KFBRV Ch 13

Under normal circumstances, it was an impossible request. To deceive someone regarding their own wealth required the power to manipulate records at a banking level. Furthermore, it demanded a complete understanding of every hidden fund and back-alley transaction her father operated in secret.

However, for Zion—the male lead of this world and the Marquis of Kleist, the man who determined the Empire's truths—it was a different story.

[Zion] "That is easy enough."

[Odette] "And I want to ensure my father and the rest of the family never realize their fortune is being stripped away."

[Zion] "That as well."

She had expected it to be possible, but seeing him accept without a moment's hesitation was another matter entirely. He looked more bored than challenged.

Should I admire him for being the male lead?

He really is an annoyingly capable bastard.

Swallowing a mixture of admiration and bitterness, she set her teacup down. At the sound of the porcelain clinking, Zion continued.

[Zion] "However, the scales are not yet balanced. The names of a few rats are not worth the price you ask. If I were to interrogate those nine spies with even a tiny bit of effort, I could extract that list in under five minutes."

[Odette] "Your Excellency..."

He only knows about those nine spies because I told him. How petty.

Yet, she couldn't protest. She knew from the game's mechanics that when Zion wore that particular look of displeasure, arguing would only invite more of his spite.

[Zion] "On the other hand, what you ask of me requires a full day of my personal attention. You want a deception so flawless that no matter what your father does or whose connections he uses, he will find no fault, do you not?"

[Odette] "Then is it not a matter of my placing more weight upon the scales?"

[Zion] "And what else do you possess? Surely you're going to offer to purify me whenever I wish? I have no interest in that."

He sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

[Zion] "Why not just ask me to handle the revenge for you? That would be a far lower price."

Her voice turned icy as she gave him a sharp warning.

[Odette] "Don't you dare touch them. That revenge is my burden to bear, and it must be delivered by my own hands."

Zion fell silent at that. His raised eyebrows betrayed his genuine surprise.

Is he seeing his own past in me?

After all, Zion was a man who spent his entire life seeking vengeance for his mother.

If that's the case, it's better to lean into my desire for revenge.

[Zion] "A commendable attitude. Not many people actually follow through with the principle that revenge must be personal."

[Odette] "The only way to reclaim stolen dignity is to carve exactly that much flesh and blood from the enemy. It is a sacred task to restore my honor; therefore, I must be the one to end it."

Zion stared at her for a long time. The violet in his eyes was no longer clouded with his usual loathing or hatred; they were dry and observant.

She recognized that hollow emotion. It was the connection felt only by those who had chosen the cycle of hatred.

[Zion] "Then add more to the scales, Albrecht. I look forward to seeing just how much value you can offer."

---

Among the secrets she knew about this world, none felt quite right for the scales. Most of the things she could reveal were likely already known to Zion.

The fact that I'm a fake Purifier would be the most valuable thing to him.

But I have no intention of revealing that until the day I leave.

Claiming to be a Purifier was a capital crime. If it were revealed that the Count's family had committed "Humanity Deception," the courts would drag them away for execution immediately.

If that happened, her personal revenge would vanish. Furthermore, once the male leads realized she was a fraud, they wouldn't hesitate to kill her. The only reason they tolerated her existence was her status as a Purifier.

[Odette] "What if I told you how to maximize the effects of the berserk suppressants?"

[Zion] "Not even close. Unless you've developed a purification serum that can replace a Purifier entirely."

A bitter smile played on her lips.

Developing such a drug was impossible in this world. The very concept of the game relied on physical contact for purification—that was the only way to justify its adult rating.

In the end, is this the only card I have left?

She spoke cautiously.

[Odette] "How about I do the one thing you desire the most?"

He laughed as if he found the idea preposterous.

[Zion] "And what could someone like you possibly do for me?"

His mockery vanished completely with her next words.

[Odette] "In six months, I will disappear perfectly. From your sight, and from the sight of all the other S-class Transcendents."

[Zion] "...What did you say?"

[Odette] "A Transcendent can never harm a Purifier. Any Transcendent who kills a Purifier is destined to face a horrific divine punishment."

[Zion] "..."

[Odette] "Aside from my leaving of my own accord, there is no way to get rid of me. How about I do that for you?"

[Zion] "You are the only Purifier. Leaving the capital is—"

[Odette] "In six months, my purification won't be necessary. I can swear it upon the name of God. There will be no side effects, and no harm will come to the Transcendents."

His eyes finally gleamed with interest. It seemed the weight she had placed on the scales was very much to his liking.

[Zion] "There was no sign of a purification serum being developed by your family's company within the next six months."

She had expected as much. He likely had the company crawling with intelligence agents.

[Odette] "I have sworn upon the name of God. You only need to tell me if what I've placed on the scales is enough."

A Purifier who broke a vow made to God would face divine retribution. As long as he believed she was a Purifier, Zion had no choice but to believe the oath.

[Zion] "Six months."

Zion nodded slowly. It was his sign of approval.

[Zion] "You've placed something quite interesting on the scale. I find it surprisingly agreeable."

He was wearing a rare smile—the kind of pleasant expression he usually reserved only for Charlotte.

[Zion] "I shall add a bit more to my side as well. From now on, I will ensure that every coin your family spends remains as a debt owed to me. Naturally, I will see to it that your personal assets remain untouched."

[Odette] "Yes, that sounds perfect."

[Zion] "Good. Is there anything else you desire?"

[Odette] "Destroy all of my family's criminal enterprises. And ensure the victims receive proper compensation. You may deduct that compensation from my own inheritance."

[Zion] "I can destroy them, certainly, but let's keep the compensation as part of your family's debt. If a child is too soft, it only spoils the parents' bad habits."

She nodded in agreement. There was no harm in piling more weight onto the Albrecht family.

Zion reached out his hand as if to seal the deal with a handshake—a habit he only displayed when he was satisfied with a transaction.

He's that happy to see me gone, is he?

Shaking off a brief moment of bitterness, she took his hand.

She knew exactly how efficiently Zion worked. Now, all that remained was for her to play her part.

The Founding for revenge is set. Now I can plan to my heart's content.

She would ensure their souls were shattered beyond repair. She would make them live every day filled with injustice and regret. She would make their nights lonely and sorrowful. She would make them just like her—until their very souls crumbled into ash.

---

I got what I wanted from the meeting. If only the ending had been just as happy, it would have been perfect.

Odette sat in Zion's arms with a look of pure discomfort.

Why am I being carried by a Transcendent instead of riding in a carriage?

She had felt unwell after touching the Night Glory, but to faint right as she was about to leave?

Her fever had spiked so high that she couldn't even keep herself upright, leading to this humiliating situation.

Zion frowned at her displeased expression.

[Zion] "You said you had to return before dawn to avoid being caught at the Palace. This is the most efficient way, isn't it?"

He was right. A horse certainly couldn't match the speed of an S-class Transcendent. He was moving faster than the high-speed trains she remembered from her life as Han Suwan.

Running at this speed without breaking a single drop of sweat, and his voice doesn't even tremble when he speaks.

It was a stark reminder of what a Transcendent truly was: God's beautiful monster. She finally understood why they were called that.

...Still, being carried in a "princess style" was incredibly embarrassing.

[Odette] "It's just... the position is awkward."

She sighed.

[Zion] "No one is watching, so what does it matter? It's not as if I'm doing this because I want to, so just stay quiet."

Seeing as he was willing to carry her despite how much he hated touching her, he must have been genuinely pleased with their deal.

It's amazing how promising to disappear can lower his level of loathing this much.

Afraid that she might raise that loathing back up, she remained silent.

In the silence, his face came into view. She had to admit, he was the male lead for a reason. Even from this angle, his face was flawless. It was a smooth, aristocratically handsome face.

Is he more of a dark-aura beauty than the Crown Prince?

His violet eyes and silver hair gave him a languid air, and the beauty mark beneath his long lashes was almost hypnotic. He was like a male nine-tailed fox.

His voice was also strangely husky—much deeper than his appearance suggested, dragging across the senses like honey.

[Zion] "Is your illiteracy also the reason you've completely ignored your duties as a Purifier? You've never once submitted a report regarding your Awakening Dream."

An Awakening Dream? What is that?

She looked at him with a puzzled expression.

[Zion] "Do you not even know what an Awakening Dream is?"

It was a concept that had never appeared in the game, nor was it mentioned in any of the setting guides.

She shook her head.

[Odette] "...No."

[Zion] "Tsk. They really did raise you to be a complete fool."

He furrowed his brow as if it all made sense now.

[Zion] "An Awakening Dream is what Purifiers see when they awaken. You see water in a volume proportional to your purification power. A cup, a bottle, a fountain—it doesn't matter what it's in, as long as it's water."

Ah... there was a scene like that in the game regarding Charlotte's dream.

It was a scene featuring a river so deep red it was almost intoxicating. But Odette had never had such a dream. Of course, she hadn't. She was a perfect fraud, as proven by both the game's setting and her past life.

[Odette] "I don't remember it well. It was so long ago."

She covered her tracks with a lie.

I've never seen such intoxicating water. In my dreams, at most, I've seen something resembling the sea.

And even those dreams had stopped after she turned fifteen—after she had been injected with the Mengele.

Prev

TOC

Next

---

To support the original author and publisher, please consider rating the official release on Kakaopage.