Chapter 672: Mission Accomplished

"My son Liszt, my pride, my title and honors owe much to you." The Count—no, Marquis Niuwei patted Liszt on the shoulder, showing no paternal sternness, only fatherly warmth. In truth, his marquisate had been entirely earned by Liszt.

Gazing at his tall and handsome second son, a tide of emotions welled up inside him.

From the moment Liszt was born, his resemblance to Melissa had filled him with high hopes, wishing the boy would surpass him. Yet as Liszt grew, his increasingly timid and reclusive personality, coupled with his mediocre talents, gradually led to disappointment and detachment, even coldness.

But now, every step Liszt took was astonishing, leaving him in a perpetual state of awe—so much so that he now regarded his son with equal, if not reverential, respect.

Apart from his consistently handsome appearance, his second son’s talents had undergone a complete and dramatic transformation.

The group returned to the castle’s hall.

The ladies had their own separate gathering, while the hall was filled with Marquis Niuwei’s followers, headed by four viscounts: Viscount Levis, a lifelong retainer, Viscount Yunas of Crushed Stone City, Viscount Trick of Beer Island, and Viscount Liszt of Black Horse Island.

During his twenty years as a count, Lee William had never won the loyalty of a Sky Knight, nor had any of his followers advanced to that rank—Liszt was the sole exception.

But now that he had been elevated to Marquis Niuwei, it was possible that Sky Knights might soon pledge allegiance.

"My promotion to Marquis Niuwei is a glory earned through the united efforts of all of you. In ten days, I will hold a banquet to celebrate my elevation, during which the Crown Prince and several nobles from the country will come to offer congratulations... In the meantime, dispatch your people to accompany my officials to Niuwei territory to select your respective fiefs."

Ironhoof Island was divided into four parts.

Clearly, the title "Marquis Ironhoof Island" could no longer be granted, and no one would desire the title "Marquis Ox." Thus, the Grand Duke created four new titles for enfeoffment: "Marquis Niuwei," "Marquis Niujiao," "Marquis Niuti," and "Marquis Ironhoof City."

The territory of Marquis Niuwei was named Niuwei territory, comprising three major cities—Niuwei City, Niuding City, and Niulei City—along with ten minor towns.

Yunas and Trick hadn’t earned enough merit in battle to be promoted to earls, so they could only choose one small town each.

Liszt, however, had no intention of selecting even a small town. He intended to leave eventually and saw no need to invest effort in developing another city—Black Horse Island alone would keep him busy for years.

"Once we’ve chosen our territories, we must begin preparations for relocation. The Grand Duke has granted me a five-year grace period, meaning we must move out of Coral Island within five years."

Marquis Niuwei gestured for an attendant to bring out a map of Ironhoof Island and remarked casually, "Though Ironhoof Island has been split into four, Niuwei territory will require our efforts to rebuild. But the benefits are clear: a larger domain, more trade opportunities... and the extensive developments left by Marquis Ox, which the Grand Duke has agreed to transfer to me at a low price."

Apart from the absence of spirit bugs to tend the fields and the master craftsmen taken by the Sapphire family, Niuwei territory remained largely unchanged, with even the serfs continuing to till the land.

Yunas and Trick studied the map intently, first deciding which city they wanted before conducting a thorough inspection.

Liszt, for his part, lounged in his chair, teacup in hand, lost in thought.

Marquis Niuwei stood and signaled for Levis to keep Trick and the others occupied. Then, he pulled Liszt aside to a window in the hall, ensuring their conversation would not be overheard.

"I’ve discussed it with the Grand Duke. After ten years of failed negotiations, he has only agreed to grant you seven years free from swearing fealty to him. During that time, you will continue to follow me and help me establish a foothold in Ironhoof Island."

"Seven years is enough."

"By the way, the Grand Duke reprimanded me over this issue, accusing me of selfishness and saying that father-son relations shouldn’t hinder your progress." Marquis Niuwei showed no resentment over the scolding, his expression relaxed. "However, I’ve discreetly hinted to the Crown Prince that after seven years, you will pledge yourself directly to him."

"What was the Crown Prince’s reaction?"

"The Crown Prince thinks highly of you and was naturally delighted. You must understand that even if your identity remains concealed, you are still the second strongest in the Sapphire Duchy—the inheritor of the Ghostblade legacy, a formidable figure who has defeated a Domain Knight."

Liszt’s lips curled into a faint smile. The made-up 'Ghostblade' legacy had duped quite a few. "What do the Grand Duke and the Crown Prince think of my Ghostblade inheritance?"

"The Grand Duke mentioned that the Sapphire family wished to purchase the Ghostblade legacy, but I expressed reluctance, and he let it go. As for the Crown Prince, he intends to arrange a marriage alliance with the Tulip family in the future."

"How? By marrying Richard to the Crown Prince’s daughter?"

"No. The match would be with your son."

"But I don't have a son yet."

"You will eventually, right?"

"That's a matter for the future." Liszt hadn't given much thought to marriage or fathering children yet. As someone with ambitions of longevity, he might, for political necessity after establishing a kingdom, leave behind an heir to inherit the realm he painstakingly built. But for now, there was no such need.

Life was about living freely and joyfully.

...

Marquis Niuwei's celebration was set for ten days later, so Liszt merely attended a luncheon at Tulip Castle, had a brief chat, and then returned to his own territory.

Four days later.

In the study of his seaside villa, he buried himself in writing *Liszt's Sky Notes*, a manuscript Marquis Niuwei had been eagerly awaiting. Yet, he kept delaying its completion, simply because he had overestimated himself. Having achieved perfected high-level *mana* mastery through dragon-riding shortcuts, many of the advanced techniques eluded him, making it difficult to put pen to paper.

"Perhaps after I visit Red Crab Island and talk things over with Grandfather, I can fully grasp the training specifics of a perfected sky knight... For now, Marquis Niuwei will have to wait. After all, he's waited for years—what’s the rush?"

Just then.

Acheronides suddenly called out, "Brother, I've done it!"

Liszt jolted, tossing aside his quill and rushing into Acheronides' laboratory.

With a grin, Acheronides held up a sheet of thick paper, her eyes practically begging, *Praise me!*, and handed it to Liszt. "Brother, this is a *dragon knight* resonance training plan based on *resonance principles*. The process might be a bit complex—you and Leo will need to coordinate closely, adjusting each other's 'frequencies' to achieve resonance."

"Don't worry. I might lag behind you in theoretical research, but practical execution is where I shine!" Liszt took the thick paper and tousled Acheronides' hair playfully before focusing intently on the dragon knight training plan.

At some point, the smoke before him condensed, forming a line of *serpent tongue*: *Quest complete. Reward unlocked: Archmage Acheronides · Truth.*