The Defeated Dragon

The night before departure.

Baron Liszt went to the winery in the workshop area. Frank Distiller, Aberdeen Pudding and Huntela had been drumming up distilled liquor for more than a month.

News of any results never came to the castle.

“So, over this long period of time, apart from continuing to brew beer, rice wine, and fruit wine, you still haven't been able to make white wine?”

He asked with a poor expression on his face.

The head of the brewery, Frank Distiller had the same name as Levis' tutor, Frank. “My Lord, we've figured out how to do distillation, but the distilled drink doesn't seem to taste like white wine at all.”

“Take out the wine you made.”

Soon, the liquor they worked on was in front of Liszt.

Frank explained, "According to the methods you have provided, my Lord, we understood that during the distillation process, the water in the fermented drink evaporates first , and the rest is wine. With repeated distillation, you can get white wine, but we have distilled it so many times but it was still smelly, sour, bitter, and salty.”

 Liszt dipped in a little white wine.

He didn't like drinking the white wine and the castle gin either. Compared to the gin in the castle, the white wine brewed in Flower Town tasted really bad and the smell was strange. He could distinguish some odd smell and a sour taste. The fragrance was also barely there and he could feel that the alcohol content was not very high.

“You distilled over and over again, and you get this 'intense' drink?”

“There is a stronger one, but that may … it may not be alcohol anymore.”

“Take it out.”

Soon the stronger drink was presented. Liszt dipped just a little but it stung him hard, not to mention the spicy taste that accompanied it. It also had a heavy stench and rotten taste.

This is definitely the fermentation process, or the distillation process, but something went wrong.

All three of them were standing awkwardly. They saw Liszt's response and felt ashamed. Liquor distillation was not a difficult problem. But as a result, after studying Liszt's ideas for more than a month, a qualified liquor was still not produced.

“Amazing productivity!”

His stomach was not taking the drink well, but could not say it out loud.

The three in front of them were the only three winemakers in Flower Town.

If they were mediocre talented, they wouldn't have been sent to Flower Town…but they were probably the best remaining craftsmen, so one cannot possibly expect a better output than theirs.

Liszt restrained his anger, “Forget it, continue to improve the process … I'm going to take the low- alcohol intensity bottles.”

The three were not punished in the end.

At least, the spirits have been distilled, and sooner or later, a way to remove the strange smell can be found.

The purpose was to invent a special brew that belongs to Flower Town.

Liszt had Thomas carry the bottled drink  as they returned to the castle. He plans to bring the semi-finished spirit to the Tulip Castle.

But not as a gift, but to seduce Levi's, draw a big cake to each other. [1]

His liquor business was struggling but destined to be profitable. This trip to Tulip Castle, he definitely plans to enjoy being treated as an honored guest, taking with him ironware and iron ore.

—————–

The next morning.

The servants were busy carrying gifts from Flower Town to the carriage.

Randy and Russell were warming up to the other knights. They were determined to follow Liszt to Coral City. Liszt was no longer an ordinary n.o.ble. His ident.i.ty means he could no longer go out unrecognized. Thomas was holding Tremblingwoods, who is an essential member of Liszt's party.

Another boy servant, Tom, was holding a beautiful jade box, in which the thorn sprite Ella was sleeping. Its birth was destined to be the focus of so much attention. The letters the knights have brought clearly mentioned that the Count hoped that Liszt would bring Ella to Tulip Castle and that Liszt would present to his father the new member of the Tulip family.

n.o.bles considered sprites as family members.

Gort arrived early as well, but this time, it was not his business. He was deeply sorry not to to attend the grand feast, but the things he needed to worry about were far more serious than attending feasts – his wife and children are coming to Flower Town to celebrate this year's festival.

If he doesn't work things out, his little lover, Freya, and the illegitimate child in her stomach will be exposed.

The sun rose.

The snow-covered Flower Town sparkled under the light.

"Carter, I might stay in Tulip Castle for a few days. Until then, I leave the castle to you." Liszt's fitted frac habillé  made him particularly attractive.

“Master, please rest a.s.sured.”

Carter led the remaining servants to watch Liszt leave.

Liszt rode a dragon horse and turned around heading to his companions. Behind him was Paris carrying a big sword. She was wearing a mask and also rode a horse to follow Liszt. She was a personal guard, after all. On this occasion, it was natural for her to protect Liszt.

The group set off on a mighty journey.

On the road from Flower Town to Thorns Ridge, the road was very good, all sand and stone. The snow was shoveled by the town's organizers. But out of Flower Town, it transitioned into a muddy road, and the contrast was obvious.

Fortunately, the party either rode a horse or rode in a horse-drawn carriage. No one was walking and it made their travel faster.

They enjoyed the snowy landscape on the way, except in the areas where snow was the thickest. But when they left the North Valley City and headed to the forest-city boundary, snow was nowhere to be seen, only muddy roads.

They arrived at about 10 in the morning.

They entered Coral City and the stench reached Liszt instantly. However, he prepared by pinning fragrant tulip flowers on his chest.

It was a red tulip with a very strong scent.

Tulip flowers and other dried flowers are popular in Coral City, but even after living in Coral City over the years, people could not possibly get used to the stinky smell.

Fortunately, the convoy just pa.s.sed by and headed straight for Tulip Castle.

The majestic Tulip Castle was still surrounded by a sea of ​​flowers. Colorful tulips flourished in the cold wind. It can be seen that on the southern part of the hillside, there is a large purple patch -the black tulip has occupied the largest area of ​​the sea of ​​flowers.

The Tulip's Great Sprite was among the black tulips.

Ascending along the hillside, the guard knights of Tulip Fort soon came to meet the team until the convoy was led to the gate of Tulip Castle and handed over to the castle's servants.

Steward Lewis already needs to walk with a cane.

But every time the count's children came back to the castle, he personally greeted them by the door. For him, these young little Tulips were children whom he had witnessed growing up.

“Every day when the sun rises, I think of my son, like the round red sun. But the happiest thing is to see you come back to the castle like a tired bird.”The old man's words, like poems, have various metaphors.

Liszt rolled off his horse and smiled, “Grandpa Lewis, you just had to welcome us in person. How are you doing?"

[1] Chinese idiom, used to describe someone who uses fantasy to satisfy oneself , also means  empty reputation that is of no practical value.