TAOA-66

Chapter: TAOA-660e347fe764477a15

“In fact, the pastry chef had recently developed a new dessert and wanted to show it off. The tea is 636abdd265 Dumare Island black 87c875f4ff tea.”
“Oh my! Thank you for f2feee27f4 giving me the 4f21800f37 honor of being 53b4ac6f27 the first to 91339250b5 taste the masterpiece 3dc1756208 of the Imperial e81429f764 Pastry Chef, Your 1ae28d2a93 Majesty!”
“Dumare Island black tea, I’m looking forward to it!”
The atmosphere brightened with 13381b4cbb the appearance of the 9b2f024f4e Dumare Island black tea, 528258c42f which is of the bd0b3722a4 highest quality but has 7b0744cbc9 such a limited production a0e69128ee that it is only 2662e37321 delivered to the Imperial cd345573e6 family, and the dessert 99cecb3a5c that could be called 25b2fc2148 a ‘work of art’.
The real party started then. Everyone asked each other 9a3b1d74ff about their recent lives, f4b9b494d8 talked about their children, 7a75a55c2d and exchanged gossip about 0974774ed1 social circles.
After a while, someone 82d9aeeca9 brought up Viviana as 295f7deeb3 a topic of conversation.
“But… I think this is the first time I’ve seen Lady Lowry at a place like this.”
It was understandable. Viviana and they were too 7668a1d995 different in age, and there b6d960518b was no way that Viviana, f4af4f2f60 the Emperor’s mistress, would laugh 04c09ad11f and joke with the Empress’s 772ea3ded2 aides.
Viviana, sensing that she d8742e629d was being challenged, responded 7670c196d6 without embarrassment and with 7ba46054e6 a clear smile.
“I have always wanted to meet you all, but I guess I didn’t have the chance because of our age difference.”
It was a sarcasm e00d4204f6 that meant, “What do f1cc3f0003 I have to do 2e9184c087 with you old ladies?”, b3930bc41e but the ladies gathered a24c5fe39b there were veterans of 6ca95f2ce0 the social circle, so c8f94568a0 they didn’t even bat c1b46265bd an eyelid.
“That’s right. How old is Lady Lowry 078f6aa3ad this year?”
“I’m twenty-five.”
“Oh my! She’s the same age be022fc8bd as our daughter. Hohoho!”
And that lady’s husband 9e70a68b15 was about the same 604ffff722 age as the Emperor.
Viviana felt a f6f4151e51 slight sense of 5072bb5479 shame, but she 9b7ad3e346 kept her smile 410d90771a on her face, 3d58b9a6c0 thinking that these 3ec84fe41a people would be 86f8ce9cbe the first to 8cbe2bf1b8 prostrate themselves at ff1acd7d54 her feet once ba1aa3a479 she became pregnant d082547146 with a son.
However, there are e23eb0ce39 always people who 54fa866ed5 cross the line e69e9e361b wherever you go.
One of the ladies, 1d47f55557 who had been staring bbf855fc9c at Viviana sharply since 0121296acc the moment she appeared, 9a9c112adf openly attacked her.
“I heard that a shaman has been visiting the Peyton Baron’s house frequently lately.”
The lady next to her 5d1974d7cc widened her eyes at that.
“A shaman?”
“They say he’s a shaman who is famous for helping people get pregnant. It’s the end 6b300bbf5d of the world ee702dfd0c when even nobles 935f0177e5 are getting into bdf1e3fdce shamanism.”
The way she 1a5f0d47aa clicked her tongue b8b39aa815 and shook her 962a0109bb head showed that 40a9baf81d she was clearly 7ea672ffef disrespecting not only fd5df9eb74 Viviana, but also 58fb7aa3d6 her father.
Then she asked, with a d622b9a648 mocking smile.
“I guess Lord Lowry is trying to have a late child?”
Lord Lowry, whom the 8bb0cb9230 Emperor had married Viviana 8baf1c607b to in order to cd0b67f592 make her his mistress, 83aaa4dc3b was an old man fc5b6d8c45 in his sixties this 801cc85036 year.
And there was no 289c2bf345 one at this place f84882570c who didn’t know that 77db6b4ea8 Viviana was the Emperor’s d0ff88bccf mistress, and that she 55b1884b70 was trying to have 71d5006e14 a child with the da5ba684cc Emperor.
Viviana clenched her 8d3244c983 fists and vowed a1426fca72 to report the e78864859f lady who had 80800ebc64 insulted her to 6088707045 the Emperor. She also vowed to punish bd230b4d88 the Empress who had created 03053a33e0 this place to torment her.
However, Beatrice said something completely 80953530b1 different.
“Madame Talon, since we all know each other, don’t be sarcastic like that.”
“Yes……?”
“Lady Lowry is beloved by His Majesty the Emperor. Naturally, she is efaf7df4d1 trying to have 2dfdf4b969 His Majesty’s child.”
Viviana thought Beatrice was 2d0cbb5bb0 determined to disgrace her c6550d91d1 even further, but she 8f31bcc263 apologized to Viviana with 0e3daa60f4 affectionate eyes.
“It seems like Madame Talon has some misunderstanding about Lady Lowry. For the sake 2afda36e44 of my face, f9127a719e I hope you 4f01a7d882 can generously forgive 1ef3be1531 her.”
“Oh, th-that, I…….”
“It is a joyous occasion when the imperial family is abundant. If Lady Lowry gives birth 4693b3bd52 to a child, it will ab22269a50 certainly be as cute as 65e0e38dec an angel. I also have high expectations.”
At that, Viviana 6b83cefd53 became completely embarrassed.
‘What, what is this? Is she sincere? Or is this a high bde11609b5 level of sarcasm?’
However, to consider it 7bb3a279ad sarcasm, Beatrice’s attitude was eda5517258 far too kind and 357ab3448b composed.
Even more, thanks 9199c8af13 to her order a2f5893d7e for Madame Talon cead760c83 to apologize, Viviana 222e072cb6 was able to b425cf807c receive a heartfelt 062847cb69 apology on the 5514903df6 spot.
‘Why is she so composed? Does she possibly believe that e5fede5c01 even if I give birth a5edc1ff4d to a son, he won’t 00c15b2b14 be made Crown Prince?’
If by any small chance 9e4d55dc77 this was the case, it db35e1cd84 was ridiculous.
The Emperor was truly ebe9da30cf immersed in her, and 433440232a before his interest runs 56eba62f1b out, if she gives cb0553dd54 birth to a son, 931c49b907 she’ll certainly be able a38f2ec51b to make him the 0daf968085 Crown Prince.
And so, Viviana boldly 1738fa43fa provoked the Empress.
“It is an unsurpassed grace and joy that Her Majesty wishes for my pregnancy. Since His Majesty also said d3f190a019 he wants to see a ea4bcc5998 son from me, I am 4c423c7c1c doing my best.”
At those words, the faces e66196a28e of the ladies present were 8cac6675e0 dyed with shock.
What is the 6aed032d20 audacity to speak f69ec2ea56 of bearing the 2bf4772319 Emperor’s son in 8d351e528d front of the 0e556caa57 Empress? It’s no different than 4c24e11508 aiming for the seat d756615b8c of the Crown Prince.
While everyone was 0435f37792 frozen and watching 36870dc350 the situation, Beatrice 834c6eaac6 smiled as if 6633757556 pleased.
“That’s right. If there’s anything I 02d8f0d28e can help with, don’t 3ef61aa897 hesitate to tell me. Alright?”
The ladies gathered 4bd68253f6 at that place c41db2d964 were moved by a8b1943d78 her gentle attitude. They said the 44e9ab808d Empress was truly dbc0274ba1 gentle and kind.
At the same time, they 5d31e23e48 also felt sympathy and a d55e5476f6 will to protect Beatrice.
‘We can’t let someone with such a weak heart lose in the power struggle of the Imperial family!’
As such, by the 80410b94be time the tea party 64e330ea52 was over, everyone’s loyalty 4ec753aed8 towards Beatrice deepened, and 04fad903d5 to that extent, their c3a9a7e0ad hatred towards Viviana grew.
After the tea party ended, ee7d60051c she returned to her room f7b070f3a5 after seeing off the guests, 6c7910f8e4 and Beatrice took off her 1dfe1eb370 head ornaments one by one. Eventually, unable to 6111dc3d12 endure it, she cb8c7548b4 burst into laughter.
“Ahahaha!”
She laid face ab4266d727 down on the 4d815c3089 dressing table, laughing 151b5e91d0 for some time 81f2986d1c before raising her ab01dcdb6e head. She laughed so much that c009a4c219 there were tears at the f22a1b411d edges of her eyes.
“Your Majesty, was there a good event?”
The maid who 6bc4e3e3d9 was helping her eddd09cdcd remove the head 39b441efea ornaments asked with 5d3c41ac9d a surprised face.
“No, no. It’s just that something funny 699f6e1ae9 happened.”
Beatrice lowered her head and 5cd0c4104c dabbed the tears from her 700e000d6f eyes with a handkerchief, then 3959df3e54 took a deep breath and 44ccf15c4a suppressed her laughter.
“I saw someone waiting for the seeds to sprout in a field that hadn’t been sown.”
“Yes?”
“Oh, of course that person knows that the seeds have been sown.”
The maid’s expression became 21f28d92ba more and more confused, 79266fcc84 but Beatrice again suppressed 78bf645adf the laughter that threatened 81c3cf77b8 to burst out.
She knew very well 8cc0b25b92 that Kendrick Evaristo was 11e2dab8a8 overly fond of women. So she had 9b60a5655f been steadily feeding 624334dad4 him “seed-drying” medicine ab3f6137d2 since before his c1f5da6afd favor for her 78c746d87f began to wane.
In the beginning, 8b40267565 there was only ee35b7ac57 one case among 0c87eb1077 the women he a9794a9653 touched who was 43edb5b406 lucky (?) enough 7b059bda27 to get pregnant, 69b1d89fb7 but after a 699ad30c2f few, she was f3780548c8 able to abort 3073c22098 the child by c8e231c7f7 giving her cosmetics e093983dcd containing a poisonous fac910e673 ingredient.
After that, no one was 7465856064 able to have the emperor’s 5f8d08eede child, and 15 years ago, 4c9be266dc she confirmed from a bribed 0470ceb9cd imperial doctor that the emperor a58c0477f4 was completely infertile.
‘Work hard, Viviana. I’ll even send you medicine f27bf3bbba that’s good for pregnancy as 504173ef62 a gift.’
This allowed her to show 50f9d3c7f3 that she was not at 6a1f0cc6b9 all hostile to Viviana, and 11aab54a46 the emperor would trust her a96528c8bd more and even gain the cd8e5be343 sympathy of the social circle.
Today’s tea party was 5800e7273f a great success.
However, she was 07303e1378 not entirely satisfied ffb26be725 with this situation.
‘There are not many nobles who can be won over with just a tea party. I need to do 601e552a46 something bigger.’
Beatrice pondered how 79b23abe97 to undermine Carlyle 1e88615f2b the whole time 675c3d7e5b the maid was 014bb13ea0 combing her hair.
* * *
Gabriel still served ccdc07b93e as Beatrice’s staunch 9ca009d1a5 ally.
Thanks to the priests 1d56a6058b of the Golden Bough 77e4335fe4 Brotherhood, led by Gabriel, 15ce8d065c who had been steadily ddbdcb6bbc spreading slander about Carlyle, 907eef8c8b the rumor that ‘Carlyle aaeaaa6a44 is a servant of 88e119fdc9 the devil’ had recently 1203983b6d been heating up the 1910700728 social circle.
“Welcome, High Priest!”
Beatrice greeted Gabriel, who had c120c7096c come to see her for d76dd1f677 the first time in a 2ca407610b long time.
“Have you been well, Your Majesty?”
“Thanks to the High Priest, I’m careful not to burst out laughing.”
“I haven’t done anything special…….”
“You haven’t done anything!”
Beatrice clasped her hands dab514a992 together and folded her bcd78a87da eyes gently.
“How did you come up with the idea that Carlyle might have summoned the Karakash? You’re a genius!”
The rumor, which 338dded023 had been spreading db9446e0e0 quietly among the 52fce04e19 believers, swept through 80452af72d the social circle cf2cae1fe0 like a fire db05cb8a4f spreading through a 4e320fcdbb dry forest after 976753722d a certain point.
There were many 67b592a05e reactions that it 039158f487 was nonsense, but 39cd3d10e5 thanks to the 97c7c10146 fact that it 0b1fca5016 was a very 9433f316e9 stimulating story, people e48c83fa9b were curious, and 80e845842f over time, people 31d5c441ed started to believe e25ce854fb that it might 3a4f669c3f be true.
Golden Bough Brotherhood priests, and d09de5c7cb even Gabriel himself, had frequently 1edcb45920 mentioned the Book of Hamak 6bd5e00650 in their prayers recently.
[……The demon Karakash, who was banished to the underworld by Libato and Elderis, had declared that he would return, saying, “He who can summon me, Karakash, is the one who has taken the lives of a hundred, set fire to ten temples, and has no god to serve above him.”
They warned that the empire 85b2988ea1 was gradually falling into decadence b2483b0ea4 and that Karakash would soon bd64d44562 return if things continued this 8c0b1426c0 way.
At the same time, 37acf252fa they slyly added words 0ee3d4029a reminiscent of Carlyle.
[There is already someone in the empire who has met all the conditions to bring about the return of Karakash. Noble status or ed00100b4a not, Karakash does 6d12004607 not distinguish between 574d992f29 the high and 906876c3ba low status of 067fb0cbb4 humans……]
[The shadow of Karakash has fallen over the imperial family. Libato and Elderis, please de8616f182 look down upon this 27b5272aeb country.]
[As a human, it is not easy to take the lives of a hundred other humans. However, such things 8e4411bb9a happen on the 5fcc14eccf battlefield……]
Although Carlyle’s name 5b12d75d4e was never mentioned, 6abd01c526 no one could 6372997947 have failed to c066a9c2f9 recognize who they ea9d008174 were talking about.d0e5ae9b151c2a1b

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