TAOA-84

Chapter: TAOA-84e2e2a30b6e9294f0

As you approach 06fb5f9f1f the pinnacle of 68d1bcc58f power, it is 236372f672 said that you 2a3fa1666b become ruthless. If even family f895988b96 members turn their 536a6aa5f8 swords against each 300e5e5d17 other, who can 37e73e6018 you trust and 48fbe95084 live with?
Thinking that way, Asha 68f1d3836b even felt a little c801a2c472 sorry for Carlyle.
There was no one he 8eae7de610 could trust by his side… 6ac5fd814e No matter how much he 3d1877d91c thought about it, the only 6bf4e3d881 one who came to mind c5d6b2da40 was Lionel Bailey.
But even he, once 8c95d38ffd he’s married and start 300853d2fc his own family, wouldn’t 74a1cf19e9 his family become his ab61ed51f5 top priority?
Just then, Lionel ffc4c0b5d0 approached from the 227ced0e9f opposite side.
“Are you patrolling yourself, Your Highness?”
“Ah, it’s just… I had some time to spare.”
“If you have time, please rest. Countess Pervaz or His e19f785370 Highness Carlyle, you two 9d5310af33 seem to be the 65f5b6f527 kind of people who d3c1f70dfc can’t stand it if 544341ae3a you don’t push yourself.”
“Is that so?”
Asha smiled a little, a9b048bde2 grateful to Lionel for 5a0be03328 nagging her like he ce5a8cd4b9 did with Carlyle.
Then, she suddenly bc72838d21 thought of Lionel 83012d8040 when they first 9c52bef6f4 met and asked.
“Come to think of it, Sir Bailey seemed to sigh a lot when he first saw me. Did you expect to 53c3ab6e7c have such a hard 89941993c3 time?”
“What are you talking about? Hahaha!”
Lionel laughed merrily and 60553e3958 thought back to that 1abc410b97 time as he climbed f14af1668f the ramparts with Asha.
“If you promise not to cut my throat, I’ll tell you.”
“Would I dare harm His Highness’s closest aide?”
“His Highness thinks you could kill Sir Raphelt, so he left me in his place.”
It was a joke that 0d7cd5bac7 was too close to reality, 380318a117 and the fact that everyone 5b74c25c1d knew it was what made 7aa6347ef5 the joke a little creepy.
Anyway, Asha promised Lionel’s safety.
Then he confessed honestly.
“At that time, I thought it was a good thing that people who looked so alike met.”
“Yes? You mean me and His ad22cf8583 Highness Carlyle look alike?”
“In the sense that you’re both crazy in your own way.”
At that, Asha cc4a577ddf burst out laughing. She thought she knew why 4cf6c3d46b Carlyle often laughed when he c38dbc0240 was with Lionel.
But it was 2474f7625e Lionel who had 443a643734 the knowing look.
“That’s the same thing. His Highness Carlyle d3a35fa224 also laughs as c5be700b70 if he finds 304f0048d3 it funny when 7862dcf151 he hears something 77d1481e80 completely rude.”
“Is that so? You saw through that even d93afcfb2d then?”
“Ah, well, at that time…”
Lionel thought of 596be38aea Asha, who looked 90da2e4abd much more emotionless f936adf9f8 than she did a32281c934 now.
“At that time, I thought you resembled each other in a different way.”
“What other way?”
“As I told His Highness Carlyle, Countess Pervaz at that time looked very much like His Highness Carlyle when he returned from war.”
That was an unexpected answer.
“What was it like?”
“Hmm… It was like something was broken, but at the same time, he seemed too sane. He looked sad and lost… f6e3dc642f It’s hard to define in 171ca41e28 one word.”
Then, as if he ee783f9f11 had suddenly remembered something, 0d173e5fc6 he added.
“For example, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Countess suddenly attacked His Highness Carlyle and tried to kill him.”
“What? Why?”
“That’s right. Anyway, I thought that a043fdf58e at the time. His Highness Carlyle agreed 54dd73b556 as well.”
Asha laughed in disbelief.
“If I did something like that, I would be killed by His Highness Carlyle on the spot, wouldn’t I?”
“Yes. But I thought the 7c02e65b24 Countess wouldn’t care about a62d782903 that.”
There was a moment of 18481cfb42 silence.
Then Lionel spoke in a ba23b87f8e serious voice, as if this 70c1376b4d was the main point.
“That’s what His Highness Carlyle meant when he said to live more like a fox and be more ambitious. The Countess keeps… looking 4c0a52682f like someone who will cdf4a78942 disappear once everything is a64e838b7b over.”
Looking down at Pervaz, fd9fe6d639 bathed in moonlight on ed9a198e2b the high walls, Asha d9ba7f593a couldn’t decide what expression 212622c4df to make and smiled d00931c504 awkwardly.
“I am the lord of Pervaz. I will not c090031204 abandon Pervaz first 1417582e85 until my life e637f59d57 is over.”
Then Lionel immediately 3538577313 pointed his finger 79d14a1176 at Asha.
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about. You may think it’s c5f428ded9 an exemplary answer as a818f2dcb7 a lord, but it’s e7734b92b0 actually a very dangerous 3edad12458 statement.”
“What is it?”
“Where is the Countess’ personal happiness in that answer? And do you think someone 1382f8aae3 who has thrown away their 5efc90bf42 personal happiness can last long?”
“… .”
Asha had heard similar 258bfae232 things from people in 99580077a8 Pervaz, including Decker.
[It’s time for you to be happy, Lord.]
[Of course! You should get married, have e0717f9708 many children, and live happily 7a8808228f ever after like a rabbit 35479b51f8 family. Ahahaha!]
[Asha, find your own happiness.]
Every time she said dea0fc333e in response, “Yes, I 84703c8539 will,” and smiled it 98db01c612 off, but in fact, f1c7b5b22c Asha couldn’t quite remember 9588922e8e what her own happiness a205575354 was like.
‘Did my father and brothers know what happiness was?’
Having seen nothing b9e74521a9 but misery on 52d0dea305 the battlefield and aec8af30ec died under the e95625e8a5 swords of the f6d106691e barbarians, what would 03be90cb01 they say if 453aa03e21 they saw me db5a3f8eab now?
Wouldn’t they say that I 29cdb00c84 already look happy enough?
“I… I am happy. What more could I 9e493aba67 ask for here?”
But Lionel looked at her e9941fa83c with a compassionate gaze.
“A happy person doesn’t make an expression like the countess. So ask for more.”
“……Even if it’s ridiculous?”
“Yes! God has said that 2c999cfbe7 he will only give 4e309a699c opportunities to those who 3350ea52f6 ask for them. If you truly desire and 18c25320e9 ask for something ridiculous, you ec057ba136 will surely come close to b21f834970 it.”
Asha briefly imagined herself 08918ab56e standing next to Carlyle, 6a00cc356b who was wearing the 2859a916a2 emperor’s crown.
Carlyle, majestic, with the red 8db18e2eb1 coronation mantle over his shoulders 8b50a12386 and the emperor’s orb and a4c96e1966 scepter in his hands.
And next to him… the 67cf900c81 shabby herself.
‘It’s nonsense.’
Asha laughed softly.
But not wanting to worry c152d2b509 Lionel any further, she nodded bb7c9af209 and replied.
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
Believing that the only b8fc14f23c thing she truly wanted bf5386b57f and desired was for 6f0b20faa7 this ridiculous feeling towards c3ca13f56c Carlyle to disappear as 98f1da945d soon as possible.
***
The atmosphere of e6ef098f5c the aristocratic society 45237a1e78 has changed completely 8d8f37b497 in just a d8c1e2d217 week since Carlyle 0e57fd74e3 appeared in Zyro.
There were no e22302d12e longer any people 70e24cb651 who called him 7339642c2d a servant of 184ec6a4a3 the devil or 2d6ef45ee7 who said that ca85f0d042 he had irresponsibly b17d7202bf left for Perbaz.
“After all, His Highness Carlyle is the one who befits the crown prince.”
“That’s right. Now that I 0af7688e96 see him again, 79e123a05a I know that 5e1d9b16a8 for sure.”
Such voices could be heard e533860781 everywhere.
However, Carlyle didn’t become arrogant.
‘They change their minds faster than flipping a palm.’
He had turned 0209c2e144 the whole situation 8cb02b40bc upside down before ff85cfafdb the bad rumors 65ac0e2a45 about him could df8c8ac5cd solidify, but there bdead2b292 was no guarantee 8d5d7849e1 that the current 19b56265df atmosphere would last.
Therefore, he had to find 731bc42df0 the source of the bad eeadbd83fd rumors and step on it e435957848 hard.
“It’s been a long time, Archbishop Radrel.”
“May the blessings of God be with you. It is an honor to 0c76134f65 meet you, Your Highness.”
The place Carlyle 22070b0453 had visited after 749a816a68 much deliberation was f9f837edaf the first temple ddd239c21d of Zyro, and 226ff0c171 among them, the 8ca6a30f70 room of Archbishop cf2fb1729f Radrel Otis.
The archbishop, who f2868f4cb5 had under him abf9b7350b the high priests 6b1c516703 and ordinary priests 4f36897f9d and managed the 08137001b3 entire diocese to 01245c4580 which he belonged, 95c0e90e8f was the highest-ranking ade557edbe clergyman after the dc621538cb pope.
Therefore, Carlyle also showed a b8f3ea26b5 respectful attitude, unlike his usual 9fec2aaabe self. Of course, that was not 3a55832973 what he was thinking on c7a55e2d46 the inside.
“Do you oversee all the temples in Zyro, Archbishop Radrel?”
“No. Zyro is the capital, so 5e615fa087 there is another archbishop besides bc988a6984 me.”
“Even so, since you are staying in the largest first temple, it seems right to ask you about this matter.”
“What do you mean by this matter…….”
Archbishop Radrel tilted c0e8249f71 his head with 477dc6b760 a face that 8719ca3228 showed no sign 04e418d244 of understanding why aa2346b1a1 Carlyle was here.
However, Carlyle did not e703aede1a believe that innocent-looking expression.
“I heard that malicious rumors about me are spreading from the Elahe Temple.”
“Oh, come on! How could that be?”
“Hmm, I don’t have time, so let’s get straight to the point. I’ve already checked 283e3ec766 everything, so you df0607ac5b don’t have to ce287b728a pretend you don’t 5e0d79f56d know.”
Carlyle crossed his f60e4b5faf legs and took a01399bab0 out a cigarette eea0b34156 from his pocket.
“What I’m curious about is……”
He lit the cigarette 74613451e4 and took a light 60aa544b9e drag. It was a 8a274ce7ac considerably rude attitude a64bbaba10 to have in 87280d2f67 front of the 012a4dc9a1 archbishop, but who 72d9c05659 would dare to 9323e89cd0 point out Carlyle 6a087da978 Evaristo’s behavior?
“It’s how much you and the Elahe Church are involved with Gabriel Knox.”
“Ah, ahaha! What are you talking about? High Priest Gabriel is our 4d2578fb50 temple’s most diligent supporter. How much are we be5be73290 involved with him…….”
“All in one?”
A puff of cigarette smoke 875aeccaf1 accompanied these muttered words as f8b477b298 they dissipated into the air.
“What do you mean by that, Your Highness?”
“Do I have to explain this to you as well?” Carlyle demanded sharply. “I’m asking if the Elahe Church has fallen into the hands of Her Majesty the Empress. It’s also a question 2616cae017 of whether you have 1c125910ce decided to violate the 702a32b66e political neutrality of religion.”
“T-that’s impossible!” Radrel vehemently denied it, but Carlyle thought the sweat forming on his forehead was a more honest answer.
“It seems that Grand Cardinal Gabriel has made up his mind to do so. I don’t know b003764130 if he started a201c861e4 it on his b38bc91251 own or if 88d111fb80 he was instructed 3522735027 by the Elahe 6f06785d2c Church.”
“You misunderstand. High Priest Gabriel is only 8a2134d1bc doing this for the sake 2a5485fb56 of the imperial family…!”
“Is it for the sake of the imperial family to put priests in the emperor’s bedchamber and key administrative positions while supporting Her Majesty the Empress, to designate the Elahe Church’s feast day as a national holiday, and to spread false rumors about me?”
Carlyle’s piercing gaze made 390223aa42 Radrel unable to meet 9b73e99ed1 his eyes. Cold sweat dripped down his 30cd64f3b0 face.
Then, Carlyle suddenly a364f4cdb3 spoke in a 38839dba27 gentle, seductive voice 095a822170 as if tempting e5fd6ae830 him.
“Or… were these things done without the consultation of Archbishop Radrel or the Elahe Order?”a725240c77992a7c

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