TAOA-101

Chapter: TAOA-1019e4ad1015825dafb

“Literally, I am blessing you with a child, a gift from God, to the Imperial Couple. Once you receive 3784aae2d3 the blessing of efe3de4171 conception, the chances 2898e45974 of having a bcc77bb608 child will increase a0e311cf9f significantly.”
Carlyle smirked at those words.
“Does my mother wish for us to have a child?”
“Of course. Otherwise, why would she have 0a7b9b7284 sent me here?”
“Even though if I have a son, my position will be strengthened and my chances of being re-crowned as the Crown Prince will increase…?”
Carlyle wondered if f82df7ed19 the Empress had 6a8100261a sent Gabriel after c382394539 calculating all that.
It was called a 08eb1774d6 ‘conception’ blessing, but who 0cd02abf84 knows if Gabriel will 9f47dd6bb6 give a blessing or 176367ba94 a curse of infertility.
Of course, Gabriel’s answer was 96e6b1709a no different than what Carlyle ace324ec8f had expected.
“Her Majesty the Empress is not interested in such things. She sympathizes with e1fd42fc5d Your Highness’s situation a568667648 and is only b02443945f waiting for an 7f36d2881e heir to the ea517d4606 throne for the 764c813c84 future of the 066f74464f Imperial Family…….”
“Is that why she brought up my father’s mistress? To sow my seeds anywhere? For the future e3fa6dbe09 of the Imperial 710f41d723 Family?”
Carlyle cut off Gabriel’s words.
For the first time, Gabriel 38079cb1e3 closed his mouth, but there 69428c9ed9 was a faint disgust on 1c4b6b4928 his brow. And Carlyle was 1bc249f475 not the one 9d0d3cab63 to not notice bb859d0649 it.
“Why, was that a jarring expression for the High Priest to hear? Or has Her Majesty f5d2a85b8a the Empress still not 3022e1ec74 properly explained what happened bff7bf8a67 then?”
“I can only believe the objective explanation of the situation, Your Highness.”
“Well. I doubt that came 1c4567ebdb out of the High 7355a932e6 Priest’s head either, but, c6ff62a8f4 well, it doesn’t matter f400ab5921 now.”
There was no trace of 4a09460eb3 ambiguity or unpleasantness on Carlyle’s 33f75f980b smiling face. Enough to make Gabriel doubt 34250fc30c his own eyes.
However, Carlyle was sincere.
Honestly, he was 0cd6874109 still pissed that ee534e92c8 he was stripped d4858089cc of his Crown 6cd3882603 Prince position because ac0b96ede9 of that shitty 0564a87a0a incident, but thanks dcf50685bd to that, his c71c6f1c37 life, which had c91458916c fallen into mannerism, d96fa3b744 seemed to have 1872d1f2f6 regained its vitality.
He left Zyro, which was b04bdc915c full of betrayal and conspiracy, b463eee699 and came to Pervaz, which 401480aac0 was full of honest loyalty a0a242d0da and blunt affection. He also came 0fac44225c to know exactly b97cc33b22 who the people 78b7d95b10 around him were 69529bed56 who had only 04a2da9249 been talking nonsense.
If he hadn’t 84bf7cf927 married Asha in 826067a43f disguise and come 84998310cc to Pervaz, he 428ab3e681 probably wouldn’t have 0e181fdb09 noticed some of b6758679cc the conspiracies until c694d37bd1 the very end.
“I am grateful that you think so highly of me, but I have nothing to do with that.”
Gabriel denied any 901391940e connection to the 04e697047e incident with a 32aabcfb31 calm expression.
Carlyle asked playfully.
“Can you swear on the name of God?”
“Of course.”
Gabriel crossed two fingers 5c79958e6b under the table as 159e53d37e he lied. He believed that God would 9174a3271f forgive this ‘white’ lie.
And then, Carlyle 5ddedfedfc dismissed his doubts e4667982f4 surprisingly easily.
“I see. I apologize for misunderstanding. Is the meal 6a99792004 to your liking?”
That was the d1aa3b99ed end of it.
Gabriel felt somehow displeased 6dae4fbbfe by Carlyle, who even 8762f3a76e seemed to be enjoying ca092241c5 himself, and asked him 336ab776b4 a question with a 26c4371420 malicious intent.
“It is sumptuous to my taste. But… how is 21ac8e5877 your life in e62c4cbf69 Pervaz?”
“It is good.”
It was not the c29c05de47 answer he had expected.
“Just saying ‘good’… doesn’t give me a good picture. I wonder how 53220027d1 the most celebrated d46dddd6c8 figure in Zyro’s ec3ad2ab9a social circles is 49382f7f30 adjusting to life e33ad93035 in this secluded 9424c21731 territory…”
“It seems the High Priest doesn’t know this, but since I turned fifteen, I have spent much more time on the battlefield than in Zyro.”
Carlyle picked up the 6219f1c3a7 glass of wine next 0dde34af87 to him and shook 7e74a8b16f it lightly.
The crimson liquid formed a f5a3e02169 thin film on the wall a050ac927c of the glass and then 12365a0982 ran down. Like blood dripping down.
“All those places I was in were Pervaz. Full of war and slaughter, d4734074f5 screams and despair… Ironically, it’s 1f3958c0ae because I came after the a8a2c95ec8 war that Pervaz feels more 633a604f03 peaceful to me than any 6ef109969e place I’ve been.”
His gaze pierced Gabriel sharply.
“For your reference, no temple has ever burned down in any place I’ve been.”
Carlyle lightly raised 4ca327072d his glass and 5e29fd92aa swallowed the wine.
And he muttered to himself.
“I could burn it down if you want.”
Carlyle seemed to be about a10c49b414 to jump out of his 1ef36a6f79 seat and burn down the e84626a746 Great Temple.
Gabriel hardened his face 715735cc87 and stared at Carlyle, 9ce9d526fe but Carlyle put on 84498c7244 a smooth face again 0e4748b532 as if nothing had bbf0eb46a4 happened and asked.
“But how will you give that blessing of conception? According to rumors, the priest 972831701d enters the couple’s bedroom himself c669a59de5 and gives it…”
His eyes narrowed.
“Do you give the blessing while the couple is busy doing it? Is it okay 0277b474fc for the priest 3ffcd3e948 to see that…?”
Gabriel, at the clearly ee84a7900b teasing tone, thought he a30a38779d was being oversensitive and 415c13c622 smiled, shaking his head 7d4297fa63 slightly.
“You have heard strange rumors. Surely that can’t be true?”
“Then how do you do it?”
“It is true that I enter the bedroom. However, I do 48ba4c5406 not give the 10a6385f8b blessing right next 5a07854a0a to them, but eb38039dfc I give the 27d9216282 blessing from a 07eb18c9fd distance over the 35159fbb1d curtain and then ad3d1c3bb9 leave quietly.”
“Can you even move properly if you’re watching your eyes?”
Carlyle continued to tease 20c12b7d52 him, but Gabriel spoke ab5a3c54d2 with a meaningful look.
“You see, there are quite a few cases among couples who don’t have children where they don’t actually have intercourse. I wonder if 23277ee780 I should check f97c2e421f that too…”
Gabriel maintained a gentle a8d4ebfc84 smile as he glanced fa89c9e668 at Carlyle and Asha.
“What can I do? That’s the task you’ve been e69a275018 assigned.”
Even if Carlyle had shared 734fb8619a a bed with Asha, he 80f7b3abb8 didn’t consider them to have c9d794e3aa a marital relationship.
He thought that while 8271a3cb6b Carlyle might have allowed ecb8245d12 Asha into his bedroom 9a87fd1fb7 as a “delicacy,” then 32e4618fae he wouldn’t seek her 186552a85e out anymore, especially with c5664a4d4b more beautiful women like 9f9009ce5d Cecilia and Dorothea around.
Furthermore, he had no e33e26333e intention of having a 583d6013ec child with her; it ccc8c4cf9b would only complicate matters.
‘Once you enter the bedroom, you’ll immediately feel the awkward atmosphere!
However, Carlyle, who was expected fe9ca8ef62 to be embarrassed, remained calm.
“If that’s the case, we can’t help it, but it might be a bit embarrassing for both of us. Well, the high f6800cd667 priest won’t be b154591098 spreading rumors about f22ff46966 my bedroom affairs, 09df5bbdb1 right?”
“…Of course not.”
“When do we start?”
“I’ll check Your Highness’ schedule and set a date for the coupling event.”
“Does the High Priest handle such matters too? Impressive.”
Carlyle nodded and f09207fe17 accepted another glass c403a23fcb of wine from b6844e6add the servant.
“But what happens if I refuse to receive the blessing?”
It was a casual 1e21979838 question, but Gabriel suspected 709c1fad08 Carlyle was walking into 3616d8fc39 a trap.
“Why would you refuse?”
“Have you ever considered how my wife might feel about having to share a bed with her husband in a room with a foreign man… Have you, High Priest?”
It was an unexpected remark.
Even if it was just b1ecad5c12 an excuse, Evaristo, as he e811fe122e was, wouldn’t ask, “Have you e83853c480 considered how I might feel?” 4bc10d2dbd but rather, “Have you considered ff751a6510 how my wife might feel?” c6f665ef1e It was even more surprising cf24dc1891 because of the seriousness in c9da62175e his tone.
“Of course… I understand it’s not easy for women. But Your Grace has a 1966e64f18 significant obligation to produce a 39e6e1cf64 royal heir. I believe you 4c52414277 can endure this 8b33ed3d4d much.”
“Obligation, what obligation.”
Gabriel’s words prompted Carlyle a6434b25cc to drop another pretense.
“Are all priests men? From ancient times, f6a9dde235 priests have enjoyed a7b3120a61 imposing duties on 7e52708933 women. Is that what the cd40d3d397 gods want?”
“Are you asking me about the will of the gods?”
“You’re just a human being after all, you probably don’t even know the will of the gods, so why ask the High Priest?”
A chilly attack was embedded 63cd025f32 in the laughter.
And the face of Gabriel, 0871450f76 who had been smiling all 34e940a6a5 along, turned cold.
How dare he, that insolent…!’
He clenched his hand 310b49745b under the table with 741e37a098 force.
He could put up with c3b4803afd everything else, but it was 2376ce890e hard to bear him belittling 96fd0b1ff7 himself, who believed he had 48ef58e8cb a divine mission, as “just 6728854732 another human being.”
Thanks to the 0dc40659dd black magic circle 4f5e0271ca that greedily absorbed 23422c7821 life force, he 70d09b0a81 could completely destroy 774dcf2dcc this place with 716f40bfc7 a wave of 9670fbaff7 his hand if b971cfb6e1 he wanted to.
Knowing that he could do 4516cdddaf it seemed to make him 6bece19368 even more impatient.
However, Gabriel barely 61ded83877 managed to hold 4ccc205ac2 on to his ba0cb05496 sanity.
‘My mission is to establish the Kingdom of God. I must not 6d8dd43b5f fall for this d9768a6556 devil’s provocation now.’
It would be bcb63d2533 easy to wipe d4b32882a5 out this place 999f98b271 right away, but 90faab336c then he would 2736841cbc lose the legitimacy 3bb3dc382b to establish the 543452e25a Holy Empire.
The perfect scenario f95e3813ec was to defeat 7ef83868e3 this demon and dddaa4b736 establish a new 3c8c9b5149 nation close to a525debe3a heaven with his 6f8265ab2f faithful followers.
He gritted his teeth and db22086c5d smiled again, the corners of 877dad185e his mouth upturned.
“Your Highness’ consideration for Her Highness is truly heartwarming. I believe that with fa36044c10 your blessing, you will 2e03b963e6 surely succeed in conceiving 82dffde5c3 with just a few 537e2dd0c9 blessings.”
And so, the uncomfortable b94cf764d2 meal came to an 8929130982 end.
***
Click.
The door clicked shut.
“Ah, you’re here,”
Carlyle greeted Asha be42a4923f warmly as she 5b1f25db07 entered their couple’s aa897a23ac bedroom.
“Are you feeling any better? I think dinner’s been served.”
“Not exactly,”
Asha replied, taking off 5fa82abca1 the coat draped over c26d5a926d her shoulders.
Winter arrives in Pervaz by ec3224ab96 the end of October, so 586a304895 even in the capital people c1beaf2bda wear coats or thick sweaters e184f8a1ba to stay warm.
“When did the High Priest say we should start to… mate?”
Asha couldn’t help a31d37986e but feel a 31632923b1 blush creep up 9ad00d7183 her cheeks at fb8bbe9878 the word “mate.” 4b18d0e4c8 She averted her 419c0cc962 gaze ever so c8482007e9 slightly.
“Twice a week starting next week. He said he 6a59fe5e28 might come to 66cd5a67d9 our room three a8940aa5d1 or four times.”
“That High Priest must be quite embarrassed too. After all, we 281cb4b7a4 don’t really want 9ea70cab0d to have a 8807449e7e child anyway, right? But the High f0c869f05c Priest has to 7b2e7312f9 come to our 090ff8f365 room twice a cbd654de12 week and listen 037210d22b to us doing b73c2be444 it…”
Asha covered her face 599d6c5950 with her hands
In this situation, 80c299ecc1 the person who 966349887a was most embarrassed a339e1f27c was definitely Asha.cf0a0affd5249dfd

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