Chapter 248: Twenty-sixth Episode: Chapter 9-2 (2/2)
”Sir! The Head of Secret Service would like to invite you for dinner in the Westberg Fort!”
Bernadot stood up from his chair. He could not bring himself to compliment the Head of Secret Service for the dinner, but at this point, it was no use arguing.
”Your apprentice is also invited.” The soldier grabbed the imperial historian.
Bernadot looked at the other person strangely. ”My apprentice? He left this place an hour ago. Perhaps you have to get him from his house!”
The senior military officer gestured to his staff, and immediately one knight rushed to the door!
When he was leaving Hamilton Palace, Bernadot could not help but glance back at the palace where he had worked for many years. When his eyes fell on the top of the palace, the gold lion dancing slightly under the northwest wind appeared weary. The court knight suddenly pressed down on the head of the historian. These people were trying to put him in the carriage of the secret service. Baron Ogeiro suddenly became angry and struggled away from the knight's hand.
The Imperial historian finally glanced upward to the sky… The vast sky stretched into infinity, the stars were hanging low, the faint shadow of the moon, and the turbulence of the clouds - Dulin was going to go through a massive change!
The Baron was covered with binders by a special agent who was sitting next to him. Darkness! It was the last color he saw on the land... No one had seen Bernadot Ogeiro since then. The name of the chief historian at the end of Morisette's dynasty was also rarely mentioned by the people. His historical mission ended with the end of this dynasty.
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Church's Year 802, the 12th day of the 2nd month. Dulin's Plain ushered in the last cold wave of the year's winter. The temperature dropped steeply and rain fell at night. Roof tiles and windows made monotonous squeaks as hails dropped from the Heaven. When this distracting noise gradually ceased, the Imperial Marshal, Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette shifted his attention away from the window.
He kept wondering, what kind of a person was Alanis? It was rather weird, was it not? For a husband to think about his wife like that. Prince O'Neil laughed in a self-deprecating sense. His hand was holding a shining white-gold pendant carved into a statue of God of Light. This was the gift that his Italian wife gave him before leaving home. It has become his habit to fiddle with the pendant after he learned that his son was definitely not going to make it to the world alive. Those who had no idea would think the father who has lost his child was praying for God's blessing. However, those familiar with O'Neil Andrew Morisette should know he was cursing the God... Sometimes even greeted the great creator with dirty words. He thought that God of Light has taken his son away from him.
”It's the southerners!”
”It's the anxious people of Andrew!”
”It's the Imperial Empress sitting on the throne waiting for the polar bear to fall into the trap!”
The followers of Prince O'Neil were divided into three factions; hence they naturally came up with three explanations for this matter. Oscar consulted Viscount Lukas Diyabaker regarding this issue. The university student, who had just been formally appointed as the Division Head of Military Intelligence, gathered and arranged the ideas in sequence.
The first suspect was the Imperial Empress sitting on the throne waiting for the polar bear to fall into the trap... Everyone thought this way. The second suspect was the anxious people of Andrew... Everyone was afraid they would cause disputes in the dark. The third suspect was the southerners... Everyone knew that the Southerners wanted to set the Empress of Empire to death, as the Empress went so far as to discuss the surrender of Burton Province with Faran! Was this an issue needed exploring?
There was nothing wrong with returning the two provinces to Deiss, neither was it important to let go of the Riel territory to the Hoillander. However, if the Burton Province was given to Faran? What would happen to the Titan nationals who have lived on this land for centuries? Not many people could take foes for parents. Southerners could only hope that Andrew leader's trip to the capital was able to completely change the situation. It would be best if the military tribunal sent Her Majesty the Empress who had betrayed the entire Titan nation to the guillotine! But everyone knew... that Prince O'Neil would not do that!
”Therefore! The southerners are the most likely suspect!” the young university student went near to the ear of His Highness the Prince.; ”They want to lead you to the point of no return – to kill your wife in order to win the title!”
”Point of no return?” Prince O'Neil was slightly dismayed.
”Didn't you realize?” Viscount Diyabaker's eyes widened. He was also surprised at his owner's insensitivity to the matter.
Oscar shook his head slowly. ”I've lost my son...” This meant that he did not have the energy to think about this matter.
The Division Head of Military Intelligence again lowered his voice. Even if there were only Paul, Black Devil and Sandinand present in the room, he still hoped that the following conversation would not be heard by the third person.
”Andrew mistress suffered a miscarriage, you will naturally not care how many people would be buried alive for Sinelli. However, I remember clearly, there are 231 people in the pit! If someone tells you that Her Majesty is the mastermind behind this and provides you with the concrete evidence... What would you do?”
Oscar clenched his fists. ”If she is right next to the grave... I may also push her down subconsciously... Who knows?”
The Division Head of Military Intelligence shook his head. ”Let me guess! If any mishaps shall befall Her Majesty the Empress, the Southerners will quickly come forward to pick up the pieces after you. Either through the House of Lords or the military, in short, you will be crowned the Regent Prince of the Empire. The news will spread to all corners in less than a week. By then, one after another the Anti-Titan Alliance will launch their attacks, the Imperial Guards and Narcissus Knights will be fully mobilized to defeat the rivals under your bright leadership. And you will be crowned Emperor amongst the cheers of entire Titan nation! The Great Sacred Andrew... What do you think of this title?”
”But, you said earlier this is a point of no return?” Oscar turned his head away, trying to steer clear from the crucial point. The temptation of being the Great Sacred Andrew was indeed too great.
”This is indeed a point of no return!” Lukas replied in affirmation, ”Regardless of whatever high-sounding reasons you use to dispose of the Imperial Empress, the nobles and local lords who support the Morisette dynasty faithfully will always be dissatisfied! You can accept the people's congratulations, but you cannot change the loyalty of these famous and influential families! They will resist and create troubles! Even betray the country to the enemies! Even if you win the Second Anti-Titan War, the third, the fourth and the fifth would come eventually... until Andrew is finally ousted! Those who remained loyal to the dynasty will help an insignificant role of the Morisette bloodline to get into power again. If you are familiar the with history, you should know that each unusual replacement of imperial powers will produce stubborn, loyal factions as such! You will have to fight with them until the end, even if it means involving your future generations!”
Oscar shifted his attention at the dark rainy night. He tried to imagine how cold it would be outside the window.
”My Lord Prince...” Viscount Diyabaker was still speaking in the low voice, ”If everything that I said turns into reality, what will the future Great Sacred Andrew depend on to maintain his ruling? The Narcissus Knights? The Imperial Guards? The military cannot rule the country for you. You have no choice but to rely on the southern nobles, while you continue to cleanse the families that support the Morisette Imperial Family! The southerners will replace the capital nobles and become the new real power class, and eventually reach their ultimate goal of helping you to ascend to the throne!”
O'Neil Andrew Morisette suddenly patted the shoulder of the Division Head of Military Intelligence. ”Sorry! Your fantasies will not become reality after all, because I never thought of putting my wife to death!”
”It's inevitable!” Lukas sighed and shook his head after verifying this extremely important thing to the Imperial Prince. ”If you return to Dulin and execute your plan as planned… it would be a miracle if Her Majesty the Empress remains alive!”
”That plan doesn't include killing my Alanis!” Oscar glared in anger.
The Division Head of Military Intelligence shook his head again. ”Your Alanis will become just an ordinary woman after losing the emperor's crown! A poisonous drink, a dagger… too many things can put her to death. You can't protect her from everything!”
Oscar could no longer say a word. Even his precious youngest son was murdered inexplicably, not to mention Alanis, who had been ripped off of her power and was being placed under house arrest in the palace...
The sounds of hooves in the distant gradually became louder. The violent noises alerted the Red Tigers which stationed near the post station.
The dark rainy night was ignited by the storm lanterns in a blink of an eye. The horses' breathing noises and the soldiers' shouting blended into one. The weapons reflected flickers of light under the curtain of rain.
The Imperial Prince leaned in the doorway as he inspected the woman who had suddenly visited.
”Rolanda? What a surprise!”
Baroness Rolanda Getha Ogeiro rolled her eyes at his old lover. ”You will be arrested as soon as you step into Dulin! Then you will be put on trial! And you're still laughing?”
Oscar scratched his head with indifference. ”I've heard of that too, except I have no idea what crime will I be charged off!”
The travel-worn Baroness Ogeiro nudged her elbow hardly at the attendant beside her, and the apprentice of imperial historian immediately took off his hat to the Prince of Empire.
”Your Highness! You... you've committed regicide!”
This time around, Oscar really had nothing to say.