The bracelet had once made headlines in the newspapers. It was a notorious magical tool used to sever the hands of a young boy who had secretly stolen from his master after promising never to do so. The price was astronomical, and since only two pairs existed on the entire continent, they were famously difficult to obtain. However, Odette happened to have a high-grade sapphire necklace and garnet earrings that needed to be disposed of immediately. Thanks to those jewels, she

The housekeeper and the head maid stood behind the Countess like soldiers awaiting orders, their faces set as if they had been anticipating this day for a long time. [Sasha] "Search that woman's room! Every inch of it!" [Becker] "Madam! This is too much! You are only doing this because you envy the authority the Young Master granted me!" The uproar drew the rest of the household. Servants and maids abandoned their chores, rushing to witness the scandalous scene unfolding in t

Karl had been dragged away by the Count and locked in the annex's underground dungeon. On his back, a freshly seared mark of servitude—a slave brand—was plain to see, having been added only this morning. It was a cruel trace left by Zion, who had insisted on branding Karl once again directly over his existing scars. [Ulrich] "Tsk, tsk. I really have no desire to inject you with these drugs. But since my daughter insists, I have no choice." As the layered more restraints onto

Hostility burned within those crimson eyes. Zion and Karl never had a bad relationship, even in the "Reverse Harem Route." Even in the story path where they shared Charlotte, they were usually indifferent to one another, respecting each other's boundaries. [Zion] "You have absolutely bizarre taste. No money, no power. You actually like a boy who can only survive by clinging to you like a parasite?" She wondered if something was physically wrong with his mouth for such vitriol

[Ferdinand] "What is taking you so long? …And you, what are you doing in that dress?" Zion was expected to arrive with Karl at any moment. When Odette failed to appear, Ferdinand had come to find her himself. [Odette] "Mother gave it to me as a gift. How does it look to you, Brother?" She offered him a radiant, innocent smile, as if she were completely unaware of the tension she was causing. He ground his teeth, his voice a low, savage growl. [Ferdinand] "Tsk… That damned wom

Unlike the tents of other traveling gypsies, the interior of this shop was as neat and tidy as a modern coffee house. However, the silk curtains blocking out the natural light, the plush black carpet, and the soft glow from silver candelabras gave the space a mysterious atmosphere typical of a fortune teller’s den. In the center of the room, a woman sat on a sofa, cradling a crystal ball. Behind her, a celestial map drawn in glowing paint shimmered faintly, creating an eerie,

The Count’s private bedroom was filled with the sound of ragged breathing until one of the two figures entangled in the sheets rose. It was Mrs. Becker, her expression weary. [Ulrich] "After all those exhausting negotiations with Zion, all I managed to get out of him was Karl! Dammit!" [Ulrich] "There isn’t a single person as repulsive and vicious as Marquis Kleist." He had spent the entirety of their secret tryst complaining about the Marquis. Only after he finally fell int

[Odette] "Oh, brother. Have you returned from the Imperial Palace?" She wore an expression of wide-eyed innocence, staring directly at his horrified face as if she had no idea why he was upset. [Ferdinand] "Why are you sitting here all by yourself without any supervision? Answer me! Who gave you permission?" He had likely just come back from seeing Zion at the palace. Zion’s capacity for mockery knew no bounds; after tormenting the Count with false hope and the discarding him

[Maid 1] "What on earth are you talking about?" [Maid 2] "During the Foundation Festival, a fortune teller set up a shop in Canaris Plaza. She predicted that the Crown Prince’s berserk symptoms would vanish as soon as the festival ended!" [Maid 1] "Wait, is that the place right across from the Count’s casino?" [Maid 2] "...You know about it too?" [Maid 1] "Good grief. That woman even said a meteor shower would fall on the final day of the festival!" The other maids began to c

The golden light faded from his eyes, returning them to a perfect, chilling violet. His expression shifted into one of genuine surprise, as if the fact that his brainwashing had been broken was truly shocking to him. [Zion] "That was... impressive, Albrecht. Are you a Transcendent rather than a Purifier? I’ve never seen anyone withstand that before." The wretched man actually looked as if he were admiring her. [Zion] "You’ve got me there, Albrecht." He admitted defeat, yet he

There were only about thirty minutes left. I should have chosen not to check that bastard’s loathing level. At least then, I might have avoided this hideous mental debuff. Just as she felt a flicker of relief, believing she could reach the hotel with time to spare, a heavy sound echoed through the air. Thud! A man dropped from the sky, landing heavily before her. [Odette] "...Ah." It was an entrance that felt strangely familiar. That wretched man. She stared at him with a bit

He felt as though he could never stop these impure thoughts while in her presence. His emotions had always been neatly refined. The feeling of becoming vulgar, or the sensation of being unilaterally unsettled, was foreign to him. He felt that if he met those calm, blue-green eyes, he would feel like a criminal facing interrogation in a torture chamber. What if she saw through these dirty feelings? What if she mocked his desire? What kind of torture complex is this? What is sh

Their relationship was said to be so antagonistic that no one would ever guess they were a Transcendent and a Purifier. It seemed he was determined to torment her by any means necessary. [Zion] "And besides, I don’t find that woman all that repulsive." His voice sounded as if the words themselves were strangling him. Sure, sure. I understand. You must find her quite repulsive to speak in such a strained tone. It’s sarcasm. It has to be. In the end, Max took the side of his co

The Kleist Bank It was a building that looked more like an opera house than a bank. The structure appeared practical, yet it never sacrificed aesthetic beauty—a perfect reflection of its master. She stopped her horse in front of the building, which reminded her of the Beaux-Arts style she had studied during her life as Han Suwan. [Odette] "Whoa, easy now." Dismounting, she bit her lip as she checked a watch engraved with the crest of the Marquis von Kleist through the fine me

The Imprint. It was the sacred oath of the Fenrir clan, a vow to serve and protect a partner as one's eternal companion. Rooted in the nature of the wolf tribe, who loved only one person for their entire lives, the tradition symbolized a loyalty that transcended time. Once the vow of the Imprint was made, the one who gave the oath could no longer use physical force against their partner. Conversely, they could exert ten times their normal physical strength against anyone who