KFBRV - Chapter 113



If Karin was 99, then she was 100. If Karin was described as 'flawless', then Odette was 'perfect'. She followed the rules in every way.

Karina wanted to win, she had to win, but she just couldn't win. The angle of her fingertips, the way Odette walked, was always a little more perfect than hers.

Karin began to hate Odette as she tried to win her over. The more she hated her, the more she came to know Odette.

Odette must have received a more rigorous education than she did. For those things to come out naturally, that child must have practiced hundreds, thousands of times more than she did.

There were times when Karina hated and was jealous. There were times when she thought that if she just won once, her wishes would be over.

But this wasn't how Karina wanted to win. This wasn't how she wanted Odette to fall apart.

“...Lady Odette.”

Karin clutched the newspaper. The rumor that Odette was called a "whore" that had been circulating in the gossip papers was now an open term for Odette.

Fake purifier, hanging, the greatest villainess.

The words in the newspaper were distorted in Karin's hands.

“So what if it’s a fake Purifier? Lady Odette’s manners have always been genuine.”

Karin secretly supported Odette in high society, but people said it was because Karin was kind.

That's when she realized. People don't know. They don't try as hard as she does to have perfect manners, not just proper manners.

Those who didn't try didn't know how great she was. Only those who polished her could understand her perfection.

'You don't know how perfect she is.'

Do you know how much effort it takes to be perfect at every moment, down to your fingertips? Do you know how much practice it takes to walk without any unnecessary steps?

It takes just as much effort to raise 99 to 100 as it did to raise 1 to 99! You stupid humans...

‘Ah... I wanted to be acknowledged by that kid.’

She wanted to be recognized as a rival. She didn't want Odette to be worse than me. She wanted to be better than Odette.

You were my goal. You were the wall I wanted to overcome.

I hate you and I dislike you, but that's not all I felt.

You shouldn't be falling apart like this.

Karin cheered for Odette.

Run away. Run away further.

You're a hard worker. You're more dedicated than I am. You can do it.

Leaving aside all the S-class stuff...

The day Karin saw the news that Odette had been beheaded, she broke down and cried like a child for the first time.

***

'Ugh.'

Odette vision returned. As always, time on this side seemed to have stopped passing at all.

[Reward: Invisible Truth (Dagger)]

[Rewards are automatically received in your ‘Inventory’.]

[ After 4 months, you will need to cut out the invisible ones. Use them then. ]

'...Why on earth does the status window show something about Karin?'

Even if Karl is the male protagonist in the game, Karin isn't even a target of attack in the game.

'The creator of the necklace was said to be the first transcendent being.'

After obtaining the necklace, Odette already looked up information about the 'first transcendent being' in this world.

However, the literature about him is limited to very brief mentions in the Bible.

He became a transcendent being, dared to kill God, and became God himself. Only the fact that he gave up on becoming God after that.

'There was a moment when he became a God. He must have seen the future as he is omnipotent.'

Could it be that this necklace was made to get my hands on it?

But Odette couldn't stay lost in thought for long, because Karin, who was crying, spoke to her.

“...Well, you think... I held hands with Dolly?”

At first, Odette definitely thought so. But now, after seeing Karin's memories.

Losing Karin's one and only rival was like losing an old friend.

Heartbreak, mourning, despair. The endless emptiness that comes from habitually seeking out rivals in social circles.

Because it felt like a part of her world was falling apart.

Odette could tell because she had been Karin for a short while. This kid had too much pride in herself to bring others down in such a mean way.

It was a proud and strong feeling, having reached the point where she had only walked a straight path to the point of being boring and stuffy.

“No, that’s not true... Actually, I misunderstood for a moment.”

Now she thinks she understands why Karin sat at the same table as her.

“You were trying to protect me from Dolly’s gossip. That’s why you chose theology.”

Karin didn't choose theology to embarrass her because she thought she was ignorant.

She believed that since Odette was a purifier, she would be most confident in theology.

Karin was trying to save face in front of people at the salon. To stop the rumors going around about Odette.

'The salon's rules were probably made for me.'

Duke Brentano had a bad relationship with Count Albrecht, and she knew that the Count was a terrible person despite his reputation.

The Duke's thoughts stopped there, but Karin went one step further.

'The evil deeds that Odette is said to have committed may actually have been committed by the Count.'

In her past life, Karin, who was reading the newspaper, was guessing that Odette pretending to be a fake Purifier might have been a plan set up by Count Albrecht.

Of course, at first, Karin glared at Odette because she hated her, but after he realized that, she kept watching Odette for a chance to help her.

'That way, we can prevent it from reaching the Count's ears. Dolly must have asked for a no-speaking rule.'

“Thank you, Karin.”

Karin seemed flustered at her sincere greeting and spoke hurriedly.

“Wh, what the heck! I didn’t do anything great enough to deserve a greeting!”

Her face turned red and her voice cracked at the end. Then she changed the subject as if she was embarrassed.

“T-Than that, think about Lady Odette’s safety! Do you know how dangerous Lady Odette is right now?”

“...Is it dangerous?”

“Dolly, she wasn't just spreading rumors about Young Lady being stupid, she was also bringing you to the salon in an act, because she had something she wanted to talk about, and I overheard her talking to a reporter the whole time.”

Odette focused on what Karin was saying.

“Rudolph Kaspar, a journalist who writes a cheap gossip magazine called ‘The Secret Leak’... I heard him gossiping about starting a new rumor. I thought it was Dolly who was the closest aide in the article, so I wanted to tell you to fire her.”

The two people were already in contact.

But how could the method of teasing me suddenly become so sophisticated?

Perhaps Dolly was trying to use both methods at the same time: getting the article published through a "leaking secret" and embarrassing Odette in the salon.

“At first I wanted to send you a note... but since it was widely known that I dislike Lady Odette, I thought that sending it myself would only cause more misunderstandings. So I thought that if I helped you at the salon, you would believe me. But, I, it seems like I’m just continuing to cause more misunderstandings...”

Karin bit her lip. Perhaps that was why she had been biting her lip throughout the conversation.

Rather than gaining her trust, she feels anxious because Odette expression on her seems to be becoming more and more disappointing.

It was a total messy party for Odette, the suspicious one, and Karin, the cunning one.

“...Karin, cutting Dolly is difficult.”

Odette smiled bitterly.

“If you doubt my words-”

“No, I don’t have the authority to fire Dolly.”

“...As expected. Are you being treated badly by the Count’s family?”

Odette nodded. Karin paused for a moment at those words, then spoke with a face so determined that it almost turned pale.

“I will help you, Lady Odette.”

It was a voice so determined that it actually sounded overbearing.

“...Then go outside and tell them that it’s not because of me that you’re crying. My reputation at the salon is in danger of being ruined.”

“Ah...! This...! I guess there was a misunderstanding. I’m sorry. I was too quick-witted.”

“I’ll probably be caught by Dolly and dragged to my room as soon as I leave. So please.”

“Yes, I’ll stay in the salon and try to explain myself. If Dolly isn’t here, I’ll be able to defend Lady Odette to my heart’s content.”

Karin went over some details with Odette, saying, 'Let's pretend to Dolly that I gave Lady Odette a big humiliation in the lounge.'

“Then I’ll go now. If I stay too long, Dolly will get suspicious.”

Karin walked straight out, then hesitated and looked back at Odette.

“Don’t lose to Dolly... I, I can’t lose to anyone before I beat you.”

Then Karin ran away again as if she was ashamed of her declaration of war.

‘...I am embarrassed to hear that...’

She has an honest and unsophisticated personality. She probably cares more about what is invisible than what is visible to others. Unlike Odette, who invests cleverly in what is visible.

Did Karin think of herself as 99 and me as 100?

In Odette's opinion, Karin was the perfect 100. Someone no one could surpass.

***

As Odette left the break room with tears streaming down her face from the humiliation she felt from the Princess, a very intimidated Dolly was waiting in the hallway.

“Let’s go. The lady has already made an excuse at the salon that she is sick.”

Perhaps she had been having a blast at the hands of the nobles while Odette was away.

As if Dolly didn't dare to return to that place of shame, she didn't even look at the Hall of Wisdom and dragged Odette straight to the room.

'Is it because you have no doubt that what happened at the salon will not be revealed? Or was the humiliation there that shocking?'

Everyone saw that she was fine, so who would believe Dolly's excuse that she suddenly fell ill?

But it seemed like Odette didn't have the presence of mind to take care of that.

'Well, it doesn't matter. I just wanted to go back to my room and rest.'

Odette had no more attachment to the salon. She had already taken all the benefits she could.

She had improved her reputation to a certain extent at the salon, and her remaining useful knowledge of Han Soo-wan had been exhausted.

If Odette stays here and asks questions, people will realize that she's just going around and around with a few bits of trivial knowledge.

So, Odette also followed Dolly with an easy mind.

As she was returning to her room and lying down on her bed, the status window rang.


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