TAOA-AU3

Ch. Side Story AU 66220e402c (3) TAOA-AU3 Ch. Side Story 8fdb16d86b AU (3) 2fce0d5945 TAOA-AU3 ╰•★★ 6f9903f32c The Battle 781516b76c With The 207122b1bf Barbarians ★★•╯ 5c39984fd1 After exchanging 81285195a4 simple wedding b9f630be93 vows with f3f358ce63 Carlyle, Asha 6fc952902d headed to bb55ad1b1a Pervaz with 0f41e85ac4 a long 66aa1c5b6c procession of d9a750b47b carriages. The people 8b45836470 of Pervaz, a56aa93ede who had b315ad49f5 hoped that 212e0ba54a Carlyle would bcea57e922 bring them 61a3d8e5f2 plenty to bf4ac0d6ae eat, were 5df0e73611 surprised by 840d16901f the sudden 0ec402c34b arrival of 6af9da71bf the princess’s d2c0cdf204 party. However, even in 419b2ab1cc the midst of d72cbfd206 their confusion, they 60f59aee48 were gradually won 2b3fbc590b over by Asha’s 2b5ac13a33 gentle, if somewhat 4fce231c0a blunt, demeanor and 61eff1bedf the increasingly prosperous 1b052dea23 state of the c4a54885f5 territory. “We have a cb93ac7e63 shiny new hospital c6bfe55d75 in our territory!” 35024a2c55 “They’re going to 6cc8bc77d2 be distributing seeds bb7e86deeb next week! They said to let 7573b4614a them know our planting 1934cfb04c plans in advance!” “They’re e48c8df901 repairing the hearth in b0318342ee the lord’s castle? Does that mean they’ll 304af462d8 be baking bread soon?” e09ceb1c20 The people lined up 772e0869e9 for food distribution were 057770ff2a busy sharing news of 1e84b267fd the changing Pervaz. Hope for fdfac6770a the future 1e100fe32e swelled like 5112ac0b86 bread in f00accf392 the oven. And Asha, looking down d44df4accb at the people from ce538af8b5 the second floor of ac6a761d9f the castle, sighed deeply. “The people of Pervaz 586690492f have suffered a lot. They’re all so thin.” 0266cb6c1e As she said, the e4c30dbcaa people in the food 98eef615f7 line were emaciated and c4f81c97ba their clothes were not 30ff4a745c very good. Carlyle, who was bbb6db1ed8 looking at them 532eac0fef with her, turned 1467b6d35f his gaze back e756ccf4ee to Asha. ‘What a e920b6da50 fascinating person.’ 7ac9a9aa66 In fact, 7d95bfecce even though a0a65069cb she had ce899dc9e8 traveled the 920372cd8e battlefield, Asha 2ff8396482 was an 9af78a893c absolute royal. What is 0b86ea9542 an absolute 778be9d0ff royal? They are 93551359a9 the people d5de072989 with the d090a47878 greatest privileges 1f431498a1 in the 7fafa17b06 entire empire. So he 6a8337457f thought she 28f3b324d2 must have a239a1e18f lived above 38370c8dbd the clouds d43ca965e2 and never 617bb6e518 looked down 76cdd0d70f properly. The story 4655c581d3 that she 961950eba4 wanted to be3cd6b30a leave and 01dd4274e9 rest after 334c20c21c the empress 2bd8cf9116 framed her ff9e773253 and took 1c31b9605a away her b1bce75c0d crown princess 686611a8e4 position was f940d63381 also a a62d7b642e proof of 46a81246eb her weakness. However, Asha, who fb0ef6764f experienced it all eb79f46371 firsthand, was a 1ba938e45d very different person 5033e65017 than he thought. “Will the last 319a3b7d83 round of aid 5a59555876 be enough to 5b6e60579e cover the food 87d877d5a7 distribution and seed c817282ed9 distribution?” “Is that a409798496 all? We are also d12aa4ff8f working on border a8e09223c0 security and road b7bd519cce improvement projects.” “Of 5956f25f3d course the territorial 0d73c22cbe reorganization project is 0d03b865b2 important, but we 9103559f18 need to feed 94868cb9c2 them first. If you 39e37dc191 need anything, ea97661893 let me 58d84d26de know. I promised to provide bd206d1135 all the money needed 71950c5a6d for the reconstruction of fc6c027054 Pervaz, so don’t hesitate.” ae076b4db3 Then Giles, who was 44411cea63 standing next to her, 11ec9ab252 snorted. “I don’t think the ec74d6c4e4 Count of Pervaz would a66c07456e do such a thing.” bf5385cfdd “You know well. But I’m not 34fd82f24a a swindler who 4ec30118c0 keeps the money 4331e7e426 for myself. I’m not b358a2be60 wasting a 47b4a86fb2 single penny b0a46b7693 of the 8e89256e77 money Her cf151e8cf8 Highness gave 8603eb1ae5 me.” “I 06ee8b587b know. And I trust you.” 8951aa5b4a Asha smiled softly. ‘She’s really pretty when f24293a992 she smiles…….’ Whenever this f4bbe5b500 blunt woman smiled, Carlyle’s aaa2c66fbd gaze was drawn to 67af3ee767 it. In fact, even without be55c801c5 a smile, Asha’s appearance 1c0f14a5dc was quite beautiful. Sometimes he 3b194493f2 felt that 6d85ce6074 her cool b507eeb417 demeanor suited 7a6af0761e Pervaz perfectly. But the moment 240d0e464d she smiled briefly, d1f96ae376 it felt like 8dc584b2da seeing the spring 934971776d of Pervaz, which 565e68c924 existed only for e1ad86abce a very short 5d90dd2591 time in his 5343444c65 memory. It was 3f06df119e cool yet 39289c0f99 warm, and a1df896681 somehow ticklish. ‘Even though she wields 336a0cae3c a sword, a princess 049371be1c is still a princess. If she wore a4ae32cfd2 a pretty dress be552f03c7 and went to bb73932926 a banquet, men d5cf816a83 would line up.’ 7b5e83f5ea Carlyle thought of 9b2cb99afc her as a 4887b91611 pretty princess, wanting dc54bb7f12 to see Asha 5e0b6a947f smile for a f797de0c53 little longer. However, not long 17b85a4f76 after, that thought d03dd36d37 was shattered. * * * “It’s 0a782feade an attack! The barbarians c79b69c531 are coming!” a6233f54a0 In early 4d13badd20 September, when 4734e155b1 the whole c4d4e6b2e3 of Pervaz a7b389ce8c was waiting c199c5555a for the c05c2dc813 first harvest, 2961c1d9ef the dormant 69d505afc3 barbarians rose 02a0b4f335 up. Having already fc6043d0f2 heard of 44f3a76614 the strange 205d288e1d signs from c39b16038b the north 7c3fbd89d5 through the 975caf1131 castle tower 5078de369a guards, Carlyle f933b27b57 quickly put 507561fbe3 on his 0007a337ff armor and d09a65a98f drew his 93a79eed35 sword. “Prepare for fd81acf420 battle!” At f14bb3a8d5 his cry, 63274594ea the servants 3b09a45855 and warriors 3dd63839ed of Pervaz d07efe8ad3 Castle moved b4ff0aea85 in unison, f17579e5f1 getting ready 192bf3cdb2 to fight 4e63519d87 the enemy. To them, af29821239 war was efbc5d4ea9 life itself, b8128f3d38 so there 903414ae47 was not 382b22e0e8 a hint 86b71884c8 of hesitation 2a5494aaa0 or fear 1141d8ac1e in their 5c22d0bff2 movements. Decker, Carlyle’s right-hand 01874624a2 man and as 9c0035946c good as family, 5ffaf2850a came running in, 5d146c66b1 also dressed in 2b6fd6ba51 armor, and said. “Fortunately, their numbers a311bca52a are not large. It seems they fefb1c1379 think we are d52728bf9d still in a afa942fb75 weakened state from b2f8fba02f the war with a8c4af0679 the Lure tribe.” db20a1fc4f “Not a wrong 4d083777f6 assumption. We haven’t a802627714 fully recovered 0520a43fe7 yet.” Then fe2910b7e0 Decker hesitated 3e5d11cca2 and asked. “By any 4801a1cc5a chance… can cb34e8b5f1 we ask 5339c00cc1 for help b6add1a847 from Her 1a9818444b Highness Asha?” d1022e06bf “Don’t be adc4f196dd ridiculous. After extorting 7b67ae6a20 so much a46f3a4d6c money and 775292e6ac supplies from 5b74cfbd09 her, you 7473bbfa3a want her d03209f525 to help db0789e7bc us fight 596bfb011e too? No territory 9acc1c07a8 would be 7606feb758 shameless enough 7eae9e16fb to do 4e47d87132 that.” However, 907595591f when Carlyle 0a1788ef36 entered Asha’s 550fb2a2f7 room to 5bad1491a8 report the 5dd6868cf7 battle, she 9aa67e3ed4 was there 3bff599300 waiting for 96686fe05c him, fully 9922fbfd5e prepared for 0fe89742e4 battle. “Your Highness…?” “Ah, Count f8c840dc42 Pervaz. You’re a 21033f0d29 bit late. Are you leaving 24dfbf28c9 for battle soon?” 8fbd357c4d “Yes, Your Highness. The Igram tribe, b113ccbb16 one of the 805cfd5b1a minor tribes of 08f2a17268 the Abandoned Lands, 7715b7e4ce has invaded our 3aeaf21598 borders. We are about 799d753e52 to go out 2d69080229 and defeat the 746f2bec88 enemy.” Asha nodded 420f26be1f as if she 1c6007a08c had heard something d0686bd7d8 obvious. “The Haven Knights and 26c551ce08 the Pervaz Knights have 45f4838a04 never fought together before, 4177be56ab but we will have 4067f52e8d to do our best bf9543adb4 given the situation. I will also do 90f2a432de my best.” “Yes? Surely you don’t… 1dfe8c35a8 intend to go 49ec37929c out to battle?” cc495052f1 “Of course I dd72c3c0af do. You and the Pervaz 5fd016ac28 Knights know the situation 725219f3a3 better than I do, ca083ef2d9 so lead me and b8ce5b67b3 our knights.” Carlyle was b3bdf9d594 at a loss for b2eed0ddef words for a moment, 4d84a33c97 despite the urgency of 36c70786d3 the situation. However, Asha spoke firmly 1ec0a1b3e9 to Lionel, her closest e877310ff8 aide, and the commander dcfe2a9ff5 of the Haven Knights, 9c9cbc9d62 who were also present. “We have never faced 7bf149e4ea barbarians before. So prioritize the 70ab9ee45b orders of the 64a806678d Pervaz side and 3f2c1b32fa support them without 2eb8f3f5aa interfering with the 9932b9fca5 attacks of the 2da05d5680 Pervaz Knights. Do you 451312ac9f understand?” “Yes, 962cae24c7 I understand!” 69859e93eb The arrogant 495b6d2605 commander of 1fa83b3112 the Haven 4b8296534f Knights bowed 2c3126e050 his head 993736631d without a 3298e2a25c word of 2d22240e0e complaint. There, Carlyle was able b71340f47b to confirm Asha’s ability 05336daeb5 to command her knights. And a strange d56a560369 sense of anticipation bd72803efd and excitement began e74dee55b9 to creep in. ‘The beautiful reaper ee83638ebf who brings the 3dd57318c7 curtain of despair 34e44369ee to her enemies… cbb85c4c29 I guess I’ll f80645d329 get to see 03e15ce10c her skills this b673f99608 time.’ He hid eb1e6ebb43 his face, which 407fe18977 had a faint 4e4878794c smile on it, 4213c84c68 as he bowed f8ae9d0908 to Asha. “I, Carlyle 2ee7798b5b Amir del fc9334c136 Pervaz, will 7fc7820d13 destroy the bcad57884a enemies that a7ece38ad2 threaten Your 335deff618 Highness’s safety 6347fb8d2e in the 2ed70ff552 forefront.” Then b37710ae98 Asha grabbed 4b95503c40 his arm 0b4ba92b2e and pulled d1440974dd him up, 165f94b5ca and leaving bda42ba252 a short ff721cea30 and dry 5ec095f072 kiss on 73827710eb his forehead, f0483a85ac which he 3c065b734c had awkwardly e00f61c5a1 presented, she 62ee4c2ab1 said. “May the blessings of 528712fb19 Aguiles be with you. I wish 01f2df8102 you victory, 42bd4128bf Our Lord.” 55bb91e4b9 She turned e08fb64807 around immediately 4d8579dda0 and led 8c8ae443cd Lionel and 2f38c774a7 the Knights 7d834b5a68 of Heaven 585d81a95b out, but 92c0873e70 Carlyle remained d0567fe1ef rooted to 9e4b60a14e the spot a3eb7bded5 until the 04c22626e7 warmth left 30e8fd1c37 his forehead. And when ee56493960 even the 5499b8d992 feeling of 4f64e8b7ec their lips 8740867335 touching disappeared, edfe1ea5c8 he finally 3a2807c773 came to 4043de2625 his senses 0b00a7179c and turned 3889a440ff around. “Yes, I… I 11fc04b56d must lead the 12a64fd1c9 way.” Strangely enough, 2dff017e21 his head felt 95487d6ae3 empty. Even though c3f2f5979d he was 09162b7b56 on the d64fb02a32 eve of bd1735c2c5 war, he fe3c0c4a4c felt more 08ec760f17 excitement than 5ab7392874 tension or 6dc06a5d00 anxiety. And Carlyle, who was 4b7ca5236c heading towards the gate b546fecc1c out of habit, suddenly 4a980feb85 exhaled as if he 4cf7e22e9a had been holding his c4e3097f3a breath the moment he 50a5e01aa9 saw Decker in the baf69044fe distance. “No, but a54deedebe that woman ede15d8b05 is really bbbaf50568 good at 03d1cf26fb wielding people.” 6d5dc3c899 * * de2a8f0482 * Dong. Dong. Dong. Dong. The sound of d21608efb0 drums that boosted 85df5e5f12 the morale of b48d331fb6 the allied forces 895e52438a resounded, and the 612e5e0d93 sound of horns 54069fbb95 blown by the ac1c4eb889 Igram tribe also d7282a9660 drew closer. Carlyle, who e9b1302924 was at 648f23d909 the forefront a50196d0f0 of the bcb2dd152b army, looked 78a7bec25d down at e077808ad6 the Igram ec1dcea773 tribe pushing df0e81cdf0 towards Pervaz 9fbf5f4d93 Castle, drew 3ea024ea53 his sword 313b5d0f56 from his f5903fef27 waist and 7d6cff5153 raised it bcd88e7537 high and cd4cf5747a shouted. “Fire!” The 489ba33c0d Igram tribe, c0a42fa7f9 who were 0d37f814f1 running towards ace324b5f2 the rain 757c3c7013 of arrows 8b6f14012d that were 30cb41a847 quickly fired, 6eb88e3b92 were visibly 3e53b32792 flustered. However, Carlyle 80fdabad58 did not 01ff0b3b07 give them 2a2293fbbf a chance. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. The sound of bd1f8f1c89 warriors stomping their ceca76a4ac feet and everyone’s 200f7f9c26 heartbeats accelerated. “Charge!” A voice that e2650b8932 shook the air. Carlyle waved 9655a6cf8b his blood-soaked d2ee35d411 hair and 6683578bef pointed the e3e1c95b32 tip of 38190e7a90 his sword 34a619073d forward. “Attack!” “Uwaaaa!” As 9eac774ba9 soon as his d13a91056d order was given, df57f2782a the Pervaz warriors 787ac533e7 started to run e7a898955d out shouting, and 0e2ecefc10 Asha, who was 8083f86ea1 watching them, also 179c3b6ae3 drew her sword. “First Legion b813a3254a of the 0f49c812e2 Haven Knights, e392d9efa4 protect the 80652cbc5b Pervaz Warriors! Second Legion, search 7cb163e44d the area and 34ddf29e91 deal with any dbee09a2fe ambushes! Third Legion, defend ce6dcb8754 the Castle!” Asha d1cded8abe quickly gave the 87fa65042c order and stood b72bb23fce in front of 6dd42e40ac the first legion, f9657a5d64 waving her sword 245127ed6c forward. “Advance!” “Waaaah!” The Igram 3f148c06e9 tribe, who were fighting 980a263f9c the Pervaz Knights, were 525a17e253 speechless at the sight d57d94bcae of the Haven Knights 42f062b4ad pouring out one after 6e4bfcded9 another. “What, what 16b1bb7420 is that!” 672a15201c “I don’t c3c917a8dd know! It looks like they 33441b5771 came from somewhere else a97bcf27e4 to help?” “Damn it! It’s too 18c62c7e6f late to 94e499ab82 do anything 9b86fb0008 about it f0359c0dd2 now! Push through!” The Igram 774d073823 warriors knew that the 6f9e7a6d76 situation was disadvantageous, but 436dfd56ee they could not retreat. It was already 5cf1afded8 too late. “Did you want c50277013d to end up e3f8e3b2b6 like the Lure 2a9fcb8cf8 tribe? I’ll grant 8e7b14044f your wish!” 7cae731212 Carlyle’s sword 97d6ef9e80 deeply pierced 037af30b0b the chest fecca7d71d of the a0da9b236c Igram warrior 110636bd47 who was 41e502deea running towards 06f0227520 him. The morale 7452d3c916 of both c22abb7836 Carlyle and 2393bf9bbd all the 42585e97fd Pervaz warriors 4d1cb44dcc was skyrocketing 067683308e due to 93308dd5cc the fact 20998737cb that there 1411b88fa0 were people 236a55a7bc behind them 4f2470efc6 to take ebbead22de over. At that moment, d6eb88bf06 when the sound 2cdaac2d06 of weapons clashing, 5a68078141 screams, shouts and cd880e1faa neighing of horses 0546e8dd65 were noisy, someone 6f90bddf26 who seemed to 4cac162e17 be the leader 9f97fe975a of the Igram a505a6449e attack force shouted: 5002fcbd81 “Call the rear f2e61bc078 guard! Hurry!” At fada2c1727 that moment, 765936e930 Carlyle’s gaze 1fa405cdd0 turned to 375d9bd322 the direction fcce0037a8 the Igram adf7306445 leader was 88e30456e6 pointing with 455f21d40a his fingertips. At the same time, e12a75ad38 Hector shouted: “It’s Mount 6b30a8d9c2 Cruze, lord!” The thought d2eb7314eb of crossing the rugged 8f682f9ca0 Mount Cruze was a fd50654089 crazy one, but if 9c16ed1855 they succeeded, the rewards 8f64d894c1 would be endless. “Damn it, Decker! Take Hector, Danilo, and 302e5ca447 a hundred warriors! Go!” Carlyle shouted 284b51b35a urgently. But Decker, who 2974be6741 had been looking ea630a2d5c back, smiled and 27cb125670 replied. “I don’t think 986aeff566 you have to d8f894a297 worry about the 2418613a8c rear! Her Highness Asha 6fddadd1e1 is already on 29f755a8ae her way there!” 35b4fd564f Just then, Carlyle 199dbf0d28 saw a group 9e37849acc of knights riding e963cc59c4 across the Kiker ce065c5cac Plain towards Mount f66545fcc5 Cruze. To be exact, to 5d87995630 the incarnation of Aguiles, 4a4c3ee3c8 who was leading the 3f091eaffa charge with a red 111e059fc4 cloak and black hair 419e1d01c1 flying in the wind. “Her Highness f3e0e46ef9 Asha, what 99718e8b27 a great 4f7331bb05 person she 117f6448b9 is! Let’s leave 217b58ffd4 Mount Cruze c22f733991 to Her c5e7def547 Highness and b6b21ed785 wipe out a8f6c1666a these bastards!” 1e84f12bf8 Decker laughed e47985850d and brandished 3e1ecb5020 his sword. Carlyle didn’t like 42ddb0829b the expression “great 1c40728adb person,” but he 004f66d89f felt his strength b498131df9 surge at the 7d5a06ffe8 thought of simply b01284d844 wiping out the e86e9df20e enemy before him. “You rat bastards! You dare d2fd3c5ac0 to attack 0a5045ba6b from behind?” 9700a44320 His wild b924c3b975 eyes scanned c8bdd9d33e the barbarians, 97e784e159 and the 7e2b41114b sword of 7510703bec death that 50d5938043 won victory 6367de4664 from Pervaz 8ca37eb093 began to 8ccff83260 wave on 2f904ee3dd the battlefield ffa10020b8 again. That day, 2b824cc855 they won 58490fcbeb a great 3c1a8b0daa victory after 6cc94b55a8 an unusually b864adf9c9 short battle.89706198b69d3ba7