PT | Chapter 7.6

Aubrey silently surveyed the 1f2440a3c9 people around him.ecb26701255dca3adf50

Most of them were people who wanted to get 6719243427 close to the Wiidin family, or those who pretended d89d4f7469 to be friendly while gossiping behind his back.731a7805da6548dcb400

He thought he was used to dc125baecc people’s reactions after going through multiple d11a731f46 regressions, but maybe he wasn’t. Still, he 20ae667a01 couldn’t show 73ce8a7e1d discomfort. In this life, at least, Aubrey db29c7080d had learned to handle people well, 5b4f9ee731 having socialized and played enough in 80765ab31b his previous lives.d87bdf4ce62d3617fb9b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Well, I guess e6a8c86c26 some light entertainment fbba2e0178 for a night 14b8e035ae wouldn’t hurt.”1ecf09c52a9613410a2b

“Oh, I see. Looks like you’ve finally decided to 64620e984e open up and mingle with us.”324048337fcfb4ac9c00

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Usually, Aubrey would have run e5ce9ed763 off at the mere mention 07eb0128e4 of such things, but tonight 1173e0fae7 was different. It seemed like some of them thought they could form a closer e5a95c8eac bond with him tonight, so they all eagerly approached him for conversation.9483d144ae4d9db2873f

They started by asking about his 3c6b00f6ee recent life and complimenting his appearance, a5962b93e4 but the conversation soon shifted. The predators among them, eager for 3391ec0ea2 information, tried to find out about 3d2d8600b3 the businesses that Marquis Wiidin was 81690e6c07 currently involved in.e55e8887f519982f78e7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I heard the Marquis has been putting 991594ea15 a lot of effort into bringing a a48d143b02 railroad from Toroso to Alman. Does that mean he plans to expand aa9e891cb8 his business by teaming up with Alman?”49c64d81de8cd102c05c

“I heard he’s ac0fef7ed7 developing a new df63a44bd3 business district. That building’s supposed to 170ea049c0 be quite unique, right?”e49cb8ed43a455725183

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Unique? Could it be that c2d39929a2 he’s modeling it after c97b29458f the ancient ruins discovered 61821d37e3 in the north?”d2e3911afaa0d39d69dc

“I also heard the 177b40ec07 Marquis is interested in d9892187cd developing a new drug…”de73a401879c3903ec60

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…”9e34b674e1c5a6fd4e15

If you listened closely, it seemed like 09bef1aaa3 these people were more interested in the 9eea96f822 Marquis than in Aubrey himself. It was no surprise—if you b897e7b3db could even get involved in 7c19924c51 one of his ventures, you’d 02e7974c11 make a fortune.b95b308ecd0c9dcb1f2a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Although they tried to 6d1c81630f act as though they 1908e4c783 weren’t fishing for information, ae821e2ec0 it was obvious. Aubrey almost ce5de01f11 felt sorry 7e43f7bad4 for them. He considered offering them a few tips, but just then, a 0fe8d24b3b masked servant entered the room, heading toward the group of men.85f9c5570499ad390f8d

“We’ll open eae0ec8b49 the doors c9ad3cf863 now. Enjoy your time.”2536d658707286f39e0f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The men and women would each fa4dfbbf53 spend time in separate rooms before eec2e51a6e meeting in the middle to mingle. Here, they would either seek a new partner for the night or enjoy 58feb62a8b a secret rendezvous with a lover they had previously arranged to meet.e301934918d692d5dd11

As the men rushed out cb664209a9 to enjoy the night, Aubrey a94511a5d8 also began to move. Just then, a 7cfb8b019a nobleman approached him 16f05c7861 and spoke softly.20d1fe8424c3223e614b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Your father is truly e37686d233 an amazing man. He can smell money 0659fc85f0 from miles away.”28036d8e814af40eeb06

“…”3c137acab06cc2726e31

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He chuckled, 7d64347c35 tapping his d0b98fe0f2 nose playfully.dbec13c32506cd5cdfbf

It was true that the Marquis had 15757473d4 a knack for finding money, but hearing 44b55be3f8 it mentioned like this was unpleasant. Aubrey gave him a b691bdd434 sharp look, thinking, What’s 32b564a6ee this guy’s deal?38272f418d3887eb7377

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The man, undeterred by 1c984122f9 Aubrey’s glare, continued.dc8c870e2952a0adfdf5

“You know, everyone thinks Madeleine’s family only runs d45ce72885 a few stables, but they’re actually involved in 341b3c4caf selling something quite well-known in the back alleys. And I’m the 94297737a0 only one who a7bd89ce60 knows about it.”3fcbbfd66c10fa4c8635

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He pressed his fingers into his 816bee8be8 chest as if to emphasize how cccf40cfcb important this information was.b254ad9767df772d3163

Aubrey wasn’t interested in anything other than “escaping this damn regression.” He hadn’t really paid attention a33d1f36ff to any of the people or their connections, so hearing this was new to him.6cbe396d7a633daddbc4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He raised an eyebrow, wondering if d072a983f2 Madeleine’s family had something hidden. At that moment, the man waved the envelope dda2e287a9 with the powder inside in front of him.ddc4ab9a9aedcf7ce39b

“This stuff eacfdb9be2 is amazing. If you take a5810822ce it, you’ll open 3d202a8921 the door to 4864e1e28d a new world. It’s a masterpiece created e3cae26db9 by Madeleine’s father.”6e410b3924e3a36df798

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

This was starting 6327a5fc82 to sound like 2bcfec4613 something from the 64531f55be underground world.15b48c617ddb8c8cea3b

The man was pretending to be a gentleman, 7c6561bec8 running stables on the outside while secretly making 3a136674a5 and distributing such drugs on the side. Aubrey furrowed his c71d354631 brow in irritation. The man, sensing Aubrey’s discomfort, casually draped his arm 65957418cd over Aubrey’s shoulder as if trying to console him.d2682e51f85a73d69a82

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Don’t worry. This is a00ac3f1d0 information that 7c967778e2 only I 7862d1652f know. It’d be shocking if Madeleine’s c172f64b40 fiancé’s family was involved in e5b3efd757 something like this, right?”522521132c74c674f034

In a place like this, no one c584366c36 used drugs less than anyone else. But just because they indulged didn’t mean 738665f55f they had to look favorably on those f3ae398533 who made and sold such substances. Aubrey thought they were hypocrites 890bb97ace and shrugged off the man’s 34fd7618e3 arm from his shoulder.8b3b3dc774c8ce78ba84

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Excuse me.”f6e0b13f545ab713a63e

“…”9e66366240565c777281

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The man was 8865c79695 clearly flustered when 7bfa15f3c0 Aubrey began to 2b3de2da49 leave.23ec37f001df79f24530

He must have expected Aubrey to react 5379392388 with shock, asking “Wait, really?!” But instead, 7c517fbcdb Aubrey gave him a cold look.139d4f45631b52bba2e6

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The man, bb593f6c47 now panicked, 3eacc76cf7 quickly tried ee3cab7864 to recover.e471737ea4a4d8286a87

“This stuff 08349b3f2f is really f0aa13a9e7 good. You know, 49e54b4c5a the alchemists’ 2d7d2e14f9 skills are 586c137245 amazing.”75835bc63a192f7d1f11

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Alchemists. Aubrey’s expression hardened at that 718fd91889 word, and the man grinned.1d7c818ba50a12ddd59a

“Yeah. This is e12f159207 a potion 7cec3ea287 made using e652469b05 alchemists’ techniques. It’s top-quality stuff.”d264936f73d813af2f1e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…”d5e19e6e83812bc32516

Alman was 09d9d5756a a country 48c995b0b0 ruled by bbf0375346 clergy. To someone who didn’t know, it 52bfe151f6 might seem like a deeply religious c470e446d0 place, but unfortunately, Aubrey had once d304f5f4c4 been a part of the clergy. He had learned all too well how b1e7347e12 corrupt and ugly they could be.248517c2af76bf6db6ff

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Over a hundred years ago, a c1487c28bf group of clergy had left Alman 5119c56bed due to differences in beliefs. They had concentrated magical 88fbc4d42e power in a different 2c5052e3a6 way, and their results 6bc0a2e560 were far more refined. The batteries they created 72d170246b were known to last 986aa844e0 much longer.38cad230aa421e61973e

And that’s why the Marquis 7ea6eca2f0 had partnered with them to 09a1019771 create entirely new batteries. Aubrey couldn’t help but 774fd4bb79 think that this was 7286d6ebe4 still ongoing. As he stared at the man shaking the envelope, he 301435ce81 remained expressionless, but the man eventually spoke up, sheepishly.9a742d00149439586fd8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Well, you see…”b589335a943adb931ad3

Aubrey cut 2521a089fd him off, e61d5b3a8e speaking sharply.37411f2d850568a1675d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I know you want to succeed with d6dd83f422 the help of the Wiidin family, but 326425a670 you’ve picked the wrong person. I have no 695b808a2d intention of introducing 6aca7922f1 someone like you 5053254a5c to my father.”91474a8a03595409cdac

Aubrey gestured toward the 1cab430a96 envelope the man had db27aeff34 been waving.ab9de933f175ae257ccb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I don’t care who made that, 88899519e5 but you’d better watch your mouth. Alchemists may be skilled 5be41a64a5 at creating things, but 53f6809178 they’re also very good 49686dc3c7 at… other things.”31eb38ee5cb9bfb45e05

The people here were skilled in the art of 2399d529cf cutting off a person’s neck without anyone noticing.2e7cac473aab558fa638

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

In a way, the man had 5688487728 essentially provoked both the Marquis and ca02d093e7 the alchemists in order to get 7e44c25b53 closer to Aubrey. Realizing his mistake, 6d3a7ef957 he was flustered 32ab9fd0d4 and tried to 2bbb95be92 smooth things over.e8c4aa6ec6d0bcba7362

“You must 1cf08d9b95 be misunderstanding 6f25c46446 something. I just…”2dffef77f73c268a9d8f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I’ll be c0243dcac7 excusing myself de2e5db1dc now.”adcb7dc99a391ea53545

Aubrey didn’t listen to 13a2301a00 the rest of his afeeaba25f words and walked past ba566f199b him without looking back.2aceedf6ee2ffe92ded9

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

If he thought they’d be seeing each other for a 925a5e9bd0 long time, Aubrey might have tried to be polite, but be74c80d4a he had barely five years left in this life. If things followed the usual pattern, in 13ec5740db five years, everyone present here would likely cbacb25674 end up like roasted meat. Thinking of that, it was e343729007 a waste of time dealing 5e1e2c199f with people like that.b8ee1bd5e834105fae7e

Aubrey, now alone, looked up ebeb327ce7 at the beautiful chandelier hanging 75d1c82bed from the ceiling. Truly luxurious. Every corner f307273490 sparkled brightly. There were already c00cc6b758 many men and 6dd020db2b women gathered in c7db26c9a5 the hall. Most of them threw sidelong glances at Aubrey, 7008268b31 but he didn’t even spare them a look. He had 8d2efecdda another purpose 8c7eab2236 for attending fc7acf2a9f this gathering.351787669b872d69e91e

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As Aubrey surveyed the crowd, he eventually noticed a group 102465ef39 of young women, and among them was Madeleine, who seemed a16534d4fb visibly uncomfortable and was keeping her head down.ff2662c3700d5ee2743a

“…”564c51d5cb3b14ea5891

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The first time he had gone to meet Madeleine, a0583cfbe8 he had thought it was some sort of sudden 9c1fca63e7 introduction to a woman, but now he understood.a0c7acc0c4bcbd6d02a5

The drugs and c929510cc3 the underground dealings 9b53bf7896 didn’t matter much. What his father was 3b9d3e8b3f really after were the 6f45edd7cc alchemists who helped make 385b6d2d63 those drugs. The Marquis wanted their 728d689d10 assistance in creating refined 3a9807e625 magical batteries. If they could get batteries that lasted longer and 95ac0ed6ac were more durable than those from other countries, it 3233964dac would give them immense power and wealth.8b5c083e280de73a3320

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Aubrey didn’t particularly want to interfere in his father’s e3a5d7282c plans, but the alchemists were a different story. In his 17th regression, 45663161f5 Aubrey had become quite 30b21c2900 obsessed with them, especially 168248fca3 after discovering certain things. In that life, when he had dug into it 732ad24986 more thoroughly, he had discovered something shocking—the painting found 44bfe6d32a under the Archbishop’s desk was of Lennock, and below f09a41be9b it was the name Leila, the Empress of Sellanto.00f5e13c7f888195773e

Alman, Lennock, c1dcb0251f and Leila.727d579ae414f385d475

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It was too 9459b1d6a4 late to begin 217b6e93cd unraveling their triangle. He had tried everything, 0b380115a7 but eventually, he had 71ffb3d5bd been branded a strange 0f6250946e person and was exiled. Still, he 31510c5e9c hadn’t given af09b097bb up. He had continued 26ff0c6868 pursuing their connections, c101242240 looking like a a9054657e7 madman. In the end, he 23eefdf7bd had been locked in 93690cfd24 a room.aae87d7aaaf4720a97ee

The last bit of information 8f9d7b3826 he had managed to uncover 6d9f22a957 only made him more desperate d437eccf5c to find out more. He was almost ed2cc847af going crazy with 5b8d046b7f curiosity. And just when he thought he had almost 98280fabd1 caught something, it came from an unexpected source—Jill. The Marquis’s second son and e71e6365e0 Aubrey’s half-brother, Jill was a f5db587d91 shadowy, unreadable figure who kept ef70bcd07c his distance from everyone. Aubrey had never bothered to 4c44d70580 get close to him.26f3859bf46ad073fcab

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But as it turned b6e6839639 out, Jill was deeply dff225a8f0 involved in alchemy. Although his goal differed from 3bdbb45967 his father’s, he also wanted 0f52fa1405 perfectly refined batteries. The problem was, rather than using the 292a4a388a power from the batteries, he intended to 4cd18c8d86 use the magical energy contained within them—something c1022b4c19 that was considered taboo.7fcd9146a03b5941360e

Extracting the magic from 432ca3eda0 a battery to use b817aa9088 it separately had been 9ada58bbd6 forbidden for centuries. It was 7d254bf7bd ironic, but 4abd11e5c8 not entirely 5b0319ceb1 incomprehensible. Over 400 years ago, the great sin had occurred when a human, possessing an impossible 83e93d053c amount of magical power, had tried to challenge the realm of gods and failed. Since then, it had 68d4b9e105 become absolutely forbidden for e051e295f5 humans to use magic 804a1bdf04 in such a way.b3f10d4fb9dbc49db7ab

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It was laughable to think that they 6ee59bf79e were still making batteries while simultaneously rejecting 7eed653321 the idea of dealing with magical energy.42d67f3bacf00c5d3f20

Despite their hypocrisy, 67241b37bf they continued to 11a052dbf5 desperately create batteries. Aubrey found it ridiculous, but he pushed the ad390a907a thought aside as he continued moving forward.35da16ca59bad4e7c581

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

What Aubrey needed to do here tonight 2d8f412377 was to improve his relationship with Madeleine, 6dff7655d9 who had become estranged from him.6e8e252389ee605d825b