Its just a ball bearing. Pull hard and it'll pop out. Might want to keep a finger on it so it doesn't fly into the Abyss and you can use it to attach the new ribbon.
via u/Koponewt (Pelicram) at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1x8uddf/is_there_a_way_to_unspool_this_it_seems_pinned_in/
On removing a ball bearing in a typewriter spool that's being used to friction fit a ribbon into a typewriter spool.
reply to u/Vibeuel_ at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1s7lfdu/i_hate_loving_typewriters/
He used Chapstick as a heavy grease to hold ball bearings in place to re-insert the carriage and ball bearings into a Royal Arrow.
Sorry you went through this insertion of ball bearings into a Royal in this manner. For the future attempts, there is a re-creation of a custom tool for doing this sort of operation which also includes some repair manual details: https://www.m-morren.nl/product/17071027/royal-bearing-guide-ball-feeder-tool
Lucas Dul also has a video that might help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_PONcT8HHI as well as some discussion of using straws at the 21:40 mark in this video: https://virtualhermans.com/lucas-dul
Replacing the Carriage on a Royal Portable Typewriter by [[Marty Morren]]
Fletch : Hey! It's all ball bearings nowadays. Now you prepare that Fetzer valve with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads. And I'm gonna need 'bout ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no make that Quaker State.