Chapter 211: Twenty-fourth Episode: Chapter 3 (1/2)
Chapter 211: Twenty-fourth Episode: Chapter 3
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Love and hate, which resembled two completely different emotions, had always been the theme that could be observed in literature and arts. It had penetrated throughout the history of humanity's development. For thousands of years, people praised truth, kindness, and beauty, and at the same time, rejected false, ugliness and evil. In doing so, the people had indirectly encouraged the individualistic development amongst themselves. To imagine a world where we can feel and know, we must first understand one thing: What was love? What was hate?
O'Neil Andrew Morisette thought about it all day long. He was pondering. Mother... That was a mother's natural love; Sasha... Was that a romantic love or a brotherly love? Alanis? Annie? Vijdeline? Opareal? Elizabeth? What were all these about? What exactly was love? Was it a momentary touch of the heart, or was it an eternity based upon hope?
Doctor Maslow Riodre did not have high hopes for this session originally. He did not believe that Prince O'Neil would ever love anything.
”Love... is an extreme feeling!”
Toward this answer, the psychiatric doctor only replied with his rolled eyes.
”Your Highness! This does not count as an answer!”
Oscar looked at the mural painted on the ceiling. He was seeing a doctor, a psychiatric doctor above that! This made him embarrassed. However, this was not his first time. To be frank, the big, fat guy sitting across him was pretty nice. It's just that... Would a normal person see a psychiatric doctor?
”Why don't you tell me... You don't even know what sort of feeling love is?”
The Prince lighted his cigar, ”This question is too broad. There are many types of love. In the end, it is just a segregation of emotions. I am not sure which type of love you are talking about.”
”I am talking about the love you have experienced!” Doctor Riodre completely saw through the young man's excuses.
”Ola... Then, this is difficult!” Oscar groaned. The most memorable of all was of them motherly love, but the things he gained from this type of love were limited. If he had to say he treasured his love with Sasha... There was still doubt whether that was a romantic love! So...
”I am sorry! Let's change the topic!” Oscar waved his hands subconsciously.
”I am sorry! But running away is not a plausible option!” Doctor Maslow twitched the fat on his body, ”Even though people always choose to run away, and even though they have the right to do so, this action only ends up intensifying the psychological wound. There's no need for you to think of what love is. I know your brain is only used to think about the matter of this country, but this does not mean that you don't need to...”
”I really don't need to!” Oscar frowned stubbornly.
”No! You need to!” Maslow stared into the Prince's eyes with a sense of determination. ”From my point of view, you need to love and be loved by others more than anyone else! You need the contribution and giving of love!”
”But what exactly is love?” Oscar widened his eyes.
Doctor Riodre chuckled, ”Your Highness, that is the question you should answer.”
”Ola...” Oscar was stunned. He knew he had admitted it... He did not understand love. He had never understood what emotions were, but that was not important. To O'Neil Andrew Morisette, love was simply an option that could be given up. When he needed love, he could find it; if he didn't need it, he could just toss it away! However... If love was such a simple matter... then such a thing should not exist in this world.
”Tell me! Your hatred... and all the past grudges you have had!”
Oscar sent a grateful glance at the doctor. He no longer held any hope for the previous question. However, he could discuss at least a little on this new topic.
”A few days ago, I watched a comedy. One of the scenes was called the 'King's Grudges'.”
”'Hewart'.” The doctor was familiar with this infamous play as well.
”That's right!” Oscar nodded. ”This play was indeed fantastic. I laughed from the first scene until the end! It's just that... The hatred shown on the stage was much more beautiful than the grudges in real life. Sometimes, it is just like the Mediterranean witch that seduces the people's heart, sometimes a revenge goddess that believes in death.”
”Your description is explicit!” The doctor exclaimed in satisfaction, but his exclamation only proved that he had found the root of the patient's problem. This was probably a good thing to O'Neil Andrew Morisette, but the Prince probably thought it was the worst himself.
”Hatred blinds people's hearts; it encourages people to take revenge and hurt others! You have a sense of hate... This, I am sure.”
Oscar looked at the fatty who seemed proud of himself the same way he looked at an idiot, ”I must say... What you said is rubbish! If a person was sent into Damorga at five, got locked up for ten years, I believe even you will hate the God of Light and everything in the world!”
”You must speak the truth!” Maslow held his forehead, troubled. ”I seldom hear of you complaining. You are not the type of person who curses and complains at the god when you met a difficulty!”
Oscar took a few deep breaths. In some aspects, he did not count as an honest person.
”Alright, you won!” The Prince admitted his defeat under the strong stare of the doctor. ”When I was still young, I hated my father because... I always thought that he would get me out of prison, but he did not. He made me wait for ten years. I hated my mother! I hated her hypocrisy and her lack of courage! She could make my childhood full of happiness, but she chose self-closure and self-destruction. Other than that, when I got a bit older, I began to hate the main culprit wholeheartedly!”
”Robinson Brickfield?” The doctor mentioned this name. He had also heard a little about the background of that case before.
”That's him!” Oscar mumbled with gritted teeth. ”Shouldn't this old man die a thousand times? He sent a five-year-old child to prison!”
”But this happened because that five-year-old used a fork to dig out the eyes of another child!”
Oscar spread his hands without concern, ”Otherwise, what do you think I should have done? That dumb kid touched my sister. You know how important my sister is to me. Do you think I will be satisfied with just kicking his ass? This was not the way Andrew take revenge!”
”Alright! You admitted it! You were taking revenge!”
”Yes! I have never avoided this question! I was taking revenge! I used the cruelest way to exact revenge. I wanted him to think it's better to die than to live. If you think that was not enough, I have a better idea! Do you know how that guy has been at the Damorga Prison?” Oscar got more excited as he said it. His face was pumped bright red. ”According to an old friend who got out of there, Damorga's gays love his ass and his moan! Oh right! Also, his father, the once Secretary of State! This old man's teeth are loose, but, from what I heard, his ass is still tight!”
”Oh...” The doctor groaned. He must admit that was the most disgusting thing he had ever heard about, but he did not interrupt the excited Prince.
O'Neil Andrew Morisette kept carrying on without resting. It seemed as though he wanted to talk about all the frustration and pain that had compiled within his heart all these years. He used the meanest language to mock his father's cowardice and his mother's ignorance. He also lied to Alfa III who was in the crystal coffin with the most righteous reasons and words...
”Wait... What did you just say?” Maslow Riodre's fat body suddenly jumped like a spring.
”I killed him! Hehe! This is a surprise, no? You are the second one next to my wife who knows of this!”
The doctor trembled, ”You are saying that... You killed Alfa III His Majesty?”
Oscar shrugged, ”Shouldn't I? Did he think he will still have a peaceful death after assassinating my father? Quit dreaming! I didn't let him experience the cruelest punishment in this world because I don't have the condition and the time for it then!”
The doctor's sweat kept dripping from his forehead. If he could describe it, then O'Neil Andrew Morisette's acts would be the largest secret in the century. Only Her Majesty the Empress had the right to know about it, but now, Professor Maslow Riodre knew about it as well. Then, he thought about how he should write his report.
Oscar took a few deep breaths. He knew he was overboard just now.
”I heard that... the confidentiality policy between the psychiatrist and patient is recognized by the God. Any common law should not overwrite this policy.”
”Yes... Yes...” The fatty wiped away his cold sweat with his sleeve.
Oscar stood up from his seat. After spending a considerable amount of time with Doctor Maslow, he knew the doctor's personality well. Even if the doctor's look was not very pleasing, but he treated with the responsibility of a doctor very well.
”Can I see this confidentiality policy as... no other people will know about the treatment arrangement and the things that happened during the session?”
The doctor nodded without hesitation, ”Yes, definitely!”
Oscar patted the back of this fatty, ”If that is the case... there's no need for us to think of the things that should not happen.”
Just when the Prince was about to turn away and leave, Maslow suddenly pulled at his arm.
The doctor stared into his eyes and said, with a heavy heart, to O'Neil Andrew Morisette, ”The truth made me believe that your personality was that you were disappointed and turned cold by the frustration in this world. The hypocrisy in the society. However, this had trained you to be calm and friendly all the time. Still... Please promise me! Don't be a slave to power and ambition even if your nature pulls you into the center of conflict and work. You must believe that the seed of goodness is still buried within the heart of O'Neil Andrew Morisette. Once lighted, it will grow strong and fierce, even if this flame will sometimes present itself as huge destructiveness!”
”Thank you!” Oscar held the doctor's palm, ”To be honest… spending time with you made me learn a lot of things!”
After that, the Prince no longer concerned himself with the doctor. Just as the doctor had said, O'Neil Andrew Morisette was pulled into the center of conflict and work by nature. The conflict he had to face was filled with blood and fire of war. The work he indulged in was also facing difficulties others could not imagine.
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Even in such a quiet and peaceful night, the study of the Serevan Palace was still brightly lit. This had been the fourth time the Prince had rejected the invitation from Andrew's Head of Mistress. If he still could not finish the work tonight, then Oscar would probably become restless until midnight on the next day.
Chief Commander of Southern's Army Group, General Eugene Mir Bradley, had only arrived at Vielonna this afternoon. The old general had been arguing non-stop with the Chancellor of United Government of Southern Five Provinces on the issue about expanding the reserve army. Prince O'Neil was doing his best to resolve the conflict, but making a soldier and a politician compromise was not an easy job to do.
Oscar placed his sore thighs and boots on his desk. Other than that, he kept pressing the corner of his eyes with his left hand while his right hand held the sixth cigar of the day. This job was to difficult. From his perspective, General Eugene and Philip had been talking about themselves all this while. None of them had truly thought about their actual benefits. This was just like two stubborn rhinoceros fighting for a mud pool. They did not care about how big the mud pool was even if it could take in both the rhinoceros along with their family.
”Sir! I have taken enough!” The Prince furiously said. ”I don't know why both of you are so stubborn. Didn't you realize the opinion of the southern army and the government has completely pulled you apart?”
General Eugene glared at the young Chancellor, ”Your Highness! If the Lighthouse Strategy can be executed properly, then two provinces and eleven important defense area will be emptied of the army. You know this better than anyone else! If our reserve unit can't be kept on these eighteen bases, it will be too late when the Westland Kingdom brings their troops to Vielonna!”
Philip banged his hands on the table, unsatisfied!
”Your Highness! How strange is that problem? The Fifth Region has just resumed the Vielonna Defense Plan. The other four regions may be making arrangements with regards to the potential war as well. Since General Eugene said this is not enough, then we can definitely expand the reserve units. When war breaks out, we can even issue an order to mobilize all citizens! However, that is definitely not now. Now is not the time when the Southern Five Provinces just got out of war and its economy was improving wholly! Think about it! If I were to expand the reserve unit of the eighteen Corps, who should I give the businessman's factory, the lands of the citizens and the farms of the nobles to?”
General Eugene turned his head around furiously, ”I am talking about war! Not businessman's factory, citizen's land, or nobles' farms! Once war broke out, these things would simply become the war trophy of the invaders. Unless we make proper preparation--”
”What?” The Chancellor of the United Government of Southern Five Provinces interrupted the general's words.
”Do you know how many noble families are paying for the expenses of the Southern Army Group? Do you know how many businessmen are busy running about for the sake of the army's food supply? If the army kept on exploiting the working population in the society, then where does the proper preparation start from? Do you want your soldiers to engage in war with empty stomachs and naked bodies?”
”Enough! Really, enough!” Oscar stood up from the seat. He knew it would end this way.
”I beg of you to keep the conversation suggestive!” The Prince placed his hands on the shoulder of the General of Guards and Chancellor of the government respectively. ”We have been debating for the whole afternoon. I believe even an idiot knows what we are all facing!”
Oscar patted the Chief Commander of the Army Group, ”General Eugene thought that at the same time of executing Lighthouse Strategy, the Southern Five Provinces must expand its reserve units and fill in the empty slots of each defense area. We should take advantage of the fact that the Westland Kingdom Alliance has not officially invaded us. We should train our soldiers during this period so that they could be put to good use when the time comes.”
”And Philip!” The Prince patted the shoulder of the Chancellor. ”As the Chancellor of the government, keeping the productive and economic stability of the society is indeed important. Also, Southern Five Provinces are in a period of peace for a while. Taking away a large amount of young working forces from the society now does not seem logical.”
”So... Both of you are in the right!” Oscar swallowed in difficulty. To present his words clearly was not an easy thing to do.
”But the problem arises!” The Prince returned to his seat. ”The soldiers hope that their home won't be hurt when they are not around, while the government hopes that the order in their home won't be disturbed when the soldiers are not around. Everyone's starting point is just one: how the south can go through this predicament! Isn't that right?”
General Eugene and Philip nodded together. This was indeed their common starting point.
”If that is so, stop complaining about each other's method!”
General Eugene and Philip Goolean looked at each other. After a long while, they nodded to show that they understood.
Oscar clapped his hands, ”It's easier this way!”
”Philip! What is the number acceptable to the southern government?”
The Chancellor made a sign, ”Nine reserve units! No more! These nine corps included the nobles' families who are willing to give up their people.”
”What about you, Eugene?”
The Chief Commander of Southern Army Group shook his head helplessly, ”Your Highness! Eighteen Corps! That is the number I got after my Chief of Staff's careful deliberation. To defend the south, it must be this way!”
Oscar nodded, ”How about this? the United Government will be responsible to gather the people for nine reserve corps; Representing the Southern Army Group, General Eugene can gather the remaining reserve corps within Narcissus County.”
”Within... within your Narcissus County?” General Eugene Mir Bradley widened his eyes. Before this, he had only heard of Narcissus Knights gathering soldiers from other places. He had not heard about others gathering soldiers at the Narcissus county.
”Yes!” Oscar nodded. He only suggested this solution after considering it properly. ”The number of youth in Narcissus County has reached its sixth peak this year in history! I don't have enough land to place these kids. Within the Narcissus county, you can see a large group of youth playing war like children. They will play a whole day long!”
”If that is the case...” Eugene immersed himself in some deep thoughts. He had been General for half of his life. When he considered a problem, he was much calmer than the Prince. ”If it is as you have described, then the source of soldiers for the reserve corps will no longer pose any problem, but... Won't this give a wrong impression to others? For example... The Marshal in the Capital will think the Narcissus Knights indirectly places nine corps in the south!”
”Crap...” Oscar cursed. This concern was valid. He should not provoke the sensitive Silver Fox Alan.
”But... Do we have other choices?” The Prince mumbled, troubled. ”If Alan truly complains that way, I will write a letter to Her Majesty the Empress to clarify it.”
”I am afraid that Her Majesty will not be fond of this arrangement!” Philip Goolean frowned in worry.