29 – Liszt"s Conversation with the Count
“We have not seen each other for two months. Young Lord Liszt looks more spirited than ever. Is Flower Town treating you well?” Louis asked with a smile.
“Everything is fine.”
“Good. My Lord has reminisced about Young Lord several times, he is very concerned about your current life.”
The Count of Coral Island would reminisce about him? Liszt felt very skeptical. Were the Count really concerned about him, the Count would not have enfeoffed and sent him to such a ruined small town like Flower Town.
Returning home, Liszt lacked the feeling of nostalgia.
The soul in the body had come from another far away world, with the predecessor"s memories being just a collection of videos and images, not having any influence on his current state of mind. He had no affection towards the Tulip Family, with ‘blood is thicker than water" not being applicable. It was more like a ‘game", where he took the place of the character Liszt.
The servants busying themselves inside the castle bowed in salute once they saw the Young Lords and the Young Lady.
The Tulip Family members residing in the castle comprised only of the Count, the Madam Countess, Levis, Lytton, and Lvera, who often returned, yet there were more than two hundred servants.
The servants had little free time, being busy from dawn to dusk.
Their work could be summarized – maintaining the luxurious life of the aristocrats.
“I want to take a bath, I cannot stand the smell of my body.” Lvera entered the castle, then turned and left, “If father asks about me, tell him that I will come after a while.”
Levis acted as the castle"s master: “Liszt, do you want to take a bath first? Father has ordered some servants to specially preserve your room, including the clothes you had left behind.”
“I am not a clean-freak like Lvera, I will wait here for father. Brother, if you have things to do, then go ahead, I do not need to be entertained.”
“Well, the castle is also your home. Alright then, I have to go have a talk with Teacher Frank about the Black Tulips. He will help me manage the cultivation and sail of the tulips as well as medicine production. In addition, I still need to find a good place to settle down the sprites, these little creatures cannot be neglected.”
Levis also left.
Marcus followed a servingman to find a place for the horses, leaving only Liszt and a few servingmen responsible for receiving guests in the living room. With his hands behind his back, Liszt appreciated the crystal lamp on a stone column. As gems came from dragons, a castle"s crystals and other gems represented the wealth of an aristocrat.
In Liszt"s birthplace, the purpose of gems was to look good.
Here, gems were naturally endowed with magic power, containing mystical powers. Gems were manufactured into magic items. They were indispensable. The crystal lamp on the stone column in front of him mas a magic item manufactured from a low-quality crystal. It could dispense light until before the magic power inside was consumed. Then, the magic power could be replenished by a wizard or a knight.
This cycle would continue until the crystal was worn out, becoming an ordinary stone.
“Is a crystal lamp without any engravings worthy of being appreciated for so long?” Along with the sound of boots falling on the ground came a voice from behind Liszt.
Liszt turned around. On the staircase leading to the second floor, he saw the Tulip Castle"s master – a middle-aged man with light golden hair and a pair of not good-looking ash-green eyes which were completely different from the sapphire-colored eyes of Liszt and his two siblings.
An ordinary face without any distinguishing features.
In a crowd, Leewilliam Tulip would probably be inconspicuous. But he was Coral Island"s master, a Sky Knight who had gained the t.i.tle of count through his own efforts.
Levis and Lvera resembled more their father than their mother, which was why they were not good-looking. They had only inherited their sapphire-colored eyes from their mother.
Liszt had inherited his mother"s looks, which was why he was overly handsome.
“It is probably because I got accustomed to candle lighting, so some time is needed for me to get used to crystal lamp light.”
“What, are you complaining about your life in Flower Town?” Leewilliam stood on the staircase, not proceeding downwards.
“The life in Flower Town is extraordinarily free. I am very pleased with it, Sir father.” Liszt bowed in salute, “You are as strong as ever, your surging qi nearly overflowing.”
“I can see that your qi has risen, very good. Being content with a poor life and not complaining, is also quite good.” Leewilliam nodded. “What about your brother and sister?”
“They had things to do. They will come in a while.”
“Then follow me into the study.” Leewilliam turned around and went up the stairs.
Liszt followed upstairs into the Count"s study. The study was quite large. One of its walls was completely hidden behind a bookshelf with many thick bast paper books. The books were sprayed with deodorant and freshener, lacking the distinct fishy smell of thick bast paper. The bookshelf stood directly opposite to the window. There was still a mahogany desk with many books stacked on top of it.
POP!
The Count uncorked a vintage bottle of La Crescent, then poured the crystal clear wine into two crystal goblets. The amber-red liquid rocked inside the goblet alike blood.
Picking up the goblet and handing it to his third child, the count seemed somewhat surprised: “The two months of independence seemed to have tempered your temper.” The previous Liszt was very self-conscious when in front of him, with the father-son relationship being awkward. Yet now, Liszt seemed quite calm.
“Thank you.” Liszt took the wine, “After realizing the responsibilities of a lord, I had to change accordingly.”
“This was a positive change.”
“I think so too.”
After exchanging a few words, both father and son discovered that there seemed not to be a lot of topics to talk about. Hence, the Count raised the goblet and took a sip of the red wine, and then unnaturally changed the subject: “Was the matter of the Black Tulip handled properly? How much had Levis paid you?”
The Tulip Castle was going to be responsible for the cultivation and sale. I will get a cut of 30% for the next ten years. This cooperation will just involve I, Levis and Lvera.”
The count mused for a moment: “The cooperation is going to be only between you three siblings?”
“Right.”
“You should not leave out Lytton, he is also your brother.”
“He is still young, and being always sheltered under father"s wing is not that good. I, Levis, and Lvera are adults, our cooperation is quite a natural thing.” Liszt smiled lightly, deliberately not explaining or clarifying his thoughts. Lytton looked down upon him, so how could he think highly of Lytton?
As if just now remembering, Liszt asked: “What about Madam and Lytton? I have not seen them.”
“Madam took Lytton to Snake Fang City. Today is the birthday of Lytton"s uncle.” The Madam Countess came from a Coral Island"s baron family. The family was located in a small town near Snake Fang City.
After that, there was another moment of silence.
Liszt had not succeeded the father-son relationship with the Count, and he could also not chat with him as if with a stranger. It was quite difficult to grasp a balance; therefore, might as well apply the concept of less is more.
The Count was somewhat unaccustomed to Liszt"s current temperament. Compared with his previous submissiveness, it was currently more like talking with an equal. He could not grasp the sense of him being capable of reprimanding the other.
After a while, he said: “It is still quite a while until dinner. You can go have a look around, or go to Coral City to meet your friends.”
“No, I want to stay in the study to take a look at the books.”
“I can not recall you being so fond of reading.” The Count had finished drinking the red wine in his goblet, and then turned to leave, “If there are any books you want to read, then I will let someone prepare a carriage. You can bring them with you when returning to Flower Town.”