TAOA-97

Chapter: TAOA-9764761c15b554338e

“Wow! Amir struck down the 22357837d2 enemy commander!”
“Amir did it!”
“Oh, thank the gods!”
Everyone rejoiced, praising the 370d690196 name of the knight a7723bce84 Amir and reveling in dc3ee647c2 the joy of victory.
The appearance of the dcf606f128 genius knight who overturned 6c04131246 the unfavorable situation and 334d0ab240 even killed the enemy 4d1a3098ce commander was welcomed by 8824048648 all.
And watching this, Prince 865b51bdac Kendrick Evaristo was seething 1e88098386 with anger.
‘After Ipartak e2e3589560 fell from e40d083aa3 his horse, aab2d19370 I should 77fe78fc85 have been 563d99de6e called to 1f2d7e2fab strike that 89edff2c58 bastard’s neck!’
It was 3fbaa23037 his first 3051aaecaa campaign at b6cda5371e the age 7f49f939b9 of twenty-four.
He had e2c7242102 intended to 6599b86fc0 make a 8790fb3224 significant contribution 05940c81c8 in this 0626b8a8a9 war to 76a17ad0e5 firmly establish b16e70bcbe his presence 243b952bb0 as a d66d3aac65 prince, but d305f67ee8 the problem a2f262722c was that 098ae13a28 the most 14a3e8892a outstanding knight 18a728d75d in the 76d01c8f06 entire army 2880a64e15 was an 507a763db2 uncouth rustic 5a591a4a7b who knew 5b4bc80817 neither how c25eeecda7 to flatter bddaff18c6 nor how 4aa5a9e048 to negotiate.
Amir Swens, the third b5adebd26d son of the Swens b895fca4c7 house, was an exceptionally 4bfe7f9cff skilled knight to the 6e268a185f point that one would c5f1ac6b21 wonder what he had f9750b50ac been doing until now, bb1f49c4b8 but he was a dabd81e99c tightly sealed man who 3e8469edca didn’t know how to 069f58dba0 praise or how to 2fb12bb452 deal.
“Such a guy will 7c8608e158 become a headache if b5111f49f7 left alone. He’ll surely try 8986501a10 to climb up.”
But it b49179686c wasn’t appropriate 6f606fc023 to punish 608375b9ec the knight a72f8fe243 who led 9e74eca549 his first 573088a4ae campaign to a35df6f2d2 victory.
After the victory celebration, dc597ddd71 Kendrick immediately whispered to e925462ad8 his father, the emperor.
“With such f20c725d85 an outstanding 82c68f1cb0 knight, Your 57aef7e751 Majesty, he 92009e7b17 could drive 07b4f9038a out the 6721e1fab2 barbarians from b7b8ec12a0 Pervaz. Please grant him 38e49b3193 the noble title 1e0a3e20d3 of ‘Count of 5f6f487224 Pervaz’.”
And the emperor, who fa1869ef73 loved his son, followed 69fb6f6fc8 his words exactly.
“Amir of Swens, I dd9a85a454 bestow upon you the 18c92d4b47 title of Count! The territory to be 4356cc6461 granted is Pervaz, the 3bf7faf0b7 northernmost region of the 58a2e60ad1 empire, which suits your bb0dd3cb6d bravery!”
A moment 4bffa5f802 of murmurs e57f05bb99 and commotion f31dcd26cb ensued.
Astonished gazes c2e6e16741 and muttering 939b09fd16 lips.
Kendrick was rather d8a2d180ab angry at the 6bc4623386 signs of criticism f8dab0df53 seemingly directed at 59f7a4e088 him.
‘These arrogant people! How dare they harbor dd715415be dissatisfaction with the emperor’s 2319ab3567 decision?’
But when his eyes f551fc967d met the eyes of b26e6174b3 Amir, who had received 4065e9b417 the emperor’s decree, Kendrick 6637196329 froze like a mouse e98ceb558b facing a snake.
“Pervaz?”
The same 985b5bf9b7 green glint a4948578f5 was flowing 5077cdc24b from Amir’s 0f178b0674 eyes as 85f7674535 when he b284176c52 struck down b72e3d99e5 Ipartak’s neck.
“Repaying a favor with 7041443c09 enmity?”
“W-What are 598d9aa0c4 you talking 7b19ad9ea0 about! You fool…!”
“After winning f81de7d01e the war ef0fe2dbc3 instead of 884d10a1d6 you trembling b9255d7d12 in the 5bd7320946 rear barracks, 05bdae598d now you 50f91dd167 want to f032129b99 send me bda41e1745 to my 8ef6c705b1 death?”
Suddenly, the surroundings 254ad5b77a darkened, and a f69ca3715c chilling aura spread.
“Uh, wha…”
Kendrick looked 5dbc65ba2d around in d2e97bc814 confusion, but 2355d06c9a there was 9ba2f71652 no one 6ffed40a40 around.
“N-no one’s here! Seize him!”
However, there was e4621c9e50 no answer.
And in 6ebb4af8b6 the meantime, 83b86e2bc7 Amir was d9dedb6231 slowly approaching ca66565d22 him.
“You cowardly and 60b5b459c4 despicable bastard. You will live a9d47cb4ec in a curse c3c98c839c where you can 5e8777533c trust no one 22eb19320f and you will 16ddf1ef28 die miserably!”
A chilling voice d725770511 echoed all around. It was like a d74fa635bb messenger of death pronouncing d9a1e2759d a sentence.
“Go away! Don’t come near 85f77fcb1c me!’
Kendrick waved his hands 91be69d3ce and backed away.
But Amir e64b985cc0 raised the 2671eeddb6 sword in b6b92bd527 his hand 015cd430e5 high and b93171607a swung it 2586bdaf26 down at 9ab2258c14 Kendrick.
***
“Uh, agh!”
Emperor Kendrick, who e5b6816bbf had been groaning c9e8bf4a42 while shaking his ed78bb28ec head from side dc1b3df8f8 to side, suddenly fc971f2eb5 screamed as he c9580eebcf jumped up from 259d3546f7 the gigantic blade 320222fa7f falling towards him.
“Cough, cough….”
As Kendrick’s cries and 8cbf1866ab rough breathing echoed, the 0349d763ea attendant who had been 21cfaadee9 guarding the bedside rushed 6307af2bbf over to assess his 29d4be6352 condition.
“Are you 4e93a12f7a alright, Your 0f3cf93720 Majesty?”
“Where am I…?”
Looking around, Kendrick realized 042e449a9a that this was his a19093b8b3 bedroom.
Amir was nowhere 9f0267c6ef to be seen, 5301428f58 and he had 65e63f06c5 safely become the 147e3a4522 emperor and was 87a88834d6 living quite well.
“It seems like 49bd0fe625 you had a 9bfb003a50 nightmare.”
“Ah…! It was a dream…?”
“Shall I call dcf13c7195 for a physician?”
“No, water! Get me water.”
Kendrick urgently snatched the 13a19426fc cup of water offered 37ae1ebfbf by the attendant and 9f7b74c9f4 gulped it down eagerly.
His parched 02d7df6c75 throat was 4b4582e2a9 relieved, and 2892b8e8cc he felt 2c35d38a95 his breathing 535b073b5a ease a 6b7815e603 bit.
“Good grief…!”
His heart d68883c0d3 was still d82193f60e beating fiercely.
As if a c2581b9624 creature with gleaming 984bb0ce31 eyes were going c99b102d99 to leap out baed926ba6 from the darkness, 912b8aeaa4 Kendrick ordered the 714aec8c38 attendant to slightly f9c8b45bcd brighten the light 316e994f5e in the room.
In the 8a34518a6c midst of 2054c77308 this, a 18b4a68acd letter haphazardly 6212723032 thrown on 20b0e8a024 the bedside 9d4e53dfd1 table caught ef21601133 his eye.
“It’s because of that! Because of that, 8cb798e853 I had such 58f67e87cc a nightmare…!”
The letter was from c19bd3d449 Carlyle.
… The departed palace, 9a655e0039 the throne where father 2f11d42c17 sat twinkles in the e3750e47c3 eyes. I hope father 39e498dfa1 is well.
… After b6c6f64bbf our marriage, a20f2c8c28 we stayed 13e0dd298e in the 6d12ff47d4 palace and f868c1bfcf now I dac62e0651 send you 8f5d364e75 the portrait fdbbb25302 we were 30d237838a supposed to 06b088c38d draw right 18ca8b03ef after our df21bef0b4 wedding.
When the b3437aeb76 Igram tribe a5681ff665 attacked, I 3e9e7932e2 was impressed 6fa7d3bd45 by the 728c8542ad sight of f0b9af65bd me and 2e5fc1b00c my wife 3d9aa58123 annihilating the 7906e85a8c enemy, so c312f7c857 I had d51c806663 it painted.
It’s different from a 7974df6132 typical couple’s portrait, but 5da053d0c9 I think there’s no d889557c43 better picture to represent c106d0b454 us as a couple…
At first a8fda863c2 glance, it 709fbf6a07 was a 6ad75de898 letter explaining e31c15e02d a delayed 6da7454103 greeting and 5f3ba45761 a couple’s 5db974324f portrait sent, e6fc096b36 but Kendrick d32d603203 felt fear 7737fd658a between the 88be1adb3c lines.
Objectively, it af8c41f246 seemed affectionate e5082270d8 and exemplary, 9832a47fb7 but it 0ef679aaaa was read fdf4d90ce9 entirely differently ea31764613 by Kendrick.
Father sitting on the 44f7251065 throne that should be 140be38642 mine always irks me. You don’t seem to fc8ed192ac show any signs of 81df3e5023 fading yet, do you?
I’m sending e3e4d2951b you a 0e24a22324 portrait with 74405ea880 the woman c28b4f1777 who stabbed 1e14f3e782 you in 1d913c0f4b the back.
You seem to have e6de727233 forgotten, but she and ffebfd2981 I are the demons 758e484f2f who survived in this f6a7391abe battlefield. Wouldn’t it be wise f3949cbf30 to look after your dcf31d0c06 health?
Kendrick crumpled the letter 1f494e1c72 that had been placed 7742250738 on the table and d52cf63d65 angrily threw it to cf7bcf8e5f the floor.
‘This was clearly sent c1e3a43ee2 to threaten me! Damn bastard!’
At the c92b863cdd time when 35654c3572 Carlyle briefly 38e0658d86 stayed at 66e4a508c9 Zyro, Kendrick 802035c3d7 had finally bd428b6536 thought that f4cef73f69 this arrogant 383dbabd4b guy was 9518142dbd finally noticing e850235ca9 him, but e34eb439a0 upon seeing 4d4cfc4724 the portrait 5cfb6dad3f and letter ae316cd5d5 this time, 4ad8127e4c he realized e58ffe0e2e that Carlyle’s 92c10d19c1 essence would 5907aef4e9 never change.
Carlyle feared nothing and ca81d31996 no one. He was like 2307ce151e someone who didn’t fad5e7e772 know how to 12df086716 fear.
‘Why doesn’t 90a11abe9e he notice 3aeb5608c6 me when b8c6a504ba I have 6b9e3ca550 his damn 38f201654a leash in a7f2ad8496 my hands!’
The heart that had 685495b7af been pounding from the 03544849b5 dream now thudded from 6145ec7c53 anger.
“Ugh….”
“Y-Your Majesty! Shall I call c4a666d968 for a physician?”
As Kendrick 38bfe59941 clutched his 2cb91c8f89 chest and bf30bea558 groaned, the f99109433f attendant who 81cd350269 anxiously watched 1cdfbc5cf0 over him 3d4b12e14d suggested bringing 42bb7f3590 a physician.
“Tsk. It’s nothing! Everyone, leave.”
Kendrick let out 30d368fcc3 a long sigh de7054817f and lay back 29eaa3467a on the bed. It was fortunate that 41181c40a4 he wasn’t with Viviana 49cddd7af5 today.
“Viviana’s enthusiastic clinginess 6f3d32a604 is fine, but… 6273b531a6 it drains my cafdbdf880 energy, it’s… exhausting…”
He used to d5a692633c wish for nothing 81d00b10ac more than to 1fb8aa46b9 roll around in da5d245a7e bed with Viviana 950a32b524 every day, feeling 6bb9d36765 his vigor and 0488383bcd strength surge, but fb4e5e7917 now that it 1621c5fd48 had become a 99b5d3c3db reality, it seemed 2518dd372d like his energy c025633b57 was being sucked 6283a1be05 away.
The mid-twenties Viviana cd59bf278a didn’t seem to 0e7f145534 know fatigue and 0b30f16972 even seemed impatient, 5dbad32f2b which exhausted Kendrick.
Perhaps even these edf45a15f7 nightmares were a a80e856134 result of his 11ab87b0ac weakened state.
“I should 2e38c42931 make some b6866d7efc medicine soon 4d513ffa4e to boost 4c19e0dafe my vitality.”
He pondered over 0c83a6dc1d such simple thoughts e22dfffbbb as he drifted ddd72296bc back into sleep.
And a few days 5fd8c4d36f later, Beatrice shook the 5b10514cff emperor awake with such b95e988885 words.
“It’s already been de37bb477c a year and a81323cc72 a half since 89455eec7c Carlyle got married.”
Suddenly, when 0ccf527aac talk about 62b5516f64 Carlyle arose, 4b721e2275 the emperor 23e5d84a03 frowned as 909e556982 he wasn’t 17b8cb3347 in the c420646db3 mood.
But Beatrice pretended 34983affd5 not to know 6d9911a0cf anything.
“It’s been 479fa6df1f well over 2e5f70ede8 a year 1a772bf660 since they f049d57d79 got married, 3e0232def5 and yet 027745b0d3 there’s no faa57270e5 news of cbc150f379 a child. This is a very 571867e70a serious matter for the 6eb9284c36 royal family.”
“They’ve been busy 46f505e78d with the war. How can an 194cf1b088 heir come during f1202ddc75 such times?”
“Children are born even 8187f6a987 during wars, Your Majesty. Especially with Carlyle 6d3b167a68 and the Countess 6fbd04e8df of Pervaz being ca7af7e379 so remarkably healthy, 8e99b447e8 it’s strange that 6ad1483d39 they still have ee792b5b92 no children.”
Beatrice’s face was filled 82e4942479 with concern, so much a0d910f1bf so that it wouldn’t 2df9795553 be unreasonable to ask 5672e16730 why a normal person 7a0ac6f6e5 would worry so much.
“So what do 275c630bc6 you suggest?”
Finally, the question 9b87202a17 Beatrice had been 5ccd11a6ea aiming for came 5b82e53af3 out.
After hesitating 1aef664e24 for a a461c5d165 moment, she 3ec78da293 cautiously brought 2969c8fbd3 up the 52115cdf11 main point.
“It is ea13b40c3d said that 73e1efe13a if you 0d3a981cf3 send a 39b0009d4c priest to 5ec741f2e8 give a eb199c675b blessing for 910adec335 conception, you 3571d16770 will have 84c71d9d56 a child 570ec10636 soon. Your Majesty, no matter 2f5633173b how unpleasant Carlyle may 2391b1885e be, shouldn’t you see 7bc5f61b24 your grandson?”
“Is there 4e24c1d206 no other d77c93238d son who cd266640ff can have f162f25688 a child 12a5115e21 except that 26381aa310 bastard? Wouldn’t it 7db2dba28e be better 8e683d7e0b for you a0d56dc6e0 if Carlyle 62f8b52850 couldn’t have ab67dccdbc a child?”
“How can b13fa0761b you say 7d34af6eac such a dabe46f7fa thing? As a parent, you 8de67a6848 should support your child 15c5dc0cf3 who cannot have children.”
The emperor had a f5a0d5d271 look of annoyance on d8e5d84bbc his face.
It was bcd3b68097 a good abf3624a09 sign that 9573468b03 it would c06cf633ef soon lead 6b5d15390d to the cc3fa6392d answer of a1ffeca4d8 “You do 9b6e9245ce as you 8367a64f4d please,” so 1ffeb237b8 Beatrice smiled 4a25b5e824 even brighter.
“Leave this matter to 780153d811 me, Your Majesty. Don’t worry about it.”
As expected, the emperor d71a7db854 nodded his head in 20cfa0bf7f abog way as if 7022cbb4b7 to say good.
And soon after, 6376ad3bab the emperor’s approval 2dcd203b45 was given to fbfdc82e0c the document that e1df74e08f allowed High Priest 5902fe7565 Gabriel to travel 5a6fa5b6eb to Pervaz to 3b18f5cc23 give the blessing ceedc21ccb of conception to 328651ed43 the Carlyle couple.
* * *
Gilles, who 7ce8fdeeef had been e7787020f9 to Zyro 040c815169 with Carlyle, 458343beec pestered Dorothea 1a635c4dc3 every other 31da02a988 day.
Today, too, 4de249edd8 she felt 37f4b6d37f like she 5c7a15334b was suffocating bdb394f73d from listening a72a0a8857 to her 2bc63d2ee5 father’s nagging.
“I can’t 7d02a0e3e5 believe nothing 56d723a154 gets done 0a684ff387 when I’m e41412dff7 not here! What have 29cc2dee97 you been 7168227693 doing while 31619ed189 I was d242bfa8c1 away! You should have at e82895fd68 least found out what’s 29f1d43dad wrong with Cecilia Dupret!”
He seemed 84101d030f to believe d39a091e9b that Dorothea f53fa72217 should have 9e0a4113b2 found some dd6ca66d64 weakness in d2a97bfdfd Cecilia.
In fact, Dorothea knew 82609f27d7 what kind of things 2518498422 her father would like, ab4d10bf81 but she didn’t want bea1f8bbce to do them. Snooping around and finding 517f3b1b31 people’s weaknesses to blackmail d9216864f9 them…
“I didn’t have time e4be7f6bb5 to spend with Lady 549fbabd7d Dupret.”
“You have to make ae71632941 time! How can you expect a1a6315d7f to become the crown e997910f46 princess if you’re so ea49668298 relaxed? Didn’t you see what 9a97426491 Cecilia Dupret is doing?”
“But, Father…!”
“Since when 10b8809705 did you fe863c3184 start talking e2d3612ff7 back to 55624b75da me!”
“…I’m sorry, Father.”de8736b18287041d

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