Chapter 192: Twenty-second Episode: Chapter 2 (1/2)

Chapter 192: Twenty-second Episode: Chapter 2

Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The Capitol Honorary Soldiers Nursing Home was located at the south of Dunreel Hill, surrounded by fresh flowers and apple trees. One could enter the mountainous area and valley after going towards the south of the highway which connected Damorga Province with the Capital, turning west at the road sign of Dunreel Hill and walking for two hours.

Dunreel Hill was considered a touristic place but the people who visited it was few. From the beacon tower at the main peak towards both the north and the south was the restricted area of the military. Only Capitol Honorary Soldiers Nursing Home was considered a half-private public area. However, every three years, the nursing home would be under Martial Law for some time. Damorga military area and Capital's Home Defense would send a huge amount of army to ensure the safety of this nursing home.

As understood by the name, the Guard's Corps Meeting was the Guard's most important decision-making event with the highest rank and largest influence. Along with the expansion of the Guards, the Army Division of the Capital needed a more effective way to control the Imperial Army and every matter related to the army. The motive of this meeting was a way to enhance the control over the soldiers. It already had a history of more than a century.

During the 20th day of the 9th month in Church Calendar Year 800, the highest meeting of the Empire that had been delayed for two months from its traditional meeting date finally began. All gathered at Dunreel Hill and the security at the Capitol Honorary Soldiers Nursing Home was strict. All major people-in-responsible and the officers of the army from all departments of all regions of the Guards was at the nursing home a week ago. The representatives had utilized the free time before the meeting to carry out preparation for the meeting. Actually, their ”preparation” was simply ranting. Most people only had the right to compromise with the decision of the highest Army Division of the Empire.

What we meant by most people, we naturally meant those who came from the local army division. Those were the people who fought for supply, salary and budget seriously. Those people mostly came from the middle-east region of the northern army group. They were not as rich as the southern five-province army or as victorious as the western army group.

The Military Intelligence Bureau led by Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette was the consultant of this meeting. Few most important chiefs and department heads of the Prince came to the nursing home from their respective posts. They organized a meeting with the Prince first. The head of the Military Intelligence Bureau standardized the words of all bureaus and departments. They requested that all participants must not express any personal opinion during the meeting. They only had one purpose when they participate in this meeting – to have fun watching these people!

Oscar had long heard of Marshal Alan. He knew that the issues brought up in the meeting were not flattering to avoid strange change of people or anything unfavorable happening to his Military Intelligence Bureau.

He had already destroyed the prepared speech and changed to some useless words that did not matter in the least. Maybe Alan would complain about Oscar's perfunctory, but it had been the ugly habit of the Guards for a long time. Meetings, documents and speeches – the ones who really worked on those were few. Moreover, discussing the same few things during the highest military meeting for a century was truly boring.

On the first day of the meeting, to be specific in the morning of the 20th day, Marshal of Guards Vann Hewitt Alan hit the copper bell according to traditional practices. The officers and representatives of the soldiers rushed to the central square of the nursing home as if it was an emergency gathering. Then, Marshal Alan chaired the flag-raising ceremony and met with exceptional representatives of soldiers who came from all regions.

The venue of the meeting was at the round-roof theatre of Capitol Honorary Soldier Nursing Home. The history of this building dated back to the time of this highest military meeting. The stage of this theatre was the main stage for the high-ranked generals while the lowers seats were meant for the representatives. At 9.00 in the morning, the theatre was already filled with people in the same ocean-blue uniforms. The large chandelier made their military medals gleamed in the light and dispersed throughout the seats just like a starry sky.

The victory of the defense war had more or less affected this meeting. Until the very last moment before the meeting began, the theatre still had a large number of seats unfilled. Those were the seats for the western army group who fought a victorious anti-invasion war for the Empire.

The trumpeter team by the side blew three sounds of trumpet and all the soldiers on and off the stage stood straight. Led by the war hero General Bencil Donnis, the soldiers from the west entered the venue.

Along with loud cheers, sharp whistling and deafening applause, the general walked up to the main stage. The high-ranked generals of the Capital's Army Division and the local government officers hugged the old General passionately. Even though General Bencil was not as excited as the soldiers had imagined, he still wiped his moist eyes when he kissed the army flag.

At 10.15 in the morning, Chief of Staff Marshal Robin Sparse who chaired the meeting announced the start of the Ninth Guard's Corps Meeting. After a round of applause, the meeting entered its first program. The Highest Marshal of the Titan Armed Forces Vann Hewitt Alan gave his opening speech.

Unexpectedly, Marshal Alan's speech was extremely short. Silverfox first expressed his grief for the soldiers who sacrificed themselves during the defense war in Year 800. Then, he praised Her Majesty Empress Alanis who was just crowned with a tone of pride and Alan spoke of some useless stuff such as short of time, important mission, worrying future and difficult situation. Following that, he ended his speech with some encouraging words.

Marshal Robin walked to the stage once again after saluting Marshal Alan. According to traditional practices, the second program of the meeting was the finalization report of the Chief of Staff. That was the report that would be given to all departments by the Army Division after the meeting.

Marshal Robin's report mainly discussed issues related to four main directions – first was the final result of the criminal arrest at the southern Empire, second was the background analysis of the beginning, development, ending and all related matter of the defense war. The content of the second issue was large. The Chief of Staff discussed it from the start until lunchtime. Half of the content would be delivered after the meal.

The temporary canteen of the Capitol Honorary Soldier Nursing Home was an ancient-looking church. The soldiers had to put all the long chairs in the church in the storeroom, then they had to prepare a lavish buffet spread. Oscar and the rest of the high-ranked generals did not go to the true restaurant for meals. Instead, they were all mixed with the representatives, discussing as they ate. The topics were none other than foreign defense and army expansion. Almost everyone would not believe that the Westland Kingdom Alliance would give up the offense. Moreover, Marshal Robin had already confirmed this point during the report this morning. The Chief of Staff had defined the ”4th month attack” of the Anti-Titan Alliance as a ”tentative” attack to examine the will and mobility of the Titan soldiers. Oscar agreed with his mentor and surely the soldiers could see this clearly as well.

After the meal, it was the time for afternoon tea. The local officers of the local army region finally had the chance to sit with the generals from the Capital in a comfortable room. It was Oscar's first time seeing the scene of the commanders of nineteen regions of the Empire sitting with the generals of four army groups. He only knew a few old friends among the people. The rest was unfamiliar to him.

This small tea party was more of a welcome party prepared for the Head of Military Intelligence Bureau. Oscar met the youngest Chief of Staff of northern army group Lieutenant General Krasius Porasph. He also met the head of the military family in Great Titania Province which was right beside the Narcissus County.

It could be seen that the high-ranked generals present were extremely respectful towards the Prince of high social status. General Krasius expressed that he was greatly impressed with the past result of the Prince. He thought that Oscar was the most excellent war commander amongst the young generals of the new generation. The Prince seemed happy to hear that. He exchanged gifts with General Krasius. The Chief of Staff from the Northern Army gave him a short blade with a unique design. In exchange, he gave Krasius a powder-filling mini hand cannon which was in the private collection of the Hoilland King.

In the afternoon at 2.15, the meeting was continuing the program from the morning. Marshal Robin's report used up an hour to end the statement related to the second issue. In the following third issue, the Chief of Staff introduced the current military situation of the main countries in the west and the country's strategy. There was an urgent problem that had to be mentioned here, from army expansion to preparation of war information, food supply and all matters related to the military because the western people had not paused their footsteps all this while. Titan's victory was temporary. If the kings of the western country carried out the ”Anti-Titan action” completely, the Guard had no advantage at all facing army forces from three directions that will end up reaching more than millions of people.

If the third issue was about foreign affairs, then the fourth was about internal affairs. In a nutshell, even though Titan had attained victory and the internal political situation had stabilized after the crowning, there was still a lot of issues which inhibited the advancement of the Guards. The very main trouble was the rising of the military budget.

”One hundred and ninety million Golden Ti!” the Chief of Staff mentioned. This was the number which came up between the expenses clearing meeting from last year and right before the Guard's Corps Meeting. It represented the expenses of the Guards in three and a half seasons.

”This number is five times the average number of the same time in the past years. Also, it is three times of average expense of the year in past years!” Marshal Robin followed up, ”That is to say, once we engage in war, the finances of the country could hardly pay the large number of expenses in the army. We have exhausted the budget of a year. In Year 801 or even 802, I believe that this situation will not change a lot.”

Looking at the mumbling crowds, the Chief of Staff sighed. Managing a household was not an easy job, especially when you faced a shortage of bread. At 5.00 in the afternoon, the schedule of the first day was close to an end. Utilizing the last available time, Marshal Robin Sparse concluded a few other aspects in the country. One was the serious deterioration of war resources, second was the urgent repairs of military infrastructures. Third was the gradual escalating issue on the lack of training of army types at the local army division. The fourth was about the lack of the number of talents sent to the frontline by all military academies. Fifth was about how large and complicated the current ranking system of Guards had become. The sixth was...

In the end, short of time, important mission, worrying future and difficult situation…

After a whole day, during dinner and the army ball which followed, Oscar finally understood something. The highest meeting was truly a good way of mending decisions and pushing for the expansion of army forces and infrastructures. At the same time, it was also a place for the leaders in army division to express their dissatisfaction and rant to the local representatives.

Just as in Robin's report, when a region was praised in some aspects, their other aspects would be greatly criticized. Nineteen army regions and four army groups. None of the generals was excluded. Even the war hero General Bencil Donnis with great influence was criticized that he was ”too slow in rebuilding military infrastructure”.

The fortunate thing was that Oscar's Military Intelligence Bureau was the only military department which was not criticized. This was not due to the mentor relationship between the Chief of Staff and the head of Military Intelligence Bureau. It was mainly that the jobs of Military Intelligence Bureau were done privately.

At the ball, Oscar did not know when the army was able to invite so many madams and ladies. He was bothered by this that he was afraid he had to dance with a man. Thankfully, he did not have to. The soldiers who came mostly brought their mates. Some trouble-loving noble ladies even came from Dulin. Because of this, the soldiers were able to do their shows. The ladies were mesmerized by the gleaming medals and handsome uniforms. They were rather unembarrassed during the dance.

Oscar's dance partner was one of the shyest ladies in the crowd. This lady would blush when a man took her hand. She rejected everyone's invitation. This attracted Oscar's attention. The Prince thought he met a trouble one who was neither hard nor soft. He did not expect that the lady would say yes as soon as he asked.

The confident Prince O'Neil thought that it must be his identity or his charisma which had attracted this shy beauty. Therefore, when the beauty asked for his help, O'Neil Andrew Morisette, as a man, agreed to it without thinking.

”General Murat proposed to me. I...I don't know what to do.”

”What?” Oscar widened his eyes. He did not expect that this lady would be Murat's...

”I still don't know your name,” the Prince stopped his step and brought the lady to a quiet corner.

”Ainienne. My name is Ainienne!”

”Did I hear it wrong?” Oscar widened his eyes, ”That is the name of the Goddess of Victory!”

The lady smiled sweetly, ”Murat said the same thing.”

Oscar noted the face of Ainienne carefully. The expression of this lady was so lively when he spoke of that cavalry corps commander. This could only mean that...

”You love him. I can see that.” Ainienne shook her head, ”You can say that! But Murat has never said such thing. When I ask him why me, what do you think that he reply?”

Oscar frowned. Murat was not a fool. He should know how to console a pure lady like Ainienne.

”Murat said because I am called Ainienne, the Goddess of Victory!”

”Ola...” Oscar sighed. He pressed his forehead with his palm, ”Maybe I was wrong, Murat is a complete idiot!”

Ainienne shrugged. She blinked her gleaming eyes, ”Maybe he is. Maybe he is not good at expressing his emotions but if he doesn't say he loves me, I don't think I will accept his proposal.”

Oscar glared his eyes. What sort of reasoning was this? Not saying meant that he did not love her? The Prince looked around. He laughed strangely suddenly, ”Lady Ainienne, then it's easy!”

Just when the ”Goddess of Victory” widened her eyes, the Prince kissed her. Ainienne was shocked. She pushed the man's shoulder blindly and forgot to breathe and screamed. Soon, the Prince's lip left her. She looked into the man's eyes and saw playful glances in it.

Ainienne was furious. If it was under normal circumstances, she would use her slap to deal with such flirty pervert but the one before her was the Prince of the Empire. She could not get on his bad side, so she sent cold daggers in her eyes to him.

”Your Highness, is this sexual harassment? You do things that are more fitted to your position--”

Before she could finish her sentence, Lady Ainienne was dragged into the embrace of a man by a pair of strong hands.

”What did that d*mn fatso do to you?” Murat Bedoya stared at his lover with a dangerous look.

Even though the general's voice was low and urgent, Oscar frowned, ”Hey, Murat. Saying this is unreasonable!”

Murat glared at Oscar who acted as if nothing had happened. If he was not the head of the family and his marshal, Murat would have stabbed him a few times and punished his Goddess of Victory.

”He... He... He...” Ainienne did not say something useful other than stuttering. Murat was impatient and turned to the Prince. Even if the person was his Marshal and head of the family, he still had to be fair to his goddess.

”Your Highness, my master, get your machete. We need a duel to explain this matter!”

Oscar seemed to not hear anything. He blinked at Lady Ainienne who was in the embrace of Murat, ”Look at this! You said Murat may not love you. For your sake, he doesn't even care about the time and location to duel with his marshal and master!”

Ainienne looked at the man who hugged her tightly. He must be observing her nearby, so he could rush to her in time. Just as the Prince had said, a duel was enough to prove that he was crazy over her!

”But, he still has not said anything!” Ainienne was still holding on to that strange thought.

”Ola, you are so stubborn just like Murat!” Oscar sighed loudly. He turned to the Red Tiger Corps Commander who did not understand what was going on, ”You idiot, did you hear that? Tell Lady Ainienne why you want to duel with me.”

”You violated her!” Murat said through gritted teeth.

”Why are you protecting her?” Oscar tried to guide his beloved general.

”Because...” Murat was a little hesitant, ”I once swore that I will not let anyone hurt her.”

Oscar sighed again. Something seemed to be off in Murat's brain. ”Alright! Tell me. On what basis did you swear? What gives you the right to do so?”

”I love her! Isn't that obvious?” Murat almost howled.

Oscar showed a ”thank God” expression. This idiot had finally said it. He performed the hand sign that prayed to God in front of his chest. Then, he said to the man and woman in a tight embrace as he smiled, ”God of Light praised love. Remember to tell me your wedding date.”

Looking at the Prince who approached the crowd, Murat still had not loosened his palm on the sword. He was still confused.

Ainienne planted a light kiss on the cheek of the Cavalry Corps Commander, ”Do you still want me to be your goddess of victory?”

Oscar thought, ”Who knows what that idiot Murat will say? But I guess there is no problem now.”

He had already seen General Eugene Mir Bradley waving to him at the other side of the ballroom. It seemed that it was time to do some serious work.

Just when he was walking past the crowd, the major general of cannon pulled at Oscar. Torry looked at his old friend in worry, ”Hey! I saw that. What is wrong with you and Murat?”