TAOA-139

Chapter: TAOA-139ea9d10fb972b7f28

“I’m truly sorry. I hope this doesn’t make 48a3f618e5 our relationship awkward going forward. Can you forgive me?”
“Oh, of, of course.”
“Thank you. I promise to remain a b62878d754 true ally of His Highness f385dfcd3d Carlyle and the Countess from 1fe62740df now on.”
“I’m the one who should be grateful.”
Asha gave Cecilia, 250146200d who was leaving 4edf9f2c66 with a polite c9b3e877c7 bow, an awkward 1d95c0c8f3 smile.
However, even after she left, a614998a2d the uneasiness she had been 2dca19ca86 feeling since earlier did not 3fffad961d go away, and she continued a3ad06ec6d to tilt her head.
‘Why is the future Empress being so humble to me? It’s strange…….’
However, she didn’t think too ab2c3a98e8 deeply about it. After all, it 5c8822b311 would only benefit 6fa6fd893d Pervaz if she a079d6aade had a good ccaac21dad relationship with Cecilia, eb35f9b590 who would eventually 8d15d86111 become the real ca8295a510 Empress.
* * *
As soon as b17b8b97c9 Matthias ascended to 402e6723d9 the throne, Gabriel cad373cc96 gathered the priests eef0835512 who were well-versed 541a9022ed in the law d678899057 and began the 112096f7f4 work of creating fa73407e93 a new imperial 8806693f2a law.
The Order, which 2fe744163e had previously looked f57683a997 askance at Gabriel a445a59641 and the Golden 9a7e480ebb Bough Brotherhood, quickly 5f21e0ecea changed its attitude d5bbf763f9 when Matthias became 83dae829df emperor and the 5174a78e3f empress showed a 2cc67a20ce pro-religious stance.
The Holy See 4a9e19dee8 was still said 472e03aa0f to be undecided, edba47a8a9 but all the d47f09a94c temples in Zyro 1d778a0bd7 had turned to b5f83e0551 Gabriel’s side.
“I don’t think it’s bad… what do you think, High Priest Gabriel?”
Archbishop Radrell Otis, who 82d6b95f7e had not been able e1362a0053 to speak a word fc43deb844 in front of Carlyle, 523dda7ea0 was the same.
Gabriel invited Radrell 39ddc77b07 to be the 00e7c24b79 chairman of the 1ca9629b52 “Imperial Law Reform 74dc35fde0 Committee” and entrusted 6798a14d88 him with the 152319bafd task of gradually 96793f5ce2 revising the imperial 24b7138d50 law in accordance 460949dae6 with the Elahe 0c0d1fcd6f Law.
“Hmm……. I would like b380194253 to change it e4e5714791 to match the 8d96d7c0c5 Elahe Law right 8b1613e9db away, but to a9ece0074c minimize backlash, this bba1f6e1b2 is probably the 6199f41e08 best we can 9d746ee244 do for now. Thank you for your d583d32fab hard work, Archbishop.”
Radrell, who had been holding 77d85e8897 his breath and watching Gabriel’s 6bdaf7e26f every move, finally sighed in 1411943dc2 relief and laughed.
“In fact, it is impossible to completely change the imperial law to the level of the Elahe Law. This is enough… .”
“What are you talking about?”
Radrell, who was b6dea7a951 about to end d4e5f597b1 it at a 6f6d0c33b0 reasonable point, quickly fdeec30b3c changed his words c6d73b8567 at Gabriel’s cold 861a2472de gaze.
“… …there may be some who think so, but that is not acceptable.”
“Ah, I see. I almost misunderstood you, Archbishop.”
Gabriel smiled kindly and c7a7177c81 sweetly again, and made 54ada39171 a gentle threat.
“If there are any priests like that, let me know. Those who are corrupt 8ad729212a and compromise have no cd4e1c604d place to rest in ced92b22e4 the courts of God.”
“Of course! Hahaha!”
“Anyway, the new imperial law must be kept strictly confidential until the day it is announced. The new law should f16d0295cd not be noticed as d3b295cd9e much as possible.”
Radrell nodded obediently, but he 3d335926d2 didn’t seem to understand all 17d8750d78 of Gabriel’s words.
As if he 2ded81c432 had read his 19689ef63b mind, Gabriel whispered.
“We will change it little by little, little by little, without causing much backlash from the nobles. When they come to 4383e1cf9f their senses later, they 052f132c1a will find themselves living 48542b9e6f according to the word d3d1d6438b of God.”
Gabriel believed that f4a3af37cc it was truly 2ae8b3c8df a kind consideration. He thought it was 4ecdf53d62 a matter of gradually 10530e7eac leading those who live a3a7a4a77c in a corrupt world d4eafb1393 to the path of ae4801c6c8 God.
If he had e292ca5a31 been the old 20518d7768 him, he would 8e1b545176 have pushed the 88bc37bc2c Elahe Law as 20a1691ec5 soon as Matthias 1e5f5b3d98 ascended to the eb52f2aa21 throne, demanding that b6ecf29244 he keep his 066a4dce6e promise.
However, Gabriel had also 57489e153d changed his mind during f5a753e428 that time.
‘Even in Pervaz without a single temple, people prayed to God with deep faith.’
They may be ignorant 5c1371d30c of the Elahe Law, fe4eb90d93 but their hearts were d2cacc64ab far nobler than the ac1d4e8ba8 nobles who only threw 4cc9db1699 money away and lived f47a6aba9d a dissolute life.
‘If we suddenly announce the strict Elahe Law, those people will be punished for breaking the law.’
‘Even Asha was breaking several Elahe Laws right now. Soon, she will also break a600d9d7b8 the law that says ‘a fb683f9a01 wife shall not betray her e2c9fc0f4b husband.’
So far, I’ve e852ad0cf6 only shown her 9fee9ea9da a little bit adf2fc0145 of what I f795221e03 can do.
“Then I’ll leave the rest of the work to you, Archbishop.”
Gabriel smiled down 4b0c5edc43 at Radrell, who 1fc57f1845 had once rebuked f516a7cd85 him for being fa22168862 “a priest who 4213f0c2ee is also the 08dae5d6db Empress’ lover.”
Although Gabriel was supposed 85ca3d3b9f to be higher than 0764b64ad1 Radrell in the hierarchy 0be67c7922 of the church, it a0b2a69f97 was clear that Radrell 5c4011cd48 was the one who 725cbf6c05 was currying favor now.
Gabriel turned away from Radrell, caac776730 who was greeting him, and 6ae3cd4815 returned to his room. There were piles of 51f7479076 letters on his desk.
“Tsk tsk. They’re all so transparent… .”
A smile spread 65abed06b9 across his lips, 5e4a6bca73 which he could 5310b3853a not quite hide 2bcb1f8111 as he shook 24f95f7130 his head. He felt that 3e5e88c505 the world was 20c185279b finally starting to 0c62dc5234 turn the way ec08c4831f it should.
‘A country where the servants of God are respected as leaders of the people is the norm.’
Gabriel was sorting through the 107e0ce916 letters, checking the senders one 5ab97adf07 by one, when he stopped 4ff1d31b57 short. He had found the 1a23b56c05 sender of a letter ecf0ec4fd0 envelope that was of 6fa34d7e59 poorer quality than the 259e192c78 others.
Asha Pervaz
The handwriting was not very bd7cc1915d elegant. It was blunt 565f3166cb and neat, just f6596f6d81 like her.
It was also the only 53bff3dbe0 envelope that conformed to the 58db3f57b6 imperial postal regulations, unlike the 7bfd465e6f other envelopes that were scented 0d5b450a70 and sealed with expensive wax.
Gabriel opened the envelope a564caca34 with a slightly excited 61e9cefedc heart.
… I happened to overhear a conversation between His Highness Carlyle and Sir Raphelt last night. As you said, I seem b72f7f4fc1 to be about to be e8d90f38c9 abandoned. I am still 287f9f82cb not fully recovered, acdf2b1732 and I do 5d84bf5756 not know what a874481d73 to do.
Gabriel’s heart skipped a beat.
What Carlyle and 0767d13aaf Giles had talked ea57397bf1 about was not e8801c3589 written, but he 8c94dd7b6a could roughly guess.
… The only person I could contact in times of trouble was you, High Priest, so I am writing to you even though I know it is rude. The window of the 0595237550 tower where you used 22719d1827 to stay is not 5f04307800 locked.
Gabriel’s smile widened at c0e1ca34b5 the decision of sending f323888ed8 a reply by a 1d61d46bc3 pigeon.
‘Countess Pervaz has finally made up her mind.’
It was a good thing. For the sake of 29f109fdec Asha Pervaz herself, and 9a160ceee4 for Emperor Matthias, who b15c78b7e7 needed to bring down bf543fd38c Carlyle.
‘I should be able to get a lot of information about Carlyle’s side through Countess Pervaz. I can reward 3058cc4cb5 her for her dd78ab5317 service by giving f742f90586 her a place 4164328820 in the Imperial b330f6222b Knights.’
And then Gabriel e1c5e46526 revised his plan f261ed751c a little.
‘No, giving her a place in the Imperial Knights could cause a stir… The Holy Knights would be better.’
And the Holy b8de180968 Knights that Asha 1b1848c773 led would be c3b43d517b guarding the area f39ed1ddf4 around where he 2cfa016b0b was staying.
‘She is a person that Libato sent to me, so I must show her my sincerity.’
He wrote a reply 9c6e1f77d3 without delay.
* * *
After a period f18c6ed90b of peace and 21705a946e stability in the 49618aba1d Pervaz Territory, and 807184e74b Asha’s partial recovery, 7657c137c1 Carlyle gathered his 223ffec432 close aides.
“It’s been a while since we’ve all been together like this.”
He took a 4d8cde21c6 deep breath and f9c7736a01 looked around at 3d00c07ecd Lionel, Giles, Isaac, 24f1ad3772 Asha, Decker, and b060e74a5b Cecilia.
The time they had f303ad42f6 known each other, the 4af74f0427 things they had experienced 826cd46f42 together, and what they 94731951ad expected from each other 2d036ab8ea were all different, but 6d347b407f one thing was the 54c40f8b1e same: they had all 7df66905bd risked their lives for 85c463eff5 him.
He felt a 300c044c53 renewed sense of 607e55797a responsibility.
“It’s time to start our counterattack. Give me a situation report.”
Due to Carlyle’s arrival 06afb2d2e9 in Pervaz, the situation 5f711a2bba in Zyro had become a7982f6b88 quite ambiguous. Not only the 06e565c8a2 middle class, but 230720ddce even those who 4dd8e20483 had supported Carlyle 0e32def6f1 were wavering. However, there were also some ee395b01ba good developments.
Cecilia was the first 14e70f135f to report on the 675f5f1824 atmosphere in the social 6907d7a5fe circles.
“The imperial collateral families sided with us. I didn’t think 87ea7abe55 they would move a15976042b from their neutral 987d8ba087 position, but it 2164a16a2f seems that they a78a4c8167 have changed their d259b4407b minds after Your 305203126b Highness came to 391c8d092e Pervaz.”
“They weren’t pointing their fingers at me for running away?”
“They are the ones who protect the imperial family itself. If Your Highness 77b8abede2 had directly attacked 736f589057 the Imperial Palace, 33e3680be6 they would have 12959b128c accused you of 086a463db0 treason, but they f4a9e5ca3f seem to think 22b198d539 that by coming 199b49ffc5 to Pervaz first, f1ae80e093 you are ‘a 681b4f1962 man who knows 045010ccb3 how to be 21c2d86ee3 patient’.”
It meant that they were d92fc7d2d5 taking a positive view of 200c5bb339 the fact that he had, 8e170151c3 albeit reluctantly, accepted the announcement 65e06fda8e of the imperial family and 71f6f7624a the temple.
Carlyle snorted at that.
“What’s wrong with Emperor Matthias? Why would they support me? I’m talking about those d3ffdc66b5 who claim to be ccc2a44a61 the protectors of the 032a5a75c3 imperial family.”
“It’s true that the cause of the death of the previous emperor is suspicious.”
“It’s funny that those who suspect that would say they want to remain neutral. They’re just cowards.”
When Carlyle got angry, Lionel 8e4211c9af and Giles tried to calm 334db00cda him down.
“Anyway, they’ve finally come over to our side. They will definitely be a fb8b150d35 force to be reckoned with. Once they decide on a ec83343593 direction, they are not easily abcf647d8f swayed. That’s what they’re known for.”
“If they become our shield, we will also gain the justification for rebellion. It will also d44bae2820 be easier for 9bbf12b7c0 us to move 4347d530be around in Zyro 683d506b96 without the Empress 9745628ce8 Dowager’s notice.”
Carlyle nodded at their words.
Right now, it was more 5401381626 important to gather his forces f77fe9ea7e and plan how to use 26aab8c6d4 them than to dwell on 0508cca419 unpleasant things.
“First, we need to start by uncovering the plans of the Empress Dowager and the temple. The nobles will 985644b4ae never accept the d1f2e6f30f Holy Empire.”
“That’s right. The nobles have to pay 71c1317ee4 10% of their income to ef7de62445 the temple for no reason.”
Lionel agreed with Carlyle, 57440fd098 but Giles was skeptical.
“But do you think the Empress Dowager or the temple will simply accept this?”
The Empress’s greatest a8dbe0d2ac source of support 54abf3329f was naturally the 33a2ae1b30 temple. The temple, contrary to its af19b8f6d6 modest image, had considerable financial a1e8920d51 resources and used the pretext 638e73d89d of divine words to manipulate 084499496e people’s thoughts.
They had to either 50956968a7 take away such temples c0efb9c2a3 from the Empress or b57ea9d8e5 weaken her power itself, c955f9ea67 but it was not 0c89791fee as easy as it 1fd9e68b8d sounded.
However, Carlyle said, meeting 34334123b0 Asha’s eyes.
“What if Gabriel, the High Priest, who is the closest aide to the Empress Dowager, admits that fact himself?”9113a44bc7ab9351

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish