Chapter 207: Twenty-third Episode: Chapter 8 (1/2)
Chapter 207: Twenty-third Episode: Chapter 8
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
His Highness the Prince and General Murat made it in time for the sowing season when they arrived at Fort Mamruk. The farmers in the nearby regions were busy in the fields, and the vast Shouren1 Field was still the pale green of early spring. The people in the fields had their backs bent with aprons tied around them. Wrapped within the aprons were wheat seeds. The footprints left a long trail in the footpath between the paddy fields. Cattles were hauling plows to level the ground and the farmers followed close behind to scatter wheat seeds in the tender soil.
To drive away the greedy sparrows, many scarecrows were set up in the fields. The sun fell upon the scarecrow's comical, tattered hat. When His Imperial Highness the Prince passed under its shadow, the scarecrow drew back the corners of its enormous mouth and smiled at him.
Oscar suddenly felt an absurd sensation. He kept staring at the terrifying scarecrow until his sore neck forced him to turn his head around. The Prince nudged General Murat, ”See that scarecrow? Many sparrows have settled on its body!”
Murat smiled. He ignored the scarecrow and pointed toward the castle not far off.
”Fort Mamruk, Southern Gate of Dulin's Plain! Marshal Alan has set up two standing armies and a reserve here. It is a little more than double of ours.”
Oscar's gaze fell upon the castle. The castle stood at the highest point of a stone mountain and was connected into one with the ash brown limestones. The massive stonewall was like a corner of the mountain. At the narrowest part of the mountain pass, there was a tiny gate that could only accommodate one oxcart.
”You think that we will encounter trouble?”
Murat shook his head. He could not say for sure about the things Alan would do, but there was no reason for the Marshal of the Imperial guards to make a violent move on Prince O'Neil at such a place.
When passing Mamruk Village, Oscar finally loosened his furrowed eyebrows. Most of the houses in the village were half-timbered structures at the heart of Titan. Lively, bright-colored paints were used to coat them. Strolling into this fairytale-like village of half-timbered structures, one could differentiate which houses were newly built and which were decades old with just a glance. Owing to the village not being on a level area plus most of the materials used to build these kinds suspended arch houses were logs, these ancient little buildings had already started to become distorted, just like a drunken man who was wobbly and had lost all senses. Those who did not know any better may even think that they were about to collapse. However, the history of the wooden houses of Mamruk could be traced all the way back to when the Titans' ancestors first started their venture on this land.
Surrounding the only well in the village, the Princes' knights engaged in a lively banter. Still, more people were still scattered in the grasslands outside the village. The horses wandered around leisurely while the knights sunbathed. The spring breeze blew from behind the Stone Mountain and the grass bristled in the breeze. When the grass bent, countless weapons, shields and resting soldiers could be seen.
In the village, there was a girl laughing. The lads were surrounding a wooden house. They did not barge into the family's courtyard but merely teased the blonde girl while separated by the flower field and the window.
The big-sized Aubayan hounds barked hysterically at every knight that passed the little village. The soldiers made a face at each other. They stared at the shiny flesh of the hounds, laughing with malicious intent. If they waited until darkness descended…
The Aubayan hounds were smart. When they saw people look at them with eyes used to assess dinner, these giant hounds entered the fence of their owner's house discreetly and peeked at those gluttonous humans through the door cracks.
Oscar led his bodyguards and crowd of military officers to a halt on a high ground in front of the castle. The small iron gate of the castle was wide open. When the military bugle sounded, a group of riders dressed splendidly charged out.
The person in front appeared like the commanding officer took the lead and dashed up the highland. He did his best to rein in his horse before the prince.
After a respectful and sincere salute, came the hypocritical flattering and self-introduction.
Oscar accompanied his local commander to circle around the little Fort Mamruk for a good half of a day. The inspection ended after lunch time. The castle's garrison officer sent the prince and his entourage out from the gates and even sent a team of experienced construction soldiers to help the Red Tigers build an army camp on the highland.
Finally in the evening, when Oscar at long last managed to settle down properly, the commissioned officers of the Military Intelligence looked for him again. His Highness the Prince could only empty his ice-cold coffee in one swig and then forced himself to perk up.
”My Lord, news just received from Dulin...” Commander of the Secret Operations Office's Internal Security Department under the Military Intelligence Bureau, Sir Brayson placed a scroll which was sealed with wax before the prince.
Oscar wiped his hands with the corner of his shirt. He tore open the wax paint skillfully and unrolled the cowhide scroll. After a glance, our young prince's reluctant expression vanished. He spread out the secret report excitedly towards the Military Intelligence officers at the scene.
”So refreshing! Even Silver Fox Alan has a time when he suffers setbacks...”
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That was a matter on the night of the 21st day of the 2nd month. Marshal Alan tidied up his humble abode just like the past dozen or so years and then brought his old orderly to leave the low little wooden building. It was late. Both the old men took the military carriage and returned to the residence close to Hamilton Palace.
It was around two something. Even those involved did not recall the exact time. Alan had taken a nap on the carriage and may even have a nightmare. Anyway, he arrived safely at the single-story building he was temporarily living in. The ones who were in charge of protecting the Marshal of the Imperial Guards was a company of paladins that had followed Alan all year round. Probably no one would be able to harm even a single hair on Silver Fox among the hundreds of swords of the paladins who surrounded and protected him. However, there was never an absolute thing in the world.
Marshal Alan's single-story building appeared extremely ancient. He did not like to open the windows. The dozens of windows above were always closed. There were even thick curtains and draperies on the inside. There were only a few neglected flowers and plants on the second-floor balcony.
Alan dismounted the carriage and the knights around him immediately saluted the commander. Right at that moment, the ending sound of a crossbow quivered on the top floor of the opposite Ministry of Finance building. The paladins guarding the commander threw their gazes in that direction, stunned. It was the old orderly who was the fastest to react. He used his frail body to shield the confused old man and then the arrow embedded into his flesh! It penetrated through the orderly's body and pierced Alan on the shoulder! The huge momentum caused the two elderly, who were stuck together, to fall heavily onto the ground. Alan, after watching the light faded out from the old veteran's eyes, only then did he become aware of the unbearable pain. Then, he no longer knew anything else!
The Commander of the Guards was seriously injured and unconscious. Other people could not just have pretended that nothing had happened. Firstly, there were paladins on duty. Their actions were precise and swift. Some of them used their bodies and shields to protect the gravely wounded commander to rush into the residence. Secondly, their force smashed open the Ministry of Finance's huge doors and charged into the building. They turned the whole building upside down, but they only discovered the assassin's discarded crossbow beneath a wooden window of the top floor attic.
The paladins that returned empty-handed could only beat up the ignorant Ministry of Finance's night watchers. At that time, Alan had already received the initial critical care and had regained consciousness.
The Commander of the Guards told key members of the military who arrived one after another, ”Don't impose emergency measures, don't alarm the residents and don't display a look to the outsiders as if all hell is about to break loose…”
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A young general suddenly barged through the doors, ”Grandpa! Grandpa! Are you alright?”
Alan composed himself. He had heard the sound of warhorses and shouts of the soldiers coming from outside the window, ”What did you do?”
The commander of the Capital Defender, General Reynold Hewitt Preston, pointed toward the main street outside the window with the sword hilt he was gripping tightly. ”An entire Cavalry Division, an Artillery Company. By 3 a.m., I will seal off major traffic routes in the Capital area. Both the Secret Service Department and the Military Intelligence Department are assembling men to launch an immediate large-scale manhunt!”
”How can my child be such an idiot...” Alan slapped his forehead in distress.
The unit commander of the knights in charge to guard the Commander of the Guards strode into the Marshal's bedroom with embarrassment. He brought the weapon that the assassin had used, but he knew that this physical evidence would cause endless trouble.
”Look here...” General Reynold took the crossbow and pointed out a symbol on the crossbow machine for his frail, wounded and pallid grandfather, ”A drawn bow with crossed blades! Just looking at this workmanship and one can tell it's the Steinberger's private merchandise.””What if it is?” Alan moaned, ”Getting such a bow is not a difficult task, and don't try to escalate the situation at such a time...”
”Her Majesty and the Chief of the Secret Service Department have come to visit you!” an officer whispered at the door.
The soldiers inside the room stood upright quickly and General Reynold put away his sword as well and retreated to a side respectfully.
Empress Alanis I practically ran into the old Marshal's bedroom. When she saw the wide patch of bloodstain on the Marshal's shirt, she used her hands to cover her eyes and said repeatedly, ”No…no…”
”My Lady! I'm fine...” Alan tried to sit up but the pain of the arrow wound distorted his facial features. The Empress pushed the stubborn old Marshal back to the bed hurriedly. She wiped the cold sweat on the Marshal's forehead with her handkerchief, then only did she turned toward the silent crowd in the room that had their heads hung.
”Who did it?”
Being confronted by Her Majesty's question, the people present only knew how to exchange looks of dismay. All of them could only call to mind the name of a single person but considering the identity of this person and the relationship with Her Majesty before them, probably no one would start talking.
”You all don't know then why aren't you finding out?” Alanis pointed towards the door for the group of useless men.
”Wait!” Her Majesty suddenly called out to the dejected good-for-nothings, ”Have the acting officer in charge of Marshal Alan's travel safety be handed over to the Court of Marshal. As for all the guards who witnessed the incident but failed to stop all these will be revoked of their Paladin...”
”Your Majesty...Your Majesty...” Alan groaned with difficulty. ”It's none of their business... there isn't any reason to take it out on them...”
Looking at his grandfather's expression, the Commander of the Capital Garrison, who had been staying by the bedside all the while had no choice but to step out.
”Your Majesty, what the Marshal said is right! The incident was sudden. No one had time to stop the assassin. Moreover, this crossbow manufactured by the Steinbergers can penetrate through a black bear in the forest, what more is to say for two frail old men…”
”Steinberger?” Alanis' eyes widened dubiously, ”The assassin used the Steinberger's bow?”
”Even the arrow as well!” General Reynold added. However, his grandfather was already waving his hand impatiently.
”Young lad, get out this instance and shut the door!”
The Commander of the Capital Garrison could only roll his eyes. He strode out of the old man's bedroom and closed the door for those in the room.
”Very well, Your Majesty! Let's explore this matter...” having not completed his sentence, Alan broke into a violent coughing fit and a large patch of dark red immediately appeared on the bandage wrapped around his shoulder.
”Oh my god! You should rest!” Alanis made a fuss over it. When she saw the smear of bloody red, she felt dizzy. The strong reek of blood in the room also made her feel continuously nauseous.
”No, My Lady!” Silver Fox Alan stubbornly shook his head. He turned towards the Head of the Secret Service at one side.
”First of all, we have to make it clear that this has nothing to do with the Steinberger Family. Secondly, there are many people in this world who even in their dreams would want me to go to hell. However, if they are distinguished from one another, they can roughly be divided into three groups...”
The head of the secret service, Viscount Federick, nodded his head in understanding, ”The first group, also the most highly suspected, the Andrew Family that His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette represented...” Federick paused deliberately. He evaluated Empress Alanis I's expression, but Her Majesty seemed indifferent.
”The second group is the Deiss at the north; our old rivals!” the Head of the Secret Service said, indicating the crossbow that was placed at the edge of the bed, ”The Diess can definitely get their hands on the Steinberger Family's military weapon. Only a few border clashes will do the trick.”
”The third group is the Westland Kingdom Alliance!” Alanis blurted the final answer. She furrowed her brows as if comparing the three suspects.
”I'm more inclined towards His Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette. If he is a vindictive villain, then he will…”
”Don't describe my husband that way!” Alanis cut off the Head of the Secret Service, unusually infuriated. This young nephew of hers was getting more and more impudent.
The Head of the Secret Service shut his mouth immediately. Recently, Her Majesty was a little temperamental especially when those blabbermouths talked about her husband.
The room fell into silence with only the rapid breathing of the Marshal of the Guards. After a protracted period of time, Alan finally groaned.
”I think that it can't be our Prince O'Neil!” Alan cast his gaze over the heavy-duty crossbow of incomprehensible force, ”If O'Neil Andrew Morisette wanted to take retaliatory actions against me, he wouldn't be so foolish as to involve the Steinbergers. Besides, even if he always wanted to take my life, when there isn't any certainty, he will never make a move, especially not such foolish moves!”
”Everyone carefully recall the past experiences of O'Neil!” the Commander of the Guards had a faraway and fond look, ”Don't think just because this little lad had moments where he was like an impulsive little devil, but when he encounters a true match, if there isn't an absolute certainty, he'd rather not do anything and merely watch silently.”
”You can't say that!” the newly appointed Head of the Secret Service shook his head repeatedly, ”How would you know the amount of certainty Prince O'Neil held for the assassination incident tonight? Don't forget, if it wasn't for your orderly blocking the force of impact of the iron arrow, you'd already be…forgive me for saying so, you know what I mean!”
”Indeed!” Alan nodded slightly, ”What I meant was the certainty towards such an unexpected situation! If Prince O'Neil really plots an operation to assassinate me, then please, believe me, there will be no incidents! Since there was an unexpected event, this matter is definitely not Oscar's doing!”
Alanis gestured with her hands. She did not wish to let the two annoying men before her to discuss her husband this way.
”In your opinion, is the Deiss more suspicious or is the Westland Kingdom Alliance more suspicious?”
Alan blinked his bloodshot eyes, ”It's difficult to answer! Conventionally, the Deiss had never been very good in terms of assassination and crafty machinations! The Roulexberg Queen of this present age really hoped that the Deiss Kingdom's army could defeat me on the battlefield and not die under the sinister arrows of an assassin. So…”
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”It is the Westland Kingdom Alliance!”
O'Neil Andrew Morisette blurted out the answer loudly. He saw officers of the Military Intelligence in the camp heaved a huge sigh of relief.