Chapter 35 The Knightly Qualities of Self-Reliance

The maid's thoughts were unknown to Liszt.

He never considered acting recklessly and irresponsibly, as most nobles would in someone else's castle. He was only sixteen years old, freshly an adult by his current body's standards.

In his hometown, one was considered an adult at eighteen and eligible for marriage at twenty-two.

For now, it was best to focus on growing stronger without overthinking, preserving his energy. His previous self was a good-for-nothing, but the new Liszt was confident in ascending to the rank of Sky Knight. With his natural talent and the assistance of the Smoke Mission, he might even ride a dragon one day and become a Dragon Knight.

At the pinnacle of combat power in this world stood Dragon Knights, beings capable of devastating the heavens and earth.

"The practice of Fire Dragon Thrust and Blazing Wave cannot be neglected. Although I can avoid the battlefield, self-preservation must always be honed."

...

The luncheon was a family affair at Longtaro Castle, with a small guest list. Marquis Messirow and his wife were overseeing taxation elsewhere, leaving only the grandfather and granddaughter as the castle's hosts. According to Longtaro Castle's customs, the captain of the knights did not dine within the castle, and Meopo's private tutor had already taken up a position in the city.

Thus, only the three siblings and their grandparents sat around the table.

Marquis Merlin was wheelchair-bound and found walking difficult. The food in the castle was a notch above that of Tulip Castle, as evidenced by the bread on the plate – the finest white bread available.

Liszt picked up a white bread roll and took a gentle bite. It was soft, flaky, and delectable, melting in his mouth like it wasn't bread at all but a cake.

The wine was a vintage red from La Ciz Vineyard, a prestigious label that surpassed the New Moon Red in quality.

As the covers were lifted off one dish after another, the feast unfolded: custard beef, golden sauce salmon, snipe eggs, lobster aspic with egg yolk sauce, roast goose with lettuce salad, meat pie with cheese, asparagus leaves, and trout in lobster sauce. The abundance of the spread rivaled even the grandest feasts held at Tulip Castle.

However, despite the lavish dishes, the atmosphere was somewhat tense.

The Marquis was a serious man who had once held great power over the navy, exuding an imposing presence. Both Levis and Li Weiwei felt constrained in his presence, speaking with caution.

Liszt, too, felt a certain level of restraint. In his mind, he didn't think these "ancients" were anything extraordinary, but being among strangers, he found it hard to be at ease.

So, he focused on enjoying the delicious food, which seemed more important at the moment.

Especially the egg yolk sauce rock lobster aspic.

It was utterly delightful.

He had already finished one plate and ordered another.

"Rock Lobsters are native to the waters around Red Crab Island. Our family's fleet rarely goes out to fish; it's mostly daring fishermen who venture to catch them. The yield isn't high, and almost all of it ends up at the castle." Meopo nibbled on her bread and continued, "If you like them, I can have some live lobsters prepared for you later."

"I'm afraid they won't survive the journey. It takes one and a half days to walk from Longtaro Castle to my Flower Town, then a day by boat, followed by another half day on foot. Considering rest stops and other delays, it would take at least five days to return."

"Actually, Rock Lobsters are quite easy to keep alive. Just give them a bit of water every day. They have the bloodline of Sea Monster Brocaded Lobsters, so they're not likely to die easily."

Sea monsters referred to magical creatures in the sea.

Liszt naturally didn't object. "Thank you very much then."

"You're welcome." Meopo smiled. Among the Tulip siblings, she felt closer to Liszt, perhaps due to their mutual admiration for each other's appearance or the fact that handsome people tended to befriend other handsome people.

Upon hearing their conversation, the Marquis interjected, "Liszt, tell me about Flower Town."

"Grandfather, life in Flower Town is rather unremarkable."

"Tell me about its customs, the environment, anything."

"Well, it's a small town with fewer than two thousand residents. Initially, it was founded when a new species of tulip was discovered, so Father relocated our subjects to build Flower Town.

Currently, the main crop is wheat, but the land is rather barren, resulting in low taxes. Fortunately, a new variety of Tulip Magic Herb has sprouted in Flower Town, bringing new prospects for development." "A new type of magic herb, that's indeed good news," the Marquis asked. "Did Tulip Castle pay a considerable sum of gold coins for it?" "It's a profit-sharing agreement. The town can't cultivate too much, so my siblings and I have agreed to collaborate on the cultivation. However, they need to give me a third of the profits." "Hmm, an interesting partnership, far more valuable than mere gold coins. Liszt, you not only inherited Melissa's beauty but also the shrewdness of the Longtaro family." The Longtaro family's astuteness was well-known in the Grand Duchy. It stemmed from the Marquis' father, the previous Marquis, who was then just an Earl. Back then, the Grand Duchy was preparing to compete with other nations for mineral resources and urgently needed funds to arm its knightly order. The Earl had spent all his wealth supporting the Sapphire Grand Duke's endeavor, eventually earning him Red Crab Island and the title of Marquis. Today, the annual revenue from Red Crab Island likely surpasses the fortune the Earl once spent. A highly profitable transaction. "Flower Town is just a small village. I need to earn money to maintain the expenses of Tulip Castle." "Self-reliance is a quality of a qualified noble." Courage, manners, loyalty, self-reliance... Nobles often tout a long list of virtues, among which self-reliance is the most misleading. Most of them are, in fact, parasites exploiting commoners, probably not even knowing what a hoe looks like since childhood.

Of course, by the Marquis's notion of self-reliance, he probably meant being able to "exploit others on one's own," rather than relying on the family's resources.

...

After the luncheon came the evening banquet.

Following the dinner, there was a period of rest, and the next day began with another luncheon. After that, Meopo became busy, for, as per the Marquis's instructions, he planned to host a grand ball that night, gathering the young noble men and women from nearby towns.

A nobleman's ball could be simply viewed as a grand matchmaking event.

Particularly the second and third sons of noble families were most enthusiastic about such gatherings. The eldest son could inherit his father's title and had no trouble finding suitable marital alliances, whereas the second and third sons needed to strive on their own to marry into wealth and beauty, thus securing their continued life as nobles.

Otherwise, from generation to generation, they would eventually degrade into mere knights and fall from the ranks of nobility.

Nobility's ladies also reveled in balls, not every miss could marry the eldest son of a noble family. They likewise needed to direct their charms toward those promising younger nobles with potential.

"Liszt, you must prepare yourself!" Meopo approached with her personal valet, carrying an abundance of formal attire. "These are all gowns I've never worn. Our figures are quite similar; they should fit you perfectly."

"Cousin, there's no need to try them all on one by one. I think this one I'm wearing suits me just fine."

"No, it must be flawless. Consider this: with the knights I dispatched on swift horses yesterday, at least thirteen nobles from neighboring towns have received invitations and will attend the ball. How many lovely maidens will be waiting to form a blessed bond with you, hoping for a delightful encounter?"

"I'm still young, and not in a hurry to marry," Liszt replied, somewhat speechless. He had never noticed his cousin's enthusiasm for playing matchmaker before. "You should focus on dressing up my sister; she is of marriageable age. And my brother also needs to find a suitable candidate for the position of lady of Tulip Castle."

"They don't need me to remind them, Levis has borrowed many formal outfits long ago, and Li Weiwei has been preparing since early morning. Didn't you notice?"

"Really?"

Liszt hadn't paid attention. During his leisure time, he was absorbed in reading the books from Longtaro Castle, and during banquets, he was too busy enjoying the food.