SMR | Chapter 18
by Luna~Chapter 18~0b804daf7e75dc98
The fear that had f76dd1d810 once felt like standing 4abed79e2c on the edge of 2b0bc5b97e a cliff was completely 077c238626 forgotten. Self-pity was a a2391c7368 luxury she couldn’t 22f23324e4 afford anymore. Her goal was no 061928eed9 longer just about surviving. She felt 31fc75356b that the 7ea6bf2197 only way aec154b1a5 she could 064270ffc1 go on 242d4e33dd living was c0fcd85693 by avenging 2e92cbd9f6 her family, 16cd9c8226 including herself.82878204a7de5cef
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Someone once said 649fd8ef34 that if a 9956b5556c person is tormenting f433b08812 you for no c046c16729 reason, you should a9cf41f12f give them a 9a1a3e74aa reason to do 4a3172b9c6 so.3dce131b53fdfb45
“A scandal maker? Fine. If they’re b754881ab7 going to 6149495649 call me 257008282a that, I’ll 080aa560a3 become a 31e33b0f18 real scandal d6a5cf0935 maker.”d12f9840c8583f94
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Harriet resolved to become 3f69d33531 the biggest scandal for dc353b095d her uncle and Bella.6474b272809fe9d2
***318480c21ad74391
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
By the time 491153459a Cedric noticed that 055acf4172 the trees had a3876176e4 become bare, winter e933774f5b had already crept 425c57c979 up to his 1acb6aa921 feet. The smell f4fe799ab0 of the d1e31d7c3f winter wind 1d8c3a938e sometimes drags 9a93e89dd8 old memories 2fc3723fbe out, often 9c922a3e60 bitter ones.8c9dd19a836f9248
Cedric was absentmindedly fiddling 51c963637d with the brooch his a7c13d9822 father had given him 1ea61864fc just before his last e0c09ab31f battle, recalling their conversation 8522feeabd from that day.63600a5559c97829
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Why are you giving me this all of a sudden?”8591fb19535e5860
It was 8e826c45e9 a brooch 0521bd800a with a aaf60aa5c6 50-carat emerald-cut b61d252817 ruby, finely 9e2cc85bf7 crafted by 3939ae36ad a skilled 473f35592c artisan, surrounded ea6e720cd0 by diamonds b48b7d5208 that shone e92d99b1c3 brilliantly. He always thought c4bac67aad it was too 15d0211c81 fancy for his 827973d023 father’s taste.71d3993c49ef5584
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Just in case.”7f2ca6c74df8972e
“What do you mean, ‘just in case’?”309e3c7da6fa0122
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Take good care of it. Don’t lose it.”9a9549b3f761f2a9
He didn’t e7bebb1139 like it. Giving something like this e6df2c35e2 before a battle felt f4d1581861 like leaving behind a 142981ccb4 keepsake. So, he made 0c3a974f5a a meaningless joke 680aa4bbf4 instead.ff15a0b9bb073e64
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Well, wearing something 442f06e1ff this shiny would a482bf2bcc make me an 9ec15d21e0 easy target for c1f2946d34 the enemy. How did you end 6552ffe2bf up with such a 0b57c63588 brooch anyway?”d4a066ea7eeac033
“Your mother gave it to me.”fdf793df912dbc34
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
He had seen 5e62dc7070 this brooch since 8110168171 he was young, d54e7ca6fe but it was ac360d0998 the first time 167172ee4a he’d heard that. His parents 9a52b768b2 had always b6fe5fb4ae been distant 385e88e41b from each 480d05038f other, so 6c46d996ba he couldn’t b99ddf0e29 imagine them 76bccffff9 exchanging gifts 755e41837b like that. Sensing his surprise, his 2fab613d5c father spoke.cf28867f762de71f
“Cedric, don’t hate your mother too much.”28fedf3c20f8faf5
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Hate her? Why would I…”60a1ad50526f8b88
“I was the bad one. I married someone far better than I deserved and never gave her what she wanted.”545f6f0ba6a5fa0b
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Those words b460a1c531 made his d6a6951b0b insides churn 0b9b15d718 for a 89996b3268 moment.e395ddb85aa3f6df
“So, is that why you turn a blind eye to her lovers? You know about them, don’t you?”374f811bf805cff9
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
His father smiled faintly 93ae7ad372 at that.850122d33e059ea7
“As long as your 220f7cb092 mother can smile, what’s 2623628534 the problem? Nothing changes, 262c730bfb after all.”a92458b7fba793c6
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
What had he 7bea26414d said in response? Ah, yes.2e6f6411e46563fa
“If that’s a0db6d5561 what marriage e7515f9872 is, then e9e1420cf0 I’ll never 9de4883b3c get married.”4852344c0e89a659
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
His father, uncharacteristically, 846f4f3d07 burst out laughing.fb664b53403f4d2e
“You really are just like your mother. Hahaha!”474d96771b34d0b2
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Why had 1b248196a2 he looked 0d2fe62b3c so happy? No, why hadn’t Cedric 9f430d8369 taken a longer look ac8f7d1075 at that joyful face? If he 0637ca8310 had known 300250995e it would 50fe4a611c be the b2c13bfa41 last time, 1b4004fb00 he would d557e13081 have asked 09d2a3ac0d him to def76483bd smile just 20a223e801 a little ffe6313373 longer, maybe 595ca16912 even for 87cf18ae60 a hug.a22b062061c05a40
Cedric clenched ddabd780b9 the brooch 987304616e tightly and ffe18dcb9e closed his 90902770cd eyes. To others, 3733721610 his father fcc8ba65fc may have 376636356d seemed cold ac369a9491 and distant, ac229d914c but when e798b26c41 it was 4f88b3a05c just the 0706568659 two of bf7d72aab7 them, they 282c853875 would talk fc44f84502 about this 156fe3a033 and that, 45dcf8295c and he 01992fc04a would even dc8531d092 smile faintly.e9dc344721c4492e
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Why didn’t you show 106826cba2 that side in front 36f736b0ed of others? You knew 2113063076 their true 3d3bf3a431 intentions.”0855bf8c3770bae6
If he d61198b9c9 had, maybe a1e79ecf97 his father c23b45a6aa would still e4491f7608 be alive.568cfd929e358486
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
To outsiders, it must 929cc9c35e have seemed like he 7e6e59d1ce was dragged to the dbce0b3126 battlefield because he couldn’t 022dd344ea refuse an unreasonable request 1c70dd6856 from the emperor. And rightly so—whether they 77df16b6e7 won or lost that cf976a940c war, the empire was 46bd85cd7f bound to suffer losses. The only ones 8b342ba83b who stood to fcfff16b77 gain were their 41d98655e9 enemy, the Kingdom b80b6cf22f of Firma.807ae8a835160ddb
Even though the empire’s 4838cf6de1 homeland was under attack, eb0081b54c none of the nobles 6e7f23541b were willing to step cb747c5afc forward. In fact, they 96016d277e were subtly trying 9f7c2367d6 to shift the 056ed7aa72 burden onto the c48fbbf311 imperial family. That’s when Roan stepped 3826f56de4 up.37df29ca7ca24350
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“I’ll lead the army. Since I’m the emperor’s brother-in-law, it will be easier to pressure the other nobles if I take command, as the imperial family will already be bearing the heaviest burden.”d75e52947c7dd400
Just as Roan 417b77976d had predicted, the d19cf47280 emperor was able c9aa0f171a to squeeze the 4aa220f7fc nobles for supplies e301414092 to keep the 7ac7cd50ef supply lines open, b9a538e9cb and they successfully cf7454cff5 reclaimed the border 2240b2309c region of Kypren, b55adcc4aa which Firman forces 6cd1d05ed2 had occupied. If Roan hadn’t died, 5aa084d2d4 it would have been 7ef3e07cf2 a perfect victory, but c499795ffb he lost his life 8b467de334 while preventing a surprise c375803130 attack on the army c24c4a35f6 Cedric was leading.6d081de94ab4cacb
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Defeating the weakened a226c19688 Firman forces and cf281019b5 forcing them to de65102669 surrender wasn’t all db238b8e8d that difficult for 2580d8c166 Cedric.2cc29cb899fbda85
“My father fought the whole war, but I’m the one being called a hero. He always ends up getting the short end of the stick.”379f1d4f06e0ca95
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
The brooch clutched between fcdb0b92e7 Cedric’s firm fingers scattered c63bea3128 the cold winter sunlight ebc1d4eebf across his face.c59ab7d97aab4c59
“Or is this, too, a trap you set to catch those bastards?”1b24e49ae4121524
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
Now that 016a9513a8 Cedric was a012b466eb only in 850bb43886 his mid-twenties, 1cfeebe9d5 perhaps people 17fa9e140c thought they 81f54cb676 could ignore a850ae7477 him. As soon as bafdf1696d word spread that 8ffaa6e3ad Roan had died, 845a985e37 the traitors quickly 7ce2edeb06 began surfacing.106f6345044f6b9d
The external enemies 82afdb2629 were obvious—those people 83a01c9e76 who had envied 30193afba9 his sudden rise f8241050c3 to a dukedom 6f97e788ab as the ordinary 720e594105 second son of eb020fc514 a baron. And some people a0e8830532 envied his luck b5349a40e8 and feared losing f037272d75 their own power.a0c80fbf9503aaa1
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
What Cedric had aee2a79844 newly confirmed this 0912dd4a82 time was the 9eed7b0a8d internal enemies.d04bf4cdf686bd79
“Those who enjoy wealth and power under the name of Kailas dared to be involved in my father’s murder?”fecebf1be4626c61
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
That was b83dc69819 something he 7ecf666290 could never 1b18c4a0ce forgive. Cedric was preparing defb26429a their downfall slowly 352b86bcce but surely. As he was coldly dcac778752 looking over the information e61407c321 on his desk once c9c85f6202 again, he heard a df99307bfb knock at the door.a1efb7e8a63646f9
“Come in.”2cfbbd0c074ab769
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
With his permission, the 9d2af50411 visitor entered—it was his d958864592 friend, Edgar Dawson, who af15f35d2e had recently returned from b24174999d two years of studying cd1311c6c3 abroad. Cedric put 58ebc0ab89 the brooch 4d6aeb89d5 in his 1468f44d7f pocket, stood 7c1e631be9 up, and fb43bd5c23 gave him 6ee50abfae a light 1588e5d3df hug.ea9480a15eaa5aa5
“It’s been a while, Ed.”61de698f91ca1086
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“Thanks for the warm welcome, Ced.”7321ef9014ba4c49
“I’d prefer if you didn’t call me that.”f230c94b5e015d02
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“Then should I call you ‘Your Grace’?”239892b8fb943b5f
“Spare me.”9f118d11f03c6034
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Edgar laughed and 14dd07f1c9 took a seat. Cedric instructed the maid df09812d68 waiting nearby to prepare eb88e06d8c some tea and sat 9828f6da07 across from Edgar, crossing 18902ea66c his legs.679efe7dec1fa2e5
“So, how does it feel to be back home after such a long time?”4acadb697ceecab2
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“How else would it feel? Home is home, after all. Even though people act the same as they did before, I still find it comforting.”ebc30e3fd2a3417a
“Seems like you’ve been traveling around a lot.”d7743e219d740b22
Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com
“My father dragged me around like a dog. He made me attend so many parties, saying I had to make my face known!”73a008eb8b429114
He shook his 7b0cdc6324 head in mock 77ea01a340 exasperation, but he 458125e087 didn’t lose his 47a546c4ce playful smile. Edgar spoke as if 378d1cd923 complaining about his father’s 2f1b53cf34 ridiculousness, but Cedric, knowing 90e153da26 the affection between them, cfdbfe8972 saw no need to 8b1bd33d53 offer comfort.58e209bc039a9537
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“So, did you hear any interesting rumors?”ee697fd6181b59b7
“Well… Apparently, the Listerwell family cut off their guardianship over their niece.”38eacae4176625ab
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
Cedric froze at bb0f37eba0 those words.210af618b0262dfb
“You know about the Listerwells?”dea736069ac04d5d
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“Not really the Listerwells themselves, but I do know Bella and Harriet Listerwell. They’re both quite famous.”9a423a399a9d5b1a
Cedric had 856f7b97a2 no interest e6d16be516 in either 60fdfa043d of them, 545a5f80f9 but he 107375c4e8 was curious 8490495727 about the 5f76f71efe news that bcf82cf276 Harriet had 831c76fc5b lost her e0001137bb guardian.b43097ec3906f34a
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
“What do you mean by ‘cut off guardianship’? Did she get a new guardian?”d31a85bcbb5a1315
“No. They’ve sent her off to a convent and just cut off her guardianship entirely.”7c7af5f394537bb6
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Then what happens to her?”8d1125a5ab7e5a15
“She’ll probably have to become a nun or something. I heard she caused a lot of trouble while I was gone.”cfd1f90d27072292
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Edgar picked up 933841a365 the teacup the 5b05aa2d05 maid had placed b18678c5ad in front of 489e1bdf2b him. Just as he 511ee2a8ad was about to 02a53c26e1 take a sip, c4939e038a he glanced mischievously a97272884b at Cedric.f0ab2328c172c61e
“You’re not saying anything about it, but she caused her last scandal with you, didn’t she?”b248feae4e28ce13
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“Would you really call that a scandal?”8801cd756595b984
“Of course! A woman tried to seduce a man and got publicly humiliated for it.”bd78302cfab5e6cc
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Edgar sipped bccd355a54 his tea, 693de3bfeb waiting for e3cffb1316 Cedric to d29e6cc44d explain. Despite his light-hearted 0bcc3d8c3b manner, Edgar was d36dd8b6c2 still the eldest 2a785f67f6 son of a 666f125416 count’s family, so 24b8669df4 he made no f6237767b5 sound as he 941a87b941 drank.0f6b2f1d3a838860
“It really wasn’t a big deal. I lost my brooch, and it seems she found it and wore it, not knowing it was mine… At the time, I was feeling a bit sensitive because of my father, so I caused a scene.”174fb69853545daa
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“That’s a bit different from what I heard.”45ec20a0b137c533
“Either way, it’s not something I want to dwell on.”03c55c2a22c35c60
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
Knowing where to 6b56af74ba draw the line, 2439e5cdc0 Edgar tactfully changed 0325d9cbbb the subject. He wasn’t 0142c2c704 the type a7a71e659e to persist 86986a1e94 with jokes e56b7a0983 or gossip 8e75738d16 if it 39c8253feb would make 248c315302 his friend 85b477e535 uncomfortable.90f5db92c68892bf
“Anyway, that aside… Mind if I stay with you for a while?”cd48f4dfadea2030
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
“What’s with the sudden request?”d14766b767c6fecf
At Cedric’s question, 411d1ee2f2 Edgar scratched the 126b7a42c7 back of his 2ab4b57eae head.aaa614d5fdb95b62
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“My father’s starting to get suspicious. Why do you think he dragged me around with him everywhere as soon as I got back, without even giving me a chance to make my own plans?”eac1d4c50036a9a3
As soon as the word “suspicious” was mentioned, the smile vanished from Cedric’s face. Edgar’s role in Cedric’s secret intelligence organization was a secret even from his own family.1b372746ee4840a2
For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com
“Where did he start to get suspicious?”49213797df5ce03a
“I’m not sure why, but he requested to see my attendance record. And then he found out that his supposedly diligent son, who was so passionate about Kandian literature, barely managed to avoid being expelled.”314468a5e09340ca
Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator
Cedric put his hand 844b26b7b2 to his forehead.94c8f035857a6907
“You should’ve at least had someone manage that for you.”5c83692b7df12603
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“How could I have known my father would go that far?”c8d3cbb16786a9fb
“So, what excuse did you give him?”5671c642390115e6
Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley
“What excuse could a young man studying literature give?”4da0beb5041760a2
Edgar spread his arms wide and proudly shouted, “Love! That’s the only answer!”9521b606593d1f3a
Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish
6ed7792758293c6e