Chapter 155: Chapter 154: The Princess Arrives

Standing so close to the Griffin, Ronin could feel the immense power of the flying mount even more keenly.

Although it had been tamed from a young age and appeared docile, no one would dare doubt its strength.

It was said that a typical adult Griffin was a Fourth-level Magical Beast, with some exceptional ones reaching the Fifth or even Sixth-level.

Considering that the injured Storm Demon Wolf had left Elron and his men helpless, one could only imagine how difficult it would be to deal with this Flying Magical Beast.

As Ronin approached the Griffin, the Knight atop it leaped down from the two-meter-high creature’s back, landing steadily on the ground.

The Knight wore a suit of Silver-White Armor, and a silver Helmet concealed their face, making it impossible to see their features.

However, the specially crafted Silver Armor outlined a female figure. Ronin was surprised. ’A Griffin Knight can be a woman?’

He didn’t dwell on it and stepped forward with a bow. “Greetings, esteemed Griffin Knight. I am Ronin, eldest grandson of Marquis Lurans, here to await Her Highness Princess.”

The Griffin Knight returned a knightly salute and introduced herself. “Missy Cox, a member of the Royal Griffin Knight Order and personal guard to Her Highness Princess Blanche. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Ronin!”

The crisp, clear female voice confirmed that the other party was indeed a Female Knight.

Ronin was a little taken aback. The Knights of the Royal Griffin Knight Order were said to be Bronze Knights at minimum. ’Could this Female Knight before me truly possess such a high level of strength?’

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, beautiful Female Knight.”

Ronin inquired again, “Do you know approximately when Her Highness Princess will arrive?”

Missy Knight glanced at the sky, estimated the time, and replied, “Her Highness Princess should arrive in about ten minutes. Please be ready, Lord Ronin!”

“Rest assured, all preparations are complete.”

Although Ronin was in charge of the reception, his role was simply to accompany and welcome her. He didn’t need to worry about the other miscellaneous tasks.

Under the arrangements of Dianey, the butler, and Captain Toru, the Guards of the First Knight Order had already cordoned off the square and secured the perimeter. Servants had also rolled out a red carpet that extended all the way into Wushan Castle.

The nobles who had rushed over to watch the spectacle also kept their distance, standing on either side to chat amongst themselves while they waited instead of approaching directly.

Ten minutes was a short time, and soon, several black dots appeared in the distant sky.

“They’re here.”

Missy Knight reminded him in a low voice. Ronin stood ready.

The black dots in the sky grew larger, and soon they were hovering above Wushan Castle.

Ronin looked up. There were eleven Griffins in the air. All but the one in the center carried a single rider; the middle one carried two.

Moreover, Ronin noticed a faint cyan Energy enveloping the riders, like a protective shield that cocooned them from the bitter cold and strong winds.

He didn’t know if this shield was cast by the Griffins themselves or was some ability used by the riders.

With a piercing cry, the squadron of Griffins seemed to receive a command and all dove at once. They descended with a powerful downdraft, and the immense pressure made the surrounding Guards turn pale.

Standing in the center, Ronin’s expression also shifted slightly. He could just imagine the scene if this flock of Griffins and their Knights were to attack.

He praised them silently in his heart. ’As expected of the Royal Family. What a grand display.’

If not for his decent mental fortitude, he probably would have been scared into collapsing on the spot in the face of such a show of force.

Missy Knight, beside him, also showed a hint of surprise. She had heard the rumors about Ronin from the outside world but never expected him to have such composure.

When she had first been selected as a Griffin Knight, she had faced a similar scene—a test from her superiors.

At the time, although she hadn’t been frightened enough to collapse, she had still taken two steps back, completely unlike the composed Ronin.

The eleven Griffins landed neatly on the ground. One after another, the Knights leaped down, all except for the lady on the back of the central Griffin, who slowly descended a temporary white ladder set up by her fellow rider.

Ronin could tell at a glance that this was the renowned Princess Blanche, and he strode forward to meet her.

Although Blanche’s public reputation wasn’t the best, he had to admit that as a daughter of the Oduin Royal Family, her appearance was flawless.

At least, she was the most stunning of all the women Ronin had ever seen.

Blanche had the Oduin Clan’s signature golden-brown hair and light purple eyes.

Her lively eyes, in particular, were not unsettling in the least; instead, they made her fair skin seem even more delicate.

The only flaw, perhaps, was that upon getting closer, Ronin noticed a few freckles on her small nose. But they were so few that they didn’t detract from her beauty at all.

’This marriage partner of mine certainly isn’t lacking in the looks department.’

As he marveled internally, Ronin walked forward enthusiastically, placed his left hand over his chest, and declared:

“Your Highness Princess Blanche, I am Ronin, eldest grandson of the Marquis of Wushan. On behalf of all of Wushan Castle, I welcome you!”

Blanche knew her father’s intentions in sending her to Wushan Castle, but she hadn’t expected Ronin himself to be the one receiving her. A flicker of panic flashed in her eyes.

However, as a proper Royal Princess, she quickly composed herself. She performed a small curtsy, slightly bending her knees while lifting the sides of her skirt, and nodded in acknowledgment.

“It is a pleasure to meet you too, Ronin.”

Her voice was soft and pleasant, making her seem like a gentle and approachable person.

Next, the Princess introduced the members of her escort.

In short, Her Highness Princess’s escort was led personally by Sir Broer Geller, Vice Leader of the Royal Griffin Knight Order, and accompanied by eleven other members of the Griffin Knight Order.

Without exception, they were all powerful Lord Knights.

Ronin greeted them and shook their hands one by one.

“Your Highness Princess, if you would please follow me into the castle.”

Ronin straightened up and extended his right arm.

“Thank you.”

Blanche took his arm, and the two walked slowly along the red carpet toward the castle’s interior.

Only Missy Knight and Vice Leader Broel followed behind them; the other Griffin Knights remained behind to lead their mounts to the designated area.

The long-waiting nobles stood on either side, offering enthusiastic cheers and greetings to Her Highness Princess.

Ronin could see that Her Highness Princess was not at all nervous in such a situation. While holding his arm, she warmly nodded and waved to the nobles on all sides.

But before they could even reach the main gate of Wushan Castle, another piercing cry drowned out the crowd’s cheers, interrupting the lively scene.

Ronin and everyone else couldn’t help but turn their heads to the sky, only to see three more Griffins flying in from the distance.

According to Broel, their Griffin squadron consisted of only twelve in total. ’Where did more Griffins come from?’

“Who is this?”

Ronin looked at Blanche in surprise.

The princess’s delicate brows furrowed slightly as she gave an imperceptible shake of her head, indicating that she didn’t know what was happening either.

It was Broel who looked up and said, “White Griffins. That should be Earl Jesus and his Griffin Knights.”

’Jesus?’

An impression quickly formed in Ronin’s mind.

Jesus Oduin, His Majesty Bruno’s younger brother, the Count of Moonlight Valley. His territory was located in the southeastern corner of the Wushan Territory, which was why Ronin’s predecessor had a memory of him.

Ronin narrowed his eyes slightly, watching the three Griffins descend at high speed and land steadily in the square.

’Is a Kingdom Count also here to celebrate Lurans’s birthday?’

He hadn’t heard anything about this before.

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