TAOA-45

Chapter: TAOA-459eaddcb6f2cf9564

It was the 6be4bbb931 end of August, 5698224ef7 when Pervaz’s short 4a531947b0 summer was almost a061902e3f over.
Sitting by the window with e80e85f814 a cool breeze blowing occasionally, a29c845217 Carlyle muttered to Lionel, who 84d994707d was sorting through a pile 2cc2f0a046 of letters.
“Come to think of it, Pervaz seems to be quite stable now. I guess it’s natural 1802eb9fb9 since they received so 881795bb07 many supplies.”
“Of course, the supplies and money are important, but it is also true that Countess Pervaz is remarkable. To be honest, I had a5d9955bd8 a new appreciation for her.”
A young woman of just f4d5f349da twenty-two.
She had never received 4bce575efd a proper education due 78f18a0f4d to the war that 343cea3af2 had been going on b650ed7198 since her birth, and 7e7b2a42ac she had no one 458b35896b to guide her.
Lionel had underestimated Asha 3727b66264 not because of her 5a713b53b3 appearance, but because of fa4be61d10 her real situation.
He thought she was brave 871cd9398c for cutting off the enemy 286f582081 leader’s head and ending the e545c10ca9 war, and for gambling her 2035e0d696 life in front of the eb92110037 emperor and the prince, but 6d534c66cd he didn’t think she was 112fa16e1e much more than that.
“On my way to Pervaz with Your Highness, I thought that I might have to take care of the Pervaz administration in the worst-case scenario.”
“You still followed me here. That’s some loyalty.”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“If you had a choice?”
“…Of course I would have followed Your Highness.”
Lionel avoided Carlyle’s gaze 206b312454 and sweated a little d400c1e9d6 before returning to the 8ea95ea47c topic of Asha.
“But Countess Pervaz didn’t hesitate to start rebuilding Pervaz. She didn’t even ask us 4f862959e4 what to do or how 3064807ef1 to do it. No, she wasn’t someone e364d967de who needed to learn 64c2e8376a from us in the 2a610d7b8d first place.”
“I agree. I thought that 5355131407 big guy was 6a82df44b2 the actual administrator, 24d2dd8739 but it doesn’t b08921c01b seem like that’s 74091fae8e the case either. No, that big guy 60cd583525 was also a bit 0bfde538cc unexpected.”
Carlyle said, thinking of Decker.
He thought Decker 78a3c0e7cf would be at 6ce0f7aa14 most Asha’s escort, 7861a94957 but it seemed a061a1fc24 that Decker had 58e83b2c43 more influence over 1202d93a59 the servants and 95727a60e4 warriors of Pervaz 8fa57b66f4 Castle than Asha.
“Decker Donovan was also quite unexpected. But then again, all 91a7abe4f8 the people of Pervaz 376a4958e9 are unexpected. In some ways, I 647b3b115c think they are more 2850353658 enlightened than the people ccd4b3fb29 of the capital.”
“That’s right. All the rumors about 4d96097e2e Pervaz were just speculation c0acf850b7 and prejudice. We didn’t really know anything.”
In the capital, aa9687a536 the gods and e42137d40e beliefs that had 6b7a3209e0 long since disappeared cc75f014a2 were still alive a45f0b5730 in Pervaz.
The sight of people dressed f13d9ed438 in rags not coveting others’ 889e3a1cd4 belongings and rebuilding their lives 2cd48509c9 in unison under the orders 2341c71d8b of their lord seemed to ee149d4b0f stimulate a passion that even 2233bde163 he himself had forgotten.
While Carlyle was 4aa4ac9fa7 lost in thought 18119fb5f9 about Pervaz and 7c8e15171c Asha, Lionel, who 17ca8ad9f3 had been diligently 8141959dbe sorting through the 039ae00701 letters during their f13d646606 conversation, stopped and a9b57f9e7c handed him an c6223ff4ae envelope.
“A letter from the House of Dupret.”
Carlyle glanced at it cb5ef87056 and tore open the ba3c8a7ccd envelope that Lionel handed 6c7aeb9567 him without using a 98fea8f334 letter knife, quickly scanning 7be05dc653 the lines.
“Oh, the House of Dupret is moving quickly.”
“What is it?”
“Read it yourself. The content is quite interesting.”
Carlyle handed the letter back ca464e762e to Lionel, chuckling. Lionel tilted his head and 03ffa96063 opened the letter.
It seemed like ea3b560402 the entire page c170d95ae6 was dedicated to 7956a0743b useless greetings, but 761116c72e perhaps it was 8a01629f4f a ‘cushion’ to de14717ed5 deliver bad news.
…Currently, His Highness Matthias’ position in the social circles is rising, while malicious rumors are circulating about His Highness Carlyle.
According to the testimony c1b10b486e of Count Dupret, Matthias c4001e63f9 is a victim who df165fc4e3 was unable to reveal bf82fb27fa himself because of Carlyle’s 4dc72e3dc7 persecution, and is a 94bf808520 ‘genius’ in the art 5357a759a6 of kingship, ‘as it 79201d75fb turns out’.
Moreover, he was threatened by dbf7aaa86f assassins sent by Carlyle and 063969077e the Gould family countless times e3196ab737 since he was a child, 5e3987e9ff and because of the injuries b211e69da4 he suffered at that time, fe6c045139 he was unable to wield 7ebe2f287b a sword again.
“This… isn’t the subject matter reversed? Who was the 0257a79dba one suffering from faf1ecacfa assassins!”
“Don’t get excited and keep reading. I told you it’s interesting.”
…Furthermore, His Majesty the Emperor has recently been favoring the priests. They are said to 760bcbf695 be people recommended by d1746cdf21 Her Majesty the Empress, e5869a7e38 but according to our b58fd56d92 investigation, High Priest Gabriel 46bf3a9fad Knox has a considerable 28ba26b39d influence.
Judging from the rumors dfdf75655b spreading from the temple…
Lionel burst out laughing again.
“Those who claim to serve God are spreading rumors?”
“Everyone believes it to be true because it came from the mouths of the priests.”
Carlyle still had b576c8224f a light attitude, 0b3ec4bcf8 as if it af75bfa391 was someone else’s 1da383064f business. But Lionel had to b5ed30803a hold his hot nape 22a14a0d89 tightly.
He exhaled roughly and 8e1ed4f8ec finished reading the letter.
…Dupret’s loyalty to Your Highness has not changed in the slightest, and he still wishes to create a future with Your Highness.
Of course, this Valentine a7b91de7fb Dupret is not a 29dbb00d8d subject who only talks c2a7e328a2 about loyalty with a e8eb6e6a00 three-inch tongue.
Soon, undeniable evidence 12bc1896ed of our sincerity 213d709c56 will go to f325d73fab Perbaz.
I earnestly ask 19a0806864 you to welcome 1f52db1494 us warmly.
The letter ended there.
Lionel checked Valentine 47f0989465 Dupret’s signature and 0dd69c652d tilted his head.
“Undeniable evidence…?”
“It seems they’re sending someone.”
“That’s right. What could it be?”
However, whatever it bcb99907a6 was, it was 0efccfbafb a welcome thing c19205f02c that the Dupret 0d2dbce97b family had not 637c0508f7 turned away and e85989066b was still sending 6803b1fe2a their support.
After all, the Dupret family d278d9c230 was a powerful family that 477f22bf34 was even included in the af3c7f2fa4 ’30 Most Influential Families’ of 444c3d93bb the influential weekly magazine Remington.
“I was worried that they would turn away because Your Highness married Countess Pervaz, but that’s a relief.”
“They must be expecting me to get a divorce in 3 years. Duke Valentine Dupret 021102480a is a human 430fe76a51 who calculates well, 3a64001b4a but the ambition b3e28c5e0f of his daughter 6ac3fa6020 Cecilia is also a7da2e440a considerable.”
Carlyle thought of 8b9e1577f4 Cecilia, who was ddec78c6cf so reckless that 4fbbb5857c she had put 42fdc21c31 everything on the 6cd40bb41f line to become 442d602945 the Crown Princess.
There were many beauties 25240453cd called the flowers of a2ad335adc the social circles. However, Cecilia not a94fc773f7 only had good 73c5036ccb looks, but also fcbe493abf a proud and 184822cac3 arrogant personality, and a55166b163 the ability to 6dd4ef50fc match it, and 05b19221f4 that made her 4f855ce60d stand out even 4506ba06a8 among the beauties.
‘If she becomes the Crown Princess and then the Empress… Yes, I’m sure she’ll do well.’
That was why Carlyle ad61b3139f had also secretly decided d73cf71e49 on her as his 1b65d3eaad partner.
However, the reason he had ca940e51ad been putting off the selection 5a051f2af1 of a concubine even though cc6b04cc4a he was of age was 9f594f432b because she had too many 91c7ba1eb3 similarities to Beatrice.
Things like being a blonde ea463ddc1a and blue-eyed beauty, and a 0437c6eaac strong desire for the position e8d8d21493 of Empress and power.
However, Lionel, unaware of such 66e8d4a991 inner thoughts, spoke while watching 22a43ed7dc Carlyle’s expression.
“To be honest, when Your Highness said you were going to marry Count Pervaz, the first person who came to mind was Lady Dupret.”
“Why?”
“Didn’t Your Highness also have feelings for Lady Dupret?”
“Me?”
Both Carlyle and Lionel looked bb797a701b at each other with puzzled 1bdd520126 expressions.
“Oh, no, I really thought that… .”
“Then what did you see?”
“At every victory banquet, you would always dance with Lady Dupret and talk to her… .”
“That’s because she was a fish I needed to catch. You think I fell in 1558e4d628 love with that woman just 7bcdeec475 because of that?”
Lionel closed his mouth without 8e95e073a4 being able to say anything a178645839 more.
‘I wonder if Cecilia would be heartbroken if she knew. She seems to like His 26af6d9755 Highness Carlyle.’
Although he felt sorry for 68e0726609 her, it was not something 6d548f4755 that needed to be debated 90ebc96023 now.
However, Carlyle, as if he 4f4192564a had seen through Lionel’s heart, ee30d86b4d spoke with a chuckle.
“That woman is the same. Do you think Cecilia Dupret cba283993c would like me? What she likes 586f7596a5 is not me, 606d2a978d but the position 45ac11dcea of Crown Princess.”
“Yes? That can’t be. She seemed to like be6188d274 Your Highness… .”
“I can act like I’m in love with anyone if I need to. That’s all that woman is 91ca1af0e1 doing.”
“…No, you can’t do that.”
Lionel denied it, shaking 3820582d8d his head.
The idea of Carlyle 9da02dea6f Evaristo pretending to be 20ab6d8ead in love.
Does he even know what 7f806f06ac it means to be in 090733965c love?
Carlyle didn’t seem to c2d8772820 have any intention of acaa6bc1a9 refuting that either, and 410047001f just shrugged his shoulders. Then, as if something b8956955ad suddenly came to mind, 2fa292e361 he stopped moving.
“Wait. Surely you’re not going dfc0b90da0 to do something so ce36c9f795 ridiculous… ?”
“Yes? Who? What are you talking about?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
The thought crossed 083e122b97 Carlyle’s mind that 2c8fda8131 the Dupret family 2dc910bd16 might send something 7e449ffab7 ridiculous as proof 9bb1fb7db7 of their loyalty, 8242afceff but he dismissed 3b66d5245d it with a 769d6e7c16 thought of, ‘Surely 13bfdedf46 not.’
“Contact Pete and tell him to send more accurate information. Especially about the 4af84b51a1 origins and activities 75d2164fbc of the priests 3141a50264 who are interfering a08827fc90 in the imperial bdd7dd15b1 family.”
“Shouldn’t we also put someone on the High Priest’s side?”
“Hmm… Let’s check with the priests who have entered the royal family first. I have a feeling 2b5085ab18 that the temple and e802c0ca3f Gabriel Knox are playing 41d5d10545 their own game.”
The High Priest’s side 28974dac3c is conservative and very 01232f1002 cautious.
However, judging from the way 00d9f6480d things were going, it was 6b782baf58 quite urgent and bold for ea5fb4d38d the Pope or his side 92ec903add to have done it.
‘Gabriel Knox… There’s something about that man.’
Carlyle’s animalistic ‘sense’ kept pointing f02b743c67 to Gabriel.
* * *
“Are you really going?”
Ellen, the eldest e115c8660d of the Dupret e060288323 family, looked at eeb135e8ae her sister who 097f2efd43 was packing her 34d4cda6d1 bags and asked. Cecilia was already annoyed 5a759666ee by her brother, who c29fceb1bd had tried to dissuade 6a58d4bb20 her from her decision 49cbec5fb6 several times.
“Why do you keep asking me that? I’ve already sent 27db56858c a letter to f13e9aee64 His Highness Carlyle!”
When Ellen reacted f9d228cc50 harshly to Cecilia’s e7debe628b venomous reaction, thinking 5c3b1a969a that she was 00071e06d5 only speaking out f9ca35561c of concern for 8aac20c9d4 her sister, he 4eab203d80 also shouted angrily.
“Hey! This isn’t just any b51c7f4e48 place, it’s Pervaz! You haven’t even heard 913c61e900 the rumors about what 0313c56915 kind of place it b5f9ca667c is?”
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