KBRV 41

Chapter 41

Imprint.
A sacred vow of the Fenrir tribe—to serve and protect their eternal partner.

It originated from the wolves’ nature of loving only one person for life, symbolizing everlasting loyalty toward their spouse.

Once the Imprint vow was made, the one who swore it could never use force against the recipient.

On the contrary, if someone attacked the imprinted partner, the Fenrir could exert ten times their physical strength.

Also, if the imprinted partner were to die, the one who made the imprint would die as well.

In rare cases, a Fenrir would imprint to pledge eternal loyalty to their master, but traditionally, the imprint was meant only for one’s life partner.

It was done only when one would rather die than ever pose a threat—even the slightest—to their chosen spouse.

Originally, I hadn’t planned to go as far as asking for an imprint. I was the one who needed to win him over. I was just going to play the fool, doing everything for him.

I thought I’d raise the remaining 5 points of his affection with something soft and simple, like the gentle ointment scene I saw in the game.

But that bastard dared to strangle my neck?

That son of a bitch would kill me without hesitation if he ever thought I was a threat to Fenrir.

I couldn’t stay under the same roof with a male lead who might snap and kill me at any moment.

So I came up with the imprint.
I had to neutralize his strength in front of me—only then would Karl behave like a proper slave.

In <DanGuWon>, if you succeeded in getting Karl to imprint with you by any means, his affection also rose by +5.

“Do you even know what imprinting means to a Fenrir?”

“That’s why I’m asking for it.”

I replied flatly. A slave who doesn’t recognize their master isn’t a real slave.

No matter how precious Karl was as a tool for my revenge, I couldn’t allow him to climb over me.
Especially not lay hands on my neck.

“Are you trying to become your slave’s wife now?”

A reaction I’d never seen in the game. His voice dripped with derision, his face twisted in blatant disgust.

[ Hostility detected. (+20) ]

The red status window showed an intimidating number.

“Imprinting isn’t just for spouses, is it? It can also be a vow of eternal obedience. I am your eternal master from now on, after all.”

That’s what you get for crossing me when I was ready to be the nice fool who gave you a proper funeral.

If I can’t leash him, I’ll abandon him here.

I wouldn’t drag a beast who might bare his fangs at me into my revenge plan.

I’d already resolved to discard him once earlier.

“If you don’t want to, refuse. But if you don’t agree to the imprint, I’m not even cleaning up your corpse.”

“…What’s stopping you from changing your mind on a whim?”

“I promise. I’ll give you the perfect funeral—better than you could ever imagine. According to the customs of the Fenrir Kingdom, the most honorable farewell.”

Karl didn’t know that he would soon awaken as an S-rank Transcendent.
He couldn’t even imagine a future where he achieved his wish without my help.

Just then, there was a cracking sound from an old tree beside me.

Huh?

The heavy tree seemed to fall in slow motion—right toward me.

Am I really going to get crushed like this?

The moment I thought that, a strong force tackled me to the ground.

“…!”

I shut my eyes in terror—but there was no pain.

When I opened them, I was cradled between Karl’s arms.

He had thrown himself over me and was now holding the tree on his back. Blood dripped from his head where it had struck the trunk.

This is promising.

I smiled.
The fact that he saved me meant he would choose the wish I was going to grant him.

Trapped between his arms, I looked up at him.

“Choose. Imprint, or give up the funeral.”

“Are you seriously saying that now? You almost just died!”

[ Hostility detected. (+10) ]

A drop of his blood landed on my face.

Still, I said nothing. I wouldn’t speak until he gave me the answer I wanted.

Sensing my stubbornness, Karl muttered,

“You’re worse than I imagined… truly wretched.”

Expressionless, he spoke quietly:

“So be it, damn master.”

[ Hostility detected. (+10) ]

The status window displayed his true feelings.

Even with the rising hostility, I wasn’t too worried.
The imprint was worth it.

Besides, that “damn master” part—what mattered was that he acknowledged me as his master.

“Never lay a hand on my neck again. I won’t forgive it.”

Only the one who received the imprint could sever it.

That meant Karl couldn’t break it, but I could.

Which means Karl has no choice but to protect me from now on.
If I die, he dies too.

My plans, Karl—they’re still useful.

Karl brought one hand to his back and lifted the fallen tree like it was nothing, tossing it aside.

“Help me up, will you? No need to waste time—I want the imprint done now.”

Karl helped me up, briefly making a face like he couldn’t believe this.

“You’re ruthless. Truly.”

He even mumbled it to himself.

Still, he dropped to one knee on the grass.

I removed one of my earrings and pricked my thumb with the sharp pin behind it. A drop of blood welled up.

The imprint ritual was primal and simple.
I would smear my blood on Karl’s lips.
He only had to swallow it.

“When this ritual is over, I’ll be your master, Karl.
Love, affection, reverence—no matter who those belong to, your loyalty will belong only to me.”

“…”

“Your home is with me. Wherever you may wander, I’ll be your origin—your new homeland.”

I smeared my blood on his lips with my thumb.
Like a smudged lipstick.

Karl stared at me and slowly licked his lips.

Then, his red eyes began to glow and change—
From bright ruby to the dark crimson shade of my blood.

At the same time, I felt a strange pulse in my veins.
I knew instinctively: my blood had become a chain binding Karl.

The imprint was complete.

And at that moment, Karl reached out and pulled the ribbon from my hair.

My hair tumbled down in a soft wave.

“What are you—”

Karl wrapped the hair ribbon around his neck, tying it into a bow.

Because my name was embroidered into it, it looked like a choker worn by a slave.

Then, he pulled my hand—the one that smeared his lips—and kissed the back of it.

This guy—

Well, he is a Fenrir maniac. No way he’d skip tradition.

Even though the kingdom is gone, and this was forced, he still meant to follow the full ritual.

Tying the bride’s hair ribbon around one’s neck—
an ancient custom.

Exactly the same way he did it with Charlotte in the game.

I never thought I’d be able to receive the same kind of reverence he gave her.

A willing imprint made with love and a forced one extracted by pressure had to be different.

I expected him to treat mine as something much simpler.

Strangely enough, I found comfort in being wrong.

“The imprint is complete… my only master.”

The fact that even one of the male leads treated me and Charlotte in the same way…

Well, yes, this bastard did strangle me, but still.

At least I wasn’t beheaded like I was in my past life.

It reassured me—proof that my actions were actually changing things.

“That’s right, Karl.”

I don’t care if his hostility increased. He can’t kill me anymore.

And since no warning popped up, I still had room before hostility reached 100.

I could relax.

“If you have a wish, tell me. As long as I have the power, I’ll make it come true.”

“…”

“Because now I’m your only master.”

And you’re my best weapon.
I chuckled softly with genuine warmth.

“…”

When he remained silent, I looked down at Karl.

His face, bathed in moonlight, was twisted in an emotional expression I had never seen before—not in the game, not in my memories.

Even when he cried blood, he remained stoic.

But now, his brow was deeply furrowed in turmoil.