The countryside was indeed breathtaking! It was summer now. The wheat field was glistening yellow, the oats field lush green. Hay was stacked in piles on the colorful pasture. The storks with their red, long and spindly legs strolled by the pond in the field, jabbering on in a foreign language.
Around the field and pasture were a few huge forests. Within the forest, brooks of varying depth flowed. The sunlight only brazenly expanded at the fringe of the forest. The dazzling splendor caused the field of burdocks to float like the water plants within the continuously circulating light.
The brilliance gradually dimmed under the massive silhouette of Westberg Fort. The greenish grey stone wall connected with the green embankment. Stripped of the decorative sculptures that portrayed the style of the Imperial Household, the massive fort was like a scarecrow, standing tall in the field.
Over the week, the only successor of Titan Empire's Morisette Dynasty stayed put at Westberg. Despite everything outside the window being pleasing to the eye, Alanis Alfa Morisette still did not get by easily - the Imperial Secretariat philosophies and customs had delivered the respected Princess of the Empire to the dark, silent room. Placed in the room were a hideous bed, a dining table and a chair. It seemed that…only the Altar of God that was facing the window could express the extravagant presence of the Imperial Household.
The Altar of God was coated in golden paint. Forged from pure gold, the candleholders were arranged on either side of the porcelain image of the God of Light. The background was an oil painting of deities and creation. In front of the oil painting was a huge row of refractive boards smeared with golden powder. The candle flames never seemed to die out because people kept replacing its base.
Alanis knelt before the image of God, meditating. Actually…she had been doing so since the first two to three days. However, she soon lost her patience as time passed by! Although this period of meditation was a compulsory course for Titan's Empress before the coronation ceremony, for a charming, energetic, young married woman, this plain room, the food and drinks worse than that of the monks in acetic practice, and those clergies who kept peering at her by the door; all these annoyed Alanis beyond reason! She wanted to find a reason to go mad and she even planned for those steps. Firstly, she would destroy all the religious facilities and then send all the clergies that served the Imperial Household to the guillotine…
What is that wretched Oscar doing? Alanis thought. Why hasn't he come rescue me? I feel like I'm about to die! Alanis prayed.
According to custom, or perhaps…gah, whatever! In short, it was an extremely old thing that was kept by Titan's Imperial Household for the past few hundred years. The Imperial Secretariat distributed the coronation announcement to various major monarchies. At that time, the Imperial Guards were still at war with the Anti-Titan Alliance. Of course, the Imperial Guards had won now.
The Western Kingdoms scrambled to be the first to reply this announcement.
There was not a need to bother about the onions of the lower class. The coronation of the Titan Empress was the internal affairs of this great Empire. Aside from Alanis and her husband, it did not have anything to do with anyone else…oh, that's right, except for one - Pope Radriere VI!
His Grand Eminence Pope Radriere VI's journey had been carefully thought over. This was because the coronation of the new Empress can only enter the actual phase of commencement after His Grand Eminence Pope arrived in Dulin. The pope was the most respected in the world of divine rights…let's just say that he was a terminally ill old man and be done with it! Only he could decide whether the gods would give the Emperor gown to a worldling, but just look at him! Scarlet red age spots, wretched yellow eyes, skin like dead fish scales…ooh la la! Princess Alanis had to muster all her courage before she dared to kiss him.
Forget it! It is no big deal being a little more humble and kneel for him, the Princess thought. Right at that moment, Marquise Cameron Wesarcia barged through the doors.
"Niz, get up quick. He's here. All this has at long last come to an end!"
Delight was etched all over Her Imperial Highness Princess' face. Both her hands were placed on the ground. She had to stick up her bottom before she could completely stand up.
"Oh heavens!" Alanis rubbed her knees. "This is truly the good news of the God of Light! Where is my Oscar?"
Marquise Cameron Wesarcia laughed until she was swaying back and forth. When she laughed, the corner of her eyes showed a few fine, shallow lines. The "Sun of the Empire" who had once been was no longer young anymore, but Cameron was still high-spirited. Moreover, her figure and appearance had not been tortured by the passage of time until they were eyesores. On the contrary, the Marquise of the Wesarcia Family was still the most moving rose of Dulin's upper class.
"What's up? It's not Oscar?"
The Marquise held onto the arm of the Empire's Crown Princess and used her finger to jab at the princess' forehead.
"Young lady, I think you've gone mad thinking about your man! If an Italian who is stooped and bow-legged came, will you be displeased?"
Alanis gave her head a strong exaggerated slap, "His Grand Eminence Pope! This old fart has finally come!"
Cameron promptly covered the Crown Princess' mouth. "Oh gosh, young lady! You should thank that old fart. If he were to delay a few more days on the road, then you will have to suffer a few more days too."
Alanis gathered her hair up excitedly. The pope had arrived. This signified that she could become Titan Empire's Majesty Empress in a few days or perhaps a few weeks later!
"So…what should I do now?"
"Take a bath, Your Majesty! The girls have prepared it for you!"
Westberg Fort originally had two spacious skylight studios. However, in history, there was a Titan Emperor who detested portraits and so converted one of the studios in the fort into a huge public bath!
A huge public bath! Describing it this way was not the least bit outrageous. At first glance, clouds of steam rolled within the room. When the steam encountered the cold air at the door, the pure white mist would suddenly disperse like clouds and reveal a jade pool that stretched on forever.
The design of the public bath was absolutely similar to the hot spring in Serevan Palace of Vielonna. It seemed that both were built under the supervision of the same Emperor. On a sunny day, sunlight would spill in through the rows of wide-open skylights, illuminating the mist and surface of the water. The court attendants arranged cushions and all sorts of broad-leaved ornamental plants. A rockery stone with plants on it stood within the public bath. On the rockery that was slightly jutting out from the surface of the water, two honored and glorified, soldierly golden lions crouched. The lions' mouths were wide open and spurted flowing, steaming water into the pool.
Alanis came to a halt at the door. The maids on either side of the palace doors helped her to remove the feathered muslin draped over her. The Princess of the Empire revealed a plump, solid thigh and half of a towering breast. The Crown Princess tightened the bath towel around her body, and greeted the female companions in the room with a smile.
These ladies were from prominent, noble families and were the princess' friends. They were young and noisy! Although some had already married and become a Madam, they still enjoyed fooling around as before.
A pale-faced girl suddenly scuttled over. It seemed that she had already been in the bathroom for some time. She placed a garland around Alanis and then made a huge show of kneeling down.
"Long live Her Majesty Empress!"
Alanis was at a loss of what to do and could only smile bashfully.
The young ladies and madams in the bathroom crowded over. One after another, they saluted Her Highness Princess and kept crying, "Your Majesty Empress".
"Don't be like this, everyone! Please, you guys!" Alanis shook her head helplessly and sighed.
"What is there to this? You're our Empress, the Empress of the Empire!"
"Yes, yes! We're merely practicing!" All the women went along with it.
"Okay, okay! Suit yourselves! Address me however you please!" The Princess of the Empire could only oblige. However, truth be told, one could tell that Alanis' beaming face was full of self-confidence and reserved pride. She was extremely satisfied with the show before her and was completely basking in it.
The female companions who were in high spirits escorted the Princess to the edge of the pond. After obtaining permission from the Princess, they removed the bath towel over her body. Seeing Alanis' naked body in which even women would want to take in a few more times, the madams and young ladies on the scene offer up compliments that were just right. A bold girl even stealthily grabbed at the Princess' breast. As a result, both she and Alanis exclaimed with a "wow"!
Alanis dipped into the public bath and said to the women, smiling, "what's up with our Marquise Boude? Don't tell me that only women are able to move her?"
Marquise Boude glanced at her hands and then at the Her Highness Princess' chest. "My goodness, they are indeed solid!"
The surrounding women burst into raucous laughter. They gently mocked Lado Boude whose body seemed underdeveloped.
"Please don't offend our elf!" Alanis actually came to the aid of the girl who had grabbed at her breast without permission. "I'm saying that...the head of the Secret Service Department is her godfather. If she reports it to Count Rudolf Hoss, I reckon you all won't be able to live out your days well! "
"By all means, please don't say that!" Marquise Lado Boude hurriedly waved her hands. Her voice then fell to a whisper, "I've always been suspecting that...my godfather, Count Rudolf Hoss, may have been trying to win my heart all this while."
The women laughed even more loudly. Alanis even laughed until she was rocking back and forth.
"Forget it, you! By what grounds?" the Princess of the Empire said while lifting the skirts of the Marquise. The surrounding women all came to give a hand. They planned to strip the shrieking Marquise down to her glorious body and then carefully study by what grounds the girl who boasted so shamelessly would think that Rudolf Hoss liked her.
Finally, Marquise Cameron Wesarcia shouted for them to stop. The women immediately released poor Lady Lado and each retreated to a corner. Some were eating the fruits, some continued on the discussion about the Head of the Secret Service Department, Count Rudolf Hoss' sexual preference.
Having witnessed such a scene, probably everyone had started to suspect; why would this Countess who was at the prime of her life, have such influence?
Perhaps Cameron's individual charm was indeed of an upper level, but before this, those familiar with the capital noble circle had never heard of her name. It had to be explained beginning from her husband, Marquis Jevonah Wesarcia.
Jevonah had once been a young diplomat who worked in the Titan Empire's embassy stationed in Engels. The young Marquis was quite fascinated by the Engels' adventurous spirit. He abandoned his work, climbed onto an ocean vessel and started on an overseas journey that lasted five years. Even more outrageously, he brought his wife with him, the only female on the ocean vessel's crew - Cameron, whose beauty paralleled to that of a flower.
It was said that after the crew left Engels' harbor, they were lost at sea for some period of time. Sometimes it was up to seven to eight months before news of them were heard. However, in the end, no messages were received as the exploration crew disappeared for two years long! Just when His Majesty King of Engels intended to hold a state funeral for the crew's entourage, the missing crew suddenly appeared. They detoured over the most southern part of Feru's Mainland, then following the coastline they continued to advance. After many days' journey, they arrived at the East Coast known to the Westlanders as, Indija.
The crew's only surviving, huge sailboat was fully loaded with spice, silk and all sorts of ineffable luxury goods. When they arrived at Engel's Bay, Engel's capital was thronged with people. Everyone hurried up to greet the new expedition heroes. However, the thing that amazed the people was that the one leading the crew in their victorious return was not the captain of the Engels but a handsome Titan diplomat and his young, gorgeous wife!
Hence, overnight, Count Jevonah Wesarcia and his wife's endeavor had spread throughout numerous coastal countries. Ordinary people tried to embellish the riches that the couple brought back from the east while the noble class cared more about the voyage log. This voyage log was the true priceless treasure. This was because it recorded all details of the stretch that led from the western ocean to the eastern ocean. Obtaining this voyage log was equal to obtaining the priority to carry out trades with the Indija Empire. To any coastal countries, this signified unfathomable wealth.
Taking it for granted, the return of the couple naturally provided the Kingdom of Engels with a city of opportunities. The King of Engels personally went to the docks to greet this pair of desperado adventurers, but the incredulous thing was that this couple bizarrely went missing in the court ball afterwards.
A month ago, when smoke from the defensive war still filled the air, two strangers arrived in Dulin City. They were the Wesarcia couple who had fled from Engels. They had an audience with the Empire's heir apparent to the throne and handed over the voyage log that symbolized wealth and plundering to the ruler of Holy Titan.
At last, the Marquis couple's adventurous and patriotic spirit deeply moved the crown princess of the Empire. Her Imperial Highness Princess Alanis Alfa Morisette conferred Marquis Wesarcia with the Empire's warrior medal and a 200 hectare Imperial Household fief. Then, after using her good looks and speech to subdue the whole of Dulin, she took the Marquise Wesarcia couple into court. After that, Cameron became closer and closer to the Empire's Crown Princess. By the time news of victorious war had spread to the capital, the Marquise's authority had already reached a stage that was almost as high as the Imperial Household Palace Chief.
"So… coming from the point of view of the Imperial Household, I have to advise you to…" Cameron said while lifting up the princess' wet hair. She then rubbed honey locust and pearl powder onto the princess' back and buttocks.
"It's best if you conceive as soon as possible. This way, the Andrews will have completely lost the room for bargaining!"
Alanis frowned without uttering a word. She seemed to have her own plans.
"I know that you're taking His Highness Prince's secret marriage to heart. However, the fact is to just vent it out and let it be. You know that there isn't any use complaining about it. Even His Grand Eminence Pope is unable to prevent the Duke of Andrew to marry four wives because this is…" the Marquise pointed towards the skylight above them, "it's that ruler up above that arranges it and no one can change it."
Alanis wiped the droplets of sweat on her face impatiently. Perhaps from the point of view of others, Marquise Cameron Wesarcia's words were as precious as gold. However, the Crown Princess was aware that when the beautiful Madam with unusually ample experience started nagging, it was simply unbearable.
Cameron suddenly aimed the softest part on the princess' body and took a pinch out of it. "Don't sulk! Listen carefully, young lady!"
Alanis gave a small yelp! Despite Cameron's inclination to nag, the Crown Princess still enjoyed spending time with her. This woman's mind and calm, solemn and ever-changing way of thinking had provided the Empire's Princess with tons of help.
"I'm listening! I'm listening! You can't always use force on me at every turn. Even my Mother Empress dare not treat me this way!"
Cameron actually let out an "ola". Perhaps this was also one of the reasons Alanis trusted her. The Marquise and the princess consort had a completely same catchphrase; even their expressions when loudly crying out "ola", were extremely similar.
"Ola, ola! Since you brought up Her Majesty Empress Rolyn Kate, I must tell you, child, don't assume that the defending war has come to an end. Moreover, don't think that Marshal Alan and Prince O'Neil will have any significant results at the conference table! As long as either one of the two of your sisters take in the fleeing Empress Rolyn Kate, then your Empress position is still unstable!"
"Why do you say this?" Alanis creased her eyebrows. Haven't the soldiers already destroyed the Anti-Titan Alliance thoroughly? It was said that the western national highway was full of wounded soldiers that the lower class discarded. It was said that a platoon of the soldiers of the Guards were called to simply capture one of the groups or even division.
"They are completely finished! Don't tell me it isn't so!"
"You are such a naïve girl!" Cameron cupped the princess' face, and used scented soap to wipe Alanis' hair and face. "I can only say that they are unable to fight within a short time! When they have restored their vigor, the ruler that took Empress Rolyn Kate in will come with the identity of defending traditions and force you to abdicate just as this time, using their enormous army to force you to abdicate!"
Alanis seemed to still want to say something, but the Marquise had already stopped her. Cameron took a bucket from a young lady and poured it over the princess' hair. Alanis covered her face and allowed the water to wash away her weariness and filth.
"Very well, my Lady," the Marquise embraced the princess from behind. "Regardless of how the future is, we need to first make that wretched old man from Italia leave! When you have been crowned Empress, I believe that nothing will be able to stump us at that time!"
Alanis laughed. Her laugh was still as beautiful as before. There was not the slightest hint of the resentment and worry brought on by her miscarriage and the chaos of war that came after.
A pure white woolen carpet was spread over the mountain path that continued to lead towards the fort's passageway. Beneath the heavens or perhaps on the vast range of mountain ridges, soldiers of the Guards stood as far as the eye could see. With just a casual glance, it appeared like a great forest twinkling with the gleam of steel.
The woolen carpet was only a meter wide and on either side of it were spearmen. The spears of the spearmen crisscrossed in the air. This caused the pavement in which the carpet was made up of become a long hallway that extended from the foot of the mountain all the way into the fort.
Close to noon, the scorching sun caused the soldiers in the mountain ridge to perspire profusely. However, they only grumbled about the malice of the sun and not the supreme commander who had ordered them to stand there.
The sound of a powerful military bugle suddenly sounded. It spread from the foot of the mountain to the top of the hill. The soldiers of the Guards glanced towards the direction of the foot of the mountain one after another. Two vivid figures appeared to be floating on the white carpet.
When Marshal Alan and Marshal O'Neil walked over, the soldiers with their spears raised on either side of the mountain path stood to attention in succession. With uniform movements, they broke up the long hallway formed by the spears and brought the spears to one side of their erect body. After that, the soldiers on both sides of the mountain ridge knelt down on one knee one after another. The figures of the soldiers gradually stooped following the steps of the Marshals, like a sudden, violent gust of southeastern wind bending the silver barley field that stretched on infinitely.
Church's Year 800, 4th day of the 8th month. This was the harvest season to the Titan Guards. The Anti-Titan Alliance had already given up this outdated name. On the conference table, they called themselves the representative of the four nations.
Marshal Alan and Marshal O'Neil seemed to be taking a stroll. They did not have the slightest intention to speed up. The old and young soldiers continued to exchange topics and emitted extremely hearty laughter.
Caven Fort was already in ruins, but the countless soldiers and Guards shining armors made up for the castle's lack in aesthetic visual. Through the huge castle gates that was piled with crushed stones and peculiar wood, treading on dark, bloodstained pavement laid with flagstones, two Marshal of the Guards simultaneously walked towards the arbor that was built last minute at the heart of the fort.
The arbor was opened to the side that was facing the castle gates. A huge rectangular table about four meters long was placed there. To the side of the rectangular table facing outwards (its back to the fort gates), four high-backed chairs were arranged there. They were the most common sort on the market, but could possibly be crafted by the carpenter in the army at the last moment.
Only two high-backed chairs were displayed on the inner side of the rectangular table. However, one could know that these two chairs were far grander with just a glance. Gold lined the side of the high-backed chairs. The seats and cushions were all deep red velvet.
Oscar and Marshal Alan came to a halt outside of the arbor. They were highly satisfied with the decorations. The dilapidated castle and gorgeously decorated colorful arbor blended together, producing a kind of stunning visual landscape. The ruined side symbolized the Guards' fighting spirit in which their tenacious resistance lasted until their sacrifice. The last minute building that was brimming with resplendent light displayed the victor's heart and the dignified air of the Imperial Household.
"This is my first time!" Oscar rubbed his hands. He was the first to take the seat on the velvet high-backed chair on the right. "This feeling is truly indescribable!"
"Of course!" Alan flashed a grin and took the seat on the left.
"Do you know, lad?" The old Marshal turned towards the young prince who was looking around. "It takes just one time for you to completely fall in love with this sense of subjugation that is above all. You will see your former enemies bow to you, confess to you and pray for you! Just like those once incomparably noble woman who rejected and humiliated you suddenly becoming a prostitute, using lowly poses and pleasing faces to give you a blow job!"
Oscar's eyes widened! He looked at Alan in disbelief. "You're saying… blow job?"
The old man laughed loudly. He patted the shoulder of the Empire's Prince. The once foolish child was now grown up into a qualified military commander. This made Alan feel gratified and also senile.
"Young lad, you need to stand your ground! You need to stand your ground! This is an old man's experience. By all means, do not be entranced by that prostitute's saliva and warm oral cavity!"
"Ola…I understand!" Oscar snapped his fingers. "As your metaphor, the oral cavity can naturally cause one to forget oneself! However, if at that time one were to reject a prostitute's flattery, then there is reason for us to request even more from her later!"
"That's right!" Alan nodded. Both the Marshal of the Guards kept using the most obscene wording to describe this matter. However, the significance that this matter could actually reveal was a truth-like form of existence.
"The relationship between countries and prostitutes are a truth!" Alan leaned his head towards young Oscar. The less people know of this metaphor, the better.
"For example…two clients started a huge fight for a woman. Of course, we know that in the end, the one with the tougher fist will win. He had authority to control the woman but as the victorious person, the price that he offered could be way lower than that of the loser. At this moment, the woman can choose whether to complete this deal or to name a higher price."
Oscar blinked several times. "To be honest…I don't quite understand this metaphor."
Alan shrugged and spread his hands at the present scene. "Haven't you already seen this meaning? What are we here for?"
Oscar gazed towards the huge gates of the fort. The communications official there was already flashing semaphores.
"We are here to bargain with the representative of the Westland Kingdom Alliance!"
"You got that right!" Alan nodded. "You can regard the Westland Kingdom Alliance as the woman I mentioned. She wants to sell her physical body in exchange for benefits while we are the ones who want to complete that deal with her. There's a precondition here though, which is, we've already defeated the other client who wanted to strike a deal with the woman!"
Oscar pondered carefully. He was even more baffled. "But…isn't the client who we defeated the Westland Kingdom Alliance itself? It seems that…you shouldn't use separate metaphors for the prostitute and the client who lost as they are one body."
"No, no, no!" Alan shook his head repeatedly.
"The army is the strength of the country, and perhaps the symbol of a sovereign country's resolve. However, when it came to wars, especially wars between nations, the significance that the military body represented inadvertently took a turn! This is understandable just as this time's war to defend the motherland. Our country's monarch only wish to defeat the enemies and obtain the imperial power that is perfectly legitimate while our country's soldiers, just as it is described in the anthem of the Guards, they only venture into the battlefield for the benefit of the country and the life property of the people. Look at those ordinary soldiers outside the fort. They aren't even sure how Princess Alanis looks like, but why do they offer up their lives for her willingly?"
"Let us look at our enemies again; the clients who we defeated! Why do they go to the trouble of travelling all the way to Titan? Could it be because of that one order from those western monarchs? As invaders, these foreign soldiers only have one goal in assaulting Titan - that is, to rob! Rob our resources, wealth, wives and daughters! So…the facts are as simple as my metaphors. The military body is a species that breeds variants; you must be clear of this! Moreover…only by fully utilizing the varying nature of the soldiers can you only direct the military to achieve the so-called strategic goals!"
"So…" Alan summed up his speech. "By all means, don't trust anything. Words like for the Empire or for the Empress, the chaps outside only follow you and fight like their life depended on it simply for the hope of continuing to survive! If a military of a country can survive, this country can also survive and the same goes for this nationality!"
"What about those westerners?"
Alan shook his head. "They are merely a group of pitiful creatures, dreaming of being able to get rich on Titan's national land and experiencing a taste of Titan's women without contributing anything. However, they have chosen the wrong place and so be it."
"So you have to be clear," the old Marshal pointed towards the sky, "the most famous monarchs in history and the most well-known generals are experts in exploiting the military! They use the most sophisticated methods to control the military's variation factor. When there is a need, they catalyze the soldiers or either resist, invade or eliminate the dissidents. In short, it is for their selfish purposes.
As of now…if O'Neil Andrew Morisette still harbored even the slightest contempt towards Silver Fox Alan, perhaps they had all completely disappeared.
Marshal Alan had served in the army for half a century. He was far clearer than anyone else in the world about the military's significance towards the country, the people and the ruler. The things he just described to the young man were precisely the nature of the military's existence.
Soldiers, or perhaps the nature of soldiers - was actually not changed by the monarch's resolve, nor is it transformed by the change in political power, or is it wavered by the authority of the country's violent department. Although the military will always suffer from the restrictions and interference from the above three great setups, they would only transform into the defenders of the country when they encountered an invasion. Once they stepped out of the gates of the country, they would transform into a red-eyed beast that invaded and robbed.
At least…for Church's Year 800, to this large category of the historical phase, the nature of the military was just that simple and direct.
"Ola…" Oscar groaned and smiled reluctantly. "Honestly speaking sir, listening to you is even more comfortable than a fierce blow job episode!"
Alan frowned. "You brat! If you have the guts, say that one more time!"
Oscar gave an evil, hearty laugh. Once was enough for such a thing. He really dared not joke with Alan to this degree again.
"Let's go back to those chaps!" His Imperial Highness Prince pointed at the troops outside the gates of the fort. Those should be the envoys sent by the Westland Kingdom Alliance. It seemed that they had arrived and were being examined by the soldiers of the Guards.
"Those chaps?" Alan's gaze that was directed towards the gates of the fort was mixed with abundantly clear enmity and loathing. "I've said before, they are prostitutes. Whores!"
"When their army, which is also those clients that wish to obtain thrill, and satisfy their desires through their orders are knocked down on the battlefield, they will reveal their true colors! Don't forget that the prostitute's desires and appetite and very huge. Although as the victorious winner, we can oppress and threaten them but prostitutes will still have their own principles of survival. For instance, they will stir up trouble everywhere and seduce a new client into the match. Or perhaps they will be like rascals, asking for sky-high prices and get involved in harassment. In other words, she won't let you enter her easily. You're a youngster, you should understand these things."
"Yes, I understand!" Oscar nodded. "But on what grounds do these prostitutes bargain with me? The client who controlled her has already failed."
Alan shrugged. "This is the crucial problem. Furthermore, you've also brought it up. The one who lost was merely a client while the prostitutes will never worry about not having clients visit her. This also means that if you don't conquer this prostitute and make her into a good wife and mother of your bedroom, then she will forever engage in this profession!"
"You mean… conquer?"
"Yes!" Alan nodded. "A complete conquest! This prostitute can represent a country, a nationality and a beneficial group. Only by conquering over her, putting her in shackles and making her lose any room to bargain, then from the root can you only…"
"I understand!" Oscar finally nodded. "The formation of relationships between countries, monarchs and all sorts of interests groups are through continuous business! Until one side ceases to exist, the transaction will naturally disappear. However, if the other still continues to exist, then business is a kind of existential reality.
"At long last, you've got it straight!" Alan was a little tired. He motioned to a messenger in the distance. "Let us begin! Let's see what kind of prostitutes the beauties sent by the Westland Kingdom Alliance are!"
Oscar rubbed his hands and straightened his uniform before using lemonade to rinse his mouth.
His complexion remained serene, but he did not like the identity of a client in the slightest. If possible, he preferred people calling him a conqueror. He had fallen in love with this address on the Persians' national land and everything that this address could declare.
The signing of the "Caven Treaty" on Church's Year 800, 4th day of the 8th month was the most important political program documents in the late ancient history of Westland. Being the first time winner in the defending war, Titan Empire's Imperial Household representative, His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette and the country's armed force representative, Marshal Vann Hewitt Alan rightly declared that: Holy Titan is a country that is blessed by the God of Light. Its territorial integrity and sanctity of the Imperial power cannot tolerate even the slightest violation.
As the first representative of the Anti-Titan Alliance, the King of Hoilland, His Majesty Luth VII claimed that: with respect to Titan Empire's holy name, Titan's occupied area in the Kingdom of Riel (before the first defending war) is legal and cannot be violated. At the same time, the Westland Kingdom Alliance once again affirmed Titan Empire's sovereignty over Narcissus County form the Great Plains of Anatolia and the coastal areas of the black sea. Next, the Alliance Army will withdraw from the actual control area of the Titan Guards before the start of the month on Church's Calendar (including the area that Titan occupied in Riel). In view of the mental harm and loss of physical life and properties brought on by the Alliance Army on Titan's military-civilian, the Kingdom of Hoilland will pay war reparations of 16million golden Tis, the Kingdom of Leblese will pay 11 million golden Tis as war reparations, the Faran Kingdom is exempted from paying war reparations but were to unconditionally release the 11, 946 Guards that were prisoner of wars captured during the conflict and later pay thirty golden Tis to all the war prisoners that have gained their freedom as "health compensation fees".
"Furthermore…" Alan drawled out his voice, but Luth VII opposite him had already lost patience.
"Sir, you and your Empire should know not to overstep it!"
Oscar laughed coldly in response. He waved his hand and stopped Alan's speech and spoke instead.
"Your Majesty Luth VII! The person who does not know to stop before going too far is you, my Lord! Before the Alliance Army arrived at the Buzaberg ferry crossing, you should have sat on the conference table, but you didn't! And until now… my Lord, I'm not against you but am elaborating on a fact. If at this moment you still insist to haughtily reject the symbol of peace that Holy Titan offers, then…"
"Then what?" the King of Hoilland aggressively broke off the speech of the Titan prince who was before him.
Oscar laughed derisively. He glanced at Marshal Alan who was beside him. It was time to hand the issue back to this old fox.
Alan took a sip of his refreshing, peppermint tea. He did not bring up the things that would take place if the agreement were rejected. He only returned the glance of his little friend.
"Your Highness…I heard that…you are gathering young and strong captives?"
"Yes!" Oscar nodded. He did not mind to divulge a few inside stories to the Westerners.
"My Narcissus County is continuously expanding and the Empire's territories are also continuously expanding. The Great Plains of Anatolia and the coastal castle that I rely on need bitter work that is untold of."
Faran's representative was the first to wipe away his cold sweat. The Alliance Army that retreated to the non-war zones in the west regarded the Faran Kingdom's army as their main. The great retreat had already commenced for more than half a month and this Titan Prince inspired his direct army and plundered four hundred thousand over war captives. Although this situation is something in which the Kingdom of Faran could not accept, as the losing side, the Kingdom of Faran was incapable of stopping such a move by the Titan Guads.
"I think…since my side has already made a concession on the issue of the prisoners of war…shouldn't your distinguished country…"
Alan waved his hand at the Faran representative. "I am just about to talk about the placement of war captives in my country. However, His Majesty Luth VII has interrupted…"
The representative of Faran fixed a pleading gaze on the infuriated Hoilland King. He saw that Luth VII was trembling. This king was not afraid, but was enraged by the two Titan Marshals' ruthless words.
"I am all ears! Is everyone satisfied now?"
Everyone on the scene turned their heads towards the spot behind the Hoilland King. O'Neil Andrew Morisette all the more let out an extremely contemptuous cold snort.
"Then…let us invite Marshal Alan to speak frankly and openly!" The Faran Kingdom's representative finally grabbed the opportunity. It was not easy at all to make the Hoilland King who was as excited as a little hen to shut up.
Alan laughed. He tossed out the methods of handling the war captives that had long been formulated. This time, Luth VII was smart, but the representative of Faran who had always been cautious jumped up from the chair.
"Sir, I can't help but say that this is a humiliation by your distinguished country to my soldiers and is absolutely unacceptable for my country's Royal Family and subjects!" The yellow-bearded old man of Faran exclaimed, while banging on the tabletop.
"What do you mean by maintaining five to ten years of special labor period in the form of supervision? This is disguised slavery, disguised…"
"Shut up!" O'Neil Andrew Morisette slammed on the table fiercely. It was with such great force that Marshal Alan, who was by his side, could not help but to cover his tea cup.
"Me, humiliate the Faran soldiers? This is what they deserve! Even if it were the God of Light, He will not forgive the sin that they committed in the war."
The frightened Faran representative returned to his seat, but still persistently fought for what he felt was right. "Your Highness, as you say, this is a war. Don't tell me that creating casualties from the war is also considered a crime?"
Oscar was thinking about overturning the table and picking up bricks but Silver Fox Alan stopped him immediately. The old man swayed his silver white beard and continued to shake his head at the youngster.
Oscar calmed down immediately. He only recalled Massimi, drenched in blood and that pit in which thousands of innocent people were buried.
Alan held onto the young prince's arm under the table and said steadily to the other. "Let us end it here! I'm about to yawn…"
"But the issue about the war captives from my side…"
Oscar finally lost his patience. He broke free from Alan's grasp. "Either we don't bring up this issue or we will forever dawdle on! Until those 40,000 people die of old age in a foreign land, until…"
"My country can use a true war criminal to exchange with you!"
Oscar was suddenly stunned!
The Faran representative expressed a genuine, sincere face. "You get what I mean, a true war criminal. My country's Military Intelligence Bureau is offering a reward for arresting that man! I must tell you that he is just in my grasp."
Oscar and Alan locked eyes with each other and shook their heads simultaneously. "That man is not worth it. He is lower than low."
Oscar waved his hand. "I'm sorry to say this because, after all, he is your fellow citizen. But the fact is this -- he is a brute, a worthless brute. Your Kingdom can forget about exchanging him with another captive!"
The Faran representative was gaping but he just couldn't utter a word.
Marshal Alan suddenly motioned to the clerk outside the arbor. "Since there isn't anything else that everyone has to say, so let us conclude the treaty!"
The King of Hoilland had long since wanted to end this unbearable meeting. He immediately called his clerk to his side.
The clerks of both sides quickly organized the treaty minutes from the meeting record. Then, according to the style of the official documents it was transcribed onto two leather scrolls.
After both parties' witness of the meeting had ascertained that the contents of the document were precise, Marshal Alan was the very first to sign in the column that represented Titan's side. After that, in succession were the representative of the Empire's Imperial Household, the representative of Hoilland, the representative of Leblese and lastly the representative of Faran, whose expression was extremely dejected.
As both sides were about to bid their farewells, His Imperial Highness Prince O'Neil Andrew Morisette suddenly caught hold of the Faran representative's arm and said to him, "the Titan's footprints cover all parts of the world, and we will not give up on hunting down the murderer! Ask that brute to watch his step when he goes out, otherwise… he may find himself on Holy Titan's judgment stage when he wakes up."
The Faran representative agreed readily but it was unknown just how much of it he had actually heard.
Church's Year 800, 4th day of the 8th month, 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Both parties involved in the agreement each left the castle ruins. Despite the fact that the "Caven Treaty" divided up all the major monarchy's sphere of influence, it once again ascertained the great national dignity of Holy Titan and established a solid political foundation for the Her Majesty Empress Alanis I of the Morisette Dynasty. However, as an ordinary person, we all know that this world had yet to change.
It was just that…the survivors of the Guard's Twelfth Region would forever remember the moment of history at Caven Fortress, just like how we will also remember a girl whose eyes were like fire forever losing her lover; or a soldier of the Guards who enjoyed watching the rain and listening to the wind leaving the world ordinarily; or a carpenter who had changed his profession to a soldier donating a huge carved door to the church of his hometown; or a hybrid horse that came from the Abedoly Military Stables being casted into a bronze statue which will forever carried its master to tower over the Saint Hailey's Monument of Unsung Heroes and most probably never, ever had to worry about getting lost.
Up until now, we are still unsure whether Colonel Karlchette Nierer's bottom had rot, nor are we clear about whether Prince O'Neil's Military Intelligence's secret agents would create trouble for him. We only know that this Military Intelligence Colonel, who was a sharp mouthed monkey and also cruel and cunning, had started to draw up a Military Intelligence report that was sufficient to shake up Titan Empire. Karlchette named this document "Analysis Report of Titan's political and military terrain - during Church's 800 Year Anti-Titan Movement".
One day in future, the name Karlchette would once again emerge. This was because the second Anti-Titan Movement and even the third Anti-Titan Movement all relied on this Military Intelligence report as a strategic support.
So…the war may had left, but there really wasn't any change in the world's appearance.