Chapter 54: Roterburg

The clouds were light and the breeze refreshing. Though it was the peak of summer, the weather wasn’t too hot—perfect for an excursion. Unlike other nobles, Xu Feng didn’t enjoy being surrounded by a large entourage. He only brought Xiuer, his maid, with him. The two rented a carriage and sped toward Fort Rotterdam.

“Xiuer, you look so beautiful in this outfit!”

As the saying goes, fine feathers make fine birds. For this trip, Xu Feng had asked Xiuer not to dress as a maid but to wear the clothes of a noble young lady. Paired with the jewelry he had gifted her two days ago, her fair skin gleamed under the dazzling gems—beautiful was the only word for it.

With her stunning looks, graceful figure, and ethereal charm, Xiuer, despite her humble origins, outshone more than ninety percent of the noble ladies in the capital once she was dressed up.

Xu Feng held Xiuer’s hand, admiring her closely. His gaze made her both happy and shy. The young man shook his head—this girl was so bashful; even after all their intimacy, she remained this timid.

“Come, sit down.”

Xu Feng patted the seat, and Xiuer obediently sat beside him. He held her delicate hand, gently playing with her slender, orchid-like fingers, which were both elegant and lovely.

“Xiuer.”

“Hmm?”

“Sitting around is boring. How about we play a game of chess?”

“Sure!”

Xu Feng took out a Go board from his spatial ring. Xiuer, a truly talented lady, excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. However, after playing for a while, Xu Feng shook his head. “Xiuer, that’s not fair. You could have won, but you deliberately let me, didn’t you?”

“Xiuer didn’t.”

“Don’t fib.” Xu Feng glared at the girl. “Are you afraid I can’t handle losing? Do you think your young master is that kind of person?” He put the pieces back into the box. “Let’s start over. This time, there’s a punishment for losing.”

“A punishment?”

“Yes.” Xu Feng smiled slightly. “If I lose, I’ll kiss you. If you lose, you kiss me. How’s that for a punishment?”

Xiuer blushed. This… the young master was being such a cheat. But she was a very gentle girl, accustomed to obeying Xu Feng in everything. Though shy, she didn’t dare argue with his suggestion and could only nod with a reddened face.

“Alright, let’s begin!”

As the saying goes, he dug his own grave. Xu Feng’s chess skills were truly mediocre. Without Xiuer holding back, he lost miserably. But it didn’t matter—Xu Feng had good sportsmanship. Since he lost, he’d follow the agreed punishment… and kiss the peerless beauty before him.

“Xiuer, again.”

“But young master, you’ve already lost seven games.”

“So what? I’ll definitely beat you.”

Xu Feng smiled as he set up the board again. Xiuer had no choice but to continue playing with her mischievous master. Perseverance paid off, and this time, Xu Feng finally won.

“Xiuer, a bet is a bet!”

The girl’s face flushed red. Though she and Xu Feng had already shared the most intimate relationship, this was the first time she had to take the initiative to kiss him.

“What, trying to back out?”

Xiuer’s face turned even redder, like a ripe apple, but she leaned in anyway, offering a sweet kiss. There was a hint of shyness, but the affection in it was unmistakable.

The air was filled with warmth and romance as the carriage sped toward its destination.

“Young master, young lady, we’ve arrived.”

The carriage stopped, and the coachman’s voice came through. Since Xiuer was dressed so elegantly, he assumed the two were a noble couple.

Xu Feng jumped out of the carriage and then, like a true gentleman, extended his hand to help the girl down. Touched by his thoughtfulness, Xiuer was deeply moved.

Looking around, the city was bustling—the first impression was one of busyness. Crowds bustled, the port loaded and unloaded cargo, and countless porters and merchants worked tirelessly. Though not as grand as the capital, the city was full of vitality.

Entering the city gates, the scene that greeted Xu Feng was even more astonishing. The streets were wide enough for several carriages to travel side by side, and shops lined both sides. Besides humans, there were plenty of elves, beastmen, dwarves, and other races, all visible everywhere. Though they existed in the capital, the numbers and proportions here were far greater. Xu Feng sighed—the reputation of this shopping paradise was well-deserved.

Though impressed by its prosperity, Xu Feng was a transmigrant from Earth. Compared to the international metropolises of his previous life, this was nothing special. As for Xiuer, she had never left the Marquis’s mansion since being sold there and had never seen such a bustling market. She looked around, her eyes filled with wonder.

“Girl, if you want anything or like something, just tell me.”

Hearing Xu Feng’s doting words, Xiuer felt sweet inside but smiled and shook her head.

“Silly girl.” Xu Feng gently bopped her delicate nose. “Your young master isn’t short on money. If you like something, don’t hold back for my sake.”

The market was filled with all sorts of goods, enough to dazzle the eyes. However, their main purpose today wasn’t sightseeing but to receive the mansion gifted by Duke Walter.

Many of the capital’s prominent nobles owned estates in Rotterdam. These estates were concentrated in the southern suburbs, where the scenery was picturesque, transportation convenient, and a certain distance from the central commercial district made it quiet and comfortable.

“This is the place!”

Following the address, they found a luxurious estate nestled among lush greenery. Knocking on the door, an elderly man greeted them. After identifying themselves, he bowed respectfully. “Lord Viscount, I am Moss, sent by Your Highness the Duke to await you here.”

Under his guidance, Xu Feng and Xiuer toured the estate. It was elegant, comfortable, and nearly twice the size of Xu Feng’s mansion in the capital. It had gardens, courtyards, rockeries, a swimming pool, and even a small artificial lake. The rooms were plentiful, and the furniture was complete. The only drawback was the lack of servants and maids.

Of course, this wasn’t because Duke Walter was stingy but to avoid arousing Xu Feng’s suspicion. For example, when Marquis Luoxiqi had gifted Xiuer to him, Xu Feng hadn’t touched her for a long time until he was sure the Marquis meant no harm and Xiuer wasn’t a spy. Only then did he begin to cherish and dote on her.

The Duke’s approach was clever—he gifted only the mansion, without servants or maids, to show Xu Feng that this was purely a token of gratitude, expressing the Walter family’s respect for him.

The Duke’s intentions were good, but everything has its pros and cons. Without servants, and with noon approaching, who would prepare the meal?

They couldn’t go hungry!

Though Xiuer was skilled in cooking, Xu Feng couldn’t bear to let such a beauty be exposed to kitchen smoke. A beauty was meant to be cherished.

“Xiuer, let’s eat out.”

“Alright.” Xiuer naturally had no objections to her young master’s suggestion. Leaving the noble estate area, they came across a street of food stalls. The air was filled with enticing aromas, but nobles wouldn’t frequent such places. On Hailan, still in the Middle Ages, social hierarchy was strictly observed. Nobles believed eating in such places was beneath their status. When they gathered, they usually reserved entire high-end restaurants.

But Xu Feng didn’t think that way. As a transmigrant from Earth, he knew that food streets and snack shops often offered many delicious treats.

As for status, Xu Feng didn’t care about it at all. Life is for enjoyment—why let the golden cup stand empty under the moon? Since he had come to Hailan, he intended to savor it all: fine food, beautiful women, power, and gold coins. As for other nobles’ notions of face and prestige, Xu Feng had no interest in such trivialities.

Their arrival caused a small stir, for two reasons. First, they were a handsome man and a stunning woman. Before transmigrating, Xu Feng had been a famous heartthrob at his university, and Xiuer’s beauty was beyond doubt—a peerless beauty, one in ten thousand. Such a perfect couple naturally drew many glances.

Second, their attire—noble clothing—was truly surprising. After all, those lofty nobles never deigned to eat on this street.