Chapter 33 The owner of Changyao Castle

The swaying carriage made Liszt feel drowsy with its constant jolts.

After a bumpy journey from Seabream City to Redstone City, where they spent a night, they set off again at dawn and rode for another two hours until they finally caught sight of the majestic Longtaro Castle perched on a hillside.

Longtaro Castle was almost four times the size of Tulip Castle, with towering arrow towers reaching up to a hundred or so meters in height. Its location on a slope made it seem like an integral part of the mountain range.

Liszt had once visited Neuschwanstein Castle in Europe back on Earth.

Neuschwanstein Castle was just as grand as Tulip Castle, but lacked the perilous cliffside terrain that Tulip Castle had. However, compared to the Longtaro Castle before his eyes, Neuschwanstein Castle seemed small and insignificant. Just the Longtaro Castle alone possessed the grandeur comparable to the White City from "The Lord of the Rings."

Below the castle lay a city.

The carriage didn't need to pass through the city; instead, it proceeded directly along a steep mountain road leading to the castle. Halfway up, they were spotted by Longtaro Castle's knightly patrol, who then escorted them to the castle upon learning that they were relatives of the Tulip family.

One of the knights even raced up the mountain ahead to give notice.

By the time the carriage reached the castle gates, Meopo Longtaro, the heir of Longtaro Castle and the cousins of the trio, was already waiting with his servants.

"Levis, Li Weiwei, Liszt," Meopo was handsome and elegant, with sapphire-like eyes that sparkled beautifully. "I've been eagerly awaiting your arrival since receiving your letter. I hope your journey was uneventful?"

Liszt had to admit it.

His cousin was striking in appearance and demeanor, on par with himself. Standing together, they looked more like real siblings than he and Levis did.

"Everything's going well, Cousin Meopo."

"Cousin, you've become even more beautiful since last year."

"Thank you for the compliment, Cousin. But I always feel like it's mocking me when compared to your handsome face," Li Weiwei said to Meopo, half joking and half serious.

Meopo laughed heartily. "That's not something I can refuse, is it, Liszt?" The latter part of his sentence was directed at Liszt.

Liszt smiled slightly.

He finally confirmed that Li Weiwei had been bullying him for so many years out of jealousy over his looks. "Cousin, you're right."

"Haha, it seems heroes do share similar opinions. Come on, let's head into the castle. Father is overseeing the quarterly taxes in another region and hasn't returned yet. Grandfather is resting and recuperating. He'll be delighted to hear that you're here."

"How is Grandfather doing?"

Meopo sighed. "Grandfather's illness stems from the recurrence of old wounds and their complications. It fluctuates, but the Duke has sent the royal physicians to attend to him. We have faith that he'll recover."

...

In a magnificent bedroom, the master of Red Crab Island sat upon the bed. He was one of the seven Marquises of the Duchy, the former captain of the royal fleet, and the most esteemed person in Castle Longtaro.

Merlin Longtaro.

This was a septuagenarian, his pale, wrinkled face still bearing the dignity of a life of privilege, though it could no longer conceal the frailty brought on by age and illness.

Even the erstwhile Sky Knights, capable of soaring through the heavens, could not escape the craftsmanship of time's unyielding blade.

Eyes of sapphire had turned milky, not to mention a head of snow-white hair.

He rested quietly against the headboard, with a low-legged bedside table draped with a quilt upon which sat an inkwell and a quill pen dipped in its depths. With great effort, he was scribbling words onto thick parchment paper.

The age spots on his face stood out prominently.

"Milord, Young Master Tulip has already escorted the three grandchildren and granddaughters of House Tulip into the castle," the butler, almost as old as Marquis Merlin himself, hesitated to disturb and thus softened his tone significantly.

Marquis Merlin paused for a moment with his quill, then continued writing without lifting his head. "If Melissa's children wish to visit, let them come see this old man on his deathbed."

"Milord, you're only temporarily indisposed; you'll recover soon. Didn't you say you aimed to live to a hundred, outliving Marquis Wallace next door?"

"Ahaha, I've even threatened the Grand Duke's Sapphire Dragon, saying I'd slay it if I weren't made a Dragon Domain Lord. Yet, it was all for naught. This time, I'm surely losing to that old rascal." Marquis Merlin laughed heartily, swiftly finishing the last few words before setting down his quill.

The servant standing by promptly removed the tea table.

The old butler helped the marquis lean against the headboard of the bed, ensuring he was comfortably seated. Then, he bent down to adjust the marquis's red bow tie around his chest.

A servant presented a bronze mirror.

Other attendants, in turn, offered water, towels, and hairpins as they attended to the Marquis with great care.

The Marquis meticulously groomed himself, transforming from a withered old man into an imposing figure before he resumed his wait.

Upon hearing the familiar footsteps outside the door, his clouded eyes couldn't help but shimmer with a glint of recognition.

Yet, just as swiftly, he concealed that gleam.

Meopo led the trio of siblings into the bedroom.

Levis took the lead, walking briskly with Li Weiwei and Liszt to the bedside, where he bowed respectfully to Marquis Merlin. "Grandfather, Li Weiwei, Liszt, and I have come to visit you. Father also asked me to convey his sincere greetings, hoping for your swift recovery and return to your former glory as the lord of Longtaro Castle."

"Your father is thoughtful," the Marquis nodded faintly. "Did you have a smooth journey?"

"Yes, it was uneventful."

"That's good to hear. Since you've come to visit your grandfather, stay at Longtaro Castle for a few more days."

"Yes, Grandfather."

Marquis cast his gaze beyond Levis and Li Weiwei, fixing it on Liszt with a nostalgic expression in his eyes: "Liszt, you have come of age."

"Yes, on the ninth of March this year, it marks my coming-of-age ceremony."

"I've heard that your father granted you the title of Baron. Which town is your domain?"

"Flower Town."

"Well, if you can't even distinguish a viscount, it seems that Lee William's tenure as an earl hasn't been successful," Marquis Merlin commented frankly, then his tone turned wistful. "I missed your coming-of-age ceremony, and Melissa will surely blame me. Seeing you is like having Melissa standing right in front of me."

Meopo echoed, "Grandfather, Cousin Liszt does indeed resemble Aunt Melissa so much. When I was little, I thought Aunt Melissa was the brightest flower in the Duchy, just like the Longtaro bloom."

"I can hardly remember what Mother looked like. I can only admire her image in the portraits at Tulip Castle," said Liszt, for his predecessor had no memory of his mother.

Melissa had passed away when Liszt was only two years old—how much could a toddler remember?

There were portraits of Melissa in the castle, but they weren't frequently viewed. Even those paintings, with their high degree of distortion, failed to capture her true beauty.

It was a source of regret.

The marquis quickly composed himself. "A dozen years can sometimes feel like yesterday... You must be tired from the journey. Meopo, take your cousin and cousin sister to rest. I hope all the young men and women will be full of energy at the luncheon. And if time permits, I'd like to see you young folks hold a ball tomorrow evening to liven things up."