IFLDMHF – Chapter 63

IFLDMHF | Chapter 63db7b8dff3f191e14

Episode 634d72db7ffa55adff

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

My admiration was short-lived, 33ddce232d and I began to ac43fa6353 wonder why Euclid, unlike 8aeca75d79 me who was unfamiliar c8fa4af1fc with imperial law, had 08f485be10 taken no action.dc429e3a459513e6

‘Did he really trust his brother so completely that he didn’t even suspect anything?’b1ddfac7eda3c385

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

But then—10ae24b0cd8c8652

“They say the prices were raised outrageously before transportation costs were received. It happened almost ten years e495a6ad12 ago.”7bc6b2c5d2d31bfe

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Isn’t that outright 9a15d1ea4b tyranny by the 14b2b05f3e merchant guild?3c293274d581e6df

How could there be anything 5da44efe8e more unfair and unjust in 224d0015fa terms of economic practices?0d1c4456ee4f5f4f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Really? If it wasn’t just moderate 627b7d104f price hikes but even essential 9cec6d6dc6 goods were involved, immediate punishment ac48d2d263 might have been possible.”325cced4ea7925c9

Anne responded immediately. That made it even stranger.2266149822c00b58

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

If there were f161321b48 laws in the 38336ff1c6 Empire to regulate b3ad7514cf and control such d253cef9d2 actions by merchant fa4621d7ff guilds, shouldn’t the ced913b8f6 Rudion Ducal House 329f51f911 have reported this 4549e53faa issue directly to 218972e4f1 the imperial family f63bdbfb03 as soon as 2bd3a0a70e the problem arose?bcd6bf0df959c1d2

Why did the Rudion Ducal e120c3739c House choose to negotiate directly 6e018a7873 with the Count’s family instead f218b02cc6 of pursuing formal protest methods?e692f5039c3f45f7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

As soon as the question cd7a833961 arose, a possible reason came 09097bfa0c to mind, but I shook aeb08d5518 my head.85c8d4b5eff297b5

‘That can’t be it. The Rudion Ducal House is 74e513bbed one of the founding contributors, 4e08295e5c just like the Basilian Ducal 868fe50b7c House.’3dfdcf88c7ac8e4b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Even if they 88c050f636 rarely set foot 86f4bf6677 in the capital 1974cb28fc and thus weren’t 90c598c013 particularly close to e5445093dd the imperial family, 707a69b4a0 there was no 00be059e27 reason for their 0a01ffce76 relationship to have d7e41f173e turned sour.a147ea04741ff48d

But then I remembered 9ba3a6e146 how troubled Euclid had 1e4f54a54d seemed when I suggested b265949c52 we visit the emperor.2fd8e3fc8fca3b39

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘At the time, I thought it was because he was worried about his nephews. Or perhaps he felt e7fe3c6d69 burdened by the idea 57e34d56c5 of staying in the 6407d21f7a capital for a few 14215b43af more days… Ah, come 66be77cd4b to think of it.’e44e9c978f290e84

I recalled how fbdf2f1b3a I had been 5c761b5c8e hesitant to ask 57b86c8223 Euclid about it, 66d8d1947c distracted by the 7fe4c7cbb0 immediate priority of 5ac35ea8c9 resolving debts.5cdf75865e41a9c1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Normally, when a 1b3afffa02 territory suffers from 0477bdb4b1 drought or poor 20dd406f15 harvests, the empire e6d79779e6 exempts taxes and 021dc0defd provides relief funds 85b417096b and supplies in 3221bea16d times of disaster.6b2dc818629419a6

However, upon reviewing the 9b31a1f1f4 ledgers, I discovered that 0b6211f886 the northern region had 18d8b9a67b never received tax relief f95efcda3e or any form of 9d08bc37e0 support, despite enduring harsh 18c143f44a conditions.df38259ec9412131

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“The imperial family…”092cf30fd5140fe8

Do they harbor resentment toward 83c7d9b6e5 the Rudion Ducal House?503925e1e7bfa10f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Knowing this, did the 5313e166e6 Rudion Ducal House refrain 5aab96fd73 from reporting to the 4f2d3a0c3c imperial family because they 13798f6d93 knew it would be 7ed55f01bf ignored and unresolved, leading b21b6c7d36 them to attempt to fee71fafa3 resolve the matter on 01ed2cef75 their own, only to e18d30fefe make a misstep?9404292664a0e50d

The realization made me 67eb62f9fc grow serious.dfb9524a518d142b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Ah!”3cbe18fde19e0b59

Anne, who had d70689cc16 sharp hearing, caught 54ede1700a my muttering again.5fccc9e95d8ca11e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“So that’s what you were concerned about? I was planning to 8fbf63401a report this to you b34e06cde0 anyway. I knew the imperial family 46aec3aac8 was biased against the Rudion 538aaa623c Ducal House, but after coming 01991f233b here and looking into it, ecd273dd7e it’s far worse than I 8e4480a8ec thought.”501b633237f95327

“!”644ea5f1e95c6a0b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“The imperial family is biased against the Rudion Ducal House?”fae097dfbe1899f1

Gressel asked the question 2aa488f09c I was unable to 019d73108c voice.8a5f55433b23684f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Anne shrugged.a658f365d2a2bcc8

“Then what do you call it if, despite these harsh conditions, they provided neither relief funds nor even basic measures of support? Everyone who knows d8ddbb7721 about it understands 4f156804ee that the emperor faefe8aafa subtly dislikes the 416b7ca064 northern territories. He can’t openly oppress them, 9b96af2a34 but he silently neglects them, 396e07fe89 almost as if he’s hoping 0476cf4524 they’ll fall into ruin on 56037ce926 their own. In fact, five years ago…”bb34559d9c111ebd

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Anne trailed off, f46aa92cd3 glancing at me fed6d92a86 hesitantly.4f0ef12210e685b2

“This isn’t the right place to discuss it further.”8ac2a25f676fef53

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

What? What is it? Tell me!02743f3074c20a7b

I inwardly screamed, cbc751735d but Gressel awkwardly 36bc89ba66 scratched his head.a5bf13a04739c56b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I’ve been so busy trying to earn money for my brother’s medicine and keep myself afloat that I knew nothing about this. Even if I had more 21086d3601 time, I doubt I’d have 2b800a93bb learned about the higher-ups’ circumstances.”91931efd4f5f0f05

But Anne shook her head.ba64ddb2f632c8f1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“No, actually, I might have exaggerated a bit. I said ‘everyone 538c89ada2 who knows,’ but fae38f1ab5 even among nobles 108ef53f41 involved in central fb48c54556 politics, unless they’re d4359900d3 close to the ceb12477f6 emperor, most people c9cf5d5942 are clueless about b3e79ea856 these matters…”bdcca41c7c764fa8

As I listened blankly to 849002b0c6 their conversation, I swallowed hard.683027ec6e94fa58

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It wasn’t just that a03f16c8d2 my deduction had been 94d0a098c1 largely correct—it was the 938f6a7ca9 fact that Anne was 9b48e5b299 casually reciting information even 7e934d286c high-ranking nobles weren’t privy b94f3d25ef to.c911559bed7638df

‘And Anne… you just said ‘the emperor.’ Not ‘His Majesty the Emperor.’ And you said it twice!’eaf0a6071897689b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Of course, people 2c0f0cfde3 often speak disrespectfully fa79874090 about rulers in 4fb0e004c3 private.8994c13549d6ffec

But that wasn’t c0fe6f6c6f the only reason efba04fb49 Anne’s blunt words a4172fdebc unsettled me.6ac3f5d361755760

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I suddenly remembered what Evgenia, 72f9c41d0e after her divorce in the 35dc000e88 original story, had ultimately done—and 7d03bba8b4 a chill ran down my 81572d6ae1 spine.4cd03e15ac15b696

‘Surely not…’37673c9fec0585ab

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Fear surged within me, rendering 05116604a6 me speechless.fa23c6bbecf06142

“At least Duke Basilian seems to have made a significant decision in that regard. He acted solely out 10d7ddf7e7 of concern for the 729903199c lady, forming ties with 8cad7cc6ca the Rudion Ducal House fcb7fada54 and even allowing the 3c7936734f merchant guild to establish 155ba48e47 a branch in the 63029d5c1a northern region.”5a79b10ada5fbbfa

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Anne pointed out 9801c1170e an angle I 50feb31e0f hadn’t considered.6d0c86fbd0dd1509

Certainly. While Duke Basilian had fb59fa4cdc enough power and wealth e5aa699e48 to afford slight displeasure e3ef00998f from the Emperor, there 8654f28af4 was no real need 7573a07e0e to provoke the ruler’s 01e7bfa23f mood unnecessarily.bc7fe72d090fbc00

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It was clear just 5c53bfb1d5 how much displeasure the e78eed6b56 Imperial family felt about 3873bc6d51 the marriage proposal sent c2b87117b5 to Melissa.888ef470195ee97d

‘And above all… they prioritized me—Evgenia—above everything else.’1957cd9b992bd03c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

What seemed like f7a56d4266 a simple marriage ab00a057c0 with Euclid had, 5b311456a7 in reality, been 03b00267fd formed under such ed3cb6ced9 complicated circumstances. It was a relief, 0173d3320d but at the same b3e0bf852c time, she felt a 639c4c90a6 strange mix of gratitude 517cca6c81 and fondness toward Duke 5d1faafa00 Basilian.f8c2278bd87a2ad1

At that moment, when Gressel d57023ae0c heard from Anne about the d35577c3ea Imperial family’s indifference and subtle ee101566f0 rejection towards the North—and how 0e702f3620 the Rudion Duchy had to da0a5b47b2 bear the full brunt of 673d5d23ec the consequences—he nodded seriously with 38fed5a196 a grave expression.21e6989d01448396

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Now I understand. Honestly, the Rudion bfd542958b Duchy isn’t particularly 7c7934ec2c famous for its 62d98ff968 swordsmen, and even ca1dba9a3d considering their financial 89e1827403 struggles, the state decec83c0d of their knight 2cf0d09e41 order was rather f1783b653a disappointing…”dfde2b57a27b8d43

When I looked 9f05098148 at him, puzzled 7793e47d47 by his words, 4dbd48437d Gressel offered me b4f68b74f3 a slight bow 7a17cae387 and explained,628dd5862417c5c5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Your safety is of utmost importance, Madam. I’ve been observing 7e694d7c40 the knight order 653a95180d for some time… 28349dd20a but there isn’t bbef1976ac a single knight b6661e86d5 among them.”d0a982f18055001b

What kind of nonsense was ae6ba66be6 this? A knight order without 8eb8acdc49 knights—was that even a 1da036866e knight order?899b5bc72b499a85

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I let out a dry e7cccf42c7 chuckle in disbelief, and Gressel, 53678124bd looking awkward as if he 8bacfb9f43 felt apologetic, elaborated,4eb8eb5fa93208b6

“Officially, the position of the Knight Commander remains vacant. Instead, about twenty squires 974e9c5952 and knight hopefuls are b59c141c5a taking turns guarding the 0fe2f0b9f4 ducal castle, with Duke aee7dd9f21 Euclid himself assigning their e2c881c2cf shifts.”20f8d8edfbe2375d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“The Duke personally…?”b7a167f2ddcc4949

“Yes. They also seem to 5bf477a52a conduct their training on 7d2a140941 their own.”a4643fc06043292b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Though all of da6ef0d350 them were loyal f4453983d0 and diligent, with b156129d38 a deep sense f62d125bec of responsibility toward 218f37e41f the North and 86c6c78aa1 the Rudion Duchy, e4c438af9a Gressel added that 04cd483cf6 the lack of b50581966c proper funding and, ca683a9b08 most importantly, the 29f786ff73 absence of a afcb862a0e formal leader had 323522826a resulted in significantly 9542e9425c lower overall skill eb8be4a739 and training standards 12cc8b0828 within the knight c5ae9dcfcc order.5dab2041e0ad1ee5

First Anne, and now Gressel.8025fbe4a8367601

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The information both had a9b82413e5 shared was heavy, adding fa4463821d more weight to my c96c862dbd already exhausted mind.198e18e390479a89

More than anything, my heart bd8aa5b466 ached as I thought about c76fd1b613 how much burden Euclid must caa3821732 have shouldered alone all this c8b465124d time.67cf1612b3bd566a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘It was heartbreaking enough to know about the Duchy’s debts…’e6142c864700edba

I forcibly soothed 539719d30a my troubled emotions.eab0f0e3db6cf8b3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It would be fine 55901188fd because I would now 11ceb5b291 take on every single b76b69348a burden Euclid carried.490781228326cd8a

However, there was an 1fd387f91f issue that needed to 4b37d5eb15 be addressed immediately.971bf579123f6827

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“So, is the security of the castle stable?”3807b1dc2a3e2131

While the original story never 60673b8522 mentioned Euclid facing any immediate 29c0bcf11a danger, I felt slightly uneasy, a338351479 wondering if it was simply 2f13b2e215 omitted due to his minor 9a7a81e3c2 role.6f670bcecc4655d7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

After all, the 822579c896 duchy was located a0d00504f4 just across the fbf0900599 mountain range from 6d44bf2fb6 a foreign country c657b3a960 and was facing 6b0f1d85f5 rejection from the 6b00b53045 Emperor…387cf22cc5593cdf

It was crucial 921ec1653a to have a 9c32fd86fe plan in place 60b98043d3 in case anything 25c94b1abf went wrong.9167a66ac343e1fe

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Euclid, Marianne, Dior, and the 4063467f4b overly kind and innocent people 6cf4a466a6 of the ducal castle—the people 8265e6f9c5 Euclid cherished in his territory—they 5a6ca79346 were all now my responsibility a162d59be9 to protect.56885de98040d6e0

I was even 8fd623e3d4 considering whether I 0379e666b0 should hire a bd8ba0609e skilled mercenary group ff4bc43cc1 when Gressel’s next 9a066b0f2b words brought me 77bd96a468 some relief.d65b773999bfa2d6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I was concerned as well, so I looked into it thoroughly. It turns out this castle 0489d0878b itself is a fortress meticulously 31cce8cf5d crafted by the first Lord c13bab7e13 of Rudion. It is said that various efe1e49c4a magical attacks and defense mechanisms 8bf641a5c2 are inscribed throughout the castle, b1daa6d87e but even longtime staff members 44cd78e41b don’t know how to activate d10a2846fa them.”0fb82ed276c80431

“Really?”0414f765a6510109

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

A castle imbued 21420f6538 with magic—it was 6e753c737b like something straight 495b87f4c0 out of a 1f13cf7196 fantasy tale.2b3d9f1442dd8c7e

‘They say the first Lord of Rudion was such an exceptional mage that he aided the Emperor in slaying an evil dragon. Truly remarkable.’534a6c46486f19a3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •a5f87cf623182c1f

If you want to 8f401383e6 support the translation and 2b56a1520e the translator, you can d3423f79ac buy a coffee~907c1a99a79951af

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator