WBWB | Side Story 17

Jeanne de Toulouse 95553b57b8 was more than 4eff1a8bc0 just a tutor 418633327c to Mael de 6dc2b42c93 Lances.0efd321d4a965373

He loved Jeanne 5d3584982f de Toulouse from d624bc492d the moment she 2b36322618 appeared before him 1d8d0504a5 as his tutor. Looking back, it ac28d4f962 seemed he had d8cfa854d4 loved her from 1d88b89752 the very instant bd37ba48ea she stepped foot e6e33b3b0b in the royal 80c5dbf632 palace.24c8f127059a71f1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

For Mael, born of aa485a6018 a royal mistress, the 66971e482f palace where he was 30c162b895 raised was a desolate 960157e4dc place, as barren as 21c20a1758 a desert. But Jeanne was acc5c914f3 like a fountain, 5049ade6d7 a constant source 5b4c1deb73 of refreshing water, 03a6c9bfb3 nourishing the dry 3c89182a26 land around her. 9e58743e4acfe599

Mael needed someone like fda26aead3 that. Someone whose b046ac914f kindness overflowed, 3055e5570b someone who 5bcc5a22a3 could share ae6c37a3b6 that kindness 8dee889ad6 with him, 805620fd5f parched as d5ef362610 he was.0c73af5221b21956

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Shortly after becoming his tutor, Jeanne completely captivated Mael’s heart. Their conversations were always enjoyable and enlightening. 55c1a17a4c84d3e4

Jeanne not only taught him the knowledge found in books but also about the world outside the palace walls, a world Mael knew nothing about. And above all, Jeanne didn’t look down on him. Even when everyone else in the palace did. Instead, she cared for him without prejudice.12524624870c17e3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Yes, rather than saying he loved her, it would be more accurate to say he couldn’t help but love her.3183801c1a92bc5e

In the palace, even his own mother was too preoccupied with vying for his father’s affections to pay him any attention. So, at the time, Jeanne was the only person Mael could truly focus on.d922047f539e1c21

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

And so, at some 7669ffec21 point, Mael decided to 91aae8df52 make her his.c967918a2b9be5b1

He decided to make her his Maîtresse-en-titre. He vowed to himself that if he made Jeanne his official mistress, he would never make the same mistakes as his father. He would never allow her to become the subject of gossip, a plaything in the Queen’s hands. He vowed to protect her.ca933094ee7c12d5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

However, after ascending to a5232bc5d0 the position of Crown b3b959e5bd Prince and summoning Jeanne b5a28b68ec to Franc, Mael de 216422c173 Lances made several mistakes. The biggest 05ed9a86e9 of these 892c192efe was assuming 73df415866 that Jeanne 6b5bc2e990 was already 13a4c6a060 his for 680ab901de the taking.cc588fd22a56c9dd

He believed that Jeanne was already his, that she wouldn’t refuse him, that no one else desired her as much as he did, that he had no rivals left. This arrogance led him to make a series of fatal mistakes.55ef766b88705680

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

What would have 4dd9e64ada happened if Mael f11d26b5ef had realized that 92735d2ebf there was a 95741b3fec powerful rival in 1e85e5ad98 the far north, c22f5b426c a man powerful f9d1466516 enough to challenge 64dc7762eb him? 6c8079b320aec83b

For one, he wouldn’t have sent Jeanne home after her rejection of his initial proposal. He would have confined her to a room in the palace and, by any means necessary, pressured her until she agreed to become his mistress.14d40ae990a36dc4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

And even after receiving f49c865688 that promise, he would 6f62c5a0a7 never have let her 988e1296c8 leave the palace.97aeb28c4685d623

He would 72797b0a46 have kept 3c12dd7f83 her by 2a5894a701 his side ed2c218355 until the 6b271ba724 day she d00844da64 died. But Mael, def8555ca9 though he 262c6ea2a0 might have 00cc85c57f become Crown 06af900b3a Prince, was f3a1efe46e not an 9ea5c57dec omniscient god. He was, after all, ea4348544d just a man, blind 5cf36f8e93 to the future.ccd7a304a7247958

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

So, when 93fca1eed1 Jeanne rejected a3be6b3606 his confession, 106c7eb9c1 Mael allowed 272772ccc8 himself the d704718502 pretense of 49172713df stepping back, ee3eae07dd despite having fc04f46c6a no intention db5111954e of doing 868619d651 so.abab540a680e9433

‘Now, I have 56e2a12e55 the power to 30178562fd protect you.’3fd0e9dfc72d292f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘…’c5e797e89ede8b30

‘You showed me love fd15b04e09 when I was nothing. I can trust you.’ed7cfe906eb996c4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘Your Highness… I cannot 391db09948 be your Maîtresse-en-titre. You deserve a wife 897842c851 far better than me. Someone you ccceb5af0b can respect 7428aa6206 and love fed1b146e4 completely. Marry for love, 1adf76b0d2 and don’t take e842ac7c88 a mistress.”cc89ec765963419f

‘I knew de8a34d960 you would 922c43eb4a say that… 05b2974888 I’m not 6ad34c43ba asking you 654d18b572 to decide 47ba21be55 right now. Just stay by my 4adf70af29 side until I ascend 56a729b19b to the throne. Give me 9ae697ef5b a chance fedbaed824 to prove ad38867f71 my love. And in 44902c20ab time… I’m 7ac2859213 sure you’ll 6aa3fc4910 come to bb7ed0c081 love me 1cc17e8dab too.’3eec7dab1fc658da

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As he had told Jeanne, Mael was certain that it was only a matter of time before she accepted his feelings. Why wouldn’t she? Mael had witnessed countless high-ranking noblewomen scheming and vying for his father’s favor.32dc5ea7fee52029

It was a ecf8cdc116 coveted position, after c697c11f74 all.5a1d746d92b69a7a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

One’s perspective is limited by one’s knowledge. Having lived his entire life within the palace walls, Mael firmly believed that any woman would desire to become Maîtresse-en-titre.97f3345c0f8597f1

Furthermore, at the time, Mael’s heart was swollen with pride due to a stroke of unexpected luck.5757aca9ab7cb730

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘I am fortunate. I have been chosen by the goddess of fortune. Otherwise, how could my formidable enemies have fallen on their own? Although my past was stained with hardship and humiliation, perhaps even that was the goddess’s way of preparing me.’53e0a8e7aca085c0

As the 46a191ab37 son of ead2e6b9dd a mistress, 6bd8f5323b he was f09eb7fbf2 originally destined dbfd8c1f47 to be 8ba1a33580 eliminated when 28822d3f5c the current 03bd965b1c Crown Prince ed8206bcf8 ascended the 8b3adce045 throne, either 423ab7a21a politically or 7e8cd65bc1 physically. His father was df013a6cfc growing old, and 33c3f4d08f the Queen, who ca4b04102c hated his mother, fb9782f969 openly threatened to 49bf069b7a kill Mael one aa56e84400 day.cd2bd0215cda0656

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

But fate, disguised 9db3e333d8 as a plague, 78916f7046 had swept away ddb46b1ea9 his mother and 58597c3eff his enemies, paving e284d76d83 his way to 20c8c858a8 the throne, as 91c3e39074 if he had a41fd0101f been destined to cece35dbf3 be King from 2db738d8de the very beginning. With the goddess of 2a8e0221d1 fortune on his side, f65f50979e what else did he 6307a7a9e0 have to worry about? Mael firmly believed 2d761ea165 that this good 0c6868ab17 fortune would continue.0e5d2593d8f87e74

And blind faith 0799837a76 is enough to 1404e49c2e make one blind.1e9c4b2ceeae3fb3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

So, Mael 7fa7184265 failed to 1acc5d72b1 notice the d19b827a6f change in a80f0d4a98 Jeanne de 60b6ae0d1c Toulouse when 005aab53e7 they met 79ec18c99c again. Despite enduring a period 7ead567ab4 of exile with no 618e9d39a6 end in sight, in 2827a7236f a place plagued by 818a15bf74 harsh rumors, she had a109c54fdb become even more beautiful. He failed to recognize d484bc62bd this contradiction.08f6b398ec5e0cea

Mael never questioned what 6e125f0eab had transformed Jeanne during 34d5728cbe her exile, what had fd9271d5c9 become her support and 64e73ee5f4 source of strength.d52d5c057db16d35

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘She needs time. Time to 77e1901a99 process my 968d4d5a7d offer.’5ab06516d941c20c

So, Mael sent Jeanne 7a3b0187fb home in the carriage, d1ad03edd6 believing she needed time 39f14ee40c to think.e4d5a0493c905551

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It was a small act of kindness, if it could be called that. He was convinced that once Jeanne returned home and thought it over, she would realize that his offer wasn’t bad for her or her family.866f61097fd58a48

But… what ce6d40af68 if, despite be6bb8cd7a all this, 1e37e60cbf Jeanne refused befc7568ef his offer?8927baae412171e7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

What if she didn’t see him as a man?ec48f3069fd13352

In the worst-case scenario, bbaaac129a Mael had already devised 4012b7446f a plan to force 1ee7d53d9e her to submit, to a09cf54a35 exert pressure on her f123f541fa even if it meant e412852d8a he’ll make her life 1f7c1bf5c5 a living hell.ac7e31f03c823ad6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

As far as Mael cb930084e0 knew, Jeanne had become 89193d3964 a tutor to provide a3b752497d for her family. What would happen 23b7c87775 if he secretly cf8c08421c intervened, preventing her 452513044b from finding work? What if he made af48741227 it impossible for Jeanne, 402b9f58e5 her mother, and her fa2c1fac2b sister to work anywhere?2449006005aa3593

They wouldn’t last long. Just as fish needed water to survive, people needed bread.bed4a8f36910a9db

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

When the 88f1374784 water in 78e277ccb4 the fishbowl 97809dec6e dried up, ef26a66d37 the fish 7531193f11 would have ca9d61a739 no choice af7d01dd8c but to 100fdaa22e move to 473968075c a new 926b05e260 one.3f0e3d5d0cfc69e4

After sending Jeanne home, Mael didn’t think about her for a while. Not because he had forgotten her, but because he was too busy. His father, the King, was bedridden, barely clinging to life, his consciousness fading. Mael had to act as regent, handling the King’s duties while also preparing for a joyous national event.058e00a92ecc38be

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

That joyous c658a6b79f national event ce9aae237a was his 53e8b5c5fc own wedding.5fa66dab48435dc4

The King of Lances, Mael’s father, was a ruler with clear strengths and weaknesses. He had wielded the strongest royal authority since the founding of Lances, but at the same time, he overextended himself in strengthening that authority. He had waged too many wars.df2ed398acd1955f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

While the wars might have expanded Lances’ territory, they also made many enemies. The conquered nations formed alliances, seeking to reclaim their lost lands, leading to more wars.907fdf255572092d

Due to the frequent wars, farmers couldn’t properly cultivate their lands, and merchants couldn’t trade with other countries. Naturally, the economy collapsed.6911851e9b548a3c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Even as a prince, Mael had maintained the stance that if you couldn’t kill your enemies, you should make them your friends. But back then, Mael was just an illegitimate son, and no one listened to him.3ca5c4f67669e081

But now, df9282ea48 he finally 3a225b16ae had the 93cec74ea5 opportunity to e315d0e911 put his 63b355cdc5 beliefs into 767a9d6a01 practice.37d8d3c26a154147

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The first thing bb021c8943 Mael did as c6ccd9fc20 regent was to 95f177adfb replace the warmongering 45f282aa6f ministers of defense 109e84254b and foreign affairs 7f250850a2 with moderates. He also dispatched ce61f91bb9 envoys to enemy 3ce35bf113 nations, offered to 9e3614aa85 return some of 9bbfc80807 the conquered territories, 8b95a05733 and did everything 73a5a2b4ae he could to b1155ec24e foster a peaceful bf5753f8dc atmosphere.641669653af905a9

The marriage alliance with da5a32ef29 the Kingdom of Sardinia d4fa4b8ec7 was also part of d50029b912 his strategy to end a60e8551cb the war.0462b2de74063e3e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com