Now I finally understand a bit about the rumor those noble ladies were gossiping about earlier. And also the source of that rumor.
‘So they haven’t given up on trying to paint me as an undead.’
It’s likely an attempt to damage my image in their own way, and judging by the reactions of the banquet attendees, it seems to have had some effect. Not a bad attempt.
‘Though it’s a method that would only be truly effective under the premise that I intend to settle down here permanently.’
I don’t particularly want to criticize her efforts themselves. She, too, is just trying to find a way to survive.
However, the attitude of trying to use even Xenon for that purpose was quite grating.
Xenon is the only guest sent from the Magic Tower. That means Xenon’s words carry considerable weight. Enough to potentially be seen as representing the Magic Tower itself.
‘If I deny Lilia’s words, it would be tantamount to acknowledging a divine miracle as a mage. It would also create the appearance of a Magic Tower mage flatly contradicting the views of the imperial palace mages.’
It was an ambiguous situation in many ways. So, even for Xenon, it would be difficult to refute carelessly, and the best method would be to remain silen……
“Excuse me, do you perhaps have a problem with your eyesight?”
“Huh?”
Not only me, but the other people around who had been secretly eavesdropping on their conversation also stared at Xenon with wide eyes.
Xenon seemed unaware of how many people’s attention his words had drawn.
“Where exactly do you see that makes him look like an undead?”
“……Huh?”
Xenon, who had been glaring at the dumbfounded and frozen Lilia with a look of contempt, sighed and swept his bangs back. His neatly arranged red hair became disheveled.
‘Ah, that’s the Xenon I know.’
Feeling an inner sense of welcome, I held my breath a little more and listened intently.
“Of course, he is abnormally beautiful to the point where one might briefly doubt if he’s human. But if that’s the case, shouldn’t one rather speculate he’s a spirit or a fairy?”
What on earth is he saying now? With everyone listening.
I wasn’t the only one feeling absurd, as Lilia immediately retorted.
“Wh-what? What on earth are you talking about?”
For the first time, Lilia and I were in agreement. A historic moment, though not a joyous one, that would likely never happen again.
“I’m telling you how much nonsense you’re spouting right now.”
Xenon, with his arms crossed, faced Lilia in a rather insolent posture.
“I don’t know where you picked up a few words and came here to act like this, but have you ever actually seen a real undead?”
“I-I haven’t seen one, that’s why I’m scared and fearful!”
“So, you’re just spouting things without knowing anything? This is why know-it-all amateurs are the worst. Ah, but you’re not even an amateur, are you? You seem to have no connection to magic whatsoever.”
“You’re going too far!”
Flustered, Lilia retorted sharply.
“Or are you declaring that the knights and mages here in the imperial palace are so incompetent they can’t even distinguish an undead?”
Wow, that’s a proper counter.
Even as I inwardly applauded, Xenon’s scathing words continued.
“You said you’re the Crown Prince’s fiancée, right? For someone who is the Crown Prince’s fiancée to not trust the imperial palace mages and royal guards, spreading groundless rumors… this is quite a strange place.”
Watching Lilia left speechless made me feel thoroughly refreshed. It was such a clean and perfect finish that my earlier thought of stepping in to help seemed pointless.
“Did he practice his rhetoric?”
I muttered without thinking, and an answer came from beside me.
“He’s always been like that.”
It was Samuel, who had been watching Xenon with me.
“You’re the only one who sees him as naive.”
Was I mistaken? Samuel’s voice seemed mixed with a sigh.
“Then again, you’re the person who said Dullahans are kind.”
……Was I not mistaken?
Feeling like I was being treated as a terribly oblivious person, I was about to question him when I heard Xenon let out a short exclamation.
“Ah!”
Xenon, surrounded by layers of people, managed to spot me and was scurrying over.
The one who had been sneering and mocking Lilia just moments ago had vanished somewhere, and the thoroughly sulky expression was the Xenon I usually knew.
Just by looking at him, one might mistakenly think he had been bullied by Lilia. Lowering his voice considerably, he whispered rapidly.
“If you were done dancing, you should have called me! Do you know what a great crisis I faced among those terrifying people?”
I didn’t see a crisis, but I saw you deliver a blow.
I was about to retort like that but simply closed my mouth. The expression on Xenon’s pouting face truly seemed weary from hardship.
‘Even if he acted boldly in front of Lilia, he might have been struggling inside.’
Considering Xenon’s usual timidity, such an occasion would undoubtedly be quite stressful for him.
Come to think of it, even when he first met me, he tried to pretend not to know my true identity despite being aware of it.
Also, given his brother’s issues, it would be difficult for him to have favorable feelings toward the imperial family, wouldn’t it?
Thinking that, the Xenon before me seemed pitiable. Though it was his choice, he was essentially dragged to an unwanted place, so I should take good care of him.
“How much longer do we have to stay?”
“Not too long. The banquet is scheduled for tomorrow as well, anyway.”
“We’re attending again tomorrow?”
Xenon looked at me with wide eyes.
“Didn’t you hear from the attendants it’s scheduled to last for three days total?”
Actually, the usual banquet period is longer than this.
The current ‘three days’ is merely the result of being unable to remove previously scheduled imperial events while rescheduling after the congratulatory banquet was canceled twice.
“I naturally thought you were joking to tease me.”
Muttering about inefficiency in a dissatisfied voice, he pouted his lips and asked in a small voice.
“So, you’ll be making your entrance with that prince for all three days? And I have to wander around alone among those scary people like this?”
“Well……”
I was about to answer that since I’ll be leaving the imperial palace soon, I should give Heinri a final boost of support, but someone abruptly interrupted.
“Good heavens, I wondered where you were rushing off to in such a hurry. You weren’t threatened or something before attending, were you, mage?”
Unlike the other attendees who were gauging the situation, the one approaching us without hesitation and speaking was Lilia.
Her followers, who had been trailing behind her, stopped in their tracks with pale, frightened faces when their eyes met mine.
‘What on earth did she spread about me to get a reaction like that?’
Do they think something terrible will happen just from making eye contact with an undead?
‘Of course, I’ve heard that if you’re bitten by an undead, your flesh rots… Surely they aren’t worried I might bite them or something?’
While scanning the followers with mixed feelings, Lilia approached right in front of me. Perhaps because of the earlier conversation, she stared at Xenon with an unfriendly gaze.
“Threats like, if you talk to others at the banquet, I won’t cooperate with your research. Something like that.”
Contrary to her gently curved lips, the voice coming from Lilia’s mouth was somewhat sharp.
“Little sister, I understand you want to monopolize the guest’s attention, but shouldn’t you give others a chance as well?”
Those who knew of the ill-fated relationship between Lilia and me lit up their eyes and focused on our conversation. Even though they can’t speak to me for fear I might be a monster, it seems they can’t let go of their curiosity.
“Sister’s personality of not being able to stand not receiving attention is still the same. It brings back memories, makes me nostalgic.”
Lilia was confident. It was a good confidence for the Crown Prince’s fiancée to have.
But she should also be prepared to take responsibility for the consequences that confidence brings.
“Two things you said are wrong.”
I let out a soft sigh and stared at Lilia with indifferent eyes.
“First, this banquet is for me, so I have no reason to strive for attention. Second, you wouldn’t be nostalgic for the old days.”
At my assertion, Lilia parted her lips as if to refute. But I continued speaking faster than she could.
“No matter how foolish you are, you wouldn’t be nostalgic for the days when you had wine poured over you, would you?”
Let me reiterate, our conversation was receiving considerable attention right now.
There were also plenty of people who had personally witnessed the scene I was describing.
“Or have you already forgotten? That time when you shamelessly acted as the partner of a man who had a fiancée?”
“Ha, what are you…!”
“Did I say anything wrong? Back then, you showed your face everywhere as the partner of ‘my fiancé.’”
Lilia frantically rolled her eyes, looking around. She was probably looking for Maxel. Whenever she was in trouble, Maxel always stepped forward, invoking the Crown Prince’s authority on her behalf.
Maxel wasn’t far away. Seeing Lilia and me confronting each other, he hurriedly approached. However, he couldn’t intervene.
As if by prior agreement, Xenon and Samuel simultaneously blocked his path and spoke.
‘They’re surprisingly quick on the uptake.’
A faint smile touched my lips. Lilia, perhaps interpreting my smile as mockery, fiercely furrowed her brow.
“Little sister. Do you know how much discord has occurred since you came to the imperial palace? To resolve that, they’re holding such a splendid banquet like this, everyone is making an effort. But how can you mock their efforts?”
Lilia’s rhetoric, pulling only provocative statements without considering cause and effect, painting me as a heartless person, was exactly the same as before.
‘In that respect, she really hasn’t developed at all.’
Perhaps the goddess of the morning likes her proxy to only do as she’s told. Thinking that, I couldn’t even laugh. I opened my mouth.
“I may have memories of stopping an angry Dullahan or a ferocious Wyvern, but I have no memory of causing discord. Rather, shouldn’t you be a bit more careful?”
Then, letting out a long breath, I glanced around. I needed to lower my voice a little.
“Otherwise, how would your rumors reach even the palace where I am?”
“……My rumors?”
A slight unease flashed across Lilia’s face.
Heinri said he reported ‘Lilia’s suspiciousness’ to the Emperor in front of Maxel.
But seeing Lilia acting so clueless, it seems Maxel hasn’t pressed or interrogated her yet.
‘I thought he decided to abandon Lilia because she spouts so much nonsense, but perhaps that’s not the case.’
Then again, Maxel trusted Lilia’s good heart immensely. So he might not have believed Heinri’s words instead.
Well then, let the two of them hold hands and fall together nicely. Thinking that, a smile finally rose to my lips.