Chapter 158: Chapter 157: Touring with the Princess

Ronin chose two places for their excursion from the list Mosite had given him yesterday.

The morning would be spent on Wushan Lake, followed by a stroll through the lakeside gardens—a relatively leisurely and pleasant activity.

In the afternoon, he chose to take the princess to the Beast Fighting Arena for something a bit more thrilling.

A princess’s outing was a grand affair.

Although she was only accompanied by Missy Knight, Wushan Castle had dispatched a Knight Squad led by Galier to escort them, along with more than ten servants.

These people were responsible for either standing guard or setting up temporary sunshade-like canopies, arranging tables and chairs, and preparing snacks and food.

’Back when I first inspected Mountain Forest Town, I had nothing but hardtack and cold water for lunch. When did I ever have this kind of pomp?’

A large boat rested quietly on the surface of Wushan Lake.

Ronin was fishing with a rod. In just three to five minutes, he had already pulled up seven or eight fish, earning applause and praise from Princess Blanche. It made him feel like a master angler.

He decided he would make a fishing rod of his own when he returned to Mountain Forest Town and try his luck at Mountain Forest Lake.

“I hear the Royal Capital has a very large library with all sorts of books.”

Ronin chatted with Blanche as he fished. After all, he was her escort; he couldn’t just ignore his guest of honor and focus only on fishing.

“I wonder if there are any books specifically about the Orland Empire, or about the time before the Empire was founded?”

Lurans had some books, but they weren’t detailed enough, and many eras were missing.

As for history books from before the Empire, there wasn’t a single one.

The Imperial Calendar was only in its 968th year. He refused to believe this world had less than a thousand years of history.

“There are quite a few books about the Empire’s history.”

“The period before the Empire was said to be too chaotic. And as you know, books have always been very expensive. Not many were made, and even fewer have survived.”

Blanche sighed softly, an indescribable melancholy on her face. “I’ve tried to learn about it many times, but I’ve found very little.”

Ronin was a little surprised. “Not even in the Royal Capital’s library?”

“Well, there are some.”

Blanche said with a smile, “If you want to read them, you can come find me in the Royal Capital anytime. I’d be happy to let you spend a few weeks immersed in the library.”

It seemed she was quite pleased with Ronin; she had extended this kind of invitation three times now.

Of course, she might have just been saying it out of politeness.

As they spoke, Ronin pulled up another black carp. “Here, Your Highness Princess, don’t just watch. Give it a try.”

“Me?”

Blanche pointed to herself, a little surprised and at a loss.

To be honest, she had been on many excursions, but this was the first time she had been invited to fish, and the first time anyone had asked her to hold a fishing rod.

“I’ve never fished before. I’m afraid I won’t be very good at it.”

“It’s fine, I’ll teach you.”

Ronin handed her the rod. “When the fish are biting this well, all you need is enough patience and focus. You’ll definitely be able to do it.”

“Well… alright then.”

Blanche took the rod a bit awkwardly and tried to cast the line, but she was truly unfamiliar with it and failed to cast it properly twice in a row.

“Maybe the rod is a little too heavy.”

Ronin moved to stand behind Blanche, his hands reaching around her to grip the fishing rod. “Let me help you.”

Hearing his voice right by her ear and feeling the warmth of his breath as he spoke, Blanche could only feel her cheeks flush as her heart began to pound.

A princess of the Royal Family should be experienced in all sorts of situations, but because of her bad reputation, she hadn’t had much contact with the opposite sex over the years.

Because those men were afraid that if they got too close, they would be seized by Bruno, forced into a marriage, and then “cursed” to death.

So, in all these years, she had never been this intimate with anyone. For a moment, she completely forgot how to cast the rod.

All she remembered was that this cast was perfect, that a fish bit the hook soon after, and that she quickly reeled in the first fish of her life.

“Hooray~”

She cheered, masking her unusual feelings.

The two of them fished for a while longer before taking the boat back to shore. After handing their catch over to the servants to prepare for lunch, they went for a stroll.

After spending a few hours together, they had grown much more familiar with each other, and it was no longer so awkward when they were alone.

After having lunch in the lakeside Forest Land, the two rested for a while before heading toward the Wushan City Beast Fighting Arena.

Their prime seats had been reserved long in advance, and even the arena’s start time had been adjusted for them.

The Wushan City Beast Fighting Arena stood in the heart of the city.

The massive structure was like a mountain peak—solid and stable, exuding an imposing and majestic aura.

In the center of the arena was a huge stage where Gladiators would fight Magical Beasts to the death, providing the audience with a breathtaking spectacle.

The stage was surrounded by high walls, over ten meters tall, high enough to prevent the Magical Beasts inside from harming the spectators in the stands above.

This time, Ronin had only brought Macken, while Missy still stayed by Blanche’s side.

The four of them sat down in the best seats in the main stands, from where a slight glance downward offered a complete view of the entire stage.

By now, the stands were already filled with spectators. There were nobles, Knights, merchants, and more—anyone who could pay the viewing fee of at least Three Silver Coins per show was welcome.

“The Royal Capital also has a Beast Fighting Arena, and it’s even bigger than this one.”

After their intimate contact while fishing, Blanche was noticeably more talkative. “I’ve been a few times. The spectacle is magnificent, but also incredibly brutal!”

It was indeed brutal. The fate of a defeated Gladiator was especially miserable; some were even eaten by the Magical Beasts on the spot.

But people still flocked to the beast fights, because they were bloody, violent, and thrilling enough.

DONG!

A dull drumbeat sounded, making every spectator’s heart skip a beat.

An announcer in a lavish costume stood upon a high platform, his voice booming, “Welcome, everyone, to the Wushan City Beast Fighting Arena!”

“Today, our arena welcomes a guest of unprecedented importance!”

As he spoke, a beam of light shone down on Ronin’s location, illuminating both him and Princess Blanche.

“She is none other than the beautiful Her Highness Princess Blanche, from the esteemed Oduin Royal Family!”

“Please allow me to invite you all to give Her Highness the warmest round of applause to welcome her arrival!”

A princess! This was a great personage many people would never have the chance to see in their entire lives. And under the beam of light, Blanche appeared exceptionally beautiful.

This immediately drew a tsunami of applause. Many people shouted the name of Her Highness Princess, expressing their enthusiasm.

Blanche was relatively accustomed to such scenes. She stood up, walked to the front of the stands, and waved to the crowd with a smile, looking just like a celebrity responding to the cheers of her fans.

Ronin looked with surprise toward the announcer’s platform at the Magic Crystal Lamp beside him. ’Is that this world’s version of a spotlight?’

He frowned slightly.

The itinerary Mosite had provided said nothing about the Wushan City Beast Fighting Arena having a special introduction for Her Highness Princess Blanche.

It was important to note that Wushan Castle was one of the financers for the arena’s construction.

Besides sharing profits with Wushan Castle, the arena’s operators also had to obey its commands.

If an introduction had been planned from the start, it should have been mentioned in advance so the princess could be prepared.

Ronin glanced behind him.

To give Ronin and Blanche enough space, Missy Knight and Macken were both standing a few meters behind them.

Macken understood the cue and immediately stepped forward. “My lord?”

Ronin said softly, “Be on your guard.”

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