KFBRV Ch 71

[The conditions to nullify the Price of Checking Loathing: 24-Hour Physical/Mental Debuff have been met!]

[Would you like to lift the 24-hour physical/mental debuff? If lifted, you will no longer need to pay a price to check Loathing levels. (Note: The limit of 2 uses remains in effect.) YES / NO]

[If NO is selected, lifting the price for Loathing will be permanently impossible.]

The moment she saw the status window, she realized the truth.

The shift in my vision just now was because of this.

Meeting the conditions was also related to the flower bud she had seen in that dream-like space.

I don't know how the conditions were met, but I need to lift that 24-hour debuff first.

Even if this weren't her only chance, she would have chosen to remove it. That debuff had been an immense hindrance to her plans for revenge.

Lift it, she thought.

As she focused on the prompt, the "YES" on the status window flickered. A new notification appeared.

[Debuff successfully removed!]

[Congratulations on moving closer to the Completion of the Status Window!]

The once stark-white status window transformed into a faint, pale pink.

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[Zion] "Hah."

He watched Johan waltzing with Odette, his expression one of pure disbelief.

He downed the alcohol in his glass in one gulp. He had already finished several, but they provided no relief. A Transcendent's liver neutralized alcohol almost instantly; if anything, the drinks only made his mind sharper.

Because of that, the worthless noise of the crowd filtered into his ears with agonizing clarity.

[Guest A] "The Crown Prince isn't the type to dance. What on earth is happening? It's a miracle, indeed."

[Guest B] "Is it? It seems natural to me. Lady Albrecht is so beautiful tonight that it wouldn't be strange for any man to ask her for a dance."

[Guest C] "Now that you mention it, you're right. I need to find out who designed that dress immediately."

The fact that they weren't wrong only irritated him further. It was a miracle that Johan was dancing, and Odette was indeed exceptionally beautiful tonight.

He ground the ice in his glass between his teeth, a gesture unlike his usual composed self. His mood was foul—unbearably so.

He's the Crown Prince, yet he's letting himself be completely swept away by a woman?

To an ordinary person, the waltz might look decent enough. But to Zion, whose five senses were far more acute than a human's, the scene was vivid. He could see that Johan's hands were stiff with tension.

Johan was excessively nervous. It was almost comical to see that clumsily large man performing a waltz with such unnaturally small steps.

Come to think of it, was she Johan's first love or something?

Since awakening at the age of four, Johan was the type of man who had harbored romantic fantasies about meeting a Purifier for fourteen years. No matter how rare a Purifier was, the rewards the Empire had bestowed upon Odette were excessive.

And his foolish devotion had played a significant role in that excess. Even the woman's absurdly high "dignity maintenance fee" existed only because he had insisted on giving his own allowance to her.

Originally, there was no such thing as a dignity maintenance fee for a Purifier. One paid them for the act of purification, and that was the end of it. The Imperial Family had no reason to care about her personal dignity.

And now, for fear of making her uncomfortable, Johan couldn't even extend his long arms properly. He was hunched over, unable to put any strength into his movements.

Anyone would think she's made of sugar.

He scoffed. How could a proper waltz emerge when the partner who was supposed to lead was terrified of breaking the woman?

He dreamed of dancing with a Purifier for fourteen years. If he was going to wait that long, he should have at least learned to do it well.

If the young Johan could see how ridiculous this long-awaited dance looked, he would be devastated. It was a mercy that his face was handsome. The only reason the dance was even watchable was that both of their faces were so stunning.

They looked like a masterpiece—a peerless beauty and a handsome man captured in a painting......

Damn it.

He couldn't maintain his cynical thoughts any longer. His insides felt as if they were boiling over.

Then again, how could Johan not be swept away? Not by a witch like her.

Zion remembered the way she had cried when he followed her that last time. He would never be able to forget it. Her mental strength was something even S-class mind control couldn't break.

That fury, that tenacity—that shining pride. Her teal eyes had looked like flames intended to swallow him whole. His entire body had tingled.

In that moment, he had realized the truth.

I desire this woman. I want to possess her. I am willing to do anything for that.

Should I lock her up?

I could just report her as dead. The Marquis of Kleist's estate has plenty of secret spaces.

If I want to own her—

The reason he hadn't put that conclusion into action was because of the way she had wept only after the brainwashing attempt had ended. He had never seen someone cry like that. She had endured and endured until her body shook, and then the dam had finally burst.

The tears flowing down her small face felt like a cascading waterfall. She cried without even twisting her features, like a human who had never learned how to make a sound while weeping. In the end, Zion had been unable to comfort her and had been forced to leave.

Since then, every time he fell asleep, he dreamed of being back on that street. In his dreams, he didn't panic at her tears; instead, he gladly imprisoned her.

It was a pleasure to think that her tears were just another wound he had inflicted. He indulged in his low, base desires, being more vulgar than the most wretched of creatures.

So, I can't blame Johan for being swept away. I should blame the witch who bewitches people.

Even a demon like Zion had been shaken this much; how much more so for the upright Crown Prince?

This irritation, then, was likely possessiveness. The desire to take, to destroy with his own hands, and to leave his mark. It was the same base, filthy emotion his father had felt for his mother.

The Crown Prince doesn't have the temperament to possess someone. He's the type who just has a boyish crush.

Therefore, there was no way Johan would take Odette from him. It was almost laughable that he felt such a sense of wariness.

To soothe his burning throat, he grabbed another drink from a passing servant.

In that moment, a heavy scent of peach blossoms filled the air. He had smelled this fragrance once before. Reflexively, he looked toward the woman.

[Johan] "......You, the scent of flowers...... suddenly......"

Johan's face was flushed deep red; he wasn't the only one who noticed. It was unavoidable. The fragrance was overwhelmingly alluring—so good it made Zion's skin crawl with goosebumps.

It was unfortunate that the beast symbolizing his power was a dog. Even though it was a watchdog of hell, it was currently wagging its tail with frantic excitement.

Suddenly, the woman staggered as if dizzy. At the same time, the peach blossom scent intensified to an intoxicating degree. It felt as though a giant water balloon had burst, filling the entire banquet hall with the floral aroma.

What is this?

He instinctively moved toward her and grabbed her shoulder. Johan also reached out to support her waist. It was a simultaneous action, and Johan glared at him warily. But he ignored him.

[Zion] "What is wrong with you? What happened?"

[Odette] "I need to get some fresh air for a moment. I'll be on the terrace, so please do not follow me."

She spoke firmly and left for the terrace. Johan attempted to follow her as if entranced, but Zion stepped in his way.

I've never had a good outcome from catching that woman.

[Zion] "Your Highness, I have something to report."

[Johan] "Kleist. Later."

[Zion] "It concerns Odette. Your Highness just did something very foolish, and we need to clean up the mess together."

Of course, it wasn't because he hated the idea of Johan going to the terrace with her. It certainly wasn't because he couldn't stand to see them together any longer.

[Johan] "What?"

[Zion] "If you draw this much attention, it's bound to reach the Count's ears, isn't it? Surely you know her situation within the Albrecht household?"

In an instant, Johan's face turned pale.

[Johan] "Oh, no."

He intended to block every possible path for rumors to reach the Count. A bit of intimidation and pressure would be enough.

Zion smiled, feeling a strange sense of pride at the fact that he was showing a consideration that Johan hadn't even noticed.

[Johan] "I forgot. I was just so happy that Odette accepted my request to dance."

The moment he heard those words, his smile vanished.

Though Johan was usually perceptive, he failed to notice the sudden coldness that washed over his face.

[Johan] "......What? The scent is completely gone."

His attention was diverted by the fact that the peach blossom fragrance, which had seemed to fill the entire hall, had vanished in an instant—as if someone had artificially gathered every trace of it.

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