Chapter 187: Twenty-first Episode: Chapter 6 (1/2)
Chapter 187: Twenty-first Episode: Chapter 6
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The countryside was indeed breathtaking! It was summer now. The wheat field was glistening yellow, the oats field lush green. Hay was stacked in piles on the colorful pasture. The storks with their red, long and spindly legs strolled by the pond in the field, jabbering on in a foreign language.
Around the field and pasture were a few huge forests. Within the forest, brooks of varying depth flowed. The sunlight only brazenly expanded at the fringe of the forest. The dazzling splendor caused the field of burdocks to float like the water plants within the continuously circulating light.
The brilliance gradually dimmed under the massive silhouette of Westberg Fort. The greenish grey stone wall connected with the green embankment. Stripped of the decorative sculptures that portrayed the style of the Imperial Household, the massive fort was like a scarecrow, standing tall in the field.
Over the week, the only successor of Titan Empire's Morisette Dynasty stayed put at Westberg. Despite everything outside the window being pleasing to the eye, Alanis Alfa Morisette still did not get by easily – the Imperial Secretariat philosophies and customs had delivered the respected Princess of the Empire to the dark, silent room. Placed in the room were a hideous bed, a dining table and a chair. It seemed that…only the Altar of God that was facing the window could express the extravagant presence of the Imperial Household.
The Altar of God was coated in golden paint. Forged from pure gold, the candleholders were arranged on either side of the porcelain image of the God of Light. The background was an oil painting of deities and creation. In front of the oil painting was a huge row of refractive boards smeared with golden powder. The candle flames never seemed to die out because people kept replacing its base.
Alanis knelt before the image of God, meditating. Actually…she had been doing so since the first two to three days. However, she soon lost her patience as time passed by! Although this period of meditation was a compulsory course for Titan's Empress before the coronation ceremony, for a charming, energetic, young married woman, this plain room, the food and drinks worse than that of the monks in acetic practice, and those clergies who kept peering at her by the door; all these annoyed Alanis beyond reason! She wanted to find a reason to go mad and she even planned for those steps. Firstly, she would destroy all the religious facilities and then send all the clergies that served the Imperial Household to the guillotine…
What is that wretched Oscar doing? Alanis thought. Why hasn't he come rescue me? I feel like I'm about to die! Alanis prayed.
According to custom, or perhaps…gah, whatever! In short, it was an extremely old thing that was kept by Titan's Imperial Household for the past few hundred years. The Imperial Secretariat distributed the coronation announcement to various major monarchies. At that time, the Imperial Guards were still at war with the Anti-Titan Alliance. Of course, the Imperial Guards had won now.
The Western Kingdoms scrambled to be the first to reply this announcement.
There was not a need to bother about the onions of the lower class. The coronation of the Titan Empress was the internal affairs of this great Empire. Aside from Alanis and her husband, it did not have anything to do with anyone else…oh, that's right, except for one – Pope Radriere VI!
His Grand Eminence Pope Radriere VI's journey had been carefully thought over. This was because the coronation of the new Empress can only enter the actual phase of commencement after His Grand Eminence Pope arrived in Dulin. The pope was the most respected in the world of divine rights…let's just say that he was a terminally ill old man and be done with it! Only he could decide whether the gods would give the Emperor gown to a worldling, but just look at him! Scarlet red age spots, wretched yellow eyes, skin like dead fish scales…ooh la la! Princess Alanis had to muster all her courage before she dared to kiss him.
Forget it! It is no big deal being a little more humble and kneel for him, the Princess thought. Right at that moment, Marquise Cameron Wesarcia barged through the doors.
”Niz, get up quick. He's here. All this has at long last come to an end!”
Delight was etched all over Her Imperial Highness Princess' face. Both her hands were placed on the ground. She had to stick up her bottom before she could completely stand up.
”Oh heavens!” Alanis rubbed her knees. ”This is truly the good news of the God of Light! Where is my Oscar?”
Marquise Cameron Wesarcia laughed until she was swaying back and forth. When she laughed, the corner of her eyes showed a few fine, shallow lines. The ”Sun of the Empire” who had once been was no longer young anymore, but Cameron was still high-spirited. Moreover, her figure and appearance had not been tortured by the passage of time until they were eyesores. On the contrary, the Marquise of the Wesarcia Family was still the most moving rose of Dulin's upper class.
”What's up? It's not Oscar?”
The Marquise held onto the arm of the Empire's Crown Princess and used her finger to jab at the princess' forehead.
”Young lady, I think you've gone mad thinking about your man! If an Italian who is stooped and bow-legged came, will you be displeased?”
Alanis gave her head a strong exaggerated slap, ”His Grand Eminence Pope! This old fart has finally come!”
Cameron promptly covered the Crown Princess' mouth. ”Oh gosh, young lady! You should thank that old fart. If he were to delay a few more days on the road, then you will have to suffer a few more days too.”
Alanis gathered her hair up excitedly. The pope had arrived. This signified that she could become Titan Empire's Majesty Empress in a few days or perhaps a few weeks later!
”So…what should I do now?”
”Take a bath, Your Majesty! The girls have prepared it for you!”
Westberg Fort originally had two spacious skylight studios. However, in history, there was a Titan Emperor who detested portraits and so converted one of the studios in the fort into a huge public bath!
A huge public bath! Describing it this way was not the least bit outrageous. At first glance, clouds of steam rolled within the room. When the steam encountered the cold air at the door, the pure white mist would suddenly disperse like clouds and reveal a jade pool that stretched on forever.
The design of the public bath was absolutely similar to the hot spring in Serevan Palace of Vielonna. It seemed that both were built under the supervision of the same Emperor. On a sunny day, sunlight would spill in through the rows of wide-open skylights, illuminating the mist and surface of the water. The court attendants arranged cushions and all sorts of broad-leaved ornamental plants. A rockery stone with plants on it stood within the public bath. On the rockery that was slightly jutting out from the surface of the water, two honored and glorified, soldierly golden lions crouched. The lions' mouths were wide open and spurted flowing, steaming water into the pool.
Alanis came to a halt at the door. The maids on either side of the palace doors helped her to remove the feathered muslin draped over her. The Princess of the Empire revealed a plump, solid thigh and half of a towering breast. The Crown Princess tightened the bath towel around her body, and greeted the female companions in the room with a smile.
These ladies were from prominent, noble families and were the princess' friends. They were young and noisy! Although some had already married and become a Madam, they still enjoyed fooling around as before.
A pale-faced girl suddenly scuttled over. It seemed that she had already been in the bathroom for some time. She placed a garland around Alanis and then made a huge show of kneeling down.
”Long live Her Majesty Empress!”
Alanis was at a loss of what to do and could only smile bashfully.
The young ladies and madams in the bathroom crowded over. One after another, they saluted Her Highness Princess and kept crying, ”Your Majesty Empress”.
”Don't be like this, everyone! Please, you guys!” Alanis shook her head helplessly and sighed.
”What is there to this? You're our Empress, the Empress of the Empire!”
”Yes, yes! We're merely practicing!” All the women went along with it.
”Okay, okay! Suit yourselves! Address me however you please!” The Princess of the Empire could only oblige. However, truth be told, one could tell that Alanis' beaming face was full of self-confidence and reserved pride. She was extremely satisfied with the show before her and was completely basking in it.
The female companions who were in high spirits escorted the Princess to the edge of the pond. After obtaining permission from the Princess, they removed the bath towel over her body. Seeing Alanis' naked body in which even women would want to take in a few more times, the madams and young ladies on the scene offer up compliments that were just right. A bold girl even stealthily grabbed at the Princess' breast. As a result, both she and Alanis exclaimed with a ”wow”!
Alanis dipped into the public bath and said to the women, smiling, ”what's up with our Marquise Boude? Don't tell me that only women are able to move her?”
Marquise Boude glanced at her hands and then at the Her Highness Princess' chest. ”My goodness, they are indeed solid!”
The surrounding women burst into raucous laughter. They gently mocked Lado Boude whose body seemed underdeveloped.
”Please don't offend our elf!” Alanis actually came to the aid of the girl who had grabbed at her breast without permission. ”I'm saying that...the head of the Secret Service Department is her godfather. If she reports it to Count Rudolf Hoss, I reckon you all won't be able to live out your days well! ”
”By all means, please don't say that!” Marquise Lado Boude hurriedly waved her hands. Her voice then fell to a whisper, ”I've always been suspecting that...my godfather, Count Rudolf Hoss, may have been trying to win my heart all this while.”
The women laughed even more loudly. Alanis even laughed until she was rocking back and forth.
”Forget it, you! By what grounds?” the Princess of the Empire said while lifting the skirts of the Marquise. The surrounding women all came to give a hand. They planned to strip the shrieking Marquise down to her glorious body and then carefully study by what grounds the girl who boasted so shamelessly would think that Rudolf Hoss liked her.
Finally, Marquise Cameron Wesarcia shouted for them to stop. The women immediately released poor Lady Lado and each retreated to a corner. Some were eating the fruits, some continued on the discussion about the Head of the Secret Service Department, Count Rudolf Hoss' sexual preference.
Having witnessed such a scene, probably everyone had started to suspect; why would this Countess who was at the prime of her life, have such influence?
Perhaps Cameron's individual charm was indeed of an upper level, but before this, those familiar with the capital noble circle had never heard of her name. It had to be explained beginning from her husband, Marquis Jevonah Wesarcia.
Jevonah had once been a young diplomat who worked in the Titan Empire's embassy stationed in Engels. The young Marquis was quite fascinated by the Engels' adventurous spirit. He abandoned his work, climbed onto an ocean vessel and started on an overseas journey that lasted five years. Even more outrageously, he brought his wife with him, the only female on the ocean vessel's crew - Cameron, whose beauty paralleled to that of a flower.
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It was said that after the crew left Engels' harbor, they were lost at sea for some period of time. Sometimes it was up to seven to eight months before news of them were heard. However, in the end, no messages were received as the exploration crew disappeared for two years long! Just when His Majesty King of Engels intended to hold a state funeral for the crew's entourage, the missing crew suddenly appeared. They detoured over the most southern part of Feru's Mainland, then following the coastline they continued to advance. After many days' journey, they arrived at the East Coast known to the Westlanders as, Indija.
The crew's only surviving, huge sailboat was fully loaded with spice, silk and all sorts of ineffable luxury goods. When they arrived at Engel's Bay, Engel's capital was thronged with people. Everyone hurried up to greet the new expedition heroes. However, the thing that amazed the people was that the one leading the crew in their victorious return was not the captain of the Engels but a handsome Titan diplomat and his young, gorgeous wife!
Hence, overnight, Count Jevonah Wesarcia and his wife's endeavor had spread throughout numerous coastal countries. Ordinary people tried to embellish the riches that the couple brought back from the east while the noble class cared more about the voyage log. This voyage log was the true priceless treasure. This was because it recorded all details of the stretch that led from the western ocean to the eastern ocean. Obtaining this voyage log was equal to obtaining the priority to carry out trades with the Indija Empire. To any coastal countries, this signified unfathomable wealth.
Taking it for granted, the return of the couple naturally provided the Kingdom of Engels with a city of opportunities. The King of Engels personally went to the docks to greet this pair of desperado adventurers, but the incredulous thing was that this couple bizarrely went missing in the court ball afterwards.
A month ago, when smoke from the defensive war still filled the air, two strangers arrived in Dulin City. They were the Wesarcia couple who had fled from Engels. They had an audience with the Empire's heir apparent to the throne and handed over the voyage log that symbolized wealth and plundering to the ruler of Holy Titan.
At last, the Marquis couple's adventurous and patriotic spirit deeply moved the crown princess of the Empire. Her Imperial Highness Princess Alanis Alfa Morisette conferred Marquis Wesarcia with the Empire's warrior medal and a 200 hectare Imperial Household fief. Then, after using her good looks and speech to subdue the whole of Dulin, she took the Marquise Wesarcia couple into court. After that, Cameron became closer and closer to the Empire's Crown Princess. By the time news of victorious war had spread to the capital, the Marquise's authority had already reached a stage that was almost as high as the Imperial Household Palace Chief.
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”So… coming from the point of view of the Imperial Household, I have to advise you to…” Cameron said while lifting up the princess' wet hair. She then rubbed honey locust and pearl powder onto the princess' back and buttocks.
”It's best if you conceive as soon as possible. This way, the Andrews will have completely lost the room for bargaining!”
Alanis frowned without uttering a word. She seemed to have her own plans.
”I know that you're taking His Highness Prince's secret marriage to heart. However, the fact is to just vent it out and let it be. You know that there isn't any use complaining about it. Even His Grand Eminence Pope is unable to prevent the Duke of Andrew to marry four wives because this is…” the Marquise pointed towards the skylight above them, ”it's that ruler up above that arranges it and no one can change it.”
Alanis wiped the droplets of sweat on her face impatiently. Perhaps from the point of view of others, Marquise Cameron Wesarcia's words were as precious as gold. However, the Crown Princess was aware that when the beautiful Madam with unusually ample experience started nagging, it was simply unbearable.
Cameron suddenly aimed the softest part on the princess' body and took a pinch out of it. ”Don't sulk! Listen carefully, young lady!”
Alanis gave a small yelp! Despite Cameron's inclination to nag, the Crown Princess still enjoyed spending time with her. This woman's mind and calm, solemn and ever-changing way of thinking had provided the Empire's Princess with tons of help.
”I'm listening! I'm listening! You can't always use force on me at every turn. Even my Mother Empress dare not treat me this way!”
Cameron actually let out an ”ola”. Perhaps this was also one of the reasons Alanis trusted her. The Marquise and the princess consort had a completely same catchphrase; even their expressions when loudly crying out ”ola”, were extremely similar.
”Ola, ola! Since you brought up Her Majesty Empress Rolyn Kate, I must tell you, child, don't assume that the defending war has come to an end. Moreover, don't think that Marshal Alan and Prince O'Neil will have any significant results at the conference table! As long as either one of the two of your sisters take in the fleeing Empress Rolyn Kate, then your Empress position is still unstable!”
”Why do you say this?” Alanis creased her eyebrows. Haven't the soldiers already destroyed the Anti-Titan Alliance thoroughly? It was said that the western national highway was full of wounded soldiers that the lower class discarded. It was said that a platoon of the soldiers of the Guards were called to simply capture one of the groups or even division.
”They are completely finished! Don't tell me it isn't so!”
”You are such a naïve girl!” Cameron cupped the princess' face, and used scented soap to wipe Alanis' hair and face. ”I can only say that they are unable to fight within a short time! When they have restored their vigor, the ruler that took Empress Rolyn Kate in will come with the identity of defending traditions and force you to abdicate just as this time, using their enormous army to force you to abdicate!”
Alanis seemed to still want to say something, but the Marquise had already stopped her. Cameron took a bucket from a young lady and poured it over the princess' hair. Alanis covered her face and allowed the water to wash away her weariness and filth.
”Very well, my Lady,” the Marquise embraced the princess from behind. ”Regardless of how the future is, we need to first make that wretched old man from Italia leave! When you have been crowned Empress, I believe that nothing will be able to stump us at that time!”
Alanis laughed. Her laugh was still as beautiful as before. There was not the slightest hint of the resentment and worry brought on by her miscarriage and the chaos of war that came after.
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A pure white woolen carpet was spread over the mountain path that continued to lead towards the fort's passageway. Beneath the heavens or perhaps on the vast range of mountain ridges, soldiers of the Guards stood as far as the eye could see. With just a casual glance, it appeared like a great forest twinkling with the gleam of steel.
The woolen carpet was only a meter wide and on either side of it were spearmen. The spears of the spearmen crisscrossed in the air. This caused the pavement in which the carpet was made up of become a long hallway that extended from the foot of the mountain all the way into the fort.
Close to noon, the scorching sun caused the soldiers in the mountain ridge to perspire profusely. However, they only grumbled about the malice of the sun and not the supreme commander who had ordered them to stand there.
The sound of a powerful military bugle suddenly sounded. It spread from the foot of the mountain to the top of the hill. The soldiers of the Guards glanced towards the direction of the foot of the mountain one after another. Two vivid figures appeared to be floating on the white carpet.
When Marshal Alan and Marshal O'Neil walked over, the soldiers with their spears raised on either side of the mountain path stood to attention in succession. With uniform movements, they broke up the long hallway formed by the spears and brought the spears to one side of their erect body. After that, the soldiers on both sides of the mountain ridge knelt down on one knee one after another. The figures of the soldiers gradually stooped following the steps of the Marshals, like a sudden, violent gust of southeastern wind bending the silver barley field that stretched on infinitely.
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Church's Year 800, 4th day of the 8th month. This was the harvest season to the Titan Guards. The Anti-Titan Alliance had already given up this outdated name. On the conference table, they called themselves the representative of the four nations.
Marshal Alan and Marshal O'Neil seemed to be taking a stroll. They did not have the slightest intention to speed up. The old and young soldiers continued to exchange topics and emitted extremely hearty laughter.
Caven Fort was already in ruins, but the countless soldiers and Guards shining armors made up for the castle's lack in aesthetic visual. Through the huge castle gates that was piled with crushed stones and peculiar wood, treading on dark, bloodstained pavement laid with flagstones, two Marshal of the Guards simultaneously walked towards the arbor that was built last minute at the heart of the fort.
The arbor was opened to the side that was facing the castle gates. A huge rectangular table about four meters long was placed there. To the side of the rectangular table facing outwards (its back to the fort gates), four high-backed chairs were arranged there. They were the most common sort on the market, but could possibly be crafted by the carpenter in the army at the last moment.
Only two high-backed chairs were displayed on the inner side of the rectangular table. However, one could know that these two chairs were far grander with just a glance. Gold lined the side of the high-backed chairs. The seats and cushions were all deep red velvet.
Oscar and Marshal Alan came to a halt outside of the arbor. They were highly satisfied with the decorations. The dilapidated castle and gorgeously decorated colorful arbor blended together, producing a kind of stunning visual landscape. The ruined side symbolized the Guards' fighting spirit in which their tenacious resistance lasted until their sacrifice. The last minute building that was brimming with resplendent light displayed the victor's heart and the dignified air of the Imperial Household.
”This is my first time!” Oscar rubbed his hands. He was the first to take the seat on the velvet high-backed chair on the right. ”This feeling is truly indescribable!”