Anes nodded.

“Yes. The Second Prince’s remnants. They’re the most likely suspects.”

Ah, then I remembered something.

The group of the Second Prince’s remnants appeared when I was walking with Briton after the masquerade ball ended.

And I also learned that they were still plotting conspiracies.

As my fame grew, I seemed to be increasingly becoming a target for forces seeking to overthrow the state.

“So……”

“His Majesty the Emperor is here.”

Before Baron could finish speaking, a servant’s voice was heard from outside.

Within seconds, the door opened and Parmes entered.

Just his stepping in one foot at a time made coldness flow inside.

Parmes’s clearly shining red eyes contained something that seemed ready to burst at any moment.

‘How scary….. He really looks like a tyrant!’

I thought that, even if just for a moment.

Eventually, he stopped in front of me.

Then he carefully grabbed my shoulders and bent his knees to meet my gaze.

A beast-like voice that seemed to barely hold back a growl was heard.

“Are you alright, Arinel?”

After asking this, Parmes, seeing my fearful gaze, remained silent for a while as if holding something back.

Then, finally calming his anger, he briefly turned his gaze away before looking at me again.

He had already returned to Uncle Zimmer’s gentle expression.

“I heard you were hurt.”

“I was just swept away by water because I used too much elemental power trying to put out the fire.”

I smiled awkwardly and shrugged as if to say I was fine.

“And His Highness the Crown Prince saved me, so I’m really okay.”

Remembering his intense gaze from earlier, I did my best to prove that my body was fine.

After all, the pressure felt from his entrance just now had seemed enough to destroy the entire Elemental Palace.

“Saved you?”

“Because I swallowed a lot of water……”

“She almost drowned.”

“……!”

At Felix’s sudden explanation, Parmes’s pupils shook violently.

Parmes stared at me for a long while before lowering his gaze.

“I’m sorry, Arinel.”

I looked up at him in surprise at his suddenly low voice.

His voice trembled slightly at the end.

The always kind and simple Uncle Zimmer was nowhere to be seen, and he wore an expression that seemed truly self-deprecating.

“To let Arinel experience such danger again….. I can’t face Heisen like this.”

Suddenly, I remembered his face when he saw me wearing the elementalist’s clothes.

‘It was like seeing someone truly precious, and the precious traces they left behind.’

“Your Majesty.”

I made an internal decision and raised both hands to place them on Parmes’s cheeks.

I could feel Anes and Baron’s eyes widening in surprise at my potentially disrespectful action of touching the Emperor’s cheeks.

“……”

Parmes slowly raised his gaze to meet mine again.

“I’m really okay.”

At my words, Parmes’s pupils rippled gently.

“And Dad would surely be grateful. For how you worry about me and try to protect me like this.”

I smiled as brightly as I could to prevent Parmes from digging himself deeper into guilt.

“Haah….. Arinel.”

After staring at me intently for a while, Parmes finally called my name and embraced me gently.

Though it was a bit stifling due to our significant size difference, I extended my small hands to pat his large back.

After ending the embrace, Parmes slowly withdrew and reached out to gently stroke my head as he spoke.

“Arinel. Thank you for staying alive, for the Empire’s sake.”

What?

Parmes’s words sounded like a warning that if I had died, something terrible would have befallen the Empire.

Why did I suddenly remember the image of the tyrant father and son I saw in that vision…?

“From now on, attacking Arinel will be considered the same as attacking me. In other words, treason.”

I froze at Parmes’s words.

T-treason?

‘This is even more severe than the Arinel Protection Law and execution device that Anes and Baron were talking about earlier!’

“Minister of Justice.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Anes answered as if she had been waiting for this.

I desperately shook my head at Anes, but she deliberately avoided meeting my eyes.

Um… Excuse me?!

“Can we add another item to the treason charges?”

“If it’s Your Majesty’s order, anytime.”

“Then add what I just mentioned.”

“I will carry out your orders, Your Majesty.”

This is very different from the Justice Palace procedures I know.

Well, since this is an absolute monarchy, the Emperor is above the law, but the law governs matters beyond the Emperor’s reach.

And to amend those laws, you need the Justice Palace’s deliberation and the Justice Palace Lord’s approval, but where did all those procedures go?!

“Um, isn’t that going a bit… too far?”

“No, it’s not, Arinel.”

Parmes smiled slightly, lifting the corner of his mouth.

‘Uncle, why is your expression… like that…’

Somehow, it felt like he had subtly snapped after learning I almost died.

“And Alchemy Palace Lord.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Investigate this incident thoroughly. Though the Crown Prince has already entered the torture chamber to make the conspirators talk, there will be limits to what information we can obtain from them.”

“Understood, Your Majesty. If it’s for the Elemental Palace Lord, I would stake my life on the investigation.”

Life… No, wait.

“Did you say His Highness the Crown Prince went to the torture chamber?”

I looked at Parmes with an uncomprehending expression.

There was… a torture chamber in the imperial palace?

But Briton… he’s my age? An elementary school student going to such a horrific place…

Seeing my face visibly stiffening in real-time, Parmes explained gently and deliberately.

“Hmm. It’s a space where we make bad people reveal the truth they’re hiding, for the empire’s safety. It’s not as painful as you might think, and sometimes it can even be enjoyable, so don’t have too many preconceptions.”

“But…”

“My, you still look pale. You need some warm dessert.”

Parmes cut off my words and spoke to me kindly.

“Let’s have tea time together, Arinel.”

***

“Kheuk… Huk… Huk…”

A pale-faced man groaned in pain, tied to a chair.

Across from him sat Briton with a cold gaze.

“Demon’s seed! Parmes Aslet, worse than the devil himself! Even if both His right and left hands have failed, now Heaven will punish you! Kugh! Keheheheh!”

Among those caught this time, this man had the strongest will and hatred towards Parmes.

Briton watched the man’s struggle with a bored expression before moving his lips.

“Do you really believe heaven exists, mister?”

“…What?”

The drug he had been given was Bellapur, an herb that causes an intense tickling sensation in the soles of the feet.

“Kehehek… Kehahaha!”

The man twisted his whole body while bound by ropes.

“It’s ridiculous.”

Briton rose from his seat slowly.

In the dim prison scene, the elegant jawline and beautifully sculpted nose of the young boy became even more pronounced.

“Both believing in heaven and thinking heaven is on your side.”

Briton approached and met the eyes of the seated man.

The man, his face contorted with forced laughter, said to Briton.

“Humans need something to believe in to live. I have strong faith in Him. You couldn’t possibly imagine… He…”

“Faith to live by, huh.”

Unlike his kind and bright face when dealing with his precious person, Briton’s expression now was pure cynicism, devoid of any emotion.

“Come to think of it, I do have something similar.”

Briton reached out to the border between the man’s forehead and hairline.

Then he grabbed the man’s hair as if to seize it.

“Kuuugh!! It hurts! Kehahaha! It’s itchy!! Keheheh!”

Even as the man’s face changed moment by moment between anger and laughter, Briton remained composed.

“A single faith and goal.”

In Briton’s blue eyes flashed the image of a pale, collapsed girl.

And the uncontrollable rage that surged just at the thought of almost losing her.

“But what’s different between you and me is that I neither believe in heaven nor think fate is on my side. So it’s something I must achieve entirely on my own.”

That was also the truth of life learned in the cruel and heartless House of Aslet.

“What one truly desires…”

In the dim prison, Briton’s blue eyes gleamed fiercely.