Even if the emperor were to draw his sword and behead him right now, there was nothing he could do.

A few seconds of silence felt like the moment before an execution.

“Elementalists are still as uninterested in worldly affairs and slow with information as ever.”

But instead of an attack, Parmes’ self-deprecating voice was heard.

Felix slightly raised his head to look at Parmes.

The corners of his mouth were curled up in a smirk.

“That guy was always a step behind too.”

Parmes muttered in a low voice.

‘Am I… going to live?’

But when Parmes leaned towards Felix, bringing his face closer, Felix shrank his shoulders in fear.

“Heisen Macerne Mylar.”

“…!”

“I’m talking about the father of the child you met.”

“…!!!”

“Judging by your expression, it was indeed Arinel.”

Parmes straightened up and stretched as if he understood.

Felix was still trembling and bowing down.

“The child you met is my future daughter-in-law.”

“Wh-what??”

“Read the newspapers once in a while, Elementalist.”

“Huh.”

When was the last time he read a newspaper? The Elementalist Association hadn’t received newspapers for over a year due to unpaid subscription fees, so Felix only vaguely knew about the outside world through people’s conversations.

“That child is incredibly talented. She’s versatile beyond elementals. But… it seems she likes elementals the most.”

Parmes’ gaze turned to a distant place.

Before and after Heisen Mylar, there weren’t any Elementalists great enough to be significantly used in the imperial palace.

Even the best Elementalists were, in fact, inferior to low-level magicians.

But now, it might be good to create a place for that child.

“So I’m thinking of rebuilding a department related to elementals for Arinel to play in.”

“…!”

Felix opened his eyes wide.

He felt dazed as if he had been hit by something.

Rebuilding a department related to elementals?

Something suddenly came to mind.

The institution that had blossomed elemental studies like spring coming to the elemental world when Grand Elementalist Marquis Mylar was alive.

“You…”

Parmes looked Felix up and down with an arrogant gaze, raising his chin.

“Though quite shabby, it wouldn’t be bad to put you under Arinel.”

Thump, thump, Felix’s heart was beating so hard it felt like it might jump out.

The beautiful and powerful emperor twisted his lips in a smile.

“I value loyalty quite highly, you know.”

***

[I have also prepared a gift that you will like.]

I closed the card I received from Parmes.

A birthday ball at the imperial palace… He said the last masquerade ball was also held for me, but at least that wasn’t official.

But if this time it’s officially held in my name… It’s too much pressure!!

Of course, I had no right to refuse.

“Haaa…”

I went up to my room and sprawled out on the large bed.

Being a child’s arms and legs, my fingertips and toes didn’t reach any of the edges.

“But if it’s for the restoration of the Mylar marquis family…”

Having my ball held at the imperial palace means the emperor is supporting me.

I’m already the crown prince’s fiancée, but this confirms it once more.

An opportunity to raise the reputation of the Mylar family…

And it will surely help my sugar beet business too. I guess it’s better to think positively.

Thud-

Lost in such thoughts, I was startled by something hitting the window and suddenly sat up.

After staying still for a moment, I quickly got up and climbed down from the bed.

‘Mas…!’

Thinking it might be him, a smile unconsciously appeared on my face and my heart started racing.

“…!”

I immediately went to the window and opened it wide.

“…What’s this?”

However, contrary to my expectations, what was stuck in the window frame was a note.

“What…”

Feeling my expectations deflate, I unfolded the note.

The content written in neat handwriting was…

[Do you know the secret of the Aslet imperial family?]

It was truly nonsensical content.

‘What is this?’

[No one can save them.]

I frowned and looked out the window.

Whoever had stuck this note here…

‘Is it someone who holds ill feelings towards Parmes or Briton?’

I closed the window, consoling my disappointed heart.

And without hesitation, I crumpled the note and threw it in the trash can.

It felt unpleasantly cold and malicious.

***

“Th-this can’t be!!”

The news also reached the Matzert ducal family.

Although the ban on entering the imperial palace had been lifted, both her father and mother forbade Lariel from attending parties for the time being, reasoning that she should show some signs of reflection.

Lariel, who thought she had done nothing wrong, was very dissatisfied with the idea of reflection, but she stayed in her room, thinking it was a procedure to return to her former status as a young promising socialite.

In the midst of this, she was overjoyed to hear the news of a ball at the imperial palace.

If she was going to make a comeback anyway, making her first return at an imperial ball would be good for showing her status.

But to think that ball would be the birthday ball for Arinel Mylar, that thorn in her side!!

“I think it would be better not to attend, even if an invitation arrives.”

The Duke said, shaking his head.

Her mother also had a dark expression.

It was understandable; if this was Arinel Mylar’s birthday ball, she would naturally be the center of attention.

If Lariel, who had just been released from self-reflection, were to appear there, people would first remember the incident at the masquerade ball.

And then the comparison… Damn, she would be compared to that girl.

Arinel Mylar, the crown prince’s fiancée favored by the emperor, and Lariel Matzert, once the haughty young lady of Matzert who had fallen out of the emperor’s favor.

‘She’s not better than me in any way!’

Just thinking about Arinel made her grind her teeth, and she desperately wanted to ruin that girl’s birthday ball, but Lariel wasn’t a complete fool.

If she did that, she might incur the emperor’s wrath and never be allowed to set foot in the imperial palace again.

“…I understand, I’ll give up.”

Lariel answered irritably with a distorted expression.

“Good, that’s a relief.”

Though she wasn’t sure what was relieving about it, the Duke turned away as soon as Lariel finished speaking.

Only her mother, the Duchess, was sighing with a troubled face.

“His Majesty is really too much. A birthday ball at the imperial palace for that country bumpkin girl.”

“….”

The beautiful crown prince, Briton Aslet. Until Arinel appeared, Lariel had been dreaming of marrying him someday and becoming the crown princess.

But with the appearance of that thorn in her side, that future seemed to have already been ruined.

Arinel, damn Arinel…

“We’ll have to look for a new marriage prospect. Most children from noble families get engaged at fifteen… There’s only one child that matches our family’s status.”

The Duchess muttered with a disgruntled expression.

The Dant Marquis family is of the same rank, but their sons are not quite up to par.

Siegfried. Yes, the Siegfried ducal family should be good enough as a substitute for the crown prince.

“Lariel, do you remember him? Those gray eyes… He had quite a handsome face, but he never showed up at social gatherings, so I can’t recall his name. The son of Duke Siegfried, I mean.”

“I’m not interested.”

However, Lariel replied coldly.

“There’s only him for me.”

***

‘The secret of the Aslet imperial family.’

That note, which seemed like someone’s distasteful prank, lingered in my mind for a long time.

And suddenly, a word came to mind.

‘Black spots.’

“In the end, the black spots, like a curse on the Aslet imperial family…”

I recalled the conversation between Marquis Dant and Duchess Matzert at the masquerade ball.

After that, I tried to find out about the black spots, but there was no information anywhere.

‘Should I ask Briton someday? After all, Briton himself is the person most deeply connected to the Aslet imperial family.’