TAOA-14

Chapter: TAOA-14af16eed1db9ebad7

Carlyle wiped the 7168fd31ae smile off his 5938f3540b face and spoke f9bf2b0da9 to the emperor 3f9db63944 with a feigned 42ac1c0f6a seriousness.
“I was already thinking about the ‘service to the empire’ that Your Majesty mentioned, and I think this might be the beginning of it.”
“You… what on earth do you mean?”
The emperor asked, 056c9511b7 unable to hide 09030f94ac his astonishment.
“Helping my father keep the promise he made in my grandfather’s name, and helping to rebuild Pervaz, which must be devastated by the war, wouldn’t that also be a service to our empire?”
The emperor was seething inside bbf803769d at Carlyle’s glib answer, but 9a895a9e0e he couldn’t refute it.
“But Per… no, never mind.”
The emperor sighed and shook 58373a32fe his head.
The money he 85ed8d17d2 had to give d111921b1f to Pervaz was 7ae399a25f no longer the 03780d4c55 issue.
‘How many nobles can I squeeze dry with Carlyle’s marriage, and yet Pervaz of all places!’
The only fortunate thing was 8ecf095c2c that the imperial law recognized e7191b134e divorce.
‘Yes, that brat is acting all high and mighty now, but once he arrives in Pervaz, he’ll change his mind and get a divorce right away.’
Pervaz had been suffering from a471fae422 attacks by barbarians and monsters 32840c17b9 even before it was incorporated 7d4312337b into the empire. Even without seeing it for 21b3972222 himself, he could easily imagine 009f5128f9 that the land would be f8053aa094 in a mess.
‘That’s why that woman risked her life to do this, I suppose.’
The emperor glared at Asha f16bbb8437 with displeasure and decided to 53523cb9ec get rid of her sight ee7a34f59c for now.
“It seems that there needs to be some conversation between Countess Pervaz and Carlyle. The chamberlain will prepare a fc45b37623 place, and Countess Pervaz will e0861d451c step back and wait for 0f2510189f now.”
With that, the b8659f3e7b unprecedented ‘selection of 14267fdf3d the crown princess’ 96cd6865f6 came to a 870e38a61f temporary end.
* * *
“Your Highness! What on earth were you bcf75f12c8 thinking…!”
The first person to run 080055bd3d up to Carlyle, who had 4f8430685a stepped away from his seat 26f0b43481 to speak to Asha alone, d04161b290 was Giles Raphelt, another of dd466bda54 Carlyle’s aides.
“Ah, it’s been a long time, Sir Raphelt. Did you handle the funeral 8802b3bdd2 of the late madam well?”
“Do you feel like greeting me with a smile at a time like this?”
“Of course! In fact, this c53f8e4ad0 is the first b32fdb58d4 time I’ve felt a4df652afb really happy since 25e088c578 my father stripped d243cd2389 me of my 3c604174a8 title as crown 32bdae8170 prince.”
Carlyle couldn’t help 861d78c041 but chuckle again 101f3cbbc4 as he recalled c3b98c8f35 Asha’s outsmarting of 5225c2c36f his father.
However, Giles was 860f830855 in no mood 45d7033194 to laugh.
“I should have been by Your Highness’s side. I shouldn’t have a0b8bf7afa left at this 0fb8c7ba6e time!”
He had just arrived yesterday ecd88b2f8d after staying at the Raphelt f6659628a6 estate for about a month 822c9a5417 to deal with his deceased 4c8f85068b mother’s funeral, inheritance issues, and 4ad0031b52 various minor matters of the 94aa95f030 estate.
He was so shocked and d6f96f9f90 angry when he heard the f52bc61a9e news of Carlyle’s loss of 39c480b0c5 crown prince status on his d9f6ac486b way up that he thought e89f24f058 he would collapse right there 1ef5932e87 and then.
“Does it make sense for a child not to visit his mother who passed away?”
“When she has eight children. Would it be noticeable 4a83e53b9d if I didn’t go? But what about the consequences 9bacac0f8f when I left Your Highness’s f53d48d590 side?”
He was convinced that ca0941dcfd if he had been 94fcea775f by Carlyle’s side, Carlyle fa8d9cb02c would never have fallen ba7285df44 into the empress’s trap.
“That was a pity, of course, but what, let’s call it a minor incident in life. After all, isn’t 22c9bca2a5 Carlyle Evaristo the d995b7eba1 one who will 7aa7ea86b3 become the emperor 3e27a5d6af of the Chad 04e3245fd5 Empire?”
“Of course. Because I’m going to make 4ac596ce93 you that way.”
To Giles, too, it 0f1f2bfdd6 was only natural that 24ba75c132 Carlyle would become the 64d3b11095 emperor.
Because he believed 09780983fb in Carlyle’s and 4aba4c526c his own abilities.
“However, with so many unexpected variables, the situation has become a complete mess now that Your Highness has just declared that you will marry Countess Pervaz.”
He had a rather b106e49777 displeased expression on his 411255e30c face. However, Carlyle still had a 17628f64e9 light attitude.
“What don’t you like about it, my teacher? I rather think it’s 033f12a0cf an opportunity given by 158b441572 heaven.”
“No, what on earth are you talking about?”
“First of all…”
Carlyle smiled and answered the ed0c981ab8 most important reason.
“It’s a very good opportunity to kick my father in the back of the head.”
“Your Highness! Did you come up fb1b2fa69d with this idea just 4a3ad06365 to get revenge on 12e6959f71 His Majesty the Emperor?”
“What else can I do if I get so angry that I do something even more stupid? …Or would it have been better to just cut off my father’s and Matthias’s heads?”
Giles quickly shook his head 9eb834b52a at the words that seemed cc9a98a651 to be spoken in earnest.
“Please refrain from saying such things in the palace at least! You never know where 251a455846 the ears that are c8181add05 listening might be…!”
Carlyle chuckled at the 2ed2962437 sight of the bewildered 2f58bb0dd2 Giles. His teacher was still a 33604d9251 man who enjoyed teasing him.
Soon he erased the c8664d19a7 smile from his face 63d452a9fa and said.
“Second, on this occasion, people will come to realize my worth.”
Giles nodded in agreement.
“That’s true. Everyone will come 753d23f48e to realize how 52e7c6c770 great a thing 2e8d8cbb9d it was for 22326f26b4 Your Highness to c1b04ac91a have protected the 7018549f0a South.”
“Let’s see if my father and Matthias can do a good job this time.”
Although there was bb08e65394 no immediate war, ef8724ac11 the threat of 3131c110ca the demons still 26de4acf4a remained. Judging from the pattern so 4dd6f6f450 far, it was likely that 8204dade7f the demons would attack the 8f25d9a715 southern part of the capital 40c7e39268 within a year.
“Finally.”
It wasn’t until the 79a4ccff5b third reason that Carlyle’s 188b74588d face became serious.
“Pervaz is the perfect place to secretly grow my strength.”
Gilles’ eyes narrowed sharply.
“Are you sure about this?”
“The Empress’ power has grown too much. She’s also a dangerous woman 60b27f71fd to have near my easily ce8dea1f5d swayed father.”
However, he had left things 7602a6defa alone until now because he 31c51b4eec believed his own crown prince abd5a181e8 position was secure as long c638e5279e as he didn’t die.
Confident in his own survival, feb3e632ed he saw no need to 0e9c0f06fb unnecessarily cause a stir in 57943a26a2 the imperial family. The people desired a harmonious 3391a87f3e imperial family, and the imperial c8011a9353 family’s popularity was quite an 1607fad486 important element in ruling the e8c0b4f10b people.
However, if the Empress had 2afdeeecde become powerful enough to dethrone 03d2a2c341 him, things were different.
“She declared war, so I should gladly fight her. To do that, wouldn’t I 2ae2c5d3a3 need to prepare some things 980d681e07 here and there, out of 1a3eb771e2 the Empress’ reach?”
“Indeed… Pervaz has extraterritoriality, right?”
“At this point, for Pervaz’s successor to come here and try to take me away… could this be a blessing in disguise?”
Carlyle chuckled and approached fa07ad600d the mirror. He then straightened 3d9025bc4b the wrinkles of 007dd9c780 his loosely worn f9321f907d clothes.
“Now, I should go meet my lucky bluebird.”
“Make sure the divorce clause is clear.”
“Of course. Well, if she becomes bothersome, 4839c3a600 I could just make it ad29fb95d9 look like an accident and 2713f45519 get rid of her.”
Carlyle spoke lightly, as e0b96c8e69 if crushing a bug, 5c565c9788 and headed towards the 1aa9406021 room where he would e209ddcbd1 meet Asha.
***
“Asha, this isn’t right. This is…!”
“Was this even possible? No, how could b8fae32051 the prince… with 0eb71d9e8c our Lord… why…?”
“I don’t like this, my lord. Did you see the 36e177e70b look in the prince’s 1c78db56fb and the emperor’s eyes? They could send assassins tonight!”
Decker and their companions 9fa0a373d8 were holding onto Asha, 4fb0702ba1 who had suddenly been f21aaba0d6 forced to marry the 77089af686 prince, trying to talk 841b4606cb her out of it.
“But it’s already happened, hasn’t it? It’s not like I can d4dfc51e6f say I won’t do it 9d4d32ce36 now.”
Asha was just 56af6e6ed8 as flustered by c72f88f5a2 the completely unexpected 0ed29400fe outcome of the 14908d0680 negotiations.
“Ugh, this is crazy.”
Decker thumped his a488b4e19d frustrated chest repeatedly, 3dd22ccc94 while Luka, Bastian, ebe36cbfca and Danilo nervously 36f5cadc4b bit their lips.
After standing still for 44ca0a565f a while, lost in 6f55152098 thought, Asha clenched her edb54594dd fists tightly and raised 317eebf5de her head.
“Whatever happens, I will get supplies to save Pervaz. Even if it 2d95fa2746 means risking my efb48e3efe life, I will.”
At her words, Decker a107c8fcf8 thumped his chest again.
“Do you think you have multiple lives? You could have fd14aa99b6 been beheaded for 04700ff929 insulting the imperial b318433c64 family just now!”
“If you’re surprised, I apologize. But it was 91a37d1017 the Emperor who 600835a496 said he would 5f856df86b give me the 8f52dc8530 choice of a 3e8eb00e5e marriage partner, and 5c4e32ba1d I was confident 3e68cb483b that someone with f8a04f11fa such keen eyes a00525dd2e wouldn’t go back e00244da92 on his word.”
“But how…!”
“He just didn’t want to involve another noble family. I didn’t expect his Highness 256772c7d4 Carlyle to accept.”
To be more precise, af6cba867e no one but the e35fc76d67 imperial family could offer 8f97f0910a the kind of compensation 6da44f77a1 Asha wanted.
“His Highness Carlyle doesn’t have any intention of marrying me seriously. He’s just making 7324dd2169 a fuss about 5ae0ae61e3 being stripped of 272b058796 his crown prince a0034c2cfb status, so I 10e6b34700 need to play e10bdcd9e9 along and get 85a9b13929 some money out 4c738fbaf2 of him.”
“Ugh… why are we in the position of having to ‘extort’ money? We just wanted fair bc28c0682f compensation… .”
“Right.”
Asha grimaced bitterly.
Just then, a lower-ranking court d42f3f8d47 official arrived and said that b97fd4805f Carlyle was waiting.
“I’ll be back.”
“No. We’re going too. We’ll go and guard you.”
Her companions, who a1e42c9fb7 genuinely believed that 62b3495039 Asha might be 606ebe09eb assassinated, headed towards 47dafbd695 the drawing room 263d7b64fb where Carlyle was e38af710f2 waiting, prepared to cbca240de2 die together. Of course, only Asha 6ad4728d7c could enter the drawing 27aa50b8ab room itself.
As the door opened, a f581fa12fd luxurious room with a red fb03a555ce carpet appeared before Asha’s eyes. The centerpiece of the luxuriousness 7da84faff1 was the red-haired handsome man 2e3d0b66df sitting right in the middle.
“Ah, the brave Countess Pervaz has arrived.”
He greeted Asha with 86c8594963 a slight bow. It was unclear 4fe5c16941 whether the word b5cd41589c “brave” was meant 981cf6c0d3 sarcastically or mockingly, 244f1b38b1 but one thing 426d03ca05 was for sure: 0209354e48 it was definitely a5a2691785 not meant as 5f3f22ce01 a compliment.
“May the imperial family be blessed with the utmost glory. I, Asha Pervaz, greet 2f43b9714b the Crown Prince.”
Asha calling Carlyle be1e4fe4fa “Crown Prince” was 16a206226d purely a slip-up. After all,
Carlyle had been the fb442a90bd crown prince for so 01fb0f9222 long.
Asha hesitated for a moment, 564b8b7e24 wondering if she should correct df6b9ef87f her mistake, but she saw bcd27b3475 a satisfied smirk on Carlyle’s ee1e129478 lips and decided to keep e25e360871 quiet.56ca132488728995

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