Chapter 132
“Hiiieee!”
The violently galloping horse barreled forward like a mad beast, forcing the coachmen and horses pulling the temple carriages to scramble backward in panic.
“Wh–what the?!”
“G-get out of the way! If that hits us, we’ll die!”
The commotion left even the High Priests and the Pope no choice but to scatter in a disorderly retreat.
Thanks to that, a brief path opened in front of Odette.
“Hiiieee!”
The horse that had blown apart the formation charged back through the opened gap and skidded to a sudden stop.
The rider on the horse was someone Odette knew all too well.
‘…Karl?’
“Master, get on.”
It was Karl, mounted atop a pitch‑black stallion whose color matched his own hair.
Shock left Odette frozen, staring up at him blankly. Karl extended his long arm, grabbed her by the waist, and lifted her onto the horse.
“Hyah!”
He kicked into the horse’s sides and surged forward at full speed. Held tight in Karl’s large embrace, Odette was thrown into confusion.
Why is he disobeying my orders on his own?
She had commanded Karl to protect her only from a distance—never to interfere in her affairs or approach unless explicitly ordered.
He was to guard her discreetly, unseen.
Dragging a slave around openly would only damage the public support she had been working so hard to build.
…Did Karl disobey my orders again?
A flicker of unease ran through her—an old fear that perhaps he was once again acting out against her like before. And with it came a small but sharp irritation.
But… at least right now, she didn’t want to scold him.
Karl had just rescued her from that suffocating place and given her a moment to breathe.
And being held in Karl’s arms felt far better than being surrounded by the Transcendents, who kept reminding her of the wretched truth that she was a purifier.
“Don’t take me back to the count’s estate. Take me somewhere secluded, Karl.”
With a tired voice, Odette leaned against him as she gave her order.
“Yes, Master.”
Karl tightened his grip on her, muscles braced, and struck the horse’s flank again.
“Slave! Halt that horse at once! I am the august head of the Sacred Temple! Do you not hear my command?!”
The Pope barked with solemn authority—but Karl was not the type to heed such a voice.
“Hyah!”
If anything, he pulled Odette deeper into his embrace so she wouldn’t feel discomfort from the horse’s wild speed.
Odette twisted slightly to look back.
Fortunately, the other male leads were not pursuing her.
They only watched her retreating figure with unfathomably quiet, sunken gazes.
A forest path with no one in sight.
The cursed scent no longer leaked from my body, nor did the light.
Only once the Transcendents, priests, and crowds faded out of sight did my mind slowly clear.
The moment I regained my composure, the first thing I did was check the dagger in my inventory.
[ The scheduled usage date of Invisible Sincerity (Dagger) has changed. ]
[ Invisible Sincerity (Dagger) ]
[ Ten days remaining — a dagger meant to cut what cannot be seen. ]
Just as I thought. The countdown changed.
The number that had been over a month dropped to ten days in an instant.
This meant Charlotte’s appearance date had been moved up.
And I was certain of why.
My awakening as a purifier forced Charlotte—forced Hansongi—to move faster.
I knew Hansongi’s personality extremely well.
“So what are you scheming now, you persistent, detestable Su‑wan unnie.”
That tone of hers always hid a ploy directed at me.
Her suddenly altered arrival schedule could only mean one thing—she was extremely anxious.
Why does the fact that I awakened make you this nervous, Hansongi?
Why is your purification power red when mine isn’t? Did you possess Charlotte, or did you reincarnate? Was Charlotte in the previous life also you?
There were countless questions I wanted to ask.
But none of them truly mattered.
Charlotte being Hansongi.
Me awakening as a purifier.
Those two facts alone meant the situation had long since spiraled out of my control.
There’s only one way to defeat Hansongi.
A strike so heavy she never sees it coming.
At least I’m lucky I unlocked the shop function.
Because the shop held the perfect tool for my plan.
A move that could overturn even the most disadvantageous situation.
“Status window. Open the shop.”
[ Activating ‘Shop Function’… ]
[ Customizable ■■ ]
[ 1,000,000 Atasha ]
Thankfully, the shop was selling the exact item I needed.
Back when I was playing Dangun Original, I had scoffed—“Why would anyone buy this garbage?”
Now, it was the best card to shove down Hansongi’s throat.
Purchase.
The moment the item slid into my inventory, Karl spoke in a low voice.
“Where shall we go, Master?”
Where should I go?
I thought for a moment. Ten days was not a long time.
I awakened loudly enough that the Count will soon hear I’m a real purifier.
Then he would also realize I acted alone today without supervision.
Returning to the mansion would be a waste of time.
Rather than go back, it would be far better to set the stage—
for the blow I’d strike the moment Charlotte appeared in ten days.
After some thought, Odette gave her order.
“Let’s leave the capital first, Karl. We’re heading to Moersault Beach.”
“Yes, Master.”
Karl obeyed without a hint of doubt.
「 Odette has performed the miracle of a purifier. 」
When the first special edition reporting Odette’s awakening spread, the Count didn’t believe it.
What nonsense is this? How could a fake possibly perform a miracle?
Fernand was tailing Odette directly, preventing her from going anywhere. And more importantly, the Count considered her utterly worthless.
But then…
「 The Miracle Lady Odette Has Created 」
「 A miracle never before seen in human history! The daughter favored by God, Odette 」
「 The eternal blessing bestowed upon the Barcheha Empire 」
Every newspaper printed headlines like these.
Even the Count had no choice but to believe.
“Heh… So the girl really is a purifier?”
The news wasn’t wholly welcome. The Count had suspected that Dolly and Odette had teamed up to deceive him.
He had even prepared to fake her death as an illness if necessary… but with this much attention, “disposing” of her would be difficult.
And now rumors said she vanished with Karl after awakening.
The situation was becoming increasingly impossible to control.
“Rolf! Tell the footmen to search every corner of the capital. Find Odette by any means necessary—drag her to my office at once!”
The panicked Count yanked the bell‑rope, and upon Rolf’s arrival began barking orders.
A true purifier had enormous value. He could potentially extort an entire mine from the imperial family.
Even if Odette had become defiant lately, this incident was too important—he needed to weigh profit and loss.
A girl like her had no power, no allies. Escaping his grasp was impossible. Even if she tried, he would drag her back and restrain her properly.
“She doesn’t need to be brought back unharmed. Lock her up once she’s found. If necessary, torture he—”
But then—
“M‑master, you… you need to come to the lobby. Immediately.”
Rolf, pale as a ghost, interrupted him—something he had never done.
The Count reflexively looked toward the door.
He didn’t need to go to the lobby.
Three S‑rank Transcendents, each the size of the door itself, were already standing outside his office.
“We’re here to see Lady Odette.”
The Crown Prince scanned the Count’s face with murderous eyes.
“Tsk tsk… Torturing your own? Our slums’ worst criminals need to step up their game if they want to match the cruelty of a noble lord.”
Colonel König clapped mockingly.
“……”
And Zion, expression cold, chewing on a cigar.
The three entered the office and sat on the sofa—
without waiting for permission.
Their fury was unmistakable.
