WHCTC Chapter 1

“Huff, huff, huff…”c62897fce7eb165d

A small forest near 131722e10b the royal palace.fe4e0a6020d33bb4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I was b9653d8b46 being chased 3e32dbbf2f by a 15c3cb77fb large number ded7cc644c of assassins.5f863318697999bd

None of them f47ff2eb54 had any focus 61c7a2a9e3 in their eyes 5753715303 as they charged 0d204b06ff at me.86c48271c7d1caa1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Haah… haah…”73170dd24078c584

If I hadn’t been a356a343f9 quick on my feet, e11e60a978 I would’ve been dead b0c121c5ca long before now.5e5ad49d8a82c74c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

In fact, the maid a5bc88e8ff who had been guarding 9ee0348b6f me threw herself in b45ea00b49 front of me and 28bd975853 was killed instantly.805ed34252ab021b

I used 807aa69af8 all my 48dd9e878f strength to 79090e4a08 leap with 1856148f06 aura infused ee838a14b7 in my f7f8b0455c legs, but 09353aead6 it seemed 3d8a32d3d0 like it b710e38b17 wouldn’t be c06e7ac35b enough.345587bb0bb9bcf3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Just as 1e1224e42d the assassin 9a20d5b00a closest to dfc179bb8d me reached ad74779f31 out to 3d72ddef77 grab my 6a79c06e78 hair—b7e3023ec2e71fe2

“Gwaaah!”03ea223a367de02d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Kyaaah!”8a172757d93c70e3

Screams erupted from b5b2f37daa behind me.63eb4b73dcf55638

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

A man appeared, exuding 78ba44462b a powerful aura, and 04ea8295ed in a single swing 556d336f44 of his sword, he c14568b0f1 cut down more than 8b899c687e five assassins.7994f25e6a0573fb

“What are 620079d8e5 you doing, b5ffded2fe Your Highness?”c04c1887368d2d95

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

With jet-black 1e9df9eaa3 hair, a 045c96a7f1 tall figure, 7f4ee9a3ab and striking 213ec6a7c3 features, it 8828e80344 was Kayan 02795bd7ee Barklith, my bcb9cb5a18 childhood friend 3553da3d78 who had 025ff12fe0 been like 5a4004f330 a brother f05d1ea512 to me.14fe4d080c447a9d

He spoke 8a31289828 in a 311f032eba low voice, 4df4ce6c80 his eyes 1eb5a93acc sharp.3d14b37a09729315

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Run, now.”93de20471d8773f5

“K-K-Kayan?”eef34f963542aabc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I didn’t 102612723b expect him 8930d29de7 to show 090a9f200a up here. After all, eight 9bbfe18d66 years ago, I 5a4ce82b06 had broken off 10f1d4e76e our friendship with 3f62cf669a no explanation.1b62cc11536030fd

Too shocked to react, 6002e6dbf1 I blinked in a 2ee719b9a8 daze. Kayan urged me 63be35c3fc with an impatient 25c63b9e83 tone, as if fa32099943 telling me to d0d9911ab8 snap out of 596e04dbfb it.585d0f4670c9d550

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Hurry!”8645aefe37609b39

“Y-yes!”e07d3e624ad8ff81

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

At his insistence, c4a20f7aa4 I started running.615b0161f340b81b

Kayan followed behind me, 9e7e72e82d cutting down the assassins.70fcbadf5418497c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

They attacked 49b18c2598 us not 7abd7d23ea like humans a9aa8a821b but like 17f64841f0 beasts that d50aa40841 knew no 2fabc94a24 fear.063914d0306f17ab

As we 7efe57327d dashed through 19437f8abd the forest, f06392537a Kayan muttered a4abbc15e9 under his 240da66879 breath.1f150673d82301e7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“It’s dark magic. But I’ve never cf532fe135 seen anything on da8bf5cb5f this scale before.”64c7fd7dbb6f4618

“You know 05d3f5a785 about dark 2c5dd06848 magic?”041e82782d1ef564

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Kayan swung his sword 76cd742348 and quietly responded.4443b7955ad6578f

“Whenever Your Highness 1eaf303057 made public appearances, b9810311d3 I sensed this e27295aa53 same energy. Everyone who e078a96f9b wanted to e155f10708 harm you 54642458b2 had those bb82af5ce0 same eyes.”3f312bb48f1a1435

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“How… how do you know that?”c9f05463b2db0d22

“Because I was the 405a764f39 one who killed them.”f5c900c834b426cc

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

His answer took me 3d201b20c9 by surprise.f32583bfd3d74aec

I asked, stunned.ba5436186cff12a6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Not Simon, but you?”b5b5b55e6e6c45ef

In hindsight, it made ed1b034e12 sense. After all, everything happening 0e6b984ccb to me now was ac64ae9f40 because of Simon.23fa458035d6f896

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Simon was the fiancé 9b403dab46 assigned to me by 370e3a8925 my half-brother, the crown fe0397a185 prince, to serve as 1c704f4646 my protector. He was also 6afbd19f8d my brother’s closest 95f8c3afd9 friend.a445525ca42a49d6

“The influence of Prince Hugo’s faction had grown too large to ignore. To join them, I had no choice but to eliminate both the crown prince and you, Your Highness.”8ca705db951dfa03

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

And now, Simon had 0001975cf4 betrayed both me and 49cc90fb1a my brother, leading to 2258c43387 this.a6c4e84268ed28be

“What’s so surprising?”63e2a59b1de41197

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It wasn’t an unexpected db2d7640ca betrayal. Simon had been 5e00e37374 weighing his options caa2c78089 for a while.b57125caa2804dd4

“I was the 99915bead0 one who made 34fd8284b8 up the lies 3bcf422bb2 that led to fb6296307b your falling out db0247ea7d with Kayan Barklith, e72dce92f0 and I’m the 6494e96a4c one who killed ef9c504be1 his father, Arthur 1dade14dc4 Barklith.”f72c590cd71a4207

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Simon had been isolating ea2f28344f me for years, just 94555ae1da to make me easier acc36e6af1 to manipulate.bc8ce04f633f5bf3

“Having Your a7a2145a27 Highness’s loyal da982f3b56 eyes and 0beeb834af ears around ce5a39f1e0 wasn’t to 320b1aaf96 my advantage, ef2d33924a after all.”f0f6d41e16996f71

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Eight years 83204d1567 ago, at b131a42767 the age ed30668894 of twelve, b9885dd151 I believed 3cea7bdcd5 only Simon’s cafcaffd11 words and ff96785c89 broke off cc4d8f7cf3 my friendship e23a1d8fdb with Kayan.26ef41463344db4e

But in f5f91f5ca1 reality, it 180aacccce was Kayan a284b6f056 who had 10ef754467 been secretly 51e15c69ae protecting me 5363c88ad6 all along.3a73f16247cf1981

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘And even now…’86139616afb3519b

Even as I ran, 06899ef5b8 the battle continued behind d4d76e5eaa me.9adb92fff4a5b9bd

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Kayan, who 1fb8b8f6a5 was protecting 5e69b2121a me while 7076bee0a1 taking down 851272a83c our enemies, 0e6fda19df had already 2922506738 started accumulating 3febd1bd3d wounds.7dd9ac2262476695

“Why, why… why would you?”078067e80e848f00

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

When I ended afe101895d our friendship, I 432b84d784 had insulted him c32f9f362d deeply.473bc116ebff3ce0

I thought he would 58c9b685e4 never want to see bbfc6f9b55 me again.4364e8c6e9331ac4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Steadying my emotions that 611cb14495 were in turmoil, I 6e61eb04a6 barely managed to ask:219548b5149d6d84

“Didn’t… didn’t you hate me?”638ea3903cfcc8ee

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Kayan didn’t answer that 51964da48f question.b23d7d7c62b51a55

Instead, he said 5b12aaa74b something completely different.10439a8b49a7291e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Years ago, someone came to assassinate you, but there was no response from the Duke of Serneaux’s household.”5ec7de8884734630

“Ah…”1d7d4c93155699f9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Your Highness was unguarded as always… I thought for sure you would be assassinated this time. My body just moved on its own.”5c46faf0a6d3346d

So Kayan a3ef6e73f3 had been f8228a78d6 protecting me f98d40567c all this de3dd29428 time.35d2072941c45ad0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

When I stammered 2c8a5a751e in shock and 9a0da8f2f7 surprise, he spoke 56f6af4709 firmly.ac28d71c60f5d38f

“I didn’t protect you because I wanted anything in return.”5f70baf2a9e291a5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Then why… why did you…?”7a8a549d24e48928

“Maybe it’s because all the people from the happy days are gone now, and I didn’t want you to disappear too, Your Highness.”d4c3ff3fb9201bba

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Until I e4d607bd5b was twelve, 3fa5adba82 I had 408744719f grown up c54cc597e1 in the 19a3e5833c north, outside 19ccc03ee7 of the f4ac83568d royal palace. All the 7ee576a2af people I 5625df1fab had known 3d8b12caa9 there, except dbfc6815f2 for Kayan, 0c49200017 were already 04bd7544d3 dead.90147f5389e0f45e

“It’s happened so many times now that protecting you has become the only thing that gives my life meaning.”3034e0dceccec552

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Kayan swung a7fa877d78 his sword bcd0422cec again, cutting 0c5a8a00e7 down another 214078b23f group of b36327d656 assassins.000c9aa9069f4af0

“In a way, Your Highness saved me. You gave purpose to my life, which was filled with nothing but misery.”73ebfce646624d35

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Then he b1de38f9f3 looked at 5b364d60e0 me and b56ff2f323 said05fc6cd34bf1e2a9

“So, Your Highness doesn’t need to feel sorry for me.’”e7da90ac25b0f1b0

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His face 21dca8c2f4 was calm, db507a8b63 despite being 105dcb492b covered in 72841cc2f1 blood.415c0e227244597b

“I was happy back then, by your side. Just because it ended poorly doesn’t mean I can forget those days.”35978128b187ad6a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

With tears 3c5d2339e6 streaming down db97b26c0a my face,I 9ebdb1f9e9 apologized.066a16279936030e

“Im sorry.. it’s all, it’s all my fault.”9e2223dc85025d48

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But my words felt 5e5839dec9 too insignificant compared to 43f025d88d what was in my ee09ca8d54 heart, and my hands 403293203f trembled.3ee58957009ef280

Kayan shook his 3daae9657a head and smiled.0e1bab3a65c14700

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“How could this be your fault? It’s just because I wasn’t a proper noble.”f1e0a16db7d903a4

“What… what does that even mean…?”8f63debc29f9b356

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

As I, still f31ef39bff unable to wipe 239d04e1e6 my tears, asked 7dc00f526e him, he remained 2a3825d3a4 silent for a 2c20980ac6 long while before 41d766ae8f letting out a 79abd31749 faint chuckle and da79c621ae muttered,4194e08e29617529

“Hmm, I take 3316c9cb68 back what I 19ef302e4a said about having b10bd87425 no attachment to ba9b8850e3 life.”2a3c66030faaa2e6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It sounded more like b32e0386bc self-deprecating words meant for 61aedd468b himself.0f577d86a7121814

“Becoming a proper noble… it seems I did want that after all.”c45effca43a5813b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Despite everything, e0a3b2cd2d the assassins db92566d4d continued to 81ca690526 pour in 64fe0d928a endlessly, their 037ac3353d unfocused eyes 0d44630be7 unsettling.c37b7dae4b2d09b1

I hadn’t anticipated 576a97ba88 that Prince Hugo’s 958fb4d196 dark magic would 62eb2bba3a be this successful. It made sense 67fdf10e25 why Simon decided e136dcfed9 to side with c91509bdb5 Hugo, the third 48e6f4669c in line for 0bfbd013ca the throne.19d3fa4b756378d4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Even with 79f73f79c5 Kayan’s incredible 58d9cff061 swordsmanship, the 4805d914b6 situation was 51f1a04bb5 overwhelming.2873adcb1b36d3b3

Kayan’s wounds kept 57eb98f9f1 increasing, growing deeper.f7a56ff7e65c7af0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As we 7c743ad177 rounded a 33fcd8a361 corner in b1191bdfc0 the forest, 9ba891afcb an even 2e365e79f0 larger group f094bf5e6c began to a8674e3fa7 appear.da4706de873a1939

Kayan spoke in a 16b8133dd2 low voice.9f53398565a67468

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…From here dba6f05db0 on, you’ll ef64495cbc have to 55a50b7652 go alone. I’ll try to hold 13a594c9d4 them off.”f0a06747f5ffe4e8

“I’m not going.”906b9e171ee4aabd

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I shook my 40f195983c head immediately.32783d6703347ebe

“I’d rather die 34a4425ab0 here with you.”0ce81e25df44c3df

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Kayan gave me a 233052efd0 soft smile, as if 1285055433 trying to soothe me.36f30a8c9481beae

“I don’t want that, e626fe472a Your Highness. You have to e0019cfd46 respect my wishes 53b7e876da too, don’t you?”81a285420d4538c7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It was the first 12a863c9fc time I’d seen him c46150df29 smile since our falling 7814a9eebc out.483291964b9ca7ad

I felt my breath catch in my throat. There was a time when we used to smile at each other every day, back in our childhood…77103ea6a21baaf5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

How did things end up like this…?54ecb45ba695b8b2

“I, I…”dfb590cab894571c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Tears began to 1398341a85 fall uncontrollably.5aeb3aa71c2161e2

“I really can’t go…”59bf1f153a12ae7f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I shook my 0b53afce84 head weakly, barely 09f40e3af5 able to breathe.f8f2110191c4a839

“I just can’t…”472a0e068b6ef0a3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I meant it.5de99368219f3ac2

Then Kayan 3d6f39b86a gently wiped 370f1c107f my tears 0a0e429910 and whispered,dafcdcf6cc80f028

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Iv.”3a50400e3ff07500

It was ff1bd064b7 the nickname 9d645773ed he used f9a9e05f9f for me b6081f7c8f when we 3fb646e148 were children.6da380244733932d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Now go.”5d0fdd940cc150e5

His playful childhood tone 9f3ca97a05 followed.b91c26c40e1ca0b3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“For once, could 99ee007a95 you listen to c7983b613f someone else, huh?”3549b503282a58c2

When a light smile fa8944fd5b appeared on his lips, 5cce8c32ce it felt like my bdc8abb420 heart was being torn 76ab9363e9 apart.666664b99d363410

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“If you cry, you’ll b6d544ac8b look really ugly, so 126b595003 stop.”cd2a1ed87d375680

After teasing me like a13b1b1ab7 that, he turned to 5ddcf5e0d8 face the assassins rushing 04aa8cfb75 toward him again.1bdf5e9bc4ae4284

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Realistically, there was 051d62c738 no hope.baa7f9ad5b709768

‘How foolish I’ve been.’cfb8430904f7e024

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

My vision cc12ee8f4d blurred from b9e6b2a22f the tears 867241531c overflowing in ad8446a4e6 my eyes.c5b713c1d41bd14d

‘I couldn’t protect a single person who was truly important to me…’01d4c5fa95789dfa

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Simon’s mocking words came 7e94d3cee4 back to me.1b59efd4da8d722d

“Just don’t do 6cc97792ad anything, and quietly b25bf5c892 die. As you’ve 52e7be1b84 always done 0bfd6cafb1 until now, 9472432fb2 Your Highness.”74b842b75393ea22

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Until now, I 0e591cfe58 had really lived 28710a9c97 doing nothing. I regretted 7d17af0b45 it deeply.d954f2b73cc991bf

And the words Simon said after that…42ce25cd4a6c7f36

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Oh, by the way, 854cd5a0ae where is the royal 21e6820f8f treasure? If you 08b2ccfaac hand it 71adf972ca over to 1f137c136b me, I 4d03dbb542 might grant f75118afa0 you the d9cf583703 opportunity to 76228a50d6 end your 42530f17e7 own life.”5c11481d7e8cea3e

Wait a minute. The royal treasure.9f938a45f38d75a8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It was something my f8ed73b120 brother had entrusted to 32f8d0eeae me when he left 7247a55ec7 for war. Since then, 8b913459a7 I hadn’t a61c9577b7 let it 10025fd135 out of 479fb72242 my possession bc29ae7888 even once.252816b9f6e0e234

With trembling hands, I 342f1d4236 hurriedly searched my clothes. I pulled 73b2cee583 out a c6fb5f5637 half-pendant with 4e0a574ace a large 0ffdea3035 ruby embedded 095c3ad65f in it, b1f46f6ff6 along with ef5aa5ba36 a torn 6f69a9bf81 photograph.4e6f88c79afe4c62

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“This is 10e38c7e9d the treasure 1ef0020b1c of the 6a44bb76eb Tayen royal acfd292a3c family. I received 9e03192c5c it directly b3d8b1fb7a from the 6ccec11b11 emperor when 30a35e97c6 I was 95cbf01630 appointed as 648f6a6541 crown prince. Since you’re the second 7bdb2a7b41 in line, keep it e81d375311 safe for me until cb13ecc29f I return.”6e190ecf38308826

“Oh, this! They say 5832e4b68e if you 54edcb30b5 feed it b7c966e838 blood and 8ca768a7c3 make a 54b39aaae2 wish, it 117af5b21a grants miracles e39b0dd064 to royalty. But is that b52c800055 really true?”1e6a028f5edb61a5

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“It’s just a legend. They say there are conditions to make a miracle happen, but no one knows what those conditions are.”946bbb9adae7e5e5

“Did you try it, brother?”8a31f292e26f43b7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yeah. I tried every time I left the palace. But nothing ever happened.”891efce26e1efcbc

Back then, I thought it was just one of those common trinkets you’d find at a tourist spot6b5aa9ccbda736e1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘I don’t know what the conditions are, but still….’db500e8ef8dcc75a

Eventually, Kayan began 8cbeeaeb35 to stagger in c92d00fb84 front of me.5e795cafe529b2fc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I-I told you… to go.. quickly…”ef02bef1f9e27b39

I couldn’t bear to watch, so I closed my eyes.f62daa736fb11e14

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I had no intention of running away alone. Honestly, in this situation, I didn’t even feel much desire to survive.74f70afe76ec9356

But still.536ab2c668986240

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Without hesitation, 19a54873c9 I stabbed 7e4b4de7e2 the sharp 9963645386 edge of a831f366ce the half-pendant dae32d3666 into my 49149539a7 palm.401c3e5b0cc13170

‘I make this wish d4ee27a0f2 before the relic.’461b0f15c02b39b7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The pendant started to 9adfd8c5bd soak up the blood 73fd8fa2b8 that poured from my 4e540f034b hand.92039d47c52f68f1

‘The wish that only a miracle can grant…’3de7f7f44d57b937

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

My consciousness 1e2c39ef3d faded in 0f73a9fcd1 an instant,3de80ee6b4363f82

The last thing I 2a69838aaf held onto was the 09df4055a6 torn photograph of our 115c432955 childhood, lingering as an d07c43bb5e afterimage.8951fd68bb4f6dd6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

***ebfba8e4a30d51fb

And when I 930d129b77 came to, I 62c7e5fea8 was thirteen again. l had 4912638865 returned to 78c952a232 seven years e236df2566 in the 676abb5aac past63cd5310e3d425fc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com