Chapter 165: Nineteenth Episode: Chapter 2 (1/2)
Chapter 165: Nineteenth Episode: Chapter 2
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
It takes a week to travel from Vielonna to Yang, also known as City of Crossroads. But Prince O'Neil and his wife only took three days. From there, they traveled north to Limbourg, the capital of Bandaray Province, using the main route with five days in horse carriage instead of the originally estimated ten days. When they continued their journey by moving along the sparsely populated Imperial Guards' war route, O'Neil Andrew Morisette had already given up on counting the days, but he knew his troops must take a break in Damorel Province to rest and reorganize.
Initially, Alanis didn't complain about her husband's schedule. The imperial princess recognized the severity of the situation. The capital's doctors' team was trying to save her father's life in full force. It wasn't a matter that could afford further delay.
Oscar was told that everything in the capital remained normal, and he thought this was absolutely unusual. Majority of the people were just patiently waiting for the news of death from the emperor's palace. If this was indeed the case, then Oscar assumed his trip back to the capital would be all for nothing. Everything would be over for Oscar in Dulin without the support of Alfa III. The emperor's presence hindered the undercurrents of resentment, and once this barrier was lost, all kinds of monsters would emerge from the abyss.
Oscar had no alternative but to take a break. His troops have traveled hurriedly more than 300 kilometers within 20 days. The Red Tiger Knights who were used to enduring hardships and working hard began to show signs of exhaustion once they arrived at Damorel Province. Even if the human body could endure extreme fatigue, the knights' warhorses gradually slowed down in their galloping. Oscar arranged for his Red Tigers to stay in the prison castle while he and his wife sought accommodation in the town.
The emperor's confidential secretary, Philip Goolean, sent in a courier. Philip's tone betrayed hints of pessimism and regret. Alfa III His Majesty could no longer speak and could survive only on liquid foods and tons of drugs.
The prince suggested to his wife that they have to continue on their journey the following day but Alanis protested vehemently. She argued that she has not bathed for more than a week, and this crisis was beyond imagination to the imperial princess.
There was nothing the prince could do but reaffirm the importance of the issue. However, Alanis who thought it through began to convince her husband instead.
”If the God of Light insists on bringing back our father at this time, why bother to hurry back when we should just take our time?”
Oscar frowned at the argument, and his opinion was slightly swayed. He has long been worrying about His Majesty's health condition but refused to ponder thoroughly at the current situation.
Anyway, was it possible that a better result would come after careful contemplation?
Oscar didn't believe this argument as it stood on insufficient grounds. The military intelligence work in the capital area was controlled and limited by both the head of Imperial Army and Secret Service Department, which was why their investigation on certain people and other matters could not be completed. It was exactly this attitude that made the Military Intelligence Bureau Chief so passive. Although he was very well aware of the daring and mischievous individuals in the city of Dulin, he could not understand how these people will cause trouble.
By 22nd day of the 11th month, the soldiers of Red Tiger Cavalry Corps have had two days of rest. The warden of Damorga prison and the local garrison provided much help to the prince and his troops during their brief stay. It was Paladin Major General Kamille Rayen's second visit to the massive prison castle. He hesitated in front of the gate of the fortress. It seemed that since a few years ago, the moment O'Neil Andrew Morisette stepped out of this prison gate, that everything in the world became uncertain.
Messengers kept running to and fro Dulin through day and night. The Marshal of the Imperial Guards, who was accustomed to the brazen cold wind above the prison tower, stood there to look out at the national route. Oscar's heart always skipped a beat whenever he noticed a team of knights dashing across the national route. He did not wish for them to be the Imperial Cavalry who have come bearing unpleasant news. Instead, he was expecting some impractical fantasies, for example… the emperor suddenly coming to consciousness this morning, or that his enemies were all poisoned to death in a night.
On the 23rd day of 11th month, Oscar still hasn't been informed any worthy news. He had no alternative but to abuse his power to force the highest authority to allow him entrance to the underground dungeon.
Prisons, high walls, winters, servitude camps, and even the underground dungeon where the King of Assassins was imprisoned, all remained the same. When Oscar walked past the low castle aisles and countless sentry posts, he had this peculiar sensation where he felt as if he has been cut off from the outside world for a long time. As if his body, a temporary shell, has always been buried in this horrid place, and now he was just a lonely soul that wandered aimlessly under the sky.
Maybe... this soul was deadly still.
O'Neil Andrew Morisette only came to this realization when he shuttled between the aisles. He discovered the fire within his soul was about to burn out. He couldn't bear to face the past of his childhood, he was unable to tolerate the atmosphere of the prison, and it was with extreme difficulty that he forced himself to look at the faces of the prisoners with a calm and normal face.
He has many friends whom he could no longer find in here. The winter in Damorga prison was even colder than Dulin in the north. Most people he knew here died of typhoid fever, while those unfamiliar to him died inexplicably. Life in here seemed to have been magnified by God. Nothing in the human world could compare to the sky of Damorga.
Oscar sneered a few times as he stared at the empty dungeon cell. No wonder the warden insisted on rejecting his request to receive the prisoner, even if this daring act came with a high risk of angering him. It turned out there was nothing here at all.
”Where's the man? I only ask once,” the prince turned his back to the people who stood outside the stone door. Right now, he urgently needed an answer.
”It was half a month ago... that the Secret Service Department came and brought the prisoner away,” the prison warden immediately fell to his knees. He found it difficult to understand how His Highness in front of him had lived in such a horrible place.
”Secret Service Department?” Oscar's brow knitted even deeper. ”This prisoner has been imprisoned here for almost two decades. Is there a need to change cell?”
The warden quickly replied, ”That didn't seem to be their intention...”
”And what is?”
”The lord who came from Secret Service Department had a long private talk with the prisoner, I reckon they were negotiating a deal!”
”Ola…” Young Oscar rubbed his forehead at the new-found information. He seemed to have immediately understood some things. It was highly probable that the Secret Service Department intended to employ this top-notch assassin for an assassination. It required little effort to arrive at this conclusion, as that was what 13 was most skilled at! The only deal anyone could have with him was undoubtedly for a planned assassination, but who was the target of Secret Service Department this time? He or she must be someone of utmost importance if it demanded Rudolf Hoss to assign this super assassin who basically had no existence in the world!
All the nostalgic feelings Oscar had disappeared as he examined the empty dungeon once more. His old friend was gone. Perhaps he returned to his former trade, perhaps he was actually gone from this world. Anyway, he needed to inquire someone about this matter. Hindsight told Oscar that things are never as simple as they appear.
On the 24th day, His Highness the Prince hurriedly bid farewell to this hell on earth where he had been imprisoned for ten years. He found that he had no emotion at all for this place, except for certain people and certain things, all that remained was the dark ink imprinted in his memory.
Just as the entire troop was ready to move on, the prince was nowhere to be found. Paladin Kamille Rayen had no alternative but to send out one company to search for the young prince. Finally, the knights located His Highness the Prince at the north side of the prison wall. His Highness stood beside a small tomb and laid down a garland -- something rare to be found in this season, above the small tomb.
”Is this someone you know?” Kamille stepped forward and asked.
Oscar nodded his head slightly, ”Yes… little Boo! Oh, I gave her this nickname. Her name was Brooklyn.”
”Do you miss her dearly?”
Oscar shook his head in response, ”She's a naïve, superficial, promiscuous little whore!”
Kamille Rayen was rather shocked at His Highness the Prince's inappropriate words. If O'Neil Andrew Morisette spoke about a person with such description, it could only mean that he missed and cherished the memory of this person too much.
”Let's go!”
Accompanied by his knights, the marshal quickly left the lonely tomb. This would be the last time Oscar visited Damorga – the place that shaped him, tempered him, and destroyed him all at once. The final visit did not stir up a surge of emotion in him, nor was it as exciting as he anticipated. What he experienced were instead unbearable desperation and a crying soul.
This place had deprived Oscar of many things, but it was also these things that made him the current Marshal of Imperial Guards, His Highness the Prince of the Empire, the Chief of Military Intelligence Bureau. If his future as the Emperor of the Great Andrew is included, Damorga would certainly be immensely proud of itself. However, the first thing that Great Andrew Emperor did after his coronation was to demolish the prison and replace it with a new paramilitary fort.
”You still can't forget about the past? Alanis leaned back to the comfortable carriage seat as she gently caressed her husband's braid.
Oscar remained silent. Indeed, he could never forget, even though some memories were not as fresh when he reminisced about it.
”Aww… poor little man! I'm sorry for you, we shouldn't have rested and reorganized in Damorga,” the princess threw herself into her husband's embrace. She felt genuinely sorry for her lover.
Oscar shook his head in response, ”No! It's not your fault. One way or another, we had to take a pause in Damorga.”
”Why?” asked the confused princess.
Her husband let out a laugh before replying, ”The whole world thought Her Elder Highness Princess Ashfin Kristen was in the south. Her Majesty the Empress's secret agents and some nosy people searched almost all of the five southern provinces but their effort was to no avail. That's because Ashfin is right here in Damorga! No other place is safer than here!”
”You imprisoned her in Damorga?” Alanis's eyes widened in disbelief, ”Hold on a second, if I remember correctly, she delivered the child in the south, right?”
”Yes!” Oscar nodded, ”She's no longer important since she delivered the child, as the person Her Majesty the Empress wants to destroy naturally became your Father Emperor's little princess!”
Alanis gave out a sigh of contempt, ”What an awful mess!”
Oscar shrugged helplessly as there was nothing he could do about the matter. The root of all cause was Alfa III the horny male dog… um… or should he say the male dog who was about to be summoned by God.
”All grace to the God of Light! You've finally returned!” Chief of Staff of Imperial Guards, Marshal Robin Sparse at last reunited with the young prince whom he missed dearly in the courier station in the south of Dulin city.
It seemed that it had just snowed in Dulin as the road was covered with a layer of thin ice. Oscar, who was immensely bored, began counting at the hooves' prints left by the horses. As he was counting near to six hundred, the man whose mood was badly battered, gradually started to calm down.
”Things are starting to get out of control!” Oscar mumbled to himself, he had been complaining nonstop the moment he entered the old marshal's office. ”Her Majesty Rolyn Kate is spending her final years in the convent, Silver Fox hiding behind the northern warmth at this time, and that damned old Kachev requested for his ten years' worth vacation all at once! Why didn't this old dog escape the cold in this kind of brazen winter?”
Marshal Robin frowned at the comment. He went up to shut the door tightly before pressing his student, whose mental state was terrible, down to the settee.
”I ought to remind you that this is the military, not your Kenshin Palace,”
Oscar puffed a few times before he calmed down. Then, he rolled a cigar for himself and began smoking as if he had no regards for the presence of the old marshal.
”Can't you see that all these people are lying low until this blows over?” The old marshal laid down comfortably on the seat.
”I know!” Oscar turned his head in annoyance, ”My Red Tigers are arriving at the capital from three directions, no one is stupid enough to irritate me at this moment.”
The Chief of Staff of Imperial Guard waved his hands in the air, ”Apart from your Red Tigers, Steinberger House also assigned one independent infantry brigade to the capital in the name of parading for Holy Day of God. The commanding officer is one of your old friends, by the way.”
Oscar thought about it for a moment, could it be the one who went through Saijo Mountain battle with him…”General Endorph?”
The old man shook his head, ”It's Wellington, your messenger!”
”Excellent!” Oscar slapped on the armrest of the settee, but suddenly he grew suspicious. ”No, it shouldn't be! How come I've not been told about any of this?”
From his own office, Chief of Staff pointed to the direction of Hamilton Palace. ”His Majesty the Emperor arranged for this personally, only those who receive the emperor's official sealed letter are informed about this.”
”I knew His Majesty would definitely have early preparations for his posthumous affairs!” Young prince extinguished the cigar, ”There's no reason to doubt Steinberger House's loyalty to the Imperial Family, a crack troop of 5,000 warfare infantry brigade is enough to decide the fate of Dulin!”
”Haha!” Marshal Robin suddenly laughed, ”Not including Steinberger, the combat troops also consist of an infantry division of the Titania House and the Southern Army Group's Snow Lions!”
”What do you mean? My Snow Lions?” Oscar was rather surprised, ”I… I have completely no idea about this!”
The Chief of Staff of Imperial Guards just shrugged with indifference, ”This means that your control over the south is actually not as powerful as you thought! Never underestimate the boldness of Imperial Family or Secret Service Department when it comes to dealing with emergencies. You could easily be killed by some conspirator if you are not careful enough!”
Oscar shook his head in confusion as he couldn't understand why Alfa III avoided him intentionally when he was making all these arrangements. Or did he also avoid everyone else? But at least he wouldn't have kept Alanis at arm's length! Unless… unless that lost male dog has changed his mind?
”Do you know what we should do now?” All of a sudden, Marshal Robin waved his hand in front of the young man.
”What else can we do except to see if His Majesty can survive this critical period?”
”No!” Chief of Staff shook his head, ”It would be too late by then! The moment His Majesty the Emperor falls, His Elder Highness Prince Lobble would not be able to get the crown smoothly. All those clowns would scramble on stage to do their attacking dance!”
”My Red Tigers are not mere decorations!” Oscar mentioned through his gritted teeth.
”My child! Don't you get it? Armed forces are not the solution to every problem!” Old marshal held his hands together. ”Those clowns would not fight the knights with force, that's why Her Majesty the Empress is hiding in the convent, and old Kachev has run away to the nursing home. Besides, what can you do even if you grasp control of the whole Imperial Guards? Push the empress into the coffin next to His Majesty the Emperor? Or drag Kachev from the nursing home and into the prison? You simply can't do that?”
On the other hand, Oscar didn't really mind the suggestion. He thought that it was worth a try if things come to that point.
”Don't even think about it!” The old man knocked hard on the young student's forehead. ”His Majesty the Emperor is still fighting a tough battle with Death, we should try our best to steer clear of bloody events or any impulsive decision.”
”Then what's the point of my return? To dig His Majesty's grave?”
”Don't be so anxious!” Robin laughed, ”You should know what sort of things are lurking in the dark. You shouldn't be so eager and impulsively mobilize a whole cavalry corps! Your enemies have been warned and are now hiding in the secluded places inaccessible to you, silently plotting their conspiracy in delight.”
The uneasy young man kept switching positions on the settee. It wasn't that he was afraid of the enemy's schemes, instead, he was more worried about the unimaginable things that the sick emperor would do, for instance…
”I sought verification from the Secret Service Department! Rudolf Hoss claimed that he had no idea Alfa III His Majesty released the super criminal from the Damorga prison.” Oscar examined the sky outside of the window with sorrow. ”However, it's definitely possible that it's Rudolf intention to keep the truth from me, although I can't seem to find an explanation why.”
”What's the matter? What are you saying?” The Imperial Guards Chief of Staff was totally puzzled.
”Damorga prison has been guarding a top-notch assassin who is widely agreed to be the best assassin in the entire Westland. Half a month ago, he was brought away by a carriage from Secret Service Department, and my Military Intelligence Bureau couldn't trace any information on what happened after. I have reasons to believe that the only person powerful enough to negotiate a deal with the super assassin is Alfa III His Majesty. I think he's planning to murder someone!”
Marshal Robin's eyes widened in shock, ”And no news on the assassin's whereabouts?”
Oscar was frustrated. ”That's why I mentioned things are getting out of hand! It has been almost half a month, but our enemies are still healthy and well! According to the assassin's capability… grave news would have been announced by now!”
”Perhaps… there could be an enemy that the emperor is aware of that's out of our knowledge?” The old man could only arrive at this conclusion after serious thought.
”This seems to be the only explanation!” Oscar muttered to himself, ”The poisoning of His Majesty the Emperor is still not solved. Although the lady who carried the poison is still not identified… I'm sure the emperor must have had some idea of who she is. It's just that it's not a name that we can recite simply!”
”You're suspicious of Her Elder Highness Ashfin Kristen?”