Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 35

Shane spoke each word slowly and deliberately, his eyes fixed on the man sprawled on the ground.

Like a predator targeting its prey, the look in his eyes was undeniably brutal.

Adeline held her breath.

There was a hunting dog here.

‘His timing to appear is just like a male lead.’

But Adeline was not the female lead.

That was the problem.

The man, who had stood up angrily, would have been better off staying down.

“Damn it, who are you?! Guh—”

“I asked, what were you trying to do to her?”

“Well, that… uh….”

It was clear the alcohol had worn off and he had completely sobered up.

The man, now pale as a ghost, was stammering and gasping for breath.

“To my eyes, it looked like you were about to hit my fiancée with that hand.”

“M-Misunderstanding, it’s a misunderstanding, I would never….”

The man stuttered and broke out in a cold sweat. He couldn’t even lift his head under the murderous aura that felt like a thin blade slicing his skin.

“Oh, so you’re saying my eyes were mistaken.”

“No, no, uh….”

Adeline decided it was enough and tugged on Shane’s collar.

She might have thought it was okay if his life got a little ruined, but she didn’t wish for him to actually bite the dust.

After all, he was one of the few who spoke the truth occasionally. He was probably wetting his pants by now.

“Stop it, Shane.”

“What?”

Shane responded quickly without even looking at Adeline. His jaw muscles twitched tightly.

“Nothing happened.”

“If I hadn’t stopped it, something would have.”

“I could have dodged….”

“Weren’t you staying still on purpose to get hit?”

The icy criticism poured out. Shane glared at Adeline with a blank expression.

Adeline glanced away slightly.

“I tried to dodge.”

The grip around her shoulder tightened. Shane sneered as she winced in pain.

“Hurt by just this much?”

“Well, it hurts. I’m human.”

“That may seem like a joke, but he’s a man. If he had hit you with that hand, it would’ve hurt more than this.”

“When did I say it looked like a joke?”

“You closed your eyes and even let him hit you willingly. Did I see that wrong too?”

“…….”

“I don’t know what you were trying to gain by constantly throwing yourself into harm’s way, Adeline.”

Shane warned in a low voice.

“As long as I’m alive, you won’t get away with it.”

This was the first time she received such a harsh form of concern.

If it could be called ‘concern’ at all.

“And.”

Shane looked away from Adeline’s complicated expression and turned his gaze back to the man who had collapsed. The man, who had been trying to find a chance to escape, trembled at his weakened legs.

“It doesn’t make sense to leave the idiot who tried to lay hands on you alive.”

“Ugh, no….”

Even when they were verbally sparring, the people watching had been intrigued, but now they all averted their eyes from the sight of Shane stepping on the man’s ankle.

And even when a horrific scream echoed, no one stepped forward to help.

The music stopped, and Genevieve and Edwin approached, but they were no different.

“What are you doing, Genevieve! Stop Shane!”

“I can’t.”

Genevieve refused firmly.

Adeline looked at Edwin. He shrugged. She wanted to yank his shoulders off.

“I told you. He’s becoming harder to handle.”

“What kind of irresponsible comment is that! That man is also your subject!”

“Indeed. He seems to be the third son of the Count of Tate.”

“Are you just going to stand by and watch!?”

“Well, a public execution could pose a headache later on.”

Edwin spoke as if it were someone else’s problem.

Because it was someone else’s problem.

Genevieve chimed in.

“His Grace has a legitimate reason, doesn’t he? That man tried to lay hands on Lady Adeline.”

“Well, that’s true.”

“If it’s a hand-to-hand duel, there shouldn’t be an issue.”

“Then it’s not a crime. No problem at all.”

The saintess’s cold logic made Adeline look at her with a sense of betrayal, to which Genevieve responded.

“If His Grace intends to kill that man, no one can stop him. Honestly, I don’t want to stop him either.”

“Why is killing him the assumption? Murder is not acceptable!”

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