It was a battle that would occur in the final chapter of the future Lilia knew. The stage where Lilia would rise to become the empire's savior.
"You mustn't sever ties with him like this. Fortunately, I am his fiancée, and also Roam's adopted daughter. If you're truly worried, externally maintain a middle ground and keep your options open."
The Roam Duchess, who had been quietly listening to Lilia's urging, slowly parted her lips.
However, before she could give any answer, urgent footsteps of someone came from outside the reception room.
So urgent was the person that a servant opened the door without knocking and spoke breathlessly.
"Madam! An incident has occurred at the imperial palace!"
A cold light appeared on the Roam Duchess's face.
"I told you, Mother."
Lilia, having confirmed the other's expression, murmured quietly.
"The First Prince will lose support, you see."
Listening to Lilia's assertion, the Roam Duchess cast her gaze at the servant. The servant reported with a pale, white face.
"Her Majesty the Empress has been attacked by a monster…!"
Lilia tilted her teacup, hiding a faint smile.
The warm tea fragrance peacefully settled her heart.
* * *
The Empress, who had quietly gone out, was attacked by a monster.
With the Empress collapsing from the sudden attack, an uproar ensued, and this news spread instantly through people's mouths. Without any time to silence anyone, everyone came to know of the Empress's incident.
Opinions were divided regarding the specific circumstances. However, regardless of the truth, one thing spread with certainty. That Durahan was sighted at the time of the attack.
It happened to be not long after the Temple had made an announcement regarding Durahan, so people immediately whispered that this attack was connected to the proliferating evil.
Naturally, the resurrected one chosen by God was also mentioned.
In other words, me.
"His Majesty's wrath is considerable."
Father had a troubled expression.
"A monster attack out of nowhere……."
With the atmosphere already bad due to the Crown Prince who had incurred God's wrath, and now even the Empress being attacked by a monster, public sentiment seemed to be flowing in a quite negative direction.
'If I had been at the imperial palace, it would have been easier to grasp the situation.'
It was troublesome for me as well.
I had heard Lilia's words that the Empress would collapse and Durahan would be named as the culprit, but I never thought a monster attack would occur so openly like this.
'The route the Empress traveled should have been completely inspected beforehand. Why did a monster appear?'
No matter how quietly she moved, it was a royal family's outing. Heinrich was even said to have paid special attention, so there was no way preparations were neglected.
Perhaps because I hadn't seen the situation directly, I couldn't understand it at all.
Moreover, Zenon had no news since the urgent last communication. I had tried to contact him first out of frustration, but it wouldn't even connect.
Of course, the same was true for Heinrich.
"……How is Her Majesty the Empress?"
"She is unconscious."
Father, who answered curtly, pressed his brow firmly with his index finger and murmured as if to himself.
"To have suffered Durahan's attack, it's fortunate just to have survived."
Durahan's attack. Naturally, my Durahan came to mind.
'Nadab…….'
Nadab had accompanied the Empress disguised as Zenon's horse. Since Zenon was a guest of the imperial palace, the judgment was that if it was said to be his horse, no one would touch it carelessly.
It was also intended to allow Zenon to assert authority over Nadab if something happened.
So Zenon would have taken care of Nadab. Probably……
I bit my trembling lips firmly and lowered my gaze. There were many things I wanted to ask, but thinking I might seem suspicious, I had to carefully choose my words again and again.
"It might be better for me to step forward now."
Originally, Father intended to use the excuse of rescuing me who had gone missing. Heinrich planned to outwardly help Father while secretly stirring up trouble with the Emperor, saying 'Duke Roam kidnapped the resurrected one and is staging a scheme.'
While Heinrich bought time, I intended to handle Roam's matters and leave leisurely.
However, with the situation having come to this, I might have to change the plan.
"I am God's resurrected one. If there was a monster attack and I don't reveal myself, it would seem strange. Later when I become Roam's master, it would surely be a potential problem as well."
"Wait for a moment."
"But……"
"Or is there a matter that concerns you?"
A faint suspicion entered Father's eyes.
I spoke to such a Father without a shred of wavering.
"Since I am the resurrected one chosen by God, naturally the appearance of monsters concerns me. As you know, I wandered various regions dealing with monsters."
Whether he found nothing strange in my answer, Father swallowed a groan and turned his head.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my pounding heart.
Why Zenon had no contact, whether Nadab was all right.
I wanted to rush to the imperial palace immediately and confirm, but I couldn't move recklessly, so it was only frustrating.
Rather Zigor…… no, instead of Zigor, it might be better to send Minte to the imperial palace to check the situation.
The moment I thought that, Father spoke in a voice mixed with a sigh.
"This isn't certain information, but they say the monster transformed into a beast and approached."
My heart dropped with a thud.
"……There are monsters that transform into beasts?"
"That's why it's extraordinary. Even with sufficient guards, the fact that an attack occurred seems to have such a reason as well."
I immediately canceled the thought of sending Durahans. Rather than having them move directly, it seemed better, though troublesome, to find out through other 'real' animals.
'I can just call crows.'
It would be fine. I repeatedly told myself.
"We need to observe the atmosphere a bit more, so lie low for the time being. Don't cause unnecessary trouble."
"I have never caused trouble."
At my answer, Father pressed his temple firmly and turned his body.
"Go on."
I turned calmly, hiding my complicated feelings. As I came out to the corridor and was about to go straight to my room, someone blocked my way.
It was Frisian older sister, whose face had deteriorated considerably over the past few days.
"Ah, sister."
Right now, I didn't have the mental capacity to deal with Frisian sister. Just worrying about Zenon and Nadab who couldn't be contacted was already sufficiently exhausting.
However, Frisian sister didn't seem to have any intention of considering my circumstances.
"The timing is curious. A monster attack out of nowhere."
Looking absently at Frisian sister's twisted, crooked mouth, I opened my mouth in a languid tone.
"Sister must find this situation amusing."
"That can't be."
Frisian sister, who immediately denied it, shrugged her shoulders.
"I merely thought about it. Since the Young Duke of Roam can't establish their position, maybe they're trying to gain external achievements to obtain legitimacy."
"Me?"
"Not being recognized by the vassals, so finally throwing a tantrum?"
A slight sneer was mixed in the mocking voice.
Perhaps because she confirmed that her prestige within Roam was higher than mine? Frisian sister's attitude showed more leisure than before.
"In sister's judgment, does this incident appear to be a good opportunity for me?"
"It's an appropriate incident for the resurrected one of God to assert authority."
I thought Frisian sister could think that way, since the center of all her thinking was Roam and power within Roam.
I had also caused friction with the knight order recently.
Frisian sister must be connecting even that, thinking I was genuinely trying to seize this family.
For me, such speculation was rather fortunate. If she believed I was sincere, sister would try to counter even more desperately.
And the more urgent the mind becomes, the narrower the vision becomes, and one would make choices one normally wouldn't make.
"The time I spent in Roam was not in vain. Whatever you do, you won't be able to surpass that time."
I entirely agreed with Frisian sister's words.
I would not be able to surpass the authority of Young Duke that sister had built.
While inwardly agreeing with her words, I outwardly showed an indifferent manner.
"Sister, I heard you've been busy wandering outside lately? You'll have to enter the imperial palace soon, shouldn't you take better care of your appearance?"
At my mockery, Frisian sister wore a triumphant smile.
"Ha, it seems you want to get rid of me, but it won't go as you wish. There will absolutely never be a time when I enter the imperial palace."
"Since when does that happen according to sister's wishes?"
"Why wouldn't it?"
Something was in her hand. I pretended not to see it and turned my body.
"Fine, I understand sister's wish well, but it's not something I can grant. Since continuing the conversation seems useless, I'll be going now."
I felt a gaze glaring at me from behind. And after a while, the sound of knocking on Father's office door followed.
Having listened to that sound carefully, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Frisian sister was moving in the direction I had thought. The problem was the imperial palace.
'Zenon…….'
Without thinking, I stroked the ring, but still, no answer returned.
* * *
I made contact with the crows living in the imperial palace, but I couldn't achieve as great a result as I had hoped. However, I could at least get a glimpse of the imperial palace's atmosphere.
First, the Emperor was extremely angry, apparently demanding to find the missing resurrected one immediately. Whether I left the palace on my own feet, or was truly kidnapped by someone.
The imperial citizens also wanted to confirm God's protection through the resurrected one.
'Just the visitors to the nearby temples alone have increased considerably, so if I were to step forward and say just a few words, they would rejoice and cling to me.'
In this situation, if it became known that the resurrected one was not in the imperial palace, only groundless anxiety would spread, so one way or another, the Emperor seemed to be trying to find my whereabouts as quickly as possible.
Or, perhaps……
'The Emperor might already know I've come to Roam.'
Heinrich would have given some degree of hint all this time. However, since Father was persistently maintaining ignorance, he was probably watching until more certain evidence appeared.
I didn't know if Father's ignorance would work now. Right now, the imperial palace, not only with the Crown Prince but also with the Empress, was in danger of incurring misunderstanding that they had incurred God's wrath.