Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 78

That was something Edwin could not understand.

‘It’s amusing how a hound that ignores everyone else acts like a lapdog for one single person….’

A woman who had deceived him throughout his life would have only left him with a sense of defeat and misery.

Shane, having lost her, was left as an empty shell, waiting for his body to crumble, yet Adeline never once looked back at him.

But why?

Edwin couldn’t understand what about Adeline made Shane so desperately thirsty.

Sure, she was pretty, quite intelligent, cheerful, and had a refreshing personality, but there were many like her.

Moreover, Shane wasn’t the only one infatuated with Adeline.

Knowing how much Genevieve had struggled with her perceived incompetence as a Saintess, Edwin’s curiosity about Adeline, who had been the catalyst for Genevieve’s awakening, finally peaked.

‘I’m about to show my bad habits.’

Edwin chuckled to himself. He always found interest only in those who had other suitors.

“I might not be able to return to the mansion for a while, so what if I get anxious? Should I give Adeline a room? She can stay at the palace.”

“My room will suffice.”

“Adeline might feel uncomfortable. I want to ensure my friend’s comfort too.”

“I won’t be bringing her here in the first place. This incident has made her a definite target.”

Shane gestured towards Genevieve with his chin.

“I can’t have her near a person who’s so helplessly entangled with danger.”

“Why did you do that, Genevieve….”

Edwin sighed, looking at Genevieve. She responded.

“Lady Adeline keeps getting involved.”

“What?”

“I thought if I became the clear target, Your Grace would send Lady Adeline away, and we could take the opportunity to thoroughly clean up.”

“…….”

“You’ve sent Lady Adeline back to her family, right, Your Grace?”

Shane smiled faintly.

“I considered sending her to the shelter.”

“If you do that, Lady Adeline will starve. She barely eats even when you feed her directly.”

“True. She doesn’t eat well when confined.”

“She’ll also get angry.”

“Lately, we’ve been getting along better.”

Genevieve held her tongue but couldn’t completely hide her slight disappointment. Shane spoke,

“She seems to pity me quite a bit, so she’s been rather compliant. I won’t waste the opportunity to make her angry.”

“Please do so. Someone is targeting me, so I can’t go for her treatment for a while.”

“Don’t even think about going near Adeline.”

“Yes, I know. I won’t go….”

Edwin glanced at Harrison’s face and said.

“Genevieve, look at your husband’s face.”

It was clear that Harrison was overwhelmed by the abnormal conversation about confinement, shelters, and forced feeding. Genevieve tightly held Harrison’s hand and said,

“Harrison, this isn’t about me—it’s His Grace’s circumstances. I have no hobby of confining the person I love.”

“Uh, Jenny, th-there’s no need to worry about me. I didn’t hear anything… nothing at all.”

Edwin laughed heartily.

“A model of a palace guard.”

“Thank you.”

“Is that a compliment?”

Genevieve glared at Edwin, who spoke mischievously.

“Don’t bully my husband, Your Highness.”

“Ohh, I’m terrified.”

Edwin exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulders. Shane spoke up.

“Take your husband’s hand and go for a walk by the lake every day.”

“That’s a great idea. Harrison, let’s go on a date.”

While someone is being isolated for safety, you don’t care if my husband is in danger or not.

Edwin scoffed and silently wished for his palace guard’s safety, thinking he was the only one considering Harrison’s well-being.

***

Gregory stormed in with a stern face. Following him, Patrick closed the door quietly.

Jeff raised his hand to acknowledge his father and brother.

Emma also looked up and welcomed her husband and eldest son.

“Another incident?”

With a blank face and dry tone, it was impossible to sense any emotion, but his green eyes, identical to his daughter’s, gleamed with a sticky emotion that hinted at his inner thoughts.

Jeff replied.

“I heard an ogre appeared in the hall. Shane and the Saintess handled it together.”

“Did it appear or was it summoned?”

“Logically, an ogre wouldn’t just appear in the middle of a building, so it must have been summoned. They’re organizing an investigation team to look into it.”

Adeline raised her hand slightly.

“Father, why am I here?”

The sharp atmosphere instantly softened. Gregory blinked once and looked at Adeline.

“Adeline. I heard you weren’t hurt, but seeing you safe with my own eyes is a relief.”

He decided not to ask when or from whom he had heard it.

Adeline believed in not digging too deep into frightening truths.

Sometimes, ignorance truly was bliss. If knowing wouldn’t change anything, it was better not to know.

“Yes, but… shouldn’t I go to the Blanchard estate?”

“You’ll stay here until the Duke of Blanchard returns.”

“I didn’t hear anything about this. Jeff suddenly came to fetch me—”

“We can’t leave you alone in an unpredictable situation.”

Adeline realized.

It was a gentle way of saying that her caretaker had changed.

“Go ahead and wait a little while.”

“I can just wait here.”

“Do you dislike being apart from me that much?”

“…….”

“I love you, Adeline. I’ll miss you.”

Under the direction of her affectionate warden.

That night, Adeline called Lucian through Lloyd.

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