I glanced sideways as I had been smiling pleasantly at Lilia. Mother was watching me with dark, sunken eyes.
"I understand the Princess's feelings. I will speak well to His Imperial Majesty, so please bury past grievances with generous benevolence."
After a brief silence, the Empress added in a grave tone.
"If necessary, I will also consider a public apology."
"Your Imperial Majesty!"
Among the noble ladies who were greatly surprised, I could see Mother's face, cold and hardened. Lilia's expression had turned pale as well.
Who knew seeing those faces would be this satisfying.
"I am grateful for your proposal. I will remember your wise words."
As I nodded with a gentle smile, the Empress also smiled faintly. We were smiling warmly at each other when Mother suddenly asked.
"There is much Roam wishes to discuss with you. When do you plan to return home?"
Throughout the conversation, Mother had barely spoken, only listening. Her sudden interjection meant she had reached some judgment about this situation.
As I gazed at Mother without answering, she forced a smile and spoke again.
"Everyone misses you. There is much left unsaid to you."
Ah, Mother has concluded that I have value worth taking back.
"...I'm not sure. I've received so many invitations that I don't know how to adjust my schedule."
At my lukewarm response, the noble ladies quickly interjected.
"I heard the palace isn't receiving guests. When do you plan to open?"
"Or how about accepting an invitation? Have you fully recovered?"
The noble ladies were all trying to secure appointments with me. I gave vague responses without commitment while drinking tea, when suddenly Lilia raised her voice and cut in.
"Everyone, please understand. Of course, coming back from the dead is a wondrous and surprising thing but..."
Lilia placed her hand softly on her chest and gazed at me with moist eyes.
"Sister doesn't come out of the palace probably because she herself is surprised and frightened. It's such a rare occurrence, so I'm very worried she'll become a spectacle. Sister is not a display animal."
"Young Lady Lilia is so thoughtful. To think of that!"
The Countess of Penderon exclaimed while covering her mouth. To a casual listener, she seemed amazed by Lilia's kind nature, but I could easily hear her true intentions.
Anyone who knows, knows just how much I tormented Lilia before I was beheaded. So that exclamation was a kind of mockery.
Lilia smiled gently at the Countess of Penderon and continued.
"Sister had such a difficult time wandering the streets before returning. Of course she has a painful past, but I forgive everything and as family..."
"A spectacle? I'm being worshipped."
I cut off her words flatly and gazed at Lilia with dry eyes.
"Do you think the temple's divine statue is a spectacle? The divine statue is a symbol of worship and visible praise. And I am a living divine statue."
I was speaking to Lilia, but also to everyone present.
"Do you think I can't leave the palace? I can go wherever I wish at any time. My legs are perfectly fine."
As I smiled gently, Lilia's lips trembled. My, how can this be so amusing and delightful?
Shall I poke at her insides a bit more while I'm at it?
"By the way, are the preparations for my celebration banquet going well?"
"What?"
"My expectations are high. You recently held the Harvest Festival, so you must have become skilled at hosting banquets, right?"
"W-what do you mean so suddenly?"
Lilia, who had been standing frozen with wide eyes, forced a smile.
"I still have so many shortcomings. How could I host an imperial banquet?"
"What do you mean? Don't you remember what you said yourself? You said you're to be the Crown Princess and the next Empress. You emphasized that when giving me the invitation."
"Th-that's...!"
"You must have completed the guest list. I'm curious about the invitation. Won't you give me one too? It will be a grand banquet, so I'm looking forward to the food. Which orchestra will perform?"
As I continued speaking leisurely, Lilia's expression grew increasingly pale. What saved Lilia was the Empress, who had been silent with a strange expression.
"I plan to host and prepare the banquet myself."
"Oh my, I see. Since it's a sudden banquet, I naturally assumed you'd entrust it to Lilia. Your Imperial Majesty must be busy with other duties."
"It's a banquet to express gratitude to the resurrected one. How could I be negligent? I must handle it personally."
"Your Imperial Majesty taking personal interest is truly an honor. God will also be very pleased."
As I expressed insincere joy and glanced at Lilia, I saw her drinking tea while smiling like a doll.
Those trembling lips don't seem to be an illusion.
I hadn't particularly resolved to take revenge on Lilia, but tormenting her feels good.
Having someone to torment didn't make the tea time enjoyable. It's just that Lilia didn't attempt to drag me down recklessly, which made her slightly less annoying.
So I tormented Lilia diligently in return.
I knew much about the imperial palace, so excluding Lilia from conversation wasn't difficult.
"Oh my, Madam Illiang has gone down to the territory."
For instance, like now.
"She was too aged to stay by my side."
"She understood Your Imperial Majesty's heart more wisely than anyone. You must be deeply sorrowful."
"When Madam learns that the Princess remembers her, she will be very pleased."
Throughout my mentioning of the Empress's old head maid and longtime companion, Lilia only rolled her eyes in silence.
Of course I wasn't watching continuously. She tried several times to change the topic. In the past, she had seized control of conversations that way.
The problem was that unlike the past, today at this table, the person everyone was watching was me.
"Ah, wasn't the coming-of-age ceremony for the third son of House Penderon a few months ago? I remember hearing he was to take the knight order entrance exam right after."
"Goodness, how can your memory be so good?"
Lilia fell silent again. She didn't seem to know who the third son of House Penderon was.
Goodness, a child who intends to become Empress and lead high society doesn't even know this much.
I couldn't answer immediately, holding back a sigh that nearly escaped. At that moment, Mother interjected in a gentle voice.
"Roam's teachings are always thorough."
Smiling wryly, I turned slightly away from Mother and looked at the other noble ladies.
"Don't you all feel it watching Lilia? She knows everything I know."
"As you know, Anelli has debuted into society. Comparing by time, she cannot be compared to Lilia."
Mother spoke up again. Furthermore, she looked directly at me and added.
"You've been away from home so you probably don't know the circumstances well. I understand. When you return, you'll quickly grasp and adapt, so I'm not worried."
In Mother's mind, it seems my value and Lilia's have become equal. Or perhaps I've gained a slight advantage.
Despite knowing she was such a person, my mood sank anew.
"I'm busy carrying out God's command. How could I dare decide my residence."
Fortunately I didn't lose my smile, but it was hard to look at Mother directly.
If asked to name the person I find most difficult to face in Roam, it's undoubtedly Mother. She raised me as a future Empress candidate.
My past life's direction and teachings were all inherited from Mother.
If I had become Empress, perhaps... I would have become like Mother is now.
"However, the imperial palace provides convenience, so I'm simply staying somewhat comfortably. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude once again. Your Imperial Majesty."
"I'm relieved to hear the Princess is comfortable. Please stay as comfortably as you wish."
It seems the Empress is quite satisfied that I chose the imperial palace over Roam.
As I was about to smile back at the Empress's rather benevolent smile, Lilia, who had been watching for an opening, cut in as if she'd found something.
"But what should be done about that monster in the palace garden?"
Among those present, Lilia was the only one who had directly seen Bark. She emphasized this point and trembled.
"It was so ferocious, I was truly startled. Though they say it's imprisoned, to have a monster openly in the imperial palace. I'm so frightened and worried."
"Did the resurrected one not tame the monster well?"
"That's true but... they say monsters submit to monsters stronger than themselves..."
Muttering like a soliloquy, but loudly enough for everyone to hear, Lilia suddenly startled and waved her hands.
"Of course I don't mean Sister is a monster! I just worried someone might misunderstand that way."
As a shadow fell over Lilia's fair and pretty face, the noble ladies clicked their tongues as if regretful.
I know this atmosphere well. I've experienced it sickeningly.
Usually when Lilia acted this frail, someone would step forward to confront me on her behalf. Even if they didn't, rumors about me worsened by the moment.
Lilia was an expert at feigning her innocent and kind self.
"They say there's also magic that raises the dead through necromancy to command as monsters. The world truly has all sorts of things, doesn't it?"
'She's also quite skilled at dropping meaningful words as if without any intention.'
This time too, the noble ladies' gazes moved busily at her words.
The Empress and Mother, who didn't care whether I was a monster, a freak, or truly God's resurrected one, remained unmoved, but others were different.
Especially the Countess of Penderon, who was most swayed by my nonsensical agitation earlier, looked at me again with a heart wavering like reeds.
What she might be imagining while looking at the scar on my neck was obvious.
What looked like God's blessing until moments ago, now probably looked like a trace of sinister sorcery.