Last night, Hina sighed three times on her bed. A single line from the mysterious letter wouldn't leave her mind. ——The villainess you are still has a role you don't know about. She kept thinking about its meaning, and before she realized it, morning had come. (Thinking about it won't give me answers. Today has things I need to do.) Hina stood before the mirror. The silver hair that Marie had carefully arranged gleamed faintly in the morning light. Turquoise eyes looked back at her. Today's strategy was simple. Don't interact with the capture targets at all. Don't make eye contact. Don't speak to them. Become stone. (Yesterday I ended up helping Canon. But today will definitely be fine. If I become stone, nothing will happen. Stone! Become stone, Kisaragi Hina!!) She climbed into the carriage and repeated this to herself while gazing out the window. The surface of the Lumière River glimmered in the morning sun. The academy's spire came into view in the distance. 　　　＊ The lecture hall of the Royal Academy Lycée de Roselia had high ceilings, and light streaming through the windows reflected off white stone walls, making it bright. Hina took one deep breath in the corridor. (It's fine. According to my game knowledge, today's magical theory lecture should be about prisma resonance phenomena. It's a difficult class. Everyone will be looking at the professor. No one will have time to pay attention to their neighbor.) She opened the door and entered. She confirmed Vanessa's assigned seat. Third row, window side. She started walking toward it—— And froze. Someone was already sitting in the next seat. Silver hair arranged neatly. Posture perfectly straight, movements turning the pages of the textbook without a single wasted motion. A small flash of light from a piercing in his right ear. Deep lapis lazuli eyes quietly traced the words in the textbook. (Alphonse Lucien. The First Prince. Capture target number one!!!!) An alarm blared in Hina's mind. It was exactly as the game's seating arrangement showed. She'd known it. She'd known it, but seeing him actually sitting right in front of her was a completely different impact. The noble children around Alphonse were already turning toward him, taking turns speaking to him. "[excited]Your Highness, good morning! How was last night's dinner!?" "[gentle]Ah" "[excited]Your outfit today is magnificent as well!" "[gentle]Is that so" He replied with only two words and returned his gaze to the textbook. The noble ladies withdrew with resentful expressions. Hina quietly took her seat. (Close. Too close. There's barely a shoulder's width between us. Become stone. Stone! Stone! Stone!) She placed her hands on her lap and faced forward. She made her face perfectly expressionless with Vanessa's features. Alphonse wasn't looking at her. Good. The strategy was working. The professor entered. An elderly man with white hair and small stature, with a quill pen tucked behind his ear. The magical theory instructor who appeared in the game as well. "Then let us begin. Today we will discuss the resonance phenomena of prisma——" Prisma was the magical power within the body that served as the source of magic in this world. It was activated by combining incantations with hand seals, and there were six attributes: fire, water, wind, earth, light, and darkness. Only about fifteen percent of the population could wield it—a rare power. The professor began drawing diagrams on the blackboard. Hina opened her textbook and murmured inwardly. (This is the stuff that was explained in detail in Leon's route in the game. The phenomenon where same-attribute prismas cause output to decrease... I think it's because the energy circulation closes in on itself, and different attributes amplify each other...) "Now, a question" The professor turned around. "When same-attribute prismas resonate, why does the output decrease? Can anyone explain?" Silence. The noble children's eyes wandered. No one could answer. Hina kept her mouth shut. She knew. She knew everything. But she wouldn't say it. Because she was stone. Stone doesn't speak. The professor's gaze slowly swept across the lecture hall. ……And stopped at Hina. "[serious]Miss Croire, what do you think" (Why! Why does it stop on me!!) Hina's mouth moved before her brain could catch up. "[serious]When same-attribute prismas make contact, the flow of energy circulates inward, so the portion used for external output decreases. If I had to compare it to cooking, it's like trying to boil something with the pot lid closed—the heat can't escape outward and gets trapped inside, kind of like……" The moment she finished speaking, Hina froze. (I just said something. I spoke. Even though I'm supposed to be stone!!) The professor's eyes widened and he leaned forward. "[surprised]Oh my. Miss Croire, where did you……That metaphor isn't in the textbook. It's quite an original expression" Drawn by that voice. Alphonse looked up. Deep lapis lazuli eyes turned toward the seat right beside him——toward Hina. (I'm being looked at!! His gaze is coming at me!! Why!! I said I'd become stone!!!!!) Hina maintained Vanessa's perfectly expressionless face. Her mind was screaming, but on the surface, she sat quietly as a noble lady should. "[gentle]An interesting way of thinking" His voice was low and quiet. Almost no emotional inflection. But it wasn't "criticism"—it was more like "observation." Alphonse immediately returned his gaze to the textbook. Hina faced forward with all her might. (This is bad. I've drawn attention. This is a failure of the strategy. But it didn't become a direct conversation. I can still recover!!) 　　　＊ Lunch break. The academy's courtyard——Jardin Blanc, where white roses bloomed in profusion——was bright with midday sunlight. Students walked freely across the stone pavement lined with white benches. The sweet scent of roses drifted on the wind. Hina sat on a bench next to Canon. Canon——a scholarship student from a baron's family, the original heroine of the game——had taken a liking to Hina ever since yesterday's rescue. She chattered happily while her brown hair bounced. "[excited]Today's magical theory class was amazing! Your explanation was so easy to understand, Vanessa-sama…… The pot metaphor really made me go 'oh, I get it!'" "[gentle]……Thank you" (The truth is I got that knowledge from the game. But I can't say that.) As she opened her lunch package, Hina was thinking. The afternoon lectures were in a different classroom. The seating would be different too. If she could get through the afternoon, today's stone strategy would be mostly successful—— "[gentle]May I have a moment of your time" That voice came from above her head. Hina nearly dropped her lunch package. She looked up. Standing there was Alphonse. No guards. No attendants. Just him alone. His silver hair swayed in the breeze. Deep lapis lazuli eyes looked quietly down at her. The noble ladies around them began to murmur. "[whispers]……The prince? Directly to Vanessa-sama?" "[whispers]Why……" (Why is he coming here!!! Without guards!!! In the game, this should be Canon's first meeting event with him——wait, he's looking at me! He's looking at me!!! The scenario has completely changed!!!!!) Hina's mind raced at high speed. Stay calm. As Vanessa. Just respond normally. "I was curious about the cooking metaphor from this morning. Where did you learn that way of thinking" (Just answer. Just answer normally. Address him respectfully and respond. That's all.) "[gentle]Um…… Al, Aluminum……" Silence. Canon tilted her head. "Aluminum……?" (Wrong!!!! What is aluminum!!!! The periodic table went haywire!!!!) "[surprised]No, I mean!! Alphonse-sama!!" The moment she finished speaking, Hina wanted to cover her face with both hands. She couldn't physically do it—Vanessa's body had too much aristocratic pride ingrained in it. That was the only thing that saved her. Canon laughed awkwardly. "Ah…… ahahaha." And at the corner of Alphonse's mouth—— An arc appeared. Just barely. Faintly. But unmistakably, the corner of his mouth rose. The noble ladies around them gasped in unison. "[whispers]…………The prince…… smiled?" "[whispers]At Vanessa-sama? At that Vanessa-sama??" "[whispers]What does this mean……" The murmuring spread. Alphonse, with that faint smile still on his face, spoke quietly. "[gentle]Aluminum—what is that? It doesn't seem to be a word in our language" "[serious]……It's, um, a neologism. I was imagining something light and durable, like a metal……" "[gentle]Interesting. Tell me more sometime" With just those words, Alphonse quietly walked away. Hina remained frozen on the bench. There was a gaze. A piercing gaze. Among the group of noble ladies, one in particular——with chestnut hair tied high, with a sharp and dignified face——was staring at Hina. While the other ladies whispered excitedly, this one alone wasn't smiling. Her gaze was cold, appraising. (This is bad. That gaze is definitely not a good sign.) Canon softly asked, "……Are you alright, Vanessa-sama?" "[gentle]I'm fine" She was definitely not fine. 　　　＊ After school. The promenade along the Lumière River was quiet. The river was wide, and its surface flowed gently, catching the light of evening. Willow leaves on both sides of the stone path swayed softly in the breeze. The sound of carriages and the bustle of the market didn't reach this far. Hina walked alone, trying to organize her thoughts. (I can't change the seating. I should change where I eat lunch. But Canon will follow me. And if I avoid the courtyard, something else will probably happen somewhere else. Alphonse-sama's behavior is unpredictable. He's not moving according to the game. I'm stuck.) She sighed and looked at the river surface. The orange sunset dissolved into the water. It was a beautiful scene, but she couldn't relax at all. At the base of the bridge, her feet stopped. Someone was standing with both hands on the railing, looking down at the water. No guards. No attendants. Silver hair swayed in the evening breeze. It was Alphonse. (Why is he here! Without guards!?) Hina unconsciously stopped walking. She should turn back. But her body wouldn't move. In the sunset, Alphonse gazed at the river. His expression was unreadable. But his shoulders were slightly lowered. The tension had left his body. Game text played in her mind. ——From childhood, as the heir to the throne, forbidden from showing emotion to the outside world. Not a single person he can speak his true feelings to. A lonely prince—— Words she'd read in the game's setting text. She'd read them many times. But seeing it now, actually in front of her, the weight of those words felt completely different. (The game character is…… really here.) "You really do look lonely" She gasped. She hadn't meant to say it out loud. But it had come out. (This is bad!!!!) Alphonse slowly turned around. Deep lapis lazuli eyes captured her. "[serious]……I heard that" "I'm, I'm sorry" Alphonse looked at her for a moment. His expression was calm. Not angry. Just a gaze that seemed to be confirming something. "[gentle]Lonely, is it" He repeated those words, rolling them around in his mouth. "[gentle]I've never had anyone say such a thing to my face before" ——Thump. Something large echoed deep in her chest. (What?) Hina unconsciously placed her hand on her left chest. (What was that. Why now. To a game character. Why am I feeling like this?) "[gentle]……Forgive me, Your Highness. I was intruding" Somehow managing to say just that, Hina bowed her head. She walked quickly across the bridge. She felt his gaze on her back, but she didn't turn around. 　　　＊ In the carriage on the way home, Hina stared out the window the entire time. Blanchefort in the twilight flowed past. White buildings were dyed orange. Market lights came on one by one. (This is bad. Bad bad bad.) The feeling in