Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 19

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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 4. Villains Become Villains for a Reason (1)

Jeff Bertrand headed to 【Madam Harper】 in Delmes Central District after the evening party.

All the employees had already left for the day, and Rachel, who remained alone, greeted him.

“Was there some problem?”

“No. It was perfect.”

“I thought you came to complain. Then what’s this about?”

“I want to borrow the office.”

Instead of answering, Rachel blinked a few times.

Jeff was an investor in 【Madam Harper】, and since the office was empty, lending it to him posed no problem. Especially since Rachel was planning to hole up in the sewing room tonight to make Edelaine’s wedding dress.

“It would be troublesome if blood splattered… We just received high-quality silk from the Tihit Kingdom not long ago. It’s something Her Imperial Highness specially requested, so it can’t be damaged. There’s too much to move right away.”

“What do you take me for? I’m just going to have a conversation.”

“Then it’s fine. Come in.”

Rachel was someone Jeff had met during his study abroad in the Tihit Kingdom.

She was both a business partner and an old friend, but they had also briefly had something resembling a romance. They quickly broke up after acknowledging that neither could be the other’s priority, but Rachel still had some lingering feelings.

“Who are you meeting?”

“A little rat.”

“…Well, okay. Good luck, squeak squeak.”

Understanding that he wouldn’t elaborate, Rachel didn’t ask further.

Instead, she changed the subject.

“How was the reception for Edelaine’s evening dress? Everyone couldn’t take their eyes off her, right? Honestly, that was my masterpiece.”

“Of course, since my sister is so beautiful.”

“I acknowledge that, but say there was some credit to my work too.”

“Edelaine is beautiful in anything she wears.”

“…”

“She’s even more beautiful now that her complexion has improved since returning.”

“Ah, that’s true. Edelaine might not know, but I’ve seen her from afar several times. I paid more attention because she’s your sister. I couldn’t greet her though. Back then, honestly, she didn’t look healthy. Her under-eyes were dark and she looked tired.”

“The Saint’s miracle is quite effective.”

“Is a miracle some kind of health tonic? …And honestly, I still don’t know if I should believe that.”

“Believe it, Rachel.”

Jeff turned the doorknob to Rachel’s office as naturally as if it were his own room. Rachel followed, carrying a candlestick.

“Anyway, Edelaine has returned.”

“That’s…”

“What else can’t you believe when the evidence is right before your eyes?”

“It doesn’t make sense, you know. I know the Saint is amazing too. Everyone knows. Without the Saint, we couldn’t even breathe in this polluted land. But the Saint is ‘one who purifies,’ not ‘one who resurrects.'”

Jeff shrugged his shoulders.

“I guess she had that function too.”

“Could you not talk about the Saint like she’s some machine? She’s humanity’s treasure.”

“She said it herself with her own mouth.”

Rachel let out a deep sigh.

“You really… No. I’m already tired and don’t want to argue. I’m busy, so I’ll go to the sewing room now.”

“Don’t let the quality drop just because you’re tired.”

“You’re really a bastard.”

Rachel looked at Jeff with momentary resentment.

It irked her that he only said sweet things to his sister like “beautiful” and “beautiful in anything,” while spouting nothing but hateful blasphemy to her.

But that was exactly why they had broken up. Rachel realized that no matter what happened, she could never be Jeff’s priority, and she was the first to suggest their separation.

Jeff was a cold businessman.

Though he seemed cheerful and cunning on the surface, he never showed consideration for others’ circumstances and never missed an opportunity.

He was skilled and lucky, but his greatest driving force was his ruthless decisiveness.

Jeff, who traveled the continent running his business, only returned to Delmes around the time of his sister’s death anniversary.

Rachel had even calculated how many times she might see him if she lived to 60. Since he wouldn’t meet her every time he came to Delmes, it would be at most a few dozen times.

So she was truly grateful that Edelaine had returned alive.

Jeff acted quite cheerful in front of Edelaine and smiled often.

Jeff said.

“Edelaine is ‘real,’ Rachel.”

“Who says otherwise? I’m not some nobody who would confuse someone I’ve seen before. There may be many people who look alike in the world, but their bone structure and frame can’t be identical.”

Rachel had a good eye. She could remember the detailed characteristics of numerous customers and provide delicate service.

Jeff had chosen 【Madam Harper】 as the dress shop to have Rachel ‘confirm’ it.

“Even with magic?”

“Even with magic, the eye color wouldn’t be exactly the same. Even with the same hazelnut eyes, the concentration and saturation are different. …Are you suspicious?”

“No. I believe it.”

He had thought they might have set up a plausible substitute and cast hypnosis.

Shane would be fully capable of such a thing.

‘Setting aside whether that bastard is the type to do such things.’

But Edelaine’s corpse that he had personally confirmed was definitely not in a state of suspended animation. There was no one in the Bertrand Family stupid enough to fall for such a sloppy lie.

But they had let it slide because ‘how she was alive’ wasn’t what mattered.

Edelaine had aged properly.

Five years wasn’t long enough for aging to be visibly apparent, but it also wasn’t short enough for there to be no changes at all.

Well-groomed nails, lengthened hair, faint scratches and marks on her skin.

Moreover, if she had been lying in suspended animation for such a long time, even if her life was maintained, her muscles would have weakened and she wouldn’t have been able to walk properly.

However, Edelaine walked well and used her grown body naturally.

Most importantly, her eyes.

Her green eyes, clear with guilt, couldn’t quite hide the truth.

Edelaine Bertrand was good at lying but had a weak heart. She was the type who couldn’t ultimately turn away from people who clung to her.

‘That’s why she always has useless things attached to her.’

Shane, including the young servant and the Saint, all fell into that category.

Shane probably didn’t think the Bertrand Family would be fooled either.

The miracle was a justification to present to the world.

He could have told them the truth, but Shane judged it would be more effective for Edelaine to think her ‘family was being deceived.’

Guilt was the most effective shackle of all.

Emma had realized this too and burst into tears in front of Edelaine once every day.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“Well… Not knowing what the problem is, is the problem.”

“…”

“I’m going to find that out from now on.”

“…Alright. I’ll finish the wedding dress on time.”

For someone who loved his sister so much… he seemed to have no complaints about his sister getting married.

In fact, Rachel was one of those who believed the rumors about the Blancarde Duke and the Saint.

Even in the past, Edelaine didn’t seem very close to Shane. She rarely saw them together.

But when Rachel brought up the rumors, Jeff would snort and say, “If you saw Shane even once in person, you’d realize how absurd that talk is.”

He said Shane went around obviously showing he didn’t treat anyone but Edelaine as human, and if you couldn’t see that, you might as well throw away such useless eyes.

He even informed her that the source of those rumors was Edelaine herself.

Rachel, recalling the past, bid farewell to Jeff.

“I’m leaving. Good luck.”

Jeff just waved his hand without even looking at Rachel. Whatever meeting he was having, she resolved to extract five times the compensation if the Princess’s silk got damaged.

And not long after Rachel left, a boy entered as if taking turns.

It was Lloyd.

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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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