bookandnovel Chapter 915 Father and Son Confrontation
Chapter 915 Father and Son Confrontation
Chapter 915 Father and Son Confrontation
"Viviana, is it really you?"
"You're so old."
Viviana lowered her eyes and sighed. She didn't know whether she was reminiscing about the little child who ran after her when she was young, or she was thinking back to the jealousy of the young and energetic William when he yelled at her, "You stole my glory."
"This is impossible, I'm dreaming!"
William couldn't believe it. Viviana had been missing for more than 30 years.
But the past thirty years have not left any trace on her face. She still wears the hood with fallow deer antlers, and the smooth skin on her face seems to reflect fluorescent light.
The Candle Knight slowly approached, bringing with him the familiar sweet scent of marigolds.
She raised her hand and tried to touch William's cheek gently, but she didn't expect that the new elector, who had always behaved domineeringly, dictatorially, and even somewhat arrogantly, would subconsciously step back. The "marshal's cane" with the imperial eagle emblem in his hand hit the camp bed, and he fell backwards in panic.
"What's impossible? Since you used the contract, you should know where I'm going."
Viviana grabbed the elector who was about to fall and straightened his collar, which was extremely messy due to curling up on the camp bed for many days.
They were very close, and William could see the other's clear blue eyes, long eyelashes, soft and heroic nose, and could also feel the other's warm breath.
In a trance, the Elector recalled that when he was still a child, he followed Viviana everywhere and ran around. Every time he fell, Viviana would tidy up his clothes like this to save him from his father's scolding.
"It's really you."
The Tower of Babel
William murmured to himself that for the legendary giant ship that roamed the long river of the past, a mere thirty years was just a blink of an eye.
His eyes were a little moist. The jealousy he had when he was young because he was jealous of the other party's ability to receive instruction from a famous teacher, be favored by the emperor, and become a legendary knight renowned throughout Europe, had long since turned into longing in the empty chair after his coronation ceremony, the dust in the study, and the flattened marigold bushes in the courtyard.
Viviana looked at the other person's cloudy eyes and sighed softly: "How did you turn yourself into an old man?"
William smiled bitterly and said, “It’s been more than 30 years. I’m almost 60 years old. It would be abnormal if I didn’t age.”
"So, back then, father used you and Babel Tower to exchange for this aid? It seems like something he could do."
For the rise of the Hohenzollern family, William had no doubt that Frederick would sell himself as well if the conditions were right.
At the entrance of the command post, the strange man smiled and said, "I took the initiative to approach Elector Frederick and proposed this deal."
"Let me introduce you. This is our captain, the legendary Lord of the Tower of Babel."
William couldn't help but take a closer look at this legendary figure. He was very handsome and looked a little too young.
Of course, this is most likely just an appearance. A figure like the Lord of the Tower of Babel has lived for tens of thousands of years, so it is not surprising that he is even older than those great kings sleeping in the Blood Court.
The man stretched out his right hand. "Elector William, just call me Lothar. My crew and I are here to fulfill the contract."
For some reason, William just felt uncomfortable with the other person.
He extended his hand and shook it. "Mr. Losa, I don't doubt the power of the Tower of Babel, but in the legend, it doesn't seem to be very aggressive. How can you help me defeat three million Russian troops?"
Compared to the harmonious reunion between the sister and brother, Rudolf's reunion with the old emperor seemed a little tense.
Amid Crown Prince Karl's "worry" and "shock", Franz dismissed everyone and turned this magnificent hall into a battlefield for the competition between father and son.
"You still know how to come back!"
Rudolf found a chair and sat down, looking calm: "Didn't the captain warn you not to let Ferdinand patrol Illyria?"
The old emperor raised his voice: "Are you questioning me? Or do you think I want to kill him on purpose? Ferdinand is not good in any way, but he is better than you in one thing, he never lacks courage!"
Although he and Ferdinand were not on good terms, Ferdinand's death was definitely a heavy blow to the Habsburg family, because no matter how much Ferdinand had not received royal education, he had been involved in politics for so many years.
Unlike Crown Prince Karl, he has neither the means nor the political team around him.
Rudolf sneered and said coldly: "Maybe, if it is beneficial to you and this family, who else can't be sacrificed?"
The old emperor took a deep breath and explained: "No one can ask a crown prince to retreat to Xiao Xiao in his own territory, not even me."
What's more, the tiny country of Serbia has now been completely occupied.
Who could have thought that they would dare to take the initiative and challenge Debang, one of the top three powers in the world?
In fact, Rudolf did not think that Franz would deliberately kill Ferdinand. The old emperor would not do such a stupid thing.
"Where is my mother?"
"You still dare to mention your mother?"
Franz was like a fading lion, his eyes wide open with anger: "After you left, your mother was like a body without a soul. She no longer insisted on dressing herself up, attending court banquets, and retreating from the world, living in seclusion, wandering around the world looking for you. Otherwise, she would not have died at the hands of an assassin."
Rudolf's breathing became rapid. He was silent for a long time, then slowly raised his head. His tear-stained face was filled with anger even more intense than that of the old emperor.
"Do you think I killed my mother?"
"No, it's you! It's the oppression of the palace and the tyranny of the imperial power. Mother was originally a free bird. If she hadn't married you, she should have enjoyed a happy life. It was you who took it away from her."
Franz said angrily, "How dare you! She is the queen, and she enjoys the worship of countless people. Isn't it natural for her to shoulder her responsibilities? You are a cowardly, incompetent, irresponsible son. How can you be qualified to stand here and criticize your father who has devoted his entire life to this family!"
Rudolph opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end it turned into a deep sigh.
"See, you've never been able to play the role of a husband, let alone a father."
Rudolf said tiredly: "You are an emperor, even at home, you try to make everyone move forward according to your will, but the states within the empire will not, the Hungarians will not, the Croatians will not, and the Bohemians will not. Everyone's rebellion will only make you want to make us all your puppets, as if this can make up for your failure."
He raised his head and looked carefully at this man, who had only been apart from him for a short time but had become much older.
"But that is impossible. You can't make all the people submit, and you can't make me and my mother submit, either."
The old emperor was so angry that he threw the seals and documents on the table all over the place.
"What on earth did Lothar send you to do?"
"Since I've taken you away, why can't I keep you from appearing in my sight forever!"
"He is also a member of the Habsburg family. Doesn't he know that a descendant like you is a complete and utter cancer to this family?"
Rudolf was silent for a moment, then chuckled and said, "I don't know why I'm here. According to the captain's plan, we should have appeared in Prussia to help Elector William defeat the enemy on the Eastern Front."
He raised his head, his expression cold: "Yes, we will help the heir of your most hated enemy in the empire to gain the greatest glory since the war began."