"Resurrected One."
As I approached, the maid glanced nervously and bowed her head cautiously.
After I told the Emperor not to call me Princess, everyone in the palace abandoned that title.
It was regrettable that they chose "Resurrected One" instead of Princess, but at least it didn't remind me of the past, so it was better.
"What is it?"
"P-people have come to fit your dress for the banquet."
The maid glanced toward the cage where Bark was imprisoned and shrugged her shoulders.
Seeing how the palace servants' attitude toward Bark hadn't changed at all from before, Bark must truly behave ferociously when I'm not around.
'Of course, I did tell him to act that way on purpose, but Bark is definitely doing better than I expected.'
After checking on Bark, I spoke to the maid.
"Let's go."
"Yes!"
As I nodded without delaying, the maid brightened and started walking. She must really dislike Bark.
[Have a good trip, Captain!]
To me, he only looks cute.
* * *
While living in the palace, I kept maids by my side only when I needed assistance.
For dress fitting, since staff from the tailors had come, the maids' assistance wasn't essential.
"Go out and wait."
"Yes."
After confirming the reception room door closed quietly, I slowly turned around. Among the staff who came from the tailors, I saw someone wearing a veil.
They said she was a seamstress sent by the tailors, and she wore such a veil because she had a large scar on her face.
Of course, it was all a lie.
"I've sent everyone out, so you may show your face now."
I spoke indifferently and sat on the sofa first.
A dress for the banquet? I had no intention of making such a thing from the start. Beautiful dresses already filled two rooms of the detached palace, so why bother?
"Since I've sent all the maids out, it will be difficult to serve tea."
Leaning comfortably against the backrest, I gazed indifferently ahead.
A seamstress.
"Mother."
No, my mother who had to visit the detached palace in humiliation, pretending to be a seamstress.
"The method of invitation is somewhat vulgar."
It was easy to leave a note at the Roam mansion telling her to come disguised as tailors' staff. I had crows blinded by jewels, after all.
Since I hadn't engaged in any activity after the tea time at the Empress's palace, if Roam wanted to meet me, they had to use the method I specified.
Of course, I knew this method would hurt my mother's pride.
'That's exactly why I used this method.'
Hiding my crooked intentions behind a faint smile, I made an excuse calmly.
"His Majesty disapproves of my interacting with the outside world."
"I am your mother, and Roam is your family house—how can you call that outside?"
Mother elegantly lifted her veil and walked lightly to sit across from me. Truly a perfect posture with nothing to fault.
"If you wish to believe that."
"I was very surprised when I saw the note. I thought you were confined, but you seem freer than expected."
"Does this look free to you?"
At my words, Mother raised her eyebrows. She rolled only her eyes to survey the reception room and asked in a gentle voice.
"......Does that mean it's not your will?"
"What power can the authority of an unseen, unfelt god have before earthly power?"
Mother narrowed her eyes as if gauging my thoughts and examined my complexion. Then she opened her mouth as if testing the waters.
"I heard you did something great for the Imperial family."
"I didn't know you would believe that."
I shrugged and murmured nonchalantly.
"The one who taught me not to waste even a speck of emotion on useless things was you, Mother."
"His Majesty as well...... would have needed divine protection to replace the successor while maintaining dignity."
Mother defended the Emperor in a lukewarm tone. It wasn't exactly wrong.
Replacing the successor wasn't the Emperor's will, but well. The result was that divine protection was indeed needed.
"You could have asked to be sent out after being used moderately."
"Me? To His Majesty?"
"You are the Resurrected One chosen by God."
No emotion was visible in Mother's eyes as she gazed at me.
"If we had known you would return like this, we could have prepared for the future in a more productive direction."
"I didn't know."
"Really?"
"Did you expect that I...... would be beheaded and come back to life?"
That even this could be part of my plan, that I might be hiding some scheme.
Seeing Mother not hiding that she was thinking this way, my mind went cold. I knew she was this kind of person, but facing her again after so long was truly something.
"Right, it's a bewildering situation for all of us."
These are the words spoken to a daughter meeting her for the first time after dying and being resurrected.
"You made contact like this because you're homesick, right?"
I struggled not to sneer. Fortunately, the time I lived as Mother's daughter wasn't in vain, and I was able to compose my expression rationally.
"Honestly, I don't like being swayed by the Imperial family. I have no divine faith, and I don't want to rely on the temple either."
"Right, I guessed Roam would be most comfortable for you."
As if. Roam was the place I detested most.
"A child raised by Roam's teachings couldn't possibly find anywhere more comfortable than Roam."
"I expected I wouldn't have a place to return to. But Sister Frijian said something interesting."
Following Mother's teachings, I faithfully managed my expression.
Appealing to emotions when dealing with Roam was the most foolish and stupid thing to do.
Longing for family, sense of betrayal, love-hate. I put away all such emotional words, and only by weighing my objective position and value would Roam not doubt me.
Thanks to that teaching, I could now easily draw Roam in like this.
"She said Lilia is strange?"
"......She's just making a few mistakes."
"That girl took everything from me, but God chose me. Unlike her who lost her foresight, I bear the world's renown."
I licked my dry lips with my tongue and continued calmly.
"My price after being resurrected is high, Mother."
"Would Roam not be able to handle that much?"
"And I'm not free enough that I have to invite you like this."
At my words, an expression finally appeared on Mother's face. It was a sneer.
"Maxel and Heinrich cannot refuse Roam's hand. Placing the person you desire on the throne would be sufficient payment."
Mother was speaking on the premise that I would sit in the Empress's seat.
'Well, unless one commits treason, the Empress's seat is the highest position a noble can have.'
I thought I understood why Heinrich was struggling to employ talented commoners. Such arrogant nobles and their oaths of loyalty. How could anyone feel any trust at all.
"I don't want to become the Imperial flower. Perhaps because I died once, I've lost interest in such positions now."
"Then?"
"Roam cannot pay the price."
"Don't make me ask twice."
I gazed at Mother's face as she frowned unpleasantly, then slowly raised the corners of my mouth.
"The master of Roam."
Cracks appeared in Mother's relaxed expression.
"That much seems a bit interesting, Mother."
"You......"
"If the Resurrected One becomes the master of Roam, wouldn't that mean God's protection envelops Roam?"
"So you want Frijian's position?"
"One flower is enough for the Imperial family. But isn't the fame of the Resurrected One too precious to just place in a vase and admire?"
If they thought they could escape this situation by cutting off Lilia, that would be a grave miscalculation.
I wanted Roam to collapse completely. And to do that, I had to cut down the successor who loved Roam more than anyone else.
I tilted my head and said.
"Sister's price...... isn't even worth discussing."
In the gentle voice I learned from Mother.
* * *
Mother gave me a dress as a gift.
Since my measurements were probably stored at Roam, having clothes made wouldn't have been difficult. It was slightly loose, but not unwearable.
Of course, several places other than Roam sent dresses as gifts. But I chose Roam's because, firstly, they sent what suited me best.
Before Lilia appeared, Mother's role was to guide me, who aimed to become Empress. Not just my habits and studies, but even my appearance.
So it wasn't strange that she sent a dress that suited me.
"Roam's dress with a prince's escort."
I was sick of the social circles that attached all sorts of meanings to a single dress. But I couldn't deny that it was convenient that one dress could create misunderstandings instead of a hundred words.
Where the Resurrected One stays, who her partner is, what dress she wears, how long she stays at the party.
Thinking of people who would add interpretations to such trivial things one by one, it was laughable.
"Resurrected One, it is time."
I turned my head at the voice from outside the door. In the mirror placed nearby, I saw my splendidly adorned self.
It was the appearance of Anelly Roam, seen after a very long time.
The second daughter of the vicious Roam, with bright red lips drawing a curved line.
"His Highness the Prince has arrived."
The door opened, and Heinrich, dressed as splendidly as I was, appeared.
"You put a lot of thought into this."
For once."
I could feel the texture of the dress rustling with every step I took.
Walking toward the banquet hall holding Heinrich's hand, I felt strange again.
"It must feel like going back to the old days."
"Sadly, yes."
My hair, done up elaborately for the first time in a while, was heavy with all sorts of dangling ornaments.
Moreover, the dress was heavy with layers of full skirts adorned with jewels. And walking in new shoes on top of that, it was a wonder I didn't fall.
If not for Heinrich's escort, I might have swayed ungracefully.