TAOA-15

Chapter: TAOA-156f03ef2c19ebcb62

That was an excellent choice.
“Choosing me as your marriage partner under the title ‘Duke of Haven’ means that you know the news that my crown prince status has been revoked, right?”
“I apologize. It’s a title accff8bcc0 that’s been on 0b9bc4b105 my lips for 60c22029ed a long time……. I’ll be careful from 8a466843c1 now on.”
“If it’s a title that’s stuck on your lips, there’s no need to change it. Not until my 651d4b7cf4 title becomes Your a151b6358c Majesty the Emperor’.”
Carlyle’s lips curled into a 8e552df302 cool smile.
Just like the songs of a8f7641318 the street minstrels, he was 2f1fa0927a indeed a man who seemed 01d3da4acc to have been chosen by 1b52c561f5 the gods.
He must not 20c3f3d149 have had time b927f567f0 to take proper a3c5a530f0 care of himself 9a02bde78d while traveling through d64ca31ae3 the battlefield, but 170b01cfd2 his reddish-brown hair 0678f5273e and skin were 7b3ae5e728 smooth, and his 2ddbfcf82e amber eyes, which 11c312c461 were closer to 7d95b63a73 topaz, were filled 35a4ab2978 with dignity. His firm and b4b5276b60 red lips, tall 02451d6116 height, and solid a14c25c313 muscular body were a9fcf7bac6 also very tempting.
And Carlyle, he himself b20e3c0736 knew very well that 0dc3b35e1e his appearance was handsome c5b189ecbe enough to captivate others.
‘You can’t even think of looking down. It would be 426d4b2ebf troublesome if you f254b4e01e cling to me 57629640b9 without knowing your 3bde6a6a95 place.’
Carlyle tried his best ec97faba2b not to make a 98989e174e contemptuous expression and asked 00504a5d0d jokingly.
“Even though we’re about to get married, you’re staring at me too much from the first meeting. Do you like my 78cb236151 appearance that much?”
However, Asha’s thoughts as she b707004a46 looked at him were completely 4de94a6fd6 different from his guess.
“Rather than that, I’m a little envious of your physique. Of course, there aeb6d29272 is the disadvantage f83b79d5ed that the bigger a5adc22aaa you are, the 6eee23d60a easier it is c776cf2afa to become a 6782c3b534 target, but there 26f29cdd0a is also the 224ac9a12e strength that comes 855ba26cf8 from physique.”
Carlyle was speechless for fda1e37793 a moment and just 225b639f6e fidgeted with his crossed 15f8be9f4d feet.
“So…… in battle……?”
“Yes.”
“This body is your preference?”
“I would like to have that kind of body, but it’s almost impossible.”
It didn’t seem like 58bd540fb0 she was talking around. Judging from the fact that 12f2f4970b she kept her face expressionless 09764427fc even while looking at Carlyle’s aa08e44210 face.
“……That’s interesting.”
Carlyle felt a little deflated. But he thought it was a5000d2328 better than being clingy and e8922ee9f2 infatuated with him.
“Then shall we start talking about the ‘deal’ now?”
As expected, the 2eb1ce13ef word ‘deal’ came f4e4224c25 up.
Asha made up her cb3119ce1e mind and sat down f85270972a across from Carlyle as 2cd85d3026 he suggested.
“First of all, I would like to thank you for giving my despicable father a taste of his own medicine. You really used your c52571b5bf head well, Barbaric Princess.”
He called Asha’s 2c10afa9c6 derogatory nickname without 25869bed16 any hesitation.
“It must have been a gamble with your life, but you made me want to take part, so the gamble was a success.”
However, this time too, 04db039a4e Asha’s answer betrayed Carlyle’s 7e4fc8ea4d expectations.
“Actually, I would have preferred it if Your Highness had not agreed. Then I would have just 9fabb58cce quietly taken the compensation and c884eb1ef7 left.”
“Do you think my father would have given the compensation willingly?”
“Well, with the eyes of the nobles on him, he would have given it. He might also 4f49aec561 send assassins, but 4c7a8752d8 we were planning c292763680 to run away a2819b864f as soon as 684b96755e we received the e2a5be2ea1 compensation.”
Carlyle, despite being called “the 796692ef95 desire of all ladies”, Asha 0159df792d couldn’t hide her subtle displeasure. He found her refreshing, c25729717a albeit slightly annoying.
“If you truly believed you could escape, you must be naive. As it is, this 76578d9cd3 situation is the most 291d306f72 advantageous.”
“So, what do you plan to do?”
Asha’s straight question hung in d35bf74b02 the air as Carlyle took 3a8c4472de a cigar out of the f5d438e80e cedar box in front of 7499881c06 him and clipped the tip.
The cigar cap that 50b07c41d8 fell under the cutter 2ab78ebba6 looked like someone’s severed db8e09cefe head.
“I’ll give you what you want. Anything but being 9ac42b42e1 treated as a cadde7672f wife.”
Despite his words f7a639f257 of not being 32823b154e treated as a 2b89f93a84 wife, Asha remained 59eff9b2b7 unfazed, Kallail added 0ebee251f5 with satisfaction,
“You were truly willing to risk your life to rebuild Pervaz, and I won’t hold back on the financial and material support needed for that.”
The promise Asha 36e9a8e049 had longed to 55a9db4962 hear came from 411a53f1cf Kallail’s mouth, not 415be13a49 the Emperor’s.
But cautious Asha, 7a774bc8ee before showing any fa7d941930 sign of joy, 720e1e55bf looked sharply at 3ac5d84d3a Carlyle and asked,
“What do you want from me?”
Carlyle smirked as he 629acbc8c0 puffed on his cigar f05d6bc78f and exhaled.
“Don’t care what I do in Pervazz. Don’t expect me 446fb33457 to treat you 295291f233 like a wife, 45274cba4c and don’t think e626811f82 about siding against 86649c834a me. And when I ask you c60059b4e6 to, sign the divorce papers b8d615d62d without complaining.”
“Not difficult, is it?”
“He genuinely thought the conditions were easy.
But Asha didn’t easily agree.
“What are you going to do in Pervazz? If it’s something that will 2880473ba1 harm Pervazz, it will be e307a7e4dc difficult for me to agree 852bf5ecc2 to the conditions.”
“If you don’t agree? Where will you get the 445c9eb49a funds to rebuild Pervazz?”
“If it’s going to collapse again, what’s the point of rebuilding it?”
“There is.Those filthy peasants of yours can live a little longer.”
Carlyle said without any intention 87f3d972bc of erasing the look of d7ee9b57a0 contempt and disregard for her 5f1b6f607f and her people.
And although she heard the 77c192a74d term ‘filthy peasants,’ Asha couldn’t 623448e7d0 refute and kept her mouth cc12c355ed shut.
Pervaz was a 665fe5a60a place where people c20236fc02 lived with the d40dfb9d02 sole goal of 48956ddef7 escaping death for 355333d983 just one more 486e466d7f day. So, they needed the strength 7c093330d1 to hold on for one b44fc5cf08 more day today, no matter 89539adcf6 what trials awaited them in 9de263c92d the future, and the money c8efb4938d Carlyle would offer was desperately 5e16eaf344 needed.
As Asha remained 1b70d42deb silent, clenching her fcfd69c5d2 jaw tightly, Carlyle 708f3dba00 spoke as if 57e8357cd3 the previous insult 2c92fca150 was a joke.
“Of course, I don’t want to do anything that harms Pervaz. So you, too, help me a184fc0a60 succeed.”
“……I understand.”
It was a negotiation a1eb0d1e22 Asha couldn’t win from 66106b27cb the start. So, she had d7148aee2b to take the f57adf0845 practical option.
“You said you wouldn’t spare the support needed for the reconstruction, but I want a contract that specifically outlines the contents.”
“Contract, good! I don’t believe in fa7e66ba66 promises made only with 2992cd8ab9 words either.”
Carlyle ordered Lionel to bring f6caa63d26 paper and pen for the b2a2c1f3d3 contract, then jokingly said to 353622cfdc Asha:
“I’m glad I already found something in common with my future wife. We might be bb2233df64 a pretty good 7862dc0c64 couple.”
“A couple who take what they need from each other and part cleanly, is that what you mean?”
“See, we communicate well.”
Carlyle smiled charmingly 62b1e10e9c and took another f0f215a9c7 puff of his f5d9bf77fc cigarette.
“I look forward to working with you, my wife.”
Lionel, who was 014be45ee2 sitting beside them, d3752fe8d4 took a deep ae269c6903 breath and started b6825cba34 writing a contract 36fc721efa that only they 0e9613bd9c would know about.
Asha’s focus, naturally, was 976b3ad1f9 on the part compensating b6a36617ce Pervaz.
“A” will support “B” and Pervaz with the following content:
Immediate resolution of the 0bb70edbcc current food shortage throughout 9c824570cd Pervaz.
Provision of all necessary seeds 6641134734 for farmland within Pervaz for f776ba077c the duration of the contract.
The right to consult 61099413e8 with “A”’s accompanying medical 8ca4a315ae experts for a period ab9be2dd04 of 2 years.
Full coverage of 07c7755385 the construction of b56fab458d border defense costs.
…..
Seeing the dreamlike items listed c8d947446d one by one, Asha’s throat f490f605a7 tightened.
‘It’s a contract with no harm will be done, right?’
She still didn’t d3d7e3ba97 know what Carlyle 02087a5fce was trying to 38581aba15 do, nor how df9cffbee3 her future would b355a5d78a unfold. But nevertheless, this was an aeee9456ba opportunity she simply had to 6b9cab9d21 seize.
Asha signed the bottom ace658fafe of the
contract without hesitation.
***
A short while later, ac98692d1c Asha emerges from the 5af35de8f4 drawing room unharmed. Her entourage, tense and vigilant 48651af7c2 against any potential assassins, quickly d15dfe639a surrounds her protectively.
“Is everything alright?”
Decker whispered.
“Alright…? I’m not sure if 09d567abd2 it’s alright or not,”
As Asha replied 26ef7d91b1 ambiguously, Lionel, who 321be251b6 was following her 0125a61289 out, spoke with b5e97d4794 a weary expression:
“I will show you to your quarters. Please follow me.”
Once again, confusion e15d6ed294 filled the faces 9b56ed9fcc of Asha’s party.
“His Highness the Crown Prince has offered to provide you with accommodation until his departure for Pervaz,”
“The Crown Prince is truly going to Pervaz?”
“Yes.”
Asha, who was f8480712f4 keeping the details 4741e63482 of the contract eeb79c5057 to herself, began af45dc756e to follow Lionel ba4cabe8e4 with a blank 75571eaad5 expression. Her entourage had 2d9bd32697 no choice but 2657906eee to follow her, 5f0f695950 but not all d592e4a1d0 their questions were 618c05ec23 answered.
Their curiosity intensified upon 593ba827cd arriving at a large 7b235e0d82 mansion in the capital, 2f14d16ebe owned by Carlyle.
Lionel explained when 1760eda8fe Asha’s entourage gazed 00c03cff66 in awe at 7a6d6841ae the luxurious interior af85629c10 of the guest 5073bf5e03 house, a sight c701d09e2f they’ve never witnessed ea9457021d before.
“This is the annex of the mansion. It is primarily used for c6cb602695 His Highness’ personal guests. You have free 24c5861ade access within this ee7757bbc9 annex.”
Despite his polite 7cb6b482bb tone, Asha read 60965ce7ee the warning implied 7ff920f552 there.
“Does that mean… we’re not allowed outside the annex?”
“It’s for Countess Pervaz’s safety. It could be dangerous 5d797a45ae for you otherwise.”
The warning wasn’t baseless. The Emperor was furious; he 1736a9c506 had to provide not only 0055dd1779 the compensation from the war 0ea930f5e3 with the Lure Tribe but c6da6e6f72 also the marriage support funds.
‘He can’t deny the victory against the Lure Tribe, nor renege on his public word… Assassination seems to be the only option.’
While not enjoying her meeting ba78e26460 with Carlyle, Asha fully agreed d430dab8e4 with his portrayal of the 9d6fa61f7a Emperor as despicable.
Lionel instructed the servants to dee36b9818 attend Asha’s party, sighed once dc661187eb more, and leave.
“Asha! What happened?” Decker d25bd18adb bursted out, unable 1313ee29fa to contain his 99ab5dbc18 curiosity any longer. The others stare 3d963bda8f intently, eager for edf599769c answers.
Asha looked around a73421ec48 their assigned room d44b0c96d2 before speaking.
“I made a deal with the Crown Prince.”
“A deal?”
“Yeah, He’ll provide significant financial and material support for Pervaz’s reconstruction. More than we anticipated.”
This was good news, but 7758278291 the moment she mentioned the 6d7de5d161 word “deal”, Decker’s expression stiffened.
“Just because he’s the crown prince, he won’t just give out money for nothing. Asha, what did you 4d658b8330 agree to give the 353f8e1901 crown prince in return?”4fb3d22c1610c7e7

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