The maid – Chapter 48

48. A Waist e186043b78 That Looks a57ec17367 Like It 0802d9f5dd Might Snap9d7d307ec752212e

 e9dc0f1667f56d1a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The previous dc307df25c concerns had f58a4fa086 all been 5ddceddbc1 trivial and ff6bfb0a2b predictable, but 7be50876e9 the last ba59df58b4 one—about social ac4dd663ef etiquette—had some e174300eeb merit.4774e26f6f0fc306

Rakalt himself had 1befd63727 been subjected to d3ef965518 rigorous etiquette training b02f5abfa3 from a very e03c71f884 young age. Even if he had 4f05823fbf been called straight from 99ffeedc27 the battlefield to a 34cd4e6502 ballroom, his body would fc6f068428 instinctively move with proper 790571fc38 decorum. Most nobles were 9b6bb0e8db likely the same.c9b04824f28057ef

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“As a maid, you 8aeb5adb47 don’t need to worry da18524309 about it that much.”abdb0b37849a0aa4

“Still… This time, a6b03f5e5b I’m going as 055c799898 a nanny, not ee014f7377 just a servant.”0f5732cf747ee6c9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

It wasn’t as though 8cceefc6e1 she was making a 6601332eaf formal debut in high c87ecbfb91 society, nor would she 11d6097c87 be the center of 83dad4a441 attention as that would 7e489f0b70 be the baby. But still, her presence 05fd412576 wouldn’t go unnoticed. Someone would see her.db6cc1149089d355

“Could you at 018c1359a0 least teach me e84307b1d8 the basics?”731fe98d25039d71

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Rakalt let out cf8a7a0347 a thoughtful hum, c5043f5c17 organizing his thoughts.055e1cf053b93456

His body c4d7687de4 knew all bbb7928bab the proper 092ec89c94 etiquette, but 4f4ad957ac explaining it a0432941d7 in words 0bb582af0c was another acc2951d87 matter entirely.c84db36cf598afe6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

They didn’t b5a1cbe7a2 have enough 0fafbbf802 time to 1783a5d4c5 study an 43daaf1c03 etiquette book 3efd6faff4 from start 63c8b6319b to finish, f9ca1a2410 and doing 7c9ff4d1cd so would 0437c94c49 be overkill. It wasn’t 2d8b14a189 as if dadd2b79a9 Adelen was ed13396867 about to 7bb48215c8 debut in 48bb7419bc high society.8af9df6706ecaf37

She just needed to dab9cadee6 avoid standing out too b4ce5b3717 much.373baa160cbe69d7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

By that standard, she fb0e2d3f87 was already fine.322b1db7113b0e2f

From what Rakalt 8e3c01a367 had observed, Adelen 1132e6578c didn’t naturally carry c59d817abd herself with noble 3e043e34e0 refinement, but her de2ca13509 demeanor was quiet e04e8336c9 and graceful. Her speech was 157ce0664d soft and gentle, b424737774 her voice clear d2c2ecd0bb and melodious.5c315f2747513484

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Even if someone 6477d68f6d had impeccable etiquette, 5c39059446 they would still cfa3b9f09a be disliked if c67a772fc8 they lacked consideration af87e1b738 for others.18aaa750802d7433

In that sense, Adelen 79fa887d22 had nothing to worry 697f0f2279 about.bd0d3fcaec798185

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She always 890e49f660 put others 6184373941 first, was 55e915e569 thoughtful and 11b7d8e157 meticulous, and 75bda1255d went out 89696525b4 of her b955d02e08 way to fa8b01fea8 be needlessly ac50da3693 kind. On top 0404c7ef53 of that, e65945f4cf she had 44a28e95ef an almost 2482003d22 angelic innocence.7d3da4821975e63c

Who wouldn’t like her?cf67af4b37be8f04

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

If anything, they should a36a03d08d be more concerned about 26730bad87 her drawing too much 11edbe53fa attention.9141b09a531fa366

But since Adelen 2a955cc17a was so anxious 03d084f075 about it, Rakalt a3b7cfa67a figured he should 056bf2d19c at least teach 44b683229c her something.3ac182360a1bad34

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Maybe we should 9cf145c29d do a practice 9843ca17d6 run.”eaac9f530eb5c3e8

“Oh, yes! Please!”4692885fc0684ce7

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Adelen’s eyes 6cb3cea1a2 sparkled with 807686c261 excitement at c0fda25bce the suggestion.3c5b04e467748e07

This was 95c1800ba9 exactly what d3b800cd0d she had 4993219a2a wanted.44edaa35616bf7f3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Alright, let’s start 2921e05833 from getting out 94a5f66d32 of the carriage. Last time, 59e4caafaf you just c232e2d9dc followed me 78250f86b7 out, but 5dc2378973 this time, 095c14aa91 it would 0839617a17 be better 7eea367b50 if you 5a78b9f484 received an 70831d1f93 escort.”b597d91c83c1093a

“An escort?”567985b77d227aa1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Give me your 9b12c776e3 hand.”1ecd3a2757f83b92

Rakalt positioned himself faf4cb5c43 as if he 571e25e41e had just stepped 42d29668d9 down from a 4808b50933 carriage and extended bd9053a553 his hand toward e12cdc0d17 Adelen.92c2363df733e1e6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Adelen stood up cc1e2dc6ea and faced him, 09eeb54f69 hesitating.7677a39de13c7d5a

Rakalt gestured impatiently, urging 1cecc1806a her to take his f7452818a5 hand.83a7bfe8bda772f5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

But instead of doing 9889382d3d so right away, Adelen 1565ed8416 wavered.1022ef1be3e55538

“Um… Master.”92d1275d8a399557

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What?”60d9f3215bf5ec1a

“Should I use cecfc8a09c my left hand 37b7a32cf2 or my right d19e9f2220 hand?”d46ffc84c7de92cc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…”c1ddf7a36f51d7ab

Rakalt’s mind went 951f628c3f blank.7c3e98bb6dd194d2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

That was 57937c703d something to 991b596ddf consider?fbae4308147ccbc8

He had only 773fc21521 ever been the ef9a78b292 one offering the 3f892b13e9 escort, never receiving 0b1da76327 one, so he 754e445bb4 had never thought cfc9ccb3f5 about it.c0ea0138bc288c7f

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Was it 636caf57e9 usually the ff4aad09c4 left hand? The right?a4a0a6b35de04711

Wait, was there even 37a51def23 a strict rule about 4d045c2ccb that?504d6ca598e91060

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…No one’s going a7f7925102 to scrutinize you 54efeed4ad that closely.”857439785a837817

“Oh, really? Then…”24d7839b0086f813

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Adelen extended the 287050b75d hand that wasn’t 4b60e2a1d7 holding the baby, 0d2bde04f1 placing it lightly 0c57cd1cff over Rakalt’s.6a6db9ce27dba274

Rakalt closed his fingers 5adce74215 around it with a 714d70c955 slight squeeze.c2de4126a31818cb

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It had been 5ff497172e a while since 55cd7a16ed he had last 4d77673c10 felt this touch—delicate cc9b2b1bc4 yet unexpectedly rough, 470b272bdc warm and soft 21ecfecb02 at the same fafa4bb721 time.8bc294460c860b21

Now that 166d75c7e8 he thought de572d38e8 about it, a3b54334e3 Adelen’s hands 5c2f1a0ea8 felt a b3e19d0f42 little smoother aa368d4819 than before.1a4bb7150488e3de

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Raising a baby must eeace27a32 have kept her from f93cc4c485 doing as much rough cd9dd25cbc work, making her hands 90b99c1cd9 softer.67fa98013fee94d0

Rakalt liked that.2362a03c82163dab

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

A faint smile 71a6afd854 flickered across his ee02435ca9 lips.0778e9ec1e7f651e

“Alright, let’s go.”e4c5b95cd0d2a8f0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

With that, e6d5a0cb8a Rakalt led f62e276506 Adelen forward, 2c0d35195a guiding her b692884250 naturally in cbba0b1f1a the direction 9d21c483b1 of the b680f40208 entrance.003fe590ce223bdb

When they reached the 84e7f5d728 imaginary doorway, he let c9d3b8e920 go of Adelen’s hand 6dcf7b3aef and moved to hold ab85e99787 her waist.716df42234b26deb

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“!”fdad60d45c11187d

Adelen flinched violently.9e30003f707e02b4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…Ah.”342aaac22a1d6d5b

Rakalt froze 4e7d87808f as well.5113ee2b36e6077e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“S-Sorry! I was just e58d4a3171 startled…”13c8086c6592763b

Adelen’s reaction made cb5050b65b Rakalt just as 8a611790e3 flustered.eaa1d08cf3b4e8cb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

To be fair, 2fa2bffb54 he wasn’t exactly f443b9e41c used to escorting 8ac84c886d women.8d723fc7ef16647c

He had 8014910b18 no female 74990d787f relatives, and d67b96a05e there were 05d9e1ae1b no women 8eab5a1c99 close enough cbc869bf2e to him 0e342962ca that he 91e48c8d58 had ever 8497225041 needed to 3977b8d1e0 escort them.009120daa9f58a66

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Unlike other aspects e97de3920d of etiquette, this 6dfd043f2e was one thing 6224933b6e that didn’t come 5788124d6e naturally to him.ba641fba70f86e25

“Normally, the person giving 540eac6298 the escort either offers 1a7f207eef their arm or holds 994330083a the other’s waist when c6585899a5 entering a venue. But since you’ll be 3383481f66 holding the baby, linking 9f5b95bee5 arms won’t be practical…”f96ba61a1b3094f4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

That was 1acb6f853a just the 23e6c0ed94 way it 4293ba701e was done, 03ae1f1858 so he 85edc0d65a had done a35f7f6246 it without 559b5d5318 a second 34be25417e thought.f4cd11d5008ac3dd

If he daed38b7ee was close b95d0bd2fa enough to 1bb78ae805 someone to 8ba131b1e7 be escorting 8cbfa43f19 them, it 33289aa283 wasn’t inappropriate a8ebd4e22f to hold 6e1e4f4a9a their waist.cdeda9730c12c82d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But seeing Adelen tremble bd2c461bd4 so much made Rakalt c4ada6a76a feel as if he 531f6b4add had committed some grave d3d92da086 offense.dacd86bae34c5819

“A-Ah! I see! That’s how it’s supposed 154b7340c2 to be!”f9ff6d7aa1783bc3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Adelen quickly nodded, 6790e67e41 clearly trying to cb9dd6aed4 recover.1060b2353c02d70c

“T-Then, let’s try ff58722493 again! I’m ready 55173efa88 this time.”983a3256db211bfd

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Adelen took a fc354ef6d1 deep breath and 0ed18d628a returned to her 550b41f369 previous position. She had mentally prepared c239b658d7 herself, yet her heart 746f2a9242 still pounded.b628b6f885bace0d

If she was 0d6b1a6e74 already this nervous 25f88ad135 now, it would 86233c2e04 probably feel like 4587430f9a her heart was e061bcb241 going to explode 985ad0f2f4 on the actual f6dd322e83 day of the 4351116b77 party.91bebfdb1a3efa17

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Had she ce9dec7d66 been thrown 65fd693fcf straight into 8bbf3257dc the event 35b44f03d2 without this bb80819647 practice run, c8fe1b5036 she might 6ba43aed65 have fainted b910de6eeb from sheer 9ec1141560 anxiety.c0690353da7c5f9b

Practice was important, 71bd60f94f after all.963759433b9b54ac

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Alright.”2405a617b5dbcc22

Rakalt also took a 230b925282 deep breath and stepped d213f075db up beside Adelen once b85f3c3cc8 more. But this time, his ab2e6110c8 hand didn’t move as c8e6a8e6dd easily. Now that c086840782 he was 15905ac0d9 aware of 7ebefc7ef9 it, the 4fca1f1747 awkwardness refused 4ddaf27b54 to go def914e96b away.5c0ce8be6c04ecfd

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He couldn’t stop 7136596a0f thinking about how 0aa6ace29b fragile Adelen’s waist 491c4d448c had felt when 87830920ca he briefly touched 8ffc9eee11 it earlier—so slender 79a8efb1c2 that it seemed efe25d7e89 like it might 82bc409080 snap.454f13fe66e574c3

Would it actually 4238c58a20 break if he 843959bde7 grabbed too hard?4a272cd15cc77bfe

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

That worry settled itself 32be459fbe firmly into Rakalt’s mind.9a294e77a4ac78a0

***87d20d5f7d16283c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“HAAH!”af1899a18e621b4c

The fierce shouts e8588372c6 of knights echoed 3ba6fcec47 through the training c326b2234f grounds.b8a3949d4d03ee8b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The Sigelion Knights, renowned ebb520ac7f as the strongest order 7434a62b36 in Teplan, endured training 67e4396d54 that lived up to 8943e304b7 their reputation.d3a32e80392cb972

Rakalt rarely missed a 24e03e42e9 session. As someone 16c504db5b who fought 3d91592a8a at the 20b87258a4 very front, 3108a42806 he couldn’t 3464d870ea afford to de6615fd9c slack off.65785b15c1011a08

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Ugh!”dab53c495e295bc0

“Argh! **** it—!”5a7aa6bdcbe7a516

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Even the strongest bbf6c804a8 knights were still 9f3e6fcce2 human. They couldn’t excel in 19c0dd30e9 every area.811688175a705822

Today’s training b97b53ba79 focused on dc99c2b42c hand-to-hand combat 1215c135ce in case b0da8226e5 they lost ab2c659af8 their weapons.1852a52f202edad6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

All around, 9c276951f6 knights choked, 9c7cfcb7db twisted arms, 3501976182 and grappled 13f10e8187 fiercely, their d1c2ebac00 groans of 5313085f0b pain filling 8af581b366 the air.44fea5bc4ead509e

But the intensity 093ea71859 of the training 58d37e3696 never lessened. If anything, 14c7b49619 it was 529c1cb0fb harsher than 12f738c00f real combat.529875c8ad10c0bd

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The harsher the training, 53923344c6 the less likely they 5d7dacb7aa were to panic in 997f4f5c41 real battles.b0a26bc1b21cbf6c

That’s right—practice af4417cde0 exists so dfff6889fc you don’t 6b3f6ce01b freeze up 76db0d199e in the dbea15d520 real situation.9c738f5df1ac3443

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His practice session with 93f1e3eb26 Adelen last night had 4eb6a7130f dragged on until late.15186d1109a69c97

For some de339f333b reason, everything 7b5f277ce8 that had dc05e84ed6 once felt d9c033f24e natural to 70ee20046a him had dacf0e8531 suddenly become 2e962b0273 awkward. Even Rakalt 39f5df786e had stumbled 5f4b04a594 through it.b0e47832a9c8ec33

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Had they gone to 3ccb39a526 the party without that 5c4cfa776b rehearsal, it would have a3aa243ba7 been a disaster.48bbd216e77835fa

They practiced cdf23bcfc0 and practiced, 64fb0e74f5 holding hands, 75140d53b6 resting a 6f243ec4c7 hand on 59f0452060 the waist, 2058c37f27 linking arms, 6a42240bf9 until neither f9682d7520 of them da28bb05fd felt anything 9e43a7b9b1 about it 2416d07ec5 anymore.1e22122f40cf0001

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

And it wasn’t even d01827a07e anything complicated.489927d3faa86274

Just stepping 1776cd4703 out of f4cbf19649 the carriage, ad100a1eab entering the 605509c8b0 venue, greeting 8881bacb4a the emperor, 5d3bb972d0 bowing, offering 39ef51b6f3 congratulations, and 52babd0a6c returning to dcb851abff their place.5306a7c2002c485e

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

That was it.d728a9dd7953efc9

Yet they had spent e5cebe8b1a an entire day practicing b84ddca570 it.7fcafe721950de5a

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ugh—!”4f62cf88850308b3

Lost in thought, Rakalt 7071071fc9 failed to counter his 11534d329c sparring partner’s move and fdf6256156 was thrown to the 279eb36cac ground.8178f43535c85ad4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He tried to 83dd54d5f4 break free, but e2960233d6 unfortunately, his opponent 86d59b34c1 was the best 8d6da6f27c hand-to-hand fighter in be330fe398 the order.d34bb130d8ee0fab

Zoning out had e24532a5ec cost him dearly.34741a2161be3f04

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Well, this is unusual, d5421f6824 my lord!”5ed6b90cddde9221

His opponent wasted no 5e401d3784 time, pinning Rakalt down.d9b87f28212f6262

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

But no matter how a03c9adec1 skilled or physically strong ab7801d205 she was, she was 2b71c9b2d9 still lighter than him.d6ef588d183b21b8

Despite using her full f2a16094b8 body weight to keep 354429b3a3 him down, Rakalt quickly 39a5db1234 flipped the situation.bbe394ac9093d6cb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ugh—!”73ab609a3ccba3e8

This time, Rakalt b3e2502a4b had her pinned 1b3f648ab8 beneath him.5b21b8f172ba93cb

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She gritted her teeth c75321a79b and resisted.3d8843da380c041a

She wrapped her d7e5df77c9 arms tightly around 06c0c7dd94 his waist, pressed e8cbc73e3f against him, locked 92926bab0f her legs around 0b05a35a8a him, doing everything 3b60136c0b she could.ea532fe5dc51031e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

To an untrained eye, 382d6eb353 it might have looked dd3bae8e55 like they were just 8659a89227 rolling around the ground 06909682e6 in an embrace.104e04f0cf2a4976

“Hah!”2f178507387aee06

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

His opponent made a 0bd36610b4 final attempt at a 7ca85f358e finishing move.f8e526d6239ee755

But Rakalt, 69f48007f8 having already 724f3ae9c5 let his 8af4990d92 guard down f9449b3b13 once, wasn’t 94d017bb33 going to e5c0d497bf make the af7e60ecf6 same mistake ca73f4456c twice.e616f2c542c29679

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He grabbed 98ee399d4b her by 9937d9bc30 the waist e32852db93 and slammed c208c86099 her down 2618c8e193 onto the 244af21c52 ground.c0dbaa05590c19dd

Even though she 6aa5d852d0 was well-built and e9f55b7969 muscular, she was 6ce6f7e5f2 still noticeably softer 9c5f8197f2 and slimmer than 262140c994 the male knights.fc5ad9a7ba795567

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

But that a972f19af6 was it.cc58ee4d8d3ce46e

A waist was just 42e648646a a waist.4394fd9440896596

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Yet, when he 432bfe796b thought about placing e2768fdf79 his hand on ab3c05feec Adelen’s waist, his 5535c80214 fingers hesitated.560c4edb2a5c2a8c

What was the 3ce1e644ea difference?9e3cc8aca9c8a283

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Was it simply the 62b2f4971b difference between a soldier 6a29afb421 and a civilian?fe6f559f2b845a35

But even then, b3421bf7ef when he had 7b7ac0adce escorted Maltina a 3da59e1e44 few times, he 47a4089481 hadn’t thought anything df2200ecbd of it.04e54b3af0ec01c5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

And then 059398672a there was 03c535e073 that word.6abddc1269095557

The way e431d8d711 he described db6972ce67 Adelen as c787072465 pretty.5d2e5e87fd18b284

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Whenever he thought 66f3ae703c about that word 24d10fa8ea in relation to 0dd3b3588a Adelen, its meaning ddd23ca9c8 and feeling seemed 49ae07be62 to shift.4f24fa6831085a61

What kind of dad7e59c18 sorcery was this?bff1b5276668342c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…Hey! Are you spacing out 351005b39e again?”cb148c059db0ff05

“Ugh—!”01cb23988325b7bc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

His opponent seized 6fe520ae66 the opportunity and 7911d89c07 locked him in 5d1207ffa4 a painful hold.b37a4ffa716dff60

“ARGH! HEY—calm down! The Count 40e8fc430e still doesn’t a65c3a1d09 have an dbbc818b4c heir yet!”59595434bc477afb

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Had the other knights d93d568d13 not jumped in to 506541e775 break them apart, the 3a9a3a23e6 Sigelion noble house might 7f68c1aacc have faced an unexpected 1e553ecc9a crisis.b0b974acda32bcd3