Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 29

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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 6. Unrequited Love is a Habit (2)

I hate you so much, Shane.

I know.

I hate you…

I knew.

How could I not know.

But after Edelaine disappeared, Shane seemed to live breathing hot sand instead of air. Every moment, every second, the reality that she wasn’t there squeezed his heart unbearably.

The irreversible end wouldn’t leave his mind, making it sometimes hard to endure the impulses. What’s the point of being alive when the only person I loved isn’t here. She left without even telling me how to be happy…

I hate you. You who abandoned me.

You who made me realize how terrible the world is when I’m left alone without you.

That’s why I can’t let you go. Even if you cry.

Even if you hate me.

He pulled Edelaine’s waist close and held her tightly as she slept with hunched shoulders.

Only when her warm skin and hot breath touched his skin did he finally feel like he could breathe.

You’re alive.

You’re alive and here… Edelaine.

Shane fell into a deep sleep.

***

Some of the manor’s employees were dismissed.

Those who had worked since the previous duke’s time had already gone to the estate, leaving only those who hadn’t worked long, so it wasn’t a difficult task. The selection was Lloyd’s responsibility.

Shane was always bothered by the existence of the boy chosen by Edelaine, but regardless of his feelings, he had to admit that he was extremely useful.

It took Lloyd less than two days to investigate the past actions and tendencies of the employees working at the manor. He filtered out those who leaked unnecessary words to outsiders, those weak to monetary temptation, and those with many weaknesses.

Then, as if he didn’t want to meet him, he left the list in Shane’s study and went out to carry out Edelaine’s orders.

‘He would hate it.’

I hate it too.

Because I genuinely threatened a child who was barely half my height at the time. That incident was also an undignified memory for Shane.

He knew it was petty jealousy.

But whenever he saw the boy sticking close to Edelaine’s side, jealousy would inevitably boil up. And even at moments like this.

“Lloyd…, water…”

Her voice, rough and scratched, weakly pronounced another man’s name.

Her hand, sticking out from the bed, flailed in the air before stopping. She probably remembered that she had sent her attendant outside. Shane couldn’t resist the impulse and grabbed Edelaine’s hand. If she had strength, she would have immediately shaken it off, but her hot hand stiffened slightly then went limp.

This doesn’t mean she’s not rejecting me.

Shane couldn’t help but feel happy as he covered her hot forehead with his palm. Edelaine drew in a dry breath.

“The fever isn’t going down.”

“Ugh…”

What a sight this is, Edelaine muttered with a reddened face, looking somewhat indignant.

“You were tired. It was natural you’d collapse. There were many annoying things too.”

Who are you kidding. Edelaine let out a hollow laugh.

“Whose fault is all this.”

“It’s my fault.”

Shane readily admitted it.

“That’s why I said I’ll take responsibility.”

“Then will you get lost? Seeing you seems to make my fever rise more.”

Even at such cold words, Shane spoke without batting an eye.

“You need to take more medicine.”

“I told you to get lost…”

“Taking it on an empty stomach will upset your stomach, so should I bring some simple soup?”

“I’ll throw up.”

Edelaine declared. Though she was trying to act calm, her eyes occasionally became hazy, making it clear she was struggling to stay conscious.

“Something you want to eat.”

“I said there’s nothing…”

“Something you want me to do?”

“You won’t listen even if I tell you to leave, so why do you keep asking…”

“You know me well.”

“If only you couldn’t speak…”

Edelaine, who was about to scold him, closed her mouth and frowned. Her complexion became even paler as if nausea was rising. Shane moved his chair closer to the bedside.

Edelaine slowly moved away.

“Stay away, it’s contagious.”

“I’ve never caught a cold once in my life.”

“…How annoying…”

“So it’s fine. I’ll be more useful than your attendant.”

“You…”

You’ve probably never taken care of anyone sick in your life, so what makes you so confident. Edelaine looked at him as if he were pathetic and said.

“Why are you seriously competing with a child?”

“…”

“Lloyd is so… cute…”

As long as Edelaine found Lloyd cute, the day Shane and he would get along would never come. In fact, even without that, Shane and Lloyd’s personalities simply didn’t match.

Shane decided it would be better to bring medicine rather than keep a sick person talking for long.

“Wait a moment. I’ll bring more medicine.”

Edelaine couldn’t answer.

‘Her fever has risen more.’

The cough wasn’t severe, but her fever was high and she had severe body aches.

The Blancarde family’s physician didn’t keep much cold medicine in stock.

Except for the duchess who had passed away long ago, there was no one weak enough to fall ill every season.

The physician, serving a frail superior for the first time in a long while, was very flustered and brought all kinds of medicine, but hadn’t yet found the right medicine for Edelaine. Since taking many medicines at once was dangerous, they were using small amounts while monitoring her condition.

Edelaine firmly grasped Shane’s hand as he tried to get up.

“…”

Shane looked at Edelaine, who was half-asleep with her eyes closed, and at the hand she was gripping tightly.

“Edelaine. I need to bring medicine.”

Edelaine didn’t respond.

Seeing her frowning with her eyes closed, she seemed to have fallen asleep after trying to endure showing weakness.

Her grip was as weak as a feather.

If he wanted to shake it off, just a light shake would make it fall away. However, Shane sat back down very carefully so that Edelaine’s curved fingers wouldn’t fall from his fingers, so they wouldn’t shake even a little.

He spent the entire night just watching sleeping Edelaine.

***

After the second attack, Edwin, who had interrogated the culprit, went to find Genevieve.

“The Saint? Is she resting?”

“Yes, but she’s holed up without even eating. She seems quite shocked.”

“That’s unusual. She’s such a strong girl.”

Edwin glanced back slightly.

Harrison, the guard knight married to the Saint, was making a worried expression, then blushed when he noticed his gaze.

“As her husband, wouldn’t she let you in?”

“I-I’m still on duty.”

“What does it matter. I’ll give you leave from now, so why don’t you try comforting our treasure?”

Even at the light joke, Harrison’s cheeks turned bright red as if someone had set them on fire.

The knight from Greenwinsor West had been assigned to the Imperial Guard based on skill alone, without any influential family or wealth.

It was common for second sons and below of noble families who couldn’t inherit titles to become knights or civil officials. For their own advancement or their family’s honor.

Among these, being assigned to the Imperial Guard was a considerable honor, and an extremely difficult position to obtain without backing.

How close one could get to the Emperor and Crown Prince served as a measure of power.

Being able to serve the Crown Prince, who prioritized merit, was probably Harrison’s good fortune in meeting the right timing.

“Go ahead and show off that younger man’s charm that melted the Saint’s heart.”

“…No matter how mischievously you tease me, I won’t get flustered. I’ve gotten used to it now.”

“Oh. You’ve improved.”

“Even someone as slow as me can tell whether it’s a joke or not after being stuck with Your Highness all day.”

“That’s quite impressive. Good job.”

Though it was useless to make such resolutions with a face burning bright red.

Harrison was a giant of a man, a full head taller than the already tall Edwin, with a torso thick enough to look like a living shield. Standing next to him, the delicate Saint looked like a cicada clinging to an old tree.

His face was reasonably handsome, but his massive build made his first impression quite intimidating.

However, he was surprisingly three years younger than Genevieve, and had a shy personality who would quietly blush whenever she teased him.

Edwin often teased him about what charm he used to steal the Saint’s heart, but strictly speaking, it was more like he was the one who got stolen rather than doing the stealing.

The marriage had come about through Genevieve’s will, after all.

‘Though it seems Harrison confessed first.’

Harrison had said how could he dare become the Saint’s husband, and that it would be enough if she just acknowledged his feelings.

“If I could just stay by your side, I couldn’t ask for more. But I’m still a man, so I might not be able to control my desires in a moment of weakness, so please don’t come too close and be wary of me. So, like now, not too close, ugh, Saint, please step back…”

“You like me, don’t you, Harrison?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s get married.”

“What?!”

“Let’s get married. Sounds good, right? I like it too.”

Genevieve immediately grabbed Harrison’s hand and dragged him to Edwin to declare they would marry.

‘It wasn’t without the feeling that she just happened to be looking for a marriage partner and decided to get it over with…’

He thought it was quite a spirited proposal.

Harrison pressed close to Genevieve’s door and carefully asked in a small voice, “Jennie, it’s me. May I come in?”

Perhaps because they’d spent little time together, Harrison still seemed like a man with an unrequited love for Genevieve. After he stammered a few more words at the door, the tightly locked door opened.

Edwin patted Harrison’s shoulder as if cheering on the couple.

Incidentally, he hadn’t visited his actual sister in months.

Edwin twisted his lips as he watched Harrison disappear through the door crack that hadn’t opened for him.

When he first met Genevieve, there had definitely been some kind of emotional current between them.

But at that time Edwin had a fiancée, even if only in name, and from the day Genevieve learned of this, she never showed any such feelings again.

He wasn’t disappointed. But sometimes he felt petty when he saw her treating Harrison like a proper husband.

Edwin tilted his head. The sudden strengthening of the Saint’s abilities…

“Is it thanks to marriage? If so, it might be worth trying myself.”

Or perhaps it was thanks to reuniting with Edelaine.

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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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