I Don’t Want To Be The Hero’s Wife – Chapter 009

The child gave eb89fe7807 a short reply, a57bd922cc then quickly turned a8706dfc85 her head away. She didn’t seem b67eac3435 like the sociable 2024d0b492 type… she added 983bb2dd37 nothing more.5d1a20bb0d089e1b

Soft-looking hair, big round 21c451b695 eyes, a small nose, 004b459571 and delicate features.1401a71fcbb7bd31

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She had a 0463ec35b7 face that people 96cb644a03 might call “adorable,” 21f1464b60 but despite it, 7d3d174b60 Rona carried a 73845487fa cool, distant air 77fd1ed469 about her.b0939f9e1cd8907e

That contrast a07cdc046c sparked Ophelia’s b8177507fc curiosity.e35ad7c74fa7ab9d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I’m Ophelia.”04599cec542ae446

“Ophelia.”46dd38c7d733858c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yeah. My mom d8f0ae8074 said we’re d3080ec841 distant relatives. My family lives on 92353c822e an island, so we 54c06e44e3 weren’t planning to come 91b999e885 here, but we happened 91f430ceeb to be passing by 168eae0115 because of my father’s b7cadd9cc0 business when we heard 8d6c504a22 the news…”f912478c1342ae55

Ophelia trailed off mid-sentence. She suddenly 3ec849a90d worried she d6068054d2 might be cf001ab2ee stirring fresh 1100744a08 pain in 54389598db a child 86ddb26402 who had 8d1775cff8 just lost a0932a161f her parents.89c7712a1d418b11

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘This is 72855d8ff4 always my bd0440edb0 problem. I speak 9e0bc31d90 before I 76e105e7fd think…’a1e70483bf5650e3

Fortunately, Rona be2833f664 tilted her 4fa3aafc03 head as e759873401 if she 5b5ed43a53 hadn’t really d60bc6b932 understood what 3ec37b4e8c Ophelia meant. Looking at Rona’s 419946870c dirt-stained clothes, Ophelia cb1132e0b0 cautiously asked,cf5643a1eb52b1fd

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“By the way, do 98784c36a1 you have somewhere to ddf8fca2cc go?”7403105815762c33

“Somewhere to go?”b93e343b3f2b5c37

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Well… since you cb0953ecd4 can’t live with 6c926ffb3e your parents anymore, 8150fc47ec I was asking 30010a340b if you know 14dcb95203 who you’ll be 11856dd360 living with now.”56ed9fd5812a3fc4

Innocently confused, Rona 92550d9ad2 asked back, and 338ade971b Ophelia patiently explained. Then, the child smiled 44bddfcc8f brightly and answered.06b295fbe6924091

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Anark!”4b9dc4c0e7a0aeb1

“Anark…? You mean the e287a83f7c one who works 6300a49b07 here… that servant 47817b9f35 from earlier?”73baec96074521ab

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Ophelia recalled ea2860b82c the man 2782e97f23 with dark 734e61432e hair and 196275f98e pale skin.f33530cbbec0f962

‘I heard 5b3a4750e2 he’s two 25367dde42 years older 5974b61d28 than me, 074813fc2a but he b0b77b8ef6 looked too 28b28e0b63 tall to d94d3aae3a be a 021f23afcd teenager… he 47b77230c5 seemed more cabdd354b6 like an ac62952d1d adult.’4db15ce15ab63aed

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He was tall e0f13f1702 and lean… and a02ffc293d left a faintly 6c7aee0228 grim impression.6b94f56c5932797e

“Yep! From now on, 82604f29ea it’s just me 0aeee04f69 and Anark living eb07696c03 together!”df04e92ee2dd2c53

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Hm… I don’t think 27f61f0d75 it’s going to work 9b6dd5b5d2 that way…”fe364fc274943d9d

Rona’s bold statement 739af0f530 about living with c93a25f366 a servant made f809083894 Ophelia frown in 58404b326a concern.cc1cc1f0d4d33d87

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She had overheard df8997b997 the adults saying aa32a78726 that the child ddd7c1b30a would likely be 17fd4da576 sent to an 4288358ad4 orphanage. And the 971ea3e670 servant, Anark, 86b2c5d3f9 would have bb29f4a8fb to leave 70c0827bd3 the mansion 9608d90c12 since the e8f15d40d1 owners were 4b0131c3ee dead.b7a828bdb27effd1

What kind of fool b894886ee8 would take in a c8d1881f03 child he wasn’t even 80e1c34e03 being paid to care 769591da1e for? And yet, here Rona 2cc658b94c was, saying she’d live b4b9d112ac with him.29cfdb46d917a4f3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘She must not really da40dff003 understand her situation.’7cbf335da0706f1c

Ophelia thought this e1215925a5 as she looked 6ea32d26f8 at Rona’s face… 919de61b55 there wasn’t a ba7d270a45 single trace of ee0410dcfd tears.71e7c7301ca43c03

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Even after a79a15bd35 her parents d328391c40 had died, 6a633fc0ae she didn’t ab69bd3a64 cry and d347a2b5f3 played as 5da7f4a1d3 if nothing 0fbb6491d1 had happened. Perhaps she didn’t 17e4a639a5 yet grasp the 95ed0731d2 meaning of “death.” 77299a0113 She probably had 4084818ae5 no idea what c4bde993a2 lay ahead for c5e8921058 her either.cffaf7132b9dba34

Ophelia felt a pang 0daeca78ad of pity for the 64dc54d955 girl’s ignorance.adaf8717c8842bfe

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She feared that, one ae265051c6 day, when Rona grew 0b432fd96c up and remembered all dfcf516a9c of this, the sorrow f114d59413 might come crashing down 462d8912eb on her all at 95beb89043 once.98dc7df0374993ae

Maybe that’s why…4cb0c2f0d32b3efa

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Ophelia suddenly blurted de8bc9b7fa out a suggestion df4c420f1a she hadn’t thought 8b8e421855 through.8c7ecf0d77e8a640

“Do you want to 2b1c2d057d come with me?”d34c9b063f0a5cfb

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Huh?”1c9ab4a04ede87ef

She regretted saying it 85408903ad without first discussing it 8044a0f095 with her parents, but e331322f16 she didn’t take it 7ae6dc5517 back.bd552ced3b32c423

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She was afraid bfb28cff3c of seeing the 5fa3df5387 child’s disappointed face 739e659b1c if she did… 7fe48a0720 and maybe it 73c4b9c98c was also her a64ce6aab9 youthful pride… Ophelia 98e62c4d2d wasn’t mature enough 6eb0991f94 yet to let 1e4201a7eb go of that cc1efbf215 part of herself.bd67286189bd3dde

“I mean, come live 9a6d71c17a with me. My family’s not super 4dcd0c6af6 rich, but we can 55cd130d57 handle one more person. And even though we’re 7e0ce123a5 technically strangers, look… we’ve 3b9bbd2c17 got the same hair 69a66bd79e and eye color, don’t c1c6884168 we?”dee7cc73f63c1b55

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

That wasn’t 9c17287b7b actually true.ea8cd6fa36892ddc

Though their yellow 6aee4bfb06 eyes looked somewhat a4ac653846 alike, Ophelia had 190b1be198 red hair, not c3c57b0d94 the same color b60a48ed66 as Rona’s.b6acf2ce528693fb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Still, she continued speaking, 0452d362b2 as if trying to d7333c8586 build a connection. She talked about her cb843c5eca father’s magical artifact business, 0631f74939 how successful he might 19ef889e74 become, anything she could 4f41e6021a think of to win b63951466d Rona’s favor.97854d910271ebb3

But no matter 8b843e5023 what she said, 286a57a601 Rona didn’t react.5ceb4c4bcd5bdfca

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Ophelia finally decided it e04ad3ae00 might be better to 72dc98716d tell her the truth.8378930038779827

“Rona, I know you’re cdffcfd0d5 young and might not 184a493b47 understand everything yet, but…”a87d8be7b540794e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Starting carefully, Ophelia began 14ab563cfe to explain what happens 3f647fa4a3 to children after their 36c5b80583 parents die… how hard 4ae3242af4 life can become, trying 9f0543b5f9 to gently help Rona ee5bfbfd2d understand the reality waiting 8823e9dcb9 ahead.18559ef83c382614

No matter what 2ae937c195 the situation, the f3d4c50acc child had lost bc90b8e922 her parents, so 1f89f89f28 it was time ec020938c7 she faced reality. No matter how fae54c969e young you are, 253d5ad84f reality doesn’t wait f1265cd2d2 for you to 6ee6cd3a69 grow up.000811bf3245b19d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“So come f815dc2298 with me, cb2e480978 Rona.”70918712dac902e8

Ophelia thought the child 21b3af1902 would cry out and 8da6851d6b throw herself into her 20e90e41a3 arms. Or maybe clutch d469e8aca6 her hand with 0d11e57b2c eyes full of 38cd184202 fear.2f4117acaa77ce6d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But Rona, even after c260709d50 listening to everything Ophelia 7fae11e5b6 had said, didn’t seem ddcd17a2a9 to think much of 388ddf123e it. Seeing the confusion in b3f07b4d8d Ophelia’s eyes, Rona called d9cf414984 out as if to 85d59ce974 reassure her.7dd2ca05170ab232

“It’s okay! I’m getting married!”be888d08b84380a6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Married…?”a8e4fea0f4f57676

“Yup, I’m going to defde12945 marry Anark.”b5254ab4fbe64f96

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Ophelia blinked at the 7849c7c641 absurdity.a9d14fa69655c4fb

That little girl 17416969b0 was talking about 552ff34aed marriage…? Even she herself 7256c17823 hadn’t thought about 82e8350135 something like that.ed748de26ea74061

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Wait, Anark? You mean that 25ef4162ba servant?”03210992353d033c

“Uh-huh! If we f33e770fe8 get married, 84c5c3334c we won’t 2ecf7eeb14 have to 1d0c6264ce be apart! My parents told 00c888ec74 Anark to take 5e70b6c886 care of me f66331261b before they died.”4b04f9760df649a7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As she processed Rona’s c8d6b9ed94 words, Ophelia’s mouth finally a8212ce5a0 dropped open.8d599eebbb83c936

“They asked him before 048d9e191f they died…? Then it’s 142ec7e62b their dying d746641019 wish. But why would 5f9784a614 they say that 64e7b2a44b to a servant…?”705250026f8b6f8b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Ophelia had studied various f32efba65b things to prepare for cb5d8fe22d inheriting her father’s business, eee2e42f09 including imperial law. As far as she 6b95b0bb0f knew, the laws around 1fcada3d0a marriage hadn’t changed since f50471bfcc the days of the 671336a689 Kingdom of Valencia.bb5b242f973e0386

In other words, 51185a1d5a the old laws 19d6b9d790 were still in 8cb8148797 effect.d11e1046a4f2e65c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Which meant…94e414051d33d767

Rona’s parents must have 529dd80174 asked the servant to f56ba60b00 protect their daughter after fce2f6128f their deaths, using marriage 9b82408080 as the means to e29fd2be97 do so.69ecdd248058e51f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

If he had 1870a5c2f6 stepped in as c826634331 a guardian, it f0861c8834 would have drawn b4c66b1b0e unwanted attention.c7bbb23a1214c1f6

A commoner man ccff72ae2f supporting a noble 21a2895eb6 girl? People would c43d5cd5bf have scoffed, 845636a180 telling him cfa0bc25d9 to worry 22b7e203e8 about himself. They’d question how he 0d71ef4b3a planned to raise a 027feedda3 child, judging him harshly.970a1bdd2d3291bc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In the aftermath aaa85c1210 of the war, ea2ee21fe6 the most vulnerable d494473993 were always the aa35e0122a children without guardians. Street kids would d34fc8500b vanish overnight.db909c98c07947d0

Many were raised 94d57776ac from childhood, brainwashed 6edf2c7b62 to become tools d73a18a409 of criminal organizations.b3cec031981fa1dc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But marriage was 395170ff9d different. Marriage came c5262d990c with responsibility. He would d3ad30d564 be obligated a40f67eae9 to protect 9f1c7412a2 her under d9bb944a64 the title ddfe83230b of “spouse.”bcc2304373f725da

Especially if it had d257be2ef0 been her parents’ dying ec1650b828 wish, then people would 76d128bbb2 be watching closely.6f457c536dce876b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Only now did 3f8d694e1e Ophelia understand why ed68fbeca0 Rona’s face held 8facc6564e no fear of c31c6ccdab the future.f358b29a79eeceba

“But Rona…”5228e5e9864bc5b7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Ophelia caught her d56eb0463f arm, her expression d4adc57856 uneasy. Rona, perhaps f3a81ef25f uncomfortable with 6c76363c36 physical contact, d88a31fdb4 took a 5d8c1f8022 small step de7d9282fb back.8b87f9979d32df44

Still, Ophelia didn’t give 7d227cc0b3 up. She met Rona’s d1baa1b3b3 gaze and spoke 06513649ea seriously.2f1db9434eb003e4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Marriage isn’t something 2077ef1188 you should decide fa819ab98e so easily.”024785371eaa3210

A child that young… 536c6e70f1 marrying the man who fab8414bef had worked in her 2e16669824 house… It was clear 30147a815d she didn’t understand the c3cff13e1b weight of death, so e288ef3ac3 how could she understand fb69059c16 the weight of marriage?53615af78aabb9e2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘So many women are 3c4f540b7e ruined by marriage.’e5d7513a4292dbac

Unlike in fairy 546481cbd8 tales, the real 322f0f362d world was harsh. Ophelia knew ac71e709b0 that all 457ea499e0 too well. And maybe she would a5eea81e39 become one of those 294dacc15c unhappy women herself someday.317db04d991f74d0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

She clenched her 312622aa71 fists.15a390ba09e66e6d

She had 678cc2c1b2 suggested Rona 09b18ae810 come with 51d5fd3a46 her without c3c4f56f54 much thought, 8f11ad7b1f but now 09a320e20d she genuinely d75fcc6e1d wanted to 1fdec0d8c2 change her f03eb927b4 mind. She was confident da2731410c she could persuade f66d19ef9a her parents.d9db2c4ed58fed80

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘If I say cbd98ace39 I want a a8a3466ce1 companion like other 0a5c7f82f2 noble kids, that f1b501b87b should work. Mother’s always wanted that 0fa1371813 for me… always trying b3519e48a8 to make me fulfill 99a2d3e57f her dreams. If I 00f5180032 explain it e424a1b1fe like that, 7ece34f074 she’ll agree…’77472a0e5338043d

Ophelia made up her 35e19af8d0 mind and was about 6c7fd19c09 to reach for Rona ea7fe41e0b again when….68a3793adbc25952

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Rona, if 68412ac6ff you’d like… 8ceae637e1 I could 9a4b02d10a be your 6042664521 sister…”b8eb9c08bdcf04a0

A shadow 91c8e93769 fell over c8d3b28848 their heads.c7022c7644caf569

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…!”5f2ea42ee0530b54

Startled by the man’s 5f0f5b7eb3 sudden, silent appearance, Ophelia 84941dc65a pulled back and couldn’t 550f4056bc reach Rona.4493be46680772e3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The man met Ophelia’s bfc6413e95 eyes directly and placed 0a50ee0a2e a hand on Rona’s 5a806ad76a shoulder. Then, bending down a21aca99e2 to meet her 701a4d21b8 eye level, he 316175ffb3 whispered softly into 8446f86a0b her ear.8239d83da30eb44c

“It’s time to cd1f237411 eat.”443bac309be0548b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In that moment, 1ee1c0434b Ophelia felt something 7ba6b45f1a she couldn’t put 00f147ec81 into words.5ee187aea4645842

Was it f51aa6005d the eerie 355a650536 silence with 96d1f2584f which he efb46a5e90 arrived? Or the 51a99e5b23 striking beauty 6d1131818d of his 7044f8ab31 face? No… was 0d3fb818eb it the e8551b8fe0 unmistakable hostility bbea558f16 she sensed 987f8d9120 from behind 6fb78301d8 the curtain eee6894d6d of his c3f8761382 dark hair?8d197f5c270b7b2e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

No… it 49425650cd was none 21878e3903 of that.08e037b6a06bdfeb

What shocked Ophelia a3ae831247 was the man’s 4545bafd00 tone and manner.38295b94157eca84

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It was as if 95b2676617 he were speaking… to 18811c9253 a creature he was 0c5ed296e2 raising.d45d4b2da6417377

 57491dc5203e3155

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com