The Defeated Dragon

“Waah.”

“Waah.”

Strange calls came from the castle's winding corridor. Liszt, who was ready to rest until noon and then go to join the lunch feast, pushed open the door. Not far away, he saw a blue lesser sprite flying in zigzag around the corridor's pillars.

A few maids were waiting upon the lesser sprite.

The lesser sprite seemed to have discovered Liszt. It cried out cheerfully as it flew over, before stopping 1 meter in front of Liszt mid-air. With its big eyes, it looked at Liszt in curiosity as it issued ‘waah' from time to time. It was unknown what it meant by it.

“Young Lord Liszt.” The maids came over and greeted him deferentially.

Liszt inquired: “What lesser sprite is this?”

“It is a pachyphytum lesser sprite, it is just three years old.” A good-looking maid replied. Her brown eyes were audaciously looking into Liszt's.

Her eyes were burning scorching hot.

Liszt did not pay attention to the person looking at himself. He pointed at the pachyphytum lesser sprite mid-air: “Does it have a name?”

The lesser sprite tilted its head in confusion: “Waah?”

The maid answered: “It has no name. There are many lesser sprites in the castle, calling them by their type is good enough. However, the pachyphytum lesser sprite is the most naughty among the lesser sprites, which is why we several maids have to follow it around to prevent it from stirring up trouble.”

Sprite was a mystical life form born from nature. Although most were quite meek, yet some had queer temperaments.

“What sort of trouble can it cause.” Liszt felt that they were just making a fuss over nothing. Having more than a single maid follow a lesser sprite was a bit suspicious.

Not waiting for the maids to explain.

The hovering lesser sprite suddenly pursed its lips, took aim, and then spat a mouthful of spittle at Liszt's face.

It was so abrupt that he, an Earth Knight, did not manage to react.

When Liszt came back to his senses, the lesser sprite flew away as it laughed ‘waah', ‘waah'.

“Young Lord Liszt, the pachyphytum lesser sprite is very naughty, it often spits at the castle's guests. I am very sorry. I hope that you will not mind it.” The maid whose eyes were burning scorching hot turned to her companions, “Hurry and follow Pachyphytum, do not let it disturb other people. I will help Young Lord Liszt wash his face.”

Finished speaking, she gracefully motioned with her outstretched hand: “Young Lord Liszt, please allow me to go fetch water to wash your face as an apology for the pachyphytum lesser sprite's behavior.”

“Alright.”

Liszt wanted to simply wipe it away as the lesser sprite was not a filthy life form, he did not mind its spittle. But since the maid had said that, then he might as well wash his face.

Once the maid brought the water to wash his face, she wrung out a towel, and wanted to wipe his face with it.

“Thank you, I will do it myself.”

“This is what we maids should do.”

“I am used to doing things like washing my face myself.” Liszt coughed. Although he understood that the upper cla.s.s society distinguished itself by living quite comfortably, with the servants waiting upon their daily necessities, but he would never get used to it.

After wiping his face.

He handed the towel to the maid.

The maid's eyes were beaming: “Do you need another one?”

“No need.”

A look of disappointment flashed past her eyes. The maid picked up the washbasin and turned to leave: “Then, I will go first… Right, Young Lord Liszt, my name is Anna. If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to call me.”

Liszt smiled lightly: “Okay, Anna.”

There was a strand of wet hair across his forehead from when he just washed his face, making him look even more handsome. The maid was obviously bedazzled by Liszt. She lowered her head and quickly left.

Only after leaving the room.

Did she felt her chest pounding. There was a smear of scarlet on her cheecks.

“What are you doing?” Suddenly,an inquisitive voice sounded beside her.

It was a servingman, a gentleman's valet arranged to Liszt by the castle, responsible for Liszt's day-to-day necessities during his stay in the castle. He had just gone to get some milk tea for Liszt from the kitchen. When he returned, he saw Anna coming out of Liszt's room holding a washbasin. The one responsible for waiting upon this guest was him!

“Young Lord Liszt had to wash his face, so I waited upon him.”

“Really? But it seems like it is not yet the turn of you maids. Anna, do not do anything that would make the Longtaro Castle loose face!” The servant said fiercely in a low voice.

Anna did not stop in her tracks: “Leschi, you are not a butler, what I do is none of your business!”

“Then I will tell the butler!”

“I just do my work. Whatever you want to tell is your business.”

When Anna disappeared behind a corner of the winding corridor, Leschi snorted: “A bunch of little wh.o.r.es!” After finishing cursing, he hurriedly withdrew his angry expression and switched it for the calm and gentle bearing a servingman should have.

He knocked on the door: “Young Lord Liszt, I have brought the milk tea you wanted.”

“Please come in.”

……

Anna returned to the group looking after the pachyphytum lesser sprite.

The maids immediately made a hubbub: “Anna, have you touched Young Lord Liszt's face?”

“Was Young Lord Liszt's face very smooth and delicate? Did you blush, had your heartbeat quickened? He looks as handsome as Young Master Meopal.”

“A few years ago, Lucy touched Young Lord Liszt's face while washing it. Although at that time he had yet to come of age, but he was already so handsome.”

Anna shook her head, saying disappointingly: “I have not. Young Lord Liszt washed his face himself. He does not like maids washing his face.”

“How could this be, could he be… like Viscount Ofeis, who likes… likes man?”

“He should not. Last year, I saw Young Lord Liszt stare at Luya's behind.”

“Luya has a fine behind. I am jealous.”

“Then you have to spank it everyday. Otherwise, you will have no behind to speak of.”

“That's right, Young Lord Liszt is already an adult. He should already been enfeoffed. What is his t.i.tle? I think it should be viscount. The Tulip Family's Coral Island, I heard that it also is a big island.”

“I do not know about that. If Young Lady Melissa was still alive, then with Lord's backing, he would definitely receive the t.i.tle of viscount. However, the Count of Coral Island has already a new madam countess. Therefor, Young Lord Liszt should be in an awkward situation.”

“I want to go comfort him.”

“Stop daydreaming. You, a maid, have no need to worry about matters of the aristocracy. I advise you to concentrate on your work and do a good job as maids. An ugly duckling will not turn into a white swan. The descendants of ducks will be ducks and the descendants of swans will be swans.”

“So what? I have decided to never marry alike Mrs. Fini, but does it mean that I do not even have the right to a romantic chance encounter?”

The maid continued to indulge in her fantasy while propping her chin with both her hands: “A dest.i.tute, handsome, and elegant aristocrat from another place rides a tall horse into the castle, sweeps a maid off her feet… Then, because of the familial and secular resistance, they have no other choice but to part. With an affectionate kiss at dawn, they part. Oh heavens, I almost feel like shedding a tear.”