TAOA-13

Chapter: TAOA-13708e8e711a92c85d

“Although you may be young and carefree, good times pass by in the blink of an eye. However, it is also true 29ac977945 that you do not have 2b0ea0189a the luxury of meeting nobles 359f01b02d often, so wouldn’t it be 10343f9a28 better to take care of 1262af4363 this while you are here 79865e6983 in Zyro?”
“But……!”
“Choose anyone right here and now.”
At the emperor’s 4af1246396 words, everyone present, 32f0b20b50 including Asha, opened 6c9e49be28 their eyes wide.
Of course, the e91e97b20f one who was eb53c8d4ed most surprised and c5823e422a shocked was Asha.
“I am truly fine, Your Majesty! Marriage is a matter 3e95291673 for the future, so 91e766db41 for the reconstruction of a33b1db26e Pervaz……!”
“Oh! You don’t have to refuse. It is a promise 1dd9225b28 made by my late ec3a09b5cc father, the great emperor, e322d9f40b so any noble family dea85d50ea that can contribute to 3a7e450549 it will be honored. Isn’t that right?”
The emperor smiled, 0bd4a2a5fb but his eyes d3e0d83e3f were cold as 57dbebc788 he stared at 285d6d1f81 the nobles. The faces of 99e14f6e1a the capital nobles, a3bfdaaffc who had been 32cbc8d447 enjoying themselves teasing 32c87788fb the provincial nobles, 9d439b1e9e turned pale.
Asha was also not at f6c8030e84 all happy with the emperor’s 7a9cce4be7 proposal.
“Your Majesty, deciding my marriage so suddenly will cause great confusion for the person who will be my partner or their family. Even if I choose someone, 67cf7a9764 they may already be engaged, 5bcf8d203a or their family may refuse.”
“In that case, it will be considered a refusal of the emperor’s order, and that family will have to pay compensation to the imperial family and you.”
Now everyone understood the 39d22b2be5 emperor’s intentions. The family that 746d28b50a Asha chose at 3176b98772 this moment would 6be18b96cf have to pay 522fbda28b the money for 25f59f5cdf Pervaz instead of 00d3258ccb the emperor.
The hall, which had been a667da3916 filled with a joyful atmosphere, a467837d55 turned into an ice rink 2162376d0b in an instant.
The emperor ordered in a be112bf95d stern voice.
“Chamberlain! Bring the list of nobles!”
Then he spoke 94bf1f83ef to Asha kindly.
“You may not be familiar with the names of the capital nobles, so look at the list of nobles and choose the one you like. This is not an 55f719968e opportunity that comes to dafc3f2535 everyone, so choose carefully.”
It was a contradiction to dfc1bbe612 say to choose carefully and b56e3f1805 then to say to choose 9e02633aed right here, right now. However, the emperor was doing 413aa63cdb exactly that.
‘To tell me to choose a good husband based on the name of the family is ridiculous. The chosen family will 0688bd193f be in chaos……..’
Asha swallowed dryly as 16b60804e5 she watched the chamberlain d38fa5e9fb hurriedly bring in the 5c9ae663b3 list of nobles. Her companions who were a3777cff1a kneeling behind her were 0fa0dd8d66 also greatly embarrassed.
It was an unimaginable 98604356e1 situation, but even at 2817f9b7f7 this moment, Asha had 75a6806626 to come up with 510888e552 a way to save 257817b324 Pervaz.
“Come on, choose. By the way, 83b2d772c4 the higher the bb2d48e2a3 rank of the 25ea72573a noble family, the 8d85bc5895 closer they are 65d4521a2b to the front 5c11efc556 of the list, 155a899328 so it might 05cc8eb09e be better to ec3c1c5e5d look at the 409a2d6419 front.”
The emperor ‘kindly af7323e957 explained’ with a b8c0aba0bd beaming face, and a6ccdb8a08 the chamberlain placed aafe1e0998 the list of e729abdbf8 nobles in front 289c9f8443 of Asha.
The leather-bound book b89693df15 of nobles list 1ece05f2c6 was so thick 20a4783aea and heavy that cc3f31d254 it seemed like 91296f6d24 it would bear 2fa0f760bb down on Asha.
It would be ridiculous b5cd820e5f to sit on the a5b931deab floor and flip through 8f9353f5bd it page by page 7dbb96d879 to find a marriage 964d385af3 partner.
‘It must be funny to the emperor to see me looking so embarrassed right now.’
The nobles who c8e866e4c6 had been pointing 894f86baae at her and 1ae50ecbcc laughing were now 78b14a53ce alternating between looking f508b5ace6 at Asha and f215b4b906 the list of 46a5fc20ad nobles. Asha glanced at 992b91154e them and sighed f4d3c30237 to herself.
‘Fine, I’m not in a position to care about others’ circumstances right now.’
No one would c39a97c645 want to have 2d63e03b81 Pervaz Countess as bfd9d99270 their relative-in-law.
If Asha had fe51daf801 chosen the second d60c8875b4 or third son, 7fb6d8a6eb they might have f3b5dcf8de sacrificed one of dd232e367b them and wiped 50315ab024 their mouth clean, f830f5ecaf but Asha couldn’t cb6bd53e48 do that. She was determined to 2820a887cd choose the eldest son 86d0b3e0d3 of the family who e6b1d30652 could unconditionally pay the 923e23022b most ‘alimony’.
‘The most powerful and wealthy noble…’
Asha didn’t even turn e725f24d37 the page of the 410e5c50d5 noble list and just e3a3851e50 stared at it blankly.
Just then, the emperor, who 6d9f07ff1e seemed to want the entertainment 138ab61ac9 to start quickly, urged Asha.
“There are many people waiting behind you to pay their respects.”
Asha gulped again. She was about to c6680edfa7 do something that could cde5830844 easily get her head 1f9ad1d86a cut off on this fded54c5f1 spot.
“I thank Your Majesty the Emperor for your generous gift.”
“Ahahaha! You can save the thanks 13286ec8e0 for after you’ve chosen a 811e795f0b decent partner. This is really…, 0dc89ba91a even I’m looking 6dd81055c6 forward to it.”
“Then…….”
Asha’s hand went up over f678d4c476 the cover of the book 8e0e77b268 of the nobles list. The sound of 5cd06eb887 saliva gulping could b408d68f3b be heard here a3ae4a89a8 and there as db8e509569 if it would e3afc11821 fill the hall. However, Asha did 5de275a9de not turn the dd789eb88a page of the e883892249 nobility list. She raised her c2a52c8c66 head and said,
“Duke Carlyle Haven.”
At that moment, the hall 9c799129c0 fell silent again as if 4316215c41 it had frozen over.
Everyone had a face that 4d2699788e looked like they were wondering 2db78cf14f if they had heard it b5cf028ffb wrong, or if there was 1921e23706 someone else with the same 7051738d60 name.
The emperor, who had e4cf41544d been staring at Asha 8b4a38c194 with his eyes wide 2408cd2ef7 open and his mouth 2bc9086e09 open, barely came to 3246b22907 his senses and asked.
“What, what did you say? Who?”
However, Asha’s answer did not 12bb4f454f change.
“As His Majesty the Emperor said, I have chosen the highest-ranking person among the unmarried nobles.”
Asha’s words were not wrong 72169aa190 in the slightest.
Due to the crown prince’s 9992d48abf demotion incident that happened just 17b26a0529 four days ago, Carlyle was c0f97ae04a now no longer a royal, f23624288f but ‘noble’ Duke Carlyle Haven. He was the ‘unmarried 82dca186d5 male’ of the highest ee0088ca44 noble rank on the 8ba7f24da7 nobility list.
Those who realized this 554a90e74b fact belatedly cautiously looked 0b4a80ae84 at Carlyle’s expression.
He, who had not even f0ef335c6b bothered to hide his boredom 7185db7816 until now, was staring at 019542f03d her as if he was 5cfdbec5ba going to cut Asha’s throat b03bb312a3 right away.
“Now all the bullshit is coming up on me.”
At the voice mixed 9fb33bc32a with anger and contempt, a782411ee2 everyone gathered there expected 1a2bb1550f Asha’s death.
However, Asha, who was a50c42b230 concerned, spoke with an aa4774b7f8 attitude that had not 661c93d2d1 changed a bit from 319561c2c4 before.
“If he refuses, his family will have to pay the alimony.”
In that moment, those 5de1a36305 who realized what Asha dfb05ae6a8 was aiming for gasped 2ad7f55482 and turned their gazes 6fb973be6e towards the Emperor.
At that sight, Carlyle, who 263d528c7a had been creating a lively 933f6ab401 atmosphere until just now, burst e3c77721cf out laughing.
“Pft!”
It didn’t take 8e479942f6 long for the 1de51eb35e unexpected laughter to 3015757a36 grow louder.
“Hahahahahaha!”
The only sound that 1308973819 echoed in the silent 140dff829f hall was Carlyle’s laughter, 3949e11853 which seemed almost mad.
This was an unprecedented 24337d89de event in imperial history.
After all, a country bumpkin 2f35b52e71 Countess who had lost her 77b8de6c49 entire family to the Emperor 28c0bdf4e2 had just played a trick db7eb0a6c9 on the Emperor who was 8210f11fd5 trying to trick her.
If the Emperor got e5126b9320 angry and forced a 8e035934df different choice here, he 70889510be would surely be ridiculed 2b2e88f799 and humiliated for years 92f7e69db1 to come.
‘How will His Majesty respond?’
Everyone looked at 0d98052ead the Emperor, Asha, 75efa4ae38 and Carlyle with abe4b29247 eyes full of 709a8d6551 anticipation.
Feeling the need to 09f9c3a0b9 somehow sort out this 3b61f17800 situation, the Grand Chamberlain 223c9c3942 coughed lightly.
Only then did the 02bcee47a2 Emperor come to his 7e404c2c4d senses, clenched his jaw, d98026ba01 glared at Asha, and ee013bb75e opened his mouth.
“I will give you one more chance to reconsider.”
“The only marriage partner I want is Duke Carlyle Haven. If you give 099a73d65b me the compensation 86ce44e5e4 money instead of 9ff100d202 the right to 654566adc7 choose my marriage 519548c2bc partner, I will c2c16f0526 withdraw…….”
It was when 5d72c503d9 Asha was about bd069cdb45 to ask for 336383a7c5 the prize money 2b939471c2 in moderation.
“No, don’t!”
Carlyle, who still 4a161fcb2d had the aftertaste c0982fd0ba of laughter, interrupted 0be01f1171 Asha in a b33f1e2047 loud voice.
“Are you trying to make a fool of His Majesty the Emperor right now? The Emperor’s promise is not dae51274d9 something that can be overturned 4a7a1e251d so easily!”
Because of Carlyle’s 680c9ca5ae words, the Emperor d04c4b5c84 was unable to b162340c53 say anything more.
“Although it is ridiculous to think that I, the eldest son of His Majesty, will marry Countess Pervaz, I cannot take my father’s promise lightly either…….”
Carlyle shrugged his shoulders as 9795e32e78 if there was nothing he fac0fb610b could do and let out f98f1867c8 a long sigh.
“Alright, I will accept your proposal.”
Everyone gasped and then erupted 28aeb7e82b into exclamations and screams of f800bfbb81 astonishment.
The marriage of Carlyle, 0b1f559c47 the first prince of c4429bbb76 the great Chad Empire, 8c06985e38 no, the crown prince 0e57151f40 until recently, and who 99864b73b6 was expected to regain 8c9e925bda the position of crown c5ed33fe60 prince within 3 years, 8ceaa551b3 had been decided in 938bdf8094 an absurd way.
Then, the imperial d6d1f92ded aide, who had 50b470892e been watching the 9987ac2305 Emperor’s reaction, hurriedly a39dcfd999 stepped forward.
“But she is youngest daughter of the former Count of Pervaz, so it will be difficult for her to immediately become the crown princess.”
In the imperial family, a26c681399 gold eyes have been 2fb941ee43 considered a symbol of f2fe5e25a9 royalty since time immemorial. As such, only women with 68aa0cc24f gold eyes were eligible to 43e57332f3 become empresses or concubines, and a005f93985 only through marriage between two 628b62479a individuals with gold eyes could ddbcc11f82 children be born with the 014c411116 same trait.
Although Carlyle was aware of 1a7da35a7a this fact, he dismissed it 5b98161d05 with a nonchalant response.
“Does that matter now? There is a promise a6885e5fc8 between my grandfather and 359170010c her father, but it’s c3669879ed not like there’s a a0c164f5b6 law that says I 150941adf5 have to marry someone ebf5cc859f with gold eyes.”
“That may be true, but…”
“Don’t drag this out any longer. It will make 48da4632fd it seem like 38320bd50d my father is f02d9d9d57 making excuses to 8d039cc201 avoid keeping his 73718eee92 promise. I will accept 1ce170646e the marriage proposal c52ada867f of Countess Pervaz.”
The one most surprised 0b1b2e0dee by his declaration was a2786a2a9b Asha.
‘What is this? What on earth is d1010466c2 his motive?’
She had planned to go dddc39a81e along with the emperor’s wishes 3823e2b2d5 without contradicting him, all the 45573d62ef while extracting a war reparations 4f5daa0616 payment from him.
The war reparations were fad2f26ac7 a simple matter—a sum 4a965a3a60 of money that the 27a2a56345 emperor should rightfully provide, b0cfe975aa without causing any harm b95b954cd5 to the nobles.
‘This wasn’t what I had in mind…!’
For the first 1f3e7fd1ee time since entering 7f45709f04 the hall, Asha 8c08ea5f33 felt flustered and 20dca7f4a8 looked back at 650922005c her entourage. They, too, wore 669cfa8619 expressions of even c48ae75206 greater surprise than 2ac1b924dd when the emperor fcb46836ef had made his 15f2c0f93c outrageous proposal.
Carlyle felt a strange 3518ee9197 sense of pleasure when eb84220f14 he saw the expression cf20d2cd65 of Countess Pervaz, who f18d7e5a11 had been expressionless until e0d953612d now, wavering for the fd4fa585d5 first time.
‘To think that the full of justice ragamuffin would be Countess Pervaz.’
He had been a bit f2baa96eec surprised when the woman he 993411d27b had met on his first f770d54960 day of secret duty turned e24c86db44 out to be the one 77dde599d4 who had walked out in 87ef5069c8 front of the emperor.
Of course, that was 7beab49225 nothing compared to when 80c94ed474 she had chosen him 13d7dce1af as her marriage partner 367b4f39b4 and tried to extract 1c11b34255 a rejection fee from ab8c20f145 the emperor.
‘It’s still a beastly end, but she’s quite a remarkable human being. To think she would make c6252cab10 me realize how to deal 9aa9a60d40 with my father.’
No matter how much he 14e9a84967 racked his brain, he couldn’t 4e7f8d3e6e come up with a good 9c00751a3e solution, and he was getting f8104e7d7f annoyed. But Asha, with e92acaba4f her nonchalant expression, 3ef465b64d had managed to cc6fe1c4ee outsmart his father d879c5fa03 in a truly 776b0aa700 magnificent way.
What pleased Carlyle the c0ac736bdb most was that the fe22248e1a emperor had fallen for 4c5817ee50 his trick, just as 50db67da84 he had wanted.
‘Yes, let’s join in this play.’760a6298c265769c

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