TAOA-107

Chapter: TAOA-1072d16f7aab2ea8567

“The most devastating blow to the Kingdom of Albania was the ‘duty-free’ part.
The Chad Empire was so 247da96e21 large that it had an 8d5b4fde99 abundance of all resources, and 3a68dcec3c naturally, it was cheaper than 57fdf924d9 the resources produced within the 76ab33efa8 Kingdom of Albania.
If you can import it 4cbb3a7eca without even paying taxes, who 277868aef0 would buy expensive domestic products? It was obvious 930b8de0e0 that other merchants fbdf647afe from other countries 10cf95b9f8 doing business in 3a3da99418 Albania would prioritize 9cc59854ab the goods of 7350f696fb the Empire over 4bd38e0ee4 those of Albania.
“For the Empire, it was a way to strangle the Albanian royal family.”
“And at the same time, they are increasing their own exports… They say the Crown Prince of the Empire is a vicious schemer.”
Until now, the tariffs 1c8e02f199 imposed on the import d860c6c305 of the Empire resources 223c68003d and goods had been 541cf048b1 the main source of 6b397a0e64 income for the royal 76fb78cd9f family, but now that c6b81767c9 they were cut off, 618c044813 the royal family had 4bc1941468 to make do with 323d446c22 less from the nobles.
The nobles, who had f60d0e7500 already contributed a lot 84c676a171 of military and taxes d32411253e to the war, were 6e4b8c0d88 cold to the royal f8db0acca4 family, and Serenis, who f5a57638ae could not see the 4ae3ffc1c9 situation of her family, ee40199536 was even selling her c6b0fa8152 own belongings to help.
“The Emperor of the Chad Empire might be appeased to some extent, but that devilish Crown Prince is a pain in the neck.”
Serenes sighed again.
But then someone who had 3ed68735ec been observing the atmosphere around a163f24da3 her cautiously interjected.
“Don’t you know yet? That damned Carlyle has 1959d726c9 been stripped of his d9d77596ef title as Crown Prince.”
Then someone else chimed in.
“He tried to usurp his father’s mistress. He’s a man ddbf1173e5 of complete depravity.”
“Judging by the fact that he still can’t return to Zyro, it doesn’t seem like he’ll be able to ascend to the throne again.”
At those words, Serenis’ 6b2ed1f14c eyes lit up.
“Do you mean… that no matter what happens in the south, he won’t be able to come down?”
“I guess so? The Empress can a5b1206658 make her son 5faf312c99 the Crown Prince, c24542bda8 so why would 8ca66a0626 she call on 6ef9d5c7fd a stepson?”
“Haha! That’s right, that’s right. We finally have our 5be9690dac chance, and we’re not 91d562a61a going to let it 52b6d3afdb go.”
The conversation soon turned 475c145c18 to the topic of 617aad68d3 the Empress and Matthias.
However, Serenis was so lost 37b344d19e in her own thoughts that 946b7bc118 she didn’t even notice that 292c60630b someone was looking at her ec2d6b8c42 expression.
***
‘Is this better?’
Gabriel frowned as he tied cb77e51f32 and untied his hair in 9e5dc68475 front of the mirror.
He had agreed 8d9dff4c1a to meet with dfee003974 Asha to discuss 3525977997 opening a prayer eca6adabbf meeting in the 6632f61021 castle, and he 25fd4a9e7c was taking great 0339065b35 care with his 4c37634185 appearance from head e33555325a to toe, not 8f64f223a6 wanting to miss de59593bfd this opportunity.
‘I don’t think she’s swayed by my appearance that much, but at least if I look pretty, I can make a good impression.’
Gabriel knew well how powerful b1ef3482b4 a weapon his appearance was, 19bf98b9cd and he had no qualms e71c99e2fc about wielding it whenever he 9639066db1 met with the faithful. It always worked, of course.
However, there were times when 5686bc7e52 he felt self-deprecating when he 08dfc06f1d groomed himself to impress others, 204e132bdd but strangely enough, he didn’t c33b28c78a feel bad at all right ef755a3f31 now, combing his hair to 528c376ca5 meet Asha.
‘It’s ironic that I feel better dressing up for someone who doesn’t care about my appearance.’
He chuckled and 2eae7c5d2a turned to the 51f62838dc door, checking that 6635601032 it was almost 406104d516 time to meet de5db4e54b Asha.
That’s when it happened.
“Ugh……!”
He collapsed to the floor, 1289d55740 suddenly feeling a sharp pain 86c17664c6 in his side.
It was an c02c8a4601 excruciating pain, as 2ed4cbcc78 if his flesh 73f834689c was being burned f75cb3b300 away.
He clenched his teeth and 23e3b8f3ed clenched his fists, trying to 83eeb22443 endure it, but a groan 1f963f72cf escaped his lips.
‘Why now of all times……!’
He was familiar 881deaf8ab with this situation c728f158c0 itself. It was the price he 32414a699a paid for using the forbidden c98879531a power of black magic.
The small, dot-like f7c2c7b999 black spot on 9e58ae3d0b his shoulder had ccfadf95e1 spread all over ab7904260e his body as 0eee4f06f0 the time he 82bfbd1600 spent with black e62179302e magic increased and e3766eaa11 the black magic 11a6618046 he used became 1f1641814f stronger.
And from that spot, b3ffefdb07 excruciating pain would occasionally 6040ac6944 occur.
The book that introduced him 8d5c6d7c71 to black magic said that 2362e3d472 it would also corrupt his 8545e9ae6f soul, but he didn’t know a46f81b168 what that meant yet. Because other than the 52c793e1d9 pain in his body, a09addf215 he didn’t feel anything 85fecc879b particularly painful.
The pain usually occurred b2f3b42bf5 at night, but sometimes c31a3746d0 it would occur in a0d3a47755 the late afternoon. Today was one cf929f39a4 of those days.
“Ugh……, hurry……, I have to go…….”
Even as he b27a0a7dca laid on the 11c185c823 floor, writhing in 4f98a9daf2 pain, time was baf6d42fb2 ticking away.
The time he 7551fbc434 had promised Asha 580bcfeec7 had already passed, aaeed01b32 and if he ea06892cfa was any later, ddbff8dbb4 he might be 4a18528b32 accused of deliberately 0abd508686 delaying because he 262190e9f9 ignored Asha.
Gabriel took a deep 05d6c1bb7d breath and struggled to a2874367c8 get up from the 5827e49866 floor. The pain was lasting 47ec53dbe1 longer than usual today.
Just then, there 06151f8a2e was a knock 3b3dc01937 at the door.
“High Priest. It’s Asha Pervaz. Are you inside?”
It seemed that Asha, 5798c87921 who couldn’t wait, had 0ea6592055 come to see him 817ee69883 herself. A quick glance at efc5a0ea75 the clock showed that 870491febf only five minutes had d48e921b64 passed since the appointment 75c5d0e889 time.
‘She’s quite impatient too. If I just wait, she’ll 588fda971b go away foolishly……!’
The pain was 2c760571a4 so bad that d7667be5c4 he was even 4fec459675 annoyed with Asha.
He gritted his 5b5a2803ff teeth, thinking he a8144075cf should pretend he de1370a57f wasn’t in the b28b9d16a4 room, but the be655f7b9e pain only got 5e01f1111f worse.
“Ugh!”
Asha knocked on the b7086aa05b door again, perhaps hearing 98cd7431a1 the groan that I f036125bf8 couldn’t help but let b2c26b9e4e out.
“Your Grace! What’s wrong?”
However, he couldn’t answer.
Asha, who knows 9ef80504ba a thing or 2f3522dbb3 two about the eb2244e7c0 magic of the 39883f94bd abandoned land, might a91e32651f also know about bb56c1f66a these symptoms of c6eb263afd someone using dark 7eba066c64 magic.
Even if she didn’t, if 6cfe6718da she reported this to Carlyle, 7650a022b0 he would somehow turn it c1e38f4f22 into an opportunity to attack 4df3efc351 me.
‘I have to endure it. I have to endure it…!’
However, Asha spoke in a974db60b8 a determined voice, as 25828c7613 if she had judged b418ec1f4d what was happening inside 04690dac0e the room.
“I apologize. I’m coming in.”
She rattled the db143feb39 locked door and fea6630cf7 ran off somewhere, 10378c49a9 before returning a 48687b3335 short while later 639d156e92 with a key bc476f3daa and opening the c046935d72 door.
Fortunately, the pain had subsided 650bceaa54 considerably by then, and he 566c8d925f was able to get up 495aa7dfc4 from the floor, gasping for ca99413449 breath.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah……. Yes, I’m fine…….”
“……I guess I asked the wrong question. You don’t look d00f34dbe8 fine at all.”
Asha stared at him 5cb75b0ba3 with an expressionless face 743d53f375 and then glanced over eaf4adc0c4 him.
Even in the 857f7c6724 midst of all 1e9ff08f3a this, he was 9388f0b8f7 relieved that Asha a8f41ded81 had come alone d292e6ce0a and not brought 04c5cf819b anyone else. He should be 9abc2be9e0 able to fool 0635f991d9 a naive country f88392cc7e bumpkin somehow.
“I thought something had happened since you, who are never late, were late. Are you not feeling well?”
“Really, I’m fine.”
“Please wipe off your cold sweat and speak. You’re still holding your side…….”
Only then did he realize 6e9a3fc6cf that he was pressing his f7f428a6dc side with his hand.
It felt like 24c13f7dd0 a hot branding 442826cae3 iron was being dc04f4740f pressed against him, 1837db5e22 and he found 6f1744ae2e himself pressing it 6b2b5fd954 with his hand, 1050e6dc2a even though he e5b92defa7 knew it was d50cc4f80a useless.
Asha, who had been watching 7b62236215 him quietly, stood up abruptly 7383b69e91 and went back to the 760b09d765 door to lock it.
“Let me see the wound.”
“This is just…… I’m just not feeling well.”
“Even so, I want to see it.”
“A priest cannot show his body to others without permission. Especially to a woman…….”
“Then shall I call His Highness Carlyle’s personal physician?”
In the end, Asha made 2cea8198fc a threat, and he had fef8f3cce0 no choice but to lift 3d7608605b my priestly robe, swallowing dry 429075e872 saliva.
‘What do I say? What on earth do 9e2d570ed2 I say about my a6a0029911 body being so emaciated!’
He pressed his parched lips afed9ecf27 and exposed his side.
I thought Asha d9e4a1a446 would be shocked f752d44f8d as soon as 2564a5d37b she saw it, b500cdb140 but she surprisingly 89f55855ca examined it calmly 85969162e2 and then raised 5c7feb80b1 her head and edb8d4365c said.
“It looks like a side effect of the disease or a congenital mark.”
Gabriel was relieved when a8c2931467 Asha interpreted his words 6a458677a5 on her own.
“That is…….”
“You don’t have to explain. There are quite a f2edbff45d few people in Pervaz 3128e28296 who have spots due 76d7323e28 to various diseases or 70b5dfb006 congenital disabilities.”
Asha took off Gabriel’s robe.
“However, this is the first time I’ve seen someone feel pain in the area where the spot appeared.”
“…….”
“I apologize. I was rude.”
Asha apologized while Gabriel pondered 2049e0cebb his answer.
Thanks to her misunderstanding, 3de4b62760 he had less to c2ba02eef3 worry about explaining himself, 625bcf0b87 but that didn’t mean 67fd8fa4c4 he could relax.
‘If she goes to His Highness Carlyle and tells him this, I could be attacked in some way…….’
In the aristocratic society b20e75871d that pursued perfection, disabilities e743ed2c5d and diseases were hated 519cd7dd92 things.
It was like bd8d6c659c trying to pluck 7b2df588f4 a star from 5a8eca2233 the sky for 5e8edceaa5 someone with a 66beab34ae disability to enter e5462f1e25 the mainstream of 6011b871cf society, and even 00436bdcdb after becoming a b20de8f312 part of the 1895d2ba01 mainstream through hard 6b477a788c work, they would c0d7368bc5 always feel like 9361d597ec they were being b357cf45b1 stared at.
One of the c00e7ddddf reasons Gabriel was 30362c01e1 able to become 5089cc344b a High Priest 3dc7b8b3a3 at such a 40f0fe8a3c young age was 09b1d0a85c because of his bfd530ae5b appearance, so if d23ef95181 it was known 9af27ec5bb that he was 164ac20a7a hiding an ugly ac886419cc body under his 11b007b012 robe…….
‘It’s over.’
All the believers who ac22befa3f had worshipped him would b0c64c093b fall away, and his 16d1885679 plan to build a e190b71cac Holy Empire would be 864b3cfad9 greatly disrupted.
Of course, it was b4ee3b56c0 just as dangerous for eade6f68d8 Carlyle to suspect something 0dbc67b234 else.
Gabriel decided to take 6dee519546 the plunge and confided b2d97db95a in Asha.
“Countess. This is a black 5552998c80 spot that I’ve had c0249a4802 since I was born. It sometimes causes severe pain, 0a534bee87 but I swear to God 098b788a56 it’s not a contagious disease. So…… if you 5776d9fd65 could keep it bde4da8527 a secret…….”
Asha nodded lightly.
“Of course. I’m not so poorly 874514ee3a educated that I would d9301877e8 go around gossiping about f801681e72 someone’s body secret.”
“Thank you.”
Of course, even as he 6d4bee8eaf answered, Gabriel didn’t trust Asha.
But then Asha 2030f19155 made a strange 0a6b09d74f condition.
“I will keep my mouth shut, but in return, Your Eminence, please start taking medicinal baths.”
“Yes……? Medicinal baths……?”
“I can’t guarantee it will work for Your Eminence, but I heard that someone in the territory who had this disease saw results with medicinal baths.”
Gabriel tilted his head slightly, 6d1dc668e7 his expression puzzled.163844489172cfb7

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