The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

"Li Vera, Liszt, greetings."

Angela Sapphire exhibited a noble-like smile, brimming with the grace of a lady. She appeared to be about twenty-one, fair-skinned, attractive, and well-rounded—not the epitome of beauty, but she certainly conformed to Liszt's aesthetic preferences.

Moreover, her tone and demeanor were the epitome of elegance.

It was hard to believe that this was the same person alleged to be the infamous socialite known for her openness, or rather, licentiousness. Of course, judging by appearances is wrong, and Liszt didn't let any of his thoughts show.

After exchanging greetings with the myriad of noble young women, he sat next to Aunt Melinda, not wishing to become the center of attention. He spoke little, allowing his sister, Li Vera, to quickly engage with the ladies. He simply exchanged pleasantries with Meioubao.

The cousin was in a state of excitement, constantly glancing over at Angela while talking.

Eager to join in the conversation.

Before long, several noble young women broached the subject of the piano—a common topic amongst them.

Meioubao declared his favorite piece to be "Yuri Ely by the River".

That didn't resonate with anyone, but Salando Dahlia Hui Lan countered, "My favorite is "For Alice". It's simple, pure, like the first time one meets someone they like—the subtle joy and impulse."

"Do you know, it was I who popularized that piano piece," Meioubao chimed in smoothly, "I sent it to Master Hannibal, and later his apprentice performed it all over the country, making "For Alice" renowned nationwide. But guess, where did the piece originate from?"

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"Where did it come from?" Salando asked eagerly.

"There is a heartbreaking love story behind it, but let's have Liszt tell everyone. Both the original and the revised versions stemmed from him!"

All eyes turned to Liszt in an instant.

This left Liszt quite speechless, as he had no desire to stand out. He did not wish to develop any memories with a particular young woman on this outing.

"It was merely in memory of a pair of siblings in love who were forced to part. I happened to hear it and transcribed it," he answered, glossing over the details.

However, Li Vera interjected, "Liszt has an exceptional piano talent. I've heard him play a piece he composed himself about Castle in the Sky... Liszt, why not play that piece for us again?" While speaking, she even winked purposefully.

A puzzled look came his way, suggesting, "With so many noble ladies here, you'd better take one home. That's all the help I can offer, brother."

That made Liszt want to laugh and cry at the same time.

Then Meioubao, Grasutti, and Salando started egging him on to play the piano piece he composed. Liszt intended to refuse, but even the Little Princess spoke up, "Liszt, may I have the honor of hearing you play this piece?"

Without any other choice, he walked to the piano and sat down.

His fingers gently brushed the keys as he briefly narrated a story, "I've heard of a city above the sky, affluent, peaceful, and happy. There was a child named Xida who descended from the sky holding a flying stone, and a serf named Bas who wished to prove the existence of Castle in the Sky..."

While getting to grips with the new piano, he finished the story, "To prevent Castle in the Sky from falling into the hands of the Evil Magician, Xida and Bas chanted a spell that made the castle disintegrate and crumble... Though Castle in the Sky was ultimately destroyed, the pursuit, a brave heart, and the beautiful journey was enough."

"This piece is called "With You"."

After finishing the story, Liszt's hands pressed the piano keys, starting to play the piano piece he knew all too well.

…

The piece concluded.

Noble young ladies almost clapped their hands raw.

"It's so exquisite, I feel as though I am in the sky, soaring among the clouds."

"It made me feel a tranquility in my heart that I have never known, an emptiness."

"Ah, I have fallen in love with this piano piece, just as I fell for "For Alice"!"

Even Meioubao couldn't help but clap and exclaim, "Li Si Te, if you switched to being a pianist, you would surely achieve the accomplishments of Master Czerny!"

"It's only a momentary feeling, which I composed into a piano piece."

But no matter how modest he was, at Matsutake Castle's dinner, he had already become the center of attention. Noble young ladies always managed to casually inquire about his various details while pretending to chat with him, and there were even those who made suggestive remarks—like three young ladies who bluntly invited him to teach them how to play "With You".

Private lessons.

What would happen behind closed doors was anybody's guess.

Li Si Te eloquently refused such invitations on the grounds of not having the time.

"I must admit I'm jealous of your talent, Li Si Te. If I could compose something as moving as "With You" or "For Alice", I wouldn't need to go through so much trouble pursuing Angela; she would take the initiative and throw herself into my arms," Meioubao kept talking non-stop as they walked.

They left after the dinner, with only one day left before the wedding. It was not appropriate to stay overnight at Matsutake Castle, so they had to return to Long Taro Castle.

To escape this one night.

"You could have easily chosen one of the noble young ladies to return with you to Long Taro Castle; I believe she would not have refused," Li Vera said.

"Sorry, sister, I'm currently in a critical phase of my practice and I don't want to be disturbed by these messy things," Li Si Te replied as he undid the button at his collar. "You, on the other hand, should be more mindful of seizing your own opportunities. Surely many noble young talents have come this time."

"You needn't worry about me; I have my own standards for choosing," she replied.

Li Si Te shrugged noncommittally, which was just as well—he didn't fancy playing matchmaker.

During his walk around Long Taro Castle, he found it bustling with countless servants scurrying back and forth, busily setting up for the wedding ceremony the day after tomorrow, a stark contrast to the quiet he'd encountered on previous visits.

He didn't find the Earl, but he did find Levis.

"Brother, father went to see Grandfather; do you know what they talked about? I saw that The Court's servants and the Internal Affairs Officials haven't left," he said.

"It's actually a misunderstanding. These servants and Internal Affairs Officials are a wedding gift from the Grand Duke to the Little Princess. They will join Long Taro Castle to take care of the Little Princess's daily life and will be under the jurisdiction of Long Taro Castle's butler," Levis shook his head. "The Grand Duke really is too indulgent with the Little Princess."

"Perhaps," was the reply.

"You should also get ready. You, me, Rolie, and three other young nobles will form Meioubao's groomsmen. We'll need to participate in the rehearsal for the wedding tomorrow, so better rest early tonight."

"Do I need to wear some strange clothes?"

"A formal suit is necessary, and you'll even need to wear a floral garland, did you know? But there's a part worth looking forward to— we'll have more interactions with a group of beautiful bridesmaids."