KFBRV Ch 48

[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 permitted you?"

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 discarding him, he had dangled the prospect of a marriage between Ferdinand and the Imperial Princess.

It was a cruel game, designed to lead Ferdinand on while the Prince amused himself.

Ferdinand, whose lifelong dream was to become the Emperor’s son-in-law, had fallen for the bait instantly. The distraction was so complete that he hadn't even noticed the suspicious scarring on his own legs.

Ever since that marriage talk started, the way he looks at me has become even more revolting. He stares as if I’m already his kept woman.

[Ferdinand] "Where are the head maid and the housekeeper? Why are you in the garden alone? At the very least, Paula should be—"

[Odette] "Oh, goodness. I am so relieved you're here, brother."

While cursing him in her heart, she began her performance. She made her voice sound as pitiful as possible, as if she were being rescued from a great anxiety.

[Odette] "I was starting to feel quite nervous, being out here in the garden all by myself."

I even put on this wretched metal corset just to face you.

She had specifically chosen a bright mint-colored dress from the collection Lize had made, knowing it was exactly the kind of style he preferred.

[Odette] "Now that you’ve arrived, my mind is at ease. I haven't been alone for three years, so being left like this so suddenly was terrifying."

As she catered to his ego, his tone softened slightly.

[Ferdinand] "How did you end up out here?"

[Odette] "Mother called me to the garden, but when I arrived, no one was here. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't ignore her orders and go back inside..."

As she spoke, he scanned the surroundings, his face twisting into a grimace.

The scene—a mother calling her beautiful daughter to a garden with a perfectly prepared tea table and then failing to show up—was a classic tactic used by noblewomen when they wanted to leave their daughter alone with a specific gentleman.

Odette wasn't worried about being caught in the lie. The Countess was currently in a cold war with him over her confinement, and their relationship remained icy. Ferdinand, far from humbling himself to apologize, viewed his mother’s behavior as insolent.

She pretended to smooth out her skirts, using the motion to signal someone hidden in the shrubbery. Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the bushes lining the walkway, and a man stepped into view.

[Damian] "Oh, my apologies. I seem to have intruded."

His acting isn't bad at all. And his looks are passable.

She could see why Wolfgang had recommended him. The man wore a perfectly executed, embarrassed smile.

[Damian] "I was invited here by the Countess, but it seems I must have mistaken the time or location."

This was Damian, Wolfgang’s nephew. He was the only person who knew Wolfgang’s true identity and had been the one to help him fake his own death.

Wolfgang had trained him as a disciple since he was five years old, and the results were impressive.

While Damian possessed many talents, his most supernatural skill was his ability to infiltrate anywhere undetected. He had claimed that no wall was too high for him, and seeing him inside the heavily guarded Albrecht estate proved he wasn't exaggerating.

Moreover, his performance is flawless. This isn't the work of someone who has only deceived people once or twice.

Ferdinand’s teeth ground together with a sharp, audible sound. He turned his fury toward Damian, shouting at the top of his lungs.

[Ferdinand] "You son of a bitch! Get out of here right now! If you ever speak to Odette again, I'll kill you!"

[Damian] "Have I done something wrong? I'm sorry, if you could just explain the situation—"

[Ferdinand] "I said get out!"

Odette gave Damian a subtle, almost imperceptible nod. He tipped his hat with polite etiquette, bowed, and disappeared back into the bushes.

He grabbed a passing footman by the collar.

[Ferdinand] "Bring the gatekeeper to me this instant!"

Ferdinand will reach the inevitable conclusion.

As long as the Albrecht estate had gatekeepers, a man like Damian shouldn't have been able to enter without permission. Therefore, his presence implied the Countess’ approval and the gatekeepers’ consent.

He intended to interrogate the guards, but the moment he saw them, his rage would find a new target.

[Ferdinand] "...Those bastards."

He had just realized that the Countess had replaced the gatekeepers a few days ago.

After losing her right to manage the family's wealth, she felt her status in the mansion was threatened. In response, she had begun aggressively exerting her remaining authority over personnel management, starting with low-level positions Ferdinand wouldn't immediately notice.

The gatekeepers always bow their heads before Ferdinand even gets close, so he likely never bothered to look at their faces.

The Countess had likely taken advantage of that indifference. To him, a gatekeeper was a mere object that bowed. However, while he didn't care for their faces, he possessed a deep-seated inferiority complex that made him notice if a subordinate was taller than he was.

When the gatekeepers arrived, they were two handsome, tall young men. Ferdinand’s face flushed a violent shade of red.

[Ferdinand] "Who authorized the hiring of people like you?"

[Gatekeeper] "Y-Young Master. It is an honor to meet you. We were hired by the Countess—"

[Ferdinand] "That damned woman."

He immediately began to strike the two gatekeepers. When he was this enraged, all reason fled. He completely forgot to interrogate Odette about her movements or ask if it was true that the Countess had invited Damian.

[Ferdinand] "Odette, go up to your room and stay there!"

There it is.

Normally, I would have been locked in the attic, but because his anger has been redirected toward Mother, I’ve gained quite a bit of freedom.

How predictable he is.

She lifted her skirts slightly in a polite bow and headed toward her room. Once inside, she looked out the window and saw Damian standing in the distance, giving her a quick thumbs-up. He mouthed the words, "Did I do well?" before vanishing through the gate while it was still unattended.

He’s talented. Indeed useful.

From the floor below, the sounds of Ferdinand’s screaming continued to echo through the halls.

[Ferdinand] "Fire all of these bastards! Strip the Countess of her hiring rights immediately! From this moment on, Mrs. Becker will manage all personnel!"

She turned away from the window and closed it.

She had achieved both of her goals for this tea time. Her first goal had been to drive a wedge between Ferdinand and the Countess, effectively stripping her mother of her authority. This incident would ensure the relationship between mother and son soured further.

By stroking Mrs. Becker’s vanity from now on, Odette would be able to move with even more freedom. It was becoming tedious to rely solely on the secret tunnels.

The second goal was to analyze the ingredients in the lemon tea that Mrs. Becker enjoyed so much. Odette had gifted the mistress tea leaves Malea had brought from the palace as a gift, and in return, she had received a sample of this special blend.

[Odette] "Father is quite a piece of work. To think he’s feeding his mistress Alpha Ridilium."

Alpha Ridilium was a well-known contraceptive herb. When paired with lemon, its effects were maximized. In fact, calling it an "herb" was generous; it was closer to a poison for the female body. Consuming it regularly caused as much internal damage as suffering multiple miscarriages.

No woman in her right mind would drink this willingly, so he must be slipping it into her tea in secret.

If she had agreed to contraception, there would be no reason to hide it. This meant that the Count was preventing pregnancy without her consent. Mrs. Becker, driven by her own ambitions, undoubtedly wanted to secure her position by having a child.

How pathetic of him. If he didn't want a child, he should have used contraception himself.

Albrecht Pharmaceuticals produced a perfectly effective male contraceptive called "Zendarusa." It was far safer and had no side effects compared to Alpha Ridilium.

[Odette] "He treasures his own body so much, yet he treats his lover’s body like trash?"

If there were any love involved, he would never feed her such a harmful substance. What value was there in the "favor" of a man who secretly poisoned his own mistress?

Lize was scheduled to swap the tea soon.

Odette planned to have her include a herb that would neutralize the Alpha Ridilium. She was more than happy to help the vain mistress achieve her ambition.

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