As a mutation of Carbink, Diancie radiated the exquisite craftsmanship of nature itself. Her lower half resembled that of a Carbink, revealing an unpolished diamond ore whose raw crystalline facets refracted a soft, shimmering brilliance. It was a beauty untouched by tools, formed purely by the patient artistry of the earth over countless ages.
What drew the most attention, however, was her upper body. She wore a fluffy little white dress that puffed out gently around her, the hem slightly curled upward, giving her an air of childlike innocence and tender naivety. The dress contrasted delicately with the cool gleam of her gemstone body, softening the sharpness of diamond with the warmth of youthful charm.
Encircling her slender neck was a graceful arc of gold, upon which was set a large, full octahedral diamond. With every movement she made, whether lifting her hand or tilting her head, that diamond swayed faintly, exuding a weighty nobility that seemed to declare her royal lineage without the need for words.
Atop her head rested an astonishingly magnificent crown. It was composed of four sharply defined octahedral diamonds and two elongated diamond prisms arranged in harmonious symmetry. And at its very center, a round pink diamond shimmered like the final, perfect brushstroke on a masterpiece—an exquisite finishing touch that elevated the crown's splendor to its absolute peak.
She possessed both the cold brilliance and unyielding hardness of diamond, yet at the same time retained the lively playfulness and spirited charm of a child.
Diancie tilted her head slightly, her ruby-like eyes blinking as she gazed at Silas with unconcealed delight. In a sweet, adorable voice she called out, "Silas~"
The next moment, as Silas opened his arms, Diancie leapt forward and threw herself into his embrace.
"Silas~ Silas~ I like you, I like you!"
Her diamond body carried a faint, characteristic coolness. She pressed her icy little cheek against Silas's face, rubbing against him affectionately.
"Slow down! Don't fall," Silas reminded her helplessly.
"I won't, I won't!" Diancie shook her head vigorously, happily circling around him.
Perhaps it was because she had slept for too long—when she skipped and hopped about, her body swayed unsteadily, and she nearly stumbled forward.
Silas: "..."
"Hehe~" Diancie gave him a sheepish, ingratiating smile and hugged his arm tightly.
"You, honestly…" Silas reached out and tapped her lightly on the forehead. One look and he could already tell—this was another little troublemaker he would have to keep an eye on.
At that moment, a group of Carbink gathered at the cave entrance, forming a circle around them. They lifted their heads and gazed at Diancie with reverent admiration.
"Princess… Princess…"
Diancie was equally delighted. She reached out to pat this one and stroke that one, clearly fond of her fellow Carbink.
Only after quite some time did the crowd gradually quiet down. The Carbink departed to prepare for the upcoming celebration feast.
The Carbink Minister and the elder Carbink stepped forward. They bowed slightly to Diancie in formal greeting. The Carbink Minister spoke respectfully, "Your Highness Diancie, welcome. I will be responsible for teaching you royal etiquette and—"
"No!" Diancie immediately hid behind Silas and shook her head forcefully.
"Tomorrow," Silas said with a smile, gently soothing the situation. "I'll take Diancie to meet everyone first."
As the princess of its own Diamon Domain, Diancie had many responsibilities awaiting her—among them one particularly important duty.
The Heart Diamond she would create herself was the energy source that sustained all activity within the Diamon Domain.
"Yes, yes! We'll start tomorrow!" Diancie chimed in quickly, pulling at Silas as if to drag him out of the cave.
After bidding farewell to the Carbink Minister for now, Silas first brought Diancie to the Noivern's nest.
He introduced both sides to each other. The three large Noivern regarded her with a mixture of vigilance and curiosity. From her, they sensed a peculiar aura of danger.
That uncomfortable pink energy they had felt earlier—it had been emanating from her.
"This is Diancie. She's also a partner of the ranch," Silas said, pulling Diancie gently forward. "These three are the Noivern. They're very strong, but also very gentle."
Diancie peeked out from behind him, the pink diamond atop her head swaying lightly with her movements. Her ruby-like eyes sparkled with curiosity as she examined the Noivern, then she lifted her little hand and waved.
"Hello! Hello!"
"Noi~" the Noivern responded in greeting.
They even presented her with a gift—a scale that had naturally fallen from their bodies. It shimmered in blue-violet hues, its surface polished smooth enough to reflect a faint image.
Diancie cupped it carefully in her small hands, her eyes shining with delight.
"Thank you! I really like it."
After tucking the gift into her embrace, she insisted on giving something in return.
She spread her small hands before her chest, and three sparkling pink diamonds materialized, newly created by her power. She offered them to the Noivern.
The Noivern sniffed at the diamonds curiously, then even placed them in their mouths and gave them a tentative bite.
Moments later, their expressions turned to joy. One of them even extended its large tongue and gave Diancie an enthusiastic lick, causing the little princess to burst into giggles.
After wiping the saliva from Diancie's face, Silas continued taking her around to meet the other Pokémon.
When they appeared before the ranch cabin, Kangaskhan and Minccino were the first to notice them.
Soon, a whole group of Pokémon gathered around.
Minccino looked up at Diancie, admiring her glittering, luxurious appearance.
"Min~"
(Are you really a Carbink?)
"Of course!" Diancie replied cheerfully, lifting Minccino into her arms. The two Pokémon rubbed their cheeks together affectionately.
"Min!"
(You're so pretty! Carbink are kind of ugly, I don't like them. I like you!)
"Little sister Minccino is cute too. I like you as well."
Taking in the warm, loving interaction among the Pokémon, Diancie presented each of them with a gift—a diamond she personally created.
Upon receiving the beautiful gem, Minccino was overjoyed. Immediately afterward, however, she scampered over to Silas and handed him the diamond, urging him to sell it for money.
Silas chuckled and patted her gently. "No need. You can keep them and play with them."
Not long ago, during a conversation with the Carbink Minister, Silas had learned that the newly awakened Diancie could not yet fully control her powers. The diamonds she created were not Eternal Diamonds, they would only last for a limited time.
Only when Diancie could create true Eternal Diamonds would she transform from princess into queen and shoulder the full responsibility of ruling the Diamon Domain.
The Pokémon loved playing with Diancie. Even the Meowth were no exception.
After asking Kangaskhan to help keep an eye on her, Silas headed to the kitchen to prepare some food for Diancie.
The little one had slept for so long—she must be hungry.
And for such a princess, diamond cake was absolutely indispensable.
Just as Silas carried the finished dishes out and called Diancie over to taste them, Minccino came rushing toward him, bringing along Flabébé, Arboliva, Alcremie, and a group of other Pokémon. Their faces were filled with panic.
The moment they saw him, Minccino urgently explained:
Just now, all the diamonds Diancie had given them had disappeared.
They were gifts from Diancie—but they had somehow lost them. Diancie would surely be heartbroken.
"So that's what happened!" Silas glanced at the time. The diamonds had lasted more than ten minutes—this Diancie's talent was actually quite impressive.
"Min!"
Minccino angrily grabbed a handful of Silas's hair. They were all worried sick, and he was still smiling—hmph!
"Stop pulling." Silas swatted her hand away, then explained to the circle of Pokémon around him, "It's not your fault. Diancie is still too weak to create permanent diamonds. I'll explain it to her."
"Min?"
(Really?)
"Of course. When have I ever lied to you?"
Reassured that it wasn't her fault, Minccino smiled brightly. She smoothed down the hair she had just tugged, then wrapped her arms around Silas's neck and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
When Silas found Diancie, he gently explained the situation.
Diancie's face fell. She felt useless, and tears began to well up in her eyes.
"Don't cry now. Here, open your mouth—I'll feed you a bite."
Silas quickly used cake to stop her tears, then added gently, "How about this, when you're able to create Eternal Diamonds, you can make it up to everyone with new gifts?"
"Mmm-hmm! Silas, I want more."
Diancie obediently opened her mouth, waiting for him to feed her another bite.
"Then you have to study hard with the Carbink Minister. Everyone is waiting for you."
(End of Chapter)