KFBRV Ch 58

She was startled.

The gallows? Me?

Why would she be sentenced to the gallows? And why was the Crown Prince so furious?

Is it because I refused to dance with him? Or because I avoided him every time he tried to speak to me?

Was her father’s claim about saving her life somehow connected to the gallows?

Or did it involve the murder her brother had committed in the past?

Was that execution being reinstated?

She knew nothing. Despite the chaos swirling inside her, she had no choice but to maintain her mask of indifference. She did not even offer a nod.

[Count] "When you don’t understand the situation, or when it’s a scenario I haven't rehearsed with you, just stay still and keep the expression of a doll."

That had been her father’s teaching.

[Johan] "Of course. You’ve always been this kind of person."

He spoke through gritted teeth.

[Johan] "Look at this, Charlotte. It’s useless to even try talking to her. You’ll only end up more disappointed every time."

[Charlotte] "Your Highness, please, just listen to me for a moment."

[Zion] "Lotte, I agree with him. Let’s stop this. We know this woman better than you do."

The "cotton candy" girl, the Crown Prince, and the Marquis appeared incredibly close.

Odette watched them, and the images of the Prince and Marquis from when she first met them overlapped with their current selves.

Back then, they had been blunt and reluctant. Their disappointment was palpable when she failed to meet their expectations. Yet, their kindness had been the greatest warmth she had ever experienced in her life. She had cherished those moments for a long time, eventually coming to admire them—the Crown Prince and the Marquis who had treated her like a human being.

But seeing them with Charlotte, she was forced to realize the truth. Their past kindness had never been rooted in genuine sincerity or affection. Just as she was a fake, their warmth had been a facade as well.

That kindness never held any value...

The Transcendents, who watched her with eyes full of contempt, turned away coldly and left. The sweet girl followed them, looking restless and uneasy.

I won't let myself feel miserable. It’s fine. I have a family.

Her father’s orders took precedence over her shattered admiration. She endured the anxiety of the prison, holding on through every agonizing second. She believed that if she just endured, her family would eventually come to retrieve her. Just like they always did.

---

When she opened her eyes, she saw an unfamiliar ceiling.

This isn't a mental strength debuff, so why was that dream so vivid?

It had felt so real that she immediately checked to see if her tongue was still intact.

Why did I dream about the events from two days ago again?

The dream hadn't been triggered by a debuff, yet it hadn't been a natural dream of her own making either. It was a vision shown to her by the necklace.

[Odette] "Do you have a consciousness of your own? Why do you keep blindsiding me like this?"

She muttered irritably at the necklace.

Why make me relive such a tortured memory twice? At least you could have made it feel less real.

Suppressing her sinking mood, she pushed herself up and surveyed her surroundings.

Her body felt significantly lighter after she had coughed up the blood. If only the timing hadn't been right in front of Viktor, everything would have been perfect.

She opened the necklace to check the time.

Fortunately, I was only out for about two hours. But why did he bring me to a bedroom in the palace?

She hadn't been here before, yet it felt strangely familiar; it was identical to the palace she had seen in the game, The Only Savior.

If Viktor had brought her all the way to the Imperial Palace, he likely hadn't gone to the laboratory to extinguish the fire. The large-scale riot in the slums would have broken out shortly after.

It was a relief that he had been deterred from the lab, but one question remained.

What was he thinking, leaving me here?

If he enjoyed watching her collapse so much, he should have just dumped her back at the mansion or left her where she fell.

That damnable man.

The situation at home was already precarious. The Countess was currently ransacking the entire house to find the informant, furious that Mrs. Becker’s stolen jewelry hadn't been recovered. While she was excluded from the list of suspects because her mother believed her to be illiterate, disappearing from the mansion at this time could still spark unnecessary suspicion.

It would have been better to be found in the garden.

She would have faced a severe scolding for leaving her room, but she had already accepted that risk when she decided to use the ring.

Is it a habit for Transcendents to escalate every situation?

She let out a sigh. Her priority was returning to the mansion as quickly as possible. Moreover, someone had changed her clothes.

I’m in my nightgown, but I don’t have time to find other clothes. I need to get back to the mansion just like—

The moment she moved to get up, a knock sounded, and the door opened.

[Johan] "Ah, you're awake."

[Odette] "Your Highness?"

[Johan] "Viktor left immediately after dropping you off. Apparently, a massive disturbance broke out in the slums."

He said this as he sat in the chair beside her bed.

His stiff expression reminded her of the Johan she had just seen in her dream—the one whose face was filled with resentment, disappointment, and contempt.

[Odette] "Your Highness, I am deeply sorry for the trouble I've caused. I should return to my home now."

[Johan] "Home? Are you calling the Counts estate your home?"

He let out a scoff, sounding utterly incredulous.

She froze, caught off guard.

Can Johan actually be this cynical and sarcastic?

Even when they had become bitter enemies after he lost his sight due to a berserk episode, she had never seen him like this.

[Johan] "The physician who examined you said that while care was taken not to leave visible scars, the way your bones have fractured and healed suggests that the abuse has been ongoing for a very long time."

He had me examined?

Viktor wouldn't have bothered with such a chore. It must have been Johan’s sense of chivalry that led him to call for a physician.

[Johan] "Who would believe that you—someone who should be receiving the highest treatment in the empire—is being treated like this?"

He let out a sharp, nervous laugh filled with irritation.

She stared at his unfamiliar expression. Since she had never seen this side of him in the game, it was difficult to gauge the best way to respond.

No, more importantly... why is he so angry?

She couldn't identify the exact source of his emotion. He had already received a report about the abuse from Zion. Why was he reacting so sensitively now?

[Johan] "They couldn't even determine the exact cause of your coughing up blood. They suspect it’s because you’ve suffered from recurring lung disease, but they said youwouldn'tt be vomiting blood unless you’d been thrown into some basement hundreds of times."

[Odette] "Your Highness...."

[Johan] "And yet, you want to go back? Is that place even a home to you?"

[Odette] "..."

[Johan] " I cannot send you back to such a place. You... no, regardless of who it is, no human should ever be treated like that."

His words weren't wrong, but to Odette, they were mere idealism—words she didn't need to hear.

It would be more helpful if he just sent me back immediately.

[Odette] "Your Highness, forgive me for interrupting, but I must return as soon as possible. My mother cannot find out that I slipped away."

[Johan] "Don't worry. There isn't even a hint of anyone looking for you in that godforsaken house. My lieutenants have checked dozens of times, and they are still monitoring it."

His lieutenants were S-class Transcendents. Why were such elite resources being used for this?

[Johan] "I just received a report that your mother is asleep. So please, just sleep."

His attitude almost seemed desperate.

As her eyes darted around, trying to decipher his emotions, she noticed his shirt. It was stained with the blood she had coughed up.

With his personality, he wouldn't have come to visit without changing his blood-stained shirt first.

Given a Transcendent’s physical capabilities, it was impossible to say he didn't have time to change. A more accurate explanation was that he was too distracted to even think about it.

Ah. I see.

Realizing the truth, she smiled inwardly.

It’s... self-reproach.

With his upright character and privileged upbringing, the Prince likely couldn't fully grasp the reality of abuse even after hearing reports. He probably imagined it was nothing more than harsh words or a few slaps.

As a man who lived strictly by military law and chivalry, he lacked the imagination for the "true depths of human depravity."

There had been an episode in the game that demonstrated Johan’s moral code—he had once summarily used his authority to sever the arm of a soldier who had harassed a female passerby.

A man like him has encountered abuse beyond his imagination, so he’s fallen into a state of shock.

He finally understood the reality of her suffering and was spiraling into guilt. He was angry at himself for failing to protect the weak despite having the power to do so.

And if that were really the case...

I must exploit his guilt.

She made her decision instantly.

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