Spring of year 797 had finally arrived at Swan Hill. Colors alongside range upon range of hills changed constantly. Fresh green grass revealed themselves within crevices in strange-shaped jagged rocks, while unknown wildflowers spread across the open space of forests basked in spring sunshine bloomed with multicolor beautiful flowers!
A litter of kits scrambled to escape their warren. They examined their surroundings carefully while not forgetting to gasp for the air filled with the fresh smell of lush greens. Eventually, after they determined that there wasn't any potential danger lurking around, the herds of kits finally made their first springtime activity under the lead of their mother. These young creatures were greatly tired of the dull winter life.
An almost grown wolf was seen around the forest. It sniffed at everything it encountered, trying to mark every inch of the forest land as its own with its unique scent. This piece of land was eventually to be under its territory. It was believed that in the near future, following its parents' footsteps, it would manage an area much larger than this current one.
After having gone through the ordeal of a harsh winter, tiny cygnets grew into graceful swans with strong physiques. Snow and frost turned their feathers from messy light gray to clean, pure white.
Young swans gradually converged on the lake. They communicated in high-pitched honks, flapping their wings and rubbing against each other in order to show their appreciation for the newly-bonded friendships. Soon, these young swans formed their own community. The God of Light, the great creator of all, transmitted the message of flying to these beautiful creatures. All of a sudden, the fledge of swans began to flap at their wings continuously. Slowly but clumsily, as the air current rose and the bodies soared, for the first time in their life the swans witnessed the beauty of the magical great sky.
"Look! Here's another wedge taking off!" Alanis exclaimed in delight and pointed towards the vast blue sky.
A soft bed was laid out on the spacious balcony of Swan Hill Castle. Warm spring sunlight glimmered on the lace curtain surrounded the bed, causing numerous patterns of light and shadow to dance around as the breeze blew.
Looking out at the "gloomy" sky from inside of the lace curtain, Sasha appeared feeble and weary. She struggled to sit up, but her frail body gave up and once again she fell on the pillow.
Alanis sat right next to the bed. She withheld her excitement from the flying creatures which were enjoying their first taste of spring and turned to look at the "critically ill" Young Lady. She couldn't help but sigh in a low breath. If she hadn't instructed the servant to carry Sasha's bed to the balcony, she believed this Andrew's Narcissus Corolla would slowly wither away her life in the dimly lit bedroom until she finally died.
"Sasha! I beg of you! It's spring now, the time for even withered plants to resuscitate, so please stop torturing yourself any longer!"
"I have not tortured myself, have I?" Sasha turned her head away, as stubborn as a mule.
Alanis rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, "Have you not? You haven't consumed any food for the past two days!"
"But I'm not hungry!"
Alanis stood up from the bed as she shook her head at the helpless girl. Abruptly, she raised the curtain. Strong bright rays of sunlight gushed into the dark, and the sudden contrast of light almost blinded Sasha.
"Please stop!"
"You need sunlight, hot food, and to stretch your legs a little…"
"Alanis! I only need him, you know that! Right now, I only need to know if he's safe and sound!"
"Of course he's all well!" Alanis grabbed Young Lady's hand, "He's the hero of the Empire, the idol of the soldiers! Do you know that millions of people cheered at the sound of his name? He's my fiancée, and… it seems like he's yours too." Alanis said with slight disappointment as she stole a glance at the precious ring rested on Sasha's finger.
"Please stop, I don't want to hear any of this, especially the word hero. Do you know what it means in Narcissus County? The word is only used in remembrance to cherish the memory of martyrs."
Alanis startled at the comment. She had no idea how to comfort the dispirited Sasha E.
After what seemed like forever, Alanis slowly sat back on the chair.
"Sasha, believe me, Oscar will be fine. Our fiancée will live a long life. I'm sure the Empire will exchange for his freedom at all costs! Besides, the highest-level delegation of Ministry of Foreign Affairs is already on their way to the Deiss Kingdom. I believe good news will soon be delivered to us."
Alanis finally revealed her concern as she glanced at the paladin waiting by the French window. She took Sasha into her arms and planted a light kiss on her cheek.
"Kid, promise me that you'll feel better. Oscar will definitely come back to us, and when he does, you wouldn't wish for him to see you like this."
Sasha listened to the princess and nodded eventually, "Do you have to leave already?"
"Yes," Alanis stared at the paladin in annoyance, "The entire Empire has now entered the state of combat readiness. Secret Service Department searches frantically for secret agents who work for Deiss, and guards have blocked the main roads, ready to go on the offensive. Even me, the Princess, has to live in seclusion for safety measures."
Just as Alanis was about to leave, Sasha held on to her arm.
"Thank you!"
Alanis pinched Young Lady's cheek lightly and paced toward the door. As she closed the door behind her, she turned to smile at the paladin. "See that? She's such a timid and weak-willed little girl."
***************
"A bunch of incompetent cowards!" Alfa III's brows were locked together. He appeared to be lost in his own thoughts but still couldn't come to a conclusion at the end of the day. "Who can tell me any other abject adjectives that could be used to describe my Imperial Army?"
"Your Majesty, is this the topic of today's discussion?" Marshal Alan spoke from his seat. As the commander of the Imperial Guards, he was obliged to respond to the Emperor's critics.
"Yes! Yes!" The Emperor glared fiercely into the Marshal's eyes. "I would be much satisfied if my Military Affairs Chancellor could answer this question!"
"Your Majesty!" the Chief of Staffs of Imperial Guards finally spoke up too, "The Empire's army is not cowardly nor impotent! His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette and the 11116 warriors on Saijo Mountain have already proved this with their brave actions."
"Hahahaha!" the emperor laughed all of a sudden, but almost immediately the laughter was replaced by a cold expression on the face, "Praise the almighty God! My Chief of Staffs, I'm glad you still remember His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette and the 11116 warriors! 18 days have passed since the battle on Saijo Mountain, even the remaining Deiss army forces have withdrawn and returned to their hometown. So please enlighten me, in the past 18 days, what have you done for His Imperial Highness Prince and all the sacrificed soldiers?"
The Chief of Staffs glanced at Alan who sat right next to him but was disappointed to notice the sly Silver Fox was indifferent to the rescue. The Chief of Staffs had no choice but to bite the bullet himself.
"Your Majesty! My staff is discussing..."
"Enough!" with a gesture of frustration, Alfa swept the messy piles of military papers from the desk, "Your staff are always discussing and always making plans that are impossible to implement!"
The chief of staff shot a sideways glance at Alan with the corner of his eyes. He knew well that the old fox should speak.
"Your Majesty!" As expected, Marshal Alan spoke. He opened up a thick tube-shaped object and retrieved from it a map which he spread over the Emperor's desk.
"Your Majesty, what laid in front of you now is the northwestern border region of our country with the Riel Kingdom and the Deiss Kingdom. Your humble servant had already instructed the Combat Department and Steinberger House to begin preparations for a massive offense. Seeing as His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette was still in the hands of Deiss, therefore I'm placing the focus of this attack on the Riel Kingdom. Eleventh region and tenth region in the west, as well as twelfth region in the northwest, have already assembled twenty divisions inside the border, Steinberger House also mobilized all the troops and reserves. We intend to..."
"My marshal!" the Emperor suddenly interrupted, "I have faith in you, and I trust your strategic deployment. Go ahead and do it! My golden lion seal is ready for you at any time! But do not forget to exert some pressure on the Westland Kingdom Alliance, I believe the alliance will understand our actions. Riel must be held responsible for their violation of rights and interests of the country!"
"Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. The Imperial Guards and I will not let you down again!" Silver Fox Alan bowed to the emperor with a humble attitude, with his military cap held in front of the chest.
"Although... Your Majesty!" anxiety washed across Silver Fox's face, "I shall remind you that Deiss remains our real rivalry. This unprecedented raid is enough to confirm this nation's conspiracy to stage a full-scale war at us."
The Emperor nodded in agreement. If it wasn't for his little Oscar that had been captured, he would certainly have declared war against Deiss as soon as he heard the news about the Saijo Mountain battle.
"However, for the moment, Deiss seem to have given up on further military actions!" Alan pointed to several locations on the map, "They have taken a full defensive stance by withdrawing the military forces inside the frontier to a few well-protected fortresses. Hence, I entrust Steinberger House to continue intensifying their attacks and suppression on its border lines!"
"That's right!" the Chief of Staff finally found an opportunity to speak, "Your Majesty, a weak defense will not work against the Deiss. Instead, we should attack constantly like the Ollier people in order to sap the will of the aggressive Yarans. Maintaining a strong military front on the borderline and constantly attacking its fortresses on the border will not only ensure us the upper hand against the Deiss, but also guarantee the safety of His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette. After we successfully drain the enemy troops of their strength, I believe Deiss will place His Imperial Highness Prince on the negotiating table, and by that time they would probably resort to our threat of force."
"Even though..." Alan took over his colleague's words, but he seemed to be rather hesitant, "Your Majesty! There is another thorny issue that we're facing!"
"Oh?" The Emperor frowned.
"Your Majesty, please have a look at this!" Alan revealed a letter from his arms, "We have just received a handwritten letter from Marshal Dortmund Andrew Nedgabel early this morning!"
Osli Alfa Morisette handed over the letter with discretion. He had already considered his brother-in-law's reaction at the time of the news of Saijo Mountain battlefield report arrived. At his worst expectation, the Commander-in-chief of Narcissus Knights would definitely curse and yell like a lunatic at receiving the unfortunate news.
Alfa III's furrowed brow appeared to have deepened as he read along the lines of the characters written in the letter.
When the emperor finally put down the handwritten letter, the Chief of Staffs of the Imperial Guards glanced mockingly at Alan. How did he not know of such an important matter! Obviously, Alan had already planned to draw a clear line of demarcation between himself and the incident of Saijo Mountain. Perhaps… this old fox had long sensed the complication of the matter. With his head hung low, Marshal Valier Cypress turned his body aside. No one knew what was on his mind.
Alan looked at the Emperor and sighed, "Deiss' Teutonic Knights almost destroyed the organizational system of Narcissus Knights' Red Tiger Assault Division, and the invader had successfully shattered the big-name heroic commander's two designated Groups. I believe the Narcissus Knights and the Andrew Family are deeply disgraced by this shame, not to mention their children were also captured!"
"So... Your Majesty, I believe you understood our situation by now!" the old marshal pointed to the letter on the table, "Marshal Dortmund demanded the Military for an explanation on the event of Saijo Mountain battle. If he could not be satisfied with our answer, he will solve the problem using the Andrew's way. Do you know, Your Majesty? Andrew's Military Personnel Bureau has begun to arm their reserve institution, and the troops located in the inland of Narcissus County are also getting ready to be dispatched! They are only waiting for orders from Marshal Dortmund, or should I say, they are all only waiting for your response!"
"Yes! I know!" Alfa III waved his hand impatiently. He was aware of the movement of Narcissus Knights more than anyone else. "This issue ... can be really tricky! If I don't provide a satisfied explanation to my old friend Dortmund, I believe he would solve the problem in Andrew's customary manner. As far as I know, no one is still in this world after having angered Andrew." The emperor thought to himself.
"But... will Andrew be determined enough to defy the Titan Codex?" his Majesty asked the marshal with slight suspicion, "According to the Titan Code, any Narcissus Knight troops higher in rank than a Group are not allowed to get out of the settlement of Andrew without permission from the Imperial Family. Would Dortmund... have the courage to challenge the imperial power?"
"Your Majesty!" Chief of Staff of Imperial Guards Marshal Valier Cypress stood up and took over Marshal Alan's map, "Although the Titan Codex clearly stipulates that Narcissus Knights may not be allowed out of their territory without permission, but it does not state that Andrew could not go abroad from the country. I believe the Narcissus Knights will, like the Deiss, bypass the Czerroc Kingdom located northeast of the Empire. This kingdom suffered severely from Yarans before, moreover, similar to Narcissus Knights, they are also resisting from the Persians. Historically, Andrew House had rescued this kingdom from the hands of Persians countless times! Therefore, in order not to be in contradiction with the Titan Codex, Marshal Dortmund will certainly invade Deiss by Czerroc, and I'm positive the King of Czerroc Kingdom will certainly agree to the request of their old comrades."
Alfa III was completely lost for words! The man was right! It was completely possible for Narcissus Knights to avenge their insult while not violating the law, with help from Czerroc which had an equally immense hatred of Deiss Kingdom! The emperor was suddenly reminded of the war happened with the Italians a few years ago. At that time, Narcissus Knights almost managed to subvert a dynasty with a long history with only the army forces of two Front, then… Was Deiss a match for Andrew? The moment Deiss couldn't handle the attack from Narcissus Knights anymore, they would definitely threaten the opponent with the life of young Oscar. If that was the case, then what was the point of Andrew's attack? After all, in the hands of Deiss obtained an important bargaining chip, so... what was the ultimate reason for Dortmund's action?
Alan realized the emperor's doubts, and the old Marshal gently coughed to attract the emperor's attention.
"Your Majesty, the top priority now is to launch a more forceful diplomatic campaign against Deiss while at the same time maintaining a powerful force at the border! We have to combine the threat of force with necessary compromise in exchange for the freedom of His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette. In fact, you must have discovered that our imperial prince here is the real crux."
"Of course! I certainly understand this!" the Emperor nodded again, "But Narcissus County appears all ready for the opening of a real war that they even mobilized their reserve forces. How many years has it been since they mobilized their reserves? In order to avenge their shame, they are willing to position even children on the battlefield! Therefore... I am a bit puzzled! Is the life of his young son insignificant to the Duke of Andrew? Or should I say... the existence of this youngest son... is just dispensable?"
The emperor was startled by his own analysis! Was Dortmund trying to borrow Deiss' hand to get rid young Oscar – a member that could reverse the fate of Andrew House? Would he really sacrifice his own son? Why not? The emperor gritted his teeth! His doubt was cleared as he suddenly saw the light! The elders of the family had always been full of concern for this child. It wouldn't be a surprise if they seized this rare opportunity to solve the problem! By getting rid of young Oscar, it was equivalent to cutting off the last link between the Imperial family and Andrew House!
"No! No! Andrew can absolutely not take any military action against Deiss!" the Emperor growled loudly. His expression shocked the two marshals.
"Pay close attention to the negotiations with the Deiss King! I'm even willing to trade the two northern provinces of Deiss origin in exchange for my young son-in-law's life! Any action coming from Andrew will threaten the overall arrangement and interest of the country, I absolutely will not allow Dortmund to do that!"
"But... Your Majesty!" Alan's face was washed over by an inexplicable expression; his two bright white eyebrows were almost packed together. "How do you want me to explain to Marshal Dortmund that you won't allow the Narcissus Knights to perform any military actions? After all, he has several good reasons! his youngest son was captured! His knights lost their designations! He could definitely act in private regardless of military orders! Hence, Your Majesty, you need to provide Andrew a solution to the problem."
The emperor also frowned like the old marshal at the mention of the problem. Andrew would never get over this if he didn't allow the Narcissus Knights to take action. When they thought about their captured children, when they thought of the defeated Red Tiger, all these were unable to...
Hold on a second! Red Tiger!
Out of the blue, the Emperor was enlightened with an inspiration!
"So... my two Marshals, see if my suggestion would work! I could confer the titles on Red Tiger using my identity as the Emperor of Titan! Although their name is still Red Tiger, I can expand their organizational system. Didn't they lose the designation units for two Groups? I can turn it into the Red Tiger Cavalry Corps, so that would mean it has three brand-new Divisions! And then... I could upgrade the ranks of their high-ranking officers to one level higher and honor all the surviving Red Tiger Soldiers!"
Alan nodded without uttering a word, but Marshal Valier Cypress on the one side cast his doubts.
"Your Majesty, I understand the reason behind promoting to the Red Tiger generals and awarding the Red Tiger warriors, but why is it necessary to expand the system of Red Tiger? This should be Marshal Dortmund's own concern!"
The emperor shook his head in denial, "My Chief of Staffs, that's because it's the only way to make Andrew House oblige. Why should I expand the organizational system of the Red Tiger? Because I want this heroic troop of Narcissus Knights to continuing fighting in the northwest border, and to enlarge its scale to increase its combat effectiveness. Dortmund should understand my decision, this is already my greatest concession to him! Of course, Dortmund will consider increasing troops to the northwest or directly dispatch another Front, but... a whole cavalry corps is already the bottom line I can accept!"
"But..." Valier asked again with practiced caution, "Your Majesty, your arrangement will bring about a powerful cavalry force to the northwest of the empire! And... Wouldn't it cause any trouble… That this cavalry is loyal to Andrew?"
The Emperor waved his hand, "Are you worried that this Andrew unit might pose a threat to the Imperial family? First of all, Dulin is far away from the northwest frontier. Secondly, the Red Tiger is a direct force under young Oscar. I believe that Red Tiger generals and soldiers will comply with the Prince's orders even more than before after this experience in Saijo Mountain. Oscar has brought them great victories and endless glory, and their soldiers lay emphasis on these!"
Alan once again nodded in agreement, "Your Majesty is right! Furthermore, this is the only way to soothe the rage of Duke of Andrew! It doesn't matter whether Marshal Dortmund is really angry, depending on the current situation, it is more important to limit the offense of Narcissus Knights toward Deiss within the range and power of the Imperial Military and Imperial Family."
"Exactly! That's right! The new Red Tiger will unleash greater power, so Deiss at the border will be out of luck! And... it's also in line with the military's strategy to increase the military threat of force!" Alfa III finally revealed a smile. His Majesty was contented. He felt pride in himself for coming up with such a perfect solution.
He checked the time on the clock and let out a relaxed sigh. "Marshals, I'll not hold up your time anymore. Get busy! I believe there are many things waiting to be handled!"
Marshal Valier, the Chief of staff of the Imperial Guard, took the command and saluted the emperor. However, he realized Silver Fox Alan did not seem to intend to leave the chamber.
"My Military Affairs Chancellor, is there anything else that I can help you with?" The Emperor looked somewhat astonished at Alan.
"Yes, Your Majesty, please allow me to delay some of your time."
Alfa III looked at the Chief of Staffs who was still rooted to the ground, "Marshal Valier, you can return now!"
Valier saluted once again. Just as the Imperial Confidential Secretary opened the door for him, the Chief of Staffs glanced quickly at Silver Fox and in his eyes the man flashed with an unfriendly light. Valier was even more convinced that… Silver Fox must have grasped some crucial information.
The door closed behind the man, and the Emperor indicated the pillar of the Imperial Army to take to his seat.
"Your Majesty, there are some questions... that I do not know if I should voice out!"
"District Twenty-one?" Alfa III was not oblivious, he had long guessed what was on Alan's mind.
"Your Majesty, as far as I know, apart from the Paladin Group stationed there, no more than five people in the entire Empire that knows about the true facets of District Twenty-one."
The Emperor nodded. "There's me and you. Also included are Chief of Staffs of Imperial Army, Chief of Imperial Security Division, and Duke Steinberger who is stationed in the northwest."
Alan sighed helplessly, "Your Majesty, I believe you have clearly understood the purpose of this recent raid launched by Deiss. Since Deiss has discovered the secret to District Twenty-one, I have good reasons to suspect the problem lies within the five insiders."
Alfa III frowned deeply. When he learned that Deiss had appeared in the area around Saijo Mountain through a secret raid, His Majesty had started to suspect that the secrets of District Twenty-one had been exposed! However, apart from himself, the rest of the four insiders were Alfa III's extremely trusted ministers, and he couldn't think of any reason for these four individuals to sell the country's top secret to the Deiss.
"Phillip..." The Emperor motioned to his confidential secretary. Immediately Goolean retreated from the secret room at a hastened pace.
"Gold, gold, gold!" Alfa III raised his head to the roof and let out an unfathomable sign with emotion, then he returned his attention to Silver Fox Alan.
"Haha, my Marshal, I actually wish for the Deiss to hurry at District Twenty-one. Even if they mobilize the manpower of more than forty thousand soldiers, Paladins of the Dynasty would still strike them with a hard blow, although that means the entire Paladin army itself would be destroyed! But what good would it do to me to keep those fellas anyway? Do you know how much gold coins I waste on that bunch every year? That gold is allocated by the Imperial Family ourselves!"
Alan remained silent. He had no idea about the combat effectiveness of Paladin Group, nor did he know that the special troop was funded by the national treasury.
The Emperor was full of complaints, he glared as he continued to grumble.
"So what if those who wear gold and silver lost the gold reserves? What's lying underneath District Twenty-one is nothing but a pile of scrap iron! The gold reserves? Haha! I can't believe someone is actually fighting for it! These idiots have no idea that Titan's gold reserves have been buried long ago along with the ancestors of the Morisette Imperial Family!"
Marshal Alan was obviously thrilled. "Your Majesty! Are you saying... you mean the Paladin Group is guarding a... a..."
"A ruin filled with piles of scrap iron! That's all that it is!" Alfa III turned his head away in annoyance. He did not want to admit Morisette Imperial Family was merely a gleaming but poor figurehead. In fact, the wealth of the imperial family had dried up before the third generation of emperors, and Morisette had only been relying on national treasury and public revenue. at, it was the fundamental reason Titan emperors had continuously strengthened their exploitation efforts at a high tax rate for the past hundred years.
"Alright now, let's not talk about that anymore!" the Emperor waved impatiently at Marshal Alan, "As you've been told, there is nothing in District Twenty-one except for the group of Paladins that never comes out of the valley! Anyway, we must find out the person who disclosed our national secret!"
Alan nodded slightly. "Your Majesty, I agree with you. Now please allow me to talk about the most crucial and urgent matter!"
The emperor appeared somewhat surprised, "Hadn't we already discussed the most crucial and urgent matter?"
"Your Majesty, I wish to remind you… that the Imperial Military Intelligence Bureau, which has been under preparation for up to five years are finally ready! It has gathered a considerable size of human resources and information resources. Therefore, I think the Empire should officially establish this brand-new Secret Service Department!"
"Why?" Alfa III grew even more astonished, "Why now? Don't you think the Imperial Army already has enough on their plate? Or do you not think the Empire is encountering enough troubles?"
"Your Majesty, the establishment of the Military Intelligence Bureau is precisely for solving the various troubles that currently plague the empire, for example... tracking down the one who leaked the country's top secret, or maybe even..." Alan abruptly stopped speaking midway and fixed a firm gazed on the emperor's eyes.
"Maybe even what?"
"Your Majesty! We can send an elite Special Action Force to sneak into Deiss, in order to rescue His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette with the help of our military agents. Your Majesty… what do you think of this idea?"
Obviously, Alfa III was greatly shocked by Silver Fox's brazen suggestion. It took him a long time before he finally regained his thoughts.
"But ... But ... We don't even know where young Oscar is being locked up, we're not even sure if he's injured, or if he's still alive! Deiss managed to block all the news about him, I believe the power behind must be remarkably powerful!"
Alan shook his head in denial, "Your Majesty! Although it is unclear to us now on the whereabouts of His Imperial Highness Prince, it will not be the case when the negotiations begin. One of the first things to be identified by our negotiators is that whether the life and living environment of His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette is safeguarded, we can demand our representative's rights for regular visits to His Highness. This way, Deiss can no longer keep their secrets and His Highness will definitely be exposed to the sunshine of early spring. Of course, the rescue operation will have the same long-term and meticulous preparation as the negotiation process."
"What if… what if we failed?"
Silver Fox Alan revealed a gaze filled with determination, "Your Majesty, let's regard the rescue plan as a kind of test for the Military Intelligence Bureau! If Your Majesty does not wish to compromise with Deiss Kingdom or sacrifice the national interests in exchange for His Imperial Highness O'Neil, then... We shall pray from now on that the Intelligence Bureau will score high in the test!"
***************
Night of Church's year 797, the 17th day of 4th month.
It was already time to ignite the oil lamps, but citizens of Dulin could still be seen wandering the streets. If examined carefully, one would realize the route with the most people revolved around bookstores which sold official newspapers. Booksellers rearranged the main shelves normally positioned with morning newspapers and replaced them with rows after rows of red booklets. The cover of the red booklet was designed with simplicity: it was engraved with an outline of a head, and behind the portrait was a range of low mountains.
Since early morning, the tiny red booklets were sold out in all bookstores. Citizens of Dulin recited aloud the contents of the booklet in coffee shops where breakfast was served! That's right, that was the booklet written by Titan's most famous novelist and essayist - Ellen Rivera, a 37-year-old middle-aged man. Throughout Ellen Rivera's writing career, this civilian leader of Titan's literary community disliked praising aristocracy the most! However, this time, when the Imperial Army asked him to write a piece on the Saijo Mountain battle, Ellen Rivera gladly embraced it.
The great writer wrote on the flyleaf: "Reminiscing the memories of the survivors, unmodified and unpolished, presenting Titans a true picture of the anti-aggression war."
The great writer again wrote in the postscript on the last page: "With the passage of time, aggression against invaders go on and on, what remains is the spirit of soldiers!"
Finally, the carriage marked with the logo of the official publication bureau approached from the side of the street. People who had waited for a long time immediately surrounded the carriage with no time to waste. There were many things worth cherishing in the world, for example, Ellen Rivera's writings, or, perhaps, pictures and moments of heroism and victories!
The growing crowds made it tremendously difficult for the carriage to move forward. The person who drove the carriage was a civil servant, which dared not use the whips to drive out the crazy crowd as aggressive as robbers because there were numerous young ladies of prominent families in the crowd.
A daring young man unveiled the rear shed of the carriage, but this careless guy mistakenly knocked down the rope that was attached to the bookcase. Rejoicing at the unexpected surprise, the young guy happily tore open the bookcase and continuously emptied the red booklets off from the moving carriage. A loud, delightful cheer rose from the crowd! As the brave young man jumped out of the carriage that was forced to come to a stop, several bold ladies even rushed forward to kiss him on his lips.
The excited young man threw the red booklets towards the sky. Many extended their hands in order to catch a couple of the blood red objects falling from above. It was as if they were chasing happiness, chasing honor, chasing after the warriors' footsteps!
On the last sentence in the postscript of Story of Saijo Mountain Battle, Ellen Rivera wrote: "Be grateful for our motherland, it was her who gave birth to me and made me a member of the great Titan nation. It was also her who keep me safe within the fortified steel walls constructed out of blood and flesh of countless warriors."
That's right! Titan was a lovely nation inhabited by a courageous fighting spirit. Despite the majority of Titan nation having to endure domination and oppression operated by a small group of people, despite the majority of Titan nation suffered tortuously with grain rations and livelihoods. However, what flowed beneath these people was still blood of the most vivid colors, the spirit of Titans was still nurtured and encouraged by the warriors!
Half a month had passed! Outside the Kenshin Palace owned by His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette, there always gathered groups of passionate people who endured through sleepless nights in the mission to ignite altar lamps all around the palace of the national hero. Numerous fresh flowers and tree branches tied with words of blessings decorated every corner of the palace.
It was the same atmosphere tonight! 10 Jewel Street exuded bright light and warm heat as never before, thanks to the big hero. People chanted non-stop the eulogy of the God, praying with the most pious mind for the return of a great warrior.
The crowd suddenly dispersed and they made way for the carriage going through the palace gate. The whole carriage was fully black in color, covered in the glossy luster of antiquity. All around the carriage were countless silver lines painted in the shapes of the flowers people of Andrew worshipped the most.
People knelt down to the passing carriage. They threw fresh flowers at it, as a gesture to offer condolences and wishes.
Young Lady Sasha E Nedgabel Andrew looked out to the window quietly. She knew that she didn't need any of these condolences nor blessings in this springtime. Her lover had left her, and she must at least do something about it! Otherwise, the pain of separation and suffer would turn her into a desperate beast!
The highest ranked carriage of the Andrew family stopped at the entrance of Kenshin Palace. Instead of Oscar, its owner was replaced by Young Lady. The moment the carriage came to a halt, Sasha grabbed the door and forced her way out. Inside of the carriage lingered a hint of tobacco. It was unbearable for her because it reminded her of her lover, her dear brother Oscar!
It was strange for Young Lady to be fully dressed in battle attire in the bright daylight, her shiny armor glittered under the soft caress of the spring sun. Sasha was no longer dejected like she was earlier in the day. She waved around in the air a narrow sword frequently used by women, leaving several sword marks on the dummy positioned in the room.
Lift! Lower the waist! Spring up the leg as you turn your body around, and pierce the sword through your enemy! The great sore on her wrist made Sasha realize she'd performed the move wrongly once again!
"No! Not like this!" Oscar hit on the oncoming narrow sword with a rattan stick. He deposited himself behind the Young Lady, one hand on her waist, another wrapped around hers which held the sword.
"Move along me!" Oscar ordered, "Come on! Lift... And lower your waist... Increase your leverage by bending at the knees… And turn! Pay attention to changes in waist strength! Remember to transfer your weight to the lower half of your body! That's right… Keep waving your sword!"
Feeling her brother's breath on her neck and his body warm against her, Sasha successfully performed this difficult sword move. She looked at the dummy which had now been pierced through by the sword and turned around in a flash.
"Brother! Oscar!"
The empty room replied Sasha's calls with crisp echoes of her own voice. Sasha leaned against the glass window and stared into the distance. Steaming hot tears the size of pearls rolled from her eyes onto her sunken cheeks.
"Young Lady! Everyone's here!" out of nowhere, Aeolia appeared at the side of the door.
Sasha immediately wiped the tears from her face and turned around. "Clang!" in one swift move, she returned the sword into its sheath.
"Have them wait for me in the secret room!" Sasha said without any emotion. It was the first time she had showed such coldness to anyone.
Ricky the Liar, Doramy Basinger, Poison Doctor Percy, Captain Vick, crazy ax killer Godot, big man Ferry, Thomas Aulet of the lair, and a few other people Sasha had never meet before, were seated in the secret room. They were all whispering in low voices, appeared to be in a heated discussion.
Young Lady of Andrew House entered the room, and all the gentlemen immediately rose to bow. Only Ferry the big man went forward to stand by Young Lady's side.
"Please be seated, everyone. Thank you for showing up on time. Also, can someone introduce our honorable guests?"
Doramy, the King of Sins, roared with laughter. "This one sitting next to me is no honorable thing. People form the ‘Underworld' called him Left Hand, while his friends called him Wystan, he's a thief that steals with only his left hand."
This short, middle-aged man named Wystan bowed slightly to the Young Lady. In fact, he wasn't as useless as the King of Sins had introduced. Left Hand owned an unwieldy robber organization and a smuggling gang with abundant funds in the south.
"This one here is my old partner, Rothbard, nicknamed the Clown!" Ricky the Liar pointed at the young-looking man seated next to him. However, it should be made clear that the Clown was actually much older than he looked. His young appearance was achieved by applying thick layers of makeup.
"This is my best friend!" Godot motioned to the man next to him. The man's face was disfigured by numerous scars to a point where one could identify neither his appearance nor age. "My respected Young Lady, he's Edward! He used to be a coroner before prison, and was also a Criminal Investigation Expert."
Sasha tried hard to fight back nausea that was already rising at the back of her throat and nodded slightly toward Diener Edward. Anyway, she was rather curious about this Criminal Investigation Expert.
"Mr. Edward, pardon my asking, can you tell me why were you imprisoned? Since you used to be a Criminal Investigation Expert, that means you must be…"
"Young Lady!" Diener Edward interrupted Sasha, however… Praise the God of Light! Edward's voice was extremely unpleasant to the ear. It was as if his vocal cords had been torn apart by a wild wolf. "The reason for my being imprisoned was because I murdered my own wife and her whore lover! It was those two dirty bastards that turned me into this! They shoved burning coals down my throat, and scratched my face 131 times using my scalpel."
"Why did they do this to you?" Sasha's expression was completely terrified.
"Because… Some people in this world… Enjoy torturing others."
"What happened next? How did you… How did you kill…"
"I multiplied the torture by tenfold and returned to them the favor. I dissected their bodies with 1310 slits, and enjoyed the show with delight as my dogs slowly savored them."
With maximum endurance, Sasha managed to hold back the vomit.
Aeolia quickly broke the awkwardness by nudging on a pretty young lady seated next to her.
"I… I… I… I… I… I am… am… called… called… Little Stam… Stammer!" Indeed, this pretty lady who struggled to explain lived up to her name.
"I… can… can… help… help… help… to… du.. duplicate any… any documents!"
Sasha nodded lightly, "Including documents that require badges like identity papers, proof of nationality, things like that?"
"Of… of… of… of… of course!"
Everyone present in the room let out the breath they had been holding since the lady started speaking. They were afraid the pretty lady would exhaust herself out by her stutter.
"So… do you know why I gathered you here with your most trusted confidants?"
Doramy looked around the room. His health condition hadn't become any better, but… He thought it was time to help his young friend out for the last time.
"Sneak into Deiss with a brand new identity, with the mission to rescue Oscar."
She looked firmly into the eyes of King of Sins and nodded in agreement. She noticed the old man had lost more weight since the last time they met.
"I assume everyone is clear of the danger that might arise from this journey to Deiss. Just let me ask for the final time, does anyone wish to back out from this plan?"
"Me!"
The crowd looked at each other in astonishment, as they realized it was Aeolia that raised her hand up in the air!
Spring of year 797 had finally arrived at Swan Hill. Colors alongside range upon range of hills changed constantly. Fresh green grass revealed themselves within crevices in strange-shaped jagged rocks, while unknown wildflowers spread across the open space of forests basked in spring sunshine bloomed with multicolor beautiful flowers!
A litter of kits scrambled to escape their warren. They examined their surroundings carefully while not forgetting to gasp for the air filled with the fresh smell of lush greens. Eventually, after they determined that there wasn't any potential danger lurking around, the herds of kits finally made their first springtime activity under the lead of their mother. These young creatures were greatly tired of the dull winter life.
An almost grown wolf was seen around the forest. It sniffed at everything it encountered, trying to mark every inch of the forest land as its own with its unique scent. This piece of land was eventually to be under its territory. It was believed that in the near future, following its parents' footsteps, it would manage an area much larger than this current one.
After having gone through the ordeal of a harsh winter, tiny cygnets grew into graceful swans with strong physiques. Snow and frost turned their feathers from messy light gray to clean, pure white.
Young swans gradually converged on the lake. They communicated in high-pitched honks, flapping their wings and rubbing against each other in order to show their appreciation for the newly-bonded friendships. Soon, these young swans formed their own community. The God of Light, the great creator of all, transmitted the message of flying to these beautiful creatures. All of a sudden, the fledge of swans began to flap at their wings continuously. Slowly but clumsily, as the air current rose and the bodies soared, for the first time in their life the swans witnessed the beauty of the magical great sky.
"Look! Here's another wedge taking off!" Alanis exclaimed in delight and pointed towards the vast blue sky.
A soft bed was laid out on the spacious balcony of Swan Hill Castle. Warm spring sunlight glimmered on the lace curtain surrounded the bed, causing numerous patterns of light and shadow to dance around as the breeze blew.
Looking out at the "gloomy" sky from inside of the lace curtain, Sasha appeared feeble and weary. She struggled to sit up, but her frail body gave up and once again she fell on the pillow.
Alanis sat right next to the bed. She withheld her excitement from the flying creatures which were enjoying their first taste of spring and turned to look at the "critically ill" Young Lady. She couldn't help but sigh in a low breath. If she hadn't instructed the servant to carry Sasha's bed to the balcony, she believed this Andrew's Narcissus Corolla would slowly wither away her life in the dimly lit bedroom until she finally died.
"Sasha! I beg of you! It's spring now, the time for even withered plants to resuscitate, so please stop torturing yourself any longer!"
"I have not tortured myself, have I?" Sasha turned her head away, as stubborn as a mule.
Alanis rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, "Have you not? You haven't consumed any food for the past two days!"
"But I'm not hungry!"
Alanis stood up from the bed as she shook her head at the helpless girl. Abruptly, she raised the curtain. Strong bright rays of sunlight gushed into the dark, and the sudden contrast of light almost blinded Sasha.
"Please stop!"
"You need sunlight, hot food, and to stretch your legs a little…"
"Alanis! I only need him, you know that! Right now, I only need to know if he's safe and sound!"
"Of course he's all well!" Alanis grabbed Young Lady's hand, "He's the hero of the Empire, the idol of the soldiers! Do you know that millions of people cheered at the sound of his name? He's my fiancée, and… it seems like he's yours too." Alanis said with slight disappointment as she stole a glance at the precious ring rested on Sasha's finger.
"Please stop, I don't want to hear any of this, especially the word hero. Do you know what it means in Narcissus County? The word is only used in remembrance to cherish the memory of martyrs."
Alanis startled at the comment. She had no idea how to comfort the dispirited Sasha E.
After what seemed like forever, Alanis slowly sat back on the chair.
"Sasha, believe me, Oscar will be fine. Our fiancée will live a long life. I'm sure the Empire will exchange for his freedom at all costs! Besides, the highest-level delegation of Ministry of Foreign Affairs is already on their way to the Deiss Kingdom. I believe good news will soon be delivered to us."
Alanis finally revealed her concern as she glanced at the paladin waiting by the French window. She took Sasha into her arms and planted a light kiss on her cheek.
"Kid, promise me that you'll feel better. Oscar will definitely come back to us, and when he does, you wouldn't wish for him to see you like this."
Sasha listened to the princess and nodded eventually, "Do you have to leave already?"
"Yes," Alanis stared at the paladin in annoyance, "The entire Empire has now entered the state of combat readiness. Secret Service Department searches frantically for secret agents who work for Deiss, and guards have blocked the main roads, ready to go on the offensive. Even me, the Princess, has to live in seclusion for safety measures."
Just as Alanis was about to leave, Sasha held on to her arm.
"Thank you!"
Alanis pinched Young Lady's cheek lightly and paced toward the door. As she closed the door behind her, she turned to smile at the paladin. "See that? She's such a timid and weak-willed little girl."
***************
"A bunch of incompetent cowards!" Alfa III's brows were locked together. He appeared to be lost in his own thoughts but still couldn't come to a conclusion at the end of the day. "Who can tell me any other abject adjectives that could be used to describe my Imperial Army?"
"Your Majesty, is this the topic of today's discussion?" Marshal Alan spoke from his seat. As the commander of the Imperial Guards, he was obliged to respond to the Emperor's critics.
"Yes! Yes!" The Emperor glared fiercely into the Marshal's eyes. "I would be much satisfied if my Military Affairs Chancellor could answer this question!"
"Your Majesty!" the Chief of Staffs of Imperial Guards finally spoke up too, "The Empire's army is not cowardly nor impotent! His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette and the 11116 warriors on Saijo Mountain have already proved this with their brave actions."
"Hahahaha!" the emperor laughed all of a sudden, but almost immediately the laughter was replaced by a cold expression on the face, "Praise the almighty God! My Chief of Staffs, I'm glad you still remember His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette and the 11116 warriors! 18 days have passed since the battle on Saijo Mountain, even the remaining Deiss army forces have withdrawn and returned to their hometown. So please enlighten me, in the past 18 days, what have you done for His Imperial Highness Prince and all the sacrificed soldiers?"
The Chief of Staffs glanced at Alan who sat right next to him but was disappointed to notice the sly Silver Fox was indifferent to the rescue. The Chief of Staffs had no choice but to bite the bullet himself.
"Your Majesty! My staff is discussing..."
"Enough!" with a gesture of frustration, Alfa swept the messy piles of military papers from the desk, "Your staff are always discussing and always making plans that are impossible to implement!"
The chief of staff shot a sideways glance at Alan with the corner of his eyes. He knew well that the old fox should speak.
"Your Majesty!" As expected, Marshal Alan spoke. He opened up a thick tube-shaped object and retrieved from it a map which he spread over the Emperor's desk.
"Your Majesty, what laid in front of you now is the northwestern border region of our country with the Riel Kingdom and the Deiss Kingdom. Your humble servant had already instructed the Combat Department and Steinberger House to begin preparations for a massive offense. Seeing as His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette was still in the hands of Deiss, therefore I'm placing the focus of this attack on the Riel Kingdom. Eleventh region and tenth region in the west, as well as twelfth region in the northwest, have already assembled twenty divisions inside the border, Steinberger House also mobilized all the troops and reserves. We intend to..."
"My marshal!" the Emperor suddenly interrupted, "I have faith in you, and I trust your strategic deployment. Go ahead and do it! My golden lion seal is ready for you at any time! But do not forget to exert some pressure on the Westland Kingdom Alliance, I believe the alliance will understand our actions. Riel must be held responsible for their violation of rights and interests of the country!"
"Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. The Imperial Guards and I will not let you down again!" Silver Fox Alan bowed to the emperor with a humble attitude, with his military cap held in front of the chest.
"Although... Your Majesty!" anxiety washed across Silver Fox's face, "I shall remind you that Deiss remains our real rivalry. This unprecedented raid is enough to confirm this nation's conspiracy to stage a full-scale war at us."
The Emperor nodded in agreement. If it wasn't for his little Oscar that had been captured, he would certainly have declared war against Deiss as soon as he heard the news about the Saijo Mountain battle.
"However, for the moment, Deiss seem to have given up on further military actions!" Alan pointed to several locations on the map, "They have taken a full defensive stance by withdrawing the military forces inside the frontier to a few well-protected fortresses. Hence, I entrust Steinberger House to continue intensifying their attacks and suppression on its border lines!"
"That's right!" the Chief of Staff finally found an opportunity to speak, "Your Majesty, a weak defense will not work against the Deiss. Instead, we should attack constantly like the Ollier people in order to sap the will of the aggressive Yarans. Maintaining a strong military front on the borderline and constantly attacking its fortresses on the border will not only ensure us the upper hand against the Deiss, but also guarantee the safety of His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette. After we successfully drain the enemy troops of their strength, I believe Deiss will place His Imperial Highness Prince on the negotiating table, and by that time they would probably resort to our threat of force."
"Even though..." Alan took over his colleague's words, but he seemed to be rather hesitant, "Your Majesty! There is another thorny issue that we're facing!"
"Oh?" The Emperor frowned.
"Your Majesty, please have a look at this!" Alan revealed a letter from his arms, "We have just received a handwritten letter from Marshal Dortmund Andrew Nedgabel early this morning!"
Osli Alfa Morisette handed over the letter with discretion. He had already considered his brother-in-law's reaction at the time of the news of Saijo Mountain battlefield report arrived. At his worst expectation, the Commander-in-chief of Narcissus Knights would definitely curse and yell like a lunatic at receiving the unfortunate news.
Alfa III's furrowed brow appeared to have deepened as he read along the lines of the characters written in the letter.
When the emperor finally put down the handwritten letter, the Chief of Staffs of the Imperial Guards glanced mockingly at Alan. How did he not know of such an important matter! Obviously, Alan had already planned to draw a clear line of demarcation between himself and the incident of Saijo Mountain. Perhaps… this old fox had long sensed the complication of the matter. With his head hung low, Marshal Valier Cypress turned his body aside. No one knew what was on his mind.
Alan looked at the Emperor and sighed, "Deiss' Teutonic Knights almost destroyed the organizational system of Narcissus Knights' Red Tiger Assault Division, and the invader had successfully shattered the big-name heroic commander's two designated Groups. I believe the Narcissus Knights and the Andrew Family are deeply disgraced by this shame, not to mention their children were also captured!"
"So... Your Majesty, I believe you understood our situation by now!" the old marshal pointed to the letter on the table, "Marshal Dortmund demanded the Military for an explanation on the event of Saijo Mountain battle. If he could not be satisfied with our answer, he will solve the problem using the Andrew's way. Do you know, Your Majesty? Andrew's Military Personnel Bureau has begun to arm their reserve institution, and the troops located in the inland of Narcissus County are also getting ready to be dispatched! They are only waiting for orders from Marshal Dortmund, or should I say, they are all only waiting for your response!"
"Yes! I know!" Alfa III waved his hand impatiently. He was aware of the movement of Narcissus Knights more than anyone else. "This issue ... can be really tricky! If I don't provide a satisfied explanation to my old friend Dortmund, I believe he would solve the problem in Andrew's customary manner. As far as I know, no one is still in this world after having angered Andrew." The emperor thought to himself.
"But... will Andrew be determined enough to defy the Titan Codex?" his Majesty asked the marshal with slight suspicion, "According to the Titan Code, any Narcissus Knight troops higher in rank than a Group are not allowed to get out of the settlement of Andrew without permission from the Imperial Family. Would Dortmund... have the courage to challenge the imperial power?"
"Your Majesty!" Chief of Staff of Imperial Guards Marshal Valier Cypress stood up and took over Marshal Alan's map, "Although the Titan Codex clearly stipulates that Narcissus Knights may not be allowed out of their territory without permission, but it does not state that Andrew could not go abroad from the country. I believe the Narcissus Knights will, like the Deiss, bypass the Czerroc Kingdom located northeast of the Empire. This kingdom suffered severely from Yarans before, moreover, similar to Narcissus Knights, they are also resisting from the Persians. Historically, Andrew House had rescued this kingdom from the hands of Persians countless times! Therefore, in order not to be in contradiction with the Titan Codex, Marshal Dortmund will certainly invade Deiss by Czerroc, and I'm positive the King of Czerroc Kingdom will certainly agree to the request of their old comrades."
Alfa III was completely lost for words! The man was right! It was completely possible for Narcissus Knights to avenge their insult while not violating the law, with help from Czerroc which had an equally immense hatred of Deiss Kingdom! The emperor was suddenly reminded of the war happened with the Italians a few years ago. At that time, Narcissus Knights almost managed to subvert a dynasty with a long history with only the army forces of two Front, then… Was Deiss a match for Andrew? The moment Deiss couldn't handle the attack from Narcissus Knights anymore, they would definitely threaten the opponent with the life of young Oscar. If that was the case, then what was the point of Andrew's attack? After all, in the hands of Deiss obtained an important bargaining chip, so... what was the ultimate reason for Dortmund's action?
Alan realized the emperor's doubts, and the old Marshal gently coughed to attract the emperor's attention.
"Your Majesty, the top priority now is to launch a more forceful diplomatic campaign against Deiss while at the same time maintaining a powerful force at the border! We have to combine the threat of force with necessary compromise in exchange for the freedom of His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette. In fact, you must have discovered that our imperial prince here is the real crux."
"Of course! I certainly understand this!" the Emperor nodded again, "But Narcissus County appears all ready for the opening of a real war that they even mobilized their reserve forces. How many years has it been since they mobilized their reserves? In order to avenge their shame, they are willing to position even children on the battlefield! Therefore... I am a bit puzzled! Is the life of his young son insignificant to the Duke of Andrew? Or should I say... the existence of this youngest son... is just dispensable?"
The emperor was startled by his own analysis! Was Dortmund trying to borrow Deiss' hand to get rid young Oscar – a member that could reverse the fate of Andrew House? Would he really sacrifice his own son? Why not? The emperor gritted his teeth! His doubt was cleared as he suddenly saw the light! The elders of the family had always been full of concern for this child. It wouldn't be a surprise if they seized this rare opportunity to solve the problem! By getting rid of young Oscar, it was equivalent to cutting off the last link between the Imperial family and Andrew House!
"No! No! Andrew can absolutely not take any military action against Deiss!" the Emperor growled loudly. His expression shocked the two marshals.
"Pay close attention to the negotiations with the Deiss King! I'm even willing to trade the two northern provinces of Deiss origin in exchange for my young son-in-law's life! Any action coming from Andrew will threaten the overall arrangement and interest of the country, I absolutely will not allow Dortmund to do that!"
"But... Your Majesty!" Alan's face was washed over by an inexplicable expression; his two bright white eyebrows were almost packed together. "How do you want me to explain to Marshal Dortmund that you won't allow the Narcissus Knights to perform any military actions? After all, he has several good reasons! his youngest son was captured! His knights lost their designations! He could definitely act in private regardless of military orders! Hence, Your Majesty, you need to provide Andrew a solution to the problem."
The emperor also frowned like the old marshal at the mention of the problem. Andrew would never get over this if he didn't allow the Narcissus Knights to take action. When they thought about their captured children, when they thought of the defeated Red Tiger, all these were unable to...
Hold on a second! Red Tiger!
Out of the blue, the Emperor was enlightened with an inspiration!
"So... my two Marshals, see if my suggestion would work! I could confer the titles on Red Tiger using my identity as the Emperor of Titan! Although their name is still Red Tiger, I can expand their organizational system. Didn't they lose the designation units for two Groups? I can turn it into the Red Tiger Cavalry Corps, so that would mean it has three brand-new Divisions! And then... I could upgrade the ranks of their high-ranking officers to one level higher and honor all the surviving Red Tiger Soldiers!"
Alan nodded without uttering a word, but Marshal Valier Cypress on the one side cast his doubts.
"Your Majesty, I understand the reason behind promoting to the Red Tiger generals and awarding the Red Tiger warriors, but why is it necessary to expand the system of Red Tiger? This should be Marshal Dortmund's own concern!"
The emperor shook his head in denial, "My Chief of Staffs, that's because it's the only way to make Andrew House oblige. Why should I expand the organizational system of the Red Tiger? Because I want this heroic troop of Narcissus Knights to continuing fighting in the northwest border, and to enlarge its scale to increase its combat effectiveness. Dortmund should understand my decision, this is already my greatest concession to him! Of course, Dortmund will consider increasing troops to the northwest or directly dispatch another Front, but... a whole cavalry corps is already the bottom line I can accept!"
"But..." Valier asked again with practiced caution, "Your Majesty, your arrangement will bring about a powerful cavalry force to the northwest of the empire! And... Wouldn't it cause any trouble… That this cavalry is loyal to Andrew?"
The Emperor waved his hand, "Are you worried that this Andrew unit might pose a threat to the Imperial family? First of all, Dulin is far away from the northwest frontier. Secondly, the Red Tiger is a direct force under young Oscar. I believe that Red Tiger generals and soldiers will comply with the Prince's orders even more than before after this experience in Saijo Mountain. Oscar has brought them great victories and endless glory, and their soldiers lay emphasis on these!"
Alan once again nodded in agreement, "Your Majesty is right! Furthermore, this is the only way to soothe the rage of Duke of Andrew! It doesn't matter whether Marshal Dortmund is really angry, depending on the current situation, it is more important to limit the offense of Narcissus Knights toward Deiss within the range and power of the Imperial Military and Imperial Family."
"Exactly! That's right! The new Red Tiger will unleash greater power, so Deiss at the border will be out of luck! And... it's also in line with the military's strategy to increase the military threat of force!" Alfa III finally revealed a smile. His Majesty was contented. He felt pride in himself for coming up with such a perfect solution.
He checked the time on the clock and let out a relaxed sigh. "Marshals, I'll not hold up your time anymore. Get busy! I believe there are many things waiting to be handled!"
Marshal Valier, the Chief of staff of the Imperial Guard, took the command and saluted the emperor. However, he realized Silver Fox Alan did not seem to intend to leave the chamber.
"My Military Affairs Chancellor, is there anything else that I can help you with?" The Emperor looked somewhat astonished at Alan.
"Yes, Your Majesty, please allow me to delay some of your time."
Alfa III looked at the Chief of Staffs who was still rooted to the ground, "Marshal Valier, you can return now!"
Valier saluted once again. Just as the Imperial Confidential Secretary opened the door for him, the Chief of Staffs glanced quickly at Silver Fox and in his eyes the man flashed with an unfriendly light. Valier was even more convinced that… Silver Fox must have grasped some crucial information.
The door closed behind the man, and the Emperor indicated the pillar of the Imperial Army to take to his seat.
"Your Majesty, there are some questions... that I do not know if I should voice out!"
"District Twenty-one?" Alfa III was not oblivious, he had long guessed what was on Alan's mind.
"Your Majesty, as far as I know, apart from the Paladin Group stationed there, no more than five people in the entire Empire that knows about the true facets of District Twenty-one."
The Emperor nodded. "There's me and you. Also included are Chief of Staffs of Imperial Army, Chief of Imperial Security Division, and Duke Steinberger who is stationed in the northwest."
Alan sighed helplessly, "Your Majesty, I believe you have clearly understood the purpose of this recent raid launched by Deiss. Since Deiss has discovered the secret to District Twenty-one, I have good reasons to suspect the problem lies within the five insiders."
Alfa III frowned deeply. When he learned that Deiss had appeared in the area around Saijo Mountain through a secret raid, His Majesty had started to suspect that the secrets of District Twenty-one had been exposed! However, apart from himself, the rest of the four insiders were Alfa III's extremely trusted ministers, and he couldn't think of any reason for these four individuals to sell the country's top secret to the Deiss.
"Phillip..." The Emperor motioned to his confidential secretary. Immediately Goolean retreated from the secret room at a hastened pace.
"Gold, gold, gold!" Alfa III raised his head to the roof and let out an unfathomable sign with emotion, then he returned his attention to Silver Fox Alan.
"Haha, my Marshal, I actually wish for the Deiss to hurry at District Twenty-one. Even if they mobilize the manpower of more than forty thousand soldiers, Paladins of the Dynasty would still strike them with a hard blow, although that means the entire Paladin army itself would be destroyed! But what good would it do to me to keep those fellas anyway? Do you know how much gold coins I waste on that bunch every year? That gold is allocated by the Imperial Family ourselves!"
Alan remained silent. He had no idea about the combat effectiveness of Paladin Group, nor did he know that the special troop was funded by the national treasury.
The Emperor was full of complaints, he glared as he continued to grumble.
"So what if those who wear gold and silver lost the gold reserves? What's lying underneath District Twenty-one is nothing but a pile of scrap iron! The gold reserves? Haha! I can't believe someone is actually fighting for it! These idiots have no idea that Titan's gold reserves have been buried long ago along with the ancestors of the Morisette Imperial Family!"
Marshal Alan was obviously thrilled. "Your Majesty! Are you saying... you mean the Paladin Group is guarding a... a..."
"A ruin filled with piles of scrap iron! That's all that it is!" Alfa III turned his head away in annoyance. He did not want to admit Morisette Imperial Family was merely a gleaming but poor figurehead. In fact, the wealth of the imperial family had dried up before the third generation of emperors, and Morisette had only been relying on national treasury and public revenue. at, it was the fundamental reason Titan emperors had continuously strengthened their exploitation efforts at a high tax rate for the past hundred years.
"Alright now, let's not talk about that anymore!" the Emperor waved impatiently at Marshal Alan, "As you've been told, there is nothing in District Twenty-one except for the group of Paladins that never comes out of the valley! Anyway, we must find out the person who disclosed our national secret!"
Alan nodded slightly. "Your Majesty, I agree with you. Now please allow me to talk about the most crucial and urgent matter!"
The emperor appeared somewhat surprised, "Hadn't we already discussed the most crucial and urgent matter?"
"Your Majesty, I wish to remind you… that the Imperial Military Intelligence Bureau, which has been under preparation for up to five years are finally ready! It has gathered a considerable size of human resources and information resources. Therefore, I think the Empire should officially establish this brand-new Secret Service Department!"
"Why?" Alfa III grew even more astonished, "Why now? Don't you think the Imperial Army already has enough on their plate? Or do you not think the Empire is encountering enough troubles?"
"Your Majesty, the establishment of the Military Intelligence Bureau is precisely for solving the various troubles that currently plague the empire, for example... tracking down the one who leaked the country's top secret, or maybe even..." Alan abruptly stopped speaking midway and fixed a firm gazed on the emperor's eyes.
"Maybe even what?"
"Your Majesty! We can send an elite Special Action Force to sneak into Deiss, in order to rescue His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette with the help of our military agents. Your Majesty… what do you think of this idea?"
Obviously, Alfa III was greatly shocked by Silver Fox's brazen suggestion. It took him a long time before he finally regained his thoughts.
"But ... But ... We don't even know where young Oscar is being locked up, we're not even sure if he's injured, or if he's still alive! Deiss managed to block all the news about him, I believe the power behind must be remarkably powerful!"
Alan shook his head in denial, "Your Majesty! Although it is unclear to us now on the whereabouts of His Imperial Highness Prince, it will not be the case when the negotiations begin. One of the first things to be identified by our negotiators is that whether the life and living environment of His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette is safeguarded, we can demand our representative's rights for regular visits to His Highness. This way, Deiss can no longer keep their secrets and His Highness will definitely be exposed to the sunshine of early spring. Of course, the rescue operation will have the same long-term and meticulous preparation as the negotiation process."
"What if… what if we failed?"
Silver Fox Alan revealed a gaze filled with determination, "Your Majesty, let's regard the rescue plan as a kind of test for the Military Intelligence Bureau! If Your Majesty does not wish to compromise with Deiss Kingdom or sacrifice the national interests in exchange for His Imperial Highness O'Neil, then... We shall pray from now on that the Intelligence Bureau will score high in the test!"
***************
Night of Church's year 797, the 17th day of 4th month.
It was already time to ignite the oil lamps, but citizens of Dulin could still be seen wandering the streets. If examined carefully, one would realize the route with the most people revolved around bookstores which sold official newspapers. Booksellers rearranged the main shelves normally positioned with morning newspapers and replaced them with rows after rows of red booklets. The cover of the red booklet was designed with simplicity: it was engraved with an outline of a head, and behind the portrait was a range of low mountains.
Since early morning, the tiny red booklets were sold out in all bookstores. Citizens of Dulin recited aloud the contents of the booklet in coffee shops where breakfast was served! That's right, that was the booklet written by Titan's most famous novelist and essayist - Ellen Rivera, a 37-year-old middle-aged man. Throughout Ellen Rivera's writing career, this civilian leader of Titan's literary community disliked praising aristocracy the most! However, this time, when the Imperial Army asked him to write a piece on the Saijo Mountain battle, Ellen Rivera gladly embraced it.
The great writer wrote on the flyleaf: "Reminiscing the memories of the survivors, unmodified and unpolished, presenting Titans a true picture of the anti-aggression war."
The great writer again wrote in the postscript on the last page: "With the passage of time, aggression against invaders go on and on, what remains is the spirit of soldiers!"
Finally, the carriage marked with the logo of the official publication bureau approached from the side of the street. People who had waited for a long time immediately surrounded the carriage with no time to waste. There were many things worth cherishing in the world, for example, Ellen Rivera's writings, or, perhaps, pictures and moments of heroism and victories!
The growing crowds made it tremendously difficult for the carriage to move forward. The person who drove the carriage was a civil servant, which dared not use the whips to drive out the crazy crowd as aggressive as robbers because there were numerous young ladies of prominent families in the crowd.
A daring young man unveiled the rear shed of the carriage, but this careless guy mistakenly knocked down the rope that was attached to the bookcase. Rejoicing at the unexpected surprise, the young guy happily tore open the bookcase and continuously emptied the red booklets off from the moving carriage. A loud, delightful cheer rose from the crowd! As the brave young man jumped out of the carriage that was forced to come to a stop, several bold ladies even rushed forward to kiss him on his lips.
The excited young man threw the red booklets towards the sky. Many extended their hands in order to catch a couple of the blood red objects falling from above. It was as if they were chasing happiness, chasing honor, chasing after the warriors' footsteps!
On the last sentence in the postscript of Story of Saijo Mountain Battle, Ellen Rivera wrote: "Be grateful for our motherland, it was her who gave birth to me and made me a member of the great Titan nation. It was also her who keep me safe within the fortified steel walls constructed out of blood and flesh of countless warriors."
That's right! Titan was a lovely nation inhabited by a courageous fighting spirit. Despite the majority of Titan nation having to endure domination and oppression operated by a small group of people, despite the majority of Titan nation suffered tortuously with grain rations and livelihoods. However, what flowed beneath these people was still blood of the most vivid colors, the spirit of Titans was still nurtured and encouraged by the warriors!
Half a month had passed! Outside the Kenshin Palace owned by His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette, there always gathered groups of passionate people who endured through sleepless nights in the mission to ignite altar lamps all around the palace of the national hero. Numerous fresh flowers and tree branches tied with words of blessings decorated every corner of the palace.
It was the same atmosphere tonight! 10 Jewel Street exuded bright light and warm heat as never before, thanks to the big hero. People chanted non-stop the eulogy of the God, praying with the most pious mind for the return of a great warrior.
The crowd suddenly dispersed and they made way for the carriage going through the palace gate. The whole carriage was fully black in color, covered in the glossy luster of antiquity. All around the carriage were countless silver lines painted in the shapes of the flowers people of Andrew worshipped the most.
People knelt down to the passing carriage. They threw fresh flowers at it, as a gesture to offer condolences and wishes.
Young Lady Sasha E Nedgabel Andrew looked out to the window quietly. She knew that she didn't need any of these condolences nor blessings in this springtime. Her lover had left her, and she must at least do something about it! Otherwise, the pain of separation and suffer would turn her into a desperate beast!
The highest ranked carriage of the Andrew family stopped at the entrance of Kenshin Palace. Instead of Oscar, its owner was replaced by Young Lady. The moment the carriage came to a halt, Sasha grabbed the door and forced her way out. Inside of the carriage lingered a hint of tobacco. It was unbearable for her because it reminded her of her lover, her dear brother Oscar!
It was strange for Young Lady to be fully dressed in battle attire in the bright daylight, her shiny armor glittered under the soft caress of the spring sun. Sasha was no longer dejected like she was earlier in the day. She waved around in the air a narrow sword frequently used by women, leaving several sword marks on the dummy positioned in the room.
Lift! Lower the waist! Spring up the leg as you turn your body around, and pierce the sword through your enemy! The great sore on her wrist made Sasha realize she'd performed the move wrongly once again!
"No! Not like this!" Oscar hit on the oncoming narrow sword with a rattan stick. He deposited himself behind the Young Lady, one hand on her waist, another wrapped around hers which held the sword.
"Move along me!" Oscar ordered, "Come on! Lift... And lower your waist... Increase your leverage by bending at the knees… And turn! Pay attention to changes in waist strength! Remember to transfer your weight to the lower half of your body! That's right… Keep waving your sword!"
Feeling her brother's breath on her neck and his body warm against her, Sasha successfully performed this difficult sword move. She looked at the dummy which had now been pierced through by the sword and turned around in a flash.
"Brother! Oscar!"
The empty room replied Sasha's calls with crisp echoes of her own voice. Sasha leaned against the glass window and stared into the distance. Steaming hot tears the size of pearls rolled from her eyes onto her sunken cheeks.
"Young Lady! Everyone's here!" out of nowhere, Aeolia appeared at the side of the door.
Sasha immediately wiped the tears from her face and turned around. "Clang!" in one swift move, she returned the sword into its sheath.
"Have them wait for me in the secret room!" Sasha said without any emotion. It was the first time she had showed such coldness to anyone.
Ricky the Liar, Doramy Basinger, Poison Doctor Percy, Captain Vick, crazy ax killer Godot, big man Ferry, Thomas Aulet of the lair, and a few other people Sasha had never meet before, were seated in the secret room. They were all whispering in low voices, appeared to be in a heated discussion.
Young Lady of Andrew House entered the room, and all the gentlemen immediately rose to bow. Only Ferry the big man went forward to stand by Young Lady's side.
"Please be seated, everyone. Thank you for showing up on time. Also, can someone introduce our honorable guests?"
Doramy, the King of Sins, roared with laughter. "This one sitting next to me is no honorable thing. People form the ‘Underworld' called him Left Hand, while his friends called him Wystan, he's a thief that steals with only his left hand."
This short, middle-aged man named Wystan bowed slightly to the Young Lady. In fact, he wasn't as useless as the King of Sins had introduced. Left Hand owned an unwieldy robber organization and a smuggling gang with abundant funds in the south.
"This one here is my old partner, Rothbard, nicknamed the Clown!" Ricky the Liar pointed at the young-looking man seated next to him. However, it should be made clear that the Clown was actually much older than he looked. His young appearance was achieved by applying thick layers of makeup.
"This is my best friend!" Godot motioned to the man next to him. The man's face was disfigured by numerous scars to a point where one could identify neither his appearance nor age. "My respected Young Lady, he's Edward! He used to be a coroner before prison, and was also a Criminal Investigation Expert."
Sasha tried hard to fight back nausea that was already rising at the back of her throat and nodded slightly toward Diener Edward. Anyway, she was rather curious about this Criminal Investigation Expert.
"Mr. Edward, pardon my asking, can you tell me why were you imprisoned? Since you used to be a Criminal Investigation Expert, that means you must be…"
"Young Lady!" Diener Edward interrupted Sasha, however… Praise the God of Light! Edward's voice was extremely unpleasant to the ear. It was as if his vocal cords had been torn apart by a wild wolf. "The reason for my being imprisoned was because I murdered my own wife and her whore lover! It was those two dirty bastards that turned me into this! They shoved burning coals down my throat, and scratched my face 131 times using my scalpel."
"Why did they do this to you?" Sasha's expression was completely terrified.
"Because… Some people in this world… Enjoy torturing others."
"What happened next? How did you… How did you kill…"
"I multiplied the torture by tenfold and returned to them the favor. I dissected their bodies with 1310 slits, and enjoyed the show with delight as my dogs slowly savored them."
With maximum endurance, Sasha managed to hold back the vomit.
Aeolia quickly broke the awkwardness by nudging on a pretty young lady seated next to her.
"I… I… I… I… I… I am… am… called… called… Little Stam… Stammer!" Indeed, this pretty lady who struggled to explain lived up to her name.
"I… can… can… help… help… help… to… du.. duplicate any… any documents!"
Sasha nodded lightly, "Including documents that require badges like identity papers, proof of nationality, things like that?"
"Of… of… of… of… of course!"
Everyone present in the room let out the breath they had been holding since the lady started speaking. They were afraid the pretty lady would exhaust herself out by her stutter.
"So… do you know why I gathered you here with your most trusted confidants?"
Doramy looked around the room. His health condition hadn't become any better, but… He thought it was time to help his young friend out for the last time.
"Sneak into Deiss with a brand new identity, with the mission to rescue Oscar."
She looked firmly into the eyes of King of Sins and nodded in agreement. She noticed the old man had lost more weight since the last time they met.
"I assume everyone is clear of the danger that might arise from this journey to Deiss. Just let me ask for the final time, does anyone wish to back out from this plan?"
"Me!"
The crowd looked at each other in astonishment, as they realized it was Aeolia that raised her hand up in the air!
