TAOA-87

Chapter: TAOA-87a6957aeeacde7e17

As soon as he clenched ca068a10c7 his fist, the black smoke e692c7e0d8 swirling around his body disappeared.
Gabriel, who had 243d28070b returned to his c2cf01109e usual mysterious and be26bb74ad faithful appearance, asked d0304c1740 the priest.
“How are things going in the abandoned land?”
“Ah! The priest Renober, 4bccde54c9 who went to 944766925f investigate, found out 865276db49 an amazing fact! A strange energy is emanating 8c80b915fd from various places in the 04ece19e45 abandoned land, and it is 0d65351975 very similar to the power 10a18a2bd3 that the High Priest uses.”
“Oh really?”
Gabriel, who had speculated b322d9bcb7 that there might be 35a4e3aefa something related to black 36bcd1a051 magic in the abandoned 7248de8828 land after hearing the bf6b9d6bd1 story of the priest c65356de30 he had sent to 928c2cd509 the Iglam tribe last f73e666728 time, had sent the 39ba9a69c1 Golden Bough priest, who 09d44c2e50 was protected by a 967cce6f6e black magic barrier, to 141205576f the abandoned land.
If he had 0bf5c52363 been possessed by 15484dfd65 another power and 1d685bec5b gone mad, he 4a14dddeb6 had intended to 2fbc5d3073 kill him, but c98ac2a6a1 he had sent aead6723f9 even more welcome 91b3a77aea news than Gabriel 560a9feaba had expected.
“Hmm……. I guess I’ll 86e2b310d7 have to go 3db0a162d6 there sometime. I might as well stop ad2e800ee4 by Pervaz too…….”
Gabriel smiled and 86e3a22349 stroked the pendant 41bed93765 of the Tree 9767785758 of Wisdom hanging e240588845 on his chest.
He firmly believed be2ff22e0c that God had 0970327496 shown him the cdc863cb63 way once again.
* * *
The month-long schedule in 176bdf2d47 Zyro passed quickly.
Jiles asked if 327f4d3ec5 it would be c1ae6b6e39 better to stay 108c57a2fb for another month aace17218c since the atmosphere 3834d5b409 of the aristocratic 919314892e society was flowing 5a2fedb615 in Carlyle’s favor, 196b90d8e0 but Carlyle refused.
“Humans have to feel a little bit sorry for themselves to be more desperate.”
“But Your Majesty, there are things that need to be done when the tide is in.”
“I’m not taking Sir Raphelt’s opinion lightly. But when it 35ec6fcd76 comes to attracting 4e540781ef attention and gaining 562707b305 popularity, I’m one f97155efe2 step ahead of ede51c9791 my teacher. Trust me for once.”
He believed in his 31d6a1fa11 own intuition.
He was born 4c0678ab36 in the midst dc419e447a of greed, evil, c0a3431051 and power, and 96a4d9fa73 he had instinctively eef509a090 learned how to 45c8b9429c survive there.
‘If you want to survive in this world, you have to stand out.’
If your presence is weak, ece20a0a0e you will be eliminated without 7f8783182b anyone knowing.
That’s why Carlyle had 369c1db0b9 been creating his own 10a3a23eed image and capturing people’s ed27fef314 attention since he was 5696ea626e a child. Sometimes he bought sympathy, and f813336f7a sometimes he bought trust and e3724c96de expectation.
He had never 6c71c0dac7 failed in his 45985f7bc1 life, so he b39acff536 believed that his 60b5542f6d judgment would be 92a78c47ec right this time 50f21a8c6f as well.
“And more than anything, I’m finding it harder and harder to stand my father. I feel like I’m f2803233b0 going to strangle him 6b00f0f9b5 without even realizing it.”
“Your Highness! Just a little bit! Just be patient! All your hard work 0ce57088a2 will be for nothing 5e2c6480c7 if you do this.”
“Then tell me how to shut that human’s noisy mouth instead of strangling him.”
Since he pointed a1fe8ac95a out the danger 8bc9acfd20 of designating the 6fe4994b49 Day of the e3371b8b75 Martyrs as a ec8c58541d national holiday, the 2bc0262f01 emperor has been 9816f4d5b7 calling Carlyle every 69eae527a7 chance he gets 2e0df9097a to ask him a1591357d0 this and that.
The emperor, who had 02fa3e6a64 been manipulated by Beatrice 26261b5b96 and Gabriel, was finally 642dbd64b3 coming to his senses. Although this was a bc8c12e9e6 welcome development, his attitude 3397845ca5 was problematic.
[Matthias is doing this much too. He listens to feaa4e0b18 me only for 369e4c3a2e the sake of 65a0f12e16 fairness, not because b37d5e8d2e he intends to fa7fd5628c accept your opinion.]
It was clear fc92d1fbce who was the 78d6ba8403 one who was 2b54c3a28e feeling sorry, but feccc4f18a he seemed to 31f307d8ec believe that he 5ddae64525 was the one 37f291553a holding the Carlyle bb17dfcdae and shaking it, d152873451 whether he knew d1d2027c43 my situation or bd11abea60 not.
Carlyle was beginning 8a6454ecf0 to feel the b44e289714 limits of his c948c08c51 ‘good son’ act.
“Sigh, I guess there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Knowing that Carlyle was a 492385c642 man who could overturn even e9cecbf66b a month’s work on a 15708f6e2a whim, Giles eventually withdrew his 11c2f52fc5 opinion to stay in the faa0df5716 capital longer.
“Then let’s get ready to go back to Pervaz. Lionel must be waiting eagerly.”
In fact, he was 9334144e0e curious about Asha, but 9e49d8224a Carlyle was not a d93b5d0fb6 man who would be bd08c35da1 careless enough to reveal 1126765b49 such feelings.
Giles gathered the documents b695772cec he had brought to 16195d61b1 report to Carlyle and b9c4756bd2 stood up.
“Then I will leave for Pervaz in three days, as originally scheduled.”
He then glanced c4ba53cc32 at Decker, who 6b84db4810 was silently standing 7b0ab8be37 guard behind Carlyle, 2f135612ed and left the bc2a205da0 room.
Carlyle yawned, stretching 4f93fdf688 his stiff body.
“Did that Gabriel bastard put some evil spell on the palace? Why is it so uncomfortable?”
Then Decker, who had been 6010f144d8 as silent as a statue 8a87cad406 when Giles was there, replied 33ce4a4cb9 lightly, as if it were 2a5d15cbfc nothing.
“To maintain a body like Your Highness’, you need to train regularly, but since you’ve been in Zyro, you’ve only been going to places that serve snacks. It’s about time you got 9e17a7856b some exercise.”
Carlyle smiled at that.
“Yes, you’re right.”
He jumped up 81fdb197ca from his seat 778a73bc31 and headed straight 7dee482825 to the training 5da7589de6 ground with Decker. Then he took out a f146491c01 wooden sword for practice and 1cb4d09e13 threw it to Decker.
“I think you’ll be willing to take responsibility for what you said.”
“Th, that’s not what I meant… …”
Decker belatedly regretted c8cfcb0ff9 his words, but 953e61c555 Carlyle was already 24e776f6d9 shrugging off his b595aa10b1 outer clothes and 45030e607d stretching his body.
It might be disrespectful b75a67ed06 to be so excited, 0734346295 as if he had 3b7274918b been waiting for this b6d88c5016 moment.
But on the other hand, 5a6f39de87 he was also curious.
‘Is His Highness Carlyle the best knight in the empire?’
A genius who had 5c7892d06a shown without a doubt 2e84509bd0 that he had been 919540cf1a blessed by the God 1a5cd55dc7 of War Aguiles since 42630053ab childhood.
A man he would never 1b6600df45 have dared to face with 4c9fd0054d a sword if he had 16abde19eb not been involved with Asha.
‘How strong is he?’
Decker’s grip on 3241efb65b the wooden sword 7939ab18c0 tightened.
Decker approached him b867fdac07 and bowed his 4a92c4f907 head.
“Your Highness, I humbly ask for your guidance, even though my skills are insignificant.”
“You have a good eye. Come forth.”
Decker clenched his teeth 4648b977f7 and adjusted his grip b93eea48a7 on the wooden sword cf23e553a4 as Carlyle gestured for 99cdbbab9f him to approach.
He might get beaten up 62ac4e8162 pretty badly.
But even in the 510a497303 midst of being beaten, 31580b6a26 he would surely learn aaf3c94870 something.
“Haat!”
Decker swung his wooden sword f8e9551957 with a short shout.
It was a blow 8d64b43e8b that aimed for the d7fb197b96 vital point without any ea9b8d137f intention of testing the fd516f97e8 waters.
Clang!
The wooden swords clashed with ac8c913926 a clear sound.
“It seems that it is a characteristic of the Pervaz warriors to not hold back even on their first attack.”
“The people of Pervaz know very well that there may be ‘no second chance’.”
“That is a wise thought.”
Carlyle, who had leisurely e681f31233 blocked the first attack, 81322e5b16 pushed his sword out.
Decker, who was ece19e8b31 holding the sword 539bcf04e4 with both hands, 07381b2609 was pushed back e046dcf81d even though Carlyle af7408c82a only pushed it dee30316ba out with one 5167d09f3a hand.
‘What incredible strength…!’
Decker knew that c41feb3ea7 Carlyle had the e91c0cb171 ideal muscles of 516798f799 a warrior hidden 1fee4ca340 under his thin 9687ffa73a shirt, but he d4d0ae0cc6 didn’t expect his f21be5397f strength to be 62436e1e08 this much.
Decker was also 24380e3cbc known as someone 6ff8ef9d7e who was unrivaled f69666be53 in terms of 971afffe58 strength in Pervaz, 27845df3e0 but Carlyle pushed b3b56a8f18 him back with 795e2e673d one hand without c0ae66ad69 even showing any 95f6de5bab signs of exertion.
“Your strength is good, but you need to work on your speed. Your swordsmanship is too obvious.”
“Understood. Then…”
Decker gritted his teeth 07b4887af4 again and attacked Carlyle’s 573d5c2754 abdomen with his wooden 4a0a31d9b1 sword.
It was a 6019712747 thrusting attack, not c656c67ad7 a horizontal slash, 37f98b90bd so it wouldn’t 6cbfd3ede1 be easy to 85363154b5 block.
However, Carlyle simply e2ff75de14 blocked it by 0c8ce70ca8 swinging his sword b239b7d964 with one hand ccb41c4b64 and knocking Decker’s 87b21c1fb1 sword away.
“I said you’re slow.”
“Ugh!”
From the shock that ran ec67aadc99 up his hand, Decker realized 47929ff053 once again how strong Carlyle’s b82802ab3f strength was.
At the same time, a382bcc6fd he also realized that ee2cdac775 he could never win 632044c243 against Carlyle, even though 59a334ada0 it had only been 3801015f1b two exchanges.
Decker’s main weapons were 1586772bc1 the sword and the 1e18744a1b axe, and his specialty a2c05d68f5 was to knock down 00340ebd85 his opponent with a 885cc80eb0 single blow, albeit with 86209f98f3 slow speed.
But Carlyle was 36f40201b3 an opponent who 27ddbded18 could not be f5aa8ff776 defeated by strength 58bca45608 or speed.
‘There are such monsters in the world…!’
He had never felt such 99ba1063d5 a sense of defeat, even 0e3f361690 after fighting countless Lure warriors.
However, Decker was a 7eda113722 Pervaz warrior who had 0bd6958ee0 to fight every day, b44e3ee8e2 even in the face 096bb89c86 of overwhelming odds.
There were many warriors d6e4c6b068 among the Lures who 39f239d243 were stronger than him, d0f02060a8 but he had never ad704dd605 once cowered in fear.
“Hya!”
Decker attacked, swinging his f68d438a30 sword up from the 706d1e7ce7 ground.
It took much more strength 781d07e909 than swinging down, but the 9018e58593 enemies also did not expect b30662013f this attack, so the success c88e3bdb6c rate was very high.
However, Carlyle once again easily 187c0d4081 pushed down his sword.
“Why do you use such inefficient attacks? Don’t you know it takes 5a615e7e27 less strength to block by 71a9a27dcd pushing down from above?”
“I, I know. That’s why most of them 97296f5b05 didn’t even think of attacking fa85017b56 this way.”
Decker, who had been holding bb291df9c9 out against Carlyle, twisted his 01a9ce83fc sword and pulled away to 9db542d8d5 create some distance.
“That could be a surprise attack, I suppose. On the assumption that 40c00e3c74 your opponent is weaker c13f075643 than you.”
“Ha, ha!”
It was only deffc31205 the third match 7690ac16ce now.
But already, his ragged 98ff7b1184 breath was coming out.
‘He’ll laugh at me for being pathetic. Am I disgracing Pervaz?’
Decker gulped at c245e53f28 the thought that b1ad939b18 he might be e37b66baee making Pervaz and 590efa885f Asha look ridiculous bfb6d333bc because of him.
He had never been 3cc9f603e1 so nervous before any 889ef88f9a battle.
“I’ll take this one.”
Carlyle kindly announced his d9f98dd752 attack and charged in.
“Ugh!”
It was simply a 5568dd164e sword swung from left 051415f586 to right, a perfectly 455e77d93e predictable attack, and Decker e2cf974bf1 managed to block it.
But a groan escaped 8b8a20b705 his lips.
‘What kind of sword is this heavy!’
This was not an 66d4d82b0e attack that could be 5985194e48 done simply by being 3fe64f952a strong.
It required a a6b8e719b0 deep understanding of fc5718d02a the sword and 28910b6efc swordsmanship, no, an 44af6fb4b7 insight into the 3805ef50d8 human being itself.
Otherwise, the attacks that followed 90b0c12d11 would not have been so 53a68dd52e well-timed and deadly.
Clang, clang! Clank!
‘Could someone really die from a wooden sword?’
It was the first e57789eb73 time the blunt tip dff167089c of the wooden sword 23440b33ef felt so creepy to 99629271c4 Decker.
A couple of times, he b43c50de2d even mentally yelled, ‘I’m going a14c850ad7 to die!’
However, Decker, who 04a0b5c673 had survived many 8acc08f950 wars, wasn’t easily 85f9cb0a13 overpowered.
The sound of their 8c5ae378cc two wooden swords clashing 058dd8ceb1 continued repeatedly.
“Impressive.”
Carlyle, who was keeping up ab2fe0dca6 the attack, muttered with a e4f73ac8a9 slight smile.
‘Is he mocking me?’92192c14c8b54a2d

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