KFBRV Pt 2 Ch 56

[Ferdinand] "This is nonsense! I can't lose my family name for a crime I didn't commit!"

He demanded a lawyer from behind the bars of the City Watch station. He insisted the exile was illegal and threatened a lawsuit.

The guards ignored his shouts. The Emperor, the Pope, and Count Albrecht had reached a total agreement. The Imperial Court would never accept his case.

[Guard] "You absolute idiot! The Imperial Court already signed the papers. What are you talking about? A lawsuit? Hahaha! Listen to this guy!"

The station echoed with mockery.

Falling from the status of a high noble to a mere commoner brought utter terror. The tiny shred of respect the guards once held for him vanished.

Once the Pope stripped Ferdinand of his name, he offered a surprisingly peaceful gesture to the Count. Upon hearing that Count Albrecht intended to bring his illegitimate son into the family, the Pope offered to send a High Priest for the baptism. He even suggested the High Priest visit the Albrecht mansion personally.

The Cathedral viewed adultery as a sin and usually refused to recognize illegitimate children. A baptism by a High Priest was a massive honor, often denied to even high-ranking nobles.

By intervening in the family’s affairs so aggressively, the Pope now offered a hand of reconciliation. He wanted to help the Count save face and end the scandal quietly.

Even if the Pope belongs to Odette...... I must accept this.

The social world already knew the Albrechts had almost become enemies of the Temple. Refusing this favor would invite the hatred of every religious noble in the empire.

To signal that the conflict had ended, he had to display a peaceful relationship with the Cathedral. Having a High Priest visit the mansion was a rare glory.

Ultimately, he forced a smile and prepared to welcome the priest.

---

The Count entered Mrs. Becker’s room. She looked surprised by his sudden visit.

[Ulrich] "A High Priest is coming to baptize the child. On that day, I will officially bring him into the Albrecht house."

The Count planned to finalize the legal entry alongside the ceremony.

He looked at the baby in her arms. Though the child had only just passed his first birthday, he looked exactly like him. The resemblance was undeniable. This small fact provided comfort to the man who had just cut ties with his eldest son.

[Ulrich] "His name...... will be Maximilian."

Mrs. Becker gasped. She knew the weight of that name. Maximilian was the name of the first Count Albrecht, a brilliant court healer. It was a sacred name reserved only for the most precious heirs. It was even Ferdinand’s middle name.

[Ulrich] "The baptism will take place at the garden fountain. However, you can't participate directly."

He set a firm boundary. Since she was not a member of the Albrecht house, she couldn't stand with the family. He wanted to ensure she didn't grow arrogant just because her son was entering the registry.

[Becker] "Yes, Count."

[Ulrich] "I will allow you to watch from the front of the servants' line. Don't feel slighted."

[Becker] "I wouldn't mind even if I stood at the very back, my Lord. That does not matter to me."

He issued a final warning to curb any hidden ambition.

[Ulrich] "You will never be the Countess. You must show proper respect to Maximilian as the official heir of this house. Unlike you, he becomes a noble tomorrow."

[Becker] "I understand. I will serve Young Master Maximilian without overstepping my bounds."

She remained humble. Her perfect, polite behavior made the Count’s chest tighten with bitterness. He wished Ferdinand had possessed such discipline. If only his son had woken up before it was too late.

Regret weighed heavily on him. He had raised Ferdinand for nearly thirty years. Though he had often thought about removing his son from the registry in fits of anger, the reality of doing it felt like ash in his mouth.

---

Ferdinand felt a murderous frustration while the prison carriage rattled along the road. He had not killed Raphael. He only wanted to talk. What madman would actually kill a High Priest?

[Ferdinand] "Why! Why must I suffer like this?"

The weeks spent running from the law had been a nightmare. With no Calamities to fight, other Transcendents had hunted him for sport. They chased him like lions playing with a rabbit. They treated him like a toy, not a human being.

[Ferdinand] "Why won't you believe me! I didn't kill the High Priest!"

His protests meant nothing. Every shout earned him a heavy boot to the ribs. Despite being a Transcendent, he couldn't fight back. His restraints were strong, and his guards were soldiers of his own rank.

These were D-class soldiers—men who were once his colleagues. Many were juniors he had abused back when he hid behind the protection of a fake Purifier. These men had begged their superiors for this transport mission just to watch his pathetic downfall from the front row.

Damn it......

One of the D-class soldiers struck Ferdinand in the back of the head and snickered.

[Soldier] "This brat is hopeless. He received such a generous sentence and still whines the whole way."

Ferdinand felt his blood boil at the phrase "generous sentence."

[Ferdinand] "How is this generous! I didn't kill anyone!"

[Soldier] "Oh, 'I didn't kill anyone!' Give it a rest."

Ferdinand was now a commoner. He wasn't even a soldier anymore. Though his life was spared, everyone treated him like a common criminal. The soldiers laughed at him. He had never known such treatment; the situation felt foreign and terrifying.

Which filthy rat...... threw me into this trap?

He knew it was a setup, but he couldn't find the culprit. The list of people who hated him was too long. It could be Odette, the Count, or Rolf. It could be his mother, or one of the soldiers currently hitting him, or even the family of the woman he had killed years ago.

[Soldier] "Hey. You should be glad we’re taking it easy on you because of our history. The Transcendents at the frontier are waiting for you. Remember Kian, the E-class? He plans to kill you."

Ferdinand began to shake. Normally, as a D-class, he would be stronger, but years of alcohol and gambling had wasted his body. He could barely beat an ordinary person now, let alone an F-class Transcendent.

Panic seized him. He gasped for air, his lungs tight with dread. He couldn't survive a life of being a toy for others. He was of noble blood. He deserved better than this.

He huddled in the corner of his dirty cage, trembling with fear.

---

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