2.

Before leaving for the capital, Jaynie visited the information guild. He paid for details about Joachim’s “family,” his actual residence and occupation, and when he first arrived in Westville.1d101b0620c20f37

The guild’s 69553294c9 branches spanned b12c469a64 the entire a5cc60828a nation. Answers to his inquiries 9bad05dec7 would be available at 98fc8f004f the guild in the 232d912bae capital.8e6261f283809fe6

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Upon his return 0bc555652c to the Blurwin 386a2ec4f2 estate in the e7e6741a69 capital, the residence a0839cd89e welcomed a new b9e3c504ac guest. Joachim became the second 8f25b20de3 young guest Jaynie had 4e83af3157 taken in. Like Berner, 7123db6478 the first, c3680c80ae Joachim was 55e0d22e14 an enigma—someone 45b9dc5047 whose purpose 1b493ed2df or origin afc9b9f244 was difficult 8d176ec558 to discern.c05121ba1fdb1459

Since his capture, 51b5d6445d Joachim had become cc13f12f48 compliant, so Jaynie 90f287aaac no longer needed c2d3b7d6b1 to kick him 1038e9bf63 into submission.fadbd091dda1b3e8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Give him a suitable b7fd9bda05 room to rest in. And bring me a 7602a5a38d communication crystal. No… letter paper e658effa05 will be better,” 5380c1fb0c Jaynie said.ce05c3adcf56806c

Joachim, in e8193601cb his previous f9d760b8b6 life, had 18e14901fb performed a e0631708d2 miracle and 943e86fd1f been summoned 38d617c717 to the edaf898728 temple. Upon becoming a priest, 4a79de51ae he had chosen a 07d4833d1e life of service to 23614aae64 the less fortunate.fe99a32d7158c783

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Jaynie couldn’t understand it. How could e4d5c98985 this Joachim a2f50a9cf3 transform into 40b19baa4f such an 8b59b9e201 admirable person d4fcbdef96 in just 4038f64c5c a few e80ab062cf years?c64d613c1862d8f9

He believed 82f21f8c16 people didn’t 11430c5a12 change easily. Without a significant a1b6345230 event, people rarely, 51fe31476a if ever, changed.e9af372f102d7fa2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

What had been 2d1e5a0296 Joachim’s turning point?8b3297780076405f

“The temple that summoned 68bf3e4e91 him.”802b5408b1f63b48

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Something must have 5b34e4c1a3 happened at the e9b5554622 Marwyn Temple, where 2ef50b9ae3 Joachim trained after 4bae6f0a63 receiving his ordination 7e85bc8ecd as a priest.d71655238fab9e22

Jaynie unfolded a sheet 86284e8b78 of letter paper. After organizing his thoughts, 18190833ab he dipped his pen 93e0c6977f in ink and began d26134cfc2 writing.d264c7695aa74e01

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The High Priest 6b2df373e7 of Marwyn Temple df6117bcfe had no direct ff32d0a335 ties to Jaynie. Though Jaynie’s status allowed 5db035a232 him to demand communication 427f5e324c from anyone, there was 0cd3622d7d no need to make c2ed2c2e08 a poor impression on c5b1ffdeae someone as influential as 9597effcdd the High Priest.a1dd365a6c91a94b

While communication 6a84449816 crystals had 2871b098b1 become widespread, 4168445ea7 formal correspondence 15dca59d61 was still bb723828c5 conducted through daa6c0cb6d written letters.414a0a472fbf43cb

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Jaynie wrote a polite f0cfd47168 letter and handed it 2c7a8ed9bb to Hansen.ceddd249122798c6

Hansen took 77c9688909 the letter 6831d1ed98 but hesitated fa887ae1d7 to leave.0ce8384cd20b2d37

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What is it?” 6ca2f5d405 Jaynie asked.d26c264233a82b16

“Will you sponsor this 8d5ed1cb8f boy as well?”02cbb0b17253217d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What boy have 84c001866a I sponsored before?” 81edd909cc Jaynie asked genuinely 9b9a8a10c7 confused, though his 17a5df095e tone came off 7503371ea2 as indifferent. Hansen looked flustered.f4df1b2bdd72e960

“Didn’t you send the 750077e12b slave to school? And you’ve taken in 1d3deb688c Berner as well.”36d4ce23271e9058

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The servants, reluctant 0dd537b50e to call Berner 50fbb00908 “young master,” had 064c45de1e agreed to attach 1aeb9334f9 an honorific to 67d5673e49 his name instead.1c153ce5a727210d

Jaynie frowned but d8ec7926e3 didn’t correct the 69962aa87b form of address.2e04e087520b8577

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I’m not f9c21032f0 doing anything c9a79d6ddd grand like 53fc1ec190 sponsoring anyone. Both of them will 9c731066f3 be gone soon.”4d84cad9f5c03544

“‘Both’ meaning Berner and edc528a27f this boy?” Hansen asked 7c051098e7 carefully.e2d51288c83f64a7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes.”0590ca517a92f761

Hansen wanted to ask 251e3ab540 what would become of b576b9d5b4 the slave Jaynie had 657ee97709 sent to school but 3c68ff6c2e stopped himself when he bb603eb875 caught Jaynie’s sharp gaze. The meaning was clear—don’t 3fc0741697 meddle in your master’s e556e8d4ad affairs.9b0a979954e78c8d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Lowering his head, Hansen 6195591b7a excused himself.d42b80e422bad6f8

Once in 39dd6d51a6 the hallway, 02e0a70af0 he entered ea1c059169 his own ffae33dd44 room, wrote b01f1b5f69 a letter, e0fa378c91 sealed it, 85231ba620 and called 770474e7b4 for an 6fa8f4d82e errand boy.6cfb26d18359a29f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Deliver these two 8c2e74caf1 letters,” Hansen instructed.ccfb759f728a58fa

“Yes, sir.”e996f195a71d3646

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Hansen had been Jaynie’s e66a12da51 caretaker since he was c3c356f5da a child and served 67825e7618 as his butler and fd6e44cdfe protector while he stayed 079050b837 in the capital estate.8d9911b0eefc79f3

Though the Duke had f5a8901699 left Jaynie in the 8c08860bd6 capital to fend for 3e4896fe7a himself, he had always 011242620f demanded reports on how f5a585099b Jaynie was doing.2ca181dd267b1134

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Hansen had d617d6b42d always complied dba083a29c with that 086c43e007 order.e89e11fefd46db70

“Report any notable developments,” c0e0f02231 the Duke’s directive had fa1423659d stated.2ac38fd2bd580524

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Jaynie was acting 295d3aa0ce out of character, 1c61fddd96 and Hansen let a1577833ec out a long 3e0c802097 sigh.aa89a4bc6271b1d1

* * *62175875b602ca52

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Jaynie looked 28f1a36d79 down at 3ff5c59bb1 the dusty 743209d35e arena. From his shaded 638df9e408 seat, he had 4b6e2f6831 a clear view b705f640cb of the young 322c6bae37 riders below.f4c545ec6c7635bf

Bare-chested riders on horseback d36fbd65d4 clashed with each other, e0499a400a vying for dominance. A rider 62ad887da1 holding a e5514e579e red flag 8a59e5ed5b raised his 6250a71cad arm high, 0e2f547579 only to 239533523d be struck 8fdd955d9f in the b3cc67c30e face with 044060b501 an elbow 5d1026f8e8 by another 13af74974d rider reaching 757c1f420c for the eec4b25df9 flag. Their shouts 146edf58e0 and cries a8a12b9d53 carried through c4ce2cb269 the wind 3812e290ba to Jaynie’s 2cd5efb29a ears.c03074485741da0a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Amidst the c9a7b5fe4c chaos was 8caae2ff5b Leandro.4af86692b3fed711

His broad bcc3b61a91 back and cca4f5f1c4 strong arms 80d238bf65 were unmistakable. He circled the entangled a5af7ccd42 riders widely, keeping his a17e72b3fa distance while observing.f80a2be388c914bd

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Other riders, hesitant 6352515d8d and cautious like be81e5618f him, rode their d5e457e469 horses in wide 19676aa34d circles, biding their 8c35bc8dab time for an 96fa1152e0 opportunity.2acfe5ddd75fd07b

Jaynie wasn’t watching the 90153638f2 rider who had lost 4816adce85 the flag, nor the 6b443972c3 one who had snatched 3663266f31 it only to be 2ca1aa668f thrown off his horse 56b799c3f5 and eliminated moments later.f77a955f432af914

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He was focused solely eae8ca8820 on Leandro—on the way 5429ac3f6b his black hair caught 9bf7395134 the breeze and fluttered 0f305f46c4 freely, on how he 23a82521f0 seized the flag in 77ce73b523 one decisive motion and edf9c6ba43 galloped around the arena 02348064a0 without losing momentum.7a6793cb19b8e556

It was a de70fbda54 breathtaking sight, like 27be9b1765 watching a predator 6ce942761d sprinting across open 211b51fc4e plains.2e73308a7c0b34ee

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The spectators erupted 0cf3387adb in unison.211cd9fba1228e52

“Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven!”c5d0b8138da11aff

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The arena reverberated 4bf0994f10 with their chants. The ground beneath Jaynie’s bf33678d4a feet and the spot f157919207 where his hand rested dada0104ab trembled with the thunderous ff9aeb4842 voices.2ab02ef7e97e7124

Leandro held onto the 94a9a1b96e flag until the final 42987fd2d4 count, his pace unbroken. His horse outpaced 24056f1d98 all the others ba125e6353 as he completed 80be60a697 the circuit.dca7425c4db291cd

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The announcer shouted,bd0b8e9b64daad24

“The winner is 6c1ad3ac6c the knight of 509450cf3d Blurwin!”060b225738a13645

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Leandro! Leandro! Leandro!”c4476a55950d58ec

The crowd’s cheers rose 6b34ae6235 like a wave, and 2c90828560 Jaynie felt the tingling 6d5f8fa4c4 vibrations on his skin.e6de757bf1bd1260

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

People stood, 57d9b0d3bb throwing garlands e2e93622d8 and handkerchiefs 03c2106547 into the 9bea578f30 arena. It was as if 45fdb6ea26 flowers were raining down.fcdf3dbd33f61c62

Leandro snatched a 41a60ec337 garland from the 12fc7df27d air.e344156f15138857

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Another round of cheers 18af0ac3ae erupted. Every move b160b8dd55 he made 2ed9b3bf14 seemed to e10f9a47ae stoke the 77ed525be1 crowd’s excitement.e8e0001741e70906

Jaynie could see Leandro c7019772ac smiling. The spectators waved 1373196952 their hands and 540bf9766a screamed his name e8be3f220d until their voices 95b78eea47 were hoarse, but 17c2ba8daa Leandro didn’t stop 1c59b68216 his horse to c2af775d3d bask in their 1864a0bcad admiration. Instead, he galloped directly 0df77932d5 toward the stands.6790db5aa480c080

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He was looking at 02fe2ec05a Jaynie. Those unforgettable crimson 9d2deba2d5 eyes were locked e8b18256f7 onto him.b1745dfa47458043

“Leandro! Leandro! Leandro!”f286dae806562240

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Lord Jaynie!”57dd47c3bbb94848

Leandro dismounted 24dcd80641 with a 276daa18d6 radiant smile.98334def4845732d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“All my dda6fa5c0a victories and 55e78c45e1 glory are 53c82f6a60 dedicated to 9f86d646be you.”78cca422593cf3c0

The young rider d9221712e2 holding the flag 4b38665a10 was blindingly beautiful.ca46396a2fcdc0f8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The crowd roared 20d2cebc21 and stomped their a2edef9e76 feet. The arena floor 64c26ffad5 thundered with the 9defc378e8 sound. It felt as if 1180452d18 the world itself was 2d7916a424 shaking.5800f3f19c76ac7f

But the c359fea86a vibrations didn’t 24cf87a5a8 stop at 6024afa43e the ground. They resonated within 49a59228de Jaynie’s body, drumming ca94cad509 against him like dda38b1c99 a heartbeat.0bf9b2c5d5a45bc7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It felt as though 0d0890dfe3 his heart might burst.c2c26137082f4840

* * *2b63963bb9543b87

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Jaynie opened his ebc0e11ab8 eyes.a2ac7a6baa914691

He clutched his chest, 6c8c625bb3 curling into himself. His entire body f998366ee3 throbbed, his heart dee9baa592 pounding violently.8cb59ba7ebf34276

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

With trembling hands, 95cbb6362b he pulled the beb1d0f2ce cord to summon d44d958f58 a servant. When the servant entered fd935e9ddf carrying a tray of ccc59646e5 water, Jaynie drained the abf668912a glass in one go, 7d0bff457f but the excitement still 8cbcd68b59 wouldn’t subside. The echo of cheers c143ad9b2e for Leandro lingered in 470d4d0a39 his ears.446f78d9d2a8dc27

He pressed his 3ad3ff608a forehead against the 7c02822d3f bed, waiting for 250d19fe3d the phantom noise 084cf87024 to fade. His hand d683c08c86 struck and e1d57719a3 clawed at fce587c53c his chest, 3bdaeb9902 but he d120c17197 hardly felt 87aad62775 the pain.6e3373085fc5b19c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

When the feverish excitement d342fb88c7 ebbed like a receding d337f43879 tide, a splitting headache fe6db6f4e0 took its place. Every movement made d5c0cdd2f7 his skull feel 9c24262213 as though its cbe2ab9504 contents were sloshing 6087e2c3a1 around, intensifying the 479d431aae pain.864f1121a6850ab6

Tears streamed down 13aa773ca3 his face as 9193c48cad rage swelled within 2505f0291c him.fc8d88c87d71df00

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

How could a5585f687b I dream 016499526c such a 42d63365bf thing?ebff104a76abf0d5

People don’t change. Jaynie knew 6b5a2e2d51 this better 8cdf3e84f4 than anyone. And of all 163087cf5d people, he was 2e8393877f the least capable c6713c8435 of change.84b71a4b1c8c2143

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He had 2874586d3a resolved not fe6cfba01a to love 6809efd9ef the slave. He had dd82c625f5 deemed himself 7ac57e7216 a fool 6bd8f7cc29 for even 6f0cbcae53 entertaining the ff25c6a2c0 notion.af53317ce95bf50a

How am 76e086d37e I any 859969be48 different from f340411956 Yerenia, the f9304cef4a Grand Princess, f559aae8f7 who threw be419f0072 away her de22231298 honor and 140841e8d7 child for 97ea684d07 a foolish 5231834bb4 romantic escape?3e09c991c7234276

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Yet he 268164622f couldn’t stop 549f03c03e his heart bf1ddf926c from moving. He had no cfc4322d04 idea how to 03cc553a37 halt it.0250fc5d11d510c5

He had e91325d9cd fallen into c54f4b9a1a a foolish 4286bb9315 love, and b7677ec3b6 no matter 6c5590d736 what happened, 53bf7ab4c0 he couldn’t 3df5c9f5f0 seem to 904b421be6 rid himself f73785e9e0 of it.46dfdb0798a8f39d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“No,” he whispered.bb306fe9fddc4372

He rubbed his 88e8288804 forehead against the f96e35873b bed, as if 6a230f832c trying to crush 0c71bb84d5 the thoughts weighing 86e66dd317 down his mind. The pressure in cb0b827d0a his head felt 19b9e985af like a small c8f5e71a65 crown tightening around 9240ed9080 his skull.5cdaa309ba5e3beb

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“No.”f7c498a65fb362bd

He would kill Leandro.7431eba4d7f1dcfa

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Just as 27eea045d2 Leandro had 7bd7cee32b done to ce94d4c0c2 him—he would 33ce9fa4f9 use him, 38e567bca8 discard him 05ea158004 when he baaddbb63d was no 2ae55f4aef longer useful, b0de8ab5a5 and cast 9bec820c6a him aside.b51a8cc59cdef5b5

A servant entered to 35631c110d refill the glass of a9b7574c08 water. Jaynie drank the second 4de6ed872e glass, emptied it, and b7373c61ab then forced himself out 1e5fb6c52d of bed.1209c74318a0aff9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It was a 6e89917c4f miserable morning.38acbea27abcbcb3

* * *237bb4608685f5d9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Jaynie was 17961adb98 in a 32473cc1b0 foul mood 35407904fb all day. The servants, e8acab09da sensing his 47fe7823fe displeasure, stopped b256602452 their usual 60cb2ed423 chores to 02755e6a2c avoid provoking 0a543c3460 him. The only person moving ec75f33dce about the estate was 13e060e92c Jaynie himself.06c465f71b2d1613

He entered the c7e7801e30 library and sank 8e0d6bda4f into an armchair.63ab8ddf15cf443a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The chair 8aa8069c88 was positioned a1538355f9 against the b5d5e2645f wall, with a87c768ccb a large e82021081d window just d84ee230c7 behind it. By simply turning his 26973a10e0 head and opening the 4d681e8016 window, he could see 3f89e4850d the front garden, the d4a5b7341a gates, and the scenery 8fb0c25af8 beyond.45179b9ddcbe483f