RVMPT Chapter 17

Chapter 17e03935865155ae15

I followed Mrs. Mayer toward 2b412671ff the group f4fd2f8b3c of ladies.cedfe9467909579f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Ladies, I’m here,” Mrs. Mayer greeted them 23d77f1a0c first, and all b0c8f99868 eyes turned toward 4c02fcded0 us. As soon 0c874d66a8 as they 71518ae176 saw me bc61fef0c5 behind her, 07adb36a35 they looked ba50a56b43 visibly surprised. Mrs. Mayer half-turned and 9baf94d8c3 introduced me.a15aa140a9e26ccc

“As you all probably 4dbdaca058 know, this is the f7e42a795e Duchess of Vissen, Lady b56febc90e Diana.”47cac4460000e7b2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The ladies 19945ad317 greeted me ed8587e3ba first, and baded0cb37 I gave 3e82fa35e2 them a 0b2a6d1664 slight bow 95ac16ceea in return. Their gazes, unsurprisingly, weren’t b7da9d8b8e very welcoming.a7952ea7487c1f0f

‘Ugh. I guess 81bfecbaa6 it can’t d976637b6a be helped.’
Memories of what happened between ‘Diana’ and these ladies resurfaced in my mind. The middle-aged woman with the brown hair had a daughter who was drenched in water because of ‘Diana.’ The woman with light green hair, who looked a little older than Diana, once had her hair pulled by her… And most of the others had also experienced some kind of commotion caused by Diana, either directly or indirectly.
‘…Diana, couldn’t you have 256bc8d353 lived a little more e7aa8dc925 peacefully?’
It felt like cold 518f499d44 sweat was running down ea83795ea2 the back of my 13e6e4f379 neck, as if I 9fd15f6c0b were in the middle 241ab9113d of enemy territory.2b2edc64d1729c04

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Still, none cb8fbc9eaa of them 903b2e68b4 openly rejected 72429bc2c7 or showed 192bc08b17 hostility toward dc5b840445 me, probably d5dbe88f57 because Mrs. Mayer had a232a53aff brought me, cdcdeaf02f and also 4b9a80c3e1 because I da02cb0f72 held the 99621adefc title of a6f3c64b68 the Duchess 23bc9e3309 of Vissen.e05bb51c5be17321

But that’s e8c532dc07 all as 64c19f8011 far as 93c95d9e5c my title 03c08c2826 could protect 75e35bdf56 me.b506ed5d85bb945c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I hear Madame Montbli d642567cb0 is designing a new d5daa71560 style of dress,” one e2a182342d of them said.
“She might set another 0ec5535398 trend in high society, 576485fe7a like she did last b8a8c632d5 time.”30eec23de7de946b

“…”10172b7008c25e15

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The moment I ea28dcfa86 joined in on 389319ae12 the conversation about 4d823b7a4b dresses, there was c1e9542388 a brief silence—about d160f481ae three seconds long.afaffea8dcdfdb1d

One of 0f48156a55 the ladies, 0279498fb8 who had 2db81aaab2 made eye d44aca5717 contact with 306da9cbf3 me, smiled 20ae85bb82 awkwardly and e34476c968 nodded.03f7a1aef8e48d9f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes. That Madame could 372478103f definitely pull it 30a4f80346 off.”
“Oh, have any 790d149012 of you tried d321219288 the strawberry cake 4f2abece86 from the dessert 40e3ae1a07 shop opened by e63adb4dda the retired Imperial 52b4aedbdf chef? I haven’t 025f7de018 managed to a5cdfadd46 try it be2ae1e173 yet. They don’t take reservations, d72e45cb1a and I keep missing b1ad9abb91 out.”9eb8269191057043

“It’s really hard e763db4bcb to get a 0b4e4fb89f spot. I barely managed 13c6b4ca98 to get one 670d87f6d8 recently.”f2068a5c594772d5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Oh my, really? I’m so jealous, Lady.”b893d097d50d1bfb

“I heard they’re switching a48530b23f to a new dessert e0f2019896 next week. I wonder dfb59ea437 what it’ll 93c4864685 be?”44cc9d1d1f09a151

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Maybe macarons? The chef’s specialty was 9d5dee98fc macarons, after all.”d7827cf5a9e93025

“…”e69755f4ad53ee78

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Again, a strange 479d4c9012 silence hung in 5f0327adc1 the air after d9188fa51d I spoke.a5fe07adb3b73c33

“Yes, the Imperial chef’s 43211e6168 macarons were always excellent,” e79c0f6be6 one finally said.2816c8895d2f3c2f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“When there was 339f48473c a banquet at 14e6692144 the palace, everyone cff62a49a3 ate the macarons. Oh, by a3ca8a0e11 the way, 8b2906c01f have you 307d619a08 heard the 9a37a1adf4 rumors about 90196ec116 Baroness Mathilde?”08c048304c2c5326

Each time 2d4d18d378 I tried fabb1e2c65 to join b0c8b11aaf the conversation, 69426dfd60 they responded 6b598d54e2 with a ceb13eaa14 smile but 091d7b568f then quickly c710c36eff changed the ad4a1ea016 subject, so d172cba57d I couldn’t 9b911eac67 complain outright.0e9cd50b41237a77

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Once I stopped talking, 1336fd1e34 their conversation flowed smoothly 2d4bb2b47b again. The weight 6ef832f8d8 in my df8ac5bd47 chest grew e04a886a78 heavier as 9a0af7b853 it became b5855dbdca clear they b89e50b6dc were deliberately 474443bfba steering the ddfba9db09 conversation away 2e319d4143 from me.c81da404dcf00fab

I glanced at c1dce97b09 Mrs. Mayer, but she was 8e4c7aee88 just observing the situation 023aa88d85 without getting involved.5d2783f3c856a919

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘She’s not going to 0b29605300 help me out here.’3e2442be4c167620

Maybe this was 0370b72d17 what Harold meant c85dc0bca5 when he said 02035cabaa Mrs. Mayer was 45b58e73a7 testing me.
And it 35d4ca35d3 wasn’t just 09633bb5ff her. Surely, the other efd90c41de major nobles attending 3c2f628c9c this party were 9c55c121c3 watching as well.923992b9960f05c8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

They all wanted 2e96a787b0 to see if 1568304944 I was still 2a604e27e8 the troublemaking monkey 04a8ce9626 who disrupted social 67155f3f0e gatherings or if 2c3185c68e I’d become more 7a606f581b civilized.507f6f80dbbe340a

‘Right. I’m the Duchess b266c36f51 of Vissen.’72f4d58dce9d5118

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

With that thought, the 15c9b34c92 forced smile on my c250965c23 face became more natural.
When I 42966a96f0 just smiled a169cc13ca and didn’t d902b16695 try to e6e059fdab join in, 041a86158e the ladies c55f6edc62 who had c39cc463bb been leading d1ae2a28d0 the conversation 12a8f2ce1a began glancing c1f0320b67 at me 4fc8e9f3cd nervously. Their shifting c7184ae9ac eyes were d9a7f2531d filled with e2392cfaee confusion as fbe0ababf9 if they 833acb0c73 were unsure 2f05e9c0d5 how to 3fedeb8462 handle the 491fc085c3 fact that 32671eb6bc I wasn’t 1216eeea96 behaving like 70a4652269 the old 60df4c3745 ‘Diana.’
I didn’t avoid fa350a321b their glances; instead, cf03de2b30 I stared back 82882aec65 confidently.
The more 5de99cd5e2 I did, aaeda75595 the more 37c29d8a86 unsettled they a722e27fad became.818e009871f7170e

Finally, one cb029f0cf0 of them 3f826c43af spoke up.1857b6b09e3c0c46

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Duchess, have 5926913553 you heard 65b38c5213 about Lady 02317b15c5 Strella?”211120ed9242f7fb

“I’ve been busy 71481ac26f with family matters 1c1a916b75 since my marriage. Could you 7422d4c4ff fill me a12960cfc1 in?”5efaf64fb6d27f2b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The noblewomen, as 9b5ce6fa16 if they had c29910efdd never tried to e5594b1e63 exclude me, now a0510a27e8 acted as if 7bec64b4f8 everything was normal. Lady Mayer also joined 6454e3342d the conversation naturally.
‘So, I didn’t need 4964e073f6 to be cautious and 81c167832d try to fit into 58becb2962 their conversations after all.’
Just like c952734c13 Harold had b86313f1f4 said, none 9e0c59bf5f of these 395f003c50 women had d4182529f2 higher status 30b0251bdf than me. All I 3a8addc0ac had to 37585a7103 do was 220c27c1c4 make them 9ee7ce06cc watch their c4a203d433 words around 11accb14b4 me.
Suddenly, I felt 6ed9d74634 someone was watching 1096529e46 me, and when b147f534ea I turned, I 9879a1b515 saw Harold’s back 23f9958546 as he walked be4bf0609f in the opposite d7eabeffa1 direction.a8a2c06804c58ea5

‘Wasn’t someone e34289b6d4 just looking 0b8c97bda9 at me 5723c20f50 from over 8cb02dd8e4 there?’27b053a5ec4ec0cb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I shook dd2c16c215 off the d7baa16015 odd feeling 6b290b8af1 and returned f1b8fc5a30 to the 6c82ec4471 conversation with f2f8cad610 the ladies.d173c5018039eb15

* * *d1159375c43c169b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Excuse me, ladies.”c419903d55ea3933

Just as we were dbbf217c3e chatting lightly, Ella approached. She must have 4ff6201e26 just arrived and 93f3ed1e3a was coming to 8fefa27373 greet Mrs. Mayer, the hostess 3a157689ca of the party.7f51a8fe31eceb7e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

With flushed 6ed71942f2 cheeks, Ella 99c82969de respectfully greeted 6a1bedfdcf Mrs. Mayer. But when 470d6100b4 she saw 91a49b3b9d me, she abbe0efa1b noticeably flinched.21e5d802bcec1f31

Her golden a89b78979e eyes filled 3b29da65fa with tears 71f0bd526a that rolled aaa002b778 down her 222b75c0c7 cheeks.4f7287e3167e3c95

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“My Lady, are you 64322fd57b alright?” one of the 983b96f9aa ladies asked.345e5371c1ffcf5c

“…Yes. Thanks to your baf7ce7b96 concern. But I just 2cb602a6f0 remembered something unpleasant, fc08450b83 and now my 744a06360c legs feel weak. I don’t a283e39f8b think I 363c510556 can walk.”3c324823d5b0c2f4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Ella glanced at ef01266cb3 me, trembling as d40a92212e if terrified.926fb30ec00018a8

Something unpleasant. Her words f4bb6bbc3a clearly reminded e6f271e699 everyone of d3fd0b2613 the time 1707f67b28 ‘Diana’ tried 8c4377a211 to poison 271bdee825 her.3fd62d4478ebbaa6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The lively atmosphere quickly 607d7df053 turned cold.45d41da0cfe9deb0

The ladies looked back 624d38697a and forth between me 438f4086de and Ella, visibly uncomfortable, 3a67bb5e62 and fell silent.fa888a1f509de0f4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Could someone please call 1dc7c70023 my fiancé, Kaiden, for df04b74058 me?” she asked.
“Of course, my Lady.”d4e2fb59a53e0277

She had been d30d285a2e perfectly fine the b7c761028a last time we 2e1afc3353 met, and now 83f3e7bb92 she was suddenly 043659baea terrified?
Honestly, I was stunned.f1908848e1254d13

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘… Could it be c4c331845b that she’s doing this fc0afbd3d6 because she doesn’t like 8f895bf101 how well I’m getting ded191e7e5 along with the ladies?’42d5b403ba206bd6

The thought seemed 81223c7bc4 possible, knowing Ella.
Just then, a 496100df21 servant arrived with efcba5a503 Kaiden.
Kaiden looked worried 28fa65c2a4 as he helped 2377a25e66 support Ella, checking 6c45824d8e her condition.
“Ella, are you 03c223f824 alright?”
“Yes. I was just startled.”
Ella leaned into him, 7db395e902 smiling weakly.
Her expression was 993d0665a2 clearly troubled, and 3ddc0961c9 Kaiden’s brow furrowed 3e452499a3 deeply in concern.
“Duchess, what did you 05b9e8310d do to my fiancée 692301e458 this time?”
Kaiden’s cold gaze locked 772dadab70 onto me. His look e3fd97dac1 said, ‘You’re f8141a8666 at it e5825431be again, aren’t 2957d13a2e you?’ And 1efc4d40b6 yet, I 3e9488ad74 sensed a 2c6ec6fa9c faint trace 88913ddadc of relief d921ffcc4d behind it.cce8a90d8d9a5ecb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

… Was I 8e38b17488 imagining things? Why would Kaiden 7d45bec384 feel relieved at 74e94dbffd a time like d125df625f this?8359c79746ef17b7

“I haven’t 62433fa5f3 done anything b03836d8b9 today, my 91c0f5251c Lord. You should ddf5229aa6 hurry and e497faaa96 take your 5bfbc3e827 fiancée somewhere 5bf26d613a so she 429cd86e19 can rest. She says 7c8cd33c36 she’s struggling 54705d0408 to stand.”9796bffcabc9c09f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Kaiden’s frown deepened, but 2441a6cc66 Instead of checking on 9ff8935baa the clearly distressed Ella, 867ba11f3e he asked again.583ed666695a4c84

“You really didn’t d02ffadf00 do anything to 4f1a88a3ba her?”85553f9470ee1b6f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes. Everyone here f2b85a6d31 is a 58834ec6bf witness.”5d01d55cedf24a65

“The Duchess is 87ae000968 telling the truth. She was simply 787743ddce chatting with us,” e6ba0cd1a7 Lady Mayer supported 54647e9e33 my words, adding ceab36e3dc weight to my cdd3f62458 explanation.a9d7b869a9061821

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Oh, nice assist.dbcccafa45240d4b

“…I see. I misunderstood. I apologize, Duchess,” 5822b744f0 Kaiden nodded in 2201c23991 my direction before a18068b780 turning back to 1b49461177 Ella, carefully supporting 8276f53840 her as they 1bb407f4ca walked away at 19e8dc2982 a slow pace, 4b151d628f mindful of her c873614a4b supposed weakness.1523c5c383145063

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Watching them, 0d8869d0f2 I couldn’t 1794498ee2 help but c3059a8e43 think, Even d44b0167ae in this bb6cd13211 world, the 834b16e392 male lead 3cc6e37e1d is still 79a27ddd70 the male 0aa398aa4b lead.* If 72cbb884ad *Diana* had 01f6f8495e witnessed it, f06bc40e78 her eyes ab25250deb would’ve probably 269b13340f gone wide 3cc8672c31 with jealousy, 93b229c720 but I 099c5f5193 just stared 2b628c9d08 at it 951f18d416 all emotionlessly, eca0c5100e only feeling fb3f5db850 like an 34201f3d9d observer in ee433d0ae3 the story.1b5b8c4ad5654e25

Then, Kaiden suddenly turned 7bf4e94664 his head.a9a59be6934e2433

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…!”e16dc77ce605e5ca

I flinched, startled. His gaze landed 1c51e4048d directly on me.df4c08b8ca98935c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…”30d3621567a62e94

He stared for ed0f4893ad a moment, his 8822947d62 nose wrinkling as 3b0120cdef if something about 07084a321f me displeased him.06e56b050764a1db

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘Wait, does 460a97240e he still 97aaef4f3c have lingering 1b817f6b89 feelings for 65055e5086 her or 9986d56c6f something?’ca1eabfe24386235

Freaked out by my 2899e7a5b3 own wild guess, I 88691f0f25 quickly looked away. ‘I’m never going bda5120735 to make eye d3719871fb contact with him 669cba51d7 again,’ I promised b65bec7eb8 myself as if fbf1096c21 sprinkling salt for 18893507d5 good luck.95a003b206391cb6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Even though Ella had 7b56458ccb left with Kaiden, the 42c22cbbb7 awkwardness she brought still ed9223309a lingered in the air. The atmosphere, 1975caf295 which had 1bf946f153 just started d5fa40db22 to get 663bd5b25d better, was 5af672dc89 now completely 7079e02a2d shattered.80cb0a586e62ad23

‘We were finally having 449ffd8e04 a good time…’cba24c55086da4fe

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

At that 6973c2b3ef moment, Lady 217f0d622a Mayer tapped 111594baeb her fan 0058a4ba97 lightly under 6df2ea0f72 her lips 7c3e644358 and called c0aa744097 out to 600e7a243e me.ec391044fe4de53c

“Duchess, there’s something 9830fec2e0 I’ve been meaning a99ff46310 to ask you 0e32938060 for a while.”b3de2251f47a57e6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Go ahead, 97fbcbd527 Lady,” I 672fd8eafb replied, smiling 3d3a7d7a4f brightly, sensing 7a5dde1809 an opportunity 8ec4b5be09 to break db795ccca4 the frozen 096a51611b atmosphere.127696b7d669be57

“I wondered if the c94b71491a scent of the Duke’s 7e6273f245 cologne had rubbed off 444dbf1f71 on you, but since 2898dbd9c5 the scent is still 66f26943fd lingering, I suppose that’s 3ec40dfc4f not the case?”08ffe04c28cffc80

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Oh, no. I mentioned once that ac983a9157 I liked the smell, 8d4f0f127d so Harold gave it 0a0bf0f216 to me as a 5f713478d6 gift,” I said. Though really, it would 8a3bda3b60 be more accurate to b9143566a0 say it was *sprayed 1fe243b028 on me,* rather than f2950baf32 something I chose to 0142ca6502 wear.5a0559d8f0e2fa56

As soon as I 4fe4ea0bad finished speaking, gasps of 1232a33ff8 surprise echoed around the f5c088ff7b group. Even Lady 70c21ce7c0 Mayer, who f2065d6146 rarely showed c49d136d93 much emotion, 3c012c54ec widened her 06b63c6fd3 eyes.a2a962e99830d5e9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Why are they all e5edfe26dc so shocked?3a4f7fbda36ce52f

“The Duke 6e683b2402 must really 8c97e0a370 care for 51341204eb you, Duchess. I mean, 0e407cffb3 the fact e1b1c96b85 that he e10fff4d2e touches you fce3701550 with his 3a05cb80a2 bare hands d4c068b607 is already 1c8db3712c something special, b9b71322c2 but…”c3c3b7031a1787dc

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What?”53fdb4d9fd618602

“Don’t tell 1ba6331f56 me you cce60595ee didn’t know? About this perfume?”a7906298de7f5634

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘What about this 027ca13a20 perfume…?’ I kept ba3340d4e4 my mouth shut, 91c4d84bd3 staring at Lady 37be67feed Mayer with wide, 9a03b5f4e3 curious eyes like 2e44e7167f a meerkat, afraid 29775caa4b of blurting out 6453e2b6a3 something foolish if 42ebba9ca8 I spoke too 0bbbe6f94c soon.e6c0a6557182ebc3

“That perfume? No one 539167bd3d but the 546ab8f463 Duke himself 4b356c5b67 is allowed 2359a324d2 to wear f7e03d4c6d it.”7fc11c419a013bf7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com