Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 249

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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 249

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“Giuseppe, you hope that Belinda won’t die, don’t you?”

When Ophelia asked that question, Giuseppe affirmed without deep thought.

He had distinguished between black and white with his power of insight and executed dozens of evildoers, but he had never once harbored malice wishing for his opponent’s death.

He had simply stained his hands with blood because it was necessary.

His agreement with Ophelia’s question was merely an extension of that.

However, at the following question, he suddenly felt a heavy weight settle near his heart like a stone.

“You must be afraid because you cannot see her future.”

All the misfortune and death that Belinda would experience.

When he thought about that, the fact that he couldn’t see her future suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable.

Despite having searched his entire life for someone not bound by fate.

Toward him, who couldn’t answer rashly, Ophelia spoke as if understanding his heart.

“Have you taken her into your heart?”

“That is not the case.”

He denied it immediately, but Ophelia seemed not to believe his words. She simply looked at him with eyes that seemed to see through everything.

Giuseppe knew that expression well.

An arrogant gaze looking down on the other person.

Those were the eyes he had when judging others in the past.

So he realized right there.

That the Ascetic was also committing the same error that those who see the future make.

No matter how deep into the future one sees, it’s impossible to completely see through the existence called human. Giuseppe had learned that from Belinda.

The arrogance of understanding everything about Giuseppe would eventually drive Ophelia into a corner.

If she had judged him to be an emotional human who would abandon even his beliefs for mere emotions, then yes. He decided to use even that.

Two seers not bound by fate.

To deceive fate between them, being branded a traitor by the world’s people was nothing.

So he pretended to agree with Ophelia’s will and worked with her, learning her plans and preparing to prevent destruction.

He bestowed the blessing of guidance upon Belinda so she wouldn’t lose her way in the fierce battlefield where war would later unfold.

He gave the Crown Prince hints to quickly advance his army to the North.

He advised the Ascetic to gather all the demonic beasts beyond the Barrier Forest so they could be annihilated at once with Comet’s Lance.

Ironically, Giuseppe and Ophelia were very similar humans. Especially in that they were struggling to break free from inescapable shackles.

However.

“You said you saw hope. I understand that feeling well. The heart that suffers because hope has arisen.”

Even the Ascetic, who acted as if she knew everything, didn’t know something.

She didn’t know how desperately he had longed for hope.

Perhaps that was why. The Ascetic had made the ridiculous mistake of thinking he had taken Belinda into his heart.

To him, Belinda was a means to prevent destruction.

So her existence was special to him, but the Ascetic called that emotion love.

Giuseppe neither affirmed nor denied those words. Because it was a feeling he had never harbored, he didn’t know what love was.

Still, if he had to give it a name, it would be hope—Belinda Blanche was.

But if this emotion was love as the Ascetic said… then his love was not greater than his beliefs, making it truly insignificant.

“It’s okay to act greedily, putting beliefs aside, at least once.”

However, perhaps because he knew the end was not far away.

Giuseppe, for the first time in his life, suppressed his beliefs and pride and acted greedily as a human rather than a priest.

The only being with color in his world divided into black and white.

Speaking the name of his hope, which the Ascetic called love.

“Belinda Blanche.”

At that call, Belinda, who had just been approaching him, hesitated.

Giuseppe’s gaze, barely propped against the headboard of the bed, was directed straight ahead with unwavering focus.

Belinda slowly approached his side and sat on the edge of the bed, whispering.

“Your eyes… you can’t see.”

“Because I used the power of insight excessively.”

Giuseppe turned his head toward where her voice came from, barely meeting Belinda’s gaze, and smiled faintly.

“I haven’t been awake long and am not in the right mind to receive guests. Nevertheless, I called for you, Lady Belinda, because there’s something I want to ask.”

After slowly catching his breath, he spoke what he had wanted to ask since the moment he woke up.

“Lady Belinda, has the world been saved?”

At that consistent question, Belinda was left speechless.

His devotion, worrying only about the world’s welfare even with his own death before him, choked her up.

Having barely composed her emotions, she turned her head to look at the window placed across from the bed.

“In front of the High Priest, there’s a window.”

Unfortunately, the scene visible through that window was tragic. The sight of countless fallen warriors lying with white cloth covering them from head to toe was like a graveyard itself.

The scene of many deaths lying in repose was desolate and lonely, but she described the view outside the window as if it were nothing.

“You can’t see it, but summer flowers are in full bloom. The sunlight is so good that several cats are lying lazily about. The servants are frantically busy preparing a banquet to celebrate the victory in war.”

Even while fabricating this utterly peaceful scene as a lie, Belinda spoke without hesitation.

Because she believed without doubt that such a scene would someday come to that window.

“Everyone is smiling. Very, very happily.”

Giuseppe, who had been quietly listening to her story, blinked his eyes.

With eyes gradually losing their light, he smiled with satisfaction.

“Then I have no regrets whatsoever now.”

Then his hand groped through the air. Belinda quickly took that hand.

Giuseppe’s hand traveled up Belinda’s arm and touched her forehead. He whispered a small prayer with a peaceful face.

“May God bless you.”

For the first time in his life, it was a blessing without divine power.

After that, letting his arm drop like a puppet with cut strings, he pressed his forehead and whispered.

“I need to… rest a little.”

“…Rest well. I’ll stay by your side until you fall asleep.”

At those words, Giuseppe closed his eyes as if relieved.

In the darkness before his eyes, pure white flower seeds began to flutter like phantoms. Just like that winter day when prophecy had shattered before his eyes.

Eventually, the scene Belinda had told him slowly came to mind.

People who believed as naturally as breathing that tomorrow, identical to today, would come.

They were all smiling happily.

He wasn’t in that scene, but it was okay.

Because Belinda was there.

Because all the people surrounding her were happy.

The world he had protected would be happy for eternity.

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The next day, a simple funeral was held for Giuseppe and those who had died in the war.

The funeral dirge continued all day long.

Those who had celebrated victory the day before shed sorrowful tears for their fallen comrades.

I left all of that behind and headed to the underground prison in the North.

Only when I reached the deepest and darkest place did my steps finally stop.

The criminal whose existence was hidden from the people sat inside the prison cell, wearing a sacred artifact around her neck that blocked dark magic.

The reason why even after the war ended, none of this felt truly over.

For others, the outcome of this war was the finish line, but for me and the person before my eyes, it was the starting line.

I took a breath, then called her name.

“Ophelia.”

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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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