Lord of Rot

Sometimes, Leech wondered what all his hard work and development was for.

Money? He liked it, but he never dreamed of having a nation's worth of wealth. Besides, there wasn't much in this world that sparked his interest enough to buy.

Power? Not really. While he wasn't opposed to killing enemies on the battlefield, he would never be the one to start a war if world peace was an option.

Was it to save the struggling common folk, then? He didn't think he was that noble. In fact, he considered himself rather vicious.

If Leech saw someone about to starve, he would certainly help without hesitation. If he saw thugs bullying a young woman, he would draw his sword. But he could only save what he saw; he had no grand ambitions of saving the entire country.

Authority?

No one could refuse authority, but Leech was far from being obsessed with it.

'Then what is it that drives me to keep rushing forward, never willing to stop?'

Leech spent a day and a night drifting on the boat, pondering this question. It wasn't until Rocket's piercing cry echoed at dawn that he emerged from the cabin, forced to put the matter aside for now.

The boat had returned to Pigtail Bay.

Once ashore, Leech vaulted onto Rocket's back. "Let's go! We'll have the blacksmiths make you a fine saddle!"

"Coo! Coo!"

Rocket turned its head, cried out to Leech twice, and flapped its wings.

A Soldier who had just walked over was startled.

"Rocket, don't be so mischievous," Leech said with a hint of resignation.

The startled Soldier looked at Rocket with a mixture of fear and awe, then said to Leech, "My Lord, it's truly a magical Flying Horse!"

"Rocket is no ordinary horse," Leech said. "Have the crabs from the ship sent to the castle. Tell the kitchen to keep them alive."

The Soldier nodded quickly. "Yes, my Lord."

"Let's go, Rocket!"

"Coo! Coo!"

Rocket took off at a full sprint, moving with an agility unlike any horse, and vanished in a flash of white, leaving the Soldier gaping in astonishment.

Arriving at the smithy, Leech dismounted from Rocket.

The blacksmiths who had gathered around asked fearfully, "Lord, it... it doesn't bite, does it?"

"Don't worry," Leech said.

A younger blacksmith stepped forward, reaching out a hand to pet Rocket.

Rocket suddenly spread its wings and reared up on its hind legs.

"AH!" The young blacksmith was so scared he fell right on his rear.

"Coo! Coo!" Rocket cried out happily.

Leech felt a wave of resignation. "Rocket, behave yourself!"

'This guy is great in every way, just a little mischievous,' Leech thought. 'It's probably because he's almost a year old, just like a little kid.'

'Then again, he basically is a kid.'

Rocket immediately folded its wings and stood obediently, merely tilting its head to look at the young blacksmith with curiosity.

"I... I..." The young blacksmith scrambled up from the ground and cautiously approached Rocket again. Seeing that Rocket really wasn't moving this time, he raised his hand once more.

Rocket's wings flared open again, and it reared up on its hind legs.

"AH!" The young blacksmith yelped in fright again, falling back onto his rear.

"Coo! Coo!" Looking at the young blacksmith's sorry state, Rocket let out a human-like laugh.

Another blacksmith quickly pulled the young man to his feet. "That's the Lord's mount! How can you just touch it like that?"

"I just think he's so majestic," the young blacksmith whispered.

Having folded its wings, Rocket leaned in and nudged him gently, as if initiating a greeting.

"Hello. Can I pet you?" the young blacksmith asked.

Rocket nodded.

The young blacksmith happily raised his hand. He couldn't reach Rocket's head, so he could only pat its body.

"So strong, so amazing!" he exclaimed. "I bet even a lion couldn't beat you."

"Coo! Coo!" Rocket raised its head proudly, as if to say, 'A lion? Please, that's nothing.'

'Nothing that flies in the sky, runs on the ground, or swims in the water is a match for me.'

Meanwhile, a few of the other blacksmiths had been showing Leech the horse tack.

"Lord, what about the barding?"

"The barding..."

Leech glanced over at Rocket, who was now playfully holding the young blacksmith in its mouth, making the boy wail. He shot it a look.

"When Rocket is flying, arrows can't possibly harm it. The airflow around its body alone is enough to blow any arrow away, and its feathers are harder than steel."

"WAH! WAH! WAH!" the young blacksmith was still yelling.

"Rocket!" Leech snapped.

"Coo coo," Rocket chirped, finally setting the young blacksmith down and pretending it had done nothing.

The young blacksmith scrambled to his feet, a mix of fear and excitement on his face, and began to circle around Rocket.

Leech asked, "Do you want to wear barding?"

'An extra layer of protection would be useful in the end, but it also depended on Rocket's own opinion.'

"Coo?"

"It's that armor warhorses wear. It can protect your body, but it's a little uncomfortable."

"Coo!"

"It'll definitely look majestic and cool," Leech nodded with certainty. "Alright, I'll have someone design a proper set for you."

Leech turned to the blacksmiths. "For now, just make a saddle."

As for the barding, he planned to have the Extraordinary blacksmith Chuina handle it. Only her skills could fuse the bones of a Two-Legged Flying Dragon into steel, creating dragon-bone steel plates that were stronger, lighter, and more beautifully patterned than ordinary steel, resembling Damascus Steel.

He left Rocket there to wait for its saddle to be made.

Leech then left the smithy.

That afternoon, a saddle was fitted onto Rocket's back, making it much more comfortable to ride.

Leech headed straight for the training grounds to test it out.

Little Joel and the others halted their training, holding their horses and standing to the side.

Some of them set up straw targets and obstacles.

"Have any of you ever seen the Lord charge on horseback?"

"Never!"

"I have."

"The Lord used to ride a Fierce-Mane Stallion, but Rocket can fly."

"Even when Rocket isn't flying, it's still faster than a warhorse."

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