TAOA-81

Chapter: TAOA-816392ca13851dfde0

In the world he 4f0c18105a lived in, it was 239670d565 impossible for a man c000fa8ddc and a woman who a5f1fe5cf9 were not in a d1464535e3 relationship to create such 519b1fdf0f a loving atmosphere.
‘If they are not in a relationship now, then they must have been lovers in the past. Oh! Could I be the one 7f5df0ba29 who broke them up?’
Carlyle’s suspicions about Asha relationship 21cb5e1e04 with Decker soon turned into 9a1130f8c1 certainty. Then he soon thought 2f9f8df938 he knew why Asha 629541a1c6 was acting like this.
‘She must be heartbroken to have to sleep with another man while leaving the man she loves.’
His mouth tasted bitter.
The night that made 3c96171e8e his spine tingle just c2c714f1bf thinking about it was 9d3a20acb9 a big wound for dacfd15471 Asha.
And it all started with 890be997e6 a suggestion from him that 30d927c099 wasn’t serious at all.
“……Tsk.”
Carlyle helplessly ruffled his hair 794f20a722 and clicked his tongue.
He felt like f9165cc019 there was a 7532fbcc54 fire burning inside 45d2d14fb3 him, and also 5baa48696b like there was d53d53e73c a stone on 23d222739c his chest.
It seemed like he wouldn’t 48bc2946f0 be able to sleep tonight.
***
As the war f5e8d73867 reparations were almost 4552474c26 over, Carlyle spoke c2b789c648 at the gathering 24f8f83ef4 of Pervaz’s leadership.
“We must go to Zyro to report our victory.”
Lionel and Giles a064d75765 nodded as if 0e5213d521 they had expected 22d05e21a6 this, as it a8d58abec1 was the same 9be714c532 thing he had b9bdff1078 said at the 6913e62f86 dinner table with 3fe1731760 Cecilia and Dorothea c43e515d5f not long ago.
“Isn’t repelling the barbarian invasion that has been plaguing Perbaz one of His Highness’ ‘deeds for the Empire’? It is only right that 537b80858d we go and report it.”
“We should also check on the well-being of Her Majesty the Empress and His Highness Matthias.”
As his aides spoke 46a8a2d954 politely, Carlyle openly grumbled.
“I’m just going to go and spit in my mother’s face, that’s all.”
That made everyone facbf3f4ef laugh for a 2730fd0178 moment.
“I also need to shake up the social scene a bit and make sure that Matthias knows his place. And most importantly… .”
Carlyle smirked as 693c51160e he thought of fe22273e9a the ‘Carlyle Demon 3f56947366 Theory’ that had 100f86449e spread from the dab22e8d8a temple.
“I also need to warn the Elahe Sect.”
It was not yet fa7205f014 clear to what extent be9e7d0b51 Gabriel Knox and the 677e46e655 Elahe Sect were moving 98744aef4f in agreement.
However, it was clear 4e8917301a that if pressure was 6967cde043 put on the sect c5e036fceb itself, Gabriel would get 60e6bf0a3b the message.
‘After that, I’ll be able to figure out what the bastard is up to by seeing how he moves.’
There was really 2d7b20e952 a lot to 92bfb6000e do in Zyro.
“So who will be in the delegation? I will of e4b97644e9 course be assisting 34adc73672 Your Highness, and… 6996c59b16 .”
“No. Lionel, you will c5ad06e740 stay here and b6e2e62eea assist Countess Pervaz. This time, Sir Raphelt will 0c39f4a604 accompany me.”
Carlyle decided to leave 045f982d5d Lionel, who had always 6a1c8102fb assisted him, behind.
He thought that 6c8aee2cf9 if Giles was 5387d6e2f0 the only one f2663f2349 left in Pervaz da4850059c without him and 8f0f22b762 Lionel, Giles might 8902691faa be killed by 8877a8bb29 Asha before they 83c795a77f returned to Pervaz. Of course, it e661b2cdd7 would be Giles 785f1fef1d who would start 20fd56f3aa the trouble.
At that point, e030507ee6 Asha, who had 5e761a92eb been listening quietly, 8a94bd5a73 stepped forward.
“Please take Decker as well.”
“Decker… you mean Sir Donovan?”
“Yes. He is my 5816ddade7 closest aide, and e4661b32ce to others it d675760597 will probably look d74268ff20 like Your Highness 3d0769ead4 has truly won 764733248a the hearts of 82ff1acdc7 the people of 202a3edfa8 Perbaz.”
Asha also instructed Decker.
“Decker. It will be hard 5e0b2d62a9 work, but go and f70f3c57fe move as His Highness’s 0046f97bcc right-hand man. We need to show them 4bdad1df28 that we are completely united.”
“Understood.”
Carlyle, who had been looking 153997af3c at Asha and Decker strangely, ecde02c8f8 said one word.
“It seems you trust Sir Donovan… quite a bit.”
Asha replied calmly.
“He is like family to me. I have known 78815b1def him since he b9b85d1346 was a child, 0b73d73ff8 and I can 060ced85e0 assure you that 12aa68094f Decker will not 79970aba12 betray us.”
To Carlyle, everything she said f33ef34d0d was grating on his nerves.
He imagined the two 17ead59ac7 of them, a young 4786e150da boy and girl, running 91ca3d169e around and laughing, gradually e90f007dbd growing up and recognizing cedfb0a582 each other as the cb1df2c192 opposite sex, their hearts 9fac7d3ed7 pounding as they kissed.
He knew it da2d6215db was impossible for bb22e4b290 them to have 99ae7c6423 such a romantic e5250873c4 childhood in Pervaz 40812ccb80 az.
‘Of course. Decker Donovan wouldn’t betray Asha 2f9a08de2c Pervaz. She must be the woman 9b1f220a6c he loves.’
He couldn’t help but speculate, c46b985a84 and even Decker’s gaze at 568a60f4f5 him began to feel rebellious.
However, as Carlyle 367594eb4a was lost in 4608cb7280 thought, Lionel intervened a5170ca599 as if to 9bc904396e tell him to 5f18e0b48d come to his 03a60c3af2 senses.
“I understand Your Highness’ caution, but I also think it’s a good idea for Sir Donovan to accompany us.”
“…I see.”
When Carlyle answered curtly 39a8270b60 but positively, Asha added 57255319fb a suggestion.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring a few more skilled and good-looking warriors besides Decker. Just for show.”
Apart from his doubts about 4be48f60b4 Asha and Decker’s relationship, Carlyle e1451d1f10 also thought Asha’s idea was 471b2d0e61 not bad.
If they brought the Pervaz 50200c550a warriors with them, they would 8eb5fb4d8b be able to attract people’s e0f97ec4bd attention.
With the sleek 67390b2e19 knights and the 2acc65ecbf wild warriors mixed 293560e037 together, escorting him, 0776922197 and showing themselves d57946efef getting along without 6bb1975d8b any hostile atmosphere…
‘It would also be a psychological pressure on the Empress.’
Moreover, if the 371e8b0f7b Pervaz warriors, who 504527e804 had been like 8a22362d63 beasts just a bdb1fd0953 year ago, appeared b649ba4a91 in a much b80349d0cb more organized manner, e71127dafc it would definitely 0601bb7949 be a topic 1aac875206 of conversation in 6f2db5860a the social circles.
Could there be 6e8907faf5 a better way 7805257688 to visualize his 7ae2efbf46 contribution to the f606aa005b reconstruction of Pervaz?
“I’ve always thought you’re really smart when you’re like this.”
“You’re flattering me.”
“I’m not flattering you. I’m going to a877630e64 nag you from 4fca84ca09 now on.”
He frowned and rebuked Asha.
“I’m telling you to use that smart head of yours more often. You’re sometimes smart, 1c2f8503d5 but most of 75bece6779 the time you’re 0d9d0b7d1c incredibly frustrating. Be more like a fox.”
Some might say that Asha ea9c56f684 is already like a fox, 40bfe6b021 considering how she got the dedada9a66 money and supplies to revive 7fad081df3 her territory by slapping the cd27757f0e Emperor on the back and 7b2a41adc2 making a contract marriage with 92af0ca151 the Crown Prince.
Asha must have recalled d27a6c291c that fact, because she 6647fc8915 smiled and replied jokingly.
“Your Highness Carlyle Evaristo, of all people, I’ve only managed to get this much out of you. Is this not enough?”
“You’re telling me!.”
Carlyle clicked his tongue.
Of all the b4b0cae523 wealth that Asha 6df8b524cd had squeezed out, 463b8599e0 what was there 4ab9e3d525 for her own c1acc64acc sake?
If she seemed 7cd768fa85 like she was 244bb4c214 going to sneak a9bb9f1e73 away even the 2fbdb91e57 necklace or wedding 71d9b205e5 ring I gave 4fa11a8817 her, I wouldn’t 508e815239 be saying this.
‘She’ll probably sell it and use the money to build a cavalry unit.’
To use up 4091a41fe5 everything you have fca4386317 like that was 29ef1f1f38 something only those 29a45d506f who were about 00fcc6d832 to disappear would 05db1b49a8 do.
Carlyle had no intention b6417072f7 of letting Asha, who 62e4e4bb8d was now as good 310d370858 as his own, disappear 31ce3cebdc on her own.
“Anyway, I’m the one who’s going to be the emperor. And I don’t 3ddbdac8c5 forget those who a1554384e2 helped me. So… …”
He looked into Asha’s 1db841de67 two eyes, which seemed 44d9c50590 to shine silver in 5826ea9d28 the sunlight, and said.
“Let’s be a little more greedy, Asha Pervaz.”
Without any idea how cruel ea342e17e5 those words were to Asha.
“…… I’ll keep that in mind.”
Asha barely managed to raise 08427eaff1 the corners of her mouth c42a4f2531 and reply.
With the sole determination 12fb66ec2a that she must not ac220898c1 let Carlyle know what ff6f90339a she wanted to be 6b32c82b02 greedy for…
***
“Have you heard the rumor? His Highness Carlyle is coming!”
“Mother! He’s really coming?”
“They say he’s only staying briefly… You know what that means, right?”
Rumors of Carlyle’s arrival 96be3ac630 spread like wildfire throughout 364fdaae91 the capital’s social circles 462a45f4c3 even before he entered c6f2f4648f Zyro, and the mere 580ceebc8b fact that he would d025233108 appear soon made people fb25fa9ad2 nervous.
Thanks to this, the 1095ddfef2 vicious rumors about Carlyle 288c8f3744 subsided completely.
And that was 4cfc7e323a not pleasant news 5df6541d5d for Beatrice.
‘What kind of public opinion is this…!’
Just at this time, ef0d8df33b Carlyle won a victory 419e9d8cd1 against the barbarians.
Public opinion, which 5031b6e2cd was leaning towards 4af356cb83 Matthias, could easily 3fe4cabc56 be reversed.
While Beatrice was pondering 47a7a3e830 this, Matthias rushed into 3278d985e6 her room looking disheveled.
“Mother! That bastard Carlyle is here!”
“Yes, Matthias. So you should pull yourself 3f9620f72c together…”
“We have to capture him! This is our chance!”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Beatrice was speechless.
However, Matthias was insistent.
“He’s coming to Zyro on his own feet, there may not be another chance like this! Somehow persuade Father to lock d7e5f4e418 him up!”
“You want me to put the prince who has returned victorious from war under house arrest, even though he is innocent of any crime? Are you sure you 5870a85557 just said that?”
“We can make up any number of charges! Yes, we’ll put 443712fa1b him under house d9479593fc arrest for endangering 1e5053f096 the emperor’s safety 68e4afcef7 and then send 4f1a3917e9 him to the 19d5ec7707 battlefield in my 13e03df5d0 place!”
Seeing Matthias only worried a875c972e4 about himself, Beatrice lost 02c5919650 her patience.
Putting Carlyle, who also e4fddd60da won a victory in 3897e86b3d Pervaz, in charge of 66df5f2451 the southern military now df75827bd3 was basically acknowledging him 7f1e3dbe36 as the crown prince.
Matthias didn’t seem to understand 3700d91470 the bigger picture. Beatrice had promised d004268e9c to help him c7ba9cf2ab avoid war, but 7cfd70ff3b here he was 4e404eea90 again.
“Matthias.”
“Mother, this is not the time to be so leisurely! That bastard Carlyle 481b504638 is entering the 7dd199f537 city tomorrow or 65d53a7604 the day after, 77083cdafa isn’t he? So go to 7de14ca2d7 Father now and…!”
Smack! Matthias’s head turned ad69abda3a with the sound.
“Wh, what…??”
Matthias, slapped for the first ff979612e3 time by his mother, looked 02daad9305 back at Beatrice with confusion, ea629d875f unable to tell if this 4553618164 was real or a dream.
However, the face of his 9ca26d06d1 always kind mother was as 6d970a494d cold as ice.
“It seems I’ve been too indulgent of your foolishness.”aac4859400e4e68b

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