The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

The night had deepened, after the barbecue party ended, the knights headed to the town to rest.

Liszt and Li Vera each entered their rooms, and Old Butler Carter, instead of taking red wine, took a glass of apple juice and entered the study.

“My lord, you seem very sober and haven’t drunk to excess.”

“Thank you,” he accepted the apple juice, took a light sip, and savored its fresh fruit flavor. The alcohol content in beer could only upset one’s stomach, hardly enough to intoxicate.

Under the candlelight, Carter’s complexion looked unnatural.

Liszt had noticed this during the day, “Mr. Carter, are you feeling unwell?”

“I am quite alright, my lord.”

“You must speak up if there’s anything wrong. Don’t force yourself. Though the castle cannot do without a butler at the helm, your health is more important. Please take good care of yourself.”

“Thank you,” Old Carter was almost moved to tears.

“Tomorrow, once the Elf Bugs have completed their assimilation, I will accompany the caravan to Coral City. I may be away from Coral Island for a few days, so please see to the affairs of the castle in my absence.”

“Please rest assured, my lord.”

“Indeed, there’s nothing to be assured of. Aside from a few Elf Bugs, ensure that Douson and the Li Dragon are well taken care of. Also, visit the Black Tulip for me every day, and make sure the construction of the stables outside the castle does not halt. I hope to be able to settle the Alfalfa Bugs upon my return.”

Duty always came first.

After a brief chat, they returned to sleep, and the night passed just like that.

The next morning, the eight Tulip Spirit Bugs had completed the assimilation of the Black Tulip, and the caravan departed immediately. Liszt rode atop a Fire Dragon Horse, with Marcus and Thomas accompanying him. The castle was entrusted to Carter, the town to Goltai, and his four Retainer Knights were to cooperate with them.

“Teacher Goltai, upon my return, I expect to see the patrol team range from Thorn Ridge to the East Coast.”

“As you wish, I will train them well,” Goltai said with ease.

“Then, I’m off. Oh, and on my way back, I will bring some Juniper Wine.”

“Wow, that’s awesome!”

From atop his Fire Dragon Horse, Liszt looked back. At the castle gate, Butler Carter stood with a servant, silently watching them off. No longer hesitating, Liszt gently kicked the horse’s belly, and the Fire Dragon Horse immediately sprang forward, catching up with the caravan.

He was somewhat excited.

His predecessor was very familiar with Coral Island, but he, in the strictest sense, was leaving Fresh Flower Town for the first time to witness the outside world.

A medieval world wrapped in magic power, a nobility system ruled by knights.

After leaving Thorn Ridge, the land he stepped upon was mostly under the direct jurisdiction of an Earl, with only a few towns granted by the Earl to Barons, and a handful of even smaller villages and hamlets as fiefs of Honored Knights. The entire Coral Island had only one enfeoffed Viscount, who was a follower of the Earl since the beginning, Jonas Shattered Stone.

Beyond Coral Island, there was another small island, held by another of the Earl’s Viscount followers, Trick Weed.

On Coral Island, there were six cities in total—one large and five small—Coral City at the foot of Tulip Castle was the largest. North Valley City, Birch City, Elm Forest City, and Serpent Spear City all belonged to the Earl. Shattered Stone Castle along with its affiliated Shattered Stone City belonged to Viscount Jonas.

To get from Fresh Flower Town to Coral City, it was necessary to pass through North Valley City and Birch City.

However, the caravan did not stop in the two small cities. After a quick meal in the manor of North Valley City, it headed straight for Coral City. By three in the afternoon, when the hooves trod into a sea of flowers, Coral City was before them.

All the flowers were various kinds of tulips.

Most were for magic potions, while a few were ornamental plants—the tulips cultivated by the Tulip Family in the Duchy of Sapphire were famous far and wide.

The sea of flowers undulated with the slopes of the hill.

To the left of the road was Coral City, with its towering city walls, abutting the sea with its bustling docks. From a distance, Liszt could see that on the docks, several “advanced” two-masted sailing ships were moored.

This world had slowly transitioned from the age of oars to the age of sails.

It was with sailboats that the original conquerors of the Duchy of Sapphire came from the continent to these islands and established this island nation.

Only sailboats traversed the seas.

“What a pity, sails are probably the endpoint of ships, since there is not enough steel to foster an age of armored warships or even steamships.”

Liszt sighed lightly to himself and withdrew his distant gaze, turning to the right side of the road.

To the right were mountain ranges, with steep cliffs on the side facing the sea and gentle slopes on the other. Tulip Castle was built upon the cliff. A wide stone-paved road stretched from the gates of the castle all the way down to Coral City at the foot of the mountain. The tall castle stood like a banner, soaring at the highest point of Coral Island.

Sharp tower spires pierced the blue sky.

The thick rocks blended into the mountains, solemnly and majestically surrounded by flowers, displaying the robust grandeur of an impregnable fortress. In just ten years, the Tulip Family had built such a tall and sturdy Tulip Castle on Coral Island—during which several hundreds of serfs had died from overwork.

Even today, the castle was still expanding bit by bit.

Nobles’ glory was always built atop bloodshed—this was merely an earl’s castle, and it was said that the castle of the Sapphire Duke took a hundred years to build. Beneath the cliff of the duke’s castle lay piles of serf corpses, several tens of meters deep.

“It looks like it’s ashen gray, but in reality, it’s bloody red. I’d rather live in the small castle in Fresh Flower Town—there, at least my heart can rest easy.”

Liszt’s mood was heavy.

Following behind his brother and sister, he made his way to the familiar yet strange castle.

Halfway there, they encountered a group of knights exiting the castle. The leading knight respectfully greeted Levis, “Young Master Levis, I hope you had a smooth journey.”

“The journey went smoothly, Captain Mickey,” Levis replied, bowing in return.

Captain Mickey paid his respects to Li Vera as well, “Miss Li Vera, I hope you had a smooth journey.”

“A smooth journey, Captain Mickey.”

It was then that Captain Mickey turned to Liszt, with the same impeccable courtesy, “Young Master Liszt, welcome home.”

“It’s been a long time, Captain Mickey,” Liszt replied, bowing. The knight before him was the captain of the knight squad stationed at Tulip Castle, responsible for the security of the castle. Mickey himself was a baron, with his family managing his lands, while he served at Tulip Castle.

Escorted by the knights, they soon arrived at the main entrance of the castle.

Butler Louis stood at the entrance, eagerly welcoming the three siblings with a warm smile on his aged face, “Oh, what a joy it is to see the descendants of the lord return to the castle like weary birds to their nests.”

“Grandpa Louis, it has been too long. You’re still as robust as ever,” Liszt said as he handed off the reins of his Fire Dragon Horse to a servant and greeted Louis.

Louis must have been at least sixty years old by now, originally serving as a personal attendant to Liszt’s grandfather.

Now serving as the butler of Tulip Castle, even earls would show him utmost respect—this was a man who had dedicated his life to the Tulip Family, and he deserved such honor and status.