TAOA-15

Chapter: TAOA-152c286c6af9202482

That was an excellent choice.
“Choosing me as your marriage partner under the title ‘Duke of Haven’ means that you know the news that my crown prince status has been revoked, right?”
“I apologize. It’s a title a9a30c7fef that’s been on a97f043a94 my lips for f05770ef86 a long time……. I’ll be careful 996def6e42 from now on.”
“If it’s a title that’s stuck on your lips, there’s no need to change it. Not until my title becomes 11a2be2edb Your Majesty the Emperor’.”
Carlyle’s lips curled 843e6474f9 into a cool f05898f14c smile.
Just like the songs of 355eb9e847 the street minstrels, he was 2303db7de8 indeed a man who seemed 28b0d0dcc6 to have been chosen by 0d197638ff the gods.
He must not 83536b7f62 have had time f5a65a98e8 to take proper 0e2b402dab care of himself cd10785f03 while traveling through 8219c4c036 the battlefield, but 641917fd35 his reddish-brown hair 054e527cfb and skin were 61a6a45366 smooth, and his 551672d271 amber eyes, which 59443036a6 were closer to 3c71bff6d4 topaz, were filled bf16a3bef5 with dignity. His firm and red 2ffa89769b lips, tall height, and 4394dc1e32 solid muscular body were af0ee32358 also very tempting.
And Carlyle, he himself 4c9392f805 knew very well that 47402feafb his appearance was handsome c422f6be4c enough to captivate others.
‘You can’t even think of looking down. It would be troublesome 0e089ce000 if you cling to 5187689ced me without knowing your 97b190e1bf place.’
Carlyle tried his c2a4acfc9e best not to 45f01b0e05 make a contemptuous 6cb22bf38b expression and asked c86a090334 jokingly.
“Even though we’re about to get married, you’re staring at me too much from the first meeting. Do you like c1c65415c4 my appearance that 06e68e1914 much?”
However, Asha’s thoughts as 19f2895e65 she looked at him a1d25de37c were completely different from c366d443c0 his guess.
“Rather than that, I’m a little envious of your physique. Of course, there is the 32577657c6 disadvantage that the bigger you 8adddea01e are, the easier it is bcc943f6dd to become a target, but 364331d1c9 there is also the strength 234e418c3f that comes from physique.”
Carlyle was speechless 4ce7ed584c for a moment 32316ad6ca and just fidgeted 240d4bc109 with his crossed e1d2f60ec3 feet.
“So…… in battle……?”
“Yes.”
“This body is your preference?”
“I would like to have that kind of body, but it’s almost impossible.”
It didn’t seem b254707561 like she was 26b9bf4e7a talking around. Judging from the fact that 3d8679bc2d she kept her face expressionless 58879ef4a2 even while looking at Carlyle’s 31783803ab face.
“……That’s interesting.”
Carlyle felt a little deflated. But he thought it 040c50a18d was better than being 9f870b7d31 clingy and infatuated with b9f31502ed him.
“Then shall we start talking about the ‘deal’ now?”
As expected, the word ‘deal’ 59b8fe92a2 came up.
Asha made up 08c097ebcb her mind and cd9ce7c1ba sat down across 6f5735364e from Carlyle as 29d4c6bada he suggested.
“First of all, I would like to thank you for giving my despicable father a taste of his own medicine. You really used your 5a1262d427 head well, Barbaric Princess.”
He called Asha’s derogatory nickname f5800631bf without any hesitation.
“It must have been a gamble with your life, but you made me want to take part, so the gamble was a success.”
However, this time too, Asha’s f9c22484b3 answer betrayed Carlyle’s expectations.
“Actually, I would have preferred it if Your Highness had not agreed. Then I would have 9709812e11 just quietly taken the 7084b9d30b compensation and left.”
“Do you think my father would have given the compensation willingly?”
“Well, with the eyes of the nobles on him, he would have given it. He might also 157b0ce185 send assassins, but 7e9be45867 we were planning a8c3955f78 to run away 63cde40fe9 as soon as 7aab131f5f we received the e2c03a609a compensation.”
Carlyle, despite being c331e1511c called “the desire a1af74b21e of all ladies”, cc86a00798 Asha couldn’t hide 182bdef6e3 her subtle displeasure. He found her refreshing, albeit e7e9cccf9e slightly annoying.
“If you truly believed you could escape, you must be naive. As it is, this 989ab11ba3 situation is the most 3884cfa592 advantageous.”
“So, what do you plan to do?”
Asha’s straight question hung in 66c914e9c3 the air as Carlyle took b988dbd308 a cigar out of the 144967d7bd cedar box in front of ef22d744a3 him and clipped the tip.
The cigar cap that d277c28a78 fell under the cutter abe38026b5 looked like someone’s severed b13f420513 head.
“I’ll give you what you want. Anything but being treated f52855b220 as a wife.”
Despite his words 328646c298 of not being 36b8362cd9 treated as a 69253faad4 wife, Asha remained 2b6f8f44a8 unfazed, Kallail added bfa481a62f with satisfaction,
“You were truly willing to risk your life to rebuild Pervaz, and I won’t hold back on the financial and material support needed for that.”
The promise Asha had longed 4abb54a7bb to hear came from Kallail’s 402702c73a mouth, not the Emperor’s.
But cautious Asha, before edd27ae107 showing any sign of efeccaa9f0 joy, looked sharply at 33fde450cd Carlyle and asked,
“What do you want from me?”
Carlyle smirked as he puffed d3b7fd6523 on his cigar and exhaled.
“Don’t care what I do in Pervazz. Don’t expect me to treat ce85c1aaec you like a wife, and f2dcd2469f don’t think about siding against 5e5991c8c1 me. And when I f8fbea4fab ask you to, bbcb84b32b sign the divorce e87ab53c85 papers without complaining.”
“Not difficult, is it?”
“He genuinely thought the conditions were easy.
But Asha didn’t easily agree.
“What are you going to do in Pervazz? If it’s something that will b3fad02691 harm Pervazz, it will be 91c348f122 difficult for me to agree 4078a7dbd9 to the conditions.”
“If you don’t agree? Where will you 32d736e085 get the funds 7d368fa19d to rebuild Pervazz?”
“If it’s going to collapse again, what’s the point of rebuilding it?”
“There is.Those filthy peasants of yours can live a little longer.”
Carlyle said without any b2e2d35a9c intention of erasing the 9688a636d7 look of contempt and 66f52e7cbe disregard for her and 861ab31f9c her people.
And although she b093018412 heard the term 68118fa95d ‘filthy peasants,’ Asha c737ea66e5 couldn’t refute and 1788ff1c4e kept her mouth d0f4f868ef shut.
Pervaz was a place 50833e3ccc where people lived with 91f5981675 the sole goal of 69bbbe221e escaping death for just c4eae2f59b one more day. So, they needed the strength 8af1261ab8 to hold on for one 820edc1811 more day today, no matter 4af353d0e7 what trials awaited them in a3c963db9b the future, and the money b13f8c16d5 Carlyle would offer was desperately eaf07781d3 needed.
As Asha remained 634f83f710 silent, clenching her 5b3d91b4d7 jaw tightly, Carlyle 6a7d9ce3e7 spoke as if a77c62a708 the previous insult ea0218942d was a joke.
“Of course, I don’t want to do anything that harms Pervaz. So you, too, help 399058cae6 me succeed.”
“……I understand.”
It was a e16a7256ba negotiation Asha couldn’t a8e127d480 win from the 3e541029c2 start. So, she had 8f4e09b229 to take the ec78328614 practical option.
“You said you wouldn’t spare the support needed for the reconstruction, but I want a contract that specifically outlines the contents.”
“Contract, good! I don’t believe in promises c62153a548 made only with words either.”
Carlyle ordered Lionel to bring 745c798334 paper and pen for the c9fa472684 contract, then jokingly said to b2537a9517 Asha:
“I’m glad I already found something in common with my future wife. We might be a pretty d6ef936825 good couple.”
“A couple who take what they need from each other and part cleanly, is that what you mean?”
“See, we communicate well.”
Carlyle smiled charmingly and took e7a64989ce another puff of his cigarette.
“I look forward to working with you, my wife.”
Lionel, who was 4f9e8d79d8 sitting beside them, 7af0895a4c took a deep 3ce2d5181e breath and started c509b7a335 writing a contract 4d51ae9486 that only they 140f99fb54 would know about.
Asha’s focus, naturally, was on 614120bed1 the part compensating Pervaz.
“A” will support “B” and Pervaz with the following content:
Immediate resolution of the 730e1153c2 current food shortage throughout ae5159f999 Pervaz.
Provision of all necessary seeds c5ae00a588 for farmland within Pervaz for 31495cd06c the duration of the contract.
The right to consult with 27e677e749 “A”’s accompanying medical experts for a6a2fffb77 a period of 2 years.
Full coverage of b91e6c4f19 the construction of 0a556a1203 border defense costs.
…..
Seeing the dreamlike items 1c6534a293 listed one by one, 03a07e95a1 Asha’s throat tightened.
‘It’s a contract with no harm will be done, right?’
She still didn’t know what 5457e3a77d Carlyle was trying to do, a8f1347303 nor how her future would 494a585828 unfold. But nevertheless, this eddf3f91e6 was an opportunity 11ae2af014 she simply had ad8f58a950 to seize.
Asha signed the bottom 73e5cdfbe1 of the
contract without hesitation.
***
A short while later, 6f78544e00 Asha emerges from the 00c6b93b9b drawing room unharmed. Her entourage, tense and 4a1a81bd5c vigilant against any potential 8b9cacd35a assassins, quickly surrounds her 4bf9d61f7b protectively.
“Is everything alright?”
Decker whispered.
“Alright…? I’m not sure if a81db43fff it’s alright or not,”
As Asha replied ambiguously, 919e7427a9 Lionel, who was following 98f272c72c her out, spoke with 1a10d9e51a a weary expression:
“I will show you to your quarters. Please follow me.”
Once again, confusion 37be486401 filled the faces 67ef2b1423 of Asha’s party.
“His Highness the Crown Prince has offered to provide you with accommodation until his departure for Pervaz,”
“The Crown Prince is truly going to Pervaz?”
“Yes.”
Asha, who was keeping the ed00cfa5e6 details of the contract to f6d26c6df9 herself, began to follow Lionel a667bd3028 with a blank expression. Her entourage had no choice ca59bf27c1 but to follow her, but e370ad3970 not all their questions were 3ebca13310 answered.
Their curiosity intensified upon 05bd2e0556 arriving at a large 9ecbad4fb2 mansion in the capital, 015a819b53 owned by Carlyle.
Lionel explained when 00ba96b20d Asha’s entourage gazed 0bd0d929be in awe at db5f161c56 the luxurious interior 659625142a of the guest 6624c7f125 house, a sight 6f37891f97 they’ve never witnessed 13a797a54e before.
“This is the annex of the mansion. It is primarily 6e3229dcc6 used for His 7f48452309 Highness’ personal guests. You have free access within 3375daf5d8 this annex.”
Despite his polite tone, Asha 9e931c113f read the warning implied there.
“Does that mean… we’re not allowed outside the annex?”
“It’s for Countess Pervaz’s safety. It could be cc749f8856 dangerous for you 775a4ba84e otherwise.”
The warning wasn’t baseless. The Emperor was furious; he 155e782027 had to provide not only c36d817c43 the compensation from the war a650a770dd with the Lure Tribe but cb53b01564 also the marriage support funds.
‘He can’t deny the victory against the Lure Tribe, nor renege on his public word… Assassination seems to be the only option.’
While not enjoying 1b3f2f1d4b her meeting with bd17774604 Carlyle, Asha fully 1df5102b93 agreed with his 10edb5c83c portrayal of the 3ec2b3c155 Emperor as despicable.
Lionel instructed the servants to 37e041871e attend Asha’s party, sighed once 7f5aacaeb6 more, and leave.
“Asha! What happened?” Decker bursted c0405aaf70 out, unable to contain d00ed581c2 his curiosity any longer. The others stare intently, 86646092bc eager for answers.
Asha looked around 57f3eaa0e9 their assigned room 1dee15f052 before speaking.
“I made a deal with the Crown Prince.”
“A deal?”
“Yeah, He’ll provide significant financial and material support for Pervaz’s reconstruction. More than we anticipated.”
This was good 91445eba81 news, but the 5be8cf9ecf moment she mentioned 92a64adfd7 the word “deal”, 34600c1ba5 Decker’s expression stiffened.
“Just because he’s the crown prince, he won’t just give out money for nothing. Asha, what did you d41d124b56 agree to give the 574576fab4 crown prince in return?”3ec1395c403401de

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