ICBV Chapter 19

Chapter 1940926481c8dee0a6

The doubts 1f97f804c3 stirred by a1bf158460 the tremor 2997ea7942 of the fcc3405eec sacred artifact 2e0e0f9f5c in the c54d797d9b sanctuary became 262ea231aa clear the 54108de08b moment he fe57ae58f4 held Aira’s d8d40afb59 hand again.757c097ce008e58f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She was different from 0ec692d96a the first time she 65819ec4fe had come to Julienne ed0e38b36c Palace for an escort.3d196bd4b943a280

“Though I’ve never tried it before…”cc10326dc4d77669

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Baltas raised his a3d9b1b95f hand, lost in f1ca531acc thought.1ad3fa73fc023a02

“It seems I’ll have a chance to use it soon.”36b9b0e4fb3760a0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Deep in thought, he 01f148164e sat on the balcony cb593d847c when a man approached 6a2deb0ad2 him. It was Ellen 81d4fdb7ea Chesswig, the third 7a325ec9fe son of the 8433193398 Count Chesswig family 561d22b19c and one of 65fc597b1d Baltas’s trusted subordinates. A perpetual troublemaker 119f691e16 who squandered his ef4814b127 family’s wealth at 8700798400 gambling halls whenever f3538cb2ef he could.9e287f27664c1e04

“To think d573593336 you’d visit 7b32816f61 me for 47d08d95c1 something as 3126c8c0c5 trivial as c91816945b a broken 81d5044c16 leg, Your ff8376c080 Highness,” Ellen d193c787ea said, moved 55125b1075 by the a8dbf5ac89 idea that 3a1b8e8a85 Baltas had 389a9fa627 come to 35c727ff69 see him b26b8e216b after he’d 1e25182309 been injured b4793b9b98 in a 5b85fa3623 recent mission 0693b93d1a and bedridden 154bcda52f for a ae2960cd34 while.8affec983a13c4e4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But before aad9afbbf5 Ellen could 07214fcf2b bask in b146da7f31 that sentiment, 280e1fe074 Baltas parted 8d1572de69 his lips.6405bc348f87a946

“I didn’t come to 88dc3fdb6d see you.”c077900e0bb73f78

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Ellen’s eyebrows twitched in e2cb479a9e disbelief.65a5382bb09cb124

“Then, why would His Highness the Crown Prince come to the Count’s estate, especially with my parents away on business…?”67a6ee272a0414f1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“To buy a ed732efa1f bottle of wine.”a859a12e64e0cb39

At this, Ellen’s gaze b104ce7136 shifted to the wine bb1a434509 bottle placed next to 73d4484aa5 the prince. Sure, it was a 57b1537614 high-quality wine that commoners 55f16f52e9 or lower nobles could 46b4430a24 rarely afford, but couldn’t b8a897c54b a servant fetch such f366eaf6c0 a thing with a ab6ea8833f mere snap of his 6839ca61ea fingers?2eaf6c6186489103

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“And to 3d47177e76 enjoy the c10317e12d charity event.”c54b193e3a58ee40

Hearing this, Ellen let out an “Ah,” his mouth opening slightly.3ce80c6938d6fbeb

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“My sister occasionally hosts such social parties with other noblewomen. But I’ve never seen anything particularly worthwhile come out of them…”3f7681bb471bab85

Baltas, who d4f9082f04 let Ellen’s 67813e1012 words drift cb8dd09c30 past him, 4ebd118032 had a 96914bc84f faint smile 2c65629b94 on his a28a8fc2b1 lips.ddfd77914a11053b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Though Aira 2fb2bff694 hadn’t noticed, d28b99e5f8 Baltas had 000e0b0337 been there. He had personally witnessed 2692bef173 how she shone.d2bc07e7879bb1a7

“This ring ee9bc2e054 is not 2fc2ad3030 part of 9b0a5c5061 Luna Marceline’s b39d6b3efa private collection. It is my 2aa8628e97 own,” she had e102676f37 declared.c9891968957b590c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Unwavering eyes and a 8fbb5dad90 clear voice. The memory of that c2a48703ef moment brought him an 2b53124ca5 unexpected joy.b3433ef43a499f20

She had definitely changed.c0bb2a6d2d7cd8d4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

What she sought… was it, perhaps, to defy her fate?fd78e9983443f1fc

“Bring a glass,” Baltas 21477c3856 commanded.28442af00e9edc50

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

A servant scurried ef8e6d1681 off to fetch 2bb310e4fa it, while Ellen, bbf8a5e49b now seated opposite 3daa42df74 Baltas, gave him 73fad8b91d a bewildered look.94d79ef420caa10f

“You came to buy 4710c1ca65 wine, and now you’re 84a8609b22 drinking it here?”8315310df438f195

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I’ll take this one… and offer you something even better, Your Highness,” Ellen said.0d260414aaa478a3

“No need. This will do,” Baltas 8c4e8fc5fd replied.9b4ac6b87d44ab72

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

**6fe7e2e05b66ceaa

The night 3186a8ae9d before, Luna 42b5773cb9 hadn’t been 69c098b768 able to d124b52d22 sleep a 09e1683fcd wink.3f6450b0c106d8eb

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

By morning, Aira e2fe1513c9 would surely tell de9e2920f2 the Count what 8bf05de0f5 had happened yesterday 666e9b7c53 and accuse Luna 8516482ce0 of theft. Her already 44db7e2a31 fragile position 45001c29a3 would completely 3edc831df0 collapse.95ca92fcc2a0b760

She had bfb1c27343 to act 160ad3b0f8 first. Today, she would gamble d5b39324dd everything on this plan.243956ce287d8337

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Jessie, what 79ca1bd240 are you 61ef53f406 doing?”4f75135e2c1d0431

Luna’s gentle voice, c94576ff4d accompanied by a 8d863b800b hand placed lightly 4601cfd21b on her shoulder, d8383595ed startled Jessie, who 2df3957928 was arranging salads 8ae3d64ffc on plates.7f47c1b07f776b3c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Miss Luna!”d61152aab4e519d2

Luna beautifully smiled back 83e80d0cd9 at her. It was b1fbbb72c0 almost unheard 38727d1710 of for 37a2225a92 noblewomen to 28928927d9 touch a 87ea5fc4e8 servant’s body 98244bd1dc unless they ae76bd051d were hitting 2e9e7ed480 them. To nobles, commoners were 375e22a2f0 nothing more than dirty cf7c4f93fc but useful furniture.886b18c1a4c6663d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But Luna was 02c3ada047 different. The touch of 774e7d3bc1 her hand on ba7c49a942 a shoulder, back, f9e809ddc9 or waist reminded 4b70b568e2 the maids that f3ffa029fb she did not ac72fccc1c treat them with ea2f99511b the same disdain.a06fffe1a9901b92

“I was preparing breakfast. Here are the 760e52a380 Count’s dishes, yours, 0cd8d41807 and Miss Aira’s b79acef4c7 as well.”3e9acda23e863abb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Jessie leaned in 5fc697c417 slightly closer to 3bbfb40ca2 Luna and whispered cd61108b12 as though sharing 952d4fb3be a secret.cd2a71db778180ab

“I added 2f2170afda lots of 3991739b85 goldberries to e08c425ff9 your dish, dd508389c0 Miss. You’ll love it.”4ad4e58272517553

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Goldberries, tiny 7619f0bf37 fruits the 87f0634d8e size of 8c3c126c4f a fingernail, 5736567db3 cost five f19d61c254 berks apiece. Considering a maid’s ff7ad70b12 daily wage was ad3c4abfb2 about ten berks, f1d3a41854 the goldberries on 84d795c49f Luna’s plate alone 76dd7fb5b4 were worth Jessie’s d7891897a5 weekly wages.656eef3b6abc6e75

“Thank you, Jessie. As always, 7224c2b916 I can e5a5dc01c1 count on 9d592ed371 you.”da48a59886afbdf7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Luna’s radiant 173b34ec63 smile looked bb06ae26ae angelic. The maids were always 4daf51571e overwhelmed with gratitude whenever 8280dcb6e1 a noblewoman like her ca9b41ff28 looked at them kindly b6c7a5907c and smiled.6309fa4ef444305e

She was 4e4fa62e8d nothing like 92a195cb3b Aira, who 3510d48069 constantly glared 8256ff9183 at them b7d877b7c8 with cold 08f9bdf008 eyes and 47f9cc55e4 only assigned ad772fc068 grueling tasks. The maids often a830aec618 whispered to each 642678ad9b other, wishing Luna 437422b710 had been the beb1e04436 legitimate heir.15b1d85583ffca47

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Oh, right. I ran into Aira earlier… She was furious about the dust in the west annex hallway. She never lets even the smallest flaw slide. Sigh…” Luna let out a soft sigh and shrugged lightly, as if exasperated.8de86aada7a78f4b

“Most of the ee55dbdaed guests stay in 1c3932c139 the east annex a41f90f7c0 anyway. I don’t really 7f913c6186 see the need 9808b7de46 to go that 7831f2bbff far, but since acb9f654e3 it’ll be hard 7a01f7cba3 on all of 14c69d2f73 you if Aira e9d794c03e lashes out, I 24121690ca think it’s best 4e775cebcd to take care 00b7cc73ad of it today.”66f2d2044b5ad9c4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“We don’t have much 204d758bfd choice. It’s our job, 04a9cd5e53 after all,” Jessie 2d658b7095 replied with a 495fc2e7af forced smile, though 4708eb53b8 her dissatisfaction was 66a4cb9091 evident.59b528f005302236

As Luna 2204842566 had said, f19eac1759 most of 6c0fe3c2a2 the guests aeba71f2ab visiting the 9a822ba9a9 Marceline estate 79941bd046 were guided 07ee066ec1 to the db927f33eb east annex. The west c9f19b91d5 annex contained ae438ec4d4 only a 10a503fb31 few guest da16705027 rooms, a b2be330129 large library, f5c76c6b17 and the 783b75e728 late Countess’s c1b3c7f530 former quarters. It wasn’t a 621f36d5f8 space that needed 443feccbda daily cleaning. But Aira seemed unable e9979e97b2 to tolerate the maids 8add34a7d1 resting, assigning them strenuous fb16b2d298 tasks without hesitation.45d844cedced8f21

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Still, Miss Luna, you f2a446ec08 always worry about us. It gives 02f233b319 us strength.” 84066ca62c Jessie smiled, 3203321e5d thinking once 369cbc0111 again of f0e28da6a5 how angelic 4b3e721a9a Luna was.1e3d371755d9444e

“Oh, right. Could you take this a66f272bb2 to Mr. Jim for me?” 94703ac496 Luna suddenly seemed 52bd0694be to remember something fddf13b00a and pulled out de46624ed8 two small vials b9350580d0 from her pocket.c2e711efaf964652

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The long, aef5c49ac3 finger-sized vials 5037f18fbe contained a 4d5663e794 blue liquid.7d2d00294cfa2535

“Is this medicine for 14cd8f1017 the horses?” Jessie asked.42abf539fe44daf6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes, it’s for 5e49d52245 Fabian. The Count’s prized horse 97cdf9ee2e hasn’t been feeling well 7425e64d51 lately, so I had 877121570b Amy get this for 765935fd8e me.”b52a8c8b72c9a12b

Fabian, the white horse 99ada33215 cherished by the Count, 45bceb3fa6 was said to be 7806cdefc2 growing weak due to c11984f813 age. The Count had b7e553d2da been quite concerned 6655d4e319 about him recently.6752cafd5dc1e38e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“The Count will 06c7ce1f16 be so pleased!”6a9a99209044e84b

“Yes, though the correct f00ca673a9 dose is just one 5bd45e9003 vial, they ended up 7cbfd1f66f sending two. I’m not af231fbb7c sure what 3e60a2bbe7 to do 5b8ca6ea27 with the da94c0d479 extra.”c1407ebc62a723f7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Why not c4473ecdb8 give it 474facdfd9 to one 755f3ae1c0 of the a7591112c2 other horses?”7c5dbbcfd8904428

“No, it’s probably better 92aff6549c to discard it. If we 3be8de4c1b give it 7b81e7a09f to a 0a3719cc8a healthy horse, c4df9164f5 it might 91c95303eb get too 29f0a08ba2 energetic and a64d1e9835 become difficult 54852d4130 to manage. Jessie, could 4a29fc2c3b you handle aa823f4436 the extra 2f729db86f vial for d66e719647 me?”75722c1f1327f516

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Jessie nodded, understanding 23d6852acf Luna’s instructions.6f7dee6d1f83a93a

“Yes, Miss Luna.”8d16d5123187f907

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As their eyes 848a1ef489 met, Luna seemed 2a3af6db50 to have a d410b701ab sudden thought.9978a435e029bf90

“Oh, be 9ac3d4b10c careful when d3ad114c98 disposing of 78d5e1ae00 it. If it ad3fe08405 ends up 2bb056e6a1 in someone’s 0c8035326f food, it 900a9d3508 could be 8d1cfc36c4 a disaster.”7b2eeeb6a1b61371

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“A disaster?” Jessie asked, cb4aa60239 her expression suddenly nervous.9188c03ae63a3aaa

Seeing her eb398861c5 frightened face, 254ff34cc6 Luna burst b6ae6cbabf into laughter. She smiled reassuringly at f0cf29bba2 the startled maid.12d86db5ad2ba094

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Don’t worry. It would 90aad9a8f7 just cause ebc34931c5 an upset e556032758 stomach for 09a506d87d about a 51f6a9455b week. Haha, Jessie, you’re so fb1af8c237 gullible!”48ab1d6fffaf0c9b

“Miss Luna, you scared f7f094ad03 me.”897d8d0a793d1c8f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

After finishing 9caac6461a the lighthearted 7d3c69f34c exchange, Luna 6e00316e3a turned away, 9eebd50943 a clear 4f2a1d9387 smile lingering 9621a158bf on her 71b647eae9 lips.2e3319a27c66af6a

**abe9862aa998d08a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Jessie pushed a cefee62f2b trolley laden with 06ae3f8f80 plates down the ca10d4d750 hallway, her brows db24110913 slightly furrowed.c535ac6c6b2810b2

The early morning corridor 512c36dcf4 was quiet. The personal maids 16a33ea352 and attendants were a5376c6703 busy assisting their 7da8dc9cd8 masters with washing c46e9112a7 and dressing, while 3401b85fdb the other maids a307d42e35 had left to aee789c378 start cleaning the 4d9e5ae741 west annex at a9fd32f7db her suggestion.3ca51d4507a38d8e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

After delivering 82462c1934 breakfast, Jessie c8c7c2d0d7 herself would f75cc9a302 have to 1fa56b8a5d help with 5b7a1f4f43 the west 846cb3520a annex cleaning.847b097b2ed440fd

“…”354bd785e2ed71e4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Listening to the sound d362c6e517 of the trolley’s wheels 797f241bb2 echoing through the hall, a1b57f2334 she recalled what Luna de73271be0 had told her earlier. It was the reason d38e4de3dc her expression was so 014cdc81f2 troubled.a3c592243c1b9d8e

“Well… Jessie, I’m 23dfb6a57c not sure if f4f137b165 I should tell c623971a08 you this…” Luna, 1ccdd56e14 kind and compassionate, b93aaecfeb had spoken with 2ab4248ca9 a sorrowful look 8cc95dfd96 on her face.e9d307e5f3401e36

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I think Aira is 85612f103c planning to dismiss a 5e026f7b15 large number of maids cd65431ecc in three days. She’s already 2f3f43e75f submitted a ee94731838 hiring plan 127b2abbb3 for new 0344fbbf0b staff to 94a94e78ac the Count.”3dfc64af44c18549

When Jessie widened 08c925933d her eyes and f801b2d5d8 asked why, Luna b71175c5e2 had explained.57b2ca5c38bd13c5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You know 6b53f13ebd how harsh 9fa8d2a5e2 and picky 2c9cc9251c Aira can 73c854b05b be. I’m trying to dissuade 21ea469253 her, but… your name c48e1a5768 is on the list. Just in case, 4a0a0f8740 I think you 98530552d2 should start looking 5bf9ad4070 for another job 01c41eb3b2 outside the estate. And please, 6de5289379 don’t tell b2410c9a19 anyone else 9f1a7be7ee about this. I’m only f1a03f3fc0 telling you, fcd2e05b01 so keep 0b157f6eca it to f6aeb2f3cb yourself, okay?”4aff4aa979eaa8b3