The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

Sometimes the Duke would train the Blueblood Knight Order in the Blue Dragon Garden or hunt there — the garden was home to a massive number of wild beasts and magical beasts, which served as sustenance for the Sapphire Dragon.

When the incident of dragon slaying occurred, the Duke was hunting with the Marquis of Bull.

Then, the dragon slaying event erupted.

"According to the rumors I’ve uncovered, the Marquis of Bull and his magician had secretly set up a huge magic array in the Blue Dragon Garden in advance. When the Sapphire Dragon stepped into the magic array, they immediately activated it, gravely injuring the Sapphire Dragon… The Marquis of Bull took advantage of the chaos to escape from Blue Dragon Island,"

The secret messenger revealed everything he knew, "After issuing the order to besiege Iron Hoof Island, the Duke left Azure Sky Peak Palace; it had been several days before his absence was noticed... Meanwhile, Lady Sarette has taken control of The Court, with the support of Marquis Nesta, purging the Court of any servants deemed suspicious."

The Sapphire Duke vanished with his Dragon.

The Duke’s wife, Lady Sarette, born into the Dahua Weilan family, supported by her brother Marquis Nesta Big Flower Hydrangea, was purging the Court of any servants possibly involved in the dragon slaying incident.

The Duke’s two sons, along with his son-in-law, Marquis Glendenton, were attacking Iron Hoof Island.

At present, this was the situation in the Grand Duchy of Sapphire.

"Does no one know where the Duke has gone?"

"Perhaps Lady Sarette knows, but no one else does, or perhaps others do but we just can’t find out,"

"Do Marquis Merlin and Brother Mesiro have any plans?"

"Not at the moment. After receiving your letter, Marquis Merlin instructed Lord Mesiro to convey to you..."

"To convey what to me?" Li Weiliam assumed a listening posture.

The secret messenger replied, "He has worked with the Duke for half his life and is very familiar with his old friend’s character and tactics. He hopes that you will not hastily lose faith in the Duke before the dust settles."

"I understand," nodded the Earl, "I also have some information that I hope you will relay to Brother Mesiro."

"As you wish."

...

"Quite clearly."

After the secret messenger left, Liszt shared his opinion, "My grandfather’s advice is prudent and cautious, urging us to watch the changes and refrain from making hasty decisions. The Duke’s departure with the Sapphire Dragon must be part of a more important plan, one that could determine the future."

"So we do nothing?" Levis frowned deeply, "I always feel that while this is indeed a stable approach, it’s not really the most appropriate action. What if the Eagle Kingdom intervenes?"

After a moment of thought, Liszt calmly responded, "We fight!"

"Fight?"

"As long as the Eagle Kingdom doesn’t deploy Dragon Knights, what do we have to worry about? The Marquis Family won’t compromise easily. Just repelling the attacks of the Knight Order will prove our strength. I believe neither the King of the Eagle Kingdom nor the King of Steel Ridge Kingdom would mind having a group of powerful followers."

This was already the agreed strategy: remain loyal to the Sapphire Family and demonstrate value until the situation became clear.

The rest was a matter of choosing which branch to perch on.

Having been through the baptism of war, Liszt felt very high-spirited at this moment, fearless of any situation: "No matter what, if there’s a chance to eliminate the Marquis of Bull, we shouldn’t miss it! For the family’s interest, for personal emotional release, the traitor must be killed!"

Had it not been for the Marquis of Bull causing all these disturbances, Liszt would still be peacefully farming in Fresh Flower Town, waiting for this year’s Pioneer Mandate.

He preferred this methodical way of life and disliked too many upheavals.

Thus, he had no fondness for the Marquis of Bull.

This is a matter of personal emotions.

From the perspective of interests, whether the Sapphire Dragon is alive or dead, the Marquis of Bull should be eliminated—if the Dragon is alive, eliminating him could curry favor with the Grand Duke; if the Dragon is dead, doing so could prove loyalty and eliminate a competitor—the Bull Family, which has already transferred heirs and wealth overseas, is definitively the greatest rival among the domestic nobles.

Although the land is boundless, the resources available to seize are not plentiful. If the Marquis of Bull consumes more, others will have less.

The principle is roughly as such.

After the two sons concluded their discussion, the Earl wanted to offer some insights with long-term vision, but Liszt had already said everything that needed to be said, leaving nothing worth adding.

This left him feeling quite displeased, so he could only latch onto a few details and repeat some lines.

Afterward.

They continued searching for traces of the Wrath Knight Order and the Goat Assembly.

...

Departed on June 7th, landed at Bull Horn City on the 11th, set off for Mane City on the 13th, and captured the Nameless Castle of Mane City on the 14th.

Headed to Bull Hair City on the 15th, reinforced Little River City on the 16th, captured the Nameless Castle of Little River City on the 17th, supported Green Shade City on the 18th, and captured the Green Leaf Fortress of Green Shade City on the 20th.

Went to Bull Hair City again on the 21st, captured Celery Fort of Bull Hair City on the 23rd, departed for Bull Ridge City on the evening of the 24th, arrived at Bull Ridge City on the evening of the 25th, captured the Castle of Bull Ridge City on the 26th, and set off for Snow Pear City on the 27th.

Today is already June 30th.

They scoured the towns near Snow Pear City for two and a half days, thoroughly purging each small town, but found no traces of the Wrath Knight Order or the Goat Assembly.

"No need to search further, attack directly, and seize Pear Fort of Snow Pear City!" commanded the Earl, as his Knight Order encircled Viscount Castle’s Pear Fort like a rising tide.

Douson made his entrance, bombarding with Rock Grenades.

The castle collapsed, and the war swiftly ended.

Meanwhile, victory reports were also coming in one after another from other cities’ battlefields. With the combat power of the Earl’s Knight Order, exterminating the castles defended by Viscounts was really a simple task.

July 2nd.

The Coral Island Knights joined forces with other Earl’s Knight Orders and, under the leadership of Marquis Glendenton, they headed straight for one of the last two cities, Bull Rump City, where they would converge with the Second Prince’s Knight Order—the Second Prince’s Blueblood Knight Order had already been annihilated, and Marquis Ramirez White Glutinous Rice, who joined him in attacking Bull Tail City, had also suffered heavy losses.

Thanks to the support of Wallace Pineapple Green and Mesiro Taro, the situation finally stabilized.

Bull Rump City.

The Knight Orders from the White Glutinous Rice Family, the Pineapple Green Family, the Taro Family—the three Marquis Families, as well as numerous Knight Orders from families directly under the Grand Duke assembled here.

It took only two days to defeat the Earl who guarded Bull Rump City.

"The current war is already a one-sided form, with everyone vying for military achievements," Meioubao Taro said to Liszt in the tent; he was his cousin.

Dressed in indestructible and flashy golden Mountain Copper armor.

Fortunately, he had a direct elite Knight Order, all equipped with golden Mountain Copper armor, which meant he didn’t stand out too much. Otherwise, he would have been a live target on the battlefield.

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Liszt, holding a cup with fresh local milk—the stock of Dragon Breed Milk had already run out—said, "Not to grab military achievements with almost no danger would mean you’re either out of your mind or, like cousin, you don’t need achievements to earn your title."

In the fight to attack the castle, Liszt led his Knight Order, relentlessly slaying enemy knights.

During the battle at Bull Ridge City, and now at Bull Rump City, he had racked up quite a few heads, furiously grabbing military achievements to smooth the way for his Viscount title.