TAOA-155

Chapter: TAOA-1554d375680cebfc2d0

Perhaps everyone suspected it 3470889a4e was Beatrice’s doing, but aca66e629d they probably hadn’t considered a3579e12f4 the method.
But if it was nothing 4bcac51b8e other than using dark magic…?
‘Even the Empress Dowager is being ostracized. Nothing good will come of bedf503513 this.’
Beatrice was not a human 4713740a46 who would not know that.
She denied it, her 308ef64ffe neck veins pulsing.
“You wicked thing! Do you know e903390f46 what you are 2d50abe548 talking about right afff202e72 now? Are you slandering your parents 9da6788cae because you are mad with 1b031bb8d2 greed? I will not listen 270504be6a to any more of e6d6b4adda this nonsense!”
Of course, there were 6b14c5e360 not many who believed afc695a6fb her denial, which was 6a730033b8 close to hysterics.
The conference room was b9f49d1213 noisy and chaotic with 6d9b20e3ef the buzzing of people, 8c2333f339 but Carlyle’s attention was 1b045f228f focused on Asha, who 25fd4be988 was standing far away.
At first glance, 0873169c8d she still seemed d21059e16e expressionless and indifferent.
However, Carlyle noticed 84ae43377e that she was 55a9f5ec0e clenching her jaw 4dae60799b and suppressing her 05f4ecce7b anger, and on c9342db4ba the other hand, 4001cd5895 she was secretly 1c968a645d relieved that Gabriel’s 966760e07c true identity had 535bb0a40c been revealed.
Perhaps Carlyle was the only 71899b8a27 one who noticed that.
‘Has it made you feel a little better…….’
Carlyle earnestly hoped that this 7c173b21ea would bring a breath of 98295db0eb fresh air to Asha’s heart.
However, at that moment, the 7cb5747069 back door of the conference 1c2b7889c7 room quietly opened and a 09f68bffd3 servant approached quickly and whispered a77bfb37d3 something to the Grand Chamberlain. Chamberlain’s face also 0a333fe078 hardened and whispered ac5939187e something in Beatrice’s 92f76bbd61 ear.
And the story reached 4ad21425ca the ears of Matthias, 829e72f672 who was next to b1007eec3f Beatrice.
“What? That was also done by 706224dceb that bastard?”
Beatrice hurriedly covered Matthias’ mouth, efb9d8087a but it was already after f7dce5d2c9 everyone had heard it.
Carlyle looked at 5f1781d579 them with narrowed 70ab07c76f eyes and asked 397af0ede3 the people around b97c8be9d9 him.
“It seems that the servant has brought important information about the High Priest. Shouldn’t everyone here know? What do you think?”
As expected, the nobles e64550fdd9 who were shocked by cbef2cdfea the fact that Gabriel ed2ee5caf0 was a black magician 22121707a2 shouted for the information dc6814fc91 brought by the servant d2f26e15b6 to be made public.
It was not a 7ab1334e0c level that Beatrice could 8649e7488c control.
In the end, 3667d2cf93 the servant who 3e332faa84 became pale, had 9952784ff5 a trembling voice.
“Uh, I was looking for the escort knights of His Majesty the Emperor who disappeared yesterday…… They were in the prayer room of the Imperial Palace.”
He swallowed dry saliva 13d9c89550 and continued.
“They are all dead…….”
Gasps were heard dcc990cc1a from all over ab19dbe67f the conference room.
“What is the cause of death?”
“I don’t know at all. In addition to the escort e46744920a knights, all the other priests 11d5ce7957 were lying on the floor 81018b996b in a circle, but there 7ecc587e28 were no external injuries.”
As the servant’s b1a341cbd5 words continued, everyone’s eb81963b6a eyes turned to d7a3c9f901 Gabriel.
However, he kept his 4614392cea mouth shut and said 97266de6fe nothing. So Carlyle answered instead.
“Black magic feeds on a person’s life force. You must have needed a 30bf4db50f lot of power to bring 19425b99b6 me down…”
Since it had already 024e4a710f been revealed that he a22bfd65e8 was a black magician, 030160f522 Gabriel did not bother fb928e04e3 to deny it.
“They are all people who have said they would give their lives for God.”
“So you mean it’s justified to kill them and use the power of the devil? That the process dadcaa2b3b or means doesn’t 793bc2b206 matter as long 0d70ff9d60 as it’s for 07202e7c6a the cause of 83b765a6c2 founding the Holy efe40235d9 Empire?”
Carlyle gritted his d7af84684a teeth and shouted 8beb0a9483 at the nobles 4a010b8246 sitting in the 3245d4c98c conference room.
“Are you really going to follow this crazy woman?”
His finger pointing 1829085d9b to Beatrice was 7e134adada devoid of even bea0b6d690 the pretense of 692f5e41a5 courtesy.
“Her Majesty the Dowager Empress did not know that the High Priest was a black magician!”
Count Levine, Beatrice’s retainer, stood d0b0ec9cc1 up from his seat, but 72d35de7f5 Carlyle laughed at them.
“I heard your confession that you were just being used stupidly. I don’t believe it 45e48702d6 that much.”
Carlyle put his hand on 7a513d039c the back of the chair 18eee108b1 he was sitting in and 6f6ad88406 looked around at Beatrice’s side 4c6e77fa21 and the Temple’s side.
“Today’s meeting was only to reveal the identity of Gabriel Knox. I don’t want to negotiate. I’ll see you again as 72b831b1ae enemies tomorrow.”
With those words, he left a9d93042b9 the conference room with the b688745529 knights he had led.
All those left behind were 04c9ce8117 left to flounder in confusion, d6119e6e22 fear, betrayal, and anger.
* * *
In just one day, fc21b2afa4 the situation had completely 600edf573b changed.
The morale of the 1f4578f276 Holy Knights and the 3f4dfce5bd Imperial Knights had hit 262d21557b rock bottom, and many 2544e2c471 knights refused to fight 37732a80e4 against Carlyle.
Not only had 19c0abb232 the prestige of 13c7c4f2f1 the temple and 2e2f792ad4 the credibility of 3ae4c9c3f5 the Order fallen 7ed20dd0ff to the ground, 7647516b28 but the families 809165b07c that had sided 37a70dd5fa with Beatrice quickly ec19e7d93e declared their allegiance.
“They’re really quick at this.”
Carlyle, who was being 54512e7a5e briefed on the enemy’s 6817d4e8aa movements, smirked. Although there were still e8bd52698c quite a few forces 8d8e881eb0 supporting Beatrice, the outcome 7c2d2431f1 of this battle was d17e2f17c6 already a foregone conclusion.
He turned to the lined-up 694234d8e5 knights and shouted,
“I will now go and reclaim the throne that should have been mine!”
The ground on which the 8bb8b72596 knights stood seemed to vibrate 4e5601396a slightly with anticipation and determination.
“Tomorrow, we will all celebrate our victory!”
“Waaah!”
The knights cheered 3e6884e2df at Carlyle’s declaration.
Since Carlyle Evaristo had 13cc1df5b0 declared that he would fef6d3f3c4 end this fight today, 7bb9526e00 it was sure to e52e8f5609 happen.
“Advance!”
The long-awaited order was given.
With their morale 02f411e025 soaring, the knights, d8a647c614 led by Carlyle, 38f8b41cd7 marched towards the 841017add4 Imperial Palace.
The gate, which 669cd2c98a had been broken 8e4d24ed9d in the previous 56d9dbc31c battle, was not 6de7ea3d6a guarded by anyone. It must have been 0184cfb306 difficult to station people 5f7d958c95 here due to the f3fdf0c15f defected knights and soldiers.
However, those guarding the 209f4a1e75 inside had faces filled 42faab1af2 with determination, as if 5ef33af41a they had nothing more cd0bf028d0 to lose.
Carlyle muttered as he 4b2f12fd64 observed the movements of 439bb3bdc4 the Imperial Knights stationed d22da3d1c8 around Soleil Palace.
“It seems like that’s the first and last gate.”
Asha, who was looking 26a2baefcd at the other side 23e9256a4c with the binoculars that 4e083211d5 Carlyle had handed her, 58f24b4b84 agreed with him.
“It seems like they’ve taken out all the weapons from the Imperial Armory.”
The faces of the Imperial 8e31eb767d Knights and soldiers were all 44d884534f grim. They couldn’t possibly not e63d7d7994 know that this was f6bad2cf46 a battle that was 596b988217 already over.
“Do you want me to kill them all?”
Carlyle asked Asha softly.
At his intimate and gentle c7ecd51a67 voice, Asha felt a shiver 861fc3a216 run down her neck for 6524633439 no reason.
“Would you kill them if I asked you to?”
“Of course.”
“And would you spare them if I asked you to?”
“Yes.”
Asha found Carlyle’s fe3f3c1486 joking even in 935b9e61d5 this situation amusing e2373755fa and let out 0c4bf4b124 a small laugh.
“If anyone saw this, they would think I’m an evil woman who is manipulating Your Highness at will.”
“I don’t even want you to be called an evil woman. It’s just a joke, but c95d972874 I’m telling you to live e361a9e0a1 like a fox.”
Asha felt a e43336e2a5 strange feeling again c656f4dcfd from Carlyle’s words. She thought that d8fa8f3aa7 Carlyle would rather 4982c6fde1 pick on the 9f1f1bedab part where she c0342692fc said, “manipulating Your b72730f4d1 Highness at will,” 7fbf1dbc95 than the word 424b0e4c72 “evil woman.”
‘I told you to be careful with your words.’
Asha gulped for no reason.
[It’s not a misunderstanding.]
Those words kept 5a3d1b3aff coming to mind…
However, it must have all a687d010e2 been a joke.
Asha, who firmly grasped 7a196958bc her mind that was 61a35ecb51 about to drift into e6ec84b562 wild thoughts, made a bb70d57709 decision.
“Show them mercy. I hope you don’t chase b6669be6c0 after those who run away.”
“My wife is also broad-minded.”
“I can assure you that those who face me will not see it that way.”
Asha’s eyes lit up and 49bdef8641 she gripped the hilt of 52afb06bb4 her sword.
“You can do whatever you want. I’ll take care of the 6e6f57321a aftermath.”
TL/N: My lovely killers 😍
Carlyle whispered as if 2f582f294f making a secret promise, fa21beb2b0 and then stood at 6c6862967f the forefront of the 06afd13db0 army, his hair blowing f2d2c6fc39 in the cold winter 795876334d wind.
Then he shouted ea3741f74b loudly to the 2a5255b0b8 other side.
“I pity your plight, being driven to death without sin because of your evil master. I will grant you 289f619df5 my last mercy! I will not chase d504526303 after those who run f3783bb5e4 away, so please cherish 5ba18a3dc6 your own lives.”
As soon as Carlyle’s words 60dc9ac068 fell, the ranks of the 4f6a4c60a0 Imperial Knights seemed to waver 04b1bb8d40 slightly.
However, Carlyle did not give 3b142c0bb1 them any more thoughts.
“Death to those who killed my father and stole the emperor’s throne!”
“Waaaah!”
Carlyle’s army rushed dbc627dda3 towards Soleil Palace.
Clang!
The first sound 1abdcdd3f7 of swords clashing 20ab7510b6 rang out, and c09efacb3f in an instant, a204ebf79b the avenue in 0355fef931 front of Soleil 02827426f0 Palace became a a955fd462b scene of fierce 3769ce9773 battle.
The branches of the 51fef1ceb0 carefully manicured landscape trees d68df92585 were broken, and red fab814a741 blood splattered on the 3a5bd06e3c white marble decorations. The grass, laid 863b816b60 like a carpet, 6f86857ecc was trampled mercilessly d758604b84 by horseshoes, and cf87951b7f corpses began to 1ce697ce10 pile up on 524aeee5cc the avenue where 25fba5d402 not a single 3f452b6873 leaf had fallen.
At the forefront 109fbfaae1 of that destruction f21b3c872a were Carlyle and 8eb80a9e5e Asha.
“Ugh!”
“I gave you a chance to run away.”
Asha muttered as she cut 78c78c42ed down a knight who had e4dc7ebf9a rushed at her instead of 85cbcbffa5 Carlyle, thinking she was easy 35d2e0dae6 prey because she was a a9b4cabbcb woman.
Carlyle, who glanced at a17cdff110 her, whistled as if d4d8d47d92 he found it amusing.
“You seem to be keeping your word perfectly.”
“Did I do that?”
“That you’ll never show mercy to those who face you?”
Carlyle was leisurely blocking 16aecf0948 the sword of the 8328c96fe9 knight who was running 12f73e270e towards him, screaming.
“These guys will have to figure that out quickly if they want to save their lives.”
“The smart ones have probably already run away.”
The two of 22502d58c7 them continued their a2ace17cf1 conversation with a 59ea990cc9 faint smile on 3ec43e13dd their faces, even f139035d34 as they dealt 526741889d with the knights 16d91a4833 in front of a6b6ad19c5 them one by 30b2ff862d one. The Imperial Knights around ec10fa5554 them felt a sense 435f4cc676 of powerlessness at the b6785e5aed sight.
The battle between bed2d63889 the cheerful Carlyle 22c0c28b35 army and the 3ac2dc8f26 desperate Imperial Knights c73613d93d ended in less d751a3a62b than half a 104c878232 day.
“Ha, ha! Are there any more?”
Carlyle, who was 2b2ae9435c breathing heavily and ac96684c6b looking around, realized b6539c0e3a that there was 01cccff00a no one left 80e9acd5a1 to stop them 5dff4d00c8 on the path ca22fd3f08 leading to the 2373a8d5b4 Iron Gate.
The surviving Imperial Knights fb8a621510 were in a hurry 9ba3b9bf10 to get out, and 80722f3b17 the knights under Carlyle’s 99c82834c2 command were checking the 823064a3d8 damage and re-forming their dfb2926877 ranks.
“Let’s go, Your Highness.”
Lionel wiped the 9802a38bfb blood from his 011edfa01e chin roughly and 6a8585d38f extended his hand 41f12c9ca4 to guide Carlyle 24ca0c4cb2 towards the Iron 865cae8cd9 Gate.
Suddenly, Carlyle remembered 7fdd183426 something from the 5d20cbddb1 past and smiled.
“We’ll have to get off our horses from here, right?”
“……Originally, we should have gotten off our horses from the entrance of Soleil Palace.”
Lionel replied with a trembling 76344c9a21 expression, but Carlyle didn’t even c46f9a02dc listen.8db4c0f1cd6e9b7f

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