Chapter 7 The sublimation of fighting spirit

The sea with nothing in it?

Liszt was unsure if he should laugh. In his homeland, the contest for the ocean was no less fierce than that on land. Every nation dreamed of having a formidable Bluewater Navy.

The resources in the sea were no less abundant than those on land. Most of them were still untapped, and one could easily discover treasures by merely scooping the water. Deep-sea oil, methane hydrates, manganese nodules, polymetallic sulfides, and cobalt-rich crusts were all sources of wealth.

In this world, he dared not speculate whether there might be hidden mineral deposits beneath the sea – after all, based on current knowledge, only dragons could produce gems and metals.

However, the fishing resources in the sea were undoubtedly immense.

In the Sapphire Grand Duchy, there were vast stretches of uncultivated land, and manpower was severely lacking. People couldn't even manage to farm, let alone develop fisheries. The crucial issue was that elves were in the hands of the nobility, unable to influence such a large amount of arable land, resulting in meager agricultural yields.

Take Flower Town as an example; its arable land was considerable, but it could barely support a small population.

The fewer people there were, the more they were bound to the land by the nobility and their system, working the fields to pay exorbitant taxes that supported the luxurious lifestyles of the aristocrats.

"The future development of Flower Town lies in these azure waves!" Liszt's heart burned with enthusiasm.

As long as there was a nearby fishing ground, it could provide a steady supply of food. Only when the commoners were well-fed would they have the energy to procreate, increasing the population and thus allowing for higher tax revenues.

Indeed, these were not immediate concerns. The development of the fishing industry relied on boats, and Flower Town still had a long way to go before it could build them. His meager savings wouldn't be enough to purchase many ships either.

"Let's go. After we finish inspecting this last stretch of the border, we'll head back." With a light flick of his whip, the Fire Dragon Horse let out a loud whinny as it galloped along the sandy seashore of the Azure Wave Sea.

The sand was a light yellow and spotless, with occasional towering trees resembling coconut palms blocking the afternoon sun, casting shadows in various spots.

With a bit of development, it would be the perfect summer vacation destination.

After completing the beach patrol, they returned to the starting point at the edge of Thorns Ridge. Liszt had officially finished his inspection of Flower Town's territory. Marcus and the four escort knights bowed and bid their farewells, returning to their homes in the town. They had their own dwellings there.

The castle was where Liszt lived with his male and female servants.

"Sir, my heart is at ease now that I see you have returned safely," said Carter, the old butler, as he led the servants in a welcoming line for Liszt's return.

"On my territory, even magical beasts must comport themselves properly," Liszt joked. "Mr. Carter, is everything in order at the castle?"

"Of course."

"That's good. Mrs. Mo Sen, please arrange a bath for me. I need to take a shower."

"Very well, Master." Mrs. Mo Sen was nearly forty and had never been married. She had been working at Tulip Castle and now oversaw all the maids in Liszt's castle.

Despite being called "all the maids," there were only three of them.

In fact, the entire castle staff numbered only ten.

Carter Pot, the butler, managed all affairs in the castle and was considered one of Liszt's trusted men. Mrs. Mo Sen Ricefield oversaw all the maids and assisted Carter with the daily management of the castle. Abby Spoon was the cook and responsible for everything in the kitchen.

There were two male servants: Thomas Scissors, the valet, Tom Pigsty, a regular servant, and Jesse Rice-Washing Water, an assistant male servant.

The maids were all ordinary servants: Macy Thread, Debbie Window, and Mijon Cowtail.

There was also an assistant cook who was technically a maid but worked under Abby Cook. Her name was Irene Four-Fingers.

Four-Fingers was a very peculiar surname. Perhaps her ancestors had only four fingers, hence they named themselves Four-Fingers when registering their family name—don't expect uneducated peasants who spent their whole lives in the countryside and seldom traveled far to come up with elegant surnames. Nobles wouldn't allow them to have such names anyway.

As Liszt, under Thomas's assistance, removed his leather armor and changed into casual clothes, the old butler Carter promptly announced, "Jesse, take Master's Fire Dragon Horse away. Remember to add more beans when feeding it; it has been working hard all day. Mrs. Abby, head to the kitchen and prepare dinner. Tonight, we should have an extra serving of roasted meat for Master. Mrs. Moson, make sure the maids prepare a bath for Master. Tom needs to fetch water from the town, and Thomas, you're responsible for cleaning Master's leather armor."

"Yes, Mr. Carter!" the servants replied in unison.

Carter nodded in satisfaction.

Though the castle was small, with few servants, and life was somewhat spartan, he was the butler here, managing every aspect of daily life within the castle and being a trusted aide to the master. He enjoyed the comfort and authority that came with his position.

...

The water temperature was just right. Though they were not as experienced as the maids of Tulip Castle, under Mrs. Moson's guidance, these newly purchased servants had already adapted well to their roles.

Liszt lay in the bathtub, enjoying the sensation of warm water enveloping him.

He had considered introducing the idea of equality among people, shining the light of civilization's democracy upon this world. However, he was well aware that the livelihoods of these servants depended on serving nobles, being protected under their wings to survive.

Without their servant jobs and identities, they might face even more miserable lives if they returned to the fields.

Peasants and freemen alike often face starvation each year.

Within the castle, as long as one didn't encounter an eccentric lord, one could at least ensure food and clothing. Once one climbed to the level of steward, it was the pinnacle of status that commoners could aspire to.

"I never imagined that there would be so many people relying on me for their livelihood," Liszt mused.

Lost in thought, he began to daydream. Soon, the snake script composed of smoke appeared before his eyes once more.

The snake script had transformed, no longer displaying the previous message but instead a new one: "Task completed. Reward: Ascension of Battle Aura."

Excitement stirred within Liszt as he prepared to claim his reward. However, he suddenly realized that he had no idea how to receive it. Just as he was about to investigate how to claim the prize, the snake script before him dissipated into a cloud of smoke, quickly forming anew with a different message.

"Task: Peanut Village in your territory is facing a severe crisis. Large expanses of peanut fields have undergone an unknown mutation, leaving farmers helpless. A decrease in yield seems inevitable. As the lord, it is your responsibility to resolve this issue. Reward: A fairy worm."

"Hmm, a new task with a fairy worm as the reward. That's quite valuable!" Liszt initially felt joy, only for it to be replaced by frustration. "But what about the previous task? Where is the Ascension of Battle Aura? Can anyone tell me how to claim this reward?"

At that moment, Liszt was filled with irritation.

He sensed his own Aura, and it remained unchanged. He persisted until the water turned cold, but he still didn't receive any mission reward.

This made him seriously doubt if he had truly hallucinated.

That smoke might not have existed at all.

Dressed, he left the bathroom with a grim expression, causing Thomas, who was waiting outside, to be lost in wild speculations once more.

"Sir, you look unwell. Is it perhaps because..."

"I'm fine. Go tend to your duties. I'll go read a book in the study." Entering the study, Liszt tried to calm down and read a book.

However, his mind was in turmoil, and he couldn't calm down no matter what.

Deciding to change into his training attire, he went to practice in the small garden of the castle. He was learning the Basic Aura, the most widely circulated beginner's Aura technique. Apart from specialized Aura techniques of prominent families, this was the best foundational manual.

Basic Aura was just a stream of energy for strengthening one's body.

After completing the routine, venting his pent-up frustration, he finally felt better, and his emotions gradually calmed. At that moment, a gentle breeze blew past, and Liszt's eyes suddenly sparkled. It seemed as though an inspiration flashed across his mind, and he caught hold of it.

Immediately after, he executed all the training maneuvers of the Basic Battle Aura once more.

Upon completing this round, the primitive battle aura within his body seemed to have reached a critical point and began its transformation. It surged out from the invisible meridian channels, inundating every single cell in his limbs and torso.

"The transcendence of battle aura!"

"So this is what was awaiting me!"