The milk produced by the Dairy Farm was one of Flower Town's few luxuries. The farm's milk had originally all been used to make powdered milk, which was delivered to the Count of Coral Island as tax once every three months.
Ever since Liszt arrived, the milk was sent to the castle every day.
There were ten cows in all.
Three were calves under two years old and had not started producing milk; two were old cows that could no longer produce milk; one was a bull and could not produce milk. Only four adult cows produced any milk each day. Perhaps the breed was poor, or perhaps they weren't getting enough to eat—their milk yield was very low.
"Big Flower is at her peak. We milk her three times a day and get twenty kilograms of fresh milk. Small Flower is in her dry period and only gives four kilograms a day. Big Black is also in her dry period and gives five kilograms a day. Big Yellow is currently in her resting period." The farm manager was not very old, but he was already stooped and looked quite frail.
Liszt approached a cow. It was very docile, slowly chewing grass.
"Do you keep the cows that can't produce milk, too?"
"We have to keep Zhuangzhuang so he can impregnate all the female cows. Milk Flower, Milk Black, and Milk Yellow are still young; they won't be ready to conceive and produce milk until next year. Old Flower and Old Black are already old. We've reported them to you, my lord, so they can be slaughtered for meat at any time," the farm manager replied respectfully.
Milk Flower, Milk Black, and Milk Yellow were the names of the immature cows.
Small Flower and Small Black were the names of the newly matured cows.
Big Flower, Big Black, and Big Yellow were the names of the cows in their prime.
Old Flower and Old Black were the names of the elderly cows.
Zhuangzhuang was the name of the bull.
Liszt remembered that his butler, Carter, had mentioned a while ago that there were two old cows at the Dairy Farm that could be slaughtered for meat at any time. A cow that couldn't produce milk wasted a day's worth of feed for every day it remained alive, so it was usually slaughtered right away. It sounded heartless: the cows gave milk all their lives, only to give up their meat when they grew old.
For now, the castle wasn't holding any large banquets, and there was still enough meat on hand, so the two old cows remained at the Dairy Farm.
"Is there enough pasture at the farm to feed the cows?"
"Yes, my lord. We only have ten cows, but we have a hundred and fifty acres of grassland."
"Old manager, how many acres of grassland do you think ten cows need?"
"My lord, one cow needs ten acres of grassland to graze. But we often take them out to graze in the wild, so eight acres per cow is enough."
"Eight acres per cow means eighty acres for ten cows. Then, Teacher Gortai, let's clear the Two-Leaf Clover from seventy acres and plant Alfalfa instead."
"No problem. Leave it to me." Gortai thumped his chest in assurance.
Liszt's decisive approach to the census had made Gortai feel a little uneasy, and at last he had begun taking his work more seriously. He had realized that Liszt wasn't a frivolous nobleman who lived for pleasure, but a practical one who got things done. If he wanted to gain authority, he would have to change his ways.
Feed Dousen.
Inspect the Peanut Bugs.
In the blink of an eye, two days passed. The third day was rainy.
Spring was in full bloom, and summer had yet to arrive. Rain was as precious as oil, and agricultural work was proceeding at a busy pace across the settlements. Alfalfa seeds had been sown, and land had been set aside from the wilderness for millet fields, ready to be cleared and planted. There was still no sign of the Thorn Forest; they would have to wait for Marcus to return so they could search Thorn Ridge.
On the fourth day.
After lunch at the castle, the butler, Carter, hurried into the study. "My lord, Mr. Marcus has returned. He's waiting outside the castle for you to receive him."
"Quick, show him in."
"My lord Baron, Marcus greets you!" Dusty from the road, Marcus had brought the two Intermediate Battle Qi Manuals Liszt had been looking forward to.
One was the familiar Flame Wave, and the other was Fire Dragon Drill, which he had obtained from Tulip Castle.
After accepting the two manuals, Liszt asked, "Teacher Marcus, what replies did the Count and the Baron send to my letters?"
"These are the replies from the Count and the Baron, along with the ten Narda I received from selling the Violent Earth Dog pelts."
"Please sit, Teacher Marcus. I'll read the letters first."
He opened the Count of Coral Island's letter first. There wasn't room to write much on the Parchment, so it was brief. William Tulip had replied to Liszt that he planned to send someone over soon to complete the assimilation of the Black Tulip and discuss how to sell it.
He had also agreed to buy a batch of scarce supplies for Liszt as an advance payment for the deal.
The other letter was from the Baron of Falcon Town. Lvera had congratulated Liszt on discovering a new variety of Tulip. She would accompany the Count and bring supplies in exchange for the right to assimilate it.
Both replies were official and courteous.
There wasn't much family affection in them. After Liszt's mother—the Count's first wife—died, the bonds between the three siblings, deprived of their mother's love, had gradually weakened. The Count, too, had grown more distant after Liszt's appearance had turned his hopes into disappointment.
But that's all right. I can accept this kind of distant relationship more easily. I couldn't handle all that sweetness and affection. After reading the letters, Liszt felt a faint pang of emotion.
He set them down.
Liszt said warmly, "You've worked hard, Teacher Marcus. Did you come across anything interesting on your trip?"
"Coral Island was as peaceful as ever, and there's been no war in the Grand Duchy. But there's one thing—I'm not sure if it counts as interesting news. It concerns the Baron's maternal family."
"My maternal family?"
Liszt had nearly forgotten that his mother was also of noble birth. He asked, "What happened at Long-Yam Castle?"
"The lord of Long-Yam Castle, the Marquis of Red Crab Island, has resigned from his position as captain of the Royal Fleet because he's fallen ill, and has returned to Red Crab Island. The Count is preparing to send someone to visit him. The envoy may discuss it with you when they come to assimilate the Black Tulip."
"Perhaps." Liszt searched his predecessor's memories and recalled Long-Yam Castle.
The Sapphire Grand Duchy was an archipelago, and nobles had been granted fiefs on islands large and small. One of the larger islands, Red Crab Island, belonged to the Long-Yam Family. Its lord was the hereditary Marquis of Red Crab Island, Merlin Long-Yam—Liszt's maternal grandfather.
The Long-Yam Family's surname came from the Long-Yam Great Elf they owned.
Their castle was Long-Yam Castle, a fortress-palace far larger and more magnificent than Tulip Castle. It was resplendent and perched high in the mountains.
Marquis Merlin had one son and two daughters: his eldest son, Messiro; his second daughter, Melinda; and his third daughter, Melissa.
Melissa Long-Yam was Liszt's mother.
When William Tulip was still a Viscount, Marquis Merlin had already recognized his potential. He married his third daughter, Melissa, into the Tulip Family, and she gave birth to three children: Leewis, Lvera, and Liszt. To this day, Liszt visited Long-Yam Castle every year to celebrate his grandfather's birthday.
But ever since William Tulip had remarried and taken a new Countess, relations between the Long-Yam Family and the Tulip Family had gradually grown distant.
Still, Marquis Merlin was Liszt's maternal grandfather.
His grandfather was ill. It was only right for his descendants to visit him.