Chapter 5: The Light of Magic

Buzz!

Upon mounting the small Dream Dragon, Russell’s dreamscape immediately underwent a massive transformation.

The dimly lit, line-drawn castle remained the same, but in the various corners of the castle, a series of lights began to rise.

This no longer surprised Russell.

After several nights of exploration, he had a general understanding of the dream’s situation. He called it the Dark Dreamscape.

In his perception, the Dark Dreamscape overlapped with the real world, or perhaps it was like another side of the real world. It was a version of the real world filtered through a “lens” that removed various distractions, leaving only the pure characteristics of magic.

The key to opening this lens was the small Dream Dragon, which glowed with golden light beneath it.

The lights rising from the corners of the castle were different types of magic.

The most prominent was the huge torch-like light on top of the dimly outlined tower. It outlined the silhouette of a two-legged dragon with flame patterns. This two-legged dragon was now sleeping like a gargoyle.

Undoubtedly, this was the image of Clay Dragon Ross in the Dark Dreamscape.

“Let’s have a look.” Russell waved his small hands in the Dark Dreamscape, which were chubby but quite agile, giving a strange feeling.

“Ga!”

The little Dream Dragon called out, flapping its wings and flying towards Clay Dragon Ross at a speed roughly equivalent to an adult walking.

It took quite a while to reach Ross.

Hovering directly in front of Ross, Russell could clearly see the outline of Ross’ magic through the flame patterns.

Fierce, mysterious, and profound.

“What a beautiful two-legged dragon, so much overflowing magic. Unfortunately, it has strong hostility towards me, a transmigrator. Can’t ride it!” Russell lamented.

All supernatural powers could be collectively referred to as magic.

Whether it was the martial arts energy of knights, the elemental power of phantoms, the dragon breath of two-legged dragons, or even the dragon flame of true dragons.

All of these powers were different forms of magic.

And the most basic magic resided in the magic herbs cultivated by the elves, which was the earth power extracted and refined from the ground beneath their feet.

“Ga!”

Apparently displeased with Russell’s praise of Clay Dragon Ross, the small Dream Dragon’s large, ox-like head turned 180 degrees and roared at Russell with a milky, crisp roar. At first listen, it sounded a bit like a duck’s quack.

“Haha, you’re jealous.” Russell stretched out his small hand and patted the little Dream Dragon’s big head, saying regretfully, “Unfortunately, I can only ride you in my dreams… I really want to ride a dragon in the real world!”

The little Dream Dragon didn’t understand, but was still unhappy: “Ga!”

“Let’s go.”

The man and the dragon flew around the silent, Dark Dreamscape, inspecting every place where magic glowed.

Most of them were knights in the castle, emitting lights of varying brightness, but most of them were dull, grayish lights. Including Russell himself, who also emitted a dull grayish light, indicating that his martial arts energy was weak.

Only three of the knights were exceptional.

One of them slept in the largest bedroom of the castle, which was Dusklight Baron Roman Fluorescent Mushroom. He emitted a bright and stable light that clearly outlined a human figure.

Next to the Baron, there was a very faint spot of light.

“Hmm, this must be Mother’s martial energy seed?” Russell thought. Due to physiological reasons, women found it difficult to cultivate martial energy, so Mother Meryl only gave birth to a martial energy seed that was unable to bloom into martial energy.

The Martial Arts Energy seed curled up in the lower abdomen, so it couldn’t outline a human figure, just a single small spot of light.

Russell turned to look around. The outline of the room was blurry, but there were bright clusters of light on the walls.

They were jewel lamps embedded in the walls.

Two-legged dragons could produce metal and gems, so most metal and gem objects had the power of dragon breath to glow in the Dark Dreamscape. However, the brightness of the emitted light varied depending on the thinness of the magic.

Only a few objects with concentrated dragon breath power could emit easily observable light.

“No changes, it seems the Baron hasn’t acquired any new treasures recently.” Russell chuckled and rode away on the little Dream Dragon.

Since awakening the Dark Dreamscape as his cheat, he checked Fluorescent Castle every day, basically figuring out the Baron’s family fortune.

How many elves, how many phantoms, how many treasures, and where the treasures were hidden, all clear.

Of course.

He had no intention of stealing. A thief is still a thief, and he didn’t want to be one.

However, if anything happened to the castle, he felt it was his duty to protect his family’s property, that’s all.

“Little Dream Dragon, let’s fly outside.”

“Ga!”

The man and the dragon slowly flew to the edge of the castle, the outer city wall. As they flew out of the outer city wall, they soon encountered an invisible barrier.

“Hmm, still not possible… It seems the Dark Dreamscape has a limited range, probably a circular area drawn around where I sleep…” Russell thought, “Whether it is or not, I’ll find out when I move into the Black Waist Snake Manor.”

“Ga!”

“Are you tired?”

“Ga!”

“Alright, then let’s end it.” Russell turned around and waved goodbye to the little dream dragon.

“Gaga!” The little Dream Dragon, though a bit silly, had learned some human communication methods after several nights of interaction.

It waved its short, thin right forelimb.

Then it turned around and slowly disappeared at the corner of the line-drawn castle. After that, the entire Dark Dreamscape plunged into darkness.

All consciousness fell into chaos.

…

“Ding ding ding!” There was a knock on the door outside the room, it was Butler Carter, “Good morning Master Russell, it’s time to get up.”

“Thank you, Mr. Carter.” On the large bed, Russell turned over, struggled for a few seconds, and reluctantly sat up.

Then he paused for a moment and smiled self-mockingly, “I didn’t expect to have to get up early even after transmigrating!”

The Baron’s family had strict discipline, not allowing children to sleep in, even though Russell had already had his coming-of-age ceremony.

“Fortunately, once I move to Black Waist Snake Manor, I can sleep until I wake up naturally every day!”

Thinking of this, Russell couldn’t wait to assemble his retinue and servants and head to his fief, even though the quality of life there was far inferior to Fluorescent Castle.

But that would still be a home entirely his own.

A home without a mortgage and with a lifetime ownership, uh, a home with an area of 20,000 hectares, that is 200 square kilometers.

The only regret was that the title of baron was a lifetime noble title, not hereditary. Once Russell died, the title and fief would be reclaimed by the lord, unable to be passed on to his descendants.

Of course.

Russell didn’t even have a partner yet, so he didn’t need to consider such a distant future.

Ding ding ding, the knock sounded again. Several maids with washbasins, toothbrushes, towels and a complete set of clean clothes were waiting at the door: “Good morning, Master Russell.”

“Please come in.” Russell had already gotten out of bed, wearing only his inner shirt.

The maids pushed the door open, each going about their duties. One started to make the bed, one cleaned up the mess on the table, one took the sink, toothbrush, and towel to the washroom, and put on the new underwear and pants.

“Master Russell, you can start washing up.” The head maid said with a smile.

“Mm, okay.” Russell let the maids do their work.

He inwardly condemned “the wicked nobility,” then went into the washroom, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and changed into his underwear and pants.

When he came out of the washroom, the room was already spick and span.

“Master Russell, the room is clean.”

“Thank you.”

The maids carried the dirty clothes, dirty sheets, etc., and left the bedroom one by one. Almost at the same time, a male servant stood at the door and knocked gently.

“Master Russell.”

“Come in.”

After the male servant entered, he immediately picked up the clean clothes brought in by the maids and helped Russell put them on, carefully tying the belt and bow tie for Russell.

There was a clear division of labor between male and female servants in noble households, and they were not to overstep their bounds-male servants could not help the female master change her clothes, and female servants could not help the male master change his clothes.

“You are getting more and more handsome, I can see the old duke’s appearance in you.” The male servant flattered.

Russell raised an eyebrow: “Have you seen my grandfather?”

“Of course, I followed the master to Bluebird Castle once and met the old duke.” The male servant obviously wasn’t just flattering, “Master Russell, my mother is sick, Butler Carter is recruiting servants, I really want to serve you, but…”