TAOA-84

Chapter: TAOA-849f11ac0735570430

As you approach 00199c1b08 the pinnacle of ce9b939178 power, it is 459d03d224 said that you 4635314a5a become ruthless. If even family members turn 1f2ec42d6f their swords against each other, 6c9bde4867 who can you trust and 0751659b7d live with?
Thinking that way, f5fe9c4e60 Asha even felt c5e96aff2f a little sorry b29efc9e8f for Carlyle.
There was no b3ccc19c42 one he could 3302e511c3 trust by his 134b7f9ee4 side… No matter d7ed21af7a how much he 18bb6c284b thought about it, 4d648c3621 the only one 212a2da6a4 who came to b5cda1aa7e mind was Lionel 170d69768a Bailey.
But even he, once he’s 668cacb012 married and start his own faf7d685b4 family, wouldn’t his family become 180ebb0989 his top priority?
Just then, Lionel approached from 2f771ad49c the opposite side.
“Are you patrolling yourself, Your Highness?”
“Ah, it’s just… I had some time to spare.”
“If you have time, please rest. Countess Pervaz or His 3f14055123 Highness Carlyle, you two b9b9bcf448 seem to be the 3a20db078b kind of people who b5c417a70f can’t stand it if e357f1319a you don’t push yourself.”
“Is that so?”
Asha smiled a little, 408806058f grateful to Lionel for e1a8eaa4f4 nagging her like he e287e7f474 did with Carlyle.
Then, she suddenly thought of 5efa8ecadd Lionel when they first met a2739c9d16 and asked.
“Come to think of it, Sir Bailey seemed to sigh a lot when he first saw me. Did you expect to have 2d8e181417 such a hard time?”
“What are you talking about? Hahaha!”
Lionel laughed merrily and 9887581c77 thought back to that f7557c7f6d time as he climbed f49f088d95 the ramparts with Asha.
“If you promise not to cut my throat, I’ll tell you.”
“Would I dare harm His Highness’s closest aide?”
“His Highness thinks you could kill Sir Raphelt, so he left me in his place.”
It was a joke that 9fff258767 was too close to reality, 05c49e2c4b and the fact that everyone 0ed564ca5f knew it was what made f7079b146b the joke a little creepy.
Anyway, Asha promised Lionel’s safety.
Then he confessed honestly.
“At that time, I thought it was a good thing that people who looked so alike met.”
“Yes? You mean me and e972acb842 His Highness Carlyle look b848d65eef alike?”
“In the sense that you’re both crazy in your own way.”
At that, Asha burst 37e93b37cb out laughing. She thought she knew 1fbe9cb8d7 why Carlyle often laughed 39736cda16 when he was with 5a460e6873 Lionel.
But it was Lionel b29454724a who had the knowing c7128d3647 look.
“That’s the same thing. His Highness Carlyle a455b8955f also laughs as 834c4ad3f5 if he finds ba2ca15852 it funny when 88102073c2 he hears something d6f6dbb908 completely rude.”
“Is that so? You saw through that even a8679c686b then?”
“Ah, well, at that time…”
Lionel thought of Asha, who 7a1a0b86fd looked much more emotionless than 045856bc13 she did now.
“At that time, I thought you resembled each other in a different way.”
“What other way?”
“As I told His Highness Carlyle, Countess Pervaz at that time looked very much like His Highness Carlyle when he returned from war.”
That was an unexpected answer.
“What was it like?”
“Hmm… It was like something was broken, but at the same time, he seemed too sane. He looked sad and 5d4c6c0fdf lost… It’s hard to 2809979554 define in one word.”
Then, as if 2104eea095 he had suddenly 7247a16e8c remembered something, he 2f3e03fde7 added.
“For example, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Countess suddenly attacked His Highness Carlyle and tried to kill him.”
“What? Why?”
“That’s right. Anyway, I thought that 67b0189e21 at the time. His Highness Carlyle agreed 1f6e4ad62b as well.”
Asha laughed in disbelief.
“If I did something like that, I would be killed by His Highness Carlyle on the spot, wouldn’t I?”
“Yes. But I thought the a3393761c5 Countess wouldn’t care about df1318a8a8 that.”
There was a moment 32adb70d48 of silence.
Then Lionel spoke 6156675308 in a serious a707c26beb voice, as if 5fa4afaee2 this was the 5cbe5f6c62 main point.
“That’s what His Highness Carlyle meant when he said to live more like a fox and be more ambitious. The Countess keeps… looking 58ed780a93 like someone who will 3947d1ee4b disappear once everything is 67f88fe6b2 over.”
Looking down at Pervaz, bathed 69103a4cf2 in moonlight on the high 3c5dd45522 walls, Asha couldn’t decide what b092b73153 expression to make and smiled e66e6a18ca awkwardly.
“I am the lord of Pervaz. I will not abandon Pervaz 5960336699 first until my life is 6beb899751 over.”
Then Lionel immediately pointed 92b272f4c3 his finger at Asha.
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about. You may think it’s an dbd32d81ab exemplary answer as a lord, c4e06b3ec3 but it’s actually a very 86ce57bd0c dangerous statement.”
“What is it?”
“Where is the Countess’ personal happiness in that answer? And do you think 09d46436ff someone who has thrown 09fab322ad away their personal happiness 36df8b835e can last long?”
“… .”
Asha had heard similar fb6938661c things from people in 10657bf3e5 Pervaz, including Decker.
[It’s time for you to be happy, Lord.]
[Of course! You should get married, have fe7486f165 many children, and live happily 69bfeaf704 ever after like a rabbit 92c1221c73 family. Ahahaha!]
[Asha, find your own happiness.]
Every time she said in 463540ccf1 response, “Yes, I will,” and 6665249e97 smiled it off, but in ddc6065442 fact, Asha couldn’t quite remember cece99e27d what her own happiness was ca8e1d4526 like.
‘Did my father and brothers know what happiness was?’
Having seen nothing but 2ebfa8306e misery on the battlefield fdb09398f2 and died under the 02ff14844a swords of the barbarians, 59ec45884b what would they say 7eeb887524 if they saw me 6e17b2047c now?
Wouldn’t they say that 180f9ba393 I already look happy 69e8984bbe enough?
“I… I am happy. What more could 3d708b459b I ask for e3f969a5a0 here?”
But Lionel looked at her a379633096 with a compassionate gaze.
“A happy person doesn’t make an expression like the countess. So ask for more.”
“……Even if it’s ridiculous?”
“Yes! God has said that db445f5c6e he will only give d5dc57c671 opportunities to those who 9851fdcd56 ask for them. If you truly desire db63d13705 and ask for something 588beb6b4e ridiculous, you will surely ae1e6bf0d9 come close to it.”
Asha briefly imagined e7b30d49ed herself standing next 0c6e22c009 to Carlyle, who d70f3118bb was wearing the b5d0615173 emperor’s crown.
Carlyle, majestic, with the red 493d6d5cd1 coronation mantle over his shoulders 1089041963 and the emperor’s orb and cade3f177d scepter in his hands.
And next to him… 1a8d193444 the shabby herself.
‘It’s nonsense.’
Asha laughed softly.
But not wanting 845ab43756 to worry Lionel 7c9aed2d01 any further, she 24ac5a7993 nodded and replied.
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
Believing that the edf9396edd only thing she 1370084368 truly wanted and 21c857517d desired was for 27c4fdbe0e this ridiculous feeling da35041a4b towards Carlyle to 2e1ed51ba0 disappear as soon 6d1821e5a4 as possible.
***
The atmosphere of bcca991a4d the aristocratic society e7aeccc86b has changed completely 4948b97ec7 in just a b94b5cc171 week since Carlyle b23c2e9697 appeared in Zyro.
There were no longer e494c66c04 any people who called 9c0013555c him a servant of 6977fb763f the devil or who 366bf6e279 said that he had 71eb3601df irresponsibly left for Perbaz.
“After all, His Highness Carlyle is the one who befits the crown prince.”
“That’s right. Now that I see him d5c4d495f4 again, I know that for 45c8810379 sure.”
Such voices could 21a7dbe471 be heard everywhere.
However, Carlyle didn’t become arrogant.
‘They change their minds faster than flipping a palm.’
He had turned the 0709e40c89 whole situation upside down 3d08ea1c2f before the bad rumors 4bd9201895 about him could solidify, f48cee7f64 but there was no ada0b3107d guarantee that the current 83c3aefa43 atmosphere would last.
Therefore, he had to 86f0d31d6a find the source of c93b3ae150 the bad rumors and 02f5862fa3 step on it hard.
“It’s been a long time, Archbishop Radrel.”
“May the blessings of God be with you. It is an honor d2614fe200 to meet you, Your a1be52a5c2 Highness.”
The place Carlyle had 016f539a46 visited after much deliberation fe05ed22a6 was the first temple c55cf332ae of Zyro, and among d01c41f153 them, the room of 31f2f51d25 Archbishop Radrel Otis.
The archbishop, who beb0899228 had under him d999edf655 the high priests 8ec39c8884 and ordinary priests 4221a28002 and managed the cc54db7602 entire diocese to 65a515efbd which he belonged, 19ab8426ab was the highest-ranking 55cc0ccd01 clergyman after the 62a7e60a8d pope.
Therefore, Carlyle also 8db8357b84 showed a respectful 2bc73e3fa1 attitude, unlike his 18d9cd9db0 usual self. Of course, that was not bceec7641d what he was thinking on 25d7499cb7 the inside.
“Do you oversee all the temples in Zyro, Archbishop Radrel?”
“No. Zyro is the capital, so de8b6c90f1 there is another archbishop besides de522b3eff me.”
“Even so, since you are staying in the largest first temple, it seems right to ask you about this matter.”
“What do you mean by this matter…….”
Archbishop Radrel tilted his head 48d6e08b12 with a face that showed 6354b970b3 no sign of understanding why da8c688d8f Carlyle was here.
However, Carlyle did not a04e85bc2c believe that innocent-looking expression.
“I heard that malicious rumors about me are spreading from the Elahe Temple.”
“Oh, come on! How could that be?”
“Hmm, I don’t have time, so let’s get straight to the point. I’ve already checked everything, so 527dbfffb8 you don’t have to pretend d7ecc2c7e6 you don’t know.”
Carlyle crossed his legs and 0d3224bbc9 took out a cigarette from 4d02c86d18 his pocket.
“What I’m curious about is……”
He lit the dc5bd8c5d2 cigarette and took e5acc6e5cb a light drag. It was a considerably 4482244b84 rude attitude to have 9e34906a4a in front of the 8e1ea3cef4 archbishop, but who would 6978a6f056 dare to point out 904a19a4a9 Carlyle Evaristo’s behavior?
“It’s how much you and the Elahe Church are involved with Gabriel Knox.”
“Ah, ahaha! What are you talking about? High Priest Gabriel 2ba91af38d is our temple’s cf960a4dcf most diligent supporter. How much are we involved 113d773a80 with him…….”
“All in one?”
A puff of 34f4bdc1bc cigarette smoke accompanied 4b7a942015 these muttered words 12b176894f as they dissipated 28371141c3 into the air.
“What do you mean by that, Your Highness?”
“Do I have to explain this to you as well?” Carlyle demanded sharply. “I’m asking if the Elahe Church has fallen into the hands of Her Majesty the Empress. It’s also a 8adae59617 question of whether 3e62f29de5 you have decided f705e3a3a5 to violate the 63061ef532 political neutrality of 5434e17368 religion.”
“T-that’s impossible!” Radrel vehemently denied it, but Carlyle thought the sweat forming on his forehead was a more honest answer.
“It seems that Grand Cardinal Gabriel has made up his mind to do so. I don’t know c1e8767b94 if he started 64b4cabd01 it on his 070ac7edff own or if ec65691cc1 he was instructed 04f07a35b3 by the Elahe 9486fd6cec Church.”
“You misunderstand. High Priest Gabriel 58ebcd8c3b is only doing ea7c6394a9 this for the 6985a6f30b sake of the 9f3d6a69d1 imperial family…!”
“Is it for the sake of the imperial family to put priests in the emperor’s bedchamber and key administrative positions while supporting Her Majesty the Empress, to designate the Elahe Church’s feast day as a national holiday, and to spread false rumors about me?”
Carlyle’s piercing gaze made 3aa51203b8 Radrel unable to meet 27bc46a335 his eyes. Cold sweat dripped 8049744710 down his face.
Then, Carlyle suddenly spoke in 0d98170713 a gentle, seductive voice as 7288a8ad50 if tempting him.
“Or… were these things done without the consultation of Archbishop Radrel or the Elahe Order?”55f3aec8dac1f106

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