Chapter 83
“I’ve actually never been scolded by anyone. Nor have I ever been forgiven.”
“…….”
It was strange.
The expression on that child’s face—the most human expression I had ever seen.
In past lives, in this life, even in the game… I had never seen Karl’s genuine smile.
For a moment, I was at a loss for words. After a short pause, I added:
“……I hope your next wish has nothing to do with Fenrir. I want it to be a wish just for you.”
“Master?”
“You are more precious to me than the dead Fenrir.”
As I said that, I lightly tapped Karl’s shoulder, as if to encourage him.
Karl, briefly showing a puzzled expression, nodded and left the cabin.
He would probably meet Goetz and join him. I, too, removed the blanket and turned off the fireplace, lost in thought.
Karl sees me as the only purifier, the sole key needed to take revenge against the empire. Knowing his truth made it much easier for me to use him.
‘I don’t even need to worry about things like hatred—I can manipulate him freely.’
Probably, Karl’s plan includes luring me and the annihilation of the Count’s family.
Only when I am gone along with all the restraint inhibitors will the empire truly fall.
And he doesn’t even know he’s the fake purifier, a wrong choice.
‘He intended to finish his revenge before Charlotte appeared. In fact, this situation benefits my revenge.’
However… I felt sympathy for Karl.
[ Karl hardly feels emotions. ]
The word hardly in the status screen earlier stuck in my mind.
‘Hardly means he does feel some emotions, right?’
…Being just born, isn’t it cruel for parents to treat him so horribly?
I recalled the first time I encountered Karl in the containment area.
Karl running desperately, fearing the children might die. And just a few days ago, the fear he showed of falling asleep.
Can such pain truly be felt without any emotion?
Even if he were completely devoid of feelings…
‘How could you risk your life for a living son for the sake of the dead Fenrir?’
Even the father who issued those commands is gone. Yet why are you still bound to those orders?
A weapon for Fenrir. A wish for Fenrir. For Fenrir… Then what about Karl’s own life?
I saw myself in him. Karl, following the commands even after his father’s death, and my past self, obeying orders even after being abandoned by my father.
Perhaps, because of orders, he lost every opportunity to live that remained.
Perhaps, even before becoming my slave, he was already a slave to commands.
Like me, perhaps he is wasting his precious life following the commands of people who do not love him.
For that sense of shared fate, I felt a fleeting guilt. Adding unnecessary words earlier was probably because of that guilt.
‘Even though I’m planning to use him for my revenge, feeling guilt seems hypocritical.’
Such emotions are unnecessary for revenge. I forced the pity out of my mind.
I had no intention of stopping my revenge. I was fully willing to use Karl as my chess piece.
When I left the cabin, not a trace of bitterness remained within me.
“Before the ball, Madam ordered me to take any jewel from your room and hide it in Lady Becker’s room. Then, when the opportunity arises… act as if you discovered it was stolen.”
After a long interrogation, the head maid lowered her head and confessed.
“No, that’s not true! The head maid is lying! Which servant dares tell such lies?”
“Madam, please… There were others who overheard our conversation back then. The coachman and Paula who were there will remember it.”
The head maid was loyal to the Countess.
But her loyalty came from money—from the enormous tips the Countess had generously given.
She didn’t possess enough loyalty to share the Countess’s fate, who would soon lose all her authority.
Moreover, Dorry judged that the false accusation had already ended. Denying it now would only drag the situation deeper, so abandoning the mistress was the correct choice.
“Madam, I beg you to admit your mistake quickly and beg the Count.”
“Dorry, this was your doing, wasn’t it?! I never told you to do it. This was your unilateral action.”
But no one would believe that. Everyone knew Dorry was the Countess’s right-hand after Paula.
Since Dorry admitted the Countess’s crime, the truth was obvious.
“Since the Countess refuses to admit it, there’s no choice. Summon Paula as a witness; even then, she would take the Countess’s side. Bring the coachman who was there immediately!”
When a witness was mentioned, the Countess suddenly changed her words.
“Fine. Even if we forget the diamond earrings today, it’s clear Lady Becker is the culprit! Someone sent me an anonymous tip about her theft! I was just fulfilling my duty as the reported lady!”
“Then where is the tip?”
“Th-that… it suddenly disappeared. Really!”
Even though this was true, the servants couldn’t help but snicker.
Ironically, the one truth in all the Countess’s words sounded the most absurd.
“The tip really disappeared! Just the letters vanished!”
The Countess thumped her chest in protest, which only made the servants laugh harder.
“Ah, really? Was the tip written by magic, then?”
The Count mocked her.
“It was really there, right until the moment we were reading it in front of the lower staff!”
Now the maids and servants didn’t even try to hide their laughter. Giggles burst out uncontrollably.
“Silence! Who dares laugh before me?”
Then:
“Master, the tip Madam mentioned was left in her room!”
A servant brought a stiff postcard.
High-quality paper. Unlike most slightly yellowish stationery, this was a brilliantly white postcard.
Such pristine postcards were rare, used only in the palace. The navy and red vertical stripes on the border made it memorable to all the servants present.
“This is the paper Madam received the tip on and showed everyone. I remember this paper, too. However, there is nothing written inside.”
“No! The letters disappeared! I’m telling the truth!”
“Two sheets of such high-quality, unique paper probably wouldn’t exist. Also, there’s no special mechanism. More importantly, if the tip’s letters disappeared, why didn’t Madam mention it until yesterday?”
‘Because if she said the tip vanished, everyone would think Lady Becker’s crime was fabricated! Pretending the postcard still exists gives a pretext to imprison her!’
But admitting that was a blunder. Without saying it, the only conclusion the people there could reach was:
“Madam probably read the blank paper at the time. To frame Lady Becker as a thief.”
“Hmm. That seems likely. Well done, Jacob.”
“Why does no one believe me? It’s unfair! It’s true!”
The Countess glared at the servant in resentment. The Count spoke calmly:
“Sasha, do you really believe the tip was genuine?”
“It’s not about believing—”
The Countess, about to shout It’s true!, quickly shut her mouth upon seeing the Count’s eyes.
His eyes were serpentine, clearly scheming.
When she stopped yelling, she realized how silent it had become.
All the servants and maids were already looking at her as if she were mad.
