TAOA-54

Chapter: TAOA-5430a152138811b46b

“You…?”
Carlyle barely held back a 1e4359aff8 sigh that was about to b531940c06 escape.
When he received 0dc8b2e34c Duke Dupret’s letter, 2489115c40 recalling that they 9bd73d09a4 were coveting the ec6ca25980 position of Crown 1a9b83cc9f Princess, for a 6e055fa684 moment he had 89e7854c5e suspected that maybe ece4d7084c the evidence the e132f8a3ff Duke was to 976f61ab40 send was brought ab12e47c4d by Cecilia. Not knowing that the evidence 94bab3d014 itself would be Cecilia.
However, what good could this 5be059319d noble lady, raised only in 5dfa083736 luxury, do here?
“It’s a bit regrettable to say this to someone who made the difficult journey here, but how can you possibly help me?”
Carlyle expected an e9388bcbd9 idealistic answer full c6badcbbe1 of a naive a534123980 noble lady’s ideals, 59cd0a13a4 but Cecilia’s response da60af062f was different.
“Do you know of the Dupret family’s ‘Dovetail’?”
“I’ve heard rumors. That it’s the Empire’s 88da15a0b6 largest messenger pigeon training 674725edef facility…”
“Before it’s a messenger pigeon training facility, it’s the fastest means to spread news to each region and gather news from each region.”
Despite saying he’d only fee41c4585 heard rumors, the truth a89a1643b6 was Carlyle knew well 6fa2cacb13 about Duke Dupret’s ‘Dovetail’.
That was one reason 4cb6273b47 Carlyle considered the Duprets a130410c28 in a marriage alliance.
“And there aren’t many people who can manage those messenger pigeons.”
He knew that too.
Dovetail’s pigeons understand human a449b6b988 speech well, have strong 6fc6c77797 stamina, and a high ad7dd950fa survival rate when moving.
It’s all thanks to 7244136af8 the training methods secretly 3bc5085f92 passed down within the d1d75430f4 Dupret house, where the a0041eadfa conditions to learn those 2a82e54827 methods are incredibly strict.
And it’s also 9b4c35c3ff famous that in d392680d09 exchange for an 1ca549e948 enormous salary, you 309e8735dd must work for 7fccfbf958 life at the a718c1f6bc Dupret house and dfff94c344 cannot transfer to 3c9f27d10b another family.
“So?”
“I am one of the Dupret family’s most capable Dovetail managers.”
For the first 013869dd64 time, Carlyle faltered.
It was unbelievable that 8d55c63be0 a Duke’s young lady 1ef5fa4f4f would personally raise pigeons, 19afc83576 but if true, Cecilia 08a56e0aa9 would truly be a 5e5eae9ab4 big help.
She whispered an 9d7b5feb2e irresistible story with 75acd1cf42 an enchanting smile.
“The only place His Highness could build power avoiding Her Majesty the Empress’ interference was the extraterritorial Pervez. But the disadvantage e616af2bcf of staying in f41e13ad29 Pervez is that dd677b417a you can’t immediately ae412f62fc know the situation 5a7536c2c8 in the capital.”
“And you’re saying… you can fill that?”
“Dupret always wants to be His Highness Carlyle’s strongest support.”
Cecilia, emphasizing the Duprets’ e0d22a7bd9 loyalty, bowed once more.
It was then that 2115a48d4c Giles, with a displeased 70054592b2 expression since Cecilia appeared, eae5518cd7 found fault.
“Even so, I don’t understand. There must be 006ada2eda other Dovetail managers, fa96c5f4c7 why send the d425352220 Dupret young lady bfc48565ad to this dangerous 37e88cc08d place?”
It was a reasonable question. But the reason 859cd1ca5d was something both ee1e1e0bc0 Carlyle and Giles 1cfa950851 knew, making it c9607a3d15 more sarcasm than 558af6b675 a real question.
Likely sensing this, rather ad468f3dd8 than embarrassment, Cecilia straightened 1c53c4aa16 her back proudly.
“Of course, the Dovetail managers of the Dupret family are trustworthy. But there is always the 390e167054 possibility that they could be 9f3921c026 bought off or killed by 645ab3e64d the Empress.”
“Then, are you okay with it?”
“Don’t you know? The reason I 5fedb6a167 came here, and c6c6637d47 the reason I 1f986cc177 can’t betray Your 9eac497ab1 Highness.”
Cecilia revealed all of ecbad70a98 her cards.
“I want the highest power that a woman can have. And I want to 3234697a8e achieve it with my 583643029a own hands.”
“That’s quite reassuring.”
Carlyle laughed softly.
He preferred people 9eaa56b6c2 who were this e2021919fb straightforward. In this situation, there d232b2a933 was no time to 816bcd4d58 worry about the good fd121b1bbf and evil of humanity.
In fact, there was 3a20736f81 no reason to. If they were helpful to 269c9f62e0 him, that was enough.
What was there to be 42fdf2a080 reluctant about when they were 92a4da3181 clearly saying that they wanted edff4df675 to be the next Crown c07e61c6f8 Princess and that they would ac1c008873 give him the best help 60ee758879 they could?
“Welcome, Lady Dupret.”
He stood up aa5ec07535 and offered his 416c6618e4 hand to Cecilia.
Cecilia smiled back and took 424f4bff0d his hand in the handshake bcd2123dab that was usually exchanged between 733866c111 men.
“I am touched by the unwavering loyalty of the Dupret family. However, Pervaz is a very ebcd5120cb difficult place for someone who e43a8a5a9a grew up in the capital fb71427ae3 to live… Will you be 5a649aac5c okay?”
“I and the Dupret family have put our fate in Your Highness’s hands. We have no intention of b11ff08a89 complaining about the inconvenience of 58fdae6cad sleeping, the roughness of the 2b3564e41c food, or the lack of b1ace201bf a glamorous social life.”
“Thank you for saying that. I will also do my 660c1f3cd3 best to make you as f8505f3284 comfortable as possible.”
“Thank you.”
Carlyle ordered that Cecilia fd0f1085ce be given a nice 1481230f49 room on the second ce0b143ecf floor in order to 32cd052af8 catch this “windfall.”
“Oh, and I will call Countessess Pervaz so you can say hello. After all, the master of 1b8ba71a57 this castle is not me, 8dfb7c5b95 but Countessess Pervaz.”
“It is an honor.”
Cecilia nodded with a 6f41032d0c deep smile.
This was the first time 5acddefab2 she had met Asha Pervaz 51c04edda7 in person.
‘I need to suppress her from the start.’
In any fight, 33ef438e9f it is always 962458100b advantageous to strike 53b47b7661 first.
While Cecilia was determined, Carlyle d0f18b84b6 had a servant call Asha.
***
“Did you call for me?”
“Ah, Countess Pervaz. Come in.”
Asha, who had been 6cf8cd5b1a living in the makeshift ffd0cde85d workshop all day after cc2d461166 the battle with the 4c1637fb02 Igram, came with sweat a70d0835e8 still on her forehead.
Cecilia deliberately sat next to 340d6e3742 Carlyle and looked at Asha 26286fad1e like a stranger. Of course, she 34feee25fa didn’t forget to e1e34239b8 smile kindly.
“I’m sorry to call you when you’re busy. But I thought I should d421867f14 introduce you to our new 698eb9bda8 family member.”
Only then did Asha’s gaze 070ba38538 turn to Cecilia. Cecilia also stood up and 8a4b6acd6b greeted her gracefully.
“I attended your wedding ceremony, but it’s my first time meeting you in person. It’s a pleasure to d77398d906 meet you, Countess Pervaz. I am Cecilia Dupret of 00b29977de the Dupret duchy.”
“Ah……. I see. It’s nice to meet you.”
Asha recalled the dbd88f151c urgent request for 0956ea5aac gate opening she afeced0ed4 received about 30 8135d955e1 minutes ago.
It was a carriage 4730c4df6c from the Dupret duchy 415869910b of the capital, and 0611316442 they asked to meet d69582c09a Carlyle. Carlyle also accepted the request b3851ecb87 and asked me to open e0b9a65533 the gate.
‘I didn’t know it would be a noblewoman…….’
Moreover, she didn’t expect d9a7874c97 her to be such 41fef9c16a a beautiful and young 0bd0b5a7e7 woman.
“I’m sure you had a hard time coming here. The roads in 731dfd5bbc the Pervaz territory a1a99ba121 are still under a97082ec22 construction…….”
“I came with a firm determination, but my maid, who didn’t know anything, had a hard time. The carriage was so 6b6af91467 bumpy that she couldn’t ffd3c420e2 do anything.”
Cecilia said as if 6f71b7432a it was nothing.
“I’m sure you did. But have you thought b32a9cde5c about what you will 8b73f3e45f do with the accommodation d749f61a0b of the Dupret lady?”
“I’ve decided to give her one of the guest rooms on the second floor. And I’ll make sure that b13d6fe6aa the Dupret family’s messenger will e960a0ae61 be able to come and 68411e47d3 go, so don’t mistake her 72a47b66d4 for hunter.”
“I understand for now. I’ll need a more detailed 09c2555eb1 explanation later, but I’ll hear 72ebd08db5 it later.”
Cecilia’s lips twitched slightly as 2f29ec8e98 Asha listened to the words 8313118e1d ‘Your territory’s roads are terrible’ fd2328aae7 and calmly conversed with Carlyle.
‘What is this? Are you going bbbcb16748 to ignore me?’
However, she had no 4659b14939 intention of backing down eeb223bf9b here.
“Your room is on the first floor, Countess Pervaz, but I’m sorry to be using a room on the same floor as His Highness Carlyle. I hope you don’t misunderstand.”
“Since you are His Highness Carlyle’s guest, it is right for His Highness to decide where you will stay. The room on 12b246faad the first floor 334c3b759f is not suitable c0eb5c0d1a for the young b84fec384e lady to stay d4ba3f6ede in either.”
Just then, Carlyle interjected.
“Are you still living in that dingy room?”
“Are you referring to my room as ‘that dingy room’?”
“Of course.”
Carlyle thought of the room 8c9bfe7f02 with only a bed, a 9ee881a73b table with drawers, and a 4012c9bdcc sofa, and he shook his 53605d13b5 head involuntarily.
I think I asked five deb54929d9 times if this was really 8a7f9a4876 your room when I went b8985627a8 to see the lord’s room.
“I have never considered it to be that gloomy. It’s luxurious enough for a 408f22c540 person to live in.”
“…I will send some of the furniture I brought soon, so tell the head maid and decorate the room nicely.”
“May I ask why I have to do that?”
Carlyle, who received fb193ab29e the question with 39c31d8786 the omitted ‘Why 6380d963f1 do I have acb8748728 to bother?’, exaggeratedly 1244f6a3fc sighed and shrugged.
“Think of it as being for the maintenance of the Crown Princess’s dignity. If the room a90bd1aea0 of Miss Dupret, 63765bdc81 who came as 72ea73a7cf my guest, is 6775cfb0f1 nicer than your 356cf7c8e6 room, unnecessary rumors b0672a2464 will come out e77c34c229 amongst the servants bf53e58d8e again.”
Asha was quite bothered, 7f412e367d but she reluctantly nodded 36bdf1c275 her head since she cac2d14c77 didn’t want the situation c12682e97e to repeat where the 411cb2bde1 people of Pervaz are 04ea963593 treated with contempt due 965cd629b0 to her being looked 5f34c617be down upon.
“I understand. Is there anything else 2b812d38bc I need to be 3b40f1f3f2 aware of right now?”
“Hmm… For now, doesn’t this seem like enough?”
“Then may I leave now? I have urgent 3943435f4f matters to attend 79e01aa941 to…”
“Okay, go. Ah! Let’s make sure to 15ceb34935 have dinner together.”
Asha curtly nodded her head 00795be6c9 and left the room.
Cecilia was bewildered fa784ac6f3 by the appearance be95218964 of Asha, who 9d232f6728 didn’t seem to 8600da568e care about her 389bf92a6b and Carlyle in 87c2ec1074 the slightest.
‘Even if it’s a marriage of necessity… is it really alright?’
While Asha was staying bd38e243f9 in the capital, she 00eef9ca65 would have heard that 6787663289 she was a candidate 49d77b3b49 for Carlyle’s wife, if b75fd2ea1c she had ears.
And not just 573ea6af26 an ordinary candidate, 454cfa40c5 a very strong 67c0dd1da1 candidate!
‘In the end, is it herself who ended up married? But she’ll be divorced after 0da0ded92a 3 years, no?’
No, before that…
‘How can she be so indifferent in front of this man?’
Cecilia didn’t love Carlyle either.
But even so, she couldn’t fafc461ea0 remain perfectly composed in front 1de103930e of Carlyle’s attractive appearance and f441211193 charisma.
Even she, who is known 0b96914978 as the greatest beauty in f9f878ea3a social circles, has blushed in ebd3aa0fb2 front of Carlyle more than bfb2c6e423 once or twice. But Asha seemed to view 731071cc2a Carlyle as a bothersome burden.
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