The Defeated Dragon

Around 10 o'clock in the morning, the count's convoy appeared in the Thorn's Ridge.

Having learned the lesson from the last time a convoy came, which was only discovered not far from the castle, the patrol team wandered the Thorn Ridge's road.

Nowadays, a large number of trees on both sides of the road had been felled.

The logs had yet to be transported away. As they lied level on the ground, they looked like a floor. This, undoubtedly, provided the people with a very good field of view, reducing the risk of magic beast attack. However, this was not the end, the logging work had yet to be completed. In addition, Liszt also intended to erect palisades on each side of the road to cut off the route for magic beasts.

Although wood-made palisades had zero effect on cutting off magic beasts, but magic beasts still had the brains of beasts and were quite likely to turn around upon seeing the palisades obstructing their path instead of destroying them.

After being notified by the patrol team.

Liszt took Gort and the others to welcome the large group. Although there were only five carriages, but they were escorted by a knight squad.

The neatly dressed and equipped with shiny weapons knight squad had originally followed the count on his campaign to the continent.

Many knights were conferred aristocratic t.i.tles because of outstanding military service, and therefore left for their fiefs to enjoy the good life of rentiers. Then, to replenish the numbers, a batch of rookies from the knight college was selected.

Thus, the knight order was kept intact.

The count did not ride in a carriage. He rode on his beloved mount, White Leopard. Also, he did not wear a festive attire, wearing a martial attire instead. Liszt believed that he deliberately wore a martial attire, so that he could avoid wearing the stifling frac habillé and particularly the disc-like laf.

At the peak of summer, lafs were not too user-friendly.

No one would like to wear a scarf in the summer.

“Sir Father, I, Liszt, congratulate you on the festival.” The aristocratic etiquette still had to be observed.

“Merry festival.” After Leewilliam replied, he looked at the castle not far away. He felt a bit emotional, “This little castle hadn't changed much over the past ten plus years… There is no need for pleasantries, let's first go to the castle. The weather outside is far too hot and your grandmother has to cool off as soon as possible.

“Alright.” Liszt led the way.

A short while later, the convoy stopped at the castle's gate. Under Carter's lead, the servants stood on both side of the gate to welcome the honored guests.

Gort stepped forward in a very exaggerated fashion: “Sir Count, I, Gort, am so excited to see you! Compared to a few months prior, your graceful bearing is even more refined. Even tough my qi is already feeble, but I still can sense the strong pressure exuded by you; the pressure from a Sky Knight!”

Leewilliam quite enjoyed such boot-licking. He said with a smile: “Gort, your face has become even rosier. Is life in the Flower Town treating you well?”

Gort gave a deep bow in salute: “I, Gort, congratulate you on the festival. The life in the Flower Town is full of vigor; I enjoy working here.”

Suddenly, the voice of Madam Penélope came from behind: “It was so dusty along the way, I need water to clean up. Going on a long journey is like going through a nightmare, where one wants to end it, yet perseveres and continues ahead.”

“Grandmother, I, Liszt, congratulate you on the festival.”

“Merry festival.” Madam Penélope sized the castle up with a few glances as she entered with the help of her lady's maid, “It is really hard on you to live in the countryside, to live such a poverty-stricken life… The only thing worthy of envy is perhaps this small house's smell. It has the earthy scent of the countryside.”

She added: “It is more comfortable than the smell in the Tulip Castle.”

“If you feel comfortable, then why not stay here for a few more days?”

“That won't do. The servants don't know how to tend to the flowers I raise; I will go mad if i don't see them in a day.”

Following behind Madam Penélope was a gorgeously adorned middle-aged woman. The tall ladies hat she wore was covered in a variety of feathers. This sort of hat was originally called the flying bird hat – the feathers symbolized the ‘sky' – and only Madam Sky Knights could wear it.

Later, it became popular with aristocratic gentlewomen. A variety of exaggerated and fantastic hats were worn to festivals.

In addition to the conspicuous hat, this woman also had a hint of slyness about her, especially in her eyes. In the memories Liszt inherited from his predecessor, the impression of this pair of eyes was the most profound.

Liszt at that time.

Was always under the impression that this pair of eyes was secretly observing him, never revealing their true colors. However, when smiling, they had the sweet charm of a girl next-door.

Now that Liszt took a look at the pair of eyes, he easily concluded them to be a pair of sly eyes.

They were slightly narrow with risen corners. When smiling, they would bend into crescent moons.

“Madam, I, Liszt, congratulate you on the festival.” A faint smile was plastered on his face, routinely observing impeccable aristocratic etiquette. Even tough he was secretly disgusted, but his expression was still as amiable as the spring breeze.

“Merry festival. Liszt, you have become taller.” The middle-aged woman smiled back. She was the current madam countess, Marie Missingtiles.

The madam was holding a very young boy by the hand.

The boy was quite obviously in contempt regarding the castle's circ.u.mstances. He reluctantly adopted a slightly respectful expression before observing the etiquette: “Brother Liszt, I, Lytton, congratulate you on the festival.”

“Merry festival.”

Liszt gave a dull response and continued to say to Madam Marie: “Madam, please take Lytton and enter the castle to have a rest. I will go congratulate Brother, Sister, and Chevalier Lähden.”

For Levis and Lvera, this was not their first visit to the Flower Town.

Therefore, after wishing each other a merry festival, they entered the castle. Liszt kept congratulating the other aristocrats that came with the convoy. These aristocrats were lesser aristocrats holding office in the Tulip Castle. They were mainly chevaliers, with a single baron – the Tulip Castle's knight captain, Mickey.

Although the position of the Coral Island's knight commander was personally held by Leewilliam, but in peace time, the captain, Mickey, was the one responsible for the knight order's training and the Tulip Castle's safety; he was the de facto commander.

Once the greeting of guests was finished

The castle became more lively.

Because too many people had come – there were a lot of aristocrats upstairs and even more knights downstairs – the fifteen servants couldn't cut it. Fortunately, the count's group had also brought a lot of servants along with quite a lot of foodstuff and beverages. They were probably aware that the countryside was barren.

They treated this as a cookout.

As the butler, Carter was the one in charge of all the servants, even if the Tulip Castle's a.s.sistant butler, Silva, was among them.

“Carter, if there is not enough food in the castle, then you needn't worry about it. Master brought a few days worth of food from the Tulip Castle.” Silva was younger than Carter. With the tailcoat fitting him just right, he looked just like a n.o.ble aristocrat when standing among the servants.

Carter used to be the butler of one of the castle's villas.

Whenever he had dealings with this a.s.sistant butler, Silva, he had to comply with the other's instructions.

But now.

He represented Liszt.

Therefore, he couldn't help but to straighten his back and keep his chin up, which made him look a bit more spirited: “We are grateful to Sir Count for his thoughtfulness. However, even without the food from the Tulip Castle, the Flower Town still can provide a variety of delicacies. We have prepared a feast, Mr. Silva, so just leave the rest to me.”