"......What did you say?"
Upon returning home, Mother looked at me with an absurd expression after receiving a report from the butler. I smiled faintly at her.
"I disciplined some insolent servants."
"I had already given separate instructions to the servants. They should have been respectful, so did they commit rudeness against you again?"
"No, that's not it. It seemed some of them were carelessly gossiping about internal household matters."
The butler, who had been watching me speak so nonchalantly with a pale face, coughed dryly and spoke cautiously.
"Tom was usually a loyal and diligent servant. If he did something wrong, perhaps...... please consider whether there might be a misunderstanding."
"Butler, have you been managing the servants with such complacent thinking? Good heavens! I would believe it even if someone said a spy is hiding somewhere in this mansion right now."
"S-Spy! The servants working in the Roam mansion all faithfully serve the Master."
The butler jumped up and denied it.
I already knew that the training of servants in the Roam mansion was thorough. That's precisely why I'm personally stirring things up like this.
'I've already upended the knight order, so I need to upend the servants too.'
Moreover, Tom whom I expelled today was a very loyal and diligent servant who often dealt with me before my head was cut off.
「Lock Aneli in her room immediately!」
「Escort the second young miss outside.」
Whether it was when I was driven out of Father's office, or when I was confined to my room after acting up, there were many moments when his strength was needed.
Each time, he dragged me out so faithfully.
「Excuse me, miss.」
Also, I can't describe how unpleasant his crude and persistent grip was when he squeezed my arm tight.
Perhaps because he was recognized for his service back then, he seemed to have risen to a fairly high position among the servants and established himself well.
Since he rose in rank as a reward for his loyalty to Roam, I had no choice but to make an example of him immediately.
"Butler, I understand, so leave for now."
Mother, who had been silent, sent the butler out first.
"Aneli...."
A chill voice carried a hint of anger. I faced such a mother with an expression that didn't care in the slightest.
"Yes?"
"I truly do not understand. If there was someone suspicious, shouldn't telling me come first?"
Mother was always one who looked above. In other words, she hated it immensely when someone violated or ignored her authority.
"Mother wasn't present. If I had given it more time, who knows what else that fellow might have said?"
"So you fired someone just like that?"
"It's merely one servant, Mother. Is one servant more precious than establishing discipline in Roam?"
At my question, Mother tightly sealed her lips into a straight line.
Naturally, what was precious to Mother wasn't one servant. She probably didn't even know what duties that servant was responsible for.
"Though not officially announced yet, if I, who is no different from the successor, cannot even reprimand one servant, that too would be something that undermines Roam's discipline."
I shrugged my shoulders and smiled at Mother once more.
"You must be tired, yet the butler disturbed your peace with unnecessary matters. Please rest."
I left the room without waiting for Mother's permission.
After that, I sought out the butler and scolded him thoroughly for pointlessly bothering Mother.
It was in front of all the servants.
The butler remained silent with a bright red face. He seemed to hope Mother would appear and intervene in this situation, but sadly, Mother was someone who never stepped outside her room when she was angry.
Because she was concerned about showing an irrational appearance in front of the servants.
In the end, the butler had no choice but to silently endure my irritation.
* * *
By the time I had finished stirring up the household like that and returned to my room, it was nearly evening.
"The Madam says she will not have dinner. So...."
"I'll pass too."
The maid who was reporting from outside the door said she would withdraw. Seeing she didn't ask twice, my appearance today must have been quite unpleasant in their eyes.
After confirming the outside had gone quiet, I slumped onto the sofa. I needed to wash and change clothes, but everything was bothersome.
"This is tiring too."
I don't know what energy drove me to cause trouble so diligently in the old days. It's also ridiculous that despite causing trouble so energetically, I received a terminal diagnosis.
Anyway, causing trouble after a long time was somewhat novel, but I didn't have the confidence to keep doing this. Tormenting others also consumed energy.
"Damn bastards, when on earth are they leaving."
I muttered irritably, pressing my eyes firmly, and finally spat out curses that had risen to my throat.
I was waiting for Maxell to depart for Count Ruejak's territory.
According to what Tristan spied, Lilia was apparently itching to rush there immediately.
Heinrich, who is in the imperial palace, also seems to be indirectly cheering for them to depart as soon as possible, but the Emperor was unexpectedly stubborn.
"They should use some method or another."
Heinrich had reported that someone from Preci's side was placed beside the Emperor. So naturally I thought Lilia's influence would reach, but it seemed Lilia couldn't properly control Preci's subordinates now that Preci was dead.
I'm working so hard to turn a blind eye to such obvious schemes, but I don't know how much longer I have to wait.
"Stupid Lilia."
Can she really not think of anything unless it's information obtained through prophecy?
She should at least make up something about having a wonder drug that can wake the Empress and get permission for the Crown Prince to go out.
If she doesn't have confidence to get it directly from the Emperor, she should cling to Father or Mother.
It would be solved if she hands over some prophetic information and asks for help in return, so why is she dragging her feet like it's so difficult?
I clicked my tongue and shook my head, then lifted my heavy body.
'Should I give a hint or something?'
First, I'll see the situation tomorrow, and if there's really no answer, I'll have to intervene. I do feel skeptical about whether I have to go this far, though.
* * *
Xenon and Samuel were using the same lodgings.
It wasn't because their relationship had suddenly become intimate or because camaraderie had developed.
"Has there been no contact?"
"No."
It was because the communication magic tool to contact Aneli was in Xenon's hands.
Actually, Samuel tried to infiltrate the Roam mansion again disguised as a guard knight. Xenon stopped that.
The excuse was that since the communication magic tool was in his hands, there was no need to take unnecessary risks.
Aneli had also refused, saying Palides alone was sufficient, so Samuel eventually compromised by using the same lodgings as Xenon.
However, these circumstances did not make the relationship between the two any closer.
Xenon glanced at Samuel, who was turning stiffly toward his own room, and opened his mouth reluctantly.
"What about what you were looking into?"
"I'm searching."
"It seems like there's been no progress for several days."
I didn't know what exactly he was investigating, but Samuel kept repeating the routine of going out in the morning and returning at night for several days.
And judging by his expression, it seemed he came up empty today too.
"It's not something for you to worry about, mage."
Samuel frowned and drew a line. Xenon scratched the back of his head at this.
"I don't want to worry about it either, but if you keep hanging around there and you're not around when Lady Aneli looks for you later, that'll be troublesome, won't it?"
Xenon knew well that Aneli was occasionally making use of Samuel's identity.
Whatever the reality, the Holy Knight badge itself was good for gaining public trust.
At least it would garner much more response than the unfamiliar identity of the Magic Tower Lord's heir on the streets.
Therefore, in Xenon's view, Samuel's unclear doings needed to start wrapping up.
"I won't act in a way that causes harm to her."
"Oh, really? Have you already forgotten what announcement the Temple made?"
At Xenon's point, Samuel's face stiffened. He moved his lips but couldn't offer a proper rebutt and closed them again.
Xenon, looking at the stubbornly silent Samuel with frustrated eyes, took a deep breath internally.
Then, with a voice he himself thought was quite generous, he said.
"I don't know what it is, but isn't the scope of what you can investigate limited with your identity?"
"So?"
"I don't want to, but I'll help."
Xenon had shown rare generosity, but Samuel's expression didn't improve in the slightest. Rather, he looked even more displeased.
Well, given they usually growled at each other so much, he probably wouldn't feel grateful just because one suddenly offered to help.
'Who wants to help because they like it? It's all for Lady Aneli.'
Xenon, standing crookedly, parted his lips to say to forget it if he didn't like it.
But before that, Samuel spoke first.
"Did you meet her?"
Meet Aneli? Just when he hadn't seen her face for days and was feeling resentful, is he picking a fight now?
Xenon, who had been rejected for a communication call yesterday too on the grounds of being busy, spoke with a displeased face.
"How would I meet Lady Aneli? She told me not to come."
Surely that guy didn't go see her alone?
Swelling suspicion filled his head. Just as Xenon was about to continue his interrogation—
"The day we returned after eliminating Rusalka."
Xenon hesitated. Blinking blankly, he frowned and gazed at Samuel.
"Did you meet her separately at night?"
Did he sense magic because he's a Holy Knight? Even if he sensed magic, how could he pinpoint and ask if I met Aneli?
At Xenon's silence with a sour expression, Samuel's face grew even colder.
Seeing that, Xenon realized he was already convinced internally. He didn't know how he knew, though.
"Yes."
When Xenon nodded readily, Samuel pressed his closed lips tight. Seeing his jaw protrude, he seemed to be clenching his teeth.
Surely he's not planning to throw punches in the hallway.
'I'm at a disadvantage in a fistfight, so I'd need to use magic.'
While there were only Xenon and Samuel staying on this floor, if they caused a commotion, people would surely come up from below.
Organizing in his head how to respond if Samuel lunged, Xenon narrowed his eyes.
"Why does that matter?"
"She...... you......"
Samuel couldn't even utter a few words before stopping. Then, his face distorting, he turned away from Xenon entirely.
"Did she choose you?"