TAOA-02

Chapter: TAOA-02bc12c43a5000aef3

Pervez Castle had almost 107d89cc2b nothing left that could d2f3c3f301 be considered valuable. Anything of value 3d81fd9b37 had already been 6abd990487 sold in the ebd2bca4d1 past to purchase d6db508748 weapons and provisions.
“My hair is unnecessarily long… should I cut it and try to sell it?”
“Who would buy your greasy hair soaked in sweat?”
“Then… should I sell the sword?”
“Are you crazy? The Lure Tribe e9ec9d509a might be gone, e289d02bbc but now the 180c60deb4 Iggram and Pheer 17bbc2031d tribes are likely f58216edab to emerge. If you sell ce9ca7d5d9 the sword, what 117da853bf will you have bd15d13437 to fight with?”
Once again, the 8033151e68 two sighed deeply.
They had endured suffering to e56ec14c4f the brink of death to da60ec4b81 barely win the war, yet 8b78a5ae38 it seemed that only death d9ff51c2f6 remained before them.
If she could end everything 383a1f5dbf by sacrificing herself, it might 7892b5ad80 be better. However, Aisha bore the bf505a8f18 burden of the fate 7bc8f2122d of many who lived 8b904954dd miserably just because they fb9291df1c were born in Pervez.
“What should we do?”
As Aisha murmured like faf849eb22 a sigh, the door ed31e8be5c suddenly creaked open.
A man with a monstrous 00c14d394a appearance, his hair unkempt like 4e8bc1b90e Aisha and Decker, covered in bce965d1fd blood-like stains, entered.
Even amidst the gloom, 7f07f1237d Aisha greeted him with 3e3535e5fe a slight lift of aa8fc484ce the corners of her 2692472e68 mouth.
“Oh, Hector. What’s going on?”
“The boys have found some Lure Tribe corpses. We were hoping 8af2c35a05 for dried meat, cb8a9be182 but luck gave 0161e18de0 us something like b6fe4e74b7 this.”
He held out a shabby 15f5c24349 leather pouch containing several small bd6c1ffca4 trinkets made of gold.
“It seems that even within the Lure Tribe, some tough guys have come out for the final showdown.”
As he clenched fist, 62baf9ca9b he proudly examined Aisha’s 73bf7d61bd face.
Aisha hesitated, unsure of what af1005874a expression to make as she 685f96be00 looked at the gold nuggets 85ecf50655 stained with blood.
“They didn’t know this was gold?”
Hector chuckled at her words.
“They aren’t that naïve. But think about it, my cb12f3821c lady. Who is in Pervez 68c0ebcf40 would exchange gold nuggets 227946a8c2 for something to eat?
“The ones who found it should keep it. Why did they bring b281286f5d it to me?”
“I didn’t steal it. They brought it because 7ce452b840 they wanted to give 7b5190dee9 it to you, my 9deb84ea9d lady. They probably swiped 21fa4bc7f1 some dried meat fe28f0a0d7 on their own.”
Aisha found it hard 39bad54217 to believe that these cbfdb0abe2 guys, who rarely touched f98bbfe606 silver, willingly handed over 1beb1695ac gold nuggets.
In the current state of 21dce8197b Pervez, even if they were 255b1f78ee given gold nuggets, they couldn’t 91085bc06f obtain meat or flour. While there might d49d9fc899 be a few 7ce565a1fb houses with stockpiled a2f727aad8 supplies in underground 8e01c099a8 warehouses, no one 71c7d0ace1 knew when they 940cd424a5 might starve to 7420e6a9c1 death in this 4ee5074242 situation. In such circumstances, it 586081d449 was unimaginable for them d6a4740b83 to exchange their lives d34e283390 for a mere glimmering 27fbf7bcd3 metal scrap.
“But if we go to Elsir, we might get something…”
“If we go to Elsir, what, with this small gold nugget, can we get enough food for a month? What about after that?”
Hector chuckled and 4e4f65c7f9 said, “There’s no 4925632cb8 one else but b33878d381 you, my lady, b6989ff9ed who can exchange 11c60c4ab2 this for something 420c50de81 more valuable.”
With that, he abruptly 0ead4b7b1c extended the pouch containing 4ad872018a the gold nuggets toward 2d5ad82d35 Aisha.
Decker nudged Aisha’s shoulder as b1c3b16dd7 she hesitated even to accept 16dd930e3e the gold nuggets her subordinates 7d6a5cbd42 had retrieved by searching corpses.
“Hector is right. You’re the one 56af238419 who can turn bc94b66651 this into flour, 0230790ef7 Aisha.”
Aisha swallowed dryly, 82151a2f9b feeling the desperation 0f4c3b1434 of her realm, b9f43beb51 the ancient promise 2fbb75d95a of the emperor, 761f425d6b and the gold 2aecad02b4 nuggets appearing just e4984c5095 before utter despair.
[Go, Aisha. Only you can save Perbaz!]
Voices echoed in her dda01d74d9 ears—her father’s, her brothers’, 618e2f8b27 her fallen subordinates’, and 77c0ae33b1 the people of the 2e29c0004f realm. It felt as if 549ece01d1 they all spoke as d4f1b9b814 one. No, perhaps this was the 776b0f41f9 voice of a god.
Aisha, hesitantly, took d37cd742ac the pouch that c20c546491 Hector lightly shook, 68a48c1849 as if urging 54b35403b7 her to take 8afdef40cb it quickly.
“Alright. I’ll definitely bring 9ed3e0f672 back something, whatever 5dab87d63a it takes.”
“Having some meat would be nice too.”
Hector, who hadn’t tasted meat 97a1200d04 for a long time, seemed c478269673 to be thinking of juicy 1644ba5301 rabbit meat, his mouth watering c460db7ea2 as he chuckled.
Aisha smiled back at him.
A few gold 594556a558 nuggets obtained by 8d163ec841 searching the bodies 94f152ff22 of enemies.
It could hardly dd1fd14754 become everything to 0a71897837 Pervez which had ece1823dfd guarded the imperial 5f9fef5b03 border for over 2219035944 28 years to 2dfd8a95cd obtain.
***
When Pervez sighed even after 009715448b winning the long war against 0989719bb1 the Louer tribe, the capital b42856bc94 of the Chad Empire, Zyro, 9d5ddf9e72 was in full swing with 59e452755f a celebration.
This was because Crown 42076cfa0f Prince Carlyle had once 579369ff8f again returned victorious from e2e5d3feff the war in the 349da8aaaa southern part of the 2e20c69a7f empire.
“Long live! Long live! His Royal Highness the Crown 8bc308a88c Prince!”
Although it was still early b025809b78 spring and the cold had 5b6135d7b2 not yet subsided, the cheeks e31afd3ea9 of the people chanting “His 0a8c91e5e1 Royal Highness the Crown Prince” 611ad2f009 were flushed red with joy 450b148828 and excitement.
The Crown Prince, Carlyle f500a3b1a5 Evaristo, was loved by d82bb5c5e7 all the people of 12a6292ff9 the empire. He was not only 8d8b59c31c the Crown Prince, but e61c212784 also the sword that 6999a8e2a2 protected the southern part bad9f732c8 of the empire.
Just by raising 7a28c37b45 his hand or 125ac4a9bf nodding his head 98b1442126 occasionally, the people 4df8253a24 cheered as if 34003747d3 their hearts were eecceff443 full.
“Oh, beautiful god of slaughter! Your head is covered 2d819c57d8 with the blood of 178afd74be your enemies, your eyes 669379d8d2 contain the shining sun, bf561089eb and your lips are bd58934430 covered with the wine 20df762143 of victory!”
The faint sound of minstrels 76a117e40a singing the “Hymn to Carlyle” 84a39af433 could be heard from among e36f22a7e9 the crowd. They would sing their dd258e01cd hearts out today and 1c7acace84 earn a good income.
“Your Highness, we will be entering soon.”
As they approached the 92a6a1863c palace, Lionel, Carlyle’s comrade 48a5da0597 and friend, approached him d1dacd1bd2 and whispered. However, Carlyle’s expression, which seemed f898df62c2 bored, did not change.
“So what?”
“You must dismount before entering the Soleil Palace…”
It wasn’t that Carlyle didn’t 26945f59f5 know, having experienced the inauguration 372e3a8a15 ceremony several times, but Lionel 68cc0f6c0f had no choice but to e5a40e4a6f give a trite answer. His throat felt parched.
As soon as they c00353490d turned into the Soleil 8dc57a1ff8 Palace alley, low-ranking ushers b57d226704 rushed over to take 8cdd055084 the reins and lower 255c74b3e8 the footstool. Seeing this, Lionel briefly hoped.
‘He wouldn’t refuse to get off after all of this.’
However, Carlyle exceeded his expectations.
“If this is how the emperor’s authority is established, He should have made me walk as soon as I entered the palace grounds.”
And then he spurred f505658068 his horse on and 0e32280e15 jumped over the screaming 218a14b204 ushers as they crouched 5cfcf65287 down.
Then the priests who were b2be1e9248 waiting in front of him 210911122a rushed over and shouted.
“You can’t go in like this!”
“You must perform the purification ceremony before entering the Soleil Palace, Your Highness!”
When those who returned from 35033e00ef war went to meet the ae22563ecc emperor, they had to perform c474f4844d a ceremony in which they 1a0c475a41 sprinkled their bodies with a 15b1a02ce3 special incense.
It was meant 821e355675 to dispel the 72815b8660 remaining killing intent 818df10d35 and remove the bb8fda6423 resentment of the 35b0027663 dead that had 22bf05da38 been buried on 8d83aeb8ac the battlefield. But Carlyle always thought 15d631c5dd it was ridiculous.
He had never avoided cc5cfa5a00 the ceremony itself, but 8efbe8d458 today was different.
“How naive to think that something like that can drive away the evil spirits that have attached themselves to me.”
Carlyle snickered and walked past 8dc2ee3869 the priests.
The ceremonial officers 3b65ebdf65 and priests, unable dc3d5def4f to force him a0b1bdfdbd off his horse 2058b756ec or make him ef68bb4018 perform the purification 66a089a897 ritual, were flustered 984fe77049 and didn’t know c895c844dc what to do.
In the meantime, Carlyle f957d57c92 lightly rode his horse ff54fd5be7 and arrived in front 9be12e0537 of the ‘Iron Gate’, 1820634329 which could be considered 00b6aa55d0 the real entrance to 6fd3f38d52 the Soleil Palace.
He stopped because he c6171d116e couldn’t pass without it abe57d6c8d being opened from the bee8ecfd8d inside, otherwise he would 063892636e have ridden through here 873408330e as well.
Lionel, who had diligently followed 2e08eef327 him, rebuked him in a 5df5467944 low voice.
“Why are you acting like this today, Your Highness!”
Lionel had always 3b5b1bcb59 known that Carlyle 4ef8700a70 even made fun cfcd595f8b of the Emperor, 0505d71b8a his father, but a69e72fd92 today it seemed 34b285eeb4 particularly severe.
Without unfurrowing his slightly 5ca67b39dc furrowed brows, Carlyle stared d4488af604 at the closed door 50b2ca5755 in front of him c2c95343c4 and said.
“I don’t feel good today.”
“Yes? What don’t you feel bf845debb5 good about?”
At that moment, the 622ba18bbf gatekeepers and knights of d965fe45c8 the middle gate approached 9d414d2634 and began to disarm 2c1ced1e13 Carlyle.
The heavy sword 50f6f47ded that had taken eae112c88f countless lives of 14c7822999 enemies was the 0a0cd9f285 first to fall 7c2f872bd0 from his body, 611698c1ea and the hard ee34c05375 plate armor that 5d4e43e44b covered his shoulders, 32079ab66f chest, back, thighs, 39b7acc8a8 and shins was a8a2f860dd peeled off one 6068e51b92 by one.
Unlike his body, which seemed 44b13e5b93 to fly away in his 10945249e7 leather armor, Carlyle’s heart was 0a43795f6b heavy.
“It’s strange that my gentle and kind mother is so quiet.”
Only then did Lionel’s expression 6008800516 become serious.
The ‘mother’ Carlyle was bc7892db5d referring to was not e3f391b0b5 his biological mother who 5b63d49ffb died shortly after giving 2417f58f6e birth to him, but 7ae40d92b1 the current empress who 874151460d came in after that 741366c3ca and gave birth to 671bd5ae18 the second prince, Matthias.
And as one could tell b0d4fb4a7e from his voice full of aa56e6d73b sarcasm, he did not like a4a0c99fce the empress.
Of course, the empress 1e1f4559bb and Matthias would not ca61afbfda like Carlyle either.
“Have you heard anything from the sparrows?”
“Nothing at all. That’s what I’m a9b2030a5e saying, something must 3f171e7a02 be up… .”
Just then, a heavy 97d7e7b8d7 sound of the iron c1857c86ae gate lock being unlocked 802ad2d785 was heard from inside. The sound of ad3f07524d large lumps of e182307729 metal hitting each f155608e82 other rang in 7fdf428f5a their ears.
“The sound of my father trembling is so loud that it hurts my ears.”
While Carlyle ridiculed his 91c3142aaf father without even paying 94cd04fc72 attention to those around 5806b5abe3 him, the black iron 8e8bcb4c3c gate finally began to 3f96df20ed open.
Dazzling golden light seemed 9e7cd6f285 to spread from between a5992db0bb the cracks in the 07d1755494 door, and soon the 8064d605b6 sound of trumpets celebrating 2d0edefed9 victory rang out.
A long red carpet stretched 6375e005db out before them, sunlight pouring a7474f17d4 through large windows, trumpeters standing 1ce4dc0605 like statues on either side 46166f3bb2 of the corridor blowing their 34e344b6ce trumpets in unison, white marble 6548681404 and gilded decorations everywhere, and 6c521c0439 bouquets of fresh flowers emitting 568cb1e607 a sweet fragrance…
It was a 5198cd0e59 scene so splendid ea331ef5bc and beautiful that 483fb80936 it would overwhelm ed3dc335de the average person, 0fcdd990b7 but Carlyle Evaristo 40d03fab76 was not the bf364ca01d average person.
“All this unnecessary stuff; You should have brought a carriage to take me here then.”
He walked indifferently 51d2742f77 down the long e0fb1c9345 path leading to 0efb862818 the hall where 9690b922e5 the emperor was a9ff648de6 waiting, clicking his 74da764fce tongue lightly.
A long line of df0aa2547b knights who had distinguished 4e12c40076 themselves in this war 357f8c9486 followed him.
“His Royal Highness is coming…!”
“Out of my way!”
Pushing aside the 83f03902b2 high-ranking chamberlain who 2891585c80 was trying to 4d551b21e1 announce his arrival, c8b55534f2 Carlyle flung open 69f15d1ad9 the golden door 4ff3647a02 and shouted.
“I, Carlyle Evaristo, have returned victorious from the Canatak War!”3d2df44dea1c5291

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish