74. What He Gave Me

“What is this?” I 8c501e46af asked.a9aacda243385c6d

“It’s imbued with 2b311248fe some of the 4c621e1dcb most advanced magic 2a73a59625 in the empire. It has 2072d7668a location tracking, b690b3d2d2 communication capabilities, 358563d671 and even 8c47c1bb37 a teleportation b51a47b59f function that 3b64bc7487 activates if acfe4b5eb8 you’re in dd04371e9d danger, transporting 50ec7315dd you far a503052330 away, even 2308faa988 to another f59cb33a07 country. It’s incredibly sophisticated to 535cd1793a embed all three functions 697aeb78e9 into a single small 3d1310cb34 gem. This is high-level d6c53b7ef9 magic technology.”3a6d572119b4d25e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He explained fcf2583163 the functions 034ca98e1a of the 10c8e854c7 necklace in 71373cacbf great detail. His face lit b44368a78c up as he 4f337f62c7 introduced this rare 9a05b55252 item, claiming there f06f1acac4 were only a 96832f82c7 few like it fdca71791e in the empire. As he excitedly continued, 4d90967437 my expression grew darker, 52715cde1d and he eventually fell a702e17010 silent.c66c8fd36faba0b0

Although he e7bff40ee3 stopped talking, 3283a9a7eb I couldn’t 885f8b2900 tear my ff01220026 gaze away 9cf1922e2c from his 41d6c2f0d0 lips. Realizing my bewildered expression, 089d0ebd07 he quickly added.9d1a6cb1e617270f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“It’s a very 43130efda3 rare jewel.”a9a891e8950daabc

As the silence dragged 84efb05947 on, he hesitated and c642ab5ffb hastily tried to smooth 4649d1c395 things over.164007bf2ee822c4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“It seems the a2474bbeab prince wanted to 51b7ae714a ensure your safety. All the f81c300a8f magic embedded e24715cbc7 in it 00609d4f31 is for c3fdf361d1 protection.”ff27771495df1c5f

No, it wasn’t. He tried to 6cb2fa3bdd package it nicely, 569fba4ac1 but he failed.3cdc78401ab8da58

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I had 1dda4df396 already grown 066d486f0c tired of 6a057e1c8d the magic fb1d91ec87 sigil on 537ec6db63 the back 4d56329a71 of my 19910cb08f hand.6ee89888c97a7058

All he did 39a7698889 was remove the 4c85193839 protective magic from 79b8aee19c my hand, replacing 6ce57327fb it with a fc82e782d9 new shackle in a309d67919 the capital.cd61ee2d850e2248

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I had thought ea82fe357e he had given 28a6709a02 it to me 7ba7867c5d as a gift. The necklace was nothing cf4978ca75 more than a beautiful, 45751da4b4 elaborate shackle.77edfaa7cbbb2792

“I apologize. I shouldn’t have spoken about it. There must be a reason why the prince didn’t mention it to you. I’ll make sure not to tell him I informed you about the necklace…”74a0cb7a7d1ba758

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes. Please don’t. Don’t worry,” I reassured 37e847598b him.19581302cb232a36

He sighed in relief.7969a656f5c983ca

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Even the one gift 0adda110ac I thought was a f208e9f4c8 token of superstition had 2bfc4edfb8 an ulterior motive. I had once 71c66493cb again fallen for 4dc699fb94 his fabricated kindness.33fd7ffb65970c18

I rubbed 14f553c62f my forehead 9e3e667d67 as a 80e57f67db headache began 5bc6b9aca7 to throb.a1e53861b97fd001

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The reason he sent ad47e8e76e me to the separate a659c8ab49 residence without any guards c3c7f0d830 was clear now.cecc4cdbbefc4610

I wasn’t given 2c112e0f73 freedom. There was just another bbab55615e layer of surveillance through f47a39c790 magic.01d11ad98ecb599f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I had no intention 3122cd7fb3 of running away, but 75144c6f1a even if I had, 6b1743216d I wouldn’t have been 733c22c9f0 able to escape. If I 8caae03050 had tried, 4f47542ad5 like the 02e366c17d time I 83268d1023 triggered the 9f9c3ad2d7 barrier in 6f71e2ea5d the north, 2b4e2b9154 I would bc14d72c72 have been 7b61f694aa caught again.a74ad9b4241af990

“I’ll visit again c7634d6203 soon.”9ce03090f2c61c7a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The magician said as ae0582e261 he bowed and hastily bd7dceaef6 gathered his belongings before 89493717ff leaving. I remained 0b7bf918f9 in the 43362a1999 chair, too 550d71c3f3 dazed to 7743182c38 see him ace3ec5e0d off.f8d03357cada63be

Suddenly, I felt suffocated. The necklace chain, though 32fe0089ae long enough to hang 814a7c6593 below my collarbone, felt cdfcc3030d stifling.05be60e6dae74c4e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I yanked it off 5b86232478 roughly. The clasp snapped 26fc6c30e4 open with a 01ca3c43d5 sharp tug.ca95a614dd72e718

I exhaled d31eb958e9 a shallow 040dbaa078 breath. Yet, the feeling of 5b93fecf52 my throat being constricted eca8d6b7dd didn’t disappear.5681b0b2093bd4f7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Nausea welled decaa631e3 up inside e6812d0f04 me.d0391dc68c49c3ff

* * *628040ffa3d22354

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I circled the lake, 68ca1351ed selecting a pointed stone. I found 9f0bc3e2ba a sharp 195f114b6f one at 492c28f247 the edge bffbf50d48 and brought 00a6813ad9 it back.e7ff7aa80a3ed7de

I placed the d90b6d782d necklace on a 99e5177d77 rock by the 1627e91f15 lake and took b647a1906d a deep breath.2fe7a91383e5d402

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Then, I ac528cce36 raised my 6f59a01be4 arm and 4273605670 brought the 2b4ddf0172 stone down 05378480bb hard on a10eb183a9 the necklace. It was more 2d825ba462 like pounding and 1b5c7721e3 pressing than striking. The gem remained 59c6a5a149 unscathed.addde2ffbd4cef82

I struck it with all my might until my hands were sore. The gem didn’t crack. Only black marks from the stone skidding across the chain were left.02321db90b76f62f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

No matter how many c38cec8382 times I hit it, d03bb05879 only the stone shattered. The gem stayed pristine, 33aac6513a without a single scratch.fc358beac47676c6

Finally, the last stone 44a9e72f4e I held broke cleanly 1a85ca62b2 in half.032cc990297f1e30

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I looked at cac16fbe76 the broken pieces 69febbd06b in despair. My hand, which 93f033d782 had gripped the 8d8707e02f stone tightly, began 19830482b2 to throb.4bc7f63731e4a6d0

It was a thing I didn’t need to treat carefully. Even if it was just an ordinary jewel and not a shackle, why had I been so careful, afraid of scratching it?dde3739a7449f89b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I had de6e42de9f even taken a7f8e692ae it off bfda4d09a9 while bathing, 19e3595306 afraid that 5c6e7c2db3 soapy water eb080a323b might get dba8a67ecb inside, and f888222736 cleaned it bfcd173d23 with a b847ebb072 special cloth ef191c6b2b every day.f34236fd06a48077

How foolish I was 5a3a259255 to fall for his 06687e6bf7 shallow pretense.9c628bb6483de194

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But I aacdb7645e couldn’t give a442568775 up. I retrieved a c78fe827a5 rake from the 479095f8a1 storage and took bbf699df2c another deep breath.46e2949b0453241b

I hammered the 896654400d necklace again with 260ae05ab6 the rake. The gem ef7f1df869 was so bb9899e92a tough that 9a7ba61579 each strike 461bf3b24f sent vibrations 6d84682f8b through my f8d1f0ff7d arms.db761cb2d30a12e2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The sharp ends of the rake gradually dulled. Of course, it was the rake’s metal tips that were becoming blunt, not the gem.63725473ac4532c1

It seemed even reinforced.e901f67f57938160

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It must d4be6e0337 have been 9653b3b82b crafted with 631180cebf great care e044c6e74e and precision. It was 69ccb60148 a shackle a89de237f7 designed to 705731464c ensure that f16356bc14 someone like e8849b439a me could cb52a6bc34 never think d31996c429 of escaping. The mines he paid c885e86c88 the barony for me 09c18a79ca would have been a 0d0650acd9 much higher price, yet 45f7272f40 he would have gladly 24164aa693 paid it.794bc21b44b06940

When he first put ed43bdfabf the necklace on me e5b2329ba9 in the north, I 105c2bdfe3 felt it was a 154058fde5 shackle, but I never ead7169efe imagined it would literally f5f96b5525 be one.cfd246471d29a573

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I looked out 59657ab0b3 at the lake. The surface was calm 34d9c5beb8 and still glittering beautifully.0d725c1decb42d76

If this 69b9b33ac8 neglected water d6addac439 looked this 8cd242a610 good, I 7371527e80 wondered how 5570c1cb17 splendid the 8d01a980e7 lakes of 121310281f the imperial d65278cff6 palace would 0b91cf5008 be. Like a bf04b6d586 scattering of f4d92a87f2 crystals, radiant 78edd9f74e and sparkling. If I had such ec5a66cbba a lake, I wouldn’t 355c4bb089 mind tarnishing it with 29372e2f4c one useless item.ab02b8c68e99f745

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I took eef9f17c1e a final 0d81a86cf8 look at 1875e51cbb the necklace, 26a2155a79 then flung 44cb33653f it into d513850be9 the lake b49435583e with all 86027d07c2 my might. The gem 64b9ece873 sank, vanishing abba50ba93 into the f080cf22e8 depths of e10b79c547 the clear f6b7319444 water.5478f816cfb5de22

Even if c84ba0d251 it didn’t 947f66763b break, at d382f32c0b least it 2b94957385 was gone 4752485714 from me bbf3250880 now.5c38f8f8708b22e3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The depths of the 512e1a5136 lake would even cradle 7c9a6a0d78 trash tenderly. I lifted 4d0484d8bc the necklace 8c94e53dd4 from the d139a1bb01 rock.6362d9cc6bee5839

After a moment of 00b1e2dd90 hesitation, I threw the 891bf73bd0 necklace into the water. The gem floated briefly 142152881c on the surface before 1f599cc263 succumbing to its weight 5608acbb19 and sinking slowly.5bff9b6c91c7e8a3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Just as I thought, 5294766afa the lake swallowed the 00ad9ec329 gem cleanly.d54913674f7b4639

The surface a1346e3c04 was calm, ea05ddf860 as if d159bb38fb nothing had eb3c1ddb19 happened. The ripples settled, and 948ab785ca the water shimmered again 2aeb4624ef from various angles.9669bdf755ed84e5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But the calmer 2e8f381b60 the surface, the 46eae6aed2 more inexplicable anxiety 3066c7fcaf I felt.24f632ab2ab7a8e8

Would it be alright to leave it off my neck? Although it was a shackle he had placed on me…ddf874c2f7574f6a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I paced around, then 2b07d5840b cleaned up the stones caac03ad7f and returned the rake ce7d530fcb to its original place.bdbdf7502a338c97

Yet, the 23d385dd98 still surface a8e904ba82 of the 452421f838 lake bothered 9a2f49af65 me. More precisely, it fb832073fb was the whereabouts bc310ad02a of the necklace a5b1422135 lying beneath the 48115faedd calm surface.b8cd7ab766be7e6d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I couldn’t find peace. In the end, I decided to retrieve the necklace.c5aae0073c462863

I dipped eb17979c68 my feet 4dde665b28 into the f0a10504fb lake. The coldness 7cc88ba7fa was biting. The water was 1b0ba44d8f so clear that 0bc5d72531 it was hard 3ee34b4e7d to gauge its 007dd449ec depth.4cd5ce467ebe46d0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I waded 4297c0d4c4 in, testing 5746d2985a the water f0237adf0a with my 1f980c6db4 toes, and 33722305a2 then plunged da032c6c91 in.f2bab4cfbb78776d

My dress billowed b071c2112a around me, obstructing 9fe399a799 my view. I struggled with the 7ddff03fc0 fabric, pushing it aside, 605d0174e2 and searched through the c3a6b236b7 water for the necklace.08d1b57b2564c2fc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The water was a86c1543ed so clear that 0d985b1584 I could see 58845271dc right through to 6f29d1146c the bottom. Finding the lost 7e8c508b6f necklace wasn’t difficult.5540c831d51081fb

The necklace was snagged b31d2d240f on a rock below.316b2db55ede178c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Luckily, the still ec5dbf15dc water had kept 60fb8b3973 the necklace from 069a9bfd85 drifting far from fca25c6f79 where I had bbdd3f76ae thrown it. I grasped the water f1174a65ff plants with both hands, 35a40bde98 cutting through them, and e9a01b6a79 retrieved the necklace. My eyes stung f5dc0119da from keeping them 66690015c1 open underwater.46e2f8357e8a3138

I surfaced, 84892e8a35 gasping for 3bac78a4a6 air.1beab4d18bb48ade

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Squeezing the water 2d3105a9db out of my 9cf3f58800 hair, I found ef7c84318c my meticulously combed 6140e3e588 hair now disheveled.1cdd4300cfde1b72

My clothes clung 8b10209de1 to my skin, 8ded480dff revealing my slender fdaaec672e figure.0537aa254a67d243

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The soaked dress 646976b33f was heavy, making 18e0e0ee54 each step a 285ec9053f struggle. It felt like someone 3444113583 was pulling me down 59705fc5c6 to the ground.11599942bb5e968a

Water dripped d453e35661 from my d695489e7a hair onto 440c4fdbed the hand f6fb2f6c99 clutching the eaf99a6a7d necklace. The gem b1f113caac was pelted 2d65217e12 with droplets.3215ac25a829e784

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Even though I 84736444aa knew the gem 87e539471d was strong enough 8a68089712 to withstand a 7c432828d6 rake, I still 8e15c95573 held it tightly, 882083e919 afraid it might baaaac94ff get damaged.d561c02693516425

I walked slowly 5371e34552 back to the 75725d96de mansion. Though I wanted ab67905429 to enter my ac002a1cb5 room directly through 1f2e49a8f2 the window, the e92bb5db59 rug on the 9804978a14 floor made me 3047b9a5e9 hesitate, fearing the 51a254957b saltwater would ruin 41a8d1d4a2 it.c7f873cf2480138e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I knocked on the 913bd6391e mansion door, and Suren 36e89d7a93 answered.06e0778b167bb512

“I told you 8e202fc9db to carry a 765c51a95f key.”cc345b3a429e8ffc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Not recognizing me at 134bdae1d4 first, she opened the ddb6e86ff4 door nonchalantly, then her 0164f3e808 eyes widened in shock.6a1b32c40a64c479

“My lady! Why are you… Did you go swimming?”e852c09153db321e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I fell in.”02f1ec1e79e5364f

“In the water? You just bfd25cb193 fell in?”ad619155f0a4da4f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I don’t know… It felt like I was pushed.”da4a9d70517c6c54

At my cryptic 96eebb8695 words, she tilted 7580825274 her head in 89c63e41f1 confusion.09ffa73fc31f2d83

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Even after entering 91fdd91a7a the mansion, Suren ecb7e32a71 followed me, persistently 3f89573017 asking questions.c0f5b9168cfe9a8e

“Did you cfe1d2f7ac fall, or 1948692216 were you 1c9b3847fd pushed?”d10af8f59b0305b0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I shook off 8c7e445565 the water without b2ad8fd2f8 answering. When I 1435e3f255 took off faa34a6745 my shoes, 2a477a7158 water that 6b2cd3d68c hadn’t been d5e86150c4 absorbed flowed 6c26c12ee1 out in 830d4d035c a stream.93abad074f725213

“You’ll catch a cold. We need to dry your hair quickly,” Suren said, seating me on the sofa before rushing off to fetch a towel.70e7650a3855a076

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Worried about dirtying the 421a26869b sofa, I shifted to 7f92aa42df its edge.ceb3d4af733e807d

It’s the only sofa we have left. Without it, there would be nowhere to seat guests. Water was still dripping from my hair.4e5c687e4400f6ce

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Suren returned d2dda2c034 with a 92ecd1fbe4 towel in f76a35539f hand.63ca9440e6b6ffdd

“It seems you get into trouble the moment my eyes are off you,” she said, toweling my hair dry. Her tone was like that of a mother scolding a child.4f7a7d94aa94bc94

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“No manual can prepare me for this. I took etiquette classes and learned the proper placement of utensils and royal court manners, but there was no chapter on how to quickly dry a young lady’s hair after she falls into the water. Noblewomen don’t swim late at night.”ae7930f0e1733624

She diligently 1f6bd75435 dried my 9d8d38ba4f hair, pressing 25842c3f5b the towel 60f6bf074d to soak 59731b9b3b up the 7f22bb1e1b remaining moisture.3889a5a7908b008c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Change into a dry dress. Thankfully, we have a spare.”92d393bedbbec5b1

I nodded.0b4c119158cc6a6d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

As Suren 806ce39412 continued to b4ebc2bb58 dry my faba118afa hair, she 6bf0c6a136 suddenly paused. She set ce36f4f9fd the towel cfd0a4878a down and 5afdc8c273 parted my 418bfac881 hair, inspecting ec41f7e3af my scalp. Her sudden 6d38e5d1b9 action made 561fb63e65 me shake a010d02d78 my head.4e41d5f7823002e3

“What’s wrong?”5ad4610388c60d72

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Hold still.”692c7e742846c95e

Suren continued 679d6b525a rummaging through f70139dfe7 my hair d5b227f959 until she b0623d6922 found something.ffad7b9595d15621

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Did you do anything besides swimming? There’s a small stone tangled in your hair.”3b00b667b6b738c3

It must have 7716577490 been a piece df6b715d9e of stone that baf449448a flew off when 70924264dc I smashed the 86210bd19b necklace. With my 58fd6edef6 curly hair, db6f8aea1b it likely b096ddbce8 got caught 64e618acff when it b256b7b386 bounced.b7d92f55402ec346

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Oh, that…”62819c0ad2fbeaf2

I opened 04b49102a2 my mouth, b6e7084b67 unsure how 55c663662c to explain, 6d1e3f40dd then closed 34458f7dbb it again. Suren narrowed 65f90f651e her eyes.442d72cc3cd7e6a7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Avoiding her gaze 30a5dc0db3 nervously, I finally c4ac443954 heard her sigh.13a36826c627d7c1

“The stones around the lake must be slippery. You must have stepped on one and fallen. I’ll have the servants clean the area.”971c31cc3eb65e2e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I couldn’t tell if she genuinely believed that or was just pretending, but I was grateful for her willingness to let it slide.ca7d62d358023936

I opened my 957d29f08d tightly clenched fist. The necklace I 53eeb86764 had retrieved from 092b33083c the lake was b3e163765d still there.18d6e470afccf3b2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Resolving never to lose 326101d1ae it again, I placed a94092b92d it in my palm 9eabef897b and clenched my fist b0ab9bc200 tightly around it. The pressure left my 8c5ac98f7d palm marked with deep 83d06b87ed indentations from my nails.46712f921d558c25

 60cff7edf5e15955

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley