Thought It Was 'The End', Only to Return to a Changed Genre - Chapter 9
And finally, the day arrived.
Shane happened to meet the female lead, the Saintess Genevieve, and brought her to the imperial palace.
It was said to be a coincidence that the female lead was invited to a house party where she was confined, and there she demonstrated her saintly abilities.
‘It’s not coincidence, it’s fate and destiny.’
Adeline was the only one in the world who knew this.
The world willed for the male lead and the female lead to meet.
The ‘Saintess’ was the only being who could save the world, and any nation or family that secured her was promised prosperity.
It was truly like winning the lottery.
It was natural to pocket her as soon as she was noticed, just as Shane had done the moment he discovered the Saintess.
Although he might not love the ‘Saintess’ Genevieve ‘yet’, it was only a matter of time.
In Adeline’s eyes, her fiancé, standing beside the Saintess as her patron, seemed to have finally found his place.
‘Yes, I knew you were never mine to begin with.’
Adeline turned a blind eye to the glances Shane gave her.
*
The ‘preparation’ to survive through this novel went smoothly.
She showed kindness to the boss of a criminal organization before he had established his power, became a useful piece to the Imperial Crown Prince, gaining his trust.
She saved a child destined to become an assassin and made him her servant.
She was kind to everyone and managed her reputation well. Fortunately, she was popular.
Even when rumors spread that Saintess Genevieve was a fake before her powers fully awakened, and that Shane was her lover, Adeline steadfastly supported her.
The only person Adeline distanced herself from was her fiancé, Shane.
She even urged him to break off their engagement and try to stay by the Saintess’s side.
It was bound to happen soon anyway.
“Do well, Shane. Everyone hopes you end up with the Saintess.”
“If you say that one more time, I’ll really get angry, Adeline.”
“Why get angry? I’m serious. I don’t mind.”
“I care about only you. I will never break off our engagement, so give up on that now.”
It didn’t go over well. It seemed he had yet to realize his feelings.
Adeline carefully set up a natural exit for herself.
She chose the day when the Saintess Genevieve was attacked by a hitman sent by a sorcerer.
Adeline heroically threw herself in front of the hitman attacking the female lead.
“No, no! Adeline!”
“Adeline!”
“Ugh!”
It was excruciating even though she had taken an paralytic.
Blood was really flowing.
‘It hurts like hell, really… I should have asked for a stronger paralytic.’
If the female lead had been fully awakened as a Saintess, she would have healed even a serious injury in no time, so it was really the only chance.
‘She won’t be deceived unless she sees the injuries with her own eyes…’
Saintess Genevieve needed to awaken through the ‘death’ of ‘Adeline’. Even if the scene or cause of death differed from the novel, showing her dying right before her eyes would be undeniable.
But Shane, who should have been far away, suddenly rushed over. He was always so busy, flitting from place to place.
“No, Adeline! Dammit, bring a healer right now!”
“Shane…”
It hurts, you bastard… Don’t shake me…
“If you close your eyes, I won’t forgive you! Please, wake up!”
What would he do if he didn’t forgive her? Even in that moment, Adeline was having silly thoughts.
In fact, she was in so much pain that she felt like crying if she didn’t distract herself.
It was the moment she had been waiting for all her life.
The moment to leave the tiresome ‘protagonists’.
Tears were brimming in Shane’s blue eyes. Crystal clear tears fell drop by drop.
“Adeline, look at me. You have to look at me, okay?”
The tears that fell on her cheek were lukewarm. Adeline slowly blinked her eyes. Almost screaming, Shane embraced her body.
“Why did you do this? Why would you…”
“I must protect the Saintess… the only… important one…”
“Is there really no one more important than you?! Stop talking nonsense!”
“Shane… the one you brought…”
“…Don’t call me tenderly… not now, please don’t go… Look at me, Adeline, please…”
It was deafening…
Had her fiancé, whom she had distanced since she was nine, always had such a loud voice?
Adeline moved her lips.
“I can’t see…”
“If you go like this, I’ll never forgive you. Don’t you dare. No, no…”
His grip tightened, his large body shook, and his face was almost terror-stricken.
Even for the usually shameless Adeline, her conscience was pricked at this moment.
Shane cried almost like he had gone mad. It was a scream like that of an animal who had lost its young.
He’s ‘still’ the same innocent fiancé and a childhood friend she had.
I will never hinder your future, Shane.
You must be happy. You really must be.
I’m really sorry for showing you such an ugly sight…
“I’m okay if you forget me… No, you must forget me… Do you understand? If you care about me, be sure… happy…”
“No, Adeline! Don’t die!”
Beautifully, let yourself love and be loved…
“Goodbye…”
It was a masterful performance.
T/N: Hello, this is Marmalade! Snowball is a bit too busy with school now, so I’ve adopted this novel! From now on, I’ll be translating this story <3