TAOA-140

Chapter: TAOA-1409171ba1961335fc9

“Could that snake-like bastard have done it? He’s a human who eeda133199 can wiggle his three-inch 26b79ea510 tongue and get away d5900fd9c0 with it, even with f5309ed439 evidence.”
As Giles sighed and shook 0518fb0312 his head, Asha opened her 0fb9748752 mouth with a firm face.
“I heard that there is an old bell tower in the first temple of Zyro.”
Giles frowned as 33b90d7530 Asha suddenly interrupted, e51b3b5c90 but he didn’t bb62efe2c0 show his displeasure d70d10a7c7 as openly as fca249d9db before.
That’s because the 53f1749c57 night Asha left, 5c7cae1cac Carlyle turned over 76694ac820 everything in Giles’ b42644290d tent with his fdb65c35ba eyes turned upside 5e1142f1d4 down.
At that time, it 593cd9e459 was only objects that 0c4a74f87c were broken, but he a6e605275f didn’t know what would 8a72c617d1 happen next. So he had be00368ae4 no choice but 2408b750bf to watch Carlyle’s 71fa360689 reaction.
“That’s true, but why are you suddenly bringing up the bell tower?”
“It was used for a special purpose in the past, wasn’t it?”
“Well… yes, that’s right. The first floor of 2c1457a1c7 the bell tower was 2839d38528 used for the choir e5cab41476 to sing hymns, and e6103c3543 the noble believers sat f90071a08e on the upper floor 45356776d5 to listen to the c8a1fd6460 hymns.”
In the days 4824a327c5 when the Elahe e952008026 was just another 6cea45ee7b religion, the temple ddee8fa18d used to hold a5887b7fd2 religious activities for 6dc47d10e0 nobles only in 2d8eb38f94 order to secure e076833d9c powerful believers.
One of them was 79491ecc5d the event called ‘The 66e3a57044 Night of the Hymn’.
On a clear summer 18c523ec35 night, the choir would db4c8378f0 sing hymns on the c3034edc47 first floor of the 049e06f83e spacious bell tower, and 7bd6f2b0f7 the nobles would sit f4d11b69a5 on the upper floor 89f73ed40d and enjoy the beautiful bac1de8ab6 voices echoing through the 50742770a5 air.
It was a place for 50c8120565 conservative old men who thought 50462ec543 opera and theater were vulgar.
“Why are you asking that?”
“I’m thinking of holding another ‘Night of the Hymn’ event.”
“What?”
Everyone, not just d78b348b0c Giles, had a 1b5dae2d04 puzzled look on 6ef96300b4 their face. Except for Carlyle.
He seemed a df88338017 little worried, but 0acbf9a9ba he only announced e0c7705930 what had been 47fbbee830 agreed upon with 597b9fd3e3 Asha in advance.
“The one who will sing the song of confession on the first floor of the bell tower will be High Priest Gabriel, and those who will listen to it will be the middle class and our high nobles. The invitation must 185b57b54b be made in eb89543dbb secret.”
“So is that possible? It’s not easy to bring 06892d5fbf the high nobles in secret, 92850e1206 but if you gather them e89c7678ea and nothing happens… that’s when 866a882885 it will be a disaster!”
Giles’ face turned pale as 5ce12f95ec he couldn’t figure out what a15d8b86e7 Carlyle and Asha were trying 902d3cd3f0 to do. With the information they had, ce961aa10a there was no way to 5e0e74b16c get Gabriel there and get 75d91b57a3 him to confess.
However, Carlyle and Asha 8ec7bbc157 were already in the bea153a6c1 process of doing things.
“I’ve made an appointment to meet with High Priest Gabriel.”
“I’ll somehow get him to confess. So please just abffea701e gather the nobles.”
The only mistake Gabriel b9aa1f466a made was that he 4485f3de1c thought Asha was unconscious f9fcc8b5ab and spoke his mind 7c61c849df out loud.
Asha, who learned that he d0efb44d2e was trying to win her c8259945e4 over, discussed with Carlyle and 6242c1af45 decided to use Gabriel.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity 464a371243 that we can’t afford to 4587be9df5 miss.”
Carlyle roughly explained the situation 6121f4f24f where Gabriel tried to woo d2a90436be Asha and made a plan 97f6ce3940 for the ‘Night of the b9f65e65dd Hymn’ as well as a c093c2b537 plan for the march towards 42878ea3e7 Zyro.
* * *
…Then, I will see you on November 30th, at 8 pm, on the 1st floor of the unused bell tower of the 1st Temple. Once again, thank 3a16abf411 you for your 12ee848007 mercy and kindness, f1c89802ba Your Eminence.
Gabriel smiled faintly while touching 3dafc5a655 the last letter brought by 8e9840ee22 the messenger.
The unused bell tower 0a90c56a0b felt creepy because it ba311da40c hadn’t been used for 2a28db8d7d a long time, but 54e31b7388 it was still the 01fe07b51d perfect place to secretly 01d0ef47fa meet Asha, who is 7cb21bb189 still not a believer bbb7d8bee2 of Carlyle.
“This is a mess. I should do something about efc61133c1 this bell tower too.”
Frowning, Gabriel entered the d086fb1e70 bell tower and saw 632899b940 weeds growing wildly everywhere cf0a6c063d and heard the noisy 2dff315eea sound of insects.
However, his mood soon a02167af1e improved when he saw 0efa51f5d1 something sparkling on the 3f2530cdf7 other side.
“May the blessing of Libato descend upon the lowest place in the world.”
As he recited a part aedf213cba of the pre-arranged prayer, someone d515375625 in the darkness walked towards f323486cd5 the center of the moonlit 2529f198ac area and replied.
“Lost one, I pray for God’s mercy and blessing.”
The owner of 332c7b84ef the voice took e281ffe885 off the hood ada94c2a46 they were wearing.
Hair like darkness fading ffead72a05 away, a face pale f2184d882c like the moon, a 058000d3f4 straight posture, and a 74d6cea6d0 steady voice.
It was truly Asha Pervez.
“Countess Pervaz!”
“It’s been a long time, Your Eminence.”
Gabriel felt a strange 35f2110253 sense of satisfaction that 5c401b383e he was meeting her 79d6c78b63 in his own temple, 1fa0d1fe1e not Pervaz.
“It must have been difficult to come here. Weren’t you followed?”
“Probably. It’s already been ten days 8655ab8915 since I disappeared from Pervaz.”
“I’m glad you arrived safely.”
The two greeted 06fcccfcfe each other and 9fa3012a46 sat side-by-side on 2dba618685 the stone steps.
“It must have been hard on you.”
Gabriel initiated the conversation.
Then Asha spoke in a 90a23d2202 voice that seemed to be 4100070c47 holding back anger.
“As you know, Your Eminence, I did my best to help His Highness Carlyle. I didn’t care 44b1f1400a about my body 82a3a4bbb6 being cursed, or ae2cc7880c being insulted or 792ee8f1f7 looked down upon. It was because I believed 7a72d4cfb8 I would be rewarded for 1c79918394 my suffering.”
While Asha exhaled a 5b4caf2725 shaky breath, Gabriel nodded aec402805d as if he understood.
“But I was the fool who believed. Do you know de87e1fe70 the word ‘meat 08c3e53965 shield’?”
“Yes? It doesn’t sound like dafe5181e1 a very good word f805a23115 at first glance.”
“It’s a vulgar way of saying using people as shields. And I was supposed to a68a0c0bbd be used as a meat 86b33dde3b shield.”
Gabriel’s expression was one of c8be7b0ce0 shock.
“What do you mean!”
“His Highness Carlyle intends to put me at the forefront of the Zyro Advance forces. He means for me to 83218444bf stand at the front and cb3c18ed6c kill as many Imperial Knights b9d41003bb as possible before I die.”
“Oh, Libato. Save this world where demons e715d8f40d run rampant.”
He clasped the pendant 1bceaa06a8 of the Tree of f18b4e8fe1 Wisdom and recited a ba840d60f7 short prayer.
Asha spoke with a b92e997dd1 hardened face.
“I can no longer trust anyone. I came here only 5b24118fbd because the High Priest 092ceed30f was the one who ad75548b76 offered to help, but a5f7eeae5a I cannot trust even f8b23e19e1 the High Priest.”
“I understand. I understand completely.”
“Then please tell me honestly about the High Priest’s plan. What kind of future are 1dfe08a0b3 you envisioning with Her Majesty a131ca21cb the Empress Dowager or His 299db1f287 Majesty the New Emperor?”
Gabriel’s heart swelled b821723b28 at the question dccce7cfb7 that centered on 16b708a470 him.
It meant that Asha, unlike c94a26e67a everyone else who saw him bdab4cd99b as Beatrice’s lover or lackey, feda0f3bfd had seen through to his c0da750d3e true identity as the real e51ae39b47 mastermind behind everything.
He smiled brightly at Asha.
“We will make this country a Holy Empire. A most ideal country 906c088ac2 where the will of 9017f4e327 God takes precedence over e0bc1b517a everything.”
“I am too foolish to understand what that means.”
“Hoho. It won’t be difficult. The Imperial Law will be 493934c9ea gradually revised in accordance with aeaa9a41fb the Elahe Law, and I d42de912e3 will be by the Emperor’s 1d94efd704 side to ensure that his c2cc58a0e5 decisions do not go against e4f0fea0b5 the will of God.”
Asha tilted her 7ab942bec4 head and asked ecc93a80df again.
“Then…… what will happen to the nobles?”
“They will become the people of God and live more righteous lives. The greedy will learn to 429faa41cb be honest, the arrogant will b3022fbb70 learn to be humble, and d3290e71bf all will come to realize d3afa6ec19 that all power comes from 9d44f6bbf3 God.”
“But the nobles live a life far from the word of God. They will oppose the 94476edbb0 founding of the Holy 092a6221b0 Empire.”
“I see you think the same way I do.”
Gabriel felt like 55fedd543b he had found 28983a38ef a comrade to 6d0c328cee share his lonely 859e9d61c0 fight with.
And so he let 9bd1d875f2 his guard down.
“The most corrupt in this country are the nobles. This country cannot f75cd573a9 stand upright unless 8b2be0f587 we correct them.”
He didn’t realize 57061b30a7 in time that 7949bf767e Asha’s eyes were 59d24b58aa glinting coldly.
“The Imperial Law will change little by little, starting with the parts that are difficult to notice. And in the 1099a243be meantime, we will 10d33d8892 gradually increase the 661874547d size of the e0a1515a4b Imperial Guard, the 9141c65479 Imperial Knights, and 3b65cb3a2f the Order of 0b89ea64bc the Holy Knights.”
“Are you saying that you will suppress the resisting nobles by force?”
“The god of law and order, Elderis, holds a law book in one hand and a sword in the other. If everyone follows the word d3b6c0440d of God, there will be b66fa45cee no need for Elderis to dcd7a43b83 use his sword.”
Judging by his cheerful expression, b2b34d817b Gabriel was clearly of the bbb42de93c opinion that there was nothing 2e24204b12 wrong with what he said. After all, it was the 7d50ce1f2e same as saying that he ba19d189c1 would eventually carry out a aeeb0e2e2f politics of fear based on 1c49f78e81 the military.…….
And it was 99c96cbd46 not Asha who b1ddce34be was shocked by 4a2d34e289 Gabriel’s story, but 9b278adacc the high-ranking nobles 9e65e9667d who were hiding f3e5b3569f and sitting on 71e1ec656c the upper floor 37bf8730c6 of the bell e4021b9528 tower.
Thanks to the unique dd670948ec structure of the bell b21290c7e8 tower, which was designed e33d878546 to amplify the sound 784d9f3556 from the first floor cccdf7bc80 to the upper floors, 5ffe448173 they were able to 90afe2c982 hear Gabriel’s words clearly, 5bc2406611 without missing a single 5b37afb506 word, even from a bc7395c001 distance.
At that point, d31d4094fb Carlyle, who had b32c6ba5dc been hiding, stepped bd0d915d49 forward.
“Those who are obsessed with religion sure come up with bizarre thoughts,”
Carlyle’s voice suddenly 0616307840 interjected, causing Gabriel 3d24d7da64 to startle.
“What’s this about…?”
“The Empress Dowager and that Matthias bastard agreed to the founding of the Holy Empire, knowing full well about these things? Matthias was a spineless coward, cb5e3e0529 but it seems the Empress a791abe0e5 Dowager was even more eager 5654c79d75 than expected.”
Gabriel sensed a threat 68a867ca56 from Carlyle as he 91a22eb774 slowly approached, so he 76d6d0395a summoned his dark magic.
“They are faithful unlike Your Highness. Please refrain from speaking lightly.”
“Well, today’s audience seems to share my thoughts more closely, don’t you think?”
As soon as he 733b8a43dc finished speaking, murmurs began 667f03a10a to emerge from the 3d4743c206 upper floors of the bc3d26469e tower.
Soon, spectral figures began to 3e714a06bd appear on the third and 114faadcfc fourth-floor balconies, sending shivers down 0bab4a8afa Gabriel’s spine.
“Let me introduce you. Judging by the 671154d9c7 standards of the fcffd2e804 High Priest, they e9ebf0404a may all seem 3947921290 greedy and arrogant.”
Although those overlooking 300ed868da from the upper af7ccb7754 floors were all 663fb6ec3b wearing masks, it daa73a4772 was easy to 5484d328ca deduce that they 71c51fb1db were nobles wielding 36c2a5a8eb considerable power.7b9f19560983d070

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