Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 28

Edwin figured Shane would lock Adeline up.

From a young age, he was a witness to Shane’s obsessive behavior and abnormal possessiveness. And, actually, he understood. If Edwin were in Shane’s position, he would have done the same.

But now he knew.

Adeline wasn’t someone who would quietly stay locked up.

If she could secretly make deals with someone like Lucian Cole, who knew what else she could do. They had to be cautious.

To keep her from escaping again, they needed to use the surroundings effectively.

“Alright then. Do as you please. But it looks like Genevieve will be in danger again.”

Edwin clapped his hands together. It was a signal that the conversation was over.

Shane stood up first and offered his hand to Adeline. She ignored him and stood up on her own.

Edwin lightly embraced Adeline’s shoulder and said,

“I’m glad to have you back, Adeline.”

“Stop lying through your teeth.”

“I’m serious. Honestly, it was getting hard to handle Shane.”

“……”

Despite his calm demeanor, Edwin had been genuinely shocked that morning.

Adeline hadn’t died in a battlefield but had been stabbed by an assailant while saving the Saintess in front of many people. There were many eyewitnesses, including Shane Blanchard.

She had deceived Shane and all those people, faking her death and running away. Edwin now saw her in a new light.

Recognizing and utilizing the talents of subordinates was a quality Edwin believed a ruler should have.

“It seems I’ll have to rely on you a lot from now on.”

As Edwin watched Adeline’s face darken, he inwardly smiled.

Adeline hadn’t changed at all.

‘Even though many others changing during your absence.’

But that was something Adeline would have to handle herself.

*

“Shane, we need to talk.”

If she continued to do nothing but lie around, she would truly become the resurrected woman receiving a century’s worth of love and end up marrying the male lead in a wedding ending.

She could tolerate the nonsense about a miraculous resurrection and a century’s love, but she had to stop this marriage.

Meeting Emma had delayed her plans, but now she was determined to beg with all her might. Since running away physically seemed impossible, she decided to appeal to his emotions.

And later, a headline like <Miraculously Resurrected Marquis’s Daughter Dies Suddenly, Unable to Adapt! Outpouring of Mourning!> would suffice.

The moment she got into the carriage, she started to speak, but Shane answered right away as if expecting it.

“No. I will not break off the engagement.”

“Well, that’s not exactly what I was going to say, but more importantly…”

“You’re sorry?”

“Yes, but…”

“I don’t need any compensation.”

“…Then are we seriously going to get married?”

Shane looked up at her as she gasped, feeling suffocated. He looked as if he had been expecting this.

“I told you from the beginning.”

“…….”

“Don’t try anything foolish, Adeline. I don’t want to do anything harsh.”

He sure knew how to talk. Adeline bit her lip in frustration.

“Isn’t this already harsh? Threatening, forcing marriage… You’re already doing harsh things.”

“I’m being quite gentlemanly. Considering you still have hope that you can escape.”

“…You can read minds too.”

“I don’t need to. You’re always thinking about running away from me.”

“…….”

Since realizing the truth of this world at age nine, Adeline had always tried to distance herself from Shane.

She knew pushing him away hurt him, but she consoled herself by thinking it would be better for him in the long run.

Her young fiancé was a kind person. When the time came, and he met someone he truly loved, he would feel guilty for betraying her. For his sake, she thought it better to distance herself now while their bond was still weak.

“It’s too late, Adeline. The whole of Delmuz already knows you’ve returned.”

“What’s the point of this kind of marriage?”

Adeline clutched her head and hunched over. Her stomach hurt, and now her head was starting to hurt too.

Shane was one of the protagonists of this world. Even if he didn’t have a whirlwind romance with Genevieve, he was at least guaranteed happiness.

If it weren’t for her, the two of them would have obtained that happiness.

Marrying a villainess who had deceived and fled from him wouldn’t achieve anything.

“Even if you do this, it won’t make you happy….”

Shane reached out, his gentle touch caressing Adeline’s cheek.

“At least you’ll be unhappy.”

“…….”

“Since you’ll have to marry a man you hated so much you’d much rather die to escape his clutches.”

In his blue eyes, looking down at her, there was a cold sneer.

“Did you hate it that much?”

“…….”

“Enough to cry.”

Did you hate me that much?

In all honesty, not a single tear fell.

She never cried.

Even so, Adeline couldn’t bring herself to respond.

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