Home

If that were the case, then when the Earl saw that his highly anticipated eldest son was actually an idiot, Freyr suddenly, from the depths of his heart, understood the Earl's feelings! As a father, he might endure having a useless son. But as the leader of the family, he absolutely could not tolerate a useless heir! Because he had to bear the responsibility for the future of such a great family!

Noticing the bewildered look on his young master's face, Focker was somewhat surprised. He cautiously asked, "My lord, shall we continue our journey home?"

"Home... oh, home," Freyr responded absentmindedly. Suddenly, an unstoppable thought surged in his mind! Home! Yes, home!

Since arriving in this world, what he lacked most was a sense of belonging to it! His indifference to the things around him, his emotional suppression over the years... the fundamental reason was that he had never considered himself a part of this world, but rather a spectator of it!

Home... what a warm word.

Freyr suddenly felt a peculiar anticipation about returning to the ancestral residence! If returning to his real home was impossible, then finding a sense of belonging for his heart would suffice. After all, life must go on.

A smile finally appeared on the young man's face, and a glimmer of expectation shone in his eyes!

The ancestral home of the Russell family is located in the southwest of the Russell Plain, where a tributary of the Russell River flows by. The fertile land along the riverbank is dotted with several farms, and there are towns nearby. Following the tributary downstream, one would pass through a picturesque valley.

This is where the illustrious Russell family originated. Hundreds of years ago, when the Russell family's territory consisted of only a small village and they were merely minor nobility, the Russell family's bloodline had already begun to proliferate in this land.

The carriage passed through a dark forest and along a smooth path, from which one could see a small valley to the left, and in the distance to the right, a tall tower that marked the Russell ancestral home.

After centuries of family glory, the small village of a few hundred years ago no longer existed. The original ancestral home, having undergone numerous renovations and reconstructions, had grown to considerable scale.

A crimson stone wall surrounded a castle built from white boulders quarried from the nearby valley. It was said that the valley was once a hill, but after centuries of quarrying, the hill had transformed into a valley.

The arrival of the family head's eldest son naturally attracted significant attention. The 300 private soldiers stationed at the castle had donned their most formal attire early in the day, forming ranks outside the red walls of the castle. The grand arched gate, viewed from the carriage, appeared imposing to Freyr. In his eyes, the thick stone wall could serve as a robust defense if necessary.

As befits a family with a storied military history in the empire, the 300 soldiers guarding the castle were evidently well-trained. They sat straight on horseback, displaying excellent riding skills and superior equipment. Freyr later learned that these 300 soldiers were the elite, selected from private forces across the territory, and their combat capability rivaled that of the imperial regular army.

The castle's main structure featured two towers, one notably taller, even surpassing the height of the distant hill. Freyr, knowledgeable in family history, knew this was due to a family leader with a unique interest. Although a military general, this leader had a fascination with astrology and even married a female astrologer. The tall tower was built for her to observe the stars.

A red carpet stretched from the castle's gate inward. As the carriage halted, a white-haired elder approached. This tall, thin old man, dressed in a gray formal suit, had a stern yet respectful expression and carried himself with impeccable etiquette.

As Freyr stepped out of the carriage, the elder bowed deeply, "Young Master, I am Spencer Russell, the steward here. I learned of your imminent arrival three days ago. Everyone in the castle is ready to welcome you. Please, follow me."

With that, the old steward turned and respectfully led Freyr up the steps. His manners were flawless; he guided Freyr onto the red carpet while carefully walking beside it. Freyr felt as if he were walking the red carpet at Cannes, just missing the photographers.

Entering the grand hall on the first floor of the castle, a massive flame-like banner greeted them. The banner, about 25 feet tall and 20 feet wide, occupied an entire wall. It bore the family crest: two crossed swords entwined with iris flowers and topped with a crown.

All the servants in the castle, dressed in uniform, stood on either side to welcome Freyr. Uninterested in this peculiar "inspection ceremony," Freyr nodded casually and whispered, "Mr. Steward, please take me to the study... as for the rest, you may disperse."

The old steward, Spencer, carried out Freyr's orders meticulously, soon leading him to a study. However, Freyr preferred to call it a "library" because it was incredibly vast.

The circular room had a high domed ceiling, with statues of distinguished ancestors standing around. The room was lined with towering bookshelves, two stories high, filled with countless books. Freyr roughly estimated there were at least tens of thousands of volumes.

The room also housed many metal cabinets for storing family maps, land deeds, and other ancient and significant documents. As a family with a military legacy, even the study featured weapons. One wall displayed an ancient sword and an axe, their blades gleaming from regular polishing.

One bookshelf held several cabinets containing various weapons, mostly antiques. Among them were a century-old imperial military short bow, an old knight's broadsword, a long cavalry saber, and a black ironwood bow.

Freyr was drawn to the weapons, clearly impressed by how well-maintained they were. Despite their age, they still gleamed ominously.