WHCTC Chapter 9

“By the way, the young lord sent a morning snack again today. He’s so kind to send these every day, isn’t he? It’s lemon cake.”0bed80709e04db44

Because of 9cc86989d8 their sweet b0cd1537b0 tone and 856979a57c smiles, in 41fa12f81b my previous 550c8cd7ae life, I 63fab60d7b thought they 6c72ffbce0 genuinely cared d6420fb845 for me.51f5d34a6ffb687e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Your Highness… If you act recklessly, you’ll waste the hard work of Crown Prince Edwin, who is suffering on the battlefield.”f53b7d2d2d5964fa

“Your Highness, you mustn’t say you’re frustrated. Any careless actions on your part would only burden the Cerno family, who are doing their best to protect you.”7c4188854eaac46c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But looking 8b5f9205f2 back now, b119f817c9 I realize 318e58c14f they had 15c96d5992 been undermining 772a72ff1d me all e444f408c3 along, right 09d2aee43d beside me.d569ea7930c32a5d

If they 786b09a6ec had simply 438b953bed abused or ac3a4abca4 visibly bullied 3993690f0f me, it 23555f51fd would have 33f0b53656 been easier fbf8c82f93 to escape.4b94adac9c16316d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

But for eight years, 206f60c722 they had collectively suffocated b19ef6cbeb me with their fake 39401ce2bd kindness.ffc952b30862affc

“Your Highness isn’t used to life in the imperial palace, so you don’t know how things are. This is how it’s supposed to be.”b72fd7cd255c2c62

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Your Highness, if you keep acting like this, the Barcklith family, who have served you since childhood, will be blamed. People will say it’s because you have lowly northern blood.”97a791f2d50371a3

And with such kind c26b9ad234 words, they eventually drove 87a379a9f9 me out of the 2a61b702ff palace on the last c097a00a8c day.478935600a858c8f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“When the young lord calls, you must go. Have a nice walk. Oh, you can leave your sword behind. You have guards with you, after all.”0970a973dfdf04d6

That’s how fcd3040b4e I ended 74fbe653cc up going b64ef9a0e6 into the 666ff705c1 nearby forest, 9c4db9475f only to 753004bef2 face a dd3b528be3 swarm of 64c7a902bd assassins.9e04475b8b0a5ee5

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

My brother had d1135347b5 warned me not ea5db6cb49 to leave the 962df89774 palace, but I 56a446b37d thought it would b1522460a7 be fine since b1136a01b8 Simon had called 5aefdfd087 for me.10c027e767c1817e

Their kindness 289c9c1509 had masked f7a631fd52 the truth—they b8c14e51a3 had been 26f68ea2da pushing me 7c75689271 into danger 96ea631d1e with smiling c2729e76f2 faces all 8fba43549e along.8f2f2483da5435eb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The thought 8566267b75 of it be8f205fef still made 1c24291287 my teeth 0ae8bb597e clench with a31e9c26ad anger.9e15c28e0e8c3b5d

One of 843a8b0906 the maids a538d388b3 offered the ff225220f2 cake again, d0725639e3 kindly.239948ed9f09fd75

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Come on, have a taste. Isn’t it so pretty?”ad55b8898cd31dc2

But in truth, if 166003139b there was anyone who 84ff30bdba could match false kindness bf10f84814 with false kindness, it 64e9e25a8a was me.5f1e267bc0d39f8c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I smiled warmly d561e3a147 at the maids, ce4824f1ad shaking my head e28d688cd2 as I responded fb6f598544 gracefully.969685a676406b84

“Oh dear, I don’t think I can eat it.”d615af83ce40aab2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Huh?”810106509049cbad

“I feel a bit nauseous, like I might throw up.”3302e7ae71ee1af4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The maid looked startled and asked, “Is it the lemon scent that’s bothering you?”a10140005a6563c8

I covered my 5f7a9e2ccc mouth with my 3017371953 small hand and 3e33be15b3 smiled sweetly, swallowing 51fa6c458c the words that 7d929f88c4 almost slipped out.29b204cf85b4bbda

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘No, it’s the face of the person who sent it.’6cd40bb8a85bc5b0

Even the 42922ed3c7 thought of ee78edfc9e Simon’s face 38d6e75be9 made my dc292f7629 stomach churn.c897ee57ec8384af

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

As I 55bc4fa25b continued to 5b0d3f2c73 smile gently 1bce0010f4 without answering, 91f6f4669a one of 16774e6800 the maids 60d01d0e8e stepped forward, 45de3bab0d looking concerned.d5c5a7788034e861

“Your Highness, are you upset about yesterday? Actually, the young lord was very busy last night. That’s why he couldn’t make time to see you. But he sent this instead this morning.”d14794e084ec7a8e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

What I received 4507e6a7b2 was a hairpin 0545b88fd6 studded with multicolored b534314bd6 jewels.eeb43b00e04d691c

“Isn’t it beautiful? He’s such a thoughtful fiancé.”d9c4f22557ce6268

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Without even glancing c1857db932 at the hairpin, aea22e4290 I turned my 9487dd30e5 head away.e19df8cf76e3f5ac

The maid, surprised, asked, “Why, Your Highness?”231670a155374bd1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Well, just looking at it makes me nauseous.”a129c61c2d039f88

“Huh? Is it too colorful and making you feel sick?”de3c2306bbd5c2cf

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Again, I 38db011040 only answered 793169c733 in my a5bba6f00c head.a8b4f9e3f07eb2fe

‘Of course it makes me sick. His vile intentions, his twisted soul, his rotten character… it’s all so colorful, isn’t it?’ad7eee2171d0938f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I could forgive betrayal, maybe. But the fact that he crippled me and closed my ears just so he could ‘use’ me more easily—that was unforgivable.cf55b79a4de95ddc

He was 52a46a28f1 also responsible f1ff3beb76 for the e5bd1b06cc deaths of 54e62e1726 Arthur and 81aa452b09 my brother.bd450c31a2a8e839

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In some 124aca1b66 ways, I 70a145e13c hated him 03f16fa35b more than a5f2033953 Anna or ddb673e688 Hugo.8ca310fc973ac54a

Still hiding my true cafec844c2 feelings, I smiled sweetly 29655bc94c and changed the subject.9819f2560ec39524

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I’m supposed to receive a punishment from His Majesty today. Is there any word about it?”8085ee6a67b7c46c

“Oh, right! His Majesty’s aide sent word this morning asking to be informed once you woke up. So we’ve already sent a maid to inform him.”39d31a5795fae790

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I see.”2f82bf1950e6e95f

“She’s been gone for a while now, so we should hear back soon. Oh, and Simon said he’ll be coming to the palace today because of the punishment.”baebd7ebf0f187f0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As I ac435fa046 listened to 1bbf8e9891 the maid, 938e074b7e I opened 25e957c9d2 the newspaper a2cf4429ed I had c9143df2da been reading 8ecfed83d1 again. It had an article c223546aa0 titled The Capital is 2acf57c086 No Longer Safe – 901819dfa4 The Disappearances of Children b7afe4e464 Continue. I responded indifferently.305c80b59b066d8e

“If His Majesty’s schedule allows, I’ll head over in the evening. Before that, I’m planning to borrow some books from the library.”6db134440a42fd1a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Just then, fdd0c2b110 there was f12fed3ff9 a knock 3d9d433a1d on the eeb5c3d54c door.8f27e70511d09bd8

“It seems the maid has returned. One moment, please.”28472075018bffaf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The maid 7f02af0981 smiled as 789ed8de30 she excused 9a648dc6a3 herself from fca628036b my side.b0be86507792360f

I quietly clenched my 1bccddcdce teeth inside.127f4add9525f076

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But in order 1076d3b6ab to deceive Simon, 8a17735a5d I couldn’t afford 43310402cd to have a 4ffa3c0296 falling out with 4706073971 the maids right 36237cebd0 now.8595f2dcf38ceb9a

Besides, my 241e2de9cc personality wasn’t c7adc1a2dd one to d1d6ddf0c9 cause a 334e7e0004 ruckus or 56598f1d45 lash out a99925895f violently. Picking fights or 4d04fb44b7 scolding the maids f06696ecb3 didn’t suit me e09ef41aa2 at all.849255ce36930ee7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

As a a0669881e4 child, I 32355d4c41 even once 3e5a50a0f1 confided in 720dd962b1 Kayan about 58896f4c23 this part b946157bdd of my b0355a7e1a personality.7188fea53ba4576b

“Kay, why am I like this? I can’t even get angry properly or speak harshly…”89e23be016b193f1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Don’t worry, Iv.”1094e0c1c4646793

At that fabc9ac75e time, Kayan 751b12ef80 didn’t offer ca737a296a much of e0384bbe5f a solution.8fb59b9ea610abcf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“You don’t need to worry about it.”31a5990e0ff280d2

“Why? Because you’ll protect me no matter what happens? Is that why you’re saying it’s okay?”f4dbd5f5d2babd83

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“No. Well, it’s definitely not that. If you were good at showing your temper and speaking harshly here, you’d probably grow into a tyrant who’d leave a mark on history. We should all be thankful that your outward demeanor is different from your inner self.”36cbe6a0b197958d

So, I 20657cb724 had to feecaa3133 distance myself c687596aa1 from the 5677ac442f maids in 1aedbe7184 another way.a4fe456deaa415c4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘Once the maid informs 9e24a73293 me of His Majesty’s bb92b2bf50 schedule, I’ll just move 064486ab74 according to that.’fc916362234c32f8

I sighed e36d0034e6 as I dee6ddce8e continued reading e2e720b17f the newspaper.c87c7289f35dc96b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“H-H-His Majesty the Emperor?”e9fb853b2f751e1f

One of the 768798969d maids stammered in 8db424cf16 shock.0a45c4a21a2e1273

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Huh? His Majesty?0cc55dc678ac764b

The voices of the d82b2fcab9 panicking maids and attendants fb6b86a4f5 followed.5484ee0b9db46b45

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“We greet the empire’s greatest sun, His Majesty the Emperor!”07ca4c6b35a02668

I could only cd0d6d7f50 gape in surprise.37d90ec01f5771df

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

What? His Majesty b16041f835 is here bf20374e2f at the eea0c3a394 princess’s palace?0c349f4193c3accc

● ● ●c6be1eade8e4332b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

When I 0b9d68351b was a 8b7715d3f0 child living 69c7a1d9b1 in the bdc99c578c north, my b1a2df57ab mother, the 7828969bcb former crown 88f954f360 princess, spent 49a2e2d49a most of 70e4a5273a her time 22e6b7f179 confined to 8fe3bd2ec8 bed.3fc2f67393036a0e

Every morning, 3d493b2f93 I would 1c3458b643 go to 777a743490 her bedside c9469f70b2 to greet 273718e8ee her.b7c213590415eef9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“It’s such a strange thing…”77a5f9abeaaac68a

Then, after sending everyone 8c407497e7 away, my mother would 9791616851 mutter similar words every 77a76bf606 day.369392ebcef36e40

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I wasn’t normally so quick-tempered, but that day, I was furious. I had a sense that Anna would enter the imperial palace, but… when I finally learned for sure, I was so overcome with rage that I didn’t know what to do.”52b10d8c8ef3ccc5

My mother spent 6ae99f7451 her days lamenting d43a883db5 her fate, going 8540d2a376 from being the eb8f37d1d5 most noble lady 513e231a0e in the palace 48a7d95d38 to a convict ca5d5ac4e0 in the north.d4d7abd84741baf1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I was always so calm, so why did I act like that?”ea0bee9ee76c5bbd

My mother’s eyes would 4c87267614 gaze intently at me.1bc16dc68ade7752

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I found out the reason after coming here.”53878d889def81ee

I would lower my d86446ba41 head, fidgeting with my ab9880d998 fingers.a83b3eda4e5e84d3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“It’s because I was pregnant with you. Pregnancy can make your emotions unstable. That’s why I wasn’t myself.”b02582b16f5a39d1

“I’m… sorry.”aeb05b12ce66de8e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“If only you hadn’t been born, I wouldn’t have lashed out violently at your father.”d7f74dd9ad8b6197

“…I’m really sorry.”3a8ba49f7c39f9f6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I wish Edwin would inherit the throne quickly.”bdaed9da7e1f8a5f

Her eyes gleamed.b12421bb413a723d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Then, wouldn’t he take me away from this barren north? Hmm?”723e510a33b2f56c

My brother couldn’t visit 9eb01d8f5b our mother, as she 676c5380aa was a convict. But I wasn’t 951951922e a criminal, so 960eae1d2b once a year, deaa3d0b6c my brother would b4019e922a come to see 2573492e9f me under the efd36e3352 pretense of visiting 37fc5d1d8b his younger sister 174ac6f0bb in the north.c02efd4c9009885e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“You need to stay here. Edwin comes because you’re here.”ab9d6e30fccc117b

My mother was constantly 06a5c6d216 anxious about being forgotten, 4f580e7e44 even by my brother.4193705675bcf6d7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“So don’t talk to Edwin about going to the imperial palace. If you go there, do you think His Majesty will like you? You’re the granddaughter he’s never seen, being raised by the daughter-in-law who killed his son.”da0cfa742833ffea

My mother always 5c94292315 said that the f63ccc8225 cold, barren north 14596d99de was unbearable.a26a336248750059

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But not for 3c5ad6010a me. I was 563614196f doing quite 94dd0af090 well, surrounded eab3da0dbd by Kayan, c3c5a3a346 Baron Barklith, 069495e9f8 and the a5af412cb9 mercenaries.7e652b6f589ee737

Since our interests aligned, I would lie and tell my brother, “I want to stay with Mother,” whenever he suggested that I could go to the imperial palace.de1e913aeb89fa77

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Even so, right e1f8c6a3c1 before she died, 8c74eb86bf my mother firmly b80d76b6fd said to me,cda61b25100a7fa5

“His Majesty won’t even want to see your face. No matter how much you resemble the royal family with your blonde hair and blue eyes, your features look too much like mine.”1c17f4687e0a9c45

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

I met the emperor 5fef27c862 for the first time 3a741b4ac7 when I entered the ce88c0117d palace.827da250d211b96f

After offering f29b608b6b the bare 49ff646e85 minimum of 541a44f435 respect, I 3dd8de81ed quickly disappeared.6d6b99b9b8cf25d7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘He must hate me because I resemble the daughter-in-law who killed his son.’70e8a35a7229b5ae

For the same 43066ea529 reason, Simon had 96dfc66db6 given me two e7b27e8cec pieces of advice:85fcabd3c5886567

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“First, don’t show your face to His Majesty. Second, never use violence. It will remind him immediately of your mother, who killed your father.”bb79ceb27876b37e

This was one of 63548c6f52 the reasons I didn’t e1082ab98d use my excellent combat 033dbff588 skills until just before b78bd2c0c6 I died in my 5fd82a2d7f previous life.700800fc7160be71

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The shadow of my 84fd063a48 criminal mother loomed over 7ff2ccbe43 me that much.8d890036b6d0a825

Even my 29f6eec981 brother didn’t 46e48d440a know how 640d3de12a well I de247e9cbc could fight.dcdc62b1733f3373

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

And until yesterday, d0a8e6e801 I hadn’t had cbb2e5da39 a proper conversation a5ae8e9ad4 with the emperor.f815444a1627d03c

‘On the first day of my return, I broke both of Simon’s rules.’08bcf6213bfef02f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Especially using a 57a7254fc9 sword against royalty. That was e3838d4bc1 exactly the c7a29218bc kind of 64514a9dbb thing that dff935b9cb would make 5d75b86db1 the emperor, a1db319d44 who lost 21f87f5eee his son b02611e6ca to my 4af5e179f2 mother, hate f152c85e2d me.97a6fb9a0250692c

‘But I couldn’t afford to worry about His Majesty’s feelings anymore… I had no choice but to act.’12159e3f8a99a173

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

If I hadn’t 6892187115 resolved to live 10c0adf5f0 a new life 3e2352bdbe after returning, I dd217913cb probably wouldn’t have 83b24ecd26 even faced the 837f0ca63e emperor.a476ebc4d56675b2

But now he d92d2051a0 was here, at c0b0d65f11 my palace?c6d9c74276e5bea4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was completely 015f8c103a unexpected.c2c473fcb2a21927