WBWB | Side Story 17

Jeanne de b81f848150 Toulouse was 1cd17c4cd2 more than ded1f84694 just a 88ec808abe tutor to cc7fa576f7 Mael de 4175ae92a1 Lances.29ac10c37df3cfde

He loved Jeanne de 2a25b9bc7e Toulouse from the moment 101e067277 she appeared before him 0f0d4372d7 as his tutor. Looking back, it c8b08b773a seemed he had 83dc7dcf43 loved her from 460e16d7de the very instant feffa1496e she stepped foot 92845956f9 in the royal 3e9d10eaba palace.b5c9d1500e53901a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

For Mael, born 8ba6e5a082 of a royal 66dde8315d mistress, the palace a3b09695a9 where he was 3ca5b89657 raised was a e9c0b4bd10 desolate place, as 5d5e5eb5bf barren as a 6dfe3800bf desert. But Jeanne was 21688a4242 like a fountain, 1111a077d5 a constant source 49406c852c of refreshing water, 1d77ea67dd nourishing the dry fa98fe787e land around her. 9a43fe9a90fde7b9

Mael needed 4044f12015 someone like c0c3edc67f that. Someone whose kindness overflowed, 7d94a09145 someone who could share c14093ebae that kindness with him, a5d4426f82 parched as he was.6ea02ce8b4b3b96f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Shortly after becoming his tutor, Jeanne completely captivated Mael’s heart. Their conversations were always enjoyable and enlightening. 537aa77c352610db

Jeanne not only taught him the knowledge found in books but also about the world outside the palace walls, a world Mael knew nothing about. And above all, Jeanne didn’t look down on him. Even when everyone else in the palace did. Instead, she cared for him without prejudice.76c30e3d8e0ae6d4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Yes, rather than saying he loved her, it would be more accurate to say he couldn’t help but love her.827f2d3e76058de7

In the palace, even his own mother was too preoccupied with vying for his father’s affections to pay him any attention. So, at the time, Jeanne was the only person Mael could truly focus on.bf1f34a56bc985e7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

And so, afef10e9fa at some 647d1434d3 point, Mael 7a4f0f2d9b decided to 58426d1bf2 make her edd7c6fb22 his.a90d3011ebc97461

He decided to make her his Maîtresse-en-titre. He vowed to himself that if he made Jeanne his official mistress, he would never make the same mistakes as his father. He would never allow her to become the subject of gossip, a plaything in the Queen’s hands. He vowed to protect her.67372fa8d0a70779

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

However, after ascending c76e77fc5b to the position 6e322667f7 of Crown Prince 73ab776814 and summoning Jeanne b0b0e120a8 to Franc, Mael 0c47a3a486 de Lances made 63a04869a9 several mistakes. The biggest 72ad005369 of these 22f8ef4ed8 was assuming b6d722d9d3 that Jeanne 8bdf98441c was already 99d17bb4a5 his for abe908cd6b the taking.14f4a6172d2e29f2

He believed that Jeanne was already his, that she wouldn’t refuse him, that no one else desired her as much as he did, that he had no rivals left. This arrogance led him to make a series of fatal mistakes.4c7a47f3f7b4d9d2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

What would have 7f12ee25e1 happened if Mael 2d5704353c had realized that c4dec88721 there was a 816e9a41a5 powerful rival in 918ddb77c1 the far north, ed0000ea71 a man powerful a83cf1d99a enough to challenge cff28b91e7 him? bfa75d800577d3a3

For one, he wouldn’t have sent Jeanne home after her rejection of his initial proposal. He would have confined her to a room in the palace and, by any means necessary, pressured her until she agreed to become his mistress.096530165f4a37c3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

And even after receiving 760bb25368 that promise, he would 86f49795a6 never have let her 42a2ca3237 leave the palace.a9d29f6dce1ca8a8

He would have kept 44b9dff1bc her by his side 50cef0eabc until the day she 7f8f4a1d5a died. But Mael, bc81a65322 though he 96926887fa might have cac7987c76 become Crown b6c0baa6ee Prince, was 5b59ea324b not an 458c030233 omniscient god. He was, after 2a7a8e0396 all, just a 0638a3c17a man, blind to 39aee3327b the future.c7f7988e9e95c809

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

So, when Jeanne rejected c3511021f4 his confession, Mael allowed 71ebddafed himself the pretense of d6649cea90 stepping back, despite having 37a5e29e0b no intention of doing d20a8f3826 so.9c28bfbae56012f5

‘Now, I have the 26e64e704a power to protect you.’c4077c6d559cce45

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘…’213ac2d12f1daab5

‘You showed cc192c7ff7 me love a9e52cec99 when I 6d62e41a96 was nothing. I can trust you.’98f6f7e59aa1dc44

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘Your Highness… I 1ddac8833c cannot be your 605c118b6a Maîtresse-en-titre. You deserve a159b58838 a wife ac21519939 far better 3a1d3064a9 than me. Someone you can respect 2e5126277f and love completely. Marry for 23f4cea596 love, and 654c537d53 don’t take 2c47affe16 a mistress.”3240c344f0f36eb9

‘I knew you would 1661e65042 say that… I’m not 40611fc880 asking you to decide 1e2c5eb7d9 right now. Just stay 3b9e33ffaf by my 787696199a side until ab1648cf02 I ascend 2d68ba8682 to the ff8bf70813 throne. Give me 84a27316b0 a chance 464b9f6b38 to prove bab6a12efe my love. And in d5721d429f time… I’m bb46e6ecb1 sure you’ll 98e7a2b848 come to 2dbf2b69c4 love me cc256d1d9e too.’b595f2fcdacd7cb8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As he had told Jeanne, Mael was certain that it was only a matter of time before she accepted his feelings. Why wouldn’t she? Mael had witnessed countless high-ranking noblewomen scheming and vying for his father’s favor.b4975d7cf0406eee

It was a coveted 4872d48042 position, after all.a601a8442ce9a614

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

One’s perspective is limited by one’s knowledge. Having lived his entire life within the palace walls, Mael firmly believed that any woman would desire to become Maîtresse-en-titre.31ba372752c24367

Furthermore, at the time, Mael’s heart was swollen with pride due to a stroke of unexpected luck.39e3f3e6d3389b12

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘I am fortunate. I have been chosen by the goddess of fortune. Otherwise, how could my formidable enemies have fallen on their own? Although my past was stained with hardship and humiliation, perhaps even that was the goddess’s way of preparing me.’9de9ee5bccba893e

As the son of 5acb3cac78 a mistress, he was 4accf261d3 originally destined to be ec001bed3f eliminated when the current 788eeb961e Crown Prince ascended the 50754fba6d throne, either politically or 6d6f662d4c physically. His father 3755e88c09 was growing fc18aaaba6 old, and c1ddd4e99f the Queen, c56d35c40f who hated 05a3dae5b7 his mother, 7d2f17e3d8 openly threatened 85369cffbe to kill a53a407172 Mael one eb4d1d9969 day.cefe6251b701e310

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But fate, disguised as c003ccab9f a plague, had swept 8729a13e02 away his mother and 956b09f6b2 his enemies, paving his 4398525d97 way to the throne, 903bea46e4 as if he had e0921423ba been destined to be ca5ec8af22 King from the very b78c691abb beginning. With the goddess 3f2ac65b4d of fortune on 13643e8233 his side, what b8cd32dc98 else did he 3215718c64 have to worry 3cade45c65 about? Mael firmly believed f2b318e0ce that this good 9bd4328fb9 fortune would continue.fb37a23255ecd46f

And blind 77da3ea3d5 faith is 5df830cbd4 enough to af5335308d make one b992e8e5f6 blind.3abd58d5b72544d2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

So, Mael failed b82b3d8c72 to notice the e6a20523a7 change in Jeanne a5f4f86ab9 de Toulouse when 6e3e25e49c they met again. Despite enduring 091bc0c2e3 a period adfe19f184 of exile 4e9f83a5ce with no 25cafa14ba end in c55ac36a5a sight, in eaf3975cc7 a place 434e326ba3 plagued by 4837168541 harsh rumors, 73d8fcb49e she had dd99678643 become even f00d6812e9 more beautiful. He failed 543fc26e9a to recognize d83bb5bb8f this contradiction.2a4b5bb3d18293e2

Mael never questioned e79aeac7b3 what had transformed 40d08d4559 Jeanne during her 91d631a14d exile, what had 12efa3e9a0 become her support 3f7102c60c and source of 60f6397bcf strength.4bcc0f3c5bccf00d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘She needs time. Time to dd269d3835 process my 625bce0605 offer.’95be6dbf9c1418dc

So, Mael sent ba2bbc710c Jeanne home in 9048430e1d the carriage, believing 1006ad333c she needed time 86ab8cbcf4 to think.dea0bea1ddffca1f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It was a small act of kindness, if it could be called that. He was convinced that once Jeanne returned home and thought it over, she would realize that his offer wasn’t bad for her or her family.7c5c4d820b797b31

But… what if, f21abaae80 despite all this, 87b55078ee Jeanne refused his e66d7d129d offer?2aaf40e8d8fc5efe

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

What if she didn’t see him as a man?0d874d6320010bf0

In the fb12bc578a worst-case scenario, f17cab5195 Mael had e9a9f47557 already devised 05ea469cb3 a plan 05cfc0abd1 to force 504ce60aa5 her to 2146b26a32 submit, to ea77c70407 exert pressure 41c05b0c99 on her 3c62c872fe even if 310234de04 it meant 3e147cd5b7 he’ll make 97e3faf1df her life 6e0d89d1a5 a living 44657c2738 hell.1fcb0dedc2aa144d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As far 604e5bf0c7 as Mael 7ca2551b77 knew, Jeanne 61ad846036 had become 5cf943c992 a tutor ff18f38462 to provide b31e7814fb for her da6d8e4ba2 family. What would happen if 7176bc333f he secretly intervened, preventing 1dc206dfdd her from finding work? What if he d4741cc0cb made it impossible 22bd86c19e for Jeanne, her 08d627147b mother, and her b4f4555e83 sister to work 5f3f21dea6 anywhere?00acc739432a646f

They wouldn’t last long. Just as fish needed water to survive, people needed bread.99737214db3edb80

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

When the water in a2092ff578 the fishbowl dried up, 446a308578 the fish would have 1917aa806b no choice but to 7e52d03abc move to a new a96f13bb96 one.7563472382bb4d41

After sending Jeanne home, Mael didn’t think about her for a while. Not because he had forgotten her, but because he was too busy. His father, the King, was bedridden, barely clinging to life, his consciousness fading. Mael had to act as regent, handling the King’s duties while also preparing for a joyous national event.f7090af0edca1427

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

That joyous fa671dc843 national event 0eba8e6dda was his 73e51b7793 own wedding.232d6e180ecb3d83

The King of Lances, Mael’s father, was a ruler with clear strengths and weaknesses. He had wielded the strongest royal authority since the founding of Lances, but at the same time, he overextended himself in strengthening that authority. He had waged too many wars.29971f997591eb93

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

While the wars might have expanded Lances’ territory, they also made many enemies. The conquered nations formed alliances, seeking to reclaim their lost lands, leading to more wars.03415dcbcbf0e885

Due to the frequent wars, farmers couldn’t properly cultivate their lands, and merchants couldn’t trade with other countries. Naturally, the economy collapsed.9e43a6ba8723e009

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Even as a prince, Mael had maintained the stance that if you couldn’t kill your enemies, you should make them your friends. But back then, Mael was just an illegitimate son, and no one listened to him.b9eebe9f8c8deef4

But now, he 8020f8d62a finally had the 974ffc23c7 opportunity to put c2d6493d74 his beliefs into 168d37f118 practice.9aab3650464b80c9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The first thing 89dffec5bf Mael did as 63eb6b724c regent was to 6b7c8f9b93 replace the warmongering f51351d92b ministers of defense cc44dfebfa and foreign affairs 6607282203 with moderates. He also dispatched envoys 04a881dc33 to enemy nations, offered 2046f07981 to return some of 9ad396fbed the conquered territories, and f8b8836cfa did everything he could 02a104089d to foster a peaceful 21d9b0b137 atmosphere.0ee2dbecb658a4f1

The marriage alliance 892ca83d57 with the Kingdom ee2d7a8c4f of Sardinia was 1051fc18bb also part of bfec6ef37b his strategy to 34115ca540 end the war.190bd93788324e4e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com