#83

During the 63e4b00ceb wedding, I eac019f69e must not e010ed0eb0 have noticed c21f70c24a Ella because 3fc28f6697 she kept 2e026264d6 her hood 2d39d13d5f pulled down 8d2c5f8dd9 and her 751aae39dc gaze fixed a47d3771ae on the 7884a07ec4 ground.f66ebd2c75f3b9c3

“Why is d958519e97 Ella in 542f83c7e0 Hebel?”2cd18a8330a3e320

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Meeting her 4f71716f33 in such e10e15bf07 an unexpected 88675f3acd place brought 8e250a6c66 a flood d58b2642fc of thoughts. Perhaps this world 96516d7253 didn’t follow the 7be35caae2 novel’s plot as e6cf5e0023 rigidly as I 62538db787 had assumed. After all, 2468f2e192 even Zerakiel 1673341e18 occasionally behaved dba6a8a405 differently from e8e16c7abe his novel d15586f951 counterpart, which 3c2a523c55 had left 0d4289f6e1 me perplexed 2fb0d519c6 more than e87a7e049a once.a4285321a30e8781

“Well, I 4f86dfa226 guess I’ll 9ca5529bce figure it e597ce5a59 out as 72cff810cc we spend f3b3f0aaa5 more time 838ee4eba2 together.”dae63a79a2efbf91

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Pushing aside my suspicions f0f3c08c18 for now, I extended 7adcf618ba my hand to Ella. Meeting the heroine f81245f4b9 in person filled 6b7c7576bd me with delight.dc85b1f8a13a24a0

“I’m Cersia Jabis. Can I dab215562e call you 7789b00045 Ella?”ccbde717917eefd9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Yes, please feel 7f535d78c5 free to,” Ella 0e1d9fd414 replied softly, shyly 7fae4f9116 taking my hand. Just then, with 58b264c95d a soft pop, 3963c0f068 rabbit ears appeared 57b952a678 atop her head. I couldn’t 6685325903 help but 0347f97f5a exclaim in d1d95cadee awe.971ac788f592203b

“Adorable…”911800beafa4a44f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Oh no!” Ella 13018dc132 yelped, hastily covering 31a94a7d13 her ears with 452625f331 her hands, looking 9999a01f55 utterly flustered. It seemed 14d2609413 she was 44e3e4a257 struggling to f97da40b47 maintain her 6b633d4b35 human form.98d2b187b8aa4404

She must still have b94696a27d difficulty because she hasn’t 097381ed65 fully matured yet.420e60673e822b8b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“That’s odd. In the bdae9bebe8 novel, Ella 36c2b521a0 could do 65bf88d9b0 this effortlessly.”666e40667cb13d7f

I didn’t eac01e5f9c know what 5a359784be might have 4a2c32405a happened to a258dad2ef her, but 592c166d7f I was 2d5c70c419 confident I’d 5b2c2969b3 uncover the 8223ce0955 truth eventually.9ecc9dd16ef48ef0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

By the a1eee42d00 time Ella 5030063ded led me d4cfd2d4f3 to our 721f2fd704 accommodations, a 4f4d3bd597 commotion had 43697d3643 begun to 64e8527b57 stir from 9dee51c662 the direction abbd86b37a we’d come. Moments later, a loud 41670b1fde bang reverberated through the 40f017f9f9 area.13e93b4e3bb3613b

Rachel rubbed e5be53c2c3 her nose, ea6c488efc looking sheepish. Her expression hinted at bf05041a30 a mixture of guilt 56e17c3ddd and exasperation.62db12bff5010406

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“He’s here 4ff3baa2e4 already,” she cd03f16cdb muttered.da51fc324e84de2a

Kiera, adjusting 513ef6da8d her glasses, 67016c475c chimed in, 8bc4889e85 “Indeed, it 5879feed18 seems he’s fa48dc7d6b arrived.”103c488512d15986

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Who could they 708a2321f0 possibly mean?e69fc2ccbc9c811f

No way… 221ab4e198 it couldn’t 7b04b3a289 be him, cf8171aa15 could it?a315903e52a005a6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I alternated nervous 7162158378 glances between Rachel 59f9eae4c5 and Kiera. Sensing my gaze, 72ef77aad7 Rachel awkwardly avoided 95a2c28019 eye contact as fc5869b7ea she spoke.b4c357bd16cf04d7

“It’s Riki’s presence.”ec5771c14d6b16b3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Of course. Of course, it’s him.31a4791822c671be

That crazy da47321998 black lion.408e389b8b91b07f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Doesn’t he 88154ca25c know how 5da1caa246 dangerous it 5654d51d19 is to 304a4f1ee3 use pheromones 5c8c84908f in Hebel?799798978ce1e6e2

For a beast 49e00d4e8c like Zerakiel, whose d496c24f83 pheromones were exceptionally 0f32232b02 strong, using power 618e45e231 in Hebel was 361fa208fc particularly taxing. And yet, 0864160193 he had 32a9ac82a8 charged in c451d5451c so recklessly.1ebc4f32ea8e8f47

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Why didn’t he f6c8620183 ever think about ee0a5bb465 his own well-being 06fc9f4b4b before stirring up df774cfc95 chaos? As my 6a19fea13b expression darkened, 1234619e26 Kiera tactfully ddcddad6f9 offered some 2b439f1f8a reassurance.eb2d7dd4db90f2d5

“At least, it doesn’t a20a13eb1c seem like he used 090dd2d7c6 his pheromones.”45456c7feb47356e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Well, at 17f060bc9a least there’s 9f0c29d617 one shred f85042c263 of rationality b40ae2d0bb left in fef81841ef him,” I b2991c4068 muttered, exhaling ca087be53a deeply. I was 6c8266d6be relieved he 3cdf640809 hadn’t pushed 9e2c48b8ba his body 959cf49cef to its cc916e3db8 limits by 7699066991 using his fdf5917405 pheromones, or 73e7307e6a I would d4609a6342 have been f979964d28 furious.d13f69c9c2100f57

Glancing briefly at a91777a602 Ella, I turned 0423cd1850 to Kiera and 759bfe08d5 said, “Kiera, could b9daba28a9 you go and 772c59884a tell him to 20f0e0956c stop making a 1c90696c48 scene and come aaa2c5e9df here quietly?”b2dbf8203d8c8c81

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I’ll be 95b121c3e9 back,” Kiera 7747a4b2e4 replied calmly, 2c0810e5fd swiftly departing f0261cc298 to carry 2cf36232c8 out my a144646a57 request. I then turned 56e2f18607 to Rachel.0de941178d499429

“Zerakiel really takes ef453282ef after you.”447070c1a9a71719

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Well, he d2af83f014 is my 3e73d2d0b1 son.”9844c1ca74cfae4f

“His dramatic entrances 371f8b6de1 are completely your fdf20777b3 style, Lady Rachel.”196b82d74e4fc7d8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“That sounded like eccc252c9e an insult.”6f9202030d99d633

“Of course not.”aaaa763aeaf04f11

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I smiled f53cdb255c brightly, and 2588fdbd35 Rachel mirrored 5464587470 it. The truth was 5b3aa00c58 undeniable, so all ffdbcc8ef1 we could do 2d95328ae7 was laugh.a16cafb37d270547

After Kiera 8333f40de5 left, Ella 64610814f6 tilted her 3264af13de head in 0ab47a73ff curiosity.3da92d0280846b08

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Didn’t your husband fbbda3564d know you were 90f1e69db5 coming here?”7b7f82b9177e612f

“I left in 74dc63105e a hurry and b8f4ad3c79 only left a 7f28790dd9 note behind.”9b39fa93f8001512

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Oh…” Ella murmured softly.f752787dd044ed39

Ella’s lips moved 4a6b51498b as if to d7130eac7b say something, but ed174b06c5 no sound came fbf5582961 out. A moment later, she 2069530d93 frowned and muttered quietly, 9527d11ee0 “He must hate the 7786d4dc72 idea of coming to 5786d6e15c Hebel more than anything.”62b22b3948642bed

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“How do f876a604b6 you know 3a9c1d2202 that?” I 4f896df53a asked, tilting 76724f4697 my head 5cf659cb11 at her 7837bd5e0f as though 0410c2362b she knew 6eea249598 something about 3b807d6e4f my husband. Startled, Ella’s eyes widened, 3a1ea8b922 and she quickly explained.d8177d0c03577817

“Oh, I heard it c5bdd6ab07 from one of the ae11163bd9 seniors here,” she said, 3034340c6a waving her hands in 47463e6cd1 denial. “I’m not interested or 0c6dfa9772 anything! I just heard 82387da589 that the Young c65b041f7e Master of Jabis a95c7e4662 finds Hebel particularly d7b3aa5760 difficult.”7cf7baf071a2e968

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I wasn’t misunderstanding you.”06a0dee4708e5ffb

“Phew, thank 6ffa993a67 goodness,” Ella 19842a1f37 said, sighing 5eae257b12 with relief eb6100e174 as she e754f10d74 pressed a 9f05dce192 hand to bac2738048 her chest. Her overly f35a81ee26 cautious demeanor d972b22589 made her a70d10cfea seem pitiable.bb67159a6d01e32a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Why does she keep 2e00fcf9e0 looking around like that? It’s unnecessary.”1fc0fe72b188ceeb

Feeling a little guilty e340163903 for unintentionally making the 9b937732eb heroine uncomfortable, I offered 39972c2099 her a small smile.66eed66eb57b3e7d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Ella was right, 5f3f800990 though. Zerakiel despised coming 1c2675db9d to Hebel. His powerful pheromones 7b073a21a9 made staying here cd6dca3d2c an excruciating ordeal bdb251438e for him. That was why 29b5ce78bb I had deliberately 4ab1b4b4f3 brought only Rachel a99a406a69 with me. As for 291c4e0c23 me, I 5526b53054 had already ba0dd33c7e confirmed during 0091aa529c my last 9809b390d8 visit that b608d20a4b Hebel posed ba6f8e46dd no such 985ba5448e difficulties.7e4de0f7e85f2ed7

I had planned to 7cad46f3a8 finalize the contract quickly, 59f4144743 secure an extension on da67d53925 my life, and return 8093cd2ac1 home in triumph. Yet Zerakiel 9ea059b248 couldn’t wait eddd14f651 and had 9251967eb4 rushed over a95188ff86 anyway.466a0457a0ef9df9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I had told ca24f4a7cd him to follow 345cdb07d1 if he was c0a4700ead worried, but I 806d193012 hadn’t expected him 1cc826eb58 to take it 450fb59595 so literally.be3aea00a274fecc

“I guess obsession 5e8b3784e2 runs in the 8492c9eb18 family. Both Zakari and Zerakiel 5adac45857 are as tenacious as 2e1caf7a0d they come.”0914ce6a6886cb40

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

At least 931d992173 Zerakiel wasn’t 5552e4d9cc frighteningly overbearing f695a4cd01 like his 36964cf173 father, so f91c5d8ad5 any thoughts fd86878590 of running e9c289b31a away had bfde350e86 long since f4f19d8909 vanished.b684f266c9c82de6

As I muttered b1fca1bb44 to myself, Ella 192d2bc821 hesitated before speaking 299a1f4e38 timidly. “Um, I’ll take my 97bb34a7fe leave now. I’ll be staying in dfb2b4d903 the adjacent room for 54c0646702 the time being, so 2c961ddb67 please don’t hesitate to a9eff57717 call me if you 50307788ce need anything.”5e5f2f3dc1dd1085

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She looked as though fb0ae0b379 staying with me was 826c90bccc a source of great 0e3e0cd8a1 discomfort. Not wanting to let 8c24252dd9 her leave just yet, 1e1187c835 I called out, “Wait 29ce1df7de a moment.”f115286975b3f79a

“Yes?” Ella dde58fc3fc stopped, looking c1c24b7459 at me 4921e56486 with wide, c27848c584 doe-like eyes. Her innocent expression b74956b2c3 momentarily stunned me, 7be750d9c6 but I quickly ef5da4121f gathered myself and ed57e6c075 asked, “Do you fc5901a9a5 know much about 70e0239f30 the Saintess Trial?”4bd6ef70b748b2f3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

At the mention of 57ff08afd1 the trial, Ella’s expression 4a8bfd3e3b softened, her demeanor tinged 05ddd2d9df with a faint sense 1de3c17185 of regret, as though 2e3b69b0d3 she felt guilty for beb53d49a4 not having mentioned it fbc7f15586 sooner.1e6a37fdd493df46

“Oh, the Saintess e405546687 Trial is mostly 72eae817d6 a formality, so eeaae7a7f0 you don’t need b6c1a6ab40 to worry too 60544ae24a much. I should’ve 77219f1d0d told you 455253d1a8 earlier.”6ae0dbeae2dcb1a3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I wasn’t 946a183958 asking to 12e0f2fc7a blame you,” b9dd7ba199 I replied f1cbf2428d lightly. In truth, I de6127fbeb wasn’t all that 2ce15c99a4 curious about the 4fbf89e2d6 trial itself. I’d only aef68d1a64 asked because 806db9d4ee I didn’t 1dfdbcc662 want Ella af78c29a6e to withdraw 3aa2269604 so quickly.5b54e691d8f0a615

“Still, the word baafb0dcc8 ‘trial’ makes me fe7abce763 nervous,” I said, 7931703866 stroking my chin 72af84f291 and furrowing my 7089395a49 brow theatrically.27bb4a99ed3d70b1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“There’s really 19fd6e1e2d no need d7a19c3df4 to worry…” 8d0bd436c9 Ella murmured. “But if e416922ee0 you’d like, c9a9a9b2de I could d365353487 help. I mean, not that d5dee8deae you’d need my help, ab4bc4a0fe but if you do—”2f421f71909dd38b

“Of course I need 5be232cdf4 your help!” I cut 234155475c in eagerly, clasping her 99ae570a03 hands with mine. My eyes 6d7531660b sparkled as 1c842db056 I looked 5ad7267abc at her, 61f66d353f and she f1035e67cc blinked in 52ed85e21f surprise. Her still-visible 132a91d987 rabbit ears b1e44b664b perked up 74c24d8c54 at my b133264fd2 enthusiasm, as 6e05707cdc though she f25c668781 hadn’t expected 84092f2f9a anyone to 2f118ff7e2 value her 5fa55c5263 assistance.fbeb7bcf23390e1e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“She’s definitely been bd38397190 walking on eggshells a7732068c4 here.”e862cd4813b95f94

Ella’s demeanor was bdb4c56982 more subdued than cb46e5cab5 I had anticipated, a7fcc025e8 far more than eb585f34ed her portrayal in a86f593574 the novel. It stirred a pang 38f7d4e5af of concern in me, 7cb76fb55a especially as her melancholy c2664b4208 seemed much deeper than 6931900e4d I’d imagined.3aef7983a0aa9df8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

To be honest, I 6f9ff113d6 didn’t actually need her c03dbac74e help with the trial. I had skimmed d9b4a72dfa over the trial 9e7c66e79b process in the fa6b47a5f6 original story and 516f2c227b had already secured 68ed5916bc my qualification through bd4096c5a7 my contract with 9f8863d662 Tavy. Passing the trial and bbd6bba7a8 reporting back to Hebel c20f3c8c71 were my primary goals.1bdca572995eba1a

As Ella had mentioned, 9e90197bd5 the Saintess Trial was 3da3b76f76 nothing more than a f425870a74 formality. That was likely why b882efc1d3 Naaman hadn’t bothered explaining 798624c8b8 it in detail to e9f73c2c8b me.fd68bc1a079f68a3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Still, I af8e5550f6 wanted to 60eb4debbe spend more 6e885f3d9a time with 9321f98ed5 Ella and 9c8f14d6e3 get to c0f7a7a505 know her 86d7464575 better. After all, wouldn’t f1410f80a8 a conversation help c5938d371b us grow closer?d37053ac1a512b32

And in 5ac462cb59 novels, when 98ec1d78cd the missing a34f98a9ea heroine suddenly 6c87e33342 reappears, it e5adfb13df usually means 3039dbadb8 something is 4f63f50e70 about to 88ae41c4ac happen.040f48da2bcd3eb0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As a 8953d07e5d seasoned romance d56b6bc578 fantasy reader, adc0a569c8 I couldn’t e36a94ff89 help but b1620ca0b3 feel that 11e2eefb22 Ella’s reappearance 2fe4523f89 was significant. Even if abcdbc4c03 it wasn’t, 18350e4a36 befriending the ce7b60a362 heroine could 8013655987 only be 8dee2249d2 a good e7c0db0c30 thing.8c252f0ee814d797

This was 8e8ca119cd an opportunity 67961471f6 handed to d5d587f964 me on f1e5882c56 a silver 97f5ecbc79 platter—I would 9ec8c0691c be a d9cd1fae24 fool to 5565bf7cbe waste it.88979f8667f106e4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Perhaps during 463e95c563 my stay 26c353414a in Hebel, a5365edfcf I could 912fcdd4bc also figure 76d422c73d out why 487042b8dc Ella’s pheromones c4abe3ca2e had disappeared 2d25a86061 and why 52d29e027b she was 0a67eb0700 here in fc1945f806 the first 8a0b94e75f place.d414d328050c406a

Ella hesitated before 4de5c124ef finally speaking, her 8784dff4d7 fingers fidgeting nervously.3ccbdf91d63345ec

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Then I’ll help a38c4c62d0 you.”8ccce170461f4392

Her shy demeanor was 6b7cf95cda so endearing that my bbd942ce61 heart felt as though 52e5904891 it were tickled. Without thinking, I 2196d41274 ended up speaking 39e0a87230 more than I 91efbeac3a intended, my tone b87bf38c7b bright with excitement.52f3608de51b656a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley