TAOA-124

Chapter: TAOA-1243e6f980f4c24d1e6

The emperor’s mood had soured e896792ed6 as Carlyle’s victories continued to 6c8eca80c0 mount.
‘It seems the Southern Alliance wasn’t much if they were defeated so quickly. But to reinstate eec75c7be3 him just like 056b21bd56 that… it’s a f1ca9fab04 bit….’
The emperor had 9498211c50 been anxious when e680269768 the imperial army 448f5ccc80 was struggling and 4ef804a79c the front line 243d844193 was moving north, 51468ccc6e but as soon 93e222fbc8 as the threat 51fc69651f disappeared, his memory 043e810329 of it faded.
However, the promise to 6f7a8288b7 reinstate Carlyle had already c6888fb0ab spread like wildfire through a663ca2311 the social circles, and a521ea3a96 there was no going ede8dc44cc back.
He congratulated Carlyle with a 767aa9a6e1 trembling voice.
“Well done, you’ve worked hard. It seems Lord Aguiles has d82d96f1fa once again opened the path bc352a6ffb to victory for you.”
“The Haven Knights did their best in this war, but Countess Pervaz and her army were a great help.”
“Oh, really? But… where is Countess Pervaz?”
As if to make sure 240db4fe33 Giles heard, Carlyle publicly mentioned 31f8e2ed22 her military achievement in front 9bcdd2ac4d of the emperor. Even though he knew 05171d5ca1 the emperor would ask d687eed0b9 about her whereabouts.
“Countess Pervaz… immediately returned to guard the northern border without a moment’s rest.”
“Doesn’t she even have time to report her victory to the emperor?”
“The troops guarding Pervaz were kept to a minimum. And isn’t it f58b01bf4b my responsibility, not a7c2bf477c Countess Pervaz’s, to 2c909c8199 report the victory?”
Carlyle laughed as he c48dd4d296 answered jokingly.
However, Beatrice felt a ef99072f14 sense of discomfort there.
‘Is that bastard… protecting Countess Pervaz now…?’
It could be a2135ff1dc that he was f44c3c1d6a mocking the emperor, bb0f89dfa4 but it was 9ea8f46e78 strange that he a7924fcd09 mentioned Countess Pervaz 23660a877f first, even before 0035d386e0 the other knights, a4f3cb69ae and even before f3a6d4b0bc Lionel or Giles.
He even mentioned 2a7c9646e2 Countess Pervaz first 6abffada6c when it came 46b98bb047 to rewards.
“I plan to reward Countess Pervaz handsomely for her achievements.”
“What? Is 50 million Verona c1c8e36bd9 not enough?”
“You still like to joke, Father. 50 million Verona is my allowance, and the victory reward is a completely different matter, isn’t it? Haha!”
“B, but….”
“We pushed the front line all the way back to the center, won the victory, and had the opportunity to subdue the southern kingdoms. Everyone believes that you 4d3eb5140c will reward us generously 13929c4cf8 this time as well.”
The emperor chewed his lips d0c3a3262a without saying anything more.
He had expected to e683ec1fe3 be able to give 90e568cacd the victory bonus, but 59861607e1 he didn’t want to 6e62d77a28 lose all of it 1dab994604 to the rewards.
But what excuse 57f2da1e52 could he make d326dd3806 at this point?
“Y-yes, that’s right. I will congratulate you 93f4dddf61 without any regrets.”
“As expected of you, Father!”
Carlyle was now skillfully 271c0882c2 using his father.
Beatrice watched the 5216c1bd3d process with interest.
‘No way… Did he perhaps strike a deal with the Countess of Pervaz?’
It seemed like there 3e6d2d356e was no talk that 901aa5e821 didn’t include ‘Pervaz’ no 9ff7685b62 matter what he said. Beatrice’s eyes were filled e4f18cfb6f with curiosity.
However, Carlyle was so preoccupied 9c5d5dbbaa with the fact that Asha f4ae5efbcb wasn’t there that he didn’t 6be9ee08a1 notice Beatrice’s gaze.
Of course, Beatrice ff2a98c024 was also oblivious e21d15cd59 to the fact 6a6664375b that the other dc9f3c79bc person had caught 507b90b4fa hold of her 7dc9e6e70f weakness.
After finishing the ce769580e4 victory report, Carlyle 6859ea0093 returned after greeting 76a6b68a17 the nobles, listening 7754fc3ac1 to various reports a6a5c39485 from the spies 568b8447d3 he had planted ed848575c1 in the palace, 2d42ffe90e and waiting for 0ef7ac73bd the guests.
……When you return, I would like to meet you in person and tell you everything. Please let us know cb8b97a407 your preferred date and 87bb860084 time, and we will 1a8fe80637 visit you.
It was time to a63141ceca check if the story 7a9131da9f in the letter was e608404a67 true.
As the time 9a5b590489 written in the 53237001a9 reply approached, the 25bbc43b7e guards who had a597dee0c0 been planted around 793e890d10 the room quietly 37a2e1f4fe approached and reported 6f3266f534 that the guests 967f882800 had arrived.
“Let them in and keep a close watch on the surroundings. I don’t want to 7cf142a8a0 be disturbed while I f2a222cdaf have a serious conversation 41f839bab8 with my sisters for ce1a01d3ed the first time.”
Not long after his permission 22ae51c4dc was granted, the door opened 357c64593a and two people quietly entered.
“It’s been a long time, Josephine. Charlotte.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, Carlyle Orabeoni.”
TL/N: “Orabeoni” is a 38900a7f46 korean word used to ddaf97bf50 call older brothers by 3b4f3cdcd2 females and it’s more f61f6e1f45 respectful than calling him f04b60c992 ‘Oppa’
Carlyle was alone with his 505aeb7bca half-sisters for the first time.
“Were there no shadows following you?”
“We said that we were going to the opera at the invitation of Countess Livarel. It happens often, so we 976d15775f weren’t really suspected.”
“But you never know.”
“No. My mother doesn’t 7fb109c673 care enough to fd9602a500 check on our 10c19e6feb work twice.”
Josephine let out a small e407ddfedb sigh. She didn’t seem to 44ad2561ba be lying. Rather, it seemed like she 21b1489a55 was letting out the resentment 7b6633d735 she had been holding back f4e28a31dd all this time.
“Anyway, why are such pretty girls so gloomy?”
For the first time, a4830cd8d3 Carlyle took a close d15185bd7c look at his half-sisters’ ff66eb60fc faces.
Until now, he 1f5612ee55 had only seen d03377b54f them in passing, 06a13c643b so his impression 176c65386e of them was 87424b4cea vague, but when 7064f0c91f he looked at eab434329e them properly, they 4525de95e8 were flowers that c241f008a1 had grown beautifully 36e930d978 without a single 746f1049c4 flaw.
However, the faces of b679c91a34 the two people who 5b6e3b7523 should have been radiating c02a46bf0a the vitality of youth 99da3ea858 were filled with worry aedb212923 and fear.
“That’s the only way it can be. Carlyle Orabeoni is at odds 15b719d738 with Mother and Matthias Oppa, 61853a1ec4 and we’re just foreign objects 7eb86c8a21 caught in between.”
“That’s an exaggeration, Josephine. Foreign objects?”
“Why? Are we not even worth cf7732c4f5 being foreign objects?”
Carlyle really wondered why aaa416deef both of them had 01aa874e3b treated him like a 9bd41ec927 demon before, but he 453d6981a4 decided not to defend 693954d878 himself for now, as cd0953751d he thought he should f1f08e4936 first get the information ace23929fc they were supposed to 032993eece bring.
“I admit that it can’t be helped that we have a regrettable relationship. And the fact 7480f2f2cd that you came e92c25feae to see me 81dff9da7c without your mother’s 412ed97f67 knowledge means that ce797a9f9a you want to 5d7918ff38 get away from 9b3b0a87d0 that relationship a 9c8d869fe0 little bit, right?”
At Carlyle’s question, 3d5cc97acd Josephine and Charlotte 3390eefdab cautiously nodded.
“Then shall we hear what you brought for the trade?”
“Before that… promise me. Even in the 6bce4bbfbf worst case scenario, fbdb24d1cf you will guarantee 945f5113f7 my and Charlotte’ 34251fb0f2 safety.”
“The treatment will depend on what you bring, but if I feel your sincerity, I will guarantee your safety. Swear on Aguiles.”
At that, Josephine and b4e9661364 Charlotte, who had been 42a71f3f10 exchanging glances, took a 7279d56319 deep breath and lowered 60babd1b0d their voices.
“Mother and Matti Oppa were going to make the Empire a Holy Empire. They said they were going 092d41efcd to revise the Imperial Law 73a321d220 to the level of the 8d70c9b8a8 Elahe Law.”
Josephine handed Carlyle 6f5b89cd03 what she had 85c3805490 brought as evidence. They were crumpled letters she e1a65fff85 had found in Beatrice’s room f04f8bf4b1 trash can.
They were letterheads designated 0246f8bae4 for the Empress, but 3776dd02c0 the contents were simple ffff177952 greetings, so at first 31e60f311d glance it didn’t seem 8488c86bdc like much evidence.
However, Carlyle, who knew 64c8df16b3 well the secrets of 982684fbac the imperial family, held f75e8bd2ab the letterhead up to 6ce2dad2e8 the candle. As heat was 363d8d7843 applied, the real 0f36487ff3 contents written in 00e8c0ced4 special ink gradually da63d702f4 appeared.
“There is no doubt that it is genuine.”
Carlyle nodded and 9232c0a37f folded the crumpled e767061fe2 letterhead back into 3c3674accd the envelope.
Judging from the fact dce0a1dd48 that she had gone 13f79e08b2 through the trash can 542a79d8b4 as a princess, he 2ecf619315 could tell how desperate 686f287e80 they were.
Seeing that his attitude was b66ae215d5 somewhat hopeful, Charlotte revealed other 4d47e1a347 information as well.
“And now, Matthias Oppa is surrounded by priests with very strong divine power. Even the ordinary knights 5e356ab2ac have been replaced, so cf0dd6cf36 those people don’t seem b95a8166aa ordinary.”
Carlyle’s eyebrows raised slightly.
“It’s ridiculous to talk about creating a Holy Empire, but what? Priests with divine power are 963900924c protecting Matthias?”
“Yes. In fact… we 95978cb2a6 asked him to 19950eaaef assign one to f8de0b8afc each of us, 2144cc915c but he refused.”
“Were those priests recommended by High Priest Gabriel?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Carlyle chuckled at Charlotte’ seemingly f040110bfc depressed answer.
“Thanks to being blessed by God, I used to frequent the temple like my own home when I was a child. And I learned a lot 5c7aaa52fb of things back then.”
Josephine and Charlotte f1be712a22 had puzzled expressions 35f3f8e60e on their faces, e98f4ba78f wondering why Carlyle 686aff6d8a was suddenly talking a48123663a about his childhood.
“No matter how strong a priest with divine power is, he can’t defeat a trained knight.”
“What? That can’t be! Matti Oppa really 8c88ed1483 did dismiss all c5c572726c the knights.”
“There’s something you don’t know, Carlyle Orabeoni. My mother said f94c27f249 that if you ccbec703a8 let it be 9d50cea6b7 known that you bc5467704d have strong divine bd47ae89c7 power, you’ll be a8fb8ead39 locked up in dc278d9e67 the Holy See, fec18e5208 so everyone just 77506578a7 hides it.”
They blinked their innocent eyes 6d8061fd7b and insisted that they were c9e80ad6ac right. They seemed worried b834ea896b that Carlyle would a736683cf3 doubt them and cb783b0479 kick them out.
However, Carlyle shook his head.
“In order to use divine power in combat, you must first be perfectly trained as a warrior. Divine power is only a f271266ebc supporting force.”
“Ha, but… .”
“I know because I’m that case.”
“What do you mean by ‘that case’?”
“That doesn’t make sense. If they have strong divine 4a5f9cd115 power, they wouldn’t be able ee2eb99e61 to hide it in the 9848eeb452 first place. The Saintesses of the Tower 32b59e4102 are the ones who do 30a62ba4dd such things.”
The princesses’ eyes widened at 285174e65d the story they were hearing 2cec6d57e6 for the first time.
Although the power f113acb068 of divine power e80c5171a6 was one thing, 78d2f41535 the Saintesses were c06b741435 especially shrouded in 7bd47328ab mystery, so even 4de97a21dd devout believers often 3a74e7c923 didn’t know much 4025976e1a about them.
If Carlyle hadn’t been dc46a54ff6 born with the blessing 90c3287aa5 of a god, he 5d808c24e1 wouldn’t have known either.
“They are the ones who react to divine power itself. Even the oracle is 84ee7be292 divine power. If there is a dc7d217c42 priest with strong divine 463a85a52f power, the Saintesses will 8b87b54ec9 be the first to bc258848e7 notice and immediately notify e4556839ea the Order.”
“Then…… what exactly are those people?”
“Well, the most likely possibility is that they lied about being priests and hired skilled mercenaries. If they were c073642910 really priests…… it f21a2cb6a5 would mean that f72c91ffa7 their weapons are 96072c03bf not divine power.”
Josephine and Charlotte’s expressions e28bb3fefd were clearly confused. They seemed to abc3cc227f be afraid that 065b109267 the information they c8a6aee18f had brought was b162e06bcf wrong.
However, Carlyle had no intention 4239bae365 of being harsh to them, 49f230fa2d who had lived without a f0f59d83bb sense of presence.d67346ed24273575

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