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Liszt suppressed his excitement and asked calmly, “Captain Kostor, can you understand this nautical chart?”

“Lord Landlord, this nautical chart is a standard one and there are no overly complicated contents. It seems that the rat himself was not proficient in navigation, so I can fully understand the routes on the chart,” Kostor said confidently. The twisted, abstract, and bizarre symbols on the nautical chart posed no challenge to him.

“So, is the island where the galloper horses live far from Coral Island?”

“Judging from the nautical chart, the island is about one hundred and thirty kilometers north of Coral Island. With the Fresh Flower Vessel’s speed of 5 knots, it would take approximately fourteen hours to reach Galloper Island, barring currents and storms,” Kostor calculated, using his fingers before replying.

Liszt’s math was not bad.

From Kostor’s explanation, Liszt estimated roughly that one knot was less than two kilometers per hour, making the Fresh Flower Vessel’s speed about nine kilometers per hour.

That’s even slower than the speed of riding a bicycle.

He vaguely remembered that the narrowest point of the Taiwan Strait was only one hundred and thirty-five kilometers wide. This meant that the distance between Coral Island and Galloper Island was the width of the Taiwan Strait.

“Captain Kostor, when can the Fresh Flower Vessel set sail for Galloper Island?”

“Lord Landlord, if it’s just about setting sail, the sailor apprentices are already competent enough, as Galloper Island isn’t that far and falls within the coastal navigation range. However, the sailors lack experience and would be helpless in the event of a storm, which makes the likelihood of an accident quite high.”

“How soon can we set sail if we train intensively?”

“If Lord Landlord allows me to recruit thirty sailor apprentices and we train every day without fail, within a month, I can make the Fresh Flower Vessel sail to Galloper Island!”

Liszt made a quick decision: “I will have Consultant Goltai fully support you. In one month, we head for Galloper Island… Give the island a name; call it Black Horse Island.”

Kostor was excited, “I am honored to serve you, Lord Landlord!”

“Make a copy of this nautical chart, then erase the drawings on the cave walls.”

After completing these tasks, the Fresh Flower Vessel returned home.

Nighttime.

The castle’s evening banquet summarized the day’s work; it had become routine. Liszt was not a stingy landlord and didn’t mind his subordinates freeloading in the castle—it was also a method of winning people over.

“My lord, if the clue left by the rat is real, we must take control of Black Horse Island as soon as possible to prevent other powers from occupying it. Then we must quickly earn military achievements, obtain a fief, and mark Black Horse Island as your territory. Horse resources are more important than any resource!” Marcus spoke seriously.

Considering the Duchy of Sapphire had many deserted islands, meritorious landlords could choose their own deserted islands as fiefs.

Without being granted a fief, all the deserted islands in the Sea of Azure Waves theoretically belonged to the Sapphire Duke—they could choose to operate them in secret, which was an unspoken rule. However, once the Duke designated a deserted island as a fief for a certain landlord, they were obligated to vacate it immediately.

But such secret operations of deserted islands were rare.

Firstly, nobles didn’t lack land for farming, what they lacked were elves and metals; secondly, it was very difficult to ensure that the management of a deserted island would remain a secret. Once operated to a certain extent, the Duke might forcibly grant the island as a fief. In principle, all produce from the island would become the property of another landlord.

Therefore, the secret operation of a deserted island was more trouble than it was worth.

For example, ever since the Tulip Family obtained Coral Island, they had been cultivating it for twenty years, and still, a third of the land remained uncultivated.

In Fresh Flower Town, before Liszt’s arrival, much of the land was wasteland, uncultivated—up to the present, many places were still wasteland, not to mention Thorn Ridge awaited development.

“The information must be kept secret, everyone who knows must be severely warned, else Black Horse Island will surely be taken by other lords,”

Goltai spoke just as seriously.

He and Marcus were very clear about the importance of warhorses to nobles, especially the Li Dragon Horse breed with its exceptional bloodline, which played a crucial role in enhancing a knight’s power on the battlefield.

It could be directly said.

During a charge on the battlefield, an Elite Earth Knight on a nag might not necessarily defeat a Common Earth Knight mounted on a Li Dragon Horse.

“Then, the information is limited to those present, as well as Captain Kostor, Rom, and my servant Thomas,” Liszt said agreeably, “When the sailor training is complete, they and their families will move directly to live on Black Horse Island… of course, first we need to see what the conditions on Black Horse Island are like.”

Goltai spoke optimistically: “Black Horse Island, able to breed such godly steeds as the Li Dragon Horse, must be a flat, green island. I think its area is definitely large, maybe even enough to accommodate an earl.”

Liszt cut off a piece of Magical Beast Meat, swallowed it, and seemed to mention in passing: “No matter its size, it is destined to be my island… Consultant Goltai, you must actively cooperate with Kostor in training the sailors, meeting their needs as much as possible.”

“I understand!”

Preparations to secretly approach the Li Dragon Horse Herd of Black Horse Island began.

The work of the Lumberjack Team remained flamboyant, with hundreds of people collectively felling trees, and despite the limitations of their tools, meaning individual efficiency might not be high, overall progress was swift.

In just five short days, about a third of the trees at Thorn Ridge to the north were cut down.

A large area of Thorn Forest around the docks had been completely cleared, with only a few wild fruit trees remaining.

To complete the new Smoke Mission, it would take roughly half a month more, and there was no use in hurrying. Since Goltai became a consultant, his enthusiasm for work soared, taking initiative so much that Liszt often found himself with nothing to do. As a result, training Juan Fu became his current research topic.

Juan Fu’s feathers grew increasingly stiff, and its inner Magic Power more abundant. If it weren’t for the chain tied to its legs, it might have already been learning to fly.

“Old Geronte, is there really not a single falconer to be found on the vast Coral Island?”

“Lord Landlord, I have had the people of the Fresh Flower Caravan inquire in every city and even small towns, and indeed, no artisans skilled in falconry have been found,” replied Old Geronte, the captain of the Fresh Flower Caravan, who had come to the castle to report.

“Keep looking.”

“Yes, Lord Landlord.”

After sending off Old Geronte, Liszt rubbed his forehead. Although Juan Fu’s “caw caw” was annoying, it was still a Magical Beast raised from a young age, and it would be a pity to just keep it around to slaughter for meat.

But he did not dwell on Juan Fu for long.

The Dragon Kui Manservant, who took care of the Dragon Kui, reported good news upon returning: “Master, the Dragon Kui Elf Bug has been born!”

Rushing to the Dragon Kui Field, Liszt saw the pitch-black, glossy Dragon Kui Bug, which resembled a black gemstone—very interesting.

With just a simple lure of Jade Powder, the Dragon Kui Bug bit onto Liszt’s finger, completing the contract.

His ninth Elf Bug finally settled in the castle.

Yet the good news did not stop there. As he returned to the castle, a knight who had rushed from Coral City brought him important news—the Coral Island Caravan had returned, and Levis’s family tutor, Frank, was asking him to come to Coral City to receive five hundred serfs.