Chapter 191: Twenty-second Episode: Chapter 1 (2/2)

Oscar pondered for a while, and said, ”If I stay, will I be interrupting you and bringing you any inconveniences?”

”No! Not at all!” Rolanda waved her hands quickly. She might be having the same mindset as the man before him. Both of them had some kind of anticipation regarding this unexpected rendezvous of theirs, but at the same time, they did not know what exactly they are anticipating or what they wanted.

After that, the Marshal of the Guards had begun to drown himself in work again. He had brought along several capable men from the Military Intelligence Bureau's Mapping Division and Intelligence Analysis Division. Upon seeing this, the Baroness had been quick to comprehend the situation and left the place. The soldiers then sat down in the spacious, bright main hall of the library. Following His Imperial Highness the Prince's criteria, they had recorded various text and information and captured any valuable information. These included the Slovenian Empire's societal structures, royalty histories and territorial summaries. Even though this information were antiques from four hundred years ago, Slovenia which was situated in the depths of the Eastern sea bay had not changed much of the fact that it was still behind times and reclusive. Some said that it was a paradise while others said that it was a reservation for the sinners. However, from the current situations, the most probable saying was that it was a ”future battlefield” as the Andrew family or even O'Neil Andrew Morisette himself had their eyes on the kingdom's geographical location and its ocean territories of several hundred kilometers.

”Reporting Marshal!” a Military Intelligence Bureau staff suddenly called out in delight, ”This should be the one you're looking for!”

Oscar immediately took the dusty and stained scroll.

”Rome…Slovenia…the Southern East border…” Oscar turned his head back abruptly, ”Magnifying glass! Magnifying glass!”

A staff quickly handed him the magnifying glass.

Oscar studied the blurry writings in detail and it was only in the end that he put down the map in elation.

”Do you believe it? This was Church's year four, the raw map where the holy Rome had permitted Slovenia to detach itself from Titan's control! Now, have a look at these few signatures signing off the map, oh heavens! You won't believe this!”

The Military Intelligence Bureau officers who were present all gathered forward. They each took a magnifying glass in their hand and leaned onto the table surface to study in detail, ”There's this religious emblem right here, albeit a very complicated emblem but the names behind it have all blurred.” A staff said, ”There's a person's name here…Nerora. Who's Nerora?” Another staff voiced out his discoveries, ”Look at this!” The discoveries of the final staff seemed to be very direct, ”Grand Duke Abisimo, the official seal and emblem, everything's here!”

Oscar chuckled and patted his subordinates on the shoulders, ”It's exactly because that you lot have studied too little, which is why I'm the Marshal, while you guys are still officers!”

The young Imperial prince pointed at the complicated religious emblem, ”This is the personal stamp of the last archbishop of the holy Roman Empire, also the emblem of Saint Roflan. Roflan had definitely established the foundations of the upper construction formats of the Roman Vatican, and he's more like the very first religion, but he hadn't managed to remain alive until the main sect has been established.”

”Now look at this!” Oscar pointed at the second hint which had appeared on the map. ”Nerora! His surname would follow exactly that of the emperors of the holy Roman Empire. In history, he was by far the most famous mental patient, the emperor of Byzantine's ending eras, and had been driven to insanity by the Persian pagans!”

”Lastly, this…” Oscar moaned momentarily, it seemed that this final hint was extremely problematic, ”Grand Duke Abisimo, he was the earliest king of Slovenia, but his family line was not associated with the current royalties of Slovenia at all!”

The military officers around the prince said nothing anymore. If the Slovenians which had testified the legality of this map back then were not the royalties, it would be perfectly fine for the Slovenians to ignore Titan's impending requests regarding the territories.

”But, why should I be bothered so much?” Oscar grunted coldly, ”If these three blurred signatures are to be put onto the market, they can at least be sold for ten thousand Golden Tis, but its value right now is a kingdom!”

”Your Highness! To be more precise, it's a sovereign kingdom!” a staff said cautiously.

”Things will be much easier to proceed if the ruler of Slovenia calls himself as a Grand Duke, but the problem now is that the person is a king and he possesses the country's sovereignty and the legal imperial system.”

”Yes, your Highness!” another staff also entered the conversation, ”Regardless of the fact that the Roman Vatican and the primary sovereign countries on the Westland all bear negative impressions of Slovenia's religious policies, they will still not support our actions and might even launch an intervention war with the name that we've offended the country's sovereignty!”

”Moreover…” the final staff planned to provide further explanation, but he realized that the Marshal's demeanor was not a cluster of rain clouds. Thus, he quickly swallowed his words back into his throat.

”Speak!” Oscar was losing his patience. He was never a stubborn person who liked to stand firm on his thoughts. In contrary, he loved discussing with people.

That staff coughed dryly, ”Judging from the current situations, it won't be long until the death of His Grand Eminence the Pope Radriere VI. The main sect has already finalized their candidate for the new pope but that candidate is a Faran! I'm guessing that the new term of sect won't give us good looks either since we've beaten the Farans in such a terrible manner at Shawob River!”

”Oh, they've caused these trouble themselves!” Oscar got extremely upset that his eyes widened at the mention of the Farans. At the same time, he thought of an imbecile named Karlchette.

The Military Intelligence Bureau members in the library no longer dared to speak further. Some had directed their focus onto the documents on their hands while the Commissioned Officers surrounding the Marshal just stood at the same spot in silence.

Oscar inhaled a few deep breaths. He had long passed the age where he would be easily triggered but it was just that he had experienced quite a few vigorous emotional fluctuations today.

”Alright! Everyone don't be so nervous!” His Imperial Highness the Prince relaxed his demeanor and pushed the empty tea cup in his hand slightly to the frightened officers, ”Go and find a seat, everyone, let's get seated! Now let's discuss and see if there are any other ways that are more practical!”

The military officers let out a long breath and got themselves seated respectively. After enjoying a few cups of sweet black tea, the officers' tension had subsided eventually, and the atmosphere of the conversation was no longer stern and nervous.

”Your Highness, if we don't consider taking physical action against Slovenia for the mean time, there are still quite a lot of ways to go about!”

Oscar chuckled, ”I just know you guys will definitely have some solutions!”

Upon hearing this, the officers laughed in a silly manner. The Military Intelligence staff who had just spoken knocked the raw agreement map which ”had surmount value”. ”We can put this thing up in the market and just like what His Highness had said earlier! Auctions, collections, in summary, we just have to make the outer world aware of the existence of this piece.”

”Then?” Oscar opened his cigar box and distributed them to the people there while he spoke.

”Then…” the staff chuckled in menace, ”Then, the people can say whatever they like! Since the traditional territories of the Ancient Roman Empire and Slovenian Empire had really existed in this world, the controversies will definitely invoke various reactions. For example, the Titan Empire wants to reclaim the territories illegally occupied by Slovenia or that Slovenia wants to give up on the lands outside of its traditional territories or that Slovenia today is already a country for the pagans and many more! As such, the rulers of Slovenian Empire will naturally have headaches and there will be internal chaos within their upper ranks. In contrary, this chaos will be very advantageous to us. Amidst the anarchy, we will be able to identify our friends and locate those who despise the pagans, are dissatisfied with the royalties, or anyone who's scheming to overthrow the throne!”

”Has everyone heard that?” Oscar turned to the people near him.

The military officers all nodded in affirmation, ”Very brilliant, absolutely realistic and extremely safe!”

Oscar his arm in dismissal, ”How is it very brilliant, absolutely realistic and extremely safe? Yes, to some extent…”

”Am I interrupting you? It's already dinner time!” the slim Baroness suddenly appeared at the door.

”Not at all!” Oscar stood up immediately. The military officers following him had also left their seats like rabbits in shock.

When the wife of the Historical Records Officer, who had also been the daughter of the prison warden, saw the smoke flowing from the house, she could not help but furrowed her brows. She flipped over the signage on the huge library door and wrote ”no smoking” on it with big red letters.

The officers moved immediately. They all knew that His Imperial Highness the Prince's behaviors toward this lady were extremely unique. Regardless, to find an ashtray in Ogeiro's family library was a mission near impossible. However, the Marshal of the Guards' actions had reminded them. Oscar pressed the cigar against the center of his palm, and then nonchalantly wiped the black ashes in his hand onto the military uniform of a nearby officer.

”Oh heavens!” Rolanda exclaimed in shock and trudged toward the Imperial Prince with quick steps.

”What are you doing? Have you not gotten rid of your old bad habit? You just like to simply wipe the stains on your hands anywhere, and I still remember that your Polar Bear Sofa has recovered its original shade of snow-white only after Annie and I had cleaned the sofa for a long time.

Oscar was slightly puzzled. He thought that it would fit the situation better if Rolanda had grabbed his ears.

Upon hearing the crisp sounds of the closing door, Rolanda paused her lectures. She turned her head back and discovered that all the soldiers in the room had disappeared.

While the Baroness still had her head turned away, Oscar grabbed the opportunity and closed the ”confidential” document which was being spread out on the table surface. When Rolanda had turned back to him, he extended his arms and acted as if nothing had happened.

”Look, my subordinates are all hilarious people who knew how to act appropriately in certain situations too!”

Rolanda looked at all directions and retrieved a military rehearsal map which was filled with symbols and red pointers, ”How I hope that they won't be as clumsy as you!”

Oscar took the map quickly and held it in his embrace! He was a little troubled, this thing was the overall map of the military rehearsal of the ”lighthouse” plan, how could he have forgotten about it?

”Right…” the Baroness got closer to the sofa and demonstrated her sitting postures as a standard royalty, ”I've mentioned Annie just now, how has she been? I miss her so much!”

Oscar smiled forcefully. He was also concerned about this question, how was Annie?

”She's at the South, accompanying Sasha E. at Vielonna.”

”What about Sasha E.?”

”She's waiting for me there!”

”Are you leaving?”

”I can't tell for sure!” Oscar sighed internally. ”It'll be the Military Expansion Meeting of the Guards tomorrow and the arrangement of schedules will have to wait after the meeting has ended.”

”What about the Persian princess?” Rolanda blinked. ”I've heard that the princess of another country is even more beautiful than our empress and your Young Lady!”

”I have her portrait with me,” Oscar chuckled bitterly. Arayna had shoved it to him forcefully. Moreover, her drawing skills were not that good either.

”If you're free, come be my guest at my place.”

The Baroness shook her head in low spirits, ”Only by being here, you're Oscar and I'm Rolanda. Once we're out of this small castle, you'll be the empire's sovereign prince while I'll be the wife of Baron Ogeiro.”

The Imperial Prince was speechless. He took out a cigar but had kept it back helplessly after seeing the notice on the door despite his desires.

The day was getting late. The afterglow of the sunset shone through the small windows of the palace, condensing into a faint red pillar in the dark corners of the interior. A unique fragrance and faint scent of the dirt flowed from the ancient books. Upon closer inspection, one could even smell the pig oil which was used to preserve the books. A lone lamp, a cup of black tea, the setting sun, and a comfortable sofa. Oscar stared at the beauty in front of him. All of a sudden, he was having some hallucinations and thought that only days like these would be worth living for. He pondered about the details of his life from the beginning to the end. Getting out of prison, granted the position, being ambushed, revenge, engagement, studies, attacks, defeated, bleeding, enslaved, being near the brink of death, and victory. As for what had happened after these, Oscar could not remember clearly. He did not understand why he could recall the events of the past in such detail but his memories of the changes in the world in the recent one of two years were blurred.

”Am I getting old?” Oscar thought along this line. ”Or is it that I no longer know how to think? Making judgments with my survival instincts and adapting myself to the competitions in the reality with my will to survive! But I've done so much! Fought for so long! Battled so fiercely! Shed so much blood! All for what? Just wanting to stay alive? Is staying alive so difficult?”

At last, O'Neil Andrew Morisette could only conclude his thoughts after seeing too much fresh blood and conspiracies that his heart had become numb.

”Hehehe!” the Baroness suddenly giggled after the long silence.

Oscar was shocked from him deep thoughts, ”What happened?”

Rolanda waved her hands, ”Have you heard of this? Whenever the Farans' discussions have plunged into utter silence, they'll say that an angel is passing them by!”

Oscar looked at all directions but he did not see any angel, ”Is that an excuse to mask the silence?”

Rolanda shook her head, ”No! I believe in the saying! Whenever a conversation stops abruptly, it means that an angel is passing by us while praying for our happiness and solving our troubles.” Oscar put his hand on top of his former lover. He was finally willing to address Rolanda like that and there had been once when he had been so in love with her, ”Is there anything that I can help you with?”

The Baroness shook her head again, ”No! You should be able to see that right now, I'm really happy and joyful!”

Oscar did not say anything further. He just continued caressing the woman's hand.

Rolanda looked at the book rack on her left and gestured at those books slightly, ”Do you know why I had abandoned the desires in my heart and gotten married to a person who loves me without any hesitation?”

Oscar stayed perfectly silent as he did not have the rights to make her love him nor did he have the qualifications.

”It's because…” Roland turned to the books again, ”I've discovered a treasure here and history has taught me a lot of things! A man like you doesn't belong to me!”

”Me?” Oscar was getting a little curious. ”Is there anyone else like me in history?”

”Yes, there is!” Rolanda nodded firmly, ”And there have been many!”

”Who were these people?”

Rolanda pondered for a moment, ”There were heroes who either had fierce ambitions or were scheming. Aside from that, there were the temporary heroes who had faded after a short span, the emperors who had ruled for eternity and there were also the commanders of thousands of troops. Well, you might not be like them but all of them do resemble you! There was passion, energy, physical strength, desires, and especially their stories with women which were as interesting as your encounters.”

”Hehe!” Oscar laughed on his own. ”What do you think? With so many choices, what should I do?”

The Baroness shook her head, ”History will never give the same comments to two different people. You're O'Neil Andrew Morisette and if you're thinking what to do, just behave as your true self!”

”Hold on!” Oscar was a little puzzled, ”Are you saying that the current me isn't O'Neil Andrew Morisette?”

Rolanda let out a sigh, ”To be more precise, you're no longer the O'Neil Andrew Morisette whom I knew!”

Rolanda pointed that Oscar's chest where his heart laid, ”Because it's now all empty right there! It's no longer burning like how it did many years back and it no longer has the warmth I'm familiar with and no University Town…do you still remember University Town? You back then had been full of ambitions, you would want to get the champion cup in your hands today and begin your expeditions to Persia the very next day. But what about now? Your champion cup is being abandoned in your residence with a layer of dust and your Persian expedition is about to end with you being the victor! With that, your heart will be stranded!”

Oscar stood up subconsciously. He had never liked being cut open by people and disliked even more being seen through by people as if he was as transparent as glass.

”Now, it's time for me to take my leave!”

Rolanda grinned softly. She stood up from her seat and clung her pair of fair arms onto the man's neck.

”If I insist for you to stay, will you do something about your teenage regrets?”

Oscar hugged the Baroness' waist, ”I think there's bound to be regrets in our lives! Furthermore, I'll never dare to offend the spokesperson of the God of Moon, Ogeiro, I'll be hit by karma.”

The woman giggled softly and retracted her arms. While she might only be joking with the man, the disappointment in her eyes was real.

”Kiss me! I'm leaving!”

Rolanda Getha, the wife of Baron Ogeiro, pecked softly on the man's lips. She felt that this was sufficient.

When the moon had risen up to the sky, Oscar had gone his way and got into the carriage. In front and behind the carriage, they were all his knights who would only follow his lead. Separated by the window with his former lover waving at him, Oscar suddenly felt an impulse to cry. In the end, he waved back at the woman as if he was bidding his farewell to his past youth. On the other hand, a new era had descended in the nearby forest, anticipating that O'Neil Andrew Morisette would eventually understand what exactly he was looking for.