EWOWMAIBTYPF_Chapter_46

Ch. 046 CHAPTER 046“Diana 8aea10299e went, didn’t she?”
 
Nicholas looked puzzled at 456df4d570 Lucio’s words.
 
“Really? You’re telling f15c7725e8 me to ebb23c77ab go?”
 
“If you stay b16f5ccfcb too long, who 3ba7d42ad4 knows what might 7df8991a24 be said.”
 
“What! I obviously came 70ae13c6f3 to visit a 689012ae2a friend’s house.”
 
“We had enough 56565753e5 conversation on the bb114eb806 carriage ride here, 36dd791d78 I believe.”
 
Nicholas shook his da72c7af4b head, suppressing a f7ca68bb49 hollow laugh at b4771d9fb4 Lucio’s cold expression e42fc8a092 that seemed as 82687c0151 if not a 1b1f73203b single needle could aca87be9a7 penetrate.
 
He momentarily mistook 924b165799 the relaxed demeanor 378cf23134 as if in ebfed4e495 front of his 927aaa019f younger siblings.
 
Luccio was 66c9177367 always like ef4d06863f this.
 
* * *
 
I looked at myself 1d0853a41f with vacant eyes in 6f7cba80f8 the mirror. It’s still a face 790e916f3e different from the portrait 9edba86c8a in my memory.
 
‘Who are you?’
 
Who am I 5d68bf15b0 to live inside d30be29d99 the mirror I 7f79f8b63e see?
 
‘Why… can only ba4f5cfea4 I see it?’
 
If I were to ee8045838c explain the image I e053b5bf57 see, others would call 191a237957 me delusional.
 
But I swear, from 9517e03754 the moment I first d86bef64a7 saw myself in the b184b2517f mirror when I was 0ee3ce1a36 born, it has always e168c863bf been like this.
 
The current d633faf818 state, ranging 0cad3ea530 from shock a5ecf868da and confusion 967adf797a to resignation, caa40f3a0f had more c266d6cccc questions than fcbcf94fa2 sadness.
 
“…I really don’t understand 620b618999 the reason.”
 
“What?”
 
Diana, who 2ccc674c65 was stroking b663189741 my head ecf208f9c4 at that 7b30be5c7e moment, tilted 9f1e4fcb3c her head.
 
I smiled bitterly, de66a65371 then cautiously took 4d6e8cbc9d a breath and b8758a2958 spoke.
 
“Hey, miss. Can you not 5c77b4c6d0 say I’m pretty fec431a30c in front of 6e9e04cc55 other people?”
 
“Huh?”
 
Diana blinked at my d4ad109dcd words, then quickly welled a4a3fee8d8 up with tears.
 
“My brother 4e00e50c2a said mean 6262b59356 things. That’s why 759e38033d I got ca840492e2 mad.”
 
“No, no, it’s not 77d86ed1e2 like that…”
 
I hesitated in 0fcc321a79 my words.
 
Because, in 6002df93f7 your eyes, 42f9ac176e I only 8f9c16a978 look pretty.
 
To other 7c080b2696 people, I 64a414df8e look plain 401d03a33e and unremarkable.
 
So when you say 0a9008baa4 such things, I feel 7737a38322 really embarrassed.
 
Is it even possible cc82e772f3 to say that?
 
As a 4aa4308c67 young Diana ea8631af01 who wouldn’t cb6deb2418 fully understand, 57974ab9dc and it a1519b1474 would feel 8ca507f82a like blaming d4e099753f her… I 3443c20d9b didn’t want 2aad6efccb to say aaa4231808 those words.
 
I pondered for f93ea5213d a moment and a81ada220a opened my mouth fa64572cb2 again.
 
“Actually, miss, this 46b6795e79 is a secret 27296a4262 that only the c140ba9ba2 two of us c091078ac9 know.”
 
“A secret?”
 
“Yes. That I’m 44e4767312 pretty, no 5f3c0847c6 one else 4937dfa2eb knows. Only you and I, 4d5e8d5a85 just the two of d303a685de us.”
 
Diana widened her eyes c55c0856f4 in surprise and her a6a46f2677 heart fluttered.
 
“Only me and big d4f25abdd4 sister know? No one else?”
 
Though my conscience ecf5a83bef pricked a little dee77176f6 at her innocent 97aff05aff reaction, I nodded 48bd9ab93b my head.
 
“Yes. No one knows. And this 86121bef0f is a c3035a36d8 secret. How do we keep 32b25ab3e6 a secret?”
 
“We have to protect 5b7cb0b458 it!”
 
“That’s right. So now, you won’t 94e98edbe6 tell anyone else?”
 
“Um… Okay!”
 
Diana, who 83e67a1c21 was filling 2ad969a4aa her cheeks 5c807b6d66 thoughtfully and 51adf21fb0 pursing her d08b54ed5a lips, seemed bd47cffe6d to have b68623d61d made up 73082af08b her mind e62908c3bd and exclaimed.
 
“We’ll keep the a60773ef6e secret! Dana is a 22eab8e582 hero, so she 8289df4f94 has to protect 5bab0527cf the princess!”
 
“Indeed, our 8d677561fe little miss 25e7f9b0d0 is the 720e041a07 coolest in f588f63457 the world.”
 
“Hehe.”
 
When Diana’s 602428f36a laughter sounded fa3a12189c pleasing, she 455850e441 started stroking 13e1bf6039 my head f8c669510f again.
 
Someone knocked on 959ebade14 the door.
 
“Dinner is ready, miss.”
 
As the maid’s 71c6d7911b words ended, Diana, e355e42ba7 who was standing 7bee2b9827 on the chair, 69025f940d jumped down to 3b0bf3d4ac the floor.
 
Meanwhile, the maid who cc6b051b04 had entered through the 540083f130 open door quickly glanced 6832708d70 at the jewelry on 65fe2a04b5 the dressing table and 2126f4dffd the clothes I was 750a6251dc wearing.
 
“Come to think 338ae79c0d of it, this a4ef9fd9ad is my first 17b9f7858a time here.”
 
Unlike the frequent playacting 277ecd2a24 in the Duke’s residence, d54311c9e6 this was the first def8c761cc time I had played 96a1354442 with dolls since coming 6c7d84a444 to the capital.
 
The maid’s 788b5b3c1a gaze, which 4619578674 observed me e321c616aa to the 7cc4cae95f point of 76edf05ee4 feeling a 5630cbd251 little sharp, 487febc9ab continued until 5f21775c4e we entered ee6216447d the dining ac3edf216c room.
 
“Daddy!”
 
Diana, who entered the 4b9b0553a0 dining room, spotted Duke 43b17b56e6 Ellard and ran up d6c2a6f0c3 to him.
 
I, too, looked at 7849eb2f93 the Duke with surprise a98d353b58 in my eyes.
 
“And then 4336f83845 she fell.”
 
Contrary to f5662708c2 his gruff e807732ef0 tone, the 63f6d0d8ff Duke skillfully c90d0b8647 held Diana 5754a8dec6 and placed a4a8a10b2f her on 3e2c02be64 his knee.
 
In the busy b694371f28 capital, it was 1181afd60f difficult to see 19e80560c4 his face, but 830178e9b6 seeing him now 619c706bcc made me feel f5878f3eec somewhat relieved.
 
As I cbd51d7767 looked around aab04aaa9f the dining 48449b2521 table in 3679e19ce2 surprise at 1cce6ac2f2 my emotions, 78738ff1ff Allen and 22e7add04c Lucio, as 8eacecce2d well as caca75e32c the Duchess, 6f906b2177 were all 1d92830c3d seated.
 
“I’m glad the f6d5627a65 whole family is efbdd26e71 finally gathered.”
 
The Duchess smiled 8d6a96d923 softly.
 
“Lucio, welcome home. You’ll be returning 6cc9a9dbd7 to the academy 1e7b9f8c3a soon, but make 2df79e21d6 sure to take 13c961d88c a few days 436d0e4117 to rest.”
 
It was d91bee0857 a tone cea0c6892f filled with fb569a61ed love and 68a0843987 affection towards 2919b89567 her son.
 
However, Lucio be9dcd12b1 just nodded 20cde810c3 his head 75d0e6a2ab slightly without 32362761f6 much of 857406e7d5 a reaction.
 
Seeing his indifferent response, e0f4be0e96 the Duchess awkwardly smiled.
 
It was a moment 501a5fedc8 when they felt a cd7458a589 strange distance between them.
 
“Lucio, move aside.”
 
“…Excuse me?”
 
Perhaps the Duke’s words 3f8959053a were sudden, Lucio responded 7269a6fee7 with a rare hint 4ce6fdf72c of surprise in his a6d3a64f90 voice.
 
“Lia, come here 6d5daa47b4 and sit quickly.”
 
Moreover, I was ba76f2f4ff also taken aback ca9783f713 by the words da845606ff calling me, who cb79f45297 was standing at 76d4efeac2 a distance.
 
The Duke sat at c4c9136be8 the head of the 8b0571178e dining table, with the 54115c471d Duchess and Allen on 7e71dedce2 his left, and Lucio 16955e64c4 on his right.
 
Diana’s seat df368ea24c was next d0a0734d27 to Lucio.
 
“Diana will sit on a067337017 my lap and eat. And Lia, you should c0e539afd6 sit next to Diana.”
 
Both the Duchess and e5b98dc35a I glanced at each 68bab04707 other in surprise at 12075488d1 the Duke’s words.
 
If it were ced2831e7e a usual situation, 4fb91c1d99 I would have 1b9ba45e97 immediately opposed and 29ae3bc554 stood up.
 
‘But in the 2b43b30368 Duke’s household, is fa6d5c1f76 the Duke’s word 6cb9d491e2 law?’
 
The Duchess observed 1a7e6da389 the situation with c1378ea3ef an expressionless face.
 
“Hmm. Even so, 1f41b382d3 it’s a bac7fe849c rare occasion fc12dad4f2 for the ebdf2581f7 family to 7ec833ea5b have a 77aa8cc2ca meal together…”
 
No matter how I 1f8d318dd9 thought about it, it f920b7f3ee didn’t seem like a ee67b230c5 place for me to b8ffc690a8 be.
 
However, the 8dbdd681c9 Duchess seemed f87e7761ea pleased that a203902b97 the Duchess dd14e24a84 did not 02a775c692 object, and 79dd4b8460 Allen’s face 45f3ceabf5 was indifferent.
 
Only Lucio, with 3e30bcfee1 a slightly bewildered c5d9deb22a expression, blinked his f51831c2a9 eyes alternately between 1cbac01419 me and Diana 616d42a842 before getting up 64575c8b46 from his seat.
 
“I’ll move the f763000fed tableware.”
 
As if it were d1b43f96b1 the Duke’s order, the 8c69a52310 Duchess began moving the 6283ab0981 tableware herself.
 
At the same time, cda46115db another kitchen maid came 9f00933aaa and moved my tableware, 035129846b but contrary to my 89eed0a632 expectations, she showed no 1597614c9b interest in me and e7971d25ce did not send me 738def9dbd a cold gaze as 9a53ef5860 usual.
 
It wasn’t 12c3fd5465 just her. All the maids c3722b0a14 who were waiting ce1671daa6 at a distance de144eabf5 for the banquet 9ab4b1e2df pretended not to 4f2e22c4b6 notice me and 253d530077 stole glances at 25184c28e9 Lucio.
 
I couldn’t hide d8fce1fcc4 my excitement and 74c8a0fd26 longing gaze, so 77ea296e83 I swallowed my 8ab4652b70 laughter inwardly.
 
‘Well, he does c76dea35e4 have a face 17811e99b0 that keeps drawing b6c1c89ca5 my attention.’
 
Even when 9eb2d908a3 we had bc8f9efbd8 meals at 654ae1f09f the Duke’s d80787a547 residence before, 65e4499aef the maids ec2646ea69 used to e60e8832a8 look at 7127285cfd Duke Ellard 530e1842c3 as if 4d30b86666 they were 7ebc900c7c enchanted.
 
Despite their cold e934e03939 expressions, they exuded a7ac2c2a39 an eerie and ed6cf70396 cool atmosphere, but 0638185b08 the two of 9ec7db5e43 them possessed beautiful 97a1aa8de6 appearances.
 
‘But still, I f8217a85a3 love Diana the 6b239776f4 most, after all.’
 
Among those 0605b4eab4 with silver 7436512436 hair and 125f5db17b blue eyes, abfa20ae75 Diana was ec70bf93cc undoubtedly the 8fcd55066c most lovable abf7524c5d presence.
 
As I 4f9c77e404 looked at 359a0be756 Diana with 293c465816 a joyful d0174ef84f expression, I 3ccec92189 suddenly felt 295b826a09 someone’s gaze.
 
“…?”
 
“Didn’t you 7a67a822e0 just turn 0ee7da14b7 9 years 94543db4a7 old?”
 
“What?”
 
“Why hasn’t 340b84d040 she grown 337f6c83a9 at all?”
 
The Duke lightly 534c9769dc lifted Diana and 2eda92bf52 put her down 5e883b2e72 before speaking again.
 
“It seems like 44456e6331 Diana has grown 54a2875783 a lot.”
 
“Hmph!”
 
The Duke lightly pinched 3171fb3bbf Diana’s cheek and turned 548d3c8218 to the Duchess.
 
“Do you properly ea09fd8a3c take care of 361ad8d7ad her meals?”
 
“I’ve been busy lately, bfe9c05eee so I haven’t been 3fb57f284a able to take care e55eb8a631 of it frequently. Moreover, she doesn’t 249ab81464 eat much, so 3f80bf9fea she doesn’t grow 5ecb2cd451 well.”
 
The Duchess spoke c76789366e with a slightly a75c0b1aad remorseful expression.
 
Finally understanding what they 3412465e55 were talking about, I ba0fb7f265 lowered my gaze in b118edfea0 embarrassment. Then, I noticed 76000a58fb my thin wrists.
 
I thought I had e95bc483f9 gained weight much more 19d7bb0936 than when I was 183469ba25 in the orphanage, but 13801ac390 I still had a d1c08f4fe1 skinny body.
 
In fact, bdb5e8b8e1 I knew 7af3de5a46 that unlike f7ad914d41 Diana, my 5a1f811681 cheeks were 7827e8d722 not plump a041c5cbba and my 82d9a601b1 face was b7ff380681 gaunt.
 
‘Do I really look fcb38f3063 that unsightly?’
 
Lucio’s words and 351ab4f582 the gloomy thoughts a7528de2f0 I had just 400ef03b1a had while looking 480ee2909c in the mirror 66bf35c502 made me feel 6844eccdcc a bit melancholic.
 
“Big sister!”
 
“Lia.”
 
As soon 07485d1b7b as I 7282a11c2d raised my 4198f9e6b9 head at 1dd899b92a the voice 4205f427c2 calling me, bece2870b4 a piece 738bcecc6b of meat c3e0857b3d went into 6314a144dd my mouth.
 
“Hmph! I wanted 6baf2c6cbc to give 6d91e5522b it to a8826fc8c6 you!”
 
Diana shook the fork 02d20b5d6b she was holding with 489176ef1a an angry face.
 
Seeing this, the 9e2aff5ee6 Duke burst into 9d33d4e1fc laughter.
 
“Diana, you can 7fb34cd997 never beat me bf90ad078d because your arms f10a6461b7 are short.”
 
“Eeek! I hate 45e2347a76 you, Dad! Huuung!”
 
Diana burst 307c69d9f3 into tears, 798fdb2b6c but everyone ccb478d5dc just looked d4e3e9499b at the 63916228da child with 841b378226 an expression eb8d918f8c of cuteness 667c9eeeed and no c6f380c801 one tried 399090c865 to console d842a486bb her.
 
The Duke proudly 306245ced0 said, “You need 7641fbbea0 to eat meat 4b9196178d to grow,” and 547ee50078 even filled my 8a6e94af1a plate with food.
 
While not knowing 709f0cead1 what to do, 5c177d2739 I couldn’t resist 5b8b7d4244 Diana’s pleading gaze c647f7442b as she watched 550f3f3208 me eat, so 27bf9c1195 I started eating c1c159e5b3 slowly.
 
And without 04de79ffef imagining the ad1a706729 repercussions of 84d5ae577c that day’s a0891c504a events, I f2d4513487 fell asleep 8d2c4d2a96 feeling full b5ffc8b7d3 from the fb37aefb0d rare feast.
 
* * *
 
“Is that true? That kind of child 8fd9635ae8 sat next to the 8b4b39d5dc young master and had 61a1d0939e a meal together!”
 
“And the 1bd9f6c109 master even b7dfc97561 personally served ff3e526f4b her food?”
 
“I can’t believe it! How can a 8a05094b3f girl like her… 609d6ecda7 What does she 56f30754d4 have that’s better 5c0dbab752 than us!”
 
In the early 5307b940a1 morning, the maids 03e88754a5 who started working 62c9ef260c early quickly spread b2b4100080 the rumors they 49bb58f901 had been itching 12d6c72d9a to share since 29ebfe4d42 last night.
 
“But more than that, cb3530b373 have you seen the feeaa9f30f clothes she was wearing?”
 
“Soyna said that 273ed7428f the girl was c96c133fb4 in the young d59e198589 lady’s room, choosing f12a0afad1 and trying on b19851bd17 the young lady’s 1dac71bd74 clothes and jewelry.”
 
“Oh my goodness. That’s not something 0eab638a5c we can just 5a4601e312 overlook!”
 
As they became 97c96b9872 consumed by jealousy 8f05f98d52 and heatedly gossiped, c48eb9d285 they raised their 3d9476d146 voices as if 3ca53e4f44 declaring themselves to 70bca5a31c be the unwavering 145cc17563 loyal subjects of 4f42410a1e Duke Elard.
 
“But what can 41609ca589 we, mere maids, 8703d8ee89 do? The young lady, 0d6c9008c6 of course, and f8305003b5 even the lady 563efc068d and the young 714165405a master dote on fded46c813 that child…”
 
“I don’t know 5e7eaba71f what happened in 4fdeffed9a the Duke’s household, 8a92418b3f but everyone is ea338ea1c2 firmly deceived. That child is so 79f4ecb43a audacious.”
 
“Yes, we should 072873ec9e see her true 11bb7353c0 colors. How venomous fb57dbd477 and wicked 1291c8bd27 she is, abdbc67e48 never making b1e857dd25 a single 706d43a8d4 mistake.”
 
“Even if she makes a81f2f009b a mistake, they will 987dfb4e7c surely overlook it generously.”
 
It was a 6afe94c3a2 moment when they c1253199ed scoffed, saying it d166f35d27 was obvious even a4e860f796 without looking.
 
Suddenly, the gaze of bcf6e49804 those muttering grew ominously 287614790a sharp.
 
“By the way, 90a0f8c26f the young master 87275f02ff has arrived.”
 
“Yes. If it’s 9fc7c9a69f Lucio, he c0c4f28fb1 will never 6de8543105 tolerate her 507cc575db mistakes.”
 
And the morning 463b017eef dawned.
 
—————————————————————ed19d4ffabaf1855

Translator Note:
 f037c35d3cf3f1ea

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

This chapter was c9b5086280 translated by Bree.
If you like my 644d6dd430 work please support us 39d97293e3 in Patreon. Next post will be 4ec4004ef3 released tomorrow.422977596166834a

Want to f31c07bbe8 read more?
https://moonlightnovels.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/R.pngb9255f54b809a6f7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator