Chapter 33: The Past

The successful hunt of twelve Snow Ghosts solidified Russell’s position as Lord, earning him more recognition from his parents.

Lunch at the castle was short, however. After telling a few stories to his sister Rora, Russell left empty-handed. He couldn’t take any more supplies with him this time.

Despite the Baron’s vast wealth, he couldn’t afford to keep giving Russell supplies every time he visited – if this continued, the castle would soon be drained.

Upon returning to Black Waist Snake Manor, Russell noticed a long procession heading toward the estate. It wasn’t a noble’s four-wheeled carriage, but rather a two-wheeled cart pulled by mules. The cart was heavily laden with lumber, the wheels nearly buckling under the weight. A group of ragged peasants followed behind, holding the wood and pushing the cart, struggling especially as they passed through the rough patches in the road, chanting to coordinate their efforts.

“My lord, you’re back!” Charles greeted with a smile. “Lord Ertras has personally led the convoy to deliver the lumber.”

“Oh, Lord Ertras is here?” Russell asked.

“He’s in the manor’s guest house having tea.”

Russell quickly made his way to the guesthouse, where he met Lord Ertras, the Lord of Red Falcon Estate and a Fantasy Beast Knight.

“Lord Ertras, I didn’t expect you to come in person.”

“Ha! Russell, you’ve grown up!” Ertras patted Russell’s arm. “You have gained some determination since your coming-of-age ceremony. It seems that being a Lord really helps you mature quickly. When I was your age, I hadn’t even killed a snow ghost.”

Ertras was one of Baron Roman’s most trusted men, a vassal and one of the five titled lords who had fought alongside him for many years with great strength and influence.

The timber transfer was handled by Charles and the others. Russell spent the rest of the time drinking tea with Ertras and listening to him boast about past battles in the Snowlands.

“I fought alongside the Baron in the Snowlands, clearing trade routes. Over the years, I’ve killed countless Snow Ghosts. They seem endless, as though we can never get rid of them,” mused Ertras. “They say Snow Ghosts are the dead coming back to life, but I don’t believe it.”

“You don’t believe that explanation, Lord Ertras?” Russell asked.

“Of course not. There aren’t that many dead people, and besides, only those who have trained martial energy can turn into snow ghosts, so the number should be smaller. But look, despite how many we’ve killed, has the number of Snow Ghosts decreased?”

“Actually, they haven’t decreased.”

“Right? So the Snow Ghosts aren’t people who have been transformed into monsters… Well, I guess some of them might be. I’ve seen it myself, a fallen comrade coming back as a Snow Ghost. But overall, it’s hard to say.”

It was almost universally accepted that snow ghosts were the reanimated corpses of people who had practiced martial energy. But after hearing Erra’s words, Russell felt that something didn’t add up. How many people must die for humanity to have been hunting Snow Ghosts for thousands of years and still not be able to wipe them out? Even if people continued to die, it still wouldn’t explain the sheer number of Snow Ghosts.

Especially now, knights fought against the Snow Ghosts in the Snowlands, and whenever a comrade died in battle, they would immediately put them down to prevent them from turning into Snow Ghosts.

So where did the Snow Ghosts really come from? The origin of these creatures remained a mystery.

The conversation soon turned to the Snow Demons. Russell asked, “Lord Ertras, have you ever fought the Snow Demons?”

“Ha! Of course, I’ve fought them!” Ertras’ beard seemed to lift with excitement. “We call the snow ghosts ‘green-skinned,’ and we call the snow demons ‘blue-skinned. They’re even bigger than the big green-skinned ones, and some of them ride Snow Beasts. Do you know Snow Beasts? They’re nothing like those Ghost Beasts!”

The snow ghosts were the reanimated corpses of humans, while the ghost beasts were the reanimated animals, all of which came back to life under the influence of the snow demons’ power. They were all called “ghosts,” and the Snow Demons were the cause of the disaster that froze the Dragonmire Continent.

According to legend, the Snow Demons came from another world, taking the fire of Dragonmire Continent with them and leaving behind eternal ice, a curse that even the sun could not melt.

The Snow Demons come in two forms: humanoid Snow Demons and beast-like Snow Demons, also known as Snow Beasts.

“When we see the blue-skinned ones riding snow beasts, we usually just run away. Ha, those ‘riding blue-skinned ones’ can only be handled by the two-legged dragons. Your grandfather once rode a Ross and killed a blue-skinned rider, earning him great fame,” Ertras recalled with a deep sigh. “It’s a pity you weren’t born then. Lord Rod, your grandfather, fought alongside the Duke in the Snowlands and died in battle. Alas… the Baron never got to ride a dragon, so when we meet the riding blue-skinned ones, we just turn and run.”

Russell sighed in agreement.

He had heard of his grandfather’s heroic deeds but had never met him, though his grandmother, Old Lady Ingrid, spoke of him occasionally. His grandfather, Rod Fluorescent Mushroom, was the second generation Dusklight Baron and had ridden Ross, which meant he was a Dragon Knight.

Dragon Knights, or Dragon Riders, were renowned figures in the Grand Duchy of Shadowflame. Rod’s name was legendary in the land. Unfortunately, five years before Russell was born, in the year 5560 of the Dragon Calendar, Rod had accompanied the Duke to hunt the Snow Demons, but had accidentally unleashed the wrath of the Snow Giants.

The Snow Giants were the monarchs of the Snow Demons – giant creatures capable of tearing apart two-legged dragons and even fighting actual dragons.

As a result, the battle resulted in the death of the Duke, the injury of the Shadowflame Dragon, and the death of Dragon Knight Rod. The only survivor was young Ross, who managed to escape back to the realm.

“If it hadn’t been for that battle with the Snow Giants, Lord Rod wouldn’t have died so young… The Fluorescent Mushroom family might have risen even further, perhaps becoming earls with great lands,” Ertras mused before shaking his head with a chuckle. “Ah, no use dwelling on the past. True nobility must be earned through one’s own efforts. Russell, you must grow quickly, and then we’ll follow Baron Roman and work our way up to the title of Earl!”

“Of course!” Russell replied.

By the time the timber was delivered, night had fallen. Ertras had only a brief dinner at the manor guesthouse before departing, leading his convoy of peasants back to Red Falcon Estate in the dark.

“Five gold, twenty-three silver, and sixteen copper. Lord Ertras’s attendants are really tough negotiators, not even rounding off the change,” Charles muttered, slightly drunk, as he wished Russell good night. “I’m sure the Lord instructed it himself. He’s so generous at the banquet, but so stingy behind the scenes!”

Russell laughed and waved it off. “Red Falcon Estate isn’t in a great location, and their resources are limited. They rely on timber, so it’s normal for them to be a bit stingy. Now get some rest.”

After sending Charles off, Russell headed to his study.

Soon Morris, the butler, entered with a bottle of red wine. “My lord.”

“Perfect timing, Morris. How much do we have left in the accounts? We should still be able to afford to build a windmill without depleting our savings.”

“We can support ourselves for a while, my lord. I’ve brought the ledger.” Morris set down the ledger and poured a glass for both himself and Russell.

Drinking wine and going over the accounts at night was a staple routine for noble lords.

Russell had a rough idea of the balance. He’d brought over a hundred gold coins from Fluorescent Castle, and there hadn’t been much spending in the few days since. Supplies of food and drink were still sufficient, as much of it had been brought from the castle and would last for several more months.