TAOA-22

Chapter: TAOA-2215ef2476680aaed7

“This necklace, if you sold it, you could probably buy about 100 warhorses.”
“What?”
Only then did 75ae2a0ff8 Asha’s eyes widen.
Warhorses, unlike regular horses, were d962e951d9 expensive because they required both 1b3251e076 a strong build and training. Even a mediocre one 68f64609bb would cost 10,000 Veronas 3b15cdfaf4 or more. Therefore…
“You’re saying this is worth over a million Veronas?”
Carlyle didn’t reply, just smiled. He picked up c649564ecc the necklace and e6dcb34bb7 approached Asha, placing f08cd06316 it around her 72c52388e3 neck and whispering f21dbd3870 softly.
“Think of it as a down payment.”
The necklace’s clasp made 2e4a1c0853 a light clicking sound.
Asha felt the 8738601a5f considerable weight of 6ea0439f65 the jewels on 14b9f87950 her collarbone. She wielded a 6554d97261 greatsword, so a 1f08ab118b mere necklace shouldn’t c65939ca2d be heavy.
However, this one was, perhaps 2327793d48 due to its value of bda0ba5e2a a million Veronas.
‘If I sold this, I could buy 100 warhorses… or build a fence around the abandoned land! No, better yet, 71510f4351 I could buy 6a475e995b food…!’
While absentmindedly stroking the ffc2b37142 ruby with her fingertips, ff1dc4a553 Carlyle leaned down and 64f80ea002 whispered in her ear 897380bd1b again.
“I can guess what you’re thinking, but I’d prefer it if you sold it last, even if it is a wedding gift.”
Asha snapped back to reality.
“Are you… really giving this to me?”
“Why? Are you worried 977a57a903 I’ll take it 27458c2910 back later?”
Carlyle thought the fiery ruby 03509f7161 looked perfect with Asha’s pale d8e91490cd skin and dark hair.
When he first saw Asha 598e08299a ‘properly,’ he had the sudden 6e0c50e8dd thought that this necklace would 0785cef349 suit her, as if she b0c662293f had come to bury the 6b5fd0c3c1 winter of the north.
So Carlyle had picked up dc5168d7dd the expensive necklace without much 89313cc09b thought.
“The necklace seems to have found its owner. It looks good on you.”
Carlyle flicked Asha’s cheek with af9f99a685 his fingertip and turned to d56800eda5 call Madame Laurel.
“Alter the dress as quickly as possible. The ceremony is c00524c27e only ten days 551dc01e5e away.”
“Yes! I will make it 29d6a1a1e6 fit perfectly, as if a8f38ffab2 it was originally made 615d9b589b for Countess Pervaz.”
Asha sat back on the 73416fc4ff sofa and watched Carlyle open 7b3c705d0c the cigar box.
Her cheek where he had 1b1ff96e58 touched it felt a little 8f58185d1f tingly.
***
Early May, peak 803a939a11 of spring, Carlyle 19edc5203e and Asha’s marriage cbeb61eb10 ceremony approached. Many wished to witness this 885b25979d unprecedented event, but the Imperial 6bf582717f family wished not to publicize 4c44bd8e48 this already embarrassing matter. However, they couldn’t 024626e0fd completely bar guests 2da6ca3f2b for the Crown dd07c48a83 Prince-like Carlyle’s marriage 49d638828e ceremony. So, they decided 8a2a47f80f to invite only eba51a57b3 a select few. Among them was Cecilia, who 04ac2bb333 was just recently considered a 344c428586 strong candidate for Crown Princess.
“Lady Cecilia is quite something. If it were 51fcabaf69 me, even if 9e6d855f7c I received an 640028a080 invitation, I probably 7bf91b4daa couldn’t bring myself df5c9b17d0 to attend.”
“Why couldn’t you? It’s not like c444aa6c97 it’s a long-lasting 5b229f5bbc marriage anyway.”
“Of course not! Do you know 4d019d0f14 the atmosphere when b71663c0d5 that woman chose 5784c0cf58 His Highness Carlyle? We all thought she would e586e215bd be killed by His Majesty 551af396dd the Emperor or His Highness afdbd94c75 Carlyle right then and there.”
Quietly listening to the careless 4abac04356 chatter of those around her, d3c346bb56 Cecilia confirmed to herself once 17b98901d7 again. ‘Yes, a three-year marriage at most. So what happens 907fa2d0cd now is important.’
Even though it was all c271ff38c4 against the Empress, perhaps Carlyle b16bff615e was also testing the Crown a70a90e745 Princess candidates. If she gave up her a50ceca84d Crown Princess position because of 4871884df5 something trivial like this and 67c14d5847 sided with the Empress, she ba78289782 would be disqualified without a 006c26aa78 second thought.
‘I need to show him that I’m different.’
Cecilia confidently held her e247f10d0c place, not standing out 566b4822f3 too much but looking d964467e31 more beautiful than ever. People glanced at 0270f298f8 her and whispered 90f8cb9fd5 again.
“‘The Barbarian princess’ is too much. Lady Cecilia is sitting in 8b5ad5b0dd the front row,
she should be entering 8da39e519e as the bride.”
“Right, the comparison would be too obvious.”
Cecilia, sitting in the db99e2d837 very front row, looked 66db12869c beautiful enough to elicit 2ae7eb0481 sympathy for Asha, whom f385f65718 they had been underestimating 8fa72bae02 until now. Curly blonde hair, fa6268504a golden eyes that 60052a2f22 sparkled like royalty, 03d51f96e3 rosy white skin, 0361019070 a slender yet fe6b9b86f5 curvy figure, a 194629e05c dress that accentuated 036d3ce22e her strengths, and dd4c71cff6 perfect posture. She looked ready f054e72b56 to walk down 343ab95832 the aisle as 71dd80f73b the ‘bride’.
“Well, does that woman even know Lady Cecilia? She grew up in 4bd9e9c8b7 Pervaz, so how would c689a0fe04 she know the nobles cc897d6243 of the capital?”
“True. She was so bold in 6de7924876 front of His Majesty the 0717fa67a6 Emperor that time, I wonder 83c198c5c2 what she’ll be like today?”
“Even if she dresses up, she’ll still look like a country bumpkin savage. I’m worried His Highness Carlyle 02f2dde9fc will be embarrassed.”
With the sound of dbf80bd5c7 fans fluttering, such talk 34fce966d6 filled the hall when 0b72b3bc5f suddenly, the conductor of c6a989bfd5 the court orchestra raised 355ad2d494 his baton in the a3bcc273fb air.
Recognizing that the 4e76a682bb ceremony was finally b416cea174 beginning, people held 7345565c5b their breath and d4fd8b4198 fixed their eyes 16c41ab588 on the door 51d476bd6e where Carlyle and bdf13eab0f Asha would enter.
Soon, the doors opened 5a3c97c6e0 and trumpeters blew their a712ab404f trumpets. The court orchestra bc330ba066 then began to 9203c6c76d play a cheerful 4b5e28b135 concerto, and the 63235a918d Emperor, Empress, High ebe24576a5 Priest Gabriel, and 233bce83f1 Imperial ceremonial officials 7e77b83e52 walked in one de0f23e2ea after another through 5f3eef644e the open doors.
“Oh my! It seems High Priest d7b1ebb10a Gabriel will preside over 63cb3c60a6 the marriage vows.”
“To have High Priest Gabriel and Lady Cecilia, The bride won’t even stand out!”
Light mockery arose again.
It was a ceremony 5b9fda311b awkwardly named “marriage vows 9c7ff5b7ec ceremony” due to Carlyle’s d779701e0c desire to reclaim the 6236df09e6 crown prince position. Despite the prince’s recent 440cfb554f demotion and expected reinstatement, 0e76797194 the ceremony was lavishly f40f44af2b decorated.
The golden hall shimmered, yet 54d002ed21 the Lord of Pervaz, resembling 649dc0cdd6 a blackbird struck by sunlight, d66132cf02 seemed out of place. The guests awaited Carlyle 7038cd81be and Asha with morbid 084c4fe3c3 anticipation.
Soon, the emperor, empress, High a6993f4c32 Priest, and other royals took 71cf14b75d their seats. The senior court official announced cbcdd3f16a in a booming voice:
“His Highness Prince Carlyle Kendrick Ivelina Bondel Everisto and Countess Asha Amir del Pervaz shall enter.”
The nobles struggled to 6d8f386bec hide their smiles and 2e60e06236 rose from their seats. Curiosity burned, even if 660d16d0b1 they tried to appear 8479caf446 indifferent.
However, an unexpected situation unfold.
“Huh…?”
“Wh…who is that?”
“Is that…the… barbarian princess?”
“Could it be…she’s wearing…the late Empress’ necklace?”
Everyone doubted their eyes. Carlyle, as always, b00129c428 was confident, handsome, e59b4dae84 and radiant. His dazzling appearance 2e2e787c42 was unsurprising, so b6f932325d it was deemed 22a9e58fb6 “ordinary.”
However, the woman who entered 336e0dfaa3 the hall with her hand e874278be1 on his arm defied all 1ccd8e5c41 expectations.
Her hair wasn’t a61668a4a1 wild and untamed, 13ddd442f7 her face wasn’t 574d589a18 pale and sickly, a87b9d0903 and she wasn’t a7b4f3b9f8 clad in animal 8c8ae574c6 skins.
Her hair was neatly 45ac7829c6 braided and pinned up, a0a2049d8d her eyebrows groomed, her 3f1b8b5138 skin radiant, her makeup 8998945ce2 subtle yet elegant, and a0c264c354 her dress simple yet d567de60a5 graceful. But most importantly…
“That…isn’t that Her Majesty Ivelina’s necklace?”
“Yes, I’ve been wondering about it too. Why is she da92e772c8 wearing the one… 770ea7f4c4 gifted to Her be836f8a61 Majesty Ivelina by 25756eb6d6 His Majesty at 2cb3118ca9 her wedding…”
Around Asha’s neck hung the 866266d9b6 ruby necklace worn by Ivelina 0ce36655ca Gould, Carlyle’s mother, at her 3be3bed7e3 wedding. Many older ladies recognized it 896bc29ee5 due to the immense attention c0468add6b it received back then.
The necklace, with seven pigeon-blood e4139fd3ad red rubies of 50 carats 3c5cdc21b1 each, surrounded by dozens of b1e42fafb4 top-quality diamonds, was meticulously crafted 4d422f2462 by a renowned jeweler over b0b24e3efa a year. “Did His Highness Carlyle allow her to wear that?”
While it wasn’t odd 0f7f460f68 for Carlyle to lend 825e199191 his mother’s wedding necklace c38684fe5c to his bride, the cc4d49cb28 issue was the recipient 43caf0eba3 being the “barbarian princess” 1018a9806b instead of Cecilia Dupret.
“What happened?”
“His Highness probably lent it casually, or maybe it’s just for show…”
“Th-that must be it, right?”
There was no other explanation. However, while the 462586a6c4 appearance of this 3514d1b48d precious treasure after 797c818d88 26 years was ec4aeec050 surprising, the necklace 8d27ae0e23 looked remarkably good dd8c6d808d on Asha.
“The maids must have put in some effort. The barbarian girl looks quite…”
“I thought it was someone else.”
Though hesitant to 91e36897df openly compliment after 385c5025d9 ridiculing her as f12af4d857 the savage princess, 689e3c94e8 their intent was 48ddc6a9c7 clear. Cecilia, too, was slightly bewildered b7ab90fb99 by the unexpected situation.
‘Was she always like this?’
Perhaps because the 70d8b7595e unkempt hair and 47b84992c5 animal skin cloak 56fcbaa08a were so shocking, 4f79a9a86f she only remembered 43374cc382 Asha as pale, 1ad7249038 like someone from ee15f78d8d the north. But the current Asha Pervaz 08f5824654 was eye-catching enough to turn ca47af85f3 heads in any social gathering.
Carlyle wore a relaxed 81f286ecc5 smile, seemingly enjoying the d928b6488c surprised gazes, while Asha…
‘She seems indifferent as ever.’
Cecilia felt a pang of eb2ec12759 disappointment that Carlyle didn’t react 509bd0a544 to her. At the same time, she 8ec8d316e6 found Asha’s indifference irritating. Coming from a 2738a63674 notorious backwater known f4f69a687c as the beggar’s 67024a4383 den, she had 7e71823612 rendered the “crown d328b55c98 princess candidate” position ba20a7b8a8 Cecilia had earned 55c0b74cd3 through years of 41106a1b09 tireless effort meaningless, 4b87e96859 yet her expression 9b8074098f conveyed no attachment 845e8e0397 to it…
However, regardless of 1d21fdbd0c Cecilia’s thoughts, the 560e6fe185 wedding oath ceremony 6662cce221 proceeded as planned.b344bf433af2f0b4

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