Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 72

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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 14. Deceiving and Being Deceived (1)

His coldly frozen face made it clear that something had come to an end.

The thought that she needed to say something just floated around in her head. The blue eyes looking down at her held a light that Edelaine had never seen once in her entire life.

Never, under any circumstances, had Shane failed to show his emotions to Edelaine. Whether tender affection, fierce jealousy, anger, or aching thirst – his eyes generally told her many things.

But now those blue eyes reflected no emotion at all.

The person who had been crying with worry for her just minutes ago.

As if disgusted.

As if giving up.

Edelaine opened her mouth. Her lips parted but no sound came out.

She didn’t even get a chance to make excuses.

He pushed her away, and that was the end of it.

Feeling the warmth of Shane’s palm covering her eyes, Edelaine didn’t try to hold onto her fading consciousness.

*

When she opened her eyes, Lloyd was at Edelaine’s bedside.

Lloyd, who was reading a book with his head down, didn’t seem to notice that Edelaine had awakened yet.

‘Where is this place…’

At least it wasn’t the master bedroom of the Blancarde estate.

The smell was different.

But that actually made her feel relieved.

Edelaine had thought that when she opened her eyes, she might find herself back at the Bertrand estate.

Because this time Shane seemed truly disgusted with her.

The touch and gaze with which he pushed her away had been that resolute.

The shadows cast on Lloyd’s bowed face flickered according to the candlelight from the candlestick placed on the nightstand beside the bed. Edelaine tried to open her mouth but her throat was dry, making her unconsciously furrow her brow.

“Did you think you’d be fine after drinking poison?”

“Water…”

“Wait a moment.”

Shortly after, Lloyd came back with water.

He placed the tray containing the water glass on the nightstand and helped Edelaine sit up. He pulled over a pillow and placed it behind her back so she could lean comfortably, then handed her the water glass.

“Would you like some honey water too?”

“No…”

“You were able to live because you took the antidote before the poison spread. The healer said it was fast-acting, so if you had been even a little later, nothing could have been done – that you were lucky.”

“Lucky…”

“It wasn’t luck. It was thanks to you knowing something again, my lady.”

“…”

“I won’t ask you anything. But this time, just this once, I won’t be able to help you either, my lady.”

Lloyd bit his lip, unable to overcome the surging emotions as he spoke.

Edelaine was inwardly surprised. This was the first time she had seen Lloyd unable to control his emotions like this.

From when she brought him at age nine until today when he turned seventeen, Lloyd had never once let his emotions burst out.

She had even played pranks on purpose, hoping he would act more spoiled and willful, but he was always calm and composed.

A child who, if she hadn’t brought him along, would have either become Lucian’s right hand and killed her, or been killed by her – one of the two.

Though she brought him to survive, if there had been no ‘Edelaine’ in his life, he might have become Lucian’s right hand and lived much more freely. He wouldn’t have needed to live a life conforming to rules while enduring so much like now.

Edelaine wanted to create a better life for Lloyd than the one he could have enjoyed. If not that, she at least wanted to keep the promise she made to him until the end.

Had she made him more unhappy because she brought him along?

But she couldn’t directly ask Lloyd, “Was it good that you followed me?”

Not only was he not the type to answer honestly even if asked, but such questions could become coercion if asked wrongly.

Even though she wanted to know whether Lloyd was with her out of necessity or if he liked her even a little, he never revealed his emotions.

‘But to see it at a time like this.’

How unexpected.

Edelaine stared blankly at Lloyd.

Lloyd suddenly came to his senses and rubbed his eyes with his forearm. She expected him to immediately wipe away the tear stains and lower his arm, but he remained frozen, expanding his chest to take a breath.

“Lloyd…”

“…Do you know how scared I was?”

“…”

“You’ve never, really never been close to death before.”

“…”

“At least you always told me everything…”

Even on the day they escaped from Delmez, she had revealed the entire plan to Lucian and Lloyd. She told them she would deliberately get stabbed by a weapon but would treat it immediately and take painkillers beforehand, so they could respond calmly.

Edelaine realized her mistake. Lloyd was a seventeen-year-old child who had never once thought that Edelaine would die.

This was the first time he had ‘really’ seen Edelaine nearly die.

“Lloyd. I didn’t know either.”

“…”

“Really… I just.”

Edelaine bit her lip.

Should she say this?

She couldn’t tell him everything. Like countless nightmares, if someone who shared secrets suffered terrible things, she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself.

Besides, Shane had the right to hear it first. She had decided to tell him when she returned to him after ending everything.

But she couldn’t say nothing to Lloyd either.

As she moved her lips, trying to gauge how much she could tell him, Lloyd lifted his face from his arm and spoke.

“I’m not asking you to tell me anything.”

“…”

“I’m not even curious.”

“…”

Contrary to his cold words, Lloyd’s eyes were tinged red.

“This is a shelter.”

“Is it the place where I was confined last time?”

“Similar.”

What did similar mean – it was either the same or different. As Edelaine tilted her head, Lloyd continued.

“The place you were in last time was a location that Blancarde Viscount prepared alone. Perhaps because he didn’t intend to confine you for long from the beginning, it was not far from the city center and wasn’t difficult to track.”

“That means.”

“This is a hideout prepared jointly by Blancarde Viscount, the Saint, and the Bertrand Family.”

“…”

“Your mother said she wished there had been no need to use it.”

What? Who?

Edelaine’s mouth fell open.

The deer-like face that always had tears welling up whenever she looked at her came to mind.

Even though Emma wasn’t someone who would believe in miracles like the Saint’s, she repeatedly said in front of Edelaine that a miracle had happened and she was happy. Since she couldn’t argue about why Emma didn’t ask anything while pretending not to know when she was clearly suspicious, Edelaine had been vaguely going along with it.

Jeff had only asked if it was Shane’s doing, and Patrick and Gregory hadn’t even asked that much.

Not asking wasn’t an expression of indifference but a reprieve and an opportunity.

An opportunity to confess honestly.

“You can go anywhere within the house. The garden is spacious too. I checked in advance, and it’s much larger than the house we lived in. Since you don’t go out much anyway, my lady, you won’t feel cramped.”

“No, that’s…”

“Wouldn’t it be better for your health management too? The Saint will visit regularly.”

I don’t need such a luxurious personal physician…

“Fresh ingredients procured by Jeff will be provided daily, but if there’s a particular menu you’d like to eat, please tell me the day before.”

“…”

“Feel free to mention anything you want to have. Jeff said he’ll bring pamphlets too. Madam Harper might visit occasionally as well.”

“What did you all prepare…?”

Luxury version confinement? What is this?

“I don’t know. I only found out about it this time too.”

Lloyd answered calmly and looked at Edelaine, who let out a hollow laugh.

“You have quite the remarkable family. Including your husband.”

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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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