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Page 11
A retractable iron cage is suspended above the fighting area, with the cage door controlled by pulleys.
Robin couldn't tell what metal it was forged from; it was jet black and shiny.
There was a slave passageway underground that led directly to the prison cells, with the entrance decorated with roaring bronze animal head sculptures.
Charcoal was mixed into the sandy underground layer to absorb blood, and drainage channels were buried along the edges.
There were torch stands at the four corners, and the fuel inside was something Robin had seen in a book—it could burn for years, casting flickering shadows.
On the north side of the arena stands a high stone platform with a scale pattern carved on its surface, upon which stand a gallows and a guillotine.
The dome, with its arched structure, deliberately amplifies the screams of the slaves and the cheers of the audience, creating psychological oppression.
The pipe organ was located in a corner, and the music was amplified throughout the venue through a hidden amplifier.
The stands are divided into three levels, and there are obvious differences in the building materials used.
The top floor not only features a private room made entirely of gold, but it also rotates slowly.
Based on his experience with moving walkways, Robin knew without a doubt where the power for the cabins came from.
As soon as Blake entered the arena, a steward rushed over and knelt before him.
"Your Excellency Celestial Dragon, please follow me."
After Blake let out a soft, unintelligible hum, the steward stood up briskly, bowed slightly, and led the way.
Upon entering the arena, the ever-mischievous Perona glanced at the two slaves dueling in the arena and, seeing them tearing at each other like wild beasts with blood splattering everywhere, immediately covered her eyes.
Stella's face also showed a rare serious expression. She held Robin's and Perona's hands respectively and followed closely behind Black.
Upon entering the mobile suite made of pure gold, the steward placed several jewel-encrusted telescopes on the table.
Only after Blake waved to him did he remain bowed, leave the room, and close the door.
I don't know what technology this private room used, but the moment the door closed, almost all the noise disappeared instantly, as if what I had just experienced was just a dream.
Chapter 16 Impact
The history of slavery in Mary Geoise has lasted for at least eight hundred years, and the threshold for human excitement is always getting higher and higher.
Perhaps in the beginning, this arena was simply a fair duel between slaves.
Gradually, it evolved into a conflict between humans and animals, between those with abilities and those without, and even between members of the same race...
The duel currently underway is a contest between a person with superpowers and a person without superpowers.
Although this user only possesses a Zoan-type Devil Fruit, the Ox-Ox Fruit, the situation was still one-sided when facing a non-Devil Fruit user who had not trained.
The slaves with superpowers also understand the psychology of top-level figures.
He didn't defeat his opponent in one fell swoop, but rather played with him slowly and deliberately, like a cat toying with a mouse.
The non-ability users looked terrified and stumbled as they fled across the sand.
The ability user followed leisurely behind, occasionally slicing off a piece of flesh from the other person's body with a wave of his hand, seemingly about to skin him alive.
Blood splattered across the venue, appearing from the upper boxes like blood-red lotus flowers blooming in the desert.
Blake pushed open the French windows, and the noise from the arena instantly flooded into the room.
"Damn it! You better fight back! I've staked money on you!"
"Scalper! Tear him to pieces!"
Turning his head and seeing Robin and Perona's slightly pale faces, Blake smiled:
"Feeling uncomfortable is normal."
“Even after living in the holy land for more than ten years, I still can’t fully adapt to this lifestyle.”
Hearing Blake's words of comfort, Robin looked up in surprise:
"If that's the case, why don't you think about changing something?"
Blake stepped onto the balcony, placed his hand on the ivory railing, and pointed to the decorations:
“Every gem and every gold thread on this was forged from the foolish idea of ‘improvement’.”
He looked at "Yellow Ox," who had already skinned his enemy to a skeleton, and pointed at him, saying:
“Look, he’s kissing his master’s boots—this is the true face of the world.”
Robin looked in the direction Black was pointing and saw the victorious "Scalper" kneeling at the feet of a pink-haired female Celestial Dragon, cleaning her shoes with his tongue.
The reason you feel uncomfortable is because you are still thinking from the perspective of a lower class.
"Imagine if you were that little girl from the Don Quixote family, wouldn't you feel excited?"
Although Robin has read many books, he has not experienced much of the coldness and warmth of human relationships, and his values have not yet been fully formed.
Upon hearing Blake's words, Robin subconsciously followed his train of thought.
A barely perceptible surge of excitement coursed through her body, causing it to tremble slightly.
This is an instinctive reaction of humans as higher animals. Everyone has a violent impulse in their heart, but most people can learn to control themselves through education.
As the world's rulers who legally enjoy all privileges, the Celestial Dragons do not need to control any of their desires.
If it weren't for his memories of his past life, Black would probably be no different from any other Celestial Dragon.
He handed the wine glass to Robin:
"You're lucky. By staying by my side, you've already gained the opportunity to become a member of the upper class."
"Either learn to drink blood from a gin cup, or lie on the ground and become blood wine."
"That's the logic of this world."
These words seemed to be both a way of comforting Robin and a way of making a decision for himself.
Robin stared intently at the wine glass in his hand, and took a small sip of the bright red wine inside.
Seeing Robin's performance, Black smiled with satisfaction.
No rush. The formation of values should start from childhood and be done gradually.
That's enough for today; there's plenty of time ahead.
After leaving the slave arena, the three women each had a different expression.
Stella, the oldest of the three and already possessing a fully formed worldview, was ironically the one most affected by the change.
Especially since she was also a slave, it was hard for her not to bring herself into the blood-soaked arena.
Robin had regained her composure; it was impossible to know what she was thinking.
Perona, on the other hand, was rather sullen.
Although she likes to be funny, she is not the kind of person who is utterly wicked.
However, Perona was the youngest and could not fully comprehend the cruelty involved.
Back at the manor, Blake saw that Stella seemed lost in thought, and the smile that usually graced her face had vanished. He knew she had been through something traumatic.
However, he did not comfort Stella.
What Celestial Dragon would care about the psychological problems of slaves?
Even though Blake cares a lot about Stella, he wouldn't do anything that would "lower his status."
After thinking for a moment, he gave the group an instruction:
"You two can play around for a while, but remember not to leave the manor."
"Stella, come with me."
Blake wouldn't comfort Stella, but he could ease her emotions in other ways.
Sunlight filters through the shadows of the trees, turning into a hazy blue-purple hue through the stained glass windows, flowing across the mother-of-pearl-inlaid desk.
The incense from the distant greenhouse seeped in through the half-open arched windows, mingling with the sweet amber scent of the perfume to create a dizzying aroma.
The gold thread embroidery on Blake's cuffs flickered in the dappled sunlight, and whenever his arm moved, the entwined vine patterns seemed to come alive as they danced across the silk fabric.
His fingers remained on Stella's collarbone, the sweet scent of perfume lingering between them, his fingertips slowly sliding down her neck, as if tracing a fragile piece of porcelain.
Blake's movements as he untied his corset resembled peeling a lychee, his fingertips occasionally brushing against the hollows of his spine, causing the pearl necklace to tremble slightly.
"Now, it's time to close your eyes."
Stella didn't answer, but her breathing had become erratic.
Blake's fingers gently parted the fabric on her shoulder, the movement slow, as if giving her a chance to refuse.
But she didn't move; she just closed her eyes.
When Blake removed his lapel pin, the aquamarine pendant touched the crystal ashtray, producing a clear, resonant sound.
The gauze curtain he casually parted was lifted by a gentle breeze, and the semi-transparent silk curtain brushed against Stella's bare ankles.
Stella heard the sound of water droplets falling into the marble pool outside the terrace fountain, the rhythmic dripping gradually merging with her own increasingly rapid heartbeat.
The moment the gauze curtain fell, Stella saw a distorted image in the dressing mirror through her tear-filled mist: the melting wax on the gilded candlestick was slowly solidifying into a coral-like shape.
In the instant darkness descended, Stella heard the rustling sound of fabric slipping onto the carpet.
Faintly, she seemed to hear a very soft sigh, but she could no longer tell where the sound came from.
Was it Blake? Or was it herself?
The crumpled dress lay piled on the carpet, like waves pushed ashore by the tide.
Chapter 17 Barrett's Thought Process
Beside the giant fish tank, Perona and the mermaid Ida were idly splashing water at each other.
"Sister Robin, I feel like that bad guy and Sister Stella have been disappearing a lot these past few days."
Robin blushed.
Robin, who was already seven years old and had read quite a few books, clearly knew much more than Perona.
However, at this point, she had not yet awakened the cunning and ruthless nature she possessed in the original work; otherwise, she might have encouraged Perona to go in and take a look.
"Don't worry about such things, kids."
"Furthermore, we must maintain respect for His Highness in the Holy Land. If other Celestial Dragons hear this, it will affect His Highness's dignity."
Perona pouted in dissatisfaction:
"Okay, okay, you're so long-winded."
Then he whispered:
"You yourself are a child."
When Perona saw Robin looking at her with a half-smile, she felt a sudden panic.
Just as he was about to beg for mercy, Robin threw him into the fish tank.
"Wow! Help!"
As a bunch of bubbles rose to the surface, the mermaid Ida gently lifted Perona up.
Perona spat out two mouthfuls of water and waved her little fists at Robin:
"Damn it! You woman, just you wait! I'll get my revenge!"
Then, she rolled her eyes, scooped up some water, and splashed it at Robin.
Before Robin could react, he was drenched in cold water.
Robin's smile froze for a moment before he crossed his arms over his chest.
Suddenly, several arms sprouted from Perona's body, instantly pulling her into the water.
Life back in Mary Geoise was rather boring, with Black only able to engage in the usual activities typical of Celestial Dragons.
Fortunately, Stella was with him.
After that day, with Blake's use of poison against poison, Stella, who was already very good at regulating her emotions, completely got rid of the psychological impact of the slave arena and devoted herself entirely to Blake.
Perhaps Stella was too engrossed in the role.