Beneath the cavern, past a dark tunnel that twisted this way and that, lay a strange passage shimmering with five-colored light.
Princess Diancie smiled as she led the way, her little white skirt fluttering in the air. She looked especially adorable.
Dian was in no mood to appreciate her beauty, though. Right now, he just wanted to leave. Diamonds were wonderful, but he had to stay alive to take them.
"Down here is the Diamond Domain."
Princess Diancie turned slightly and peered ahead. "The only way out is through another gate in the Diamond Domain."
"Mr. Merchant, don't go wandering off again, all right?"
She looked back with an admonishing smile.
Dian nodded, then pressed down on Arcanine's head to make him nod too.
"Whine..."
Arcanine looked thoroughly aggrieved.
Dian immediately shot him another glare. What are you feeling aggrieved about? She's talking about you.
Princess Diancie had just told him why no one had ever discovered the Diamond Domain.
Above it slumbered life and death. Those who entered could not leave.
Dian knew exactly what those two meant, and he asked no more questions.
"Shh."
Princess Diancie blinked and turned to make a gesture understood the world over.
Dian promptly recalled Arcanine into his Poké Ball. He had been wrong. The one who deserved sympathy wasn't the dog, but the dog's owner.
He nodded. Through the crystals in the rock wall beside them, he could clearly see three Carbink with rocky ears and diamond bodies hopping past the passage ahead.
"Jima, where's Her Highness?"
"Haven't seen her. Maybe she's gone up there again."
"More importantly, don't you two think the ministers have been waking up rather often lately?"
The three Carbink walked on as they talked.
Ministers... plural? Waking up?
Dian picked up on two things. First, the Diamond