Chapter 05
The maids who had been holding Rafael let her go and knelt before her, bowing deeply.
“…Thank you.”
“Princess, truly, thank you. And we apologize.”
Rafaella stood up. Her tight dress and heavy jewelry felt unbearably constrictive. She twisted and turned her body to loosen herself as she replied coldly.
“Thankful? Don’t flatter yourselves. I’m not going because of you. I’m just going to see those family fools. I would have to see them sooner or later anyway.”
The two maids gave a bitter smile, their faces sad.
As Rafaella opened the door, two knights standing in front of her took her away with mechanical precision.
An elderly maid quietly muttered while watching her receding figure.
“She reminds me of the late Empress.”
“She does. She really resembles her. Though… her personality seems a little different now.”
“I really miss her.”
“So do I. I feel so sorry for the princess.”
After the younger maid spoke, silence fell.
The two of them stayed there until Rafaella disappeared from view.
Walking with the knights, Rafaella heard every word the maids had said.
Even though she was in a human body, she had originally been a god, so her hearing could pick up human speech from far away. The divine mandate had granted her the ability to listen to human wishes, but in truth, Rafaella had never used it. She had no desire to grant their petty wishes.
‘This is exactly why I hate humans.’
For the first time, she thought of the original princess. The soul of the princess, who had died from poison, must have already entered the cycle of reincarnation. A fleeting curiosity arose, but she quickly dismissed it.
The more you know, the more tiring it gets—it was an eternal truth.
‘After all, the weak, foolish life of a mere mortal… it’s nothing more than a dream that passes away.’
Lost in thought, she soon arrived at the central palace’s banquet hall. The knights left without a word, and she walked into the open doors without hesitation.
The small banquet hall reserved for royalty held a long table, already set with a variety of colorful, delicious-looking dishes. Family members were already seated. Among all the golden-haired people, Rafaella’s ash-colored hair stood out starkly.
‘An ugly duckling, huh.’
The Emperor and Empress sat together at the head of the table, with concubines and princesses seated in rows beside them.
The only empty seat for Rafaella was at the farthest end of the table, away from the head.
‘Hmph, not even a decent seat.’
Rafaella approached the table with a sulky expression. She had been looking forward to tasting human food after a long time.
A blonde girl seated next to the Empress noticed Rafaella and quickly stood up.
“Oh my, Rafaella is finally here.”
The girl, wearing a luxurious red dress, smiled gently and gracefully walked over to Rafaella.
“You’re late. Are you feeling alright?”
The girl, so beautiful she could rival a goddess, held Rafaella’s hand and spoke kindly.
Rafaella gave a small snicker, observing the girl’s overly polite demeanor. Like a young fox putting on a performance.
Rafaella smirked mischievously.
“If you were so worried, why didn’t you come see me yourself?”
“Oh my, I visited every day while you were unconscious, but since you don’t remember, I can see why you might misunderstand. If you felt hurt, I’m sorry.”
Rafaella immediately recognized the Empress in the girl’s mannerisms; she knew at once that this girl was the Empress’s daughter.
The Empress spoke from a distance.
“Setrin, there’s no need to go so far. After all, Rafaella doesn’t even remember anything.”
“Mother, it’s just that my sister is weak from just recovering.”
“That’s enough. Sit down; the Emperor is waiting.”
“Yes, Mother. Rafaella, sit.”
The elderly Emperor busied himself fondling the hand of a young concubine beside him, paying no attention to his daughter, who had died from poison and survived.
Rafaella hesitated, unsure whether she should formally greet her parents. Her brows furrowed at the thought.
She was irritated by parents who insisted on calling her to a banquet yet didn’t even care enough to greet her properly.
Setrin graciously pulled Rafaella’s chair closer and returned to her own seat.
Thus, Rafaella and Setrin sat at opposite ends of the long table. The distance only emphasized the hierarchy, and Rafaella’s displeasure deepened. It was a clear indication of her standing in the royal family.
The Emperor raised his glass arrogantly.
“Let’s begin the meal.”
Immediately, servants and maids busily started serving the dishes.
Over twenty concubines busied themselves complimenting each other’s dresses and jewelry. The Emperor laughed vulgarly as he was fed by a young concubine. The Empress quietly chatted with Setrin, and other princesses exchanged gossip about court society.
Rafaella dipped a salad into dressing and glanced around.
‘Invisible, it seems.’
No one spoke to her, as if she didn’t exist. If that was the case, she didn’t mind at all.
‘Even better. I’ve been looking forward to this quiet meal.’
She took a generous spoonful of the savory meat stew before her.
Crunch—
She frowned as the unpleasant crunch hit her teeth. She spat it out, and the taste of blood filled her mouth from her bitten gums—it was sharp shards of glass.
“Hah…”
A mischievous laugh escaped Rafaella. Humans were so petty. She found the situation amusing.
The sudden laugh drew everyone’s eyes to her.
Bang—
Rafaella slammed her spoon down with a smirk, thinking about how to respond to these lowly human pranks.
The Empress scolded her with a look as cold as a bug.
“Your table manners are unacceptable, Rafaella. Eat quietly and leave. As always.”
But Rafaella stood up defiantly.
“The food is horrible, so I can’t be polite.”
“Are you blaming the food now?”
Rafaella carried her stew toward the Emperor and Empress.
“Has it become a trend in the palace to put glass in the stew?”
“Rafaella!”
Setrin cut her off, speaking cautiously with a tender expression as if to teach her.
“It’s a family gathering after a long time. You should speak nicely. Being rude to Mother is unacceptable. Apologize immediately.”
“Then, would you like to swap and taste it yourself? The crunchiness is exquisite.”
Rafaella placed the dish in front of the Empress and Setrin, still mocking.
The Emperor cleared his throat, clearly irritated. The Empress pushed the dish away and spoke.
“What is this rudeness before the Emperor? Return to your seat at once.”
“Pfft.”
“You should know your place even in bad behavior.”
“Humans supposedly learn from their parents. Looks like I had nothing to learn from mine.”
“What?”
The Empress’s face filled with shock and anger. The Emperor observed the scene with disinterest, which Rafaella found highly satisfying.
She continued, her lips curled in sarcasm.
“Tell me, is the palace so poor these days that you have to serve food like this? Or has royal authority fallen so low that this is what you call a banquet?”
The Emperor’s face immediately contorted.
“Seventh Princess, watch your words.”
He growled in a low, grating voice. The Empress narrowed her eyes, watching both him and Rafaella carefully.
Rafaella’s defiant lips delivered one last jab.
“Why not? Someone tampered with a princess’s food. Isn’t it normal to investigate and punish the culprit?”
“That’s enough of your childish antics. How long will you keep causing trouble, you fool? Tsk.”
“Oh! Perhaps the Emperor is a toothless tiger and can’t resolve this? In that case, I’ll personally bring it before the Elders’ Council. They’d love to see the royal authority collapse.”
“How dare you!”
Bang—!
The Emperor slammed his fist on the table, his face red with fury.
