KFBRV Pt 2 Ch 11
- 14 hours ago
- 5 min read
The Villainess Odette.
Her death delivered a massive shock to the entire empire.
She orchestrated a magnificent miracle destined for the history books a mere week ago. Yet she ended her own life.
[Citizen] "We lost the greatest Purifier bestowed by God."
Fueling the citizens' grief and despair, commemorative coins entered circulation at the perfect time. Silver coins bore the minted face of the hunting competition's victor, Odette.
Unlike gold coins that commoners rarely handled, silver coins served as everyday currency for people across various social classes.
Handling the silver coins frequently forced them to confront a profound guilt that eclipsed their sense of loss.
[Citizen] "It's an excessively young face......"
Odette, smiling from the coin, remained an incredibly fragile young girl.
While an overflowing number of people gossiped about her, only a minuscule fraction of the empire had actually met her in person.
Consequently, the vast majority of commoners only knew her through newspapers and gossip rags. Through viciously taken photographs or maliciously drawn illustrations.
Seeing the bright face on the coin forced them to realize the truth. Saintess, Purifier, the Empire's greatest villainess.
The real Odette, obscured by those grandiose titles, remained an eighteen-year-old girl.
[Citizen] "The girl we tormented as a villainess was just a girl who needed protection."
Their shock swiftly morphed into colossal rage.
[Citizen] "Who exactly turned her into a villainess!"
Countless citizens remembered Odette fleeing the scene in visible distress immediately after orchestrating the miracle.
The citizens, the Pope, the High Priests, and the Transcendents who had bowed to her.
She fled from the crowd with undeniable disgust before hurling herself off a cliff. No one could dismiss such an act as a simple suicide.
The public concluded that a specific culprit forced her to choose suicide. They demanded to unearth and punish this sinner.
Punishing the guilty provided their sole avenue to expiate their guilt. Their collective fury guaranteed absolute destruction for the culprit.
Newspaper companies had reproduced and spread the vile rumors. The Temple had willingly neglected and endorsed those lies for three years. The Emperor had openly disapproved of Odette, fostering an environment ripe for her mockery.
All these guilty parties held their breath and lay low. They waited for the crowd's anger to fade with time, fully aware that public outrage carried an expiration date.
However, the Brentano Press refused to let the fire die. Following Odette's death, the publication launched a relentless crusade, printing exclusively Odette-centric articles.
—"Not a Single Member of the Albrecht Count's Family Attended Lady Odette's Funeral Mass......"
—"On the Day of the Funeral Mass, Count Albrecht Specifically Met Only the Pope Before Returning"
—"Did the Count Ever Truly Cower Before Lady Odette?"
The Brentano Press designated Count Albrecht as its primary target. A man famous for doting on his daughter skipped her funeral mass entirely. The public already found his absence highly suspicious.
After expertly amplifying this doubt, the Brentano Press dropped a bombshell headline.
—"What If the Person Who Brainwashed the Imperial Citizens into Believing Odette Was a 'Villainess' Is 'Count Albrecht'?!"
The newspaper presented undeniable evidence proving the Count sponsored Rudolf Caspar, the disgraced reporter from Secret Leak.
Count Albrecht's reputation already lay in ruins. Branded the "Invisible Count" and thoroughly mocked, the public unleashed their unrestrained fury upon him.
Right as the rage against the Count reached a boiling point, the Brentano Press expertly pivoted its crosshairs to Ferdinand.
—"With the Purifier Dead and Gone, Why Does Young Count Ferdinand Continue to Enjoy Immunity?"
The law granted execution immunity to a Purifier's immediate family solely "to protect the Purifier within a stable environment." Therefore, a family that failed this fundamental duty possessed zero right to enjoy such a privilege.
The relentless barrage of articles incited public demands for Ferdinand's execution. Historically, commoners possessed zero power to strike at a Count, regardless of their collective fury.
Commoners lacked the legal standing to initiate lawsuits against the nobility. In a strict class-based society, public opinion wielded a pathetically limited influence.
However, an Imperial trial reviewing the validity of Ferdinand's immunity rewrote the rules entirely.
—"Who Will Join the Petition for the Execution of Murderer 'Ferdinand Albrecht'?!"
Such a trial forced the Imperial judiciary to weigh public sentiment. It proved a masterful campaign, designed to harness every ounce of the crowd's explosive influence.
Birdsong echoed through the square wooden window. A brown-haired girl woke to the cheerful noise.
It was Odette, flawlessly disguised with altered hair and eye colors. Her gaze immediately darted to the trunk resting by the door—an ingrained habit.
With the inventory system at her disposal, the physical trunk served zero practical purpose. Yet, she craved a tangible symbol. A physical anchor proving she stood ready to flee at a moment's notice.
Satisfied, she shifted her focus to the winding grandfather clock.
[Odette] "Has it already gotten this late?"
She mumbled through her sleep-laced voice and slipped out of bed.
The solid warmth of the wooden floorboard met her bare feet. She crossed the cozy room with light, even steps, heading for the window.
Her fluid gait lacked the rigid, suffocating tension of her past. The steps that once mimicked a desperate walk across thin ice now moved with genuine ease.
She threw the wooden shutters open with a sharp creak. Vibrant morning sunlight instantly cascaded over her hair.
[Odette] "It's warm."
She stretched a hand past the sill, basking in the radiant heat. A healthy, rosy flush colored her cheeks, contrasting sharply with her historically pallid complexion.
The rigid, armor-like coldness had melted from her features. Her current vibrancy eclipsed her state from two years ago entirely. Consequently, she exuded a youthful energy that perfectly matched her actual age.
However, that relaxed serenity vanished in a heartbeat.
The frantic flutter of small wings triggered a lethal sharpness in her gaze. A familiar white bird darted into view. Recognizing the messenger, she exhaled a breath of relief and whistled a crisp, clear note.
[Odette] "Fweeeet-."
The white bird banked sharply at the sound, diving straight toward her. It landed gently upon her outstretched forearm.
[Odette] "You worked hard. Well done."
A tightly rolled parchment rested against the bird's leg, secured by a ribbon. The ribbon bore a discreet signature at its tail—Lize's mark, decipherable only to Odette.
The sheer thickness of the parchment promised a substantial report.
Ferdinand's trial results must have finally dropped.
[Odette] "Well done. Thank you."
She stroked the bird's crown affectionately while unfastening the message. The messenger nuzzled against her knuckles for several seconds before hopping toward the ornate cage waiting nearby.
Her fond expression hardened rapidly into absolute focus as she unrolled the parchment.
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