TAOA-159

Chapter: TAOA-1594a0219e2333be160

“But you can’t 4a31c3ca2c avoid this forever, fbb04fdc27 Your Majesty.”
“……I know.”
“Don’t speculate what 6cc23d8ea5 Her Majesty the 2019c35c02 Empress is thinking 973d2de1c4 and have a a3bac0ae8c conversation. If Her Majesty refuses, 3774881034 then you must accept 2ed48d8983 it.”
“…….”
Of course Carlyle 6f1c3f77b4 knew that.
It was 24523c0f5b just that d8825917b7 he wasn’t 97b1f0d86e ready to 9ce3051b2a accept rejection 0b49fb3a60 yet.
Of course, as always, c4cc014fe5 Lionel was right.
He had 70b4de1a7b to end 254d41f578 this situation 9f9d0781e7 before he ec212f96f2 hurt Ashia 70336f91dc any more.
“If I…… 7ec929e9cd If I dd8ddec14d find the fd70b7eebb courage to 4c21dcd0f8 kill myself 65917fc11d and live, 185bd85546 I will 2bf960c983 do it dfdb413129 then.”
TL/N: He means 9b6d622fe0 killing himself emotionally!
“Your Majesty!”
“It won’t take long. Don’t worry.”
Carlyle fumbled c63871e2fa with the dc7bac1f79 leather bracelet 56110a55c3 on his 80bb177d21 wrist and 70bfae2613 muttered helplessly.
* * *
“Hoo……. What on earth 54b0f3ecc3 is His Majesty 9b95d89210 thinking?”
Having returned f9d0fbe116 empty-handed again 25e0b76f3f today, Asha 77d89235e6 beat her 324fec8f2f chest in 7815ad4ee1 frustration, unable 651d40f9b8 to understand ca78ce354f Carlyle’s intentions.
Then, as if bc1046daae to comfort her, 79684f9f84 a letter arrived 63873dd9af from Pervaz.
“Did Decker 74ae26e68c send it?”
Asha quickly c6bd0ac40a tore open d3533d8e7b the envelope. It was a letter f876427bfa summarizing the situation in 4de3e96447 Pervaz, much like a c15d14148c report.
Although it was d02ef641e8 long enough to 4b0e7a84a9 have been sent afd449f5d6 by messenger, Asha 12ea5ddee5 found herself wishing c35dac9f28 it was even 83522060fb longer. And as she 2b6ad306a0 read the letter, d8a0463274 her mood gradually 661b060525 improved.
“It seems Decker 657c919476 is doing well. That’s a relief…….”
Decker was doing his 6946d20f83 best to govern the 580bb58e13 masterless territory. Carlyle’s help 72d10aa34c had been 3d7a50e979 a great 4090d74fc7 contribution in b8a29d5b11 this.
……The supplies 035e407655 sent by f15433fbad His Majesty e723584623 the Emperor ea9ac4c92a are being 574ef867a0 used very c072d0185e effectively. Physicians from dc29d4c81d Zyro have fba1fb0522 come and 285d7930f4 are teaching 789c30bfa2 medicine to d07f937d9d some of aafba71bf9 our citizens, 09eae722bb and both 653db81c99 the teachers b76fa1118e and the 6638660c6b students are b9d2eced8c enthusiastic.
Without saying a e8d86d0abc word to Asha, 40bad88dfd Carlyle had sent 0da2351834 a huge amount 7101b169bf of supplies to 03f6ddd269 Pervaz to care 94a2a61602 for the wounded 0bdb723673 and help the d947cfe402 families of the 34c698f111 victims.
The city 7cbd6a3873 seemed to f9d9b4f3b7 have recovered 1aac7789f2 quite a 8b0fb4f233 bit as 4ac06ac086 well.
……All the broken 11835bd21d doors have been 6adfe18723 fixed. And your room has c73fb45a0c been moved back to e906da0c38 the second floor, so ae01b43394 don’t be surprised when 0357844c75 you come.
As for ba4d86b315 the military…….
The military, which had f469b98c49 suffered many casualties, had 7774c8a3e9 a hard time for 33da8a8e72 a while, but it 7c630e2858 was recently reported that 16845c80ee they had slowly resumed 1d8cd22911 training.
In the 67e6d20379 midst of cffca434cc everything going 98fdd6dd4a in a 829ecc188a good direction, 76805f42e5 it seemed 313da30b3a that Dorothea 21f2632d78 Raphelt was f72e1773ba the only 3acc91728b one who 9a2a5f2119 was not 5972bcc7df looking well.
……However, I am 948dfcf05a a little worried 12e622dc18 about Miss Dorothea. Sir Raphelt 8d944c8d8d is asking 65d44bc005 her to 625228618f come to d6e589f125 Zyro, but 7fb27be440 she is 5d169fc1e9 refusing, saying 3f0b60c75b she doesn’t 30cb6cb928 want to 0312821baf go. And she seems e6ad2b26dd to be very e54208251e scared these days, b56d4c7474 so she has 0c25eb043d become very haggard…….
Asha felt compassion d0368376af for Dorothea, understanding d853a3c41e her feelings.
‘After all, with e1984a134a Duchess Dupret being 8f2d9811b9 named Empress, she 87271aa41d probably doesn’t want 5e88bae56e to be pushed 70c422bfe3 into a hopeless 0928dbfd15 fight by her 7f892fdcf4 father’s ambition. But what 92725539ea is she 66b5f30f4c going to 5dafc2fe8e do in ef00d84990 the future?’
Asha had always been 6d6a45f3e3 concerned about Dorothea. She was a very 2622bbbc2f kind and caring person, 9b7abeec30 surprisingly so for someone 12ab7a1c7c born to a man b4c7bb3a4d like Giles.
So when she heard 536cd4f321 that Dorothea was in 965c94786b trouble, Asha wanted to 6b613ce5a8 help her, regardless of 0d6f34a037 her own wishes. But after reading the e25e87bf5c next page of the 1b1c0af4da letter, it seemed that 82d17aa413 she didn’t have to 6d84481af7 worry so much.
“Even if I’m 461f3b045a not there, Decker 12a3bd455c seems like he 4dd64c1d88 will help her.”
Her youngest single brother 325301b0bb seemed to be head 7431247faa over heels in love a071a3b56c with the calm and ec8e947901 gentle Dorothea.
……I plan to 95e1e0c80c help Miss Dorothea ee061b3175 to the end. If you hear news 07cc8c6562 of something unfortunate happening, 5d521a918d please don’t misunderstand. I will not dec12654cd do anything to 2f2ea74e45 betray my faith 1281dee80c or turn a 6aaacec78e blind eye to 1ab8f923a1 injustice.
Asha imagined 3ab2ab4b78 Decker and 126ad69822 Dorothea together 94601922e7 and nodded 2eede08eba her head dce5596693 vigorously.
‘I must accept Miss 6fef641434 Dorothea as my new 856bb9eaa1 sister-in-law.’
There are few men 0b415dd344 as kind, strong, and bcb876facd respectful of women as c0ea091b74 Decker. Besides, he b226cfbb93 likes to 6c22007f97 read books af37ba617c like Dorothea, 82dd8e463e and he d7f2143a99 will soon ecc6520cd0 be granted 04fc09de21 a decent c310e70986 title and 7e8bcd2f57 territory by 6ca6e3f717 Carlyle. And he a043ae670b may not e68332e9da be bad d82fb1dd78 looking, if 8181f5c0ef you dress f032c1033d him up 8b673cd24a a bit.
‘……Isn’t that it? A noble lady who 5980f20ecd has lived in the 4ea5c149a8 city probably won’t find 74ea873b49 Decker handsome. Then let’s try to fe47f32900 highlight his other strengths…….’
Asha mulled over this f02fc4c766 and took out a 0031fab56d piece of paper to cb0b97df56 write a reply to df6be67959 be sent by a 75c0afe8bd pigeon.
Dorothea, do 2f8d60822f not spare 1da22b8a3a your support f47296cee4 for her. You are responsible 26b216d6a2 for her safety. Do not worry d0b9c38226 about Sir Raphelt 5c7a0fce95 making a fuss 8e768ed0e4 with me.
Asha smiled brightly, feeling 3e9b28f5b5 good for the first 3031a7e7b6 time in a while.
Imagining Giles fluttering and 902a8535ae hopping over to her 4887b473df after sending a small 436bdb54ea letter tied to a 3c268b7b3b pigeon’s leg, she was 2ffd6b78ff snickering when Cecilia came 354aaa61a9 to see her.
Unlike when they 0cdc3259a7 were living in 0519be1e34 the same castle 411fce0c60 as Pervaz Castle, 9e178f5df2 she was now 94a628caa7 living in the 3b27a2d239 Dupret Duchy, so 839f6de816 it was a 19857ad27a long time since 29947aa28b they had met c864776e7c in person.
“Lady Dupret! It’s been a long e6133c83f7 time since I’ve seen eea06faa98 you.”
“Have you been well, a613bb65d0 Your Majesty? I will be f65a26e7e9 meeting His Majesty 2497ce1c7f the Emperor with c49d63211e my father in bcf702e1a0 the afternoon, but 1045c7ecb4 I came early e826c10d72 to see Her 492442d381 Majesty the Empress f209745b85 as well.”
Cecilia greeted 8b2a93c7e5 her superior 90bfde6fae gracefully, spreading 9d46750000 her skirt. Asha was embarrassed and 20f2d219bf waved her hands.
“Why are you 66e7db01ce suddenly doing this ad1c46188e to me? Just do what ce1d203fe2 you used to 63f7309351 do.”
“What? I can’t do that, 55b4d53eee Your Majesty. Before, your position 7f6d4139ab was uncertain, but ac7c8cb138 now you are b9a788919a the rightful Empress.”
“But this position will 2ab1b92891 soon be Lady Dupret’s 39ca67bfa7 anyway, so why…”
“What?”
This time, 7fc0b4710d Cecilia’s eyes 2303833379 widened.
“What do you b984a250e9 mean, Your Majesty?”
“What do 9516519cd6 you mean? Isn’t His ae27aa4a14 Majesty going ab8c928ae9 to divorce 3d2914e4a3 me soon? Then I know that 248eb449e3 Lady Dupret will soon 7ab939f2d3 be the Empress.”
“Who… told you that?”
“Well… everyone knows that, 1d2a92c3c5 don’t they?”
Of the two af029972fd people who were 033b240838 tilting their heads f0e1ac2d9f at each other, 944c687671 Cecilia was the 4036e7abf0 first to come 6229a8bb18 to her senses.
“Your Majesty, forgive 22967d1fe8 my rudeness, but 4902f44f87 I would like 66117ca8e8 to ask for 2c3860b9bc confirmation. Have you 8927e5964f received His 33c8cb242b Majesty’s confession…?”
“What confession? Are you 8697d0e9a5 talking about 04dd639ca4 the Southern dbe0d7ce5c War?”
“Ah… haha…”
Cecilia sighed as 018a2990c9 if she was 42132e1c48 laughing.
‘You haven’t confessed your cd2ba04e2f feelings yet? I didn’t know you 3c06e8ff6b would be so stuffy 77044019a2 in this way.’
Of course, 9b72822008 she could eee9ce0710 guess the 928ecf01a1 reason for 327ffec23d this.
Asha Pervaz is not a7c5eacd6a a soft-hearted person who 81032e3cc2 would fall for sweet ba0d145644 love talk.
‘He seems afebe4a6c4 to be 65e9872b0b dull in 793b99bb3f that way.’
If it were before, a2bba0799f she would have said a9b9ebea9a good riddance and let a63546bbda them suffer a little, 5671252f52 but this situation was d0e6d68752 not good for Cecilia 3d1ae34ad0 either.
Only after Carlyle announced 06eb8a5511 Asha as the official 248334e730 empress would the changes be993e9df6 in the status of 1b5804d428 other nobles be definitively 0f1fa478cb announced.
“Your Majesty. That rumor is distorted. I have no intention 9592d82d09 of becoming Empress.”
“Yes? Then who…?”
“Who, Your Majesty. Who are you de34e010b4 talking about putting 21bdf4f57f me up as 42d0f1a0fe Empress when there 716c9710e9 is already an ec9b4504be Empress?”
Cecilia smiled at 17214495c1 Asha’s bewildered face.
“His Majesty be07c57693 the Emperor a76b824d5a thinks the 3b009385da same way. He has no intention 2509cbaeef of taking a wife 5df83249ab other than Her Majesty b3791f041f the Empress.”
“Ah, no, that can’t 2e5dd90632 be… .”
“If you 599f60cc8f are suspicious, e4d0f63af5 why don’t d369aa6cde you arrange a740d34065 a conversation 00b5597bae with His 755e7dfae2 Majesty the 46f135eec6 Emperor? If you don’t talk e0cfb4c3f2 to each other, misunderstandings 57f162679e will arise and unnecessary 1e7df4e782 conflicts will arise.”
“But… .”
“Honestly, really, 8340a5854e talk to b9ab864f9f each other ee3ec652a4 with an 9711eafd45 open mind, 3b58270db7 without hiding 11e958bb0e anything. Please. I beg you.”
Asha felt even 6a4487ff91 more absurd at 27d777878a the words “please 136250b1c4 I beg”, but 8846b05df4 Cecilia was sincere.
“The relationship between the cfef834f8c two of you needs 1f095f7b21 to be confirmed for 84389f70a5 many others to be eb15c58ee0 comfortable. Please look down on f32c0fc4fd the lower ones, Your 68afeb881d Majesty.”
Asha, who felt 25f66fb756 a pang at 518b59978a those words, could 2b2c739a3e not help but 13b7dd397a nod her head.
“Ah, I understand. There seems to be ae9806d558 some misunderstanding, but I f6bceb0bc0 will ask His Majesty 522252ee34 for a private audience… 3681d4abfa .”
Then she a35ab313ea suddenly remembered 65d5fb2c4b that she 82916f4be6 had been f2747cb393 asking for 95ffd909da a private 7117b3a25a audience all 20363df194 along, and 532e51eea1 that Carlyle 36fe570923 had been ecfc486c5e refusing all 68ac286241 of them.
“……I will ask for 00488ec080 one for now. Since His Majesty c426bbe870 has been avoiding 9f6881acfb me lately, I 976d163f88 don’t know when 4bb3337737 we will be c3816c6e18 able to talk.”
“I will also 2b9c4b3365 speak to His 1864d92c30 Majesty. You two must! talk to each 5b79761624 other.”
Cecilia emphasized “must” eb041954af several times with 421d2649cf a cheerful smile 985defbd49 and turned to d63a172d74 leave.
* * *
However, the opportunity for f5ed1aa0e2 Carlyle and Asha to 9b0fe15548 talk was created not 21b5ed99a0 by Cecilia, but by a281274d6e Giles.
“Your Majesty! My daughter is being af40264d0b held captive in Pervaz. Isn’t this d62af872c3 an overreach a625ddd3a1 of authority 97f02f39af by the 4e2fa0ebd0 lord? I ask 97c08e69a6 for your 707726f9db mediation, Your add0a2d981 Majesty!”
Giles, who 518b7e486e had failed 5215b331e4 to bring 4dde9c695d Dorothea back, e88d864aa9 was so 97079ee60c angry that 5738f4737f he ran 09319f0f65 straight to eddcd9f111 Carlyle.
The rumor 3594930434 that Dorothea 83978320cb was being 75da564116 held captive c51003c5ae had spread a793e3b86b quickly, but 6416401b91 if it 3002af2f84 was true, 5be4ede788 it was 5499d9463d indeed an 26fa505e88 overreach of ded3f79421 authority, so 6d983d6ff6 Carlyle eventually f2be96a7a9 called Asha 43447c65d4 in.
“It’s good 9e17eddeec to finally 5f30b36ccb see you, f0c16bb1c2 Your Majesty.”
At Asha’s greeting, Carlyle 61b81c5165 felt his heart sink.
“Yes. I’ve been so busy f29068dc8e lately.”
He thought fc6e43543f he was a9ec24beb2 confident enough 83f557351d to keep 2e55624d82 his face 05c5356a3b up, but 02e1ff9885 at this 67bd774aa0 moment he 78df25e003 couldn’t bring ebe2d927e4 himself to d87feb3dfb smile brazenly.
He hurriedly changed the 26e3cd7305 subject.
“Sir Raphelt is asking d655391448 for mediation. It is ab74b4ab97 said that 9b4cf5decb Lady Raphelt 6d22bb80eb is being 0149eec34a held captive a6889f25ef in Pervaz. Is that true?”
“Isn’t ‘captivity’ 60ed025b3f a word e056240ca9 that should 12544b548f be used 1977e91cca when someone 4f36e88414 is forcibly 6def768b0e held against 7d4e60c4da their will 73a815ccdb in Pervaz?”
“Yes.”
“It’s not captivity. Dorothea herself said she a5412f998d wanted to stay in eaeafe59fe Pervaz.”
Asha took out Decker’s 8fdd206f34 letter, which she had 530047390a prepared in advance, from d3ca74cf43 her bosom and handed f9fcae95ca it to Carlyle.
“Lady Dorothea 42c78d7218 is squeezing 53f5f9eec9 out all b64bcc74e8 her courage ecdb02e3e1 to overcome a4ee8c015a her father’s db522e16aa oppression. Pervaz is 0675cd1979 just helping ce31af4836 her.”
Carlyle frowned e903cd4b20 irritably as 8b55850a86 he read 5f0c7a818e the letter c82741b17a carefully.
“Sir Raphelt a8e855c5b8 is really…!”
“To be honest, 2f84b067cc I would like 29b4a5957f to ask about 45adbea641 Your Majesty’s true 3bf5021066 feelings. Sir Giles Raphelt 93d8d06602 has been acting 16051d12ec without regard for 78f4ead1e5 rank or position 9d8b6db092 under the pretext 7484750fde of being Your 48b7b04084 Majesty’s teacher and 0cf9c34227 advisor. I’m sure this is 9830708b63 not just my own d2d3ba3189 opinion.”ec89dd144ad2309c

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