Chapter 64: There is a Curly Fu in the Castle

"Kak! Kak! Kak!"

"Kak! Kak! Kak!"

Within the castle's study, an unpleasant bird squawk echoed from time to time. The young wind kestrel was rather unsightly, covered in barely visible down that clung tightly to its skin, making it resemble a plucked chicken. Compared to the streamlined adult wind kestrels soaring through the skies, it was worlds apart.

However, Liszt found it delightful, after all, it was a flying magical beast.

The castle already had a furious earth dog that he would occasionally take out for walks, adorned with a few rock spikes for a pleasing sight. If he could add a wind kestrel to the mix, casually summoning wind blades whenever he pleased, it would certainly be impressive.

Unfortunately, kestrels didn't form bonds with their owners, and Liszt hadn't figured out how to tame it yet.

For now, he could only feed it.

He had already instructed the castle maids to sew a pair of leather gloves. He had watched videos of falconry before, where the handlers wore such gloves to have the hawks land on them. There seemed to be a small toy involved as well, thrown to entice the hawk to dive, then retrieved, keeping the bird circling nearby without flying away.

"I should research this toy when I have time. It would be best to inquire around Coral City if there are any bird trainers, to learn how they domesticate birds."

The banquet featured roasted Fruit-Stealing Monkey meat.

It wasn't as tender as roast beef and had a slightly fibrous texture, making it difficult to tear apart. However, perhaps due to their regular consumption of Coconuts, the roasted monkey meat had a faint, refreshing aroma of coconut milk, giving it a unique taste that was well-received by the guests.

"Gort, if the meat could be made more tender, it would surely be a delicacy. I suggest we breed them in large numbers," Gort said with his mouth full of grease.

Liszt, on the other hand, was more refined; he didn't opt for the roasted Fruit-Stealing Monkey meat but instead watched others enjoy it. "Breeding them in large numbers is a good idea, and I've decided the same. However, eating their meat isn't a wise choice. Monkeys are relatively intelligent creatures; they should be trained to climb trees and harvest fruits for fruit farmers."

According to the theories of his hometown, humans and monkeys shared a common ancestor, both belonging to the primate family.

This world didn't hold such beliefs. Humans were humans, without any notion of evolution. Apart from Dragons and Elves, all other creatures were considered inferior to humans—indeed, many even viewed Dragons and Elves as merely magical beings, not comparable to humans.

Eating Dragons... Consuming Elves... Even cannibalism... these things had happened before.

Thus, while he abstained from eating it himself, he wouldn't stop others from doing so.

Isaiah asked curiously, "My Lord, can monkeys really be trained to assist fruit farmers?"

"Certainly, just like training dogs and horses," Liszt replied confidently. His certainty stemmed from having witnessed many performances by trained monkeys.

I've also come across a news story about how in Malaysia or Thailand, locals train monkeys to climb trees and pick coconuts. There was one instance where a fruit farmer mistreated his monkey, and in retaliation, the angered primate threw wild fruits at the farmer, killing him.

In our case, with the stolen fruit monkeys now belonging to Liszt, no one would dare abuse them after they're trained for the farmers' use. It's unlikely we'll witness a scenario where the monkeys turn on their owners.

"Imagine how amusing it would be if those thieving fruit monkeys were really trained well. I never thought we could have monkeys working for us," Blair chuckled, envisioning the scene.

Liszt smiled and said, "In that case, Blair, I'll entrust the task of training the fruit monkeys to you."

"Uh, alright, I believe I can handle it."

Marcus then interjected, "My lord, what should we do with the Wind Soaring Falcon's corpse? Should I make another trip to Coral City to sell it?"

The Wind Soaring Falcon is a low-level magical beast, easily fetching a dozen gold coins.

In the past, Liszt would undoubtedly sell it for provisions.

But now, the town isn't short on funds.

The revenue from the black tulips alone was enough to sustain his noble lifestyle for decades. With his ample wealth, he declared, "There's no need to buy anything else. Let's dry the meat first and hold a kestrel barbecue party sometime. As for the other parts, does Teacher Marcus have any suggestions for their utilization?"

"Avian bones are hollow, especially those of a Windsoarer Kestrel, imbued with the magic of wind. The joint bones can be crafted into bone whistles for communication, their sound incredibly loud. Larger bones can be made into tools – lightweight yet sturdy, even more practical than iron. Furthermore, its feathers are excellent materials for making arrows."

Marcus promptly outlined the uses of the Windsoarer Kestrel's remains: "My lord is about to learn archery and will need a batch of arrows."

Lister inquired, "Is there anyone in town who can make arrows?"

Marcus promptly replied, "I can, I make my own arrows."

"Thank you, Teacher Marcus," Lister raised his cup, filled to the brim with hoppy beer. "This toast is to you, in gratitude for those two shots this afternoon that left us with the Windsoarer Kestrel. Otherwise, it would have been a great calamity."

"I am honored to serve, my lord!"

Marcus heartily raised his unhopped beer and drained it in one go.

...

The campfire died down, leaving behind a sky shimmering with countless stars.

Gort, Marcus, and the others had already returned.

The servants were bustling about, cleaning up the aftermath of the banquet. Liszt held a cup of milk tea delivered by Butler Carter—it was his custom to have a cup before bed for its nutritional benefits, especially since he was still growing at sixteen.

"Sir, your bath is ready."

"How's that Windhawker fledgling doing?"

"It's still squawking, but we've fed it plenty of small fish and shrimp. It can't be hungry. But sir, that bird...it's really quite ugly."

"I agree with you. Go check on it. If it keeps crying all night, take it out. I don't want to be woken up in the middle of the night." Liszt handed the empty cup to Carter and walked towards the castle. Whenever he encountered servants working, they would stop and bow to him.

It felt good.

He was becoming more and more accustomed to his noble status, with both his mind and body leaning towards the aristocracy—anyone who dared to undermine the foundation of their power was going against him, Liszt!

"Goodnight, gentlemen, ladies," Liszt said with a flawless noble smile. "I hope you all have sweet dreams until morning."

"Thank you, my lord."

Immediately, Liszt had already ascended to the second floor, which was his personal domain.

Carter pushed open the door to the study. The previously tranquil room was instantly filled with an unpleasant squawking—"Gak! Gak! Gak!"

"It's still as unpleasant no matter how many times I hear it," Liszt said as he looked at the ugly, curly-haired fledgling in its simple nest of hay. "Mr. Carter, what do you think we should name it?"

"There's a Hiddleston shivering outside the castle that was found in the forest. This trembling little bird found on the fragrant coconut tree could perhaps be called Hiddlecoconut?"

Although Carter misunderstood the meaning behind "Hiddleston," Liszt couldn't help but laugh. "Mr. Carter, you're becoming more and more humorous. However, I don't like the name Hiddlecoconut. It looks all fluffy and curly. I hope it'll have the fortune to survive until the day it can fly... Let's call it Curlyblessing."

"Hmm, Curlyblessing... My lord, I think that's a nice name."