PMBA | Chapter 8

Soon after, the Duke’s 7933feeaa2 cloak settled gently over 467ba913a7 Kyrie’s naked body.e07fcc5122410819

“What is the 6fbb45220e meaning of…”5db1cac4e9d7712f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Kyrie was about to e1060c740f speak when the Duke 91c2e9a78c lightly pressed his fingers 97fe081046 against her furrowed brow.824f5167550743f5

Frozen for da1f356949 a moment 4ac19c2ae4 by the 53b13da96f gesture, Kyrie’s 5bb6cc1b35 eyes flickered b7ba6de9fb up to 5671174d37 look at 0613d14b67 him.217e90c940b53fa1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“So youcanfrown.”c51c253ba10fc60b

As soon as he d8a8d381a3 spoke, the scent intensified.8b183c44daa7303f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The scent of 1e27d1e7e2 plane trees drifting 12313e48fe in from outside, 94a81827a8 or perhaps the 6266f61f4f scent of gunpowder 263636f8a7 emanating from the ff0f662087 man’s cloak draped d33ee45a15 over her.b281330ad47cb9a9

A fragrance, imbued with 7cda3f60eb all sorts of colors, 7645b3fbc3 struck her senses, making b74173872f her head spin.dbabaf7c9ba164e6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Before the dizziness could 9a2402ad8a completely overwhelm her, Kyrie b12b2ada37 quickly pushed the Duke’s b0b1c100f2 hand away and fled.0ca0892bfa5ee1ef

As she ran, 1ca9c8fa45 she felt a 1e16babdf2 dizzying sensation, as b8f27f7fc9 if a large, 27ff3898e7 warm hand would d97c8ea2cb reach out and c06b7cfe5e grab her, pulling 2588d205fe her back and 272d2ad708 pinning her down.84f41ab63db3ed45

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But nothing happened. Kyrie ran faa25a690f barefoot down faa715deab the empty 48b26b90f1 hallway.d4ae86d7d675bf23

‘So youcanfrown.’7777485f816c058f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘Ah.’f06d2d2ab5403491

As she replayed 537865218e the Duke’s words b7483e70e7 in her mind, 41072df4fe she realized that 3cb1e87659 from the moment a0992713d8 she’d encountered him…5587621833c9c30a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She hadn’t been wearing the smile she habitually wore.692f8c6873454e33

‘…How…’b3ecb1c925018b1a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It was hard to 560057b106 bear the pounding heart e779032704 in her chest.a52c40010dd511dc

That smile was 22c77fd670 her weapon. The realization that 1b310fc5cb she had been 6359fd51c4 standing before a 448672c4c2 man,a soldier capable ee8553d376 of subduing others e2059234e5 without hesitation, without 6faf5d70f4 her single weapon, 8f4a628743 kept her running.da9049119976ebea

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Dominique, left alone in the room, could still smell the faint scent of mint lingering in the air. The scent mingled with his own smell of gunpowder. A single strand of the woman’s hair, like a bird’s feather, remained clinging to his arm.a908b293947923b0

The smile 07885b5187 on his 0568083439 lips deepened.ee37b8bd6b6a3404

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

* * *4fe194c0bdf60217

She barely remembered 75849b8262 how she got 0008f1a7ba back to the 93f279d846 ducal residence.127a00f749f73802

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

At least she 6c27f65dbe didn’t run into cba8a6ee56 anyone on her de47b63a22 way back. During her 3ca08f2d5d pursuit of 1a0be099ff Lexion, she 691cbb5f92 had become df43b31e5f intimately familiar 328c14f2fb with every 4c0acabc96 hidden passage 9d57d7486d and inconspicuous 0579d3789c hallway in 3e46938e21 the Imperial 3f6bdc1a9a Palace.753ed83ab74ff857

Everyone’s attention was focused on the banquet, and the streets were quiet, devoid of people.ac69b08b2a0b8817

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Just before entering the 18aba90598 ducal residence, Kyrie finally b8aa064733 noticed the Duke’s cloak 66cf39e373 still draped around her. She shuddered, threw it b96dd2087b away, and went to f0e8e8e9ee her room to sleep.a1cfaa880d71c7be

“Oh.”bf1503508a3b767b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Only after 241f04aac7 waking up dfbfb06f69 the next ef2b11b82e day did 40f6f803f4 Kyrie realize ce49e2bda3 she had c5468dffa7 also left f744bead58 her dress 8f4c8ff813 in the 1e3bb8f7f6 Crown Prince’s 12ae1de0d1 bedroom.74a6754fceba6019

The most fd36ed1270 expensive dress 9d9af017b8 she owned, efef171c43 carefully chosen 502bb6fb4d and purchased e080937242 within her 583ef2b987 limited allowance 563e5bae7b for maintaining 90dec12b95 appearances.  The 22f756ed54 dress she’d 7832ed2b71 managed to 4bb724c889 acquire by d08a2d5a44 flashing her 3321c507a1 characteristic bright cee144c138 smile at dcacaa79ee the designer 08f379d82b who’d pretended bea4ef35ce to be 97ce005b06 busy to 9aaeedba47 avoid giving 88f6367cf4 her any e1f2631a23 clothes.7afb41974d11d4ab

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘Should I have 29866c66cd retrieved it?’eb652e978ac3b3f4

But it was 75300d6e40 too late now.99ce1ad05e3a12b6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Instead of waking up brazenly in the Crown Prince’s luxurious, warm bed as planned, Kyrie rose from her own cold, hard bed and splashed cold water on her face, rubbing the space between her furrowed brow until it turned red.5d72b0a68fd1cf29

“…”5ae8b81ec99d790c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

She could still smell 8a62c8f41b the gunpowder on her 77bcccc42a skin. The scent the 7ed28a692c Duke had left e165e94778 on her last 2f37a00d6a night.bba126d565e406e9

‘Even after I c568244746 threw away the 2e58144521 cloak.’34203b1a45f2dd07

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Kyrie’s body recalled that 8e11acc78e moment and the hair 9c25dae7f7 on her skin stood c4050dfc41 out sensitively again. The moment the Duke’s f2f1502238 arm had brushed against aa7b28d87c her chest, the way b1c4bf3b75 his eyes had slowly, 2fbe0ada88 appraisingly, scanned her body 2b23b37a3e under the moonlight.1e5a07a7b240dc6d

‘With a c071d57aea face that 5e7ccc1b5c didn’t look 3c1fd9e455 like it e8092054ef would be 5e2fa42678 swayed by 0f4cfe0e65 any seduction.’83ec8f4726b1d67b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The way he 2e2faabc28 had looked at ddc298cdd8 her with those ec8a6774e0 glassy eyes had 1036f0481e evoked a strange b1d90f7409 feeling.c26ef9654f48223e

‘…Strange man.’b0414a90e2797a8d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

She felt oddly 939d8eedd3 uneasy about seeing 2507588b03 him again. She would have to 9738d5a351 time her visits to 3deded6ad5 the palace when he f32dc49743 wasn’t around.629c3ed1f105d393

As she d7cd824c62 thought this aed128aacf and changed 14334edeec into different 501e98cf39 clothes, reaching d403def0f9 for the 187de1ba57 familiar necklace c37a1b62e3 to put b9fc2ddb75 it on…e75e8afda7891fea

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Oh dear.”7795465809387fb5

Kyrie bit her lip. The dress wasn’t the important thing.2791d14f3728cd1a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Her mother’s pendant fc995bd5f7 necklace, the one fdd1c69d5f she habitually fiddled 25a26fcde4 with every morning, ecf282bda0 was in the 4e6c1f098b inside pocket of 8630410914 the dress she 131d1f9abb had left behind. She had put it c445e3c354 there instead of wearing a2d371a769 it around her neck, cbb18f7fdb for fear of losing f01919ac43 it during her planned 0a827bb1ab encounter with Lexion.8bdf7241268a8b1e

Anxiety crept into ef3e3cceac her heart. Her resentment 4858b0ee28 towards the d0aebbb675 Duke deepened.92c6ddd6f4d6fdff

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘…Of all things.’3fbd81e7d143cc84

Meanwhile, she began to worry deeply about whether the servants at the Crown Prince’s Palace would discover her dress and throw it away or, worse, sell it.450a574abfc633a9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

She remembered 83833d96fc a few 93b9e8b506 maids and e088679f3e servants who, 1030278c64 when she 2680ec40c1 prevented them ef4ff6b7fc from stealing 2668fba478 her meager c112b8958e allowance, had 4db9528894 the audacity 40dc93b06e to steal 88f1369a9a her jewelry.423bd096c215cb36

On the afca4dbf4a day she’d 896ca604cb caught them 3c04b03695 red-handed and 86c8acf61f slapped their e45fbabe5e cheeks until 87cc32bd9e her wrists b23344d38a ached, she 313298c14c had earned 6316019c05 another notorious 62d198545f title; the 768589e2cf madwoman who 2cece751de abused innocent 4d8295ac62 servants.0d032c2741629d3d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

She doubted the Imperial Palace servants would be any different. No, it was more likely to happen there. The Emperor wasn’t known for paying his servants well.5886251cde7ddd04

‘I have to go 2212f07527 back quickly.’21dfe9a357d03b84

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She couldn’t bear the thought of losing the pendant necklace, even if it meant possibly encountering the Duke again.39e9b8435737361e

Just as she a09e8a7e92 stepped into the db6a17c1ec hallway, her eyes e021d87c03 met someone approaching c6741e2dbb from the distance feeb4ef005 as they entered, 1abef4df4e receiving greetings from 3c181d9074 the servants.d46f289ab219ab45

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…”ef748695414639ab

The person, 470d6b5983 who had 04ccea4dd8 momentarily looked 00fc6646c6 at her eba6649150 with cold, 3dadb4e914 disdainful eyes, c3728ffc2a quickly changed 44cf35c323 their expression da57bd7cea to a 1ad9b4bec0 gentle one 822dcb10e6 and approached daf10fedef her.5a8518d72af00b8b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Greetings, Lady Ernberg.”c3b63cee8cafad50

It was a c348d1db88 middle-aged woman dressed 577f374925 in neat nun’s be5fcbd10e attire.9d1c66902f35500d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I am the Mother b62f6492bd Superior of the Flovel 50b91c8e23 Convent.”b86c49187c27bc38

Kyrie’s lightly clenched fist 2f1c0da931 tightened.  Her remaining rationality 8274001eac suppressed the sudden leap 8319a0dec6 of her heart.6a45d827afa5c228

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘If they were planning b20e29d69c to take me away 16cd9b62ad today…’7b8b0152afca237d

Whenever she faced an a2750c16aa unwanted situation, she’d resisted 4de2709451 with all her might, b1ddf5bd0c creating a scene.  The 7d3fda0299 people at the ducal feed0ab6fc residence were surely imprinted a76e012d02 with the image of 9cd0085b92 Kyrie Ernberg, covered in b87df67652 blood, yet fiercely clinging 9f0f215647 to the pendant necklace 59c04e0ee1 in her hand, thrashing 2198378bf9 and screaming.09c5b9eff828419d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Therefore, if fb4eea49e3 they had 657f3070de planned to 836992feb3 take her ab0d898bf1 away this a4517fe527 time…31bf2410d5fe74be

‘Surely, they would have brought someone from the convent or the Duke’s mansion to subdue me… along with the Mother Superior.’b82d9286f91bb23b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But the Mother f445ed26ed Superior was alone. She could see a 9ffd424b23 few maids hesitantly approaching d5713a4575 them, but it seemed 1cf73a5e1a more to guide the f3fd275991 Mother Superior than to c29f6f8ba6 restrain her.9c3bc8c845db2997

“Mother Superior, this way…”73791ec1929e2a8b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“He’s waiting cbdb4de86e for you 6a4bad976c in the d9337a0c54 drawing room.”837792c41eb8ecb5

It was obvious who d66f0a536b was waiting. It was not 8661e28a8a somewhere else, but 7102d9583f Flovel. It had to b4d4c428b1 be Duke Ernberg, 500632eb50 as no one f83d8ebca4 else would dare 0ac5faadc5 summon the Mother 386c7195d3 Superior of the 56433fc2ab prestigious Flovel Convent.3193431fff04daac

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Even so, the servants e04091ad53 didn’t urge the Mother df7bdbbf12 Superior. Rather, their faces f547320893 held a hint 355e871c47 of smug amusement.7418cca595cdcbcf

Gazes that aa03d88297 anticipated how 6afaa4be2f the “Mad 0d48eb578b Dog” would 71f7a66b2d react in 5727a04393 this situation, 3cfd8e82ca wondering what a4f952c3bc kind of 341e0d7d80 outrageous behavior 2ad8894ac8 she would 5c462c232a display this 8a1e768554 time, what 2552c600b8 kind of 80546ad373 gossip she 901152c672 would provide ba7beb0aed them with 96fb264cfd before being 700d690d8e locked away. And at the same dee8969856 time, gazes worried about f5632a0d52 what would happen if 241fc3ed28 she threw a tantrum 331bce5d7c they couldn’t handle.8b78a380927b6529

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Their eyes, filled with barely concealed emotions, slowly scanned her face, one after another. The Mother Superior’s smile also deepened.97f751b9890d3dac

‘This feels strangely familiar.’3676d3119121b1e0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

At that moment, e06a059c93 Kyrie realized. This was a0bb55f6f0 yet another 78aaafca22 attempt to efca00befd break her 809d011fe3 spirit.c610044f145905a8

Her heart, which had 541c8ab890 been frozen with fear, aa31f6d445 began to race again. The fear gradually receded, b775033ebd replaced by stubborn defiance.3d8022a1e5748f01

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘What a wishful thinking.’afdacc51332c952d

They were hoping d949129e98 she would panic a8403a0b2b and throw a 893f680100 fit. They were hoping 568417e4d2 she would kneel b5a4032d78 down and beg 2abadc907c not to send 735b926cae her to the 5e187d5470 convent.4a558780fbbd91d2

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Instead of fulfilling their 430de46c00 expectations, Kyrie unclenched her c410d973e6 fist and smiled brightly. It was the very 46a55e559b smile that made people 8bf1eed3ac flinch every time they 98515ce54e saw it.84b02a4b8c9c3dae

“…”48a6e805d8a24130

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The Mother 9a8d2fbbcf Superior’s lips b186b7362b twitched slightly, 2c5d289440 upon seeing f996e42f84 the smile, 7f46d1e768 and forced 77dd852fe2 a smile 337bb35a75 of her 877d9dc635 own.1e44131af8ca4a7d

As Kyrie walked 3d49b4bf3c forward, undaunted and 27ee85b8b2 dignified, she sensed 19a8bc63a1 the air turning 597943f8b9 hostile.  An atmosphere 4fc8988f1f she was all e7ae5753ee too familiar with.3182e292b7dc90ac

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Then the Mother 975ec71bda Superior spoke, as 68533fc9f5 if refusing to b96bc1a5ab back down,5e026b27b83fdab2

“Indeed, the 5e524b9044 lady of 20dacfa873 Ernberg has 5ccf69e77a quite the d95b3da93a reputation…”0478dbdaa2ebaf72

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Kyrie already knew what d01d9d196b kind of reputation the fb8a557679 Mother Superior was referring 2f925947af to. And she 8c1cfa8bbe also knew caa4d55ffe what the 7615469395 Mother Superior 830ffdb889 was about b6ebd2f1d6 to say.6f26f09456fddd73

No doubt, c36950a71a insults disguised e08dccbe54 as compliments 9057029516 would pour 645ab59f72 forth.  Without 83d851f247 ever saying 33969748ef anything directly…1cba1874ba2f1405

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

‘Mad Dog?’ae88b56c3ac3ed85

She didn’t know d5992629a0 why, at that 87031b6acc moment, she remembered 2bb1ddc6fd the man’s words. The words of the 1d10f7b53b only man who had f4be285fff dared to call her 520290d6ae “Mad Dog” to her 66e6ce2cc2 face.d4bd1f951199c9a2

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She could almost cb0a2dcd89 smell a fleeting 10da58ae59 whiff of gunpowder bb7f8291e8 once again. That arrogant 8b1590b966 face looking 95f78ab71d down at 78cb0e8c20 her as 3d9a64d1ff he spoke.  c717618fc4 Those eyes 8c3ea99058 that seemed cbae89c64c to observe e68dd05d80 and pierce 5c44ab654d through her.ee4e56294f2f8014

The way he e9fb516345 had spoken her 2cdf4f5930 nickname so casually, a193069a1a yet with a 6e48ff6d89 strange lack of db82ee1ede malice that somehow 760b607cb9 made it all 6efc56959d the more insulting.a4861f3978f1ae2f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The scent of gunpowder emanating from the man’s arm, mingling with the fragrance of plane trees, and the warmth of his body against hers—these sensations surfaced and subsided repeatedly in her mind.3e3e4b3ea480bb06

‘Stop.’4756f7779faff738

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Her inner voice e18daf3a93 echoed like a 0f29611393 warning.  Just then, 81c17313eb someone approached from 3fff83c51d behind.331cfa3d7b1788da

“Mother Superior.”c212285611407157

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Veron’s calm voice da8b919e72 reached her ears.51cca61ee3478ec8

 2f9c5bcde11c82f9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley