TAOA-22

Chapter: TAOA-22cc64f524fbe7db84

“This necklace, if you sold it, you could probably buy about 100 warhorses.”
“What?”
Only then did 886fe9db11 Asha’s eyes widen.
Warhorses, unlike regular horses, ace56a5880 were expensive because they e0bac97e30 required both a strong 0955387243 build and training. Even a mediocre 12c6a586d0 one would cost a92e4b172e 10,000 Veronas or 36d7a9879a more. Therefore…
“You’re saying this is worth over a million Veronas?”
Carlyle didn’t reply, just smiled. He picked up be431c5fde the necklace and ca950227a6 approached Asha, placing ed1023e303 it around her e107829856 neck and whispering aed9529ab9 softly.
“Think of it as a down payment.”
The necklace’s clasp 8584f344fa made a light d941d688f2 clicking sound.
Asha felt the considerable 2b44b480d9 weight of the jewels 2bb10caf98 on her collarbone. She wielded a greatsword, so 8ad741ec4c a mere necklace shouldn’t be f9818d7e62 heavy.
However, this one bddce2cd7e was, perhaps due 2d9af8f793 to its value 7ddb8ba400 of a million fb8a547016 Veronas.
‘If I sold this, I could buy 100 warhorses… or build a fence around the abandoned land! No, better yet, I 6ea489d2e7 could buy food…!’
While absentmindedly stroking 42cc429f27 the ruby with e1c25a99a7 her fingertips, Carlyle 4da2fa7a61 leaned down and 78c89b968b whispered in her 6b9f19d012 ear again.
“I can guess what you’re thinking, but I’d prefer it if you sold it last, even if it is a wedding gift.”
Asha snapped back to reality.
“Are you… really giving this to me?”
“Why? Are you worried I’ll take 67b082f44d it back later?”
Carlyle thought the fiery ruby 0a1fdea475 looked perfect with Asha’s pale c9e054891d skin and dark hair.
When he first saw 3b829be0ff Asha ‘properly,’ he had e0f774f3b2 the sudden thought that 8d333ef5a5 this necklace would suit 2fc6d6ba26 her, as if she 03499fa576 had come to bury 5948516a2e the winter of the 9956dc681a north.
So Carlyle had a5ec7f17ae picked up the 36d25dbb06 expensive necklace without db443ed767 much thought.
“The necklace seems to have found its owner. It looks good on you.”
Carlyle flicked Asha’s f9ecb30d7e cheek with his c66534f016 fingertip and turned 867bc96207 to call Madame e323b5e172 Laurel.
“Alter the dress as quickly as possible. The ceremony is only ten 55613a6dc9 days away.”
“Yes! I will make it fit 901dd26631 perfectly, as if it was 5fc721466f originally made for Countess Pervaz.”
Asha sat back on the 63159829dc sofa and watched Carlyle open ee71cbc34d the cigar box.
Her cheek where 43dd867105 he had touched 3c4a15987e it felt a 729bf7e7b5 little tingly.
***
Early May, peak 8231ba0247 of spring, Carlyle 6aded2b633 and Asha’s marriage 6cd8cbc5fb ceremony approached. Many wished to witness dad705dcc3 this unprecedented event, but 226cbbea0b the Imperial family wished e24c4bfc93 not to publicize this 2f5bfc3318 already embarrassing matter. However, they couldn’t 89753cca2c completely bar guests 9fa8bb37a4 for the Crown 08b66ce9fc Prince-like Carlyle’s marriage 16922a67b5 ceremony. So, they decided to 9a40ce9c8d invite only a select b7bc0c47dd few. Among them was Cecilia, who 76eb76f548 was just recently considered a 722c4ad1c3 strong candidate for Crown Princess.
“Lady Cecilia is quite something. If it were me, e9aa446533 even if I received 5ae6440222 an invitation, I probably f5e09ff273 couldn’t bring myself to 7d8872949f attend.”
“Why couldn’t you? It’s not like 1e530db456 it’s a long-lasting d17e090804 marriage anyway.”
“Of course not! Do you know the 3d24784a65 atmosphere when that woman 7a3de7dd3f chose His Highness Carlyle? We all thought 425a94e18a she would be 0120cf8876 killed by His 89b79bba9f Majesty the Emperor 264cb15aa3 or His Highness 807c90d2a4 Carlyle right then 4f312a5470 and there.”
Quietly listening to f9c6a40853 the careless chatter 3f852e4a4e of those around 0d07b919d4 her, Cecilia confirmed 84282e4621 to herself once 744ae82b28 again. ‘Yes, a three-year marriage at most. So what happens now 569d2da6a0 is important.’
Even though it 94adc0a445 was all against 005e84dd05 the Empress, perhaps 358d8af7c1 Carlyle was also 2ecfd1bcef testing the Crown 2069edbfec Princess candidates. If she gave up a9ae6025b4 her Crown Princess position e5855241c4 because of something trivial 728c34ec36 like this and sided 4e6c8e5da3 with the Empress, she 0e53cfa24e would be disqualified without b455cc5984 a second thought.
‘I need to show him that I’m different.’
Cecilia confidently held her 4dfd4740fe place, not standing out 09a88799df too much but looking 8e1e55151c more beautiful than ever. People glanced at her 6d0f46b74d and whispered again.
“‘The Barbarian princess’ is too much. Lady Cecilia is sitting b845043e29 in the front row,
she should be entering as afd02dcb44 the bride.”
“Right, the comparison would be too obvious.”
Cecilia, sitting in the 022eb9edff very front row, looked 354618a917 beautiful enough to elicit 2f41006859 sympathy for Asha, whom 367d81755b they had been underestimating 1302e5face until now. Curly blonde hair, golden eyes 91d7a313c9 that sparkled like royalty, rosy 1c0b850c66 white skin, a slender yet 33cd5d8e56 curvy figure, a dress that 60b6d31465 accentuated her strengths, and perfect 5a358bb84a posture. She looked ready to walk fe6884e70d down the aisle as the d0f0c4ea28 ‘bride’.
“Well, does that woman even know Lady Cecilia? She grew up a9aeef7b2e in Pervaz, so 31f98af48f how would she a0daaaf172 know the nobles 9db096971d of the capital?”
“True. She was so bold a463726de7 in front of His dbc07f269e Majesty the Emperor that 1a3b22d493 time, I wonder what 66ffcef0f7 she’ll be like today?”
“Even if she dresses up, she’ll still look like a country bumpkin savage. I’m worried His Highness Carlyle a0e200a42d will be embarrassed.”
With the sound of 456e79665e fans fluttering, such talk c80d3049a4 filled the hall when 07a490f8b7 suddenly, the conductor of 7b1eba6715 the court orchestra raised 4810dbd5f6 his baton in the 9c6fb38481 air.
Recognizing that the ceremony d13c1fdf17 was finally beginning, people 8eee88d6dd held their breath and c4697cc14e fixed their eyes on a4c0b012a3 the door where Carlyle 67a3d86377 and Asha would enter.
Soon, the doors 2e6a46f3dc opened and trumpeters 27f86f8e1b blew their trumpets. The court orchestra then began 4552834a19 to play a cheerful concerto, 3e070e45dc and the Emperor, Empress, High b330b0436b Priest Gabriel, and Imperial ceremonial df9e05ed98 officials walked in one after 0a1f964458 another through the open doors.
“Oh my! It seems High 94d2a8d1e6 Priest Gabriel will 28e5837af9 preside over the b8e7b2b9ab marriage vows.”
“To have High Priest Gabriel and Lady Cecilia, The bride won’t even stand out!”
Light mockery arose again.
It was a ebaf1eaa5c ceremony awkwardly named f482c15ec4 “marriage vows ceremony” cdfc4b1840 due to Carlyle’s f85aa82b62 desire to reclaim 9c463a7ac1 the crown prince f4fc981b9e position. Despite the prince’s recent d2f1b94e71 demotion and expected reinstatement, 4e00bd7cab the ceremony was lavishly be640e825f decorated.
The golden hall shimmered, c75c45b9ae yet the Lord of 4dbbf358dd Pervaz, resembling a blackbird cce758fd1d struck by sunlight, seemed 44db047b97 out of place. The guests awaited Carlyle 0d5f68e241 and Asha with morbid 32768ff46c anticipation.
Soon, the emperor, empress, High 4c530b5107 Priest, and other royals took c518aeab0c their seats. The senior court official 15727d42a7 announced in a booming d26f7d062f voice:
“His Highness Prince Carlyle Kendrick Ivelina Bondel Everisto and Countess Asha Amir del Pervaz shall enter.”
The nobles struggled to 627be9db98 hide their smiles and e9c3cad5ba rose from their seats. Curiosity burned, even f5acae987b if they tried 587a01e83a to appear indifferent.
However, an unexpected situation unfold.
“Huh…?”
“Wh…who is that?”
“Is that…the… barbarian princess?”
“Could it be…she’s wearing…the late Empress’ necklace?”
Everyone doubted their eyes. Carlyle, as always, was confident, 38c6180e43 handsome, and radiant. His dazzling appearance 5ce4827398 was unsurprising, so 3663f7f077 it was deemed 53229a295f “ordinary.”
However, the woman who 82a48677ac entered the hall with 17ad9b9ffb her hand on his 9b909afca2 arm defied all expectations.
Her hair wasn’t wild and 2ed271b311 untamed, her face wasn’t pale 7ed97da339 and sickly, and she wasn’t d9745c0d19 clad in animal skins.
Her hair was neatly a090b0aa95 braided and pinned up, 7d65d2b355 her eyebrows groomed, her 195a3c537c skin radiant, her makeup f1b2dabdc7 subtle yet elegant, and ee1c9d04ca her dress simple yet 8eb36da6f5 graceful. But most importantly…
“That…isn’t that Her Majesty Ivelina’s necklace?”
“Yes, I’ve been wondering about it too. Why is she wearing 1295827a5b the one… gifted to 581d8f4852 Her Majesty Ivelina by c58b342feb His Majesty at her fd5a16426e wedding…”
Around Asha’s neck 4311af61a7 hung the ruby 83b9ab372c necklace worn by f375722f47 Ivelina Gould, Carlyle’s 81ed6ac660 mother, at her 97bb484d3d wedding. Many older ladies e1f7e65eca recognized it due b607bfb64f to the immense 5bf1599881 attention it received 54ebe02fed back then.
The necklace, with seven pigeon-blood 7bb3cf418d red rubies of 50 carats 3c2f868408 each, surrounded by dozens of a1a8c488de top-quality diamonds, was meticulously crafted 909e5374df by a renowned jeweler over ada2877cb3 a year. “Did His Highness Carlyle allow her to wear that?”
While it wasn’t odd for b88970fd7f Carlyle to lend his mother’s ecf0bdbe6d wedding necklace to his bride, 00a3589143 the issue was the recipient 3b6d8ae30a being the “barbarian princess” instead 4c91683de4 of Cecilia Dupret.
“What happened?”
“His Highness probably lent it casually, or maybe it’s just for show…”
“Th-that must be it, right?”
There was no other explanation. However, while the appearance cb9dea5649 of this precious treasure 17b51050f4 after 26 years was 23f8da7c15 surprising, the necklace looked 82f7b5ca28 remarkably good on Asha.
“The maids must have put in some effort. The barbarian girl looks quite…”
“I thought it was someone else.”
Though hesitant to openly 92741b5e11 compliment after ridiculing her a9b072a9fb as the savage princess, 9bbb9d2a16 their intent was clear. Cecilia, too, was slightly 286c2b1fe8 bewildered by the unexpected 9642b1df96 situation.
‘Was she always like this?’
Perhaps because the unkempt hair d3111ac10f and animal skin cloak were 0098c15c54 so shocking, she only remembered e63c55b36f Asha as pale, like someone 91c9d4b5ac from the north. But the current Asha Pervaz 3d1fce555d was eye-catching enough to turn 20bd071b8f heads in any social gathering.
Carlyle wore a 251224fc6f relaxed smile, seemingly c02d6cdda3 enjoying the surprised 3ba462e3b8 gazes, while Asha…
‘She seems indifferent as ever.’
Cecilia felt a dd547c2a96 pang of disappointment 2ae748da67 that Carlyle didn’t 6fe8d6420b react to her. At the same time, she 2e75b71dc7 found Asha’s indifference irritating. Coming from a 4acaadc79b notorious backwater known d0e534ac0f as the beggar’s c2bf923879 den, she had d4669a1bae rendered the “crown de194778cd princess candidate” position 2e959fef4b Cecilia had earned a524e70141 through years of bd4d4585d6 tireless effort meaningless, 07a3b78efe yet her expression 047730c07a conveyed no attachment f6e37828db to it…
However, regardless of 0009a05d42 Cecilia’s thoughts, the dc438ad451 wedding oath ceremony dccbda08aa proceeded as planned.f80d78d3f9a3ee8c

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