Miyuu's eyes opened within warmth. The right side of her body felt pleasantly warm. Miyuu slowly opened her eyelids. The ceiling came into view—the familiar wooden ceiling of the cottage built from trees of the great Verde Forest. The faint blue-white glow of Luna mushrooms still softly filled the room. It was early morning. With a hazy head, she checked her right hand. Someone was holding it. Both hands gripping it tightly. (…Huh?) Miyuu moved only her neck, looking to the right. Rion was there. Sitting in a chair, his body leaning against the bed, his head bowed. His pale silver hair was disheveled. A small scar on the back of his left hand came into her view. He was gripping Miyuu's right hand tightly, scar and all. His shoulders trembled slightly. He was crying. Miyuu stared at those shoulders for a while. By the pillow sat an amber-colored empty bottle—drops of earth vein. The ones he'd risked his life to collect. On the nearby stool, a bowl of herbal broth sat cold. Eliza must have prepared it; traces of water being changed remained on the floor. (Three days…) Just from that, she understood. Someone had sat here the entire three days while her consciousness was gone. "[whispers]…Good morning," Her voice came out small. Rion's shoulders stopped. Slowly, his face lifted. His eyes were completely red. Tear streaks marked his cheeks. The blue eyes peeking through his silver hair looked at Miyuu—and then his lips trembled. "Miyuu…!" His voice caught. The rest wouldn't come out. Miyuu stared at that face. Something that had been vague in her chest took on a clear shape. The outline sharpened, and a name formed. (Ah, I want to be beside this person.) It was a simple conclusion. Nothing complicated about it. That was all. Rion hurriedly wiped his eyes. "[whispers]I-I'm sorry. S-seeing me like this is…" He tried to turn his face away. But because he wouldn't let go of Miyuu's hand, his body was twisted at an awkward angle. (Unseemly, he says. When he's been sitting there crying the whole time.) Miyuu almost laughed. If she laughed, she'd cry, so she held it back. —Then the door burst open. "[excited]Master's awake!! Master—!!" Golden short bob hair flew in. Eliza tumbled into the room, her transparent golden eyes opened as wide as they could go. She was holding a bucket of water, but the impact caused half its contents to splash out with a loud splash. "[excited]She's alive! Master's really alive! We did it!" "It's spilling," "Huh!?" Eliza froze, looking at the floor. A large puddle had formed. "[surprised]Oh no, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!!" Watching Eliza's back as she hurried off to find a rag, Miyuu let out a small breath. It was noisy. But this clamor was just right for now. Rion gently released Miyuu's hand. "[gentle]…Did you manage to sleep?" "Yeah. What about you?" "I'm afraid…not much," "I see," It was a short exchange, but what flowed between them was something different from three days ago. ──────────────────── While Eliza said "I'll go get fresh water!" and headed outside, Miyuu pushed herself up. Her head still felt a bit heavy. When she moved her arms, her fingertips tingled—an aftereffect of overusing the healing sprout. Rion started to stand. "Please stay lying down," "I'm fine now. Besides, there's something I need to say," Miyuu looked directly at Rion. He quietly sat back down. "If the curse's true nature is fear—" Her voice pitched up slightly. But she didn't stop. "Then I want you to trust me enough to overcome that fear," Rion's blue eyes wavered. "But as long as I continue to love you, the curse will only grow stronger. I'll put you in danger again—" "[surprised]That's enough already—!!" The door burst open. Eliza stood there in a commanding pose. She hadn't gotten any water. Both hands on her hips, her golden eyes gleaming. "[sarcastic]I heard everything! It was carrying all the way outside! I'm embarrassed just watching! Just kiss already!!" "…Huh?" Miyuu and Rion both jumped up at the same time. "[sarcastic]I really did think it was cool! But when I thought about it, it was just admiration! I'm being honest here!" Eliza thumped her chest. "[excited]I'm the disciple and official support squad number one for you two! Nice to meet you!" She bowed deeply. Miyuu froze for three seconds. "[sarcastic]…Wait, why are you announcing that now?" "[excited]I wanted to wrap up the conversation!" "Don't say it so proudly," Rion stood frozen with his mouth open. "Um…Eliza, is that really alright? Your own feelings…" "[excited]Totally fine! I still think Rion's cool, but that's separate! I'm basically a positive person!" "I-I see…I'm very sorry…" "Rion, you say 'I'm very sorry' whether you're depressed or embarrassed, don't you?" "…I do," "[sarcastic]Your habit is intense, you know that?" Laughter flowed between the three of them. Light, warm laughter. —Then Miyuu's gaze turned toward the window. Toward the direction of Timone Village. In the sky, thin black smoke rose. ──────────────────── When the three arrived at the village square, the air was different. There were people. But no voices. One carriage. Black with gold decorations. Beside it, five fully armed guards. The villagers huddled at the edge of the square, no one moving. Even Village Chief Bernd kept his mouth shut, staring at the ground. In the center stood a single woman. Mid-forties, perhaps. Long curled hair in deep purple. A white cloak with rose embroidery at the neck. Several jeweled rings glittered on her fingers. Red eyes swept across everyone in the square in order, as if making calculations. Before Miyuu could quietly ask one of the villagers, Rion stopped. The color drained from his face. "[whispers]…Queen Sophia," Eliza tugged at Miyuu's sleeve. "[whispers]Who is that person?" "[whispers]The Queen of Baltea Kingdom. Rion's stepmother," "[scared]Your Majesty…!?" Eliza's face went rigid. Sophia's gaze stopped on Rion. "[cold]Still alive, then," Her voice held not a shred of emotion. "[cold]This defective prince," Quiet, refined, and precisely because of that, sharp as a blade. Several villagers stepped further back. Rion's hand trembled slightly. Sophia's red eyes turned next to Miyuu. "[cold]A mere forest witch," She was smiling. But her eyes weren't. "[cold]You should not meddle in royal affairs. Though I doubt someone of your station could understand," ──────────────────── Sophia turned back to face Rion. "[cold]Let me tell you about the Thorn of Tornis," Her tone was matter-of-fact. As if discussing the weather. "[cold]That thorn is not my magic. Of course it isn't—I would never bother with something so tedious," A pause. "[cold]But when you were small. Every night, I whispered to you—that no one loves you, that you are unnecessary—" Rion's body went rigid. "[cold]That fear, over a long time, solidified into magical power. A convenient thorn, is it not? I did nothing, yet you destroyed yourself all alone," Miyuu's fists clenched tightly. Rion couldn't speak. He stared at the ground. His feet trembled slightly. Sophia continued. "[cold]Now then. I will take this prince back to the capital. If you resist—" She slowly turned her gaze to the villagers. "[cold]I can place this village under royal administration as a violation of the forest guardian's laws. The entire village, you see. And naturally, the power of the Jade Shrine Maiden will be confiscated as a royal asset. It was never yours to begin with," Miyuu looked at the villagers. No one moved. No one spoke. Village Chief Bernd didn't lift his eyes from the ground. The villagers who had been shouting "get out" just three days ago now cowered before Sophia. (No one will stand with me.) That sank into her slowly. But— (So what?) Miyuu took a deep breath. Her body still wasn't back to normal. Her feet wavered slightly. Her head was still a bit heavy. Of course it was—she'd been asleep for three days. Still, her feet moved. One step forward. "[whispers]Master…" Eliza called softly. Miyuu didn't stop. A memory from the previous world flashed for just a moment. The night she ran from work. The people she'd cut contact with. The excuse "I didn't want to burden them" as she fled from what mattered most. It was exactly the same as the words Rion had written in his note. If she stepped back now, she'd become that version of herself again. From the ground beneath her feet, thin grass sprouted. The Jade Shrine Maiden's power sensed the earth vein's resonance. The tips of the grass gently touched her shoe. Miyuu faced Sophia directly. "I won't give Rion to you," The square stirred. Sophia's eyebrow twitched. Just for a moment. Just a moment. But it definitely moved. (A commoner reborn as a forest witch, standing alone against the Queen—that was unexpected.) Miyuu didn't miss it. She also noticed how Sophia's gaze briefly followed the grass sprouting at Miyuu's feet. Sophia quickly recovered her smile. "[cold]How amusing, forest witch," Her refined voice. But her red eyes had narrowed, just slightly more than before. Rion stood beside Miyuu. His knees still trembled a little, but he stood. Eliza lined up on the other side. Her golden eyes faced Sophia directly. A sixteen-year-old girl standing firm before the Queen. The three stood in a line. Sophia watched them quietly. The jewels on her fingers began to glow. A cold, pale blue light.