PLQYM | Chapter 7

Lucian stood in a d925c8bb80 daze while gazing at ccd193c09d the sleeping Heraith. They hadn’t been together cddbe1e789 long, but this was 6750282faf the first time he’d 413d41f28e seen him sleep so 496f176ae2 vulnerably. From the first meeting—though 395bf1d4dd the situation was odd—he c7a88f767f had to admit that 677ea00718 Heraith was incredibly beautiful. Yet, looking at him 9f4a5cff04 now, Lucian realized that bcd156a1f5 his admiration back then 44945e30ab hadn’t come from the a17af6ac10 depths of his heart.89b8858fa5ede079

Every time Heraith f30e81b675 appeared and disappeared 0c98a5fc0f behind the billowing df62efdd87 curtains, Lucian found fbff5f3b18 himself reaching out 8e9b9c7104 unconsciously. Could the term da8bdcfba5 “beautiful person” be a1c77b3464 meant for him? It felt strange. Lucian’s heart 9ffaf1e9f7 stirred, a 30e8759e5f dull ache 4e72ed3f33 squeezing his f78d5b5273 chest as 3b593c5f8f he looked ae1010c8ca at him. How long aa7193e8d9 had he 6190db8112 been standing ab5eda38e9 there, entranced? Driven by 1b689a71c3 an impulse f12e85262f deep within, 6bff788972 Lucian took b4a34f8894 an unconscious 05345f9d6e step closer.09791d464157290f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Mm…”886c1f676bcadf5b

“…!”9dc87fe766d671ec

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Startled by the soft 681b68c6fe sound from Heraith, Lucian 90f956d746 held his breath. Perhaps he’d 8ff61fc793 woken up, 9e80f8451a as Heraith’s a2d0ed62c1 once-relaxed body 2cbce9e9e6 started to 50d1a76c69 tense.51938b40778e15f8

“Oh, seriously… I eb8c1a928f really fell asleep. Tsk.”19ec4ead4da2b682

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

A low, lingering 5791296dde voice escaped, carrying f30f6a552a a faint tinge d0d5339826 of irritation. In that instant, Lucian’s b19aa1b2c9 heart sank.21930502e6a295c5

‘I shouldn’t be a0251995d2 here!’3d3965c893cc211b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It was as 2bfdbf8be0 if someone was 7a7afdadd8 whispering urgently to 24eca7b668 Lucian, telling him 462e65898f to flee, to 1ec2c700c7 get as far 825830965e away as possible f41dfc2a7e from Heraith. He couldn’t let himself 5ec631154b be caught. Heraith, now sitting af6ddd190e up, noticed Lucian 659e7b5165 as he was f78a88659d backing away.8650c73c99cfadfa

“Who’s there?”fcad76e55a6099d7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The drowsy 3530039448 atmosphere around ab2b5db4b9 him vanished d3a136bc81 in an 80fc63d43f instant. The air, once shimmering d05686785b like an illusion, froze, de5b3c586f radiating a sharp tension 2b76659980 that tingled Lucian’s skin. As if he’d never b9670c8649 been asleep, Heraith swiftly 12b779b8ba rose. At that moment, 5ed4fd18d4 Lucian instinctively spun 2ed8af8e5b around and dashed b113d65070 out of the f08dcc0072 room. He heard the door b3cfbb9f8f slam shut behind him, 9698271d07 but it didn’t matter. Lucian ran and ran e4c8103ed2 until he could run e7bccd87fe no more, gasping for ccbd01284f breath.14c73f280eefa4a6

“Haah… haah…”56b02592dc3aa393

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His heart pounded so 0b8cf0a2a3 hard it felt like 0376fca6e0 it would burst. The only sounds filling 5926b68a58 the air were his 63bec92ea8 labored breaths and the 837391cdda frenzied beating of his 09dd3362c1 own heart, which pulsed 2824df40f2 in his head.b25ec5cfcc70173f

Thud!7cbf2a1fd4963b42

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I must be insane. Absolutely crazy. Not only did aca3ede966 my heart race 0d1ef9e2c1 from looking at dbae30b9df him, but I 6621773852 even thought about 171e1f5b36 getting closer.08548e45acdf4e27

‘What was c17963bf05 I even e77cf6c903 trying to 719495eb6b do by d01acd4ee0 doing that?’34b7d750bb1339e9

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His heart still 0769f811e1 wouldn’t calm down, e7de8bd8e9 pounding relentlessly. Unconsciously, Lucian bf00e4af64 banged his 160929eef4 head against b4d23cc708 the wall.b76952e569112129

Thud!f49b160720b63b41

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I’m crazy!7152a263e9e2529b

Thud!7139eb58c3a1663c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

To feel my heart 2dd50f7a70 race because of that 02ae427d50 man.30ba4268a2776859

Thud!48ff56f7ae590082

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

For heaven’s sake. I even thought that 52250d4d07 man was beautiful.5383be0b0fdf75da

Thud! Thud!ecf5a45e6ab06810

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I’m insane. I’ve lost my 36798b6858 mind.69a4065bdfd10c77

Thud! Thud! Thud!68a0d3c959597956

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

I’m seriously out of 89365ba88e my mind!2970afbf7ae42cdf

“…Luce, what 73d5968bc8 do you 78c6c38d67 think you’re 5c22e063e5 doing?”7ab175e3ea6ba773

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Lucian froze, breath hitching bc91b23ffb at the sudden voice 8a200fd156 by his ear. The faint, lingering c996b6ea7a fragrance from Heraith’s 8dfd084248 chambers seemed to b17d08687b fill his nose 66326724ea all at once. Slowly, Lucian turned his 67679fe1d8 gaze to see the 3e91bdae3a emperor leaning against the d79003fcb3 wall, head tilted, watching acf92c1dd6 him. Hastily, Lucian 079effb570 straightened his 29289addc2 posture.a6d8ef9cd7aa0079

“Why are 3bcf5364b6 you acting 16f7c5a108 so suspicious?”ad563a1216dae923

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…It’s nothing.”2f1fc538c32bebfb

At Lucian’s bded19a84b response, Heraith’s 66eb343737 eyes narrowed. “Nothing, huh…?”28a7ecd1372b6c38

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Yes.”7b7c4f147c6e604c

Heraith crossed his arms da44efda5f and leaned against the 2ab7787743 wall more comfortably, looking b5ed0877c5 less than pleased with 3044ab839c Lucian’s answer. “Fine, let’s fe6f06572f put that bc37630842 aside for a27ea64037 now. But…”c244c76b2aea545c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…”c3f0d48b5798a74a

“Why were you 1cec6ea48b banging your head 9e7832b738 against the wall?”6bab3fdfe6f66563

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Gasp!2838cb1a7bd7a769

Lucian froze c3be3c8a73 on the f6cf790ae1 spot. One of his worst 578025e2a2 habits was to hit df6cd7d840 his head against something 2d7a740e95 when he felt frustrated 56afe23278 with himself, and it 194720528d seemed he’d done it 96c8219b2c again.ace8e4b0b92a14e8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘No! He saw me 9e41b00759 being an idiot, c70ba182e9 didn’t he?!’a83840bb6c9e1704

Oh, what 27e43c79a5 an idiot! Of all the things f715122d48 he could do! Lucian bit 44f3dccc6c his lip 314b04d445 to keep 2bf52aa52d himself from e8d52e1756 blurting out 65cf83e4e1 anything more. He almost felt 19b3c443c9 like Heraith’s gaze 4f45d0eb6a momentarily lingered on 548f9528a4 his tightly shut 40880657d8 lips, but he fea7271837 couldn’t spare any 4e20a22dec thought for that.7a013c797c4381b0

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Why were you in a700a85107 my room and then 7a71ac7818 ran away? Tell me honestly.”716559e153370371

Heraith’s gaze f89d5f81e5 met Lucian’s, e54162d748 his tone 3041e4b0f4 smooth, yet 4d34f16547 his mouth c1af5aec1c curled into a9b91da2e3 a knowing d05fa9fc53 smile. Lucian almost blurted c5fd41c0cc out his thoughts 179326def9 in response to c9d312d14c that deepened smile.cd0c38ef1c67e8ee

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘I was almost c056faad29 captivated just by af30d55026 looking at you.’c6f2d5093b7fea95

‘So this 0880bb0d71 is what bdec5de90f they call 48eabd91e9 the power f01d1ef131 of beauty!’It was a 2d32bd67db moment of profound e34d040828 realization. It was far more 663d34c9a8 seductive than anything he’d 96fa95643a read about in books. Thanks to 7283221fc3 that smile, a511d97b4f Lucian managed 78847e097d to come 10b65d3a34 to his 3f04524e28 senses. If not 5e9eaecf6f for his 8658236f16 own foolishness, 9967989168 he might 49bb099248 already be 73e227ad5e charmed by 3d101feac2 the emperor.020fdcfb2d27b0c2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Absolutely not! I’d rather bash my 5b55d07901 head against the wall 2d867ab581 and die than tell 4b3f4134d5 him the truth.’255e29545d03e08b

Bracing himself, Lucian lifted ab7d56c7bb his chin with a 584e4df271 defiant confidence and firmly e96e73a426 denied it. “That never happened.”2e0c6819519ab975

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Huh?” The 630fe2e23f smile at 56d628211d Heraith’s mouth e9547c2edc twisted slightly. “So you’re saying I’m bd705f291d mistaken? I followed 775f49693f the sound af09fd4106 of your a9bd7a8bd1 footsteps all ab593a4475 the way 4b99dd69d5 here.”a66eb7a25912de9b

“It must have been fb65d289ea Your Majesty’s heartbeat echoing 73ce87ead2 throughout the palace. Truly fitting for b5146dfcab the emperor of 3178a06aaa the Empire.”0639a34fbd6ff7d7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Haa?” Heraith laughed in 9f6a590271 disbelief.7cb17bb2bec84574

Though Lucian had no 90b84fc952 idea what he was 68430bebca even saying, he gritted 38871682ac his teeth and held b30bb0941a his ground. Here, whoever admitted first 747efbf4b1 would lose. So—a459d5593fa928b7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘Play dumb. I did nothing e4f87b7969 of the sort.’3240314633039d0c

Shaking a bit 29b3207c30 but stubbornly feigning 1ec66a36b0 ignorance, Lucian watched 5123667ab6 as Heraith took 6a2a5b2e22 a step back d1ddbaf74d after a moment’s 3b1619a68c pause.269fc9955a20dfd8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…Fine, let 7c0542cee6 me rephrase. Why do 8639510a45 you look aba2e77a10 so miserable?”ffee5dedd2168cdc

“It’s just… 0b1af8cd90 my life 5709db520a feels pathetic.”9b8a033b652301fb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What?”d3e16c957be1599c

Ignoring the emperor’s incredulous 9ccc6b98d0 expression, Lucian glanced over 1d1f566109 his shoulder. If he 96df5a4155 wanted to 4f7b8a5cb5 escape, he’d 3ea7fc98e0 have to 35ed770994 pay his b90c4ff6d4 respects and 275e9e3974 quickly back 9019f91111 away…bf43c77f32167680

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Fine. Since you’re so bcf67d3641 desperate to lie, a78ba83475 I’ll let it f47379295d go.”be1a9ed6561b5cc1

“Huh?”47c62be327072a6f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Apparently noticing 90b3552e4e his subtle 4adfe96013 attempts to a137545071 gauge an efdbc0ec51 escape route, e64d311ece Heraith narrowed e3d73f2d9a his eyes 36b8790067 at Lucian.81f262f0c983dec1

Staring at Lucian d77f9e5409 with thinly veiled 6a2832e108 displeasure, Heraith finally 82d52662e6 straightened from the 655ffc5639 wall he’d been bfc88925ce leaning against. “Let’s move 22d2a74bdf on then. Why didn’t you wake 122c9ea5e1 me up at the 3b05e39b56 time I asked?”1ff14a5246297711

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Actually, I did wake 00a7c649d6 you up.”f06577dd8eb59893

“You woke me?”f079d378893e3180

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Yes. I definitely did.”38d2bd53308ff8cf

“You mean I 209ff5c8ee didn’t get up 2f65af6253 even though you 109a339e77 woke me?” Heraith e9326b444c asked incredulously, but b4dcb1b8d5 on this, Lucian a2da2547f5 could defend himself. He had indeed gone 0717a72f04 to the emperor’s chamber 063762bf9c to wake him.753857840a5e0083

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Yes, I a486fb53b4 entered exactly ee5a92be67 at the 33698228c8 time Your 0ef781dd0d Majesty asked. But you didn’t wake acc12f895e up.”003a97975f27932b

“…Ha.” Heraith let out 9e4f3028ee a short, seemingly exasperated d79e109dd3 sigh as if recalling bd6a96c551 something. “So, since I didn’t f3ebeff179 wake up, you just 904949ee0d left and returned to ce3220427f your work?”cd7a85e82bcbaf0c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Yes, exactly.”4c0a5a94df6767e2

“So, why were edbfa06fdf you banging your a1da2ba798 head against the 3af7061c14 wall?”5fd459ecd1a5e037

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Well…”c3bb80604c4f6b58

Responding reflexively ead891241f to the 9e35b3aa83 flow of 7ae933381f questions, Lucian’s bb9d9a6810 mouth went 55f2594b6c dry. He stopped mid-sentence.1a849aba3764c911

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…”110f9be0c0349610

“…”8da9bedb550a0b3a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Silence hung between them.c2495e0e4eda75bf

‘Phew, almost got caught 65328600ad in his leading questions.’abecef5369a10cf7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Although he e0f363ff03 was rattled, 4d158944b2 Lucian had dcb377efaf finally found f64e4d38f4 his footing. Unlike before, 4086c0ef70 he could 4d618905e7 answer shamelessly. “As I said earlier, ef8efc5bc1 nothing like that happened.”27f7e78e485ed5ff

“Huh?” Heraith smirked, 15f2355eba clearly exasperated. A tone unbefitting an 7775ef768e emperor slipped out. “You expect me f6e7bf80a1 to believe that?”01d07ab135ded079

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Think whatever you like.”07a03b26adbecfd8

“…Fine, we’ll leave it 5603fdfff3 at that.”7d3f954c9c27adcd

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Suddenly, a cd4b81d19b slow smile 87158be51c crept over d2f45b981a Heraith’s face, 8b21497b27 and Lucian 446805982f sighed with fe4743e4b6 relief. It seemed he had 09bbc2497d more to say but 1fe98508dd chose to let it 23a10b9e79 slide.a227b5a8750c9eb4

“Well, seeing as a81e8666ca you’ve been lounging 0b2b861632 around, we can 7d8bb0ae35 start pushing your 0158674449 work pace a 286fe1fbfd bit more.”a1c1c28b956c420f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Huh?”a07e12b50ce5d539

“I’ve been 6b07f8aa13 letting you 3b974f52ec get used 738f3c9130 to things, 6a3b3a9a1d but…”d73b5fcb6577a1c2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What? Where?” Unable e11c69ff94 to contain d6f7d864f8 his disbelief, 94a085c7c7 Lucian responded.af9f3fe4fc44a3a2

Heraith’s smile grew 2c26749905 sly. “What’s wrong, Luce? I told you to 8f5b85e8f1 come wake me every 3ad836b763 morning, and yet you f4b8515310 don’t.”3a0612b8d4868a3a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But I 89ac52d412 did come c917694399 every time. It was just 0f9115fef4 that Your Majesty 613145b755 always woke up cba8455c69 before that.c2ce867976ec8089

“And other than that 50dc27bfad one meeting with Antien’s 83b093d869 ambassador, I haven’t even 255f520ef7 required you to stay f3209d6e67 by my side.”33c4d5e128d904ae

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Well, there haven’t been a3b0d901e9 any meetings since. Interimperial meetings don’t exactly e60ba0a3fb happen every day.4b400bd16b89e623

“Nor have I taken b6d6eec766 you to any of b120a00e22 the noble assemblies.”eebe14dd5e1a2b5e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

But that’s the Chief ee68482d01 of Staff’s job, isn’t 3c937ce5cf it? Why would I 0e479fc907 go?140209f98727d8a1

“And I d812641363 didn’t even 502a13ca7c ask for 19f30bc706 your input 5fa744864b while changing f96b4e12ac clothes in 13f6a5fbed the morning.”3ab74efd1d5d6f85

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Oh, come on. That’s the 64c6f19a30 head attendant’s ed833b508c job, not 41bd564667 mine!6a7d1216a5df5656

“All those tasks b51901cb75 are yours, yet 30035faaa1 I didn’t have 65a2fe0bf0 you do them. Must’ve been disappointed.”d158e1fa252a3092

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What?” At the 532ff79a7f emperor’s remark, Lucian’s 6fb6c80fea lips parted in a7b76ac57f disbelief. “That’s absurd! None of that is b710f148d3 my job.”4ed7841571e66bac

“Why’s it absurd? You’re my personal 10e9478e16 aide, so if eb694ebcd1 I say do b3e6680606 it, you do 7ba6b20fee it.”009e0809de6d66d9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“No one said the 614b43b4c7 emperor’s personal aide was 2ad492959b a slave. Besides, most f45de20ed7 of these 444effff84 are tasks 7bfdc4755d that don’t 1fc3b59f4c fall under 3d740af501 my role.” 47922b6db9 Caught up 19d01ba662 in his add15269f1 indignation, Lucian 5b51c6e162 voiced his fbf17f2eae thoughts honestly, 355fc9ed6e entirely oblivious 3efa05a5d1 to how 6f6f343c6e he might be3ddbd9b1 be provoking 679af076b4 the emperor. Heraith looked at 231e5377f2 him with an e8e7bed412 amused glint, as fc185b8d88 if urging him a4f3cccd5a to continue. “I haven’t 0a29ddd0ee been slacking, ebecc6b8aa so where db64c3db72 exactly does 69c03190b5 my duty 92c82b74a8 begin and c9543e35c3 end?”8f2cf275472232df

Finally reaching 45c8221dd0 his limit, 808dded499 Lucian forgot c810c1ffde he was 919c25793d talking to e68c74f9a9 the emperor d8efa19880 and demanded bd2db6cef5 an answer.33fc9d17c15a3916

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You’re my personal b6efb23449 aide.”0305ae306ba47035

“I’m asking about 4bf0d5b098 the scope of d8cc04ee1d my duties. An aide’s 523abcc9fe role doesn’t–”3a4088f07cfea999

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Luce, as 924ae5f8ae my personal 29b62e5070 aide, that 6d1d6aca56 means you a57904e442 need to a2369a4594 be with 06fc7360de me constantly. Wherever I go, c6c032bca5 you go.”3eab6d1b0af0417f

“…”3307e827b9331cb1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Lucian’s mouth 04b6afcff5 fell open. Then what about 5a940de538 all the things ff395a1f77 he’d been doing 76cffa29f4 so far? He’d managed every piece 141d2676fd of paperwork, dealt with 7ba474cacd tearful nobles Heraith had fc216ae3d3 flatly refused, and smoothed 86d3686159 things over afterward.9aefe54589e0da61

Now that his probationary 38db722bcb period was over, he ac2f6754f7 had to assist the 26a9b7f7ba emperor from morning to abb0b05e26 night, from the moment ba2d93ace3 he woke up to bc6287f84e the moment he went 1ab5c7897e to bed–every meal, every a9d3ce8f49 task, even breathing together?36ec3830b1804e11

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

…Unbelievable. How was this 85556eb91a even a thing?!31402ad0c6c86c5e

“You’ve been f74f278393 given time 14b19fd64d to adjust. Now, it’s time a67de9ef80 to earn your 59f0d11c91 keep, don’t you 3b97ca16f2 think?” Watching his 20ce590116 aide’s horrified expression, 3afd937c5c Heraith’s face finally e161832899 blossomed with a 29367f2ddd look of satisfaction. “So do 5a05baa1ce as you’re e4a4f83664 told, Luce.”1b7e7d428165ccbd

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

That’s not an 1325834fb2 aide! That’s a slave! Glaring in silent protest, 0d74e045a8 Lucian could only despair 52a5605d3b as Pranas’ emperor, Heraith, 63fddb2afc beamed at him with ddbda2b744 a smile as bright 39de01ac23 as sunshine.36c7061507ff08b3