The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

An upright piano, a household model, of medium size.

Made by the Court’s esteemed Piano Knight, Kruse Bin Iron, in the spring of the year one hundred and fifty-one, priced at one hundred and twenty-eight Gold Coins.

One meter five in length, sixty centimeters in depth, and one meter twenty-eight in height.

Cast from a mix of rock wood and Fine Steel, the strings made from top-grade bowstring materials, derived from Magical Beast furs. The body of the piano painted in a dark purple hue, exuding a faint scent of solid wood.

Lacking the grandeur and status of a grand piano, but among upright pianos, it was a high-end product. Compared to the rudimentary pianos that small Nobles often bought for a dozen or so Gold Coins, this model was sufficient to complement his current status.

Leaning against the wall.

Bringing over a stool, Liszt directly sat in front of the piano, his itching hands involuntarily falling onto the keys.

“Ding!”

The crisp sound emerged, the vibrancy felt as the action struck the strings.

With just this one sound, he felt a tremor throughout his body, as if his Soul was being elevated. The pianist within Liszt was getting restless. “For Alice”, “With You”, and many other famous piano pieces he had heard were ringing in his ears simultaneously.

His fingers ached to transform into dancing Elves, prancing upon the keys.

However, he did not, as there were too many inspirations. It seemed somewhat blocked, and no rhythm came to mind, so after touching the keys, he got up and left the study.

Today was his birthday, and even Marcus, Lasse, and the Griffins had returned from Black Horse Island.

As early as this morning, Fresh Flower Town had sunk into the festive spirit, with officials busily sending warmth on behalf of Lord Landlord to all the subjects of the territory—two copper coins each.

Even on regular holidays where warmth was shared, at most one copper coin was given, but now with Fresh Flower Brew on the market, and Lord Landlord flush with cash, he lavished a considerable sum, doubling it!

“Wishing our Lord Landlord eternal youth!”

“May Lord Landlord ride dragons soon!”

“May the great Lord Landlord forever be favored by knightly glory!”

“Praise to our Lord Landlord, happy birthday to you!”

Even those Serfs who had just arrived at Fresh Flower Town and were still acclimating to their new lives were shouting in unison, “Praise… to our Lord Landlord…”

Clerks and Patrol Members, as they distributed money home by home, also proclaimed to everyone, “To celebrate our Lord Landlord’s birthday, today, all the poultry and livestock in town shall receive extra feed!”

Every household’s chickens, the guard dogs of the dog runs, the Fruit Thief Monkeys at the training grounds, the milk cows at the dairy farms, the horses of the Castle grounds, the fat pigs of the pig farms, and even the assorted dogs and sheep raised by the Serfs, could all feel the festive atmosphere and were part of the birthday celebrations.

Mrs. Morson entered the Worm Room, scattering a thick layer of Jade Powder in the nests of the Elf Bug: “My adorable little ones, it is the master’s birthday today, and you too must offer your praises to him.”

The maids also brought in various fruits, carefully placing them on the table inside the Shell Wood Tower; they didn’t know why they were doing this but could only guess the master wanted to feed the Shell Sea Monster.

Every servant knew that a Shell Sea Monster was kept in the Castle.

When cleaning, they were anxious, fearing the shell would suddenly open and gobble them up—that’s why, even when strange noises emanated from the wood tower, they pretended not to hear anything—it was probably the sound of Sea Sprite Ake’s failed magical experiments.

Often, new Magic could easily fail, but fortunately, it was Water Magic, and even an explosion posed no real danger.

At most, water would be splashed all over the room.

“Thomas, Tom, Jessie, don’t forget to increase the Magical Beast Meat for Douson, the Earth Matron, and the Eight Tiny Ones,” Liszt instructed the male servants before the noon banquet began.

His army of Blizzard Beasts naturally joined the celebration, enjoying improved meals.

“Yes, my lord.”

At high noon, all the followers had arrived.

Butler Carter came over, “Lord, may we begin the feast now?”

“Begin!”

Immediately, the guests took their seats and exquisitely prepared food began to arrive, emitting tempting aromas.

However, for drinks, only a few bottles of Fresh Flower Brew were brought out by the servants.

A small cup was poured for each person.

Liszt, smiling yet with a serious tone, said, “We must not let my birthday delay the normal work of the territory. Therefore, one cup of Fresh Flower Brew per person will suffice for the lunch, and no one is allowed to drink more.” Drinking could lead to neglecting duties, and the work arrangement for the serfs was not yet complete; it was not a time for excessive celebration.

Goltai seemed very disappointed; he loved the atmosphere of drinking at feasts the most.

But the theme of the banquet was determined by Liszt’s will.

Once the Fresh Flower Brew was poured for everyone, led by Goltai, the followers all shouted in unison, “We wish the Lord eternal youth and the constant favor of knightly glory! Glory forever belongs to you!”

“Glory belongs to me, and I am with you all!” Liszt raised his cup, looking around at the increasing number of his followers with high spirits, and drained it in one gulp.

The spiciness of the liquor seeped into his heart and lungs, instantly lifting his spirits immeasurably.

It was not in vain that he had strived for a year; Fresh Flower Town, once a remote backwater, was finally brimming with vitality.

He was quite moved.

“Woah!”

Jela suddenly flew over, snagged the steak from his plate, and began to gnaw on it wildly. After two bites, perhaps finding it not to her taste, she threw it back onto the plate and then leaned over the soup bowl, gulping down the egg soup lustily.

The mood he had just been fostering was completely disrupted by the little creature.

He smiled and didn’t blame Jela.

Since today was a celebration with the people and all living beings, she naturally had to be included as well.

Without alcohol to boost spirits, the banquet was still filled with laughter and cheer, but the eating was quick; in less than half an hour, all the dishes had been finished.

Wiping his mouth, without keeping the followers for long, Liszt directly announced the end of the banquet.

The workers who needed to labor went back to work, as their daily wages weren’t meant for slacking off.

He kept Marcus, Lasse, and Griffin behind, and after Butler Carter brought tea and closed the door to the study, he said, “A thousand serfs have been handed over to Consultant Goltai to select, and he’s chosen five hundred so far. When you return, transport them to Black Horse Island.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Recently, buying grain has become increasingly difficult, and the bread supply may decrease. Remember to look for seafood on the beaches of Black Horse Island to get through this period.”

“Rest assured, my lord, we have already found two beaches abundant with seafood.”

“I have great confidence in Teacher Marcus’s work,” Liszt smiled reassuringly. “The Fresh Flower Brew has gone on sale, and from what we can see, it’s selling well. Fresh Flower Town’s finances will be very ample, and it’s time for Black Horse Island to undergo vigorous development. Once the training of this batch of serfs is complete, I will send another group of officials to assist you. I hope you can shoulder the heavy responsibility!”

The three stood up and bowed, “We are honored to serve you, my lord!”