NRAL | Chapter 41

~Chapter 41~be3a85aa182ac364

The Rotten Lifeline9c3622542880db21

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It was a warm 0297895ee2 afternoon.ad0c5640551c1e0d

“Courtney, come over and try some cookies.”ed20297d7bfa672e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Eleanor, who was 07cc257763 enjoying tea time c0e6c40fdd in the garden, c0be64ad32 kindly suggested.e925b3b66a432c5d

At that, a maid 45f333c173 who had been lingering 8a71d13906 out of sight peeked 80af497625 her head out. Courtney, the gray-haired f7e1ed4601 maid, hurried over, 0ccf748926 panting as if 632a9e7f43 she had been f2291a9d23 working hard.fbcaf803fd1bddd6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Eleanor smiled at 5ca9bf4af5 her and handed a417ccb0eb her a cookie c034cef402 filled with butter.c55ef5f04612cf19

“Thank you, Miss.”ddbeed2008517229

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Courtney naturally reached out 2e94ff15c7 to take the cookie.e94adf4a47e6379b

Thanks to Hilda’s words d29e1f9b0e about the shortage of 2f7742e3a2 maids, Courtney had quickly eed8b7b995 seized the opportunity and 802db1d451 had been working by fc58e75e54 Eleanor’s side for about 225851c003 a week now. On the 93364517ad first day, d6dfd43cf9 Eleanor had 48e090674b seemed distant, 3275ffa889 as if f2d9800d5d a cold 9c231c2216 breeze were 8463d2bde6 blowing around d4867254f2 her. But as the days 650186decb went by, she gradually a5ee03b65e began to open up e74de05690 to Courtney.f3d7d4684e10accf

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Their conversations became 90ad67b95e longer, and Courtney e95cce3a3e found that Eleanor, d984d6c223 surprisingly, seemed to 7c54af0393 be someone who 6041cb77fc craved affection.858f8826fb9f92d0

‘Actually, she’s more in f59c47b94b need of affection than e521b126cd I thought,’ Courtney thought 3dcdea1843 to herself.5f1f8687768d20de

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Courtney had only 1b3cd98073 treated her a c3b6e3ae05 bit kindly to ac78792bcd keep things smooth, a14863db1d yet Eleanor reacted 741d1690a2 emotionally even to ec4fba8034 small gestures. She was quick ca4bd1e5df to trust and 3e3a18ac12 open her heart.ae2ee5416b8c10b8

At first, it e1d2b0e12b felt good. Eleanor, who maintained a111586aa3 a neutral expression f42d197f42 with the other 8935691d8a servants, smiled at 03fe6a1a4a her, which gave 73ec90ce49 Courtney a strange 45c8bfc70f sense of superiority.de5f119a4a5dae9c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Of course, 74309404f1 it wasn’t 8da8abd993 the same dfcf99adbd as how 39f43b0165 Hilda was cf915b9eb4 treated, but 9b524aeac2 considering the fc1a647e87 time they’d 6150cc8e66 spent together, b2161251b4 it seemed 6a0e884e1d like Eleanor a063960666 might actually 58017c1b56 like her 0fe54f7145 more.cb7c684dba042086

“Thank you so much for looking after me, Courtney. Even though you know I’m a fake… I’ve never met a kind girl like you.”1c05108f2ff81345

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Eleanor even b32b2aa307 said this.500459b8169dd232

Hearing such 14a8be4030 words, where 8192e2673c Eleanor lowered 842ac0a279 herself and 54759b1154 lifted Courtney 0923aa496f up, day 0eee084125 after day, 86eff7ec7c made Courtney’s 45da3e4738 pride swell.909a5ca3d38883b9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

After hearing it so 24598cd07e often, maybe it even 68e904a96b brainwashed her a bit. Before she b62342cc5c knew it, c8792cd413 Courtney really 44e1ccba1b began to ebcf347f8e think like 5fabdf59f3 Eleanor said.261928dc9fffd3e4

‘Actually, Miss should be 255cf2a9db grateful to me. Who else would want 7482059452 to serve a fake 8bc349fa2d lady like her? Someone whose 1658c0bebf background is c0c4c9759f unknown and 9a013a8c1a could be 7fa4c15354 kicked out daf5755949 at any 3404f3f8bb moment?’2487c9d69d71cf5b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Ever since the theft 8264da4219 incident, it was Eleanor ed8caf9beb who had gained a 3b9b5c5424 stronger position in the 328afe9792 Duke’s house, but Courtney 50680f7b72 thought of herself as 0f9a2878bf someone who had to 4e5823ddaf personally take care of 82e1d5a933 a troublesome burden.d195cfa40a015488

As she kept thinking 76c6367635 this way, discontent began f9b8645d89 to build.121150f171ef2fef

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘Being friendly with d75c56b2e3 her, I thought 9ec056a49d I’d get something 8676a1a18a more out of 0579d433b8 it, but all 18a5cfe503 I got were f2041fc646 some crumbs of 2c17572309 cookies?’cf06b6fbffde9f8e

Courtney had heard from 986fc89036 the other maids that f29d973166 Natalie had received jewelry 22af5f5bf8 from Lady Nora. Eleanor only 7297d06f78 said thank d82888fb38 you, but 9808f9747e there was d8318f2988 no real b20a120e55 reward.ce611f2bf8fae332

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She was b6976c24b3 the kind 9be41da1b6 of person cdd5d82a73 who could 734a7e15d4 only take 24a98d43a9 but never ba7f816b28 give. That was c76170cf41 exactly how 99c8a390a8 Eleanor was. The way Hilda, f47daa7a91 who was like 2b39947b69 a close servant d820090ea6 to her, was 1ffdb60494 dressed made it b5f7767ae6 clear.9fb9aee19eba4a03

‘I’m such a fool. I didn’t even realize ab90b4a9f3 I was grabbing a 292d7ea04a rotten lifeline!’3d6927edc18e5fc7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Not long ago, she 39badc9fa6 had been happy to abb6187ca2 be serving such a 2ee6ea13d8 good lady, but now 2a7e685f5f Courtney regretted it deeply.01b6fb64eedda715

And around the a9a5c7debe time she had 255fe41524 repeated those regrets be9d0e6a0f a dozen or ff827f552f so times, a d311d058b5 new lifeline appeared 148e7159bc before her.ab81a1bdfb0f1dd9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Courtney, are you busy right now?”13f4d36ba86f8986

Natalie—the one who’d ea7d374f9b become the official bde53b7c06 princess and grown c9b114cd57 so arrogant she 62410f338b wouldn’t even speak 67452761b3 to most of e5be8b63b4 the staff—had come 8839229c6d to her and 260bce0a9d started a conversation.21d17e0617ac9eda

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Nattie! No, I’m not busy at all!”36f86ed9a820ec33

Instinctively, Courtney 86677fed97 realized this f6cce2d708 was an 4f0cbf3a04 opportunity, and b0ba8e1209 she quickly ad05feb113 answered, even 5269b969fa calling Natalie f801630d16 by her 547e30a323 nickname. Although she noticed c0c38234e8 Natalie’s face looked 5db61679bf darker lately, Courtney’s dba80b6abd vanity only focused a502353ae4 on the glittering 1d1a81d906 jewelry, not Natalie’s 9b98dfbf21 gloomy eyes.2c18eb2785c72fd8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Good. Then, would you like to talk for a moment? Oh, where are Hilda and the head maid right now?”3149d26f7b47149d

Courtney swallowed her breath 5187f2f410 eagerly.4d2b505093e532a4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The head maid, Maria, 41520933d3 and Hilda were both 39a4ed3689 considered to be Eleanor’s f2b215e04f people. Courtney knew that 74ffe257e6 mentioning them wasn’t b3f1a81682 because she was 1dda319b92 genuinely concerned about 22816ee5fd where they were.6eea469291cad0c3

This was something she 60b945c599 had been waiting for, d4f73c141e so she made a f328712d60 quick decision.82197ff6d9c59e6c

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Head Maid’s busy, and 26e751964a Hilda went for a c024b6fc7f walk with the young 9b9046c22f lady. Lucky timing, Right?”d9e5a0078a8db2cc

“Yeah, perfect timing.”86518ca30209fdf9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Natalie smiled faintly, 92f1555674 looking tired, and 652a8749e5 led Courtney to b3dfe74ad3 a secluded spot aa3b5ec177 where no one 05539fb9b2 would pass by.d15237c9b9e3384e

“How can someone’s thoughts be so easy to read?”0f39624766db299e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Hilda tilted 61b64334aa her head, 836922d20f genuinely puzzled, 2f3faa2da5 as she 35e8896a53 looked at f55e4cc9a1 the tightly 1dd6f5130c closed door. She was referring to 6b79366f70 how Courtney had just 3ebb8835af hurriedly excused herself, saying 8d5ca8795f she had something urgent 95abc81bbe to do.788658a2210575ea

“I guess she went to report that the lady is secretly exchanging letters with someone. She was really eager to read the letter’s contents,” Hilda said.18744e3613e2ddca

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Eleanor gave a 222d913f5d small, knowing laugh 8681cdf385 in agreement.99bd327aa2e71544

“Isn’t it helpful? She’s moving exactly how we want her to.”8673956cc5cf137a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The kind smile a73a9edc85 that had been 39bd2be016 directed at Courtney 11aa29ee13 moments ago quickly 627f913f34 disappeared, replaced by ddc4a330b7 a cold sneer.d85ad263521fc02f

As she 1dcf5b60d7 said, Courtney 1fb39cf43b had indeed a24522d891 been moving cabf904daa just as 991cf3bf05 they had bd4d2f7bef intended. The information they wanted d56f65fd33 to get to Nora 09be957c03 was quickly passed through 4fc7f2e006 Courtney. Among the things Courtney 918ccebe54 had been told was 6e03d39f4c that Eleanor was secretly 1331dae0ba exchanging letters with someone.0dbab6afdfa29c78

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Then why don’t you show her the content of the letters?” Hilda asked. “After all, we made up the letters ourselves.”febabc8fe55e2883

“If I make it too easy to see the content, Nora will get suspicious. I’ve let Courtney, feel just that much of an attachment. She’ll think she’s being trusted, but that’s it,”83cdbefe0243f6e2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Although Eleanor was known 4a0d6fc1fc for being soft with 456a04c4b8 her maids, she was e45f5af420 certain that Nora wasn’t aa54e27aa0 a fool. She wouldn’t 67d70ebf04 blindly believe c5b614e565 everything Courtney 15c2bedcb0 passed on, 31b638292e but instead, 55ba3a5bac would only aca2899033 pick up 1884fe2395 what she fa80ce4a76 needed, keeping 3fcb653806 her suspicions d43ef44aee high. After all, she had 65454c66cd already been caught off 77a7618827 guard once.9568248dd5fdaf60

‘Well, Nora has been e814fe7b96 desperate with the debutante a3e2cd2245 ball coming up in a1b260d9a4 a week,’ Eleanor thought, 975edc3ab1 rubbing her forehead as 0c76f50115 she remembered the constant 4a4ef54edc pressure from Nora and 0e282a8473 the butlers over the 9d9f2b41d5 last few days. Just recalling it made 474de39fad her head throb.cc13bea174396f01

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“How can we prepare the debutante ball with this budget?! Eleanor, I know you don’t like me, but we still need to separate public and private matters! If you truly loved Astria, you’d understand!” Nora had shouted the day after the attack, acting as if the incident had nothing to do with her.11607f5308fa2404

“Well, if you hadn’t spent so much money on dresses and ballroom decorations, Astria might have had a bit more,” Eleanor shot back, not backing down. “Why did you buy so much silk and lace for the highest quality dresses? You’re thinking of using this for the ball, are you? I’m not sure whether to call it brave or… foolish.”71c313b86fcc8add

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Nora’s face b2a1c85393 flushed with fcf704d729 anger as 846cdc7b94 Eleanor sarcastically e5d2c0e4af pointed out 243a3186e7 her mistakes.70ecec3e64b0546d

“How dare you criticize me?! What do you know about this?”a464f2df59cce330

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Well, I know quite a lot. You know I’ve organized these kinds of events before. Thanks to that, the remaining budget is enough to handle the ball decorations. It’s fortunate, isn’t it? You don’t have to thank me, though. Here, take a look at the revised budget. I’ve already had it approved by father.”78c233a351f8a5f5

“You…!”13e599a054228e93

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What? You want b355146281 to complain 4a939f1556 to Father e332afc3fe again? Tell him this 7f1fb12d11 isn’t enough for a05bd990de you?”93bbfc40e4da2dae

But since the Duke 7647768531 of Astria was now 3f1cf38796 involved, Nora couldn’t say 3d8b51b3ca anything more.19ff14b4ad80dde2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

After the a51f711754 attack, the 3fa63f2d1d Duke had 11ec184964 become very ed811b7740 sensitive and 65dfb2f7a0 easily angered, c5cc64a438 even over 75b2fd3a3c small things. He had 9f68c8ab92 a hard 1d091c3f5e time settling 80bc8957a8 the issue e0a2da30ce with the 895b332798 capital police 373300de7e and silencing ce7aef0e67 the rumors 8ba0da8a24 spreading in aef221ac3d secret.869fd9476fb94e0b

Asking him for a573c4367a more money for ec5204b1dc a ball now addc4d3f91 would only backfire. She’d be lucky if 95cb07b438 the event wasn’t canceled 4d83c00e23 altogether.36c3f508383663fe

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

In the 7639055437 end, Nora 08e9bb087d clenched her dcb3dd6a3e teeth and a79f66d1f9 backed down.00d64204bb85556b

She likely f6c7a73d64 had the 5c530cf7f7 butler try 3e3e699ac9 to find 0ab838281b flaws in 1c281ab12d the budget aa2a72303d Eleanor had 66cb267c7c made, but 802ce064cc as confident 001819f133 as she 9f68276f8b was, Eleanor 2d9dc35a10 was experienced ae972f13b1 in organizing 37f70ef8af events. She had no 43ae1792e0 doubt that there aa9dd6bb7b were no flaws 660769141d in the plans.7b2ee9aaa68bd11f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

There were times 7eab01dfc0 when she wanted 577742cc28 to mess things db71232b2f up and ruin b19cc4d71e the ball completely. But she ebb7006ccb knew she e35909db2e couldn’t afford 4536a3c573 to be a2e6347546 reckless.3e0220e66d6163e0

The debutante ball had 8007d450e1 to go smoothly. It didn’t have 3a6f255e10 to be perfect, 78a2d6b26e but it couldn’t 127d25b149 be a mess 6cec94d114 either.34fea386b00f0089

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘Only then will 728be9a145 all the guests 0f27561183 focus on Nora’s abca5ecc36 fall from grace.’18c0a0a5dfe891f5

Eleanor brushed her cc580b4e56 bangs back with 717cb05ed3 a smile.833bc5538013c2c4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“My lady, has 567a4f9fd4 there been any 6b6ed06825 letter fromhim?”713fec49ec99dfe1

Hilda’s cheerful 915ead4860 voice broke 082ce09097 her thoughts.5eb48ec1e88bdb6b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Hmm?”e6608a50d7793d27

“That person, the one who’s both frightening and kind.”937443f168e0b44d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Hilda carefully 49be9e9f4a avoided directly 50ba708d31 naming him, 9170278f9e in case dced47765f anyone was 4cf7ca4298 listening.ac6eebca0d45718f

The person Hilda was 765be82068 referring to was obvious: e610a29d06 Karshian Royster, the man 32afdeac31 who had scared her 02b41198b2 with his intimidating gaze f46defc61a but had been surprisingly 8d0375fabc kind. After that 872e6fd7e6 day, Hilda 3b1f94f6ec had been 42e5f33344 teasing her cd3024314c about her a111404dc4 relationship with a0d3efbf84 him every 448dd312c4 day, so c03f2b6555 it was b4754fb676 impossible for 4020c867a8 Eleanor to 4c5e0f112c not know 4146bdb582 who she 95e32b0318 meant.3cf4d1fe6699b651

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I told you, Hilda. There’s nothing between us.”145d39a2712fff55

“Well, the other kitchen maids say that someone like Lord Ernst, who’s so gentle, would be better for dating,” Hilda continued, teasing.955fb69cbbaed4bf

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“There’s nothing between me and Lord Ernst either. That time I touched his hair was just to test you… Are you making fun of me now?” Eleanor narrowed her eyes.7ed483e44eff178f

“No! I would never!” Hilda giggled, clearly enjoying herself. “If this subject makes you uncomfortable, I won’t talk about it anymore.”a178ef641a6061bb

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Fine, don’t.”667977781a49808c

“Actually, I do have one question, but it’s just my personal curiosity. I’m not teasing you, really.”d8ea5325e6603a01

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…What is it?”6656a93c514ed096

“Do you prefer light brown hair, or black hair?”4481bbab95aeb31e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Hilda.”7a7c5e9cdd3acb50

“If you don’t like that, how about green eyes or red eyes?”43a0ef252bc0f3ef

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Hilda!” Eleanor raised her voice, and Hilda burst out laughing before running off.f019a0d73a2bfd5a

Seeing her run away d1000247d9 made Eleanor want to 5049f4b1ef catch her, so she de29fcf406 got up and chased a62d0058c5 after Hilda. However, after 1a4bd8262e years of 24b1cd2af7 being a 576ec3f3c6 maid and 8663d991e7 building up fb076db27c speed, Hilda 312ea15887 was too 48030d3345 quick, and 7887198ae7 Eleanor was 6d8c955af3 left standing, 6c26b842bf unable to 0f370cd0b3 catch a 3eb6bde049 single strand 8ca76b8e00 of her d3af4bd1e1 hair.3a6f786597e1aa07

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Feels like I’m a little kid again.”9ba2616f1b794db4

She laughed as 9aa118137f she chased after d1b602ff27 her. She’d run 388b412911 before, back 3731910def in the a4338cb336 poorhouse, when ac06c66132 she had 9b3957d06d chased after 83d075b0bd someone who f7719f2282 stole her 81beac147d bread, but 89613341b3 this was ecc386513d the first 212513eeff time she c975f43b4a had run 758fa7cbc4 like this, d1e4c0ee05 playing with 698a5a73a6 someone else.dfb3201f51128711

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It was ridiculous, but b07e96c92b also amusing. Lately, she 2064bebbe9 felt like 19a017de2a she had 2b75757103 been having 996c088945 a lot 12ba89914f of new de2a8e7f1b experiences.086fc52d492a9837

‘I never imagined I’d dbdefe7cd1 be laughing like this 3d5009b524 in this mansion, or da0dd025e4 sharing secrets with Karshian 5c522437b0 Royster, just a few d92d91b11b months ago.’299d618b3cc6debf

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Eleanor sat cd1d61698b down, trying f149b8d17c to calm b642874676 her breathing, 772588bf2e and remembered ce4886ea7f her conversation 4a431ad7c3 with Karshian. She had already replayed 08a1284e11 it so many times a1ba5efc71 that she had almost d12472fd21 memorized it by now.602756373b382be7

“I didn’t f7cbda7fab expect you 313f512368 to wait e9ffc56b8a until the 2752339615 end.”6fc245d44f8a0a9b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

After finishing selecting fabric for a dress and finalizing measurements, Mrs. Corcos left Karshian’s townhouse. He had waited in a separate sitting room for the entire time.64630194b6e1de8c

“Well, I fe26d84b77 guess you 4416709207 didn’t want 74c5495be4 to leave 7aee483436 an outsider 51e2f8f044 alone in d8dbdcb1f3 your home.”807f6ec0f9a0cee4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…That’s not 33d3561043 exactly the 03115ac342 reason.”c55210b70ce15829

“Then, are 516b18a045 you always 2eea9214bf this kind c26637c35c to people e4969b3c92 you don’t 7eeec85b3d dislike?”235bcc922dda13d4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She had subtly teased 019ece1ec9 him, but Karshian answered bd315d088d with silence.3b1f786b5dcc7c92

Feeling a little dbd48d2ddc embarrassed for pushing 495b4b895e too much, Eleanor 99dbec6b0b turned to leave.25dd00e701aaee5f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Lady Eleanor.”5052df7d0af228ef

His low 2d95a74916 voice brushed 8001e8bd57 her ear f648a78ac2 just as b33ea59543 she was 7cb7c6bc85 about to 366b2c52e6 say goodbye.3decc814e3e71512

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Will you send me 1b1f5a7982 an invitation as well?”89516a70189fb206

 c0ed0dcfcdf61537

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley