Chapter 372: The Armor is a Bit Tight on the Chest

The Swift Shadow Bow was confirmed by Liszt to replace his hardwood cavalry bow, though he would still need to carry the cavalry bow for the time being, as he required time to familiarize himself with the Swift Shadow Bow's effects.

The nature of this bow could be summed up in one word: fast.

The rate of fire was fast, and the arrow speed was quick, so his mastery of the Dual Arrow skill had to be achieved through the Swift Shadow Bow, requiring multiple practice sessions.

He immediately began trying on the three sets of mithril armor.

He chose one set that fit him well and replaced his steel armor with it.

As for the other two sets, he gave the larger one to Marcus. As his knight instructor, Liszt naturally showed some favoritism towards him. After receiving the mithril armor, Marcus was overwhelmed with excitement, enthusiastically praising the armor and swearing his loyalty.

The other knights envied Marcus but said nothing. According to the system of continental nations, Marcus essentially held the position of Liszt's chief knight.

It was only natural for the chief knight to receive better rewards.

As for the smaller set, Liszt gave it to Parris: “Wear this mithril armor; it can block most attacks, further ensuring your safety. Moreover, the mithril armor is very lightweight and won't hinder your movements too much.”

“Thank you, my lord,” Parris said with a smile as she received the armor.

She quickly returned to her room to change into the mithril armor.

The armor hid her figure but added an air of gallantry.

“How does it feel?” Liszt asked.

“It fits well, but it's a bit tight across the chest, making it hard to breathe,” Parris said, fiddling with the chest area of the armor and frowning.

Liszt naturally understood the reason: “This is men's armor. Wear it for now. When we get back to Flower Town, we'll have the tailor adjust it, loosening the stitching in the chest area so it won't be restrictive.” Having a large chest was indeed a bother.

Sensing the awkwardness of the topic, Parris shifted the conversation: “I still prefer not wearing armor; light leather suits my combat style better.”

Liszt said calmly: “Then once you return, give me the mithril armor for my knights. I'll have a set of leather armor made from the skin of the six-headed sea serpent.”

“Isn't that too precious, Lord Baron?” Parris asked.

“Gear is meant to be used. If it keeps you safe, it serves its purpose,” Liszt said with a gentle smile. “Don't forget, you're the personal guard I hired. If I'm ever in danger, I'll need you to save me.”

Parris' eyes sparkled: “I won't let Lord Baron fall into danger!”

“I believe you.”

They exchanged a glance.

Liszt remained calm, while a flush colored Parris' cheeks. After clearing her throat, she said, “I'll head back to my room to rest now.” She probably didn't notice that her voice, usually crisp, had softened considerably.

Watching Parris leave, Liszt exhaled, looked at the four walls of the study, and couldn't help but complain: “Not a single book in the study—what a barbarian!”

……

The Black Knights feasted and rested in the unnamed castle, wasting much food.

If the timing weren't inappropriate, Liszt would have liked to open the granaries and distribute the food to the poor serfs of Mane City.

Deep down, he still had a compassionate nature.

Unfortunately, the spoils of war could not be privately divided; they needed to be sealed and handed over to the Grand Duke. Formal obedience had to be observed.

He took a nap in the afternoon.

He began his daily routine of taking medicine while accelerating his practice of the "mana decay" technique. He had already experienced the benefits of this chi secret technique. The speed at which his body lost mana had slowed down, and the effect of the medicine had also improved, making him utterly obsessed.

In the evening, just as he was about to familiarize himself with the Swift Shadow Bow, squire knight Philip brought good news: "Sir, the barley worm has been bred!"

Without any hesitation, he immediately led the Flower Town knight squad, bringing Hiddleston along, and headed toward the barley field.

Upon arriving at the barley field, they saw a chaotic scene. Several squire knights he had stationed there were battling a monster that resembled a mix between an ostrich and a large rooster. Upon seeing Liszt and his group, the bird-like monster didn’t dare to continue fighting and immediately turned to flee.

However, it seemed to be attracted to something and only ran to the nearby bushes, still eyeing the barley field.

Liszt arrived near the insect herb and didn’t immediately contract the barley worm. Instead, he watched the bird moving at the edge of the bushes.

A thought flashed in his mind: "Is this the low-level dragon beast chocobo that was rewarded to me from the smoke mission?"

In terms of appearance, it didn’t exceed Liszt’s expectations. It had a size no smaller than an ostrich, a plump body like a large rooster, and colorful feathers, looking quite magnificent.

Its long neck, dinosaur-like head, and large triangular beak with serrated edges looked like rows of sharp teeth. Its legs were sturdy, covered in thick, long feathers, and measured at least a meter in length. The overall height of the chocobo was about two meters fifty, with only half a meter for the body, one meter for the legs, and one meter for the neck and head combined. This made it look somewhat peculiar.

"Now, how should I catch it?"

A thought flashed by.

He asked the squire knight, "What just happened, and what is this bird?"

"Sir, we were guarding the barley worm. As soon as it was bred, this bird suddenly rushed over, wanting to eat the barley worm. Its beak is very sharp, and its movements are extremely fast. We were almost no match for it," replied Xavier somewhat embarrassedly.

It was indeed a bit shameful for several people to fail to defeat a single bird. Since the chocobo hadn’t used any magic, they didn’t consider it a threat. Otherwise, they would have fled long ago. Squires couldn’t handle magic beasts.

But after hearing Xavier’s answer, Liszt remained puzzled: "You were able to fight it?"

The chocobo was a low-level dragon beast. In terms of strength, even if it couldn’t defeat a mid-level magic beast, it wouldn’t be far off.

Xavier scratched his head: "Sir, this bird is indeed formidable, like a giant rooster, but apart from pecking with its beak, it doesn’t have much attack power."

A low-level dragon beast that only pecks with its beak—hard to believe.

Seeing that the chocobo hadn’t run away, Liszt calmed Hiddleston, who was eager to catch the bird, and first contracted the barley worm. Jade powder and a jade box were essential items he always carried. After sprinkling some jade powder and extending his finger, the barley worm soon bit him, completing the contract.

"Come here, little one, take your insect herb."

The barley worm obediently opened its mouth, and the barley worm herb, as if rewinding, instantly shrank into a grain of barley, flew out of the soil, and into the barley worm’s mouth, disappearing from sight.

After placing the exhausted barley worm into the jade box and handing it to the squire knight, Liszt’s attention finally shifted to the chocobo, which was still lingering around.

"It’s not using any magic, and its attacks are so weak that even a squire couldn’t defeat it. Is it just a chick?"