Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 206

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Adeline confessed the truth to Lloyd as well. Having explained it once to Shane, she found it a little easier to organize her thoughts this time.

At first, Lloyd listened with an expression that seemed to question her sanity, but by the end of her explanation, his mouth twitched as if suppressing the urge to swear. He was clearly holding back his frustration.

She explained her past life, the true nature of this world, the content of her recurring nightmares, and even her search for the mage that had plagued her. Lloyd had listened patiently, but when she got to the part about the poison and antidote, his composure finally cracked.

“You’re saying I killed you?”

“It was just in the dream, Lloyd. It’s not like you actually did it.”

“And of all poisons, I chose that one to kill you, Master?”

“Well… yeah. That’s how it was in the dream.”

The sound of Lloyd grinding his teeth was chilling. Adeline spoke meekly.

“Careful, Lloyd, you’ll hurt your jaw…”

If you use your joints recklessly while young, you’ll regret it when you’re older…

“And then, just in case, I was supposed to carry the antidote? What kind of idiot would trust me with that?”

“Why would I not?”

“You said the dreams were prophetic! What if I betrayed you? Why would you give me the antidote?”

“Because I knew you wouldn’t betray me.”

“Are you naïve, or just stupid?”

“Neither option sounds appealing…”

Even sharp words like daggers could feel oddly tolerable when you got used to them. Adeline smiled lightly, brushing off his scolding.

“If you really wanted to kill me, having the antidote wouldn’t make a difference. I trusted that you wouldn’t, so I didn’t waste time worrying about ‘what ifs’.”

“……”

“Were you disappointed? That I brought you along only for my own sake?”

“Why would I be? That’s a hundred times better than some pity from a noble’s youngest daughter.”

Lloyd scoffed.

“Whatever your reason, the fact that you saved me from growing up under Lucian’s thumb doesn’t change. If I’d grown up there, sure, I’d be wealthier now, but… still, knowing my past surprised you.”

Why is he so hung up on money?

“I like things as they are now.”

“Then that’s good…”

“So, no more nightmares, right?”

“Right. I think they stopped because the story’s villain was dealt with.”

If Keith were still alive, the nightmares might return, but for now, it seemed unlikely.

“I wish you’d told me earlier.”

Lloyd muttered regretfully.

“If you’d included me from the start, we could’ve been much more thorough. I would’ve helped prepare when you ran away. You wouldn’t have had to deal with all those mages and petty nuisances by yourself.”

“Sorry. I just… didn’t think anyone would believe me.”

First Shane, and now Lloyd—neither had doubted her for a second.

Adeline had expected resistance and skepticism, so their immediate trust left her feeling bewildered. Lloyd glanced at her and shook his head.

“Obviously. Did someone you share secrets with die or something?”

“My little brother—since when could you read minds?”

“I don’t need to read minds to know. You’d keep it all to yourself so we wouldn’t get dragged into it.”

Who was protecting whom, exactly?

Finally, Lloyd understood why Adeline had thrown everything away and gone into hiding.

He also remembered Shane Blanchard, who couldn’t stop grinning even while reluctantly leaving the estate. Just thinking about that man made Lloyd’s stomach churn.

Anyone who had seen Shane today would probably have been terrified. Shane Blanchard smiling like that was as unsettling as seeing the sun out at midnight.

Talk of past lives, novels, and dreams might have sounded like utter nonsense coming from anyone else. But knowing Adeline’s history, it made perfect sense.

As the mysteries unraveled, Lloyd felt a growing frustration.

He knew about Adeline’s five years in hiding—years she had endured alone.

It wasn’t a short time.

It had been a period she didn’t need to bear alone, but for Lloyd, those years had been happy ones. For Adeline, however, they must not have been.

Lloyd had often encouraged her to reclaim her status because he knew how lonely she felt, even as she ran away with only him.

He’d felt guilty—happy himself, but knowing she wasn’t.

“Why the face? You look like you’ve eaten something rotten.”

“I’m frustrated. If you’d just told me sooner, we wouldn’t have had to live like beggars in that collapsing house in the middle of nowhere.”

“I didn’t mind it. And we didn’t live that badly, did we?”

“I told you—I knew you were lonely.”

“Well, sure, sometimes I was. But I had you.”

“……”

“I was happy. Even there.”

Even when sharing the same time, memories could differ.

But realizing they hadn’t been happy alone—knowing they’d shared that happiness—lessened his guilt. It made Lloyd’s chest tighten with emotion, though he tried to hide it with a gruff tone.

“I know.”