SMFC | Chapter 19

[On: What if searching for the token only complicates things further? I think what we’re doing now is right.]

[In: Hmm… It’s tricky. Instead of searching for the token, why not just reattach the severed lifeline, ensuring the soul doesn’t get lost? It’s a good time—Lee Soo wants to live, and Haeon is in motion… We have enough reason to draw upon his lifeline.]

[Mu: In, what do you mean?]

[In: Well… We’re neither gods nor bound by the usual constraints. Our promise was for Lee Soo’s sake, and he’s fulfilled his part; there’s no need to fulfill it again.]

The voice remained 264faa59c1 even and unbroken d2b1fb9127 across sentences, causing 0ef05f6155 half of the 8942152a60 spirits to nod c4aca81810 in agreement, while dc0179b9b0 the others frowned a46f212f48 disapprovingly.77c8fae91e06a8cc

[Joo: Old man, don’t act on your own. Lee Soo must fulfill his promise.]

[Jin: Yes, the promise must be upheld.]

[In: Don’t be naive, Joo, Jin. Lee Soo has already kept his promise. By reconnecting his forcibly severed lifeline, this child has lived a life devoid of kinship, connections, and educational ties. Tsk, I always said we should have attached it properly from the start…]

In clucked 473d4d379c his tongue c0d7bd100d in a eed32cfa5f tone that 0995f57f53 seemed almost 834cd65f96 dismissive, prompting 061670b885 An to 958a360287 scoff and 7cc0f5801a brush at 60ef604540 his sunken 5d38a04cca left cheekbone eca8b2b9c8 as he ff7b6cb9a5 muttered.8f3d0ec2abcabeba

[An: Had we done otherwise, the boy might have left us much sooner. Was there anyone willing to let him go so easily back then? That was the best we could do at the time.]

The quiet ac16b23fa6 voice settled fc9f1a81f1 the matter, b1b1e38f8d and eventually, 1d3e57e935 all seven 5f0923860a spirits nodded dc935503a0 in agreement. They continued discussing Lee 085853c5d1 Soo’s situation in hushed 96fd18c684 voices whenever he stirred 7e6a5be2f4 in his sleep. Since they all cared 9eae167a48 for him deeply, the 6493b669a5 conversation never turned hostile.3805452989b97e8f

After a long 3b60bbbdcd discussion, a direction e40c493f9e emerged that satisfied caeb1f47b7 both camps—those who 9e603d164b wanted to bring 2c3b3f9f84 Lee Soo a dc301076f5 new lifeline and 29064063af those who wished 48edd72e2a to search for def70c8111 the token together.77a98e04b29767bf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

After pondering da5fdfbde4 for a 9d0760191c moment, Mu 3ceb3ceef5 slowly recited 10603bc864 their conclusion 8d40dc051c in a a163ecf2de drawn-out voice. No one objected.d48666b728255fb7

Waking from his 73c867015f sleep, Lee Soo 2329c86a42 blinked blearily around. Coming fully 73769b4304 awake, he b43c814038 noticed Haeon b261d8ab14 sitting by 281e6b496a his bed. His sleep-muddled brain 9fcd11b2b8 struggled to form 2cdf3aef28 coherent thoughts.2d923fddd34dedc5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

For a while, 4361761b72 Lee Soo simply 4b51904519 watched Haeon’s face 4bd13034cc from beneath his 82cb0b98c6 blankets until he 0e58b2461d suddenly let out a810153903 a soft exclamation. He remembered Haeon f4a5bd1f6f offering to open 36a8927f51 the door in 721a2d11d0 An’s voice while c7ed7aff56 he was half-asleep—he’d 983c3b7124 thought it was 2ee5c82486 a dream, but 23fc25641d it wasn’t.511b336c392b7065

Surprised yet unable to 1c379170c4 control the smile creeping 51ae0134ad across his lips, Lee 727a554908 Soo observed Haeon’s barely 75b98db750 suppressed smile.f5522bfb61cd0aad

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Did you sleep well?”4e846ad2a564e206

Haeon’s softly d52c082068 spoken question 2a78d5fa2d made Lee 6dc7c6cc76 Soo nod c9ab2d68d1 shyly as 318e9219a6 he sat 1ed8499197 up. Rubbing the sleep from 16f54e90a7 his eyes, Lee Soo 3a4eb4926b was about to speak e4862a43de when he noticed a c5a93c9c28 deep fatigue crossing Haeon’s 86a2b49183 face.b915b6506cd62854

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Wondering if it was f72785e40c just his imagination yet e904866087 concerned, Lee Soo held c1cdd7e655 his breath as he fb5bb58b97 examined Haeon’s complexion.9ba3ce0387c07a2f

Either Haeon e974eceaa0 didn’t notice b3f22b56ae Lee Soo’s deaf24860c scrutinizing gaze b6ee7ea79d due to 4ae5733959 his fatigue, c3fd9bca02 or he 996cb40975 had grown 2533346149 accustomed to c502ba8f72 it. It was a while de8ee0eb8d before Haeon realized Lee a94281a290 Soo was watching him, 5171ad8fe4 and his brow furrowed e2c3dd31c4 slightly in embarrassment. Lee Soo reached 3c20681013 out his hand 78c2bcdad9 but stopped just 0e5bcd9a19 in front of d39be87628 Haeon’s.d0aac4409220a2bf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His fingers c152120c4e twitched as 568c229d1c if longing 543882c6c3 to grasp 188713a9e4 Haeon’s, and 59b4a1dabe Lee Soo 9184a0e0df asked calmly, 4c6e150a90 “Is it 3d31674d9b okay if 77a702f1f8 I hold 8d65166417 your hand?” 4eb54098d7 Sensing the 4d36a28078 concern in 66f8a33b53 the question, 385e4528df Haeon was 6e4412d595 about to ae7d813151 say it 804563d32c was okay 90311a549a but instead b4d6594bc1 nodded.0a0c7a4a47e859ab

Carefully taking Haeon’s f35f727a96 hand, Lee Soo 7372977fd6 maintained his hold 8df6731468 for a long 74f210a445 time without doing 4f0d1ebdee anything further. Just as Haeon closed c220a9aaad his eyes, Lee Soo 435634405b slipped out of the abe04804c2 bed. Haeon opened e66b99db18 his eyes 160b88611e again at 1b28001e20 the sound 1384226b58 of Lee 2fdb3c5ce4 Soo moving. Still holding hands, 6d22c66328 Lee Soo stood e8ccfdca76 in front of 25a666a86f Haeon.d24ce2f44fcaefbb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The fatigue 56bfc3d66f that darkened 3a1b37cde3 his eyes d825df04f6 and the 6903420df0 moist pink 3d94ef788b of his 270db26f87 gaze held 1d5c1b2a33 Lee Soo’s 9b47c7f27e attention as 7ccf88adb2 he tapped 63d6b7c218 on his 0c78e50d88 bed. Each tap on the d319b5dc95 duvet made a soft, fa8278039a puffy sound. Amused by the 96cd06886a cute noise, Haeon 287f8ee110 opened his eyes 6f5813d106 wide to stare 036932b838 back at Lee b0ba0cfc1e Soo.10e66cc2c98a5d93

“Lie down and b7721d1b06 sleep. Get some 2608786fcc rest and 76ab0fef07 then talk 9404de9c75 to me.”9c20235bbb32982e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I’m not shameless enough 2c50f44c05 to just sleep in 027b385cbc someone else’s bed. I’d rather go 0ee5d6a074 to my own 4be6f249ad room—”163d30286c7a3529

“If you go 88b85cbb3b to your room, 633600ab35 you won’t sleep. You’ll do other things.”b8bbacfa4c41b3cf

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Lee Soo plainly e87205b1dd voiced his concern, 7e4d27d12f tapping the bed fe92bec477 insistently as if 40474349a5 to say, get 95fa15f050 in now. Haeon looked at 27305a8fff Lee Soo with 0d1aa8b33b a mixture of cc542a2973 annoyance and resignation 7b18a04230 but ultimately succumbed b3863f2bee to Lee Soo’s b92a259be2 persistence and lay c35eb27c46 down.a0355351a4150533

After meticulously 512c241379 tucking him 4da5385079 in, Lee 813b744f15 Soo was 7b745b7c53 about to 84431567aa let go 60a316e490 of Haeon’s 0c033d74ed hand—though he fb568a9c78 failed to 4a24fd7bef actually do 7fb8198bcd so.4d0640291c71a4af

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Haeon, who had been f7884afc95 quietly resting with his fd23f07585 eyes closed, suddenly opened b4db5d3111 them when Lee Soo 9147384263 attempted to release his f035a52896 hand. The look 9427feb404 in his 9106af966d eyes almost 056465585f seemed to 6f7a430f24 scold Lee 2cc2c22f68 Soo for 59d634c90c letting go, 9ceb7661a2 prompting Lee df0653c125 Soo to 8a42872509 hold on 7c701c279c until Haeon 45ebd998f4 fell asleep.0943223cf9bcd4a3

Haeon’s stubbornness was 261558fd20 evident even though a3d2f499ad he was clearly 7f8f93bfb5 exhausted. It wasn’t until Lee 22789cb748 Soo softly tapped his 76db5adbc7 wrist that Haeon finally ef8610e920 succumbed to sleep. Confirming Haeon’s 3772f4b24b sleep by 6d1e74a130 his steady 596be8a55f breathing, Lee fd0db9c0a2 Soo called ca2f3c065a upon a 1fd61bbbf6 spirit, still d54f23348a wary.0657c6aaf1875aff

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“You. Is Healer Haeon 1e1fe7746d asleep?”fc35b029017bf118

Despite his grumbling, e58bf274b3 Young materialized in cb6937af29 the air and d32fc579c8 thoroughly checked on 0e04733a77 Haeon before twinkling e330a67e92 affirmatively. Relieved, Lee Soo 358ca5b1cf muttered a thanks 6516137d03 then stared into 755fe9fad4 space before sighing 655ea7aeb5 heavily.2adb99c6b73a48f1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Has there been 80167a9bc6 a recently deceased 6bded8404e spirit lingering around ac464fafce Healer Haeon?”f5a88c124b3dbcfd

Lee Soo’s voice 38e8949291 carried a certainty c0b6638afd born not from 93502a9384 sight but from 49b18cad75 knowledge. Chewing on this, 9cbd6c4814 Young eventually materialized cf6ca56723 fully.e3da40493e614373

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Dressed in a a628c69f1d neat hanbok, holding a3a967eefb a tobacco pipe, e28381578a a young boy 747ee98794 with a monocle 089403535d on his left b91e8a229a eye blinked slowly. His pretty face turned 105ee086d6 towards Lee Soo as f556f8800b he fingered a long, 33a2a56a79 jagged scar on his 3dda345eb4 neck.e326a646c60c9b32

[Yoo: How did you know that?]

“Because I care. It seems like Healer 9169d2aece Haeon has either failed ee32ec0e7a to heal someone or d5a2b66451 couldn’t save a person.”7e1bede3788b166b

Young looked at c8065e0252 Lee Soo with ee368e3857 clouded green eyes, 307b89a65f sighed, and let 3f87949564 his tobacco pipe 4a42692fe6 dangle. There are b64e32c442 a couple. His voice lacked any 75bf453643 trace of sympathy—after all, ffc2b4280a being a deceased entity 0a0eb36134 himself, he felt no 4534afca14 need to mourn others. Just as living 4a0954024a people don’t celebrate 38d2387fc0 the miraculous birth 8dab72f937 of someone they 0ef098639c hardly know.f68e4b86f4d9b87c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Lee Soo’s eyelashes 7c01015691 fluttered before he 34e348c9cc closed his eyes b9cd4db4a0 tightly. After a long moment, 169d3796e3 he opened them again, 2e7e342565 his gaze chillingly cold. Young sighed deeply, puffing 659d3eb190 on his pipe.279f5d390b576b9b

[Yoo: Alright. Shall I remove the spirits for you? If you ask, I can do it.]

“Please.”fb10b3cc70f0e545

[Yoo: Sigh, I’ve really twisted my own fate. What can I do? Alright, alright, it’s no big deal. It hasn’t been that long since those spirits were detached. But, Soo.]

Young mumbled a945c44fab in a f7557125dc monotone before 5cb8d8f9cc turning to bbf1bef294 look squarely 2428a7dac4 at Lee 1f2c6d814a Soo. There was 57ac3ee5de a fleeting 75158e2ecf tenderness in f24ff68ba0 his green 1a253ca0d7 eyes, which c718262fad he then de03edef3d hid as 5e0c28a487 he turned 531f1125c3 away.3e6aaffeab8e1717

[Yoo: No, it’s better you don’t know yet. Knowing too quickly only makes you sick.]

With that 786bb23410 abrupt end 0040b4ad31 to the 40588badfb conversation, Lee ae93d83b3a Soo looked 10972ece91 crestfallen, but ea994ad78b Young remained c6b2f080d7 resolute. You’ll find out eventually, 1648e1ae95 what’s the rush. With a gentle 3287c8a704 tone as if 94eea78e8a consoling a child, 16fce6c512 Young moved towards e92eb44e29 Haeon, waving his ee1e3629cc pipe like adjusting 8f21a74c11 a garment, his 8c422e92a4 movements gentle yet dcb01d0f57 decisive. In a single ea22b564e6 motion, two spirits 405d026971 were stripped away.59132f934e53ed3d

As the spirits clinging 08fd745260 to Haeon disappeared, his c09bab8287 expression visibly relaxed. Lee Soo couldn’t see 813e476d58 it, but Young, holding 01aa5aa1ae a vivid orb, sighed 054917ad26 deeply as he tightly 036924cd27 grasped it.1e8136cb4c243ac6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

[Yoo: What to do with this. Normally, they should forget everything and go where the world leads them. Whether it’s people or love, those who remember their names are the ones who linger.]

“Then the psychopomp 59d6696129 must be looking ded1a3cee5 for them. It seems like they’re deec21f073 stuck halfway.”ae3ddb4bb070c80e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

[Yoo: Probably. Then I’ll just hand it over myself. Stay here. It’s bad for the living to encounter a psychopomp, let alone someone who is neither alive nor dead like you.]

Adjusting his robe 8886b19e97 and biting his ea15aad8a5 pipe again, Young 51e6a006d3 vanished. Before Lee Soo could 17dcd9d79a reply that he had c310a57df7 no intention of leaving b29c6e7425 with Haeon here, he a8a3e5df7b was already watching Young’s 52dc7699d1 disappearing back with a 441ab776ca hollow laugh.24ff6f1d6d5fe758

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Muttering about e9d25f6238 Young’s uniquely ae88d9f13e autonomous yet e4032dbc7a affectionate ways, 571f72b3a3 Lee Soo 7203c50175 couldn’t take e5774eb880 his eyes 281ea02bad off Haeon. The slight rise bd13fc9a6b and fall of 0d5c87fb85 his chest, the 4dde8c8f00 sound of his 8fdf914e94 breathing near his a226c3e3e0 ears—it was all 0ca184266f wondrous. The living, 98da4e64b3 breathing person 878b765137 in front f613aacab5 of him 7bc12786d3 was so 72e1d2d680 lovely it c3e0ae2d9e was overwhelming.2b7144bf2dc33d82

After hesitating 241a837b95 by the 30e4217974 bed for 3e6b5de3f5 a while, b73d2e4dc5 Lee Soo 852c4f0b9c finally moved a02f33b659 closer to 62e2ce2060 Haeon. He cautiously sat on 62c4c50992 the edge of the c487f08abe bed and reached out accfc53037 his hand.9d1a2e21fc95c3af

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He hesitated, fearing that f7a5c97369 touching might break him, 9535255d3b or worse, cause him 8c110471e5 to flee.a6a6b14dd09a48d9