Chapter 19: Failed

“All right, it’s okay.”

Lilian patted Elenora’s back, soothing her emotions.

“Did I say something like that to you?”

“It’s nothing, I don’t mind.”

Lilian steadied Elenora’s shoulders, trying to help her up.

The floor was hard, making Lilian a bit uncomfortable.

Unexpectedly, Elenora hugged her even tighter.

She buried her head deeply into Lilian’s chest and muttered in a muffled voice, “Then why don’t you want to talk to me anymore?”

Ah, so that’s it.

Lilian gradually understood everything.

To be honest, Lilian didn’t feel anything from those few words Elenora had said.

After all, judging from Elenora’s various actions, there was no way she truly hated her.

Especially since Elenora was crying like this over those words, she must have been feeling very guilty.

Lilian suddenly found Elenora adorable—not just in appearance this time, but in personality.

Recalling what had happened before, always finding excuses to scold her but never going all out; the strange bets on the little playground; and those few meaningless words that morning.

It was a bit like a little boy trying to get the attention of a girl he liked when they were kids.

No wonder she cried like this.

These past few days, Lilian thought Elenora was trying to pick a fight, so she kept silent.

But from Elenora’s perspective, it was actually a kind of silent treatment.

She thought Lilian was very angry and didn’t want to talk to her, so she reflected on what she had said and came to the conclusion of “I was wrong.”

Afraid that this would continue, she ended up crying like this, right?

Lilian found it somewhat amusing.

Obviously, this was a misunderstanding.

In her previous life, Lilian had surfed the internet enough to see it all—there was no way she’d get mad enough to refuse to communicate just over a few harmless words from Elenora.

Moreover, Lilian could feel Elenora’s goodwill.

She was genuinely remorseful and genuinely afraid that Lilian would ignore her.

So, of course, Lilian would respond with goodwill.

“Then, Miss, do you want to hear the truth or a lie?”

“The truth.”

Elenora naturally wanted the truth.

“Because Miss used to find reasons to scold me. Although those things were because I was clumsy, I still felt unhappy after being scolded. So, when Miss wanted to talk to me, I thought you wanted to do that again, so…”

All true.

Though before Lilian’s memories awakened, she would indeed feel unhappy, after awakening, she no longer did.

Like I said, these little squabbles are nothing.

If it affected Lilian’s salary, she might get upset, but just a few words spoken out loud aren’t a big deal—especially since Elenora only uses a handful of words back and forth; you eventually become desensitized.

“Then, do you hate me?”

Elenora lifted her head, hope shining in her eyes as she stared into Lilian’s.

Because she’d just been crying, her eyes were red and watery, making her utterly endearing.

Lilian felt her heart melting.

So cute!

“No, I don’t hate you!” Lilian replied firmly.

She smiled warmly, looking softly at Elenora.

But Elenora didn’t seem pleased by this.

Especially when Elenora saw Lilian’s expression, she twitched a few times, then couldn’t hold it anymore and threw herself into Lilian’s arms again.

This time it wasn’t just sobbing; it was more like wailing.

Though, with her face buried in Lilian’s chest, the sound wasn’t very loud.

???

Feeling her chest soak again with tears, Lilian’s mind was filled with question marks.

Ber, why is she crying again?

Didn’t I just say I don’t hate you?

Elenora seemed to be venting something, hugging tighter and tighter.

Lilian felt helpless and could only hug Elenora back, comforting her as she had at the start.

Again like this.

Again like this…

No matter what she did.

No matter what mistakes she made.

She could only get the same answer from Lilian.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind.”

Whether in her previous life or now.

Elenora’s heart was filled with remorse.

Because she “wanted Lilian to hate her,” she had done many excessive things to her.

She knew Lilian had secretly cried in the corner.

Especially in the days before Lilian fainted, she clearly saw Lilian’s resistance toward her.

Elenora thought her plan was almost working.

In the last life, because she spent too much time with Lilian and their relationship was good, she later became the Demon Lord, and Lilian, regardless of her own status, still helped her in many ways.

Even in the end, when she lost the war, Lilian stood up to protect her.

Reborn, Elenora thought that as long as Lilian hated her, left her alone, and didn’t get involved with her affairs, she wouldn’t bring any danger to Lilian’s life.

So she was overjoyed.

But everything changed that day.

That day, Lilian stopped responding to her words, only mechanically performing her duties as a maid.

No matter how harshly Elenora spoke to her, she showed no reaction.

Frustrated, Elenora threw tea in Lilian’s face, and Lilian actually fainted.

When Lilian woke up, she even took the initiative to do things that made Elenora blush and heart race.

When Elenora realized this, she was desperate to find that everything she had done before was meaningless.

Everything suddenly went back to the beginning.

Lilian no longer rejected her; she even reached out to her.

Before, if Elenora didn’t give an order, Lilian would act like an ostrich, afraid to approach her.

Now, Lilian actively brushed her hair every day and even came to help her change clothes that day!

Especially that day, when Lilian suddenly decided to exercise, saying she wanted to protect her!

Elenora didn’t know what was happening, she only knew this couldn’t continue.

Otherwise, everything would repeat as in the last life.

So, based on the information about Lilian from her previous life, she made a bet with her at the little playground.

She thought that as long as she humiliated Lilian and trampled on her dignity as punishment, Lilian would really hate her.

But everything she did lost its meaning.

Because Lilian said she didn’t hate her.

But Lilian’s crying was real, her rejection was real, her hatred once was real.

Lilian’s unhappiness from being scolded was real, her will to protect her was real, and her sadness from those words was real.

Until now, Elenora still thought Lilian only said she didn’t mind to comfort her.

But why? You really don’t hate me!

You should hate me!

I want you to hate me!

But…

It failed…

Elenora knew clearly that to make “Lilian hate me,” not only did the few taunts fail, but everything she had done before failed.

Their only effect was to hurt Lilian.

But if she couldn’t make Lilian hate her, Elenora absolutely didn’t want to hurt her.

She cut Lilian’s heart, and when it healed, she cut a deeper wound again.

Even if Lilian said she didn’t mind.

It was only because there were previous wounds, so she was used to it, right?

Even if Lilian didn’t mind, Elenora did!

That was why Elenora cried.

For her own actions.

And for the Lilian who had secretly cried before.