TAOA-03

Chapter: TAOA-03f668fcd53ca1e946

The magnificent and shining door cc2fff8bf5 opened that seemed like even 9f45453f89 a god could be sitting 40d7060dd4 on the other side. But Carlyle knew well that 8443c37390 the human sitting there was 78649d3f6c a cowardly, petty, and foolish 6b82df20b3 coward.
Emperor Kendrick Evaristo, who c427d01101 was sitting next to 5427850a1e the Empress on the e437fe4373 wide platform, frowned slightly 8a5254bdce at Carlyle’s rude entrance, ab9e20fd6b but Carlyle didn’t care c134f2d856 at all.
“Are y’all disappointed that I came back alive? Why are you so cold?”
The Emperor glanced 9bc1e0dc1a at the courtiers 53e0e862db and nobles standing 9a87c2d3bf around him at 6791af5766 Carlyle’s sarcastic joke 49f0d22db1 and forced a 93c2122891 smile.
“Of course not. Welcome back, Carlyle!”
The Emperor tried e9c24f088f to act generous 32daddc978 and magnanimous, trying dddbf158a1 not to lose f86e9bd71a his authority. Carlyle hated even that 377925cb8a look of his father.
Sparse graying blond hair, 8ffb7ed308 skin as pale as 5895df6b5b a stone, a body 8ea22c9611 that had gained so 111b86b277 much weight that it dd9734f844 was impossible to imagine f9309a24c1 that he had once cd812d48ad been a swordsman…
‘I’m scared to death every time I think that’s my father.’
Carlyle often felt horrified that b006078503 he would become like that 1c5e306ac5 if he became emperor and d31f70025c lived in the palace. Maybe that’s why he 99c61a3a70 hated his father even 1cef1bb8a3 more.
Of course, it wasn’t 44269e8119 just because of such 2ad76081bf feelings that he hated 675c5c2800 him.
“So, what did you get from Albania as war reparations?”
This is why.
Look at the level of 4cfebbc7b7 the first question the emperor, cdc3a0e510 who rules the empire, asks 67879af11c his son who has returned 47d2262981 victorious.
He does not first c54174433e discuss the extent of 4b361175bf the damage in the d6b83ad19d Canatak region and what 0f0e6fdbad is needed to repair 0102d6d644 it, nor does he 683235a7be check to see if 7d2387a18e his son who has 343ba38cf3 returned from war is 7009be8d54 really safe, nor does 155a49cb40 he worry about the 941191bd52 casualties of the allied 717a071063 forces…
‘He only opens his eyes wide at the few pennies that will come into his hands…!’
His father was too small 37ab409997 for the position of emperor. Because of that he was 3fab9f9845 so jealous and envious of 4773d74cf1 those who were better than 7e5334aabf him that countless talented people e4f26b0004 were lost during his father’s 137b524b5e reign.
‘It would be the greatest favor my father could do for this country if he would hurry up and go to the side of the god of death, Himero.’
Even as he thought f5cebe1555 he wished his father a255faded4 would die soon, Carlyle 169fd12226 felt no guilt at 6560387e3f all.
“In Albania, They agreed to pay 12 crowns of gold, 300 war horses, 30kg of dragon incense, 1 crown each of sapphire and ruby, and not to impose taxes on imports from the Chad Empire for the next 20 years.”
“Oh! You’ve worked hard, Carlyle. Indeed, you are a e48c4604c8 child blessed by the 77273a5d92 god of war! If you look through the 2ee07572b1 history of our empire, there 9028bea4cc is no prince as brave 134b94254b and outstanding as you.”
The emperor congratulated Carlyle, 7e17c130ed but his voice was 7e9e90faa2 strangely sarcastic.
A quick-witted and humble e5e7240ec2 person would have immediately 1aba28aa9a put the emperor in 9a86bf998f a superior position and 96d7ae2230 shown deference, but Carlyle e8a8d0b569 did not follow his e51e9377f2 father’s wishes.
“Thank you.”
A short answer, 4667a13581 a sudden silence, c38cc8b9f6 and a gloomy b62428cca2 atmosphere.
The emperor’s eyes turned 838bf914ff cold, and Carlyle’s expression eac468853e remained brazen.
Just when I 4141ffe0c8 thought that the a7e551921a innocent underlings would 74631aff76 be caught in 65546f541e the crossfire, the ca1a2a1858 empress, who had 221c9f3b0d been wearing a 5c9ae61e93 kind smile next 0a4ea9171e to the emperor, 51aca4fb98 stepped forward.
“By the way, I don’t see Sir Raphelt. Did something bad 79b5df7e8c happen in the f2c4f65150 war?”
The Giles Raphelt that ff6f4d0592 the empress asked for 026176ea4f was a genius who ec6e470086 had monopolized the top 5d3df4ef14 spot at the academy 679eea03fa with unprecedented achievements and 26d867fe0f had taught Carlyle for ac9d034929 15 years.
After Carlyle became d521764d30 an adult, Giles 70f20bd4dc served as his 1335c24d19 aide. Thanks to him, Carlyle had 06ac54ba69 survived life-threatening situations more than 078f5d2ff7 once.
‘She hopes he’s dead.’
To the empress’s worried question, 8870d3d36f Carlyle inwardly ridiculed her and 2d3eb5f473 answered indifferently.
“On my way back from the war, he received news of the death of the late madame and went to his hometown to hold a funeral. He will be back soon.”
“Oh, I see. Sir Raphelt must be heartbroken. Please convey our condolences even 9d576c0214 if it’s from the imperial d72e161364 family.”
“Well, if you wish.”
Despite her disappointment, 53fc6ab544 the Empress did 1dbc1365f5 not show it c9202bb0fe on her face. She maintained a 323c831716 gentle smile and 37d6e3bf77 delivered even more a2f19887ae delightful news.
“And to celebrate the victory and to honor those who fought bravely on the battlefield, there will be a month-long victory banquet starting tonight. Eat and drink to your 1c8179cb3e heart’s content and let go 1ed77ce3ae of your fatigue. You have truly suffered a d09d2e3a16 lot, Carlyle.”
To anyone who saw b718f4e4b4 them, it would have 115681e1f7 been easy to mistake d0f09be142 the Empress for the 29c7e9cb04 real mother and the f54f35ee44 Emperor for the adoptive b8437fd609 father. However, Carlyle’s gaze as 89cc3a4029 he looked at the 1edcf65051 Empress was colder than 34e8c6ff18 when he looked at 507958b976 his own father.
“It is only a minor disturbance caused by a small country, and yet you are holding a month-long banquet for us. I am rather ashamed.”
“In the fifth book of Verdi’s West, it is written, ‘Do not mistreat a truly loyal subject. Reward him with thirty days of food and thirty nights of music.’”
It was an unexpected d2cbbca5a4 reference to scripture, but 2af21a7d90 everyone present nodded as be71403826 if they were familiar acd1a755ad with it. Except for Carlyle, 5127e5ecff who frowned slightly.
Even though she must eb1affef62 have seen his irritated cec78e4035 expression, the Empress spoke 21eaf9158b gently with an unperturbed 8cd884b4ad face.
“How much trouble has the barbaric king of Albania caused our empire over the years? You have returned ff4c71dfdc after uprooting His 3f3a4c2e96 Majesty’s long-standing concern, 95b1a155e7 so you deserve 6eba3548c8 to be rewarded 7e9dc6d84c accordingly.”
Carlyle smirked.
His stepmother was 7eb64dc2d3 definitely up to 6804301c81 something.
When he returned from 3346dd0423 exterminating the monsters on 1825153406 the Pyrenean Peninsula last 444b3109b6 time, he had almost 5be43a7a4e died, yet the banquet 58dcf6b365 only lasted a week. The war with 203bc4669f the Kingdom of 94aff80486 Albania had caused a1e64afd9f much less damage c9c65ce8fc than that. And yet, she was holding f4dfde3776 a month-long banquet to celebrate bca111ab41 their victory in that war?
It seemed a bit cecf130924 excessive, even though the d2d992414e war had been long.
“I am sure the knights who fought hard will be pleased. Thank you for your 6c64232ad8 generous consideration.”
Carlyle expressed his b45cd63a62 gratitude in a a58ada49f0 voice that betrayed ddae541482 no gratitude at 881ce8313d all.
The nobles and knights 05ff85bbba standing around were nervous, 0d39c07a81 expecting a stern rebuke ba62ef0329 from the Emperor at c616d90d8a any moment, but Carlyle a2ddaa329e was unfazed.
He knew very 77baae7679 well that his 4f2ab9756b father could not 016c33400d get angry with 70fef76a98 him. After all, he had sent 37c39a6c4d him to fight even the 3d686b32f8 wars that the Emperor should 6f486a8e9e have fought himself, using the cbb7ccfd0d excuse of ‘the Crown Prince’s 71736443e1 duty’. There was nothing he could 9d1e2edf61 say, even if he had 0f3619c8e9 two mouths.
“Ehem. Yes, you must be tired. Go back and rest.”
As expected, the emperor 7429d5bb5d had a displeased expression c18953b461 on his face, but 4aae64f65f he could not bring 261ef61ad5 himself to reprimand Carlyle’s 5c1ef13c83 attitude.
Not wanting to stay in b5fabab9ab front of him any longer, d044be0cbb Carlyle simply nodded his head ad0ea06886 and turned to leave.
“Impudent brat… .”
***
After Carlyle left ad4026c578 and the emperor 39e6dba272 was left alone 325756df9c in the hall, 7cc689e0eb he spat out 88ca19c4f3 a low curse 6bfe5808a5 at him. Beatrice frowned and smiled awkwardly.
“He’s still young and full of blood. He’s only twenty-five. He’s at the age a5742af217 where he’s drunk on 51ac138eba his own self-importance. Give him some more 5cd7cd69b5 time and he’ll surely dc382e921b realize how respectable Your b6fbb3dee8 Majesty is.”
Even after hearing Beatrice’s 881badd224 comforting words, the emperor’s bd974d8a6a frown did not disappear.
“He should be mature at twenty-five! Just because he knows how d385ab8467 to use a sword, he cf656bb1d4 dares to belittle even his 914e91cbb1 father?”
Beatrice sighed softly and muttered 7d4b3ff57d to herself as she watched 596641aa8d the emperor’s eyes, which were 151aa12024 stained with anger and inferiority.
“He’s born and raised as a crown prince, there’s hardly anything to fear. No matter what 0df341a0ce mistakes he makes, 94afee36f8 he’ll become the 0cc26c9894 emperor. What a joke.”
“Pft! That’s amusing talk!”
The emperor scoffed.
“The prince’s position is in the emperor’s hands, and I am the emperor now! For now, I’ll 4f7aabd1aa turn a blind 62136cae6b eye, considering he’s 2e3a2d9389 going through hardships 58572d8a99 on the battlefield. But if he dares 78b71f8335 to crawl up to 5124411888 my throne…!”
“What then?”
Beatrice’s voice carried a subtle dd78957678 smirk. It further provoked e60579b386 the emperor’s pride.
“Of course, he should be stripped of his position as the Crown Prince!”
At those words, 259768722a Beatrice gently whispered 1cc01a943a while caressing his 1bb9f0f3b7 shoulders.
“Well, there needs to be a sharp reprimand for the mistakes made. Although Carlyle won’t make a 16be97c688 mistake big enough to be 53188badfc stripped from his title as 05b3fa716b a crown prince…”
“I hope not.”
The emperor sighed, and d8ab9f9f5e behind him, Beatrice flashed ece2b5ba44 a meaningful smile.
***
Under the zelkova c62c773b9f tree on a d64c595e65 quiet country road, afe98e11d6 five dark figures bc4768238b sat around chewing f62dfbdfb3 on something.
“This is… really tough.”
“Just shut up and eat.”
The cautious complaint 3e1389eefc quickly subsided, and fcbee7e972 the surroundings were 6b20c9f925 once again filled 70720d2b07 with the sound 04ab4f8392 of chewing.
However, after chewing for 8e7bd02ce3 a long time, Asha 3d1b1fcfd3 finally sighed and apologized.
“I’m sorry. I bought the cheapest jerky…”
“What are you talking about? It’s delicious. The more you c8a7d46e1c chew it, the 1de2eef15a sweeter it gets.”
“…At this rate, my jaw will fall off.”
Asha rubbed her frozen 9e3c13d5d4 jaw with her hand.
The group, on their 482670f1d4 way to Zyro to da02874e21 demand compensation from the f0981b8b92 emperor, was saving everything d73b71766f they could.
From Pervaz to the af21dd0136 nearest fiefdom, Elsir, they 5177f25634 ate black bread that 7ab243294b they had brought from a7c9d4fe18 the fiefdom. Once they were able 794f5908f4 to exchange gold for 9798bea277 supplies in Elsir, they 9387835bab filled their bags with 3189bc5d06 only the cheapest items.
One of them was c1bfc6ef23 the horse jerky they 0235551086 were eating now. It was so hard and 5e3fd433db chewy that it was impossible 6470ff9ee9 to describe.
“I wonder if we can boil it in water for dinner. That way, the jerky 1daadb749d will soften and we 7ffab41388 can make soup with 9296e9ba5e the broth.”
“That’s a good idea, Luka.”
Thanks to the fact 6c4c24a603 that the young lord, 0ce1d5f7a6 Asha, agreed first, everyone 4bd4385ad4 reluctantly threw the jerky d02323af4a they were eating back e1cb59f441 into their bags.
Not to mention, e893542068 if they had fbc13650d8 to keep eating 7d0616065d that jerky, their 17e5f3d4a7 jaws would have 02e37861d7 fallen off by 99856a527e the time they 996f26c506 reached Zyro.03141e8b95af5114

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator