Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

Out of pride, Major General Layton honored his first promise to defect, and Winters rushed into the enemy's cabin ignoring the knife wound on his arm;

It was also out of pride that Winters couldn't be bothered to explain to Miss Navarre, much less wanted to see her again. After all, that unexplained slap still stung quite a bit.

But Elizabeth smirked, refusing to agree to help Winters get the designs from Anna. Clearly, she already knew through her own channels that Winters had been slapped by Anna. This was probably one of the few joys in her mundane life, and she definitely wasn't going to let it go easily.

"Your friend has a particularly bad impression of me, I'd rather not see her if I can help it. Is this how you want to see me get slapped again?" Winters grabbed Elizabeth to stop her from running away.

"Winters, I'm doing this for your own good," Elizabeth argued with a twisted logic, feigning seriousness, "You've almost angered Anna to death, and now all my lady friends think you're a very indecent man… Apologize to Anna, she will forgive you."

"Why should I apologize?" Winters couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time, seeing through Elizabeth's thoughts, "You'd be happy to see me get slapped again, huh?"

Elizabeth could no longer hold back and burst into unrestrained laughter. Just then, Antonio came home, and Elizabeth quickly sought her father's help.

Antonio's attitude was generous, "I originally thought they were just going to Lady Anguisola's studio for fun. So they are pretty good at painting, huh? Since Giovanni needs to ask for Miss Navarre's assistance, I'll take you to Navarre Manor myself."

"Wouldn't it be easier for you to go ask Mrs. Navarre yourself to take a few of her daughter's paintings?"

"Giovanni is asking for your help, not mine. You should go yourself; I'm going to Navarre Manor to apologize for my own rude behavior to Miss Navarre." Antonio's smile was just like Elizabeth's, and Winters confirmed once more that Ella's penchant for mischief was definitely inherited from Antonio.

Upon returning to Mrs. Navarre's small parlor, Antonio and Winters were greeted by Mrs. Navarre and her daughter.

Antonio and Mrs. Navarre were old acquaintances. He briefly explained the purpose of their visit, hoping to obtain several of Miss Navarre's works on behalf of his brother Giovanni. Before Anna could speak, Mrs. Navarre agreed on her daughter's behalf.

Afterward, Antonio cheerfully started conversing with Anna in the old tongue, then switched to speaking with her in ancient language.

Anna responded fluently, while Mrs. Navarre felt somewhat at a loss on the side.

Winters could understand them, but the conversation between Antonio and Anna was casual small talk with no substantial content.

After confirming that Anna could indeed use the old and ancient languages, Antonio stood up and bowed deeply to Anna, saying sincerely, "[Old Language] Miss Anna, I apologize for any offense I previously caused, having mistakenly seen you as a common woman; please accept my apology."

Anna, Mrs. Navarre, and Winters were all taken aback.

In any case, in this era, men held a far higher status than women; not to mention that even if Anna were male, the social status of Navy Admiral and Standing Army commander Antonio Serviati was still far above hers.

It was rare in any era or country for someone of higher status to apologize to someone of lower status. Most high-status individuals, even if they should apologize, act as if nothing happened.

Seeing this, Winters began to admire his uncle's magnanimity, because Antonio was sincerely apologizing for his actions to Anna without any reluctance.

Anna, seeing Antonio bow deeply to her, was also a bit panicked. She quickly stood up, clumsily returning a curtsy.

Without saying anything more, Antonio turned his head to Mrs. Navarre and said with a smile, "Then please have Miss Navarre bring out a few of her artworks."

Mrs. Navarre was utterly confused, not understanding what had happened, and she hadn't grasped a single word of the conversation between Antonio and Anna.

Finally, Antonio switched back to the common language, and Mrs. Navarre, gracefully leaning back in her armchair, responded, "Let the two children go together. You and I have endless topics to discuss."

Winters followed Anna, and the two walked in silence all the way to Anna's studio.

The studio was furnished with several easels, the tables covered with canvases and papers. Many completed works covered with white cloth leaned against the walls. Countless papers with sketches lay carelessly on the floor.

"Hmph." Anna, with her back to Winters, rummaged through the table, annoyed, she spoke first, "Mr. Serviati still deeply looks down on women, 'I mistakenly viewed you as a common woman,' does this mean he can be so frivolous with any common woman?"

Winters was left speechless.

The more Anna thought, the angrier she became, and she turned to Winters with a burning question, "What do you think, Mr. Montaigne?"

Winters thought for a moment, speaking slowly, "As a guest, I should not have been treated this way."

Two rolls of paper were thrown at Winters, but since the thrower wasn't strong, and the papers were no javelins, Winters easily caught them.

"A guest can demand my work after insulting me?" Anna came over holding several more rolls, shoving the papers at Winters, "Take them all!"

"Others can't represent me; I've never entertained any indecent thoughts towards you. On the contrary, you've been quite rude to me." Winters replied with neither humility nor arrogance, "If you don't wish to gift your paintings to me, I am also prepared to purchase them. But to be honest, compared to before, I now hold you in less respect."

Anna was truly about to lose her mind with anger now.

"Or perhaps, would you like to slap me again?" Winters asked wistfully.

His words were so full of mockery that Anna was driven to utter fury, and then she... she started to cry.

Yes, Anna was cried out of anger.

She crouched on the ground, burying her head as she sobbed heavily.

Winters was stunned.

He stood there agape, completely at a loss.

"Eh? Why are you crying?"

"You're not faking it, are you?"

The other party cried even louder.

"What's going on here? I'm innocent."

"If your servants hear this, I'll be smeared... so will you."

Still no effect.

Winters also crouched down, tentatively asking, "Or... perhaps if I slap you back we call it even?"

"You hit me!" Anna lifted her head, sobbing and hiccuping, small, helpless, yet fierce.

Finally, there was an effect.

"I don't hit... ladies." Winters intended to say he didn't hit women, but then he thought of Sofia, and among women, there were fierce assassins like Sofia, so he chose to replace 'women' with 'ladies.'

Anna stopped crying, her eyes red, and asked Winters with no ladylike image at all, sniffling, "You said you want to buy my painting, right?"

"I can buy it, you name the price."

"It better not be extortionate," Winters thought to himself, "I still have to get reimbursed from Uncle Giovanni."

"You will know the price." Anna glared at Winters and pushed him out of the studio.

——————

On the way home, Antonio remarked to Winters with emotion, "Miss Navarre is indeed remarkable; I think if she weren't a woman, she would surely achieve even more."

"Didn't you tell me just a few days ago that widows hold up half of Vineta?" Winters retorted.

"Exactly, I was talking about widows." Antonio replied with a smile, "If Miss Navarre becomes a widow, she would also achieve even more."

——————

Inside Navarre Manor, Anna buried her face in Lady Navarre's bosom, her face showing no trace of having cried just before.

"Are you very familiar with that young man named Winters?" Lady Navarre asked casually.

"No, this was only the second time we met." Anna replied absentmindedly.

"What do you think of him?"

"Not good!"

Lady Navarre said seriously to Anna, "I know his mother, I've seen his father. He carries Northern blood, and our family does not intermarry with Northerners, do you understand?"

"Oh! Mom, what are you talking about! I'm not Katelyn, who thinks about getting married all the time!"