"Even so, wasn't that originally why you left—to not concern yourself with such mundane human affairs? Why intervene now?"
At Samuel's question, Anelli's lightly flowing words came to a halt. Narrowing her eyes as she fell silent, she scoffed.
"Because it feels unpleasant, unlucky, and disgusting."
"...What?"
"I tried to ignore it, but the more I think about it, the more it pisses me off."
Anelli clicked her tongue softly and picked up her teacup.
"Didn't you see it? How Maxel, that crazy bastard, behaves toward me? And what about Lilia? The imperial family and Roam—changing their faces without a second thought for their own karma. I tried to let it slide quietly, but their endless climbing is truly a sight to behold."
Despite Heinri's presence, Anelli showed no hesitation in cursing the imperial family. Heinri didn't seem surprised either. On closer observation, he appeared quite accustomed to such language.
Could that prince have masochistic tendencies?
Samuel frowned at the thought that surfaced unbidden, deliberately avoiding Heinri's gaze.
"So that's why you keep mentioning evil energy that doesn't exist?"
"Doesn't exist? Everyone seated in the palace is a corrupt entity. Can't you see those wicked people?"
"...Because of that, priests are being summoned to various palaces every day to perform blessings and prayers."
The imperial palace was vast, and there were many places requiring blessing prayers.
"Even after I emphasized it so much, you pretended not to hear. Must be anxious after all."
Anelli chuckled with amusement and lifted her teacup.
"Blessing prayers are quite expensive, aren't they? The Temple must be making quite a profit this time."
Her words were true. Revenue equivalent to donations collected from a decent-sized city was being generated from the imperial palace over the past few days.
"It's energy that the priests cannot sense. You cannot keep deceiving them forever."
"I never asked you to side with the priests. Nor is it necessary."
With her speaking to that extent, Samuel had no choice. It seemed he was the only one on edge.
"...So in any case, all this commotion is due to a grudge."
At Samuel's quiet murmur, Anelli opened her eyes wide and asked in return.
"Do you need a more certain motive than this?"
"Rather than that, you've always been detached from such matters."
Perhaps she harbored special feelings for Heinri. That's why she's helping him in every way, materially and otherwise. But Anelli said she planned to leave the imperial palace, so that probably wasn't it.
Unknown to Samuel's vain imagination, Anelli shrugged and corrected his words.
"Not detached, but resigned."
Anelli gazed down at her teacup. Whatever she was thinking, a faint warmth spread across her stiff expression.
The atmosphere, relaxed for a brief moment, looked so comfortable that neither dared to break it.
While both Samuel and Heinri hesitated to speak, the cry of a crow was heard from above. Anelli, who had been lost in thought, brightened and raised her head.
What sounded like an ordinary cry to Samuel's ears, Anelli listened to attentively. Then she drew a pouch from her bosom.
Taking out a ring with a large diamond, Anelli threw it upward with all her might. The crow, which had been circling, swiftly dove and snatched the ring.
"What are you doing?"
Heinri asked casually, and Anelli replied lightly.
"Paying for information, of course."
The crow, seemingly about to leave, landed right on the table. Settling among the rattling tea utensils, the crow cawed.
"Oh my, is that so."
At Anelli's response, the crow flapped its wings and cried even more noisily. Anelli smiled brightly and pulled out another piece of jewelry from her pouch.
"Yes, that's right. That's exactly what I was hoping for. Could I perhaps know the location as well?"
Despite the conversation happening right before them, completely unable to understand, Samuel and Heinri emptied their innocent teacups several times over.
Meanwhile, the conversation between Anelli and the crow continued for quite a while.
The crow, clutching the jewelry greedily in its talons, flew away. Anelli, waving at the departing crow with a smile, turned to look at Heinri.
"By any chance, have you stationed subordinates outside the palace?"
"As many as necessary."
"Then you'll find my story interesting. It's about a certain noble lady's misdeeds—quite entertaining."
It looked like the conversation would stretch on. Meanwhile, sparrows, mice, and all sorts of animals passed through the backyard, interrupting the conversation intermittently.
"...Ha."
Samuel resigned himself to silently drinking his tea. It seemed it would be difficult to get another chance to speak with her alone.
* * *
"Are you ready?"
"Yes, Mother."
Frisian, dressed in formal attire, quickened her pace. The elegantly dressed Duchess, escorted by the Duke, boarded the carriage first.
Seiri, the youngest sibling seated on the inner seat, was fidgeting with the bow tie ribbon at her neck, looking somewhat uncomfortable.
"Lilia departed first to enter with His Highness the Crown Prince."
Frisian nodded instead of answering. After she took her seat, the carriage wheels began to roll slowly.
It was a rare imperial palace event attended by the entire family. Yet the atmosphere inside the carriage was more tense than ever.
It couldn't be otherwise. Today's banquet was for Anelli.
"Was there any additional news about the separate palace?"
"No. Apart from tea time with Sir Samuel and Prince Heinri, there were no significant movements."
At Frisian's answer, the Duke swallowed a groan and pressed his lips together.
Anelli, who had suddenly appeared through the Black Tower, had instantly claimed the separate palace. Then, as if fully aware of the nobles burning with curiosity, she briefly showed her face at the Empress's tea time.
The Duchess, who met Anelli at that gathering, became certain that she was her daughter, no different from before her death. A cunning and cold daughter who still hadn't forgotten Roam's teachings.
Rather, some said she was now making full use of her situation as a resurrected being.
After the Duchess's testimony was relayed, the Roam family members' attitude toward today's banquet could only become more resolute.
"What is Anelli thinking?"
Frisian murmured with a worried voice. The Duke, glancing at her, replied gruffly.
"If she wants something, it will reveal itself today."
"But Father, she told us to forget her and live. Even when I met her, she didn't mention anything about divine will at all."
At Frisian's words, the Duchess frowned and spoke.
"If she truly wanted to be forgotten, she wouldn't have settled in the imperial palace. And she wouldn't have spoken of strange energy being felt there either."
"Strange energy—Mother, do you believe those words? She claims something is strange yet shows no particular action. She's not even displaying divine power like other priests do."
"Whether that's true or not isn't important. What matters is that she can't ignore it."
Anelli had done nothing. She was merely staying quietly in the separate palace.
Nevertheless, that single action had the social world in an uproar.
People were desperate to know whether God's resurrected one was truly staying to protect the imperial family, or whether the Crown Prince had been tainted by foul energy and forsaken by God.
Roam too couldn't escape the gossip circulating among the nobles. Being the family of the resurrected one, yet having contributed to sending that resurrected one to the execution platform—they were worse than strangers.
Anelli had created all this commotion with a single word. So as the Roam family, they couldn't help but worry what words she might utter at this banquet.
"...Is she associating with Prince Heinri because she wants revenge on the Crown Prince?"
Frisian bit her lip and murmured softly.
"If something happens to the Crown Prince, we'll suffer damage too. As long as Lilia is his fiancée."
"Roam will suffer no damage."
The Duke denied Frisian's words with a firm voice.
"Roam supports the Emperor, and the one we support becomes Emperor."
Therefore, if necessary, they need only change their target.
A simple yet not-so-simple solution. Frisian, who had never considered other possibilities, looked at the Duke with a pale face.
The Duke's expression was unwavering, as if he had already been prepared for this for some time.
"...Even if we break Lilia's engagement to avoid immediate disaster, do you think this commotion will end with just the Crown Prince?"
Frisian recalled the conversation she had when she faced Anelli.
"Sister isn't my blood relative—she's the enemy who killed me."
"Anelli considers Roam... her enemy."
"Do you think Roam is Anelli's only enemy?"
At the Duke's counter-question, Frisian wore a puzzled expression. The Duke didn't seem inclined to explain further. Instead, it was the Duchess who spoke.
"Lilia is an adopted daughter."
"...Mother."
"She wants us to cut Lilia off."
"But Lilia is...."
They abandoned Anelli for Lilia's sake, and now if they abandon Lilia again for Anelli's sake, while the family itself might endure, Roam's honor would be thrown into the mud.
A vulgar family blinded by power, forsaking both human duty and divine will—everyone would mock and whisper about them.
Frisian suddenly realized. Perhaps this was what Anelli desired.
Because she knew Roam, obsessed with external honor, better than anyone. Because Roam valued face as dearly as life itself.
To make Roam's pride worth less than a stone rolling on the ground.
"Prince Heinri has been frequenting His Majesty's office lately. Attending today's banquet will reveal the Emperor's intentions."
The Duke spoke in a weary, gloomy voice.
"Roam's course of action can be decided after."
With those final words, heavy silence enveloped the carriage. Frisian turned her gaze out the window. Nothing could be seen through the dark window.