Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 110

‘Just how many sins was [Adeline] going to commit?’

Choices create countless crossroads.

The dream Adeline was seeing was a possibility that should have happened but was disrupted because it didn’t.

However, unlike before, the many possibilities did not converge to one point.

[Adeline] was going to die anyway, but her death didn’t make anyone happy. In a way, it was comforting to think it meant there was no predetermined ending for her future.

But this was unbearably hard to endure.

Adeline held the dying Shane in her arms. Watching the person who seemed impossible to kill grow cold in her embrace. Even knowing it was a dream, she couldn’t stop the tears from welling up.

“Adeline….”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Shane….”

“…….”

The agony of watching a cherished person die was more excruciating than she could have imagined.

It felt like something was blocking her throat, suffocating her. As her tears fell onto Shane’s pale cheeks, he let out a weak laugh.

“Serves you right.”

“…….”

“Now you understand….”

Shane’s large hand cupped Adeline’s cheek.

A blood-stained hand.

What good was knowing it was a dream? Adeline just wanted to die quickly. If it wouldn’t end until she died, it would be better if she died first. Why should she have to see him die in life?

Anyone.

Just kill me too, please.

She needed to find out who killed Shane, but she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Adeline cried out like a beast.

“I want to die too. I’ll die too, Shane. I won’t let you go alone….”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Why would I, with you….”

“If you don’t like it, don’t go, don’t die. If you die, I’ll die too….”

Shane’s face twisted in pain.

Someone, please end this dream. Adeline sobbed desperately. Then someone approached them from behind and whispered.

“Granted.”

It was Edwin’s voice. As Adeline turned in shock, her heart was pierced.

Adeline looked at Edwin. Someone was standing next to him.

She couldn’t see that face.

***

It would be better to die.

“Ugh….”

Adeline sobbed, covering her face with both hands.

The heightened emotions didn’t disappear just because she woke up.

When she was the only one being killed, she could endure the lack of sleep and the nightmarish feelings. That was all she could bear.

But seeing her loved ones die one by one, it was not something she could witness with a sane mind.

The pale faces, the hands falling away from cheeks, the blood-curdling laughter—all of it lingered, and the tears wouldn’t stop.

Was this retribution?

‘What did I do to Shane and Genevieve….’

The two had to witness such horrors not in dreams but in reality. The guilt weighed heavily on her heart.

Adeline calmly recalled the situation in the dream.

She had to remember. Otherwise, she would lose to this nightmare.

Shane had died once in the dream, and in the next dream, he was injured.

Foreign guests invited to the Winter Founding Festival arrived by ship. During an event attended with the Crown Prince to welcome them, materials collapsed over Adeline, and Shane got injured trying to save her.

He wouldn’t have been hurt if he hadn’t tried to protect her.

Adeline was about to get angry at Shane….

‘Why did I wake up?’

She realized belatedly that she had woken up before dying in the dream.

What happened?

Surely it was supposed to end with her death, but she couldn’t remember the scene of her dying.

Adeline took a short breath and pressed her eyes with the back of her hand. At that moment, Shane grabbed her hand and pulled it away.

“Adeline.”

“Shane… you weren’t asleep?”

Shane, instead of answering, frowned and stared at her.

“How could I sleep when you’re crying?”

“Oh… I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize.”

Shane picked up the wet towel placed on the side table. Lloyd had brought it in the middle of the night.

Lloyd must have noticed she was having trouble sleeping again. Adeline groaned and held her head. Even if she insisted she was fine, she couldn’t hide it from those who were with her all day.

“Tell me, Adeline. It’s been almost a month. What are you hiding?”

“I just couldn’t sleep….”

“That’s a terrible lie.”

“It’s true.”

It was just a nightmare, nothing more.

Adeline looked at Shane’s dissatisfied face, then grabbed his cheeks with both hands. Shane seemed surprised for a moment but waited patiently with his head bowed.

‘Are you worried I’ll let myself die?’

No way.

This person is mine now. I’ll protect him.

Adeline kissed Shane’s forehead and said.

“It’s okay. It was just a strange dream.”

She was not lying.