After showing some concern for the young people selected for the Dragon Rider Reserve Program, Liszt did not linger at the Royal Academy. Nor did he need to constantly make his presence known.
After all.
Loyalty was a compulsory course at the school. Knights received indoctrination from childhood, learning who their true lord was in the Flame Kingdom. In truth, Liszt did not place much value on a knight's loyalty. Most of his followers had come from surrendered captives.
There were very few who were wholeheartedly loyal. He preferred using benefits to win over knights and strengthen the kingdom's institutions.
Beyond the landed noble class, he also needed to develop the Burning Legion as the Flame Family's directly commanded knights. This was a part of his work he valued greatly.
Recently, he had selected a large number of knights who had distinguished themselves in battle. From among them, he chose some fire-element elite Earth Knights with modest backgrounds and brought them to the Phoenix-Roosting Parasol Grove in the Endless Volcano Range.
"Red Sparrow Birds are these large red birds. Their tempers are somewhat violent, but they can be tamed as mounts." Standing atop a Phoenix-Roosting Parasol Tree already thick enough to require an arm-span to encircle, Liszt directly used Hundred Birds Pay Homage to the Phoenix, summoning a majestic high-level Magic Beast Red Sparrow Bird.
Hundred Birds Pay Homage to the Phoenix was an ability of Phoenix Transformation. With continuous development, he could already unleash it through his human body.
Its effect was not as powerful as when released in Phoenix Transformation, but when used on a single bird, it could still achieve roughly the same level of effect.
"Gurururu!"
The Red Sparrow Bird stood beside Liszt, affectionately rubbing its neck against his shoulder.
Farther away, a large flock of