18 May 791 on Titan Empire’s divine Church’s calendar. This was a Saturday. At the break of dawn, the citizens from all over Dulin were seen gathering in front of the Dulin Scott Cathedral’s arched door.
The masses did not hurry to attend service. Although the supreme His Grand Eminence the Pope would be praying on behalf of the Titan’s subjects today, that was not the highlight of the day. Compared to the coronation ceremony of His Imperial Highness Prince O’Neil Andrew Morisette, everything else paled in comparison.
This coronation ceremony was of utmost importance to Titan’s Imperial Household. The Imperial household’s secretariat invited the diplomats of practically all countries in the Westland to witness the ceremony under the name of the Titan Emperor. The organizers of the ceremony even made an exception for the ordinary people to enjoy these ceremonies and they were allowed to watch something out of this world by the doors of the Cathedral.
The Dulin Scott Cathedral was bathed in the brilliant swirling rays of the morning sun. This cathedral has a six hundred year history and was one of the most ancient buildings in this famous historical city of Dulin. The consistent remodeling added a historical essence to the beautiful modern religious building. Although some experts criticized that the mix of different centuries left it unoriginal, but the ordinary people did not think that way when they saw the vast building. Being the lowest of Titan’s social class, they would put on their new clothes and kneel on both sides of the pavement in front of the cathedral throughout the day, as even before the God of Light, they were not allowed inside the cathedral.
The capital’s defending cavalry division put on their ceremonial clothes. The tall woolen hats of the knights and the brand new dazzling swords made them appear formidable. However, in the blistering weather of May, their attire was enough to leave the crowd snickering at them.
The cathedral was situated in the East of Dulin city. Since the rise of the city swallowed up its public square, the intersection between Morton Street and Salzburg Street appeared slightly cramped. However, that could not hide an enormous building that took up huge acres of land.
The arched door at the mouth of the street that originally had a painting of the God of Light bringing suffering into Heaven was replaced by a symbol of Titan’s Imperial household – A family totem that had warriors and fairies engraved on it.
Upon entering the arched doors, one would see the Dulin Scott Cathedral’s main building. The cathedral’s roof was supported firmly by thirteen white stone columns that were nineteen meters tall. Almost all the carvings on the stone walls told religious stories, and since the Morisette house was a symbol of Titan, the story of the Emperor’s founding of the Empire was also included. Needless to say, if you did not carefully appreciate the value of this carved artwork, a brief glance would make you feel that it was a chaotic mess.
The pavement that led up to the cathedral was filled with fresh flowers. These fresh flowers were gathered from around the suburbs of Dulin by the Imperial household’s secretariat. According to the religious legislation, flags and decorations that held a secular meaning were not allowed to be set up on the cathedral building. Therefore, the organizers of the ceremony could only put up more articles along the pavement.
The knights set up police cordons along Morton and Salzburg Street and the citizens joyously stood behind it. During a hot summer’s day with no other celebration whatsoever, there was nothing else that could bring more excitement to the people than attending the imperial household’s event. Several years later, those lowly people who had nothing better to do could boast that they had the honor of being a part of the Morisette Prince’s coronation ceremony over the dining table or in a tavern.
Prince O’Neil had an obviously sleep-deprived look. His mind was not completely awake. He had already forgotten which lady he had a crazy brawl with last night. Now, he could only recall that today seemed to be an immensely important day for him.
The little fatty allowed the handmaidens and court attendants to casually fiddle with his attire. When he realized that the freak in the mirror was him, the youngster was appalled.
"Whose idea is this?" The youngster asked with anger. He was the prince, not some performing clown by the road!
"This, Your Imperial Highness Prince, is your official attire. I dare say, any noble in the Westland would be struck with envy by this glorious display," The tailor was naturally very satisfied with his work.
Oscar did not mind for he actually did not have much sense in that aspect. Being a noble, he still did not know what the cordon and medals on his body signified. In fact, it was just as the tailor had said, every stitch of His Imperial Highness Prince’s attire symbolized power and status and as for the ordinary folks, even if they were to struggle all their lives, they would not be able to even obtain the collars of his clothes.
After a hectic morning, at ten, His Imperial Highness the Prince finally had everything prepared in order and appeared at the gates of the official residence dressed in his bulky and heavy attire. The Narcissus Knights who had been waiting earlier on promptly performed the highest noble etiquette to His Imperial highness. However, the warhorses seemed to have taken an interest in the little clown and one of the daring horses took a nibble at him.
His Imperial Highness the Prince rode in a carriage of the finest workmanship of the house of Andrew that appeared on schedule at the junction between Penelope Avenue and the Road of Kings. There a clergy procession and a cavalry regiment awaited his Imperial Highness.
The cavalry regiment divided into two groups. Five hundred cavalrymen were opening the roads up ahead, followed by the clergy procession from Titan’s Church of light. The clergies had a chanting book in hand. Do not underestimate this small group of sixty-people, for they could produce an overwhelming sound when they sang and chanted together.
50 higher-order Narcissus Knights surrounded and protected both sides of His Imperial Highness’ carriage. They had on their ancient armors. The inner sides of the armor’s red capes emitted a burning radiance and only those who really understood the Narcissus knights would know that the glowing color was the result of the armor’s baptism of blood.
The procession’s last five hundred cavalrymen played the most detested role, for the crowd’s excitement had already died down by the time they passed through.
After some simple reorganization, His Imperial Highness the Prince’s procession set off. The Road of Kings was already blocked off so the procession did not encounter any problems in the beginning. When they came out of the Road of Kings, the crowd that had already waited for ages burst into enthusiastic cheers.
The cavalrymen slowly advanced forward, leading the procession to their destination. This group was experienced in being the ceremonial weaponry squadron to the Imperial household’s celebrations. They were efficient in terms of controlling the speed, allowing the citizens to cheer to their heart’s content, and the flower petals that filled the sky to settle onto their bodies.
The people of Titan were undoubtedly adorable. Although they did not have a good impression of the ruling class, they worshipped a true hero and the house of Andrew, being "The Shield of the God of Light", fulfilled that image. They would only cheer and throw fresh flowers at those who truly contributed. So when Oscar opened the window of his carriage, he was once again made speechless by the warm welcome of the citizens of Dulin.
The youngster waved to the people through the window and was greeted by wave after wave of cheers and countless flying kisses from the young ladies. The tall and proud Raytheon stallions knew that it was the best time for them to shine so they walked with pride and neighed every once in awhile. Some people even placed a garland around their neck and surprisingly they did not object.
The skies of Dulin were filled with jubilation. The streets were packed with citizens and among them were even farmers who came all the way from the countryside. The little prince poked his head out of the carriage window and colorful flower petals floated down from the nearby building, with cheers ringing out from every floor. The little prince felt as if his heart was about to be ripped apart by the wild crowd.
The prince closed the carriage window. These enthusiastic citizens were very pitiful for there were things that they would never understand, just like what his rise to power signified.
As it came closer to the hour, the nobles who had been waiting at the cathedral surged towards the arched door. According to custom, as the Emperor, Alfa III was to lead the prince and thus was naturally up in front. This was indeed a role that befits him as the pavement led up to the road that was closest to the peak of power.
The prince’s carriage came to a halt in front of the arched door, but Oscar did not hurry to disembark because there were still many protocols that had to be performed.
A platform was set up beneath the arched door and standing on it were practically all the upper class nobles in Titan’s Dulin. Although Alfa III hoped to look young and energetic, his condition was not very favorable as he could not get a peaceful sleep for the past few days.
The Emperor signaled the chamberlain beside him and he bellowed loudly to halt the noise coming from the streets.
"Here... Here! The only son of Mica Alfa Morisette, fourth son of Dortmund Andrew Nedgabel, O’Neil Andrew Morisette has arrived..."
As soon as the chamberlain finished speaking, the whole earth resonated with the sound of the Imperial guard’s trumpet. The Narcissus knights arranged into two rows in front of the carriage. When the carriage door opened, all the nobles bowed. They no longer had the power to simply stare at the teenager, for his status had taken a huge turn at the cathedral.
Oscar dismounted the carriage in high spirits. When his feet fell onto the pile of fresh flowers he could not help but let off a soft sigh. The biggest turning point in his life will take place here.
***************
"Dear brother, are you sure you won’t appease the crowd?"
"Carter, how many times do I have to repeat myself?" Robinson Brickfield eyed his younger brother lazily. "Do you expect me to pretend to sincerely congratulate them? Is there something wrong with your brain?"
"But it seems as if we are the only ones in the whole of Dulin who aren’t doing anything and this may make it appear that we are somewhat passive," Carter simply offered his views when in actual fact; he was not warm to the idea himself. He knew that his brother would never appear at the coronation ceremony.
"What is there to show? Send a group of assassins to perform?" Robinson Brickfield said angrily.
"Haha, you already knew?" Carter was a little embarrassed.
"Do not think that I am stupid, did you really think that it is that easy to deal with that bug? And you actually chose the most sensitive juncture to provoke him! Do you know what a silly mistake you just made?" Robinson could barely tolerate his brother anymore.
"I’m sorry brother, I just thought that that was the best way to save energy and time, but who knew that the chap was really not that simple." Carter did not think that it was an issue as only a few of the assassins were lost. He did not leave a single trail when dealing with those killers.
"Hah, did you only know now? You better swear to me because I will only put up with matters like this once."
"Okay! Okay! I promise you, is that still not enough?"
The conversation of the two brothers was broken off by an urgent knock at the door. The secretary of the Secretary of State dashed into the room helter-skelter and stutteringly recounted the impossible while Robinson listened on, completely stunned.
"S...Sss...Sir! I large group of cavalry have assembled outside the official residence. Their Chief would like to see you, he said... he said that they are here to see to the arrest order."
"Major, you should know who you are speaking to. So you better explain to me what this is all about," Robinson did not bother to hide his rage. He was The Secretary of State of Titan and he did not expect a little officer who could only serve on sentry duty to be able to barge through the gates of his house.
"Your distinguished self, when I show you the arrest order, you will no longer be the Empire’s Secretary of State," The major’s tone was as cold as ice. He found out about some of this noble man’s crimes and being a soldier, there was nothing that pissed him off more than betraying one’s own nation.
Robinson snatched up the sheet of official document and his hand trembled. His brother seemed to have sensed something wrong and was already retreating slowly towards the door.
It was an arrest order signed by the Emperor, the Justice Ministers and the Ministry of Senior Nobility, signifying that the document had a tremendous implication. Robinson vaguely suspected a conspiracy after seeing the crime for which he was charged with and the unbelievable matters described in the file.
"Is this a joke? Major, have you taken the wrong documents? Are you sure you can handle the responsibility for wrongly arresting me?" Robinson howled. He hurled the documents filled with nonsense in the Major’s face.
The Major’s rage flashed by and he had the sudden impulse to unsheathe his sword, but going back to his duty, he felt that it would be better if this bastard were to be paraded through the streets instead.
"I apologise, but I have received the direct order from His Majesty the Emperor. If you have any queries, I suggest you leave them for prison. I’m sure the judge would happily hear you out," As soon as the Major finished speaking, he stepped aside. His voice resumed its icy cold nature. "Don’t just stand there! Carry out your orders!"
The furious State of Secretary bellowed with rage, swore and cursed, but his resistance was futile against the ruthless knights. These soldiers messily bounded him tightly. From their enthusiasm, they were obviously enjoying themselves, as binding such an honorable man was not something they ever dreamed of being able to do.
Robinson’s screams stopped not long after when a filthy cloth was stuffed into his mouth. He saw the others who were tied up were his younger brother, his son, his secretary and his butler. His vision clouded up and tears started rolling down to the ground. The Emperor’s joke was just too much.
The State of Secretary was treated like a pig being squeezed into the prisoner vehicle they usually used to detain criminals. When the iron doors were locked, he saw the soldiers beating his son who apparently was reluctant to leave his home, but everything he did was futile. Robinson howled with rage, but the carriage set off not long after that. His official residence had become hell. He did not know what had become of this world.
***************
"Oh great God of Light! Great Titan! God has cast eternal glory to the world so that we could have never-ending light, harmony and peace." His Grand Eminence Radreire VI’s booming voice continued to reverberate throughout the Dulin Scott Cathedral.
"Oh great God of Light! It is you who brings eternal prosperity and wealth to Titan! It is you who grant wisdom and farsightedness to the glorious Imperial Morisette surname."
"Honor will forever run in the veins of the Imperial Morisette surname, fairness will be the symbol of power of the Imperial Morisette surname. The gods have granted us the capabilities to differentiate good and evil, the gods have granted us prestige and authority within the world. Thank you all mighty God of Light."
"Thank you all mighty God of Light!" Countless voices were heard echoing the Pope’s prayer.
O’Neil Andrew Morisette had nothing to do at that moment. Alfa III was standing in front of him and he really appreciated the care from His Majesty. Otherwise, he would have to face the gaze of thousand of eyes alone and the youngster felt that he would rather die on the spot and let it be.
The cathedral was a typical Church of Light. The tall ceilings were inlaid with four huge murals while the multi-colored dome shaped, glass skylight emitted a dazzling radiance. The seats in the hall were filled with nobles. Being able to stand there not only symbolized their status but also their lauded honor.
The nobles appeared pious. They prayed in the hall in loud voices; they prayed that the God of Light would allow their future generations to bask in glory and splendor, and also prayed that a gold bar or even several gold bars to appear in their territories.
Oscar found all this a little amusing. He could not understand why those chubby nobles who were dressed in splendor would even bother coming here. He decided that he should question them about it if given the chance.
Just when this youngster was letting his imagination run wild, the pope’s prayer entered the last segment. The people bowed before the huge statue of the God of Light in succession and Oscar followed His Majesty and bent down.
"O’Neil Andrew Morisette!"
If Alfa III had not suddenly made way, perhaps the little fatty would not have heard the old pope calling out to him. We should however forgive the youngster for his disrespect to the pope because during their first encounter the youngster only had one opinion about the man closest to God, that was – "Old Geezer".
The youngster suppressed his disrespect and humbly walked to stand before His Grand Eminence the pope.
"Young man, how do you feel about the responsibility and duty you are about to undertake?" His Grand Eminence the pope had a good feeling towards the chubby little boy for he could not sense any ostentatious air about him and this quality made him superior over the other nobles.
"My Grand Eminence Pope, I will treat it as if it were my entire life." Just like in the rehearsals, Oscar followed the pre-prepared script.
The pope flashed a fatherly smile and lightly placed the scepter onto Oscar’s shoulder and Oscar followed by kneeling down onto one knee at the pope’s feet. The old man looked around at the nobles who were waiting anxiously, and said: "So do you swear before God that you would forever protect this favored nation of the God?"
"So do you swear before God that you would forever protect this favored nation of the God?" The people in the Cathedral chanted after the pope’s words.
"I swear before God, until the last drop of blood is shed, I, O’Neil Andrew Morisette will guard this nation with my life," For the first time, the youngster realized that his voice was actually quite grand and felt immensely pleased when he heard it echo.
"Then, will you swear before God that you will forever protect and love your people?" Just as the pope finished, the cathedral resonated with the echo of the crowd.
"Then, will you swear before God that you will forever protect and love your people?"
"I swear before God, that even if I suffer betrayal, I, O’Neil Andrew Morisette, by the Mercy of God, will protect my people."
"Then will you swear before God that your sword will forever be aimed towards the enemies of God and always be ready to go into battle for Him?"
"I swear before God, even if I am the last man standing for Him, I will not hesitate to charge on ahead."
Upon receiving the answer, His Grand Eminence the Pope tapped the scepter lightly on both his left and right shoulders then took the Holy water from the bishop by his side. The fragrance of the Holy water wafted through the air and formed a beautiful arc. When Oscar lifted his head, he felt tiny little clouds drifting around him.
"Child, the God of Light has accepted your oath, prepare to receive His gift."
Oscar turned around to face the nobles in the Cathedral and made a round to scrutinize them. It seemed like only his mother and sister were immersed in the indescribable blessed moment. "Finish this up! These people appear as if they are just itching to swallow me whole." The youngster muttered quietly in his heart.
Alfa III walked up to the front of the stage joyfully. According to the rehearsal, after the pope announced the crowning of the youngster’s title, Alfa III was to place the golden crown that symbolized power onto Oscar. However, His Majesty regretted it immediately, for the Old pope seemed to have forgotten about such a thing.
"The people of God, let us be the witness be of this great moment, the ruler of Titan have just bestowed princely power onto this noble young lad, and power have been acknowledged by the God of Light himself!"
The pope took a dazzling golden crown embedded with diamonds and precious stones from the Imperial household’s chamberlain. Alfa III eagerly extended his hand but the pope turned his back and placed the crown onto Oscar’s head.
The chamberlains beside the Emperor turned pale with fright. They looked at each other in dismay. This was not within their prediction; the pope actually excluded Titan’s ruler from the coronation ceremony.
As compared to the flustered chamberlain, Alfa III could be considered furious beyond measure. He grinded his teeth, his eyes were huge and blazing with flames of rage. He knew that it was the pope’s way of demonstrating against him, but this had severely crushed his ego. He was itching to set the Roman Vatican on fire.
"The people of God, please greet this lad with the most respectable way possible! He has earned the Emperor’s trust and received the blessings of God. The twenty-seventh prince in the history of Titan is born!"
"His Imperial Highness Prince O’Neil Andrew Morisette! May the blessings of the God of Light be with you for all eternity!" As if everyone had agreed on it, the nobles of ages in the Cathedral once again voiced in unison. However, the only difference this time was that the youngster was wearing the golden crown, high and mighty, while everyone else was on their knees.
The coronation ceremony came to an end. Oscar suspected that he must have had the wrong impression when he saw Alfa III beaming. He knew that His Grand Eminence the Pope made a dire mistake at one of the most crucial points. If this old geezer did it on purpose, then the relationship between the Vatican and Titan’s Imperial Household deserved to be severed.
Alfa III felt somewhat better now. He just used his wits and His Majesty had decided not to wait for the pope to finish his nonsense. As soon as the nobles finished bowing, he pulled the little prince from the stage and walked down.
The pope evidently did not expect the man to once again take action. He shot daggers at Alfa III who was walking in front of him but it dissolved instantly. The pope, with assistance from one of the chamberlains, descended from the altar, his face lit by a kind smile.
Oscar had taken note that it was about forty meter long walkway from the altar to the door of the cathedral and that in the last thirty minutes, he and Alfa III had barely taken a few steps. Oscar did not know how many times he had kissed the hands of the ladies while the Emperor was already dazed by the number of times he had introduced the youngster to those nobles.
Despite the chaos of the scene, Oscar still felt oddly great. When Titan’s Emperor led him by the hand out to the Cathedral’s gates, Oscar felt the wild atmosphere once again reached its peak.
The youngster wore the golden crown, a symbol of the Titan prince. As compared to the Emperor, he was exceedingly young. The people could sense a new era was about to dawn.
Oscar waved at the jubilant crowd. As it should be, he did not forget to lag a few paces behind the Emperor. And just like this, there was a miraculous change in the scene. The Emperor could feel the change, for by the way he saw it, the citizens were cheering for him.
In actuality, no one really cared about these vague matters. "Long live His Majesty the Emperor!" The cheers resonated throughout the skies of Dulin Scott Cathedral. However, all this was enough for the not-so-very-vain Majesty and it kept him elated for the next few days.
The bells of the Dulin Scott Cathedral resounded. Its immense booming caused the birds resting on the eaves of the Cathedral to scatter away in all directions in fright. The cries of the people grew all the more stronger and even the nobles were influenced by the zealous atmosphere. They crowded around the Emperor and the prince and showered them with all kinds of flattery. Alfa III and Prince O’Neil’s encouragement to these nobles, who were eager to present themselves and to rise in the ladders of society, were enough to leave them exhilarated for a while.
In the midst of the carnival-like atmosphere, the Titan Emperor and His Imperial Highness the Prince, the youngest in the whole history of the Titan Empire, mounted the Imperial household’s vehicle. As soon as the attendant closed the wooden door, Oscar let out a huge breath of relief.
The carriage advanced forwards slowly and all sorts of cheers surrounded the whole procession.
The Emperor looked at the youngster and was inadvertently reminded of his younger self. He had taken part in huge Imperial households events such as this with pride and arrogance. He felt that this young lad before him did very well, especially during their coordination towards the end. The Emperor knew that if it were not for this youngster who purposely offered up his place, he would not have let the pope off so easily.
Thinking about this, the Emperor felt very gloomy. The pope’s act of giving away the golden crown personally was not altogether inexcusable, but this would mean that he stripped the Titan Emperor of his right in plain sight of the people.
Although not many would care much if the matter was made known, but Alfa III still managed to come to conclusion that would leave one disgusted, which was, the undeniable transformation of the coronation ceremony to a divine event by the pope. By convention, a King or Prince who acquired the crown from the hands of a pope, would receive protection from the God of Light and even the worldly legislation had no authority to trial them for their crimes.
Alfa III stared at the youngster beside him. He recalled that a few ministers from the Ministry of Justice had mentioned before that the youngster was deeply interconnected with some of the crime syndicates.
"Your Majesty, may I know what you are observing?" Oscar was already uncomfortable by the way the Emperor beside him stared at him. He felt as if the atmosphere outside the carriage might have been better.
The youngster’s question broke off the Emperor’s train of thought and Alfa III took a long time before he came up with something to say. His Majesty decided to play the role of a kind and wise middle-aged man.
"Haha! I was looking at your complexion, seems like it’s not bad, little chap!"
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. However, I am definitely not as fine as I appear to be. Honestly speaking, these damn clothes have made me develop a sweat rash. Another thing, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed this, but many appeared to have an interest in me and from the looks of it, they either want to slaughter me or devour me."
The Emperor laughed happily. As expected, this fellow was not simple. As for the rumors in Dulin regarding the youngster, Alfa III was very clear about them. He knew that the little prince’s situation was not as optimistic as it appeared on the surface.
"Yes. Do you know, Oscar? I am relieved that you are able to think this way. This comes to show that you have the requirements to stand firm in this exploitative city."
Oscar was very astonished at the Emperor’s pretext, but when he thought about it the other way around, he felt relieved. The Emperor did not intend to help him from the start. In fact, he did not intend to give him an actual power. Oscar felt that this was not something bad because according to his plans for himself, there were still a lot of things he had to do before he truly advanced into adulthood.
The youngster started to despise the Emperor who was in front of him. Speaking of exploitation, this man was undeniably the one who surpassed all throughout the entire Empire.
"You are saying that I still have a long way to go. Once again, thank you for all your care for my family and I. The house of Andrew will show utmost loyalty and devotion to the house of Morisette to the very end."
"You silly lad, these things are no longer suited for you to say. Do not forget, you too are a member of the Morisette family and an indispensable one, at that," Although his lips said these, but Alfa III’s heart was starting to writhe deep down inside. He felt as if the youngster was trying to imply something by saying those things, but come to think about it again it did not seem like it.
"Oh, that’s right! Your Majesty, would it be okay to invite Her Imperial Highness Princess Alanis to the wine reception that mother organized?"
The Emperor narrowed his eyes vigilantly. The trouble the two youngsters caused previously was still fresh in his mind but as a father, he had no excuse to stop them. Moreover, a voice inside him was screaming that this was the best way to bring them together.
The Emperor gave him a harmless smile and said, "Young lad, you seem to visit Westberg Fort a lot these days. Why did you not personally invite my daughter?"
Oscar was a little embarrassed. The Princess had actually already agreed but the youngster acted in front of the Emperor and stupidly rubbed his nose. "Uhh... I just wanted to get your permission first."
Alfa III gave a hearty laugh for he finally experienced the youngster’s adorable side. There was not much difference between him and the other young lads who were pursuing his daughter. "Haha, you’ve got it! Alanis has more guts than you and already brought up this matter to me yesterday while you, on the other hand, thought that you could keep this from me."
For the first time, Oscar felt deeply ashamed. He knew that he was being very irrational but dating a princess should be like this. Anyway, he knew that the Emperor would not bother him about this matter.
Embarrassed, Oscar broke into a laugh together with the Emperor and the atmosphere in the carriage became very friendly.
"Did you know? My State of Secretary was just arrested," The Emperor had an abrupt change towards the end of his laughter. Oscar was taken aback for he was not prepared to handle such a statement.
The Emperor was very pleased with Oscar’s reaction for Oscar probably did not know about these things. However, someone had secretly reported to him about the youngster’s suspicious actions.
Oscar did not know that his momentary astonishment had earned him the Emperor’s trust as he had overestimated his steadiness. The Emperor thought that if the youngster could manage to look so stunned, it was unlikely that for him to be a suspect in framing the State of Secretary. Furthermore, the facts for the State of Secretary’s crimes were very clear and it seemed that the possibility of being framed could be excluded.
O’Neil Andrew Morisette gulped down a breath of air. For the first time, he felt that it was not that easy to deal with His Majesty.
"Uhhh... I heard that the Brickfield family’s investment at Deiss fell through a while back, was it that serious that the State of Secretary had to be arrested?" Oscar said carefully. He knew that he could not make a single mistake with his words for he already had a taste of just how bright His Majesty was.
"Hehe, that’s right! Financial dispute, Haha! The big guys in the State of Council and the Ministry of Finance gave everything they had and engaged in a bawl at the office. The whole Westland already heard about it. Don’t tell me you think I should not have taken action against this culprit!"
Oscar clearly understood what the Emperor was trying to imply through his words. The youngster finally knew just how risky his previous actions were. This Emperor was not a simple man and he had always taken him lightly.
"What’s wrong? Are you not happy to hear this news? I remember that he was the one who got you into Damorga prison," The Emperor did not want to let Oscar off so easily.
Oscar spat in his heart. How could the State of Secretary be the one who got him sent to Damorga? It was this Emperor who had no sense of shame! "Uhhh... How should I put it, Your Majesty? I never had any good opinions of Robinson Brickfield, but perhaps you should take into account the stability of the Empire."
The Emperor crossed his eyes and looked at the youngster beside him and his smile faded away. "The Empire’s stability is none of your concern! Moreover, I have a person in mind that is more qualified than Robs as the Secretary of State. Oh, and you actually know this man, the old man who always plays chess with you, Duke Kachev Drakas Ferdinand. I heard that you are well matched with him when it comes to chess. I dare say, Your Imperial Highness Prince, that you are indeed not a simple man!"
Oscar was already drenched in cold sweat. Under Alfa III’s playful gaze, the youngster suddenly thought of the words that old man Kachev had said, "All kings are strange creatures, when you least expect it, they will checkmate you."
Next Episode Preview:
The Emperor did not take any actions towards the little Prince as he already had a solid plan in mind. Through a complicated process, His Imperial Highness the Prince managed to resolve issues in the capital. Her Imperial Highness Princess Alanis did not want to let off our hero; she did not sneak out of Dulin, and blended in with the little prince’s procession that was returning home. When the prince got back home, he will be met with the largest armed force in Westland and his huge family who have not left a profound impression on him.
18 May 791 on Titan Empire’s divine Church’s calendar. This was a Saturday. At the break of dawn, the citizens from all over Dulin were seen gathering in front of the Dulin Scott Cathedral’s arched door.
The masses did not hurry to attend service. Although the supreme His Grand Eminence the Pope would be praying on behalf of the Titan’s subjects today, that was not the highlight of the day. Compared to the coronation ceremony of His Imperial Highness Prince O’Neil Andrew Morisette, everything else paled in comparison.
This coronation ceremony was of utmost importance to Titan’s Imperial Household. The Imperial household’s secretariat invited the diplomats of practically all countries in the Westland to witness the ceremony under the name of the Titan Emperor. The organizers of the ceremony even made an exception for the ordinary people to enjoy these ceremonies and they were allowed to watch something out of this world by the doors of the Cathedral.
The Dulin Scott Cathedral was bathed in the brilliant swirling rays of the morning sun. This cathedral has a six hundred year history and was one of the most ancient buildings in this famous historical city of Dulin. The consistent remodeling added a historical essence to the beautiful modern religious building. Although some experts criticized that the mix of different centuries left it unoriginal, but the ordinary people did not think that way when they saw the vast building. Being the lowest of Titan’s social class, they would put on their new clothes and kneel on both sides of the pavement in front of the cathedral throughout the day, as even before the God of Light, they were not allowed inside the cathedral.
The capital’s defending cavalry division put on their ceremonial clothes. The tall woolen hats of the knights and the brand new dazzling swords made them appear formidable. However, in the blistering weather of May, their attire was enough to leave the crowd snickering at them.
The cathedral was situated in the East of Dulin city. Since the rise of the city swallowed up its public square, the intersection between Morton Street and Salzburg Street appeared slightly cramped. However, that could not hide an enormous building that took up huge acres of land.
The arched door at the mouth of the street that originally had a painting of the God of Light bringing suffering into Heaven was replaced by a symbol of Titan’s Imperial household – A family totem that had warriors and fairies engraved on it.
Upon entering the arched doors, one would see the Dulin Scott Cathedral’s main building. The cathedral’s roof was supported firmly by thirteen white stone columns that were nineteen meters tall. Almost all the carvings on the stone walls told religious stories, and since the Morisette house was a symbol of Titan, the story of the Emperor’s founding of the Empire was also included. Needless to say, if you did not carefully appreciate the value of this carved artwork, a brief glance would make you feel that it was a chaotic mess.
The pavement that led up to the cathedral was filled with fresh flowers. These fresh flowers were gathered from around the suburbs of Dulin by the Imperial household’s secretariat. According to the religious legislation, flags and decorations that held a secular meaning were not allowed to be set up on the cathedral building. Therefore, the organizers of the ceremony could only put up more articles along the pavement.
The knights set up police cordons along Morton and Salzburg Street and the citizens joyously stood behind it. During a hot summer’s day with no other celebration whatsoever, there was nothing else that could bring more excitement to the people than attending the imperial household’s event. Several years later, those lowly people who had nothing better to do could boast that they had the honor of being a part of the Morisette Prince’s coronation ceremony over the dining table or in a tavern.
Prince O’Neil had an obviously sleep-deprived look. His mind was not completely awake. He had already forgotten which lady he had a crazy brawl with last night. Now, he could only recall that today seemed to be an immensely important day for him.
The little fatty allowed the handmaidens and court attendants to casually fiddle with his attire. When he realized that the freak in the mirror was him, the youngster was appalled.
"Whose idea is this?" The youngster asked with anger. He was the prince, not some performing clown by the road!
"This, Your Imperial Highness Prince, is your official attire. I dare say, any noble in the Westland would be struck with envy by this glorious display," The tailor was naturally very satisfied with his work.
Oscar did not mind for he actually did not have much sense in that aspect. Being a noble, he still did not know what the cordon and medals on his body signified. In fact, it was just as the tailor had said, every stitch of His Imperial Highness Prince’s attire symbolized power and status and as for the ordinary folks, even if they were to struggle all their lives, they would not be able to even obtain the collars of his clothes.
After a hectic morning, at ten, His Imperial Highness the Prince finally had everything prepared in order and appeared at the gates of the official residence dressed in his bulky and heavy attire. The Narcissus Knights who had been waiting earlier on promptly performed the highest noble etiquette to His Imperial highness. However, the warhorses seemed to have taken an interest in the little clown and one of the daring horses took a nibble at him.
His Imperial Highness the Prince rode in a carriage of the finest workmanship of the house of Andrew that appeared on schedule at the junction between Penelope Avenue and the Road of Kings. There a clergy procession and a cavalry regiment awaited his Imperial Highness.
The cavalry regiment divided into two groups. Five hundred cavalrymen were opening the roads up ahead, followed by the clergy procession from Titan’s Church of light. The clergies had a chanting book in hand. Do not underestimate this small group of sixty-people, for they could produce an overwhelming sound when they sang and chanted together.
50 higher-order Narcissus Knights surrounded and protected both sides of His Imperial Highness’ carriage. They had on their ancient armors. The inner sides of the armor’s red capes emitted a burning radiance and only those who really understood the Narcissus knights would know that the glowing color was the result of the armor’s baptism of blood.
The procession’s last five hundred cavalrymen played the most detested role, for the crowd’s excitement had already died down by the time they passed through.
After some simple reorganization, His Imperial Highness the Prince’s procession set off. The Road of Kings was already blocked off so the procession did not encounter any problems in the beginning. When they came out of the Road of Kings, the crowd that had already waited for ages burst into enthusiastic cheers.
The cavalrymen slowly advanced forward, leading the procession to their destination. This group was experienced in being the ceremonial weaponry squadron to the Imperial household’s celebrations. They were efficient in terms of controlling the speed, allowing the citizens to cheer to their heart’s content, and the flower petals that filled the sky to settle onto their bodies.
The people of Titan were undoubtedly adorable. Although they did not have a good impression of the ruling class, they worshipped a true hero and the house of Andrew, being "The Shield of the God of Light", fulfilled that image. They would only cheer and throw fresh flowers at those who truly contributed. So when Oscar opened the window of his carriage, he was once again made speechless by the warm welcome of the citizens of Dulin.
The youngster waved to the people through the window and was greeted by wave after wave of cheers and countless flying kisses from the young ladies. The tall and proud Raytheon stallions knew that it was the best time for them to shine so they walked with pride and neighed every once in awhile. Some people even placed a garland around their neck and surprisingly they did not object.
The skies of Dulin were filled with jubilation. The streets were packed with citizens and among them were even farmers who came all the way from the countryside. The little prince poked his head out of the carriage window and colorful flower petals floated down from the nearby building, with cheers ringing out from every floor. The little prince felt as if his heart was about to be ripped apart by the wild crowd.
The prince closed the carriage window. These enthusiastic citizens were very pitiful for there were things that they would never understand, just like what his rise to power signified.
As it came closer to the hour, the nobles who had been waiting at the cathedral surged towards the arched door. According to custom, as the Emperor, Alfa III was to lead the prince and thus was naturally up in front. This was indeed a role that befits him as the pavement led up to the road that was closest to the peak of power.
The prince’s carriage came to a halt in front of the arched door, but Oscar did not hurry to disembark because there were still many protocols that had to be performed.
A platform was set up beneath the arched door and standing on it were practically all the upper class nobles in Titan’s Dulin. Although Alfa III hoped to look young and energetic, his condition was not very favorable as he could not get a peaceful sleep for the past few days.
The Emperor signaled the chamberlain beside him and he bellowed loudly to halt the noise coming from the streets.
"Here... Here! The only son of Mica Alfa Morisette, fourth son of Dortmund Andrew Nedgabel, O’Neil Andrew Morisette has arrived..."
As soon as the chamberlain finished speaking, the whole earth resonated with the sound of the Imperial guard’s trumpet. The Narcissus knights arranged into two rows in front of the carriage. When the carriage door opened, all the nobles bowed. They no longer had the power to simply stare at the teenager, for his status had taken a huge turn at the cathedral.
Oscar dismounted the carriage in high spirits. When his feet fell onto the pile of fresh flowers he could not help but let off a soft sigh. The biggest turning point in his life will take place here.
***************
"Dear brother, are you sure you won’t appease the crowd?"
"Carter, how many times do I have to repeat myself?" Robinson Brickfield eyed his younger brother lazily. "Do you expect me to pretend to sincerely congratulate them? Is there something wrong with your brain?"
"But it seems as if we are the only ones in the whole of Dulin who aren’t doing anything and this may make it appear that we are somewhat passive," Carter simply offered his views when in actual fact; he was not warm to the idea himself. He knew that his brother would never appear at the coronation ceremony.
"What is there to show? Send a group of assassins to perform?" Robinson Brickfield said angrily.
"Haha, you already knew?" Carter was a little embarrassed.
"Do not think that I am stupid, did you really think that it is that easy to deal with that bug? And you actually chose the most sensitive juncture to provoke him! Do you know what a silly mistake you just made?" Robinson could barely tolerate his brother anymore.
"I’m sorry brother, I just thought that that was the best way to save energy and time, but who knew that the chap was really not that simple." Carter did not think that it was an issue as only a few of the assassins were lost. He did not leave a single trail when dealing with those killers.
"Hah, did you only know now? You better swear to me because I will only put up with matters like this once."
"Okay! Okay! I promise you, is that still not enough?"
The conversation of the two brothers was broken off by an urgent knock at the door. The secretary of the Secretary of State dashed into the room helter-skelter and stutteringly recounted the impossible while Robinson listened on, completely stunned.
"S...Sss...Sir! I large group of cavalry have assembled outside the official residence. Their Chief would like to see you, he said... he said that they are here to see to the arrest order."
"Major, you should know who you are speaking to. So you better explain to me what this is all about," Robinson did not bother to hide his rage. He was The Secretary of State of Titan and he did not expect a little officer who could only serve on sentry duty to be able to barge through the gates of his house.
"Your distinguished self, when I show you the arrest order, you will no longer be the Empire’s Secretary of State," The major’s tone was as cold as ice. He found out about some of this noble man’s crimes and being a soldier, there was nothing that pissed him off more than betraying one’s own nation.
Robinson snatched up the sheet of official document and his hand trembled. His brother seemed to have sensed something wrong and was already retreating slowly towards the door.
It was an arrest order signed by the Emperor, the Justice Ministers and the Ministry of Senior Nobility, signifying that the document had a tremendous implication. Robinson vaguely suspected a conspiracy after seeing the crime for which he was charged with and the unbelievable matters described in the file.
"Is this a joke? Major, have you taken the wrong documents? Are you sure you can handle the responsibility for wrongly arresting me?" Robinson howled. He hurled the documents filled with nonsense in the Major’s face.
The Major’s rage flashed by and he had the sudden impulse to unsheathe his sword, but going back to his duty, he felt that it would be better if this bastard were to be paraded through the streets instead.
"I apologise, but I have received the direct order from His Majesty the Emperor. If you have any queries, I suggest you leave them for prison. I’m sure the judge would happily hear you out," As soon as the Major finished speaking, he stepped aside. His voice resumed its icy cold nature. "Don’t just stand there! Carry out your orders!"
The furious State of Secretary bellowed with rage, swore and cursed, but his resistance was futile against the ruthless knights. These soldiers messily bounded him tightly. From their enthusiasm, they were obviously enjoying themselves, as binding such an honorable man was not something they ever dreamed of being able to do.
Robinson’s screams stopped not long after when a filthy cloth was stuffed into his mouth. He saw the others who were tied up were his younger brother, his son, his secretary and his butler. His vision clouded up and tears started rolling down to the ground. The Emperor’s joke was just too much.
The State of Secretary was treated like a pig being squeezed into the prisoner vehicle they usually used to detain criminals. When the iron doors were locked, he saw the soldiers beating his son who apparently was reluctant to leave his home, but everything he did was futile. Robinson howled with rage, but the carriage set off not long after that. His official residence had become hell. He did not know what had become of this world.
***************
"Oh great God of Light! Great Titan! God has cast eternal glory to the world so that we could have never-ending light, harmony and peace." His Grand Eminence Radreire VI’s booming voice continued to reverberate throughout the Dulin Scott Cathedral.
"Oh great God of Light! It is you who brings eternal prosperity and wealth to Titan! It is you who grant wisdom and farsightedness to the glorious Imperial Morisette surname."
"Honor will forever run in the veins of the Imperial Morisette surname, fairness will be the symbol of power of the Imperial Morisette surname. The gods have granted us the capabilities to differentiate good and evil, the gods have granted us prestige and authority within the world. Thank you all mighty God of Light."
"Thank you all mighty God of Light!" Countless voices were heard echoing the Pope’s prayer.
O’Neil Andrew Morisette had nothing to do at that moment. Alfa III was standing in front of him and he really appreciated the care from His Majesty. Otherwise, he would have to face the gaze of thousand of eyes alone and the youngster felt that he would rather die on the spot and let it be.
The cathedral was a typical Church of Light. The tall ceilings were inlaid with four huge murals while the multi-colored dome shaped, glass skylight emitted a dazzling radiance. The seats in the hall were filled with nobles. Being able to stand there not only symbolized their status but also their lauded honor.
The nobles appeared pious. They prayed in the hall in loud voices; they prayed that the God of Light would allow their future generations to bask in glory and splendor, and also prayed that a gold bar or even several gold bars to appear in their territories.
Oscar found all this a little amusing. He could not understand why those chubby nobles who were dressed in splendor would even bother coming here. He decided that he should question them about it if given the chance.
Just when this youngster was letting his imagination run wild, the pope’s prayer entered the last segment. The people bowed before the huge statue of the God of Light in succession and Oscar followed His Majesty and bent down.
"O’Neil Andrew Morisette!"
If Alfa III had not suddenly made way, perhaps the little fatty would not have heard the old pope calling out to him. We should however forgive the youngster for his disrespect to the pope because during their first encounter the youngster only had one opinion about the man closest to God, that was – "Old Geezer".
The youngster suppressed his disrespect and humbly walked to stand before His Grand Eminence the pope.
"Young man, how do you feel about the responsibility and duty you are about to undertake?" His Grand Eminence the pope had a good feeling towards the chubby little boy for he could not sense any ostentatious air about him and this quality made him superior over the other nobles.
"My Grand Eminence Pope, I will treat it as if it were my entire life." Just like in the rehearsals, Oscar followed the pre-prepared script.
The pope flashed a fatherly smile and lightly placed the scepter onto Oscar’s shoulder and Oscar followed by kneeling down onto one knee at the pope’s feet. The old man looked around at the nobles who were waiting anxiously, and said: "So do you swear before God that you would forever protect this favored nation of the God?"
"So do you swear before God that you would forever protect this favored nation of the God?" The people in the Cathedral chanted after the pope’s words.
"I swear before God, until the last drop of blood is shed, I, O’Neil Andrew Morisette will guard this nation with my life," For the first time, the youngster realized that his voice was actually quite grand and felt immensely pleased when he heard it echo.
"Then, will you swear before God that you will forever protect and love your people?" Just as the pope finished, the cathedral resonated with the echo of the crowd.
"Then, will you swear before God that you will forever protect and love your people?"
"I swear before God, that even if I suffer betrayal, I, O’Neil Andrew Morisette, by the Mercy of God, will protect my people."
"Then will you swear before God that your sword will forever be aimed towards the enemies of God and always be ready to go into battle for Him?"
"I swear before God, even if I am the last man standing for Him, I will not hesitate to charge on ahead."
Upon receiving the answer, His Grand Eminence the Pope tapped the scepter lightly on both his left and right shoulders then took the Holy water from the bishop by his side. The fragrance of the Holy water wafted through the air and formed a beautiful arc. When Oscar lifted his head, he felt tiny little clouds drifting around him.
"Child, the God of Light has accepted your oath, prepare to receive His gift."
Oscar turned around to face the nobles in the Cathedral and made a round to scrutinize them. It seemed like only his mother and sister were immersed in the indescribable blessed moment. "Finish this up! These people appear as if they are just itching to swallow me whole." The youngster muttered quietly in his heart.
Alfa III walked up to the front of the stage joyfully. According to the rehearsal, after the pope announced the crowning of the youngster’s title, Alfa III was to place the golden crown that symbolized power onto Oscar. However, His Majesty regretted it immediately, for the Old pope seemed to have forgotten about such a thing.
"The people of God, let us be the witness be of this great moment, the ruler of Titan have just bestowed princely power onto this noble young lad, and power have been acknowledged by the God of Light himself!"
The pope took a dazzling golden crown embedded with diamonds and precious stones from the Imperial household’s chamberlain. Alfa III eagerly extended his hand but the pope turned his back and placed the crown onto Oscar’s head.
The chamberlains beside the Emperor turned pale with fright. They looked at each other in dismay. This was not within their prediction; the pope actually excluded Titan’s ruler from the coronation ceremony.
As compared to the flustered chamberlain, Alfa III could be considered furious beyond measure. He grinded his teeth, his eyes were huge and blazing with flames of rage. He knew that it was the pope’s way of demonstrating against him, but this had severely crushed his ego. He was itching to set the Roman Vatican on fire.
"The people of God, please greet this lad with the most respectable way possible! He has earned the Emperor’s trust and received the blessings of God. The twenty-seventh prince in the history of Titan is born!"
"His Imperial Highness Prince O’Neil Andrew Morisette! May the blessings of the God of Light be with you for all eternity!" As if everyone had agreed on it, the nobles of ages in the Cathedral once again voiced in unison. However, the only difference this time was that the youngster was wearing the golden crown, high and mighty, while everyone else was on their knees.
The coronation ceremony came to an end. Oscar suspected that he must have had the wrong impression when he saw Alfa III beaming. He knew that His Grand Eminence the Pope made a dire mistake at one of the most crucial points. If this old geezer did it on purpose, then the relationship between the Vatican and Titan’s Imperial Household deserved to be severed.
Alfa III felt somewhat better now. He just used his wits and His Majesty had decided not to wait for the pope to finish his nonsense. As soon as the nobles finished bowing, he pulled the little prince from the stage and walked down.
The pope evidently did not expect the man to once again take action. He shot daggers at Alfa III who was walking in front of him but it dissolved instantly. The pope, with assistance from one of the chamberlains, descended from the altar, his face lit by a kind smile.
Oscar had taken note that it was about forty meter long walkway from the altar to the door of the cathedral and that in the last thirty minutes, he and Alfa III had barely taken a few steps. Oscar did not know how many times he had kissed the hands of the ladies while the Emperor was already dazed by the number of times he had introduced the youngster to those nobles.
Despite the chaos of the scene, Oscar still felt oddly great. When Titan’s Emperor led him by the hand out to the Cathedral’s gates, Oscar felt the wild atmosphere once again reached its peak.
The youngster wore the golden crown, a symbol of the Titan prince. As compared to the Emperor, he was exceedingly young. The people could sense a new era was about to dawn.
Oscar waved at the jubilant crowd. As it should be, he did not forget to lag a few paces behind the Emperor. And just like this, there was a miraculous change in the scene. The Emperor could feel the change, for by the way he saw it, the citizens were cheering for him.
In actuality, no one really cared about these vague matters. "Long live His Majesty the Emperor!" The cheers resonated throughout the skies of Dulin Scott Cathedral. However, all this was enough for the not-so-very-vain Majesty and it kept him elated for the next few days.
The bells of the Dulin Scott Cathedral resounded. Its immense booming caused the birds resting on the eaves of the Cathedral to scatter away in all directions in fright. The cries of the people grew all the more stronger and even the nobles were influenced by the zealous atmosphere. They crowded around the Emperor and the prince and showered them with all kinds of flattery. Alfa III and Prince O’Neil’s encouragement to these nobles, who were eager to present themselves and to rise in the ladders of society, were enough to leave them exhilarated for a while.
In the midst of the carnival-like atmosphere, the Titan Emperor and His Imperial Highness the Prince, the youngest in the whole history of the Titan Empire, mounted the Imperial household’s vehicle. As soon as the attendant closed the wooden door, Oscar let out a huge breath of relief.
The carriage advanced forwards slowly and all sorts of cheers surrounded the whole procession.
The Emperor looked at the youngster and was inadvertently reminded of his younger self. He had taken part in huge Imperial households events such as this with pride and arrogance. He felt that this young lad before him did very well, especially during their coordination towards the end. The Emperor knew that if it were not for this youngster who purposely offered up his place, he would not have let the pope off so easily.
Thinking about this, the Emperor felt very gloomy. The pope’s act of giving away the golden crown personally was not altogether inexcusable, but this would mean that he stripped the Titan Emperor of his right in plain sight of the people.
Although not many would care much if the matter was made known, but Alfa III still managed to come to conclusion that would leave one disgusted, which was, the undeniable transformation of the coronation ceremony to a divine event by the pope. By convention, a King or Prince who acquired the crown from the hands of a pope, would receive protection from the God of Light and even the worldly legislation had no authority to trial them for their crimes.
Alfa III stared at the youngster beside him. He recalled that a few ministers from the Ministry of Justice had mentioned before that the youngster was deeply interconnected with some of the crime syndicates.
"Your Majesty, may I know what you are observing?" Oscar was already uncomfortable by the way the Emperor beside him stared at him. He felt as if the atmosphere outside the carriage might have been better.
The youngster’s question broke off the Emperor’s train of thought and Alfa III took a long time before he came up with something to say. His Majesty decided to play the role of a kind and wise middle-aged man.
"Haha! I was looking at your complexion, seems like it’s not bad, little chap!"
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. However, I am definitely not as fine as I appear to be. Honestly speaking, these damn clothes have made me develop a sweat rash. Another thing, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed this, but many appeared to have an interest in me and from the looks of it, they either want to slaughter me or devour me."
The Emperor laughed happily. As expected, this fellow was not simple. As for the rumors in Dulin regarding the youngster, Alfa III was very clear about them. He knew that the little prince’s situation was not as optimistic as it appeared on the surface.
"Yes. Do you know, Oscar? I am relieved that you are able to think this way. This comes to show that you have the requirements to stand firm in this exploitative city."
Oscar was very astonished at the Emperor’s pretext, but when he thought about it the other way around, he felt relieved. The Emperor did not intend to help him from the start. In fact, he did not intend to give him an actual power. Oscar felt that this was not something bad because according to his plans for himself, there were still a lot of things he had to do before he truly advanced into adulthood.
The youngster started to despise the Emperor who was in front of him. Speaking of exploitation, this man was undeniably the one who surpassed all throughout the entire Empire.
"You are saying that I still have a long way to go. Once again, thank you for all your care for my family and I. The house of Andrew will show utmost loyalty and devotion to the house of Morisette to the very end."
"You silly lad, these things are no longer suited for you to say. Do not forget, you too are a member of the Morisette family and an indispensable one, at that," Although his lips said these, but Alfa III’s heart was starting to writhe deep down inside. He felt as if the youngster was trying to imply something by saying those things, but come to think about it again it did not seem like it.
"Oh, that’s right! Your Majesty, would it be okay to invite Her Imperial Highness Princess Alanis to the wine reception that mother organized?"
The Emperor narrowed his eyes vigilantly. The trouble the two youngsters caused previously was still fresh in his mind but as a father, he had no excuse to stop them. Moreover, a voice inside him was screaming that this was the best way to bring them together.
The Emperor gave him a harmless smile and said, "Young lad, you seem to visit Westberg Fort a lot these days. Why did you not personally invite my daughter?"
Oscar was a little embarrassed. The Princess had actually already agreed but the youngster acted in front of the Emperor and stupidly rubbed his nose. "Uhh... I just wanted to get your permission first."
Alfa III gave a hearty laugh for he finally experienced the youngster’s adorable side. There was not much difference between him and the other young lads who were pursuing his daughter. "Haha, you’ve got it! Alanis has more guts than you and already brought up this matter to me yesterday while you, on the other hand, thought that you could keep this from me."
For the first time, Oscar felt deeply ashamed. He knew that he was being very irrational but dating a princess should be like this. Anyway, he knew that the Emperor would not bother him about this matter.
Embarrassed, Oscar broke into a laugh together with the Emperor and the atmosphere in the carriage became very friendly.
"Did you know? My State of Secretary was just arrested," The Emperor had an abrupt change towards the end of his laughter. Oscar was taken aback for he was not prepared to handle such a statement.
The Emperor was very pleased with Oscar’s reaction for Oscar probably did not know about these things. However, someone had secretly reported to him about the youngster’s suspicious actions.
Oscar did not know that his momentary astonishment had earned him the Emperor’s trust as he had overestimated his steadiness. The Emperor thought that if the youngster could manage to look so stunned, it was unlikely that for him to be a suspect in framing the State of Secretary. Furthermore, the facts for the State of Secretary’s crimes were very clear and it seemed that the possibility of being framed could be excluded.
O’Neil Andrew Morisette gulped down a breath of air. For the first time, he felt that it was not that easy to deal with His Majesty.
"Uhhh... I heard that the Brickfield family’s investment at Deiss fell through a while back, was it that serious that the State of Secretary had to be arrested?" Oscar said carefully. He knew that he could not make a single mistake with his words for he already had a taste of just how bright His Majesty was.
"Hehe, that’s right! Financial dispute, Haha! The big guys in the State of Council and the Ministry of Finance gave everything they had and engaged in a bawl at the office. The whole Westland already heard about it. Don’t tell me you think I should not have taken action against this culprit!"
Oscar clearly understood what the Emperor was trying to imply through his words. The youngster finally knew just how risky his previous actions were. This Emperor was not a simple man and he had always taken him lightly.
"What’s wrong? Are you not happy to hear this news? I remember that he was the one who got you into Damorga prison," The Emperor did not want to let Oscar off so easily.
Oscar spat in his heart. How could the State of Secretary be the one who got him sent to Damorga? It was this Emperor who had no sense of shame! "Uhhh... How should I put it, Your Majesty? I never had any good opinions of Robinson Brickfield, but perhaps you should take into account the stability of the Empire."
The Emperor crossed his eyes and looked at the youngster beside him and his smile faded away. "The Empire’s stability is none of your concern! Moreover, I have a person in mind that is more qualified than Robs as the Secretary of State. Oh, and you actually know this man, the old man who always plays chess with you, Duke Kachev Drakas Ferdinand. I heard that you are well matched with him when it comes to chess. I dare say, Your Imperial Highness Prince, that you are indeed not a simple man!"
Oscar was already drenched in cold sweat. Under Alfa III’s playful gaze, the youngster suddenly thought of the words that old man Kachev had said, "All kings are strange creatures, when you least expect it, they will checkmate you."
Next Episode Preview:
The Emperor did not take any actions towards the little Prince as he already had a solid plan in mind. Through a complicated process, His Imperial Highness the Prince managed to resolve issues in the capital. Her Imperial Highness Princess Alanis did not want to let off our hero; she did not sneak out of Dulin, and blended in with the little prince’s procession that was returning home. When the prince got back home, he will be met with the largest armed force in Westland and his huge family who have not left a profound impression on him.
