Lungworth

— This photo was intended for use in a recruitment campaign for the army, but ultimately the government decided to focus on a more serious theme, so it never made it to the public. Today, it survives in only two copies — in my personal collection and here, with the potential buyer.

The story told by Iwein surprised the Heckelian woman somewhat — she had heard that Serberia presented itself as a country where human reason had triumphed over both human nature and nature in general. At the same time, it was none other than Sophia der Grosse, the founder of modern Serberian ideology, who considered appealing to the base instincts of potential soldiers for army recruitment. This alone spoke volumes, even if the crown ultimately abandoned this idea in favor of another. Apparently, there was some truth in the words of those fellow countrymen of Shanaz who said that the queen ruled Serberia not only with an iron hand but also with an iron will. However, this decorative element might have interested not only fans of Sophia's physical qualities — it was, in essence, a small piece of history, albeit in a rather amusing form. Some historians would certainly pay twice, if not three times, as much for it.

— And here I was fortunate enough to have the honor of receiving the queen in my humble studio...

This was already the second queen to grace Iwein's lens. Whatever one says, the man led a clearly interesting life, even if there were no other curious stories behind this particular photo.

— You know, elves don't really like humans, but this model really liked the prospect that "dirty animals" would admire her beauty, so we had a very productive relationship.

Considering that Iwein himself was probably no more than a "dirty animal" to the elf, Shanaz began to get the impression that his work was the only thing Iwein Scabiosa was proud of. As if the man was ready to endure any humiliation if a beautiful girl in a good pose awaited him at the end.

— And this is one of the daughters of Maximilian von Stingleheim, Duke of Reichheim, from Serberia. At the time, the Duke decided to teach his daughter a lesson for her poor treatment of her maids and made her spend some time in their shoes. I might add, he was a wonderful person, and we found we had a lot in common.

Shanaz had already heard about the Duke of Reichheim, but the information she had received was fragmentary, so it was difficult to judge his character fully. Judging by Iwein's story, he could have been either a responsible person with a very interesting sense of humor or someone who was simply looking for an excuse to dress his daughter in a maid's costume. In Heckeklia, both options were certainly possible, while the Heckelian woman did not dare to judge how much the customs of the inhabitants of Serberia differed from the customs of her fellow countrymen.

— This is from my visit to Airisufir. I don't know what this, um, "forced" model is called, but I haven't seen such a beautiful country yet. It's a pity that I had to hide from the authorities and in a hurry use the services of the underworld to leave its borders.

Indeed, it seemed that Iwein Scabiosa was ready to endure not only humiliation but even break the law or two if it guaranteed him a good shot. Perhaps he would even have been bold enough to invite some Karian to a photoshoot to have the only picture in the world of the demon queen. He was clearly not the type to think through his actions in advance and immediately grabs the camera if a sudden burst of inspiration strikes. Now Shanaz didn't even rule out the possibility that she herself could end up in his lens during the course of her work. For example, if Iwein asked her to dust off the top shelf and then decided that the angle from below was exactly what he needed at the moment. However, the Heckelian woman wouldn't be particularly opposed to that — there have been worse things, much worse, and her employer didn't seem to be the type to abuse his power. She was even a little curious about how much he could sell such pictures for. Maybe he would even allow her to keep a copy for herself as a souvenir, or even give her a bonus. Financial assistance would certainly be welcome for Shanaz right now.

— As you can see, not much is left.

— I see you are a great admirer of female beauty, Mr. Scabiosa," the girl said with a charming smile when the photographer finished his little "tour." — It's a pity that I won't be able to see your other works and hear the stories associated with them. But, on the other hand, this means that the fruits of your labor are in demand — another reason to be proud.