Chapter 1116 - 171: The Arrival of the Nobility Assessment

Chapter 1116: Chapter 171: The Arrival of the Nobility Assessment

The settlement of a knight order naturally does not solely bring pastoral scenery.

On the Silver Radiance Plain, the Eternal Light Knight Order, beneath the tranquility of the countryside, has also erected a castle fortress named "Shining Fortress."

The castle is situated on a high ground at the north bank of the river bay, backed by an oak forest, offering a broad view on three sides. The massive foundation pit has already been dug, several meters deep, reaching the hard rock layer. Teams of ox carts and horse carriages are continuously coming from nearby quarries, bringing immense granite stones. Stone masons are diligently striking and cutting, shaping the stone blocks. Although the severe winter poses challenges to construction, the knights’ resilient will and the attendants’ and artisans’ efforts ensure the project progresses steadily.

The heart of the castle is a gigantic square tower under construction. It doesn’t pursue extreme height but emphasizes solidity and dignity. The stone walls at the base are incredibly thick, and taper upwards. The tower top is designed with a crenellated platform for placing ranged weapons and the knight order’s flag in the future. The interior of the tower is planned for the halls of the knight order’s core members, Bradley’s command room, an important armory, and dungeons.

Surrounding the main keep is a spacious inner courtyard, encircled by tall curtain walls. The curtain walls are constructed with sturdy rubble, and their surfaces will undergo meticulous polishing. Built into the walls are crenels for the guards to patrol, with fortified square towers positioned at intervals, providing flanking firepower. The inner courtyard will be the core area for knights’ daily training, ceremonies, and living, featuring a training ground, a small chapel, a blacksmith shop, stables (for the finest warhorses), warehouses, and senior officers’ residences (mostly attached to the main keep’s towers or buildings).

On the outermost part, a longer and slightly lower curtain wall will encircle the entire river bay highland and part of the plain, forming a vast outer courtyard area. This wall is the first line of defense for the castle, also safeguarding the villages built around the castle, along with more farmlands, pastures, and ordinary stables. The outer castle gate will be one of the most magnificent entrances to the castle, designed as a sturdy gatehouse with drawbridge and portcullis.

On three sides facing the plain, a wide moat has been dug, channeling the waters of the Silent River into it. A massive wooden drawbridge structure is being prefabricated, which will be the only controllable passage connecting the castle to the outside world in the future.

Despite being a military fortress, the elegance of the Virena knights is omnipresent. The stone joints of the castle strive for smoothness and precision, and important door lintels, window frames, and tower tops will be adorned with intricate decorative lines. The knight order’s emblem— a shining sharp sword piercing the shadows, with Virena’s scales in the background—will be prominently engraved above the main castle gate and on important towers. Moreover, to signify the alliance with Hesse Territory, the intertwined emblems of Bauhinia and Iris flowers will appear in certain key locations of the castle (like the main keep hall). The overall color tone of the castle primarily features sturdy gray-white (granite), accented with dark wood and metal fittings, appearing solemn and dignified under the sunlight, symbolizing the knights’ heavy burden and their pursuit of redemption.

Of course, they also place great emphasis on their connection with Flash Spear City; the knight order’s future agricultural products, wood, and artisan crafts (made by military artisans) will be traded with Flash Spear City’s salt, ironworks, fabrics, and luxury goods.

Bradley will also regularly meet with Flash Spear City’s Free Guild to coordinate patrols and defense in the plains and surrounding areas and share intelligence. Eternal Light’s heavy knights become the most powerful shield on Flash Spear City’s flank.

The small chapel within the castle will also be open to the civilians of Flash Spear City, where the knight order’s priests will preside over ceremonies, spreading Virena’s faith and further consolidating the church’s influence in Hesse Territory. The knights’ strict discipline and their protection of the weak have also won the local people’s initial goodwill.

Winter snowflakes begin to drift down, covering the newly turned furrows and the rough foundations of the castle. On the Silver Radiance Plain, one side is the calming pastoral scene of curling smoke from chimneys and cattle and sheep returning to their pens, the other side is the bustling and clinking sound of lively castle construction.

Meanwhile, within Bauhinia Manor, the atmosphere is equally heated. Winter has arrived, and the heavy snow engulfs the entire manor into a serene silver and white world. The howling north wind is blocked by the tall, dense Holy Purple Vine Trees and the thick walls of the tree houses, leaving only a subtle moaning sound. Inside the tree house, however, is entirely a different scene of fire and warmth.

High-quality oak crackles in the enormous fireplace, with dancing flames emitting a warmth strong enough to dispel even the deepest chill. The air is filled with the fresh scent of burning pine, the aromatic fruitiness of mulled wine, and... a more intimate, more alluring warm, sweet aroma.

Su Li enveloped in a soft dark purple velvet robe, reclines lazily on the main bed covered with thick bear skins, like a sated lion. He holds a scroll of parchment describing the landscapes of the Empire’s eastern provinces, though his gaze is unfocused on the text and, with a hint of amusement, he’s appreciating the vibrant beauty before him.

At dawn, just as the first ray of light struggles to penetrate through the frost-covered window, Hilude has already risen. She wears only a thin, nearly transparent ivory silk nightdress, outlining her voluptuous and mature curves. She walks barefoot on the warm carpet, softly and skillfully preparing Su Li’s morning grooming.

She wrings out a fine linen cloth soaked in warm rose water, carefully and gently wiping Su Li’s face and neck. Her fingertips occasionally and inadvertently trace over the line of his jaw or Adam’s apple, eliciting a ticklish and slight tremble.