The Age Of Arrogance

However, Decker began to have strange thoughts because of Carlyle’s attitude.

 

‘Could it be that His Highness…?’

 

It was a ridiculous thought, but strangely enough, it felt like Carlyle really liked Asha.

 

Did he look like a young boy who was anxious because his feelings for his crush were not reciprocated?

 

‘I must be too protective of Asha. Look at me, I’m even having these ridiculous thoughts.’

 

Just as he was laughing to himself at the thought, Carlyle suddenly changed the subject.

 

“You may think of me as a lecherous bastard, but Sir Raphelt, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to trust you or Countess Pervaz.”

 

Decker’s expression, which had been smiling at Carlyle’s words, changed completely.

 

“Who would say such a thing…”

 

He muttered to himself, but his voice was filled with unconcealed anger.

 

Carlyle was once again curious about Decker’s feelings. So he decided to ask him outright.

 

“You seem to be truly loyal to Countess Pervaz, but what exactly is Asha Pervaz to you?”

 

“She is my lord.”

 

“Don’t give me such a trite answer. I still don’t really understand what’s going on between you and Countess Pervaz.”

 

Decker was startled as if something terrible had happened, and he became serious.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I heard that you were once considered as a husband candidate for Countess Pervaz?”

 

“That’s nonsense!”

 

Decker shook his head vigorously.

 

“It’s true that there was such talk, but no one took it seriously. We are like siblings.”

 

He could still vividly remember his close friend Vincent Pervaz, who had tried to marry him off to Asha.

 

[Hey, come on, are you going to marry Asha?]

 

[Are you crazy?]

 

[That’s a blunt refusal.]

 

Vincent’s laughter, which had been filled with laughter, still seemed to ring in his ears.

 

At that time, I told him not to joke around and answered.

 

[She’s like a little sister to me. Can you marry Asha?]

 

[Ugh!]

 

[Then why are you asking me?]

 

[That way of saying it makes it clear. I apologize. I almost did something awful to a friend.]

 

Even Vincent, who had been speaking so lightly, ended up taking Decker’s hand and making a heartfelt request.

 

[If… I don’t come back…]

 

[What are you talking about, Vincent?]

 

[Please, take care of Asha, our youngest.]

 

Did he have some kind of premonition?

 

Leaving Decker and Asha behind to go on an expedition, Vincent held Decker’s hand tightly and said it twice, three times.

 

Decker hated the atmosphere of him going to his death, so he pretended to misunderstand and said jokingly:

 

[You’ve got the wrong person to ask, Vincent. You should ask Asha to take care of me. Who’s protecting who?]

 

[Hehe. You’re right, Asha is the strongest among us.]

 

Vincent said with a face that seemed to be both smiling and crying.

 

[But that girl, when you get to know her, she has a soft side and is too innocent. She has a useless sense of duty and gets hurt here and there… So I’m asking you to please watch over her.]

 

The hand of his friend, who was asking him to take care of his last remaining blood relative, was so cold that Decker finally nodded.

 

[Don’t worry. Until the moment my life is cut off, I’m Asha’s older brother.]

 

[Thank you.]

 

And then Vincent led his troops and rushed out, and died fighting bravely.

 

TL/N: Gosh! Who’s cutting onions…?!

 

“Those words were my true feelings, and they haven’t changed. Where is the older brother who marries his younger sister?”

 

“The Countess of Pervaz may have had different feelings.”

 

“Ha! If only Your Highness had seen the expression on Asha’s face whenever Vincent brought up the subject of marriage…”

 

Decker mimicked Asha’s expression, which he used to express that it was “too ridiculous to even listen to.”

 

“I’m telling you, even now, I’m just a pain in the neck older brother to Asha who needs to get married off quickly.”

 

Carlyle, who had been listening to his story for a long time, blinked his eyes strangely, feeling strangely relieved.

 

The thought that he had been convinced that Asha and Decker were lovers until now faded in an instant, and it seemed as if the whole world suddenly became brighter.

 

Of course, it was still raining outside.

 

Then, suddenly, he became curious and asked.

 

“When Vincent Pervaz died, the Count of Pervaz, I mean Asha… did she cry a lot?”

 

Decker stood still for a long time with an unreadable expression on his face at that question, then shook his head.

 

“No.”

 

Even now, the Asha of that day comes to mind…

 

“She didn’t shed a single tear. She just picked up her sword.”

 

The last bloodline of the Pervaz County, left on the black land that was no different from hell, having lost all her blood relatives.

 

She was not even allowed to cry.

 

Because the moment she broke down, Pervaz would be finished…

 

“Vincent decimated half of the enemy before he died, and Asha quickly regrouped and pursued the remaining forces. That’s when the tide of the war turned in our favor.”

 

“If that’s the case, it would have been better for Asha Pervaz to lead the army first instead of Vincent Pervaz.”

 

“I agree. However, to the people of the Pervaz County, Asha was… someone they wanted to protect to the very end.”

 

In a critical and desperate war situation, if the younger sibling is more capable than the older one, then naturally the younger sibling should be treated as the commander-in-chief.

 

However, Carlyle could not blame the people of Pervaz County for being foolish.

 

He could somehow understand Vincent’s feelings of not being able to send his younger sister, who was stronger than him, to the savages.

 

“Countess Pervaz… grew up quite loved.”

 

“Yes. The nobles in the capital tease Asha by calling her the barbarian princess, but it is true that Asha was the princess of Pervaz.”

 

Decker smiled faintly, reminiscing about the past.

 

Then, he rolled a question he had been wondering about for a long time in his mouth several times before finally spitting it out.

 

“To me, Asha is the princess of Pervaz and my younger sister, but to Your Highness, Asha is… what?”

 

His voice trembled slightly at the end.

 

Since Asha, who was entrusted with the last wishes of his deceased friend, could have had her fate greatly changed by this person, not herself, but by Carlyle Evaristo

 

“What is the Countess Pervaz to me? You must know about our contract.”

 

“Is that all? The nobles think you two are a real couple.”

 

“When a man and a woman live together, there are things that happen and things that don’t. It doesn’t matter what you think.”

 

Unlike Decker’s anxious heart, Carlyle seemed comfortable. Even the fact that the two of them had spent the night together didn’t seem like a big deal to him.

 

Decker clenched his fists.

 

“Then, if Your Highness regains the crown prince position, will Asha have nothing to do with Your Highness? According to the contract?”

 

“That…”

 

“Then will Asha be able to find her own happiness? Will she be able to meet the man she loves, build a proper family, have children and grandchildren, and live a long life, and for that child to… get the happiness that was taken away?”

 

Carlyle could not answer Decker’s question, which felt almost desperate.

 

It wasn’t that difficult a question to answer, but his head suddenly feels all messed up.

 

“Let’s talk about that more when our contract is successfully concluded.”

 

“Your Highness, surely you don’t… Ah, you’re not thinking of killing Asha to eliminate any future problems, are you…?”

 

“And why on earth would you think I’m such a scoundrel?”

 

Decker wanted a more definite answer, but Carlyle closed the door on him, using the excuse that he was tired.

 

However, Carlyle, left alone in the now quiet room, turned pale like the cigar smoke.

 

[To Your Highness, Asha is…what?]

 

[Will she be able to meet the man she loves, build a proper family, have children….]

 

Decker’s words seemed to be echoing in his head.

 

***

 

“Welcome!”

 

Cecilia greeted warmly the two women who had arrived at her room right on time.

 

On the table by her room’s window were laid out tea and pastries for the three of them.

 

“Thank you for inviting me.”

 

“I’m the one who is grateful that you were willing to come.”

 

Despite Asha’s stiff greeting, Cecilia smiled brightly and gestured for Asha and Dorothea to take their seats.

 

“It’s hot outside, so I prepared iced tea. I hope it suits your taste.”

 

Cecilia poured chilled tea from a glass pitcher filled with ice into the glasses of the three women.

 

As the northernmost part of the empire and the abandoned land, Pervaz could still obtain ice even in the middle of summer, but ice in the summer was still a rare commodity.

 

It was also a practical item used for purposes like making ice water to treat sunstroke or heat stroke and keeping food from spoiling.

 

“Iced tea in the summer, how luxurious.”

 

“I’ve never thought of ‘a refreshing drink on a hot day’ before. I’ve never lived such a leisurely life.”

 

And the iced tea Cecilia poured was undoubtedly the best drink Asha had ever tasted.

 

Dorothea also expressed admiration.

 

“The scent of orange and rosemary is really nice.”

 

“Do you like it? It’s a tea I enjoy every summer.”

 

 

“It seems like a precious tea. Drying fruits like oranges to create the aroma… it’s…”

 

Listening to the conversation between Dorothea and Cecilia, Asha tilted her head with curiosity and asked.

 

“What’s an orange?”