Chapter 31
How is that even possible?
In the original story, Caesar would absorb dark magic or other sinister forces, and when his body became overwhelmed, he would release the excess power through aura or demonic energy to avoid losing control.
That was how he remained a powerful and charismatic figure, standing above others.
Of course, that also meant he frequently found himself entangled in troublesome situations—
Mostly because women who fell under his spell wouldn’t leave him alone.
To prevent such problems, he needed to expel his energy through aura rather than his demonic charm. But with the war over…
He needed a wife.
By indulging in nightly affairs far beyond anything rated 19+, closer to an adults-only 29+, he had been able to regulate his power to some extent.
But if I stay by his side, he won’t even need to do that.
So that’s why he tried to kiss me when we first met.
Because he wanted to absorb the divine power I emit.
“Odette, all you have to do is stay by my side. In return, I’ll give you everything I’ve gained.”
The midday sun gleamed off the river, making its surface sparkle like scattered jewels.
Perhaps it was because of that light, but Caesar’s blue eyes shone brilliantly, like precious gemstones.
Or maybe… I was just falling under his spell.
For a fleeting moment, I was tempted to accept his offer without hesitation.
“How long would I have to stay with you?” I asked.
“For life?”
“That’s too long.”
Once she voiced her thoughts, making a decision became surprisingly easy.
In this relationship, I hold the power.
Caesar needed her desperately.
Of course, she needed him too—to hide her divine power for the time being.
But if she could escape beyond the Empire’s reach, beyond the watchful eyes of the High Priestess, she could finally live freely.
Should I stay by his side just until I’ve gathered enough funds and finalized my escape plan?
Odette’s mind ran through calculations like an abacus clicking in rapid succession.
As if reading her thoughts, Caesar leaned in and whispered against her ear,
“I’ll pay you ten million gold a month.”
At that moment, Odette erased all previous calculations from her mind.
“Deal! I’ll help you take revenge on the Count and support you in building your power.”
“I was prepared to offer fifteen million… but you agreed too easily.”
Wait, what? Was I supposed to negotiate?
“Uh… Should we… redo the contract?”
Caesar lifted his head and burst into laughter.
“Hahaha!”
His laughter was bright and clear, like the fizz of a sparkling drink. The sound sent a strange tingling sensation through her chest.
Nearby, a bird flapped its wings and took off from a tree branch, gliding over the river just as a gentle breeze rolled through.
The crisp scent Caesar carried flooded her senses, stirring something deep in her lungs.
“Odette.”
His laughter faded, and he gazed down at her with an intensity that made her throat go dry.
“Odette Valen, daughter of Heravrua. My fated one.”
“…Ah, not yet—”
Before she could protest, Caesar silenced her with a serious expression.
“Did you know? Your mother entrusted you to me.”
“W-When?”
Her voice trembled.
“A long time ago.”
Caesar’s eyes drifted toward the distant sky as he recalled his journey to the small village of Harac.
“I was ten years old then, and you looked even younger. You were sleeping.”
“……”
“I think the High Priestess put you under a deep sleep to conceal your identity. It didn’t seem like an ordinary nap.”
Her mother had never told her she was the High Priestess, not even until the moment she died.
Perhaps she thought that keeping her daughter ignorant would be the safest option for a child left alone in the world.
Odette gripped the hem of her skirt and cast her gaze downward.
Caesar continued,
“When I returned before going off to war, the village was in ashes. A grave had been built near the old hut, but you were gone. I searched, but I couldn’t find you.”
A vision of young Caesar standing before her mother’s grave flashed through her mind.
She could picture him clearing away the weeds that had overgrown the site, setting the fallen gravestone upright again.
So in the end… he kept his promise in his own way.
Her lips trembled as she finally spoke.
“After my mother died, the monsters in the forest began swarming down. Not long after, the foreign invaders followed.”
Odette shuddered as memories of the horrors she had witnessed in the ruined village came rushing back.
“Catch her! Catch the child!”
As the slave traders shouted, a child running ahead of her was trampled under the hooves of a horse.
The helplessness and terror she had felt in that moment came rushing back, making her eyes burn.
“Shh, Odette.”
Sensing her divine power threatening to surge out, Caesar pulled her into his arms.
The moment he embraced her, the storm of pain and anguish inside her began to settle.
Caesar was absorbing not only her divine power but also the suffering that came with it.
“It’s okay. I’m keeping it under control.”
At his reassurance, Odette felt as if she were finally confronting a wound buried deep within her heart.
She had never spoken about her childhood hardships to anyone.
She had long since learned that pain wasn’t something to be shared.
Telling others about what she had endured wouldn’t change the past—it would only bring the torment back to life.
Even if people offered words of comfort, it wouldn’t bring back those who had died.
And yet, strangely enough, she found herself telling Caesar everything.
No—she needed to tell him.
“The children, the elderly, and the women all hid in the temple basement. We covered the entrance with wooden planks and nailed them down. The strongest men in the village stood guard above.”
“……”
“While the invaders were temporarily pushed back beyond the mountains, the slave traders arrived. They slaughtered the men protecting the temple and started dragging people out of the basement.”
“Kill the old ones. Take only the women and children!”
Even the invaders hadn’t harmed the elderly—but the slave traders killed them without hesitation.
“I… I was caught too. They threw me onto one of their wagons, but the Viscountess of Saxen saved me.”
Caesar’s arms tightened around her as he spoke in a low, scornful voice.
“She didn’t save you. She claimed you. The Saxen couple made their fortune through human trafficking.”
Odette’s mind went blank.
“T-That… That can’t be true. The Viscount was gullible and easily deceived, but he was gentle. And the Viscountess… she was a kind woman.”
“Eight years is a long time.”
She recognized those words.
She had said the same thing to Caesar when she told him about the betrayal of the Count’s loyal steward and head maid.
“You spent eight years in their household. Of course, you came to believe the Viscount was a good person. But you call his wife kind?”
Caesar let out a bitter laugh.
“She was the one who sorted kidnapped young girls and sent them to the illegal auction houses.”
“T-That’s impossible.”
“Oh? So you don’t believe me? You’d rather trust the Saxen couple than me?” His voice turned sharp. “Think about it. The North was swarming with monsters and invaders—so why do you think the Viscount and his wife were there?”
“……”
“They weren’t on some sightseeing trip, that’s for sure.”
A memory flashed through Odette’s mind.
“Oh my, dear. What an adorable child. Won’t you come with me?”
The moment she had been pulled into the Viscountess’s warm embrace, she had blacked out.
When she woke up, she was lying on a soft cushion.
Inside the Saxen family’s carriage.
“There’s a little rascal named Leorahill. He runs around the fields all day long. If you just keep him company, that’ll be enough. Can you do that?”
And that was how she had ended up at the Saxen estate, growing up alongside Leorahill.
“If the Viscount hadn’t lost all his earnings from trafficking at the gambling table, you’d still be a servant in their household.”
“……”
“And if your divine power had awakened there, what do you think would have happened?”
“……”
“You would have been taken to the High Temple, where they would have drained your power for the rest of your life. Just like your mother.”
Her shoulders trembled. Caesar wrapped his arms around her once more.
“I’m the only one who can protect you. Trust me, Odette.”
She took a slow, shuddering breath before whispering,
“When will your revenge be over?”
“Two years.”
In the original story, Caesar’s revenge had taken more than five years to complete.
But I can shorten that.
Odette raised her head and looked straight at him.
“…I’ll help you until your revenge is finished. But after that, you have to let me go.”
