Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 5

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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 1. The Male Lead is a Villain (4)

And finally, that day came.

Shane brought the female lead he had met by chance, Saint Genevieve, to the Imperial Palace.

By pure coincidence, he had been invited to a family party where the female lead was confined, and there he witnessed the moment she displayed her saint-like abilities.

‘It’s not coincidence but inevitability and destiny.’

The only person in this world who knew that was Edelaine.

The world wants the male lead and female lead to meet.

The ‘Saint’ is the only being who can save the world, and any nation or family that obtains her is promised prosperity.

She was truly like a lottery ticket.

It was only natural to quickly pocket her the moment she caught your eye.

Just like how Shane brought the Saint with him immediately upon discovering her.

Though he might not love Saint Genevieve ‘yet’, it was only a matter of time.

In Edelaine’s eyes, the male lead and her fiancé, standing side by side with the Saint as her patron, finally seemed to have found his rightful place.

‘Yes, I knew he was never really mine to begin with.’

Edelaine coldly turned away from Shane’s gaze directed at her.

*

The ‘preparations’ for surviving in the novel proceeded smoothly.

She bestowed favors on the criminal organization boss before he had fully established his power, and gained the Crown Prince’s trust by becoming a useful card to him.

She even saved a child who was destined to become an assassin and made him her servant.

She treated everyone kindly and managed her reputation. Fortunately, she was well-liked.

Even when Saint Genevieve was denounced as a fake before properly awakening her abilities, and when rumors spread that she was Shane’s lover, Edelaine steadfastly supported her.

The only person Edelaine kept at a distance was her fiancé Shane.

She even encouraged him to quickly break off their engagement and try getting along with the Saint instead.

After all, it would happen soon anyway.

“Go for it, Shane. Everyone wants you to be united with the Saint.”

“Say one more word and I’ll really get angry, Edelaine.”

“Why are you getting angry? I’m being sincere. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“I only care about you. I’ll never break off our engagement, so give up on that idea now.”

It didn’t work very well. It seemed to be because he hadn’t realized his feelings yet.

Edelaine carefully set up a natural exit.

She chose the timing for when Saint Genevieve would be attacked by an assailant sent by a mage.

Edelaine heroically threw herself in front of the assailant attacking the female lead.

“Kyaaah, no! Lady Edelaine!”

“Edelaine!”

“Huk!”

Even though she had taken a paralytic, it hurt like hell.

Blood was really gushing out.

‘Damn, this really hurts… I should have asked for stronger paralytic.’

If the female lead had been awakened as a Saint, she would have healed even the most serious wounds instantly, so this was truly the only opportunity.

‘If I don’t get injured right before their eyes, they won’t be fooled…’

Saint Genevieve had to awaken using ‘Edelaine’s’ death as a catalyst. Even if the death scene or cause differed from the novel, if she showed them her dying right before their eyes, they couldn’t help but be deceived.

But Shane, who should have been far away, had somehow come running. He was truly a busy guy, appearing here and there.

“No, Edelaine! Damn it, bring a healer right now!”

“Shane…”

It hurts, you bastard… Don’t shake me…

“If you close your eyes, I won’t forgive you! Stay conscious, please!”

What are you going to do if you don’t forgive me? Even in this situation, Edelaine was having silly thoughts. Actually, it hurt so much that if she didn’t think of other things, she felt like she might cry.

This was the moment she had waited for her entire life.

The moment to leave those detestable ‘protagonists’ behind.

Shane’s blue eyes were brimming with moisture. Crystal-clear tears fell drop by drop.

“Edelaine, look at me. You have to look at me, okay?”

The tears that fell on her cheek were lukewarm. Edelaine slowly blinked her eyes. Almost screaming, Shane pulled Edelaine’s body into his embrace.

“Why did you do it? Why did you do such a thing…”

“I had to, protect the Saint… The only, important thing, in the world…”

“Nothing is more important than you, don’t say such stupid things!”

“Shane… You brought her…”

“…Don’t call my name so tenderly… Not now of all times, don’t call me… Open your eyes, Edelaine, please…”

My ears are going to burst…

Did the fiancé I had kept at a distance since age 9 always have such a loud voice…?

Edelaine’s lips moved slightly.

“I can’t, see ahead.”

“If you leave like this, I’ll never forgive you for the rest of my life. I hate this, no…”

His embracing hands tightened with force. His large body trembled violently and his face was almost paralyzed with fear.

At this moment, even the shameless Edelaine felt a pang of conscience.

Shane cried like he had gone mad. It was a scream like a beast whose young had been taken away.

He was a fiancé and childhood friend who had done nothing wrong ‘yet’.

I will absolutely never interfere with your future, Shane.

You must be happy. You have to be happy. I mean this sincerely.

I’m really sorry for showing you such an awful sight…

“You can forget me, no, you must forget me… Understand? If you, care for me, be sure to be happy…”

“No, Edelaine! Don’t die!”

Have a beautiful love…

“Goodbye…”

It was a brilliant performance.

*

And so she fled overseas and lived in hiding for five years.

She hid so well that no one could find her, barely even going outside.

Once she distanced herself from the protagonists, she no longer had those terrible nightmares.

That alone made faking her death worthwhile.

For the first year or two, she consciously checked newspaper articles regularly.

The articles frequently featured the activities of Genevieve, who had awakened as a Saint. The subtle relationship with Duke Blancarde, who supported her as the ‘Saint’s Knight’, was also a frequently sold topic.

‘Of course, they’re eating well and living well.’

After confirming that the world was running smoothly without her, Edelaine lost interest.

Confirming that nothing had changed even though her existence had disappeared wasn’t entirely pleasant.

Still, since everything had gone according to plan, she shouldn’t harbor any unnecessary attachments.

It was a path Edelaine had chosen herself in order to survive.

She had abandoned everything she had and gained a future.

The protagonists would safely marry and reach their happy ending, and she had survived.

Receiving news of her mother’s death right after the article about their happy ending was perhaps her karma.

Edelaine cried for a long time after receiving the obituary.

It seemed like a message telling her not to think about returning to the family she had abandoned to survive, that the opportunity had passed since she had thrown it away.

She agonized for several days, but eventually decided to return to her homeland.

Still, she wanted to offer at least one flower at the end.

She wanted to convey her belated feelings of atonement to her poor mother who had lost her daughter without knowing why.

*

The journey took over a week as they had to cross borders illegally.

Edelaine disembarked from the ship in the morning and headed to the hotel that Lloyd had reserved in advance.

The village where she had been hiding for five years was such a rural backwater that it had only one inn, let alone a hotel, so Edelaine felt somewhat intimidated by the luxurious facilities she was experiencing after so long.

Just five years of rural life had made her completely forget city living.

Now the days she had lived in the city felt like a previous life.

Lloyd said.

“If you need to use the bathroom urgently, go ahead.”

“I don’t need to.”

“You just looked strange.”

“I was just lost in memories. Reflecting on my life…”

“Ah, memories.”

Lloyd smiled sardonically.

His face, which usually looked like an upright model student, transformed into that of a despicable villain with just a faint smile.

“Memories of deceiving the world?”

“…Don’t you know how to speak tactfully?”

Edelaine grumbled.

Words can mean different things depending on how you say them. It could be called a fraudulent scheme, or it could be called masterful acting.

Wouldn’t the latter be preferable?

“I never learned how.”

“Learn by watching me.”

“I couldn’t learn because I only watched you, Master.”

He never backed down from a single word.

What good was it for him to call her Master when his treatment of her was so dismissive?

‘At this rate, he might as well just call me by name. Or sister.’

His attitude showed that while he would serve her out of gratitude, he didn’t particularly respect her. Edelaine found that comfortable too.

Regardless of his cheeky attitude, Lloyd was an excellent servant.

As soon as they entered the room, he began unpacking and organizing. He was diligent and meticulous, flawlessly handling even tasks Edelaine hadn’t asked him to do.

Without Lloyd, Edelaine’s life in hiding would have been terrible. She might have starved to death.

“Lloyd, without you I would have died long ago…”

“You know that’s not something to brag about, right?”

“Yes, you’re my pride and joy.”

Lloyd looked at Edelaine, who only gave praise with her mouth, with some disdain. If Lloyd had been a mother, Edelaine’s back would have been beaten to shreds by now.

Just then, the door burst open without even a knock.

“Well, look who it is?”

Edelaine looked at the man who opened the door and entered as if it were his own home.

‘Well, it might as well be his house.’

This hotel was one of the businesses that man owned.

Since she had informed him of her arrival time in advance through Lloyd, it was perfectly predictable that he would come looking for her.

Though she hadn’t expected him to barge in immediately upon her arrival.

“I see you’ve been living well.”

“Thanks to you.”

The man with long light brown hair had a cold and calm atmosphere. His green eyes and long, sharp gaze were reminiscent of a feline predator.

His tall height and slender yet lean build, broad shoulders and long neck added to his elegance.

He looked so refined and sophisticated, as if he would never utter a curse word in his life, but when those lips opened, 70 percent of what came out was venom and profanity.

“It’s been a while, Lucian.”

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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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