The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

Chapter 719: Chapter 0716: Celebration (Fourth Update, 10,000 Coins Reward Celebration 1/7)
 

This chapter is a reward update for “Meeting You at the Deepest Part of My Life”.

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After Liszt withdrew Leo,

the knights who had just caught their breath from the dragon’s intimidation at the port watched the departing figures, not only bearing no grudge against Leo’s intimidating presence but also abuzz with excitement.

“Such terrifying dragon might!”

“Does this count as a close encounter with a dragon, a fire dragon at that—an evil dragon? When the fire dragon’s gaze fell on me, my legs shook uncontrollably!”

“I’ve heard that fire dragons are the most formidable dragons, and no one can kill a fire dragon that has become evil!”

“Unbelievable, Prince Liszt is actually riding a fire dragon!”

“That archmage looks quite powerful too, appearing as young as Prince Liszt.”

“Son of Glory!”

“Prince Liszt is only eighteen. I remember that he was promoted to Sky Knight just half a year ago—now he’s already the noble Dragon Knight.”

“So beautiful, the dragon is so beautiful!”

The knights of Sapphire began whispering among themselves, today’s events felt like a dream, beyond belief.

A magnificent battle featuring four Dragon Knights and an archmage.

Ending with the fall of a Dragon Knight.

The new Fire Dragon Knight and the legendary archmage were even more astounding, especially since they hailed from the recently ennobled Tulip family within the Nobles of the Duchy of Sapphire.

Different from the amazed Sapphire knights, the knights of the Tulip family were walking tall with chest puffed out, wishing they could enlarge the tulip emblem on their armor tenfold: “Hahahaha, Lord Liszt is the Son of Glory of the Tulip family! I’ve fought under Lord Liszt’s command during the Pioneer Mandate!”

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

“I’ve long known that Lord Liszt is the Son of Glory. He’s destined for greatness—the Dragon Knight is the best proof!”

Viscount Jonas, who accompanied the Marquis of Bull Tail on the campaign, became the center of attention like the moon surrounded by stars. Many nobles, not privileged enough to walk behind Grand Duke Sapphire and Liszt, surrounded Viscount Jonas, incessantly inquiring about every detail concerning Liszt.

Jonas boasted contentedly.

Liszt’s name had already been shining in the skies above Sapphire.

If a day before, all the nobles thought Liszt would be the most brilliant amongst the future Nobles of Sapphire, now they did not dare to imagine Liszt’s future.

What would the future hold for a Dragon Knight?

And an archmage!

With a Dragon Knight and an archmage joining forces, it would probably be easy to overturn the Grand Duchy of Sapphire—but fortunately, the affectionate scene just now showed that Liszt had no intention of doing so.

Then, founding a nation overseas would likely be the inevitable outcome. With a Dragon Knight and an archmage as the founders of the nation, it would be easy to establish a country, either at sea or on the continent. The number of vacant noble positions waiting to be filled once such a principality is established is imaginable.

Glory!

How many knights had their hearts fluttering with this thrilling thought!

…

The pursuit battle at sea continued.

But it did not prevent the Sapphire Duke from entertaining Liszt at Bull Hoof Fortress.

Only five high-backed chairs were arranged at the main table, occupied by Grand Duke Andrew Sapphire, Marquis Nesta Big Flower Hydrangea of Quicksand City, Marquis Li Weiliam Tulip, Fire Dragon Knight Liszt Tulip, and Water Mage Acherloides Truth.

Liszt had been introduced to Acherloides’s identity before by Li Weiliam, as his “adopted sister.”

Noble banquets did not favor discussing serious matters, and they mostly revolved around mutual flattery, gossip, and anecdotes, mainly ancient court tales recounted by the Grand Duke.

They included information about kingdoms on the continent.

For example, there were three empires, twenty-one kingdoms, and a multitude of duchies that had risen and fallen on the continent.

The continent actually had a quite impressive name, “In the era of the Moon Empire, when it completed the only unification of this land, the high officials of the Moon Empire believed the nation no longer needed to exist and that ‘Legendary Continent’ should be the direct name. Though the proposal was ultimately not passed, the name Legendary Continent still spread.”

Liszt curiously asked, “Does this mean there are other continents besides the Legendary Continent?”

“I’m not sure, we just live in a few isolated countries at the northeast corner of the Legendary Continent, where news doesn’t travel well. And in my lifetime, I have only visited Steel Ridge Kingdom and Eagle Kingdom, not even Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom where our family originated,” the Grand Duke said with a laugh.

“The Sapphire Family originated from the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom?”

“Yes, our ancestor Anderson Sapphire was a marquis in the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom. Only after being recognized by the Sapphire Dragon, did we migrate to establish our own kingdom. However, Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom never supported my family, so eventually, the family pledged loyalty to Steel Ridge Kingdom.”

As they were all Dragon Knights, the Grand Duke did not beat around the bush.

Ordinary knights might look up and endlessly fantasize about how noble, mysterious, and incredible dragon-rearing families were. In reality, a dragon-rearing family was just a more prominent kind of nobility. The families also had complicated interpersonal relationships, and they needed to earn money for food and drink and to support their knights.

The only difference was that owning a dragon could protect a nation and claim a greater share of resource allocation.

Liszt disapproved of the chef’s skills at Bull Hoof Fortress, merely sampling some magical beast meat, “Grand Duke, theoretically all Dragon Knights have important garrison duties, and it’s quite difficult to mobilize them. How did Eagle Kingdom manage to dispatch two Dragon Knights to attack Sapphire this time?”

“I’m not clear on the specifics, but Carlo and Alonso left the frontier defense area, and Steel Ridge Kingdom didn’t notify me. It’s likely that someone within the kingdom was dissatisfied that the profits from the yearly tribute to the kingdom did not flow into their pockets, or perhaps they received some kind of benefit and felt that Sapphire could be sacrificed,” said the Grand Duke.

It was nothing but plots and conspiracies.

Liszt could have guessed that it was the scheming and strife between the power of the duchies and the kingdoms. He did not pursue the topic further but switched the subject, “I killed Carlo, how much turmoil will this cause Eagle Kingdom? I wonder if Eagle Kingdom still has the courage to invade Sapphire a second time.”@@novelbin@@

“Carlo’s death shouldn’t affect too much, as the Light Green Gemstone Dragon escaped successfully. There’s a special agreement between dragons and kingdoms: it will return to Eagle Kingdom, and after healing, it will remain an important military force.”

“A special agreement, what does that mean?”

“We can discuss that in detail in the library later,” the Grand Duke said with a smile. The implication was clear; some matters were to be kept among Dragon Knights, without the need to involve others.

Even if Nesta was his uncle by marriage and Li Weiliam was Liszt’s father.

It did not matter.

Nobles prioritized interests above all else, and kinship was only an essential appendage to interests. History was full of countless examples of fathers and sons, brothers turning into enemies over interests. Matters concerning dragons were obviously not suited to consider the option of kinship.

Liszt also smiled, understanding the Grand Duke’s intent.

Acherloides, as always, remained indifferent, simply mimicking whatever Liszt did, not wanting to say an extra word.

Neither Nesta nor Li Weiliam showed any reaction. What the Grand Duke could grasp, naturally, they were not foolish enough to misunderstand, being experienced nobles themselves.

Thus, they raised their glasses together, celebrating the victory of the dragon-slaying battle.