The Night of the Star Lantern Festival——the curtain rose on Primera Kingdom's grandest ball. The courtyard Jardin Blanc of the Royal Academy Lycée de Roselia was filled with white roses in full bloom, despite it being winter. I'd heard that importing magically temperature-controlled greenhouse roses into the courtyard was a traditional spectacle of the Star Lantern Festival. Sweet fragrance drifted on the night breeze, and magical lights cast the shadows of petals dancing across the ground. Hina stood in the midst of it all. The Croire Duchy dress was deep navy silk, with gold embroidery that caught the moonlight. It suited Vanessa's body well. But honestly, something felt off about her feet. The heel had gotten stuck in the gaps between cobblestones three times, and each time she'd screamed "whoa" inside her head. (When I saw this stage in the game, I thought it was beautiful... but actually standing here, I'm dying of worry about my feet.) Over a hundred noble children filled the venue. Dresses and tailcoats mingled together, and somewhere a harpsichord's music drifted through. Hina slowly steadied her breathing. Leon's analysis results were folded and tucked into the inner pocket of her dress. Canon's list of testimonies too. Claude's situation, Alphonse's situation——everything was within reach. (He'll come. Definitely. If it's like the game, he should be coming soon.) At that moment, a single girl stepped onto a small platform set at the edge of the venue. It was Marianne. A pale pink dress. Elaborate curled hair. A smiling expression——but her eyes weren't smiling at all. The moment Hina saw her, she felt every nerve in her body snap taut. "[serious]May I have a moment of your time, everyone?" A pure voice echoed through the courtyard. The music fell silent. All eyes turned toward the platform. "[cold]There is something I must tell you all regarding Vanessa De Croire." A ripple ran through the venue. Eyes turned toward Hina. Ten people, twenty people, then everyone in the hall was looking at her. Marianne began speaking from the platform in a clear voice. How she'd bullied the heroine behind the scenes. How she'd tried to seduce the prince. How she'd deceived people with false kindness——almost the exact same words as the scenario she'd read in the game. (It came. It finally came.) Hina didn't move. Standing in Vanessa's face with perfect composure, she felt everything——the cold gazes of her entourage, the way the lady beside her quietly stepped away. She felt it all while not taking a single step back. Everything she'd built up from the first chapter would be used tonight. The thought actually calmed her heart. Just as Marianne's voice was reaching its triumphant conclusion—— "[serious]Then let us confirm the facts." It was a quiet voice. But it carried through the hall. Marianne's smile froze for just an instant. Hina slowly moved forward. The sound of her heel striking the cobblestones was oddly clear. (If I trip here, it's all over. Don't trip. Absolutely don't trip.) she prayed internally, while keeping her expression perfectly cool as she stood before the platform. "First of all," At that moment——Leon appeared from the edge of the venue, his arms laden with a mountain of books. His two-toned hair of wisteria and white swayed. His odd eyes gleamed with seriousness. And he had reference materials filling both arms, with a bag of analytical equipment slung over his shoulder. (The number of books... that's a lot!?) "I conducted a component analysis of the sealing wax." Leon spoke matter-of-factly while beginning to stack books on a table. Tower after tower of books piled up. The noble ladies around them widened their eyes. "The component ratio of beeswax from Croire territory's Fortuna and the sealing wax used on the problematic letter do not match. What did match was beeswax from the Amble district within Rivière Marquis territory. The component ratio of beeswax changes depending on the flora of the beekeeping region, and specifically, the differences in flavonoid composition ratio and pollen adhesion rate are......" (Leon, your explanation is too long!! Just the main point!!) As Hina screamed internally, Leon pushed up his glasses and continued. "......In other words, it's a forgery." (You could've just said that from the start!!!!) Murmurs spread through the venue. Before Hina could even say "second," the door on the opposite side of the hall opened. It was Canon. A commoner scholarship student from a baron's family, with a naturally innocent expression——but tonight, with a serious face, leading five students. Children Hina had known by face and name for a week, the ones who'd been forced to give false testimony. "[gentle]Everyone will tell the truth, won't you?" Canon went around confirming with each one. Because of her naturally bright manner, the atmosphere somehow became peaceful. Hina could even hear one of the falsely testifying students murmur, "If Canon-senpai asks, I guess I have no choice......" (Canon's personal virtue is amazing. The atmosphere doesn't even feel like a ball anymore.) One by one, voices came admitting they'd been coerced by Marianne into giving false testimony. Color gradually drained from Marianne's face. "Third," Claude stepped forward. Still in his knight's formal uniform, just one step. "[serious]In exchange for the record of my command violation——I guarantee this person's integrity as a knight." Just one sentence. But the hall fell completely silent. A record of command violation from the knight order. Everyone here understood what that meant. It meant he was standing here with the resolve that his career might be damaged. Hina kept facing forward, biting her back teeth slightly. (Claude......) "[cold]And finally," Alphonse's voice echoed from the back of the hall. Silver straight long hair. Deep sapphire eyes. The flash of a piercing in his right ear caught the magical light. The crowd naturally parted left and right, creating a path. "The embezzlement of academy supplies funds by the Marquis of Rivière——the transaction records were submitted to the Nobility Assembly as of today." Silence blanketed the venue. Marianne trembled. "......Father......" Her voice was small. The triumphant smile crumbled, crumbled further——and on the platform, she collapsed to her knees. Tears traced down her cheeks. Her entourage hurried over, embraced Marianne, and led her toward the hall's exit. The door closed. After a few seconds of silence——the venue began to murmur again. This was a different kind of murmur. "Amazing," "I didn't know," "Vanessa......" voices came from everywhere. Hina stood in place, slowly exhaling. (I did it... I really did it.) The insides of her knees trembled slightly. But her feet remained on the ground. ＊ The commotion settled about thirty minutes later. Noble ladies took turns approaching Hina, and she looped through "Thank you," "Please don't worry," and "Yes, I'm fine" repeatedly. (I didn't know noble etiquette required this much stamina... the game didn't have a stamina gauge......) When the crowd thinned slightly, Hina quietly slipped out onto the balcony at the edge of the courtyard. The cold night air touched her cheeks. The sweet scent of roses filled everything. White roses bloomed abundantly, glowing softly in the moonlight. The lights of the royal capital Blancheur, visible from the stone terrace, stretched far into the distance. "......Sigh." No one was here. Finally, she was alone. As Hina placed her hand on the railing and looked up at the night sky——quiet footsteps approached. It was Alphonse. His silver hair swayed in the night breeze. His deep sapphire eyes looked directly at Hina. "[gentle]It's all over now." Hina was about to say "Yes, somehow," but the words that followed made that impossible. "[gentle]......Vanessa. No——you were different from Vanessa from the very beginning. What drew me to you was you yourself." Her heart pounded heavily in her chest. (What?) (Wait, what did he just...?) No voice came out. She knew she should say something, but words wouldn't come. Alphonse's sapphire eyes looked directly at her——then. "......Theoretically speaking," A voice came from the opposite direction. Leon stood at the balcony entrance, holding a single book. Pushing up his glasses, he looked at Hina slightly askew. "[serious]You're the only one who can truly understand my theories. That probably means...I like you. Mathematically speaking." (Mathematically speaking, what!?!?) As Hina screamed internally, different footsteps sounded. Claude stepped forward and quietly knelt. A knight's salute. "[serious]I want to be...your sword. That's my true feeling." Silence. Three people looked at Hina. (Wait. Wait wait wait wait.) (I can't process one person, let alone three at once!?!?) Heat rose to Hina's face. Her cheeks burned. Words wouldn't come. Her mouth wouldn't move. Receiving gazes from three directions, her brain completely froze. At a distance from the balcony door, Canon watched with a gentle smile. "[gentle]......Everyone is amazing, aren't they?" (Why is Canon the only one looking peaceful!?) "Um, uh, wait," Only her voice came out, nothing more. Three gazes. The scent of roses. Moonlight. Everything came at once, and Hina pressed both hands to her cheeks. "[scared]......Please let me think about it." That was all she could manage. In the carriage on the way home, Hina stared out the dark window, thinking the whole time. Of the three——which moment had struck her heart most deeply? Only she knew the answer to that. ＊ She returned to her room in the girls' dormitory Pavillon Lys when the night had grown deep. She closed the door, removed her shoes, and sat on the edge of the bed. Sitting before the mirror, she saw wavy chestnut long hair and golden eyes reflected back. Vanessa's face. But now it felt like her own face too. Her head was spinning. The relief of overcoming Marianne's accusation, the confusion of not being able to respond to the three, and the certainty that the people of this world were real——it all mixed together. At that moment. A faint voice reached her from deep in her chest. It was Vanessa's voice. ——You did well. What I...could not do. The quality of the voice was different from before. The lonely girl's voice that had wept in dreams was now calm and peaceful. Hina spoke toward the mirror. Out loud. "[gentle]Vanessa, you live too. It's not over yet." There was no response. But warmth spread through her chest. That was enough. ＊ The next morning. She noticed something under her pillow when the window outside had grown white and bright. A white envelope. Unsealed. Her hand trembled slightly. She opened the paper inside. Handwriting she recognized. The same script as the previous three letters, the same paper quality. ——Well done. But this is only the prologue. The secrets of the Five Great Duchies, the true cause of Vanessa's mother's death, and why this world is a game——everything still lies within a story you don't yet know. Hina held the letter, unable to move for a while. (Vanessa's mother's death cause isn't the real one!? Why is this world a game!?) Shock and fear came simultaneously, and her head wouldn't work properly. But——gradually, she calmed down. She opened the window. Cold morning air entered the room. The white-gleaming morning of the royal capital Blancheur spread before her. The surface of the Lumière River glimmered in the distance. She tucked the letter into the back of a drawer, in the same place as the previous three. The destruction ending had been avoided. She still hadn't answered the three. The sender of the mysterious letter remained unknown. Vanessa's mother's situation, the secrets of the Five Great Duchies——she understood nothing. There was so much to do. But she could stand on her own feet. "[excited]Al