A Heart of Steel
"I had no idea red sugar beet sherbet could taste this good. Lady Alence's desserts really do set the trends, don't they?"
"I always thought it was a terribly bland ingredient. I never imagined this. It'll probably be the next big thing, won't it?"
As the ladies exited the ballroom, they gossiped excitedly about the red sugar beet sherbet they'd sampled that evening.
"But about Lady Maechert…"
One of the women lowered her voice.
They exchanged uneasy glances.
"She's completely fallen out of the Emperor's favor, isn't she? She was such a strong candidate for Crown Princess, and yet His Majesty would issue such an order…"
"To behave that way before His Majesty. Honestly, I knew it was only a matter of time. She always bullied the other children, relying on her family's influence."
"Shh. If someone from the Maechert family hears us talking, they might hold a grudge."
"Oh, come on. Everyone who was there already knows…"
"Oh my goodness…!"
Their conversation was cut short by another lady's startled cry.
They had just stepped outside the ballroom when their eyes went wide and their shoulders hunched at the grim scene unfolding before them.
"What on earth is that?!"
Men, their bodies battered and bruised, were being dragged away with their hands bound.
"T-that, that, that man is…"
A soldier was leading the captives, and his towering height—clearly over two meters—along with the massive blade at his waist made his identity unmistakable.
Military Affairs Chancellor, Duke Pamel Germent.
A man whose fearsome yellow eyes alone were enough to freeze anyone in their tracks.
Dozens of soldiers stood at attention near the ballroom, their sharp, disciplined presence making even the innocent nobles tense with fear.
"…Ah."
One of the ladies who had stepped outside felt dizzy at the sight of Duke Germent's enormous blade. She pressed a hand to her forehead and collapsed. The other women rushed to support her.
Thud. Thud. The massive figure of Pamel Germent approached the ballroom.
He was the man least suited to a masquerade ball.
After all, no one could mistake him for anyone else, mask or no mask.
A voice, heavy with the weight of iron, rang out.
"All of you, listen well. This general has merely snatched the heads of the vermin who dared to threaten the great Aslet Imperial House by hiding within the palace."
"Hiiik…"
At the sound of that voice alone, a frail nobleman staggered, his face drained of color with terror.
"If any of you have witnessed further disloyal activity, report it to me without delay."
Six men were being dragged away, their faces swollen and bruised beyond recognition.
The nobles hurriedly averted their gazes and quickened their steps.
"L-let's go. I-I don't want to be caught…"
"Y-yes, hurry and move."
"My legs have gone weak…"
Everyone huddled close, desperate to escape Pamel's radius of intimidation.
Pamel stood still, his vivid yellow eyes scanning the faces of those moving before him.
Even those who had lowered their heads flinched when his terrifying gaze fell upon them.
And then, for a moment—
"Hmm."
Pamel's eyebrows twitched.
Realizing where his attention had settled, the crowd instinctively stepped back.
Thud. Thud.
As Pamel approached, the crowd parted like the Red Sea, splitting cleanly down the middle.
Only one person remained standing in place.
Arinell's small figure was revealed only after the crowd had divided.
"That child…"
"Isn't that the Marquis of Maila's daughter?"
"Yes. The one His Majesty has designated as Crown Princess…"
"The one who made the red sugar beet sherbet today!"
The ladies wrung their hands in distress.
They hadn't seen Pamel harm the child, but children would typically scream in terror or faint at the sight of someone so threatening.
Just as that worry took hold, Arinell looked up at Pamel with clear, fearless eyes.
Everyone held their breath, watching the confrontation between the enormous Military Affairs Chancellor and the small child.
When Pamel reached out toward Arinell's head, a faint-hearted lady staggered with dizziness once more.
"Oh dear…"
But what happened next made everyone gasp in shock.
"…!"
The fearsome Military Affairs Chancellor, Pamel Germent—
the Blue-Blooded Demon, renowned for his merciless and brutal methods—
had gently, carefully patted Arinell's small head with a hand as large as a knight's shield.
"Heh heh, child. Off you go, then."
Arinell's reaction was even more startling.
Instead of turning pale at his iron-laced voice, she looked up at Pamel's yellow eyes with a bright smile—as if she were greeting a friendly neighbor.
"Yes! It's getting late."
Most children would wet themselves just from meeting those eyes.
Even that reckless Lady Maechert, who knew no bounds, would never dare approach Pamel.
*Wink.*
"Indeed. Resting to replenish your strength on the battlefield is a matter of great importance. We shall meet again soon."
What happened next was even more shocking.
"H-he's definitely warning us that he'll k-kill us next time we meet…"
"He closed his eyes. So he means he'll snap our spines…"
"No, no—he means he'll wipe us out right in front of us."
Pamel had winked at the child.
Pamel… the terrifying Pamel Germent had winked. It was an impossibility.
Lost in cognitive dissonance, people stammered out whatever came to mind, voicing their terror of Pamel Germent.
Yet the child, undeterred by Pamel's fearsome threat, smiled brightly with clear eyes.
"I see. There was a reason His Majesty designated her as Crown Princess… a heart of steel."
"Lady Alence must have chosen her for a reason. Look at how she holds her back straight even under such immense pressure."
Their whispers drifted through the air.
A child who could stand so calmly before someone as monstrous as Pamel—anyone could see she was extraordinary.
After waving goodbye to Pamel, Arinell scampered to the carriage and climbed in.
Pamel's fierce yellow eyes watched the carriage until it moved out of sight.
"Phew…"
Clack-clack. Clack-clack.
Inside the carriage, I slumped against the seatback, my small body completely exhausted.
"Oh my! To have experienced such a dangerous situation. Are you feeling all right?"
"As you can see, perfectly fine."
Adam, sitting across from me, checked me over, confirmed I was unharmed, and let out a sigh of relief. Then he asked,
"But you said Duke Pamel Germent was in Galnem?"
"Yes. I was so surprised to see him again here."
"Good heavens. To think that two of the Empire's most powerful figures—aside from His Majesty—were both in Galnem… I can hardly believe it."
The captured men had apparently planned to ambush people as they left the masquerade ball.
But fate had it that Uncle Parnel—no, Duke Germent—had spotted them, and they'd all been dragged away.
"Phew. At least nothing serious happened. But… I heard there was something else major that occurred, wasn't there?"
Adam asked, watching my expression carefully.
He'd clearly overheard the gossip outside the carriage.
"Yes, there was. Lady Maechert received an order banning her from palace events."
Adam's eyes widened in shock at my words.
Duke Maechert was one of the four Chancellors. Though his influence was somewhat less than the other three, his power still far exceeded that of ordinary nobles.
For his daughter to receive a palace ban from the Emperor himself was an enormous event.
"R-really?"
"Yes. She cannot enter the palace until His Majesty grants permission."
This was a clear warning that she had thoroughly fallen out of the Emperor's favor—essentially an expulsion from high society, and one of the worst punishments a girl her age could receive.
Lariel had collapsed in tears upon hearing the Emperor's order, and her mother had gone pale, leading her daughter away.
Duke Maechert had thanked the Emperor for showing mercy by punishing the crime of insulting the royal family so lightly.
What can I do about this?
Parmes's playful expression still lingered in my mind.
In that moment, many thoughts raced through my head.
And I came up with a way to get Duke Maechert—one of the four Chancellors—to grant my request.