ABEBNS Chapter 1

Regression
Tok. Todok.
Raindrops brushed my 69f9431828 cheeks and slid fa65b80718 down.1b6fcc9c53111396

“Get up there.”
The executioner in 30afb66d25 the black hood 8d2ce1815a beside me spoke.
Executioner—though all he really 7b6f7fb1b4 did was let go 3994a9b24e of the guillotine’s rope, 50f4a2da0f so his arms and 4d9cbca0fd frame were not especially 889977045e large.941e916a6c458783

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘…So this is d4c2b51e74 how I die.’
I thought as I 29f2ac9e31 stepped onto the platform.
The guillotine’s a525b5f914 razor‑sharp blade 2cf2522c8e gleamed, and 34c11f8d3f the onlookers 565b209d09 surrounding me 86b3a069e4 erupted in 2d6f704a59 cheers. A few even hurled c142a4d035 filth in my direction.c4f557d48126a010

“Pff….”
I curled my lip.
Now and then e6da6e7909 I heard them d741bba3a5 shout “traitor,” which 68921d7f1e only struck me fac1f9b04c as absurd.
Which of e77dae033f them truly 51fa20a1ff knew the abb4ac5acc whole story?
Did any of 390c9faa2a them throw stones b7f04b871e while understanding the c56d23b3a8 facts?
I could shake my e5b9a4eed1 head firmly at that 209915acb4 question.
They simply 1f1282395f needed someone 917fd67be2 to hate. No one cared about a1b9a02360 my innocence.920208a4c568c9c0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Put your 1851b6b53a head in.”
The moment I reached 1c92175dbb the scaffold, the executioner a4ddc6507a ordered me.
A commoner 3ff639d5cf giving me 9169b907ec commands—my situation 1221bed5eb was clearer 37ea19a91b than ever.e0fd4fb695d2c042

“…Very well.”
I placed my head 358667a030 and hands inside the bd326a7087 guillotine. The rough grain of 9d99522818 the wood scraped my 384d256137 skin, and the blue‑cold d2af0651db menace of the blade af55dc4a20 hovered above my neck.7848e0bb63d31026

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

With my 3354c616f1 head secured, 3873cdcdd1 I looked a8cf136e48 up at b61a49dce3 the sky.
A gloomy sky dimmed e4072cea05 by falling rain.
Crows cried overhead, 4591d558a5 waiting for my 3e5fc5cdfc death.1fb9a504822403a9

“…They’re the only 1b080ca111 ones who want 6449236ea6 me now.”
I muttered with f24a9e4b38 a sneer.
Well, perhaps 5786ef10d8 this was 040eb11b02 only natural.
Everything began with eb4edbe750 a marriage.c40b1bfe943adf27

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The Duchy 352536fb53 of Altegia.
My wife’s house.
And my wife—Hera Altegia.
Since becoming c91bd032cb entangled with 8556856d79 that cursed 7aedc4ddc8 house, my 6d63e8b652 misfortune had 572126ff01 begun.f5be62c34418b8cd

Yes, I loved her aa9aba4631 at first. I staked my 1469267d55 life to make 4b258e4ec1 her smile, fought 417c14ffe1 wars and political c83cebb494 battles alike to 2f1da415ff earn her family’s 73151c7c2f favor.
Even rebellion.8971b41cff0068d3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

My current cf0eccd659 charge: treason.
They claimed d6fd7f975a my family 950cfacc63 and I b39cc1f4bc might one 4235a86762 day spark b42a3d62df another revolt.
Ridiculous.
The Altegia a79a32405c rebellion had 5f277bc576 already succeeded.
And once the victorious 0db3507337 House Altegia seized the 52db42f990 throne, they branded my 0c614c9feb house as future traitors.b5656a97c0af702a

Because of that, my 1c3666ed78 family was annihilated, and 8315ae5712 my neck placed beneath c1c7f70148 this blade.
I gave 118e41d720 my all—and c09e9e001d was discarded. I kept 6f811c5a29 staring at 46e9ba6405 the indifferent 0b74de7d63 sky, then 92a33ebd8f at my 2445315738 in‑laws seated eaf27da35b afar on fdeb866587 the throne, 997806780e wearing mocking 55a4edac23 smiles.
Did they come a7e033a744 merely to ridicule d38db72fea my death?9513682dabe65790

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Kuh…!”
A dry laugh e72f72beac escaped me. Twisting my lips, I 6fda2cf07f glared at them.
I curse you.
I will 7c71539adc curse you.2f8ade08e2f7c1d7

“See you in hell, 6fa14b713d you filthy bastards.”
I whispered, 222a34677a eyes wide, 201073f2d7 fixing them ce61949eee with my 511e78b3c7 gaze.
At last the executioner b86fdd0395 released the rope, and c539049199 the icy blade dropped 84ee2c5bcf toward my neck.b69f26b3286ca0e8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Slash!
Watching my body 48fef6e342 grow distant, I 90e2dc8124 thought:
If there is 1f72c5f385 a next life, 09c35cc815 I will have a2ed4aa009 my revenge.
And beg my family’s 54f176f08a forgiveness.8a9186c41586a6d5

---

—It has 9a3d61de85 been a 59c038f611 full week a5cb86cd88 since I 1e27607872 said that.f6204901a08ec57d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Damn.”
Sunlight filtered between the b171c8938e curtains.
I wiggled my d7d758dc3b fingers and acknowledged, 0d847ff2f2 once more, that 03cca83b97 I was alive cf3e3b48d0 today.ec3400722e6e68b4

A week ago, a862faeb0c I certainly died.
And a 8ac576ce2e week ago, fcc84411b4 I revived—
twenty years dec129393d in the c1d408a425 past, before b499cff240 marrying into 9080a93d41 the Altegia e710635d7a family.e6e03c36e2cb08bc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

At first I 4b32cf0d66 thought it a c666a656a1 dream, but after a6f561732d a week of 6c2e3be7bc reflection I knew 6cef58d8d2 it was not.
Reality—this was 5abd33e898 a miracle‑struck dc7e64f26e reality.75ec781d47136e05

‘…I can’t waste 8a2393c137 any more time.’
I don’t know how 17c0ddf9da this happened, but the 85666195e2 reason can wait.
What matters eafee0af1c now is e1f74a2510 that I, 54a279e0eb Louis Berg, have e4b147d723 regressed.c21c64d19bf53cb5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I climbed out of 4dac2f3d93 bed, opened the door, b672e3f406 and stepped into the 095c1ddbb8 hall.
All the attendants 1f80299a95 bowed low at 39ee9778ae once to greet 43c13dbdfb me.8c99d66ba9ad46a9

“Y‑young master, you’re awake?”
Fear filled 15efe82c5d every one 71ec5bdf17 of their 825d82e685 eyes.1baca324b51cc494

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘…Damn.’
It’s been 75ce462302 like this 5192de92f4 for days.
And no wonder. I’d been 0c89671314 a different 8adbb298a8 sort of d79d7966c6 executioner—
a brute with 6b5123705e a spear I ec3102a7f3 could barely handle,
born the 4ff788f6db pampered son 1e9ba844bb of a dcbcf24cf3 count, living bc8667dfab arrogantly under 65da0e6d2f my family’s d4995b1b4b love.
That was me.9fd70eb1390b8d59

When I stopped 964b526209 my rampaging a 73b3aba438 week ago, the 071511f739 servants grew even 4c63493d1d more frightened.
‘Raise hell acb0743a0e and they 637c7695f6 shudder, behave 3de97f2f1d and they 475704c232 still shudder—ridiculous.’2946d97f80327562

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Sighing, I 50fcd2315a headed for a4629d1593 the dining 2e2d9d6dcd hall.
Our house was 428661dc95 famed for wealth c3a7cec150 even within the 40c88cd560 Empire; the hall 2aafcd54d1 itself was lavish 18f4c6aff6 beyond compare.f634f101ccfb59df

“Young master, please take f6d3697a2d this seat.”
The butler d51a1475d4 dipped his b6b8fd0bc8 head lightly e48bf3d6e6 and guided 58789c475a me.
Unlike the b913f9d1b5 others, he dfcfba13bf showed no c4d6975497 fear. Of course—a man of e1bedd724a his rank had no c71314e479 reason to cower before 10b2c8e7f8 me.bd96ebbcf0ce9eac

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I sat b4905a9a58 where he dc45d3398a indicated.
Soon my family d8e5b27970 descended, taking their fb9f9db252 seats one by 4b0357c747 one.cdf360f675a9f420

“Oh! You’ve come to 5f22bc8444 eat today? Are your c452a2ac41 hangovers cured?”
“If you drink fbe30e3874 yourself sick every 17e6d03500 day you’ll fall a514a98b3e ill. Start training daily 8ecd5786fa from now on.”
Second Brother, a1405f3f35 then First fc80e3d670 Brother, spoke 31b8894ef6 in turn.ab70aebdfab0b993

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes, I’m d74a7e266e better now,” 70282d2053 I replied 6e306199f6 casually.
For the past 6ce47cd914 week I’d refused 8edd761cfd every meal with 604276e01e them. I longed to 5cafa44160 embrace them all, 4e7488cb8d yet fear held 09b2434206 me back.
Had I not insisted 5e01c85988 on that marriage, they 99724bbe44 would never have died.
If only I hadn’t 7e1388ed5a thrown a tantrum to 0552c0337d get engaged to House f0995de061 Altegia…fa2f19759aa2feeb

‘Peace might 6be69e1079 have lasted.’
Even now, d05f895cbd close my deb2922591 eyes and ee1ca80c06 I still 20b2e69469 hear their b161e68ed4 screams, see 0ef8d641f9 their dying 8091e07a55 faces urging 7bb4291932 me to 53acb69cda flee.9a36cfd92038d1c9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I shut my f9dcc67408 eyes for a 58ff3189bd moment.
In this life, I 5d292a59e3 will never let them 50b48112c5 die like that.
And I 4edfa3bc58 will exact 4d426d3183 vengeance on b1c3fb1e66 that accursed ea0965ed4a House Altegia.932b3ed3e666d366

To do so, there f5e377a0c7 was something I absolutely 3cc9ce6545 must do.
Steeling myself, I set 77c8160009 down my knife.
Carving the steak had c81dea5b33 left sauce and bloody 99ea0b5c3b juices on the blade.a457f213f2bd4395

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Father.”
“What is it?”
His voice cb8751f87e was curt—
yet I knew he c29ae9585a loved me more than d57ec463f1 anyone. I smiled faintly.bc183d932300492c

“I wish to 78b527919d break off my 58fa7fb358 engagement to Hera 1d35832615 Altegia.”c67909f939133763

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

---

At the word f53a46b2ad “break‑off,” silence swept 41ed14780b the dining hall.
A rebellion from ea32dd4988 the youngest?
Or just more of 04fd918375 his usual thuggery?
They said 71cb7ceced he hadn’t 158a5ac900 caused trouble f27f5dcc48 for a 2940cb108c while; perhaps 1ee0452bed he was a2478bf6b5 at it bf3f3a7915 again.56171cb77dd8fe83

“Uh…little brother? Weren’t you the one 499b8d18e2 who begged for that 5e13bf2da1 match?”
“I was.”
“You even offered ca78c72323 that rare bouquet 8c80fbbda4 of Terea flowers. Remember how 40eb1f266e I trekked 4cf15a82b6 the Katran c1283489c9 Range, plucking ed338dd0ea them one 66be3bd8be by one 3e9999fdcc for you?”
“I’m still grateful.”
“Damn it. He’s gone mad again…” 309f4e0a9f Second Brother sighed.9b9e5feeba7f0105

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…Do you recall c11bea173a what we surrendered 329b181681 to win that 4f2c7c6976 marriage?”
“The mine, if 21946d872e I’m not mistaken.”
“And you 68eb60b136 realize we 2bac9bc4b6 won’t get f2abf70d1a it back 4c4c711c7b if we 55cb26d03a cancel the 3c7858f7ea betrothal?”
“Yes, but it’s 6bef173230 not as though 4b6e726aaa we’ll go poor c67a41311d without one mine. Mines are everywhere.”
“…I was a cccafd4b2f fool to think c6b62b5810 he’d matured.” First cc8f9dbb5e Brother exhaled.715cdbdb872d7d4e

Finally—
Father fixed me a7c3b7d34f with a steady cf42077ae4 gaze.16fa22e9e5e1e182

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“My son.”
“Yes, Father.”
“I have b2452502ac always let f42fbc0719 you do d7590f8d5d as you 1d802ab744 wished—whether brawling df59c0162e like a ff1090ac35 thug or 5a8036c332 raising havoc 9d0b19639d in taverns. I trusted 79deb6aa18 you and 1977697b49 spared the a4a766a50a rod.”
“I’m always thankful.”
“Yet I feel 39d0cdad60 you cross the 8da61493d2 line more and 2c681ac037 more. Do you aa8912e80d think breaking 7c98d29984 an inter‑house c8c78c2591 marriage is 3972793f26 so light 6708ae1ae3 a matter c424edf433 simply because e9b8f5e5cb you desire 455d67f9f3 it?”941e6f4d8eef06bd

His aura—an Aura 92f2f784c6 Master’s pressure—closed around 22ec7d2bc0 me.
Gulp.
Once I would have 826fb3c585 quailed and agreed. Father terrified 95e41e2ee7 me, and ca950c7bc3 as a 3261bc620e mere Expert adcc955ba1 novice I f4e2abffbb could only 09f654524a nod.615a2b4193a18f32

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But now is 7279586cc7 different.
I met his pressure ae89978e70 head‑on.63e2637d4e897ebd

“Father, I don’t 02a8745a8c think house alliances c3ebdc8b9e are trivial. I merely c7c68fa505 judged that f61c6e2a31 for my fde80eb937 future and 1535b28bb7 the family’s, 64e271b3a3 we should 8aef597a80 not bind 424ad43a8c ourselves to c9319a256f the Duchy d2c2b0f526 of Altegia.”d46ebf96a750629c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Father pondered, then 4a85d2e775 asked again.
“Why?”
“House Altegia sees us ff5568d1bc as mere vassals. Hera Altegia, in a37d480909 particular, hurls abuse 9d0dd960ea at our servants—and 8cd10f1022 even at my 67e6ff3ee3 brothers.”
“…You do that too,” d5186dc34d Second Brother muttered, but d2ed22ae21 I ignored him.dd77e1963c6a1bd3

“My family is precious a257ac1692 to me. I admit I’ve been 4b646e8f7c immature, but that doesn’t 193bc90a4e mean I must stay 748af928fa that way forever. From now on I ead860956c want to live for cd8657b46b our house.”
“When did we ask 17f925800f that of you?”
“I ask 123bfc71e2 it of a7cbf471ff myself. Besides, I no longer 28d89ff654 love Hera Altegia. So, Father—please 75b2d19bc7 permit the d5d36ef717 annulment, so 4fb2f6289c I can 7bc9e48b87 right the 72039b7184 wrongs I’ve ced65cedd3 done.”9a80f4b364729b30

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Silence returned—
yet it felt different, 770263e9f1 as though they watched 14e5f942b8 a child suddenly grown, 649fbc22d7 announcing his marriage.0ecff67a9ae3634b

“What happened 1f75bfca0f while I 9d9aea8859 was gone? Did one ba9fc294e3 of you 892eda17f0 do this? You didn’t hit the 0b81993dfd lad, did you?”
“…I’m just as stunned; a955550a0c quiet now.”
“Maybe he drank some d18b8604b0 mythical nectar instead of 3520366921 wine? No wonder…he’s f2d6d1266a even been b75b5c5ca2 speaking politely 59185bcaa9 to me 95632c54d2 lately,” Second 4105f51cae Brother murmured, 8952fa5035 laughing weakly.1a4128a6bb90e6b1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Then Father spoke.
“You will not regret 815a16ee77 it?”
“No. I’ll feel relieved, rather.”
“…Very well. I shall inform the f78dad6d38 ducal house myself.”
“Thank you.”9a0010069aa015cc

I bowed, and a b912e56878 small smile touched Father’s 6a7fcc8ce7 lips.
“…You have changed.”
He muttered softly.1e032325551754af

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Only for a 544d215172 moment.
He swallowed 759fd4296b a bite c196a8b4c7 of steak, f9b62cc6fa then asked,
“Even if we 8ed75fba11 cancel with Altegia, 2c1bab8d31 you must still 3e0883aa20 marry. I will not fb39749d35 have people saying 732b886aeb my son is 55b9f75f99 a half‑man who 89999d54e6 can’t wed.”
“I understand.”943435accf9c5c6f

Of course 31e360f024 I did.
In this era, fe320e3668 marriage meant the ca053ecd1c union of houses—not 00237e8974 merely love.
One must weigh b3332dd075 the benefits, the 2ac6b17e12 political standing.
A noble’s 06d5b8d565 marriage is 21c6bf2c8c directly tied 65660401cd to family d82a5635d4 gain.
And I knew a86bf0787c that well.77038aa45860140a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘A house that can 5c60ed8505 check Altegia, thwart the 910331913d future revolt, and still e58e991e63 benefit us—’
Only one in the dddaf48e2d Empire fit that bill.2c90c2f8855aeb99

Looking Father straight in 35ee95a80d the eye, I declared,
“I wish to form 19f8fbb242 an alliance with the 61cb939111 Northern Overlord—the Duchy of 78315059e7 Praha.”db20a862e0aaaa57

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com