Thought It Was ‘The End’, Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 47

After Genevieve left, Adeline headed to the dining room for breakfast.

The way every servant she met bowed their heads as if they had seen something they shouldn’t have was so awkward it was driving her crazy.

For her to have started with a drinking party before formally introducing herself…

They must have been wondering what kind of woman the new madam was.

‘They must think I’m really weird …’

Oh well, she was going to become even weirder.

There was nothing to fear for someone who had decided to be shameless. Adeline held her head high. Lloyd, walking from the opposite direction, saw her and said,

“I told you not to hold it in. You’re making a strange face again.”

“……”

“The dining hall is this way.”

Lloyd seemed to have already sorted out the hierarchy with the household staff. He gave a nod to the maid guiding Adeline, who then bowed her head and left as if fleeing.

“There aren’t many people here considering the size of the place. It won’t be hard to take control.”

“We didn’t come here to fight…”

Adeline, who had been strutting around like a rooster just moments ago, seemed to forget her own behavior.

“He only kept the quiet and docile ones. When the former Duke left for the countryside estate, he took the long-serving staff with him. The head butler is new and hasn’t been here long. The staff changes frequently.”

“Does Shane treat people harshly?”

“More like he rarely comes home.”

“Wow, that’s great.”

Lloyd chuckled lightly at Adeline’s transparent joy, and she laughed along with him.

Indeed, the atmosphere at the Blanchard manor had changed significantly. It used to be the typical residence of a high-ranking noble.

When you entered the main gate, the servants would line up and greet you. They all had stiff, tense expressions. It felt like the house of someone who knew how to overwhelm visitors.

‘Before I was nine, I used to come here quite often…’

After the previous Duchess Blanchard passed away, Adeline, worried about the young fiancé left alone, tried to keep him company.

They had spent nearly a year together. Adeline cared for Shane, but he also seemed lonely and often sought out his young fiancée, making all sorts of excuses. He must have really hated being alone at home.

As Adeline looked up, her eyes fell on the portraits of the former Duke and Duchess hanging on the wall.

The former Duchess was a stern beauty. The epitome of a noblewoman, emphasizing dignity and elegance, befitting her status as a former imperial princess.

Adeline stared into the eyes of the former Duchess in the portrait, which had the same hue as Shane’s, then shifted her gaze to the portrait of the former Duke beside her. The former Duke also had a stern and rigid expression, much like his wife.

The mansion they guarded was sunk in a suffocating silence, like a stone.

Adeline suddenly wondered about the time Shane had been inevitably left alone in this mansion. Until she left Delmuz, Shane was still the duke’s heir who lived here with the former Duke. Their relationship didn’t seem particularly warm even then.

“Master.”

“Oh, sorry. Let’s go.”

“You’ll have to go alone now. I’m off to see Lucian.”

“Without having breakfast?!”

“I got up at 5 AM and already ate.”

“Without me?!”

“At that time, you were…”

“…….”

Adeline pressed her lips together.

She had been… sound asleep in Shane’s arms.

Instead of pointing that out, Lloyd asked sharply.

“Should I have risked my life to wake you up just to have breakfast together?”

“…No…”

“Then make sure you eat well. I’ll check later to see if you left any vegetables.”

He’ll make me eat the leftovers if I’m picky. Adeline nodded obediently. Lloyd was the kind of person who followed through.

“Be honest. Even if you hadn’t eaten, you wouldn’t have come with me, right?”

“Yes. We wouldn’t have been able to eat together anyway… I don’t want to see him.”

There was no need to say whom she didn’t want to see.

Lloyd had disliked Shane even when he was gentle. Shane had brief interactions with Lloyd but didn’t seem to acknowledge him much. They were aware of each other’s existence but tried to ignore it.

The fact that Lloyd could come to this mansion with her was thanks to Shane agreeing to it, but they didn’t speak directly.

“He hates me too.”

Lloyd added with a twisted smile.

“And rightly so.”

Instead of replying, Adeline patted Lloyd’s shoulder and told him to be careful. Lloyd nodded with his usual impertinent expression and turned away.