As Subaru descended the basement stairs, the morning's memories still lingered in her mind. The girl in the mirror. A high voice. The sensation of being helped down the hallway by Ram's thick arms, unsteady on her feet. It had only been moments ago, yet it felt like ages. （I wonder if you get used to this kind of thing） She didn't know. But there was no time to stand still. With each step down the stone staircase to the second basement level, the temperature dropped. The basement of Roswaal's mansion—a cold, damp stone space that bore no resemblance to the white walls and blue roof visible above. Faint mana-blocking patterns were carved into the walls. They must have functioned properly once. But now they were chipped in places, reduced to mere decoration. A pale blue light leaked through the gap in the door. "[serious]This is it." Leon spoke in a low voice. Right beside Subaru—the distance of a guard. It hadn't changed since this morning. The stone door was heavy. Leon pushed it open with one hand, using his strength with complete ease. It was strange how unchanged his way of using force was, even in a female body. The strength of the oni clan remained intact. The door opened. The room was a small stone chamber, roughly thirty square meters, with a low ceiling and air that felt less clear than frozen solid. The temperature was low. Ancient patterns covered one entire wall. And in the center of the room, on a stone platform, lay a large dark gray stone tablet. About 1.2 meters tall, 0.8 meters wide. Fine characters were carved across its surface, from which a pale blue light leaked out—faintly, but unmistakably, continuously. Someone stood before it. Silver hair. Straight silver hair reaching the shoulders. A tall frame, easily 175 centimeters. Pale purple and silver heterochromatic eyes gazed blankly at the tablet. A right hand unconsciously reached up, brushing back the bangs—and in that instant, Subaru was certain. （It's Emilias） "[surprised]……Um, er……" The silver-haired beautiful young man turned around. His eyes met Subaru's. In that moment, his cheeks flushed red. "[scared]S-Subaru……is it? You've become……a girl……" His voice was low. He seemed surprised by it himself, pressing a hand to his mouth. Every time he spoke, a man's voice emerged, and he flinched each time. "[surprised]That's my line!" "[sad]I……I don't know what to do. Every time I speak, my voice sounds strange……well……um……if it becomes known that a royal selection candidate has become like this……" Muttering, Emilias looked at Subaru again. That familiar habit of brushing back his silver bangs. But the hand was large, a man's hand. The voice, the face, the body—everything had changed, yet only that gesture remained Emilias's own. Subaru felt something tighten in her chest. Surprise, and something she couldn't quite name. （This feels strange……) "[serious]Step aside." Leon moved forward. He inserted himself smoothly between Subaru and Emilias. Arms crossed, his red vertical-slit eyes fixed directly on Emilias. "[cold]A stranger doesn't approach the master." "[surprised]Wait, Leon! This person is Emilias!" "[cold]Miss Emilias doesn't look like that." "[serious]That's because the curse changed her! Roswaal's young lady—well, not anymore, but originally—" "[cold]What's your proof?" "[serious]Huh……" "[cold]The voice and face are different. Why should I believe you?" Leon didn't budge an inch. A wall. A living wall stood between Subaru and Emilias. Subaru pushed hard against Leon's back. He didn't move. She pushed again. Like a rock. "[angry]Are you a wall!? Did you turn into stone!?" "[cold]I'm doing my job as a guard." "[serious]You're guarding too much! Emilias, is there anything that could serve as proof—" "[sad]Um……well……I remember the day you first came to Roswaal's mansion. You fell in the dining hall, and Ram looked at you coldly, but you didn't give up and kept talking to Rem……" Subaru froze. （Only someone who actually knows would know that） "[cold]It's possible you fabricated that." "[angry]Who doesn't trust someone from the start like that!!" It was then, with the three of them squeezed into the narrow sealed chamber. "[surprised]Um……" Emilias pointed near Subaru's pocket. "[surprised]Hasn't that been glowing this whole time?" Subaru reached into her pocket and felt a small fragment touch her finger. A small mineral shard that had apparently broken off from the tablet. She pulled it out and placed it in her palm. It definitely emitted a pale blue light. Brighter than before. The three of them stared at the fragment for a moment, motionless. Then, part of the sealed chamber's wall suddenly glowed. A door. What had appeared to be ordinary stone wall now had a magical light outline, taking shape, opening from within. "[cold]Disagreeable as it is……I've come." The voice was low. But the manner of speech was distinctive, and that calm, overwhelming presence was familiar. The figure who had come through the forbidden library's door—a spatial connection via shadow magic—had long silver-white hair tied back, and golden eyes narrowed as she looked at them. An old grimoire in her right hand. About 170 centimeters tall. Even in a male form, her bearing was somehow transcendent, ageless. Bianca Beatrice. A shadow magic user serving Roswaal's mansion, a spirit scholar who had lived over 400 years with a collection of over 3,000 books in the forbidden library. She had a habit of appearing casually through "door-crossing"—a spell that connected the forbidden library's door anywhere—and she'd done it again today. "[serious]Bianca!" Subaru tried to rush toward her, but Bianca held up one hand to stop her. "[cold]I don't recall taking on a disciple. Well……saying that in a man's voice is also rather indescribable." After frowning briefly at her own voice, Bianca moved toward the tablet. Her golden eyes traced the character strings carved on its surface. Those eyes began to glow quietly. The analysis of shadow magic had begun. No one spoke. The air in the sealed chamber felt even colder. "[serious]……I've read it." Her voice was quiet. She continued without turning around. "[serious]This is the Velta Secra monument—a curse stone tablet inscribed in ancient Lugnica script. It was created approximately 400 years ago. It reverses the gender of all intelligent beings within a 500-meter radius of whoever touches it. The effect lasts——seven days." "[surprised]S-seven days!?" "[serious]If the curse-breaking condition isn't met within seven days, it becomes permanent. You won't be able to return." Silence fell over the sealed chamber. Emilias brushed back his silver bangs and spoke quietly in his low voice. "[sad]……If this becomes known, the royal selection……" The Kingdom of Lugnica was currently in the midst of a royal selection—a succession election proceeding without a king. One of the candidates was Emilia Valeria, a half-elf who had candidly declared her ideals and entered the race. In a world where half-elves were discriminated against simply for what they were, if a gender-transformation curse became public knowledge, it would be a politically fatal wound. "[cold]Then we have no choice but to manage it within seven days." Leon spoke with his arms still crossed. His voice was controlled, yet unwavering. "[serious]What's the curse-breaking condition?" Bianca turned around. Her golden eyes looked at each person in turn. "[serious]That all must speak the truth of their hearts——it's written thus. To voice the honest feelings you've been hiding, that is." "[serious]A confession of love, then?" "[cold]It's not limited to love alone. Regret, fear, anything you've never been able to say——likely." "[serious]Likely……so there's no certainty?" "[cold]There are still character strings on the tablet I cannot decipher. There is no certainty. Disagreeable as it is." Subaru held her head. （Seven days. Everyone speaks their truth. That's all it takes to return……? "Everyone" means everyone in the mansion? Including the servants? What even counts as the truth?） There were too many unknowns. But the number seven days fell heavily into her chest with undeniable weight. Bianca approached the tablet and observed its surface intently. Her fingertip touched one point. A small fragment peeled away with a soft crack from a slightly damaged area. "[serious]It might serve as an emotional barometer." She placed the fragment in her palm. Pale blue light. "[serious]It appears to have the property of intensifying its glow when the owner or surroundings experience heightened emotion. It might serve as a means to measure the curse's progression." The same as the fragment in Subaru's hand. The two glowed simultaneously. In that moment——Emilias suddenly looked toward Subaru. The light from the fragment grew brighter. Everyone looked at Emilias. "[scared]N-no, that's not it! This is, um——" Both hands waved frantically. Silver hair swayed. His face was red to the ears. "[laughing]Huh, what, Emilias, me?" "[scared]It's not! Um, well……I was just surprised……!" Subaru was about to laugh—when Leon placed a hand on her shoulder. "[serious]Don't leave my side." The fragment glowed again. Leon's hand stopped. "[cold]……Is this thing broken?" He pointed at the fragment, speaking low. But the tips of his ears were faintly red. "[laughing]Your emotions are showing!!" Subaru laughed until she fell over. She was surprised by her own high-pitched laughter, but there was no time to worry about such things now. Leon stood frozen like a statue. Emilias covered his face with both hands. Only Bianca quietly narrowed her eyes, watching everyone. Subaru laughed and suddenly glanced down at the fragment. （……Wait?） When Emilias had looked at Subaru earlier, it glowed. When Leon approached Subaru, it glowed too. But——she hadn't noticed that the fragment had been glowing faintly, gradually, every time she looked at Emilias's face. She'd been laughing without noticing. Only Bianca had been watching it all, quietly, the entire time. "[serious]……There is one suspicious thing." Bianca turned back to the tablet. "[serious]A spirit scholar cannot undergo curse-induced changes without the consent of their contracted spirit. It's an unwritten law of spirit contracts, one long upheld throughout Lugnica." "[serious]But this time……" "[serious]This stone tablet activated regardless of that unwritten law. Myself, a spirit scholar, and Miss Emilias—without exception. That means——it possesses coercive power that transcends the normal system of magic." The sealed chamber fell silent. Only the pale blue light from the tablet wavered across the walls. "[serious]Who created this stone tablet remains unknown." No one could answer. Subaru looked at the tablet. The ancient Lugnica characters on its surface. Beside the deciphered portion, more character strings continued, still unread. （Someone made it 400 years ago and placed it in Roswaal's basement. Why. For what purpose） She didn't know. But that not knowing felt terribly heavy now. When everyone returned to the great hall, Ram and Rem were waiting. Ram, her pink hair swaying, spoke with her arms crossed. "[cold]Speaking honestly, is it. For big sister, that's not difficult." "[sad]Ram sis……san……big bro……?" Rem pressed her sky-blue hair down and looked to the heavens. She couldn't find the right way to address anyone. "[laughing]There! Don't get stuck there!" Then footsteps came from the stairs, and Roswaal descended from his study. Tall, with a somewhat easygoing air. After hearing the situation and thinking for a moment——he grinned. "[sarcastic]Seven days, hmm……quite an interesting curse, wouldn't you say?" Everyone spoke up at once. "[serious]You're enjoying this!" "[cold]He is enjoying it." "[cold]He's enjoying it." "[cold]You're enjoying it, aren't you?" "[sad]You are enjoying it, aren't you……" "[sad]You are enjoying it, are