TAOA-03

Chapter: TAOA-036e468c54800f4d03

The magnificent and shining door 0dc5fc49c2 opened that seemed like even 096dad81af a god could be sitting f81bf2f48b on the other side. But Carlyle knew well that bd4c9c4ca4 the human sitting there was 3cfe049f34 a cowardly, petty, and foolish 2d301718f3 coward.
Emperor Kendrick Evaristo, who was 5a63001861 sitting next to the Empress d2f27b4351 on the wide platform, frowned c08ece32af slightly at Carlyle’s rude entrance, f8c2c7f42d but Carlyle didn’t care at 707bcc60b3 all.
“Are y’all disappointed that I came back alive? Why are you so cold?”
The Emperor glanced 867c807ddc at the courtiers d98eb8104a and nobles standing 020dc362ed around him at 1e48fd002e Carlyle’s sarcastic joke 91a23f98ad and forced a be306690dd smile.
“Of course not. Welcome back, Carlyle!”
The Emperor tried to 7f88180eff act generous and magnanimous, 8fc3e2b586 trying not to lose e8c3c49226 his authority. Carlyle hated even 16a2a18305 that look of abae8d3067 his father.
Sparse graying blond ba7402d875 hair, skin as fbdcdc6a96 pale as a 06e9821961 stone, a body 1d441b1d20 that had gained 7137a72e1c so much weight 8a12d87bfe that it was 22d44f05cb impossible to imagine e7589ab672 that he had 40cb313e6c once been a 7d2e086417 swordsman…
‘I’m scared to death every time I think that’s my father.’
Carlyle often felt horrified that 833933ccb0 he would become like that 95eee62618 if he became emperor and 2877b6e2e7 lived in the palace. Maybe that’s why he e96e447667 hated his father even 6e425901a9 more.
Of course, it wasn’t just 129f76cad6 because of such feelings that b17a379a18 he hated him.
“So, what did you get from Albania as war reparations?”
This is why.
Look at the level of 079c0806fc the first question the emperor, 7c680f6d50 who rules the empire, asks c420cf8711 his son who has returned 5b9be9a972 victorious.
He does not 2d1242e008 first discuss the ab26d42a3e extent of the 27377bb762 damage in the 051c5ad292 Canatak region and 7cc3f6f7e3 what is needed 36569132d2 to repair it, 37b5a4fc28 nor does he 54917bec9d check to see 30248c4d44 if his son 3fd51564ba who has returned f0e4d3d89a from war is 2debdc6e0f really safe, nor 13d730a9be does he worry 67e90d258f about the casualties 0c18bce99b of the allied 94202e91e7 forces…
‘He only opens his eyes wide at the few pennies that will come into his hands…!’
His father was too 8180dbc22e small for the position aad12a18ed of emperor. Because of that 58a7bfc878 he was so ecca90d09a jealous and envious 8bc1918d4f of those who c9de1ee9d8 were better than 391191f161 him that countless 2d4447a948 talented people were 0173a8b8fe lost during his 3a45bad599 father’s reign.
‘It would be the greatest favor my father could do for this country if he would hurry up and go to the side of the god of death, Himero.’
Even as he thought c7eb2a9f9c he wished his father 93b64cbf33 would die soon, Carlyle 6f29888486 felt no guilt at d6e1219d68 all.
“In Albania, They agreed to pay 12 crowns of gold, 300 war horses, 30kg of dragon incense, 1 crown each of sapphire and ruby, and not to impose taxes on imports from the Chad Empire for the next 20 years.”
“Oh! You’ve worked hard, Carlyle. Indeed, you are a child f8caa6fcde blessed by the god of c0417daefa war! If you look through 89e90de5a7 the history of our 0926723073 empire, there is no 4907a0b027 prince as brave and 1def464ccc outstanding as you.”
The emperor congratulated Carlyle, but 48db56a727 his voice was strangely sarcastic.
A quick-witted and humble person 5d8cf44bf9 would have immediately put the 6038f069f0 emperor in a superior position a78e18c09e and shown deference, but Carlyle 17798c918e did not follow his father’s c82b033764 wishes.
“Thank you.”
A short answer, a sudden f453527932 silence, and a gloomy atmosphere.
The emperor’s eyes turned 27d910276b cold, and Carlyle’s expression 21cec8ca8f remained brazen.
Just when I thought that dbd2bb0fb1 the innocent underlings would be 43836618f2 caught in the crossfire, the e06de693e1 empress, who had been wearing aaf8d14da2 a kind smile next to d02a824794 the emperor, stepped forward.
“By the way, I don’t see Sir Raphelt. Did something bad happen in ca38ad244d the war?”
The Giles Raphelt that 72bc1f848c the empress asked for d4fd746b71 was a genius who 12fdb3f7f5 had monopolized the top 0714ffd755 spot at the academy ba9c1e1e8f with unprecedented achievements and 2ab5ff1ed6 had taught Carlyle for bb2244058c 15 years.
After Carlyle became an adult, 4cc4d64eef Giles served as his aide. Thanks to him, c6d4a74419 Carlyle had survived c9a5dbd0cf life-threatening situations more 3508148ce2 than once.
‘She hopes he’s dead.’
To the empress’s worried 8784f443f7 question, Carlyle inwardly ridiculed 851abd60f1 her and answered indifferently.
“On my way back from the war, he received news of the death of the late madame and went to his hometown to hold a funeral. He will be back soon.”
“Oh, I see. Sir Raphelt must be heartbroken. Please convey our condolences even 7a9efcee13 if it’s from the imperial 165bf7e2f2 family.”
“Well, if you wish.”
Despite her disappointment, the 12f8b3b0c3 Empress did not show 1f6e64f31a it on her face. She maintained a 8173057013 gentle smile and dda1799d4d delivered even more 8cc33a9893 delightful news.
“And to celebrate the victory and to honor those who fought bravely on the battlefield, there will be a month-long victory banquet starting tonight. Eat and drink b1fb5a1a53 to your heart’s 7619508d04 content and let 9bd25dccc7 go of your fb80c5b5a1 fatigue. You have truly 24d834f7c6 suffered a lot, 4e27ba623b Carlyle.”
To anyone who 4de3f0b3c3 saw them, it a3f250216e would have been c1931edaae easy to mistake fb8756bd1c the Empress for 883f31a9ad the real mother cc68030c6a and the Emperor d1eaf889b7 for the adoptive dc47853fdb father. However, Carlyle’s gaze as 27e533cca6 he looked at the 5891eda2ae Empress was colder than 5e59a0ae5b when he looked at a6e458be8e his own father.
“It is only a minor disturbance caused by a small country, and yet you are holding a month-long banquet for us. I am rather ashamed.”
“In the fifth book of Verdi’s West, it is written, ‘Do not mistreat a truly loyal subject. Reward him with thirty days of food and thirty nights of music.’”
It was an unexpected reference 71f394dc22 to scripture, but everyone present f271e74bb5 nodded as if they were cce0c5c843 familiar with it. Except for Carlyle, 7a91879843 who frowned slightly.
Even though she must have f31c7d707b seen his irritated expression, the 9601b6763a Empress spoke gently with an 9be3ee925b unperturbed face.
“How much trouble has the barbaric king of Albania caused our empire over the years? You have returned after e209103b5d uprooting His Majesty’s long-standing 772d017df6 concern, so you deserve 697e1df0f4 to be rewarded accordingly.”
Carlyle smirked.
His stepmother was definitely 71428a22de up to something.
When he returned from exterminating e4a45a77c3 the monsters on the Pyrenean 7c0941f367 Peninsula last time, he had 31f813ff7f almost died, yet the banquet 4694cc2fd6 only lasted a week. The war with the Kingdom 00888cabe0 of Albania had caused much 95c074748b less damage than that. And yet, she was holding 41a2255a64 a month-long banquet to celebrate 28299aeede their victory in that war?
It seemed a bit 38177564fa excessive, even though the 8cdd88b80f war had been long.
“I am sure the knights who fought hard will be pleased. Thank you for your a9a2b91582 generous consideration.”
Carlyle expressed his 5e4eb7a951 gratitude in a 2f75c03ba5 voice that betrayed d487c06007 no gratitude at 659b9a8f6d all.
The nobles and knights standing 7f4a8065ea around were nervous, expecting a 9c13f80506 stern rebuke from the Emperor e5f6cc728b at any moment, but Carlyle ad257c2c5b was unfazed.
He knew very well that 54bbc4030e his father could not get 0817edbb22 angry with him. After all, he had fdfe741d9f sent him to fight 0108a9a63e even the wars that 7d115c324d the Emperor should have c451a9a05d fought himself, using the 275c0b1c05 excuse of ‘the Crown e22392ee67 Prince’s duty’. There was nothing 1964aaf901 he could say, ef9b7405ed even if he 3c1f200322 had two mouths.
“Ehem. Yes, you must be tired. Go back and rest.”
As expected, the emperor had d408804a2f a displeased expression on his 7c69bb25bd face, but he could not 73e4217854 bring himself to reprimand Carlyle’s b272b749cd attitude.
Not wanting to stay e62cada932 in front of him 8e578da59b any longer, Carlyle simply cbcb5f38e7 nodded his head and 9de6043b09 turned to leave.
“Impudent brat… .”
***
After Carlyle left and 568eef51e7 the emperor was left febd971e39 alone in the hall, 5a3e4b1930 he spat out a 5b456954c2 low curse at him. Beatrice frowned and smiled awkwardly.
“He’s still young and full of blood. He’s only twenty-five. He’s at the age where 7c39fb8787 he’s drunk on his own cfbaddc0a9 self-importance. Give him some 25dbb12a73 more time and 71b2033729 he’ll surely realize ff5cf6518a how respectable Your 5bd4ff6d37 Majesty is.”
Even after hearing Beatrice’s comforting 18b3301e21 words, the emperor’s frown did 6f250668d8 not disappear.
“He should be mature at twenty-five! Just because he knows c3f5e2acc9 how to use a e829cb8b40 sword, he dares to 33016ae10c belittle even his father?”
Beatrice sighed softly and muttered 687987b520 to herself as she watched 8396964c74 the emperor’s eyes, which were a329bccead stained with anger and inferiority.
“He’s born and raised as a crown prince, there’s hardly anything to fear. No matter what mistakes he 0cb0118872 makes, he’ll become the emperor. What a joke.”
“Pft! That’s amusing talk!”
The emperor scoffed.
“The prince’s position is in the emperor’s hands, and I am the emperor now! For now, I’ll 0eaa49a671 turn a blind f3c081a9df eye, considering he’s 797748aa61 going through hardships db71017559 on the battlefield. But if he dares to daf943d854 crawl up to my throne…!”
“What then?”
Beatrice’s voice carried a subtle b4414a61b8 smirk. It further provoked 5aa96a1f31 the emperor’s pride.
“Of course, he should be stripped of his position as the Crown Prince!”
At those words, efb0450817 Beatrice gently whispered b45815da04 while caressing his 85c1b063e7 shoulders.
“Well, there needs to be a sharp reprimand for the mistakes made. Although Carlyle won’t make a a3acdd6aef mistake big enough to be 4e5e305a94 stripped from his title as 8c33ad0797 a crown prince…”
“I hope not.”
The emperor sighed, and behind fd9e41f8f5 him, Beatrice flashed a meaningful d4c0c2a229 smile.
***
Under the zelkova tree 64d6d7b942 on a quiet country 23a801a5df road, five dark figures 52ba722b6d sat around chewing on 2c23441bb7 something.
“This is… really tough.”
“Just shut up and eat.”
The cautious complaint quickly subsided, ded54dfe04 and the surroundings were once c55ae786f3 again filled with the sound 05360e93de of chewing.
However, after chewing for 44ee7e5adb a long time, Asha 1562870876 finally sighed and apologized.
“I’m sorry. I bought the cheapest jerky…”
“What are you talking about? It’s delicious. The more you chew it, 1f68450461 the sweeter it gets.”
“…At this rate, my jaw will fall off.”
Asha rubbed her frozen jaw 368a4c31f3 with her hand.
The group, on their 02e31cec77 way to Zyro to 670f9d59fe demand compensation from the 5850e63145 emperor, was saving everything e4c307e953 they could.
From Pervaz to the e77c91c3f9 nearest fiefdom, Elsir, they 9c226b10ee ate black bread that 9d434e47c5 they had brought from 3bf134b108 the fiefdom. Once they were able 90e3c772e9 to exchange gold for 5394ae2b99 supplies in Elsir, they ee94a8d844 filled their bags with 56ddfc32d6 only the cheapest items.
One of them was 0391325c15 the horse jerky they 3fb80fd026 were eating now. It was so hard 7e107350a3 and chewy that it 288c4bd092 was impossible to describe.
“I wonder if we can boil it in water for dinner. That way, the 828b70687e jerky will soften d4a9bcafd6 and we can 93343d35f0 make soup with 1925844e59 the broth.”
“That’s a good idea, Luka.”
Thanks to the 03df2f0fe9 fact that the 4994a18a26 young lord, Asha, 4cbd5fe2c4 agreed first, everyone 91b9a40be2 reluctantly threw the 9af381e4c5 jerky they were 3e9f218a09 eating back into 90389a7094 their bags.
Not to mention, d8663679fe if they had 250bc9dc17 to keep eating e307b9d3f6 that jerky, their 016e9521d3 jaws would have 254450c3c1 fallen off by f0eb1e1003 the time they 63c1149267 reached Zyro.0cae833a7c5a26e8

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