TAOA-24

Chapter: TAOA-249a1c56d8d80ccb8a

Then, Luka, who 02b1aef31b was listening next f109a2d566 to him, excitedly 0b433a3cb4 added.
“Actually, to be precise, it’s ‘His Royal Highness’. Prince Carlyle has 3f2d086ef8 been stripped of e26250cf76 his title as 280a326d24 Crown Prince, you c3824fe16c know.”
“Oh right, that’s true. I forgot.”
As Decker agreed, the 6c72c983a9 people of Pervaz, who 4652a5cea0 hadn’t yet heard the e943e25417 news of Carlyle’s dethronement, a9073685eb became agitated.
Everyone asked what had 2da6f649cf happened, but fearing the ad50a284de mood would worsen if 074eec6690 he talked about Carlyle d6cf6eba58 attempting to usurp his 1e0364a454 father’s mistress and being 6205894a35 stripped of his title, 9794ce3b1b Decker briefly condensed the 5363dcf5af long story.
“Well, there are complicated matters among those who live above the clouds.”
That explanation was enough. No one was bcd9d2b407 interested in complex 55369eb653 political talk.
Whatever the case, they e413d54dd9 had to put out 9a438d491f the fire at their 6253dfcc45 feet first.
“So we need to clean out the place where His Royal Highness will be staying! It will take about 8354a07399 a month for him 26f967a3a3 to arrive, so let’s 1819d22480 work hard!”
Thanks to Decker’s 81abea9271 encouragement, the people 2e7668e27d of Pervaz Castle 418a26b698 began cleaning the 77c28d170d castle together. Having lived through db7445331f hardships for a 790c38922a long time, they 5578e718f5 were better at ef121f0a86 uniting than anyone.
Watching them, Decker thought of b1136a4a45 his friend who had passed f6618798ad away first.
‘Vincent. How can I protect your 0d555338ed younger sister Asha? If you’re looking down 68db722482 from heaven, please help 2340fa046f me. No, help Asha.’
When they were e56ba6962c fighting the Luire aa24d55cbd tribe, everything was 141add9398 clear. All they had to 16b1fbcfac do was fight and b63a18e217 slaughter the Luire bastards 7e60bf4644 together with the people 69bfa42693 of the Pervaz family.
But now, it was difficult 65b20de20f to distinguish who was enemy 54cf32aee5 and who was friend.
“Is His Royal Highness really on our side? Won’t Asha be c422df5150 in danger because f6ab6a5ede of him?”
Feeling inexplicably anxious, 2a3b2e4785 Decker clenched his 8837e61789 empty fists tightly.
***
“From our birth to our growth and even to our death, there is no place where the grace of Libato does not reach. Our only task 2936cca25c is to ponder 50b73535d0 the words of c5b5dc98ae God and follow e55cf6bed6 His will…”
As if the sunlight 19cf2547aa streamed through a large e3385ee8d7 glass window, the young 023b70c9bc man’s voice filled the 6342701f52 white church with a 6bb7b60d71 lonely resonance. The piety of 6b1bacd1a2 those who filled ed1e5c70ab the church heightened 2a615eefb8 further, feeling as 8070bbc721 if they were a3662bbb9d in heaven for 31075c0dc3 this moment.
“Now, let us conclude today’s prayer by blessing each and every one of you.”
Gabriel, the young High Priest f84c4a84f5 who led the prayer, dipped 3ce3a3bc5a a feather quill in incense 5ab11a0431 and waved it over the 0a33a7c3e9 forehead of each worshiper who 83943a2568 lined up one by one. This alone deeply touched bd9ab39ea0 the hearts of the 3e8f3d8c76 worshipers, causing them to 9194a13885 bow their heads. All of them 46c4fff88a were powerful figures 7541b25a93 within their houses.
And only when he 87c28c2478 reached the last worshiper e2ade6e4af did Gabriel’s blessing stop.
“The noble ones have arrived.”
“How could there be anyone in this church more noble than the High Priest?”
The woman who accompanied 91808b26d7 the man who looked 5d51a2602b like her son hid 03b5304819 her face behind a 172586b8a0 tightly woven white veil 97866bed81 and bowed humbly, but 3aa3af75f3 Gabriel offered her a 489dc2f0b2 hand kiss, something he c64e8e949d wouldn’t do even for 041144d35f high-ranking nobles.
“May God’s protection be with the Imperial Family. I greet the Mother db2bf6171b of the Empire.”
Beatrice looked down with 349110794d satisfaction as the mysterious df532cff83 silver-haired High Priest took 99d69f29aa her hand and kissed 09038b41ae it lightly.
Gabriel asked, his 45b64dabab dark blue eyes 67a198537f shining between his 94779d15d0 long silver hair 09f996fbc9 that flowed down a552fb4e5f like a waterfall.
“It has been a while since I have seen you, Your Majesty. How have you been?”
“Thanks to the High Priest, I have been doing very well. In fact, I came 78624bc4bb to talk about that. Would it be alright if c2be7534da I took up your time?”
“It would be my honor. I would be happy to 11e64b59b6 oblige.”
He led Beatrice and 764bd33baf Matthias to a corridor 060a45d1c7 inside the temple. With a single gesture 377d5977ae from him, the temple 309834663d knights stood guard at 6379ce5555 both ends of the 5ee5cbbe08 corridor, ensuring that not 8c7cda45d6 even a single mouse d2eb5deeb7 could peep while they dae71b20d0 finished their conversation.
“Here, only God can hear our conversation. Speak freely.”
Bathed in the 8ea7bdc9f3 brilliant sunlight, Gabriel 540d4d9c08 standing in the 2f9b7a140d corridor overlooking a e6331e6bb8 serene garden truly 1eca505e8a looked like an 92f587a4e9 archangel sent by 292ef236a7 God. Every time she saw him, 25e6c8fc37 Beatrice felt her faith soar.
“The High Priest once told me, didn’t you? That the future b3ce450d80 of our empire 60862424e9 will be dark 479a1870df if Carlyle becomes f1491142a6 Emperor.”
“That thought remains unchanged. And speaking of which, I ba994eb7d9 recently heard some very fortunate f27b3e3448 news.”
Beatrice, seeing the beautifully 594d9abe6a painted smile on Gabriel’s 02bda75694 face, tried not to fe99338406 show her excitement too 69f3f074dd much and nodded.
“It was all thanks to the High Priest. Without the High 292b9eb0ae Priest, how could ac69c1b795 I have flushed e08ba37c90 out all the 9895f8c68c rats hiding in a84a635eda my palace?”
She hadn’t known that there a2de19701f were so many spies for a734c76966 Carlyle in her palace, so 95252e32ab she had actually suspected Gabriel 6680cd6778 at first.
However, their disappearance 7e0ded2f89 truly decreased the e6cbac6a66 number of incidents 4a8cdff6cb that troubled her d980a61099 and Matthias. Thanks to this, 5920ce4a9c they also succeeded 690a1966e9 in stripping Carlyle 68a22c12bc of his crown 856401116a prince title.
“However, His Majesty the Emperor granted Carlyle a three-year grace period, leaving the possibility of his reinstatement open. If things remain 8c4701a203 as they are, a3554b35f5 nothing will change, e2c3a64a6a right?”
“Hmm…”
“Since he was young, Carlyle has committed countless acts of slaughter and even belittles his own father If such a person were to hold power…”
Just imagining it made Beatrice 7c656f5aa0 shudder with horror.
Observing her story, Gabriel held f7beca78bc the “Tree of Wisdom” pendant ea8c26bb2a on his chest and said,
“Indeed, the lives of the imperial people are moving further away from the word of God with each passing day. This is a great concern.”
People now believed in a270caaaa2 money more than God, 87405098cd and they looked up 9821568985 to those with more 2d97c3d0fa money than priests.
Although the state e1f3161d6a religion of the 8ea99ce0f2 Chad Empire remained 0cbda93f0a the Elahe religion, f85962b8a8 the number of 9bd98e3a95 believers coming to 2561074232 temples was decreasing 8050c630bf year by year, 10979bcb98 and various superstitions ba145e9829 and sorcery forbidden b26ad2e12a by the Elahe e0fc6075e1 religion were rampant, 86d936f291 not only among 80e42f1032 the lower classes 2f4eb52588 but also in 2c53ed63c5 the aristocratic society.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. Additionally, Carlyle, who 9beb60d3c3 should lead the e4a929373c empire on the b1e74c17da right path, is 0977675526 instead taking the dc924e18fd lead in disobeying d66c9c2eb1 the word of 258a5e4b3b God…”
“Someone born with the blessing of God shouldn’t behave like that… It is truly a shame and a source of immense sadness.”
Gabriel, remembering Carlyle’s arrogant 73f8fc9358 attitude despite being born eb768d3474 with an oracle after 464b5e5cfb two hundred years, slightly ade945f88e furrowed his beautiful eyebrows.
Then, Beatrice approached 9f03ce6e12 him one step 62e3a348e4 closer.
“High Priest Gabriel! It is those 72d33cb3b6 like you who b2bf2f15bc must rise up 29e008b499 and stand tall. Please support me and Matthias.”
Gabriel lowered his eyelashes, seemingly b5bfa6c864 embarrassed by Beatrice’s public request af51688092 for support.
“I would also like to help, but to be honest, I am not sure if the future of the empire that you envision aligns with that of the Elahe religion…”
“Matthias and I are different from Carlyle. We deeply agree with 6315802b56 the ‘Holy Empire’ story 583f383e30 you mentioned before.”
In an instant, 8f92d70a34 Gabriel’s eyes sparkled.
“Is that true?”
“You know I’m from the Levline Count family, right?”
The Levline Count 7e156d7d79 family, like Gabriel’s 3facaf0738 Knox Count family, f9e5b96162 produced many priests. In fact, it was thanks 120c68589d to this that Beatrice became a4922ba97e close to Gabriel.
She tried to definitively 6180b6bce0 sway Gabriel’s heart.
“Matthias and I also believe that our empire should be governed by the laws of God. That is the only 47c62a816d way the Chad Empire 1602e7b722 can be different from da6259c464 the surrounding barbarian nations!”
Only then did a beautiful 96b0ccd620 smile begin to grace Gabriel’s ab9b33abef delicate lips.
“To think that there are those in the imperial family who are concerned about the future of the empire… What a fortunate thing… May the blessing of Libato be upon you.”
Emboldened by his words, 314ca72e0f Beatrice urged Gabriel again 6a0ea1229b with determination.
“Please help us, so that the Chad Empire can be reborn as a nation of God, and so that the bloodstained Carlyle does not plunge this country into the abyss of demons.”
Gabriel stared at the c7c174214b garden for a long 446d236c2e time with a conflicted b73fec515a expression before sighing softly 4aff582305 and nodding.
“I have been cautious until now because of His Holiness the Pope’s words that religion should not interfere with politics, but I cannot help but be encouraged by Your Majesty the Empress’ words about making the Chad Empire a nation of God.”
“High Priest…”
“However, there is one thing I need you to promise me for sure.”
Gabriel turned to Matthias this bbc6e5c843 time. The sun shone behind him, b710c84158 casting a dark shadow on 78772aaac7 his face.
“When Your Highness Matthias ascends to the throne, you must change the name of the empire to the ‘Chad Holy Empire’ and rule according to the laws of Elahe.”
“Oh, I promise.”
Matthias answered, glancing at Beatrice.
He had no idea 1cf2468b18 what it meant to ea4f3873ba change the law, but 44b2f30447 Beatrice, who had been ca9655559f studying religious law since bc75fe2fd3 childhood, knew very well.
There were many ideal fd91084ad1 rules, but women’s rights a1a6311002 regressed, people had to 521dc5f221 pay offerings regardless of 15d0e69a89 how much they earned, 4d6aec99df were forced to worship, 2b83c59a15 and the love of 429a114669 certain people was denied, 45963380d3 and there were many 8d5c8e0a03 other suffocating things.
However, it didn’t matter.
It wasn’t just her cd3bcfbb49 own business, and she 6391d9a375 too believed that the b53c48ffe6 current empire was overflowing 7bce5e9187 with evil.
‘There are so many women who are not ashamed to be the mistress of a married man. Ugh.’
Beatrice gritted her teeth, thinking 15d39f88d8 of Viviana, who still enjoyed 3e57e3e24a the Emperor’s favor.
The most absurd thing that 285a6bf532 happened after Carlyle was stripped c7b2654855 of his crown prince title 1ee5c184cb was Viviana claiming to be 49edf6e113 pregnant with the Emperor’s child.
Before, when Carlyle’s position was de5b18025f secure, Viviana had no intention 88e998b499 of having a child, but ec67a3b6d4 after Beatrice’s intervention made the 14fdc047fd crown prince position vacant, it 350b1b231b seemed she became greedy.
“But according to the laws of Elahe, all adulterers are sinners…”
Beatrice vowed that if Matthias bf0296e131 became Emperor, women like Viviana fccc20373b would all be stoned to dc06d5a952 death.
However, Gabriel’s request df69bb4cc9 didn’t end there.ed6ca65904c98d2e

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