Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 46

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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 10. Happiness is a Sandcastle (1)

 

Edelaine sprang up energetically.

 

It was the most refreshing awakening since she was born into this world. Her body felt light and her mind was clear.

 

The morning sunlight was dazzling.

 

The early winter sunlight streaming through the window, how beautiful!

 

Even the heavily draped velvet curtains looked like works of art! Even the thick cords flowed down beautifully!

 

“Damn, the world is so fucking beautiful…”

 

Carried away by the moment, she threw open the window to feel the clear bird songs ringing through the transparent air.

 

“Cold!”

 

No matter how beautiful the world was, it didn’t beautify the cold too. That was the limit of the brain chemical called happiness.

 

Edelaine couldn’t become a romanticist who felt no cold, heat, or hunger because of happiness.

 

But breathing in the cold air deeply into her lungs brought a sense of reality to her fingertips and toes.

 

Does breathing fresh air also improve eyesight? This must be why adults go mountain climbing early in the morning…

 

The world sparkled brilliantly.

 

Because Edelaine was truly liberated!

 

Liberation, freedom—what sweet sounds these were.

 

Edelaine no longer had to suffer from the obsession of how she must live, and didn’t need to worry about being driven out of this world. She didn’t have to fulfill any role, and didn’t need to be afraid that this wasn’t hers.

 

Just because Edelaine had returned didn’t mean Saint Genevieve was in danger. The real villain hadn’t appeared, and the protagonists were each walking their own paths. Even the villainess herself had survived just fine.

 

The very fact that nothing happened despite the protagonist and villainess being together was proof of safety.

 

If she had met the predetermined happy ending, Edelaine would have had to live unable to erase her anxiety. Because in that perfect happiness, she should have been dead.

 

She might have lived in constant fear, wondering if she’d be caught hiding after deceiving fate and have to pay the price.

 

But because it wasn’t the predetermined ending, it wasn’t strange for Edelaine to be alive.

 

Living life, days like this come too.

 

“Life… was worth living after all…”

 

Ah, wait. Tears are welling up…

 

Those years of struggling to survive somehow, running here and there with a fragile body that could die from a single stab wound, without any special abilities like the protagonists—all that hardship, blood, sweat, and tears…

 

Edelaine stood by the window and pressed the bridge of her nose firmly. She thought her tears had dried up from crying too much yesterday, but as she savored the emotion anew, her eyes stung again. I worked so damn hard. I lived earnestly…

 

“Are you awake?”

 

“Shane!”

 

Shane, carrying a tray full of food, entered by opening the door with his shoulder and made a puzzled expression.

 

“Why did you open the window?”

 

“It’s refreshing!”

 

“Aren’t you cold?”

 

“Freezing cold.”

 

Edelaine roughly closed the window and approached Shane, trying to take the tray from him. Shane lifted the tray above his head and instead bent down to kiss Edelaine’s cheek.

 

“Sit down. Let’s have breakfast.”

 

“Give me one.”

 

“No need, it’s heavy.”

 

Shane strode over to the table by the window and set down the tray. He also carefully closed the window again.

 

The tray contained fragrant cream soup, golden-brown well-baked morning rolls, jam, milk, and such.

 

It was an ordinary breakfast menu, but to today’s Edelaine, it looked perfect.

 

Look at that appetizing color of the morning roll. The round shape and gloss also looked delicious. At the drool-inducing visual, her empty stomach churned fiercely. Come to think of it, she had fallen asleep yesterday without even eating lunch properly.

 

“Eat the soup first. Your eyes don’t sting, do they?”

 

“Yeah. I’m fine. I thought they would hurt.”

 

“I put a cold towel over your eyes at dawn. That’s a relief.”

 

Edelaine was startled.

 

“I didn’t wake up even then?”

 

“You don’t wake up easily anyway.”

 

“I wasn’t one to sleep heavily though…”

 

Rather, waking up too often was the problem.

 

Only after crossing the border and holing up alone did she stop having nightmares, but her damaged sleep habits didn’t return immediately. Moreover, even after barely escaping, she couldn’t be completely at ease, so there were many nights she couldn’t sleep deeply.

 

Anxiety was like a swamp underlying her unconscious. Edelaine slept curled up like a shrimp, and Lloyd said she talked in her sleep a lot and often frowned.

 

Shane tilted his head and said.

 

“You didn’t wake up no matter what I did.”

 

“…What did you do…”

 

“You like potato cream soup, right? Let’s eat before it gets cold.”

 

Shane smoothly changed the subject while placing a spoon in front of Edelaine.

 

‘Well, he probably didn’t do anything much anyway…’

 

Even though they slept embracing every night, nothing much happened. No matter how well she slept, she hadn’t taken any medicine, so if something had happened, she would have woken up long ago. When Edelaine looked at him sideways, Shane said.

 

“Should I feed you?”

 

“No. I’ll eat myself. You eat too.”

 

“That’s disappointing.”

 

Contrary to his words, Shane just smiled brightly. And he looked at her as if he would only eat after confirming she was eating.

 

Edelaine obediently picked up the spoon.

 

The warm potato cream soup was as savory and smooth as it smelled. As it went down warmly past her throat, she felt like every cell in her body was coming alive.

 

“Ah, delicious…”

 

“You seem to be in a really good mood today.”

 

“I was reborn today, Shane.”

 

“Really? Should we make today your second birthday?”

 

“I’d like to do that if I could.”

 

Edelaine picked up a morning roll. As she was filling the split bread’s inside with butter, she noticed Shane, who was staring at her curiously without taking a single bite.

 

‘Is it because the world is beautiful? His beauty is particularly dazzling today…’

 

It was a beauty that made her want to squint like when facing the morning sunlight.

 

It felt like her vision had dropped by about 0.2. Because looking directly at light is bad for the eyes.

 

What reason was there for even the veins on the back of his hand supporting his chin to be pretty? His long fingers were surprisingly rough with prominent knuckles. Sharp features that gave an urban impression with rough, crude hands—was this insane…

 

Edelaine chewed her bread while observing Shane.

 

The sapphire-like blue eyes sparkling under long eyelashes, the sharp and straight nose bridge and deep-set eyes, the strong-featured face and sharp yet delicate facial features formed perfect harmony.

 

He was beautiful simply in terms of form, but Shane had a unique atmosphere. The precariousness of covering an unfathomably deep sea with a single calm surface made it impossible to look away.

 

She could understand people who were captivated by him.

 

Anyone would be greedy upon seeing this beautiful person.

 

‘He was like an angel from childhood, so how much more so now.’

 

If he deliberately smiled with his eyes while seducing, there wouldn’t be anyone who wouldn’t fall for it. Edelaine held out the butter roll she had split in half to him.

 

“Don’t just watch, you eat too.”

 

“I already ate though.”

 

“How can I eat all this by myself? More importantly, what time did you wake up to have finished eating?”

 

He even put a wet towel on her eyes at dawn… Shane said.

 

“I woke up early, filled my stomach, and exercised too. I have to do at least that much to be able to sleep well next to you.”

 

“…”

 

“But I’ll eat this.”

 

Shane took the bread Edelaine offered directly into his mouth. When Edelaine was startled and tried to pull her hand away, he grabbed her wrist to stop her.

 

Shane, who had swallowed the bread in one bite, licked his lips with his tongue and said.

 

“I’ll wait for you, so eat slowly, Edelaine.”

 

“…”

 

“We have to go to the Imperial Palace after you finish eating, but you can rest if it’s difficult.”

 

“I could stay home alone…”

 

This crazy R-rated human… Who receives bread so suggestively like that? I thought he was going to bite my fingers too…

 

Edelaine pressed her face firmly with the back of her hand to hide her reddening cheeks and said.

 

“No, I want to come along after all. I want to see Saint Genevieve. She must have been surprised when I suddenly cried, so I should comfort her.”

 

“What about me?”

 

Shane said sulkily.

 

“Hm?”

 

“I was surprised too. Won’t you comfort me?”

 

“…How should I comfort you.”

 

She almost bit her tongue.

 

Shane, who was resting his chin on his hand and looking at her while lowering his tone like he was acting spoiled, chuckled.

 

“You really seem to be in a good mood, Edelaine.”

 

“Uh, yeah….”

 

“I want to know the reason… but I don’t want to ruin your mood.”

 

“….”

 

“Touch me.”

 

“Huh? Uh, uh, uh, where?!”

 

“…I meant pet my head.”

 

“….”

 

“Where did you think I meant?”

 

“My head….”

 

Edelaine put down her spoon.

 

Shane spread both arms wide from where he sat and grinned. Was she crazy to think it looked cute when such a big man was waiting to be hugged with expectant eyes….

 

Edelaine got up from her chair and pulled Shane’s head tightly into her embrace.

 

Shane’s eyes widened, then he soon laughed briefly and closed his eyes.

 

His heart melts over just something like this… Edelaine reflected as she stroked his glossy hair.

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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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