Chapter 748 Learning Magic

This chapter is an extra update sponsored by "100,000 Years of Salted Fish" (a patron's username).

————

The Kingdom of Steel Ridge holds the greatest overall strength among the three kingdoms in the northeastern corner of the Legendary Continent. According to data from the Sapphire Duchy, it commands 11 dragons, including 7 bonded dragon riders.

Its seven vassal states contribute 4 additional dragon riders—this count already includes the Sapphire Duchy's dragon rider (the Grand Duke himself) but excludes Liszt and the fire drake Rio.

The Kingdom of the Eagle possesses 9 dragons, 6 with riders. They've recently lost one dragon and its rider, though this remains unknown to outsiders... Their five vassal states field 2 more dragon riders.

The Blastfurnace Kingdom maintains 8 dragons (5 with riders), while its four vassal states can muster only 1 dragon rider.

While the Kingdom of Steel Ridge leads in strength, its advantage isn't overwhelming. The three kingdoms have clashed intermittently for centuries, locked in perpetual rivalry.

The envoy delegation received warm hospitality.

Liszt kept his distance, delegating most discussions with Kent the Magic Elephant to Marquis Merlin and Lee William. Instead, he questioned Prince Anthony: "You know King Osborn well?"

Anthony reminisced: "In my youth, I spent three years at Steel City's Royal Knights' Academy. I crossed paths with Osborn when he was still a prince. He had exceptional talent—achieving sky knight status at seventeen and claiming the Sword Saint title by nineteen. He's thirty now."

"So he still falls short of dragon rider qualifications?"

"The Platinum royal family can't guarantee producing a candidate every generation. These are once-in-a-generation talents—for any house to yield even one is remarkable."

The logic held true. Dragon riding didn't mutate genes into superhuman traits—it merely boosted one's mana potency.

Yet generations of magic elixirs and strategic marriages ensured noble bloodlines surpassed commoners in talent. Dragon rider candidates, however, remained anomalies beyond conventional measure.

"Steel Ridge's monarchy has endured eight centuries. Given their Platinum surname, does this mean their dragon nears its return to Dragon Valley?"

"Not precisely," Anthony clarified. "The Platinum Dragon is about five hundred. The royal house changed surnames after bonding with it—the reasons lost to history, as the court never speaks of it."

This five-hundred-year-old Platinum Dragon dwarfed the Pale Emerald Gem Dragon by a century.

"Why Osborn's fixation on the Platinum Dragon? Three others await riders."

"Likely its superior combat prowess."

"His temperament?"

"Dominant and shrewd—my recollection from academy days. I once considered him a reliable liege, but Steel Ridge's inaction during the Dragon-Slaying War proved disappointing." Anthony's tone remained measured. "King Osborn has grown into his role."

Though the Eagle Kingdom ostensibly orchestrated the war, Steel Ridge's withheld reinforcements and failure to report Alonso's border departure were viewed as betrayal by the Sapphires.

While open rupture was avoided, the rift deepened.

Having formed a preliminary assessment, Liszt pressed: "Did the Grand Duke convey any messages through your delegation?"

"My father hopes to fortify the mutual defense pact between Sapphire and Your Highness."

"I grasp his meaning."

...

During post-banquet respite, Liszt inspected the envoy's gifts.

Here is the edited translation incorporating the expert suggestions:

Twenty colorful gemstones, roughly a ton of assorted jade, plenty of adamantine, orichalcum, and mithril, along with abundant specialties like fine wines and food.

Perhaps aware that Liszt was a Fire Dragon knight, they also sent many fire-attributed magical beast materials.

Among them were three Phoenix Feathers.

"Such extravagance!"

Feeling the surging fire-attributed magic power of the Phoenix Feathers, Liszt couldn't help but marvel.

Now this was truly a kingdom's generosity—just the welcoming gifts were of such immense value. As materials produced by wyverns, the combined value of the three Phoenix Feathers might rival the tortoise shell Ka Erluo carried with him.

"Rrrowr!"

A restless heat rose in his chest as Leo, sensing the aura of the Phoenix Feathers, grew agitated—it wanted to devour them.

"The magic power of Phoenix Feathers is merely high-level mana. You've grown so much now; why care about a bit of high-level mana? It's better if I keep them to aid my Dragon Aura cultivation."

"Rrrowr!" Leo countered—it could leave one for Liszt and eat the other two.

"Two is too much; it'd be a waste. You can have one to taste, and I'll keep the other two for my own purposes." Liszt put his foot down. If he had descendants, they might inherit fire-attributed mana, making Phoenix Feathers the perfect auxiliary equipment for their training.

"Rrrowr!"

"Don't rush to refuse. I've already sent people to scout out Blazing Mountain. By then, forget a few Phoenix Feathers—we might even roast and eat an entire Wyvern Phoenix."

Upon hearing this, Leo was practically salivating and nodded eagerly: "Rrrowr!"

Then, Liszt separated one Phoenix Feather, gripping it in his left hand. A suction force from his palm instantly drained all its magic power. The feather crumbled into dust, slipping through his fingers, while Leo on his chest radiated satisfaction, as if on the verge of a contented burp.

The remaining two Phoenix Feathers were promptly stored in his Spatial Ring.

"Rrrowr!" After tasting the delicious feather, Leo couldn't wait to urge Liszt to hurry to Blazing Mountain in search of the Wyvern Phoenix.

"Don't worry. Once there's news, we'll make time after the New Year."

Having benefited from the gifts, Liszt, while keeping up his dragon knight act during his reception of the Kingdom of Steel Ridge's envoy delegation, was surprisingly warm and polite in his words. Of course, regarding the envoys' proposals about vassal states, he left all such matters to his grandfather and father to handle.

Thus, two days passed in a flash. The envoys, believing they had reached a preliminary agreement on vassalage with Liszt, prepared to bid farewell and return to Blue Dragon Island with the crown prince to celebrate the New Year.

Before their departure, Kent Magic-Elephant made a request to Liszt: "Your Highness Liszt, my family has a great magician—my sister, Kenli Truth. Upon learning that an Incarnation of Truth walks the mortal world, she deeply desires to follow in the footsteps of the Archmage..."

He heaped praise upon Acheronides, hoping his sister could study under her and learn magic.

However, Acheronides had rarely appeared over the past two days, and when she did, she kept her distance, leaving him uncertain. Thus, he could only turn to Liszt for help.

Liszt pondered briefly: "Very well. But if she comes to my territory to study magic, she must abide by my rules."

"Your Highness Liszt, rest assured. Kenli is a dedicated magician, never involved in any noble affairs. She will absolutely not cause you any trouble."