The group crossed the suspension bridge. Cheng Shuang glanced at the clear river water below. This moat was flowing water; otherwise, it couldn't be so clean. Moreover, the stench on the streets obviously didn't originate from it.
The castle has a tall and magnificent exterior, and its interior is not much different from the castles in Western Europe in all the movies.
Passing through the grand and elegant lobby and walking along the high-ceilinged corridor, with the dim light of wall lamps on both sides and oil paintings of ancestors on either side of the lamps, the stench did not decrease here, but rather increased.
Cheng Shuang avoided looking at the damp stains in the corner of the wall, otherwise she would feel like vomiting.
She had some knowledge of early European civilizations, but at this moment the little girl felt that her understanding was not deep enough.
Once you step out of the corridor, you'll see a cross-shaped arched ceiling. The side windows are open, letting in the gentle summer breeze, which dispels any lingering smells and provides excellent natural light to the entire building.
Cheng Shuang saw the pointed top of the tower across the street from the window, with its red roof and white walls. It was truly beautiful... She took a deep breath, but felt a little suffocated.
The idea that medieval Europeans didn't like to bathe and only bathed a maximum of three times in their lives is an exaggeration.
But as they passed the group of knights, to show they meant no harm, they took off their helmets and held their lances. The smell emanating from their gleaming silver armor made their eyes sting immediately.
So much so that even though those knights clearly possessed imposing physiques and either resolute or handsome features, neither Lianrong nor Chengshuang were the girls in the mood to give them a second glance.
I'm really afraid the smell will make my eyes water.
Most importantly, some of them wore heavy perfumes, and the mixed scents instantly shattered my illusions.
These are unhealthy lifestyle habits caused by other people's beliefs. Even if Cheng Shuang and the others couldn't accept it, they tried their best to endure it and held their breath to keep smiling.
The countess was an elegant lady, tall and with a wasp waist that looked no less impressive than that of Cheng Shuang, a twelve-year-old girl.
Wearing a black silk whalebone dress, she exuded luxury and elegance despite having minimal makeup. Her fair skin was flawless, and a thin black veil covered her face, revealing only her full, alluring red lips.
She received Cheng Shuang and her entourage in the reception room. A maid was playing a harp beside them. The music was not loud, but the melody was melodious and gentle, which eased the visitors' sense of unfamiliarity with the host family.
The countess, seated in the main seat, covered her chin with her fan. Upon seeing Cheng Shuang and Lian Rong enter first, she immediately stood up and greeted them warmly. Her extremely enthusiastic demeanor made one involuntarily open their heart.
"Mysterious guests from the East, welcome to the Kingdom of Algard. I am Count Philosopher, and also the King's provisional Grand Steward of the Castle. The King of Algard is currently on campaign and has not yet returned, so he specifically instructed me to treat you all well!"
She suddenly grasped Cheng Shuang's hand. Her eyes, hidden by a black veil, were unreadable, revealing whether they were as passionate as her attitude. However, Cheng Shuang still felt uncomfortable and wanted to pull her hand away.
The other person's overly familiar manner clearly startled the young girl.
"Look, the pearl of the East, the little princess from across the ocean, your beauty is astonishing!" The countess seemed oblivious to Cheng Shuang's aloofness, gripping her tightly, glancing up at Lian Rong with a slightly arrogant tone, "Even your maid has a completely different kind of beauty, quite uniquely dark-skinned, truly befitting the mysterious East!"
Lianrong, the maid: You're blackmailing me! Blackmailing me!
"Ah! Your two guards aren't strong enough." The countess, like a butterfly, led Cheng Shuang by the hand, past Lian Rong, and then towards Du Jun and Sun Han.
"She's quite pretty!" she exclaimed. Then, she lifted her black veil, bent down, and winked her beautiful emerald eyes at the little girl meaningfully.
Finally, she stopped in front of the old man, her upturned red lips froze for a moment, and she abruptly turned around, completely ignoring the old man, which made Lianrong secretly roll her eyes.
It seems this countess is absolutely devoted to looks!
Cheng Shuang thought to herself, then her wrist tightened, and the Countess pulled her back to the main seat.
Although she didn't know much about Western history, the position looked exactly like a king's throne to her. However, the knights on both sides had solemn expressions and did not show any unusual behavior, so the little girl suppressed her question.
Moreover, with her wrists locked by the Countess, she was squeezed onto the throne with her. The Countess's overly familiar enthusiasm made Cheng Shuang shift her body uncomfortably, wanting to get up.
Strictly speaking, her scent was perplexing, not unpleasant, like a flower in its fading bloom, neither fully withered nor completely ruined, yet still possessing the rich fragrance of fresh flowers. However, the heat emanating from her was unbearable, like sitting next to a furnace in the sweltering summer heat.
Seeing Cheng Shuang's skin flush slightly, the countess covered her mouth with her fan and laughed heartily, "Pretty little princess, hahaha, you're so cute!"
The girl wasn't shy; she was just flushed from the heat. But after trying to break free to no avail, Cheng Shuang calmed down and decided to see what the countess was up to.
Du Jun frowned slightly, wanting to step forward, but was quietly stopped by Sun Han. The little girl also shook her head almost imperceptibly at the two of them, indicating that it was alright.
So far, aside from being overly enthusiastic, she has not noticed any danger.
Of course, how much of this attitude is genuine is unknown.
The remaining people were offered seats by the Countess. Aside from asking a few simple questions about information from the mysterious East, Cheng Shuang could sense that the Countess wasn't actually that interested in the culture and customs of foreign lands; all her questions were just polite formalities.
Soon, the observant silver-haired butler noticed the atmosphere was growing increasingly tense. He leaned down and asked the Countess, "Your Excellency, shall we continue the song and dance performance?"
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