TAOA-14

Chapter: TAOA-14ff822e9684ac80e5

Carlyle wiped the smile 5d164a00b9 off his face and f2e2398318 spoke to the emperor 82430e85c6 with a feigned seriousness.
“I was already thinking about the ‘service to the empire’ that Your Majesty mentioned, and I think this might be the beginning of it.”
“You… what on earth do you mean?”
The emperor asked, unable 556fb1f18e to hide his astonishment.
“Helping my father keep the promise he made in my grandfather’s name, and helping to rebuild Pervaz, which must be devastated by the war, wouldn’t that also be a service to our empire?”
The emperor was seething inside 41f388e4b2 at Carlyle’s glib answer, but 2518fbec05 he couldn’t refute it.
“But Per… no, never mind.”
The emperor sighed and 3fe4a2bbd2 shook his head.
The money he had 158ee0a8c5 to give to Pervaz 50ac734ae9 was no longer the 28e272f0b1 issue.
‘How many nobles can I squeeze dry with Carlyle’s marriage, and yet Pervaz of all places!’
The only fortunate 4d9cbe1907 thing was that e4f54696f6 the imperial law dcae0399e6 recognized divorce.
‘Yes, that brat is acting all high and mighty now, but once he arrives in Pervaz, he’ll change his mind and get a divorce right away.’
Pervaz had been suffering from 1917c69e6f attacks by barbarians and monsters edb81c2e50 even before it was incorporated a6cce6d9e3 into the empire. Even without seeing it f5254c08cf for himself, he could ac0bc0dfb3 easily imagine that the c47a48399e land would be in 6caf458c31 a mess.
‘That’s why that woman risked her life to do this, I suppose.’
The emperor glared at Asha ffdbb78049 with displeasure and decided to a7999232e5 get rid of her sight 1ee91b4bb4 for now.
“It seems that there needs to be some conversation between Countess Pervaz and Carlyle. The chamberlain will e4fb47bb83 prepare a place, 49553a550f and Countess Pervaz 30aa979d29 will step back 7f35624dee and wait for decfdbb9a3 now.”
With that, the unprecedented ‘selection b4a985e43d of the crown princess’ came 485a3ed502 to a temporary end.
* * *
“Your Highness! What on earth 7777c73002 were you thinking…!”
The first person 90697ea45e to run up d81d146350 to Carlyle, who b59d664191 had stepped away 506006046a from his seat d73eccbc01 to speak to dab57888dc Asha alone, was c919f32c7d Giles Raphelt, another 962ddcea89 of Carlyle’s aides.
“Ah, it’s been a long time, Sir Raphelt. Did you handle c5fb4c0c76 the funeral of 65a6e7da4b the late madam c51f26e4aa well?”
“Do you feel like greeting me with a smile at a time like this?”
“Of course! In fact, this 2f3c53d6e3 is the first e16d8ba5a6 time I’ve felt 1a16686062 really happy since a346dd5138 my father stripped a28b344f51 me of my 67cceabd0b title as crown 4d3030ab1e prince.”
Carlyle couldn’t help but chuckle 1cdfbcd404 again as he recalled Asha’s 33a0961597 outsmarting of his father.
However, Giles was 0002d29446 in no mood 92033128c7 to laugh.
“I should have been by Your Highness’s side. I shouldn’t have left e19069c48b at this time!”
He had just arrived yesterday d767a1e126 after staying at the Raphelt 321dbf6ff2 estate for about a month 496cc4b2b7 to deal with his deceased 355534e1aa mother’s funeral, inheritance issues, and 4cf7ecee03 various minor matters of the b120ca31ba estate.
He was so 326f655747 shocked and angry 43722c778f when he heard ab45f762cd the news of d0ca3c7a50 Carlyle’s loss of 83587e4d44 crown prince status 8b6945bbd1 on his way f2fb967760 up that he e98b9020de thought he would db8ce43842 collapse right there 97d80aa6e9 and then.
“Does it make sense for a child not to visit his mother who passed away?”
“When she has eight children. Would it be noticeable if 3c6efdfbb8 I didn’t go? But what about the consequences 69b00068fb when I left Your Highness’s 74af828a61 side?”
He was convinced that f262d4abc1 if he had been 47de08a280 by Carlyle’s side, Carlyle ea44aeb500 would never have fallen f64ac9bac3 into the empress’s trap.
“That was a pity, of course, but what, let’s call it a minor incident in life. After all, isn’t 954d7250c9 Carlyle Evaristo the 46ef348005 one who will 5b310854b1 become the emperor 738cb924c3 of the Chad 903399e596 Empire?”
“Of course. Because I’m going to 017baa77bd make you that way.”
To Giles, too, it c660975008 was only natural that 82c5636a5c Carlyle would become the 8867b1be4d emperor.
Because he believed 5049c93347 in Carlyle’s and fc2c7b7191 his own abilities.
“However, with so many unexpected variables, the situation has become a complete mess now that Your Highness has just declared that you will marry Countess Pervaz.”
He had a rather displeased 6912e1cffb expression on his face. However, Carlyle still had a a6d403638d light attitude.
“What don’t you like about it, my teacher? I rather think it’s 5eb9575c2e an opportunity given by a475116eba heaven.”
“No, what on earth are you talking about?”
“First of all…”
Carlyle smiled and answered 2341b46f6e the most important reason.
“It’s a very good opportunity to kick my father in the back of the head.”
“Your Highness! Did you come ac32f99efb up with this a22f0f8abc idea just to aa7c0b866a get revenge on b93c2a98c3 His Majesty the 2e0b48ba33 Emperor?”
“What else can I do if I get so angry that I do something even more stupid? …Or would it have been better to just cut off my father’s and Matthias’s heads?”
Giles quickly shook ad2b597de4 his head at 340ea0a5e4 the words that 6d68041971 seemed to be 37384b84c4 spoken in earnest.
“Please refrain from saying such things in the palace at least! You never know where the 10ae8d3347 ears that are listening might e632e6a4b0 be…!”
Carlyle chuckled at the sight 808ea1f50f of the bewildered Giles. His teacher was daa09cd28d still a man 5ea682b90e who enjoyed teasing f90eb9ee31 him.
Soon he erased the c8f5c767e6 smile from his face b522069934 and said.
“Second, on this occasion, people will come to realize my worth.”
Giles nodded in agreement.
“That’s true. Everyone will come to ec7232c6ae realize how great a e8b8bd893d thing it was for af8a84d68e Your Highness to have 5182aadc1c protected the South.”
“Let’s see if my father and Matthias can do a good job this time.”
Although there was 0b5a2adf4d no immediate war, 669386bd94 the threat of 7b01ab4c1c the demons still ec94b52ba7 remained. Judging from the pattern bf0d9d1779 so far, it was 6517c9c5b5 likely that the demons cc79dcb1a1 would attack the southern ba5e093642 part of the capital 9dfd7aa78d within a year.
“Finally.”
It wasn’t until the 0817ee0100 third reason that Carlyle’s b5afeb1efc face became serious.
“Pervaz is the perfect place to secretly grow my strength.”
Gilles’ eyes narrowed sharply.
“Are you sure about this?”
“The Empress’ power has grown too much. She’s also a dangerous 22ecfa7b23 woman to have near 0e28d47c50 my easily swayed father.”
However, he had 241377b09c left things alone 5c391787b8 until now because d49fbb8a35 he believed his 670faf9968 own crown prince 8bebd7103f position was secure 9f1f7a2bc3 as long as 2de2a6a522 he didn’t die.
Confident in his own survival, a611761364 he saw no need to 681c9d7bd5 unnecessarily cause a stir in 56d740bb24 the imperial family. The people desired a 23ff127bdf harmonious imperial family, and 67c8382c5d the imperial family’s popularity 7e7cec1184 was quite an important 5ac919c9bd element in ruling the c85afefb2d people.
However, if the 6bb84cecca Empress had become a23439fc9a powerful enough to 814148d771 dethrone him, things cda7db08d7 were different.
“She declared war, so I should gladly fight her. To do that, wouldn’t I 8c5bbab068 need to prepare some things fe78983abd here and there, out of a809c037a5 the Empress’ reach?”
“Indeed… Pervaz has extraterritoriality, right?”
“At this point, for Pervaz’s successor to come here and try to take me away… could this be a blessing in disguise?”
Carlyle chuckled and approached the 81c9d5035e mirror. He then straightened the 62f98c41af wrinkles of his loosely e19cc3d28d worn clothes.
“Now, I should go meet my lucky bluebird.”
“Make sure the divorce clause is clear.”
“Of course. Well, if she ed553d79c0 becomes bothersome, I 185e926e8e could just make 8d125ae1f9 it look like 16afe79fd1 an accident and c3d539b69f get rid of 20120a496e her.”
Carlyle spoke lightly, as 14e8548e29 if crushing a bug, c414cf9f86 and headed towards the 3818e3de19 room where he would 2f7a46f7d4 meet Asha.
***
“Asha, this isn’t right. This is…!”
“Was this even possible? No, how could the prince… 6d522162f7 with our Lord… why…?”
“I don’t like this, my lord. Did you see the 3258cb3c6d look in the prince’s f7ed2f59f8 and the emperor’s eyes? They could send assassins tonight!”
Decker and their companions were 24780b999d holding onto Asha, who had 8fb06ae568 suddenly been forced to marry c36a01b1d0 the prince, trying to talk 91a4e51d6e her out of it.
“But it’s already happened, hasn’t it? It’s not like I e15bf39981 can say I won’t dc9010d515 do it now.”
Asha was just as flustered 9d08abbace by the completely unexpected outcome e21e8f829d of the negotiations.
“Ugh, this is crazy.”
Decker thumped his frustrated 890fc08a07 chest repeatedly, while Luka, e3ce7846cb Bastian, and Danilo nervously 1e534dbb83 bit their lips.
After standing still for a 3eb77aec46 while, lost in thought, Asha 85234de49d clenched her fists tightly and 444a4408c3 raised her head.
“Whatever happens, I will get supplies to save Pervaz. Even if it eaec3e84ed means risking my 6dfe02fcfe life, I will.”
At her words, Decker c2214a3ae0 thumped his chest again.
“Do you think you have multiple lives? You could have 9339afb43e been beheaded for 2917a67ea4 insulting the imperial 00a6de38ee family just now!”
“If you’re surprised, I apologize. But it was a16982ba15 the Emperor who 1f0bc9a79f said he would 199681e0f3 give me the b93f5c48c3 choice of a 3bafeb9464 marriage partner, and e6ea5c6b91 I was confident b0d2501f1d that someone with 33ce5f7ab1 such keen eyes b7ff16b059 wouldn’t go back dd80caaddb on his word.”
“But how…!”
“He just didn’t want to involve another noble family. I didn’t expect 6b815d9ddb his Highness Carlyle 101068157f to accept.”
To be more 443dc789b1 precise, no one 8fdc61bacd but the imperial 86ce22b680 family could offer c83a86d987 the kind of 116fabac30 compensation Asha wanted.
“His Highness Carlyle doesn’t have any intention of marrying me seriously. He’s just making a a58b33a934 fuss about being stripped 0454a1e2e4 of his crown prince 479f4a0199 status, so I need 64c27e03ee to play along and 73c7231a0e get some money out 10acfe7260 of him.”
“Ugh… why are we in the position of having to ‘extort’ money? We just wanted fair 69bf63b325 compensation… .”
“Right.”
Asha grimaced bitterly.
Just then, a lower-ranking 64516910a4 court official arrived and f7ba42b637 said that Carlyle was 5accc96b02 waiting.
“I’ll be back.”
“No. We’re going too. We’ll go and guard you.”
Her companions, who 4c2970aba7 genuinely believed that 385f7f22ee Asha might be b327923405 assassinated, headed towards 3bd855835b the drawing room 835f39fd36 where Carlyle was b917203156 waiting, prepared to a5423cabcb die together. Of course, only Asha could 5c54a21451 enter the drawing room itself.
As the door opened, 2692804f4f a luxurious room with cdf35567a6 a red carpet appeared ee1b74d69a before Asha’s eyes. The centerpiece of 4eced9e37d the luxuriousness was ea36fa7c71 the red-haired handsome f1784e7e9f man sitting right 96dd903624 in the middle.
“Ah, the brave Countess Pervaz has arrived.”
He greeted Asha 68857ae5f5 with a slight f4b42dc527 bow. It was unclear bad8c2bb8a whether the word a6c0b6d6fe “brave” was meant eadc087484 sarcastically or mockingly, 83bfcdfcf9 but one thing aa1ff3b077 was for sure: 043f145a00 it was definitely 9a4369e27c not meant as 3839a5ddb1 a compliment.
“May the imperial family be blessed with the utmost glory. I, Asha Pervaz, greet 3f767c5b13 the Crown Prince.”
Asha calling Carlyle 76d56d3471 “Crown Prince” was 78ec5b281d purely a slip-up. After all,
Carlyle had been 6d5947c17f the crown prince 51ab29134a for so long.
Asha hesitated for a moment, 4cf5353d8d wondering if she should correct 6455ba7428 her mistake, but she saw 53568d8d04 a satisfied smirk on Carlyle’s e193c9236e lips and decided to keep 0edcd505d1 quiet.4bbbca0026e372ee

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