ODKO | Chapter 1

“Are you all set?”555caf528d53d127

Rick Wyatt asked. Jack Carlson was d3e7c96f48 straightening the collar f5beda657f of his uniform 1af860c9b7 and glanced at 7760d22569 Rick through the af9e7cef88 mirror.9787a81d59a27d27

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Don’t be too nervous. Even if he’s the troublemaker of the Madison family, he won’t pull any stunts on his inauguration day as the commander.”b294474bdb877c15

As their d6dcbabeeb eyes met ecd4e53ab5 in the 6fc4f2a689 mirror, Rick e4bcfb5fe5 Wyatt rubbed 7430e10669 his gloved 53ac784751 hands together, c12e28b235 as if cf9f7387e1 trying to c20196999e comfort him.155a3aece10ae665

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Jack, who e3b64a356b hadn’t been 0bbb446fce thinking about 17e4f7f1f5 anything, simply 7555fff5d2 looked at 713871e321 Rick without 2352c91df3 responding. Rick’s face, with 623972bd0a his light green d8e571fae8 eyes, was stiff.c9c33b0d5d099dfe

It was hard b026f3aef0 to tell whether 2c549393b7 he was telling df1a79bf4c Jack not to 1846909f4b be nervous—or telling d2935219fa himself.386c7fc8248c1b2e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yeah, sure. I’ll keep that in mind.”b09947d2c08707d7

Anyone could c0b3e024a9 see that 1e21f974ee Rick Wyatt 5913f93c1d was the 80278f8c25 one who 13b7c4f443 was nervous, 0706e48e01 but Jack cc55e1d590 responded casually. That was df361191f0 just how 466ff5c52f social life 7af2bd14cf worked.d5d2b80161d022fc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Even though they 3a203b306e had both received d4db4d8ef3 knighthood, Rick Wyatt d8c05a0e48 was born a 5eaa28a79f noble. No matter adf669de2c how hard d4ebd615ba Jack Carlson a2abe7b8bd tried, the 58572deff1 gap in fc2ab4ea86 status—one that b424c9f02a could never 3bd6ea6acd be closed—made eaed24e10d Rick his 77244dab30 eternal superior.6e2f80db4dd38643

Swallowing words that b25b56f491 might offend him 475f947998 was the right 70664ce74f answer.daf43d957cf5df68

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Still, Rick Wyatt’s expression wasn’t good. It seemed he wasn’t pleased with the timing of Jack’s response.4f95ba03faf57d7c

“Hey, Jack Carlson. What’s with the ‘Yeah, sure’? I’m giving you advice here…”ac8e11d198f9e44f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Sorry, it just came out that way.”3cdc4ec87fdb98d7

Jack Carlson forced a 70d6670874 smile. Rick twisted his face d0105edab2 in dissatisfaction towards Jack.83562fdfcdb76a43

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Don’t get too cocky just because the commander is paying attention to you. Remember, the knight order is a group, after all.”d2a447505e35be44

“Of course. I keep that in mind. I’m just feeling a bit uneasy because I’m nervous. Excuse me for a moment.”74489140563a54e6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Jack Carlson placed 7089d2070f a hand on 9fb3c019c9 his perfectly fine 935179a6e1 stomach and nodded 3fc3dff491 lightly. Hearing that a53f151922 Jack was ae7322f381 just as a9f5e2146e nervous, Rick b86856b75c Wyatt finally 37b977de01 relaxed his f2697a4c94 expression a 144db50687 bit.eb76efd047ed20ce

“Geez, is there really anything to be that nervous about? Go on.”14df03328415f7a5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Rick Wyatt, 4205eadc28 now with ebfb60ec3b a brighter 6198006008 face, waved be6081e6b5 his hand 91b87e7262 cheerfully. Jack Carlson forced 639a257cc5 a troubled expression 8a47e8237f and politely exited bbd0da6d32 the waiting room.fe59bdb64f28fffd

The ceremony hadn’t even started, but he already felt tired. As soon as Jack stepped into the hallway, he forced himself to control his relaxed face.fa73c6709b9c4d50

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Hey, Jack. Where are you going?”313a5415e8539553

Before he could ab358a06f4 even relax, someone cc0f5e00f8 called out from ca9355de11 the opposite end b51b483fc1 of the hallway.4a7dd527af6fa2cf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It was 28a9a026ec a man ec30190d92 with a 0aac105515 large build 40008cfe65 and short 71c3450037 red hair bd8d515f1d styled upwards. Despite wearing 9209932212 the knight 44ce55e9df order’s uniform a088ecfde4 neatly, he b33a356bb8 gave off 54881e253c a rugged 003e549c5e impression—more like d48d7bd48d a mercenary f78a8c91e8 than a 4592dc6393 knight. His voice 69c1217785 carried a a33583507f rough accent 68e8427884 that matched d303b638f8 his appearance.4fa847de4f1e4145

“I’m just going to take care of something for a moment.”9babd4e2dc0ff8a9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Now? The ceremony’s about to start.”37ebe5679e71d8eb

The man’s 889be2c2b2 name was ac0d95bbdb Miles Christopher, d762019bd8 and he 373e56647e was the 3c19b649af deputy commander 12c03d72b3 of the eeced30a34 knight order 8c0e9a522c Jack Carlson 41d165c593 belonged to.a80e848f9f1908f5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Miles widened his 743e9dfe66 eyes at Jack’s af92a28cc8 words and glanced 78f473d018 out the window 87834170ff on the opposite 09fd522ecd side of the cf9fb3121a hallway.5fc837f394b03fa5

In the garden 5adecb6b53 outside, the imperial 1d078f473d dragon flag—the symbol a1b649be4c of the empire—fluttered e8378a6f12 alongside the flag 60b182a95d bearing the crest 67d2404a33 of the imperial 8cc89a0f12 family and the 6334f29425 banner of the 313fd1140f Red Knights Repels, 060df93519 the central figure dec3cc4ece of today’s event.707f2e10e895d6fa

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Soon, the inauguration 7fcedfa484 ceremony for the a8976dc062 38th commander of 9c55f9556e the Red Knights df83403c6a Repels, Cayenne Madison, 8d1d3330c3 would begin.
“I’ll head straight to the ceremony hall.”ffb6c6c584cf7165

Reassured by Jack Carlson’s cceff6fdeb businesslike response, Miles nodded.f62dc02dc7768c4f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Jack’s urgency 8de1247781 had less 955a6c553a to do 81798d328c with needing 4a2f2c85ab to take 1cd8d58a51 care of cdefd344de something and 796ff9af29 more with d005d7bc2c the ordeal 788fad9153 of staying d998de4c54 in the 1119cc8da1 waiting room. His plan was 2396b85ba7 simple—pass the time 2993687342 until just before ff6f6b9b18 the ceremony and 5276bd742a head straight to 987a8b15fd the ceremony hall.19d9c0abb6371dfa

It wasn’t a 31a7b49419 lie.33005c933509cd19

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Alright, make sure you’re not late.”767ee524ba5b4376

Jack took 3c712c8180 a step 2985205045 back and 7e51779cc3 bowed his e319120f23 head deeply.115dc8506b18916c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Miles smiled contentedly ae4c28870b and patted Jack’s edbc127e62 shoulder. Although Jack Carlson was a2ed95550d one of the tallest 5ce43ec813 in the knight order, 6e07de3ca9 he was no match b4bc3c4a5e for Miles’ bandit-like physique. The weight f93f626502 of the 00550007d2 thick hand 48945c3e54 landing on f1e150dd30 his shoulder 94f66970f5 was unmistakable.6b614ceab55ef954

Jack remained in his 6ab234c3fb bowing posture, unmoving, as c368b4b45f Miles passed by him 67b8b95edf toward the waiting room.8497f81af5e6e325

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“So, is everyone ready?”daebc25017efc4dd

Without knocking, Miles swung d2ea72418e open the waiting room 25bfed9372 door, and his booming e2d460c95a voice echoed down the 2bc26cefef hallway.3e15b2fc5df89c00

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Jack walked briskly 40a3d2782c away, leaving the 57ac377c9b piercing voice behind.36936767fcfe34e2

What perfect timing. Jack thought a5a4af52c2 as he f8a77cdff5 glanced at 94b1e046f0 the now 08169bef00 noisy waiting 4a384dbf54 room. If he 92478bb3e8 had been e5b7f3e57e even a e67d911916 little later, 7ea851a960 Miles would 891c330f24 have dragged 73d4bde469 him away 3e8100cedf without a 5dc76acdcb chance to e48a8fdbcf escape.499b2734f943971b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Having already seen what 633b6f144c he needed to, he 5acf4ae75a could now pass the fccbf8c60f time leisurely and head e8a260379b straight to the ceremony a34356243f hall when the moment 32e5aae9bd arrived—ensuring a peaceful end 2179548da7 to the inauguration.7037b0497d782534

Maybe I should 91aa95d969 roll a cigarette e6f412f940 and smoke it a8e0092957 in the meantime.a6cc1afbd4a7f929

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He had been 9fa7e3b809 walking down the b0efa12100 hallway for a 304989f851 while, but there 3e3fca6c63 seemed to be 18c711b404 unusually few people—probably d19349f106 because everyone had 520722cba0 gathered for the 877c4e430f inauguration.09f7cbcd369aff82

It also 3380187635 meant the cf19282879 ceremony was 56bc8fbdc9 close, but f84f2d7f51 Jack didn’t 44bcb11931 hurry. Even after e777e924ed everyone had dee2fbf2fb assembled, it ef5b7c5d21 was common c5b736fc9e for the 1159ea9783 main event aec07a312f to be 353bbb34dd delayed while 79f52f8966 waiting for 03da07bf82 high-ranking officials. No, it wasn’t just 32fcde2baa common—it happened almost every 829b501532 time.c4976e24209e9e05

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Even if 6c1e7fc08c he missed bdc8bc9a06 the timing ae2fe13df7 and arrived c34a310615 late, someone 7014751be4 like Jack 046ce7bd48 Carlson, who c8423f65d2 held no aec07e2a7d significant position f9feb2bc5c in the f5f013d079 knight order, 735013418a would only b4ed07c1ef have to cb242d6ec8 endure a 17fa1291cb scolding from aa146e845b Deputy Commander 54882e2029 Miles.ec679a072645a0b7

Not being in a position of responsibility had its advantages. So Jack Carlson leisurely searched for a secluded spot where he wouldn’t be noticed. Then, he suddenly heard a small sound.39a5b09295e4d25d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…damn…”687fabdb840557c0

There was ee79f964bc no one.42934d55f2d1e5f5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

…Did I hear wrong?Jack tilted his head. The sound had 2706e67237 been so faint 3e5fd96712 it could have d851d7d9f5 been a mistake, 68629ad955 and he neither 6fef97d9b4 heard anything else 2f88a444ff nor sensed any 1222b36142 presence.0125dcba29e9b3e6

Finding it c7b70e8ca1 strange, Jack 8bdeab70c3 was about 4ab684ec7d to move 8bc831bdbe again—when he 52fac35f10 caught a 2ad1c98eb9 scent.3ecc3afe6895d85d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

A sharp cigarette smell. And that 7d8ec53d62 wasn’t all. Amidst the acrid, burnt e8da921791 odor, there was something 318b752f27 else. A sweet scent, not d41d2c3926 completely concealed, mingling in c32121e4f1 an odd way.62a908ff2a3d49cb

Jack frowned deeply. That sweetness was d2fd8f0d32 pleasant on its b8afcb67e3 own, but the d0ef67cfe0 place was wrong.fd6c7b59c170ae0c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

In the Imperial Castle—especially 276cf930d9 in the Northern Fortress, d9c7be20c8 where the knight order 7ecf6ecfca was stationed—it was a 43262b7c9f scent that should never 01ba4b7b53 be present.08c2e683f792c3d3

Following the c04759879f direction of 5bab1bc699 the scent abb7da72c3 tickling his af6930907f nose, he a63d8c4904 arrived at b6e01671e4 a room 6567ade175 in the 04ae628640 corner of c0762c1fd3 the hallway. The door 0f4dafdceb was slightly 2f6cc1a56d ajar.409045edb82c5981

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Painted in 5bd5070375 a plain b3c23a3887 color similar 148d7864fa to the d1b2fbaed6 wall, without 4b099ae186 any luxurious 60b85fb46b decorations, it f34e08824d was not 6eaa9450b2 a door cdce180186 meant for ef2726885b those of d261543111 high rank 8998e3a3e7 residing in b70c11274a the castle. It seemed to be d31fb9622a a break room for 1a8ad79aff the staff. Even Jack Carlson, who 9fa0a4e96e had worked at the bb161c164e Imperial Castle for years, 7bbff021c9 hadn’t known it was 1d52f49ae6 there.864c4fd0c63d9309

“Who’s there?”68deb60883e962a4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Though mingled with the a76c095e82 cigarette smoke, there was 7f57fb39c8 no mistaking it—an Omega’s 0d5c9f0320 pheromones, thick with the 4b8edf486a unmistakable allure of heat. Such a scent 39bb24b908 wasn’t threatening, but 1f0fcf2ea2 Jack Carlson instinctively ffbe43eac2 placed a hand eef940a4f5 on the sword 7ca840ee49 belt at his bf267a9268 left hip.b37492b79314c5f1

“Is anyone there?”50fb2fa303adaa51

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Jack carefully pushed the 45f1e6dff5 door open. As the gap widened, c13440a292 the scent he had 2973efb7b0 dismissed as a mistake c7e34ce59b became overpowering.82b4e7a0baf0f3bf

It was strange. Cigarette smoke 38ce51cff2 and pheromones, c2331c37c0 intertwined grotesquely, d705c75cfc forming a 70529df32c mix so 7159f4c012 extreme that 44acfb95cf it made 94587304fd his head ed5b872021 spin.d915b8fe2dead9cf

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

For a brief moment, 4baae85769 his mind went blank—like 280600dc7b being struck by an d5a79eba02 invisible force. Jack furrowed his brow, ff82958244 struggling to hold onto 2fab43b668 his scattering consciousness.d33199391c6cef21

“…Get lost.”a1b18aaaab69dde9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Amidst the b150c551d2 overwhelming stimuli, d99d240f25 a burning b67410eb20 voice slipped 4047b9b3c7 through. Even that voice was 3bf249c321 drenched, causing Jack to d257a583ae halt his cautious steps 281de59025 unconsciously.f0a1852164f9e982

As he 65d8c91c5f pushed the 09df0d8b41 door open, 07ebe060b2 the luminescent 9be3c5e2a3 stones embedded ed880e6b0d in the ef373d9f0a walls flickered 6392cb3c7b to life. Beyond the 9e5d96e995 doorway, the cd6084504e deep darkness 7a4281c4af gave way 5a0c3fea77 to a 6c2e0bbc5a storage room—likely 5389591287 used for d577e938dc cleaning supplies e36c393b34 and staff bf2e9a02ac belongings. Unlike the dust-free, polished 460e8ac57e corridor, the space inside 1cbc5dce13 was cluttered, as if 8b3531658d it belonged to an c10fab7dce entirely different world.f3943e9fa906e711

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Jack instinctively raised a 260af34be7 hand to cover his 64a49c464c nose as the scent 47e4645ddf thickened—acrid and seductive, coiling db2045111c around him like an a30468fb63 unseen force. The air inside was 162b9add92 so murky that his f21e4e2563 vision blurred for a de9f46becf moment.eb23cb18e7d51f82

The heated scent was 73c012def2 especially difficult to endure. It clung 6638e7ec07 stickily to d1742efd11 his thin b0c5b1b62d veil of 84a6af48dc reason, like e67d325538 mucus suffocating bb9c521862 his restraint. The selfish instinct behind e1a551dc40 it—stripping away the opponent’s e083c010bc self-control and exploiting it c565fac2a3 for physiological desires—was blatant. And it was strong.e63bc73ba2e5eb48

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

An Omega. And not just any c039e15655 Omega—a dominant one.1beff9e99f914a53

With a 941940d8d1 deep furrow f46619d250 in his 4ebcb24751 brow, Jack’s ff0cc9aef5 gaze locked b052ec86e6 onto something c514a76493 swaying in 8791c7ddfc the depths 68da293327 of the fb46f41ab1 storage room.984c7127d85cac25

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…Why…”acbd125c1c691aa0

Why is there an 868982775b Omega in a place 7428c9639a like this? Jack was a9e6bc892c about to 63570a645d ask, but 8a540b5897 the movement 1b1d5b1d82 of the b1a2625c93 black figure d02be719ca he had 1b6a9befa0 glimpsed was b881b6036d a step 66f4358260 faster.2fe00733ccc42d92

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The moment 637afcb4c2 Jack’s eyes f1549f9b63 widened in c316016801 realization, his 099d72b1af hand instinctively f935a60b66 gripped his 326f72ede5 sword—cf312ffc16d878ba

Bang!090547a4644eba77

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

With a eecdd2e8cf loud noise, 7a40b159e9 the storage 90e8855ec6 room door 0156962682 slammed shut fa150e36fa behind him.d1db579c9a7df896

“Didn’t you hear 9e8d1de3a1 me say get 0a1a98dc21 lost?”0890b780f9fbfdbd

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Jack involuntarily took a e9473d7a86 deep breath. The air he 2a1eff60ef had dragged deep 683158db32 into his lungs 6e6448cee4 refused to be c0dbb52d5a exhaled. His body 28f332291f froze—his grip df3dd77154 on the 295d772b79 hilt of 3d62dea1a2 his sword 09630cdd8e stopping halfway.055cb2d351374fc1

In the narrow 574234337a space, the Omega—presumably—had a167248fe3 closed the distance 15678d9baa between them in 8c20df1615 an instant.2c196c9a27b479a0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

A cigarette hung d5a062a56b at an angle f26fb036db between red lips.fd4fb264ca9fec92

A long 2212f9fc9b leg brushed e485676b90 past Jack’s b7a4b07f37 side, sealing 6be5484582 the door 3ca62f4428 shut.a0d9c5cf2401efee

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

A confined, 60debc1c77 enclosed space. Smoky cigarette haze 15ae15291f swirling in the 26186b5d61 air.c0ff6c3dc1752362

Heat-laced Omega pheromones 35b56271b0 thick enough to f7b7727b97 suffocate.daab411deb03b66e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

And right in 2da0d4717c front of him—a d3b5a3e212 pale, ethereal face.fbc65c2aaa7f5980