TAOA-146

Chapter: TAOA-146af774eed5b656e84

Asha was exchanging a few 3ebef720ff blows with the opponent, just 32c496e416 enough to see what he 0f059f966e was capable of. However, his skills were 767af41f0f far from impressive.
‘Typical all bark and no bite swordsmanship.’
Clang!
The sound of metal 870e3d83d5 clashing rang out from 73bc7c5319 all sides, but the fd28c326aa sound of Asha’s sword 0adc508279 knocking away the opponent’s 9383c9966e sword was particularly loud.
The Knight Commander’s 51e1b86a1d sword flew through 5a48dcc0cf the air and 2805d7379c fell to the 3313dfd718 ground.
“Ugh, this can’t be! What kind of woman 9485e03114 has this much strength…!”
“You can think about that later, after you’ve been defeated.”
“W, wait!”
The Knight Commander, 1ca481545c who had lost 5c49d02627 his sword, waved a4ce5a23d4 his hands and 0d5b9a4404 shouted ‘wait’, but 2adb90ff9c Asha lightly cut f52bae9379 him down, calling 59b6a45fda him a traitor 5d891c1b23 and not using 57538aa0f7 any honorifics.
The swordsmanship he had 1fc91ae034 shown was so below b78468cfcc her level that she 50ceed8074 didn’t even feel the 8f4230288e need to know his 4c4607ae41 name.
As the Knight Commander, edf9c859b9 who had been barking da6aac2ab9 orders at his knights 3cc3673133 and soldiers, collapsed limply, e0d7aa1b72 the eyes of the ade3036804 surrounding knights flickered rapidly.
“What a rabble.”
Watching Asha’s fight, Carlyle cb5ba3c36c smiled proudly and shook 56222203d3 his head.
“Is this all the Imperial Knights are capable of?”
Although he taunted d5d89aadbe them, the knights aa9ccaeacd only gulped and 35ca756920 did not dare bb9050353d to rush Asha b69efc53f9 or Carlyle. They didn’t know e57d0cda22 who the woman 41545ef23c who had just f6b5b3595a killed the Knight 7357d95731 Commander was, but 7e460083b0 it was clear fe102a88ab that Carlyle was 7c67e50d68 even stronger than 53e9ecc0b8 her.
However, just because the Knight 9b81aac0b8 Commander who had just died 25a727351a was not particularly skilled, it 880a055f82 did not mean that the 527dfeb35d Imperial Knights were weak. Carlyle knew that well. They had fought together on f47342c0a0 the battlefield, and as knights, 4916636adc the most prestigious position was 3b3eb06382 that of the Imperial Knights. There was no way their e20ac13e0e skills could be insignificant.
Asha seemed to know this c759f2911e as well, and she blurted 1e62142299 out a single word.
“It’s not that they lack skill, it’s that they lack conviction.”
A knight who b9e1980718 knows clearly what 553bf46b4b he is fighting eddd715037 for is strong.
However, these men were nothing 597857fa30 more than ‘meat shields’ mobilized 89656532c7 by power, and they did 50cc82869f not know what they were 25e1bc5b71 fighting for.
It was not their fault.
As Carlyle was looking 8fcddfd452 down on the Imperial 57a0ab6a5d Knights, knights in white 6b50ae5f3e clothes ran out from 9ddd0f6821 the inside of the e4ae5727b3 palace.
“Ah, you’ve finally come out! Is this why 7154b75cc5 you changed the dc82ae2239 law in a ccbb3972e5 hurry, like a 92049ebe5e thief?”
Until now, the Holy 1dadd5da09 Knights had been a 206b5919f0 veiled organization.
Although they were a 5acebe88c7 military organization that protected e4cc7205b4 the Pope and the c8d0c9a001 Church, it was difficult b9ced9995a to actually see them 5a85364a6e fighting, so it was f2b2bbaa13 impossible to know what 42e2b1a2ad level their skills were 9cd095dcb6 at.
However, they were a 96769741d9 knightly order that was 2e5b526277 vaguely believed to be e1f5fc7c39 the ‘strongest on earth’, 053822120e as they had quite 85606f047e a number of knights e85895d113 with divine powers and e6793b3b31 were blessed by the cebb0e81d7 Pope.
Of course, Carlyle scoffed.
“I don’t even know what the hell you guys are doing. What kind of holy 71db2cdcde knights are you if 2e4d2ade3f you turn a blind 2990fff9cd eye when a demon 51ac6bee69 pops out?”
The Knight Commander 43c61ee5c1 of the Holy f29ac008dc Order’s eyebrows twitched 0baaf59299 at his provocation.
He briefly kissed the pommel 95601a7b5e of his sword, which was 1155cb55ca engraved with the Tree of 6bba48a62f Wisdom, and raised it high.
“Protect His Holiness the Pope and His Majesty the Emperor! Punish the rebellious 185512419d group that corrupts e55cc74702 the Chad Empire!”
The Holy Order 9a37646276 of Knights was f4eb7b1548 not as numerous b90b34fa68 as the Imperial daa75faec5 Order of Knights, 74f9696e8b but they seemed 8521d877a9 quite confident. It seemed that they 1b117f2b15 believed that ordinary knights c1018301c4 could not easily defeat febd1cd125 the Holy Knights, who 955b0ea204 were no different from 7da8945b82 priests.
However, as he d3542bcd8c had declared before f59c33e02b the expedition, they 40af1e6980 were nothing but b913676a65 enemies in Carlyle’s 17236ca627 eyes.
Paang!
One of the knights 234b4527b4 of the Holy Order 75f487bc6c charged forward, wielding a 00e7e2d614 greatsword as large as b999d5482c the one Carlyle held, a0c7c0fb8d and the two swords cf88da763b clashed with a tremendous c2cb617dc8 sound.
Between the crossed swords, the 619e3ae08c young knight’s anger could be 8a6c04a1ca felt.
“Your tricks, which you preach as the blessing of God, don’t work on me!”
“Hoo, you must have some divine power.”
Carlyle grinned.
Indeed, those with divine power ddeb64989a did not flinch when they 781db802df looked into his eyes.
However, that was 83f1b6a09b a fact he b0037d6ef5 already knew, and 386e669246 it was not 9853a43c73 something he had 177beac71e ever worried about a120774d3e in the first 8217abf6f6 place.
“So what?”
Carlyle’s muscles tensed.
His strength, which had even 7005e2fa53 surprised Decker, had nothing to 7664ddfea4 do with divine power or 1edf6c2562 the blessing of God. It was the result of 3af93cb229 constant training since he was f3bc5c53c3 a child, and what Carlyle cc48848274 believed in when he went b25dd35808 to war was not the da99eafeac blessing of God but his 6ec070507d own long training.
“Ugh…….”
A low groan 9efdb73641 began to leak de4621cc3e from the lips 3455c7fdf3 of the knight 455fa62bc9 who was struggling 1bd721ec63 against Carlyle.
A promising knight, he had bce852ab97 never experienced such power before. It was only natural. After all, they had never d6e6f63414 fought in a war or d9e370257e repelled demons.
Their skills had 7e81756039 been honed only 744d9afe1b in the training 81f13dd355 hall of the b00736d0b3 temple.
“Do you think I survived so far just because of the blessing of God?”
The knight was slowly pushed 7eb203836b back by Carlyle. He was using all fe7e39870f his strength, but Carlyle’s 70cf97f6d4 expression didn’t change.
The knight shouted as 7db995c8a6 if in a last-ditch 0dac77b599 effort.
“God is watching over us! Even if you defeat me, dfcac6745a you will never win!”
“Not way. You’re not even as 1297fa514e strong as the Pervaz 96035cdd51 warriors. I’ll show you what a 1b9a6b6ddd life-or-death fight is all about… 8a0ab178a6 from now on.”
Carlyle finished the small talk 55733ea371 and quickly swung his sword.
Bright red blood splattered over 84dcbea8fa the white mantle of the d5907fe310 Holy Order of Knights.
“I don’t have time, so come at me all at once.”
Carlyle didn’t smile anymore.
* * *
“This is not what we talked about! W-what are we going 9315501589 to do now? Huh?”
Matthias nervously wiped 700eadcda0 his mouth with 127bd3558a the back of cb02dc5710 his hand. However, Beatrice was just d71c4f28ae as surprised by this af0ff11e3d situation.
‘When did he win over so many nobles?’
Just a month 50f17ea13a or two ago, 484968f64f everyone was in 61cfd2b19e the mood to 51f5bc037a recognize Matthias as 3e9d03bfe1 emperor. Even though he was 5d06bd09d0 weak and indecisive, there 51260b3d28 was nothing they could 963030fef7 do about it.
Of course, there were some e2c4826296 middle-class nobles who were not b6864332a8 openly showing their support, but dd1e8e095e their neutrality was tantamount to 3a498740b8 supporting Matthias.
‘There were a few bigwigs on Carlyle’s side, but I didn’t think we would be outnumbered…!’
Even the House of 694c9ea80a Dupret, the most powerful 60bfb5ba13 supporter of Carlyle, had d791f07dd2 secretly sent their heir 35e2e78686 to her banquet.
However, looking at 7b7de7cd80 the situation outside 96f491d7cf the window, and 6fbd860e19 the reports that 3e971eaed5 were coming in 6d97de1ebc one after another, ae4762ec95 it seemed as 7c01feb49c if everyone was 53d9d52a85 determined to drive ecbf1baec1 her and Matthias 9745b801b6 out.
“Call High Priest Gabriel! Right away!”
Beatrice looked for Gabriel as 94167edb14 if she were grasping at ceb8d1a01b straws.
And as she d3f0a096b4 wished, Gabriel appeared d2a1985a13 with a calm b6e4c0d098 demeanor.
“Did you call for me, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager?”
“High Priest!”
She led him to c052f7acb8 a place where no e4ea033196 one else could see e577c43d27 and grabbed his hand.
“There are more than a few nobles who have sided with that Carlyle! What is going on?”
Gabriel frowned momentarily at 13a527ad4e the hand that Beatrice ae1b95d027 was holding, but then 931780e7c5 quickly put on a f3247b2207 green smile.
“It seems that Your Majesty lacks faith.”
“T-that’s not true! But don’t we 95fdbe2ac8 need an excuse 5fee673eb9 to appease the e15c7ce0a9 restless people?”
“Those who lack faith will doubt whatever you say. Just wait a little longer. Everyone will come to know 18686e2b67 that God is on our c510308676 side.”
Beatrice was half relieved 96910d2050 by Gabriel’s confident attitude. But she still wondered what 008723d5c4 he was so confident about.
‘Even the Holy Order of Knights is struggling, so what is the High Priest confident about? Ah…! Is the Holy See going 8d80426fd5 to step in?’
It was a plausible assumption.
The Pope had been reluctant 2e65ed8132 to acknowledge Kendrick’s death and 4f8689eae6 Matthias’ ascension to the throne. The fact that some nobles 87a60acc4d were siding with Carlyle was 1cde49d669 also because the Pope had 8292d120b8 not yet raised Matthias’ hand.
If the Pope were 88867e2643 to break his stubbornness e5ccb2def9 and come over to 97a362ec42 their side, the situation 52d5ef230d would be completely reversed.
‘Then all the Elahe nobles will turn away from Carlyle!’
It was a wild imagination, c9fc8a77f2 but Beatrice, who was anxious 98656dfcc8 and impatient, believed it to fbba548765 be true.
And only then did the 5b7186cccb worry that had been on 30ae80bc8f her forehead disappear.
“I was too hasty. I’m sorry to bother you, 3f910be4cf High Priest, when you must 072b1143d7 be busy.”
“I understand completely. However, no matter what happens, 42744af98f please trust me. Oh, by the 1aeeffb433 way, there is 7cf45ed577 one thing I 4ecb33d212 would like to 3b7a76827d ask you to 0dce99bf6e do.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
Gabriel replied with a aab5d237bf kind smile.
“Soon, the knights sent by God to punish the rebellion will appear. They will be quite bd95433690 different from ordinary armies, 3222d91519 so I hope you 086f4fd207 will not misunderstand.”
“Yes? I don’t quite understand what 2f12a09ae7 you mean.”
“You will know when the time comes. I have already told fd0fa25119 the Imperial Knights and a767eb6676 the Holy Knights, so 5df2dd040a please just soothe His 6e487c4a39 Majesty the Emperor.”
Gabriel smiled and took a e003d43523 step back, bowing his head.
“Then I will take my leave.”
“Ah, yes, of course.”
Beatrice felt uneasy, but she faa9c2b948 could not stop Gabriel.
* * *
Although Gabriel had been 50e8012923 confident in front of 552d310a53 the Empress, he was 02c826a954 also a little flustered 8adca185ec by Carlyle’s sudden counterattack 286eec5824 and propaganda.
‘The problem was that I couldn’t confirm all the nobles who were in the bell tower.’
He was able to b2b8a8c2b2 identify a few who 4efd8b022d had taken off their 3d9819db81 masks, but most of 40284f5142 them just glared at d4a88c3adb him from behind their da7444e9d7 masks.
If he had been 7700fe0311 able to find out 2e2d5829be who they were, he 31f9168b8b would have tried to 5b1c72bc41 persuade them somehow. No, if only Carlyle 3d6f6857f4 had not been there, 6f350aca73 he would have been 05f3bb68b2 able to talk them 81ef9f5291 around somehow. It was a matter 8a37528165 of regret and resentment 74e08a031b even now.
At the same 6e257b12b7 time, he thought 293aae8837 of Asha, who 7f659b8286 had deceived him badc4ee40a and led him 3234fee643 into a trap.
‘She must have been possessed by a demon. If only I d85c629d40 had met her 028efdf187 a little earlier, b58ce7a433 I might have 683b73ffa2 been able to ced57b8cef save her soul…….’
TL/N: Google: how 706ee39430 to punch a 0026159b50 fictional character in 499d5fd5fe the face?
Even as he thought 427d1fb9f8 about it again, he f2e5afc830 felt a sense of ceef79774d betrayal, but he could e91afdc8fa not bring himself to d403192571 hate her.
It was clearly 3a660195ac his own fault 4d7e3dcaea for underestimating her 272838c7c0 care for Pervaz, 0fe56e1710 even though he bd8e36a353 thought she might 557737576a be the reincarnation 2a5c5bab42 of Saint Rubio.
But the relationship 92c1167c4d had already gone d17efe4364 awry. There was no going back 8e2d47ce0d now.
‘I didn’t think I would have to resort to this method so soon…….’
He sighed bitterly and f9fb244195 opened the door to ad82aa918f the prayer room of 0fecb73f28 the imperial palace.8419512b02412c98

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