"Is there any reason to refuse?"
"There are too many ears about to discuss the Imperial family's private matters. So..."
"What problem is there for a member of the Imperial family to know the Imperial family's affairs? Sometimes new ideas emerge from fresh heads."
The Emperor, responding composedly, held out documents to Heinri. Taking them, Heinri spoke calmly.
"The southern Binnel Plains have fertile land and flowing water. If designated as a ranch, managing military horses would be far easier. I will certainly bring results."
"I approve this matter. Go ahead and resolve it. Since you resolved Count Siven's mine issue, you should be able to secure the Binnel Plains as well."
Listening to their conversation, Maksel looked at the Emperor with a pale face.
"The Binnel Plains was a matter I was to handle!"
"That was originally the case, but hasn't the Crown Prince been resting, exhausted in body and mind after the palace collapsed?"
"Th-that may be true, but I have recovered now. I can head to the Binnel Plains immediately. I will contact the lord of the Edinger family...!"
"Coincidentally, I have made an arrangement with that Baron Edinger."
Heinri, calmly interrupting Maksel's words, formed a faint smile.
"If we move efficiently, won't everyone be comfortable?"
"Your Majesty!"
"There are many other tasks for you to handle. Can you not entrust one to your brother? What use is greed for work if you cannot bear it?"
The Emperor clicked his tongue and gazed at Maksel. At that look, Maksel's face flushed red.
"First, silence your own rumors. Calling yourself a member of the Imperial family yet unable to manage your own reputation. Tsk."
"That is not my fault. How can God's will be involved in a monster attack! It was simply a coincidence!"
"Go out there and make such noise to persuade everyone."
The Emperor raised his voice in anger. He was already being pestered by too many people about that issue.
"A resurrected one blessed by God finds you displeasing. What more certain divine will could there be?"
However lofty the Imperial family's authority, it could not stand without this land, the vassals' loyalty, and the Empire's subjects' obedience.
Therefore, the Emperor could not completely ignore God's will. Especially now, when God's anger could be confirmed with his own eyes.
Maksel knew this well. Was that not why he had intended to extend a generous hand to Anneli? But it was Anneli who was sharpening her blade against Maksel with unjustified resentment.
Anyone could see she was framing Maksel out of past grudges. Why did no one point out this obvious cause and effect!
"That Anneli represents God's will cannot be proven."
At Maksel's words, Heinri sighed and murmured.
"It seems the talk of being tainted by evil energy is true."
Heinri, deliberately letting his eyebrows droop as if regretful, looked at the Emperor.
"As a member of the Imperial family, I cannot help but be concerned. Actually, I did not intend to mention this, but given the situation, it seems my tacit approval would not be helpful."
Tacit approval. Maksel's gaze waverered.
"What are you trying to say..."
"I don't know if Maksel is aware, but there was a hidden man near Lilia Roam."
Maksel looked at Heinri with a blank expression. Heinri's words now were something he had never even imagined.
"Just in case, I secured evidence, and upon checking his identity, he was a criminal active in Clime. I confirmed that meetings with that man continued until recently. Moreover, it wasn't just one person. I learned she maintains regular contact with the head of a certain merchant guild. That merchant guild was originally small and insignificant in scale, but reportedly achieved abnormal growth after meeting Lilia Roam."
"Don't lie. Lilia has a man?"
Heinri, glancing at Maksel, continued nonchalantly.
"Also, she hid several quality mines separately and did not report them to the Imperial family. I stayed silent thinking perhaps Maksel had borrowed her name... but upon confirmation, I learned she obtained the mines before she even came to the capital."
What nonsense was this about mines? Maksel had never heard of such a thing.
Before coming to the capital, Lilia was merely a young lady of a fallen noble family. Heinri must be severely mistaken right now.
Perhaps he confused her with another woman?
"If it stopped at rumors with men, that would be fortunate. If she attempted to secretly secure wealth and power under the guise of scandal, we cannot help but suspect her intentions all the more."
The Emperor's expression turned cold. Seeing that, Maksel's complexion went pale.
Nobles who swore loyalty to the Imperial family must obey the Imperial family without exception. Moreover, as one who would soon enter the Imperial family, she ought to have nothing to hide.
If she had been increasing her assets or securing military power behind the Emperor's back, there was a possibility it could develop into a truly serious problem.
"She lured Maksel and took Anneli's place. Who knows if she's aiming for even higher ground."
"That's speculation! Your Majesty knows well how innocent and naive Lilia is!"
At Maksel's rebuttal, Heinri clicked his tongue and spoke as if saddened.
"Being this blind and not valuing Anneli—this truly makes me doubt the Crown Prince's discernment. If this fact becomes known, it won't end with just the Crown Prince's incompetence alone."
The Emperor said nothing. But for Maksel, the Emperor not stopping Heinri's words was already a frightening enough response.
"Your Majesty cannot simply watch a noble who should be loyal to the Imperial family reveal personal ambition. This is treachery."
"That's utter nonsense. Seeing him fabricate such lies, it's Heinri who has been hiding insidious intentions! How would a Prince who's only stayed cooped up in the palace for years know such detailed information? This fellow is the one insulting Your Majesty from right beside you!"
"As Your Majesty knows, I am a Prince who barely managed to preserve his breath. How could I act independently avoiding Your Majesty's eyes? The one who gave me information was Duke Roam."
Even the Emperor could not hide his surprise this time.
"Roam?"
"Concerned lest he bring harm to the Imperial family, he showed his will to actively make amends should problems arise."
The Emperor leaned back against the backrest and narrowed his eyes. Swallowing a groan, he fell into thought for a moment, then nodded and murmured.
"Yes, looking back, Roam was the problem. If he hadn't taken in an adopted daughter and had looked after his own blood from the start, it wouldn't have come to this."
"This information is Duke Roam's sincere heart, wishing to recover even if he must offer his daughter."
Heinri, who had been speaking smoothly all along, paused briefly. Whatever he thought, Heinri's complexion grew a bit colder.
"Without a bold decision, how can we settle the scandal?"
He murmured in an unusually stiff voice, then raised his eyes.
"The Imperial family will be able to extract much from Roam. So the Imperial family must also make a decision."
The settled red eyes were different from what he had always seen. It was a gaze like the one he had seen only when fighting with Maksel over the Crown Prince position.
Maksel unknowingly gritted his teeth. Heinri, whom he thought had all four limbs severed, had in fact only been skillfully coiling his body, preparing to leap again at any time.
Maksel had realized that crucial fact far too late.
* * *
"What to do. It won't budge at all."
I tried using force a couple of times, but it was futile. I crossed my arms and glared at the stone coffin in irritation. If only the lid had been made a bit lighter, how nice would that have been?
"It's not easy even for you, my Lord?"
"Indeed."
No wonder even Samuel clicked his tongue. At the sight of me and Samuel pondering before the stone coffin, Zenon said with an absurd voice.
"Lady Anneli, this is grave robbery..."
"Let's try using a lever. If we use this gap here, it might lift."
"Good. Is there something usable?"
Zenon, who seemed about to stop me, soon sighed with a resigned face. I was about to nag him to find a sturdy iron lever when I suddenly asked.
"This doesn't have any magic on it, right?"
"Yes, there is none. And even if there were, you would have opened it somehow anyway."
"That's true."
He had a point. I nodded my head.
It can't be helped. Even if it's the first Emperor's coffin, what I need is inside it.
I am a resurrected one with not a speck of respect for the Imperial family.
Samuel began looking around for something to use as a lever. Meanwhile, I examined the stone coffin closely. It does open, right?
"Goodness, please step out here for a moment."
Zenon, who had been watching me with troubled eyes, eventually couldn't hold back and approached.
As if he could lift the stone coffin lid that Samuel couldn't... Hmm?
"What did you do?"
The stone coffin lid began to lift slowly. Looking at Zenon with round eyes, he shrugged his shoulders.
"I infused magic power into the gap between the lid and the coffin, then solidified the properties to make it expand."
"So you used magic?"
"Exactly."
Worried guards might come running at any moment, I looked back toward the stairs, but outside was quiet. Why did no one come even though magic was used?
Noticing my question, Zenon smiled and explained.
"Do you think I used Warp for no reason? I've figured out all the Imperial Palace's barrier capabilities. It won't detect unless magic power above a certain amount is used."
Come to think of it, the communication stone necklace Prince Heinri gave also used small amounts of magic power, so it wouldn't be detected.
Seeing the admiration on my face, Zenon lifted his chin proudly.
"Handling small amounts of magic power delicately is a very, very difficult thing. I'm probably the only one who can do it?"
"Your brother also made magical tools usable within the Imperial Palace, I heard."
"...Well, perhaps only two people can do it."