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Ch. Side Story (10) a0310a8d5f Side Stories Finale 9192f7c8df Ch. Side Story (10) Side e53933853a Stories Finale ꧁༺The Person f3a4640c26 I Love The Most 841fc9c115 ༻꧂ The Imperial Salon c08f4e4a72 Exhibition, held every two 31ef63f808 years, was the most a62fede5f1 prestigious art competition in b29ec16f99 the Chad Empire. Although the year Carlyle d2510e4009 ascended to the throne 91a76fdf49 was skipped due to deab3ef49f unfavorable circumstances, it had 54a9284957 been held regularly every 0cdd431ca1 two years since the f0f37c6c9f following year. And this year’s Salon da0aa0f2c8 Exhibition became a hot fbfd78bd2c topic when it was 83eaa3306e decided to exhibit masterpieces 7786fffbad owned by the Imperial 453ada0a74 Family along with the cbc6d154c6 winning entries of this fa5624c135 year. “It would be good 00915344ed to show the level 1569cd5311 of art in the cee9c3391a Empire to the foreign 54a118c4f0 envoys who visit this a149082912 time.” With a single bd286569fd word from Carlyle, the b83ff80b25 nature of this exhibition 7ad147945e was determined. And as he 4b0516e664 expected, the exhibition fb68079a99 of the Salon 536bfe2b8a Exhibition winning entries a029e5fb02 and the Imperial 0ef64b21e7 art collection was cea117bbe0 a great success. Among them, the most 0f26d22bca acclaimed was Fabian Ruscoe’s fec152d71d 883 work, “Portrait of 7a4a60aa67 Prince Carlyle Evaristo and c56e3af963 his Wife.” The work, 8c1b20ca1b also known by the d7b2c4f8db subtitle “The Crucible of 46794b1889 Glory,” was always crowded 0aa3ec8c19 with people. “Is this a painting 656de67bca that he painted after da359f43aa seeing the two of 23b009de3e them fighting the savages fd8960a876 in person?” “Yes, of b0028e7b17 course there is some 5fcee698ac exaggeration.” “No! I heard it 1c7c89b779 was more than 555c329156 this, not less. It was said 3f540cf1ef that if His 917d28c3cd Majesty the Emperor 365415b22c received the protection 3bbc74e6df of the God d9fc910410 of Victory, Her b128223f5c Majesty the Empress d104bc3113 received the protection f332a9f8b6 of the God 3c42edaa3f of Death.” The 30f9c41959 conversations people shared 36fb4f2ed2 became the spark c0553bcf66 that fueled the 6d1b65c881 rumors about the 453bf17b5e painting. However, the painting 057d044e61 was so great 1d4112cad8 that even the c782f289fc wildest rumors seemed 3fc6a83dc8 plausible. No, it 997bebd29d should be 69e5f7cc46 the two f9f7952bbb people drawn 2a4cc22282 in it b8de2a691f that are 96418107b1 great. “I never 978768571f imagined that 6f6a9c5980 this painting 37c89c48fa would come 7cc4274cd4 out of bd4986a228 the Imperial 1a92d49702 Archives.” Asha 9a24195f66 shook her ffb5576ed4 head. She felt 1a9cf7b4c3 a little a4eb3a5be6 embarrassed that e891bc6fd8 people were b64efaf0c9 so impressed e10ce8d7e9 even though 959c3f5351 it seemed 62ebf50ce7 to her 8b41fade94 that the ec878db479 reality was 0b506b1dcf greatly exaggerated. “Well, how 2a12d8850c about it? Thanks to this, 1eba04d851 Ryan and Aliya d84b42c50e can learn more 634fb52ea0 about their parents.” 05c864a038 “I’m worried that c00871bbf9 the children’s delusions 5cd62c6b4b will get worse.” 540ce6be7d Asha sighed, and 6537d993de Carlyle laughed. Nine-year-old son Ryan and 02f8daa608 six-year-old daughter Aliya grew da059c9cd7 up hearing stories like cd1d3f4de4 myths about their parents 94a58abb6b from those around them. Asha often reproached herself c2171f89b5 for not noticing that e7976c625b there were so many 32cd56d402 people who were talking d3a43386c2 such ‘nonsense’ around the e0491eeadb children, but Carlyle didn’t c78684934c see it as a 5110a502f9 bad thing at all. ‘The pride of 8824590d68 having respectable parents c824118dc3 can also lead 681878a8d6 children in the 1936499bfd right direction.’ The 2555e7fdb6 good and bad 5f8439f348 examples of that 377b4b58e3 were himself and 9c4459a015 Asha. Although he was 64bbb89eff born and raised 2118302b86 as a crown 556209c40a prince, he had db2fcde9db no respect for edb49a72f7 his father at 5d10214cfd all, and because e2c2d34b5d of that, he 489a7df361 had a rather bcde05db15 arrogant time. On the 27cb8dae0b contrary, Asha ee2a767ba7 was born 4a4f80f634 and raised 25e617a259 in the 6845372aac land of 5d88d0ef43 despair, Pervaz, 001019bd55 but she 6ee8e28281 respected her 00360ae926 father. That’s why she was d1fdafbb70 able to end the a51acc08c7 war with the Lure 1b47b23c91 tribe and lead Pervaz 43a1154579 to victory, and she b70d8b12f5 was able to ignore 781e9f57e2 the arrogant ridicule and 92d63566aa contempt of the ‘Zyro 8682fe37db people’. Because she da0ad87303 knew very d252e69c4b well what bab264a83f it is ec29ce21a9 to be 8a310f4c97 truly respected 2a24786853 and what 5e046c3924 it is 6e9785f1bc to be 7894cf4074 truly despised. “Don’t worry too 7e93a5d654 much. They say 9cd98dc1d1 that the a59b9fb022 day you’ll 12d2ac27ee be praised eda22bb137 by the 2f9178860e children as d38cf58b7d the ‘world’s 93f04fdfbd best parents’ e5219a3982 is not f74493d7d6 far off.” 859a17c149 “Is that b925dcffbd so?” Asha 85784b2836 vaguely imagined ddd45bed7c her baby-like 61863ade2b son and def730bbe0 daughter entering b041241262 puberty and 0d5e11fe0e rebelling, and fe17231c61 she smiled. In addition 0c28bec28e to being ad8c29edcd very doting bea358cee9 on me, cc32fdddeb Carlyle was c1a4184190 also extremely 4654a8bb0f devoted to d0813a702c his children. So it was 906f4a242d his job to eb7f5940f9 scold the children, dee4f4ec28 and after being b05792f33f scolded, the children 2629ec6448 would run to 9deb626e3b their father and f8d6922933 cry loudly. As the children reach 4c5d3e6511 puberty and start acting ca15a1e868 out like puppies, it 8fbfbc7373 will also be my 613132c5cc role to discipline them. “I don’t 736cd920f2 know, but fd87876609 you will 4c6643964d probably be 87ea9e53f0 the ‘cool 48b9b26b3f dad’ forever. The kids like 79fedb6efa you better.” “Pft!” 871679082a At Asha’s prediction, eda375aa40 Carlyle almost spit 98a5c011f9 out the drink 70042ecb31 he was drinking. His wife was good 8fa2417358 at meddling in other 27420decf8 people’s affairs, but she b47da7c0d6 was quite insensitive when 1c48afdd08 it came to her f2b6bbd3ea own affairs. “Don’t you know 08a41c45ad that Asha Evaristo fdfd3181b4 is the eternal d338654624 idol of Ryan 962c2f4ba4 and Aliya?” “Hahaha! Do you have to b0986d5e4a brag about your wife 5f078e7f9e even in this situation?” 1f4bd72525 “No, I’m serious?” “Thank 33b952ae86 you for the comfort. But I’m fine. I’m just grateful d853b8a6b7 that the kids 3257e2f61f don’t hate me abe637a637 and don’t avoid e02933c39b me.” Carlyle felt d0fbbd7282 suffocated as he ef240f2c9b watched Asha, who 875cdc41bf still thought he 470838c534 was comforting her. His wife still 8168260c1a had low self-esteem. That afternoon, ed187711eb Carlyle looked 291fe9715c at the 4b73ef1082 children who 0cc606f297 had come 0f86127bbd to see aac4d04bd0 him again 8bd16ba016 and spoke f619861590 seriously. “Kids. I have bad news.” 2ce0478b26 “Yes?” Ryan, who looked 85c2958c07 exactly like Asha, and 4757cfcbb0 Aliya, who looked more 983e1d09c6 like Carlyle, widened their c87f2b16b8 eyes in surprise at c95362e658 the words “bad news.” 5bfff52fe0 “Mom… Mom…” “What, what’s 3e1852c856 wrong with Mom?” Ryan b7fdd7aa95 asked, but Aliya was a7265bd7fc already blinking back tears. Carlyle sighed and said. “Mom thinks you don’t 06273920a0 like her very much. She thinks you 407f9e07d8 only like Dad.” f4a64e840f “What? That’s nonsense!” “No! No!” Aliya finally burst 477f7052ed into tears. Although it hurt 8235990f8f Carlyle a little e6bb5dea01 that she kept 13a84d5093 saying “no,” he 5392dcd877 held back and 47e8f95bd1 comforted the children. “Ryan. Aliya. Why do 0ded3c18d6 you think f69dd4f533 Mom feels 6b28cf55a0 that way?” 3a313d53f1 When asked 114b988960 in a 636f392d26 gentle voice, 635bf1726b Ryan and 18033603fd Aliya thought 706235b5c5 about it 45ecdf8134 with sad 9b8a0914a8 faces. “Hmm……. Maybe we didn’t tell 9906a0a919 Mom we love her 7684c5595e enough?” Ryan felt that bdce0a353f saying “I love you. Good night.” and 9487ac1201 kissing her every 39b75e1457 night before bed 7dc1bba89f seemed like too f927662a8c formal a greeting. But he also 80e8f07a14 felt a little b5bd4302d2 wronged because he d34b76d149 had never meant 9af8a88a5a it. “And we’re ac28c6a904 always playing f9d701bc44 pranks and dc21615afc making trouble 011f31e392 in front 4c2ededb24 of Mom…….” e415850236 Aliya wiped 4401e404d7 her tears dafabcd8a1 and reproached cc7dcab074 herself. Carlyle hugged his lovely f85a55d61b and pitiful daughter tightly 1a0078f24e and shook his head. “It’s not like that, 2e8b217c50 Aliya. It’s normal bfde5b199c for children dfdb819178 your age b89477faa4 to run 7cca51918f around like 7f7b177b94 that, and 3b191e80c7 I don’t ae3c2dd960 think it’s 7d9f5ea03c wrong either.” 5621dc3de9 He hugged 6dafdd8b23 Ryan, who a5f1a4dc3c was next 2d02e5db8c to him, 8881e33797 and stroked 134be04452 the backs d9b69d1922 of the 71c1fd8792 two children, aa2a8da481 thinking of 447580f86a Asha, who 6021e96100 was awkward 5272f94669 about being 2f84927702 loved. Amir and his 1e22be98cf family all loved 19981de427 Asha, but they d2f1e31f10 were all blunt. And the long war b16e6362d7 must have made her e32be633d0 defensive. “Mom, she’s embarrassed. She’s embarrassed that b85ee81311 other people love 683f562462 her, so she e50550755b just doesn’t think d0b27c5e4d it’s true.” “Why b77f38bef7 is mother embarrassed d34747196a that we love b93248e6e4 her?” “Your mother 4fe1536bac has always been fba532c7b6 a shy girl. Even though 0f79744dc3 your father cf9c3e8f49 showed her 81eafac5b0 how much a9e3562068 he loved 5fc4c10ad2 her, she cfda82509a didn’t believe 94335801f8 him until 350aa5c368 the end.” 1b6cc7a8f0 Carlyle still 8acc50900c remembered Asha’s 7a43eab579 eyes at 2d29a2e048 that time, 10fc2a44c1 which said, a51baf307d “This person 07c4c1edf1 talks so 6fe148dc0e strangely. Are all the people b230175a3f from Zyro like this?” 13e4493949 even though he had 3928296066 thrown all sorts of cb7cbea763 strange words at her. Of course, 790935bf8d after they 7dae945969 confirmed their 54305d5f78 love for 634ae47b89 each other, 3d699470d0 Asha now f6ec2a7c9f accepted his 617270a9ea love without 8ab2dc2699 doubt, thanks 299e61b8d1 to his 7b6deaee18 even stranger 742bb9b076 behavior of ccad70169c saying twelve df9bdb5535 times a 35890c11b2 day that dc00b89e8d he loved 5c9e681ba1 her and 0739f46cf2 asking her 03e3d1123f if she d6296e6e1f knew how e0bcc8bf70 much he b32cb40da1 loved her. So she a686020bc5 let her 24f9f6e96e guard down. ‘Surely Ryan and Aliya 47766a1302 wouldn’t know who they 1a9faaaccd love the most in c9273f3fe1 the world.’ He loved 01be961c08 his children too, and 5887b10482 his children loved him 6563594d5d back, but there was 4efa4aff1e a huge wall between 901d16d3f7 that love and the c86c8e9b52 love for their mother. Of course, e5fe9c7247 he had fb54a481fc never felt 5824a28dbc envious of 3c4fc9e545 that. Asha was a person e0238d7378 who deserved such love. “Ryan. Aliya. Let’s talk about how 5e2858059b much we love each 36b5141b92 other every day. Mom is good at 0dbb87c195 everything else, but she’s 2de4b84c41 a bit of a 198712687c fool when it comes 944348797a to being loved.” “Mother a1eaeeeddf isn’t a fool.” See. His son doesn’t 35c1232d88 even blink, as 979ff1eccb if he won’t a8bae5f670 tolerate even a 85fee0a5d6 joke. “Yes, yes. Anyway, let’s 21169bacbd say it edc84eb302 so that f80988fd47 Mom can 609491829a be sure. How about that?” “That’s 6f83594a54 good. It’s not 6707c66b0d difficult at 69fb593007 all.” “That’s e727307a90 right. It’s not 5dc800e9a8 difficult at 2726729d97 all.” Carlyle’s 2321f1f0a6 lips curled 389a2ec2bb into a 2f3e0aa019 smile as 349efe34b1 the children, 1eb49ef151 their faces 62c622a4bc full of c1dfbbd82d determination, clenched 6128e42bf6 their tiny 6563dd6dcd fists. “And hug Mom 51781e1e7c a little more. Kiss Mom 2236a9e451 a little 57cc14512f more.” “Is ca9f424933 that okay? Won’t mother be e14c654918 bothered?” “Have you adca85f995 ever heard your 60d45c7c1c mother say she c4441801d3 was bothered by 6f2d1dfbe6 you?” Ryan and f32faea763 Aliya shook their 6e69ecad45 heads. Asha had 501d83b601 never frowned 111cfcc971 at the f3f9e0c7f3 children’s clumsy f2448d9c46 behavior. No matter a4f5840ca5 how many 7492c684cf times the 04cbc6b36a children failed 91456b89ee or tried, e2573455e1 she would 11968598b6 gladly watch 5c49b5c91f over them. She didn’t catch 9a8e4b7ed3 the children when 2b8c8b1ac6 they fell while d422ce35e3 walking, but she 1cd9aee28d patiently waited until a9b8c70756 the fallen children b488dd80b1 got up on cce5622a8a their own and cccffdb647 ran into her 3f993884ba arms. Asha had a 3f1f91201c hard time talking edfda24946 to the children 064947070e at their level, ca03d34497 but the children b8cd9d01d0 already realized their 5364067d3e mother’s love. * * * c81e3abf1d “I love you.” cf49440dbf Aliya, who was 2aaf8f570c running to eat 7c0abfc8d4 cookies, saw Asha 9c3e1a9469 and ran over 88cc7f1810 to her. She suddenly 5ed9620907 hugged her dee8712105 and said 385157df8e she loved 77496481a8 her. It was b14f7157fc the third 2f2b9beb58 ‘love confession’ de0c9f43d2 this morning. “I love you.” cdf2938262 This time, Ryan, 01c6f5e61f who came out 6251739b2a to practice swordsmanship, 40e395c4b4 approached her and 3974cc0dc2 hugged her neck, 8a26295dde kissing her on 0f2474890b the cheek. Her son, who used b21974a4c6 to be very shy 41b7f4042d about physical contact, had 6d0e2e6a09 suddenly changed since the e60d487ddd day before yesterday. ‘What is this game?’ 5d4a21f5f3 At first, she thought 87b2aac034 the children were playing 63225d559e a new game. Maybe they made 42faa8c357 a bet on 9c9a8673d7 who could ‘confess c58456eb85 their love’ more. But as the days 87a0bf3470 turned into a week, a07b6040da ten days, and a 577d0852da month, Asha gradually became c4b3b4e142 accustomed to the children’s 6e5359cdc7 greetings and kisses of b538e60ba4 love. And each time, c7cd7e45fc her heart melted 7eca593198 at the children’s be03a44c2f pure and endless 02f7d36dce love. “Carlyle.” One ab391b7db6 night, Asha, 175d5d229b lying in 1e4b8b67d4 bed about 8c0d19ede6 to sleep, 84eca0e094 looked up 6621f0f759 at the e9ec6a6ab3 ceiling and 454a6c24e2 called for aa843f431c Carlyle. “Hmm? What?” “I’m sorry.” b10b68eeea There was no 24ee08c00a sign of apology 355a647be6 on Asha’s face. Instead, a happy 56e1ccd4ff smile spread faintly. “I think dd6604afb7 Ryan and ee74bc95df Aliya like 8770232d2d me more 2622453aa6 than you.” 22a93764e8 “Ha! You used to 9f06dc7562 say no no 5cdf1e7a33 matter how many 1f705e190e times I told 03788acdd3 you that.” “Hehehe.” e4fb07d0a9 A suppressed laugh 632e4ac731 escaped from Asha’s ca92fed39f lips. “Ryan said a88b23aaaa he’s going c0c154c963 to marry 103a70245c me when dc464118b6 he grows 5f157e54cc up. Then Aliya cried. She said she’s 215762094c going to marry afa5407306 me.” “This is f461955c36 outrageous! How dare they look fd26b71f81 at the Emperor’s woman? I must teach them 775d626a45 a lesson!” Asha burst 9d4a46db6a out laughing again at ad5cd4d8ec Carlyle’s fake growl. Carlyle also laughed, d2fb81c38b amused by her. He kissed his wife 09dd38f935 and told her, “Don’t 259f75d350 ever believe what those 7b93565e49 kids say. I’m the one who ba2490e6ff loves you the most.” 07f882f2ea It was a night da027ba349 when happiness filled her 83ce99e892 like being immersed in d590c7b7b8 warm water. * * * -Fin 0a3816b9f4 (Side Stories Finale)1821a09a41197301