KFBRV - Chapter 97



[ Impossible Achievement! Successfully unlocked 'Command' from 'Karl! ]

[ The following rewards will be granted!

(1) Restoration of Odette's lost quest

(2) Added number of times to check disgust (2 times → 5 times)]

Odette looked at the floating status window with a bit of bewilderment.

'... I didn't know that the command would really be lifted.'

There was no way that Karl's lifelong blind obsession with Fenrir could be broken by a single word from her.

The reason she showed all her cards and reprimanded them was because she needed an excuse to abandon Karl.

But,

'Look at this. You can't disobey your father's orders. Then you are no longer my slave-'

The moment she was about to utter her last words, Karl's eyes lit up red.

Odette felt uneasy. Why did Karl always become an unexpected variable?

“...I was wrong. From now on... I will unconditionally give priority to your orders.”

Karl, who had escaped from the command, made this appeal with tears streaming down his face.

The poor, frail boy. He didn't look like the same man he had been a couple of hours ago.

'It was difficult to deal with Karl when he was blind, so how could it be easier to deal with Karl when his command is gone?'

On the contrary, the things Odette had tried to do for him and the children she was holding hostage had all lost their meaning... so it was clear that they would become more difficult to deal with.

'So, it's right to throw it away.'

But it bothered her that Karl, who was like a machine, cried for so long.

“I didn’t know that my father’s command... still remained in me, Master... I even less knew that my father would think of me as nothing more than a tool...”

Besides, Karl seemed to overlap with herself.

The way he followed his father's orders helplessly, not even knowing that he was a slave.

“I’m sorry for grabbing your ankle last time, Master... I didn’t mean to talk back... It probably sounds like an excuse...?”

Karl was trembling as he went over each of his actions.

'When I first realized my father's betrayal, I felt the same way. Betrayal, self-loathing, regret, and feeling sorry for the people I had hurt... '

Odette's heart weakened as much as Karl's heart could be guessed.

'I too have been given another chance, who am I to take that chance away from Karl?'

“From now on, I will follow whatever orders you give me, Master. Whether they are small or difficult. Because you are the one who helped me live my life.”

'...Yes, I can just wait and see. If I don't give him a chance, his hate level could go up...'

“Yes. I will allow you to continue to be my slave.”

Odette eventually gave her permission.

Only then did Karl slowly calm down and smile boyishly. Pale, but bright and kind.

“Hey, shall we go down together?”

Odette asked him in a gentle tone because he had been crying so loudly, but Karl shook his head.

“Thank you, but I don’t like it when you speak slowly.”

He answered while carrying the corpses and embracing the Emperor.

“Master, go down first. I will follow your orders and bide my time before going down.”

“Then come with me when the Emperor wakes up. It will be most impactful if you show up around sunset. Did you hear from Goetz how to behave after receiving the laurel wreath?”

“Yes, master.”

It would have been better for Odette to go separately, too. She needed time to think about the status window and Karl's changed situation.

“This time, you must not kill the Emperor.”

“Don’t worry, Master. From now on, I will never disobey your orders.”

“Yes. See you later.”

Odette climbed down the ridge and called up the status window.

'Confirm received reward.'

[The rewards received for completing the 'De-Brainwashing Karl' achievement are as follows.]

[ (1) The lost ‘Status Window Quest’ has been restored!

(2) Dislike can be checked 5 times a day! ]

In addition to the darker color of the status window, it now smells like peach blossoms every time she opens it.

Moreover, as the color became darker, the status window of Odette's necklace gradually began to resemble the status window in the game <Redemption>. That omnipotent status window, that is.

'Looking at the quest called the Lost Status Window... it seems like this necklace wasn't originally a simple favorability/dislike check device, but rather a complete status window.'

That was the moment.

[ ♡Quest occurs♡ ]

[Obtain the 'Laurel Crown', a symbol of victory in the hunting competition.]

[Reward: Restore the 'Inventory' function in the status window]

[ Deadline: End of the Hunting Competition ]

[ Penalty: None ]

A new notification window popped up before my eyes.

'...You're giving me a quest as soon as I receive it?'

She looked dumbfounded. But it was enough to prove the hypothesis, right?

That heart-shaped symbol that looks like it's giving medicine is definitely the <Redemption> status window.

Besides, since Karl was going to get the laurel wreath anyway, it wasn't really a disadvantage.

Once the inventory function is restored, there will be more things you can do with the status window.

'Then... is there a way to restore that function later?'

Odette's eyes sparkled as she discovered the possibility.

***

Odette tied her horse again near the stream, went back to her room, changed her dress, and returned to the conservatory with Mrs. Becker, who was waiting quietly.

“I’m sorry. I felt dizzy for a moment, so I went to my room to rest for a bit.”

It was a lie, but no one suspected her because the greenhouse was noisy with other events.

“Lady Odette, this is a big problem! Assassins are targeting His Majesty the Emperor in the hunting grounds?!”

“Oh my God, is that true?”

Odette responded shamelessly.

“That’s not all. The assassins kidnapped His Majesty and took him into the mountains! The guards still haven’t found out where the scoundrels went.”

Another young lady, who was pale from the side, intervened.

“It just so happened that a disaster occurred at that time and His Majesty was separated from the Transcendent Beings...!”

“How could that happen...! I’m ashamed of myself for lying there without knowing anything.”

Odette tried her best to act surprised to the ladies.

'Everyone talks to me so easily.'

Now that the people here didn't seem to care about her notoriety, it seemed like Dolly had gotten even more hated in the meantime.

***

At sunset the Emperor returned to the hunting grounds of the summer palace, supported by someone.

“Hey, hey! Someone is carrying His Majesty the Emperor!”

“Oh, my goodness. I’m so glad.”

Since the guards had all been defeated, all the nobles expected the Emperor to be dead.

The faces of the nobles brightened as they confirmed the Emperor's return. All except Count Albrecht.

Because the Count's face, which had seen the face of the person embracing the Emperor, was thoughtful.

“Ka, Karl. How dare you, how dare you-!”

The excited Count unconsciously let out a scream-like sound at Karl.

“Oh, Count! Who are you yelling at? Karl is the one who saved my life. I will not forgive anyone who touches him!”

The Count kept his mouth shut, but he could not hide the rapid breathing that came from the shock.

The Emperor's attendants ran over and supported the Emperor.

The gentlemen who had been with the ladies in the greenhouse garden also gathered around the Emperor. Taking advantage of the gap, Sion came up to Odette for a moment.

“How was my skill? Did I cleanly remove the intimidation from that guy?”

It was a tone that seemed to suggest that he had done a good job of removing the fish bones from the fish. It was as if he was strangely expecting a compliment.

“Yes, Your Excellency. You are very talented.”

Odette praised him obediently because it was clear that no one in this place was afraid of Karl.

Her father was staring at Karl in shock, so there was no way their conversation could be overheard.

“How did you do it?”

"Why?"

“You used your mind control ability on Karl, right? It must have been unusual, and it must have required a lot of skill.”

It was said that transcendent beings are born with it. So, not only for current transcendent beings but also for those who will become transcendent beings in the future, using their abilities would have been more awkward than for ordinary people.

'Have you noticed that Karl will soon awaken as an S-class Transcendent?'

Odette tried to look just in case, but Sion just chuckled.

“It required incredible skill. You can’t even imagine it, right?”

Judging by his snobbish attitude, he didn't seem to realize that he was a transcendent being.

At that moment, Dolly came over and cast her gaze this way. Odette closed her mouth, and Sion also pretended not to have ever talked to her.

“I’m alive thanks to you, Karl. You’re the one who saved my life.”

The Emperor, with a face that looked as if he had come back from the dead, congratulated Karl so that everyone could hear.


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