Chapter 736: The Child’s Loud Cry

The Dragon Slash Attack possessed tremendous power, significantly boosting Liszt’s strength—yet this was merely one of countless inspirations in his mind. Many more formidable offensive and defensive strategies were still brewing.

Before he knew it, four days had passed.

Coral Island was now in sight.

Under the overcast sky, scattered raindrops began to fall. Without an umbrella, Liszt stood side by side with Lee William at the ship’s bow, father and son chatting idly about everyday matters in the light rain.

“We’re almost home,” Lee William suddenly said with emotion, shaking his head. “I once thought becoming a Marquis would be the pinnacle of my life’s achievements. Yet you’ve brought me far too many surprises, elevating our family from a great noble house to a dragon-raising one—what an honor.”

Liszt replied matter-of-factly, “Raising dragons is just the start. Greater glories lie ahead.”

Seeing Liszt’s attitude, Lee William chuckled wryly. “You’ve had it too easy. You don’t realize what it means to raise dragons. The leap from serfdom to commoner status is a massive hurdle. Advancing from commoner to minor nobility is an even greater chasm.”

Moving up from minor nobility to great nobility was yet another enormous gap.

These barriers were enough to block 99% of the world’s population. Only 1%, or perhaps even one in ten thousand, could enjoy the prestige of great nobility. And yet, all of that paled in comparison to the difference between great nobles and dragon-raising families.

There were countless great noble houses in the world, but dragon-raising families numbered no more than two hundred.

Take the Sapphire Duchy, for example. Over 150 years, great noble families rose and fell, but the only dragon-raising family remained the Sapphires.

“If not for your unexpected rise, when the Sapphire Dragon aged and the family declined, there might never have been another dragon-raising family here,” Lee William said, feeling it all surreal. He couldn’t begin to imagine how much blessing from the Glory of Knighthood must have favored their family for both a dragon knight and an Archmage to emerge consecutively within the Tulip House.

As a commoner family from the nation’s founding era, their ancestors had cheated death on the battlefield to barely ascend into minor nobility. Generations later, after more than a century of effort, they barely squeezed into the ranks of great nobility.

And now, overnight, they became a dragon-raising family.

“Father, you must adapt quickly. The family will be very busy from now on.”

“I know,” Lee William replied, though his fake sigh couldn’t hide his smugness. “We’ll reach the port soon. Should you summon Leo and let Coral Island’s people witness the awe-inspiring might of a Fire Dragon?”

Liszt shook his head. “That would be undignified. Once we return to Tulip Castle, I’ll summon Leo for the family to meet—that will suffice.”

Lee William coughed, at a loss for words. Every time they returned to Oxhoof Port, Liszt rode Leo in full display—why hadn’t that seemed showy? And now, when he proposed the idea, he got such a response? Unbelievable!

But if Liszt refused to show off, he couldn’t force the issue.

The conversation between father and son lapsed into silence.

A short while later, they arrived at the port.

At that moment, Coral City’s harbor was crowded. In addition to the island’s stationed knights rushing to greet the ships, throngs of commoners had gathered, eagerly straining to catch a glimpse of the returning dragon knight. Almost none had ever seen a dragon, and all yearned for even a fleeting encounter—a story to tell their grandkids.

Moreover, they could also see the Archmage. To commoners, an Archmage wasn’t as impressive as a dragon knight, since they only recognized knights as rulers.

Too bad.

Liszt had no interest in showing off today. Calmly, he disembarked alongside the knights, quickly hopping into the family carriage under their escort, heading toward Tulip Castle. Upon reaching the turnoff to Tulip Castle, he spotted Penelope and others standing in the drizzle, eagerly awaiting his return.

He felt a flicker of recognition.

This was already his fourth triumphant return.

First, the Ironhoof Island campaign, then two pioneering decree battles, and finally this dragon hunt. Each time, the welcoming party grew grander, reflecting his ever-ascending status—up-and-coming elite Earth Knight, youngest Sky Knight, second-most-powerful in the Sapphire Duchy.

And now—dragon knight, the new ruler of the seas!

The family's preferential treatment was clearly a display of snobbery, yet Liszt thoroughly enjoyed it—it was tangible proof of his growth and progress over the years.

Lee William stepped out of the carriage first and strode toward Penelope. "Mother, you must have been worried."

However, Penelope merely nodded briefly before turning to Liszt, who had just descended from the carriage, and embracing him warmly. "The pride of the Tulip family, our family’s dragon rider! Ever since I got word, I’ve been counting the days for your return!"

Liszt was a little awkward in the face of such enthusiasm but responded with a smile, "Grandmother."

After the embrace, Penelope turned to Acheronides beside Liszt and gave her a more restrained hug. "Acheronides, sweetheart!"

Acheronides smiled calmly, without a trace of familial warmth. She remained indifferent toward other humans—even Is, another siren like herself, failed to stir any warmth in her. If not for Liszt, she would have outright avoided the hug.

After hugging both the dragon rider and the Archmage, Penelope stared intently at Liszt. "So, my proud, magnificent dragon rider, your dragon is within you?"

"Yes, Grandmother."

"Does that mean I just hugged a dragon?"

"You could say that." Liszt smiled faintly before silently calling out in his heart. Leo, already prepared, burst forth from his body.

Flames exploded in a fiery display, and as they dissipated, a sixty-foot-long, crimson-and-black Fire Dragon with a matching wingspan soared into the sky. It flew toward the mountain where Tulip Castle stood, landing atop the peak and locking its sinister, glowing eyes onto the crowd below.

The crowd buzzed with excitement.

Leo’s dramatic entrance left them all in awe. Many turned red with excitement as they gazed at the distant Fire Dragon perched on the mountaintop.

Liszt helped the shaken Penelope steady herself. "Grandmother, let’s head to the castle first."

"Oh, yes, yes, of course." Penelope trembled slightly. In her youth, she had trained briefly in mana, but never mastered it, leaving her an ordinary person. That brief taste of a dragon’s power had rattled her aging, frail body.

In truth,

Liszt had deliberately kept Leo at a distance to spare Penelope’s health. If Leo had fully unleashed his aura, many of the weaker onlookers might have fainted on the spot.

Even a prolonged exposure to his aura would have taken out a whole squad of earth knights.

Despite this precaution, Penelope still felt uneasy, and nearby, Gloria’s infant Richard wailed uncontrollably in her arms. The child, not yet a year old, could hardly withstand the oppressive draconic presence—though in a way, he was fortunate to experience it so young.

Thus,

the group made their way toward Tulip Castle, stealing glances at the Fire Dragon atop the mountain. Within moments, word spread like lightning across Coral City. Everyone now knew that the Tulip family’s dragon rider had returned, making a grand entrance atop a terrifyingly formidable Fire Dragon.

Some even swore emphatically: "That Fire Dragon is so powerful—just one look from it could slay a whole crowd of knights!"