KFBRV Pt 2 Ch 35

She clutched his arm before the bone could shatter.

[Odette] "Your Highness, stop. I gave him my word first."

He refused to release Zion’s shoulder. His gaze remained fixed on the Marquis, simmering with the type of loathing reserved for filth.

His reaction was entirely justified. How brutally had Purifiers been tormented by Transcendents throughout history?

Currently, Transcendents operate under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Military.

However, in the distant past, they belonged to the Grand Cathedral under the title of 'Holy Knights.' Similarly, Saintesses served the cathedral as priestesses.

During that era, the Temple frequently coerced Purifiers into submission using the grand justification of a 'divine mandate.'

Even when Transcendents routinely used their overwhelming physical power to forcefully extract purification, society considered it a burden that the Purifier must naturally endure.

While some Transcendents worshipped their Purifiers, others were utterly wretched bastards who sought to dominate and chain them beneath their feet.

The invention of berserk suppressants and the reclassification of Purifiers as civilians established the concept of 'legal purification processed through military channels,' significantly reducing such abuses.

Yet, Johan had spent the past two years furiously advocating for stronger Purifier protection laws, publicly condemning the ongoing exploitation of Purifiers.

And now Zion demands purification like a common street thug?

Son of a bitch. I knew he lacked a moral compass, but I never imagined he was this vile.

*****

Zion, however, remained indifferent to Johan’s contempt. Panic consumed him.

That was a hallucination. How does she know about it?

The scent had vanished then. The experience differed from his usual episodes, but... terror gripped his heart.

I thought she looked excessively beautiful for a mere hallucination.

His entire frame trembled.

[Odette] "I am busy at the moment. I will fulfill my end of the bargain later, so decide on a time and notify me."

Her hollow voice revealed exactly how she viewed him. She lacked even the energy for anger; she expected nothing from him.

[Odette] "Tell me the required degree of purification, and I will prepare accordingly."

Though she chose her words carefully, the implication was clear: she would submit to whatever level of physical contact he demanded.

No. That isn’t what I meant.

Despite the desperate need to clarify, he found himself utterly unable to force a single excuse from his lips.

He was completely paralyzed by panic. Just as he had been that night in her bedroom when he witnessed her crying.

He frantically tried to formulate an excuse, but his mind went blank. Because.......

Was it not purification that I wanted?

That was a blatant lie. Even now, the craving for her energy nearly drove him mad. But more than the energy, he wanted her body. He wanted her heart.

Two years of crushing guilt had failed to extinguish that fire, and he couldn't bring himself to lie about it.

I won't force you into anything you hate.

How could he say that now?

How could he explain trying to kiss her by force?

Should he admit it was a hallucination?

Should he advertise that he had spent her two-year absence descending into this specific brand of insanity?

The absolute only way to spare Odette the burden of his suffering was to ensure she never knew he suffered at all.

I want you. I want to kiss you.

But I will never exploit you again. I will never torment or insult you again.

I refuse to do anything you despise. I want to be loved by you.

I want you to stop tensing up when you're in front of me. I want you to feel comfortable around me.

Yet, the harder he tried to be "better," the more he failed.

The scars on his wrists throbbed.

He had resolved to stop treating their relationship as a series of transactions. Even if his nature was that of a predator, he wanted to change for her.

The euphoria Zion felt upon her return crumbled into ash.

As the fog cleared, his surroundings finally sharpened.

Since when was the Prince here......?

Odette interpreted his delayed reaction as compliance. Relief washed over her features.

[Odette] "The Marquis seems to understand. I shall take my leave now. I have matters to attend to."

[Johan] "Odette, it is dangerous to go alone. I will escort you."

[Odette] "I wish to handle this myself. I don't want any interference."

When she shook her head, Johan ceased his insistence.

[Odette] "Return to the Imperial Palace...... safely."

A new emotion flickered in Zion’s desperate eyes.

How can she treat Johan with such ease?

Her expression remained largely neutral, but Zion knew every nuance of her face.

He remembered how she looked at Johan two years ago. Compared to then, her gaze today held a visible softness. A ghost of a smile even touched her lips.

Zion couldn't tear his eyes away. He watched her until a hollow laugh escaped him.

I would trade my life for a single smile like that.

He had served as the Imperial family’s loyal hound without complaint, but for the first time, he felt the urge to sink his teeth into the prince's throat.

Why do you soften for Johan? While I receive only disappointment.

They shared similar ages, power, and status. What was the difference?

He felt his stomach churn with a violent jealousy directed at Johan.

[Johan] "Was that purification talk genuine? If you must go mad, do it quietly. You're disgusting."

[Zion] "I find that hilarious, Your Highness."

He scrutinized Johan from head to toe.

The Prince wore a black Grand Ceremony uniform. The star-shaped medal that usually adorned the chest now hung from a ribbon around his neck. Furthermore, a rapier—far too small for his frame—hung at his waist.

[Zion] "Especially considering your current state."

He twisted his lips into a sneer. His voice dripped with naked rivalry.

Most people would fail to recognize the attire since the Imperial ceremony had long since fallen into disuse, but Zion understood its significance perfectly.

The uniform was for "Victory Day," but the rapier and the neck-worn medal changed the context entirely. This was the specific regalia a member of the Imperial family wore when offering a Knightly Vow to a lady.

My life belongs to the Lady; use it as you see fit.

It was a relic of a barbaric age—a grotesque romanticism signifying a man's willingness to die for a woman.

Seeing Johan immediately discard the rapier with a look of annoyance, the second Odette left confirmed he had deliberately dressed that way for her benefit.

[Zion] "Have you looked in a mirror lately? Holding a private Knightly Vow ceremony is far more repulsive."

The decree had already validated the vow. Johan’s insistence on wearing hat attire the entire time he stood before Odette proved he considered the informal ceremony officially complete.

[Zion] "At the very least, it signifies your resolve."

[Johan] "That isn't your concern. It is a matter between Odette and me."

Johan spoke as if addressing a lunatic. The irony was staggering.

Who was the real lunatic here?

Wasn't the man who swore a Chivalric Vow and forcefully legalized it the madman?

[Zion] "I wonder how Odette would react if she knew? If she knew the Crown Prince had found her long ago and kept her under surveillance using actors? You even secretly neutralized the men sent by that bastard König."

His voice carried a sharp edge of sarcasm.

Did she know the true Johan?

Aside from the slave, Zion was the only one who hadn't pursued her after she fled.

Johan was far more malicious than Viktor. He excelled at pretending to stay behind while leading the hunt with more fervor than anyone.

Pretending to be a benevolent helper. Gathering anonymous theater actors for his scheme.

What would Odette do when she realized every "kind" stranger in her life belonged to him?

Johan countered the provocation instantly.

[Johan] "Those are hardly words a man who personally verified every detail should speak. You didn't plant people around her because you were too busy planting them around me and König, weren't you?"

Zion had indeed refrained from tailing Odette, but he had smothered Viktor and Johan with spies.

[Johan] "I didn't watch her to control her. I did it to protect her."

[Zion] "A pathetic excuse."

Odette had never once looked at Zion with a gentle expression. So why did she look at Johan that way?

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