Chapter 214: Twenty-fourth Episode: Chapter 6 (2/2)
”Ola...” Oscar could not help but smile, ”This is my first time hearing a boss getting fired by his workers!”
Muktha took the Prince's coat, ”There's a first for everything!”
Oscar smiled as he nodded. When he tried to stand up, he fell back down to his seat.
”Look! You're so weak it's as if you just got out of jail!” The confidential secretary glared at his direct supervisor furiously. He hated the Prince's way of working. He would be so absorbed he would not care about other things at all
”Alright, alright! I was wrong! Quickly, get me up...” Oscar said as he reached out his hands to his secretary. When he first saw Muktha Singh, he knew that this was a good kid.
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On 1st day of the 5th month was Vielonna's 'Straw Knot Festival', something that was always talked about about excitedly among Vielonna's citizens.
The so-called 'Straw Knot Festival' originated from a shocking war story. Three hundred years ago, the Titan Imperial Family, who controlled Vielonna, fought a terrible war with Southern Faran. The Faran people surrounded Vielonna and closed off Rayne River, stifling the defense army and citizens in the city of water and food. Not long after, they surrendered to the invaders.
In the midst of crisis, a young madam who made a living by knitting straw stood out. She suggested to the army general that the straw rope she knitted was long and strong. When the night was quiet, the defense army could sneak to the field using her rope, then launch a surprise attack at the enemy's rear. The officer, who had hardly any options left, accepted the madam's strategy. The woman then returned to her home and knitted a long and strong straw rope with her children in one day and one night. That night, Titan's warriors climbed the strong rope and sneaked down the city wall, around to the back of the invaders and launched an attack at dawn. This sudden attack naturally brought them victory. The panicked invaders thought aid had arrived. They soon retreated to the other side of Don River. The intelligent madam then used a straw rope to save her home and people.
Vielonna's people could not forget this incident. They then set the day the madam knitted the straw rope as a public holiday for the city, in remembrance of the miracle created by the people. Slowly, the public holiday on the 1st day of the 5th month turned into an extravagant festival that promoted the traditional virtue of hard work, courage, moderation and so on. In other words, this was the rare festival that did not involve nobles and religion – a festival that celebrated the people.
Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette's beautiful carriage was on the street. Through the window, he could see the cheerful citizens and small vendors doing their business by the roadside. All the windows of the houses had a long straw rope dangling downwards, with flowers and green vine knitted into the straw rope. The ropes would sway lightly along the breeze, bringing the aroma of flowers to each corner of the city. It was a magnificent scene to behold.
Rope knitting was just one of the activities of the day. Citizens who came from the villages nearby had already prepared all sorts of knitted products, from baskets used in homes to straw hats loved by ladies and children, the people used their delicate trades to knit the beautiful dreams in life. Even Prince O'Neil, who seemed to not understand happiness, bought a pair of straw shoes. He excitedly tried it on repeatedly in the carriage.
”These are so much better than boots!” Oscar shook the large straw shoes on his feet, but soon a decomposing stench immediately reached his nose.
”O God of Light! What is happening to my feet?” Oscar covered his nose.
The confidential secretary held the impulse to throw up and took hold of the laces of the boots. He threw the 'source of air pollution' of the Prince into the carriage's cabinet.
”Oh...” Muktha took a deep breath, ”Sir, your feet have not gone out of those huge boots for a long time. Even a person might turn into that smell!”
”Ola!” Oscar only thought about another thing. He took his collar and smelled it... The mixture of sweat and the sour smell of soiled laundry almost made him pass out.
”We head for the nearest bath!” Oscar issued the order without hesitation. His carriage immediately turned into a noisy street. Oscar, who had never gotten himself that dirty, even shook his collar at the King of Assassin's nose without embarrassment. Paul immediately frowned, ”You stinking bug... Get away from me!”
Speaking of the bathing, the Westland people had never known the enjoyment of bathing throughout much of history, because they would not take a bath unless it was praying day of the Church.
Along with the rise of intelligent civilizations like the Persian Empire and the introduction of all sorts of luxury goods, bathing had entered the realm of western nobles before the second century in the Church Calendar.
In Vielonna, the baths that were the costliest, had the most beautiful decoration and best service was managed by Persian or West Percian businessman. After the previous cleansing-like religious purge, these baths were gone. Only the 'Hermes Troy Bath' was still in business. However, of course, the owner was a West Percian businessman who learnt the authentic bathing culture of Persia. A southern Marquis also held shares in this 'Hermes Troy Bath'.
It was well known that Prince O'Neil did not really go to public places. His life was limited to an extremely small space. There was not even a good friend who could smoke, drink or sleep with women with him in this space. So, when Prince O'Neil walked into the public bath that was as majestic as nobles' club, he was completely mesmerized by the place.
A team of servants helped the honorable Prince to take off his shirt. Then, a white-faced female slave led the Prince into the widest bathroom available. Sky-blue tiles were fixed on the walls of the bathroom, and there was even a huge dormer on the ceiling. A bundle of light fell from the dormer and lit all golden instruments in the bathroom.
Oscar sat into the huge five-by-five-meter bathroom. The women's massage made him mutter his catchphrase. The King of Assassins, by his side, glanced around. The bathroom was well lit, without any places to hide a person. The women workers only wore a thin satin cloth; there was no way for these women, barely covering themselves, to have weapons on them...
”Then... I shall wait for you outside!”
”Aren't you joining me?” Oscar opened his eyes and looked strangely at Paul.
Paul shook his head, ”This place gives me the feeling of an emperor's palace. I can't take it!”
Oscar heard the King of Assassin's footsteps getting further away and closed his eyes once more. The women's movements made him sleepy. Just that... Paul's words just now had brushed the Prince's sensitive nerve. Oh right! It was that sentence 'This place gives me the feeling of an emperor's place'…
Familiar footsteps sounded again. This time, it was a whole group of people. Along with the laughing of the women and the cheerful voice of the man, Oscar opened his eyes slightly. A familiar face appeared amidst the steam in the bathroom. The Prince groaned helplessly, ”O God of Light! Bring this heresy to hell...”
Marquis Glenn Alpre was still the same as usual, his yellow beard joined to his temple.
He was wearing a rope that only a poet would wear. The middle-aged man sat in the water. The servants who followed him took off their thin clothes respectively and mixed with the others in the bath, just that their movements were much more skilled than those in the bathroom.
”Your Highness... Is this how you treat your old friend?”
Oscar felt relaxed like never before, but he still cleared his mind with his will.
”We are not friends. Moreover... I know the reason you've become what you are!” The Prince stared at Marquis Alpre, who was, in reality, younger by half a century than what he looked like. He said, ”If you are still like before, only ghosts will believe in you! With this friendly face now... at least it is easier for people to accept you and let down their guards!”
”This is one-sided!” Marquis Alpre nodded slightly. He curled his body and carefully glanced at his reflection, ”Everyone longs for eternal youth! If I had known I'd become this old and ugly form when I turn sixty, I would have ended my life earlier.” ”Ola” Oscar splashed a stream water towards the poet, ”Now you've said it! This is the imaginary world you created!”
The water went through the Marquis's body and fell onto the granite floor. Oscar was stunned. This sort of visual shock was more or less a jolt to the normal person.
Alpre smiled without care, ”Your Highness... Why do you hold so tightly to reality and imagination? You can treat our meeting as a way of communication.”
”Spiritual Media?” Oscar was extremely confused, ”As far as I know, it's taboo to communicate with devils.”
”Oh no! No!” The poet shook his head, ”That's what Light Religion says. Do you think those scholars who study the religion so well would know what a world made of spirits truly is? That is simply their random guess. Then, they simply the people with any sin of their liking that threatens the God of Light.”
”World made of spirits?”
Alpre shrugged, ”I did not visit you because of that. If you are interested in Spiritual Media, I can introduce my wife to you.”
”But she is a prophet.”
”It's more or less the same!” Alpre spread his hands impatiently.
Oscar pushed a woman's breast away from blocking his view. The Prince carefully looked at the poet. He could not help but be curious, ”You... Is there anything urgent?”
Alpre came to the Prince sneakily, ”Someone wants to kill you! A woman!”
Oscar chuckled. He pulled the servants around him into his arms and they yelled in fright. The actions caused large ripples of water that splashed onto the Prince.
”There is no one in this world who can kill me! Especially women!” Oscar spat confidently.
”I wouldn't be so sure of that...” Alpre shook his head worriedly, ”This woman may just kill you without a trace! She has the same honorable identity and status as you, strong intelligence network like your Military Intelligence Bureau and her husband has a group of loyal soldiers just like you...”
”Wait!” Oscar suddenly stopped him, ”Are you saying Alanis wants to kill me?”
”Oh no!” Alpre had a headache. His description gave a bit too much. He continued, ”Even though Her Majesty will go on this path sooner or later, it won't be now!”
”What do you mean?” the furious Prince threw the women in his arms away.
The poet shook his hands as if he was compromising, ”Just treat as if I didn't say anything. We're only talking about the current situation!”
Alpre took a deep breath. He must admit that O'Neil Andrew Morisette's sudden fury made him jump. There was a single moment when he thought that the Prince might jump and strangle him to death.
”Sir! The Lighthouse Strategy still hasn't begun implementation after all this time... What do you think is the underlying reason for that?”
”Needless to ask,” Oscar sighed helplessly, ”West Percy and the Engels don't give way to each other, and strong aid on the sea is extremely important. If we launch our plan without fully closing off the sea... then it would be difficult to ensure that there are no runaways from the Slovenia Royal Family.”
”Yes!” Marquis Alpre nodded, ”But Sir, in your heart... are you more inclined toward West Percy or the Engels?”
”Of course, the Engels!” Oscar answered this question without hesitation, ”The Engels are in a period of advancement, they embody the sense of a strong ally. Meanwhile, West Percy... Look at what those religious members did to Vielonna. We can imagine how unruly they are in their own country. So... West Percy is not a qualified strategic aid. The conflict between their religions would sooner or later tear that Kingdom apart.”
”Then... Do you think the West Percians understand your inclination? Especially that Princess Catalina Don Holmes.”
Oscar suddenly widened his eyes. He thought about the conversation again, and only then did he understand that he was lagging behind.
”You are saying Princess Catalina Don Holmes wants to kill me?”
”You should first answer my question! West Percy's Princess and Etha's person-in-charge. Does she know about your inclination on this matter?”
”Yes, she does!” Oscar stared into the person's eyes. He suddenly felt that he had the need to explain this properly, ”The truth is, we had a secret meeting before on the 3rd month. I told her my honest opinion. If it weren't for the fact that the conditions given by West Percy were extremely attractive, I would have excluded this fallen country from the Balgan Peninsula.”
”May I know what sort of luscious promise did the West Percians make?”
Oscar thought about it. Actually, such things would be known sooner or later, ”If I bring the West Percians' influence into the Aldrid and Black Sea, the West Percians will open up the port and infrastructure at Jebrotoh Strait and Disin Sea unconditionally in return.”
”It seems that my guess wasn't far off!” Marquis Alpre suddenly muttered.
Oscar poked the poet's shoulder impatiently, ”Hey! Great Spiritual Media! Can you say something? Catalina is my partner. Why would she want to kill me?”
Alpre smiled bitterly without help, ”Dear Sir, the answer to that question is extremely simple! The West Percians have had a hard time protecting themselves. Expansion already exhausts their strength! They only want to get in the way of Engels when they work with you. Or else... If the Holmes Royal Family is interested in the Black Sea and Aldrid Sea, they would have infiltrated the whole of Slovenia when the Invincible Nacy was at its strongest. How would they wait for you?”
”You mean...”
”I mean... The West Percians would think that, instead of giving out the sharing rights of ports and infrastructure at Jebrotoh Straits and Disin Sea, it would be better to let Slovenia stay as it was. Everyone would treat it as if nothing happened.”
Oscar shook his head, ”It's impossible! I'm telling you that Titan's armed infiltration towards Slovenia will definitely become a reality!”
”That is very plausible!” The Marquis took a glance at the prince with ill intention, ”Once the most determined executioner of Lighthouse Strategy leaves the game, then the Empire will retrieve all rights of this executioner. The Southern Army Group will no longer be able to escape the control of the Army Division. Andrew alone would not infiltrate Slovenia in the face of huge risk, either. Won't your Lighthouse crumble then?”
Looking at the Prince who had his head lowered, Alpre lightly patted his shoulder and said, ”I know what you're thinking. The pure and passionate Catalina, who treated you like a lover, would never be so cruel. But can you remember it? What can a ruler lose? Everything! There is no family, love or friendship in front of you. There are only traps, conspiracies, obstacles and bugs!”
”Just like these women!” Alpre pulled a woman's hair, ”You can treat them like items, slaves or even pigs and dogs, but you can't treat them like people! In front of the ruler, everything is an item and a pawn, for you to use and enjoy.”
Oscar flung his arms forcefully, but Alpre had already retreated lightly. Only that poor slave was looking at them in horror.
”Get out! Don't let me see you again!”
Facing the furious Prince, the Marquis simply smiled slightly. He once again came close to Oscar's ears, ”I forgot to tell you. This lowly slave wanted to kill you!”
”Get out!” Oscar howled.
Alpre waved his hands at his girls. A group of people then left the bath. Just when he was about to step out of the door, the poet suddenly turned around, ”Sir, when you lose everything, including your family and all your love, and have gotten rid of all the traps, conspiracies and obstacles in your life, you are only one step away from the throne of ruler! When that time comes... I will come to you again!”
Oscar did not care about the secretive Spiritual Media. He only turned to that frightened slave. (Such a weak woman wanted to kill me?) If he thought that, he would definitely not be far from being sane!
The Prince laid on the stairs by the bath and squinted his eyes while he enjoyed his massage. The woman, supposedly the assassin, delicately took off her hair tie. From the reflection on the water, Oscar clearly saw her pressing on his back with her knee all of a sudden. Then, she used that hair tie that had silver line in it to tighten it around his neck.
Oscar could not breathe, but he smiled. He was laughing at his own madness! His hand was already aimed at the woman's ankle. With a strong pull, this woman fell from his body.
When Paul entered the bathroom after hearing the noise, it seemed to be over... O'Neil Andrew Morisette sat by the bath with a blank expression. Near his leg was a woman's body, its neck broken.
”It seems that I truly have the potential to be a ruler...” Oscar told himself with an extremely low voice.