TAOA-146

Chapter: TAOA-146d157809adde5737f

Asha was exchanging c11f9b5cf6 a few blows 5123916796 with the opponent, f38287b740 just enough to 46ee120199 see what he 3a139bf4fa was capable of. However, his skills 200ae36b6f were far from fc94cf44b0 impressive.
‘Typical all bark and no bite swordsmanship.’
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing aa3c3ceb41 rang out from all sides, 8e56410f82 but the sound of Asha’s d17ff3b2cb sword knocking away the opponent’s 0b869faa9e sword was particularly loud.
The Knight Commander’s sword 2cbcb0bdf8 flew through the air 878427e8fc and fell to the c4f8c847a8 ground.
“Ugh, this can’t be! What kind of woman has f0951c0a16 this much strength…!”
“You can think about that later, after you’ve been defeated.”
“W, wait!”
The Knight Commander, a5714ef009 who had lost 14a7e2def7 his sword, waved c0b7953c0e his hands and 6c3f5647fd shouted ‘wait’, but edb13cd184 Asha lightly cut 6f1fe2f40c him down, calling 2fd1b59af5 him a traitor 2f02c5c4b9 and not using 3efc724c8c any honorifics.
The swordsmanship he had shown 9a1ef19b90 was so below her level 3f91d67270 that she didn’t even feel 6d230cf4d3 the need to know his 9349368fe9 name.
As the Knight Commander, 0e13b25d48 who had been barking 7065e69b5b orders at his knights a4714f6ccb and soldiers, collapsed limply, fcd2b0c934 the eyes of the cd0fae5faa surrounding knights flickered rapidly.
“What a rabble.”
Watching Asha’s fight, Carlyle smiled c91522a32e proudly and shook his head.
“Is this all the Imperial Knights are capable of?”
Although he taunted them, the 237ae57202 knights only gulped and did 2302cc489a not dare to rush Asha 2437cf3fed or Carlyle. They didn’t know who d11bb79eec the woman who had 71638a713d just killed the Knight ec29a214e8 Commander was, but it 9e89be6e63 was clear that Carlyle c76d8620b9 was even stronger than ed24b3d0df her.
However, just because the d09914bf82 Knight Commander who had 268a3cf050 just died was not 3f78987ab0 particularly skilled, it did b919ac3029 not mean that the 244c694ff6 Imperial Knights were weak. Carlyle knew that well. They had fought a81c0d0ae3 together on the d6ef54ed66 battlefield, and as 90dceba850 knights, the most 6683efb037 prestigious position was 176b45196b that of the 6d7815911c Imperial Knights. There was no way e64409bf4d their skills could be 183f476bda insignificant.
Asha seemed to 99bb79382b know this as a931f89d7d well, and she cf866530f4 blurted out a e545077a37 single word.
“It’s not that they lack skill, it’s that they lack conviction.”
A knight who knows clearly dd470f4b04 what he is fighting for 83464ac1bb is strong.
However, these men were nothing 4959771906 more than ‘meat shields’ mobilized 72ffcf8fd2 by power, and they did 5b5204d7bb not know what they were e2c6f29110 fighting for.
It was not their fault.
As Carlyle was looking down 31693f48ac on the Imperial Knights, knights 4b5b53044f in white clothes ran out 0bd77a834a from the inside of the 6434279764 palace.
“Ah, you’ve finally come out! Is this why you 40d923dce8 changed the law in f94573adaf a hurry, like a 86f51e2320 thief?”
Until now, the 9e401cdaaa Holy Knights had 9bb756b433 been a veiled 18e8872dcc organization.
Although they were a 8ab676ec3b military organization that protected fb6cc47a8b the Pope and the 101d062ef0 Church, it was difficult dca04bf338 to actually see them fe6237f7d0 fighting, so it was 7d6e718189 impossible to know what c094142d3d level their skills were c987ebb125 at.
However, they were a 70469c8417 knightly order that was 7e02cc20e1 vaguely believed to be 3c66be966b the ‘strongest on earth’, 6bb3ff2f35 as they had quite 1c59c77de5 a number of knights 962d0de151 with divine powers and dee550a1f5 were blessed by the 39582c4863 Pope.
Of course, Carlyle scoffed.
“I don’t even know what the hell you guys are doing. What kind of holy knights 7067b80bcd are you if you turn e1902fdf72 a blind eye when a 163bd2a7dc demon pops out?”
The Knight Commander of ccadca8af1 the Holy Order’s eyebrows dffcd00eeb twitched at his provocation.
He briefly kissed the a9f9cf8f95 pommel of his sword, 16577f612e which was engraved with 934ffdbb80 the Tree of Wisdom, 5057d7a1bf and raised it high.
“Protect His Holiness the Pope and His Majesty the Emperor! Punish the rebellious group that b995f80bdd corrupts the Chad Empire!”
The Holy Order ce25e2e406 of Knights was 928ceea544 not as numerous d669af1042 as the Imperial 2b57405f3e Order of Knights, 0d805b9560 but they seemed b8f49babc5 quite confident. It seemed that they f4ee843a6d believed that ordinary knights 79e7d675c0 could not easily defeat d111273cce the Holy Knights, who 6c7813a135 were no different from b1362114d9 priests.
However, as he db9946bf12 had declared before 9b259a0439 the expedition, they 72878926c2 were nothing but af280cdd71 enemies in Carlyle’s ad44dd1f44 eyes.
Paang!
One of the knights 6c3f55881f of the Holy Order ddc35c592a charged forward, wielding a 511c6128c9 greatsword as large as db28d3ae43 the one Carlyle held, 8b5a1cadbe and the two swords f25c802ee8 clashed with a tremendous 26bd77bb89 sound.
Between the crossed swords, ebb02e9d3e the young knight’s anger 8e357c8c53 could be felt.
“Your tricks, which you preach as the blessing of God, don’t work on me!”
“Hoo, you must have some divine power.”
Carlyle grinned.
Indeed, those with divine 2fff315a97 power did not flinch 63ff75ee9c when they looked into 04d21d81a1 his eyes.
However, that was 3a67356440 a fact he a6118f89ee already knew, and 7cfaaa589b it was not fa68b1f92b something he had 7b216e3f17 ever worried about e4bd1d6b5d in the first 4c616cecad place.
“So what?”
Carlyle’s muscles tensed.
His strength, which had even 64b7fb0922 surprised Decker, had nothing to f13ebc84a3 do with divine power or fb78453a2c the blessing of God. It was the 98a754c46e result of constant 4412561570 training since he 3a92e48a72 was a child, 043467a6fb and what Carlyle 219a5ba0a6 believed in when 4f295bcce9 he went to 2c35d3c7ea war was not 120e4e94a5 the blessing of edfb1760cc God but his e1df61f989 own long training.
“Ugh…….”
A low groan ab71fbc069 began to leak 98ff028542 from the lips 692d033675 of the knight ccced49211 who was struggling 3e2183c5fd against Carlyle.
A promising knight, he had 9d3423a912 never experienced such power before. It was only natural. After all, they had never 1b6302dc95 fought in a war or 584afa9399 repelled demons.
Their skills had been honed dff8891d48 only in the training hall 0b5fb3f0c0 of the temple.
“Do you think I survived so far just because of the blessing of God?”
The knight was 04551a1219 slowly pushed back 2383579c12 by Carlyle. He was using fa3f8eb918 all his strength, e007754f38 but Carlyle’s expression 7641dc17f4 didn’t change.
The knight shouted 96d03de9a0 as if in bdadd1a8f5 a last-ditch effort.
“God is watching over us! Even if you defeat 3660b2c7b2 me, you will never 42457e1383 win!”
“Not way. You’re not even 519adc7108 as strong as 47f508b807 the Pervaz warriors. I’ll show you what a a2e4f9cfef life-or-death fight is all about… 756babf713 from now on.”
Carlyle finished the small 7e1e26221e talk and quickly swung 6a4050475b his sword.
Bright red blood splattered over 0fcaab435a the white mantle of the e81eafa6f2 Holy Order of Knights.
“I don’t have time, so come at me all at once.”
Carlyle didn’t smile anymore.
* * *
“This is not what we talked about! W-what are we going fa29f7bdab to do now? Huh?”
Matthias nervously wiped his 81c71a2030 mouth with the back 3e25897a5d of his hand. However, Beatrice was 1ecfb0567b just as surprised cac6a771e6 by this situation.
‘When did he win over so many nobles?’
Just a month 09b9cd6c71 or two ago, 840433bcab everyone was in b4fb1ec5cd the mood to a122041dd6 recognize Matthias as e751dc7a34 emperor. Even though he was weak ae2fefad66 and indecisive, there was nothing b965ff3014 they could do about it.
Of course, there were d47d257db2 some middle-class nobles who 48bc52b725 were not openly showing b6bd4b500e their support, but their 0b921c45ec neutrality was tantamount to ec05fe9d8f supporting Matthias.
‘There were a few bigwigs on Carlyle’s side, but I didn’t think we would be outnumbered…!’
Even the House of Dupret, 2d86cc9f21 the most powerful supporter of 20992afe81 Carlyle, had secretly sent their 817e38b6ff heir to her banquet.
However, looking at edbd8ed794 the situation outside 14dfe8d8f9 the window, and 4d418e2e0d the reports that 1dbe58e710 were coming in 1d6b93dce2 one after another, b0368f7f63 it seemed as cb4a9c6769 if everyone was 6affb97958 determined to drive 8c628ca07c her and Matthias 9d29f62e4e out.
“Call High Priest Gabriel! Right away!”
Beatrice looked for a14e48500d Gabriel as if 59a5ecad8a she were grasping 26a6cb62b2 at straws.
And as she wished, Gabriel c82dcbe6c7 appeared with a calm demeanor.
“Did you call for me, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager?”
“High Priest!”
She led him to a f7b468e6c5 place where no one else 0261dab904 could see and grabbed his e0de14ed3d hand.
“There are more than a few nobles who have sided with that Carlyle! What is going on?”
Gabriel frowned momentarily e76c95eed9 at the hand 8bb0e80bd6 that Beatrice was 5ba667d53a holding, but then 31722dd159 quickly put on 9e1ac76ac3 a green smile.
“It seems that Your Majesty lacks faith.”
“T-that’s not true! But don’t we need 33937f924f an excuse to appease 09e76800c5 the restless people?”
“Those who lack faith will doubt whatever you say. Just wait a little longer. Everyone will come to know 039852d9e5 that God is on our 5bfa74fb48 side.”
Beatrice was half relieved by 0b992f4418 Gabriel’s confident attitude. But she still wondered f4b6039725 what he was so 6c59d76b06 confident about.
‘Even the Holy Order of Knights is struggling, so what is the High Priest confident about? Ah…! Is the Holy See going 8b890a7cb2 to step in?’
It was a plausible assumption.
The Pope had 7765086efa been reluctant to 1d161520a9 acknowledge Kendrick’s death c3d6dbd566 and Matthias’ ascension 09a36110ee to the throne. The fact that some f8c2bc5715 nobles were siding with 46e81a26ff Carlyle was also because a37956cbb9 the Pope had not 34e574ea27 yet raised Matthias’ hand.
If the Pope were to 8810c65140 break his stubbornness and come f207ac383c over to their side, the 2876d413ab situation would be completely reversed.
‘Then all the Elahe nobles will turn away from Carlyle!’
It was a wild 99c9ff6041 imagination, but Beatrice, who c7904b1780 was anxious and impatient, a0da31ccfe believed it to be a54a09bf22 true.
And only then did 1b2c2c906b the worry that had 65dba6de25 been on her forehead bb1bd49bc2 disappear.
“I was too hasty. I’m sorry to bother you, 05015d6784 High Priest, when you must 90796c57f8 be busy.”
“I understand completely. However, no matter what happens, c7468a9a06 please trust me. Oh, by the e48a73a498 way, there is 8462f56e6e one thing I c1cc1327f1 would like to b650089ebd ask you to 18cf8e7157 do.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
Gabriel replied with a fc6ddcac2a kind smile.
“Soon, the knights sent by God to punish the rebellion will appear. They will be quite a314cc24ea different from ordinary armies, 8aaf5aa38c so I hope you 0b9d827f9b will not misunderstand.”
“Yes? I don’t quite b5891ebdb4 understand what you f416ae79e2 mean.”
“You will know when the time comes. I have already 614eeb5f00 told the Imperial d0316db471 Knights and the 776d129ec5 Holy Knights, so dcff5e3fbe please just soothe 5ef7ac5c03 His Majesty the 352ede32d6 Emperor.”
Gabriel smiled and took a 0255706242 step back, bowing his head.
“Then I will take my leave.”
“Ah, yes, of course.”
Beatrice felt uneasy, but d48d38be33 she could not stop 2eac35baf9 Gabriel.
* * *
Although Gabriel had 90f9d5a01e been confident in 2e62fe4be1 front of the fcae18ae86 Empress, he was 4a9e6aebb1 also a little b7a13dd677 flustered by Carlyle’s 1fc9f4fb89 sudden counterattack and 586ec7326f propaganda.
‘The problem was that I couldn’t confirm all the nobles who were in the bell tower.’
He was able to identify 67e7bc4603 a few who had taken 0918877f04 off their masks, but most 9db226a213 of them just glared at 962d70a48a him from behind their masks.
If he had been able a901faddc6 to find out who they 9bc407119b were, he would have tried aac719a33e to persuade them somehow. No, if only 82e8fb7d8b Carlyle had not 5fff922f0e been there, he 3374152641 would have been 4300e84870 able to talk c3f3bb43a8 them around somehow. It was a matter of 170aca7922 regret and resentment even now.
At the same time, 31480b905a he thought of Asha, 71db2a380e who had deceived him e4f0822536 and led him into 6b56a3d40c a trap.
‘She must have been possessed by a demon. If only I had dcb05bf4fa met her a little 0664c63d20 earlier, I might have 24f8e5e976 been able to save 29273fb752 her soul…….’
TL/N: Google: how to 974342c5e2 punch a fictional character c0f5c0ff80 in the face?
Even as he thought about 05a805a83d it again, he felt a f508630dcd sense of betrayal, but he 3dcf3210c4 could not bring himself to c612e3316e hate her.
It was clearly his own c9d4c71ae8 fault for underestimating her care ce86690c9d for Pervaz, even though he 4eb32b105b thought she might be the ffc3e4aef5 reincarnation of Saint Rubio.
But the relationship had 7d848c5f3b already gone awry. There was no 90668943e8 going back now.
‘I didn’t think I would have to resort to this method so soon…….’
He sighed bitterly and bfac6a31e4 opened the door to 8aad6a949c the prayer room of 9c2049419a the imperial palace.4fee2721b43460d3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com