Chapter 23: Third Episode: Chapter 5 (1/2)
Chapter 23: Third Episode: Chapter 5
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Even after Marquis Almodovar Godzilla returned to his mansion, the chills he experienced still hadn’t subsided, disturbing his sleep. He didn’t believe anyone in the world to be able to plan something so frightening. No matter the perspective, a fifteen-year-old shouldn’t be able to execute a conspiracy to that depth.
Marquis Godzilla paced around in his bedroom in boredom, feeling the effects of the insomnia. Insomnia, such a hated disorder that it can be caused by so many factors. Marquis Godzilla’s episode tonight, however, was caused by his fear toward the young Prince.
He now know that it is unwise to make a deal with such a devil. That afternoon, the teenager hadn’t even tried to make a deal with old Kachev, but Marquis Godzilla knew, the old guy and the little devil are of the same kind, they wouldn’t leave marks tracing back to them. They are so in sync when it comes to trickery and intrigue, the Marquis couldn’t figure out how the young Prince managed to get on the old Duke’s level.
The wall lamps in the bedroom threw beams of light into the humongous space. His visitors were always surprised by its size. Even though his ‘visitors’ were never proper ‘visitors’, Marquis Godzilla was still proud of his bedroom, his most private space where he could completely relax.
However, tonight was different. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t settle down. No one could, when they were facing the young Prince. Marquis Godzilla could still remember the journey back in the evening, when His Imperial Highness Prince confided in him his plans to take down the House of Brickfield, Marquis Godzilla recalled his discomfort. Even though he had done his share of swindling, he had never participated in a conspiracy that is no different than a massacre.
Marquis Almodovar Godzilla extinguished the last of the lamps in his room, the sudden darkness startling a little. He understood something clearly right after though, and that was predictable danger was not as dangerous as he thought, even the dangers one can see can be avoided, the truly dangerous ones were the one in the dark waiting to strike.
Throwing his portly frame in his bed, Marquis Godzilla put on his favorite nightcap. He decided to stay away from the young Prince, they were definitely not the same type of people.
It didn’t seem like there were anyone bothering to measure the capital city Dulin’s geographical location, but people were used to calling Titan’s capital the center of the lands. Naturally, the capital city is a colossal place where everything gather, but its inhabitants were not as lucky as the outsiders think it was.
Can you picture millions of people starting fire to cook at brillig? In Dulin, this would happen everyday. The crowded streets, noisy market, screaming wives and crying children, jaded men and quarreling whores, can all these bore people out? Perhaps not. Many a times people were not able to change their lives with just their own abilities, just like the century-old nightfog above Dulin, the smell of soot and spices seeped into the citizen of Dulin’s lives, becoming part of Dulin’s unmistakable identity.
***************
It was almost midnight, but the Ministry of Justice building was still fully lit. In the office of the Minister of Justice, experts and heads of secret agents like those in mythical stories met. They’re all in a state of excitement, after all, to convict the Secretary of State wasn’t something that happens regularly, and even though their current discussion about the Secretary of State had derailed in logic, these people whose experience in condemning people in court had their minds filled with inertial thinking that compels them to find fault in other people first before considering other issues. In other words, even if the Secretary of State had been completely innocent, it would only be declared once the other people decided he had not done any faults.
”Everyone! Please! Hear me out. I think even with all the evidence we had, they didn’t sufficiently prove his guiltiness, we shan’t think our supposition as the actual situation.” The one speaking was the Chief Detective of the Ministry of Justice Criminal Investigation Department.
”Sir, I don’t agree, my investigators had already gotten their hands on the agreement between the Brickfield and Deiss, but our investigations all point toward the agreement being a cover up, the development projects listed on the agreement does not exist!” Count Rudolf Hoss, the head of the Secret Service department was the first one to speak up against the Chief Detective.
”I can’t deny the investigation of the Secret Service being reliable, but can you guarantee the Brickfield wasn’t the one who was ripped off? The experts in my department had fully explored and proven the possibility of this situation.”
Count Rudolf Hoss scowled disapprovingly at his colleague. ”Ripped off? Do you and your experts think this was a regular financial fraud case?”
The aged Chief Detective didn’t miss the hostile tone Rudolf employed, but as a Chief Detective, he felt he needed to make sure his own opinion was clarified across the board. ”No, dear Rudolf, I’m stressing the possibility of the situation. Due to the suddenness of the case, I believe the House of Brickfield and the Deiss would have handled it with more caution if they really were involved in the case of your accusation.”
Count Rudolf Hoss was the head of the Titan Empire’s Secret Service, he had seen many things like this, but the point the Chief Detective made was also the part he wasn’t sure of. If the Secretary of State had been involved in treason, his position alone would have been enough influence for a cover up, but the problem happened where it shouldn’t have, the transaction! Unable to provide a retort, Rudolf kept quiet.
The silence in the meeting room didn’t last long, as the Minister of Justice led the Finance Minister Marquis Almodovar Godzilla into the room under the authorization of the King.
The Finance Minister looked tired, he wore a loose jacket over his night gown and a laughable bear-shaped nightcap. Count Rudolf Hoss almost laughed at Marquis Godzilla as he greeted him, but he managed to fight down the urge. As the head of the Secret Service department, he reports directly to the King, but the Finance Minister was still higher in rank than he was.
”Okay, okay! Just laugh at me already, alright? I already had a bad day anyway, as long as you don’t tell the ladies out there about what you saw today! Come on, laugh!”
The office bursted with a unanimous roar of laughter. The big man was considered a treasure of the Empire, hilarity always followed him wherever he went.
”Hahah hahah! Our dear Marquis Godzilla, my old friend! I’m sorry to have dragged you here from your warm bed, I’ll treat you to a steak at The Hen's Tongue another day.”
Minister of Justice, Marquis Roment Huga Andeses gave his portly friend an enthusiastic hug.
”Forget it, my friend! The bottle of rum you owe me from university, do you remember that? I stole it back from your wife! ‘I’ll treat you to a steak.’” Marquis Godzilla mimicked the Minister of Justice, ”Fagetaboutit! I’d rather get the meal money from Marchioness Andeses!”
Once again, the room cracked up with laughter. It was a public secret that Marquis Andeses feared his wife, but only the obese Finance Minister could tease him like this.
”That’s enough old friend, stop it with your roguish tricks! Have a seat. Tea, or whisky?”
‘Sea Monster’ downed the shot of fiery whisky, feeling the liquid burning up his insides. He was still feeling unsure, but his mind was made up on his way to the Ministry of Justice. According to the situation, the Secretary of State seemed to be bearing the brunt of the storm, it all depends on whether Marquis Godzilla will throw in the straw that breaks his back.
”Oh! That’s much better!” Marquis Godzilla procured his handkerchief to wipe away his sweat. It seemed he was constantly secreting the salty fluid. ”Sirs, let us see what actually happened here!”
***************
”What happened here? I seemed to have missed a brilliant show.” Toby Ryan Creech the Liar Extraordinaire, currently known as Baron Erbe, minister of His Imperial Highness Prince O’Neil Andrew Morisette, marvelled.
”Ola! My dear Ricky, it’s so nice to see you back here, I’m in need of a hand here.” Oscar greeted the liar extraordinaire who had just returned from a trip in the garden of 31 Penelope Street.
”Your Imperial Highness! You have got to remember to address me as Baron Erbe. YOu haven’t told me what actually happened?”
”Oh it’s nothing that special, our friends from afar and I just wove some accusations against our Secretary of State whose favorite pastime include digging up dirt.” Oscar stated flatly.
Ricky the Liar Extraordin- I mean, Baron Erbe’s jaw dropped in awe, ”Goodness! You little… I thought you would have given me the honors!”
Oscar slapped his forehead, he knew of his companions’ scrappiness.
”That’s fine, my friend, care to have a listen? Of course I’ll involve you in some way.”
***************
Robert Carter Brickfield was the brother of the Secretary of State Duke Robinson Brickfield by blood. He wasn’t able to inherit the dukedom from his father due to the Titan Law saying only one person can inherit titles through ancestry. With that said, Carter was still capable in comparison to his brother, especially in finance, he had been following the old Duke Brickfield around since young, learning about managing the finances. Through the years, his result in managing the family finances was impressive.
The wealth of Titan Nobles were no doubt the most envied in the whole of Westland. Since years ago, the prosperous Far Eastern Road had provided the Titan Nobles uncountable gold. Even though the Titan economy was falling behind, if anyone would look into the lavish lifestyles of the nobles, they would realize these people still had the power to spend.
It’s not important how much wealth a century-old family had accrued, wealth itself would not increase in value, the key was how it was managed. The outcome without proper management doesn’t seem to be too bad, even though the massive Titan land wasn’t fully conferred, the nobles seemed to have farming lands all around, and the food they result in each year represents the annual salary the Empire give them, and this is in the condition where no one in the family served as a public officer.
Robert Carter Brickfield understood his own capabilities very well. Yes, his brother was the Empire’s Secretary of State, but Carter was always careful when using the family money. He didn’t use his brother’s identity, but his own competence to invest in businesses. Furthermore, his brother was so busy, he hardly have time for family affairs, so the real manager of the family was actually Carter who oversees the family expenses, even Secretary of State Robinson Brickfield would ask him for money when he needs it. This Secretary of State didn’t even know the amount of land he had, but since his younger brother was so good with the money, these stuff were given to him to manage.
Titan businessmen and Deiss businessmen had been dealing with each other extra cautiously, this was mostly due to the hostility between the two nations, but at the end of the day, businessmen want profit. Even so, the government of the two nations were constantly changing their policies, straining the relationship even more, for example, a certain product that was selling like hot cakes in one province was suddenly banned when the caravaneers arrived at the next province because of policy change, this situation was not unheard of, because of this, Titan businessmen had basically removed themselves from the Deiss market.
Even though Deiss and Titan have kept on with the stalemate situation, the communication between the two countries did not stop in the upper class level. The situation where nobles monopolized the whole mine was rampant in the two countries, so any new mines that were successfully developed would be envied.
Robert Carter Brickfield’s interest in mines was particularly deep. He reckoned only resources like mines have the potential to appreciate, so when a important Deiss official introduced him to several mining tycoons of the Bagerr Province, he was delirious,
For Robert Carter who’s had years of financial experience, the value of several mines was easy to calculate, several elders from his family went on a trip to verify the mines and returned promptly, setting in motion the discussion for specific benefits and prices.
The discussion went on for two days, Carter was very satisfied with the end result. The Deiss official who acted as the notary public for both parties stressed on the importance of the House of Brickfield to the Titan Empire, so of course the local aristocrats who had never met a ruling class noble would think it was a great honor to work with one.
The House of Brickfield had accumulated numerous merits serving the Titan Kings for several centuries, earning them the Imperial Left-Hand Sword totem on their emblem. Carter was slightly disgusted seeing the Deiss countrymen grinning from ear to ear after he stamped his house seal on their documents, but he waved it off after he thought about the huge return that would follow.
The whole thing was a legitimate investment, even until the signing of the agreement, there wasn’t a single sign of intrigue.