Chapter 021: Baroque Hotel

Wang Bo and Cinderella traveled in stops and starts, taking over two months to finally reach France.

This France was very similar to the France Wang Bo had seen on Earth.

Even the famous figures were strikingly similar.

For instance... Joan of Arc!

After entering France, Wang Bo was astonished to see a portrait of a female knight in a shop, with her name and achievements written below.

And that female knight was Joan of Arc.

This greatly surprised Wang Bo; he had not expected that in the fairy-tale world's France, there would also be a Joan of Arc. In a sense, it was truly incredible.

Even Joan of Arc's circumstances were very similar to those of the Joan of Arc on Earth, with only subtle differences in minor details.

Wang Bo had to admit that the fairy-tale world was indeed beyond his imagination.

After inquiring along the way, Wang Bo discovered even more interesting things.

Besides France, this fairy-tale world also had Great Britain, Italy, and some other strange countries.

In Wang Bo's view, this world was likely based on the European continent but added some countries that did not exist in ancient Europe.

For example, Cinderella's kingdom and the surrounding kingdoms—like the Hibiscus Kingdom, the White Chrysanthemum Kingdom, and the Shuna Kingdom—did not exist in ancient Europe.

But in this world, these countries did exist.

From this alone, Wang Bo could not treat this world as Earth.

The fairy-tale world was indeed far beyond his imagination.

After arriving in France, Wang Bo and Cinderella continued along their journey, spending another ten-plus days to reach the heart of France and arrive at a small town.

This was where Cinderella's father was buried.

It was a typical French country town, where everyone knew each other, so Wang Bo's arrival inevitably drew attention.

Everyone looked at Wang Bo and Cinderella with curious eyes, constantly guessing where these two guests had come from.

From other parts of France or even farther countries.

But despite their curiosity, the townspeople remained wary of strangers, so they only watched from a distance, and no one came up to speak with Wang Bo or Cinderella Rella.

Wang Bo looked around and said, "Maybe we should ask someone."

Cinderella nodded.

Although she knew her father had fallen ill and died in this town, she did not know exactly where he was buried.

She had to ask someone in the town.

So Cinderella stopped a person and asked if a foreign merchant had died there a few years ago.

The person she asked was a middle-aged woman, who looked Cinderella Rella up and down, shook her head, and said, "Sorry, I don't know. I have no memory of that."

Cinderella had to thank her and then ask the next person.

But after asking several people in a row, everyone said they didn't know, which filled Cinderella with anxiety and frustration. Could her father really be so insignificant?

Had her father died in this town so obscurely?

Wang Bo stepped forward, patted her on the shoulder, and said, "Your way of asking is wrong. Watch me."

He looked around, walked into a bakery, and placed a gold coin in front of the owner. "A few years ago, a merchant from a foreign land died in your town. Do you know anything about it?"

The owner looked at the gold coin on the table and said, "I seem to have some memory of that."

"Good." Wang Bo placed another gold coin. "Now, does anything come to mind?"

Looking at the two gold coins, the owner said, "I remember now. A few years ago, a traveling merchant passed through here, fell ill at the Baroque Hotel, and died there. Because of that, the Baroque Hotel's reputation suffered."

"Then how do I get to the Baroque Hotel?"

"Turn left out the door, and it's the third building." The owner carefully pocketed the two gold coins.

"Thank you."

Wang Bo smiled slightly and led Cinderella out the door to the so-called Baroque Hotel. As a country town inn, it was indeed more shabby than expected.

The hotel owner was an old man in his fifties, dressed in clothes that were old but clean, styled like a gentleman. When he saw Wang Bo and Cinderella Rella enter, he broke into a warm, enthusiastic smile.

"Welcome, you two. Would you like to stay?"

Cinderella Rella asked eagerly, "I want to ask, a few years ago, did a foreign merchant die in your hotel?"

The old man's face instantly darkened, thinking these two were probably here to cause trouble.

Rella quickly said, "Please don't misunderstand. That man was actually my father. I've come to take his remains home. So please tell me where my father's remains are. I beg you."

The old man's expression softened, and he studied Rella closely, as if trying to discern something.

After a long while, he said, "You don't look like him at all."

Rella said, "I look like my mother."

The old man sighed and said, "You know, your father dying in my hotel caused me a lot of trouble. Especially since I paid for his medical bills before he died. It was the only losing business I've ever done."

Rella lowered her head and said, "I'm very sorry."

Wang Bo chuckled. "If I remember correctly, he was a merchant. If he died, he should have had plenty of goods to cover your losses."

The old man glared at Wang Bo and said loudly, "He was a merchant, yes, but he had companions. His goods were all taken by his companions. I got nothing at all."

Wang Bo said with a smile, "Then I'm curious. If he had companions, why did you pay for his medical bills? Shouldn't his companions have paid? Would you be so kind as to foot the bill?"

The old man was left speechless, choked by the retort.

Wang Bo casually slapped a few gold coins on the table and said slowly, "If you want money, I can give it to you. But you'd better not use lies to exploit a young girl's sympathy."

The old man's eyes lit up at the sight of the gold coins on the table.

"Where is Rella's father? Tell me, and these gold coins are yours." Wang Bo was wealthy and didn't care about such a small amount.

But just then, a crisp voice came from outside, "Baroque, I heard two strangers have come to your hotel."

Immediately after, the hotel door was pushed open, and a young girl carrying books walked in.