Chapter 344: Chapter 0341: Silver Spear, Black Horse, Red Cloak (4th Update, Alliance Hierarch Additional Update 8/18)
 

Simon, Norman, Leslie, Eric, Daniel, and David arrived quickly, knowing that they certainly needed to be proactive to catch the rising momentum of Fresh Flower Town.

They were either commoners or second sons of nobles, with narrow channels for advancement. Opportunities like the one in Fresh Flower Town might come only a few times in one’s life.

Liszt received six Earth Knights in the castle, without too much enthusiasm.

Perhaps a month later, several of the six Earth Knights would leave Fresh Flower Town—following is a two-way choice process. A month of adaptation is enough to determine whether a following relationship should be established between them.

At Knight’s Square the next morning.

The crimson sun rose in the east, the clouds dispersed in the west. Baron of Fresh Flower Town, Liszt Tulip, clad in fine steel armor, with the Crimson Blood Sword hanging at his waist and a fine steel shield in hand, donned such a conspicuous knight attire for the first time.

The handsome face was obscured by the helmet visor.

Only sapphire-colored pupils shone through the mesh, sparkling brilliantly.

A red cape fluttered behind him, and a black Li Dragon Horse was adorned with silver-white horse armor, merging with the silver-white armor into a striking medley of black, white, and red.

A blooming Black Tulip was engraved on the fine steel shield, a symbol belonging to Fresh Flower Town and to Liszt. Even on the Li Dragon Horse, there was a cotton pad embroidered with the Black Tulip, suggesting knightly status more than pursuit of riding comfort.

Nobles, they like these fancy trappings.

Indeed, some hinder riding, but in the eyes of commoners, these are symbols of nobility, able to incite fervor.

He slowly maneuvered the Li Dragon Horse around the square, his gaze piercing through the visor to scrutinize the row of knights, observing their spirit.

Each one was in fine steel armor, provided by the castle.

Their steeds were qualified warhorses, but it was a bit of a pity that their colors were mixed, with yellow, brown, gray, and spotted not uniform.

Fortunately, they were draped in standard half-length horse armor. In contrast to the Li Dragon Horse’s sparse protection on the forehead, their horses were tightly wrapped around the head, neck, shoulders, and thighs, with the Black Tulip emblem carved on the pads beneath their seats.

Each held a shield in the left hand and a spear in the right.

The sunshine glistened off their armor, making them look exceptionally majestic.

Silence reigned, not even the horses made a noise, only the sound of the Li Dragon Horse’s hooves could be heard.

After a moment.

Liszt’s commanding voice broke the quiet, “I, Liszt Tulip, Baron of Fresh Flower Town, devote my life to the pursuit of glory. The path forward is fraught with danger, and I need loyal companions, brave knights! You, the Earth Knights, standing here, are you willing to charge with me!”

The knights shouted in unison, “We will charge for the Baron!”

“Very well,” Liszt suddenly drew out the Crimson Blood Sword, pointing its tip towards the sky as he declared loudly, “Then, I announce that the Fresh Flower Town Knight Squad is officially established today!”

“Hoa!”

“Hoa!”

“Hoa!”

The twelve Earth Knights raised their spears high, issuing exclamations in response to Liszt’s declaration.

On the outer edges of the square, many young onlookers, witnessing such a stirring scene, couldn’t help but shout along, “Hoa!”

Karl Ironhammer and Rom Barrel stood to one side, watching the youths’ commotion.

Such a spectacle today would engrave the wealth and strength of Fresh Flower Town in their memories forever. Although most of the youths would still eventually return to farming or working, perhaps it could inspire a few to strive and become knights of the future—at least in Fresh Flower Town, they had such an opportunity.

Once the Knight Squad proclamation concluded, the first training charge began.

The warhorses charged in full armor, almost crushing the earth beneath them as they charged, their momentum unmatched, with Dou Qi swelling into a torrent capable of tearing apart anything.

…

The knights charged away, leaving behind nothing but a cloud of dust.

Karl strolled over to Rom and said with ease, “Rom, the patrol team is yours now. There are some troublemakers in the squad, but I believe you can handle them.”

Rom asked, “When are we leaving?”

“Soon, the Baron will make the arrangements,” Karl smiled. “A year ago, we were just ordinary Retainer Knights without even a hint of Dou Qi, following the Baron to Fresh Flower Town to pass the remaining years of our lives… Who would have thought we would be in this situation now, with both you and me becoming officials, while Auden and Gray are doing well in their provisional work too.”

Karl Ironhammer, Rom Barrel, Auden Insole, Gray Scythe.

The first four Retainer Knights of Liszt Tulip, none of them particularly talented, with Auden and Gray not even managing to cultivate Dou Qi. However, Liszt was a man who valued old connections and still arranged decent positions for them. Karl became the Defense Officer, Rom, the Worm Affairs Officer, Auden was the assistant to Administrative Officer Isaiah, and Gray was the assistant to Finance Officer Isaiah.

But for now, they could no longer work together in Fresh Flower Town.

Seizing the opportunity of forming a Knight Squad, Liszt introduced new personnel appointments to Fresh Flower Town, splitting off half of the officials to work in the port town on Black Horse Island.

Karl was heading to the port town to serve as both the Defense Officer and the Worm Affairs Officer.

Rom was to succeed as the Defense Officer of Fresh Flower Town, with Liszt’s old friend Nemo taking over as the new Worm Affairs Officer. The following officials, along with their families, would mostly relocate to the port town.

Fresh Flower Town could no longer satisfy the ambitions of Liszt.

After the formation of the Knight Squad.

He planned to participate in this year’s Pioneer Mandate, meaning that achieving recognition on the battlefield and a Viscount title were not far off, and the rise of Black Horse Island was inevitable. As long as the secrets of the Black Blood Treasured Horse and rubber weren’t revealed, pioneering a deserted island wasn’t something unusual.

He believed that the Earl, Levis, and others must already know of the existence of Black Horse Island.

Instead of doing it secretly, it would be better to build boldly and let everyone know of Liszt’s ambitious and promising future. So, pioneering a deserted island was exactly what he should be doing.

With the support of the Fresh Flower Brew’s funds and Thorn Minor Elves cultivating Magic Potions, it would have been a surprise to the Earl and Levis had he not done it.

In just over a year’s development, no one could ignore his radiance any longer.

He was a Tulip Family member with bloodlines as excellent as those of Levis, Li Vera, and Lidun, his cowardice of the past merely a period of lying dormant, now his talents were basic operations.

He watched the knights train all morning.

In the afternoon, he did not return.

For him, the early formation of the Knight Squad was more about completing missions. Training the Blizzard Beasts was more important than training knights, as the Blizzard Beast army would be the main force in the struggle for military achievements in the future, with the knights merely serving in a support capacity.

After a nap in the afternoon, he went to the Dragon Hollyhock Field.

He summoned the Smoke Mission.

“Complete the mission, reward: Auxiliary Magic Medicine species Dragon Hollyhock.”

In the green and lush Dragon Hollyhock Field, some Dragon Hollyhocks were blooming, while others had already borne small black fruits. Liszt employed his Eye of Magic to observe the entire field and quickly detected magic feedback—not from Cordyceps, but close by.

This was a mutated Dragon Hollyhock with yellow flowers.

Its fruits were not black, but a specific shade of blue-black, a very distinct color, with most of the plant’s magic concentrated within the fruit. Indeed, as he had previously conjectured, this was a Magic Potion—a Dragon Hollyhock originally thought to be nothing more than a tasty snack now held immense value.

However, what surprised Liszt was, “What is meant by an Auxiliary Magic Medicine species?”