The Blue-Blooded Demon

And then a sharply honed sword thrust toward us.

Briton, with no weapon to defend himself, pushed me behind him. I wrapped my arms around his frame—which was about half a hand's width taller than mine—and without thinking, I closed my eyes and reached out my hands.

'I don't want to die!'

That was the only thought that filled my mind.

At that moment, my palms suddenly began to burn as if scalded. It was so hot I wondered if a sword had pierced through my hands. Then, a tremendous wind and shockwave erupted around my hands.

Startled, I snapped my eyes open and realized my hands were glowing brightly—as if incandescent light bulbs had been attached to them.

'Wha— what is this?!'

Boom—

And with a small explosion, the men surrounding us were thrown backward.

"Gah!"

"Aaaah!"

Briton turned to look at me in shock, his face frozen in astonishment. A strange energy pulsed strongly through my burning hands.

'Just now... what was that explosion?'

Stunned, I stared at the men sprawled on the ground. Despite my sudden flatulence attack, the shock wasn't strong enough to incapacitate them, and they were already staggering back to their feet.

"Gah... gah... A spirit mage. We need to kill this bitch first."

"There was an annoying kid next to her."

One of the men brushed off his knees and glared at me with hostility.

'Me... a spirit mage...?'

"Run, my lady."

Then I heard Briton's urgent voice as he pushed my shoulder.

"You need to run now."

My power had only knocked them down, not inflicted any fatal injuries.

"Hurry, Arinell."

Briton's urging brought me back to my senses. Thinking rationally, he was right. I needed to run and tell someone about this situation immediately.

"Please wait a moment, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

I whispered to Briton in a trembling voice, and just as I was about to hastily lift my foot—

Thud— thud—

A long shadow appeared behind us. Heavy footsteps approached, and the shadow's form grew longer. Soon, a pair of piercing yellow eyes glowed from his form shrouded in darkness. Those devil-like eyes made my heart skip a beat.

'The enemies... there were more of them?'

As soon as that thought came, my mind was dyed with despair. I couldn't even see his face, but from his presence alone, I could tell he was on a completely different level from the four men just now. Would you say the atmosphere grew heavy? It was unfamiliar, but since the spirit's power was lingering in my body, I could sense his presence even more acutely.

'I can't escape from a man like that.'

"...You've arrived."

But the voice of relief coming from beside me made my shoulders twitch. A faint smile had formed on Briton's lips, which had been frozen as he focused all his attention on protecting me.

What's going on?

Shivering with unease, I clung tightly to Briton's side. The strange energy that had been lingering in my hands was gradually fading.

"..."

The four men who had fallen from my shockwave all rose to their feet. And they stiffened as they saw the yellow-eyed man who had appeared behind us.

'So... does that mean the man behind us is on our side?'

I turned my gaze back and looked up at the man. The man wearing a helmet on his head was at least over two meters tall, and his shoulders and body looked as solid as a fortress. And he was holding a sword far larger than my height, so thick and heavy it was hard to tell if it was a sword or a club.

At that moment, I felt a throbbing pain in my head and saw a faint vision. Hands far larger than my back, wielding a pitchfork like a trident, breaking open an enormous field. A fierce face with gentle yellow eyes. Even the sun-tanned dark skin and mohawk hairstyle. Someone from my memories began to come into sharp focus.

"...Parnel?"

"Parnel... Uncle?"

"You're very sharp, Arinell. You have talent."

Thud—

And in that moment, I knew for certain. He was wearing a helmet, but I could definitely recognize him. That build and those... beast-like yellow eyes. It was Uncle Parnel from Galnem village!

My mind went reeling, and I pressed my hand to my forehead.

'This can't be! Why is Uncle here!'

Uncle Parnel, standing before me, looked down at me and let out another admiring voice mixed with the sound of metal.

"The special light of the spirit wrapped around your hands will become the path for soldiers in the darkness. You must have the qualities of a great general. My eyes do not deceive me!"

...

"...Me?"

When I pointed at myself with my little finger without making a sound, Uncle Parnel blew steam from his nose like a train.

I'd heard I had the makings of a general because I ate so well as a child, but a great general...

"...The Blue-blooded Demon!"

"Military Affairs Chancellor Pamel Germent!"

"Damn it, this is where it ends for us..."

And the four men's voices, filled with fear, came from in front.

Military Affairs Chancellor Pamel Germent?

In the notes I had written while recalling the original work, there was also a description of Duke Pamel Germent. He was the head of a military family that had commanded the nation's military power for a long time. Their presence was said to make one tremble just by looking at them, and the Military Affairs Chancellor was also called the Blue-blooded Demon because he was said to have icy blue blood flowing through him.

But that terrifying Military Affairs Chancellor... was Uncle Parnel?

"To think that the Second Prince's rat-like remnants would dare to target my successor and the Crown Prince..."

Uncle Parnel behind me—no, Duke Pamel Germent—blew steam from his nose.

"My lady..."

Briton smiled faintly, wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and turned me around. And beside us, the massive duke strode past.

"It wouldn't be good for your emotional development."

At Briton's kind words, I nodded without thinking.

A short while later, I heard desperate screams and the sound of something being split apart from behind.

Crack— crack—

"Aah!"

"Ugh!"

Crash—

The sound of a sword breaking. Goosebumps and chills rose over my whole body.

"...Who were those people?"

"They were followers of my father's brother—my uncle, that is."

"So..."

"They were simply the losers of the fierce war for the throne. I thought we had purged almost all of them over the past year, but I didn't expect so many to still remain."

Briton's urgent voice, which had told me to run earlier, was still vivid in my memory. We... we really almost died just now.

"Were you very frightened, my lady?"

"Yes. It would be a lie if I said I wasn't. Your Highness the Crown Prince... are you okay?"

Briton must have been just as shocked as I was. After all, he was only two years older than me, and he was still a child in many ways.

When I asked Briton back, he looked at me for a moment and smiled gently.

"Yes... I'm fine too. I was just worried you might get hurt."

I nodded.

"I'm fine. And that light from my hands earlier... it was my first time using it too."

What was it?

At my confused words, the blue in Briton's eyes seemed to deepen. Just as I was about to turn my head toward the now-quiet area behind us, Briton tightened his grip on my shoulder.

"Wait a little longer. It's not a pretty sight. If you see it, you might have nightmares."

The boy spoke as if he had experienced situations like this several times before.

'So this imperial palace wasn't as safe as it seemed.'

At that moment, I heard thudding sounds, and Duke Pamel appeared, having seemingly dealt with all the men. When I saw the blood splattered on his silver helmet, my shoulders twitched involuntarily.

Pamel looked at me, blinked one eye, and gave a lazy smile before speaking to Briton.

"I handled them adequately. I'll call the soldiers to move them to the underground prison. Though I don't know how many of them are still alive."

"Thank you, Master."

At Briton's words, my hand twitched again.

'Uncle Parnel is Briton's master?'

"And... I'd prefer not to let anyone know yet. There may be more hostile forces who took advantage of this masquerade ball to infiltrate."

Briton said, as if he wished they had quietly pulled the weeds.

In agreement, Duke Pamel blew steam from his nose again like an angry bull.

"If they thought they could avoid this Pamel Germent's iron fist today, they were mistaken. I am angrier than ever."

And then his piercing gaze turned toward me. At the pressure of those yellow eyes, my shoulders twitched again.

"To dare to target the Military Affairs Department's candidate for great general is unforgivable."

And the word I had been trying so hard to ignore came to my ears once more.