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Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters-Chapter 1011 - 58 White Eagle Mansion_2
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Chapter 1011 -58 White Eagle Mansion_2
“However, the windows are too large and too numerous, which is not good for defense,” Winters thought. “The shrubbery in the garden could also serve as cover for attackers. If it were up to me to defend this place, the first thing would be to dig up those obstructive trees. The stone house itself is sturdy enough, hmm… digging a moat around it, mounting a few cannons, and leveling the land should be sufficient.”
“[Old Language] What are you thinking about now?” Caman asked in a lukewarm tone, enunciating particularly hard: “[Old Language] My lord Baron.”
“[Old Language] I, too, was contemplating something pleasant,” Winters replied with a smile.
As the Attendant announced their arrival, Winters, accompanied by Anna, walked through the second door and entered the hall.
Since the guests had not all arrived yet, the hall, adorned with tapestries and sculptures, seemed rather empty.
A black-haired man in his early thirties rose from a couch and left a small chatty group by the fireplace to approach Winters and Anna.
The black-haired man was dressed in an embroidered jacket and tight hose, with his mustache and goatee shaven clean, and his hair meticulously combed. Neither overweight nor particularly sturdy, his gait was slightly unsteady—likely due to excesses in wine and pleasure.
His complexion presented a pampered ‘pallor,’ characteristic of skin never scorched by harsh sun nor scoured by biting wind.
Though his demeanor seemed somewhat delicate and frail, the black-haired man’s face was adorned with a poised, self-assured smile.
Without surprise, he was likely the owner of this manor—the renowned “White Eagle.”
The black-haired man walked straight up to Winters and Anna, unashamedly scrutinizing Anna.
Staring at a ‘married’ lady for an extended time was indisputably offensive, especially with her ‘husband’ standing right beside her.
However, the black-haired man inspected Anna from top to bottom without restraint, as if Winters were utterly nonexistent.
After a moment, the black-haired man withdrew his invasive gaze, but continued to gaze intently at Anna.
Dragging his lazy, soft Floran accent, he greeted Anna first: “[Old Language] My noble lady, even on the shores of the Inner Sea in Flora and a thousand miles away in the steel forts, I’ve heard of your courage, wisdom, and beauty.”
Before Winters could react, Caman, who was attending Winters, was already frowning.
Although the greeting appeared to be merely a formality, to those in the know, ‘courage,’ ‘wisdom,’ and ‘beauty’ all contained innuendo, veiled implications.
Caman, quite worried, watched Winters’s back, secretly clutching the holy sigil, fingertips trembling slightly.
Anna, composed, smiled back with a query: “[Old Language] So my wisdom and beauty must follow after my courage? Mr. Este?”
White Eagle was taken aback, then showed genuine amusement.
“[Old Language] Oh no, my esteemed lady, your wisdom far surpasses courage,” replied White Eagle with his characteristic affectionate and dashing gesture as he picked up Anna’s hand and kissed it gently: “[Old Language] And your beauty eclipses even your wisdom.”
“[Old Language] Thank you,” Anna graciously responded, slightly raising her skirt.
As more guests arrived, White Eagle courteously exchanged a few words with Winters before moving to greet the newcomers.
Caman let out a long sigh, and Winters turned back to look at Caman with curiosity.
“[Old Language] Let’s go,” Anna urged Winters, pulling at his arm with a mischievous smile: “[Old Language] Let’s appreciate some of the ‘Floran’ collections.”
With that, Anna led Winters to the edge of the hall, examining White Eagle’s displayed paintings one by one.
…
For some reason, it seems the cleaner the wall, the more it requires adornment—as if humans feel uncomfortable at the sight of barren walls.
When it comes to the choice of decorations, Empire nobility prefer weapons, armor, and trophies, while Venetians and United Provincials favor paintings.
Paintings can further be divided into categories. Many of the Protestant United Provincials have a fondness for still lifes, including flowers, apples, and even baskets of bread put into frames; or they might depict slices of life: a maid pouring milk, a housewife returning from the market…
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In contrast, with Catholicism prevailing in Veneta, there’s an appreciation for religious subjects, using the brush to recreate stories from scripture; and also historical themes, like the return of Saint Marco’s Relics.
The different preferences for paintings stem from societal attitudes.
Venetians find still lifes to be dull and uninteresting, whereas United Provincials would never dream of displaying paintings of ancient goddesses baring their chests and scantily clothed on their walls for all to see.
Just as Venetians dislike the United Provincials for their conservatism and stubbornness, the United Provincials scorn Venetians for their arrogance and indulgence.
Of course, whether it is still lifes or religious paintings, neither are the true mainstream.
The genuinely dominant works of art, now confronting Winters and Anna from the walls of Este Manor’s hall, are—portraits.
…
Upon seeing the ninth—or maybe the tenth—portrait of some White Eagle, Anna remarked, “[Old Language] Hmm… It certainly has that distinct ‘Floran’ style.”
In Sea Blue People’s vernacular, ‘Floran’ and ‘Hurd Chieftain’ carry connotations of vulgarity, low taste, and new money.
The long-standing animosity between the Sea Blue People and the Florans is rooted in trade disputes from the city-states era. Tracing further back, the discord can be attributed to several ancient wars.
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