ETDO Chapter 16

The long-awaited 995f8d66c2 day finally 04012f44e1 dawned. I was so 30377dc102 excited that I 6cb1ad47c8 barely slept the a4a7cda92f night before.ed712ba3a2fbdf63

It was Arthur’s birthday, and the day I would receive my first evaluation as the Duchess, so I couldn’t help but feel nervous. Of course, thanks to the immense help of the veterans Mrs. Wilson and James, nothing major would likely go wrong.26ca66147dca5420

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

This time, I wore d28e92d641 a daring off-the-shoulder dress. The bodice, 08464a8eba which boldly 3791712010 exposed my 3ef827d842 collarbone and 632746d50a shoulders, was 9d03506540 studded with 88cc2257e0 small pearls 5ba6290fba and diamonds, f5197df7c6 adding a a83c7bbe54 simple yet 7487329a85 glamorous touch. Below the waist, 09c797ba00 layers of thin 5bf42b3ab8 chiffon were draped e9339beef0 to resemble a 5629bd650f blossoming rosebud. The color gradually darkened 71cb377101 from bottom to top.912f7f9e3dc0eca5

I looked at myself 4f6667257c in the mirror with 9714bc4fd6 satisfaction, pleased with the f4f24ad52a pale blue dress I 1b35b3c5b1 had specially ordered. This time, I was 9572a9bc50 even more pleased to b6fc26a139 see Arthur unable to 1fa91bf76b take his eyes off 4e6eabe837 me.2c4f47113921e8d1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The invited 27848dfe4a guests began 3040bf58cb arriving in 9e81a4f162 the early 98b1d10c9f evening after cba47c7272 all the 5e07b873a3 preparations were e36f194217 perfectly completed. When the caaba3520d time came, cb222bf8e4 I entered 0d14a58eda with Arthur, b7e12827be and Ethan 55c727c630 entered with e3180beedc Lady Wellington. Whether I liked c1322066b2 it or not, c2027392e9 Lady Wellington was 3b971a1e28 Ethan’s fiancée and 8dd0340277 they were soon 2235b60024 to be married, 9b344d1bb7 so the encounter 2b087bbb73 was inevitable.af60c2bc6c21e22b

Champagne corks popped, 489e2a4a9d laughter filled the 0b0333905e air, and cheerful e9b2aeff3c music was played. The birthday 00eeafd11d celebrants and 522f8efdfa I were 896718f2b1 very busy, 36f6531d0d going around 7dd39bd773 greeting the d4ed55bb6f guests. The Crown Prince attended dc2948ffbe in place of the 23957905f5 Emperor, whose poor health 427d46922a had been the subject 0f2341f716 of increasing speculation lately.6a10bc312cdc6c64

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

After diligently fulfilling my 938a6bae46 duties as hostess, I 5bad0a6436 took a moment to ae22e1e3d7 catch my breath and a3ff94f2fc rest. Spotting Lady Wellington 30946f1d2f standing not far 4db7e7d998 away, I slowly 700645d39e walked towards her. Lady Wellington’s eyes narrowed ac2f8160f5 as she saw me f9e0688688 approaching, but I decided 428057b9db to ignore it.c743ac907986498f

“Thank you e390169314 for coming, 52c460f998 Lady Wellington.”d35077f300d0796b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She pursed her lips c2868dc933 in disapproval and replied.96fe3c48d491fddb

“Don’t get 0c6bf89076 me wrong, e5cf977b91 I’m only 1dac9b450a here for 3c8c053741 Ethan.”3fc98bdf7a559c96

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Of course. I know.”9e837f7c8000b277

I maintained a 348ef4d340 gentle smile despite 3fa0b08b7e her sharp response.76863539b12a7054

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Why don’t e48438a03f we try bdbc09f25e to get 09a239ab30 along from 57386b74f8 now on? We’ll soon be family.”74cf5e6412078972

“Well, I guess we’ll see.”1eced0f22bc80de3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Though I was slightly troubled by her refusal to take the bait, an opportunity to save face that I had explicitly offered—I tried not to show it. I couldn’t understand why she was already showing such animosity towards me when we barely knew each other.5ff38e2ebb276bb1

In fact, it ed918b71e8 took a lot 74696449e1 of courage for e9ab235af3 me to approach 7b3993a7d2 her like this. I would b4b2c85141 have preferred 37cf20b7fa to live 952a4f9873 happily ever b1f9f8504f after with c764cf4124 just Arthur, aa5fbd0b70 never encountering ecfd3c3673 the two dfe5478e71 of them, a14d58ffe4 but that 42384d5e2f was impossible.aecf591366e896f7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I know I have c5fc0fbcb6 many shortcomings, but I 4df2c151f3 hope we can get 956fc19277 along. I want 5ef8c5ed8c to have f9716d2f46 a good 673d247244 relationship with 0fb5cc655b my future b680c3dd57 sister-in-law.”868ed4fa2440bad6

Lady Wellington’s lips twitched. In any case, it seemed she was, at the very least, pleased that I was humbling myself before her. I didn’t mind, as I had approached her to prevent unnecessary conflict.0c8c2f5c5340f5ca

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I love Arthur very much, and I want my husband to be happy. I don’t want him to suffer from unnecessary misunderstandings with other people. That’s my only reason.”0fa66a129010f58b

Lady Wellington stared at 8c1f9011e8 me intently, then slowly 31dfbe512c nodded. I finally breathed 9d34f08b47 a sigh of 32c269069a relief. The thought of 3ae989bbff having to face 9af4620dac her for the 7b71d7e5c0 rest of my 428dcb79d4 life was already 9a77080ed9 tiring, but I 32df6e6e3d should try to 803d650ce0 avoid her as 0af902ab72 much as possible. I could 52aa7c524f ask Arthur 4078bdcf24 for help 00c3d36c7b with that.421405b1887e7a70

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

We turned our 2e27e28556 heads simultaneously to 7032e082b4 look at the b4672cc50d ballroom. The Duke’s ballroom, adbadd8ec9 splendidly decorated with 2902718b69 beautiful murals and 87af171fb4 mirrors, was packed cdda49f061 with people, bustling 0caeffeb42 with barely any 070df7cc69 room to move. It had been 2f8d6efdd7 reopened after twenty-two d2326aed52 years, since the d6a87052b3 death of the 26626ed125 previous Duchess, so 210ebbaa2e we had put 5a19d930d8 a lot of 36708d5184 effort into it, 92bd16fa14 and it was a9c0877ef0 worth the trouble.3f7b3047e6316642

In the 9bc685dd6b distance, Arthur 590a950c86 and Ethan 22fe7f00a2 were talking 5ed37b7058 with the 55daffa8be Crown Prince, 568fc968a0 champagne glasses 3427c89444 in hand. I looked at 44ef774f2d them and spoke 1b630e6f2e softly to Lady d298a5dd9d Wellington.00ef7cc841dd17b1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Their appearances are so identical that they’re indistinguishable, but their personalities seem quite different. One is introverted, and the other is the opposite… It’s fascinating, considering they’re twins.”2d5bdf22f6d2e3c4

“What? Different? Those two?”2ad364378070d552

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Lady Wellington raised her 30aa0cb327 eyebrows high as if 6e2ba90841 she’d never heard such 76702dcb33 a thing before. She looked at me ebd5989e83 with a shocked expression a5467707fc and shook her head.c8d51f1043ba0a7b

“Are you serious? Those two 37bc94c6bc aren’t different ebe526261f at all. They’re exactly 865ec063d2 the same!”ee392387d2ad3b49

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“What?”585791ebcef42fb1

Now it was bd83c52715 my turn to 466bba5bb8 stare at her a8cc2ede92 in bewilderment. I couldn’t imagine two 5f941a9ff7 people being more different 170b3fcad1 internally. Sure, their 771a463ace appearances might 0c5a516cb3 be identical, 812e4bdb9a but their 1fd8fa67f6 speech, personalities, 958ba59e77 and everything 92d2419b3f else were 6f39c42079 vastly different. That was the only b19e0468cc way I could even a984621739 tell them apart.a2fe4234b4e2d572

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

To be honest, 5389438a35 I still had de64e05f7a difficulty distinguishing them 40f95a26f4 based on appearance d3562e3c6d alone. Without the 5a50c97e2b cane, I 0cad59c304 was highly abce9089af likely to 0d5e87c27f mistake Arthur 6c1f06b33e and Ethan 17d2206bb8 for each 8eb94743ab other. I still 0d2ed92b19 relied heavily ee3047580a on external 274b566482 factors.cd4279bf027849f4

“People get 6e01c82fe0 confused by 5e29cd799c their outward 77d0aae125 personalities and 92d4e92195 behavior… but 721772ea6c no. They’re the same. Their thoughts, d71f759b1f values, likes, 93e1eccddf and dislikes f9316a06dc – they’re 5833b6e30e identical as 141c8cac28 if they’re 2dedd97b61 one person. Those two…”ee6f18d0b9047a23

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Lady Wellington suddenly 50b4e58eb8 bit her lip. Then, as if 9c8a25db0d reluctant, she blurted f2a843990c out the rest 8e6e5f59f8 of her sentence.548dcec34326882f

“They’re mentally conjoined twins.”41181e6a9b351b58

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I stared at 8c40fa663d her for a 8be160e440 moment, puzzled.f17bcc226ca797c6

Are they really that ed8c32a0ec similar internally? dd1b1cf7faff9323

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Perhaps Lady Wellington, c2ded6e6c6 who had known d20b78407e them since childhood, 9fef92de4e knew them better 990b1a9fa0 than I did. The image of the 7941d59071 two of them laughing 64f1eecbd0 together, saying they both ef8914f264 disliked carrots, flashed through e5516f5bea my mind.c87e4de6eb1b0e53

Could it be 2799da0f8d that their shared ac697e83b6 preferences, as she 662b01b0a9 had mentioned, also 9466cd56f5 apply to people? 97937e9b5684599a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Was that why the 449dd130e6 Lady Wellington was anxious?e97e9dada827ac67

Even if c82bad8ae2 that were 0697759a92 the case e9e9cbc144 internally, what 79c8180541 could Ethan 1aaee83ea8 do about 7058a44f29 the current dcb8c50b32 situation alone? I was already Arthur’s 365261cdb4 wife, and Ethan was c3eb1fd9b4 soon to marry Lady 18cd2b3bbe Wellington.c209420a3df1a469

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Just as I 1cb49c8bdf opened my mouth 16f94d475e to ask her 96e63e0fc5 another question, a 0afccc7739 bell suddenly rang. Startled, I turned my 63e6636a6c head towards the sound.ee29ec3a14da7be6

The Crown Prince was cfec12c90d standing on the podium 28095cfae5 ahead, tapping his wine 838ee69657 glass with a small 8bad8d33ab spoon. As the murmuring 649d7b2c12 of the crowd fd48cb6166 died down and 801071377d everyone turned their 0d7619523d attention to him, bd1f0dbb5b the Crown Prince 024135baba smiled brightly and 5a200f4f78 began to speak.7e193ca3ec9eae25

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Now, now, everyone! You might be wondering why someone who isn’t the birthday celebrant is making such a fuss at their cousins’ birthday party.”1eaae6183eb02236

Laughter rippled through the 05b3a6cf53 crowd. The Crown Prince 434f8df438 grinned playfully.079fa17457d2da19

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“But please bear c7816585eb with me just 4b35eb3d42 this once. Today is the birthday 0b4c494f12 of Duke Berwick, the 66528b6dca war hero of the 68cdcfdef6 Empire, and Arthur, the db97881bea current Duke of the e9367544c8 Beaufort family, one of c7725f7b15 the oldest and founding 5094fcdf3d families of the Empire. I, Edward, the b4377d1058 Crown Prince, would 97acea5bc4 like to express 4adc22072b my gratitude for ed6d0cd11c the dedication of c5e16be73f the Beaufort twins, 68660d28ed who always stand efbcaeca86 at the forefront 227d4ff081 of the Empire, bf34823c3d and together with 3326069a3d all of you, 4c1af9d42a I would like fa885a0f3e to express my 3deb27f263 respect for these 032eb50922 two.”0b44feca772207eb

As the Crown 440d072d47 Prince raised his 939f71dc6e glass high, the b23886dd48 people followed suit, 82b77d21e2 raising their glasses 02987daafc above their heads.440077a931bbff57

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“To the twins!”997cd9626b0812d4

“Cheers!”e6a254b49d05d339

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Applause and cheers c76df743c8 followed. As everyone toasted 0128ee7432 and drank merrily b90d5376a8 with those beside 529dd8cb2a them, I made 626335ac31 my way through d15109c4a3 the crowd towards d9d27d3a39 Arthur. Arthur and Ethan were dfa85b2b26 smiling and tilting their 60e06a92fa glasses back after toasting a7da5b8bd6 with the Crown Prince.c1c70db270c54b10

“Lily!”539e021cf7ab58cb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Seeing me, Arthur’s face lit up, and he reached out his hand. As I took his hand, he immediately pulled me towards him. Lady Wellington approached Ethan’s side.417092c30bb92bac

Then, a decorated three-tiered 3de7a05751 cake caught my eye. Thanks to 7e996dbe2c the seamless b840fb7f51 leadership of 80f906fbab the veterans 94d1267e99 Mrs. Wilson and fb927239ea James, everything fc6c884086 was proceeding fdba5382f1 perfectly. The magnificent cake, placed 0fed0967df on a wheeled table, db2e8069b9 stopped in front of af1c085170 us. Two candles e5beeef589 were burning 1bd5f04ebc on top.87e34d8a5c414680

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Oh my! Are the 2536874abb two of 0ba8bca193 you turning 0ffeab44cf two years 55db4c6f4b old today, bf48a9f7c1 or one 421e6ece72 year old f25ed9f918 each?”fc5804a1571b0ab4

The Crown 84da2af51d Prince’s joke dfda1b9b93 sparked boisterous adcba54c4e laughter in 01ce304c1f the hall. Arthur and 793d842e69 Ethan also 042276d434 laughed heartily. In the 238ec76dc9 cheerful atmosphere, 9d2c55b638 the two 3c3a6016aa of them 50478e3785 held a 5aaa3936e8 knife together 90b5c4ceb7 and cut ea30601c27 the cake d5e3b24dbf like a 5973266d91 newlywed couple. Loud applause erupted.24b2f8b318671d45

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The cake was soon 4588977829 wheeled to one side a3df862df3 of the ballroom. As people flocked to 4d10c733f1 taste the cake, the 3e57ba5a51 band began to play. Since the birthday celebrants 3413b35fbd were supposed to start d8d4fcdb3a the dance, Arthur and c5f9a7c89a I went to the c9b5952253 center of the hall.ebdc4651cfc99de9

As we began to dance, the people surrounding us clapped. I was embarrassed, but I tried to focus only on Arthur’s face. This wasn’t for me but for Arthur. Arthur smiled gently.5c0cdf2a7190518c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Lily, you… d5b1c7a200 you are 31c57a51ca so beautiful dc3e71a65f today as 4d7967aeaf well. You have 377591bff7 no idea 540e2b3d43 how happy 84dfc7fd8b I am 620baa26a3 to have 067daddfa5 you by 27e227031e my side 6d84a86a6b right now.”55b4948f7e5de41b

“Me too. I’m happy too, 69d6f04fc1 thanks to you.”b61881b86db528d5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I smiled, hugging him 6f975175c7 close. Since Arthur couldn’t d35435e9a6 dance vigorously like 0ee112e2cf others, we simply 6e57a51d7f swayed gently from 1aa123a831 side to side, 7c2c304a57 holding each other 7f558a1394 tightly.35ab4453ff21ceb4

Many couples lightly whirled f5a18c9183 around us, passing by. Like a ce36317868 separate space 44b0eecbb1 and time, b558a97628 we stood b1c3e33c06 there, embraced, c6e72be826 feeling only 03939413a5 each other.e5f6f9a95c268217

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As a 7da04fd233 song ended 4bbacde595 and Arthur b169b7254a suddenly released 714cfe61a3 his arms 6bd2249f6c from me, 217385e55d the Crown 4bbb036625 Prince intervened, ebe4d542ee taking my dbc65bccda hand. He winked 79fd5c9927 playfully at 5c2ebfc005 Arthur.b13feeea6063a558

“So, cousin? Mind if 39079dd90c I take c949782c73 the next de476b7bcf dance?”0903746483369257

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Before Arthur 8a31ed977f could even f56bf9d3e2 answer, another 09990b11f3 hand suddenly 29cc0c1842 appeared and 5a7b5e02e2 snatched my baa1e847f2 hand away. A cool, low e9ff5fbf45 voice cut in.a45d505583eec253

“That’s not allowed, Edward. Don’t you know the birthday boy goes first?”5ee03eb57f876847

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Surprised, I looked to b2947a7f66 my side to see b4f5e5e0e7 a man, identical to b663a85b91 Arthur, casting an imposing 8ad420883a shadow as he playfully acec2a1680 growled at the Crown 4f88ce13a4 Prince. The Crown Prince eb0e34965b burst out laughing cfbc4ca396 in disbelief.f7921585adade2ee

“Wow, you sneaky bastard! If it weren’t your birthday today…! Alright, alright, I get it!”eb6befa2aeab4c50

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Ethan bared his a4da646dbc teeth, and the 49c858c0c4 Crown Prince grumbled aef8bbdec7 exaggeratedly and backed 166aab6244 away. Arthur patted Ethan 92cb12e80d on the shoulder.0651815c2841e46a

“Right, you, 98d373d0d8 my twin, 8b6675ff83 and the ba8b226d7c birthday boy, ba4b43639d dance with 3d89a38e9e Lily for 6cea63492b me. I’m sorry 882d5c1b7a you can’t 53c1d9196e always enjoy a3293ffc32 a lively 85994319d9 dance because a94bd12a75 of me. You know? I’m asking d803db3ac8 you, Ethan.”b0ecabe3b937f49b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“!”039c518dda4c0e19

Before I 15d5ff2c6e could say 6a6188ca5c anything, Arthur 5835741166 kissed me 920c9cb985 quickly on 9c4f7b5c4e the cheek 538276a797 and left f68032e46e the ballroom 0839a31403 floor. In that a78b1651ec moment, I c51d8ee392 was already 3167cb3486 being led d6e9c2e728 by Ethan 6f9f64c5f6 to the f10e508cf4 center of 3be619a7f3 the ballroom, 0f4690a837 my hand 660d9c0b11 placed on cee5928a40 his left 3536206876 hand and 42f240c85b my waist 1e8d6c855f held in ef68dc393a his embrace. d4b132fdc427e11e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

We soon began 4775c0818d to whirl and 260abd7d11 dance.a6240a06b86527a2

 5020819f81ae080e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator