Chapter 191: Walking with the Behemoth

The chapter is an additional update for "Fantasy Reaper 11".

Ripples shimmered on the water as a gentle breeze blew.

Today was not a windy day, so the Flower Town's sailing speed was not fast. The sailors in the oar room had already started rowing to accelerate the journey.

Having a male servant bring a stool, Liszt sat on the bow deck, enjoying the sea view.

Hiddleston lay by the ship's railing. A voyage had helped it overcome its fear of the ocean. From initially being terrified of the deep blue waters and not daring to look at them, it now gazed at the sea in a daze, showcasing its remarkable adaptability.

In the near future,

it would become a qualified sailor—no, a water dog.

Dogs generally know how to swim, and Hiddleston was no exception. Liszt was determined to teach it how to swim.

Waves surged as the Flower Town moved away from Black Horse Island.

Around Black Horse Island were scattered small islands, though they might not even qualify as such; they were more like coral reefs that could be submerged by a single wave.

Some of these reefs had trees growing on them, while others were purely sand and rock.

"The scenery is truly beautiful, with turquoise seas, blue skies, seagulls, and sandy beaches. It's just a shame there are no coconut trees. If this were Earth, Black Horse Island and the nearby reefs could undoubtedly be developed into a resort destination rivaling the Maldives... Unfortunately, the Grand Duchy of Sapphire is an archipelago, and the nobles here are islanders who have no interest in beach scenery."

The nobles were busy raiding the Kingdom of Eagles.

"I wonder how much wealth the Earl and Levis have plundered... I also don't know when the Tulip fleet will return. This time, there shouldn't be a shortage of serfs, so their return should be swift."

Thinking about the thousand serfs,

Liszt felt a surge of excitement.

With over two thousand five hundred serfs in his territory, there weren't enough hands to farm in Flower Town. Now, with Black Horse Island needing development, the shortage of manpower was even more acute. The lack of people meant many of his ideas couldn't be realized, forcing him to slowly farm and accumulate gold coins, unable to become rich overnight.

"To maintain my use of magic potions, the current amount I consume cannot be sustained solely by Flame Mushrooms or Fast-Growing Magic Thorns; the profits from Black Tulips must also be used to purchase magic potions."

"Besides the significant expense of magic potions, there aren't many profitable businesses... The seafood business can probably only last another half year before it needs to be phased out, as nobles with some sense are secretly fishing but not selling publicly... I don't know when the Flower Brew will be ready."

Currently, the new profitable project was the production of Flower Soap at the soap workshop.

Bounie Gzundan was working hard to improve the process and prepare for mass production, aiming to enter the market soon. Liszt hoped that Flower Soap could monopolize the Coral Island market within three months and then collaborate with Tulip Castle or Beer Castle to expand to other islands.

Given the quality and cost of Flower Soap, if managed well, it could become a pillar industry for Flower Town.

"First, earn money with Flower Soap, then buy serfs with the profits. Once I have a large number of serfs, I can start more industries, earn more money, and buy more serfs... Fully armed, I'll go to the battlefield to gain merit and elevate my title, rolling like a snowball and continuously growing stronger."

He began to indulge in fantasies.

Viscount, Earl, Marquis, Duke, and then ride a dragon!

However, after imagining riding a dragon, the Flower Town suddenly jolted, making everything seem dull: "Indeed, poverty limits my imagination. The meaning of life and the goal of struggle are all about riding a dragon, with no other aspirations."

At that moment,

a sailor's loud cry echoed: "Leviathan!"

"It's a Leviathan!"

"Oh God, we've encountered a sea monster!"

"We're going to be eaten by the Leviathan, ah!"

"Woof woof!"

"We're doomed!"

A Leviathan?

Initially, Liszt didn't react, unsure what a Leviathan was.

But then, Kosto's loud voice rang out: "Don't panic! Don't panic! Do your jobs! This isn't a Leviathan; it's just a large sea creature. They are friendly and never harm ships at sea!"

Perhaps Kosto's reassurance worked.

The sailors calmed down.

Thomas also regained his composure and ran to Liszt's side: "Sir, we've encountered a large sea creature!"

"I see it."

Liszt stood up, calming Hiddleston, whose fur was standing on end and barking wildly, and looked towards the left side of the Flower Town. There, a sea creature with enormous pectoral fins leaped from the surface, rolling once before plunging back into the water, creating waves.

It was a whale, which he recognized immediately.

It was a sea creature, not a sea monster, as his Magic Eye detected no signs of magic.

The sea creature resembled a humpback whale he had seen in books. Its massive pectoral fins could likely shatter the Flower Town if they struck it.

However, it did not approach the Flower Town, merely keeping a distance and moving alongside it.

"Sir!" Marcus rushed over, followed by the retainer knights, who had sensed danger and come to protect Liszt.

But this was not a danger.

Liszt quickly controlled his nervousness in the face of the massive creature, appearing calm and pointing at the humpback whale: "How majestic and grand! It's rare to witness such a close encounter with a sea creature. Teacher Marcus, everyone, sit down and enjoy the view together."

"Sir, do you want to retreat into the cabin first?" Marcus worriedly asked.

"This is a sea beast, don't worry. Captain Kosto has told us about the sea beasts; they are very friendly." Liszt smiled, calm and composed.

Receiving admiring glances from the vassal knights, he truly lived up to being the lord favored by the glory of knighthood, an embodiment of courage!

After hearing Liszt's reassurance, Marcus bowed slightly, his body relaxing, no longer alarmed. Together with Liszt, he began to appreciate this rare spectacle.

Traveling alongside a giant beast!

However, the companionship was brief. The humpback whale seemed to lose interest in the Flower or perhaps just came up for air. With another roll on the surface, its massive body sank into the sea, disappearing completely.

After the waves subsided,

the sea returned to calm.

Hiddleston's standing fur relaxed, his glowing eyes darting around the sea surface, seemingly still searching for the humpback whale.

Captain Kosto left the captain's cabin and hurried to the deck, breaking the atmosphere still immersed in the awe of the whale's massive form: "My lord, that was a sea beast. They are often seen during sea voyages. In fact, they are very friendly and rarely attack ships. Sometimes, they even escort our vessels."

"I know; it did not show any hostility," Liszt acknowledged Kosto's explanation. He asked, "I know all large creatures in the sea are called sea beasts, but what is Leviathan?"

Just now, he clearly heard many sailors shouting Leviathan.

Kosto replied, "Leviathan is a sea monster, merely a legend among sailors. It is said to be a giant sea serpent that preys on ships, but I have never seen it... and I am grateful for that, otherwise, I would not have seen the sun rise again."