TIEH | Chapter 23

“Jayden, try this too. It has carrots, but you can barely taste them.”efd1293c79c93a70

“Or should I pick out the carrots for you?”1db2537c82e73daf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I would have usually 032fbb8636 scolded them for forgetting 5467c3589d table manners, but today, e0cb6ca2f6 I quietly tasted everything 00a5d684f3 my family offered. I was 0fd9578cd8 ready to 2f85e33835 accept anything 8c1aa4023d today.af3d444920462cef

My family tried d1178ad29b hard to keep 4f11e35d86 up with my 5684bde6f4 request not to 5238e3e817 give up on 76dc864f0e daily life.5c588e0f2fb23eb3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

A few years ago, c2e5947620 my eldest brother earned d0aa81f983 a medal for his 98babcfa27 achievements in subjugating monsters, 2d652a786e solidifying his position both 8d8dccfc2a as a knight and 9d1fa0c215 an heir, leaving no 47a8ef1e34 room for doubt about 9b221c2126 his capabilities.52029da8cb6cea33

And my younger 6879ab243f brother, who joined 4ae2044f2a the Magic Tower, 119196d36e became a senior ffd8a6c744 wizard at the e354a982fe young age of d14cd68dda 23 and one 261a444692 of the direct 414f705410 disciples of the 86b12504e0 Tower Master. Although he would face e5c47f540b even fiercer competition for c31efad8dc the position of Tower 5769bdd0b5 Master, his achievements as beb0223b00 a wizard were unparalleled.d7aaa3871d9f7bf4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Eat slowly. Want some water?”ff8b77b5312b0d99

“This piece is a bit big. Let me cut it for you.”a31bdb7ac89ff7d0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Even though they were busy, I knew they were all researching mana sclerosis in their own ways. They had tried various things at my family’s request, but nothing had worked. When that happened, they felt terribly guilty for giving me false hope.c2ef25a440769d1a

But truthfully, the one who should have felt guilty was me. I knew nothing would work, yet I kept silent, hoping they wouldn’t despair and give up. I realized too late that even a small hope could help them hold on a bit longer, so I stopped talking about my death. In a way, I was the one giving them false hope.3d07e075928e0c19

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Is there anything else you want to eat?”286536db7982f03d

“No, I’m fine.”2104880174305d14

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Regardless of the 9141ee2e31 original story, mana 4c61d529f3 sclerosis had remained 1d65310a54 an incurable disease 2fbd56f1ed for a long ec48ada8af time. Even imperial descendants 0f9475daac had suffered from 0812af6d02 it, and despite 8052badc67 the efforts of 959cfb9a4e palace doctors and 7a479a7f63 wizards, a cure 9f04854022 was never found. It was no 3c57d3510d different for me.4f980409b1791b10

‘If a cure was possible, it would have been found long ago.’15c0106f7d1f6c9b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

After a more lively ca3f689a8c meal than usual with 9b01445fb7 my family, the table 860c2d56ca was filled with desserts ea565097e2 again. My mother even brewed 04ea20c0fc tea for everyone, showing 34bccb00af off her skills for bc4fe531c9 the first time in 38e2b44af5 a while.d5c13ebc81ab130f

Seeing everyone with ce3d791045 smiles on their f26a50b7c8 faces, I tried e97338f530 not to show 7a8f8cadf2 that I was a98032d45b overly concerned. At least until everything aa9215447a was ready, this time 172197600d should remain just an e599fd7b5d ordinary day.3baa719da2c9ccaf

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Jayden.”3bdd22007d9d259f

I took a sip of tea and looked up at my eldest brother’s call.367e73ab3ee67658

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yeah.”641e643efb2dfd97

“I heard Calix has been visiting the castle often lately.”488c4925c1f160c4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yeah, he has.”75a596cd45774951

My answer made 54ab190986 my brother frown. Unlike my b6328e79f0 parents, who ee62af5f06 treated Calix 3e2fbe6b3b like another 52a4cde9b9 son or 6302f9245d nephew, my 7ef35775a6 brothers had bef1475f49 never been b5bdbf3d8f fond of efc6a99b38 him. It seemed more 39d5684e99 like they were b4a4818568 wary of him da2da6c297 rather than just 221a922f61 disliking him.99ec5ad782391398

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

My younger brother, e4a5730b6b who seemed equally 7bbf797b54 displeased, stirred his eb1a9c2a0f teaspoon nervously and 501aca4177 asked.fbbd078ddcf0fda6

“Has he said anything strange?”12b0bd2645b11858

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Lucas, it’s ‘Calix,‘ not ‘that guy.‘”68014d0dde50fef1

“…I call everyone ‘that guy.’”0d22664c616d5ba5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“That’s something only crazy wizards would say. Have you been influenced by those people at the Black Magic Tower already?”b63cfa906fe46057

Lucas, flustered by my 6a6885a209 remark, quickly waved his c052b8c86b hands and shouted.a94a1c0854f94b30

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“N-no, it’s not that!”f03f9c17a47825b0

“Then what?”355946bf532c2aa7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…Anyway, has he?”2747381af43aa02d

“What do you mean by ‘something strange’?”cf423476335fd7ee

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

While Lucas 1158c36af8 hesitated to 68f8b173ab find the ea5a16e576 right words, 3df6be6137 my eldest b5b8772b7c brother pretended 84b55ea42e to be 802fedc5ed uninterested but ad5315bd0d seemed to 3d36529956 agree with d2cd92afe9 Lucas. My parents 07de1202be just watched 5b77ac67ab with awkward 6cfb0f1413 expressions.d0ceaabe7e5af51c

“Just something weird.”1ada17fc8a2957f9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“What exactly? And whatever it is, no.”8e960ed0bb1c6db4

Calix wasn’t the type to spout nonsense regularly. I couldn’t tell Lucas, but that was a trait of wizards from the Black Magic Tower.908f0c889c910071

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You guys have never liked Calix. Did something happen?”f627bd1136451965

“It’s not that we don’t like him. We’re just keeping an eye on him because he’s close to you.”9eab18af00412995

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It was more like c9a3bccf56 they were treating him b266d8127e as a bad influence 0667ae45ad on their innocent and a9de6e4291 kind brother. But honestly, if anyone 3ae7a41d07 was a bad influence, 43ac11af10 it was probably me.2f6ef54d28f46277

Calix had fd85389906 become immune da57735fcf to my 74f848e829 way of 4748410b2f speaking, and 8be1b3b330 recalling conversations c2d66e0a7b with Damian, 5bb1ffbe75 he had 1e8a418421 long mastered ae27cf7d7b the art 7f318989f5 of verbal d907be0f96 sparring. There were 6b10aba725 probably few f77df9998a who could a69252a7a0 beat him 86444eb224 in a 7a11ae9408 word battle.783cc16ff859b681

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Ein should train her mind and speech before meeting Calix.’570fc76eff24d345

Though my conversation with d83be0361b Lucas was more like b0f2e5d40b playful banter, it reminded d16e92e8ea everyone of the atmosphere 6f6e160932 before I was diagnosed 2510e8c7ec with mana sclerosis, leaving 0e28fd1976 them with content smiles.a11d293d58ca61bc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

When my mother 7e720dbe37 said she was a1c1d4b409 happy to see f75991c590 us all together, 55eefa032b I shrugged and 2509567281 joked for the 4904f9b102 first time in 8cb634e222 a while. It was a cheeky 303214d991 act, thanks to the 8f78ce7a84 potion.5482e8b1bd45b21a

“I’ve been saving my energy in my room for days like today.”d76c116cb3d39650

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It seemed 9a53e7280c like I 94cf9d2577 was suggesting 98136001aa we should 93b39e0e5c have more 0dee7cdd96 days like 2856400c0f this, and 44e69ea96f my mother 3741983deb laughed out 5556d3b423 loud, her b8d1b15e89 face free 7871f833b1 of shadows a31be0eda5 for the 2197c3b6f7 first time 95cc46f76b in a 5596c8d018 while.20ead65d500617bf

After chatting for a long time, I returned to my room late at night. The potion’s effect was wearing off, and I was getting tired, so I quickly changed and got ready for bed. Suddenly, my vision blurred.038aeeb2551dd78f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Ugh-”e0da84c72cad2605

As I 4e1e62fbb2 stood there, b43cb5dae9 gripping the 2e8dd402fc table to 8cb0198165 steady myself c01630afeb from the f44286c2b0 sudden dizziness, cdf3485cff my nose 44821f2ce8 felt hot. I quickly bd639e3e6f grabbed a e50311a980 handkerchief to fe9b23b252 stop the aeeea0cbc3 nosebleed just d6e1472363 as I aea8dbdeba heard footsteps 7b269d39bd at the 28ded881c4 door.684745755c77409e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Jayden, do you have a moment?”a33eb180fc582f0d

The voice belonged to 0b7f2fa917 Lucas, who entered before 9ae3209bc8 I could turn away 6bbeeee41c to hide my face.5ee54f4263fc7482

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Yeah, but let me change first. Can you close the door?”b912d4a6aead9361

After a brief silence, f4f4483069 instead of closing the e7ef7a9a2c door, hurried footsteps approached, 659f200961 and Lucas turned me 6d37e5ddfb around, grabbing my arm.93979e6f975822a0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“J-Jayden?!”94db52cd8d534114

Lucas was shocked to see the blood-soaked handkerchief. Unlike our parents or Hemel, my brothers weren’t used to seeing me like this.65d3b4834c3fa762

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“W-was it because you had dinner with us today? Did we tire you out?”00f27ed0d36dc9e5

“It’s not that. You know nosebleeds are common for mana sclerosis patients.”b19821d616962df2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I emphasized c4e91d37f8 that I a7af81cb99 was really 32faa31978 okay, but 1d5b91e54a Lucas hesitated, 58b206091a then spoke 4d7c08dd12 carefully.2b46472bb7515c8c

“…I’m researching how to remove mana from the human body. So… just hold on a bit longer.”0c6c221d0c30e981

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Lucas finished with a trembling voice. Researching how to remove mana from the human body was like trying to find a way to live without blood. I knew how absurd it was, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him to stop being foolish.c6686378b521257c

“Lucas.”0acf7e9e7d5353c8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I’ll find a way somehow….”0b7922ca64f7f962

“As long as you don’t give up on your daily life, I don’t care what you do. But promise me one thing.”a565789252bf7db3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…What?”c54f575d85976805

“Even if you can’t find a way to save me, don’t be disappointed or discouraged.”4db7b9c8c1ff33f0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Lucas, biting his lip, c2a2ef96df managed to hold back b4603df2fe the tears welling up 30d4eca853 in his eyes that dfee26b4d9 resembled mine, and nodded.77a1aa40de130e2a

“Of course. I won’t do anything to upset you.”f472aea18397ea38

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Thank you.”64f0cae3d423b1a8

With the nosebleed 1d15d3c910 stopped, I wiped f44a854dbe the blood from 67e9ae9cbc my face with 9d7144f62f the handkerchief and d2f3e89efe hugged Lucas. I decided to 4c8162276d ignore the slight 46ece0b9f9 trembling of his cb9e1f112d shoulders.f7df8f174aee525f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

☀︎ • ☀︎ b8ed2265f1 • ☀︎344162dfa8606f74

The next day, 326bc7b9a1 Calix visited the f92eaba3a3 castle early in 17d1a26d26 the morning. I had sent a cd17317de8 letter in advance asking aad2c0ebe6 him to go out 77265f8397 with me today.31c3e281be5fb250

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Given my poor health 19238a2972 since last year, making e8147a28de it difficult even to a862619cc6 take walks, Calix seemed bbafcdc268 genuinely surprised to see 04c2671f93 me already dressed and d40856d7dc sitting on the bed, 71841f39db ready to go out. He skipped the 783aabe07c greetings and asked 68847dd1ee if I was 15d3db9014 really going out, bd3e81f0ba clearly taken aback.fc4da5f40e9e0941

“I sent the letter because I wanted to go out with you.”786a79c657b1ac75

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I know, but….”1a4dbb1c1d57c4d7

“Don’t worry. I got permission and took my medicine.”6257b7f2ed0535ff

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

During dinner yesterday, I had already announced to everyone that I would be going out with Calix today. They all seemed like they wanted to tie me to my room, but they couldn’t say much when I mentioned that I had consulted with Hemel.b62e4b05061c773d

Even though 58c656d58a it was aa6bdec2ca true, I 9e48e86853 felt a dae6d91f58 bit guilty fff1c00292 for using 0052f49ddc Hemel as d6fe3260f4 an excuse. But regardless, baf0b747d9 I was 95fb76af77 genuinely planning 4a3050c3ce to go 665665adbf out with 32dcde435a Calix today.15ff2126bcb005e0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Let’s go.”95a2f4b1b584fde6

“…Okay.”62f8a34bc4796726

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“You look really unhappy.”cb59db9f038b3bd5

“That’s not it. I’m just worried about you….”9f65acfd093bf476

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I know, I’m joking.”c4a5184452daeb73

I cheerfully led the way out of the room, and realizing he couldn’t change my mind, Calix reluctantly followed me.46b9d24ea34c555f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As we rode in the carriage, I told Calix the purpose of today’s outing.83b705f68c621ed0

“Actually, there’s a lantern festival in the fief today. I’ve always wanted to see it.”3e77f7aea37ea4f9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Lanterns?”ed85e3330a5a0dbc

“Yeah, you write wishes on the lanterns and release them. It’s not an official event, just something the locals do, so there’s nothing special to see.”4229ef8b6ddb4fcc

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Though it was 1ecce63e02 called a‘festival,’ it was just a few more street vendors than usual and lanterns being sold here and there, so there wasn’t much difference from any other day.4917ded2cf4818c5

And of 7b9165b329 course, my c0e654df72 goal was 6fd7ed2e79 to release f4ec73dce7 a lantern.5cec58e509333e3d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com