xymnovel Chapter 275 The Official Residence Undergoes a Major Transformation
Chapter 275 The Official Residence Undergoes a Major Transformation
Chapter 275 The Official Residence Undergoes a Major Transformation
Constantine stepped out of his study and rang the brass bell on the living room table.
The crisp sound of the bell echoed in the room.
Alexandros appeared at the doorway, bowing and waiting.
"Contact the head of Petaras Shipping in London," Constantine ordered, his voice carrying a new, brisk rhythm. "I have a shipment of diplomatic supplies on the Aegean. It needs to be moved here from the Thames docks as quickly as possible."
Alexandros did not ask what the supplies were, but simply bowed his head and replied, "Yes, Your Highness."
Constantine then returned to his study and sat down at his oak desk. He spread out a sheet of paper bearing the royal coat of arms and picked up his familiar fountain pen.
The pen tip glides across the paper, leaving behind a smooth trail of ink.
He was no longer the strategist who needed to carefully consider every word, but more like a husband eager to respond to his lover's call.
"I have received your military order." He wrote the first line.
"The fog is thick here, and there are many wolves. But upon closer inspection, they are just a bunch of toothless old dogs."
"Rest assured, I promise to bring you back the most beautiful wolfskin rug to lay in front of your dressing table."
He sealed the letter and handed it to the messenger who was about to head to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A warm feeling spread from his chest to his limbs. When he came out of the study, he saw the members of the delegation sitting together, debating in hushed tones about a long and complicated draft of the meeting agenda that had just been sent by the British side.
On everyone's face was a weariness from facing a massive bureaucratic machine.
Constantine walked to the center of the crowd and clapped his hands vigorously.
"Gentlemen," he began, his voice booming, interrupting the discussion.
Everyone looked up at him.
"I've realized that our current living environment lacks spirit."
"We are Greeks, not English gentlemen." His gaze swept over the dark, heavy furniture in the room, and over the somber tapestries on the walls. "It's time to let this house absorb a bit of the Aegean spirit."
A few hours later, an efficient "invasion" began.
A team dispatched from Antonio Petaras' London office entered the quiet mansion. They moved swiftly and with discipline, like a well-trained engineering corps.
Those oppressive, dark velvet curtains were neatly removed, rolled up, and tossed aside.
All the heavy, elaborate English furniture was moved piece by piece and transported to the damp basement for storage.
All the tightly closed windows were pushed open, and the chilly yet refreshing air circulated violently throughout the building, completely sweeping away the last trace of musty smell.
Outside the official residence, carriages came one after another from the direction of the port.
The drivers unloaded the huge crates and opened them with crowbars.
The "diplomatic supplies" that Constantine mentioned have now been revealed to be true.
Those were not documents, nor weapons, but the sunshine and colors of Greece.
Lightweight and gracefully lined Greek-style furniture is made of light-colored wood.
Rolls of blue and white tapestries depict the epic scenes of Odysseus's voyage and his battle against the Cyclopes with bold lines.
Boxes of brightly colored painted pottery, decorated with olive branches and schools of fish.
There were also boxes of olives wrapped in sawdust, whole blocks of feta cheese, and barrels of Cretan wine exuding fruity aromas, all taken from the cold storage of the "Aegean".
Inside the official residence, the original smell of coal smoke and dampness was completely replaced by the aroma of sun-dried olives, salty sea breeze, and rich spices.
That's the taste of the Mediterranean.
The next day at dusk, a black four-wheeled carriage stopped in front of the official residence.
A British Foreign Office official named Phillips stepped out of the car. He straightened his dress and wore a formulaic, polite smile. He had been sent to have an informal meeting with the Greek side to finalize the details of tomorrow's meeting.
He walked to the familiar oak door, raised his hand, and rang the rusty doorbell.
The door opened.
Phillips' smile froze instantly. He was completely stunned. A warm wave of aroma, a blend of smoky roasted meat, the fresh scent of citrus, and some unfamiliar spices, washed over him, instantly dispelling the chilly fog of London. The blue and white before him were so pure that he couldn't help but recall the sun-drenched eyes he had experienced on holiday in Malta. The tapestries on the walls, depicting epic tales, with their bold lines and vibrant colors, were a stark contrast to the delicate pastoral fabrics he was accustomed to in the mansions of English aristocrats; they were brimming with a wild vitality.
This—this is not a mansion at all; it is a living Greek myth forcibly inserted into the heart of London.
Sunlight—though London's stingy sunlight, filtering through the mist—sunbathed through the open windows, illuminating the white walls and light-colored wooden floors. On the wall hung a huge tapestry depicting the hero Achilles riding his chariot, full of heroic spirit.
The air was filled with an aroma he had never smelled before, a blend of rosemary and roasted meat.
A servant dressed in traditional Greek attire walks by carrying a ceramic plate filled with glistening green olives and white cheese.
This is no longer the gloomy and oppressive British prison.
This place has been transformed into a bright, warm, and vibrant Greek island, abruptly thrust into the heart of London's dense fog.
Phillips stood at the doorway, unsure whether to go in or out.
The story of this "Greek Oasis in London" spread like wildfire that very night among diplomats from various countries.
Before the formal meeting even began, Constantine and his delegation had become the focus of attention in all of London in a way that no one could have imagined.