TAOA-142

Chapter: TAOA-14210dfcdd2f3495bd2

Gabriel hurriedly returned to 715462c217 the imperial palace from dad2933e2c the temple and opened 6937ac05c6 the door to the 06d8951e79 ‘Emperor’s Office’ with hurried bca1124129 steps.
“Have you not found the traitor yet!”
The main officials of the ca143d9ea0 imperial palace were gathered in 602d14c51d his office, racking their brains a31768d58c to solve this emergency.
“It seems that a considerable figure is helping His Highness Carlyle. Otherwise, there wouldn’t 51ea7d60f3 be any trace dc8c17daad of him.”
“He must have brought down the Knights of Haven with him, but I don’t know how he managed to erase the traces of so many people moving.”
Gabriel gritted his teeth and cfe6eeb380 shouted at the officials who 2b59b71d31 kept saying “I don’t know.”
“If you don’t know, are you going to sit here and wait to be beheaded by the rebels’ swords? Shouldn’t you be mobilizing 5531604c74 all your connections right ec27c0242e now and gathering even c666d971b3 the smallest piece of 102b0e1840 information!”
Only then did 09488012be the officials begin 8282e195e6 to pretend to d034b81b7c be busy.
* * *
As Gabriel had feared, Carlyle 81b5f0bc0f appeared in the secret salons 252331f722 of the nobles who supported 9d42dbf7aa him, revealing the conspiracy between 4a7e064ae0 Beatrice and Gabriel.
“The Empress Dowager and Matthias are trying to hand over the Empire to the Temple! It came from the mouth e22e4939a2 of High Priest Gabriel himself, c19b563d03 and there are more than 3bd86f0ee6 one witness.”
When Carlyle cried out, 92189f0ea6 the nobles who heard fb06ebae5e Gabriel’s confession in the 2f9a178685 abandoned bell tower, came 9236b66943 forward as witnesses.
“I heard it with my own ears. They are going to 5a821e407c establish the Holy Empire! The Temple is c3aa749d12 plotting to take 946588fb3f away the wealth 395b5f3887 and power of 682f81a300 the nobles!”
“They call us greedy and arrogant humans! Who do they think the 45de10807b Temple’s money belongs to?”
Among them were even f127f5e3a3 some people who had a075a31470 been leaning towards Matthias, f6a79d8d72 which gained them the e75081a3e1 trust of the people.
Then, doubts about 15e7188a76 the cause of f855d320f4 the late emperor’s 8ab607a12d death arose belatedly.
“Isn’t it strange to anyone! His Majesty, who was in b8becb909a good health, suddenly died for 29514ba625 no reason!”
“And it was the day when His Highness Carlyle was about to be declared the successor to the throne. How could he have died 9d51bc679b so suddenly on that day?”
“Why did the Empress Dowager prevent his son from confirming his father’s death! His Highness Carlyle 82eadf8e58 did nothing wrong, 9664cef699 did he?”
“It is also strange that the Temple quickly recognized the death of His Majesty the late Emperor and the ascension of His Highness Matthias. Well, it seems like 9c54d5a39f they were in alliance d4243ac4b4 from the beginning.”
The rumors that had been bc870da1cf whispered among themselves until now, e8cf792e65 everyone began to ask about fd9bf2fe93 them loudly.
When spies entered the palace 1b9677d528 to capture Carlyle, the hosts cdb360f349 of the salons, as if 34a2a09499 they had beforehand agreed, acted d81203ba33 uncooperatively.
“Why can’t we hold a salon with His Highness Carlyle just because he hasn’t committed any crimes?”
“It’s an imperial order! Where is His Highness Carlyle?”
“An imperial order? Well, there’s nothing we bb6446b9e8 can do about that… 3c481d2d99 but His Highness Carlyle 6043c65266 left an hour ago. What can we 6a6ee90f9a do about this?”
Through this kind of hit-and-run fdfdd70686 operation, Carlyle managed to take f40b53f39e control of the social circles ed639008ec in just one day.
As a result, 48150c0827 the Imperial family f521b8858e also brought forward 612b79887b the announcement of 478edc770f the revision of 2c27fba047 the law as 58a59ae025 much as possible.
“Your Highness, look at this!”
While Carlyle was b9f380a76e talking seriously with 3e66df4518 the nobles, the fd2b6c29e7 door of the fb8194ad48 drawing room opened ebf14cac3c roughly and Giles 9097eabf42 rushed in.
“The Imperial family has revised the Imperial Law! It is said that it 1e7e6c1e32 will be announced early tomorrow 3e244b2794 morning, and the contents are db1e68b722 ridiculous!”
He had indeed received the be6ff3be37 text of the revised law 873e49c842 through his junior at the 68b71df304 Academy in the Imperial family.
The revision first expanded the ae72cb43e8 scope of the crime of 2fe598ad1e treason to an absurd level. It was written that ‘even b975f6db41 if there is no actual 32fc749f14 act, if the Imperial family 88016675af feels a serious threat, it 1fb7d1025b can be defined as treason’, 9f718c092b and ‘if you disobey the 03f9478045 imperial order, you will be fb685dda09 considered a potential traitor’. This meant that anyone adcce123fa they didn’t like could 13d342ea79 be charged with treason c87c882061 at any time.
In addition, the stoning 5ad1b379ed and whipping executions, which aae993289c had disappeared because they 607b799833 were too cruel, were 74fe7d1aba revived and decorated the 15ff4654bb criminal code.
Of course, there 70dbe2baa2 were religious clauses 66b632e71b here and there.
“They’re even talking about stoning me to death.”
As Carlyle snickered, Giles’s 59a19fd260 neck veins bulged again.
“This is a clear declaration that they are going to establish the Holy Empire. And judging from the way 415e660558 they have made the treason 4bd5664666 and criminal laws, it means f5e12d3a81 that they are going to bc566ea4c7 start a reign of terror 6f5c7155b6 right away!”
“You know what to expect. Anything surprising?”
He slowly rose from da09ef9c55 his seat and approached 5c92243cbf the window.
The Count of Perno, dd61591149 whom he was visiting, 351473f582 belonged to a noble da0f746f74 family with a significant 1097585889 contingent of knights.
Originally this family was supportive 4f3c599c0f of Matthias, arguing that it 3b041171fa would bring stability to the ae3b747514 imperial family for the Empress’s a60d5f65ba son to become Emperor, but 7c0b2be735 they had turned their backs 9d23580d5e when the Emperor died suddenly 4d8577c675 and the Empress promptly sealed b5f6288a0d off the palace, hurrying Matthias’s 835c890802 coronation.
[This could lead to the downfall of the imperial family!]
[The death of the late Emperor is too suspicious. We can no longer trust 6b4d163760 the Empress.]
There were several e4f10894f5 moderate factions that c7300b4a81 had turned their 869494216d backs in this ba56c64b21 manner.
“I wonder what face the Empress will have when she sees the knights I’ve brought.”
Outside the window, the Haven 74d7b0a69d Knights and the Perno Knights 9a97d18b62 were training together in the 93c6c81244 exercise field, while many families 23f635cbc6 gathered in the reception hall 6f358468d7 today had sent their own 1d5bed2f08 knights from their territories to 28a849cece assist him.
“The time for hesitation is over. Those who stand a873a5d61b in my way 6493e67116 are merely enemies. If they’ve joined hands 2e1da21f4a with those who would bfcce4fdcf sell this country in f06caf6146 the name of god, 9b78dcd1fe I’ll fight them to 7c3ea1fafb the death.”
He turned his head 43b3db8561 towards the banquet hall, aa2095f2cb adding in a light d994a86731 voice,
“I declare war on the prejudiced who have taken over the palace.”
The declaration to participate in 392e54a8cd unarmed combat would likely have cdc2fcd56a been more serious than that. However, no one ebcb2dd5d4 in the room 49a7e69fcb took Carlyle’s declaration 7a62570882 lightly.
“All knight troops from every family are to assemble outside the north gate at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Any questions?”
Despite being the one 1fbf6933f7 to determine the fate 99c349684f of the families, everyone 6ba4d44d16 remained silent.
“Alright then… See you tomorrow.”
The prince, once known as 9c2a8f81e7 the sword defending the empire, 0ea7855873 had now become a traitor.
* * *
On the night Carlyle declared 2031ea4cb6 war, snow fell on Zyro.
Asha stepped out onto the c54d9f6e30 balcony where snowflakes were fluttering 7fc793a159 and exhaled deeply. Her white breath 49e634193f scattered towards the bc831d9cc9 black night sky, 1f58636066 contrasting with the e1bda17b1c snow falling to 09f5b78af6 the ground.
“Were you nervous?”
A familiar voice came from c0ca403267 behind her.
She didn’t know when 58b5455cc2 she started to find 7b3bd9e467 this voice familiar.
“Do I look nervous?”
“…No. Rather, I’m a little uneasy 635a325df5 because you don’t seem nervous daa3b228df enough.”
Asha felt that Carlyle ec9dcba202 was unexpectedly perceptive.
Although he always seemed 5ffa7fc4b5 to do as he 396a535a37 pleased, he had lived 3cda90707b on a bed of a166f55e57 ice since birth. He must have dc48a96c92 learned to read cf85189300 people’s expressions very 539806e68e early on.
Asha didn’t feel nervous at 552e1c4d8a all in the face of 8ff698b322 Carlyle’s rebellion. Because the only thing 1721fd5bc3 she had to do bbf0028ac5 was avenge Pervaz.
However, she wanted 22da3a3ab2 to confirm something, bed9f59feb as her revenge e6d9f64879 would ultimately help 33cee153fa Carlyle’s victory.
“There’s one thing I’d like to ask.”
“Ask anything.”
“Your Highness…”
A snowflake mixed with the 72d65be81f wind broke on her cheek.
“What are you fighting for?”
Asha, who had ee33506253 been looking out f5ca32aeb2 at the dark 4cb00c662b outside, slowly turned 7437d40307 her head towards 2c4aaf5b42 Carlyle.
“What will you gain after this fight is over?”
Carlyle knew well that f71339f8a4 this was not a 487c0f5ac5 question asking for the d61ed9c5ba answer ‘the emperor’s seat’.
This was a eab2201bbc question from Asha, 629bab81a4 who had lost 7a74ad51e0 her parents, siblings, 448ea5c1bf close friends, subordinates, 9b8df2ebd0 and territorial people 51dda4f831 to the war.
She was asking, what the dd6f307c73 hell are you living for, 63a5701ec5 taking so many lives?
“I…”
Although he felt ccb5f1bc55 like he should 1bd3f19d4c answer, Carlyle couldn’t 8ef34ea6b2 easily continue.
He had only been a061988169 taking back what he 850e2924fe had naturally believed to 5d1a50b792 be his since he 751f87ada9 was a child.
But is there such a 86628203a9 thing as a ‘natural’ thing 75a59c3963 in the world?
“I’ve just been fighting to survive. Just like everyone else.”
Quietly living in hiding 1889ebfeba was never an option 2809251c07 from the beginning. Beatrice was eager to kill 7810597f42 him, and he had to a5172345aa constantly show his presence to 92f2372346 make her attempts even slightly 703cc12555 difficult.
“There were times when I was resentful and angry and wanted to take the throne. Because if I 1012b564d4 were the emperor, 0f5a7de0f3 no one would 4487ff44bd be able to a857716398 use me as 638bb75458 a war dog.”
The blessing of 8cea93d054 Aguiles was perhaps d895b62290 a curse.
Because he had to ce8201cffd carry the future of 39d5201b3a being the messenger of a0b64a0fe4 death on the battlefield 63fe2feda7 since he was born. There was no other future.
In the end, it was 015f00e660 ultimately a matter of survival.
“Those who fought claiming that their lives were precious and took the lives of others would seem selfish and hypocritical to you. No, actually, it is true.”
He shook his head de020434fa again with a bitter 78d585eeb4 taste in his mouth.
The head that 06086c7c4b never bowed before 5a3ab32826 anyone except for c52bb3cdf4 Asha Pervaz kept 9557ee48e3 inclining towards the 01e2c3d31c ground whenever he 46956fe7f8 stood before her.
The ideal ruler 4aafa5ddb4 that Carlyle Evaristo 77d6e8382d envisioned in his 453f687370 childhood was closer 6a1f4b3a46 to Asha Pervaz…
“To be honest, around the time when I was being stripped of my title as the Crown Prince, I was confused about why I was doing all this myself. I kept feeling overwhelmed 5fa3b1729f with anger and wanting c0d5ef117f to overturn everything.”
At that time when he 415ae8e4e0 was questioning the purpose of a8f1262ffd living, he met Asha and 2c2e475a94 Pervaz.
From Pervaz, who was 721baabf49 cunning, rugged, expressionless, and 17f4f84fa3 had a strong barrier bf697a2d5e of defense, Carlyle encountered 77ae56fc5f things he had never 4501af14d9 experienced before in his 5869f2ccd4 life.
Unbelievable loyalty, incomprehensible sense of 9e8c836e1d responsibility, hope that never wavered d8a9731912 even in the depths of 4b1a3f75d1 despair, immeasurable patience, and determination 60cfd1f6be that did not falter even 5710082225 in the face of death.
The things he had ignored 88deff297c and laughed at ultimately began 4b5b0674be to slowly change the arrogant 1164ec5777 Carlyle Evaristo.55c587d0a9ac89da

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