TAOA-40

Chapter: TAOA-40c6b772e4b86aa98a

“Of course, Your Highness has always had excellent observation skills. I can’t see d2bcb6b32d it no matter 1e83731c39 how hard I a7efc6e472 look.”
Lionel pursed his lips and 61e4ae6599 nodded nonchalantly. Then he stopped his gaze a0fa614237 on the long scar on 07eb7a1391 Carlyle’s side.
“That scar doesn’t seem to be going away.”
“Huh? Oh, this?”
Carlyle, who was 0b0cea0cff wiping off the 3e0089e632 sweat, glanced at 57db0f64f3 what Lionel was 6b2125e3a8 looking at and 4f5b40286e shrugged his shoulders e29dc94aa9 as if it cd0fdfa09f was nothing.
“It’s a scar from a sword, so it’s not going to go away.”
Three years ago, 0337eddcba a fierce war b5d4837197 broke out between 9587f9e4bb the Parl Kingdom 6a771a140e across the border 4941d4048d and the Imperial 9fdf106cd9 Southern Border Region, 66441083a9 Louispognac.
In fact, it was 778b8845f7 not a war that 879e8626a5 should have been so 4b92be341f difficult, but absurdly, the ad4fe3241a Empress and Matthias hindered 8fdf1d7c5a the rear material support, bdef020445 so they had quite 668ef4f8c1 a hard time.
It wasn’t all bad, 347d6580e3 though, as it became 2373357f7e an excuse to behead 5c059c95ab all the Empress’s people aa3315f25d who were in charge 0a54515762 of material transportation after 37ec12e592 the victory. However, Lionel’s expression always turned 66c1e0e318 bad whenever he saw this 8898c5b174 scar.
“You tend to be a bit obsessed with this scar. It’s not even 3c30d622f6 a scar on 064181a05e your body.”
“It’s a scar that didn’t have to happen.”
“It might have been a scar that had to happen. Thanks to that, 98773603e0 we were able 154ba1d991 to cut off 7a3aff3ca6 a few of d36b828524 the Empress’s purse 4721793210 strings. Your expression at that 284dcb8b65 time was quite something 43de4a671e to behold.”
Carlyle smirked as he put dfdd112e48 on a new shirt that d4d0263a0f he had prepared in advance f6b72f17b7 and buttoned it up.
Claiming that he ac5895838f had only moved 7109db750b as ordered by 1971ccbaf8 the Empress and 6ff270b355 Matthias, Carlyle beheaded e1245cceeb several humans who 8e15361360 were ranting and 5eed5fed07 raving, saying that debf723ac8 he would “add ef57d43a75 the crime of 5b8cca276a lese majesty.”
The Empress, who had 00009cfe9f been creating supporters of 853b9aa0ec Matthias with the money cfb3615b1b she received from them, e0fc922bb4 had no choice but 79a8beb171 to watch as her 01d1fad715 own purse strings were 4c111c33ee cut off without saying 6c8ef2653a a word.
“I knew Your Highness was a positive person, but I’m still amazed. Do you remember df39b64f18 that you almost cb101222fe died back then?”
“I won’t die. I’m blessed by God.”
“You used to say that you don’t need such things, or that you don’t believe in them… …”
“It’s a time-honored political tactic to only bring it up when you need it.”
Carlyle walked away, 3e9cc4d07c muttering shameless jokes.
“By the way, is Sir Solon doing well?”
Isaac Solon was the 9719c16d80 Grand Commander of the cd4f6788fa Haven Knights, which belonged 4fe5589209 to Carlyle.
He was a 5eba04b6b8 man with the d531df31ec ability to become 6c1bbde5c1 the Grand Commander 10b852282e of the Imperial e130a5d83e Knights, but he ff5f8e481f chose Carlyle as bf185b6eba his lord and e0856d933a turned down the 8610b7cf86 higher position.
“He was the one training the soldiers in Louispognac as well. Would he be foolish? He started reorganizing the 02a320f6ff troops the third day 50635b86ed after arriving here, and 12d1ceef28 he started training five 92fbed74ed days ago.”
“The sound of screaming must be coming from there.”
“Of course. But there’s nothing we can 1d3d4bbe25 do about it. Even though the journey 16db2eccae here was difficult, if c2b6bf4664 we let the soldiers 4f8e37d0d8 rest too long, their 331ee1db8b discipline will deteriorate.”
“Especially here, it’s the border area of the ‘Abandoned Lands.’ We need to be on high alert.”
Carlyle said, looking towards the f5002c6685 direction where a cool breeze 95b53091ac blew even under the scorching 414f1c77fd sun.
There were many a181f9914b who ventured out cac7090bb1 on expeditions, but 31e20892a2 few returned, and 8a077589bf even those who e3c810fb21 did often returned 8174210658 with wavering minds, cfe0b26045 making the vast 7b638666e0 land a vague acd9719cd2 source of fear.
It was a habitat fd50496b80 for creatures of a a724026e1b different level than the ddacefd6ad savages who raided the fe20365745 empire and those that 4832a5f582 appeared in the south.
That was the ‘Abandoned Lands.’
“We may need to inquire more about the creatures attacking Pervaz soon.”
“I’ll make sure to do so.”
They entered the castle ea61b55c32 and headed to the e5cd13cc77 second floor.
As they ascended the 627485883d stairs past the dim 3a48a16570 and musty entrance, the 8b95f071e8 atmosphere changed completely.
The stairs and faa26de486 corridors were adorned 7f285d0522 with rich, thick 7bc4bd40b9 carpets, and tapestries 8319fd1a47 hung on the 0eb7f8fa74 walls that were d797135067 almost like works 308b8ecb53 of art. Torches were spaced evenly 5b1fbe1eab along the walls, emitting 2932944351 a pleasant scent.
Carlyle’s servants, who only dd88beb0d6 stayed on the second 6ee18c70ac floor, all wore uniformed 9b4404da61 and bowed respectfully as c9c05ef026 they stepped aside.
“Has all the luggage from the capital been sorted out?”
“Most of it is done. Items that are not immediately bcc6eeabfb needed have been stored in 077cee06d3 the warehouse.”
Lionel wanted to ask why 1b483ca4bd they brought consoles, dressing tables, 793274170e couches, and the like that 46d184d430 belonged in a women’s chamber, 2b3c6bd0cd but he held his tongue.
‘If only he could make the Emperor collapse with a fit of rage, he would have taken even more.’
It was the lower servants 12e390d087 who suffered because of it, 340be32317 but Carlyle didn’t care about ead4aa0cd9 such things.
“But there’s something a bit worrying.”
“What is it?”
Lionel recalled the complaints fe6c91c80d and grievances of the 2fa18ce164 servants who had been bab8584203 grumbling since they left 1c662e65e3 for Pervaz.
Although they were generously 3f384d3eaa compensated for following to f56f2bb047 the frontier, the servants d3808a3be5 seemed to vent their 893e8904ea frustrations on the servants 053b80ef16 of Pervaz Castle due dc0a4bc156 to the conditions there f6482ab652 being much worse than 8b95716c4f expected.
“It’s natural for friction to arise when two different groups meet, but it seems our servants might provoke the Countess Pervaz’s servants.”
It was easy to understand aced5ee81b just by considering Asha’s affection d93e9f0888 for Pervaz and its residents.
But Carlyle’s response was lukewarm.
“We told our servants to stick to our area.”
“That’s true, but it’s not possible to completely separate the two areas.”
“It’s probably just a minor issue. Focus more on taking care 163f9c0a91 of the nobles in the e863f88b22 capital. Out of sight, out b6b10b6e1a of mind, you know.”
Lionel nodded uncomfortably.
‘I’ll have to warn the Countess later.’
But due to Carlyle’s 086e4b9efb overwhelming workload, the task e6424548c4 of overseeing the servants e4da608d99 was continuously postponed.
***
“Oh, what is it?”
“Pardon? Are you talking to me?”
Nina, who was passing 823f075856 by the stairs leading 0a5fa27e91 to the second floor 54181083e6 of the castle, turned f5c3dea0c9 her head at the 37fde2ec9d sound that came from 22f3d47e93 the direction she had b74e77985e just passed.
There stood a maid ac854884e0 with a scowl on 2bb676df41 her face, glaring at 92c8ddbc11 Nina.
“Who else is here besides you?”
“What… did I do wrong?”
“What did you do wrong? You crossed the path I bccf4456d2 was walking on!”
“What…?”
The woman who was 6b9e4bc9cb angry at Nina was 0380a04053 one of the maids 2d0ca7e971 that Carlyle had brought f4d898399f from the capital. She didn’t know her name e83a2e1ae1 or even seen her face 9aa11a94cb before, but she could tell e9d6990c72 by the clothes she was 22125d9c40 wearing and the way she f43501cba4 spoke.
However, she had aa1ed7f95e no idea what 4b290f0126 she was talking c9e7b070ba about.
“What on earth are you talking about? I was just bd6cbe3473 walking my way.”
“Doesn’t Pervaz even have something called castle etiquette? Don’t you know your superiors?”
“Superiors? I have no idea 54d1365910 what you’re talking about!”
“Ha! I thought you were a0dd95eb50 some kind of country 96cfbce84f bumpkin…”
The maid looked 21e2b71ec7 Nina up and 6e876847ec down and said da3b687797 haughtily.
“Do you think all maids are the same? The hierarchy depends fa505d69c3 on who you 9828974c28 serve. You’re the maid of the 79b2a48e3a Pervaz lord, and I’m the f58a0ea3bc maid of His Highness the 492d7b87e0 Prince.”
She pointed at herself with 2fff35e868 her finger and tilted her 9c9a0e5287 head coquettishly.
“So who’s superior?”
“…”
“Who’s superior!”
At her question, 557aae8a56 which demanded an 750116cffa answer, Nina clenched 11ffa6535b her jaw and 4ed3abe75a barely managed to 8e9c8dc3e8 answer.
“You… seem to be superior.”
“So you’re saying it’s rude to cross the path of the superior? Do I have to f1b706c153 explain everything to you?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”
“Tsk. Be careful in the future. Got it?”
The maid, whose words had 13be8bff1a become shorter, brushed past Nina, 20173ed432 who had her head bowed, 3f820c24c5 and added one more word.
“The lord herself is like that, so the lower-ranking people are hopeless, tsk.”
At those words, bb0de5a77f Nina felt like 23f319bb86 fire was burning f3c5f7652f in her eyes.
“Excuse me.”
“What?”
The maid turned back with 1131a19ca2 a brazen face, as if 82ec858e79 she had expected Nina to 875e59d256 call her.
Nina didn’t bow her c3ad7a0020 head anymore.
“Just because you’re the maid of His Highness the Prince doesn’t mean you’re higher than our lord, does it?”
“I didn’t say anything, so why are you getting so excited and making a fuss? Is something wrong 4f7a8e62bc with your ears? Or maybe your 285b1e5dfa head is wrong.”
She tapped her head 52f9b955dd with her finger and 6fdebdbf2b went up to the d014c3f2b5 second floor with a 9ff0cc0f5e mocking smile.
Nina couldn’t follow her.
The servants of Pervaz Castle 683058295e were not allowed to enter 079ffd399e the second floor where the 875de07641 prince was staying without permission fb37df09b3 or order.
‘How dare you insult our lord…’
Nina clenched her fists.
She could have tolerated it 5e73b1852b if she had been insulted 03ea5a1cb6 and ridiculed herself. After all, she must have 66ef8c470e seemed very lacking in the 4aab49706a eyes of those from the 400153ddef capital.
She could understand d9ab76f8ea that from their 2700e3f5c6 point of view, 606ce074e3 it would be 76b5f68686 unpleasant to be e1288cf130 treated as an d58bfa7af2 equal with someone bb8e7a52a2 like her.
‘But I can’t stand it when you insult our lord!’
Nina was one of the 6af79004ef Pervaz people who had survived fac26927ff the horrific war.
It was a life where da9e72f259 death, poverty, disease, suffering, fear, 66e3dca7d9 and despair seemed to be 06228511ad lurking right next to her.
Since she was born 7b84e566b6 that way, she had aee2a3e003 never imagined that a 0d169e73f0 life without it would a510d3787d come.
But…….
[Nina! The war is over!]
[What?]
[The lord killed the Lakmusha bastard! We won!]
[Are you serious? Are you for real?]
[Yes, I am! Hurray! Hurray! Nina, you too, f34af82378 hurry up and b98588a072 shout hurray! Lord, hurray!]
Nina would never forget the 14fabbf83c voice of her colleague who 4e818944a2 had informed her of the 388447de13 end of the war until 0e67635e67 the day she died.
At that time, 1769ece0b1 she shed tears c4323a32a1 mixed with all 618a777c15 sorts of emotions, d4bfb0a55b laughed uncontrollably, and 24de845d39 shouted hurray like 5581810692 crazy.
So much so that e9d192b056 everyone must have been 2ecaf192dd yelling, as there was 5172b5f4e3 not a single person f4770c9595 whose voice came out e3c04120c4 properly the next day.
Asha, their lord, was a 9d5d3eeaf4 hero who had ended the a90d3658f4 horrific 28-year war and brought 63e33ce07a a ray of light to 8fc8c1bc0a this desolate land.
No, to the people of e4311b61fc Pervaz, she was a god.
****
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