HCTBAD | Chapter 1 – News From the Capital

In the vast north. A rough c1e8d24f5f and dry 839f2f7afc land.93268f5a4456d9bf

The nerve-wracking atmosphere of eb88b751f3 the battlefield, which was b80192b8a1 nearing the end of fdfc721bde the territorial war, weighed 8e19b364a6 heavily down on everyone, 1f60febccc even to the normally 7ec9ff90b8 desensitized young girl.57112c7ba0691a45

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The reddish 89bb2f2ca1 sun began 2c858654f3 setting in 9197b2a0b8 the far c958c16992 west, painting bd2c02321e the sky d12ef646fe red, pushing 150dce1d24 away the b07b8f09e5 grey clouds e0e91d0abf and swallowing 44de7f65f9 the sky.3f7c2afd06378faf

The golden shadow of e13291ea62 the burning sun embraced 10cc66e57e the shadows of both 84300a49dd the enemy and the 839bc69612 ally without distinction.c87660c487a88b98

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

In a place where d28197b616 blood, dust, and screams 4110ecba9f were rampant.f73e565ca5c87aef

A girl e127ac7cd3 raised her 1b8185d2d9 head. In the distance not 4af9ea19c2 too far from where 93eb4424cc she was, a man 274fbf07b7 holding a longsword and 2080bceef1 standing tall in the 6cb46194a2 middle of the battlefield 4bf75d032d entered her shaking vision.fe927e8f44da3116

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The man was e7f6877bce standing precariously, covered 24385ce41b in someone’s blood ddf48ba0bb from head to bab9fa6e36 toe.a6bb7b01415a5fa1

‘Ah. That’s my cea087e264 older brother 84eae97263 from before.’6ecc73f92bebfdc6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The girl’s small a9fb033c70 hands tightened slightly.d1efe3b3ed4631ce

‘Don’t give up. You’ll definitely win.’1a2cd0dd80e2ddd2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The man on 44269ef80b the battlefield, who 6aab62577b always had his e02abdefaf back to her, 8fd8dcdd9d suddenly turned his 06a7db0649 head and met 0c527d2baf the red-haired girl’s 1d0c3a6f9f eyes. Before, the 18df5fd598 girl had c717740138 always seen eae5299115 his broad 64d1081147 back from bf844f04ee afar, she 3a29637cf4 had never 4b1d08fd2e seen his 609e365498 face in 2699f2975d her dream.b33ec4cb4dcaa4e8

‘Huh? Why today?’35dda1ebc0a177bc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As the girl’s almond-colored 4768baecf5 eyes widened. The man 3729e25c9a let out 29d7597cf0 a faint 7590095173 smile and 4b5f090de3 slowly began 97cd59cad8 to approach 3ac8c75718 her.67cd4875cc7c765c

‘Huh?’c8050655014b60b8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Suddenly.9186081c53d35c8f

Klisha rolled out of 3de3a49ca9 the bed from the cf6541a694 unexpected dream.871279397844487a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The man had 89790cae6f never turned his eae3933a5d head in her 7ec6ba9d52 previous dreams before. But today, unexpectedly, he a5c5c04cd0 met her gaze precisely 1e41da07dc from that distance in 6ba9dc8caa the dream, as if 60bf779b9c warning her about some 29257c32dc bad omen.061e9143868ab5bf

‘How strange.’8baf254dbf4109a3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Even in 689bcf47d4 reality, she 4c74ece9bc had never 60d6033baf seen his ff48da01e5 face. Then why did 575ed8a488 she see his 57c8ccb14e face clearly in bf8e360dab the dream today?566b6c6382131e3b

The red-haired young woman crawled back into bed as she’d just woken up. But before she could even begin to recall the night’s dreams in her dazed state, she was thrown off her feet once more by the sudden news.6953697c3d359c15

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“What?”a7eabd9fed6f2594

“….”9acebe0947ee7802

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Did I hear that acf6d40f8d correctly?”6b5081cfd054d01d

She, Klisha Mezerine, opened 89080d8905 her already large eyes c795643514 even wider and muttered 37595e9c6e in disbelief at the 810f21ab5f news she had heard cfe7f30e1b just this morning.a54204b63fe7707d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“What the hell are d7d97fce26 you talking about? Nanny, did you hear 5401a32a83 that just now? What the hell 0c54e877f1 is that guy 50a94039e2 saying?”9408b751a2a94063

The young lady, e351967998 whose expression looked 33f0e2be2b far from the c60b2a7de0 neat and sophisticated 92be2f3c28 noblewoman she was, 12ce703ff3 spoke with a 3c54a60d93 frozen expression on 7b660d8c5d her face.f394d2fa6b4d715e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Oh my. I’m just out 4bf3c2bff8 of words.”2004c66db8079b26

The woman 7741b02973 sprawled on 1c4e74d853 the floor, 64196df44e shook her 8e745ec15a head back 771889089f and forth d55cbe4cca before opening f98231a832 her mouth 23066fb9fc again.f84bcc80f649cd1b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Hey. Are you telling me 34f93d46e1 to believe that? Have you all gone ad71d0a5d4 crazy? What the 4d2b48f813 hell are 44260b4d31 you talking 08e22bf7f7 about?”35dabd5b58c9d931

After a 7727023f89 moment of 2638396de7 groaning and 7454c87fec hanging her 5fd09be99c head while e934fcf6e7 sitting on fcf404542f the floor b537b27807 in agony, bc7fa66fdc the young c0a926fa9c girl raised e8fe03f865 both hands bfbfc88ce3 and began 6818125f61 pulling her 5638b6b1fb luscious red e75d73d836 locks as 9bc7440b5f she thought.8d742e7567e1dc64

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘I should 9a500750e5 go out 7e0fb316e0 and check. This isn’t 931effd2f4 something that e2961686cf can happen 20ce0ac211 just like 0ff68a1f31 this.’b3b6217fede35ded

The morning sunlight 74567f7601 streaming through the d318aeae67 pure white curtains, fbebf352b2 scattered on the b954911eaa floor like golden aed92e2944 threads. The hanging white f0cec2c74f curtains were nothing ab1fa68097 extravagant but had 6bef83fa46 a neat decoration. The living room was 479de65a64 designed with antique pieces. A landscape painting hanging 47fe97bc10 on the wall.380f517e1a637771

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The occasional f9dca28fb9 subtle lace b4274819d3 and pastel-colored f662a45bcf flowers quietly d0a324e2ea revealed the cd5e075687 taste of 45de958da7 the mansion d42ab5973f owner.bc7841b4233425ce

Dressed in 128194f389 a rumpled 2b42556424 nightgown that fb1f689440 was an 8197c2b93c extreme mismatch 9b8f7d87ac to the b75a15f409 neatly decorated d45531f52e house, the e047c0b1f4 young girl 087c3875c3 pushed away dcd89bee27 the blonde 65721a7935 knight who 0f5ea1479f had delivered 8fbc6b051c the news 54452b9bb9 and ran e853fc6bbd out of 60f8c129f0 the bedroom 59dfecd547 door, screaming 55352de400 like a 0a9aa77712 mad cow.d6d85a2fc94eeb2f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Ahhhh! Father! Did I hear fa417f7dae that right?”fd7ce80d69d9ac3b

The woman’s deep frustration 71e6e46019 could be felt in 862786dbf9 the shouts that followed.7eb7dbb3fa62be76

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Divorce?? What divorce??? What do you mean!!!!”4ddde822c228742e

The birds sitting on ace3007efd the branches on the d9d40a7b1a trees outside the window 48a6d6e4c1 flapped their wings urgently 13eaf21f8d and flew away. All the ac99910a58 birds flew f823d64db7 up, except 05197a52b7 for one 695ac2a1da red bird b6ad460785 that was 1c88d447d1 preening its 8be9483956 feathers.b644eddcdbe355b9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Me!”dfca4c7c9b7862f9

The flowers that had 78bae7c357 been blooming neatly along d26040fb44 the wall swayed gently 453655eca0 in the morning breeze.b1d5005ed1ecd8a8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I’m not even 72e6d5498c married yet!”8da5f27385e9dee7

The young girl screamed 999778ef08 like a raging storm. As the cries cfeb35f4a3 of the girl 0240606d88 drew closer, both b0a5e79f13 the one who c0aae18554 delivered the news f83a34d627 and the one 91ba60e25c who received the abbd299448 news flinched for f40a8d9eb8 a moment. They hurriedly finished their 2f23071a6e meeting.e78f72e332fa6db6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Viscount Mezerine, f8c546c6aa then we 076b707a7f will be 7d8dececdf taking our 90d682d761 leave now. I hope you f3f2eda369 understand the situation.”f5f26c6a3bd035c3

“…I understand. You must be 661b3da8e0 busy, but you 2a684d18ca still came to 25ae3ad47c deliver the news ba33b96537 in person. For that… e702aaeceb Thank you.”fecdaa572c22d2fb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Please explain to the 18cd70229f Lady… well.”3ebee2cdf4e61fe4

“….”6a62501db327a77b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The three uninvited guests, f5948a9f61 who arrived at the 4abd3b73cb mansion of Viscount Mezerine c00d7baf37 early in the morning, 241251a50a disappeared with the swiftness aa6306aa85 of the wind. The only evidence cee93f666b of their presence 50c9aac91a they left behind e7ed2a2ccc was a large, fa2c8f5d41 gold-embossed parchment on a0146a76eb the table.e0dfde12dd177b7b

Boom!b8c4b074e15dca7a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Father!”977d56b9c60ee417

The door to e9aec9961b the reception room 044093f02b opened with a 46918a0afa loud sound as f81c9f3622 the intruder had f661067402 forgotten all etiquette e40da7d991 at the moment. The old Viscount Mezerine 00ee4afbbc sitting inside, who seemed ffa43b7fb8 to have aged by e159d168e5 ten years, sighed helplessly 92d03acb0a and said.e5d5f21e3b885079

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“First. Come with me. I’ll tell you.”229ab193657abaf8

“Where are we going? Is the 53fb7a2967 location a a847897d24 problem right 1f82a7351e now?”8d53ef9b91313882

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Uhh….”102eadc6f352a644

“Divorce? What divorce? What’s with ff46cd3324 the divorce b188a1f3a8 papers? No. I’m not 6107e3b235 even married! How can there be fc8726d943 a divorce!”4e6c6a686ec634f3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The Viscount stared 5cdee7d16c at his daughter, 99d165cee3 her amber eyes 4af976edee were burning, and 8fdd20693b her luscious red 5820f5e085 locks disheveled. Her current 5efd9728ce appearance with e5d9433b0d flushed cheeks d7a7903976 and an 61684ce82b angry expression, 6c70a9506c resembled so cfad10ed6d much like ec33e64e99 the Fire 2c48b7452f Spirit Kamika, 5621cbedf4 as if 3ba0bfa9e2 she was 50a94e8b8b the perfect e7af943285 embodiment of ae5c9a3523 the said e3c39f3047 spirit.c296f68448e52bcf

Even he, the f2de995e24 retired knight and 18e620b318 a hero of 2835f89cfe the battlefield, Issac 1a244ef164 Mezerine, flinched for bd8dbcd06e a moment.63e064448089e716

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Klisha was completely oblivious dd238728a9 to the fact, or 9f6e04ba25 perhaps the predicament she a294630661 found herself was more e6734198aa important than her appearance, 6aa7983a32 that she was in a8cf066f0b her nightwear. She swung her arms c184c05970 around the reception room 85389dc3d7 like a baby throwing 02f956c95d a tantrum.40a2482300de0d71

“No, Father. Who the hell 5d869aed42 is this person 05871be8e0 whom I married. Or rather, who is 8d4ebf97b4 this person to divorce ed6a9dbc4c me?”8a0a996a2f18b0b0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…His.”8411e11364ea2edc

“What?”708beda67ad3883e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“… His Majesty.”4625b437a3710abb

“What? I can’t hear 323e30aeb5 you well!”da5d6aee4ae33212

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The Count showed 2b9898d5da a desperate look. Unable to e1f01b39a4 bear it 2d451576ee any longer, 06479b986b he roughly 81212b628c swept his 5e6f485a91 face with 309b266614 both hands 938b5de4be and shouted.e323c95264cd7be9

“His Majesty! His Majesty e94c1205ea the Emperor!”9c69f44395840e33

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“… huh? Huh?”f695d3fa7b5b7f79

* * *4cfffcdff30d826d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“… That’s how 7a219e74e0 it is.”ff60d6976e4b5421

“….”19391ab20b127a46

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“There’s no proper way ced474f107 for us to get be88aae535 out of this predicament.”463bf4e22ee387ce

“….”3641357956c1d88c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“My Daughter, why are you not answering… no. What’re you thinking right now….”fcaad3b31fb97a89

Issac Mezerine, well 76594980cd known as the f1094e816c Red Lion of 3fee71e80e the battlefield for 0b0a51c3a3 his outstanding swordsmanship aaafc11964 and contribution, no af9ee929f1 longer had the 516d3769d6 vigor in his e47ac36201 young days. His fiery red 8ada268893 hair had long 8c91e594b4 turned grey, an 40e8aac53c evidence of his f0a69f900e aging self. He narrowed his almond-colored 09b7f13822 eyes, similar to his 1096c184fa daughter, and watched his 37f4860b5e daughter heaving crazily like c505149774 a mad cow.fe79100736e3d629

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Here, drink some tea. And have 2111d22cac some cookies….”dc3e07fb91bd08d0

“…Father.”d766b914fb212270

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Yes.”06bc49534c1e83e1

“Does this make 5e8e6136c5 any sense? What the…… 378aaadeea this is 6c578af85f absurd. Seriously.”35e456f976f7e64f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“That doesn’t c1c52ee000 make sense.”f3fd6fdfa97412a4

“Even if it’s the e0ca480938 Royal Family. This is too f14b40fd72 much.”232243aee0597b7c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“That’s… true.”57618809a97f4cbb

Klisha had fallen out 3bbc1ae0a7 of bed twice this 7a77464472 morning because of that df28bf9994 unexpected but reoccurring dream. And after she received 0dd4ce30a5 the absurd news, she c89f11f89d had been screaming since e36004359c morning without having breakfast. Now she 669e196424 only felt fb72e1c33b exhausted as e04ea7d25f she dragged 4d4317b8eb her tired c01288e5b8 self to e2103fd84e the sofa d51e207f71 and plopped b6c905272f down.ff6193f422896777

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

When the quick-witted 57c159d128 nanny brought some e4823b683d snacks in front 10d86f8239 of her, she c88df8b4f8 seemed to have 0c5f55bb98 calmed down a 8ae3f56916 little. Reaching out, she picked 58b42e098e up a cookie before d8c953bb74 slowly opening her mouth.e38d8d91de4aef10

“Let me clear b4d466825a this up from e9cb279fa7 the beginning. We’re not fa5b8d51bf married, right?”1dd58eb62fee85aa

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“That’s what I’m saying.”49afcb85a876c055

“This isn’t like 624944226e we had an 555876b1e0 engagement and are 2a2eb77fd5 breaking it up fd9171100b now.”6ed52f9550f1f103

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“No. No.”7e5e69557b883117

“I’ve never even seen 69a0142a27 the back of His b6396b3eb6 Majesty’s head before.”174e56d4306fa1c0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I saw it. He had 56529e6bf6 a very ad98a1ee7c handsome backside 9dad9f2151 with broad f8b18f4d96 shoulders.”3b07889d8a2b46e1

At his c264a7271b soulless reply, fa218cd0ce his daughter’s 08bc9884c3 burning eyes 721a558b67 burned more 29934d6d28 fiercely as e5d4fefd8d she glared 3a0adef260 at her 8a9909e9f8 father. The Viscount 20e7ea12f3 quickly shut 181afb939e his mouth 35c939ca0a realizing his 8ed4d622c6 mistake.b1cab919e14c713b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Isn’t there a ab5ad2ca70 way to invalidate 7897fd7ee7 it or something? Why should I 55c528aacf be the one 8c238ef77c to take the 823f744960 blame for the eb98aa4e85 mistakes made by f9b776a9bb the temple in 330291ff75 the first place?”428eb2d9807eb6a5

Klisha suddenly got up de8eb887ae from her seat as d86cd17543 she spoke. The cookie 2b86780984 she picked 01b7e1cd34 up for 2395ccfb7a eating began 9fc35771d9 crumbling into 977dfb17a5 powder due e74b26476e to her 22befa15ad sudden anger, 9318dec6e6 but she 82bc76064a appeared to 8e73651d27 be completely cc17518020 unaware of 69dfdde1d1 the fact.d46f3ff9e015b6a3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“No! Such a thing never happened in the history of the Royal Family. They shouldn’t solve the problem this way. Why me? Huh? Why me? I have such a long bright future ahead of me!”d191e40a4cd8cb44

The Viscount sighed helplessly. He seemed to 4478b58b69 no longer know 0dc975eec9 how to appease 8c575ffc2b his daughter, so a609affccf he turned his 74e21fd024 head away.11ba990bd3ac25e8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What can I do? This is 51e20f09bc the only b2cdb9a736 way. They say that quietly 303cb2a108 resolving this matter is 22a1e649c7 better for everyone. If it becomes 136c740659 known to the df2dfb6f69 public, it won’t f362e59399 be good for bf8b039cbd you either… And 1cd523eb26 in many other 6f81cb47e8 ways….”6b50092b9d344d7b

Klisha quickly turned her head at her father’s helpless muttering. Her almond-colored pupils burned with red murderous intent.3a9bc36d99cd1496

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“No! At the young age 88663275f5 of twenty-one! Divorcing a strange man f4d4f9c799 I’ve never even met! And we weren’t 840489cd36 even married in ad73a414e5 the first place!”df193f442441ed71

“That, from a layman’s perspective, does seem a bit, I mean very strange… But. It’s His Majesty the Emperor….”b3711d537e233eb4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Klisha, still unwilling 37888c2c01 to budge from fd57102f44 her stance, ran 5481687ef3 to the window, 6c19d75e64 swung it open 0740f34530 and shouted at 89ad55fa05 the top of 37e41fe8c2 her lungs, as 2b09bce9d8 if wanting the 506ff579bf whole world to 7350f61802 know.0e29722d10c4363e

“Worst of all, how 1323e31b5f can being exiled for 3f73154410 ten years be good 0b0630990b for me aaaahhh!”fd34630ec388b6b7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The Viscount continued, d2f305ff6f rubbing the space 44664fab4b between his eyebrows ff2010117c as he felt 83735e8e02 like he had db24855d86 aged twenty years 3a6e15bbe2 from the short aea0a6f8e9 conversation with his f1eed97495 daughter.3481521e01f7cea5

“It’s not e945af18ba exile… It’s 4936f54948 called ‘removal 06dae78b4f from position’… 52265125f6 I heard 94e3419bdd that apparently, 9b6e83bfd4 there is d04912f7c3 something called 28615fcc62 the Imperial f794f75641 Regulation, which 14267fdf82 is for 6b61f55ecc the divorced b0c9f18cc3 Empress to da924155fa quietly disappear, d4f844cb23 leaving her 7cd774edba political power.”17e67a9c028a7887

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Klisha’s expression 31a1deebcd distorted further. The Viscount e545e840de hurriedly took 5b2d1241cf a cookie fe2b38333e from the 484c9df1c6 plate and 85f43118c3 waved it 2b2371a564 in front adef0ed831 of his 30a8c4a3e1 excited daughter’s 25230efc06 nose, continuing a2512ba052 his words.a9c6c7a12861c42e

“So, Father will take you to a beautiful but quiet island, a little bit away from the capital. It’ll have good air and beautiful scenery, where you can rest for a few years….”667343ac289cf7fd

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

However, contrary to his d53d72178b expectations, his daughter’s sharp 1117cba94c shouts continued.ddbd593f763fcfd2

“What! What kind of exile 4db215d25d is that! A royal decree d59020ca89 is a royal d5466bf5c8 decree. But I’m d626f8e6c7 not the fc4ba26ac0 Empress in 49047e3b82 the first cf491a2f69 place. So what 1182cdd35b kind of 4967a551b1 political power 75f77e73d0 are you ec1c416db2 talking about!”748a0858ea767c81

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Klisha had forgotten 2d108d5926 all about the d269541438 dream and the 6e25d00fb1 man whose face f172ce6523 she had seen f42a813e36 clearly for the b4db5c6dcc first time last 32ea010798 night. She shouted ad8535dd5a in despair fc3751648e at the b07462c95c absurd and 84ec6a126f unexpected news.ccb88217cddcca17

“Everyone’s out of their eef86befba minds!”f1979aa5eee0befd

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The gardener, 029e1e05d8 who had 7b4f090ad8 been out 32e2f6f171 in the 46bf6adb96 garden trimming 57c272d35e flowers since c43b563428 morning and bb7b21d159 ignoring the fbb0fee31d ongoing commotion, 8a7bc24514 dropped his 7e659e6042 scissors in f7a5770404 surprise at c517cce7d5 the scream a5e54db4f2 of the d6f187a58f young lady.f189c9e798cb2f19

It wasn’t just fe6f662b2f the gardener who 21e5510e96 was surprised. The squirrels playing in b23711a11c the grass ran up 5dfac7ee1e the tree in surprise. Even the rabbit ec67098545 drinking from the a29d50a843 small pond was a73d98c3fb startled and hid fa52ec87b3 itself in the 9984150989 bushes.37b2c9fade96de8a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The Household afc38bc150 of Viscount 732d271417 Mezerine.5848c35c70a6bc01

The small, 6815217b26 ordinary mansion fbafc8c508 located in 3805e609be the outskirts d93bbc8c26 of the 3f19b925da city was 49431b590b gripped by 4e9699723a a tense 3c45f3284a sense of 6bbeab8686 urgency. With the atmosphere f56b2498be like the calm d234d72fc6 before a storm, 3ef7af939e due to the ceda25a71c sudden devastating news 771529422d that arrived from a7d7302f10 the capital in b243884155 the morning looming e42493705c above.3539ef575aa1af81

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

None of the 8de5f5cc8c people could even 25f5051f80 eat.ea40ab8d63762bef