Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 33

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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 7. Villains Are Meant To Be (4)

She had done something truly cruel to Shane. To Genevieve as well.

Edelaine had only wanted to live; she wasn’t without conscience.

That’s precisely why she had no intention of asking for forgiveness from Shane or Genevieve. She had abandoned them to save herself.

Whenever Shane’s attitude, gaze, and actions seemed too much like the old days, making her wonder if perhaps… she would cover up those thoughts with denial—all because of this.

No, surely not. Really? Come on. I’m not an idiot. It’s been five years, and I’m a fraud. No, surely not…

It would have been more comfortable if she had been too dense to notice any nuances. It would have been better if she could believe that Shane truly only hated her.

‘I didn’t give any explanation so he could hate me to his heart’s content.’

Edelaine had given no explanation about her circumstances.

From the beginning, it wasn’t something that could be understood through logical reasoning. To put it coldly, saying it was all because of ‘mere’ nightmares would sound ridiculous. Even though it had been a matter of life and death for Edelaine herself.

Moreover, in the dreams, she was killed the moment she tried to reveal the truth.

Since this was the first time she had survived, she couldn’t judge what the right answer was. She simply decided not to rashly invite danger since she couldn’t know anything.

She still didn’t know who the uncaught mage was, and the story hadn’t reached its conclusion.

Rather than the heroine becoming happy, did this story end only when the villain died?

‘Were novels originally about villains and protagonists competing to see who survives…?’

It seemed like a sweaty sports manga system somehow. When the genre changes, the criteria for the ending must change too.

Edelaine’s top priority remained unchanged.

Not becoming a device within the story.

Rather than being used as some device again and suffering from nightmares, she was determined to escape.

The nightmares had been that terrible. The feeling of the world denying you and driving you to death was something only those who had experienced it would understand.

A world that said you alone were the obstacle, that everyone would be happy if only you weren’t there.

The loneliness of seeing people moving according to their roles like puppets while she alone saw differently.

She wanted to distance herself from the protagonists and secure a safe life before the nightmares began again.

However, perhaps running away might not be an appropriate solution.

The result of the escape she had devoted her life to five years ago was kidnapping, confinement, and forced marriage.

One more thing. It had been over a month since she returned to the protagonists’ side, yet she hadn’t had any nightmares.

Perhaps the story where ‘Edelaine’ had to die was already over.

If so, all that remained was a head-on confrontation.

Edelaine had only intended to discover the mage’s identity and inform Prince Edwin or Shane. She also had the ulterior motive of escaping during the gap when their surveillance would be diverted by fighting the mage.

But.

‘If I catch and kill the mage and there are no more problems.’

Edelaine stared intently at Shane’s face as he slept, holding her tightly like some kind of body pillow.

It was a problem she had put off for life, trying not to think about it.

She had resolved not to even think about it if she couldn’t have it.

That belongs to someone else.

No matter how attractive he looks, coveting another’s man brings divine punishment, naturally.

The heroine, not me, will make him happy, so don’t worry about useless things and just find my own way to live.

My life comes first; romance that isn’t mine doesn’t put food on the table.

But the ending was already twisted, and she couldn’t even escape…

If she just eliminated the mage, wouldn’t there be no problems?

Then.

‘Couldn’t I have him for myself…?’

Since she couldn’t escape anyway.

The reason she had tried not to give her heart was because it had already leaned heavily in that direction.

It was unreasonable to ask her not to like someone who consistently confessed his feelings and only did sweet things.

Edelaine had already been loving Shane Blancarde for a long time.

A person who didn’t let just anyone close, who was cold to everyone, yet treated only her with sugar-sweet tenderness and told her she was special—she had no ability to resist melting.

She had willingly let him go because she wanted him to be happy, choosing to watch over him from afar.

Once she became aware of it, greed began to bloom.

No, he says he likes me…

Even after I pushed him away and said only cruel things, even after I deceived him and ran away, he still says he likes me.

He smiles as if he owns the world because he’s marrying a woman who was brought as a hostage through threats. Seeing that, even while telling herself she should be angry, she found herself deflating with a sigh several times.

To a woman who pushes him away asking to be let go, to let her escape, he clings saying he can’t sleep because he’s anxious without her…

‘How can I not love this foolish thing…’

Having been born as a villainess, would coveting the male lead be such a bad thing?

Perhaps it was an instinct born from her role.

Just as ‘Edelaine’ had, perhaps Edelaine was also destined to fall in love with the male lead.

The only difference from ‘Edelaine’ was that Edelaine wished most for Shane’s happiness.

If this wasn’t a world where she had to die, wouldn’t it be okay to make him happy herself?

‘No, no. Get a grip, Edelaine. Nothing’s certain yet. I need to protect Genevieve first.’

Edelaine made up her mind.

First, let’s catch and kill the mage.

***

It would take time for Lloyd to conduct his background investigation.

In the meantime, Edelaine planned to stay as close to Genevieve as possible.

Conveniently, the Queen had sent a message through Emma saying she wanted to meet. She was planning to enter the palace and see Emma after a long time.

She had thought to naturally enter the palace and guard Genevieve’s side.

“She says she doesn’t want to see you, Edelaine.”

“What?”

Edwin said teasingly.

“She’s holed up saying she only wants to let her husband into her room, and doesn’t want to meet me, the Queen Mother, or anyone. She doesn’t want to see anyone, or something like that. After I graciously gave her a vacation…”

“That’s impossible, Genevieve would…?”

Edelaine was greatly shocked.

“Genevieve said that about me?”

“She especially said she didn’t want to see you.”

“Uh… No, that could happen, uh, could it happen? It could, of course it could… But isn’t that strange?”

“She’s broken…”

She had never even imagined Genevieve rejecting her. Edelaine was shocked once more by the fact that she had never considered this possibility.

‘Was Genevieve actually angry like Shane!’

When they reunited, Edelaine had worried more about being misunderstood as an adulteress than about having deceived Genevieve. She had felt less guilt because she had the justification that it was absolutely necessary to awaken the Saint’s abilities, even if she was sorry.

But from Genevieve’s perspective, it would be different.

She might have worried first simply because she was kind-hearted. Come to think of it, it would have been difficult to pour out resentment to someone who was already kidnapped and confined…

“Would waiting stubbornly in front of her door be creepy…?”

“She’ll come out when she gets frustrated.”

Shane answered indifferently.

“Or try cutting off her meals. She’ll come out when she gets hungry.”

“Genevieve isn’t some wild animal.”

“When her vacation ends, she’ll be dragged out whether she likes it or not.”

“That’s even more pitiful!”

If her feelings were hurt, she wanted to comfort her. Edelaine asked Edwin.

“Was she very shocked? After all, seeing someone’s wrist get cut right before her eyes must have been horrifying…”

“Would she be shocked by something like that? On expeditions, she often sees corpses rotting and falling apart right before her eyes. She frequently encounters wounded people covered in blood with mangled flesh and missing parts. There’s no way she’d be shocked just from seeing a wrist get cut.”

“…”

Our heroine has been living a hard-boiled life…

“I don’t know why she’s suddenly acting fragile, but there must have been some change of heart. I’ll let her know you came, so go see the Queen Mother first.”

“Yes…”

Is this how parents feel standing in front of their teenage daughter’s locked door? Edelaine swallowed her tears.

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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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