"Two months without seeing you, Young Master Liszt. You seem livelier than before. How have things been in Flower Town?" Louis asked with a smile.
"Everything's been fine."
"That's good. My lord has mentioned you several times, too. He's very concerned about how you're getting on."
The Count of Coral Island had been asking about Liszt's life? Liszt found that hard to believe. If the Count had truly cared about him, he wouldn't have enfeoffed him to a run-down little town like Flower Town.
Returning home, Liszt felt no nervous anticipation.
His soul came from another world far away. His predecessor's memories were merely a series of scenes from a movie, unable to affect his emotions now. He felt no blood-deep familial bond with the Tulip Family. It all felt more like a "game," with him playing the role of Liszt.
The busy servants in the castle bowed respectfully when they saw the three young masters and miss.
The only members of the Tulip Family living here were the Count, the Countess, Levis, Lytton, and Lvera, who often returned to stay. Yet there were more than two hundred servants.
And the servants had hardly any free time. From morning until night, they were constantly busy.
Their work could be summed up in one phrase: maintaining the luxurious lifestyle of the nobility.
"I'm going to take a bath. I can't stand how I smell." Lvera entered the castle, then immediately turned to leave. "If Father asks about me, tell him I'll be there soon."
Levis acted as though he were the master of the castle. "Liszt, do you need to bathe first, too? Father has kept your room for you, including the clothes you left behind. The servants have been taking care of them."
"I'm not like my sister. I don't have a cleanliness obsession. I'll wait here for Father. Go take care of your business, Brother. You don't need to entertain me."
"True, this castle is your home, too. All right, then. I need to talk to Teacher Frank about the Black Tulip. He's handling the planting, sales, and medicine. And the elves need to be settled in, too. We can't neglect those delicate little creatures even a bit."
Levis left as well.
Marcus followed a servant to see to the horses. Only Liszt and a few footmen who had come to greet them remained in the sitting room. With his hands behind his back, he admired the crystal lamps on the stone pillars. The number of crystals and other gems in a castle represented a noble's wealth, since most gems came from dragons.
Back in Liszt's hometown, gems were probably just pretty.
Here, gems were natural carriers of magic, imbued with mysterious power. They were indispensable for crafting magical items. The crystal lamp on the pillar before him was one such item. Made from low-quality crystal, it could stay lit until the magic within the crystal ran out—then a magician or knight would replenish it.
The cycle would repeat until the crystal wore down and became ordinary stone.
"Is a crystal lamp without any carvings really worth admiring for so long?" someone said behind Liszt, accompanied by the tap of boots against the floor.
Liszt turned around. On the stairs leading from the castle's sitting room to the second floor stood the master of Tulip Castle: a middle-aged man with pale golden hair and a pair of gray-green eyes that were not particularly attractive. They were completely unlike the sapphire-blue eyes of Liszt and his siblings.
His face was ordinary, with nothing distinctive about it.
Lost in a crowd, William Tulip would likely have gone completely unnoticed. Yet he was the lord of Coral Island, a Sky Knight who had earned his count's title through his own efforts.
Levis and Lvera took after their father more than their mother, so neither was particularly good-looking. Only their sapphire-blue eyes had come from their mother.
Liszt, on the other hand, had inherited his mother's looks and was exceptionally handsome.
"I suppose I'm used to candlelight. The brightness of the crystal lamp takes some getting used to."
"What, are you complaining about life in Flower Town?" William Tulip stood on the stairs without coming any farther down.
"Life in Flower Town is wonderfully free. I'm very satisfied, Father." Liszt bowed. "You're as strong as ever. Your surging battle aura is practically spilling out."
"Your battle aura has grown stronger, too. That's good. And it's good that you've made peace with a simple life instead of complaining." William nodded. "Where are your brother and sister?"
"They had something to do. They'll be here soon."
"Come with me to the study." William turned and went upstairs.
Liszt followed him up and entered the Count's study. The room was spacious. One entire wall was lined with shelves holding many books made of parchment. They had all been sprayed with deodorizer and Fragrance Agent, so they lacked parchment's distinctive, fishy stench. Opposite the shelves, beside the window, a redwood desk was also piled with books.
Click!
The Count opened a bottle of aged New Moon Wine and poured it into two crystal goblets. The amber-red wine swayed in the glasses like blood, sparkling and translucent.
He picked up one glass and handed it to his third son. The Count seemed a little surprised. "Two months of living independently seem to have tempered your temperament." The old Liszt had been ill at ease in his presence, and their relationship as father and son had been awkward. Now Liszt seemed calm.
"Thank you." Liszt took the wine. "I've realized that a lord has responsibilities. I needed to change."
"A positive change."
"I think so, too."
After a few exchanges, both father and son realized there wasn't much to say about family matters. The Count raised his glass, took a sip of wine, and awkwardly changed the subject. "Has everything concerning the Black Tulip been settled? How much did Levis pay you?"
"Tulip Castle is handling the planting and sales. I have a share of the profits for ten years—thirty percent. The partnership is only between me, Levis, and Lvera."
The Count pondered for a moment. "Only between the three of you siblings?"
"Yes."
"You shouldn't have left Lytton out. He's your younger brother, too."
"He's still young. Isn't it better for him to stay under Father's protection? My older brother, sister, and I are all adults. It's natural for us to work together." Liszt smiled faintly, making no attempt to explain or hide his thoughts. Lytton looked down on him, but Liszt hardly thought any better of Lytton.
As if only just remembering, Liszt asked, "Where are the Countess and Lytton? I haven't seen them."
"The Countess took Lytton to Snake Spear City. His uncle's birthday is today." The Countess came from a baronial family on Coral Island, based in a small town near Snake Spear City.
After that, silence fell again.
Liszt had not inherited a son's affection for the Count, but he couldn't talk to him as if they were strangers, either. It was hard to find the right balance, so he decided to say little.
The Count, meanwhile, was not used to Liszt's new manner. Compared with his former meekness, Liszt now spoke more like an equal, leaving the Count with no obvious reason to scold him.
After a while, he said, "It's still a while until dinner. You can look around or go to Coral City to see your friends."
"No, I'd like to stay in the study and read."
"I've never seen you so fond of reading." The Count finished his wine and got up to leave. "If you want books, I'll have someone prepare a cartload for you to take back to Flower Town."