Chapter 884: Joyful Atmosphere

"Your Highness Liszt, Your Excellency Acheronides, welcome to the Blue Sky Mountain Palace as our guests." The Duke of Sapphire gazed at the tall and spirited Liszt, his calm eyes barely masking a hint of melancholy.

Once a nameless nobody who could only grovel before him.

Now he stood as a Dragon Knight, his equal—no, his superior, a new overlord whose status far surpassed his own, requiring even the Duke of Sapphire to bow slightly upon meeting.

Especially when he looked at the grayish-white gray cast iron dragon, his heart twisted violently—this was unmistakably the Gray Iron Duchy’s cast iron dragon.

In the last dragon-slaying battle, he had killed Carlo Violet and taken the Lightgreen Gem Dragon.

In this dragon-slaying battle, he had killed Loyel Zitong and taken the gray cast iron dragon.

The Duke of Sapphire couldn’t fathom how this young man, barely twenty years old and smiling at the corner of his lips, had managed to accomplish all this.

But the gray cast iron dragon was coiled right there in the palace square, leaving him no choice but to believe.

"Not three dragons as previously mentioned, but four… Such a formidable force can only mean trouble. This time, the Sapphire family likely has no power to choose." The Duke of Sapphire’s heart ached, his body overwhelmed with weakness. Fortunately, his wife, Lady Sarit, steadied him with a discreet grip on his arm.

So he didn’t show it.

"Your Grace, I hope my uninvited arrival hasn’t disturbed you." Liszt was not arrogant, greeting him with full gentlemanly grace.

His greeting followed knightly protocol for equals, showing the Duke of Sapphire proper respect.

Then he turned to Marquis Niuwei and bowed slightly. "Father."

This made Lee William, who had been basking in pride lately, even more pleased, his smile impossible to hide. "Liszt, why didn’t the Lightgreen Gem Dragon come? Instead, it’s this gray cast iron dragon?" He didn’t know Liszt had already tamed the gray cast iron dragon, as this was its first public appearance.

"I’ve captured Duke Piero, and the gray cast iron dragon resonated with me—it became my dragon!"

As if responding to Liszt, the gray cast iron dragon let out a long roar, glancing indifferently at the Duke of Sapphire’s entourage and the sapphire dragon perched on a neighboring peak.

"Your Highness Liszt truly is the most outstanding young man of this era, the very paragon of knightly virtue." Lady Sarit, sensing the Duke’s weakness, extended the invitation on his behalf. "You must be weary from your travels, Your Highness Liszt and Your Excellency Acheronides. Please, come inside the palace for tea and rest."

Acheronides disliked such social scenes and remained silent, staying close to Liszt while her thoughts drifted far away.

Liszt, however, graciously accepted. "Very well."

Thus, everyone returned to the Blue Sky Mountain Palace.

The Blue Sky Mountain Palace was less a single palace and more a sprawling citadel of interconnected castles spread across a mountain, connected from peak to base. Its grandeur far surpassed even the most magnificent castles on Earth by a hundredfold.

Moreover, it boasted enchanted marvels, including a floating garden suspended above one of the castle towers.

That was the Duke of Sapphire’s private residence.

From the castle corridors, one could see the distant Blue Dragon City and a massive blue lake—the largest on Blue Dragon Island, Tranquil Lake. The pearl jewelry that had become wildly popular across the Duchy was harvested from the low-tier magical creatures—pearl oysters, cultivated in its waters.

However, the black pearl products from Darksteed Island had already earned renown across the realm.

Compared to the white pearls from pearl oysters, black pearls were larger, rarer, and more expensive.

The finest black pearls Liszt kept to craft Storm-Quelling Divine Pearls and were never sold. The same went for pink and golden pearls—the cultivation of black clams, pink conches, and golden-lipped clams had yet to expand, with production couldn’t even meet domestic demand.

In time, perhaps years or decades hence, with the development of the waters around Flame Island, these three shellfish industries could flourish. But for now, expansion remained out of reach.

In the lavishly decorated palace hall,

Liszt and the Sapphire Duke sat at opposite ends of a massive round table, surrounded by Marquis Niuwei, the Crown Prince, the Marquis of Flowing Sands City, the Marquis of Red Maple City, and of course, Acher, who held a magic book without looking up.

"Your Highness Liszt, your arrival is most welcome. If this isn't an official visit, I shall regard it as a private exchange between the Sapphire family and the Flame Kingdom?" The Sapphire Duke had recovered, his earlier momentary fatigue merely a result of emotional turmoil.

Liszt remained noncommittal: "Of course, this is indeed a private exchange. However, regarding the details of the Dragon Wars, I believe it necessary for you to gain a deeper understanding, hence my visit."

The Sapphire Duke nodded. "Then, what else do I need to know?"

Neither of them had any intention of idle pleasantries.

Liszt pondered briefly: "The situation of the Dragon Wars is entirely under my control. Whether it's the Kingdom of the Eagle, the Kingdom of Steel Ridge, or the Blastfurnace Kingdom, no matter how many times they launch such battles, it’s nothing but a futile effort to me. I need the Sapphire family to understand—the sea should be governed by the knights who rule its waves."

The Sapphire Duke also paused in thought before responding: "Regarding the invasion by the Kingdom of the Eagle, I offer my apologies. Never again will dragon knights from the mainland presume to cross the Sapphire Archipelago so recklessly."

"That is essential," Liszt stated firmly. "Whether it's the Tulip family or the Flame Kingdom, both were once followers of the Sapphire family. Though circumstances have changed, I hope the two families can still maintain close cooperation, unhindered by outsiders."

"Then, how should the position of the Sapphire family be defined?" the Sapphire Duke asked solemnly.

Liszt countered: "How do you think it should be defined?"

The hall fell into brief silence.

Finally, the Sapphire Duke broke it with a slightly bitter laugh: "The Invisible Dragon, the Fire Dragon, the grey cast iron dragon, the Lightgreen Gem Dragon... Your Highness Liszt, Miss A Ke... Given the current state of affairs, I fear I don’t have much room for choice."

"That was never my intention."

Liszt spread his hands, signaling he had no desire to impose through sheer force: "But a stable order of the seas is the prerequisite for the establishment and growth of the Fire Kingdom. I do not fear Dragon Wars—in fact, if each one could bring me another dragon, I’d welcome them."

He delivered the dark humor before continuing: "However, if peaceful development is possible, I would much rather devote myself to patiently building our homeland. The Fire Archipelago is expansive and remote from the mainland, worthy of years of cultivation—not seizing resources by force. Truly, I am a lover of peace."

With that, he laughed.

Marquis Niuwei, the Crown Prince, the Marquis of Red Maple City, and the Marquis of Flowing Sands City joined in the laughter. The Duke chuckled along, and the atmosphere suddenly turned lighter.