The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

“But Fresh Flower Brew is just freshly made liquor, it hasn’t gone through any aging process.”

“How much do you think Fresh Flower Brew’s taste differs from Juniper Wine? Since there isn’t much difference, why can Juniper Wine be called a multi-year aged cellar wine?”

“Because it really is a wine that’s been aged in a cellar for many years.”

“Uh…” Liszt suddenly felt like Levis was really naive, “The quality of Juniper Wine forms because of cellaring and aging, and Fresh Flower Brew’s quality is not inferior to it, so it can also be considered cellared and aged. There’s no conflict. Moreover, we’ve clearly defined three distinct grades to reflect the difference in status, which will solidify the standing of nobles at all levels.”

“Do you really think this is better?”

“Of course, no one knows how we brewed it, we say it’s a century-aged wine, and so it is!”

“Wooden and ceramic bottles are simple enough, but jade bottles, might they be too expensive?”

“You could make fewer jade bottles of Fresh Flower Brew, factor in the value of the jade bottle into the sales price, or you could use crystal bottles for packaging, all to reflect the class of Fresh Flower Brew. You could even carve a bottle out of gemstones and have father give it to the Grand Duke for promotional purposes.”

“Give it to the Grand Duke?”

“Of course, if the Grand Duke drinks Fresh Flower Brew, what grounds would the nobles have to refuse it?”

“The Grand Duke has his own liquor industry, he doesn’t need our liquor as a tribute.”

“It’s just to have the Grand Duke taste it. As long as Fresh Flower Brew isn’t sold on Blue Dragon Island, it won’t threaten the Grand Duke’s liquor industry. Wouldn’t the Grand Duke give father some face?”

As a Sword Saint and the founder of the Tulip Family, Li Weiliam Tulip was definitely one of the high-level individuals in the Duchy of Sapphire. The Grand Duke would certainly want to win over such a rising power to balance the old Marquis Families. As long as Li Weiliam made clear the distribution range of Fresh Flower Brew, there would be no conflict at all.

If the Grand Duke is greedy and doesn’t want the Tulip Family to encroach on the liquor market of the Duchy of Sapphire.

It’s not a big deal — they could just sell Fresh Flower Brew to the Steel Ridge Kingdom or even the Eagle Kingdom. Smuggling liquor is a common business for many fleets and caravans.

It’s just a matter of how much they sell.

Levis was still pondering.

On this end, the family tutor, Mr. Frank, reminded, “Levis, offering tribute to the Grand Duke, whether successful or not, won’t affect our interests; using Baron Liszt’s packaging suggestion would only cost a little extra. If it fails, we can simply return to selling Juniper Wine. It’s acceptable.”

“If that’s the case, let’s give it a try.”

At this point, Liszt and Levis had discussed the Fresh Flower Brew business thoroughly; the rest was up to their respective subordinates to manage and operate.

Landlords need not get their hands dirty.

“When I came here, I heard your Dorson produced offspring, eight Little Fierce Earth Dogs?” Levis quickly shifted his focus, “Let me see them quickly, these are offspring of an Intermediate Magical Beast!”

“Sorry, brother, they haven’t opened their eyes yet, and it’s not suitable for them to see people.”

“They haven’t opened their eyes yet!” Levis exclaimed, “They haven’t opened their eyes? Liszt, are we really brothers? I’ve never let you down, brother!”

There was no need for further words.

Liszt already understood Levis’s meaning, who wanted a Little Blizzard Beast. But he would definitely not give one, even if the other party offered to buy it, he would not sell.

“Brother, although these are offspring of an Intermediate Magical Beast, their mother is just a common Fierce Earth Dog, and Dorson hadn’t fully evolved at that time. So, there’s a high probability that this batch of offspring will be Low-Level Magical Beasts… Wait for the next batch. If the next litter turns out well, I’ll definitely sell you some.”

After several rejections, seeing Liszt’s firm attitude, Levis was quite dissatisfied.

But for the sake of the next batch of puppies, he had no choice but to hold back, “So it’s settled then, the next batch of Little Fierce Earth Dogs, you have to sell me a few!”

“Sure,” Liszt nodded, which was as good as a promise.

Most of it is bluff.

Never mind how it will be sold or how many will sell—the matter of whether Earth Matron can even become pregnant again is doubtful. The higher the bloodline of a magical beast, the more difficult it is to breed. Dorson, having completed its growth into an intermediate magical beast, is questionable if it can impregnate the Earth Matron once more after its bloodline transformation.

Perhaps these eight Little Blizzard Beasts are the only offspring that Dorson, as a Fierce Earth Dog, can leave behind.

…

The luncheon.

The drink of choice was Fresh Flower Brew.

Levis seemed to be either too excited about the forthcoming profits of the spirits business or upset about not acquiring the Blizzard Beasts—either way, he drank too much and lost sense of direction.

Clutching Liszt’s shoulder with a face full of alcohol breath, he slurred, “Liszt, I’m starting to envy you… er… you left Tulip Castle, the glory of a knight has favored you, everyone is starting to call you Son of Glory… I am always confined in the castle, Lidun, that brat, Lidun…”

Liszt was rather helpless in the face of Levis’s drunken complaints.

To keep the family’s dirty laundry from being aired, he sent everyone at the banquet away.

Levis rambled on with a slew of drunken gibberish about how the Earl favored Lidun over him, how his resources were being plundered, how great the pressure of being a Sky Knight was, how his luck wasn’t as good as Liszt’s, how Taya was pregnant, but for Loria’s sake, he had to abort the child…

Then.

He suddenly collapsed onto the table with a thud.

Liszt called for the servants to help Levis onto the carriage, without insisting he stay overnight at the castle: “Mr. Frank, please take good care of Levis.”

“Rest assured.”

At this point, Captain Layden, who was in charge of escorting Levis, came over. Glancing at Rondo under the apple tree, he sighed and said, “Baron Liszt, please take care of Rondo in Fresh Flower Town.”

Rondo Waterpot was his illegitimate son. Even though he had been acknowledged by the family, they still couldn’t offer much support.

“Aren’t you going to talk with Rondo, Captain Layden?”

“There is no need,” Layden Pot bowed, “I must escort Sir Levis back to Tulip Castle first. When I have time, I hope to be a guest in Fresh Flower Town.”

“You are always welcome.”

The carriage set off, and Levis, who arrived with high spirits, left in a drunken stupor, but in a sense, it was a successful visit—the Fresh Flower Brew business was a massive boost for both him and Liszt.

Standing in front of the castle window.

Liszt sipped the last cup of Dragon Breed Milk.

The remaining sting of alcohol stirred in him a surge of ambition: “With the spirits business, Levis will probably advance to Sky Knight. As for me, I will definitely become a Sky Knight, and then, with the Tulip Family having three Sky Knights, the Earl would find it hard not to be promoted to Marquis.”

If father and sons took the battlefield together, as long as they didn’t face a Dragon Knight, victory would be assured.

They would accumulate great military exploits and sooner or later be promoted to Marquis.

“However, the Marquis Family is not my end goal, but simply a resting point on my journey to Dragon Riding. Given my talent and insight, plus the wealth brought by the development of my lands, becoming a Sky Knight before the age of twenty-two is highly feasible. Then, spending another five to six years to perfect Sky Knight skills before seeking out a clue to find dragons.”

Find a dragon, mount it!

A small life goal then would be achieved.

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All owed updates have now been repaid, and Old White is now debt-free~