"Please sit. I've just had tea brought out."
At the Empress's gentle smile, I could see Lilia biting her lip.
However, she could find no further fault. The resentment she couldn't hide flickered in her eyes as she glanced furtively at the Empress.
Foolishly, Lilia seemed to believe the Empress had taken my side.
The Empress was merely yielding ground because of my official role as the Resurrected One.
She had likely received some instruction from the Emperor to keep me appeased.
Without such words, there would be no reason for her to overlook my deliberately late arrival at this tea time.
"By the way, gathering like this feels truly novel!"
Someone opened the conversation lightly, as if trying to refresh the atmosphere. It was the wife of the wealthy Marquis Tubel.
"I never imagined in my dreams that I would face the Lady again like this."
Countess Pendelon quickly joined in. At this, the other ladies began adding their own words as well.
"Indeed. They say the Lady subdued the Imperial Family's monster?"
"To think I would witness God's miracle before my eyes. This is a glorious occasion."
"For the Resurrected One to serve the Imperial Family so sincerely—this is all thanks to Her Majesty the Empress's grace."
Among the ladies clamoring to speak, the Empress smiled quietly. At this rate, it would be concluded that my staying in the Imperial Palace was entirely due to the Imperial Family's mercy.
That would be troublesome. I had deliberately arrived late to demonstrate that the Resurrected One stood above the Imperial Family.
"I serve God. That is why I am praised as the Resurrected One."
As I quietly interjected, the Duchess Andrei responded with a smiling glance.
"Which means it is no different from God watching over the Imperial Family."
"God's mercy is equal."
I answered calmly and swept my gaze over the ladies.
"Do you distinguished ladies distinguish each worker ant and soldier ant one by one?"
"What do you mean..."
"You must walk without even knowing there are ants beneath your feet."
"Oh my."
At my words treating the Imperial Family as mere ants, the ladies turned pale and looked at the Empress.
Their expressions as they fell silent, unable to voice any response, were quite pitiful.
Just as a cold silence was about to settle over the table, the Empress quietly set down her cup and gently spoke.
"It is true that the Imperial Palace avoided great calamity through God's protection. The Imperial Family regards this with great significance. That is why His Majesty the Emperor intends to host a banquet."
The Empress's gaze turned toward me.
"I heard the Lady is satisfactorily receiving the Imperial Family's sincerity, but was there perhaps something lacking?"
The Empress wore a benevolent smile as she elegantly rephrased the question of whether I needed more money.
I wasn't having a battle of wills just to receive some petty sum.
"How could there be excess in expressing gratitude? I am prepared to accept sincerity with joy."
Though I had no intention of refusing if offered.
After answering lightly, I suddenly turned my head to look at Countess Pendelon.
"By the way, do my earrings suit me, Countess Pendelon?"
The ladies' gazes turned to my ears. Only then noticing the earrings I wore, Countess Pendelon smiled broadly and nodded.
"My, I feel the effort of choosing them carefully was worthwhile."
With a smiling face, I turned to look at someone else this time.
"The hair ornament the Duchess Andrei provided also suited my heart perfectly."
"It goes very well with the dress. I'm relieved."
The ladies, only now realizing I was armed from head to toe with gifts, lit up their eyes.
Not stopping at not returning the gifts, but actually wearing them—this was an expression of my will to gladly accept the bribes.
'Using God's divinity is the Temple's domain, so I should use God's power.'
Rather than packaging the 'Resurrected One' as a sacred and lofty being, it would be more convenient to package myself as a power holder open to appeasement.
That way, at least they wouldn't force integrity upon my conduct.
"Who sent that dress?"
Someone asked, eyes shining with interest. The one who answered was someone who had been focused solely on quietly drinking tea.
"Choosing a daughter's clothes is a mother's joy."
My mother, seated diagonally across from me, gave a tender smile as our eyes met.
"I was so moved to be able to care for you again, even like this."
I could see the Duchess Andrei seated beside my mother clicking her tongue.
Pretending not to notice that reaction, I naturally turned my gaze toward the Empress.
The Empress was calmly observing this situation. I praised the Imperial Family with a generous spirit.
"However, no gift can dare compare to the Imperial Family's grandeur in granting me a palace. Thanks to that, I am getting sufficient rest."
At my favorable words, the Empress's expression softened somewhat. The noble ladies also began praising the Imperial Family's boldness as they read the room.
It had been ages since I'd had a conversation where I had to consider every intention behind every word. It was giving me a headache.
At least the Dulahans, while noisy, didn't make every single word feel exhausting.
'I want to get out of here soon.'
Life wandering outside, even if camping, was more peaceful at heart.
Suppressing deep fatigue, I tried not to let my expression falter.
The subsequent conversation was tedious and dull. This tea time after so long was no different from before. Boasting of appropriate degree, subtle appeasement, battles of will cloaked in laughter.
I responded appropriately with smiles. It wasn't difficult. Moreover, even without my guidance, someone naturally brought up the desired topic.
"Excuse me, if it's not too rude, I was just so curious."
The Duchess Andrei opened her mouth surreptitiously.
"I heard the Lady emerged from the Black Tower."
"That is correct."
"Is a warp gate installed inside?"
"That couldn't be. There are no unauthorized warp gates within the Imperial Palace. Is that not so, Your Majesty?"
At my question, the Empress nodded.
"Of course that is so. I actually wanted to ask about that as well. Though I didn't expect it to come up at a gathering like this."
This was also a security matter of the Imperial Palace, so she seemed reluctant to discuss it at such an open tea time.
However, the Duchess Andrei pressed on with her question.
"Then how did the Lady appear? What about the monster?"
"Wouldn't it be God's will, Duchess Andrei?"
The Empress offered a subtle warning. I looked at them with a gentle smile.
"Her Majesty is correct. However, the monster that appeared in the Imperial Palace had a reason."
"A reason?"
"Someone drew in an evil energy."
"Evil energy?"
"Yes, which is why God guided me here."
Lilia, who had been sitting quietly, glanced at me. She held her tongue, looking as if she wanted to shout at me not to lie, but given the setting, she couldn't just open her mouth.
I directed a sneering smile at her and continued speaking calmly.
"Of course, I will soon have to leave to guide the monster I captured onto God's path."
It meant the same problem could occur again unless that evil energy was eliminated.
Fortunately, everyone present seemed to understand, and the atmosphere settled strangely.
"Evil energy—like something from a fairy tale."
The Duchess Andrei said with a laugh, as if trying to salvage the situation late. She seemed to want to just laugh it off, but unfortunately, I had no such intention.
"It would be fortunate if it were a fairy tale. But regrettably, this is clearly reality."
"Can you explain more specifically?"
Countess Pendelon asked actively, eyes gleaming.
She was like that in the past too. The Pendelon Count's family was counted among the families that donated heavily to the Temple.
That was slightly different from faith. They actively spent money on all kinds of superstitions the Temple deemed heretical.
In short, it was a household that would set up expensive altars at the slightest puff of wind.
"To put it simply, it means bringing the wrong person into the house will soon bring ruin."
The noble ladies' expressions froze. Countess Pendelon looked outright at Lilia.
Just as Lilia, wearing an absurd expression, was about to say something, I quickly smiled and shrugged.
"Well, it's an extreme example."
"I, I see!"
The ladies, glancing around, quickly dismissed my statement as an excessive joke. It was a tearful effort.
"It is true that there is an unsettling energy in the Imperial Family. Fortunately, I stopped the Dulahan, but I can't stay in the Imperial Family forever..."
"Is life in the Imperial Palace not comfortable?"
"As everyone knows, I am God's Resurrected One. My fate is to go where God guides. I'm merely looking for a place to return to after leaving."
"Are you saying the Imperial Palace is not that place?"
"Well. Even I find it difficult to endure long in a place that doesn't accept God's warning."
"Then what about elsewhere?"
"If you look well, there will be a place where God's grace can settle. God is always equal."
The noble ladies were listening to my words more and more as if entranced. Especially Countess Pendelon looked as if she would sell her mansion to raise money if I told her I'd bestow God's blessing in exchange for her purse.
...That wouldn't happen, but if I run short on money later, should I try fetching water from the mountains to sell?
While I was worrying inwardly, the Empress, unable to watch any longer, stepped in to mediate the overheated atmosphere.
"The Lady's words are quite an interesting story."
The Empress murmured quietly and smiled faintly.
"If you had told me earlier, we could have had this conversation sooner."
Her words held emotion I couldn't tell was reproach or resentment. Either way, it wasn't my concern.
"I was executed as a major criminal for inflicting injury on His Highness the Crown Prince's fiancée—how could I speak carelessly?"
"Ahem."
Someone's cough, unable to hide their dismay, was heard. However, I continued speaking clearly with a smiling face.
"Having experienced firsthand that one's circumstances in the Imperial Palace can overturn overnight, I was simply reluctant to open my mouth rashly. I barely kept my head thanks to God's grace, and if I'm executed by beheading again, who knows what will happen this time."
This time, everyone truly stiffened with tension. They apparently hadn't expected me to openly bring up my own beheading.
"Even now, I wonder if someone might misunderstand that I'm framing innocent people out of revenge?"
In truth, that was correct. It was correct, but so what?