Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 136

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 136

I soon realized what misunderstanding Ophelia had.

A face swollen and pitiful from shedding tears and snot.

A young child carrying all sorts of luggage alone, unlike me with my light hands.

A stranger seeing this could easily misunderstand that I was abusing the child.

The reason I instinctively hid Leo behind me was due to the fear that despite all my efforts so far, the game system might recognize Ophelia as Leo’s guardian.

However, I soon hardened my expression and faced Ophelia directly.

‘There’s no reason to be afraid or feel unnecessary inferiority anymore.’

Because Leo and I consider each other family, even if the system doesn’t recognize it.

For the first time in a long while, I showed a truly Belinda-like expression as I looked down at Ophelia condescendingly.

“I’m treating the child roughly? On what grounds are you spouting such nonsense?”

“Young children are beings who deserve protection by their very nature. Yet you treat him so carelessly.”

“Hey, are you even listening to what I’m saying?”

Something was strange. Even though we were clearly making eye contact, Ophelia was spouting only the opening lines from 【Hirome】 as if she had her ears tightly plugged.

I stopped speaking due to the odd sense of unease.

Ophelia’s pink eyes had no life in them. Like someone whose soul had left their body.

Just as Ophelia was about to make the statement about taking Leo away, like in 【Hirome】.

“Belinda isn’t bad!”

Leo, who had been behind me, stuck his head out and shouted.

At that very moment, some light seemed to appear in Ophelia’s eyes.

Ripples appeared in her mirror-like eyes that had only reflected others emotionlessly.

However, I had no time to observe Ophelia further.

Because Leo, who had been trying to step forward courageously in front of me, stumbled and dropped several gift boxes he was carrying.

“Ah! My presents!”

“Leo, come here!”

I ran toward Ophelia and stopped Leo, who was trying to pick up the gifts.

Somehow, getting close to Ophelia felt extremely uncomfortable.

And when I looked at Ophelia again.

As if the dry eyes from just moments ago had been a lie, vivid spring flowers were blooming in her eyes.

Ophelia picked up a small gift box that had rolled to her feet and brushed off the dust.

When she raised her head, her face was flushed bright red.

“I’m, I’m sorry. How could I make such a rude misunderstanding without properly looking…”

She soon seemed at a loss, then crouched down in front of Leo, not caring that her long dress hem was getting dirty with soil, and met the child’s gaze.

“Little one, I’m sorry for misunderstanding. I just arrived in the Royal Capital and was a bit out of sorts… Here, this is the gift you dropped.”

“Uh, um…”

“Is today your birthday?”

“Yes, I just turned… um, but…”

Leo hesitated for a moment before asking Ophelia.

“Are, are you okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re crying…”

Ophelia seemed to realize she was crying only after running her fingertips across her cheek once.

Soon she let out a light laugh.

“How unseemly of me to shed tears.”

She stood up and lightly arranged her skirt, then smiled somewhat awkwardly with tears still glistening on her face.

“Let me apologize once more. Actually, I’ve been wandering for a long time from a very distant place and just barely arrived. In my relief, I spoke carelessly without thinking.”

As she said, the journey from the Empire to the Kingdom couldn’t have been easy.

However, I nodded with a displeased expression.

“Considering your circumstances, I’ll generously overlook this just once.”

“Thank you.”

Ophelia curtsied while holding her skirt with one hand. Though it was slightly different from the Kingdom’s greeting customs, her movements were elegant as if drawn with a delicate brush.

“I’m called Ophelia Vermang. If it wouldn’t be presumptuous, I’d like to apologize for today’s rudeness – would it be alright if I treated you to tea later?”

Ophelia’s face as she asked this was purely clear without a trace of impurity.

Only then did I realize that I knew nothing about Ophelia as a person.

In 【Hirome】, Ophelia represents the player.

In other words, Ophelia’s thoughts and actions that I saw through 【Hirome】 weren’t truly her own.

So I knew nothing about what kind of personality Ophelia originally had in this world.

…Perhaps even less than Belinda.

Fortunately, there were no signs that the system window was trying to recognize Ophelia as a guardian. So it seemed best to observe what kind of person she was for the time being.

Therefore, I too bowed gracefully in the noble manner of greeting.

“I’m called Belinda Blanche. Send an invitation to the Blanche Estate and I’ll come at the appointed time.”

After exchanging names, Ophelia turned around without showing any hesitation.

I watched her retreating figure for a long time as she moved away decisively, as if she had a clear destination.

Terry, sensing my mood, asked casually.

“Do you know her?”

When I once thought I had to send Leo to Ophelia, I believed I knew her well.

But now…

“No, she’s a stranger.”

She was just an unfamiliar stranger I didn’t know well.

* * *

The Papacy located in the Holy Capital of the Holy Empire.

“Your Eminence, I’ve brought the materials you requested.”

Lionel presented documents to the man who was looking down at the Holy Capital’s scenery through a massive window.

Giuseppe, who had hidden his identity and spent a long time as an ordinary priest pilgrimaging through the temples of the Kingdom of Jenos, was dressed in the pure vestments befitting his rank.

After quickly reviewing the materials Lionel brought, he spoke with satisfaction.

“This level of corruption is sufficient to bring down the High Priest of the Diocese of the Kingdom of Jenos. Well done.”

Despite Giuseppe’s praise, the dark shadow cast over Lionel’s expression showed no signs of lifting.

A few days ago, what awaited Giuseppe upon his return from the pilgrimage was news of his demotion.

The opinion of the high-ranking priests was that as a result of abusing his divine power, his vision was damaged and he could no longer wield force as before, making him unsuitable as a Cardinal protecting the Holy Empire.

However, their words were nothing but excuses.

Despite losing part of his sight, Giuseppe possessed divine power second only to the Pope, wielded the Meteor Spear that no one else could use, and was so upright he had never committed a single sin.

Yet they brought Giuseppe down because his spear often mercilessly cut down those within the Empire who committed corruption.

In the end, Giuseppe was decided to leave the Empire and become the High Priest of the Kingdom of Jenos.

Lionel was prepared to lose all her positions and petition the Pope, but Giuseppe stopped her.

Only after seeing his always calm expression did Lionel realize.

The fact that Giuseppe had known this would happen.

He had departed for the pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Jenos precisely because he had foreseen such a future.

So that he wouldn’t leave a single corrupt priest in the temples of the kingdom where he would take office.

Giuseppe removed the glasses he had been wearing to review documents and quietly called his aide.

“Lionel.”

“Yes, Your Eminence.”

“In fulfilling our given duties, there are times when we must leave the Holy Nation.”

Though Lionel was Giuseppe’s aide, she was the Knight Commander under the Cardinal and couldn’t accompany him to the Kingdom of Jenos.

Lionel’s expression, which had been hoping Giuseppe might ask her to follow him, turned bitter at his next words.

“However, would you promise to definitely be within this Holy Empire on this day eight years from now?”

Though the meaning was unclear, instead of answering that she would follow as usual, Lionel voiced what she had always been curious about.

“I haven’t dared to ask until now, but today I want to ask. Your Eminence, what exactly will happen eight years from now?”

“…Sometimes there are futures that are better left unknown.”

Giuseppe smiled faintly as he brought the thin lace veil he had been flipping over his head forward to cover his face.

The future eight years from now, which he couldn’t tell even his most trusted subordinate, flashed through Giuseppe’s mind.

The collapsing Barrier Forest.

Magical beasts pouring out.

And the king of magical beasts who commanded them, wearing a sinister crown.

Thus, humanity would perish.

The reason Giuseppe hadn’t acted despite seeing such a future since he was very young was because sometimes even attempts to prevent disaster became part of the prophecy.

However, he could no longer stand by and watch.

Giuseppe carefully examined one sentence in the documents he held in his hand.

It was a brief report stating that a village that should have been buried by a landslide had been rebuilt and people had safely settled there.

‘The prophecy was wrong for the first time.’

Probably no one would know how much hope Giuseppe saw in that single sentence.

And so Giuseppe headed toward the Kingdom of Jenos.

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