CHAPTER 249: CHAPTER 161: GROWTH, WAGER, AND VIOLENCE

"Then we... shall see."

He murmured softly, a shadow flickering across his eyes.

Yaguba paused, gulped a couple of sips of seawater, thinking you want to turn into a blackened grade schooler too?

Cezar pulled out a bird feather from the World Oddity Annals.

He leaned against the chair, drooping his eyes, quietly staring at the fiery red bird feather, the edges of the feather shedding tiny sparks like embers.

"What use is a Phoenix feather anyway?" Yaguba asked, "Could Li Qingping really hope a bird feather can save you?"

Cezar said nonchalantly, "Li Qingping told me before, the ’Phoenix’ is different from other commonplace-level anecdotes; it can be upgraded."

"Upgraded?"

"Yes."

"Upgraded from commonplace-level to generational-level Anecdote Fragment?"

"Correct," Cezar said, "Li Qingping said only he knows this, and told me not to tell others." He paused, "Li Qingping also said, when that day comes, he will give the Phoenix to me."

"Li Qingping is indeed generous, casually giving away a generational-level oddity."

"What else?"

"Nobel Shark knows nothing; Nobel Shark just wants to eat. After Li Qingping gives you the Phoenix, can you give it to Shark to eat?"

"Why do you want to eat everything?"

The little shark pouted, "Your steward is here. We can’t talk now."

It had just perked up its ears, hearing footsteps approaching from the corridor outside the bedroom. The owner of the footsteps is Cezar’s new steward—"Shiva."

Just then, a gentle knock at the door quietly resounded.

"Your Highness, Third Prince, the celebration has begun," Shiva said in a deep voice.

"Coming."

Cezar tucked the Phoenix feather into his sleeve, then picked up the Crystal Ball and walked towards the door, opening it.

Shiva glanced at the Crystal Ball, hesitating to speak.

Cezar followed the steward out of the castle, standing at the island’s edge. School of flying fish soared overhead, and the sea breeze blew up from the base of the Terrarium.

He took a deep breath of the wind blowing towards him, lowered his eyes, overlooking the scenery of the Whale Terrarium.

Under the fiery sky, the Box Garden World was presenting a warm and beautiful scene.

At the moment of the summer festival, those islands originally scattered on the sea surface slowly floated and interlocked, forming a complete continent. The residents of each island were gathering towards the central island, like rivers flowing into the sea.

The central island was crowded. Viewed from above, the crowd was dense, like a swarm of ants migrating on a branch.

Steward Shiva, hands behind his back, turned to look at Cezar.

He proposed using the "Floating Stairs" to send him along, but Cezar shook his head, summoned the Anecdote Atlas, and retrieved the generational-level oddity - "Christmas Sled," and shattered it.

An orange light flashed by, a long cry resounded in the air. Soon, two reindeer dragging a red sled, wrapped in thick snow, ran out from beneath the blood-red sky.

Finally stopping at the island’s edge, they lowered their heads, waiting for Cezar’s command.

"In that case, Your Highness Third Prince, please be careful," Shiva advised.

"Alright."

Cezar said expressionlessly, holding the Crystal Ball, boarding the Christmas Sled, the reindeer started their air journey, slowly descending towards the island in the sea’s center.

Before long, they landed on the central island.

The crowd wandering through the streets and alleys resembled flowing music. From roadside stalls came occasional shouts, turning to look, fisherman were selling peculiar fish caught from the sea. People sang and danced, arms around shoulders, drinking and reciting poems under the blood-red sky.

Amidst the melodious sound of wind instruments, someone used a pole to hoist a net sprinkled with spices and bait, attracting the flying fish under the sky, causing them to surge and scatter, dropping phosphorescence upon the town like a snowfall.

The Christmas Sled suspended in mid-air, Cezar held the Crystal Ball, his long white hair swaying.

At this time, Queen Carolina descended from the moving stairs, standing at the center of the entire island; her elegant and luxurious gown fluttering in the wind, becoming the focal point of the world.

The commoners on the island respectfully stepped back, making way for her.

Carolina smiled slightly and drew an Anecdote Card with orange light patterns from the Anecdote Atlas.

"What is that?" Yaguba asked.

"Generational-level Anecdote, the Ancient Roman Colosseum," Cezar said. "Every year, during the summer festival, Father releases an Anecdote on the central island, constructing an arena... Then the seven members of the Royal Court Team perform a match in the arena. This is the liveliest time in the Whale Terrarium, with everyone rushing to the arena to watch."

He paused, "Because Father is ill, Mother is releasing the ’Ancient Roman Colosseum’ this year instead."

At that moment, Carolina crushed the "Ancient Roman Colosseum" in her hand.

The orange light patterns flashed briefly, and the ground shook with a resounding rumble. Numerous robust Roman stone columns burst from the ground, with bronze-embellished arches and steps piling up layer by layer.

Eventually, weaving into an enormous circular structure of unmatched grandeur.

Amidst the swirling dust, the core area of the arena gradually took shape. Iron bars rumbled upwards beneath the spectator stands.

Schools of flying fish scattered luminescent as if snowflakes drifted onto the stone stands, and blood-red twilight poured through the gaps in the arena’s dome, casting a radiant glow over this magnificent and ancient battlefield.

Cheers roared and surged from the crowd, and the immense shadow encompassed the clamor of the summer festival.

Yaguba widened his shark eyes, looking around from the Crystal Ball, and sighed:

"So there are things like this in generational-level Anecdotes?"

Cezar, unfazed, explained: "Generational-level Anecdotes come in many types, not all are the combat type like the Royal Court Team’s Anecdote Fragments, like the ’Holy Grail’ is a healing type, while the ’Ancient Roman Colosseum’ is a structural type."

"Sharky understands now."

Yaguba licked his sharp teeth, appetite whet, thinking that a variety of food is a good thing.

Carolina clasped her hands in front of her belly. She stepped down the floating stairs, amidst the cheers of the crowd, and slowly descended onto the royal stands, then turned her head to look at Cezar on the Christmas Sled, beckoning him over.

Cezar controlled the Christmas Sled, flying toward the royal stands and landing beside Carolina.

He got off the sled, put the Christmas Sled back into the Anecdote Atlas, and then sat beside the Queen, hugging the Crystal Ball.

"Mother, I’m here," he said.

"Good child," Carolina said, "Why did you bring the Nobel Shark again?"

"It’s a gift from Father, I want to keep it with me." Cezar paused, "Where are the brothers?"

"They are here."

Carolina raised her eyes to the sky.

Following her gaze, Yaguba looked up, and the First Prince Lorenzo and the Second Prince Cosimo appeared. They wore luxurious tailcoats, stepping down the silver-white floating stairs one step at a time.

Behind them followed the seven members of the Royal Court Team, led by Ruth and Li Qingping. As usual, only Li Qingping wore a black suit, while the others wore the robes of the Royal Court Team’s uniform.

With the appearance of the Royal Court Team and the two princes, the crowd that poured into the arena erupted into unprecedented cheers. The uproar almost drowned out the entire world.

Lorenzo smiled and waved to them; Cosimo kept a stern face with hands behind his back.

The two walked slowly, finally descending to the bottom of the royal stands, taking a deep look at Cezar, and then sat down on the left side of the Queen.

Cezar paid no attention to them, merely looking silently at the dome.

Li Qingping crushed a card. Silver light patterns flashed briefly, and the Phoenix expanded mid-air, transforming into a dazzlingly radiant giant bird, carrying the seven members of the Royal Court Team into the arena’s interior.

A rain of flames fell from above their heads, embellishing every majestic figure.

Amidst the overwhelming screams and cheers, Cezar suddenly spoke.

"Mother," he turned to look at Carolina, whispering, "After the performance match between the Royal Court Team, may I and Second Brother also have a performance match?"

Carolina was slightly taken aback, thinking she had misheard.

"Cezar, you..." she murmured, meeting Cezar’s gaze.

"I’m serious," Cezar said emotionlessly, "This way, everyone can enjoy watching, right?"