Chapter 54: Sixth Episode: Chapter 8 (1/2)
Chapter 54: Sixth Episode: Chapter 8
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
This is family life? The Prince asked himself. He dragged himself out of bed to greet his mothers groggily. The family had breakfast together, his father seemed to be in a good mood, he didn’t even ask what happened after he left. His second elder brother had headed out to the command center of his front before the first ray of sun hit the ground, but the long table still had a large amount of people. Young Lady doesn’t seem like she’s in a good mood, she was a clever girl, she knew the four brothers were up to no good the previous day.
The Prince considered for a bit, he decided not to invite Sasha to visit the grave, she would probably scold him in front of their mother. ”To hell with it!” He muttered, it would definitely turn out like that.
Princess Alanis may be the happiest person in the room. Oscar realized the Princess had a special ability, she could recognize people very easily, as shown by how easily she recalled the names of people of House Andrew.
The Princess was happy with House Andrew’s arrangement, she thanked Duke Andrew for letting her stay in the manor with the other family member instead of the royal residence. There’s a big difference between the two. In royal residence, the Princess would be considered an official representative, while in the House manor, the Princess would be their guest, there’s also the added relationship that she’s their extended family. From the outside, it’s easy to see the relationship between the royalty of House Morisette and House Andrew.
Princess Alanis also thanked the third brother of House Andrew, he was an excellent dancing partner. With just one night, Princess Alanis’ Dance of the Narcissus was already pretty good. Speaking of which, if the third young master wasn’t so silly, the Princess may not have the courage to dance such a passionate dance with a stranger.
The third young master told the Princess, ”I’m Cody! I am the Yogurt Master!” to which the princess had no response to.
As Oscar expected, Sasha ignored his gaze and left right after she finished her breakfast. Her uncles and aunts thought she was still embarrassed about the kiss with her brother. Only the youths exchanged looks of disdain, seemingly wanting bad luck to fall on Oscar.
The grave of Princess Mica Alfa Morisette, also Duke Andrew the Fifteenth's fourth wife, sat in the flower field behind House Andrew’s Hall of Heroes.
The Hall of Heroes was actually House Andrew’s personal chapel. It wasn’t large in size, and only those who bears the Andrew name could enter. It was located several miles from the Andrew manor, in which one would be able to see the Hall of Heroes’ tower from the west window. At dawn and dusk, the bell of the Hall of Heroes would be rung.
The flower field behind the chapel was designated to be members of House Andrew’s final resting place, an innumerable amount of heroes had been buried there. Narcissus flowers bloomed all over the flower field that was routinely tended to by gardeners. Pure white Narcissus flowers surrounded tombstones erected in the seeming endless field.
Oscar’s finger traced along the inscription on his mother’s tomb.
‘My beloved wife, Mica Alfa Morisette rests here.
Year 757 - Year 780
Her Royal Highness the Princess of the divine Titan Empire, Lady Duchess of House Andrew, a kind wife and mother. May her soul be blessed with peace by the ancestors in heaven.
~Dortmund Andrew Nedgabel’
”This is my mother?” Oscar asked little Sasha.
Sasha was an understanding girl, when her brother got ready to visit his mother’s grave, she was already dressed in her most proper outfit, waiting by the entrance.
”I think so, but it’s in the past, isn’t it? Maybe it’s inappropriate for me to say this, but I have no recollection of your mother, she had already passed when I got here.”
”Yes Sasha, you missed out on the most lovable woman in the world. She’s so kind to everyone she has met, hoho, but she was so cruel to herself.”
Sasha did not answer, she placed the Narcissus flower in front of the tombstone.
Oscar caressed the stone on his ring, that’s the only thing his mother left him aside from the memories. He inherited her wealth, but what is that? That is junk, that is a body cocooning weakness and fakery.
”I wonder if father would let me change the inscription?”
”What do you plan to change it into?” Sasha swiped her brother’s fringe aside.
”I want to say this: My mother, she was firstly an unsuccessful woman, her pretense of emotion stopped her time after time from pursuing her happiness; Secondly, she’s a successful woman, she endured the pains of parting and fell into the whirlpool of betrayal, and finally, as her heart was ripped beyond healing, she successful took away her life; In the end, she had a pitiful end, she thought she could be relieved of all these, but what she didn’t know was, even if she entered the pearly gates, it was just another corner for her to drown in her regret!”
Oscar was going to leave, but he turned around abruptly. His mother’s tomb looked pale, but he still had things to say to her.
”Yes, mother, I love you more than anyone else in the world do, but you’re also more detestable than anyone else in the world. I hate your hypocrisy and cowardice!”
He finished and looked at the scenery around. Plants thrived, flowers blossomed, the calm sky nestled a warm sun and clouds.
”It’s not bad here, my mother, it suits you. Rest in peace.” The teen left in determination.
Sasha stared at Oscar, terrified. Once again she assured herself that this cold-blooded, heavily-chain teenage boy was not her brother.
***************
”Yes! If you still want to be Sasha’s brother, this decision right now is certainly wise.”
Duke Andrew lit up a cigar, he didn’t expect his youngest son to look for him on his own, he also didn’t expect this boy who has yet to have his coming-of-age ceremony to discuss the matter of marriage with him.
”I know, my dear father! Can I try that?”
The Duke handed the cigar box to him without a second thought. Like the rumors said, this kid is exceptional.
The father-son pair sat together in silence, their smoke wisping up.
”Do you know, this is not fair to Sasha.” Oscar said without warning.
”Of course I do! All these years, she had shown much of her admiration for you, everyone at home thought you would be the perfect pair.”
”Then why do you agree to my opinion?” Oscar was a little befuddled. He had proposed a cautiously worded suggestion to refuse a marriage with Sasha. In fact, he had refused it ever since Lady Celia brought it up.
”There’s no ‘why’. Your opinion is correct, because nothing much in this world would be fair.”
”Sasha will be heartbroken.” Oscar flushed as he muttered the words. He had only thought about himself when he refused Mam Celia’s suggestion, not taking into account Sasha’s possible reaction, but now he felt scared about the whole decision altogether.
”My son! Look at my study. Does it give you any thoughts?”
Oscar scanned around. If he had to describe the study in one word, it would have to be ‘simple’. The study was simple. A big, wide desk, a big, wide couch, a chair for the guest. The desk was decorated with military flags that were long enough to touch the floor, and the walls were practically covered with maps of every sort.
”I’m sorry, father! I do not understand.”
The Duke waved his hand, it’s not something any 15-year-old could understand either.
”My child, it’s ‘Simplicity’! Do you know that? No matter how complicated something is, in the end, it can be summarized in a sentence or two. This is the truth, child, once you mastered the patterns of development, it will be easy to sort out the core. No matter what changes were made, no matter how complicated the situation is, remember the core characteristics! It’s what’s most important!”
Oscar was somewhat lost, he didn’t know what that had to do with the study. Subconsciously, he scanned the study again, and finally realized something.
The desk is for paperwork; the couch, to rest, to lean on; the maps, to put clearly the strength of both friend and foe; the flags, to resemble the power the House holds. Other than that? There’s nothing else! The study symbolizes House Andrew, House Andrew is just that simple.
The teen finally understood what his father meant, but he reckoned the word can’t be applied to love, love may be the only thing in the world that’s not substantive.
”Father, I understand what you mean now, but that doesn’t help with the issue with Sasha.”
”Heh heh, silly child, what issue do you have with Sasha?”
”Father! Didn’t I already tell you?” Oscar was dissatisfied, his father didn’t give him any valuable suggestions. ”Alright, using your concept of simplicity, I shall repeat my question. The issue between Sasha and I was that His Majesty Alfa III will definitely not allow my being one of the royalty to have four wives. So please tell me, Sasha or the Princess?”
Dortmund extinguished his cigar and nodded at his son. ”Yes, the problem is here. As a royal you will need to follow the monogamous marriage rule. But as an Andrew, you are also unqualified to have four wives, you know, only the master of house can have for wives.”
”Yes, please tell me, what can I do?” Oscar was no longer worried. He knew the clear-headed Marshal would have a plan.
”Do nothing!” Dortmund retrieved a letter from his desk, the seal on it was already broken, obviously the Duke had already read it.
”Hoho, my old friend wasn’t trying to hide his objective. He apologized to me, and said something about facilitating the relationship between House Morisette and House Andrew under the circumstances of stability and peaceful development.”
”Son, let me tell you this, the Morisettes had always used a strategy when dealing with the Andrews, it’s called Collaborative Confrontation. It’s been four hundred years, but this principle had never changed,”
”What is that?”
”It basically boils down to the royals of Morisette want House Andrew to put out a synchronized front as an effort to successfully actualize the stability and peaceful development they envisioned. They want to become backup force behind the Andrews; with stability and peaceful development as a precursor, the Morisettes want the Andrews to confront them on every angle, so as to avoid the Andrews becoming the biggest stability factor of the empire that will destroy the inner stability and peaceful development of the empire.”
”I… I am utterly lost!” Oscar revealed his thoughts honestly.
”To be truthful, me too. What I want to say is that Alfa III was only using some old tricks, he wishes to use his daughter to affect you, so that you can affect the Andrews. It makes sense, and it is also in sync with the royal tactics.”
”Are you saying that I’m going to be excluded from House Andrew?”
”Oh no, my child! Goodness! You still don’t understand, do you? You have to participate in the family affairs, because the royals is basically asking for a collaboration from House Andrew.”
”What about the confrontation part?”
”Confrontation? During the years you’ve been locked up, we’ve been confronting them the whole time, but since the Princess is here, the collaboration is pretty much set in stone.”
”Okay, okay!” Oscar almost lost his patience. ”Dear father! You have to know, you’ve beaten around the bush for so long, but your poor son’s question was still unanswered.”
”My son, I have already told you everything! Do nothing! Do you have to force yourself into this dead end choosing between Alanis and Sasha? It’d be much easier if it’s this simple. You are still young, you have time to think about it until you have any real power.”
”Father! I don’t have a choice, isn’t it the family who forced me on this track?”
”No it wasn’t! I have already cancelled it!”
”Was it because of my refusal?”
”No! It’s because it’s for your future.” Duke Andrew took out another letter from his drawer.
”Father, please don’t tell me about my future, my future is as bleak as a barren land! I don’t have proper systemic education, no proper military training, everyone around me was either bandits or criminals, I don’t know what I can do aside from setting fire to things or swindling people or killing them!”
Duke Andrew shot his hand toward his son across the wide desk, hooking behind his neck and bringing him close until they were forehead to forehead.
”Oscar! Listen carefully! This will be the last time you said this in front of me! Don’t forget this! You are one of House Andrew, even if you cannot read, even if you’re mentally degenerated, you shall not deny the blood of chosen warrior coursing through you!”
The Duke let his son go, ”If you don’t let go of that completely absurd, shameful notion, I will not acknowledge you as my son, do you understand!”
”Yes sir! I will never forget that!” Oscar had returned to his senses. His father was terrifying when he’s furious! With just that outburst, Oscar had a sudden urge to relieve himself, it’s been far too long since he had that feeling!
”Your future is here!” Dortmund’s face didn’t let up. This kid had him fuming, it’s good to be aware of one’s own weaknesses, but those who think they are useless are the worst kind of people, those are cowards.
”Marshal Vann Hewitt Alan’s letter. He gave me a suggestion, and it involves your future.” The father explained grimly as he saw his son shrank on his chair.
The Duke lost his temper, and slammed his fist against the desk!
”O’Neil Andrew Morisette! Your father is talking to you!”
Oscar’s back shot up straight, he stared at his father unyieldingly. His second elder brother told him, ”Whenever father loses his temper, just remember to do that!” Soon, Dortmund relented, he had always liked kids who have eagle-sharp eyes and constantly maintaining a soldier’s stance.
”For the past few days, I had been considering Marshal Alan’s proposal, and I think it is very suitable for you.”
”What kind of proposal? Oh right! The History of War theoretical research?” Oscar finally remembered.