Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 40
“Saintess, it’s time for lights out.”
“Alright. Just a moment… let me finish up here.”
Genevieve answered without turning around.
The prayer room was small and dark. Though she was a saintess, a servant of the goddess, Genevieve had never received a direct response from the deity she worshipped.
The Goddess who had granted people fate and abilities merely observed.
The maid, who had been waiting to attend to the saintess, reminded her of the time again, and Genevieve reluctantly tidied up and stood.
Her husband, being the crown prince’s guard, was not around to meet her anyway. Despite being newlyweds and receiving frequent leaves, the guard usually stayed at the palace, and the saintess could not leave the church.
If asked if she missed him, she would say she did, but not desperately.
He was a good person… but honestly, Genevieve simply wanted a family.
‘I want to have a child soon…’
Could a saintess even take a maternity leave…?
If she had to leave for purification missions again, childbearing would be impossible. She didn’t know if the goddess’s blessing extended to her future child or just her.
“If you overwork yourself, it will harm your health.”
“Don’t worry. I’m strong.”
The Goddess had granted various abilities to make it easier to exploit her servant.
To not feel hungry even without eating.
To survive without sleep.
At least to keep moving.
Some might call it a miracle, but to Genevieve, it felt like a curse of labor.
Especially considering the circumstances under which she awakened these abilities.
Genevieve recalled Adeline’s worried gaze. Telling her not to overwork herself, to say no if she didn’t want to. The warmth of the two hands that held hers was comforting, but it left her with a strange feeling.
You don’t know.
How much I’ve missed you all this time, not even a bit.
How often I cried, feeling sorry for you…
During the hardest time of my life.
When I was accused of falsely claiming the glory of the saintess, though I never proclaimed myself as one.
Genevieve wanted to throw everything away. She only felt resentment towards Shane for bringing her here as a saintess. She was grateful he saved her from hell, but she thought he had pushed her into another.
Adeline had personally taken care of Genevieve, who was scared of Shane. She took her around, feeding her delicious food and showing her nice things.
Telling her to smile.
Telling her she was the protagonist of her life.
After losing such an Adeline, Genevieve obeyed Shane’s orders out of guilt.
Though she was also scared, the pressure to be a useful existence was greater.
She had sacrificed the only person who had ever been on her side.
No one blamed her or questioned her about it, but forgiving herself was difficult.
“The air is getting chilly in the early mornings now.”
“Winter will be here soon. Then Your Eminence will have to travel far again.”
“I was told I wouldn’t be going far this year. His Holiness the Pope said he isn’t feeling well this winter and wants me to stay close. It seems he has many tasks for me.”
“Even though he’s already busy with the upcoming wedding of Duke Blanchard…”
“My busy schedule isn’t just because of that.”
“His Grace is too much. He assigns you such a big task and expects it to be done within a month, and of all people, he asks Your Eminence to officiate…”
“Don’t you think I’m the right person for it? The Duke is my benefactor, and so is Lady Bertrand.”
“…But…”
What she wanted to say was obvious.
Where do those rumors about their ‘affair’ keep coming from?
Even when the marriage is already arranged.
‘If being scared and having my heart race counts as having feelings, then yes, my heart races!’
She had only ever felt like a frog in front of a snake when facing the Duke. She wondered why these rumors kept resurfacing.
With a sense of resignation, Genevieve quickened her steps instead of responding.
She had hurried into her marriage because she wanted a family, but she had also hoped that having a husband would disentangle her from Duke Blanchard. However, marriage alone wasn’t enough.
I need to have a child soon. Maybe if I become a married woman with children, these absurd rumors will disappear…
Just then,
An arrow whizzed past Genevieve’s eyes and embedded itself in the stone wall.