TAOA-15

Chapter: TAOA-15398e89093fef5758

That was an excellent choice.
“Choosing me as your marriage partner under the title ‘Duke of Haven’ means that you know the news that my crown prince status has been revoked, right?”
“I apologize. It’s a title 9b8bf3dded that’s been on 95b8bb8272 my lips for 45e07e80cd a long time……. I’ll be careful from 6d45ddcb67 now on.”
“If it’s a title that’s stuck on your lips, there’s no need to change it. Not until my title becomes e7a172f882 Your Majesty the Emperor’.”
Carlyle’s lips curled 4a42c02bed into a cool b4ec49de65 smile.
Just like the songs of cd239afd72 the street minstrels, he was 3692aa1301 indeed a man who seemed 1c30e74f17 to have been chosen by 69d1934727 the gods.
He must not have 26373a3cbe had time to take 20c0b20d52 proper care of himself c382767c77 while traveling through the 5adfbd7c53 battlefield, but his reddish-brown 77243af126 hair and skin were b8ad7932ca smooth, and his amber e6ce26e1bd eyes, which were closer c1c409a816 to topaz, were filled e0f90b3e04 with dignity. His firm and red lips, ed901fb81e tall height, and solid muscular bbe758655b body were also very tempting.
And Carlyle, he himself knew 256655411d very well that his appearance d9926c755b was handsome enough to captivate a2edcda8ac others.
‘You can’t even think of looking down. It would be troublesome 5e245816b0 if you cling to b1e00a62d1 me without knowing your 52329c2eb3 place.’
Carlyle tried his aa0126e123 best not to 91b3cf052d make a contemptuous 8277929035 expression and asked 110bd58449 jokingly.
“Even though we’re about to get married, you’re staring at me too much from the first meeting. Do you like 18415007fa my appearance that f2dd4a0e3c much?”
However, Asha’s thoughts as 5a40115277 she looked at him 12b22d7f75 were completely different from db4d903b04 his guess.
“Rather than that, I’m a little envious of your physique. Of course, there is df9649d80a the disadvantage that the 47db8ba643 bigger you are, the f41bb709d0 easier it is to bf61de616f become a target, but 7f8e7db8db there is also the d3de575775 strength that comes from 2a06def447 physique.”
Carlyle was speechless for a 34fa9f6cd7 moment and just fidgeted with 89a4641a6e his crossed feet.
“So…… in battle……?”
“Yes.”
“This body is your preference?”
“I would like to have that kind of body, but it’s almost impossible.”
It didn’t seem bc3a99ce78 like she was 58e151701a talking around. Judging from the 3568d9674f fact that she 1f2d82f8ec kept her face 1e1579a8e2 expressionless even while fad0b4650d looking at Carlyle’s 689101b667 face.
“……That’s interesting.”
Carlyle felt a little deflated. But he thought 89fc92af44 it was better 5e6e07173f than being clingy 82b960d279 and infatuated with 56d1fa9c7b him.
“Then shall we start talking about the ‘deal’ now?”
As expected, the word ‘deal’ 869560fc2c came up.
Asha made up her 998412b7be mind and sat down f34c022a89 across from Carlyle as 3126e94413 he suggested.
“First of all, I would like to thank you for giving my despicable father a taste of his own medicine. You really used your 034341f017 head well, Barbaric Princess.”
He called Asha’s derogatory 95db8f40fd nickname without any hesitation.
“It must have been a gamble with your life, but you made me want to take part, so the gamble was a success.”
However, this time too, Asha’s cea3ca51a3 answer betrayed Carlyle’s expectations.
“Actually, I would have preferred it if Your Highness had not agreed. Then I would have e29f2110c3 just quietly taken the cdf61a2781 compensation and left.”
“Do you think my father would have given the compensation willingly?”
“Well, with the eyes of the nobles on him, he would have given it. He might also 6dea26da05 send assassins, but 05f17ac92f we were planning 0fdb02a972 to run away f0fefa80e1 as soon as b2c3d6f5d9 we received the 7f83d944ae compensation.”
Carlyle, despite being called 089a6a838a “the desire of all b1d080fd35 ladies”, Asha couldn’t hide bab54092fd her subtle displeasure. He found her 56a00d5431 refreshing, albeit slightly 516efabcc5 annoying.
“If you truly believed you could escape, you must be naive. As it is, this c6f2a3e13a situation is the most 045275f1f6 advantageous.”
“So, what do you plan to do?”
Asha’s straight question 0bd5fa4ad1 hung in the f2fec84077 air as Carlyle 29224ebd22 took a cigar bfe0b5f350 out of the 5daa533a7b cedar box in 1af0e9716e front of him e38828f8e5 and clipped the 9141806394 tip.
The cigar cap that 074ffe026b fell under the cutter 55dd21711a looked like someone’s severed 19fe5e8579 head.
“I’ll give you what you want. Anything but being treated as 045e5b2d0e a wife.”
Despite his words of not 9ef80672b6 being treated as a wife, c2263fb123 Asha remained unfazed, Kallail added 94a78fd646 with satisfaction,
“You were truly willing to risk your life to rebuild Pervaz, and I won’t hold back on the financial and material support needed for that.”
The promise Asha had longed 26a001f15a to hear came from Kallail’s 78fd27c1a6 mouth, not the Emperor’s.
But cautious Asha, before showing 77f7f63f51 any sign of joy, looked 9ded2cc16c sharply at Carlyle and asked,
“What do you want from me?”
Carlyle smirked as he 8ac09061dd puffed on his cigar b85eac4eb3 and exhaled.
“Don’t care what I do in Pervazz. Don’t expect me c3ffbfd760 to treat you 549c77af9f like a wife, 54fd94b870 and don’t think 3c534b68cc about siding against c612951878 me. And when I 6f2d3cd4a1 ask you to, 1766a31cf8 sign the divorce 42352149e1 papers without complaining.”
“Not difficult, is it?”
“He genuinely thought the conditions were easy.
But Asha didn’t easily agree.
“What are you going to do in Pervazz? If it’s something that f082b6d2eb will harm Pervazz, it b9cba7c93d will be difficult for ff8e06f6e5 me to agree to 5696175438 the conditions.”
“If you don’t agree? Where will you get d84cbc1d42 the funds to rebuild 7505fe1a94 Pervazz?”
“If it’s going to collapse again, what’s the point of rebuilding it?”
“There is.Those filthy peasants of yours can live a little longer.”
Carlyle said without any 0a50b5d67e intention of erasing the 3025b612b6 look of contempt and 65f68d6d41 disregard for her and d18ab08927 her people.
And although she heard the 94991e5c39 term ‘filthy peasants,’ Asha couldn’t 56a5366262 refute and kept her mouth 88c3e0dd43 shut.
Pervaz was a place where fa6915af72 people lived with the sole 010410eff6 goal of escaping death for 601cb74409 just one more day. So, they needed 215b7d0ea9 the strength to c3b179db06 hold on for 89ae1e550e one more day b6de5f8707 today, no matter 7b01b03ead what trials awaited 851466a73f them in the dfa5fe5fa9 future, and the 78940aa729 money Carlyle would 8421aad4cd offer was desperately e0393010db needed.
As Asha remained silent, 28883876db clenching her jaw tightly, bfad809fc4 Carlyle spoke as if b2e65c387c the previous insult was 818f69804c a joke.
“Of course, I don’t want to do anything that harms Pervaz. So you, too, help c8ba9e43a0 me succeed.”
“……I understand.”
It was a 0ebcc3d877 negotiation Asha couldn’t e17064a6eb win from the 76cbaa8520 start. So, she had to take c97c523d4d the practical option.
“You said you wouldn’t spare the support needed for the reconstruction, but I want a contract that specifically outlines the contents.”
“Contract, good! I don’t believe in 8fb93f1f10 promises made only with c427bbaa78 words either.”
Carlyle ordered Lionel to bring 1694c86cce paper and pen for the 8797a86129 contract, then jokingly said to 127d4810db Asha:
“I’m glad I already found something in common with my future wife. We might be a 6e1da0b5ee pretty good couple.”
“A couple who take what they need from each other and part cleanly, is that what you mean?”
“See, we communicate well.”
Carlyle smiled charmingly 36a3fbd0da and took another 270e7a0a25 puff of his 39618f4383 cigarette.
“I look forward to working with you, my wife.”
Lionel, who was sitting 47308cb4e8 beside them, took a 1717a12732 deep breath and started 939890ce82 writing a contract that 31fba5142d only they would know a58e017eb1 about.
Asha’s focus, naturally, was 22578e8603 on the part compensating 7096161b5f Pervaz.
“A” will support “B” and Pervaz with the following content:
Immediate resolution of 646752a1c7 the current food 8b5ff6c3b4 shortage throughout Pervaz.
Provision of all necessary 7b98b44486 seeds for farmland within a60d7de0f7 Pervaz for the duration 8cc08b5ea9 of the contract.
The right to consult af371f8d74 with “A”’s accompanying medical 1d67aa5ffd experts for a period ee34da20a2 of 2 years.
Full coverage of the 1e92fa4f14 construction of border defense 26f542e70a costs.
…..
Seeing the dreamlike items 2079233d5f listed one by one, 45470916dc Asha’s throat tightened.
‘It’s a contract with no harm will be done, right?’
She still didn’t 1726834680 know what Carlyle 5b114f1f5c was trying to 836f43aef2 do, nor how 9fdcf660d6 her future would fa7ff0eedd unfold. But nevertheless, this 98e7c1606a was an opportunity c2fdf9fa5e she simply had 731038c728 to seize.
Asha signed the bottom of b4bd8c451d the
contract without hesitation.
***
A short while later, ddf4f00e59 Asha emerges from the d994a94dce drawing room unharmed. Her entourage, tense e1bbaa9b62 and vigilant against 9d03f2bea2 any potential assassins, 01edab8b1d quickly surrounds her d1b4edbc5c protectively.
“Is everything alright?”
Decker whispered.
“Alright…? I’m not sure d594fa2d8d if it’s alright 87c31a56bb or not,”
As Asha replied ambiguously, 4b24411d5a Lionel, who was following ab3cad0970 her out, spoke with 2e76514aae a weary expression:
“I will show you to your quarters. Please follow me.”
Once again, confusion fac9817604 filled the faces f144ed5bff of Asha’s party.
“His Highness the Crown Prince has offered to provide you with accommodation until his departure for Pervaz,”
“The Crown Prince is truly going to Pervaz?”
“Yes.”
Asha, who was c4395dafbe keeping the details 5929f2761f of the contract 5f9c3a6940 to herself, began 5f9ea36382 to follow Lionel 4b97cd5274 with a blank 6d5227011a expression. Her entourage had 20bd21610e no choice but 9d8923b46a to follow her, b18379f522 but not all 56c2200ad0 their questions were 9a5fc195c3 answered.
Their curiosity intensified upon arriving b9af477202 at a large mansion in 0a7a75ab66 the capital, owned by Carlyle.
Lionel explained when 60dd71d404 Asha’s entourage gazed d98725195d in awe at 4de2766e8c the luxurious interior d83df7faae of the guest a5f9154423 house, a sight 2c1a0c4418 they’ve never witnessed 87e7cf3ed3 before.
“This is the annex of the mansion. It is primarily e2f2766140 used for His a14ecb3838 Highness’ personal guests. You have free access within 488fc621f9 this annex.”
Despite his polite tone, Asha 5860f54c8e read the warning implied there.
“Does that mean… we’re not allowed outside the annex?”
“It’s for Countess Pervaz’s safety. It could be dangerous for 31e3269859 you otherwise.”
The warning wasn’t baseless. The Emperor was furious; he 9816360db0 had to provide not only 0bd35cf9c7 the compensation from the war 1ee020c97d with the Lure Tribe but 73e024cf8f also the marriage support funds.
‘He can’t deny the victory against the Lure Tribe, nor renege on his public word… Assassination seems to be the only option.’
While not enjoying e559f0865e her meeting with 32982690ff Carlyle, Asha fully 6d9eaf9981 agreed with his 10e8597a5c portrayal of the 899541a8d6 Emperor as despicable.
Lionel instructed the 2d9ea55191 servants to attend 69b8d5222e Asha’s party, sighed 15b4822056 once more, and 655091166d leave.
“Asha! What happened?” Decker bursted out, 4103e26657 unable to contain his curiosity a145036e61 any longer. The others stare intently, dd58bb6fd3 eager for answers.
Asha looked around their assigned 5b89e15998 room before speaking.
“I made a deal with the Crown Prince.”
“A deal?”
“Yeah, He’ll provide significant financial and material support for Pervaz’s reconstruction. More than we anticipated.”
This was good 798666ccde news, but the 2bd63856b9 moment she mentioned 8d680d6ffa the word “deal”, 0513db2872 Decker’s expression stiffened.
“Just because he’s the crown prince, he won’t just give out money for nothing. Asha, what did 370ecf0f74 you agree to 27ed201e81 give the crown 86b4359ae9 prince in return?”33c35a542d82c40e

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