The reason he spoke so loudly was so that the Count could hear him. The Count concentrated on the sound of the door to the west wing.
“I have come to pray.”
“Why is this place so narrow and damp? I recommend another prayer room. This place is too small for Your Highness the Crown Prince to pray in.”
“There are many faithful people in Barceha. That’s good, but wherever I go, the prayer rooms are crowded. That’s why there is no place where I can talk to God quietly. This prayer room is perfect for me.”
“But it would be better to go to the East Wing-”
“Am I not also a monster of God before I become the Crown Prince? God does not like His servants to be too comfortable. I would like to pray in this prayer room.”
As he said this, John came in, pushing Ferdinand's shoulder with one arm.
It was a refreshing and smooth movement, but no matter how hard Ferdinand gritted his teeth and held on, he was no match for her in terms of strength.
“Euuugh-!”
Even though it was only a brief push, Ferdinand felt as if his shoulder had been crushed. It was as if John had been applying force on purpose.
But John's expression was still calm, so it couldn't be. As a monster, he wouldn't bother his subordinates with his foolish nature of changing into military uniform when praying to God.
The Count, who had been listening to the conversation, quietly clenched his fist.
John was more assertive than he had expected. The Count opened the side door and went out, interrupting in a friendly tone.
“Oh, Your Highness. I am so sorry that my daughter has been using the prayer room for so long. I am truly sorry, but could you please use another quiet prayer room in the West Wing?”
“I always use this prayer room when I pray on the Island of Athena. Don’t worry, Lady Odette already noticed that it was the first to use it because of the scent of the Purifier. It’ll just take a moment.”
“Your Highness, you are a noble person...”
“A Saint called the daughter of God is a more precious being in the prayer room. I am good at waiting. Use it as you wish.”
It was no longer possible to drag out time and question Odette. Instead of considering a far-fetched hypothesis, the Count decided to leave for the time being.
The Count knocked smartly and spoke in a gentle voice as if for Odette to hear.
“My dear daughter. His Highness has arrived. Could you please vacate the prayer room for a moment? I am sorry.”
As if the emphasis on the word 'His Highness' had been worth it, Odette walked out of the prayer room with her usual cold and haughty expression.
“There must be many other prayer rooms, but Your Highness, you are really tired.”
As always, seeing the perfect acting made him laugh out loud at how Odette had felt something was different earlier.
'You're still a submissive woman who's trying to look good to me... What was I mistaken about earlier?'
He snickered, laughing at himself inwardly.
“I’m sorry. The first time I prayed after awakening was in this prayer room. That’s why I insist on coming here. Isn’t the first time special for everyone?”
The Crown Prince spoke with a calm expression, taking off his navy cap.
Odette naturally ignored the greeting, just as the Count had instructed her to do.
The Count looked at the scene before his eyes and was convinced that his orders were binding Odette.
'If she had the will to rebel, she would have gone to the Crown Prince and asked him to save her.'
It would be much easier to go to the Crown Prince and cry about how her father abused her than to get her hands on Karl.
The Count, too, was exhausted from berating Odette for two hours after the hunting competition.
'It was all a waste of time.'
He shook off the last remaining anxiety.
All the suspicious events that have occurred so far were groundless.
If so, then it is something the Count can easily solve.
Because if Karl, who was out of the Count's control, and Odette's reputation, which had improved because of this incident, were ruined again, it would be possible to turn it around.
'I'll just ruin her reputation before the silver is minted.'
He also thought about the means.
As soon as he gets to the capital, he has to make Odette kill Karl.
'It's a shame to lose Karl, but there's nothing I can do. My arm comes first, after all.'
Even if he was an Emperor, he couldn't tolerate the restrictions of a bracelet. The Count had to be the one controlling, not the one being controlled.
If he does that, Odette's reputation will hit rock bottom again.
Since Odette killed Karl, who offered her the laurel wreath, with her own hands, she will also lose the right to have her face on the laurels.
'With all the criminal enterprises gone, there was no longer any means of spreading rumors about Odette.'
He deliberately hired thugs to make it sound like he was 'dealing with Lady Odette', but they all died suddenly.
Thanks to this, the story of 'Albrecht Young Lady's criminal business' is now considered a conspiracy theory.
Besides, it wasn't easy to get information about what happened that day, even though her reputation had subtly risen due to her actions at the ball.
This was because he did not know that Sion was using the Count's connections and information network to interfere with the ball's activities.
'Since the only people I went with that day were Sasha and Paula, it's hard to come here now and ask them what happened.'
Anyway, if Odette kills Karl, all that annoying stuff will be solved.
The Count, who had found a neat solution, wanted to get away from the Crown Prince first.
“My daughter. Now that the prayer is over, let’s go back to the dorm together.”
“Oh, Lady Odette is not there. And Lady Odette’s room has been moved to the VIP room that is given to the winner of the hunting competition.”
The Count was taken aback by those words.
Why did the rooms change at this time?
“The maids have already moved the luggage, so Lady Odette can go straight to the main castle. I have told the maids in the main castle to take good care of it, so you can use the south staircase with peace of mind.”
The Crown Prince said so and pointed to the southern stairs.
On the other hand, the stairs leading to the villa where the Count and Ferdinand were staying were located on the opposite side of the stairs to the north.
'I guess following my daughter would look strange, right?'
Although she was a minor, her daughter had already made her debut.
No matter how young a child may be, she is also a noble of Barceha, and the private lives of nobles must be respected by everyone, regardless of age.
A father who visits his daughter's room late in the day is sure to be criticized by the Barceha social circle. They will say that he is vulgar and un-noble for not respecting his daughter's personal space.
So the Count was furious but managed to smile.
“Yes, I understand, Your Highness.”
He bowed politely and turned away. The most the Count could do was to secretly send his maid Dolly and Madame Becker to Odette.
“Good night, Lady Odette.”
While the Crown Prince was seeing Odette off, the Count managed to whisper something to his maid, Dolly.
“From now on, keep a closer eye on Odette. If she behaves in any suspicious way, report it to me immediately.”
“Yes, I will.”
The Count turned around as he saw Odette's back as she walked up the south stairs with her maid Dolly and Mrs. Becker.
And then he gave a firm order to Ferdinand, who was following behind him.
“You will have to watch over Odette yourself as soon as you return to the capital. I can’t trust the other maids anymore.”
“Yes? If Odette is anxious, wouldn’t it be better for her to be watched by father himself?”
The Count frowned.
“This time, the money I received from Marquis Kleist is quite large. Since all my other businesses have failed, I’m determined to grow the casino. To use the money properly, I have to visit the casino myself for a while.”
“You borrowed money from Margrave Kleist? Where did all the money from selling my mother’s paintings go?”
“I spent all that money on seeds. Don’t you remember? All the expensive stuff in the lab was burned. At least I saved all the seeds.”
“Yes, I understand... Then there’s nothing I can do. When I return to the capital, I will personally watch over Odette.”
The Count clicked his tongue in disappointment at Ferdinand's answer, which was completely unsatisfactory.
'I wonder if he can run a business like that.'
The only good thing that son of a bitch did was find a good farmer who dealt in expensive seeds.
It was a pretty hefty payday, but considering the future profits, it wasn't such a bad deal.
Thanks to the farmer suddenly bringing forward the meeting time on the day of the transaction, he also found out about Sasha's tricks, so he felt even better about spending money.
The Count held back from saying one more thing to Ferdinand, thinking of the price he had paid for getting the peasant.
Not knowing that the seed seller was a conman hired by Odette.
'It ended much easier than I thought.'
Odette expected the Count to interrogate Mrs. Becker and Dolly several times on the spot.
Thanks to John's intervention, things were resolved more quickly than expected.
Given the Count's nature, he will likely try to cross-check with Mrs. Becker and Dolly several times, but it will probably be useless.
The more he does that, the more he will sink into the swamp.
'I'll always be seen with Dolly, or Mrs. Becker, watching.'
Although she thought she loved the Count very devotedly, Mrs. Becker was ultimately a person who cared more about her own safety.
It means that she is not a woman who would sacrifice her own wrist for the sake of her lover's future.
Although she thinks he is on high alert because of the bracelet incident, Mrs. Becker still lies to the Count consistently, saying that she is with Odette.
It will be even more so when the fact that she is pregnant is revealed. Her ambition will also be greatly inflated. The pressure of never being abandoned by the Count will also be felt.
'It's still early in the pregnancy, so I guess we should be lenient on this much.'
Since the child is precious, it would be difficult to inherit it.
“Here you are, Young Lady Albrecht.”
At that moment, the maid announced her arrival.
“I have come to pray.”
“Why is this place so narrow and damp? I recommend another prayer room. This place is too small for Your Highness the Crown Prince to pray in.”
“There are many faithful people in Barceha. That’s good, but wherever I go, the prayer rooms are crowded. That’s why there is no place where I can talk to God quietly. This prayer room is perfect for me.”
“But it would be better to go to the East Wing-”
“Am I not also a monster of God before I become the Crown Prince? God does not like His servants to be too comfortable. I would like to pray in this prayer room.”
As he said this, John came in, pushing Ferdinand's shoulder with one arm.
It was a refreshing and smooth movement, but no matter how hard Ferdinand gritted his teeth and held on, he was no match for her in terms of strength.
“Euuugh-!”
Even though it was only a brief push, Ferdinand felt as if his shoulder had been crushed. It was as if John had been applying force on purpose.
But John's expression was still calm, so it couldn't be. As a monster, he wouldn't bother his subordinates with his foolish nature of changing into military uniform when praying to God.
The Count, who had been listening to the conversation, quietly clenched his fist.
John was more assertive than he had expected. The Count opened the side door and went out, interrupting in a friendly tone.
“Oh, Your Highness. I am so sorry that my daughter has been using the prayer room for so long. I am truly sorry, but could you please use another quiet prayer room in the West Wing?”
“I always use this prayer room when I pray on the Island of Athena. Don’t worry, Lady Odette already noticed that it was the first to use it because of the scent of the Purifier. It’ll just take a moment.”
“Your Highness, you are a noble person...”
“A Saint called the daughter of God is a more precious being in the prayer room. I am good at waiting. Use it as you wish.”
It was no longer possible to drag out time and question Odette. Instead of considering a far-fetched hypothesis, the Count decided to leave for the time being.
The Count knocked smartly and spoke in a gentle voice as if for Odette to hear.
“My dear daughter. His Highness has arrived. Could you please vacate the prayer room for a moment? I am sorry.”
As if the emphasis on the word 'His Highness' had been worth it, Odette walked out of the prayer room with her usual cold and haughty expression.
“There must be many other prayer rooms, but Your Highness, you are really tired.”
As always, seeing the perfect acting made him laugh out loud at how Odette had felt something was different earlier.
'You're still a submissive woman who's trying to look good to me... What was I mistaken about earlier?'
He snickered, laughing at himself inwardly.
“I’m sorry. The first time I prayed after awakening was in this prayer room. That’s why I insist on coming here. Isn’t the first time special for everyone?”
The Crown Prince spoke with a calm expression, taking off his navy cap.
Odette naturally ignored the greeting, just as the Count had instructed her to do.
The Count looked at the scene before his eyes and was convinced that his orders were binding Odette.
'If she had the will to rebel, she would have gone to the Crown Prince and asked him to save her.'
It would be much easier to go to the Crown Prince and cry about how her father abused her than to get her hands on Karl.
The Count, too, was exhausted from berating Odette for two hours after the hunting competition.
'It was all a waste of time.'
He shook off the last remaining anxiety.
All the suspicious events that have occurred so far were groundless.
If so, then it is something the Count can easily solve.
Because if Karl, who was out of the Count's control, and Odette's reputation, which had improved because of this incident, were ruined again, it would be possible to turn it around.
'I'll just ruin her reputation before the silver is minted.'
He also thought about the means.
As soon as he gets to the capital, he has to make Odette kill Karl.
'It's a shame to lose Karl, but there's nothing I can do. My arm comes first, after all.'
Even if he was an Emperor, he couldn't tolerate the restrictions of a bracelet. The Count had to be the one controlling, not the one being controlled.
If he does that, Odette's reputation will hit rock bottom again.
Since Odette killed Karl, who offered her the laurel wreath, with her own hands, she will also lose the right to have her face on the laurels.
'With all the criminal enterprises gone, there was no longer any means of spreading rumors about Odette.'
He deliberately hired thugs to make it sound like he was 'dealing with Lady Odette', but they all died suddenly.
Thanks to this, the story of 'Albrecht Young Lady's criminal business' is now considered a conspiracy theory.
Besides, it wasn't easy to get information about what happened that day, even though her reputation had subtly risen due to her actions at the ball.
This was because he did not know that Sion was using the Count's connections and information network to interfere with the ball's activities.
'Since the only people I went with that day were Sasha and Paula, it's hard to come here now and ask them what happened.'
Anyway, if Odette kills Karl, all that annoying stuff will be solved.
The Count, who had found a neat solution, wanted to get away from the Crown Prince first.
“My daughter. Now that the prayer is over, let’s go back to the dorm together.”
“Oh, Lady Odette is not there. And Lady Odette’s room has been moved to the VIP room that is given to the winner of the hunting competition.”
The Count was taken aback by those words.
Why did the rooms change at this time?
“The maids have already moved the luggage, so Lady Odette can go straight to the main castle. I have told the maids in the main castle to take good care of it, so you can use the south staircase with peace of mind.”
The Crown Prince said so and pointed to the southern stairs.
On the other hand, the stairs leading to the villa where the Count and Ferdinand were staying were located on the opposite side of the stairs to the north.
'I guess following my daughter would look strange, right?'
Although she was a minor, her daughter had already made her debut.
No matter how young a child may be, she is also a noble of Barceha, and the private lives of nobles must be respected by everyone, regardless of age.
A father who visits his daughter's room late in the day is sure to be criticized by the Barceha social circle. They will say that he is vulgar and un-noble for not respecting his daughter's personal space.
So the Count was furious but managed to smile.
“Yes, I understand, Your Highness.”
He bowed politely and turned away. The most the Count could do was to secretly send his maid Dolly and Madame Becker to Odette.
“Good night, Lady Odette.”
While the Crown Prince was seeing Odette off, the Count managed to whisper something to his maid, Dolly.
“From now on, keep a closer eye on Odette. If she behaves in any suspicious way, report it to me immediately.”
“Yes, I will.”
The Count turned around as he saw Odette's back as she walked up the south stairs with her maid Dolly and Mrs. Becker.
And then he gave a firm order to Ferdinand, who was following behind him.
“You will have to watch over Odette yourself as soon as you return to the capital. I can’t trust the other maids anymore.”
“Yes? If Odette is anxious, wouldn’t it be better for her to be watched by father himself?”
The Count frowned.
“This time, the money I received from Marquis Kleist is quite large. Since all my other businesses have failed, I’m determined to grow the casino. To use the money properly, I have to visit the casino myself for a while.”
“You borrowed money from Margrave Kleist? Where did all the money from selling my mother’s paintings go?”
“I spent all that money on seeds. Don’t you remember? All the expensive stuff in the lab was burned. At least I saved all the seeds.”
“Yes, I understand... Then there’s nothing I can do. When I return to the capital, I will personally watch over Odette.”
The Count clicked his tongue in disappointment at Ferdinand's answer, which was completely unsatisfactory.
'I wonder if he can run a business like that.'
The only good thing that son of a bitch did was find a good farmer who dealt in expensive seeds.
It was a pretty hefty payday, but considering the future profits, it wasn't such a bad deal.
Thanks to the farmer suddenly bringing forward the meeting time on the day of the transaction, he also found out about Sasha's tricks, so he felt even better about spending money.
The Count held back from saying one more thing to Ferdinand, thinking of the price he had paid for getting the peasant.
Not knowing that the seed seller was a conman hired by Odette.
***
'It ended much easier than I thought.'
Odette expected the Count to interrogate Mrs. Becker and Dolly several times on the spot.
Thanks to John's intervention, things were resolved more quickly than expected.
Given the Count's nature, he will likely try to cross-check with Mrs. Becker and Dolly several times, but it will probably be useless.
The more he does that, the more he will sink into the swamp.
'I'll always be seen with Dolly, or Mrs. Becker, watching.'
Although she thought she loved the Count very devotedly, Mrs. Becker was ultimately a person who cared more about her own safety.
It means that she is not a woman who would sacrifice her own wrist for the sake of her lover's future.
Although she thinks he is on high alert because of the bracelet incident, Mrs. Becker still lies to the Count consistently, saying that she is with Odette.
It will be even more so when the fact that she is pregnant is revealed. Her ambition will also be greatly inflated. The pressure of never being abandoned by the Count will also be felt.
'It's still early in the pregnancy, so I guess we should be lenient on this much.'
Since the child is precious, it would be difficult to inherit it.
“Here you are, Young Lady Albrecht.”
At that moment, the maid announced her arrival.
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