KFBRV Ch 9

They said his mana collapse was imminent. He truly seems to be at death's door.

The wound on his torso wasn't the only injury. His left arm and leg were broken, twisted at grotesque angles, and the grass around the fountain had been dyed such a deep crimson that its original green was unrecognizable.

If he were a normal human, the blood loss alone would have killed him long ago.

With even a slightly lower corruption level, wounds like these would have healed in minutes.

But with his mana on the verge of collapsing, his regeneration had slowed to a crawl. And given his high corruption level, his nerves were likely hypersensitive, amplifying every sensation of pain.

[Johan] "...Get lost... right now. If you have no intention of purifying me... then with what dirty scheme... have you come here...?"

An S-Class Transcendent. The pride of the Navy, an Admiral. A hero of humanity, forged from pure chivalry. The Crown Prince, whom the Empire adored, was known for his kindness to all.

Those titles felt meaningless now. The blue eyes looking up at Odette were filled with nothing but contempt. Yet, she ignored the blatant hatred and offered him an elegant curtsy.

[Odette] "Greetings to the Little Sun of the Empire."

It wasn't as if she was going to get hurt by his attitude now.

He looked at me with this exact expression every time I had an audience with him. It's hardly new.

In fact, this was almost cute.

Compared to when he chased me with a great sword, a cold glare is nothing.

Above all, among the four male leads, the Crown Prince had been the most favorable toward Odette. Or at least, the most gentlemanly.

She smiled brightly as she spoke.

[Odette] "There is no scheme behind my visit, Your Highness. What other reason would a Purifier have to visit a Transcendent on the brink of collapse, other than purification?"

At her words, his blue eyes widened in shock, only for his face to twist in pain a moment later.

[Johan] "...What kind of whim is this... Cough! Get lost. I don't need your purification..."

[Odette] "Yes, yes. I'm sure it makes you nauseous. I'm well aware, so please stop talking. Blood gushes out every time you open your mouth."

She pressed her hand against his wound to stanch the flow of blood.

[Johan] "How dare you..."

[Odette] "Do I need to slap your mouth to make you stop speaking?"

[Johan] "I hate... you. I can't even stand your scent..."

[Odette] "Yes, yes. I know."

She answered him soothingly, as if dealing with a drunkard.

Kind to everyone but only hates me. How perfectly consistent.

The most loyal knight to Charlotte. He lacked nothing to be the First Male Lead. Odette almost wanted to applaud him.

Even without the game settings, it's not like he'd ever like me anyway.

Though a Crown Prince, he lived frugally like a soldier. The traits that made him fall for Charlotte were "kindness" and "simplicity." There was no way he would like Odette, who insisted on dripping with jewels even at funerals.

[Johan] "...Go back. I have no intention... of touching a woman I detest... not even in the slightest..."

Wow, how noble. Even bleeding out like this, he wants to save all his "firsts" for Charlotte?

She gave a bitter smile.

A man of pure love and kindness. The keyword was "Charlotte's loyal knight," wasn't it? He certainly lives up to the role.

But this was nothing more than a fleeting moment of bravado. Soon, when the undeniable signs of collapse began, he would spend the next six months begging her for purification.

As expected, sparks of electricity began to crackle from this body.

Look at that. The ability is already overwhelming its master.

When the power overwhelms the vessel containing it—that was the classic precursor to a mana collapse.

In the last life, he endured six months in this state? He's tragically stubborn.

[Odette] "Perhaps I shouldn't have come."

Her voice turned cold.

[Odette] "You'd rather face a mana collapse than accept my purification, is that it?"

Her question was leisurely, almost as if savoring the intent behind his words.

[Odette] "Are you saying you hate me more than you hate the idea of the Empire's citizens being annihilated by your explosion?"

When she pointed out the exact stakes, the blood-soaked Prince flinched and shut his mouth.

A D-Class collapse is an incident. C-Class is a disaster. B-Class is a catastrophe. A-Class is a calamity.

Therefore, an S-Class collapse would undoubtedly annihilate the Empire. It would be wiped clean, as if it had never existed.

[Johan] "..."

His blue eyes, shining with hatred, glared at Odette. She swallowed the harsher words lingering on her tongue.

[Odette] "Don't worry. I will protect that noble heart of yours."

She never intended to perform purification through physical contact anyway.

He would endure for six months until Charlotte arrived, even if it meant carving out his own eye. And more importantly, Odette didn't have purification powers to begin with.

So, his worry about his purity was pointless from the start.

But it is annoying that he hates me this much.

She knew he despised her. She was prepared to face it. Although it felt more like resignation than preparation.

He's so blatant about it. He doesn't hide his contempt one bit.

Perhaps her resolve was lacking. It was pathetic, but she felt a bitter pang in her chest.

Leaving the Crown Prince behind, she stood up and headed past the heart of the rose garden, deeper into the forest.

His gaze followed her back for a long time. But only for a moment. Overcome by the surging pain, he soon lost consciousness.

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Rustle, rustle. She waded through the knee-high grass.

Still, this is better than my past life.

The Crown Prince had always disliked her, but once Charlotte appeared, his current hatred would seem adorable in comparison. After realizing she was a fake, he looked at her as if he wanted to behead her on the spot.

[Johan] "Killing you now wouldn't be enough. Not when I think of how much your existence has ruined the Empire."

Technically, his hatred was justified.

A fake Purifier gnawing away at the Empire. A villainess who grew fat on others' misfortune and pain. From the Crown Prince's perspective, she was no different from a parasite.

Of course, that doesn't mean my feelings aren't hurt.

Did she ever really have a choice? Going out, talking to others—everything was done under her family's surveillance.

During her first outing, she was locked in the dungeon for months and had her hair cut off simply for exchanging glances with a girl her age. After that, her best option was to look at the sky with an arrogant expression, mindful of Ferdinand's gaze.

She had no way of knowing how desperate they were for purification, or how high her wickedness had risen.

Anyway, with his senses heightened in that state, the pain must be beyond imagination. To think that touching Odette was more terrible than that pain... the depth of his contempt felt unfathomably vast.

But at the same time, it cleared her head. Any lingering sympathy or gratitude vanished completely. Even the faint admiration she had felt for them as Han Suwan faded away.

...Fine. What good does it do me to be liked by him? I didn't come here to make friends.

She only came because stopping the Crown Prince's collapse would make things easier for her later. She also needed to prevent the first event that would cement the absolute hatred of the male leads.

Feeling upset over a calculated move was ridiculous.

Collecting her thoughts, she arrived at her destination: the lake.

[Odette] "Just as I expected.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the black lotus floating on the water.

This was the flower she had been aiming for. The "Night Glory" is capable of amplifying the effects of temporary Berserk Suppressants to an extreme degree.

The Albrecht family had run a massive pharmaceutical company for generations. Started by the first Count Albrecht, a talented court apothecary, the family business had grown into a conglomerate. After putting Odette forward as a Purifier and securing a monopoly on suppressants, they had practically raked in money.

However, the fact that "Night Glory" acted as an amplifier for suppressants was a secret even the Albrechts didn't know.

At this point, it was a fact known only to Han Suwan, who had read the game's setting book cover to cover.

[Odette] "How fortunate that this is in the Imperial Palace."

Without hesitation, he waded into the lake.

Splash. Splash.

With every step, the cold water wrapped her dress around her legs. The sodden fabric became heavy, making her stumble, but now was not the time to care about such things.

The lake was quite deep, and her feet sank into the muddy bottom with every step. Staggering, she walked until the water reached her chest. Only after stretching out her arm could she grasp the black lotus.

Night Glory, a plant that could only survive near blue roses that had bloomed for over 100 years, was now in her hand.

The game said that taking Night Glory with a suppressant creates a purification effect equivalent to B-Class.

Night Glory played a crucial role in the game's lore. It was the discovery of its amplifying effects that led Charlotte, a rural apothecary, to come to the capital.

But the core effect of Night Glory was actually accelerating the awakening of a Purifier.

Charlotte awakened as an S-Class because she got hungry on the way here and ate a few of these.

Her thin fingers raked through the water, snapping the stems of all the lotuses. There were only eight flowers in total, so she needed to use every drop of their extract.

Father only supplies the palace with suppressants that have diminished potency, so the medicine I took from the family warehouse will be much more effective.

After all, it was medicine reserved for his precious son. Combined with the Night Glory extract, it should have a decent effect even on an S-Class Transcendent.

Careful not to damage the flowers, she left the lake, gathering the black lotuses in her skirt. She then headed back to the Crown Prince.

Because it had taken some time, the Prince had already lost consciousness.

[Odette] "I'll borrow your handkerchief, Your Highness."

[Johan] "..."

[Odette] "I'll take your silence as a yes."

Rummaging through his front pocket, she found a clean handkerchief.

First, she shoved a handful of suppressants into the unconscious Prince's mouth.

Then, she tore the lotus petals into small pieces over the spread-out handkerchief and rolled it up neatly.

Using both hands, she wrung the handkerchief tight. She let the dark liquid flowing through the cloth drip directly into his mouth.

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