The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

The Metal Bottle had a shape somewhat like those used for packaging high-end rice wine, distinctively different.

Its color was a golden yellow, close to the color of a Gold Coin, but a bit more toward brown. There were engraved patterns on it, with complex designs wrapping around some images. It looked like abstract depictions of the Sun and a large tree, along with bows, a type of harp, a bear, and an eagle in flight.

In general, this Metal Bottle was just like the exquisite art pieces Nobles loved to collect.

Clang, clang, clang.

He tapped his fingers on the Metal Bottle, producing a peculiar sound, not one that metal should make—more akin to the sound of plastic. But it was clearly observable that this brownish-yellow bottle was indeed made of metal; it had the tactile sensation you’d expect of metal.

“Teacher Goltai, what metal do you think this is?” Liszt shook the bottle.

It seemed to be empty inside, with no movement.

Goltai spread his hands: “Gold, silver, copper, iron, it’s none of the metals I’ve seen before, I apologize for my inability to determine what it is.”

“It has no opening?”

“It appears to be a single piece. At the place where the opening should be, I’ve checked closely, there are no seams, and it cannot be twisted open.”

Liszt tried it himself, indeed it could not be twisted open—the mouth of the bottle had no cap and was firmly in one piece: “What do you guess is inside?”

“A bottle of fine wine?”

“Wishful thinking doesn’t always come true, Teacher Goltai, I don’t think there’s any liquid inside.”

Goltai laughed heartily: “Ha ha, one can always fantasize a little before it gets opened.”

Liszt handed the bottle to Carter, instructing him to place it back in his study: “Keep it safe for now. When I find the time, I’ll take my time figuring out how to open it.”

“Yes, my lord.”

After Carter had left, Liszt gestured for Goltai to take a seat wherever he liked.

He inquired, “How’s the trade with the merchant caravan going?”

“It’s going smoothly. Ever since you started developing Fresh Flower Town and providing plenty of paid job opportunities, the townspeople have gradually had extra money to spend at the merchants’ stalls and pick out some small items. Nearly half of the merchandise the merchants brought has been sold, and even on the stage for the slapstick play, a few copper coins have been thrown.”

Slapstick plays are generally funded by the merchant caravan, who offer free performances to attract customers.

Only if the audience is sufficiently amused would they toss coins onto the stage, rewarding the hardworking clowns. Fresh Flower Town was poor, and its residents, despite likely laughing themselves to the point of stomach aches, would be reluctant to throw even a single copper coin. Unexpectedly, there were indeed people who actually tipped the slapstick performers.

“Who threw the copper coins?”

“I only saw one person throw copper coins, and that was your kitchen maid, Eileen Four Fingers.”

Eileen Four Fingers?

Liszt had little contact with this kitchen maid, barely seeing her once a day—the status of a kitchen maid was very low, they were prohibited from going upstairs, appearing in the first-floor hall, and especially showing themselves before the Noble lord—he just knew roughly about Eileen from what Butler Carter had mentioned, that she was a straightforward and lively young girl.

“Young people are always very generous,” he commented so.

Goltai really wanted to say that you too are young, only sixteen, and not even as old as the young maid. Yet he did not speak out. The current Liszt held a maturity and steadiness usually found in middle-aged men, almost letting people forget his slightly youthful face when interacting with others.

“Perhaps this is the talent that comes with Noble blood,” Goltai often thought this to himself.

When he first followed Liszt to Fresh Flower Town, he simply wanted to snag a consultant position for free food and drink. At his age, he had no illusions about reviving a family business or restoring Noble glory. What he didn’t expect was for Liszt to change Fresh Flower Town, and change his mindset of just getting by day-to-day.

Freya’s pregnancy was just a catalyst, Goltai was well aware.

At the end of the day, it was still Liszt’s will that determined the actions of those around him, otherwise, there was actually no need to pay such close attention to a mere bastard. Which noble didn’t have several bastards out there? For the sake of family harmony, many noble bastards could only remain serfs their entire lives.

“Teacher Goltai.” Seeing Goltai a bit distracted, Liszt couldn’t help but speak up to remind him.

Goltai immediately sat up straight and replied, “What would you like to say?”

“Regarding the trade caravan, as an official, you must supervise every transaction to ensure no duplicitous merchants exploit the civilians, and also prevent the patrol team and clerks from recklessly taking things from the caravan.”

“Rest assured, I emphasize this daily.”

“Ensure that the promotional work is done well, advertise that Fresh Flower Town welcomes outsiders to settle here and offers the most favorable taxes. Also, inform the people of the caravan about what Fresh Flower Town plans to develop next, show them the plans for the commercial district, workshop area, and residential areas, so they can see the bright future of Fresh Flower Town.”

“As you wish!”

After sending off Goltai, Liszt didn’t immediately go to rest; instead, he went straight to his study and played with the metal bottle on the desk. This drift bottle piqued his interest.

He focused for a moment and summoned the Smoke Mission.

“Complete the mission, reward Sea Drift Bottle.”

“Mission: A bottle that cannot be opened, words that cannot be understood, do not indicate an unsolvable problem but rather a disparity in knowledge. The old tanner at the Tanners’ Shop, blind and feeling his health declining, might be willing to trade a certain book in exchange for a son. Mission Reward: An unknown book.”

As expected, the metal bottle picked up by the fisherman was a reward from the Smoke Mission.

The transaction mission involving three Gold Coins for the merchant caravan had been completed some time ago.

However, seeing the new mission, Liszt couldn’t help but show a wry smile on his face, “A bottle that can’t be opened, does that mean I can’t open the drift bottle? Words that can’t be understood, does that mean there’s a piece of paper inside, possibly in a foreign language? But what in the world is this latter part of the mission about, giving the old tanner a son?”

If the man’s wife were still in the bloom of youth, graceful and enchanting.

Liszt wouldn’t mind giving the man a son and a metaphorical hat.

But he had thoroughly reviewed the data on the town’s craftsmen during a previous census. He remembered this old tanner, who was actually a widower without kin. He had come to Fresh Flower Town ten years ago by begging and had since settled down, picking up his tanner’s craft again.

For such a person, how was he supposed to ‘give’ him a son?

“Give a son… perhaps my thoughts are a bit off-track, let’s have someone investigate the old tanner first.” He shook the bell and called for Carter.

“Master.”

“Mr. Carter, send a message to Teacher Goltai asking him to investigate the old tanner in the town. I need a detailed report; if the man is facing any difficulties, help him out along the way.”

Upon hearing this, Carter responded, “Master, perhaps you should ask Jessie. He’s quite familiar with the old tanner.”

“Jessie?”

Jessie Asanobu was once a male servant assistant in the castle and has now been promoted to male servant, mainly responsible for running external errands for the castle.

A short while later, Jessie, who was playing in the town, was called back.

“Master, you were looking for me?” Even as a servant, he still felt awkward in front of Liszt, unsure of where to place his hands.

Liszt directly asked, “You’re quite familiar with the old tanner? Tell me about him.”

“Are you talking about Uncle Phil? I met Uncle Phil when I went to the Tanners’ Shop to have my shoes repaired. Uncle Phil is blind, which makes his work very inconvenient, and now his health is deteriorating, so I often visit him to help out with some things.”

“Have you heard that the old tanner wants a son?”