Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 214
- Home
- Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre
- Chapter 214 - (End of the Main Story)
âThe empress wasnât telling him not to have affairsâshe was telling him not to sire illegitimate children. How hard could that be?â
âWell, he must be quite⌠robust.â
âThey say itâs just a manâs instinct.â
âLiving by instinct alone hardly qualifies one as human.â
âTrue. But aside from your father, Iâve yet to meet a man who doesnât cheat.â
Emma let out a mock sigh and chuckled mischievously.
âIf your husband cheats on you, let me know right away. Iâll see to it that you divorce him immediately.â
âDo you think heâll cheat on me?â
âWell, you never know with people, so weâll just have to wait and see, right? But⌠it would be quite fascinating, honestly. The idea of him seeing someone else as a person, other than youâŚâ
Emma added nonchalantly that worrying about a flood in the desert might make more sense.
It wasnât the act of cheating that was unbelievableâit was the idea of him even viewing someone as human in the first place.
In a way, it was a testament to profound trust.
At that moment, Madame Rachel Harper knocked lightly on the door before entering.
âMay I interrupt?â
âWeâve been waiting for you, Rachel. Please, come in.â
Emma stood up to greet Rachel warmly.
Rachel set down the large case she had brought with her and winked.
âReady for this, Adeline?â
To Adeline, it sounded like, âAre you prepared for battle, soldier?!â
It was time to show the results of her physical training with her tiger-drill-sergeant husband. Adeline nodded solemnly, bracing herself.
She lost spectacularly.
A mere month of training was nowhere near enough to keep up with Emma and Rachel, who seemed utterly tireless.
In her past life, Adeline was the type to walk into a store, grab what she needed, and leave.
While she enjoyed shopping, she had no interest in comparing products or deliberating over choices.
How could two nearly identical products prompt a 30-minute debate? Why not just buy both? But no, they insistedâit was about choosing the one that fit best. Adeline couldnât wrap her head around it.
Two hours in, she gave up and resolved to play the role of a doll, keeping her mouth shut.
Not that there was anything else she could do.
The ordeal didnât even end in a day. Rachel and Emma visited the Blanchard estate daily for a week. Emma seemed so thrilled to be shopping with her daughter that Adeline couldnât bring herself to complain.
Well, whatâs a little exhaustion compared to making my mother this happy?
But physical stamina and mental endurance were entirely different matters. It was like preparing meticulously for battle only to be wiped out by an unexpected bombing.
She found herself longing for the comfort of her cozy prison.
âSo thatâs why you look so worn out?â
Genevieveâs voice carried a hint of amusement.
âI donât even have the energy to speak anymoreâŚâ
âAnd here I thought you were indulging me with a rare date.â
âNo way! I have to rally! Youâre busier than I am, yet you came to see me!â
Adeline, who had been slumped over the table, quickly straightened up.
I canât let my female lead down!
Even though she now knew this world was no longer a novel, Genevieve remained Adelineâs âfemale leadâ.
To Adeline, the âfemale leadâ was someone she always wanted to support and see happy.
That would never change.
Genevieve caught her eye and smiledâa radiant smile.
It wasnât the teary, wavering smile from when they first met, nor the exhausted, resigned smile from their reunion.
The shadowed face of the girl from their first meeting was entirely gone.
Genevieve now shone as brightly as the sun. But Adeline, more than anyone, knew how much pain Genevieve had endured and transformed into strength.
That made her even more admirable.
* * *
It was a perfect day.
The resplendent ceremonial robes and neatly pinned platinum blonde hair further enhanced Genevieveâs beauty.
Even the sunlight seemed like a blessing.
As applause thundered around her, Genevieve stood tall, smiling boldly like the goddess.
What does it mean to be a protagonist?
Who could have imagined that the stunning new pope had once looked so weary and defeated, like a lowly assistant beside her manager?
Clapping along with the crowd, Adeline mused that Genevieve was truly living the life of a protagonist chosen by this world.
A tragic birth, a painful upbringing, dramatic social ascension, and personal growth.
But this world wasnât a novel, and Genevieve wasnât the only protagonist.
If everyone were their own protagonist, then what were they born for?
If life wasnât about dying for someone else, how was she meant to live her own?
If she, too, was a protagonist, then what should she do now?
To Adeline, a protagonist was bound by certain obligations, along with the trials they faced.
They must find happiness in the end.
They must love.
They must laugh.
As a lifelong reader who wished for every story to have a happy ending, Adeline believed this was the duty of any protagonist.
Being a protagonist isnât easy.
It was no less challenging than being a villain who quits halfway through the story. There was still a long road ahead.
Adeline reached out and took Shaneâs hand. Shane smiled out of habit, unaware of what she was thinking, and just as naturally, he kissed her.
âShane.â
Instead of chiding him for their public display, Adeline simply called his name softly.
âIâll make you happy, no matter what.â
âImpossible, Adeline.â
ââŚâŚ.â
âI couldnât possibly be happier than I already am.â
Adeline chuckled.
They would laugh.
They would love.
And in the end, they would be happy.
*
From a distance, Keith watched them for a long time.
He smiled smoothly, his face free of any scars, and prepared to return to the emperorâs side.