KBRV 33

Chapter 33

‘W-What is this?’

Her eyes were wet, likely from crying the whole time.

What she’d just experienced couldn’t be called a dream. It was far too vivid—so much so, it felt like she had relived the moment entirely.

‘I-I feel sick.’

Odette trembled violently, hugging her own body.

The horrifying loneliness she’d felt as she died. The cold that seeped in as blood poured from her head. The revolting sensation of realizing just how worthless she truly was.

Though it had happened in a previous life, it felt as if it had just occurred.

At that moment, a semi-transparent system window appeared before her eyes.

[ Settlement Complete! ]
[ Settlement Detail: 24-hour Physical/Mental Debuff (Cumulative) ]

The grandfather clock chimed midnight again. Exactly 24 hours had passed.

‘So this is the price of using the necklace?’

Odette stared at the status window, shivering, a conflicted expression on her face.

‘I have to keep using this necklace to monitor the male leads’ hostility levels…’

She truly didn’t want to. She never wanted to experience that mental debuff again.

Even after changing out of her sweat-soaked clothes, her body temperature didn’t return to normal for a long while. And sleep was entirely out of the question.

Odette sat down at her desk. Staying in bed made her feel even worse.

Even though she’d lit the candles and the fireplace, it still felt as though she’d just faced death.

Yes. Dying had been that horrific.

‘If I don’t stop the Fenrir Internment Camp Incident, I’ll definitely die by Karl’s axe again in this life.’

The incident would occur in four days. The urgency of stopping it hit her like a tidal wave.

Odette folded her shaking arms tightly and sank deep into thought.

‘Just like in my previous life, a catastrophe will suddenly appear at the Fenrir camp on the final day of the Founding Festival.’

A catastrophe. A pitch-black void, like a black hole, that would appear out of nowhere in the sky and suck in everything around it.

In true R-rated dark game fashion, those engulfed by the catastrophe met gruesome ends.

First, their life force would be completely drained, leaving behind a mummified husk. Then, the body would be spat out in bloody pieces.

Even the children of the Fenrir clan had died that way.

‘After seeing the corpses of those children in that state, Karl will lose it. And his blame will naturally fall on me.’

On that day, he would learn that it was Odette who had kept him from being at the camp, and also insisted on its location.

‘Even though it was all my father’s fault, that bastard.’

Odette wanted revenge on the Count. She wanted to return every ounce of pain she’d suffered in her previous life.

And the pain she had to repay certainly included being chased by monsters and then decapitated by Karl’s axe.

‘To use Karl as a piece in my revenge game, it’s not enough to simply prevent the Fenrir Incident.’

It wasn’t enough to just avoid being blamed. She had to win Karl’s loyalty.

Fortunately, Karl didn’t hate her—yet.

According to the official lore, Karl hadn’t harbored any particular feelings toward Odette before the Fenrir Incident.

Even after receiving notice that the Fenrir clan would be confined and enduring three years in the camp, Karl hadn’t blamed her. That was largely due to his past as the crown prince.

He understood that the decision to imprison the Fenrir clan had ultimately been the emperor’s political move.

So at present, Odette had done nothing to incur Karl’s resentment.

‘On the final day of the Founding Festival, I need to become Karl’s savior.’

She needed to win his favor. She needed his true loyalty.

Unlike in her past life, where she’d merely been his master in name and more of an enemy in truth, this time she had to become his true master.

‘This time, I’ll make sure Karl’s red eyes—full of blood and tears—his obsession, his hatred, all point toward my father instead of me.’

* * *

Mrs. Becker let out a weary sigh as she sipped her tea. She couldn’t remember the last time she had a quiet tea break. The past few days had been absolutely chaotic.

‘Why did all this have to happen while the Count is away at the imperial palace?’

First, all the slaves they’d secured had suddenly escaped. Then a trade ship they were expecting sank. A building had even collapsed out of nowhere.

Every business endeavor was suffering massive losses, and their business partners had been streaming in and out of the mansion daily.

Just hosting all those guests was enough to exhaust the maids and servants. And now, even the madam had been confined to her quarters. It was no wonder that nine of the lower staff had abruptly handed in their resignations.

Mrs. Becker was far busier than any other servant. She had suddenly been put in charge of managing the estate’s finances.

‘Ah, speaking of which, I forgot to hide the stolen jewelry in Lize’s wardrobe, didn’t I?’

She had intended to pin her theft—discovered by Odette—on Lize, but only now remembered that plan.

Well, with the madam confined, there was no rush to frame someone else.

‘That impudent little Odette dared to challenge me… I’ll need to repay that insolence somehow.’

It would be best to report her to the Count directly.

But before he left for the palace, the Count had threatened to kill anyone who interfered with his negotiations, then cut off all contact.

As a result, she hadn’t been able to tattle on Odette’s rebellion.

So she would have to take revenge with her own hands, though lately—especially today—she was just too exhausted. Too tired to even think about tormenting someone.

‘Once Odette’s tuberculosis clears up, I’ll deal with her slowly. I’d hate to catch that illness myself.’

At that moment, the butler Rolf called out to her.

“Mrs. Becker, we’re short on wine and meat in the cellar. We’ll need to purchase some more—please allocate the funds.”

Lately, Rolf always approached her with a sour expression, as if it were beneath him to even speak to her.

‘He’s clearly thinking, “Why am I doing your job?”’

Rolf had served as the butler for generations in this household, managing the estate alongside the lady of the house.

So it made sense that he would resent Mrs. Becker—who was merely the madam’s handmaid—for suddenly being in charge of the family’s finances.

‘What a stubborn, wrinkled old fox. If the young master entrusted this to me, he should just shut up and follow orders.’

“I understand. I’ll give you as many silver coins as you need.”

Mrs. Becker forced a sweet tone, but she was seething inside.

‘He’s acting like he knows everything, when in fact… I’m the Count’s lover, you know? Compared to a mere butler, I’m practically the mistress of the house. Of course I should be managing the finances.’

In truth, as his mistress, she had no official standing. But Mrs. Becker didn’t know her place.

And Rolf wasn’t the only one who irritated her. The housekeeper, the head maid, and several other staff looked down on her and subtly undermined her authority.

Paula in particular had been giving her strange looks—as if warning her not to overstep her bounds.

‘What, you think I asked for this? The madam misbehaved, and the young master entrusted the estate to me. Are you really acting like I stole this position?’

Then came a voice, sweet and syrupy like she was trying to curry favor.

“Mrs. Becker, I’ve ironed today’s morning paper. Shall I serve it with some snacks?”

It was Malea—the only maid who had acknowledged her authority and bowed her head from the very beginning.

‘So quick-witted. I like that.’

She couldn’t understand how a brand-new maid was more competent than people who’d been working here for over 20 years.

“Yes, Malea.”

Such good instincts.

Even the way she handed her the ironed paper—already opened to the capital news section, Mrs. Becker’s favorite—was perfectly thoughtful.

As she read a brief article about a middle-aged woman murdered on Red Globocnik Street, Mrs. Becker sipped her tea again.

“The young miss’s coughing is so severe, just walking near her room feels contagious. Even if you need to go upstairs, Mrs. Becker, please stay far away from her quarters.”

“I will, Malea.”

“She’s already overexerting herself to the point of collapse. If she catches something on top of that, how terrible would that be? I worry myself sick over her. Of course, thanks to your tireless efforts, this household is still holding together. Here—have some cookies.”

Mrs. Becker felt her heart warm. Malea was the only one who recognized her hard work.

‘I’ll have to look after her when I become the next lady of the house.’

With that resolution, she began nibbling on the cookie.

The sweet taste filled her with renewed energy. She had no idea that Odette had ordered Malea to win her favor from the start.

* * *

The final day of the Founding Festival dawned.

A crucial turning point in Odette’s path of revenge.