Night had fallen. After the barbecue party ended, the knights went to the town to rest.
Levis and Lvera went to their respective rooms. The old butler, Carter, didn't bring any more red wine. Instead, he took a glass of apple juice and entered the study.
"My lord, you look quite sober now. You haven't had too much to drink."
"Thank you." He took the apple juice and sipped it. It had a light, fruity fragrance. Beer wasn't strong enough to get you drunk; it would only upset your stomach.
In the candlelight, Carter's expression seemed strained.
Liszt had noticed it during the day. "Mr. Carter, are you feeling unwell?"
"I'm quite well, my lord."
"If anything's wrong, you must tell me. Don't push yourself. The castle can't do without a butler at the helm, but your health matters more. Take good care of yourself."
"Thank you." Old Carter was on the verge of tears.
"Tomorrow, once the Elf Bugs have finished assimilating, I'll join the caravan and head to Coral City. I may be away from Coral Island for a few days, so make sure everything in the castle is taken care of."
"Please don't worry, my lord."
"There's really no need to worry. Aside from the Elf Bugs, Dousen and Li Dragon need to be looked after. Make sure someone checks on the Black Tulip for me every day, too. And don't let construction on the horse farm outside the castle stop. I hope to have a place ready for the Alfalfa Bug when I return."
His mission always came first.
They chatted briefly, then went back to bed. The night passed just like that.
The next morning, the eight Tulip Elf Bugs finished assimilating the Black Tulip, and the caravan set off at once. Liszt rode his Fire Dragon Horse, with Marcus and Thomas accompanying him. He entrusted the castle to Carter and the town to Gortai, with his four Retainer Knights there to assist them.
"Teacher Gortai, when I return, I want to see the patrol route stretching from Thorn Ridge to the East Coast."
"As you wish. I'll train them well," Gortai said cheerfully.
"Then I'm off. Oh, I'll bring back a few bottles of Juniper Wine on the way back."
"Wow, that'd be wonderful!"
From atop his Fire Dragon Horse, Liszt glanced back at the castle gates. Butler Carter and a group of servants stood there, silently watching them leave. He didn't hesitate any longer. With a light kick to the horse's belly, the Fire Dragon Horse sprang forward and caught up with the caravan.
He felt a little excited.
His predecessor knew Coral Island well, but for him, strictly speaking, this was his first time leaving Flower Town to see what lay beyond.
A medieval world steeped in magic, with a nobility ruled by knights.
Beyond Thorn Ridge, most of the land belonged directly to the count. Only some of the towns were baronies granted by the count, while a number of smaller villages and hamlets were fiefs belonging to Baronet Knights. Coral Island had only one vassal viscount: Jonas Gravel, a follower of the count from the days when the family was first establishing itself.
Besides Coral Island, there was another small island, belonging to the count's other viscount vassal, Trick Humulus.
Coral Island had six cities in all, one large and five small. Coral City, below Tulip Castle, was the largest; North Valley City, Birch City, Elm Forest City, and Snake Spear City all belonged to the count. Gravel Castle and its adjoining Gravel City belonged to Viscount Jonas.
The journey from Flower Town to Coral City passed through North Valley City and Birch City.
However, the caravan didn't stop in either small city. They only had a simple meal at the castle's guest residence in North Valley City, then headed straight for Coral City. By three in the afternoon, when the horses' hooves entered a sea of flowers, they had reached their destination.
The flowers were tulips of all kinds.
Most were magical herbs, while a few were ornamental flowers. The tulips grown by the Tulip Family in the Sapphire Grand Duchy were famous far and wide.
The sea of flowers rolled over the hillsides.
To the left, the road led to Coral City, with its towering walls. The city stood by the sea and had a busy harbor. Looking into the distance, Liszt could see a row of "advanced" sailing ships with two masts docked there.
This world had begun its slow transition from the age of oars to the age of sails.
It was thanks to sailing ships that the Sapphire Grand Duchy's first conquerors had crossed from the mainland to the islands and founded this island nation.
Only sailing ships could cross the open sea.
"Too bad. Sailing ships are probably the peak of shipbuilding here. There isn't enough steel to usher in an age of ironclads, let alone steamships."
Liszt sighed to himself, turned his gaze from the harbor, and looked to the right side of the road.
To the right stood a mountain range. Its side facing the sea was a steep cliff, while the other side sloped gently. Tulip Castle stood atop the sheer cliffs. A broad road paved with crushed stone wound from the castle gates all the way down to Coral City at the foot of the mountain. The towering castle stood at Coral Island's highest point like a flag planted in the ground.
Its pointed towers pierced the blue sky.
The massive stone walls merged with the mountainside. Surrounded by flowers, the castle looked solemn and imposing, with the imposing air of an impregnable fortress. It had taken the family only ten years to build Tulip Castle after arriving on Coral Island—a castle so tall and sturdy that, according to Liszt's memories, hundreds of serfs had died during its construction.
Even now, the castle continued to expand bit by bit.
A noble's glory was always built on blood. This was only the count's castle. They said the Sapphire Grand Duke's castle had taken a hundred years to build, and the serfs' corpses beneath its cliffs had piled up dozens of meters deep.
"It looks ash-gray, but it's really blood-red. I'd rather live in the little castle in Flower Town. At least I can feel at ease there."
Liszt felt heavy-hearted.
Following his older brother and sister, he headed toward the castle, so familiar yet so strange.
They were still on the road when a group of knights emerged from the castle and came toward them. The knight in front bowed respectfully to Levis. "Young Master Levis, welcome back."
"Good to be back, Captain Mickey." Levis returned the bow.
Captain Mickey bowed to Lvera as well. "Miss Lvera, welcome back."
"Good to be back, Captain Mickey."
Only then did Captain Mickey turn to Liszt, greeting him with the same impeccable courtesy. "Young Master Liszt, welcome home."
"Long time no see, Captain Mickey." Liszt bowed. The knight before him was the captain of Tulip Castle's garrison, responsible for its security. Mickey was a baron himself, and his family managed his fief while he held a post at Tulip Castle.
Under the escort of the knights, they reached the castle gates a short while later.
The butler, Louis, stood at the gates to welcome the three siblings. His aged face beamed with warmth. "Oh, what a happy sight it is, to see the lord's children return to the castle like weary birds coming home to roost."
"Grandpa Louis, it's been a long time. You're still as hale and hearty as ever." Liszt handed the reins of his Fire Dragon Horse to a servant nearby and greeted Louis.
Louis was at least sixty years old. He had first served Liszt's grandfather as his personal valet.
Now he was the head butler of Tulip Castle. Even the count treated him with respect. He had devoted his whole life to the Tulip Family and had earned this honor and status.