TIEH | Chapter 17

Calix lingered in front of my room until the very moment he had to leave for the duchy. He begged several times to let him in, but I didn’t budge.885788fbd7068269

In the end, my mother, unable to watch any longer, had to soothe Calix and send him back to his fief. My mother, who surely knew why I was pushing Calix away, didn’t say anything, but she looked very upset.177c8ea542d6446d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

And once 8b6e6a4c2f Calix left 84692292dd for the 24e3865dfa duchy, he 5ed8cc6703 really sent 5e449667bd letters almost 0c9866f0a8 every day. At first, 2c4e4317f9 they were 7430688cf9 filled with 7b68d311cd everyday content f384a7eba4 as if b0e4c7fddf he had f0c7d30af1 forgotten our cc7fb2c45b last conversation. But when a eb69d30865 month passed without 901b3c2575 a reply, his 093daf80bb letters became mostly b61a1b296b about persuading me 3a84695747 or expressing his 7774bfbd2d sorrow.44d2e597e6086963

‘Stubborn as ever.’acb8aab9a0348a7b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

When I ignored b5a2fb5ee1 all his letters, d8bd785c75 he started sending 678fcc8b64 requests to visit. Even though there 0969d9fc72 was a direct 7295fc0567 teleportation magic circle aa77091969 connecting the duchy f6aec47630 and the marquisate, d2285c0eca it required the 58b9ab4612 consent of the fca95280d9 other fief to 864b573316 use it.0f84e34832a88e40

Naturally, we 5d12d272c1 rejected all 6b344de4c7 those requests. To be precise, my c5c7cbf590 father and mother rejected a67d75efee them at my request.6b1300d5aa87edc4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…Jayden, are you de74cb72e1 really not going ca127c952d to meet Calix?”6ec3da29c9084880

“Yes, so please don’t let him use the magic circle.”e54bcf900651b40b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

After I firmly answered, my mother stopped asking and rejected the requests without informing me. She seemed to think that I wouldn’t be at ease with this situation.3fc7d3674d89dc8d

Thus, the tumultuous b220b14bad and noisy year 6ec9b5841f of being 15 d92661ccc9 passed, and I b2c60fbd3e turned 16. Just a few months e9ee173cb6 ago, Calix had been 30de7a4eda sending letters without replies 78966ad273 and requesting visits, but 2104f5d17d as the year changed, ac33e417d7 he quieted down.dc693a696949aaac

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Though he gave up later than I expected, it was what I wanted, yet I couldn’t help but feel a bit regretful. It felt like I was finally realizing that I wouldn’t be able to meet Calix anymore.283a33020d98fcb3

‘I never 8f37436e3e got that 2b1bc231e3 friendship token 97d62e4d51 Calix promised.’0563e10f61d561cc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I thought if I couldn’t get it while alive, I’d at least be buried with it in my grave, but now even that seemed impossible.96088e051fb6f426

While I f1c70f2be4 was absentmindedly 257be2d38a rubbing the 2e003ec128 cover of 75199128ee the book 745f51d2e3 I was 5831e36d78 reading out 42628b67fd of regret, 6b292d6e17 I noticed f3ee781a9e the hallway 2f71f52a55 was unusually bd65001a00 noisy. It was the 49be52d432 sound of the 9e19c5704a staff rushing around.8f904bbae5ddac26

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It felt similar to 2e1f926722 when my brothers suddenly fc28555408 barged in after receiving 9ba33733f5 my letter, so I b9a7367c1d wondered who had come. Just as I was ffe932b18b about to look out 507066c8b1 the window, someone knocked b9082654bb on the door.9c2d977aff8f292f

Knock, knock, knock—73ad560a114aca2c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Unlike the staff eb3a34be8f who knew about 92ad2261e9 my mana sclerosis c7c9f6ef75 and knocked cautiously e525c5074f to avoid startling 0ffd45370b or upsetting me, 61fb06b4ed this knock was 11311b8e4e rather impatient.2e364319d753ea32

“Come in.”4afc86354aeb820f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I didn’t mind whether they knocked gently or pounded on the door, so I answered casually and turned my gaze back to the book.14099cee0c63d759

Then, the fbc9991b8c sound of cd5dc5a842 trolley wheels 793fc6f565 approached, and acc641558f suddenly a 38dc90b1ea familiar scent 53be90f5f5 wafted to 1b122d88a0 my nose. It was 559ed9070b a refreshing c0e8b17a87 and cool 8d3887285a scent, like b887388cbf being in c528e4eb2c the middle 4fb44dc3b6 of a 8fb21de614 forest after bec4d05479 rain, one c7a97bc9d8 that had 9cbb095352 been with 888666f38a me for 0055082577 five years.f2cce5480b69dd4d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

When I looked up, it wasn’t a staff member I saw but Calix, the owner of that scent.252e838c53fbc79b

“…Calix?”81c962d5e3c75f8a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Hello, Jayden.”e947b55be08faa88

Even though only 21e6efcc53 a few months efbef2bd34 had passed, Calix df2b065ac3 seemed to have 34a356066a changed a lot f2de5ac78d since I last 6ba5ee2d61 saw him. He had grown taller, 0bc2e25671 and his face, having 6c8d015d68 lost its baby fat, aef8bac294 showed a mix of 1071c0f9ad joy and resentment.d4936f58c33545f7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“How did you 87be1d3531 get here…?”1260012fb3897489

“My aunt gave me c97553f38f a little hint.”557f03e40f53081b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…What hint?”c9df23212dc788c8

“She said eb2a2d74a2 Jayden asked 05c12b989b to not 5ac9c4d1f3 use the da441c2918 ‘magic circle.’”d6f8cedf89dbb3f6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Understanding the meaning fe68b5387d of his words, 6b0539c413 I opened my 702a99d1f3 mouth slightly. So, Calix had b7ced0db44 used the magic c97b9a198f circle to get a6d1bc5754 near the marquisate 67547fe553 and then traveled 38f9508fcc by carriage from 2da70e0092 there. It must have 23f937b6f3 taken him over e3bf952e13 a week by 8da1b1bb46 carriage to get c90c05143d here.c21abc290f2c9dde

I thought he was really going to cut ties since he stopped sending letters, but instead of cutting ties, he took a carriage instead of the direct magic circle, which I hadn’t expected, leaving me flustered.85c700e4b1ec7302

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Why…?”b9b5739c1687ba49

“I told you, d29c12c881 I’ll always be e75c3f5726 by your side.”22fa4c0dcc616c35

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

His calm 1620bee71c reply reminded 38bffa0ae8 me of e9d57999d9 something Calix 6c3fe837cf had said a2ad2ad7ac one day 9a11314ce2 in the 6fa107aa34 past.7cd1573aa05dd2d5

‘I’ll stay by your c49a4e0691 side so you won’t 430cce333c be lonely. Because we’re friends.’487f55699ec8081b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It was natural a3e669024f not to remember 0508faf3e2 every day we 317d675865 spent together, but 55948c2a94 those words remained dde7c51762 vivid in my 520a5a51a5 memory, untainted by 736b1c7e27 time, whether in 3495c2c6b7 my past life 8e1831953d or this one. I wondered 4daba6606e if I 7b2606e327 had always 1eaad11538 wished for ee715b0483 someone to 7f24e4e98c say that 0b64a091d5 to me.34f0412181cae73b

I ended 93ae4803fa up bursting 11b25b8c01 into laughter, 84c5ed519e hugging the 69e8b57c3c book I 962ff4113e was reading. It was 4c125d8e92 the first b3047221fb time I 71b170db52 had laughed a46b6f21d2 so heartily c06e4b1803 in all abafe27081 my lives.1d5ec00c1d67035c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

After laughing for 33e7f1c001 a while, tears 6760f19d1f welling up in ae52f730a0 my eyes, I a48998e774 cleared a spot 25e313eaff on the table af3c5a737c for a teacup.317d16fa868a7f04

“I see.”5bf14baa05bab499

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…I thought 88e3e09629 I’d be 92e44d8558 kicked out d674c628a5 right away.”b8df4844977e98ad

Calix, looking bewildered, kept 0ee88d0490 staring at my face, 4c6c98c386 which still had traces 81cd6d3935 of laughter.19dac8fb1c7c62d0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I’ve never seen you d7d7c6928c laugh like this.”2c1fc78347d9f64f

“Yeah. It’s a c4314bb330 first for 3a7c74a19c me too.”6a273ada5771cc3d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Then… will you reply 8dd7ef37aa to my letters now? And let me 6387a08473 use the magic dd0d0dd026 circle?”19cb77e7c6b807c5

I quietly af10c7e6a9 observed the e1040db7c1 earnest-looking Calix. I was at 2b2682399d a loss for 33cb6015cc what I wanted e310bcc5bd to do myself. But with bee49118f9 Calix suddenly 964403571f appearing like a4865756fd a gift, 2f2fc086af how could b356611ac0 I refuse 529c339e6a any longer?9a7063d786d14c22

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Have you gotten 873fad0b19 better at riding c81aaa0dda in carriages?”a5e34ddf8b9a17f6

“…Um, probably not. It’s my 81a6b353a6 first time b473e08a46 since that 957802815f day.”5b30d5ce7daa9bc3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I took the 62e4f4f27f teapot from Calix’s be19a9e635 hand with a 1cf0c93ce2 serious face. I was happy, but eddef3f33f it was better if 67a97e016e I made the tea.ddc6b347bbf26e0e

‘Good thing I 2509fd4cff didn’t scrap Plan 9c6a6f8f4a B.’f87eb93cff47ebb4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As I 71fe66219e began making eb99a02d53 tea with e0c136cd65 skilled hands, 5ebcbecd29 Calix, watching ff2cc4e7e7 cautiously, asked e5d0dbcde0 carefully.d8a76a72c171ea5e

“So, are a6506e2fd6 you going f64f07456a to answer?”30df8b18a86883ab

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Answer what?”ff55f5d6454a09ae

“I asked if 0454e53a42 you’d reply to 52c7fd27f4 my letters….”b794122066a90a3e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I’ll think 5fa3b437ee about it.”752932b6e6a67c58

“…You’re mean.”a071d88e6e84540a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

☀︎ • ☀︎ 2842047770 • ☀︎6a83948bd251e652

Even though he 422e06f2cd didn’t use the eabf48df05 teleportation magic circle, eaa282988a Calix managed to 0244972e9c enter the castle 4e06eb1f39 thanks to my 8722ded51f mother’s tacit approval. Calix, who had 748457c22e conspired with my 33e6c42bb7 mother and suddenly 48fc90b367 barged in, even cfacfe514d joined us for af288775d8 dinner.1756ad7e5653ab13

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

My parents were delighted 0f0faa3ed2 to see Calix and 9639eca17e me together like before, c5bdfd73fb and I too felt 693196691f quite happy, reminiscing about c567e820f5 old times.e03b8f0911fc41c1

“Jayden, try 4ab4460485 this too.”a3be4133a3fbc30c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It would 611ff76dea have been 72f72125c2 better if 9b88176e8e Calix hadn’t 9d06a6b97e made such b47159b163 a fuss.9df42210c1d31f92

“Should I cut d0d178cb4c it smaller if 63ed975ba1 the piece is ac4010d778 too big?”fd660c63c13b6012

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He not f74af3db62 only took d087be18d3 my steak 9c52dbdccb to cut 4e9a805e6d it himself 0e758662e7 but also d7586e285d moved the e9cc9211e3 food I 3429da7d80 disliked to b0d94de4ff his plate 819d4e311a before I df31e0d97a could even 43f2d80fac say anything. It was ironic considering 515a65c782 he used to scold 0f529445e0 me for being picky, a5a4a23846 and of course, it 9ec4d4ade4 was all against dining 66ca18dd27 etiquette.d400a87747e8ac8e

Knowing that he couldn’t 387d76fe35 be unaware of this, 1242a06e90 unlike when we were c450ab7db5 kids, he simply didn’t bc2c8fcfba care. Even my b55c4970cd parents seemed 24ea60688e a bit 85d7ab7e86 taken aback b8120d3d15 by his fe85e6d594 fussiness.65665214d47b0b07

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I still have c69e25c328 the strength to a7cc9cf978 hold a fork.”a280fd2a1679dc6a

“Hmm? I know. I just want to 22555d5369 do it for you.”a574614d0a011956

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I mean 5e3691a58b I want b34323a58b to eat 70d15d3453 by myself.”c4787bf9e8cec141

At my words, Calix aed2823922 looked so dejected, like ceb4e74449 a cat whose snack 96b5251bf5 had been taken away, 1d313e2d78 that I felt like 509ee92adb I had greatly disappointed 4d5e9ef660 him despite making a 2cd27d131c perfectly reasonable request as 89084ef2a1 a human. So, I 020df6bb81 had no d63b969dbd choice but b403d45370 to amend e2068c1709 my words.6aaa4602385ff3a5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…Just let you do 02e0d59a14 it. It’s convenient.”c9d9ee9a84de7982

Calix brightened up and a2a0f21e40 happily moved various foods 044dbdb376 onto my plate. If I ate all ccf1b10653 of this, I’d surely eb6083e22a gain weight.625a95e0ae520812

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Do you want anything a5f168ff99 else?”e25ea44699971858

“No, I’m good. I’ll eat well.”440576c08feb529d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Okay.”159a912267b73c89

After a dinner 50d2ba0751 where I ate 742c90487e more than usual 50d80fc119 under his expectant 43db718487 gaze, Calix stood 80f06caa00 in front of 9be8f50b4c the magic circle 417d1276f5 to return to 640c97a12f his fief.3d37a71eef54e25b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…Jayden, are you really 8781622cd1 going to keep me 12564d3d72 from using the direct e2d95f1101 magic circle?”1cbb5329b90a0f7b

Since Calix had come db6722ca29 all the way here, 05a9f9f09c I no longer intended 2f5d9a5947 to do that, and 7245a03248 seeing his expression, I ceebd83067 knew he’d lie down 50193f6b06 right there if I ad4ebdeab4 jokingly said yes, so 8774a851ab I shook my head.82593361ba8d1e11

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“No. So if b739089b09 you want 865b586a18 to come, a1ff83285e just use e53f2d6a7b the magic 95c02e1208 circle.”990880a045f55024

Besides, regardless 14c8507cd2 of my 7f576f32d1 feelings, Calix 84429d4afc wasn’t the dd256fb261 type to 0fcf1911bf stay away d5e790a40a just because c208b26779 I told 2f1d5fd7b9 him not 09eb2b696d to come. So it 758f46fa4e was better c1a4aca112 to let a5c7b1b1e7 him use 28c7e63153 the direct 9b7536b780 magic circle 3911e724aa to save d9d7af3daf time.a42c181151da72ea

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Watching Calix’s bright smile, 78cb64fb1b I suddenly remembered his 9b7b79b556 childhood obsession with becoming 28c4f75bbe a perfect duke and a089b19dc1 asked, worried.2abc886d3a742ce0

“Did the duke say f17c9258b1 anything?”378b0f830f742d94

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Since it took over 03a65f5f47 a week by carriage 94314a7ce9 to get here, the 6d99d111a6 duke wouldn’t have nice 65cabeb43d things to say when 9e482a6842 he returned. Plus, he e5cc6fa13b must have 63aa0d99dc spent quite 4d912d5cce a bit 2c185bda38 of money df1eb2ccc4 traveling through ed408aa885 various stops. Of course, 8172158e87 considering the b05a90dc47 wealth of baa8ef4db0 the duchy, 642da57ab4 it was cdec49a2e9 like taking 723a95d3b6 a drop ddcd2b2308 from the 726a2bc856 ocean, but 26cffcf9d0 the issue b24725ab34 was the 7a1824369c unnecessary expense.1faf550b502fa4fa

However, Calix 38d53c84a6 replied nonchalantly.daeb448717ed2bfc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“It’s fine, 9cb6a74d61 I’ll just b45187e0de get scolded d44235e5c6 a bit.”4c86b843afcd5057

“Huh?”1ca3860ddff4a82c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His reaction was 0e1a57b5ec lighter than I c5b0d653b1 expected, and seeing 9c94c450ca my puzzled expression, bca1460f60 Calix added.1337fd9cf6f41457

“You said it yourself, c0c539cbbe Jayden. Not to 30ddba0ff7 worry because 13ffcd9c43 I’ll become 4f0f194e3c a perfect f8f2aae09b duke in 7b5e7535c0 the future.”080488ccd6ee3c16

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“That’s true, but….”1884b5df992334e6

“I also remember 6897c8c168 you saying it’s d12fe4cc2b okay not to a692a24387 be a perfect 6ad647a3b5 duke. And anyway, 49d7b179d4 I can’t 12fc560523 become a 7b6f184871 perfect duke 0123a9b06a since I’m 7b12423320 not good 0691faabb1 at flower ca150f8561 arranging or 24cd49284e embroidery.”acd63d7e359c9817

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Saying that, Calix c2629163a8 smiled brightly again.e722f4811c603d4b

I was glad e805cfa13b that my casual 682f600cbc words of comfort 6b5b9b9baa from childhood seemed f0caccaed7 to have had 254436b1f6 a positive effect 2cb4926ffc on Calix, but 7cb6e460d5 at the same a6c9f99666 time, I couldn’t bb2ce35691 relax. I suddenly 0c0ba3dc93 realized that 7c46a62c4e just as 795f9b63df my comfort 5521ee59d1 had changed 4ee767e26f Calix, my c838aab3b9 death would d45c90e526 also change be61e2fe30 him, whether 23b7fd56bd positively or 7dc72333c4 negatively.4bb93592254bacbf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Then I’ll write you b43087cace a letter.”8c4b4eed61c2b638

“…Okay.”ca29c644d5129234

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I waved weakly 5085f960e1 at the departing aaf599e423 Calix. I felt uneasy.a3d91169881cee98