Cold morning air drifted near the south gate of the Jade Forbidden City. Mao Mao and Jinshi had been continuing their investigation from the night before, tracing the path Reihua had taken to escape. On the stone pavement, there were faint marks where soil had been trampled. Mao Mao followed those marks while repeating the contents of yesterday's letter in their head. （A promise to get her out of the inner palace. Reihua believed those words.） Then, footsteps sounded. Turning around, a woman with sharp features walked toward them. Tall, broad-shouldered, with a bearing that seemed oddly martial. A familiar face—but in an unfamiliar form. It was Koujun. Koujun, who had served as Jinshi's guard, now had a woman's body. A face with deep features, handsome enough to be called striking. Yet they maintained their usual expressionless look on that face. "[serious]Master Jinshi, breakfast is prepared." Jinshi froze. "[scared]……If even you become a woman, being cared for makes me even more unsettled!" "[serious]My gender may change, but my loyalty does not." Not a single eyebrow moved. Still expressionless, they said it. Jinshi held their head. Mao Mao watched from the side. After observing for a moment, they spoke quietly. "[cold]……You two get along well." "[angry]That's not it!! It's not like that!!" Mao Mao tilted their head. They didn't quite understand what "like that" referred to. What was the problem with the observation that they got along? Jinshi's face turned red, and "Never mind, let's continue the investigation!" they said, walking quickly ahead. Koujun fell into step beside Mao Mao and spoke quietly. "[serious]……That is simply how they are." "[cold]I see." The two followed after Jinshi. --- When they reached the east gate of the Jade Forbidden City, someone called out. "Mao Mao!" A voice they recognized. But also didn't recognize. A slender beauty approached at a light jog from outside the Jade Forbidden City. Fair skin, black hair with a slight wave. A body as graceful as a willow. For a moment, Mao Mao thought it was Housen, the proprietress of the Jade Pavilion, but it wasn't. Mao Mao did a double take. （……Ramon.） Their adoptive father, Ramon. Now in a woman's body. "[laughing]Hey there, nice weather we're having. I've come." Carefree as ever. Even in this situation, that attitude hadn't changed. The strength of someone who'd worked in the flower district for years seeped through. "[cold]……What about the Jade Pavilion?" "[laughing]I thought this form might have demand in the flower district. Could become a new commodity." Jinshi's face contorted. Koujun maintained their blank expression. Mao Mao sighed and decided to take Ramon to the medicine house. --- Inside the medicine house, Mao Mao took out a small vial of pale purple powder. "[serious]Father. Look at this. It's powder from a plant called gender-swap grass. It appears to be the same type mixed into the medicinal bath this time." Ramon's hand stopped. "……What did you just say?" "[serious]Gender-swap grass." The lightness vanished from Ramon's face. All that ease peeled away in an instant. "[serious]Mao Mao." "[serious]Yes." "[serious]……When I was young, I visited the Nankai region once. I learned of gender-swap grass's existence from local elders at that time. But—the method to break the curse is a secret technique known only to the tribal elders. They wouldn't teach outsiders." Mao Mao's hand holding the notebook stopped. "[serious]And——" Ramon paused. "[serious]The effects of gender-swap grass become fixed in the body five days after ingestion. After that, there's no returning to your original body." The room fell silent. Mao Mao counted the days on their fingers. （Day one, day two, day three……this morning is day three.） "[cold]……Two days left." Jinshi went pale. Koujun caught their breath. Ramon looked at Mao Mao's face. They seemed about to say something, then closed their mouth. Only the scent of medicinal herbs drifted through the room. --- It took less than an hour for that news to spread through the Jade Forbidden City. The concubines wailed. Eunuchs collapsed in the corridors. A maidservant with a man's body pounded the wall, screaming "No, no, no!" The entire Jade Forbidden City sank quietly into despair like a bucket with no bottom. Then, a messenger arrived from the outer court. A young official in purple robes stood respectfully at the gate. In their hand was a scroll bearing the imperial seal—the emperor's stamp. The messenger read aloud. "[serious]By imperial decree: A report has been received regarding suspicious circumstances within the inner palace. Resolve the matter within five days. Should you fail to do so, all apothecaries of the inner palace shall be executed for negligence." Mao Mao accepted the scroll. （Not just me. All the apothecaries of the inner palace are targets.） The faces of colleagues in the medicine house came to mind. And Reihua. Their hand gripped the scroll slightly tighter. Jinshi stepped forward before the messenger. "[angry]……Revoke that order. I will——" The words cut off. Jinshi now had a woman's body. There was no authority to exercise toward the outer court. As a eunuch, there was no way to prove that status in a female form now. Mao Mao could see them grinding their teeth from beside them. The messenger bowed and departed. Jinshi slowly turned around. They were trying to compose their expression, but couldn't quite manage it. "[cold]……I'll resolve this. Absolutely." It was a voice that seemed directed at no one in particular. Mao Mao put the scroll away in their robe. They said nothing. --- A crowd had gathered at the south gate of the Jade Forbidden City some time later. As Mao Mao approached, the gate guard turned around. "[serious]Apothecary, someone has returned from outside……" Beyond them, a person lay collapsed. A male body, clothes soiled. The kind of exhaustion that came from wandering outside for three days. Mao Mao looked at the face. It was Reihua. --- They brought Reihua to Jinshi's residence and had tea brought. Reihua trembled for a while. Every time they tried to speak, their voice caught. Mao Mao waited in silence. "[crying]……I'm sorry." Finally, words came out. "[crying]I wanted to leave this place. They said they'd get me out, so I believed them. But……I never thought it would come to this." "[serious]Where is that merchant now?" "[crying]……Still inside the Jade Forbidden City." Jinshi stirred slightly. "[cold]Where?" "[crying]I don't know. I never met them directly. We only communicated by letter. But——" Reihua gripped their hands in their lap. "[crying]Another letter arrived today. The merchant said……they have a cure. A medicine to reverse the gender-swap grass." Mao Mao's hand stopped. "[serious]……What's the condition?" Reihua looked up. They were crying. "[crying]To hand over Master Jinshi." The air in the room froze. "[crying]They want the feminized Master Jinshi as a tribute to their tribe……that's what it said." Mao Mao looked at Jinshi's face just once. Jinshi didn't change their expression. They simply listened quietly to Reihua's words. Mao Mao's gaze fell to the floor. （If I hand over Master Jinshi, everyone in the inner palace returns to normal. If I don't——in two days, everyone stays in their current body forever. And I'll be executed.） Two choices. Neither could be chosen. Ramon spoke quietly. "[serious]……Difficult, isn't it." Koujun said nothing. Reihua looked at Mao Mao. With eyes that sought something. Not an answer. Just……wanting someone to see them. Mao Mao didn't look up. They took out their notebook and picked up a pen. Gender-swap grass. Five days. Two days. Cure. Tribal elders. Nankai region. The words lined up in their mind, spinning round and round. （Find a third path. A way that doesn't require handing over Master Jinshi. Whether I can recreate the cure myself in two days.） They already knew it was nearly impossible. Still, the pen didn't stop.