Chapter 71: Eighth Episode: Chapter 7 (1/2)
Chapter 71: Eighth Episode: Chapter 7
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Dulin was still as it was before.
When dusk came, this most populated city in Westland was illuminated with lights, darkened by the smoke from the chimneys, warmed by the nobles’ saloons and contaminated by the biological wastes of the beggars and wanderers.
This city had always been noisy; there were traveling merchants from all over the world and scholars from all parts of the land.
Viscount Tich Nedgabel Andrew Golbagd was one of the scholars from Narcissus. He majored in the mainland’s History of Art at Dulin University. Although even those who knew him well had never seen his paintings, there was not much disparity between his image and that of a genuine artist.
It had already been the tenth month now. Just five months ago, Viscount Golbagd had welcomed our young Prince into the capital. And now, this Viscount had taken up the task handed over to him by his family. However, this task required quite an extensive amount of time. As the overall person in charge of Narcissus County’s Military Command Bureau in Dulin, Viscount Golbagd was ordered to give in his all to support and coordinate with His Imperial Highness Prince’s operations. Of course, the prerequisite of supporting these operations was that they were beneficial to the family.
What was beneficial to the family? Viscount Golbagd had no idea how to answer this because there were just indeed too many answers to it. As a leader of the Secret Agents, Tich’s life was highly undisciplined. Of course, there were some who referred to it as dissolute, but all of these were required in the line of his work. Viscount Golbagd had four apartments in Dulin, but he realized that he had never visited any of them. The Viscount’s meals were so inconsistent and uncertain. As he was busy, he could only eat whenever the opportunity arose.
However, before he executed any secret missions for the family, Tich would reflect upon himself before the image of God in the Dulin Scott Cathedral. Dulin was a civilized world; although it was in a bit of a turmoil here, one could not be able to engage in too many activities that would cause harm to human life; because murderers would one day become the victims.
Just like today, the year 791, 20th day of the 10th month, Viscount Tich Nedgabel Andrew Golbagd had already arranged his journey for the day. In the morning he would settle some urgent matters. In the afternoon, he would greet the returning young Prince outside the city. However, when he had finished praying and was about to leave the huge doors of the cathedral, an assassination attempt directed at him took place before the temple of the gods.
”There were three people, no! Perhaps four. Just when I mounted the carriage, they rushed up at me. My coachman took out one of them with his horsewhip while I myself stabbed one, but as you can see, the one who fell was me.” Tich said between coughs. A dagger had pierced through his lung lobe and he could only survive and regain consciousness that quickly owing to the many years of training and his experienced life on the battlefield back in the days.
Oscar was very irritated for he did not expect to encounter such troubling matters just when he arrived at the official residence in Dulin. However, he had to investigate it thoroughly for Tich was his elder cousin, and not to mention the person responsible for the Military Investigation Bureau in Dulin as well. His being attacked by assassins indicated that the family’s secret force had been exposed in Dulin. If this matter could not be resolved quickly, the family deployment of the investigative force in Dulin would come to a standstill.
”Who do you think is the most suspicious?” Oscar sliced up an orange for his cousin. The youngster was brandishing a table knife in his hand and appeared as if he did not intend to place it down.
”The Secret Service Department.”
”The Secret Service Department?” Oscar was a somewhat astonished.
”That’s right.” Tich affirmed, ”You know? Recently, there are rumors going around Dulin saying that the Princess and Your Highness being attacked by assassins in the mountain forest was completely staged with the motive of to securing the opportunity to send troops to the Kingdom of Italia.”
Oscar contemplated, ”Ohh… This is a good idea, if I were the Duke of Andrew, I would do so as well.”
TIch gave a bitter laugh, ”It’s such a pity that our Commander will never do such a thing! My subordinates caught an Italia merchant and he confessed that he had obtained permission from the Secret Service Department to spread these rumors. Anyway, you see, that was just yesterday’s matter and today I have become like this.”
”Tich, you should return home. However, you should first recuperate at Kenshin Palace for a period of time, and only leave Dulin once everything has settled down.” Oscar thought it through for his cousin.
”It can't be helped,” Tich was a little speechless. He understood that his mission in Dulin was over. As a leader of the Secret Agents, they knew once they were exposed, there would be usually no favorable outcomes. He was alive, and that itself was already fortunate enough.
”Oh, that’s right, if you would like to contact the Military Investigation Bureau during this period, you could go to the ‘Dog Biting Club of Red Light Street. ‘ Once you're there, tell them ‘I am looking for the purebred Highland dog’, and the person will introduce you to my deputy. She will be in charge of everything when I leave my post.”
”Did you say... she?”
”Yes, that’s right, it’s a she! You will know by then.”
Oscar looked around; he felt that his cousin no longer needed him for anything.
”In that case, let it be like this, my cousin Tich; I am about to take my leave, you should rest early. Oh god, you don’t know just how much blood you lost. My doctor said that the fact you could awaken alone was a miracle.”
”Yes, I know, little chap! It’s up to you now, I didn’t help you much, but please don’t be disappointed in me.”
”How could I be?” After saying this, Oscar shut the room door for his cousin and his followers immediately swarmed him. All these criminals knew that the youngster’s family member had encountered an incident and based on the youngster’s temperament in the past, things would only escalate from here onwards, becoming more interesting.
”How are things? Do you need me to do anything for you?” Baron Erbe was the first to speak, as this huge conman was the teen’s household manager.
”Get in touch with Baron Thomas, Aulet of the Lair, I would like to see him at this instant.”
The crowd gazed at the youngster in understanding; it seemed that this sullen little lad was about to take actions.
***************
While waiting for the Baron, Her Highness The Princess, Caro Arsia Manuel, sent an attendant over. She had invited the young Prince to escort her to the Royal Reception that evening. However, the Prince’s manager claimed that His Highness had already slept. The Princess’ attendant gazed up at the Sun, which was still hung high up in the sky, and after pondering a while, he came back to his senses. He believed that Caro Asia would understand that she was rejected.
***************
”My apologies, my little princess! You see, you’ve just finished your journey, and here I am bringing overwhelming news. Oh, my little princess, please forgive me.”
Her Imperial Highness The Princess Alanis Alfa Morisettte gazed at her father who was seated on the throne and she snorted with contempt without letting anyone hear her.
”Father Emperor, this is nothing. Rather, I did not take care of myself and made you worry.”
”No, no!” Alfa III waved his hands urgently. ”My little princess, you handled it quite excellently, I am proud of you!”
Alanis stood up and saluted to her father for the praise he had just given.
”Come and sit, sit down quickly!” His Majesty III used a hand to lift up his chin, ”So… If it is as you say, then the Andrew Family is not very welcoming about yours and the Prince’s arrival!”
”Father Emperor, how do I say this? I should say that if it were any other guests, the Andrew family would welcome them warmly. However, the main point is that they did not regard us as anything. Particularly His Highness Prince Oscar, I personally witnessed this; he has returned from the battlefield, but has yet to receive the acknowledgment of his family.”
The Emperor fell silent, pondering about many matters. These issues included Andrew’s decision-making, the Narcissus Knight’s attack, the pope’s words and actions in Roman City, and Italia’s Princess’ explicit warmth towards the young prince.
”Alanis, perhaps the Imperial household members and I should discuss the issue of your marriage!” His Majesty suddenly announced.
”My marriage?” Alanis appeared to be horrified, ”Then, my Emperor Father, could you tell me who my husband is before my marriage?”
The Emperor rolled his eyes, ”Aside from O’Neil Andrew Morisette, who else can it be? Do you think you can still marry anyone else after spending a night with him in a tea room?
Alanis blushed. Although she was delighted, she felt even more skeptical, ”Timing-wise isn’t it… isn’t it a little too early? I am two years older than Oscar, Not to mention… Not to mention he… he isn’t fully grown yet.”
”Nonsense!” Alfa III suddenly appeared jovial; he rarely had the opportunity to tease his little daughter, ”That young lad is already a man. When I was his age, I was already even a father; age is not an issue.”
”But... Bu...”
”Enough, Alanis!” The Emperor waved his hand, ”Don’t tell me that you plan on letting others get ahead of you? For example the young lady of the House of Andrew, who has her eye on him, and that Princess from Italia. These two are very promising girls, and moreover, little Oscar is a child with a future full of possibilities. Honestly speaking, as a father, I am deeply worried about you!”
”Are you worried about your strategy or your Emperor position?” Alanis muttered in her heart; she despised being in a situation where she was used.
”If you feel that this is required, then I have no objections. However… Could you explain to me in detail about the reason behind this?” Alanis’ eyes bored into the Emperor’s. She was aware that she did not have the power to question this, but she felt that her father who was determining her fate should give her a definite explanation.
Sure enough, Alfa III’s expression appeared a little awkward, but he quickly relaxed since his daughter was not against it.
”My little daughter, although I do not wish to tie you down with the bondage of marriage so early on, some matters need to be cleared up. If the Andrew family accepts this arrangement, then everything will be fine; but if they insist on carrying out the Prince and the young lady Sasha E. Nedgabel Andrew’s engagement, then the Andrews must make a choice between perishing and surviving.”
Alanis was astonished; she did not know that the relationship between the Imperial Household and the Andrews could deteriorate to such an extent all of a sudden.
”You… Do you want to oppose the House of Andrew? Or are you saying… saying that we should pressure them…?”
”No, no!” The Emperor shook his head, ”Being able to maintain the current relationship with the Andrews cannot be any better. The thing is, I can no longer trust them. The Andrews have already developed an extremely dangerous sense of aggression and this is far more deadly than anything else. So at this time, the marriage of that child of theirs with a special status and the Imperial household is an opportunity for both parties to come to an understanding with each other. With this understanding that we shall be united properly in the future, the Andrews will no longer pose a threat to us.”
Something immediately came to Alanis’ mind, ”So in other words… is it really Andrew’s own fabricated conspiracy? But I do not feel so! There isn’t a trace, not even within their family!”
Alfa III was also deeply perplexed about this, ”Yes, that’s right! There isn’t a single trace. I have even consulted a few of the cabinet ministers’ opinions, but they all unanimously regarded it as a rumor! However, I am the Emperor, Alanis, you understand? An Emperor must doubt all things! So… I’d rather believe that it is not a rumor.”
Having heard what was just said, Alanis could only nod. However, she was not convinced; she felt that the issue should be viewed from another perspective.
”Father Emperor, actually you need not fret so. However, who told you to bring up a group of good-for-nothing fools within the Secret Service Department?”
”The Secret Service Department?” Alfa III somewhat understood, ”My little Princess, do you have any countermeasure? Do you mind revealing it to me?”
”Of course not, you are my Emperor Father, while I am Princess of Holy Titan. I mean that since we cannot do anything against the Andrews, perhaps we should focus the investigative force onto the south, for that is still crucial. Furthermore, the southern people differ from those in the mainland; most of the Empire’s huge merchants come from the mountain areas, so the southerners’ value profits. When they lay eyes on the money, they are like wolves having seen fresh blood. Let us use money as our weapons; I believe the people will take the bait. However, there is something that I must remind you. By all means, do not let the good-for-nothing Secret Service Department use the funds allocated to them for their pleasures and personal indulgence, as that would ultimately get us nowhere.”
The Emperor checked on his young daughter. It appeared as if she had grown taller and she had turned out even more beautiful and poised. She was progressively more incisive in speech and her thoughts were more and more meticulous. Perhaps… she would be just like her future husband… intelligent above all else!
***************
The curtain of the night finally covered Titan. From the flower fields of Narcissus County to the ferry crossing on Don River; from the ancient forest in the North to the snowy, white, mountainous peaks in the South; stars and moonlight appeared to fill the heavens and the Earth. Dulin was the jewel of Titan when the last rays of the warm sunset glow had faded away, a curtain of darkness engulfed the whole city. If this curtain were not lifted up, it would be likely that no one would know which repertoire was staging.
The gigantic granite-arched door of the Kenshin Palace had a handwritten tag, ”No.10 Jewel Street”. This indicated that the Palace of the Imperial Household had become a private property as the Titan Empire’s Palaces’ wouldn’t be assigned any worldly tags.
We know that this Palace belonged to His Imperial Highness The Prince O’Neil Andrew Morisette. Despite the fact that His Highness The Prince was a member of the Imperial Household, most Imperial Household members do not have their own Palaces. They would usually wait for the Imperial Secretariat’s arrangements. However, the Kenshin Palace was different, Alfa III’s Mother Empress had granted the Palace to Princess Mica and now her son had inherited it. So, this Palace was about to be categorized as a private asset, no longer being a possession of the Imperial Household.
The first time Kenshin Palace was seen was back in the middle of the 5th month, but now it had forever bidden farewell to its former appearance. His Highness The Prince had hired many great architects to renovate his house before his return and they had completed the grand and queer task.
Firstly, let us talk about the huge gates. The huge gates of the Kenshin Palace were originally two huge iron railings and had now been replaced with an artistic model made of gran into an art as a model of granite structure. These stone gates had a circular arch, and engraved on both sides were the totems that represented the Imperial Household and the House of Andrew. Aside from that, carved above it was the folklore of the gods and angels appearing on the battlefield, blessing the Narcissus Knights.
After entering the huge gates, one would see a maze made up of walls of trees. Usually one would use a hoop-shaped pavement linking the main gates to the main house, but the Prince did not consider it as a good idea. He instructed the great master gardeners to build dense walls of trees. Among these walls of trees, there would only be two paved pathways for the purposes of entering and leaving, while the others would be dead ends.
Subsequently came the fountain in front of the main house. This fountain’s main attraction would be the sculpture on it, which was unexpectedly in the image of Her Highness The Princess, Mica Alfa Morisette. This Princess was leaning to the side, in her hand was a freshly picked Narcissus flower and on her palm hung a basket. The fountain water was gushing out from the basket. At that moment, the Princess had become a completely pure and holy mother, with her face shining with a joyful and kind radiance. However, His Highness The Prince O’Neil only gave the fountain a few casual glances when passing by. Since he did not comment, then it would not be good for us to judge it.
From the exterior, the main building of the Kenshin Palace was still exactly the same for the Prince did not feel it necessary to carry out any modifications; he only ordered someone to polish the sculpture on the Palace’s outer wall. There were prominent changes once one entered the main house; the patio was broadened with a fashionable layout, the main hall was refurbished into the main living room, pure wood that had not been carved before were used to produce all the furniture and, despite its simple exterior, the growth rings on the wooden furniture became the best decoration.
There were sofas arranged at the corner of the room as seats for the hosts and guests. A delicate, low table separated each cushion. Although this layout took up most of the space in the main living room, His Highness The Prince did not mind at all. Instead of leaving the space empty, it would be better to cram it with things that looked pleasing to the eye.
The next thing that was worth mentioning was the lightings. The lamps were an essential facility in the Prince’s palace. It successfully illuminated with the elegance the design intended to portray, fulfilling the main purpose of accentuating it. The three-kilogram crystal chandelier made of copper in the main living room of the Kenshin Palace was well known. The golden candelabra decorated in every corner of the main living room and the bell-glass covers were built up with meticulous precision. When the night was closing in and all the candles were illuminated in the Palace, you would realize that there was not a single spot in that entire space which was not emitting light and warmth.
It was said that His Imperial Highness The Prince O’Neil plated 79 kilograms of gold for the candelabra, the lampshades and all sorts of refractive utensils.