Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 80

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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 15. The Face of a Traitor (2)

It was the crying of a frightened child.

Crying that trembled with fear of being abandoned while begging for forgiveness, not knowing what to do after committing a wrong.

As if showing her crying face would cause some great disaster, her hands covering her face and her hunched body shook pitifully.

Had Genevieve been anxious all along? Both the sound and the stream of tears flowing down beside her jawline were heartbreaking.

She was the most precious person in this world.

A child carrying too much with her small body.

The protagonist of this world who had spent a terrible childhood for dramatic effect, just for such a trivial thing.

In truth, no one should be crushed by the responsibility of a mere individual bearing the fate of the world. This world’s purification system of a ‘Saint’ born once every 100 years was excessively strange and hero-centric.

Because she bore heavy responsibility, it was only fair that she should receive more love.

If you had been a hateful child instead, I might have tried to be more greedy for Shane.

Edelaine, who had personally bathed Genevieve shortly after meeting her, had seen the scars and wounds remaining on her thin back. And also the face that smiled apologetically and gratefully, without resenting or being wary of others despite everything.

The reason Edelaine couldn’t even think of revealing the feelings she had kept hidden was because Genevieve was truly lovely to her too. So admirable and adorable that she wished for them to surely meet guaranteed happiness.

What awaited Genevieve shouldn’t be such betrayal.

She shouldn’t have to cry so pitifully and apologize even after being hurt.

Edelaine tried to remove Genevieve’s hands covering her face, but she stubbornly resisted. Only letting apologies flow through her teeth – sorry, I’m sorry.

“Genevieve, what did you…”

Edelaine also ended up swallowing her tears. But she held back by biting the inside of her cheek, afraid that if they both burst into tears, everything would collapse.

Instead of removing Genevieve’s hands, Edelaine embraced her head entirely. Her body, which had stiffened in surprise, gradually relaxed under Edelaine’s patting hand.

She spoke close to her ear, quietly but clearly, definitively.

“It’s not your fault, Genevieve.”

“But if it weren’t for me, this wouldn’t have happened! Harrison wouldn’t have been able to approach you, sob, at all! That child blocked Harrison’s entry, saying he had no permission. I should have followed those words too…”

“Did you know in advance that person would do such a thing?”

“No, I never imagined… never imagined…”

“What fault could you have when you didn’t know?”

Until just before Genevieve opened her eyes, Edelaine had been suffering from the same assumption.

The assumption that if it weren’t for her, Lloyd wouldn’t have been in danger.

But she could say to Genevieve what she couldn’t say to herself.

“Genevieve, stop it. You shouldn’t be crying right now, you should be angry.”

“…Angry…?”

“That’s right. You’ve been terribly betrayed right now. Being sad is something to do after getting angry.”

“…”

“Try repeating after me. Fucking bastard, I’ll kill him.”

“…”

“Son of a bitch who’ll fall to hell.”

“Fall to…”

Genevieve, who had been moving her lips, looked at Edelaine’s extremely serious face and burst into involuntary laughter.

Edelaine smiled wryly and pressed around Genevieve’s eyes firmly.

“Get up, Genevieve. Let’s first find a way to get out of here.”

“This place is…”

“I don’t know where.”

Genevieve looked at Edelaine with slight bewilderment. It seemed like too confident an answer.

“I haven’t been awake long either. Looking out the window, it seems to be night for now… I hope too much time hasn’t passed. And this is probably inside a ship. It doesn’t seem very big.”

Judging by the round windows, wooden walls, and the wooden floor that swayed and tilted slightly, it was certainly correct.

“It does seem like that… We’re on a ship. I can smell the fishy scent of water.”

Genevieve said as she sat up.

Her eyes were red, but there was strength in her gaze. Edelaine held Genevieve’s hand tightly as she spoke.

“Are you hurt anywhere? My whole body aches right now.”

“I’m… fine.”

“When I get back, I’m really going to exercise…”

Their clasped hands grew warm.

“My personal physician is really competent…”

“Lady Edelaine should focus on eating and sleeping well before exercising. With a body like this, you’ll only break if you try to exercise.”

“Competent and cold…”

“I’m sorry. This is all I can do.”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that apology. You can apologize for confining me though.”

“I can’t apologize for that.”

It was a gentle but firm refusal. She cried while apologizing for things she shouldn’t apologize for, but couldn’t apologize for actually confining someone – what kind of standards was that?

Still, thanks to Genevieve’s divine power, her body felt light, at least temporarily.

“Looking at how there are only small windows and no door, I think this might be a cabin used as a warehouse. Then the exit would be in the ceiling. It’s too dark to see well, but I’ll give you a piggyback ride so you can step on me and climb up.”

“I’ll do it.”

“But I’m bigger?”

“I’m stronger.”

“You’re so thin you look like you’d break if poked, what strength?!”

“…Are you introducing yourself right now?”

“I only got gaunt in the face, look at my arms! I’m much sturdier!”

“You seem to have forgotten, but I have a body blessed by God.”

“…”

“I don’t get hurt easily, and even if I do get hurt, I heal quickly. Naturally, I’m strong despite how I look. Sometimes His Highness Edwin asks me to carry things he can’t lift.”

Genevieve frowned.

“That’s kind of annoying.”

“That’s… reassuring…”

Even though Edwin had an untrained body, he should still be as strong as an average man.

Wasn’t it physically impossible for those twig-like arms to be stronger than Edwin?

However, Edelaine soon recalled that physical laws didn’t mean much in this world. Both magic and divine power were forces that defied physical laws.

Just when she thought she had gotten used to this world, common sense from her previous life would pop up at moments like this.

“Then lift me up… Ah, this doesn’t seem right either.”

If a photo were taken, it would make headlines as Saint abuse…

Edelaine looked down at Genevieve. Genevieve was slightly shorter than Edelaine, so her crown was positioned right in front of Edelaine’s eyes. Imagining herself climbing onto those frail shoulders, considering how thin she was and the height difference, anyone would curse at such a picture.

Moreover, due to the aftermath of comforting Genevieve who had been crying like a child just moments before, she looked particularly young. She felt like someone who needed to be protected.

Genevieve, perhaps reading Edelaine’s gaze, deliberately patted her own chest to appear brave.

It looked like she might break if hit hard, making everyone watching feel anxious.

“Don’t worry and just hold on. Ah, should I sit down?”

“No, then it’ll be harder when you stand up…”

“I told you I’m strong.”

“Th-then I’ll ask you a favor. Let’s find the ceiling entrance first. My eyes have gotten used to it now, so let’s look around too. There might be something useful.”

Looking around, it seemed to be a cabin used as a warehouse as she had guessed.

Next to the space where Edelaine and Genevieve had been lying, boxes and such were fixed to the walls and floor covered with thick cloth, and thick rope was hanging on the wall coiled in circles. It was too thick and heavy for Edelaine to lift alone.

‘Can Genevieve lift that too?’

Then escaping would become a bit easier.

While looking up at the ceiling searching for an entrance, Genevieve spoke as if talking to herself.

“You’re very calm, Lady Edelaine.”

“I guess you have to experience everything to know…”

“…”

“I’ve recently had a few experiences of waking up in unknown places…”

“…”

Genevieve, who had contributed to two of those experiences, couldn’t say anything.

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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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