Chapter 13
Should I kill her? Wipe her out completely so no trace remains?
Cesar sank into deep thought after returning home, when the door opened and Odette stepped into the bedroom.
She had grown into the same angelic figure she had been as a child—Odette Vallon.
The prophecy of Herabrua, that his destiny would come when his trials ended, flashed through Cesar’s mind.
Finally… the trials are over!
Destiny had come to him.
As Odette knelt, emanating faint but unmistakable divine power, Cesar felt as if he held the whole world in his hands.
Using Odette, he could finally achieve the honorable revenge he had longed for.
And he could keep the promise he had made to Herabrua.
So Odette… whether you live or die, you must be with me. Destiny works that way.
“Aden, send a dispatch to Haik Middleton and mobilize the army. We must find Odette, no matter the cost.”
“M-mobilizing the army will draw attention.”
“Does it matter if the emperor notices? There are those who can detect Odette’s divine power, just like me.”
Some sensitive paladins and saintesses would recognize that Odette’s divine power was exceptional.
And when her power fully blossoms, a prophecy will be issued.
A Great Saintess will appear.
“If the emperor acts first, Odette will be killed. You can’t let the daughter of Herabrua die, can you?”
“I’ll deploy the army immediately!”
Aden dashed out of the hotel room to send the dispatch.
Cesar swept the bed where Odette had been lying.
“…My wife is good at running away and vanishing without a trace. Like a cute little squirrel. I’ll have to lock her up so she never escapes again.”
Ha… now what do I do?
Odette hid in a park, evading knights who were searching the city like a net.
But if I go back to Cesar Mace, I’ll end up like the original heroine.
She would be forced to submit, eventually becoming his doll… and get pregnant.
After all, the key theme of this story was “pregnancy-escape heroine.”
She didn’t want to live out such a tragic story, not even in place of a heroine who wasn’t hers.
“I need to get out of here quickly.”
If she delayed, the cordon wouldn’t loosen—it would only tighten further.
Odette pulled her hood down low and hurried toward the unblocked streets.
She saw knights entering the park and changed her direction.
When she finally escaped the park, she heard the voice of Cesar’s aide, Aden.
“The park is closed. Streets 2 through 20 are under lockdown.”
Odette wiped the sweat from her brow as she hurried to slip into Street 21.
If this continued, she would be caught today.
As she turned into another alley, an elegant carriage came to a halt.
“Get in.”
An elderly woman extended her hand to her.
“Excuse me?”
“You look like you need help.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
With no time to question, she accepted the offer.
Inside, the carriage was exquisitely luxurious.
Cushions and curtains embroidered with gold thread. The ceiling and floor painted entirely gold.
“You’re being chased by someone powerful.”
The woman smiled, her emerald eyes mirroring Odette’s.
“Ma’am, I haven’t committed any crime.”
“Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t.”
The elderly woman glanced out the window at the knights searching below.
A terrified woman dropped her basket, a child began crying, and a pickpocket, fleeing, overturned a fruit cart and knocked over passersby.
Watching the chaos, Odette realized how serious the situation had become.
“You’re right… people are getting hurt because of me.”
“How can I help? Tell me.”
The woman’s emerald eyes held Odette’s gaze.
Why is she showing such kindness to someone she’s never met?
Odette was moved to tears but shook her head.
“I’ll accept your thoughts alone.”
No matter how noble or high-ranking, she could not drag someone into danger.
Cesar, enraged and blind, would care for nothing.
“I’ve already received enough help. Since this street hasn’t been blocked yet, I can get off here.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course.”
The woman rang the bell to halt the carriage.
As Odette opened the door to step out, the woman said,
“If I were you, I’d go to the person your pursuer hates most. While the lion and bear fight, you’ll be safe.”
Her wise, shining eyes fixed on Odette.
“Thank you for the advice.”
Odette bowed again in gratitude.
The elderly woman, with a concerned look, handed her a handkerchief.
“If something urgent happens, sell this to me. I can help once.”
Two golden-horned stags were embroidered on it.
Which noble house does this belong to?
Odette had never been educated in noble heraldry.
Even knowing that she was being chased by someone powerful enough to lockdown the city, the woman still wanted to help—it suggested she was of very high rank.
“Good luck, young lady.”
As the carriage carrying the woman disappeared, Odette pondered.
While the lion and bear fight… I’ll be safe?
But that meant walking right into the lion’s cage herself.
Her only ability was gathering information through dreams.
“What do I do now?”
Cesar’s encirclement was closing in, and she had only ten gold coins.
Ah, there’s one more thing.
She still wore Cesar’s shirt over her pajamas.
If I sleep in this shirt, maybe I can peek into Cesar’s thoughts.
Ugh… my head hurts so much.
Night after night, Count Anderson suffered excruciating headaches from nightmares.
A few nights ago, ancestors from the portraits came to life, wielding staffs and swords.
The next night, the mansion burned to the ground.
He ran frantically, dodging flames in the nightmare, and his throat hurt from screaming when he awoke.
And every night, the maid sent as Amelia’s double appeared, binding his limbs and whipping him.
The pain was painfully real.
He feared going to sleep, terrified he would dream again.
She was poisoned… and now I hold a grudge?
Was her name Odette?
He had sent her as Amelia’s double, instructing Mary and the spies to poison her as soon as Cesar arrived at the mansion.
Ever since, the maid haunted his dreams like a wandering ghost.
Should he call a sorcerer for an exorcism?
“Ugh!”
He thought he saw her outside the window just now.
I must be imagining things.
Count Anderson didn’t dare check if a ghost was there.
And he wanted to believe no ghost would roam the mansion in broad daylight.
I must have hallucinated because I couldn’t sleep.
Trying to calm himself, he headed to the study.
Still, he wondered why Cesar remained so quiet.
“Damn it! I can’t figure out what’s happening, it’s maddening.”
He had sent several dispatches to his spies but got no news.
He wanted to confront Cesar himself to understand the situation, but…
Who knows what that man will do?
He left no evidence regarding the deaths of Cesar’s father and sister.
But his atrocities as Cesar’s guardian and sending a mere boy to war were enough to create hatred.
He must have ground his teeth in resentment.
If Amelia had waited obediently and had a child with Cesar, that might have been different.
But she ran off, even became pregnant from an affair. Drastic measures were necessary.
Swap the maid with the daughter… and then kill her.
