The Defeated Dragon

That afternoon, Count Schalke* came to Longtaro Castle to inquire about the pirates and ghost ships that were destroying the sea. Schalke needed the three siblings to provide some clues to begin the search for the ghost ship.

“I don't like Schalke.”

Meopal, who came to call Liszt, said in a low voice. “In fact, I don't like both Counts on Red Crab Island, especially Schalke.”

Liszt, who had just woken up, asked curiously, “Why?”

“They lack respect for Longtaro Castle.”

Liszt nodded.

He understood, to put it bluntly, that Uncle Messillo was not strong enough to establish enough prestige in their territory. As the next Marquis of Red Crab Island, he lacked the temperament to convince his followers.

Meopal continued, “Grandfather's health has not been going well this year and Red Crab is not responding well to the Grand Duke's orders . There are some noises below and I know that Schalke is the source of the noises.”

A moment later.

Liszt saw Count Schalke. The Count's full name was Schalke Broccoli. The surname was derived from the broccoli sprite he owned.

He was tall and powerful, and his voice was very loud.

At Meopal's suggestion, Liszt paid special attention to Count Schalke's att.i.tude during the questioning and found that the Count was still full of respect for Marquis Merlin. However, he was somewhat dismissive of Messillo and Meopal. They are clearly not placed on a level playing field.

There is , however, no disrespect when the Count talks with Messillo, since it is inevitable that Messillo will be his future lord.

So he has to put both people on the same line.

But between him and Meopal, the patronizing att.i.tude was evident. No wonder Meopal didn't like him,as no lord likes to be put on the same shelf as his followers. Although Meopal is not the Marquis of Red Crab Island yet, he is the heir's only heir.

In the Knight System, however, the master-slave relationship between Meopal and Schalke is absolute.

“It is no wonder now that when I came to Red Crab Island, Meopal came to woo me. The pattern of Red Crab Island is obviously that the master is weak and the servant is strong … Once Grandpa Merlin dies, Uncle Messillo may not be able to control the overall situation of Red Crab Island then.”

Any worthy Lord should be able to control his followers.

Then the outcome will be awkward. It would be inevitable that the followers would leave the leader. A Lord abandoned by his followers is definitely the greatest laughing stock of the aristocracy.

Liszt now understood why Meopal was still chasing after the Grand Duke's daughter, whom Liszt had very poor opinions of.

It may or may not be that Meopal wants to use the princess's power and influence to suppress this group of patronizing followers on Red Crab Island.

The thinning support from the people is never a good sign for the n.o.bility.

“Do I want to develop Red Crab Island? As a Baron of a developing town, I cannot abandon the progress. I will have to fortify my strength first, then Uncle Messillo and Cousin Meopal will be reliant on me.. And my path to being a Count will be quite easy." Liszt's mind was shaking as he was so tempted to take a shortcut.

Learning business and trade is harder than fighting for your life on the battlefield.

That said, he could give up his business on Black Horse and switch to Red Crab Island instead, but he cannot do so for the time being. Adding icing on cake is not the same as laying charcoal in the snow.

Liszt suddenly thought of a scenario.

If one reaches the Sky Knight level and is eligible to become a Count, can he get past his father who is also a count?

When that time comes, either one will become a direct subordinate of the Grand Duke or follow a Marquis who can give the t.i.tle of a Count. At that time, presumably, their Uncle would be struggling to support the Red Crab Island's populace and would beg for their arrival at Red Crab Island — a Count's status at that time would be definitely many times better than how it is at  Red Crab Island now.

Liszt felt sorry thinking about it.

However, kinship among n.o.bles must always give way to personal interests. Liszt also knew that if he could not show his value, the Longtaro family would never support him in anything again.

“Of course, now that I'm thinking about it, since the beginning of this trip, the Longtaro family haven't started to woo me …”

During this moment of thinking.

Count Schalke, who knew about the cause and consequences  of the ghost ship, immediately said to Marquis Merlin, “Please rest a.s.sured that after the New Year, I will lead the fleet and the knights to level the sea around Red Crab Island and have all those who have gossips about Red Crab Island shut their mouths!”

“Very well, I look forward to your performance.”

Schalke gave another salute, nodded to Messillo and Meopal and marched off.

———-

January 1st, the day of the New Year Festival.

All people in all countries will choose to put down their work on this day and celebrate the coming of the new year.

That morning, Liszt woke up before dawn.

Lying in bed, Liszt called out the long-lost smoke task. “Task: After a year of hard work, even a leader needs to relax himself, enjoy the coming New Year, think about next year's development plans, broaden people-to-people relationships, or he could do nothing and just wait for it to end. Reward: Unknown reward.”

The reward is unknown, the task is still not completed, and it will probably have to be finished today.

About 10: 30 in the morning.

Liszt was enjoying teasing the thick leafy sprite who likes to spit, and the maid Anna, who once helped him wipe his face. She was constantly making eye contact with him.

At this point, the servant of the Castle came and notified him that new guests had arrived.

New Year's Day is a family holiday. The siblings all came to Longtaro Castle to celebrate along with Liszt's mother's whole family.

Sure enough, at the gate of the castle, Liszt and his brother and sister met Melinda Longtaro, their mother's sister and the Marquis's second daughter. With her was her husband Roland Pinecone, Viscount of Long Tail City, and her two sons Russell Pinecone and Raleigh Pinecone.

With them was Russell's wife, and their daughter, who had just turned one year old and was wrapped in a cotton ball.

Russell and Raleigh are Liszt's cousins.

This is the order of the cousins according to age: 25-year-old Meopal Longtaro, 24-year-old Levis Tulip, 22-year-old Russell Pinecone, 20-year-old Lvera Tulip, 19-year-old Raleigh Pine cone, and 17-year-old Liszt Tulip-at this years New Year's festival,  everyone is a year older.

Russell's daughter is Liszt's only junior.

“Aunt and uncle, this one says h.e.l.lo to you. Happy New Year.” Liszt stepped forward to pay his respects. He did not have a deep memory of the two relatives.

Since Melissa's death, Leewilliam has had less and less communication with Red Crab Island. 

The three siblings only come to see the Marquis Merlin at most and have rarely visited their aunts before.

“Happy New Year Liszt, you are so big and tall.” Melinda is a plump lady, but unfortunately she has not inherited the good looks of the Longtaro family.

She was unlucky in that aspect. Also,both sisters married a viscount.

But Leewilliam became a Count quite early, while Roland Pinecone is still Viscount. Even in the impression of the predecessor, his aunt's sons were both more of a waste than their parents.

Liszt quietly cast Magic Eyes.

Sure enough, Liszt saw that the total amount of qi between the two cousins was similar to that of Lvera's and did not reach the level of an elite earth knight.

* Shaker in the previous chapters. Schalke sounds better.

The two sons were no good.

Viscount Roland, the middle-aged uncle, was not a genius either. As a follower of Marquis Merlin and being married to his daughter too, it is reasonable to say that he enjoys a fair share of resources. However, after so many years, he is still only an elite earth knight.

There is no hope of him being promoted to a Count.

Just as non-dragon knights cannot be granted the t.i.tle of a Grand Duke, a non-Sky Knight cannot be granted the t.i.tle of a count. But there can be three generations of succession, that is, if the descendants of the Count do not reach the rank of a Sky Knight, they can still inherit the Count t.i.tle, but if, unfortunately, a Sky Knight cannot be cultivated in three generations, he will be demoted.

Originally, only earth knights were allowed to be barons.

By this rule, Liszt should not have obtained the rank of a baron when he was exiled since he hadn't advanced to the elite earth knight level then. But because the earth knights of the island have been wasting on the streets, few of them will be promoted to being an elite earth knight, provided they are adequately nourished. This rule was not enshrined in the Sapphire Grand Duchy's knighthood system, and the aristocracy did not care for it as well.

With this, Liszt has long sealed the Count t.i.tle, and no one could refute it.

“Liszt, why didn't your father come?” Viscount Roland suddenly asked.

The question was ill-intentioned. Leewilliam has long married another woman. Marquis Merlin was no longer his father-in-law. How can he come to celebrate the festival?

Liszt just smiled and answered, “Father is staying on Coral Island. There are many things in the territory that he needed to deal with. He really can't leave.”

Viscount Roland kept on with the questions.

Aunt Melinda interrupted and said, “Your two cousins often talked about you. When you were young, you used to play together. Now that you have grown up, you meet less and less.”

“How did Liszt grow up to be taller than Levis and strong enough to be an earth knight? Nice!” Cousin Russell was so jealous that he hammered Liszt's chest.

He was built just like his mother, short and thick, had an att.i.tude of a brat, a bit dumb, has a non-standard snake accent with a bit of a dialect tone.

Liszt only  likes to deal with people who have a simple character.

Without waiting for him to speak, Russell said again, “Come, let me introduce you, this is my wife, Jackie Broccoli, her uncle is Count Schalke. This is our daughter, Rosie, just 2 years old.”

Jackie Broccoli?

Her uncle is Schalke Broccoli?

Liszt smiled and greeted the little lady. He then warmly embraced Rosie like a cotton ball, “Hi, Rosie, you say … Uncle Liszt, Happy New Year.”

Rosie apparently didn't get the idea. She straightened her mouth and burst into tears.

Frightened, Liszt hurriedly gave Rosie back to the servant who previously held her.

Lvera laughed. “You need to understand the truth. Being handsome is of no use to children.”

——

The descendants of Marquis Merlin have all arrived.

At the luncheon, the old master of Longtaro Castle had a few drinks. No one knows if he was just trying to get drunk or was trying to prepare for something. Starting from Meopal, he shouted his grandchildren's names one by one and called them into the study.

The youngest Liszt, of course, was the last one to go in.

“Grandpa.”

“Sit down.”

The old man's clear articulation and turbid and sharp eyes proved that the Marquis Merlin did not drink too much. The old housekeeper brought in two cups of coffee and closed the door of the study behind her.

“You surprise me, Liszt.” Liszt was startled by what Marquis Merlin said. “The last time you came here, you were just an ordinary earth knight. But now you are already an elite earth knight. It is rare to see such rapid progress.”

Without denying it, Liszt asked curiously, “Grandpa, how do you see it?”

“When Grandpa was young, I defeated even the Grand Duke in a knight sword fight. What's strange about seeing through your qi level?” Marquis Merlin's voice was not loud, but his words were always overbearing. He dares to speak freely even against the Grand Duke.

“It's just strange for me to say that I'm not eating as well as I did when I was in Tulip Castle compared to when I moved to the countryside. It's like the whole thing is going out of the blue. Almost immediately after I arrived in Flower Town, I broke through the elite earth knight level and felt a qi bottleneck and so I started taking magical potions.”

Of course, the smoke mission cannot be disclosed, so Liszt has to make up stories.

It actually doesn't count as a story. He did evolve naturally from the Earth Knight to the elite Earth Knight level. He was also in shock when he first discovered it. 

The three to five years of cultivation period was shortened to three to five months.

"Maybe living in Tulip Castle saddened you. Aren't the mages' favorite theory about the transformation of spirit and matter? People's spiritual strength can really affect their bodies. Melissa died too early and your father didn't take care of you, which truly killed your talent. “

With that said, Marquis Merlin politely praised himself. ” Leewilliam's talent is fairly strong, no doubt, but the blood of the Longtaro is more n.o.ble. You siblings have inherited the advantages of your parents. You inherited the most, as you have the best talent! I seem to see the shadow of my younger self in you. “

Liszt kept smiling.

After bragging for a while, Marquis Merlin asked, “Can the wealth of the Flower Town support your use of magic potions?”

“At present, there are three kinds of magic potions growing in Flower Town. Although our yield is not high, I haven't come to the point yet when I need to use a lot of magic potions, but what I have is barely enough."

“You have a small sprite that produces the potions. It will be of great help to you if you cultivate it. You also have a mid-level magical beast, which can be cultivated vigorously as well.  It will become your good partner.”

“I think so too.”

“You have broken through the elite earth knight level in a short period of time. Be cautious and precise, but don't be too humble. Strength determines everything. Don't forget that you have the support of the Tulip and Longtaro family. You should let everyone see your bright future … The reason why I married Melissa off to your father was because he was fearless. “

At the beginning, Leewilliam, an elite earth knight who was just a Viscount, would have found it difficult to marry the Marquis's daughter without any courage.

Liszt was moved.

His performance is indeed somewhat mediocre, not on the same level to that of a hot-blooded n.o.ble. However, his thoughts flashed and he realized that he had kept a low profile not because of his lack of strength, but because he had too many secrets. He liked to develop step-by-step rather than take risks.

“Grandpa, I have a clear idea of the future now. I know what I should do.”

Marquis Merlin glanced at Liszt surprised and nodded, “Very well, it is very rare for young people to have this kind of mentality. I am more optimistic about your future.”

He picked up a thin pamphlet from the table and threw it to Liszt. “I believe your future achievements will surpa.s.s those of your father's. This is some of my insights from qi cultivating over the years which you can refer to.”

The two sons were no good.

Viscount Roland, the middle-aged uncle, was not a genius either. As a follower of Marquis Merlin and being married to his daughter too, it is reasonable to say that he enjoys a fair share of resources. However, after so many years, he is still only an elite earth knight.

There is no hope of him being promoted to a Count.

Just as non-dragon knights cannot be granted the t.i.tle of a Grand Duke, a non-Sky Knight cannot be granted the t.i.tle of a count. But there can be three generations of succession, that is, if the descendants of the Count do not reach the rank of a Sky Knight, they can still inherit the Count t.i.tle, but if, unfortunately, a Sky Knight cannot be cultivated in three generations, he will be demoted.

Originally, only earth knights were allowed to be barons.

By this rule, Liszt should not have obtained the rank of a baron when he was exiled since he hadn't advanced to the elite earth knight level then. But because the earth knights of the island have been wasting on the streets, few of them will be promoted to being an elite earth knight, provided they are adequately nourished. This rule was not enshrined in the Sapphire Grand Duchy's knighthood system, and the aristocracy did not care for it as well.

With this, Liszt has long sealed the Count t.i.tle, and no one could refute it.

“Liszt, why didn't your father come?” Viscount Roland suddenly asked.

The question was ill-intentioned. Leewilliam has long married another woman. Marquis Merlin was no longer his father-in-law. How can he come to celebrate the festival?

Liszt just smiled and answered, “Father is staying on Coral Island. There are many things in the territory that he needed to deal with. He really can't leave.”

Viscount Roland kept on with the questions.

Aunt Melinda interrupted and said, “Your two cousins often talked about you. When you were young, you used to play together. Now that you have grown up, you meet less and less.”

“How did Liszt grow up to be taller than Levis and strong enough to be an earth knight? Nice!” Cousin Russell was so jealous that he hammered Liszt's chest.

He was built just like his mother, short and thick, had an att.i.tude of a brat, a bit dumb, has a non-standard snake accent with a bit of a dialect tone.

Liszt only  likes to deal with people who have a simple character.

Without waiting for him to speak, Russell said again, “Come, let me introduce you, this is my wife, Jackie Broccoli, her uncle is Count Schalke. This is our daughter, Rosie, just 2 years old.”

Jackie Broccoli?

Her uncle is Schalke Broccoli?

Liszt smiled and greeted the little lady. He then warmly embraced Rosie like a cotton ball, “Hi, Rosie, you say … Uncle Liszt, Happy New Year.”

Rosie apparently didn't get the idea. She straightened her mouth and burst into tears.

Frightened, Liszt hurriedly gave Rosie back to the servant who previously held her.

Lvera laughed. “You need to understand the truth. Being handsome is of no use to children.”

——

The descendants of Marquis Merlin have all arrived.

At the luncheon, the old master of Longtaro Castle had a few drinks. No one knows if he was just trying to get drunk or was trying to prepare for something. Starting from Meopal, he shouted his grandchildren's names one by one and called them into the study.

The youngest Liszt, of course, was the last one to go in.

“Grandpa.”

“Sit down.”

The old man's clear articulation and turbid and sharp eyes proved that the Marquis Merlin did not drink too much. The old housekeeper brought in two cups of coffee and closed the door of the study behind her.

“You surprise me, Liszt.” Liszt was startled by what Marquis Merlin said. “The last time you came here, you were just an ordinary earth knight. But now you are already an elite earth knight. It is rare to see such rapid progress.”

Without denying it, Liszt asked curiously, “Grandpa, how do you see it?”

“When Grandpa was young, I defeated even the Grand Duke in a knight sword fight. What's strange about seeing through your qi level?” Marquis Merlin's voice was not loud, but his words were always overbearing. He dares to speak freely even against the Grand Duke.

“It's just strange for me to say that I'm not eating as well as I did when I was in Tulip Castle compared to when I moved to the countryside. It's like the whole thing is going out of the blue. Almost immediately after I arrived in Flower Town, I broke through the elite earth knight level and felt a qi bottleneck and so I started taking magical potions.”

Of course, the smoke mission cannot be disclosed, so Liszt has to make up stories.

It actually doesn't count as a story. He did evolve naturally from the Earth Knight to the elite Earth Knight level. He was also in shock when he first discovered it. 

The three to five years of cultivation period was shortened to three to five months.

"Maybe living in Tulip Castle saddened you. Aren't the mages' favorite theory about the transformation of spirit and matter? People's spiritual strength can really affect their bodies. Melissa died too early and your father didn't take care of you, which truly killed your talent. “

With that said, Marquis Merlin politely praised himself. ” Leewilliam's talent is fairly strong, no doubt, but the blood of the Longtaro is more n.o.ble. You siblings have inherited the advantages of your parents. You inherited the most, as you have the best talent! I seem to see the shadow of my younger self in you. “

Liszt kept smiling.

After bragging for a while, Marquis Merlin asked, “Can the wealth of the Flower Town support your use of magic potions?”

“At present, there are three kinds of magic potions growing in Flower Town. Although our yield is not high, I haven't come to the point yet when I need to use a lot of magic potions, but what I have is barely enough."

“You have a small sprite that produces the potions. It will be of great help to you if you cultivate it. You also have a mid-level magical beast, which can be cultivated vigorously as well.  It will become your good partner.”

“I think so too.”

“You have broken through the elite earth knight level in a short period of time. Be cautious and precise, but don't be too humble. Strength determines everything. Don't forget that you have the support of the Tulip and Longtaro family. You should let everyone see your bright future … The reason why I married Melissa off to your father was because he was fearless. “

At the beginning, Leewilliam, an elite earth knight who was just a Viscount, would have found it difficult to marry the Marquis's daughter without any courage.

Liszt was moved.

His performance is indeed somewhat mediocre, not on the same level to that of a hot-blooded n.o.ble. However, his thoughts flashed and he realized that he had kept a low profile not because of his lack of strength, but because he had too many secrets. He liked to develop step-by-step rather than take risks.

“Grandpa, I have a clear idea of the future now. I know what I should do.”

Marquis Merlin glanced at Liszt surprised and nodded, “Very well, it is very rare for young people to have this kind of mentality. I am more optimistic about your future.”

He picked up a thin pamphlet from the table and threw it to Liszt. “I believe your future achievements will surpa.s.s those of your father's. This is some of my insights from qi cultivating over the years which you can refer to.”