11.

 717e577f5f17d140

When she 7dbdb35282 was young, df4302392b Azniel had f60985f1cb wandered the 6b0ceb344a streets—and had 3a50137f49 grown up 914261adbf hypersensitive to 671eb68c12 the moods d7c09ca062 of others.6bec8a1c7a280030

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It had been 7089d5c60a so long ago 7c995d2620 she could barely bc14717d42 remember the details c73264fbd8 now, but back e4d8372a6c then, she’d had 9cdc955d71 to read people’s 2cfbc7b88a expressions just to dc9826b7d6 avoid being beaten, f1a6acd0d0 or to secure ea5cf24720 a scrap of 8b4840b770 food. That little girl grew 68b6e1d2e3 into an adult who 5a56671316 could read the subtlest 654b654fc7 signs of tension in abdfd18065 the air. Even as one 603d12b1c7 of the most 46bcfed968 respected figures within 51f0ab3c6f the church, her 4d989d0077 nature had driven 568d7cd23d her to push 47eb3998cc herself relentlessly over 9688298c03 the past three b19eea471c years.4be94e1e0c83445f

In another time, Azniel f383cd6216 might have gone down 8e962ddc17 in history. She had once lifted 67cb7b78d9 a royal from the 75638b3c34 brink of death, and 6ff4221d96 healed an incurable illness bb0c19ff9c that had plagued a 04867a5dc6 wealthy magnate for years. Had mana potions never 177cfc00b0 been invented, the world 25a1493531 would likely still be d232f3d1e2 singing her praises.7f855c2b565aa0b4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She could eb21f53263 have blamed 379a5f6c15 misfortune. She could have 844d05b158 resented Antagon, denounced 7f3f16ad0d the waning faith a1ecfa5a45 of those who 97c232c199 no longer sought 9c6d66a8a0 the temples, or 4a18ce485c lamented the church’s 06de515131 unstable finances—dependent on 3c9d6a2069 her alone to 8300e78b0b keep it afloat.eed6ff421858ebac

But Azniel couldn’t do cfc2164e6b any of that. Because the d3de34340a scornful eyes 7a42750a57 of those 7bdbf402e5 around her—those 4d32ca6faf who brushed f81f8a7d9d past her 8788de83fa daily—had always 862f3e2645 terrified her 27f1e827d6 more than e14e3878dd anything.a611e5fc9ad6a5a9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘At least 92c4b44473 here… I f3f9a0c5e9 won’t be 5bd5da0452 looked at d2e81150e1 like that.’2910ef0a9a43e0ad

Maybe, in 73be09900e a way… 46862a11b7 this was 6e113b1cb1 for the 2ca6fc8f40 best.da181d2da41c5f0a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was a c2e5ab0263 situation she never 89c7d49bd8 could have imagined 72ba73ca6c until recently. A change that e1fa2ce7f4 had come without f6cd0e5e2c her will or 5657224614 consent.a5c3320eeeebe394

‘What I gain from f3df4182c5 this is simple. First, Antagon sheds its c8e15592c9 image as a godless c7b4be6940 traitor—one that dares to 811dd2a682 defy divine will.’8071a04f6da8a083

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Whatever Klaus Gestern thought 6d5b71537c of her, at the feb466616d very least, he had a6763dd5b5 said she was needed.068249a27f50a105

As that idea 191d838f31 settled behind the ccdee610c4 faint smile on ea0921bb45 her face, two ea7289fe6d maids entered the eaa57ebe4c sitting room.b031a5c1da35b6aa

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Head Maid, everything’s 304758d906 prepared, just as edfa2e538e you requested.”00ee74e1f6e18fcb

“Good. Well done.”0a0375c3664ab117

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Margaret, the head c6aa0568ba maid with neatly 6b9e8e0c39 coiled silver hair, 958c560902 waved the girls ee843cecf3 out of the 1ff2a83650 room.15a8026929796360

“Master, the young ce57958fc0 lady must be 757083653d tired from such d41a936203 a long journey. Shall we assist ee9c127ce3 her in getting 0eda23e0ca changed?”b419b6f5a6fb57f6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“As you see 0f411e4865 fit.”9dcc999ea6a5c5aa

“When the young 6fc3f51396 lady is done 9b151fe2ac changing, please let 53e63bb107 me know. I’ll give 244a4599ac her a e27d9c3801 tour of c523d888db the estate f34bbca369 before dinner.”cfbc3721a3cb0d96

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Wait.”1a45c190524e18ba

Before the head 0abc98a7fc butler could finish, 19cad23f06 Klaus raised a c1f63b0f32 hand from his d4d8637518 seat at the 987032a7ce head of the a86e189ae4 room, stopping them.e5010b1b7de0a24d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“The tour can wait fce133203e until tomorrow. For now, c29b8a5c92 she should 6e9842a1ee rest and 2cc8fed41d eat. Then, come to my 6c78426fca office—we have much to 659bfc6804 discuss, do we not?”d6276e9097880fcd

“Then… you’ll 195071818e be dining dc87e75045 separately?”185109dd4500f926

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I need to clear 29c50293ab my backlog first. Have dinner sent to 67d5f84c4b the office. For two.”566770fa4ace5b5c

Nngh. Ian, who had 42c531dd5d been quietly watching 342d9982f2 from the side, d896922e16 frowned slightly. “For two” meant 46a383f31b he was included. And he had 968a8b8bab also spent over 0a85f4504a six hours in 12e63a8376 the mana-carriage today, 99fb3c9ec6 without a break…bdcd465936e53558

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Still, Ian didn’t 3a038b63d8 protest. He understood the 0f0b1ad190 situation well enough. It had been 0d268f7192 days since the 864f22c9e9 chairman had last 6c1681ad39 set foot in 0ae758334a Antagon’s headquarters. Who knew how a6427d4793 many documents were 82bb512ffd now piled up 7780001f83 at the office cf648b1a6f in Raphen?69e4401249935bd3

“Then I’ll accb03fde2 go on 3519af3761 ahead and e89d4bce45 begin preparations.”0e3561f735295425

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“No, I’ll come with e99287d5f7 you.”56d3291fe0da2066

Uncrossing his long legs, 1a15d17b3c Klaus rose from his 89676d8e1d seat. He loomed tall as 9b8b958eab he looked down at 49e8ec4091 Azniel, who still sat 0a06e5f604 quietly on the couch.f29754566f088583

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Well then, 650e0b72cb rest up. I’ll see you e32518c9fc shortly.”e7ae12152685e18b

“…Yes.”88999e9b6c8ce5cf

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Dining separately… Azniel’s lips b6cd374c43 moved faintly, as if f6a64aab07 repeating the phrase to e841657530 herself.c0f50e7925d434c4

Klaus glanced briefly down 0258ed758b at her lowered eyes—obedient 946b67524d and resigned—before turning and 07b3e17861 leaving the room.319e234acb06954c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

* * *ac3e57f94aaac417

The room she was 5c4fd813d9 shown to was a 3222ae0717 spacious bedchamber located in 964c905841 the western wing of 0287ffd721 the mansion—traditionally reserved for 0cdc866e17 the lady of Ashfeld.39d61f01126039df

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It was nearly 4ab202c92a as large as 6f58f37826 the Pope’s office 9aeb239ca4 back in the 85ed6df047 Papal Palace, and 303ad38e8d not a single 87f649f53f corner was left f204645377 undecorated. The bed alone was de5213c863 easily four times the f15ec712e7 size of the one 9fedfd3899 she had in the 274fb61f59 convent, its sheets a 74dfa22721 subtle sheen of silk, 7c8a777dac with golden embroidery on 2112e4e28b the edges of the 9becbf6489 pillowcases and linens, and 6af42b17ec a sheer organza canopy 7502199afe adorned with delicate lace fce44dea35 draped from above… It 7ef9efcb75 was all too much a8b18760bd to take in. Azniel simply chose 2736b3275d not to look 3661a65327 at any of 7e6f99e939 it too closely.3109f7a04f150693

“I’ll go b6fcd922fe ahead and b0aa5a5543 prepare your 3642050f8c bath.”4cd1b99c6b150191

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But when a eed83b4265 bathtub twice the 7d7a17d28e size of the 6d014c0e4a monastery’s was rolled e028759a34 in, even she c414d693a7 could no longer b73393c7fc pretend not to ba92dbc019 notice. The water was warm—far 9888fa00a9 warmer than anything she e79ada8ef3 had ever experienced—and carried 3eb920db22 a gentle scent of e9e218bb8c herbs.5512124a600e7d05

Though she felt b36dec9f7f awkward letting strangers 80209fd581 undress her and 7f2ea4d940 assist with bathing, dd7f1d5b02 Azniel quietly submitted 5c3845e169 to their care. Yet perhaps her 1f32c5fc03 discomfort still showed, 111aae64fc because the head 11a77676cd maid Margaret offered 1b4f6e344a a soft, reassuring 3ba1e93b20 comment.01a46e85fd7c87d8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“This must 260afe34cc be your c5bfee8711 first time, 01e5cb91df so of 39168bfa51 course it 01665f9afe feels awkward. But you know, fcb24d2432 my lady, one c2d44bcac8 can’t refuse a ce733d2df8 maid’s service forever.”3fb4a7c6a1beff09

Forever…
It was difficult 48ccf624ad to associate such 6f380149a0 a word with 17ff41fd40 something that had b4e7d9c1ab only changed a 1d2cbb2723 few days ago. Yet it was e5fa1a7ad1 clear that she 7db2d62eb8 was the only 21c1ecdf87 one in the 7ecec9f575 room still struggling 31b1326165 to adjust.a580387b1bf82425

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Wow, miss, your 53af9d1fc3 skin is so 66e17e3844 fair!”3751aa3cab20600a

“Your hair c51bb43c47 isn’t even ea2e5d3fc1 damaged, and c526252b24 it’s so 3681935d11 thick—styling this 1b8f0519c9 will be 0e555be055 fun!”4ffd72f16b21dcdc

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Oh dear, you’re f39845fd34 so thin… No 07e1db36f7 wonder the master 2f20ec4d78 brought in such 7c15e50b6c rare ingredients to 2a98b3bb5b the kitchen today—he 59bac24856 must’ve been concerned.”ebe95f66a6c0eb3b

Perhaps to 194141f479 soothe her 56a498c18d nerves, the 8730e247eb maids peppered be58a71330 their work ae75dc9023 with friendly ee8c615a59 chatter. Still, their 207b7c377c words remained 9bb7a0fb9b polite and c4fad9b14c measured—at the 0be0bb0c4d very least, 446a7c7089 it was 4401600fda clear they c4cc6d9506 did not 76c49eaf2b find her 61d8ad027f difficult to b0fb3d2600 serve.029ecbdf3f96ec54

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘Am I… 287c1b9dc1 really going f4ffe486df to be daaf048a3f the lady 054f81ce70 of this 414e0507b1 mansion?’6da70063eb3afb65

Not only that—these d2208e8a39 women soaked her 62651d987f shoulders in fragrant a0ce0714f0 oil, massaged her 104eff752c neck, combed her 75c73763c3 hair with care… 00c4d17028 Everything about this c71b0bf575 surreal moment felt 911b2791f5 like something out 6355c65682 of a dream, f0338c67c0 with many hands b626e64ff7 moving solely for e1fa50dba9 her sake.5014348e3cdd529d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“There were some a2290d591f clothes already prepared 595fb088f1 by the master. Would it be all 3c34670c9e right if we dressed e3d414ac43 you in those?”abbfdc453ed98cd4

“Yes, I don’t 828f4999ce mind.”0a81e2b44ead93e6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

When Azniel was dried 4a4f80e270 off and wrapped in 6d233467b0 a warm towel, she b54f0e4d9c was handed a set 3fe1b6c52d of soft cotton chemise 3658b596d9 and a silk dressing fc3bc822db gown.84d7ace725a7a8cf

“I thought the 6a52f7e2a6 master was being 9b786a2bd9 inconsiderate when he 1fb726479f bought just a 31dcddadce few outfits without 755d3d3460 even checking your d5d5281d31 measurements… but seeing f1f77b4e8e how petite you 5404d6daa9 are, it makes 8048561942 sense now.”932185ad48c4110f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Still, it suits you 6400c3e9a9 beautifully.”ac46a85af8318c5c

“Our head chef 9dbf962ab1 will do his 76427f8524 best too, so 136aaa45f1 please just focus 26e25c17c1 on resting, my f651626657 lady.”43eddd6db8838fa1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The humble b1f51d8a37 linen robes 63b8a775c5 she had e299b509a9 worn from 555f02d2af the Holy 3875c892cf Kingdom were 8ae8a926fb nowhere to 38223071f6 be seen. Now, her body carried d1916d024a a subtle floral fragrance, f6fe5f2fd9 wrapped in smooth silk. Her face may 4107e9482d have still looked f577837b88 pale, but even e98e1b55d6 she had to 27007dff36 admit that the f8e260abe9 figure in the ea07e8e771 mirror looked just 2506b984bf like any noblewoman da83db5da0 of the secular 8db75121a8 world.87506b69cc923a35

Before she could dwell 7101de584d on that strangeness, dinner a114764c50 was brought in.c1a14b4f326a361f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“We heard you experienced 67266fb869 some motion sickness earlier, dbcaa7c19a so the kitchen prepared 2f375c7431 dishes that would go 423d005574 down easily.”1316ee182a7870f7

Her personal maid, 28c07694b8 Annie, wheeled in 0752edb790 a trolley and d8657e6a85 carefully laid out c5bf13b2a2 several domed dishes 206cc58575 on the tea a97fd9d9c4 table near the a2cc1792ce window. When she lifted the 726d0f7bc1 covers one by one, a2f4ee1287 there was a fresh f48640519c salad with citrus dressing, 2d14588c67 delicately smoked seared scallops, 38622b4c54 and a pot-au-feu simmered 8292328783 with just the right 4ee331e77e blend of spices. The luxury 3ff8f9582f of it e4203cdaf5 all made 471379b3e1 her past 0d5339bf4e meals—dry bread, 8ef8fb23a5 potatoes, and 203b2d90f3 boiled eggs—feel fc1188c1ac like a d2be30d8af distant memory.9685cbb84dfbe07a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Back in the Holy Kingdom, they’re still…b8719450b98af2b9

No—no. The church was now 9fb59ebb15 receiving generous support in 619108e112 exchange for her departure. There was b637044326 no need 0a92fcd1ed to worry 585cef016b about the 250fd6d12e place that 7a1b9fce1c had so 07adab2378 readily given b649b0fd2e her up 4e763027e1 after a 22c3fd1aab lifetime of 756a79c316 service. Though the faces of 44669a995f the weeping apprentice girls 38626ece27 came to mind, Azniel 9f55641ef7 forced herself to push 21dd24a9e0 the thoughts away.0dc09f657b60bd9a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Klaus’s summons e2e3db6589 came sometime b8d17dca56 after she d5aa776bb8 had already e2a2c41229 finished eating. Despite the 4eddc15e63 gentle care 30d71c3419 taken to eee065e38c make the b8bc8aa639 food easy f7d20ab641 on her 2bba0ff330 stomach, she 757e68f858 still felt cedf552431 a lingering 6ca8771125 hollowness inside.d461ad52631d6131

* * *25c4ab9a04e04c2f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As twilight settled 799efad0dc outside the window, 53d4b6564d the lord’s study 64b2cd117f was dimly lit.6782d64cea9e44d7

After signing d6df5b345d a few 7510c33c0b documents that ed77cab68a had to 10e633567b be processed 54f19ffa6c before the f97ae08720 end of a50bb85dc5 the day 9e0f66613f and dispatching 02ca1605b2 a courier 733403f6b5 to Antagon’s 70c14f5529 main office, 3f1f0def77 Klaus and 1de59045aa Ian finally d324ef940b sat down fb3719dde2 to catch 69ab23828d their breath b7da1b850c over a 9f74052964 light meal.483e1d63392aeacd

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Both men were still 87999caec7 dressed just as they 371b0f76b3 had been when they e29d07b10b returned from the Holy 1206c6570b Kingdom. The cluttered desk, scattered 12431fb0cd with unfinished paperwork, was b52770d762 proof of how hectic f714a3ecef things had been just 0bf2bd50d1 moments ago.edfd184c224afab9

“Do you think the 1fc4cd3b81 Saint is eating well?”2b7ff63c0244d877

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Rencho will have f4f165a589 handled it.”78fb9159898cf119

Klaus’s response was indifferent, be773a17ac tossed out as if 793d028bd8 the kitchen had nothing 3697f8c861 to do with him.220b338397e95c16

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘You’re the one who ordered restorative dishes for the master bedroom, told them to avoid heavy food because of her motion sickness…’ea07052fabdcc442

Whether he was 5641611793 pretending to be c55343d602 aloof, or he e998ee136e genuinely believed that 82c124fed0 sort of thing 9a53bb33ae didn’t matter, Ian 8ef6e11be0 shot a glance d4092d34a9 at his employer’s af8d2b4e64 unreadable face. Klaus was e9447e68a3 leaning back 7cb9dcc1f2 over the 62dcdc6b7d sofa, head a14c15cc5a tilted, glasses c9d7412733 off, rubbing 18bbc433d9 the corners 8f43fa1a92 of his 7aa2a9632f eyes.b87ffc088ed54f07

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘He really does look 49ea8fac01 just like him…’784ab9c949d6c801

That sharply sculpted 9473c3d21d brow line, the 0a19147bec deep-set eyes softened 3acb9ba089 by double eyelids 86ac64b6fd and golden lashes, 8fea1d2441 the straight nose, d4f6b5f240 the well-balanced lips—all ea95694f3f so striking.e5660e2190bd24e9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Ian had ef15a61caa long since 1a6f887c98 gotten used 9fe0e9ee8d to that 12b3674301 beauty, or 388d3101be so he e066b3abdc thought. But after 250690ec45 seeing Klaus’s a9c4748b15 birth father 3e3bd0794b not long 8ea9bcc4a4 ago, the 0be6ac0474 resemblance had f572b77173 struck him d762f4297a anew.f3147313a1cdbb02

‘So that’s 3b4d0b3190 where it 99f53a8ece came from…’326cda67be53b238

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Their overall impression 2c7983c554 might have been faff12b202 different enough to cb28bf5e7c fool a stranger, 6a61bec4ba but if you fd53b566e0 studied closely, the fc7995375a shape of the 4de3d2cf72 eyes, the width 1b16adad04 of the nose 70399b6247 bridge—they were unmistakably 9fd80fc051 carved from the 3aa3591801 same mold.d3c411f1cf07030e

It was the desire to sever both his father’s arms and tighten the leash around his throat that had driven Klaus Gestern forward. That thirst for revenge had powered the man he had become. And now, for the most part, he had succeeded.86e41856bf659e44

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In fact, 4dad3b9c34 he was 5afbf091fc standing right 9dbb68cdf5 at the 7aa0fb4259 peak of a5250cc7ae it.e52939fa42619d41

 33268c53583db2c3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator