Where eyes should normally be, there were only black, sunken hollows. Looking closer, there seemed to be some blue moss growing inside as well.
I was someone who rarely batted an eye at most things, but this sight was quite chilling.
"If viewed from afar, one could truly mistake it for a person."
Even Samuel couldn't hide his discomfort as he muttered.
[She said she suffered a lot because of her appearance. But she's not really a bad kid!]
Mori spoke as if defending Rusalka. However, to me, Rusalka had already been branded as a wicked monster who had struck the back of Mori's head and fled.
"Are you Rusalka?"
No answer came. Instead, as if responding to my question, Rusalka glided toward me.
The movement parting the water was exceedingly quiet and silent. That made it feel even more eerie. Should I say it felt unlike a living creature?
"That thing is approaching."
"Would it not be better to handle it?"
Xenon and Samuel spoke to me in turn. At that, Mori started in alarm and looked up at me.
[A-ah, no! I'll try to talk to her properly!]
To my eyes, it was an incredibly suspicious monster, but it seemed that even such a monster appeared pitiable to Mori.
In a way, she truly lived up to being the Captain's one and only successor. I eventually swallowed a sigh and nodded.
"Alright. Go ahead."
[Thank you, Captain!]
Mori's voice brightened noticeably. While our conversation continued, Rusalka had stopped again and was staring blankly this way.
If I said that looked exactly like a wild animal searching for prey, would that be an oversensitive imagination?
[I-It's me, remember? We used to talk every night.]
Mori approached a bit closer to the water. Rusalka slid closer as if responding to that movement.
Now they were truly close. Mori seemed relieved, thinking the other had expressed an intention to converse.
[Hey, the thing I gave you last time. You have it, right?]
Rusalka's head rose a bit more above the surface. A flat pig-like nose and tightly pressed blue lips were revealed.
The sight of Rusalka slowly turning her face with water streaming down it was chilling.
[G-give that back. And about that human you attacked…….]
Mori's words didn't continue. Because Rusalka suddenly leaped up from the water surface.
"Where are you going!"
Pallides swung his sword, but it helplessly sliced through empty air. From beyond Xenon's protective barrier, a large black shadow lunged forward.
"Damn it!"
The shadow easily pierced through the barrier. And Samuel's sword also failed to cut it.
Feeling the surroundings grow dark, I experienced dizziness. As if sinking into a swamp, the ground beneath my feet began to give way.
It was a power that neither magic nor divine power could block. This was.
"Lady Aneli!"
It was authority. A goddess's authority.
* * *
'What in the world…….'
When I opened my eyes, I was in a bed.
After staring at the ceiling for a long while while lying down, I slowly raised my body.
Just moments ago, I was certainly……
I tried to recall my memories, but my head was hazy as if filled with smoke.
"You've awakened, Your Majesty the Empress."
"We shall prepare water for your bath."
'Your Majesty the Empress?'
The maids' respectful voices reached me. Someone carefully drew back the curtains that had been covering the windows. Warm sunlight flooded the bedroom.
"His Majesty left to attend to state affairs as soon as the sun rose."
"He said he must have lunch with Her Majesty the Empress and hurried his steps."
"It is nearly noon, Your Majesty the Empress."
The maids guided me with gentle whispers. As I washed, changed clothes, and was adorned like a doll, someone presented a jewelry box wrapped in red silk.
"His Majesty sent this. He said he wishes for you to wear it at lunch today."
"Oh my, His Majesty's gifts are truly the finest!"
Looking dubiously at the giggling maids, I gazed at the jewelry box before my eyes. Inside the fully opened jewelry box lay a dazzling diamond necklace.
At that moment, an intense headache struck my head. No one around me noticed as I frowned and grit my teeth.
"They say it was crafted by reworking the late Empress's keepsake into a new design. It took a full six months!"
The maid who explained with an excited voice urged me to try it on. When I nodded, the maids screamed with delight and hung the jewel around my neck.
"Oh my, today's Her Majesty the Empress is the perfect protagonist no matter who looks!"
Protagonist.
Hearing that word, the strange fog that had been hovering in my numb head began to clear little by little.
……Ah, protagonist.
"Today is Her Majesty the Empress's birthday! The finest banquet will unfold this evening!"
The maids were more excited than I was, saying many people were waiting at the lunch hall.
One maid held up a hand mirror to me. In the mirror sat a version of myself wearing a shining crown and lavishly adorned.
"Oh my, His Majesty is coming!"
"It seems he wishes to escort you to the lunch hall!"
"My goodness, His Majesty's love is truly amazing and wonderful!"
The maids covered their own flushed cheeks with their hands. Watching the maids rejoicing as if it were their own affair, I shook my head.
"It's fine."
"Oh my, but……."
"Tell him not to come."
At my firm words, the maids sighed. However, she quickly conveyed my intention to the Emperor's attendant.
After the Emperor's attendant left, I stared blankly at the mirror. This time, I gazed blankly at the diamond necklace hanging around my neck.
I stroked the necklace with my fingertips. The sparkling jewel was unrealistically beautiful.
Such a necklace would suit a protagonist. Not a villainess.
"It's already time!"
It felt like I hadn't rested at all.
"You must go to the banquet hall!"
"The banquet hall?"
Didn't I just wake up? I thought I hadn't even had lunch yet?
The maids who heard my muttering burst into giggles as if amused. Oh my, you've already eaten dessert and taken a walk with His Majesty!
At someone's answer, I suddenly felt a sense of fullness. The soles of my feet also tingled as if I had walked for a long time.
It was a truly astonishing sensation.
"It's already evening! If you depart now, you'll arrive on time."
At the maid's words, I turned to look at the window. I could see the sunset light draping outside. The maid was closing the window to block the increasingly cool air.
I slowly rose from my seat. The maids told me to wait for the Emperor's escort, but I left the room on my own.
My head was now completely clear, and I began to closely observe everything spread around me.
Everyone I encountered while passing through the long palace corridor bowed deeply to me without exception.
Their greetings were filled with reverence.
Leaving all those people behind, when I reached the massive palace central hall, the gatekeeper announced my arrival.
The protagonist of this banquet, the mistress of the palace, the most noble woman in the Empire, and the Emperor's companion.
The massive and heavy doors slowly opened, and the brilliant chandelier lights, cheerful music, and noisy chatter poured toward me all at once.
At the front, chairs for the Emperor and Empress were placed atop tiered steps, and nobles in splendid attire were waiting for me.
The Emperor who had been seated rose upon seeing me.
His smiling face overflowed with love and happiness.
"My Empress."
He spread his arms to welcome me. The nobles who filled the banquet hall to celebrate my birthday gracefully bent their knees.
I walked slowly down the long central path they had created for me.
The Emperor, as if unable to wait for my slow steps, came down the steps with long strides and stood before me.
"My most noble companion in this place. I congratulate you on your birthday."
He extended his hand as if asking to escort me. Golden hair that sparkled as if gold dust had been scattered slid smoothly with his gesture.
Fine blue eyes gazed straight at me, capturing my shining form entirely.
I smiled faintly and reached my hand toward him.
My hand passed beyond the hand he had extended toward me and touched his chest.
To the most splendid first button among those he had fastened all the way to his neck.
"That bastard never buttoned to his neck in his entire life."
Crack.
When I put force into the hand gripping the button, the sound of threads tearing was heard.
"……Empress, what are you saying?"
Seeing his bewildered face, I smiled even more brilliantly.
"He used to whine about it being suffocating, like a brat."
When I yanked hard, the button finally tore off.
The beautiful flowing melody stopped, and all eyes in the banquet hall fixed on me.
With so many people in the banquet hall, a heavy silence wrapped around us to the point that not even breathing could be heard.
"Empress. Do you not recognize me, whom you love?"
Confusion and doubt filled the blue eyes. Seeing that, laughter naturally came out.
Naturally, I wasn't laughing out of joy.
I was simply dumbfounded.
"Why steal a dead woman's dream?"
A faint vibration was felt from the floor. The floor that had felt solid grew increasingly soft, and I felt my legs sinking downward.
However, I wasn't surprised. This was merely the collapse of a clumsily crafted illusion.
Having found the pendant they had hidden in ordinary disguise, I didn't care whether this ridiculous stage collapsed or not.
"If you wanted to put me to sleep, you should have brought a more plausible and interesting dream."
As my mockery deepened, the expression on the Emperor's face disappeared.
"Ah, but there was something I did want to try."
Toward the Emperor's face that had turned expressionless, I spat. It was clumsy but fairly well done.
"Thanks to you, my wish came true."
When I tightly gripped the stolen button, it melted as if being absorbed into my palm. Just like when I received the key from Deeris long ago.
Confirming that the blue eyes had vanished, leaving only a black, sunken space on the face, I turned my body. Beyond the open banquet hall, there was only blinding brightness to the point of not knowing what lay outside.
However, my steps toward the outside were unhindered.
Terrible screams echoed from behind. Without looking back, I walked straight out.
It was time to escape this unpleasant dream as quickly as possible.