KFBRV Ch 98

I saved you, but Karl is the one ready to drop you into the abyss.

Odette kept the thought locked behind a mask of polite indifference while the Emperor spoke.

[Emperor] "I have been far too careless. He was once the Crown Prince of the Empire’s only ally. No matter how much Odette petitioned for it, sentencing him to slavery was excessive. I was in the wrong."

A surge of irritation rose in Odette’s throat.

Look at this man, speaking so casually while knowing the full truth of the situation.

Zion caught her eye and winked, his expression smug.

I told you he was a fool, his gaze seemed to say.

She hated to admit it, but Zion was right. The Emperor was an absolute idiot.

[Karl] "I am honored by your words, Your Majesty."

[Emperor] "Tell me, Karl. How would you like to join the Imperial Guard? I shall restore your nobility myself."

The offer aligned perfectly with her predictions. The Emperor loved his own life above all else.

A slave who suddenly appeared and saved him from certain death? He would be moved beyond measure.

Ulrich’s face, meanwhile, had turned the color of death.

He’s terrified of Karl becoming a noble again. He knows the wolf will hunt him for revenge.

The Count had always been hyper-sensitive toward Karl, even when the boy was rotting in the containment zone.

[Karl] "I do not desire such a thing. It is far more than I deserve."

Excellent delivery.

Karl followed the script she had written to the letter.

[Emperor] "Do not be modest! How could that be more than you deserve? I saw with my own eyes the injuries you sustained while rescuing me!"

Injuries? Against four ordinary humans? Karl?

She blinked in surprise. Zion, however, let out a soft, knowing chuckle. His smile looked strangely refreshed.

[Emperor] "There is no need for such humility! Shall I grant you a title? A Barony, perhaps?"

[Attendant] "Forgive me, Your Majesty...... but we must conclude today’s competition."

The Emperor frowned at the interruption but quickly brightened.

[Emperor] "Right. I shall name you the victor of the hunt! Do you see the corpses of those four assassins? No prey in my entire life has ever pleased me more. Why would you be modest? Tell me your wish at once."

He seemed desperate to shower Karl with gifts. In the original game, he suffered from severe trauma following the incident at the Tartarus Cliffs.

[Emperor] "Bring the laurel wreath and the golden cup immediately! I shall present them to this great victor myself!"

This isn't just gratitude. It’s a calculation.

The presence of assassins on the island meant a powerful shadow moved against him. Since this attempt failed, more would follow. Naturally, the Emperor wanted a talent like Karl by his side as a shield.

[Emperor] "Do you want fertile lands? Gold? I feel like firing every one of these useless guards and appointing you as the Captain of the Imperial Guard."

This exceeded her expectations. In the game world, the Emperor loathed Karl. He had been the primary driver in stripping a former Crown Prince of his rights and demoting Karl to a third-class citizen.

I ordered him to refuse, but this offer is tempting—

His calm voice cut through her brief flicker of anxiety.

[Karl] "I desire none of those things."

[Emperor] "What?"

[Karl] "I am satisfied with my current situation. I ask nothing of Your Majesty."

The Emperor’s face hardened. After several more rounds of back-and-forth, he reached a point of near-begging.

[Emperor] "It’s impossible to want nothing. Speak! I insist!"

Karl let out a sigh, acting as if he were forced to use his Wish Ticket.

[Karl] "Then...... please promote me to Lady Odette’s Combat Slave."

Combat Slaves received the highest treatment among the bonded class. Only those with exceptional martial prowess earned the title, making them incredibly expensive assets.

Until recently, noblewomen kept Combat Slaves closer than their own ladies-in-waiting, relying on them as guardians to escape the Calamity that could strike at any moment.

Since Zion’s power had only recently secured the capital from such catastrophes, the status of a Combat Slave remained prestigious for a servant.

[Emperor] "......A Combat Slave receives the best treatment, but a slave is still a slave. With such skill, wouldn't a knighthood be better?"

[Karl] "I wish only to be Lady Odette’s Combat Slave."

[Emperor] "Such loyalty. What a tragic waste of talent."

Listen to him.

The Emperor's voice dripped with greed. His "waste of talent" clearly meant he hated giving Karl to Odette.

The Emperor smacked his lips, his face sour with the realization he couldn't keep the boy for himself.

What a joke. If you felt that way, you shouldn't have demoted him to a third-class citizen in the first place.

When Karl had first begged for the protection of the Fenrir clan, this Emperor had been the first to strip their rights. He used Odette’s petition as an excuse, but the truth was fear. Barzeha had become an Empire only by borrowing the military might of the Fenrir Kingdom, its sole ally.

He had to walk on eggshells around the Fenrir for years. When the Great Calamity struck, he must have celebrated.

He had imprisoned the Fenrir children the moment they reached an age where they might rebuild their kingdom. But now that those children were dead and only Karl remained, he felt safe. Safe enough to covet the wolf for himself.

Odette glanced at Zion with a look of distaste. He winked again.

[Emperor] "Fine! There were four pieces of 'prey,' weren't there?"

He made a radical proposal.

[Emperor] "I am so pleased with this catch that I shall grant four wishes! There is no rule saying a victor only gets one! Hahaha!"

[Emperor] "I grant the first wish. From this moment, you are Odette’s Combat Slave. What is your second wish?"

Since Karl claimed to be "honored," the Emperor planned to promote him step by step. First, Combat Slave status. Next, liberation. Then, knighthood. Finally, a title.

[Emperor] "Perhaps you lack a second wish. I shall suggest one. Karl, how about your freedom?"

[Ulrich] "Your Majesty!"

Count Albrecht interjected, but the Emperor turned a sharp, rebuking gaze on him.

[Emperor] "Why does the Count interfere? Karl’s master, Odette, remains silent. Unless, of course, you are his hidden master? Is there a secret plot I should know about?"

Following the Crown Prince's Bersek Incident, Zion had reported the truth of Odette’s adoption and the abuse she suffered. The Emperor knew that while Karl belonged to Odette on paper, he was actually the Count's property.

Father's own obsession with secrecy has tripped him up. He has no legal ground to intervene.

The Emperor laughed inwardly.

The Count’s public reputation was so pristine that no one would believe he was anything but a man of high character. He could never admit, "Karl is actually mine."

Seeing his frustrated face is quite refreshing.

The Emperor had felt a sting of betrayal when he learned the "arrogant brat" wasn't Odette, but this old serpent of a Count. He smiled like a predator. He would show the Count who the real serpent was.

[Karl] "Since Your Majesty insists...... I do have a second wish."

[Emperor] "Oh? Tell me, Karl. What is it?"

His eyes sparkled with anticipation.

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