The Defeated Dragon

In the vast sea, talks about sea monsters were something that sailors cannot do away with. Other than those, storms and disasters were also common topics.

Also in the list are ghost ships, singing demons, and so on, all of which were often mentioned by sailors.

The Devil's Cloud is a mixed tale of storms and ghost ships. Liszt was a stranger to the origin of this story.

Pointing to the dark clouds rolling in the distant sky and the lightning visible against the dark clouds, the captain spoke fearlessly,  “The devil's cloud … it is the result of the demons of Marquis Cohen!”

"Marquis Cohen?”

Liszt quickly remembered that there was a fixed keel in his gem s.p.a.ce. According to Captain Kos...o...b..ck in Flower Town, the keeling technique was derived from the mage family of Marquis Cohen. When the marquis partic.i.p.ated in a court coup, his family collapsed and the keeling technique was lost.

“Captain Marquis…Marquis Cohen… once the king of navigation who crossed the Blue Sea, is said to have been to the Devil's Sea, and obtained the power of the Devil!”

The captain trembled as he watched the cloud of lightning closing in.

There were no legends about G.o.ds in this world, but there certainly were a lot of stories about demons. The waters beyond the blue sea is called the Devil's Sea because, according to legend, the devil's sea is the demon's hunting ground that even dragon knights dare not cross it.

Liszt, however, shouted impatiently. “What a mess! Marquis Cohen was just a Marquis who lived a hundred years ago. He was guilty of a crime, violated the law and was strangled to death in a prison on Blue Dragon Island! “

The Captain smiled bitterly. “But……There are sailors who have seen the devil's cloud, there are ghost ships, hanging the flag of Marquis Cohen's head, which is burning with green fire, and it can become skulls that will suck all the blood out of people!”

“Morrodo! “

The ship's deputy manager, Raneiri, just arrived and heard everything the Captain said. He immediately stopped him by saying, “Put aside your nonsense! Your lords are more knowledgeable than you are, and keep your nonsense to yourself ! Just try to get through this storm!”

After that, Raneiri told the three siblings, “Sorry, Masters.. Madame.. Morrodo is very fond of talking nonsense, but he certainly has the means to weather this storm…..Let him stay in the captain's room and direct the sailors on how to fight the storm. Please rest in the cabin first.”

But Liszt  didn't want to rest. He wanted to figure out what Captain Morrodo would say more about the Devils' Cloud.

Levis,however, who had determined that Morrodo was just talking gibberish, had already taken the lead out. He thought about it and decided that he had to leave the captain's room first. It was , after all, not suitable to disturb Morrodo's command. 

In the cabin.

Ranieri asked the accompanying footmen to serve coffee and explained, “Masters and Madame, please forgive Captain Morrodo's nonsense. He was once the best captain in Red Crab Island, commanding ships and breaking through the whirlpool of death. Only later in his life, he was. .h.i.t by some blows. His son died in a storm accident. “

A story of dog's blood [1] came from Ranieri's mouth.

Five years ago, Morrodo's family was harmonious and happy. He had an only son who was handsome and had a bright idea for his future. His dream was to command a segoing ship to gallop across the Blue Sea like his father. In order to achieve this dream, the young man started as a sailor and worked all the way up to being a first mate, finally having the opportunity to command a segoing ship on his own. 

But three months later, the ship did not return and only two sailors came back.

They claimed that the ship met the devil, the devil in the storm clouds, the ghost ship flying the flag of Marquis Cohen's family and engulfed their ship.

Morrodo's son was devoured by the devil. The two sailors that survived were unconscious on a wooden board and were rescued by a pa.s.sing merchant ship.

“From then on, Morrodo firmly believed that the Devil's Cloud would find him sooner or later. Seeing the storm clouds, he decided it was the Devil's Cloud that came to find him…He had a high rank on the ship, and he personally trained the sailors. So when he said that it was the Devil's Cloud, they also cried that it was the Devil's Cloud.”

After listening,  Levis was frowning. “Mr. Ranieri, since Morodo has become a lunatic, why is the Longtaro castle keeping him as captain?”

Ranieri said awkwardly, “His experience is an irreplaceable treasure. In the sea, he can always overcome storms. No one is more suitable to be a captain than him. When the Marquis was still able to fight, he would take the Morrodo's segoing vessel every time to go overseas. Also,  doing so never posed any harm. “

Levis raised his eyebrows but did not continue to talk. After all, Morrodo was the meritorious captain of the Longtaro Castle.

Being occasionally silly is not enough to abandon someone.

Liszt looked at his brother and sister and saw that they had calmed down, but he still felt a little unsteady. He pushed the door and went out immediately. “I'm a little bored. I'll go up and see what's going on.”

“Lord Baron, do you feel uneasy?” Paris followed.

Liszt did not reply and only touched Tremblingwoods' fur. He cast his Magic Eye to observe the dark clouds and lightning that were almost rolling over their ship. It was like a black wall, growling to cut off the connection between this sea and the world, isolating the sailing ship from the world as fast as possible.

The picture of the sky half black and half white was enough to make people tremble.

In the view of Magic Eye, the black clouds and rolling lightning lay hints of magic, but it was as if it were merely a magical reaction to the lightning. When the lightning strikes, there is a trace of magic. But when the lightning went out, the magic was gone.

“It's not the magic of a ghost ship, it's just the lightning that stimulates the magic to appear." 

Liszt has seen lightning, and at that time, he realized that lightning can inspire magic.

If there really was a ghost ship, he could have easily seen the ghosts hidden in the keel just as the Magic Eye can easily see the magic of the ghost ship.

But there was none, meaning it was not the Devil's Cloud, but just a normal storm at sea.

Liszt finally relaxed.

But he was still  nervous and frustrated. “I should have brought the Calm Pearl beads! If I could go back in time, I would have asked Glanny Truth to make another pearl for me! I would have had him turn the biggest black pearl to a Calm Pearl! I hate storms!"

He was quick to restrain himself from his impatience.

He touched Tremblingwoods'  fur and said, "Tremblingwoods has already  learned how to swim,so I can ride him on sea … he can also release rock thorns in the sea so killing ordinary sea monsters should not be difficult.”

However, he also quickly thought of a problem.

He immediately ordered his follower, Philip, “Tell Sir Layden to remember to send someone to watch the raft, and when that's done, make sure that the raft is in our hands.”

“Yes, my Lord!”

Suddenly,he remembered that Paris was right next to him. His selfish words must have been heard by her. She must be despised of him already and would feel less loyal to him.

But his brain worked fast so turning around, he said directly to Paris who hadn't yet responded. “If the storm capsizes the ship, you must remember to follow me and keep following me. There are only a few life rafts on board and it won't save many people. I don't want you to get hurt.”

Paris, who was unsure of everything, was immediately moved. “I……I know……Thank you. I should be the one protecting you.”

“Stay alive and you will have your chance to protect me.”

At that moment, the Oscar little gold man statue should be given to Liszt.

[1] the use of the same old, repeated boring scenes or story sequences in a TV drama or film.

"You jump, I jump!"

Liszt stood on the ship's bow and Paris followed like a lost ignorant little girl.

He has always felt like there was nothing to be moved about by what he said, although his words were as loud and descriptive as thunderbolt.

But at that moment when he looked at Paris, he could tell that she was completely moved by what he said. At that moment too, he realized that men and women really are two different creatures. When he finished that sentence, gooseb.u.mps appeared on his skin. It repulsed him to imagine that he could speak out with a little affection.

But the most important thing was that Paris completely believed him and he could tell by the way her eyes softened.

"The road to complete discipline is broad but profound.. Only men can talk about honor and the benefits of achievements with high regard.. Women, on the other hand, speak of honor and interest as secondary priorities, and always from an emotional point of view.." At this moment, many insights welled up in Liszt's mind, and his knowledge of women reached a new level.

He then realized why he has always chased girls in his previous life to no avail. Even when he made an ice cream for a girl with his own two hands , he still did not win her favor.

There was one simple reason…no, two.

He was not handsome, and he didn't talk.

But now, he is handsome, and has also learned how to talk. “”The mercenary's loyalty to me has increased by about 10 points, from 70, it could run for 100.”

The thunderclouds continued to approach hence the atmosphere started fleeting. The sky was completely dark, with only lightning to be seen.

“Let's go back to the cabin first!”

“Okay!”

Tremblingwoods was also pulled into the cabin.

Levis and Lvera were informed of them entering the cabin. The three siblings looked at each other and instantly knew that if they were really in danger, the life rafts would be prioritized to them and the ship's sailors would be sacrificed if and when necessary.

Liszt's conscience ached, so he sat down and sighed in his heart. “I hope nothing bad happens and we get to Red Crab Island safely.”

Thunderclap!

A lightning bolt was seen out of the window, a dark cloud shrouded the sailboat. The storm was. .h.i.tting them completely. 

The wind howled and bean-sized raindrops rattled the ship. The fast sailing ship, which was originally stable, swung rapidly in the wind and waves. Liszt held the wall with one hand and calmly looked out of the window.

It was too dark to see anything except lightning.

It seemed as if a large mouth was swallowing the whole ship. The faint shouts of the sailors from above deck could be heard inside the cabin. They were trying to control the hull and prevent it from being overturned by the wind. At sea, the wind and the waves are the main contributors for vessel accidents. But experienced captains surely knew how to avoid them.

At that moment, the waves were not that huge, it was the strong wind accompanying the waves that made the ship roll around like a beaten toy.

The three siblings who have probably never experienced a storm at sea were nervous. But they found out that although the ship was wobbling, it would rise up from the waves everytime it sank. Even after a long while, there was no sign that the ship would actually turn over. They finally relaxed themselves while looking out the window. There was no sign of a ghost ship at all.

“Morrodo was really talking nonsense. Where is the ghost ship of Marquis Cohen now?” Levis scorned.

“Did Marquis Cohen really die in a prison on Blue Dragon Island?”

“Yes, this is not a secret. When Marquis Cohen partic.i.p.ated in the coup and failed, he was immediately imprisoned by the then Grand Duke. All of his family was captured, then secretly executed in prison. The Sapphire Family did not create their glory today with a soft heart. “

Levis said in an adoring tone as if he was surrounded by the Sapphire Family.

——–

It was as Levis had said, a normal storm.

Half an hour later, the clouds were still hanging over the sky, but the lightning had stopped, the rain and the gale had subsided. The ship had stabilized.

“The storm is over.” Lvera stretched her waist.

But before she could finish, the lookout climbed to the top of the mast and sounded the horn again. It was a low horn sound, like it was spreading darkness in the  environment. Everything suddenly felt gloomy.

“What's going on?”

It didn't take too many words. With the constant horn sounds, everyone's heart suddenly sank, understanding the seriousness of the problem. The storm has stopped but the danger has not been lifted, there must be a new one approaching.  Normally, they might a.s.sociate it with Sea Monsters, but they have all been cowed by the Devil's Cloud.

Everyone's hearts were drumming on their chest, feeling like they might finally be meeting the devil.

That feeling came true.

Soon the sailor shouted, “Ah, the light! Light! Light! It's the green light of the ghost ship! “

Liszt and others quickly climbed up the bow deck from the cabin. They saw in the dark distance a moving green light …moving towards them…twinkling like a real jack-o'-lantern.

Others could see a ghost fire.

But when Liszt cast his Magic Eyes, he saw signs of magical powers, and the faint green magical powers outlined the fuzzy appearance of a broken ship.

“It is actually a ghost ship!”

He felt a tingle in his throat, it was hard to speak like he was not that surprised when he actually was. He saw ghosts on the ship.. Black Dragons.. Ghosts were not real, but he was seeing them with his own eyes. Liszt was feeling nervous deep in his heart. If one encounters a ghost ship in the middle of the sea, danger is sure to follow.

“The ghost ship of Marquis Cohen is actually real?” Levis, who was at Liszt's side, swallowed his saliva, also feeling nervous.

No one could control their nervousness in the face of the strange situation of a ghost ship. Even the mid-level magical beast, Tremblingwoods, felt the uneasiness in  the atmosphere. The dog hair on his back stood upright and he let out a low growl.

At this time, Levis' guard, Lord Knight Captain Leiden stood up. “Don't be nervous, Sir Levis, Baron Lvera, Baron Liszt. We are knights who have cultivated qi, we can cut off even the devil's head! a.s.semble! All knights! Prepare for the ghost ship! “

“Philip and Xavier, you lead the squire knights and fight with Captain Leiden!”

Soon the battle teams, made up of knights and squire knights, were a.s.sembled.

Under the command of Sir Leiden, they each pulled out their weapons and were ready to welcome the ghost ship that was getting closer and closer. They could see the ship was decaying.. A mottled hull.. A sheep head flag hanging on the mast and burning with green fire. As Captain Morrodo had  said, this was the ghost ship of Marquis Cohen.

“Baron, be careful!” Paris said with a heavy tone while she drew her sword and was in front of Liszt in an instant. She felt the threat of the ghost ship.

Liszt was panicking hard that his hands that were holding the chains were shaking and turned white.

However, Liszt remained calm or actually forced himself to look calm. “It's just a ghost ship. It must not have been very strong when it was alive. Why does it matter after death? My Red Blood Sword hasn't been ripened with blood yet. It seems that it can't wait to go to the battlefield. It can start with ghosts then! “

Whooosh!

The Red blood sword was pulled out, the qi in Liszt's body in full mode while maintaining his fighting posture.

Creaking, creaking, creaking …

The ghost ship was getting closer and closer,  not lifting a single wave on the water. The hull made an unpleasant decaying sound. It was going straight in the direction of the bow of the fast sailing boat without any hint of avoiding collision.