Chapter 36: The Winged Hussar’s Swallowtail Banner
Chapter 36: The Winged Hussar’s Swallowtail Banner
Constance Manor was located in the western district of Jerusalem. It was a three-story villa-like building, enclosed by a red-lacquered wall with a watchtower for guards. Within the manor grounds, numerous servant quarters were built against the wall, along with stables, a smithy, a prayer room, storage rooms, and other facilities. The manor was cultivated with abundant greenery, providing patches of cool shade, and a small fountain continuously sprayed cool groundwater.
Lothar, holding his riding crop, pointed at the manor and asked, "How many people do you think this place can accommodate?"
"If we squeeze in, a hundred people should be no problem," replied Ryan, who had experience with "collective dormitories."
Moder added, "Milord, that’s not including the main building, which is reserved for you, your family, guests, and personal maidservants."
"Not bad." Lothar nodded. "Let’s go in. We can rest after quickly completing the handover procedures."
Guarding the manor were an old manservant and two Jerusalem sergeants clad in blue surcoats. After verifying Baldwin IV’s seal, the old manservant briefly explained the manor’s situation to Lothar and then departed decisively with the two sergeants. Things went much more smoothly than Lothar had imagined; he had half-expected some sort of trouble, like finding squatters.
"I must say, this style of manor is much more comfortable than those on the Continent," Lothar remarked as he, Fringilla, and Banu ascended the manor’s staircase. The first floor was open-plan, originally intended as a stable, but the previous owner must have been unable to tolerate living above a reeking stable. Thus, the first floor was left vacant, and a new stable was built elsewhere.
Ascending the wooden staircase, they reached the second floor of the small building. The rooms here were extremely spacious, with an inner and outer chamber flowing into one another. From the balcony, one could even glimpse the distant Temple Mount. Unlike the glaring brightness outside, it was much dimmer here, but not damp like manors on the Continent. Here, the dimness, compared to the scorching heat outside, was entirely a positive attribute.