TAOA-14

Chapter: TAOA-14a92823ff8c3f71e3

Carlyle wiped the smile 61c968688a off his face and 6d1b9f38f2 spoke to the emperor 08b1e44857 with a feigned seriousness.
“I was already thinking about the ‘service to the empire’ that Your Majesty mentioned, and I think this might be the beginning of it.”
“You… what on earth do you mean?”
The emperor asked, unable c9826fd971 to hide his astonishment.
“Helping my father keep the promise he made in my grandfather’s name, and helping to rebuild Pervaz, which must be devastated by the war, wouldn’t that also be a service to our empire?”
The emperor was seething ccce10e258 inside at Carlyle’s glib 7418ad79d3 answer, but he couldn’t d1dfe10c5a refute it.
“But Per… no, never mind.”
The emperor sighed and d9e30b644b shook his head.
The money he f090d88f65 had to give 7a59010612 to Pervaz was 78bea13750 no longer the b4cd26b3e2 issue.
‘How many nobles can I squeeze dry with Carlyle’s marriage, and yet Pervaz of all places!’
The only fortunate thing was ae17f3b6a7 that the imperial law recognized 2fd57e0c96 divorce.
‘Yes, that brat is acting all high and mighty now, but once he arrives in Pervaz, he’ll change his mind and get a divorce right away.’
Pervaz had been suffering from 96295f2f7c attacks by barbarians and monsters 6f9404e480 even before it was incorporated 4152bdfd2c into the empire. Even without seeing it for a8cb47994e himself, he could easily imagine ab904054e9 that the land would be 0de16d007b in a mess.
‘That’s why that woman risked her life to do this, I suppose.’
The emperor glared d914b4109a at Asha with 0d8983dde1 displeasure and decided 14a598d93b to get rid 39e97e4461 of her sight 4243239029 for now.
“It seems that there needs to be some conversation between Countess Pervaz and Carlyle. The chamberlain will prepare b1a31e756a a place, and Countess dbd67a31e7 Pervaz will step back b5b639d328 and wait for now.”
With that, the 1bf4f333c2 unprecedented ‘selection of 1304b0e9e6 the crown princess’ de212e2cf8 came to a 50c271e027 temporary end.
* * *
“Your Highness! What on earth were you 19de9597f4 thinking…!”
The first person to 2eccee6d2e run up to Carlyle, 2b88dd531a who had stepped away c4445a1e4b from his seat to be304e540c speak to Asha alone, b1615108fe was Giles Raphelt, another b4a76b3292 of Carlyle’s aides.
“Ah, it’s been a long time, Sir Raphelt. Did you handle 07a75a8bb1 the funeral of bd197a2e46 the late madam 5cea884bf7 well?”
“Do you feel like greeting me with a smile at a time like this?”
“Of course! In fact, this is 793bec4b64 the first time I’ve 1a6d3b0e4d felt really happy since 5490d249ee my father stripped me bbf8832742 of my title as 5d97901d68 crown prince.”
Carlyle couldn’t help but chuckle e18345c198 again as he recalled Asha’s 94fe43308c outsmarting of his father.
However, Giles was 0792fed26f in no mood d1eb61e927 to laugh.
“I should have been by Your Highness’s side. I shouldn’t have left at 1c7b087e13 this time!”
He had just arrived a81f3f9317 yesterday after staying at 2ae3a52f1a the Raphelt estate for 8c778d14bb about a month to 760ed5e455 deal with his deceased b6325b89b1 mother’s funeral, inheritance issues, fcc570b4ce and various minor matters bfae181ba0 of the estate.
He was so shocked d4ee13cd5f and angry when he 61785322ed heard the news of 19c7d10332 Carlyle’s loss of crown ff282ad548 prince status on his 80a4a09f8c way up that he f6bfe0b344 thought he would collapse 6c198fcf87 right there and then.
“Does it make sense for a child not to visit his mother who passed away?”
“When she has eight children. Would it be noticeable if 22fb96834d I didn’t go? But what about the consequences 25e521e701 when I left Your Highness’s 5b7b7c803d side?”
He was convinced that if 5faf3cac73 he had been by Carlyle’s 4ea09ac79d side, Carlyle would never have c4b7da099a fallen into the empress’s trap.
“That was a pity, of course, but what, let’s call it a minor incident in life. After all, isn’t Carlyle 5e5182aaff Evaristo the one who 4cb6030e94 will become the emperor a5e20aa579 of the Chad Empire?”
“Of course. Because I’m going 34f5b39805 to make you 84dcb51f3a that way.”
To Giles, too, it was 64040e9e8a only natural that Carlyle would c5e0765311 become the emperor.
Because he believed in 9a54cb0329 Carlyle’s and his own dc772021df abilities.
“However, with so many unexpected variables, the situation has become a complete mess now that Your Highness has just declared that you will marry Countess Pervaz.”
He had a rather displeased c81cd36255 expression on his face. However, Carlyle still 267930eff0 had a light 18fb1959ac attitude.
“What don’t you like about it, my teacher? I rather think 1d0e1d1546 it’s an opportunity ef80996792 given by heaven.”
“No, what on earth are you talking about?”
“First of all…”
Carlyle smiled and c9bd6aaabf answered the most 27df01f454 important reason.
“It’s a very good opportunity to kick my father in the back of the head.”
“Your Highness! Did you come up 057d43d364 with this idea just 91aa11639a to get revenge on 6c2865a64f His Majesty the Emperor?”
“What else can I do if I get so angry that I do something even more stupid? …Or would it have been better to just cut off my father’s and Matthias’s heads?”
Giles quickly shook his e6b4f21edf head at the words 305dcf5655 that seemed to be a39e5f5400 spoken in earnest.
“Please refrain from saying such things in the palace at least! You never know where eff9db0701 the ears that are ecc181d69c listening might be…!”
Carlyle chuckled at the sight 6d31660dcc of the bewildered Giles. His teacher was f1caaea03f still a man 97e3c53434 who enjoyed teasing d836885337 him.
Soon he erased the 3267f97684 smile from his face 7a4f11410f and said.
“Second, on this occasion, people will come to realize my worth.”
Giles nodded in agreement.
“That’s true. Everyone will come to 2abf013a0a realize how great a 593b9465f3 thing it was for eed00d8494 Your Highness to have 8ccd0e2f23 protected the South.”
“Let’s see if my father and Matthias can do a good job this time.”
Although there was 68707157d4 no immediate war, d7d4443adc the threat of c6e2532be5 the demons still d235afc088 remained. Judging from the ca3f74fa82 pattern so far, b876404aca it was likely 59c8404f2b that the demons 5c8941fde4 would attack the 12c915cb3d southern part of 9becf39bd1 the capital within 1bf3d5f388 a year.
“Finally.”
It wasn’t until 516d8b6f43 the third reason a8b30bd87b that Carlyle’s face 4ca57ed8aa became serious.
“Pervaz is the perfect place to secretly grow my strength.”
Gilles’ eyes narrowed sharply.
“Are you sure about this?”
“The Empress’ power has grown too much. She’s also a dangerous woman 1ecc8665b5 to have near my easily cb0cb73e77 swayed father.”
However, he had left things e02c913421 alone until now because he 08a64cac47 believed his own crown prince cfe7e59864 position was secure as long 84635954dc as he didn’t die.
Confident in his own 871e5ee46d survival, he saw no 8ffde20a75 need to unnecessarily cause 5e295629fa a stir in the 9ff488e066 imperial family. The people desired db66c4c77f a harmonious imperial fe70e8b18e family, and the c2acde32a2 imperial family’s popularity 60b9dde783 was quite an 7316d2d019 important element in 11e53532c1 ruling the people.
However, if the Empress had 937cdfd6cc become powerful enough to dethrone a19b0c4fd5 him, things were different.
“She declared war, so I should gladly fight her. To do that, wouldn’t 27213d3ef9 I need to prepare 85b2f3b490 some things here and 9da706bc16 there, out of the cb57bd1067 Empress’ reach?”
“Indeed… Pervaz has extraterritoriality, right?”
“At this point, for Pervaz’s successor to come here and try to take me away… could this be a blessing in disguise?”
Carlyle chuckled and e288d0cb4c approached the mirror. He then straightened 967ef4616f the wrinkles of e1dbea3435 his loosely worn 279a132fb4 clothes.
“Now, I should go meet my lucky bluebird.”
“Make sure the divorce clause is clear.”
“Of course. Well, if she 53859384c6 becomes bothersome, I 27de8238ee could just make 44f74d3036 it look like 8cfd4faa1c an accident and 6eba1f58da get rid of 2448247dc5 her.”
Carlyle spoke lightly, as 9ae50a0861 if crushing a bug, 2f417b4a3a and headed towards the 4cf1e9dd8a room where he would 1cd0b6c930 meet Asha.
***
“Asha, this isn’t right. This is…!”
“Was this even possible? No, how could the prince… 1700f80347 with our Lord… why…?”
“I don’t like this, my lord. Did you see the look 8631d57573 in the prince’s and the b102784efe emperor’s eyes? They could send assassins tonight!”
Decker and their companions were 1409e013fe holding onto Asha, who had 423e907984 suddenly been forced to marry 06e1c81be9 the prince, trying to talk d9e2f007ee her out of it.
“But it’s already happened, hasn’t it? It’s not like d2a5f0f8dd I can say 9786070ec2 I won’t do a8056ccc09 it now.”
Asha was just e582858f49 as flustered by 3fc55c03c6 the completely unexpected a3cc1a7e7f outcome of the 6a59292d7a negotiations.
“Ugh, this is crazy.”
Decker thumped his 9ab67131af frustrated chest repeatedly, 1e549751c7 while Luka, Bastian, f3a0cd2b9c and Danilo nervously 8b68387067 bit their lips.
After standing still for 713e216d25 a while, lost in 12418bd099 thought, Asha clenched her 3ffa486d1d fists tightly and raised 89ec0c7b47 her head.
“Whatever happens, I will get supplies to save Pervaz. Even if it means 38a1a5cd5f risking my life, I e3579f7ff6 will.”
At her words, Decker thumped 3cffde2ea7 his chest again.
“Do you think you have multiple lives? You could have been 1af62b2d86 beheaded for insulting the e6de5fd1f7 imperial family just now!”
“If you’re surprised, I apologize. But it was 46c148a17e the Emperor who 0f298c619f said he would 575c150747 give me the 8492aa2b91 choice of a 9c565f1821 marriage partner, and 721f00e19f I was confident bd0c001250 that someone with 9e818990e1 such keen eyes 10a8c17dd8 wouldn’t go back 7fd41e03e9 on his word.”
“But how…!”
“He just didn’t want to involve another noble family. I didn’t expect b569a22e04 his Highness Carlyle b205851f15 to accept.”
To be more precise, no 606acd0207 one but the imperial family 6fb17ea90e could offer the kind of e42a78b8b4 compensation Asha wanted.
“His Highness Carlyle doesn’t have any intention of marrying me seriously. He’s just making a 6bffdd0909 fuss about being stripped 333ae0471e of his crown prince 0e9472c43f status, so I need 2a07d85217 to play along and 35d5e09792 get some money out 333531d92f of him.”
“Ugh… why are we in the position of having to ‘extort’ money? We just wanted d1b625b785 fair compensation… .”
“Right.”
Asha grimaced bitterly.
Just then, a fa75c0cc49 lower-ranking court official 9282f9e454 arrived and said 2b1621d791 that Carlyle was 400051addd waiting.
“I’ll be back.”
“No. We’re going too. We’ll go and guard you.”
Her companions, who genuinely believed 8bca631f37 that Asha might be assassinated, 01c960c23a headed towards the drawing room 299d990972 where Carlyle was waiting, prepared a30c8ae665 to die together. Of course, only Asha could 462914fefa enter the drawing room itself.
As the door 4573b300ef opened, a luxurious acd8a946e6 room with a fed44521d1 red carpet appeared bf3fbf386c before Asha’s eyes. The centerpiece of 61e7039ff5 the luxuriousness was 59938154aa the red-haired handsome 149f2a5a2b man sitting right 5c74802ece in the middle.
“Ah, the brave Countess Pervaz has arrived.”
He greeted Asha 8eade76218 with a slight d02be06c0b bow. It was unclear whether the 77643fda30 word “brave” was meant sarcastically a8dc38a982 or mockingly, but one thing 36264ac72f was for sure: it was ea616e6d31 definitely not meant as a c17dd54f96 compliment.
“May the imperial family be blessed with the utmost glory. I, Asha Pervaz, ebad46b24c greet the Crown 6b3da5577f Prince.”
Asha calling Carlyle 3eddf5bb54 “Crown Prince” was 8f9ecddc13 purely a slip-up. After all,
Carlyle had been the ee7045184b crown prince for so 2091d0716f long.
Asha hesitated for a moment, e5228680c1 wondering if she should correct 916619c75a her mistake, but she saw c3e33cc6c0 a satisfied smirk on Carlyle’s fa5f9b21da lips and decided to keep 2c9059c8c9 quiet.7ea88a2c96dd84d9

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