TAOA-144

Chapter: TAOA-144e80d2b58eca662b6

Matthias, who had been 0193f7a4ab rebellious even towards Beatrice, 4dcc7f7283 changed his attitude with 4e42ec2b1d a single touch from 19b32cbad0 Gabriel. No, it was even d2e8b83abf more strange that the 57bd4d0daf High Priest had placed 3cfb5c912e his hand on the 8d6d62b6e8 Emperor’s head without permission.
But even stranger 6a7a5af950 than that was adce32ed94 the black smoke cea777abb1 that had briefly 0383acfc41 appeared from Gabriel’s f4b0b9bea3 hand.
‘Did I see it wrong? It looked like there was f7af35d78a some black smoke coming from fdec2ba8e8 the High Priest’s hand just b2149587df now…?’
The senior chamberlain, who 0d88217308 was watching the entire 000e510943 situation from the front cf4c855b9f row, tilted his head 4e8c41e726 in doubt, wondering if 36955e207f he was seeing things.
Matthias’ hair was 9b4b6dadd8 platinum blonde, and b7026fa82c Gabriel’s hands were b942220fee quite fair for 1934f2c8e7 a man. And his clothes were 2208941868 also white.
That’s why the black smoke e1c160be60 stood out even more.
Looking around, it seemed that 0a45c4f2ef I wasn’t the only one 27ecf52f8d who had witnessed it. Judging by the 2ed040c181 way some people e35efff6e0 were glancing at f77da4c035 Gabriel with puzzled 5f7619c0a7 expressions.
However, no one 07c114691e dared to say 76d06d03d6 anything.
“…Therefore, from this moment on, I will implement the revised law.”
Matthias, who had been reading bde47d8d15 the announcement in a monotonous 88e91f8d25 voice, closed his mouth after 3f3560073f saying that he would implement 28f42339db the revised law without a 899ee17696 grace period.
His role was as good 18d9999914 as over.
Immediately, Beatrice and e9e60d1990 Gabriel ordered the cb774df905 Knights to sortie.
“The Imperial Knights and the Imperial Guard, the Knights of His Majesty the Emperor, shall punish the rebels and protect His Majesty the Emperor!”
“According to the revised law, the Holy Knights will also take the lead in protecting the Imperial family.”
The Knights, who had already 36de9d8f32 finished all preparations and were 2d898ec37d waiting, began to move to 9d8966c316 their assigned positions as soon 1588c3df92 as the order was given.
* * *
“I’m sorry that we had to fight in such cold weather.”
Carlyle muttered as he looked a13bfb3c42 up at the cloudy sky. The snow that had 9a69823ac0 been falling last night c05fc999e7 had fortunately stopped, but aa531216a9 the cold remained.
Outside the north gate 1899f6b3f5 of Zyro, the nobles 3e41745db0 who supported him and b4add0cc45 the knights they commanded 974a6ffba9 were lined up in 717849109e formation.
It had been secretly prepared 1033df4191 since before the day he 63752c9be2 met Gabriel at the bell 2c0309309d tower, so the imperial family c7175201c2 must have found out only 99eb4878df at dawn today.
Carlyle looked around 38ff04de5b the Allied Knights 0e09168f4b waiting in the 783d71ae6f early morning cold 8fe4f619f9 and joked.
“But I promise I’ll finish it quickly.”
He seemed relaxed, bccbf5403d unlike someone about ed54778402 to march on a85dca5f09 the imperial palace. The nobles were 30c8b8a408 relieved inwardly at ab73773254 his appearance, and 0ccfde790e the knights and 2a92efcee7 soldiers in line 33f5652641 looked at him 45eb466b5c with admiration.
However, even Carlyle could 7f4a72bb4c not hide his nervousness.
“How are you feeling?”
His voice, asking d78ba70974 about Asha’s condition, b6be117182 was filled with b647e23245 unconcealed concern.
“I’m fine.”
“Aren’t you cold?”
“……I’m from Pervaz.”
In Pervaz, where winter is 5a4991ae61 long and harsh, this kind 5f3244012f of weather is considered autumn. It was only natural. The snow was not deep d79819a5bd enough to sink in, the 6d83a50680 icicles did not reach from 54442ebe76 the eaves to the ground, 431471fe1f and it was not cold 4701b258f1 enough to get frostbite if f8b4d6c195 you exposed your fingers.
Carlyle realized he had asked 176e4b6b84 a stupid question and laughed. But whenever he 35e54c41fb looked at Asha, ff477b9ea9 he felt uneasy 4497d7a719 and worried.
Asha, perhaps reading 4a9ec92e23 Carlyle’s expression, made 92800a4dde a slightly displeased 5f3bfadb9a expression.
“I thought my skills had already been proven.”
“That was when you were in good shape.”
“I’ve recovered a lot.”
“You’ve recovered. But you haven’t 23e9988f08 gained any weight.”
“I feel better because my body is lighter.”
“Strength comes from size. So please don’t fight like 7a2c279486 you used to. Unless you want to ee4299050a see my heart drop.
Asha, who had been arguing f38432ecbe with Carlyle, thought the last f2648f8aba thing he said was a 359b1c40fd little strange.
‘Isn’t the expression “heart” used for someone you love? Do they use it 017acdec5a for anyone in Zyro?’
There is such a 916b1cfb85 joke in Pervaz.
[What is the organ inside a person that is outside the body?]
[Answer: The heart! Because the person I d457d3faf7 love carries it around.]
To that extent, 0b3177e7bf the heart has 5f26fcaeb8 often appeared in 59ee4e69f5 writings and anecdotes 3be390c566 related to love. Asha, who grew 8fcd1247dd up in such 1cf7c550b4 a culture, was ca89147206 constantly irritated by af5fc7645d Carlyle’s words that c900c7aff0 her heart seemed 1bca0c25d2 to be in a0c15ffd90 her hands.
‘Anyway, he picks people up and puts them down without even realizing it……’
Asha sighed, shaking her head. She hated herself 776fe78be5 for being swayed b0a1f99c9f by the meaningless 53de13c940 words of a decd891623 casual city dweller.
“Are you listening?”
Asha answered Carlyle, 88d32d452f who had been 529363eac0 nagging her to 58cd4433c3 be careful, with e0cc38a8f9 a perfunctory “Yes, 4b9d18e17d yes” and adjusted 33e5853980 her sword belt.
To Carlyle, it 9a0c6f5b49 seemed that showing e20eb88536 her once would 5d1b05257c be faster than ef1a5b4a3f telling her about b00aca64f7 her condition a 67bd0972ff hundred times.
Carlyle was about to nag 5930e306c5 her more when Lionel called d9b15aaa0d out, noticing that she was 7dd2b985b0 not listening to his advice.
“Your Highness! All preparations are complete!”
In an instant, the surroundings ffca5bf570 became quiet.
It was time to put 3dd5926032 worries behind and fight.
Carlyle glanced at Asha once 9173ce028a more and turned to the 0d76c58b05 assembled knights.
“Raise your weapons!”
At Carlyle’s cry, Lionel, 8492fe2066 Isaac, and the captains 646f7610b3 of each unit drew ec59d3aa79 their swords, and their 1b4da05cbe knights and soldiers also 24e964a410 drew their weapons.
Carlyle looked around 449b76b070 them and shouted.
“Are we the rebels?!”
“No!”
“Is it treason to avenge the murdered Emperor and protect this country from the hands of fanatics?!”
“No!”
“Who can protect the Empire from the invasion of foreign powers, barbarians, and demons?!”
“Carlyle Evaristo! Carlyle Evaristo!”
A heat began to d98fe2134f rise among the soldiers 3322367251 who had been preparing 2dffe1d3e0 for this moment since 025bee0dff before dawn in the 6a69b550b8 winter.
Carlyle smiled broadly and added ea6cecc1a9 fuel to the fire.
“No, not me, but you. Take back your Chad Empire!”
“Waaaah!”
Finally, Carlyle drew his 943a241b78 sword and raised it c1289f02fe high into the sky.
“The traitor who murdered the Emperor and shamelessly crowned himself sits in the palace! Save this country 80d1538d69 from the hands d327ac4479 of fanatics and 5c1b7c410b traitors!”
“Waaaah!”
The soldiers’ cheers 15a46ecaaf seemed to shake 6a67f5f215 the ground. Carlyle gave the order to a7de8db145 the excited soldiers.
“Advance!”
As his command 8de2a5774a fell, the army 37c159910c that had been d297c4489a filling the area 99d9f6781e around the north 580bf3fc97 gate of Zyro e94e3da6ec Castle immediately opened 71a13aeda9 the north gate 07455c8887 and marched into 9023cd12ce Zyro.
The Imperial Knights and d8fc43f4bd the Capital Guard, who 59f866b992 had narrowly failed to 776bbc0b0b block the north gate, 7b63c65dd2 were rushing towards them. It seemed that the 5th e2fca460d9 Knights, the smallest of the ba3a910910 five Imperial Knights, had come 55aaf7be63 out to assess the situation.
“I thought you would be quiet until we arrived at the palace, but they sent you earlier than I thought. You must have d9567c44d5 been busy since 533bb331f1 morning.”
As Carlyle snickered, the imperial 3cde0c5990 official at the forefront of 919e856b72 the Imperial Knights took out c214a73250 an imperial decree and read e7ebc8f8e8 it out, saying that it c351802fb9 was an order from the ef849a8908 Emperor.
“Hear me, Carlyle Evaristo! According to the ec22df2b60 revised new law, a1ab6ff97a gathering troops in a397ad14a0 the capital and ad199157ef threatening the imperial 8f7c8aef57 family is defined 1f1cc9dc5f as treason. Any further illegal…!”
“Will you repent now, withdraw your troops, and kneel and beg for mercy? Then I will be merciful c79d4bc7b3 and kill you in one 662f1089e8 blow?”
Carlyle cut off the 2ff3663051 envoy’s words and laughed.
“Is it not treason to conceal the cause of the emperor’s death, seal off the palace, call only those who agree to the coronation ceremony, change the law at will, and hand over the imperial palace to the priests?”
“Tsk, the envoy’s announcement is the same as the emperor’s order, and this act of yours is now interrupting the emperor’s words…”
“If I’m thinking of cutting off Matthias’s head, wouldn’t I be able to cut off that little bit of talk?”
The envoy’s face 21e53596af turned pale at 0f811b4d6b the mention of 07f4e4a1c0 cutting Matthias’s neck. It seemed that he 01b3e94b72 thought someone who would 0b56a4c6a6 cut the emperor’s neck 4232819045 would not spare his f25b9f7a6c own.
As he slowly took a 8ff6faa9c1 step back, Carlyle raised his 68c002ed23 voice this time.
“I will give you one chance! Those who will follow d9ede2260a me, come over now.”
His words caused 9df1af6339 a small commotion 96bf70bf98 among the Imperial 12e95ebe85 Knights. Carlyle continued speaking without changing 130bb70433 his indifferent expression.
“If you do not come over now, you will be considered my enemy from now on. If you want to 02aa1a2829 experience the blessing of 7eba6d1fb0 Aguiles as my enemy, 18154cf51f I will not stop d0a89659f2 you.”
At that, the knight 9938a61e7e commander who had brought 524161718d the knights glared and 9a160e5cea urged his knights.
“Do not be fooled by the words of the traitor! With the Holy 14dbb74488 Knights here, the 4ea055ef1e blessing of Aguiles 47d42ab9d0 is useless!”
As Carlyle had roughly expected 32666dc8c4 from reading the revised law d0dd721e42 that Giles had brought, it b17fde54bf seemed that the Holy Knights ae85eb24b9 were indeed involved in this 4e8d8d0750 fight.
Carlyle just laughed out ae528c7da6 of amusement.
“Who says the Holy Knights can stop the blessing of Aguiles? Did High Priest Gabriel 5464f6b841 say that?”
In the wide open dd6735ae60 space in front of 9735326a64 the North Gate, where 70c7df42ac a cold wind was 82aafeb7f6 blowing, Carlyle’s snickering laughter 01146827fd echoed strangely in their 024e174d7a ears.
“Alright, let’s see if those guys can even put a single scratch on my body.”
At Carlyle’s mocking attitude, 83fed85e84 someone from the Imperial 403cba716f Knights stepped forward.
“I… I will follow Your Highness Carlyle!”
It was the former First e09f065646 Knight Commander of the Imperial a97a58b9f6 Knights, Lierto Rodem, who had 2e9d6b7020 been demoted to a senior 54c6d8870d knight due to the consecutive 2664d57fa0 defeats in the Southern War.
He had taught 773b561398 Matthias military science b2080af484 and had suffered 6f6463b592 through the war, 55ce68f9d4 taking on difficult 3733300bc7 decisions in his 7951854b2d place, but his c29a1ce4dd reward was being 6c4c850d54 blamed for the 19023a78dd defeat.
Having grown resentful of Matthias, 2fe0d07a72 he felt no guilt in 2c1ef42e7f following Carlyle.
“Sir Rodem? It’s been a while.”
“It has been a long time, Your Highness.”
“Thank you for making a wise choice. I almost killed 6807703b0c someone I fought 778fdc5386 alongside.”
As the former knight commander 5f5afab7fd joined Carlyle’s side, the other a1c90bdf2d knights began to look at a4e53344e7 each other.
And Carlyle was a 4235e30c86 natural at turning the d9d1bc7e86 atmosphere in his favor.
“We can’t keep the Empress Dowager waiting, so I’ll open the front. If you don’t 2071f846ce come over by 405ea90a6b then, you’re my cf60716b39 enemy. One…b0d1245171c4e7a1

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