Chapter 90: Attitude towards life

Lister initially had no intention of disrupting the festive atmosphere in the town, but eventually, he couldn't resist and made his way to the commercial district, where he watched a clown's comedy performance.

It was a show with clowns juggling small balls, blowing fire, or doing somersaults.

In his eyes, these were far from novel, yet the townsfolk cheered and applauded gleefully. It made Lister consider showcasing a "Three Immortals Return to Their Cave" magic trick to let these foreigners experience the charm of ancient Chinese cultural traditions.

Of course,

this was merely a thought. A noble shouldn't engage in anything that might demean their status.

Moreover, in a world with magicians, magic tricks didn't seem all that impressive.

After watching the show, he left the commercial area and headed for the town hall to avoid making the residents uneasy— they couldn't relax with the lord around, not even daring to speak loudly.

Though he had physically departed, he remained attentive to the merchant team's affairs.

He was currently listening to Isaiah report on the prices of the goods brought by the merchants, especially those related to production and daily necessities, which were of his particular interest.

"Wouldn't a foal cost at least fifty silver coins? That seems excessively high," he inquired with a furrowed brow.

Indeed, it was expensive, my lord. Coral Island is far from the mainland and lacks suitable grazing land, which has always restricted the breeding of horses, thus keeping their prices high. Even the horses from Blue Dragon Island command such prices. On the continent, a foal might only cost a few silver coins."

The Archipelago Kingdom, being an assembly of islands, was naturally not suited for horse herding.

Lister understood this logic but found it hard to accept at the moment. He had given Grandet three gold coins, expecting to purchase a large variety of goods with them.

Now, it seemed that those coins would be spent on just six foals.

"How many livestock calves did the caravan bring?" he asked, feeling somewhat disheartened. He had initially hoped to consume all the livestock brought by the caravan, but now, that seemed like an extravagant wish.

Aside from himself, ordinary residents likely wouldn't have the means to make such purchases either.

"There are five foals, two calves, three lambs, eight piglets, six puppies, five kittens, and ten rabbits," the trader replied.

"I gave Old Grandet three gold coins, but it seems they won't go far in purchasing any significant number of livestock." At that moment, Lister eagerly wished to sell the black pearl to acquire money for these animals. Meat was the most nutritious food, and he hoped to have it daily, excluding seafood.

Without livestock being raised in his territory, how could he, as the lord, afford to eat meat every day?

"Three gold coins won't buy much livestock, but they can purchase many other goods. The merchants have brought various specialties from afar."

"I told old Grandet to prioritize buying horses - five foals would cost two gold coins and fifty silver coins, exhausting the castle's funds." Liszt considered his remaining two gold coins; perhaps he should spend them today, leaving a few livestock behind.

Isaiah chuckled and said, "My Lord Baron, I've reviewed the trade records. Old Grandet only purchased two foals. The other three were bought by others."

"Who?"

"John Pole bought one; you must still remember him."

"So it was that tomato farmer. I rewarded him with a gold coin, so clearly, he could afford it. What about the other two?"

"The Blair family bought one, and Marcus purchased another. Gort lent him the money for it."

Liszt's mood brightened. All the horses had been bought, though not under the castle's ownership. As long as they remained in Flower Town, he could requisition them as needed.

But soon, he laughed wryly.

He realized his narrow perspective, focusing solely on the livestock this caravan brought. There was more to consider than just this.

Once he sells the black pearl for gold, he'll have more than enough to purchase livestock in other cities – that was his original plan. With gold coins in hand, what can't he buy? "Isaiah, how much do you think the caravans will trade for today?"

"I'd estimate around six gold coins."

"At six gold coins in transactions, I'm sure many of the merchants are already planning their next visit."

"Of course, merchants are like flies – they're never absent from where there's profit to be made." Isaiah's words carried an innate disdain. This was the unparalleled superiority of the noble class towards commoners, coupled with a desire to suppress any ambitions of social climbing among them.

Nobles would not tolerate any class threatening their rule.

Merchants sometimes made the nobles feel challenged – some even possessed greater wealth than the aristocracy. Money could work wonders, and there were no shortage of stories of bankrupt nobles marrying off their daughters to merchants or welcoming a merchant's daughter as a noble lady, in such humiliating arrangements.

Lister chuckled.

His attitude towards the merchant class aligned with that of the nobles – he sought to both support and restrain them.

...

Back at the castle.

It was lunchtime, and although he had instructed the kitchen to prepare only a steak for him, no need for an extravagant spread, his meal still consisted of meat, vegetables, mushrooms, seafood, milk, and white bread, just as it usually did.

"Mrs. Abby didn't go out shopping?"

"Sire, Mrs. Abby did venture out, but she returned to the kitchen half an hour later. Perhaps she found the bustling scene in town too overwhelming, or maybe she couldn't bear to leave her work behind. She's so dedicated, always keeping busy."

"You should tell her that I'm not considering a wage increase at the moment, so there's no need for her to overwork herself. She needs to have a life of her own."

Despite having adapted to his noble status and grown fond of it, Liszt retained his modern sense of kindness. He wished for even his servants to have lives of their own, not devoting everything to serving their lord. Life shouldn't solely revolve around work; there should be room for joy, sorrow, laughter, and a family.

As Carter served Liszt his meal, he said, "For the cook, the kitchen is life. For the servant, the castle is life, Sire. You needn't constantly think about us. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west each day, and servants work from dawn till dusk. Life is about everyone fulfilling their part."

These words held a profound philosophical undertone, leaving Liszt speechless.

His thoughts, though, seemed somewhat disconnected from this era. Deep down, he yearned for freedom, while the notion of class was ingrained in the hearts of every inhabitant of this foreign world.

If a servant doesn't work, can they still be called a servant?

If a noble doesn't indulge, can they still be called a noble?

Thus, Carter's words didn't warrant a rebuttal or correction from him. On the contrary, while it might have pricked his conscience slightly, inwardly, he felt rather pleased—If everyone thought this way, the life of a noble would be even more secure and comfortable—These were model citizens indeed!

Having just finished lunch, he planned to tease Hiddleston and Benedict before taking a nap.

Gort unexpectedly rode into town and, upon encountering Liszt, promptly handed over a metal flask shaped like a wine bottle. "My lord, take a look at this. It was found by a fisherman from Oyster Village on the seashore. They believed it was made of gold, but after my inspection, it doesn't seem to be."