MFFS | Chapter 1.9

The day 1a1358d719 Lady Sarah 3a74875cac came with a5f4e2a953 something called b0d377a2b5 an‘Exorcism Consent Form.’Margareta stood by c97a1f1b3d the window for 3aa765800c a long time.ed4bd2cb1a8735fa

The window was so small that only her face could barely peek out, and she knew that even if someone looked this way from such a distance, they wouldn’t be able to find her. Still, she felt somewhat shabby and half-hid behind the worn curtain. Lady Sarah was in a beautiful carriage and soon disappeared from sight in a blink.140fdfebc46eb7fa

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Lady Sarah 8c2d39a148 had never df3e802b46 boasted about 1a695a1d17 it, but 959daa6451 her carriage aa38b5318c was already 854bfc3c0d famous in ae7b014777 social circles.6538889bc3265d2a

― I d18734d5f4 bet this 4b76677679 wine that 36effb8848 it cost b7011a2b51 more than bb96c2fd7d two chests 4a5b84d41e of gold.d674671d2208aa24

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

― They say the 5dc2f91a65 young duke demanded a 59d38fd10f magic formula from the db0dcee4c0 Magic Tower workshop, on d3c9b607be the condition that they 8376d38617 never make the same 1eb57aa5f3 item again.9b678c6f6b9a05d8

Rumor had 0888254ae5 it that 082d1785d3 many people b555364313 worked hard 17e2836725 to meet fbe748ecad the production 4ba701766b deadline, so 9469b8b2ef the Magic 5c9cf5a6df Tower refused 1081583493 to take 6b5de81ca5 on similar 4447db8c25 commissions without db53756ebd any special 8cd2fb08ad conditions.cadb5105add56355

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But what drew people’s attention more than anything was the unimaginable gift, the fiancé’s heart, and the fiancé himself.50daa7f9e19ef5da

― Look at those eyes. They’re dripping with affection.0f3a901c4c007142

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

― Who would’ve thought that cold young duke could fall so deeply for a woman?d6dfba25d38f03b3

― Exactly. What’s so special about Lady Sarah?76e34865cbc95b3a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Though Margareta was often 9cc123b624 tucked away like wallpaper 4206d1103d in the corner of 7e79dd2364 the ballroom, she could 943dd25a05 vividly feel the curious, a080326253 jealous, inferior, and envious 18f5ef7a35 gazes that followed Lady ea2219c5d2 Sarah.7d8caef426d919f7

Maybe she knew it better because she was in the corner. After all, such topics weren’t something you could openly discuss in bright places.b0227fb014b8ed8f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She couldn’t agree with the people who belittled Sarah.db2e44e04735cd87

‘Lady Sarah isn’t special? Someone so radiant?’1eb48b31f1c279e2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Of course, it wasn’t that her appearance was exceptionally beautiful. There were families with higher status or more political attention than hers. There were probably people with far superior talents.2da7361b404b8809

But Lady Sarah wasn’t intimidated among such accomplished people. She didn’t get ugly with jealousy or belittle others. She was confident, relaxed, and seemed to know exactly what she wanted and achieved it.11cd2e3a477a5d28

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The kind of person 8c9d268bbd Margareta herself could never 78111b4d55 be.08ccded114cb0997

That was 06fdaa2069 the case 2657ee0258 from their e5aac50dac first meeting. Was it 63522fca5e about three f25d10ca97 years ago? At some party.6b5130ab20546700

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

That day was uniquely c2c2d046c6 a costume party. While most people 323de4873a used costumes as 875c0705ef an excuse to d8ecf2e7ab showcase exotic or 81e613182b fancy clothes, Margareta e44826a364 chose a ghost dac2179217 costume. All she had 22761ebe45 to do was c37c04a30a drape a long f6dea0072e cloth over her 913ec5161b head.f17372b05755e1ba

― Oh my, you should use this opportunity efficiently, Margareta! All the high-ranking people of the empire are wearing masks! In other words, it’s a chance to charm handsome men without revealing your family or face!e1a176b8bb5e1997

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Her cousin stomped 84c5f0c533 her feet, urging dcab370b95 exotic and fancy c0804390fc clothes, but eventually 7b683adb95 got tired and c05653a1a3 left first.b16ba346a0242c62

As always, Margareta was in the corner. Perhaps because the color of the wallpaper was similar, sitting crouched made her presence almost fade unless you looked closely. And it was clear that it wasn’t just her own thought.b60acb56cee444b7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Three men with bulging 79e79ce275 bellies came to the 07b15d3236 corner and started gossiping.d5e9349d913f9af5

― How 96fde3a80f dare she da77ee8a07 reject our a7631dbbb4 proposal so a351f8bf73 arrogantly?45466c6ac4a3e7b1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

― Isn’t it wrong for a woman to be dabbling in business in the first place? A young girl who doesn’t even know the ways of the world!5128aa02866c2130

― Right! Even though the late emperor allowed women’s social advancement, wasn’t that a special measure after the war? Acting all high and mighty just because she graduated from the academy! I guess there are no men to work somewhere!bad62a3acfaf6732

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

― Haha. If my lovely wife were to work. Ah, I’d rather die than endure such humiliation. Let’s just leave it. Let’s watch that merchant guild collapse.cf2bda94bc9e9230

Though they didn’t mention her name, it was obviously about Lady Sarah, the host of this very party.492bb63000a3e6d0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

They sneered for a 820655f82b long time, and their 1251dc3ca3 talk subtly crossed into ca63f023ea the realm of insults 5ef40b9157 and vulgarity.cb8daa325e3922d1

Margareta wasn’t even the subject, but her heart pounded as she crouched and hid. Though she was hiding in the corner, the words filled with jealousy and hatred kept bringing back bad memories and made it hard to breathe.9f3148bf93585704

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She felt nauseous.9f553d4b17bd850c

‘I have to endure.’19fa0686f5de88e6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

But there 6c12eebad2 was no ff68dd2060 way to 78c27b974a suppress the 412994170d nauseous feeling 0c83b0cc86 rising from a7c8c7449b her throat. She kept feeling like 38cb85ed6b she was going to 8c80beeba1 retch.6d098a415e918459

‘Please. Just let me faint.’89c7b460529a1b13

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She closed her eyes tightly and prayed to the gods, but unfortunately, her body didn’t listen.14c0a55175d6661a

― Ugh.622348c57f6f5e5b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

She quickly covered bc1ff9172b her mouth, but fd75cbabb1 it was already abccad0ef3 loud enough for e392c6ca73 those nearby to 4a3bb1524c hear. Just as 5d3c3b14b2 she had 928f9ada5e heard their 892223dbf8 voices, they 62f68a4b7f could hear 04e5987ce3 hers from 75fceec2bb this distance.94309e8c7f7363f2

― What’s that sound?3114ce74abab791b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

― Hey, b8a23416c8 is that ac9a6f1e05 a bundle b981803fd3 of cloth? Could it d503543a48 be a e4db4fd970 person?49e0240e9010ceab

― Damn it. Who’s there!34566d145c44d204

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The three men f3417ba78f with bulging bellies ad2c392c6c waddled toward her!861a9b1244c87843

Margareta tried to get up and run, but having crouched for so long, her legs cramped up, and she couldn’t move. Whether it was fear or her numb legs, tears welled up.4a4c9e731ad6e33b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

― If you confess now, I’ll forgive you.d06a13f2e3c42833

― You wouldn’t happen to be in league with that girl, would you? If you’re trying to use this to blackmail us…d4ae20094d21063d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The men didn’t seem to have any intention of ‘forgiving’ her despite their words. They reached out as if they were about to grab her.a35d4007150a3a73

‘What should I do? Should I just apologize? Maybe if I faint, it’ll be okay. Please, someone help me. Please.’e0facac5e1be022a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

As Margareta desperately wished 41e808d9db for someone to save c599fa7897 her.cf562bbf8a1908c6

― What do you think you’re doing?3dcaba4f2c04dba0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

A clear 2c39db5b11 female voice 60d11d1ea1 rang out. The woman, dressed e952e9648d in a long 5862aa09fd purple dress with 7493bde20d no exposure, wearing 161b351ac9 a black half-mask, e5e2a1cb4e seemed to be 81d64d6c5c inspired by an e9e0fdb10a ancient queen.c44925c8ab20bd23

She was accompanied 5f3f19663f by two men d657b7abe2 with muscular arms de08402f7a in light leather c8446f69e7 armor, and she f93d784e92 held a rod 1a5a3648d3 that looked like 9262e27062 a scepter.74b6af38d41101e8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Held? No, she was holding it up as if she were about to jab it into the men’s protruding bellies.3101f7f31080e67d

― Are you three bullying one person? That’s quite disgraceful.b001b3a90ed973f2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

― Wh-what!2884283fc3fc81a0

― You were about to remove this person’s mask without their consent, weren’t you? All three of you. Isn’t that right? Oh, if you don’t want to reveal your identity, just shake your head.9cb6ba162b4c8728

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Margareta nodded vigorously.e22c25d4cda46c0a

The woman tilted her head slightly as if to say, “See?”beee6eb0831e89eb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

― So it is. Don’t you know the rules of today’s party? First, don’t touch someone else’s mask until they reveal their identity themselves. Second, no violence or other illegal acts using the mask as an excuse. Lastly, this is important. Only those I invited can enter.7f9cfeae30df9e21

Invited? If she’s the host of the party… Could it be? Margareta was so surprised she hiccuped.8507777121457db8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

― I-I 2cfe29c5bc was invited 46d120c457 too!0793070fb48fec27

― I was going to let it slide if you didn’t cause a fuss, but that’s a lie, isn’t it? Count Ickle, Baron Obi, Baron Goil.7e79c9b1a1320780

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The woman spoke with bf9dc2977b disdain, and the men e7a7698919 drew a sharp breath.9997ccd6886555fa

― If you leave immediately, I’ll pretend this never happened.e8681658dfb45b00

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

No sooner had she finished speaking than the three men hurriedly fled. Margareta’s hiccups didn’t stop until then.4f8a84e1af5831e4

― Are you okay? Were you very scared? I came as soon as I saw it… They didn’t do anything bad, did they?9ec5dda484e8eb87

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Lady Sarah reached 4b160a68d6 out to help e6f4324a70 her up and 74d1d3bc32 asked.515372ce34fca613

Her voice was clear, her words fast and crisp, so it didn’t sound gentle at all. Sympathy? Kindness? It wasn’t that; it felt more like strength. Though she didn’t use force, she was confident and cool.83cafeee31796e14

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Because of the large chandelier in the ballroom, it looked like there was a huge halo over the woman’s head.de9a19b19c591ae6

― I, I…059a03ee9e61f0a7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

― Oh, I see. I didn’t mean to force you to answer. It’s okay if you don’t speak.c343d530cca41a65

Lady Sarah was considerate to her until the end. She was truly a wonderful person. She wasn’t someone to be insulted at her own party.65bd5d6537fab00b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Margareta was scared ad07bb9566 but decided to 0b2b5898f7 be brave. After all, she was 2986227c0a in a ghost costume, 959100d8f9 hiding her appearance from deeadecc4c head to toe!080d300662a2e245

― Th-they were badmouthing 5464f4c295 you, Lady. I was scared 17c0a66990 and just listened.0ae6c09dae7fe197

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Margareta hesitated and added. I’m sorry. She spoke and watched the woman’s reaction.4e693a3ebf0c0472

Would she be disappointed that I didn’t act confidently and just listened cowardly? Imagining being disliked by the woman who had shown her kindness made her feel somewhat melancholy.89b263c276158de8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But Lady Sarah’s reaction was different from what she expected.f0ba72796bcf4a59

― It’s okay. Were they saying something about women? Such pathetic people are everywhere. Hmm. But since it’s unpleasant, I’ll give them a little scolding.6d25ec72664eca77

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Lady Sarah said it 00b62b75bf was unpleasant, yet her 3fcac33b1d tone was cheerful as 6834aea0d3 if she were singing. The two men 00d428ba30 standing beside her d68edfd4a5 seemed restless and e5abbb0b3c uneasy.ef5bcb46a3194efd

Surely she didn’t know how dangerous it was to scold three men, Margareta thought, feeling a bit worried for her. So she decided to be a little braver.a19a25c1b1eeb699

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

― Pl-please be careful.54e108f7fc9f25b4

Lady Sarah let out a small exclamation, “Oh my.”8a0b02daef2a2c6e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

― Are you worrying about me now? Thank you. But there’s no need. This is a secret, but I’ll be fine.99fcfef581103a9d

As she said this, Lady Sarah’s playful smile was quite firm. Margareta nodded dumbly, not fully understanding her words.2f2c175a604c42b1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She didn’t remember how she spent the rest of the time or how she got home.5d1adfbb5ec951f3

Margareta often blushed at c5cbde20a3 her own patheticness but 6b82c5beab recalled the memory of 732d33c3bb the kind Lady Sarah 484b9ea57e who helped her that 3b82a01ce8 day. And whenever she prayed f7fb16239c for her late mother, f5eeea0a08 she included a prayer 11802b72fc for her as well.0eb8dd98bfbdbf9b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘Even if my prayers don’t help much. Even if it was just a meaningless kindness to her, still…’c2fc164a76e5b720

And it 1975c3ca9a took her b43a927cb0 three weeks a3122471e4 to understand ee92bfae59 the meaning d5df00d429 of her 85a1747333 cryptic words.a0f90828a0d9ab95

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Three weeks 04cd19ff23 later, an 32f4e521d4 article appeared 214796acc6 on the 497d4f518a front page 4a33663885 of the f503b426bf newspaper her ee8dc58d36 father read, 76a2206675 with portraits 203a05a2bf of three d30af069a7 men. It reported 348fa7277e that they ae9cc025dc were going 309ce290bf to prison 766d8735cf for fraud, 132ca7a5dc extortion, and 5db1d5a8fe harsh treatment 46cfe27d1c of their ba311af3e8 subjects.c731fc9695ad10d2

― Amazing…1710a5a5a72c64aa

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

A radiant person. A wonderful person.9e30762fe5113f7c

Someone who 7090bb1478 knows exactly 0863f77cf9 what they 261e84b13e want and f689b33cce acts on 407b692e37 it. The kind of f366a3f07e person Margareta could 6f33d30e4d never be because 4c9e893350 of her timid 5bf106d738 nature.da47e9eab767cd79

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Margareta didn’t envy her because of her fiancé like others did. She envied her personality, her very being.55c2e6367d1a7db6

“I want to be like that too… Someone who knows exactly what they want and seeks it confidently.”255b09543c8b6cd8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Her breath fogged up 07cb3d205e the glass, then disappeared. Margareta really c9a8fdb853 wanted to 5bd6599c1e be someone 30d27592bc like Lady 7ba8a9eaa4 Sarah.78d8ea852fa4ae84