Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 218
As Adeline began spending all her leisure time in the vegetable patch, people naturally started gathering around her.
âItâs not like youâre coming out, so I have no choice but to come to you.â
âI need to see you at least once a week to survive, Adeline.â
Emma and Genevieve were the core members.
Jeff, who often stayed at the Blanchard estate rather than his own Bertrand estate before and after his travels, and Rachel, who came to visit Jeff, were also regulars.
Unfortunately, Patrick couldnât visit often since he had returned to his territory, but whenever he did come, he brought Mia along.
Unofficially, Edwin and Lucian occasionally joined as well.
âIf someone wiped out just the people gathered here, wouldnât they be able to conquer the empire?â
By the time Adeline realized something strange was happening, it was already too late.
The gatherings around the vegetable patch grew more extravagant by the day.
Claiming the sun was too harsh for him, Edwin built a red-roofed gazebo. Every time Genevieve returned from her expeditions, she brought an abundance of local specialties, mostly food.
Seemingly feeling competitive, Jeff and Lucian also started bringing loads of items.
With so much food around, meals became inevitable.
Adelineâs vegetable patch, small enough to resemble a retired old manâs balcony garden, had turned into something akin to a luxurious camping ground. Despite only producing humble crops like potatoes, herbs, and tomatoes, the surroundings became unreasonably grand.
Rachel remarked,
âDid you know? People are calling these gatherings the âGarden Clubâ.â
âWhat? That sounds like some gardenerâs union or somethingâŚâ
It sounded like an incredibly suspicious group.
Genevieve chimed in,
âOh, Iâve heard that too. I guess itâs because we meet here so often. It does sound like weâre plotting something.â
âIt does sound quite suspicious, doesnât it? When in reality, itâs just a group of people overeating. Ugh, Iâve gained so much weight lately.â
The truth was far from grand.
Watching these central figures of the empire idly gather, eating seasonal foods and chatting, made Adeline wonder if it was alright for them to be so relaxed.
Even the conversations were utterly trivial.
âYou ate more than me.â
âNo way, I brought that.â
Rachel skillfully removed a well-roasted potato from a skewer and placed it on a plate. She plucked some herbs to garnish it, making the simple baked potato look like a fancy dish.
âAt first, she probably came to see Jeff, butâŚâ
Why one of the most celebrated designers in the capital was applying her exceptional aesthetic sense to something as mundane as baked potatoes was beyond comprehension. If this wasnât a waste of talent, then what was?
Still, she seemed satisfied, so who was Adeline to judge?
âIf sheâs happy, then let her be.â
No one would complain if a designer grilled potatoes, a pope sliced cheese, a crown prince drank wine, or a duke and duchess pulled weeds.
If there was no issue, there was no responsibility.
Right?
Adeline rubbed her stomach and swallowed the question she wanted to ask.
Are you all really doing your jobs�
Later, this gathering would become the most infamous secret society in the Green Windsor Empire, though its true nature was never fully revealed.
Fortunately.
*
One of Shaneâs daily rituals was watching Adeline while she slept.
There were times when he simply wanted to gaze at her endlessly, but she always felt burdened when she was awakeâlikely because she wanted to do whatever he wished.
But Shane didnât want her to do anything for him.
Even after holding her as tightly as he could, even after hearing her say âI love youâ dozens of times, his desire to simply look at her was never fully satisfied.
It wasnât because of a fear that she might disappear.
Sometimes, he just couldnât resist the urge to look at her.
Iâm glad you have so many things you cherish now.
And Iâm happiest because Iâm one of them.
Everything you love will become chains that keep you by my side, so I can accept even the things you love that arenât me.
If you had told me your secret earlier, I could have protected you. Thatâs my only regret.
If she had feared being killed or cast out by some âfemale leadâ, he would have eliminated that woman, whoever she was.
If she had feared being killed by a mage, he would have killed even an innocent person before they committed a crime.
If she had doubted his faithfulness, he would have gouged out his own eyes and handed them to her.
Whatever it took, he would have ensured her peace of mind.
He would have banished her nightmares.
It was a shame he hadnât done so when he had been by her side.
âThereâs nothing left to disturb your sleep now, Adeline.â
Today, Shane had severed Keithâs head.
As he kissed the tips of Adelineâs fingers, he hummed softly.
Our happy ending is perfect.
And it always will be.
penthesulia
Gotta admit I do love how Shane is coded as both the sweet loving ML and a complete and utter psycho. Is he the epitome of the Get You A Man Who Can Do Both meme?