KFBRV Pt 2 Ch 54

Odette sat by the window in a rosewood dress. She smiled at the chaos outside the gates.

[Holy Knight] "What are you doing, Young Lord Albrecht!"

The knights scrambled in confusion. A swarm of wasps blocked their path, leaving them helpless.

The sight amused Odette. Some knights ran to call the Imperial Guard.

Summoning wasps. How foolish.

Odette laughed at Ferdinand. He had trapped himself. Autumn wasps were in their prime, after all. The knights struggled to clear the insects, but Ferdinand would find Raphael first.

No matter how reckless he acted, he was not insane enough to strike a High Priest. He likely came to demand answers about Rolf. And then—surprise! He would find a corpse.

Odette had tipped off the Pope earlier. She told him Ferdinand was coming and to prepare the vial she gave him.

[Odette] "You seized a great opportunity, Your Holiness."

The audience chamber offered a perfect view of the gates, the corridors, and the priest's quarters.

The Pope emerged from the quarters, his movements stiff. He hid a syringe and an empty vial in his sleeve.

Odette popped a chocolate into her mouth, enjoying the performance.

The Pope ducked into the main hall and slammed the doors. Right on time, the Imperial Guard and knights cleared the wasps. They sprinted toward the priest's quarters.

Odette clapped in the empty room.

[Odette] "Bravo. This is perfect."

The door rattled open. The man entering gasped in shock.

[Pope] "Who... who is there?! Who dares enter the audience chamber!"

[Odette] "It is I, Your Holiness."

Relief washed over his face, mixed with fear.

[Odette] "This is the only room with a clear view of the quarters. I stayed here to ensure no one saw you."

She offered a slight bow. The Pope didn't scold her for the intrusion. He was too relieved.

[Odette] "Give me the vial and the syringe."

The Pope handed them over.

[Pope] "I planned to burn them in the fireplace, Saintess."

[Odette] "Give them to me. I have a more certain way to dispose of them."

She possessed an inventory. It was the ultimate hiding spot.

The Pope obeyed her, though worry lines creased his forehead. He feared she held a weakness over him now. She didn't mind.

[Odette] "I came to find you because the late-night noise frightened me. You were here, comforting me in the audience chamber."

She needed an alibi, too. Charlotte was in the Cathedral and would surely suspect her first.

[Pope] "Young Lord Ferdinand is your brother. It is only natural to feel anxious when your own flesh and blood causes such a scene."

The Pope understood. His eyes gleamed. A bloodbath was coming for Raphael’s followers.

[Pope] "I owe you my life. You will have the result you desire."

[Odette] "I look forward to it, Your Holiness."

She turned and left the room. Both she and the Pope were finally free.

---

The knights and the Imperial Guard burst into the priest's office. They found Ferdinand standing there, looking dazed. Next to him lay the dead High Priest.

[Knight] "How—"

[Ferdinand] "It wasn't me! I didn't do it!"

The Imperial Guard ignored his cries and dragged him out. They confirmed Raphael was dead.

[Guard] "Young Lord Ferdinand, I am arresting you for the murder of the High Priest."

Ferdinand panicked. He used his power to summon wasps and fled into the night.

[Guard] "Stop him!"

[Ferdinand] "Why is this happening to me......!"

Despair filled Ferdinand’s face as he ran. He had escaped crimes before, but he had never run from a lie.

The investigation moved quickly. The autopsy confirmed the cause: death by wasp venom. Although they found few stingers, they decided this was a unique killing method only an insect-controller like Ferdinand could use.

Ferdinand's escape only confirmed his guilt. A massive reward hung over his head, and his face appeared on wanted posters across the empire.

His tragedy didn't end there. Ferdinand had many enemies, especially in the Navy. He had always treated his subordinates like dirt, boasting about his immunity. Now, Navy Transcendents hunted him with a passion. Capture was inevitable.

The Albrecht house faced a disaster. The Count feared Charlotte would cancel the adoption, but she remained calm. She only asked to be officially adopted after the situation had settled.

---

The Count visited the prison with a lawyer. He stared at Ferdinand through the bars.

[Ferdinand] "I...... I didn't do it."

The Count looked at his son with pure disgust. Multiple witnesses—all knights and priests—saw him with Raphael. The cause of death was wasp venom. The evidence was absolute.

[Ulrich] "Then why did you run?"

Ferdinand had no answer. The Count wanted to punish his son, but not like this.

However, Ferdinand had lied before. He had denied killing a woman until the evidence proved him wrong. The Count couldn't trust him.

Everyone in the empire hated Ferdinand. Even his Navy comrades refused to defend him.

[Ulrich] "You might avoid execution, but the Pope is furious. He demands justice."

The Cathedral remained a powerful force with its own army. The Count saw no way out.

[Ulrich] "I have no way to save you now."

Ferdinand realized the severity of his situation. He collapsed to his knees.

[Ferdinand] "Father, I was wrong. I was so wrong!"

He wailed like a child, but the sound brought no pity.

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