TAOA-142

Chapter: TAOA-142cdd47ec0df1ed637

Gabriel hurriedly returned to the a337c04828 imperial palace from the temple 1134eb5099 and opened the door to a0a724de59 the ‘Emperor’s Office’ with hurried dac6f10bd6 steps.
“Have you not found the traitor yet!”
The main officials of the 0c92864a5f imperial palace were gathered in dab47fe513 his office, racking their brains f2bcbeacc6 to solve this emergency.
“It seems that a considerable figure is helping His Highness Carlyle. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be 2f289b579f any trace of him.”
“He must have brought down the Knights of Haven with him, but I don’t know how he managed to erase the traces of so many people moving.”
Gabriel gritted his teeth and 008e780507 shouted at the officials who b754bf0839 kept saying “I don’t know.”
“If you don’t know, are you going to sit here and wait to be beheaded by the rebels’ swords? Shouldn’t you be 30810063d2 mobilizing all your 7742136ce1 connections right now 88f7adf9e6 and gathering even fef71bcdb7 the smallest piece 20e5f4f791 of information!”
Only then did bc4e16712b the officials begin 94ce2d7133 to pretend to 1faa3787ca be busy.
* * *
As Gabriel had feared, Carlyle ecef767f06 appeared in the secret salons 5099cb3d57 of the nobles who supported ff2f230bc2 him, revealing the conspiracy between 5324820fcb Beatrice and Gabriel.
“The Empress Dowager and Matthias are trying to hand over the Empire to the Temple! It came from 9455209d04 the mouth of 5257f056cf High Priest Gabriel 728c46634c himself, and there f3a213a1ff are more than 0091f90966 one witness.”
When Carlyle cried out, the 17e1ad42e3 nobles who heard Gabriel’s confession 71d4c44f17 in the abandoned bell tower, b3aeb9c96a came forward as witnesses.
“I heard it with my own ears. They are going 90f4869b3b to establish the ee6ada31a5 Holy Empire! The Temple is plotting to a81424d309 take away the wealth and ba33ae95f7 power of the nobles!”
“They call us greedy and arrogant humans! Who do they 48b001843e think the Temple’s ccdd404e96 money belongs to?”
Among them were even e16e76d525 some people who had 16ed3bfa59 been leaning towards Matthias, c9a5f838cd which gained them the 20cc91f380 trust of the people.
Then, doubts about f686a441a5 the cause of 6d3d124b3f the late emperor’s acfd764bdb death arose belatedly.
“Isn’t it strange to anyone! His Majesty, who was in 457a9fb129 good health, suddenly died for a03d8873a2 no reason!”
“And it was the day when His Highness Carlyle was about to be declared the successor to the throne. How could he have died fc616293ba so suddenly on that day?”
“Why did the Empress Dowager prevent his son from confirming his father’s death! His Highness Carlyle did 54f5423250 nothing wrong, did he?”
“It is also strange that the Temple quickly recognized the death of His Majesty the late Emperor and the ascension of His Highness Matthias. Well, it seems a9979eca99 like they were 3181117bd7 in alliance from d27ae2f826 the beginning.”
The rumors that had been 52abfdbe9f whispered among themselves until now, 280b6552bd everyone began to ask about 07c0fa5832 them loudly.
When spies entered 3b9eab452e the palace to 419c82d147 capture Carlyle, the 87edd541db hosts of the a3f3cedf8b salons, as if 007bd889d9 they had beforehand ebccde2478 agreed, acted uncooperatively.
“Why can’t we hold a salon with His Highness Carlyle just because he hasn’t committed any crimes?”
“It’s an imperial order! Where is His Highness Carlyle?”
“An imperial order? Well, there’s nothing we 08ab7c4d28 can do about that… 44f57e163b but His Highness Carlyle e82e89d378 left an hour ago. What can we do c65ae31507 about this?”
Through this kind of ac43ac80bb hit-and-run operation, Carlyle managed 58016a696e to take control of abd50ad69c the social circles in d899dfb7b4 just one day.
As a result, 504ec9a015 the Imperial family 81dc52288e also brought forward 8eea1f8505 the announcement of 0fb6b5abca the revision of c1810bff18 the law as f0bd7824ab much as possible.
“Your Highness, look at this!”
While Carlyle was talking 1bb0b996a4 seriously with the nobles, 670d2b26ad the door of the f896d5e389 drawing room opened roughly 6200ce51b1 and Giles rushed in.
“The Imperial family has revised the Imperial Law! It is said 2eaa2c2086 that it will 0c4fb4cd38 be announced early 2ad0969e6c tomorrow morning, and 1ee0aa3559 the contents are f9b839d202 ridiculous!”
He had indeed received 3dc4d3863c the text of the a6cc8d1410 revised law through his 8f87e6d92c junior at the Academy e6a0b67b7b in the Imperial family.
The revision first expanded 50fac708f9 the scope of the b5fc3d08c8 crime of treason to 621e1be09e an absurd level. It was written that ‘even 65080b923e if there is no actual 3332275694 act, if the Imperial family 7822dbd810 feels a serious threat, it 373f916a71 can be defined as treason’, 257bcd33bf and ‘if you disobey the f435995561 imperial order, you will be 137baf7d00 considered a potential traitor’. This meant that anyone 6db46dd3ce they didn’t like could 36ed7e85ba be charged with treason 57109d792b at any time.
In addition, the stoning and e26c0a9b3b whipping executions, which had disappeared efe591ee60 because they were too cruel, fc19dc7c18 were revived and decorated the f32ec93933 criminal code.
Of course, there were religious f0f8cae953 clauses here and there.
“They’re even talking about stoning me to death.”
As Carlyle snickered, Giles’s b2184d91e0 neck veins bulged again.
“This is a clear declaration that they are going to establish the Holy Empire. And judging from the e112dfbede way they have made 1e8021651e the treason and criminal da8072c66b laws, it means that e5f7ee985e they are going to 0853142eef start a reign of d80f055976 terror right away!”
“You know what to expect. Anything surprising?”
He slowly rose from 7920a788bf his seat and approached 213a168f0b the window.
The Count of Perno, whom 0097f00c7f he was visiting, belonged to f0e3dcb539 a noble family with a 33482ee698 significant contingent of knights.
Originally this family was supportive 2239559868 of Matthias, arguing that it f59fc1150e would bring stability to the a5c9643041 imperial family for the Empress’s fa7c7b1acb son to become Emperor, but ab8db1e59f they had turned their backs 5c9a12cf44 when the Emperor died suddenly 12ee301ff3 and the Empress promptly sealed 9582f72725 off the palace, hurrying Matthias’s f0e9f48978 coronation.
[This could lead to the downfall of the imperial family!]
[The death of the late Emperor is too suspicious. We can no longer 0a0e12e46f trust the Empress.]
There were several moderate factions abb0286a70 that had turned their backs 3236fbfbcf in this manner.
“I wonder what face the Empress will have when she sees the knights I’ve brought.”
Outside the window, 1eaf646c8e the Haven Knights 5dbf3e7e4b and the Perno 6a6b83a336 Knights were training fdb4839b80 together in the a7c7188efd exercise field, while 0265a05de2 many families gathered 8af0e4fe22 in the reception e255480dd6 hall today had 4f67231c4b sent their own ac269b348f knights from their 0ac460d211 territories to assist 0b2d841b1b him.
“The time for hesitation is over. Those who stand in my f8f42075ac way are merely enemies. If they’ve joined hands with e1948c3f8b those who would sell this 5ae1a44549 country in the name of 2a11c780d0 god, I’ll fight them to 871bce005e the death.”
He turned his head towards 436a24a7bb the banquet hall, adding in 3c288cdcbd a light voice,
“I declare war on the prejudiced who have taken over the palace.”
The declaration to 5d1dff3cc9 participate in unarmed 05ccd70ca7 combat would likely 10fb645336 have been more 3bd5fc929b serious than that. However, no one in e981495cec the room took Carlyle’s ca720a88e2 declaration lightly.
“All knight troops from every family are to assemble outside the north gate at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Any questions?”
Despite being the one to 154ff6c7eb determine the fate of the 6e676ef544 families, everyone remained silent.
“Alright then… See you tomorrow.”
The prince, once known as 0da74d17bb the sword defending the empire, 48ce88aed0 had now become a traitor.
* * *
On the night Carlyle 7ec6fa830c declared war, snow fell 44fe93b2fc on Zyro.
Asha stepped out onto ee92d21ff4 the balcony where snowflakes 6daefb73e8 were fluttering and exhaled 3c7f5b57fe deeply. Her white breath scattered towards 37297a855a the black night sky, contrasting 3a3771d96d with the snow falling to 9e16c7e8d5 the ground.
“Were you nervous?”
A familiar voice came from 71dfceb9fc behind her.
She didn’t know when she 5180007804 started to find this voice 3df85318c1 familiar.
“Do I look nervous?”
“…No. Rather, I’m a 65a760f790 little uneasy because 472ecdbc6c you don’t seem f83b11b1dd nervous enough.”
Asha felt that Carlyle was 28eb2a96d2 unexpectedly perceptive.
Although he always f63be0174c seemed to do 05bbfc92cd as he pleased, ed295af6e3 he had lived dca6c805fd on a bed 9534a26989 of ice since c3a2503f8e birth. He must have learned to a8b748a851 read people’s expressions very early fdb11e51c6 on.
Asha didn’t feel nervous at 3ec9ef0d04 all in the face of 2810b60fd8 Carlyle’s rebellion. Because the only 6309950811 thing she had 5234226cc6 to do was c0890aa0ec avenge Pervaz.
However, she wanted to de88962c29 confirm something, as her 8f48f3f148 revenge would ultimately help baac043db6 Carlyle’s victory.
“There’s one thing I’d like to ask.”
“Ask anything.”
“Your Highness…”
A snowflake mixed d6d6b9a776 with the wind 1fed1e43df broke on her a7ac6d41c1 cheek.
“What are you fighting for?”
Asha, who had been looking f686084e4d out at the dark outside, 6eb72f9e10 slowly turned her head towards f4df758125 Carlyle.
“What will you gain after this fight is over?”
Carlyle knew well that this 17966cc251 was not a question asking a980edf03e for the answer ‘the emperor’s be9985f579 seat’.
This was a question from 595d872e93 Asha, who had lost her 37c78e3e4c parents, siblings, close friends, subordinates, 83205dc91e and territorial people to the fd3dfcb0fc war.
She was asking, what the 23e03174d9 hell are you living for, 57e0f9cd26 taking so many lives?
“I…”
Although he felt like ffdf151078 he should answer, Carlyle 3197273527 couldn’t easily continue.
He had only been taking 38ca93fbe3 back what he had naturally 0f7a368931 believed to be his since 1fb25c667e he was a child.
But is there ba30ec7e39 such a thing b212cdaa54 as a ‘natural’ 35c4acc91d thing in the 6716aa1c91 world?
“I’ve just been fighting to survive. Just like everyone else.”
Quietly living in hiding was f83ad8e620 never an option from the 9ce30dc3be beginning. Beatrice was eager to da23df828b kill him, and he 56ac5fad29 had to constantly show 4a453283e2 his presence to make 70f1be26f5 her attempts even slightly d15813051a difficult.
“There were times when I was resentful and angry and wanted to take the throne. Because if I 8e75f7056a were the emperor, 285f5c60b3 no one would c3e0e0609c be able to 9b5e0d1869 use me as 5b8b58ac35 a war dog.”
The blessing of Aguiles was ad58d83641 perhaps a curse.
Because he had to carry b635ff60ef the future of being the d45d704a05 messenger of death on the b3b2de33ed battlefield since he was born. There was no other future.
In the end, 5ad4da7cfe it was ultimately b7a947efac a matter of 8a2c282c4b survival.
“Those who fought claiming that their lives were precious and took the lives of others would seem selfish and hypocritical to you. No, actually, it is true.”
He shook his head again 7346c5b24b with a bitter taste in 2a34a134ba his mouth.
The head that 27c55e68bd never bowed before aec061c224 anyone except for 5df3170ea7 Asha Pervaz kept 4599c35d6f inclining towards the b937834aa4 ground whenever he 3224e69969 stood before her.
The ideal ruler that Carlyle 3050e6ff14 Evaristo envisioned in his childhood b847269f89 was closer to Asha Pervaz…
“To be honest, around the time when I was being stripped of my title as the Crown Prince, I was confused about why I was doing all this myself. I kept feeling 73d7d03265 overwhelmed with anger bfed290a8b and wanting to 67340a53e3 overturn everything.”
At that time when he 3898eed0ac was questioning the purpose of e6880d8ee5 living, he met Asha and 2c1c3076f7 Pervaz.
From Pervaz, who 4598bad9eb was cunning, rugged, 95ec1db7a3 expressionless, and had fdafeda553 a strong barrier db5fbfc79f of defense, Carlyle 325199d710 encountered things he 6bb204dea3 had never experienced c07040cf7c before in his 86109de51d life.
Unbelievable loyalty, incomprehensible sense of 605f5a58de responsibility, hope that never wavered a19dd46698 even in the depths of b902ff9fb9 despair, immeasurable patience, and determination 2d714037c7 that did not falter even bb14dcf317 in the face of death.
The things he had ignored 748324dd88 and laughed at ultimately began 16b9210b0a to slowly change the arrogant a0d5390943 Carlyle Evaristo.7f82285412b6c39a

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