Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 154

Just moments ago, she had been acting as if she knew nothing. Judging by Patrick’s assessment that Princess Mia was unaware, she was quite a capable actress.

“Please… It wasn’t us, we didn’t know…”

“Not knowing doesn’t absolve you, Princess. How long are you going to feign ignorance?”

Edwin, who had sent her to prison, kindly explained.

“Someone has to take responsibility for this, and I’ve decided that you’re the right person. That’s the end of it. Of course, we’ll catch the actual perpetrator too, but I don’t have the time to dig through every trash can to find them.”

Edwin’s hand brushed lightly across Mia’s cheek, lifting her chin so she had no choice but to meet his gaze.

“I was raised delicately, you see. My stomach is weak.”

So, excuse him if he felt nauseous at the sight of filth.

An angelic Crown Prince? What a load of…

Princess Mia bit her lip and frantically tried to think. She had to stop herself and Brubewein from being dragged into ruin because of the crime that idiot Kaitlyn had committed.

“We’ll hand over the real culprit, Kaitlyn Blair! You can do whatever you want with her—kill her or spare her—it’s up to you. Just please believe in the innocence of my kingdom! We never intended to defy the empire…”

Mia had no real patriotism for the Kingdom of Brubewein. She hated her miserable, impoverished homeland, which shackled Keith.

But just because she hated it didn’t mean she wanted to see it fall to ruin. Whether she liked it or not, Mia had been born and raised in Brubewein.

If she couldn’t cut ties with Kaitlyn Blair here and now, even if she survived by some miracle, her parents would kill her anyway.

She couldn’t even complain about the injustice of having the crime pinned on her without evidence.

That was the fate of a princess from a weak nation.

But no one in this room cared about her life.

Not Patrick Bertrand, who had danced with her three times and spoken to her at length. Not his family. Not Crown Prince Edwin, Saintess Genevieve, or the people around them, all too afraid of the consequences to protest.

Mia placed her last hope in the merciful, peace-loving Saintess. Crawling on her knees, she cried out to her.

“Saintess! Please save me! If this continues, my kingdom’s people will all die!”

“……”

“You know the people are innocent! Please, show mercy! Will you allow innocent lives to be sacrificed?”

Genevieve, who had remained silent, finally stepped forward. Mia noticed that the Saintess’s husband, a knight of the Imperial Guard, had a particularly cold gaze as he watched.

Genevieve knelt in front of Mia, meeting her eyes as she spoke.

“The mission God gave me is to purify tainted lands.”

“……”

“He never told me to bring salvation unto others.”

Genevieve found it almost surprising to see her own reflection in Mia’s hazel eyes, shaking like a leaf. The face looking back at her was devoid of mercy, cold and unfamiliar, even to herself.

If only the guilty were punished, then what sin had Genevieve committed as a child to deserve the suffering she endured?

While pigs and dogs fattened themselves without punishment, the innocent froze and died on the streets.

The world wasn’t beautiful. In truth, it wasn’t worth much.

Suffering and hardship were nothing more than personal misfortunes.

There was no meaning in misery.

That’s why God didn’t save the miserable.

At least, that was what Genevieve believed.

Even so, the reason she had quietly lived a life purifying the world was because it was Adeline Bertrand’s wish.

And because she hoped that the things Adeline loved could remain in a slightly cleaner world.

Genevieve’s love for Harrison, her dedication to purifying the world even to the point of exhaustion, all stemmed from something Adeline had said to her.

“You’re the protagonist of this world, Genevieve, so it’s okay for you to be as happy as you want.”

If proving her worth could allow her to think positively about herself, then maybe she could be happy. That’s why she worked so hard in her mission.

Without Adeline, the miracle she had brought to the world would never have blossomed.

If they were all destined to die in this tainted land, wouldn’t it be fair for the world to make a small sacrifice for Adeline?

Genevieve knew this was twisted thinking, but she didn’t feel guilty about it.

Princess Mia could have stopped that woman. She knew everything and still brought her along.

Failing to manage her people was her crime.

At that moment, Shane appeared, dragging an unconscious woman by the hair.

With little care, Shane threw the limp woman at Princess Mia’s feet. Mia instantly recognized her—Kaitlyn Blair.

“All this trouble because of a worthless woman.”

Shane dumped Kaitlyn’s belongings over her fallen body.

Though it was impossible to know if the items were real evidence, they appeared convincing enough on the surface.

But no one truly cared whether they were genuine or not.

Mia couldn’t take her eyes off Kaitlyn.

Not even when Shane Blanchard grabbed Kaitlyn’s disheveled black hair and severed her neck.

Keith.

Your other half is dead, too.

So easily. So meaninglessly.

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