Chapter 103
He raised his voice so loudly that the Count could hear it. The Count’s attention shifted toward the sound coming from the western chapel’s door.
“I came to offer a prayer.”
“This place is rather small and damp, Your Highness. Might I recommend another chapel? This one is far too cramped for someone of your exalted status to pray in.”
“There are many devout people in Barcheha. That’s good, of course, but it means every prayer room is crowded. I can’t seem to find a quiet place to speak with God. This one suits me just fine.”
“Still, if you would just move to the east wing—”
“I am, before anything else, a servant of God — a beast of His making. The Lord does not take pleasure in His servants being overly comfortable. I wish to pray here.”
With that, Johan pushed past Fernan with a single arm on his shoulder.
It was a light, fluid motion — yet no matter how hard Fernan braced himself, he couldn’t withstand the prince’s strength.
“Ugh—!”
Even though he’d only been pushed a little, Fernan groaned as if his shoulder were being crushed. It almost felt like Johan had done it on purpose.
But Johan’s expression remained serene. Surely he hadn’t meant it that way — after all, the Crown Prince wasn’t the kind of man who tormented subordinates, even if he was the sort who changed into full military uniform just to pray as a “Divine Beast.”
The Count clenched his fists silently as he listened to their exchange.
Johan was far more assertive than he’d expected. So the Count decided to open the side door and interject with his usual sociable tone.
“Oh, Your Highness! My daughter seems to be taking quite a while in prayer — I’m terribly sorry. But might I ask you to use one of the quieter chapels in the western wing instead?”
“When I pray on Athena Island, I always use this chapel. I already noticed the scent of the Purifier’s incense, so I know Lady Odette was here first — no need to worry. I can wait.”
“Your Highness, you are an honored guest—”
“And the Saint, called the Daughter of God, is even more honored within these walls. I don’t mind waiting. Let her finish.”
The Count realized there was no way to delay things further and question Odette again. He decided to withdraw for now, postponing his more drastic considerations.
He knocked lightly, then spoke in a sweet, fatherly tone that Odette could hear.
“My beloved daughter. His Highness has come. Would you mind vacating the chapel for a bit, dear? I’m sorry.”
Perhaps the emphasis on “His Highness” had its intended effect, for Odette stepped out of the prayer room with her usual cool, dignified expression.
“There must be plenty of other chapels, and yet Your Highness insists on making things difficult.”
Seeing her act so flawlessly again made the Count feel foolish for having thought something was off about her earlier.
She’s still the same — desperate to please me, obedient to a fault… What was I even thinking before?
He smirked inwardly at his own foolishness.
“My apologies. It’s just that my first prayer after awakening was here. I suppose I’ve grown attached to it. One’s firsts are always special, wouldn’t you agree?”
The Crown Prince spoke calmly as he removed his naval cap.
Odette ignored the greeting completely, just as her father had instructed her to.
Watching this, the Count was convinced that his commands still bound her completely.
If she had any will to rebel, she would’ve gone to the Crown Prince and begged for rescue by now.
It would be far easier for her to cry to him about her father’s abuse than to keep scheming for Karl’s favor.
The Count himself was still drained — he had spent two straight hours scolding Odette after the hunting tournament.
What a waste of time that was.
He brushed off the last of his unease.
All those suspicious little things that had happened recently — clearly, they’d been nothing.
And if that were the case, everything was still under his control.
He only needed to ruin Karl’s standing and destroy the reputation Odette had rebuilt through this affair.
If I ruin her reputation before the silver coin is minted, everything will go back to the way it was.
He already had a plan.
Once they returned to the capital, he would make Odette kill Karl with her own hands.
It’s a pity to lose Karl, but I have to prioritize my own arm.
Even an emperor couldn’t bear the restriction of the bracelet’s curse. The Count needed to be the one in control — never the one being controlled.
That would also drag Odette’s reputation back into the mud.
Once she killed Karl — the one who had dedicated his laurel crown to her — she’d lose all right to have her face engraved on the coin.
And since all my criminal enterprises fell apart, I lost my usual ways of spreading rumors about her, too.
He’d even hired thugs to brag publicly about their “dealings with Lady Odette,” but they’d all died suddenly — every last one.
Now, the “Lady Albrecht’s Criminal Network” stories were dismissed as conspiracy theories at best.
To make things worse, for some reason her reputation had actually improved slightly after the ball — and he couldn’t even get reliable information about what had happened that night.
He had no idea that Zion had used the Count’s own network against him, blocking any news of the ball from reaching his ears.
And the only people who went with her that night were Sasha and Paula — hardly anyone I can interrogate about it now.
In any case, killing Karl would fix everything.
Feeling satisfied with his clean, elegant solution, the Count decided to excuse himself from the Crown Prince’s presence first.
“My daughter, your prayers are done. Let us return to our quarters.”
“Ah, Lady Odette won’t be going that way. Her room has been moved to the royal guest suite in the main castle — the prize for the winner of the hunting competition.”
The Count froze.
Her room had changed — now, of all times?
“Her belongings have already been moved by the maids. So, Lady Odette, just head directly to the main castle. I’ve told the maids there to treat you well. You can take the southern staircase.”
The Crown Prince pointed toward the south staircase.
Meanwhile, the stairs to the annex where the Count and Fernan were staying were in the north — completely opposite.
If I follow her, it’ll look odd, won’t it?
Though still technically a minor, Odette had already made her debut in society.
Even a young noblewoman’s private quarters were considered sacred — any father visiting her chambers at night would be branded a vulgar, classless man among the Barchehan nobility.
So, though furious, the Count forced a smile.
“Yes, Your Highness. Understood.”
He bowed politely and turned away. The most he could do now was secretly assign his head maid, Dolly, and Madam Becker to watch over Odette closely.
“Have a peaceful night, Lady Odette.”
While the Crown Prince was busy seeing Odette off, the Count managed to whisper quickly to Dolly.
“From now on, watch Odette even more closely. If she does anything suspicious — anything at all — report to me immediately.”
“Yes, my lord.”
As he watched Odette ascend the southern staircase with Dolly and Madam Becker, the Count turned to Fernan and issued another stern order.
“When we return to the capital, you’ll personally keep an eye on Odette. I can’t trust the other maids anymore.”
“What? If you’re that worried, wouldn’t it be better if you watched her yourself, Father?”
The Count frowned.
“The investment we got from Marquis Kleist was quite large. All my other ventures have failed, so I’m focusing on expanding the casino. To make good use of the money, I’ll need to be there in person for a while.”
“You borrowed money from Marquis Kleist? What about the funds from selling Mother’s paintings?”
“All of that went into buying seeds. Don’t you remember? All the expensive ones burned in the lab fire. We were lucky to replace them.”
“I see… Well, then, I suppose I’ll watch her myself when we return.”
The Count clicked his tongue at Fernan’s uninspired response.
Pathetic. Can he even run a business like this?
The only thing that fool of a son had done right was find a competent farmer to handle the costly seeds.
He’d paid the man handsomely, but it had been worth it — especially since, thanks to that farmer unexpectedly moving up their meeting time, the Count had discovered Sasha’s treachery.
Thinking of that, he held his tongue instead of scolding Fernan further.
He had no idea that the “seed seller” was actually a con artist hired by Odette herself.
* * *
It ended much more easily than I thought.
Odette had expected her father to interrogate Dolly and Madam Becker on the spot, over and over.
But thanks to Johan’s intervention, things had wrapped up far faster than expected.
Knowing the Count’s nature, he’d likely try to cross-examine both women repeatedly, but it would do him no good.
It would only drag him deeper into the mire.
Because no matter what, I’ll always appear to be with either Dolly or Madam Becker.
Madam Becker fancied herself a devoted lover of the Count — but in the end, her own safety came first.
She wasn’t the type to risk her hand for her lover’s future.
She’d grown more cautious since the incident with the bracelet, but even so, she continued lying for Odette — claiming they’d been together.
Once the pregnancy was discovered, that tendency would only grow stronger. Her ambition would swell, and with it, her desperation not to be cast aside by the Count.
It’s still early in the pregnancy, so I’ll overlook it for now.
The child was precious — a miscarriage would be troublesome.
“Here we are, Lady Albrecht.”
Just then, the maid announced their arrival.
