The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

“Teacher Marcus, have you ever seen an intermediate magical beast?”

“No.”

“Me neither.”

Intermediate magical beasts were not something just anyone could encounter, just like how Coral Island only had one Sky Knight, the Earl, and only one intermediate magical beast, the Purple Sand Crocodile. These weren’t crocodiles kept in zoos that one could visit with a ticket purchase; the magic of intermediate magical beasts wasn’t limited to just one single type.

According to the records of Tulip Castle.

The Purple Sand Crocodile was a water-attribute magical beast, which had released three types of magic during a skirmish with the Knight Order.

These were “Water Arrow Barrage,” “Water Wave Shield,” and the extremely powerful “Waterfall,” capable of summoning waves over ten meters high on dry land which could even crush an Earth Knight to death.

Therefore.

Liszt couldn’t be sure whether Douson had evolved into an intermediate magical beast or not. At least from the current state of affairs, Douson hadn’t undergone much change, and even in a berserk state, it had no overwhelming advantage over the pack of Wind Blade Wolves—the dense and numerous wounds on its body were proof of that.

“Regardless, the Bloodline Fruits should bring about some changes to Douson; subtly and gradually, they will make it stronger.” Liszt reassured himself in his heart, trying not to worry too much.

The Knight Squad had been cleaning up for quite a while and still hadn’t managed to deal with the corpses of the magical beasts.

Mainly because the Thunderfang Boar was simply too large, estimated to weigh as much as a full-grown hippopotamus, close to 3 tons. No horse, no matter how strong, could carry the Thunderfang Boar. There were also two Fierce Earth Dogs, seven Wind Blade Wolves, and one Shadow Snake; today’s haul was immense.

“Let’s send some of the magical beast corpses back first, then bring the caravan’s wagons. This Thorn Forest still has many more animal carcasses to be collected,” Marcus thought aloud.

Liszt had no objections to this, as mundane matters like these he couldn’t be bothered to contemplate.

Right now, he only wanted to return to the castle, take a good bath, and then get some sleep.

On the way back, he summoned the Smoke Mission.

“Complete the mission, reward one Bloodline Fruit.”

“Mission: You have initiated an attack, determined to eradicate Thorn Ridge, to create a peaceful new environment for Fresh Flower Town. So gather your determination and slaughter all magical beasts in Thorn Ridge. Reward: Traces of the Li Dragon Horse Herd.”

The new mission gave Liszt a burst of energy.

The reward was actually the traces of the Li Dragon Horse Herd—an existence he had always suspected might not be a solitary one. Logically, there shouldn’t be horses on the island, but who could guarantee that there really was no horse herd? After all, this was a world full of magic power. Unexpectedly, the Smoke Mission provided a direct clue.

There were indeed Li Dragon Horse Herds.

This was a Dragon Breed Horse, its value goes without saying.

“I was planning to rest after clearing out the southern Thorn Ridge and finding the Bloodline Fruit. Now it seems I can’t rest. I must press on and finish the extermination work, to welcome my Li Dragon Horse Herd!”

The moon had long since set.

The stars in the sky twinkled brightly.

Under the starlight, Liszt and his Knight Squad, bearing a full harvest, returned to the castle.

Lamps were lit in the castle, and the butler, Old Carter, had been waiting all along, not knowing when the lord of the castle would return. Following Liszt’s instructions before leaving, there was no need to wait if he wasn’t back by nightfall. Yet he still rose from bed from time to time, going to the window to look outside.

Then, he saw the torches.

“The master is back,” Carter felt an inexplicable relief, then quickly dressed and knocked on Mrs. Morson’s door, “Mrs. Morson, the master is back, wake the maids and prepare the bathwater for the master. Have the kitchen rush to prepare a late-night meal, the squad has already reached Douson Avenue.”

“Alright, Mr. Carter, I’ll get up right now,” Mrs. Morson responded.

Carter quickly roused the servants one by one, and then continuously lit lamps, awakening the entire castle from darkness—his lordship loved light; he always said not to worry about wasting candles, now that they had money!

Lights in the castle rapidly brightened.

The returning master on horseback felt exceptionally at ease.

Liszt couldn’t help but think of a song—”Stars light up, illuminating my doorstep, guiding lost children to find their way home.”

It didn’t seem quite fitting, so he thought of another short poem—”The steady cadence of my horse’s hooves is a beautiful mistake; I am not a home-comer, but a passerby…”

Alright.

Neither was very fitting.

Unable to find the right words to describe his feelings at the moment, he was simply excited. When he reached the castle gate, the servants were already lined up, waiting to greet him.

“Knightly honor favors us! Lord, seeing you return safely brings me peace of mind,” Carter said.

“No need for concern, Mr. Carter; it was just a hunt in the forest, and there were no dangers,” Liszt replied with a light smile. “Tom, take my retainer knights and drive out the merchant’s wagon. Later we’ll head back to Thorn Ridge to haul all the game we’ve hunted… You’ll be busy tonight.”

“As you wish, Lord, I’ll take care of it now,” Tom responded.

Carter, seeing the knight squad return with the carcasses of the game, understood that it would be a sleepless night: “Serving his lordship is our honor.”

“Has Mrs. Abbie prepared the late-night snack?”

“The kitchen has started working; I’ve had Mrs. Abbie prepare portions for the entire knight squad.”

“Good, when we return, we must drink heartily and celebrate today’s bountiful harvest,” Liszt said without dismounting his horse. “Thomas, lead Douson over there; it’s injured and needs to be bandaged.”

“Your wish is my command, Lord,” Thomas replied.

Gazing at the game that had been unloaded, Liszt went on, “Mr. Carter, inform Teacher Goltai that he can come and divide this batch of game. Reserve a portion for the castle, distribute another portion to the families of officials and retainer knights, with the rest to be supplied to the seafood shop at the price of seafood.”

The game being discussed was just beasts.

As for magical beasts, they definitely couldn’t be handled the same way—Liszt wasn’t that generous yet. Except when hosting banquets, when he would allow his subordinates to enjoy a little extra, the meat of magical beasts was exclusively for him.

After two trips, all of today’s spoils had finally been brought back.

Piled in front of the castle like a small hill.

The great hall on the first floor was bustling with activity.

It was a rare moment, transcending the noble hierarchy, where the landlord and retainers sat together at the same table.

Tonight’s late-night snack was comparable to a holiday feast—Liszt had the kitchen prepare an entire Shadow Snake into steaks, and each official and retainer received a large piece of steak.

Meat from a magical beast, rich in magic power, was a great tonic that they normally couldn’t afford. Seizing this opportunity, everyone devoured their share, wishing they could even lick the plates clean.

Outside in the castle, Douson also received a large piece of steak.

“Knightly honor watches over Fresh Flower Town, it watches over Lord Landlord, with courage and wisdom going hand in hand! I propose, let us raise a glass together, to Liszt, who is favored by knightly honor, glory be to Lord Landlord!” Teacher Goltai, holding a glass filled with juniper wine, took charge of the banquet’s atmosphere.

Fostering interaction and enhancing the mood were among his specialties.

The others lifted their glasses and shouted in unison, “Glory be to Lord Landlord!”

Sitting at the head of the table, Liszt’s face was not the formulaic noble smile, but one of excited joy, savoring the atmosphere. He lifted his glass and declared loudly, “The glory is mine, and I am with all of you!”