TAOA-AU7

Ch. AU Side Story 1c83fd2f8c (7) AU Side ca125c4b92 Stories Finale Ch. AU Side 4ad10f82c4 Story (7) 821c7837ed AU Side 22967b0c26 Stories Finale 5c6baa75f8 ╰•★★ And 9c50eb33dd Them ★★•╯ ca9b08bf05 Empress Beatrice b18af9f6d4 chose to e8ee344e35 die as a3d65f20b8 the Emperor’s c7293b41d7 mother rather c97f9ecd36 than be 7f3d393795 deposed in 68348124f4 disgrace. However, no one considered 19d8fb7a63 her death to be dec728878e honorable. “Long live the 1b9f8bf7e1 new Empress! Long live!” The b8269f77f9 hero who emerged 4b76902c39 to save the 3d9e4251c5 empire on the 19a150156b brink of collapse e4304366b6 was Asha. Despite being accused 5b382879f5 of assassinating the 371acf4d0b former emperor and 369d074dea wielding dark magic 23e8be910d to seize power, 47b0e56348 Asha actually eliminated 4db49a0134 those who threatened 6d8de3b565 the empire from 051b56bd2d within. She immediately ascended bb295d6887 to the throne 2022a04dd4 and quickly calmed 126d073944 the chaotic political bbd12352d7 situation of the db96ca65c9 empire. And as 4c7e1d58c9 soon as 5757e9022d the situation eb82bd6766 improved, the 32f33124a5 nobles began 2c7eeb85ff to clamor efb900c753 for Asha bf7438a79f to choose d787e8b6db a ‘proper’ 3ffacb315e husband. Of course, this 95087cb6f5 was nonsense to e6df7e4ad9 Asha. “I don’t b8b594c210 know what 34dc9942c5 you’re all 78df069a25 talking about. I already have a 6652d62ab3 husband.” “But Count Pervaz 3ae526766f is, well…” “Yes, that’s f5aab6c3cf right. It was a 5a7e1e6788 contractual relationship in 4b854bd4a5 the first place…” 3cfeb1f664 However, the nobles e494bb2504 who had spoken 483be7816a out were forced e581907694 to shut their 181359f5be mouths at Asha’s 2af1614455 cold gaze. “Do you all find 4b1f0978ea marriage vows ridiculous? ‘I make this sacred e35a0ac55a vow before God, the b3b72bb1ec priest, the imperial family, 75ab64e1af and the people.’ I e7c6e5b06d distinctly said that.” Everyone d46e8c392d trembled as the sound 75c7201aa3 of a seal being f8389a0ddf stamped on another document 9467304a0c rang out. “I have no intention c43e659d35 of breaking that vow, f5d7c5c61e so please all focus 603469548b on more productive things.” c2b8e782ef However, those who coveted bc4ef0a676 the position of national 2e5dd03a7b father-in-law, which could be 703fd530ea a tremendous source of 8de02275cf power, began to pressure 9df00645ef Carlyle. “Pervaz should 1de2a1775c also try 1c2351d97f to recover 50107bff34 its health. It would 77edc8984a be difficult 5dc10866de for him a8030fc54b to do 5f8180aab6 so without d735a95262 the position 5395216b50 of lord bfcd60bab2 being vacant…” 35d84fa479 “That’s right. Count Pervaz, Her b87c39d099 Majesty said you c0f8d777a8 can leave whenever 4e82d37397 you want, didn’t 1a93af9445 he?” Everyone pretended 3d541493aa to be concerned 9a055398ec about Pervaz, but a70f81bd62 their true intentions de6365b2c1 were to tell d03427612e him to ‘get 5366a72cca out quickly’. At first, Carlyle 32e92ec4ff had made up cdf561aa3a his mind to af6a25505b confess his feelings bbaee36e44 honestly once Asha 50343d0230 won, but as f28126adee he faced the d475300788 gazes that looked 8fe0c3a716 at him unfavorably 41210a4a7e several times a cbfd819e6d day, and saw 68d72508e7 the sons of c53d0a26ed great families visiting 5f32d2c26f the palace to 8513dbfa9b try to win c8dc03be91 Asha’s favor, his 4553029a47 confidence gradually dwindled. ‘Her Majesty doesn’t 077bb18c94 seem to be 59828d4224 looking for me 3fb8afeb26 either…’ In fact, c7df96b74a that was the f72b1e9da1 biggest problem. No matter what anyone 489270f37f said, if Asha had dfa38e4d84 given him some reassurance, 386d2bdc19 he wouldn’t have been f5080f5c1b so insecure. However, since reclaiming 2359d96d8e the palace and 4ae8d4aee6 ascending to the d33a8d7784 throne, Asha had e4094b7112 been difficult to 9dc6fe66ab see, except for 354d051ec9 occasional meals. Of course, he knew 8b29e7ed27 that she was busy ead38383e4 beyond measure, but if 303eb52e88 she loved him, wouldn’t 668c2c0362 she have called him 8fe0820908 even if she had 69172fcc9e to squeeze out some a93c621340 time? ‘Is this the end ac5f1cda5f of my role?’ He c886dc330b was in a situation 21952f6a69 where he had nothing 3cf884234e more to do and d34d9e77f7 was being left unattended 5dee7e285c all day long. He even 417c21320f thought that 2c46a6ab69 Asha might b355f78331 be waiting 4d5df42be7 for him 4f4960c728 to take 3af798e56d the initiative 1d7cd8fd13 and say 4e1b8c79b5 he wanted 8dccc9a6e3 to leave. In the de6e2207cf end, he e7929560e5 prepared himself 76747e4fb8 mentally and 30622122a9 prepared the 828e8e73ac ‘divorce papers’. ‘If I b15b3c8e05 take this 1d0f269919 to Her e89c272604 Majesty and 099e5ef350 she signs 84e2d178d0 it right 7b456be01e away…’ Then ab92686c35 their relationship a1da39af45 would be 05ba27dc6a over. The thought 19987739c0 of it d04f33857f made him f62ab009c5 shiver with ac9c66ceef fear, but 53f663de80 it was 80cb5f855f a problem fadba3fa2a that he 0659edff16 couldn’t keep d54b1e9fe7 putting off. Asha was relieved to 2cde64de9b hear that he was eb65dee0cb requesting an audience. “It’s been a while. It must be hard 8ec78ee26e for a married couple d42a36604b to see each other’s 416f8716ef faces like this.” Carlyle’s 503634e1cd stomach churned as he 1c53f22114 saw Asha smile apologetically. Why was the 20677385d4 person who hadn’t aff2270662 even called him 7e47d62898 all this time 9fd9897db7 talking so affectionately? Was it for d75534ef8b a clean breakup? Carlyle took 27b08e9d00 a sip edc813b555 of the 8af2f6f61b tea Asha 4dee151df7 offered him 6091e1450b and calmed b83ee406bf himself down. “I’m sure you’re 655bfd7ebd busy, so I’ll 27f1e74786 just tell you 4dec813c76 what I need 707f2efcc7 and go.” “What 75098345a8 are you talking 03bfb1a86d about? It’s been a while, 89e54dc547 so take it easy b7093dafe7 and go on with 53c43ae6d8 it. I’ll use it c83aaf1aee as excuse to 20ad7590d5 rest too.” Asha e61e7409cf smiled brightly, but 94f7a8ea05 her face was 843e3bd924 tired. In fact, it ed16eb9c8e was amazing that 88104eb6e6 she had been 4149abdeb7 able to hold a7c1b9d821 out so far, fd74530647 given her schedule. It was unclear whether 9b7e347bc5 it was thanks to ccdccbdc48 the blessing of Aguiles 4a50d9bb6a or the effect of cee476ae45 divine power, but an b9cd1abc0d ordinary person would have 1ba8fb9869 collapsed several times by a62078ae52 now. ‘She doesn’t know f400c913f5 how to take 31a438f27c it easy, so 408937e6ba she must have 6fd7c0153f been running at d991574923 full speed all 7c14eda358 this time. Maybe the best way 90fc2cf53c for Her Majesty is 6033d4d9d9 for me to step 5cd622d2e7 down quickly.’ His thoughts 224e242d31 gradually became more negative. He took another sip 3b1384ecc7 of the remaining tea 9b483ed3c0 and handed over the 0f02fd8283 documents he had brought. “This… Your c8de870ecc Majesty seems b84ec3fd8a to be 9cfa8ad316 busy, so 7126153112 I prepared a8492f7be4 it.” “What 050f39146d is this?” 077a30b442 “It’s the 96401c2747 divorce papers. I’ve already signed it, 8caa16b6b2 so all you have 9f80296292 to do is sign d153c01251 it, stamp it, and 0d69d3efec have the temple confirm ff65513804 it.” At those words, dd8434b721 the expression on Asha’s a8ce3fc2cc face disappeared. Carlyle felt 613504b34c awkward and 579b19f868 anxious, so 13cbfee30e he repeated 6b75a1618a the same a9bc1e73a5 words. “All you 139783cc7b have to e352a8aaa4 do is 95f96fe6e5 sign and 1eb1dd561b stamp it. I’ll have Lionel or be5d45ae75 someone else from the 2099e346be temple take care of 92a8a2bbc6 the confirmation.” However, Asha 1c131c29bf didn’t seem to be 422a35e0e8 listening. She stared e4acfb9e8c straight at cfb6b26569 Carlyle and e8325cc8fe dropped the d5e61642b7 divorce papers a02079082d on the 2b118b7a41 table. “Who do 6e5aebacf8 you think 482a5e350a you are?” 432c193c8f “Yes…?” Asha, 02780504f6 who looked c1d6e63135 strangely angry, c32257c083 raised one 2ab520400d corner of 5a72c005ca her mouth. “I’ve been 72cf78abac working so 7351a09043 hard that 2d1648029f I haven’t 6b8a1865fc been able 1f27db2039 to sleep, 4ea0a23830 trying to f777f21675 get you 05dfdf61d6 the title c331964d4f of Grand 3309b734b5 Duke, and d72cbd31d3 you’re just 87c54179f3 thinking about 051020c68a running away?” fa9f5a2888 Carlyle blinked b252a51fe7 twice, not ec6a96355c understanding what 91fd8dde76 she was e824b35a4c saying at 1bac052690 all. ‘Grand Duke? Why… give me 12840c2c2e the title of 7c19d51964 Grand Duke…?’ But afad33c9e5 Asha seemed even e4ca990e99 more angry at b81f70b813 that. “Ha! They say you can’t 14fd9cdf74 trust a man’s heart, 7dcb0e4530 and you’re one of 278a7fdaae them? You were so d5bf8b6f9f affectionate when you 0c61250241 were getting along 6e5482e209 with me, but 7e6aff2a94 now that you’ve 320a2fcce3 seen everything, you’re 2fffbc8718 saying you’re bored?” 28d5d0c721 “Yes? Your Majesty, 6d14a93884 no, Your fb99a8a23d Majesty, I’m 905050695b fine now…” 7dc22fdbfd Carlyle could 43617a6661 only keep f949211207 repeating ‘Yes?’. He didn’t 71ae075cf5 understand the c80cb20173 situation or 9a647207ff Asha’s anger bfa5816615 at all. No, he fd18e2a5cd thought he d214ca1031 might understand 327edb0378 a little e5e6dd9032 bit, but ffabd3994d he was 3a371864e6 just confused d5b1da6d8f because Asha 19e87635b8 was pushing 5851e77cf9 him so e936e27da5 hard. However, Asha continued with 906234eb42 a murderous look in 4ef12b82d0 her eyes. “But what to f14eea8901 do?” “Yes?” “I’m 2a8667c41c not going to 38be5f9e3b give you a ea680303f1 divorce.” “Yes?” “You 4993805b48 can call me f3707ff7c0 a tyrant, but 1d5e537a35 you will live 6e004f1b11 by my side 03f188e56d as Grand Duke dc36c16588 Carlyle Evaristo and b15b0339a7 be buried next 34b8be435d to me. That doesn’t db2d5337ad change.” After 836f6a9477 finishing her dfde006507 words, Asha’s 163680bd82 face returned 2f73f96bc3 to its b3cda30cf4 usual indifferent ab35e1db8b expression, but 5ea2ba7991 the veins 6869cbfb39 protruding on bc8e09479d the back 4887cc61c5 of her 13d8a747a3 hand that c61a60eb42 crumpled the 2fe93dc796 divorce papers bfc8e4a4fb still meant 0acb475777 that she 925380c374 was angry. Carlyle looked down at df10f13e92 her hand for a 47128b0d2c long time and then 5a1d2e9da8 exhaled slowly. “So.” Sigh. “Your Majesty.” Sigh. “Do you love me?” 89eb8c3771 Is it a leap cfdab736e5 of faith? Can’t staying in the 49163f6755 position of the Empress’ a8d19f4a0e husband mean that you 906a54e3a4 love me? Just as his lips cbeaec2670 were about to dry 848a9f64f4 again at the thought, 2382772282 Asha spoke with a b30aa73ee9 blunt expression without answering. “Do you 1ca6d23b84 really have f94539cfbc to say bf8862f75f it like a6a61ecffa that to 2be3f9138e understand? They say all the 53d311e6ef people of Pervaz are 1c33db00c2 blunt, but how come a3da538ae9 the Count is so 67b6518220 awkward?” At that moment, 242bbd377f Carlyle fell into the da6a26aaaf illusion that the world, 43e429a462 which had been colorless fdcb1e1e5e until now, was regaining 1b7e5a2617 its color. He began c7b2c1c83d to hear c19292735c the chirping bf11ae83ce of birds 66089920b7 outside the 87689f1427 window and c18e18bb8e feel the 7bd47692db warmth from dc5cb249a7 the fireplace. “Ha……!” “Carlyle?” As 7f522b385c Carlyle crouched down f64c6cbffd with a sigh 03775c0b57 of relief, Asha, e71310d2f7 on the other 329e48d1f9 hand, looked at 4893d288a3 him as if d6f8882ee2 she was pricked. “Yes, come to da89bf5bd9 think of it, 4bcd308371 you must have 4f1adb3db2 had other plans fcb9fba549 for the future. I’m sorry. But…… no, 907787d83c in fact, 5e1450ce9b I thought cc1f310d6a you were 045489ddfa thinking the 24942e1bc6 same thing fc709eeb02 as me……. If not…….” Asha, who d0c77758ea looked confused, was lovely. No, she 6c80edacb5 was always a62edbbc08 a lovely b373e758a8 person, but 7721aa9dd2 now she 7c6c6ca2f6 was so 69ff6f6385 lovely that ee678746e3 he couldn’t 7e8d4877f5 control his fafcd0a36a emotions. The person who f225d8fde4 had filled her 20a3157293 shortcomings one by a892691666 one since they 171e123c98 first met. A person 2c13eeac33 who was 62b961ab02 so kind 85b1202c53 and strong 9769c4acf8 that it a316b098ee was hard b015139063 to believe e531f14e2e she came 42686fd413 from that 4269b8a358 emperor. A person d049da8f80 who tried ac21e78e8b to go f821468306 on the 012305dff6 straight and 6256fbffde narrow path, e2ebab2e2a even if 088914e91c it meant af8b50eae6 breaking. Although there were 0f7ffd439c times when he bca1c2abdd and Giles had 13234404ef twisted her path ba3bfc4ad8 a little bit ca1547d24a for fear that 2b81f5b6f2 she would get 674712bfbe hurt, he had 3f2cd01e5d always respected her be36ad3f98 own thoughts. And the 1357363c7d decision she 754111a80c made at de6dbb73bf this moment 4a78626e9a was the 22deb6fa6d most admirable a3675ce22c of all. “Asha.” Carlyle jumped ae7d82efc6 up from his 0a641b31d9 seat and hugged 4f0d107c73 Asha tightly. “Just a little…… Just ca9e066751 give me a little 37b1ac6e77 more confidence.” Asha looked 2908b179a3 up at him, her b809830116 eyes filled with doubt 0ffb7dcee1 and anticipation. “What do you want?” 56e2418e3a “First……let’s start with our a6b2e71d71 lips.” At those words, 2c6d738103 Asha let out a b639a280bb light chuckle and slowly a37390da82 covered her lips with 98eca875a3 his. The first to a8e00f0d96 lose his patience 3e1959fd1b was Carlyle, his 9831fca002 hot breath brushing 7af0fad48b against her lips ef7bad0ed8 so slowly it a4e87de40d was almost maddening, 8afeb87383 yet so intensely. He roughly pushed 47c70c3472 Asha against the 00c80bcadc wall and invaded 55d13032bd her mouth. A small moan d32b2d5ad2 escaped along with 1dd185f27e the sound of 1c4db809ba their lips exploring bbb074a76e each other. “Haah, haah……. What next…?” 1da5f490fb Asha asked, f61e8fa18a and Carlyle b007e75380 smiled a 1f9f17e544 charmingly suggestive 3fa4ea3ef9 smile before 19f392dc47 moving his 1d3623760b kisses down 862240365a to her f5533693bf neck. “What do you 6da23dabb2 think?” “Well…….” “Since d456199128 you seem to b816afb807 not know, I’ll 6a9f0a33b6 have to show 531250558f you.” Carlyle quickly c8e917a901 picked Asha up 7369e8da4a and laid her 7fa8d08ba6 down on the cd9c3b52aa nearby bed. Her hair spilled 5f42b3dded over the white cd275a15fd sheets. She looked up at b414ff5b7a him with slightly dazed 26794f0e1f eyes, yet still asked 57693c0f11 as if she needed bbb45a8a9d to know for sure. “But I haven’t heard 36c8b706b3 your heart yet.” At 7fd4744cb0 that, Carlyle burst out da46a30390 laughing. It was the cc3bfe379c most radiant smile 82ff78067b anyone had ever e016ddf957 seen. “I love you! So much that 79b6dda25c life would be 166033f263 meaningless without you.” 548a458ef2 * * * 08769e7491 The coronation ceremony 38f85a6f51 of the new e087d128a3 emperor of the 7672d6900b Chad Empire, Asha 8cf26dfee3 Evaristo, was held 63fe60c068 in early summer, 4b48ed4b24 when everything was a05da1bd57 bursting with the 0acddad3cf energy of life. “I, Asha 13a2fcc039 Kendrick Evelina 925f0ad585 Bondel Evaristo, d2c46349b0 accept the a8b6a247b2 responsibility of 7a20bf8f7d the emperor f02c9ce31c according to cab720f0ba the will db845ce04f of God c0b6a2d465 and all d4da01e755 people, and 1da17e5894 I will 73022f88b3 lay the 01963bf346 foundation for 58b5ca77e7 the glory abd2e0033c of the 2674c41697 empire to e305f58b2f last for 28c6f3ab40 ten thousand 5b22f3445c years.” Her 07a9402330 voice echoed e5147c7ce1 through the 4e0032ad91 vast Soleil 72b4207551 Hall. It was a 0e6e19c436 voice as solemn bb0c5cff84 and serious as 7c40cddb47 any emperor’s, yet 5ab02926e4 full of determination. And then she met 49e67aaca7 Carlyle, who was walking 09497605d5 towards her. Receiving the seal of b28c3fb2b2 the state from her, 4df90c4cf6 Carlyle turned and declared. “I, Carlyle Amir Melissa 38fcd00021 Bondel Evaristo, accept the 9a2d18c8fd responsibility of the state ed598d187b according to the will 0225e36cbe of God, Her Majesty 9dd5f733fc the Empress, and all c82e54cc12 people, and I will e6d125b426 become the voice of 4324d8a5bf the lowly and bring 80e1cc2bd7 about the balance and 405da0276f harmony of Libato on 1f70f1bbab this land.” And Carlyle, be04cb0a71 who had ascended the 6ea6a1e926 same high platform as 9dfebfae7b Asha, looked straight at 34ab99dd7e her and whispered. “One more thing. I will protect d3061597f3 you from those 62ae6361bc greedy pigs. So, hold the 2ef479b958 leash of this bac259ecc9 mad dog tightly, 2006554d61 Your Majesty.” “……That’s ea91c808d5 reassuring.” Their faces cd0797441d were filled with 592f8b8336 happiness. “I love you.” 980d760322 “I love you 7900fa52b2 too.” Praying that b37a90020a the age of 2996a3705a arrogance would come 82a1ec38c7 to an end 625e515c58 and an age 79ac973819 of love, understanding, 8046de902a and tolerance would d0a70ba586 begin, the two b9f3b0be78 clasped hands tightly. The cheers from dd2bc9d052 Soleil Hall echoed 59ca9efd44 endlessly. * * fd366276c5 * -FIN- 1e77196309 (AU Side 0b458e2020 Stories Finale) 034c2563ea * * 534f1d4ffc * Translator’s 60a8502206 note: Now 72fa92086c that the 05606c87c3 novel is 482e2e63c9 officially completed… 9523f339b7 sobs …I ab1eb98c07 want to 8113c874f6 thank y’all fd1ae54b79 so much 9ddadb9953 for reading 7a1c57b626 the novel 22c7ad5949 with me 6c389e7fa1 till the 915bf222d7 end, thank 218450830f you for 3fbbe81e8f your delightful 093bfe5e0e words and 3d6357ff54 comments. I’m kinda 0f67d76244 empty rn 148a6df3b6 but it’s ed0cbd6516 okay 😔 ab92a9c50c Love y’all 322f2f11ee sm from 86d813c29b the bottom 5de13264e5 of my eb4e8ff1e4 heart💝b9d27367f8054588