Eventide Marauder (Moriarty the Patriot Fanfic)

Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Countess Oxford-Maximilian

          Somewhere in Oxford, a city in England, it is said that new residents in the city have arrived. There, in the city of Oxford, the previously uninhabited Manor of Countess Oxford Maximillian for 8 years was currently occupied again.

A new noble was added to the city of Oxford. Both the Nobles and Commoners are curious about the new faces in their city.

And then, several months passed and it became the year 1871.

It was said that the Noble who claimed the manor was the Wife of the Brother of Countess Oxford- Maximilian.

Just like Countess Oxford- Maximilian, the wife of the long-dead countess's brother is of foreign origin. Many people may wonder how a foreigner could claim the manor for herself as she didn't belong to their country.

It has to do with the fact that the Husband of Countyss Oxford-Maximilian, the Earl of Oxford insists on marrying the foreign noble lady Countess Maximilian.

When the Earl of Oxford passed away, his wife Countess Maximilian earned his title and became the now-known Countess Oxford-Maximilian.

From what the commoners remembered, the Countess Oxford-Maximilian is a very beautiful noble lady. After the death of her husband, commoners have heard rumors of several nobles courting her to win her affection. Yet, the Countess Oxford-Maximilian remained unmoved by those nobles and remained faithful to her dead husband.

According to some sources, the Countess Oxford-Maximilian is fond of children. She has been to several orphanages and held several charity cases. After the death of her husband, lady Oxford-Maximilian became close to and stopped attending the noble parties and celebrations preferring to stay in her manor with the household servants.

Now, the wife of the foreign noble seems following the habits of being closed off like the Countess Oxford-Maximilian.

But thankfully people's assumptions were wrong when the foreign lady have been seem to wander around Oxford occasionally and hired servants for the manor of Oxford-Maximilian.

Then from the servants that were hired, some people gained information that it wasn't only the foreign lady that was residing in the manor. But she brought some of her foreign servants and her son.

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       [ Les Nouvelles

End of a Legacy? The Death of the Mad Emperor

On September 2nd, 1870.... ]

[ Les Nouvelles

Wilheim ascends and is proclaimed as the new emperor of a unified country of Germany! What does it mean for France?

On January 18, 1871.... ]

      [ Les Nouvelles

- President Ludovic Julian Trouch retires, and Adolf Reist is elected as the second president! A new age has come?

On February 19....    ]

Holding the newspapers in his hands, his grip on them tightened. While sitting on the chair, he glances at the man in front of him.

" Can I go back to France now? "

He asked with a tremor in his voice towards the man. The man smiled tiredly at him, traces of exhaustion could be seen on his handsome face.

" It's not possible right now, Raoul. I'm afraid things back in the country haven't still calmed down. Paris with the state that it is... It's terrible. "

Jules Dreux-Soubize sighed as he glance at his nephew. Staring at Raoul even though Jules has sent him away to live here in England with his wife and Raoul's mother, the way that Raoul is right now was like the people that currently experience the Prussians besieging the city of Paris.

It has been many months since he has last seen his nephew, wife, and cousin. His wife was worried about him constantly while his nephew was plagued with guilt.

" The Emperor isn't supposed to be dead...He should be captured... And then later. After the war, he would go to England and sought help from the Queen. A few years later, his illness would eventually claim him...  "

Raoul muttered as he stared at the newspaper listlessly.

" Uncle, you were right that I underestimated the history... But I still affected things right? "

Raoul asked with a self-mocking expression.

" I have changed some things for the worse.  I shouldn't have played God. Who am I to decide that just because I know some things, I wanted to change history to the outcome that I wanted? Who am I to decide the lives of the people? ... Did I not put enough effort into changing things? But if I have done more... It would just become worse..  "

Listening to his nephews muttering, Jules Dreux-Soubize decided that it was enough. Walking towards his nephew, Jules patted his shoulder.

" It is indeed the possibility that you are changing things for the worse. "

Raoul merely stared at him with a blank gaze.

" But when you decided to change things, what was your intention? Isn't that you wanted to reduce the lives being taken in the war? You have good intentions, my nephew. "

" But they said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I have been too naive. I shouldn't ha– "

Before Raoul could finish his words, he was surprised when he suddenly received a hug from his uncle. After a few seconds, he then starting to realize that tears are starting to fall from his eyes. It was then stupid of him to suddenly started bawling out his eyes and sobbing messily.

It was so stupid that his sobbing become messier when he heard the comforting words of his uncle. Each word pierced his heart with an ache that he wish he wasn't experiencing right now.

Eventually, Raoul then stopped crying and calmed down.

He has been too careful about his knowledge since he knows that this world is a parallel version of his one.

Now... Is it because he was basing his knowledge on his world that even publishing anti-war novels turned into the emperor becoming mad and there were more casualties in this war on their side?

Raoul decided that he can't rely on his knowledge of future history anymore.

It was too risky and unreliable.

After a while, Raoul decided to ask something from his uncle.

" You haven't told me that you have a little sister, Uncle Jules. "

" We are estranged from each other. She cut her connections to France when she married her husband. "

" Then, how did you manage to move us here in the Oxford-Maximilian manor? "

Jules then decided that it was time to let go of his nephew from his hug and walk away under the accusing and suspicious gaze of Raoul.