Had the Earl been careless? No.
But at this moment, father and son didn't need to communicate with their eyes; they understood each other's silence and proceeded as if the Earl had been careless. Liszt didn't say he had won, so the Earl didn't need to admit he had lost.
Each found their own steeds and led them, walking slowly.
The Earl gradually calmed his emotions, whether he could accept reality or not was another matter. The one who had defeated him was not someone else—it was his son. This meant he couldn't stay upset forever. Every father harbors the hope that their children will surpass them, hoping the next generation will be stronger.
Liszt had achieved this.
He had no reason to feel discouraged.
