The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

Levis walked out of the study, closing the door firmly behind him. He was no fool, and it was clear that Liszt wanted to send him away—although reluctant, at this stage, he truly did not possess the capacity to partake in the family's top secret affairs.
Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire

Inside the study.

The Earl and Liszt were each seated in spacious chairs. Loria had just paid a visit, bringing several cups of freshly brewed tea. The Earl tasted his tea, waiting for what Liszt was about to say—he was indeed a bit curious, as his son seemed consistently reluctant to follow the Grand Duke.

Normally, becoming a follower of an even more prominent noble was certainly a cause for excitement.

To become a direct follower of the Grand Duke, one would definitely obtain more opportunities and benefits than becoming a follower of an Earl or a Marquis. Other nobles would fight tooth and nail for such fortune, yet when it came to his own son, he flatly refused.

It was utterly incomprehensible.

The last time, it was tolerable given Liszt was only a Viscount, and following the Grand Duke wouldn't have brought him significant importance, not as much as following the Earl and helping the family strive for glory.

This time, a Marquisate was within reach, with such high status and glory, refusal was inconceivable.

He did not understand.

Yet, Liszt was well aware of what he was doing.

He had clear reasons for not wishing to follow the Grand Duke. As a noble Dragon Knight, the Grand Duke might just be a Dragon Domain Landlord, and the Sapphire Dragon seemed to be in a crippled state—how could a Dragon Knight pledge loyalty to a disabled Dragon Domain Landlord. If Leo discovered that he would have to submit to an injured Gemstone Dragon, he would probably fly into a rage on the spot.

"Father, you must be wondering why I am unwilling to follow the Grand Duke and also unwilling to split from the family," Liszt spoke calmly, "My reason for not wanting to split from the family is simple: I dislike the 'Giant Algae' surname. It doesn't sound prestigious, and besides, I have a more noble surname to choose from."

Disliking the "Giant Algae" surname?

What an absurd reason. The Earl found he was increasingly unable to understand his son: "What nobler surname can you choose?"

"I haven't decided on that surname yet."

The Earl was taken aback: "What?"

Liszt spoke deliberately: "Based on my deduction, the Grand Duke hasn't actually succeeded in Dragon Riding; he is only a Dragon Domain Landlord. Furthermore, the Sapphire Dragon has been severely injured and is not only unhealed but also likely to have its lifespan shortened. Such a Landlord is not one I should be following."

He held a certain disdain for the Sapphire Duke—the Grand Duke who made his debut riding a Dragon was truly formidable, with a noble stance that made one believe he was a true Dragon Knight—yet he was merely a Dragon Domain Landlord.

At this moment, Liszt was organizing his thoughts, weighing the pros and cons, considering how to reveal his identity to the Earl. He no longer needed to be overly cautious; it was time to clear the air with the Earl, letting him weigh the future actions of the Tulip Family.

Once a kingdom was formed, the Tulip Family would inevitably have to follow him.

How the Tulip Family should then develop within the Duchy of Sapphire was a matter of another plan and strategy.

The Earl was unaware of this.

Hearing Liszt's argument, he frowned and spoke in a stern tone, "Liszt, I know you are powerful, and as an inheritor of the Ghost Swordsman, you are capable of defeating Domain Knights. But do not underestimate the Grand Duke's strength; even if he is not a Dragon Knight but merely a Dragon Domain Landlord, he can still easily defeat any inheritor of the Ancient Warrior!"

"In fact, he can't kill me. Even in an honorable battle, the Grand Duke might no longer be able to best me."

"You are too young and arrogant. Is it defeating a Domain Knight that has made you so blindly confident, or does the Ghost Swordsman Inheritance make you feel comparably strong as a Dragon?"

"Father, no one knows the power of a Dragon better than I do."

"Then you should further recognize your current status, that you still need to respect the Grand Duke to continue developing within the Duchy of Sapphire!"

"Please take a sip of your tea and let me organize my words," Liszt extended his hand, signaling the Earl to remain calm, his expression serene and in control.

He was a Dragon Knight, and Ach was an Archmage.

Although they had not yet reached their peak, their combined strength was absolutely capable of contending with the Sapphire Duke.

Sooner or later, his identity had to be revealed; it couldn't be kept secret for a lifetime, nor did he wish to stay low and miserable without joy.

The Earl was so far the most suitable person to be informed first. With the protection offered by the Earl, the secrecy of his Dragon Knight status could still be maintained. This also spared him the trouble of having to follow the Grand Duke—having been given the option to follow the Grand Duke twice, it would be hard to keep refusing without a good explanation.

Although he didn't want to bow to the Dragon Domain LandLord, if it was beneficial to his development, he could bear the humiliation and endure the burden for the time being.

What he worried about more was that the Grand Duke, having spent decades with dragons and now having become the Dragon Domain LandLord, might detect his Dragon Knight identity during the oath of fealty. At that point, it would likely not just be a matter of swearing allegiance but could involve a battle to slay dragons.

One must not harbor ill intentions but should never be without caution.

Who knew whether the Sapphire Duke, upon discovering a Dragon Knight whose strength had yet to rise, would choose to nurture and provide an environment for growth, or resort to thunderous means to snatch the young dragon—most likely, there was a ninety-nine percent chance of the latter, securing longevity for his own family.

Regardless of whether Liszt defeated the Grand Duke or the Grand Duke crushed Liszt, it would cause a huge stir.

If foreign Dragon Knights took advantage of the void, the situation could become unmanageable by then.

Therefore, the Earl's protection was crucial—his father preventing his son from swearing allegiance to others, to earn more military exploits for himself, might look greedy to outsiders, but truly it was an unarguable excuse.

A moment later.

Having thought through the details, he candidly confessed his identity: "I have to be honest with you about one thing; there is no Ghost Swordsman Inheritance, that's just a ruse to mislead others. I have always been of the orthodox Knight cultivation system, merely a Sky Knight."

"No Ghost Swordsman Inheritance?" The Earl's face changed, then he stared at Liszt, "But your strength is greater than that of a Domain Knight, don't tell me this is just your natural talent?"

"Half of it is indeed my extraordinary talent, the other half is simple, I am a Dragon Knight," he said calmly, revealing his identity.

"What?"

The Earl doubted he had heard correctly.

Liszt seriously repeated himself: "I am already a Dragon Knight."

"Dragon Knight?" The Earl extended his hand, not knowing what he was gesturing, his expression turning quite stiff, "You mean a Dragon Knight, one who rides a dragon?"

"It's a Fire Dragon."

"A Fire Dragon? An Evil Dragon?"

"Rest assured, I will keep it from doing evil."

The Earl nodded faintly upon hearing this, seemingly coming to terms with the fact. He leaned back in his chair and casually picked up his tea, which he had already drunk halfway. However, Liszt still noticed that inside the transparent glass cup, the tea leaves were slightly trembling.

Wanting to bring the cup to his lips, but the trembling grew worse, until his whole arm was shaking, and the tea was nearly spilling out, somehow unable to reach his mouth.

Finally.

The tea from the cup spilled, creating a large stain on his chest, yet he seemed oblivious, his gaze fixed on the void in front of him, "A Dragon Knight, it is?"

"Yes."