Chapter 74: Ninth Episode: Chapter 1 (2/2)
Young lady? Oscar opened the tall windows in his bedroom; the southwestern breeze stirred the curtains. The young lady was not at Kenshin Palace, she had gone to spend the night alone at the official residence at Penelope Avenue.
The sky seemed to have cooled down all of a sudden! Early morning Dulin no longer had the heat of the past; the cool breeze caused a lot of dust to swirl up. The people had changed into their autumn wear and summertime just suddenly withdrew itself, like the timing of the tides. The maids sent a cloak for His Imperial Highness Prince who was standing by the window staring into space and the youngster unconsciously draped it over himself. The maid was a little curious, what was her young master looking at? She flicked a quick glance outside the window, the flourishing blossoms had fallen overnight and the Palace’s courtyard gardens displayed an array of dreary run-down colors. Although the trees were still dressed in their green wear, but the individual leaves among them had already started to age and fall in loneliness?
The maid shook her head; she could not make sense of why the prince was so attentive. This youngster was already one of the most celebrated people in Dulin city. He not only had immeasurable wealth, but even the Empire’s Princess had already became his fiancée. In the eyes of a maid, a person with privilege of the highest stratum such as this should not have any worries. So, when this youngster’s eyes glazed over, she could not comprehend it at all.
”Your Imperial Highness, would you like to have breakfast in your bedroom?”
The teen did not respond.
”Perhaps in the side hall or outdoors?” The maid attempted again.
The youth shook his head. ”Order the carriage porch to prepare the carriage, also ask my butler and secretary to meet me downstairs.”
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The city of Dulin was welcoming a new season. The people were used to calling it the Season of Profit or the Season of Harvest, but these were all farmers’ version. The citizen class looked down upon the farmers; the work of these people were lowly, but yet they worshipped the harvest because the harvest signified the profit of gold. What the citizens of Dulin lacked, was gold.
The people left their homes before the break of dawn. Once they lifted their heads, they could then see the Tower of Heroes. The fire beacon naturally frightened the people, but this fluster only lasted until the morning paper hit the markets and then vanished. However, it was the man from the South who was stirring up matters, this was nothing really. The barbarians living in the caves better cooperated with this wealthy man. This world was not fair at all, why should I leave home starving while those wealthy men could enjoy a sumptuous breakfast? The people surrounded the stall that sold the morning papers, discussing this.
The doorways of every office had those seeking for employment, looking around. On their bodies hung a sign that wrote ”Speed Writing, 20 Ti coins per hour”, and some wrote ”Translation, 50 per 1000 words.” The remaining were the people who used their physical strength to work. Their had sunken eyes, but their muscles were fairly solid. These unemployed people pestered the passing pedestrians, there were practically bragging about their respective trade almost like rogues.
The business of the snack stall was slow; the people really had too little money in their pockets. A fried potato cake sold for two Ti coins was even resented as expensive by some! Just you freaking forget about it! The vendors spat at these stingy people, why don’t you just go eat dirt? That was amusingly cheap!
The citizens repeated their routines like the previous thousand over years in this huge city. The wealthy came and go into all sorts of restaurants and bars, the poor went to the filthy little food stores and the chaotic market to pass the days. The energetic poor youngsters got up early in the morning and put on their rogue outfits. They would flood into the Lair in gangs; that was heaven, but when they were chased out of the casinos and brothels, badly battered, then only would they realize that this was actually hell! However, hell had its pleasures. When their caved noses no longer hurt, these rogues would dash in with high spirits. To them, to be noticed by a big shot or a prostitute was a divine encounter by the God of Light.
His Imperial Highness’ carriage was traveling along the posh neighborhood; here, presented a flourishing scene. The gentlemen on their morning exercise greeted each other, the maids who were pushing gorgeous strollers followed closely behind their masters. The young ladies also woke awfully early; they had agreed to go for an outing at the outskirts. The servants had already helped packed delicious refreshments and cakes the night before. The soldiers on patrol from the Ministry of Justice had just changed into their brand new autumn military uniform. They strutted here and there on the side of the streets, as if showing off, but every time a carriage engraved with the class and family crest emerged on the pavement, these tiny bugs would respectfully stand aside.
The carriage of the Andrew Family had a silver Narcissus totem engraved on it. These handcrafted flowers glimmered with a cold radiance under the gloomy early morning sunlight. The vehicles on the street were avoiding it one after another. The status of the person in the carriage was a widely circulated topic. Even today, aside from the Emperor, there was no one else who could be on par with him in all of Dulin.
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No. 31 Penelope Avenue, the official residence of Titan Empire’s Eastern Border Governor, Duke Andrew, Sasha was already rather familiar with this place. At that moment, she was carrying a water bottle and strolling in the garden; after all, it was unlike her hometown. The growth of the Narcissus here appeared extremely miserable. The young lady gently squeezed the dried out branches. She shook her head helplessly, the temperature was low, and the Narcissus in the garden had already missed the blooming period.
An interesting book, a steaming cup of morning tea, a sturdy sling chair made of rattan, a green ground with sparsely fallen leaves. Sasha did not know why she was still not satisfied; she kept feeling as if this place was missing something.
”Who invented this sort of stuff?”
”Oh goodness gracious!” Sasha was scared stiff by the sudden voice.
”Oh! I apologize! I thought you noticed me.” Oscar gave a grin; this more or less made one doubt his sincerity.
”Little Oscar, my brother! Don’t tell me you’re still playing that game of ‘Scare Sasha to win a Prize’?” The young lady appeared immensely calm; we absolutely could not tell that this girl had just experienced a serious emotional blow.
Oscar recalled it, ”Scar Sasha to win a prize”, hehe, this was an exceedingly amusing game when he was young.
”My little Sasha, look who’s talking! Who was the one who invented this?” The prince picked up the high heels that had been kicked onto the awn by the young lady.
”Oh! You were talking about this!” Sasha suddenly giggling, ”It’s very fascinating! This is a patent of a King of short stature, it was not made for women, but as you can see now, the ladies of the world have been mesmerized by it.”
Oscar shrugged his shoulders and sat on the lawn. The conversation seemed to have suddenly broke off here; the two youngsters did not know what else to say and this embarrassment made the prince feel agitated. He knew that he had to break the ice but he already declared all the rhetoric feeble before they even left his lips.
”Do you regret it?”
Sasha sighed heavily, oh god! The silence had passed at long last! She bored into little Oscar who had suddenly raised the question.
”Why are you suddenly asking this?”
Oscar lifted his head; he mustered up his courage and met his sister’s eyes.
”Because I will not apologize to you for this matter, that is not the conduct of a man, you know? What matters most to a man is having the courage to take responsibility for his actions! I proposed to the Princess, I became the Emperor’s son-in-law. This Emperor will paint my future with rich colors; this is my objective! So, I will not apologize to you because of this, and I consult you with cruelty, cold-bloodedness, irresponsibility and betrayal, us becoming how we are now, do you... regret it?”
Sasha wanted to weep, but she held it in. That’s right, this man was indeed what he said he was, Cruel! Cold-blooded! Irresponsible! And even a betrayer! However, is that what she truly wanted?
”Your heart will tell you!” Sasha snapped the book in her hands shut; she could not read on anymore.
”Heart?” Oscar clutched his chest with his hand, ”the heart has already sunk, and he does not know what he truly wants! At times like this, he only hopes to receive understanding, of course, he does not deserve as much, he should be completely blind to the deceptions and lies, he should be used to all these. When he can no longer feel pain or loss, everything will have ended and I believe at that time, I will be standing at the peak of power! I believe at that time, I will no longer remember the girl who once filled my heart and soul with infinite vigor and power!”
”Will you?” Sasha tear up; she did not let out any sound, ”O’Neil Andrew Morisette! Answer with your heart! Will you?”
Oscar embraced his younger sister; the tears of this girl caused him to ache until he forgot himself.
”Not at all! Not at all! If a day like that really comes, I will dig my heart out! I will surrender my heart to you for safekeeping! I will not let anything fool or occupy my heart, it will belong only to you!”
”But you are destined to be the husband of another!” Sasha at last broke down into tears in her brother’s embrace.
”Do you know? My Oscar! My brother! Every time I think of this, Iresent it so much that I want to light up Dulin, it is so appallingly filthy here! Everything here attempts to shame me and rob me of my people. They have already snatched you away from me, what else do they plan do to?”
Oscar tightened his embrace, his fingers had already embedded themselves in his sister’s flesh, ”I will bring you away from here! Follow me and leave this place! Let us go to University Town! There, it is a temple of wisdom, we can go far away from Dulin, far away from this thing that has every pore contaminated by blood!”
”No!” Sasha suddenly determinedly struggled out of the youngster’s embrace ”How can I forget the boundary stone’s promise? We agreed to make a stand against this world that is filled with evil beasts together. I cannot give up!”
Sasha appeared to be talking crazy; Oscar gazed at her, perplexed.
”Yes, that’s right, brother! We cannot evade! More so, we are unable to!” The eyes of the young lady had already ignited with a ray like that of a flame of war. ”I was caught unprepared by the sudden unforeseen events, how can I have become so useless? I am Sasha Andrew Nedgabel! My brother, I have already waited for ten years, how can I have become so impatient after I have grown up? So what of ten years? So what of twenty years? I can wait! More so fight for myself!”
”Sasha! You... You...”
”Brother! Don’t tell me that you do not understand what I am saying? Oh God of Light! This is now not the time for me to admit defeat, also not the time for you to be downhearted! Don’t forget! The head of the family is a special case blessed by God, he can have four legitimate wives. So, my brother! We must both strive hard!”
Oscar glanced at his younger sister who was a little hysterical, unable to utter a word.
”Brother! We cannot give up, if we want to be together for eternity, then we can never give up!”
”Together for eternity!” Oscar burst into laughter, he laughed to his hearts content, and he laughed to an obsession! ”That’s right, I’ve said so much, explained so much, complained so much, in the end I could only have this one conclusion! If we want to be together for eternity, then we can never give up! Sasha! Thank you!”
The young lady smiled. The smile was as if the whole heaven and earth were rejoicing. Sasha suddenly planted a kiss on her brother’s cheek and Oscar kissed his sister’s earlobe.
The young lady’s face blushed like fire. She winced under the ineffable pounding of her whole being. Sasha retreated backwards as if startled. She did not know that it felt this way to have her earlobe kissed. However, she already thought about Mother Celia’s warning, mother said, ”you need to keep a certain safe distance from this dangerous young man.”
Oscar also could not tell what was up with him. Oh goodness gracious! This was Sasha! Who was Sasha? Sasha was that younger sister who had always chased after him from behind. What were the thoughts that just ran through this young man’s mind? He wanted to explore Sasha’s lips; he wanted to brand a hickey onto the neckline of this girl. Was that considered a crime?
The youngster felt that he should calm down a while; he shook his somewhat dizzy head and tried hard to focus his line of vision onto objects away from the girl’s body.
High heels! This was a pretty decent topic. After a moment of embarrassing and heart throbbing silence, Oscar finally found a pretty good topic.
”Sasha, to be honest, high heels is a thing made to torment the females.”
The young lady stared blankly, she did not quite understand her brother’s meaning, ”What? Why do you have such an understanding? According to what I know, high-heels are to highlight the female height and the beautiful curves of the legs, only are they...”
”No! No! No!” Oscar shook his head firmly, ”I have noticed that every time you return home wearing high-heels, you would scrunch up your face and massage yourself. This indicates that this thing is absolutely not anything good! Did you not say so yourself? This thing is a man’s patent, so this little thing definitely has a tendency to abuse the females.
”Brother! What are you saying? You are just trying to force some logic!” Oscar’s reaction to the high heels made Sasha break down into tears and laughter.
”Then let me have a look at your leg! Let’s see whether they have been squeezed out of shape, if they have...” Oscar snatched up a little snowy white leg from underneath the young lady’s skirt.
”Ola...” In the midst of Sasha’s startled cries, Oscar expressed a sigh from his heart; his hand was cupping an organ that was delicate and beautiful beyond compare!
Oscar gently stroked the surface of the foot that was as glossy as crystal. The pointer of his heartbeat was swaying continuously towards a dangerous scale. Sasha had already forgotten how to think; her speech was indistinct yet the sweetness of her crazy talk was indescribable.
”Can I kiss them?” The youngster’s eyes were like shining stars.
”I don’t know!” Sasha looked away adorably, even if she were given courage for a day, she would not dare watch the youngster carry out all that.
”Then I will assume that I have received an invitation!” Oscar stooped down his body victoriously.
The young lady pursed her lips; she covered her eyes with her hands.
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Autumn had unexpectedly engulfed Dulin overnight; the fallen leaves floated gently over the treetops and slowly settled itself onto the youngster’s back. A light breeze caressed the youngster’s hair, and the fallen leaves were carried over to the front of the girl’s lips. The girl stretched out her hand to remove the leaf, she faced the rising sun and flashed a bright smile.
An interesting book, a steaming cup of morning tea, a sturdy sling chair made of rattan, a green ground with sparsely fallen leaves, a boy sitting on the grass, a girl lying supine on the sling chair. All of this indifference was as if they held the whole brimming friendship in each of their hearts.