Chapter 54: Conversation at the Mirror Palace
The capital of the Roman Empire, Perigo, was built on a sprawling plain at the foot of a mountain range. Unlike the capital of Calais, which was known as the first city of Syracuse, Perigo was famous for its romance, passion and beauty. Poets have hailed Perigo as “the city most suitable for the blossoming of love”. Adhering to its main belief on the goddess of beauty and love, every corner of the city was steeped in tales of romance, giving birth to a diverse array of arts.
However, it was the holy city of Florence that truly reigns as the capital of art. The Portia family’s patronage of artistic masters and their insatiable appetite for collecting various artworks have undeniably made Florence the most coveted destination for artists. Perigo, on the other hand, was a paradise for wanderers, poets, and lovers.
Crowds gathered at the city gates, eagerly waiting for the distinguished guests from Florence to arrive. The streets and windowsills were adorned with lush Perigo roses and snow-white Florentine lilies, filling the city with a fragrant and intoxicating aroma. Flags bearing the symbols of Rome and the Holy See flew side by side from every visible vantage point, proclaiming the friendly relationship between the two. The entire city was lifted by a wave of enthusiastic cheers.
Redrick, riding his horse, was almost entirely concealed by the uniform armor of the knights. His visor covered his features, but the rigorous training these knights had undergone made them all possess an outstanding and upright figure. Young ladies on either side of the procession threw bouquets of flowers, their cheers filling the air. Though they modestly wore veiled hats to conceal their faces, the corners of their veils were coyly lifted at a corner.
His position at the front of the procession was a prime spot to attract the crowd’s scrutiny and welcome, a clear indication that those who arranged the seating knew his identity and were deliberately trying to please him.
Redrick had long been accustomed to such flattery and accepted it with a sense of entitlement.
He casually caught a bouquet of champagne-colored roses that flew into his arms and tucked it into the gap in his chest armor, hearing a delighted scream from the crowd.
“He accepted it! Oh my!”
Redrick puffed out his chest in pride. Although the rules prohibited him from waving to the sides, that didn’t prevent him from nodding his head in greeting.