Chapter 76 Three businessmen in the town

As the convoy left Flower Town, Tulip Castle returned to its tranquility, albeit with a pile of dishes and glasses awaiting cleaning, and a trampled garden outside the castle from the knights' activities. But Carter could easily delegate these tasks to his servants without any stress.

The castle had fifteen servants, which was more than sufficient.

"Teacher Gort, the festival is coming to an end. We need to shift our focus back to the town's development. The construction progress mustn't halt. Expand the logging and stone-crushing teams, as well as the fence-building crew. Let's strive to open up the passage sooner."

Gort was still basking in the afterglow. "As you wish."

During this feast, he felt like a fish in water, jovially conversing with the Earl – a level of enjoyment he hadn't experienced in years.

"Flower Town stole the show," he described the lunch banquet, mentioning the abundant seafood and the tongue-numbing ice cream.

However, Liszt had a different perspective.

That evening, he shared a glass of red wine with Carter alone. "Mr. Carter, I initially planned to showcase the poverty of Flower Town, hoping for aid from Tulip Castle. Instead, we accidentally hosted a grand feast with seafood, ice cream, and magical beast meat – not exactly a plea for help."

Carter smiled. "Sir, you've displayed your charisma. Your performance at the banquet would make anyone feel affectionate towards you. If I were a knight, I might have stayed in Flower Town to follow you."

There was another layer to a noble's display of wealth – it was a way to demonstrate their strength and attract followers.

Sir Tristram Hoppy, Viscount of Vervain, was captivated by the Earl's charisma and became his follower. He aided the Tulip Family in the Grand Duchy's expansion wars and ultimately laid the foundation for the vast Coral Island Earldom.

"But no knights remained, did they?"

"I believe that seeds have been sown, and perhaps one day they will suddenly bloom."

"A profound statement, Mr. Carter. To that, let's raise a glass."

"To your health, my lord."

With a sip of red wine to soothe his throat, Liszt asked, "How much food did my father bring today?"

"He brought quite a variety, but most were used during the banquet. The surplus mainly consists of beer, fine wheat flour, some seasonings like anise, ginger, pepper, licorice, salt, and sugar."

"How much wheat flour and beer?"

"There's approximately five hundred pounds of fine wheat flour and thirty barrels of beer."

The fine wheat flour was clearly intended for Liszt's white bread, and he was lost in thought—feeling that the Earl still held a fatherly affection for him.

Certain nuances can be observed.

For instance, their decision to celebrate in Flower Town demonstrates their closeness. If they truly didn't care about Liszt, there would be no need for them to come to this remote village for festivities. Their deliberate disregard for saltpeter at the banquet could also be seen as a form of protection, especially since Marry mentioned that the nitre mine was worth developing.

Now, they've brought him an abundance of food.

"Could it be that the Earl is also one who speaks differently from how he acts? That's rather bothersome." His thoughts were somewhat unsettled. If the Earl and his family completely ignored him, he could easily maintain a distant yet polite relationship with them and live his life leisurely.

What he feared most was getting entangled in familial complexities.

The dilemma he faced was whether to embrace this newfound familial affection as per his current identity, or to maintain his individuality and keep a distance, preserving the mystery.

"Is this the bond of familial ties? No one can escape this web, be they human or otherwise."

Finishing his glass of red wine in one swift gulp, he decided not to dwell on his troubles anymore. He would let nature take its course—neither seeking nor shunning. Clearing his thoughts, he asked, "Mr. Carter, have all the seafood gifts destined for Tulip Castle been delivered?"

"It's already in the hands of Mr. Silva, all premium seafood delicacies."

"Very well,"

"Tit for tat." He put down his wine glass.

Carter finished his red wine and picked up both cups, giving a slight bow. "My lord, have a good rest early. Good night to you, I'll take my leave."

"Good night, Mr. Carter, sweet dreams."

...

The following days were monotonous but peaceful.

Aside from supervising the logging work, Liszt was also paying attention to another matter—the training of the fruit-stealing monkeys.

Back then, seven injured but not severely wounded fruit-stealing monkeys were captured alive. All of them had recovered, but two of them had crippled legs, making it unlikely for them to climb trees anymore.

The remaining five were handed over to the hunters in the town for training.

With ropes, whips, and fruits, they quickly tamed the unruly monkeys, getting them to climb trees or enter cages on command.

"There are three female monkeys and four males. By the end of the year, I believe we'll have ten fruit-stealing monkeys." Monkeys generally gave birth twice a year, but usually only one offspring at a time.

Lister observed the increasingly obedient fruit-stealing monkeys with great satisfaction. "With these monkeys no longer causing destruction, our fragrant coconuts will be able to ripen this year. I believe in a month or two, we'll be able to enjoy the sweet coconut water." Fragrant coconuts were not seasonal; they grew year-round except during winter.

"Coral City doesn't seem to have fragrant coconuts for sale. Perhaps, with some development, this could become one of Flower Town's major specialties. It's a shame that no fragrant coconut tree spirit insects have emerged," he mused.

While he envisaged the future of the fragrant coconut trees, the hunters had already begun training the monkeys to harvest the fruit.

They tied fake fruits to the branches and rewarded the monkeys with peanuts when they successfully plucked them. Those who failed were whipped without mercy. The monkeys couldn't escape, as they were bound by ropes around their necks. If they tried to run, they would be dragged back and whipped.

"You must remember that animals can hold grudges and get moody. As long as they work diligently, don't whip them randomly. If I catch any of you whipping the monkeys unjustly, I'll use these whips on you," he emphasized sternly, hoping to prevent any potential rebellion from the monkeys that might harm the fruit farmers.

"Please rest assured, Lord, we won't forget your instructions," the part-time hunters replied, elated at their new roles as fruit farmers, utilizing the fruit-stealing monkeys to aid them.

Had it not been for training purposes, they truly would have hesitated to strike the monkeys – to fruit farmers, these monkeys were like knights' horses.

After bidding farewell to the monkeys, he returned to the castle and summoned a few of the newly acquired merchant slaves.

"Old Grandet, Shylock, Harpagon, were you all merchants on Papa Island?" Lister asked again.

"Yes, my lord," they answered in unison.

"Is there a merchant named Poliuxin on Papa Island?"

Grandet replied, "My lord, on this small Papa Island, there are only the three of us who specialize in petty trade. I know the name of every person in the town, but there is no one by the name of Poliuxin."

"Very well, I was just curious." Liszt gave Grandet a thoughtful look. The fact that he knew everyone's name in the town highlighted his extraordinary nature. "I've called you here today to establish a trading caravan for the castle, and I would like the three of you to take charge of it."