Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 17

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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 3. The Villainess is Resurrected (6)

Instead of answering immediately, Edelaine looked around.

Curious eyes were sparkling brightly. Even those who deliberately turned their heads away clearly had their ears wide open. There didn’t seem to be anyone who would help or intervene.

“Who might you be?”

“Heh, if I tell you, would you even know?”

Giggling laughter followed.

Along with unpleasant breath came a strong smell of alcohol. Just looking at his flushed cheeks and hazy eyes, it was clear he wasn’t in his right mind. Well, if he had been sober, he wouldn’t have been able to approach her without reading the atmosphere.

Edelaine reflected a little.

She had only wanted to distance herself a bit from her family’s gaze while she was left alone, feeling like she was being watched.

“You seem drunk.”

“I’m fine! I’m perfectly fine!”

“Drunk people all think they’re fine.”

“A fraud giving sermons now.”

Since this was a Church-hosted event, alcohol wouldn’t have been provided. Edelaine glanced at the water bottle the man was clutching.

‘Young alcoholics are a problem in any world.’

The small bottle that could be hidden in his palm probably contained alcohol, not water. Following her gaze to look at what was in his hand, the man laughed roughly.

“What, want a sip too? You must be nervous trying to commit fraud with just that pretty face to rely on.”

“…”

“Bringing some woman who looks similar from somewhere and spouting ridiculous nonsense. You think people will naturally believe whatever you say, damn Blancarde.”

That made sense.

‘Inferiority complex eats away at people.’

Edelaine realized that the red-faced man was around Shane’s age. Without the alcohol, his face might actually be quite handsome, but having grown accustomed to the protagonists’ beauty, her standards had risen so high that it was hard to tell. He was probably handsome, well…

“Excuse me, but I’ve never committed fraud.”

At least not against you.

Edelaine, who had committed fraud against the world 5 years ago, smiled inwardly.

“You claim to be Edelaine Bertrand, right?”

“Well, yes, that’s right.”

“Then that’s fraud! Using the name of a woman who died long ago!”

“Ah, are you asking me to prove that I am Edelaine Bertrand?”

“Yes! If you’re not a fraud!”

“My family who accompanied me today can’t testify to that either?”

“Hmph, they’re obviously in on it together. You need to make sense. Dead people can’t be resurrected. It’s not like you’re God’s apostle, so why would you be the special exception!”

“That’s quite a valid point.”

“What?”

Looking straight at the man who widened his eyes, Edelaine elaborated.

“Oh, I never died. The articles would have said I was in a near-death comatose state. Unless you’re illiterate, if you had read properly, you would know that.”

“If someone’s been comatose for 5 years, that’s basically a corpse!”

“Right, right…”

“What?”

“I said that’s right. But what can I do? The Blancarde Duke and the Saint say I’m Edelaine Bertrand.”

Speaking as if she felt sorry, Edelaine looked at the man.

‘I thought all the conspiracy theorists had frozen to death, but here’s a drunkard…’

If this man had been a bit more cautious and clever, she could have used him, but it was such a waste.

Edelaine decided to abandon her regrets and get rid of the man quickly. Before her family returned and caused an even bigger commotion.

“So you just need to reveal that you’re a fraud yourself!”

“Huh, am I a fraud even without the intention to commit fraud?”

“You’re deceiving people, so what do you mean no intention?!”

“Oh dear. I can’t prove that I am myself… But of course that would be suspicious. Any intelligent person would naturally think so. Then what should I do…”

The man frowned as if confused.

Why was this supposed fraud, who should be insisting she was Edelaine Bertrand, being so calm about it?

As if she wanted to become a fraud…

No, as if she wanted to be branded as a fraud.

“So you’re thinking like this, aren’t you? This woman who can’t prove her identity is fake.”

“Uh, well…”

“The Blancarde Duke and Saint Genevieve who claim this woman is Edelaine Bertrand are frauds. Prince Edwin is, well, unfortunately just a victim who was deceived.”

“Wha, what? Wait, when did I ever…”

He had been thinking it inwardly, but hearing the completed sentence in someone else’s voice somehow gave him chills. Had he really been making such seditious claims?!

His alcohol-addled mind instantly became cold and clear.

“The entire Bertrand Family, who fell for such ridiculous fraud, are all shit-for-brains idiots with eyes on the back of their heads.”

“Gasp…”

Edelaine said with a bright smile.

“Right?”

People had stopped pretending otherwise and were watching them with great interest.

With many witnesses, it would be hard to make excuses.

The man, who would end up looking like he was condemning the Blancarde Duke and Saint as frauds if he kept his mouth shut, shouted with a bright red face.

“When did I ever say that?! I, I said that you’re the fraud!”

“That’s the same thing.”

“No it’s not!”

The man looked around, but no one would meet his eyes. This wasn’t right.

Edelaine looked with satisfaction at the man who had finally grasped his situation and was now terrified. It would be best if he got scared and ran away like this.

Looking at his face distorted with dismay, the stress that had built up over the past few days melted away.

Lloyd had called it a bad hobby to deliberately leave openings for people to pick fights.

‘But responding to fights that come to you is healthy sport, isn’t it?’

And relieving stress through sports was also healthy, wasn’t it?

Until 5 years ago, Edelaine had routinely dealt with provocations.

Shane was a protagonist who stood out for better or worse, and inevitably both he and those around him became objects of jealousy.

Even when Edelaine was keeping her distance from Shane, it was the same, making her think that playing the male lead’s fiancée was truly not worth doing.

But just taking it wasn’t in her nature either, and after realizing that staying quiet would only make them look down on her more, she had moderately enjoyed dealing with them.

She was about to end it here and create a way for him to escape, but seeing Edelaine smiling brightly, the man suddenly shouted.

“You wicked thing! How dare you toy with me?!”

His cheeks trembling, the man raised his hand high.

Edelaine briefly considered.

Taking a hit and using that as an excuse to go into seclusion seemed like a decent method.

If she could at least postpone the imminent marriage and buy some time.

‘Bastards who easily raise their hands against women deserve to have their lives ruined a bit.’

One slap for one ruined life was getting off cheap.

Having finished her calculations, Edelaine closed her eyes to obediently take the hit, but someone wrapped their arm around her shoulders and pulled her away.

If it was Genevieve, that would be fortunate, but if it was Patrick or Jeff, the man was screwed. She had excluded Edwin from the start since he wasn’t the type to embrace others. However, an ominous premonition suddenly struck the back of her neck.

No way.

With a thud, the man rolled pathetically on the ground.

The person who had pulled Edelaine into an embrace while simultaneously kicking the man’s stomach with a long leg was Shane.

“Ack, ugh.”

Edelaine tried to scream, but the hand that had been around her shoulders naturally covered her mouth as well. Shit. It was a natural follow-up move, as if he had known she would try to run away.

It was even more annoying that he had anticipated that much.

She desperately twisted her body, but trapped in Shane’s arms, she couldn’t move at all.

“Sha…”

“What the hell are you doing.”

It was a chilling voice that made her spine tingle with dread.

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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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