The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

He had no hope of being promoted to an earl.

Just as one cannot be a Grand Duke without being a Dragon Knight, one cannot be an earl without being a Sky Knight. However, one could have a hereditary right for three generations, which means that if an earl’s descendant is not a Sky Knight, they can still inherit the earldom, but if they fail to produce a Sky Knight after three generations, then, unfortunately, they must be demoted.

Originally, there was also the rule that one cannot be ennobled as a baron without being an Earth Knight.

According to the rules, once Liszt came of age, he would not be able to obtain the title of baron as he had not advanced to Earth Knight. However, since Earth Knights had become dime a dozen, provided one had sufficient nutrition, it was rare for someone not to achieve Earth Knight status. This rule was not written into the enfeoffment system of the Duchy of Sapphire, and the nobles did not care about it either.

When the earl conferred the title upon Liszt, nobody dared to utter a word of dissent.

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

The question was rather gauche; Li Weiliam had remarried, and Marquis Merlin was no longer his father-in-law, so how could he join the celebration?

Liszt merely smiled and responded, “My father has stayed on Coral Island, and there are many matters in the territory that require his attention; he really couldn’t get away.”

Viscount Roland was about to ask another question.

Aunt Melinda interrupted directly, saying, “Your two cousins often talk about you. You used to play together as children, and now that you’ve all grown up, you meet less often.”

“Liszt, how have you grown taller than Levis? You’re very robust and already an Earth Knight? That’s impressive!” Cousin Russell said enviously as he thumped Liszt’s chest.

He was built like his aunt, somewhat short and stocky, and must be the straightforward type; his accent was not quite standard, tinged with a bit of dialect.

Liszt enjoyed dealing with straightforward people.

Before he could speak, Russell went on, “Come, let me introduce you. This is my wife, Cassie Broccoli. Her uncle is Count Sharke. And this is our daughter, Rossi, she just turned 2 years old.”

Cassie Broccoli?

Her uncle is Sharke Broccoli?

Liszt smiled and greeted the gentle lady warmly, then enthusiastically lifted the little ball of fluff that was Rossi, “Hi, Rossi, say… ‘Happy New Year, Uncle Liszt.’

Rossi obviously had no such intention and immediately pouted and started wailing.

Liszt, startled, quickly handed Rossi back to the servant who had been holding her before.

Li Vera laughed, “You need to realize that being handsome is of no use with little children.”

….

Marquis Merlin’s descendants were all in attendance.

During the luncheon, the elderly master of Long Taro Castle, in high spirits, drank a few extra glasses. It was unclear whether it was the alcohol that made him livelier or if he had prepared beforehand, but starting with Meioubao, he called his grandchildren one by one into the study.

Liszt, being the youngest, naturally went in last.

“Grandfather.”

“Sit.”

The clear enunciation and the murky yet sharp gaze proved that Marquis Merlin was not drunk. The old butler brought in two cups of coffee and casually closed the door to the study.

“You’ve given me quite a surprise, Liszt,” the words from Marquis Merlin startled Liszt, “The last time you were here, you were just a Common Earth Knight, yet now, you have become an Elite Earth Knight. Such rapid progress is quite rare.”

Without denial, Liszt curiously asked, “Grandfather, how did you figure it out?”

“When I was young, I defeated even the Grand Duke with my Knight’s Sword, so seeing through your level of Dou Qi is nothing to be surprised about.” Marquis Merlin’s voice was not loud, but his words always carried an air of dominance, mentioning casually that he had even defeated a Grand Duke.

“It’s strange when I talk about it. After moving to the countryside, my diet wasn’t as good as it was at Tulip Castle, but I felt as if a light had suddenly turned on. I broke through to become an Earth Knight almost immediately upon arriving at Fresh Flower Town. Recently, I felt like I touched the bottleneck of Dou Qi, so I started taking Magic Potions.”

Of course, the Smoke Mission could not be revealed, so Liszt had no choice but to make up a story.

It wasn’t entirely made up, though. The accumulation from an Earth Knight to an Elite Earth Knight had indeed been quite natural for him, even surprising himself when he found out.

What should have been years of grinding was shortened to mere months.

“Perhaps living in Tulip Castle was oppressive for you. Those magicians are fond of speaking about the theory of spiritual and material transformation, aren’t they? The power of the human spirit can indeed influence one’s body. Melissa died too soon, and your father failed to take on the responsibility of looking after you, which truly wore down your talent.”

While speaking, Marquis Merlin unapologetically lauded himself, “Li Weiliam had strong talent, and the bloodline of Long Taro Castle is even more noble. All three of you siblings have inherited your parents’ good traits, but you inherited the most, and rightly so, you are the most gifted! In you, I see the shadow of my youthful self.”

Liszt maintained a smile.

After boasting for a while, Marquis Merlin asked, “Is the wealth of Fresh Flower Town sufficient to support your need for Magic Potions?”

“Currently, there are three kinds of Magic Potions growing in Fresh Flower Town. Although the output isn’t high, I’m not at the stage where I need a large amount. With some effort, it’s enough.”

“You have a Little Minor Elf that produces Magic Potions; training it will be of great help to you. You also have an Intermediate Magical Beast, that Fierce Earth Dog should be cultivated with effort; it will become a good companion for you.”

“I think so too.”

“Having advanced to an Elite Earth Knight in such a short time, it’s right to be cautious, but you don’t have to be too modest. Strength dictates everything. Don’t forget that you have the support of the Tulip Family and the Long Taro Family behind you. You should let everyone witness your boundless future… The reason I married Melissa to your father was because he was fearless.”

Li Weiliam, who back then was still a Common Earth Knight viscount, took a daughter of a marquis for his wife, which would have been difficult without any boldness.

Liszt was somewhat moved.

His own behaviour had indeed been quite “low-profile,” lacking the ostentatiousness or fervor of youth. However, the thought was fleeting. His modesty was not due to a lack of strength, but because he had too many secrets. He preferred to progress step by step; he disliked taking risks.

“Grandfather, I have a clear vision for my future, I know what I should do.”

Marquis Merlin looked at Liszt with some surprise and nodded, “Good, it’s rare for a young person to have such a mentality. I’m even more optimistic about your future.”

He picked up a thin booklet from the table and tossed it to Liszt, “I believe your future achievements will surpass your father’s. These are some insights from my years of Dou Qi Cultivation, you can take them for reference.”

————

Rolling on the floor begging for votes~