TIEH | Chapter 2

‘Even if he stayed aeb02fa8e3 in the duchy, there d43025c66b wouldn’t have been a 1168447f30 problem, but it’s enviable e1feef9cee that he can get f50518c831 healthier.’4c29dbc6c99f7429

Anyway, Calix arrived at a7b30985b1 the Marquis’s Castle with d2ccbbf920 a few attendants, including a141e85aba his personal maid, and f7ac47bbd1 I greeted him with 029f351479 my parents.17b29ec021c59a90

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I had no d825a3ddcc intention of getting ebb764f486 close like in 18e36310f0 the original story, a5de8aede6 planning to just 3cdc1d63b0 pass the time 625c4622b7 indifferently. But when 3d05481a58 I saw 8fbf944d77 Calix entering, 829462cae3 almost hiding 6d0762c6e2 behind his ca8f8cf0c9 maid, I 8e4c7778e2 was shocked.8593400a0f6b0c3f

His shiny black 5b4b0959d4 hair flowed like 7e4cbf45c3 a meteor, and e4b0a934c9 his features were 37f25f624a so adorable that 8c944d9cc4 I briefly mistook dc4078b09a him for a 8fc629fa67 doll.66d3f8546404d310

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

With my sunlit a53b95022c blonde hair and e418c3ec03 fresh green eyes, 21f5524d48 I was often 98f4440bff called a baby b054534602 angel from a e7a0d605d0 young age, but 8a6defe992 I felt I 2558a0270f had to pass 7781c073da that title to 7ea431545c Calix. Even his shy and 953c835691 hesitant demeanor made him eb493e855b seem like a wary 5eb16c584a kitten.951e861d77ee2710

The reason I could 7d3e2a4e6e call him a “baby” bedf9b3107 was that, despite being d110e51bfc my age, he looked f08cebe801 about seven years old. This was 9e84f58a63 because his d77e76a076 body was 17bb4fdbb8 slow to d9c54a1114 grow as 28729b4a42 it was dd7c94b8bf building a 58026a4df9 solid foundation, e4b74c381a but since ed0910f9a8 the small 89b004e508 young master 4439a03831 was frail, 51d9519be3 the people 0081124a9f of the 758fb07115 duchy must 5578d1983e have thought 19a47156da he was 2940b625dc sickly.3a0226936250c77a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘…He is cute.’e0499160ce91cd7c

My parents b27abcae3c were already 4cf3247835 charmed by 84f6b7cddb his lovely 246aafe11c appearance, smiling 10b0bd1924 brightly. Calix’s personal f06d259acc maid seemed b596956d62 relieved by fd3391fdb2 their reaction f74ab4575d and gently de68694066 nudged Calix e555903d3e forward.cc7438f1962bc68e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Come on, 23d5c03d11 young master. You should 21b621c21c greet the 04fa1f9461 Marquis couple.”d0cf1f0959d40d04

Calix, barely stepping out 09620dc24b from behind the maid’s 73916514dd skirt, greeted them in 966f2ab585 a small voice, which f086eaa403 was enough to make f66b43f545 my mother, who had 1e2c0901b3 been worried about my 643f070c72 somewhat aloof and darkened a16dad96cf demeanor after my accident, 6879da7a76 smile brightly.349647197c780d13

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Welcome, young master. If you need anything 3b068c1184 during your stay, please f3fd16bb76 feel free to let e8ad67a3dd us know.”7daff12d5ac01a1a

“…Th-thank you.”e648b41a7b7993d0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Jayden, you should greet e87c0f1c61 him too.”d432327743131f13

At that 10d7ca15d5 moment, Calix’s 529e863098 gaze turned 6443e6c83b to me. His eyes, 1d75a35d09 which had 03a473531b been unsure, 416638081d now held 8e81e6e312 a mix 95b5160466 of expectation ca91f6215d and curiosity. It seemed he a588fb505b had been told 2c5d524a88 he could make 6325baed30 a friend of 2df02b718c the same age, 38d6c696c9 as there was ba122a0241 a hint of 3a77a191c4 friendliness as if ad874f7b17 meeting an already 7cacc4baf8 known friend.223c7595555f7527

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘This is 15eaf23317 a bit 157a0b5a4a troublesome.’31dad19d522037bb

I hesitated for 4b6ae40ecd a moment before 18573ede69 smiling and greeting 5cf744738a him.1381efa7abcb7aac

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Nice to 4b286c0d4c meet you, 5c925d8c0b young master. I’m Jayden Liddell. I hope you 2277f70593 have a pleasant 97c3ffd6aa stay.”5e6bad772895c6ae

My parents, and a4b6fea600 even Calix’s maid, cface06691 looked at us 5cc6269c6e with awkward expressions. It wasn’t because f09a9fc353 my greeting seemed dd2e3a46a8 too mature for b2de5d522e a 10-year-old, but cd20e8ac21 because it was 9e98f1e8c4 polite yet clearly 9762b671d5 drawing a line.162998069004419b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Calix looked 8f05cdf573 up at e7f1e2eb42 his maid 89ab199078 with a 92e16071fa face that d073b50b71 seemed about 3985c301a3 to cry, 7e9fbb6396 and she 20bc034645 tried to ec9277fd84 comfort him. Meanwhile, I maintained my b1a3f88a59 smile, pretending to know 621878d0a3 nothing.531ebe6024d8d3d3

“Father, Mother. I’ll head up now.”03f8cff0e8ec074b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Oh… alright.”1581d7338b9d6df3

“Have a good rest, 843225df8c young master.”e96cc536801381b1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Since it wasn’t my 5d97e80ce8 role to guide the 2300730785 guest, I left after 4b9991a115 saying my goodbyes. I felt the ed40e28c19 gaze following me a853dca920 but didn’t look 56e8458293 back once.c4c67e95f7ff96a5

I felt like 4dbc788f31 I was doing 34bef8f2ef something wrong.a01aae6dc76c9608

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

☀︎ • 910b8978d1 ☀︎ • 04ec87bdfa ☀︎9ae3b411f0c9c4c8

The distance between dc3b60bc25 the marquisate and de1978f5a0 the duchy was 917cccf57d too far to 3719454954 travel by carriage, b1264657a7 so Calix arrived 1d3f664a7d at the castle fbefacc228 through several teleportation 7bd50c2589 magic circles. Even though 90b9db0834 it was 2f51050268 better than 6816426325 traveling by 881d87f3fb carriage, he 0f36cf9194 was quite 178f682ae9 exhausted and c17cec37e1 fell asleep 87d1ab72ae as soon bfd7b42c11 as he ddfa86affe was assigned adec9d3377 a room, 971a676aa4 leaving my 397d345afb parents and 88cad0f7b7 me to 3da323c815 have dinner 4fab9bba4d alone.88d1927618c18bd0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Jayden.”837e11af4baf7bc9

“Yes.”eaea637742ca09f9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It was only natural 30e1e39fa1 that my behavior towards 6a84d4e736 Calix would be mentioned.68671ad71c3e2481

“Is the 697a11b87e young master 357efcf35d uncomfortable?”380e037320ae51ad

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“No.”8502b524ed946fd7

“I thought you’d become ed21e3a434 good friends with him. Do you need 53c335b09f more time?”6c54253f3f8865f9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

My father and mother 0a3104dbfc were among the kindest 2ae139913b and most gentle nobles. They must have 900ea73d64 thought it would 9fd5310ccf be nice for dec5b32575 me to befriend e6b4a873da Calix, who came 5a836b9af3 here alone for fd5a93d79e recuperation, so he 76fbe6c877 could enjoy his 7d96acbae2 time here a 62f546e6db bit more.e4c0248e694aaa9c

I understood aeb72df11f their feelings, addea87da0 but it 46d10198e9 couldn’t be 4e3ace4756 helped. It was easier c47c722da7 for a child 12ed2498b1 to deal with 5f7f1dc2fd rejection from a 6e613c1c48 peer than to 306aef3543 watch a childhood 9a252f3cf6 friend slowly die.92a6093ce87c2c15

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“If fate allows, 7685d20818 we might become af2908f648 friends.”274628209364631a

My answer left both 683d6d6741 my mother and father 65f956b874 looking troubled. I wasn’t a particularly 7a1f141a94 lively or affectionate child 5960765034 to begin with, but a611a2b505 after becoming aware of fe7d6e68a0 my past life, I dd9052c2b1 became even more aloof.d569cd948cf959ab

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It wasn’t just 93a791491e because an adult’s dfb2137e68 mind inhabited a f94fcee907 child’s body, but fe2f507fef because I intended 1f810efd38 it. It would b83590a690 be easier de6c19fbc0 for parents 89734e5098 who have 38cc8c45ca to send 0b47eba411 their child f4a180e040 off to 6d99df48fd part with f2148661d1 an indifferent 673905d67e son rather 7774c13da9 than a 84533c088c loving one.bd0357b0c7924197

“…Alright. But I hope cfbe1a746a you become good 63f3637587 friends if possible.”ff5cb297342c7d01

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes.”4c38454e40cd9cc0

That ended the conversation.8286183d42bf6151

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

After dinner, while dcb341b3bc returning to my 4c3488c75b room, I ran e058ff4252 into Calix in 267a509289 the hallway, who 4a6d05bd39 seemed to have f3ecf5bc3f just woken up. He appeared to be 835bd7ecb0 heading for a late e9ae19f893 meal.169e65eadbb5ba1d

I tried to e4231fa5f7 pass by with 36e3444435 a simple nod dcb91d775c to Calix, who 7aaf5ebcb3 looked at me b12ecb562c with hopeful eyes.a1979dde60110a97

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

If only he hadn’t 67882cb763 stopped me.4d0836b9b16b3e44

“…Um, young master….”d667b34082be13ac

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I wasn’t 5418db9873 trying to 37fa0b0511 make an 98c863510a enemy by b7ed339323 being rude, fa84a401a3 so I f065b52046 stopped and 052a053bee turned around.43c849e234b9957f

“Yes, young master.”caba11b9efaff76b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…You can call d1d14834d9 me Calix.”e24d60dc0422f1a9

“I can’t 4437b2d23e be so 000b3fbda9 disrespectful to 0be6932310 a guest 9331d5491d from the 14434c77aa Ducal Castle. Thank you for saying 55301a9715 so.”896c2a5e14e086b5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Calix looked 540eea4193 like he 8b6d9c24cb was about 0576719353 to cry 625dc7ad00 again. I wasn’t being rude, 643dd714b5 just drawing a line, 23e5ca3bd9 but seeing that adorable 54675f6d5f face looking sad made d020ef0b88 me feel like I’d 9c5dfad753 committed a huge sin.2ca875c8081c04d8

“Do you dislike me, a065e97cff young master?”d7f2d30cd8d83faf

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Of course not.”901bf760fb9e88aa

“But we just met e3815c2e91 today, and it seems 07259b0d8a like you’re avoiding me….”b571dedeffd8ecae

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I wore a painted-on d02204a415 smile. Calix, this is all e075a5419f for you, so don’t bcc413282b resent this older brother, 3c1229364b or uncle, too much.bf16df05ff6ca159

“As you fca59295d2 said, there’s 20d9fbe03a no reason c81653d42f to dislike f73b97547a someone I ec88f0f4a2 just met d8e15a961a today.”a3a0203464d7f034

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Then why….”291177a536b10b4e

“But, similarly, there’s 5d18f5710a no reason to ecb6ec8401 like you either.”1d1074ea41b75bf7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…Oh….”8e4da81ddcaf6590

“I have 0436898a9a no feelings 0404d1c226 towards you, 4d0e9952b1 so don’t 456a499b2c worry.”c3a77ae02c60c996

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Saying I had be7a1e25ac no feelings was 21327ad004 emphasizing that we 6f178a66ba were essentially strangers. It might hurt a6daad7ecc Calix’s feelings, but b271f1e903 I thought it de8698ec1f was necessary to 7c0ad51614 express it directly 8f429e51f0 to some extent.f994b0222c539689

“Then enjoy 2fd26afbf7 your meal, b575f4f67e young master.”cac22bdef1871ff3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Calix didn’t stop me 91009b66d4 as I turned and e8a1aa6956 left.07abc7ddd5f51d89

After that day, Calix’s 7229c10a28 attitude towards me became 3796db3670 quite sharp. He could have used fa1eb164bc his title to bully d792219e67 me or nitpick over e48ce92efc trivial matters, but he b784dfe777 was inherently kind, so 3031fc2f1f his sharpness was limited 2c5aa63287 to glaring at me 95231886a7 whenever we crossed paths.1b378904259a1ea8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘You need to f9bbc1a95b have this level da642fba94 of character to bbbb849cc3 be a male a75c1629e2 lead.’660e0f134dd897ba

Knowing how much b1d1bbf4bf more cruel children 35f7b83daf can be when 804a9957c3 they know nothing, 6b5c0b5a76 Calix’s attitude seemed 63df62ee15 like a harmless 4f0c1816e9 kitten’s playful punch. Still, it was quite 86a7a2af8f threatening in terms of bd35c25ef4 being bad for my d1bf2dc3fc heart.819008ecbff08f84

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Anyway, with c95598a1e5 my parents c1dd356d83 both away, 7194e3754e it was 21103dfe81 just the 52bd8c14dd two of ef64ec9b94 us sitting 2ca06194ec in the 58b4bc7143 large dining bff89a7663 room for 03bff1d101 lunch, and 4d0f5f216e I felt 28cacc6920 like his 3430a36b96 gaze was 8efe95b132 piercing me b61b8adb6e wherever it 03a6bb641e landed. Since he wasn’t 3529192c00 physically trying to 0f49bae6b6 pierce me, it 0d14181130 wasn’t hard to 945da43e59 ignore.033150b8a80c5f94

Clang-445c81aa0a5b0a4e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

At that moment, 16bd513a76 Calix, trying to 5eccbf2cec pick up a f7ea4a6127 small piece of ea13ac5804 vegetable, seemed to f8b275d32d misjudge his strength, 4e257c0a7e causing a loud d4787d7558 noise as his 79cc1d555e fork clashed with c0f25b836a the plate. The plate didn’t 1c3fcdd044 break, but the 8480a75226 dining room was 10808e15c7 so quiet that ded0c45591 the butler, the 0637ed724d kitchen maids, and 21b57315b9 I all heard d990f58468 it.9a160962ad86021d

In the b4a567d771 original world 5be635a8f5 of the bbe3a88ef0 novel I 12c0d08541 possessed, by c9ca82d87e the age b62bc1aeec of 10, 34150ac956 nobles were 4824494516 expected to 903cc95dde have mastered ad09426a03 etiquette, especially 4a661b7871 dining manners, 0b40c8b54b and used 0092291b61 adult utensils. But it might have c18c7a3f8a been a bit challenging 284a18840a for Calix, who was 865762a8d7 much smaller than me.d8ace7748223afd4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

A flustered c2cf8a0cd3 Calix looked a80f3f91eb around, and 027013a8b9 the butler, a38a6e2321 Caleb, who 3a00688cec was overseeing ff729cb9ec the dining b0111e846e room in 317a491cba my parents’ bf147f385f absence, pretended 17e40a1633 not to 595edd989c notice as 716b2d64c8 best as 60818b2c07 he could.fce42b46f12ec9a7

‘He’s really conscious 1543453142 of it.’c29e9c1e670d5c17

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It’s natural a9d786a22f for the f89818a6e0 standards for 74146a51ba an heir c6b9a7229d to be 7a155a9168 strict, especially 265ba94c66 for one b44ccfeec1 of the 59da985f80 only three 5268cd65e0 ducal families f17e031b9e in the 92b10a6890 empire. But here, no one 804cbacc1a would scold a 10-year-old b24abd218e Calix for making a 41f3b5f026 mistake.790c9c1ee735ab19

Of course, Calix, 604c61b205 still anxious, wouldn’t 4197f5c53b know that, so 72b896fa88 I called out 0affc0474a to the equally a7d9d9f9a5 flustered Caleb.f0b591ecc447e931

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Caleb.”382cec95111bc2a2

“Yes, young master.”66340fa776a7e532

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“The utensils seem uncomfortable. Could you possibly 0730b028b1 change them to 75fe0297b9 smaller ones?”dc8e3c92f52fa0d0

Realizing my intention, Caleb c3a5932974 nodded eagerly.e360ed991f69e8bd

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I apologize 6f20913048 for my 34ec7d0893 oversight. Would you 9fc2dbd70f like your fd334297e3 utensils changed f96b093371 too, young 64e8630cab master?”62b98205b38e4d8e

“Oh, yes…! Thank you.”070c11845de423af

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Calix, after glancing 8d52708577 at me, accepted 028cc7cdd7 the utensils Caleb 84a5906933 brought and subtly 26ba262c8a twitched his lips b8e145c818 in a smile, 11182b6df8 but I quickly 6df05f023a turned my head 5fe9e6f2fd away from that 6b278a6957 adorable face.12012d905695c352

After the e5acac3032 meal, while 6a802cb4ac Calix was a9a007585a thanking Caleb 787f577b35 for his 3c15eb6fc1 consideration, I 77d5b103b9 left the 821593a44e dining room f9025a9f25 first. I felt it would a4b0750247 be awkward to talk 0dac516d2f after meddling unnecessarily.a34021e57818aef4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But despite da6b4dc769 my efforts, df0333e713 Calix quickly fc97fbbf9e wrapped up 3eb7508cb0 his conversation 1cb956e631 with Caleb 914570a94d and followed 5b6e969f3f me out e6fa2abb39 as soon ec3f387d5c as he 59c5e11288 saw me 635478e24e leaving.b969e2de923c0b9c