Chapter 716: Celebration

This chapter is an additional update for the "Meeting You at the Depths of My Life" patron reward.

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Once Liszt retrieved Leo.

Watching the retreating figures of the group, the knights at the port who had just caught their breath from the dragon’s oppressive might did not resent Leo for his dragon power. On the contrary, they were all extremely excited.

“Such terrifying dragon pressure!”

“Was that really a close encounter with a dragon—and a Fire Dragon, no less, a vicious one! When the Fire Dragon’s gaze fell on me, my legs couldn’t stop trembling!”

“I’ve heard Fire Dragons are the most formidable; no one can kill a Fire Dragon—they’re the fiercest of all!”

“Incredible! Lord Liszt actually rides a Fire Dragon?!”

“That Archmage is crazy strong too, and looks just as young as Lord Liszt.”

“The Gloryborn!”

“Lord Liszt is only eighteen. I remember he was promoted to Sky Knight just half a year ago, and now he’s already a full-fledged Dragon Knight!”

“So beautiful, the dragon is so beautiful!”

The Sapphire knights started murmuring to each other. Today’s events felt surreal, like something out of a dream.

A legendary clash between four Dragon Knights and an Archmage.

Ending in the death of a Dragon Knight.

The rise of a new Fire Dragon Knight and the legendary Archmage was even more shocking, especially since they hailed from the newly promoted Tulip family’s Marquisate in the Sapphire Duchy.

Unlike the awestruck Sapphire knights, the knights of the Tulip family strutted proudly, practically itching to make their Tulip crests ten times bigger: “Hahaha! Lord Liszt is the Gloryborn of the Tulip family! I once served under him in the Expansion Campaign!”

“Yes, I witnessed Lord Liszt’s glorious journey from an ordinary knight to a Dragon Knight!”

“I always knew Lord Liszt was the Gloryborn, destined for greatness. Becoming a Dragon Knight is the ultimate proof!”

Marquis Niuwei, who’d joined the mission, became the center of attention. Many nobles who weren’t privileged enough to walk behind the Sapphire Duke or Liszt now surrounded Marquis Niuwei, eagerly asking for every detail about Liszt.

Marquis Niuwei reveled in the spotlight, bragging nonstop.

Liszt’s name had already lit up the Sapphire Duchy.

If just a day ago, all nobles believed Liszt would be the most dazzling aristocrat in the Sapphire Duchy’s future, now they couldn’t even guess what was next for him.

What’s in store for a Dragon Knight?

And with an Archmage by his side!

A Dragon Knight and an Archmage working together could topple the Sapphire Duchy in a heartbeat—fortunately, the earlier cordial scenes showed Liszt had no such intentions.

Thus, setting up a kingdom abroad was all but guaranteed. With a Dragon Knight and an Archmage guarding the nation, starting a country—on land or at sea—would be a breeze. Once such a duchy was established, the noble titles up for grabs would be endless.

Glory!

How many knights’ hearts raced at the idea!

The pursuit at sea continued.

But that didn’t stop Duke Andrew Sapphire from hosting Liszt at Oxhoof Keep.

Only five high-backed chairs were set at the head table, occupied by Duke Andrew Sapphire, Marquis Nestar Bigflower Orchid of Flowingsand City, Marquis Niuwei William Lee Tulip, Fire Dragon Knight Liszt Tulip, and Hydromancer Acheronides Truth.

Acheronides’ identity had been introduced earlier by William Lee as Liszt’s “sworn sister.”

Noble banquets weren’t for serious talk—mostly flattery and gossip, with the Duke sharing amusing anecdotes recorded in court archives.

He shared details about the continent’s kingdoms too.

For instance, the continent had three empires, eleven kingdoms, and countless duchies that rose and fell.

This continent actually had a pretty flashy name: "During the Moon Empire’s reign, this land was unified once—only once. The Moon Empire’s elite thought nations were obsolete and proposed renaming it ‘Legendary Continent.’ The idea got shot down, but the name stuck around."

Liszt asked curiously, “Does that mean there are other continents out there?”

“Hard to say. We’re stuck in a few backwater nations on the northeast edge of Legendary Continent, where news barely reaches. And I’ve only ever visited Steel Ridge and Eagle Kingdoms—never even Forgefire, my family’s homeland,” the Duke chuckled.

“The Sapphire line comes from Forgefire?”

“Yes. My ancestor Anderson Sapphire was once a marquis there. After earning the Sapphire Dragon’s favor, he moved here to found our duchy. But Forgefire never backed us, so we pledged loyalty to Steel Ridge instead.”

Both being dragon knights, the Duke saw no need for secrecy.

Regular knights probably daydreamed nonstop about how noble, mysterious, and amazing dragon-riding houses must be—but they were just bigger nobles. Same messy politics, same need to earn coin for food and knights.

The only difference? Owning a dragon meant you could protect a nation and grab more resources.

Liszt wasn’t impressed with Oxhoof Keep’s chef—just some run-of-the-mill monster meat. “Duke, normally dragon knights have critical garrison duties. They don’t get redeployed easily. So how’d the Eagle swing sending two to attack Sapphire?”

“No clue. Ka Erluo and Alonso left their border posts without Steel Ridge even telling me. Maybe someone in the kingdom hated that tribute money never hit their pockets—or figured Sapphire was expendable after they got what they wanted.”

Just the usual political games.

Liszt could guess—it was duchy-vs-kingdom power plays. He didn’t push further. Changed topic instead: “I killed Ka Erluo. How much chaos’ll that cause in Eagle? Wonder if they’ve got the guts to try invading Sapphire again.”

“Losing Ka Erluo won’t shake things up too much—the Pale Emerald Dragon escaped fine. Dragons and kingdoms cut special deals. It’ll go back to Eagle, heal up, and stay a major threat.”

“What kind of ‘special deals’?”

“We’ll hash that out in the study later,” the Duke smirked. Translation: This was dragon-knight business. Outsiders didn’t need to know.

Even if Nestar was his brother-in-law. Even if William Lee was Liszt’s father.

No wiggle room.

Nobles put profits first, always. Blood ties were just another tool. History’s full of family turning on family. When dragons were involved, sentiment didn’t count.

Liszt smirked, getting the message.

Acheronides stayed quiet as usual, doing whatever Liszt did, saying nothing.

Nestar and William Lee kept silent too. Old hands at this—no fools.

So they clinked glasses, cheers to their dragon-slaying win.

Remember: This book first appeared on [Nine Heavens God Emperor’s site].