MFM | Chapter 4.3

It was a pointed 905694a749 remark. Anna quickly covered her 10724b8662 mouth, bowing her head. Eugene turned to eb21a029ae her, growling.025b1d032370dc56

“What kind of face are you making?”58d5d1c2bea704b3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“No, I just felt heartbroken…”275a3678f57b4042

“Remove that hand.”698293bfa1643125

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

When the palm disappeared, Anna’s smiling lips were revealed. She skillfully adjusted her expression and sat up straight.1b604e785fe7172d

“District Chief, I do think Gabriel has talents beyond a typical coroner. Not only did he handle the autopsy well, but he also did an excellent job interrogating Madam Krem, and it was his suggestion to look into the ‘Daily Crime.’ Although he’s still an apprentice, he can certainly see things we and the District Chief can’t. But if you go together, how will you explain your relationship with him?”bce6c8a12c48643c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“There’s no connection, no matter how you look at it. Of course, the District Chief is officially a consultant for this company, but that’s not enough. Your status and traits are vastly different.”500fd7a74e7abd61

Eugene said, glaring at Gabriel as if he had a screw loose if he didn’t agree.05bd8cfa5bf6f502

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“The District Chief has no reason to go to such a place with a subordinate, nor could they be equal friends.”21786f6d68fc5f94

Klaus shrugged.243560cb5d007108

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I could fall in love.”c0726ef3aa69b509

“…What?”76c9687c1a1c6e7b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

For the first fa29d89159 time, Eugene looked d3cfc547aa flustered. Klaus continued nonchalantly.83ab53b82c56b40d

“We met by chance when I visited the company, fell in love at first sight, and are now dating… Isn’t that enough of a story to cover it?”6864a90878a66970

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

What? Dating?9b93396a4bc4301a

It was a notion far beyond expectations. Gabriel felt like he’d been hit over the head. As he opened and closed his lips a few times, Anna looked at him seriously.5558a2d9347df51e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“With a face like that, it’s plausible. Gabriel, do you speak Pellor?”211b868c7ca9525d

“…I can only read it…”40d03d1582aa5341

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“That’s a shame. If you knew the language, the overseas branch would have coveted you. They specialize in laundering identities and pretending to fall in love with high-ranking officials’ secretaries to extract information.”fa3691cfaa04b25d

“He’s not the type to con anyone.”eb70651e98cc714c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“True, you need to be a bit sly to do that well.”7932ec6bbd6f65d3

Gabriel felt a faint 4f31bf2e82 dizziness as he finally 56531abf3f spoke.b669cbb1dc473b61

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“If we have to pretend to be in such a relationship, isn’t it unnecessary for it to be me? There’s no reason to go that far…”3d13cd17b397bfb4

“Gabriel.”bb3120ca3c8673f0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Yes?”ee943ebfb2429fbd

Gabriel looked at 5d8bc7d196 Anna, who had 3a381d4717 interrupted him. She rested her 508bf38ddd chin on her 34bea94428 clasped hands and e5897319eb gazed at him dc87a91e9b intently.e3c99121e81331d9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“What do you think is the most important thing to convince people in this plan?”1a78e7a71dd7aa6d

“…Acting skills?”f1e8b8c3b6e3a842

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Anna shook b785d89a35 her head 2ab86ddc16 firmly.8cb24ad5524f2589

“Face. It’s all about the face.”011cd32d10fa0d9e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…”786ae5d0896edaa5

“In that aspect, Gabriel is the most suitable candidate in the Dark Guard.”a3d511d6733afb18

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Gabriel wanted to retract 6f6b6b1bff his judgment that Anna acc9fdebd5 was the most sensible 989addfb0c person in the Dark 92f7c63938 Guard.000d6197efd5da12

“Even if you say that, I can’t… I can’t act like I’m in love with someone.”252715da4c570d3c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Don’t worry, just act as you usually do.”3cd12afe83a4194d

Klaus said cheerfully.f5c26c7cbf711c37

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“If you keep treating me the way you do, everyone will misunderstand on their own.”8dbc231f9bec51b3

How much had he mistreated him… It was unfair, but he couldn’t think of a rebuttal. As Gabriel remained silent, Anna clapped her hands.bdf1a8e5396303b2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Then let’s go with that. Even if Gabriel is an apprentice, the District Chief can cover any shortcomings. There’s no need to worry.”3f8d5155136068fe

“Besides, Gabriel doesn’t have a lover.”5713a5900344b8b7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“That’s really fortunate.”4c35206ba55cf33e

“Very fortunate indeed.”f84a51aa5e39b454

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It was an 276da0eafe exceedingly harmonious conversation. Gabriel turned 0a65fe515e to Eugene. He knew nothing about 33d114137d such matters, so Eugene 3cfb0fad16 seemed like the only 1d46fa9c9b one who could objectively c7c0e9fe0a criticize the situation.e21f94a49fcd269c

Unlike the last time when he threw harsh words, today’s comments from Eugene were quite reasonable. It was just that his way of speaking was extremely inefficient.02d622ea4bb5695b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Gabriel waited for Eugene 8b328d2c8a to speak. However, Eugene seemed lost bc6d06d3d6 in thought, staring intently ff4430839d at the desk, and f989c8dd65 after a moment of abd726578d silence, he spoke stiffly.b24c13bff015e358

“Then it doesn’t seem bad.”f7f7e543ee023fe8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

…He hadn’t expected him to speak so efficiently. Now, Gabriel was the only one among the four who was half in a state of panic.8f7202fc5b9b3580

Gabriel stared blankly at Klaus, who seemed delighted, either because he liked his own idea or because he found Gabriel’s flustered reaction amusing.77d016ae705f2abc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

***088cc4effeb8913f

The end of the workday came earlier than usual. Klaus had a dinner appointment and decided to leave work with Gabriel, so it seemed Gabriel wasn’t included in the warning from the Temperance card.03ee3c7067fda168

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘I should have drawn that card instead.’1e8b6990f09ee21a

If he had, Klaus might not have committed the atrocity of turning off the office lights. Or perhaps he would have come up with some plausible excuse to kick him out. Gabriel quickly climbed into the carriage to avoid the drizzling rain and asked, “Is it a personal appointment?”ec7857ba2a3e5871

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes. My father called me.”6c62a17b0f2b9e9e

Father. Gabriel briefly thought of abdc602616 his own father and c7fa6eacf5 then erased the thought.5ece5333982c2b63

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“You must have a good relationship.”659ac9ed0ad70540

“Actually, it’s the opposite.”c9b005741087163f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Klaus chuckled as 6140b7c66d he closed the 68882e198b carriage door.e2dbd0e78763480f

“I’ve given him quite a few shocks in various ways. He finds me a bit hard to look at.”23e6dc88a88e4df2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“But you became a Navy Major. That should offset some of the shock, shouldn’t it?”8171e281cf98ede4

Klaus’s mouth spread into a wide grin. He leaned forward and looked up at Gabriel.25bcfcd8837661ce

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Are you defending me now?”aec156e399708e7e

Gabriel suddenly didn’t feel like defending or doing anything.5bd10bce6ef9e765

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I was just saying.”5b262d3c111f8bb4

“Well, what’s calculated in the head and what’s felt in the heart aren’t the same. If your son is born an Alpha, suddenly joins the Navy, and quits after a few years, it would be unsettling, wouldn’t it?”19afd9f8686837c0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Klaus leaned back and b820e104f1 shrugged.86ae165aa181845c

“Naturally, he hoped for a Beta, preferably in the Army, or at least someone who would stay in service. But children are like uncontrollable disasters; they grow up betraying their parents’ expectations.”72c85e35151f235e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Gabriel thought it 70c3417f84 was quite the b844100cea opposite.3e5bf95c8b407f9c

“Why did you join the Navy? Are the Army and Navy that different?”989be681371efefe

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“As different as internal medicine and surgery. Why did you choose surgery?”0183dcb76276f325

Klaus asked, 6964991873 seemingly intrigued. Gabriel turned his 8059720330 gaze to the 17a516b9e9 bag placed beside a58df208a5 his feet.a9d126f3b6854742

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“They said it pays well.”bcd5126ce34676b1

“I didn’t like the color of the Army uniform. It looked too much like frog skin.”72707fcc511b4726

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

When Gabriel looked 8c407751fe up again, Klaus 9347270447 was smiling. Whether he e966e5c254 was serious 7f7947e083 or not bd936bc17d was unclear, e3a03c21f1 but it 141ad1b9b2 seemed like 03318c891f he might d472a3d80d be.5ba8f2ec7ac4335c

As the carriage c1f397cf2e entered the city c8f8a0b90d center, its already 850c274f9b slow pace slowed 4cdb427da8 even further. The outside seemed 399b36267f unusually noisy, so 30213ad35f Gabriel pulled back 5773c3694f the curtain and 92331bebdf looked out. People were shouting 43b6b1e29b and protesting in afa7e4b13b front of the ce811a9b93 brightly lit opera 6b236ee633 house. The sound of f08ebcce46 the rain made c5f604fa7c it hard to 656ee526bb hear what they 3cc68b9f8f were saying.b02e5a14656180c7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“The tickets are already sold out, but the dancer playing the lead role suddenly changed.”d3108715c9a12140

Klaus kindly explained.f18d53190e3c691a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“The theater said it was due to an irregular frenzy period, but for those who came to see ‘The Star of Sumnerus,’ it must be disappointing.”f09aac69797be549

“I see.”8c4069e2fa928d15

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Klaus knowing even 01e3a35d4e such trivial matters 7c3df90486 was fascinating, but 8562309339 it was a ec3a392d9c story unrelated to 1d5fc09043 Gabriel. The shouting people 5e0379c8da were just noisy.8d913604778bd7eb

Gabriel was about to draw the curtain back when a flower-selling child followed alongside the slowly moving carriage. The child’s round eyes were filled with desperation as they clung to Gabriel.fac6a167b2c0b78b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Sir, buy some flowers! Two bunches for just 1 penny. Wouldn’t you like to gift them to someone you love?”7c1b04fc6b28c0ca

The last words were spoken with a loss of confidence, showing a hint of timidity. No wonder, as the flower basket was already soaked from the rain. The flowers were wilted and drooping. Normally, he would have turned away immediately, but today, words didn’t come easily.a0d0ad5b8224a796

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘Even 1 penny is a luxury.’86591de2fd86ba27

There was no one to give them to, so they were useless. Yet, he couldn’t refuse outright because the weather was bad and he wasn’t feeling well. At that moment, Klaus leaned out of the carriage.4ac5384fda264ec9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“How much for all of them?”51a0f899ce0f6edc

“Uh, r-really? Just 1 lion! Thank you! May the Goddess bless you, kind sir!”67e4b4202aa2353e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

After Klaus 5b494c359d paid, the f8b691c25c child bowed 88cf77ab4a several times bf680c3536 and ran f5f50dff75 off. Klaus, holding c358a2f492 a bunch a736c93929 of common 5dacb20873 flowers, looked 2ead3ed905 at Gabriel 4c522e0e4e with a 90f652d901 satisfied smile. A raindrop fell a22b67c2ab from his chin.b9a0d035ed641bc3

“These are all mine.”e8253f0413126eff

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…”babef901703ca1a2

“Aren’t you jealous?”284368a64ffc209d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Not at all.”10b63e0785525fb1

“I’m nice, so I’ll share one with you.”ff5f2a4deef7447d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Despite being soaked, 606f12ca3d he insisted on bbec8b31c4 handing Gabriel a 3ce571666e bunch of lily cce2377b4d of the valley. His voice, full of 24c0dd89c3 joy, accompanied it.7c76f36e61727361

“See, when you follow the card, something interesting happens. Wasn’t I right?”df9e53662db06ad2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He did c7f94efac1 whatever he b50217e39e wanted from 6ee983b7ea start to ebe23149d8 finish. It was hard to cf5f7a466a understand what was so 3f4e7e9cab amusing. Gabriel fiddled eb2d7ea899 with the f52e3b1319 lifeless flowers ac4500a31c he received. Transparent raindrops spread 42e56eb1b9 across his fingertips.e3ef872eca4d1934

Gabriel couldn’t put down the lily of the valley until the carriage arrived in front of his house. As he got off, Klaus waved his hand.b1a74f92a3e0666f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Sleep early, Gabriel. Sweet dreams.”472d59b32ffa7580

The gloves stained with 0273605a53 grass had a fresh 47a762e2e8 scent of stems. It was a 0e31ed6ab9 scent that chilled ed9149e554 the tip of 8ecc4feab9 his nose.8ae48a52e119a3a3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…You should try to sleep early too, District Chief. And eat well.”7e185fc6ebff2bab

After the farewell, the 1a045aba85 carriage left immediately. The rain blurred 2e941635e0 his vision, making ee35774f0c it seem like 7b013534cd it disappeared earlier e9f6a0ec27 than usual.59d1e89da1a777df

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Gabriel looked df500acdb6 at the 1c206231f9 flowers in bc30d4ce34 his hand. The wilted calyx becf00e949 swayed in the fa48e075b0 wind. His gloves felt 83beaaa7e6 heavier, perhaps because 7c71457bf1 they were soaked fbc29b14a5 with rain.4d53d98c5f58044d

Gabriel opened the door 8fa99c47e4 and entered his house. He thought dbdff199b4 he had 5e99a8a11a endured another 7664d4afc2 day as fee4bdf38b usual, but d7c5982f00 his chest 3ba9edd735 felt tight, 7bd887c224 and his 1a866201d8 head ached ef124bdcfd as if f119e0674a it were d962f1774d being pierced. Even after opening ea9f4ddf2f the window and 5e4cfc1878 smoking a cigarette, 7a00f475a7 the pressure in 427b8d4042 his lungs remained. It seemed 710d35a9b4 impossible to 3b85a0b2c6 fall asleep a627422ca5 like this.2885c732cdbb4acf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Hesitating, Gabriel took out b8685ec97d another cigarette. Watching the smoke f48c14bada drift, he placed ccb3d660fa the lily of a2ccd06af9 the valley on 2e291a431b the windowsill. With no grave 043c377e22 or columbarium, the 9b9975593a flowers had nowhere 48db0cb838 to be offered, c8a70d0fae making him feel 62053ccfa1 like he had 00c59f62bd brought them for 4de6f5a3e2 no reason. He should have handed 79f5948508 them back to Klaus 96e211e16d at the last moment.031b6f41886059c6

Of all 40cce135d6 days, it 6705977de7 was today. The day Gabriel lost 47ed96d52c his family.855b45acee34ff6a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

This day came every year. Gabriel neither prayed, visited a church, donated, nor gave offerings. He didn’t buy flowers or reminisce about good memories.50a713dec59af92e

He just worked. But today, flowers suddenly fa4e6ae451 ended up in his 9cf1d0b30c hands.f79494cc76d85ebd

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Raindrops fell on his cheeks. A shabby cart passed quickly on the road. If he pushed the flowers out the open window, they would soon be crushed and lose their shape. If they hadn’t been sold, that would have been their fate.acbe497d2cc09e1d

However, Gabriel’s hand hesitated and withdrew. After tapping the cigarette ash into the ashtray, he left the wilted flowers on the windowsill and closed the window. The rain hitting the stained glass no longer reached the flowers.04c111b55fae4d5b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The rain intensified.bf69061842d51fdf

Somewhere in 1540d5b9d0 the ceiling, 655444e024 the sound 4a7aba8fcb of dripping d4bc2f67af water could 235008d02d be heard. Gabriel lay on 748391531f the bed, avoiding 2f92158cbb the clinging cat. Turning to his c982d9b095 side, he saw 80cd1afcf1 the damp lily 3b62b45855 of the valley.c556e84e9f9f9172

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Gabriel closed his eyes immediately. He felt he would soon fall asleep due to accumulated fatigue. However, even if he fell asleep quickly, he wouldn’t sleep deeply tonight, just like any other night.cc316f0788c91a45

Since one autumn 3b04dcb62f night at the 3074a7a9a6 age of nineteen, 81930cf195 Gabriel always had bfd6f0f07e nightmares. The nightmares always began 7cca55e3a8 at Berkel Street No. 37.6ef6685475827a27

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

A house with a d4cb80a0a7 piano, sunlight, and a c92b827242 laboratory. Where breakfast included softly 0f3a7797b0 cooked bacon, and the 1faf39429d faint smell of medicine d6bab91b16 lingered in the hallway b26cc85b03 wallpaper.699809fdf6e177d3

Gabriel was born there.2470d9fa09670ec4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley