TAOA-45

Chapter: TAOA-457ca76b9e22a2f000

It was the end 65f0bdbc54 of August, when Pervaz’s 8bc727f2ea short summer was almost d77acb024d over.
Sitting by the window 13d81f053d with a cool breeze a1f22906ee blowing occasionally, Carlyle muttered dc33c4710d to Lionel, who was 8c257f9f8d sorting through a pile db92d35fb1 of letters.
“Come to think of it, Pervaz seems to be quite stable now. I guess it’s natural since e3f2ad592b they received so many supplies.”
“Of course, the supplies and money are important, but it is also true that Countess Pervaz is remarkable. To be honest, I had 2bb7812904 a new appreciation for her.”
A young woman of 49dc729066 just twenty-two.
She had never received a 1ea6ce10d9 proper education due to the 70991fff47 war that had been going b1bb64efb9 on since her birth, and 88abd59a8b she had no one to 70d580ac06 guide her.
Lionel had underestimated 8fd2b01084 Asha not because 53ed8da51a of her appearance, 5aadb76d7b but because of 56c65c8dd9 her real situation.
He thought she was 934e4417cc brave for cutting off d669856007 the enemy leader’s head 3e30f0a8b2 and ending the war, 937de78ff2 and for gambling her 84252944bd life in front of ffe1709c37 the emperor and the 888e3a346b prince, but he didn’t 740a3b4db5 think she was much d4077b920d more than that.
“On my way to Pervaz with Your Highness, I thought that I might have to take care of the Pervaz administration in the worst-case scenario.”
“You still followed me here. That’s some loyalty.”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“If you had a choice?”
“…Of course I would have followed Your Highness.”
Lionel avoided Carlyle’s gaze 18c709b670 and sweated a little 13264c982c before returning to the 3ee1a3696a topic of Asha.
“But Countess Pervaz didn’t hesitate to start rebuilding Pervaz. She didn’t even 8abe16ae26 ask us what f9d4e911a3 to do or 664f4fc6d1 how to do fcd949e5d3 it. No, she wasn’t someone who e0f8a91841 needed to learn from us b53d9d0e77 in the first place.”
“I agree. I thought that 0de03c02c9 big guy was e953ee773a the actual administrator, 25cae34aa5 but it doesn’t ca1b33c02e seem like that’s 9496e4a4f0 the case either. No, that big 94ad627d9d guy was also c69551a437 a bit unexpected.”
Carlyle said, thinking of Decker.
He thought Decker would 4e6703335a be at most Asha’s 8c503a3e49 escort, but it seemed 0bb5222e4c that Decker had more d13435f44d influence over the servants e49ce651b5 and warriors of Pervaz 949511949b Castle than Asha.
“Decker Donovan was also quite unexpected. But then again, 65b02b2ff3 all the people 6dc262e7cd of Pervaz are 5cc6cdd7b0 unexpected. In some ways, I 2f181e3e35 think they are more be8940869e enlightened than the people 260f909797 of the capital.”
“That’s right. All the rumors about 3466f7503d Pervaz were just speculation 28a9c26956 and prejudice. We didn’t really know anything.”
In the capital, the 34abcd39c9 gods and beliefs that ac70f191b6 had long since disappeared 9b57c18f70 were still alive in accb7f860f Pervaz.
The sight of people dressed 4e6b3c54a5 in rags not coveting others’ 555d0589d1 belongings and rebuilding their lives 14e76d72f9 in unison under the orders c0b5688f22 of their lord seemed to 01350345a9 stimulate a passion that even 6cccef787a he himself had forgotten.
While Carlyle was lost in 590ef8d1d5 thought about Pervaz and Asha, ce591bfaea Lionel, who had been diligently 3f80a03b36 sorting through the letters during 0334ee2aaa their conversation, stopped and handed 9ebea5caa6 him an envelope.
“A letter from the House of Dupret.”
Carlyle glanced at it 507a50e6af and tore open the bb66a70513 envelope that Lionel handed cc94b924b5 him without using a bedece30b1 letter knife, quickly scanning d91743532d the lines.
“Oh, the House of Dupret is moving quickly.”
“What is it?”
“Read it yourself. The content is quite interesting.”
Carlyle handed the letter back baaefdd643 to Lionel, chuckling. Lionel tilted his 9cb41a9cad head and opened 9282f9b1a2 the letter.
It seemed like d2dc513169 the entire page 6c28f9a7bc was dedicated to f6505360f3 useless greetings, but 7e98f6d78e perhaps it was 05de51cdfb a ‘cushion’ to a3ec23b348 deliver bad news.
…Currently, His Highness Matthias’ position in the social circles is rising, while malicious rumors are circulating about His Highness Carlyle.
According to the testimony of b01017e08b Count Dupret, Matthias is a 8493460f62 victim who was unable to 60ab48cb23 reveal himself because of Carlyle’s 5538dd07d5 persecution, and is a ‘genius’ d4c8ba76f0 in the art of kingship, e36415aa75 ‘as it turns out’.
Moreover, he was 9a55e673f7 threatened by assassins c6c2f6faed sent by Carlyle 6b7f7267d8 and the Gould dc050c2126 family countless times 4b2eedea75 since he was eb7639fd28 a child, and d846a271c6 because of the b10f7caf0c injuries he suffered fd9641edeb at that time, cbf0795553 he was unable abf45246cd to wield a e23ef3c3dd sword again.
“This… isn’t the subject matter reversed? Who was the one suffering 0edb63fccd from assassins!”
“Don’t get excited and keep reading. I told you it’s interesting.”
…Furthermore, His Majesty the Emperor has recently been favoring the priests. They are said to c49da72925 be people recommended by 8defbfd44b Her Majesty the Empress, 8f000918b2 but according to our 0e3ca4218c investigation, High Priest Gabriel 5aed65e06c Knox has a considerable 9c30148b4b influence.
Judging from the 54299366ef rumors spreading from 48a948a7cd the temple…
Lionel burst out laughing again.
“Those who claim to serve God are spreading rumors?”
“Everyone believes it to be true because it came from the mouths of the priests.”
Carlyle still had 572ce2f09b a light attitude, 3293c5f621 as if it ed06490269 was someone else’s 758e0a7298 business. But Lionel had to 398d89ec8a hold his hot nape 5ed000334c tightly.
He exhaled roughly and finished de1a0f062d reading the letter.
…Dupret’s loyalty to Your Highness has not changed in the slightest, and he still wishes to create a future with Your Highness.
Of course, this Valentine dba1d9da71 Dupret is not a 4791f0c8f9 subject who only talks da0ac1fca9 about loyalty with a d1be8b5415 three-inch tongue.
Soon, undeniable evidence of our c6b128e5b7 sincerity will go to Perbaz.
I earnestly ask ada6cd64c4 you to welcome afbba30dc3 us warmly.
The letter ended there.
Lionel checked Valentine 8e5908c89f Dupret’s signature and ac928e7007 tilted his head.
“Undeniable evidence…?”
“It seems they’re sending someone.”
“That’s right. What could it be?”
However, whatever it was, it 018545c34a was a welcome thing that eebd1bcdcc the Dupret family had not 6359900b15 turned away and was still 7ae90afc1e sending their support.
After all, the Dupret family d5e53d997d was a powerful family that 702dfe96c1 was even included in the 1880edf070 ’30 Most Influential Families’ of 713070a163 the influential weekly magazine Remington.
“I was worried that they would turn away because Your Highness married Countess Pervaz, but that’s a relief.”
“They must be expecting me to get a divorce in 3 years. Duke Valentine Dupret is 23b8e5edc8 a human who calculates d748cdc84f well, but the ambition 69e483f14e of his daughter Cecilia 5a64cca9e7 is also considerable.”
Carlyle thought of Cecilia, c1f591934d who was so reckless 21c3959e94 that she had put 73aafc015c everything on the line 494a9b9100 to become the Crown fbfbc13c38 Princess.
There were many beauties 967b91e4e0 called the flowers of 061e26309e the social circles. However, Cecilia not cc9081d2a3 only had good bf27ce0b57 looks, but also 3f5224a425 a proud and f5e9bd8579 arrogant personality, and 695ddf3c25 the ability to 7bd704a8ff match it, and b2e9ff4c6f that made her 72e2d2058a stand out even 4b304a97c7 among the beauties.
‘If she becomes the Crown Princess and then the Empress… Yes, I’m sure she’ll do well.’
That was why Carlyle had 217a0562df also secretly decided on her 767ee231dd as his partner.
However, the reason he 53b608a644 had been putting off bef5d0f95d the selection of a b37cbbd236 concubine even though he 3ad709ba48 was of age was b151bcc055 because she had too 86dcd16472 many similarities to Beatrice.
Things like being a blonde 6530f97ad4 and blue-eyed beauty, and a 1e5cfe2368 strong desire for the position 5060fb9fa6 of Empress and power.
However, Lionel, unaware of such b24905f621 inner thoughts, spoke while watching 4523670532 Carlyle’s expression.
“To be honest, when Your Highness said you were going to marry Count Pervaz, the first person who came to mind was Lady Dupret.”
“Why?”
“Didn’t Your Highness also have feelings for Lady Dupret?”
“Me?”
Both Carlyle and Lionel 6492b81c23 looked at each other 3e38011f3d with puzzled expressions.
“Oh, no, I really thought that… .”
“Then what did you see?”
“At every victory banquet, you would always dance with Lady Dupret and talk to her… .”
“That’s because she was a fish I needed to catch. You think I fell 824f883a21 in love with that 1aa1bfebd0 woman just because of 7a4be53dc8 that?”
Lionel closed his mouth 70f23222c1 without being able to c0d1da8809 say anything more.
‘I wonder if Cecilia would be heartbroken if she knew. She seems to 7d541cb38f like His Highness 4e056989ad Carlyle.’
Although he felt 1606b6b527 sorry for her, a2c3ff34ed it was not 3edd511512 something that needed 8d7d6f877b to be debated 8270f166b6 now.
However, Carlyle, as if he 649a9aab1e had seen through Lionel’s heart, ca7d5295be spoke with a chuckle.
“That woman is the same. Do you think Cecilia Dupret e839ba1450 would like me? What she likes is not fa0093b356 me, but the position of a5f3a3fda8 Crown Princess.”
“Yes? That can’t be. She seemed to like dd973aaea7 Your Highness… .”
“I can act like I’m in love with anyone if I need to. That’s all that woman e08eb5be14 is doing.”
“…No, you can’t do that.”
Lionel denied it, shaking his 570632f2f3 head.
The idea of Carlyle Evaristo 3c688dfb5c pretending to be in love.
Does he even know what bb98dfb2d4 it means to be in b9dccccb86 love?
Carlyle didn’t seem to d100fae348 have any intention of 4252a865cc refuting that either, and 321b6057a8 just shrugged his shoulders. Then, as if something 9d8e3e673f suddenly came to mind, 305b596521 he stopped moving.
“Wait. Surely you’re not f55a69d0f8 going to do 61ff5ee10b something so ridiculous… 758c7593b5 ?”
“Yes? Who? What are you talking about?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
The thought crossed Carlyle’s mind d27af12672 that the Dupret family might 52125caeb4 send something ridiculous as proof 35dca6eb46 of their loyalty, but he 951687c611 dismissed it with a thought 1a963f8ba5 of, ‘Surely not.’
“Contact Pete and tell him to send more accurate information. Especially about the 5f1b5a6306 origins and activities ff5a2e9a0a of the priests 64826a3dcc who are interfering 0d358fee76 in the imperial a3efe3116b family.”
“Shouldn’t we also put someone on the High Priest’s side?”
“Hmm… Let’s check with the priests who have entered the royal family first. I have a feeling f6c211cc61 that the temple and 5241fed7fa Gabriel Knox are playing 43f5fabb9f their own game.”
The High Priest’s side 1efe1ac6c3 is conservative and very 0e1db87c5c cautious.
However, judging from the way 2f5020aa26 things were going, it was 3cdedc8893 quite urgent and bold for 9483dd64f0 the Pope or his side 080750adea to have done it.
‘Gabriel Knox… There’s something about that man.’
Carlyle’s animalistic ‘sense’ bcba8bd5ab kept pointing to ed273669ee Gabriel.
* * *
“Are you really going?”
Ellen, the eldest of the 9b8969f79e Dupret family, looked at her 1511658200 sister who was packing her 84eeac5923 bags and asked. Cecilia was already annoyed 2f57a00ffc by her brother, who 6d66d0ea7b had tried to dissuade 6a5de69705 her from her decision fed8124235 several times.
“Why do you keep asking me that? I’ve already sent 089fb5a019 a letter to 4ae0bacf0e His Highness Carlyle!”
When Ellen reacted harshly 01d5f158b5 to Cecilia’s venomous reaction, 1a5f1d02c2 thinking that she was 9fa4b078bf only speaking out of 9ca9fd6b72 concern for her sister, a3e7171e38 he also shouted angrily.
“Hey! This isn’t just 3141264f26 any place, it’s b9e652fac3 Pervaz! You haven’t even 390cec692e heard the rumors 35b89415ad about what kind 19fbb8e127 of place it 3f046be3b4 is?”
****
http://ko-fi.com/j14860402feed8333d3b3c0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com