In front of all the palace attendants serving the Empress, I recited a plausible prayer of blessing.
Those who firmly believe I am the goddess's Resurrected One were moved to tears, wiping them away. And they prayed for their master to awaken soon.
They could not see the light of power. I alone could see the power heavily veiling the Empress's two eyes.
It was as if she were wearing a blindfold.
I knew that if I removed those things immediately, the Empress would awaken. Yet I did not. Instead, I smiled faintly and said to Heinri.
"I shall soon go to the Lindea River to subdue the Monsters. If I demonstrate the goddess's blessing, the impure vermin will not dare to run rampant, and Her Majesty the Empress will also open her eyes."
Now that they knew I could awaken the Empress, it was time to choose a suitable moment.
For instance, a moment when the Crown Prince, who has incurred divine wrath, happens to be absent, something like that.
Until then, I should moderately search for Monsters that aren't even at the Lindea River, offer some prayers, and make visible actions.
"Do you not need soldiers? We cannot leave it entirely to Roam, so the imperial family will also cooperate as much as possible."
"That's fine. I have secured everything necessary."
"Everything?"
"Yes."
The smile lingering at the corner of Heinri's mouth faded slightly. Probably because I had implied that I would soon settle matters with Roam and leave.
However, he soon shook off the bitter expression.
"I see, that's reassuring. I shall trust that you will also splendidly resolve the imperial family's crisis soon."
"I merely go where the goddess leads."
While exchanging insincere pleasantries, conscious of the surrounding attendants, I saw someone walking towards us from afar.
"The Duchess of Roam?"
Heinri muttered, raising his eyebrows as if surprised. I was equally puzzled.
This was the Empress's palace, a place that would not permit visits from outsiders as long as the Empress remained unconscious. It was unlikely Mother would have come here unaware of that.
As she drew near, Mother looked at Heinri and me with a stern face. Soon after, she greeted Heinri with a graceful gesture.
"Your Highness, the First Prince."
"Duchess of Roam. I did not expect to meet you here."
"My daughter came here, so I came hoping that perhaps by a divine miracle, Her Majesty the Empress might open her eyes."
To my ears, Mother's words sounded like some distant, incomprehensible foreign language from start to finish. From the moment she began with the word 'daughter,' I knew it was nonsense not worth hearing.
It seemed Mother had wanted to meet me after all.
Once that thought occurred, I couldn't even muster a laugh.
"The Resurrected One has offered a prayer of blessing, so I believe there will be good news soon."
"Is that so? I couldn't restrain my anxious heart and acted prematurely. It's embarrassing."
"When Her Majesty awakens, she will be deeply moved by the Duchess's loyalty, so there is no need for shame."
Meaningless formalities continued. Heinri, who had been carrying on a conversation with Mother appropriately, tactfully opened his mouth.
"Today's visit has been in vain, what shall we do? I would like to offer you tea, but I have another schedule soon."
"Not at all. For a mother, returning home peacefully with her daughter is also a joy."
The moment I heard that, I had to bite my lip painfully to suppress a scornful laugh that almost burst out unbidden.
While I was momentarily delayed by that, Mother, who had naturally confirmed my next schedule as returning home, bid farewell to Heinri.
Heinri seemed hesitant to send me off with Mother, perhaps worried, but having no particular reason to stop us, he simply nodded.
"Then, for the mother-daughter time, I shall take my leave."
Mother-daughter time, that was a rather amusing expression.
But I couldn't laugh openly, so I clenched my molars and managed my expression.
As soon as Heinri left, the artificial smile vanished from Mother's face. She turned her body quickly and said.
"Let's go."
What is she angry about?
Looking at Mother's retreating figure, I listed the things she might be angry about. There were too many to pinpoint one with certainty.
Well, there's no need to guess.
I moved my steps indifferently.
Whichever it was, Mother's anger meant things were proceeding as I wished, which was welcome.
* * *
The conversation in the carriage was unexpectedly informative.
Mother, as always, tried to sound me out, and through that, I gleaned several pieces of information.
"First, Father has sided with Mother. Nevertheless, there is no immediate pretext to restrict my freedom. Hence, the situation is even more displeasing to her."
Muttering indifferently, I opened the window. Outside, I saw a puppy running around in the garden below.
And also the figure of someone chasing after that puppy.
"...And that Sayri is very interested in my animal friends."
The desperately fleeing puppy almost got caught by Sayri. But then it nimbly evaded Sayri's grasp.
Perhaps annoyed that the puppy wouldn't be caught easily, Sayri ordered her servants something.
And shortly after, several servants herded the puppy towards Sayri as if driving a rabbit. Sayri snatched the puppy running into her arms in an instant.
[It's hurting.]
Following the sullen voice, I turned my gaze and saw Mori peeking out from the pocket.
Mori was looking down at the puppy outside the window.
[That puppy is too young. That human doesn't consider that at all.]
I recalled Mori, who had been at a loss, wanting to soothe the puppy when it had jumped into my room before.
[If treated like that every day, the puppy surely won't last long.]
"Every day?"
[Yes. They chase the puppy like that every day.]
Ah, so that's why she had seen Minte or Zigore entering my room.
Playing in the garden near the room where I stay.
I looked down at the garden with a subtle gaze. I saw Sayri releasing the puppy she had been holding in her arms.
Then, when some distance had opened up, she began chasing it again, just like before.
Was it a misconception? The puppy was moving more sluggishly than before.
[Why does she do such a thing?]
"She's timid."
At my indifferent answer, Mori looked up at me with puzzled eyes.
"She's too timid to go to the hunting grounds with her peers. But she probably wants to act out her feelings, so she imitates it like that."
My guess is probably correct. Sayri was like that before too.
Lilia clapped her hands, saying 'she plays well with small animals' while watching Sayri. I remember laughing scornfully at that foolish sentiment.
The reason Sayri observed the animals entering my room so intently is probably connected to that bizarre, grotesque play.
Such play is hard for a young animal to endure for long. Probably to eye the next animal in advance.
Mori asked.
[Then, is that hunting?]
"Yes. Choosing an animal weak and small enough for her to catch, releasing it, and then catching it."
She doesn't have the courage to kill it, so she uses her hands like that.
I wonder if such a thing can provide enough satisfaction to substitute for real hunting. Is chasing an animal around like that, sweating, even fun in the first place?
Looking down at Sayri with a sneer, she suddenly raised her head and looked in my direction.
Did she sense my gaze?
'No, maybe she's looking to see the animals entering my room.'
Apparently not thinking I would be watching her, I saw Sayri startle greatly and tremble.
She must have blabbed to Mother about the animals in my room, so how mortified she must be.
Whoosh.
The frightened Sayri turned her body as if to flee. Even then, she didn't forget to have her servants take care of the puppy.
Mori couldn't take her eyes off the puppy being briskly carried away by a servant.
'Even after being struck on the back of the head by a Rusalka just a while ago...'
Perhaps because of the incident where she acted rashly out of pity and was betrayed, Mori has since rarely revealed her feelings in front of me.
But one's nature doesn't change overnight, so she's probably worried about the puppy and doesn't know what to do.
"Shall I release that puppy?"
[Huh?]
"If it bothers you."
My words must have been unexpected. Mori just looked up at me with wide eyes and didn't answer.
Glancing down at such Mori, I swiftly turned my body.
"Minte."
[Yes, Captain.]
"Do you know which room the puppy is in?"
For a while, Minte had been roaming all over the mansion, recording the conversations of servants who spoke ill of me. Being Minte, who got around so well even in the imperial palace, she must have quickly grasped the inside of this mansion.
[Yes, I know.]
Sure enough, the answer came instantly. I smiled contentedly and said.
"Guide me."
[It's, it's alright!]
Mori urgently tried to stop me, but instead of answering, I lightly pressed Mori's head and sent her back into the pocket.
Truthfully, I couldn't say I was moving solely for Mori's sake. I was in a state of great displeasure with Sayri's action of blabbing unnecessary things to Mother.
In the midst of that, if I could also soothe the soft-hearted Dullahan, there was no reason to refuse such a kill-two-birds-with-one-stone opportunity.
The place Minte guided me to was near Sayri's room.
As I, who usually had no reason to pass by this area, suddenly appeared, the servants flinched in surprise and watched my demeanor.
Whatever they did, I followed the swiftly running Minte and moved my steps.
Minte stopped in front of a small door and licked her front paw. I smiled faintly at her, who was acting innocently like a real cat, then flung the door open and entered.
"Who is... Huh?"
The first thing I saw was Sayri standing awkwardly. The moment she saw me, Sayri paled and stepped back.
Thanks to her moving aside on her own before I could even speak, I could see the iron cage behind Sayri.
The iron cage, perhaps polished and cleaned daily, shone like new.
[That.]
From my feet, I heard Minte's low sigh as she peered into the room.
She must have seen the puppy panting exhaustedly too.
"H-how did you come here, Sister...?"
Sayri, who timidly opened her mouth, let out a strange scream and hunched her shoulders when our eyes met.