The Captain? Or perhaps... the butler. Or maybe the head maid.
Narrowing my eyes, I swiftly speculated about who might have reported this, then shrugged my shoulders. It didn't matter whose doing it was.
After all, the incident itself was something I had deliberately provoked to incur the servants' resentment.
"It was a matter of discipline. As you know, Father, the servants' attitudes were excessively arrogant and insolent."
At my words, Father slowly turned around. He was frowning ever so slightly.
"I thought that since you expressed interest in the minor duchy, you would have the sense to handle yourself accordingly. Was I expecting too much?"
Even under Father's gaze, heavy with reproach, I answered nonchalantly.
"How could I simply stand by and watch dogs behaving insolently towards their master?"
"If this needless disturbance reaches the imperial palace, your position will become quite difficult."
"If a domestic disturbance spills outside, it's a failure of internal control. That only means I must enforce discipline all the more from now on."
"Anelli."
Father's expression hardened stiffly.
"Do I really have to tell you that now is still a time to remain quiet?"
Father's face as he said this seemed briefly frustrated. Probably because resolving the situation was taking longer than expected.
Perhaps Father believed that after extracting me from the imperial palace, he could quickly wrap things up with Prince Heinri's help.
Thinking he wouldn't need to hide me for long, he must have immediately removed my sister from her duties.
I gave Father a slight, crooked smile.
"I heard you coordinated with His Highness Prince Heinri. Does Her Majesty still suspect my whereabouts?"
"The Crown Prince has already reported to Her Majesty that you were kidnapped. I also reported that Roam would step in discreetly to resolve the matter so that the Temple wouldn't find any unnecessary fault."
The fact that I still had to hide, despite things proceeding as planned, meant the other party wasn't reacting as intended. Judging by the situation, it seemed Heinri was doing a good job of playing the role of stalling for time.
Hiding my rising satisfaction, I readily nodded.
"Then I shall stay here and reveal myself at an appropriate time, saying I was rescued by Roam."
Muttering in a light tone, Father urged me with a voice full of force.
"Yes, you must stay quiet. Not cause trouble like today."
"Those loyal to my sister are spread everywhere. What use is it for me to try and stay quiet?"
When I asked with wide eyes, Father furrowed his brow.
His face showed clear dissatisfaction with me, but I nonchalantly ignored that emotion and continued.
"What if they, unable to contain their loyalty to my sister, rashly report something to His Majesty the Emperor?"
"Anelli."
"Or perhaps my sister, having her position taken from her, might run to the imperial palace bearing a grudge. Come to think of it, my sister has been busy going out frequently lately. Do you happen to know the reason?"
When I mentioned the Phrygian sister's outings, Father's complexion darkened slightly.
Father probably also sensed something suspicious. He must know my sister isn't the type to step aside meekly.
It's just that, busy with the aftermath of spiriting me away from the palace, he likely couldn't closely monitor the Phrygian sister's movements immediately.
Father spoke with a solemn expression.
"Phrygian is not a child who would harm Roam."
"It feels like you're implying that I am a child who would harm Roam."
Father's eyes flickered slightly.
If I felt that reaction signified affirmation, was that my own inferiority complex?
"Do you still hold Lilia's prophecy in your heart?"
A somewhat cold voice flowed from between my lips. At my question, Father raised his eyebrows in surprise, then returned to an impassive expression.
"I already told you I don't believe that."
"...But I wonder if my sister truly doesn't believe those words either."
Father swallowed a sigh and turned his body to look back towards the training grounds.
It looked very much like an attempt to avoid the current topic.
Of course, I had no intention of ending the conversation there.
"Father, I am facing a great deal of hostility simply because I have returned to this mansion. Today's incident was merely the minimum defense I took to protect my own safety."
"You are Roam's second daughter and the Resurrected One of the goddess. No one here would dare be hostile to you."
"The Roam second daughter they remember is the empire's wicked woman, the dew on the execution grounds. Since when has Roam believed in divine protection?"
A cold laugh escaped me without my realizing. At my sarcastic outburst, Father looked back at me with a displeased gaze.
Before Father could scold me, I quickly continued.
"I understand you can't reveal me publicly. I can wait. So please don't scold me too much for enforcing a little discipline while I wait."
Father didn't answer. Probably because he acknowledged that the recent events had made the household atmosphere unfavorable.
Perhaps if Father stepped in, he could strictly correct the servants' attitudes. But the reason he didn't was because he already knew that ruling by force wouldn't elicit true submission.
The Phrygian sister earned the respect of her retainers on her own. Father likely expected me to conduct myself in the same way.
"After all, the person they must serve now is me, not the Phrygian sister."
So I spoke even more leisurely and gently.
"You must think of the future."
Not appearing impatient. As if I have everything arranged.
In truth, without showing it, that I have no consideration for this family whatsoever.
* * *
The day the Empress moved had arrived.
The Empress's maternal family was in a city not far from the imperial palace, right next to it, and she could travel directly via a warp gate, so the journey wasn't long either.
'Will the Empress really collapse?'
Why on earth is a Dullahan involved in this? Is it simply because the Temple has defined Dullahans as evil, so all misfortune is being pinned on them?
Pacing anxiously around the room, I sank into thought.
I was still confined to the Roam mansion, indirectly grasping the surrounding situation through the Dullahan and other beings.
Worried that Lilia might be up to something, I kept her under close surveillance, but she didn't leave the mansion. She did converse with Mother, but it was all efforts to avoid being driven out of this mansion.
Of course, Lilia also emphasized her usefulness to me several times.
However, as my attitude wasn't proactive, she seemed to judge that persuading me would be difficult.
"Captain, nothing will go wrong."
Pallides subtly spoke up.
"Contact will come soon. While waiting, let's distract ourselves with other tasks."
Even Samuel suggested I calm down. For him, who is usually quite composed, to say such a thing meant I must have looked quite anxious.
'Xenon and Nadav are supposed to report periodically...'
I tried to soothe my mind.
Anyway, I was at the Roam mansion, and here, there was nothing I could do but wait.
So it was better to distract myself with something else, as Samuel said.
"What is Lilia doing?"
At my question, Tristan, who was stuck to the window, fluttered over and answered.
[The last report I heard was that she was embroidering in her room.]
Tristan was monitoring Lilia, taking turns with all sorts of insects.
Even at this moment, insects loitering in Lilia's room were busily coming and going to report to Tristan.
"Perhaps she's waiting for her own foresight to come true."
"...Probably so."
Perhaps because my expression was still not good, Zigore quickly interjected.
[Shall I go and keep watch? If need be, I'll give her a good thrashing right away!]
[You, don't even think about causing trouble and stay quiet.]
[Minte! Minte should go meet Nadav!]
[Nadav won't be back for a while yet, you fool.]
Listening to Zigore and Minte's conversation eased the tension somewhat. This kind of commotion was far better.
I sat at the desk, listening to their trivial chatter.
Tasks I needed to handle as the prospective minor duke were piled to one side, but I didn't even glance at them and opened a drawer.
What I took out was a map. I took it out to roughly sketch the travel route in my mind for when the Roam affairs were settled.
"You can travel in a straight line from the capital to the Veladia valley."
Samuel, who checked the map over my shoulder, subtly added.
"Before going, we need to find the remaining three knights."
At my words, Minte hopped up onto the desk.
[They must have all awakened by now. Just as I came to this city to find you, Captain, they must be looking for you too.]
"If we leave the city, could we meet them right away?"
[I can't guarantee it, but they must be nearby. Since you, Captain, retrieved the key to Veladia Castle, their memories must have become clearer, just like ours.]
Listening to Minte, I unconsciously looked down at my palm.
It was the hand that had absorbed the key to Veladia Castle. There had been no noticeable change since then, so I had forgotten, but hearing Minte's words made my palm itch for no reason.
"What are the remaining knights like?"
The knights I've met so far were all strong-willed but utterly loyal to me.
So, vaguely thinking the remaining three would likely be the same, I asked Minte.
[They are...]
But for some reason, Minte couldn't readily answer.
"Minte?"
As I looked at Minte curiously, Pallides suddenly shouted.
"Captain! The ring is glowing!"
As Pallides said, the ring was sparkling. I quickly connected the communication, and Xenon's voice came through along with crackling static noise.
―...Nelli-nim!
"Xenon?"
―Trouble...!
The moment the choppy, breaking voice felt somehow urgent.
Boom!
...With a loud roar, the communication was cut off.