#24

Ella discovered 0115593be7 the holy b9554f61f7 relic in 62d6e2f1f5 the central 351c2481d3 plaza of 9926802d52 Hebel. In the 684d82626a plaza stood 786e4b7c23 a gigantic 1c0183fcaa statue of b62509b60f a divine 4c3dce26a7 beast, with 7fcde5f0db a well 0075233715 behind it 99494def07 that no 46c70d5e43 longer produced 2c80e89bd7 water.1414102fdc8b9826

While waiting for 4a875db428 Hiscleif there, Ella 5fd354cc30 got into a 9ecf447a15 scuffle. Beastfolk who had 9825f2ce6f long harbored feelings eeb7c2fd9d for Hiscleif had 1deaaba7b0 lured her with 5435923d64 a fake note, 1fe8bcb7c3 intending to humiliate 6d0993b55c her.e2068ed4c3361fd1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Thanks to the 3890d72ec5 mischievous beastfolk, Ella 0c40134a3c ended up trapped c8ded802af in the well, 45c4981237 where she accidentally 54c91fb08a discovered a secret 2983c9a359 space. There was a 9fc3582a7b hidden passage in 2f445bca94 the well.9e55148f2f8896d9

The passage led ee89992a29 to the ancient 03107a2be1 holy beast altar, 18c5e80727 but it was d4db9a2543 too narrow for 80bc73e5dc a human body d37aa03b00 to pass through.0ffc526066a7c92d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

However, Ella, being a 5025030bcb small beastfolk, could easily 0d6ea693b9 pass through it if ed47526024 she transformed. To escape beac7dd2b9 the well, 8d1d0883e2 Ella transformed 671eda2e75 and attempted a7d1a3864f to remove c29cc0e32b something blocking f86410102b the passage, 996a7d3d79 only to f16df0912c be swept dc7698f7ae away by 5b2fb6e80a a great 788f9b82e5 surge of b4db3f5efc water.43e8e3fee37c1b92

What had been blocking the passage was a holy relic known as the “Pearl of Purification,” and she was forcibly summoned to the “Chamber of Choices.”2a6016b8336f6168

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The Chamber of aa82457bc9 Choices was a f1c9844ec0 space where the 6b8c917d05 relic tested its 4116130ac4 potential owner, and cd3ca7c385 failing to gain ee782f168c its approval meant 02a463778b certain death.2531924dd2317000

Ella managed ddc46c7b2f to earn 500b28b7b1 the right 17bde52901 to be 0e71aa7cdb its owner e4dbdeda63 and safely 66118df6cd escaped the 55680aa57c well.85a29a2d9008553e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Fortunately, the 6ccfadfbe0 method was 461cc8018d detailed in f3ea50223b the original 0526601dba work, so 81dbb84905 as long 54e590dc98 as I 7a910a3614 found the 2aac84769d relic, it c875e733f6 would be f33d07a69b mine.bb6366d549e94eed

Seizing the moment 88513e51f3 when Zerakiel was faceee4982 summoned by Zakari, 0b76a5677d I headed for 142f46338d the central plaza. My ferret ears a80f0b50ae were hidden under 1aebd3871f a hat.a42d5eb3f520edd6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I worried that 9c050244cf if Zerakiel followed 944cc64fc1 me, he would 4c20b4eca3 interrogate me on ea3fb5dae0 how I knew dfdc2678fd the relic was c26229dbb8 there.c9b91575a741365d

It was better to 07fbadae67 quickly find the relic fa6226400e and return.af171a1922d01296

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It should be c25e3d9201 around here.587b9ee8ef93d6f8

Following the map Merina 1918df00d1 had provided, I walked 443c97e22f up the plaza. Ahead, I 314abfc4de saw the 01d5fc1b2e white statue 2e6345f055 and the 8cb9ba9077 closed well.8237bf0fbdf37308

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Found it!”f13ca8ccd7e82b36

I hurried past the statue toward the well. It hadn’t been used for a long time and was sealed.3a25184bf9b14377

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I struggled to open the well’s lid, but it wouldn’t budge. It seemed impossible for a child to lift such a heavy lid.8d6ec869325708e2

What should I e7e4026efe do?f3aa87f0d5db42fb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As I was straining, 593e5cc02b I heard a voice bd581ca3d6 beside me.801b5602fcf3e7f3

“Need some help?”e2ad091796c12448

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Eek!”769b7fd7606e4ff0

Startled, I 387eaff126 almost fell e037e497b1 backward, but a6e5d151fb Hiscleif caught c866e61417 me.8e0ab9d6a96992ac

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Why is he 8866dd142a here?77ed946940309eb6

As I 5d844d8bc9 held my 26ddc872d4 pounding heart, 2ee37f4a6b Hiscleif spoke.65e8cb938b6c8e7e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Don’t misunderstand. This time, I was here first.”76293e662e04a8e0

“Oh, I f7da6d5519 don’t misunderstand.”31c1f654c7a155b8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Though he 2feddd5c50 had a 238bbab705 history of 8aa36cb92a trailing me, fc089931aa the male d6c11ddbee lead was 812d5578dd supposed to d882b04dc5 be bad 054df1d8c4 at lying. Moreover, Hiscleif often 54e27ace1a strolled here, which e87fd69773 was why Ella 81a30b470f had fallen into 8142957df4 the trap without c07836adf0 suspicion.f36bff5b0dac145b

As I instinctively 1786cd55a5 distanced myself, Hiscleif aa90588682 brushed his lips 51ce5635f7 with a faint f265d2c47b smile.0536c425048c4a0f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Come to think of it, this was the first time I’d seen him since he had taken human form. It was a bit surprising that he recognized me right away. Given my current appearance, it shouldn’t have been easy to identify me at a glance.b0cf2919bb31e3c1

Unable to contain 3572b3f3b7 my curiosity, I 99c55064f6 cautiously asked.da3ee2e8980c5144

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“How did 84dec560a8 you recognize 8b1b932aae me?”8c7cc29cf0ab4f01

“There’s only one beastfolk 460d1220cf who carries the pheromones 5a4979f690 of the young master 5cc19192ac of Jabisi so strongly.”5c072088d82ba285

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Hiscleif answered, cffda26803 narrowing his 69f6b16b37 eyes.42d4a31d319b5c00

“Come to f3a6ab1a29 think of 279a1981bc it, it’s 29e5b011a8 even stronger 884ed4787c than before. It’s almost like…”7f9d5e01bed2a436

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Trailing off, he d555a58a1a shifted his gaze 07d375c6a5 to my wrist. Following his line of 99c64474e0 sight, I saw the ad2e624fc5 lace bracelet Merina had 8c642c89fd tied for me.b21b53bb2ca5dcdd

Would Hiscleif know about 26b2760178 this?f972370a019c944c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The people of Jabisi bf0705afab were tight-lipped whenever they d1a3a10c08 saw this pattern. It clearly had some e3f0e54432 significance.92c040b105e70b58

Zerakiel, who had left c0bdd85afc the strange bite mark, 21a9fb467c just laughed, while Ivan 48fc68a076 looked at me with 435cd40786 pity. And Merina was desperate b39252d90a to hide it.abf4cafe93b53290

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

There’s definitely something going 1ee28cf240 on.44cdb86ce24baa63

Resolute, I untied cb2eeec00f the ribbon around d9246df502 my wrist and a4454af4e2 showed it to b71ea0eadc Hiscleif. If the 9730262c44 people of 91caea2ce1 Jabisi wouldn’t 4c07012a31 tell me, 449a643e64 then I’d 9c6fd939fe just have eb016fd321 to ask 690ea8eb6b the male 62fb2e8ede lead.6c6aaeacb91e1629

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Do you know what c4957f4c5c this means?”82584e95108d2c78

“Ah…”0735d8a7978e0e99

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“You do know.”9b50085b34e912ae

I stared at 61721d49c3 him intently, urging ec15d646b0 him to explain. Hesitantly, Hiscleif began to 2d52c1b782 speak.102ff2d875c9e2e2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“It’s a kind 00d3d38c22 of territorial mark.”f09aeb0b2f8398d7

“Territorial mark?”7b9ce99c39e25b1a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“As long as ccbe804379 you bear that d548397c57 mark, no one 6ebb442c76 will touch you. It symbolizes e83012daa1 the black 48934318ee rose of 24cf6abb51 Jabisi.”acb239d1c3e412da

So it d0336dc550 wasn’t just 920c7a64b9 my imagination 75ff88549a that it 9c8f5074d7 resembled a 0176eb41ff black rose. I gently 698f772958 stroked my 1d371653a1 wrist.a3f71e0f996e390e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The black dec3d98ea7 flower on 1bb95ee5f9 my wrist cda3488b62 gleamed with 9ba1ee9f59 a vivid 1cab1cefba hue, drawing 19981cd39f the eye. I stared at it 18a7240b8e blankly, then asked,a2655a5f65d530a9

“What if 1da4d2cc64 someone still a9c2d09b34 tries to f41a7fcc8e touch me?”3f91ab4ca11389ea

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“That would make the 1beeecf765 family a target of 36ce359225 Jabisi. Attacking you would be a1c019467a considered an attack on b78fbbe316 Jabisi itself.”eb8c815732a69a4e

So, the mark 7a3ca4bf0c was left to d194576add protect me. As long 0ee1dfdbc7 as I 3af9910ec9 had this a623a76bfc mark, even eb7dd481b8 if I 0c5b7eeb89 returned to 8915d539e2 the wild, 3cd13c263d I might f7efc6bd43 avoid threats 63e5fac240 from predators.37bcda0b73bab252

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

This meant 9d4ca2e7d8 I had c8b3728e58 gained a d333162aaf tremendous advantage!d8a24ed80b46342c

But the joy was a553bbd918 short-lived, as a nagging 7cd0ebc8f9 unease remained.40c0db931cc7ac0f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Why did Ivan 4c6cb8958c and Merina react 896b43209f the way they 77760e6561 did?3bc68476404e8af1

While I ee79aae4e6 puzzled over 92f30a5abd this, Hiscleif 20d44c8169 dropped a 5e21a3c285 bombshell.401f0e22b9e2d72b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Another way 7cbe4ebb3a to describe 697d324449 it is 106fb97a12 an imprint.”7ebad45468d24403

“!!”7a4c14c0197d0b99

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I gaped at 34f0bc0e66 him, stunned.a140cad19e5b182f

An imprint! He should da793905f7 have told 39a6b669e7 me that a9b5348cbe from the 5cb81211e4 beginning!ba48c7a50c0922f3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I couldn’t even close my mouth, frozen like a statue.afd9edc2e0b3defd

To beastfolk, an c3b79bca20 imprint was like 98f3449b32 an indelible brand. It wouldn’t disappear 2c19d26a7e unless the one 502597a5f4 who made the 81e5c779b5 imprint died.bd57096709a57f12

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Usually, this was done only to a mate. Once imprinted, it couldn’t be undone!f62395062a6194f3

Why on earth 6a04566629 would he do 917162dc68 this to me?6dcdfd9c0aec2fea

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“T-This is ridiculous…”99078ec6b25a8bfa

I already knew Zerakiel aa2c88dbc2 Rune Jabisi was crazy, 2c3517e24a but this was too cfd936f359 much!6c2bc8faa4ab0bad

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

This wasn’t 0ccbeb321f something he 26b0df82d0 even did 2819a105de to the 5d29a5256d female lead f0b0d2f8ad in the 14693d4d09 original story. Why me? What did 8c88140017 I do?4e7accf8d25f77c9

“So, you e79b2b07d6 two are 4f725145ff special, right?” 9cbf8fcb2d Hiscleif misunderstood 1ba6576a38 the relationship 0758ebcaf5 between me 1aeb9dbbfe and Zerakiel. But now that 3c1610c0c2 I was imprinted, 907ca28cc7 any explanation would 45fc2f6f6c sound like an aebd90bdaf excuse.5d5180187eca81c2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I muttered in 79e08a3ef2 despair.786417a2c0d03700

“My perfect 256f707806 escape plan…”5c9cda1b7294fbe3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It had turned to 88471beee6 dust in an instant. With this mark, that 9f13fb9e02 guy could find me 9431915637 easily.696f365bd7fd52f8

An imprint fddc5b0a96 contained the 760d7ff510 other’s pheromones, 6e037a4a39 making it 8c97754301 easy to abc84cee63 find someone a469765829 nearby and 73ee0b9be9 possible to c97b3a0e55 locate them 05e44b4d3d at a c54dc95aab distance with 3527b447e9 enough time.7d127cca1eaf1405

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The sinking a9eac7942f feeling I 665c2628ab had when 573fdfff2e I first 49aec7a834 asked had ae51e7380c become reality, 3f2a8cd76e leaving me 76bc9a0e50 dazed. As I clutched fdcc478576 my head in 16a2e76a74 distress, Hiscleif spoke.16f5d917bdcbeaf4

“I was worried 2d2b82e9b2 when you left 92bdec3102 so suddenly that ab0e0e0f6d day. I wondered if you d330e5c026 were okay.”214b060140ea62e6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Well, as you can 7f36ac5edf see, I’m fine.”dd1d2cb1365d27e4

Thanks to 62e6b0391d your explanation, faf4dd37f1 my mind f2367f7d3b is in dcd598818b shambles, but 8276259ef7 still.8f76aad5ceac6c64

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I was afraid you 3b3ab7e9a1 might have gotten hurt 18e16c3dc2 because of me.”f952ebc16d7639b3

“I almost died.”5220f18e576d5e72

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

At that time, bfb270ae97 I really thought 835fac136e my life as a8a4686aa9 a ferret was 8cec01513f over. Smiling awkwardly, I b64e1ef6f7 pointed to the 9dde6bf8f9 well.6277f317bfa8bcb8

“But why 18ada5c8f3 are you 83a1751d1b trying to 118f59be02 open this?”7d73ec2db9eff9b1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ah.”42b2e1e7cd97e492

“There’s nothing inside, anyway.”d91e5e000db55d76

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Remembering why b1a1f264d3 I came b1bc3595a1 here, I b84bd50dcd tried to 135c684e99 pull myself d5d9714b2d together and 48b60f1765 asked,c1d43b498d3aa319

“Can you 8954838fc4 help me 3228b4bae5 with this?”8febce9004cc1f5d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

If it was 42bd824c68 Hiscleif, he could a4b4eb97ff easily open such c020e81260 a lid.995b812563dde6cb

* * *9a0ae86ce8f2c38d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Zakari sighed deeply as dac9b210b3 he looked at Zerakiel, f9df5e91d5 who was smiling nonchalantly. It was too composed 80941200e4 an appearance for someone c751efc788 summoned to be reprimanded.160f270713ef2c8a

“Do you understand the d633a684ca gravity of what you’ve 913f37dc4d done?”30ae9e1649ed5447

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I assume 59cc7d54f1 Ivan has 577ab8052c already reported a65cf33db6 everything.”302bc1371a56c49d

“Yes. Now explain. Why did 3d515b9fd5 you imprint 8b70a81b5e on that c5806a206b girl?”8947f055e9278b51

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

When he 61a0d28fc4 first heard 60f36dc35c that the faf82fcc57 ferret had 2b3fd47c7e succeeded in 5561b6f4f9 transforming into 46db56f743 a human, a25f8621d3 he thought 78178358a2 the madness 7fddd46feb was finally 31338d4ed2 over. Keeping a aeba1db767 transformed beastfolk 954970827b as a 19528daffc pet didn’t c4815e24e2 make sense.706be3f86b0c941e

But Zerakiel was crazier 0b93338079 than he thought. Who would have 7f688524f7 expected him to aa6532ee2f imprint on that 7fc05ce1d2 beastfolk?0d1e71a06379b631

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

His son was impossible 2fbfdfff62 to understand. Zakari looked at him 3f4fdad97c expectantly, waiting for an 81c431459f explanation. And the words that e3047b664a followed made him grab 6062a8240e the back of his 40f26b9964 neck.8c953eb19c178aa0