Chapter 23

The unoccupied farmers in the Cow Farm were enlisted by Liszt to till the desolate land around the castle and plant clovers.

According to Goltai, as the lord’s serfs, they must work for free.

Liszt was better than that. He decided to offer the farmers three meals a day. Most farmers had two meals a day, so they were eager to work here.

He gave the additional wheat bran in the castle to the farmers who worked for him. The wheat bran, which was supposed to feed horses, was food for most of the farmers.

As I recall, wheat bran is more nutritious than wheat flour. Liszt remembered how the sellers in his previous life claimed that the dietary fiber and Vitamin B in wheat bran were beneficial. However, it tastes awful and is hard to digest.

As a noble, he did not need the nutrition, so he did not force himself to eat the rough bran.

The food for nobles was white bread.

Bread was the absolute staple in this place. According to materials and tastes, it could be divided into nine levels.

The best white bread was made of the fine wheat flour that had been screened and selected. Only the grand nobles could afford such bread. Every piece of bread cost multiple silver coins.

The secondary white bread was made of wheat flour from which the bran and germ layers had been removed. It tasted smooth and often cost one silver coin apiece.

The white bread of the next level was made of unscreened fine flour. It tasted worse and could cost three silver coins apiece.

The worst white bread was made of rough wheat flour that was only processed simply. Every piece of the bread could cost ten coppers. This was the white bread that Liszt had been served.

As for the civilians, they had brown bread.

Only the wealthy free folk could afford whole grain bread, which cost several coppers apiece. The common free folk mostly ate the bread that cost one copper apiece. The serfs had mixed brown bread that was made of wheat flour and other flours.

The poorer serfs either had cereal brown bread made of peas and other grains, or the bran pies that were exclusively made of bran.

Other than them, Liszt also knew of a kind of brown bread that civilians often made.

The brown bread would be extremely hard after fermentation. The civilians would cut it into slices and use them as plates or table props.

It was said that certain plate brown bread could be used for months.

What a wretched feudal society, Liszt observed hypocritically, not really intending to break the system when he enjoyed the privileges as a noble.

Besides, it was barely possible for him to break it without dragons and elves.

“My lord, should I bring Fire Dragon to you?” asked Thomas carefully. He had always been cautious around Liszt.

“No. Right, Thomas, how was the horse in the stable? Did it throw a tantrum?”

“It was mean to Fire Dragon last night, but this morning, Fire Dragon was already able to eat next to it.”

Liszt nodded, unsurprised.

One of them was a stallion, and the other was a mare. It was only reasonable that they lived in peace. Also, Fire Dragon would probably bear the first children of the Black Dragon Horse—Liszt did not object to it as Fire Dragon was an excellent breed, too.

He stopped paying attention to this matter.

Liszt began to practice the moves of Furious Fire.

Normal earth knights would not practice a new technique until they were familiarized with the most well-matched technique. Thanks to his aptitude, Liszt could practice Furious Fire, which focused on group fights, after he grasped Dragon Drill.

The moves could mostly sweep across a large area.

Without him knowing it, he was dedicated to his training. The fire-natured combat aura was released and heated the air, making the environment scorching hot.

“Grant Fire Wave!”

A swing of the sword raised fire again.

He saw Carter walking to him quickly.

He withdrew the combat aura and asked, “Mr. Carter, what’s up?”

“My lord, Jesse said that he saw a convoy when he went to cut grass outside. I assume that the earl and the baroness might be here.”

Liszt was refreshed. “Finally. Please ask my teachers to welcome the convoy with me. I need to take a bath and get changed.”

He got upstairs and took a bath.

Very soon, Marcus and Goltai arrived.

The castle had a good view from the hilltop. They could see a convoy riding to them slowly from Thorn Hill.

“Mr. Goltai, remind me to discipline the patrol. Nobody gave me any information about the convoy. I wouldn’t have known it without my servants.”

“The patrolmen are all jackasses. You need to lend me your squires and let me train them.”

“Not a problem.” Liszt got on the newly-tamed horse to demonstrate himself. “Come with me to welcome the convoy. I don’t think my father would come in person. It’s probably my brother that is escorting the tulip big elf.”

The three of them left to welcome the visitors.

Carter, on the other hand, commanded the servants. “Everybody cheer up! Clean your clothes and don’t look dirty! Jesse, your pants are still muddy! Are you going to humiliate all of us? Go change them!”

“Yes, Mr. Carter.” Jesse Ricewater, the assistant servant, hurried to go back to his room to change his pants.

Carter shouted again, “Mrs. Mason, ask Mrs. Abby to prepare the desserts, the tea, and the cookies. Also, make sure the ingredients are ready. There will be people that his lordship has to entertain in person.”

“You mean other nobles are coming?”

“Of course. You know how important the black tulip is. Maybe Mr. Levis or Mr. Lytton is protecting the elves of the family on the trip to assimilate the black tulip. They are both important. We must not embarrass his lordship. There will also be Thomas’ peers.”

He was referring to the valets of the nobles.

Everybody got busy. Very soon, the servants, led by Carter, stood at both sides of the gate and waited for the honorable guests.