Chapter 353 The atmosphere returns to harmony

Assassinating a dragon is indeed a reckless decision.

However, when carefully planned, assassinating a dragon becomes a truly terrifying prospect.

“Father, brother, I can’t confirm if this information is true. I can only relay what Cris brought for you to analyze… The plan to assassinate the dragon likely originated more than thirty years ago. The remnants of the Magic Goat family, hiding within the magician’s guild Goat Assembly, probably used lich transformation technology to contact the previous Bull Marquis.”

Liszt then shared all the information Cris brought, along with his own deductions.

After he finished, Levis still didn’t believe it: “This is absurd. Assassinating the Blue Sapphire Family’s dragon is not something a sane person would come up with. Dragons are the apex of the world’s power. Even a sub-dragon or a dragon beast can’t be hunted casually.”

His words held some truth.

Just as there was an immeasurable gap between a sky knight and a dragon rider, there was an immeasurable gap between magical beasts and dragons.

Sky knights and great magicians were very powerful, capable of hunting mid-level magical beasts, and even some high-level ones.

However, there were three steps—super magical beasts, high-level dragon beasts, and super dragon beasts—separating high-level magical beasts from dragons. It was hard to imagine anyone crossing so many levels to kill a dragon that held the fate of a nation in its claws. Therefore, the Bull Marquis’s plan to assassinate the dragon seemed like something out of a dark comedy.

The count didn’t laugh. He looked at Cris: “You are a magician from the Goat Assembly. So, do you know a magician named Weber Truth?”

“He is one of the leading great magicians of the Goat Assembly. We call him Mentor Weber. He is responsible for guiding new members into the organization.”

“What about Wornt Truth?”

“He is another leading great magician. Together with my teacher, Olivie Truth, he was responsible for hunting down the young magicians who knew the secret.” Cris answered painfully.

The count nodded and said to Liszt: “Take Miss Cris to rest, and then return. We need to continue our discussion.”

“Yes, father.”

……

After Liszt escorted Cris out, Levis couldn’t wait to speak: “Father, do you really think the information Liszt brought is true? I don’t believe a word that magician said from start to finish.”

“Don’t be impatient, Levis,” the count said, taking a sip of wine, his expression serious. “I’ve had a brief encounter with both Weber Truth and Wornt Truth. They are the two great magicians sponsored by the Bull Marquis… As for the Goat Assembly, I’ve heard of this magician organization, originating from the extinct Magic Goat family.”

“Is that so? Perhaps Cris just borrowed the name of the Goat Assembly to plot something. Magicians love doing that sort of thing!”

“What could magicians possibly plot on Coral Island? Who would willingly drown themselves in seawater and stay unconscious for nine days just to get close to some lowly baron? Or to approach me through Liszt?” The count’s expression returned to calm. “The likelihood of this being true is high. I know the Bull Marquis. He would go mad for immortality.”

“Father, do you believe this is true? Do you think the Bull Marquis really attempted to assassinate the Blue Sapphire Family’s dragon?”

“Does it matter? If no one had the courage, how could there be heroes known as dragon slayers?”

“Dragon slayers and those who assassinate a great duke’s dragon are not the same. A dragon slayer becomes a hero by killing evil dragons, while assassinating a great duke’s dragon is a heinous crime.”

“If he succeeds, who will care whether the dragon was good or evil… Levis, I hope you can calm your emotions. As the heir of Coral Island, you’re not as composed as your brother.”

“I… I just can’t believe this is true.”

“Belief isn’t important. You need to learn to distinguish the primary issues,” the count said. “Liszt brought this message seriously. He can’t tell if it’s true, and neither can I. But that doesn’t prevent us from discussing it as if it were true and considering the impact it could have on the family and Coral Island.”

Levis wanted to say something but stopped. “Yes, father.”

“Share your thoughts. What impact would the Bull Marquis hunting the Blue Sapphire dragon have?”

“It would be disastrous. Losing the Blue Sapphire dragon means our nation cannot continue to exist. The Blue Sapphire Family will be destroyed, and the smaller families that depend on them, like us, will also perish.” Levis became increasingly anxious. “Father, if this is true, we must prepare!”

"The Marquis of Bulls' assassination attempt on a dragon could result in three outcomes—failure, success, and a compromise. Each outcome will bring a different situation that needs to be navigated, and Coral Island must decide how to handle these scenarios."

Levis fell into deep thought. At just over twenty and unmarried, he was still a young man.

……

Elsewhere.

Liszt had already handed Cris over to Parris and quickly returned to the study, taking a seat.

The Count asked, "Is everything arranged?"

"Entrusted to my guard Parris, Father. You can rest assured, Parris is trustworthy and won't make any mistakes," Liszt knew what the Count wanted to ask.

The Count, seemingly lost in thought, added somewhat oddly, "While inheriting your mother's looks isn't typically seen as an advantage for a male noble, it can have its benefits at times… But young people should learn to control themselves."

Liszt, not understanding what he meant, simply nodded.

The Count then shifted the conversation, "But one shouldn't be too restrained—five pounds of snake meat is simply too little!"

"Father, the meat of a mid-level sea serpent is just a novelty for you to taste, but it is of great help to me, crucial for my future ability to reach higher levels… I’ve also brought gifts for you, my brother, and Lytton—each a set of armor crafted from the Six-Headed King Sea Serpent’s hide."

Liszt said calmly.

He had to admit, five pounds of snake meat wasn’t much to give away, but hunting the Six-Headed King Sea Serpent had taken a tremendous amount of effort. The snake meat was also perfect for boosting potion effects, and he really didn’t want to share it.

So, he offered the sea serpent leather armor as a trade-off.

Hearing that even Lytton was included, the Count expressed his satisfaction, "Learning to exercise restraint and knowing how to make trade-offs is a good sign of progress. As your father, I can understand your urgent desire for strength. You spent too much time in your youth without focusing."

"I'm glad you understand. Being born into the Tulip family, my talent is the worst, which truly troubles me."

"But the glory of knighthood smiles upon you," Levis interjected.

A few words and three pieces of leather armor successfully resolved the father-son misunderstanding, and the harmonious atmosphere returned to the family as they began to discuss the various issues brought about by the Marquis of Bulls' attempt to assassinate the dragon.