Chapter 209: Twenty-fourth Episode: Chapter 1 (2/2)

”Slovenia… became world-famous for its barren land and its chaotic religious policies and national policies. However, the Balgan Peninsula produces an abundance of gold. The gold mines are the source of the mutual attack and struggle between the royal family, the nobles, and the pagan tribal alliances!”

”I've heard of this!” Oscar nodded with certainty. He knew more about the imaginary enemy in his mind.

”So... is it as I said?” Marquis Alpré's smile disappeared. He put on a melancholy temperament that only a poet or philosophers would have. ”You invariably seek for great success, but you never think about how you can use the things you obtain after achieving success!”

Oscar blinked. His thoughts were in an extremely chaotic state. The things that the old man just said indicated that he indeed had something to do with his dream. Could it be that he should really believe that there was such a thing as a spirit medium in the world? Oscar shook his head subconsciously. During the period of his studies in Sparjoxin, that great astronomer taught him how to question theology and all the mysteries of this world.

”My Lord, since Count Philip Goolean did not bring up my development plan to you, I believe he also did not mention to you about my wife…”

Being confronted with Oscar's doubtful gaze, Philip Goolean's face became even more disdainful. It was as if he was ashamed of bringing up Marquise Alpré.

”My wife's original family name is Tribiani!” the old man looked at His Imperial Highness the Prince's face and broke into a smile. ”I know I know! You must think that this surname is comparatively odd, but if you know that the Tribiani Family has always been the King of Slovenia's court diviner, then you wouldn't think that way anymore! Furthermore… the Tribiani Family's successive court diviners are all women. You can understand this divination profession as a craft… one that passes on to women and not to men. As males of the Tribiani Family, one would usually manage the financial affairs of the Royal Household of Slovenia. Just like the father of my wife, he was the royal accountant for a term.”

Oscar sized up the old man, somewhat stunned. After the relatively perfect intelligence preparations at the previous stage, he knew the influential Royal Family of Slovenia inside out. The Tribiani Family, which Marquis Alpré brought up, was one of the influential, renowned powerhouses. Not only did this family control a large amount of government funds, but also... as the great poet said, the profession of a court diviner sounded quite ridiculous when he heard it, but when placed in Slovenia, based on reliable historical records, the family's most famous diviner could even determine the the king's dismissal! So... one could only imagine the influences the Tribiani Family had in Slovenia…

”But I don't understand... your wife is born into the Tribiani Family. How did I not know this?” Oscar sized up the old man suspiciously. He felt that his suspicions were absolutely justified. He believed that the Military Intelligence secret agents' understanding of the Tribiani Family was not much lesser than that of the great poet before him. However, no one ever told Oscar that the daughter of this family had married a Titan Marquis.

”Oh...you don't know that it's normal! My wife was the youngest member of Tribiani Family at the time... an illegitimate daughter!” The old man finished his speech with hesitation as if he was ashamed. In the end, he even spread his arms towards the Prince. ”Although saying this will discredit my wife, this is her past history. She does not appear in the genealogy records of the Tribiani Family and any other written records. Even her divination techniques are personally passed down by the Elders of the Family…”

”Your wife... knows divination?” It seemed as though Oscar had heard about something out of this world, and in the end, his eyes widened. He unconsciously related the illegitimate daughter of the Tribiani Family with his fortuitous encounter in his dream. However, of course… O'Neil Andrew Morisette's strong psychological sense of security was already reminding him – things were not so simple and more so not this odd! An answer to a riddle was always hidden behind every circumstance.

”Oh! Seriously, her skills are only of the second-rate standards!” the old man waved his hands indifferently, but Count Philip Goolean, who was beside simply rolled his eyes and turned his head away. It was not because the Government Affairs Chancellor really hated the members of Alpré's family, but because of the fact that the orthodox Disciples of Light extremely despised diviners, spirit mediums, and similar dissenting religious sect's non-mainstream mystical beliefs. Count Golean not directly criticizing him for being heretical was already considered a courtesy to Marquis Alpré. After all, this old Marquis was a lyrical poet respected by many.

”But your Highness, the story about my wife is not the point,” the old man carefully shifted the topic. ”We talked about your success and also about what your success can bring!”

”Yes! What do you wish to say?” Oscar was already on alert. Before he could determine the other's hidden agenda, he would not easily make a decision.

”My wife's father once served as a royal accountant! I still remember that the scene where the old man used his authority to lead me for a visit to the Slovenian national treasury!”

”The Slovenian national treasury?” Oscar subconsciously edged his body closer. This was the focus of the Military affairs target on the fourth page of the Lighthouse Strategy.

”Yes, Your Highness!” Marquis Alpré smiled and nodded. ”But you wouldn't believe it! Those who haven't seen it for themselves wouldn't believe it! You would never know the kind of radiance 121 tons of gold can emit when heaped together. That kind of light can devour you, it can...”

”I see!” Oscar suddenly whispered. ”Do you mean to say that… this gold can be used for your development plan?”

”Ahem, ahem...” Count Philip Goolean suddenly coughed. ”My Lord, please watch your words when answering the questions of His Imperial Highness the Prince. The Kingdom of Slovenia is the ally of our country for generations!”

The great poet shot a mischievous glance toward the nervous Government Affairs Chancellor, ”My Lord, I did not tell His Highness to go rob other people's gold.”

Philip shot the old man back with a supercilious look. He then turned his head away. It seemed that his views were not agreeable with Alpré's.

Oscar knocked on the marble table, ”Can you be sure that it is 121 tons of gold? My Military Intelligence Department has spent a lot of manpower, physical, and financial resources, but they are still unable to find out this figure!”

Alpré shrugged, ”Who knows? I even suspect that that national treasury is just one of the larger ones that the Slovenian Royal Family is secretly hiding! Moreover, it's been a few decades ago since we learned of this figure! However, please believe me that the gold there can only be more and not less. You can get an even bigger surprise there than from Vielonna Trading Hall's underground national treasury…”

”Seriously, enough!” the Southern Government Affairs Chancellor, who had lost his patience since a long time ago, stood up abruptly. ”My Lord, it's really enough! If it was for my old father treating you with the respect you if a brother, just based on the things you just said, I can suggest that General Janin Sherman lock you up in the new prison that specially caters for dangerous activists!”

Oscar waved his hands, smiling, and sat the emotionally-agitated Philip down to his chair. After that, he turned back to face the unpleasant-looking poet… the politician! Glenn Alpré was definitely an outstanding politician. He could maintain the elegance of a gentleman perfectly when talking about things such as encroachment and robbing and then used those as a kind of important measure to consolidate his own position.

”Sir... I think our meeting will end here!”

Upon receiving His Imperial Highness the Prince's order to leave, the old man immediately put on his initial expression. He stood up cautiously and carefully and saluted with extreme respect and care and finally, after uttering a few words of conventional greetings, he bent his back and retreated out from the line of sight of the prominent figures.

”What do you think?” the Imperial Prince turned towards the man proficient in government affairs.

Philip gazed at the direction in which the old Marquis had disappeared, then he said loudly, ”An opportunistic activist who puts on the pretense of a poet! Despite how foolproof he sets up the development plan, it will not change the fact that he is an old scoundrel!”

”Ola!” Oscar groaned. ”You hold deep prejudice against him. Why is this? This isn't the Philip that I know!”

The Southern Chancellor raised his eyebrows as if he had seen a something strange, ”My Lord, he has married Slovenian Diviner of unknown origin! If this isn't enough, then let us talk about the current matter! He's taking the most sensitive of farmland matters and making a fuss over it. Everyone who knows this old guy will know that he does not have any good intentions! What's more, the local bishops' group in the Burton Province has been keeping their eye on him; a few extremely devastating blasphemy incidents are related to him!”

Oscar's interest was again stirred, ”Could it be that… there really are spirit mediums, diviners…”

Philip Goolean did not wait for His Highness the Prince to finish his sentence before gesturing prayers to the gods in front of his chest, ”My Lord, if you believe in what you heard from these heretics, not only will God abandon you, your family and friends in the real world will abandon you as well!”

”Ola...” Oscar could only force a smile. ”This is indeed a severe warning!”

Philip had already gotten up, ”My Lord, I must take my leave! The old man will definitely spread false news like the politician by his side. I must meet up with the old man in my house. I need my father to personally step forward in this matter. Otherwise… I can only say that Marquis Alpré still has some influence in the south. ”

”Please send regards to Gru on my behalf. I will visit him tomorrow!”

The Southern Chancellor then took the hand of His Imperial Highness the Prince and gave it a kiss, saying that he had graced the Gru Goolean Family with his arrival.

After Philip left, Oscar seemed to be the only one left in the huge garden. After looking around for a period of time, he finally heard a familiar singing coming from the depths of the gardens.

The soprano seldom sang. It was like the voice of Lady Elizabeth Kate, which was unsuitable for singing quietly. However, her mood was dark and the mellow, gloomy ballad best-suited her current mood.

Although... Elizabeth could unearth the excitement of reuniting with one after a long separation, this could not prevent her from missing another man as she threw herself into the arms of a man.

As a woman, such things happened from time to time. The soprano singer thought that O'Neil Andrew Morisette was merely a man she had experienced, a man who had granted her with a new life. She liked him; she loved him and most of the time she looked upon him the way she regarded a stepfather. However, when it came to being a mistress… being addressed in this manner was something that Elizabeth had once accepted, but was now incapable of accepting. She was aware that she had met a partner who she could spend the rest of her life with.

”What are you thinking of?” Oscar's hand sent shivers down the gorgeous female body, just like twitched gently on the attractive female body, like the ripples that suddenly generated over the surface of the water.

Elizabeth gazed into the man's eyes, and the sheer ecstasy of the impassioned engagement had already transformed into a temporary calmness in her troubled mind and space.

”You know what? A Prince of Engels came to Vielonna!”

”I know...” Oscar could not help but laugh when he thought about it. He was having an increased admiration for the university student, Lukas Diyabaker's insight. Just when the thought of opening up the coastal border region in collaboration with the Engelish just matured, and just when the whole world was shaken up by the attack of Titan's Commander of the Guards by assassins, the bigshot of the Engels sent a young member of the Royal Family to southern base of operations of the Titan Prince under the better-sounding coverup reason of ”furthering his studies in the mainland”. Actually… at least from Oscar and a few limited people's perspectives, this was the initial negotiating team of the Royal Family of Engels! What remained was the issue of both sides getting in touch.

”What happened to that boy?” Oscar rested his hands over her head and eyed the beautiful singer with intense interest. If the Southern bureau's report was right… the lad was crazily infatuated and head over heels over Elizabeth's charm. He had already stayed in Vielonna for more than a month, during which he had not even entered the doorsteps of several famous universities, but merely idled his time away chasing after Elizabeth's shadow in every theater and salons, as if he had never heard of the singer's relationship with a Titan prince.

”It's difficult to imagine that there is still such a stupid boy in the world!” Elizabeth said with contempt. She knew that these things could not be hidden from the Military Intelligence secret agents who would offer their lives for O'Neil Andrew Morisette, ”I think... I have already conveyed the intention of refusing much clearly! However, his bouquet and love letter are still...”

”That's enough!” Oscar suddenly interjected. ”Don't tell me you were not tempted!”

Elizabeth shook her head violently. She was unsure what was hidden in the dancing eyes of the man. All the rumors surrounding O'Neil Andrew Morisette had shown that… this man's response to violations was not as simple as jealousy. If Elizabeth were to use her own understanding to try to figure out the thoughts of this man… she feared she might incapable of it! From the beginning to the end, she did not understand O'Neil Andrew Morisette at all. Perhaps... the person who had never tried walking into the other's heart was her.

”I... I was just amazed by his persistence!”

”You weren't tempted... so prove it to me!” Oscar looked at his adopted daughter who kept evading his gaze.

Elizabeth sighed in her heart, but her body had moved against her will, luring the man's desires, completely opening her body. She was already very familiar with things such as these and doing it was as easy as breathing. However... very few people had ever shown interest in her heart. The same could be said about O'Neil Andrew Morisette; if a man did not care about a woman's heart, then why should she cater to this heartless man?

What women really wanted was to command over their own destiny - this was the truth!

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

Mustering his strength to lift his body from the bed, old Count Gru Goolean, with his cloudy visions, looked across the prominent figures who had gathered in his bedroom. These people were old friends of the count for many years! Just like Marquis Kingston, who was in charge of the Southern Government's Personnel Office with whom he had an in-law relationship, and also the person in charge of the Southern Government's Financial Office, Count Calloway as well as the person in charge of the routine work of the House of Lords, Marquis Minaise, who were all in the same batch back in university.

When he spoke of Marquis Alpré, who was sitting in the corner... Vielonna's godfather of music broke into a smile. During his young and wild days, countless girls went crazy over them for the love songs he composed; the lyrics of the songs were written by Marquis Alpré. However, that era had been gone and would never return. Now, they were all old men, burdened by worldly affairs and disputes of interests. Even if they were already approaching their deaths, they could not rest in peace.

The Southern Government Affairs Chancellor stood before his father in fear and trepidation. When he saw his father's Adam's apple jiggle, he immediately brought a spittoon. The old man coughed violently for a while, and then spat out a thick phlegm. Philip carefully examined his father's thick phlegm. Once he had ascertained that there were no traces of blood in them, then he placed them aside with relief.

”You have a good son...” a prominent man on the scene voiced out with heartfelt emotion. Philip was indeed a great dutiful son.

Old Count Gru Goolean smiled with gratification. He loved hearing this, ”But... still young!”

The old man turned to his third son who was frowning. Among all his four sons, the other three had taken shape; only Philip could still be molded. ”You and Alpré's performance before His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette… I score my old friend full marks whereas you can only get zero!”

”Did it go too far?”

The old man grinned coldly, ”At least you still have a little self-awareness, young lad! O'Neil Andrew Morisette will be able to see through your pretense! The more you contradict Alpré, the more he would seek for deeper reasons! Moreover, we are not lacking in capable people around His Highness. Underestimating him will only be inviting trouble for yourself!”

Philip wiped away his old sweat, but there were things that he must say. ”Father, we… we are luring His Highness the Prince into an extremely dangerous situation! In addition…” the Southern Chancellor shot a glance at the great poet who had shrunk into a corner without uttering a word. ”Using a blasphemous tactic such as a spirit medium… doesn't it lack persuasiveness? It would be a wonder if Prince O'Neil doesn't suspect it!”

Gru Goolean chuckled and swept his gaze over the prominent figures again. ”Don't tell me that… conspiring an interregnum isn't dangerous? If Her Majesty Empress Alanis I understands the dream that her husband had before, can you guess what the Imperial Household will do?”

Philip shook his head. His hands and feet were cold. Let's not mention Alanis I, just imagining how Alfa III would handle such a chaotic incident…

”I don't know how she will deal with her husband. I only know she will take all the southern nobles involved in this matter... meaning us, and send everyone to hell!”

After a protracted silence in the room, a voice suddenly voiced out, ”Now, is there any huge difference between us and those in hell?” Marquis Havink, whose face was as cold and gloomy as a cliff carving, cursed under her breath. As the top dog in the southern nobles' business domain, the fate of the Havink Family was the portrayal of everyone else's.

”Fortunately, we are still in the privileged class, otherwise, Dulin's ruler will not even leave a single thing for me!” Marquis Havink ranted on hatefully. She had already lost her final patience regarding the endless taxes, levies, and the shady expenses under various titles.

”That is why Marquise Alpré created such a dream for His Highness the Prince…” the old count took a glimpse at the girl who had been hiding behind the curtain of the bedroom all the while. Through the Persian draperies, the people could make out a girl's pale and slender fingers fiddling with an enormous crystal ball.

”Don't bring up this matter again…” Marquis Alpré suddenly interjected his old friend. ”This will cost us our lives.”

Gru Goolean nodded. ”But… gentlemen! Be it the Andrews or O'Neil Andrew Morisette, to us, they are all just the means to achieve our wish. Don't believe the stupid statement of history bringing up monarchs, the emperors of ancient times were molded out from people like us, and through this Emperor, history was created…”

”But of course… it's a history created to our desire!” the old Count added at the end.