On the sacred Church's Calendar of the Titan Empire, on the year 791, on the 29th day of the 4th month, the secretary of the Prison Department of the Imperial Ministry of Justice documented in the official logbook: the criminal records of the Captain of the Guards - Vick Keegan.
Unfortunately, if Captain Vick was tried and sentenced, then according to the records in the official logbook, he would not be released from prison until the end of the next century. However, he was fortunate enough because the charges against him were vague and not clearly defined. Captain Vick did not have to worry about having to refute those groundless charges in court. At the same time, he was also clear that if carefully scrutinized, those charges could most probably be condemned against him.
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On the morning of the 6th day of the 5th month, the medical officer of the Ministry of Justice received a letter from his hometown, informing him that his old mother was already on her deathbed. Being the only child of the family, he immediately gathered his belongings and traveled some thousands miles away back to his hometown. Although his colleagues in the Ministry of Justice were sorry to see his resignation, some were overjoyed at the bad news. A medical doctorate named Martin had been looking forward to this position for a very long time, and now his chance had finally come. He wished eagerly to be promoted to the position and take control over the medical department in the Ministry of Justice. Although the early summer morning was unbearably hot and dry, Dr. Martin felt like everything was praise-worthy.
The God of Light enjoyed playing silly jokes on people to add some excitement to their mundane lives. The high hopes of Dr. Martin only lasted for two days. Everyone should have seen his almost comical expression when the new attending medical officer appeared in front of him.
The newly appointed medical officer was Dr. Miryaken, who was a well-known tutor in the Nightingale School of Medicine. The High Official of the Ministry of Justice was a good friend of the Dean of the Nightingale School of Medicine, hence when the minister was in need of a chief physician with a rich clinical experience, the Dean recommended his best student - Dr. Miryaken.
Actually, the Minister of Justice’s move was somewhat uncalled-for, because all the current medical staff working in the Ministry of Justice were already certified doctors, who were experts in dealing with external injuries. The reason was obviously simple, as one could clearly understand the reasons behind the doctors’ rich experience after taking a tour around the ghastly torture rooms in the Ministry of Justice.
The Minister of Justice had no choice but to do this because the condition of the Captain of the Guards had deteriorated. If he had known earlier that the captain was so fragile, he would not have let those crazy dogs torture the witness so badly. But it was now too late to change anything. If the poor man could not survive this critical moment, then the minister’s efforts would be in vain. Moreover, the Minister of Justice did not have complete trust in his own men. It was a necessary move to hire an expert from another province.
The Marquis Andeses met his newly appointed attending medical officer in his office and he admired the doctor’s talent. However, he was also surprised to see that the doctor was much younger than any of the famous scholars he had heard of. The Marquis dismissed any doubts he had about the young man after receiving his old friend’s recommendation. In the eyes of the Marquis, Dr. Miryaken was a good young man.
It was already lunch time when the Minister of Justice sent the doctor out his doors. Normally he would go to the restaurant called "Little Hen's Tongue" located around the corner down the road, to enjoy some steak, but today he felt the urge to have a change of taste, and finally, he ordered a creamy seafood noodle dish topped with an egg.
The High Official of the Ministry of Justice played an important role in the court, but when being compared with the other cabinet ministers he was also the one that had naturally received the greatest amount of rebukes. However, it was entirely understandable, as what judicial work really meant was to deal with all the bullshit other people throw at you and try hard to not have it smudged on your face. This description sounded really awful but it was widely agreed by the ministers working in the Ministry of Justice.
The Marquis Roment Huga Andeses sat on his reserved seat at the "Little Hen’s Tongue". Looking out the ceiling-to-ground window he had the perfect view of the bustling city street, but the Sir Marquis did not really like this arrangement. He had just witnessed two well-dressed gentlemen trade opium and scurry away, right under his nose and he could do nothing about it. He lost his appetite after having witnessed the exchange and did a quick calculation of the distance between the restaurant and his office. Dejected, the Marquis put down his tableware and walked back to his office.
That was a rare situation to be seen in daylight, even for the Marquis Andeses who had worked for many years in the Ministry of Justice. Recently, reports regarding incidents of street fights and conflicts between the various gangs had completely disappeared from the front page of Dulin’s local newspapers. It should have been the nation’s pride, but while the department was considering reducing the members of staff in order to save costs, the inspectors from the Ministry of Justice also noted another problem: while the crime rate was rapidly declining, the illegal business sector was on the rise. What did this mean?
The Marquis suddenly thought of the comment an old officer made at their regular meeting yesterday. "Be on the alert, Gentlemen, a large-scale criminal organization is beginning to spread right before our eyes!"
The old man was totally right! The trade happened right before his eyes! The Marquis wanted to report to the officials or summon his own men to get rid of the dealers he saw exchanging the opium wrapped in brown paper, but would it not be laughing at his own joke? He tried to forget about it and murmured to himself, "One day, you little bastards! Sooner or later you will get the punishment you deserve!"
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The residence of Baron Thomas Aulet was located in the depths of the "lair". He was probably the only aristocrat who lived in the "lair", but the baron never complained about it because the place was well-concealed and it was perfect for someone with his job.
"Lair" was a term coined by the people of Dulin for the inner-city slum inhabited mostly by the poor, lower class people, as that was the place where vice gathered. It seemed like in every city there existed a place that was out of control, like this. For some people, this place was equivalent to hell; and for others, here was the place that resembled most to heaven.
This piece of free land was located in the northern city of Dulin, where the hustle and bustle of the city center faded and gradually became sparse. The muddy paths were wet throughout the year, and there were no clear distinctions between the main roads and alleys. Houses were cramped with one another and throughout the four seasons the place could only receive a minimal amount of sunshine. Poverty, hunger, plague and murder also contributed a lot to its bad reputation.
It was generally believed that the "lair" was the most impoverished area in the whole of Dulin because the living conditions there were imaginably terrible. However, one should not be fooled by the exterior appearance because the amount of gold coins buried in the area was so plentiful that even the Lord Sea Monster would be envious.
The lair was basically the collection and distribution center of funds for the entire underworld in the whole Westland. These were mainly idle funds that had not been given any investment purposes yet. No one could calculate the exact amount of the funds but according to the rules of the underworld, accountants would be hired at each monthly meeting to conduct crazy calculations which would last for a month. In the same words, the statistics and allocation of funds would be recalculated and repurposed once a month, and for the duration of a month for each calculation. It might seem ridiculous, but the parties of the Underworld were extremely persistent regarding this matter. The flourishing prosperity and wealth of the Underworld were indeed beyond imagination.
Anyways, the den of Baron Thomas Aulet was situated on the top floor of the only theatre in the slum. This theatre had a glorious history, in fact, in the end of the sixth century, only less than a hundred years from now, most of the greatest opera singers of the West World had performed on this stage. However, following the decline of the economic condition and the decay of the class systems, this once renowned cultural theatre has been reduced to become the meeting place of gangs. Faint hints of its glorious past could only be seen clinging onto its magnificent Douglas architecture style and the 17-meter-high white rock column.
So…back to the baron’s apartment. As aforementioned it was located on the top floor of the theatre, where great men and artists used to enjoy their pastimes. The baron had transformed the place and decorated it with a very culturally artistic atmosphere. The maroon tiles were wiped so often one could see their own reflection in them, various plants and pots of beautiful flowers bloomed over the windowsill. And even though the furniture used did not seem like anything uncommon at first glance, they were in fact antiques engraved with signatures of the craftsmen. Although they were not built by any big names, their craftsmanship was of the most popular style and well-received during the sixth century. Hence, it could be said that Baron Thomas Aulet managed his house as if it was a museum.
At this time, three or five idlers gathered on the corner of the theatre street. They were dressed resembling neither a gentleman nor a rogue. It was the most popular fashion style among the rascals in these recent years. As they did not want to appear to be low-class with bad taste, they liked to incorporate a black formal coat, but on the inside was more often than not a funny looking rag.
"What’s with you today Phil? You’re acting a little weird."
"Shut up, Dorde."
"Oh, my elder brother! Have you not realized those fellows guarding in front of the theatre house? It’s them! Wanna bet? I bet you ten Ti coins that they are hiding some good tools underneath their big cloaks."
"Dorde, try not to be so restless, even if you can only maintain it for today. Although those fellows are from other provinces but never underestimate them. If not you will end up like the fate of old Hordak."
"It…it was them who took Hordak’s life? Oh my God! A fowl like me should not stay in such a dangerous place surrounded by people like them! So…so why are we here again?"
"To maintain the order."
"What? To maintain what order?"
"The baron, and the order of the lair. Get it now you stupid pig?"
"Oh, is it an order from the boss?"
"No, the baron has already said, if anyone of us does not behave today, we would end up worse than poor Hordak."
"But why today?"
"Because an important person is coming today," before Phil could finish his sentence he noticed a man on the opposite street signaling him with an exaggerated hand signal.
"Oh my God! He’s here! Stay alert!"
A carriage appeared at the corner of the street. Strangely enough, the bustling street quieted down in an instant at the arrival of the carriage and the people automatically moved to the side of the road. Among them, a couple of men from the Underworld took off their hats to show their respect towards the carriage. They had obviously received the news about the visit of the extremely important person.
The carriage pulled to a halt at the entrance of the theatre house, and all the big men in black cloaks gathered around to form a human shield to guard the important person. The grand human-shield started from the carriage all the way towards the entrance of the theatre house. The people who gathered around to pry were irritated because their visions were completely blocked and they could not even manage to get a peek at the VIP.
In the "lair", His Imperial Highness Prince O’Neil Andrew Morisette was not the prince anymore. His identity had changed to become Titan’s King of the Underworld - Big Brother ‘Balance’.
The young man removed his cloak in the corridor of the theatre house and a faithful servant eagerly went to put it away for him. Baron Thomas Aulet received the young man with open arms but they did not speak a word to each other after that, until they arrived at the fourth floor of the building.
Hatchet men had already been positioned at various ambush points all around the theatre. Concerned about Brother Balance’s safety, the baron had begun his elimination operation a week before the big day and eradicated all potentially dangerous men within a ten-mile radius of the lair. He was confident that nothing could threaten his young master anymore.
Brother Balance was directed into a secret chamber. From the outside, it looked like nothing more than a small cloakroom, but once you pushed through the inlaid mirror one would have discovered a meeting room the size of ten meters square feet.
Someone was already waiting inside the meeting room, and he stood up from his seat at the young man’s entrance. The young man gave him a friendly hug and received a kiss on the back of his hand in return.
This gentleman was Lord Mueller from Bavaria Province of the Deiss Kingdom. Apart from being the king of grain and oil in Bavaria, he was also the representative of the underworld in the aforementioned province. More than half of the trades that happened between the Deiss Kingdom and the borders of Titan were being controlled by this Lord. He visited Dulin this time by the invitation of O’Neil Andrew Morisette, of course, the whole trip was conducted in secrecy.
Both of them exchanged a few words of greeting before hot tea was served. The atmosphere in the secret chamber appeared to be a little tense; the Lord was quite worried about Oscar’s ability because of his youth, while Oscar had some concerns about his plan.
The little fatty’s worries were not unnecessary. Based on experience, Oscar learned that things often did not progress as planned. Even though he had a well-placed mole inside the Ministry of Justice, but the information that the messenger sent was not the most exciting. The condition of the captain was dreadful, he could not even be moved now.
Aside from his friend Vick, the evil actions of the Secretary of State concerned the young prince even more. News had come from Damorga saying the investigation of the spies was still ongoing, but the results would probably not be any good. Although the newly appointed warden was Dortmund Andrew Nedgabel’s confidante, but he still could not cease the actions of the privileged spies. At the moment there was only Domingo watching over the Prisoner Self-Management Committee, no one could be sure that the enemy would not take this opportunity to throw them into disorder.
Oscar felt that time was running out. Although he had no choice but to cut a deal with the big boss of Titan’s biggest enemy state, he believed that their cooperation would work out as planned if the benefits were well distributed.
"Lord Mueller, I believed that Mr. Percy had transferred my message to you. Would you be interested in being a part of the plan?"
"Haha, honorable Brother Balance, your plan is really creative, and I could feel the sincerity from your proposal. You know, in the underworld, sometimes sincerity is much more appreciated than the benefits of interest."
"If so what is the other matter that concerns you? I personally think that what I proposed gives the best to both parties, and I don’t think there is any other way to go about this better."
"No, Brother Balance, why don’t you listen to my idea first? Increase 20% more for the tax rate standard you suggested for business transactions along the borders, and honorable Brother Balance, note that what I meant was the tax rate to be paid afterwards. In other words, I will not demand any benefits from you if any problems happen during the transaction."
Oscar knew his eagerness led him to agree to paying the sky-high prices demanded by the other party. Being the representative of Titan’s underworld, the increased 20% of the transaction margin was his bottom-line as he did not want the sly old fox to have things his way.
Oscar put on a fake smile and spread out his hands in front him, "Lord, I can't help but to doubt your sincerity. I am rather confused, did you rush here in three days just for the 20% extra benefit?"
"No! No! No! Dear Oscar, oh can I call you informally by your name?"
"Sure."
"So, dear Oscar, you know what? Even until this moment I still can't figure out the reason for your proposal. My previous suggestion was just a probe to understand you better. As you know, I am only a businessman, and a businessman shouldn’t associate themselves too much in the complex world of politics. But you, with your new identity, it makes it very difficult for people like us from the underworld."
Oscar was confused now, no one ever said anything like that to him before. He moved himself closer to Lord Mueller and asked gently, "Can you…can you explain that further? What do you mean it makes things difficult for you? What kind of difficulties are you talking about? I’m sorry that has never come across my mind."
"Haha, to be honest, you are still too young. I've heard about your teachers before, and they are indeed the most experienced ones in every league of the underworld. I would say that without their teachings you would never get the king’s heraldry by yourself. However, young man, you are still too fresh and naive for the complicated political world."
"Oscar recalled his first encounter with the fat lords. Although they appeared similar to the men of the underworld in many different ways, but no their intrinsic qualities were not the same. Modesty was one of the kid’s good qualities, and so he pulled his chair even closer to Lord Mueller to listen to what he had to say.
"Oscar, haha, Brother Balance, Your Imperial Highness Prince, when I was younger I used to fantasize about fighting my way up to the leader position, and gain some political capital with the help of my wealthy family background and status in the underworld. I used to think that that was the only right path I should take so that my future generation does not have to engage in illegal businesses like myself."
"Yes, I understand your viewpoint," Oscar understood that clearly as he had seen the people of Titan fighting their way up to obtain noble titles or certain positions of high status.
"But young man, even though this way of thinking is not wrong, but in the eyes of the others, especially the politicians - the real people who are actually in those positions already - they would never agree with what we’re doing. Perhaps to you, everything could be mediated with interests and benefits, but you completely ignored the contradiction of the whole matter. The politicians represent the regime, but what we do exactly challenges their rights and power. Even though in critical moments our interests might be in line with theirs, but once the benefits expire, those in power would kick us aside without hesitation. Do not forget, the mafia leaders that equipped you with knowledge used to be some important people too, before they were used and being locked up in Damorga. It portrays clearly the disparity between our abilities and the authorities of the regime."
Oscar was lost in his thought after hearing the wise words of the Lord.
Lord Mueller was not finished with his explanation yet, in fact, he had not even gotten to the crucial point. "Young man, taking you as an example, I’m rather surprised that you have not realized what an awkward situation you have put yourself into. You are the Imperial Highness Prince of Titan, but at the same time you are also the arbiter of Titan’s underworld, so are you representing the benefits of the empire or interests of Underworld? One day in the future you will undoubtedly fall into this dilemma, and then you will realize the people in the Underworld were all too ridiculous. The drug dealers, the patrons of brothels and the lowly prostitutes, the bastards who traffic arms, all these people would suddenly become the scourge to your empire. Would you be able to eradicate them without hesitation?"
Lord Mueller did not have to explain any further. Oscar gave some thought into this but he knew that it was not something trivial that could be solved in a minute. The young man had no idea how much the trading business in the underworld would jeopardize the empire, the people, the society, and so he could not answer the question posed by the lord. He swiftly changed the topic back to his business proposal.
"And so? What about my proposal to you? Did you sense some political conflict in it too?"
"Yes, young man. Initially, I didn't even bother coming here, but as the main partner of the trade with Titan’s underworld, I decided to present myself anyway. Oh and I also brought along some good news with me. I’ve been thinking of ways to tackle the issue since getting notified by Mr. Percy, and I believe I already have everything under control for now."
"Oh my God! Is this true?" Oscar could hardly suppress his delight. If Lord Mueller did execute a plan already, and he could finally get rid of that annoying thorn in his flesh, he did not mind if that meant owing Lord Mueller a huge favor.
When he received another confirmation, O’Neil Andrew Morisette could not help but rush forward to give Mueller G Karl Arnold a big warm hug. The thoughts of it whirled through his mind. It might have been only by serendipity or chance, but Oscar was extremely grateful to the God of Light for introducing to him a firm ally and respectable teacher.
Actually, only the naive young man believed that Lord Mueller helped him out of kindness and generosity. The truth was, Lord Mueller’s business had been suppressed by his kingdom’s political parties. If he did not find a strong backing for himself in Titan, once the relationship between the two countries worsened, his own complicated mafia’s identity and the special relationship he had with Titan would definitely pull him down to a disadvantage. Hence, the cooperation with the young prince was absolutely necessary.
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Marquis Almodovar Godzilla was very easily recognizable. He tightly braided his blond hair behind his back and then put on a gentleman’s temperament. His thin lips were almost never closed and bad breath caused by digestion gushed out of his mouth like strong winds. And that edema caused by obesity made his whole face look like a fiercely beaten piece of fermented bread; swollen, deformed, and occasionally one or two black spots accumulated with mold.
As the president of the Fat Lords Club, Lord Sea Creature did not really like going out to other entertainment venues. However, today was different, as it was an invitation from a beautiful lady. This lady was the current favorite of His Majesty the Emperor, and being a cabinet minister that worked closely alongside the Majesty, the finance minister knew exactly how many coins His Majesty had lavishly spent on this beautiful lady. Marquis Godzilla was actually annoyed by the Majesty’s generosity, because he thought that it was not worth it to waste money on that whore.
Marquise Erdogan Vas Ferdinand was a wonderful lady. Of course, we can not judge a person by only hearing one side of the story. The finance minister’s addressing the lady as a whore definitely intrigued others’ creative imagination, but the truth was that the lady had only had sexual relationships with two men so far. One of them was certainly her husband, who died young and that was why Erdogan rarely spoke about him in public; the other man was the one that everyone was familiar with, the majestic Emperor of the Titan empire. The latter was also not someone that could be openly discussed about, hence the only person that the marquise usually mentioned would just be her son and her old father.
Almodovar Godzilla’s attitude was mostly out of extreme jealousy. By virtue of his position and the power he held, many women would throw themselves at him even if his monstrous size was disgusting and hard to accept. Of course, Marquise Erdogan Vas Ferdinand was not one of them. The lady’s outgoing personality and social ability made her a seductive butterfly flying in a field of blooming flowers, happily attracting the attention of people while fluttering in the air with ease.
Despite his jealousy, the finance minister still regarded the invitation of the Marquise with great importance. His servant girl cleaned up his appearance a little bit, but this did not suddenly provide him with a high self-esteem. The lady had never been friendly with him. It might have had something to do with him being a student of her father, but this did not convince the Godzilla. He always thought that the lady naturally just despised him.
Because of the easily recognizable appearance of Marquis Godzilla, the moment he arrived in the back alley of Sabac Manor the waiter who had been waiting at the gate for a while now immediately directed him towards the room reserved for Marquise Ferdinand.
This private room was not one of those unusual ones. It was essentially different in style and decoration from the one Her Imperial Highness Princess and His Imperial Highness Prince had visited. Marquis Godzilla noticed numerous swivel chairs placed in two big circles, and the guests had already gathered in the inner part of the room. People stood near the wine cabinet and whispered softly in between sips of wine.
In the middle of the crowd stood Erdogan, she was indeed exquisite like a piece of fine artwork. Her dark black hair fell loosely around her shoulders, and the color of her hair was especially attention-grabbing because it only appeared in the legends of Westland. Coincidentally, a mural painting that came from the far East was hanging on the wall behind her, and the goddess flying in the picture had dark black hair, like Erdogan’s.
Erdogan’s full lips were extremely sexy, it made every word that came out of her mouth sound like words of seduction in an instant. Her eyes resembled a green lake, and when the water rippled, even the most ferocious beast would be tamed in its overflowing tenderness.
Looking at the impeccable Erdogan, Marquis Godzilla could not help himself but let out a gentle sigh. He was not allowed to have any fantasies about his teacher's daughter. Still, he knew that behind her perfect facade she was only the same as her incomprehensible father. He had learned that it would not be a good idea to provoke the both of them.
Marquise Erdogan Van Ferdinand finally noticed the finance minister. Even though they had always bumped into each other in the palace, but she never had the chance to have a proper conversation with the minister before. Today would be a good opportunity, a chance to test him, a chance to seduce him.
"Oh! God of Light! Everyone, guess who is here? Godzilla! You little guy! Is your club so amusing that you are not willing to part with it even just for a short while? You are late for three full minutes!"
The Marquis could only respond to the Marquise’s tease with a forced smile. The sea creature was helpless. He was not usually like this, but having to deal with the mocking coming from the lady he called a whore, he was completely at a loss for what he should do.
"Well, gentlemen, now that our finance minister is finally here, we can all take a seat!" The Marquise took the lead to the circles of sofa chairs. She whirled around gracefully before taking a seat and that small movement had sent a light fragrance into the nostrils of Marquis Godzilla, he suddenly felt like he had experienced a mini suffocation.
The fat lord was obviously losing control of himself. He stood there mindlessly without realizing Erdogan had stretched out her little pair of white hands to him.
Erdogan was very satisfied with the sea monster’s bewitched look. It showed that the fat lord was only a man after all, his shrewd mind was not completely immune to her astonishing beauty.
In fact, the sea monster was indeed feeling a little proud. The attractive lady not only waited for his arrival to start the evening, but she had also allowed him to sit closest to her.
Erdogan was completely tired of hearing those same compliments coming from the men. It might be convincing at first, but after listening to the same words for more than two weeks it began to have an opposite effect on her. Every gentleman sitting here portrayed themselves like a thirsty male dog, they tried their best to shake their fat buttocks as if attempting to attract more attention from the beautiful Erdogan. She believed that if they have a tail it would have been long erected.
Although the sea monster was also one of the male dogs, but Erdogan was actually quite satisfied with his performance. At least this particular male dog did not try too hard to worm himself into herself, as he was able to see that behind the bitch there lay a wild lion. He had been at his Majesty's service for more than three decades now, he knew very well that His Majesty the Emperor had a very special connection with the lady.
Pointless conversation complemented perfectly with good wines. There were various interesting topics for the nobles to gossip about. Moreover, Sabac Manor provided such elegant surroundings for this kind of small party. It was undoubtedly the best way for aristocrats to kill their boredom.
"Sir Duke Kachev Drakas Ferdinand, my respected teacher, I have not seen him after the Munich Invasion, how is my teacher doing now?" Out of the blue, Marquis Almodovar Godzilla asked while struggling to keep his bleary eyes open.
The tea room immediately quieted down in an instant. The big name of Duke Kachev Drakas Ferdinand had not been mentioned in the high society of Titan for almost a decade now. That infamous controversial issue did not only ruin the Duke’s political career, it had also expelled him forever from the metropolitan area.
Erdogan stared hard at the sea monster, and she suddenly remembered how her father had always described Almodovar Godzilla - a veritable sea monster. Erdogan shuddered involuntarily. You see, the terrible thing about a sea monster was that it had the ability to swallow all life into the quiet, dark abyss.
"Thank you for your concern, dear Godzilla. My father is very healthy and he will be back in Dulin in the near future. In fact, he would be staying here for some time to deal with some family matters and to meet with old friends."
"Is that so? That’s great." Godzilla glanced around the room and realized everyone here was not surprised at the news of the old man’s return. Godzilla guessed that they had been informed in advance. It was clear that these lords who all held high statuses in the empire were close friends or relatives of the old man.
Erdogan finally figured out the cleverness of the sea monster when she did not get any further response from him. The finance minister had already begun to discuss with the other annoying men about another problem. But this did not make her feel embarrassed, as she had not yet fully utilized her charm.
However, it appeared that the sea monster’s resistance to beauty was limited after all. Only a short while later he was completely wasted after the beautiful lady and his extremely jealous colleagues kept pouring strong brandy down his throat. In between sobs, the minister blabbered about the old Duke’s teachings for the whole night and he eventually mentioned his wish to restore the whole Munich Incident that had happened last time and return his old teacher’s reputation.
It was already nightfall when Erdogan personally put the finance minister back on his carriage. Along the way, the drunk sea monster forgot about his status and moved his dirty hands uncontrollably up and down the lady’s body. Despite being completely disgusted by the pair of dirty hands, Erdogan had to endure the assaults and gave the filthy pig a quick peck.
In the dark, the carriage was drifting away, and the Marquise’s face was shrouded in an inexplicable hazy expression.
"Lady, look…" a man beside her whispered softly to Erdogan. "Don’t you think the attitude of the finance minister was too offensive?"
"Well, do not worry about this fat man. He has not got the courage to fight against my father."
The finance minister’s carriage traveled slowly in the night fog. Godzilla seemed to be somewhat proud. In a manner completely opposite to his drunken manner before, his eyes sparkled and he raised his filthy hands under his nose, and took in a deep sniff of the Marquise’s scent.
"Well, a whore will always be a whore!" said the minister finally.
On the sacred Church's Calendar of the Titan Empire, on the year 791, on the 29th day of the 4th month, the secretary of the Prison Department of the Imperial Ministry of Justice documented in the official logbook: the criminal records of the Captain of the Guards - Vick Keegan.
Unfortunately, if Captain Vick was tried and sentenced, then according to the records in the official logbook, he would not be released from prison until the end of the next century. However, he was fortunate enough because the charges against him were vague and not clearly defined. Captain Vick did not have to worry about having to refute those groundless charges in court. At the same time, he was also clear that if carefully scrutinized, those charges could most probably be condemned against him.
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On the morning of the 6th day of the 5th month, the medical officer of the Ministry of Justice received a letter from his hometown, informing him that his old mother was already on her deathbed. Being the only child of the family, he immediately gathered his belongings and traveled some thousands miles away back to his hometown. Although his colleagues in the Ministry of Justice were sorry to see his resignation, some were overjoyed at the bad news. A medical doctorate named Martin had been looking forward to this position for a very long time, and now his chance had finally come. He wished eagerly to be promoted to the position and take control over the medical department in the Ministry of Justice. Although the early summer morning was unbearably hot and dry, Dr. Martin felt like everything was praise-worthy.
The God of Light enjoyed playing silly jokes on people to add some excitement to their mundane lives. The high hopes of Dr. Martin only lasted for two days. Everyone should have seen his almost comical expression when the new attending medical officer appeared in front of him.
The newly appointed medical officer was Dr. Miryaken, who was a well-known tutor in the Nightingale School of Medicine. The High Official of the Ministry of Justice was a good friend of the Dean of the Nightingale School of Medicine, hence when the minister was in need of a chief physician with a rich clinical experience, the Dean recommended his best student - Dr. Miryaken.
Actually, the Minister of Justice’s move was somewhat uncalled-for, because all the current medical staff working in the Ministry of Justice were already certified doctors, who were experts in dealing with external injuries. The reason was obviously simple, as one could clearly understand the reasons behind the doctors’ rich experience after taking a tour around the ghastly torture rooms in the Ministry of Justice.
The Minister of Justice had no choice but to do this because the condition of the Captain of the Guards had deteriorated. If he had known earlier that the captain was so fragile, he would not have let those crazy dogs torture the witness so badly. But it was now too late to change anything. If the poor man could not survive this critical moment, then the minister’s efforts would be in vain. Moreover, the Minister of Justice did not have complete trust in his own men. It was a necessary move to hire an expert from another province.
The Marquis Andeses met his newly appointed attending medical officer in his office and he admired the doctor’s talent. However, he was also surprised to see that the doctor was much younger than any of the famous scholars he had heard of. The Marquis dismissed any doubts he had about the young man after receiving his old friend’s recommendation. In the eyes of the Marquis, Dr. Miryaken was a good young man.
It was already lunch time when the Minister of Justice sent the doctor out his doors. Normally he would go to the restaurant called "Little Hen's Tongue" located around the corner down the road, to enjoy some steak, but today he felt the urge to have a change of taste, and finally, he ordered a creamy seafood noodle dish topped with an egg.
The High Official of the Ministry of Justice played an important role in the court, but when being compared with the other cabinet ministers he was also the one that had naturally received the greatest amount of rebukes. However, it was entirely understandable, as what judicial work really meant was to deal with all the bullshit other people throw at you and try hard to not have it smudged on your face. This description sounded really awful but it was widely agreed by the ministers working in the Ministry of Justice.
The Marquis Roment Huga Andeses sat on his reserved seat at the "Little Hen’s Tongue". Looking out the ceiling-to-ground window he had the perfect view of the bustling city street, but the Sir Marquis did not really like this arrangement. He had just witnessed two well-dressed gentlemen trade opium and scurry away, right under his nose and he could do nothing about it. He lost his appetite after having witnessed the exchange and did a quick calculation of the distance between the restaurant and his office. Dejected, the Marquis put down his tableware and walked back to his office.
That was a rare situation to be seen in daylight, even for the Marquis Andeses who had worked for many years in the Ministry of Justice. Recently, reports regarding incidents of street fights and conflicts between the various gangs had completely disappeared from the front page of Dulin’s local newspapers. It should have been the nation’s pride, but while the department was considering reducing the members of staff in order to save costs, the inspectors from the Ministry of Justice also noted another problem: while the crime rate was rapidly declining, the illegal business sector was on the rise. What did this mean?
The Marquis suddenly thought of the comment an old officer made at their regular meeting yesterday. "Be on the alert, Gentlemen, a large-scale criminal organization is beginning to spread right before our eyes!"
The old man was totally right! The trade happened right before his eyes! The Marquis wanted to report to the officials or summon his own men to get rid of the dealers he saw exchanging the opium wrapped in brown paper, but would it not be laughing at his own joke? He tried to forget about it and murmured to himself, "One day, you little bastards! Sooner or later you will get the punishment you deserve!"
***************
The residence of Baron Thomas Aulet was located in the depths of the "lair". He was probably the only aristocrat who lived in the "lair", but the baron never complained about it because the place was well-concealed and it was perfect for someone with his job.
"Lair" was a term coined by the people of Dulin for the inner-city slum inhabited mostly by the poor, lower class people, as that was the place where vice gathered. It seemed like in every city there existed a place that was out of control, like this. For some people, this place was equivalent to hell; and for others, here was the place that resembled most to heaven.
This piece of free land was located in the northern city of Dulin, where the hustle and bustle of the city center faded and gradually became sparse. The muddy paths were wet throughout the year, and there were no clear distinctions between the main roads and alleys. Houses were cramped with one another and throughout the four seasons the place could only receive a minimal amount of sunshine. Poverty, hunger, plague and murder also contributed a lot to its bad reputation.
It was generally believed that the "lair" was the most impoverished area in the whole of Dulin because the living conditions there were imaginably terrible. However, one should not be fooled by the exterior appearance because the amount of gold coins buried in the area was so plentiful that even the Lord Sea Monster would be envious.
The lair was basically the collection and distribution center of funds for the entire underworld in the whole Westland. These were mainly idle funds that had not been given any investment purposes yet. No one could calculate the exact amount of the funds but according to the rules of the underworld, accountants would be hired at each monthly meeting to conduct crazy calculations which would last for a month. In the same words, the statistics and allocation of funds would be recalculated and repurposed once a month, and for the duration of a month for each calculation. It might seem ridiculous, but the parties of the Underworld were extremely persistent regarding this matter. The flourishing prosperity and wealth of the Underworld were indeed beyond imagination.
Anyways, the den of Baron Thomas Aulet was situated on the top floor of the only theatre in the slum. This theatre had a glorious history, in fact, in the end of the sixth century, only less than a hundred years from now, most of the greatest opera singers of the West World had performed on this stage. However, following the decline of the economic condition and the decay of the class systems, this once renowned cultural theatre has been reduced to become the meeting place of gangs. Faint hints of its glorious past could only be seen clinging onto its magnificent Douglas architecture style and the 17-meter-high white rock column.
So…back to the baron’s apartment. As aforementioned it was located on the top floor of the theatre, where great men and artists used to enjoy their pastimes. The baron had transformed the place and decorated it with a very culturally artistic atmosphere. The maroon tiles were wiped so often one could see their own reflection in them, various plants and pots of beautiful flowers bloomed over the windowsill. And even though the furniture used did not seem like anything uncommon at first glance, they were in fact antiques engraved with signatures of the craftsmen. Although they were not built by any big names, their craftsmanship was of the most popular style and well-received during the sixth century. Hence, it could be said that Baron Thomas Aulet managed his house as if it was a museum.
At this time, three or five idlers gathered on the corner of the theatre street. They were dressed resembling neither a gentleman nor a rogue. It was the most popular fashion style among the rascals in these recent years. As they did not want to appear to be low-class with bad taste, they liked to incorporate a black formal coat, but on the inside was more often than not a funny looking rag.
"What’s with you today Phil? You’re acting a little weird."
"Shut up, Dorde."
"Oh, my elder brother! Have you not realized those fellows guarding in front of the theatre house? It’s them! Wanna bet? I bet you ten Ti coins that they are hiding some good tools underneath their big cloaks."
"Dorde, try not to be so restless, even if you can only maintain it for today. Although those fellows are from other provinces but never underestimate them. If not you will end up like the fate of old Hordak."
"It…it was them who took Hordak’s life? Oh my God! A fowl like me should not stay in such a dangerous place surrounded by people like them! So…so why are we here again?"
"To maintain the order."
"What? To maintain what order?"
"The baron, and the order of the lair. Get it now you stupid pig?"
"Oh, is it an order from the boss?"
"No, the baron has already said, if anyone of us does not behave today, we would end up worse than poor Hordak."
"But why today?"
"Because an important person is coming today," before Phil could finish his sentence he noticed a man on the opposite street signaling him with an exaggerated hand signal.
"Oh my God! He’s here! Stay alert!"
A carriage appeared at the corner of the street. Strangely enough, the bustling street quieted down in an instant at the arrival of the carriage and the people automatically moved to the side of the road. Among them, a couple of men from the Underworld took off their hats to show their respect towards the carriage. They had obviously received the news about the visit of the extremely important person.
The carriage pulled to a halt at the entrance of the theatre house, and all the big men in black cloaks gathered around to form a human shield to guard the important person. The grand human-shield started from the carriage all the way towards the entrance of the theatre house. The people who gathered around to pry were irritated because their visions were completely blocked and they could not even manage to get a peek at the VIP.
In the "lair", His Imperial Highness Prince O’Neil Andrew Morisette was not the prince anymore. His identity had changed to become Titan’s King of the Underworld - Big Brother ‘Balance’.
The young man removed his cloak in the corridor of the theatre house and a faithful servant eagerly went to put it away for him. Baron Thomas Aulet received the young man with open arms but they did not speak a word to each other after that, until they arrived at the fourth floor of the building.
Hatchet men had already been positioned at various ambush points all around the theatre. Concerned about Brother Balance’s safety, the baron had begun his elimination operation a week before the big day and eradicated all potentially dangerous men within a ten-mile radius of the lair. He was confident that nothing could threaten his young master anymore.
Brother Balance was directed into a secret chamber. From the outside, it looked like nothing more than a small cloakroom, but once you pushed through the inlaid mirror one would have discovered a meeting room the size of ten meters square feet.
Someone was already waiting inside the meeting room, and he stood up from his seat at the young man’s entrance. The young man gave him a friendly hug and received a kiss on the back of his hand in return.
This gentleman was Lord Mueller from Bavaria Province of the Deiss Kingdom. Apart from being the king of grain and oil in Bavaria, he was also the representative of the underworld in the aforementioned province. More than half of the trades that happened between the Deiss Kingdom and the borders of Titan were being controlled by this Lord. He visited Dulin this time by the invitation of O’Neil Andrew Morisette, of course, the whole trip was conducted in secrecy.
Both of them exchanged a few words of greeting before hot tea was served. The atmosphere in the secret chamber appeared to be a little tense; the Lord was quite worried about Oscar’s ability because of his youth, while Oscar had some concerns about his plan.
The little fatty’s worries were not unnecessary. Based on experience, Oscar learned that things often did not progress as planned. Even though he had a well-placed mole inside the Ministry of Justice, but the information that the messenger sent was not the most exciting. The condition of the captain was dreadful, he could not even be moved now.
Aside from his friend Vick, the evil actions of the Secretary of State concerned the young prince even more. News had come from Damorga saying the investigation of the spies was still ongoing, but the results would probably not be any good. Although the newly appointed warden was Dortmund Andrew Nedgabel’s confidante, but he still could not cease the actions of the privileged spies. At the moment there was only Domingo watching over the Prisoner Self-Management Committee, no one could be sure that the enemy would not take this opportunity to throw them into disorder.
Oscar felt that time was running out. Although he had no choice but to cut a deal with the big boss of Titan’s biggest enemy state, he believed that their cooperation would work out as planned if the benefits were well distributed.
"Lord Mueller, I believed that Mr. Percy had transferred my message to you. Would you be interested in being a part of the plan?"
"Haha, honorable Brother Balance, your plan is really creative, and I could feel the sincerity from your proposal. You know, in the underworld, sometimes sincerity is much more appreciated than the benefits of interest."
"If so what is the other matter that concerns you? I personally think that what I proposed gives the best to both parties, and I don’t think there is any other way to go about this better."
"No, Brother Balance, why don’t you listen to my idea first? Increase 20% more for the tax rate standard you suggested for business transactions along the borders, and honorable Brother Balance, note that what I meant was the tax rate to be paid afterwards. In other words, I will not demand any benefits from you if any problems happen during the transaction."
Oscar knew his eagerness led him to agree to paying the sky-high prices demanded by the other party. Being the representative of Titan’s underworld, the increased 20% of the transaction margin was his bottom-line as he did not want the sly old fox to have things his way.
Oscar put on a fake smile and spread out his hands in front him, "Lord, I can't help but to doubt your sincerity. I am rather confused, did you rush here in three days just for the 20% extra benefit?"
"No! No! No! Dear Oscar, oh can I call you informally by your name?"
"Sure."
"So, dear Oscar, you know what? Even until this moment I still can't figure out the reason for your proposal. My previous suggestion was just a probe to understand you better. As you know, I am only a businessman, and a businessman shouldn’t associate themselves too much in the complex world of politics. But you, with your new identity, it makes it very difficult for people like us from the underworld."
Oscar was confused now, no one ever said anything like that to him before. He moved himself closer to Lord Mueller and asked gently, "Can you…can you explain that further? What do you mean it makes things difficult for you? What kind of difficulties are you talking about? I’m sorry that has never come across my mind."
"Haha, to be honest, you are still too young. I've heard about your teachers before, and they are indeed the most experienced ones in every league of the underworld. I would say that without their teachings you would never get the king’s heraldry by yourself. However, young man, you are still too fresh and naive for the complicated political world."
"Oscar recalled his first encounter with the fat lords. Although they appeared similar to the men of the underworld in many different ways, but no their intrinsic qualities were not the same. Modesty was one of the kid’s good qualities, and so he pulled his chair even closer to Lord Mueller to listen to what he had to say.
"Oscar, haha, Brother Balance, Your Imperial Highness Prince, when I was younger I used to fantasize about fighting my way up to the leader position, and gain some political capital with the help of my wealthy family background and status in the underworld. I used to think that that was the only right path I should take so that my future generation does not have to engage in illegal businesses like myself."
"Yes, I understand your viewpoint," Oscar understood that clearly as he had seen the people of Titan fighting their way up to obtain noble titles or certain positions of high status.
"But young man, even though this way of thinking is not wrong, but in the eyes of the others, especially the politicians - the real people who are actually in those positions already - they would never agree with what we’re doing. Perhaps to you, everything could be mediated with interests and benefits, but you completely ignored the contradiction of the whole matter. The politicians represent the regime, but what we do exactly challenges their rights and power. Even though in critical moments our interests might be in line with theirs, but once the benefits expire, those in power would kick us aside without hesitation. Do not forget, the mafia leaders that equipped you with knowledge used to be some important people too, before they were used and being locked up in Damorga. It portrays clearly the disparity between our abilities and the authorities of the regime."
Oscar was lost in his thought after hearing the wise words of the Lord.
Lord Mueller was not finished with his explanation yet, in fact, he had not even gotten to the crucial point. "Young man, taking you as an example, I’m rather surprised that you have not realized what an awkward situation you have put yourself into. You are the Imperial Highness Prince of Titan, but at the same time you are also the arbiter of Titan’s underworld, so are you representing the benefits of the empire or interests of Underworld? One day in the future you will undoubtedly fall into this dilemma, and then you will realize the people in the Underworld were all too ridiculous. The drug dealers, the patrons of brothels and the lowly prostitutes, the bastards who traffic arms, all these people would suddenly become the scourge to your empire. Would you be able to eradicate them without hesitation?"
Lord Mueller did not have to explain any further. Oscar gave some thought into this but he knew that it was not something trivial that could be solved in a minute. The young man had no idea how much the trading business in the underworld would jeopardize the empire, the people, the society, and so he could not answer the question posed by the lord. He swiftly changed the topic back to his business proposal.
"And so? What about my proposal to you? Did you sense some political conflict in it too?"
"Yes, young man. Initially, I didn't even bother coming here, but as the main partner of the trade with Titan’s underworld, I decided to present myself anyway. Oh and I also brought along some good news with me. I’ve been thinking of ways to tackle the issue since getting notified by Mr. Percy, and I believe I already have everything under control for now."
"Oh my God! Is this true?" Oscar could hardly suppress his delight. If Lord Mueller did execute a plan already, and he could finally get rid of that annoying thorn in his flesh, he did not mind if that meant owing Lord Mueller a huge favor.
When he received another confirmation, O’Neil Andrew Morisette could not help but rush forward to give Mueller G Karl Arnold a big warm hug. The thoughts of it whirled through his mind. It might have been only by serendipity or chance, but Oscar was extremely grateful to the God of Light for introducing to him a firm ally and respectable teacher.
Actually, only the naive young man believed that Lord Mueller helped him out of kindness and generosity. The truth was, Lord Mueller’s business had been suppressed by his kingdom’s political parties. If he did not find a strong backing for himself in Titan, once the relationship between the two countries worsened, his own complicated mafia’s identity and the special relationship he had with Titan would definitely pull him down to a disadvantage. Hence, the cooperation with the young prince was absolutely necessary.
***************
Marquis Almodovar Godzilla was very easily recognizable. He tightly braided his blond hair behind his back and then put on a gentleman’s temperament. His thin lips were almost never closed and bad breath caused by digestion gushed out of his mouth like strong winds. And that edema caused by obesity made his whole face look like a fiercely beaten piece of fermented bread; swollen, deformed, and occasionally one or two black spots accumulated with mold.
As the president of the Fat Lords Club, Lord Sea Creature did not really like going out to other entertainment venues. However, today was different, as it was an invitation from a beautiful lady. This lady was the current favorite of His Majesty the Emperor, and being a cabinet minister that worked closely alongside the Majesty, the finance minister knew exactly how many coins His Majesty had lavishly spent on this beautiful lady. Marquis Godzilla was actually annoyed by the Majesty’s generosity, because he thought that it was not worth it to waste money on that whore.
Marquise Erdogan Vas Ferdinand was a wonderful lady. Of course, we can not judge a person by only hearing one side of the story. The finance minister’s addressing the lady as a whore definitely intrigued others’ creative imagination, but the truth was that the lady had only had sexual relationships with two men so far. One of them was certainly her husband, who died young and that was why Erdogan rarely spoke about him in public; the other man was the one that everyone was familiar with, the majestic Emperor of the Titan empire. The latter was also not someone that could be openly discussed about, hence the only person that the marquise usually mentioned would just be her son and her old father.
Almodovar Godzilla’s attitude was mostly out of extreme jealousy. By virtue of his position and the power he held, many women would throw themselves at him even if his monstrous size was disgusting and hard to accept. Of course, Marquise Erdogan Vas Ferdinand was not one of them. The lady’s outgoing personality and social ability made her a seductive butterfly flying in a field of blooming flowers, happily attracting the attention of people while fluttering in the air with ease.
Despite his jealousy, the finance minister still regarded the invitation of the Marquise with great importance. His servant girl cleaned up his appearance a little bit, but this did not suddenly provide him with a high self-esteem. The lady had never been friendly with him. It might have had something to do with him being a student of her father, but this did not convince the Godzilla. He always thought that the lady naturally just despised him.
Because of the easily recognizable appearance of Marquis Godzilla, the moment he arrived in the back alley of Sabac Manor the waiter who had been waiting at the gate for a while now immediately directed him towards the room reserved for Marquise Ferdinand.
This private room was not one of those unusual ones. It was essentially different in style and decoration from the one Her Imperial Highness Princess and His Imperial Highness Prince had visited. Marquis Godzilla noticed numerous swivel chairs placed in two big circles, and the guests had already gathered in the inner part of the room. People stood near the wine cabinet and whispered softly in between sips of wine.
In the middle of the crowd stood Erdogan, she was indeed exquisite like a piece of fine artwork. Her dark black hair fell loosely around her shoulders, and the color of her hair was especially attention-grabbing because it only appeared in the legends of Westland. Coincidentally, a mural painting that came from the far East was hanging on the wall behind her, and the goddess flying in the picture had dark black hair, like Erdogan’s.
Erdogan’s full lips were extremely sexy, it made every word that came out of her mouth sound like words of seduction in an instant. Her eyes resembled a green lake, and when the water rippled, even the most ferocious beast would be tamed in its overflowing tenderness.
Looking at the impeccable Erdogan, Marquis Godzilla could not help himself but let out a gentle sigh. He was not allowed to have any fantasies about his teacher's daughter. Still, he knew that behind her perfect facade she was only the same as her incomprehensible father. He had learned that it would not be a good idea to provoke the both of them.
Marquise Erdogan Van Ferdinand finally noticed the finance minister. Even though they had always bumped into each other in the palace, but she never had the chance to have a proper conversation with the minister before. Today would be a good opportunity, a chance to test him, a chance to seduce him.
"Oh! God of Light! Everyone, guess who is here? Godzilla! You little guy! Is your club so amusing that you are not willing to part with it even just for a short while? You are late for three full minutes!"
The Marquis could only respond to the Marquise’s tease with a forced smile. The sea creature was helpless. He was not usually like this, but having to deal with the mocking coming from the lady he called a whore, he was completely at a loss for what he should do.
"Well, gentlemen, now that our finance minister is finally here, we can all take a seat!" The Marquise took the lead to the circles of sofa chairs. She whirled around gracefully before taking a seat and that small movement had sent a light fragrance into the nostrils of Marquis Godzilla, he suddenly felt like he had experienced a mini suffocation.
The fat lord was obviously losing control of himself. He stood there mindlessly without realizing Erdogan had stretched out her little pair of white hands to him.
Erdogan was very satisfied with the sea monster’s bewitched look. It showed that the fat lord was only a man after all, his shrewd mind was not completely immune to her astonishing beauty.
In fact, the sea monster was indeed feeling a little proud. The attractive lady not only waited for his arrival to start the evening, but she had also allowed him to sit closest to her.
Erdogan was completely tired of hearing those same compliments coming from the men. It might be convincing at first, but after listening to the same words for more than two weeks it began to have an opposite effect on her. Every gentleman sitting here portrayed themselves like a thirsty male dog, they tried their best to shake their fat buttocks as if attempting to attract more attention from the beautiful Erdogan. She believed that if they have a tail it would have been long erected.
Although the sea monster was also one of the male dogs, but Erdogan was actually quite satisfied with his performance. At least this particular male dog did not try too hard to worm himself into herself, as he was able to see that behind the bitch there lay a wild lion. He had been at his Majesty's service for more than three decades now, he knew very well that His Majesty the Emperor had a very special connection with the lady.
Pointless conversation complemented perfectly with good wines. There were various interesting topics for the nobles to gossip about. Moreover, Sabac Manor provided such elegant surroundings for this kind of small party. It was undoubtedly the best way for aristocrats to kill their boredom.
"Sir Duke Kachev Drakas Ferdinand, my respected teacher, I have not seen him after the Munich Invasion, how is my teacher doing now?" Out of the blue, Marquis Almodovar Godzilla asked while struggling to keep his bleary eyes open.
The tea room immediately quieted down in an instant. The big name of Duke Kachev Drakas Ferdinand had not been mentioned in the high society of Titan for almost a decade now. That infamous controversial issue did not only ruin the Duke’s political career, it had also expelled him forever from the metropolitan area.
Erdogan stared hard at the sea monster, and she suddenly remembered how her father had always described Almodovar Godzilla - a veritable sea monster. Erdogan shuddered involuntarily. You see, the terrible thing about a sea monster was that it had the ability to swallow all life into the quiet, dark abyss.
"Thank you for your concern, dear Godzilla. My father is very healthy and he will be back in Dulin in the near future. In fact, he would be staying here for some time to deal with some family matters and to meet with old friends."
"Is that so? That’s great." Godzilla glanced around the room and realized everyone here was not surprised at the news of the old man’s return. Godzilla guessed that they had been informed in advance. It was clear that these lords who all held high statuses in the empire were close friends or relatives of the old man.
Erdogan finally figured out the cleverness of the sea monster when she did not get any further response from him. The finance minister had already begun to discuss with the other annoying men about another problem. But this did not make her feel embarrassed, as she had not yet fully utilized her charm.
However, it appeared that the sea monster’s resistance to beauty was limited after all. Only a short while later he was completely wasted after the beautiful lady and his extremely jealous colleagues kept pouring strong brandy down his throat. In between sobs, the minister blabbered about the old Duke’s teachings for the whole night and he eventually mentioned his wish to restore the whole Munich Incident that had happened last time and return his old teacher’s reputation.
It was already nightfall when Erdogan personally put the finance minister back on his carriage. Along the way, the drunk sea monster forgot about his status and moved his dirty hands uncontrollably up and down the lady’s body. Despite being completely disgusted by the pair of dirty hands, Erdogan had to endure the assaults and gave the filthy pig a quick peck.
In the dark, the carriage was drifting away, and the Marquise’s face was shrouded in an inexplicable hazy expression.
"Lady, look…" a man beside her whispered softly to Erdogan. "Don’t you think the attitude of the finance minister was too offensive?"
"Well, do not worry about this fat man. He has not got the courage to fight against my father."
The finance minister’s carriage traveled slowly in the night fog. Godzilla seemed to be somewhat proud. In a manner completely opposite to his drunken manner before, his eyes sparkled and he raised his filthy hands under his nose, and took in a deep sniff of the Marquise’s scent.
"Well, a whore will always be a whore!" said the minister finally.
