{"id":1848787,"date":"2025-06-15T21:30:04","date_gmt":"2025-06-15T21:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wacoca.com\/anime\/1848787\/"},"modified":"2025-06-15T21:30:04","modified_gmt":"2025-06-15T21:30:04","slug":"savage-princess-was-forced-to-share-a-bed-with-the-enemy-prince-to-save-her-people-%f0%9f%92%94-full-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wacoca.com\/anime\/1848787\/","title":{"rendered":"Savage Princess Was Forced to Share a Bed with the Enemy Prince to Save Her People \ud83d\udc94 | Full  Recap"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\"  width=\"580\" height=\"385\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ULhFlyw9FYw\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><br \/>\n<br \/>\nSavage Princess Was Forced to Share a Bed with the Enemy Prince to Save Her People \ud83d\udc94 | Full  Recap<br \/>\n<br \/>\nIn a world where power decides<br \/>\neverything and bloodlines rule like kings. One girl had nothing. No name, no power, no mercy from anyone. Her name was Asha Pervez. But when they tried to break her,<br \/>\nshe rose stronger, smarter and more dangerous<br \/>\nthan anyone ever expected. Her greatest enemy became<br \/>\nthe one she couldn&#8217;t forget. Love pulled her in.<br \/>\nBut betrayal hit harder. The empire she fought. It fell apart piece by piece. Secrets came to light.<br \/>\nFriends turned enemies. Asha didn&#8217;t just survive.<br \/>\nShe took everything. This isn&#8217;t just a story about revenge. It&#8217;s about power, pride,<br \/>\nand what it truly costs to win. You think you know how this ends?<br \/>\nThink again. This is age of arrogance. Welcome to man a Dragon. The memoir begins with the King<br \/>\nKendrick Evaristo, tricking our female protagonist<br \/>\nby granting her the right to choose a marriage partner<br \/>\nas the reward for victory. She is stunned by this announcement<br \/>\nin the name of the Emperor. He declares that whoever she chooses<br \/>\nwill be her husband immediately. The nobles gathered there and talked<br \/>\namong themselves, expressing concerns that she was far from understanding<br \/>\nwomen&#8217;s culture and that they heard she grew up as a brutal person,<br \/>\nwalking behind the smell of blood. They are also nervous about her<br \/>\npotentially choosing to marry their sons. Our female protagonist is disappointed<br \/>\nthat after all this, the price of a lifetime battle<br \/>\nis choosing a husband. Great warrior Prince Pervez<br \/>\nwas the hero of the Imperial Army who saved the Crown Prince from danger<br \/>\n30 years ago. Out of jealousy, the Crown Prince sent him to eliminate<br \/>\nthe lawyer tribe in the northern lands. Prince Pervez, a fateful night<br \/>\nand the father of our female protagonist accepted this, despite being aware<br \/>\nthat the place was like a dead end. He fought fiercely<br \/>\nand with all his strength, but died on the battlefield<br \/>\nafter her father&#8217;s death. Her brothers fought with all their might. After they all died,<br \/>\nshe eventually took their place. Finally, under her leadership,<br \/>\nthe war was over. The night started jumping with joy,<br \/>\nbut the joy of victory did not last long. They were going to starve<br \/>\nbefore this extreme winter was over. In the previous castle,<br \/>\nthey&#8217;re trying to anticipate when they will receive a reward<br \/>\nfrom the Imperial family. Decker reminds her that privacy is a place<br \/>\nthat the Emperor doesn&#8217;t even look at. She points to the decree sent<br \/>\nby His Majesty and tells Decker that this is the Emperor&#8217;s<br \/>\npromise to them. It states that if they drive the Loire<br \/>\ntribe out of privacy entirely, he will pay them back. He will reward them for their hard work<br \/>\nand sacrifice if they win the war. In the name of Felix Tonin. Richard, Alban, Dell and every sto. Decker inquires if the Emperor<br \/>\nwill keep his promise to them. She replies she doesn&#8217;t know,<br \/>\nbut they have no other choice. If they don&#8217;t get anything,<br \/>\nher Vaz will starve to death. However, she concludes that she wouldn&#8217;t<br \/>\nbe able to get compensation quickly because the emperor who killed her<br \/>\nfather won&#8217;t be willing to pay a reward. She has now returned to the capital. The Emperor expresses<br \/>\nhis condolences for her father&#8217;s death. He adds that<br \/>\nsince all her brothers are dead, a woman inherited<br \/>\nthe title of the maki of previous. I see<br \/>\nmost of you did not subscribe my channel. Making a video takes a lot of effort,<br \/>\nso please subscribe to the channel and press the Bell notification<br \/>\nto continue watching Amazing man. More recaps. She agrees. He lets out an evil smile<br \/>\nthat he did not even know. He mentions that he thought the savage<br \/>\nprincess had come to the banquet. He believes that the savage Princess<br \/>\nis the title that suits her. She remains silent and thinks to herself she does not care how many insults<br \/>\nshe receives. All she wants is for the people of Earth<br \/>\nto get enough money to survive the winter. The Emperor then inquires about her age. She introduced herself as Asha Parviz<br \/>\nand informed us she&#8217;s 22 this year. His Majesty states<br \/>\nthat if she&#8217;s 22, she&#8217;s at the age where she has to make her debut. Expressing exaggerated concern<br \/>\nthat she doesn&#8217;t even have an arranged marriage yet,<br \/>\nUsha is clueless. She wondered<br \/>\nwhat was going on with this sudden talk. He further states that he has planned<br \/>\nto give her an excellent reward. That is the right to choose<br \/>\na marriage partner, and he will give it to her<br \/>\nas a reward for victory. His servant hands her<br \/>\na list of noble names so she can choose who she wants. Whoever<br \/>\nshe chooses will marry her immediately. He then advises her<br \/>\nto get to the top of the list, because the closer she gets, the higher<br \/>\nher husband&#8217;s family. Rating. Emphasizing that it&#8217;s best<br \/>\nto look from the top of the list, Usha raises a question. If the person she chooses<br \/>\ndoesn&#8217;t want to marry her, wouldn&#8217;t it be difficult for both of them? His Majesty replies<br \/>\nthat if the Emperor&#8217;s order gets rejected, his family will have to pay<br \/>\nthe Imperial family and her all the money. She is startled by His Majesty&#8217;s<br \/>\nrevelation. She finally understands His Majesty&#8217;s<br \/>\nconspiracy to withhold her victory. Rewards, because the family he chooses<br \/>\nwould be obliged to pay her Vaz instead of the emperor<br \/>\nin the name of alimony. After giving it all a thought,<br \/>\nshe finally announces her decision to choose to Carlisle<br \/>\nHaven temporarily deprived of power. He was initially the Crown Prince,<br \/>\nbut his position was taken four days ago<br \/>\ndue to an unfortunate incident. That&#8217;s why on the list of nobles,<br \/>\nhe is also there and is not a member<br \/>\nof the imperial family. Usher reminds His Majesty that he said<br \/>\nwhoever&#8217;s name is written at the top,<br \/>\nshe should choose him. As for him,<br \/>\nhe is the highest ranking nobleman. Dear subscribers of manhwa Dragon. It&#8217;s manhwa Dragon here. I have an important update<br \/>\nto share with you. Unfortunately, our channel<br \/>\nhas been demonetized by YouTube. We are working<br \/>\nhard to get things back on track, but in the meantime we have created<br \/>\na new channel called Manhwa Fury. We hope you will subscribe to this channel<br \/>\nso that we can continue to share awesome content<br \/>\nwithout any monetization problems. Your loyalty has been our driving force<br \/>\nand we are incredibly grateful for the community<br \/>\nwe have built together on Manhwa Dragon. We understand that change can be tricky,<br \/>\nbut with your support, we will conquer this challenge together and keep bringing<br \/>\nyou the best manhwa content out there. We need your help to monetize<br \/>\nour new channel Manhwa Fury on YouTube. Please take a moment<br \/>\nto subscribe to Manhwa Fury using the link in the description,<br \/>\nor support our other channel. Meanwhile,<br \/>\nDragon does not give us anything, but we still upload videos<br \/>\nonly for our dear subscribers. Thank you for being an awesome part<br \/>\nof the manhwa Dragon community. If you have any questions or just want to share some thoughts,<br \/>\nfeel free to drop them in the comments. We can&#8217;t wait to see you over at Manhwa<br \/>\nFury. Stay awesome and let&#8217;s make<br \/>\nthe next chapter even more epic. Thank you all for your support. The Emperor&#8217;s expression tells him<br \/>\nthat he&#8217;s not happy to hear her decision. The nobles gathered there<br \/>\nto call her crazy as she chose His Highness Crown Prince Carlisle<br \/>\nas her marriage partner. They also talk about the disagreement<br \/>\nbetween his father, and that led to him being currently deprived of the Crown<br \/>\nPrince title. He is also nicknamed<br \/>\nthe God of War and Slaughter. They wonder if that woman wants to die. Usha plays her card as she states that<br \/>\nif they refuse, under the imperial decree, the son&#8217;s family would be obliged to pay<br \/>\nalimony. The people there are shocked as she<br \/>\nindirectly asked the emperor for alimony. In other words,<br \/>\nshe will receive the victory reward that she should have received<br \/>\nfrom the royal family. Still,<br \/>\nit will come from the foundation instead. They also recall<br \/>\nthat the Emperor talked about alimony and told her that she needed<br \/>\nto choose the man with the highest rank. They believe the Emperor<br \/>\ndug his own grave. Carlisle starts laughing<br \/>\nlike a maniac, while the fooled emperor suggests<br \/>\nhe will give her another chance to think. But Asha is adamant about marrying<br \/>\nDuke Carlisle Haven. She further states<br \/>\nthat if he gives her the victory bonus, not the marriage partner&#8217;s choice,<br \/>\nshe will withdraw her choice. But Carlisle intervenes. He asks Sasha<br \/>\nif she&#8217;s trying to make fun of His Majesty the Emperor, because his promise<br \/>\ncannot be undone so easily. He states that the fact that he<br \/>\nwho is His Majesty&#8217;s eldest son, will marry<br \/>\na woman from the village is impossible. However,<br \/>\nfor the sake of His Majesty&#8217;s promise, he will accept her marriage proposal. Asha is speechless<br \/>\nas it seems after His Majesty. She&#8217;s the one who dug her own grave. When reality hits her, her eyes<br \/>\nwiden with disbelief as she thinks she needs money,<br \/>\nnot a husband. Still, Carlisle seems amused about it<br \/>\nas he calls her wife and looks forward to getting along with her<br \/>\nin the Imperial living room. Carlisle has summoned Dasha. He asks her to go ahead. Brave Marquis Prevost usher realizes<br \/>\nthat it is evident from his expressions that he does not seem to like<br \/>\nher, and wonders what he&#8217;s thinking. She formally introduces herself,<br \/>\nbut accidentally addresses him as the Crown Prince. She realizes that he is no longer<br \/>\nthe Crown Prince, and she should have called in Duke Haven. He inquires if she is aware of the reason<br \/>\nfor abolishing the title of custodian. Usher recalls the time when she and<br \/>\nher team arrived in the capital. Carlisle was accused<br \/>\nof coveting his father&#8217;s mistress. It was rumored that he reportedly broke into His Majesty&#8217;s<br \/>\nfavorite mistress chamber. Her team further informed her<br \/>\nthat the problem between the Emperor and his son seems to be His Majesty&#8217;s<br \/>\nextreme bias towards women. Archer thought that women<br \/>\ntrafficked the capital&#8217;s population, and here they have<br \/>\nthe time and desire to spy on other women. She saw the article<br \/>\nwhere he was mentioned. Now she wonders that<br \/>\nshe would have never thought the man in the article<br \/>\nwould be her husband. Carlisle stayed. She keeps staring at him thoughtlessly,<br \/>\neven if she doesn&#8217;t know what he can do. He asks her to answer<br \/>\nand not just stare at him too much. He asks if it&#8217;s because she loves<br \/>\nhis handsomeness, and thinks to himself that it&#8217;s hard to deal with<br \/>\nsomeone who clings to him for no reason. She responds that she does not necessarily<br \/>\nenvy his body, and admits she is just jealous. He is stunned upon hearing her answer. She then discusses the pros<br \/>\nand cons that such a large body can quickly become a target. But there is a force coming from the body<br \/>\nand that&#8217;s good. He inquires if she is talking<br \/>\nin the context of a fight. She answers yes,<br \/>\nexpressing her desire to have such a body, but she can&#8217;t, as she was born<br \/>\nwith a different muscle structure. He finds her response attractive. He then wishes to discuss their deal. Aisha is surprised as she whispers a deal. Carlisle teases her about possibly falling in love with her<br \/>\nand accepting her offer to him. It seems like she liked his teasing. He then reveals his real motive. His father has put a condition<br \/>\non abdicating the throne. The condition states that if he is ready<br \/>\nto serve the Empire for three years and put aside his ego, the Crown Prince&#8217;s<br \/>\ntitle will be entrusted to him again. So he is considering volunteering<br \/>\nto serve Prevost, who has been tired of the war<br \/>\nfor the next three years. Aisha inquires if it&#8217;s only three years. What&#8217;s after that? Without any expression.<br \/>\nHe replies divorce. Aisha is shocked. He further instructs her not to care<br \/>\nabout what he does and provides for the next three years. He further clarifies that she doesn&#8217;t need<br \/>\nto expect him to treat her as his wife, and not even think about<br \/>\njoining the other side of him. If she complies with those conditions,<br \/>\nhe will provide the financial and material support<br \/>\nPrevost needs. Aisha thinks there is a motive behind<br \/>\naccepting that marriage, but she cannot leave<br \/>\nPrevost under that man&#8217;s control. She inquires what he intends to do<br \/>\nin private. She tells him beforehand that if he has<br \/>\na motive that would damage privacy, she would not agree to it. Carlisle questions<br \/>\nwhat she is not going to agree with. Is she going to let the locals starve? He clarified that he had no intention<br \/>\nto damage Prevost in return. She needs to help him<br \/>\nsucceed in what he wants. She responds, she got it. She asks him to write a contract. He whispers a contract. She reminds him that he said he would not<br \/>\nspare the support for reconstruction, and she would like to have a contract<br \/>\nspecifying the substance in detail. He likes that she does not trust<br \/>\nthe promises to be told without precise details. He believes that as a couple,<br \/>\nthey&#8217;ll get along well with each other. Aisha asks<br \/>\nif by that he means a couple that agreed to use each other as they needed<br \/>\nand separated ordinarily. Carlisle smirks and says, look at this. Isn&#8217;t the conversation between us<br \/>\ngoing well? Later,<br \/>\nLyonel Bailey, Carlisle&#8217;s closest aide, reads the contract and states<br \/>\nthat she wrote it carefully. Carlisle responds that she&#8217;s a woman<br \/>\nwho won&#8217;t waste money anywhere. Lionel Bailey questions if he is going to<br \/>\nmarry a brutal woman like that, and that many more women are considered<br \/>\ncandidates to marry the crown prince. He reveals that it&#8217;s only three years, and<br \/>\nwhere would he find a chance like this? Lionel<br \/>\nBailey does not understand what he means. He declared this an opportunity<br \/>\nto eliminate the frivolous things that dare to override their limits. Carlisle entered the battlefield at the age of 15<br \/>\nbecause after his biological mother died, his stepmother, who became Empress<br \/>\nMoody, wished that he fought, and he fought again,<br \/>\nand he finally survived. He wonders if it is probably because of<br \/>\nGod&#8217;s blessing he received at birth. People called him a murder God and cheered<br \/>\nfor him when he returned victorious. The current Empress, Beatrice<br \/>\nand the second Prince Martius were present there, witnessing<br \/>\nthe people&#8217;s admiration for him. She knew that if she wanted<br \/>\nto make her son the crown prince, she had to do something. So she teamed up with Viviana Laury,<br \/>\nthe Emperor&#8217;s youngest mistress, and accused him of barging into her room<br \/>\nin the middle of the night. He said he did not know this woman<br \/>\nwas in that room and someone was trying to trick him, but His Majesty refused<br \/>\nto listen to his explanation. He accused him of converting his mistress<br \/>\nand that his arrogance had crossed the line. At that moment,<br \/>\nhe announced that he would remove Prince Carlisle Evaristo<br \/>\nfrom the position of Crown Prince. He further declares<br \/>\nthat her empress strategy was to eliminate unpopular things at once. Lionel agrees<br \/>\nthat as a result, Marcus was temporarily treated as the Crown prince,<br \/>\nand she succeeded in the end. They talk about how, after three years,<br \/>\nthe Empress will discover the plan and prevent the restoration of the Crown<br \/>\nPrincess position. She will try to make Martius<br \/>\nthe official crown prince, but Carlisle declares that the throne is<br \/>\nhis and will kill whoever desires it. He plans to grow his strength<br \/>\nbeyond the Empress Reach. For this purpose, as is the right place,<br \/>\nLionel thinks about it and believes Vaz is located<br \/>\noutside the territorial borders. Carlisle says, isn&#8217;t it good at this point that his successor<br \/>\ncomes to take him with her? Lionel, however, raises a question is he going to marry<br \/>\na woman he&#8217;s never seen? Does he even know what kind of woman<br \/>\nshe is? But Carlisle responds by revealing this is<br \/>\nnot the first time he has seen her. He reveals that he has met her<br \/>\nbefore a few days ago in the imperial capital of zero. Carlisle was there wearing a cloak<br \/>\nto hide his identity. He was thinking about the conspiracy<br \/>\nof the Empress that led to his title being taken, and he got completely trapped<br \/>\nby the Empress. He blamed himself for it, as he wasn&#8217;t<br \/>\ncautious enough, and quickly responded to a letter from a new informant<br \/>\nwho wanted to make a deal with him. He thought that it would be<br \/>\nan assassination attempt at most, but it turned out to be something<br \/>\nhe never thought of. He took advantage of the rumors<br \/>\nthat had been spread that he was isolating himself in the room<br \/>\nbecause of his breakthrough, so he decided to use this opportunity<br \/>\nto move in secret. There,<br \/>\nsome bandits approached him with a weapon and asked that he was a new face<br \/>\nand would like to exchange a few words. If you wish to go safely. Carlisle knew<br \/>\nthat it would be very unpleasant if the situation escalated,<br \/>\nsince he was hiding his identity. That&#8217;s when someone called out for their<br \/>\nunfairness, for being three against one. Usha announced that they needed to balance<br \/>\nso she would join two. They look down on her since she was a girl<br \/>\nand asked what was wrong with her. She delivered a powerful punch<br \/>\nto his face. Carlisle was surprised as he saw her firm position<br \/>\nand wondered if she was a warrior. The man hurried the other to kill her. Decker grabbed him from behind<br \/>\nand called him a coward for sending his younger brother<br \/>\nto attack instead. Decker then inquired<br \/>\nif she planned to kill the man. She responded that she should really kill them,<br \/>\nbut it would be compassionate for them. Carlisle noticed<br \/>\nthey were not using kill words just as a metaphor,<br \/>\nand they seemed capable of killing people. Decker reminded her<br \/>\nthat they were instructed to avoid causing trouble in the capital<br \/>\nbefore entering the palace. She decided to leave it,<br \/>\nthen the men ran for their lives. Carlisle expressed his gratitude<br \/>\nfor helping him and said that he could survive the danger<br \/>\ndue to them. Decker requested to guide them to a cheap<br \/>\nand convenient hostel. They revealed that their group<br \/>\nwas in danger of sleeping on the streets, as the overnight prices in the capital<br \/>\nwere very high. Usha revealed that their group consisted<br \/>\nof five people, including the two of them, and as long as there was a place to wash,<br \/>\nthey could adjust and sleep in the same room. He agreed to guide them in the present. Lyonel inquires<br \/>\nif that is why he returned late that day. Carlisle considers himself the reason<br \/>\nthey could wash and enter the palace. If she had stayed the same,<br \/>\nshe would have been called a chief beggar instead of the brutal princess. Lyonel is shocked that she is<br \/>\nhitting the gangs with her fist. Even someone like His Highness<br \/>\nwould have lost if he had misrepresented. He replies. However,<br \/>\nit will not be easy for the Empress to send the assassins and succeed<br \/>\nso quickly. Lyonel believes<br \/>\nthis is a significant advantage. Carlisle further adds<br \/>\nthat in order to rebuild Pervaiz, she cannot betray him,<br \/>\nnor will she bother him with her actions. He reveals that he offered her<br \/>\nto stay with him in his mansion. However, she rejected the order<br \/>\nand returned to the hostel, saying it was uncomfortable. He believes she is very careful. That&#8217;s<br \/>\nwhy she doesn&#8217;t want to be by his side. He asks her if he thinks<br \/>\nthere is a better wife than her. Aisha informs her team<br \/>\nabout the contract marriage and they are shocked to learn about it. They warn her that this is very dangerous,<br \/>\nand the Prince is trying to use her as a shield for his conspiracy,<br \/>\nbut it does not matter to her. Decker is shocked at her response<br \/>\nand tries to tell her that her life is at stake. She says that if she could sell herself to save Prevacid,<br \/>\nshe would sell herself countless times. Given the price<br \/>\nshe thinks it&#8217;s an outstanding deal. She tries to convince Decker<br \/>\nby informing him that with this money, nobody in purveyors will starve to death<br \/>\nthis winter. They can also treat the wounded<br \/>\nand plant seeds in the field. She asked Decker to imagine the scene<br \/>\nwhere the desolate plains of kicker are full of plantings. She asks him if he would have chosen<br \/>\nanother option if he were in her place, and she is at the height of her<br \/>\npleasure now. They all don&#8217;t seem convinced about it. Nevertheless, they ask,<br \/>\nwhen will the wedding take place? She replies, fortunately,<br \/>\nthey will skip the wedding ceremony and head to Prevost immediately<br \/>\nafter reciting short marriage vows. They talk among themselves<br \/>\nabout how long marriage vows will take. Even if it were the vows of a gentleman&#8217;s<br \/>\nmarriage, wouldn&#8217;t it take months? They also aware that<br \/>\nsince they are all here in the capital, people in Prevost<br \/>\nwill probably starve in the meantime. Upon hearing it, Usha quickly<br \/>\nreaches Carlisle&#8217;s place and inquires when they can leave next week<br \/>\nor the week after. He thinks it would be better<br \/>\nif it were as soon as possible, but it&#8217;s a wedding, and if they rush it,<br \/>\nwould she not feel dissatisfied? He inquires<br \/>\nif she has a sweetheart in Prabhat. Why is she in so much hurry? She replies that the people in Prevost<br \/>\nare waiting for her to return. He informs her that he&#8217;s trying<br \/>\nto finalize the preparations as soon as possible, and asks her to<br \/>\nchoose her dress and they will modify it. He then instructs Mrs. Loper to start with that. She wonders, what&#8217;s with the word<br \/>\nthat three seconds later she&#8217;s in the bathtub and realizes<br \/>\nwhat the word that meant. All the maids surround her as they are in<br \/>\na rush to prepare her, washing her hair. They inquire<br \/>\nas she used to wrap her hair in a cake. Seeing the condition of her hair, Mrs. Loper also inquires if she uses perfume. And what about oils? Usha replies. Why would she even put that in her hair when they try to fit a corset<br \/>\nin her waist? They ask her if she has never worn corsets, since<br \/>\nthey have never seen a waist like that. They also talk about how she&#8217;s too tall<br \/>\nand has broad shoulders and muscled arms, so there are better options<br \/>\nthan a sleeveless dress. They decide not to go with the purse,<br \/>\nas it does not suit or puffed sleeves, and makes her shoulders<br \/>\nlook wider. After going through this,<br \/>\nUsha really wishes to go home. Usha finally appears before Carlyle,<br \/>\nwhose eyes get fixated on his to be wife. His Highness has been lost in her beauty. The man screams in shock. He then tells her that<br \/>\nif someone sees her, they will think she&#8217;s a loser<br \/>\nbecause of her facial expressions. She replies that she is a loser. They did not let her put any weapon<br \/>\nin her clothes to defend herself with it. He inquires from Miss Loper,<br \/>\nthat isn&#8217;t the dress so simple? Considering it&#8217;s an imperial celebration. She replies back that the Marquis insisted<br \/>\nthat the dress looked comfortable, but he assures her that it&#8217;s okay because<br \/>\nhe prepared something else for her. He then shows it to Mrs. Loper and asks, would that be enough? Mrs. Loper is utterly stunned<br \/>\nas her eyes fall upon the shiny<br \/>\nand outrageously luxurious necklace. Mrs. Loper is shocked to see that it&#8217;s<br \/>\nthe necklace of the late Queen Evelina. She then suggests that the dress better be<br \/>\nsimple for diamond necklaces like these, and she cannot believe His Highness<br \/>\nis giving up such a precious thing. Usha inquires if it is Ruby. Mrs. Loper asks her. She can&#8217;t know it just by looking at it. Usha thinks that she should have<br \/>\na little idea about jewelry. Carlyle thinks that she certainly had<br \/>\nno interest in jewelry prices because she had been fighting her<br \/>\nwhole life. He tells her that she can buy about 100<br \/>\narmy horses if she sells that necklace. Usha is shocked and asks if he means<br \/>\nthis is over 1 million Verona. He places it on her neck and tells her<br \/>\nto consider it a down payment. She wonders that if she sold this,<br \/>\nshe will get 100 army houses, but needs clarification<br \/>\nabout whether to buy food first. He smells and realizes she is worn<br \/>\nperfume, so he asks her about it. She tells him the maids brought perfume<br \/>\nthat smelled of flowers and fruits, but they smelled lovely. So she chose something that smelled<br \/>\nlike grass. He looks at her. She asks him what&#8217;s wrong<br \/>\nand he replies that it smells nice. He wonders that he didn&#8217;t think<br \/>\nshe would choose this smell. He states that the necklace<br \/>\nfinally found its owner. He lifts his hand, caresses her face,<br \/>\nand tells her it suits her. He then instructs Mrs. Loper to complete preparations<br \/>\nbefore the vows performance. Ceremony. Usha thinks that the crown prince&#8217;s<br \/>\nhand would be soft, but she did not expect it to be a warriors<br \/>\nhand. She is confused<br \/>\nas to why her pulse is accelerating. She wonders if it is natural<br \/>\nfor the hands of the battle leader, His Highness Carlisle,<br \/>\nto be like the warriors, but her thoughts are once again<br \/>\ndirected to buying the horses. A few days later, at Carlisle and Asha&#8217;s<br \/>\nwedding, the guests gossip about His Highness<br \/>\nmarrying Usha. In any case, if His Highness regains<br \/>\nthe position of Crown Prince, he will leave her immediately<br \/>\nand that way. Nor Cecilia a potential candidate to marry<br \/>\nthe Crown Prince, will stand idly by. Cecilia thinks that His Royal Highness<br \/>\ninsisted on agreeing to marry Marcus Pervez, because Pervez is<br \/>\nan extraterritorial jurisdiction. Regardless of what happens there,<br \/>\nthe royal family cannot intervene. She also believes through this work,<br \/>\nthe Crown Prince may be trying to test<br \/>\na suitable candidate to marry him. Although people are abandoning<br \/>\nthat position because of this, there&#8217;s no reason for her<br \/>\nto give up on this civil war. She believes<br \/>\nthe conditions are more favorable to her than anyone else, because the golden eye<br \/>\nsymbolizes the imperial family. As a royal concert,<br \/>\ngolden eyes will be preferred. That&#8217;s why not only the emperors,<br \/>\nbut also the emperors mistress Viviana, have golden eyes. She believes she is entitled to that<br \/>\nstatus from Marquis Pervaiz, and she is more worthy of the Crown<br \/>\nPrince. She will show it to everyone here soon. His Majesty and the Empress make an entry, bringing the chief priest,<br \/>\nGabriel Knox of the temple as well. The guests notice. Gabriel seems to be in charge<br \/>\nof the marriage ceremony, and talk about how Miss Cecilia<br \/>\nand President Gabriel, the most beautiful man<br \/>\nand woman of the capital, came together. And the bright won&#8217;t even be noticed. They think she will look like a ruler<br \/>\nbarbarian, even if she&#8217;s decorated. So His Highness will be lucky<br \/>\nif he is not embarrassed by her today. That&#8217;s when the announcement of His Highness Prince Carlyle<br \/>\nKendrick and Marquis Aisha is made. The guests tilt their heads to look at them and are shocked<br \/>\nas the bride looks unrecognizable. They also notice the late<br \/>\nQueen&#8217;s necklace, which she got as a gift from the Emperor<br \/>\nwhen she married him. One woman states that she thinks<br \/>\nHis Highness abandoned Queen Evelina as property. The other replies that no, it&#8217;s<br \/>\nto show off. Cecilia doesn&#8217;t<br \/>\nlook happy to see the necklace on her. Gabriel instructs everyone to sit down<br \/>\nand announces that they are all invited to witness the wedding ceremony of the First Prince of the Empire<br \/>\nand Marquis Aisha. He then recite the vows<br \/>\nand instruct them to exchange their rings. As Carlyle puts the call on her. He advises that when she sells it later,<br \/>\nshe should put it in the auction house, explaining that it would be sold<br \/>\nfor much more than the jeweler. She considers his advice. He then wonders if the people present here<br \/>\ndon&#8217;t know that this ring is just an emergency fund<br \/>\nfor the bride. He then looks at his wife<br \/>\nand says she has a revolutionary spirit which makes her attractive. Gabriel, instruct them to sign the pledge<br \/>\nnow that they have finished exchanging rings. After they are done signing the promise,<br \/>\nhe announces them as husband and wife under Royal Imperial<br \/>\nand Divine law. Carlyle thinks to himself<br \/>\nthat no one will deny this relationship. They should also keep that promise with<br \/>\nheavy responsibility and sincere love. He agreed to marry in the wilderness<br \/>\nbecause he thought it would help him. And now it&#8217;s refreshing to see his father<br \/>\nand the Empress have their faces upset. Gabriel states<br \/>\nthat after that, both will complete their vows<br \/>\nwith their first kiss of husband and wife. Aisha thinks they should do it<br \/>\nas their husband and wife now. Carlyle notices her expression<br \/>\nand realizes that she just wants to finish and go home,<br \/>\nbut he is determined not to let her go. He grabs her waist and kisses her<br \/>\npassionately as he is kissing her. He looks her in the eye and smirks. He bites him and tells him to do it<br \/>\nleisurely. His Highness states that<br \/>\nwhat if he can only kill boredom this way? Gabriel looks various<br \/>\nashamed of his behavior and says Lord lapel looks at him<br \/>\nand he needs to purify his body and mind. Carlyle responds<br \/>\nthat the Lord lapel will understand the newlyweds couple&#8217;s passion<br \/>\non their way to privacy. Decker recalls<br \/>\nthat Asha refused to return to privacy as she thinks<br \/>\nshe should stay a little longer, but she suggests he should head back first<br \/>\nas there are supplies that need to be delivered urgently. They also have to provide a suitable place<br \/>\nfor His Highness Prince Carlyle to stay at his castle. He wonders how he will explain it<br \/>\nto the people of privacy. When he reaches, the people there<br \/>\nawait him. They also notice<br \/>\nhow the knights guard him. One of the ladies<br \/>\nquestions him about who they are. He informs them that Asha has married<br \/>\nthe Crown Prince. They are surprised and inquire that<br \/>\ntheir lady has become the Crown Princess. They throw at him a lot of questions about<br \/>\nif it&#8217;s true that His Highness, the Crown Prince will come to live here,<br \/>\nor will they divorce in three years? So what about their lady? And if he saw this all with his eyes? He replies that His Highness the Crown<br \/>\nPrince has some personal business within exterior territorial boundaries. Hence,<br \/>\nthey need supplies to rebuild the area. He also adds that it&#8217;s just that<br \/>\ntheir interests are one, so some believe they will live together<br \/>\nfor only three years. The lady is disappointed<br \/>\nand reminds him that they asked them to bring something to eat,<br \/>\nnot the Crown Prince. One of the team members stated<br \/>\nthat he was worried about their lady because they were attacked<br \/>\nseveral times on the way here. He recalls talking about Prince Carlyle<br \/>\nsending the knights with him and wondering<br \/>\nif it&#8217;s because of the lack of trust. That&#8217;s<br \/>\nwhen the bandits came and attacked them. But before they could take action, the knights surrounded them<br \/>\nand stood in defensive mode. They wonder if His Highness knew<br \/>\nthey would be attacked, so he sent the knights with them. Decker states<br \/>\nthat Asha is now stuck in a gap. She&#8217;s exposed to many death threats as<br \/>\nshe&#8217;s now a member of the Imperial Family. However, she questions<br \/>\nwhat the point of talking about it is now. He hopes it&#8217;s<br \/>\njust like Asha said, it&#8217;s just a relationship<br \/>\nbased on money exchanges and room rentals, so they should at least clean<br \/>\nthe place where His Highness will stay. He reminds them that it will take him about a month to arrive<br \/>\nand encourages them to work hard. Decker is still stressed<br \/>\nas he wonders to himself if His Highness Carlyle is on their side,<br \/>\nas he claims he needs clarification<br \/>\non whether he is a threat to Asha. A few days later at the Imperial Family,<br \/>\nCarlyle informs Martius that from now on, he will have to defend the southern part of the empire and asks<br \/>\nif he has any questions. Marcia seems clueless<br \/>\nand asks why he should defend the South. Carlyle confronts him about it<br \/>\nand says that since he is now treated as the air,<br \/>\nhe must do what he used to do. He reminds him that he has been walking<br \/>\naround the battlefield so far to perform his duties<br \/>\nas the Crown Prince. He teases him, making it look like<br \/>\nthese are no big responsibilities that he needs to eliminate huge monsters<br \/>\nthat appear 2 or 3 times a year and deal with minor<br \/>\ndisputes. His facial expressions<br \/>\nindicate he&#8217;s already intimidated, while his father looks disappointed. He calls them fools in his mind<br \/>\nand wonders if they understand the reality now. Initially,<br \/>\nhe would task him with voluntary work, but now he is leaving to privacy<br \/>\noutside the regional borders. The Emperor then talks about the military power<br \/>\nand the budget details he has provided. Carlyle says if by that he means the dowry<br \/>\nand his moving expenses. He whispers yes. The Emperor thinks to himself<br \/>\nthat he is a prince by name, but he carries a dowry for privacy<br \/>\nand that son in law. He agrees to call it moving cost,<br \/>\nbut inquires, isn&#8217;t 50 million Varuna too much for the money<br \/>\nhe has to give to Purvis? Martius agrees<br \/>\nthat it&#8217;s too much for Pervez and questions of 50 million<br \/>\nwill resolve the situation there. Carlyle tells him<br \/>\nnot to talk about those things. He inquires why. Carlyle responds that it is very clear<br \/>\nthat he did not go to war before, and reminds him that it took 28 years for Prevost<br \/>\nto win the war against the lawyer, and isn&#8217;t he aware of how many areas<br \/>\nhave been destroyed in the meantime, and how much money and time<br \/>\nit will take to get it back? He calls him out for blabbering<br \/>\nthat 50 million Verona is a lot, so he must study more. Back in his chamber,<br \/>\nhe says that his father has to teach a lot of things to Martius, and poor him<br \/>\nas taking his job overnight. He then recalls how their faces looked<br \/>\nand laughs about it, telling Usha and Viscount Giles<br \/>\nthe pelt that they should have seen their stupid faces and that they didn&#8217;t<br \/>\neven think about military affairs. She asks if military power<br \/>\nisn&#8217;t a superpower, and wonders why Marcus would hate<br \/>\nto take military power. He answers back that<br \/>\nthe military authority he&#8217;s talking about is only the military command authority that occurs after taking part in the war<br \/>\nby the Emperor&#8217;s order. Only the emperor has the actual authority<br \/>\nto send soldiers or declare war. Moreover, if a person is supposed<br \/>\nto take responsibility for losing the war just because they have<br \/>\nthe military leadership, he adds that they would have held him<br \/>\naccountable if he had lost even once. Viscount Giles believes that he was trying<br \/>\nto remove him from the imperial palace, and thinks to himself<br \/>\nthat the Emperor himself, with authority and responsibility, is entrusted to him. He replies that it&#8217;s obvious<br \/>\nthat the village lady found out, and asks her if it isn&#8217;t great,<br \/>\nthat he has an amazing husband like him. She expresses how<br \/>\nit must have been like a burning hell, but the chill of his nerves that he has endured all this<br \/>\nwithout doing something wrong is great. Carlyle inquires if she&#8217;s<br \/>\ncomplimenting him or insulting him. She assures him<br \/>\nthat it&#8217;s a pure compliment. He thinks to himself that he would<br \/>\nconsider it empty if it were someone else. But maybe it&#8217;s true<br \/>\nbecause this stems from her heart and is not just a compliment. Miscount Giles mentions that they would have to share the same goals<br \/>\nif they want to get on the same board, but by the looks of Marquis Prevost,<br \/>\nshe seems to know very little. He is ready to consider it,<br \/>\nif that&#8217;s what Lord lapel thinks. Then he realizes<br \/>\nthis is their first encounter and wonders if they have greeted each other. He then introduces Viscount Giles Lapel,<br \/>\nhis professor and role model to Asia, and states<br \/>\nthat he&#8217;s the most destructive person his enemies want to destroy. He&#8217;s the person he thought would object<br \/>\nto their marriage more than anyone else. Miscount<br \/>\nGiles replies that now he has no choice but to change his strategy<br \/>\nbecause he fell into the Empress&#8217;s scheme and destroyed the position of Crown Prince<br \/>\nduring his absence. He then inquires from Usha<br \/>\nhow much she knows about His Highness. Carlyle. She states that he&#8217;s been crown<br \/>\nprince since birth, and she also knows<br \/>\nhe&#8217;s the best knight in the Empire. This Count Giles, confesses<br \/>\nthat His Highness was born with the blessing of A.J. Rezai, God of War and victory. His genius has emerged<br \/>\nin various types of combat techniques. She questions<br \/>\nif it is really the blessing of a god. Miscount Giles states<br \/>\nthat a prophecy came from the temple when His Highness Prince<br \/>\nCarlyle was raised. He proved that the prophecy was real. He adds that the main person<br \/>\nwho maintained the peace of the Empire was him, as he traveled to<br \/>\nand from a lot of battles. This Count Giles is disappointed<br \/>\nthat the Prince has been removed from the position. He questions how they can use such a ploy<br \/>\nto manipulate the position of the Crown Prince. Carlisle asks Viscount Giles to calm down. Maybe it&#8217;s a blessing. That sounds like a curse. He replies that they should do something<br \/>\nnow that the matter has come this far. He tells Carlisle that he was falsely<br \/>\naccused of appealing to his father&#8217;s throne, and they must not<br \/>\nremain silent on this matter. Usha wonders<br \/>\nif that was a false accusation. This Count Giles emphasizes that the role<br \/>\nof purveyors borders is also essential. She asks him what should she do? The Empress and the Prince Martius will<br \/>\ntry to discard His Highness&#8217;s reputation, so he wants her to protect His Highness<br \/>\nwhen that happens. She questions if she will be able to guard His Highness<br \/>\nPrince Carlisle day and night. Carlisle smirked and said<br \/>\nhe could protect himself physically and she should not worry. Instead,<br \/>\nhe wants her to be a shield as a wife. Miscount Giles informs her<br \/>\nthat the Imperial family cares a lot about saving their face. That&#8217;s why he couldn&#8217;t interfere before. But thanks to her, His Highness<br \/>\ngets to go to the remote region where he may be able to build his strength away<br \/>\nfrom the eyes of the Imperial family. They know that the Empress<br \/>\nwould not be pleased with that. She wonders if he accepted the offer of marriage just<br \/>\nso he can build his strength in privacy. Miss Count Giles warns her<br \/>\nthat the Empress will try to trick her into getting a divorce, and serious things are likely to happen<br \/>\ndepending on the situation. She ponders to herself about it<br \/>\nbeing so dangerous. She then asks His Highness if it&#8217;s okay that he is planning<br \/>\nto commit high treason in privacy. He laughs and admits<br \/>\nthat he&#8217;s a little worried. He explains that the Empress greatly increased her strength<br \/>\nwhile he was away on the battlefield, so he had to settle in one place<br \/>\nand gather his strength. Miss Count Giles states<br \/>\nthat the public also expresses their desire for him<br \/>\nto be reinstated to his position. Aisha asks Carlisle to take care of him<br \/>\nuntil they leave for privacy, and promises<br \/>\nshe&#8217;ll not interfere in his affairs there. She assures him that she will be a shield<br \/>\nas much as she can, so they can keep their marriage,<br \/>\nthen quietly separate when the time comes. He responds<br \/>\nthat he will take care of himself and wants them to survive<br \/>\nas much as they can. Usha ponders if he&#8217;s worried about her. She tells him in advance that he has<br \/>\nto equip everything that he needs there. He responds that if she considers<br \/>\neven lending him a needless waste, she replies that&#8217;s not the case,<br \/>\nand there&#8217;s literally nothing in privacy. She mentions that she can lend him<br \/>\na needle, but it&#8217;ll be of much lower quality<br \/>\nthan those used in the Imperial family. He asks her not to worry, since he is<br \/>\nalready written everything on his list. He also teases that<br \/>\nif he gets tired of using his stuff, he&#8217;ll throw it away and she can pick it up<br \/>\nand use it as she likes. She takes a bow and expresses<br \/>\nher gratitude. Carlisle isn&#8217;t pleased with her response,<br \/>\nas his wife is way too formal with him. A few days passed and it was<br \/>\nfinally the day they left for privacy. Aisha is stunned to see so many boxes<br \/>\npiled up filled with food. Carlisle inquires if she likes it. She replies she didn&#8217;t know it would be so exaggerated<br \/>\nand she didn&#8217;t even imagine it. He agrees with her and says that even<br \/>\nhis dad wouldn&#8217;t have supposed it. She wonders if they pick up these crumbs. Purveyors will become very rich. She knows<br \/>\nshe made the right decision, as Pervaiz wouldn&#8217;t have escaped poverty<br \/>\nwithout this opportunity. Carlisle instruct that they have to go. The people cheer for him as he makes<br \/>\nhis way, excited to see the Crown Prince. Aisha thinks to herself<br \/>\nthat he&#8217;s more love that she had expected, and if he was this trustworthy<br \/>\nwhen he was the Crown Prince. She then tells Lionel that His Highness<br \/>\nseems to love the people. He asks her if she&#8217;s speaking ironically. She answers back that part of her believes it<br \/>\nand the other part does not believe it. Lionel informs her<br \/>\nthat it&#8217;s just part of the plan. He has to win the People&#8217;s Trust<br \/>\nto restore the Crown Prince&#8217;s position<br \/>\nand secure the throne in peace. He suggests that she should get used<br \/>\nto serving His Highness Prince Carlisle in the future. She thinks if<br \/>\nby that he means he counts all his steps. Carlisle then enters the carriage<br \/>\nand expresses that he&#8217;s tired. Aisha glances at him. He inquires where he is going to do that<br \/>\nact next. Lionel answers that it&#8217;ll be an own dam<br \/>\nand they will reach there in two days. He then asked Sasha<br \/>\nwhy she keeps looking at him like that. Aisha responds that even though<br \/>\nthe distance between him and the people who were happy to visit him was not much, she still felt<br \/>\nthat was a very long distance. He inquires if by that she means that<br \/>\nhe&#8217;s doing something wrong, and states that they are more and more happy to move away,<br \/>\nand he&#8217;s ready to be a god for them. Aisha wonders if he does that play<br \/>\nto satisfy people&#8217;s expectations. To her, it sounds like a trick at first glance,<br \/>\na play that no one pays money to see. But she does not find anything wrong with it because that&#8217;s<br \/>\nhow the people of the capital think. Later, they call it a night<br \/>\nand set up their camps to sleep a night, instructs others to collect<br \/>\nfirewood and light a fire, letting the guard stay alert<br \/>\nand take shifts around the carriage. The night then comes to inform them<br \/>\nthat they move their stuff into the tent, and if they need anything,<br \/>\nthey can call them freely. Aisha is astonished and inquires<br \/>\nwhat he means by their stuff. He asks if he made a mistake and moved<br \/>\nsomeone else&#8217;s stuff. Carlisle smirked and recalled<br \/>\nthat she had decided to sleep separately. He commands the man to leave<br \/>\nand he will be called if needed. She tells Carlisle that she thinks<br \/>\nthe servants moved her stuff to his tent in Carlisle, states that he can hear<br \/>\nso she doesn&#8217;t have to explain it twice. He asks her if she really wishes<br \/>\nto sleep in a separate tent. She replies it is not like that. He says if that is the case,<br \/>\nshe should not make servants suffer needlessly and instructs her<br \/>\nto sleep in his tent, reminding her they are just a couple on paper. She agrees to do it<br \/>\nif he&#8217;s not uncomfortable, but he leaves before he could hear. She thinks about the rumors<br \/>\nthat said he was looking for women, even in battlegrounds,<br \/>\nand thinks that he would not mind sharing his tent with a girl<br \/>\nlike her, would he? She tries to convince herself<br \/>\nthat they&#8217;re just a couple on paper. What&#8217;s so big about them<br \/>\nsleeping in one tent? Later, we see Yasha handing over his shirt to Carlisle and apologizing<br \/>\nfor being a bit careless. He assures her that it&#8217;s okay. Flashbacks. Aisha is trying to convince herself<br \/>\nto sleep with him, as she did sleep alongside<br \/>\nother men with the sky Is Their roof. During her time on the battlefield, and now she has to sleep with a man<br \/>\nfrom another house in the same tent. It is to be expected<br \/>\nsince they are husband and wife in name. She calls herself pathetic<br \/>\nfor worrying about these things, since she is not like those girls<br \/>\nin the capital who were raised cautiously. She recalls how she used to fall asleep<br \/>\nin her brother&#8217;s room after playing when she was younger, but after she grew up,<br \/>\nshe has never shared a room with a man. She wonders<br \/>\nwhat her family would think of her if they could see her right now. She is grateful<br \/>\nthat because of the contractual marriage, countless assets and money<br \/>\nare flowing towards the purveyors, but is still concerned as there&#8217;s a chance<br \/>\nthat purveyors will fall into danger because the fate of purveyors currently<br \/>\nrests in the hand of Lord Carlisle. She prays for the safety of privacy,<br \/>\nbelieving that she is the vanguard of the previous and the one who will<br \/>\nprotect privacy, as is her. She then tells herself<br \/>\nthat she should not be making weak statements, that she is<br \/>\nthe one who made a deal with Carlisle. She then plunges her face into the water and convinces herself to stay calm,<br \/>\nbecause this is the part she chose. Therefore,<br \/>\nthe responsibility is also hers. She then leaves Carlisle is hidden<br \/>\nbehind a tree and is spying on her. He was shocked to see her<br \/>\nplunging her face in the water like that, and is surprised because he has never seen a woman<br \/>\nwash her face that rough in his life. He then touches the water and wonders<br \/>\nif her teeth would not fall out if she hits her head that hard. He is shocked to see<br \/>\nthat the water is unbearably cold. Nevertheless, to him<br \/>\nshe is an interesting one. In the tent, he inquires if she&#8217;s really<br \/>\ngoing to sleep on the floor. She needs clarification. If not the floor, then where he says that he would not stop her if she&#8217;s the type<br \/>\nto enjoy being uncomfortable. He unbutton his shirt when he tells her the water is colder<br \/>\nbecause they are closer to the north. He has taken off his shirt<br \/>\ncompletely by now. She is unbothered about his being naked,<br \/>\nand replies that it will be way colder when the autumn comes. He is disappointed<br \/>\nand thinks that she looks at him like she would look at cows or chickens,<br \/>\nwhether he takes off his clothes or not. He then states that he would appreciate it<br \/>\nif she could help him get dressed, whether as his wife<br \/>\nor as a temporary aide. She suddenly apologizes as she did<br \/>\nnot think of that, and comes to him and says that even if she&#8217;s a bit clumsy, she would be grateful<br \/>\nif he would generously forgive her. He is again disappointed with her<br \/>\nfor being too formal. He realizes how she&#8217;s only focused on<br \/>\ndressing him. He recalls that people said he had a body<br \/>\nthat could make any woman fall at sight, but he wonders if it was a body<br \/>\nthat was only attractive to other men because since he has always<br \/>\nbeen on the battlefield, he never had a chance to take off<br \/>\nhis clothes in front of a woman. So there&#8217;s no way for him to know. After she is done dressing him<br \/>\nup, she asks if anything is bothering him. He replies his heart is a bit bothered,<br \/>\nbut he is fine. She needs clarification. He tells her it&#8217;s nothing<br \/>\nand she should go to sleep. She wonders if he&#8217;s acting like that because it&#8217;s not as comfortable<br \/>\nas a servant would do it, but does he really need<br \/>\nto make a point of showing it? She thinks that if that&#8217;s the duty<br \/>\nexpected of them as a couple, then it won&#8217;t be difficult for her either. She thinks to herself that since he&#8217;s<br \/>\nbeen with so many women before her, he probably wouldn&#8217;t<br \/>\neven be interested in a woman like her. He then tells her he is turning<br \/>\noff the lights and she replies, okay. Later at night, he notices that her blankets<br \/>\nare thin and inquires if her back is okay. She replies that she has been sleeping<br \/>\nwith one cloak on the floor every day,<br \/>\nso this is almost luxurious. He then asks her to tell the stories<br \/>\nabout Parviz. He tells her<br \/>\nthey will be entering the castle soon, so you should know beforehand. She inquires what is he curious about? He asks how cold are the winters? She tells him that it&#8217;s hard for her to<br \/>\nsay since she does not have a comparison, but according to the merchant, it&#8217;s so cold that it feels like<br \/>\ntheir thing would shrink. He starts laughing. She wondered<br \/>\nif laughing at the other person&#8217;s words like that was a noble<br \/>\netiquette in the capital. He then inquires if she really was the one<br \/>\nthat cut off the head of the poor tribe leader. She admits it. He believes if it was the Lure<br \/>\ntribe leader, his skills were probably something. She replies that they were all right,<br \/>\nbut he wasn&#8217;t as skilled as her father. She then reveals that<br \/>\nthey were so severely outnumbered because of that, her father and brothers<br \/>\nall died in the war. She then talks about Lakshmana, who fought<br \/>\non the battlefield for 28 years. The spell of the necklace<br \/>\nof the God of murder retained his youth. He asks her if that&#8217;s the thing<br \/>\nshe offered as a trophy. She answers back yes,<br \/>\nand that it was a victory that was achieved thanks to her<br \/>\nfather and brothers, who fought to the end to protect her vase<br \/>\nfrom falling to the barbarians. He then recalls that she had said her<br \/>\nfather, Amir Parvez, was a great night. He believes that with the ulterior<br \/>\nmotive of killing Amir Pervaiz,<br \/>\nhis father sent him to Pervez. Since all those who went to Parvez before could not even last a year<br \/>\nand unlived themselves. She replies that her father<br \/>\nknew of the royal king&#8217;s intentions, but if he was going to die<br \/>\nanyway, he wanted to put his best efforts. She also reveals that the people<br \/>\nof Prevost proactively followed her father&#8217;s will,<br \/>\nsince he was the only one who did not give up and prepared them<br \/>\nto fight the barbarians. Carlisle thinks to himself<br \/>\nthat he is the only Lord who has not run away from that<br \/>\nhopeless situation. It only makes sense<br \/>\nthat they became loyal to him. He thinks it would have been nice<br \/>\nif Amir Parvez was still alive. He never ran away from previous a knight who spent his daily life<br \/>\non the battlefield in order to rebuild. But he realizes<br \/>\nthat maybe it was that very woman. He thinks that by doing so,<br \/>\nshe was able to secure a reward from the king for her victory<br \/>\nwith her boldness. And maybe she was even greater<br \/>\nthan her father. Amir Pervez. He inquires about her brothers<br \/>\nand how many brothers did she has, but she has fallen asleep. This is the second part of Marwan. The memoir starts in the castle,<br \/>\nwhere we see that Morris refuses to go to the battlefield. He explains that he is someone who has not<br \/>\neven stepped foot in a place like that. Her mother assures him not to worry<br \/>\ntoo much, since there is a way she already thought of. A few days later, at her base, Carlisle remarks<br \/>\nthat things are worse than he expected. She inquires if it is because of the roads since they been damaged<br \/>\nafter being in war for a long time. Carlisle responds<br \/>\nthat it&#8217;s not only because of the streets. He explains that it&#8217;s been a while<br \/>\nsince they have crossed over into bad territory,<br \/>\nand nothing is as it should be. The surrounding<br \/>\nlands are isolated dirt fields, and it isn&#8217;t easy to catch<br \/>\nsight of people. He tells her she will have to repair<br \/>\nall this and questions how much she was planning<br \/>\non receiving from the king. She responded with around 500,000 for urgently needed food, medicines<br \/>\nand funds for reconstruction. He asked Dasha what she would do<br \/>\nwith only that much and if she is planning on leaving this world with no regrets<br \/>\nafter living for 1 or 2 more years. Aisha thinks to herself<br \/>\nthat she exaggerated the amount<br \/>\nshe was actually thinking of, and wonders who knows what he would have said<br \/>\nif she had told him the truth. Further adding that the king does<br \/>\nnot want to give them that much. Carlisle states that in the end<br \/>\nshe got the best playing cards<br \/>\nshe could get, adding that she was lucky. She questions. Isn&#8217;t that right, Carlisle? He&#8217;s surprised<br \/>\nthat Aisha even knows how to mock people. Aisha notes to herself<br \/>\nthat none of what Prince Carlisle said was wrong with 500,000 view. There would barely be able<br \/>\nto make it through this winter, and if they face the next winter<br \/>\nwithout being fully prepared, countless people will die. Once again, she tells Prince Carlisle that even though<br \/>\nit has been cleaned to some extent, this day may be uncomfortable<br \/>\ndue to the castle&#8217;s fate. He responds that she has stated<br \/>\nthis 100 times already. Aisha wondered if he had been on<br \/>\nthe battlefield ever since he was young. She guessed he would not complain<br \/>\nabout where he sleeps, since he endured camping on the way<br \/>\nwithout complaining. They are then welcomed inside. Aisha wonders with this much. Indeed,<br \/>\nhe wouldn&#8217;t consider them disrespectful. The people converse around them<br \/>\nthat even if it&#8217;s per, they&#8217;re asking them<br \/>\nto serve His Highness here. And to think this is where they arrived<br \/>\nafter going through so much trouble to get here. Aisha contemplates that she warned him<br \/>\ncountless times and wonders<br \/>\nif he regrets coming here. Prince Carlisle questions<br \/>\nwhere he is sleeping. She responded that they had reserved<br \/>\nthe entirety of the second floor for him. His Highness, His Highness, his close<br \/>\nassociates and his guests can stay there. He responds that if it&#8217;s the second floor,<br \/>\nthat is where the Lord&#8217;s family usually lives, and questions<br \/>\nif she is reserving all of that. She mentions<br \/>\nthat he can stay on the first floor. He thanked her and ordered the luggage<br \/>\nto be moved to the second floor. Disa wraps his arm around<br \/>\nAisha, informs her he has saved his room on the first floor for her,<br \/>\nand asks if she would like to see it. As the servants have put a lot of effort<br \/>\ninto it, she questions if there&#8217;s a need to pay special attention<br \/>\njust because it is her room. He mentions now that the war is over, she should receive proper treatment<br \/>\nas the Lord that she is. Prince Carlyle&#8217;s attention goes towards<br \/>\nthe two as he stares at them in her room. Aisha laughs uncontrollably and questions<br \/>\nwhat all this is. Vesta asks her if she does not like it. She questions<br \/>\nif it was him and asks for an explanation. He mentions that since nobles<br \/>\nin the capitals sleep in these kinds of beds,<br \/>\nhe tried to make something similar. She responds, he did pretty well in decorating,<br \/>\nsomething he only saw a couple of times. She ponders that even in these guys eyes,<br \/>\nit seems there&#8217;s too big of a difference<br \/>\nbetween the capital and per base. She thinks Vashti and State. Thanks to him, she will get to sleep in a luxurious bed<br \/>\nthat she has never had in her life. He questions if she likes it. She replies, of course,<br \/>\neven though it seems a bit embarrassing to stay in a room<br \/>\nthat is decorated with flowers. She ponders that a flower in her bars<br \/>\nmeans a war has ended, and it seems the servants<br \/>\nput the flowers for her. She complimented della for the decoration<br \/>\nand thanked Aisha for being satisfied,<br \/>\neven though many parts were lacking. Derek mentions<br \/>\nthat his wife worked the hardest. The Butler position has been vacant<br \/>\nall this while, Aisha responded that she was aware<br \/>\nthat della had been working as a butler, and that she would try her best<br \/>\nto find a butler as soon as possible. She further adds that since the news<br \/>\nthat Prince Carlyle has arrived and purpose has spread by now,<br \/>\nso they will be able to find someone. Della then requests Usha to hire servants<br \/>\nto take care of these small matters, warning her that the number of watching<br \/>\neyes has increased. Aisha recalls their attitudes towards them and believes<br \/>\nthey will try to find faults with them. She then asks della<br \/>\nif she has someone to recommend. She reveals<br \/>\nshe has already chosen someone and calls a girl inside,<br \/>\nwho introduces herself as Nina. Della informs her that the new maid<br \/>\nwill organize and clean her room, prepare her meals, wash her clothes,<br \/>\nand take care of her belongings. She wonders about even bathing<br \/>\nand brushing her hair. Della reminds her that until now,<br \/>\nthey were at war, so they didn&#8217;t have the luxury. But things will be different now. She then asks Nina to take care of her,<br \/>\nappreciates her team for their hard work, and grants them a day to rest,<br \/>\nbut asks for Derek and Bella to stay behind<br \/>\nsince she has something to discuss. She informs them that starting tomorrow, things will be hectic, supplies for her<br \/>\nbaths will be released, and there might even be a conflict<br \/>\nbetween Prince Charles&#8217;s people and them. But she has no intention of telling their people<br \/>\nto hold themselves back no matter what. She made a deal<br \/>\nthat was beneficial to both sides, not a slave contract, but she assures them<br \/>\nshe will handle that side, so everyone should do their best<br \/>\nto rebuild per base. The next day, Carlisle tells Lionel<br \/>\nthat he prioritized giving those who set out for her baths<br \/>\njust enough to last a month, and he is surprised that they didn&#8217;t<br \/>\ntake a cent for themselves. Lionel replies that those who suffer<br \/>\ntogether stick together by law. After all, he thinks to himself,<br \/>\nconsidering that they look like bandages. Those aspects are unexpected. He then wonders about her<br \/>\ncontemplating his identity as he was speaking informally<br \/>\nto the count, clearly pissed about it, to hide his possessiveness. He acts like he doesn&#8217;t trust count fast,<br \/>\nas there&#8217;s nothing that guarantees she won&#8217;t betray him and orders him<br \/>\nto investigate her as important figures, especially the big guy<br \/>\nwho he sticks to the contest like an aide. Probably talking about Dekker,<br \/>\nLionel inquires if he means Dekker Donovan and informs him that he has already<br \/>\nlooked into some things about him. He is revealed to be<br \/>\nthe eldest son of the Donovan family, who was taken as a vassal by Amir Probus. He was once considered to be Countess<br \/>\nShap, her best marriage partner. He smirked and thought that<br \/>\nwith his uncouth big build they would have looked good together. Meanwhile,<br \/>\nthe Empress comes to meet Gabriel, who acknowledges her as a precious guest<br \/>\nand asks how she has been. She replies she has been<br \/>\nwell thanks to him. As she proceeds to sit next to him. She says that she has some things<br \/>\nto discuss about the future of the Empire,<br \/>\nand request to take some of his time. He responds that it is an honor for him,<br \/>\nand she can take as much time as she likes. One week later,<br \/>\nsupplies from the capital were released. Meanwhile, her bass situation<br \/>\ndrastically improved and people openly<br \/>\nexpressed their gratitude to the Countess. She treats them with kindness and respect. She then realized there were no problems<br \/>\non the clinic&#8217;s side for now. She then seeks information<br \/>\nabout the distribution. Dekker assures her that it&#8217;s going great<br \/>\nand that everyone is satisfied with their portions. She believes it&#8217;s all thanks to him<br \/>\nfor setting the standard clearly, but Dekker doesn&#8217;t dare<br \/>\ntake the credit alone. As he reminds her, she has also spent all night with him<br \/>\nsetting the distribution standards. She is then curious to know what he is<br \/>\ndistributing today. Is it the flour? She asks. He reveals that it&#8217;s flour,<br \/>\nsalt and yeast. He also suggests that since<br \/>\nthe immediate hunger has been resolved, they should let them eat bread<br \/>\nfrom now on. She guesses that the smell of bread baking will spread<br \/>\nthroughout the territory tonight. Dekker agrees. Since the communal oven has been repaired<br \/>\nlately, she asks him if there is anything<br \/>\nthat could be lacking upon distribution, but he informed her<br \/>\nthey have planned with plenty of leeway. There&#8217;s going to be no problem. Tomorrow they will be receiving the seed<br \/>\ndistribution application form. Dear smiles as he states<br \/>\nthat everyone must be racking their brains to make a swing line<br \/>\nafter a long time, as she is grateful that they are finally able to grow crops<br \/>\non her bass field, and she never believed that she would be able to see this side<br \/>\nbefore she died. A glimmer of hope takes birth<br \/>\nand her that her can be restored, determined<br \/>\nthat she will make sure of it. She is then asked to come to the barricade<br \/>\nworkshop as the lumber arrives. She leaves all the duty in Decker&#8217;s<br \/>\nhand and goes to check. She is then informed Prince<br \/>\nCarol has bought all the spare lumber<br \/>\nfrom the northern villagers. Not only that,<br \/>\nbut they have received flame resistant treatment<br \/>\nso that they won&#8217;t catch fire easily. She wonders, when did he buy all these? Or did he buy them on the way to her base? But Ashar believes that he shouldn&#8217;t<br \/>\nhave had time after arriving in her base, so he must have gotten them back<br \/>\nat the capital. She thinks even her<br \/>\nlife would not be worth this much, prompting her to believe<br \/>\nwhat he wants from her in return. But she acknowledges that he&#8217;s the person<br \/>\nwho made her dreams a reality, so she is willing to do whatever<br \/>\nhe tells her to do. A servant then comes and informs her<br \/>\nthat His Highness is looking for her. She asks His Highness<br \/>\nif he has summoned her. He reminds her it&#8217;s been a while and<br \/>\ninquires about how things are progressing. She expresses her gratitude,<br \/>\nacknowledging that things are going much better than she expected<br \/>\nbecause of his generosity. He tells her that he has provided<br \/>\na lot of money and supplies, but he has not told her where they are<br \/>\nbeing used, so he calls for her. She apologizes, admitting that<br \/>\nshe should have informed him in advance. She thinks to herself<br \/>\nthat she did not know he would be this curious about the state<br \/>\nof the rebuilding of her base, but it does make sense to her<br \/>\nbecause if he weren&#8217;t interested, he would not have provided<br \/>\nthat much money. She immediately informs him<br \/>\nthat she will bring the plans for the reconstruction and budget<br \/>\ndistribution details and excuses herself. He tries to stop her, but she&#8217;s gone too<br \/>\nsoon. Lionel reminds him<br \/>\nthat he had already told him that Count Purvis isn&#8217;t someone<br \/>\nwho would embezzle the money. He cannot believe it<br \/>\nthat even if she had the chance to steal as much money as she could,<br \/>\nshe didn&#8217;t put her mind to it. She didn&#8217;t even touch it. He thinks to himself, embezzling<br \/>\npublic funds is something that&#8217;s so common that it&#8217;s considered a given, and replies that she must have made<br \/>\na fake ledger or something. He doubts her because she prepared<br \/>\nthe documents beforehand, which makes her appear meticulous,<br \/>\nbut he is sure there will be a loose end. She then brings the ledgers<br \/>\nand hands them over to him, including the plans for the materials<br \/>\nhe donated and the plan for the food and seeds<br \/>\nand the commodities for the clinic. Carlyle is shocked<br \/>\nthat she did not embezzle anything, and that all the plans<br \/>\nwere perfectly organized. He admits that the plans are perfect. He then asked her if there is<br \/>\nanything she put under her name. She does not understand the question. He tells her that he means money for her<br \/>\ntreasury, but she raises a question how does filling her treasury help<br \/>\nwith rebuilding the territory? He then raises another question. Did she make any plans for the neck<br \/>\nnecklace and wedding ring she gave him? She admits<br \/>\nshe plans to sell it to the auction house, and then use the money<br \/>\nto train a cavalry unit. She then asks for his guidance<br \/>\nas she hears that there are a lot of cavalrymen in his order, but he reminds<br \/>\nher it&#8217;s too early to have this talk, and then he dismisses her<br \/>\nas he has confirmed everything he wanted. He doesn&#8217;t seem<br \/>\npleased to know that she has planned what to do with even the money<br \/>\nfrom selling her wedding gift. Lionel inquires if he is disappointed. He denies the accusations and opens up<br \/>\nby saying that he was thinking that a necklace that&#8217;s highly valued in<br \/>\nsociety is not helpful here. He thinks to himself, if there&#8217;s a curse<br \/>\non that necklace that prevents it from being with its owner for long,<br \/>\nbut closes his eyes, convincing himself<br \/>\nthat it&#8217;s for the better since he is tired of the pitiful gazes<br \/>\nthat accompany the necklace, is mentioned for the reason<br \/>\nthat it&#8217;s a memento of his mother, so it should have a meaningless disappearance<br \/>\nlike that. He then inquires about the situation<br \/>\nin the royal family these days. On the other hand, in the temple corridor,<br \/>\nGabriel assures the Empress to speak freely<br \/>\nas only God can hear their words. She reminds him of a prediction<br \/>\nhe made that if Carlisle became the king, a dark future<br \/>\nwould lie ahead of their empire, as Karas has killed<br \/>\ncountless people ever since he was young. He agrees, and further adds that the lives<br \/>\nof the citizens of the empire are straying further and further away<br \/>\nfrom the words of God, and calls it a predicament because he is<br \/>\nsomeone who was born with God&#8217;s blessing, but is leading the way in disobeying<br \/>\nGod&#8217;s words. The Empress confesses<br \/>\nthat those are precisely her thoughts. She also flatters him<br \/>\nthat people like Gabriel need to step up and then ask for his support for her<br \/>\nand madness. He agrees to help, but on one condition<br \/>\nif Prince Matisse rises to the throne, she must make the chatty and Empire<br \/>\na holy empire. He explains that an empire must be<br \/>\ngoverned according to the laws of Allah. That is the only way for the Chadi and Empire to be different<br \/>\nfrom the surrounding barbarian countries. The Empress states that she also believes<br \/>\nit is right to follow God&#8217;s words,<br \/>\nbut to establish a holy empire. She needs some time to think about it. She bids him farewell and leaves<br \/>\nits summer at previous. Lionel and His Highness are practicing<br \/>\nswordsmanship. Carlyle ends up defeating Lionel,<br \/>\nwho openly accepts his defeat. Carlyle assures him that he&#8217;s getting<br \/>\nbetter and shouldn&#8217;t be too disappointed. However, he expresses that he cannot dream<br \/>\nof defeating His Highness. Carlyle then notices the weather,<br \/>\nand even though they are in the far north, summer is still present. It&#8217;s pretty hot. He takes off his shirt and pours<br \/>\nwater on himself. Lionel informs him<br \/>\nthat the CST is trying to revive the agriculture of the state,<br \/>\nand they are moving in quite a hurry. It should be enough to plow<br \/>\nthe field twice. Carlyle agrees, mentioning that she looked<br \/>\nthrilled when she planted the seed. Lionel is surprised and inquires<br \/>\nif he can tell the difference in her facial expression. Carlyle imagines her<br \/>\nwith a touch of happiness on her face, and smirks when he replies that he can<br \/>\nonly if he looks closely. He then asks if all the luggage brought<br \/>\nfrom the capital has been sorted out. Lionel informs him that it&#8217;s done,<br \/>\nbut has some concerns about their servants<br \/>\nattitude towards the servants of purpose. He thinks it might upset<br \/>\nthe Countess of Privacy. Carlyle responds that he told his servants<br \/>\nto only be in their area, as he doesn&#8217;t want any problems. This should take care of the nobles<br \/>\nand the capital, because if it is out of sight,<br \/>\nit is out of mind. One thinks to himself<br \/>\nthat he will dwell on that later. No one is on her way. A maid calls out to her from behind. She asks her what it is. No. She is confused<br \/>\nif she has done something wrong. She arrogantly states that she is asking<br \/>\nbecause she doesn&#8217;t know she dared to cross her path. She asks her what she means by that. If she just went on her own way. She interrogates<br \/>\nif she doesn&#8217;t have any respect for the seniors in Purvis, and if she believes<br \/>\nall the maids are the same. She refers to not as the maid of Lord<br \/>\nPurvis and addresses herself as His Majesty. The Prince clearly trying to show her<br \/>\nwho has the upper hand here. She believes it gives her a higher status. She then asks her if she understands now<br \/>\nthat passing her path like this is rude. Nina suddenly bowed down, apologized,<br \/>\nand said she wasn&#8217;t unaware of it. She tells her to be careful from now on,<br \/>\nand that&#8217;s what suits a woman called Eugenia, who states<br \/>\nthat her servants are as rude as she is. Nina thinks to herself that she can endure<br \/>\nas long as she throws insults at her. But how dare she insult their Lord? The Lord, who ended the terrible war<br \/>\nwith the barbarians. A Lord who is a hero<br \/>\nto the people of Purvis. That&#8217;s when the chief arrives. She discloses everything to the chief maid<br \/>\nand says that she doesn&#8217;t dare<br \/>\nto hear such a thing from a maid. The head maid tells her that&#8217;s<br \/>\nwhy they have to do better from now on, depending on how they treat<br \/>\nand care for their Lord. Her status also increases. She instructs her<br \/>\nthat even if they&#8217;re missing anything, they must pass their heads to them<br \/>\nand learn they have to be the best in everything. No takes a bow and apologizes<br \/>\nfor showing her unreliable side. The chief maid then goes to Decker<br \/>\nand informs him that she has heard that His Majesty, Corral&#8217;s<br \/>\nmaid, insulted the Lord in front of now. This surprises him. She further tells him that today<br \/>\nshe also received several complaints<br \/>\nsince her first day here. She clarifies that the reason for her<br \/>\ninforming him is because if they leave it like that,<br \/>\nsomething more significant might happen. She asks him if he&#8217;s busy. He can pretend he hasn&#8217;t heard anything. Decker clenches his fist and tells<br \/>\nthe chief maid that he will have a talk with Isaiah, but the chief maid suggests<br \/>\nthat His Majesty Kurile is not a very tight lipped person,<br \/>\nand it would be best to speak to him. Meanwhile, Prince Kurile is informed<br \/>\nthat the Countess has come to meet him. He tells her that she has come on time,<br \/>\nas he has something to say to her, but observes her expression, recognizes<br \/>\nthat she is upset and asks her what happened. She tells him there&#8217;s something that<br \/>\nshe would like to ask of His Highness. He grants her permission,<br \/>\nbut thinks to himself that if she&#8217;s this determined, does that mean<br \/>\nthat she&#8217;s asking for additional supplies? She demands<br \/>\nhe take good care of the subordinates that he is brought from the capital, because it seems like they keep<br \/>\npicking fights with her subordinates. She was hoping<br \/>\nHis Highness could take care of this to prevent any unnecessary problems. He replies that he doesn&#8217;t think his<br \/>\nservants would have said anything wrong. She reminds him<br \/>\nthat they have agreed on a contract. He replies that he is<br \/>\nfaithfully carrying out the contract. She requests Lyonel to bring the contract. He agrees and gets the contract. She shows him the agreement<br \/>\nthat there were three things she asked for, the second<br \/>\nbeing to respect the people of service. She clarifies to him that she is willing<br \/>\nto accept ignoring and mocking herself, but that won&#8217;t be the case<br \/>\nfor the people of service. She alerts him<br \/>\nthat if the hearts of the people of change what he hopes to accomplish<br \/>\nwill become difficult for him, his Highness challenges her<br \/>\nabout what happens if he ignores her, warning her<br \/>\nexpressions cold and daring as she replies that if he&#8217;s seeking her cooperation,<br \/>\nhe better be careful. One hour later, they gathered<br \/>\nall the servants in the hall. He asks his servants if he has heard<br \/>\nthat someone has dared to insult his wife. Usha wondered<br \/>\nif he called her that on purpose, or if it was his way of showing<br \/>\nthat he was admitting her as his wife. AA says that&#8217;s correct,<br \/>\nand those who have worked at the pervasive castle for a long time<br \/>\nhave testified. He confronts na about it<br \/>\nand says if it made her that upset,<br \/>\nshe probably remembers the faces. And if what she said to<br \/>\nhis wife is faithful. So she should point out<br \/>\nthe ones who insulted his wife. She points out some of the maids. What? The maid smirked was that she believed that His Highness<br \/>\ndid not seem to be taking this seriously. And that&#8217;s something<br \/>\nstrange was happening. He asks her if these are all<br \/>\nand she replies, these are all the servants<br \/>\nthat she can remember. The maid suddenly defends herself<br \/>\nand says it&#8217;s a lie. She taught them some manners and isn&#8217;t<br \/>\nthe one that is being territorial. She goes as far as to accuse count<br \/>\npurveyors of trying to suppress their spirits. Nina remains silent at the back. He keeps himself composed<br \/>\nand asks who his wife is. This startles<br \/>\nthe maid as he repeats who his wife is. This time he asks again,<br \/>\nbut with less patience and more fury. Intimidated by him. The maid replies that its count per Vass. She thinks to herself that she is sure<br \/>\nhe will find the situation bothersome. He smiles as he says only he can call her<br \/>\nthat, and she should call her princess. But the smile doesn&#8217;t remain for long. As now his expressions are scary and hard<br \/>\nas he confronts her about her guts to interrupt the princess,<br \/>\nwhich means the accusation made by her best servant<br \/>\ndoesn&#8217;t seem to be false. He then instruct Lyonel to punish them<br \/>\nfor the crime of disrespect the nobility, but Lyonel is worried that if he punishes<br \/>\nall of them, he will be short of staff. He agrees that he did not think about it and commands him<br \/>\nto get rid of their tongues. Then the servants<br \/>\nstart sobbing and begging for forgiveness. She watches them<br \/>\nfrom a distance, startled, and then approaches His Highness. She whispers to him to stop this and asks<br \/>\nwho asks him to do that to them. He says it seems that<br \/>\nit would not be enough, but she protests that she&#8217;s trying to bridge the gap<br \/>\nbetween his people and hers. She wants mutual respect, but the Prince<br \/>\ndebate that she is not just anyone. She is Carol, his wife, and anyone who insults nobility should be punished<br \/>\naccordingly. She replies that there are times, even when she wonders<br \/>\nif she is fit to be a princess. So it is okay if they have doubts too. She also reminds him<br \/>\nof Lionel&#8217;s words that Prabhas is short handed<br \/>\nso he won&#8217;t be able to operate. While waiting for their tongues to heal. He asks her what she suggests they do. She tells the maids that life and purpose<br \/>\nmight not be the best, but since they are all here together,<br \/>\nthey have to support and live with each other<br \/>\neven in the presence of conflict. Understanding each other&#8217;s<br \/>\nshould always be part of the process. She further adds that in order to do that,<br \/>\nthey must respect each other in history, and she understands that her best might<br \/>\nfeel rugged and sniffing to all of them. But they are here to protect the border<br \/>\nfrom barbarians, so they are all making a huge sacrifice. She does not want them to disregard<br \/>\nher people. Carlyle steps up and tells them<br \/>\nthat even with the charge of disrespecting the nobility, thanks to the mercy of the princess,<br \/>\nthey all are spared. The maids prostrate<br \/>\nbefore her and express their gratitude, but he warns them<br \/>\nthat there will be no second chances, so they should use the opportunity<br \/>\ngiven well. They finally sighs with relief<br \/>\nafter handling her crazy husband. He then offers that to commemorate<br \/>\ntheir reconciliation. They shall have dinner together. She tells him<br \/>\nthat they were not even fighting. What? Reconciliation. She then leaves. Charles stands there expressionless,<br \/>\ndigesting the fact that he got rejected. But then he thinks to himself,<br \/>\nwhat should he do to invite that woman to dinner? On the other hand, Gabriel and the Empress have finally agreed<br \/>\nto join their teams against Carlyle. The Empress explains to him<br \/>\nthat Carlsen left for her base, which is a foreign jurisdiction in which<br \/>\nthe Imperial family cannot intervene. She reveals that she tried to prevent him<br \/>\nfrom marrying Countess Probus. Gabriel says that His Highness<br \/>\nCarlyle is also trying to protect the most valuable tool, but Lord Levada always looks after his faithful subject. Therefore,<br \/>\ntheir opportunity will come again. The Empress is curious<br \/>\nhow did the gods do their work? But he assures her<br \/>\nthat she will know when the time comes. Now it&#8217;s early September at Probus. The farmers are excited<br \/>\nabout their harvest. Around this month&#8217;s end, that&#8217;s when they notice<br \/>\nblack clouds and wonder if rain is coming. They&#8217;re confused because it<br \/>\ndid not seem like it was going to rain. They spot a dark cloud,<br \/>\nbut too close to the ground for a cloud,<br \/>\nand the cloud also looks weird to them. An older man commented that it seems like<br \/>\nsomething that he saw 28 years ago. He finally shouts that it&#8217;s a raid<br \/>\nand the barbarians are here. He instructs everyone to hide in the cave<br \/>\nand he will go and inform the Lord. Meanwhile, Carlyle discusses with Lionel<br \/>\nthat he thinks Paris seems more stable now, and if it&#8217;s expected to release<br \/>\nsupplies like that. Lionel<br \/>\nreplies, material and money are essential, but he thinks Countess<br \/>\nper bag is excellent. But he&#8217;s thinking about Decker. He felt that he was an escort of most. It was unexpected. Lionel tells him not only Decker Donovan, but everyone in base<br \/>\nhas been unpredictable. In some ways, they are more active<br \/>\nin the people in the capital. Sinus agrees that the rumors about her<br \/>\nbaths were all speculation and prejudice. They didn&#8217;t believe that it could not be found in the big cities<br \/>\nor found here in V1. Then he handed over a letter to him saying<br \/>\nthat it was from the Emperor&#8217;s family. When he reads it,<br \/>\nhe finds it amusing, informing that they are sending to probe<br \/>\nas the proof of their loyalty. Lionel expresses that he thought<br \/>\nthat Celica would turn around after losing her position<br \/>\nas Crown Princess. Lisa realizes that they must be expecting<br \/>\nthat he will get a divorce in three years. He further adds that the same goes for<br \/>\nmatriarch Valentino, Dearest and Celik. His ambition is also formidable. One else states that she&#8217;s a person who&#8217;s not only outstanding in appearance,<br \/>\nbut also in ability. Deep down. Her Majesty was also choosing<br \/>\nthe young lady to be the Crown Princess. He thinks to himself<br \/>\nthat from appearance to ambition, she is similar to her mother<br \/>\nand finds it odd. Lionel confirms that he had feelings<br \/>\nfor Lady Dearest as well. He is suddenly hesitant and embarrassed. Lionel recalls<br \/>\nthat every time he had a victory banquet, he would dance with Lady DeRay. He says that was a fish<br \/>\nthat needed to be caught. Lionel says,<br \/>\nbut Lady dear, it seems to like her. He clarifies what she wants is not him,<br \/>\nbut the Crown Princess&#8217;s position. Carlyle further argues<br \/>\nthat it&#8217;s all made up. He can pretend to be in love with anyone<br \/>\nhe wants to, but Lionel disagrees, saying he doesn&#8217;t even know<br \/>\nwhat it feels like to miss someone. He then points out that they didn&#8217;t even<br \/>\nmention what they were planning to send. Lionel thinks it can be jewelry<br \/>\nor something like a precious antique, but Carlyle&#8217;s instinct tells him that<br \/>\nthey are about to do something absurd. That&#8217;s when a sudden announcement is made<br \/>\nthat startles them, declaring an attack<br \/>\nand warning everyone to evacuate. Ayesha is grateful that there are not<br \/>\nmany of them, but they still struck them. It&#8217;s terrible because the army has been<br \/>\ndramatically reduced and the weapons are still outdated. Decker suggests to her that they could ask<br \/>\nHis Majesty Carlyle for help. Now is not the time for them<br \/>\nto dwell on her pride. This offends A.A.,<br \/>\nas she raises a question of whether she looks like the one trying<br \/>\nto protect her pride. Decker immediately<br \/>\ntakes a bow and apologizes, accepting that it was stupid of him<br \/>\nto make a comment like that. She tells him that she&#8217;s not blaming<br \/>\nhim, she&#8217;s just saying now is not the time for them<br \/>\nto move strategically. Even though it may seem like an attempt<br \/>\nto save her pride. If a few barbarians came running and<br \/>\nbegged for their lives, their relationship between His Majesty Carlyle<br \/>\nand them would become even more strained. She is sure no matter what order<br \/>\nHis Highness Carlyle passes,<br \/>\nthey will not be able to refuse it. Whether they like it or not. So she should deal with those barbarians<br \/>\nherself. She instructs<br \/>\nthat after reporting the expedition to His Highness,<br \/>\nthey will depart immediately. She goes to inform His Highness<br \/>\nabout her departure. He asks why she is in such a hurry. She thinks to herself<br \/>\nthat he must have already heard the news of the barbarians surprise attack,<br \/>\nbut she cannot believe it. She reveals to him that the irony Tribe,<br \/>\none of the few tribes in the abandoned land, has invaded the border, and she&#8217;s<br \/>\nheading out to defend the border. He inquires<br \/>\nif there&#8217;s anything he can help with. She says there&#8217;s one. If she dies, His Highness,<br \/>\nshe&#8217;ll become the Margrave of Probus. She requests him to fulfill his duties<br \/>\nand responsible as the Margrave of Porus. He asks her<br \/>\nif that is all she needs help with. He agrees and hopes that he will help her<br \/>\nwholeheartedly. He smirked as he passed a comment. It looked like<br \/>\nshe was thinking about dying. He asks if there are any other requests. She says if he lives long enough<br \/>\nto see his successors, she hopes he will appoint one as count. Purpose.<br \/>\nHe thinks to himself if that is it. She then formally takes a bow<br \/>\nas she states she shall return after annihilating the enemies who threaten this land<br \/>\nand the safety of His Highness. Now Carol stands up and expresses<br \/>\nhis disappointment that it&#8217;s far from romantic<br \/>\nand who would perceive them as a couple. He then moves in her direction<br \/>\nand plants a kiss on her forehead. He prays that the blessings of ages<br \/>\nwould be upon her and wishes for her victory. After that, she gets on the horse<br \/>\nand is ready to face the enemies. Carlisle<br \/>\nwatches everything from the window and asks Lionel<br \/>\nif he has prepared the night. Lionel assures him that he is prepared,<br \/>\njust like he ordered. Carol has a telescope in his hands<br \/>\nand is now excited to see Shah fight personally, as she is<br \/>\nfamous on the battlefield. Shah skillfully swings her sword<br \/>\nthrough the air. The soldiers, armed with arrows,<br \/>\nunleash a barrage upon the enemy. Carlisle is the one who has provided<br \/>\nthe arrows, and he&#8217;s pleased that the supplies he has provided<br \/>\nare of help much sooner than he expected. Suddenly, Lionel screams out<br \/>\nfor a shot to watch out. They say, is now making her way<br \/>\nto the front line. Fear grips Carol, its presence evident in the terrified expression<br \/>\nthat washes over his face. He calls her an idiot and is worried<br \/>\nthat as the leader, what the hell is she thinking? Going to the front line like this? Lionel suggests that it is better to send<br \/>\nout the knights they have prepared for. What if something happens? But Carol insists on waiting as she does not want help<br \/>\nfrom someone she does not trust. The Shah finally comes face to face<br \/>\nwith one of the leaders of the enemy group, who looks down on her and says,<br \/>\nwho is this woman? She asks him if he has not heard<br \/>\nfrom the people of the lower tribe, even though their leader<br \/>\nalso met the same fate. In one instant, she defeats him,<br \/>\nthe other soldiers attacker, but without any resistance,<br \/>\nshe dominates all of them. Carlisle calls her crazy<br \/>\nand now he knows why she wasn&#8217;t interested in jewelry<br \/>\nor anything like that, because in the face of that,<br \/>\nnothing of that useless stuff matters. He realizes<br \/>\nnot only is she excellent at fighting, but she is also brilliant at tactics. She can also eliminate enemies<br \/>\nin a dangerous but effective way. Now it&#8217;s clear to him that Countess Purvis<br \/>\nwas the one who had beheaded the leader. He smirked as he thought<br \/>\nthat he really wanted to go out and fight by her side,<br \/>\nbut the reason she didn&#8217;t ask for help was that she did not want him<br \/>\nto see this side of her personality. He realizes there is a rear attack force. Lionel suggests that this is the best time<br \/>\nto send their knights because right now, his army doesn&#8217;t have the strength to stop<br \/>\nIggy&#8217;s rear attack force. He also tells him<br \/>\nthat if the Purvis army is defeated, the burden will increase on their side. He commands for the night<br \/>\nto go eliminate these right now, and decides<br \/>\nto go and help out his wife as she thinks to herself that the enemy<br \/>\ndid not know that purpose receives such colossal support to have brought with them<br \/>\nless than 1000 soldiers. But her eyes widen with this belief,<br \/>\nand she realizes it&#8217;s a rear guard attack<br \/>\nand it&#8217;s coming from the mountains. She instructs Decker<br \/>\nnot to let them get here, and he should take Danilo and 100<br \/>\nsoldiers. He asks him if she&#8217;s crazy. If they&#8217;re going to do that,<br \/>\nthis place would collapse because at most there are 500 soldiers on their side. That&#8217;s when someone screams from behind<br \/>\nthat there are reinforcements. They look behind with surprise,<br \/>\nbut Asha worries if it&#8217;s the 300 men<br \/>\nwho are left to guard the castle, but she is surprised when she finds out<br \/>\nit&#8217;s His Highness and his men, but she composes herself<br \/>\nas this is not the time to be distracted. Deer suggests to her<br \/>\nthat they should leave the Crew Mountain to His Highness<br \/>\nand focus on eliminating these guys. They were delighted to know that His Highness<br \/>\nsurprisingly looked like a good person, and was now more intimidating and angry<br \/>\nas they tried to attack her from behind. Just in a little time,<br \/>\nshe defeats everyone who attacked her. The leader announces to retreat<br \/>\nand they realize they were wrong to think<br \/>\nPurvis could be surrounded in a day. That night, they retrieve<br \/>\nthe fallen martyrs from the battlefield intended to the wounded,<br \/>\nproviding much needed care and support. USA acknowledges that the battle,<br \/>\nwhich could have been prolonged, was averted thanks to the help<br \/>\nof His Highness Carlisle. She tells Decker<br \/>\nthat she is going to see His Highness. Carlisle Decker expresses<br \/>\nthat he was just happy to see him earlier, but now he&#8217;s a little worried,<br \/>\nbut he has say informs him that she is grateful for his help,<br \/>\nputs her hand on his shoulder and tells him not to worry too much<br \/>\nas she&#8217;s heading down the corridor. She calculate the casualties. Out of 600 soldiers, 17 died, 45 were seriously injured, and over 200 were lightly injured. But she&#8217;s happy because it&#8217;s much less<br \/>\ndamage than expected. She thinks she cannot express<br \/>\nher gratitude enough to his Highness, although she is worried about<br \/>\nhow His Highness&#8217;s people will react. She cannot help it. When she entered his room,<br \/>\nhe looked like he was waiting for her. He says she came<br \/>\nand asks her to take a seat. She takes a bow at him<br \/>\nand thanks him for his help, but he doesn&#8217;t seem<br \/>\npleased with her formalities and asks if she has just come here to say<br \/>\nhello and leave. He asks her why it&#8217;s awkward<br \/>\nto even have a cup of tea with him. She tells him it&#8217;s not like it&#8217;s<br \/>\njust the sooner she says thank you and apologizes, the better. He makes it clear that he prefers<br \/>\nto slow down and then get to the point. It&#8217;s more fun. He acknowledges<br \/>\nshe might be busy, but still offers to have a cup of tea with him. She says it is an honor and sits down,<br \/>\nbut he doesn&#8217;t want them to be rigid with each other. She looked at the cup and was surprised<br \/>\nthat this thin cup somehow made it to the vase without breaking<br \/>\nas she is about to take a sip. She is taken aback by his question<br \/>\nabout whether she&#8217;s angry with him. She wonders why he asked that. He replies that even though<br \/>\nshe did not ask for help, he ran out on his own,<br \/>\nwhich indeed made her angry. She assures him<br \/>\nshe&#8217;s not angry and thinks to herself why she would be angry<br \/>\nwith the person who saved her life. Is this common sense<br \/>\nfor the people in capitalizing? She admits that she was arrogant. If His Majesty had not blocked<br \/>\nthe rear army at the time. They would have suffered<br \/>\ntremendous damage. She could only blame herself to death<br \/>\nfor not asking for his help. Of course, if she survived, he asks her if she always prepares herself<br \/>\nto go out and die like this. She raises the question<br \/>\nof whether any warriors go into battle<br \/>\nwithout being prepared to die. He replies that he does not,<br \/>\nbut she says that she does. He responds that he is aware,<br \/>\nas she left her husband to Will, openly encouraging him<br \/>\nto have an affair. She then recalls how she wished that<br \/>\nif he had many descendants in the future, one of them would succeed<br \/>\nto the throne of Probus. He further asks her if she loves<br \/>\nPeres so much. Shouldn&#8217;t she hope that her descendants<br \/>\nwill continue the reign of Count Probus? She replies she doesn&#8217;t necessarily<br \/>\nwant her descendants to have it. Anyone can lead it<br \/>\nwith a sense of responsibility. He reminds her that she has earned<br \/>\nthe honor through the sacrifices of her father and brothers, and asks if it isn&#8217;t unfair<br \/>\nfor someone else&#8217;s descendant to steal it. She debates the title of Count Probus,<br \/>\nwhether her father received an award or a mere choice<br \/>\ngiven to him to take his own life, or to stand up to lure the people<br \/>\nwith the readiness to die. Carlisle remains silent. She further adds, she doesn&#8217;t know if it&#8217;s an honor<br \/>\nthat should be passed down to descendants, but she does hope this place is no longer<br \/>\ntreated as a place of exile. The people of Pervaiz<br \/>\nare not guilty of anything. Declaring that they even performed<br \/>\nthe noble task of protecting the borders of this empire. Carlisle agrees with that. Accepting that he wasn&#8217;t aware<br \/>\nof how strong the army was, he did not expect it to be this strong. Once again, she expresses her gratitude,<br \/>\naccepting that if it weren&#8217;t hadn&#8217;t been for his help,<br \/>\nshe would have ended up in big trouble. He pretends that he just did it<br \/>\nbecause if the army were destroyed, he would be in more trouble. So he just did the obvious thing. He asks her<br \/>\nif there&#8217;s anything more to say. She asks him the same question, but when there&#8217;s nothing to talk about,<br \/>\nshe bids farewell and leaves. Outside the door. She thinks that he would say<br \/>\nsomething in the end, but did he forget? She wonders if it really means<br \/>\nthat he just helped them without any condition,<br \/>\nbecause they looked in trouble, but she doubt that,<br \/>\nand thinks that could be an act of trying to impose a debt on her,<br \/>\nconvincing herself to come to her senses. A few days later, at the Imperial palace. The Empress informs her son that it is sad that a barbarian from the abandoned land<br \/>\nattacked her base. But Mattis tells her that they eliminated<br \/>\nthe barbarians who attack there. She explains to him that the old people<br \/>\nare almost extinct, and it is said that the one who invaded this was a minority<br \/>\ntribe called the Ingram tribe. He says that all barbarians are the same. She tells him that they are the people<br \/>\nshe&#8217;s grateful to. He asks her why and inquires if they want. She lets him know that the surprise attack<br \/>\nfailed. Mattis protest, asking her what she is<br \/>\nthankful for. She examines why he is so anxious. He throws a tantrum<br \/>\nand asks her if she&#8217;s even severe. She&#8217;s not aware of what they will do,<br \/>\nand if the monster comes out, he will have to be dragged<br \/>\nthere, reminding her that they have to get<br \/>\nthat Carlisle guy out of progress quickly. Her mother assures him not to worry,<br \/>\nand she thinks of a way to take away Carlisle strength. She finally reveals her evil<br \/>\nintent to cause war and privacy again. Marduk is confused<br \/>\nas to why the barbarian attacks on her. Vaz would take away<br \/>\nCarlisle strength, adding that if Carlisle drives out<br \/>\nthe barbarians, it&#8217;s only good for him. But her mother tells her that<br \/>\nif the barbarians are attacking previous, other nobles will not be able to visit<br \/>\nfor precious supply. Ships will mostly be cut off<br \/>\nand informants will not be able to come and go. He finally gets his mother&#8217;s conspiracy<br \/>\nand understands that Carlisle will have no choice<br \/>\nbut to return to the capital. His mother says it would have been better<br \/>\nif he had died by barbarians arrows. This hurts Mattis a little, but<br \/>\nhis mother assures him not to be scared because if Carlisle dies anyway,<br \/>\nthere&#8217;s no need for him to go to war, because that way he would be the only one<br \/>\nleft to become the crown Prince, so they would not risk his life<br \/>\nand send him to a dangerous battlefield. But he reminds his mother that the crown<br \/>\nprince or emperor must be his own. But she tells him it<br \/>\ndepends on what he says and what&#8217;s urgent. Now is the Carlisle side. She informs him that his popularity<br \/>\nis increasing in social circles, and they need to erase Carlisle&#8217;s<br \/>\npresence further. Further,<br \/>\nand bring him back to the capital. She ends up writing a letter to the Ingram<br \/>\ntribe that day that they will provide supplies<br \/>\nand weapons to the tribe, and the tribe does not<br \/>\nnecessarily have to win. Instead, this should lead to a war<br \/>\nlasting for a long time. Further revealing that High Priest<br \/>\nGabriel will move together with him. Gabriel receives a letter and then arrives at a place<br \/>\nwhere many other priests are present. Priest Geronimo gets up and apologizes<br \/>\nfor changing the meeting location. He tells her it&#8217;s not his fault,<br \/>\nbut the fault of the temple leadership, who compromises with the secular world<br \/>\nand oppresses their Golden Bow fraternity. One of the priests argues<br \/>\nthat the Golden Bell personality does not distort the Word of God. They have to follow the words<br \/>\nof the scriptures, but the other priest says they&#8217;re being treated<br \/>\nlike heretics by the leadership. Gabriel assures them not to worry. In the end, they will be the winner,<br \/>\nbelieving lab will protect them. Count Pervez walked through the vast<br \/>\nhallway of the castle, thinking that she did not know<br \/>\nthat they would meet this much. She doubted that something had happened<br \/>\nthat morning. She opened the door, and in front of him<br \/>\nsat a gentleman, who greeted him. Good morning, with a smile on his face. He proceeded to say that<br \/>\nhe called her here because he thought that they could spend some time together,<br \/>\nsince they were a married couple. The gentleman looks very happy,<br \/>\nand Lady Pervez is astonished to hear<br \/>\nthat this part ends here. Manuwa starts with Prince Carlyle<br \/>\nsitting on a sofa and smiling at Asha, or looking towards ash, or saying,<br \/>\nwe are a married couple, so we need to spend some time<br \/>\nwith each other. After hearing Prince&#8217;s words. Asha is surprised to listen to this. Then she thinks to herself or says,<br \/>\nwhat was he scheming this time? And why was all of this happening<br \/>\nall of a sudden? She believed that maybe it was too much<br \/>\nto ask him to watch over her people. He wondered what was wrong<br \/>\nand if she did not wish to be with him. Not even for a moment. She replied that she could never think<br \/>\nthat and continued saying that perhaps there was something that<br \/>\nhe was trying to tell her through this, and she was worried<br \/>\nthat she might not understand. He told her that he had heard<br \/>\nthat people don&#8217;t talk back in privacy, and he hoped that she would listen<br \/>\nto what he had to tell. Count Pervez asked<br \/>\nif all he was saying was that they should spend time together, and he replied that it had been three months<br \/>\nsince he had come to privacy, yet he had not had the chance<br \/>\nto have a proper conversation with her. He reminded her<br \/>\nthat they were a married couple, and Count Pervez<br \/>\nreplied that she would like that as well. He replied that that&#8217;s what he thought<br \/>\nand it wouldn&#8217;t be fun to sit and talk. He considered it would be more fun to be personally shown<br \/>\naround the castle by her. She thought for a moment and said, I see. While they were roaming around the castle,<br \/>\nhe said that the work for organizing the second floor was completed a while ago,<br \/>\nand he said this now before it&#8217;s too late. But he thought the management<br \/>\nneeded to be improved. Count replied<br \/>\nthat she did not wish to offend him, but he should not have let her know<br \/>\nabout this a little earlier, and said that this Castle resident<br \/>\nkept it pretty clean. He replied that it used to be clean, but it was empty since nobody had used it. Now they saw spiderwebs across the castle and she thought that she was beginning<br \/>\nto understand why. His Highness&#8217;s people were shocked. She cleared her throat and told him that because of the war,<br \/>\nnobody had time or effort to take care of the castle<br \/>\nand to survive the winter. They sold whatever little they had or used<br \/>\nit as firewood. His Highness was shocked<br \/>\nand asked his firewood. She began to continue<br \/>\nand told him that the lower people set fire to all of our mountains<br \/>\nthat had trees, so they couldn&#8217;t get any firewood, and during the war<br \/>\nthey burned dressing tables and grandfather clocks as firewood<br \/>\nsince they weren&#8217;t needed at the time. Listening carefully, His Highness<br \/>\nreplied that he heard that Laura had about 20 times more troops than them, and asked<br \/>\nif that was right. She responded that it felt<br \/>\nmore like 50 times over and over again. Her father intervened<br \/>\nand informed him that she had received the blessing of eight years. The God of war, although bringing up in front of His<br \/>\nHighness, was embarrassing. She believed her<br \/>\nfather was a gifted warrior his Age. Highness acknowledged her father&#8217;s prowess and expressed his respect<br \/>\nfor a mere Prabhas as a true knight. He lamented<br \/>\nthe fact that his first encounter with a member of the royal family<br \/>\nwas with his own father. As he walked away, the count was surprised<br \/>\nto hear such words from a royal. His Highness then remarked on the absence of portraits in the castle,<br \/>\nprompting the count to explain that they needed more time to commission<br \/>\nportraits due to years of war. His age Highness noted that it is<br \/>\nthe artist who takes the time to paint, not the model, and suggested<br \/>\nthat they should have a portrait of Amir to preserve the memory<br \/>\nof the royal family. Confused, the count asked<br \/>\nwhy they would hang it in the castle. His Highness explained<br \/>\nthat a portrait serves as a lasting memory and should be preserved<br \/>\neven if firewood is scarce. He believed that future generations should be able to see<br \/>\nand remember their ancestors. The count<br \/>\nrealized that His Highness was different from the time to record their portraits<br \/>\nfor the archives. Meanwhile, in another room,<br \/>\na man mentioned that it had been three months since Carlyle left previous,<br \/>\nsuggesting that they should do something. He argued that a person blessed by<br \/>\nGod should not live a life that goes against God&#8217;s will. The count expressed concerns<br \/>\nabout the nobles of the empire, describing them as arrogant and oppressive,<br \/>\ntrampling on the hearts of others. She believed that the Church of Allah<br \/>\nwas the only path to salvation, emphasizing<br \/>\nthe importance of equality before God and the need to establish<br \/>\na righteous empire. A few days later,<br \/>\na girl approached the count, asking if she was having a hard time. The count wondered why she had come there<br \/>\nand realized that she had reached her face. A man named Allan,<br \/>\nthe eldest child of the family, called her insane<br \/>\nfor choosing such a place. Another man, Dylan Duper,<br \/>\nthe family&#8217;s second child, criticized her, calling her toxic and claiming that no one would like her. Meanwhile, a man approached His Highness, reminding him of diplomats<br \/>\nproof of loyalty. The proof had arrived at the castle, and<br \/>\nhe requested that the lady be brought in. As she entered,<br \/>\nhis Highness recognized her and called her name Cecilia Du Prat. Cecilia approached the Highness<br \/>\nand expressed her loyalty to the Highness<br \/>\nas stated in the letter. She mentioned that upon<br \/>\nreceiving the letter, she wondered if they were going<br \/>\nto take something from them. However, it seemed that Cecilia<br \/>\nwas to keep an eye on them instead. She apologized for the situation<br \/>\nand asked how she could be of help. The Highness questioned<br \/>\nif Cecilia knew about the Du Prat deal. To which she replied that it was the<br \/>\nlargest of training center in the Empire. She explained that<br \/>\nit was also the fastest way to spread news and communicate<br \/>\nbetween people. The Highness admitted that<br \/>\nhe had only heard of it, but was familiar with dovetail, which is famous<br \/>\nfor training a fleet of messengers. He asked Cecilia<br \/>\nwhat she wanted to say about the tale, and she revealed that she could put<br \/>\nthe dovetail services in his hands. Surprised, he couldn&#8217;t believe it, but acknowledged<br \/>\nthat she could be really helpful. Cecilia continued by highlighting<br \/>\nthe difficulty of keeping in touch with events in the capital<br \/>\nwhile he was in Provence. She offered a solution to this issue,<br \/>\nwhich he eagerly accepted. She then shared a recent rumor spreading in the capital, comparing<br \/>\nPrince Matthews to him. More and more people were doubting<br \/>\nhis capabilities, as Prince Matthews claimed to have the skills to realize<br \/>\nthe full potential of the Empire. The nurse wondered why people thought<br \/>\nPrince Matthews was better than him. Considering their own experiences<br \/>\nwith assassination threats, Cecilia revealed that,<br \/>\naccording to intelligence from the tales, they suspected the priest<br \/>\nElla of spreading false rumors. Ella had recently been recommended<br \/>\nas a new court official and was abusing his influence<br \/>\nwith Deputy Gabriel Knox. The Highness expressed frustration with Ella&#8217;s actions<br \/>\nand thanks to Cecilia for informing him. She assured him that<br \/>\nshe would never betray him and wanted to prove herself<br \/>\nas a woman worthy of his power. This reassured the Highness<br \/>\nand he welcomed her support. The Highness<br \/>\nthen commanded one of the boys to give Cecilia<br \/>\na room on the second floor. He informed Cecilia<br \/>\nthat count as previous, the owner of the castle would greet her<br \/>\nlater. Cecilia looked forward<br \/>\nto meeting Countess Probus and planned to set things straight<br \/>\nfrom the beginning. Countess Pervez entered the room and asked<br \/>\nif she had been called the H. Highness apologized<br \/>\nfor interrupting her work and introduced Cecilia as the daughter of Duke Du Prat. Countess Prevost<br \/>\ndid not expect to see a young noblewoman and commented on the rough journey<br \/>\nto the castle. Cecilia assured her<br \/>\nthat she was determined to come and apologize for the discomfort<br \/>\nher maids experienced during the journey. The Highness asked Cecilia, shared her<br \/>\nthoughts and mentioned that she knew her<br \/>\nroom was on the first floor. She hoped this would be fine<br \/>\nwith sharing the floor with him. Countess Probus reassured her that it was natural<br \/>\nfor him to decide where she would stay, and that the first floor<br \/>\nwouldn&#8217;t be suited for her. The Highness suggested<br \/>\nbringing some furniture and having their maids<br \/>\nhelp decorate Cecilia&#8217;s room. Countess Pervez<br \/>\nunderstood his intention and agreed. She excused herself, mentioning<br \/>\nthat she had work to do, but the H Highness requested<br \/>\nthat they die together. Even though they were in a contractual<br \/>\nmarriage, Cecilia observed that Countess Pervaiz<br \/>\ndidn&#8217;t seem to see her as a threat. She believed she would have to prove her<br \/>\nvalue and focus on becoming the Queen<br \/>\nwhen he finally received the crown. Meanwhile, Giles was angry inside as he felt that Countess Pervez<br \/>\nwas getting closer to becoming the Queen. He was frustrated<br \/>\nthat Cecilia had come at this time. However, he knew that<br \/>\nnothing had been going on between them and that Cecilia was ambitious. He believed that an empress<br \/>\nshould be calm and composed and humble, and he wouldn&#8217;t<br \/>\nallow her to take the throne. He decided to take action and planned<br \/>\nto call Dorothy a few days later. Dorothy received a letter from her father<br \/>\ncalling her to privacy. Despite not having a choice,<br \/>\nshe couldn&#8217;t help but feel conflicted about going Dorothy<br \/>\nwhile traveling to privacy. Was thinking that she had no other choice<br \/>\nbut to go to her father, whose name was Gillis Rapp Health, and who was said<br \/>\nto be a genius of the century. He was the highest authority<br \/>\nat the Academy, and thanks to him, Dorothy was able to start<br \/>\nreading from an earlier age. She had a flashback of her young age<br \/>\nwith her father, who said that she was too loud<br \/>\nand that if a lady showed off like that,<br \/>\nshe would not be loved. Every time he said that, Dorothy felt<br \/>\nshe was being denied and she could not rebel against<br \/>\nher father. Her father quoted famous scholars<br \/>\nbecause he saw her as foolish and criticized her very often. But Dorothy was obedient and she said<br \/>\nyes to her father on everything. She reached for Vaz with her suitcase<br \/>\nin hand. Dorothy&#8217;s father<br \/>\nintroduced her to His Royal Highness and told him that she had<br \/>\ncome here to help him. Dorothy greeted His Highness,<br \/>\nand His Highness replied that it had been a long time since the first academic lead<br \/>\ncalled you out here. He was looking forward to the knowledge<br \/>\nand skills she possesses. Dorothy replied that her father said<br \/>\nhe had a lot of work to do, and she was only here<br \/>\nto help with minor errands. Her father told the Highness<br \/>\nthat she was a little better than the ones<br \/>\nthat he had taught at the Academy. Now His Royal Highness<br \/>\nthought that he heard the professor was also quite<br \/>\nan ambitious person, and as soon as Cecilia arrived,<br \/>\nhe summoned Dorothy. He continued to say<br \/>\nthat it must have been quite the task to come to the rough place,<br \/>\nand he would ask her to get some rest, but she had to greet<br \/>\nthe owner of this castle. He invited them to wait a moment,<br \/>\nas he had asked someone to call Count Provost. Dorothy thought that they were someone<br \/>\nwho had traversed the battlefield and killed countless barbarians. She wondered how scary of a person<br \/>\nthey were. And just in case she had to be careful not to show any sign of being startled<br \/>\nor frowning. Count Pervez has now arrived. She entered the room and Dorothy<br \/>\nhad a shocked look on her face. She greets His Highness and introduces<br \/>\nherself. His Highness ask Dorothy<br \/>\nif she is sir, replied daughter, and her father is now telling her<br \/>\nthat he has kept her close by her side<br \/>\nand summoned her to help her run errands. His Highness was thinking that this was<br \/>\nall because of His Highness calls, and she wondered if he was inviting other<br \/>\nladies. The count was worried<br \/>\nthat Dorothy would be okay with the life<br \/>\nhere, as privacy isn&#8217;t exactly safe yet. She asked Dorothy to stay inside<br \/>\nthe castle as much as possible, and be sure to have someone to escort her<br \/>\nwhen she was leaving. Dorothy thanked her for her hospitality. His Royal Highness asked the count<br \/>\nif she would be joining them for dinner tonight, and she agreed. He was now thinks that she has no interest in female guests and does not like it. Dorothy<br \/>\nand her father walked out of the room and her father asked Dorothy<br \/>\nwhat the meaning of calling her Her Highness was,<br \/>\nand if she should call her Count Provost. He asked her if she would treat Count<br \/>\nProvost like a true royal. Her daughter replied that it may be<br \/>\na contractual relationship. Still, she is married to his H. Highness. If she ignored her title, it would be difficult<br \/>\nto make a good impression on His Highness. Dorothy&#8217;s father now<br \/>\nshouted at her and said, do you think that I don&#8217;t know that there is such a thing<br \/>\nas having power in one&#8217;s words? If you keep calling that woman<br \/>\nHer Highness, then even His Highness Carlisle will recognize<br \/>\nthat woman is his wife. He asked her daughter to impress<br \/>\nHis Highness during their stay here. And like always, Dorothy said<br \/>\nyes to her father. Dorothy was now thinking that at least<br \/>\nwhen she became the Crown Princess, she could read any books<br \/>\nshe wanted to her heart&#8217;s content and she would do everything<br \/>\nthat she could. The next day, Countess<br \/>\nPervez asked the new butler of the castle, whose name was Samuel, about<br \/>\ntaking care of the castle from now on. She also requested dela to help Samuel from now on, and della agreed to do that. She now asked Mr. Samuel to follow her around the castle. Countess Pervez asked<br \/>\nif she could take a walk around the castle as the air was cool<br \/>\nas they took a walk in the castle. The maids asked each other<br \/>\nif they thought that Pervez was improving,<br \/>\nand they agreed that it was. The count was applauding<br \/>\nDell on doing convincing. Samuel and Della replied that<br \/>\nwhat was she praising her for? It was Mr. Samuel who made the decision. He looked at the sky<br \/>\nand said that it was truly autumn now, and their first harvest would begin<br \/>\nvery soon. They would be able to stock up<br \/>\non emergency food for the winter, said the count. And della replied that next year<br \/>\nand the year after that, they could start earning cash<br \/>\nfrom selling any surplus food. There was a brief pause,<br \/>\nafter which della said that he wanted<br \/>\nto talk about something else. She asked what it was, and he said,<br \/>\nthe two women recently come to our castle. The Countess replied,<br \/>\nif you meant Cecilia and Dorothy. Della asked her why they were there,<br \/>\nand she replied that they said they come to help His Highness Carlyle,<br \/>\nand it seems to her they are just competing<br \/>\nfor the position of Crown Princess. Della asked her<br \/>\nif they were His Highness&#8217;s lovers, and the Countess replied<br \/>\nthat it would be something similar. Scratching his head, della said,<br \/>\nthe servants have eyes. And if there were a lover in the castle,<br \/>\nthey would know. He reminded her<br \/>\nabout when she said that she did not mind what His Highness<br \/>\nCarlyle did in the castle. The count put a hand on his shoulder<br \/>\nand comforted him by saying that privacy is surviving,<br \/>\nthis much thanks to their contract. So we should keep his promise. Della told her that it is widely known that His Highness, called Lyle<br \/>\nlikes women. He had a feeling that His Highness would have a female guest sooner or later. He suggested the count find happiness too, and asked her what she was going to do<br \/>\nafter they got divorced. The count asked him not to worry about<br \/>\nher, as he was also 26 years old and had never held a woman&#8217;s hand before, and teased him and wished him luck. Now they were walking around the castle<br \/>\nagain, but someone was spying on them. The man who was silently observing<br \/>\nthe Countess and Decker<br \/>\nthought that this was outrageous. His Highness was feeling very bad,<br \/>\nand the story continued from the last time his H. Highness<br \/>\nthought that she knows him as a libertine. He made it that way intentionally. So there&#8217;s nothing to feel unfair about. So why on earth did he feel so bad? He kept thinking about what was wrong with faithfully<br \/>\nkeeping the contract between them. He was trying to figure out<br \/>\nif he thought unpleasant that a chaperon spoke<br \/>\nas if she knew everything about him, and realized that it was<br \/>\nwhat was bothering him. Because just because you learn something,<br \/>\nyou think you know everything about me. On the other hand,<br \/>\nhe felt that it was natural, since only limited information<br \/>\nwas given to her in the first place. Even so, she is just a village lord and she can&#8217;t act like she knows<br \/>\neverything about the Crown Prince. He was very confused<br \/>\nand said that he had followed her for no reason,<br \/>\nand Leona would laugh if he saw it. Now, Decker asked the Countess<br \/>\nif she was sure that the two of them have nothing to do with each other. As he heard<br \/>\nthat His Highness was even mentioned as a marriage partner in the past. A boy shouted at his mother and said<br \/>\nthat they had to get Castle somehow because you never know when I might have<br \/>\nto be dragged away to eliminate monsters. Similar warnings appeared<br \/>\nin the southern part of the empire. The Imperial Knights<br \/>\nnaturally tried to bring Mathews with him, but it was canceled due to flimsy excuses<br \/>\nand strong opposition. A lady asked him to calm down, but he could not and continued to say, do you think this was a good time<br \/>\nto relax? And said<br \/>\nthat his mother must be so relaxed because she only has to sit<br \/>\nin the Imperial palace. He thought that if he died,<br \/>\nhis mother would not be safe either. He wanted her mother to do something,<br \/>\nappear with wine on a tray or something in it, and present it to him. The lady asked him to drink some of this. He took a sip and the lady said that. Does not he know<br \/>\nthat he is the heart of his mother? And she would do whatever it takes<br \/>\nto prevent him from being dragged into battle. Her son asked if her mother was telling<br \/>\nthe truth and she said, of course. She invited him to take a rest for today. Now lay in bed<br \/>\nand her mother asked the servant to send a message to the high priest, Gabriel,<br \/>\nthat she would go and see him soon. She now met<br \/>\nthe priest who sent God&#8217;s blessing upon her, and said that<br \/>\nhe was happy to meet Her Majesty. The Empress. The priest asked the Empress<br \/>\nhow she had been, and she replied that<br \/>\nshe was helping Matthew&#8217;s, who was having a hard time. She confessed that the Majesty Emperor<br \/>\nwas too kind as he is interesting military authority<br \/>\nto a child with no experience, to which the priest replied<br \/>\nthat he understood that His Majesty Martis has hardly ever taken<br \/>\nany knightly lessons. The Empress agreed to this<br \/>\nand told him that Mati was weak, and she felt very guilty<br \/>\nabout killing another life. The priest said to her<br \/>\nthat His Highness was born under the Star of Ashville,<br \/>\nwho was the God of beauty and love. The Empress confessed that she wanted<br \/>\nto drag Carlisle away from Gervase, as he threw away<br \/>\nhis duties in shallow water and hid privacy,<br \/>\nwhich was ridiculous to her. She asked if he had any idea<br \/>\nhow to bring Carlisle away from that barbarian land,<br \/>\nto which the priest replied that it was a difficult problem<br \/>\nand suggested the annulment of marriage. The Empress shocked, asked<br \/>\nif that was possible. Confidently, the priest said that<br \/>\nwe can make it possible, as there are a few cases<br \/>\nwhere a temple can declare a marriage annulled when one party deceives<br \/>\nthe other party into getting married. When the parties coercion<br \/>\nforces the marriage, it is a fraudulent marriage aimed at money<br \/>\nor other dishonest things. When both parents opposed the marriage,<br \/>\nand lastly when one couple&#8217;s furiously neglects<br \/>\ntheir efforts to multiply their offspring, and he concluded that it was enough<br \/>\nto declare the marriage invalid, he asked if her Majesty the Empress<br \/>\nwould be able to withdraw the recognition of the Imperial family,<br \/>\nto which the Empress agreed. She now feels like meeting<br \/>\nthe High Priest makes her feel like the dark clouds are clearing. She told the priest that she would contact<br \/>\nthe spy planted and purveyors<br \/>\nto gather information, in particular to take a look at their efforts<br \/>\nto prosper their offspring. October came and there was a<br \/>\nwelcome dinner for Cecilia and Dorothy. They all sat at the huge table, and the Countess said that she never<br \/>\nthought a place that could have been used as an indoor execution<br \/>\nsite would be transformed into something. So Grant. His Highness now addressed all the guests<br \/>\nand asked to start the dinner. The maid served everyone. Decker and the Countess sat together and looked at a dish,<br \/>\ntrying to understand what it was. The Countess said<br \/>\nthat it seemed a different me from the one she ate last time, and found out<br \/>\nthat it was a turkey from Dorothy who said, if you cook it incorrectly,<br \/>\nit will be tasteless and tough. We can look forward<br \/>\nto the skills of the chef that his mouth just like brought with him<br \/>\nand referred to His Highness. His Highness cut into the turkey. Now, Dorothy said that she did not think<br \/>\nthere were any bones in the turkey and informed him that you separate<br \/>\nthe legs and wings at once. The Countess added<br \/>\nthat it is not difficult if you know the skeletal structure of an animal,<br \/>\nand she also thought that it was like bird meat,<br \/>\nto which His Highness let out a laugh and said to her<br \/>\nthat he had met a lot of people. But this was very funny as all the guests gathered<br \/>\nat the dining table to eat. Decker couldn&#8217;t help but think to himself<br \/>\nthat even under the circumstances, their lord was only preoccupied with food. With a disappointed look on his face,<br \/>\nhe made a fist. His Highness looked at everyone and asked<br \/>\nif they should begin the dinner. The man confessed that it had been a while<br \/>\nsince he had seen Lady Rappaport, to which she replied<br \/>\nthat since she was living in these state, she had very little to see now. His Highness referred to Lady to Pratt<br \/>\nand asked how she had been. Lady depressed replied that she was fine and thanked His Royal Highness<br \/>\nfor his concern. Decker united to ask<br \/>\nwhy Miss Dorothy was here and if it was to see Sir<br \/>\nRaphael as a representative of her family. Dorothy replied that her father was busy, so she came to help him with some work. Cecilia inquired<br \/>\nthat there must be a lot of top secret information, and asked<br \/>\nif Miss Dorothy would see it all. Dorothy smiled and laughed,<br \/>\nsaying that she would not and that she would help<br \/>\nwith small errands. When it comes to top secret information. Her father was more concerned<br \/>\nabout Miss Cecilia, unprecedentedly. He wondered if they could completely trust<br \/>\nthe depressed family to dovetail as two. Pratt was completely loyal to His Majesty. Cecilia replied that she had come<br \/>\nthis far to be the proof of that. Her father<br \/>\ncontinued by saying that Miss Cecilia must be a throw away card, right? Which was very weird for him to speak. But her daughter comforted everyone<br \/>\nby saying that he jokes as well. She said that don&#8217;t you know<br \/>\nthe value of Cecilia in social circles? To which her father replied<br \/>\nthat he had heard that Cecilia was popular with men. His Royal Highness replied that Sir Raphael probably knows why that is. Everyone had their own thoughts,<br \/>\none of which was that he was saying that he was His Majesty<br \/>\nCarlisle&#8217;s non candidate. He looked over at the Countess<br \/>\nand told her not to worry, but there was a pause from the Countess<br \/>\nwho was eating the steak. She cleared her throat and Decker asked<br \/>\nif she was okay. The Countess changed the conversation<br \/>\nand started talking about the food they were having, and asked Decker<br \/>\nif it could have been more delicious. Decker was trying to understand<br \/>\nwhat was going on and said nothing. He said that he was surprised<br \/>\nthat she read that book because it was hard to find in small local<br \/>\ncities. Dorothy replied that it wasn&#8217;t difficult as her father borrowed it from the Academy<br \/>\nlibrary. Cecilia was impressed by her answer and said that it must be great<br \/>\nto have such a loving father. Can&#8217;t do proud<br \/>\nis also a man who loves his daughter. There was confusion in the room,<br \/>\nand the Countess now thought that it seemed like they were<br \/>\nsaying good things to each other. But the atmosphere wasn&#8217;t very good. Cecilia was observing<br \/>\neveryone with a glass in her hand. She shouted out sorry! And she did not mean to talk about her<br \/>\nfather in front of count. Previous count Priv\u00e9s assured her<br \/>\nthat she did not have to worry about her. She also like talking about her own<br \/>\nfather. Cecilia was curious about this, as she had heard that he was a great man, but she still wanted to know<br \/>\nwhat happened between them. The count told her that it is said that he led the war to victory<br \/>\nby killing the enemy general. And as a reward for his military service, he was given the title<br \/>\nof the Margrave of Privacy. Cecilia wondered why she was so calm<br \/>\nand thought that she was surprisingly good<br \/>\nat hiding her emotions. She continued to make conversation<br \/>\nwith the Countess and said that usually in world wars. The Imperial family participated in. She asked her if it was normal to give<br \/>\ntitles to the outstanding soldiers. The count asked Cecilia<br \/>\nif it was true that she accumulated all of her achievements in that way. This was interrupted by His Highness,<br \/>\nwho said that he had nothing to eat. So should he pick up<br \/>\nsomeone else&#8217;s gun and eat it? He asked the counted<br \/>\ntreat his father, and in the same way to which the count agreed<br \/>\nand took a bite of her food. Cecilia and Dorothy&#8217;s battle of nerves to accept the position of the Crown<br \/>\nPrincess was still going on, and everyone there knew it, including His Highness,<br \/>\nthe most important person in the room. Except for Count Prevost. She did not seem to have any interest<br \/>\nin the situation, thought Decker, while<br \/>\nHis Highness was thinking that the attitude of the Countess<br \/>\nof not clinging to him was very good. However,<br \/>\nthey should pretend to be a married couple in front of outsiders,<br \/>\nas that was in the contract. It clearly states that you will faithfully<br \/>\nfulfill the role of a wife on paper. His Highness<br \/>\nnow started to make conversation with the Countess and asked<br \/>\nif she remembered the couple. Portrait that they talked about before. In the Age Highness did remember,<br \/>\nDorothy asked about the picture and His Highness explained to her<br \/>\nthat since he was a member of the royal family and was married, he needed to draw a portrait<br \/>\nand send it to the Imperial archives. And suggested hanging one picture<br \/>\nin this castle as well. His Highness asked Lionel<br \/>\nhow he chose the painter, to which Lionel replied<br \/>\nthat among the painters that he contacted. Fabian accepted the offer<br \/>\nand would be arriving soon. Dorothy<br \/>\nconfirmed that it was for the painter, who won the grand prize<br \/>\nthree times at the Imperial Salon to which Cecilia replied<br \/>\nthat he was an artist of the level that should be used<br \/>\nfor a portrait of His Majesty. Dorothy was concerned<br \/>\nand asked if His Highness wanted another painter, referring to Countess,<br \/>\nto which she replied that she thought it was annoying<br \/>\nas she would have to wear all kinds of jewelry and a dress<br \/>\nand sit there for hours. She did not know that it would suit her. His Highness told them that it was her<br \/>\nduty as a member of the Imperial family, so she should do her best,<br \/>\neven if it were unfamiliar. To which the Countess agreed. A man came up to Giles and told him<br \/>\nthat he had received a message from them. He read the message that stated<br \/>\nthat he had come up with the idea of the nullification of marriage as a way<br \/>\nto get His Highness away from Paris. It stated that they had found evidence<br \/>\nthat the Majesty and Pervaiz were neglected in their marital relationship,<br \/>\nand the marriage was old. He now stood up and said<br \/>\nthat the two of them had to prove that they were a real couple, otherwise<br \/>\nno one would recognize them as a couple. Lionel told Carlisle<br \/>\nthat the help of a temple was absolutely necessary<br \/>\nfor the annulment of a marriage, so that must have already been agreed upon<br \/>\nwith High Priest Gabriel, who had been said to be close<br \/>\nto the Empress. Recently, Gabriel Knox said that he felt uncomfortable about that person<br \/>\nfor some reason. Carlisle asked him<br \/>\nif they should go out for some fresh air. Lionel asked him<br \/>\nwhere you would like to go, and Carlisle replied that he wanted to go<br \/>\nsee what had been harvested. They both got on their horses<br \/>\nand went to the fields. Carlisle looked around the field<br \/>\nand said that it looked like a populated area,<br \/>\nand people&#8217;s health seemed to have improved<br \/>\nas compared to before. Carlisle thought<br \/>\nthat after food was distributed, the number of deaths and previous<br \/>\nhad dropped significantly. He never thought that previous situation<br \/>\nwould ever be that bad. Carlisle asked Lionel<br \/>\nabout the harvest festival that was supposed to be held<br \/>\nat the end of that month. Lionel told him that it was Preval&#8217;s<br \/>\nfirst harvest festival and count previous theme. I am very excited about it. Carlisle added that she was excited<br \/>\nlike a child. Lionel told him that people were asking<br \/>\nhow to spend a harvest festival, and he just said to them that it was a day<br \/>\nto eat, drink and dance all day. Carlisle agreed and said<br \/>\nit was no different, and asked him if there was anything else needed<br \/>\nto celebrate the harvest festival. Suddenly, Prevost came there on her horse and asked<br \/>\nwhat was with His Majesty and Maud Bailey. Carlisle said that<br \/>\neven if it was like that, he was the husband of Count Previous. She told him that since it was his first harvest,<br \/>\nshe had to check it out by herself. She thanked him<br \/>\nfor thinking that much about previous. She said that she wasn&#8217;t expecting it<br \/>\nand Carlisle felt a little disheartened as he heard this. He asked her if the Harvest Festival<br \/>\nwas at the end of that month. She told him that it was true and she was<br \/>\npreparing some questions for Lord Bailey. She said that it may not be enough<br \/>\nin the eyes of those who came from the capital, but she hoped<br \/>\nthat Carlisle would enjoy it together. Tom suggested her<br \/>\nto drink plenty of alcohol and said that<br \/>\nthe rest would take care of itself. This brought a good laugh. Thomas face Carlisle thought that he was<br \/>\ndefinitely can&#8217;t because otherwise there would be no way she would laugh<br \/>\nso defenseless, Lee Sly in front of him. Later in her office,<br \/>\nthe butler told Usha that everything would be ready<br \/>\nbefore the harvest festival. Decker asked her if she was going<br \/>\ntoo much on the preparations. She told him that His Majesty Carlisle<br \/>\ngave them some more support. Decker asked her if it would be better<br \/>\nto save it and use it for something else, but she denied it, saying that<br \/>\nthey must have that memory at least once. She said the crops were growing<br \/>\non their land too, and that was why they were celebrating<br \/>\nthe harvest festival. Now she said that she wanted to remember everyone eating and drinking<br \/>\nand having fun. She recalled herself sitting in a corner<br \/>\nwith her father during war time, asking him what he would like to do<br \/>\nwhen the war was over. His father said that she seemed to have<br \/>\nsome strength left to ask such things. When she insisted, her<br \/>\nfather told her that when the war ended,<br \/>\nhe would want to hold a big harvest festival<br \/>\nafter farming and harvesting a lot. He dreamed of it to be a festival<br \/>\nto ensure that there would be no starvation<br \/>\nuntil the next year&#8217;s harvest. She told Decker that this way<br \/>\nthey would do their best next year as well, and they might feel<br \/>\nmore attached to their land. She wanted to make her father&#8217;s dream<br \/>\ncome true, even though he was dead. Cecelia overheard their conversation<br \/>\nfrom outside the room. She realized that they were preparing<br \/>\nfor the harvest festival. She had come to see how prepared<br \/>\nthe country lord was. Cecelia<br \/>\nthought that a sha had a stronger sense of responsibility<br \/>\nfor privacy than she thought. It seemed to her that a sha was quite<br \/>\ndevoted to her family and territory. She thought that<br \/>\nif a Sha was not a competitor for the possession of the Crown Princess, they could have come to understand<br \/>\neach other. Later, Bibiana, the Emperor&#8217;s young mistress, was asking her servant<br \/>\nwhy it didn&#8217;t work. The servant told her that,<br \/>\nsurprisingly, having a child was not easy<br \/>\nand invited her to feel at ease. Bibiana asked her if she thought<br \/>\nit was such an easy situation. She told her that it took time<br \/>\nto become pregnant and give birth to a child, and<br \/>\nshe didn&#8217;t know how things would change. In the meantime,<br \/>\nshe thought that if the second prince continued to accumulate power like that,<br \/>\nsomeone like her would disappear<br \/>\nwithout even a mouse knowing. She thought about how long the Empress<br \/>\nwould use her son to wield power. However, the second prince was nothing. When the crown Prince was around<br \/>\nthinking of everything. She got really mad as she couldn&#8217;t<br \/>\nbelieve she was taken advantage of by the Empress&#8217;s scheme. The servant got upset<br \/>\nlooking at her condition, and asked her if she should bring some water<br \/>\nfor her to drink, as the servant laughed. Bibiana said that since His Majesty<br \/>\nthe Emperor favored her, she had a good chance of winning<br \/>\nas long as she gave birth to a son. However, there was no way<br \/>\nthe Empress would sit there and watch that suddenly she started shouting, saying<br \/>\nthat they could have kept the Empress in check together only if the Crown Prince<br \/>\nhad not been driven out to Pervaiz. She got so angry that she threw a flower on the ground<br \/>\nand it shattered into pieces. She realized that she had to have children<br \/>\nas soon as possible. So this story spread like wildfire and everyone was talking about<br \/>\nhow mad Bibiana was. People were saying<br \/>\nthat she was very irritated because she was having trouble<br \/>\nhaving kids. Matthias heard it and was amazed, listening that Bibiana<br \/>\nwas thinking of having a baby. He immediate went to her mother<br \/>\nand told her that he had discovered something amazing. He was about to tell her about Bibiana,<br \/>\nbut her mother was not listening. She told him that she had just received<br \/>\nsome important news. When the son asked him about the news,<br \/>\nshe told him that she would be able to divorce<br \/>\nCarlos soon. Soon after some time,<br \/>\nit was the day of the harvest festival. The people were really happy<br \/>\nand they felt like they were in another country while as she was<br \/>\nlooking at everything else, the alcohol and meat had arrived from<br \/>\nEl Sur, the boy told her that<br \/>\nthere was already enough stock, so the last cart could be kept<br \/>\nfor emergencies. As the bell rang, Carlisle<br \/>\nand Usher arrived at the festival. Everything was very well organized<br \/>\nand the food was held on the tables. Aisha came in front<br \/>\nand wanted to make an announcement. She said that it was a very meaningful day<br \/>\nfor their Pervaiz. She said that in their land that was trampled by barbarian invasions<br \/>\nfor a long time, that was because it was a day<br \/>\nto celebrate the harvest of crops again. She said that joy was something that<br \/>\neveryone in privacy should enjoy together. There, she showed her gratitude<br \/>\nto the grace of His Highness Carlisle. She said that since they had decided<br \/>\nto celebrate the Harvest Festival that day and the next,<br \/>\neveryone could eat, drink, dance and sing. Everyone dropped their hats. Che ate their drinks<br \/>\nand started enjoying the festival. Aisha asked the butlers to keep<br \/>\nserving food so there was no shortage. Decker asked her that she too<br \/>\nshould go there and have a drink. She tried to refuse,<br \/>\nbut he grabbed her hand and insisted. As she sat on the table, Decker<br \/>\nraised a toast to Laetitia. She suggested him not to drink<br \/>\nso much as he was already drunk. Decker<br \/>\nasked her to stop nagging and drink it. While Decker was drinking,<br \/>\nAisha thought that it was her first time having a beer and wondered<br \/>\nif it was delicious. She took a sip and kept it down,<br \/>\nsaying that it tasted awful. Decker told her that she only drank high<br \/>\nquality wine next to His Majesty, Carlisle, and asked<br \/>\nif she didn&#8217;t like beer. However,<br \/>\nshe said that it just didn&#8217;t taste good. Decker started laughing<br \/>\nand said that she looked like a child. When she looked at things like that,<br \/>\nthe other workers also came asking, asking if she should have a drink<br \/>\nwith them as well. She said that<br \/>\nthose guys had been through a lot so far, and there was a lot more work<br \/>\nto be done in the future, but they could forget everything that day<br \/>\nand drink. Everyone cheered their glasses<br \/>\nand had a drink. They asked Dasha to clink glasses<br \/>\nwith them as well. I agreed<br \/>\nand everyone requested the same from her. Suddenly she realized<br \/>\nthat she was going to make a big mistake if she continued to drink like that. She decided to leave the table. This was when someone asked her<br \/>\nwhere she was going. She told everyone that she needed to go<br \/>\nand do some errands. As she walked away, she felt dizzy<br \/>\nand thought that she was dying. She said that she couldn&#8217;t drink anymore<br \/>\nand she had to hide for a bit. She sat in a corner<br \/>\nthinking that no one would find her there. Suddenly she started thinking<br \/>\nwhat Dekker would say if he found out<br \/>\nthat the Lord was doing this. Suddenly someone approached her, asking<br \/>\nwhat kind of a drunkard she was. She turned around in anger<br \/>\nto see who it was. Carlisle was standing there asking her<br \/>\nhow much she drank. She told him that they kept<br \/>\ntelling her to drink, so she drank some. Carlisle asked her what if the Lord drank<br \/>\nto the point where he lost his mind. He asked her what she was going to do<br \/>\nif the barbarians attacked her at a time like that. She suddenly got up asking<br \/>\nif they were attacking and said that she had to go out<br \/>\nimmediately. Carlisle told her that it was<br \/>\nnot that they really invaded, but she seemed to have<br \/>\nalready believed him. Bond brought her closer and hugged her. He asked her to calm down<br \/>\nand told her it was just a joke. Soon after some time, she got away and Carlisle thought<br \/>\nthat it was hard to follow a drunk person. Stream of consciousness. He said that there were more than 1 or 2<br \/>\nthings to be thankful for, and asked her which one<br \/>\nshe was grateful for. The most. Are she told him that she wouldn&#8217;t<br \/>\nhave been able to do the harvest festival<br \/>\nif it was not for him. Carlisle asked her if she was happy<br \/>\nwith the deal she made with him, and sure enough, she was. She asked Carlisle<br \/>\nif he was losing money from the festival. Carlisle said it was right and asked that<br \/>\nif she thought he helped her that much, shouldn&#8217;t she feel like showering him<br \/>\nwith kisses every time she saw him? He said that it would be hard to be<br \/>\nthat blunt every day. After she started blushing,<br \/>\nCarlisle thought that she was going to slap him,<br \/>\nbut she came closer and kissed him. Carlisle was still confused and wondered<br \/>\nif it was because of what he just said. However, Aisha still kept on kissing him. She said that even if you don&#8217;t know<br \/>\nhow to kiss, you need to be brave. Soon. Carlisle pushed her away<br \/>\nand she grabbed him for support as she felt dizzy. Carlisle<br \/>\ntried to figure out what was wrong, but Aisha was almost unconscious. She was feeling dizzy<br \/>\nbecause of drinking too much. Carlisle carried her in his arms<br \/>\nand said that it must have been really hard<br \/>\npreparing for the festival. He asked her not to worry<br \/>\nabout anything else and to take some rest. The next day, when Usha woke up,<br \/>\nshe felt like her head was spinning. She realized that she must never drink<br \/>\nlike that again. So ignorantly, she suddenly saw Carlisle sitting next to her asking<br \/>\nif she was awake. He told her that her condition<br \/>\nstill didn&#8217;t look so good. Carlisle asked her if she didn&#8217;t<br \/>\nremember anything from yesterday and said that<br \/>\nshe must have drunk in moderation. Aisha asked her<br \/>\nwhat had happened yesterday. As soon as she saw her clothes,<br \/>\nshe asked Carlisle. When she changed her clothes, she suddenly got more concerned and asked<br \/>\nwhat had happened. Yesterday, Aisha was lying on the bed<br \/>\nand Carlisle stood by it, confused by the situation, wondering<br \/>\nwhy they were both in the bedroom. She was asked<br \/>\nif she remembered anything that happened the prior night, perhaps due to excessive<br \/>\ndrinking at the ongoing harvest festival. An utter shock and confusion. Aisha was curious to know about what<br \/>\nhad occurred, overthinking<br \/>\nand considering all the possibilities. She was eager to see if it was count,<br \/>\nper Vass himself, who had kissed her last night. Carlisle, though wanting to tease<br \/>\nher, explained the situation in which he found her passed out in a corner<br \/>\nall crumpled up, so he thought it best<br \/>\nto bring her inside his room, not stating the fact that something else<br \/>\nalso happened at that moment. Maybe he didn&#8217;t want to make<br \/>\nher feel awkward by sharing it with her. Usha, in a problematic tone,<br \/>\nmoved on to the fact that she had so many responsibilities to look after at the Harvest festival. She questioned<br \/>\nif the event had been executed without any unpleasant incidents<br \/>\nor complications. Carlisle assured her that it went fine<br \/>\nunder Viscount Prevost management, even though the Lord didn&#8217;t show up. He emphasized that it was not a big deal and he wanted her to stay relaxed<br \/>\nas she was occupied with other thoughts. She didn&#8217;t notice<br \/>\nuntil Carlisle pointed it out that she was wearing different clothes<br \/>\nthan the night before. This made her curious<br \/>\nif something had transpired, but he reminded her of the contract<br \/>\nthey both had. The terms on her side were to play the<br \/>\nrole of a wife on paper and to part ways. Later on, however, Carlisle felt like she was not performing that task<br \/>\nvery well and no one would actually believe<br \/>\nthat she is his wife. Usha replied that it is<br \/>\nhe who doesn&#8217;t treat her like a wife. Dodging her statement,<br \/>\nhe told her that it would be a good idea if they spread the rumor of them<br \/>\nactually becoming a couple, and that they both had slept together<br \/>\nin his room, adding no further explanation to it<br \/>\nexcept the already established fact that she was heavily<br \/>\nintoxicated the previous night. Although Aisha was insecure<br \/>\nabout spreading this rumor, it needed to be done as their made up<br \/>\nstory was at risk of being exposed<br \/>\nand Carlisle was up against the wall. He was desperate to kill the rising<br \/>\nsuspicion, especially from Matthias, who seemed to have the Emperor&#8217;s ears<br \/>\nand would orchestrate something the marriage needed to be legally<br \/>\nannulled by the temple. Otherwise, if the marriage were declared<br \/>\ninvalid due to being unlawful, Carlisle would have to reclaim the money<br \/>\nhe had invested in Purvis, as Matthias had half backed out of war<br \/>\nbecause they didn&#8217;t want to enter the battlefield, it would put the Empress<br \/>\nin a difficult position. If her son was to go<br \/>\non the battlefield and die, it would be even more infuriating<br \/>\nif she found out that they both had slept together. Seemingly,<br \/>\nit would be easier to spread the word since the guests were already present<br \/>\nthere. Hesitantly,<br \/>\nbut surely Asha accepted the idea. If it were to succeed, then the problem<br \/>\nof the Empress nitpicking would stop. Aisha asked in a worried manner<br \/>\nhow much was invested in Purvis, but she was told not to be deceived<br \/>\nby his friendly manner and that she should remain professional<br \/>\nin terms of their contract. The next day,<br \/>\nthe second day of the Harvest festival, the rumors spread like wildfire. Everyone was gossiping over the Highnesses<br \/>\nsleeping together. It worked out just as they wanted it to, clearing out all the suspicion<br \/>\ntowards them both. The gossip reached Nina, the maid,<br \/>\nwho at that time acted all sophisticated<br \/>\nand unbothered about the matter. Later on, she and Cecilia engaged<br \/>\nin a conversation about these rumors and were shocked by the fact<br \/>\nthat His Highness Carlisle didn&#8217;t even used to look at Asha, making it seem<br \/>\nhe was uninterested in her. But now they both were said<br \/>\nto have engaged in an intimate action. Cecilia found it unbelievable, but Nina told her the exact way<br \/>\nhow the news got out. It was a maid who was called in<br \/>\nby His Highness to change Asha&#8217;s clothes, revealing the mystery of her clothes<br \/>\nbeing changed. Mina established<br \/>\nthat the news was not bogus, but it was confirmed<br \/>\nthat something did happen, leaving Cecile yet in a shocking disbelief,<br \/>\nruining her plan. Still unable to digest the fact<br \/>\nthat His Highness Carlisle would take Count<br \/>\nPrivacies, his real wife Cecilia thought with full rationality<br \/>\nabout Carlisle&#8217;s character and how he had earned his reputation<br \/>\nof being trustworthy by the people of this territory,<br \/>\nwhich is more challenging than it seems. Even though Nina had her opinion<br \/>\nthe other way around of Carlisle being of no good, Cecilia sipping on her water,<br \/>\nthought everything through and was convinced that this rumor was just that is a rumor, nothing more. Even if Count Priv\u00e9s were to become<br \/>\nthe Empress, she&#8217;d still be inferior to Her Majesty Cecilia<br \/>\nin the hierarchy, and Count Priv\u00e9s wouldn&#8217;t be a good empress<br \/>\nanyway, meaning Cecilia still had the upper hand and would remain<br \/>\nthe winner of this immature game. She found one reason blaming count<br \/>\nprevious had something to do with it, as she might have been feeling threatened. So she seduced a man of great morals<br \/>\nlike Carlisle, who doesn&#8217;t let himself seem weak. The next morning, Giles, along with Lionel<br \/>\nBailey, were in the presence of His Majesty Carlisle, murmuring<br \/>\nsome words to each other and has a manner, pushing each other to ask His Majesty<br \/>\nabout what they came for. They went right at it,<br \/>\nbecause His Majesty seemed to be in a good mood and felt<br \/>\nit was right to ask him. Hence, they did tell Carlisle<br \/>\nabout an interesting news that they had heard this morning. Acting dumbfounded, Carlisle played along<br \/>\nand asked them to elaborate. They asked him if it was true<br \/>\nthat he had slept with count previous the prior night,<br \/>\nto which His Majesty replied in a very casual, unbothered way that yes,<br \/>\nit was true. Still playing like it was not a big deal, he asked them to state<br \/>\nthe interesting news that they had heard. Giles and Lionel both were left<br \/>\nbaffled and astonished, and told him<br \/>\nthat this was the interesting news they heard, asking him if he was drunk<br \/>\nlast night, to which Carlisle assured them that he was in his conscious<br \/>\nmind. Still unsure, they both kept asking<br \/>\nHis Majesty questions about the event, like if he was sure<br \/>\nthat the girl last night was for sure count<br \/>\nprevious as being not too shady about it. Carlisle cut the conversation off<br \/>\nby making them realize that their questions were too personal. Carlisle, with a smirk on his face,<br \/>\nthought that if the teacher and Lionel were asking him these questions directly, then it meant that his plan was executed<br \/>\nperfectly. He pondered how this rumor had affected<br \/>\nthe environment of the castle. As the harvest festival ended,<br \/>\nCount Priv\u00e9s was called upon by Carlisle and the maid that went to call her<br \/>\nand started referring to Count Privacies, Her Majesty,<br \/>\nto which Carlisle laughed uncontrollably. Noticing the changes in the attitudes<br \/>\nof servants and everyone at the castle, although Asher remained<br \/>\nthe same as before. Besides Carlisle also believes<br \/>\nhis reputation has further improved after the rumor spread<br \/>\nas the people pass some subtle smiles. Now, though,<br \/>\nit might still be hard to deceive. The Empress says she is a smart woman<br \/>\nand would remain doubtful. She has no other option<br \/>\nbut to accept this marriage. Count. Previous feels embarrassed<br \/>\nafter the rumor spreads, even Mina, the maid, starts<br \/>\nacting strange around her, suggesting count<br \/>\nprevious needs to look after her health and take care of her<br \/>\nby giving her traditional old remedies, such as putting herbs in Her Majesty&#8217;s<br \/>\nbathtub to prevent a cold, cleaning her nails,<br \/>\nputting a herbal facial mask, and applying a weird<br \/>\njelly like substance to Asher&#8217;s hair. A few days went by and it was Carlisle and count previous time<br \/>\nto take a couple&#8217;s portrait. The way both of them<br \/>\nlooked was commendable, so Carlisle, in a flirting manner,<br \/>\ntold her that she looked beautiful<br \/>\nand her maids skills were impressive. However, previous being privy Days gave a monotonous reply<br \/>\nthat she looks the same, and if someone were to be praised<br \/>\non beauty, it would be Carlisle. It was as if it was their way of flirting. Meanwhile, back in the Imperial Palace, Cecilia<br \/>\nand other royal ladies gathered at lunch, including Viviana, who thought she was<br \/>\ncalled upon to be made fun of. They all gathered to have a newly<br \/>\ndeveloped snack made by the palace&#8217;s potties,<br \/>\nalong with demure island black tea. All the ladies were eager<br \/>\nto give it a try. However, the Empress interrupted<br \/>\nthe ongoing conversation by saying that it didn&#8217;t seem like<br \/>\na suitable place for a mistress like Mrs. Dazzler,<br \/>\nas she isn&#8217;t seen on such occasions. Often. Seems like Laurie wasn&#8217;t<br \/>\nexpected to come to the gathering, as she hasn&#8217;t in the past,<br \/>\nwhich was unfamiliar to the noble ladies. Bori, being overwhelmed by the weird<br \/>\nquestions asked by the ladies, pretended to stay calm and answered politely to what seemed to Laurie as sarcastic remarks. Laurie told them that she had been wanting<br \/>\nto meet them all for a long time, but was a bit afraid to come due<br \/>\nto the evident age gap among them, and they wouldn&#8217;t get along so well, as Laurie herself is 25 years<br \/>\nold, making her the youngest Highness<br \/>\nsame age as one of the nobles daughters. As she pointed out, she justified<br \/>\nin her head that it wasn&#8217;t wrong of her to fool around with the Emperor,<br \/>\nwho was about the same age as her father, furthering her thought as she kept<br \/>\na pleasant straight face, she knew she would humble them all<br \/>\nonce she got pregnant with her son. The conversation continued as two of the nobles<br \/>\nmurmured to themselves about an ongoing rumor of a priest frequently visiting Lady<br \/>\nLaurie&#8217;s family estate. The priest is well known<br \/>\nfor helping people conceive a child,<br \/>\neven though Viscount Laurie is of an old age of 60 years old,<br \/>\nand yet he is still trying for a child. The marriage itself was arranged by Her<br \/>\nMajesty Cecilia, Lady Laurie got worried that if the news of this arrangement<br \/>\ngot out, it would be troublesome. So Her Majesty silenced the other ladies for making such sarcastic<br \/>\nremarks on a fact that is clear as day, stating that Lady<br \/>\nLaurie is the Emperor&#8217;s favorite, so she isn&#8217;t wrong in putting an effort<br \/>\ninto having a child for Your Majesty. When apologized for the behavior of Lady<br \/>\nTell on what Lady Laurie couldn&#8217;t figure out was whether she said it<br \/>\nin a sarcastic manner, or was it sincere. If lady tell on thought that the son born<br \/>\nwouldn&#8217;t be crowned as a prince? She kept these thoughts to herself. What struck<br \/>\nintriguing others was that even Her Majesty was wishing<br \/>\nwell for Lady Laurie&#8217;s pregnancy. After going back to the castle,<br \/>\nHer Majesty randomly started laughing, almost an evil laughter,<br \/>\nmaking the maid confused about whether something to laugh<br \/>\nabout was going on. Cecilia was laughing at<br \/>\nwhat went on in the social circle and how she was able to portray her<br \/>\nlack of involvement in Viviana. She wondered if she could, at least<br \/>\nwhen the sympathy of the social circle. But that alone was not enough,<br \/>\nas she needed to devise a bigger plan that would give her a way<br \/>\nto get back at Carlisle. Meanwhile, back at the pervasive,<br \/>\nan artist who was called for came, who was one of the top<br \/>\nfive artists in the Empire at the moment. His name is Fabian Roscoe. He greeted the Highness and told them<br \/>\nhe just be making a few copies as it is necessary to find one<br \/>\nthat suits them both, and only then could he be able to portray the love they both have for each other,<br \/>\nmaking Carlisle and Aisha wonder how he would showcase it<br \/>\nif it doesn&#8217;t even exist. Hours passed by making the atmosphere awkward and uncomfortable,<br \/>\nbut the sun still is up and in reality, only two hours had passed. Aisha looked half dead to Carlisle,<br \/>\nalthough all she did was sit still. Upon asking this, usher<br \/>\nreplied that she felt uncomfortable to have someone looking at her<br \/>\nso intently, meaning she is very shy in reality<br \/>\nand she wasn&#8217;t used to this. Unlike Carlisle, who has been experiencing<br \/>\nthis ever since he was a baby. Though he denied it being hard for him. Aisha insisted it might have been<br \/>\nwhether he denied it or not. Two months go by and November ends, meaning the preparations<br \/>\nand provisions for winter are ready. Everyone seemed to enjoy the winter<br \/>\nweather, especially Aisha, who found the snow<br \/>\nto be a surreal experience. Asha, watching the snow,<br \/>\nremembered it to be a blessing because whenever it snowed,<br \/>\nthe war went dull. But people did freeze to death<br \/>\nlike the elderly and children. She reminisced about the times<br \/>\nwhen people and whole families were found frozen to death, or people had frostbite<br \/>\nso bad that they had their parts cut off. As she went deep into her thoughts,<br \/>\nCarlisle made her snap back as it&#8217;s all fine now<br \/>\nand well prepared for the winter. All credit goes to Carlisle. She asked him if she could repay him<br \/>\nin any way possible. She would comply, but an unfamiliar norm<br \/>\nto shows that in Euro, winters are celebrated<br \/>\nas they&#8217;re considered to be. The years in celebrate<br \/>\nby inviting close people over for a party and eating good food like meat cookies, strawberry jam, and some cinnamon infused. Also exchanging gifts<br \/>\nwith each other is a tradition there. After saying this, Carlisle presented<br \/>\nJosh with a New Year&#8217;s gift that he had prepared for her, showcasing<br \/>\nhe does indeed care for her. Then Aisha looks at the package<br \/>\nor says to Carlisle, what is this? Then? Carlisle says,<br \/>\nI have mentioned this earlier. He thinks I will give you a gift<br \/>\nin December or don&#8217;t feel pressured,<br \/>\njust open the package. And then she opens the gift. After opening, she is astonished to see<br \/>\nsuch a beautiful necklace. After that, Carlisle says,<br \/>\ndo you know anything about magic stones? Then she says, yes, I know that. After that, Carlisle says, then you understand<br \/>\nthere is a magical stone in the necklace. After that, Carlisle<br \/>\nput the necklace on her neck. Her says to Aisha,<br \/>\nthis necklace will save your life. One day. Cecilia different sat by the window, lost in thought<br \/>\nuntil a white bird named Piper appeared, gliding through the sky and landing<br \/>\ngracefully on her extended finger. Smiling, she murmured,<br \/>\nthanks for the help today, Pippi. She gently took a letter from Piper&#8217;s<br \/>\nclaws and unfolded it, reading. There is a rumor spreading<br \/>\nin social circles that Lord Carlisle plans to summon<br \/>\nthe demon Karak. The rumor is supposedly based on chapter<br \/>\nfour of the Book of Hamar. The epicenter appears to be a temple,<br \/>\nand the Empress is using this to her advantage, further<br \/>\nunsettling the middle class with a sigh, Cecilia began to write a response<br \/>\nthe Lord summoning a demon. Is there really someone who believes that? She paused, clutching her letter. Her mind racing. It&#8217;s true. The middle class is vulnerable right now. I have to inform the Lord. Later. Cecilia found Carlisle Haven and reported. My lord,<br \/>\nPippi has brought some troubling news. She handed him the letter. Carlisle read it, his expression<br \/>\ndarkening their saying, I summon a demon. How? Cecilia explained. There&#8217;s a passage in chapter<br \/>\nfour of the Book of Hammack. It claims that to summon<br \/>\nthe demon Karaka, one must sacrifice 100 people, set fire to ten temples,<br \/>\nand be someone who serves no god. Are we supposed to burn ten temples now? Meanwhile, Giles raffled and Lionel<br \/>\nBailey were deep in conversation. Giles remarked,<br \/>\nI&#8217;ve never seen people so ungrateful. Lionel replied,<br \/>\nevery time Your Majesty wins a battle,<br \/>\nthey rush to organize a celebration. But now look at them. Hearing this, Cecilia interjected,<br \/>\nthe news spread quickly, precisely<br \/>\nbecause it&#8217;s provocative. Many people believe it, and sadly,<br \/>\nLord Carlisle&#8217;s reputation is suffering. Carlisle sighed, nodding. That&#8217;s exactly what Matthias<br \/>\nwants to leverage my reputation to his advantage,<br \/>\nmaking himself seem like an angel who benefits from my fame<br \/>\nnow hiding behind me all these years. Giles, frustrated, added, it&#8217;s<br \/>\nbecause the Empress has kept him from the battlefields. The people don&#8217;t see who she truly is. That&#8217;s why your reputation is so easily<br \/>\ntarnished by a rumor like this. Carlisle, with a pensive look, asked<br \/>\nso what should we do now? Giles suggested to solidify our support. We need an event that proves you,<br \/>\nmy lord, are irreplaceable. Carlisle thought for a moment. The only place I am truly<br \/>\nirreplaceable is the battlefield. Giles nodded. Yes. Most would agree. Carlisle leaned forward, his gaze serious. Are you suggesting we provoke a war<br \/>\nwith the southern regions? Lionel interrupted, looking doubtful. Is that even possible? Carlisle replied. No. I refuse to start a war without cause. It&#8217;s my duty to protect our people,<br \/>\nnot to risk their lives to secure power. Giles responded with understanding,<br \/>\nof course, my Lord, I didn&#8217;t mean to imply<br \/>\nwe start a war on purpose. I was simply saying that<br \/>\nif such an incident arose, it could work to our advantage. Carlisle glanced at him,<br \/>\nacknowledging the point. Yes. If that were to happen,<br \/>\nthe situation might resolve quickly. However, I dealt with Albania<br \/>\nbefore arriving in Papa, so we should have stability<br \/>\nfor at least three years, Giles vowed, respecting Carlisle&#8217;s<br \/>\ndecision. I&#8217;ll consider other ways to solidify<br \/>\nour position, Carlisle mused. I think I&#8217;ll need to visit zero soon. I want to gauge the atmosphere in the social circles<br \/>\nand speak with High priest Gabriel. Turning to Cecilia, he added once again,<br \/>\nI&#8217;m indebted to you, Lady Dove for it. Cecilia curtsied gracefully. It is my family&#8217;s duty to serve, my lord. I&#8217;m glad to help. I&#8217;ll take my leave now. If you have any news for Zaira,<br \/>\ndo call me. As Cecilia left, she reflected Lord<br \/>\nCarlisle has a surprisingly soft side, declaring war might not be a bad plan, but he&#8217;s always<br \/>\nconsidering the lives of commoners. I hope he sees my intent. When I said a call on me<br \/>\nfor personal reasons a few days later, Decker and Lionel were supervising<br \/>\nworkers shoveling snow. Lionel barked, hey, shovel<br \/>\nthe snow here, too! The workers exchanged annoyed glances. What did he just say? Muttered one busty. A guard nearby replied, that&#8217;s your side<br \/>\nof the gymnasium, so handle it yourself. You never scoffed. If it weren&#8217;t for us,<br \/>\nyou&#8217;d all let your guard down and the Arabian raiders<br \/>\nwould have overrun you by now. Decker chimed in. Show a little gratitude. You should at least pretend<br \/>\nto repay the favor, busty replied hotly. If we all fell, you wouldn&#8217;t be safe<br \/>\neither, one of busty comrades added. You would have come out eventually,<br \/>\nso why make such a fuss? Angered, Lionel snapped you homeless<br \/>\nbrats, sparking a full blown argument. Later, Lionel stood before Carlyle,<br \/>\nrecounting the incident. Apparently that&#8217;s what happened. I&#8217;ve told you countless times<br \/>\nthe guards caused the most trouble. You&#8217;re probably the only one they respect. They act like everyone else<br \/>\nis beneath them. Carlyle, looking concerned, asked. Well, this get back to count as per bars. Luna nodded. Most likely, if you&#8217;re concerned,<br \/>\nperhaps request a visit with her first. Carlyle scoffed. Am I some public figure to be summoned? It<br \/>\nwill. Lionel&#8217;s expression hardened. It would feel like we discipline<br \/>\nthe servants. If you&#8217;re okay with it,<br \/>\nthen go ahead and make the request. Carlyle turned, looking out a window. Proceed carefully<br \/>\nso there are no misunderstandings. A few moments later,<br \/>\nCarlyle called Usher Mere into the room. She entered with a respectful nod. Did you call for me? My Lord? Carlyle addressed her calmly. By the look on your face. I can tell you&#8217;ve already heard the news. I acknowledge that it was our guards who started the fight,<br \/>\nand I&#8217;d like to apologize on their behalf. Asia accepted with a bow. I&#8217;ll gladly accept your apology,<br \/>\nCarlyle continued. I also apologize for their crude language. Aisha dipped her head again.<br \/>\nThank you, my lord. The conversation was tense. Lionel stood nearby, silently observing. After a pause, Carlyle spoke again. Although today&#8217;s incident wasn&#8217;t serious, there&#8217;s no guarantee<br \/>\nsomething like this won&#8217;t happen again. Aisha nodded. That&#8217;s true. I expect future confrontations<br \/>\nto be worse, and simply telling them to get along<br \/>\nwon&#8217;t solve everything. Carlyle sighed in agreement. Yes, on. Fortunately,<br \/>\nLionel interjected with a suggestion. What if we had them trained together? Both Carlyle and Aisha turned to him. Surprised, Aisha voiced her concern. Oh, won&#8217;t that just lead to more fights? Lionel acknowledged her<br \/>\nworry at first, yes, but they&#8217;re soldiers. They could use each other&#8217;s strengths<br \/>\nto improve. Carlyle smirks slightly. That puts a scratch on my pride. Aisha quickly took side mine as well,<br \/>\nCarlyle teased. Oh, are you suggesting<br \/>\nthe Papa&#8217;s army is better than mine? Aisha replied with a slight smile. If it were an army against an army,<br \/>\nwe&#8217;d lose. But in a one on one,<br \/>\nI don&#8217;t think we&#8217;d be defeated. Carlyle raised a brow. Are you serious? Aisha met his gaze. Of course. Lionel stepped in again,<br \/>\nexplaining his vision. The idea is that if they understand<br \/>\neach other&#8217;s strengths through training, they&#8217;ll develop mutual respect<br \/>\nand maybe even camaraderie. Carlyle and Aisha exchanged glances,<br \/>\nconsidering his suggestion. A few days later, Lionel, Busty,<br \/>\nand Decker gathered with their teams. Lionel glanced at busty, muttering,<br \/>\nwhy are those troublemakers here? Busty chuckled. You think we&#8217;re worthy of training<br \/>\nwith a famous night&#8217;s? Just then, Carlyle and Asha stood before the assembled troops<br \/>\ncommanding attention. The troop saluted and training commenced. Carlyle leaned toward Aisha, whispering,<br \/>\nit looks impressive, but isn&#8217;t this a bit over the top? Aisha smirked.<br \/>\nWe&#8217;ve always been like this. Carlyle addressed the troops, his voice<br \/>\ncarrying authority. Men, the weather&#8217;s fine today. You&#8217;re here to train together. Despite the argument from a few days ago. After much discussion,<br \/>\nwe decided on joint training when the Abrams rated Army<br \/>\nstruggle due to its small numbers. If Papa&#8217;s forces were lost,<br \/>\nour own guards would be at a disadvantage. We&#8217;re establishing a unified system<br \/>\nbecause we&#8217;re in a symbiotic relationship. As he spoke, Oshima used<br \/>\nthe backlash is going to be intense. I knew this would happen. But Carlyle continued,<br \/>\nthis system will incorporate Papa&#8217;s methods<br \/>\nwith useful aspects from our own. Grumbling rippled through the troops. Some objected, shouting,<br \/>\nwhy should we follow their methods? They&#8217;re not even a proper army! Carlyle shot back. Do any of you know more about the tribes<br \/>\nin the abandoned lands than the Papa&#8217;s guards? They responded loudly. No. War requires understanding. Your enemy,<br \/>\nthe barbarian, is fight without structure. So if we stick with a complicated chain<br \/>\nof command, we&#8217;ll get ambushed. Those who know how to fight<br \/>\nthem will be invaluable. Osho observed the troops practicing<br \/>\nand whispered to Carlyle, if I were the top commander,<br \/>\nthey wouldn&#8217;t have agreed so easily. Carlyle nodded. I believe the one with more knowledge of the opponent<br \/>\nshould take command, Usha replied. You&#8217;re not so stubborn after all. Carlyle then called out to Sir Solon,<br \/>\nthe Haven Guard commander. Sir Solon,<br \/>\nthe atmosphere here is a bit tense. How about sparring with me? Solon approached, raising an eyebrow. Would you like me<br \/>\nto finally get my revenge? Carlyle grinned, holding out a stick. If you think you can. The sparring began. Solon charged, swinging his two sticks, but Carlyle deftly countered each strike. How can you be so tough on me<br \/>\nfrom the start? Solon asked through gritted teeth. I warned you, Carlyle<br \/>\nreplied, landing a sharp jab. You&#8217;ve been busy with administration. I see your techniques improved, but<br \/>\nyou&#8217;ve lost strength with a final move. Carlyle since Solon stumbling back, Solon<br \/>\ncatching his breath, turned to busty. How does a human move that fast? Busty chuckled. I&#8217;d be dead<br \/>\nbefore I even realize what hit me. Decker, standing nearby, added, at least Lord Carlyle<br \/>\nclosing the gap little by little. Oshae nodded. Indeed. Later<br \/>\nthat night, Aisha sat across from Baron Donovan, reviewing documents<br \/>\nby candlelight. Baron Donovan sighed, closing a book. Let&#8217;s call it a day. I&#8217;ll look over the rest<br \/>\ntomorrow, Oshae replied. Thank you for your hard work, Baron. As she turned to leave, the Baron<br \/>\nhesitated. Ayesha, are you all right? She stopped facing him<br \/>\nwith a thoughtful expression. I&#8217;m not sure. I can&#8217;t say if I&#8217;m okay or not. The relationship between our forces<br \/>\nwill improve over time with this training. Everything in pro bars<br \/>\nis running smoothly. But if you ask me how I feel about it all. Her voice trailed off as she stared<br \/>\ninto the dim room, deep in thought, Baron looked at Asha,<br \/>\nhis brow creased in concern. I&#8217;m not certain either, but I don&#8217;t think<br \/>\nthings could go wrong so quickly. Asha smiled a hint of sadness in her eyes. Even so, there&#8217;s no guarantee you want. Just like that person who wouldn&#8217;t<br \/>\neven let us look him in the eye, but now helps us rebuild. Pervez trying to steer the conversation. Asha added unexpected<br \/>\nthings can happen any time it&#8217;s late. Baron, you should get some rest instead. Baron gently took her hand. Asha, don&#8217;t bury your feelings like this. They&#8217;ll only explode at the worst<br \/>\npossible moment. Later,<br \/>\nher smile faded as she met his gaze. Then what do you want me to do? I don&#8217;t know what&#8217;s wrong with me lately. Baron&#8217;s eyes softened. You know you&#8217;re just pretending not to. Is it because of Lord Carlisle? Asha stiffened, then quickly looked away. Why does everything have to be about him? I don&#8217;t even know what you want me to say, Baron persisted, his voice gentle<br \/>\nbut firm. Did he hurt your pride? Caught off guard. Asha turned her face<br \/>\naway, unwilling to answer Baron&#8217;s voice softened even more. Asha, why are you hiding this from me? You know you could talk to me. This isn&#8217;t like you. After a moment&#8217;s silence, Asha<br \/>\nlet out a weary sigh. It&#8217;s just we have so much more support<br \/>\nnow than we did before. The young ones are thriving. Things we only dreamed of years ago<br \/>\nare finally happening. Of course I&#8217;m grateful. But. But. Baron prompted. Asha looked down, finally admitting. But part of me wishes I&#8217;d achieve it<br \/>\nall on my own. Because even if I wasn&#8217;t here<br \/>\nwith Carlisle&#8217;s help, Pervez would still. Baron shook his head, comforting her. Is that what&#8217;s troubling you, Asha? Don&#8217;t you remember how things were<br \/>\nwhen we returned from the battlefield? Asha looked at him confused. What are you talking about? Baron raised his voice<br \/>\nslightly exasperated. The only reason we survived was because<br \/>\nyou were willing to sacrifice yourself, even if only through<br \/>\na contractual marriage. You traded yourself<br \/>\nfor the lives of everyone here. If not for you,<br \/>\nmany would have perished this winter. You&#8217;re the reason our miserable future<br \/>\nchanged. You&#8217;re the one we all look up to. Asha of Purvis, not Carlisle. Evaristo. Hearing his words, Asha&#8217;s eyes<br \/>\nfilled with emotion, she managed a quiet. Thank you. Then, as she composed herself,<br \/>\nshe thought he&#8217;s right. I&#8217;m the Lord of Pervez. Even if Carlyle funds are improvements,<br \/>\nI&#8217;m the one willing to lay down my life to protect this place. I need to stay focused. A few months later, in late April,<br \/>\nAsha and Carlyle stood by the window, observing the Kingdom below. Asha peered through a spyglass,<br \/>\nscrutinizing the activity near the outskirts. There&#8217;s something strange over there. Carlyle took the spyglass, studying<br \/>\nthe same spot. You&#8217;re right.<br \/>\nIt&#8217;s different from last time. The snow&#8217;s melted and the ground<br \/>\nis finally stable enough for movement. But Asha wasn&#8217;t convinced. I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s just that<br \/>\nthose barbarians from the abandoned lands wouldn&#8217;t have the resources to build<br \/>\nsomething like this. Carlyle frowned thoughtfully. It&#8217;s bigger than a wagon,<br \/>\nbut smaller than a merchant&#8217;s carriage. It almost looks like a structure<br \/>\nmade of bones. Asha mused. Could it be the grooms? Or maybe another tribe? Carlyle asked. Asha shook her head. I&#8217;m not sure. The barbarians from the Forgotten Lands<br \/>\noften mix with each other, but they don&#8217;t usually take orders<br \/>\nfrom other tribes. If it&#8217;s an alliance,<br \/>\nit could be an attempt to regroup since the group&#8217;s defeat. What if they&#8217;re trying to ambush us? Separating us from<br \/>\nour main force would be dangerous. Carlisle&#8217;s gaze narrowed. So what&#8217;s your plan? Asha thought back to her childhood,<br \/>\nrecalling a conversation with her father. She remembered asking father,<br \/>\nwhy can&#8217;t we just accept the barbarians as citizens of Purvis? Her father had replied firmly, we can&#8217;t. The reason they survive in the Forgotten<br \/>\nLands is because they&#8217;re contaminated. Contaminated? She had asked innocently. There&#8217;s a strange energy there. Asha. No one knows exactly what it is. But those who become contaminated grow<br \/>\naggressive and destructive. If the barbarians simply wanted to solve<br \/>\ntheir supply problems, Pervez would have helped. But they always choose to loot<br \/>\nand attack instead. Which is why Pervez ended up<br \/>\npledging allegiance to the Empire. Asha remembered her confusion. Is that why we can&#8217;t use horses<br \/>\nfrom the Forgotten Lands? Yes, her father had replied. Whether it&#8217;s from lack of education<br \/>\nor some other reason, the barbarians can&#8217;t build<br \/>\ncomplex structures now. Back in the present,<br \/>\nAsha whispered to herself. If that&#8217;s true, then how could they<br \/>\npossibly have constructed something this large? Suddenly, a loud commotion outside<br \/>\nbroke her train of thought. The barbarians are attacking us! Asha and Carlyle exchanged alarmed<br \/>\nglances, and she pointed out the window. Look over there. Outside. The barbarians had assembled,<br \/>\nlaunching stones toward the palace. They have trebuchet. Asha exclaimed<br \/>\nbefore rushing from the room. She found Basti and immediately demanded. Report based. He nodded grimly. It&#8217;s a larger force than last time. Everyone quickly<br \/>\ngathered as they assess the situation. Do we know which tribe it is? He asked one of the soldiers. It&#8217;s the Ikram tribe, came the reply. Asha&#8217;s eyes narrowed the eyebrows. Why would they attack again<br \/>\nafter suffering so many losses in the last battle? Geronimo offered his assessment. There are about 2000 of them. We haven&#8217;t been able<br \/>\nto locate their rearguard yet, he added. Their number of cavalry has doubled<br \/>\nand many of their horses aren&#8217;t from the Forgotten Lands. OSHA&#8217;s expression grew tense. That&#8217;s more than double our forces,<br \/>\nand they even surpass us in cavalry. She took a deep breath. This time I&#8217;ll have to ask for Carlisle&#8217;s<br \/>\nhelp. Asha entered Carlisle&#8217;s<br \/>\noffice, her face resolute. Please help me, she said,<br \/>\nher voice steady. I&#8217;ll accept the consequences,<br \/>\nwhatever they may be. Consequences? Carlisle asked, slightly taken aback. Then he sighed. It is. Army is wiped out. Will suffer<br \/>\na significant disadvantage ourselves. This is a war. We need to fight together. Asia, clench your fists. If you hadn&#8217;t come to power bars,<br \/>\nthey wouldn&#8217;t have attacked us. That&#8217;s why<br \/>\nwe&#8217;ve been holding them back on our own. Carlisle shook his head. You might see me as arrogant, but trying to protect Papa&#8217;s by yourself<br \/>\nis just as arrogant. I am Poobah savior, Ashur insisted. If I can&#8217;t accept the consequences,<br \/>\nthen I&#8217;m not worthy of that title. Carlisle paused, then nodded thoughtfully. You&#8217;re the foundation of power bars. It&#8217;s been that way from the beginning. If you want to repay<br \/>\nme, we&#8217;ll address that later. Soon Carlisle and Usha rode out together<br \/>\nwith their knights, preparing for an intense battle<br \/>\nagainst the barbarians. As they scouted the field, Carlisle observed,<br \/>\nthey seemed more organized than usual. It&#8217;s as if they&#8217;ve been planning this. OSHA&#8217;s brow furrowed. There&#8217;s no way they could access<br \/>\nthat much support on their own. Carlisle considered her words,<br \/>\nthen nodded. If it&#8217;s not a spy, then the only answer is<br \/>\nthat they receive help from outside. Outside? Asha asked, alarmed. Carlisle smiled grimly. Someone with endless resources<br \/>\nfanning the flames of AI grim aggression. Aisha&#8217;s expression hardened<br \/>\nas she thought about his implication. Is per bars<br \/>\nalso going to suffer in the end? Carlisle glanced at her.<br \/>\nWhat&#8217;s the matter? Are you afraid? Afraid? Aisha scoffed. Do you think we&#8217;d be scared of something<br \/>\nso trivial? You look troubled, Carlisle noted. Asha huffed. I&#8217;m more frustrated than afraid. I&#8217;m just not certain if your guards<br \/>\nand my army can work together effectively. But they&#8217;ve grown closer since training. We&#8217;ll move in three groups as planned,<br \/>\nwith offense and defense split. You and I will lead from the front. Carlisle gave orders<br \/>\nassigning guard, Bailey and Solon to cover the left and right, while guard<br \/>\nDonovan would protect the castle. Are we ready? Carlisle asked. Yes my lord. The troops replied in unison. Turning to. Carlisle asked. Anything else to say before we begin? She shook her head. Same as always. Carlisle grinned. All right then, let&#8217;s go. The command echoed, and both sides charged into battle<br \/>\nas the fighting erupted. Carlisle leaned toward Isaiah. I&#8217;m entrusting my back to you, my lady. They moved with precision, each defending the other as they fought fiercely<br \/>\nagainst the barbarians. One of the attackers shouted. It&#8217;s her! That&#8217;s her! Carlisle immediately blocked their path. And where do you think you&#8217;re going? He charged forward, breaking through<br \/>\nthe enemy line with skill and agility. Asha called out on your right<br \/>\nand together they cut down their foes, thinning the ranks of the barbarians. Carlisle glanced at her, impressed. That was good work. Asha, breathing heavily, snapped. Focus on what&#8217;s in front of you. Carlisle thought to himself. Being able<br \/>\nto entrust your back to someone. It&#8217;s quite something. Aisha shouted again. Watch your front! She lunged forward,<br \/>\ndispatching another enemy. Carlisle chuckled. You&#8217;re the one who should be careful. She looked back at him.<br \/>\nI owe you for that. He nodded. No. I&#8217;m the one who owes you. Watching them. A knight muttered. Their teamwork is incredible. Nearby Buster, still fighting, called out. Hey, watch out for those behind you! Another knight replied. You&#8217;re one to talk. And can you still say<br \/>\nour swords are just for show? Busty grinned, deflecting in attack. All right, all right. I&#8217;ll admit it&#8217;s no hindrance. An old man watch from a nearby window. His gaze intense<br \/>\nas he observed the battle. The ones without clothes are the<br \/>\nbarbarians and those with armor are ours. That&#8217;s about all I can distinguish. But are you the one who stands out<br \/>\nso much is the next emperor and the woman beside him. I never thought I&#8217;d see her<br \/>\non the battlefield herself. The old man rubbed his chin,<br \/>\nmurmuring to himself. I&#8217;ve studied many people. But this this is something else. They move as if they&#8217;re one<br \/>\nwith a sudden burst of inspiration. He rushed to his sketch board. Yes. The place where their bond is truly<br \/>\nvisible is not within the castle walls,<br \/>\nbut here on the battlefield. He prepared his tools<br \/>\nwith a fervent determination. This art work. It might just be my finest piece yet. A great fight erupted among the group. A brave man exclaimed, damn it! Did you not mention anything about this? Another man added. Those liars, they used us. I&#8217;m going to curse them. Aisha thought to herself. Used us by those masters, Knight said. As you told your Highness,<br \/>\nit does not seem like a war started by the Ingrams on purpose,<br \/>\nCarlisle replied. Those bastards<br \/>\nprobably don&#8217;t expect to win. They&#8217;re going to keep using<br \/>\nthis method to disturb me. Aisha responded. Then we have to finish them off<br \/>\nso that they won&#8217;t crawl out again. Carlisle said. I really like your fiery side. Let&#8217;s make the bars free and stop<br \/>\ncoming over to the imperial territory once and for all. Let&#8217;s show them who was protecting<br \/>\nthe borders of the Empire. Third Battalion, I seal the borders. Their braves will be here in Parvez. The barbarians launched an attack<br \/>\nsurrounding them. But they all held their hands tightly,<br \/>\nready to fight against the onslaught. Asia attacked one barbarian and exclaimed. It seems like they&#8217;re trying<br \/>\nto get rid of His Highness. Carlisle responded while fighting. Their effort is commendable. After attacking the barbarians<br \/>\nwith swords, Carlisle exclaimed. It is my first time<br \/>\nseeing people give up their own lives like this is their withdrawal route<br \/>\nmaking them rush over. Or as Carlisle bravely killed the enemy. The master of the barbarians<br \/>\nbecame furious and launched another attack on him. A powerful barbarian charged at Carlisle. But Ashur, standing by his side,<br \/>\nintervened and killed the barbarian. Carlisle said, I owe you again, man. What did that man say? Osher replied, I am not sure. I have never heard the barbarians from the abandoned land speak their own<br \/>\nlanguage, Carlisle exclaimed. I think I have heard something similar. Seven years ago,<br \/>\nyoung Carlisle sat in a carriage, staring outside as he heard<br \/>\nthe sounds of an unknown language. Two strange men<br \/>\nwere conversing in a crude dialect. He exclaimed,<br \/>\nwhat are they mumbling about now? As he engaged in the tense conversation,<br \/>\na barbarian prepared to attack him. But Asia countered the attack<br \/>\nand to save Carlisle. She asked, what are you doing? Suddenly? He replied. I was thinking about the words they said. She said, don&#8217;t focus on that. They&#8217;re all going to die anyway. Carlisle remarked strangely. Your words have been quite provocative<br \/>\nfor a while. Normally, a person can&#8217;t stay sane<br \/>\nwhen they&#8217;re on the battlefield. You&#8217;re the only one confident enough<br \/>\nto say crazy things about a royal family. Carlisle lost himself in thought. Right. I think I was acting weird because it has<br \/>\nbeen a while since I killed someone. Otherwise<br \/>\nI wouldn&#8217;t be thinking that she&#8217;s pretty. He said to Usha. Let&#8217;s go. My wife Usha replied. I&#8217;ll be all right behind you. Together they attacked the barbarians<br \/>\nonce more in a great battle ensued. A sea of barbarian corpses<br \/>\nsoon littered the ground, and they stared at each other<br \/>\nafter their fierce assault. The next morning, as the sun rose,<br \/>\nthey surveyed the aftermath. A significant number of barbarians had<br \/>\nbeen slain by their team, Carlisle said. I think we are finished, Usha replied. I think so too. They step toward each other<br \/>\nand shared a kiss. As they kiss, the sounds of hurray,<br \/>\nhurray! Erupted from the knights. The knights of Parvez cheered loudly<br \/>\nin celebration of their victory. Meanwhile, Gabriel Knox in the palace was filled with worry and sorrow. He exclaimed, useless guys,<br \/>\nif I have helped this much! They should have at least scratched<br \/>\nCarlisle. He was consumed by regret. Gabriel seethed with frustration, regret<br \/>\nsharpening his every word. Useless bastards. After all the help I gave them, they should have at least managed<br \/>\nto scratch Carlisle. But then that pain I feel every time<br \/>\nmy power collides with his, it&#8217;s unbearable. It&#8217;s as if I&#8217;m<br \/>\nfighting against the power of God himself. It makes me feel like the devil&#8217;s minion. Reflecting on his journey,<br \/>\nGabriel recalled the sacrifices he&#8217;d made after becoming a servant of God. I worked tirelessly to set the Empire<br \/>\nstraight, but even within the Holy Temple, there was an invisible wall of power,<br \/>\na hierarchy woven with discrimination and contempt rooted in status, power<br \/>\nand wealth. Those without any of these couldn&#8217;t<br \/>\neven remain in the capital. He remembered the moment that changed<br \/>\neverything. The day he first saw Prince Carlyle,<br \/>\nyoung children around him cheered. His Majesty the Prince has arrived<br \/>\nas a boy stumbled and fell in excitement. Gabriel caught the child gently asking,<br \/>\nare you all right? Before looking up to see the prince sitting aloof on his horse,<br \/>\nbarely glancing at the fallen child. So this is the man destined to be emperor. Gabriel thought, his dismay growing. If he becomes ruler, arrogance<br \/>\nand power will reign unchecked. I can&#8217;t bear the thought of someone like him<br \/>\nruling simply because he&#8217;s of royal blood. Determined to find a way to challenge<br \/>\nthe system. Gabriel scoured the ancient library. One day he came across a book<br \/>\nwith no title. A book without a title. What could it be? Opening it. His expression changed to shock and awe. Black magic. Sorcery forbidden by the temple. He stared at the book. Torn. Using this is wrong. But if it&#8217;s the only way<br \/>\nto save the Empire. Gabriel justified his actions, thinking I am but a humble priest<br \/>\nwith no other path to power. This sacrifice, no matter how dark, is<br \/>\nfor the greater good. Renato will understand and forgive me. After all, I&#8217;m only trying to purify the empire<br \/>\nthrough the black magic he discovered. Gabriel forged a spell<br \/>\nto empower the barbarians as he cast the magic connecting their bodies<br \/>\nto his circle of power. He set a condition. If they failed to kill Carlyle,<br \/>\ntheir lives will be forfeited. This way the barbarians live<br \/>\nserved his cause as a sacrifice. But even as they perished,<br \/>\nhe felt an unsettling realization. The life force feels small<br \/>\ncompared to the number of lives lost. Is this a curse from the abandoned lands? Reflecting on the rumors<br \/>\nsurrounding the abandoned lands. He wondered to some<br \/>\nit may be a wasteland, but to others it could be unexplored territory<br \/>\nbrimming with unknown forces. The possibilities are endless. Meanwhile, after a grueling battle, the forces of Pervez and their allies<br \/>\nhad successfully defeated the garam tribe. They use burning oil catapults<br \/>\nto drive the enemy back beyond the border, disposing of their bodies<br \/>\nin the cursed lands before restoring the broken barriers. When they returned to the castle,<br \/>\nBaron Donovan greeted them with a grateful smile. Thank you all for your hard work. It took nearly a month in total,<br \/>\nCarlyle replied. But you as well, Baron. We couldn&#8217;t have defeated the Seagrams without the proper supplies<br \/>\nand strategic deployment. Baron Donovan<br \/>\nshrugged, modestly, deflecting the praise. I merely followed your orders. He turned to Osho with a knowing smile. Alvarez. People find compliments a bit awkward. Aisha, however, seemed lost in thought. Her eyes distant. She and Carlyle had agreed wordlessly not to discuss<br \/>\nwhat had happened on the battlefield. Almost as if bound by an unspoken<br \/>\npromise, Carlyle broke the silence. Turning to Aisha,<br \/>\nwe should hold a victory banquet. We won the war. After all, a victory banquet. She replied, almost incredulous. We&#8217;ve never done anything like that<br \/>\nbefore in the past. We barely had enough to eat,<br \/>\nlet alone to hold a feast. Carlyle smiled. While there may have been true<br \/>\nin the past, but not anymore. I&#8217;ll spare no expense. Let&#8217;s celebrate everyone&#8217;s hard work. Prepare for a victory banquet. Excitement filled the air as preparations<br \/>\nbegan. Isaac, thrilled by their victory,<br \/>\nturned to Basti. I really thought I was a goner out there. The mud kept making me slip<br \/>\nand I could hardly keep my footing. Basti laughed. That&#8217;s where I came in to save you. Watching them. Aisha murmured to Carlisle. It&#8217;s a relief to see them getting along. Men always end up forming bonds<br \/>\non the battlefield in so many ways. I&#8217;m proud of the work we&#8217;ve done here. Far away. Beatrice watched from her castle, envy<br \/>\nand resentment darkening her features. This victory will be a warning<br \/>\nto the Empress, to the barbarians<br \/>\nand anyone else who dares challenge us. The evening had grown quiet. The tension between Carlisle and Aisha,<br \/>\nunmistakable as they spent time together<br \/>\nin the intimacy of the palace. Their shared moments were tinged<br \/>\nwith an undeniable romantic undertone. Carlisle leaned close<br \/>\nto Asha, a mischievous glint in his eye. What I truly desire is to have you. Asha blinked in surprise, her voice<br \/>\ntrembling slightly. No way. Are you suggesting you choose a woman<br \/>\nof privacy for your company tonight? Carlisle smirked. Why would I need that<br \/>\nwhen my wife is here with me? Are we a couple after all? His words rendered Asha speechless. Her cheeks flushed. Carlisle,<br \/>\never perceptive, thought to himself. If we&#8217;ve come this far. Perhaps she&#8217;ll finally stop<br \/>\nquestioning my intentions. After a long pause, Asha<br \/>\nresponded, her voice soft. All right. Startled, Carlisle leaned back. Wait. What? I was only joking. Do you really think I&#8217;m that shameless? Asha hesitated before replying. Her eyes averted. No, but I&#8217;ll pay your price. Her thoughts swirled in turmoil<br \/>\nrather than endangering privacy again. This might be the simplest way<br \/>\nto settle things between us. So she asked carefully, is tonight<br \/>\nacceptable? Carlisle&#8217;s expression shifted as a sly<br \/>\nsmile curved his lips. I&#8217;ll be looking forward to it, he said, his voice<br \/>\nlight as he turned and left the room. Later, as Asha sat in the steaming bath, she tried to steady her thoughts<br \/>\nwithout burdening. I can repay His Highness on my own terms. This might be the best solution. Better to face this head on than to live<br \/>\nwith the unease gripping my heart. Summoning her handmaid Nina. Asha gave her instructions. Bring me the ointment<br \/>\nwe received from His Highness. Yes, my lady, Nina responded promptly, returning with a fragrant oil<br \/>\nas she began to massage OSHA&#8217;s shoulders. She commented, this oil is said<br \/>\nto rejuvenate both the body and soul. Milady,<br \/>\nperhaps you should use it more often. Aisha gave a small smile. Maybe I&#8217;ll think about it, though,<br \/>\nif I use it again. I might always be reminded of tonight. Once the massage was complete,<br \/>\nNina helped Oshae prepare for bed. Shall I fetch your nightgown, milady? Yes, the one you showed me<br \/>\nlast time, Asha replied absently. Nina raised an eyebrow in surprise. Are you not<br \/>\nsleeping in your usual chambers tonight without waiting for an answer? She darted away to retrieve the garment as she dressed Asha,<br \/>\nNina fussed over the details. Would you like me<br \/>\nto apply some makeup as well? Asha shook her head. It&#8217;s unnecessary. There&#8217;s<br \/>\nno need for such things at this hour. Her voice grew firmer. Nina, I prefer you not speak of tonight&#8217;s<br \/>\nevent to anyone. Can I count on your discretion? Nina bowed. Of course, my lady. When Asha was alone again,<br \/>\nher thoughts darkened. Anyone who sees me like this<br \/>\nmight think I&#8217;m preparing for my deathbed. But I forced this situation upon us. And now it&#8217;s my responsibility<br \/>\nto pay the price. I can&#8217;t rely on his kindness anymore. Resolutely, she tied her nightdress<br \/>\nand draped a robe over it before stepping out into the corridor. In his chambers,<br \/>\nCarlyle sat alone, his mind preoccupied. How should I handle this? He wondered. She&#8217;s serious about this, isn&#8217;t she? A knock at the door<br \/>\nstartled him from his thoughts. Enter. He called when Asha walked in. The faint scent of fragrant oil<br \/>\nreached him, making his chest tighten. This scent. How persistent can she be? He thought,<br \/>\nwatching her with conflicted emotions. No matter what she does,<br \/>\nI can&#8217;t accept this as payment. Why has she gone to such lengths? Asha, untie her robe,<br \/>\nrevealing her nightdress beneath. Excuse me? For my lack of experience,<br \/>\nshe began, her voice trembling. I. I&#8217;ll be grateful if His Highness,<br \/>\nwho is more knowledgeable, can guide me. Carlyle&#8217;s heart ached at her words. He hadn&#8217;t expected her sincerity<br \/>\nto pierce him like this. I only meant to tease her a little<br \/>\nand send her back to her room. But as he stepped toward her, his foot<br \/>\ncaught on the edge of the carpet and he nearly stumbled. Are you all right? Aisha exclaimed, rushing forward. I&#8217;m fine,<br \/>\nhe replied, regaining his balance. Just a little tipsy. It&#8217;s late.<br \/>\nPerhaps we should call it a night. Ignoring his words, Asha<br \/>\nbegan to untie the top of her nightdress. Then let me get ready, she murmured, her<br \/>\nhand steady despite her nerves. Carlyle eyes widened<br \/>\nas she removed her robe. Standing there in her delicate nightwear. He stepped closer. Torn between the desire to protect her<br \/>\nand the growing tension in the air. Aisha, he began softly,<br \/>\nhis voice wavering. She looked up at him,<br \/>\nher expression open and unguarded. And in that moment,<br \/>\nthe space between them disappeared. Their fates entwined by a single, shared<br \/>\nvulnerability. Carlyle stood motionless in front of Asha, his piercing gaze searching hers. He exhaled sharply<br \/>\nand muttered, ridiculous. Do you really think I&#8217;ll sympathize<br \/>\nwith such theatrics? Asha remained silent. Her expression<br \/>\na mix of determination and vulnerability. Carlyle turned to leave,<br \/>\nconvinced his words would end this awkward confrontation. But just as he took<br \/>\na step, Asha grabbed his hand, her grip firm<br \/>\ndespite the tremor in her voice. I how can I? She stammered. Unable<br \/>\nto complete her thought. Carlyle turned back to face her. What? He asked, his tone a blend of confusion<br \/>\nand exasperation, without answering. Asha lifted his hand to her lips<br \/>\nand pressed a gentle kiss upon it. Carlyle froze, his eyes widening in shock. What are you doing now? He demanded, though his voice betrayed<br \/>\nhis surprise more than his annoyance. Asha didn&#8217;t respond immediately. Continuing to kiss his hand<br \/>\nas if seeking reassurance. Finally, she apologized softly. I&#8217;m sorry. I don&#8217;t know what I should do. Please tell me. Her sincerity left Carlyle<br \/>\nmomentarily speechless. His thoughts churned as he stared at her. What is she thinking? Is this really her way of showing trust? Meanwhile,<br \/>\nAsha was lost in her own thoughts, recalling the words of noble women<br \/>\ngossiping about their first nights. Their words lingered in her mind. Did it hurt a lot? Did the sheets of blood on them? Her hands trembled slightly<br \/>\nas she thought. If blood means there&#8217;s a wound,<br \/>\nthen it must hurt. But I&#8217;ve been wounded<br \/>\nmany times in battle. This will be okay to Asha,<br \/>\nCarlyle said softly, breaking her reverie. Yes, she replied, her voice barely<br \/>\nabove a whisper. Carlyle sighed. His frustration mingled with tenderness. This is enough. Let&#8217;s not. But Osho abruptly ran to the bed,<br \/>\nignoring his words. She sat down and asked. Can we lie down now? Carlyle groaned. Running a hand through his hair. Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to embarrass me? Why? Aisha asked, genuinely confused. You&#8217;re acting strange today, Carlyle said, his voice<br \/>\nlaced with both concern and irritation. He thought to himself, no matter<br \/>\nhow many times I try to send her away. She keeps coming back. I know. Admitted quietly. Dressing like this doesn&#8217;t suit me at all. That&#8217;s not it. Carlyle snapped his patience,<br \/>\nwearing thin. It&#8217;s your behavior. My behavior?<br \/>\nShe echoed, her voice shaking. What do you mean? It seems like my destiny doesn&#8217;t favor me. Carlyle softened his tone. Gentler now. It&#8217;s not that I don&#8217;t like you, Aisha. I just. Before he could finish. Aisha leaned forward<br \/>\nand pulled him onto the bed with her. Startled, he blurted. You don&#8217;t know how much effort it&#8217;s<br \/>\ntaking me to resist this. Then why do you keep rejecting me<br \/>\nif you don&#8217;t hate it? She asked, her voice<br \/>\ntrembling with frustration and longing. Her words stunned Carlyle for a moment. Neither of them moved. Then Aisha leaned in, her lips,<br \/>\nbrushing his Carlyle&#8217;s resistance crumbled as he responded, the unspoken tension<br \/>\nbetween them finally dissolving<br \/>\nin the quiet of the midnight hour. Carlyle leaned over Aisha, his fingers<br \/>\nbrushing her hair as he studied her face. Her expression was both nervous<br \/>\nand determined. Are you scared? He asked gently. Aisha hesitated before nodding a little. It&#8217;s my first time, after all. Carlyle smiled softly, his voice soothing. Don&#8217;t worry. It won&#8217;t hurt much. I promise. Aisha swallowed her nerves<br \/>\nand replied, Your Highness. I&#8217;d appreciate it<br \/>\nif you could leave me well. Her words brought a flicker of surprise<br \/>\nto Carlisle&#8217;s face. It&#8217;s the same for me, he said.<br \/>\nWhat do you mean? Aisha asked confused. Carlyle leaned closer. His breath warm against her skin. This is my first time to with you. Aisha blinked, unsure how to respond. Instead, she whispered,<br \/>\nif there&#8217;s anything you want, Your Highness, just tell me. Carlyle smiled again. His fingers brushing against her cheek. What do you think I want? Asha&#8217;s voice trembled as she replied. Whatever it is, I&#8217;ll do my best<br \/>\nif this is the price I have to pay. Then so be it. Carlyle&#8217;s expression turned serious<br \/>\nas he gazed into her eyes. Let me ask you something first. If you&#8217;re offering your body as repayment<br \/>\nfor my help in battle, I&#8217;ll stop here. But if you truly want me,<br \/>\nI won&#8217;t hold back. Tell me the truth, Asha. Asha&#8217;s breath hitched as his word sank in. She bowed her head, struggling<br \/>\nto find the answer in her heart. Why? I don&#8217;t know. I&#8217;m not sure if this is just repayment<br \/>\nor if I truly want you. Carlyle kept her face<br \/>\ngently, his voice barely a whisper. You don&#8217;t really want me, do you? In response, Asha grabbed his arm tightly. I don&#8217;t know about that. She admitted, her voice trembling. But please just hold me. Her plea broke through Carlyle&#8217;s<br \/>\nhesitation. He pulled her into a tight embrace,<br \/>\ntheir shared vulnerability binding them together in a moment of passion and understanding<br \/>\nfor the rest of the night. They shared a love<br \/>\nthat was both tender and intense. Their connection deepening in ways<br \/>\nneither of them had expected. The morning sunlight streamed through<br \/>\nthe curtains as Asha stirred awake. Her body wrapped in the lingering warmth of the night, realizing<br \/>\nshe was still in Carlisle&#8217;s bed. She sighed. Her mind flooded with the memories<br \/>\nof their shared intimacy. The sun is rising. I should leave before anyone sees me. Carefully. She slipped out of bed, dressed<br \/>\nin her hoodie, and left his chambers, returning to her own room. She shut the door and leaned against it. Her thoughts racing. Carlyle&#8217;s<br \/>\nwords from the night echoed in her mind. Did it hurt a lot? Relax, Sasha. I won&#8217;t stop if you really want me. Her chest tightened<br \/>\nas she whispered to herself. Why didn&#8217;t I stop him back then? Guilt and confusion consumed her<br \/>\nas she sat on the edge of her bed. It&#8217;s only temporary, she thought. It&#8217;s because it was my first time. You probably treat other women<br \/>\nthis way too. There&#8217;s no way I actually wanted him. This is just a contract marriage<br \/>\nafter all. I&#8217;m not even the real Crown Princess. I just gave her my body<br \/>\nin exchange for help in battle. Meanwhile, Carlisle woke up, stretching his arm toward the other side<br \/>\nof the bed, only to find it empty. A frown creased his brow as he sat up,<br \/>\nhis gaze falling on the crumpled sheets. She left. Did I sleep too late? Was she waiting for me and gave up? He wondered. His mind wandered to the thought<br \/>\nof her expression as she left. Was she upset with me? He rang the bell, summoning a servant. Deliver this message to my wife. What do you think of having lunch together<br \/>\ntoday? As the servant departed, Carlisle leaned<br \/>\nback, a faint smile playing on his lips. When we meet,<br \/>\nshe&#8217;ll let me kiss her on the cheek. Right. Later that day, usher arrived<br \/>\nat Carlisle&#8217;s chambers for lunch. She greeted him formally. Thank you for inviting me<br \/>\nto have a meal with you, my lord. Carlisle responded with a warm smile. This much is expected<br \/>\nfor our relationship. Call me sweet as they eat. Carlisle couldn&#8217;t help but notice Sasha&#8217;s<br \/>\ndemeanor, calm yet distant. He finally spoke up. Is something bothering you, my lord? Aisha paused mid bite, her gaze<br \/>\nlifting to meet his. Why do you ask? Do I look trouble? You&#8217;re barely eating. She pointed out. Carlisle tilted<br \/>\nhis head, his voice tinged with amusement. And you have no idea why that might be. Aisha hesitated before asking. Did something unpleasant happen<br \/>\nat the banquet yesterday? There was a woman who wanted to spend the night with me at the banquet,<br \/>\nCarlisle replied casually. Her response was immediate, though<br \/>\ndevoid of emotion. Then you must have missed the opportunity<br \/>\nbecause of me. Carlisle studied her closely, unsure if she was truly oblivious<br \/>\nor intentionally pretending not to care. How can she act<br \/>\nas if nothing happened last night? He thought, frustration simmering beneath<br \/>\nhis composed exterior with a light laugh. He remarked, Miss Cecilia and Miss Dorothy<br \/>\nmust have been disappointed they couldn&#8217;t attend the banquet. Perhaps<br \/>\nI should have dinner with him tonight. Go ahead, Aisha replied nonchalantly,<br \/>\nfocusing on her plate, her indifferent star. Carlisle pressed further. You&#8217;re fine with that? You have nothing else to say? Of course, she said flatly. Do I just need to come here again tonight? Her words left Carlisle speechless. Finally he said, do as you please. And stood abruptly. The bitterness in his tone<br \/>\nwas unmistakable. Decide for yourself,<br \/>\nhe added before leaving the table. That evening, Carlisle hosted dinner<br \/>\nwith Dorothy and Cecilia. Dorothy<br \/>\nraised her glass with a gracious smile. It&#8217;s a bit late, but congratulations<br \/>\non your victory, my lord. Cecilia chimed in. I&#8217;m glad you returned safely. Carlisle nodded, offering polite thanks. As he glanced at Isaiah,<br \/>\nhe noticed her simple attire, practical and unadorned, almost as if she were ready to march back<br \/>\nonto the battlefield. Dorothy<br \/>\nturned to Osho with a curious smile. I heard Count Papa&#8217;s<br \/>\nperformance in the war was remarkable. Cecilia added, her tone<br \/>\nslightly condescending. It must have been difficult<br \/>\nwielding a sword with a woman&#8217;s body. Weren&#8217;t you afraid Asha&#8217;s expression<br \/>\nhardened, but her voice remained calm. I simply did what I needed to protect<br \/>\nwhat&#8217;s mine. It&#8217;s better to wield a sword than sit idle<br \/>\nand invite death. Cecilia Abro feigning surprise. But surely this battle was easier<br \/>\nwith Lord Carlisle commanding if he had been in charge<br \/>\nduring the Lewa era. The war wouldn&#8217;t have lasted so long. Don&#8217;t you agree? Carlisle&#8217;s jaw tightened<br \/>\nas he silently seated. How can she belittle someone who led<br \/>\nthe war against the barbarians to victory? Is it ignorance or arrogance? OSHA&#8217;s grip on her fort tightened<br \/>\nbefore she placed it on the table with deliberate care. You&#8217;re right, she said coolly. If Lord Carlisle had led the war from the start,<br \/>\nthe outcome would have been much better. Dorothy turned to Carlisle<br \/>\nwith a bright smile. Please tell us more about the war,<br \/>\nmy lord. We can&#8217;t leave it out of a dinner<br \/>\nmeant to celebrate your victory. Carlisle nodded, his voice<br \/>\nsteady as he addressed the group. As you know, the barbarians attacked<br \/>\nBarbas under the Empress&#8217;s instigation. It may sound strange,<br \/>\nbut I didn&#8217;t hate fighting them. Not once during the battle<br \/>\ndid I feel we might lose. Dorothy&#8217;s eyes lit with curiosity. What do you mean, my lord? Carlisle&#8217;s gaze softened<br \/>\nas it fell on Isaiah for the first time. I had someone I could trust in my back. I want to take this moment<br \/>\nto think on purpose. I&#8217;ve never fought alongside someone<br \/>\nso in sync with me. That battle will always be memorable<br \/>\nto me. Asher startled by sincerity, replied quietly,<br \/>\nI should be the one thanking you, my lord. Cecilia and Dorothy exchanged glances. Their expressions<br \/>\nbetraying their discomfort. Cecilia&#8217;s smile faltered<br \/>\nas she realized her attempts to belittle Asha had failed, leaving her<br \/>\nsilent for the remainder of the evening. The dinner had ended and Asha moved<br \/>\ntoward the door, eager to leave. Dorothy<br \/>\nturned to Carlisle with a polite smile. Thank you for the invitation,<br \/>\nYour Highness. Carlisle nodded. I&#8217;d love to see you again<br \/>\nshould the opportunity arise. However, his gaze was fixed on Asha<br \/>\nas she stepped outside. Are you going back downstairs? He asked her. Yes, she replied, her tone distant. I&#8217;m going to get some fresh air. Aisha sat in the garden under<br \/>\nthe moonlight, her thoughts swirling. Did they think I was strange tonight? I tried to act normal,<br \/>\nbut it probably came across as unnatural. She clenched her hands in her lap. Why do I feel so self-conscious<br \/>\naround him? Her mind drifted to the dinner<br \/>\nconversation. Carlisle had complimented<br \/>\nboth Dorothy and Cecilia. He didn&#8217;t say a single bad thing to them. Why does that bother me so much?<br \/>\nShe sighed. Of course, it&#8217;s<br \/>\nbecause of our differences. They&#8217;re born into noble families,<br \/>\ntrained to lead and to shine in society. While I. Her thoughts trailed off as frustration<br \/>\nconsumed her. What am I doing here? This position doesn&#8217;t suit me. The crown princess, the Empress. They were never roles<br \/>\nmeant for someone like me. As the weight of her thoughts<br \/>\ngrew unbearable. Ayesha unsheathed her sword, the cold<br \/>\nsteel gleaming under the pale moonlight. She raised it to her chest, trembling<br \/>\nas tears blurred her vision. What the hell are you doing? A voice shouted, startled. Asha turned to see Decker<br \/>\nstanding a few feet away. His eyes wide with alarm. Decker, she whispered hastily,<br \/>\nhiding the sword behind her back. When did you get here? He frowned. You didn&#8217;t even notice me approaching. She turned her head, avoiding his gaze. Sorry. I had some drinks earlier. Are you apologizing for not noticing me<br \/>\nor for what you were about to do? Decker snapped, grabbing her hand,<br \/>\nthe one still clutching the sword. Asha froze. Guilt ridden all over her face. It&#8217;s nothing, she muttered. Like hell it&#8217;s nothing. Decker&#8217;s voice<br \/>\nrose, frustration and concern evident. Have you lost your mind? Ash&#8217;s lips quivered. Maybe it just feel like I&#8217;ve gone<br \/>\na little crazy. Decker&#8217;s voice softened. Why would you say such terrible things? She whispered, because the thoughts in<br \/>\nmy head are much worse. With that,<br \/>\nshe dropped the sword and collapsed to her knees, burying her face in her hands. Decker knelt beside<br \/>\nher, his voice steady and comforting. What&#8217;s wrong? Asha, stop carrying this weight alone. Tell me what&#8217;s going on. She looked up at him,<br \/>\nher eyes brimming with tears. I know you&#8217;re on my side, Decker, but<br \/>\nthis isn&#8217;t something you can help me with. It&#8217;s something<br \/>\nI need to figure out on my own. She stood her resolve shaky but firm. Just give me some time. Decker sighed, but nodded. Promise me one thing. If it gets too hard, you&#8217;ll come to me. Asha hesitated before replying softly. I promise. He pulled her into a hug, his warmth<br \/>\ngrounding her. Don&#8217;t do anything stupid<br \/>\nlike you just did. Tears slipped down her cheeks<br \/>\nas she whispered. Thank you Decker. Unbeknownst to them, Carlyle<br \/>\nstood in the shadows, his jaw tightening<br \/>\nas he watched the exchange. He turned on his heel, his mood souring. I was going to console her<br \/>\nsince she seemed troubled. But no, they&#8217;re just friends. Are you joking? His mind raced with suspicions<br \/>\nwith a lover&#8217;s in the past. Am I the reason they split apart? The thought unsettled him. Is that why she acts this way? Because she had the better man<br \/>\nother than her true love. His resolve hardened. The only way to fix this is to erase<br \/>\neverything that happened between us, as if it never existed. Meanwhile, in her chambers,<br \/>\nCecilia sat with her maid, Nina, standing nearby. How was dinner this evening, miss? Nina asked. Cecilia&#8217;s expression was thoughtful. It wasn&#8217;t bad. His Highness praised my abilities. Nina&#8217;s face lit up. Really? That&#8217;s wonderful. Cecilia smiled faintly. Well, it&#8217;s to be expected. I excel in eloquence,<br \/>\netiquette and even politics. She paused, her gaze dropping to her book. Nina tilted her head. You must have outshone<br \/>\ncount her bars as usual. The Carmen gave Cecilia pause. She closed her book and frowned slightly. I think I may have made a mistake tonight. Nina&#8217;s eyes widened. A mistake? What kind? It&#8217;s nothing. Cecilia replied, quickly brushing the<br \/>\ntopic aside, but her thoughts lingered. Why does that woman bother me so much? I should be focused on Carlyle<br \/>\nif she keeps pulling my attention. Is it because I can&#8217;t read her? Nina interrupted her thoughts. Miss, are you feeling unwell? I&#8217;m fine, Cecilia said, shaking her head. Just tired. Prepare my bed please. As Nina left, Cecilia leaned back,<br \/>\nher fingers tapping the book&#8217;s cover. Stop thinking. Nonsense. All she is is competition. A few days later, Carlyle stood<br \/>\nin his office addressing his advisors. I must visit Euro to announce our victory,<br \/>\nhe declared. It&#8217;s an imperial duty, Lionel. One of his advisors nodded. It&#8217;s a wise move. You can also check on the Empress and<br \/>\nHis Highness Mathias while you&#8217;re there. Carlyle&#8217;s tone was sharp. No need to overdo it. This is a chance to overturn<br \/>\nthe social circles perspective while delivering a warning<br \/>\nto the order of a slave. Lionel asked, who will accompany you, sir la Pelt will join me for this<br \/>\noccasion, Carlyle replied. Asha,<br \/>\nstanding to the side, raised her hand. I propose bringing Decker with you. Carlyle&#8217;s gaze<br \/>\nshifted to her, his expression unreadable. Decker? You mean Ser Donovan? Yes. Affirmed. He&#8217;s my right hand man to the public. It would seem as though you&#8217;ve earned<br \/>\nthe favor of the Prabhas family. Carlyle&#8217;s eyes narrowed. His voice calm yet firm. You trust Sir Donovan a great deal? He&#8217;s practically family to me,<br \/>\nAsha explained. I&#8217;ve been with him since I was little. I vouch for him. Decker would never betray you. Carlyle stared at her,<br \/>\nsilent, lost in thought. Since she was little, of course,<br \/>\nthere&#8217;s no doubt. His chest tightened as a bitter<br \/>\nrealization struck him. No one would betray the woman they love,<br \/>\nafter all. In Carlyle&#8217;s office, Asha<br \/>\nconfidently spoke. I can assure you, as I&#8217;ve known him since I was young,<br \/>\nthat Decker will never betray you. Carlyle&#8217;s gaze lingered on her<br \/>\nas he thought when she was young. Of course, there&#8217;s no one who would betray<br \/>\nthe woman they love. Lionel chimed in, breaking his thoughts. I think it would be wise to bring guard<br \/>\nDonovan along. I know, Carlyle replied, his tone calm. Asha smiled warmly, adding, there are warriors other than Decker<br \/>\nwho are both talented and good looking. Perhaps it&#8217;s better to bring a few more<br \/>\nalong. Her suggestion<br \/>\nset Carlyle deep in thought. If we do that, it will certainly put<br \/>\npressure on the Empress. Finally, he said. I&#8217;ve noticed this before, but you seem remarkably sharp<br \/>\nwhen it comes to such situations. Asha nodded. Thank you for the compliment. Pointing a finger at her,<br \/>\nhe added with a teasing smile. No need to thank me. I&#8217;ll be nagging you from now on. Use that clever brain of yours regularly. Live like a fox. Asha chuckled softly. I&#8217;ve already taken<br \/>\na lot of your wealth and supplies. Should I take more? Carlyle shook his head, laughing. You&#8217;ve barely taken anything at all. Again he sank in a thought. She never uses the things<br \/>\nshe&#8217;s taken from me for herself. How can someone have no greed at all? It&#8217;s as if she&#8217;s always ready to leave,<br \/>\nsnapping out of it. He declared regardless. I never forget those who have helped me. So have some more greed. Asha previous. Asha, momentarily caught off<br \/>\nguard, replied quietly. I&#8217;ll keep that in mind. As she reflected inwardly, she thought if he found out what I truly desire,<br \/>\nhe would never say those words to me. Elsewhere, the noble women of Euro<br \/>\nwere gossiping in the grand hall. Have you heard the rumors? Apparently Lord Carlyle is coming here,<br \/>\none exclaimed. Another gasped. Oh my! Is he really coming? I heard he&#8217;s staying for<br \/>\njust a short while, but who knows? Meanwhile, Beatrice, sitting in her chambers,<br \/>\nwas consumed by her thoughts. The news of Carlyle coming here<br \/>\nhas already spread like wildfire. I worked so hard to ruin his reputation. Her musings were interrupted as her son<br \/>\nMartius burst in. Mother Carlyle was coming. Beatrice turned toward him<br \/>\nwith a composed demeanor. That&#8217;s right. Marsh&#8217;s. You need to remain vigilant. We have to ensure he stays here. Martius<br \/>\ngrinned, his eyes gleaming with mischief. This is our chance. Her brow furrowed. What do you mean by keeping him here? Marcus leaned forward eagerly. We&#8217;ll trap him here if he&#8217;s stuck in Euro. I can go to the battlefield in his stead. Her patience snapped and she slapped him<br \/>\nsharply across the face. Shocked, Marcus held his cheek. Mother, you foolish child,<br \/>\nshe said coldly. Are you telling me to trap a prince<br \/>\nwho just returned from a victorious war? Granting him command<br \/>\nnow would be as good as acknowledging him as Crown Prince Martius protested,<br \/>\nbut she cut him off. Her voice softening. Marcus, why are you so fixated on war? I promise to protect you. I keep hearing stories about monsters<br \/>\nand battles during my studies. He muttered. Beatrice<br \/>\nreassured him gently. Then I&#8217;ll make sure you don&#8217;t take that<br \/>\nclass anymore. Starting tomorrow. Really? Of course, she smiled tenderly. You&#8217;ll never set foot on a battlefield. But you must learn to behave<br \/>\nlike a prince. I&#8217;ll arrange<br \/>\nfor someone to talk to you this afternoon. Yes, mother. As Marcus left, Beatrice turned to Samuel,<br \/>\nher trusted aide. What was the name of that drug<br \/>\nyou mentioned earlier? Your toxin, Your Highness, he replied. Side effects. Large doses over time may cause<br \/>\npsychological issues, but it isn&#8217;t lethal. She smirked. Perfect. Start giving it to Marcus immediately. Samuel bowed. As you command, Your Highness. A few days later, Carlyle<br \/>\narrived in Cairo, taking in the air. He muttered, the smell of Euro. Decker raised a brow. The smell of Euro. Is there a scent unique to this place? Carlyle smirked bitterly. Yes. The foul scent of betrayal<br \/>\nand conspiracy. Decker laughed. Can you sense those things<br \/>\nonce you&#8217;ve been blessed by the gods? Carlyle&#8217;s expression turned serious. Never mind. People seem strangely innocent<br \/>\nabout such topics as they rode through the city,<br \/>\nCarlyle reflected. When I left this place a year ago,<br \/>\nall I wanted was revenge. But maybe I&#8217;ve changed. Watching her struggle to rebuild her<br \/>\nkingdom taught me something. There&#8217;s much to be done<br \/>\nif I am to become emperor. First,<br \/>\nI must reclaim my title as crown prince. Entering the palace. He bowed before King Kendrick. My son,<br \/>\nI&#8217;m delighted to see you after so long. The king exclaimed warmly.<br \/>\nI feel the same. Your Majesty. Carlisle replied, his tone respectful, and I bring news of another victory. I heard you defeated the barbarians<br \/>\nand previous. The king praised. Yes, Your Majesty, I secured the border<br \/>\nand annihilated the tribe that invaded. Well done. Carlisle bowed humbly. I merely followed your orders<br \/>\nand fought for the Empire. In doing so, I reflected on your wisdom and guidance,<br \/>\nwhich led me to the right path. The king laughed heartily. You seem to have matured at last. Although it has only been a year. I&#8217;ve finally found my path as a prince,<br \/>\nand it&#8217;s all thanks to your insight. The king&#8217;s smile widened. Yes. I believed you would regret<br \/>\nyour past mistakes. But a single year isn&#8217;t enough to decide<br \/>\nif you&#8217;re worthy of being crown Prince. I understand, Your Majesty. Over the next two years,<br \/>\nI will prove my worth. The king, clearly pleased, said. Good. Tell me, what reward would you like<br \/>\nfor your victory? Carlisle replied with a smile. I missed the scent of champagne. A banquet to celebrate<br \/>\nthe victory would be wonderful. It would also show respect to the guards<br \/>\nwho fought alongside me. Of course, the king exclaimed. I&#8217;ll arrange it immediately. In the shadows, Beatrice<br \/>\nclenched her fists in frustration. That insolent bastard is stealing<br \/>\nthe spotlight. Carlisle glanced at her briefly. A frog that jumps to high always falls. What could he possibly be planning<br \/>\nby returning to the capital? The Grand victory banquet<br \/>\nwas in full swing. The palace alive with laughter, whispers<br \/>\nand the subtle clinking of glasses. The hull gleamed with the opulence<br \/>\nbefitting a celebration of triumph. Amidst this jubilant small<br \/>\nclusters of nobility exchanged hushed gossip,<br \/>\ntheir voices veiled behind fans. Two women glanced repeatedly at Decker,<br \/>\ntheir eyes lingering a moment too long. Carlisle, catching their stares, smirked<br \/>\nand leaned closer to his companion. Do you notice them? Carlyle teased, gesturing discreetly. Especially those married women. Decker shifted uncomfortably,<br \/>\nbut managed a sheepish reply. Yes, and it&#8217;s unsettling. It feels like they&#8217;re dissatisfied<br \/>\nwith something. Carlisle chuckle. Innocent as ever. Just don&#8217;t go following them,<br \/>\neven if they offer you the finest delicacies. Decker huffed. I&#8217;m not a child. Your Highness. As the women&#8217;s giggles grew more obvious. Decker turned his head away, muttering<br \/>\nwry noted, Carlisle clapped him on the shoulder. Uncomfortable as it is. Bear with it. If not for yourself. Then for your leaders sake, Giles<br \/>\ninterjected with a dry chuckle. Pathetic love, isn&#8217;t it? They&#8217;ll go to any lengths for their<br \/>\nleader, Asha Parviz, the evening wore on. Carlisle strode to the center of the room<br \/>\nas Giles approached him with a slight bow. Your Highness, it&#8217;s time. Carlisle nodded. Let&#8217;s begin from the corner. Count Duplass approached, his expression,<br \/>\na mask of feigned concern. Your Highness, I am so relieved to see<br \/>\nyou returned safely. Count Duplin, Carlisle greeted politely when I heard you went to battle<br \/>\nagainst the Irish tribe. I was beside myself with worry. I hardly slept, Your Highness. Carlisle raised an eyebrow. His tone measured. Your concern was unwarranted,<br \/>\nbut the Irish were formidable this time. Do you put prest? I heard they were unusually prepared. Carlisle&#8217;s eyes sharpened. Indeed. They even employed catapults. It was unexpected. Duplass face darkened catapults. The Ingram tribe couldn&#8217;t possibly produce<br \/>\nsuch technology on their own. Someone must have aided them. Carlisle&#8217;s gaze swept the room. Count Duplin. There are ears everywhere. Do you put inclined his head? Of course, Your Highness. By the way,<br \/>\nhow are Parviz restrictions holding up? Carlisle shifted the conversation<br \/>\nsmoothly, keeping his expression<br \/>\nneutral as Carlisle mingled. He was momentarily lost in thought. If the news of my possible divorce<br \/>\nspreads, every noble here will clamor<br \/>\nto marry their daughters to me. Count Juliet and my tutor are already<br \/>\npositioning themselves. But none of this truly matters. The choice of a crown princess<br \/>\nisn&#8217;t about attraction. It&#8217;s about power. I can&#8217;t afford to dwell on distractions<br \/>\nlike Asha. Giles interrupted his musings. Your Highness, is something troubling you? Carlisle shook his head. No. Nothing of consequence. Still his mind<br \/>\nwandered. Focus on strategy. Invitations will start flooding in soon. I need to prioritize alliances, especially<br \/>\nwith families that wield military power. Meanwhile, in a quieter<br \/>\npart of the palace, Aisha stood beneath the moonlight,<br \/>\nher thoughts adrift. The moon is beautiful tonight. I wonder if it looks the same in Cairo. Solon approached her. Are you patrolling alone again? My. Aisha turned startled. Oh, it&#8217;s you Solon. I had some time to spare. He sighed. You and Prince Carlisle both. You act as though the world will collapse<br \/>\nif you rest for even a moment. Aisha chuckled softly. Are you worried about me? I remember<br \/>\nyou used to sigh every time you saw me. I assumed it was because you found me<br \/>\nuntrustworthy. Solon hesitated. That was a long time ago. Back then, you and Lord<br \/>\nCarlisle shared an uncanny similarity. Aisha tilted her head. How so? You both wear the same expression after returning from the battlefield<br \/>\nlike you were broken, but rational. Sad and isolated. Solon&#8217;s voice softened. You both seem like people<br \/>\nwho could disappear at any moment. Aisha&#8217;s smile faded. Perhaps. But I will never let go of Parviz. Not until the day I die. Solon frowned.<br \/>\nThat&#8217;s admirable as a leader. But where is your personal happiness<br \/>\nin that? Aisha blinked, caught off guard. You need to want something for yourself,<br \/>\nmy lady, Solon said. Even if it&#8217;s absurd. Only then can the gods granted. Later that night, as Aisha wandered<br \/>\nthe palace halls, she encountered Lady<br \/>\nLe Pelt, who seemed lost. Lady Le Pelt,<br \/>\nwhat brings you here so late? Aisha inquired, startled. The young woman stammered. I was looking for the library. Aisha studied her thoughtful. She seems troubled. I&#8217;ll guide you. Aisha offered. Follow me. Lady lapel nodded hesitantly,<br \/>\ngrateful for the company as they walked through the quiet halls. The two women&#8217;s thoughts drifted<br \/>\nto the complex web of alliances, loyalties and ambitions<br \/>\nthat tied them to this palace. The pelt followed Aisha as the Duchess<br \/>\ngracefully led her toward the library. This way, Aisha said softly,<br \/>\ngesturing ahead. The library, though<br \/>\nmodest in size, was impeccably maintained. The pelt couldn&#8217;t help but think. There aren&#8217;t many books here,<br \/>\nbut it&#8217;s so well kept, as though it&#8217;s still used regularly. Turning toward her,<br \/>\nAisha spoke apologetically. You can read as much as you like. I&#8217;m sorry, dear, that the collection<br \/>\nis small, but the pelt smiled. Warmth lighting her expression. I love it. Thank you for bringing me here. Duchess Aisha returned the smile. Don&#8217;t mention it. I&#8217;ll leave you to explore in peace<br \/>\nonce alone. Lopez began browsing the shelves<br \/>\nafter selecting a book. She settled into reading, letting herself get lost in the quiet<br \/>\nsanctuary of the library. Yet her thoughts wandered. If I become Empress,<br \/>\nI won&#8217;t have the luxury of a relaxed, carefree life like this. Perhaps I&#8217;d rather stay in Provence<br \/>\nforever. Meanwhile, it had been a week since Prince<br \/>\nCarlyle&#8217;s return to the capital. His presence<br \/>\nstirred whispers throughout the city. Public opinion of the nobles was shifting<br \/>\ndramatically, and citizens murmured<br \/>\ncompared to the others. Carlyle seems to be the best choice<br \/>\nfor Emperor after seeing him again. I&#8217;m certain of it. Carlyle, however, remained skeptical. They changed their opinions<br \/>\nfaster than they changed their clothes. I doubt this goodwill will last for long. I need to track down the source of any rumors and snuff them out myself<br \/>\nbefore the tide turns. Carlyle soon found himself in a private<br \/>\nmeeting with Archbishop Radko. Long time no see, Archbishop<br \/>\nRashelle Carlyle greeted, his tone. Calm yet firm, Rashelle bowed his head. May God bless you, Your Highness. It is an honor to meet you. Carlyle&#8217;s gaze sharpened. Archbishop, are you overseeing<br \/>\nall the temples in the capital? The older man hesitated. No, Your Highness, there are no other<br \/>\narchbishops in the capital besides me. However, another archbishop<br \/>\nis currently staying at the main temple. Carlyle&#8217;s expression darkened. There&#8217;s something I need to ask you,<br \/>\nArchbishop. His voice turned cold. There have been malicious rumors about me<br \/>\nspreading through the temples. I&#8217;ve already confirmed the source. Rachel looked visibly flustered. Your Highness, I assure you, such rumors<br \/>\nwould never come from the High church. Carlyle leaned back, his smirk faint<br \/>\nbut cutting. Don&#8217;t pretend you&#8217;re unaware. What I want to know is your connection<br \/>\nin the High Church&#8217;s involvement with Gabriel Knox. Rachel stiffened. What are you implying? Gabriel is one of our most devoted<br \/>\nbelievers. Carlyle&#8217;s voice was icy. Do I need to spell it out for you? Is the high Church<br \/>\ndeliberately opposing the royal family? That&#8217;s exactly what I&#8217;m asking,<br \/>\nRachel stammered. How could you even think such a thing? The high church has always served the prosperity<br \/>\nand well-being of the Imperial family. Carlyle stood his imposing presence,<br \/>\ncasting a long shadow. So you&#8217;re saying Gabriel acted alone? Given his recent actions,<br \/>\nit&#8217;s obvious he&#8217;s aiming for more power,<br \/>\nperhaps even the papacy. He&#8217;s already the youngest<br \/>\narchbishop and minister in the empire. Don&#8217;t you think such ambition warrants<br \/>\npunishment? A few days later, Carlyle attended dinner<br \/>\nwith the King and Queen, sitting at the Grand Royal table. He took a moment<br \/>\nto observe his surroundings. The high church has been unusually quiet<br \/>\nsince my confrontation with Rachel. Breaking the silence, Carlyle remarked. It&#8217;s been a while<br \/>\nsince I&#8217;ve eaten at the royal table. My palate feels remarkably refined lately. The king chuckled. Tired of eating grass roots and purveyors,<br \/>\nare you? Carlyle smiled wryly. Compared to this feast. I&#8217;d certainly call everything<br \/>\nthey served me. They&#8217;re nothing more than weeds. The Queen chimed in gently. You&#8217;ve done well, Carlyle. I believe the tensions<br \/>\nat the previous border have eased for now. Why not return to the capital for a while? Carlyle shook his head. Not yet. Pervez still isn&#8217;t entirely secure. We haven&#8217;t identified the accomplice<br \/>\nof the Ingram tribe from the last attack. The king frowned. The Ingram tribe? Are you saying those savages<br \/>\ndidn&#8217;t act alone? Yes. Carlyle confirmed several unusual<br \/>\nthings occurred during the battle. But gathering intelligence<br \/>\nwas difficult on my own. I was hoping to borrow your wisdom<br \/>\non this matter, father. The king blinked, surprised me. Carlyle smiled faintly. I&#8217;ll come to your chambers<br \/>\nafter dinner to discuss it further. The King&#8217;s features softened. Of course, my son. I&#8217;ll share whatever wisdom I can. Later, Carlyle joined his father<br \/>\nin the king&#8217;s private chambers. The room was adorned with rich tapestries,<br \/>\nand the king poured tea for the two of them. This tea is from Duke, Maryland,<br \/>\nthe king said proudly. This year&#8217;s batch is the best in a decade, Carlyle sipped the tea,<br \/>\nnodding in approval. Thank you father. I&#8217;ll remember this flavor<br \/>\neven after I returned to privacy. The king smiled warmly. I told you it was exceptional. Setting his cup down. Carlyle&#8217;s tone shifted farther<br \/>\nwhile I was in privacy. It seems the high church has grown too bold in its interference<br \/>\nwith the royal family. Have you noticed? The King<br \/>\nfrowned, the high church interfering. Carlyle nodded. I heard they proposed a new holiday,<br \/>\nostensibly to honor themselves. This concerns me. Many kingdoms allied with our empire<br \/>\nwere once suppressed by the High Church. Allowing such a holiday might provoke them<br \/>\ninto becoming our enemies. The king&#8217;s expression darkened. I see your point,<br \/>\nCarlyle continued cautiously. Of course, the final decision is yours. But I couldn&#8217;t help wondering<br \/>\nif someone had clouded your judgment. The high Church&#8217;s influence has grown<br \/>\nso entrenched that corruption and power hunger<br \/>\nseem inevitable. It worried me enough to speak out. The king sighed. Thank you for your honesty, Carlyle. Carlyle thought. I hope to show him<br \/>\nthe strings being pulled around him to reveal the puppet master. For now, I&#8217;ve only scratched the surface. Gabriel remains my primary target. Elsewhere, Gabriel Knox was seething<br \/>\nin his quarters, pacing furiously. Carlyle. Ever? Listo? He spat. He&#8217;s destroying everything. I&#8217;ve worked so hard to achieve. Did I lose myself? What have I become? He paused, staring at his trembling hands. Ever since I began using black magic,<br \/>\nI felt hollow, detached. I can&#8217;t even mourn the death of a bird. At this rate, I&#8217;ll be no different<br \/>\nfrom the nobles I despise. Taking a deep breath,<br \/>\nhe muttered, I must calm myself. That brat will be the perfect sacrifice<br \/>\nfor the Empire&#8217;s future. And with his downfall, I&#8217;ll ignite the<br \/>\nrighteous empire I&#8217;ve always envisioned. Gabriel was upset after facing defeat<br \/>\nat the hands of Carlyle. His companion entered the room and said. Your Holiness,<br \/>\nI bring you news about Prince Carlyle. Gabriel replied, come in. The companion entered the room and Gabriel asked,<br \/>\nwhat has he been talking about recently? The companion reported. Hazem is taking over the Imperial family<br \/>\nand is even said to be replacing the nobles. Gabriel asked. And what are the nobles reactions to that? The companion said. It seems as though<br \/>\nmany of them are alarmed. Gabriel sneered. And some are even considering<br \/>\nceasing their support for the temple. Those lowly bastards! How dare they try to threaten the gods<br \/>\nwith such a small amount of money? This nation is rotten to the core. The companion replied, I agree. Your holiness,<br \/>\nthey only pursue immediate prophets. And Lord Carlyle is using them to hinder<br \/>\nthe founding of the Holy Empire. It&#8217;s too risky to leave the situation<br \/>\nas it is, Gabriel said. I believe Prince Carlyle<br \/>\nshould be taught humility before the gods. How is the investigation<br \/>\ninto the abandoned land going? The companion responded. The priest who went to investigate<br \/>\nsays they discovered something surprising. They reported that<br \/>\nthere is a strange energy flowing throughout every corner of the abandoned<br \/>\nland, and it&#8217;s very similar to the one you use, Your Holiness,<br \/>\nGabriel replied. Is that so? I will have to visit the abandoned land<br \/>\nsoon. I&#8217;ll be traveling to Prevost anyway. A month after arriving in Cairo, Giles<br \/>\nwas in a meeting with Carlyle and Decker. Giles said the mood here<br \/>\nseems to be benefiting you. So what do you think of extending our stay<br \/>\nfor another month? Carlyle<br \/>\nreplied. People tend to miss things more when they&#8217;re not in front of them.<br \/>\nGiles sighed. Besides, it&#8217;s getting harder for me<br \/>\nto put up with my father. Carlyle looked tense. So Giles added,<br \/>\nI guess there&#8217;s nothing we can do then. We&#8217;ll leave for Prevost in three days<br \/>\nas planned. Decker listened silently as they spoke<br \/>\nafter Giles left the room. Carlyle, in a more relaxed tone, said, Did Gabriel cast<br \/>\nsome strange energy here or something? Why does it feel so stuffy here? Decker replied. Since you haven&#8217;t been able to train<br \/>\never since you came to Euro, it&#8217;s about time<br \/>\nyou felt a little sore in the muscles. Carlyle smirked. You&#8217;re right. Can you take responsibility<br \/>\nfor what you just said? Sir Donovan Decker looked confused. Pardon? They went to the practice arena. Decker, holding a sword, muttered<br \/>\nthis is not what I meant. Carlyle observed Decker stance, thinking<br \/>\nhe doesn&#8217;t spare a second to listen to me. Meanwhile, Decker thought I heard Lord Carlyle<br \/>\nwas the greatest knight in the Empire. I wonder how strong he truly is. Decker said aloud. I ask for your guidance,<br \/>\nas my skills are not that great. Carlyle replied,<br \/>\nI like your determination. You make the first strike. The fight began. Both launched attacks with their swords. Carlyle, dodging an attack, said, I can&#8217;t believe you went for the neck<br \/>\nas your first move. You&#8217;re not going easy on me, are you? Decker replied. That&#8217;s because there&#8217;s no such thing<br \/>\nas a second hit. Previous, Carlyle remarked,<br \/>\nhow wise you have good stamina, but you need to improve your speed. Your moves are too predictable. As they sparred, Decker launched<br \/>\nanother attack. Carlyle smiled and said,<br \/>\nI told you, you&#8217;re too slow. Carlyle counter-attacked,<br \/>\nbut Decker managed to defend himself. Carlyle said, I&#8217;ll make my move now. He executed a final, swift maneuver<br \/>\nthat left Decker exhausted. Decker sat down, catching his breath. Carlyle said, do they call you<br \/>\nthe strongest warrior in Pervez? I can see why there&#8217;s not a single person who&#8217;s been able to block my attacks<br \/>\nfor this long. Decker stood up and replied,<br \/>\nI appreciate your compliment, but the strongest warrior in Pervez<br \/>\nis our leader, not me. Carlyle said. I know I excluded count previous. However, you are also quite<br \/>\nskilled yourself. You are the great Asha Pervez right<br \/>\nhand man. Decker looked surprised. It&#8217;s an honor, he said. Carlyle smiled. They used to look so impassive before,<br \/>\nbut it doesn&#8217;t seem like that anymore. I&#8217;ve grown quite fond of them. I would like it<br \/>\nif we were to do this occasionally. Even when we returned<br \/>\nto previous, Decker replied. Although my skills are lacking, I will come to your service<br \/>\nif you ever call for me. What is the reason you&#8217;re in such a hurry<br \/>\nto return to Prevost? Perhaps because of Lady Doublet<br \/>\nand Lady Lapel? Carlyle looked shocked. What? What on earth do the people of Prevost<br \/>\nthink of me? I don&#8217;t know how you came up with that. But no, I&#8217;m not as crazy about women<br \/>\nas you think I am. Decker looked speechless. Is that so? Carlyle muttered. Count Pervez also seemed to look at me<br \/>\nlike I was a pervert. She doesn&#8217;t even know me that well. He smiled slightly and Decker,<br \/>\nobserving him, thought. No way he is, Carlyle continued. Speaking of Count Pervez,<br \/>\nlet me ask you something. To be honest, I still don&#8217;t know what the relationship<br \/>\nbetween you and Count Pervaiz is. I heard you were once mentioned<br \/>\nas a possible candidate to be her husband. Decker exclaimed slightly. Who told you that? Then, with a calm expression, he said, that&#8217;s true, but no one took it seriously. We are just like siblings to each other. Vincent. I mean, Ash&#8217;s older<br \/>\nbrother would always joke about marriage, and you should have seen Asha&#8217;s face<br \/>\nwhenever he brought it up. Carlyle got lost in thought. So does that mean Sir Donovan and Count<br \/>\nPervez are not lovers? He thought further. If they were actually lovers,<br \/>\nI would have been told already. Decker asked cautiously. My Lord, I&#8217;m asking this just in case. But if you were to regain the title<br \/>\nof Crown Prince, what will happen to Asha? Carlyle replied. Then Decker added,<br \/>\naccording to the contract, Asha will no longer have any relationship<br \/>\nwith you, right? Carlyle hesitated. That&#8217;s something we will discuss once<br \/>\nour deal has been successfully fulfilled. He turned his head to the side<br \/>\nand Decker reassured him. Your Highness, don&#8217;t worry. Carlyle said firmly. I always take care of those<br \/>\nwho are close to me. At that same moment, Asha entered the room<br \/>\nof Cecilia, who welcomed her warmly. Thank you for inviting me, Asha said. Cecilia replied. Thank you for coming all the way here. Please come and sit over here. The three of them, Asha,<br \/>\nCecilia and Dorothea sat together. Cecilia said I&#8217;ve prepared cold tea since. It&#8217;s quite warm today. I don&#8217;t know if it will be to your liking. Asha held the cup of tea, gazing at her<br \/>\nreflection in the liquid, she thought. I can&#8217;t believe she used such precious ice<br \/>\nfor a cup of tea. How luxurious! Dorothea took a sip and exclaimed,<br \/>\nit smells really nice! Cecilia smiled. I like to drink it every summer. The scent comes from dried<br \/>\noranges and rosemary. Usha raised a brow and asked oranges,<br \/>\nwhat is that? The fragrant aroma of tea wafted<br \/>\nthrough the air as Asha took another sip. What is this tea made of? She asked curiously. Dorothy smiled. It&#8217;s made from dried oranges and rosemary. H&#8217;s eyes widened. Oranges. What are those? Cecilia raised an eyebrow,<br \/>\nclearly taken aback. You don&#8217;t know what an orange is. Dorothy chuckled softly, her tone<br \/>\nteasing yet kind. Well, her vase is located<br \/>\nin the northernmost region. An orange is typically grow<br \/>\nin the southern parts. It&#8217;s a round fruit<br \/>\nwith a bright orange peel. When you remove the peel,<br \/>\nyou&#8217;ll find juicy segmented pulp inside. Usha blinked, imagining the fruit. What a strange looking thing. She thought. Cecilia interrupted her musings. That&#8217;s not the important thing here,<br \/>\nshe said with a touch of exasperation. What matters is that<br \/>\nHis Highness will be returning soon. Usha froze, midship<br \/>\nreturning with good news. She echoed her voice hesitant. Cecilia nodded, her expression<br \/>\nlighting up. Yes. He&#8217;s<br \/>\nachieved all his goals in just a month. Asha, still skeptical, leaned forward. Please explain. We don&#8217;t quite understand what this means. Oh, really? My apologies, Cecilia said with a smile. This is actually a code<br \/>\nthat only I can decipher. It says that his Highness has flipped<br \/>\nthe social scene upside down again. It looks like Her Majesty<br \/>\nand Prince Martius are in trouble. Also, the High temple seems to be<br \/>\ndistancing itself from High Priest Gabriel. It&#8217;s not the entire High Temple<br \/>\nconspiring with Her Majesty. Just Gabriel. And there&#8217;s more, she continued. It seems Pervez is attracting attention. Word is spreading about Prince Carlyle&#8217;s<br \/>\nefforts to rebuild the region, and now more nobles<br \/>\nare planning to invest here. This is excellent news for purveyors. Asha&#8217;s lips parted, but no words came out. She finally managed to say, I&#8217;m not sure if this is truly good news<br \/>\nif something goes wrong. Pervez could become a target<br \/>\nfor those spiteful toward His Highness. Cecilia tilted her head thoughtfully. I suppose that&#8217;s true. But still, His Highness will be back soon. Probably in 2 or 3 days. Certainly before the month ends. Do you think he&#8217;ll bring back some gifts<br \/>\nwhen he returns? Cecilia asked with a grin. Gifts? Asha echoed, puzzled. Is it Lady Cecilia&#8217;s birthday? Cecilia laughed. Not at all. I&#8217;m talking about souvenirs. Even when nobles travel for work. It&#8217;s common to bring back gifts. People often give them to someone special,<br \/>\neven if it&#8217;s just a trivial excuse. Usha felt her cheeks flushed slightly<br \/>\nand thought a gift. Things<br \/>\nhave improved slightly in his absence, but I can&#8217;t help feeling selfish<br \/>\nfor wishing. Meanwhile, Carlyle entered Decker&#8217;s room<br \/>\nwith a purposeful stride. Decker glanced up from his seat, frowning. Where were you? Guys didn&#8217;t tell me much. Carlyle shrugged. Did he not inform you<br \/>\nI was settling personal matters? Decker&#8217;s frown deepened. You vanished without an escort. Do you realize how dangerous that was? The Empress could have had you killed. Carlyle cut him off, smirking. Your imagination runs wild, Decker. He placed something on the table. Decker leaned closer, his eyes narrowing. What&#8217;s that? Carlyle&#8217;s<br \/>\nresponse was evasive. Nothing you need to worry about. Decker examined the item a sword,<br \/>\nits blade gleaming under the light. Wouldn&#8217;t a larger sword suit you better? Your Highness. Carlyle raised an eyebrow,<br \/>\namused at a keen observation. But what do you think of this one? Decker picked it<br \/>\nup, weighing it in his hands. It&#8217;s a good sword. Sturdy and well forged. Expensive, too. It&#8217;s not something you just swing around<br \/>\ncasually. Are you giving this to someone? Carlyle shrugged. Perhaps. What do you think<br \/>\nwould count? As per Vass? Like it? Decker&#8217;s eyebrows shot up. What do you know her taste? Well, maybe she would. Ashes. Sword is quite old. He placed the sword back on the table. I think she&#8217;ll love it. Her current sword is outdated. Carlyle nodded thoughtfully. I noticed<br \/>\nI gave her funds to buy new equipment, but she didn&#8217;t replace her sword. Why is that? Decker sighed. Some might think those funds<br \/>\nshould only be used for the previous army. Besides the sword she uses was passed<br \/>\ndown to her by a mere her father. Carlyle&#8217;s expression darkened. A sentimental relic won&#8217;t protect her. Memories. Don&#8217;t sharpen a blade. This sword is lighter<br \/>\nand forged with fine steel. It won&#8217;t dull or break easily. I even paid attention to its appearance. Decker smirked, thinking<br \/>\nyou say you picked this on a whim, but it&#8217;s clear<br \/>\nyou put a lot of thought into it. Osho will treasure this. It&#8217;ll be the first sword. Truly. Her own engraving her name on<br \/>\nit would make it even more special. That&#8217;s a good idea, Decker said aloud. Carlyle smiled faintly. I thought so. Decker thought. The engraving isn&#8217;t just decorative. His Highness hopes Agar&#8217;s<br \/>\nblessing will protect her forever. Carlisle&#8217;s gaze softened. I hope so, too. Three days later, Empress<br \/>\nBeatrice sat across from Gabriel in a dimly lit chamber. Her eyes burned with fury. That wicked bastard, she hissed. How dare he interfere with God&#8217;s plan? Gabriel&#8217;s calm voice cut through her rage. What about the plan we discussed before? Beatrice slammed<br \/>\na piece of parchment onto the table. You mean the divorce? That plan was never executed. What kind of relationship do<br \/>\nthey have that he&#8217;s suddenly living like a real married couple<br \/>\nwith Countess Probus. Her tone turned venomous as she continued. Guests from other regions witnessed them<br \/>\nspending the night together during the festival. Word of<br \/>\nit has spread through the social circles. Gabriel&#8217;s expression darkened. So this information leaked? Yes. Beatrice snapped, but I don&#8217;t know. How could it have come from our side? Gabriel nodded grimly. It&#8217;s possible not to accuse<br \/>\nYour Majesty of carelessness. But he hesitated before adding. You&#8217;ve been using drugs on Prince Marcus,<br \/>\nhaven&#8217;t you? Beatrice&#8217;s eyes narrowed.<br \/>\nHow did you know? Gabriel&#8217;s voice turned sharp. Are you keeping secrets from me? That drug dulls his vigilance and focus. Beatrice frowned. I never heard of side effects like that. Gabriel sighed. It&#8217;s already done. We&#8217;ll have to adapt. The daughter of Count Juillet, who visited Provence for recovery,<br \/>\nis the one leaking information. We need to see for ourselves. Beatrice tilted her head. But who will we send? Sending just anyone will be suspicious. Gabriel smiled coldly. I&#8217;ll go myself. It won&#8217;t be unusual for a priest to visit,<br \/>\nto give a blessing of conception to a couple. Beatrice. His face lit up. That&#8217;s perfect. I believe in you. Gabriel, please<br \/>\nmake sure we bring Carlyle down. She knelt at his feet, overcome<br \/>\nwith fervent delight. I&#8217;ll trust you to carry out God&#8217;s will. After a few days, Carlyle<br \/>\nstepped out of the carriage and exclaimed. As expected,<br \/>\nthe air here in Priv\u00e9s is refreshing. Giles replied, there isn&#8217;t much difference<br \/>\nbetween Euro and previous. It only feels that way<br \/>\nbecause Pervez has a colder climate. Carlyle was momentarily speechless,<br \/>\nthinking to himself. Anyway, it<br \/>\nfinally feels like I&#8217;m back home. I can&#8217;t believe this place feels more<br \/>\nlike home compared to the Imperial Palace. Asha approached him<br \/>\nand said, you&#8217;ve worked hard. Your Majesty, I welcome<br \/>\nyou here on your safe return. Carlyle smiled and replied,<br \/>\nyou are the one who has worked hard. Count previous, Asha responded. Everyone has worked hard as well. Carlyle thought just now it seems like she purposely avoided<br \/>\nholding eye contact with me. No, now&#8217;s<br \/>\nnot the time to be distracted by her. Turning to his team, he said, take out<br \/>\nall the luggage brought from the capital. You all deserve a good rest after<br \/>\nworking hard during our long schedules. Then he turned to Giles and said,<br \/>\nLord wrap health. Yes, Your Majesty. Giles answered, I need to inform them<br \/>\nabout what happened in Euro. Please tell them to come to my office. Carlyle ordered later, seated in his<br \/>\noffice with his team gathered around him. Carlyle began. I&#8217;m glad to see you all after a long time. You may have already heard<br \/>\nabout some things from Lady Du Prat, but I will explain the situation in Euro<br \/>\nonce more. My father is still as foolish as ever. The Empress continues<br \/>\nher scheming and Martius. That brat is acting strangely. And I am very suspicious of High Priest<br \/>\nGabriel, Giles added. Prince<br \/>\nMartius doesn&#8217;t seem to be doing well. His voice is loud and he can&#8217;t seem<br \/>\nto focus on anything properly. Maybe the Empress ordered it. Carlyle speculated. To me, it looks like he&#8217;s either dependent<br \/>\non alcohol or taking some kind of drug. Asha chimed in. So you&#8217;re saying the Empress is simply<br \/>\ntolerating her son spiraling like that? That&#8217;s right, Carlyle said, because<br \/>\nit&#8217;s easier to deal with him that way. Decker asked, does<br \/>\nthe Empress want to rule on her own? I&#8217;m not sure, Carlyle replied. It seems<br \/>\nshe wants to make her son her puppet, but I doubt High Priest<br \/>\nGabriel will let her do so. Lionel<br \/>\nhesitantly asked High Priest Gabriel. The more I investigate him, the stranger<br \/>\nhe appears. Carlyle said. High Priest Gabriel and the priests<br \/>\naround him consider themselves purists. They&#8217;ve been ostracized by other priests<br \/>\nbecause of their archaic beliefs. Among the ostracized,<br \/>\nGabriel emerged with his angelic appearance and rapid rise<br \/>\nto the position of high priest. He&#8217;s idolized by both the noble<br \/>\nand imperial families with everything they desire. His charisma, influence, and power people have followed his every demand,<br \/>\nLionel remarked. He&#8217;s not a purist. He&#8217;s just a greedy man. If he&#8217;s the leader of the purists, why<br \/>\nis someone like him meddling in politics? Carlyle responded. He&#8217;s not truly a purist,<br \/>\neven though he leads them. Those fools who believe themselves<br \/>\npurists are likely being used by him. Lionel noted it&#8217;s easier to control<br \/>\npeople who have strong beliefs, after all. Exactly. Carlyle agreed. Anyway, let&#8217;s look into it<br \/>\nfurther for now. Dismissing a few priests should suffice. Carlyle sat back and thought,<br \/>\nif I had stayed in Europe a little longer, I could have completely flipped the Imperial family upside down<br \/>\nby involving the priests. But doing so would have given my father<br \/>\na reason to turn against me. Should I wait a little longer<br \/>\nuntil he makes the same mistake again? After a moment,<br \/>\nhe said aloud, we need to improve Pervez more so that it can welcome<br \/>\nand embrace other nobles. Putting my father&#8217;s position at risk. His eyes lingered on Asha, who, noticing<br \/>\nhis gaze, quickly turned her head away. Why is she doing that? Carlyle thought. Is she upset about something? Maybe she&#8217;s sulking because I didn&#8217;t<br \/>\nbring her a gift from Euro. Lionel interrupted his thoughts, asking,<br \/>\ndid you remember something? No, it&#8217;s nothing, Carlyle<br \/>\nreplied, brushing it off. He stood and said. This concludes the report. Everyone go and rest for today. The team dispersed,<br \/>\nbut Carlyle stopped to count Pervez. I still need to speak with you<br \/>\nfor a moment. Usha paused and asked, do<br \/>\nyou have something else to say personally? It&#8217;s not like that, Carlyle said,<br \/>\nhanding her a sword wrapped in cloth. Take this. What is this? Ayesha asked, unwrapping the sword. It&#8217;s a gift. Carlyle said. Open it. Usha unsheathed<br \/>\nthe sword, her eyes widening. Is this for me? Of course, Carlyle said. Do you think I would ask you to pass gifts<br \/>\nto someone else? Souvenirs are meant to be given to people<br \/>\nwho are special, even as an excuse. I don&#8217;t think I&#8217;m that special to him. Aisha thought you don&#8217;t like it? Carlyle asked. No, I like it, Aisha replied. I&#8217;m just wondering<br \/>\nwhy you gave this to me. I&#8217;m giving this to you<br \/>\nto protect yourself. We don&#8217;t know what means the Empress<br \/>\nmight use to harm you. And your sword looked old. Aisha nodded deep in thought. Of course I can&#8217;t die before this<br \/>\ncontract ends, Carlyle added. I think it would be a good idea to keep your former sword as a memento<br \/>\nand use this one from now on. Asha bowed her head. Thank you, Your Majesty. Now that you&#8217;ve gifted me this sword, I will do my best to stay alive<br \/>\nuntil our contract ends. Carlyle was momentarily speechless. Turning his head to the side. What will you do after the contract ends? I think of you as someone important to me. That&#8217;s why I hope you&#8217;ll stay by my side<br \/>\neven after our contract ends. Aisha smiled. I&#8217;m honored. I will try even harder to stay alive<br \/>\nfor as long as I can. The next morning,<br \/>\nAisha was practicing with her new sword. Thinking as expected. This is an excellent weapon. Do I even deserve this? The leather on the handle is of great<br \/>\nquality, and there&#8217;s even a carving on it. She noticed the inscription<br \/>\nblessing from a gears for Aisha. Her eyes widened. Did he have this sword<br \/>\nspecially designed for me? Carlyle appeared and said,<br \/>\nyou&#8217;ve been practicing hard since early morning, Your Highness. Aisha said in surprise. You must still be tired. Why are you up so early? I could ask you the same, Carlyle replied. You should be resting. But here you are training. I&#8217;ve been aching all over. Shall we spar? Carlyle asked. Will you strike first? Then I&#8217;ll do as I was taught,<br \/>\nAisha replied, raising her sword. Their training fight began. Swords clashing, Carlyle observed. You&#8217;ve gotten much quicker<br \/>\nsince the last time. I felt it before. But you&#8217;re truly born for this. I heard from guard Donovan<br \/>\nthat you inherited the most intelligence from a mere purveyors among your siblings,<br \/>\nAisha retorted. It seems like he was spouting nonsense<br \/>\nwithout realizing how shameful it was. How long have you trained? Carlyle asked. I&#8217;ve been training since I was young,<br \/>\nAisha explained. My father made me practice running<br \/>\nso I could flee in emergencies, but instead of dying while running away,<br \/>\nI decided I&#8217;d rather take at least one enemy with me. Seems like you&#8217;ve always been aggressive,<br \/>\nCarlyle remarked. Accepting a fight<br \/>\nyou can avoid is aggressive. Aisha asked. Most people would simply choose<br \/>\nto run away. Carlyle replied. It&#8217;s rare for someone to train their body<br \/>\nas rigorously as you have. Never in my life<br \/>\ndid I imagine a woman&#8217;s body to be so fit. Aisha blinked in surprise. Oh, what did I just say? Carlyle thought, suddenly embarrassed. The training grounds had been alive with the clash of steel<br \/>\nas Aisha sparred alongside Carlyle. But as the session concluded, Aisha took<br \/>\na step back, gripping her sword tightly. I think that&#8217;s enough for today. She announced, bowing slightly. I&#8217;ll head in first. Carlyle<br \/>\nwatched her retreat, his eyes narrowing. If I&#8217;m not mistaken, he thought. Countess Pervez seems to have caught<br \/>\non to what I said earlier. Aisha strode<br \/>\nbriskly away, her thoughts in turmoil. I must be crazy, she fumed internally. Why did I think of that right then? Reaching her quarters, she closed the door<br \/>\nbehind her and sank to the floor. Frustration washing over her, I suddenly withdrew in the middle<br \/>\nof sparring with the Crown Prince. I didn&#8217;t even offer an excuse<br \/>\nif he considers it an insult to royalty. I&#8217;ll be in trouble. Should I just brazen it out<br \/>\nlike I usually do? A knock at the door<br \/>\ninterrupted her spiraling thoughts. She quickly stood, brushing herself off. Come in. She called Nina. Her personal maid entered<br \/>\nwith a warm smile. My Lord, I heard you went to<br \/>\nthe training grounds this morning. You must be sweating. Shall I prepare a bath for you? Usha nodded, her voice calm. Yes. Please<br \/>\ndo as Nina said about her task. She added. Oh, by the way, have you heard about it? His Highness<br \/>\nCarlyle gave gifts to everyone here. Aisha blinked in surprise. No, this is the first I&#8217;m hearing of it. All the maids received scarves,<br \/>\nNina explained. But I got a shawl. Since I&#8217;m your personal maid. He even bought a coat for the housekeeper. It seems a bit strange to give scarves<br \/>\nand coats in the middle of summer, though it doesn&#8217;t get cold<br \/>\nquickly in Pervez, does it? It does? Aisha replied absentmindedly. Nina chuckled. I talk too much, don&#8217;t I? I should be preparing your bath. Wait a moment, Nina. Aisha interjected. If everyone here includes Lady<br \/>\nLapel and Lady de Pret, then they must have received gifts<br \/>\ntoo, right? Nina paused, thinking. That&#8217;s right. Do you know what they got? Most people on the second floor<br \/>\nreceive tea. Good for the winter. I haven&#8217;t heard anything else, so I think<br \/>\nthey both probably got tea as well. Aisha fell silent, her thoughts swirling. His Highness didn&#8217;t give any special gifts<br \/>\nto Lady Cecilia or Lady Dorothea. Nina tilted her head. Why do you ask, my lord? No reason, Aisha replied quickly. You may go now. Nina left, but not before casting<br \/>\na curious glance at Asha&#8217;s expression. Once alone, Aisha sighed deeply. I must calm down. His Highness simply gifts<br \/>\npractical items as gifts. The other nights,<br \/>\nprobably received weapons like I did. It&#8217;s unlikely he gave me something special<br \/>\njust for me. The next day, Dekker and Isaac<br \/>\nwere engaged in a tense discussion when Dekker spotted Asha walking<br \/>\nby with her sword in hand. Asha, he called, show us the sword<br \/>\nHis Highness Carlyle gave you. She stopped and raised the blade slightly. This one approaching them. She handed the sword to Dekker. Isaac&#8217;s eyes lit up. This sword was custom<br \/>\nmade at Senior filming. Aisha frowned. Senior villain. What&#8217;s that? Dekker looked at her incredulously. You don&#8217;t know, senior villain. It&#8217;s one of the top five swordsmith<br \/>\nworkshops in the world. Their name alone is worth a fortune. A sword like this could cost<br \/>\nas much as a mansion. Isaac added with a grin. Not to mention<br \/>\ntheir swords are nearly indestructible. You&#8217;ve been given a treasure. Aisha stared at the weapon,<br \/>\nher grip tightening. I&#8217;m sure His Highness didn&#8217;t<br \/>\ngive something like this just to me. Isaac laughed. A sword from scene or villain<br \/>\nisn&#8217;t something you stumble upon. You received it because you&#8217;re<br \/>\nthe Countess in the wife of His Highness. Arceus thoughts turned. I shouldn&#8217;t keep getting my hopes up<br \/>\nlike this from a nearby window. Cecilia watched the group<br \/>\nsilently, her eyes narrowing<br \/>\nas she observed Asha in his office. Carlyle was reviewing papers with Lionel<br \/>\nstanding at his side. The painter entered, bowing deeply. Your Highness, the portrait is complete. Carlyle leaned back in his chair. It took quite some time. The painter hesitated. I&#8217;ve been holed up working on it. The composition changed partway through. I ended up painting another version<br \/>\nwith a different concept. If it displeases you,<br \/>\nI can recreate the original. Carlyle waved a hand. Let&#8217;s see it. My wife will be arriving shortly. He smirked, recalling Asha&#8217;s<br \/>\nflustered reaction the last time they met. I wonder how she&#8217;ll react<br \/>\nto this couple&#8217;s portrait. When Asha entered moments later. She bowed slightly. You called for me, Your Highness? Yes, Carlyle replied,<br \/>\ngesturing toward the painter. The portrait is finished. I thought it would be good to view it<br \/>\ntogether. I&#8217;m not very knowledgeable about art,<br \/>\nshe admitted. You don&#8217;t need to be,<br \/>\nhe said with a chuckle. You&#8217;ll still have an opinion<br \/>\nof whether it&#8217;s good or bad. The painter removed the cloth<br \/>\ncovering the first painting it depicted Asha and Carlyle as a regal, idealized<br \/>\ncouple exuding beauty and grace. Asha&#8217;s breath caught. It seems almost too beautiful to be real. Is this a scam? Carlyle smiled. It&#8217;s quite good. But why did you create another version? The painter&#8217;s face lit up. Your Highness,<br \/>\nduring the Barbarian invasion, I witnessed<br \/>\nboth of you in the heat of battle. It felt like a divine revelation. I couldn&#8217;t help but draw that scene. The second painting was unveiled. It was raw and powerful, showing Carlyle<br \/>\nand Asha standing together amidst chaos. Their expressions fierce and determined. This is certainly different,<br \/>\nCarlyle remarked. Asha stared at the painting,<br \/>\nher heart pounding. I think this one is better than the first. But we can&#8217;t send this<br \/>\nto the Imperial Palace. Carlyle, however, made his decision. Draw two copies of this one. Send one to the Imperial Palace,<br \/>\nand hang the first painting in the castle. Lionel&#8217;s eyes widened. Your Highness, the portrait of the Crown<br \/>\nPrince and his spouse will remain for generations. This is too radical. Carlyle smirked. Exactly. Anyone who challenges me<br \/>\nafter seeing this painting is either a fool or has no will to live. Thinking that way<br \/>\nI can kill them without remorse. Lionel sighed. Even so, you should send the first<br \/>\npainting to the Imperial Palace. Carlyle cut him off. No. I&#8217;ll write the letter to accompany it<br \/>\nmyself. The painter hesitated. Your Highness, are you trying to provoke<br \/>\nthe Emperor again? Carlyle&#8217;s gaze darkened. A push and pull is necessary<br \/>\nin all human relationships. I&#8217;ve behaved long enough. Now it&#8217;s time to remind them who I am,<br \/>\nCarlyle told painter. I will write the letter that goes with the<br \/>\npainting for the Imperial Palace myself. Painter, skeptical, replied. Are you trying to upset the Empress again? After all the effort<br \/>\nit took to appease her the first time? Push and pull are necessary<br \/>\nin all human relationships. I&#8217;ve been behaving for a while, so<br \/>\nnow it&#8217;s time to tug on the leash a bit. Whether it&#8217;s my father or the Empress. They should never forget<br \/>\nthe kind of person I am. Meanwhile, King Kendrick Evaristo<br \/>\nwas resting in his room, dreaming of a brave knight fighting valiantly<br \/>\nagainst his enemies in the dream. The king shouted, who dares to challenge<br \/>\nthe empire? Count Jupiter, seated on horseback,<br \/>\nscreamed, stop him! Stop that bastard, he thought bitterly. Damn it! All the battles we&#8217;ve won<br \/>\nhave been because of that one man. The brave knight, hailed as Lord a mere<br \/>\ncharge toward Count Jupiter and declared. Inform your king<br \/>\nif even a single soul survives here. Never again<br \/>\nchallenge the mighty Chadian empire. Cheers erupted across the battlefield<br \/>\nas soldiers shouted, hail, Lord, a mere lord,<br \/>\na mere struck down the enemy leader. Oh Lord, thank you so much,<br \/>\nCount jubilant, witnessing Amir&#8217;s bravery. Thought that clumsy upstart<br \/>\nshould have called me to strike down that bastard<br \/>\nafter he fell off the horse. It was the perfect chance to solidify<br \/>\nmy presence as Crown prince. He&#8217;ll be a headache if left unchecked. I&#8217;m sure he&#8217;ll try to rise<br \/>\nbeyond his place later. Count Duplass<br \/>\nbowed before the King and praised Amir. He is an outstanding knight, Your Majesty. I believe he can drive out the barbarians<br \/>\nfrom previous. The King nodded. You are absolutely right, my son. I suggest we bestow upon him<br \/>\nthe noble title of Count of Pervaiz. Amir for your exceptional merit. I hereby confer upon you<br \/>\nthe title of Count of purveyors, the fiefdom granted to you as previous. The northernmost region of the empire. A fitting place for your bravery. However, Amir&#8217;s response was far<br \/>\nfrom grateful. Filled with anger, he exclaimed, Pervez, I won the war for you while you were<br \/>\ntrembling and hiding at the rear. And now you repay me with enmity disguised<br \/>\nas favor. When Count Duplass shouted,<br \/>\ncapture the intruder as Amir struck him down in rage, terrified,<br \/>\nthe king woke up from his nightmare. He shouted. Pant! Pant! His attendant rushed in<br \/>\nand asked worriedly, are you all right? Your Majesty,<br \/>\nthe King, still shaken, said this place. Pant consoled him. It looks like you had a nightmare. The king sighed. So it was just a dream. Pant handed him a glass of water,<br \/>\nbut the king declined his suggestion<br \/>\nto summon a doctor after drinking. He set the glass down and thought grimly. Damn it! It&#8217;s all because of Carlyle&#8217;s letter<br \/>\nthat I had such a nightmare. The king glanced at the letter<br \/>\nfrom Carlyle, which read, as I write this, I catch sight of the palace<br \/>\nwhere my father sits upon his throne. I hope you are in good health. I am sending you<br \/>\nthe portrait of the newlyweds that was supposed to be painted<br \/>\nfor the Imperial Palace after my wedding. It is different<br \/>\nfrom the usual couple portraits, but I believe it better<br \/>\nrepresents us as a couple by accident. The king knocked over the glass,<br \/>\nspilling water onto the letter. He stared at it in shock. A few days later, Queen Beatrice<br \/>\nbrought up a concern during dinner. It has been over a year and a half<br \/>\nsince Carlyle&#8217;s marriage. Yet there is still no news of a child. This is a serious issue. The king replied. They&#8217;ve been busy fighting wars. How could they have a child<br \/>\nunder such circumstances? Beatrice disagreed. Children can be conceived<br \/>\neven during wars, Your Highness. They are both healthy. I find it unusual that they still do<br \/>\nnot have a child. The king asked. So what do you suggest we do about it? Beatrice said. I think we should send a priest<br \/>\nto bestow blessings upon them. That should resolve the matter. Leave it to me, Your Majesty. I will take care of it,<br \/>\nso please don&#8217;t worry. When Carlyle learned of this plan,<br \/>\nhe remarked to Lionel, are they going to confront the matter<br \/>\ndirectly now? Lionel asked, what&#8217;s in the letter<br \/>\nthat made you say that? Carlyle explained. It seems they want to send a priest<br \/>\nto pray for us, since it&#8217;s been a year<br \/>\nand there&#8217;s no news of a child. Lionel surprise said. Pardon? Carlyle continued. If I refuse, they&#8217;ll likely claim it&#8217;s<br \/>\nnot a legitimate marriage and attempt to annul it. Lionel argued, who judges the legitimacy<br \/>\nof a marriage based on this. They even approve of forced marriages. Carlyle agreed, but smirked. That&#8217;s true. But guess who the priest is? Lionel<br \/>\nguessed. Don&#8217;t tell me. High Priest Gabriel Carlyle nodded. Correct. Lionel was stunned. A nobleman more popular than the Pope. Coming to bless you. How can he leave his post<br \/>\nfor over a month? Carlyle replied. It&#8217;s worth it for him. Even with the losses, Lionel suggested,<br \/>\nyou and usher must appear as a real couple. I think you should consult with count. Previous usher overhearing. Asked. Pardon? Carlyle explained. The high priest is coming to visit us. I&#8217;m certain Hill enter the couple&#8217;s bedroom,<br \/>\nso we need one prepared, usher offered. I&#8217;ll arrange a new bedroom. Carlyle countered. Wouldn&#8217;t it seem unnatural<br \/>\nto create a couple&#8217;s bedroom now? Usher replied, it&#8217;s too risky to let that<br \/>\nsuspicious high priest enter your room. Carlyle thought for a moment. That snake like priest<br \/>\nmight try something strange in my room. Usher suggested it&#8217;s better to set up<br \/>\na new bedroom on the second floor. Carlyle agreed. We can use one of the guest rooms,<br \/>\nbut it might take 2 or 3 days. Lionel asked directly. Forgive me if this sounds impolite,<br \/>\nbut I still don&#8217;t quite understand. I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;ve shared<br \/>\nthe same bedroom before. Why does this still feel like an alliance? Usher thought silently. He seems to be pretending<br \/>\nnot to know what happened that night. Carlyle remained speechless. Lionel teased. Was that night<br \/>\nalso part of your plan to deceive others? Usher admitted. Well, it was kind of like that. Carlyle added sheepishly. I meant to tell you, but I forgot. Lionel, exasperated, said,<br \/>\nyou should have remembered. Anyway,<br \/>\nI suppose Lord Provost should lend a hand. Usher asked, what do you mean by that? Cecilia was sitting in her room and her<br \/>\nassistant Angie was trying to comfort her. My lady, Angie said gently. This is the tea that Lord<br \/>\nCarlyle gave you as a gift. He knows how much you like tea. Cecilia, still upset, replied curtly. He doesn&#8217;t know anything. He gave the same tea to everyone<br \/>\nstaying on the second floor. Moreover, he even had a couple&#8217;s bedroom<br \/>\nmade on that floor recently. Angie hesitated,<br \/>\nbut respond, did my lady Cecilia. Now speechless and simmering with anger<br \/>\ntoward Carlyle, finally said,<br \/>\nleave me alone for a moment, Angie. I want to be by myself. Angie bowed her head and replied. Understood, my lady,<br \/>\nbefore quietly leaving the room. Once alone, Cecilia&#8217;s thoughts raced. The atmosphere in the castle<br \/>\nhas been strange lately. It&#8217;s as if His Highness<br \/>\nhas no intention of divorcing. Even if he were offered<br \/>\nthe title of Crown Prince, even if Lord Carlyle were to leave,<br \/>\nit wouldn&#8217;t matter much to count previous. She would still be adored and respected. Addressed as your lordship. In contrast, I, my foolish brothers,<br \/>\nwould mock me as if they&#8217;ve won. My father, who is cherished me all<br \/>\nthis time, might even turn his back on me. If that happens, everything<br \/>\nI&#8217;ve worked so hard to build will crumble to pieces<br \/>\nI can&#8217;t afford to envy. Count privacy. I can&#8217;t become like her. I have no choice but to somehow<br \/>\ntake the position of Empress. Meanwhile, Giles was scolding Dorothea. Is there anything you can do without me? What have you been doing while I was away? Giles barked. You should have at least found fault<br \/>\nwith Sylvia. Depressed, Dorothea, flustered, replied, I didn&#8217;t have the chance to spend time<br \/>\nwith lady depressed. Then you should have created<br \/>\nan opportunity. Giles snapped. If you keep behaving like this,<br \/>\nhow do you expect to become the Crown Princess? But father, I. She began hesitantly. Since when did you start contradicting me? He interrupted sharply. Dorothea lowered her head. I&#8217;m sorry father. She murmured as she stood<br \/>\nthere, confused and upset. Her thoughts turned grim. Even if I become the Crown Princess. I will probably end up living with an<br \/>\nauthoritative man like my father anyway. In that case, it might be better to live<br \/>\nin privacy for the rest of my life. Giles interrupted her reverie. Let me know if you find any information<br \/>\nabout count privacy. Information about count privacy? She asked. Surprise! Anything will do. The more information, the better,<br \/>\nhe replied. But why? It seems His Highness has taken a greater<br \/>\nliking to count privacy than expected. Giles explained. Dorothea&#8217;s thoughts turned darker. That woman must disappear someday. It would be better if she died in a small<br \/>\naccident that no one would suspect. Giles addressed her again. You must harden your heart, Dorothea. This isn&#8217;t a kind and gentle world. It&#8217;s a battlefield where if you don&#8217;t<br \/>\nkill, you&#8217;ll be killed instead. It might be worth trying to use that<br \/>\nman approach. Decker. Donovan. There&#8217;s probably no one who knows<br \/>\nCount Pervez as well as he does. Dorothea later found herself<br \/>\nin the library holding a book. Her father&#8217;s words echoed in her mind. This is not the time to leisurely read<br \/>\nnovels. Frustrated, she thought. I can&#8217;t even relax in my own room. She decided to go to the garden with her<br \/>\nbook as she wandered. She stumbled upon a secluded spot. I never knew there was such a place. She murmured. Father probably won&#8217;t find me here. I&#8217;ll take a brief rest. She settled down and began reading, when<br \/>\nsuddenly a timepiece fell to the ground. Startled, she looked up to see Dekker. Donovan. Apologies, he said, bowing slightly. I didn&#8217;t mean to startle you. As she stared at Decker, her father&#8217;s<br \/>\ninstructions came rushing back. Approach. Dekker. Donovan. There&#8217;s probably no one who knows<br \/>\nCount Pervaiz as well as he does. Dekker picked up the watch<br \/>\nand inspected it. Fortunately, it&#8217;s still ticking. He said. If you&#8217;d like, I can repair it for you. That won&#8217;t be necessary,<br \/>\nshe replied stiffly. Dekker looked at her closely. Would it be troublesome<br \/>\nif people knew I had your watch? My lady Dorothea hesitated. I hadn&#8217;t even considered that. If so, Dekker added smoothly. Just say you lost it. He wrapped the watch in a cloth<br \/>\nand smiled. You don&#8217;t know where to get it repaired,<br \/>\ndo you? I&#8217;ll return it here once it&#8217;s fixed. I have a feeling you&#8217;ll visit<br \/>\nthis place often in the future. Noticing the book in her hands. He asked. Oh. That book. Do you happen to know it? Yes, she replied. It&#8217;s the Secrets of Barton Manor,<br \/>\na famous detective novel. So you&#8217;ve read it? He said, intrigued. Is the culprit Wagner or Lupo? Then, as if catching himself,<br \/>\nhe added, no, don&#8217;t spoil it for me. It seems you enjoy detective novels,<br \/>\nshe remarked. Decker smiled. I discovered them<br \/>\nduring my last trip to the capital. I stayed up all night reading. Couldn&#8217;t put it down. It&#8217;s been popular in Cairo<br \/>\nfor the past ten years, hasn&#8217;t it? She was taken aback by his enthusiasm. At first he seemed like a scary person, but he&#8217;s completely different<br \/>\nfrom what I thought. Shall I lend it to you? She offered. Are you sure it&#8217;s okay? He asked. I think Lord Raphael wouldn&#8217;t approve. It&#8217;s fine, she assured him. My father doesn&#8217;t care about such matters. He always encourages me to share books<br \/>\nwith others. Decker smiled gratefully. I&#8217;d appreciate it. Books are quite expensive,<br \/>\nand I could only afford three in Cairo. Dorothea&#8217;s<br \/>\nthoughts turned to Count Purvis. I heard His Highness<br \/>\nCarlisle spend a fortune on privacy. Was it really just<br \/>\nfor rebuilding the territory? Surely there must be adequate compensation<br \/>\nfor privacy warriors. Is it true that Her Highness<br \/>\ndemanded sacrifices from you? She asked cautiously. Aisha tried to offer compensation, Decker<br \/>\nexplained. But we, the warriors of Purvis, refused. As long as our basic needs are met,<br \/>\nwe&#8217;re fine. But what about those with families? She pressed. If we compromise a little,<br \/>\nperhaps we can do more for them. He said thoughtfully. I didn&#8217;t mean to insult you, my lord,<br \/>\nshe said quickly. Decker smiled reassuringly. I can tell<br \/>\nwhen someone intends to offend me. Don&#8217;t worry. He stood and bowed slightly. I&#8217;ll take my leave first. I was planning to leave soon anyway,<br \/>\nshe replied. It&#8217;s all right. There are plenty of other places to read. And even if Lord Raphael asks, I won&#8217;t say<br \/>\nanything about seeing you here. With that, Decker<br \/>\nleft, leaving Dorothea deep in thought. It seems I made a good choice bringing<br \/>\na few detective novels with me elsewhere. The high priest<br \/>\nGabriel arrived at Lord Carlisle&#8217;s palace. As he stepped out of his carriage. Usher and Carlisle greeted him. May the blessings of the gods be with you. Your Highness, Gabriel said. Gabriel Knox<br \/>\npresents himself to Prince Carlisle, a very hostile usher, about her<br \/>\nhead, and Carlisle responded. It seems the High priest is burdened<br \/>\nby the unnecessary worries of the Empress. Gabriel replied. What could be more important<br \/>\nthan the birth of a royal air? There may be several things,<br \/>\nCarlisle said, but perhaps we should begin by discussing how not to jeopardize<br \/>\na healthy prince in the royal family. How about we start with that? Gabriel,<br \/>\ntaken aback, responded cautiously. Well, I must say. His mind lingered on Carlisle&#8217;s phrasing,<br \/>\njeopardizing a healthy crown prince. It&#8217;s the first time<br \/>\nI&#8217;ve heard such words from royalty. Isaiah stepped<br \/>\nforward, her presence commanding. Thank you for traveling all this way. Your holiness. I am Usher Purvis, the Count of Purvis. Gabriel offered a courteous nod. Please forgive my delayed greeting. May the goddess of wisdom and love,<br \/>\nAphrodite, bestow her blessings upon you. Aisha&#8217;s lips curved into a faint smile. Perhaps another deity&#8217;s<br \/>\nblessing would be more fitting. Nevertheless. Please come in. She led Gabriel into the palace,<br \/>\ngesturing toward its modest interiors. This old castle is lacking in many ways. I hope you&#8217;ll understand. Gabriel looked around, his tone<br \/>\npolite yet probing. It is better than I expected. I heard that resources were scarce<br \/>\nafter the long war. Usher replied with measured grace. Thanks to His Highness,<br \/>\nCarlyle, purveyors is now thriving. Gabriel offered a placating smile. I&#8217;ve heard much about it,<br \/>\nbut I believe it was your courage count previous that revived this land. Asha&#8217;s eyes narrowed slightly. How insincere. Is he trying to sow<br \/>\ndiscord between Carlyle and me? Maintaining her composure, she said. Thank you for seeing it that way. You must be tired from your journey. Please rest well. Your holiness.<br \/>\nWe shall meet again this evening. As she close the door behind him,<br \/>\nshe turned to find Carlyle standing silently, observing her. Surprised, she exclaimed. There were no strange signs<br \/>\nuntil he entered the room, but he seems to be in a hurry,<br \/>\npretending to praise me while subtly attempting<br \/>\nto create conflict between us. Carlyle chuckled faintly. You seem unusually anxious. Perhaps he&#8217;s using his charm on you. Charm? Aisha questioned, puzzled. There&#8217;s no rule that only women wield<br \/>\ncharm. Have you ever wondered why such an ordinary priest&#8217;s<br \/>\nworship hall overflows with believers? Aisha frowned. I know of it. But why would the High priest flatter me? What does he stand to gain<br \/>\nfrom someone like me? Carlyle&#8217;s gaze hardened. Why are you speaking in such a manner? Did I say something wrong? She asked. Confuse. You said quite a lot. Carlyle turned and walked away,<br \/>\nleaving her speechless in the hallway. That evening, Carlyle, Aisha, and Gabriel<br \/>\ngathered at the dining table. Servants moved deftly, serving<br \/>\nexquisite dishes while an underlying<br \/>\ntension lingered in the air. Gabriel&#8217;s thoughts swirled<br \/>\nhow indifferent Carlyle seems, even with the high priest&#8217;s<br \/>\npresence. Weak faith must be why the gods have<br \/>\npunished him with the barbarian invasion. Breaking the silence. Carlyle asked. By the way, Your Holiness, what exactly<br \/>\nis the blessing of conception? Gabriel replied smoothly. I am here to bestow blessings upon<br \/>\nthe royal couple for the birth of a child. Carlyle&#8217;s voice dripped with sarcasm. Is it because my mother is impatient<br \/>\nfor a grandchild? Or because the Empress sees an heir<br \/>\nas the future of the Imperial family? Does that justify<br \/>\nmeddling in government affairs? A royal member is expected to scatter<br \/>\ntheir seeds merely for the sake of tradition. Gabriel faltered, unsure how to respond. Carlyle sharp gaze bore into him. I wonder, Carlyle continued, if even<br \/>\nthe gods would approve of such reasoning. Can you swear in the name of the gods<br \/>\nthat this is their will? Gabriel hesitated, but answered solemnly. I swear in the name of the gods, even the gods will forgive a small lie. Carlyle smirked knowingly. Well, that&#8217;s how it goes. Gabriel shifted uncomfortably. How easily his suspicions fade. Or is this an act? Carlyle pressed on, his tone,<br \/>\ndeliberately provocative. I heard rumors that the high priest<br \/>\nmust enter the couple&#8217;s bedroom to bestow this blessing. Gabriel nodded. That is correct. Asha&#8217;s eyes widened. Pardon? Gabriel elaborated after offering<br \/>\nblessings beyond the curtains. I will quietly leave. Carlyle raised an eyebrow. Do we have to be in the same bedroom<br \/>\nfor this ritual? Gabriel replied. In cases<br \/>\nwhere a couple struggles to conceive. It is customary. Producing<br \/>\nan heir is a duty for the imperial family. Carlyle&#8217;s<br \/>\nlips curled into a mocking smile. Duty convenient. Coming from a temple dominated by men. Are you saying this on behalf of the gods? Gabriel stiffened. Are you questioning the will of the gods? Carlyle leaned back, his voice low. You&#8217;re just a man, Gabriel. How did you become a high priest? If you can&#8217;t discern, the gods will. Gabriel clenched his fists<br \/>\nbeneath the table. How dare this insolent man<br \/>\ndismiss my divine mission! But it&#8217;s not the time to retaliate. My mission must not fail. Masking his frustration, Gabriel<br \/>\nreplied, Your Highness, your genuine concern for the Crown<br \/>\nPrince is commendable. I trust the blessing will bear fruit. Later that night,<br \/>\nAsha entered Carlyle&#8217;s chamber. Her expression uncertain. Carlyle greeted her casually. You&#8217;re here. Are you all right? It seems dinner was eventful. Aisha sighed. It was far from comfortable. The high priest mentioned<br \/>\nthat starting next week, we should engage in intercourse<br \/>\nevery other day. He even plans to visit our room<br \/>\nseveral times. Carlyle scoffed. The high priest<br \/>\nmust find this absurd, too. We don&#8217;t even truly desire a child. Asha&#8217;s thoughts raced. What a headache. I may have pretended to agree,<br \/>\nbut how will I manage this? Carlyle broke her reverie,<br \/>\nextending his hand. Starting this week, we&#8217;ll share a bedroom. I&#8217;m under your care, my lady. Asha stared at him, startled. Carlyle, noticing her<br \/>\nhesitation, gently took her hand. Perhaps I&#8217;m<br \/>\nthe one who should ask for your care. He released her hand, moved toward the bed<br \/>\nand reclined with a sigh. I&#8217;m tired. I&#8217;ll go to sleep now. As he closed<br \/>\nhis eyes, his thoughts lingered. Will she get on the bed<br \/>\nwith such a spacious room? The couch or sofa would be uncomfortable. She&#8217;ll probably sleep on the bed. And so the silence of the night<br \/>\nsettled over them. The tension between them unspoken<br \/>\nbut palpable. Carlyle sat on the edge of his<br \/>\nbed, his eyes flickering toward Asha<br \/>\nas she lingered near the couch. His mind churned with thoughts. Will she really sleep<br \/>\non that uncomfortable couch? The bed is spacious enough for the two<br \/>\nof us, and it&#8217;s more practical. But will she? Asha&#8217;s calm voice broke the silence. He muttered, if you sleep there. She paused and turned. What? He hesitated. Nothing. Stubborn as always,<br \/>\nhe thought with mild irritation. Even if I warn her, she&#8217;ll probably still insist on<br \/>\nsleeping there and wake up with back pain. After a pause, Carlyle asked,<br \/>\nare you cold? Usha responded. I&#8217;m fine. Lise Carlyle said plainly. It&#8217;s true, she retorted. Carlyle sighed. It&#8217;s not like anything bad will happen. Just get in the bed. Don&#8217;t you trust me? It&#8217;s not that, she replied quickly. Well, then, Carlyle offered. Let&#8217;s exchange. I&#8217;ll take the couch<br \/>\nand you can sleep on the bed. I don&#8217;t want to, Usha said flatly,<br \/>\nand I&#8217;ve already warmed up here. Can&#8217;t you just sleep already? Carlyle turned to his side, muttering. Then tomorrow you&#8217;ll sleep here. I won&#8217;t take no for an answer. The next morning, Asha approached Gabriel,<br \/>\nwho was preparing for his duties. Your holiness,<br \/>\nare you planning to bless the castle? Gabriel nodded. Old castles like this can easily attract<br \/>\nevil energy and misfortune. Blessings are necessary<br \/>\nto prevent such things. If you don&#8217;t trust me, you&#8217;re welcome to accompany me<br \/>\nand inspect the process yourself. You may also speak to Prince Carlyle<br \/>\nif you have doubts. Asha thought for a moment before agreeing. All right. Since there&#8217;s not much to do right now,<br \/>\nI&#8217;ll show you around. Thank you,<br \/>\nGabriel replied with a gracious smile. As they began the tour, Asha felt<br \/>\nthe weight of exhaustion pressing on her. I didn&#8217;t sleep well last night,<br \/>\nbut it&#8217;s better to endure this than create unnecessary tension by refusing him,<br \/>\nGabriel suggested. Perhaps we should start from the highest<br \/>\npoint of the castle and work our way down. What do you think? Asha gave him a wary glance. But wouldn&#8217;t that be difficult for you? Your holiness? Gabriel dismissed her concern. Climbing stairs<br \/>\nis part of daily life at the temple. By the way,<br \/>\nI noticed there&#8217;s no temple in privacy. That&#8217;s true, Asha replied. Before the imperial annexation,<br \/>\nwe had our own state religion. Afterward, there wasn&#8217;t room to build<br \/>\na temple due to the barbarian invasions. Gabriel nodded thoughtfully. I assume, then, that the people here<br \/>\ndon&#8217;t know much about the scriptures or the gods. Isaiah countered firmly. While that may be true for Scripture<br \/>\ninterpretation. The people here are as devoted in their<br \/>\nprayers as anywhere else in the Empire. There was a time when we had no choice<br \/>\nbut to rely on God and pray desperately. Gabriel fell silent, struck by her words<br \/>\nafter a moment. He said, I can only imagine<br \/>\nhow difficult it must have been. I&#8217;ll pray for the souls of those<br \/>\nwho pass to find peace. Thank you, Asha said softly. Perhaps he isn&#8217;t as deceitful<br \/>\nas I first thought. Or maybe it&#8217;s simply his role as a priest. As they reached the castles<br \/>\nelevated watchtower, Gabriel remarked. From here we can see the border. Yes, Asha replied. This elevated position helps us quickly detect enemy invasions<br \/>\nand mobilize accordingly. Gabriel&#8217;s mind raced. The abandoned lands are close. Discount purveyors<br \/>\nknow what lies there, Asha continued. I&#8217;ve heard that the abandoned land holds<br \/>\na strange and unique energy. My father once said that barbarians and beasts from that region<br \/>\nare tainted with demonic power. Gabriel&#8217;s interest sharpened. Are you saying<br \/>\nthe strange energy is demonic? That&#8217;s correct, Asha affirmed. They say the demonic energy seeps out<br \/>\nfrom all over the abandoned land. Gabriel fell into deep thought. If the energy<br \/>\nthere is comparable to my own powers, I might be able to manipulate it<br \/>\nwithout resorting to dark magic. This could be a tremendous opportunity. He turned to her. How was the war earlier this year? I know Prince Carlyle&#8217;s<br \/>\ncontributions were vital, but it seems Pervez<br \/>\narmy bore the brunt of it. Without His Highness,<br \/>\nwe would have been defeated. Aisha admitted the enemy had enormous<br \/>\nsupplies and even used catapults. Some of them cast strange spells as well. Gabriel considered her words. Is she testing<br \/>\nwhether I&#8217;m loyal to the Empress? Feigning concern, he said. That must have been terrifying. Are you saying<br \/>\nthe barbarians were behind it? Prince Carlyle does have many enemies. I worry that the war&#8217;s embers<br \/>\nmay still smolder near purveyors. Asha turned away. Even so, it&#8217;s better than being abandoned<br \/>\nand left to die by the Empire. Now I&#8217;ll show you<br \/>\nwhere the blessings will be conducted. They arrived at a modest room,<br \/>\nGabriel observed. This room seems to be used<br \/>\nmore frequently than the others. This is our prayer room, Asher explained. My mother used it<br \/>\nmost often after her passing. The rest of the family took turns here. Now that my father and brothers are gone,<br \/>\nI&#8217;m the only one left who uses it. Many have died and we face terrible days. But I still believe God watched over us. Gabriel was taken aback. Who would have thought that the so-called barbarian<br \/>\nprincess prays regularly and is so devout? Aisha added. If a poor warrior like me<br \/>\nbecame a princess, what else could it be but God&#8217;s will? Gabriel&#8217;s heart wavered. She feels genuine gratitude to God<br \/>\nand her people. There was a time when I felt the same. But I&#8217;ve come too far to turn back now. Is something the matter? Aisha asked. Gabriel quickly composed himself. Nothing. Let&#8217;s proceed to the next room. Later, Gabriel performed<br \/>\nblessings upon the castle. His voice solemn Lord. Libido. Guide me. Help me prove that the path I&#8217;ve chosen<br \/>\nis righteous. In a distant palace, a doctor approached<br \/>\nCecilia with a radiant smile. Congratulations, Your Highness. You are with child<br \/>\nCecilia clasped her hands in gratitude. Thank you God. The doctor hesitated. Should I inform His Majesty immediately? Cecilia&#8217;s expression darkens slightly. Quietly inform Her Majesty first. Let&#8217;s not upset her unnecessarily. After dismissing her maids, Cecilia&#8217;s<br \/>\nfather entered. Is it wise to do this? How dare you pass<br \/>\nanother man&#8217;s child as His Majesty&#8217;s. Cecilia responded sharply.<br \/>\nDo you doubt me? I must do whatever it takes<br \/>\nto secure His Majesty&#8217;s favor. I&#8217;ve already silenced anyone<br \/>\nwho might speak out her father&#8217;s side. If you say so, then I trust you. Cecilia&#8217;s smile returned. Now that I&#8217;ve succeeded<br \/>\nin conceiving a child, I wonder how the Empress will react<br \/>\nif she truly wishes to overlook the threat I pose. I&#8217;ll be grateful. But if Carlyle returns from privacy,<br \/>\nI must ensure my child becomes the next emperor. Aisha came to the bedchamber of Carlyle. He asked, are you here? It&#8217;s finally the day for intercourse. Aisha sat in front of him and said,<br \/>\nWill the high Priest really be fooled? Carlyle replied. What would he do even if he&#8217;s not fooled? It&#8217;s not like he can check<br \/>\nby removing the blanket. He asked, are you nervous? She became speechless and he thought. I thought she would immediately<br \/>\nrespond with, no, I&#8217;m not an act. Awkwardly, he said to her. It might be quite embarrassing,<br \/>\nbut it won&#8217;t take long before the high priest comes in. Lionel will give us a signal. Just bear with it for a while, she said. All right, he added, it&#8217;s not that hard. You can just make moderately<br \/>\nheavy breathing sounds. Aisha, sipping her tea, listened to him<br \/>\nsilently, feeling speechless. She then said that might be a little<br \/>\nembarrassing as well as he stared at her. He thought, did<br \/>\nI just talk too much for no reason? I think we should head to bed slowly now. He then said to her,<br \/>\nlet&#8217;s get prepared now. Aisha put her tea on the table and said,<br \/>\nall right. Carlyle<br \/>\nremoved his shirt and sat on the bed. Aisha joined him, sitting near him. Both of them<br \/>\nsat awkwardly facing each other. He said, your body is cold. She replied,<br \/>\nbecause the gown is a little thin. He sighed. Jeez. I was acting obliviously. I guess I should have waited for the<br \/>\nhigh priest before coming up to the bed. She quickly protested. No, not at all, she thought. Why is he saying something<br \/>\nthat could cause so much trouble? It didn&#8217;t feel like anything before. But why has it turned out like this? As she was lost in thought,<br \/>\nhe called out usher. Yes, Your Highness, she replied. He said you should call me Carlyle<br \/>\nfrom now on. Aisha was surprised, but he continued. You remember what you have to do<br \/>\nafter the high priest comes, right? Yes, she responded. Her mind racing,<br \/>\ncalling each other sweetly, breathing heavily<br \/>\nlike I do after sparring twice. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Carlyle said, I guess the high priest<br \/>\nis here to act their part. He leaned over her. Another knock came and he thought, I guess<br \/>\nhe&#8217;s nearby now. This time<br \/>\nCarlyle leaned even closer over her. Meanwhile, High Priest<br \/>\nGabriel stood outside the door, hearing muffled voices coming from inside. Aisha. Carlyle. He heard. Gabriel began to pray, unsettled<br \/>\nby what he was hearing inside the room. Carlyle<br \/>\nand Aisha were much closer to each other. Carlyle thought. Damn it. Is this really all just an act? Before he realized it,<br \/>\nhe stood still, staring at Aisha. Then, without thinking, he kissed her. Meanwhile, Gabriel, standing outside, wiped his sweat<br \/>\nand pressed a cloth to his ears. He thought. It feels as if my ears have become dirty. But these two, it seemed too real for it<br \/>\nto be just an act meant to fool me. By any chance, does Prince Carlyle<br \/>\ntruly care for Cal Pervez? No. There&#8217;s no way that arrogant prince<br \/>\nwould never like someone from this rural area. Gabriel frowned. I don&#8217;t know about Count Pervez, but I&#8217;m<br \/>\nsure the prince is only playing with her. Since I can&#8217;t dismiss their marriage<br \/>\nfor this reason anymore. I&#8217;ll have to find another way. It might even be easier to use Aisha. Previous. Later, Gabriel opened the prayer room. Inspecting it carefully, he thought it would have been better<br \/>\nif I hadn&#8217;t learned about count previous. I never expected her to be this innocent<br \/>\nand devout. No, on the contrary. This might work better for her. Count Pervez should be with Carlyle,<br \/>\nwho was arrogant and corrupt as Gabriel<br \/>\ninspected Asha&#8217;s praying room. Geronimo arrived and asked, Your Holiness,<br \/>\ndo you need anything? The priest responded. I&#8217;m going to look around the mansion<br \/>\nfor a while. I bless the corners earlier, but I would like to check again<br \/>\nin case I missed a spot. Geronimo smiled and said,<br \/>\nI will accompany you. The priest replied. Thank you. As they walked through the mansion,<br \/>\nGabriel thought, there must be a good place<br \/>\nhere to cast dark magic. Secretly inside the room, Asha and Carlyle continued making faint<br \/>\nsounds of all the high priest. After some time, Carlyle said, I think<br \/>\nthe High priest has returned to his room. He thought I didn&#8217;t even hear him leave. Relaxing, Carlyle said. Good job, usher replied. Your Highness, you also did a great job. Carlyle smirked. Even that bastard<br \/>\nGabriel would be completely fooled, right? Oshae nodded. I agree. You should sleep now. She started to move toward the sofa, but Carlyle grabbed her<br \/>\nhand and said, I&#8217;ll go to the sofa. Just stay here. Osho was surprised by his words. He explained, you&#8217;ll catch a cold if<br \/>\nyou&#8217;re suddenly exposed to the chill air. Aisha exclaimed<br \/>\nas Carlyle covered her with a blanket. Aisha and Carlyle were eating breakfast<br \/>\ntogether. Carlyle offered Osho<br \/>\na cream puff and said, eat this. Asha added happily. Carlyle smiled and asked, do you like it? Aisha, busy eating,<br \/>\nnodded her head and replied, yes. Carlyle smiled again and said, I&#8217;m glad. However, Aisha was nervous, thinking, why is he just giving this to me<br \/>\ninstead of eating it himself? Then Aisha made a cream puff for Carlyle<br \/>\nand said, it&#8217;s delicious. She held it out for him to eat,<br \/>\nbut Carlyle grabbed her hand with a stern expression and ate the cream<br \/>\npuff directly from her hand. After eating, Carlyle said, as you said,<br \/>\nit is delicious. Aisha lost in thought, pondered. I can&#8217;t fall for him like this. As soon as he catches on to my feelings,<br \/>\nthis relationship will end terribly. Meanwhile, at the Imperial Palace,<br \/>\nthe King and Queen Beatrice were enjoying tea. The king, filled with joy, expressed<br \/>\nhis happiness, saying to Beatrice, I can&#8217;t believe that Viviana is pregnant<br \/>\nwith a child. It&#8217;s a blessing for the Imperial palace. The king&#8217;s assistant congratulated him,<br \/>\nsaying, congratulations, Your Majesty. The king, overjoyed, added<br \/>\nit seems the medicine said to be good for stamina<br \/>\nswiftly showed its effects. Be sure to send gifts to Viviana,<br \/>\nwho endured a hard time for this. All right. Beatrice, sipping her tea,<br \/>\nalso expressed her happiness, saying, this is a good thing. Congratulations, your Majesty. The King, smiling, said, I knew<br \/>\nyou would also offer your blessings. Just like the Viana. You have a good personality,<br \/>\nBeatrice replied. That is a big compliment, Your Majesty. I should send her a gift soon as well. In her bedchamber, Viviana sat, when<br \/>\nsuddenly there was a knock on the door. She said, come in. Her assistant entered, bowed her head<br \/>\nand said. Her Majesty has sent you a gift<br \/>\nto congratulate you on becoming pregnant. Viviana, with a stern expression, asked what Her Majesty the Empress did. The assistant explained, well,<br \/>\nHer Highness Josephine, the first princess and Her Highness Charlize<br \/>\nthe second Princess are here in her stead. Viviana began to wonder. The Empress sent her daughters here. What does it mean? She then said, should I take<br \/>\nthe two of them to the reception room? They said, they want to congratulate you. Viviana nodded, smiled and said,<br \/>\nsince I can&#8217;t just send them back, do so and tell them I will be there<br \/>\nafter I get ready. The assistant obeyed, replying,<br \/>\nall right, I understand. After getting ready, Viviana greeted them with a bow, saying<br \/>\nthank you for visiting. I, Viviana Lowery, would like to greet<br \/>\nyou, the princesses, for the first time. Josephine,<br \/>\nthe first princess of the chat Empire, smiled and responded,<br \/>\nnice to meet you Lady Lowri. Charlize,<br \/>\nthe second princess of the Chad Empire, also smiled and said, it&#8217;s our first time<br \/>\nvisiting you at this mansion. My lady. You should sit down. Your body must be feeling heavy. Viviana<br \/>\nsat down in front of them and said, so you have heard that I am pregnant. Charlize replied, of course you don&#8217;t know how happy your father<br \/>\nwas after hearing about it. We wanted to congratulate you<br \/>\nso we prepared a few things. Please accept them without any worries. Viviana, thanking them with a smile, said<br \/>\nthank you. I can&#8217;t believe I&#8217;m receiving these gifts<br \/>\nall of a sudden. Josephine asked. I heard it was not easy for you<br \/>\nto become pregnant. Is that true? Viviana, with a stern expression, hesitated, but eventually replied, well. Josephine continued,<br \/>\nwe just wanted to ask for your advice. Turning to Charlize,<br \/>\nshe said, we will also conceive children someday and thought it would be helpful<br \/>\nfor that time. Charlize nodded and said, that&#8217;s right. The be honest said, I suppose the medicine<br \/>\nthat Her Majesty said had good effects. Charlize turned to Josephine, surprised. Really? So you really could not conceive before? Josephine responded. And you became pregnant<br \/>\nas soon as you ate those medicinal herbs. That&#8217;s surprising. Viviana, listening to their conversation, thought to herself, something is strange. Why did they keep asking about that? Josephine? Apologize, saying, oh my. Forgive us for being rude since we are<br \/>\nalso bound to conceive children later. We were just surprised such herbs exist. I can&#8217;t believe she gave such precious<br \/>\nmedicinal herbs to you. I guess mother really wanted you<br \/>\nto conceive a child, Lady Lowri. Oh, right. Mother could not come here today<br \/>\nbecause she is busy with her duties. Still, she was really happy when she heard about it<br \/>\nand asked us to pass on her gifts to you. Charlize added. Oh, right. Bibiana smiled and replied, I see. I am really grateful to Her Majesty, but internally she was thinking,<br \/>\nwhat&#8217;s going on? Have I been misunderstanding the Empress<br \/>\nuntil now? Joseph then continued,<br \/>\nI was really surprised when I heard about your pregnancy. For a long time<br \/>\nyou were unable to conceive. Meanwhile, in his bedchamber, Gabriel was<br \/>\naddressing himself, lost in thought. No, this is better. I don&#8217;t think that count is particularly<br \/>\nswayed by my appearance. But even so, I can use it<br \/>\nto gain her interest since I will need her permission to hold a prayer meeting<br \/>\nonce ready, he exclaimed. It&#8217;s about time now. He knelt and began<br \/>\nhis ritual prayers, closing his eyes. Damn it! Why would the dark magic side<br \/>\neffects occur now? Have I really been captivated by false<br \/>\nbeliefs to the point of becoming a devil? Your holiness, I am Asha, as are you. True. I can&#8217;t let her see this side of me. Moreover, since she has been living near<br \/>\nthe abandoned land, she might recognize these symptoms<br \/>\nwhile he was kneeling and thinking, Asha suddenly entered shouting,<br \/>\nYour Holiness, did something happen? I will enter shortly. She opened the door with force and gasped. Your holiness. Surprised to see Gabriel kneeling,<br \/>\nshe asked, are you okay? He replied, bowing his head. Yes, I am okay. She frowned and said,<br \/>\nyou don&#8217;t look okay at all. Your ribs hurt. Allow me to take a look. Gabriel, in a low tone, said a priest cannot allow others,<br \/>\nespecially a woman, to see their body. Asha, with a stern expression, replied,<br \/>\nin that case I will call His Highness<br \/>\nCarlyle&#8217;s physician right away. Gabriel quickly<br \/>\nsaid, wait, lowering his head, he thought, rather than letting Carlyle know<br \/>\nabout my side effects. Then he unbuttoned his dress<br \/>\nand showed her something. Asha, shocked<br \/>\nby what Gabriel revealed, screamed this. Her face filled with surprise. Gabriel, lost in thought, wondered,<br \/>\ndid she notice it? Asha said to him, it seems like a lingering effect<br \/>\nof illness or a congenital birthmark. Gabriel started to speak this as he was<br \/>\ncontinuing. Asha interrupted, saying,<br \/>\nyou don&#8217;t need to explain it in detail. There are quite a few people with<br \/>\nbirthmarks and Parviz for various reasons. Then she apologized, adding, I apologize. I behaved very rudely out of surprise. Gabriel got lost in thought again<br \/>\nas she apologized. Even if she ever looks at it,<br \/>\nit should not be known by Carlyle. After thinking for a while,<br \/>\nhe said, count. This is a birthmark<br \/>\nI have had since birth. He bowed his head and said, it is a flaw<br \/>\nI am ashamed to reveal to others. So if you could keep it a secret. Asha, in a soft tone, replied, of course. But there is a condition. He asked, a condition<br \/>\nwith a stern expression. She said, yes,<br \/>\nyou must take a medical bath. He became tense and confused upon<br \/>\nhearing her condition, and shocked, exclaimed, a medical bath! Asha explained,<br \/>\nI heard that people who suffered similar pains within the domain benefited<br \/>\nfrom taking a medical bath. He asked,<br \/>\nwhy are you telling me to do this? You have no reason to treat me well. I&#8217;m someone sent by the Empress,<br \/>\nshe responded. You are speaking strangely. What does loyalty have to do<br \/>\nwith saving the sick? At this moment, Gabriel was speechless<br \/>\nand had no words to respond as he remained silent, Asha said, I used to think only saints and wise ones<br \/>\ncould have such thoughts. He then bowed his head and said, I feel<br \/>\nembarrassed for asking for the reason. She replied no, it&#8217;s all right. Anyway.<br \/>\nWill you take the medical bath now? Gabriel followed her command and said,<br \/>\nyes please. Asha said, then I will prepare the herbs<br \/>\nand bath water right away as Asha left. Gabriel got lost in thought again. It will not be bad to become closer to her<br \/>\nlike this. Getting closer to her might help<br \/>\nuncover Carlyle&#8217;s weaknesses. He then went out for the medical bath. Meanwhile, he thought the medical bath<br \/>\nunexpectedly turned out to be effective. I should at least think her. When he saw the door,<br \/>\nhe exclaimed, the door is open! As he came closer to the door, he heard Carlyle<br \/>\nhaving a conversation with Asha inside. Carlyle was questioning<br \/>\nAsha with a stern expression. Is he your taste? What are you implying? I have never heard of a lord personally<br \/>\npreparing a guest bath water, she replied. Don&#8217;t tell me you were saying this because I arrange bath water<br \/>\nfor the high priest. Gabriel, standing at the door<br \/>\nand overhearing the conversation, thought, is he doubting<br \/>\nmy relationship with the count? That lecherous Carlyle? Carlyle said, I never knew such a refined<br \/>\nand delicate man as to your liking. Asha replied, goodness. You have misunderstood everything. Carlyle, with a stern expression,<br \/>\nstared at her and said, rather than a misunderstand me, it&#8217;s more like suspecting<br \/>\nif my wife is cheating on me. If it is a misunderstanding, you should<br \/>\nexplain it in a way that makes sense. Suddenly, Gabriel,<br \/>\ntired of their conversation, opened the door and came inside saying, pardon<br \/>\nme, you should lock your door next time. I came to greet,<br \/>\nbut ended up overhearing your argument. What brings you to my wife&#8217;s room<br \/>\nat this late hour? It&#8217;s still 7:00, Carlyle said. The sun is already set, Gabriel responded. If it were summer,<br \/>\nit would still be early evening. It seems Your Highness is misunderstanding<br \/>\nour relationship. The council prepared<br \/>\nnot just a simple bath, but a medicinal bath for me<br \/>\ndue to my poor health. Carlyle said<br \/>\nI am sorry to hear about your sickness, Your Holiness. However, you could have also ordered servants<br \/>\nto prepare a medicinal bath for you. Gabriel replied. How can I trust a medicinal bath<br \/>\nprepared by others? If you wish, could you enter<br \/>\nthe temple under my supervision and smell the unidentified fragrance? Carlyle was speechless at this,<br \/>\nso he said to Gabriel, you are right. This time I just felt a little jealous<br \/>\nbecause I love my wife too much. At this,<br \/>\nAsha was surprised and exclaimed, love! I think he just wants to fool<br \/>\nthe high priest. Carlyle turned towards her and said,<br \/>\nso please also tell my mother not to worry<br \/>\nwith such passion between us. Don&#8217;t<br \/>\nyou think a child will be conceived soon? Gabriel replied to Carlyle. Sure. When I return to the capital, I will be<br \/>\nsure to convey your message to her. But I&#8217;m afraid the Empress may<br \/>\nor may not believe these words. After having a conversation<br \/>\nwith Viviana, Lowri Beatrice&#8217;s daughters told her everything. Beatrice asked in response,<br \/>\nso what did she say in response? Viviana Lowery, that woman, Charlene,<br \/>\nshe&#8217;s in a happy mood, replied. She said the herbs<br \/>\nyou sent were effective. She also expressed gratitude for your deep<br \/>\nkindness. Beatrice started laughing and said, Do you really believe I was giving herbs<br \/>\nfor that woman&#8217;s pregnancy? Josephine was surprised and asked, Then why Beatrice, smiling, said, isn&#8217;t it amusing the nerve to fake<br \/>\nbeing pregnant with the Emperor&#8217;s child and then thank me for the herbs<br \/>\nI sent her, all while carrying another man&#8217;s baby? Both were extremely shocked,<br \/>\nso Charlize asked Lady Lowery she has another man&#8217;s child. Beatrice said yes. I gave her a great excuse. Deny. The Emperor is unable to have children. He&#8217;s been infertile for quite some time. Josephine, upset, asked how do you know<br \/>\nabout this mother Charles also asked. Shouldn&#8217;t father be informed as well? Beatrice replied I secretly asked<br \/>\nsomeone in the palace to find out. At the time, I didn&#8217;t tell him on purpose<br \/>\nto spare him from shock, but now the situation is different. Spread this information<br \/>\nthroughout the Imperial palace. The Emperor is infertile and Lady<br \/>\nLowri committed adultery. Both daughters were still surprised. Josephine asked, why must we go that far? Beatrice replied. After all these years of living<br \/>\nin the Imperial palace without any power, we should at least do this<br \/>\nmuch, shouldn&#8217;t we? I can trust you both, right? Josephine said. Yes, mother. Gabriel was standing near the window<br \/>\nwhen suddenly a white bird came and sat on his finger. He thought, it is the end for Lady<br \/>\nViviana Lowry with this it will be great to deliver the news of the marriage<br \/>\nannulment at a time like this. I never thought they would become<br \/>\nso close. Well, that is not entirely a bad thing. It means Count Parviz could be Carlyle&#8217;s<br \/>\nweakness. Gabriel then opened the book on the table<br \/>\nand started praying. On November 30th, 883<br \/>\nI offer today&#8217;s prayer. Today I reflect on the will of God<br \/>\nthrough the story of Saint Rufus. Saint Rufus upheld his faith alone, getting the Word of God and defending<br \/>\nhis beliefs against the heretics. His steadfast faith and self-sacrifice<br \/>\nbrought about miracles. After reading,<br \/>\nhe fought much like harvests. Despite the difficult circumstances,<br \/>\nshe silently protected this land. She resembles<br \/>\nSaint Rufus, perhaps through Asia. Parviz I may be able to create<br \/>\nthe ideal world I have been dreaming of. He prayed this with tense focus. Carlyle and Osho were in his office,<br \/>\nengaged in a tense conversation. As Asha entered, Carlyle remarked,<br \/>\nthe priest will leave at the end of the year. By then<br \/>\nthe whole place will be buried in snow. The snow has already started,<br \/>\nusher replied. He mentioned his departure, but<br \/>\nthere&#8217;s no need to dwell on it further. What I find odd<br \/>\nis that the high priest informed only you about this, Your Highness,<br \/>\nCarlyle responded. Yes. First<br \/>\nhe asked you to buy the medicinal herbs he used in his bath,<br \/>\nand then he told you about his departure. Is there an issue with that? Asha, taken aback by his tone,<br \/>\nsaid, no, it&#8217;s nothing. Meanwhile, Carlyle was lost in thought, pondering, am I being too sensitive<br \/>\nabout Gabriel Knox? I shouldn&#8217;t have been so harsh<br \/>\nabout the bath incident yesterday. I should apologize. After a pause,<br \/>\nhe said, excuse me, Countess. Privacy about yesterday. Asha, confused, looked at him<br \/>\nsilently and Carlyle continued, I&#8217;m glad the priest<br \/>\nwill leave earlier than we expected. You must have had a hard time<br \/>\npretending to be a couple with me. It must have been embarrassing for you,<br \/>\nespecially when meeting the other ladies on the second floor. You had to disregard your true feelings<br \/>\nto maintain appearances. Surprise! Carlyle interrupted. What lovers are you referring to? The ladies on the second floor. Who said, I ever considered any of them<br \/>\nmy lovers? Well, Usha began, but Carlyle cut her off. Did you think I dragged them to bed<br \/>\nevery night? Did you think I would do with any of them<br \/>\nwhat I&#8217;ve done with you? He demanded. Asha,<br \/>\nflustered, bowed her head and apologized. I&#8217;m sorry. I shouldn&#8217;t have said anything. No, that&#8217;s not what I meant,<br \/>\nCarlyle exclaimed, his voice rising. I swear by all my victories,<br \/>\nI&#8217;ve never laid a single finger on any of those women. Wasn&#8217;t it obvious? I stayed silent to protect the secret<br \/>\nfrom the Empress. Asha exclaimed softly. Oh, Carlyle continued, anyway, you misunderstood me,<br \/>\nbut I misunderstood you as well. I even wondered if Gabriel&#8217;s witchcraft<br \/>\nhad influenced you. Never, Asha said firmly. I will fight for privacy by your side<br \/>\nuntil the end. Carlisle sighed. The problem is that another person&#8217;s mind<br \/>\ndoesn&#8217;t always work. As you wish. Asha clenched her fist, wondering,<br \/>\ndid His Highness notice my feelings? Carlyle, noticing her silence, said, I think this conversation<br \/>\nis becoming futile. I just wanted to say I&#8217;m sorry. What? Asha asked, surprised. I&#8217;m sorry<br \/>\nfor the misunderstanding yesterday and for scolding you<br \/>\nwithout reason, Carlyle admitted. Asha smiled faintly and said, I&#8217;m sorry for misunderstanding<br \/>\nyou too, Your Highness. As she left the room,<br \/>\nshe thought His Highness clarified his relationships with the other ladies<br \/>\nand even apologized to me. It might just be my imagination,<br \/>\nbut it feels like he sees me as someone special. Meanwhile, at the Imperial Palace,<br \/>\nthe doctor informed the king. There&#8217;s nothing out of the ordinary,<br \/>\nYour Majesty. Perhaps the sickness you&#8217;ve been feeling<br \/>\nis due to accumulated stress. The king frowned. You must be aware of the rumors<br \/>\ncirculating the palace. The doctor hesitated. I&#8217;m sorry, Your Majesty. I didn&#8217;t mean to. The king cut him off. You don&#8217;t need to apologize. I know I can be petty about things<br \/>\nlike this. Yes, Your Majesty, the doctor agreed. However,<br \/>\nwhat do you think about those rumors? Do you think I might be infertile? The king asked. I can&#8217;t be certain without thorough<br \/>\nexamination, the doctor replied. But we could release the results<br \/>\nafterward. To quell the rumors, the king brightened. What a great idea! Let&#8217;s start the tests immediately. I want to put those rumors to rest<br \/>\nas soon as possible. Understood, your Majesty,<br \/>\nthe doctor said with a bow. In a few days,<br \/>\neveryone will know the truth. A few days later,<br \/>\nthe king learned the truth. He was indeed infertile. Furious, he stormed into Vivian<br \/>\nLowery&#8217;s room shouting, Viviana, how could you do this? You&#8217;re carrying another man&#8217;s child! Viviana turned to him, shocked. What are you talking about, Your Majesty? Beatrice, standing<br \/>\nbeside the king, smirked as he roared. Don&#8217;t deny it. I just received the results of my test. I am infertile, Viviana stammered. Infertile? Beatrice intervened coldly. As you heard, His Majesty is infertile, so there&#8217;s no way you could be carrying<br \/>\nhis child. You&#8217;ve committed treachery<br \/>\nagainst the royal family. Viviana. Viviana, stunned<br \/>\nand speechless, was lost in thought. That woman she knew all along. She used her knowledge to manipulate me. The king, his voice trembling with fury,<br \/>\nsaid, I can&#8217;t forgive you for deceiving me<br \/>\nand the Empire. You&#8217;re stripped of your title as Countess<br \/>\nand banished from the palace. Never appear before me again. Viviana knelt, tears<br \/>\nstreaming down her face. This is fine. As long as I&#8217;m alive,<br \/>\nI&#8217;ll have my revenge on the Empress. Elsewhere, Cecilia spoke with Giles. It seems the Empress completely defeated<br \/>\nLady Lowery. It seems she played one of her hidden<br \/>\ncards, Giles replied. Exactly. At this rate,<br \/>\nthe Empress&#8217;s power will only grow. Cecilia&#8217;s head. What is Prince Carlyle thinking right now? His judgment has been clouded<br \/>\nby count his privacy. But their marriage won&#8217;t last long. When the time comes, Prince<br \/>\nCarlyle will be the next emperor, and we&#8217;ll make our move, Giles said,<br \/>\nshowing Cecilia a document. Cecilia, speechless,<br \/>\nstared at it in shock. Meanwhile, Gabriel stood before<br \/>\nUsher and Carlyle as his carriage was prepared for the journey back<br \/>\nto the Imperial Palace. Gabriel said if it snows heavily,<br \/>\nI may get stuck on the road. If that happens, I&#8217;ll return to privacy<br \/>\nand wait for the snow to melt. Carlyle replied. Please send my regards<br \/>\nto the Emperor and Empress. Tell them not to worry. Gabriel nodded. Understood. As the carriage departed, Carlyle turned to usher and said,<br \/>\nit seems we made it through another year. By the way,<br \/>\ncould you spare some time tomorrow? Arshad tilted her head. I have plenty of time. But for what? Carlyle? Smile. It&#8217;s the end of the year. There&#8217;s no better time for couples<br \/>\nto spend together. Oh, Usha murmured, lost in thought. It&#8217;s the end of the year. There&#8217;s not much time left. Soon Prince Carlyle will leave Priv\u00e9s Carlyle walked away, leaving<br \/>\nAsha standing there deep in thought. The next day,<br \/>\nAsha visited Carlyle in his room. Carlyle greeted her with a composed<br \/>\ndemeanor, saying,<br \/>\nWelcome Cao Pervez, please take a seat. Asha bowed her head<br \/>\nrespectfully and replied, thank you. She sat across from him, Carlyle,<br \/>\nsipping his tea while staring at her, asked<br \/>\nwhy do you have a drink? I chose one with a mild scent. Asha hesitated before speaking. Before that I there is something<br \/>\nI would like to give you. Carlyle&#8217;s expression<br \/>\nshifted to one of mild suspicion. What is it? He asked. Asha handed him a small box, explaining there is a tradition of exchanging gifts<br \/>\nat the end of the year. I prepared something. This year it&#8217;s nothing special, though. Carlyle opened the box,<br \/>\nrevealing its contents. Surprised, he asked what is this? It is a leather bracelet,<br \/>\nAsha said, watching him anxiously. She thought to herself, perhaps<br \/>\nI shouldn&#8217;t have prepared anything at all. He&#8217;s someone who can easily afford<br \/>\nto wear expensive jewels. Carlyle examined the bracelet,<br \/>\nthen slipped it on to his wrist. It surprisingly suits me<br \/>\nbetter than I expected, he remarked. What significance does a leather bracelet<br \/>\nhold as a gift? Impervious. Asha smiled faintly and replied,<br \/>\nit doesn&#8217;t hold any special meaning. I just wanted to give it to you as a gift, wishing for your long lasting good health. Carlyle raised his fist, looking amused. It feels like I&#8217;m an old man in his 70s,<br \/>\nhe joked. Asha observed his expression closely,<br \/>\nbut said nothing. Carlyle then stood and said, Although I&#8217;m<br \/>\nlate, I also have something prepared. He walked toward a table<br \/>\nwhere a box was placed and handed it to Asha, adding, it&#8217;s nothing special. If it were jewels, I would sell them<br \/>\nto buy military supplies. Asha received the gift and open it. Her eyes widened in surprise. This perfume, she exclaimed softly<br \/>\nas she stared at the bottle. Memories flooded her mind. It&#8217;s the same scent that was used<br \/>\nduring our wedding preparations and in the marital bedroom. She thought. It suits you well, Carlyle<br \/>\nsaid, breaking her reverie. Asha smiled warmly. Thank you. Carlyle sat beside her, his gaze steady. I originally had<br \/>\nthis perfume custom made for myself, he admitted, holding the bottle. Ayesha asked. I had no idea. Why would you give something<br \/>\nso precious to me? Carlyle picked up the bottle<br \/>\nand looked at her. But this scent seems to suit<br \/>\nyou better than it suits me. He poured a few drops onto his hand<br \/>\nand remarked, when it blends with your natural scent,<br \/>\nthe perfume becomes even more pleasant<br \/>\nthan its original fragrance. He pressed the drops onto her clothes,<br \/>\nmaking her feel special. Drawing closer to her,<br \/>\nhe added it fascinate. It seems strange that a grassy scent<br \/>\nfrom the south suits you, who lives in the North Asia. Feeling flustered, turned her head away,<br \/>\nCarlyle leaned back and explained, there&#8217;s something special about custom<br \/>\nmade perfumes. The customer can name them. Any guesses about the name I chose? He asked with a teasing smile. Asha,<br \/>\nvisibly confused, replied, I&#8217;m not sure. Still smiling, Carlyle revealed the name. Asha. He said gently<br \/>\nhanding the bottle back to her. I prepared it with the meaning<br \/>\nof remembering me. Whenever you use this perfume,<br \/>\nyou&#8217;ll remember me. Isn&#8217;t that so, Asha, feeling<br \/>\ntired and burdened, replied softly. Yes. But inwardly she thought,<br \/>\nperhaps this perfume will become a poison to me<br \/>\nwhen the contract ends. I might never be able to forget him<br \/>\nfor the rest of my life. Despite her worries, Asha&#8217;s heart swelled<br \/>\nwith love and gratitude toward Carlisle. Winter had already settled over privacy,<br \/>\nbut the palace kingdom bordering<br \/>\nthe southern empire was still enjoying the golden hues of autumn<br \/>\nin a secluded meeting room, the Queen of palaces<br \/>\nsat with her companions. A young man at the table remarked, this<br \/>\nyear&#8217;s autumn leaves are truly beautiful. The Queen expressed her gratitude. Thank you for coming all the way here. Despite your busy schedule, Your Majesty. Turning to a lady seated behind her,<br \/>\nshe added it would have been proper<br \/>\nto arrange a more formal reception, but I feared it might invite unwanted<br \/>\nattention from the Cairo Empire. The lady smiled. No need for formalities. I am delighted to see such scenery. The Queen&#8217;s expression softened. Your words. Reassure me. A man at the table interjected. Is your homeland, the kingdom of Elvina. Still preoccupied with war<br \/>\npreparations, the Queen sighed. Well, due to the war<br \/>\npreparations, 12 gold crowns, one each of Sapphire and Ruby,<br \/>\n100 war horses. And on top of that, for 20 years, imports<br \/>\nfrom the Cairo Empire are duty free, duty<br \/>\nfree for 20 years. That would trample. Elven is industry. The man nodded. As it is, Cairo Empire&#8217;s<br \/>\ngoods are already cheap without taxes. Who would use expensive domestic products? The lady added. Import revenues will also dry up<br \/>\ndue to the loss of tariffs. The queen&#8217;s face grew tense. The Empire&#8217;s crown<br \/>\nprince is quite ruthless. While the Empire may have control, the devious crown prince is causing us<br \/>\nheadaches. The prince seated nearby sneered. Don&#8217;t you know yet that damn Carlisle<br \/>\nlost his position as crown prince. He dared to assault his father&#8217;s mistress. He&#8217;s still stuck up north, unable<br \/>\nto return to Cairo, the Queen interrupted sharply. Does that mean no matter what happens<br \/>\nin the south, he can&#8217;t return to Cairo? Two months later,<br \/>\na war declaration rang out. We declare war<br \/>\nagainst the arrogant empire. We have been oppressed by the empire<br \/>\nfor too long. We will reclaim what has been taken<br \/>\nfrom us. King Kendrick received a letter<br \/>\nrequesting his aide. Furious,<br \/>\nhe clenched the parchment tightly. I thought pressuring Alvernia<br \/>\nwould force the rest to fall in line. What the hell is going on here? He fumed internally. Call Mathias<br \/>\nand prepare the suppression troops. He roared. When Mathias heard the news. He rushed to his mother. Beatrice, mother, what should we do? Father is sending me to the battlefield. You told me you wouldn&#8217;t let this happen. Beatrice,<br \/>\nalso unsettled, murmured to herself. This wasn&#8217;t part of my plan. Why does war have to break out now<br \/>\nwhen even High Priest Gabriel is absent? Mathias grew more anxious. Please say something, Mother Beatrice. His lips tightened before she spoke. Calm down Mathias,<br \/>\nnothing dangerous will happen to you. In fact, this could work in our favor,<br \/>\nshe added with a sly smile. Let&#8217;s make your departure ceremony<br \/>\nas grand as possible. Present yourself as a confident crown<br \/>\nprince. Are you really sending me<br \/>\nto the Southern Front? Mathias asked, his voice<br \/>\nfilled with disbelief. Beatrice chuckled softly<br \/>\nonce you leave Cairo, how you handle the war will become known<br \/>\nto the capital&#8217;s nobles. Even if word leaks that you left the battlefield,<br \/>\nyou can claim it was for tactical command. Mathias relaxed slightly. So I won&#8217;t be directly<br \/>\nparticipating in the war. If that&#8217;s the case, I can manage. Beatrice smiled approvingly. Well done Mathias, she thought to herself. The Knights of the Empire<br \/>\nwill handle the war as long as the departure<br \/>\nceremony is splendid. Mathias will appear convincing enough. Suddenly, an injured knight<br \/>\narrived with urgent news. Your Highness,<br \/>\nthe efeitos outpost has fallen. We need to designate either<br \/>\nDaff and On or Rhine as the next outpost. Immediately. Matthias, alarmed, stammered. The outpost has already fallen off and on. Or Rhine,<br \/>\nyou say. It&#8217;s up to you to decide. The knight hesitated before replying. Yes, Daphne and Rhine, but ultimately it is your decision,<br \/>\nYour Highness. Mathias, frustrated, shouted. You can&#8217;t even make such a decision<br \/>\non your own. I can&#8217;t believe you&#8217;re the commander<br \/>\nof the knights, he thought bitterly. Such things never happened when His Highness Carlisle and Lord<br \/>\nlapel were here. Damn it! Why do I have to make this decision<br \/>\nmyself? After a moment, the knight bowed and said,<br \/>\nI will choose Daphne en for now. Matthias asked Daphne, are you sure? All, he told Rhine<br \/>\nhas mountains in the rear, and there is a risk of isolation<br \/>\nif we are not careful. Since Daphne on is on high ground,<br \/>\nit would be advantageous to attack the enemy<br \/>\nby making it an outpost. Mathias exhaled sharply and responded. All right, then, convey that Daphne on<br \/>\nis to be designated as the next outpost. The knight bowed his head and said,<br \/>\nunderstood, Your Highness. But inwardly he thought to himself, I never thought His Highness Matthias<br \/>\nwould be this useless. It would have been better<br \/>\nif His Majesty Carlisle were here with us. Meanwhile, Carlisle received a letter at his encampment in the north<br \/>\nafter reading it is expression darkened, he muttered after a efeitos daf,<br \/>\nand on fell in just five days. And that stupid Matthias<br \/>\nhas apparently fled the battlefield. He clenched the letter in his fist,<br \/>\nhis jaw tightening. Yet father does not seem too concerned. The same man who exiled me to the north<br \/>\nnow dares to command me to fight in the south. He handed the crumpled letter<br \/>\nto the messenger who had delivered it, and gave a curt command. Tell His Majesty that I politely refuse. I am busy protecting privacy. The messenger hesitated. But, Your Highness, at this rate<br \/>\nthe Palazzo Alliance forces<br \/>\ncould even break through to the capital. Carlisle remained calm,<br \/>\nleaning back in his chair. If we combined forces<br \/>\nwith the capital guards, there should be no chance of the capital<br \/>\nbeing breached. Right? The messenger swallowed nervously. Well,<br \/>\nthe major nobles from the central region are not supporting us militarily<br \/>\nfor some reason. Carlyle narrowed his eyes deep in thought. It might be worthwhile<br \/>\nfor me to go to Cairo, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips<br \/>\nas he replied, that doesn&#8217;t mean I will assist father<br \/>\nwithout any means. If I succeed in suppressing<br \/>\nthe South, I demand an immediate restoration of my position<br \/>\nas Crown prince. I won&#8217;t accept anything less than this<br \/>\ncondition. Hearing such conditions, the messenger<br \/>\ngrew terrified and stammered, B but there isn&#8217;t much time to wait<br \/>\nfor the Emperor&#8217;s response. Your Highness, if you return to the capital with us,<br \/>\nthat could convince His Majesty. Carlisle, visibly tense and angry at the<br \/>\nEmperor, clenched his fists and stood up. He commanded, tell him I will wait here<br \/>\nuntil I receive an answer. As you said, there isn&#8217;t much time left. The messenger, frightened by Carlyle&#8217;s<br \/>\nanger, replied, understood. As he turned to leave,<br \/>\nCarlisle stopped him with a strange smile. I will go back to relay this message<br \/>\nto His Majesty, the messenger said before hastily<br \/>\ndeparting Carlisle, then summon Asha. When she arrived, he asked her,<br \/>\ndid you call me? Carlisle had been discussing<br \/>\nimportant war matters with Lionel. Noticing Isaiah&#8217;s presence,<br \/>\nhe remarked, oh, you&#8217;re here. It seems there&#8217;s yet<br \/>\nanother sudden issue to solve. Another? Asha asked,<br \/>\nstill processing the situation. The South has started a rebellion,<br \/>\nCarlisle informed her. Asha was speechless. Carlisle continued. My father has asked me to help,<br \/>\nbut I&#8217;ve decided to accept only under the condition that I am reinstated<br \/>\nas the Crown Prince. Aisha clenched your fists as she thought. Does this mean our divorce will happen<br \/>\nsooner than the scheduled three years? In that case,<br \/>\nshould I prepare the divorce papers? Aisha asked cautiously. Carlisle&#8217;s expression darkened. Did I do something to bother you? Why would you bring that up? Aisha responded. But then why did you call me? Carlisle explained. We need to win the war first<br \/>\nso I can reclaim my title. But it seems the damage to<br \/>\nthe Imperial Knights was too severe because of Mathias incompetence. Well, you&#8217;re the one who always says we<br \/>\ndon&#8217;t have enough troops, Aisha countered. Yes, of course, Carlisle admitted. But we can request more backup<br \/>\nfrom the Templar Knights or another noble. I wanted to make sure you were<br \/>\nthe first one, I asked Countess Privacy. Aisha was stunned into silence. Carlisle continued, the Imperial Knights and the Knights<br \/>\nhave already worked together. They can complement<br \/>\neach other&#8217;s weaknesses. Unlike my father, I want to ensure that the rewards<br \/>\nfor your efforts won&#8217;t be disappointing. Aisha hesitated before requesting. Please write that promise on paper. Carlisle&#8217;s eyes narrowed. Does that mean you accept my request? I have no other choice but to help you,<br \/>\nYour Highness, she replied. Surprise! Carlisle said,<br \/>\nI won&#8217;t punish you if you refuse. I&#8217;m not saying this<br \/>\nbecause I&#8217;m afraid of punishment. I accepted because I&#8217;ve confirmed<br \/>\nthat you were someone worthy of trust,<br \/>\nYour Highness, Aisha said with conviction. Carlisle laughed heartily. I can&#8217;t believe you accepted so easily. In that case, let&#8217;s achieve<br \/>\na great victory this time. He stepped forward and shook his hand. She said, I will play my role<br \/>\nas your reliable wife. With the decision to head south made,<br \/>\nPrevost became busy with battle preparations. Even those who had come from<br \/>\nthe capital were rushing to get ready. Victory in the war was the only option,<br \/>\nand completing their contractual marriage<br \/>\nbecame their shared goal. Aisha lost in thought, reflected. We must give our best on the battlefield. At least then it won&#8217;t feel too sad. Nino approached, breaking her reverie. Milady, here you are. Aisha turned to her. Nina? What happened? Nina handed her a letter. You&#8217;ve received a letter? It seems to be from Gabriel knocks Aisha opened the letter and thought,<br \/>\nhow strange. Why would he write to me at a moment<br \/>\nlike this? The letter read. Countess, I would like to see you again. Aisha wondered. Why does he want to see me again? North of previous Forgotten Lands, Gabriel Knox traveled<br \/>\nthrough the mountains with his companion. The man asked, hi, priest,<br \/>\nare you go to that place again? Gabriel, performing rituals<br \/>\nacross the area, continued his work. The companion, irritated, asked<br \/>\nwhy don&#8217;t you just absorb all the dark energy<br \/>\naround this place? As long as this curse remains<br \/>\non the Forgotten Lands, Prince Carlisle will still. I can&#8217;t do that yet, Gabriel interrupted. Frustrated,<br \/>\nthe man said, it&#8217;s already been a week since you came here<br \/>\nfor a pilgrimage, milord. What are you hesitating so much about? Gabriel&#8217;s thoughts drifted to Asha. In the past I would have thought<br \/>\nof how to use all this dark energy, but now all I can think about is Countess<br \/>\nProbus. Turning to his companion, Gabriel said,<br \/>\nI wonder what happened to the letter I sent her. We haven&#8217;t received a reply yet,<br \/>\nthe companion informed him. Gabriel thought deeply. If I use this power,<br \/>\nI could ruin privacy in an instant. However,<br \/>\nif Countess prevails is on my side, I could achieve my dream<br \/>\nwithout this power. Oh my Lord, please guide<br \/>\nboth me and Countess Priv\u00e9s on the right path on the battlefield,<br \/>\nCarlisle said to Aisha. What a mess. We came here as fast as we could. At this rate,<br \/>\nmost of the Empire&#8217;s territory will suffer heavy casualties<br \/>\nbecause of the South Asia suggested. Why don&#8217;t we retaliate with the allies<br \/>\nyou summoned? If we launch a surprise attack, the enemy<br \/>\nwill flee before they can regroup. There&#8217;s much to gain if we act quickly. Carlisle smiled at her. Right. This is Pervaiz specialty. Giles approached and added,<br \/>\nyou&#8217;re not wrong. Countess will receive the Emperor&#8217;s<br \/>\ndecision soon, so we must act quickly. Turning to Giles, Carlisle asked,<br \/>\nhow are the troops morale and fatigue? Giles replied<br \/>\nthanks to the smooth journey, everyone is in good spirits<br \/>\nand fatigue is relatively low. The weather has been favorable too. In that case, let&#8217;s proceed with my wife&#8217;s<br \/>\nstrategic plan, Carlisle declared. Today. We&#8217;ll surprise their backline. Attention everyone get in line. I want to hear your battlecry. Giles in the night followed his command. Aisha watched them, thinking,<br \/>\nif that four was captured 20 days ago, does that mean they only took a few days<br \/>\nto claim it on the enemy side? And Knight said, we&#8217;ll lead the cavalry<br \/>\nwhile the previous unit strikes up close. Another knight replied, we expect you to work together<br \/>\nas you did against the tribe. Don&#8217;t give them time to regroup. Aisha, turning to Carlisle, asked,<br \/>\naren&#8217;t you afraid? Afraid of what? He asked, afraid of everyone<br \/>\nfollowing you, she clarified. Before Carlisle could answer,<br \/>\nGiles interjected, what are you? Carlisle cut him off, smiling. I am afraid no matter what decision I<br \/>\nmake, some people will die because of it. There&#8217;s no way I wouldn&#8217;t be afraid. But precisely because of that,<br \/>\nI must be an arrogant leader. I have to honor all those deaths<br \/>\nand take responsibility for them as well. Both Asher<br \/>\nand Giles were stunned by his words. Aisha replied, even if I die here,<br \/>\nI know my honor will rest assured with your victory,<br \/>\nCarlisle&#8217;s expression shifted to concern. Why would you die? You should take responsibility<br \/>\nfor everyone&#8217;s life with me. Nervously, Aisha asked her,<br \/>\nwhy are you including me? So he asked,<br \/>\nwhat do you mean because you are my wife. He said this by staring at her eyes<br \/>\nand as Aisha heard those words,<br \/>\nher expressions were surprised. Aisha as she heard<br \/>\nthose words of love from Carlisle. You are my wife grew nervous again. She clench your fists, lost in thought. I can&#8217;t expect anything. He&#8217;s just asking for my support. Since I&#8217;m still his wife.<br \/>\nShe finally responded. That&#8217;s right. It is the duty of a wife<br \/>\nto support her husband. I forgot about that. Carlisle, stepping closer to her, said softly, my life is in your hands. Please take care of me. Suddenly,<br \/>\ntheir conversation was interrupted by a knight who called out Your Highness,<br \/>\neverything is ready. Carlisle turned and commanded. All right, let&#8217;s move on. He and Aisha mounted their horses,<br \/>\njoining the rest of the knights. The horses galloped swiftly as they headed<br \/>\ntoward the battlefield at Beatrice&#8217;s residence. Matthias entered the room,<br \/>\nsurprised to see Beatrice waiting for him. You&#8217;ve come back, Matthias,<br \/>\nshe said coldly, shocked to find her there, he stammered. Mother Beatrice, lost in thought,<br \/>\nreflected on the dire situation. The soldiers Matthias led to the front<br \/>\nwere completely defeated, and rumors of his hasty retreat from the battlefield<br \/>\nare spreading quickly among the nobles. I wanted to borrow military forces<br \/>\nfrom other noble families, but after this disgrace<br \/>\nall we received are refusals and excuses. Her thoughts were interrupted<br \/>\nwhen Matthias called out again. Mother, she snapped out of her reverie. Matthias Carlisle is heading<br \/>\nsouth as we speak, she informed him. Matthias bowed his head, visibly upset. I want to rest for now. My back hurts. After riding in the wagon for so long,<br \/>\nBeatrice clenched her fists in frustration<br \/>\nbut managed to respond. Matthias,<br \/>\nthis is no time to be complacent, tired and irritated,<br \/>\nMatthias replied, complacent. My back really hurts. She took a deep breath, masking her<br \/>\nfrustration with a gentle tone. Focus on the situation, Matthias. If Carlisle wins,<br \/>\nhe will be reinstated as the Crown Prince. Matthias, now nervous, responded I didn&#8217;t hear anything about that. I&#8217;ve already been to the South<br \/>\nand faced countless hardships. Isn&#8217;t there<br \/>\nsomething you can do about this? Mother? Mother? Beatrice forced a strange smile,<br \/>\nremaining silent for a moment. Perhaps there&#8217;s still a way<br \/>\non the battlefield. A fierce battle raged on the front lines. Carlisle fought valiantly, delivering a brutal punch to an enemy<br \/>\nand killing him. Standing over the lifeless body,<br \/>\nhe declared, last time I was merciful and let you go. Now you&#8217;ve come here to die<br \/>\nunder my blade. As he spoke,<br \/>\nanother enemy charged toward him, blade drawn, intending to strike. But before the attack could land, Asher<br \/>\nintervened, saving Carlisle. The enemy sneered at her, saying,<br \/>\nit seems the former crown prince of the Chad Empire is crazier<br \/>\nfor women than I thought. Why would you have a woman like this<br \/>\non the battlefield? As much as I like women, I would never<br \/>\ntrust my life to a female soldier. I could spare your life. And later<br \/>\nwe could. Before he could finish, Carlisle, who<br \/>\nhad been listening, burst into laughter. Did you hear that, Asha? He said he would spare your life. The enemy Knight, furious, shouted. You&#8217;re such an arrogant prince. I&#8217;ll knock that smug head of yours<br \/>\nto the ground one day. Asha immediately engaged him in battle. A fierce and intense duel followed, and<br \/>\nin the end Aisha struck the fatal blow. Carlisle, impressed, said, as expected. Now I feel even more reassured. Wiping the blood from her face,<br \/>\nAsha replied, I told you I would fulfill my duty<br \/>\nas your wife. Carlisle,<br \/>\nsurprised by her words, stared at her, but she quickly added, please<br \/>\nstay focused, Your Highness. As more enemy knights attacked,<br \/>\nAsha fought them with remarkable bravery. She stabbed one knight and swiftly<br \/>\ncountered another assault, killing them both. When yet another knight<br \/>\ntried to ambush her from behind, Asha sent them in time and delivered<br \/>\na counterattack, taking him down. Meanwhile, Carlisle continued to fight<br \/>\nfiercely on his side. At one point he apologized sorry,<br \/>\nI got distracted for a second, Asha reassured him. Stay calm. If we keep going like this, it won&#8217;t be long<br \/>\nuntil we reach the corn border. Carlisle nodded as you said<br \/>\nthis was the fastest way to march south. He whistled, summoning his horse. Turning to Asha, he added, that&#8217;s right. Let&#8217;s go sweep away our enemies wife. They both mounted their horses. Asha agreed. Of course it will be easier for us<br \/>\nif we strike before they can regroup at the Palazzo<br \/>\nKingdom in the Palacio Kingdom. The Queen&#8217;s sons were in a heated<br \/>\ndiscussion. What the hell is happening? You said Carlisle would never come down<br \/>\nhere, one of her sons exclaimed. Another replied, that&#8217;s what we heard too. I think we received this information<br \/>\nfrom the Kingdom of PA. Or was it the principality of Cand. I&#8217;m not sure right now,<br \/>\nbut a third son interjected. Before this goes any further,<br \/>\nwe should try to negotiate and secure a friendly retreat with a treaty<br \/>\nwhile we still can. The first son argued the emperor<br \/>\nmust have summoned his banished son because he was struggling against us. The queen,<br \/>\noverhearing their conversation, screamed, then how are we losing so badly now? I heard that Carlisle<br \/>\nbrought fewer soldiers than we have. Let&#8217;s go ahead with the plan of proposing<br \/>\nnegotiations, her son retorted. Negotiations are something<br \/>\nonly the winning side can suggest. Fuming, the Queen demanded. So are you saying we&#8217;re all going to die<br \/>\nbecause of this? The son muttered, we should never have stood<br \/>\nagainst the Empire in the first place. The Queen clench your fists,<br \/>\nfeeling like a loser. Anxiety filled the room. Gabriel in the mountains. Meanwhile, Gabriel and his companion<br \/>\ncontinued their search in the mountains. Gabriel mused,<br \/>\nI&#8217;ve been searching for a while, but there is only one source<br \/>\nfrom which the dark energy emanates. A bird flew overhead and landed<br \/>\non Gabriel&#8217;s outstretched finger. His companion exclaimed, oh, it seems to<br \/>\nbe a reply from the Countess of previous. Gabriel retrieve<br \/>\nthe letter and began to read it. The message stated, I am currently heading<br \/>\nsouth of the Empire with my husband. Because of this, I am afraid I won&#8217;t be<br \/>\nable to meet with you at the moment. High Priest Gabriel&#8217;s expression<br \/>\ndarkened with intense anger. So this is your answer. Count as purveyors,<br \/>\nhe muttered, raising his hands. He began performing a strange ritual. If that&#8217;s the case,<br \/>\nthis must be God&#8217;s will, he declared, his voice<br \/>\nfilled with both rage and resolve. A week later, the soldier rebellion began<br \/>\nto surrender to the Chad Empire forces. All the knights were screaming loudly<br \/>\nin honor of the Prince. Long live His Highness Carlisle! Long live the Emperor! Carlisle addressed everyone. Amazing work. You all did amazing work. Lionel approached him with joy and said,<br \/>\nyou did the best, Your Highness. We knew we could rest assured<br \/>\non the battlefield by trusting you. Carlisle, holding a cup, responded. It was thanks to the collaboration of all of you<br \/>\nthat we were able to achieve victory. Of course, there are still a few things<br \/>\nthat need to be resolved, but still, Giles interrupted. This is just the beginning. After we restore the damage,<br \/>\nyou&#8217;ll be reinstated as the Crown Prince<br \/>\ninstead of Prince Matthias. Carlisle replied,<br \/>\nI don&#8217;t think it will be that easy for him to remove the title from his current wife<br \/>\nson as easily as he did with me, but let&#8217;s see how things<br \/>\ngo, Giles comforted him. I think you should be wary<br \/>\nof any movements by the Empress. As you know, it&#8217;s not like Prince Matthias<br \/>\nis incapable of doing things on his own. If Matthias is in danger<br \/>\nof losing his right to the throne. Carlisle laughed and said,<br \/>\nI guess that&#8217;s true, Giles continued. She will do anything, using her son<br \/>\nas an excuse. A mother that sees her child in danger<br \/>\nis one of the most dangerous opponents you can face, Carlisle thought to himself. Knowing the Empress,<br \/>\nI think that even if Matthias dies, she will simply find another way<br \/>\nto gain power over the throne. Carlisle then said, anyway,<br \/>\nlet&#8217;s hope we are lucky enough to make our move first<br \/>\nrather than the Empress. He raised his glass to his brave group. We will have to think carefully about it,<br \/>\nbut for now, let&#8217;s enjoy the party. Everyone became<br \/>\njoyful, laughing and cheering as Lionel clinked his glass with Oshae. Carlisle felt a twinge of jealousy. Meanwhile, Giles entered a private tent where a young man saw him and said, Lord<br \/>\nrepelled. Giles replied, I apologize for being late. His Highness would have suspected<br \/>\nsomething. The young man laughed. I understand there&#8217;s no need to rush<br \/>\nsince Prince Carlisle has one. Giles asked what is the situation<br \/>\nin the kingdom of Kadare? The young man explained<br \/>\nwe received a report saying that Duke Axis has fallen ill. It seems Count Damien has been granted<br \/>\nthe Duke&#8217;s power temporarily. This change in power was the reason<br \/>\nthe flames of war were lit in the first place. Damian Axis,<br \/>\nthe new Duke of the Kingdom of Carter, held a meeting with the Queen of Palazzo<br \/>\nand said, you might not know yet, but I heard that Prince Carlisle was deprived<br \/>\nof his status as crown prince. He was also punished by his father. I heard he was unable to return<br \/>\nto the capital and was stuck in the north. Damian recounted everything he knew about<br \/>\nthe prince to the Queen of Palacio. Meanwhile, Gabriel,<br \/>\nremembering all these events, thought to himself, I am glad we got her. Cecilia, depressed, took care of things<br \/>\nproperly, he recalled, saying to Cecilia, Prince<br \/>\nCarlisle must become the next emperor. We must make sure that happens. Cecilia had replied. Do you have any plans? Gabriel had shown her a letter. Upon seeing it, she had been rendered<br \/>\nspeechless and surprised. Returning to the present,<br \/>\nGiles told the young man, this Duke Axis still want to protect<br \/>\nthe Southern Alliance. The man responded,<br \/>\nthat&#8217;s right, Lord repelled. He has also lost his temper<br \/>\nbecause of the situation. I can understand that if he had stayed<br \/>\non the side of the rebellion, he would be in serious trouble right now. Thankfully, Damien Axis has a different<br \/>\nfuture plan for his people. Then the previous Duke. However, you will keep the promises<br \/>\nyou made back then, right? Giles assured him. Of course, once<br \/>\nHis Highness Carlisle becomes the Emperor, we will declare our relationship with the<br \/>\nKingdom of Carter as completely friendly. Thanks to your Duke,<br \/>\nwe were able to start this war silently revealing the incomplete hints<br \/>\nof Prince Matthias. Now the whole Empire will know<br \/>\nhow irreplaceable Prince Carlisle is as our ruler. As the man left Giles thought. But if His Highness finds out about this,<br \/>\nhe might feel guilty. Surprisingly, His Highness cares deeply<br \/>\nabout the suffering of others. Giles recalled Carlyle&#8217;s words<br \/>\nif my father actually cared about all his subjects,<br \/>\nhe wouldn&#8217;t have abandoned them like this. Reflecting, Giles thought,<br \/>\nthat&#8217;s definitely a quality a good emperor requires, but we will have to see if he keeps<br \/>\nthat mindset once he becomes emperor. Giles<br \/>\nhanded over a document to the young man. I reviewed it myself. It has the signature on it, a direct order<br \/>\nfor the Duke to keep his title. The man thanked him. The Duke must be waiting for me. I will go back to deliver this document. Immediately<br \/>\nafter the man left, Giles thought. Now I finally settled my agreement<br \/>\nwith the kingdom of Carter. Prince Carlisle has successfully subdued<br \/>\nthe rebellion in the south. As Giles stepped out of the tent, Osho<br \/>\napproached him. Lord repelled. I wish to hear an explanation from you,<br \/>\nhe asked. What are you talking about? Aisha said. I was on watch and saw a suspicious person<br \/>\nnear the camp. He seemed to head directly<br \/>\nto your private tent. Giles, now defensive, replied,<br \/>\nare you saying you were spying on me? Aisha answered yes. I can&#8217;t rule out the possibility of<br \/>\nsomeone betraying His Highness, even you. Giles offended, retorted. What nonsense are you talking about? How dare you? Aisha pressed on. In that case, please explain it to me. I don&#8217;t understand<br \/>\nhow you could act against your own empire. His Highness must know about this. How can he become Emperor? After Giles interrupted her angrily. Close that mouth of yours. Do we really need to show him the truth<br \/>\nafter achieving the results we wanted? How dare a mere Countess of Parvez question<br \/>\nthe stakes involved in becoming Emperor? Do you think His Highness<br \/>\nwill believe such nonsense from you when you were the one<br \/>\nhe distrusts the most? What nonsense are you? Giles then added with a sneer. The locket you were contains a man of stone, with a spell<br \/>\nthat tracks your position at all times. He screamed at Aisha in anger<br \/>\nas the tension between them escalated after the Southern War&#8217;s decisive victory,<br \/>\nCarlisle&#8217;s popularity soared. His army remained stationed in the South,<br \/>\naiding in recovery efforts. This act of solidarity silenced much of<br \/>\nthe resentment among the southern people. That same day, Carlisle<br \/>\nsternly confronted Giles. However, as Giles had anticipated,<br \/>\neverything proceeded smoothly. Carlisle sat quietly with Lionel<br \/>\nstanding beside him. Lionel spoke with admiration. Your Highness, it was truly impressive<br \/>\nhow the tide of war shifted after your involvement. Every proposition that Carlisle guard the Empire&#8217;s southern border<br \/>\nhas been overwhelmingly supported. The voices advocating for<br \/>\nyou have grown louder than ever. But are you still uneasy about something? Is it about Sir Raphael&#8217;s actions? Carlisle turned his head<br \/>\nslightly and replied, no. Seeing everyone&#8217;s favor toward me makes me wonder<br \/>\nif Sir Raphael might have been right. He struggled in his own way to support me. Lionel nodded and said cautiously. It may not have been<br \/>\nthe most appropriate approach, but perhaps it was the quickest. Then may I ask, what&#8217;s troubling you? Carlisle hesitated before answering,<br \/>\nhis mind clouded by memories of ashes final words. Thank you for everything you&#8217;ve done<br \/>\nfor us over the past two years. You will be a wise and merciful ruler. He finally spoke. Even though we haven&#8217;t<br \/>\nofficially divorced yet, it feels as though<br \/>\neverything between us is already over. Lionel,<br \/>\nalways perceptive, remarked after Countess Pervez left for her homeland,<br \/>\nthere&#8217;s been a stir of remarriage talks, not only the depressed family<br \/>\nbut also numerous nobles have their eyes lit up with ambition. Carlyle&#8217;s thoughts<br \/>\nwandered to Giles&#8217;s earlier advice. Your Highness, you&#8217;re already 27. It is time to secure a proper marriage. If she were my daughter,<br \/>\nshe could share your responsibilities. He also recalled the letter sent<br \/>\nby Viscount to Pratt, which read with all sincerity,<br \/>\nI hope you understand Cecilia&#8217;s feelings as she has gone to great lengths<br \/>\nto assist you directly. Carlyle rubbed his temples in frustration,<br \/>\nthe count of purveyors who once seemed like he wanted<br \/>\nto extort money from me, turn out to be the most straightforward person<br \/>\nI&#8217;ve ever dealt with, he thought. When I was in purveyors, there weren&#8217;t such troublesome matters<br \/>\nto deal with, Carlyle admitted aloud. Lionel smiled sympathetically and said,<br \/>\nnow, Your Highness, you must focus on what happens in Cairo<br \/>\nand at the Imperial Palace rather than dwelling on purveyors. I know, Carlyle replied, though<br \/>\nhis thoughts betrayed him. But no matter how hard<br \/>\nI try to distract myself, I always end up thinking<br \/>\nabout Countess privacy. Meanwhile, Aisha stepped down<br \/>\nfrom her carriage alongside Decker. She gazed silently at the flags<br \/>\nflying in the distance. Decker observed her with concern. You&#8217;ve returned earlier than I expected. I thought you&#8217;d stay in the South<br \/>\nfor over a year, he remarked. I see, Aisha responded flatly. Decker frowned. You&#8217;ve been quiet the entire way here. Is something wrong? We need to talk. You know what I&#8217;m referring to, don&#8217;t you? Aisha sighed, her voice<br \/>\nheavy with weariness. You must be curious why? I suddenly returned. Decker nodded. Knowing you, I&#8217;m curious why<br \/>\nyou didn&#8217;t say a word on the journey back. I needed time to sort things out<br \/>\nin my mind, she admitted. Decker&#8217;s voice rose slightly, frustration<br \/>\nseeping through his concern. Judging from your behavior,<br \/>\ndid something happen with His Highness? Carlisle asked about her<br \/>\nhead, struggling to answer. Finally,<br \/>\nshe whispered, the war in the South. I discovered it was deliberately provoked<br \/>\nby His Highness. Carlisle sighed. I couldn&#8217;t accept it. Decker stared at her, stunned. What? How is that possible? The idea of sacrificing lives<br \/>\njust to gain power. I can&#8217;t understand it. How could he use people as mere tools? Aisha remained silent, her pain evident. Decker continued,<br \/>\nperhaps I was just a tool to him as well. And now that my purpose<br \/>\nhas been fulfilled, he probably finds it commendable<br \/>\nthat I chose to leave on my own. Well done Aisha. You made the right choice,<br \/>\nAisha replied softly. Count Amir would have thought so too. Decker shook his head. Did I really make the right choice,<br \/>\nending things with His Highness Carlisle like this? Of course, Aisha said firmly. We may not know how the people of Cairo see things,<br \/>\nbut we must live according to our beliefs. Decker nodded, his voice steady. If you had let this slide, Aisha, it could have caused<br \/>\nbigger problems in the future. Be glad that you ended your relationship<br \/>\nwith Carlisle now while he&#8217;s elated by his victory. You&#8217;re right, Aisha whispered,<br \/>\nbut a faint sorrow lingered in her tone. Decker encouraged her. Think of your involvement<br \/>\nin the Southern War as repaying your debt. Now it&#8217;s time for you to find your own<br \/>\nhappiness. Aisha. She bowed her head,<br \/>\nmurmuring my happiness? Yes. Now I need to find my happiness elsewhere. Matthias and Beatrice visited Gabriel,<br \/>\nthe high priest. Gabriel&#8217;s<br \/>\nattendant escorted them to his chamber. The high priest is expecting you,<br \/>\nthe attendant said. Gabriel greeted them warmly,<br \/>\ngesturing to the seats before him. Your Majesty,<br \/>\nI&#8217;ve been awaiting your arrival. Please have a seat. Beatrice wasted no time. Carlisle is expected to enter the capital<br \/>\nsoon with a grand triumphal ceremony. Is the Emperor still determined<br \/>\nto restore his position? Gabriel nodded.<br \/>\nHe hasn&#8217;t changed his mind. In fact, he&#8217;s eager to act immediately. It&#8217;s a foolish decision, but<br \/>\none that will shape the Empire&#8217;s future. That&#8217;s why he needs the guidance<br \/>\nof the priesthood. Beatrice smiled and said,<br \/>\nI am always grateful. High Priest Matthias will surely establish<br \/>\nthe Holy Empire with our efforts. Gabriel masked his disdain<br \/>\nas he thought to himself, establishing the Holy Empire will be done by me,<br \/>\nnot by this foolish woman or her brother. I will keep this puppet alive<br \/>\nonly until he has served his purpose. Gabriel spoke carefully. Our priority is to protect His Highness<br \/>\nMatthias. Matthias nodded solemnly. That&#8217;s right. I&#8217;m the one that will target first. Don&#8217;t worry, Gabriel assured him. I will assign priests<br \/>\nwho can wield divine power to guard you. No ordinary knight<br \/>\nor assassin will reach you. Matthias hesitated. But what if father opposes this? Beatrice interjected confidently. Don&#8217;t worry, Matthias, we have a plan<br \/>\nin place, don&#8217;t we, Your Holiness? Gabriel offered a measured smile. Indeed, Your Highness. Elsewhere in the palace,<br \/>\nJosephine turned to her sister. Charlize. Have you noticed how strange<br \/>\nthe atmosphere in the Imperial Palace has been lately? Why are priests suddenly guarding<br \/>\nMatthias? Charlize frowned. I think they&#8217;re trying to protect him<br \/>\nfrom something. Josephine&#8217;s thoughts drifted to Carlisle. If he&#8217;s restored to the throne,<br \/>\nwe could be in danger. Yet. Mother hasn&#8217;t said anything to us. Josephine stood abruptly. Charlize, we need to find a way to survive<br \/>\non our own. Charlize looked at her nervously. Now what power do we have? Josephine replied with determination. We may not have power,<br \/>\nbut we have information. We&#8217;ll use that somehow. Meanwhile,<br \/>\nCarlisle approached the towering walls of the Imperial Palace,<br \/>\nthe capital outside the walls. As Carlisle was busy reading a document,<br \/>\nhis companion approached and grabbed his attention. Your Highness, I am sorry to bother you<br \/>\nwhile you were occupied, but there is a person waiting to see you,<br \/>\nCarlisle responded. Ask them to come back tomorrow. After requesting a formal meeting,<br \/>\nthe companion hesitated. I already told them that. That&#8217;s why I thought they might understand<br \/>\nbetter if they heard it directly from you. Carlisle asked,<br \/>\nwho is it? Viviana arrived to meet Carlisle<br \/>\nwith Giles lapels standing behind her. She said, May the gods show you<br \/>\ntheir grace, your Highness. I, Viviana Lust Field,<br \/>\nhave come to meet you. Carlisle,<br \/>\nwith a stern expression, remarked. What a surprise, lady lo. Oh, right. I suppose I can&#8217;t call you that anymore. What is your original surname? She replied, lust field, since my title as a baroness in my territory<br \/>\nwere taken away from me, that is the only name<br \/>\nI can still keep using for my ancestors. Oh, that&#8217;s such a pity,<br \/>\nCarlisle said dryly. Viviana responded, for that reason,<br \/>\nI came here to propose a deal. Prince Carlisle, Giles interjected. How do you expect us to trust the word<br \/>\nof someone capable of deceiving her? Emperor Viviana continued<br \/>\nI know what the Empress is up to in the palace with that information,<br \/>\nyou would be able to bring her down. Carlisle gave a mysterious smile. That&#8217;s tempting. But first tell me, what do you want? With a determined tone,<br \/>\nshe said, all I want is revenge. Please allow me to go with you the moment<br \/>\nyou take over the palace, Giles warned. How do you intend to go back to the palace<br \/>\nwhen you were kicked out by the Emperor himself,<br \/>\nPrince Carlisle? This could spark a wave of bad rumors<br \/>\nabout you. Carlisle was momentarily speechless,<br \/>\nstaring at her before saying, do you mind if I call Ser Donovan? For a moment, Decker<br \/>\nentered the room holding a small robe. I brought the robe. You asked for your Highness. Why do you need one in such a small size? Carlisle turned to Viviana and said,<br \/>\nyou will have to wear this robe while you are in the capital. That way, people will think<br \/>\nyou are someone from previous. I don&#8217;t think they will pay<br \/>\nyou much attention like that. Decker handed the robe to her. Meanwhile, Carlisle,<br \/>\naccompanied by his knights, made his way to the imperial palace<br \/>\nto meet his father, the king. Upon seeing him, the king<br \/>\nsaid, welcome, Sir Carlisle Evaristo, who has returned after defeating<br \/>\nthe rebelling forces from the south. The king pondered while staring at him. The rebellion did not seem to be<br \/>\nas much of a threat as I thought, since he came back so quickly,<br \/>\nI can&#8217;t believe he made it possible so soon after some thought, the king said,<br \/>\nwell done, the God of War Argus must have shown you<br \/>\nthe way to your swift victory this time. Carlisle smiled and said, the army<br \/>\nof elite knights and I struggled a lot. Thankfully, we had the military support of Countess<br \/>\nprevious, which helped us achieve victory. The King asked Countess Purvis? Carlisle replied yes,<br \/>\nI intend to provide the Countess with a proper<br \/>\nreward for her support during the war. Thanks to her, we were able to push back<br \/>\nthe enemy front lines and subdue them. It gave us the perfect opportunity<br \/>\nto put down the southern rebellion. Now that I have accomplished my task with such good results,<br \/>\nI expect us to be rewarded accordingly. The king said,<br \/>\nof course I will take care of it. Beatrice, seated next to the king,<br \/>\ngrew jealous, thinking, why would he want to discuss the reward<br \/>\nfor Countess Prevost first? I did not think he actually cared much<br \/>\nabout her. Could Countess<br \/>\nPriv\u00e9s have actually stolen his heart? A few days later, Carlisle entered the room of his stepsisters<br \/>\nand greeted them. Long time no see. Josephine stood up<br \/>\nrespectfully and said, welcome. Charles, who was seated, also greeted him. Welcome, brother. Carlisle addressed them both. You wanted to meet with me all of a sudden he showed them a document and continued,<br \/>\nI am pretty sure you know your mother won&#8217;t be happy<br \/>\nwhen she finds out about this. I can&#8217;t believe you wrote me<br \/>\na letter like this. Josephine, speechless replied, our mother doesn&#8217;t think we are worth<br \/>\nanything. She sees us merely as tools<br \/>\nto further her plans for herself and our little brother. Carlisle, hearing this,<br \/>\nsat down in front of them and said, so you reached a point where<br \/>\nyou had no choice but to act against her. Well, then, why did you call me here? Josephine explained, we know a very important information<br \/>\nthat you are unaware of, brother. However,<br \/>\nyou will have to promise us something. You will grant protection<br \/>\nto both Charles and me, even in the worst case<br \/>\nscenario, Carlisle said. That depends<br \/>\non the value of that information. But if you were telling the truth, I can<br \/>\nguarantee your safety, Josephine said. We have proof that the Empress<br \/>\nand Matthias have been plotting something with the high church. She handed over valid proof to him. After examining the document, Carlisle<br \/>\njudged, it&#8217;s written with special ink. There&#8217;s no doubt it&#8217;s genuine. He asked, where did you get this? Charles revealed, I found it while searching<br \/>\nthrough the garbage in my mother&#8217;s room. It seems she didn&#8217;t see the necessity to<br \/>\nburn it because of the special ink used. Carlisle<br \/>\nthought she must have been quite desperate to search for something in the garbage<br \/>\nwhile being a princess. Nevertheless, he reassured them,<br \/>\nthis information is good enough to convince the whole empire that<br \/>\nthe High church is plotting something, but we won&#8217;t be able to do much. While Gabriel Knox is in charge,<br \/>\nJosephine smiled and asked, does that mean you were going<br \/>\nto protect us? Carlisle replied, I am not sure. I heard that you two have more important<br \/>\ninformation than this, but it doesn&#8217;t seem you want to give it away if you don&#8217;t have<br \/>\nany more important information. As he spoke, Charles interrupted, are you talking about<br \/>\nthe infertility issue of our father? Josephine added, brother,<br \/>\nhow did you know about that? Carlisle, being shrewd, said<br \/>\nalthough I was cast away by your mother, there are still many people who act<br \/>\nas my eyes and ears, so I know about it. I heard that my father became infertile. Josephine agreed. Yes, that&#8217;s right, a rumor everyone in the palace<br \/>\nknows already, Carlisle continued. However,<br \/>\nI know there was another hidden reason why he became infertile,<br \/>\naccording to my sources. You two know about that better than this. Hearing this, Josephine said to Charles,<br \/>\nCharles, get it out. Charles retrieved an envelope<br \/>\nand showed it to Carlisle. This is what you want, right? He started smiling and thought, just as expected,<br \/>\na drug is what made him infertile. Carlisle then went to meet the king,<br \/>\nwho was already drinking tea, thanking him, Carlisle said thank you for accepting<br \/>\nthis sudden meeting with me father. The king started laughing loudly. Well, you came to me<br \/>\nwith such a serious face, how could I not? Now then, what happened? With a very serious tone, Carlisle<br \/>\nsat in front of him and said, well, I have found that the Empress<br \/>\nhas been betraying you and the Empire. The king was surprised,<br \/>\nand with a rude and high tone he said, what kind of nonsense<br \/>\nare you talking about, Beatrice has been ruling this empire<br \/>\nby my side for over 26 years. The idea of her betraying me<br \/>\nis just ridiculous. With a tired expression,<br \/>\nCarlisle handed him a letter and said, father, please<br \/>\nlook at this letter and read it. The king was shocked<br \/>\nafter reading the letter and asked, what is the meaning of this? Carlisle explained,<br \/>\nas you can see, the Empress and Matthias want to transform<br \/>\nthe Chad Empire into a holy empire. They were plotting with the church<br \/>\nto ensure their power would eventually surpass<br \/>\nthat of the royal family. The king, now filled with intense anger,<br \/>\nclenched the letter and screamed, how dare she? How dare she entrust<br \/>\nthe fate of this country to a bunch of inexperienced bastards? Carlisle said, I am sorry, father,<br \/>\nbut this is not everything. The king asked. This is not everything.<br \/>\nWhat else is there? Carlisle handed over. More proof. The king, now even angrier,<br \/>\nlooked at Carlisle as he explained, this is the recipe provided<br \/>\nby the previous royal doctor, along with the log<br \/>\nof the prescribed medicine you used. If you look at the details,<br \/>\nit should be clear what happened. The Empress conspired with the high church<br \/>\nto make you infertile. Father. She was trying to prevent the birth<br \/>\nof another rival for Matthias. The king,<br \/>\nafter knowing the truth, began sweating. Unable to believe it<br \/>\nnervously, he said, Beatrice did all this. I did not know anything about it. Becoming furious, he stood up in anger<br \/>\nand screamed loudly, My Beatrice! Even if I get her right now,<br \/>\nI could never forgive her. But Carlisle stopped him<br \/>\nand said, no, father, right now<br \/>\neverything needs to follow a proper order. You can cut off her limbs one by one later<br \/>\nif you want, but remember that Gabriel Knox has her<br \/>\nand a lot of other nobles on her side. You need to find a way<br \/>\nto cut off their power first. You can use my reinstatement as the Crown<br \/>\nPrince as an excuse to remove her power. I will try to help you as much as I can,<br \/>\nfather, the king said, I understand I will make the preparations. You should prepare to. Carlisle bowed his head and said,<br \/>\nI am ready. Please just give me the signal<br \/>\nto act at any time. The king was upset<br \/>\nand Carlisle left the room. As he moved out he thought, now I just have to wait for my father<br \/>\nto take care of it. However, Gabriel did declare to be on<br \/>\nMatthias side. I can&#8217;t believe it. At first I thought it was just a rumor,<br \/>\nbut it turned out to be an official declaration. While walking, Carlisle overheard a conversation between workers<br \/>\nin the Imperial palace. One of them said after the priest<br \/>\ncame to the palace, don&#8217;t you think the atmosphere here<br \/>\nfeels a little different? The other worker replied, you were right. I should not say this, but I think Prince<br \/>\nMatthias condition is getting worse. Carlisle judged after hearing this. Anyway, those two might be using<br \/>\nsomething else more than just divine power<br \/>\nin the place of Gabriel Knox, a very loud sound echoed as if<br \/>\nsomeone with immense energy was entering. It was a mysterious animal<br \/>\nwith high claws. In the church,<br \/>\ntwo boys were busy talking to each other. One said to the other. Summer is almost over<br \/>\nnow, the other replied. This year&#8217;s harvest<br \/>\nseems like it will be abundant. I wonder if the harvest festival<br \/>\nwill be held again. Suddenly they noticed the presence<br \/>\nof a giant monster and exclaimed, wait, what is that? A massive creature entered the high church<br \/>\nand the boys, terrified, started screaming loudly, monster! It&#8217;s a barbarian tribe! Usha was reading a letter<br \/>\nand thinking, why? Why is this happening in Parviz again? Decker saw her distracted and asked, Usha,<br \/>\nare you listening to me? He grabbed her attention as he continued,<br \/>\nmonster and barbarians keep emerging from the magic circles<br \/>\ndrawn all over the castle. Why is there such a magic circle<br \/>\nin the castle? Asha showed him the letter and said,<br \/>\nlook at this. Decker read it and was left speechless. The letter read. Rumors are circulating<br \/>\nin the Imperial Palace about His Highness Carlyle&#8217;s restoration. Those around you will become targets<br \/>\nof political strife. So you must leave Parviz<br \/>\nand hide for a while, Decker said. Wasn&#8217;t everything supposed to be resolved? Once His Highness Carlyle&#8217;s<br \/>\nposition was restored? To think such a situation would arise<br \/>\nbecause of his restoration, Usha responded, the opposing side won&#8217;t just hand over the Crown<br \/>\nPrince&#8217;s position willingly. If His Highness Carlyle dies,<br \/>\nthe restoration won&#8217;t happen. Instead, it will lead to a war<br \/>\nwhere everyone fights to the death. Those around us will naturally<br \/>\nget caught up in it as well, Decker said. It is a relief that the high priest thinks<br \/>\nwell of you, though even if it is late,<br \/>\nyou might still be able to seek his help. Usha simply replied Then she tore the letter into pieces. Decker, shocked, said Usha. She stomped on the pieces<br \/>\nand said in a determined tone, given that High Priest Gabriel has warned<br \/>\nme, he must have known this would happen. No. Instead that only the high priest<br \/>\ncould orchestrate such an event. How could he harm Parviz and its people? I will never forgive him, Decker,<br \/>\nintensely worried, said. But what<br \/>\nif it is not the high priest doing? If we just fight among ourselves,<br \/>\nwe might actually lose our lives? Usha responded firmly. If I am to be betrayed by placing my hope<br \/>\nin such a futile expectation, it is better to die alone. I will protect Parviz with my own hands, just as I have<br \/>\nalways done in the High church. Gabriel stood<br \/>\nbehind a magic circle and said. By now the barbarians must have stormed<br \/>\nthe castle of Parviz. He thought to himself,<br \/>\nif you had not rejected meeting with me, this would not have happened. Count Parviz,<br \/>\nout of respect for her faith, I warned her, but she likely did not flee. He began to pray. Lord Roboto, Count Parviz has abandoned<br \/>\nher service and devotion to the gods. She wants to pursue her own interests<br \/>\ninstead. As your representative,<br \/>\nI am enacting punishment upon Parviz. After a moment of silence,<br \/>\nhe added, but in your final act of mercy, please<br \/>\nensure that Asha Parviz remains safe. As he prayed, his assistant entered and<br \/>\nsaid, Your Holiness, you have a visitor. Gabriel frowned and said,<br \/>\nI usually would advise you not to let anyone set foot here<br \/>\nwithout my permission. The assistant bowed and replied,<br \/>\nI am sorry, but the visitor insists<br \/>\nshe won&#8217;t leave until she meets you. Gabriel sighed and said, fine,<br \/>\nI will meet the visitor myself. Suddenly a loud voice echoed,<br \/>\nthis can not be. Beatrice entered the church<br \/>\nwithout permission, screaming High Priest, what is the meaning of this? She asked him. The Emperor has announced Carlyle&#8217;s<br \/>\nrestoration. I have heard that Josephine and Charles<br \/>\nmet with Carlyle recently. What if they disclosed our plans? Gabriel Condor, your Majesty, even if Carlyle is aware,<br \/>\nwe can still carry out our plan. Beatrice fell silent,<br \/>\nunsure of how to respond. A few days later, workers were preparing<br \/>\nCarlyle&#8217;s attire for his restoration ceremony. Lionel entered and said, at last, your restoration ceremony is underway,<br \/>\nyour Highness. Congratulations. Carlyle replied, well, the Crown<br \/>\nPrince position was originally mine. He thought about Beatrice and said aloud<br \/>\nwith my declaration of destruction, the Empress&#8217;s confinement in her separate<br \/>\npalace will also be announced. Why is the Empress confined? A search for High Priest<br \/>\nGabriel will be conducted. The time is perfect for my restoration. Has the Crown prince? He turned to Lionel and asked Lionel,<br \/>\nwhy can&#8217;t a man and a woman be anything other than strangers<br \/>\nif they are not husband and wife? Lionel looked puzzled and asked, pardon? Carlyle elaborated,<br \/>\nthere are many relationships lovers, mistresses, friends and lord and vassal, but only marriage is recognized legally. Isn&#8217;t it possible to create a legal<br \/>\nframework for relationships that are less formal than marriage? Lionel asked. But why does it have to be this way? Carlyle thought. Then even if Count Parviz and I get<br \/>\na divorce, we could still be together. As he was lost in thought,<br \/>\nGiles entered abruptly and shouted, this is serious, Your Highness. Carlyle asked, what happened? Giles reported, His Majesty<br \/>\nthe Emperor has passed away. It happened<br \/>\nwhile he was preparing for lunch. Everyone was shocked. Carlyle deeply worried, said,<br \/>\nmy father has died. This is absolutely nonsensical. He was fine. Just yesterday, Giles explained. He collapsed suddenly during lunch<br \/>\npreparations and his heart stopped beating before the Imperial Palace servants<br \/>\ncould even arrive. Carlyle asked what about the Empress? Giles replied. The Empress immediately<br \/>\nconfined herself in the imperial palace. Right after the emperor&#8217;s death, she<br \/>\nsummoned the nobles who support Matthias. Even the temple and its supporters<br \/>\nquickly agreed to Matthias in succession. Carlyle smirked mysteriously and said, My father, who was fine yesterday,<br \/>\nsuddenly collapses and dies. The temple agrees to the succession<br \/>\nas if they were eagerly waiting for it, and the Empress<br \/>\nassembled her own supporters and sealed the imperial palace<br \/>\nimmediately. This is definitely an assassination. There must be someone<br \/>\nquestioning the situation, right? Giles responded once<br \/>\nthis fact spreads through noble society, everyone will question<br \/>\nthe cause of the emperor&#8217;s death, the added<br \/>\nThe Empress will likely cover it up, she will definitely suppress<br \/>\nthose who raised doubts. At that moment,<br \/>\na bird flew in carrying a letter. Lionel retrieved it and began reading to think this is happening<br \/>\nin such a tense situation. Your Highness Parviz is under attack<br \/>\nby barbarians and monsters. Carlyle was shocked and asked, what when did this start<br \/>\nand what is the extent of the damage? Lionel continued<br \/>\nreading, the damage to Parviz Castle is more severe<br \/>\nthan anywhere else in the territory. Carlyle said, if I raise an army now,<br \/>\nwe could take control of the Imperial Palace,<br \/>\nbut it would result in bloodshed. Many lives will be sacrificed<br \/>\nbecause of my greed, and meanwhile Parviz will be entirely consumed<br \/>\nby the barbarians. I am heading to Parviz immediately. Have everything prepared by today. Lionel hesitated and asked. You&#8217;re going to Parviz right now? Carlyle replied sternly. Since when did you start questioning me,<br \/>\nLionel? Lionel bowed his head and said,<br \/>\nI am sorry, Your Highness. I will prepare right away. Bibiana said. There is no helping it. Then I will stay in the Imperial palace<br \/>\nand look for a solution. Giles said. Do whatever you want in Carlyle&#8217;s mind. One thought lingered. Please stay safe. Asha and his castle. Chaos reigned as monsters<br \/>\nand barbarian stormed the gates. The knights fought valiantly, their swords<br \/>\nclashing against the grotesque invaders. Asha Parviz,<br \/>\nthe steadfast lord of the castle, stood amidst the battlefield,<br \/>\nrallying her forces. Her blade<br \/>\ngleamed as it struck down a beast, her determination unshaken<br \/>\ndespite the horror surrounding her. Decker, fighting alongside<br \/>\nher, shouted to the soldiers, fight back! Don&#8217;t retreat! His voice boomed across the battlefield,<br \/>\nfilling the hearts of the knights with courage. Asha, scanning the dire situation, thought to herself,<br \/>\nthe people must be protected. They cannot suffer because of this battle. I must protect them. She raised her sword high and bellowed. When you enter this castle, you should<br \/>\nfirst greet the gods, you filthy vermin! Her strike landed on a monstrous foe, cutting it down with unrelenting resolve. A knight cried out the Lord as the soldiers rallied around Asha,<br \/>\nfighting with all their might. The battle raged on,<br \/>\na desperate fight for peace and survival. A few days later, Beatrice<br \/>\nstood in her chamber, a sinister smile gracing her lips. High Priest Gabriel stood beside<br \/>\nher, his head bowed. Beatrice&#8217;s<br \/>\nvoice dripped with satisfaction. What a beautiful sight<br \/>\nthis is, High Priest. To think the pig like emperor is gone,<br \/>\nand I alone oversee everything, Gabriel responded humbly. Did I not tell you? The gods guide their faithful servants<br \/>\nin ways only they know? Beatrice laughed softly. Indeed. If it were not for the gods help,<br \/>\nhow would I have gotten rid of Kendrick? Her thoughts drifted to the past,<br \/>\nto the confrontation with the late emperor in the memory. Kendra could shouted angrily,<br \/>\nhow dare you! I know you&#8217;re the one who made me Baron. You even try to sell my empire<br \/>\nto the priests. Feigning innocence, Beatrice had replied, Your Majesty, what do you mean by that? But internally panic surged. How could he know this? Did Carlyle tell him? Did Josephine and Charles betray me? Kendrick, seething with anger,<br \/>\nhad retorted, don&#8217;t bother making excuses tomorrow at the luncheon I will reveal<br \/>\nall the evidence of your corruption. Beatrice had maintained her composure. Very well. Then, at tomorrow&#8217;s luncheon I will show that everything you know<br \/>\nis baseless slander. Until then, have a good night,<br \/>\nYour Majesty. She had left plotting her next move. The next day, during the meeting with<br \/>\nGabriel, Kendrick had demanded answers. Gabriel, ever composed,<br \/>\nhad replied, Your Majesty, may I bestow a blessing of vitality<br \/>\nupon you before we begin, Kendrick, weary and trusting, agreed. Proceed. Gabriel had recited an incantation. His words filled with malice<br \/>\nhidden beneath a veil of piety. As he finished,<br \/>\nKendrick had felt momentarily rejuvenated, but soon after, during preparations<br \/>\nfor the luncheon, he collapsed. The Emperor&#8217;s life ended abruptly,<br \/>\nhis heart ceasing to beat<br \/>\nbefore the palace servants could save him. Beatrice&#8217;s voice brought Gabriel<br \/>\nback to the present high priest. You truly are a servant of the gods. Not only did<br \/>\nyou rid us of the useless Emperor, but you also managed to incite war<br \/>\nagainst purveyors at just the right time. Carlisle is heading there now, isn&#8217;t he? Gabriel nodded. Yes, Your Majesty. Beatrice. His lips curled into a smirk. It seems he&#8217;s developed some attachment<br \/>\nto service that&#8217;s beneficial for us. I wish Josephine<br \/>\nand Charles could share in this glory, but their betrayal will not go unpunished,<br \/>\nshe added coldly. I&#8217;ll ensure their fate is decided<br \/>\nonce they are found. Gabriel hesitated briefly. Does Carlyle&#8217;s concern for purveyors<br \/>\ngo beyond duty? Could he truly care for Count Parviz? No. It must be for his remaining servants<br \/>\nand assets. Surely that is the reason. Meanwhile, Carlyle rode swiftly toward Pervaiz, his mind<br \/>\nracing as he approached the village. He noticed it was intact. Perhaps the damage isn&#8217;t as severe<br \/>\nas I feared, but as he neared the castle<br \/>\nhis heart sank. The devastation was immense, far worse<br \/>\nthan he had imagined. Arriving at the castle gates,<br \/>\nCarlyle called out, is there anyone here? His voice echoed in the silence. A young boy opened the door cautiously,<br \/>\nand upon seeing him shouted, His Highness! Carlyle has arrived! Female servants<br \/>\nran toward him, falling to their knees. Your Highness, please save the Lord. She risked her life to fight alongside us. Please save her. Confused, Carlyle demanded. What on earth is going on? Why are you asking me to save her? A boy explained. Strange magic circles<br \/>\nappeared all over the castle. Barbarians and monsters emerged from them. The Lord protected us in the castle,<br \/>\neven though demons poured in from all directions. But we couldn&#8217;t protect her. Clenching his fists, Carlyle asked<br \/>\nurgently, Where&#8217;s Count Parviz? A lady servant<br \/>\nhesitated before responding. The Lord, she&#8217;s unconscious right now. Carlyle&#8217;s heart sank at the news. Asia,<br \/>\nhe thought, his mind filled with worry. His resolve hardened as he vowed. I will save her. The lady servant guided Carlyle<br \/>\nto the room where Osho was resting. She said, here it is. As he entered, Carlyle thought, this is the room<br \/>\nI used to occupy the lady servant added. The Countess was forced to rest here<br \/>\nbecause the door and bed in her room were destroyed. Inside, Asia lay unconscious and injured with Nina by her side tending to her. When Nina noticed Carlyle,<br \/>\nshe said hesitantly, oh had made in Prince Carlyle. Carlyle moved closer to the bed, his face<br \/>\nheavy with concern. He softly called Usha, then turned to Nina<br \/>\nand asked, what is her condition? Nina replied. She has bruises all over her body<br \/>\nand some of her bones seem to be broken. However, there don&#8217;t seem to be any life<br \/>\nthreatening injuries. Then why is she not waking up? He pressed. Nina hesitated before explaining. Near the end of the battle, the Countess<br \/>\nstruck down one of the savages, but a strange black smoke<br \/>\nemerged from him and hit her. Carlyle&#8217;s eyes narrowed. A strange black smoke. Yes. Nina confirmed. We&#8217;re not sure what it was,<br \/>\nbut after that happened she lost consciousness<br \/>\nand her pearls began to weaken. Carlyle sat down<br \/>\nnear Asha, his thoughts racing. Did they use some type of strange<br \/>\nmagic on her? I don&#8217;t see<br \/>\nany specific injury caused by it, but this is the first time<br \/>\nI&#8217;ve seen her in such a fragile state. She looks so different from the last time<br \/>\nwe fought together. He turned back to Nina. What did the doctor say? Nina sighed. A nurse from the clinic<br \/>\ncame to check on her, but she said there was nothing<br \/>\nshe could do with her current knowledge. Carlyle&#8217;s guilt weighed heavily. This is my fault. I should have left the doctor<br \/>\nfrom the capital in privacy. Nina suddenly knelt before him, her voice<br \/>\npleading. Your Highness,<br \/>\nI heard you won the war in the South. Now that you&#8217;ve been reinstated as crown<br \/>\nprince, could you bring one of the royal doctors<br \/>\nhere to treat the Countess at least once? Carlyle was silent for a moment<br \/>\nbefore responding. It seems the news hasn&#8217;t reached<br \/>\nthis place. The Empress has taken over the throne,<br \/>\nand Matthias has proclaimed himself as the new emperor. Their top priority right now<br \/>\nis ending my life. Don&#8217;t make that face. There is no future<br \/>\nwhere I don&#8217;t become emperor. He then turned to the servants. Delany, Nina, leave the room for a moment. The two women followed his command, though<br \/>\nNina left in tears, comforted by Adela. Left alone, Carlyle moved closer to Asha. He gently took her hand in his<br \/>\nand whispered, Usha, I&#8217;m sorry. This is all my fault. He kissed her hand softly. I should never have left privacy. No, I shouldn&#8217;t have left the war<br \/>\nat its outset. I knew you didn&#8217;t have enough forces here, and I should have listened<br \/>\nwhen you warned me about sir. Replay. I won&#8217;t be defeated. But my arrogance and stupidity<br \/>\nhave cost you so much. Usha, I. I didn&#8217;t expect you<br \/>\nto become such a precious person to me. It pains me to realize it.<br \/>\nIn this situation. You&#8217;re strong, brave,<br \/>\nrighteous and beautiful. And I&#8217;m in love with you. Asha Purvis. Carlyle&#8217;s voice trembled as he continued,<br \/>\nI can&#8217;t lose you like this. There are so many things<br \/>\nI need to apologize for. So many things I want to do with you. Please wake up. Leaning closer, he pressed a soft kiss<br \/>\nto her lips and whispered, I beg you. Meanwhile, Allan De Prete, the eldest<br \/>\nson of the Dupre family, and Dylan Dupre,<br \/>\nthe second son, were preparing to leave. Cecelia Dupre stood on the balcony<br \/>\nwatching them. In the end, my brothers decided to attend<br \/>\nthe Empress&#8217;s banquet, she muttered. Anji, her maid responded, there&#8217;s<br \/>\ngreat confusion among the nobles. Don&#8217;t you feel nervous about how to act? Two after all, His Highness<br \/>\nCarlyle returned to Prevost so suddenly Cecilia sneered inwardly,<br \/>\nthose previous peasants. Thanks to them, my brothers wasted<br \/>\na fortune just to get an invitation. I can&#8217;t believe the eldest<br \/>\nson of the Dupre family has no pride. If we leave this family to my brothers,<br \/>\nit&#8217;ll become nothing more than a cash<br \/>\ncow for the royal family. Drained until it collapses. Her thoughts were interrupted<br \/>\nby a male servant. Milady. A guest is looking for you. A guest? She asked, frowning. I wasn&#8217;t expecting anyone today. It&#8217;s Lady Vivian,<br \/>\na lust to find, the servant said. She says she really needs to meet<br \/>\nwith you. Cecilia sighed, but went to meet Viviana. That outfit suits you, lady<br \/>\nViviana testified. Cecilia said coolly. I was wondering how you managed<br \/>\nto roam around the capital without being captured<br \/>\nby the royal guards. Viviana smirked. If they truly wanted to kill me,<br \/>\nthey could have done so at any time. Don&#8217;t you think? They just prefer to ignore me,<br \/>\nbut I won&#8217;t stay passive. I want to make the Crown Prince regret<br \/>\nleaving as he did. I&#8217;m going to take down the Empress<br \/>\nand her son, the ones who made me live like this. And you&#8217;ve come to me for help? Cecilia<br \/>\nasked, her tone laced with skepticism. Viviana shook her head. No. My revenge is my own. I came to ask for your help<br \/>\nwith Prince Carlyle. As you know, he recently left for privacy. I need you to help<br \/>\nbring him back to the capital. Cecilia laughed bitterly. You&#8217;re overestimating me. The prince decided to leave on his own, even after Lord Raffles and Lord<br \/>\nbarely tried to stop him. Besides, I&#8217;m just the youngest daughter<br \/>\nof the Prete family. Now that it&#8217;s clear<br \/>\nPrince Carlyle has chosen Countess Pervaiz, I don&#8217;t even stand a chance<br \/>\nof becoming Empress. Viviana. His eyes narrowed. You don&#8217;t have to be someone&#8217;s wife<br \/>\nto gain power. Cecilia was taken aback. Viviana leaned closer, her tone sharp. Imperial laws don&#8217;t prohibit women<br \/>\nfrom taking control of family assets. Help Prince Carlyle secure his favor,<br \/>\nand when he becomes emperor, you can become the head of the Dupri<br \/>\nfamily. That&#8217;s impossible, Cecilia protested. I have two older brothers,<br \/>\nViviana scoffed. Everyone in the capital knows<br \/>\nthey&#8217;re idiots. Unlike them, you have potential. Don&#8217;t you think it&#8217;s unfair for you<br \/>\nto be denied your rightful position just because you&#8217;re a woman? Cecilia hesitated, her mind racing. Could I really become<br \/>\nthe head of the Dupri family? I&#8217;ll think about it, she finally said. Viviana smiled. I hope you don&#8217;t make the same mistakes<br \/>\nI did, Lady Cecilia. A few days later, Lionel and Carlyle<br \/>\nwere discussing pressing matters. I can&#8217;t believe you&#8217;re staying here, serving as a temporary lord for privacy,<br \/>\nLionel said. Are you really not planning<br \/>\nto go back to the capital? That&#8217;s how it is for now, Carlyle replied. Suddenly,<br \/>\nLionel noticed something on the floor. Aside from that, Carlyle turned and saw<br \/>\nthe magic circle etched into the ground. What the hell is this? What kind of magic is this? I can&#8217;t tell if it&#8217;s a summoning spell<br \/>\nor a connection channeling circle. Could this have been made<br \/>\nby one of the Empress&#8217;s infiltrators? If they could have done this<br \/>\nfrom the start, why would the savages bother<br \/>\ncrossing the border? Lionel nodded. You&#8217;re right. The last attack by the Ingrams<br \/>\nwas 15 months ago. This circle must have been placed<br \/>\nsometime after that. Carlyle&#8217;s mind raced 15 months ago. During that time,<br \/>\nwe were in the capital and envoys from the Empress, including Braille<br \/>\nKnox, came to prevent this. Could one of them have planted this? For now, let&#8217;s focus on restoring privacy,<br \/>\nhe said. Have you received any messages<br \/>\nfrom the capital? Yes, Lionel replied,<br \/>\nI requested medicines from the capital, but it seems many noble<br \/>\nfamilies are now following the orders of the Empress<br \/>\nand Matthias Carlyle sighed. I suppose that&#8217;s<br \/>\nbecause I returned to privacy. Lionel looked out the window<br \/>\nand suddenly exclaimed, Your Highness, please look at this. I can&#8217;t believe someone would come<br \/>\nto privacy in this state. Carlyle turned to see a carriage<br \/>\npulling up to the castle. Who is it? He asked. The carriage door opened and Cecilia Dupre<br \/>\nCarlyle was sitting in a meeting while Cecilia de Pratt and Giles stood by his side,<br \/>\nlistening to their conversation. Cecilia was drinking tea when Carlyle said,<br \/>\nI never expected you to visit here again. Cecilia replied, I came here because there is something<br \/>\nI wish to discuss with you, Your Highness. Carlyle slightly surprised, asked,<br \/>\nwhat is it? She explained the situation in the capital<br \/>\nis not good. The Empress Dowager is<br \/>\nopenly strengthening the Imperial military and the nobles are getting anxious. Under these circumstances, public opinion<br \/>\nregarding you is worsening since you were staying here and previous<br \/>\nCarlyle responded, I expected as much. I am aware of how many nobles have turned<br \/>\nto the Empress Dowager, sighed. Cecilia, growing frustrated,<br \/>\nsuddenly shouted. But why? Carlyle calmly replied,<br \/>\nI have learned that. Both of count<br \/>\ndepressed sons are also planning to turn to the Empress Dowager<br \/>\nsighed, enraged, Cecilia exclaimed, that is merely the foolish,<br \/>\nindependent action of my two brothers. I assure you that the Duke<br \/>\nfamily will not betray you, your Highness. Carlyle, still composed,<br \/>\nsipped his tea, and said, even though the successor of the Du<br \/>\nPret family attended the Empress Dowager banquet without an invitation, Cecilia,<br \/>\nmomentarily speechless, then declared,<br \/>\nthat is why I have no intention of allowing those idiots<br \/>\nto become the heirs of our family. Carlyle asked,<br \/>\nthen what do you plan to do? She replied with determination. When you ascend to the throne, please<br \/>\nmake me the head of the Du Pret family. Carlyle smiled and said, you are aware<br \/>\nthat&#8217;s treason, aren&#8217;t you? Cecilia responded firmly, yes, I am. I will stay here and assist you<br \/>\nuntil the very end. I will gather the Du Pret families<br \/>\ndovetail. Use this information. She handed Carlyle an envelope containing<br \/>\ncrucial documents as she handed over the envelope, Cecilia recalled past<br \/>\nmoments described in the letters within. Viviana had once told Cecilia,<br \/>\nI will support you and secure your position<br \/>\nas the head of the Du Pret family. Cecilia had then thought to herself<br \/>\nthe head of the depressed family. She had received a letter<br \/>\ndelivered by a bird and reflected my father trusted me<br \/>\nand put me in charge of dovetail. There is no reason<br \/>\nI cannot take the airship as well. To think there are so many truths<br \/>\nbeneath the surface that differ from what appears. I never expected so many families<br \/>\nto attend the Empress Dowager banquet. I should have investigated this sooner. She had been sitting at a side table, lost<br \/>\nin thought and planning her next move when her female attendant,<br \/>\nAnji, interrupted her. Milady, you are awake! Angie exclaimed, looking concerned. Good heavens, my lady, you have not slept. Cecilia shook her head. No, Angie, prepare the carriage. Angie, suspicious, asked. Pardon? Where are you going? Cecilia with a slight smile, said Priv\u00e9s after listening to Cecilia his story,<br \/>\nCarlyle said. So you are saying you gathered<br \/>\nall the information alone? Persuaded by Viviana<br \/>\nto fall, Cecilia nodded. Yes, Your Highness. Carlyle laughed, amused by her audacity. Then, turning serious, he said, I like<br \/>\nstraightforward and bold people like you. Viviana has been busy in the capital. However,<br \/>\nhis expression darkened as he continued. I know you help Lord Roulet<br \/>\nincite war in the South. Sitting on a throne built on<br \/>\nthe blood of the people is no different from being a tyrant. Do you want a tyrant to rule the empire? If you continue to use me in such<br \/>\na manner, I will not forgive you again. Cecilia bound her head and said, I<br \/>\napologize, Your Highness, Carlyle stated, I can make you the head of the family,<br \/>\nbut I cannot make you the Empress. Will you still choose me? Cecilia replied, it is fine as long as<br \/>\nI can become the head of the family. Carlyle warned. But the position of Empress is not<br \/>\nsomething that can be given up so easily. Cecilia, unwavering said. As you say, Your Highness,<br \/>\nI have lived my life imagining<br \/>\nonly a future where I become Empress. But even if I were to ascend<br \/>\nto that position, all I would gain is hollow power,<br \/>\nborrowed from the Emperor. I want real power that I can possess<br \/>\non my own without relying on anyone else. Carlyle, acknowledging her<br \/>\nambition, nodded and said, I see. I am glad that you chose me very well. I will try trusting you again. Cecilia smiled. I will do my best to contribute<br \/>\nto your victory. Giles, who had been standing there<br \/>\nlistening, clenched his fists in anger, thinking Cecilia depressed, she is giving up the position of Empress. Meanwhile, in the palace,<br \/>\nGabriel Knox was deep in thought. I heard that Asha Pervez was injured<br \/>\nduring the battle. I did not expect that magic would keep her<br \/>\nfrom gaining consciousness. If her wounds are not treated immediately,<br \/>\nher mind could be affected even if she survives. Determined, he stood up and decided<br \/>\nI have no choice but to go to Pervez myself. Aisha lay unconscious in bed<br \/>\nwhile Carlyle sat by her side, worried about her condition. In her unconscious state,<br \/>\nshe dreamed of past battles she had been fighting bravely alongside<br \/>\nDecker. Decker had shouted, Asha,<br \/>\nthese monsters are acting strange. They were not this out of control<br \/>\nbefore the monsters moved forward, ready to attack Asha. Watching them closely<br \/>\nthought something is definitely off. A knight&#8217;s voice called out to her,<br \/>\nmy lord, it&#8217;s holy water. If you sprinkle holy water<br \/>\non the magic circle, it will be nullified. Asha considered. Then if I kill all the monsters here. Decker, stepping in to protect Asha, said, let&#8217;s go then<br \/>\nshe saw a knight bow his head before her. Gripping her sword tightly,<br \/>\nshe declared, goodbye, you demon bastards! She screamed as she launched an attack. These memories played out in her dreams<br \/>\nwhile Carlyle, holding Asha&#8217;s hand, pleaded, Asha, please, please wake up. Asha. But Asha remained unconscious. The carriage of Dorothea<br \/>\nreached its destination. Giles, worried about his daughter,<br \/>\nran towards the carriage as the door opened,<br \/>\nGiles called out Dorothy. She stepped out and replied, yes, father, but suddenly her foot slipped<br \/>\nand she fell from the carriage. Giles, angry, said, you are already 23, yet you still lack proper manners. Nervous, she responded, I am sorry. The carriage shook too much on the way<br \/>\nhere. Giles retorted, Cecelia, do pret<br \/>\nis perfectly fine, even though she took the same carriage after saying this, Giles<br \/>\nturned and left the place. Dorothy&#8217;s foot was injured<br \/>\nwhile stepping out and she felt pain but did not express it. While standing by the window,<br \/>\nGiles said Cecilia, depressed, gave up the position of empress. Dorothy, surprised, said what really? Giles, suspicious, clarified. Actually<br \/>\nsaying she gave it up is a bit misleading. She was rejected because she incurred<br \/>\nthe wrath of His Highness Carlyle by getting involved<br \/>\nin the Southern War issue with me, Dorothy thought with father<br \/>\nin the Southern War issue. As she pondered. Giles continued, I too have been ordered<br \/>\nto be on probation for a while, but it&#8217;s fine. Prince Carlyle can&#8217;t abandon me<br \/>\nno matter what. Dorothy hesitated before asking, what father, did you really join hands<br \/>\nwith Lady Cecelia? Giles replied, yes, because I<br \/>\nalready anticipated it would come to this. That plan was opposed by Prince Carlyle. After all, by involving<br \/>\nCecilia depressed in it, I ensured she would fall<br \/>\nat the critical moment. Then Giles turned to Dorothy<br \/>\nand said, Dorothy, now that I have brought you this far,<br \/>\nit&#8217;s time for you to fulfill your role. Confused, she asked my role? Giles explained, Count Pervez is on<br \/>\nthe verge of death, so now is your chance. Make sure to leave a strong impression<br \/>\non Prince Carlyle. Dorothy, nervous and worried, asked<br \/>\nthe count is about to die. What exactly happened? Giles replied. You don&#8217;t need to know the details. She was deeply worried,<br \/>\nthinking for the count, who has protected Pervez so steadfastly<br \/>\nto be on the verge of death. She then asked, then<br \/>\nwhat about the others? Giles answered, the others won&#8217;t be<br \/>\nin a much different condition either. Then, leaning in, he advised<br \/>\nher, don&#8217;t get attached unnecessarily. Understand? After saying this, he left the room,<br \/>\nbut Dorothy remained speechless and silent, reflecting on all the moments<br \/>\nspent with the count, she thought, he is telling me to use<br \/>\ntheir deaths as an opportunity. Worried and saddened,<br \/>\nshe sat on the floor. The next day, in the fresh morning,<br \/>\nCarlyle sat by Asha&#8217;s bed, holding her hand. Decker stood nearby. Carlyle, using his powers,<br \/>\ntried to awaken her. Decker, surprised,<br \/>\nsaid, you can use divine power. Carlyle replied a little. I was born blessed by the gods, remember? Decker said. So that was not just a metaphor. Carlyle continued. What I do is only a temporary measure. We need to bring a healing priest<br \/>\nas soon as possible. But the temple has already sided<br \/>\nwith the Imperial family. Well, if worse comes to worst,<br \/>\nI could even resort to kidnaping, Decker warned. If you kidnap a priest, the church<br \/>\nwon&#8217;t stand still, Carlyle said. No matter what it takes,<br \/>\nI will save the count. Their attention was suddenly grabbed<br \/>\nby a knock at the door. It was Dorothy<br \/>\nwho said, pardon me for interrupting. I just stopped by to pay my respects<br \/>\nto His Highness, Carlyle said. I believe I informed you<br \/>\nthrough the attendant that I would consider it received<br \/>\neven without you coming here. Did Lord Raphaelle tell you to check<br \/>\nif Count Pervaiz is dead? Dorothea quickly<br \/>\nresponded, no, no, I just. Decker took her side and said,<br \/>\nhow could that be, Your Highness? Then, smiling,<br \/>\nhe added, staying without greeting the host is quite uncomfortable<br \/>\nand embarrassing, isn&#8217;t it? Carlyle sighed and said, I overreacted. My apologies, lady. Wrap belt Dorothy about her head and said,<br \/>\nnot at all. I apologize for disturbing you,<br \/>\nYour Highness. Decker, seeing her nervousness,<br \/>\nasked, are you all right, my lady? She nervous and worried,<br \/>\nhesitated before saying, She then started<br \/>\ncrying, her eyes filled with tears. Clearing her tears, she said, I am sorry. Decker, smiling,<br \/>\nsaid, no need to apologize. I too tear up<br \/>\nwhen Prince Carlyle gets angry. She then asked this count per<br \/>\nall right, Decker replied. She will be Prince Carlyle. Promise that, Dorothea determined, said<br \/>\nshe is a strong woman. She will definitely get better. Please let me know<br \/>\nif there is anything I can do to help. Decker nodded and said thank you. Then, as he was about to leave,<br \/>\nDorothy smiled while staring at him. A few days later,<br \/>\nDorothea was sitting beside Asha&#8217;s bed<br \/>\nwhile Carlyle stood by her side. She said the count. It seems she has been struck<br \/>\nby a very strong demonic energy. Carlyle responded,<br \/>\nI did not know you had such knowledge, Dorothea, nervous, said, I have read<br \/>\nabout these symptoms in a book before. Carlyle said if she has been attacked<br \/>\nby demonic energy, we will need to summon<br \/>\na healing priest quickly. But I wonder if the priests<br \/>\nwill even come to privacy. She hesitated before saying,<br \/>\nI am not sure if I should say this. Carlyle remained silent before responding<br \/>\nwith this level of demonic energy. 1 or 2 healing priests won&#8217;t be enough. It would take someone like High Priest<br \/>\nGabriel to be able to heal her. Carlyle continued. Gabriel, the one allied with those<br \/>\nwho caused this to Asha and Pervaiz, you might not know,<br \/>\nbut that man is on the Empress&#8217;s side. How can I trust him to come to count per<br \/>\nVass? Dorothea hesitated<br \/>\nand then said, if it&#8217;s for Count Pervaiz, shouldn&#8217;t<br \/>\nwe borrow even the hand of an enemy? Carlyle asked what she stood up and said,<br \/>\nthe only way to save Count Pervez is through the high priests<br \/>\ndivine power. The more time we waste, the worse<br \/>\nthe count&#8217;s condition will get. So I think we must bring High Priest<br \/>\nGabriel here, even if it means taking risks,<br \/>\nCarlyle thought. Come to think of it, that man has shown a friendly attitude<br \/>\ntoward Count Pervez before. If I leak information about Asha&#8217;s<br \/>\ncondition to the temple, Gabriel might respond. Carlyle then said, all right,<br \/>\nlet&#8217;s try leaking the news to the temple. Dorothea, worried, asked. Really? He smiled and said yes. Unlike some others,<br \/>\nyou seem to genuinely care about privacy. Suddenly, a loud voice interrupted them. Someone outside screamed, your Highness,<br \/>\nyou need to come out immediately. Dorothea became worried while Carlyle,<br \/>\ncomforting her, stepped outside. Lionel stood there and said,<br \/>\nwhat&#8217;s going on? Lionel replied, it&#8217;s high Priest. Gabriel has arrived at Pervez just now. Carlyle, surprised, remained silent,<br \/>\nhis expression stern. The carriage of High Priest<br \/>\nGabriel Knox reached Pervez Castle. Inside, Gabriel<br \/>\nsat calmly while Carlyle stood before him,<br \/>\nhis expression cold and unreadable. It&#8217;s been a long time,<br \/>\nYour Highness, Gabriel said. Carlyle&#8217;s tone was sharp. I did not particularly want to meet you. Gabriel remained composed. I know how you think of me,<br \/>\nbut please calm down. I came here to see Count Pervez. Not you, Your Highness. Carlyle&#8217;s eyes narrowed. Why? I heard that the count<br \/>\nhas been afflicted by dark magic since I. Oh, Count Pervez a favor. I came to help her. Carlyle. Suspicion deepened. Leaving aside how you heard about this,<br \/>\nhow can I trust you? Gabriel met his gaze unwaveringly. If the Count&#8217;s condition worsens<br \/>\nafter my treatment, you can kill me immediately. Carlyle was silent for a moment<br \/>\nbefore asking, why do you want to treat the count? Gabriel&#8217;s expression softened. Count Pervez is different from you. She is so pious and righteous that she might be considered<br \/>\na reincarnation of a saint&#8217;s. As a servant of God, I cannot stand by and watch such a person&#8217;s life end<br \/>\nbecause of dark magic. Carlyle studied him thinking, judging from his expression,<br \/>\nhe doesn&#8217;t seem to be lying. Since I cannot heal Osho with my own<br \/>\npower, I have no choice but to trust him. At that moment, Lionel entered the room. Carlyle turned to him. Lionel,<br \/>\nthe high priest, will treat Count Vass. Make sure no one comes near her room. Lionel hesitated. What will that be? All right? Carlyle nodded. Yes, I will guard outside the room. It is better if no one is around. Strange energies<br \/>\nmight interfere during the healing. Lionel finally relented. I understand. Inside the room, Gabriel prepared<br \/>\nfor the ritual, holding Asha&#8217;s hand. Carlyle, concerned, asked,<br \/>\nhow long will the treatment take? Probably about an hour. Carlyle exhaled and stepped back. Then I will wait outside as he left<br \/>\nthe room, Gabriel focused on Asha,<br \/>\nhis thoughts troubled. Looks like she was struck by dark magic<br \/>\nfrom the barbarian tribe. He furrowed his brow. I actually have no holy power<br \/>\nor healing ability, but with this method<br \/>\nI can remove the dark magic. A flicker of sadness crossed his face. I thought I had lost all emotions<br \/>\nafter delving into dark magic, but seeing Count Pervaiz like this,<br \/>\nwhy do I feel such profound sorrow? He tightened his grip slightly. Why did you not listen to me? I did not wish for you to be harmed. But seeing you alive after all this,<br \/>\nyou must be chosen by Lord Ricardo. I will remove the burdens you bear. You should live a blessed life<br \/>\nfree from worldly concerns. He leaned in closer<br \/>\nand murmured by my side. Suddenly Asha&#8217;s lips parted slightly, and then her eyes fluttered<br \/>\nopen, Gabriel&#8217;s breath caught. Count, how are you feeling, Asha? Her vision hazy, whispered High Priest. Gabriel let out a relieved sigh. Oh, risotto. Thank goodness. I was worried I might have been too late. He helped her sit up<br \/>\ngently, your holiness. Why are you here? She asked weakly. You don&#8217;t need to speak. You must still be weak. But Gabriel knew<br \/>\nthere was something she needed to know. Although you are still disoriented,<br \/>\nthere is something important I must tell you. Asha remained silent, waiting. Gabriel continued, while you were<br \/>\nunconscious, the Emperor passed away. His Highness<br \/>\nMatthias has succeeded the throne. Prince Carlyle fled to Pervez<br \/>\nand took control of the castle. While you were unconscious. As Asha&#8217;s breath hitched. Fled? Yes. And the reason he came to Pervez<br \/>\nis likely to prepare for rebellion. During this process,<br \/>\nhe will show intentional favor to you to mobilize the army. But you must not be deceived by him again,<br \/>\nAsha&#8217;s head spun. Lady Cecilia<br \/>\nde Pratt is staying in the castle. Gabriel added. She must have made a trade with Prince<br \/>\nCarlyle for the position of empress. I don&#8217;t believe that anyone<br \/>\nin the Imperial family genuinely cares for the Empire. Prince Matthias will ruin the Empire with his foolishness,<br \/>\nand if Prince Carlyle attempts rebellion to seize the throne,<br \/>\nmany people will die in the battle. Gabriel leaned in slightly. Do you think Prince Carlyle<br \/>\nwill truly feel grateful to those who die in that battle? To someone who once demeaned the people<br \/>\nof Pervaiz, who desperately defended the North as mere barbarians,<br \/>\nhe then spoke with conviction. I come from a common background<br \/>\nand have risen to this position despite endless contempt. I cannot bear to see arrogant<br \/>\npeople wield power over this empire and oppress the innocent. I hope you understand my intentions. How about working together to restore<br \/>\nthis empire to its rightful state? He took Ashe&#8217;s hand. I will assist you by your side. Usha suddenly pulled her hand away. Gabriel, sensing her<br \/>\nhesitation, softened his voice. I apologize. I must have been too hasty, given<br \/>\nthat you have just regained consciousness and must be confused, but<br \/>\nyou will soon understand my intentions. Ashe&#8217;s voice was low. I hope so too. Gabriel smiled faintly by the way,<br \/>\nour conversation must remain a secret. If Prince Carlyle finds out,<br \/>\nwho knows what he might do. Asha hesitated, then nodded. Understood. Gabriel stood up. Then I will inform Prince Carlyle<br \/>\nthat the treatment is complete. As he opened the door, Carlyle, looking tense, immediately,<br \/>\nhe asked, is the treatment over Asia? I mean Count Pervez? Is she all right? Gabriel smiled slightly. Please come in and check for yourself. Carlyle rushed inside, seeing Asher awake,<br \/>\nhis eyes widened in relief. Asha? He knelt beside her, taking her<br \/>\nhands gently. Are you okay? Do you recognize me? Asha, still weak, gave a faint smile. I apologize for greeting you from my bed,<br \/>\nYour Highness. Carlyle sat beside her, his worry evident. Are you feeling all right? Is there any pain or discomfort? Asha sighed. I&#8217;m not sure. I feel like I don&#8217;t have any strength. Carlyle&#8217;s expression softened. That is to be expected. You have been unconscious<br \/>\nfor over a month. Ashes. Eyes widened. A month? Yes, to be exact. A month and ten days. Gabriel, still standing by the door. Listen to their conversation.<br \/>\nThen he spoke. If your doubts about me are now clear,<br \/>\nI will return to Cairo. Carlyle turned to him. I can arrange for horses<br \/>\nor a carriage for you if needed. Gabriel shook his head. It looks like Count<br \/>\nPervez has endured much. But, Your Highness, you don&#8217;t need<br \/>\nto concern yourself with such things. Carlyle&#8217;s voice was firm, high priest. You don&#8217;t seem to be<br \/>\nparticularly perceptive either. Maybe you don&#8217;t realize how precious<br \/>\nyour own life is. Asha, growing tired, muttered. I&#8217;m a bit exhausted. Carlyle immediately turned back to her. I suppose so you should rest. I will call for Nina. Gabriel bowed slightly. May the blessings of the God of healing<br \/>\nRanga be with you. Count with that. He and Carlyle left the room. Asha, her head aching,<br \/>\nlay back down deep in thought. The next day, Asha slowly stepped<br \/>\nout of bed and tried to sit on the sofa. Carlyle noticed her struggling<br \/>\nand immediately rushed to her side, gently supporting her. Are you sure it&#8217;s<br \/>\nall right for you to move? He asked with concern. Asha nodded. I feel a little dizzy, but<br \/>\nit&#8217;s not to the point where I can&#8217;t move. Then take a seat. He guided her to the sofa<br \/>\nbefore pouring tea into a cup. As he did,<br \/>\nhe noticed the reflection of Asha&#8217;s face in the liquid,<br \/>\nmomentarily lost in thought. After handing her the cup,<br \/>\nhe hesitated before speaking. Asha,<br \/>\nif it&#8217;s unpleasant for you to face me, you can relay your words through<br \/>\nNina or Dekker. She shook her head. No. It&#8217;s fine. As she held the cup. She asked. Have you always called me<br \/>\nby my first name? He lowered his gaze. I called you by your first name<br \/>\nwithout asking for permission. I apologize. I understand<br \/>\nit must be disgusting for an arrogant and heartless man<br \/>\nlike me to act familiar with you now. I was just curious, that&#8217;s all. I&#8217;m not mocking you. He continued. I may seem like a rude and arrogant man, but he trailed off, then bowed his head. It&#8217;s all my fault. I don&#8217;t even know where to begin<br \/>\napologizing from the first time we met until now. I&#8217;m sorry for everything. I mean it. Asha was taken aback by his sincerity. She recalled Gabriel Knox&#8217;s words. Do you think that Prince Carlyle<br \/>\nwill truly feel grateful to those who died in battle, to someone<br \/>\nwho demeaned the people of purveyors who desperately defended<br \/>\nthe North as barbarians? She had believed that statement<br \/>\nto be true. Yet now she wasn&#8217;t so sure. Can I still say that Prince Carlyle is<br \/>\njust as arrogant now as he was back then? She wondered when I think about it. It has been quite some time since<br \/>\nhis attitude toward me started to change, but at the same time he deliberately started a war in the South<br \/>\nfor political reasons. It does not seem like it&#8217;s time<br \/>\nto make a judgment yet. Carlyle observed her intently<br \/>\nas she fell deep into thought. A little while later, Decker<br \/>\nsuddenly burst into the room. His voice filled with emotion. Asha? Asha smiled. Decker. How long<br \/>\nhas it been since we&#8217;ve talked like this? He said as he sat beside her. His relief evident. If it weren&#8217;t for His Highness Carlyle&#8217;s<br \/>\norders, I would have come to see you. The moment you woke up. But then again, it was for the sake of<br \/>\nyour recovery, so it couldn&#8217;t be helped. Asha listened to him with a smile. Anyway,<br \/>\nthis isn&#8217;t the time to talk about that. How are you feeling? Much better now. Decker sighed. I should have stuck by your side<br \/>\nmore closely back then. It&#8217;s all my fault.<br \/>\nAsha thought to herself. I keep hearing plenty of apologies<br \/>\nsince yesterday, but instead of dwelling on it,<br \/>\nshe reassured him. Let&#8217;s not blame ourselves for the past. We did our best at the time. Instead of blaming ourselves. We need to take revenge on those<br \/>\nwho caused this to previous. She clenched her fist with determination. Decker exhausted. Looked at her for a long moment<br \/>\nbefore speaking. The situation in Pervez is devastating. Many have died. The castle is heavily<br \/>\ndamaged in several places. The women and children<br \/>\nin the shelter are safe, but two maids who volunteered to fight<br \/>\nwere killed. 112 soldiers lost their lives and almost<br \/>\nall of the remaining ones are injured. There were also many casualties<br \/>\namong the general servants. Countless<br \/>\npeople lost their lives in the battle. Usha clenched her jaw. I thought this would never happen again. The restoration isn&#8217;t finished yet, is it? She asked. No. His Highness Carlyle barely sleeps<br \/>\nwhile working tirelessly on it. But most of the restoration<br \/>\nis already done. It&#8217;s thanks to him coming here<br \/>\nas soon as he heard about privacy. We are fortunate. Asha looked at him in surprise. His Highness Carlyle Decker nodded. His Highness<br \/>\nCarlyle is still your husband, isn&#8217;t he? I don&#8217;t know if he told you this,<br \/>\nbut the Emperor has passed away and His Highness Matthias<br \/>\nhas ascended to the throne. However, the process<br \/>\nseems highly suspicious from His Highness Carlyle&#8217;s perspective. He should be gathering his allies<br \/>\nand preparing for a confrontation. And yet he still came here to help her. Vass. Usha was deep in thought. So he didn&#8217;t flee to Pervez<br \/>\njust because of Mathias his ascension. Then why did he come straight here? The man who risked everything<br \/>\nfor the throne. Decker stood up. Anyway,<br \/>\njust focus on recovering your health. As he moved toward the door. He paused and added, His Highness,<br \/>\nCarlyle has taken care of everything from the restoration<br \/>\nto looking after the survivors. I see. He hesitated again before saying. By the way, His Highness<br \/>\nCarlyle stayed by your bedside every day. Make sure to thank him later. With that, he left the room. Usha sat in silence, stunned. I never thought His Highness<br \/>\nCarlyle would go that far. It was easier to deal with his arrogant<br \/>\nand annoying old self than this caring one. What does he want from me? She moved toward<br \/>\nthe window, lost in thought. Then a knock at the door<br \/>\ndrew her attention. Come in. To her surprise, Lady<br \/>\nCecilia, depressed, stepped inside. Lady depressed, Asha murmured. She recalled Gabriel&#8217;s words. Lady Cecilia<br \/>\nDu Prat is staying in the castle. She must have made a trade with Prince<br \/>\nCarlyle for the position of Empress. Asha. Step closer. I&#8217;m sorry. I thought you were Nina. It&#8217;s all right. Do you have a moment? Yes. Go ahead. They sat facing each other. Cecilia sighed. I&#8217;m so relieved you regained consciousness<br \/>\nsafely. I had been hoping for it because<br \/>\nthere&#8217;s something I need to apologize for. Asha&#8217;s mind<br \/>\nflashed back to Carlyle and Decker, both of whom had apologized to her. Here we go again. What do you have to be sorry for? Asha asked. I know I was quite rude to you, Cecilia<br \/>\nadmitted. I thought I would naturally become His<br \/>\nHighness Carlyle&#8217;s wife, more precisely. I had to. If I didn&#8217;t, I would have ended up being used<br \/>\nas a family ornament or bargaining chip. Like many other noble ladies. Usha gently reassured her<br \/>\nno one thinks of you that way, lady, to. Thank you for saying that. But that is the reality. I have always envied you, count. Unlike me, you can make decisions<br \/>\nand act on your own. That jealousy made me rude towards you. I apologize again. It&#8217;s all right. Cecilia nodded. Now, just as you said,<br \/>\npeople&#8217;s attitude towards me will change. Of course,<br \/>\nwhen His Highness Carlyle becomes emperor. You will eventually become Empress. Cecilia smiled. His Highness Carlyle will become emperor. Yes, but<br \/>\nI will become the head of the Duke family. Asia was taken aback. Pardon? I chose to become the head of my family<br \/>\ninstead of Empress Asha&#8217;s thoughts raised. What happened while I was unconscious? His Highness Carlyle gave up the chance<br \/>\nto reclaim the throne and rush to privacy instead. And now, Lady Pratt says she has given up<br \/>\nthe position of Empress. Usha let out a breath,<br \/>\ntrying to make sense of it all. Have I been unconscious for a year<br \/>\ninstead of just a month? Lost in thought, she barely noticed<br \/>\nCecilia laughing softly. You seem curious<br \/>\nas to why I gave up the Empress position. Cecilia said, watching her closely. No woman in the Empire<br \/>\ncan live as independently as you count, even as Empress. Asha was taken aback by her words. Cecilia continued, her voice steady. I&#8217;ve come to realize that<br \/>\nI no longer wish to covet what isn&#8217;t mine. Instead. I will seize my own future<br \/>\nwith my own strength. Usha met her gaze and nodded. I hope you achieve what you desire. Cecilia smiled warmly. Appreciating the sincerity<br \/>\nin Asha&#8217;s words. From now on, I promise to remain a true ally to both His Highness Carlyle<br \/>\nand you for a moment. Asha was silent.<br \/>\nThen she finally responded. In that case,<br \/>\nI look forward to your support. Later, as she sat alone in her room. Her mind drifted back to Gabriel&#8217;s words. Lady Cecilia<br \/>\nde Pret is staying in this castle. She must have made a trade with Prince<br \/>\nCarlyle for the position of Empress. Had Gabriel been mistaken,<br \/>\nor had he deliberately misled her? Was the high priest<br \/>\ntrying to manipulate me? Her fingers<br \/>\ntightened around the fabric of her dress. I need to find out what his true<br \/>\nintentions are. A few weeks later,<br \/>\na meeting was held where Lionel, Asha, Giles, and Decker<br \/>\nsat together as Carlyle addressed them. It&#8217;s been a long time<br \/>\nsince we all gathered in one place. It&#8217;s about time we strike back. Report on the current situation. Cecilia, sitting in front of him,<br \/>\nresponded, yes, Prince Carlyle. The Imperial branch families are slowly<br \/>\nturning to our side. Ever since you arrived in previous,<br \/>\ntheir attitudes have been changing. Carlyle asked. Why are the ones who remained neutral<br \/>\nsuddenly moving? Cecilia explained. They praise you for coming to. Calling you a patient man. But I believe that was merely a catalyst. The Imperial branch families<br \/>\nseemed to be doubting both the cause of the late emperor&#8217;s death<br \/>\nand the current emperors abilities. Giles added, in any case, it&#8217;s good<br \/>\nthat they are returning to our side once the Imperial branch families<br \/>\nmake a decision. It&#8217;s not easy to change their stance<br \/>\nbeside, if they act as our shield. We will have a valid reason for rebellion. It will also make it easier to operate<br \/>\nfrom Cairo away from the Empress Dowager,<br \/>\nsighed Carlyle nodded. First, we should start<br \/>\nby revealing the Empress Dowager and the temple&#8217;s plan to the nobles. The nobles will never support<br \/>\nthe establishment of a holy empire, Lyonel added. They won&#8217;t agree to give a 10th of their<br \/>\nincome to the temple for no reason, Giles countered. But will the Empress dowager<br \/>\nor the temple accept that so easily? If we rashly attack the temple, it<br \/>\nmight only create unnecessary hostility. The temple is deeply involved<br \/>\nin the lives of the nobles, using the excuse of gods words<br \/>\nto deceive the people. Carlisle agreed. So we must weaken<br \/>\nthe temple&#8217;s power itself. Then he turned to Asia and asked,<br \/>\nwhat do you think? Asia. Asia, with a stern and tired expression,<br \/>\nreplied, what if Gabriel, the empress dowager&#8217;s<br \/>\nclosest aide, admits it directly? Giles responded<br \/>\nthat snake would never do that. He&#8217;s the kind of person who would<br \/>\nslip away, even if we had evidence. Asia insisted. I can persuade him for some reason. Gabriel wants me on his side,<br \/>\nCarlyle warned. You can&#8217;t meet with him directly if something dangerous happens,<br \/>\nyou won&#8217;t be able to respond. And what if he manages<br \/>\nto persuade you to his side instead? Usha clenched her fist,<br \/>\nexpressing her anger. I will never turn to Gabriel side. Gabriel is the one who unleashed<br \/>\nthe barbarians and monsters on previous Decker. Surprised stood up. What? Is that true? Carlyle asked. Are you sure? Aisha nodded. Yes. When he came to treat me,<br \/>\nhe confessed. Everything coincided. Mentally. I could hear everything around me<br \/>\nat that time. She recalled Gabriel&#8217;s words. Why didn&#8217;t you listen to me? While I may have caused all this,<br \/>\nI never wished for you to be harmed. But seeing you still alive after all this,<br \/>\nyou must be chosen by Lord Rosato. I will erase all the burdens you bear. You should live a blessed life<br \/>\nfree from worldly concerns. At my side, thinking back to these words,<br \/>\nexhausted her. She continued, so you don&#8217;t need<br \/>\nto worry about me siding with Gabriel. There is no one who wants to kill him<br \/>\nmore than I do. Carlyle, sitting beside her, asked,<br \/>\nwhy didn&#8217;t you tell me this earlier? Aisha admitted<br \/>\nI was disoriented after waking up. And to be honest,<br \/>\nI couldn&#8217;t fully trust you. I still can&#8217;t agree with the war<br \/>\nyou waged in the South. Cecilia glanced at Giles, worried. Carlyle started to explain, but Cecilia interjected,<br \/>\nthat was not His Highness doing. Aisha was surprised. What Carlyle said. I think Sir<br \/>\nRaphael should explain this himself. Giles Raphael stepped forward. The southern matter was my decision alone. Cecilia added, and I helped with that. Aisha turned to Carlyle. So it wasn&#8217;t His Highness doing. Why didn&#8217;t you tell me earlier? Carlyle clasped his hands together. It is my fault for noticing<br \/>\nand letting it happen anyway. Will you trust me again now? He smiled as he said this. Aisha, smiling back, replied, of course. Though it would have been better<br \/>\nif you told me sooner. Carlyle nodded. Now let&#8217;s get back to the main point. He looked at Aisha and said, let&#8217;s say. Aisha makes Gabriel<br \/>\nconfess all his plans himself. How will we reveal this to the nobles? Aisha thought for a moment<br \/>\nand then shared her plan. After explaining, she asked,<br \/>\nhow does this sound? Carlyle, with a sharp smile, stared at her, signaling his agreement. The next morning, Gabriel sat in his room,<br \/>\nexamining some documents when his assistant arrived with more<br \/>\npapers and shared their contents with him. Gabriel took the documents and reviewed<br \/>\nthem carefully to minimize backlash. This should suffice for now. Thank you for your hard work, Archbishop,<br \/>\nhe said nervously. In truth, it&#8217;s impossible to fully change the Empire&#8217;s laws<br \/>\nto align with Elena&#8217;s laws. Even this much should be enough. Gabriel raised an eyebrow. What do you mean? The Archbishop,<br \/>\nwith a cautious expression, replied. Some might say<br \/>\nthis is not the right way to go. Gabriel smirked. I see I almost greatly misunderstood<br \/>\nyou, Archbishop. He stood up,<br \/>\nwalked over to the archbishop, and placed a hand on his shoulder. If there are any among the clergy<br \/>\nwho think this way, please let me know. Those who compromise with corruption<br \/>\ndo not deserve a place in God&#8217;s courtyard. The Archbishop bowed. Understood? Your Highness. Gabriel nodded. In any case, please<br \/>\nkeep the new Empire laws confidential until they are officially announced. The new laws need to attract<br \/>\nas little attention as possible. Understood. Gabriel watched as the Archbishop left<br \/>\nand thought to himself. Originally, I planned to immediately<br \/>\nreplace the Empire&#8217;s laws with isla&#8217;s laws, but if I did<br \/>\nthat, people like Count Pervaiz, who are arrogant about the laws yet deeply<br \/>\nfaithful, might be punished soon enough. Even the law stating that a wife must<br \/>\nnot betray her husband will be broken. At that moment<br \/>\na bird flew in, carrying a letter. Gabriel took it and read its contents. Thinking count previous. I believe you will understand<br \/>\nmy intentions. Gabriel, holding the letter<br \/>\nin his hands, moved toward the building. The letter read. I will see you on the first floor of the<br \/>\nbell tower of the First Temple at 8 p.m. on November 30th. Upon reaching the destination,<br \/>\nas written in the letter, Gabriel placed it in his pocket<br \/>\nand loudly declared. We will make sure that the blessing<br \/>\nof Riverdale reaches<br \/>\neven the lowest parts of the Empire. Aisha, who had been standing by the wall, responded<br \/>\nto those who have lost their way. The blessings from our gods<br \/>\nwill always be requested and needed. Gabriel was shocked to see her<br \/>\nand immediately approached Countess Pervaiz Aisha about her<br \/>\nhead and said. Long time no see. High Priest Gabriel smiled and replied,<br \/>\nI am grateful that you came. Have people started looking for you? Probably. It has been ten days<br \/>\nsince I disappeared from pervious. Gabriel observed her closely. Come to think of it, you look very calm,<br \/>\nconsidering the situation. Osho was surprised by his words. Nothing. He continued. I&#8217;m just glad you arrived here<br \/>\nwithout being caught. I heard it was trickier than we expected. As expected. No one can arrest you. Count as per Vass. It seems that way. She said while thinking to herself. Could he have figured out why I came here? No. Even if he did,<br \/>\nI shouldn&#8217;t act rashly. I can&#8217;t be sure yet. Noticing her moment of thought. Gabriel continued. You must have had a hard time, didn&#8217;t you? You have no idea how mad I was when I read<br \/>\nabout your situation in the letter you sent me. How could Prince Carlyle exile<br \/>\na person who has not even recovered yet? Aisha recalled the words<br \/>\nshe had written in the letter. I happened to overhear a conversation<br \/>\nbetween Prince Carlyle and Lord Rapp out,<br \/>\njust as you told me. They are planning to dispose of me<br \/>\nvery soon. Right? That was what I wrote as an excuse. Thinking back, she said aloud. It is sad to think that happened<br \/>\nafter I did my best to help the Prince. I believed I would be rewarded for<br \/>\nall the trouble we went through for them. However, they were just trying to use me<br \/>\nas a meat shield. Gabriel was momentarily speechless<br \/>\nbefore finally saying, oh Lord, risotto, please allow us to save this demonic,<br \/>\nfilthy world. Aisha observed his expression and thought,<br \/>\ndid it work? Then she said, now I can&#8217;t trust anyone. I appreciate your help, but I can&#8217;t even trust you<br \/>\nto keep covering for me like this. Gabriel nodded. I understand. Aisha continued. If you truly wish for me to stand<br \/>\nby your side, please tell me your plan. Honestly,<br \/>\nwhat kind of future are you hoping for? Gabriel looked at her seriously. I wish to rebuild our empire into one<br \/>\nthat is pure and holy. A perfect empire<br \/>\nwhere God precedes over everything, and where the current laws are reformed<br \/>\nin accordance with the sacred scriptures. An empire where we as the messengers<br \/>\nof God, will clearly supervise the new Emperor, so he does not commit<br \/>\nany more foolish mistakes. Aisha raised an eyebrow. In that case,<br \/>\nwhat will happen to the noble families? They will have a better life<br \/>\nby becoming servants of God. We will make the greedy learn integrity<br \/>\nand the arrogant learn humility. She thought to herself. Definitely crazy. But I&#8217;m sure the nobles will oppose<br \/>\nthe creation of a holy empire like that. She pointed out. Is it not the fate of a holy empire<br \/>\nlike ours to embrace and teach even those who oppose it,<br \/>\njust like right now? We won&#8217;t blame you<br \/>\nfor taking the side of Prince Carlisle. Countess Aisha was left speechless<br \/>\nas she reached for her sword, attempting to threaten him. Gabriel gently said, I<br \/>\napologize, Countess. Previous. I must admit my desire to help<br \/>\nyou was sincere. However, you have tried to stab me<br \/>\nin the back, she retorted. You speak<br \/>\nas if I were the only one doing wrong. Or will you dare to tell me that you release those monsters at the castle<br \/>\nto help me somehow? Gabriel sighed. So you know about that? I truly regret that issue. But we could not allow the Empire<br \/>\nto fall into the hands of the arrogant and selfish. We had to commit such a horrible act<br \/>\nbecause we were in a tight spot. Suddenly,<br \/>\nCarlisle emerged from the shadows. I&#8217;ve had enough of this. He approached with a mysterious smile<br \/>\nand said, if you&#8217;re trying to say that causing that tragedy wasn&#8217;t<br \/>\nyour real intention, then what was it? Gabriel remained silent,<br \/>\nsurprised by Carlisle&#8217;s sudden appearance. Then, after a pause, he said, my only true intention is to rebuild<br \/>\nthis empire properly. Turning toward Aisha,<br \/>\nhe extended his hand. Countess Pervaiz, please stand by my side. Aisha hesitated, confused. Carlisle scoffed. What is this? It seems even Countess<br \/>\nPrevost does not agree with your vision,<br \/>\nclenching his fist behind his back. Gabriel sighed. You leave me no choice. I did not want to do this. But those who defy God will be punished<br \/>\nby his power. With that, Gabriel attacked<br \/>\nCarlisle with divine power. Aisha gasped in shock. Your Highness, are you all right? She turned to Gabriel, screaming. What did you do to him? Gabriel<br \/>\nonly smiled. It is just a little trick<br \/>\nthat God allowed me to perform. Those who defy him will be punished<br \/>\naccordingly. Come to me, Aisha Purvis. Before God punishes<br \/>\nPrince Carlisle Evaristo with death, Aisha stood speechless.<br \/>\nComforting Carlisle. She then moved forward toward Gabriel,<br \/>\nbut Carlisle tried to stop her. No, Aisha. She stood in front of Gabriel and said,<br \/>\nHigh Priest, I will follow you. Just please let Prince Carlisle go. Gabriel released Carlisle<br \/>\nfrom the divine power and smirked. Wise choice<br \/>\nas Aisha walked away with Gabriel. Carlisle screamed her name, trying to stop her, but she turned to<br \/>\nGabriel and said, High Priest. There is one last thing<br \/>\nI would like to say to Prince Carlisle. Gabriel nodded. Of course. Take your time. God has decided to be generous to you,<br \/>\nCountess, per Vass asked about her head. Thank you. She then walked toward Carlisle<br \/>\nand whispered, Your Highness,<br \/>\nI am sorry for making you go through this. Now that it is over,<br \/>\nplease light up the bell tower. Suddenly, the bell tower was illuminated. Gabriel&#8217;s eyes widened in shock. What? Aisha turned to him<br \/>\nand said, High Priest Gabriel. Just because the Prince did not agree<br \/>\nwith the creation of the Holy Empire, you suppressed him by force<br \/>\nand even threatened me, Carlisle added. And as you can hear, both Prince Matthias<br \/>\nand the Empress agreed to the creation of the Holy Empire, knowing perfectly<br \/>\nwell that it was like this. Usher,<br \/>\nstaring at the bell tower, declared. If we allow someone like this<br \/>\nto establish a holy empire, isn&#8217;t it obvious how he will deal<br \/>\nwith those who oppose it? Gabriel stood frozen, watching as his<br \/>\nplans crumbled before his very eyes. Gabriel, his expression, stern said. Impossible. Was I called here<br \/>\njust for you to set me up? Usher replied coldly. What are you so surprised about? Did you think we wouldn&#8217;t know that<br \/>\nthe monsters came from the magic circle you drew with the castle? Considering that you endangered my people,<br \/>\nthis isn&#8217;t even enough. But I didn&#8217;t want to interfere<br \/>\nwith the Prince&#8217;s plans. So I&#8217;ll be satisfied<br \/>\nwith watching your downfall. Gabriel was left speechless,<br \/>\nhis entire scheme ruined. He stood there visibly upset. Carlisle stepped forward and said,<br \/>\nI&#8217;ve been aware of your plan to establish<br \/>\na holy empire for a long time. Just like my father,<br \/>\nwho was about to expose you. But that day he suddenly passed away. Gabriel remained silent,<br \/>\nshocked by Carlisle&#8217;s words, Carlisle continued, we were told<br \/>\nhis death was due to an unknown cause. But don&#8217;t you think<br \/>\nit was a little strange that not a single newspaper in the city<br \/>\nreported the same story? Gabriel responded. What does that have to do with me? That is the truth. Carlisle scoffed. The truth? Who knows? In my opinion, you&#8217;ve been lying<br \/>\nand hiding behind God&#8217;s words. Gabriel, now furious,<br \/>\nshouted, hiding behind the Word of God. How dare you! Carlisle. His gaze unwavering, responded,<br \/>\nhow dare I? You speak without even knowing your place. How dare you talk to a prince like that? Carlisle&#8217;s team<br \/>\nquickly intervened to calm him down. Please, Your Highness. Calm down. We can deal with him<br \/>\nthe right way after we expose his sins. Later in Beatrice&#8217;s chamber, Gabriel stood<br \/>\nbefore the Empress and reported. I am sorry, Your Majesty. I thought we were going to gain<br \/>\nuseful information from an insider, but I foolishly trusted Countess previous. However, we now know that Carlisle is planning<br \/>\nfor treason and that many nobles will participate in it if we revise the laws and align them<br \/>\nwith the sacred Scriptures. We can use the royal decree to stop this<br \/>\nrebellion before it even begins. Beatrice sighed. I&#8217;m sure there will be a lot of opposition<br \/>\nfrom the noble families. Why don&#8217;t we just use the Empire&#8217;s<br \/>\nregular soldiers? Gabriel shook his head, only ordering<br \/>\nthe Royal Knights to act against Carlisle, a member of the royal family<br \/>\nwill prove effective. They have the blessing, a power they received after the battle<br \/>\nwith Lord Augustus. Beatrice, growing weary of his plans,<br \/>\nasked blessing, what nonsense! Anyway, are you still monitoring<br \/>\nCarlisle&#8217;s whereabouts? I have not received any new updates yet. Your Majesty, I will report back<br \/>\nas soon as I hear something new. Beatrice dismissed him. All right. I&#8217;m sure you must be busy. You may leave now. As Gabriel exited the chamber,<br \/>\nBeatrice muttered to herself. That sneaky bastard,<br \/>\nwhere the hell is he hiding? Meanwhile, in Carlisle&#8217;s chamber,<br \/>\nhe awaited an important arrival. Knight<br \/>\nstood guard as he muttered, welcome. Cecilia entered,<br \/>\nbringing someone with her. I have brought everyone you asked<br \/>\nfor, Your Highness. Carlisle&#8217;s two step sisters,<br \/>\nJosephine and Charlize, stood before him. Josephine greeted him. Long time no see. Older brother Charlize added. Thank you for inviting us here. Carlisle smirked. Don&#8217;t mention it. You did well surviving<br \/>\nand avoiding the Empress&#8217;s eyes until now. Charlize nodded. Lady lust defied<br \/>\nhelped us a lot, Viviana added. If it weren&#8217;t for Lady<br \/>\nCecilia&#8217;s intelligence, we would have been captured by the guards<br \/>\nby now. Carlisle waved his hand. Enough compliments. Sit down. What&#8217;s the situation<br \/>\nwith the opposing noble families? Cecilia explained the incident at the bell<br \/>\ntower is spreading quickly among the nobles. I use the dovetail service to spread<br \/>\nthe word to Prince Matthias as supporters. Some of his noble allies are already<br \/>\nbeginning to shift to our side. Carlisle nodded. Good. Cecilia continued. The task has been easier<br \/>\nthanks to the defect our sisters planted in the informants<br \/>\nwe placed inside the palace. Carlisle turned to his sisters. You managed to plant an informant? Josephine smirked. Yes. We found a man struggling with money<br \/>\nand made sure to be very generous. At first we were unsure, but he has proven<br \/>\nto be more reliable than expected. Carlisle chuckled. It seems you two are smarter<br \/>\nthan your brother at least. Just then, Giles Raphaelle<br \/>\nburst into the room, his voice urgent. Your Highness. He handed a letter to Carlisle. The Imperial Family has changed<br \/>\nthe laws of the Empire. We received the revisions<br \/>\nearly this morning, but the contents are outrageous,<br \/>\nCarlisle read aloud. Even if there is no act or proof,<br \/>\nif the Imperial family feels threatened by you,<br \/>\nit can be considered treason. If you go against their word. You are a traitor. He clenched his jaw. They are reviving<br \/>\ncompletely oppressive laws. They&#8217;ll use this as an excuse<br \/>\nto execute me and make an example of me. Giles was outraged. How can they change the criminal<br \/>\nand treason laws like this? They&#8217;re using terror politics<br \/>\nto subdue everyone. Carlisle sighed. That was expected. Should we really be surprised? He walked toward the window,<br \/>\ngazing at the soldiers below. Look at the forces we&#8217;ve gathered. I wonder what face the Empress will make<br \/>\nwhen she sees them. The time for worry is over. They are nothing more than enemies. Traitors who seek to control the Empire<br \/>\nunder the guise of holiness. He turned to his allies. We will declare war on these traitors<br \/>\nsitting in the palace tomorrow at 10 a.m., we will gather all the knights<br \/>\nfrom the noble families supporting us and march forward. His team stood before him,<br \/>\nprepared for the war that would soon shake<br \/>\nthe very foundation of the empire. That night, a flower pot<br \/>\nfell to the floor, shattering into pieces. The moonlight touched the farthest corners<br \/>\nof the imperial palace. Casting long shadows across the cold stone<br \/>\nwalls, Gabriel, feeling utterly hopeless, knelt on the ground<br \/>\nand screamed in frustration. Damn it! Where is that prince bastard hiding? What is the point of changing the laws<br \/>\nif there is no one there to break them? If only Countess Pervez had taken my side. How is this possible? Why didn&#8217;t she choose me? How could she remain by Carlisle side? Knowing it will tarnish her. No, no. Countess Pervez is not someone<br \/>\nwho would see things that way. If she is unwilling to stand with me. Then the fault must lie with me. His eyes darkened as he thought. What does Prince<br \/>\nCarlisle possess that I lack? Appearance. Influence? Strength. That&#8217;s right, he whispered to himself. Countess Priv\u00e9s is a woman who has spent<br \/>\nmost of her life on the battlefield. Of course, Carlisle strength<br \/>\nwould be more appealing to her. In that case, I must ensure that we are<br \/>\nevenly matched in strength. No. I must gain an overwhelming advantage. Clenching his fists, Gabriel summoned<br \/>\nhis divine power with immense force. The air around him<br \/>\ncrackling under the pressure. Tears<br \/>\nwelled up in his eyes from the strain and black energy<br \/>\ncoiled around him like a living entity. His body trembled from the pain,<br \/>\nbut he endured it. When it was done. He exhaled shakily, his lips<br \/>\ncurling into a victorious smirk. It&#8217;s done, no matter how many troops<br \/>\nCarlisle gathers, I will emerge victorious. And then Countess Prevost will understand that<br \/>\nchoosing me was the only right choice. I will become the rightful monarch<br \/>\nof this empire. Just wait a little longer.<br \/>\nAisha. Previous. At that same moment, Aisha stood<br \/>\nby the window, gazing into the night sky. Her mind heavy with thoughts. Tomorrow<br \/>\nwe will have to face High Priest Gabriel. It is true that he is a mad man. But I don&#8217;t believe all his words<br \/>\nare misguided. A memory surfaced<br \/>\nthe time she had once asked him. In that case,<br \/>\nwhat will become of the noble families? Gabriel had responded. They will find a better life<br \/>\nin service to God. The greedy shall learn integrity<br \/>\nand the arrogant shall learn humility. Aisha sighed. It would be wonderful<br \/>\nif it could truly be that way. Had he chosen a righteous path, he might have truly accomplished<br \/>\nsomething. But he was willing to sacrifice<br \/>\nthe innocent of purveyors, my people, for his own aims. I could never forgive such an act,<br \/>\ntrampling upon the weak and innocent<br \/>\nfor one&#8217;s own motives and beliefs. She clenched her fists,<br \/>\nrecalling how she had once resented the prince<br \/>\nfor igniting the war in the South. Yet in the end,<br \/>\nhe had not been responsible. Why did I assume he was<br \/>\ncapable of such a thing? Was it truly my own prejudice? A voice interrupted her thoughts. Aisha startled. She turned to see Prince Carlyle<br \/>\nstanding behind her. What are you contemplating so deeply? He asked. Are you nervous now? Is that what it looks like? She answered. Masking her emotions? Not quite, but you generally do<br \/>\nnot remain awake at this hour. I was wondering if you had any concerns. She studied him quietly. Come to think of it, he did not look down<br \/>\nupon Pervez when he first arrived. Instead, he put those<br \/>\nwho insulted our home in their place. I may have been the arrogant<br \/>\nand prejudiced one all along. Carlyle observed her silence<br \/>\nand asked again, Aisha, are you not concerned about tomorrow? She hesitated before responding. It is not what you think.<br \/>\nI simply realized that I had been harboring<br \/>\nfoolish thoughts for quite some time. His gaze sharpened. Are you still contemplating<br \/>\nwhether it is wise to remain by my side? Well, that is partially true,<br \/>\nshe admitted. Now that I understand<br \/>\nGabriel&#8217;s ideals and values, I wonder what sort of future<br \/>\ndo you intend to envision? She turned to face him<br \/>\nfully, her piercing eyes meeting his. Your Highness. What precisely are you fighting for? Carlyle remained speechless for a moment,<br \/>\nlost in his own thoughts to reclaim what was taken from me, to exact vengeance upon<br \/>\nthose who placed me in this predicament. No, that is not right. His voice softened as he finally answered. I am fighting for our lives so that we may live in peace as equals,<br \/>\nif I must speak honestly. There were times when I wished<br \/>\nfor the throne simply out of anger, so that no one would dare<br \/>\nuse me as a military dog again. After my title of Crown Prince was<br \/>\nstripped from me, I felt deep resentment. I wanted nothing more than to bring<br \/>\ndestruction to all who wronged me. He paused, then smiled faintly. But then I met you on this dry<br \/>\nand barren land. I saw the people of previous,<br \/>\ndespite everything. They remained full of hope. I learned from you and your people, who,<br \/>\neven in such dire circumstances,<br \/>\nalways looked forward with faith. I suppose I have changed<br \/>\nbecause of that as well. Aisha&#8217;s heart wavered as she listened. Carlyle continued. Now, I must admit that I am afraid<br \/>\nof becoming emperor because I now understand the duties and<br \/>\nresponsibilities such a position entails. But that is why I will wield<br \/>\nmy sword on the battlefield. She frowned slightly. Does that not imply<br \/>\nyou will face great difficulties as a ruler,<br \/>\neven if you emerge victorious in battle? His expression<br \/>\nhardened with determination. I believe<br \/>\nthat is the very purpose of my existence. Aisha was taken aback. Did the Prince truly change<br \/>\nso much because of Pervez? Just as I changed because of him. Carlyle observed her hesitation and said, I suppose it must be difficult<br \/>\nfor you to believe. It must be challenging to hear<br \/>\na man like me say such things. But she shook her head. No. In truth,<br \/>\nit makes me trust you all the more. I have faith<br \/>\nthat you will be a good emperor. Your Highness, should I be present? I shall ensure to support you<br \/>\nthrough this endeavor. Carlyle&#8217;s eyes softened, but then Usha added, there is a question<br \/>\nI would like to ask you. He nodded. What is it? She took a deep breath<br \/>\nbefore stating firmly, tomorrow. Please allow me to participate<br \/>\nwith the unit. Carlyle&#8217;s eyes widened slightly. What? Usha? In a conversation<br \/>\nwith Carlyle, said to him, tomorrow, please allow me to participate<br \/>\nin the unit, Carlyle replied. What? But your body has not fully recovered yet,<br \/>\nAsha said. I would appreciate it if you could leave<br \/>\nsome of your royal nights to me to command, he said. I guess I can do that, but I am worried<br \/>\nthat you are not at full capacity. If anything happens to you<br \/>\nbecause of that, I will. Usha pleaded. I beg of you. Every night I dream of the night<br \/>\nthose monsters appeared in the castle<br \/>\nas my men were dying in front of me. I was not able to save them. The only reason<br \/>\nI have been able to stay calm all this time is because of the pledge<br \/>\nI made to avenge them, Carlyle said. Usha. She continued. Please allow me to take revenge for them. That is my last request. He became silent,<br \/>\nbut then said, just promise me one thing. You won&#8217;t die no matter what. Do not cause the same despair you are<br \/>\nsuffering to the people of purveyors who believe in you, Usha said. Understood. He said. You have to promise it here. Let&#8217;s make a pinky promise. Then he held her hand and said,<br \/>\nif we make a promise like this, you have to fulfill it. No matter what Usha said. All right. I will make sure to survive. Then they both made a pinky promise. And she was thinking. Everything will be over after this. My revenge and the relationship I have<br \/>\nwith the prince in the Imperial Palace. Mathias assistant entered the room<br \/>\nand shouted, Your Majesty. Prince Carlyle has gathered<br \/>\nthe noble family supporting him, and their troops are stationed<br \/>\noutside the northern gate. Mathias,<br \/>\nwaking up with a nonchalant attitude, said, what are you talking about? Beyond. And after seeing this attitude,<br \/>\nthe assistant screamed again. I am saying that the traitor<br \/>\nwill come to the palace. With a rude tone, Mathias answered. Traitors!<br \/>\nAre they coming to take my place? You have to wake up the Empress,<br \/>\nthe assistant said. The Empress is already in the conference<br \/>\nroom. Mathias slowly dressing up,<br \/>\nthought my mother&#8217;s already outside. Seeing his laziness again,<br \/>\nthe assistant screamed. Please hurry up and come outside,<br \/>\nYour Majesty. Mathias thought. In that case,<br \/>\nI&#8217;m sure she will take care of it somehow. All the officials were waiting at the conference table<br \/>\nand the assistant addressed them. The Emperor has arrived. Beatrice<br \/>\nglared at Mathias with cold eyes and said, why are you waking up this late? Your Majesty. Then she handed him a letter and said,<br \/>\nhurry up and sign this. As he started signing, she asked,<br \/>\nwhat about the royal guards and the other officials? The assistant said they&#8217;re on their way. You&#8217;re Majesty. Beatrice side of Mathias incompetence<br \/>\nand said what a pack of slow and incompetent men. Mathias asked mother, what is happening? She said. Did the butler not tell you anything? He said. He just said<br \/>\nCarlyle was gathering with other traitors. I know you won&#8217;t allow him to take my seat<br \/>\nanyway. Tired of his foolishness, she thought. Is this a side effect of the toxin<br \/>\nI gave him? How can he be so simple minded? She then said we will try to prevent it. But if he does succeed, you will chop off<br \/>\nyour head and take the throne by force. Mathias exclaimed, what with a sharp tone<br \/>\nshe said. I wonder if he is this stupid<br \/>\njust because he resembles his father more. She held the letter and said<br \/>\nwhen he, officers and the royal guard gather,<br \/>\nyou have to read this announcement. You can do that, right? He responded. Yes. He thought. I know she&#8217;s my mother,<br \/>\nbut isn&#8217;t she going too far? How dare she nag<br \/>\nand humiliate the emperor like this? Gabriel then whispered in her ear. Your Majesty,<br \/>\nalmost all the officials are here already. It seems those who were brought here<br \/>\nhave allied with the other side. Beatrice screamed. Those traitors! She then said, there is nothing we can do. We will make the announcement right now. Your Majesty. You remember what I gave you to read<br \/>\nearlier, right? Matthias was lost in his thoughts. So she called his name again. Your Majesty, he replied. I have not read it yet. He added, If I&#8217;m going to announce it,<br \/>\nI have to know what I&#8217;m talking about. With an annoyed tone, she said,<br \/>\nthere is no time for that right now. Read out loud already. He in frustration, screamed loudly at her. I am the Emperor. Do not give me orders. Beatrice trying to control her<br \/>\nfrustration, said Matthias. What the hell is happening with you? With anger,<br \/>\nhe said, it is considered treason to want to take away<br \/>\npower from the Emperor. Knowing that,<br \/>\nshould I consider you a traitor? Gabriel intervened. Your Majesty. As Matthias was shouting at Beatrice. Gabriel tried to calm him down. But Beatrice also yelled, Matthias,<br \/>\nhow can you? Gabriel<br \/>\nthen placed his hand on Matthias head. Matthias, infuriated, screamed,<br \/>\nwhat are you doing? How dare you touch<br \/>\nthe body of the Emperor! Gabriel was performing a ritual<br \/>\nusing divine energy to possess Matthias. Suddenly Matthias fell silent. Gabriel thought. Damn it! I can&#8217;t believe he caused so much trouble<br \/>\nfor such a simple order. It seems some people noticed what I did,<br \/>\nbut it&#8217;s fine. I will brainwash them later. Gabriel said. Your Majesty, I know you were stressed<br \/>\nbecause of the traitors, but this is not the time for this. Now. Please announce a new revision<br \/>\nof the imperial laws. Matthias then began announcing I. Matthias<br \/>\nGinter, Beatrice Reuben Bond, El Evaristo hereby declare a new set of adjustments<br \/>\nto the imperial law. After announcing all the laws,<br \/>\nhis final words were. Let all accept and follow the laws. Previously reviewed. The room fell in silence. Everyone present was speechless. Outside the castle of Pervez. The knights gathered as Carlyle<br \/>\naddressed them. I apologize for making you fight in this<br \/>\nbitter cold, he said, his voice firm. However, I promise to end this<br \/>\nas quickly as possible. He then turned to Asha. How are you feeling? Great. She replied. Are you not cold? He asked again. She smirked. I&#8217;m a native of Purvis. Carlyle was momentarily speechless before<br \/>\nshe added, there&#8217;s no need to worry. You&#8217;re already aware of my capabilities. That was when your body was still in good<br \/>\nhealth. You have lost a considerable<br \/>\namount of weight, he pointed out. I have recovered enough. I actually prefer this snow. It makes me feel more agile.<br \/>\nCarlyle sighed. Strength lies in your body, so do not be<br \/>\noverconfident in what you once were. Unless you wish for me to worry<br \/>\nendlessly over you. Turning back to his soldiers,<br \/>\nhe addressed them. The hour of our decisive battle<br \/>\nis upon us. Everyone pay attention! One of the knights spoke up. Are we traitors? No! Another asked. Will you lead this rebellion to avenge the late emperor, slain<br \/>\nby his treacherous wife, and to defend our realm<br \/>\nfrom these extremist rebels? No. Carlyle answered again. The knights chanted,<br \/>\nwe are the sole guardians! We will shield the empire<br \/>\nfrom the corruption wrought by traitors, demons and barbarians. Then they raised their voices,<br \/>\ncalling his name. Carlyle. Every sto. Carlyle held up a hand. Do not share my name just yet. He raised his sword high. We shall do so after reclaiming the throne<br \/>\nof the Chad Empire. After freeing our empire from the hands<br \/>\nof traitors and religious cultists, the castle gates opened<br \/>\nand he ordered advance one by one. The knights marched forward<br \/>\nand disciplined Collins. Carlyle observed the enemy forces. They dispatched their knights. Sooner than I expected. A knight from the opposing army<br \/>\nstepped forward. Carlyle, Evaristo, hear the message<br \/>\nI bear, the knight declared under the new laws. Gathering soldiers around the capital<br \/>\nand threatening the imperial family is deemed treasonous. Carlyle smirked. They have hidden the true reason<br \/>\nfor the previous emperor&#8217;s demise from the public, and altered<br \/>\nour sacred laws to suit their desires. Do you not think they are the ones<br \/>\nwho deserve to be charged with treason? The knight<br \/>\nclenched his fists in frustration. This alteration of the law is a direct<br \/>\ndecree from the reigning emperor. If you continue to disobey,<br \/>\nyou will be considered. Carlyle interrupted. I had contemplated sparing Matthias,<br \/>\nbut now I shall show him little mercy. The knights seethed with anger as Carlyle<br \/>\nspoke again. I will grant you all one final chance. Those who wish to stand with me. Come forth now. Those who do not<br \/>\nshall be deemed our enemies. But if you dare to face my wrath<br \/>\nin battle and witness firsthand the blessing I have received,<br \/>\nI shall not stop you. One of Matthias<br \/>\nknights urged his comrades, don&#8217;t be swayed by the words of a traitor<br \/>\nwith the high church at our side. There is no blessing<br \/>\nhe possesses that can defeat us. Carlyle&#8217;s expression darkened. Do you truly believe<br \/>\nyour mere flock of soldiers can withstand the blessing of a<br \/>\nthat I possess? Do you think so? Simply<br \/>\njust because Gabriel Knox stands with you? He lifted his sword and said, very well, let&#8217;s see<br \/>\nif he can even lay a scratch on my body. From the ranks of Matthias army. Roberto Rotem stepped forward. I want to follow Prince Carlyle. Memories of Matthias<br \/>\nas insults filled his mind. And he thought,<br \/>\nthis is my chance for revenge. Carlyle recognized him, sir. Wrote him? Yes. Wrote him. Bowed slightly. It&#8217;s been a while, Your Highness. Carlyle nodded. I heard you faced great difficulty<br \/>\ndue to my foolish younger brother. Thank you for making the wise choice now. I cannot keep the Empress<br \/>\nwaiting much longer, so I shall leave this option open<br \/>\nfor only the next 10s. He began counting. One, two. Don&#8217;t listen to the nonsense of a traitor. One of Matthias Knight shouted. Carlyle sighed. Because of him. I must reduce the time. Nine. He continued,<br \/>\nand the enemy knights ready for battle. As Carlyle&#8217;s army advanced,<br \/>\nthe knights under Matthias hesitated. Seeing the strength of Carlyle&#8217;s forces,<br \/>\nsome began to waver. Carlyle ordered position those who switch<br \/>\nsides further to the rear. We shall not waste time witnessing how they strike down those<br \/>\nthey once call comrades. The great battle commenced. Carlyle,<br \/>\ncutting through his enemies, muttered. Why do you all make it<br \/>\nso difficult for me to see my mother? An enemy knight, swinging his blade? Sneered the Empress has but one true son, and he is the rightful heir to the throne. How dare you insult the Empress,<br \/>\nyou traitor! Carlyle smirked. Oh, do you truly believe<br \/>\nI am the legitimate son of that woman? The knight lunged at him, but Carlyle,<br \/>\ndodging effortlessly, chuckled. I had hoped<br \/>\nyou would recognize my sarcasm. Nearby, Osho engaged another opponent. Your Highness,<br \/>\nhe is unworthy of your response. I will handle him. She drew her sword regardless. All those who were sent here<br \/>\nfirst are nothing but mere pawns. The knight scoffed. What business does a woman have here? Did you bring her as decoration? Asha launched a fierce attack. First and foremost, how dare you address the future emperor<br \/>\nin such a disrespectful manner? You bastard! The knight turned to Carlyle. Your Highness, are you going to let her? Carlyle smirked. Oh. She&#8217;s fine. She is more than capable<br \/>\nof taking care of them. As Asha Fort Carlyle observed. She looks beautiful at first glance. Yet, in truth, she is utterly terrifying. Since I am well versed in swordsmanship<br \/>\nfrom my training at the Capitol, this is merely a joke to me. But for someone like Asha,<br \/>\nthis is nothing more than child&#8217;s play. Asha taunted her opponent. Your swordsmanship is quite rudimentary. The knight struggled against her<br \/>\nrelentless attacks. Thought impossible. How can a woman be this strong? Seeing his desperation, Asha<br \/>\ndelivered a final, devastating strike. The knight, bleeding, gasped. Wait! Asha did not hesitate. Her blade struck true,<br \/>\nand as her opponent collapsed, she murmured, what a mess, what a mess. Carlyle, standing nearby,<br \/>\nwatched the scene unfold and scoffed. Is that all an Imperial knight can do? Asha stood over the lifeless body, silent<br \/>\nfor a moment before responding. It&#8217;s not that my skills exceed theirs. Their strikes simply lack conviction. I can sense the hesitation<br \/>\nbehind their cause. Carlyle smirked. Is that so? Such a shame. Their conversation was interrupted as<br \/>\nthey noticed someone running towards them. Carlyle smiled knowingly. Oh, so you&#8217;ve really arrived? A group of Imperial Palace knights had<br \/>\ncome to fight against Carlyle&#8217;s forces. One of them shouted in honor<br \/>\nof the High Priest and the Empress. Eliminate these traitors who dare tarnish<br \/>\nthe honor of the Chad Empire. The knight lunged at Carlyle<br \/>\nand their swords clashed. The knights sneered. That trick of yours, which you dare call<br \/>\na blessing, shall not prevail against me. Carlyle&#8217;s grip tightened around his sword. So you must possess<br \/>\nsome sort of divine power as well. But do you truly believe<br \/>\nI have survived this long solely by virtue of God&#8217;s blessing? The knight retorted. God is on our side. Even if you were truly blessed. You will never triumph. Carlyle smirked. Then go ahead, try me. You are not even half as strong<br \/>\nas the knights of previous. Let me demonstrate what it truly means<br \/>\nto fight for your life. With that, Carlyle delivered a final,<br \/>\ndevastating blow, injuring the knight. From now on, I will show you<br \/>\nwhat real power looks like. Meanwhile, in Priv\u00e9s, Decker was strolling through the castle<br \/>\nwhen he stopped in front of a painting. Gazing at it. He murmured, I hope you&#8217;re safe. Asha. Dorothea approached from behind sir<br \/>\nDonovan Decker turned lady. Dorothy, what brings you here? She smiled. I was taking a stroll around the castle<br \/>\nwhen I saw you and decided to follow. He chuckled. You must be rather bored without the<br \/>\nPrince and Lord rappelled around. She nodded. I was genuinely surprised<br \/>\nwhen I first saw this painting. The more I observe it,<br \/>\nthe more I appreciate its beauty. The characters and emotions<br \/>\nare wonderfully expressed within it. Decker sighed. That is true. I share the same sentiment, though<br \/>\nAsha may not agree. Dorothea smiled. To be honest,<br \/>\nI believe the painting captures the true essence of Countess<br \/>\nPervaiz perfectly. She&#8217;s the most noble and valiant person<br \/>\nI have ever met. Ever since I first encountered her, I knew she would be the most suitable<br \/>\ncandidate for Empress. Decker raised an eyebrow. Is that so? I was under the impression<br \/>\nthat it was a position you coveted. She shook her head. That&#8217;s not quite the case. It&#8217;s merely what my father desires. Living in peace, surrounded by books<br \/>\nwould bring me such happiness. He asked if Prince Carlyle<br \/>\ndoes not reciprocate your feelings. What will you do? Dorothea hesitated. I&#8217;m not sure. It would be something for my father<br \/>\nto decide. Decker&#8217;s expression turned serious. As long as you don&#8217;t give up. I&#8217;m certain you will find a way to achieve<br \/>\nyour dreams. We might not live to see tomorrow. Do you not think it unfair to allow<br \/>\nyourself to be treated like a puppet? You should live as you desire. So you have no regrets<br \/>\nwhen your time comes. Her eyes softened. Until now, I had not even considered<br \/>\nwhat kind of path I wanted to pursue. However, I believe I understand it<br \/>\na bit better now. As she pondered, she thought to herself,<br \/>\nI wish to remain in privacy with you. This place has begun to feel like a true<br \/>\nhome to me. A sanctuary where I can genuinely believe<br \/>\nI belong to a family just like you. I wish to live a life protecting those<br \/>\nI love. Decker, noticing her lost in thought,<br \/>\nchuckled. I will support you in finding your path. She smiled warmly. Thank you. She then asked, Sir Donovan,<br \/>\nwhat path did you choose for yourself? Decker&#8217;s expression turned somber. Hi. Ever since I was a child,<br \/>\nI made a vow to protect privacy with my life and to protect Asha. Seeing his hands<br \/>\ntremble slightly, Dorothea reassured him. I am certain<br \/>\nthe Countess will return safely. She has the prince by her side, and<br \/>\nhe possesses the blessing of egg weirs. Decker nodded. Yes. To be honest, Asha seems to be favored<br \/>\nby the God of death, for she has a remarkable ability<br \/>\nto overcome great adversities. I am confident they will return safely. Meanwhile, in the Imperial palace,<br \/>\nMatthias watched anxiously from the window. His face pale as he saw<br \/>\nthe strength of Carlyle&#8217;s forces. Beatrice,<br \/>\nstanding beside him, clenched her jaw. Gabriel entered the room. Were you looking for me? Empress<br \/>\nBeatrice and Matthias turned to face him. High priest she took Gabriel&#8217;s hand and<br \/>\nled him aside for a private conversation. What the hell is happening? Carlyle has more than just a few noble<br \/>\nfamilies on his side. Gabriel&#8217;s expression remained calm. You see? No lack faith, Empress. Just be patient a little longer and<br \/>\nyou will see that the gods are with us. She was speechless, thinking to herself. Even our holy knights are struggling<br \/>\nto maintain their resolve. What tactic is he using to inspire<br \/>\nsuch unwavering faith? Is he on a battlefield himself? Regaining her composure, she said. If that&#8217;s the case,<br \/>\nI apologize for bothering you. You must be quite busy. Gabriel nodded. I understand, but I also request one thing<br \/>\nfrom you regarding of what transpires. Do not allow yourself to panic<br \/>\nor doubt my intentions. She frowned. What does that mean? He smiled cryptically. You shall come to understand in due time,<br \/>\nuntil we meet again. She clenched your fists in frustration<br \/>\nas he walked away. Damn it! Gabriel left the place after his conversation<br \/>\nwith the Empress, deep in thought. The issue stems<br \/>\nfrom discerning the identities of all the nobles who were present<br \/>\nat the bell tower that day. If only I had identified them earlier. No. The fault lies with Osho as betrayal. It seems the time has come. I had not anticipated<br \/>\nthe need to play this card so soon. He stood silently, watching the people of<br \/>\nGod praying for their success in battle. His gaze was fixed upon them<br \/>\nuntil one of his companions approached and whispered in his ear, High Priest. The situation outside seems unusual. Three of the five Holy Knights<br \/>\nhave already fallen in battle. Even the knights blessed by<br \/>\nour God are losing ground to the prince. Gabriel frowned. Carlisle&#8217;s blessing<br \/>\nshould not affect the Holy Knights. It shouldn&#8217;t. It is not that he is wielding his blessing<br \/>\nagainst them, the companion replied. Rather, the gap in their combat<br \/>\nabilities is simply far too great. Gabriel, deep in thought, walked forward<br \/>\nand stood before the gathered believers. He looked at them and spoke<br \/>\nwith solemn authority. Hear me! My brothers, bound by blood, soul,<br \/>\nflesh and devotion. Are you all prepared<br \/>\nto lay down your lives for our God? Yes. They all responded in unison. If that is your resolve, then rise<br \/>\nand class the hands of those beside you. He commanded as he watched them obey. He thought to himself,<br \/>\nthere will be no turning back once I cast my dark magic<br \/>\nupon these people. Channeling this magic could consume<br \/>\nmy body, causing it to wither and crumble. But there is no retreat left for me now. Even if it cost me my very flesh,<br \/>\nmy vision must become reality. Your sacrifice shall serve<br \/>\nas the cornerstone of the Holy Empire. Take pride in this. Suddenly,<br \/>\nthe knights and believers became alarmed. What are you doing, High Priest? I can&#8217;t move. They cried out<br \/>\nas they collapsed to the ground under the weight of Gabriel&#8217;s magic. Gabriel, clutching his chest in pain,<br \/>\nrealized his time was running out. I must put an end to Carlyle immediately. He staggered out of the church,<br \/>\nhis body wracked with pain. Beatrice saw him and rushed to his side. High priest. What&#8217;s the matter? Are you feeling unwell? It is nothing. I must prepare the magic circle. We have little time. Magic circle? She questioned Gabriel suddenly shouted, Asha Pervez is still in the hands of that<br \/>\ndemon. Beatrice was taken aback. What are you? I owe it to her to destroy that demon once<br \/>\nand for all. Do not interrupt me,<br \/>\nhe declared before vanishing into thin air, leaving Beatrice in shock. On the battlefield,<br \/>\nCarlyle turned to Asha. I am relieved the Holy Knights<br \/>\nchose to retreat. It has given us a brief moment to recover. I will go assess the casualties. Asha replied<br \/>\nas she moved through the field. She overheard the knights murmuring. What&#8217;s that? It&#8217;s a strange shape. Her eyes widened in horror<br \/>\nas she saw the magic circle. She immediately shouted. Everyone prepare for battle at once! She ran back to Carlyle. Your Highness,<br \/>\nGabriel NOx is making his move. The monsters and barbarians<br \/>\nthat emerged from the magic circles in purveyors<br \/>\nwill soon appear here as well. We must cast holy water on it to dispel<br \/>\nthe magic. We need to gather holy water at once. Carlyle turned to Lionel. No wonder we were able to breach the gates<br \/>\nso easily. Lionel, gather the other nobles. They must have holy water in the prayer<br \/>\nrooms of their estates. Lionel responded. Carlyle examined the formation. That&#8217;s a teleportation circle. A portal to the Forgotten Lands. Aisha&#8217;s expression turned grim. Savage barbarians and monstrous creatures<br \/>\nwill emerge from it. Silence fell over them before<br \/>\nAisha declared, do not hesitate. Slay them on site, for<br \/>\nthere will be no second chance. Suddenly, monster creatures<br \/>\nbegan pouring through the portal. The knights, terrified, muttered in fear. Were those things move? Aisha commanded. Drawing her weapon<br \/>\nand striking down the monsters one by one. She fought fiercely. Her resolve unwavering. I will never forgive you. She roared. Launching a powerful attack against the<br \/>\nbeasts, Carlyle called out to the troops. Everyone snap out of it and fight<br \/>\nas they battle together. Carlyle turned to Asha. I&#8217;m exhausted from fighting,<br \/>\nbut I&#8217;m sure you are even more weary. I can&#8217;t stop thinking about<br \/>\nthose magic circles. Magic<br \/>\nlike that requires a vast amount of power. But where does it come from?<br \/>\nHave you figured anything out? He asked. Asha nodded. The elders of Pervez<br \/>\nhave reached the same conclusion. Such power must be tied to dark magic<br \/>\nas though someone has been consumed by it. She continued. Normally, dark magic is purified<br \/>\nwith holy magic, but it is said that some dark magicians can absorb it<br \/>\ninstead and wield it for themselves. Carlyle&#8217;s expression darkened. Don&#8217;t tell me that&#8217;s<br \/>\nwhat Gabriel NOx has done. Are you really suggesting<br \/>\nthat someone so devout has allowed himself to be corrupted by dark magic? I can&#8217;t say for certain, Aisha admitted, but it&#8217;s the only explanation<br \/>\nthat makes sense. Then he must have either become a dark<br \/>\nsorcerer himself or allied with one. Carlyle<br \/>\nconcluded his grip on his sword tightened. They have tried for so long to brand me<br \/>\nas a heretic, a traitor to the gods, but in truth, the real traitor was among them all along. Be cautious. He may hold a particular grudge<br \/>\nagainst you. That&#8217;s fine, Asha replied coldly. Whatever his grudge,<br \/>\nit cannot rival mine against him. Gabriel stood alone, deep in thought. This may be the first time in history that anyone has crafted a magic circle<br \/>\nof such power. The sacrifice of so many lives<br \/>\nwas certainly worth it. But the real question now is<br \/>\nhow should I wield this power? How can I compel people to look up to me<br \/>\neven after unleashing such a devastating attack<br \/>\non Carlyle&#8217;s army? A sinister idea formed in his mind. That&#8217;s it. Asha Purvis, the Countess hair is as dark as the depictions of our God<br \/>\nin the scriptures. If I channeled dark magic into her<br \/>\nand transform her to resemble crake,<br \/>\nI can use her to kill the prince. Afterward, I will reabsorb the dark magic<br \/>\nand present her as a martyr I saved. Such a display of divine intervention<br \/>\nwill ensure that no one dares oppose the established<br \/>\nmyth of the Holy Empire. Suddenly, a sharp pain struck his chest. He staggered, clutching his ribs. What? How? His body trembled. Since when did I start<br \/>\nhaving thoughts like this? I can&#8217;t believe I even entertain<br \/>\nthe notion of having count as purveyors. Take the prince&#8217;s life with her own hands. At this rate, it will not be count<br \/>\nas purveyors who succumbs to corruption, but rather me, a voice dark<br \/>\nand insidious whispered within him. Are you attempting to flee now? But you should already know. You cannot escape me. Gabriel&#8217;s breath hitched. No. Listen to me. The voice that resonates deep within you. You who have tasted true power beyond<br \/>\nyour understanding, cannot abandon it now. Let my power guide you, enabling you<br \/>\nto achieve whatever you desire. Do not resist. Embrace my power. Gabriel&#8217;s resolve wavered,<br \/>\nhis expression twisting in agony. Indeed. This is the only path<br \/>\nfor my cause to succeed. I will set a trap and draw<br \/>\nAsha Pervez in on the battlefield. Carlyle fought fiercely beside Asha amidst<br \/>\nthe chaos. He suddenly shouted. Asha lost in battle. She didn&#8217;t hear him at first. Her sword cut through<br \/>\nthe monstrous creatures before her. But something fell off. Carlyle called again, louder this time. Asha. She finally snapped back to reality<br \/>\nand turned toward him. Your Highness. He exhaled sharply. You were too focused. I call for you repeatedly. She furrowed her brow. I didn&#8217;t hear you. I could tell. His voice softened. I understand how you must be feeling. But please take care of yourself. Asha stiffened. You think you understand how I feel? Calm yourself. He urged. I may not fully understand,<br \/>\nbut please be careful. I&#8217;m not doing anything reckless. Then promise me, he said firmly. Promise me you&#8217;ll be careful. She hesitated, but then sighed. I never had any intention<br \/>\nof breaking my word. Then look me in the eyes and say it. She frowned. I don&#8217;t believe this is the time to waste<br \/>\non such trivial matters. But he simply held out his hand. After a moment&#8217;s pause,<br \/>\nshe placed hers in his. This matters to me. Her thoughts swirled with confusion. What has gotten into him all of a sudden? Hasn&#8217;t our charade already ended? We promised to stay alive<br \/>\nuntil the end of our contract. But why is he treating me like this? She let out a breath. I apologize if I caused you concern. I&#8217;m not blindly rushing in a battle<br \/>\nwithout proper consideration. I just witnessed something troubling.<br \/>\nVery well. Carlyle relented. But don&#8217;t act on your own. Understood. Side by side, they pressed forward,<br \/>\ncutting down the monstrous creatures. But then something caught<br \/>\nOSHA&#8217;s attention. I am certain they went this way,<br \/>\nshe murmured. Eyes narrowing. She stepped ahead,<br \/>\nscanning her surroundings. Suddenly her breath hitched. This Carlyle noticed her reaction. Aisha, I believe I need to go over there<br \/>\nand check something. She approached cautiously. Her instincts screaming at her. Then she heard it. A knights desperate struggle. Let go of me! I told you!<br \/>\nLet me go! Asha&#8217;s eyes widened. She gripped her sword and rushed forward. The sight before made her blood run cold. A magic circle. It&#8217;s a trap,<br \/>\nshe shouted before she could react. Divine power surge from the circle,<br \/>\ncrackling with energy. Her sword slipped from her grasp,<br \/>\nand in the next instant she disappeared. Aisha had fallen into Gabriel&#8217;s trap. She was stunned<br \/>\nas she realized it&#8217;s a trap. Suddenly, Gabriel appeared and said, given that you entered the magic circle<br \/>\nwithout any prior preparation, you are bound to experience<br \/>\nsome complications as a result. Welcome count as purveyors. He leaned over her and she glared at him. High Priest Gabriel began<br \/>\na ritual, holding her in his grasp. She shouted. Did you use dark magic to bring me here? He stepped outside the magic circle<br \/>\nand smirked. You assumed I was relying on dark magic. I can&#8217;t believe that a servant of God such as yourself<br \/>\nwould resort to the devil&#8217;s power. He continued. This power to comes from God. It simply carries a different name. Usher&#8217;s thoughts raced as the high priests<br \/>\neyes always looked like that. It&#8217;s as if he is becoming a demon himself. Gabriel&#8217;s voice cut through her thoughts. Did you know I lured you here using the remnants of my black magic<br \/>\nleft in your body? I was able to compel you to come. What? Aisha gasped. Of course. I had to conjure an illusion of those<br \/>\nbarbarians whom you despise so much. Making it appear<br \/>\nas though they were abducting someone. Without that,<br \/>\nI doubt you would have fallen so easily. Yet, thanks to the traces of my magic<br \/>\nwithin you, here you are, back to your master. Damn it! If only I could move my body. Aisha could feel her strength<br \/>\nslowly returning. I just need to buy some time. Gabriel grasped her hand tightly. Don&#8217;t<br \/>\neven think about doing anything stupid. Now that you are here. Escaping on your own will be impossible. Aisha narrowed her eyes. Did God command<br \/>\nyou to capture me like this as well? I don&#8217;t believe you brought me here to<br \/>\nattempt to persuade me again he smirked. You will become a martyr.<br \/>\nCount is precious. You are necessary for my goal<br \/>\nof eliminating Carlisle Evaristo and establishing a holy empire. I will fill your body with black magic. That way, all the other soldiers will see you<br \/>\nas the reincarnation of the traitor God. Karak ash. And the only thing you will be able<br \/>\nto think about is killing Prince Carlisle. But don&#8217;t worry. The black magic<br \/>\nwill amplify your strength. So killing him will be very easy for you. You crazy bastard! Aisha spat. Gabriel continued. After that, I plan to let you run rampant<br \/>\nas a demon for a while. You will kill many people unable<br \/>\nto distinguish between friend or foe. Your own life<br \/>\nwill become the source of your strength. So your plan is to save the day from me. After letting me wreak havoc as a demon,<br \/>\nAisha challenged. People will believe whatever<br \/>\nI say is the truth. How absurd! Aisha. See that? She lunged at him,<br \/>\nbut Gabriel deflected her attack. You murderous bastard! Meanwhile, outside the magic circle,<br \/>\nthe battle raged on. Carlisle fought bravely. Scanning the battlefield,<br \/>\nAisha still has not returned. Between fights, he called out Lionel. What do you need? Your Highness. Aisha has disappeared. I need to go look for her. Lionel took in the urgency of his words. Carlisle continued. Please<br \/>\nhandle things here while I search for her. As soon as you get the holy water, make sure to disperse it<br \/>\nall over the magic circle in the palace. Understood. Lionel responded<br \/>\nbefore addressing the knives. Carlisle clenches a fist. I was not planning to use this method,<br \/>\nbut he closed his eyes and concentrated his power<br \/>\ninside the magic circle. Aisha continued to struggle. Gabriel watched her futile efforts. Your strength has not fully returned. But even if you had all your strength,<br \/>\nyou still wouldn&#8217;t be able to overcome me. So stop doing things that will only cause<br \/>\nyou more pain and shut up. You said to me before, did you not? You wish to establish an empire<br \/>\nwhere everything took precedence over God. Gabriel&#8217;s gaze darkened. I&#8217;m going to turn this empire<br \/>\ninto a holy empire. It will be a Paradise where<br \/>\neverything will take precedence over God. But looking at you now, I can&#8217;t help<br \/>\nbut feel that it was all just a front. You don&#8217;t truly<br \/>\nwant to establish a holy empire. You just want power for yourself. At least the royal family<br \/>\nand nobles are more transparent about it. They don&#8217;t act hypocritically like you,<br \/>\nusing God&#8217;s name for their own gain. Gabriel laughed loud and unrestrained. Even though I am<br \/>\nfar more powerful than Prince Carlyle now. You continue to reject me. Count as purveyors with divine power. He attacked Aisha,<br \/>\nslamming her against the wall. She Winston<br \/>\npain as he approached, grasping both her hands<br \/>\nand pressing his weight onto her. Despite the situation, Aisha smirked. Did I anger you? I already know you will never be able<br \/>\nto defeat Prince Carlyle. Gabriel&#8217;s laughter grew darker. He lifted one of her hands<br \/>\nand held her face. That might have been the case before,<br \/>\nbut now that your body and life are in my hands, I can&#8217;t help but wonder<br \/>\nhow sweet your body might be. Aisha snarled. Gabriel chuckled. It is the same for me. I am discomfort by these feelings of mine. However, when I think about taking you<br \/>\nfrom Carlisle, it&#8217;s worth it. You&#8217;ve got her wrong. I don&#8217;t belong to Prince Carlisle<br \/>\nin that way. He smirked. Initially, I had intended to sedate you<br \/>\nto ease the process, but I think this will be better. Accept me. Aisha. You just have to relax. As he moved closer to her lips,<br \/>\nready to force himself upon her. A sudden attack struck him from behind. Asha&#8217;s eyes widened in shock as she saw Carlisle standing there, his sword<br \/>\ndripping with blood. Carlisle&#8217;s eyes burned with fury. You crazy bastard! How dare you insult my wife like that? Aisha said. Your Highness, Gabriel knocks<br \/>\nnow that his feet. So Carlisle placed his foot on his chest<br \/>\nand tried to punch him, then threw him aside.<br \/>\nAisha said, watch out! He is capable of wielding<br \/>\nvery powerful black magic. Carlisle,<br \/>\nwhile beating him, was distracted. Gabriel then gathered himself covering with black magic and said,<br \/>\nhow did you know we were here? Carlisle replied. God guided me here. What of it? Gabriel sneered. What kind of absurdity are you spouting? Well,<br \/>\nthis turn of events works in my favor. I will simply kill you right now<br \/>\nand finally rid myself of you. Carlisle responded. You must have been eager<br \/>\nto pull off that little trick. How should I retaliate? I also happened to possess<br \/>\nsomething quite similar. Gabriel was shocked and asked, Holy magic. Impossible. How could you possess such power? Carlisle said. If you refuse to believe it,<br \/>\nthen I shall simply demonstrate. Carlisle, then use divine energy<br \/>\nto launch an attack on Gabriel. Gabriel shouted. How dare you strike me, you repulsive pig! A fierce battle ensued. Aisha watched the magic circles, thinking<br \/>\nI&#8217;ve nearly regained my strength. That magic circle over<br \/>\nthere must be crucial, given that he&#8217;s doing everything he can<br \/>\nto keep the prince away from it. But how can I destroy it<br \/>\nwithout any holy magic? Then she noticed something<br \/>\nshining while hiding from Gabriel&#8217;s eyes. She grabbed the bottle that was glowing<br \/>\nand thought he carries holy water while wielding demonic powers. He&#8217;s truly lost his mind,<br \/>\nbut thanks to that, I now have a chance. I&#8217;m not sure if this much holy water<br \/>\nwill be enough, but it&#8217;s worth a shot. Then Gabriel saw Aisha and said,<br \/>\nwhat do you think you were doing? Aisha threw the water on the magic circle. Gabriel begged, please,<br \/>\nbut she did not listen. As she threw the water. Gabriel attacked her with black magic. She was struck and thrown<br \/>\nagainst the wall. Carlisle shouted her name. Aisha. The magic circle began weakening<br \/>\nand Aisha thought. Does it work? She then said to Carlisle, Your Highness,<br \/>\nthe magic circle is weakening. Carlisle said. All my life I have wondered why I was born<br \/>\nwith the blessing of Aguirre. But now I believe it&#8217;s<br \/>\nbecause I was chosen to destroy you. The true evil threatening our world. Gabriel thought. Damn it! I can&#8217;t let him defeat me. He then used some divine energy. Carlisle responded with his own energy,<br \/>\nand the two engaged in a battle of forces. Carlisle, with his positive energy,<br \/>\nhit Gabriel and made him stagger. Blood started coming out of Gabriel&#8217;s<br \/>\nmouth. Carlisle approached him and asked,<br \/>\nis he dead? Carlisle replied, I&#8217;m not sure. More importantly, are you all right? That bastard struck you with his magic,<br \/>\ndidn&#8217;t he? Aisha said. I&#8217;m fine. But she then added the magic circle. It&#8217;s still there. Carlisle said. In that case,<br \/>\nmaybe I could do something about it. Aisha asked. Were you planning to do?<br \/>\nCarlisle answered. If I don&#8217;t make it through this,<br \/>\nmake sure to strike Gabriel with my sword. There&#8217;s no other way to defeat him. Aisha said. Your Highness.<br \/>\nCarlisle thought. Perhaps I can absorb the magic<br \/>\nfrom this circle, just like he did with Isaiah&#8217;s curse. I have drained too much power<br \/>\nfighting Gabriel. He used the power to drain the energy,<br \/>\ngiving all his effort to remove the magic circle and stop the monsters<br \/>\nwho were fighting and attacking. Lionel grew worried and thought. They still haven&#8217;t gotten<br \/>\nrid of the magic circles. If we keep going like this,<br \/>\nwe&#8217;ll lose too many troops. Then someone called his name Lord Bailey. He saw was a knight who came and said the magic circles are disappearing. Lionel asked. What? Is that true? The knight replied. Yes. Now the monsters will stop invading. Lionel shouted.<br \/>\nThe magic circles are gone. Once we defeat the remaining monsters,<br \/>\nno more will come to stop us. All the knights cheered and Carlisle continued his efforts<br \/>\nto stop the magic circle. Suddenly it disappeared. Aisha said. Your Highness,<br \/>\nthe magic circle has disappeared. How did you manage it? It was created with such powerful<br \/>\ndark magic. There was no response from Carlisle,<br \/>\nand usher grew worried. She called his name Your Highness. She called his name again, Your Highness. She then came closer to him. Carlisle was in an unconscious state. Aisha tried to comfort him<br \/>\nand he slowly opened his eyes and said. Aisha? Aisha asked,<br \/>\nare you all right, Your Highness? He replied. I&#8217;m fine. This was the first time I&#8217;ve ever expanded<br \/>\nsuch a significant amount of holy magic. More importantly, the magic circle. Aisha said it disappeared. She helped him stand and asked. How the hell did you do it? He answered. It was just a stroke of luck. Then he stood up and said, I had an idea. After<br \/>\nI thought about how your curse was handled before, it seems I was truly destined<br \/>\nby the gods to defeat Gabriel. Usher replied. No. Another night. How did you get here? I didn&#8217;t even know where we are. Carlisle showed her the necklace she was wearing and said,<br \/>\nbecause you didn&#8217;t remove this. Aisha was shocked. He said,<br \/>\nwhen I realized you had disappeared, I became so anxious that I feared<br \/>\nI might lose my mind. But then I suddenly recall the necklace<br \/>\nI gave you. He then asked,<br \/>\nwhy did you continue wearing it? You know I lied to you about it. Aisha responded, well, not<br \/>\neverything was a lie. You did save my life<br \/>\nthanks to this necklace, Carlisle said. I thought you might have preferred<br \/>\nnot to use it anymore. That&#8217;s why I urge you to<br \/>\ntake care of yourself earlier, Aisha said. I trust you, Your Highness. Even if the high priest<br \/>\nhad turned me into a demon, I&#8217;m certain you would have stopped me<br \/>\nbefore I could do any harm. Carlisle said. Who can say? I don&#8217;t think<br \/>\nI can bring myself to hurt you. Aisha was speechless. She then turned her head and said,<br \/>\nyou&#8217;ve been pondering this for some time. But you must be more cautious<br \/>\nwith your words, Your Highness, saying things like, you grew anxious when I disappeared, or<br \/>\nthat you can&#8217;t bring yourself to harm me. Anyone might easily<br \/>\ntake that as a confession. Carlisle asked a misunderstanding. Aisha replied, actually, it&#8217;s<br \/>\nnot important. Let&#8217;s stop talking about it, Carlisle<br \/>\nsaid. It is not a misunderstanding. Aisha asked, what are you? Carlisle answered. I told you it&#8217;s not a misunderstanding. They both stared at each other. Aisha asked, then why did you? Carlisle replied,<br \/>\nwe can&#8217;t idly linger here much longer. Things are still chaotic out there. They then looked at Gabriel&#8217;s body. Carlisle said, I will handle Gabriel. Aisha replied. Yes. She smiled and stared at him outside. The fight was still ongoing. Lionel, after seeing Carlisle, asked, were you successful in capturing<br \/>\nGabriel Knox? Carlisle replied yes. I believe he is depleted of dark<br \/>\nmagic now. I also destroyed his magic circle<br \/>\nwith holy magic. Lionel said. So it was thanks to you<br \/>\nthat the magic circle vanished. Carlisle then stared at Gabriel and said,<br \/>\nin that case, what should we do with him? Carlisle answered. I will take him prisoner<br \/>\nfor questioning later. I need to ensure I gather enough evidence<br \/>\nto prove to everyone that he is a dark magician. One of the knights said to Carlisle. We have gathered all the bodies<br \/>\nin one place. Carlisle said, burn them all. The remnants of black magic<br \/>\nmight still linger within them. I doubt my timid little brother<br \/>\nwill come out of hiding in the palace. He ordered everyone, let&#8217;s go inside. They all followed his command,<br \/>\nsaying yes, Your Highness. They went inside and Gabriel was sitting<br \/>\nin a chair covered with ropes so that he could not move. Gabriel opened his eyes and said,<br \/>\nwhere am I? Carlisle said, you&#8217;re finally awake. Gabriel responded. Now then, you&#8217;re the bastard who murdered<br \/>\nmy father, aren&#8217;t you? Carlisle became silent for a moment,<br \/>\nbut then he said, I doubt that you were the priest responsible<br \/>\nfor assisting my father with his prayers. During that time, Gabriel was speechless. So Carlisle clenched fist and said before that you also unleashed<br \/>\nthose demons in ravage. Perverse.<br \/>\nProbably intended to distract me. Carlisle moved toward him, placed both hands on Gabriel&#8217;s<br \/>\nchest, and Gabriel screamed. Carlisle said with pressure and anger. How dare you commit<br \/>\nsuch vile acts against us! Gabriel, confused and terrified, said,<br \/>\nyour enemy is me. Not Oshae, Carlisle responded. Yet you took innocent lives to further<br \/>\nyour own agenda. Asha&#8217;s comrades, though<br \/>\nshe trusted and cared about. Do you even comprehend the agony<br \/>\nshe&#8217;s enduring because of your actions? No. It&#8217;s too soon to stop. Dark magic feeds on the lives of others,<br \/>\ndoes it not? Have you forgotten the number of lives<br \/>\nyou&#8217;ve sacrificed to gain that power? Gabriel thought I led innocent people<br \/>\nto death. All for my own selfish thirst<br \/>\nfor more dark magic. Embarrassed, he said to Carlisle,<br \/>\nI would never do something like that, Carlisle said. Even so, it doesn&#8217;t change<br \/>\nthe fact that you harmed Oshae. Carlisle was about to leave the room<br \/>\nand said, I have no intentions<br \/>\nof an immediate execution for you. First, you will have to confess to<br \/>\nthe public that you are a dark magician. In the meantime,<br \/>\nyou may reflect on your past actions. Recall<br \/>\nthe faces of those you led to death. Gabriel was terrified and said. Everything he&#8217;s saying<br \/>\nis just a heap of nonsense. It&#8217;s impossible for me to have killed<br \/>\nso many people like that. What have I done? A few days later, Beatrice,<br \/>\nalong with Mathias, entered the imperial palace and walked toward the piano<br \/>\nand the table where everyone was sitting. Carlisle was also seated, thinking. It seems she still managed to win<br \/>\nthe new high church over to her side. Beatrice sat and said, well<br \/>\nthen, let&#8217;s begin, the archbishop said. Kidnaping a high priest of the church<br \/>\nis a grave act of religious oppression. Not only is it intolerable to the gods,<br \/>\nbut the chatting people would never tolerate such blasphemy<br \/>\neither. Carlisle asked. Does anyone here disagree<br \/>\nwith the statement of Archbishop Rader? Everyone remains silent. He then said, I see no disagreement. It seems everyone shares<br \/>\nthe same view of High Priest Gabriel. In that case,<br \/>\nwe must deliberate something else first. Whether you were aware of his secret<br \/>\nor not. I&#8217;m referring to the fact<br \/>\nthat Gabriel Knox is a dark magician. The archbishop stood<br \/>\nand said you were spouting nonsense. How dare you accuse the high priest<br \/>\nof practicing dark magic? She was thinking. Gabriel Knox is a dark magician. Could it be that. Then she said. I have been observing the high priest<br \/>\nfor some time now, and I find no evidence that suggests that he practices<br \/>\ndark magic. Kindly refrain from causing disruptions<br \/>\nby making unfounded remarks about him, he said. I believe the one causing disruptions here<br \/>\nis someone else entirely. Then he stood up and said<br \/>\nto the archbishop, Archbishop rule. Are you familiar with the symptoms that<br \/>\nmanifest in the bodies of dark magicians? He replied, of course I am. They are said to be tormented<br \/>\nby relentless nightmares, gradually lose their vision<br \/>\nand endure constant pain. But none of these symptoms<br \/>\nare apparent in Gabriel, he said. Why don&#8217;t we instead<br \/>\nask the accused directly if he has been experiencing<br \/>\nany of these symptoms? Then the high priest arrived<br \/>\nand all attention was drawn to him. Beatrice said to him, how could you bring the high priest here<br \/>\nwithout any prior notice? He replied. Isn&#8217;t it clear why I kept a confidential? If you had known, you likely would have devised<br \/>\nanother scheme with the high church. Then he ordered everyone. Please<br \/>\nmaintain your distance from the suspect. I only brought him here to address<br \/>\nyour grievances, the archbishop said. How dare you act in this manner, he said. High Priest Gabriel, I&#8217;ve been told that you have terrible<br \/>\nblack marks covering your body. Is that true? Then he remembered Asha&#8217;s words,<br \/>\nwhich she had said. Well, he faced punishment for practicing<br \/>\nblack magic, Carlyle replied. As far as I understand, yes,<br \/>\nthat is the standard. Though this time feels like<br \/>\nit might be an exception. We must uncover evidence<br \/>\nproving his involvement with dark magic. Asha asked for signs of dark magic. In that case,<br \/>\nhe does have dark marks covering his body. He asked on his body. She said I was able to catch a glimpse<br \/>\nof it back when he was treating me. He said. I see. Then she said. Just before you arrived, I observed dark patches on his body, and he also mentioned<br \/>\nthe pain they caused him. At the time,<br \/>\nI assumed it was some sort of illness. I apologize for not informing you sooner,<br \/>\nhe said. It is only natural to keep private details<br \/>\nabout someone&#8217;s body confidential. Do not worry. Gabriel made the choice<br \/>\nto take an unconventional path, she said. But even with this knowledge, how can we<br \/>\ndefinitely prove he is a dark magician? We can&#8217;t just publicly strip<br \/>\nhim of his robes in front of everyone, he said to reveal the truth about Gabriel. I am prepared to take extreme measures. Then in the present. The Archbishop scolded Carlyle<br \/>\nfor bringing Gabriel here. If you continue accusing the high priest<br \/>\nwithout evidence, the High Church will not stand for it. Then he asked the high priest. High priest, please don&#8217;t remain silent. Say something. He was speechless and bowed his head. So Carlyle said, why don&#8217;t<br \/>\nwe just confirm it for ourselves? He asked. How do you plan on doing that?<br \/>\nCarlyle said. We can determine the truth<br \/>\nif we examine his body right now. Beatrice, angered, said,<br \/>\nare you proposing to dishonor the high priest<br \/>\nby exposing him in front of everyone? Carlyle then turned to her side and said. Certainly not, Carlyle said. What if only the High Minister,<br \/>\nArchbishop Ray, and Matthias, conduct the examination? That would preserve<br \/>\nthe high priest dignity, she said. You are so insistent it is not appropriate<br \/>\nto expose a high priest like that in front of so many people<br \/>\nand all the public started screaming. He is a high priest after all. Gabriel then said, you have no objections. I can reveal my body right now<br \/>\nif that is your wish. Beatrice then said High Priest<br \/>\nand his companion asked, are you truly alright with that? Then Gabriel started<br \/>\ntaking off his clothes, and the public was surprised<br \/>\nto see his body. Carlyle was also staring at his body<br \/>\nas it was covered with dark marks. Matthias then screamed loudly. You are really a dark magician. Did you cast dark magic on me? Beatrice said. Calm down, Your Majesty. Dark spots like those are more common<br \/>\nsymptoms than you might think. Is there any evidence suggesting<br \/>\nthey were caused by the use of dark magic? Gabriel said impress. You don&#8217;t need to concern yourself<br \/>\nabout me. No matter how much we deny the fact. The remains are that I took many lives to gain power,<br \/>\nhe said as he wore his clothes again. The Archbishop said, are you admitting that you were using dark<br \/>\nmagic of your own volition? Gabriel said. That is correct. I truly believed<br \/>\nI was doing it for God&#8217;s will. But upon reflection,<br \/>\nI realized that was not the case. The moment I embraced dark magic,<br \/>\nthe devil began to knock at my heart. That&#8217;s why I took things too far. Deceived both myself and those around me. The Archbishop was surprised. So Gabriel continued. Dark magic continued to corrupt my body and plagued me with terrible nightmares. Each night. I was tormented by the faces of those<br \/>\nI killed. I will never forget those faces<br \/>\nfor as long as I live. But that is something I will have to carry<br \/>\nfor the rest of my life as well. Like these black spots that remain<br \/>\non my body and will never fade. Carlyle then said, well, he has confessed everything on his own, so I believe he is<br \/>\nnothing more to discuss. Then he said, looking at Beatrice. If we were to list all the sins Gabriel<br \/>\nhas committed, we would be here for days. So let&#8217;s pass judgment now. Beatrice was speechless and said,<br \/>\nthe high priest will be detained in the underground<br \/>\ndungeon for the time being. Then they took the high priest<br \/>\nto the dungeon. He left the place.<br \/>\nCarlyle was staring at him. Then Mathias said to Beatrice,<br \/>\nI can&#8217;t believe there was a dark magician by my side. All this time. Beatrice said. Yes, Your Majesty. Then she stood up angry and said, this meeting will be postponed<br \/>\nuntil later. We will discuss<br \/>\nGabriel&#8217;s sentence at the next meeting. We are not finished yet, so Carlyle said. Have you forgotten<br \/>\nthe question I asked at the beginning whether any of you were aware<br \/>\nof the high priest being a magician? You still have not answered<br \/>\nthat question yet. Beatrice said. What are you? He said. This is a matter of great importance,<br \/>\nbecause if that is the case, you all will remain accomplices<br \/>\nin the murder of my father. Then the Archbishop scurried. I had no idea. Had I known,<br \/>\nI would have never tried to defend him. Beatrice said. The truth is a horrifying revelation<br \/>\nfor me as well. Then tired, she said. It seems the High Priest<br \/>\nhas not only been using me all this time<br \/>\nto gain power from the royal family, but he is even responsible<br \/>\nfor the death of my husband, Carlyle said. If that turns out to be true,<br \/>\nthe high priest will not be forgiven for his actions. However, my father died on a Monday, and just before that the usual priest<br \/>\nwho accompanied him was replaced. Is that truly something<br \/>\nGabriel Knox planned on his own? Beatrice then screamed loudly. How dare you! I have only ever wished the best<br \/>\nfor the late Emperor. Are you implying I was involved? Then she left the place saying. I don&#8217;t have to listen to any of this. I am leaving. Carlyle with mysterious eyes started<br \/>\nlooking at her. Beatrice was filled with anger<br \/>\nas she moved away from the place, carrying a fear that she didn&#8217;t even catch<br \/>\nin a room of discussion. All the people sat in silence<br \/>\nafter Beatrice left. Suddenly, some people sitting there<br \/>\nstarted glaring at him as he blamed the Empress. Beatrice,<br \/>\nhis companion, screamed and said. The Empress vehemently denies<br \/>\nany knowledge of the high priest being a dark magician. Carlyle started laughing and said, are you foolishly allowing yourself<br \/>\nto be deceived by her? Another companion also said louder. How dare you! So Carlyle said. Believe me or not, it doesn&#8217;t matter. Today&#8217;s meeting was meant<br \/>\nto reveal the true nature of Gabriel Knox. We can address the legitimate usurpation<br \/>\nof the throne on another occasion. But you must carefully consider this. Then he stood up, and before leaving said. Whose side are you on? The day after that,<br \/>\nthe truth about Gabriel was revealed. Waves of doubt regarding the integrity<br \/>\nand credibility of the temple surged. It caused a clear rift between the empires<br \/>\nknights and the knights of the temple. Lionel said the revelation also impacted<br \/>\nthe noble families loyal to the Empress, many of whom have already made<br \/>\nofficial declarations to switch allegiance to your side. Carlisle said everyone is moving swiftly. This only solidifies one thing for me. He looked at Isaiah and said<br \/>\nthat we have already won this battle. Aisha thought we. She said. Is it truly a wise decision for us to<br \/>\nattend such a pivotal meeting on our own? What if the Imperial Knights<br \/>\nattempt to surprise attack? He said. I doubt<br \/>\nthey will be reckless enough to try that. And besides, if anyone there is to harm<br \/>\nme, I trust that you will protect me. Then he stood up and Aisha said,<br \/>\nall right. He said. Well then, let&#8217;s go reclaim the throne. That was my birthright.<br \/>\nFrom the very beginning. They all then moved<br \/>\ntoward the imperial palace to the throne. Some knights tried to stop them<br \/>\nand a fight started between them. One knight shouted and ran toward<br \/>\nCarlisle and said, you bastard! Aisha protected Carlisle from his attack,<br \/>\nmaking him fall to the floor. Aisha then said to Carlisle,<br \/>\nwhat should I do with him? He said, I pity them. They were driven to such extremes by the<br \/>\nfoolish decisions of the current empire. Because of that,<br \/>\nI will grant him mercy one last time. However, from this moment forward,<br \/>\nI will show no mercy to anyone who dares to threaten my life, and thus I ask of you who still value your life to step aside. They then moved forward. Now another came in their way<br \/>\nto fight with them. Beatrice stepped down the stairs<br \/>\nof the dungeon, running fast in a hurry. She reached the prisoner<br \/>\nGabriel and said, High Priest Gabriel Carlisle is coming for me<br \/>\nat this very moment, and this means that I will be forced<br \/>\nto give the throne back to him. Gabriel said. It seems so. She said. High priest. You said you were going to help me. Then she said louder. I don&#8217;t care<br \/>\nif you have to use dark magic or whatever. Just do something to help. He said. Is that truly what you desire? She said louder. Even after you admitted to practicing<br \/>\ndark magic in front of Carlisle. Do you know why<br \/>\nI continue trying to defend you? Because I need your strength. Are you still able to conjure dark magic? He said. No. The dark magic<br \/>\nI was channeling has already dissipated. She said. Then find a new source. It is your duty as an imperial advisor to serve the royal family<br \/>\nuntil the very end, he said. I dare not use dark magic anymore. But then she grabbed his neck and Gabriel,<br \/>\ndue to the pain, said,<br \/>\nI don&#8217;t want more innocent people to die. She, with anger said, if that is the case,<br \/>\nthen hand that power to me. I will use your life<br \/>\nas the basis to channel dark magic. Beatrice was grabbing his neck very hard<br \/>\nand torturing him. Gabriel said, please leave. Empress. Beatrice stood up and said, let&#8217;s see<br \/>\nhow much longer you can remain like that. But don&#8217;t think I will let you off easily<br \/>\nnext time. Gabriel was thinking his count, as per Vaz<br \/>\nalso coming to the palace today. Then Aisha, along with Carlisle,<br \/>\ncame in front of Mathias and Beatrice and they were protected<br \/>\nby the royal knives. Beatrice said. It seems you are not as clever<br \/>\nas you once were, Carlisle. I can&#8217;t believe you rested in<br \/>\nwithout any prior counsel. Did my nights spare your life just so that<br \/>\nyou could have an audience with me? I did not need to think too much about it. After all, these knights<br \/>\nwere forcefully recruited by you and the thrown into this senseless dispute<br \/>\nagainst their will. Right? Carlisle said. To be honest, I was expecting a peaceful<br \/>\nnegotiation, but it seems I was too naive. Beatrice said I&#8217;ve been too generous<br \/>\nwith you. I will generously reward<br \/>\nanyone who brings me your head. The knights prepare to fight him<br \/>\nand she shouted, come on! What are you waiting for? He said. Arrogant as ever. You&#8217;re trying to rally soldiers<br \/>\nwho have already lost their will to fight. Aisha<br \/>\nthen said as they became their backup. Why are those cowards from the temple<br \/>\narriving at this moment? Beatrice, said Gabriel,<br \/>\nhe must have changed his mind. Matthias said, if this is Gabriel&#8217;s doing, does that mean he&#8217;s<br \/>\nusing dark magic again? She said, yes, that must be it. Aisha said. Didn&#8217;t you say that? He reflected on himself and that is why<br \/>\nhe confessed to being a dark magician. He said, so that side was all a force. She said, the best thing we can do right<br \/>\nnow is focus on protecting each other. Your Highness, he said. I&#8217;m glad I brought my weapon. She said while fighting with the soldiers. Had you been foolish enough to come<br \/>\nunarmed, it would have been like arriving without your limbs<br \/>\nin front of someone like me. She thought to herself. I have saved say, which is controlled<br \/>\nby dark metric many times before. These nights should be no different. Then the knights started<br \/>\nmoving toward Beatrice. They all gathered in front of her instead<br \/>\nof fighting with Aisha or Carlisle. Beatrice said, what are you doing? You have to attack them. Suddenly, Gabriel appeared and said,<br \/>\nwhat were you expecting? Did you really think<br \/>\nI was going to help you again? She screamed louder. High Priest Gabriel! How dare you do this to me! Then she ordered.<br \/>\nQuick! Attack them! Move! The Knights<br \/>\nprepare to fight Carlisle&#8217;s team. And now Gabriel was also on his side. A great battle erupted between them. Many of Carlisle&#8217;s soldiers were killed. So Aisha shouted. Gabriel, what are you doing? You said you can not use dark<br \/>\nmagic anymore. Gabriel replied, dark<br \/>\nmagic works at the expense of life force. This time I&#8217;m using my own vitality. Aisha said, should we not stop him? Not even a traitor should die like this. Carlisle agreed. Yes, you are right. Stop using dark magic. Gabriel asked. Why should I do that? Carlisle explained. If you kill the Empress here,<br \/>\nall the blame will fall on me. I will be seen as just another person<br \/>\nwho killed the previous emperor to seize the throne, and the evil acts<br \/>\nthey committed will go unpunished. Buried with them in the grave. I do not want that. If that were my intention, I would have marched here<br \/>\nwith the entire army in the first place. Because of that. Please stop using dark magic at once. Gabriel then ceased using dark magic. The knights<br \/>\nsuddenly released from its control. Looked around in confusion. One of them asked, what? What am I doing here? Carlisle commanded. Everyone leave this room. I have something to discuss<br \/>\nwith the Empress. Then he stood in front of Beatrice<br \/>\nand said, you can come down from that spot already<br \/>\nanyway. After all your sins are exposed, you will have to leave it<br \/>\none way or another. Beatrice asked, are you saying you want me<br \/>\nto confess everything to the public? Carlisle responded, that&#8217;s right. Just like High Priest Gabriel did. Beatrice screamed louder and louder,<br \/>\nthen asked. Let me ask you one question. Who told you about my plans? Those who could not leave their fate in<br \/>\nthe hands of their own mother, he replied. And the woman who lost everything<br \/>\nbecause of you? She muttered. That&#8217;s what I thought. I should have killed them earlier. My only mistake was failing to punish them<br \/>\nbecause of my own hesitation. He corrected her. No. Your mistake was being so arrogant. You were arrogant to think<br \/>\nthat everything was going to go your way. Let go of that arrogance now and pay<br \/>\nfor the sins you have committed, she said. Paying for my crimes. Then Mathias stood up and said angrily,<br \/>\nI didn&#8217;t do anything. Everything was my mother&#8217;s doing. He ran fast to escape punishment,<br \/>\nputting all the blame on his mother. But as he fled. Lionel caught him and said,<br \/>\nwhere do you think you are going? Your Majesty terrified, Matthias pleaded. Let me go, Carlisle remarked. Even Matthias is abandoning you. Do you understand your situation now? Beatrice sighed. Yes. There&#8217;s nothing left for me. My wish to be recorded as a great empress and the mother of the next emperor<br \/>\nhas been destroyed because of that. Should I not have the last laugh<br \/>\nat the end? Then she drank poison. Carlisle rushed forward,<br \/>\nholding her as she collapsed and called out Beatrice low vain. Every sto blood dripped from her mouth<br \/>\nas she struggled to breathe. He gritted his teeth and said, wake up. You don&#8217;t deserve to have a peaceful death<br \/>\nlike this. Meanwhile, Gabriel took advantage<br \/>\nof the chaos and fled the palace. Later in Carlisle&#8217;s<br \/>\noffice, Lionel reported, the body of the Empress<br \/>\nhas been preserved. Now you will be able to properly execute<br \/>\nher after you ascend to the throne. Exhausted? Carlisle asked. What about Gabriel? Lionel replied. It seems he escaped the palace,<br \/>\ntaking advantage of the confusion. We searched for him after you ordered us to close the palace,<br \/>\nbut we could not find him. Carlisle nodded. He used a lot of dark magic<br \/>\nat the expense of his own life force, so he could not have gone far. Keep scouting the capital. Lionel followed his command. Yes, Your Highness. A knock at the door interrupted them. Three beautiful ladies, Viviana,<br \/>\nCharlize and Josephine, entered. One of them said. Excuse us. Carlisle asked. What is the problem? Charlie spoke first. We heard you took Matthias under arrest. Before you execute him,<br \/>\nwe would like to talk to him. Josephine added. Please. Carlisle considered their request fine. As his family members, I understand<br \/>\nyou want to say goodbye to him. Then he turned to Viviana. And what about you? She replied. I&#8217;m just here to say<br \/>\nthank you. Although it is a pity that she chose<br \/>\nto take her own life, in the end she ended up ruined. Just as I expected. Right. It&#8217;s true that I promised you that. But still, it&#8217;s too early to reveal<br \/>\nall of her sins. First, I have to ascend to the throne. I will accept your thanks then. She bowed slightly. Understood. Carlisle ordered Lionel. Take Josephine and Charles<br \/>\nto see Matthias. Lionel turned to the ladies. Please follow me. Matthias sat in prison, looking nervous. Biting his nails when he saw his sisters,<br \/>\nhe brightened up with hope. Josephine. Charles, you didn&#8217;t abandon me. Come on, get me out of here. If I escape,<br \/>\nI promise to kill Carlisle right away. Josephine sighed. It seems you are still the same brother. Charles agreed. We&#8217;re here to say goodbye to you. Matthias found it. Goodbye. Why would you do that? He raised his voice in desperation. I will survive soon. The nobles on my side<br \/>\nwill come and release me. What you do then? You can&#8217;t trust Carlisle to keep you safe. Josephine shook her head. Brother, we understand that<br \/>\nour mother clouded your judgment. However,<br \/>\nit is not our mother&#8217;s fault that you keep rejecting reality even in this situation. You have always taken for granted<br \/>\nthat others would be willing to sacrifice for you. I thought that maybe you would have<br \/>\nrealized your mistakes by now. But it seems<br \/>\nwe were wishing for the impossible. Well, then, we will take our leave now. Keep living in that fantasy of yours<br \/>\nuntil the end. That&#8217;ll be best for you. They turned and left. Matthias called out desperately. Josephine. Charles. I have come to my senses. I realized it after hearing you. Just get me out of here<br \/>\nand I will admit all my wrongdoings. His sisters ignored him. Lionel asked them,<br \/>\ndid you have a good talk? Josephine replied yes. Thank you. Back in his holding<br \/>\ncell, Matthias cried and begged. Please don&#8217;t abandon me. About a month later. With the support of many noble<br \/>\nhouses, the transition of sovereignty to Carlisle was completed<br \/>\nsuccessfully. Carlisle. Now the Emperor sat on his horse<br \/>\nas the people cheered in his honor. Hooray! Hurray to our new Emperor! They shouted,<br \/>\ncelebrating his ascension to the throne. Meanwhile, Matthias had suddenly lost<br \/>\nall interest in reclaiming the throne. When the effects of the medicine<br \/>\ngiven to him by the Empress wore off, he finally gained clarity<br \/>\nabout his situation. As for the missing Gabriel Knox,<br \/>\nwhen he returned to the Empire, he kept his face covered. Some knights<br \/>\nsuspicious of him stopped him. Please let us see your face for a moment. One of them said. Gabriel revealed his face and the knights, shocked to recognize him, immediately<br \/>\nrestrained him. High priest, the exiled priest. Gabriel. You must come with us. One day after his return to the capital,<br \/>\nhe allowed himself to be arrested. Then came the execution day for Prince<br \/>\nMatthias. The Empress and High Priest<br \/>\nGabriel Carlyle gathered the entire community<br \/>\nand murmurs spread among the crowd. So the day has arrived, they whispered. How despicable! They betrayed the previous emperor<br \/>\njust so they could take the throne for themselves. The embalmed body of the Empress<br \/>\nwas brought forth by the knights, and the whispers continued. The Empress looked strange. They said her body was embalmed<br \/>\nafter she took her own life with poison. Matthias, Beatrice and Gabriel knelt<br \/>\nbefore Carlyle with their heads bowed. Carlyle<br \/>\naddressed the crowd, his sword in hand. Today we are gathered to bestow<br \/>\nthe proper punishment on these traitors who participated<br \/>\nin the murder of the previous emperor. I will now proceed. Listen carefully to the crimes<br \/>\nthey have committed. He turned to the motionless body<br \/>\nof Beatrice. Asterisk. First I will announce the crimes<br \/>\nof the former Empress Beatrice. Every step. First, she was responsible<br \/>\nfor the murder of the previous empress. IV line every. Second, she attempted multiple times<br \/>\nto assassinate the Emperor&#8217;s firstborn. To ensure her own son<br \/>\nwould be the sole heir to the throne. Third, she committed the crime of<br \/>\nrendering the previous emperor infertile. Eliminating any potential competition<br \/>\nfor the crown. Fourth, she conspired with a dark magician<br \/>\nto murder the previous emperor. We will now proceed with the execution<br \/>\nof Beatrice Evaristo as punishment for these crimes. Asterisk. Her head was then severed from her body. Fulfilling her sentence,<br \/>\nCarlyle turned to Matthias. Mathias. Every sto. You aided and abetted Beatrice his crimes, and as a result,<br \/>\nyou illegally ascended to the throne. Do you have any last words? Mathias remained silent. We will now proceed<br \/>\nwith the execution of Mathias Evaristo as punishment for his crimes. His head, too, was severed from his body,<br \/>\nmarking him a traitor. Finally, Carlyle moved toward Gabriel. Former high priest Gabriel Knox. Do you admit to conspiring in<br \/>\nthe assassination of the previous emperor? Gabriel responded. Yes. Do you have any last words? Carlyle asked. Gabriel took a deep breath. I know that anything I say now<br \/>\nwill sound like an excuse because of that. I have decided not to leave<br \/>\nanything behind before parting. In that case, let us proceed<br \/>\nwith the execution of the final sinner. With that,<br \/>\nGabriel&#8217;s head was severed from his body. Ending his dark legacy. Carlyle then addressed the crowd. We have now driven out all traces of<br \/>\ndarkness and corruption from the Empire. May our nation enter a new bright era<br \/>\nfrom this day forward. Asha stood watching him,<br \/>\nher gaze unreadable. Carlyle noticed and asked,<br \/>\nare you all right with this? You said you wanted to take revenge on him<br \/>\nyourself. Asha responded, I think cutting down people like them with<br \/>\nmy sword would only dirty it. Carlyle studied her expression. I asked because of the dark<br \/>\nlook on your face. Are you regretting something? Asha, lost in thought, recalled her last conversation with Gabriel<br \/>\nthe night before his execution. Asha had stood outside his holding cell. Gabriel,<br \/>\neven if you die, I will never forgive you for what you did to purveyors,<br \/>\nshe had said coldly. Gabriel had smiled bitterly. That is a reasonable choice. After I die, I go back to Pervez. I left a present for you there. What? She snapped, then suddenly<br \/>\nrealizing something, she had screamed. You crazy bastard! You went to purveyors<br \/>\nafter fleeing the capital. I swear I did not harm Pervez in any way<br \/>\nthis time. I can&#8217;t tell you what is right now, but please consider it<br \/>\nmy apology for what I did to Pervaiz. Now, as she stood recalling that moment, she wondered to herself an apology<br \/>\nto Pervez. I can&#8217;t go back there right now<br \/>\nto check what he meant, but even so, seeing her lost in thought,<br \/>\nCarlyle spoke again. Usha, if you don&#8217;t feel well,<br \/>\nyou should go back and rest. In that case, I will be leaving first,<br \/>\nshe replied. As she walked away,<br \/>\nshe thought to herself, whatever. I don&#8217;t want to think about this anymore. I just want to go back to Pervez already. A few days later,<br \/>\nAsha stood by the window. Gazing out. A knight entered the room,<br \/>\ndrawing her attention. You could just call me Count Pervez. I&#8217;m leaving this place soon<br \/>\nanyway, she told him. Understood. He replied. Are you feeling better, Countess? Yes. Thanks to the care of everyone<br \/>\nat the palace, she said. Then, she added, could you bring me<br \/>\nthe documents I requested before? If you asked for them before<br \/>\nthen it won&#8217;t be possible. No. I will bring them to you in a moment. He corrected himself. Asha waited patiently until the knight<br \/>\nreturned with the documents. Here are the documents you requested. She carefully looked over them,<br \/>\nthen signed them. Tell the Emperor I request a meeting<br \/>\nwith him, she instructed. As she waited. She thought to herself,<br \/>\nhe must be busy now that he&#8217;s emperor. It&#8217;s difficult to even meet him<br \/>\nnow that he has ascended the throne. But that&#8217;s to be expected. Lost in thought,<br \/>\nshe was startled when she suddenly saw Carlyle enter the room<br \/>\nwith a gentle expression. He asked Asha, did you want to talk to me? Yes, Your Majesty. He smiled faintly. It feels like a long time<br \/>\nsince I last saw you. Why must it be so difficult<br \/>\nfor a couple to see each other? I didn&#8217;t waste time. Since you&#8217;re busy,<br \/>\nI&#8217;ll get straight to the point. Carlyle. Sensing something serious, replied, I prepared everything myself<br \/>\nsince I assumed you were occupied. She handed him some documents. As he received them, he asked.<br \/>\nWhat is this? Asha&#8217;s voice was steady. Our divorce documents. Now that you have reached your goal,<br \/>\nour agreement is over. Carlyle&#8217;s eyes widened in shock<br \/>\nas he stared at the papers in his hands. For now, let&#8217;s think about this<br \/>\na little more carefully. How have you been feeling these days? Asha said. But you should deal with this quickly. I am fine, so he said. I heard that internal injuries from black<br \/>\nmagic take longer to heal than expected. Make sure you receive treatment<br \/>\nfrom the High Priest every day, she said. The priest said, I&#8217;m fine now, he said. Just in case. Get treatment by another priest as well. She feeling nervous about his attitude,<br \/>\nsaid Your Majesty. And he said, I would love to chat more,<br \/>\nbut I&#8217;m afraid I am too busy. Let&#8217;s talk again next time. She then screamed his name, Your Majesty. But Carlyle did not listen to her anymore. Then he went out of the room,<br \/>\nholding the divorce papers deep in thought,<br \/>\nhe clenched the papers and muttered. I knew this day would come someday. Then he threw the papers aside. Why didn&#8217;t I think of anything? Asha wouldn&#8217;t give up on the divorce<br \/>\njust because of this. No. She probably thinks that the divorce<br \/>\nis only natural. Asha probably<br \/>\ndoesn&#8217;t have any feelings for me. She has already been<br \/>\ngreatly disappointed once, so she won&#8217;t have<br \/>\nany expectations anymore. But as she really have no feelings for me. A few days later,<br \/>\nit was about time Dorothea sent a reply. Serap held a letter from her Kaz. An assistant came and told him wrap health<br \/>\nsnatched the letter and started reading it. The words written on it were to father. Since the space is limited,<br \/>\nI will keep it brief. I don&#8217;t want to be an Empress. His Majesty will not make me the Empress<br \/>\nanyway. I won&#8217;t go there. I am sorry. He screamed louder. What on earth are you doing there? Seeing his anger,<br \/>\nthe assistant got terrified. Lord rappelled, was thinking<br \/>\nHis Majesty will have to find a new Empress candidate soon. And there is no one in this empire<br \/>\nas suitable as Dorothea. If only His Majesty would just sign<br \/>\nthe divorce papers. Then Lionel came and rappelled. Shouted. What did you just say? His Majesty is not signing the divorce<br \/>\npapers, Lionel said. That is what they say. So Gyles said. Now why on earth. Lionel said. What do you think? His Majesty is in love with Countess<br \/>\nPervez. Giles<br \/>\nRaphael got surprised and said, love, what does that have to do with anything? So Lionel told him. What do you mean? What does it have to do? He wants to maintain the marriage<br \/>\nbecause he loves her. Giles said the marriage of an emperor<br \/>\nis different from that of a commoner. The marriage of an emperor<br \/>\nis a matter of historical record. It is recorded.<br \/>\nEven the birth of monarchs. And it holds the honor of a nation,<br \/>\nespecially His Majesty Carlisle, who will lead a golden age of the Empire. He needs a wife who can discuss<br \/>\nstate affairs on equal footing, and has the dignity and elegance<br \/>\nbefitting an empress. Lionel said. Do you think His Majesty does<br \/>\nnot understand that? Giles rap health said, knowing all that,<br \/>\nwhy on earth Lionel said,<br \/>\nbecause that is how irrational love is. Sirup. Health.<br \/>\nYou may never understand it. Raphael got silent and Lionel<br \/>\nturning his head, said, well, then, if you excuse me, irrationality<br \/>\nmeans a wrong thought. Then Lionel stared at him. So Rap Health said, it is our duty to correct His Majesty<br \/>\nif he strays down the wrong path. Lionel, said, sir Raphael. You have not seen His Majesty recently,<br \/>\nhave you? His Majesty looks very unwell<br \/>\nas Carlyle was busy with work. Lionel asked. Are you getting enough sleep? Being busy, he replied. I get about four hours of sleep. I eat three meals a day with a proper<br \/>\ncombination of meat and fruit. I won&#8217;t neglect my health<br \/>\nfor the sake of duty and responsibility. So don&#8217;t worry, Lionel said. It is not that I am worried you will neglect your duties,<br \/>\nYour Majesty, Carlyle said. You were asking as a friend. So he stopped working for a while<br \/>\nand said, in that case I will answer differently. I can&#8217;t sleep properly<br \/>\nand I&#8217;m barely managing to eat. I miss Asia, but I can&#8217;t meet her<br \/>\neven though she comes to see me every day. Honestly, I don&#8217;t know why I&#8217;m living. Lionel said. If you meet His Majesty,<br \/>\ndon&#8217;t talk to him like this again. It will hurt him greatly. Lionel told all these things to Giles and then Giles shouted,<br \/>\nyou should try to persuade His Majesty. While you are at it, arrange<br \/>\na meeting with Dorothea. Lionel was thinking.<br \/>\nHe does not understand. Even if we bring Mister Thea,<br \/>\nHis Majesty will not change his mind. Then Lionel left the place. Meanwhile, in Priv\u00e9s,<br \/>\nDecker was communicating with busty and asking the savages from the abandoned<br \/>\nland. Busty said that is what they say. So Decker said. Strange. I will have to investigate it later. Suddenly, Decker&#8217;s<br \/>\nattention was grabbed by Dorothea when she said, sir, Donovan, are you busy? He said urgently<br \/>\nafter seeing her with a lovely smile. No, I am very free. Busty standing there was surprised. And then Decker pushed busty<br \/>\nout of the office sink. Let&#8217;s continue this conversation<br \/>\nanother time. Friend, busty said. Right then. Decker looked at Dorothea and said,<br \/>\nwhat brings you here? Lady rappelled. She said, it&#8217;s not a big deal. My father keeps forcing me<br \/>\nto come to the capital. I sent back letters of refusal,<br \/>\nbut he won&#8217;t give up. So Decker, smiling, said, sir Raphaelle can be quite stubborn, can&#8217;t he? She said so<br \/>\nI wanted to ask Sir Donovan for a favor. So he said me. She said yes. If it is, Sir Donovan,<br \/>\nI believe you can help me. Then she whispered in his ear,<br \/>\nand he said, how can I? And Decker said, really? Are you sure this is right? Dorothea said. Of course. Who else would I ask but you, sir Donovan. On the other hand, Asha entered the office thinking,<br \/>\nwhat on earth is His Majesty thinking? Suddenly she saw a letter<br \/>\nand was surprised. It&#8217;s from Decker. She was very happy thinking. Decker seems to be doing well. That&#8217;s a relief. After reading the letter, she thought. If it&#8217;s someone he wants to introduce,<br \/>\ncould it be under the shine of the moon? They both kissed each other<br \/>\nto begin their love. Usha,<br \/>\nin a meeting with Cecilia, said to her. Long time no see, lady. Depressed, Cecilia replied. Please be at ease, Your Majesty. Usha then said, Your Majesty,<br \/>\nyou can call me as you always have. Cecilia hesitated and said,<br \/>\nI&#8217;m afraid I cannot do that. You are married to the Emperor, and I shall refer to you properly<br \/>\nas the Empress that you are. Usha sighed. But I will be leaving that position soon<br \/>\nanyway. Cecilia bowed her head slightly and said,<br \/>\nI know this might be rude to ask, but you have already received<br \/>\nhis confession, haven&#8217;t you? Your Majesty? Usha looked at her in surprise. His confession. Meanwhile,<br \/>\nLionel was speaking with Carlyle. His confession. I don&#8217;t want to make things any worse,<br \/>\nCarlyle said. Lionel nodded. That&#8217;s what I thought. But even so, why haven&#8217;t<br \/>\nyou confess your feelings to Her Majesty? Carlyle was speechless. After a moment,<br \/>\nhe said, I have only disappointed her. In a way. I am even part of the reason she lost<br \/>\nso many of her people, which she not feel that I am shamelessly forcing<br \/>\nmy love on her because of the power. And now hold, Your Majesty. Carlyle continued, Asha would be afraid<br \/>\nthat I might hurt Pervez in some way. She might feel<br \/>\nforced to accept my feelings. She would forfeit her life<br \/>\nand live in misery if that meant protecting her people. Because I know that well, I can&#8217;t<br \/>\nbring myself to confess my feelings. But you can&#8217;t keep avoiding her like this<br \/>\nforever. Carlyle nodded. I know. Shouldn&#8217;t you talk to her directly<br \/>\nrather than assuming what she thinks? If she refuses,<br \/>\nyou just have to accept it. Carlyle looked determined. When I gained the resolve<br \/>\nto forfeit my life or live in misery for it, as she does, I will do it. Lionel reassured him. Your Majesty. It won&#8217;t take long. Don&#8217;t worry about it. Carlyle took a deep breath and said,<br \/>\nLionel, could you call Lady to Pret here? Lionel was surprised<br \/>\nyou wanted to call Lady to Pret. All of a sudden? Carlyle nodded. There&#8217;s a promise I have to fulfill to her if it&#8217;s related to her succession<br \/>\nas the head of her family. Well, sort of, Carlyle replied. On the other hand,<br \/>\nCecilia was speaking with Asha. I confession, Usha repeated. Cecilia thought to herself. Could it be that he really hasn&#8217;t<br \/>\ngiven her a proper confession? She hesitated before saying, I think it would be best for you<br \/>\nto talk to him directly about it. I&#8217;m sure he won&#8217;t accept anyone<br \/>\nother than you as his wife. Usha laughed softly. I don&#8217;t think so. There are many women<br \/>\nwho wish to have a seat of the Empress. Cecilia shook her head. I&#8217;m not talking about being Empress. I&#8217;m talking about. Before she could finish, an assistant<br \/>\nof Carlyle entered Lady Cecilia de Pratt. His Majesty is requesting your presence. You can go see him later if you&#8217;re busy. Cecilia immediately replied. No, I will go see him right away. Before leaving, she turned to Asha. Please<br \/>\nhave a sincere talk with His Majesty. Asha sighed. I beg of you. I understand<br \/>\nhe has been avoiding me lately, but I will request a private meeting. Cecilia smiled. I will also speak to him about it. I&#8217;m sure that a good talk is just<br \/>\nwhat the two of you need. As Asha watched Cecilia leave,<br \/>\nshe thought, why is she doing this much for us? Could it be that the Emperor actually does<br \/>\nnot want to end our relationship? Meanwhile, Giles<br \/>\nRaffles stormed into Carlisle&#8217;s office. Your Majesty. My daughter is being held<br \/>\nhostage. And privacy. Are you going to allow such an insult<br \/>\nagainst your court? Carlisle remained calm. I have not received any notice about Lady<br \/>\nDorothea being held hostage. Giles shouted. There is no need for that. Why would she not return to the capital<br \/>\nif it were not because of that? Carlisle was silent for a moment<br \/>\nbefore responding. All right, I understand. If that is true, it will be a big problem. I guess I will have to call Portia<br \/>\nto talk to her. Usha entered the office shortly after. I&#8217;m finally able to see you, Your Majesty. Carlisle nodded. That&#8217;s right. I&#8217;ve been pretty busy since last time. I want to talk to you about something<br \/>\nrelated to Sir Raffles. Is it true that Lady Dorothea<br \/>\nis being held hostage in privacy? Usha raised an eyebrow. You ask if Lady Dorothea is being held<br \/>\nhostage in privacy. Carlisle replied, according to Sir<br \/>\nRaffles, that is what happened. Usha sighed. Lady Dorothea<br \/>\ndecided to stay in purveyors on her own. She did it in order to oppose her father,<br \/>\nwho always controls her. Could that be the issue Sir Raffle was talking about,<br \/>\nor was he unaware of that fact? Carlisle thought for a moment. Sir raffle is a very competent man. Because of that,<br \/>\nhe thinks his opinion is always correct. That might be why he believes his daughter<br \/>\nis being held against her will. Impervious. Usha countered. Can you really say<br \/>\nhe is still a competent man, even after he refused to follow your orders<br \/>\nand acted on his own? As far as I know, the crime of disobeying<br \/>\nthe emperor should be paid with one&#8217;s life. You decided to let him live. Your Majesty. Carlisle sighed. Yes. That&#8217;s right. Is he that irreplaceable to you?<br \/>\nUsha asked. Carlisle nodded. I can&#8217;t get rid of a good soldier<br \/>\njust because his aim is getting a little blurry. I met him when I was ten years old. He was the most recognized teacher at the academy,<br \/>\nbut he even turned down the to teach me. I always wondered<br \/>\nwhat kind of great future he saw in me. He told me that one day<br \/>\nhe was going to bet his own fate on me. He once received an arrow to protect me. He constantly tested my food for poison<br \/>\nto the point that he almost died a couple of times. Even his main business closed<br \/>\nbecause he supported me. Yet to this day, he has not left my side. Thanks to him. I&#8217;m still here today. I can&#8217;t just get rid of him now<br \/>\nbecause my situation is much better. Usha softened. I didn&#8217;t know all of that. I guess you didn&#8217;t, because I never<br \/>\ntold you before, Carlisle admitted. I need someone close to me<br \/>\nwho can say the things I can&#8217;t tell him. But since the war in the South,<br \/>\nI have kept my distance from him. I&#8217;ve been thinking of ending<br \/>\nour friendship properly soon anyway. Are you sure? Lady Raffles<br \/>\ndecided to stay improvise on her own. Usha nodded. Yes. Because Sir Raffles seems to be constantly<br \/>\npushing her to become the Empress. What will you do about it now? The best two candidates<br \/>\nwho are waiting for our divorce to become the next Empress<br \/>\nhave forfeited on their own. Can&#8217;t you even speak to me for a moment<br \/>\nabout our own problems? How long are you going to keep me here? Can I just go back to Prevost? Carlisle recalled Lionel&#8217;s words. But you can&#8217;t keep avoiding her like this<br \/>\nforever. Shouldn&#8217;t you talk to her directly<br \/>\nrather than assuming what she thinks? If she refuses,<br \/>\nyou just have to accept it. Carlisle took a deep breath, stood<br \/>\nup, and said, I. Usha looked at him, surprised<br \/>\nby what he was about to say. A regular meeting of nobles was being held<br \/>\naround a table of discussion. One particularly arrogant<br \/>\nlady spoke to her companion. You mean that<br \/>\nthe current Empress is just temporary? She asked. He replied. That seems to be the case. Well, it was far fetched that the marriage<br \/>\nwas conceived in the first place. She scoffed. His Majesty has just turned 28 this year. He will have to hurry to find a new one. Meanwhile, Giles Raffl was investigating<br \/>\nin the office of Carlisle. Carlisle informed him. I investigated and there is no sign of her<br \/>\nbeing held hostage. Lady Dorothea is impervious by her own<br \/>\nwill. Giles Raffles screamed in frustration. Why would Dorothea willingly<br \/>\nstay in such a lowly place like that? I&#8217;m also her only guardian. Carlisle remained composed in responded. As you said,<br \/>\nyou are her guardian, not her owner. Don&#8217;t you know adults have a right<br \/>\nto make their own decisions? I am pretty sure that a delegated knight<br \/>\nlike you, who knows all the norms, has not forgotten<br \/>\nabout that. Giles thought bitterly. How can you do this to me? Your Majesty, I have given my all<br \/>\nto make you the Emperor. I am sure that if Dorothea becomes<br \/>\nthe Empress, it will be beneficial for him too. It will be much easier<br \/>\nfor me to support them. Of course. Why can&#8217;t he understand how I feel? Suddenly a voice announced. The Emperor is coming. Carlisle began addressing<br \/>\nthe people seated around the table. Well, then, let&#8217;s start this meeting. His assistant presented him with a letter<br \/>\nand said, this is the first point of today&#8217;s agenda. A discussion related to the emperors<br \/>\nmarriage. His Majesty has no successor yet,<br \/>\nand the majority agrees that the Emperor should have a proper marriage and proceed<br \/>\nto conceive an heir as soon as possible. One man at the table raised his voice. The current empress, Countess<br \/>\nPriv\u00e9s, has already proceeded with the divorce papers. We wish to ask<br \/>\nwhen this issue will be completed. Your Majesty, it will be easier to look<br \/>\nfor new candidates after the divorce. Carlisle grew uneasy at this question. Later, during a private meeting with<br \/>\nAisha, Carlisle spoke with deep emotion. I don&#8217;t want to divorce you. I hope we can continue our marriage. Usha. Nervous? Asked why he shared his feelings. Because I love you. I love you, Aisha. I was afraid that if I told you,<br \/>\nyou would reject me. That is why I&#8217;ve been avoiding you.<br \/>\nI am sorry. I know I told you<br \/>\nI was not going to hold on to you after reaching our goal,<br \/>\nbut back then I was arrogant and foolish. Usha asked,<br \/>\nhow long have you felt like this? Carlisle admitted, I don&#8217;t know. At some point all my thoughts started<br \/>\nrevolving around you. When I open my eyes in the morning,<br \/>\nI only think about you and wonder what you might be doing. The moment I heard Pervez<br \/>\nCastle was under attack, I was so worried about your safety<br \/>\nthat for the first time I prayed to God. I&#8217;m sorry you probably think I&#8217;m shameless<br \/>\nfor saying this now. However, could you not give me a chance? He knelt, holding her hand, pleading<br \/>\nfor a chance to apologize and a change. Your mind just won. Tears filled Carlisle&#8217;s eyes. Asha, seeing his emotions, felt moved. I need some time. She gently pulled her hand away. Carlisle nodded. Of course. As much as you wish,<br \/>\nshe added, but don&#8217;t try to avoid me. Next time I request to meet you.<br \/>\nHe promised. I will not. She then said, I will be leaving now about the issue with Lady Raffle,<br \/>\nhe assured her. I will explain the situation to Sir<br \/>\nRaffled before leaving. She glanced at Carlisle once more. Carlisle, now alone, sat down, upset,<br \/>\nthinking to himself. I don&#8217;t think it is<br \/>\nnecessary to discuss this. It is a matter between me and the Empress. Giles, however,<br \/>\nstood and shouted, Your Majesty. Anything related to the Emperor<br \/>\nand the Empress is crucial to the future of the Empire. How can you dismiss this<br \/>\nas a mere personal affair? Another noble at the table<br \/>\nraised his voice. He is right. The marriage of an emperor should be<br \/>\ncarefully planned to benefit the empire. Don&#8217;t tell us you have no intention<br \/>\nof divorcing count as Pervaiz Carlisle. Tired, thought. I still have to receive an answer<br \/>\nfrom Isaiah. So I can&#8217;t even say<br \/>\nif we&#8217;re going to divorce or not. He finally spoke. I did not expect all of you to be<br \/>\nso worried about the future of the Empire. None of you helped me recover<br \/>\nmy right to the throne. More than count is precious. Yet even so, you still wish<br \/>\nto have someone else as the Empress. Another noble countered. I am fully aware that the performance<br \/>\nof countless purveyors on the battlefield was flawless. However, for the requirements<br \/>\nto be a valuable ally on the battlefield and to be an empress<br \/>\nare completely different. If you truly wish to compensate<br \/>\nthe Countess for her assistance, it would be better for you to offer her<br \/>\nthe command of the Royal Knights. Carlisle was speechless. He finally ordered. I understand your opinions,<br \/>\nhowever, as I just told you, I don&#8217;t think this issue shall be resolved<br \/>\nat this moment. His assistant then added, in that case we will have to discuss it again<br \/>\nin the next meeting. Carlisle. His gaze lowered. Could only think about Aisha. Meanwhile, Aisha received a letter<br \/>\nfrom Viviana that read I will stop by the Imperial Palace<br \/>\nto visit you soon. Asha&#8217;s lady assistant then informed her. Your Majesty, Sir<br \/>\nLionel has requested to meet you. She pondered. Sir Lionel,<br \/>\nthen she ordered. Tell him to come in. As Lionel entered. Her assistant welcomed him. Lionel bowed and said, I&#8217;m sorry for asking to meet you<br \/>\nwithout a prior appointment. Your Majesty, she reassured him. Please don&#8217;t be so formal. Sir. Lionel,<br \/>\nI&#8217;m getting sick of it already. He smirked slightly. Well, in that case,<br \/>\nI shall be more at ease. You know that a regular noble meeting<br \/>\nwas being held today, right? Yes. I heard about it from Lady Cecilia,<br \/>\nshe replied. Did you know that one of the points of<br \/>\ndiscussion was your position as Empress? Most of the nobles at the meeting<br \/>\nhoped to select a new empress, but His Majesty does not want a divorce. If you hurry a little with your decision,<br \/>\nit will make things much easier for him. Usha nodded. I understand.<br \/>\nLionel clarified. I did not mean to burden you. I&#8217;m just worried<br \/>\nthat you might be swayed by others. If anyone tries<br \/>\nto convince you to divorce, they shall be punished for treason. On the other hand,<br \/>\neven if the Emperor is heartbroken, you shall be the one to decide whether to<br \/>\nstep down from your position as Empress, she acknowledged. Thank you for telling me this. At your service. I&#8217;m sorry for coming here so late. I will be leaving now. Usha, exhausted,<br \/>\nsat down, holding her head. She thought to herself. If I don&#8217;t make a decision quickly, the other nobles will keep complaining<br \/>\nabout me and the emperor. She sighed, weary. How do I even get to this point? Having to think about things like this. The chamber was dimly lit. Golden rays from the evening sun<br \/>\npouring in through tall windows, casting a soft glow over the velvet<br \/>\ndrapes. Asha stood near the large carved table,<br \/>\nfingers lightly tracing the edges. Her eyes remained<br \/>\nlocked on the woman seated before her. I must say<br \/>\nI did not expect you to call on me, Lady Lucy, for Asha<br \/>\nfinally said, her voice low but composed, though her heart thudded quietly<br \/>\nbeneath her ribs. Lady Lucy force posture was straight, her expression unreadable,<br \/>\nbut there was a flicker in her eyes. A hesitation perhaps. I admit<br \/>\nI didn&#8217;t expect this myself, Your Majesty. A faint, ironic smile<br \/>\ntugged at Isaiah&#8217;s lips. So even Lady<br \/>\nLucifer is addressing me as the Empress. The silence that followed felt both heavy and delicate,<br \/>\nas if it were made of glass. Lucifer didn&#8217;t flinch. But why did you want to see me? Usha asked,<br \/>\nfolding her arms loosely across her chest. Lucifer inhaled deeply,<br \/>\nher jaw tightening slightly. I heard that you were considering<br \/>\ngetting a divorce. Asha&#8217;s gaze shifted slightly,<br \/>\nas if something clenched within her. And is that a problem? Of course it&#8217;s a big problem. Lucifer answered quickly,<br \/>\nas though the answer should be obvious. You are the only woman in the entire<br \/>\ncountry who deserves to sit in that seat. Asha looked away for a moment, her fingers<br \/>\ncurling into the folds of her dress. I appreciate your kind words, but I. Lucifer leaned forward. The conviction in her voice<br \/>\nas sharp as the steel she once wielded. It wasn&#8217;t empty flattery. I&#8217;m sure you remember the late Empress<br \/>\nBeatrice&#8217;s character. You probably also recall<br \/>\njust how many nobles supporting her. They may have sworn their allegiance<br \/>\nto the emperor for now, but it&#8217;s clear they&#8217;re incapable<br \/>\nof recognizing a true leader. Usher&#8217;s throat tightened. She remembered those days. The pressure, the whispers. The eyes that watched<br \/>\nand waited for her to fail. Of course. I used to be the same way, too. Lucifer added, her voice softening. I don&#8217;t have what it takes to be a fair<br \/>\nand righteous ruler either. That may be true if you were the sole ruler, usher<br \/>\nreplied, her eyes locking with Lucifer&#8217;s. However, not even His Majesty will find it<br \/>\neasy on his own. Mercy full, Sprouse furrowed. Her voice tinged with old regret. In fact, before meeting you, he wasn&#8217;t all that different<br \/>\nfrom the different nobles. And what makes you sure about that? Usher asked that the words<br \/>\ntrembled slightly as they left her. All I know is how to wield<br \/>\na sword on the battlefield. And you&#8217;re saying I changed the Emperor<br \/>\nfor good? Lucifer didn&#8217;t hesitate this time. I&#8217;m certain of it. I&#8217;ve been watching His Majesty<br \/>\nfar closer than you&#8217;d think. And for quite a while now. The one who changed the emperor. And the one who can ensure the emperor<br \/>\nbecomes a just ruler can only be you, Your Majesty. Ash. His breath<br \/>\ncaught at the honesty in those words. So I do hope you reconsider<br \/>\ndivorcing His Majesty. In the abandoned lands of privacy. The wind howled low over the orange dunes, carrying grains of sand<br \/>\nacross the cracked earth. Two men stood atop a slope,<br \/>\nwatching a group of barbarians gather in the distance. Calm, not charging as expected. It definitely does feel different<br \/>\ncompared to before. Right? One said, his voice hushed with disbelief. Since when did the barbarians choose<br \/>\nnot to attack us first? The other replied as narrowing<br \/>\nat the unfamiliar stillness. The first one lowered his weapon slowly. The rumors must have been true. The rumor that the barbarians<br \/>\nno longer attack people far from the shifting sands in the stone<br \/>\ncorridors of the kingdom. Lord Donovan was pacing when a servant<br \/>\nentered carrying a sealed letter. Lord Donovan, the servant called gently. Donovan turned. Raising a brow. Lady Prevost has sent you a letter. Donovan&#8217;s eyes<br \/>\nlit up briefly with recognition from Asha. I thought she&#8217;d return to Prevost sooner. He took the letter, tearing it open<br \/>\ncarefully as he read, his brow furrowed. Is something going on? The servant asked tentatively. It sounds like there&#8217;s something going on<br \/>\nwith Oshae, Donovan muttered. Staring hard at the parchment. Pardon? With Lady Purvis? Yes, Donovan<br \/>\nsaid, slowly, processing every word. She wants me to go to the capital. I&#8217;ll have to leave first thing tomorrow. The servant bowed. Of course. Then I shall make the proper preparations. Donovan nodded,<br \/>\nthen glanced out the window. The light fading into dusk. What&#8217;s going on? Asha never came to me for help before. He thought you&#8217;re going to the capital. A calm voice asked behind him. Donovan turned to see Dorothea<br \/>\nstanding in the hallway, her gaze curious but steady. Yes, Miss Dorothea, Donovan answered. If you&#8217;re going to the capital,<br \/>\nthen I&#8217;d like to join you. After all. There&#8217;s something<br \/>\nwe have to tell my father. Donovan tilted his head slightly. Of course. We&#8217;re leaving tomorrow morning. Is that all right? Dorothea smile was confident. Absolutely. Then I&#8217;ll see you in the morning, Donovan<br \/>\nsaid. Yes. A few days later,<br \/>\nthe grand door to Asha&#8217;s residence opened. She stood in the doorway, a soft smile<br \/>\nbreaking across her face as she saw them. It&#8217;s good to see you again, Asha, Dorothea<br \/>\nsaid, bowing gracefully. Donovan hesitated as flicking between her<br \/>\nand the formal setting. Your Majesty. Am I supposed to call you<br \/>\nYour Majesty now? Usha shook her head lightly. Forget it. Just call me Asha. But why did you want to see me? Donovan asked. Asha&#8217;s expression shifted. Something vulnerable<br \/>\npassing through her eyes. Well, I&#8217;m wondering whether or not<br \/>\nI should divorce His Majesty. What? They both exclaimed, the words<br \/>\nlanding like thunder in the room. Excuse me? Dorothea added. Brows raised in disbelief<br \/>\nas she gave a half smile. More bitter than amused. I guess the idea of me getting a divorce<br \/>\nnever occurred to you two either. Well, of course, of course. Usha echoed, her tone<br \/>\nlaced with both curiosity and sorrow. Yes. I thought you and<br \/>\nthe Emperor were in love. Dorothea said plainly. I&#8217;m not sure, Asha admitted, her voice<br \/>\nsofter now. I believe you will guide the Emperor along<br \/>\nthe right path, Dorothea said sincerely. Yeah, but of course, if you don&#8217;t wish<br \/>\nto be empress, then you don&#8217;t need to be. Dorothea added, folding her hands. Do you really think I&#8217;ll do well? I couldn&#8217;t even take care of privacy. That&#8217;s not true. Dorothea said, stepping closer. I&#8217;ve seen many nobles over life, but I&#8217;ve always thought<br \/>\nthat you were a true noble. You always put caring for your people<br \/>\nabove empty formalities. Above all, you seem far more noble than<br \/>\nthe others who were corrupted by power. Usha shook her head gently. What? That&#8217;s simply your personal evaluation. Others will not look upon me so kindly. In fact, I&#8217;ve been told<br \/>\nthat they&#8217;re already discussing who will be replacing me. Her voice cracked a little. I can&#8217;t help<br \/>\nbut feel that ruling the Emperor in the midst of that would be too heavy<br \/>\na burden for me to bear. Is that truly<br \/>\nwhy you&#8217;re considering divorce? Even after His Majesty has told you<br \/>\nthat he loves you? Dorothea asked, her voice<br \/>\nfilled with quiet urgency. Even if you do remain Empress. You don&#8217;t have to feel so responsible<br \/>\nabout ruling the Empire. Then what do I have to do? Be happy. So do what makes you happy. Usha Donovan said, stepping beside her. Usha blinked back tears. Protecting Pervez is what made me happy. It&#8217;s been that way for a long time. Prabhas is a lot different<br \/>\nnow, Donovan said gently. What do you mean? The barbarians in the abandoned lands<br \/>\naren&#8217;t nearly as aggressive as before. Though. Is still looking into it. It almost seems like the barbarians<br \/>\nare turning into normal people. Usha frowned, trying to process that. Impossible. Why would I lie to you? Something tugged at her memory. After my death, go to process. There you&#8217;ll find a present<br \/>\nI left for you. Gabriel&#8217;s words echoed in her mind<br \/>\nlike a secret prophecy. She whispered more to herself than anyone. Is that the present<br \/>\nthat Gabriel was talking about? If that&#8217;s true, she said aloud. Now, her voice steadying. Then that&#8217;s all the more reason<br \/>\nI have to go to Provost to see myself. If it&#8217;s because you don&#8217;t trust me,<br \/>\nthen so be it, Donovan said. What if it&#8217;s because you feel responsible<br \/>\nto prevent this? I won&#8217;t let you throw away<br \/>\nyour chance to be happy by coming with us. He looked at her eyes, fierce and loyal. Because even when you&#8217;re not in this,<br \/>\nDorothea and I will look after her together. Aisha stared at them. When did that happen? Dorothea blushed faintly as Donna said. It hasn&#8217;t been long<br \/>\nsince we decided to get married. I haven&#8217;t gotten her father&#8217;s<br \/>\nblessing yet either. I told you, you don&#8217;t need my father&#8217;s<br \/>\nblessing, Dorothea replied firmly. Aisha exhaled. The weight on her chest. Lightning. I see. She&#8217;s already in good hands. If you do leave for ways in this world, we will never lose<br \/>\nrespect for you, Donovan said. Nor will we ever forget the sacrifices<br \/>\nyou made. He stepped closer. So please listen to your heart for once. My heart. Aisha whispered. Aisha looked at them,<br \/>\nat their devotion, at the future. They were building. And for the first time in weeks,<br \/>\nshe allowed herself to feel hope. Thank you,<br \/>\nAisha said, voice filled with emotion. You helped me make up my mind. Her eyes turned to the horizon,<br \/>\na slow, certain smile forming on her lips. I think I&#8217;ll go see His Majesty soon. The room was dimly lit<br \/>\nwith golden sunlight filtering through the tall windows of the estate&#8217;s<br \/>\nprivate meeting hall. The scent of parchment ink and burning<br \/>\nincense lingered in the air. Lord Rafael, tall<br \/>\nand composed in a sharp navy cloak, stood facing the bowed<br \/>\nfigure of a fellow nobleman. The man had traveled far in his clothing<br \/>\nfor the signs of haste and urgency. Lord raffled<br \/>\nthe man, greeted with a low bow. His voice was respectful<br \/>\nbut edged with anticipation. Thank you for coming all this way,<br \/>\nhe said. Raffle gave a slight, measured smile. Well, I thought it&#8217;d be easier for me<br \/>\nto come here than to have you come to my palace. Yes. That&#8217;s true. The man acknowledged, raising his head. But what brings you here? Raffles tone turned firm<br \/>\nwithout room for misinterpretation. I won&#8217;t beat around the bush. I&#8217;m going to take Countess Pervaiz<br \/>\noff the throne by force if I have to. The man&#8217;s eyes widened by force. Yes. Several houses have agreed to support me. But I need more backing, Raffles replied,<br \/>\nhis voice low and deliberate. It&#8217;s clear His Majesty has no intention<br \/>\nof getting a divorce. Soon I shall have His Majesty hold<br \/>\na provincial council of nobles. Until then, I need you to stir up more<br \/>\nopposition against the count, as per Vass. The man hesitated, cautious. But don&#8217;t<br \/>\nwe need some kind of pretext for that? Raffles lips curled into a thin smile,<br \/>\nhis tone dismissive. Oh, there&#8217;s plenty of pretext. Countess Prevost may be the war hero,<br \/>\nbut she can never be empress. She doesn&#8217;t have the bloodline,<br \/>\nthe noble bearing or knowledge, or even the right connection. She&#8217;s nowhere<br \/>\nnear the caliber of other noble ladies. A pause followed<br \/>\nbefore the man asked carefully. And do you have an empress to be in mind,<br \/>\nmy lord? Well, Rafal replied, turning away<br \/>\nas though to end the discussion, we shall table the discussion until after<br \/>\nthe divorce has been finalized. Of course. Whatever you say, my lord. That&#8217;s all, Rafal said shortly,<br \/>\nrising from his seat. His gaze hardened as he watched the man<br \/>\nleave in the privacy of his thoughts. He mused coldly. He&#8217;s clearly thinking<br \/>\nto nominate his own daughter as empress to North charms, because the next empress<br \/>\nwill be none other than Dorothea. The Lord thought. Just then the doors creaked open,<br \/>\nand in walked Dorothea, accompanied by Sir Donovan. Her entrance was calm, but her chin held a firmness<br \/>\nthat made her presence undeniable. So you finally decided<br \/>\nto return to the capital? Her father asked, arching a brow. I knew you would come around once<br \/>\neverything&#8217;s in order. I shall arrange you to meet<br \/>\nwith His Majesty. Dorothea stood still,<br \/>\nthen took a step forward. Father, I came to the capital<br \/>\nbecause I have something to tell you. Something to tell me. What is it? I will not become the Empress. As you wish, father. I came to the capital to tell Her Majesty. Just that. Also, I wish to live in previous. Not in the capital. Raffles voice dropped, disbelieving. What?<br \/>\nWhat are you talking about, Dorothea? How could you possibly live<br \/>\nin such a dangerous place all on your own? I won&#8217;t be alone, she said, casting<br \/>\na brief but sure glance at Donovan. Because Sir<br \/>\nDonovan has agreed to keep me company. Raffl turned sharply toward Donovan. His voice cut through the room. You, he spat. This is your doing?<br \/>\nWhat have you done to her? My daughter would never defy me like this. Donovan met his fury with quiet dignity. My doing. You make it sound as though tough. Raffles snapped. I&#8217;ve committed some unspeakable act. Dorothea stepped between them. Her voice louder now. Stop it,<br \/>\nshe shouted. I have sworn to spend the rest of my life<br \/>\nand previous sworn. What are you talking about? Dorothea&#8217;s voice trembled slightly,<br \/>\nbut her words came with strength. I am pregnant with Sir Donovan&#8217;s child. The room went silent. Mr. Thea Donovan turned to her, shocked. What? Raffl nearly choked on the word. His face draining of color. Now let&#8217;s go. Dorothea said quietly to Donovan,<br \/>\nbrushing past her father. But I. Donovan hesitated. I still wide. Dorothea is pregnant. Raffles mind reeled. Later<br \/>\nthat day, Donovan recounted everything to Asha<br \/>\nin the Empress&#8217;s chambers. Her laughter<br \/>\nechoed against the marble walls. Dorothea really said that? She asked, amused. Word for word. You can&#8217;t imagine how shocked I was. But it&#8217;s not true, is it? Of course not. Donovan reassured her. Dorothea is much bolder than she appears. I never thought she&#8217;d lie to her<br \/>\nfather like that. He sighed. I&#8217;m worried sick about her. Her father just summoned her. Usha waved it off. Father,<br \/>\nwhat&#8217;s the worst that could happen? Fathers always have a soft spot<br \/>\nfor their daughters. How could you do this to me? Rafael thought to himself, bitterly, envisioning himself<br \/>\nslapping Dorothea across the face. What were you thinking, father? Dorothea asked.<br \/>\nIf you change your mind now. We can forget this ever happened. Raffles imagined pleading, but he heard her voice<br \/>\necho back in his mind, sharp and resolute. It&#8217;s no use. Even if I do change my mind and decide<br \/>\nI want to be the Empress. Do you really think that people<br \/>\nwill accept me? Will they really want an empress<br \/>\nwho is with another man&#8217;s child? He clenched his fists. So why did you go and get pregnant<br \/>\nin the first place? Her words came again, burning him. I am greatly disappointed<br \/>\nin you, Dorothea. I&#8217;ve always believed that you were smarter<br \/>\nand wiser than my other children. But you never once<br \/>\ngave me a chance to prove myself. Dorothea&#8217;s voice cracked with pain. You have never accepted any future for me<br \/>\nexcept becoming the Empress. Raffle raised his chin,<br \/>\njustifying to himself. Being empress is the most powerful role<br \/>\na woman can hold. I only ever wanted what&#8217;s best for you. Dorothy is. Imagine. Voice turned fierce. This is how you always are. Not just with me, but also with my brother<br \/>\nand the Empire subjects. You always impose your beliefs on others. Everything always must be done<br \/>\nin the way you want it. Then the words that truly broke<br \/>\nhim came farther. Do you even know what I like? He blinked. Of course you like. I like to read. I like children and I like to teach. I prefer the simple and honest life<br \/>\nI lead and provides, rather than a complicated life in zero. And I had to live not simply as the<br \/>\ndaughter of Giles Raffel, but as Dorothy. Ralph fell to realize that I will not ask<br \/>\nfor your forgiveness, she said. And I&#8217;m going to be happy. Dorothea declared as she turned away. Stop letting your approaching arrogance<br \/>\nand greed blind you, father. And she was gone far away in the palace. King Carlyle sat in silence. The late afternoon sun stretched long<br \/>\nshadows across the floor of his study. Papers were scattered across his desk,<br \/>\nbut none held his attention. Am I at fault here? He wondered silently. I still haven&#8217;t<br \/>\nheard anything back from Asher. He stared out the window,<br \/>\nfeeling the distance stretch endlessly between them. I wouldn&#8217;t want to put pressure on her<br \/>\nby seeking her out myself. But what if she&#8217;s forgotten about me? Lionel, he called softly. Yes, Your Majesty. Lionel replied, stepping in<br \/>\nfrom the hallway, ready at once. I need paper and an envelope<br \/>\nfor writing a letter. Something not with an elaborate design,<br \/>\nnor something too simple. Lionel tilted his head slightly. Are you thinking of writing a letter<br \/>\nyourself? To whom? Carlyle hesitated,<br \/>\nthen spoke almost wistfully to Marcia. I&#8217;m afraid she&#8217;s forgotten about me. Lionel blinked, his voice softening. Oh, you don&#8217;t think a letter would put<br \/>\ntoo much pressure on her, do you? Carlyle looked down at his hands. I don&#8217;t know, he admitted,<br \/>\nbut I have to try. As Carlyle began writing the letter. My beloved Asher, I would like to make it clear that this letter isn&#8217;t meant to pressure you<br \/>\ninto making a decision. Think of it<br \/>\nsimply as a manifestation of my effort. I&#8217;ve been wondering<br \/>\nhow you&#8217;re doing lately. Whether you&#8217;re eating well,<br \/>\nstaying healthy. After all, we haven&#8217;t been able<br \/>\nto see each other at all recently. I still think about the cream pies<br \/>\nand custard we used to eat together. Everything tasted so good back then. But here at the palace,<br \/>\nit all tastes like sawdust. I find myself missing life and favors<br \/>\na place where goodness prevails and promises are honored. I understand you<br \/>\nwhy you want to return there. So I have no intention<br \/>\nof trying to influence your decision. I don&#8217;t want you to suffer<br \/>\non account of my selfish desires. Usha read the letter. Thinking. But why does it sound like he&#8217;s asking me<br \/>\nnot to go? I wonder? Maybe it&#8217;s<br \/>\nbecause I feel the same way he does. My head tells me I have to let him go. But my heart won&#8217;t let me. And it&#8217;s true. Even though everyone kept telling me to be impressed,<br \/>\nI didn&#8217;t think I had it in me. Suddenly someone knocked. Come in. Your Majesty,<br \/>\nit has certainly been a while. Sir Bailey, did His Majesty send you here? She asked. No, but there is someone else<br \/>\nwho wishes to see you. Who is it?<br \/>\nWhy do you look so uncomfortable? Maud Ralph Felt has requested<br \/>\nan audience with you. I suppose it would be best to turn him<br \/>\naway. No, I have to hear him out at least. But know that it&#8217;s perfectly all right for you to leave the room<br \/>\nas soon as he spouts any nonsense. Yes, I know. Then I will be back tomorrow with Lord<br \/>\nRalph felt, he said, and went out. I understand where Sir Bailey is coming<br \/>\nfrom, Usha thought. But there&#8217;s really<br \/>\nno need to worry about me, because I&#8217;ve already made up my mind<br \/>\nlater. Have you had a chance to meet her? Raphael asked Asha. Yes I did. She was with the car. Then you must have heard<br \/>\nabout their relationship too. Indeed I have. If you&#8217;re here to ask me to sabotage<br \/>\ntheir relationship. Not at all. Even if Dorothea and Sir Donovan were to part ways,<br \/>\nshe would not choose to become Empress. I see you&#8217;ve spoken to your daughter. Yes. Though it would be more appropriate<br \/>\nto say that she taught me something. She taught me that I was an old,<br \/>\nfoolish man. Oh, the idea that anyone could teach you<br \/>\nanything seems almost foreign to me, Usha said dryly. That is true. But Dorothea is far wiser<br \/>\nthan I took her to be. If anything, I feel like I&#8217;m the fool. You&#8217;ve changed a great deal<br \/>\nover the past few days. But the reason<br \/>\nI wanted to see Your Majesty. Your Majesty, Usha asked, was to ask that<br \/>\nyou remain in your position as Empress. I&#8217;m sorry to tell you the truth. I was going to call an interim<br \/>\ncouncil of nobles soon. There. I intended to make the case for replacing you by presenting Dorothea<br \/>\nas the perfect fit for the role. But Dorothea has no interest in becoming<br \/>\nempress, and I have no intention<br \/>\nof forcing her to do so against her will. Even so,<br \/>\nthis is completely out of the blue. The problem is, the other nobles<br \/>\nI&#8217;ve gathered. They&#8217;re still set on making their own<br \/>\ndaughters. Empress. Should one of them succeed? What do you think will happen next? There would be infighting<br \/>\namong the nobles, Usha said. Now that I&#8217;ve set aside my ambitions. I see it all too clearly. Rather than chase after scattered shards. Isn&#8217;t it better to strike our enemies<br \/>\nwhile they are in one place? Therefore,<br \/>\nI ask that you stay with the Emperor. So you&#8217;re saying that I&#8217;m a better choice<br \/>\nfor His Majesty&#8217;s future? Well, whatever happens,<br \/>\nI remain His Majesty&#8217;s loyal servant. I do not mean to criticize you for it. In fact, it reassures me now<br \/>\nthat we are on the same side, she said. To tell you the truth,<br \/>\nI wanted to win you over today. You mean. Yes. I have decided not to leave His Majesty. I see, but<br \/>\nare you sure you&#8217;re all right with this? You do realize that lady Dorothea will<br \/>\ncontinue to live in privacy, don&#8217;t you? It is nobody&#8217;s fault<br \/>\nbut mine that she wishes to leave my side. If that is her decision,<br \/>\nthen I must respect it. I see Lady Dorothea<br \/>\ntruly has changed her father&#8217;s mind. Usha thought also. I have sworn to remain loyal<br \/>\nto His Majesty until the day I die. Rafael said, rising to his feet. Then you may continue to lead this empire<br \/>\ndown the right path. Your Majesty. Yes. And I&#8217;ll be depending on your counsel<br \/>\nto Lord Rafael. She replied as they shook hands. Usha stepped out and Lionel saw her. Your Majesty, I wish to see His Majesty. Is he available? His Majesty is always willing<br \/>\nto make time to see you. He told me to let you in<br \/>\nwhenever you visit, so please go ahead. Inside. Usha stepped in. Lionel Carlyle said. What is it? This better be important. Then his eyes met hers. Usha, it&#8217;s good to see you again,<br \/>\nYour Majesty, Usha said. I didn&#8217;t expect you to come<br \/>\nwithout notice. You haven&#8217;t written back yet,<br \/>\nso I assumed you didn&#8217;t wish to see me. Oh. Would you like something to drink? Have a seat. I&#8217;m fine, but thank you. She stepped closer and held his hand. Your Majesty. Yes. When you said you loved me,<br \/>\ndid you mean it? I love you, Asha. I will love you until my dying breath. And I&#8217;m sorry for not telling you sooner. Don&#8217;t be. Despite realizing my feelings before you<br \/>\ndid, I kept you in the dark about them. You mean I love you too? I have loved you for a very long time. Suddenly,<br \/>\nCarlyle caught off guard and hugged her. Your Majesty. Usha asked. Let&#8217;s stay like this,<br \/>\njust for a little while. Carlyle murmured. The Empire&#8217;s strongest knight. The man blessed by the God of war.<br \/>\nVictory. The Emperor of the guard Empire. It would take a lot to break someone<br \/>\nlike him. And yet, Usha thought. I can only imagine what he&#8217;s been through. Your Majesty. She whispered again. Yes. I need you to reassure me<br \/>\nthat you feel the same way. How can I do that? First kiss me without hesitation. Carlyle leaned in and kissed her. I. I can&#8217;t breathe,<br \/>\nUsha murmured between kisses. Are you sure about this? Carlyle asked. He lifted her in his arms, holding her in a bridal carry<br \/>\nas he carried her to the bed. As he began removing his clothes. Usha noted, for someone who says<br \/>\nhe hasn&#8217;t been eating well. He&#8217;s still in incredible shape. Is that what you&#8217;re thinking now? He asked teasingly. I thought you weren&#8217;t interested<br \/>\nin my body at all. You haven&#8217;t seen anything yet. He whispered before kissing her again. A few days later, at the interim council,<br \/>\nI heard she set on leaving. Even though His Majesty<br \/>\nbegged her to stay. Who does she think she is? They&#8217;re lucky she knows her place. I was worried about that country girl<br \/>\ngetting fanciful ideas. The arrogance of these people. Someone muttered. There are two thrones right there. How can they still think<br \/>\nHer Majesty will be leaving? Lord wrath felt, Bayley whispered. Let&#8217;s make our case to the Emperor today. Loud and clear. Lord wrath felt. Lord wrath felt. Suddenly the doors opened. A hush fell over the room. Their Majesties,<br \/>\nthe Emperor and Empress stepped in. Carlisle and Asha together. Wait. What are they doing together? What is happening right now? Didn&#8217;t<br \/>\nyou say the Countess was set on leaving? Silence! In the room, the guard commanded. I know why you&#8217;ve called this meeting,<br \/>\nCarlisle said. I assume it has to do<br \/>\nwith the unfinished matter of my marriage. I wasn&#8217;t able to give you<br \/>\na definitive answer at the time, because I wanted to respect my Empress&#8217;s<br \/>\nwishes. But I trust that her presence here today<br \/>\nspeaks for itself. Are you seriously considering making your<br \/>\nmarriage to the current Empress official? When I took the throne, I vowed to be<br \/>\nan emperor who puts his people first. And nobody knows the lives of the people<br \/>\nbetter than usher, Provost, us. If anyone was meant to be Empress,<br \/>\nit&#8217;s her. But Your Majesty, Bayley objected. As we pointed out last time. The matter of who becomes<br \/>\nyour bride requires careful consideration. Hear, hear! Shouldn&#8217;t it at least be someone from<br \/>\na family who can afford to pay a dowry? Are you suggesting<br \/>\nthe Empress is of no value to the throne? Carlyle&#8217;s expression darkened<br \/>\nand that I should divorce her. That&#8217;s not what I meant. I only meant it might be more beneficial<br \/>\nto pursue the interests of the Crown, rather than hold on<br \/>\nto a loveless marriage. You think I don&#8217;t love the Empress? Your Majesty, Usha said softly. Let me speak to them. Are you sure? Have you forgotten who I am? I&#8217;ve spent my whole life<br \/>\ncheating death on the battlefield. She turned to the nobles. I know you all look down on me,<br \/>\njust as you&#8217;ve always looked down on me. And the people of Provence. The weak, the rural. But His Majesty vowed to be an emperor<br \/>\nwho serves the people. That&#8217;s why I&#8217;ve decided to stay, to serve<br \/>\nbeside him. Is it your intention to defy His Majesty&#8217;s<br \/>\nwill, I, Cecelia? If it be half of house turf,<br \/>\nit will respect Their Majesty&#8217;s wishes, Lucifer said. I see Deerford has pledged their loyalty<br \/>\nto the current order. Someone murmured Lord raffled. I suggest you make your position clear. I too will respect their Majesty&#8217;s wishes. Raffle declared. Murmurs filled the room. Lord raffled. This isn&#8217;t what we agreed upon. Someone burst out. You&#8217;re the reason we&#8217;re all here. If you two become officially wedded,<br \/>\nBailey said. Then Pervez will be left without a ruler<br \/>\nwho will protect the North. You don&#8217;t have to worry about that. She answered. My longtime friend and comrade in arms<br \/>\nhas already stepped forward. Though<br \/>\nno one promised to look after her lost. They have now the coronation ceremony. The coronation ceremony will be held<br \/>\non the first day of summer, Carlisle announced. You would do well to remember that your empress that day<br \/>\nwill be none other than usher was. Oh, God of balance and harmony. Roboto. Grant our Emperor<br \/>\nthe wisdom to balance mercy and justice and guide him in fostering harmony<br \/>\nthroughout the realm. O goddess of abundance, sna Rashi,<br \/>\nour Emperor, blessed by IG Wills and the Empress,<br \/>\nhave protected this empire from harm. We pray you bless their reign<br \/>\nwith prosperity. O God of death. Hammerfell, show us that all mortals<br \/>\nare equal in your presence, that we may abandon<br \/>\narrogance and false conviction. I, Carlyle. Kendrick, Evelina von del t<br \/>\nevery sto accept my duties as Emperor in accordance<br \/>\nwith the will of the gods and the people. I, Asha Amir, Melissa von del<br \/>\nevery still accept my duties as Empress in accordance<br \/>\nwith the will of the gods and the people. Long live the Empress! The crowd shouted. Long live the Empress! Claps! Thunder through the hall. The nobles won&#8217;t take kindly to an empress<br \/>\nwho puts commoners above them. Usha thought. I suppose I&#8217;m in for a rough road ahead. She turned to Carlisle. Yes. Just as you&#8217;ve always had my back. From now on I will have yours. I too will always have your back.<br \/>\nHe whispered. I love you. I love you too. Fury. The court erupted in celebration<br \/>\nonce again. A week after the official coronation,<br \/>\nthe order of L.A. reestablished its influence<br \/>\nsurrounding the lands it had long held as the office of the state. Religion. The noble houses that had stood behind<br \/>\nCarlisle were rewarded for their loyalty as Emperor. I hereby approve Lady Cecilia Dourif, its right of succession<br \/>\nas head of her family, Carlisle declared. Thank you, Your Majesty, Cecilia said,<br \/>\nvowing what will count Dourif, its son? Think of this, a noble whispered. And if Lady Dourif, it marries,<br \/>\nwill her husband become the count? No, Carlisle answered. Her husband would be a count consort. Goodness. What man with any pride<br \/>\nwould accept such a marriage? They clearly don&#8217;t know<br \/>\nthe first thing about Cecilia deserve it, someone muttered. It&#8217;s high time<br \/>\nthey learned, Carlisle said. Lady Cecilia was born<br \/>\nwith a warriors heart. She met his gaze. Oh, they&#8217;ll understand soon enough. I&#8217;m not someone to be frightened off<br \/>\neasily. And I swear to honor my promise to become your strongest ally,<br \/>\nshe added, bowing deeply. A few moments ago. Come in,<br \/>\nCarlisle said at the knock on his door. You wish to see me, Your Majesty? Donovan asked Sir. Donovan. I&#8217;ll get straight to the point. I&#8217;m considering granting you the title of<br \/>\ncounty, along with the lands of privacy. But I&#8217;m just a retainer to house<br \/>\nfarewells. How could I possibly take<br \/>\nmy master&#8217;s title? Then are you suggesting I bestow it<br \/>\non nobles who know nothing of farewells? No, that&#8217;s not what I meant. You stood by farewells<br \/>\nthrough its darkest times. No one is more qualified<br \/>\nthan you to be its count, Carlisle said, gripping his shoulder. Aisha feels the same way. I trust you with farewells,<br \/>\nAisha said gently. I&#8217;m sure my father and brother<br \/>\nwould have felt the same. Aisha. I mean, Your Majesty. You&#8217;ve always been like a sister to me. I&#8217;ll protect it. She smiled. Then I leave farewells in your care. Donovan bowed his head<br \/>\nand both of them began to cry. Underscore. Underscore. Present. I vow to uphold the legacy of the late<br \/>\ncount of mere farewells, and dedicate myself to the safety<br \/>\nand prosperity of Prevost, Donovan said. I shall do my utmost<br \/>\nto live up to Your Majesty&#8217;s expectations. Thank you, Asha whispered. Wait, sir. Donovan, or rather Count Decker, Provost<br \/>\nCarlisle said. Yes, Your Majesty. The Empress has a special gift for you. Asha stepped forward and held out a sword. This is my gift to the new count, Provost,<br \/>\nshe said. May you use it to protect our home. Donovan took it reverently. Your Majesty. Thank you. I will protect Pervez legacy<br \/>\nuntil my dying breath. Later that day. Phew! I can finally catch a break. Aisha sighed<br \/>\nwhen someone knocked on her door. Come in. It was Donovan. Your Majesty, I told you to stop<br \/>\ncalling me that, she said. If I don&#8217;t, I&#8217;ll be accused of contempt<br \/>\nfor the Imperial family, he teased. How are the wedding plans coming along? Well, nothing&#8217;s set in stone yet. Lady Dorothy has been busy, and Purvis<br \/>\nand I haven&#8217;t had a proper conversation<br \/>\nwith Lord raffled, either. She&#8217;s working on<br \/>\nbuilding a school, right? Yes. She even taught a few practice lessons. And she&#8217;s a natural, since it&#8217;ll be hard<br \/>\nto find teachers for now. It looks like Dorothea<br \/>\nwill do the teaching herself. She&#8217;s got her work cut out for her. I hear Lord Raff Feld is also leaving<br \/>\nfor Pervez soon, Aisha said. Oh, yes. What&#8217;s wrong? Has he said something to you again? She asked. No, it&#8217;s not that. Just hearing his name puts me on edge,<br \/>\nthat&#8217;s all. A man your size afraid of Lord raffle? Usha laughed. Come on. I don&#8217;t know what he said,<br \/>\nbut I wouldn&#8217;t worry too much. I promise he won&#8217;t be as stubborn<br \/>\nas he used to be. A few weeks later in Pervez. What&#8217;s that? Mr. fear, a group of children asked. Can&#8217;t you tell? She smiled. They&#8217;re rocks. Rocks? Well, these are called slates. When you start school here, you&#8217;ll<br \/>\nuse these to write letters and numbers. Well, just then, a knock at the door. Donovan stepped in. Still as popular with the kids as ever. I see Sir Donovan. Or I guess I should call you. Count Pervez now. You can call me whatever you like. He said with a grin. Now it really feels like a school,<br \/>\ndoesn&#8217;t it? Yes, it really does. Asha always wanted to build a school here too,<br \/>\nbut it was never the right time anyway. Dorothea asked. Any trouble in the Capitol? No. After receiving my title,<br \/>\nI came straight here because an important guest<br \/>\nwill be arriving soon. An important guest. Oh, you mean father? Dorothea looked down. I haven&#8217;t seen him<br \/>\nsince I talked back to him. I wonder how this will go. It&#8217;ll be fine, Donovan said gently. As the Lord of privacy. I&#8217;ll give Lord Raffel the welcome. So Grant<br \/>\nhe can&#8217;t possibly be disappointed. Dorothea chuckled. For all your big talk.<br \/>\nYour hands are shaking. This is just a psychological reaction,<br \/>\nhe muttered. Don&#8217;t worry too much, she said softly. I hear Lord Raffles has softened up<br \/>\na great deal, though no one said it aloud. Donovan sat at his desk, frowning down<br \/>\nat the parchment in front of him. Does it really cost<br \/>\nthis much to host a banquet just once? Or am I being too greedy? He sighed.<br \/>\nUsha was so good at these things. As expected,<br \/>\nthis position of Lord is too much for me. Sorry. I&#8217;ll just start over from scratch. A knock came at the<br \/>\ndoor. My lord, are you in? Yes, he called, startled. I saw the light was still on,<br \/>\nso I came by. Dorothea said as she entered. Do you have a lot of work? No, it&#8217;s not much, he murmured. If she knew I was struggling. She must be preparing to receive guests. She think I&#8217;m pathetic. I just couldn&#8217;t sleep,<br \/>\nso I was fiddling with it. No, she replied, unconvinced. It doesn&#8217;t seem that way to me. May I take a look? Before he could protest,<br \/>\nshe picked up the papers. Oh, you were working on the banquet<br \/>\nbudget? Yes. Why did you hide this from me?<br \/>\nDon&#8217;t tell me. Is it because you were struggling? You thought I&#8217;d look down on you? My Lord Donovan didn&#8217;t answer. You don&#8217;t need to plan<br \/>\nsuch a grand welcome. She continued. In fact,<br \/>\nfather would probably call it extravagant. Those decorations aren&#8217;t necessary. And for the tea? Why not choose something similar<br \/>\nbut a little cheaper? I see. Thank you, Lady Dorothea. You&#8217;re good at this kind of thing, too. Managing the Imperial Palace budget<br \/>\nwas the Empress&#8217;s responsibility. She said softly. Father made sure I learned that properly. I&#8217;m glad I can finally put<br \/>\nthat knowledge to use for privacy. There was a small pause. Shall we continue working? She asked. Yeah. He smiled. Let&#8217;s finish it all tonight. Later, the red carpet rolled out<br \/>\nbefore the manner of privacy. Dorothea and Donovan stood at its end,<br \/>\nwaiting. It&#8217;s been a while. Father Dorothea said as Lord Raffles<br \/>\nstepped down from his carriage. Yes, it has, he replied. Count. Farewell. It&#8217;s been some time for you as well. You must be tired from your journey,<br \/>\nDonovan said. Would you like to eat first? Let&#8217;s do that at the table. I wasn&#8217;t sure what you&#8217;d like,<br \/>\nso I prepared a variety, Donovan said. Raffle took a bite. Delicious. As good as anything<br \/>\nthe Imperial Palace chef could make. I&#8217;m glad to hear you say that. So please don&#8217;t just watch me eat as well. Count. Oh, yes. There was a pause. Then Lord raffle asked. When are you planning to have the wedding? I think it would be best to hold it<br \/>\nas soon as possible, Donovan replied. Dorothy is already acting<br \/>\nlike the mistress of farewells, so it would feel hard<br \/>\nnot to make it official. That&#8217;s true. Dorothea said quietly. But are you really okay with it? With me becoming the Countess of farewell? What good would my opposition do now? You&#8217;re already destined<br \/>\nfor greater heights. And if I were going to oppose it, it<br \/>\nwouldn&#8217;t have come this far to begin with. I imagined you wouldn&#8217;t, she said. I&#8217;ve already made irreversible mistakes<br \/>\nwith your brothers, he continued, his voice heavy. I have no intention<br \/>\nof forcing anything on you anymore. I want to be a father you can be proud of. Speaking of which, he said gently. When is the due date? We should have the ceremony before then. Dorothea froze. Oh, well. I&#8217;m sorry. It was a lie. I&#8217;m not pregnant. What? Board. Raffles. Voice hardened. Why on earth<br \/>\nwould you lie about something like that? I see, he murmured after a long silence. You must have wanted to be<br \/>\nwith Count farewell so much that you were even willing to lie. What Asha said was true. Perhaps I really am trying to change. Though no one thought he would. A few months later, Carlyle and Asha<br \/>\nsat in a carriage headed for privacy. Pervez has changed a lot<br \/>\nsince I last saw it, Asha remarked. Indeed, Carlyle replied. When I first came here,<br \/>\nI worried the carriage would rattle so much<br \/>\nthe wheels might fall off. She chuckled. It seems Dekker has worked very hard. I never thought I&#8217;d see Pervez develop<br \/>\nso much in my lifetime. You&#8217;re the one who laid the foundation<br \/>\nfor its development, aren&#8217;t you? Usha smiled. Your efforts were just as important. The carriage rolled to a stop. We&#8217;ve arrived. The driver called. It&#8217;s been a while since I set foot<br \/>\nin, Pervez Carlyle said, stepping out. I feel quite excited. What&#8217;s there to be excited about? Usha teased. Anyway, I&#8217;m worried. Did too many guests come? He asked. Too many guests is also a problem,<br \/>\nAsha muttered. We had to move the venue outdoors<br \/>\nand there still aren&#8217;t enough seats. I wonder if we&#8217;re making it<br \/>\neven more crowded by being here. The ceremony is about to begin. Someone called. Please be quiet. They took their seats. Bridegroom. Please enter. Carlyle and Usha turned toward the door. Did something go wrong? Carlisle asked Decker. Usha whispered. My lord.<br \/>\nIs there a problem? Bailey asked<br \/>\ngently stepping into the room. He found Donovan standing still, his hand frozen in motion,<br \/>\nlips parted in a shallow gasp. Donovan blinked rapidly,<br \/>\nas if jolted from a trance. My lord, the time you were supposed to be<br \/>\nwaiting outside is long past. Donovan turned toward the window,<br \/>\ninstinctively, then to the clock. Disoriented. Is it that late already? He murmured. Breath catching in his throat. Yes. Because the groom didn&#8217;t enter, the guests<br \/>\nand Lady Dorothea were quite flustered. Donovan ran a hand through his neatly combed<br \/>\nhair, his face tightening and worry. What? I don&#8217;t look too strange, do I? He asked with a hesitant chuckle, tugging<br \/>\nslightly at the collar of his formal coat. Bailey smiled, placing a reassuring<br \/>\nhand over his chest. No, you look very dashing. The announcement echoed from the hall. Groom. Enter, please. Donovan took a deep breath,<br \/>\nsquared his shoulders and stepped forward, his boots clicking steadily against<br \/>\nthe polished floor as the doors opened. A soft hush fell across the guest<br \/>\nas they turned to face him. Eyes followed his every step. The once awkward and bashful Lord<br \/>\nnow moved with calm confidence. Each movement restrained<br \/>\nbut dignified. Wow. You look like a completely different<br \/>\nperson, Usha said from the side. Her voice low<br \/>\nbut sincere as glinting with surprise. Why are you falling for me all over again? Carlyle leaned in close to her,<br \/>\nwhispering with a teasing smile. Don&#8217;t be ridiculous. She looked away, heat<br \/>\nblooming on her cheeks, despite herself. Now the bride. Please enter. The priest called. Gasps and quiet<br \/>\nmurmurs stirred as the doors opened again, and Dorothea stepped in, her gown trailing<br \/>\nelegantly behind her. Her arm, linked with her father&#8217;s light from the tall windows,<br \/>\ncaught the shimmer in her veil. It seems they are reconciled. Usha whispered, observing the small,<br \/>\nmeaningful glance Dorothea gave her father. Well, that&#8217;s a relief, Carlyle<br \/>\nsaid, nodding solemnly. Donovan stepped forward<br \/>\nand gently took Dorothea&#8217;s hand. There was a pause, a breath of reverence,<br \/>\nbefore he leaned down and kissed it. His eyes never leaving hers. The hall erupted into gentle applause. The sound swelling with warmth and joy. Usha. She turned at the familiar voice,<br \/>\nher expression melting into delight. Della. Nina. She called, rising to meet. We greet Her Majesty the Empress,<br \/>\nthey said in unison, bowing respectfully. It&#8217;s been a while. Usha said as she reached forward and wrapped her arms around them,<br \/>\npulling them both into a soft embrace. Della? Is your arm okay? Della looked down at her side,<br \/>\nthen back up with a rueful smile. It&#8217;s not completely usable. The heavens must have been<br \/>\nwatching over me. Isaiah&#8217;s gaze<br \/>\nsoftened with quiet pain and admiration. Nina, I heard you became Dorothea&#8217;s<br \/>\ndedicated maid. Isn&#8217;t it tough? Nina shook her head with a shy smile. No. The new Countess is also shy and kind. Much like Your Majesty. So it&#8217;s not difficult at all. I was shy and kind. Usha asked, raising an eyebrow<br \/>\nwith a teasing smirk. Yes, Nina, replied earnest. Some young man approached Asha. They approached with an elegant composure,<br \/>\nhis tone laced with joy. We greet Her Majesty the Empress,<br \/>\nhe said to Asha. Good heavens,<br \/>\nshe replied with a light laugh. Have you all been well? Yes. It&#8217;s thanks to the new count<br \/>\nof taking such good care of us. Privacy has changed a lot, hasn&#8217;t it? Someone nearby said with quiet. Oh, yes. I almost didn&#8217;t recognize it<br \/>\nas the place I used to live. Asha admitted, her voice<br \/>\ntinged with nostalgia. Conversations bubbled up around her. Warm voices, light, laughter clinking<br \/>\nglasses. For once,<br \/>\nit all felt like peace later that night. It&#8217;s been a while since I&#8217;ve seen this scenery,<br \/>\nCarlyle said, standing by the window. Usha joined him, her eyes following the lights<br \/>\nthat glimmered like stars across the city. The festival still buzzed in the streets. Music drifting faintly, distant, laughter<br \/>\nechoing through the cool air. It still feels like a festival,<br \/>\nshe whispered. I remember Pervez first harvest festival,<br \/>\nhe said. His voice quiet, thoughtful. How shabby it must have looked to you<br \/>\nwell, rather than shabby. It was fascinating. Which part? That literally everyone was rejoicing,<br \/>\nAsha said. Her eyes reflecting the light outside. I thought I&#8217;d only see<br \/>\nsuch a sight in heaven. But from now on, such sites<br \/>\nwill gradually disappear in privacy. That&#8217;s right. A lot of money is flowed in,<br \/>\nand because of that, new people will come. Conflict will arise. Money related crimes might occur. Dekker will do well, Asha said. You can tell those who ignore us or have ulterior motives<br \/>\nwith an almost supernatural ability. Carlyle turned slightly. Twitter curious. And after you identify them,<br \/>\nis there an alternative? There&#8217;s Lady Dorothea, lady Dorothea will wonderfully fill<br \/>\nin what Dekker lacks, right? Carlyle gave a half smile, though<br \/>\nthe weight of reality lingered in his eyes. The problem will be us in the capital. There are just as many things<br \/>\nto resolve as in previous. And still many people oppose me. Usha turned to him, fully<br \/>\nbrushing her fingertips over his cheek. Well, I&#8217;m not particularly afraid<br \/>\nbecause we&#8217;ll do well, too. He gently cupped her face with both hands,<br \/>\nleaning closer. As long as I have you. I&#8217;m not afraid either. Their lips met in a soft, lingering kiss,<br \/>\na moment drawn out in the quiet night. How does it feel to see it again? Carlyle asked. He held up the necklace, letting it dangle<br \/>\nslightly from his fingers. Asha&#8217;s eyes widened<br \/>\nas the memory flickered. Did it look like this? Strangely, all my memories from<br \/>\nthat time have become hazy. Is it because they&#8217;re memories<br \/>\nyou want to forget? No. Although they are painful<br \/>\nand terrible memories, I don&#8217;t want to erase them because they&#8217;re<br \/>\nthe memories of us protecting privacy. Her voice trembled faintly. She took the necklace,<br \/>\nrunning her thumb across the metal. Following my father, my older brothers. Eventually, I was the only one<br \/>\nwho beheaded the barbarians. Carlisle watched her closely. A deeper sadness building in his chest. The more I hear your story,<br \/>\nthe more curious I become about what kind of people Amir Pervaiz<br \/>\nand your brothers were. Asha gave a faint, lopsided smile. We weren&#8217;t particularly affectionate<br \/>\nwith each other, but, well, I don&#8217;t know. A flash of memory<br \/>\npierced through her thoughts. Why is the mayor&#8217;s girl<br \/>\nmaking a fuss about wielding a sword? Her brother said, get lost. A younger Asha snapped. Her face flushed with anger<br \/>\nas she clutched the heavy sword. If you swing it around<br \/>\ncarelessly like that, you&#8217;ll get hurt. If you&#8217;re not going to get lost,<br \/>\nthen at least teach me. Her voice trembled. Not with fear, but defiance. Here we go again. Someone muttered in the background. If Asha seriously wants to learn<br \/>\nswordsmanship, I have no intention of stopping her. Her brother said, his voice calm, low. The problem is mother. Another brother responded. Mother hates the idea of Asha<br \/>\nlearning the sword to death. You&#8217;re pretty, Asha,<br \/>\nher mother said softly, brushing a hand over<br \/>\nAsha&#8217;s long, thick hair. Asha looked up at her, sensing<br \/>\nthe undertone. Her mother&#8217;s expression was gentle,<br \/>\nbut there was that same wall in her eyes, one<br \/>\nAsha had never been able to break through. Your brothers are training right now. Her mother continued pouring tea<br \/>\ndelicately into a porcelain cup. Asha, you&#8217;re a girl. Don&#8217;t do anything dangerous. The scent of herbs filled the room, but it did little to soothe<br \/>\nthe unrest building in Asha&#8217;s chest. Let&#8217;s have some tea together, my dear,<br \/>\nher mother said warmly as she walked toward the door.<br \/>\nI wonder how many tea leaves are left. Wait quietly. With that she left the room, the soft<br \/>\nswish of her gown trailing behind her. Asha stood still, unmoving. Her hands slowly clenched into fists. I don&#8217;t have time for this, she whispered<br \/>\nbitterly, and ruffled her hair. Frustration<br \/>\nbrewing inside her like a storm. She turned and bolted up the stairs, feet<br \/>\nbarely touching the ground. Reaching the upper floor, she crouched near the railing,<br \/>\npeering into the open air courtyard below. Her brothers were in full training<br \/>\nswords, clashing voices raised in<br \/>\ngrunts and yells, sparks flying. Her heart beat faster. I don&#8217;t know when the barbarians<br \/>\nwill attack. I can&#8217;t just sit around and drink<br \/>\ntea downstairs. Her mother returned to the TV lounge, humming<br \/>\nlightly as she pushed the door open. Asha, have you been waiting long? The cup she was holding stopped mid-air. Her expression went blank<br \/>\nas she looked around the empty room. There was no sign of Asha. Meanwhile,<br \/>\nAsha was in her room already changing. She kicked off her shoes, pulled off<br \/>\nher frock and tossed it across the bed. Her small hands worked quickly,<br \/>\ntying the waistband of a plain pant shirt she had stolen from one of her<br \/>\nolder brothers. I left it here. Found it. She pulled out the long wooden stick<br \/>\nshe had hidden behind a bookshelf. It wasn&#8217;t a real sword, but it was enough. Her breathing steadied<br \/>\nas she gripped the stick with both hands. First hold the sword with both hands, she<br \/>\nmurmured, recalling her brother&#8217;s words. It&#8217;s me, Asha. Vincent. She turned abruptly, startled,<br \/>\nbut relief washed over her face. Oh, it was you, brother. Vincent stepped forward, brow furrowed. What are you doing? Why didn&#8217;t you answer? You came at the right time, brother. Come in quickly. Hey, Asha, he began,<br \/>\nbut she grabbed his sleeve. Help me practice my swordsmanship,<br \/>\nAsha said eagerly, eyes wide. You were practicing here? Vincent looked around the cramped space. Look at this. She demonstrated swinging the stick. When I swing the sword,<br \/>\nmy body keeps wobbling. That&#8217;s because you&#8217;re swinging it<br \/>\ndiagonally. You need to swing it in a straight line<br \/>\nlike this. He took the stick and showed her<br \/>\nhis movements. Fluid and clean. Yeah. That&#8217;s it. Meanwhile, outside, two of her brothers<br \/>\nstood resting, sweat trickling down their temples. What&#8217;s wrong with you? You&#8217;ve been sighing enough<br \/>\nto make the ground cave in. Brother,<br \/>\nam I not talented enough with the sword? One brother blinked, caught off guard. What are you talking about? No, it&#8217;s just Asha seems better than me. Asha. Don&#8217;t tell me you&#8217;re secretly teaching<br \/>\nAsha swordsmanship behind mother&#8217;s back. Chill. If mother finds out, we&#8217;re in big trouble. I need to see Asha practice once. If she doesn&#8217;t learn properly,<br \/>\nit&#8217;s worse than not learning at all. Two years later, the training grounds echoed<br \/>\nwith the rhythm of wooden swords clashing just rose as Asha dashed across the field,<br \/>\nnow stronger, faster, more focused. Swordsmanship is important,<br \/>\nbut stamina is the most important thing. Her brother<br \/>\nsaid, correcting her stance from behind. Yes, I understand. Asha panted, adjusting her grip. Young Miss Madam is calling for you. Well, okay. She sighed, placing her sword gently<br \/>\non the rack in her mother&#8217;s sitting room. The curtains filtered sunlight<br \/>\nover an elegant silk dress. Asha. Her mother said,<br \/>\nholding up the fabric proudly. Look at this. It&#8217;s a dress I made of levee filled silk. Soon, my family, the Viscount<br \/>\nLinton&#8217;s house, will hold a banquet. Let&#8217;s wear this. There. I don&#8217;t want to. Asha said, voice low. You don&#8217;t want to? Why, Asha? Her mother&#8217;s voice rose,<br \/>\na blend of disbelief and hurt. You&#8217;re not a child anymore. You should wear clothes like this<br \/>\nand practice proper deportment. Mother Asha stepped forward,<br \/>\nfist clenched. Even if I wear such frilly clothes. If I encounter barbarians<br \/>\nwhen I just be a nicely dressed corpse. The words struck like a slap. Her mother recoiled, slightly trembling. How could you say such a thing? I&#8217;m doing this<br \/>\nso you don&#8217;t become that corpse. At least, at least you should grow up<br \/>\ngracefully and marry into a good family. Asha&#8217;s eyes narrowed. You&#8217;re the only one who can escape this<br \/>\nhell. I won&#8217;t run away from hell. You&#8217;re young, so you don&#8217;t know anything. There&#8217;s nothing you can do here. Hurry and put on this dress. Asha, I said I don&#8217;t want to. She yelled. And with that, she grabbed the dress<br \/>\nfrom her mother&#8217;s hands and threw it to the floor. I will become the warrior of privacy. She turned and stormed out of the room. Her breath loud in her ears,<br \/>\nher heart racing with fury and conviction. Her mother picked up the fallen<br \/>\ndress and shaking, and looked down at the crushed silk. The following year, her mother had left. She divorced father and returned to her<br \/>\nparents home. It&#8217;s a relief the Imperial family didn&#8217;t<br \/>\nprevent the divorce. Are you really all right? Father Usha asked one morning. Finding him in the study. Rather. I&#8217;m grateful, he said with a tired smile. Looking out the window. Because I don&#8217;t have to see your mother<br \/>\nsuffering here anymore. He reached for his tea. Voice softening. Your mother was a typical noble lady. She cried and prayed every night, and always carried poison with her<br \/>\nin case the castle fell. Usha looked down. Her hands curled. Only her love for me and for you<br \/>\nmust have been the reason she stayed. Mother probably grew disenchanted<br \/>\nwith this place because of me. Should I? Her father asked. Then I should thank you<br \/>\nfor saving your mother. It&#8217;s too early for thanks,<br \/>\nshe said with quiet resolve. I&#8217;ll save you too, father. He turned surprised, but the pride in<br \/>\nhis eyes was unmistakable. All right. I&#8217;ll look forward to it. Evening. The orange glow of torches<br \/>\nlit up the dusty courtyard. Her father stood before her<br \/>\nwith a proud, steady gaze. Starting tomorrow,<br \/>\ncome to the training grounds officially. Asha&#8217;s heart stopped for a beat. Yes, father,<br \/>\nshe replied, her voice strong, and for the first time in years<br \/>\nshe felt joy ripple through her like fire. Asha&#8217;s voice was quiet, almost reverent. A year later, I fought for the first time<br \/>\nagainst the savages. The fire crackled softly beside them. Carlyle turned,<br \/>\nlooking at her with deep concern. It must have been difficult, he said. His voice laced with sympathy. She didn&#8217;t immediately respond. Her gaze drifted upward, fixed on the dark<br \/>\nsky above the balcony where they stood. The wind tugged at her sleeves. My brothers started to fight<br \/>\nat an even younger age, she said. Although I couldn&#8217;t protect my father<br \/>\nor my brothers. I&#8217;m glad<br \/>\nthat I at least was able to protect us. Her voice cracked at the end.<br \/>\nShe hated it. Carlyle reached forward. A rare moment of warmth<br \/>\novertaking his usually stern posture. He embraced her gently,<br \/>\nwrapping her trembling body in silence. I&#8217;ll be your family from now on, he said. His eyes widened slightly. His embrace didn&#8217;t falter since Lord Amir<br \/>\nand your brother can&#8217;t do it anymore. I&#8217;ll love you in every step. Ashes throat tightened and her fingers<br \/>\ngripped the fabric of his robe. I feel the same way, she whispered. I&#8217;ll give you all the love<br \/>\nyou couldn&#8217;t receive before. One year later, the scroll trembled<br \/>\nslightly in Asha&#8217;s hands as she read the new report. A monster appeared<br \/>\nin the eastern region of the Empire. She murmured, her<br \/>\nheart dropping beside her. Carlyle&#8217;s tone was measured, but his eyes<br \/>\nbetrayed how grave the matter was. Yes, it seems it&#8217;s<br \/>\nquite a ferocious beast. I thought all the cursed energy disappeared from the border<br \/>\nafter Gabriel absorbed it. Aisha thought aloud, frowning. Her mind spun political unrest,<br \/>\nher own authority being challenged. And now this. Are you sure? Just the Imperial Knights<br \/>\nwill be enough to handle the situation? She asked. Personnel raised a brow. Why do you want to come with us? You should trust them more. They&#8217;ve gotten stronger since last year. She narrowed her eyes. I don&#8217;t think one year is enough<br \/>\nfor a considerable improvement. They will get more experience<br \/>\non the practice. Aside from that. Are you sure you will be fine, Aisha? Why me? She blinked. This will be the first time<br \/>\nyou stay in front of me. The Empire by yourself. He said with unusual seriousness. Even when there are people,<br \/>\nyou can delegate part of your authority to help. I&#8217;m sure there will be many<br \/>\nwho will try to wrong you. At the imperial meeting,<br \/>\nnobleman sat in rigid rows, the air tense. The scent of incense couldn&#8217;t<br \/>\nmask the sour scent of fear. Aisha stood tall at the front. Clad in dark royal robes. Her crown tilted with unmistakable<br \/>\nconfidence. Your Majesty, before we start,<br \/>\nI would like to say a few words. As the elder of the noble House meeting. What is it? Aisha asked coolly. He bowed, eyes<br \/>\nflicking sideways to his allies. A few of us have been worried about the situation of the Emperor&#8217;s<br \/>\nfamily descendants. I see, usher replied, face neutral. By this time, the previous emperor began<br \/>\nhaving difficulties producing an heir. So the Emperor&#8217;s family started<br \/>\nlooking for other alternatives. Is that so? He nodded. We think that if we really care<br \/>\nabout the future of the Empire, you should allow the Emperor<br \/>\nto have another consort. Don&#8217;t you think that would be the best way<br \/>\nto face the situation? Gasps echoed. A noblewoman coughed nervously,<br \/>\nashes, nails dug into her palm. You were pressuring a couple that only has one year of marriage<br \/>\nto have a child already. And in addition to that, you also proposed<br \/>\nto allow another consort. Her tone was steel. I can see why<br \/>\nyou all must be thinking of me. We are just worried about the future<br \/>\nof the Emperor&#8217;s family. And yet you promised to introduce Kutty<br \/>\nto me and other lords, said uncertainly. If your concerns about an heir<br \/>\nwere so great, why didn&#8217;t you report them directly to the Emperor? Well, that&#8217;s because we knew he would find it difficult<br \/>\nto bring the subject to you directly. Your Majesty. Aisha stare sharpened. What a strange excuse. Don&#8217;t you know that could be considered<br \/>\na soft ism? Talking about having another consort<br \/>\nin front of me like that. It could clearly be interpreted<br \/>\nas a malicious intent to disrespect me. You are misunderstanding, Your Majesty. If the Emperor had discussed the subject<br \/>\nwith you directly, he wouldn&#8217;t have stood his ground<br \/>\nso firmly. And ideally, this type of issue is something<br \/>\na wife should bring to her husband first. So you were saying that a good wife<br \/>\nshould allow her husband to have another consort and see him<br \/>\nwith children from another woman. Her voice was calm, deadly calm. Sir Bayley,<br \/>\nshe called out without looking back. Yes, your Majesty, please recite article<br \/>\n2 to 2 of the Imperial Criminal Code. Bayley&#8217;s voice rang clear,<br \/>\naccording to article 2 to 2. The Imperial Family is above<br \/>\neveryone else in the imperial hierarchy. Anyone who dares to disrespect or disgrace<br \/>\na member of the Imperial family could face the maximum penalty of death,<br \/>\nregardless of their social status or position. I wish to put these people in custody,<br \/>\nAisha said. They have disrespected<br \/>\nme and earned contempt. The nobles paled. Your Majesty, please reconsider. Bayley remained stone<br \/>\nfaced behind Asha watching. They should be glad<br \/>\nit was the Empress handling this. If they had said that<br \/>\nin front of the Emperor, he would have cut their throats<br \/>\nopen on the spot. Later, in the Imperial Hall. They said that to you? Carlisle asked, his tone low and sharp. Asha explained everything. You should have cut their hands right<br \/>\nthere. Killing<br \/>\nso many nobles could have caused chaos. Even so. Also, they&#8217;re not my enemies. If we just warned them not to disrespect me like that again,<br \/>\nwould that be too soft on my part? No, you&#8217;re right here, Carlisle said,<br \/>\nlooking away. We decided to take a different path<br \/>\nand all three desserts, a long silence. It&#8217;s all my fault, he added quietly. I must have looked so indifferent to you that they dared<br \/>\nto say something like that. I have to<br \/>\nmake everyone see how crazy I am for you. Asha raised her brows. Now wait. I think you&#8217;re getting off track here. Suddenly she blinked. Personnel. Gone. He&#8217;s about to do something<br \/>\nridiculous again. Aisha thought, placing her<br \/>\nhand to her forehead. A few days later, Asha opened the door<br \/>\nto her chambers and passed. A sea of soft<br \/>\npetal blossoms filled her room. Every surface, from table to floor<br \/>\nto balcony was covered in ethereal blooms. What&#8217;s this? Carlyle stepped from behind, her arms<br \/>\nfolded, but his grin playful. Asha, what do you think about my present? She turned. What are you talking about? Why are you wasting so much on something<br \/>\nso unnecessary again? He lifted a finger,<br \/>\nwagging it with mock discipline. Aisha, listen to me. These flowers come from the eastern<br \/>\nregion, affected by the monsters. I bought them all these flowers<br \/>\nto try to help. After all the damage the beast cost. Her eyes softened immediately. I see. I&#8217;m sorry. You don&#8217;t need to apologize,<br \/>\nhe said gently. I should have explained to you<br \/>\nin the first place. Then his eyes sparkled mischievously. Since I decorated your room<br \/>\nso beautifully. Shall we sleep together here tonight? Aisha met his eyes with quiet affection. I would love to. She leaned in closer,<br \/>\nbrushing her hand on his face. I&#8217;ll be waiting for you tonight. I&#8217;m certain of it. The doctor said as he checked her pulse. You were pregnant? Your Majesty. Pregnant? Carlyle asked, eyes wide. Are you truly sure of that? Yes. Is there any problem with that? No. It&#8217;s just. I can&#8217;t believe it. Well, I must admit,<br \/>\nthere had been some concern that you weren&#8217;t making enough effort<br \/>\nto provide the Empire with a new heir. But I was pleasantly surprised to learn<br \/>\nshe is now pregnant. Of course. Aisha replied calmly. During the first month of your pregnancy,<br \/>\nyou should focus on gently nurturing your body<br \/>\nand keeping a peaceful mind. The doctor advised it would be better to announce<br \/>\nthe pregnancy after 2 or 3 months. All right. Thank you for your help. Please make sure not to tell anyone else<br \/>\nabout it. Carlisle added of course, Your Majesty. The doctor replied, bowing<br \/>\nas he turned to leave. Carlisle let out a quiet breath. I will become a father. I&#8217;m glad you agreed to get checked<br \/>\nby an Imperial doctor, he continued. You kept insisting that your symptoms<br \/>\nweren&#8217;t a big deal. Well,<br \/>\nI was just feeling a little dizzy lately. I never expected it was because I&#8217;m<br \/>\ncarrying a child inside me. Carlisle smiled. I hope that if we get a daughter,<br \/>\nshe looks like you. She would be so beautiful. If she resembles you more. She would also be beautiful,<br \/>\nAisha said gently. Now, at least there won&#8217;t be any more issues about us<br \/>\nproviding an heir to the Empire. Aisha. You don&#8217;t have to worry about that. If anyone&#8217;s bothering you about it,<br \/>\nI&#8217;ll get rid of them right now. What do you even mean by that? Aisha said with a soft laugh. Just focus on taking care of yourself. You&#8217;ve been told to keep a peaceful mind. Remember? Yes, but I don&#8217;t think I can stay<br \/>\nin bed all day doing nothing. Isn&#8217;t it better to keep acting normal<br \/>\nto hide the pregnancy? Then I&#8217;ll stay by your side the whole time<br \/>\nuntil we reveal it. Carlisle said as he hugged her. There&#8217;s no other choice. I have to protect our child. I&#8217;m sure people will start complaining<br \/>\nif you stay by my side all the time too. If I stay with you,<br \/>\nno noble will dare disrespect you. A few months later, I&#8217;ve heard it&#8217;s<br \/>\nvery painful to give birth. Carlisle<br \/>\nthought nervously as he paced outside. Why is it so quiet? Why can&#8217;t I hear anything? I&#8217;ve also heard that a high<br \/>\nnumber of women die during childbirth. That&#8217;s not going to happen<br \/>\nto Aisha, right? I think. I think one child is enough. I don&#8217;t want her to go through this again. Suddenly,<br \/>\nthe doctor came out and opened the door. The next emperor is here. Congratulations, Your Majesty. Already. How is Aisha? How can she be this quiet<br \/>\nwhile giving birth? Her Majesty is completely safe and sound. I&#8217;ve never seen anyone endure the pain<br \/>\nas well as she did. She did just as I expected. You can come inside to see her<br \/>\nand your new child. Carlyle stepped in. Asha, he said. She turned her head,<br \/>\nholding a small child in her arms. Look at our baby, Asha. You really did a great job. He stepped closer, eyes wide and all. She looks so strange, Don&#8217;t<br \/>\nyou think she&#8217;s beautiful? It&#8217;s strange, but really beautiful. Asha replied softly. Yeah. So beautiful. Nine years later. Ryan. Don&#8217;t run. Asha and Carlyle ran after their son. You always get so excited<br \/>\nwhen we come here, Asha said breathless. You must really like that painting. Carlyle added as Ryan stopped<br \/>\nand stared at it. You said you were going to start displaying this picture<br \/>\nat the Imperial Museum, right? Ryan asked. Yes. Carlyle replied. That way everyone will be able<br \/>\nto see how cool you were. I never imagined we would put that painting on display,<br \/>\nAsha said, shaking her head. I don&#8217;t remember that moment<br \/>\nbeing so great back in the day. What are you talking about? It was much better in real life<br \/>\nthan it looks in the painting. Carlyle teased. Don&#8217;t give Ryan false illusions about us,<br \/>\nshe warned. Even now, he can&#8217;t stop staring<br \/>\nat the painting whenever he sees it. Don&#8217;t worry<br \/>\nso much about it, Carlyle said. I heard that the days when your child<br \/>\npraises you as the greatest person alive don&#8217;t last long. Really? Asha asked. In a few years, he&#8217;ll start going<br \/>\nthrough puberty and defying us. I told you,<br \/>\nI already know that, she replied. But I don&#8217;t know why. I just have a feeling<br \/>\nyou&#8217;ll always be an awesome dad to him. Ryan has always liked you more. What? Don&#8217;t<br \/>\nyou know that Ryan&#8217;s eternal idol is Asha? Every still. What are you talking about? I scold him almost every day. Ryan Carlyle called. Yes, father. I have bad news. What is it about, mother? Yes. What happened to mom? She thinks you don&#8217;t like her that much. What? It can&#8217;t be. I didn&#8217;t say he didn&#8217;t like me,<br \/>\nAsha murmured. I just said I think he likes Carlyle more. Ryan, why do you think your mother feels<br \/>\nthat way? Maybe. Maybe? I haven&#8217;t been telling her that I love her<br \/>\nas often as I should. It&#8217;s not that, Ryan. You always tell me you love me<br \/>\nbefore putting me to sleep. Aisha said softly. Then why? What else could be the reason? I&#8217;m not sure, Carlyle said thoughtfully. It must be<br \/>\nbecause your mother is a shy person. She always feel shy when people love her. Why does she feel ashamed that I love her? Your mother has been shy for a long time,<br \/>\nCarlyle said. Back in the day,<br \/>\nwhen I showed her love so often, she would refuse to believe it<br \/>\nright until the end. What on earth are you telling her? Usha asked, clearly flustered. Because of that, Carlyle said, smiling. We have to make sure to tell her<br \/>\nthat we love her more and more every day. She deserves that kind of love. All right. That seems like something easy to do. Ryan agreed. We also have to give her more hugs<br \/>\nand kisses. Great, Carlyle said. Well, then go with your mother now. Yes, father. What were you telling him? Asha asked suspiciously,<br \/>\nas both Carlyle and Ryan hugged her. Perhaps you didn&#8217;t realize, but from now on, you&#8217;ve decided<br \/>\nto tell you more often that we love you. Just to make it clear. Starting today<br \/>\nat breakfast, lunch and dinner. And any time it crosses our mind. Carlyle smiled. I love you, Asha. I love you, mom, Ryan said warmly. Oh, you too. I love both of you. I love both of you. Asha whispered, holding them close. The King spoke<br \/>\nsolemnly as he looked at Carlyle. The right to select your partner is what I am granting you<br \/>\nas a reward for your victory. The Emperor&#8217;s command is a sign of gratitude<br \/>\nfor winning the war against the savages. Whoever you choose<br \/>\nwill become your spouse. In that case, Carlyle said,<br \/>\nI choose to marry Princess Asha. What? The prince muttered, stunned. I understand how great an opportunity<br \/>\nyour generous offer is to allow me to marry any noble<br \/>\nI choose. That&#8217;s why I had to choose the highest<br \/>\nranking noble available. And that noble is, of course,<br \/>\nthe Princess, Carlyle said plainly. Is there an issue with that? How arrogant<br \/>\nyou are. Count Purvis. How dare you ask<br \/>\nfor the hand of the princess? The king growled. I will give you one more chance<br \/>\nto choose another partner. The partner I want is Princess<br \/>\nAsha, Carlyle repeated. But if you insist on rejecting<br \/>\nmy decision, you&#8217;ll have to pay the compensation money<br \/>\nthat was promised for my victory. Usha let out a quiet laugh. I find it<br \/>\ninteresting that you have chosen me. Are you not aware that I&#8217;ve been stripped<br \/>\nof my title as Crown Princess? I apologize,<br \/>\nCarlyle said with a faint smile. It&#8217;s something I&#8217;ve been thinking about<br \/>\nfor quite some time. It seems this will be a long conversation,<br \/>\nUsha said, sitting down. So tell me, did you choose me only because<br \/>\nI&#8217;m the highest ranking noble woman? No. At first I was only aiming<br \/>\nfor compensation, he admitted. But now that you&#8217;ve accepted<br \/>\nthat opportunity&#8217;s gone. Usha frowned. It doesn&#8217;t seem like<br \/>\nhe knew about my situation after all. Why did you accept my proposal? Carlyle asked. Before I answer,<br \/>\nlet me give you a proper greeting. It couldn&#8217;t have been easy defeating the barbarian army<br \/>\nas the princess of this empire. I thank you<br \/>\nand all of purpose for your efforts. Thank you, Carlyle said sincerely. We should have supported Purvis better<br \/>\nbefore, Usha added. She&#8217;s known as the Blade Master<br \/>\nPrincess, now blessed by the God of War. I thought she would be cold and harsh, but let&#8217;s sign<br \/>\nthe engagement papers, Usha said suddenly. I&#8217;ll give you what you want. The funds and connections<br \/>\nto rebuild Purvis. Carlyle raised a brow. Is there something you want from me?<br \/>\nNot really. I would appreciate it if no one put<br \/>\nsurveillance on me while I&#8217;m at Purvis. Surveillance. Carlyle blinked. Don&#8217;t tell me<br \/>\nyou just want to take a break. And Purvis. At least I&#8217;d be free. No one watching my every move. That&#8217;s really all you want. Just to relax and enjoy the food. And Purvis. Exactly. Carlyle looked troubled. What about your situation? Everyone knows the Empress<br \/>\nhad you stripped of your title. If you leave now,<br \/>\nshe might try to get rid of you. Is there a problem with that? Usha asked with a calm smile. Your Highness, listen to me. I swear on the honor of my land. I will help you.<br \/>\nWhat are you talking about? She asked puzzled. To be honest, I didn&#8217;t expect<br \/>\nthe Imperial Treasury to allow us this much funding, Carlyle said later,<br \/>\nas they prepared for departure. I told you it would work. Usha said, by using the fact<br \/>\nthat we&#8217;re leaving the capital and caught. It was easier to convince them. Still, Purvis won&#8217;t be easy. It&#8217;s good we brought a lot of supplies. As their caravan was being loaded, Usha<br \/>\nturned at the sound of familiar voices. Your highness, your highness. She smiled faintly. Lionel. Giles, she turned to Carlisle. Count Purvis. This is Baron, Sir<br \/>\nLionel Barley and Count Sir Giles. It&#8217;s an honor to meet you. I am the Lord of Purvis, Carlisle,<br \/>\na mere Purvis. We owe you our gratitude. Count Purvis, Giles said. Without you, the princess would have left<br \/>\nPurvis with nothing. I already told you. I&#8217;m tired of that talk, Usha muttered. Why don&#8217;t you try being more greedy,<br \/>\nYour Highness, Lionel said. You&#8217;re<br \/>\nthe only one fit to rule the Empire. He&#8217;s right, Giles added. I thought you were preparing<br \/>\nfor revenge out here in Purvis, but instead you claim<br \/>\nto be taking a break. Even so, Carlisle added. I thought communication between us<br \/>\nmight be difficult. Coming from such different regions. But I&#8217;m surprised at how natural it feels. Of course, we&#8217;ll<br \/>\nall take care of the Princess and Purvis. But in the meantime, Giles said,<br \/>\nI trust her to you. I&#8217;m honored to serve her,<br \/>\nCarlisle said with a respectful nod. A few weeks later, the people of Purvis<br \/>\nare so thin, Aisha thought. We must focus on feeding them before<br \/>\nrebuilding the project to restore the estate is important,<br \/>\nshe told Carlisle. But feeding your people comes first,<br \/>\nas I said, she continued,<br \/>\nI&#8217;ll support all necessary expenses. Don&#8217;t hesitate. Do I look like someone who hesitates over<br \/>\nthings like that? Carlisle said, half smiling. Right now, I think rebuilding<br \/>\nthe main road should come first. You&#8217;re quite shameless, Aisha replied. I assure you,<br \/>\nI&#8217;m not wasting a single penny. I know, she said. I trust you. Carlisle stared at her in silence. I have something on my face. Aisha asked. It&#8217;s nothing, he said, looking away. I already thought she was beautiful<br \/>\nwhen she wasn&#8217;t smiling, but now she&#8217;s even more beautiful<br \/>\nwhen she does. A few months had passed<br \/>\nsince Aisha arrived, and Purvis. In that time,<br \/>\nthe territory had not only begun to recover, but had also withstood<br \/>\nanother attack from the barbarians. Now it was receiving a new guest. May the glory of the gods<br \/>\nbe upon Your Highness. The man said, bowing as he approached. I&#8217;m Sebastian different. It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness. He took his hand and kissed it gently. This place may not be the most comfortable<br \/>\nfor you to stay in, Aisha remarked. If it is by Your Highness side,<br \/>\nthen any place is a blessing for me. It is nothing short of an honor. What a load of crap,<br \/>\nCarlisle murmured under his breath. Pardon? What did you just say? I said, you&#8217;re quite admirable. Carlisle smiled coldly. What brings you all the way to Prevost? I nearly forgot to mention it. When Her Highness<br \/>\nAisha regains her title as Crown Princess, I wish to claim the highest power<br \/>\navailable to the noble world. I&#8217;m prepared to do whatever<br \/>\nit takes to obtain that position. Oh no, Carlisle muttered internally. So I look forward to working with you. Different added. Extending his hand. Likewise, Carlisle replied, shaking it. Suddenly a soldier shouted from the walls. The barbarians are attacking! They built catapults. This time we must focus on<br \/>\ndefending the outer walls. Barbarians using tools. Carlisle thought grimly. If we place too many troops in the castle, we won&#8217;t have enough left<br \/>\nto fight them off outside. But where are you going? Someone asked to. Her Highness Aisha Carlisle replied. If we don&#8217;t get her help,<br \/>\nwe have no chance of winning. He found Aisha quickly. Please help us. I will pay any price. A price? She said with a frown. I&#8217;ve never asked for a price. I&#8217;m royalty. It&#8217;s only right<br \/>\nthat I go out and eliminate enemies who&#8217;ve invaded Imperial land. Then why, Carlisle thought, when<br \/>\nrebuilding power was also Imperial land. Did Your Highness use her personal funds? Wasn&#8217;t it the Empire&#8217;s responsibility? And yet it was<br \/>\nyou who stepped in when the court failed. And now again, you&#8217;re helping me. Not as a representative of the Empire,<br \/>\nbut by your own rule. Paying a price is a matter of pride<br \/>\nfor me, Carlisle said. Because I am the lord of this land. I don&#8217;t mean to look down on you,<br \/>\nbut if the heavens ignite, I will face the barbarians on the front<br \/>\nlines. Yes, usher replied, nodding. Then let&#8217;s go, she said firmly. Long live our Highness.<br \/>\nLong live our Lord! The people cheered. Later, after the battle. Your Highness. Different approach with a glass of wine. I heard you were exceptional<br \/>\non the battlefield today. Not at all. Usher replied. Count Fairweather<br \/>\nwas far more impressive than I. She sipped her wine calmly. Meanwhile, at the outer wall,<br \/>\nsomeone called out to Carlisle. Get Ahold of yourself. They say she&#8217;s been blessed<br \/>\nby the God of war. It&#8217;s like a God<br \/>\nhas descended on the battlefield. Die, you wench! A barbarian screamed<br \/>\nas he lunged at Ashur from above. She looked up just as Carlisle<br \/>\nleapt forward and killed the attacker in one blow. Are you all right, Your Highness? He asked quickly. Yes. Leave your back to me, she said. That&#8217;s reassuring, he replied as they both<br \/>\ncontinued fighting side by side. Is it over? Asha finally asked as the battlefield<br \/>\nfell quiet. Well done, Count Fairweather, she said. Let&#8217;s head back. Without warning, Carlisle kissed Asha. I never imagined he would do something<br \/>\nlike that, she thought in surprise. Sorry. Never mind, muttered. I should go see Count Fairweather now. Later that night. There you are,<br \/>\nAisha said, finding Carlisle. I thought you&#8217;d come to me right away. Excuse me. You said you&#8217;d pay a price<br \/>\nif I helped you. I did say that. He admitted.<br \/>\nWhat kind of payment would you like? She asked. From the beginning, Carlisle said slowly. It seemed Fairweather<br \/>\nonly had one real asset. So maybe I&#8217;ll just take that. Come to my room at midnight, Usha said. Midnight came. So you came?<br \/>\nAisha said as Carlisle entered. I&#8217;m sorry I&#8217;m late. No, you&#8217;re right on time, she said calmly. To be honest, this is my first time<br \/>\ndoing something like this, so I needed a little time<br \/>\nto prepare myself. Something like this. Carlisle looked startled. Wait, your Highness, are you planning<br \/>\nto take my body as payment? I thought maybe you had some feelings<br \/>\nfor me. I was hoping. Aisha laughed softly. I thought you were smart. Apparently I was wrong. Do I look like<br \/>\nthe kind of woman who&#8217;d sleep with a man I don&#8217;t have feelings for? I don&#8217;t know anymore, Carlisle said. Honestly. Really? She asked. I was locking this. Then. Please give me certainty. Gladly. I love you, Carlisle, she said. I love you too. I probably fell for you first. You probably did. She whispered. And I&#8217;ll keep loving you more from now on. Yes, he murmured, drawing close. Please continue to love me more. They kissed. And this time there was no hesitation. And that brings this chapter to a close. If you made it all the way to the end,<br \/>\nyou&#8217;re amazing. And I seriously appreciate your time. These videos take a lot of late nights<br \/>\nenergy and passion to put together, and knowing<br \/>\nyou&#8217;re watching makes it all worth it. So if you had fun, enjoy the story, or<br \/>\njust loved diving into the world of manhwa as much as I do,<br \/>\nmake sure to hit that subscribe button and turn on the notifications<br \/>\nso you never miss the next adventure. More epic stories<br \/>\nare just around the corner.<br \/>\n<br \/>\n\u23f1\ufe0f **Chapters**<br \/>\n00:00:00 \u2013 Part 1<br \/>\n02:31:01 \u2013 Part 2<br \/>\n03:36:28 \u2013 Part 3<br \/>\n04:45:00 \u2013 Part 4<br \/>\n06:17:32 \u2013 Part 5<br \/>\n07:12:45 \u2013 Part 6<br \/>\n08:48:25: &#8211;Part 7<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udd25 Like \ud83d\udc4d | Share \u2714\ufe0f | Subscribe \u2764\ufe0f<br \/>\n\ud83c\udfaf Don\u2019t Miss Out on the Final Part of this Incredible Manhwa Recap Series!<br \/>\n\ud83d\udc49 Smash the LIKE button to support the channel<br \/>\n\ud83d\udc49 COMMENT your thoughts \u2013 I read them all!<br \/>\n\ud83d\udc49 SUBSCRIBE and hit the \ud83d\udd14 to never miss an epic Manhwa breakdown!  <\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udcd6 **Manhwa Story \u2013 Age of Arrogance**<br \/>\nThe legendary commander of Pervaz, Asha Pervaz, led a 28-year war to victory. As her nation lay in ruins after years of battle, Asha approached the imperial family to claim her reward from the emperor.<\/p>\n<p>But what she received\u2026 was betrayal.<\/p>\n<p>To secure her people&#8217;s future, Asha makes a bold move \u2014 proposing marriage to the disgraced first prince, **Carlisle Haven**, recently stripped of his crown prince title.  <\/p>\n<p>Everyone expected him to refuse.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, he accepts.<br \/>\nAnd with it, comes the promise of **unimaginable power**&#8230;  <\/p>\n<p>Watch how politics, power, love, and pride collide in this unforgettable final chapter!<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udccc **Disclaimer:**<br \/>\nAll artwork belongs to their respective creators and companies.<br \/>\n**Manhwa Dragon** does not claim ownership of any visual content used in this video.  <\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\ude4f **A Humble Request:**<br \/>\nPlease consider subscribing to **Manhwa Dragon** to keep enjoying more amazing manhwa recaps and stories. Your support means everything!<\/p>\n<p>&#8212;<\/p>\n<p>#anime #manga #manhwa #manhwarecap #mangarecap #manhua #manhuarecap  <\/p>\n<p>**Tags (SEO):**<br \/>\nManga, manga Recap, manhwa recap, anime recap, anicap, the manhwa man, manhwa, webtoon, manhwa recaps, manhwa cap, webtoon recap, mercenary enro, manga, Manga recap, Manhwa recap, manga summary, manga capped, manga cap, manhwa summary, manga recap, anime recaps, anicaps, anirecap, anime summary,anime,ani,recap,mangacaps,mangacap,mangas,animecaps,anime plot,movie recap,recap manhwa,recap manga,age of arrognace,age of arrogance manhwa,age of arrogance manhwa full recap<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Savage Princess Was Forced to Share a Bed with the Enemy Prince to Save Her People \ud83d\udc94 | Full Recap In a world w<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1848788,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[593415],"tags":[948239,948240,948241,22556,495385,475089,135,495386,203033,357492,475090,523730,698611,5183,698618,698617,698615,698620,698616,698623,698622,76381,296548,698609,698621,698606,698608,698619,698613,698614,136025,22255,698625,698624,877052,698612,698607,392991,698610,9,30213],"class_list":{"0":"post-1848787","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-2025-summer","8":"tag-2025-summer","9":"tag-2025-summer-anime","10":"tag-948241","11":"tag-ani","12":"tag-anicap","13":"tag-anicaps","14":"tag-anime","15":"tag-anime-plot","16":"tag-anime-recap","17":"tag-anime-recaps","18":"tag-animecaps","19":"tag-anirecap","20":"tag-high-school-mercenary","21":"tag-manga","22":"tag-manga-cap","23":"tag-manga-capped","24":"tag-manga-recap","25":"tag-manga-recaps","26":"tag-manga-summary","27":"tag-mangacap","28":"tag-mangacaps","29":"tag-mangas","30":"tag-manhwa","31":"tag-manhwa-cap","32":"tag-manhwa-capped","33":"tag-manhwa-recap","34":"tag-manhwa-recaps","35":"tag-manhwa-summary","36":"tag-mercenary-enro","37":"tag-mercenary-enrollment","38":"tag-movie-recap","39":"tag-recap","40":"tag-recap-manga","41":"tag-recap-manhwa","42":"tag-sand-land-the-series","43":"tag-teenage-mercenary","44":"tag-the-manhwa-man","45":"tag-webtoon","46":"tag-webtoon-recap","47":"tag-9","48":"tag-30213"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wacoca.com\/anime\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1848787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wacoca.com\/anime\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wacoca.com\/anime\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wacoca.com\/anime\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wacoca.com\/anime\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1848787"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.wacoca.com\/anime\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1848787\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wacoca.com\/anime\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1848788"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wacoca.com\/anime\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1848787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wacoca.com\/anime\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1848787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wacoca.com\/anime\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1848787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}