KFBRV Ch 29
- Jan 19
- 5 min read
Odette, a woman whose elegance was matched only by her legendary pride, did not hesitate. She dropped to her knees on the grime-covered rooftop.
[Odette] "Thank you for saving my life, Colonel König."
[Viktor] "..."
He stared down at the woman bowing before him, his mind blank with shock.
What is this?
He wondered if his eyes were failing him or if he had somehow fallen asleep while standing up.
No noble had ever thanked him like this. Not even those whose lives he had saved from a Calamity.
To the aristocracy, a commoner was a commoner, regardless of whether he was an S-Class Transcendent or a king of the underworld. The idea of bowing to a man from the gutters was simply unthinkable to them.
Even the most "humble" nobles maintained a wall of distance. For a daughter of the Albrecht family to act this way was beyond logic.
[Viktor] "Sweetheart, did you hit your head? Hard?"
[Odette] "...Excuse me?"
[Viktor] "I’m serious. I think the impact turned you into an idiot."
His tone was airy and light, but he was genuinely considering the possibility.
[Odette] "No. My head is perfectly fine, thanks to your intervention."
He studied her. He had sent her many letters and received only a handful of replies.
Having spent his life among the desperate and the predatory, he could read a person’s soul through a few written lines. He knew her character: arrogant, selfish, and obsessed with her own status—a cheap personality wrapped in expensive silk.
[Viktor] "Sweetheart, you must be in shock. I’m a commoner from the slums. This kind of greeting... it violates every rule of etiquette you hold dear."
[Odette] "You are my savior. Why should rank matter when I owe you my life? More importantly..."
[Viktor] "..."
[Odette] "You are a man who saves people from Calamities. You perform the most noble work in this world. Nothing is humiliating about bowing to you."
[Viktor] "..."
[Odette] "What is a noble title compared to the value of a life?"
Her shoulders were trembling, likely from the terror of the robbery. Her pronunciation was stiff, proof of her extreme tension. And yet, her words carried a weight of sincerity that he couldn't ignore.
She remained prostrated on the ground, a small cut on her forehead bleeding onto the stone. Despite the undignified position, she remained suffocatingly graceful. Nothing about this matched the woman Viktor had built up in his mind.
What... what is this?
He felt the fires of his hatred lose their heat. He had spent years dreaming of the day he could finally make her suffer, yet now that she was within his reach, the desire was vanishing.
Then, there was the scent. Beneath the artificial roses, a faint, sweet aroma drifted from her. It was like a sudden breeze of spring—thick and intoxicating. As he inhaled, the chronic pain that gnawed at his body began to recede.
The realization that this woman—the one he loathed—could affect him so deeply felt like a personal insult.
Everything about her is irritating. Her actions, her scent... everything.
It was more than just a surprise; it was a psychological blow.
Her body was shaking, but not because of the thugs. It was because of the number floating in her mind.
[Loathing: 90]
She didn't need to physically open her locket anymore; a silent command was enough.
She remained bowed, thankful that the position hid the gritted-teeth expression on her face.
She had already resigned herself to the physical debuff she’d suffer tomorrow, but the mental strain was becoming unbearable.
90? That’s insane.
In this world, a score of 100 meant "Unstoppable Murderous Intent." She was already on the doorstep of her own execution. Every time she heard Viktor’s smooth, melodic voice, a wave of nausea hit her.
He’s so terrifying I might actually throw up.
How could a man with a Loathing score of 90 sound so disgustingly sweet?
[Viktor] "Sweetheart, look at me."
She forced herself to raise her head. His gaze was unnervingly fixed on her. At the very least, he looked less angry than before she had knelt.
It was the right choice. Kneeling was the only way.
She knew that for him, who had been kidnapped by a sadistic noblewoman at the age of fifteen, "nobility" was a trigger for pure rage.
In the game, Charlotte’s favorability would plummet the moment she acted like an aristocrat. That was also why Viktor and the perfectionist Zion never got along.
He suddenly smiled. His pale green eyes sparkled like peridots in the sunlight.
[Viktor] "You look much better on your knees, sweetheart."
[Odette] "...What?"
[Viktor] "I was furious when you refused my request for purification. But now that we’ve met, I’m actually relieved. It’s unpleasant enough just looking at you. Being touched by you? That would have been a special kind of hell."
She froze.
What is wrong with this guy? Why is he getting twisted now?
The curve of his lips made her blood run cold.
Viktor was usually the playful, sly character; he only looked like this when he was struggling to suppress his bloodlust—or when he was in the "denial phase" of falling for the heroine.
But there was no way he was falling for her. By process of elimination, he wanted her dead.
[Odette] "I understand. I will make sure I never purify you in the future."
She spoke clearly, putting every ounce of her sincerity into the promise.
She thought she was giving him exactly what he wanted. Instead, his expression darkened further. The locket vibrated against her chest.
[Loathing has increased by 5]
[Loathing: 95]
Why?! Why?! I said exactly what you wanted to hear!
Did he think she was being fake?
To the version of Odette he knew, lying was as natural as breathing.
She bit her lip until it bled.
In this game, once Loathing hits 100, there is no turning back!
True to its "Angst" genre, the system allowed Loathing to go above 100, but it could never be lowered once it reached that peak.
She had only 5 points left. Meanwhile, he was staring at her with eyes that looked like they could fire lasers.
She racked her brain for Charlotte’s successful choices in the Viktor Route.
Option 1: Grab his sleeve and tilt your head.
Option 2: Offer him the back of your hand and beg for a kiss.
Are you kidding me? Those would trigger an immediate 100!
She screamed internally.
[Odette] "I’m not lying. I truly won't purify you. If you doubt me, I’ll swear an oath to the Gods—"
His brow furrowed even more.
[Loathing has increased by 2]
[Loathing: 97]
[※ WARNING! Once Loathing reaches 100, it can no longer be decreased]
BOOM!
A massive explosion of sound echoed behind them. It was the first firework of the Founding Festival, lighting up the night sky in a burst of color.
In an instant, the irritation vanished from his face. He turned deathly pale.
She blinked, her own panic momentarily paused by his sudden change.
Then, a memory surfaced. Hidden deep within the game’s lore was a specific detail about his past.
It was a trauma related to fireworks.
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