Chapter 163: Cruel Eagle Training

"What beautiful creatures... Eagles and falcons are majestic birds. Even those raised from a young age still yearn for freedom rather than becoming loyal dogs."

Elkson marveled at the peregrine falcon on the windowsill.

Hiddleston, chained outside the castle, suddenly sneezed for no apparent reason.

"Do you mean that eagles and falcons cannot be obedient?" Liszt frowned. His intention was to train the peregrine falcon to be as loyal and obedient as Hiddleston.

"They can become close to their handlers, but apart from taming, there is no way to force them to recognize an owner. Training eagles and falcons involves constantly applying external pressure to change their natural habits."

"How do you change them, how do you train them?"

"By enduring!"

"Enduring?"

"Yes, enduring is the most crucial aspect of taming the proud nature of eagles and falcons. You must keep them awake and hungry, breaking their spirit completely so they can be trained to hunt prey in a designed manner and not escape when flying."

Elkson, with many years of experience in training eagles, spoke confidently in front of Liszt. He explained the tools used in training, the steps involved, and different methods for various types of eagles and falcons. He planned to spend forty days summarizing the training method for the peregrine falcon, aiming to break its spirit and turn it into a puppet controlled by the trainer.

After hearing his words, Liszt felt uneasy, especially about the training methods.

Enduring, keeping the eagle or falcon awake to break its spirit; starving, continuously feeding it meat wrapped in hemp to clean its intestines and then removing the hemp to keep it hungry; confining, putting a hood over its eyes so it wouldn't dare to escape even if the rope was loosened; restraining, tying a rope to its leg to prevent it from stretching out to hunt.

The entire training process was a repeated torture of the bird.

He couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Elkson, would an eagle or falcon trained this way still be an eagle or falcon?"

Elkson, who had been speaking fluently, paused and then smiled, "Sir Liszt, eagles and falcons are just beasts. Humans either eat, ride, or use them for farming. Training eagles is simply a more complex use of tools."

"Is there no gentler method?"

Liszt did not consider himself overly sentimental, but he had been cruel to Tupos. However, Juanfu was different; he had raised him from a young age, and he was not an ordinary magical beast. Besides, he was a reward from the smoke mission, which had a certain prestige.

"Unfortunately, my lord," Elkson said calmly, "I understand your concern, but compared to the benefits, the cruelty is insignificant. The peregrine falcon is just a magical beast. If you don't train it, it will eventually rebel and escape, causing you trouble."

Thinking about it, after a moment, Liszt set aside his kindness and agreed, "Alright, starting tomorrow, Juanfu will be under your training."

"I'll need your cooperation too. It's best if you can spare five hours a day to train with me. Only then will it submit to you."

Juanfu was still chirping on the windowsill, unaware that his fate was about to change.

Liszt took a deep breath and suddenly changed his mind, "Mr. Elkson, let's wait two more days. In the meantime, please help me make crystal lamps. Mr. Glanny alone will find it hard to complete them quickly."

He partly wanted Juanfu to enjoy two more days and partly hoped to speed up the progress of the thorn worm chain quest.

"If you really need it, I'm happy to assist you."

...

In the evening.

Elkson met with Glanny.

He greeted him warmly, "Glanny, it's great to see you again. It's been half a year since we last met. I tried to visit Moss Town several times but was always delayed."

Glanny, however, remained cold, "If it weren't for Sir Liszt needing a falconer, I wouldn't have written to you."

"It seems you hold a grudge against me. That's unfortunate. Sir Liszt hopes we can work together to finish all the crystal lamps as soon as possible."

"Work together with you? What a joke!"

Liszt, who had been trying to get the two mages to greet each other, intervened, "Mr. Glanny, rest assured, your payment will not be reduced. I just want to speed up the production of the crystal lamps. We need to start making the black pearl magic equipment soon."

"I don't think working with him will speed things up. Not every mage knows how to make magic equipment."

Elkson maintained a smile, "Sir Glanny, I respect your skills, but please don't belittle me. Even if my skills aren't perfect, making crystal lamps is a normal task for two people to collaborate on. Besides, Sir Liszt has already stated that he will pay me separately, so I won't interfere with your business."

Seeing Glanny about to speak again, Liszt impatiently said, "Enough, this is settled. Let's begin the banquet to welcome Mr. Elkson. I hope he enjoys his stay in Flower Town."

Elkson bowed with a smile, "Thank you for your hospitality. I've walked around Flower Town and fallen in love with its beautiful scenery and vibrant atmosphere."

Indeed.

Such diplomatic words made Liszt slightly embarrassed.

He had assumed all mages were like Glanny, but now he realized that some mages could be as elegant as nobles.

When the banquet began and town officials joined, the atmosphere became livelier. Elkson's wit, humor, and erudition quickly earned everyone's favor. Glanny, on the other hand, remained cold-faced, focusing only on eating and drinking, out of place at the banquet.

...

Over the next two days.

With Elkson's assistance, the production of crystal lamps indeed accelerated. By the third morning, they successfully completed ten crystal lamps.

All the crystal chandeliers have been installed in the castle.

"Mr. Glanny, next, please forge the Black Pearl Magic Equipment as soon as possible." Liszt was actually regretting his decision to have him make the magic equipment. However, basic integrity was essential, so he did not show any significant emotional changes toward Glanny.

Glanny still had that indifferent expression, with a hint of pride in his eyes: "What name do you plan to give it? This will undoubtedly be a fine piece of magic equipment and deserves a name that matches its essence, worthy of my magic equipment crafting skills!"

"Stabilizing Sea Pearl; I've already thought about it."

"Stabilizing Sea Pearl?" Glanny pondered for a moment and then bluntly said, "It's an average name. How about calling it the Eye of the Storm? That sounds more powerful and fitting for its purpose."

Eye of the Storm?

Stabilizing Sea Pearl?

Liszt had to admit to himself that the name he came up with indeed lacked the flair of Glanny's suggestion. But Glanny's attitude annoyed him: "It will be called Stabilizing Sea Pearl, no, the Divine Stabilizing Sea Pearl!"