Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 275

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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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Side Story Episode 18

After hesitating for a long while, Elsa finally answered.

“I… don’t regret it either.”

Responding coldly to Leo’s suggestion to become friends was certainly wrong, but on the other hand, she didn’t regret saying that.

Because now they truly could never become friends.

“Nobles and commoners cannot be friends.”

Elsa muttered stubbornly, as if speaking to herself.

A month ago, a strange old man visited her parents’ funeral.

Through him, Elsa learned that her mother had originally been a marquess’s daughter from a humble noble family, who had refused an arranged marriage and eloped with her commoner father to start a new life.

Having lost all her family and left alone, Elsa asked with a glimmer of hope.

“Then are you my family, Grandfather?”

Ah, but what a foolish thought that was.

“How dare a mere commoner. Not content with ruining your mother’s life, you want to become a stain on my life too?”

Her grandfather’s words and his gaze mixed with disgust left a scar on Elsa’s heart that would never heal.

At Elsa’s muttering, the priest spoke in an indifferent tone.

“Before Lady Aria, all things are equal. Status, gender, wealth and beauty—none of it matters, we are all simply powerless.”

All equally powerless.

Strangely, those words brought great comfort.

After thoroughly pondering those words, Elsa asked.

“If everyone is equal before Lady Aria, how can I catch the goddess’s attention? That is, how can I make the goddess think among all these people that she should grant my wish?”

The priest stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment.

“Well. Since everything is predetermined anyway, I wonder if prayer has any meaning…”

“What? Then, then praying to the goddess is completely useless?”

“…That’s not quite right. However, you would need just a little bit of luck.”

Having finished speaking, the priest gestured to Elsa.

“I will bestow a blessing so that your prayers may reach Lady Aria.”

Elsa quickly offered her forehead to the priest.

The priest bit the tip of the glove he had been wearing and pulled it off, then placed his bare hand on Elsa’s forehead.

“I hope that someday hope will come to you.”

Ah, this person calls luck ‘hope.’

As she bowed her head obediently, faint remnants of divine power swirled in Elsa’s eyes.

Later, a rumor carried by the wind brought news of Belinda’s return.

That day, Elsa decided that since the goddess had granted her insignificant wish, she would become a priest in return.

* * *

The Northern Gate was closed.

The names of heroes echoed throughout the entire kingdom.

Leo and Elsa, riding in the luxurious golden carriage sent by the royal court from the entrance of the Royal Capital, sat at opposite ends of the carriage and waved to the people outside the windows.

Probably no one knew.

That their other hands, casually placed on the carriage seats, gradually moved closer to each other and finally intertwined carefully.

Their romance began like that.

It would eventually be revealed to people someday, but keeping their relationship secret until then was Elsa’s idea.

Leo gazed at her with a searching expression, then nodded.

While they were having this relationship known only to those who knew.

The Bongmaje, the biggest festival of the year, came around again.

Elsa, who had promised Leo to watch the parade together on the last day of the festival, couldn’t leave the mirror from the day before their date.

‘Why is my hair color ash gray of all things? It looks gloomy.’

Leo had told her it was beautiful silver hair that could be recognized at a glance even from far away, but right now those words didn’t sound sincere.

She combed her hair dozens of times and pulled out every piece of clothing she owned, struggling to find the most suitable combination.

Only after putting effort into dressing up did she realize that once she put on her priest robes and veil, she would look no different than usual.

Feeling dejected, Elsa pondered and then pulled out a paper box from under her bed.

They were shoes she had bought long ago after much deliberation.

The blue silk and sparkling imitation jewels had caught her fancy, but she had never actually worn them out before.

As a saintess candidate, Elsa always had to set an example for others, and among those virtues were restraint and frugality.

Therefore, she couldn’t casually wear casual clothes and walk around. At least not until she became a saintess.

“But it’s a date. …This much should be okay.”

As if making excuses to someone, Elsa deliberately spoke aloud and put on the new shoes.

The shoes weren’t properly visible under the long priest robes, but that was actually better.

It would be embarrassing to look too dressed up, and also…

‘People might get the wrong idea about us.’

…Though it wouldn’t actually be a misunderstanding.

Having finished preparing, Elsa hurried to their meeting place.

“Elsa!”

Perhaps because it was a date, Leo had dressed up considerably.

It seemed like there was a halo shining behind Leo’s face. Elsa covered her face with both hands to hide her cheeks, which must have turned red.

Soon realizing that her expression wouldn’t be visible thanks to her veil, she awkwardly lowered her hands.

The two chose less crowded paths to avoid people’s gazes.

By the time they had turned through about two alleys, they had naturally taken each other’s hands.

The weather was so nice that just walking hand in hand made them happy.

They ate lunch at a deserted restaurant, which luckily turned out to be a hidden gem.

A fortune they read for fun said that everything would go their way that day.

True to those words, it was a day when everything went well.

Perhaps that’s why her heart was more excited than usual.

Only after going out to the main boulevard to watch the parade, the festival’s highlight, did Elsa realize her mistake.

“Huh? That man, isn’t he that person? You know, the one who closed the Northern Gate…”

“The person next to him is…”

As soon as she heard someone talking like that in the crowd, Elsa realized she was still tightly holding Leo’s hand.

Starting with someone pointing at Leo, countless people’s gazes focused on the two of them.

Elsa hastily let go of Leo’s hand, and when she looked back at Leo, wondering if she had been too harsh, it happened.

“It’s Leo Blanche!”

At someone’s shout, countless people rushed over to get a glimpse of the human hero’s face.

Pushed by the crowd, Elsa drifted away from Leo like a message in a bottle floating on the sea.

“Wait a moment! My companion…”

Leo’s voice, drowned out by people’s chatter, could be heard from very far away.

By the time she managed to escape after being pushed around by people, Leo’s head was no longer visible.

Elsa stood there for a moment waiting for Leo, but realized that just standing there wasn’t the solution.

It was almost time for the parade to start.

‘If I don’t leave now, I’ll miss the parade.’

After hesitating briefly, Elsa eventually headed to Gold Street where the parade would begin. A strange confidence welled up that since today was her lucky day, she would easily find Leo.

However, contrary to the fortune, no matter how much she wandered around Gold Street, Leo was nowhere to be seen.

She needed to find Leo before the parade ended, but her feet hurt too much to walk any further.

After looking around briefly, Elsa left the main street and sat down on a small fountain.

Only then did Elsa examine the condition of her feet and frown.

Her feet were a mess from walking around all day in new shoes.

When she was with Leo, she didn’t even realize they hurt.

“Like a fool….”

What was the point of wearing new shoes anyway. They weren’t even visible under her priest robes.

From far away, she could hear people’s admiring screams and laughter.

It seemed the parade was coming to an end.

Elsa, who had lost even the strength to stand up again, looked at her reflection in the water pooled in the fountain.

A gray-haired woman with an unreadable expression behind her veil was reflected back.

‘Did Leo enjoy being with me today?’

The thought suddenly occurred to her.

Because he indulged her stubbornness, Leo couldn’t even have a proper date in front of people.

A date where she wore a veil and couldn’t even make proper eye contact with her partner couldn’t have been enjoyable.

Just like today.

Leo had been looking forward to the parade so much.

Just because of people’s stares, she had coldly shaken off his hand, and they even ended up missing the parade.

“Ah, why am I like this.”

Feeling like she was about to cry, Elsa roughly wiped at her eyes.

But once the tears started, she couldn’t stop them at all, so Elsa hung her head low.

A shadow fell across Elsa’s form.

She didn’t lift her head.

Just from the blurred shadow, she could tell who it was.

“Elsa, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

A voice that sounded breathless and panting.

Elsa lifted her head, trusting that her veil would hide her disheveled face.

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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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