KFBRV Ch 124

Mar 16
7 min read

[Rudolf] "W-What did you say?"

[Odette] "However, I couldn't possibly decide which of your chokers to open. So, discuss it between you soulmates and decide. I will follow your decision."

At that, Doly and Rudolf, faces pale, slowly turned their heads toward each other. Tension-filled gazes were exchanged.

Wondering what the other was thinking, Rudolf swallowed hard. Gulp.

[Odette] "Your relationship is strong enough to promise marriage, isn't it? We arrive at the port tomorrow afternoon, so give me your conclusion by dawn tomorrow. Then, before we reach the port, I will unlock the choker and secretly open the cage door for that person."

She emphasized once more.

[Odette] "Do not forget. Only until dawn tomorrow."

The two, lost for words, only watched each other warily.

[Odette] "Ah, just in case, it would be better not to think of running away together. That choker recognizes the person with the real key as its master. If you move more than a certain distance away from the Count, the choker will explode."

Saying this, she turned and left the storage room. Before she even closed the door, the sound of arguing could already be heard from inside.

[Rudolf] "D-Doly, you. If you have a conscience, you'll yield to me, right? In the first place, isn't it largely your fault that things went wrong?"

[Doly] "Are you crazy? Who was the one who planned this impossible scheme to begin with?"

Since it was already like that, it would be quite a spectacle by dawn tomorrow.

Biting and attacking. Their feelings for each other would likely deteriorate to the worst possible state.

Those two won't reach a single conclusion.

Odette closed the thick door. The sound of their fighting was cut off instantly.

She had no intention of releasing either of them. She merely sowed discord so they would hate each other to death.

So I have no use for this.

She threw the key into the sea with conviction.

Splash, the fallen key sank into the deep ocean.

Due to the height of the sailing ship, Odette failed to notice that the sea, touching the key that fell with a clear sound, momentarily emitted a scent of peach blossoms and glowed white.

The laundry maid Paula received the news very late. Because no maid wanted to talk to the fallen Paula.

Due to this, she learned about the story of the "Invisible Count," which had already swept the capital once, only today.

Thanks to picking up a newspaper discarded by another servant while sneaking out to cool off from the arduous laundry work.

[Paula] "...How could this be!"

And she, having learned the news, couldn't suppress her rage.

[Paula] "Right, it was strange. I wondered why he defended that cheap lady-in-waiting so strangely... Damned son of a bitch! He was fooling around with his wife's lady-in-waiting?!"

These filthy and obscene traitors!

She poured curses upon the Count and Mrs. Becker.

What had the Count said when demoting her to a laundry maid? Didn't he say the Countess was locked in the monastery because Paula couldn't grasp her place?

It was bullshit. In reality, it was nothing more than a courtship act for his mistress...!

Her once-soft hands were all chapped and blistered these past few days. Because she had to endlessly do heavy laundry in the corner laundry room filled with hot steam.

How dare he blame that on me?

Paula was convinced that the events of that day happened due to "someone's conspiracy." Since she knew absolutely nothing about how Karl had been released.

Until now, she had suspected Odette was the one who plotted that conspiracy, but it seemed the real mastermind was...

She tore the photo of the two in the newspaper to shreds. At that moment, the busy footsteps of several people were heard.

I-I must hide immediately. If someone reports that I was slacking off here...

In her current humble position, she would surely be scolded severely no matter who caught her.

She hid in the narrow space between the water pump and the wall. It seemed the owners of the footsteps didn't notice her.

[Servant A] "Butler. Were you here? It's a disaster. The Countess has escaped from the monastery...!"

[Butler] "What? How?!"

[Servant A] "I do not know. Even the priests say they can't understand it at all. They say the Countess evaporated from the room she was locked in!"

What?

Paula was shocked, but soon her eyes shone.

If Mother escaped from the monastery... there's no reason for me to endure here any longer, is there?

After all, the laundry maid job was something she took on because her mother was held hostage.

After holding her breath and hiding for a long time, she ran to her room as soon as they left. Then she took a trunk and packed her valuables and expensive clothes.

She hid the trunk inside a large wooden bucket and covered it with freshly washed towels. Then she took the bucket and headed for the main gate.

[Gatekeeper] "What is it, Paula. Where are you going?"

The gatekeeper guarding the main gate stopped her. He was the guy who used to flatter her to look good just a month ago.

[Paula] "I'm only going just outside the gate. You know, right? I have to deliver the washed towels to the handymen right in front."

The day before yesterday, a calamity had suddenly occurred in this vicinity. It was a very small calamity, so there were no casualties, but the road in front of the Count's estate became very dirty because it vomited out a lot of carcasses.

Since it had been a long time since a calamity occurred in the capital, it took time to hire professional handymen. Because of that, the handymen had only started cleaning this morning.

It just so happened they were requesting extra towels. Believing her words, the gatekeeper arrogantly jerked his chin and let her out.

But as soon as she exited the main gate, she dashed the laundry to the ground. Then she took only the trunk and began to run frantically.

[Gatekeeper] "Hey! Hey! Where are you going?!"

The gatekeeper's flustered voice was heard, but she didn't look back.

[Gatekeeper] "Stop right there, stop!"

Stop for what? Do you think I'd return to this disgusting mansion?

After running at full speed for a long time and barely catching a hackney carriage, she spoke to the coachman in a panting voice.

[Paula] "Please go to Odenwald Port!"

She remembered what the butler had said at the morning assembly today. The notice to pay extra attention to managing the mansion since the Count's party was scheduled to return via the port this afternoon.

I'll go to the port like this and tear out all of Mrs. Becker's hair.

But it was then. Gisella's voice, heard sometime ago, echoed in her mind.

I understand being angry with your mother's adopted daughter, but do not torment her arbitrarily without the crystal ball's permission. You will meet with misfortune.

It was the request Gisella made on the day they first met. A warning she had let flow in one ear and out the other at the time.

What happened when she ignored that warning? The day she dragged Odette to the pond and tormented her. Didn't she end up suffering misfortune herself?

Being able to meet Gustav Köndel was also thanks to Gisella's advice. If I act on my own accord again, the situation might get worse.

Anxious, she called the coachman again.

[Paula] "No, I will change the destination... Please go to Canaris Square."

It wouldn't be too late to act after going to Gisella's shop and seeking advice.

After that day, I decided never to act out rashly again.

[Odette] "It is not I who acts out, but you, Paula. Whatever happens today, remember that it is because of you."

Since falling to a laundry maid, how many times had Odette's words tormented her?

She was afraid she might be "acting out" even now. Afraid she might drive her mother into an even more terrible situation.

Thus arriving at Canaris Square. Fortunately, Gisella welcomed her.

[Gisella] "The crystal ball told me you would come today. It seems you have reflected sufficiently on your foolish actions?"

Speaking in a tone as if she had already seen through everything. Of course, Gisella had merely received a letter via carrier pigeon, but Paula, unaware of that fact, nodded while shedding tears.

[Paula] "Yes, yes...! Gisella! I will never judge on my own again. I will diligently follow your advice."

[Gisella] "Right. Not running rashly to the port and coming to me was a very good thing."

Paula didn't ask her questions like 'How did you know I tried to go to the port?'

Because Gisella could truly perform fortune-telling. A person who divined through stars and read the future. And the person who would change Paula's fate.

A real fortune teller. Her true savior.

[Paula] "Then must I just suffer this humiliation? I have to forgive the mistress who did dirty deeds? I wanted to just end it at the port...!"

[Gisella] "Paula. If you want to save your mother, the place you need to go is not the port."

[Paula] "Then where?"

[Gisella] "Is there not one person among your blood relatives whom you can ask for help? Someone like a wolf who can restrain the Count."

Gisella put a water pipe in her mouth and exhaled smoke. That made her look even more mysterious.

Thinking for a moment, she recalled someone.

[Paula] "Are you talking about... my maternal grandfather?"

Shylock, Sasha's father and Paula's maternal grandfather.

As if she had found the correct answer, Gisella nodded.

[Paula] "But what can he do? The Count doesn't even borrow money from him anymore."

[Gisella] "There is the method of tormenting him legally, isn't there?"

[Paula] "That makes even less sense! You know, right? A commoner can't even file a lawsuit against a noble. Unless another noble represents the lawsuit, the Imperial Court won't even accept it—"

She cut off her words.

[Gisella] "Paula, isn't there one noble who can do that for you?"

Then she exhaled smoke dreamily and smiled.

[Gisella] "The man of your destiny, pointed out by the stars."

Odenwald Port.

A woman was glaring at a sailing ship entering from afar with ferocious eyes.

Those crazy bitches and bastards are coming today.

The person whose entire body was overflowing with rage was none other than the Countess, who had escaped from the monastery.