Of course, that didn't mean I was particularly angry about him eavesdropping. It wasn't as if we'd had some grand conversation.
"What crime did the pond commit? It merely existed in that spot. The problem was caused by the uninvited guests who found this place."
Besides, carp live in that pond. If we fill it in, we'd be burying the carp alive. Humans may be bad, but the carp have committed no sin.
At my firm attitude, Zenon wore a dissatisfied expression. He glared at the pond, pursed his lips, and spoke.
"This place is truly terrible. The people, the location, all of it."
"I agree."
The jewel I once believed to be the most valuable in the world, I now regarded as nothing more than a boulder the size of a house.
Seeing worthless things that I had no desire to possess clinging on so late made my insides feel uncomfortably bloated.
"That is why I am leaving."
I nodded calmly and began walking toward the detached palace. I felt Zenon quickly fall into step beside me.
"It's only right that the unwanted person leaves."
"Are you not going to miss it?"
The question that suddenly popped out was unexpected. Surprised, I looked to the side to find Zenon avoiding my eyes with a subdued expression.
"Because the human heart is not something that can be so easily folded away and severed."
Perhaps he sensed some emotion through my earlier conversation with Maxel. Otherwise, would he be able to imagine such nonsense?
What should I do about this ridiculous misunderstanding?
No, why should I have to do anything?
"If I did harbor lingering feelings, what would change about your situation?"
Zenon hesitated.
"Nothing would change. I would still be...."
He answered in a stiff voice, furrowing his brow.
"Then why does it concern you?"
"Just...."
His lips moved, then he smiled as if it was of no consequence.
"Just. Just concerned, that is all."
"Zenon."
"I do tend to worry about all sorts of things, do I not?"
He is more considerate than I thought. I had experienced that sufficiently through our travels together. So I knew that now as well, he wanted to show consideration for me.
Of course, it was my prerogative to decide whether to accept his consideration or not.
And right now, that consideration was not entirely welcome.
"There is an appropriate time for all things, and the same holds true for emotions. And I do not cling to feelings that have missed their moment."
I resumed walking after a brief pause.
"I trust that serves as an answer."
No answer returned, and Zenon remained silent the entire way back to the detached palace.
* * *
As the animals that had been committing strange acts finally settled down, the gloomy atmosphere of the Imperial Palace began to lift little by little.
Whether the Emperor had prodded the palace servants or not, the enthusiasm for preparing the banquet was remarkable enough for even me to notice. Or perhaps the Imperial family was pleased, thinking they had received divine protection.
The brightening atmosphere of the palace did not affect my daily life. I had no interest in how others lived, and what mattered most to me right now was the question of when to leave.
To discuss that matter, Heinri, Zenon, and I were currently having tea time in the backyard, the safest place in the detached palace.
'I've finished my business in the Imperial Palace, so I'll stop by Roam, wrap things up, and leave this place. Besides, I need to find the Durlahans, don't I?'
So much to do. I tapped my index finger against the outdoor table, lost in thought.
"Three Knights of the Round Table remain."
The fifth, sixth, and tenth knights. Where could they be?
Chin in hand, I was deep in worry when Vark, trapped in a birdcage, interjected with an excited voice.
[Are we finally leaving?!]
A glance revealed Vark gripping the bars of the birdcage, looking my way. Though only black smoke billowed from where his head should have been, somehow he seemed to be watching me with expectant eyes.
"I thought you liked that cage."
[Of course it's quite comfortable inside. But what good is that comfort if Minte won't come in here with me?]
At Vark's words, Minte, who had been stretching with her legs and body extended straight, replied grumpily.
[Why would I go in there?]
[Minte, you're such a cold woman.]
[And you're stupid, Vark.]
Minte gave a curt reply and settled at my feet. Having achieved her objective, she was resting at the detached palace while awaiting my next plan. Her body curled up into a round shape was unmistakably that of an adorable cat.
I heard the news had quietly spread among the palace servants that the black cat roaming the Imperial Palace had settled in my quarters. Especially the grave keeper Remia's laments, which were said to be quite loud.
...Did I really incur Remia's grudge or not?
"One more person holding a grudge won't change anything anyway."
I muttered listlessly, and a puzzled voice came from across.
"Who holds a grudge?"
It was Heinri, holding his teacup.
He had seemed to stay away for a while, but lately he had been visiting again regularly. He would need to publicly demonstrate his friendship with me, so perhaps he had no choice but to come even if he didn't want to.
Even if that weren't the case, he seemed to have made peace with things in his own way. He used to become flustered whenever he saw me, but recently that turmoil had noticeably diminished.
It was Zenon, seated on the other side, who answered Heinri's question.
"That holy knight fellow, isn't it? Obviously."
He must have been assigned a guest room in the Imperial Palace, yet Zenon was practically living in my quarters. Thanks to this, the priests were reportedly delighted, saying 'the Magic Tower too strives to serve and honor God's proxy'....
Zenon, who had greatly damaged the Magic Tower's prestige, didn't seem to care much how they reacted. I was more worried about what would happen if he got expelled from the Magic Tower, so that tells you how serious it was.
"He hasn't shown his face at all since coming out of the tomb, so he must be harboring something inside. I knew he was a petty fellow."
"That one has been busy keeping the priests in check lately, as their missionary activities are more active than ever, has he not?"
"That fellow is a holy knight who lightly ignores both missionary work and everything else."
"True enough, he didn't seem to have deep faith."
Another unexpected development was that Zenon and Heinri, whose relationship I thought would remain poor forever, had started getting along surprisingly well.
Specifically, after Heinri sorted out his mindset, his attitude toward Zenon changed to become more amicable. Zenon too didn't go out of his way to find fault with Heinri, so the two quickly developed a comfortable relationship.
In some respects, they even got along quite well.
"If you just changed his outfit, who would know he's a holy knight?"
"I agree."
For instance, like right now.
'Even if the person in question isn't present, is it right to say a holy knight has no faith? Even if they don't like him, they're not children of one or two years old.'
But I hadn't known that even Heinri viewed Samuel with such disapproval.
Zenon, who had been maligning Samuel's faith in league with Heinri, suddenly turned to look at me.
"Are we leaving that fellow behind this time?"
"...I wonder."
I had always tried to leave him behind, but I had never expected him to be completely separated. I had experienced Samuel's persistence consistently since my resurrection.
But now....
「...So you have learned.」
He was the first knight who had betrayed his former captain, and now he was striving to undo that betrayal.
The scene I witnessed led me to think that his betrayal might have been because he, at that time, had loved the captain of that time.
'And that emotion... though it may not remain in complete form now, it may have settled as some kind of lingering attachment.'
That he found me so well was ultimately not because some power was imbued in my scar, but because he had been the first knight in the past, making it possible.
I don't think Samuel approached me knowing all this story from the beginning.
Looking back at his attitude when he said he had dreams and was confused, perhaps he realized something at the monastery or afterward.
Dearis had said. Death gave the betrayer an opportunity.
Therefore, Samuel was likely tasked with the role of guiding me to realize the end of this power.
"His company has mostly been decided regardless of my wishes, so that will likely be the case this time as well."
"Can't we leave him behind?"
Zenon grumbled with a dissatisfied face. Watching him, I suddenly grew curious.
"How do you know where I'm going?"
"Wherever you go, I've regained my magic so that holy knight's combat abilities aren't necessary. Or do you still have things to hear from him?"
I stared at the grumbling Zenon and tilted my head.
"Do you mean to accompany me wherever I go?"
"That's why I came."
Why?
The final question didn't quite make it out of my mouth. I realized I was asking about trivial things, and I also noticed Heinri's gaze fixed on me strangely.
'What am I going to do by asking?'
Belatedly coming to my senses, I turned my attention to my teacup for no reason. Heinri, who had been quietly observing me, naturally changed the subject.
"As for the method of leaving the palace, are you thinking of using Roam as mentioned before?"
"Yes. That I must. I suspect they'll move straight away immediately after the banquet ends. Did my father say anything?"
When I nodded right away to agree, Heinri continued in a serious voice.
"As a matter of fact, he said to meet separately soon."
Heinri furrowed his brow, cut his words short, then resumed.
"Roam is prepared to discard that adopted daughter."
"A household more than capable of that. They'll think everything will be resolved if they just cast her out. Roam has always taken pride in its close relationship with the Imperial family."
"The Duke of Roam knew I held affection for you."
At Heinri's calm words, I saw Zenon hesitate.
"Held affection, you say..."
"While it may be a virtue for royalty to hide their true feelings... I suppose it means my feelings were that great."
At Heinri's appearance honestly acknowledging his feelings without reserve, Zenon looked truly flustered.
Pretending not to see that, I nodded indifferently.
"Yes. Since Your Highness holds such great feelings for me, my father must be at ease too. He must think of me as Roam. Even if a new Crown Prince appears, he must believe our connection to Roam will never be severed."