Chapter 657: The Confused Earl

Levis left the study and closed the door tightly. He was no fool and could tell that Liszt was trying to send him away. Though reluctant, at this stage, he wasn’t trusted with participating in the family’s high-level secrets.

In the study.

The Count and Liszt each sat in plush armchairs. Gloria had just stopped by, serving freshly brewed tea. The Count sipped his tea, waiting for what Liszt was about to say. He was genuinely curious—his son seemed consistently unwilling to swear fealty to the Sapphire Duke.

By normal logic, becoming a follower of a greater noble was clearly an exciting prospect.

Being a direct follower of the Sapphire Duke would undoubtedly offer more opportunities and benefits than serving a Marquis or even a Count. Other nobles would fight like mad for such an opportunity, yet his son outright refused.

It made no sense at all.

The first refusal was justifiable—Liszt was only a Viscount, and even if he swore fealty to the Sapphire Duke, he wouldn’t be given significant responsibilities. It made more sense to support the family’s rise under the Count.

But this time, with a title of Marquis within reach—such immense status and glory—refusing again was simply unreasonable.

He didn’t understand.

But Liszt knew exactly what he was doing.

His reasons for refusing to follow the Sapphire Duke were clear. As a noble Dragon Knight, the Sapphire Duke was likely just a Lord of Dragon Domain, and the Sapphire Dragon appeared crippled. How could a Dragon Knight pledge loyalty to a crippled Lord of Dragon Domain? If Leo sensed that he was submitting to a crippled gem dragon, he’d likely fly into a rage on the spot.

"Father, you must be wondering why I refuse to follow the Sapphire Duke and why I don’t want to split the family," Liszt said calmly. "The reason for not splitting is simple—I dislike the surname 'Giant Kelp.' It lacks prestige (a lowly aquatic plant), and I have a far nobler surname to choose from."

Dislike the surname "Giant Kelp"?

What kind of absurd reason was that? The Count found himself increasingly unable to comprehend his son. "What nobler surname do you have in mind?"

"I’m still deciding."

The Count was stunned. "What?"

Liszt carefully chose his words. "Based on my deductions, the Sapphire Duke never truly succeeded in riding a dragon—he is merely a Lord of Dragon Domain. Moreover, the Sapphire Dragon suffered severe injuries, not only failing to recover but likely shortening its lifespan. Such a lord is not one I should follow."

He felt a hint of disdain for the Sapphire Duke. Back when the Sapphire Duke made his grand dragon-riding entrance, it was truly intimidating—putting on the airs of a Dragon Knight, making everyone believe he had become one. But in reality, he was just a Lord of Dragon Domain.

At the moment, Liszt was marshaling his arguments, calculating the risks, figuring out how best to let the Count in on his plans. He no longer needed excessive caution—it was time to share the truth and let the Count consider how the Tulip family should position itself moving forward.

Once he founded his own realm, the Tulip family would inevitably follow him.

Thus, the family’s current strategy within the Sapphire Duchy would require a completely different approach.

The Count was unaware of this.

Hearing Liszt’s words, he frowned, his tone turning stern. "Liszt, I know you are powerful. As a Ghostblade Inheritor, you can cut down a Domain Knight. But you must never underestimate the Sapphire Duke’s strength. Even if he isn’t a true Dragon Knight but merely a Lord of Dragon Domain, he could still easily slay any Ancient Warrior inheritor!"

"Actually, he can’t kill me. In a fair fight, the Sapphire Duke would lose to me."

"You’re overconfident in your youth. Has defeating a Domain Knight made you this blindly confident? Or does the Ghostblade inheritance make you believe you can rival a dragon’s power?"

"Father, I understand the power of dragons better than anyone."

"Then you should know your current position—you still need to respect the Sapphire Duke to survive in the Sapphire Duchy!"

"Please, have some tea first. Let me gather my thoughts." Liszt gestured for the Count to remain calm, his expression composed, exuding calm control.

He was a Dragon Knight. Acheronides, his ally, was an Archmage.

Though they hadn’t yet reached their peak, their combined might was more than enough to rival the Sapphire Duke.

And he'd have to reveal his identity sooner or later; it was impossible to keep it a secret forever, nor was he willing to live in obscurity without joy.

The Earl was, so far, the most suitable person to inform first. With the Earl providing cover, his identity as a Dragon Knight could still remain concealed. At the same time, it would spare him the trouble of having to pledge allegiance to the Duke of Sapphire—the Duke had already extended the offer twice, and refusing repeatedly would raise suspicions.

Although he was unwilling to bow to the Lord of Dragon Domain, if it benefited his development, bearing temporary disgrace might not be entirely out of the question.

However, he was more concerned about one thing: the Duke had spent decades with the dragon and had now become the Lord of Dragon Domain. What if, during the oath of allegiance, the Duke detected his identity as a Dragon Knight? At that point, it wouldn’t just be a matter of swearing loyalty—it could very well escalate into a dragon-hunting conflict.

Never intend harm, but never drop your guard.

Who knew what the Duke of Sapphire would do upon discovering a Dragon Knight whose strength had yet to fully rise? Would he choose to nurture and protect him, providing an environment for growth, or would he resort to ruthless measures to seize the young dragon? The likelihood of the latter was probably ninety-nine percent—to prolong his family's legacy.

In that scenario, whether Liszt defeated the Duke or the Duke crushed Liszt, it would inevitably trigger a major upheaval.

If foreign Dragon Knights took advantage of the chaos, the situation might become unmanageable.

Thus, the Earl’s cover was absolutely necessary. For a father to prevent his son from pledging allegiance to another, all for the sake of securing more military achievements for himself, might appear greedy to outsiders—but it was indeed an excuse no one could openly criticize.

A moment later.

Having sorted out the details in his mind, he decided to disclose his true identity: "I must confess something to you. There was never any Phantom Swordsman lineage—that was merely a ruse to mislead others. From the very beginning, I’ve followed the orthodox knight training system. I am merely a Sky Knight."

"No Phantom Swordsman lineage?" The Earl's face changed, his gaze fixed on Liszt. "But your strength surpasses even a Domain Knight. Don’t tell me this is all due to your innate gift!"

"Half of it is indeed my innate gift. The other half is simple—I am a Dragon Knight." He calmly revealed his identity.

"What?"

The Earl wondered if he had misheard.

Liszt repeated earnestly, "I am already a Dragon Knight."

"Dragon Knight?" The Earl raised a hand, making uncertain gestures, his expression frozen in disbelief. "You mean... a Dragon Knight? One who rides a dragon?"

"A Fire Dragon."

"Fire Dragon? An evil dragon?"

"Don't worry, I'll keep it in check from committing evil."

The Earl nodded faintly, as if accepting the truth. He leaned back in his chair and picked up his half-drunk tea from the table, his movements casual. Yet Liszt noticed keenly that the tea in the clear glass trembled slightly.

The Earl tried to bring the cup to his lips, but the trembling grew more pronounced, until his entire arm was shaking uncontrollably. The tea nearly spilled, yet he couldn’t quite lift it to his mouth.

Finally.

The tea spilled, splashing across his chest, but he seemed oblivious, gazing emptily into space. "A Dragon Knight, is it?"

"Yes."