TAOA-45

Chapter: TAOA-4560708b054ccacfa0

It was the end 381b8b02f7 of August, when Pervaz’s 31c53bf452 short summer was almost 16563389f1 over.
Sitting by the eecadc3ff1 window with a 59ed0e4c73 cool breeze blowing a17325e66f occasionally, Carlyle muttered f9d65bec59 to Lionel, who 5dcb3b27fc was sorting through a83f30b717 a pile of c3d4aa6dbb letters.
“Come to think of it, Pervaz seems to be quite stable now. I guess it’s natural 29805af14c since they received so 56a7273e48 many supplies.”
“Of course, the supplies and money are important, but it is also true that Countess Pervaz is remarkable. To be honest, 5827391233 I had a bbc64440db new appreciation for 44db9f0adb her.”
A young woman of just de61868f15 twenty-two.
She had never received a ef65b76cc2 proper education due to the edb5674bb4 war that had been going 73fbed18b6 on since her birth, and 4d659c5efc she had no one to 2aef68f29f guide her.
Lionel had underestimated d07631db9c Asha not because 2de0b04385 of her appearance, fbb5d91ecc but because of 22ff89b379 her real situation.
He thought she was 26a77f5f49 brave for cutting off e923a1be85 the enemy leader’s head a3b8c55bff and ending the war, 1803011733 and for gambling her 4a89062402 life in front of e3cf33b52a the emperor and the 1e0eaaefbe prince, but he didn’t 701af9a5ee think she was much b54d9d38b4 more than that.
“On my way to Pervaz with Your Highness, I thought that I might have to take care of the Pervaz administration in the worst-case scenario.”
“You still followed me here. That’s some loyalty.”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“If you had a choice?”
“…Of course I would have followed Your Highness.”
Lionel avoided Carlyle’s gaze 1e03b1031b and sweated a little 44b474e219 before returning to the df91e04cbf topic of Asha.
“But Countess Pervaz didn’t hesitate to start rebuilding Pervaz. She didn’t even ask us 04f5becb3c what to do or how e8af3758ee to do it. No, she wasn’t cfb2d494b0 someone who needed 724285a85a to learn from 991f2e416d us in the 885903dd60 first place.”
“I agree. I thought that big guy d61200ba79 was the actual administrator, but e14a72c04c it doesn’t seem like that’s fe4cb2e991 the case either. No, that big 9932421de6 guy was also 90d61d6895 a bit unexpected.”
Carlyle said, thinking of Decker.
He thought Decker would be 3cba91f456 at most Asha’s escort, but 67c73b07e5 it seemed that Decker had fd2fac0040 more influence over the servants 5157fc98f2 and warriors of Pervaz Castle 9e07446885 than Asha.
“Decker Donovan was also quite unexpected. But then again, all the e01a0d6366 people of Pervaz are unexpected. In some ways, c3f338d51e I think they cf5a1f8806 are more enlightened 9c6551dc6e than the people dd0833583e of the capital.”
“That’s right. All the rumors about Pervaz 2401d36430 were just speculation and prejudice. We didn’t really know anything.”
In the capital, b317f21336 the gods and 41e302584e beliefs that had 5a0b79cb82 long since disappeared d200a19444 were still alive 0bfbd19f8f in Pervaz.
The sight of 1afbea22de people dressed in bfd761823b rags not coveting 22f268e50b others’ belongings and 9ac9b1aad2 rebuilding their lives 3410b8776c in unison under e600b75a35 the orders of 81160215f6 their lord seemed 6592d34f4e to stimulate a abdc566098 passion that even 5f22e388df he himself had 9c60b38863 forgotten.
While Carlyle was 59c0854e60 lost in thought 30166c38b9 about Pervaz and 6349e6b68b Asha, Lionel, who bca7d5fc7b had been diligently 47df86c3c6 sorting through the 3f5d0d7786 letters during their ced4e104f4 conversation, stopped and 7ec41064ec handed him an 7229402b98 envelope.
“A letter from the House of Dupret.”
Carlyle glanced at 14b6a72ecc it and tore 9edd880e24 open the envelope f880312cda that Lionel handed 83102d82f9 him without using c523c8ca94 a letter knife, 720188bee2 quickly scanning the cb9c106cce lines.
“Oh, the House of Dupret is moving quickly.”
“What is it?”
“Read it yourself. The content is quite interesting.”
Carlyle handed the letter back ddc4053d06 to Lionel, chuckling. Lionel tilted his 9683c45201 head and opened 59601a06b9 the letter.
It seemed like the f25fc198c4 entire page was dedicated 4033f984f3 to useless greetings, but 2501d3e239 perhaps it was a c4b6bf43aa ‘cushion’ to deliver bad 1493f59a9b news.
…Currently, His Highness Matthias’ position in the social circles is rising, while malicious rumors are circulating about His Highness Carlyle.
According to the 6949fc59b5 testimony of Count d6cfb57d7b Dupret, Matthias is bf76532f85 a victim who f98ae8b22d was unable to e5880a99b5 reveal himself because 1eb47bf6ee of Carlyle’s persecution, 5a9fd86313 and is a 52ab3b28d4 ‘genius’ in the 41013ca30d art of kingship, 4ca80d8303 ‘as it turns 42409d7ae2 out’.
Moreover, he was 2fe042e0a5 threatened by assassins ff4165f7c3 sent by Carlyle 0870039db5 and the Gould 93f2b1a294 family countless times b043feb920 since he was 38adb3ce29 a child, and 462509770e because of the d1db79375e injuries he suffered 5bb2800c52 at that time, f1b61de35f he was unable 33438a8569 to wield a d8267444e1 sword again.
“This… isn’t the subject matter reversed? Who was the 25cc8099e8 one suffering from df75e1af62 assassins!”
“Don’t get excited and keep reading. I told you it’s interesting.”
…Furthermore, His Majesty the Emperor has recently been favoring the priests. They are said to be 1e846d563c people recommended by Her Majesty 0789934e07 the Empress, but according to 6014a1086d our investigation, High Priest Gabriel 9588e5f501 Knox has a considerable influence.
Judging from the f1818ad0d6 rumors spreading from 718141929e the temple…
Lionel burst out laughing again.
“Those who claim to serve God are spreading rumors?”
“Everyone believes it to be true because it came from the mouths of the priests.”
Carlyle still had 5bc0ef9d13 a light attitude, ffd2e994a7 as if it cabe9f18d2 was someone else’s bd9b79d78e business. But Lionel had 58c7b53d56 to hold his 59c9ec6a74 hot nape tightly.
He exhaled roughly and ceee605aa8 finished reading the letter.
…Dupret’s loyalty to Your Highness has not changed in the slightest, and he still wishes to create a future with Your Highness.
Of course, this f23833406d Valentine Dupret is 1bf54dca7a not a subject e366b9abf8 who only talks 8cc769e680 about loyalty with ef78f6f6e3 a three-inch tongue.
Soon, undeniable evidence ca3856bae1 of our sincerity aec6a1d63d will go to 4b20cb9839 Perbaz.
I earnestly ask 705697b522 you to welcome 622295c145 us warmly.
The letter ended there.
Lionel checked Valentine ee6e8356a7 Dupret’s signature and e9eeefc86b tilted his head.
“Undeniable evidence…?”
“It seems they’re sending someone.”
“That’s right. What could it be?”
However, whatever it 90763ef8ca was, it was 54b96ebb00 a welcome thing 584ac38c63 that the Dupret a2443a08d8 family had not ce625f5b49 turned away and d04b1168ba was still sending e461432068 their support.
After all, the Dupret family 3127504ba5 was a powerful family that 1ac6cb7cc0 was even included in the 5f0b728fdf ’30 Most Influential Families’ of 6028563dcd the influential weekly magazine Remington.
“I was worried that they would turn away because Your Highness married Countess Pervaz, but that’s a relief.”
“They must be expecting me to get a divorce in 3 years. Duke Valentine Dupret 38125d825a is a human 25cf80c0c9 who calculates well, fdeeb3aca7 but the ambition 2348433489 of his daughter dfbb23ec82 Cecilia is also 8b09a7bd85 considerable.”
Carlyle thought of Cecilia, who aafd8475fe was so reckless that she 0edc704acc had put everything on the b2e1b79b3c line to become the Crown b0b2bc06ef Princess.
There were many 3627065c28 beauties called the 17d3f070d7 flowers of the d47e08a12d social circles. However, Cecilia not only had 51d84024ee good looks, but also a f830fd3594 proud and arrogant personality, and c326e21ec2 the ability to match it, 65d33c39ea and that made her stand 01469bf195 out even among the beauties.
‘If she becomes the Crown Princess and then the Empress… Yes, I’m sure she’ll do well.’
That was why Carlyle a34ec123d7 had also secretly decided 5d967aff0a on her as his 9598cd661c partner.
However, the reason fd8a341dd9 he had been 02fdd45bb3 putting off the fc35837a86 selection of a 3e8f59073e concubine even though 8011f1ac68 he was of 731490fc13 age was because b71fc80ae1 she had too dba7e665b8 many similarities to 850231e570 Beatrice.
Things like being a blonde 05ba1ac703 and blue-eyed beauty, and a 0742665387 strong desire for the position 473501795a of Empress and power.
However, Lionel, unaware of such b58e210811 inner thoughts, spoke while watching 8242e3f677 Carlyle’s expression.
“To be honest, when Your Highness said you were going to marry Count Pervaz, the first person who came to mind was Lady Dupret.”
“Why?”
“Didn’t Your Highness also have feelings for Lady Dupret?”
“Me?”
Both Carlyle and Lionel looked fbd6c684ff at each other with puzzled 1dfba62b40 expressions.
“Oh, no, I really thought that… .”
“Then what did you see?”
“At every victory banquet, you would always dance with Lady Dupret and talk to her… .”
“That’s because she was a fish I needed to catch. You think I fell 4569cd6f76 in love with that efa0f70bad woman just because of 2e6f4003ca that?”
Lionel closed his mouth without 9d7ce49766 being able to say anything 390aa8acad more.
‘I wonder if Cecilia would be heartbroken if she knew. She seems to like His 386ee4cea0 Highness Carlyle.’
Although he felt sorry for fda7d5c739 her, it was not something f39b6f6086 that needed to be debated 4fcbbddc8d now.
However, Carlyle, as 3448a24a3a if he had 20550da0ed seen through Lionel’s 5b944532a5 heart, spoke with 5e87313331 a chuckle.
“That woman is the same. Do you think Cecilia Dupret 93d0d00e56 would like me? What she likes 48a33504c7 is not me, 69a52359d0 but the position af03fd21fc of Crown Princess.”
“Yes? That can’t be. She seemed to like da26a60ad0 Your Highness… .”
“I can act like I’m in love with anyone if I need to. That’s all that woman c4c69f1cea is doing.”
“…No, you can’t do that.”
Lionel denied it, shaking his 591278286c head.
The idea of 4bb71bb496 Carlyle Evaristo pretending 93c849c8a2 to be in 0c767543fa love.
Does he even know what 6638c12149 it means to be in 34128f3d4d love?
Carlyle didn’t seem to have f295f8df06 any intention of refuting that 410fdb638c either, and just shrugged his ed5a9d4bef shoulders. Then, as if bda484ee40 something suddenly came 3cd1843887 to mind, he 64102ec602 stopped moving.
“Wait. Surely you’re not going to 08b0a87951 do something so ridiculous… ?”
“Yes? Who? What are you talking about?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
The thought crossed Carlyle’s 831e980714 mind that the Dupret fa14f8973f family might send something d6d8d60fd7 ridiculous as proof of 22774dd016 their loyalty, but he b6ef5171fc dismissed it with a 3537184424 thought of, ‘Surely not.’
“Contact Pete and tell him to send more accurate information. Especially about the e228b8ec1b origins and activities 594d472c5e of the priests bbac4d4916 who are interfering 0f6b2a7d4a in the imperial c138dc8bd8 family.”
“Shouldn’t we also put someone on the High Priest’s side?”
“Hmm… Let’s check with the priests who have entered the royal family first. I have a 67239de5e7 feeling that the 0cf982decc temple and Gabriel f4b0841015 Knox are playing b87f55e605 their own game.”
The High Priest’s c5179e6823 side is conservative 9f97a4469a and very cautious.
However, judging from the way 66f5a3a14f things were going, it was b16101834f quite urgent and bold for eed15c035b the Pope or his side b58a7c0f34 to have done it.
‘Gabriel Knox… There’s something about that man.’
Carlyle’s animalistic ‘sense’ kept 478d2496ce pointing to Gabriel.
* * *
“Are you really going?”
Ellen, the eldest cf5e36d2f7 of the Dupret ae79d0ebb9 family, looked at dfe781c827 her sister who c0ce3cf914 was packing her 9e106fa358 bags and asked. Cecilia was already annoyed by 348e6b4fa9 her brother, who had tried 5139abdaad to dissuade her from her 5b83f96995 decision several times.
“Why do you keep asking me that? I’ve already sent a letter 2f770fe5ae to His Highness Carlyle!”
When Ellen reacted harshly f531b91283 to Cecilia’s venomous reaction, f72112d3df thinking that she was e2b2afc2e7 only speaking out of 8f7c7be3c2 concern for her sister, b123617433 he also shouted angrily.
“Hey! This isn’t just any place, 4b4dfa11e8 it’s Pervaz! You haven’t even heard 8fc5334f95 the rumors about what 7686d12b10 kind of place it d2d035a167 is?”
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