted a high-ranking officer with whom he shared a close personal friendship.
After necessary pleasantries and promising substantial benefits, he tactfully made his request.
He hoped the other could maneuver to mobilize the Federation garrison in the Ser Wilderness region to handle this "minor nuisance" at the Serpentine Earth Rift, restoring the Albert family's dignity while simultaneously avenging his brother.
To Count Mills' surprise, things progressed unusually poorly.
In less than ten minutes, the response came back through the encrypted message stone.
—The situation in the Ser Wilderness has deteriorated catastrophically, with magical beasts running rampant, fires of conflict burning everywhere, and distress documents piling up from various outposts. Matters concerning remote border areas like the Serpentine Earth Rift have extremely low priority, scheduled for handling no sooner than several years from now.
Count Mills felt unwilling to accept this, his brow furrowing into deep knots.
He couldn't believe that given the other's position and their friendship, they couldn't manage such a small matter.
He contacted several other military acquaintances holding different positions who had either received favors from the Albert family or maintained interest connections with them.
Yet the responses were identical, all brushing him off with excuses about "the volatile wilderness situation" and "stretched-thin military resources."
"Has the Federation's attention diminished so much that the Ser Wilderness situation has deteriorated this badly? They can't even spare a single detachment?"
Count Mills' frown deepened, creasing like ravines.
However, he didn't dwell on potential underlying tricks or schemes, simply assuming the wilderness chaos exceeded his expectations and that his connections proved inadequate against broader defense priorities.
He could never have imagined.
That the being deep in the wilderness, whom he regarded as a savage monster, could actually have connections reaching the princess of the Lothrian Kingdom.
Nor could he imagine that Her Highness had already discreetly arranged everything behind the scenes.
Even in its decline, the Lothrian Kingdom retained profound foundations, vast influence, and extensive infiltration power. A princess's methods far surpassed what a mere earl's family in a small duchy like Raymond could match or resist.
Seeing the Federation garrison path completely blocked with no short-term possibility of success.
After repeated deliberation, to defend the family's honor, Count Mills ultimately decided he must deploy the family's private forces to personally resolve this matter in the wilderness.
However, he didn't stake all his chips on this private force alone.
After deep thought, he picked up the magical message stone used for long-distance communication again, activating a specific mental imprint within it.
"Shire, it's me, Mills."
The count's voice carried a trace of weariness yet brimmed with expectation.
"I've encountered a very troublesome matter and hope to receive your assistance."
Shire Hynes—the most dazzling, comet-like rising hero of the Raymond Duchy in recent years, a renowned famous champion upon whom countless people pinned their hopes!
From the moment he embarked on his adventurous journey, he had been surrounded by endless praise, flowers, and the screams of young maidens.
He emerged victorious from every battle, whether facing vampires haunting ancient castles, monstrous beast hordes ravaging villages, or evil dragons perched on perilous peaks—he always vanquished them with dazzling flair, formidable strength, and impeccable combat skills.
At just nineteen years old.
He achieved the astounding feat of single-handedly tracking and hunting an adult Blue Dragon of equivalent level, escaping pursuit by its clan, and bringing its head back to the ducal capital, instantly making his name renowned far and wide, celebrated in bard songs.
Everyone firmly believed he was destined for legendary greatness, destined to become a pillar supporting the Raymond Duchy's backbone in the future.
Due to his exceptionally handsome appearance, his numerous close female companions, and his extremely protective and respectful treatment of women, he was affectionately called by the world—the Flower Knight.
When this Flower Knight first emerged, just beginning to show his talent in minor conflicts along the duchy's eastern border.
The shrewd-eyed Count Mills had noticed this rising star.
He provided long-term and generous investment in him.
When Shire faced financial difficulties, he offered perfectly-timed support; when Shire offended local powerful figures due to missions, he discreetly resolved troubles using family influence; even when Shire needed certain rare equipment or intelligence, the count's channels always provided timely convenience.
He offered various conveniences and support without seeking return, yet never asked Shire to do anything for him.
It's worth noting.
The Albert family had many such talent investments.
The family allocated special annual budgets to sponsor young individuals demonstrating extraordinary talent in military, magical, or adventurous fields—whether they were commoner geniuses from humble origins or temporarily down-and-out noble scions.
Although most of these investments sank without trace—either misplaced trust or beneficiaries selectively forgetting past favors after achieving success—the Albert family never ceased such investment practices.
It was like sowing countless seeds of hope across a vast field.
Even if most failed to sprout, as long as one was willing to invest time in cultivation, eventual harvest was inevitable.
Among the very few successful harvests, the Flower Knight Shire Hynes undoubtedly stood as the most valuable one.
Now was the time to reap the returns on this investment.
"What matter? Please speak."
Upon receiving the response, Count Mills took a deep breath, casting aside the innate reserve and pride of nobility.
To the rising heroic warrior on the other end, he poured out his grievances almost tearfully, each word dripping with blood:
"Shire, those evil dragons entrenched in the Serpentine Earth Rift—their atrocities are too numerous to record!"
"They not only cruelly murdered my only brother Helato, but now they've returned, trampling upon the territory my Albert family has guarded for generations, stomping upon the honor our ancestors bought with blood! Treating us as nothing!"
"I've grown old, Shire. Watching my family suffer disgrace, seeing my brother's blood debt unpaid, witnessing monsters occupy our land—I, a count, feel utterly powerless. I despise my own incompetence! I've failed our ancestral spirits!"
His voice paused briefly before his earnest plea: "Shire, I've reached the end of my rope and had to contact you. Only you can help me now. Please help me, help the Albert family."
On the other end of the message stone.
The young adventurer Shire Hynes listened silently to his benefactor's grievances and pleas.
He was at the golden age of his life—most passionate, most eager to achieve great deeds and prove his worth through glorious exploits, filled with fervent blood, rich dreams, and believing in repaying both grudges and favors.
For years, this kind count had provided various crucial benefits without seeking return—from precious magical medicine supplies and rare equipment leads to resolving troublesome political troubles—quietly supporting his adventurous journey like a benevolent father.
Now, this very count had lowered his stature so completely, pleading with him so earnestly, placing the entire hope of family restoration and vengeance solely upon his shoulders.
What profound trust this represented, and what immense honor.
This weighty trust and commission instantly ignited the surging champion spirit and gratitude within the Flower Knight's heart.
The Flower Knight felt his chest surge with heroic passion, believing it his unshirkable duty.
And beyond repaying favors, the timeless tale of champions fighting evil dragons remained evergreen—slaying dragons offered the fastest path to fame and prestige. Even without the old count's request, if he heard of evil dragons wreaking havoc anywhere, he would seek to vanquish them.
"Mr. Mills, please set your heart at ease."
The message stone conveyed the young knight's resolute response: "I assure you, I will resolve this matter for you and restore the Albert family's rightful dignity!"