Selling Off the Family Estate to Fund Construction

Levis spent his birthday aboard the ship. Though there was no lively banquet, the whole family gathered together and offered their blessings, except for Lady Penelope, who had never gone to sea.

They returned to Tulip Castle the following afternoon and held a belated banquet. Liszt also rested at Tulip Castle for the night before returning to Flower Town.

However, this return to Flower Town would not allow him any leisure.

Levis's wedding was about to be arranged—at Long-Yam Castle, Leewilliam had spoken with Roger Golden Wheat, the only son of Marquis Roderick, and they had set the wedding date for September 12.

The Development Order was also due to arrive soon—Iron Ridge Kingdom would certainly send an envoy to Blue Dragon Island to determine this year's date of war with Eagle Kingdom. Strange as it was, the two kingdoms erupted into a large-scale conflict almost every autumn harvest season, a pattern that had continued for centuries.

Aside from their hereditary feud, another reason was likely the force of the knight system—without war, how could one win merit and make a fortune? Without war, how could tensions between old and new nobles be eased? Without war, how could wealth be redistributed? Without war, where could all that overflowing vigor be vented?

They had worked bitterly to become Earth Knights, even Sky Knights, all so they could take to the battlefield and build their achievements.

On the journey back, Liszt was somewhat troubled. "Levis's birthday gift was easy enough to handle, but his wedding gift definitely can't be worse than the one I gave Meiopal... Although the knight squad has gained two Earth Knights, construction across the territory is in full swing. It truly isn't suitable to pull knights away for war."

Knights could fight astride a horse and govern once