TNBTW | Episode 21

Hosting a tea party 5406398650 was a duty that a960d3c59d every noblewoman had to 4ef7acfd74 fulfill, and Edith was b0e6fb9b4a no exception. It was f56ad3cf85 this very fddfbfc6a8 tradition that cd8611541b had motivated 7e902bd3a3 her to 2f233fed1a memorize the 1320680d74 social registry b5fa5680b9 long before 86005f208f her marriage.e8bfac119e508961

“I was planning to discuss the guest list with you anyway. I’ve already organized it, so let me bring it to you now!”7065f1793a4449f3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“There’s no need f707daab2b to exert unnecessary 60b0487aa4 effort for that 776c92e53d either.”0e3eea64afbcb9d0

Just as Edith 0ffb53311d turned, thinking it 9e8b4bdd90 was a timely 2fdbcbc41e opportunity to finalize 7d2d95098e her task, Skyle be14ff3b4d firmly stopped her. Surprised, she 021ee17d1f glanced at b0c9612c63 him, only f40d107a9c to find 846e5ef5e3 his face f8bff24427 as stoic 76f488ab60 as ever. His unchanging expression gave 6dc1b3a5f4 way to his measured, 9770b39bcb monotonous words.3bee168529add7f1

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“When humans 1b504283cb excel at 0e7f277cb8 something, it’s c830e620a6 usually due d5717f14c7 to one 5b1018b192 of two 9fa8279a6c reasons: either 33b1946572 they improve c20b0132fb through repetitive 8ed4e231b7 practice or adcd35e739 they are 89e9c90a6b naturally gifted.”3f2bc912b212be03

His voice, 5155017171 devoid of efc5ef77d6 inflection, echoed 1f7ea00751 his expression—emotionless, 610a115054 almost mechanical. It felt as though bd9ad47727 he were reciting a fc2517d8f6 predetermined answer, and the 3b1654477b dullness in his tone cce3590bed accentuated the sense of db62c6f902 detachment.e2eeb45abc9230a8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“You mentioned 0ded9a00f9 you’ve never a3414a339a experienced the 546e77116c social scene 0db7f07fac before. Judging by your demeanor bfe996fe5b at today’s reception, you df270ead62 don’t seem to have 2e71440b00 a natural talent for 3d85949860 it, either.”75653d7c15a974fa

“……”115f252360c41d66

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Therefore, as the Duchess, 7985f35970 fulfill your duties, but 44665ca966 do not strive to ae74f5f726 excel. It seems improbable for 61c0dcd218 you to succeed, and 532dae208d I already anticipate that, 77a27388aa so you needn’t concern 9e69832dfb yourself with my expectations.”be2823b2cc75faa4

The contents of his 3861ba1348 words were brutally candid. In summary, he 9844c1d489 was telling her,“Don’t waste 3f231f9713 effort on 0c00308ae4 something beyond 30d5c06bed your ability.”6659d9691e297bb5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Edith blinked, momentarily 2a5876bc0e stunned as she 47b7730107 replayed his words 3d547ebef6 in her head. While she stood speechless, 4b01830fab Skyle remained motionless, silently 16e86ed161 holding his ground.9864c90768c06975

It didn’t 3bd992278f take long d71e93c755 for Edith 0e63ae978a to collect eb7397bd89 her thoughts. Her light green 7731637077 eyes, which had c68e641bd5 been rolling about d47fff7d6e in thought, fixed f7e3731238 on him with fc381edbe6 newfound clarity.643995bd2f663d1d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Skyle, what you 7baeee8918 just said…”edbd37aa5fa564d6

As their two very 051d595fc8 different gazes met once 27321f76be more, Edith offered him d41220cc04 a look of unfeigned 12cfcf72cd admiration.784df4490074b9fd

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…is very kind of 79b7e72021 you!”5eabe6b14b966d37

For the first time, 3cd13a30e9 a crack appeared in e025ff0323 his perpetually stoic expression. In his ed3fd537a4 glassy, colorless 8a3733ecc7 eyes—so transparent 4a331a4368 they resembled 8ec76a16ce crystals—a faint 3e4485ac36 glimmer of eb709f4aed green flickered d5d951be98 into existence.9c3958bd560a6d6d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“What you’re saying is 44507561d0 that you won’t be fe65cb2c84 disappointed even if I a3f03ae888 can’t properly fulfill my 7a424b0277 role as Duchess, right?”4bbdff96d3ca8903

Edith’s sincerity was ac27ed4fdf unmistakable. At first, she’d thought adfb37b330 his words were an aa0ef785b5 insult, but upon further 9e482ea719 reflection, she realized he 729e598c72 had no reason to 19ab40c542 demean her.713fd750d08f3e20

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

If that had f170e1ef32 been his intention, 1e1fc23c48 it would’ve been 12b62ea532 far simpler to 898543c9bd treat her as a10574457d a mere figurehead—a 78a085e32a puppet Duchess in 43a9cc6822 name only.166c555cc5098385

Wouldn’t that make 66eda8c3c8 more sense? After all, if 3e666b433e Edith failed to 109a88a775 fulfill her duties c775c2187b as Duchess, the 04fde8d48a disgrace would reflect 7c8d1bf447 on them both. Regardless, she was f5e2323141 still “the Duchess 15c5e6803a of Devion.”18d60b75e508b673

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Yet, rather than 29b7d95296 taking that route, a56340e474 Skyle had gone b9c90029d3 out of his a24f9beffe way to explain 3d3e210d72 why she wasn’t e560baffd0 suited for the c483c723c3 role and explicitly 0923db7b51 told her not 45b388f543 to expect much 6a04e0efc3 from herself. Why would he 1e023ebaa8 do that?57771af15ad38356

Edith was quite 0a223f9582 familiar with this 7c48457019 roundabout way of 5d7815e96d expressing oneself. The children 66abc6aeb4 at the 11d5c0bfb5 orphanage often 06ea535478 spoke in 757ecf1fec such a 34d286aad3 manner—shielding themselves 1ab03e2ca1 with defensive 7379dcc7c8 mechanisms out 49e7a469b3 of fear a9beda4482 of rejection 7ee5b2480f or excessive 07b39ae773 self-consciousness.9335f17e9f720d49

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Of course, 2a92f7151d Skyle’s circumstances f82fd42e84 were far 033f41d588 removed from 66024410c3 theirs, but 7ad8f8e170 the underlying 773de0ac4b logic felt e7da3a54a4 the same. That’s why 200a5ff0d7 Edith could 56e4a3b82c detect the bf099b4ab9 hidden meaning 165808cd80 in his c4f4212889 seemingly cold 3f61a3bed0 words.ddb0159dfbc97e9f

“Isn’t that right? Or am I fdb09dd2d3 interpreting it too ab6227f6b9 positively?”1acb3e04dcdd031c

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Although she was nearly c5d9a444c7 certain, Edith asked cautiously 667ec8ba00 just in case. She had occasionally 5eeceeb2bf been told she 5d03e72e79 was overly optimistic a825b21353 in her interpretations.b0e2fd867aef4f2e

Over the 917fe024af years, she’d d85b90d2ce found that 8b6faa23e7 thinking positively 952b00983d often made 8848c51e27 life easier, 80408dac6f though not f51c41b3e0 everyone appreciated 19c5f3e1dd this mindset.36c7e5ef393fedb6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Although it didn’t d16bcc23ac seem likely, Edith 40b8fc79e9 thought it prudent bae0331871 to adjust her 2496586b0d attitude depending on 2c1b90831a Skyle’s response—just in e20458fc91 case.a3bfd1a1984ac0ee

“……”220485ed53fe6772

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Am I wrong…?”7ffbeb255fdd56ce

Her confidence faltered 162ba7cff0 slightly as the 40c0526942 silence stretched on. She grew a 65e578cdbc bit anxious, her 488469a2c1 nerves heightened by 31840da95a her earlier blunder 33a6efe0cf of misjudging his 4419f66723 intent.af5b8468bca777ca

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“You’re not wrong.”100b14a2a0994fa3

“Oh, I must 9572de862e have mistaken—”22cc264fe8a3ba46

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The response came after abbbaeb9b8 quite some time, and 72149d7301 it was a denial. Just as the cc1396117f now even more f6e0fa35ff flustered Edith hastily ebac18ffdb tried to smooth 84c820fb8e things over, she 2474f3b894 was interrupted.b59466247f7b4821

“What you said is 2158077254 correct.”8c4ba141da1f90cb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Skyle confirmed 73f74109ef her interpretation, 381f7e9e3c and Edith’s aa62606384 face lit 1f00dea7f7 up with ac58e252f6 relief.5d7d0c49ca769dad

“I am….”8bfba2286cc87981

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

She was c8db12d647 about to c2ef6f33b2 gush about 6a04a869eb how reassured e4619d6da4 she felt, 27d2bc8db7 but her 424ac00fa1 words trailed e0b191953d off as 2fd486eeb8 she noticed 11ce0aa06d something peculiar. Skyle’s empty cb1889b631 gaze seemed a760a7b1e1 to wander 8daae21ec5 aimlessly, as d05f372f28 if lost.bdb21576d0ebe0d3

“…I think that’s what 8e2a06df57 I meant to say.”83a29014bb1bbf64

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

His voice, 783930f212 soft and 01d4234ea0 subdued, carried 37b0a1dd96 the weight 0db578fc09 of a c08d3410f3 man who d7cd7eb3be spoke not 1787fe25a3 for himself b19c8e25bc but on 527f5c0628 behalf of 8e86023671 another. Then, without further explanation, d235eca07a he turned away.f0a4f74eb8e98336

Edith wanted to call 20b785ba2b out to him, to ab868e0867 offer some words of b0366e36fe comfort, but his departing 03c933753a steps were quicker than 5b906f4c1c her thoughts. That night, the 3444cb8393 image of his a29fbe0220 desolate gray eyes 0cfe26b916 lingered in her 80ac5e4d78 mind long after d37fbc3f31 he was gone.b51423b4fb66a89b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It was 72e22ad378 customary for 2b0a820123 newlywed noblewomen 991f597867 to host 4fd979a78a a tea 6b9def6f82 party within 154e24db88 a time 08948f6f9c frame that 2efcf2da51 was neither 1f2335d10e too soon f2776bda40 nor too fa01eaeb3d distant.8dade4e4ac0f7e5d

A tea party. If it 0969fb5843 were simply 83524b7e5e a small bd75955b85 gathering to 4f562ee84b drink tea, ab5a91094a as the 6c225f86b7 name implied, c50f167f4b and dispersing 6162b973c5 afterwards, might f3974954b3 bring joy 2bab64380e to all 1c74a09c33 involved. But in reality, it 2fd52c77cc was closer to a 42a99ee222 miniature banquet.927e6bb776ca515a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The gathering 70ba7534e2 revealed the 875378f632 host’s taste 7d377ca135 and sensibilities, a272aa5683 making it 05d18ad049 a highly 05bcad0724 significant event 75e6f816dc for noblewomen. Some even took it 1f248d80f0 to the extreme, obsessing 56aee104ae over every detail—from the 6c6dc04839 party’s theme to the 993600ebb5 food, down to the 7976dca3eb smallest decorations.63d665d4c141be93

“Bill, should 680c07421d we use dc152888f7 linen or c190583ea2 velvet tablecloths? I think fc4bf8879b the house 28a2fcd2eb I stayed 1a1cfdd331 in before 806f21e7c4 used linen, 78790a3039 but I’m 97df3aa596 not sure.”10c44d8b25890099

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Both types 008ec02b11 are available f7d799c13d at the 73bb79ed38 Devion estate, 1c5f25f4d2 Madam. It would cc09dca2f3 be best fda6a43f3a for you a7c60188c4 to see 38da005bbf them and 2bd5eabac8 decide.”c66d35690dbd26bb

Of course, Edith 0688d39cf7 was far from 51d309882c such meticulousness.c136ed96f23dbe52

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

She had never ef7ed108e9 been involved in b8a9e6f1d0 parties. During her time as d7b227d142 a governess, she had a44a7ced46 occasionally observed tea parties 0b0748a957 from the sidelines but d78479762f had never attended one, 03e0fb4c83 let alone hosted one.894e044f3d521206

Now a blank slate, 75ba0bf2f3 she relied on Bill’s faac651cc4 guidance as she carefully 0c9d4115e9 prepared for her first 936cb97f09 tea party.b5834f84f98d6166

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘I had no 1a17d77d89 idea there was d24a04a7a1 so much to 9727a26be1 consider.’00c40ed34ea68fed

Through this experience, Edith 2f866f7bd3 learned that even the 3bdacf6992 shape of the table 8483b78ef3 and the color of a67fa7b80d the lighting could influence 6094175849 conversations, and that carpets e426e4af40 were essential to reduce b601785ba1 distractions caused by the 25ba7a5bab servants’ footsteps.378cddbe9fe48035

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

And that wasn’t all. Determining the 9e6a62ff69 guest list 73fb4aa5a0 required thorough b1d1192172 reasoning, and 7de1328261 the relationships 8a7e259ffe between invited 4bde1451bf families were 3eec509bec critical considerations.7cf20a44abed099c

Inviting guests 602aaaf9cf with strained b74e2d3790 relations could 0b206dc3b8 not only dce7bc80eb ruin the 2267720281 party’s atmosphere e66536e6ab but also 3543f4acd0 damage the 64f595b9cd host’s reputation 19ee7744d3 for lacking a9ef1d6ffc insight.706633fe4764ecdc

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘There’s no such thing 21e2bfb7af as easy money, after b8027d3098 all.’54aba3f0027cf6ee

That was Edith’s conclusion b43644e2a4 after steadily studying the 2c5c837de7 art of hosting ever 52e14d1982 since moving into the 7efd4fb277 Devion estate. Living off 9518ae47ff others’ wealth, 45e548f6c6 it seemed, cddfe773a4 was no 65c2abe2c9 simple task.8c9f841d70254ce5

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

To her surprise, the cb8228667a seemingly glamorous and leisurely 21b16f875a life of a noblewoman 3e3aabecc3 was fraught with an 2a84e96b7e overwhelming number of responsibilities.8437f14ef41e40f0

There was a clear reason why the upkeep of one’s dignity demanded such a substantial budget—party-hosting expenses were deducted from that very fund. Even so, the amount of money required was staggering.7ef3f6961ca1f723

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘Haven’t I 2bbb53a35f at least 9489993e92 become a 6a765e27cd passable facade da5fe795ca of effort 63745d4a8c by now?’3d5f83db1076f56c

The invitations, carefully reviewed 96854a6468 and prepared, had been 0326d8f89b sent out to each 2a61c8b5cf noble family about three dd2df40413 weeks prior. Now, all that 561274c03b remained was the 48ee782754 final inspection.25f22f79b8da448c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Please don’t worry about the food, Madam! I will give it my absolute best!”7ecc5966335cf843

Stopping by the 243d92c888 kitchen, Edith smiled 4b45a4f9ba faintly at the 39c3472b3f resolute words of 1e94ecf760 the head chef.af0bf06090026c11

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Since this was the 87b8c1e7c4 first party to be 482d0881d4 hosted at the Ducal 5ac5d8792d Estate of Devion, everyone 500eab07d3 was brimming with determination. The head e4e0ecc449 chef, in b1f0dae770 particular, seemed c672f318d7 especially committed, 3e229c7d94 given the 4115b9f769 large number 9f2382046e of guests 123ac1c1a8 expected.857345dfffd38572

Edith personally inspected every 3ee7afd37d detail, from the drawing 6177bea974 room where the tea 34fa380f6b party would take place d207ae6b0b to the lounges prepared 28c4119788 for the guests to c69b32e2e9 rest, ensuring that even c9cc4e6478 the smallest aspects were abc9e7d4de in order.9dd21fff69fb2f99

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

‘Skyle said d33f5d0d47 I didn’t 060cb27be1 need to 2bfb0c764c push myself 3427d41335 this hard, 42c7749f92 but…’2bc6f22fbbca687e

Still, having invested a1e17a3933 so much time 2dd18c4d1f and effort, she 568c78e547 wanted to see ca4a1da9d3 it through to 293d180086 perfection.f51dc05030edf852

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

While it might be 248319649f common for people to ba990772d6 want to earn as 2cf13f6c24 much as possible while 27ca557c55 doing the least amount 3669244fd1 of work, Edith had 8788bb5f4c never been able to 83c1d40eb2 embrace that mindset.18ca0db2b2b65459

Perhaps it was due fd35c1cef0 to her origins that e7d49cc8cc seemed to shadow her 1e7fa76ee7 like a specter—she had be9958144d always lived a life 9dc459591f where she had to f8511d3ae4 work harder than others.44343197635292d0

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“A reply has arrived from the Grand Duchy of Valesia, Madam.”f0a557ac39367b58

Having just returned 0b85470909 from inspecting the b59800815d decorations in the f9209b58e9 lobby, Edith tensed c4246c3f70 at the long-awaited b1dd2f0766 news and accepted c8f412d8a8 the letter.f5f2d086bf1f14cb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Swallowing dryly, 810c6e247b she carefully 0f66df05b5 read through e6870d1705 the response. As she 07b5166f06 did, her e1a28e4e7e face gradually a312206fb2 brightened.715584c80905c860

“The Grand Duchess is unable to attend due to her poor health, but instead, the Grand Duchess’s daughter will be coming, Bill.”7599aefd77577c96

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com