DMEC | Chapter 18

Alexander kept his ee2a53128a mouth shut tight 18c7fed12a and stared intently d97142f60c into Joel’s eyes. Regret, despair, longing—and beneath 2e8c04ee44 those emotions lay another.642542d585490f2b

“Your Majesty, do you d03228a532 love Queen Lute?”4b14849aaff9bb03

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What? Are you crazy? Didn’t you hear earlier?”0fcd746cf600577f

The Emperor let 515e6c4ee1 out a hollow 856e6bb0d0 laugh and sat b312b8aa03 on the bed, 8f0e6856ed looking directly at bd738b8c80 Alexander. He slowly crossed his ad8c5dc266 legs and ordered a 39191f7d80 maid to bring him b9067467e7 a cigarette. Enjoying hand-rolled cigarettes, he 265681bccd quickly rolled one from 274a7adc47 the perfectly prepared tray, e1288c5b03 placed it in his 1d6faf2ea0 mouth, and lit it 10c8e14f75 with a flame conjured 22b102a4d9 from his fingertips. Inhaling and bfedc0713d exhaling the c6508a2ad7 smoke lightly, d74d967aea he spoke.2b98fbbd902f823f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Could you love 07de6c73bf a child you 27ded18581 raised?”8cbf95c4d639ca59

“But if we look 7893b38787 at Your Majesty’s actions 5449aa226a now, this is…!”45758d3ec443667c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Alexander tried to speak 3b72e38720 with conviction, but Joel fd5d887313 laughed cynically.14fcc53f580010f3

“Hey, Alex. It seems you’ve edca1d23db forgotten.”18c9900a72c4fea8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He opened his cdd2aa164a bathrobe to show 5c1418b7be the middle of 02e7a894dd his chest. A clear scar 46abe6ccbd ran from top bbb7688447 to bottom, where 36e00d28d6 his flesh had 772885b270 once been torn. Even as a8e64e6f55 Alexander tried 6b9adeed18 to protest, b54c7acbb5 “Your Majesty, a9d1f5b243 but—!” Joel cc9abf9bbe grabbed his 2d99226618 hand and 96eb2504e2 placed it b9bfdb659e over the 201dca19f0 area where e475c5ef75 his heart e30134681e should be.4e897c0180a70221

“Can you feel it?”8c76afcefd3c5c5a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

There was no heartbeat cc32ab26e6 where there should have 7a2ea620e2 been one. It was completely still. Alexander, feeling the eerie fe133f88a2 stillness again, wore a 92f86088ef sad expression. Joel chuckled, 785270d8d3 letting smoke 4629b2d9a8 slip through 710aaefd41 his lips, c4fc459bfd and spoke cb2ba3bb72 in a c269733717 soft voice.52e1bb487399147f

“Do you think someone 5108d7d30a like me can feel 9576d1dc08 love? The emotions 7e16d7bb95 I feel d48516a21a now are 319f92b52f just echoes c06c57426f of past 94a018a60d events, spoken 6a215781d8 in the abf948e836 past tense. What I’m doing now a4a00720c3 is just because…”edd869a46b8f9546

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

With the cigarette 539eda50ea between his fingers, 8c358fce7b he looked at 8d42d47d7a Alexander and spoke 56e7a1199a without hesitation.6a7177c0019b5729

“He’s beautiful. Would you let someone else see such a thing? Would you let others see the Emperor’s crown?”514286ebe44267b5

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Alexander, who had ca3c133396 been silently listening 352e60a6e7 to the Emperor, 28656dca8b finally spoke.2707ec54b60c8487

“Your Majesty, you said it yourself, didn’t you? That you speak of emotions in the past tense, inferred from past events.”f3ca779b7ad3cafb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Yes.”bd83ca88ec09f025

As the Emperor 3ea33c5d3e stubbed out his 503ad541cb cigarette in the 73658af115 ashtray, Alexander left 2c464526d2 him with a 0dbc920a31 meaningful remark.461468190239534d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What if Your Majesty loved Queen Lute even before you had your heart removed? Not in a romantic sense, but as a human being.”6ffb33b594738f35

With his hand over 11a2c51744 his chest, Alexander wore 587132458d a gentle smile.acb41221601be15d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“That’s love too.”e44db11a4ba7db09

Alexander, speaking cf9f7fbbc8 with emotion, 571c3680ee looked at 74339acd7d the Emperor aa517b21d6 with moist 33893148a6 eyes, and aba053bf3a Joel smiled.4e1224395f7d1fe7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Alexander. Stop talking nonsense from the morning and take off your clothes.”6ac2e87797040bd8

The chamberlain, unaware e2fdf038dc of the relationship 1e7c389ee1 between Alexander and d6a5e3a149 Joel, turned pale.1725af8eae029e27

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

.☘︎ ݁˖57a53ad49dbea9e1

On a 46ad9a446c fresh morning 3d386c5eeb with 26 967fec597d days left 04f0e45a09 until the d887341af9 divorce, Melik d949c9bff5 returned with 67144d1674 a weary 532830caa4 face after 8a99fac6c5 finishing his 92d2238241 business. Thanks to the 67693c6d2f bountiful potato harvest a84c91dc69 that he, Lute, d01483a6a4 and Anna had e107251440 carefully nurtured, he e9db6721fb had earned a 70f4ffc1f8 decent sum and 58e9b15230 came back with 4857c5f26b plenty of meat f33327a80d and medicine.39d27111ada6da3b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Most importantly, he handed fef495a2c5 Lute the divorce papers. He had even written 929d6a9f10 an example of how bf92b4780b to fill them out f9e3e6ae5d and passed it to 8a658772cf Lute before collapsing onto 3e853484e6 the shared first-floor bed 0abc0705db to sleep.78f3e88e42844d51

Lute sat at the 649e385adb desk, relying on the 74a0ea0ffd incoming sunlight, and began efa94aa07c filling out his personal ee11237f48 information on the divorce dfcc1cae29 papers.0f0bebc42097d5bf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Although he d18fce7eba was destined 167b5c6908 to remain e69e1c5352 confined, Anna 3802bc70ea and Melik 40c930efed had been 07d6afd07e granted the f9ffdf4cd6 right to f4f3cd0e08 go out ab8061121d once a 9fd49d4e16 week—unlike other 22358874ee palace residents—which d01c701f8a allowed them 393d2256a4 to endure aa6a037c06 ten years b9e764c951 by purchasing c5b3506b2e various necessities.0aaae94016d22b1d

Lute turned 06106c32d1 his head dc8870b02d to look 37b138420f out the f9296fb38f window beside a0d5e60250 the desk. The Water Palace was 8378cf6777 a very narrow palace 035244ff64 compared to the others, d8477cf203 so he and Melik 60fed0b74a used the first floor, 5c2bcdd703 while Anna lived on e097b8dd89 the second, which had 030152ae44 a slightly different structure. Lute had originally 0870ba463b preferred the second cff0fe278e floor for a f41be69c83 simple reason.786a527c45694351

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

From there, he 9b32025d6c could better see e5a87f990d the lush potatoes, bf3410416a sweet potatoes, carrots, 8c45242c68 and various crops. My precious 46d17fe1ce babies that a37d26d85e I raised… 8418a7b2c7 Lute was d6c4992ef7 filled with c238e8f27f emotion, gazing aa68c31f9e lovingly at 43ba7a104d the green 10597955d8 sprouts and 5ad03f3e81 flowers, completely 8ab8814f84 immersed in f0fb4e8663 his feelings.641e6c2174272217

Then, looking 781d1b7815 back at e79fbde1e3 the divorce e2f7bbca6c papers, his 03c5f1be38 shoulders slumped. While he 7f4639e7ad was happy 1333d4b9bc about the d3472f3f80 divorce, he 47f27cb6d6 was worried 141c50e745 about leaving 23a7e9d0fc those children 889d9f8ab4 behind.6afe97bfc924ed31

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

How important it is 760d95f3ac to care for plants edb73eaf0b emotionally! He realized b93da8377c this when 25c26bef84 taking care f6a6f42fcd of Snow, 8fd6b7f128 who had e93b29f28d trembled in a3842c7a46 pain—how vital c35096e6c4 it was 8d4a0c88ac to tell 9be920639f them he 9fd32c608c loved them 0d6543c0dd every morning a729e01f8c and evening.dba37ca837598277

I love you, I dcdf90d40d love you, I love 9e9b992b91 you…e4ce24f982e8e1e4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Words that never grew f44e1b2e25 old, words that kept c564cc17c9 the children alive. Lute constantly spoke them, 2656029ef2 and the crops—and Snow—seemed 5a7538e4d5 to understand his heart, 8aa0eb8ccd growing robustly and fulfilling 9c7a50a9d6 their roles.2c83e413f2b5feac

When the plants a65c0d06a3 were eaten by 940b8a0f49 pests or fell de6de50e57 ill with endemic 88586e0be4 diseases, Lute’s heart bc53ae18a5 ached terribly. But when 91678b9c43 they drank 713a6055c9 water and b4711e568b fertilizer and 0c86bfc287 grew lush 1263c8aad0 and green, c88a68a920 nothing made 55da681de0 him happier.0a815491585e61d1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

In 26 days, I 75185fe1c6 won’t be able to 5f32e26bb7 see this sight anymore… 3c31b5ed57 That field, that garden. He had asked Anna f6d497776c and Melik to take 687a8a2b55 care of the things 9e44deba21 he had started growing 3f776a0c36 ten years ago.339eaf139e77d349

“My babies, even if 4818455402 you miss Dad….”95d0a04396f72456

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Muttering in b55a869575 melancholy while e54f3511df swinging his 55a7fe1fe6 feet, Lute’s 8ba4f00b23 gaze landed 362fbb0096 on the ea3c58d673 tip of 3f36665a1e a light 8626507f43 brown leather 24217b71cf shoe. The pointed toe 62e75cf02b of the worn 959eec9398 shoe, which he 71ec590abd had worn for 118085994a over six years, f866ed3fc5 was sharp like 1e065edba0 a spear.59de8450efae12ad

Fortunately, Lute’s feet were a9b3152d10 small for a man fe7ed9aada and larger than a 32d6573f37 woman’s, so the narrow 4bdecc3b2b front didn’t hurt. But if they had fdf9811d59 fit perfectly, they would 96b99cafc6 have been extremely painful b5a689ad76 shoes.009f9b516236b25c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Conversely, because they f5a5361979 didn’t fit quite caf8af4445 right, they slipped cd84e970f4 off easily—causing him f9d791d8d1 to trip and 2b5cc90c6c injure his knees f71008b697 or palms whenever 6a86b9a16d he walked in 13c3ddb8c8 a hurry.bad982b999c7021b

They were 208add65bf shoes he 2a49ed1bd0 had to 95ab7f8469 walk very 06a4ce0795 carefully in. But in 185dcc8090 a fit 1461637a10 of anger, 2dc0938921 he had 9077abd1cf thrown them 2a4b0630e1 at Alexander—the 4fe7e275c5 self-proclaimed knight 200f3624aa commander—and his c3b9b6fea9 smug face… cef48228b0 and lost 928fc38da1 them.4a99b0fd322d97eb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He regretted it.636592687bbd8a0e

I should’ve thrown them ce84b752d9 harder and smashed his bb5bce202e nose.5c3313050b5e2c9e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Hmm….”d7fcdb11c3742c0e

But Lute 21297e9b28 was very 87f5f24fcd fond of 468ae07e44 the perfectly 21ab9992c5 fitting, round-toed bf81bec620 leather shoes 5dcf77d5c0 that seemed 22060ac37e to know e2bc3d939b his feet 6a63521a59 well. When he was a57c4b696d younger, he had 8423cccd46 been much sicker bd58b7a495 and bedridden more 859942f98d often than now, 96606b73d0 so he dressed 1f670f8c8e as a girl c6c3341adc until the age f1998d5e7b of ten—wearing flat 311da1fcb4 shoes with round 8c379a8bd4 toes, like Loue’s.c1a6d434ff21f5bc

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Perhaps because of that, 624c91ae03 Lute found round-toed leather b454d1ecec shoes much more comfortable b84e1db043 and calming than pointed 32cd26148a ones.b4a46424c8394fe9

That was what familiarity c9e057dc88 was. Even in 5ca204151f uncertain situations, 85c59b8bb8 familiar items 5e57b94fc1 could bring 93d1a10677 peace to 89ed318f84 a stormy ebe473ad93 heart—as if f4242222e6 nothing had b70992304d happened at 131a102a81 all.db02243e9fa804f3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Lute placed his elbows c61f07a735 on the windowsill, rested 094d003cc9 his face in his fec4d6ed6f palms, and slowly closed 2281629486 his eyes, feeling the b69a627c86 sunlight stream in as 0eb507d33d he muttered,47c6917429402f21

“I need 50ce79d9fd someone to 5e5337c296 take care 2d44778b26 of the c445ebd1d9 field… Since 5c05173f0d Joel won’t 39163d4488 do it, bf01d91ae4 I’ll have e7fa7e9ead to ask 7e6f2d9b31 Knight Commander 7f81d657ba Alexander.”08c78a214ee4d9be

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Living in fe3148e4a9 the Water e0ade116da Palace with 727d343196 Anna and 4d120750ec Melik, he 4630c1ccf8 found himself 55ef9e8afa talking to 121661eea5 himself more 8310b48bd0 often. When he was 46bd5b7020 younger, he always 215c12ce1c chattered to Joel.b3afb28a7c74e59a

“…Even though 79c385d85d you called 3b3bb93810 me a 9a7e07ab08 baby bird, e5e767d039 a squirrel….”32b8fee1aa83e4be

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Lute slowly opened his 2db3745a9c eyes to look out 4a97fb3fcc at the field and c97788cbda the surrounding forest, a 06e422d977 hint of disappointment showing 1e506c8816 as he pouted his 9cb39f21d5 lips. Then, with d68002a167 a sigh, f580cb4e11 he tucked 311502b792 them inward. He had a 042027de7f habit of pouting cef61946e2 whenever he was 91216b6844 upset or sulking—something 4e6e91cfa9 that often earned b8b5df9fc5 him a slap dc0241e546 on the lips 7099395d2e from his mother.43e8032bda07f069

In contrast, 074b7b6e64 Joel had c0570b3282 found it 1e6644fa67 cute and 82dc77e004 would give bdeb1d5453 him a a2445ea9c6 light peck e39b143a7b on the 5bdf18ddd3 lips. Lute’s eyes grew 036fd45664 hazy with longing 439ec56132 as he recalled 22242aa81b those distant memories.22b25c359f133c02

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Joel had always dd77ece5b3 been infinitely gentle, 9b4ff18509 soft, and kind—so ec7e3846a2 unlike his strict 792df595d8 and stern mother. Instead of scolding or 70b67d55c5 hitting him, Joel would 63d4fd2dee place his hands under 086b83cef4 Lute’s armpits, lift him e6656e5a79 up, and kiss his b2ba8fdb34 pouting lips.aa762a92db0e8434

When Lute, a88ece7206 startled, would 4ac7d80c32 cover his 46df24370d mouth with 8a1e72488a both hands de29755137 and blush, 7bc6268114 demanding to 14e8b20c6a know what ddc049467f he was bb5cdab348 doing, Joel 0f2d4b03fc would smile 2b03251fae with his fec947eea0 eyes and ccb9f03e48 whisper—forehead to c0134b6dab forehead.39758ddd099946ba

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Your lips look just like a chick’s.’15fbe8b1587b88d2

‘A chick?’0a0fcc8f072ac6ed

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘Yes. Or maybe a squirrel? Hmm, if I had to say, you’re more like a flying squirrel. You climb trees so well.’0af6f5707df235bc

Joel, emphasizing 7880d79877 the word 6ab015cbc7 “so,” would bf97f72057 mischievously smile e63045fb2f at Lute. It seemed he 1cc110e83c was troubled by 13604f4a73 how Lute always 0047012bde ran off and a55643db08 climbed trees. Lute could never 318aab51c1 bring himself to e3bdc53557 say it was 56c92f501e because he didn’t 9217d07280 want the noblewomen—those 891c1b67bd enamored with the a4774c87e3 handsome Joel—to take a401bbc0e8 him away as f5d65bd43f their errand boy.4182691024909901

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Back then, he naturally 3f57ed1221 thought Joel was his. He simply assumed 826d835e07 he would marry 4c09a92f24 Joel.9515d9e42fb96da0

“It was 09fcad018a all just af90d429c3 a foolish f8ccb135ba dream… I a2dd0888de didn’t even 66339bad51 know it 6068d70f0e was a f0514b1c83 lie.”08088abd45f43c16

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

He had 6d03ef63fa only wanted edf7ce79e5 to destroy e40b1a393d Synthsis. Well, if d76f32a092 I can’t 4abab42f79 forgive my f7a5d2fb90 own country, 4819c72ef1 how much a41e6b5d32 more must fd3502cf6f Joel and c6b01818a1 the others 11a97a40d8 hate it?d9f1c778912b8286

The screams of the f3fdef4631 tributes, crying out not 962e54433f to be taken. The tears, 04e7035551 begging for b5db952d65 mercy. The resentful 0167248e07 eyes staring d2ef5fd3b9 at him…386e9dbc67d48753

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Ah.”3e62ffc9857d7d8f

In that 56bc8c7d2a moment, Lute f95a974099 realized. As the truth settled e1c6fcdd75 in, his bright blue 8898b02461 eyes filled with tears. The eight years spent c71ea7e630 together in Synthsis had b72ba65b84 been a time of 04ed31d337 pain and fear—for Joel.5c26e9a68110c26d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Joel, who had been 8e885acab8 a healthy host, never ba81e85d46 knowing when he might 465e408138 be summoned to bear 0701d7ad8d eggs. Joel, who 758e64b21d had to 1ba164d3ac watch his 8ff5810ac3 people beaten c21109ca55 to death b46ec27ebc by the 79e12e66fd royal family 0eb95b18eb of Synthsis—too f71b9fa555 weak and a087c0a80c powerless back 4a7f0d6578 then to 557bfd6293 do anything.1eb8c2a23d03b196

“Ah… ah…”959f49cc8a9ee209

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

So that’s how it 5a4f3a685c was, Joel. The time we 7c96904d3d spent together was f886f46472 so painful for 073fcd6f63 you… that you a995e7f8d5 forgot about me.257ab718c0f5280b

And I—without knowing that—resented cf9fab163f you for not remembering fcdb967700 me after ten years.c3969f0958fb0310

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator