Miyuu had been thinking all night since the Phrazen Herb Guild's patrol officer left. Before the information reached Queen Sofia, was there anything she could do? If she could find a way to ease Rion's curse—the Thorns of Tornis—at least there would be room for negotiation. The problem was where to conduct that research. The cottage was cramped. To handle magical power on a serious level, she needed dedicated space. The next morning, Miyuu went outside and began tamping down the flat ground extending east of the cottage, drawing lines in the soil with a picked-up branch. "[serious] First, three meters lengthwise... four meters across should be enough. The pathway to draw in the earth vein along the north wall..." Muttering to herself, she wrote in fine details—the wall thickness, window positions, and the layout of pathways accounting for magical flow. Rion emerged from the cottage around the time Miyuu was redrawing her second blueprint. His pale silver hair caught the morning light, glowing softly. His fractured bones hadn't fully healed yet, but he could walk slowly now, favoring his injured side. "[surprised] Is this... an architectural blueprint?" He peered down at Miyuu's feet, eyes widening. Seeing the intricate diagrams and numbers carved into the soil, he was clearly astonished. "[sarcastic] Of course it is. What would happen if I just built it without planning? If I don't arrange it considering the flow of magical power, I can't draw in the earth vein." "I'm impressed. So you're skilled in design as well, Miyuu." "[sarcastic] Ah, so the prince doesn't know much about royal castle designs." She'd meant to sting him with that remark, but Rion didn't flinch at all. If anything, he looked slightly apologetic. "The royal castle has... a dedicated architect." He answered in a serious tone. Miyuu froze for a moment, then pressed her hand to her forehead. "[sarcastic] ...That honesty of yours is never going to change, is it?" "I'm terribly sorry." Since Rion bowed apologetically with genuine remorse, Miyuu suppressed her laughter and began manipulating the vegetation. The power of the Verdant Shrine Maiden—the ability to commune with earth veins and move plants at will—she summoned thick vines from the ground. She wove them into walls, assembled a skeleton with branches, and layered leaves to create a roof. Following the blueprint precisely, she embedded thin magical pathways along the north wall. After about thirty minutes, Miyuu suddenly felt all the heat drain from her body. She shivered. "[scared] ...!" The same price as the healing sprout. Using vegetation manipulation too much caused her body temperature to drop. Her fingertips began to tingle. "[serious] Are you alright?" Rion, who had moved right beside her, looked at her face with concern. "[sarcastic] I'm fine. But I really need to solve this problem of the price being too harsh..." Trembling, she wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and resumed work. Rion stood beside her without saying anything. He maintained a distance that wouldn't get in the way, but he never took his eyes off her. Every time Miyuu shivered, he subtly moved a little closer. A week since reincarnation. Compared to that first night, the distance between them had changed considerably. ────────────────── The training room was complete by late morning. On the east side of the cottage, a room with a ceiling slightly taller than Miyuu had been added. The walls were densely woven with vines and branches, sturdier than they looked. Along the north wall was a thin pathway to draw in the earth vein's magical power—not yet functional, but it could be connected for research use. "[serious] Alright, let's examine the curse's magical power right away." The two entered the training room, and Miyuu had Rion face her directly. "I want to confirm where the curse has taken root. I can't tell without touching directly, but... is it okay if I touch around your chest area?" She said it casually, but Rion's face stiffened for a moment. "Y-yes. Please do..." "[sarcastic] You're too tense. It's research." "Yes. I understand. Research. I understand." He said it twice. Miyuu placed both hands on Rion's chest while internally commenting on his reaction. She closed her eyes and traced the flow of magical power. Like plant roots extending through soil, she made her consciousness thin and fine, seeping into Rion's body. And then Miyuu noticed it. A heartbeat transmitted through her palms. Fast. Really fast. Thump, thump, thump—not a normal human heartbeat. It was pounding at a ferocious pace. "...Your heart is being pretty loud." She opened her eyes. Rion's face was right there at close range. His ears were completely red. "I-I'm sorry..." "It's getting in the way of the research. Could you calm down?" "I'll try... but, um, it's not my fault..." "[sarcastic] That's clearly your fault." "No, well... it might be the curse..." "Does the curse make your heart rate go up?" A moment of silence. "...No, that's not it. It's my fault, I'm sorry." Rion confessed, as if giving up, and Miyuu was about to say something—when she realized her own face was hot. Her ears were burning. "O-okay! Let's continue the research!" She forcefully turned forward and closed her eyes again. Focus. Focus. The heartbeat was still fast. Hers probably wasn't losing either. A few minutes later, Miyuu compiled what she'd learned. The curse's magical power had taken root near the heart and possessed properties similar to earth veins. Which meant—if she cross-referenced it with data from the earth vein spring, she might find a breakthrough. "[serious] We need to go to the earth vein spring. Both of us." "...Understood." Rion's voice was calm, but his ears were still slightly red. ────────────────── The earth vein spring was about fifteen kilometers northeast of Miyuu's cottage. It lay deep within the Verdant Great Forest, a place where earth vein magical power welled up. Amber-colored water filled it, and the density of magical beasts was high nearby. The two set out in the early afternoon. Inside the forest, sunlight barely penetrated, and the canopies of large trees covered the sky. Bioluminescent mushrooms—Luna fungi—were scattered across the ground, glowing faintly blue-white even in daytime. "You can wield a sword now." Noticing the sword at Rion's waist, Miyuu commented, and Rion nodded. "My wounds have healed considerably. Thanks to you, Miyuu." "[sarcastic] You've got that vibe like you're about to say something about protecting me if anything happens." "I was about to." "[sarcastic] I don't plan on being protected." "...But doesn't it give you some peace of mind to have me nearby?" He asked quietly. Miyuu tried to answer directly—then stopped. (Peace of mind? Do I...?) It felt like a lie to say no. The image of Rion's face twisted in pain during a curse episode flashed through her mind. She still couldn't properly explain why she hadn't wanted to let go of his hand that night. "...Not really." She answered while keeping her gaze on the trees ahead. Rion said nothing. But Miyuu could sense him smiling faintly beside her. ────────────────── A low growl echoed from deeper in the trees about two kilometers before the spring. Three vine-furred wolf-type magical beasts—Ivy Wolves—surrounded Miyuu and Rion from left, right, and front. Their bodies easily exceeded one meter, and saliva dripped from their fangs to the ground. Miyuu moved instantly. She placed both hands on the ground. Grasping the sensation of connection to the earth vein, she pulled hard— Two thick vines shot up from the ground with force. They coiled around the ankles of the left and right beasts, dragging them down. The two wolves, scraped across the earth, growled low. They couldn't move. The front one leaped. Rion drew his sword. He stepped forward in one motion and slashed upward sharply. The impact sent the magical beast flying to the ground. Rion didn't stop. He ran toward the two vines-bound beasts. Miyuu tightened the vines' grip, sealing their movement. Rion swiftly cut down both. All three beasts fell silent with a ground-shaking thud. Less than ten seconds had passed. "[excited] Just now—our timing was perfect, wasn't it?" Rion turned back, eyes gleaming, and Miyuu, still with her hands on the ground, looked up at him. "...Well, it wasn't bad." She couldn't say it straightforwardly, but it was more than not bad. It was perfect. Miyuu sealed their feet, Rion finished them. Without exchanging a word, they'd done it. The two faced each other. The forest had gone silent. Light filtered through the leaf gaps, swaying gently. Rion's blue eyes looked directly at Miyuu. (Ah, this...) Miyuu thought. Something spread softly through the center of her chest. She tried to open her mouth— Zuzaa. A dull sound. Rion's foot caught on a tree root and he lost his balance. He couldn't stop. He fell forward toward Miyuu. Thud. Zero distance. Rion's face was right in front of hers. His hands pressed on her shoulders, barely managing not to crush her. "Eh?" "Eh?" One second of silence. "\"Gyaaahhh!!\"" Both screamed at once and jumped apart simultaneously. Miyuu retreated two meters, and Rion clutched his head where he stood. "[scared] Did anyone see!? Did anyone see that!?" "[scared] No one's here! Besides, I'm panicking too!!" "Why did you trip on a tree root!?" "[scared] ...I'm sorry... my footing..." "[sarcastic] What kind of prince trips over things!!" "I'm terribly sorry...!" Both stood facing each other, ears completely red. The forest leaves rustled. Luna fungi glowed softly. In an ordinary forest afternoon, only the two of them were burning with embarrassment. ────────────────── After that, the two stood in silence side by side. Whether to proceed to the spring investigation, return to the cottage, or resume conversation—it all seemed to have blown away. Then, the sound of footsteps on grass approached. Miyuu turned around. A figure was coming from the south direction of the forest. Sixty-two years old, sturdy build, short hair with white streaks. Wearing a leather jacket, his expression unmoved. Two village men followed behind him. Bernt Hoffmann, the village chief of Timoone Village. (Worst possible timing...!) Miyuu wanted to scream internally, but she kept it off her face. Rion quickly straightened his posture. Bernt looked at both of them in turn, then spoke in a controlled voice. "[cold] Verdant Shrine Maiden. Is it true you're harboring a cursed prince?" "[serious] Yes, but is there a problem with that?" "[cold] Are you aware of the Forest Keeper's Code?" The Code—Miyuu knew of it. A customary law passed down among villages surrounding the Verdant Great Forest, requiring that one-tenth of the forest's blessings be returned to the forest. Planting seeds, removing dead wood, and other actions to protect the earth vein were required. "I am." "[cold] The Code also includes penalties for acts that damage the earth vein. If that prince's curse proves to have a negative effect on the earth vein—the village will have no choice but to file for his expulsion." Rion's body stiffened slightly beside her. "[serious] The curse and the earth vein are unrelated. While I'm researching, no negative effects on the earth vein have been confirmed." "[cold] 'While researching' is unacceptable. The villagers are anxious. After hearing from the Phrazen Herb Guild's patrol officer last night, some haven't been able to sleep." "[serious] Please tell me the basis for their anxiety. If there's a basis, I can address it." "[cold] A basis is unnecessary. A cursed person near the earth vein—that alone is enough for the villagers." Bernt's voice wasn't shouting or threatening. It was matter-of-fact. That made the sense of futility even stronger. "I cannot promise to postpone thi