The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

At the banquet.

Liszt saw various nobles, most of whom held higher ranks than himself, or were noble heirs without a title yet.

"Marquis Wallace Pineapple Green of Deep Throat Island, Marquis Roderick Gold Wheat Sheaf of Golden Island, Marquis Ramirez White Glutinous Rice of Leather Island, Marquis Glendenton Red Maple Leaf of Red Maple City…" Liszt counted the attending marquises to reinforce his impression of them.

In the Grand Duchy, there were seven marquises in total—four of whom were present here.

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The other three marquises were unable to attend.

Marquis Merlin Taro of Red Crab Island had retired and was residing at home; Marquis Andy Sapphire of the Bull had become a rebel and was now besieged; as for the last marquis, Marquis Nesta Big Flower Hydrangea of Quicksand City, he was assisting Lady Sarette in purging the court’s servants.

The arrangement of the seven marquises had solidified since the accession of the fifth Grand Duke and had remained stable to this day.

"Perhaps in a few days, there will only be six marquises left," Liszt thought, finding little appetite for the coarse food before him—he still preferred Mrs. Abbie’s cooking.

He then observed the First and Second Prince.

To be precise, these two were sons of a duke, not actual princes, but just as the daughters of the Sapphire Duke were referred to as princesses, so too were they called princes.

Crown Prince Anthony Sapphire, aged thirty-two, was known as the Ice Seal Sword Saint; Second Prince Angus Sapphire, aged twenty-seven, was known as the Ice Spring Sword Saint. One was a veteran Sword Saint and the other, a newly minted one. To be recognized as a saint with the sword at such ages meant they both were quite talented.

Both brothers bore a strong resemblance to each other, yet neither could be deemed handsome.

The Crown Prince appeared more amiable, exuding an inviting warmth; the Second Prince, perhaps due to the annihilation of the Knight Order, maintained a perpetually cold expression, unapproachable to strangers.

"From what my cousin has mentioned, Anthony and Angus only became Sky Knights after turning twenty. Their talents are indeed good, but not particularly outstanding. With the backing of the unlimited resources of the Sapphire Family, true prodigies would likely have become Sky Knights before reaching adulthood."

Liszt had only become an Earth Knight after coming of age and was now seventeen years old; he hoped to become a Sky Knight before he turned twenty.

Though he started from a disadvantage, he was now playing with a cheat—destined to win at the finish line.

Especially when he saw the Crown Prince mingling and toasting with the nobles, basking in their flattery, Liszt couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable, malice creeping into his thoughts: "Perhaps the Sapphire Dragon is already dead, and the Grand Duke is in a state of chaos, yet his son here is still merry as can be."

He picked up the juice in front of him and took a sip.

He also tried the medium-done steak, suddenly feeling poignant: "Having a banquet at a time like this seems inappropriate. Marquis of the Bull won’t just sit back and wait for doom; he must be plotting something… It seems in this battle, I need to be extra cautious and not recklessly charge forward."

Those who scheme to slay dragons are definitely no pushovers.

When facing soft targets, one must strike decisively, but when dealing with tough ones, learning to be humble is key.

The steak was not particularly delicious, but the juice tasted good. He drained half the cup in one go and felt somewhat satiated by the meal, planning to supplement with some Six-Headed King Serpent meat back home.

Looking at the nobles still engaged in mutual adulation and toasting.

He suddenly had another thought: "If the Duchy of Sapphire really descends into chaos, could I seize the opportunity to obtain the ’Dragon Knight’s Dou Qi Secret Manual’ from the Sapphire Family?"

"Dragon Knight’s Dou Qi Secret Manual," written by the First Grand Duke, was passed down to his descendants for cultivation, with the hope that some would become Dragon Knights.

Regrettably, in the hands of the Sapphire Family, no new Dragon Knights had emerged to date.

Liszt knew that he was a man destined to ride dragons, so the significance of this "Dragon Knight’s Dou Qi Manual" for him was immense.

In this region of the sea, it was probably the only book on how to ride dragons.

...

Juniper Castle was surrounded by Milk Lake, preventing knights from charging.

But this did not stop them. The next morning, serfs from Bull Tendon City were driven to fell trees from the surrounding forests, and logs were brought to Milk Lake one by one, fastened into rafts, and cast into the waters. Countless rafts piled up, quickly encasing the edge of Milk Lake.

Layer upon layer of rafts could easily bear the weight of charging cavalry.

Though the lake was vast, it could not hinder the busyness of numerous serfs. Bit by bit, the surface of Milk Lake shrank visibly, as if covered by fabric, spreading towards the Solitary Island where Juniper Castle stood.

"The Marquis of Bull has no reaction, and the guards of Juniper Castle do not seem overly panicked," reported Li Weiliam from atop a nearby hill, putting down his telescope.

Liszt also lowered his telescope, "Father, I think the Marquis of Bull is planning something big."

"Maybe he’s given up on himself, Liszt. You need to think more positively," Levis said with a relaxed expression. "With the army bearing down on him, the Marquis of Bull can’t resist. From the beginning, when he tried to assassinate the Sapphire Dragon, he was gambling with his own life. Now, it’s clear he’s lost."

"Don’t be too optimistic."

The Earl glanced at Levis and said, "When dealing with the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family, remember to think critically, weigh issues from all angles carefully, and don’t let love cloud your judgment."

These past days, Levis had been frequently visiting the tent of Marquis Roderick, eager to display his good qualities before his future father-in-law since he would not settle until he wed Loria Gold Wheat Ear.

Levis defended himself, "Father, you worry too much. My aim is to actively form ties with the Golden Wheat Sheaf Family to prepare for any potential future problems."

"It’s good to form connections proactively, but don’t make it obvious, and certainly don’t become a pawn in someone else’s hands. Learn to conceal your intentions," the Earl remarked with a tinge of sentimentality. "Both of my sons are outstanding, yet so very different; Levis, you mingle too eagerly, while Liszt, you neglect to do so."

Liszt smiled confidently and nonchalantly, "That’s because I have more faith in my own strength, far more reliable than unpredictable connections. Besides, brother can handle the socializing; I will follow in the footsteps of Father and my brother."

The future Dragon Knight was unconcerned with establishing noble relations at the moment.

Li Weiliam shook his head slightly, feeling somewhat helpless; his sons were both exceptional yet had their own strong opinions and no longer listened to him attentively.

...

Three days passed, and on July 10th, the sun shone brightly.

Milk Lake was completely covered by the rafts, and the Crown Prince no longer hesitated, announcing the attack on Juniper Castle. Earth Knights assembled in the form of a Knight Order to besiege the castle; the Sky Knights soared into the sky for precision strikes.

A grand battle was about to unfold.

However, upon Solitary Island where Juniper Castle stood, a faint light suddenly blossomed, followed by rings of barrier-like ripples appearing in the sky above the entire island, seemingly inverting a large bowl over the castle.

The Earth Knights could not breach the barrier.

The Sky Knights could only cause the barrier to shake erratically.

"It’s merely a defensive Magic Array; the magicians of the Goat Assembly can only create such an obstacle!" Crown Prince Anthony drew his longsword, pointing skyward with passion, "All hear my command! Charge with me, attack the magic barrier, and crush it!"

Boom!

The torrent of knights once again surged, fiercely colliding with the ripple-like luminescent barrier.