The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

Chapter 268: Desperately Searching for the Siren (Fifth Update, Additional Chapter for 2000 Monthly Votes)
The Blizzard Beast in front of him was still very small, and Liszt did not have time to take care of it all day. He simply transformed the entertainment room into an air-conditioned space, and handed over the heavy responsibility of caring for the eight unopened-eyed Blizzard Beasts to the female butler Mrs. Morson and the most attentive maid Maisie.

Despite their small size, the Blizzard Beasts ate quite a lot.

The leftover milk Liszt had today was just enough for their consumption, but as they grew larger, he estimated that he would have to use the stock of powdered milk to feed them.

Busy all day, the little Blizzard Beasts ate and then slept, showing no signs of early demise.

It seemed that they would all grow up strong and healthy.

The next day, he got up early again for his knight training and fiercely drilled Paris, who was getting fatter with every meal, in actual combat. With surging Dou Qi, he only stopped the morning lesson when Paris was about to unwillingly transform—Liszt had been irritated with Paris’s laziness and gluttony, hiring her for a gold coin a month and not for her to come and eat egg rolls.

He seriously said, “Compared to our first combat session, your strength has declined significantly, your reactions, speed, and technique have all noticeably regressed.”

Paris, panting heavily from the intense combat, which took a great toll on her stamina, said, “Although I don’t want to admit it, it’s your strength that’s been continuously improving, Baron.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because the flames on your sword are more intense each time, and your total amount of Dou Qi is constantly breaking through.” Although Paris had gained weight, her cognitive judgment had not declined.

Her strength had indeed regressed slightly—a truth she had to admit due to her increased weight and decreased agility—but it was Liszt’s improvement that was the main reason for the one-sided battle. Without transforming into the Black Dragon Childe and with Light and Shadow Tug unable to take effect, she was no match for Liszt.

Putting away the Crimson Blood Sword, Liszt glanced at Paris’s heaving chest.

Liszt nodded slightly, “Dou Qi cultivation is such that if you’re not advancing, you’re regressing. I am indeed making progress, but that’s no excuse for you to let your own strength slide… In a few days, I fear that even if I don’t restrain your Light and Shadow Tug and use a regular longsword, you will no longer be my match.”

Paris felt a bit unwilling to accept this, but in the end, she nodded, “I understand. I will exercise diligently and strive to improve my strength further, so I won’t fall behind you.”

Seeing the mercenary maid come to a realization.

Liszt patted her shoulder reassuringly, “One’s greatest reliance is always oneself, and don’t forget, you should be setting an example for your younger sister.” In his eyes, Paris was still immature, despite having gone through many hardships, after all, she was only a twenty-year-old.

“Hmm.” Paris twisted her body as if trying to dodge Liszt’s gesture but restrained herself.

“I’m going out. You don’t need to follow me; consider this your vacation for the next few days,” said Liszt before turning and departing as he needed to continue patrolling the coast to find his Siren.

Watching Liszt riding away with the Retainer Knights, their figures diminishing into the distance, Paris was momentarily dazed.

She unconsciously touched her patted shoulder and murmured to herself, “It seems the Baron prefers slimmer women… I really should eat less.”

…

Fresh Flower Port.

The Fresh Flower Vessel had not returned, and Liszt had not found the Siren’s singing; it was likely that the Siren was not within the waters of Fresh Flower Town.

“I should save money to buy another sailing ship to search the Sea Black Horse Island.”

He raised his hand, pondering in his heart, “Based on the current ship market prices, an ordinary double-masted sailing ship like the Fresh Flower Vessel would cost at least five hundred gold coins. A slightly better double-masted sailing ship would cost over a thousand, and an even better triple-masted sailing ship would cost at least two to three thousand gold coins. And if I wanted a fast sailing ship of the sort used by the Court, it would be at least five or six thousand gold coins.”

Considering fixed assets, Liszt could afford a good sail ship; his various fixed assets combined would amount to tens of thousands of gold coins.

“`

Speaking of which, the value of a single Space Gem is immeasurable.

However, much of wealth is ill-gotten and liquidity is extremely scarce; the money used to buy serfs still comes from the mithril he exchanged. Mithril is of great strategic value and is unobtainable by purchase. Using one means having one less, and it is very uneconomical to exchange mithril for Gold Coins.

“I’ll just have to save up Gold Coins slowly. I have Fresh Flower Soap, and Fresh Flower Brew will be available soon. Making money isn’t far off.”

Snowflakes continued to fall.

The sandy beaches along the coast had turned white.

The sea had not frozen over, though, and the Sea Waves kept crashing onto the shore and retreating, while the Li Dragon Horse stepped through the snow gathered at the edge of the beach, pacing slowly. Liszt’s gaze lingered over the sea surface, searching for possible Siren habitats, but the sea was clear, not even a plank of wood in sight.

There were some seagulls, though, swooping in flocks over the sea, preying on fish.

“Maybe I could start by buying some small paddle boats and train the fishermen from Oyster Village to go to sea for fishing. The seafood trade has already declined. The business of sea fish, shrimp, and crab could be sustainable; dry some fish… There are very few landlords who go out to sea for fishing now.”

Fishing for freshwater fish is not uncommon; serfs dare not go to sea, but they are definitely familiar with ponds and rivers.

Some migratory fish in the sea are also frequently caught. The Seven-gill Eel, a noble’s favorite, and Salmon, a specialty of the Salmon Family, are both migratory species. Usually, people consider these fish as food bestowed by the ocean, under the care of a knight’s glory.

There are vicious Sea Monsters in the ocean, yet sea fish take the initiative to come ashore—if this is not a gift bestowed by the ocean and the care of glory, then what is it?

Walking along, he came to the beach near the Fragrant Coconut Tree Cordyceps, where a sunken ship equipped with Dragonbone Stabilizer Technique was once salvaged, and five large chests of Sunken Ship Treasure were discovered. Looking back on it, the sunken ship must have been from the Magic Goat Family.

Those shattered Magic Books must have been purchased by a magician of the Magic Goat Family; even the 36D Ghost in the Dragonbone Stabilizer was likely crammed in there by a magician.

“It might well have been Curtis Truth’s doing; she’s always been researching soul extraction techniques, and 36D is probably a human soul she extracted.”

Curtis Truth and her Ghost Ship have dissipated, leaving behind only the Magic Book, the Goat Head Flag, Figurehead, and Sapphire Ring, whose principles are unclear, without much else worth studying.

Nevertheless, Liszt still planned to keep the 36D Ghost. Perhaps one day, he might want to study Lich Technique as well.

There are too many unknown secrets in this world.

If he could live for five hundred years, he would definitely wish, riding his own dragon, to attempt to understand this world – a world far more magnificent and fantastical than Earth.

…

In the evening, Liszt finally awaited the return of Fresh Flower Vessel.

Marcus returned with the Fresh Flower Vessel. Currently, about six hundred serfs had migrated to Black Horse Island, all of whom were constructing the port town.

Since there was no source of food, the Fresh Flower Vessel had to make repeated trips back and forth for transportation.

“I never thought the Baron would go through such a perilous voyage. To think that there really are Ghost Ships in the world, and that it’s the Ghost Ship of the long-destroyed Marquis Cohen,” Marcus exclaimed upon seeing the Knight Squad returning with three fewer Retainers, deeply moved, but it was only for a moment.

After seeing the eight Little Blizzard Beast cubs, he became uncontrollably excited: “Under the care of a knight’s glory, the future of Fresh Flower Town can be entrusted to them!”

“Teacher Marcus, the upkeep of a Blizzard Beast like Douson is probably not much less than an entire Knight Squad. Fresh Flower Town is currently under financial strain, we need to develop vigorously,” Liszt said.

“Yes, Baron, Fresh Flower Town alone definitely cannot afford to raise nine Blizzard Beasts, but we have Black Horse Island. There will be no yield from Black Horse Island this year, but once a new batch of serfs arrives and the farmlands are cultivated, the proceeds from Black Horse Island will be sufficient to support your pursuit of glory!” Marcus replied.

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