Chapter 218: Twenty-fourth Episode: Chapter 8-2 (1/2)
Chapter 218: Twenty-fourth Episode: Chapter 8-2
Translator: EndlessFantasy TranslationEditor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Everyone in the room could not help but exchange glances with each other as the Prince finished speaking. General Janin Sherman frowned and whispered to his master, ”Marquis Glenn Alpré is waiting for you outside...”
A strange expression washed over Oscar's face. He knew that each inexplicable dreams or hallucinations he had must be related to the guy Alpré. If the Religious Court was not so powerful, Oscar believed that Glenn would have been burned more than ten times by now.
Marquis Alpré quickly stood from his seat when His Highness the Prince entered the living room. He bowed graciously to Oscar, removed his hat, and carefully positioned it on the back of the high chair before the Prince of Empire could speak a word. Oscar had no idea how to deal with such an overcautious gentleman. He waved to the Marquis and gestured him to sit down. Alpré then sat down with great gratitude.
The attendant handed over a mouthwash to the Prince. Oscar rinsed off his stinky breath then wiped his face with a hot scented towel. Lastly, he threw all these things aside and sat on the couch, staring at the old man quietly.
Oscar shook his head and sighed. He was first to broke the long silence.
”Lord Marquis, I prefer how you looked when you were younger.”
The old man could not help but laugh, and His Highness the Prince joined in. Although Oscar felt that the whole thing was unreasonable, his subconscious convinced him that Alpré and the people around him did not have any bad intentions. The southern nobles have already boarded on the big sailboat along with O'Neil Andrew Morisette, naturally, they would all hope that the ship could reach the end destination safely and steadily.
The old marquis finally became serious after laughing for a while. He took out a stack of documents from the folder, ”Your Highness, we earnestly ask for your opinion. The Government of five provinces has already announced the agenda for the establishment of a third-tier council, but most officials do not want to hold an election during the war, hence -”
”Hence everybody hopes that the third-tier council will be executed by people they are familiar with,” Oscar interrupted. ”and not by those little businessmen who dream of freedom and equality.”
”That's right!”
Oscar took over the document. He knew that this should be the list of parliamentarians that had been agreed upon by the southern government. Scanning the list from top to bottom, Oscar noticed several names on the list that sounded familiar even to him. It should be safe to leave the third-tier council to these people.
”Get me a pen and paper.”
Major Kirk Dexton, who was on standby, quickly ran into the study. Soon after, he returned with the things required by the Prince.
Oscar received the paper and pen, and signed his name on the end of the document before stamping down the seal belonged to the Prince of Titan Empire. After the ink dried, he returned the document to Marquis Alpré, and examined the receiving party with a pair of relaxed eyes.
”Alright, Your Highness, we've settled another big matter,” Old Marquis retrieved the documents in delight and turned around to face Oscar, who had visibly softened. ”Now… shall we talk about your issues?”
”My issue?” Oscar frowned. He did not want to admit but he was indeed facing a thorny problem.
Marquis Alpré spread his hands and began reciting a poem.
”Amidst the storm created by God of Light, the poet stood naked, above his head was the light gifted by the heavenly Father. Through his body, his hand, he grabbed the rays of light and offered it to the public. Disguised as poems, he gave them the gifts from the heavens. We tried to grasp this light with our sinful hands, but it will not escape the attention of our Holy Father. God says to sinners, 'Take your hand off, or I'll burn it into ashes.'”
Oscar thought for a moment, ”This is the twenty-seventh chapter of Blue Hat Greg.”
”You have a good memory!” The old man complimented the young Prince of the Empire, and the latter smiled happily. ”Do you know why I recited this paragraph to you?”
Oscar pondered briefly, but he was not entirely sure if he has fully grasped the metaphors implied in poetry, ”It seems to be saying... when the storm comes, even God could be merciless; that God will not be forgiving toward the sinners and those who provoked him, but instead shines on them the light of judgment.”
”Exactly!” Marquis Alpré nodded. ”Being a poet is a painful profession, for instance... knowing that the Father, God, in heaven will judge and punish sinners on the Earth, but they can't express that in poetry! Poetry is supposed to inspire, motivate, educate, and remind people in the literary style. It should not intimidate, degenerate, mock, or give people the wrong illusion! Therefore, I insist that poetry is sacred, but poets are not.”
Oscar looked up to the ceiling, he had no idea what the old Marquis was trying to say.
”Your Highness! In your opinion, what is the most sacred?”
”Andrew!” Oscar replied almost without thinking.
”I have heard that the sacred Andrew is inviolable,” the poet nodded. When he was younger, he published a volume of poetry that praised the Narcissus Knights. He could understand the emotions of the Andrew people.
”Then, Your Highness... there is a question that needs to be explained. Why is Andrew so sacred and inviolable? Why must those who violate Andrew be punished?”
Oscar scratched his head at the strange question. Nobody has ever asked this before!
The Andrew warriors were chosen by God, therefore they were naturally sacred. Since Andrew was sacred, those who violated it would inevitably be punished, because of... because of what?
O'Neil Andrew Morisette widened his eyes, feeling dazzled as he found himself unable to answer, ”Poetry is sacred... but poets are not! For the same reason, Andrew is sacred, but Andrew people are not. Do you understand what I mean?”
Oscar nodded slowly, ”Andrew people created the sacred Andrew, therefore Andrew is sacred, but the Andrew people are not. I understand perfectly now!”
Marquis Alpré suddenly pressed his hand on the shoulder of the Imperial Prince, ”Do you remember, Your Highness? I once said that we will meet again when you are only one step away from the ultimate goal. Now is the time! Your final step is to thoroughly sanctify the Andrew people, or even yourself!”
”I don't understand... I'm not God!” Oscar shook his head again and again.
Alpré did not let go of his hand, ”No, Your Highness! You are the leader of the God-chosen warriors; you conquered the Pagans who had been fighting the religious world for centuries in Anatolia; you're also the liberator of millions of believers in Slovenia. When you set your sights on the Roman Holy See, the Pope His Grand Eminence will grant you a saint's title in the name of God of Light. Although this is only the first step of your deification process, this ceremony is of utmost significance!”
”But this will not solve the current problem...” Oscar whispered. He could not figure out why being granted a saint's name by the Holy See was important.
”The current problem?” the old Marquis smiled. ”Are you thinking about the soprano singer?”
Oscar nodded in embarrassment.
”First, you have to decide... if the baby in Lady Elizabeth Kate's belly is of Andrew descendant.”
”What do you mean?” Oscar vigilantly stared at the sly old Alpré.
”You understand perfectly what I mean! As long as you make it an established fact, the child will have nothing to do with Andrew! Besides, hosting a wedding of your adopted daughter and a Prince of Engels will make your name known abroad. This will definitely benefit you in future foreign associations.”
”Make it an established fact?” Oscar was even more embarrassed now. ”Do you want me to put Elizabeth on William's bed? I can't do that!”
”Of course, that's not what I mean!” Alpré dismissed it with a wave of his hand and grinned. ”Lady Elizabeth is bright and smart, she knows how to control her own destiny. Moreover... some things must be done deliberately, but some things are up to chance. You don't have to worry at all, you just have to step up your plan to make the Narcissus, the Titans, and everyone in the Westland believe that – O'Neil Andrew Morisette is not only a Prince but also the God's legal representative.”
”This is easier said than done,” Oscar was finally getting tempted.
Alpré waved his hand again, ”Your Highness, this is simple! You should notice how I described it... God's legal representative! The word legal is the key! The clause that defines this word is neither the Titan Codex nor the words of Alanis I Her Majesty, but God! It is a law that God from the Heavens has made for you. Not one resistance in the world can overturn this rule!”