Chapter 294: The Rise of Thorns

The great dragon is dead.

The sunlight shone on the faces of the working serfs as they removed their thick cotton jackets and shouted slogans while raising their axes to chop the fast-growing iron thorns little by little.

The fast-growing iron thorns were iron-grade wood; when placed in water, they would immediately sink. Therefore, ordinary bone tools couldn't cut them; iron tools were necessary.

However, the bone crafting shop in Flower Town had extremely hard bone tools—crafted from fragments of ancient, decayed dragon bones, which were the raw materials.

The bone tools from the shop were not for sale and were distributed to the serfs using a numbering system.

Even though the bones had long decayed and lost the magical power of dragons, they were still dragon bones, even in their decayed state, and Liszt did not wish for them to fall into the hands of people outside the town.

The dragon bone axe had a chopping effect on the fast-growing iron thorns similar to that of a fine steel axe, but it was more wear-resistant.

Each serf wielded a dragon bone axe, chopping continuously, and it took about half an hour to fell a fast-growing iron thorn the thickness of an adult’s arm.

Unfortunately, the dragon bones couldn't be crafted finely enough to make a dragon bone saw.

Currently, iron saws were still the most efficient for logging. Working in pairs, they could saw through a fast-growing iron thorn in five minutes. However, iron was scarce and required for various uses, so only a few iron saws were made.

In any case, the scene was bustling.

Liszt stood far outside the Garden of Thorns, observing it as part of his inspection. The serf logging team of Flower Town was indeed a capable team. Initially, with basic tools and surrounded by monsters, they had managed to clear the vast Thorns Ridge.

Not to mention the smaller Garden of Thorns.

The officials, led by Gort, were also very capable, organizing the serfs efficiently for various logging tasks.

Those cutting trees, pruning branches, transporting wood, collecting leaves, and replacing damaged tools, providing hot water, and bandaging wounds—each group operated in an orderly fashion.

"The fast-growing iron thorns are high-quality ironwood thorns that grew under Jie La's influence. Although thorns, being small shrubs, are unlikely to grow into towering rock or stone trees, they can grow quickly and be harvested when they reach the thickness of an adult’s arm for making furniture and wooden items," Liszt explained to the person next to him.

The person next to him was none other than the son of Viscount Trick Nettle, Aubrey Nettle, a large fat man: "I felt the charm of the fast-growing iron thorns in the carpentry shop. It’s astonishingly high quality, and it grows even faster than weeds."

"It can't be compared to weeds, but a three-month maturation period is indeed amazing. However, planting it is not easy. Without Jie La, its growth cycle would slow down by more than ten times. Based on our planting situation in Thorns Ridge, it takes about three years to mature."

"Even three years is remarkable," Aubrey said enviously. "Among the nobles, they say Jie La's potions will bring you glory. These ironwood quality thorns are no less a source of great honor."

"If Beer Island plans to introduce it, I can provide the seedlings of the fast-growing iron thorns," Liszt said with a smile. The last type of thorn Jie La lacked was provided by Beer Island, and Liszt had remembered this favor.

"Really? I must thank you then."

"Just sell me more hops."

"From the portion I can control, how about allocating three-tenths to you?"

"You are very generous, Aubrey."

Aubrey patted his belly: "I have also benefited from your generosity; the food in your castle is so good it’s almost killing me."

"You’re so fat, can you even go to battle?"

"I don’t plan to go to battle. At most, I’ll follow the knight group to earn some military merits. Commerce is more suited to me. By the way, Liszt, how about letting me sell the furniture you make from the ironwood quality? Although the channels of Beer Castle seem humble compared to those of Tulip Castle, our fleet is bolder and travels farther."

The Beer Castle fleet seems to be allied with the fleets of several smaller and medium nobles from the outer islands, controlling a smuggling route and selling goods to certain areas of the Kingdom of Eagle.

Of course, as long as it's not smuggling weapons, the Earl turns a blind eye to it.

After some thought, Liszt replied, "As long as the profits are reasonable, why not let Beer Castle handle the sales?"

Today, Aubrey came to visit Flower Town to talk business. First, he wanted to place a larger order for Flower Soap, and second, he wanted to get a share of the Flower Brew profits. Coincidentally, just as Flower Town began to cut down the Rapid Iron Thorns, they also discussed the sales cooperation of ironwood furniture.

Aubrey wanted to collaborate.

Liszt also didn’t want to always rely on the channels of Tulip Castle, so the two agreed immediately.

The lunch atmosphere was lively and convivial, and by the time the specific cooperation details were finalized that evening, the atmosphere grew even more lively. As Liszt's representative, Gort used the mellow Flower Brew to drink Aubrey's group under the table. Finally, they were taken to the public bathhouse for a hot bath.

Just as in any era.

Once the privileged class arrived, the public bathhouse temporarily closed to commoners.

Instead of accommodating Aubrey's group in the castle, Liszt, who disliked having non-family members stay overnight in his castle, arranged for them to stay in the noble residential area.

"With Flower Town's current development, more nobles will come in the future. Should I build a guesthouse?"

The Sapphire Duchy doesn’t have lodging facilities.

All nobles host visiting noble guests in their own castles. Liszt decided to set a precedent, as he had good reason—his castle was small and couldn’t accommodate many people.

Not only would it not violate noble etiquette, but it would also be praised for hospitality and thoughtfulness.

However, as his territory developed and he became a high-ranking noble, he certainly couldn’t use a guesthouse to receive guests anymore. Otherwise, they might feel neglected and mock the castle for being too shabby.

Rubbing his forehead.

After drinking a couple more glasses of wine with Aubrey, Liszt felt slightly dizzy, the alcohol still affecting him, feeling no desire to sleep, nor did he have the inclination to write history. He had solemnly pledged to compile a grand historical work, "Dragons at War," but hadn’t touched it for a whole week. He’d rather enjoy the sun than write.

He rummaged through a corner of his study and found a wooden stick engraved with exquisite patterns.

"Is this my 'walking stick'?"

A walking stick, like Flak Abie, is a standard accessory for nobles. It is a decorative tool that reflects noble demeanor and identity.

In the king's hands, it’s called a scepter.

In the hands of a noble, it’s called a walking stick.

The walking stick can be engraved with patterns, inlaid with gemstones, made of wood, or forged from metal. Liszt's walking stick was made of century-old rockwood, engraved with tulip patterns. It was presented to him at his investiture ceremony by the Earl.

But ever since he came to Flower Town, he hadn’t picked it up, nor had he attended noble gatherings using it.

Young nobles rarely liked to walk with a walking stick.

"I have several thorny canes for training dogs. Should I ask the carpenters to make me a high-quality Rapid Iron Thorns walking stick?"

Liszt rubbed his chin, having a sudden whim.

The walking stick in his hand was made from century-old rockwood, of good quality, but now that Flower Town had Rapid Iron Thorns, using a rockwood stick didn’t quite match his status.

At once, he ordered someone to call the person in charge of the carpentry shop: "Make me a walking stick, using this one as a sample, and inscribe Jie La's name on it."

Jie La, whose name means—Thorn of Prosperity.

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