KFBRV Ch 6

Odette organized the stack of documents on the solid mahogany desk, making a point to ensure Mrs. Becker could see her actions.

They were nothing but fabrications. Every one of the Count's illicit dealings, the Countess' extravagances, and Ferdinand's debts from gambling and drugs had been meticulously forged under her name. These were the very "evidence" that had sealed her fate in the courtroom of her previous life.

She remembered the content of each document vividly, as the prosecutor had spent hours detailing every sin she had allegedly committed.

How ironic that the documents framing me are so grand.

There was a birth certificate claiming she was the Count's biological daughter, a forged bank account in her name, and even deeds to diamond mines. Records of drug deals, human trafficking, and the purchase of prostitutes were all there.

On this high-quality, expensive vellum, the "Odette" described was a magnificent villain—a high-born woman who acted as if any atrocity would be forgiven.

If I had lived even a single day like that woman, I wouldn't feel this wronged.

She let out a hollow laugh. The documents that actually described her true life were pitifully sparse—so few that they could be hidden within a single sleeve.

She tied the organized papers neatly with a string and glanced at Mrs. Becker, who stood nearby, fidgeting with anxiety.

The woman was clearly terrified that the ledgers were disappearing from the safe.

She doesn't realize that the safe won't be opened again for at least a month.

Odette had no intention of enlightening her. Since Mrs. Becker was only concerned with her own skin, she would likely go out of her way to prevent anyone else from opening the safe to hide her own theft.

[Becker] "...My Lady, this is theft."

[Odette] "Is it? It seems quite trivial compared to stealing a husband from his wife."

Mrs. Becker bit her lip hard at the blunt retort.

[Odette] "It would be wise not to speak a word of what happened here. If you remain silent, my lips shall remain sealed as well."

[Becker] "... "

[Odette] "I am glad that we now share a secret. I've always wanted to be close to you, Mrs. Becker."

At least, I did in my past life.

Leaving the trembling woman behind, Odette swept out of the study.

---

[Lize] "My Lady!"

She was waiting for Odette in front of the mansion, holding a trunk.

[Lize] "I've swapped out the Young Master's honey water as you instructed. I've also called for a carriage."

[Odette] "Well done, Lize."

Odette handed her a bundle of papers.

[Odette] "You must deliver this to Marquis Kleist."

[Lize] "Marquis Kleist?"

Her expression turned pale, as if she had just been told to walk into a lion's den.

For generations, the Kleist family had been notorious for their ruthless methods, but the current head, Marquis Zion, was on another level. He was known as a demon from hell.

Zion Reinhardt von Kleist.

Head of the Imperial Intelligence Department, an S-Class Transcendent, and the leader of the "Watchdog" family that had served the Emperor for centuries. He was one of the four male leads in the game The Salvation...

And the man who will be my first business partner.

The problem was that he would certainly not be inclined to meet her cordially.

In this game, all four male leads were designed to loathe Odette. Among them, Zion's hatred was the most blatant.

For the past three years, she had supposedly rejected every urgent request from the Transcendents for purification, and Zion received daily reports of the crimes her family had framed her for.

However, if she played her cards right, there was no pawn more effective than him.

[Odette] "Give those documents to the butler and tell him I request a private audience. If you show him the identification, he will know what to do."

[Lize] "Wait, My Lady. Why so suddenly...?"

She pressed her identification card into Lize's hand. It was a silver badge engraved with cornflowers, signifying free passage into the Imperial Palace.

The Emperor himself had granted it on the day she was recognized as the Empire's only Purifier. Only S-Class Transcendents and Odette possessed such a mark.

[Lize] "Heavens, My Lady! Are you sure you should give something this precious to me?"

[Odette] "If they turn you away, tell them this: Ask the Marquis which of the nine spies planted within the Albrecht estate he actually trusts. Ask him if he is curious to know whose information has been fabricated."

[Lize] "Wh-what? Spies?"

[Odette] "My life depends on this, Lize. I am counting on you."

Lize's confusion vanished, replaced by a look of fierce determination.

[Lize] "Leave it to me, My Lady."

Odette offered her a soft smile.

[Odette] "Once the task is done, do not return to this mansion until the Founding Festival is over. Go to your family home and rest for a while."

[Lize] "Oh, are you giving me a vacation? I won't fail you, My Lady!"

As the carriage pulled away, Odette looked down at her shoes.

I truly did gain someone precious.

In her past life, these shoes had protected her feet for a long time.

[Guard] "Prisoner, here are your belongings."

On the day she was dragged away like cattle after having her tongue cut out, she heard that someone had bribed the guards a great sum of money to deliver these shoes to her.

At the time, I thought it was my father or mother.

She had fooled herself into thinking they felt guilty for mutilating their daughter. By the time she realized that was impossible, she was already wandering the slums.

While fleeing from Transcendents, worrying about shoes had been a luxury. But during her time with the beggars, she learned just how expensive such shoes were for a commoner.

[Odette] "Why did you give me something so valuable, Lize? To a version of me who wouldn't even remember it was you."

She whispered as the carriage disappeared beyond the estate walls.

In her past life, Lize was murdered shortly after giving her those shoes. Odette would never hear the real answer to that question.

With a long sigh, she turned around.

The beautiful garden stretched out before her. Water bubbled from the central fountain, and the leaves of the tulip trees sparkled in the morning sun. The spring breeze sounded like lapping waves. The soil beneath her was soft, and the air was fragrant.

It was a dizzying contrast to the dry, sandy winds she had died in only yesterday.

But she shook the feeling off. There was no time for grief or nostalgia. It was almost time for her mother to wake up.

She was currently forbidden from wandering the house or leaving the estate alone. The key to breaking those restrictions lay in the dungeon.

Therefore, I must be locked in the dungeon. Ideally, by my mother's own hand.

Calculating her moves, she walked with intentional grace toward the lily-of-the-valley garden. It was the Countess' pride, a place she looked down upon every morning. In the center of the garden sat the Countess' private white swing.

She sat on the swing and looked up at her mother's window. Right on cue, the window opened, and the Countess appeared to enjoy the view of her "paradise."

[Odette] "Mother!"

She beamed at the Countess, who looked frozen with shock. When she raised her hand and gave a cheerful wave, the Countess' face turned deathly pale. She looked as if the garden had been contaminated by Odette's very presence.

I hope your stomach is turning. I hope you have the worst morning of your life.

Her smile widened, appearing radiant and haunting.

---

A man stepped out of a torture chamber, peeling off his blood-stained leather gloves. In an instant, the lingering traces of the gruesome interrogation vanished, leaving only the image of a perfect nobleman.

The man was Zion Reinhardt von Kleist, the Watchdog of the Imperial Family. His silver hair and violet eyes were breathtakingly beautiful, but the eerie smile he wore while covered in blood made him look like a demon.

[Alfredo] "Master."

Zion took the towel from his waiting butler and wiped himself down with practiced elegance. Despite his imposing stature—standing at nearly 190 cm—his proportions made him move with the lithe, dangerous grace of a silver leopard.

[Zion] "Is there a report, Alfredo?"

[Alfredo] "Actually, Odette Lina von Albrecht has requested an audience."

His movements stopped.

[Zion] "That woman?"

He lit a cigar, his expression one of pure disbelief. Just hearing her name brought a surge of irritation.

[Zion] "Lady Albrecht, why are you at the ball?"

[Odette] "Step away from me! You cannot speak to me directly without going through my brother! I am not a person you are permitted to address!"

It was strange. Divine providence dictated that a Transcendent should be drawn to a Purifier, but he found her utterly repulsive.

Ever since she awakened, she had ignored the desperate pleas of Transcendents for purification. And then there were the disgusting reports of her supposed crimes.

[Zion] "Refuse her. You know I loathe that woman."

He couldn't understand why his butler had even bothered to bring this to him. He was the Empire's Watchdog and an S-Class Transcendent; he didn't waste time meeting common aristocrats, let alone her.

[Alfredo] "Well..."

He spoke cautiously.

[Alfredo] "She asked me to tell you this: She wants to know which of the nine spies you've planted in the Albrecht house you actually trust. She also asked if you were curious to know whose information has been fabricated."

He bit down on his cigar so hard that it lost its shape.

[Zion] "It seems... I shall have to meet her after all."

A hollow laugh escaped his lips.

Alfredo, knowing this was a laugh he only used when he was absolutely furious, bowed his head even lower.

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