Chapter 166: Nineteenth Episode: Chapter 3 (2/2)

”My husband can absolutely protect me. He won't let me suffer any harm.”

The Emperor suddenly muttered to himself irresolutely. ”Oscar… I still have to test him another time; the final test! If I've ascertained that he is worth your trust, then you will definitely know and if I've failed to do so, you will also know the result.”

Alanis frowned, ”Do you need me to call him in? He's been waiting outside for ages!”

”No! No!” the Emperor clung to his daughter's hand. ”Let me look at you once more, my girl. How I wish to see how you will look like an Empress…”

***************

His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette sat at the most conspicuous position in the huge guest room, overcame with boredom. A while ago his wife was sitting there, and now it was him. Marshal Robin kept muttering to him unintentionally or otherwise, but the young prince didn't utter a word all the while.

The crisp crackling sound of firewood burning in the fireplace, combined with the steady chant of the Archbishop and added on by the fragrance of lavender in the Faran incense burner, made everyone feel drowsy. The prominent nobles of Dulin City were only those few whom we are familiar with. More and more people came together in the huge guest room. They gathered in twos and threes, quietly engaging in bland discussion, enjoying the torment of time.

Church's year 799, the 23rd day of the 12th month, it was almost eleven o'clock. Oscar shot a glance at the desk clock; his wife has already gone in for an hour. If His Majesty III could chat on for so long, he was unlikely to leave the world immediately and may be able to hold out for another few days! Just when the young prince's imagination was running wild, his wife threw open the huge doors of the bedroom.

Oscar immediately went forward or one should say everyone in the guest room surged forward. The Princess shook her head and everyone retreated even more disappointedly. ”He just had his nap. He's now awake and calling for you to enter!”

The Prince of the Empire adjusted his clothes and then shot a look that said ”Everything's going to be fine” to his wife and strode into the Emperor's bedroom. We believe that he has no idea of the situation he was in.

”Le roi est mort, vive le roi!”

As soon as the huge doors banged shut, the prince heard the Emperor call out, ”Apologies, I have only a smattering of the Engel language (Level 6 standard), if it were the Deiss language, I will be a little better off!”

”Haha! You should learn this language, there will surely come a time you will need it!” Alfa III said while beckoning with his hand towards his son-in-law. ”You know? The plays of the Engels are very meaningful, especially their literature language and sonnets.”

Oscar shrugged, ”I've brought you coffee and tea. I don't know what you need.”

The Emperor waved his hand slightly, ”I only need a chunk of a boulder that is shaped into a coffin and then lie down peacefully in it. After that have people to cover the slate for me outside. Written on the slate will be, 'here lies a blunderer in eternal rest!'”

”Hahahahaha!” the Prince of the Empire burst into uncontrolled laughter. ”Why do I feel like your condition is in tip-top shape? A blunderer will not joke around like this.”

The Emperor sized up the youngster. He had married his daughter over to him and given him an exalted position and immense authority, but… what will he use the things within his control for?

”Do you remember the things that I emphasized to you before?”

Oscar nodded, ”Yes Sir, I've been reminding myself at all times. Whoever is against Lobble, that person is the true enemy of the Morisettes! You've already warned me twice!”

”Very good!” the Emperor settled back into the pillow relieved. He raised his eyebrows slightly and his forehead was immediately piled with numerous scar-like wrinkles. This simple action probably consumed a lot of his energy. ”Le roi est mort, vive le roi! It means that the old King has passed; long live the new King! This was the most famous quote of that play. The plot was roughly about… a King that was murdered and then… some dispute between the prince and the cabinet ministers.

”What were they debating about?”

Alfa III took in a deep breath, ”All the people are debating… who is the culprit!”

”Who?”

The Emperor fixed his eyes on his nephew. A powerful minister he has brought up single-handedly. ”Be wary of Rolyn Kate and her Archbishop brother. They are up to some mysterious shady business! I can't guess they're up to or how they're going to carry it out specifically, but they are certainly plotting up a conspiracy!”

”What about Kachev?”

”Hehe… everyone is worried about Kachev, but Kachev will definitely stand by the new Emperor; I know him only too well. Just name that illegitimate son as the prince of the Empire and Kachev will readily do just about anything without complaint, including going to hell.”

”Rolyn Kate can similarly make a pledge like this!”

The Emperor smiled derisively, ”Rolyn Kate? What can she use to pledge to others? That filthy body of hers? An old fox like Kachev can definitely see through her clearly. He knows where he should stand so just relax!”

”Then… is there anything else that is bothering you?” Oscar finally touched on the issue.

”Of course!” Alfa III exclaimed feebly. ”The Imperial Household of Morisette's succeeding monarchs must learn a bare lesson before the coronation. You know this!”

The young prince could only give a bitter smile, ”I've heard of it… about how to treat the Andrews.”

”How do you view this?” The light I the Emperor's eyes were gradually fading. His diseased body was about to fall apart, but he persevered on to clarify this matter.

”If you're asking me, who shall I ask?” Oscar chose to evade it. ”I am a member of Andrew and am merely standing in for the position of one of the prominent Imperial Household members. In the end, you still won't trust me as you trust Marshal Alan. Even though you married off your daughter to me, which is merely a certain strategy where there are gains and losses, it is not your choice or should I say, not your decision to make!”

Alfa III patted him lightly and then realized that his whole body couldn't move anymore. He didn't even have an ounce of strength.

”Thank the God of Light! My young Oscar hasn't let the power he wields and the continuous victories get into his head!” the Emperor exclaimed happily. He was aware that he had to hurry up. His body couldn't respond at all, but his consciousness was exceptionally heightened, an omen that he was about to breathe his last.

”Listen to me Oscar, you are an Imperial Household member because you certainly are! So when you control the Andrews, you must take note of two points, bloodline, and tradition!”

”Bloodline and tradition; got it!” Oscar pulled the quilt snugly around the Emperor. ”Oh gosh, by the God of Light, you should rest. Your complexion is unsightly!”

Alfa III waved his hand incessantly. He was a little dubious as to whether that waving arm was his because he couldn't feel a single thing.

”No need! It isn't necessary! I only wish to verify one matter. When you learn that the gift I prepared for your father, who is also the elder of the Andrews and the commander-in-chief of the Narcissus Knights for the Holy day of God is a coffin, what will you do?”

Oscar was completely dumbfounded. What was the Emperor saying?

”Haven't you been to Damorga?” Alfa III grabbed onto the young prince's clothes tightly. He forced his eyes to open widely; he couldn't miss a single detail.

”Your assassin friend has been blindfolded and has been loaded onto a sealed carriage. He won't know where he has arrived at, only that if he eliminates that target, he will obtain freedom! Do you know how much he yearns for freedom?”

It finally dawned on Oscar just what happened. In the twinkling of an eye, his rage shattered his pillar of reason. ”You… you wish to murder my father!”

”Yes!” Osli Alfa Morisette locked eyes with his son-in-law without the slightest fear. He wasn't afraid, just that he could read an implacable hatred within the other's eyes. Osli immediately understood that… his test has been successful and the outcome verified that he was horribly wrong. ”Why?” Oscar was skeptical as to whether that feeble sound as if he were drowning was really his own.

”Because Dortmund is the only obstacle!” Oscar suddenly leaned close to the Emperor and grabbed the Emperor's pillow. ”You must have heard before that no one can get away without paying the price after violating the Andrews.”

”If you really think that way then you are gravely mistaken!” the Emperor persisted. ”Everything I do is for the Imperial Household. You could even say that… it is for you! You can completely control the Andrew's…”

Oscar already had no interest in listening on to the sickly voice of the assassin blathering on. He pulled the Emperor's pillow out from the bed and then pressed the soft lump of an object forcefully against the Emperor's face.

Alfa III struggled and seemed to be crying for help, but the murderer who intended to kill him pressed his whole weight against the pillow. He couldn't breathe. His sick form had no way of contending against the murderer! After what seemed to be a century long, the ruler of Titan Empire still had no indication of being able to break free of the pillow. His struggles gradually ceased, his limbs twitched and finally, he gave up!

However, Oscar didn't! Oscar was as the first time he murdered, excitedly mumbling to himself. Hatred caused his heart, mind and his whole consciousness to be bounce like crazy. He used his thigh to repress the convulsing Emperor and used his upper body strength to lean onto the pillow. He forgot himself and used brute force until the sound of a pendulum reached his ears until the whole world came to a halt.

”What… have actually happened?” Oscar was stunned for a long time. It was unbelievable, wasn't it? He murdered a sickly old man destined to be called by the gods. To be more precise, he murdered the monarch of Titan.

It seemed that… Oscar didn't believe that he had murdered the Emperor. He gently moved the pillow away and Osli Alfa Morisette's face gave him a fright. The Emperor's features were already twisted. His tongue was hanging outside with a long trail of saliva on it.

”Really… how can he meet anyone like this?” the murderer eyed the deceased mockingly. He felt for the deceased's pulse while saying, ”You are Emperor Alfa III of the Morisette Dynasty! You shouldn't look like this. You will give the God of Light a scare!”

After saying that, Oscar tidied up the Emperor's hair and then smoothed out the creases on the pillow and placed it back to its original position. Lastly, which was the most crucial point, resisting his disgust, the perpetrator gave the deceased mouth to mouth; he wanted to clear up the deceased's respiratory tract. He then gently massaged the deceased's body. First it was the face, followed by the chest, and lastly the muscles on his thigh.

When he was done doing all these, the serene appearing Osli Alfa Morisette seemed as if he was dreaming!

As the murderer who had killed the Empire's Emperor, O'Neil Andrew Morisette leaned quietly against the bedside. He took in Osli's face and then shot a glance at the bedroom door. He didn't know what awaited him outside and he had no idea the way in which he should explain this matter. Perhaps astute forensic investigators were assembled outside, perhaps a flood of all sorts of questions awaited outside, perhaps… a fully armed paladin group was waiting outside, he couldn't say for sure.

”I can take on… five! No, no! Perhaps seven!” Oscar suddenly laughed at himself. What for was he thinking these? His eyes flicked to the desk clock; the ruler of the Empire left the world for more than half an hour.

The prince straightened out his Marshal uniform. The Emperor's struggles almost caused a tear in his clothing.

When O'Neil Andrew Morisette was certain that the outside world couldn't determine the incident that had taken place here, he left the bed without hesitation and then threw open the tightly closed palace door violently.

Everyone clearly saw His Highness Prince's pale, helpless look. The cabinet ministers and the relatives of the Imperial Household flocked around him. Even the group of expert physicians had a very bad feeling surge within them.

”Go and verify it!” Oscar stepped aside from the palace door for the senior doctor. ”His Majesty Alfa III has already left us!” Not knowing who was the one using force, all the people swarmed in. They bumped against the prince, causing him to lose his balance until his wife supported him. Oscar returned a kind smile to his wife, ”I thought he had fallen asleep. After waiting for a long time… who knew…”

Alanis covered her husband's lips and flung herself fiercely into the man's arms, ”He… he was still well a while ago…”

”Yes…” Oscar moaned softly, ”He was still well a while ago…”

”My Lady!” the doctor's voice suddenly traveled out, ”We have verified that His Majesty III has died due to a weakened heart!”

Rolyn Kate wailed aptly. Her delicate frame fell onto the Emperor's corpse and those who saw ached for her. Practically all the cabinet ministers were consoling the Empress and comforting her. Even old Kachev joined in.

Oscar heaved a sigh of relief. He continued to stroke his wife's back but was mostly consoling himself. Everything has ended, hasn't it? No one suspected the incident that had taken place in the bedroom at all and no one else would ever know that the elder who was beyond cure didn't die of illness but due to an innocent pillow.

The crowd helped the Empress out of the palace. The cabinet ministers flanked around the widow of Emperor III like stars revolving around the moon. Rolyn Kate's weeping was sufficient to awe those who scorned her. This was because all the people knew that the woman has been looking forward to this day since twenty years ago. Perhaps she was even crying out of joy, one couldn't say for sure!

The people escorted the Empress to leave the huge guest room like this. Just a moment ago they were loyally guarding their monarch, but at this moment, they abandoned their monarch in the icy cold, open bedroom that was filled with the essence of death. Oscar and Alanis took all these in, ”Le roi est mort, vive le roi!” This was such an insightful truth!

***************

Mashal Alan finally came forward. He wielded the Marshal sword in his hand and knelt down with one knee. The old man took the Princess' hand and kissed it sincerely.

”My condolences. If there is anything… please instruct me!”

The Princess nodded her head lightly and suddenly swiveled around to face the palace's Captain of the Guards standing guard by the door.

”Basil, wield your sword and guard the door! I wish to be alone with my father a while.

Paladin Colonel Basil Kenny immediately raised his sword and saluted. He then resumed his stiff expression.

”Don't force yourself!” Oscar supported his wife by her arm.

”No, you all go busy yourselves! There must be tons of matters waiting for you!” Alanis knitted her eyebrows stubbornly. She didn't wish for her father to depart this mortal world this lonely.

Oscar had no choice but to release his wife. His eyes bored into hers. He was uncertain whether he was doing the right thing. He only knew that… a chasm that couldn't be crossed has risen up between him and Alanis. The normal units for distance couldn't measure the chasm, and so the term abyss would more fitting.

The Princess of the Empire leaned against the Emperor's bedside, just like the way she did a moment ago. Her father was resting peacefully as if he was still awake. This was because the Princess kept thinking that her father's eyelashes were trembling slightly.

Alanis thought about a lot of things, especially about things when her father was still alive. She didn't understand why she hated him so much. She hated his disloyalty, his hypocrisy, and his stud-like habits.

But in the end, he died! He passed away silently without taking with him anything.

Alanis scanned the entire room and her eyes lastly fell upon her father. So what if he was an Emperor? In the end, he was only left with a daughter to pay him respect. His wife was putting on a ridiculous show before the people. His eldest son was slumped in the arms of a pimp, completely drunk. His second son must be having a merry celebration in a Shalon. His subjects were very possibly carrying out all sort of selfish ideas.

Lastly, the daughter leaned in towards her father's corpse and said to him, ”I actually love you, just that I hate some of the way you handle things!”

Alfa III must have been very aggravated during his passing because he only released his tightly balled fists at that moment. Alanis was stunned. She had no idea why a corpse could move, but the shiny golden object in the deceased's hand immediately captured her attention.

The Princess of the Empire picked it up, frightened. She finally burst into tears!

”Father, you wish to tell me about this? Answer me, father!”

The seal of the Guards was engraved onto the golden button. That was an identity emblem that would only be found on the Marshal's uniform.

***************

Church's year 799, the 24th day of the 12th month, 1.27am early in the morning. The knell of Dulin Scott Cathedral sounded. Not long after, all the other churches in Dulin followed suit. This frigid winter night was destined to go down into the annals.

The cavalry was galloping down the streets. They set up numerous sentry posts according to that stated in the martial law announced. The infantry troops controlled the traffic of the capital, the shield soldiers and ax bearers were equipped and ready. They occupied various important government courtyards. Aside from that, last minute military camps were set up in all the Imperial Household courtyards. These stern-looking soldiers did not stop the people of the capital from flooding the streets. The nobles and ordinary people blended together. The black-clothed crowd was gathered on both sides of the Road of Kings. They lighted bright candle flames.

Lastly, when the golden lion flag on the roof of Hamilton Palace was lowered to a half, the Tower of Heroes that has been silent for some time again burned, but this time it wasn't responded by fire beacons everywhere. The gigantic pillar of smoke slowly billowed into the night sky and was finally carried away by the wind, just like His Majesty III's spirit.

Under the watch of the Princess of the Empire, the special staff of the Imperial Secretariat in charge of the burial sorted out the Emperor's body.

At this moment, there were still a few days before Church's year 800. We know that Osli Alfa Morisette and everything he stood for has already left this noisy mundane world.

A new century was about to arrive and it came just like a dream.