Chapter 287: A sudden inspiration to throw someone

The new rubber requires extensive data analysis, and methods for collecting and preserving the rubber must be developed.

While he is indeed a man of action, he is not impatient. However, he places great importance on personal enjoyment, and only after satisfying his personal enjoyment does he consider striving forward.

"Lord, your squire Philip Wool has returned from Tulip Castle with a message——Miss Lvera is dissatisfied with the birthday gift you sent her, the flower soap," reported Butler Carter solemnly.

Giving flower soap as a birthday gift had become Lister's standard practice.

He smiled slightly, "I am simply reminding her that personal hygiene is important. Flower soap is not cheap; she can afford to use one bar and discard it."

The soap workshop in Flower Town gradually expanded its operations, and after completely outcompeting Baron Henderson's soap business, successfully forced him to switch to supplying soap powder.

In other words, flower soap had monopolized the Coral Island market.

Under the management of merchants Sherlock and Harpagon, collaborations with Tulip Castle and Beer Castle were established, exporting to other islands, with the market expanding daily. The exquisite flower soap easily outperformed traditional soaps, leading to increasing profits.

Even in winter, when bathing was less frequent, the daily net profit reached five gold coins.

With the seafood business in decline and the flower brew delayed in hitting the market, the castle now relied solely on the profits from flower soap to sustain itself. Regarding the peanut processing workshop and town taxes, the returns were minimal.

To Lister's surprise, during this cold winter, the two public bathhouses generated dozens of silver coins in profit each day. Foreign merchants and nobles from North Valley City would even take a carriage ride to come to Flower Town for a hot bath.

Some people would stop over in Flower Town.

Due to the high number of visitors, two two-story wooden houses were specially allocated in the commercial area, operating under the castle’s name, one as an inn and the other as a restaurant, with plans to open a tavern.

The town’s popularity continued to grow, and the commoners’ businesses began to flourish.

Renard from the bakery sold a variety of breads daily; the old master leatherworker had taken on four apprentices to assist and pass on his craft; the general store was bustling, with Harriet’s family, including Maggie, all busy selling. Even the villagers selling eggs, vegetables, and wild fruits always sold out.

More and more merchant caravans were coming to Flower Town, and the over two thousand serfs in the estate had fattened their purses, their desire to consume growing.

Even the North Valley City comedy troupe frequently came to Flower Town for performances and received plenty of tips.

At least, whenever Lister watched, he would toss in a few silver coins—purely to hire the comedy troupe to perform and enrich the cultural life of the town residents.

He even specifically ordered several giant snowmen to be built in the town square.

The huge snowmen were as tall as three two-story wooden houses and could be seen clearly from the castle. The children in town loved to run around the snowmen.

The snowman had a name, Snowy.

"What are you doing, Parris?" Lister asked as he walked out of the castle, seeing the female mercenary trying to replicate the snowman from the town square, though hers was quite ugly.

"The castle is too plain; it should have a Snowy."

"Have you completed your serpent tongue lesson today?"

"Today is Sunday, you made the rule that we get a day off every Sunday," Parris said seriously as she piled the snow.

"Since you're free and have nothing to do, come and spar with me."

"Can we not? Without transforming, I'm no match for you, Lord Baron. Fighting you no longer makes sense."

"You can't say that. I intend to use an ordinary longsword now and will no longer restrain your light and shadow manipulation. I'm seriously relying on basic strength to hone my combat skills."

Parris stood up, "As you wish!"

On the empty snowy ground.

Liszt held a steel longsword, not using his Mana Eye, and fought Pariss seriously. The effects of the light and shadow manipulation were obvious. Without the boost of the Red Blood sword, he moved awkwardly. However, the benefits of long-term potion usage showed, as even without the Red Blood sword, he had enough combat aura to compensate for his mistakes.

Clash!

The steel longsword clashed with Pariss' greatsword, and sparks flew.

The strength granted by the Black Dragon Specter to Pariss was neutralized by Liszt's combat aura. This clash resulted in a tie. Several more clashes followed, and neither side gained the upper hand. Without using combat aura techniques or gemstone weapons, Liszt, without transforming, was almost on the same level as Pariss.

Liszt was panting heavily.

He wasn't skilled enough to rapidly breakthrough and defeat an opponent of the same level in a single battle.

Across from him, Pariss was also breathing heavily, her ample chest rising and falling, and her hands holding the greatsword started trembling. "Again!"

Clash!

The steel sword clashed with the greatsword once more.

This time, a soft cracking sound came from Liszt's steel longsword, and the next moment, half of the blade flew off spinning.

Seeing this, Pariss' brows twitched, and she ruthlessly charged forward.

Determined to seize the opportunity to crush Liszt.

"My sword isn't as strong as Pariss' greatsword! This is bad!" Liszt's heart raced. He didn't want to lose to Pariss.

Recently, in their actual combat training, he had been dominating Pariss, already accustomed to victory.

However, Pariss, who had been dominated for so long, naturally knew this was her chance. The hope of turning the tables on Liszt was now.

"Ha!"

The greatsword swung with fierce wind, forcing Liszt, holding the half-broken sword, to retreat repeatedly. Faced with such danger, Liszt gradually calmed down, his mind clear and racing, thinking of a countermeasure.

Suddenly!

A solution came to him.

When Pariss raised her greatsword again, preparing to strike, rather than retreating, Liszt charged forward like a nimble leopard, directly toward the vulnerable Pariss. He immediately locked his hands around her waist, forcefully executing a wrestling throw. Close-quarters grappling was almost unheard of in knight battles.

Pariss reacted too slowly and lost the initiative, allowing Liszt to close the distance. By the time she tried to counter, she had already fallen to the ground with Liszt.

Due to inertia, they rolled like tumbling gourds.

To prevent Pariss from countering, Liszt held her tightly, preventing her from twisting her body, and her greatsword was thrown away.

After five or six rolls, they stopped.

The fight came to a standstill. Liszt had Pariss locked, unable to attack further, and Pariss couldn't counter, leaving them in a stalemate.

However.

When Liszt felt the body he was holding suddenly soften, he realized with a start that he was now pinned under Pariss. Her ample chest pressed against his head, the large, elastic surface almost suffocating him.

"You... can let go now."

Pariss' voice was unusually soft.

Liszt, however, showed no sign of embarrassment and maintained his original posture. "How about a draw?"

"Suit yourself."

"Fine."

Only then did he release his grip.

Parris, bracing herself with her arms, rolled off him.

The air grew fresh, and Liszt panted heavily, looking at Parris, whose face was flushed and who seemed to want to stand but lacked the strength. He said, "If not for my steel longsword suddenly breaking, this practical combat would have ended in a more graceful draw, without such a messy outcome."