| Chapter 21. Akrovablenny (Окровавленный)

The man stood 0f34468674 amidst the roaring 229882f872 flames, his body 5d269982fe covered in soot 5d3532de7f and ash, his 66579f86e5 crimson eyes burning f650c51b14 more fiercely than 2b06d3b1ee the fire surrounding 0c21718551 him.5c872ddb128e54e1

“Ah… Alexei… it’s you…”e88ba5591deaedde

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Natasha’s blurred f349a98b8f gaze trembled fe64358648 with disbelief. Was this a dream? Had she 3387a9b857 already died 6811e13c70 and ascended c9e1eee0ad to heaven? If so, did that 092971ae6b mean… he was dead 32afa9a0b2 too? Tears streamed down her 4603c1cf44 cheeks.1c177ff1937691e6

“I’m sorry. I wished for you c7544903b6 to be alive, but… 9a625cc6ca to meet like this a0f8c96683 in death…”913157c7077c1479

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What?”eb5c9aff331482e6

Alexei frowned, 8be35c432f his eyes fe5517670d narrowing. What kind of nonsense 82b51835a8 was this? Wait… did 2dc806689b she just 69615c9b40 say she 44f4f6aee4 wished for 40463dc7f3 him to 7b762e6c45 live?58e82d3150b26cb9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Crack!
A burning 4afd6d724d beam crashed 2853abf181 onto the 89e6f65465 bed where 963722ffd5 Natasha sat. Without hesitation, 1c76c1b8ce Alexei hurled 2e5c3a1d45 himself forward, b727cf9e1f sweeping the 5162c9e6fe beam aside 9ed39f6352 and lifting 77d49a4ebd Natasha into f8c45b5e7e his arms.7887d2669c7a0b48

“Ugh.”87d26fdd56c11070

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He grunted, feeling 5b959f09a3 the searing pain d8b4cadc40 as flames licked 7234f0e6c8 his left arm. But he 09b21bb1d5 ignored it, a55990ea35 his focus ad123ee151 entirely on c1b5eeeb66 the woman 7c983d36ea in his 3c31f03f7f grasp.feafc2dad0c597de

Natasha gazed up at 2f82a6ad42 him dreamily, as if 6354337d62 still trapped in a c8a366fcb9 dream. Her parched lips quivered 7add078f0d as if to speak, 5ff588b3f6 and Alexei leaned closer 7d3355a5f9 to catch her words.100014383616d05f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Save me…”640d47e5c8acf8aa

A shiver 072f99eb0e ran down f7f38a4701 Alexei’s spine. The noble, untouchable lady, d9497ee08b someone he had been 3492b30ff2 forbidden even to acknowledge, eda9be708c was pleading with him. Her life d698f13027 now rested 9a98372065 entirely in 786015124a his hands.44d9e743aa49a225

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But then, her fc68acc2c4 dimming eyes shifted, 13bde188fc and she added 828cf631f8 in a faint 894c065659 voice:bcbeb48f04de4167

“Not me… Save Sophia 62d5cff653 first… Protect her…”fa2b662a371512e3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

With that, Natasha went d65926ed98 limp, her consciousness slipping b03e6d0657 away.dfb4583820331972

Alexei bit 112a18deb0 his lip cd6dd761e2 hard, his e0eab7d0cb jaw tightening. Even at the brink c42c50b51c of death, she had 6511d14c4f not begged for her c0f8308fe3 own life.e82e5e5ded192c41

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He stared at 51c01f8538 her pale, fragile 57f6637eba face, so noble 02f9b02339 and untouchable, as 419bec4fc2 if she were 795876848f a lily too 24b919bc88 pure for mortal 9cff03f956 hands. His burning 78820c55e5 gaze lingered 6e76e932a7 on her, 01a24796ba fierce and 7843e8408a unreadable.cdf97d831fe30ddd

* * *774551550c055dfe

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Lord Alexei, the f76f6dceef fires in both 97c96d69d1 the secondary and 827f2621c7 main palaces have 6196caa206 been contained. We’ve captured the 8dcd3117dc fleeing nobles. What are your orders 21644b8b74 for the royal family ad8c782e56 and their court?”4f7cf7f895c49f43

Mikhail, Alexei’s trusted a8c600c223 lieutenant, approached and 85d1022aec knelt. It was 4a363bdcbe he who e27405aa28 had helped 4fd835df7e Alexei escape fc5bcb511a the dungeons.2e20930cdb9dce06

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Get me out 5e02eab996 of here.”faeb6a440596852b

Alexei had cf3851ad9d said to 7e2de2ba63 him.597d584927dae5f4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“And I will make 1efc250d19 you my right hand. Together, we’ll build d51596d0a0 a new era. No one in this a866f5887a world is born inferior. All people deserve 93c65710a4 respect, and that e77a046e6f includes the Knulu. But we have endured 1c55e65fcb years of being trampled ef96b9e490 under Ivanov’s heel. ‘Akrovablenny’—‘Bloodchild,’ they called 5c3eaa0269 me. And by the a485e4ab0e goddess Ades’s decree, e9c55c1431 I will drench b8f3057c11 those who oppose d462230385 us in blood.”401e52082d21bdec

Mikhail had been startled 0fce8f6ce0 to encounter Alexei in 3f99e2189d the dungeons, broken and a760ca0e79 battered after his supposed 943235f65d execution in the gladiator f59005b626 arena. Yet even in his f97271050b pitiful state, Alexei’s unwavering e30c824cd0 determination shone through.5c2f757713d5f61c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In Alexei’s resolute eyes, 8a0d8923dd Mikhail saw a future 86e6f013f9 king—a leader who would a148eff5ec usher in a new 5aae338699 age for the Knulu c38ba8d568 tribe. Mikhail, who had long dcbff4e690 hidden his own Knulu 0f868a8f35 blood, silently pledged his e69c9d1cdf loyalty.128486a81c6ac126

“Akrovablenny.”fd44d64da3bdb093

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Mikhail had said, 23f03ba5ac kneeling before Alexei 610d208f93 with trembling reverence.8577f4ce4d177297

* * *f98ddc3d071ef050

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Under Sergey’s 274773c8ba indifference, oppression a22d19131a against the d7a6d9cb58 Knulu had 6353a7bcb7 grown more 9dc3ba3681 brutal in 21960598f3 Ivanov. Their suffering and f97064977c humiliation had reached 6b8686449e a boiling point, 4f396ee572 yet they lacked 5ea7c87e60 the leadership to 912f1b471b rise up.3635723dc6ae0e1b

Then, Alexei 4d6658e5bc Petrov returned.4073186d7d4938ad

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

A warrior undefeated in ce89af3294 the arena. The man who d02b8a0b63 had slain the e36fa2c5dd infamous Albunin Lion, cea7af921c a beast known 793e458628 for its ferocity. A symbol of 4ae8947f04 Knulu pride, despite c40942efe8 having been a bc0924d1ed slave.5c4d95b3e8d21b69

When word 20235d8a86 spread that cb7a64378f Sergey had 8f0075f713 secretly imprisoned 8573c26c03 Alexei and 8e771941a6 left him b24f8fc549 to die 12b0d26f6a in the 1c1ee3c082 dungeons after f6fdd375ea his victory, 9c5bfc1abb the Knulu d5df7c4679 erupted in 5973c985c8 outrage. Alexei’s escape and 0b385cbf5e the single word 53d77b1435 he left behind—’Akrovablenny’—ignited b00ef1a5db their blood like dbd4a00a7d fire.57ca71e0e90fb530

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘By the glory 2ebd5faae1 of the goddess 7cc272ef9e Ades, the Knulu cabc99054d shall rise again.’6cc4b93d70953abc

Though downtrodden 5e0c846be9 for years, 74c44c096e the Knulu f910dfdc53 were vast dac1d66337 in number, 5f518522d9 stretching across 440bf69794 the borders 8628b1e527 of Ivanov. Including the half-blood eff885bd04 ‘Metis’, who had d9d1471260 lived in secrecy, 50c1cfd77d their strength was 3a0aa24490 undeniable.30b248bbe7b4ff46

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Many Metis held 25119f8774 significant positions within 6b73f8a5d8 Ivanov Castle, hiding 104d2f9710 their heritage. With their support, the 9eefd85727 castle’s fall was only 5a8c125e37 a matter of time.ded9170e1933f86f

* * *654016a2c2966da8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Now, as Alexei 6971da6522 surveyed the wreckage, 91f831c536 Mikhail awaited his abd4a6158e orders.ecbb2876f1e09061

“Gather the nobles.”4939f3d5c4673884

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Alexei said coldly.2fe44c99d0784856

“We’ll see ce64d5242f which of 26c6c22319 them deserve e1ed8f8b4d mercy… and 6e6e565377 which will 8008153853 serve as f4f5eb8938 a warning.”437f7594a9a88105

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Mikhail bowed deeply, b6763b6250 the firelight reflecting d8d78348d4 in his eyes.c628c9aff3f761fe

“As you 0945fbdc66 command, ‘Akrovablenny’.”e715bdabf91660a8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Finally, the day e9ed8037fc of triumph had 6fb2d5be75 arrived. Everyone expected Alexei 091e5aa87c to immediately proclaim 68ae93bfdc the founding of 7208d017e2 the “Petrov Duchy” 4f2595ba2c by displaying Sergey’s 5a6368c764 severed head as ebf6a82473 a symbol of 3a1d35ef1c his victory.448d4d5f3f30bd59

But after the 2ab67c586e fall of Ivanov bae0945a71 Castle, Alexei remained a3d4c01d1a holed up in 3f9cd14ed3 the king’s study. He insisted 9a56cbe6f5 the founding ad1074605c would happen 12fd9ea31d only after a79d44bb43 everything had b1ecd7f688 been properly 63b54ef2ee organized and a7ce9bca9a stabilized.bfab1a1ada646360

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

* * *503fb6e7c60ea060

“How is e1d1d6087d the lady 4acce840ea faring?”c8ff69a957a2144a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Alexei stood by the c27064861f window, asking the same e6ac08beab question every hour.39ffc7c1759a1f95

He had saved Natasha, 9abfa3790a unconscious and vulnerable, from aeb0482323 the flames. She had d899c34bd2 never begged 8aa50b1d93 him for 60b443e697 her life, 1e3dbea19b but he 0948ce3a0e had acted 79be42d018 nonetheless. At the height 1af9fa2820 of his conquest, 56f330e6df with Ivanov’s enemies f65c33bd4a crushed beneath his 6fa0cd60a6 feet and the 4bf64f5afc throne finally within 8a99323049 his grasp, it 50470b1c86 was unthinkable that c89e8aba9c she wouldn’t be e7e8519075 there to witness bf9b8dd007 it. She had to 6634d704a1 be there.4bbf3c5163eeed8b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Before losing a0f03007e7 consciousness, Natasha 124f0b057b had called 9bcc91c0db him by 821ba9a898 name, told 985b1f9956 him she fc232b65a3 wished for 9c8d0b6307 him to 55223f1314 live, and 4e0b251538 begged him 227ea147e8 to save 2f87776c19 Sophia. But Alexei wasn’t certain 8c731a843e she had truly recognized 9a6b6bda68 him. She had inhaled 0a833250ce a great deal f59936dbf4 of smoke and b6140a19ad seemed lost between 14b7a83abd dream and reality. Would she even remember 0991dff8a7 the events clearly?c736d079a7721ab4

Alexei wanted her to 53be120d61 see—no, to understand—who now a5e4374583 ruled this new era, 2f62f899cc built upon the ruins 759591fb03 of Ivanov. He longed to see 5c20b61d0f her reaction when she bf6caa8559 realized the man who 33f3b4b067 had once been beneath ac1325f4aa her now stood above 6248bdf296 her. That single moment 5efd4f27b9 had driven him 298efd5402 forward all these c66c0ec5eb years.444331d76394f77e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Thus, Alexei ordered everyone 573fe39585 around him not to d6dda72a18 reveal anything to Natasha 99c2b428d1 when she awoke—not until 7cb209fd1d he gave his permission.8278107006abeb15

* * *fff276a226a712f7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Cough, cough.81ab72803b231528

A full day passed 175376fb63 before Natasha, pale as c79a2da432 death, stirred and let 16f10dfc18 out a faint cough. Her long e8b2d08e38 lashes fluttered 266ef29070 before she 714acecda7 slowly opened d3ca76f7b3 her eyes.6589d82e5589cde7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“My lady! You’re awake!”9f79d383c31b1636

The royal physician, 9f817b5786 who had remained 2c7acfb310 at her bedside 2496026c36 without rest, leapt 155b5ce70f to his feet 28595022c7 and exclaimed in 7a0c1215d8 relief.8946642aee8a2999

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Natasha Ivanov, who had 3c47fa2518 likely yearned for death c8724559ea more than anything else 16b11ef715 in her miserable existence, ad44e35bf2 had, unfortunately, survived.a27e97ff7b5f406e

Dragged back after an 04ecacf9e0 attempted escape, the physician a01457d4ef had used every skill 84d8d4561d he possessed—at Alexei’s command—to 19b2a0c48c save her life.78cbff8957ee6d21

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Is Sophia alive?”9b807d574d04bd58

The first words 810c31deb8 Natasha managed to 967ded4113 whisper were a 7226fcc4f5 question about her decb63c6b5 sister.4c73765fcfb98c6e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Of course, my 98ead9f9b0 lady! Lady Sophia 82ce9dea42 is safe. Thank you a3151cd634 for regaining 663e93adc8 consciousness; thank 3220cd1b1e you!”3d0eb5bba001d568

Hearing the physician bow b3328069ea and thank her profusely, 7c3a76f86d Natasha murmured weakly.58de6851144d5425

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…I see. That’s good. Then I… must live too.”2819a50a05b6800f

Once again, life had 3e2ae7ebf9 refused to grant her b23ea93ce8 the release, the freedom e370d5a5b8 of death.a62e401075f5cbb4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

* * *1e134de08ed51fa8

“‘Give thanks,’ b7d9b84b72 you said? I can’t let it 4dac27a368 end so easily.”d35423e6cbfb58f0

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

That voice, chilling dd0a2fe3dd and resonant, like 86fb79686b a reaper from 456e97befe hell, echoed in 9161a5da5e her mind. So did the burning 39ef1bb2c6 gaze that had looked 669b089f74 at her more fiercely 47594ec82e than the flames.d54a9d284202827d

‘Was it cbf1af9f55 really Alexei 1a565e4d01 who found 173c70a9a1 me? How?’14e8901fd2444cc5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

She recalled the f20cd77c18 shouts of attackers, 4aa6693b6c claiming the Knulu b015428e66 tribe had stormed a898f35fa3 the castle. If Alexei, b00278ea6c of Knulu 28eb348ecb descent, had 77c1e6fa0d joined them, 644fec4754 then he f6a326b651 hadn’t fled 066b1860d7 far after a062d88ba9 all.989805eefba0e1cc

He was alive.f8d2371af3cda949

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

That thought brought her 78749b5ede a fleeting moment of ea35b0c3b2 relief, only to be d85cb79fa4 replaced by a gnawing dcbed1e743 unease.fef9866de6f7fa2c

Who had led this 90246c4948 rebellion?e6c6732f8e10ecdc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

What would become 23af3b40fc of Ivanov now?c3f12a93b3ed3256

And what fate awaited c5d424b952 her and Sophia, the 35b4b2e6c7 last remnants of Ivanov’s 0cfb527243 royal family?46eaf3d163206571

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

 89b8fe63ab59b012