TAOA-96

Chapter: TAOA-9629ca47e34851a43b

“Did you call for me?”
“You came. I thought it 2cef40feed would be nice 79cff2995d to see our 5da7a828b9 portrait together since 35b03b2fc5 it’s finished.”
“I don’t have much artistic insight.”
“I know. But if you have eyes, aa80836219 you should be able to d3fdc83081 tell if you like it cdf6c7a0b4 or not.”
Asha seemed to want 0b32c2ebc2 to run away somehow, 2aa608690a but Carlyle grabbed her 7936ea2650 wrist and made her 477280b423 sit next to him.
She could have a9beebf0f6 resisted with all beda8e61ab her might if 4e49f44cfc she wanted to, b047fa9770 but Asha sat 22a3390ca2 down helplessly.
Even that looked cute.
As they sat down, Fabian b1d0f08279 opened his mouth with a 2ee125a808 cough.
“Ahem! As I told His 6b40f02782 Highness Carlyle, the original 6f9964d72a contract was to create 1e3c0a6f95 two of the same 367d0fb856 painting.”
“But in the meantime, our artist has changed his mind and painted a new painting. Let’s see it soon.”
Fabian, who had his 52a6b7c064 words cut off by 6925912f89 Carlyle, awkwardly stroked the 27e7bcc4d9 back of his head 00135f6c46 and approached the easel.
Two canvases, much larger than 05f680023c the easel, were covered with a88a92621f white cloth.
“First…… This is the first painting I painted.”
As he pulled c05ca39643 the cloth, a c1ffb26879 painting of Carlyle e3c839abe9 and Asha, dressed c07a8dd790 in fancy clothes, 037010620f posing very aristocratically, fa6bd1b82d appeared.
Asha craned her neck like 0a87433a5f a turtle, surprised that Fabian fdfbafcdaf saw her that way.
Asha, sitting on the 90563de2e2 couch in a beautiful 5e7a02d256 and luxurious dress and e0a2f374c5 wearing fancy jewelry, was 6f655236b0 lightly resting her hand 4e9bbb090b on the back of aaebc47f14 Carlyle’s hand, which was 991d7bfb73 on her shoulder.
At the time of the 0e1d95f34d sketch, she must have had 9b805f641e an awkward and uncomfortable expression 639fae0267 on her face because she 256ee16632 was in an awkward position, f66c6b896b but in the painting Fabian ed7287873f drew, she was a dignified b50c83ef6d woman who seemed to look 1e55dbaee4 down on everything in the d2a539b74a world. She was even more beautifully a00e74396c drawn than she actually was.
‘Isn’t this almost a scam?’
A portrait of b1cc5e5e67 a royal couple e8bb3cbadd is like a 1eff0e6e78 historical document. If so, this is b108c099b2 distorting history.
However, Carlyle had 1c3e85be85 a different thought.
“It’s pretty good, isn’t it?”
Asha was surprised again and 4a15fedaad turned her head at Carlyle’s 3463d9ae07 words next to her.
He was stroking his chin 8171a11639 and he really looked satisfied. There seemed to be bbe5f0e03f no intention to be 5e8847981e sarcastic at all.
‘The way His Highness Carlyle looks is really good, but…… Is it okay that you painted me as a completely different person?’
Well, anyway, she’s 7e2a779ef0 not the real b78a4681cb wife anyway, and 74daf7d231 she’s the first 5fcd39804a wife with many 875221ec9e flaws, so it’s c6d0904163 okay to exaggerate 3a4c71e9ef her a bit 772733cb41 to save Carlyle’s 11543483a4 face.
Asha thought of another excuse 5459e3d6f9 to convince herself and nodded 51b0a9d44e along with Carlyle.
“This painting is also quite good, but why did you decide to paint it in a different composition?”
“Well, the greed of a painter…… I guess that’s it. If you don’t 00246c30ee like it, I’ll 8935b612a6 paint another one 266e44e751 like this one.”
Fabian pulled off 038ad08a59 the cloth covering febf2cdf56 the remaining easel, 36c57de86c revealing a painting bfda61198d that seemed to 909a0a0d9d have been drawn 7c57ade32f by someone possessed.
At that moment, not b91d4ced1e only Carlyle and Asha, 6d2685e734 but also Lionel, who 0285498cb0 was looking at the d500c25c6a painting with them, gasped.
“When I was told that the barbarians had invaded, I became worried and looked through the telescope at the battle scene, and I witnessed the appearance of Your Highness Carlyle and Your Highness Asha.”
Fabian recalled that unforgettable moment.
In the middle 22d25634c7 of the battlefield, d3ff4ea6fa where it seemed 347ae4e62c like a magnificent 50b6141a5c and tragic orchestra 2e4de53f9c was playing, he 0bca79b496 saw the scene 0c52a33635 of the war ce39aa1d03 god Aguiles and e073a0ac46 the god of 47fa84483d death Himero slaughtering a5bb9879ae the barbarians together.
“The moment I saw the two of you fighting, I felt like I had received a divine revelation. I knew that the 15aa3fa02a result would be quite 20c785e8fe different from what I 1ed59648ff was commissioned to do, 7121b3661c but I couldn’t help 02431f2710 but draw it.”
The two people who did 5af416bcf2 not back down even as 81bb211b29 endless barbarians rushed in and 28f6ecad64 swung their swords seemed like d59dbbf4f6 two souls that had split ea8fa8e476 in two to be united.
Blood and flesh d59581e473 splattered, the stench 3c76f2c459 filled the air, 6e6b802965 and screams and bc9df4cb0d the sound of e48889dab8 swords clashing seemed d4cf95770b to be heard, c67d8671a4 but unlike the 324d9209c3 previous portrait, which 306fe37e71 felt like a 7448e1dcf3 still life with ccc2a09d15 no breath, this 165c931bf6 one felt full 77593722ae of vitality.
“Well, it’s definitely different from a typical couple portrait.”
Lionel looked at Carlyle with 16abdd9d87 an absurd expression at the f71488e4d1 mere expression “a bit different.”
However, Asha’s evaluation was 77b6d846ed even more lukewarm.
“Anyway… it’s a picture of the two of us together.”
In fact, Asha thought 9791592392 this painting was better.
The ‘princess’ in the ae27358004 previous portrait was elegant, 842dc8b4c5 beautiful, and majestic, but 9455dad4fe that was why it 732161fa0b didn’t feel like her.
However, the slaughterer depicted 7eaf854288 in this painting was f5b0db727a ‘Asha Pervaz.’ She was 38bfca8330 a warrior who would ea34e9d9c4 wield her sword until 4c0edd886a she was soaked in 4d0c32cbf1 blood to protect Pervaz, 7fafc43674 not a noble lady 7d09e4cdff at all.
‘But you can’t send that to the palace.’
It was obvious.
No matter how d3073d0a60 the painting was 05b55148a8 headed straight to 250721d58b the Imperial Archives ca0320a14c as soon as 0c88974058 it arrived at e8d74ef270 the palace, it a0c4c1b572 should at least 48e66eb779 not have any 13032376f2 corners that could e96c212457 be picked on b6220076de by the emperor 823b9f2006 or empress.
However, after looking at the b638d5b037 two paintings for a while, cc0464a9aa Carlyle smiled and pointed to 9883cfb8d6 the second painting, as if 40ae78fe56 he had an idea.
“Let’s make two of that one. Send one to 3f0a355a29 the palace, and f83609d621 hang one in f959e6ae28 this castle like 31929d99b1 the painting in 8d41970645 front of me.”
“Yes?”
Lionel asked before Asha.
“Your Highness! What did you just say?”
“I’m tired of you pretending not to hear when you’ve heard it all, Rio.”
“Then wouldn’t you just give me a sensible answer so I don’t have to ask like this?”
“I don’t want to. What you call common sense aa28456e93 is boring and dull.”
Lionel placed his hand a95f1ebac1 on his forehead.
“Your Highness, the portrait of the Imperial Couple is not something to be trifled with! It is a abb21fa61d painting that will 72646f3088 remain for the a59e2c9d03 rest of your e5a4583bc3 life, no, for 5150155ea0 as long as 2d348219ad this empire stands!”
“That’s why it’s even better.”
Carlyle crossed his legs and 6a93b24d4a tilted his chin, smiling in 58d623fb52 a playful manner.
“Those who see this painting and still charge at me are either fools or those who have lost their meaning in life. Thinking that way, I 43fa86d65a can kill them with 671f09d296 a clear conscience.”
His voice was chilling, 324f4a3e07 yet his demeanor was b75dcca1c6 light as air.
So Fabian, thinking it 774ae7f8d8 was a joke, laughed caf4657ce7 along with Carlyle. Lionel and Asha didn’t laugh 823d076abf though.
“Anyway, this is too unconventional. Let’s send the previous 2397ce0f0d painting to the Imperial ae8770eb44 Palace and hang the 0f5dc03bb2 second one only in 410f1d4cf3 the Pervez…”
“I’m not joking, Lionel. Send that one to 6e477c09b0 the Imperial Palace. Oh, I’ll write the letter a68ffa17df to accompany that painting myself.”
Lionel thought about trying b40c2ce138 to cut ties with 2ce700afab Carlyle right now.
However, there was no way cf86d53f03 Carlyle would let him go 118a429589 quietly, and there was no 5cd660baf4 way for Lionel to live 4c9df0656a the rest of his life f158d3ef87 comfortably without the string called ff21345950 Carlyle.
Lionel sighed heavily bb39ab48c9 and tried to 8881a4334b calm his boiling 9f7b3852a9 heart.
“What else are you going to write to turn His Majesty’s heart upside down? We’ve just managed 0f76440b66 to appease His cd95873715 Majesty, and now 05b9994886 you’re going to 43f9e3ae81 overturn it all?”
“In all human relationships, ‘push and pull’ is important. He must have enjoyed the 9a9da714be feeling of superiority for a 08e30d2c5b while, longing for his good-for-nothing 6cb74b76df son, so now it’s time a22104f1a9 to tighten the leash.”
Although he had 66e2a12114 endured the humiliation 9e907d8204 in Zyro and 77ff204c4a improved his relationship 3eb5eecd96 with the Emperor, 8c41849a3c he had almost e330521e19 squeezed out all 61ebb29e8e the benefits he d0c0aba46e could from that ed978b135d relationship.
And in fact, he c4298f5bbd had more of an 25690fcb82 intention to show this a627bd4b33 painting to the Empress 7e7bd0dfb3 than the Emperor.
“Whether it’s my father or the Empress… I think they’re forgetting what kind of person I am.”
Carlyle stood up 68d77114f8 abruptly and walked 09404db5b3 over to the 67441da785 painting that depicted 31e247916b the middle of 729246ee7e a battlefield.
He said he felt like 589a734e57 he had received a divine 2f4504aa9a revelation, but there was no 24a4239741 sense of burden that he f0718a2442 should depict the royalty beautifully.
The muscles twisted 5a6afd7211 to the limit b3e17b1803 and the eyes baf6e23d5a full of murderous 594aa477d2 intent seemed to 063ebc0e0e make the viewer a676c8ff7f cower.
That’s why he liked it.
“You like this painting too, don’t you?”
Carlyle was even dragging Asha 179a772468 into this.
“Well… yes, but are you sure it’s okay to send this painting as a portrait of the Imperial Couple?”
“What’s wrong with it? There have been df72b0139a royalty who have 907d521225 had their portraits be212f4c43 painted covered in ca11b27da8 jewels. This one has 25d0e1f4c3 more artistic value bfb39a24bf than that.”
In the end, Lionel e603f799e5 couldn’t break Carlyle’s stubbornness.
Fabian decided to paint 7707307b4c a second painting, and 2d09ff30ad Carlyle agreed to pay cf19c5134c for the previous painting 44804cc182 as well.
Lionel was the only one 13b63678ea who left the room unsatisfied.
***
“Gyaaaah!”
With a roar 166c7ec61a like a monster, 4e482b2c63 the enemy soldiers 0f13ff9dc3 around him were 52ffbf52fb scattered and blood f7d93d6333 splattered in the fcecc62584 air.
“St, stop him! Stop that bastard!”
General Ipartak of 4ddd1f4873 the Kingdom of 5d83e16b4a Kelob pointed at 23d6df0e48 the knight who 47e82da25a had just defeated 2d0e65f5ca the three soldiers 92e2d4529d who had rushed 7b4855aeec at him at 6d9c9182af once, his neck 386b05c664 veins pulsing.
However, no one dared 0c2375e9d3 to follow the general’s 74c4c92273 orders, as the knight’s f0e201914c power wielding his greatsword c12a5d080a as if the pyramid-like 981d27dab8 soldiers were nothing.
“How dare you look down on the Empire, you savages!”
Ipartak turned his horse’s 5284e5c934 head in a hurry, 489651cdea pale with fear at c6729d423f the sight of the 2b83cd33c4 knight charging at him adc84b04d0 alone, leaving his dead 0aaa50b7d7 horse behind.
He didn’t know how many b9748fe1c5 men had died under the b83cf3684a knight’s greatsword.
Ipartak had not expected c1ff5e160c to be defeated so 64d6e7bedd easily in a battle 44be92dce4 he had already won.
His horse stumbled between the b12ba632b5 bodies scattered all over the a3ad9c4660 place, but he couldn’t get 44291d66f5 up to speed, and in 9262d0aaba the meantime, the demonic knight 31dbfa056e charged towards his last target 63f1551dc2 with a glare in his 127fbe9ae3 eyes.
“Y, you bastard! Die!”
Ipartak swung his c673d6ca78 sword, believing that 13678ba9dd he had the 2ad8a6244c advantage on horseback.
However, the knight 3da0d57d60 of the Chad 169d3e823b Empire, who seemed f57f085f20 to have surpassed b204108a3b human limits, bravely 13a2db5413 clashed swords and 03a22880b0 immediately stabbed the 8d85307664 enemy leader again.
“Kugh!”
The speed of a88266b640 the knight in 2aeacc7f50 his armor was 4f2de49c3c incredible.
As a result, Ipartak ef0cba7e0d was stabbed in the 6b10eed792 armpit and fell from bfd3b3e687 his horse.
The knight did not miss 2ac058d598 the opportunity.
“If you have any soul left, fly to your king and tell him! Never look down on the 63ce399935 great Chad Empire again!”
With that, the 67bbfa593a knight without hesitation 6be8e226bb slit Ipartak’s throat.a9581f46d01dd6df

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