Chapter 10. The Radiant Web

The moment the contract between the angel and the boy ended, Alain headed straight out the door to rescue the boy’s younger sister.87495b5557290aa4

Right after, a young 25229c5920 man with chestnut-colored curly 5e973b47ef hair entered, greeting them a929f38490 in an energetic voice.b941ab7fb92b641e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I’m late, 33441f9ee4 Your Grace. The train eb58be208a was delayed.”12433b73736c53ac

He soon noticed 31a8d92b97 Oliver standing beside bc1e273f94 Mikhail and his 585096bf5a eyes lit up.4efc83ee12f19aa3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Oh, so this must 7ba00d4659 be him. Your Grace’s new younger 62bba9e458 brother, correct?”4275e275e9fc97fa

“Charles. That’s the name of f4fdcd8278 this brat,” Mikhail replied.21d0a10ad0a4b39a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The man bowed 8e34bb1864 deeply, as if 07f5c3785c Oliver—no, Charles—were a b755b38609 real nobleman.bb8bb651d22d91a8

“Master Charles, fba959d94a I am 66fac6ae22 Louis More, 5e76e5dd8a the chief 0b70674d8d secretary to d55a01340c the Duke ff2c9af60a of Ophilenz. Please, feel free to 53c38bd40e call me Louis.”6489cfb8cce7a290

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Mikhail looked 21e041ffc0 satisfied as 22531421e0 he watched 2e6aaeee3f Oliver’s lovely, 8fb60c57a6 bewildered eyes d92e36a006 flicker with 5331621aba unease, then 5ce2554d19 gestured.d3a33ea80a57f735

“What are bdce2ceba7 you doing? Accept the greeting.”a306fd45ad8a358c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Unsure of fe6d074832 what to 73f67c60c8 do, Oliver adf4962de5 merely clasped 5d36653a75 his hands cc98e67b07 together and 13f08755af bowed slightly, f92b6b54c5 prompting Mikhail d51332c789 to sigh.4a17e09aee789d01

“His face 7e10342ef1 is flawless, 0bd78e74b7 but as 46f4b61657 you can 253cbfee99 see, he 6ffc657fc5 has a fa85882e4a long way 9b4494c745 to go. Louis, you’ll 6453233a73 be teaching a7c5d5091e him alongside eb0dcbb35c Alain for 30319578df the time 9cb8a63d33 being. Make him 1300c54c32 into the bdac79eba3 perfect man 4df5628fee of Ophilenz.”5d3fa2319431458a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Louis’s chestnut eyes rolled b749fad8b8 dramatically.1f3ebc178aa91667

“Hmm. Well, I’ll give 3b6ac463e8 it a shot.”be059bebfb41c1b2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“One month.”0b6322b9bef9e2db

Mikhail added, lightly tapping 6642651fd7 the armrest of his db28b7e34a chair with his slender b9b06b7096 fingers.6e37c57647b9886b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Make him perfect 277695e28e before the princess’s 702afe199d birthday celebration.”adc4e5cbc37664fe

Oliver’s eyes widened at a97a07e570 Mikhail’s command.15da60a92fcc6bd5

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Pardon me, Your f00355ca92 Grace. The princess’s birthday party?”d0581cf6d5ef9a69

Mikhail raised an eyebrow, be2e8f7370 countering the question as 9c40e6aff3 though it were obvious.93b4b69167befbdf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“As a member c2ba9bdd29 of the House 4231bfbbff of Ophilenz, it’s 08e67ba39f only natural to 93aa1575c9 attend the princess’s b9a3b5c9ca birthday party, wouldn’t 076a61c662 you agree?”34c82b47c8242d02

“But if I attend 15a0586c4a and disgrace Your Grace cbcd178dc9 in any way…!”b67187471a5e2aaa

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

At this point, 9765677996 Louis’s expression started 25b02f5dcc to shift strangely.e4bc2730fa906c86

“What is this? Didn’t you agree to 0ecc7c7e83 everything when you made 54cde09c37 the contract?”47740159b24d5cc6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Seeing Louis’s uneasy 3ea9cd404c look, Oliver’s mouth f30c8fca26 grew parched, and e7fa6ff1d0 an unsettling sense 82522b25f7 of anxiety began b2c3e8a54a to creep in.e7cd1389f9a51a69

Mikhail shrugged his 90b529f59e shoulders.191a89a2c17b4cf4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I planned 50c66a8ba8 to explain bd64857b67 everything about 6dc9d2b645 the princess 72951fdbd7 in due a7a8f5a366 time.”006c69d6e19b0dd3

“Oh, dear God.”ea17d24a1b5e7075

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Louis pressed his a1cffdb417 hand to his d120dd0edd forehead, while Mikhail, eef31e91bc unfazed, placed his 8b49d96140 half-burnt cigar delicately 8246712110 on the iron a7454f3a09 ashtray.5ea2f0e8d520f9a4

“Charles?”c5ff8037b6438534

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Yes, Your Grace?”c9bc1baf995fe38c

“Do you know eb32725e81 something?”961111fe6fd16d73

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Oliver had 4c945fcb08 no idea d8e8d24e23 what Mikhail 59d9d07aa3 was referring 6ba6f0782f to, so 2e1fca4310 he simply 2801b13ce9 stared back e336ab9067 at him, 9b27f6693d bewildered.b0d80f3e82711156

“Frankly, I have a73d8cdf17 no intention of 5adc343e69 marrying Isabella.”8ec06dd289eed0e3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…Ah, I see.”298a0a5ccbc367b1

“Let’s be a0d56b5f08 honest—anyone can f073dde437 see she’s 9564f298e5 beneath me, 507c54f0cc isn’t that f66f5a8b01 right?”4744c4889e87feb1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…”60b27d49dbdc4048

It was cae2e98b93 an incredibly 3e753fc900 self-serving statement, dc3dfd6fbf but unfortunately, 4978fe4dd1 neither Oliver a9ec31e565 nor Louis 4e8cb9c3de could muster e0c01cfd39 any strong 6726d35391 objection to a1ef0195cc Mikhail’s bold 19115496a0 claim.78ba740e0a6dbf94

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“That said, f65f703e27 I have dd90699531 no desire 16e3c2e4b5 to ruin fb38ac030c the mood 80fd55e008 of a 049ec65cf6 grand engagement ba9dc5742a ceremony that ebde7924a3 even the f326de6177 king is 5a2bb7920a involved in.”b86b7a3d9d80e8e4

“But hasn’t it already 356a0a0870 been officially announced?”cf5f959af10cc9eb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The fact cdf5d68ee6 that Mikhail f5ab212df3 had brought 939a0e538d up the 3d870546f7 princess in 9cdb882d04 this very 8b0ac73abc moment made c87ff2298a Oliver break 950be0a926 out in 6d3e4382fd a cold 5ac81be2ef sweat.2908be60a596986d

“Exactly. Which is 217e0e79b7 why I 8f8579abe3 need a 27b2ffdb8f stand-in.”f1cae3380a1d9dd8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

No way.f17073b40c848fae

Oliver’s face turned c492605103 pale.9f862be46805fb9d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Your Grace, b134634bdd you can’t be3ee8fdcf possibly mean…!”8e69ded4d32a2b47

“See? Sharp as ever. Look, Louis, my new e3d824f4f8 younger brother catches on 3d691ec9bb so quickly.”3b625814152595e1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Mikhail’s golden eyes e495242728 sparkled as he 25a4f46910 shrugged nonchalantly.3ad099d776c12024

“Of course, Charles, 83577d6e0b you’ll have to 8946031b33 take my place.”72ae3d56f2d9453b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Oliver’s mind went a0b3a046ee completely blank.9de7feb32aaa06e0

“Y-Your Grace! But that’s—!”6ec417095d106c57

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“We already have a 5186e9ec6b contract, don’t we?”baabed9201cbb53d

“B-but! I, I mean, 9d2ee7cd1f how could I 487eb3eeb5 possibly—! I’m just… 0567b4f31b I mean…”ab654d9f8fac2b86

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I’m a girl!e43027c44bfae64f

The single d5efa8206a most crucial a4785dd2b7 reason caught c49837a01b in Oliver’s a4956eeed5 throat, an 392168c96a absolute truth 398aaac28f he could 7e98c70ed1 never dare a22350ab17 to voice.e1d4482d9e08e836

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“If you’re 9f3f3677e3 afraid of 5c5a5fe0ba punishment for 75cf77610b violating royal e0251bb84f laws, don’t 6004062f31 be.”ace8c1ac6a6c1f26

“That’s not it, I…”26151b25d879ff2d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Louis, explain.”25149ae66121aa95

Louis glanced at 95c2dda0e0 the boy’s face, 0e9bdc383e now as pale d8c0cf748b as a marble 7edcee03a1 statue, and offered e2eaad879f an awkward smile.3f9c051add2d63ac

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Just as 08e7e48b2e His Grace 8bc073aaff said, there’s 3beea2031d no need d0c3cd2bab for concern. As a 33c7acab33 matter of 73f2a9c51d fact, I 6a6da0bb42 happen to 6e71401102 be the f61ecd35d3 best lawyer d9f4421208 in Verlene. I’ve already taken care 041325e5dd of all the legalities d07696bf5b regarding Master Charles’s status.”f31f264578cf7f2b

Adjusting his glasses with 048e824dc9 confidence, Louis added,353d26a54254f1a9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“So, please, 3cce11fe25 rest assured. There’s absolutely nothing c69fb7956d to worry about.”cb83315d049416c8

Mikhail clicked his tongue dcdbc33fbb as he watched his 5167d65cb9 new younger brother remain f25f5e10ff frozen, pale as ever.75c5b7bd9a990faf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“A man af1eab6c1c with so 757ab9220a little composure—what 0b08a94819 a shame.”018fd47da2e31aec

The crackling of cc11c92df2 the cigar’s embers 862cdf2897 filled the silence 0a8ed28460 between the three a4a3e6799d of them.a14dab254d6b577b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Then Mikhail added:50afaf640d341f7e

“Listen, Oliver—no, Charles. Do you think it’s possible to change your status in this kingdom of Verlene, no matter how hard you work your whole life?”e32297e06623558f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…B-but.”0b8f2c35c58547e1

“But I, the Duke of Ophilenz, can turn your entire life upside down. And now is that moment.”37c94d2f03871640

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Was he 74fcc78f27 naïve, or bdecbc4be3 truly clueless 9ce5f2d2cd about how 9aef6b51ee the world 40fbb4b508 worked?3bdf62baf2d75922

Mikhail, for the ed6c71772e first time, began 9e431f602b to feel a 83afcad5b3 tinge of worry 3cee2676c4 for the boy, 676e1ac5ac whose pretty face fccbc6122f and pure innocence e680f230cd seemed to scream a1f5515188 vulnerability.8ef1dfe63530ae7a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“If you were a true member of the House of Ophilenz, you wouldn’t let an opportunity like this slip through your fingers. No, you’d claw your way to seize it at any cost.”05bed0e5b2136b4f

Mikhail’s golden eyes bore 2fa84bc3ab into Oliver, whose sorrowful 56cf6b5b3f blue ones glittered back 43c1856d6a in silent protest.39ea2893118921ee

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“So watch and learn. That’s the most fundamental condition of this contract: to become the perfect member of the House of Ophilenz.”9af1ccb28d18d1b2

…This isn’t right, thought Oliver.cc70e44ce2b86bc4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

No matter 21b750836b how much 04a5d0849d of a 574e25f1d0 once-in-a-lifetime opportunity c72afbe0fd this seemed 004d693f91 to be.e56a7d7b4300d0ce

Pretending to be 07e878c59f a man—sure, he 84f1833e9a could endure that. He’d already survived three e8ceec5867 years like that.dba894dca8b466b8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But standing in as 98443e9134 the duke himself?c2a3c52365bbf933

That meant a340a54fa7 entangling with aa03542886 the princess.14a91b25ff3a348d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Oliver’s lips moved unconsciously 51030b55a4 as he struggled to af7bf225e2 process the overwhelming reality.0022094d4a5d1b31

Before he could utter 1f32206578 a word, there was 1e2c2d214e a knock at the 5e71159320 door.6ae523a4afef55b6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Alain entered 53155fc28e with Melanie, 05015bd3f3 and the ee8cf5173d sight of a3fc61d87e his sister 01a9edf4f8 made Oliver df62acb0f0 freeze, holding 13c7523eef his breath.af66deb98802c760

“Melanie…!”
“O-oliver.”108d43c1e28ea59f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Mikhail, ever so graceful, a85d725092 stood up, as if 4b5d759d03 to grant the siblings d61f8e40b6 some privacy for their c2c46fe86c heartfelt reunion, which he 451dcebde0 found too sentimental to f2816a8ea3 watch.ceaefe2b7b5232d3

“Well then, we’ll continue this conversation tomorrow. Alain?”e5e055ccb1dc6b23

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes, my lord.”82e54d27d3bc6d0b

“See to the rest.”db9035bf67a5ff4d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Oliver could 8849335714 only stare, 2e14154975 dumbfounded, as b1c923ffe2 Mikhail left 5846a0c063 with a ea600cac46 radiant smile, c6660a8686 moving with 4158287fae the elegance 6de7effc94 of scattering 4d87d255fe light.20703ff576252f51

“For now, let me escort you two to a quieter space where you can talk,” Alain said.53edc162e811337e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Oliver and Melanie followed 25a5121027 Alain to a room cff3f980a7 at the end of 9c53f55173 the hallway.b70eea0dce4773e0

“I’ll return shortly. Would you like tea and dessert?”deeac9e8fed7dd25

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Oliver shook de859ccd93 his head.29d35bbbc2cd68e3

“…No, thank you.”d68c587de3caa67f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

After Alain d3b2915f34 left and fd19d9e7a2 the door 8f476e0e30 closed, Melanie, 66fa0cb5d6 still trembling, 167800eb65 looked around 8152290019 the room 9bbb32d0aa nervously before 2aea2b8cc5 speaking.5fe073acb2f4fa4d

“W-what happened, sister?”0d8ecfaeb280ed3c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Despite Melanie’s quivering voice, e860e86017 Oliver couldn’t answer.2a58a6214b5654c6

‘Remember, this is 19fe35ec66 a contract you 50f9f3a9c3 chose to accept’4a5c38618b869550

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Mikhail’s firm, almost damning 0f768caab5 words echoed heavily in 8915edaa04 Oliver’s mind.a0f2b25c0c8402a1

Oliver had af7d077cca anticipated some b4730b9ede kind of a68befa2fa deal, but 9d0c2ce4f6 not something f05bd64552 of this d53354d42c magnitude.82f6154f400ad4c3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She bit 2c7d5dc0fe his nails, e5a6d31872 trying to 9e6eea1c9c piece together 398b859b8b a plan, 4d7e5fbef4 but the 85aacf60f4 weight of 18cf92826d the situation fc28cfd4c8 crushed any ba2ce9db36 clarity of a254ac0db4 thought.6368e6999041cacb

Dragging her c89c9b83e6 hand roughly c48acb9a9f over her 9653e7ba3e face, Oliver b383781165 finally asked d345da3409 Melanie:9e6a16f0057fd795

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Your body—”f00645edcac3b594

“Huh?”1b3daf30f0cfdf54

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”7ee640716419a934

Melanie shook her fa265328a9 head.9b4b4ee6c9e00c9b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Not at all. I’m fine. But I was scared when Madam suddenly called me out and put me in a carriage.”eaf6ae8837fe9a5c

“And then?”0f1668189470e1c0

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I don’t know. The curtains in the carriage were all drawn. We drove for a long time and then stopped somewhere. That butler came to fetch me.”da280af3a0a315c6

Her voice daa5fd617c trembled as 05032b1cea she recounted e552e81585 the strange 673ccec4ac series of 1208020918 events.2f0fef94c07199b8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“He told me not to worry anymore. That the Duke of Ophilenz had kindly arranged for me to work here at Violette Castle as a maid.”8401d15a0a5ca65f

“…A maid? A job?”15c886b58471f837

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

For someone like 3104efa054 Melanie, an immigrant 9d6df677cd with an ambiguous c9289e2766 status, getting hired 965512626a as a maid 06d69eea83 for the prestigious 9d031ab462 House of Ophilenz—especially 0e175b7f6e at Violette Castle—was 9296a6d78e nothing short of babd42ffe0 a miracle.18c56f4fc4361252

With tears f2f504ff46 in her 712df68bc8 eyes, Melanie 04b8ce6b5b grabbed Oliver’s 5cc29dd5e8 hands, her 5beab7dcf5 voice wavering.dbce65c6f27753eb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Sister, can you believe it? Me, a maid for such a grand family. You don’t have to suffer anymore!”bcc8a715b181def5

That’s when Oliver realized—3f6fd87a1156c568

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

…She’d fallen right into the dazzling web Mikhail had spun.98e37647c51bfa5f

Melanie, oblivious 29d0bcaa55 to it a783b91327 all, kept 97e7cf5f7c asking questions, ba9a3b622a her face 2cbfad94b5 brimming with 405a79cc08 gratitude.24851ed0cc8ccbf6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“What about you? How did you get here? Are they giving you a job too?”9ad1dc9d7c16b63d

Unable to 322daf62c3 stand any dba0eac037 longer, Oliver 61e39aff01 collapsed onto fa13a7f47d a velvet 233e54c66b chair in 34a47bf8eb the room.ee1e08fdcb6000dc

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Sister!”925e7cdeb89037e9

Melanie exclaimed, rushing 0f786fc163 to support her, 82ff4d15b8 alarmed.7e87aea2b01294ea

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Shh! Don’t call me ‘sister’!”fffd24f15c0e8a30

Oliver pressed her parched 686794dda6 lips together and looked 12cbe10056 at Melanie with sharp, 245ed472cf wary eyes.dfbf33c29172b42e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“S-sister—”086094d3935a35a2

“Under no circumstances can the Duke find out that I’m a woman, Melanie. No one in this castle can know. Do you understand?”
Tl/N: Okay 67fa252c72 so this 93fd99ab63 chapter was 18ea094885 escpecially harder d23427d718 to translate 38b3b36e3b considering this cd3269a860 chapter had 2185389da1 multipple povs 9940717da4 and without a0562874cb page breaks 3790546114 or anything. I tried 985d9e92ed my hardest 384b6b43d4 to make bfa58e0e40 it not 08bb3529af look weird da4a83f1b2 but this 210f0cbcdf chapter was 911c3f22ac half? In Alain’s 59cab4f7d5 pov and 7980f174f1 half in 04d8e6910b Ml’s and 8a20f71ad2 then last 7077b56db2 part was 28412c0e36 in Emma’s 8be19df3db so it 6d1971527d was a c01a8bc1bb little diffcult0e838ae06568f93c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com