“Make sure I am never treated as anything other than a combat slave.”
The Emperor's face suddenly became dismayed at those words. Does that mean you want to live your whole life as a combat slave? Your lifelong wish is to be a combat slave, what do you mean?
'Why are you so obsessed with combat slaves?'
The Emperor looked at Karl with eyes that looked like those of a tortoise.
“For my third wish, please let me live in the room closest to my master. I used to live in the dungeon, but I want to live in a place closest to my master.”
The Emperor asked intending to see how far he would go.
“Then what is your fourth wish?”
“Let me offer my laurel wreath and the glory of my victories to my master. I am satisfied with these four wishes.”
The Emperor's expression became extremely trembling as the last wish was revealed. After all, Karl was once the Crown Prince of the Fenrir Kingdom. What kind of person is that?
Do you want to be treated so vulgarly after growing up so noble?
“That’s right.”
The Emperor was annoyed. He even threw out the Four Wishes card because he needed a public excuse to bring Karl back.
Rather, it ended up becoming a place where he declared Karl to be 'Odette's eternal battle slave' on a large scale because of that guy.
Now that it's come to this, he can't threaten Odette into selling Karl as a slave.
'I tried to get it for free, but now I can't even buy it?'
It was the moment when the Emperor closed his mouth and was about to give up.
“Haha, that’s true. Then there’s nothing I can do.”
When the Emperor saw Count Albrecht, who was relieved and happy, he could not bear it any longer.
'Yes. According to the report, Karl cannot be Odette's slave. Odette is being abused at home. In fact, that Count is the one behind it.'
“Understood, Karl. I will grant you all four wishes.”
Count Albrecht exclaimed happily, unaware of the Emperor's intentions.
“Your Majesty, you are generous and wise!”
“But even so... isn’t he the winner of Athena Island? It would be disappointing if it was just a wish that was granted by me.”
The Emperor said so and sent his aide to bring something.
“Shouldn’t we make sure that it is kept?”
The Emperor looked at Count Albrecht and smiled sinisterly. Now was the chance to piss off the man who had been waiting for so long.
'You little bastard, you pissed off the Imperials. Do you have any idea how much it burned me every time I had to give up my precious mine for you?'
The Emperor's face suddenly became dismayed at those words. Does that mean you want to live your whole life as a combat slave? Your lifelong wish is to be a combat slave, what do you mean?
'Why are you so obsessed with combat slaves?'
The Emperor looked at Karl with eyes that looked like those of a tortoise.
“For my third wish, please let me live in the room closest to my master. I used to live in the dungeon, but I want to live in a place closest to my master.”
The Emperor asked intending to see how far he would go.
“Then what is your fourth wish?”
“Let me offer my laurel wreath and the glory of my victories to my master. I am satisfied with these four wishes.”
The Emperor's expression became extremely trembling as the last wish was revealed. After all, Karl was once the Crown Prince of the Fenrir Kingdom. What kind of person is that?
Do you want to be treated so vulgarly after growing up so noble?
“That’s right.”
The Emperor was annoyed. He even threw out the Four Wishes card because he needed a public excuse to bring Karl back.
Rather, it ended up becoming a place where he declared Karl to be 'Odette's eternal battle slave' on a large scale because of that guy.
Now that it's come to this, he can't threaten Odette into selling Karl as a slave.
'I tried to get it for free, but now I can't even buy it?'
It was the moment when the Emperor closed his mouth and was about to give up.
“Haha, that’s true. Then there’s nothing I can do.”
When the Emperor saw Count Albrecht, who was relieved and happy, he could not bear it any longer.
'Yes. According to the report, Karl cannot be Odette's slave. Odette is being abused at home. In fact, that Count is the one behind it.'
“Understood, Karl. I will grant you all four wishes.”
Count Albrecht exclaimed happily, unaware of the Emperor's intentions.
“Your Majesty, you are generous and wise!”
“But even so... isn’t he the winner of Athena Island? It would be disappointing if it was just a wish that was granted by me.”
The Emperor said so and sent his aide to bring something.
“Shouldn’t we make sure that it is kept?”
The Emperor looked at Count Albrecht and smiled sinisterly. Now was the chance to piss off the man who had been waiting for so long.
'You little bastard, you pissed off the Imperials. Do you have any idea how much it burned me every time I had to give up my precious mine for you?'
“Your Majesty, I have brought what you ordered.”
The Emperor received a pair of bracelets on his wrists. A gold bracelet and a silver bracelet. They are famous as magical tools, of which there are only two pairs in the entire continent.
'I heard that the prime minister gave me a gift on the ship that was coming to Athena. It was a very precious item, he said.'
It was a bracelet that would blow off your wrist if you broke the contract. Once worn, it would only be visible to the wearer and no one else could see it.
He had no idea that the prime minister was an ardent follower of the capital's astrologer, Gisela and that he had bought the bracelet from her. He also had received a prophecy that if he gave it to the Emperor, good things would happen.
***
Odette glanced at Mrs. Becker. As soon as she saw the bracelet, she trembled as if trauma had returned and she became lost in thought.
“Count Albrecht! Come forward!”
The famous Count Madokuni also knew its purpose. However, the Count looked like he did not understand why the Emperor was calling him while holding it.
“There are three of Karl’s wishes that can be fulfilled better by the master than by the luggage. So if we put this bracelet on Odette and impose a restriction on her to fulfill Karl’s wishes, wouldn’t it definitely come true? After all, no one doesn’t care about their wrists.”
“Yes... That’s right.”
The Count nodded. Giving up Odette's wrist was no big deal to him, and he had been calm up until then.
“But you see. How could I cut off the hand of the only noble Purifier in the Empire? Count, I am only a father with a son named John. Odette’s hand is noble. It is a hand that can purify my son when the time comes. So Count Albrecht...”
But as the Emperor spoke with a grin, the Count's expression gradually turned pale.
"...Yes?"
The Count now asked back in a voice full of anxiety.
“You must wear this bracelet. You must fulfill Karl’s wish on behalf of your daughter.”
“No! That’s nonsense-”
“Oh, that’s unexpected. Isn’t he the Count who is famous for loving his daughter more than his own life? I thought he would be very happy to wear this bracelet?”
The Emperor easily led the mood. The nobles also seemed to agree with the Emperor's words.
“...I think Count Albrecht would really give up his wrist. He has such a great personality.”
“Yes. He is very weak towards Lady Odette, isn’t he?”
The Count, noticing the reactions of those around him, quietly ground his teeth. Odette smiled brightly.
'It seems like he fell for my trick. He's been acting like a doting father for three years, thinking his daughter's will is more important than his own life.'
That is why Odette chose such a public place as the stage. As a Count who has worked hard to build up his reputation to avoid the crime of betraying humanity one day, he will not be able to escape at a moment like this.
If he refuses here, he will arouse the suspicion of everyone here.
“Your Majesty, what are you saying? It is a matter of course.”
As Odette had expected, the Count nodded with a forced smile.
“I think it would be better for me to wear the bracelet rather than give it to my daughter. My daughter... is very precious to me.”
“Of course! There's no need to hesitate. The Count is very fond of his daughter, after all. You're not going to let her touch John just because she doesn't like him.”
Finally, the Count walked to the Emperor in tears. The Emperor put a gold bracelet on the Count's arm.
“I swear that I will use Karl as my daughter’s battle slave no matter what happens-”
“No, wait a minute. I’ll decide the wording of the oath. It can’t be that simple. Follow me and say it.”
“Yes... Your Majesty.”
The corners of the Count's mouth were quivering with anger. If you look closely, even the corners of his eyes were twitching. The Count was probably so angry right now that he couldn't stand it.
“I, Count Albrecht, swear that Karl will be used only as Odette’s battle slave and that no one else will be able to use Karl as a slave. Karl will always be around Odette, and will not be able to protect anyone else. Karl will only follow Odette’s orders, and no one will be able to make him follow them. No one will be able to threaten Odette into giving orders to Karl.”
Judging by the Emperor's choice of words, it was clear that he was trying to stop the Count from using Karl. But there was no way for the Count to refuse.
“I swear-”
“No. It’s not over yet! ...While staying at the Count’s residence, Karl will stay in the room closest to Odette. If I use it for any other purpose, I will gladly pay for the bracelet.”
Count Albrecht barely suppressed his boiling anger as he recited the Emperor's sentence. Then, the string bracelets on both his wrists glowed, transformed to fit his arms perfectly, and disappeared.
'The Count will probably see it.'
Odette smiled and said to Mrs. Becker.
“It’s a couple bracelet for you and my father. He must be very happy.”
Mrs. Becker's lips trembled at Odette's mockery. A gold bracelet and a silver bracelet. Aren't they the only two pairs of magical tools on the continent?
You may have noticed that the source of that item is Odette.
“Ah. Should I call it a couple’s handcuff?”
The Emperor continued speaking as Mrs. Becker's body began to tremble.
“Count, do you know that? The silver thread bracelet was a hot topic before, so everyone thought that this magical tool only cut the wrist. The gold thread bracelet has a slightly different effect.”
The Emperor laughed heartily.
“It doesn’t end with both wrists being cut off, it ends with both arms being taken away.”
At those words, the Count's face became even more serious.
“Then now, I must grant Karl’s wish. He said he wanted to present the laurel wreath to his master, so we must hold a ceremony. As soon as my treatment is finished, we will hold the ceremony in the square.”
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