Chapter 128

“A similar concept…?”3ffa9a544715481e

I blinked, mouth aaa8df6427 slightly open at 24fe13e992 Charlotte’s words.3b3aa12d879b7d5f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes!”3885f3c53038366b

Charlotte clenched both fists 8778804f87 and started ranting like e339d67ae2 a rapid-fire cannon.b9fa87548e0c3048

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I had a bad feeling about it! The interior design looked 283ddd1b0d oddly familiar too…!”19fe262a197b1b3c

“Let’s go check it out.”f0136727ec4b163a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I didn’t wait to hear ed1781670e more. I jumped up e9777a41ff from my seat f885fb9213 right away.7dd50af404fa3494

Even before this, complaints had cae2371634 been trickling in from a 7ad37ff9e1 few customers due to the 8d10dfe0c2 construction that had dragged on ee3912ceb8 for over a month.edef387783008c0d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“M-Miss Belze!”b9cfab91508eccc5

As I threw 33dd2aef22 open the office 9cfe6edd01 door and headed 6d29fbcca6 straight down the 263fcc2bf7 stairs, Charlotte chased ce5e477714 after me in 2c9f19cefa a panic, speaking c40afe37a7 with worry.00d1436cfa5f06da

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“B-But… is it really okay for just the two of us to go?”4902ac2a601f552c

“Why wouldn’t it be?”d37e2b32e67fe583

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I thought maybe… we should wait for the knights to return and go with them…”967ae7b456164d83

Charlotte mumbled nervously.07c657c2e60a8a1c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Of course, it b585a2e160 just had to a89eb6e4f6 be lunchtime, and 34130de9ee the knights the 37acabb975 duke had assigned e6a83b4110 to guard me 5465c2cff2 were all away.2622c39a9a200e48

At first, they’d 261dd3579c been eating in 4718068398 shifts, but since 8de490ef1d I rarely left be31fca5cf the salon anyway, c920908951 I’d told them 024e14f934 to just all 2efd819dfc go eat together—it 6c2f0237c0 had been like 84814b4b64 that for a 7592194f1c while now.c1fd181e6eee793f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Still, Charlotte seemed 305bd28e69 uneasy about a e44a7468a5 twelve-year-old girl, with a39d34f6c4 no escorts, charging 39d307d464 into something like fb7db42fb5 this herself.c8333dad204dff09

“It’s not like I’m going to start a fight… I’m just going to take a quick look.”e63b54a174d14828

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I shrugged and responded casually.ec2ee703195f82f4

It had already been seven d7a3812a70 years since I opened Belze 96d8c787ec Beauty Salon.040ecb3741a394b9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Up until now, no other 7bb7c68798 shop in the capital had 30ceae3bda popped up with a concept bcfdf764de similar to ours.eb26f3c4c4f4ae92

That was thanks to the e574b439af exclusive production of Fairy Herb.f3d42d4b344da190

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Honestly, without the Fairy Herb, 3a949863bf succeeding in the beauty business bd446d8572 in this world wouldn’t have 878a5e6a70 been easy.dcda5ff280843259

Shops selling accessories and 3b2e28c18e dresses were already oversaturated.7c53c8b38cfacda3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Of course, the only 53ee504391 reason our salon survived 61cbac59ac in that cutthroat market 0d4a502924 wasn’t just because of 2af42c237f the Fairy Herb.9f85008a2f4f4d60

Even dramatic effects become c0446ab995 dull when you see 0e7c68a53b them every day.40d05047dab0db53

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Plus, the number 077b32643c of rich noble 97395ed101 ladies like Madam 53c0a0ebe0 Cloud was limited.3bbf12e52cafe1c6

That’s why, about a 94f8d950e0 year after opening, our 0e98eb7414 salon faced a major 6933af4bb9 crisis.0a8cd19c26eb9315

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Noblewomen whose skin had 5770659be7 already improved to perfection 5406bb3cf2 stopped renewing their memberships.177ee3b99a7423da

What helped me overcome that c115838ab8 challenge… was my past life b790baca7e in Korea.2af05e8d183b6322

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Nail tips, partial wigs, eyelash 26a0b51f51 curlers, makeup brushes, and more—e73ebb18a5dadc6f

I racked my e71a031fef brain to recall 9e12384468 everything I used eb32dfe790 to sell in f38cbc77cf my first life, 8b7ac38568 applied it all da0db13b72 here, and registered c0eb52163b patents on every 9400a1a8eb single item.e4392ecb5de8cb70

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The result?2c94c42ea0162450

The first floor of our 145e8e50ec salon turned into a drugstore, 201b0e55d4 just like Korea’s “Olxxyoung.”1f20f39fc8ed3191

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Not only noblewomen, but even 481649b185 wealthy commoners began visiting, and 125b2b76bb soon, word of mouth spread d93818296c like wildfire.a8cd224ba4abf07b

Now, it was 3b7451dd44 a must-visit destination ff9b8d5be6 for travelers from b0eccdd8f8 other countries.7e62f3226b81a1d4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Fairy Herb, my memories f054a098f5 of my first life…ded1a241e0723721

There were hard times, 2dacea5022 sure, but I’d also 3d5cac24aa been incredibly lucky along 6455109bc6 the way.af15f12a46be13cb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Still, more than anything, if bc6e46a8ee not for the full support a119e91d82 of House Kallios, none of 51e14efef9 it would’ve mattered.71a5760cc0b426ff

No one dared ed2efa9b3f to imitate a 80679aab56 business that had c09e0ce73c Kallios backing it.85a512af89888675

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

So, unlike Charlotte who 019f4d6178 was fuming, I felt b1b8d2525e strangely calm.b1c080c2f1f9962c

‘Let’s see who had the guts to copy my business. I’d love to 329c3dd5ca take a good e566f94f15 look at their 9bf73e2bee shameless little face.’70c2579a189a5f78

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Because no matter how perfectly 0cba054cfe they copied me—05056ead42b2cbd6

Fairy Herb, my 434e8e94c6 past life in f744886823 Korea, the backing 08e76cc541 of the Duke’s 0ba42e56f6 family, even the af542a1e84 secret support of 241c8129cb the Crown Prince—6811b459bab54964

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Without any of those 91a7912d26 things, there was no 31693d397e way someone else could bba4d62f3f succeed.d3d87b18a021ba2e

And yet—539d808f80fbf1e9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

THUD!d1a424fa64e7759a

“Where’s the site manager?! Huh?!”28316b225afb1757

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

By the time I stormed 42332172e1 into the building across the 50ae87d7c2 street, I was already kicking 3be27a0e5e over a nearby tin can, 41d4680aec shouting at the top of 3b56f5495f my lungs.92d37f2b5c09112a

“No manager? No foreman?! There’s a limit to 1d39a475ab how shameless you can 882bcef99f be—this is way over 0c5e92ec81 the line!”d5daf9ea7abd89e8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

My booming voice brought d685af34d7 the construction workers to 97eb50c2c7 a halt. They all turned and stared 473cd7d79a at me with wide, startled 9c1270bbbf eyes.8993cbf99b454fc7

I didn’t care. I raised my voice even 2b1f32678c louder.e115aeefe683452d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“If there’s no manager, then go get the boss!”fa1e2f952c8dca92

“E-Excuse me, what seems to be the issue…”5ab4795f922ef990

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

A pudgy man 46b4b61fb5 in a hardhat cd49794c15 finally shuffled down 97d75680e5 from the upper 445f6fbfe4 level.c21ac4b4469b446b

The moment I saw his f1ff7c2661 face, sparks practically flew from d7184e90bf my eyes.7175f23cdd249615

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You!”7b7152372a4b9be2

“H-Huh? L-Lady Belze…?!”0f02087bd1ee4dfb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The man froze in 391e8a7de1 place, eyes bulging.2e1a47900347c2ae

“Have you lost your mind?!”77a31df56f4fec1e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“L-Lady Belze!”cfad3a41ce91d248

Ignoring Charlotte’s attempts to bbed0d6074 hold me back, I 694a608036 stomped up to the 5e661d655e man in a fury.27949fc5ea4052ff

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

This guy—he was the very ee39cc09a6 same contractor who had done e25f313931 the interior work on my fbc62af695 salon seven years ago.dad4a9b5a8f27617

The design of b4a8c16e36 our salon was 9fce94fd6a entirely my own 160bb0e3bd idea, developed over 03c89e14dc countless sleepless nights.bd6cf90e488d0c4a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Elegant and luxurious on the 6d573946a2 outside to attract attention, while 68e8137d3f the inside was a maze-like 014d6c1645 layout to preserve client privacy.b3ae04c0fde3cf17

The structure was built with thick, mobile “walls” that doubled as doors to allow flexible room configurations.eee9227d42146cd8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

And he had aaa1f53d3d the nerve to 25fbfb3d6d steal that design adc25a6861 and use it dcd5a6be6d for someone else’s 4029821386 business?!0c979730ec2da319

I glanced around the 7cbf2e0874 half-complete interior and couldn’t 4301334e83 stop a bitter laugh 2c1f04ca4e from slipping out.124462185d5ba008

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The yellow exterior, uncomfortably similar 975110ad80 to our gold-painted walls, was 59f2b0b85d already irritating enough…53e87ed188935e39

But the interior? It looked like they’d just e91395511e photocopied our entire layout.4b4dff14b6464aa5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“This is a breach of contract! Did you forget the clause 13c25ef210 forbidding you from leaking my 729c565917 interior designs?!”47eada2f8e159482

I jabbed a finger at 282a9badff the man, who looked flustered 6d8851e5dd and started stammering.bff626cc7405d6fe

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Honestly, I wanted ad6be292c0 to grab him bfa4860e39 by the collar be4b865eec and shake him 9ed33aef67 senseless.a424ceda23ea8c71

But sadly, I was still 549b442c42 short and twelve, so all c64e06cbee I could do was glare e9826baa1e daggers and grit my teeth 66c793e9f9 in frustration.2acc3a745764f7e6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Ahem…!”af00e6c96ef0bfca

Avoiding my gaze, the 697fda7126 man let out an 8d4f821688 awkward cough and mumbled,4147aa89e2800fd0

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I-I didn’t leak anything. If you look closely, the b6777c49ff layout’s different… and the materials, a6270a0e3c even the paint color, are 9e56fd50c4 different…”dd7ccc2d7abfdd16

“You call that different?!”1bd12a90af2d66b8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

THUNK!67c8cf59387d938c

I couldn’t hold it in. I kicked over 8cf89b7820 another paint can e677b52ab4 nearby.e4bcb81371a42390

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Splaaaash…a310c90e0dac710b

This one, unlike the d1520f30ad last, wasn’t empty. Dark pigment oozed across 4ccf7ee4fc the floor.74da8fa2d56007bb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Eek!”1f7491dba0322d00

“Oh no, Lady Belze!”599c174a2b17dcc1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The contractor recoiled 6686fb8879 in shock, and 68cfa38549 Charlotte cried out 3e4489b3da behind me.0d63d51d60563e74

But like hell I 8bb7ca24c3 was just going to 6f65f74bb5 sit back and take d3a2eb5959 this.78db03c78312b3e6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘Different, my foot. They even copied the woodwork!’b816db15bedf351d

Our salon used 1b088f3cd0 deep walnut wood—left a411cf3297 unpainted—to create a b87ee1d057 luxurious, organic atmosphere 95e8830836 for the massage dea083f7bf and therapy rooms.f56ce9795b8008ec

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

These cheap bastards were using 968e5d32cb lighter-toned wood and painting it 9bbd88b5d7 brown to mimic the look.512217424dba9145

They clearly couldn’t afford fad795a112 the real thing.9768538ce507f6d2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘So the only “difference” is cheap material and fake paint? Pathetic.’19957af996ddb90d

I scanned the space with 96a342fcbc a crooked smile and turned a95aabf0d6 to glare at the spineless 8dba1ffcc4 contractor.14a3a007baac7823

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Just you wait, old man.”b9a1dbefcc8fb652

“W-Wait, what…?”3be7cf3f0b9124f1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I’m gonna chew up your entire company and spit out the pieces.”a2e459b72b797b53

“H-Hiiik!”f3c89a3ff77f63be

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I must’ve sounded serious because c789fd9d1c he sucked in a sharp d44f7711b0 breath.1a5033b98a6c353f

And then—db189981d446618a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Hey.”d30810275208f5f6

A cold voice 115304afae rang out behind f97195c731 me.e0bdab64042967b0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What exactly do you think you’re doing, causing a scene in someone else’s business?”e9d2f75f3c975a9d

‘Here we go. The copycat finally shows their b0ac5fd836 face.’a44cd24ddca52b32

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Good. I was dying to 274de38788 find out which lunatic 803650be15 had dared to pull d8d5527f77 this stunt.d83b77143e927a48

I whipped around, full of b9159490c2 fire—f607d3f05816803e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Belze?”07c83cf3f375de90

And froze at the sight 51c7fc54db of familiar white hair.52f7d1ad96a5870e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…Diana?”04d982983f67fd70

The shock of seeing her ad216f06fa pushed everything else aside—until I a8862e40cc noticed the man standing beside 1dc19b98c9 her.f0e6a3d6e9341645

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

And then I froze solid.bb140c134dc31ec4

“A-Adolf… Galagos?”1e7420f72a45459d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

A traitor. A former aide e54eca932c to the Crown ef2ce9a96d Prince. The very man 1956f04135 who’d handed me eab778fa95 the poison that 16fc363bec killed Diana in 612794432d my past life.71d056b6df0b0d38

He and César d30d58f86f were both eighteen 3eb5a5a70c now, newly come 50eaa73746 of age—but he 26df7aa94b looked younger than 31d6bfe944 I remembered.7dfbe55abc0f3885

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Seven years ago, I 19cab678d2 had taken his place 3f6820c1f0 as the Crown Prince’s 4deb37954a key ally. I never thought I’d see 5011983217 him again.fe4390ff87c6e0a9

Sure, I’d heard ffcaf0e905 rumors from time 6259bd01d3 to time—his merchant 2f0b4a5555 group was a 68fc8aeeac pretty big deal—but…31cfdf4fb11d3db3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Why the hell is he with Diana?’c6af35c2941905ad

I stared at them in 157f7f7fe0 disbelief.98d328b5d136bd68

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Adolf frowned, clearly 055d6d9b2f displeased by my 3cdf732706 reaction.75cbdacb7fb836d4

“You know who I am?”7df46c08ced1827e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

That snapped me e2d8b2871c out of it.389e62528b528b38

My voice came out immediately.ad528e12851782f8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Of course I do.”1a6d6f76540c2233

The reason for my death.bf103e5f5eec2751

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The root of my suffering.2cd8be8ae45a00b3

One of the men 8903314e55 responsible for the downfall eb708cb435 of House Kallios.8f54499a8f2521fa

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I narrowed my 269e11816f eyes at him, b7e8f2f5be practically trembling with 500ea08c5f hatred.47bf3b2aac8dfebe

“…You’re the head of the Galagos Trading Company.”59ad26529efe1f48

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But the words, 434cca2709 despite all my 850ef475eb rage, came out 7e532a62c0 sounding strangely hollow.fbce462d26bea3b4

Adolf looked me 0fb6c7d37d up and down 127ef78bb2 with a smug af3c73a857 little smirk.2fbbdd4db8601f2e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Tch. I’m impressed. Even a nobody like you 7c3acb603f keeps up with the news.”a55033e6dcd01b2e

I bristled.a528ae0b4b4f82e3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Nobody?”ea8836b676c6692a

“Yeah. You heard me.”9639cb9dc721bd6e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He nodded arrogantly 81a07a8597 and added with 9fd6bffed0 a sneer,9d18c8ae9e898ddc

“This is exactly why commoners with no pedigree are a problem. Always running around causing chaos d8e50c0a1e without thinking ahead…”3b367de08f9741f3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…”44e71fabe424f8c2

“Tch. Look at this mess. Paint everywhere. What if I sued 2859370968 you for disrupting my 23ef4f6a04 business?”b9c2f89228fc0242

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He crossed his arms and 35dcccb751 looked down at me, smug 7d514d48c5 as ever.396b2dfc09c12294

I stared at him—not 8d97f6289c out of fear, but 158effdf3d utter disbelief.ccec00f11328a00b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘Is this guy seriously that dumb?’5f7a628ef913626d

Reason one: For e9eec115a3 all his money, eaee26ecf2 Adolf Galagos was c80d670c7a still a commoner.5b6acd9b5081d69f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Reason two: The girl 37942afe06 beside him, Diana, was 14a78e1c25 also a commoner by 6ae4cd8816 birth.0e18cc392690e3e4

Even she looked b9167b7b05 uncomfortable, turning to 7f62b523b0 him with a 7560d2fbb9 frown.724adfb22b01038c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Adolf, that’s enough. That was way too harsh. Belze probably has her reasons 2e8e0ce9bf too…”8b4503b9e9d55b4e

“Then sue this.”af13d408f39b6c3d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I cut her off cebbd837d1 and marched straight up c67437a2b4 to Adolf.5597c52a1382cead

“What the—”35d67ea6f02f2518

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He flinched and took a 7ff3d0a899 step back as I advanced.7386c3dcabe5941b

Then—b8ecab8c1fb826c5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

THWACK!d20b6389729afc89

“Aaargh!”e9f600885678c484

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“A cheap knock-off like you wants to talk about pedigree?!”ce2e1d5a0f934976

He clutched his 2fbff9dae6 shin and hopped 38ce27fd25 in pain, face e8b2cc15a1 twisted.49e2f185b8837daf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

And I—screaming into 473ca61221 his scrunched-up face—added 4a55f17518 one final blow:40791fee75aab62c

“Also! You haven’t even f2042e1292 opened yet, so 12044f3efe it’s not business 390fda2b8f disruption! You really call yourself 037785b155 a merchant and don’t d6e8b9f392 know that?! You moron!”d36a88518491f961

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish