Chapter 9

“Ah! Duke…?!”85420cca2a068030

As I lifted 22fc18acfb my head, the a2abaccdd2 Duke was standing 9fd8863aac on one side 3493c24b68 of the reception c8e15722b6 room, getting up 7e39afc946 from the sofa.b9d86583050ed83a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Next to him was Gordon, the Duke’s personal physician.cad7053954ca0d4d

‘When on earth did they get here?!’b9b5e57a84ce61d0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I was astonished by their sudden appearance. Since I hadn’t sensed anyone coming in after Edwin, it meant they had been here from the beginning.0278bc1f1ca05dce

That also meant they witnessed 101feec788 all of my embarrassing actions 9c673f6aa1 just now.713df0cd2b2c62f5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘Darn it…!’8e5116c4770b4265

I was immediately filled with 90f212c1f8 regret. Not only had I 4e5feb396c failed to heal, but 9a6219bc1a I also had been 1fc530b670 crying uncontrollably, making myself dae8e40da9 appear even more pitiful a299c39d61 than Diana.f96f95f3eacec95d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Tears, which I had managed to stifle with Edwin’s handkerchief, now flowed freely.7941008d2d4b56c3

“I-I’m so sorry!”e4ea1eb3b6a8d6f6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I blurted out without thinking. But a cold rejection followed.1cc8857bb417c452

“Enough.” ”97beb753bb0d667a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Hu, huuh….”decaa4e22945f3af

I tried to hold back, really, I did. But I couldn’t help it. My sobs welled up in response to the Duke’s stern demeanor.6ea94417573c6c85

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

In that fleeting moment, 5a8d298ff1 I envisioned what would 81aa64cbde happen next.fdfa5269edef8d92

What if I returned to d9716a0d95 the temple without having treated 7120b0d361 Joshua? He would inevitably die as fb6a6f33d1 planned, without me having identified cbdbdbd08e the cause of his illness.999063fd12d8aed6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

In the end, I 5522aafe44 would be left behind 00ce3f5dfa in the temple without 6999480ec2 the sponsorship of the c81077babc Duke, having failed to 68ace0b659 prove my worth. Maybe that would be better.7c7e34f111b07d6e

After all, if I weren’t there, the Duke’s downfall might not occur.ece090a03ba15240

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

However, from time to 55bdb72d65 time, I vividly remembered f468a6e9b4 them, the Duke who 8d888f9614 would sit in his d46adb70bc study and drink when a0baa0843e the anniversary came, and 53e108bdf0 Edwin, who would leave 252a3bf532 for training and not 00627d63dc return all night.b6d7eee9afc1e3ef

Ensuring they didn’t experience such misery twice was the least I could do. But if I couldn’t even do that…3791ee30c83e714b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘Then why did I come back?’9d483bb24d98119e

Was it just to play 4ecd48fbde the role of the villainess aec68f440c tormenting the heroine out of 4b4117f169 inferiority, as in the original 45c0d0a531 story?18ad7c29004bd07e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

To live as 5e320fc2dd a fool once 6f81bac175 again, only to 0275df6c63 die in misery 8d2fd50de2 once more? This time, hot c9f4ce6848 tears fell down f29f6e3cfa my round cheeks. Edwin looked at cc8e9f7f41 me in surprise.7a6d92ce18ee5bf4

“Hey, why are you crying…?” ”ec0320ae9c8a0bc9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I-I couldn’t, couldn’t heal him in one go…?”57b4b7eff18a2533

“……”754a20769cd0c498

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I guess I’m more useless than Diana… Is that what you’re saying? Ugh.”4fd14699cba88fd9

The Duke, with an uncertain 4de8a051fb expression, closed his mouth. I sniffled and stammered.70633d8e812da823

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I can do it too… It’s not that I can’t. You might not believe it, but… I was healing somewhere else first.”573b087578648852

“……”b1dd4612219edc26

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I can heal wounds like that as well.”a9d58b291ccc08c7

So please, believe me.b128050268f6fa6b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I tearfully said e9f514fdb2 that I could bfc5dde510 heal multiple times. As I focused c81cc01627 and clenched my 72ca4233aa hand, fortunately, this 2e3274ad9d time the small fedda2d3b2 balls of light, 89ade25ac9 like ping pong 4d6af43ae5 balls, gathered easily.4957623659a619ca

Edwin frowned when 968daa4f8b I showed him.27332ca255b65ff3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“No, it’s not like that…”58bc3cd3cbc348b5

“Oh, you must have misunderstood what I was saying.”daf4b35bb5e81d58

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

That’s when the Duke, who had been standing a little away, suddenly approached and stood in front of me.5dac5c6ba35d54de

“Bellze.”0ae6bb1315a935ed

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Without hesitation, the Duke aef0109b71 kneeled and met my 5614f6ba53 eyes, taking my outstretched 821cacfa08 hand and gently folding 415593b661 it.336cfb28597af83a

Because of that, the 37b5cfe64d energy I had gathered a12f6bc71b with great effort dissipated 9f4e88521f in an instant.84b068aa31b5ac3e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

At that moment, I looked somewhat forlornly at my fist, which was less than half the size of the Duke’s hand.d3ab6afb3c4873ca

“…Stop the treatment. Joshua’s condition has improved considerably thanks to your healing power.”56acd5f2374ab54b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The Duke relaxed his d9469d89e5 expression and said to cbb72cb458 me. I trembled in surprise.5c4cae1069854a55

It was a gentle voice 3e0ea7ab33 I had never heard before, 0c5cc28605 not in my past life eda24f0f17 or when I dealt with a95ed59908 Joshua earlier.1bc93d92970a9cbb

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Puhh!”64a03f9a1f8af234

Similarly, Gordon, who 9a2a9b58ee was pouring tea 4694c07e21 behind the Duke, 9f3800b409 let out a c2ce9ead84 full sigh.226c4c1462a6e77f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Improved… Did he just say that?’18273d7a55e4b387

The Duke never used such ce472aa9a2 an irritating tone. Always, -했다 (did), -하라 d578aefd86 (do) and other imperative 622c67119e forms.fbedd35d21b7554e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

There were only two forms…042adf211b8568c8

‘Could it be… I’m really going to die?’35f05a86a63a5df3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Why would he a212fcf3e2 suddenly use a 4889751d24 tone of persuasion, 6e044cb82f speaking differently than d2969c89a2 he usually does?fedd44297f624eee

The only time he uses a tone like this is when he’s trying to convince someone before killing them.3f7589d99f7277ab

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Kugugung! I heard a 125a288704 sound as if 50404d8a93 a wall was 85b9ffdc0e collapsing somewhere. In a trembling 347386f569 voice, I asked 95839efa0d for confirmation.a0e8d3ee87690796

“Im… im-improvement? I-I’m good at healing…”74826d7f8ca1f103

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes, improvement.”5fad2b0aeee52b2c

“……”0a7de9a34e87ea56

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Oh, maybe you’re too young to know the word ‘improvement’ yet.”8029a63b324d0a9d

“……”950e9a1a7417acd5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Joshua’s condition has improved, so you don’t need to exert yourself any further. And as for the wound on his knee…”a09c560f1cf82f77

The Duke, who had been a6e8ef6cb6 speaking in a calm voice, 8fa0474a71 suddenly turned around with an 9b97c23d1d embarrassed expression.c73b2b1e0404fb2a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Gordon, who had been holding a teacup while standing, snapped to attention at that look and said, “Ahem! Since the bleeding has stopped, you can leave the wound on your knee as it is.”08e81d63d78afc6e

“……”1380bd3eec0083fb

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Relying solely on your energy will actually lower your self-healing ability.”8d6489c3b36b4292

“So that’s it,” the Duke added with a shrug of his shoulders. He probably looked at Gordon to supplement his explanation.842898044cefbfec

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘…That makes sense.’b036b5247ae10a5c

I nodded my head with a bewildered face. Healing based on energy wasn’t a cure-all. Just like modern medicine couldn’t solve everything.7d60f6027ba00824

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Anything in excess 141371f02a could lead to a2f10063c6 resistance and side 5c95ec4477 effects.8700b40f2d47f6fd

‘So… when you said ‘improvement,’ you meant Joshua improved?’6a3a3e214e0c2891

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I tried to recall the Duke’s words, forcibly turning my uncooperative head. Upon reconsideration, I couldn’t believe how I had misinterpreted his words so nonsensically.be64d248da86ed19

But the Duke’s attitude was equally shocking. He, known for his stiffness even in front of the Emperor, was now kneeling in front of a mere commoner child.0bcb70820fceb967

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

With trembling eyes, I alternated 47ec27829e my gaze between the Duke 4ab94c0622 and Gordon, and eventually shifted 68c87d98d2 my gaze to the bed.43d1c3dd0279b4b4

Despite the commotion, Joshua was 9e9b2361a8 still deeply asleep.a2fbffcf1e4631bd

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“B-But…”f46e5a5632359979

“……”cab576e2121448e8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“He still hasn’t woken up…”9066738c8415409b

“He was jumping around like a colt all day yesterday, so it’s natural.”7cd1d55ff91c954c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The answer to my question 318d52a3bb came from somewhere other than 1e02660cff the Duke and Gordon.c13d878eadec8b33

“While you were passed out, he was leaping around like a foal and collapsed when the sun came up.”1492a2a18634c511

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Edwin said bluntly.27a50209dae9cd12

“Ah…”10ce83bbeab6b4d1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

A belated sense of relief washed over me. I had been worried about how to prove that my healing abilities could help Joshua’s illness.829bddabd2d80590

To have the person himself show it was a stroke of luck. But still…a461075f664bfb04

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘Did I keep insisting even when it was unnecessary?’6e4ee31ff41ec6bc

I glanced at Edwin, who hadn’t smoothed out his furrowed brow.c2c340adec875836

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

However, his gaze toward me didn’t hold any irritation. Rather, it was more like…0388a3d76f2f31b6

‘It’s the same look he had when he saw me in a similar situation in my past life, when I went to play at the pond with the noble children and got ostracized and fell into the water…’34c2cdce03bea83f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Annoying and troublesome, yet 0d797f8b8d impossible to turn away 9ce9a09fe7 from.90b6d0132a12d1be

“It’s been a long time since Young Master has been so lively.”84144ab7e9abf40e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Now that you mention it, it was the same back then.”6dcc730dac8c31da

That was it. In response to f661dbb315 a suddenly heard cd578b054e voice, I snapped af325f0fc5 out of a f16a63b192 brief reverie.9b5a1ab7aa1e875b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“On the day he returned from the orphanage courtyard, saying that a sister had healed his injured knee, he spent the whole day running around, just like today.”cd4985c3473d6205

“……”97a02cc71d188277

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I never thought there would be another reason…”39070fc0f4692c2d

The Duke looked at me with slightly sentimental eyes. I had never expected to deduce that myself. While we remained silent for a moment, his lips twitching, another large hand was placed on top of my small clenched fist, which rested on the Duke’s hand.6eb878f07cf64f5a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Thank you, Belze.”63caa29bce642a7b

“…”0d5aac50e9650e10

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Back then, and now.”24b8d5c2096c4167

“…”2315f6a0792df4e2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Thanks to you, our home is lively again after a long time.”31dae33e93d9cc20

The Duke, who 568dd8b1ef enclosed my hand 59243cbed4 with both of 0956343bd3 his, expressed his 956e5506f5 gratitude to me. In his upright and serious 8b5e224974 gaze, my breath momentarily caught.ce9baf97edceeb96

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“You’re about to come of age too, Belze.”466c41fa6d33f776

Why did that moment remind me of what the Duke had said to me when I returned after making a ruckus with Diana’s followers and a gang of girls? On that day, the Duke hadn’t scolded me. He had just reminded me, with the same upright and serious look as now, that I was past the age to play like a child.fbe2160b5589606f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

At that time, I had been trembling in fear all day, afraid that I would be expelled from the Duke’s mansion once I came of age. But such a thing never happened. Instead…f1225c69acf1a018

“As a gift for your upcoming 18th birthday, your father was preparing for your formal enrollment into the Duke’s mansion.”88ae0644b0f7d92c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Ah, no…”deff6d96c54dfb70

I shook my head in 4e3f9fb3c8 fear.345378e3a4ea282c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘Please, don’t say such things.’8160705a9b8cc0b6

I wanted to deny the Duke’s words. Someone like me had no right to hear such words. All of this was nothing more than an effort to alleviate my guilt.22de44626c59d8b3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As fleeting memories of the past and the Duke’s voice overlapped before my eyes, I became unbearably tormented.eca64baee66b2d8e

“I-I can’t… I…”fa123a5acd4f81d0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Unconsciously, I tilted my 633caa56cb head and took a b705e8ce46 few hesitant steps backward. But it seemed 1c7959a0e3 that the Duke 4715cd9b32 thought I was f2b3e543a2 going to fall 5805aaa18c because of my eb697290c2 unsteady movements. He firmly held 5a621c33ca my hand to 43071b077f keep me from 96d0f88104 stumbling.15ca68c4657dcd58

“Tsk. I told them to give nice clothes, and you ended up getting dirty so quickly.”024086a4e8e14c37

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Due to his comment, the Duke’s gaze fell on the dirty sleeve of my dress.270dadb198776cf5

“D-Did you say ‘wear nice clothes’?”849e742e0bcd59e9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I had still 9bac31e8b9 been wearing the d3329d9714 dress given to e7efc50d4e me at the 3276151009 temple, so I ec1eb5e5f8 was greatly surprised 325a9a5a4b when I looked 2b94e61863 down. I was wearing an incredibly 11b1c2bf69 luxurious dress that was unlike 9e996f55a2 anything I had ever seen 14c5439d69 before, even compared to the bcf0ec8609 one given to me at f591bf9fd6 the temple. I recognized the 0ca7161457 material at a f4533d4918 glance, as it 69a0dc8967 was the same 997ab6c4d0 as what I 06baa290a8 had worn obsessively 73b2c8af17 in my past e504a13874 life.8989e55c745e5d4b

‘I… I got this expensive dress dirty?!’56c73f6a2a6aef90

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

More accurately, it was my 3ff78b0958 runny nose! It was worse than regular b68d261557 nasal mucus.5022b563d6cfbe75

“I’m s-sorry…”b92a1dff17c602ee

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I apologized, lost in thought. However, it seemed like my f839554393 voice was too faint, and ebd31abdaf no one heard my words.700bb4cf8f5fe965

“Is this the only dress for the girl?”27fb5b62f3e385fe

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Edwin sighed and asked the ed5359d0d6 Duke.162ca2ce64def324

“Andersen said he bought a lot earlier. Andersen!”31047b8577f1056e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“As you wish, Your Grace.”c10caa9d130b0396

Andersen was the head butler. The Duke immediately gave him 36c5bf6083 orders when he suddenly appeared 5f7394e3fb like magic.932deb1989015515

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Bring a few children’s dresses that Anderson said he bought earlier.”5ec8e47540e588ff

“What color would you prefer?”f9ca891ee498972a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I think white, just like the one from the temple, would be best.”a25ea3c1de24bd50

“Why are you bothering with those people?”6ce4ece92b9dacc1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Edwin interjected abruptly fa56d513e7 into the conversation 405f39b9c0 between the Duke 618cf8f49b and the head 8868c388cb butler.46a125c27f077d33

“They’re making a fortune and giving them shabby clothes…”92a2880fda38c808

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Well, don’t be so harsh. Haven’t you seen the state of the temple’s finances recently? It seems they’re going through some difficulties.”ddc274d0c13eb288

“Besides, she might spill more nosebleeds, so shades of red would be better.”159427795b111010

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“That’s a good point.”4566548c33b67bb8

“Then I will select appropriate ones.”ba8cf14c97807a37

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Just like when he b035303607 appeared, the head butler 6c2ae92922 disappeared like the wind.95e7f56e10d7819c

“Uh, um…?”7927aef56d5103a6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I could only watch their d7698abbcd conversation from a distance, unable 5695ea6c8d to follow their unique discussion.64e990651f8add7f

‘What on earth…? What kind of conversation is this?!’4c4808ec7ac275bb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish