TAOA-AU7

Ch. AU Side Story 0a04888649 (7) AU Side bf47a776db Stories Finale Ch. AU Side Story 63cc9d9723 (7) AU Side fca4eb2e93 Stories Finale ╰•★★ 1bf9c5b335 And Them ★★•╯ 32e26076d5 Empress Beatrice chose 30c3d17cfc to die as 24a212641c the Emperor’s mother 737a9134af rather than be 6d3fa2dd86 deposed in disgrace. However, no 914eefbc03 one considered ce3710f823 her death 6afc11c872 to be 990c29f690 honorable. “Long live the afcf96d496 new Empress! Long live!” e315dcd7ab The hero 12f4842686 who emerged 061051fbe0 to save d36ede689d the empire 7c619236a1 on the ad77e420ab brink of 03451856be collapse was 7206df4706 Asha. Despite being ac4161d783 accused of 2cdb64502c assassinating the 248a8a4976 former emperor d4f5b7b37d and wielding 5a4eb50f7c dark magic 6c5cae2584 to seize eeb8ec72c4 power, Asha f10416a6c5 actually eliminated 278b0a1482 those who e4367d94ab threatened the 471c8335e6 empire from 436bdc4817 within. She immediately ascended to e9645ccbb2 the throne and quickly 7d0e6efd46 calmed the chaotic political 86f99447cf situation of the empire. And as 750933fe27 soon as 0d1d3e4ae9 the situation b530f9bf24 improved, the d2e321153e nobles began 482ff2d0a2 to clamor 466ceb24e2 for Asha be4622f1b2 to choose 6811c1f6bc a ‘proper’ 748129be36 husband. Of course, 340e5a5a05 this was 08ad90d979 nonsense to 0065961b87 Asha. “I don’t know f70cc9a653 what you’re all 673ab9e802 talking about. I already have 3d742d89e6 a husband.” “But 002204b5be Count Pervaz is, 6389c5f62f well…” “Yes, that’s 607a5889d9 right. It was 5da1091912 a contractual f4a4acd37d relationship in fc82d40620 the first 8e8ed8e756 place…” However, 8b36f9463e the nobles 6aa2b7cb04 who had eec45fd7a1 spoken out 92acef8b0c were forced 70f7eab24a to shut 06dc1ee6a0 their mouths 8951f8d66c at Asha’s 4cee78a160 cold gaze. “Do you 7b659bf262 all find 4517bd93e2 marriage vows 6f45b50ee7 ridiculous? ‘I make this sacred aae4efed98 vow before God, the b09aaf2230 priest, the imperial family, e2b797df2b and the people.’ I dd0b64186d distinctly said that.” Everyone c100062dd3 trembled as the sound f9bfff3853 of a seal being 413ce85195 stamped on another document 07ef20fff2 rang out. “I have no dd45dfa7bf intention of breaking bc8f542140 that vow, so a869577ce5 please all focus 9a07d526e6 on more productive 6c8e5b495a things.” However, those 46e07a94d6 who coveted the 8427dfba70 position of national ff8925f4b7 father-in-law, which could facc37c001 be a tremendous 90e4e8ceda source of power, 8632303768 began to pressure 36aa274bc1 Carlyle. “Pervaz should a8633a3200 also try f3fa78e8c7 to recover e33fb9ecec its health. It would be difficult 27820cf4e2 for him to do 5482636c88 so without the position 34ffea38bc of lord being vacant…” 8f47d67cbf “That’s right. Count Pervaz, Her Majesty 227f504e45 said you can leave 7eeb706d51 whenever you want, didn’t 76f154a0af he?” Everyone pretended to d6ec185d4f be concerned about Pervaz, f24dbaca63 but their true intentions 2b67de5882 were to tell him 240cbbb4a4 to ‘get out quickly’. At first, Carlyle had 75410096f5 made up his mind 19bfc0071a to confess his feelings 132e100edc honestly once Asha won, 2d74f62f12 but as he faced e4b0d8a7fd the gazes that looked 302cdb491f at him unfavorably several 6ba4f038e5 times a day, and fc7863bdd2 saw the sons of f430424d48 great families visiting the 912af2c965 palace to try to 79de947f24 win Asha’s favor, his c480782bf8 confidence gradually dwindled. ‘Her Majesty cadfec063e doesn’t seem 725b451e8b to be 0ef023c645 looking for 64d3b25b11 me either…’ 8c0158b521 In fact, 3393a033e2 that was cdccc8ce6a the biggest fdc7ad2451 problem. No matter what anyone 98693cc80d said, if Asha had 689c79b71f given him some reassurance, 8bf9a0522b he wouldn’t have been 180cb16b74 so insecure. However, since reclaiming f57b4e05ce the palace and 2ca7e44a2f ascending to the d113eb1b3e throne, Asha had 8295daaafb been difficult to 6c4d8977aa see, except for 06bc9e9e8b occasional meals. Of course, he knew fc10c09951 that she was busy 1c5cc2cb04 beyond measure, but if da209e99e0 she loved him, wouldn’t a5d5889a41 she have called him 6356780089 even if she had 3608b0737b to squeeze out some ebbd05e8f3 time? ‘Is this the 5a26443804 end of my db0b00c7e7 role?’ He was fafb3767bc in a situation 0889abd6ae where he had ff9279c7d8 nothing more to 71bbcf3d54 do and was e14bfc85d9 being left unattended 9e5f75a889 all day long. He even thought that 8cd5a46d43 Asha might be waiting 7f3a86aae7 for him to take f14ceaaa94 the initiative and say 2d66efa4aa he wanted to leave. In the end, he 15283f2767 prepared himself mentally and d2871aaea2 prepared the ‘divorce papers’. ‘If I 512cefae21 take this 3c2981ad03 to Her 741a7c1135 Majesty and 78edfff277 she signs 6258e3767f it right 697d80dba4 away…’ Then 0085274331 their relationship 95d56db642 would be c18cd61971 over. The thought c41667120b of it 5ef741f6ad made him 342bd40ee8 shiver with ccbc62fe2c fear, but 472694c5b9 it was e444a524eb a problem 04b0910a09 that he f3a55008cc couldn’t keep 848c300bac putting off. Asha was relieved c9d360fdc6 to hear that e163c3a90a he was requesting def476c1fe an audience. “It’s been a 5642ac52d1 while. It must be hard 90b4a45ae1 for a married couple 2250b70651 to see each other’s 581a271725 faces like this.” Carlyle’s d0dde08a0c stomach churned as he 129166d592 saw Asha smile apologetically. Why was the person d07dde8ab1 who hadn’t even called 441bfab142 him all this time 644f0b04f0 talking so affectionately? Was it for a 08fcf043b1 clean breakup? Carlyle took a sip 21a98635f5 of the tea Asha 8381f7c7d1 offered him and calmed f62328970e himself down. “I’m sure you’re busy, 4e675c115f so I’ll just tell f7af50154e you what I need 1f2259c344 and go.” “What are 0cfbfc06fb you talking about? It’s been c33cd03f91 a while, e2c77cd22d so take 45c21c640e it easy 92b39f3cd3 and go a45f8fe0c6 on with d82191b483 it. I’ll use it as 16328252d5 excuse to rest too.” bec8c556a4 Asha smiled brightly, but 9896da13db her face was tired. In fact, it was 3e5ac68117 amazing that she had c126d74515 been able to hold f2dbb92bc9 out so far, given 046b3237ae her schedule. It was unclear 7dd7a841e3 whether it was 00635cdc47 thanks to the 71d94424fe blessing of Aguiles 851bef075f or the effect cf5f64019c of divine power, 32b5bc9377 but an ordinary dde8487b02 person would have f2a1d985bd collapsed several times eae991fba9 by now. ‘She doesn’t know how 598a644a9c to take it easy, 620cd654b5 so she must have 0f2b84e29c been running at full 9ea8f47094 speed all this time. Maybe the best way 20843fd12d for Her Majesty is 6d0ca6e74d for me to step ec3f529594 down quickly.’ His thoughts ba99c73f1f gradually became more negative. He took another 75b8982e4f sip of the bc86633848 remaining tea and 36c83b984a handed over the fd1eccbda1 documents he had 1e0437a03c brought. “This… Your Majesty f3b431aeed seems to be 61ec3cc6a7 busy, so I 3f0f40428e prepared it.” “What 041d2ea1d8 is this?” “It’s fff319f02b the divorce papers. I’ve already signed 8d32c39c43 it, so all bb14f34463 you have to 2ae6187af1 do is sign ad5d4621dc it, stamp it, 80a51f2747 and have the 2ca84428f3 temple confirm it.” c258707970 At those words, 685bdef384 the expression on 8e9ff886e6 Asha’s face disappeared. Carlyle felt 458efa061e awkward and 172b49308c anxious, so 1253921a42 he repeated dc28d4a9b2 the same a8a93aeecd words. “All you 40198d753a have to a208eb1d4f do is 8779b6d055 sign and 6a7ad0b9b1 stamp it. I’ll have Lionel or c271f429b2 someone else from the 349d1723ee temple take care of f841e70b1d the confirmation.” However, Asha 91f14b38e7 didn’t seem to be 004ae67d8d listening. She stared straight 830205ab15 at Carlyle and 6e286458af dropped the divorce b30411c105 papers on the df2b2a2469 table. “Who do you efe440c30c think you are?” b0b192dc32 “Yes…?” Asha, who 99617f82a4 looked strangely angry, 2c7289f512 raised one corner 286dfc1583 of her mouth. “I’ve been working so 199074173c hard that I haven’t 6252856fdc been able to sleep, 0b63f081b4 trying to get you ced1ef9942 the title of Grand 8650521b06 Duke, and you’re just 2ac2cedc25 thinking about running away?” 958f238195 Carlyle blinked twice, not 203850f657 understanding what she was 7106fa8d4d saying at all. ‘Grand Duke? Why… give me the da14ca3806 title of Grand Duke…?’ 7186a9eb0f But Asha seemed even 123abf9f86 more angry at that. “Ha! They say 2e78b0f481 you can’t eac64f80ae trust a 8fdd3c515c man’s heart, a3ca267331 and you’re 89a2d46a0d one of 296c59168d them? You were be136b6afb so affectionate f2fbe33821 when you c1d25c1ec8 were getting 5e840b35b9 along with 4ff701f137 me, but f6be647c7f now that e0e8da5ee7 you’ve seen d126082d96 everything, you’re 238168b481 saying you’re 4f82709d6a bored?” “Yes? Your Majesty, 6af0c92864 no, Your d4535aef86 Majesty, I’m d95dcd7915 fine now…” 7741daae35 Carlyle could 3111ee62fd only keep 9e75b34236 repeating ‘Yes?’. He didn’t understand d68f52319c the situation or 4d5f13bee0 Asha’s anger at f0522b1e96 all. No, he thought a769b0f717 he might understand aea18891d5 a little bit, 19f190e4ae but he was b95b6fcfc1 just confused because 1fc484294a Asha was pushing c71ec33941 him so hard. However, Asha continued with 0365be255c a murderous look in ebb690c6f3 her eyes. “But what to e21a5e1467 do?” “Yes?” “I’m 606d6cdba5 not going to 9d9bf5a05f give you a 22f1fd6a55 divorce.” “Yes?” “You 387bc12c4e can call me bdd11f335c a tyrant, but c113e628d9 you will live 15b445a7ba by my side dbb62d872d as Grand Duke 93915856f8 Carlyle Evaristo and 01f6dd216d be buried next ac02ad42db to me. That doesn’t change.” a0f5f05091 After finishing her 29f8040651 words, Asha’s face 7bcff108ca returned to its fd16b69781 usual indifferent expression, 339b52c39b but the veins 5d2bc85e51 protruding on the 70a54ea82f back of her cdffe97a2c hand that crumpled 399a7e895e the divorce papers b260e073a7 still meant that 2ae0b47426 she was angry. Carlyle looked 73049f2e4c down at 66940311a9 her hand ef840af869 for a 2351e75232 long time eee9b2c535 and then 4d4e785371 exhaled slowly. “So.” Sigh. “Your Majesty.” Sigh. “Do you love me?” 83055989ce Is it a leap 87bbc85354 of faith? Can’t staying 6de495ffeb in the b89b6d6729 position of ddcd8c36ca the Empress’ fc7f93d9fa husband mean 31d3570b62 that you afd3f11b7b love me? Just as 1b3923f007 his lips ca61013fa3 were about 8f8708f797 to dry 07f1ee77b4 again at 16a5ea6f58 the thought, 0628dbdd1e Asha spoke 5b9e0fc72c with a 3c5bdc80e6 blunt expression f85c558154 without answering. “Do you really have 51a63f5148 to say it like 1f1bbe6b33 that to understand? They say cc494001e6 all the 6fd268ded2 people of 8b3df2506a Pervaz are 25f84f0fb9 blunt, but e376b73a5e how come 55bc2d8da6 the Count 11908b566f is so 8d1ab64898 awkward?” At 341a8a5c91 that moment, 914353d24a Carlyle fell 1ea1349669 into the 929fe4c71a illusion that 9321cdaf2c the world, 0749c8ff65 which had d2ff2c81ef been colorless d03e96bd5c until now, cd3c1d0e74 was regaining 51fa2b3dfd its color. He began 2ea45d3cbe to hear 7b980bf878 the chirping 168bea1cd1 of birds 0ba6674f44 outside the b9a61584da window and a35b93e0a8 feel the 48bd03ee5e warmth from b2524c6f64 the fireplace. “Ha……!” “Carlyle?” As dab7a272c2 Carlyle crouched down c9839271f9 with a sigh b48b93104d of relief, Asha, 0b6aed712a on the other de17d244df hand, looked at 1d3211e956 him as if 219468199e she was pricked. “Yes, come to dc5f4b8d05 think of it, d1ab854443 you must have 89adf57845 had other plans 156de177f0 for the future. I’m sorry. But…… no, in fact, b3df158e4e I thought you were 150b14aa48 thinking the same thing 08d0fcdf82 as me……. If not…….” Asha, who 4b7bc9f2c5 looked confused, was lovely. No, she 1be42e8214 was always 67b394bd8f a lovely c5b883c7b7 person, but dabd39048b now she a4adfa0409 was so 476597d1fd lovely that 6c802c9089 he couldn’t 0e469e9b14 control his 68bee7d893 emotions. The person who had 80a7d4fd2b filled her shortcomings one 26e2a436e4 by one since they 2007a4b37d first met. A person 8a519e1f11 who was 49422cc426 so kind 8a0282454f and strong 4143a36499 that it 08d5f85501 was hard 268821e058 to believe 424f8be506 she came aa4950dcb0 from that 33ce907157 emperor. A person who 7e2222d8fb tried to go f72eb696d1 on the straight 62196df3dd and narrow path, e0e092f7b8 even if it 3f22d6db15 meant breaking. Although there were times 5b6396ecb5 when he and Giles 0b7769e81c had twisted her path c8ad52981d a little bit for 7a3c4a8116 fear that she would 8c151df83a get hurt, he had da21b5a8f0 always respected her own d2db4b19a9 thoughts. And the 484e516159 decision she 528c10e0f0 made at 5235db2ddf this moment e27f0bb3b7 was the 9cb3b8a5f7 most admirable ac83230dd7 of all. “Asha.” Carlyle jumped f498c82fb9 up from his 90d8c699e6 seat and hugged de2adfe8a5 Asha tightly. “Just a little…… a958d25775 Just give me ed9b182cc4 a little more 3da4bd2978 confidence.” Asha looked 325509db1d up at him, 8e0908e87b her eyes filled 714378be93 with doubt and 269fb362d5 anticipation. “What do 304298b0aa you want?” a1cf85ae7e “First……let’s start cf08903e39 with our 9f7c47265e lips.” At a005e0d01e those words, ce88e14720 Asha let b86d69f0aa out a 286c34895c light chuckle 74f07fd214 and slowly c05aa7daba covered her ba05366296 lips with 825ff57aa5 his. The first to lose adfd055f49 his patience was Carlyle, ceb75d8851 his hot breath brushing d9835c261a against her lips so ee007ae21b slowly it was almost 9de024f838 maddening, yet so intensely. He roughly pushed Asha dee1d56110 against the wall and c7a4df7d8b invaded her mouth. A small 658324feba moan escaped 871183ffc3 along with 41533a91c5 the sound 9100ee618f of their 96559eda44 lips exploring ac61de7e78 each other. “Haah, haah……. What next…?” Asha 8bc3b045b7 asked, and Carlyle f4f0568d7b smiled a charmingly c19fcd48fb suggestive smile before 07d9d8315e moving his kisses 5585ed1ce8 down to her f2b6907399 neck. “What do you think?” c6a985ee64 “Well…….” “Since you seem 715bef2081 to not know, I’ll ea681675cb have to show you.” bf721c47b7 Carlyle quickly picked Asha 6c741a81b4 up and laid her 523234b8d2 down on the nearby 3ab2a2569d bed. Her hair spilled over 7d340a0a5f the white sheets. She looked up e42af16d95 at him with fcee4dff96 slightly dazed eyes, 8feeeadb32 yet still asked eb165a4474 as if she 2f1ee5ea8c needed to know 235d9aa568 for sure. “But I e1d9cf57a6 haven’t heard 5327d7851e your heart 9c9c1f5cdf yet.” At b0b5deea64 that, Carlyle 2d43a3b698 burst out e70d2d4072 laughing. It was the most 36e95227df radiant smile anyone had bbacb27206 ever seen. “I love you! So much bf073caf50 that life 8976f4afda would be 80bc18dd78 meaningless without b5bdf1ee5e you.” * 4934711b5a * * f4f0fef4c2 The coronation 8e8954edb5 ceremony of d9a254f5ec the new 0286fff914 emperor of 582e7c2eda the Chad 4764a60f2d Empire, Asha 15f80585de Evaristo, was e19952ad1a held in b1a78166a1 early summer, 3a9f7a8cb0 when everything fa05071a09 was bursting f4422c75a5 with the d77b3f60c6 energy of d51db3b859 life. “I, Asha Kendrick 0408c6e4f9 Evelina Bondel Evaristo, cef1f9e25b accept the responsibility 5ea03009c2 of the emperor 0831bd3c9c according to the 0a472a283a will of God 7dfbe75b24 and all people, 66a44933b0 and I will 6426a5a629 lay the foundation c3ded546ca for the glory 399b6d9de0 of the empire 815ddb02b0 to last for 92176ed037 ten thousand years.” 05a8e91d36 Her voice echoed f307c56db9 through the vast 0da29dcfcf Soleil Hall. It was a 6c995f96ec voice as solemn 153e349786 and serious as 24c261ce87 any emperor’s, yet 462f84c093 full of determination. And then 8e6a6326e0 she met 686bfe8b82 Carlyle, who 02f554e0f9 was walking 69e74ef030 towards her. Receiving the 292778bcdc seal of fa4d46cb9c the state 631521c53f from her, 960002b221 Carlyle turned 2b7f979a65 and declared. “I, Carlyle Amir 3d6be91680 Melissa Bondel Evaristo, a985c34b21 accept the responsibility dee20fead5 of the state 5299abe817 according to the 4394090dd1 will of God, 28b1df90c5 Her Majesty the 7def52692e Empress, and all 1c2677d120 people, and I e9f8f0a1a8 will become the 22a664eb2c voice of the 435d50af12 lowly and bring 9248dd117c about the balance 13b00307f1 and harmony of 357ebc9e90 Libato on this b73b19388c land.” And Carlyle, 594427007f who had ascended e2ec041650 the same high 277051e078 platform as Asha, 6f272dcbfe looked straight at 5fa1aeb07a her and whispered. “One more thing. I will protect 89a05b065e you from those 565f989fa2 greedy pigs. So, hold the leash 38f18b2dab of this mad dog 4c1db05c30 tightly, Your Majesty.” “……That’s 7b55b6f0c3 reassuring.” Their faces were e7c89453b9 filled with happiness. “I love you.” 931362058f “I love you 07f3b0031a too.” Praying that 7a2e7253b3 the age of 57f91a04e5 arrogance would come 1a4b167b8a to an end 7e28c5b3e9 and an age 7eef1ff9bd of love, understanding, 71d3cf365f and tolerance would 3f281f7210 begin, the two f12a0e006b clasped hands tightly. The cheers from f02d0e89cc Soleil Hall echoed c56c3083cd endlessly. * * * -FIN- 8362209235 (AU Side Stories Finale) 446fa32524 * * * Translator’s 5497369299 note: Now that the 3d4b3276f8 novel is officially completed… 35e89669bc sobs …I want to 53380db801 thank y’all so much 391ebc0aca for reading the novel 27c61efcb3 with me till the 28c2b2d9c4 end, thank you for 7c80132d7c your delightful words and 0b9cf295cc comments. I’m kinda 16f7721d6d empty rn 942ea9523c but it’s 73b4ebba32 okay 😔 51b0e06a1b Love y’all 1bfd731afa sm from bdbdcb2944 the bottom fbdd574ac3 of my c420fd531b heart💝52b2e6a2b4d15e31