Chapter 5

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 3. The Villainess Revives (3)

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Crown Prince Edwin was the person Edelaine had suspected the most of being the culprit who would kill her.

Even as the villainess, 'Edelaine Bertrand' was a character with enough status to attempt assassinating a saintess candidate. She had guards, and she resided in facilities that were generally well-secured.

To assassinate or poison such a person and avoid being identified as the culprit, one would need even greater power.

So she had a strong suspicion it would be either the male lead Shane or Crown Prince Edwin.

Their personalities fit the bill, too.

A sinister control freak and sociopath.

With golden hair that seemed to melt in the sunlight, clear round eyes, and jewel-like sky-blue irises, he looked radiantly angelic like something out of a religious painting on the outside—but his insides were the complete opposite.

'I thought the crown prince was the only character like that, but it turns out my childhood friend was even worse in this reality...'

Her eyes had been no better than a knothole.

"I'm not surprised at all. How boring."

"Looks can be deceiving. I'm plenty shocked."

No matter how leisurely she smiled and spoke, not a shred of sincerity came through.

Edwin approached with elegant steps and sat in the seat across from her.

"When I got the message at dawn, I thought either Shane had finally lost it so bad he was seeing ghosts, or I was dreaming. One of the two."

"I wish it had been one of those..."

"But you're really alive. Is this what it feels like to have your eyes open in a dream? What a strange sensation."

"You're not listening to a word I say..."

Was this what they called collective delusion?

But on the other hand, she was glad he hadn't changed a bit. Especially since the person next to her had changed far too much.

"What trick did you pull?"

"What trick?"

"What trick did you use to fool Shane right in front of him?"

Shane answered in her place.

"Lucian Cole cooperated."

"Lucian Cole? The mad Lucian?"

"Yes, that Lucian Cole."

"That lunatic knows how to cooperate...?"

Edelaine stared intently at Shane's profile.

Lucian had cooperated with Shane too and sold her out. She was determined to find out how much he'd gotten paid.

"The youngest daughter of a marquis isn't someone you just meet easily. You never mentioned having connections like that. How'd you get so chummy?"

"He cooperates even without being chummy, apparently."

When Edelaine replied curtly, Shane chuckled softly and said,

"Just give him money."

"......"

Either way, if Lucian had cooperated, she could roughly understand the process even without details. Edwin spoke up.

"Edelaine, did you commit some crime?"

"Me? You know I could live without laws."

"It wouldn't have been necessary to fake your death and wash your identity unless it was a serious crime."

"......"

"Even a serious crime..."

Edwin glanced sideways at Edelaine. The nuance was clear: if she'd just told Shane, he would've handled it. Back then, she'd thought such words were lame jokes and inwardly cursed him for assuming everyone was like her. Now she knew.

Birds of a feather really do flock together.

"Did you kill someone?"

"I didn't kill anyone!"

"A high noble or church official? Or maybe foreign royalty?"

"I said I didn't kill anyone!"

"Then why'd you do it?"

"......"

Because the world hates me...!

She couldn't bring herself to spit out that truth—it sounded like peak middle-school syndrome, utterly chilling.

Edelaine clamped her mouth shut.

Beyond the embarrassment, she just couldn't say it.

In regression or possession stories, protagonists often dragged out the plot by hiding their true identities, making things frustrating.

They might get hurt knowing they're just novel characters?

A little hurt won't kill them.

They might call her crazy or spout nonsense and chase her out?

She'd begged to be sent to a monastery since she clearly wasn't right in the head, or to be exiled far away for recovery, but they never allowed it. Of course, they never believed her either.

As a reader, she'd cursed protagonists for not just spilling the truth when reading, but now as the one in the situation, it wasn't easy.

'Every time I try to say it or even think about it, I die horribly, so of course I can't!'

Whenever she tried to confess her secret—or even considered it—that night she'd die gruesomely in nightmares, and so would the person she told.

She'd never even considered telling Shane or Genevieve, so she didn't know about them, but every time with Lloyd, it ended with her dying in some gruesome way.

Edwin watched the silent Edelaine for a moment before speaking.

"So what's the reason you came to me? If you've gone this far on your own, you didn't need to report to me."

"We'll hold the wedding as soon as possible."

"Wed... what?"

"I'm just informing you. Our engagement already received His Majesty's permission long ago."

"...True enough..."

Edwin glanced at Edelaine briefly.

Edelaine's face was full of things she wanted to say. Her eyes were already raining down curses, but no words came out.

'She's being blackmailed.'

It was obvious. Probably holding Genevieve or her family hostage.

Edwin figured Shane would lock Edelaine away.

Just looking at his lifelong obsession showed his possessiveness wasn't normal—and Edwin would've done the same.

But now he saw.

Edelaine wasn't the type to stay locked up obediently.

She could deal with Lucian Cole in secret, so who knew what else she'd pull off? No room for carelessness. To keep her from escaping again, he'd have to tie her down using the terrain wisely.

"Fine, whatever. Do as you like. Genevieve's probably next to die."

Edwin clapped once, signaling the end of the talk.

Shane stood first and offered his hand to Edelaine. But she ignored it and rose on her own.

Edwin lightly embraced Edelaine's shoulders and said,

"Welcome back, Edelaine."

"Put some spit on those lying lips first."

"It's true. Truth is, handling Shane was getting tough lately."

"......"

He said it so matter-of-factly, but Edwin had been genuinely shocked at dawn.

This wasn't someone who'd died on the battlefield—it was someone stabbed by an assailant's blade in front of a crowd while saving the saintess. Plenty of witnesses, including Shane Blancard himself.

She'd fooled Shane and all those people, faked her death, and escaped. Edelaine was seeing her in a new light.

Recognizing and utilizing a subordinate's talents—that was a ruler's virtue, Edwin believed.

"Looks like I'll be relying on you a lot from now on."

Watching Edelaine's face darken, Edwin chuckled inwardly.

Edelaine hadn't changed at all, amazingly.

'Even as many people changed while you were gone.'

That was her burden to bear.

*

"Shane, let's talk."

If she just sat there blinking, she'd end up as the resurrected darling of the century, heading to a wedding ending with the male lead.

She could stomach the nonsense about century-spanning love or resurrection, but she had to block the actual marriage.

It had fizzled out after meeting Emma, but now she resolved to beg on her knees if needed. No physical escape seemed possible, so emotional appeals it was.

And later, headlines like [Miraculously Resurrected Marquis's Lady Suddenly Dies from Maladjustment! Waves of Mourning Spread] could follow.

The moment she boarded the carriage, she opened her mouth, but Shane replied as if he'd anticipated it.

"No breaking the engagement."

"That's not even what I was going to—no, actually it is, but more importantly..."

"Sorry?"

"That's part of it too. But."

"No compensation needed."

"......Then you really want to marry?"

Edelaine made a strangled sound like she was choking, and Shane looked up at her as if it were a novel complaint.

"I've said that from the start."

"......"

"Don't pull any stunts, Edelaine. I don't want to do anything harsh either."

Well said. Edelaine bit her lip in frustration.

"This isn't harsh? Blackmail and forced marriage. You've been doing harsh things nonstop."

"Plenty gentlemanly. You still think you can escape, after all."

"......You read minds too, huh."

"Don't need mind-reading. You've been itching to run from me for ages."

"......"

Since realizing this world's truth at age nine, Edelaine had steadily tried to distance herself from Shane.

She knew pushing him hurt him, but she consoled herself that it was ultimately better for him.

Her young fiancé was a good person; when he eventually met his true love and betrayed her, he'd at least feel guilt. For his sake, better to drift apart now while feelings were shallow.

"Too late, Edelaine. All of Delmuse knows of your return."

"What's the point of a marriage like this?"

Edelaine clutched her head and hunched over. Her stomach already hurt, and now her head did too.

Shane was one of this world's protagonists.

Even if he didn't end up romancing the heroine Genevieve, his happiness was guaranteed. If not for her, he would've grasped that happiness with them.

Marrying the resentful woman who'd deceived and fled from him wouldn't achieve anything.

"You won't be happy this way..."

Shane reached out. His gentle touch cupped Edelaine's cheek.

"At least you'll be miserable."

"......"

"Forced to marry a man you hated enough to fake your death to escape."

A cold sneer glinted in the blue eyes gazing down at Edelaine's face.

"Hate it that much?"

"......"

"Enough to cry over it?"

Me.

No tears actually fell.

I'm not crying.

But Edelaine couldn't muster a single reply.