The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

Meioubao, who had come to call on Liszt, whispered, “In fact, I dislike both of the earls from Red Crab Island, especially Sharke.”

Liszt, having just woken up, asked curiously, “Why?”

“They lack reverence for Long Taro Castle.”

Liszt nodded.

He understood; to put it bluntly, it was because Uncle Mesiro’s strength was not enough to establish sufficient prestige. As the next Marquis of Red Crab Island, he lacked the charisma to convince his followers.

Meioubao continued, “This year, grandfather’s health has not been good, and Red Crab Island did not respond to the Grand Duke’s Pioneer Mandate, there has been some dissent, and I know Sharke is the source of that noise.”

A moment later.

Liszt met with Count Sharke, whose full name was Sharke Cauliflower, his surname derived from the Cauliflower Greater Elf he owned.

With a tall and imposing figure, his voice was also very loud when he spoke.

Following Meioubao’s hint, during the questioning, Liszt particularly paid attention to Count Sharke’s attitude and found that he still held much awe for Marquis Merlin. However, he displayed some slight disrespect toward Mesiro and Meioubao, or rather, it wasn’t disrespect; he simply treated their statuses as equal.

His conversation with Mesiro had no lack of politeness but also did not convey the sense that Mesiro would be his future landlord.

He placed both of their positions on the same level.

And as for Meioubao, that was purely a condescending manner typical of an elder. No wonder Meioubao was displeased; no one likes their follower assuming the posture of an elder, even though Meioubao was not yet the Marquis of Red Crab Island but merely an heir to the heir.

However, in the knightly system, Meioubao was the master, and Sharke was the subordinate; the master-servant relationship was clear.

“No wonder when I first came to Red Crab Island, Meioubao came to win me over; the island’s power structure is clearly one of a weak master and strong servants… Once Grandfather Merlin passes away, Uncle Mesiro will likely be unable to control the situation on Red Crab Island.”

When a lord cannot control his own followers,

The outcome can be very embarrassing; it is inevitable that followers will drift away from a lord who cannot retain them. Such a lord would certainly be the biggest joke among the nobility.

Liszt suddenly understood why his cousin, despite knowing that the Grand Duke’s youngest daughter had a poor reputation, still pursued her persistently.

It may have been an attempt to use the princess’s influence to suppress the group of followers on Red Crab Island.

Being short-handed is not a good thing for a noble family.

“So should I consider developing on Red Crab Island? With my current trajectory, securing a viscountcy is guaranteed. If I show strength later on, uncle and cousin might rely on me even more, and advancing to earl would be a piece of cake,” Liszt wavered, tempted by the shortcut.

Better to learn to curry favor than to exchange one’s life for a noble title on the battlefield.

Although that was the case, he was not yet ready to give up his operations on Black Horse Island and switch to Red Crab Island. And the effect of lending a helping hand during prosperity is far less significant than offering aid in desperate times.

He suddenly pictured a scenario.

If he had become a Sky Knight and had received the title of viscount, but his father was still an earl, how could he surpass his father and become an earl himself?

At that time, he would either become a direct enfeoffed earl of the Grand Duke or follow a marquis who could bestow an earldom. By then, his uncle’s family, struggling to support Red Crab Island, would likely beg him to come—by that time, the treatment as an earl would be many times better than going to Red Crab Island now.

Thinking this way felt a bit like betraying family ties.

But amongst nobles, kinship always gives way to interests. Liszt was equally aware that if he couldn’t demonstrate his value, the Long Taro Family would definitely not make any sacrifices for him.

“Of course, right now, I’m probably thinking too much. This time around, the Long Taro Family hasn’t started to woo me yet…”

In thought.

Count Sharke had already understood the cause and effect regarding the Ghost Ship, and immediately paid respect to Marquis Merlin, saying, “Please rest assured, my lord. As soon as the festive season is over, I will lead the fleet and the Knight Order to sweep the seas around Red Crab Island, and shut the mouths of those who gossip about it!”

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

Sharke gave another bow, nodded to Mesiro and Meioubao, and left with big strides.

…

The new year’s festival is the first day of each year, January 1st.

On this day, everyone in all the countries chooses to put down their work and celebrate the arrival of the new year.

Waking up early in the morning, while it was still dim outside.

Lying in bed, Liszt called upon the long-missed Smoke Mission, “Mission: After a year of hard work, even landlords need to relax, enjoy the upcoming new year’s festival, contemplate the path of development for the coming year, broaden social relations, or simply do nothing and wait for the festival to end. Reward: Unknown reward.”

The reward is unknown, and the mission has still not been completed; it probably needs today to pass.

Around 10:30 in the morning.

Liszt was amusing that Thick-Leaf Grass Minor Elf who liked to spit, while Anna, the maid who once helped him wipe his face, kept making secret overtures to him.

At this time, a servant from the Long Taro Castle came to inform him that a new guest had arrived.

The new year’s festival is a family holiday. Without needing to ask, Liszt knew that it was his aunt’s family visiting Long Taro Castle today.

Indeed, at the castle gate, Liszt, along with his brother and sister, met his mother’s sister, Melinda Taro, the second daughter of the marquis. And her husband, Viscount Roland Pinecone of Longtail City, and their two sons, Russell Pinecone and Rolie Pinecone.

There was also Russell’s wife, and their daughter, who had just turned one and was wrapped up like a cotton ball.

Russell and Rolie are Liszt’s first cousins.

The order of age among the cousins is roughly: 25-year-old Meioubao Taro, 24-year-old Levis Tulip, 22-year-old Russell Pinecone, 20-year-old Li Vera Tulip, 19-year-old Rolie Pinecone, and 17-year-old Liszt Tulip—everyone ages a year when the new year comes.

Russell’s daughter is the only younger relative of Liszt.

“Aunt, uncle, Liszt greets you, happy new year,” Liszt greeted them first before speaking. He didn’t have a strong memory of these relatives in his former life.

Since Melissa’s death, Li Weiliam’s social dealings with Red Crab Island had become increasingly infrequent, so the three siblings would at most visit Marquis Merlin and seldom went to see their aunt.

“Happy New Year, Liszt. You’ve grown so much, and you’re so tall,” Melinda was a plump lady of nobility, unfortunately not inheriting the good looks common in the Long Taro family.

And it seemed her luck wasn’t great either, just like Melissa, she and her sister both married viscounts.

But Li Weiliam advanced to an earl early on, whereas Roland Pinecone remained a viscount. Even in his former memories, the aunt’s two sons appeared to be even more useless than “himself.”

Quietly using the Eye of Magic.

Liszt observed that indeed, the total Dou Qi of the two cousins was only about the same as Li Vera’s, not reaching the level of an Elite Earth Knight.