KFBRV Ch 26

Gisela. In the world of The Only Savior, she was the unrivaled queen of con artists. With her astute eyes and a silver tongue, she possessed a supernatural talent for masquerading as a seer.

In the original timeline, she had been Charlotte’s most powerful ally. She felt indebted to her because the heroine had provided a medicine that actually worked for her son.

It was Gisela who had helped Charlotte, a commoner, bypass the Imperial Guard to purify the Crown Prince. Later, it was also she who exposed the truth: that Odette was a "fake purifier." She had learned the secret on this very day, in this very place, from Ferdinand’s old nanny.

Three years ago, on the night Count Albrecht slaughtered his servants to bury his secrets, the nanny had been the sole survivor. She had lived as a fugitive ever since, hiding her past for fear of being hunted.

But in a moment of drunken despair on the first day of the Founding Festival, she had poured her soul out to a fortune teller in the streets of Red Glovočnik.

[Nanny] “It’s the truth! I only said it once—that you are a fake. To that seer named Gisela.”

[Nanny] “What’s with that look? Are you blaming me? I was wasted! What was I supposed to do, you tongueless girl!”

[Nanny] “I told you Mrs. Becker’s secret instead, didn't I? Now give me the bread you brought. Don't you feel sorry for a dying woman like me?”

At this moment, that nanny was likely asleep on a cold street, clutching the silver coins she would have given Gisela. She would probably never wake up. In Red Glovočnik, the most dangerous slum in the Empire, sleeping with silver in your hand was a death sentence.

Odette turned away from the window and faced the trembling Gisela.

[Odette] "You’ve stopped shaking. That’s better. It seems you’re finally ready to talk."

Gisela’s eyes flared with resentment.

[Gisela] "Did you investigate me? Did you park this carriage here specifically to catch me?"

[Odette] "I’ll say it again, change your apothecary. They are destroying your son’s health."

[Gisela] "Answer my question first."

[Odette] "If your question were worth answering, I would have done so already."

Gisela closed her eyes, forcing herself to think. She was a woman who lived by her wits.

[Gisela] "You know I’m a fraud, not a seer. You know my name, and that my son is my only family..."

[Odette] "..."

[Gisela] "I live hand-to-mouth. You are clearly a noble, not someone who should be hunting a person like me. And yet, this was a calculated trap."

She finally reached the only logical conclusion.

[Gisela] "You’ve come to recruit me."

[Odette] "You are quite sharp."

[Gisela] "And you are in a hurry. Using my son as leverage instead of trying to persuade me means you don’t have time for a long game."

Her intuition was flawless. Even if Odette had all the time in the world, she wouldn't have chosen a gentler method. Persuading a master manipulator with words alone was a fool’s errand.

[Gisela] "What did you mean about the apothecary? How are they ruining my son?"

She smiled. Finally, a question worth an answer.

[Odette] "The blood your son coughs up isn't from his disease. It’s a side effect of the stale herbs your apothecary uses."

[Gisela] "My God..."

[Odette] "If you want justice, don't report the apothecary—blackmail them. But first, take this."

She handed her a small vial of pills.

[Odette] "It’s heart medicine from the Albrecht Pharmaceutical Company."

[Gisela] "This is..."

[Odette] "Look at the blue label. This medicine is only sold to the high nobility. No matter how much money you scrape together, you could never buy something this potent on the market."

In this world, there was a rare condition where the heart slowly shriveled. It required lifelong medication to keep the patient alive, and her son suffered from it.

[Odette] "Follow my lead, and I will ensure you have a constant supply of this medicine."

Her hands shook as she clutched the vial. This was a miracle she hadn't dared to dream of.

[Gisela] "What... what must I do?"

[Odette] "It’s simple. Continue your masquerade as a seer, but this time, you will deceive the person I choose."

Tears streamed down her face as she nodded. For her son’s life, she would gladly give her own.

[Odette] "I will also provide a small, sunny estate for you and your son. I’ll hire a private doctor as well. It will be a far better place for him to recover than this slum."

Gisela began to sob, whispering endless prayers of thanks.

Odette watched her, wondering how heavy the burden of keeping a sick child alive in a place like this must have been. To a woman who had to con people just to survive another day, Odette was a lifeline.

[Odette] "A shop and a house will be ready in a few days. I’ll send word. If you accept this deal, listen closely to my instructions. First, you need a proper reputation as a genuine seer."

She handed over a piece of paper. It was filled with detailed information and specific dates, written like a book of prophecies.

[Odette] "The events on this list will happen exactly on these dates. Gain your fame however you can. I will send a courier to your estate soon; you are to report back to me via letters."

[Gisela] "Who is my target?"

[Odette] "Check the last page."

Gisela flipped to the back. There was a portrait drawn with expert skill, detailing a height, a facial scar, a mole, and hair color.

[Odette] "Paula, a maid of the Albrecht household."

The medicine, the target... the pieces began to click.

Gisela surely suspected who the girl in the shadows really was. She swallowed hard, her face pale with fear, yet she didn't ask. She knew that in this world, playing dumb was the only way to stay alive.

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As promised, the carriage dropped Gisela back where she had first entered. She bowed dozens of times as she left. To her, this wasn't just a deal; it was a new life.

The medicine Charlotte gave her son in the original story wouldn't have been as good as this.

While the heroine was talented, her skills couldn't compare to a formula developed by hundreds of royal alchemists over several years.

I must pay my people better than Charlotte ever could.

She knew she lacked the innate kindness and warmth of a protagonist. Therefore, she would win using her name, her status, and her wealth.

With Gisela secured, only the return to the mansion remained. The driver had mentioned that the horses were exhausted from the sprint and asked for a break to smoke a cigarette. She agreed, waiting in the stillness of the carriage.

She opened her locket to check the time.

He’s taking a while. The horses should be rested by now.

Suddenly, a heavy thud, thud, thud echoed against the carriage door.

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