TNBTW | Episode 24

If there’s a hill b2e2ebfc9a nearby, it is undoubtedly 7648f11bba the haven for a 85504cce4a lonely child.4008c691b1a09e6d

Edith clearly remembered dad6b824fc a passage she’d 18a5432706 read long ago b028fe9995 as a child, 382c093d44 tucked away in 6f7940e790 the corner of 843698439f a library—a memory 7b8d0e8296 that had outlasted b797af44e4 even the book’s b048f91444 title.0f457322c9bed814

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Hmm, it should 2c2f01bb0d be around here…’3510533a9d87ffb0

Ascending a e07b57961e hill overlooking b95dda69f7 the orphanage, f41aec806b Edith soon 70d566927e spotted a d4dbbb1ead towering oak ba7138c601 tree.86d3cc270ac4eadb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The enormous bece76b5c9 tree, with 8135de8bda its elongated 243abd8351 leaves and 5c9b5207ef clusters of 3091de0d8a tiny acorns, 8109cd4311 stretched out 222793e346 its thick 056f53d820 and low-hanging 52d01c2dff branches—perfect for 1314fa056c a lonely 869b2d155a child to 3469be5de9 climb.b201f468bd4c62dd

There it is.Without hesitation, Edith df1dacdc06 glided across the e82fe21625 lush green grass b2f2d81c16 toward the tree.c46ba748e4287039

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Hello?”1ade608382d8eb97

“…..”b51db18d7c0794cb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The two e3120beb7c dangling feet eeb78c882b hidden amidst 31c2cac7b3 the dense 69c513ad26 foliage abruptly 90674758d0 froze at 4a190f76a2 her greeting. Edith asked again.32d53b6d10fbd785

“You’re Finn, right?”1e3b9088e29211ce

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

She could almost hear 56a16f0bb4 the boy debating whether 6d81c46c21 to run or stay. Suppressing a small 4a508f1b12 laugh, Edith waited.f320cff4ed2b5bff

Fortunately, Finn chose 1bfa68d29e not to flee. Sliding down from the 8d0fc2cd83 sturdy branch as though 364b4173b2 descending a rope, he fb19c9eb2e landed squarely in front a59abb8502 of her.e06097e8f338b058

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“They say you’re a duchess. Got a lot of free time or something?”51b2d1520c1cbed7

“Plenty of it. Between you 8dc3a3e6c1 and me, 1fb8a3787b I’m also 8da6867fa4 very rich.”007868840ef28807

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Edith grinned and plopped 3938f3f717 herself against the tree 66640cbdce trunk. Finn, scowling 4c36659e9f as he 60a01880cd stared at a068417a71 her, asked 3b0ceed6cb in disbelief,97781ddef755d45e

Is it really 0ce19616c2 okay for a d92c9b1153 duchess to sit b0e51a3fc3 just anywhere?”cc163836c7bf7975

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“As long as 61e5a8175d you keep it 39b49b1b2f a secret, no 54fed8fa18 one will find 62f68831e8 out.”4b14fd71be91309a

“I’m not great at keeping secrets, though.”03dbe32c8373ff2c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Good thing I brought a lot of money this time.” 2b751be98920a0f2

Edith replied, forming a 06dcaf2d21 circle with her fingers 2f69ff8be4 to symbolize coins. Finn snorted incredulously. After glancing around nervously, ed966e182c he finally gave in ee59dbbe6e to her beckoning and 52b69906e7 plopped down beside her.4f33538f6102e1ea

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Weren’t you already 450a195a32 rich to begin 0da89cfa9f with?”b47b67b09387f4d1

“Nope. I didn’t 3af791b2bc have much 3bd4bfd51e before, but f877aea167 I came 276efc0c76 into a 7f8c23970a lot of 01ed345ec7 money recently.”d13265bc223dad6d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“How’d you 9ff58efd11 earn it?”55b8cffec5e765ab

“Well, I recently got 943731568a married and sent out 6f1e0a6f6c invitations for a celebration 8b50baa8ab party. Everyone said they’d come, 109c6ba194 but no one actually 0226e1568a showed up. I think they felt 5187276678 guilty about it, so 759a0c04ca they sent loads of 882956c3a2 gifts instead?”50cfc85cffde47dc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Edith spoke candidly, 30e52955f4 skipping over the af82bcd971 detail that it 1417d4f703 was a contract c81146022f marriage—after all, that ac919f04d3 part was confidential.9971f6ea7b73992f

She had indeed a211cc618e made a considerable 6ab0a96d52 profit—enough to cover 67461e5a9f all her expenses 6cf2c856b1 for the tea 5730009de6 party preparations. Thanks to that, she 0c04875ef0 was now able to 5c234184da be more generous with 6348b5f57e her charitable donations.da56285511082d11

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Edith truly bore 49f2ed7128 no ill feelings, 1d3065187e and in fact, 5f3925c23c she found it 933c2fe624 all a bit e9fe4d8c8a amusing. Finn, however, 2ec5b03af5 looked perplexed 31b3ce096e as he ec5ec27287 listened more.9b6966fbe35a6460

The boy furrowed de1bc6b9a7 his brow in 3b51d6e119 thought before cautiously adfc63768a asking,671bcb720349a3ba

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…Doesn’t that mean you a2eab32be1 were just being ostracized?”57517205b58251ca

“Probably.”960c36c9978bb52b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Edith agreed 40af22a282 easily, which a0838004a1 only deepened 87c2b52fec Finn’s confusion.7ff551cd460b2522

“But why 0779689684 are you 172271d17b so fine 9e911997fd with it?”ee4849dc6b402539

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Because I got fb321a43c5 some free money 3d5c759b48 out of it.”7febdfc9870c6141

“That’s… kind of a win.”0df49b47036ba588

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Finn admitted, finally giving 9627e0bc62 up on trying to 0148883394 make sense of her. He nodded, and Edith, 260103f39f finding his earnest reaction 402f71003f adorable, chuckled softly before 2e255ab3c4 adopting a more serious 7dc62c1177 tone.0f6dd1271315fda6

“But just so we’re clear, getting money doesn’t make it okay to hurt people.”0c2240779d7a1fb3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“You think I don’t know that?”0d3ee7379667e7be

Finn shot 66f05979d7 her an 107e915956 exasperated look, 6a1c0811a1 as if b7b67675ee to ask 3466f71c0a why she 2cd54d6f86 would state 2caa136397 something so fee04edaa4 obvious. Edith gazed at him d357b94168 steadily. If only b2c4910f8e such an 87c719da54 understanding world 98f66eefc2 were guaranteed.b5cbab4df374550f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“There are lots of fe4d287af9 foolish people out there.”d7a00bb029efbd46

“That’s true. But I’m 8681cf0013 not one be9eb1f214 of them. I don’t even have c10a95d69f the money to be ce4461a244 foolish. If I did, 0d58f93a65 though…”190a38b91384ac00

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Finn’s voice trailed 02571def36 off as his 7bbec0a55c head lowered, and 44df27ea4a his tone grew 44379785d2 quieter. Edith glanced f08a51d7ca at the 7c26a98d37 status window 9468b07e26 floating silently c3e17f2384 above the f605bdf30d small boy’s b7c0a20ff5 head.9ccc1def207878e1

 573b4fba0aec3da3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

 b5465067ae9bbf17

Edith’s gaze lingered on 3dd1ccfa53 the section describing their de90f62d93 family background.a396e94084ec7209

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The young siblings, 38aa6c9c49 having lost their 850c103af7 parents at an 6bfef450bf early age, must 8f64827449 have relied solely 0ff35fa02d on each other 43d36c0f63 to survive. Now, Finn was truly 5002ee34fc alone, having sent Lucy e79887dfee away to be adopted.f54b91d407b92f57

“Why is the 475cf59222 Duchess here? Did you come looking b659d3a45c for me?” fa81520ad8a25ce8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Finn, who had 49d6a10643 been staring at 0550faa342 the ground, suddenly c0a763bec5 raised his head, 2b7e6ccd2e his tone more e04bac19a8 formal now. Edith chuckled softly.2b7f454ec5efb33f

“You can speak 1b9ecf1c48 casually, Finn.”a46d1aaa06e05418

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“How did 9bfcaa002c you know 7d43a3468e I’d be 1cea5a1041 here?”52619061935b36a1

In response 7601ce2566 to his b63217a390 question, Edith b321ae89ce inhaled deeply e1aa5ce5b2 and then e9edfe8e92 let out 3045a3b6ba a long 624a5dc178 sigh.978a35eceb20b819

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“When I 0ecdfb18af was a 1438d5b155 child and c7ec7cdd5e wanted to 005a512ef4 be alone, 770254367a I used 006243a1b7 to come a676b01640 to places 62f0c9e3b7 like this.”489c349e6fbb4c15

From this hill, ab5ee4d178 one could see 3eeea825c8 the orphanage clearly. Though it 6eb6373d77 was only 0d236e20aa the back e14f0717ec view, there a4f8e6ea8f were few 7e181bcf5a spots with aa39eab0e0 a better b7b8da6493 vantage point.a34925f43c2abd7a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“When you 296c618c9d want to 5c86caac79 disappear but 1302e7d2ff are too 24c95d815b scared to 9b8c3d0ae7 go too 03dce84773 far…”f4f7efd2119a815c

There had been 0482cfe28b times like that f60e5dd984 in her past—times 178953ae5a when she questioned e017b8eb1d why she was 00f4cc4c2a living as she ea56ccf082 was and considered c8a5000946 running away, only 7e639c6390 to be paralyzed 4e1208fa48 by fear at d033098a2e the thought.53e3d1f3353b4c48

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“And I 47cef2c58e had a 3574468336 younger sibling 48d9b5be14 to take a0a6c885ed care of, aa93c6e749 so I 8434828797 never could.”ecfc99d3f7d86069

In truth, Edith could 1b24642259 never have followed through bc48aa634c with such thoughts, burdened 07e2619fe8 as she had been fa50b798c1 by the responsibility of 62ef0356be her sibling.33b8f9b60ba93a29

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…You had a 8f3a486715 sibling?”2ea43125ee385227

“Of course! The sweetest and 2e4a336546 loveliest, most angelic 3e542c214e one.”f4f605c2ddbf2039

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Then why didn’t you dac705f974 bring them here with 101fb54a07 you? Why come alone?”b353e1172e96cc6b

“I would have 31268e07c7 loved to, but 4240f81288 my sibling is fd426afdc5 up there.”55c45b64fdf52068

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Edith said, 7c8b13fcf3 pointing toward 2f81cbef69 the sky. Finn froze, his 9947d5bb6f gaze following her 784df680ed finger. He seemed to 6b6f8f7f9b grasp her meaning.cae50d316a33fee8

“…You must miss them.”2b308ebf2ee9d98e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“All the time. Every single day.”2420e052b4c9208b

Edith’s only family bd4f61c2d4 had passed away ecbbebf17f after a long f9ed9a4466 illness. Her sibling had b74ebbbaa6 been so full a284f6486c of love for 6ec49e6aa3 children, determined to 9aa9aabc7d create a world 57b1612270 where they wouldn’t a5aa6c8480 suffer, that even ea89a0a0fb in their frailty, 394858b839 they studied tirelessly 42ac839bbf before departing too 8567df9b57 soon.962932ff312dc699

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Edith had resolved 8435ff1969 to carry on 3459dacf8b their dream, pursuing 83e588c4ca the same path. 27399d53ca455cdf

“I’m sure you miss baacead105 Lucy too.”13c68e4eff5bf5b4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

And now, before her 4ded7dd0c3 stood a wounded child. How could 354e78a937 she ignore 14366c567f that?211f202a48126c6b

“Just like 1137820696 how I 0c941e6de4 miss my e9cf8adc51 sibling just 0c59510679 as much.”a34a11d39c1ee5cc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…..”c9afbe89588c2697

The boy’s gaze fixed 4bff6fdef2 forward, unblinking. His expression 7d6788ae80 revealed exactly 84c9a40e0f what he 0e7fa11f48 was trying 81c9997599 to conceal.5af6e977243c392e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I can’t let 8c3e6dbefd myself think about d52a7d8b49 it.”84885bf10505895c

Finn swallowed a0d45012dc hard, his ffc6b33191 Adam’s apple 57d335d9ac bobbing as b750d7de28 though he 2157c4491a were holding c0bceae2a9 something back. Edith let 63bc10b669 him take 6901331161 his time.fcf1ced212e602d9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Lucy didn’t 2976dbf176 want to ae5abf129a go.”a5d3444131d3ba33

 He finally admitted, his a3c23efb7f voice barely audible as 405536da07 the soft spring breeze 05009701b0 swept over the grass.33c0851f700931b1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“She cried and said c867a2a3aa no, even though I a9313bff76 told her she’d have db1e415683 pretty clothes and plenty 9476768138 of good food to bc44854062 eat. Lucy doesn’t cry often, 38556cceba you know. She doesn’t even 7f25b0e51a throw tantrums. But she e7d68a0f4f kept insisting 05758a71f0 that she 0a71dc323f won’t go.”c87a7e8c47dc84d4

“…..”ecd46ccc90f8e228

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“It’s because of me. I couldn’t go cf15b5009d with her.”5faec5be0a8c589c

Finn, although only 2eb0ef1a02 eleven years old, 8b1246525c wasn’t considered young ae6cc5d00d anymore by the 8218ed7079 standards of noble 42d3b9bf9b families looking to baf6f6ee41 adopt. Lucy, on the other 42a1a7e6c7 hand, was six—just on 64c8bc86df the edge of eligibility.e66b52399fa59786

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Finn must 0940570da5 have realized 1a9019655a instinctively that d76f08fa06 if they 776c747daa didn’t seize c7f4eb2b8a this opportunity, dfdaab4612 they might 6fcaa804bb never get ec9363a07b another.f347b3046f058c0b

“So I lied. I told a5c4e0dfd7 her I fa6ca030a1 was going 010112e912 somewhere else. That if she stayed, e807015c39 I wouldn’t be able c0102f214e to go. I…”55dff56915987b65

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Finn’s voice faltered as b98753089d he struggled to recount 2dcaeca3f2 the memory. After a deep ce45592d04 breath, he forced 47e6b593a9 himself to continue.c607556eac379498

“I thought it was b75bf2c768 for the best. How could we a41a428220 keep living in de272fac45 that cramped orphanage? The caretakers 1c5f4e3b61 don’t have 37d36a6062 any money, 811da182d3 and they b585c48820 can’t turn 5afbbe738f away kids, f288979fe9 so there’s d189183600 even less a1e7a83700 for everyone.”7ddafd1c6e99413b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Children from orphanages d22aaa846d grew up too e386474367 fast, their innocence 23f26c285a stolen by necessity. Finn was no exception, 9fb2f8be19 much like Edith had 4039b3a1ce been at his age.8f8cc485a681c42d

“I don’t ef22c82daa regret it. What’s the c39ccf6d10 point of 2cfa08019d staying here? I just hope Lucy 697a53d4a9 can live well. It’s better for her ab03f156a8 to have a good a8e7cc5ef2 life, without any worries.”579ee202360b0216

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Finn spoke with 015e47cfc2 feigned cheerfulness, but 3958f3e861 Edith remained silent, 32b88308b5 simply listening. When no response came, 739596d893 Finn cast his gaze 66803205e9 downhill, staring at the 0e274c7a0e old orphanage roof. After a long a501c0d11e pause, he spoke 82d28479cf again.d01ebfedc41856fa

“But Lucy c11a730778 said something 286043efbb before she 44adf88d17 left. She said she was 880045c6a0 sorry. Like she e14766d456 even knows d8cbeeac33 what that ed4d650b2b means.”5c2a132a2535616d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

His voice, initially carrying 17b711b2eb a wry chuckle, gradually 1e78e0c464 softened until it was f1633a63eb barely a whisper.d81bd922867b8355

“Lucy said she…”2e5b4bf07ff84404

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…..”d9c0cf05d1812987

“What if she f073fa638e thinks I abandoned 2a195159c1 her?”2f9d4ba04de37c04

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Finally, the a60b95f709 boy crumbled, e923c9d21c burying his 65a9362b62 face in 98348975a4 his knees. Edith shifted closer, just be27ce7fa9 enough for their shoulders b7d6b32ae4 to touch. His small f12c45338f frame trembled 165d459102 beside her.a1ca8b24d79c0675

“It’s not like that, e5cf8f93b2 but what if that b79337e1fa silly idiot really thinks fba94699e6 it is…”baf689ef96282e9a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He was scared. The words choked ba3431f8d1 out of him 836c553d1e as his body 293923cdaf shook with silent 946bc556de sobs.17c4f3ae8f237d0e

Edith didn’t hug 68520e6706 him or stroke 0e3fa474b5 his hair. She simply stayed 6cb2fca385 by his side, a766b84b78 offering her quiet 668c695f87 presence until his d6fd45f034 tears ran dry, bb9d1e2aff hoping the warmth 3687335e64 of companionship would 96c421e99e reach his heart.e9526215d56f2ea8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…..”ca7b8399c4eaae11

“Are you done f33d89820a crying?”703109f376c96011

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I wasn’t crying. Who said I was crying?”6eba19986bf8675f

At some point, Finn 5e9f22d5d2 muttered gruffly, his voice 11c35741aa still nasally from his dddb68dff3 tears. Despite his 9632a409b3 denial, his c2a20cb5a8 tone lacked 2e30c8a377 conviction.97a4c4c1bac9f159

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Miss.”e1fc891bd8b501c7

“Yes?”50dd685d9e4f77b7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“You’re a duchess, so 1a41b6b19b you can meet other f32b3e0f08 nobles, right?”e33dd90d105f162c

Pretending something 5f9ce18e66 had gotten 82559ae44a into his dbee5262d5 eye, Finn f630a00338 rubbed his dc8d27212e sleeve against 681e2c5e4d the corner b8ae50789d of it. He kept his e67b41cb80 head down, as 69bdcbf3ff if embarrassed, when d044f3d0fd he asked his 209e772083 next question.9980365299f8074e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Of course, I can 5f05e3772f meet them.”5cb2ba528c8de56f

“Then… if you ever 24a3f35233 meet Luciana of the 4da5cac514 Menière County family, could 5e02ec7cf5 you pass along a 91a2cb8172 message for me?”f9c269f535ed5164

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Edith recognized 4670d4b19f the name. The Menière cb5b87fd92 family was 282a936fe5 one of 8c6ddfa7b6 the noble e3668ea2c1 households that 7869026658 hadn’t attended 7c258e1e68 her tea c27e7c7fa2 party.d0850ca86999ebb9

That was fortunate, 81fa159c5a in a way. As nobles 1db467c635 of the 7e317853f2 capital, they ed1ed76a4c were people 238c3a61eb she was 4690d9cbe0 bound to 49b6fdd934 encounter again.84756b8c4c580eba

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What should I f10b190dbd tell her?”95a928c16429ed2e

When she e8449be28a responded readily, 2793035f47 Finn finally 30528f3cd7 looked up. His reddened eyes stood 7e563d46fa out, but Edith pretended a3dc7b1e5d not to notice.caee6066a6e83a0a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“When you 116771c69f meet Lucy…”911d4ce703765f7e

Finn cupped e47fbb8af5 his hands bd05f6e383 around his 0566b06346 mouth and 78ea3ae894 leaned toward b1b1b4bca3 Edith’s ear.aa726a7a03d9c494

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Whisper, whisper.a4b46a7bd765bee3

The boy’s 84b61b2fdd heartfelt plea afcbc73a4f was something 5642ee403b Edith engraved bc190dc5b1 deeply in 6123220c16 her heart.f25edbbe3b04651e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com