The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

“I don’t want to go to Fresh Flower Town anymore, dear. Let’s just take a stroll around Coral City.”

After breakfast in the early morning, when Li Si Te invited Rona Sally to visit Fresh Flower Town, he received an unexpected response. The girl, who the night before had been so passionate she’d wanted to give her body and soul to Liszt, stood by his side today as distant as if separated by a vast sea.

Liszt could not fathom it.

Why had there been such a change from yesterday to today, just over the course of one night?

He simply concealed the slight disappointment in his heart, smiled, and remained as gentle and sunny as ever, “Then let’s go to Coral City. I haven’t been to the city for a long time.”

The servants brought two specially-made dried tulip flowers, the rich fragrance of which was enough to mask the pungent smell of Coral City. Even the boots were changed, replaced with high-soled long boots to avoid stepping on anything disgusting.

Shopping in the city.

It was not a great choice, at least for Liszt. He wasn’t accustomed to the aromatic wafts of stench.

However, it seemed that many nobles could tolerate such an environment. Probably because they grew up accustomed to the city being just that way, dirty and foul-smelling.

The carriage bore the flag of the red tulip, and as it moved through the streets of Coral City, every peddler, serf, and freeman would halt and bow in respect to the carriage. In Coral City, the Tulip Family was seen as kings by the commoners, an untouchable authority.

Pulling back the carriage curtain, Liszt pointed at various shops along the street and incessantly shared both interesting and dull stories with Rona Sally.

After making a round through Coral City, they went to visit Lady Penelope at her castle to have a chat with the grandmother about her precious potted plants.

In between, Liszt took a bathroom break.

Lady Penelope took Rona Sally’s hand and said, “I haven’t met your sister Loria, but I like you, Rona Sally. I can imagine what Loria must be like. I hope you can also come to like Coral City and Tulip Castle and convey to your sister this old lady’s expectations.”

“I will, my lady.”

“Liszt is an excellent young man. His grandfather, Marquis Merlin, holds him in high regard. He will be the pride of the Tulip Family. When I saw you and him coming down from the carriage holding hands, I felt as if I beheld a match made in heaven,” Lady Penelope prattled on.

As one ages, one tends to enjoy gossiping about the young.

Rona Sally forced a smile, then, tinged with a trace of dejection, asked, “My lady, should a woman always sacrifice her own life for her family?”

“Hmm, that’s a serious question,” Lady Penelope made a deliberate face, “My crush, when I was young, was not Liszt’s grandfather. But when Liszt’s grandfather died, I truly wanted to follow him. Thankfully, I persevered.”

“Were you also in a marriage of alliance?”

“Yes, as a noble lady, you either meet a Prince Charming at a ball, or await the family to arrange a Frog Prince, hoping he’ll turn into a handsome, tall human prince after turning around.” She touched the green gemstone ring on her finger, “If he can’t become a human prince, you’d better pray you have enough sweet memories to comfort yourself.”

“I don’t know how to choose…” Rona Sally frowned, clearly distressed.

“Then throw caution to the wind, and just love,” Lady Penelope said liberally, “My girl, at least once in your life, you ought to forget yourself for someone. Don’t seek an outcome, don’t ask to accompany them on their journey, don’t longing for past possessions, and even don’t demand that he loves you. You just hope that during the most beautiful years, you meet him.”

“Grandmother, whom are you hoping to meet?” Liszt returned to the living room and caught the last few words Lady Penelope said.

“Certainly not you, you little rascal.”

After chatting a bit more.

Lady Penelope started shooing them away, “Off with you, off with you. I know you young people have no patience for an old woman’s ramblings. Go on, I didn’t plan on keeping you here for lunch.”

Leaving the little castle.

Strolling down the country lane, Rona Sally said, “The old lady is really adorable, and it’s so much fun to be with her.”

“Yes, she has her wisdom and her ‘sharpness,\'” as long as her old feud with my mother doesn’t always involve me, I quite enjoy chatting with her.”

“Feud?”

“Yes, like in every great family, it is always difficult for the mother of the male head of the household to get along with his wife.”

“It seems to be the case; my mother often quarrels with my grandmother over trivial things.”

“Perhaps that’s just life.”

In the countryside paths of March, the wild grass had already grown out, lush and green, feeling soft underfoot. The Retainer Knights, along with male and female servants, followed not far behind, giving space to the man and woman. When two people of opposite genders are together, the ambiance easily drifts into flirtation.

The sunlight wasn’t too dazzling and was not enough to make the early spring heat up.

Suddenly.

Rona Sally stopped in her tracks with an “ouch.”

“What happened?”

“I stepped in dog poop.” She moved her foot, revealing a half-dried lump of dog feces precisely squashed by her riding boot.

“Scrape it off on the grass roots beside you.”

“Isn’t this just bad luck? I didn’t have any problems stepping in anything in the city, but I end up stepping in it on a country path.”

“That means you have good luck.”

Rona Sally looked up, curiosity in her eyes, “Why is stepping in dog poop considered good luck?”

“On… some island, the locals believe that stepping in dog poop brings good fortune; they call it ‘poop luck,\'” Liszt said offhandedly. In fact, in this world, there was no such saying as ‘poop luck’; stepping in poop was just a normal everyday occurrence.

“So, will I have good luck today?” Rona Sally laughed, “Like, perhaps, finding a wonderful love?”

As she spoke, she paused, her bright eyes gazing at Liszt, filled with bold affection and full encouragement. Setting aside the dog poop incident, the whole atmosphere was quite pleasant, even the gentle sunlight was just right. With just one more step, there would be endless possibilities.

Liszt also stopped, reaching out to smooth a stray lock of Rona Sally’s hair behind her ear.

He sighed softly in his heart.

There are some things you hope will happen, others you fear will happen, but more often than not, it’s about whether you choose to let them happen.

“Miss Rona Sally.”

“I’m listening.”

“Some are superficial, others are all glitter on the surface but trash inside,” he said, pointing to the spot where she had stepped in the poop, and smiled, “One day you will meet someone as dazzling as a rainbow. When you meet them, you’ll feel that everyone else is just insignificant.”

A moment later.

Rona Sally held her head high with a touch of pride and said, “The rainbow I meet will appear in my room at midnight!”