Chapter 590: Gold Coins Are Just Numbers

The Sunset was docked in the shipyard, ready to set sail on its long voyage.

Liszt rode his chocobo Loki, gazing at this skyborne vessel that measured 65 meters in length and 19 meters in width, with three towering masts.

With the collapse of the civilization of the Sun's Children, this unimaginably enormous vessel that once soared through the skies had become nothing but history. After Liszt salvaged it and decided to retrofit it into an oceangoing vessel, it had bid farewell to its past and steered toward a new destiny.

"Milord, based on my assessment, the current state of the Sunset is on par with the royal clippers."

The speaker was Buck Driftwood, a shipwright apprentice.

He came from a shipyard on Leather Island, an enterprise owned by Marquis Ramirez Bainuomi. For certain reasons, he had been forced to leave the shipyard. Later, through merchant connections, the Tulips invited him to settle on Dark Horse Island and oversee the shipyard.

In the Sapphire Duchy, only three families possessed the knowledge to build brigantines: the Bainuomis, the Pineapplegreens, and the Sapphires. There was once the Bull Marquis's lineage, which also mastered the technique, but they had long since vanished.

Among them, the Sapphires even knew how to construct three-masted ships, representing the pinnacle of shipbuilding technology in this world—closely guarded and impossible to replicate.

For ordinary nobles, luring away shipwrights from the Sapphires was out of the question. Even if one managed to kidnap a shipwright, they would soon incur the Duke's wrath.

Thus, Liszt had to rely on his father, Lee William, to recruit talent from the Bainuomis and Pineapplegreens. Unable to secure a full-fledged shipwright, he secured an apprentice. Buck Driftwood, though still an apprentice, was skilled enough to lead the development of brigantine technology.

Before long, Liszt was confident he would master the art of building two-masted ships.

Combined with the keel-laying technique he obtained from Virginia Truth and his own knowledge of fore-and-aft rigging, he was certain they could produce high-quality vessels.

Thanks to his extensive shipbuilding experience,

Buck Driftwood also took over the responsibility of refitting the Sunset from Captain Costeau.

After numerous trials with new materials and structures, the refit was finally completed: "I once studied royal clippers. Their dovetail joints were incredibly complex, and many load-bearing and operational techniques remained a mystery to me. But the rubber water from our territory—a viscous adhesive—can replace those joints."

The Sapphire Duchy lacked iron.

All ships were constructed from wood, making welding impossible. Instead, dovetail joints were used—techniques far too intricate to decipher through mere observation. Even if a royal clipper were dismantled before Buck's eyes, he wouldn’t grasp its secrets.

However, Dark Horse Island’s most valuable specialty played a crucial role in shipbuilding—rubber water.

Materials bonded with rubber water were sturdier than iron rivets. Once solidified, rubber water was fire-resistant, watertight, sturdy, magic-repellent, and rustproof.

"For the main keel, dovetail joints are still necessary, but rubber water can replace them in finer details. So, the Sunset’s condition is every bit as impressive as a royal clipper... But mastering three-masted ship technology will take time."

Buck was around thirty-five, having worked in shipyards since he was fifteen.

He might not have been a prodigy, but his years of experience gave him a sharp eye—the Sunset was now seaworthy.

"Then let’s set sail!"

Once the Sunset was fully stocked with supplies, Liszt led a squad of knights, along with officials like Gort, Blair, and Kosto, aboard the ship.

The spacious deck felt roomier than the swift ship he had once sailed on from the Longtaro clan. As the sea breeze brushed past, the crew, under the command of the first and second mates, weighed anchor, unfurled the canvas, and began rowing. The Sunset cut through the waves, slowly leaving the shipyard and passing from the shallows into the deep.

The voyage was smooth. A table and cups were set on the deck, allowing Liszt to sit beneath a parasol and enjoy coconut milk.

At the top of the main mast, a black Tulip banner fluttered proudly in the wind.

"Milord, the Sunset is truly magnificent. A ship like this is every bit as impressive as the Duke’s royal clippers," Gort said cheerfully, holding a coconut.

"It is indeed majestic, but... I feel like something’s missing," Liszt remarked as he made his way to the prow.

Gort looked towards the bow and suddenly realized: "I see, my lord. The restoration of the Sunset is flawless, but it lacks a figurehead. To gain the favor of The Glory of Knighthood on the high seas, we should install a sapphire dragon figurehead at the bow."

The sapphire dragon is the ruler of these emerald seas, so its figurehead would naturally be popular.

"A figurehead?"

Liszt narrowed his eyes. He had no intention of installing a sapphire dragon figurehead—if anything, he'd prefer a Fire Dragon figurehead. But compared to a figurehead, he favored another tool for the bow—an armor ram.

Currently.

The emerald seas are patrolled only by the navy of the Sapphire Duchy, and installing a ram on a sailing ship seems pointless, as there are no naval battles—those small rafts or rowboats from mainland kingdoms hardly dare to venture out to sea, capsizing at the first wave, drowning everyone aboard.

"But..." Liszt still decided that upon returning, he would have the shipwrights study the ram. "If we can coexist peacefully with the Sapphire family, the ram would be useless. But if the Sapphire Duchy cannot tolerate me, naval battles are inevitable, and the ram might just be our strategic advantage."

He summoned Kosto and Buck and described the concept of armor to them: "After we return, you must thoroughly research the ram."

"Yes, my lord!"

...

The broad-beamed Sunset couldn't match the speed of a royal swift frigate, only achieving the pace of an ordinary two-masted schooner. By the time they departed Port Town and reached Coral City's harbor, the sun was already setting. The sunset on the horizon, viewed from the harbor, perfectly complemented the black Tulip flag.

Levis, who had come to greet Liszt, observed this picturesque scene without much emotion—he didn't grasp the significance of the Sunset.

It commemorated the lost civilization of the Sun's Children—from the moment this sky ship sank, their civilization had completely declined.

"Liszt, is this the three-master you salvaged from the seabed and restored?" Levis asked as Liszt disembarked from the Sunset. "It doesn't seem like a royal three-master. The hull's shape and style are entirely different from royal frigates."

"Perhaps it's a century-old wreck from the Magical Goat family. Basically, only the hull remained, and the rest was patched up by me using rubber-water."

"But it looks impressive, hardly like a sunken ship."

"It's been fully polished, with many rotted materials replaced, giving it a fresh appearance." Liszt smiled faintly. "It might not compare to the royal swift frigates, but next to the Tulip, it should appear far more majestic. At the very least, it looks a full size bigger."

Levis pursed his lips. "The Tulip is more than a decade old and long overdue for replacement... If not for the conflict with Lady Mary and her son, I would've long since bought a more comfortable three-master myself." Having partnered with Liszt in various ventures, he'd amassed considerable wealth.

Thus, he spoke with great confidence.

A three-master costing thousands or even tens of thousands of gold coins? He spoke of buying one outright.

Liszt, already enfeoffed and uninterested in the family inheritance, watched the dockworkers unload the Sunset's cargo with satisfaction. "With the Sunset, each trip can carry at least a thousand more serfs... If you have the money, you should buy ships. Only with ships can you expand your business!"

"The family does have plans to purchase more cargo ships, mainly for the glass produced in your territory, which is becoming increasingly popular. Liszt, Gloria calculated that based on the current sales growth, the glass trade alone could sustain the former Tulip family!"

Once, liquor was the territory's most profitable industry, but now glass far surpasses it—it's a monopoly with almost no costs.

"Tell Gloria to aim higher. The Sapphire Duchy is, after all, just a remote island nation with a small population and few nobles. The vast continent is where real business lies. Once I perfect the glass technology and scale up production, gold will become mere numbers."

"Haha, absolutely right! Soon, gold will become mere numbers to us!" Levis grew excited imagining this bright future. "Father hasn't returned from Bluedragon Island yet, Grandmother dislikes Lady Mary, Lvera went back to Falcon Town, and Gloria isn't feeling well... Why don't we head straight to Stonefort?"

"For what?"

"An entertaining party." Levis grinned suggestively.

Liszt shook his head calmly. "Brother, how many times must I say it? I don't enjoy such parties. I'll rest at Tulip Manor tonight and sail back tomorrow morning."

"Good heavens, you really don't act like a noble. What noble doesn't partake in life's pleasures!"