Chapter 384: Chapter 344: The Wedding Date Nears, the Duke Arrives

Raylo raised his glass, took a sip of fruit wine, and gazed out the window toward the northwest, where the sky was shrouded in night.

In a contest between two Catastrophe Level powerhouses, anyone who rashly interfered would likely be ground to dust in a war that, to the powerful, was a game of chess, but to those beneath them, was a meat grinder.

「One week later.」

The shadows of the Crimson Bloodline and the Witch Demon King were temporarily cast beyond the northwestern border of Black Stone Territory.

The territory was now immersed in an unprecedentedly festive atmosphere.

The once solid, solemn, and even somewhat coarse Black Stone Castle had been completely renovated.

The mottled walls were freshly painted, the flagstone streets washed clean, and the houses on both sides fitted with new doors and windows.

Blooming flowers adorned every windowsill, and colorful ribbons stretched from eave to eave, transforming the entire castle into a sea of joy.

All this was to celebrate their Lord’s wedding, and the entirety of Black Stone Territory offered their sincerest blessings to the Count.

That afternoon, warm sunlight bathed Black Stone Territory.

Raylo was dressed in a finely tailored suit befitting a Count, its black fabric embroidered with his family emblem, cutting an imposing and heroic figure.

He stood before the main keep with Personal Guard Captain Ed and a group of Knights behind him.

On the distant horizon, a plume of dust began to rise.

Soon, a massive procession came into view.

At the very front of the procession, a Young Dragon over five meters long circled joyfully in the sky. Its body was covered in blue-violet scales, and with every flap of its wings, fine arcs of electricity sparked and danced between them.

A young man rode on the dragon’s back, his face alight with a triumphant smile.

Behind this Thunder Dragon was an entire Knight Brigade a thousand strong.

Aiden Duke’s Thunder Dragon Knight Order.

In the center of this powerful escort, a massive, magnificently decorated carriage slowly approached.

’It’s Arthur.’

A smile touched the corners of Raylo’s lips.

’That kid, Arthur... he’s finally bonded with his own Giant Dragon.’

The young man in the sky had clearly spotted Raylo, too. He excitedly urged the Thunder Dragon into a somewhat clumsy dive, circling a spire of Black Stone Castle and drawing a collective gasp from the residents below.

Raylo looked up at the sky and gave a helpless shake of his head.

Soon, the procession came to a halt before the main keep.

Arthur leaped nimbly from his Thunder Dragon’s back, rushed over to Raylo in a few steps, and tilted his head up, his tone filled with unconcealable pride.

"Brother! Look, this is my partner, Thunderbolt! Isn’t he cool?"

The Young Dragon, Thunderbolt, also ambled closer. Its massive head swiveled about curiously as it snorted out two sparks of electricity with a smell of burnt ozone.

"Very cool, Arthur. Well done."

Raylo smiled and patted his younger brother’s shoulder, his gaze shifting past him to the carriage, whose door had just opened.

Aiden Duke was the first to alight from the carriage. He was a tall man, and a look of satisfaction crossed his face as he surveyed the renovated Black Stone Castle.

Following close behind was Lady Anna. She wore a graceful, long dress and had a gentle, warm smile.

Lillian was the last to step out.

Today, the young mage had traded her usual Mage Robe for a fiery red gown, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

As soon as she saw Raylo, she gathered the hem of her skirt and ran over to give him a big hug.

"Brother, congratulations!"

Lillian said, looking up at him.

"Welcome to Black Stone Territory."

Smiling, Raylo greeted his parents in turn with a respectful bow.

"Impressive."

Aiden Duke’s comment was terse, but his tone held clear approval.

’This son of his had truly built something remarkable in the barren lands of the Northern Territory.’

Just then, a low roar echoed from above the castle.

Everyone looked up to see the massive Golden Dragon, Sun, lounging on a wide terrace, its enormous golden eyes curiously observing the Thunder Dragon Knight Order below.

The moment Thunderbolt saw Sun, it visibly flinched and let out a low whimper from its throat.

"Whoa, is that Sun?"

Arthur’s eyes lit up, filled with awe and longing.

"He is," Raylo replied. "My knightly companion."

That night, the banquet hall of Black Stone Castle was brightly lit.

The long banquet tables were covered with white tablecloths, and the silverware gleamed in the candlelight.

The aroma of roasted whole lamb filled the air, and servants bustled about, carrying platters of exquisite dishes.

Raylo sat at the head of the table, with Aiden Duke and Lady Anna on his right, and Lillian and Arthur on his left.

Ed and the other core members of Black Stone Territory were also present.

"To Raylo, and to Black Stone Territory!"

Aiden Duke raised his glass, his voice booming.

"And to the coming wedding!"

"To Lord Earl!"

Everyone in the hall cheered in unison, the atmosphere fervent.

Arthur bragged to Lillian through a mouthful of roasted meat.

"Sis, did you see? My Thunderbolt, in a few years, will definitely be even more impressive than Sun!"

Lillian cut into the steak on her plate without looking up.

"Is that so? All I saw was him nearly burying his head in the ground after one glare from Sun."

"Th-That’s the respect a Young Dragon shows to an adult Giant Dragon!"

Arthur’s face flushed red as he retorted defensively.

Watching her son and daughter bicker, Lady Anna’s face was all smiles.

She looked at Raylo and asked in a gentle voice.

"Raylo, are the wedding preparations all set? Is there anything we can help with?"

"Everything has been taken care of."

Raylo replied.

"We’re just waiting for the bride to arrive."

Aiden Duke took a sip of wine and set down his glass. His expression grew serious as he looked at Raylo.

"I’ve heard about the matter with the Crimson Bloodline to the northwest. You did well. Staying out of it was the right choice."

Raylo nodded.

"In a fight between jackals and tigers, we have no need to be the lamb that gets caught in the crossfire."

"The situation in the Northern Territory is growing more and more complex."

Aiden Duke’s knuckles tapped lightly on the tabletop.

"The Witch Demon King, the Crimson Prince... these monsters that have been dormant for hundreds of years are all starting to emerge."

"I understand, Father."

The father and son made no effort to hide their conversation, and the atmosphere in the hall quieted slightly as a result.

But the somber mood was quickly dispelled by renewed joy.

Lillian began to tell amusing stories about her experiences building the Magic Academy in Amber Territory, while Arthur boasted about how he had earned Thunderbolt’s recognition during the bonding ceremony with his "wisdom and courage."

Laughter and cheerful chatter filled the banquet hall once more.

The next day, Black Stone Castle awoke in the early morning mist.

Aiden Duke and his retinue took up residence in the castle.

Arthur’s Thunder Dragon Knight Order didn’t take up the castle’s already limited space, instead setting up camp on an open field outside the castle walls.

Banners emblazoned with the Thunder Dragon Emblem snapped in the wind, and the shouts of Knights during their drills injected new vitality into this corner of the Northern Territory.

Aiden Duke, however, had no intention of resting.

The day after the banquet, he commandeered a meeting room on the castle’s first floor, turning it into a temporary office.

Messenger ravens from the National Capital arrived ceaselessly, delivering the latest intelligence and state affairs. It was as if the core of the Duchy’s power had temporarily relocated to this northern castle with his arrival.

When Raylo pushed open the door to the meeting room, Aiden Duke was standing before a massive map of the Duchy, his finger tracing a slow path across it.

He was not in his formal ducal attire, but a crisp, practical suit of clothes. His hair was impeccably styled, and his entire presence was like a sword about to be drawn from its sheath.

"Father."

Aiden Duke turned and gestured for Raylo to come closer.

Aiden Duke’s gaze shifted to the vast green area on the map northeast of Black Stone Territory.

"Jade Swamp. I hear it hasn’t been quiet there lately either."

"The sleeping Nine-headed Demon Serpent is showing signs of waking."

Raylo said.

Aiden Duke nodded.

The Nine-headed Demon Serpent was already slumbering when Aiden Duke founded the Thunder Dragon Duchy. Even so, the Duchy had to muster its full strength merely to contend with the Catastrophe Level overlord’s offspring and its endless supply of Domain Level subordinates.

It was precisely because of the existence of this overlord, the Nine-headed Demon Serpent of Jade Swamp, that the Thunder Dragon Duchy had not expanded to the northeast in the decades since its founding.