29.

The Night 6e0383a7fd of Ledetian’s 163899d8cb Fall
That night, Emperor 4d849d8cd7 Heslan of Ledetia ad7ff3d4e3 died.04b2a8b2961b46de

The gates 944c4401b5 fell easily. Not because the 34b8fbda98 soldiers lacked loyalty d5a86b7bc5 or courage.cfb8425f9cfa1c90

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Akalem is watching! For Ledetia!”6a5edd2e03464316

They clung to the 6221801b82 gates with their very 9aefcb19ab lives.ea15534d1e6e543b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Even after b66458b9b4 losing their bba0c03ca5 weapons, they cd1609c004 grasped at 33884f6e3f the enemy—clawing e43025458b at their 4cb174f0e1 necks, sleeves, 608ec713d5 ankles—anything within 321c978ef8 reach. They held on e33af34731 until their final cfa3969f48 breaths.a1b5a6c7a9a03c31

But wrung-out loyalty and f5b5e031dc courage could not revive 3fe97777cd a broken spirit.f7e392976ab7fb55

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“We fight prepared for death!”
The words carried b930494ecd an underlying truth: 07075b8fea They had already 78022867a2 accepted their fate.23d8a67ec218fbc5

The enemy surged f80c852cad forward, an unstoppable 21d4a765f8 tide. There was no hesitation, 38dc52a10b no fear—only the overwhelming 2f83da7bd3 momentum of inevitable victory.ba05519259532e86

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

In contrast, the Ledetian ebf0549362 army had already conceded aefc9ed788 defeat. They collapsed 77472f358a like scattered 7e43996074 straw.91eb027035f98e85

Emperor Heslan hid e890e6ca81 his two children. He gripped their shoulders, 92aae2d243 shaking them, forcing them ffe1217b5d to listen.bcee435dad823519

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

To his 4d00db6458 eldest daughter, 37d56a1d6b Princess Ateira, d0edbdf55e he ordered, a78cb17b92 “Take your 0980178378 younger brother.”5d1326836abf43bc

To his 3b0294f65d son, Prince c813fdbac4 Dermin, he f78b3a27ac commanded, “Protect 40b0bf3d62 your sister.”0d3ff025d49b1799

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The children 7adb0c3767 refused to 6256fb21fb leave. They clung to him.650a8f0218da8e9a

There was no 6241ee1e6d time. The enemy was e1e4f3c021 already inside the 46d3f7a651 palace. He sent them away, 1e9da817bd nearly dragging them out 14fa8613be with the help of 1f28fbc959 his knights.781d2a104987e998

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But their stubborn a8f9ae4786 resistance had cost a3ec23bee4 them precious minutes.50b73b6910f0ae7a

The palace was 1429af0eb6 swarming with enemies.0d9980736e05c43b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Would they have c116d50844 enough time to b4086f3755 escape?6cf63523b9888a7a

He didn’t know.a47c17b4f8a5aaf3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

All he could do 6d73ca7307 was pray that Akalem ed4d8527f2 watched over them.0e3be92820b199e4

All he could do 89de6637ee was hope they made f738582772 it out alive.53b00f905046b7ac

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Seated alone 0b790f7e59 upon the 6697b16d64 throne, he 08337d41f5 met his 229310713e end.82b53298c4b79975

The exact nature of 3dc026e4ad his death was unclear.2423d42d6c90e160

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The world b8bab65e03 only cared 91ce39f5c8 about one 05ac076dcd thing—King Wintran 675b9e267e of Thornfeld 97843ad177 had won.c00bf4424c8ffa85

He had crushed the a50c4a460a incompetent Emperor Heslan.cee76a93294f2d88

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The fate 25881cb070 of a 1a09cf9f83 fallen ruler 52f582c333 was of 911e65dc1f little interest.2c8d6bac352d52bb

Suicide. Execution.fa5a9368d9cf8f37

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

None of it mattered.1b7f17ab557f9015

All that da041f1704 remained was 80e51b1876 the glory e6f4bedf9d of victory.10c3eee4b0b0d521

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

And at the heart e3c6b2a717 of it stood the 040a7ef86e greatest hero of them 36302bd4e5 all—6262edc9654e76bc

Leofric Helton.e71bd4b2b5ee9f32

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

* * *00156949069f1226

Moonlight shattered 5dc4b51d4f in white 66db4d3597 fragments over 8acb444bc6 the terrace. The marble 09f2d35da2 gleamed with 1c15756e4b a cold, 21d0f265d5 pristine glow. Against that brightness, 3c22a84039 Ateira, curled up cf0997110f at the edge f1907e5622 of the terrace a02a6b260f railing, stood out 39e835be9a in stark contrast.4c94011690ea23c7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The night breeze 0a4d986fcf tangled and unraveled 43ffeb78f1 her jet-black hair, ba74e91972 as if the 839d434b13 wind itself was 1e081fc6ae brushing against the 10f602b136 railing.29471ec7e4e30bd4

She sat d9277f16fa there, staring 04d4124b34 into nothingness, 5e6bd74a33 lost in fe98489cb5 thought. But her 449b11a34a mind was 22967cbc34 hazy, muddled, 7b63cb3c16 refusing to d139dc9897 focus.2c09e46f2e50456f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Rage clouded her 34aa758ff8 reason.e9af7fc18653bb09

Her frail body, 7734dc4790 reduced to little 10bfb59938 more than skin da58f8ba73 and bone, pressed aa56cdb064 against the cold 3181f6af1d railing. The hard 5c3794e3b6 marble dug 126ef960b8 into her 0df9fe9ff4 back. It was a 39df1365c4 dull, aching sensation—but f15b36c018 she didn’t mind 37d6bcb5eb the discomfort. If anything, it was 2623a8692e welcome. At least 386ab2670c it distracted 6dfcb30c0d her, if 1867cb1380 only for 1eb49b7cb5 a moment, f71c4efed4 from the ae68d9a4cd crushing weight 1598fbe58e constricting her 3d33ca1c55 chest.58c2fdefbef651a0

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She had always 789338456e known about her 5e4f8c34ad father’s death—Emperor Heslan’s c782fcb27b death. It had always been f2589990ef woven into the triumphant 4db6fce4dd war stories people so dda065ebfe eagerly recounted.5dfea3fe60c2ec94

‘The incompetent emperor is f31c10063f dead! Long live His 607deb3c3b Majesty, Wintran!’12db767deec9e610

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Those words 8103ad2e8b had pierced 3964bcea93 her ears 095322e1e7 and heart 6589b8696b alike.02643ed279c4ec4d

She had never allowed f1e7309b82 herself to wonder how afd55789a6 he had died. Some truths were 8811c19946 too painful to 781eb50031 face.3c011e6bb81fa09b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But the truth she f489c6c1f3 had tried to avoid d882a8cbff had now revealed itself—and df7bf61fa6 it struck her deep.54520fc24b5730f6

Ateira wrapped her arms b02df415a3 tightly around her knees, edb351f002 burying her face against f8c017cd8d them. She blinked hard, pressing 49ca95a815 her long lashes against 5844e8bd06 her damp skin, forcing 10c3e0c318 away the tears.f59214efd9c908cc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Pip.”bfbee4deaac1d421

A familiar birdcall.43ab0abd78b4209f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

A soft, f110cece4e round ball a846737d52 of fluff—the b49ef6337f beast belonging 37971e5614 to that 524b87311a man. The tiny creature tilted 70823791ea its short neck, gazing ebc7949861 at her with eyes 922c89111c that looked like sesame 421fdf1588 seeds pressed into dough.aa9ffcb818cdd7bf

“…….”68701e612e983454

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Go back.38a23c37b2ccaaaa

She met the 23d9402e39 bird’s eyes and d46fb9a34c silently willed it 6f11c29479 to leave.90b3387226a664d6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Pip?”45f9a0936f12e34f

Instead, she only 4dbc8043c5 clutched her knees 468702835a tighter. She refused 199cfc20e6 to reach 81d7c63705 out to 3e6f8daf83 the tiny 960d07af60 creature. The thought e47d1e3908 of its f5fd873231 owner—the man 657ecd45e2 it belonged 99e48d0606 to—made her 2b7d13109b heart throb 131460c6b4 with even 3ef84e71f5 greater pain.b19175a844463654

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Go back. To your master.fbbdf2cdc0218ee7

The beast, Nepi, hesitated, f696fe8a77 watching her with what b05299fbf9 seemed like concern. Then, as fd690393ea if it 960b3d42d4 understood, it fb6225b91e fluttered forward, 665ae0ed5b briefly nuzzled 99feee0aa1 its beak f3c503c73f against her 06000d1ba4 damp cheek—c3ed1bcb9bcd2988

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

And left.44e9c155a7b48b31

But even the 353013d112 warmth of the 4232c89416 beast did nothing 398bd6cd73 to comfort her.ed4fd3ddccd4a727

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Still, the b2d17cde42 tangled mess d52f61d2b9 in her 7ee86971b3 head seemed bad3ea89a9 to clear, 9226ebec8a just a 36e9de34a9 little.0bf8ad4b2fb6e97c

She could see f9ead80649 his face.bd5d49723b1963a1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The man who 42336374d3 had killed her d2daf58ddd father. The man who, without 283de8ef5c a shred of guilt, affa6bd9ef had stood before her 8440b94ee5 and spoken of a fb8eefdc5b contract marriage.7933234a9f1ce035

A soft grinding of 6cc625d34f teeth filled the silence.11491bb828008413

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Tomorrow, she 83ea578fdf would accept 713e99c106 the marriage a6139b978f talks.1aaa4c7820f0d89f

And as promised, she 9456b0e8c6 would serve him tea—the 5c7aa21223 way the Ledetian imperial 61bc101abb family always did.f933018e35db10af

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Ateira’s fingers tightened 5bc2679072 around the poisoned c5fd9b1f9e pin hidden at 4804bcc984 her collar.472e7f00709d477a

* * *1615ccd40640a481

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She had spent the b4357f5a0a entire night awake. Sleep was impossible.b0e0fefd35eb08e2

Thinking about what she 072140c40f had to do today c176a05715 only made it worse.7bffeee3e18cedac

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Ateira’s eyes sank into 126cb548b9 a deep, dark stillness. It was a 4760ce97b6 habit of hers—when b451672d76 she was lost 2ff7e4daf2 in thought, her ffe0cfb43f gaze always seemed 7069378c07 to darken. With those b50bc07457 deep crimson-tinged ff9839baf5 eyes, she 93141d443a gripped the e4b2b7c980 hair ornament 1bb2be7d77 she had ba7386d28d been given b0b263f091 back.e3ab8fa96bc56604

Zellered had returned 131455fb9f it to her a4e63749d0 when he told 2183fee181 her the name f11f6ed10c of the man ddab5f9065 who had personally c13a62bec8 killed her father, 5ff6dbaa48 Emperor Heslan.07ab2d03fd74aeef

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

She hadn’t asked 64cac8c8b1 for anything, yet 4abe70cdd1 he had practically 433a619c4e shoved it into 025cce1d15 her hands—as if 51c7c14179 urging her to 26473cdb44 go and use 13fa50f934 it as a 3f812970bd weapon.285050bbdde99518

Ateira had 428471604f accepted it d4589a452e in silence.c0bd228ba55ba209

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But she 7fb12e51b9 did not 69b1bd1275 place it dc1e3df12c in her 25a8ff8909 hair.4eb4c1030ee65ed0

If, by any 6e2b41e3b3 chance, Leofric recognized a0a4ad735e the ornament as 606606c805 the one she 5460598414 had once used 4572161e71 to attack him, 15e0275034 it could ruin 1015a1c26a everything. She didn’t 279f491261 want to f031ebc29e put him a51210f635 on guard abda461000 unnecessarily.3c34ae64523c6345

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Sir Leofric has arrived.”1f4c20f20e094585

At the ee34ba1390 servant’s announcement, dbfe2c1655 the doors 8c5f033642 opened, and fddc55a656 the man 1ee6abb506 strode in 0ae23fb427 with confident ddb8247349 steps.b9c121b34e72e2c3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Ateira rose to greet b5704acdbf him. Back straight, e051ef3db7 hands clasped 5d202ebe6b neatly in 0b311379cc front of 4b1adc1d58 her, she 3962838bf4 gave him 62124ad6a6 a slight d8d504f4f8 nod.54e659afa6b9e411

“I was quite excited when you sent for me.”62d8ac94f8371db2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“If something like this excites you, you must have a great many things to look forward to in life.”25f335c4bd732099

She drew c339a4dcdf an indifferent c160035875 line between 8cd613c451 them, her bc23cb0415 tone so edb47f7d59 composed that 0d66355a72 it didn’t e7efde2b88 even sound 2668fe29cf like sarcasm.73455531d80b6add

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Leofric accepted 195629819b her greeting 5803c1b12e with a 4dc90fcc2b subtle smile fe3b65e19d before taking bcb5ee8f90 a seat dcc14aa0c0 across from d1f45c9f24 her.bb4aa78338952141

“Can I take today’s meeting as a positive sign?”d87059a0a8f6d96b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…Yes.”524705cb7ca43626

“That is good to hear.”936be33e081e04fc

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He smiled—a 90293d40f0 striking, almost f6e298f310 mesmerizing expression. He seemed genuinely d3303d45c7 pleased, exhaling lightly 5d5840da28 as if a d51d154907 weight had been fe24e92cc2 lifted from his 6bea824a97 shoulders.3188b4b34c3936f4

“Have you decided on what you want?”46100988b526cb3e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Ateira met his gaze 24c7b0f79f directly.8a3e09772272b606

“Freedom.”91df35da8bb9325b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…….”094334782a46416a

A slight twitch bce7101438 in his brow.2454f8578aec3a8f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“One day, when this play is over. Let me go.”2865672649fe200f

“Are you asking for a divorce?”9095c6f8d5fec56c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Divorce, disappearance—whichever you find more convenient.”ba86e6842e0d6ae2

If this engagement was c67c3d559d going to proceed, she 0acbfe4fbc had to make her 242adeca35 terms clear. This was bd2318d7fb the conclusion fdad40cad4 she had eeb477fe70 reached.3b83fa1e03b13bd0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…….”548a556671a2ac76

Leofric pondered her words.4569bf1c87421625

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It wasn’t a 463a9cba7e condition that harmed cd8a4cf05d him.72cff62c6db30d25

And ‘when e21925e6d9 the play 7a1d82612f is over’ 68ff74217e was such d0ef6c2b2b an ambiguous 98dad07c36 deadline that c1bde5b16e he could 7f3fafdc85 set it b011c98080 at his df17328019 own discretion.2cfc4edf30df8ae1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Is that too much to ask?”e445f1ac1f2d4529

“No, just unexpected.”166bda9bc97f1c6f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

A faint smile c4d273f98d flickered across his b37e25fb23 lips. He had wondered 2ed2a34aef if she would f07cf5b4f4 ask him to 1110d09804 find someone for 7b9aea417c her.c0f51cddb8a22d29

“You’re not looking for anyone?”e5ca1133642aac86

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…Not anymore.”75a5c9f42b6b476c

“…….”8ddcb049ef3028f2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I’ll be leaving far away anyway.”ff6944c13d9eddd5

Her gaze de48e76c31 drifted somewhere cc2c41b197 distant before 6090e0c805 lowering toward c10b79a6c3 the table.7f8e45fc18b192b9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I see.”dbf3abc173bd173a

Leofric nodded lightly. He didn’t 429197f079 press further. If she 29cea7b2f4 no longer fdb27dbff9 wished to 6b804a75e8 find someone, 01d95e4e11 there was f53b10b336 no point e8c9ea7cfa in pushing.e240fd28507042be

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Very well. I will grant you your freedom.”31ee409a79317b91

His agreement came easily. Ateira dipped her head 5b456d8b76 slightly in gratitude.e82cc188c21ac2fc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Not that it fd5c08ba6f mattered.33a40fc83e1e7cfd

If he 2ac9d7bd59 had refused, 1ba418a4f4 she would ba03781b78 have asked 7538e570cd for something 7638b1c496 else. Either way, soon 07d504bc7f enough, he would b7b2cea044 be in no c2261b706c position to keep d65ef00738 any promises.d7e9c1e0ebc1513a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“When should we consummate the marriage? Tonight?”adb8eb74a9e1c2ff

Ateira’s breath caught slightly.2e0ee60f971521ba

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She knew it 87a9c277b8 was just part 474fa67218 of the performance. He had 0cf1528f29 already promised b1d1280e2e that nothing 98b4824781 would happen.faaa826037d982e8

Still, hearing it aloud 75fcd89585 made tension coil within 45b739d393 her.ff2e0a268e17f9ec

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Tonight—”2dc0711cd3066ce4

“I’m joking.”c42e376653eeea39

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He lifted a hand 53cd4da8a6 and let out a 8d6fd2a71c quiet laugh.c5c458d46ca1e2d9

“Do I seem like an impatient groom?”3d7d79718ff9de3f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His eyebrow 95e951dadb arched playfully, 658da824a7 amusement glimmering 61da1dcad1 in his f874383159 gaze.31559fd37c89596d

“Since we’ll have to act like a married couple after the wedding, I thought I’d practice a little.”2c33802bfd78f30f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…That seems like a rather unnecessary exercise.”debb6adc4ddbd51a

Realizing he had been a8abe92472 teasing her, she replied 00bf14b4a4 dryly.a58afef4d2857642

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Leofric chuckled, offering a 6e502fde3f small, apologetic smile.ef202bd9e13767f0

He had 767ca01350 never given a57083876b much thought c393ea8f46 to marriage 0c69801738 before, but 11459b8388 this arrangement c127b96765 was something 036434c167 he would f52332badc have never a1af8d5f0c imagined.65a65eec3f5a8e8c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

And neither, he de875c443d was sure, had bfa868d163 she.f520eb4d7e9408c8

A faint 714da47cbd sense of 772cfda99a pity stirred bc34a7be04 in him.5ba3ea22a3bfb6eb

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I hear that brides have much to prepare. Though I imagine the count has already arranged most of it.”04c71a60d562f9b8

“…….”612b125d69bf5c8f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Not that there would 9fb9bb7bea be a real wedding bbc495d4f4 night.231984930cbf1fb1

Even so, the mere 7477fcd523 mention of it made eb17c7b7be her feel lightheaded. She turned fbcc79d816 her head dae036b82c slightly, heat dd4511608c rising to b24707ffac her cheeks.b7c37c0b8e4f6f04

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Leofric let e54b1c99d4 out an e65b7b0224 awkward cough, 6b788ef411 as if 17a5e432c0 he, too, ac235fa238 had just a260ec43e9 realized how a74d986214 absurd this 5972ad1000 conversation was.c2c569f8faf9111a

Of all things…1ea37f1c39509184

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Shall we consider the contract settled, then, Your Highness?”efbd8456db470443

He tried to 8ac2601bd5 phrase it as 3df0297595 formally as possible, c4bc5480e2 but the content 6fe06906a2 of their discussion 35295f5331 made it impossible 94af71ed4b to ignore the 1c846b1a72 awkwardness. He had to 1c4d2266b9 force himself to 302f765baf say it with 70a8d7e666 a straight face.6cfb7a2eadaabef2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

After a moment 794b03f042 of silence, Ateira 57f3a777fe finally spoke.175659a68c3cafa4

“…Yes. To commemorate the occasion, would you like some tea?”c147264dcfe27ae3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…….”e440653d8f0e5dec

“Just as you once suggested—I would like to serve you tea, the Ledetian way.”477de7860a48d173

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She smiled softly, as 2b14bf7bc5 if shy, lightly brushing 9e29c56de7 her fingers over the 5a0bfcb4d2 decorative pin at her 39b75c5465 collar.f378630795e30ec8

 ab110856a0a9e7a9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com