TAOA-03

Chapter: TAOA-0338999421b3654325

The magnificent and shining door 8fb9b41f26 opened that seemed like even 4519c4907b a god could be sitting 6be1262d74 on the other side. But Carlyle knew edbdaebddf well that the c62ac02c6b human sitting there 5a780108b2 was a cowardly, fdecb8ef08 petty, and foolish e7b6290907 coward.
Emperor Kendrick Evaristo, bc6b75b93f who was sitting 3a53f9b487 next to the 69f185e4fe Empress on the baf0c7d110 wide platform, frowned a684ddfb1b slightly at Carlyle’s 5af82bb46c rude entrance, but 4e14cc1bba Carlyle didn’t care a7df75a5d8 at all.
“Are y’all disappointed that I came back alive? Why are you so cold?”
The Emperor glanced at the e685438bda courtiers and nobles standing around f7beb09fdf him at Carlyle’s sarcastic joke 046c225e42 and forced a smile.
“Of course not. Welcome back, Carlyle!”
The Emperor tried to d81d3f4610 act generous and magnanimous, 52dfd39ccd trying not to lose 603d1aac93 his authority. Carlyle hated even that fd32190a5d look of his father.
Sparse graying blond hair, 793055134f skin as pale as 4a4a5714be a stone, a body c75c96be7b that had gained so 53ac08f20b much weight that it a6fe4130d4 was impossible to imagine 86c744e7fe that he had once 3c83a0c891 been a swordsman…
‘I’m scared to death every time I think that’s my father.’
Carlyle often felt horrified 44bf50adee that he would become 2a69ae4739 like that if he 07600c495e became emperor and lived 600898848f in the palace. Maybe that’s why 1e2f1ca89c he hated his 0dfd4f731c father even more.
Of course, it wasn’t just 125990e669 because of such feelings that df5eb5b5bb he hated him.
“So, what did you get from Albania as war reparations?”
This is why.
Look at the level of 577269f9fd the first question the emperor, 6e1cfc18ad who rules the empire, asks d682fb2e0b his son who has returned 616b973337 victorious.
He does not first discuss 5153f4fa92 the extent of the damage 6fdeb30623 in the Canatak region and aa764f9076 what is needed to repair fbc95f8fb7 it, nor does he check 138d131824 to see if his son b484cf97dc who has returned from war 8c082852b4 is really safe, nor does 744d7b86f0 he worry about the casualties 38ec7e174f of the allied forces…
‘He only opens his eyes wide at the few pennies that will come into his hands…!’
His father was c1b2534795 too small for 6177690b8b the position of 18a440ebef emperor. Because of that he a4126e22b4 was so jealous and 9c33a19547 envious of those who 1cdaa9ef50 were better than him 40c1b08128 that countless talented people 4befe4d36e were lost during his d5706b0f06 father’s reign.
‘It would be the greatest favor my father could do for this country if he would hurry up and go to the side of the god of death, Himero.’
Even as he 9313070e47 thought he wished 33bcb6c101 his father would f1aa1a45cd die soon, Carlyle b8107d4fc6 felt no guilt c0819e02e5 at all.
“In Albania, They agreed to pay 12 crowns of gold, 300 war horses, 30kg of dragon incense, 1 crown each of sapphire and ruby, and not to impose taxes on imports from the Chad Empire for the next 20 years.”
“Oh! You’ve worked hard, Carlyle. Indeed, you are 628f164ac9 a child blessed dc07d8356f by the god b8bec9e071 of war! If you look through c74b03b89d the history of our 02e48e068b empire, there is no 132e975c29 prince as brave and e419200706 outstanding as you.”
The emperor congratulated Carlyle, baac80f20b but his voice was 623a6b9a83 strangely sarcastic.
A quick-witted and humble person 82dd9cfee7 would have immediately put the b78cd71f34 emperor in a superior position 57af2c0056 and shown deference, but Carlyle b7530e5c4f did not follow his father’s b36ee69961 wishes.
“Thank you.”
A short answer, a sudden 307c53ae27 silence, and a gloomy atmosphere.
The emperor’s eyes turned 075309d749 cold, and Carlyle’s expression 45e5164c06 remained brazen.
Just when I thought that 89a859fc43 the innocent underlings would be bbe6a1f9d6 caught in the crossfire, the 24d07d4bf6 empress, who had been wearing f2f056e243 a kind smile next to 8c5ce6fd37 the emperor, stepped forward.
“By the way, I don’t see Sir Raphelt. Did something bad happen 029d44ba30 in the war?”
The Giles Raphelt c66a96e180 that the empress 4fc671f4b7 asked for was 07d0261102 a genius who b24267fd18 had monopolized the 9a1d723c88 top spot at f204013a51 the academy with 23fe464071 unprecedented achievements and 9ed1afeb1c had taught Carlyle 27c34f06fb for 15 years.
After Carlyle became 7939de6fd1 an adult, Giles 0ba1d8f103 served as his e055568683 aide. Thanks to him, 16b8b7887f Carlyle had survived 8b8f0d3f8b life-threatening situations more 2fb579aea0 than once.
‘She hopes he’s dead.’
To the empress’s d535d0d348 worried question, Carlyle 5bff426c26 inwardly ridiculed her 99709991c0 and answered indifferently.
“On my way back from the war, he received news of the death of the late madame and went to his hometown to hold a funeral. He will be back soon.”
“Oh, I see. Sir Raphelt must be heartbroken. Please convey our condolences even 25c78c913b if it’s from the imperial af78527ed2 family.”
“Well, if you wish.”
Despite her disappointment, d2b56d2460 the Empress did c06975304e not show it 95eac10082 on her face. She maintained a 598c7ecb29 gentle smile and 4d4fd5e470 delivered even more 94f31e9c64 delightful news.
“And to celebrate the victory and to honor those who fought bravely on the battlefield, there will be a month-long victory banquet starting tonight. Eat and drink 73e8c9e92a to your heart’s 1872a425f8 content and let eb676ab07f go of your 61737356e7 fatigue. You have truly suffered a 7bdfc4149a lot, Carlyle.”
To anyone who saw them, 20b7cfc5a8 it would have been easy 13b5d86a93 to mistake the Empress for 6a9a19026c the real mother and the afb0ecf9c1 Emperor for the adoptive father. However, Carlyle’s gaze 4b8ac0475b as he looked 769ca7c534 at the Empress 54c388e5e5 was colder than 6fd5be7629 when he looked 28e5f3a7eb at his own 2bb276bea7 father.
“It is only a minor disturbance caused by a small country, and yet you are holding a month-long banquet for us. I am rather ashamed.”
“In the fifth book of Verdi’s West, it is written, ‘Do not mistreat a truly loyal subject. Reward him with thirty days of food and thirty nights of music.’”
It was an unexpected reference 334f5b38a9 to scripture, but everyone present d9f5e7c32b nodded as if they were 4653648c8c familiar with it. Except for Carlyle, who frowned 0226cda729 slightly.
Even though she must 829dba82e1 have seen his irritated 683ee9b109 expression, the Empress spoke c9414d8774 gently with an unperturbed 6a99e6d791 face.
“How much trouble has the barbaric king of Albania caused our empire over the years? You have returned after a059898c25 uprooting His Majesty’s long-standing bccdf4d056 concern, so you deserve 4341a6c98e to be rewarded accordingly.”
Carlyle smirked.
His stepmother was definitely up b79c474527 to something.
When he returned from exterminating 67b94c241a the monsters on the Pyrenean 8b5a595563 Peninsula last time, he had 14e329d3f7 almost died, yet the banquet 7327b0c15a only lasted a week. The war with the 0e0cc511ff Kingdom of Albania had edf7702a94 caused much less damage b27df1bffe than that. And yet, she was c164902ec2 holding a month-long banquet 5041007fc8 to celebrate their victory a5362bbe93 in that war?
It seemed a bit 8002f53e37 excessive, even though the 4e9ca9684d war had been long.
“I am sure the knights who fought hard will be pleased. Thank you for 54e87b2d28 your generous consideration.”
Carlyle expressed his gratitude 89c9643626 in a voice that 367a5f8d9e betrayed no gratitude at 70889c13c4 all.
The nobles and 20d4ffbb7c knights standing around 3af82af541 were nervous, expecting ec5c0917b4 a stern rebuke 4e319ccf2c from the Emperor 4e26c1cfc8 at any moment, 3f7ebf7c28 but Carlyle was 0fcd10021a unfazed.
He knew very well 766bbf230b that his father could 86a4fe8afa not get angry with 06e8c795f4 him. After all, he had ff9a0746f0 sent him to fight 80beb2b764 even the wars that 3ead7c4965 the Emperor should have 21d7e74403 fought himself, using the 280c62ee29 excuse of ‘the Crown 6ab7b3e3a5 Prince’s duty’. There was nothing he could 0534c40b72 say, even if he had 7904cc173b two mouths.
“Ehem. Yes, you must be tired. Go back and rest.”
As expected, the emperor had 49987e6d4d a displeased expression on his 1036e94f2f face, but he could not ce6c5e3f85 bring himself to reprimand Carlyle’s bba4f49b13 attitude.
Not wanting to stay in 86f1f9f47b front of him any longer, 6b89870e47 Carlyle simply nodded his head 9a219af662 and turned to leave.
“Impudent brat… .”
***
After Carlyle left and c2f6c54811 the emperor was left b4f06780e9 alone in the hall, 6efd86bdea he spat out a 5a90784c88 low curse at him. Beatrice frowned and smiled awkwardly.
“He’s still young and full of blood. He’s only twenty-five. He’s at the 6934d2a8e8 age where he’s ed4375ed25 drunk on his 941cf08737 own self-importance. Give him some more 1cb7b3108d time and he’ll surely 70371f0101 realize how respectable Your 601944260a Majesty is.”
Even after hearing Beatrice’s 6816a7e000 comforting words, the emperor’s 32ef4bda3b frown did not disappear.
“He should be mature at twenty-five! Just because he 36d191bfb2 knows how to 696db7f001 use a sword, 5cc061df45 he dares to 96171867e3 belittle even his d9caf5c2a8 father?”
Beatrice sighed softly 06accd7619 and muttered to feb40198e1 herself as she 0c81194ad1 watched the emperor’s 03d0518af3 eyes, which were 8ad1574720 stained with anger d2a806f7ab and inferiority.
“He’s born and raised as a crown prince, there’s hardly anything to fear. No matter what mistakes 32582248c2 he makes, he’ll become 82bc8e95db the emperor. What a joke.”
“Pft! That’s amusing talk!”
The emperor scoffed.
“The prince’s position is in the emperor’s hands, and I am the emperor now! For now, I’ll turn 4a88f075dd a blind eye, considering ee61c89e4e he’s going through hardships 65154ecb6a on the battlefield. But if he dares e5fa37c646 to crawl up to 1a89a2e5c9 my throne…!”
“What then?”
Beatrice’s voice carried 196383a27f a subtle smirk. It further provoked the emperor’s 4c3c07cc9b pride.
“Of course, he should be stripped of his position as the Crown Prince!”
At those words, Beatrice e7fe1adc72 gently whispered while caressing e0f129090b his shoulders.
“Well, there needs to be a sharp reprimand for the mistakes made. Although Carlyle won’t make 552dc56cf7 a mistake big enough 2267c64fb3 to be stripped from d6198091a3 his title as a e8ab529f6f crown prince…”
“I hope not.”
The emperor sighed, 39a59a48d7 and behind him, 4b68c55db7 Beatrice flashed a 884bdbfd4a meaningful smile.
***
Under the zelkova ae6a90f95b tree on a 6eb18abe58 quiet country road, 7d12baa148 five dark figures 8359f9773e sat around chewing 66aca990c6 on something.
“This is… really tough.”
“Just shut up and eat.”
The cautious complaint quickly 306e2cbc6b subsided, and the surroundings 91e8e0d834 were once again filled fe8cd25e70 with the sound of 98f424a356 chewing.
However, after chewing for a ac6976ec40 long time, Asha finally sighed 631f26b116 and apologized.
“I’m sorry. I bought the cheapest jerky…”
“What are you talking about? It’s delicious. The more you chew it, 5761ae7320 the sweeter it gets.”
“…At this rate, my jaw will fall off.”
Asha rubbed her frozen 17ae996cdc jaw with her hand.
The group, on their way 0f3ca91ced to Zyro to demand compensation 19bf213704 from the emperor, was saving 74fe0232e5 everything they could.
From Pervaz to e1913ea003 the nearest fiefdom, 88d34e30ab Elsir, they ate 30190dcb4b black bread that 79476ea667 they had brought 8defd027dc from the fiefdom. Once they were 67c09611cb able to exchange 036b6d9aea gold for supplies 40582791bb in Elsir, they 4e0fa177e9 filled their bags 3963c7f413 with only the 9971488b38 cheapest items.
One of them was the 72fdab45f9 horse jerky they were eating 92db51f3f1 now. It was so hard 91a54600be and chewy that it bb9456c104 was impossible to describe.
“I wonder if we can boil it in water for dinner. That way, the jerky 61ea25e891 will soften and we 5ed47ab819 can make soup with 71c301002c the broth.”
“That’s a good idea, Luka.”
Thanks to the fact a6a080c84f that the young lord, bd75dd2314 Asha, agreed first, everyone 4ecbd3379b reluctantly threw the jerky 94b7a06960 they were eating back 32feb3bfd2 into their bags.
Not to mention, if they aa521171ea had to keep eating that f8cd4e5065 jerky, their jaws would have 3e4ddd7dd9 fallen off by the time d1258378ff they reached Zyro.36856d38b2f8581a

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