Accompanied by Pallides, Anelli strode briskly forward, shaking the dampness from her still-wet hair.
A few stray, curling locks clung to her cheek.
Having just washed, her skin looked exceptionally clear and clean. A faint scent of water seemed to linger about her.
She was not using any transformation magic, so she stood before everyone in her true form.
Xenon glared irritably at the dazed Chetler and the subordinates behind him.
*'This is exactly why I wanted to get rid of them quickly.'*
Anelli, who had once again today increased the number of people smitten with her, stood before Chetler with a bored expression.
Startled by the sudden closeness, Chetler, having snapped back to his senses, parted his lips, unable to hide his flushed complexion.
"Greetings. I am Chetler Carol, serving Baron Ruejak..."
"Yes, Sir Chetler. Am I to understand you wish me to repeat what I said this morning?"
As if there was no need to hear the full greeting, Anelli asked coldly.
From Xenon's perspective, when Anelli was determined to be scathing, her words truly felt like blades. So, this knight was about to be verbally flayed.
*'He should have left when he was told to.'*
Xenon inwardly concealed his smug satisfaction and managed his expression. Meanwhile, Anelli, arms crossed, continued her rebuke.
"You cannot be unaware of the pressing circumstances. Are you saying you would postpone the danger to your people for the sake of external appearances? How utterly absurd."
Under Anelli's accusatory gaze, Chetler hastily denied it.
"There is a misunderstanding. The Baron is absolutely not seeking to host the Resurrected One merely to save face."
"Ah, is that so?"
With a face that wouldn't believe a speck of dust, Anelli snorted derisively. Of course, Xenon didn't believe the man's words either. Samuel probably felt the same.
Though the atmosphere was thick with distrust and he should have been embarrassed, Chetler instead adopted a serious and solemn expression, once again asserting their innocence.
"We merely wish to offer our assistance."
Assistance! Not hindrance?
Xenon, who nearly burst out laughing, hurriedly bit his lip. If Anelli weren't taking the lead, he would have laughed heartily!
"We manage to eat quite sufficiently without your care."
"That is not it."
With a look of perplexity, Chetler pondered for a moment before cautiously lowering his voice.
"You have not yet found the Dullahan, have you?"
Even with his voice lowered, the surroundings were quiet enough that no one present could fail to hear Chetler's words.
"We have found it."
At that moment, Xenon saw Anelli's shoulder give a slight twitch. She was startled by the unexpected statement. Xenon was equally surprised.
Even Anelli, the Captain of that Dullahan, had not yet found it and was still in pursuit. What trick did these people use to find the Dullahan first?
Following the surprise came suspicion. Could it be they were just spouting any nonsense to try and lure the Resurrected One out somehow?
As if sensing their thoughts, Chetler added an explanation.
"To be precise... we have learned the target the Dullahan is after."
Anelli tilted her head slightly. Yet, she waited quietly for Chetler's next words.
Realizing she was showing interest in this topic, Chetler, trying hard to conceal his relieved expression, said,
"His Highness the Crown Prince."
The Crown Prince? Was he talking about that trash?
Xenon knew the Crown Prince was still somewhere in this territory. Having lost his subjugation force and been thoroughly beaten, he thought he would have fled to the capital immediately, but it seemed some useless pride remained.
Xenon clicked his tongue with an annoyed expression.
*'Really, even dog dung would be more useful than that.'*
Occasionally, Anelli has nightmares. From Xenon's quiet observation, those nightmares largely fell into two categories.
Her past life, and the past before her beheading.
When she dreamed of her past life, Anelli looked quite depressed. But when she had nightmares of the past, she was extremely angry. Naturally, she would also curse Maxel.
Xenon wished Maxel wouldn't even be mentioned by Anelli. He prayed she would forget his existence entirely, not even deigning to curse him.
So, it was only natural he disliked Chetler bringing up the Crown Prince now.
"The lord is concerned that perhaps, due to His Highness the Crown Prince's rash actions, the entire territory might have incurred the Dullahan's resentment."
So, it was ultimately the karma of that damned Crown Prince, wasn't it? Then, as the crown prince of a nation, shouldn't he humbly take responsibility and offer his own life to appease the Dullahan?
He wanted to retort with such scathing words, but Xenon forcefully suppressed his irritation.
*'Anyway, we might be able to meet the Dullahan.'*
Anelli would compromise. She wanted to meet this Dullahan, so she wouldn't care about the means to achieve that end.
"...Interesting."
Finally, Anelli parted her lips. Her voice was still cold, but Xenon could guess what she would say next.
Xenon glanced at the half-prepared cooking area. That needed to be cleared away.
"Then lead the way. To where the Dullahan will soon appear."
It seemed dinner would be a lavish affair.
* * *
The young lady of Ruejak was a woman of short thought and emotion, but her father was not.
The implication was that he was not so emotional as to hold a grudge over past grievances and send assassins in severe cases.
That was also part of the reason I readily accepted his invitation. At least until the Dullahan that appeared in the Montel territory was subdued, he was someone who would treat me with utmost official courtesy.
As I guessed, we were led to a luxurious mansion. It was the mansion in the village we had briefly visited earlier, a building that did not match the small village.
*'I didn't know the Ruejak family had a villa here.'*
No one restrained me as I indifferently looked around the interior.
There was no coercive atmosphere whatsoever. Rather, throughout the journey here, they seemed more intent on showing me to the people of the territory.
By that, Baron Ruejak had clearly conveyed his intention.
Revealing to the world that a guest is being escorted signifies the lord's willingness to take responsibility if any harm befalls the guest.
"We have arrived."
As if his duty was only to bring me to the mansion, Chetler withdrew cleanly.
"Then I shall take my leave."
I watched him intently as he turned to leave with his soldiers. One of those who had come out to greet us at the mansion approached and cautiously bowed.
"Greetings. It is an honor to serve you. I am Delin Sejour, an aide to Baron Ruejak. Please call me Viscount Sejour. The Baron is currently on his way and is expected to arrive late tonight."
I nodded with a disinterested expression.
An aide, not the villa's steward. It seemed the Baron was indeed mindful of me. Sending his own aide ahead to receive me like this because he himself would be late.
Since the Baron's aide had personally come to attend to me, it was unlikely anyone in this villa would dare treat me poorly.
"Dinner will be prepared immediately wherever you wish. If you require anything else, please inform the maids at any time. Everyone is eagerly awaiting the chance to serve the Resurrected One."
Whether his words were true or not, the gazes of the servants visible behind him were excessively bright. They all held the same look in their eyes as the people of the territory I had seen these past few days.
It was burdensome, but since I had decided to accept their service, I wouldn't refuse. More than them, I had obtained a clue about Dasha, so I needed to focus on that first.
*"We have learned the target the Dullahan is after. His Highness the Crown Prince."*
Dasha is after Maxel?
Impossible. Dasha had no reason to target Maxel.
*'Unless it's the puppet of creation...'*
So, if Dasha was truly appearing around Maxel, it wasn't Maxel she was after, but Lilia. However, there was no need to reveal that truth.
I simply needed to find a way to quietly make contact with Dasha, using Lilia as bait.
* * *
Baron Ruejak had been fairly respected as a lord.
Perhaps it would be more accurate to say he had never done anything particularly to lose the people's favor.
As the lord of a territory that, while a border region, coexisted with fertile plains, he had performed his duties well.
However, the center of imperial power was in the capital, and the Montel territory was far from the capital.
The family's standing, sustained by their role as border guardians, was long-established, but Baron Ruejak felt somewhat stifled by the family's persistently stagnant position.
Having his daughter associate with Anelli Roam was born from Baron Ruejak's desire to somehow secure a place for them in the capital as well. He wanted his children to study in the capital, even if he himself remained on the border.
It wasn't a grand ambition. He merely wished to be slightly more involved in central politics in the future.
For him, this was not difficult.
Bowing his head to his daughter's former friend, who, though executed under the condemnation of the empire's people, had been chosen by the goddess and resurrected—such a thing was trivial.
"It is an honor to be able to serve you, Resurrected One."
Though he arrived late at night, his travel fatigue not fully dispelled, he could not refuse her request to meet early in the morning.
During the time Anelli Roam associated with his daughter, Baron Ruejak had met her a few times. The Anelli Roam he remembered was an arrogant and rational young lady.
A young lady in no way lacking as a future empress.
"Baron Ruejak."
Nodding slightly to accept Baron Ruejak's greeting, her demeanor was no different from before. Still arrogant, she now even seemed seasoned.
Not only did she show not the slightest hesitation in speaking down to a noble older than herself, she even appeared proficient at it.
Guided by a maid, Anelli sat opposite Baron Ruejak. She did not even glance at the tea and refreshments prepared with great care.
"You know where the Dullahan will appear?"
She seemed to have no intention of even exchanging polite greetings.
Baron Ruejak had once received news from his daughter that she had fallen out with Anelli Roam. Thanks to that, he quickly realized the other party's feelings toward him were not favorable.
Instead of forcing out hypocritical social pleasantries, he cleanly moved to the main point.
"Yes. The Ruejak family has seen many Monsters while guarding the border over the years. Each Monster has its habits, and we have focused on quickly identifying and dealing with them. Information regarding the Dullahan... we already possessed it. So there was no need to investigate."