Chapter 132

I didn’t know what had f760d2ca69 been said between the Duke 2b34ba7d0f and the marquis—b69959c1f6ecee33

But Marquis Tebron had decided 2901a5e580 to stay at the Duke’s 94aaf22ffa estate for the time being.d2f03bdf2977fef0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Even the cold and eccba1b68c sharp-edged Duke probably found 135fb08634 it hard to cast e9be82f782 out a limping father-in-law.d667a832486fbaf6

‘Well, it actually worked out for the best.’c319c4ae532f27f9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I felt relieved.cc08bdc769eb35e2

If I could run into 50d79792a1 him now and then, I c66a84ae85 might figure out why he af53c0a9a8 was limping on one foot.b315fea474e693f9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

And if I f4a97a53e1 could do that, 43891dfa16 a chance to 67f3419bfc heal him would 1ee71bfcb1 surely follow.47dcf83c33ec3102

It hadn’t been 446a9e3d12 the most pleasant b69c6a741a first meeting, but 2f20cf0e42 he was still 3ddedfd5f9 an elderly patient.6a6a5d3f3c97e44e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

So I decided to set fe159d48f3 aside my personal feelings for 12aeebdc19 now.b45f437a14a10d8f

The marquis was, in his 479f708ea4 own way, important to the 69c75d8cf9 people I love.f8904bc86f9f5d30

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Besides, even though that stingy 23da28b6b2 old man had disliked me 1d0e25a4f5 intensely ever since my past 4a3d60627f life, I didn’t feel all 01924f0810 that much hostility toward him.c067793385a63248

‘Maybe because he weirdly reminds me of Joshua…?’b2b8dd80905e044b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

However, contrary to my 1ab07c6989 plans, the marquis had ec61d5768d locked himself in his 29711de411 room for days, and 8024571edb I hadn’t been able 4bdb704088 to run into him 12f8718ede once.dd351b96dc4c7176

I even heard he 7cb748ddef was having all his ba143a5a2d meals in there.055f6093307bfffa

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I found his behavior strange 2064ac0c2a and suspicious.9a775b3dc8d89c36

‘He wasn’t like this in my past life.’9be1fea38dce2f3e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He’d been a very feaabafced cranky and temperamental old 7e1d4922ca man—someone who would throw 6e7b5bebca a fit even while 85969c75c2 bedridden.e05bb3f91330b2c2

And his pride? Immense.2fe29aef5d054cdc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Even when he’d been attacked 9d4a613d4e by a demonic beast, he b51b7762d7 hadn’t asked the Duke for 3c5be5252e help. That alone showed how 0d374dd5b4 stubborn he was.1c57141a862cb641

But in this 03fc380c40 life… something about b6f27384a1 him felt off.10622e83c8e68b58

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Hmm.”09471dce64eaf7ea

Looking toward the 0f0f094484 side of the 19918a159d estate where his a0bd9f7749 room was, I ea76906736 turned on my e16a5dca92 heel and stepped 50cd4793a0 outside the front 5ee13f9392 door.e33d428eebc744ef

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The crisp morning air pleasantly 7e0a072bcb filled my lungs.bee1c914893b480b

Before heading to the salon, 6b7faba333 I often stopped by Grandpa 31f72234d3 Gordon’s herb garden.3f8393a284c2aabc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Part stroll, part 7b6cd12e85 routine check to 6b48a370ab see how the 37ea4ad417 fairy herbs were a5f5ea76cb doing.6655327d9b30d6f3

“Gramps! I’m here!”902fb2edb50ddf46

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But when I 96e7c74e94 arrived at the 227c9511a3 workshop, it was c2ef5b5324 completely empty.a0d8b74a9f5d9da2

He wasn’t one to sleep 56d12e5d54 in—in fact, he was usually b3279acd3b up early, diligently tending to 321a8138d2 the herbs by now.aee6bf0c1236f002

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…Where’d he go this early in the morning?”b23605fbe8be015a

Sure, I kind of bossed 9cc99f5a3c him around unilaterally, but still.87e789bb816cf1ed

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As a business partner of eb9bd8990c sorts, I wanted to discuss 792fa6b66d the copycat shop that had 0927d3a56b opened up right across from 0de23ad303 our salon.c7a85c2098531828

As I glanced 4c0375f6eb around the quiet d82d9bafb8 garden, puzzled—68fe07a2e8b8b8ee

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Oh! Lady Belze, you’re here?”ac0a829bd345f5a7

Someone suddenly emerged 37509e4f4e from the forest 1764f96ac3 and called out db1db0cb7c to me.3900803b9631ee76

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It was Jackson—Grandpa Gordon’s db6b1c47f7 assistant and, well, my 81e9898bb0 slave number two.7e2bd88a4a62da2d

“Jackson! Good morning!”9df562f027ca61d9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Good morning to you, milady.”113a396adb2fc65b

“Thanks! So, where’s Grandpa Gordon?”f51789c68b50b4bb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“The physician? Um, well…”df523177ab2711bd

Jackson scratched the 12e29bd2cd back of his 098f55abba head.51f355f2119f9ed4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“He was summoned to the main house early this morning. A house call. He hasn’t returned yet.”8e63047d59e895b4

“Summoned? From the main house?”5343b047abf617f8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

My eyes widened at that.878f5da435217303

“W-Who’s sick? Don’t tell me—it’s Josh?”1e6394885609e308

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

My heart sank 6c112f81c4 at the thought a06317a64f that Joshua’s condition 891c8acc57 might’ve worsened again.b1b34a00d061aaa3

But thankfully, Jackson shook 480a5a6f24 his head.fc519dbd3368b350

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“No, it’s not him.”75a93c092317d866

“Whew… You scared me.”dfd51a2af90d790b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I let out a breath 8fc94c77ee I didn’t realize I was 8cb45819e6 holding.d3cee2ea412f498e

Once relief settled in, a1c2efb9d8 confusion followed.69038463c70937f9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Right now, Edwin 748da9ce07 wasn’t even at 7386a7aa33 the estate.e700227a5312b167

The only people who would’ve 38268103bc summoned Grandpa Gordon urgently at 3a13ddf303 dawn were the Duke and a3f02f0492 Joshua, and both of them b6a2d1ccc9 seemed perfectly fine when I b377943255 saw them yesterday.a97b1b5b3d03eb8b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Then who called him?”207a6bd4268ad4e2

“Well, I only caught part of it, so I’m not totally sure, but… didn’t the young masters’ maternal grandfather arrive? Uh… Te… Tebe?”a2c6384e3e83a169

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Marquis Tebron?”2dd0aebaaf3c90e7

“Yeah! That’s him!”0cb8723071470815

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Jackson smiled sheepishly and nodded.e337b2aa40adebb3

Maybe because I 1e5797ec8c had just been da1cb99dc0 looking toward the 7a2579e87f marquis’s room, the 18e2511408 news left me 922228245e with a strange e407b332ad feeling.36aa3d289024b5c1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘Is he actually seriously sick…?’faca24203bd04f94

Thinking back to the day b4da7e49ec we met in front of 2e81cdc4f8 the estate—be504f89c226f30d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I felt a bit 055394879f of regret. Maybe I should’ve pressed a901800d42 him more about his bb9c63f408 injury instead of just 0e26d5e651 backing off.29a22817a08a999a

But then I shook my f38b43b311 head.f1fd78ccb6e675de

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

This was the same cranky old man who whacked me on the forehead just for calling him “Grandfather.”f28cf70a6ccfe3f3

If I’d gone 73076dab60 as far as d4643233ee asking about his 7dc062bcb0 limp, he might’ve 27f2f8c8df tried to kill d01b1ca943 me on the ed5bd2bba6 spot.5c8e98132cae55c0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Tch… Well, since Grandpa Gordon went, I’m sure it’ll be handled.’c9cdf740bb220ad7

Still feeling the dull sting 28790ca3e4 where I’d been hit, I 4f34919e63 rubbed my forehead and pouted.d75f99e1741d5ed1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Thanks, Jackson. If Gramps comes back, 4b5b03a5fb tell him I stopped d187f81d07 by, okay? I’ll get going now!”2e3da0b681c59613

“Sure. Have a safe trip, dd940a9b1e Lady Belze!”45b804c21e50dcc8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

After saying goodbye 64db19c225 to Jackson, I a942d2ccb3 headed straight back 2f6aa7440c to the front 4443a7a31f of the estate 369e41dff0 and boarded the d528caeae6 Duke’s carriage that 953f1946cd I used for faa75d87eb commuting.6e497c1dc64c7608

Normally, I would’ve 76af8604b1 waited until Grandpa d3c5198b8a Gordon returned…1679351d47d6471c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But thanks to the shameless 025638876d copycat who popped up right 5b8301d5dc across from our salon, I 2ecfadfe01 was going to be very 5e0d76fad6 busy reviewing legal documents for 7fc95c2854 a while.181c6e929c78ffdd

* * *840bbe534ce749ad

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

After spending the entire day f6778fba2b wrestling with legal consultants and 390017ce83 lawyers, I decided to call a4d7d10fd1 it an early day.28ea7a0552dd310e

“Goodbye, Director!”a5ec8f744c13a13a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yeah. Good work, everyone!”afc35611faff3728

After exchanging goodbyes with Charlotte 1f7cdc7149 and the other staff, I 87ca1c472e was just about to get 9af12bba62 into the carriage when—4fa9e9a204d8b610

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I suddenly froze at the b561970b36 sight of a figure quickly a58bf489e1 slipping past behind the carriage.77ee22691e81637e

“…Josh?”d095fb57fd538357

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He vanished in less a67e37056f than a few seconds, e637d198b7 but after raising the bbc6e0b4dd kid for seven years, c0f8739ea3 there was no way a2c796fdbf I wouldn’t recognize him.921b4b8b73eee284

“Wait. I’ll be right back—just going 2ea54aed7a somewhere real quick…!”29d851cdd029a858

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“D-Director! Where are you going?! Director!”d7815738d883d95b

My staff panicked at de4860cb14 the sight of me 33a14f05e5 suddenly taking off in a908ec3b39 a run, halfway through 306608c2fc getting into the carriage.310cce2201b10dcd

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But I didn’t dcb6c037b9 care and sprinted 6d9a835479 straight into the b65baf3054 alley where Joshua b337982db9 had gone.1ce34b0161870747

As expected of those good ace70eeaaf genes—his height couldn’t be ignored.9c65bd3b97f86fb9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Joshua, who had turned 7643e30602 twelve along with me 1d47444355 this year, had grown c28b1f64f9 so tall that it cf5bebaab5 was hard to remember cdc0c3b8d6 the sickly, scrawny little 7cf489b8ab boy he used to 635f6cf269 be.402b10d2633e85c0

I chased after 276d4abefa the boy who a75ebca384 had already disappeared, 199124439d my short legs 52901cb3ee working overtime through 3f5cdf9bcc the alley.62ce77136f478f0b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

And finally—just around the 03cd8ca172 corner, in front of ab298f7f57 a cluster of shabby, 4a66447d91 eerie-looking buildings—I spotted a 0a5f7f7b17 head of silver hair 238e2232d0 standing still.5ebccac1681c708f

‘So I wasn’t seeing things after all.’441d75ae72bf9b26

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Royal Academy uniform. Noble air unmistakable to anyone.df2819d8f7dbb23d

It was definitely Joshua Kallios.cd0ea0cf063bc1ff

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Josh—!”bacfc25fe38f32f2

I called out 1de4e1561b to him loudly.17cb5eb3672b00ee

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Startled, Joshua flinched and whipped b497e73be8 his head around.0f77f2daec9b2ea8

His blue eyes widened in 2a75604d02 shock when he saw me.cf3eb73e0966a98f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…B-Belze?”7dfbe1c3b76b10d4

Afraid he might disappear again, c8302abda7 I hurried forward and ran a5dd3036cc straight up to him.b7db513594052043

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Huff, huff… What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at the b914c1cf78 academy right now?”e944c9177ed1cab0

Still catching my breath, I 7cd776464b grabbed his sleeve and asked. He narrowed his eyes 2a51daa673 at me.45f679ba60fe5130

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What about you? How the heck did you 06899b7552 end up here?”9dc25411294c23ff

“What do you mean, how?”843afea109cd3f02

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He looked at 19874824ce me like I’d bb051d3cc7 been stalking him b76e4c8a0e or something, so e01853598a I shot back 16a0d306ae in disbelief.7af6ce9b89c0b6af

“My shop’s literally right around the corner, you idiot.”9df25256029fce65

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…Ah.”3fcf922356c26170

Only then did Joshua relax aa64749721 a bit, letting out a 685dfc53f4 dazed sound.49dddbde4ece0a6e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I glanced sidelong d080df79de at the buildings 71858a342d behind him and 451d6a27b0 asked bluntly:0a5fb94bc99872a5

“Do you need money?”9842137ae83b54e2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Joshua flinched, then turned 720402f647 his gaze away and 9e304984f6 mumbled,4b736f603286af18

“…It’s not that.”4a0aceeeef84fe58

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Then why’d you come to a pawn shop?”0f09d5a7fc187af8

“How do you even… Ugh, never mind. It’s not what you think.”bdd1519b19feb161

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He looked startled that 785ed339ba I’d figured out his 0b7cbe46e4 destination at a glance, 44cba9a9c0 but quickly shut his 55fc6d0150 mouth and shook his 2e868de262 head.7ab0007b34d33845

After nearly seven 5393b3d383 years of running f940a4fd3f a shop on 4ed766ac62 the busiest street 2b4ff343e7 in the capital, 13090c957d there’s not much eccb635186 that escapes me.b37387f243b0debe

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Especially in an area 000abc94d5 like this, where pawn 23ff39cc48 shops and money changers d37d4ec01f are clustered—if you don’t 5fbe9eb186 know what you’re doing, 5121397ee7 it’s easy to get 795fbfd140 scammed.418f2e93c9e26da5

And someone like Joshua, a610d5126c a well-bred noble in 7bfe4b2b62 a school uniform, would 37f78141d2 be an easy mark.3af040d94e1276d5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But rather than pointing that 3f3aab2931 out and hurting his pride, 45f904022d I tried a softer route.02ec2d9f3a3a5a5c

“Then what is it? I won’t tell the cd915f05a1 Duke, so just say 15b5c40a57 it. Are you short on allowance? Want your big sis to 94beedfc73 lend you some?”b1f5dcad06911471

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Since when are you my big sis? And who needs allowance? What do you think I 2bce130e9f am, a kid?! Just drop it. It’s not what you think.”d6e2b01643167ce9

Joshua snapped, clearly irritated.6b5e3b17b322606b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But I’d heard that one 0cd1ab0160 before, many times—so I brushed 69100e0066 it off and continued.468c99fd4f913acb

“You’ve changed, you know? Back in the day, even ebe01f4724 when I told you not e0cea56b0a to call me ‘Sister,’ you 31d873e693 still went around saying it 03f4ea1745 all the time.”14ddc552425424f3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Just as I suspected, dd9c2f76bd what he once said 28b7e9ff2f freely had become one 127388caab of his most embarrassing f6cca05d32 childhood memories.9972e159e4a78511

Every time I brought it 08831382c5 up, his face turned bright 04864b5358 red and he’d start stammering.fb715c9ac38f08cd

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

And of course, 86dbec983c he had no 40131f3286 idea how cute df01af2f0e that made him 2a9268ec3a look—or how fun afdd5fdcd3 it was to 0279ad9363 tease him for c4e4be96ce it.05eb7babaa3f38ac

Wanting to both lighten the fe0bc608f1 mood and dig a little 1fed54e829 deeper, I hooked my arm a7a90b5a0d around his.6cc4454d6062934f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You used to take allowance from me without fail before going off to the academy, and now you don’t even want to call me sister? What a little—”cfbabdefdac1064a

“Ugh, seriously—!”cde4b1cba117bb5e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But right then—79cb14372eddf2a5

Whap!1103f4723d02a1d5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Joshua suddenly and irritably dcbf44559b swatted my arm away.712a1b9b6c8f7f7c

Then, completely out 30ba09593a of character, he 59b6dc1723 shouted in anger, b05e07a82b face twisted in 53b773e861 frustration:eeab0c8af87aec6e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I told you, it’s not like that! How can you ff2efadebf joke around in 907b44d983 a situation like 3ab8255fc8 this?!”8c29d8cd08958bb4

“…Josh.”0d681842e44fe4a8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I looked at him in b9362e397e surprise.b15fbc1b085826b4

It wasn’t that I fa06739a40 was scared or unsettled 7abf059988 by his sudden anger.4c0aacdb76f914d4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But…6ddc78c48c2d25d4

“You…!”4dc389cc9802b08e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Despite being shoved away, I f7d4c1621b rushed forward and grabbed his d1cbc97975 shoulders tightly.f1164e46137cb5a6

“What’s with you? Why are you acting 3e1e9a1400 like— Wait—your face! What happened?!”f38995eaac5ec5b7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What are you talking about…”2a1f15bc15335bb7

“Your lips! And your cheek—under 3e27901ead your ear too, e2e772baee you’re bruised!”8690926aa2bf7b7f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

There was a 2671050223 tiny split at d0cb9d8353 the corner of 944f0c6b8e his lip, and b7535afded faint bruises on d73c8c92bb his cheek and 395554143a just below his 97c761f787 ear. They weren’t that 1acba09198 obvious—but with my 6e0316c920 healing senses, they 25844a936b couldn’t escape my 487a172e61 notice.7843a818c20946cb

Joshua, who had 9bf19e2ef8 been shouting with 79244936b1 a scowl, went d46cc061eb quiet once I 35092c7517 gently held his 25494d8df8 face in my 5844239e99 hands.0d8dffaa90d65fe6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Then he lowered b3c701ceb2 his gaze and a0bb37a0cd murmured softly.75095eda4f5b6d3c

“The lip… it’s just a bug bite. The bruises are from training 4b3a42fc39 earlier today…”7ad273a60d0091df

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Bullshit. Start talking. Now.”efcd58290b2b8159

I cut off 51a584e7d8 his pathetic excuse 94f9fdfa62 without hesitation and f26634ea1e growled,fda7eda770397764

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Who was it? Who the hell hit you?”402929618c75c356

TL/N: if you guys ad96be5530 missed there was a f31be9a5f6 time skip 3 years 012e1f49b1 so josh is 12 535e371aa8 and belze is 15. There were past 2 fa55c8f6e4 time skips till now 779b07b01a lol1354395f44ff2744

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish