Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 119

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 119

 

It was quite some time later when the notary, who had been silent for a long while, finally opened his mouth.

 

Perhaps thinking there was no point in holding out any longer, a hint of relief even flickered across his expression.

 

“In case you’re misunderstanding, let me say that when Jonas revised his will, he was in a completely sound state of mind.”

 

Though he knew that no matter how much he defended himself, it would be useless before legal proof.

 

The notary remembered that day clearly.

 

The final image of Jonas Blanche, who seemed to burn his very life like a candle flame before going out.

 

* * *

 

Come find me quietly without telling anyone around. I have something to ask of you.

 

When the notary discovered Jonas Blanche’s signature at the end of that note containing only the essential message, he thought someone was playing a malicious prank.

 

‘I heard that Marquess Blanche is hovering between life and death, so who on earth would pull such a stunt…’

 

He was about to tear up the note immediately.

 

If only the intuition he had developed from decades as a lawyer hadn’t been nagging unpleasantly at the back of his head.

 

‘What if Jonas really did request this…’

 

Then he would be ignoring the final request of someone facing death.

 

So he had no choice but to secretly head to the Blanche Family’s Villa as written in the note.

 

And what he saw there was Jonas welcoming him with eyes as clear as when he was in good health.

 

“The original copy of my will is stored in this villa’s safe. Bring it to me without anyone knowing.”

 

Overwhelmed by the marquess’s imposing presence and solemn atmosphere, the notary did as instructed, opening the safe and retrieving the will.

 

His appearance was like a withered old tree, so emaciated that it seemed strange he could even hold himself upright.

 

Probably, no, certainly Jonas Blanche would not survive the night.

 

This was like a miracle that had come to him just before death.

 

Though it was bitter that despite such a miracle occurring, no family members were by his side.

 

‘Come to think of it, that’s strange. If he had the strength left to secretly contact me through a village child delivering flowers to the manor, he could have at least sent word to his children.’

 

Jonas stared at the opened will for a long time.

 

Just when the notary was beginning to suspect he might have passed away clutching the will, Jonas spoke.

 

“Are you certain that the signature written at the bottom of the will is yours?”

 

The notary carefully and thoroughly examined his own signature before nodding.

 

“I am certain.”

 

The marquess let out a deep sigh.

 

As if he had exhaled half his soul with that sigh, shadows fell across his complexion and the aura of death crept closer.

 

However, his voice and gaze remained firm.

 

“I will revise the will.”

 

“Pardon? Y-you cannot do that now. Marquess, you are… unwell, so you must be feeling anxious.”

 

Unable to say outright that he was delirious and not in his right mind, he put it that way instead.

 

But the marquess’s next words threw a stone at the notary’s firm refusal.

 

“The contents of the will have changed from before.”

 

“Th-that’s impossible! Surely Jonas is misremembering!”

 

Since there were occasionally cases where a notary’s life became endangered simply by knowing the contents of a will, even notaries didn’t necessarily know what was in the wills.

 

Therefore, he had no way to verify the truth of Jonas’s words.

 

“Jonas, you are not in your right mind right now…”

 

“Do I really look like I’m not in my right mind? Look straight into my eyes!”

 

From somewhere finding such strength, Jonas grabbed the notary by the collar and pulled him close while shouting.

 

He was a man who had never intimidated others even in his most vigorous days.

 

The frightened notary squeezed his eyes shut, then looked into Jonas’s eyes. And he had no choice but to remain silent.

 

“I’m not saying I’ll revise the entire contents of the will. I just need to add one paragraph.”

 

“…”

 

He shouldn’t allow it. Following the marquess’s wishes would be the worst judgment and would violate professional ethics.

 

‘But… are these really the eyes of someone who’s lost their mind?’

 

Very occasionally, he had seen patients’ minds clear just before death. Jonas was in such a state now.

 

“This will be my last request before I die.”

 

Jonas’s plea and the fact that this would be his final notarization before retirement ultimately stirred his emotions.

 

The notary began to speak haltingly.

 

What a will was, what results and changes would be brought about by revising the will, what relationship he had with those named in the will, even an oath that he wasn’t revising the will under anyone’s pressure.

 

He questioned thoroughly to confirm that Jonas was in a sound mental state.

 

Perhaps during that interrogation, he was hoping the marquess’s breath would stop instead.

 

However, Jonas answered all the notary’s questions correctly with a sound mind, then with trembling hands drained of strength, he managed to add a clause about Belinda’s dowry to the will.

 

As soon as he did, the light in Jonas’s eyes began to fade gradually.

 

He murmured with a peaceful face, as if he had finally completed a very important mission.

 

“Ah, I should have protected that child… In the end, I failed to become a good father.”

 

Those were the marquess’s last words.

 

As the notary had predicted, Jonas did not survive that night.

 

Afterward, the notary headed north to resolve the mine issue written in the marriage dowry, and the marquess’s will was made public belatedly.

 

The notary, who had conveyed Jonas Blanche’s final moments, concluded with a self-deprecating expression.

 

“Finally, Jonas entrusted me with a letter. He said if I ever felt my life was threatened, I should take it and seek refuge with Count Barbet. He said the Count would gladly care for this old man to repay a debt from the past.”

 

“A letter?”

 

As if resigned, the notary pulled out a letter from his chest.

 

Terry, examining the unopened letter, asked curiously.

 

“You haven’t opened it.”

 

“The marquess earnestly insisted I should seek out Count Barbet without opening it. So I’ve been staying in this Barbet Territory, but… now that my crime has been exposed, what does my life matter? Since it’s come to this, I’ll honestly confess my wrongdoing and accept punishment.”

 

“Ah, then let me open it and check for you.”

 

“What are you… Hey!”

 

Terry swiftly snatched the letter from the notary’s hand and opened the envelope right there.

 

Rip.

 

“How rude! How can you be so rude!”

 

Restraining the charging notary with one arm while holding the letter high with the other, Terry quickly scanned its contents.

 

It was a letter sent by Eleanor Blanche, Jonas Blanche’s wife and Schubel’s birth mother.

 

The recipient was Jonas Blanche.

 

Seeing that she had written her name as Eleanor Barbet, it seemed to be a letter sent before their arranged marriage.

 

The expression gradually disappeared from Terry’s face as he read the matter-of-fact letter.

 

Jonas Blanche, I cannot become a virtuous wife. My father, Count Barbet, is deceiving you.

 

This arranged marriage hides an absurd and malicious deception.

 

The three daughters of the Barbet family, once highly valued in the marriage market.

 

Among them, the third daughter Eleanor Barbet, who was the most beautiful and equally kind-hearted, devoted herself to helping the poor, and whom Count Barbet treasured like a jewel.

 

When the count suddenly married off that third daughter to Jonas Blanche, a bastard of the Blanche family, everyone was puzzled.

 

Some authoritative territorial nobles tended to look down on the Blanche family, who had sold off their estate.

 

Count Barbet was no different, yet he hastily married off his cherished daughter to a bastard of the Blanche family as if selling her off.

 

The secret hidden behind that incident that once heated up the social circles was written plainly in the letter.

 

I will not make excuses. I have a lover whom I love, and I am carrying his child. Therefore, this engagement cannot be established from the beginning.

 

“Hey! Give me that letter back…!”

 

“Did you really not read this?”

 

“I already told you I didn’t…”

 

“Well done. If the notary had read this letter, he would have died long ago and been wandering the underworld.”

 

At Terry’s ominous words spoken with a smiling face, the notary abruptly stopped moving.

 

“Shall I return it to you?”

 

“…Ah, no. Since it’s already been revealed, well… Ahem.”

 

As if the letter were coated with poison, the notary backed away from it.

 

“A wise choice.”

 

Terry smiled leisurely as he put the letter away.

 

However, contrary to that smile, Terry’s mind was working busily.

 

‘Schubel Blanche is not Jonas Blanche’s blood.’

 

Presumably, the man who had been in a relationship with Eleanor Blanche was likely of low status or a commoner.

 

So even though she was carrying another man’s child, they tried to marry their daughter off to a different man.

 

Count Barbet was a born aristocrat.

 

Being one who revered noble bloodlines like a god, he couldn’t bear to marry off a daughter carrying a commoner’s child to a prestigious noble family.

 

‘Since he loved his daughter dearly, he probably couldn’t force her into a dangerous abortion that could cost her life either.’

 

It was probably the best choice the count could make.

 

Though he likely never anticipated that his daughter would send such a letter to Jonas Blanche.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————