Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 149
The night had fallen, and it was about time to go to bed.
After Patrick and Jeff, Gregory also stopped by briefly to check in.
Unlike his usual warm demeanor, he seemed awkward, hovering around without saying much. When he asked if she needed anything, and Jeff mentioned that he had already stocked up on everything, Gregory just nodded sheepishly and left.
Though the whole situation felt absurdâshe was being confined against her wishes right now, but she was being visited as though she was a patient in a recovery home.
Adeline couldnât muster the strength to argue, feeling guilty herself. If she hadnât felt this guilt, she might have already thrown herself on the floor, protesting against this inhumane treatment.
But she was too much of an adult to act that way now.
âShall I sleep beside you?â Lloyd offered, as if doing her a favor.
Adeline, already prepared for bed, chuckled when she saw him. Why didnât anyone else notice how adorable he was? He was so honest.
âYou look like youâd hate that.â
He was sometimes so painfully honest, it was almost infuriating.
âI do hate it. But isnât it better to have some warmth?â
âHugging a pillow is enough. I donât really need warmthâŚâ
âIf you really canât sleep, just call me.â
The way he said it, so solemnly, like he was offering himself up for some noble sacrifice, made her laugh. It wasnât as if she were some corrupt official forcing him into servitude.
âIâll call you if I need to. Good night.â
âWell, if you insistâŚâ
With a prim expression, Lloyd, her ever-proper âChunhyangâ[1], closed the bedroom door and left.
Even after resting her head on the pillow, sleep didnât come easily. She didnât feel like sleeping.
âThe sorcerer is from the Kingdom of Brubewein.â
From the day the ship arrived, there had been an incident, so she had suspected that one of the guests might be a sorcerer.
She hadnât known the sorcerer was a woman until recently, but even then, since the sorcerer hadnât attacked her directly, she couldnât take any action. That, and Genevieveâs prescribed rest had left her unable to move.
âSo, the sorcerer hadnât changed her mindâŚâ
It was just that the sorcererâs plot had failed, so Adeline hadnât realized anything. But it seemed clear that something had been in the works.
In a way, that was a relief. The worst-case scenario would have been if the sorcerer had reformed.
She couldnât bring herself to kill an innocent sorcerer, one who had done no wrong, just so she could live happily. That was something Adeline could never do.
But if she didnât kill the sorcerer, there would always be the looming threat of something unprecedented happening, and the worldâunable to tolerate the existence of something that shouldnât beâwould push her toward eliminating that impurity.
She would be trapped in nightmares until the day she died.
But, fortunately or not, it seemed the sorcerer hadnât reformed and still wanted to kill the Saintess.
Whether the nightmares would end with the sorcererâs death, she couldnât be sure. But at least one major possibility would be eliminated.
â…Wait, why is she trying to kill me now?â
Adeline hadnât done anything to earn someoneâs grudge, especially from someone she didnât even know. She wasnât a public figure, nor did she hold any position of power that could influence events.
Unless the sorcerer was acting on the orders of the world itself, it made no sense for someone with no personal vendetta to come after her.
She felt suffocated by how little she knew.
âWhy do I have such terrible stats for an early-game villain?â
By now, in a game, youâd have leveled up and acquired better gear, but it was as if Adeline had been dragged to the final stage armed with nothing but a wooden stick from the start.
Trying to keep up with the powerful characters running and jumping all around her felt like her legs and lungs were being torn apart.
With a sigh, she leaned her head back against the pillow. Then, she suddenly sensed someoneâs presence.
Sitting up, she saw Shane.
âYou lock me up, and now you decide to show your face?â
She asked irritably, but there was no response.
It was hard to read his expression in the darkness. She shouldâve left at least one candle burning.
Adelineâs anxiety grew, fearing that Shaneâs eyes might still be as empty as before.
âShane, say something.â
â…Itâs not me who should be talking.â
Normally, Shane would have approached by now, but he kept his distance.
âYouâre the one who needs to say something.â
â……â
âWhat do you know?â
As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she could see more clearly. Adeline looked directly at Shane, and she involuntarily held her breath.
He looked like someone interrogating a suspect. His cold, emotionless blue eyes and expressionless face were studying her intensely, as if searching for something.
âIâll admit it, Adeline. I havenât been able to figure out what youâre hiding. Isnât it time you stopped keeping secrets?â
Even though his voice was soft, there was a layer of cynicism beneath it. It felt as though she had swallowed iceâher throat stiffened and ached.
