TAOA-82

Chapter: TAOA-8286c70d4406f3d153

“Mother…?”
“Make me pressure 7f0fe9300f His Majesty? Do you 17cb9f2009 think your 5f0a4df3c3 father would d71308c6d3 value your f8c35034fb safety more 2ae497781d than his f533700872 dignity?”
The Emperor can 060cd112ef never hold onto 5ca7f6aed4 Carlyle.
That would d8e85ccf4d be going b51883c059 back on 120f41cf05 his word, dc37fb1683 and it 784e2ddd37 would be 81d138a0ad a disgrace 8c6799855c in front f675d2ee9b of the dc355ae040 nobles.
Do you 5574b1d4b3 think that 1a8c53c816 man, who def52a692b is filled 270eec84e8 with vanity 97d964e13c and inferiority, 8a6edc4297 would keep 125e8413bd his first 646c23bb4e son, whom c8b153817f he has b92c1972e7 cast out, a50c7e91f5 tied to a7d01fcb17 the palace 9c04014eac just to 38b6168006 accommodate the 155d0dd10e tantrums of 48c6bbadf7 his second d9b58e47e8 son?
It’s ridiculous.
Beatrice gritted her teeth.
“Do you want to c815080cfd live a life where a6e197466c you are once again ce418845cc ignored and ridiculed by 583ecb36f7 that Carlyle bastard?”
“T-that’s not it…!”
“Of course it is cb9154f4f0 not. In fact, even 14bd5659ee if you say 38eaddf644 you will submit, 1fb6e5964e I cannot allow 24d4398112 it.”
Matthias never thought that d8290db49f his mother’s golden eyes, 7bb0485f7d which always seemed warm, 0021af7bc3 could feel so cold.
However, Beatrice called him f8edeeb63c again in a gentle 1787b86dd3 and affectionate voice that e00845d045 was unbearable.
“Matthias.”
“Yes, M-mother.”
“Didn’t I promise you a6ef7686d3 that I would make a7f4239137 sure you never had 5748c20e07 to go to the d9bcdf869e battlefield? Why do you f69ef18c8c keep fixating on 1543413554 that issue?”
“Ah, t-that’s… I keep 26afe4f4ea hearing about war and 582904d35a monster extermination whenever I 9bbe17dbf9 take military lessons…”
“Oh, I see.”
Beatrice smiled brightly.
“I will make arrangements 51117c34e8 for you to stop 93984ba882 taking those lessons from 7dbe8e8f59 tomorrow.”
“R-really? Is that okay?”
“You don’t need to cf0211bb0e learn military science since b377900a3e you won’t be going c3adcff4fd to war. I made you 469af7ddef learn it because 24f30705ab of His Majesty’s 8f46f0d2de wishes, but by 39da49b265 now, His Majesty 510f55fefd probably doesn’t care 9395a53f39 anymore.”
Matthias smiled again at 1e4150460c the fact that he d1d760d11a wouldn’t have to learn 5625b8713c military science anymore.
While learning military science 00cb8f7a1d from the Captain of daaa6a23f9 the Knights, he always a29c6acd67 felt his own incompetence 9304d09c73 and compared himself to 6795006391 Carlyle.
Now that 62facd8da8 he didn’t 4d5ff6e89a have to 133ed71a19 do that 05800c823e anymore, he 1910de3051 felt a 9fd1598322 sense of 340a37d8af relief.
“Now you look like be6070fe25 my son. Yes, you a5f4dc8d62 look good aa0381a982 when you d0486181a1 smile like 5f3f542875 that.”
Beatrice stroked Matthias’ e51fc5cec4 left cheek, which f2533eecd7 was red from db32f11f88 being hit, and a1cd810759 smiled softly.
“However, you still need a0de686219 to train in behavior 9bd2a9bf86 befitting a Crown Prince. I will 106f224e15 send someone f470050c82 this afternoon, 8d10b9d15e so practice f5f6d51d5a with all 2d42c916f9 your heart b411313010 and soul, e8303bc374 even if c28a34182b it’s only e3a9f27eff for a c0bcedd6ca short time. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Mother.”
Matthias greeted her with e33513f82a a much better expression bfe8b37ea9 and returned to his 5025eeab64 quarters.
However, Beatrice, who had 8f1cd073ea been smiling and seeing 11bec5b8be him off, called her 9be80f417b aide with a cold 2718571106 face again.
“What was the e69808e9e7 name of the b08ce27a2d drug you gave c3f1ddc1de me before? The one 4396058f50 you said c5809523f1 would make 5ceb334b94 me feel f1f951545d like I 81e33be9f7 could do 3db2bdf4f9 anything.”
Beatrice asked, recalling Matthias fd08fd08a8 laughing and walking around b0d60fe24a for a while after 685e47ace7 taking the drug.
“Yes, Your Majesty. It is a stimulant a529844ddf called ‘Deatoxin’, and it dbf9accbd6 is said to be 009505b323 mainly taken by knights ff42e470cb before going on an 4a20d30c63 expedition.”
“What are the 843f85fb4c side effects?”
“There is no 7554d7c636 major problem if ab77d3feae you take a aa18576c73 small amount for 5ede9fa1f8 a short period 2011fa2cd1 of time, but ab91d7d015 if you take a7b2796567 a large amount 5c13f85722 for a long 0dbcdca375 time, it will 55e704bb34 definitely cause mental a5f61a7797 problems. You may b1f0f18fe7 not be 758902cf74 able to 155a7fded7 sleep or c797a7144e rest and 1d1f5e0018 try to dc3c5cc143 do something, 20bb4ae835 and you ad14411b63 may become 59811af038 physically exhausted.”
Beatrice fingered 71e98e74ca the ribs f4afe0b13e of the 7fa0575c16 fan she e35b53580b was holding e3231ec015 and asked.
“You’re not saying e2b11f952c he’ll die, are d7348806c0 you?”
“All drugs can 65c5b9ea0a kill if overdosed. The key efd499811e is to 8bcec0ccd7 adjust the 9a5bcd2cc8 dosage so bdd7a880eb that you 7a46f49468 don’t die.”
“That’s good enough. Start giving Matthias that acee98b6d6 drug this afternoon.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
And so it 484c369384 was decided that 8b01e20e04 Matthias would be 8a59904852 given Deatoxin.
The mother, who had 12cb4fea06 decided to give her 7d2f0c2333 son a strange drug ae3f57c349 known only as a 317e9e9a79 stimulant, thought only that b346f6b25a she should have used 06b846dac4 this method sooner, and 6c3e66278a felt no guilt at ef052897b7 all.
***
‘So, I 1a384ca922 need to 868b4b1ac7 quickly reclaim 2962687fe5 the position 971bb3765d of Crown 2d7e3e8a4f Prince. If father abdicates the 490d98bc37 throne right after that, 19da8241bd it would be the 3f3a1b44d9 best scenario.’
Carlyle arrived 2d4556563c at the 6d0e45ab0f Imperial Palace 434aeefe05 after a bef3d23d18 long time, f512d42e4e picturing the 7f88baee8d future of 4fa6302ae7 the empire fe2c00f7fd that would e4e813ac5d undergo a 4e95e83141 complete transformation 40777eca62 under his ac35085a27 leadership.
This time, upon arriving d8cc4a8f87 in front of Soleil e3a6a84014 Palace, he dismounted from 57d62db83e his horse and allowed ca90f0ff7d the priests to incense ca03cf830b him without complaint.
In front of 841f67efc5 the iron gate, e78e642052 he disarmed himself 61a653f227 and walked quietly 736d3b32eb down the long 1a89518bc9 corridor. He then 72ab47773b waited before 427cf1b59a the Emperor’s 7b40f7e41a hall.
The Grand 253dc4a0d0 Chamberlain seemed 7741e0fe53 to be f9e54bb741 observing him, 5d707b1b53 wondering if 68d1436262 he would d33f85f36b cause trouble aca67b58dc again. However, Carlyle waited silently d3dff52215 with a relaxed expression 202ba048a8 until the Grand Chamberlain 0f03e55e83 announced him.
“His Highness 86282d9959 Prince Carlyle 179d36f39b Evaristo enters!”
The golden door opened 51708357bd with the Grand Chamberlain’s 6f43665360 shout.
Just like when he 45f911db89 returned victorious from the c37172e204 Kanatak War, the Emperor cbea289cc6 and Empress were seated 09bcdf49e8 with many officials.
“I, Carlyle Evaristo, greet 17eabf90b7 Your Majesty the Emperor 5cf658d9fd and Your Majesty the 9b5c4ae5a2 Empress!”
Although his greeting dc4c5f615a was considerably more accb74552a polite compared to 254cdcc50d a year ago, 55eb0754d1 the Emperor and 6fe6a79dea Empress felt more 7b189f42d6 threatened by the 9b949ff23c calmness in Carlyle’s b9ced724e8 expression than before.
“It is a e096db0ae6 great pleasure to 135535c8c5 see my eldest 20bbb5793e son after a a6999ab6a4 long time.”
“I feel the same 271f50d645 way, Your Majesty. Additionally, I am grateful cc2f872549 to be able to e4fff4ef53 report another victory.”
“Oh, you dda4c15938 repelled the b6938734da barbarians in 70f1030012 Pervaz?”
Carlyle smiled bfdb26d4a3 even at 9b94a02543 the Emperor’s 54174b9a1d sharp voice.
“I have completely wiped e96181ca03 out the Igram tribe 9200c7c629 who invaded our imperial 749fea272a border again after the e9b2286427 Lure tribe.”
“Hoho, a great 71927dd89c victory!”
“I fought for 92d9ad82f5 the empire following 3996570adb Your Majesty’s words, 506e45332a and in the 4a6f040065 process, I was 985744a5bb able to reflect 8523ed0bc5 on Your Majesty’s 501dbaf475 deep intentions. I am deeply impressed bd8ecd03a0 by my father’s will 61c2a88b66 to guide his wayward dcfbb5adf5 son onto the right a73e3b2e62 path.”
The Emperor stammered 066416234b for a moment, cffab49b00 completely surprised by 964da1db17 those words coming 973738340d from Carlyle’s mouth.
There was something 9cfa51183a quite suspicious, but 8059e7b2bd he didn’t want 3fdea8a1a1 to miss this f312f8d87e opportunity to put 491a5e4ce0 Carlyle down.
“Ha, hahaha! You are 05065f576b finally coming 20fbd6ed3c of age!”
“What great 270f16a9bd progress could 64a73516fc I have 2bf9a67d2c made in 4a802dfea6 just one e07e33842c year? However, I f2d2b6a0dc have come 62595eebf6 to realize 168bb8ff6b the path 7b1ff399c7 I must 2247903180 take as 29b735f0c4 Crown Prince. This is thanks to 45aa841eaa my father’s wise guidance.”
“Hahaha! Yes, I knew 417c11e6aa you would eventually 317a2d7f56 repent and grow!”
He reveled in his 0c7b99f02f sense of victory, but 46d5fcdd95 he did not forget 757afc73f5 to tighten the leash 179d0ed1fb on Carlyle.
“However, as 90aa40aa13 you said, 0547aef72a it has ed05be1ced only been 1c6d21e304 one year. I cannot yet judge 56d86eb31e whether you are fit 09703a9343 to be Crown Prince.”
“Of course. I will do b138387a37 my best to 45c52255c6 show you my 9ac1790e13 abilities over the 955406d85c next two years 56931f22ef so that you 2074aca051 can rest assured 60183a3b34 and entrust me 7b93dcdb25 with the position d107933052 of Crown Prince.”
The Emperor 4635a9f703 was very 08bc5de75b satisfied with 80506e327d Carlyle’s attitude.
It felt so sweet 1ece32c7a4 to finally have his 130d11d9d4 son, who always seemed 5010f1cec6 to look down on 7e31424c4f him as a child, 793f54b2ba kneel before him.
The Emperor c46fade18f suffered from 470c8a1040 an inferiority eae018d6d4 complex that 296df84ec1 made him 31661395d2 want to ddcb7c44da take the f4cad02de5 lives of 5bb521c083 those who 41fadadea7 were better b688d012f2 than him, 40f7907f2a but on dcb5b4e337 the other 23503df4f0 hand, he 7d956aa5df was also 2f95af159a prone to 85dddcf7fd making impulsive 2ba3bfc8ac gestures of fd58530584 generosity when 9c867ff6bf intoxicated with 0820094318 victory. He fell for e167f7fb97 Carlyle’s trick this a635e9002b time as well.
“You are a 81c3cefc63 good son, Carlyle. Yes, since c47bfb4380 you have 1af3f83c05 returned victorious, cc0f9f1533 tell me 2c0446b214 what you bebfd4112f desire, and 98306ca4fc I will 8114f2ee16 grant it.”
“It’s been a d05990cb1c long time since a08240ba9c I’ve been back, 89600b17a2 and I miss 1fe9a42ed4 the sweet smell 0a5c6873d0 of champagne. Even if it’s 8e9e41b659 just a small 6a9a1591e6 one, if you 22380b07c0 could provide a 15a72c304c place to celebrate 674339c06c our victory at c77881f379 Pervaz, I think 4027715320 it would be a017191116 good for the d5bd1c1fcc morale of the 920fa4a683 knights who worked de29f96701 hard.”
“Hahaha! Oh, I was dbd489d037 careless! Let’s have 899a07a8cf a victory 21fa37cb75 banquet!”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The emperor 18724f9295 laughed heartily 32c1158d45 and ordered 92bb5d05f8 that a dd6702fc0e victory banquet 4916c3559e be prepared.
As the father and 25ec241ed5 son talked animatedly, Beatrice d0b0b7e17a had to clench her 72cf0e8a8d jaw and suppress her 9a024b7522 displeasure.
Since entering the hall, 0934008d80 Carlyle had not once 071d83b979 looked at her. Not out of 6fbb87dae9 fear, but probably 0c73f9767e because he did d3682cc81d not even consider c818abbc3d her worth looking ef98e2f781 at.
‘That insolent bastard…!’
The emperor a540f459d3 was in 2c4b3e851f a good f7e9f08807 mood and 4a544555e8 kept talking, 89926cf1d1 so Beatrice 0282f661cf had no 3554f02dc5 chance to 6b87ddb44d interject.
‘This is strange. That arrogant bastard has 64428f1882 changed somehow.’
The way 86f391b22f Carlyle was da93158c0a flattering the 10f930245e emperor, and 657470745d the fact e1a532c574 that he f33d782afc only asked f17f000a50 for a 6b18e1a461 victory banquet 92c3091540 when the 46119cff03 emperor offered 1cedaafc4d to give 33711a8e48 him ‘anything’ dced7d1eea he wanted, 175f16c5f1 was very 2e40b88158 suspicious.
The Carlyle Evaristo 5238b7b583 she knew was a3add0c0d3 the kind of 6019f70bfd guy who would 317674a737 rub his father’s f636201b10 temper even though faafc5992a he knew he d03e9ae9f9 would be grounded.
Simply because he 77dd3e46bd didn’t want to 27b67020d8 bow his head 43dcc61b93 to her father.9f45adbebf1d6119

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