Chapter 223: Twenty-fifth Episode: Chapter 3-1 (2/2)
Aeolia put on a serious face, ”An unexpected event happened in the war zone. Hence, I rushed over through the night and arrived at about two o'clock in the morning. Coincidentally, Sasha woke up for the toilet, so the attendant told her about my arrival. She ordered to wait until today to tell you anything before sending me to your bed.”
Oscar did not think much about why his wife would send Aya into his bedroom. He was only worried about that ”unexpected event.”
”This is what happened!” Aeolia began as she retrieved a stack of documents from the bag she had thrown under the bed. ”Marshal Figg took control of the country's treasury as soon as he entered the capital of Slovenia. There was no one to be seen in the fortress, and the basement was still locked. Marshal ordered the artillerymen to open the vaulted gate by explosive, but guess what?”
”There is nothing inside?” Oscar held on his chin in disappointment. He had guess so after looking at Aya's embarrassed expression.
”Yes!” The person in charge of Military Investigation Bureau nodded through gritted teeth, ”Tirana XI must have transferred the gold secretly before the war!”
”But that's more than a hundred tons of gold?” Oscar's eyes widened in disbelief, ”The military reports earlier have never mentioned that the Tirana royal family shown any signs of wealth transfer, am I right? Do you know how much manpower and resources are needed to transfer more than one hundred tons of gold? Including shipping, it's impossible to do that without being found!”
Aya shook her head, ”It's not impossible! If we do the math, tracing back the time to the leak of the Lighthouse Strategy until you started the fight, Tirana royal family could have been transferring this huge amount of gold during this period of six months. Besides, there is a secret route leading directly to outside the city inside the underground vault. My deputy personally inspected it and reported that there are clear ruts inside the tunnel, and the lamp oil stored there is enough for six more months of usage. Therefore, I think, if the transfer happened at night from the tunnel to outside the city, there is really no way that we could have noticed.”
Oscar's hand finally left the woman's body. He had lost all his interest.
”Are there no clues left behind?”
”Indeed!” Aeolia nodded, ”The Slovenian Princess disappeared along with the gold!”
Oscar looked at the woman, but he was not sure what the other party was about to do.
”What's your plan?”
Aya leaned back into the pillow in frustration. ”Tirana royal family must have had a group of loyal guardians. The investigative force that combines both Military Personnel and Military Intelligence Bureaus could not retrieve anything of value. Most people in the capital area have fled, and no one notices that a massive transportation fleet has appeared on the national road, so...”
”Tirana XI is a King, after all!” Oscar already knew why the person in charge of the Military Investigation Bureau had to march to Palmaria under the starry night.
”But we have no other alternatives other than a surprise interrogation! We could be one step behind and the property of Tirana royal family may already be smuggled abroad. Although the sea route has been blocked completely, if this wealth falls into the hand of Engelish or West Percian, it wouldn't be easy to make them hand it over later!”
”What if he doesn't cooperate? Are you planning to torture a king? We will all be in trouble if the news is leaked!”
Aeolia laughed and shook her head, ”I don't think that was necessary. Actually, I shouldn't have concerned you with this! The queen and children of Tirana XI are on their way to Palmaria. I just want to borrow this honorable lady and her children for one day!”
Oscar frowned. He disliked Aya's intentions and the practice of involving wife and children, but there was 140 tons of gold on the other side of the balance. Facing such a situation, the Prince of Titan said nothing but planted a kiss on the countess' forehead.
”Don't overwork yourself. I know you're doing these for me!”
Aya did not mention anything further and buried her head in the man's chest. The man could only see her eyelashes fluttering like butterflies' wings. Aya had dreamed of this moment for a long time, to only fall asleep peacefully in his embrace, even if it was just for a short time, anything longer would be an extravagant hope!
However, the life of a person who does not understand how to be grateful would go astray sooner or later. A long time ago, no one in the Kingdom of Faran's most solemn and luxurious Palace Divansaille had heard of the name Karlchette Nierer. Now, Karlchette Nierer was the highest-ranking officer among the sea of young generals under the Regent Prince's throne. At the same time, he was also the kingdom's Strategy Officer, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Coalition Headquarters, and the special member of Court Investigation Council! This series of titles not only symbolized fame and fortune but also trust from the country's ruler. Even if such a general commander of boundless prospects was born with disgusting facial features, the Regent Prince of Faran still found him an innocent princess from within the royal family. Karlchette Nierer accepted the arrangement without a second thought and now he was in love with the royal princess.
Catastrophes were bound to happen in the world, one after another! For Karlchette Nierer, an executioner in the eyes of the Titans was the most valuable star that the Kingdom of Faran recently doted most on. The second Anti-Titan Alliance Army Group Headquarters not only adopted his strategic proposal without making any amendments, he was also made a Deputy Chief of Staff.
The luck had turned in favor for Karlchette Nierer, the man of a thin angular face. He lived in the royal palace just a few steps from the main bedroom of the kingdom's ruler. Besides, there was always a large team of skilled paladin to protect him wherever he went. Although Titan's Military Intelligence was still after him and offered rewards to anyone who could bring him captured, General Karlchette treated that only as a joke. To him, this proved that the enemies of the kingdom were afraid of him, terrified even.
According to the ”Analysis Report of Titan's political and military terrain - during Church's year 800 Anti-Titan Movement”, the tactical principle of Karlchette Nierer was actually really simple. Making the powerful companies as the backbone of the strategy, they launched a powerful assault on Titan at the same time in three directions from south, west and north. Although the Imperial Guards had an upper hand in number and equipment, history had planted many weak links in Titan's defense network. As long as the enemy focused on one of them for a principal breakthrough, the collapse of Titan's entire defensive system was only a matter of time.
After much deliberation, Karlchette Nierer felt that nothing under the sun was enough to worry him. However, according to a recent intelligence report from the Court Investigation Council, Titan Military Intelligence Bureau established another blacklist and his own name was actually at the top of the list. Although Karlchette Nierer felt that O'Neil Andrew Morisette regarded too highly of himself, that only made him even prouder!
After the rumors spread that the Titan Military Intelligence Bureau had issued a blacklist, the Regent Prince of Faran had personally written to Alanis I Her Majesty. In his harsh letter, he demanded Titan to give up such despicable assassination. Karlchette Nierer became more passionate in his work knowing that the kingdom's ruler had regarded him with such high importance. He worked overtime every night. Each and every tactical meeting, regardless of urgency, were indispensable to his advice.
On this day, the perpetrator of the Saint Hailey tragedy came to the second Anti-Titan Alliance temporary headquarters as usual. Although everyone around them looked at the new royal parvenu with envious eyes, Karlchette was getting slightly tired of it. He was eager to go to the battlefield and could not wait to see how the Titans would react when they were under siege from three directions.
It was already rather late when he retreated from the headquarters of the Faran army. The new royal upstart dined in Restaurant Truffle as usual, this time with the company of several of his colleagues in the coalition headquarters. It was not uncommon for these guys who fawned on the rich and powerful to familiarize themselves with this new major general. They shuffled between the court and the upper circle of the kingdom, speaking about military affairs and women as if they were the backbone of the country, even though contradictorily they were empty and worthless on the inside.
Restaurant Truffle held a full house of distinguished guests tonight, but that did not concern Karlchette. He had a specially reserved window seat and a tab opened by the royal family. He could order whatever he wanted and only had to sign on the corner of the bill.
Even so, Karlchette who deeply familiarize himself with the rules of fame and power was not satisfied. According to his vision, if he won the Anti-Titan Alliance, he would be granted the rank of hereditary title and even lands and territory. By that time…
An unattractive carriage stopped by the window and interrupted the man's vision of streetscape and his future. Karlchette Nierer threw the napkin away impatiently, ”What's wrong with the groom? Doesn't he know that he wasn't allowed to stop here?”
Immediately, a military officer among them volunteered for the task. He had just made acquaintance with General Nierer who had a promising future ahead of him. Now was the time to earn his approval.
Karlchette waited for a long while, but the new friend he had just met never returned. He stood from his seat and looked out the window. The curtain of the dark carriage was drawn, and there was no sign of the groom in the rider's seat in front of the carriage. An extreme worry came to mind and Karlchette quickly called his guarding paladins, ”It's time to leave...”