The white walls of the infirmary stung my eyes far too much. On the beds, students still lay unconscious. Those who had woken up stared at their own bodies, faces frozen, unable to make a sound. Quiet sobs could be heard here and there. The school physician Bazen's words—"Seven-Day Fixation Law"—clung thickly to the air. (*Seven days, huh.*) Mash gazed out the window. The sky, clear just moments ago, was now covered in gray clouds before anyone had noticed. "[angry]Mash! Were you even listening to what they just said?!" Dot's golden eyes flickered wildly with anger and anxiety. Their red slicked-back hair stood on end. "I was listening." "[angry]Then act more panicked if you were listening! Seven days, they said! Seven! If we don't change back, everyone's stuck like that forever!" "We have seven whole days." "[surprised]Huh?" "If we have seven days, we'll manage." Mash said this with their large, round brown eyes half-closed as usual. Their 174-centimeter frame was wrapped in the academy's white shirt. There was no mark on the back of their left hand—proof of being a non-magical. "[angry]What do you mean, 'manage'?! It's a magical curse! This isn't something you can just—" "Dot's panicking a lot." "[crying]Of course I am! I'm the only one who hasn't changed at all! You're a non-magical, so maybe it didn't affect you, but I'm different!" Dot's voice trembled. They clenched their fists tightly and hung their head. (*Why am I the only one who hasn't changed at all... Can I even be useful?*) Mash stared intently at Dot's face. "Dot is still Dot." "[surprised]Huh?" "That's the best thing." Having said that, Mash started walking toward the infirmary exit. "[angry]H-Hey, where are you going?!" "Back to the dorm. I want to change clothes." "[surprised]Change clothes?! This is hardly the time for—" "Also, I want to eat cream puffs." "[crying]How does your brain even work?!" Dot's shout echoed down the infirmary hallway. The corridors of the Creta dormitory were utterly silent. Normally, they would echo with the laughter of dorm students and the sounds of magic practice, but now no one was around. Only the Aethera lamps on the walls cast their pale blue light faintly. Mash stood in front of their room. (*It's so quiet.*) They turned the doorknob. *Click.* Someone was standing inside the room. A petite girl. Dull, light-blue semi-long hair that reached her shoulders. Her bangs fell over her eyes, and she kept brushing them aside with a restless gesture. Her slightly drooping yellow-green eyes wavered anxiously. The academy's white shirt and a gray miniskirt. The moment the girl saw Mash, she screamed with a face on the verge of tears. "[angry]Mash! What the heck is going on here?! I'm a guy, you know!!" Mash tilted their head. "Finn?" "[crying]Yes! It's me! Look at this—why am I wearing a skirt?! Why is my hair longer?! Why is my body so—" Finn looked down at their own body, on the verge of tears. They clutched tightly at their stomach. The mark on the back of their left hand flickered unsteadily. "[angry]I hate this, I tell you! Why did this only happen to me—" Finn started to say, then gasped and covered their mouth. "[sad]...No. That wasn't... I didn't mean that. I don't want to say things like that... Why... why did I end up with this kind of tone..." Tears streamed down Finn's cheeks. Originally, they had a timid personality and were kind to everyone. But now, their words kept coming out sharper and sharper. They couldn't control it. That, more than anything, was what tormented Finn. Mash watched Finn intently. "Finn." "[sad]...What." "Your hair got long." "[angry]That's all?! I'm this upset and that's your only comment?! You idiot, Mash!!" Finn shouted. But immediately, they were shocked by their own words and covered their mouth. "[crying]Ah... N-No, that's not... I'm sorry, Mash. Why do I say things like this... I hate it... I hate being like this..." They crouched down and burst into tears. Mash crouched down in front of Finn. "Your muscles haven't changed." "[surprised]...Huh?" "Finn's muscles are the same as before." "[sad]...That's irrelevant, muscles." "It's not irrelevant." Mash said it with a completely serious face. "If your muscles are the same, then Finn is Finn. That alone is enough." Finn lifted their tear-streaked, crumpled face. "[whispers]...What's that supposed to mean? It makes no sense." Finn said that, and laughed a tiny laugh. When they stepped out into the hallway, footsteps could be heard from a distance. *Clatter clatter clatter.* Hurried, yet somehow light footsteps. "[crying]Mash!! Mash, where are you?!" The owner of the voice was a girl running toward them, her long silver hair swaying. Straight silver hair that reached her waist. Her narrow, sharp purple eyes were moist with tears. Her petite frame wore the academy uniform. The mark on the back of her left hand had turned semi-transparent, its color faded. "[crying]Mash! You have to help me, you absolutely have to!!" Lance shouted this and threw themself at Mash's chest. *Thud.* Mash stumbled back a step. "[crying]Look at this hair! And my body's become like this... I was a guy! I was a *tsundere* honor student! Why have I turned into such a crybaby...!" They buried their face in Mash's chest and wailed loudly. Mash looked down at Lance's silver hair with a troubled expression. "You're crying." "[crying]Of course I'm crying! I wasn't a character who cries this much! Idiot! It's your fault—" Lance lifted their face and glared at Mash. But immediately, tears welled up again, and their eyebrows drooped. "[sad]...No. It's not your fault. I'm sorry... I don't even know what I'm saying anymore..." They started crying again. In the corner of the hallway, Dot was watching the scene. "[surprised]Lance... You weren't that kind of character before." Dot was speechless. The Lance of the past was a stubborn, competitive *tsundere* with a sharp tongue. Now, they were this honest and tearful. Lance turned their tear-soaked face toward Dot. "[crying]Dot... You haven't changed, huh. That's nice..." At those words, Dot felt a sharp pang in their chest. "[sad]H-Hey, don't cry! I'll do something about it! I'll definitely turn you back!" Before they knew it, they had shouted that. So naturally it surprised even themself. (*Why... When Lance cries, it hurts me too.*) Dot was confused. They shouldn't have been affected by the curse, yet somehow they understood the feelings of Lance, who had become a girl. "[angry]Finn, you too! What you said to Mash earlier—that wasn't what you really felt, right?" Finn flinched, their shoulders trembling. "[sad]...How do you know that? I don't want to say things like that... but my mouth just moves on its own." "[angry]I knew it! You weren't that kind of character either! I get it! I don't know why, but I understand how you guys feel!!" Dot clutched their head. "[crying]I'm a guy!! Why do I understand a girl's heart?! I'm not even affected by the curse!!" Dot's shout echoed through the hallway. Mash tilted their head. "Dot's energetic." "[angry]How can I be energetic?! This is insane, right?!" "But I think it's good if you're energetic." Mash said it nonchalantly. "You'll calm down if you eat a cream puff. Let's go to the dining hall." The three of them stared at Mash, dumbfounded. In this situation—cream puffs? Mash was already walking away. "[surprised]...Hey, wait up!" "[sad]Wait, Mash." "[angry]You seriously have no sense of atmosphere!!" The three of them hurriedly chased after Mash. In the hallway, there were other students. They watched the four from a distance. "[whispers]...Did you see? Those kids turned into girls from the Miasma Mark Curse." "[whispers]Even Lance-sama... I can't believe it. They were so brilliant." "[whispers]Isn't it that non-magical's fault? Ever since Mash came, nothing but weird things have been happening." The whispers stabbed at them like needles. Eyes full of curiosity and prejudice. Gazes mixed with pity, ridicule, and fear. "[angry]What did you say?! You guys, just now—" Dot was about to snap at them. But Lance gently grabbed Dot's arm. "[sad]...It's fine now. It's fine, Dot." "[angry]But still, those guys—" "[sad]We can't help what people say about us. Looking like this..." Lance's voice trembled. Their long silver hair swayed limply. That's when it happened. "[angry]We're not a spectacle, you know." Finn declared it in a sharp voice. The surrounding students fell silent, startled. Finn brushed their bangs aside and glared hard at the students who had been gossiping. "[angry]If you're going to say whatever you want, then I'll say whatever I want too. Be prepared for it." At that intensity, the students stepped back. After saying it, Finn suddenly came back to their senses with a start. "[sad]...Ah. N-No, that's not... What I just said..." Tears welled up. But it was too late to take it back. Mash turned around. "Finn, you're amazing." "[surprised]...Huh?" "That just now—it was strong." Mash said only that, then started walking again. Finn felt a warmth spread through their chest. The dining hall, "Pane's Room," was still open. The fragrant smell of freshly baked bread. Gray light streaming through the tall windows. It mixed with the pale blue light of the Aethera lamps, and a soft, warm air drifted through. "Ten cream puffs." On the other side of the counter, the renowned baker, Aunt Gerda, widened her eyes. "[surprised]You again! Didn't you just eat a moment ago?" Gerda looked at the three standing behind Mash and her face grew even more astonished. "[sad]...What's this, you kids. Don't tell me—is it that Miasma Mark Curse thing?" "[sad]...That's right. I was a guy." "[sad]Me too... I was originally a boy." Gerda was silent for a moment. Then she let out a deep sigh. "[sad]...What a terrible thing. So young, and going through such hardship." She took out cream puffs from under the counter and put more than usual on the plate. "[gentle]Here, eat up. These are on the house." Mash took the plate and sat down at their usual seat. And then, calmly, they began to eat the cream puffs. One. *Nom.* A second. *Nom nom.* A third. *Chew chew.* The sweet scent of cream puffs spread around the table where the four sat. Mash alone was the same as always. "[sad]You... How can you be so calm?" Lance asked in a trembling voice. Mash looked at Lance while stuffing their cheeks with a cream puff. "I don't know." Custard cream was stuck to the corner of Mash's mouth. "But I'm still me. That's all." At those words, the three fell silent. Mash doesn't change. Even if the world overflows with magic, even if everyone changes because of a curse, Mash simply exists alongside muscles and cream puffs. That, for some inexplicable reason, lit a small light in the chests of the three. "[gentle]...I see. You really are still you." Lance smiled, just a little. "[gentle]...Somehow, it all feels a bit silly now." Finn also laughed a small laugh while brushing their bangs aside. "[surprised]You guys... Why are you laughing?" Seeing the two smiling faces, Dot felt a warmth spread through their chest. (*Why... Why am I this happy?*) They didn't understand it, but it didn't feel bad. Mash picked up their sixth cream puff. "Cream puffs are delicious. That alone is enough." "[laughing]That makes no sense, Mash!" "[laughing]It really doesn't make any sense." "[laughing]You really are messed up!!" Laughter spilled from the table of four. In the corner of the dining hall. In the darkness stood a figure wearing a black robe. Their hood was pulled down deep, hiding their face. In their hand, they clutched a small recording magical tool. Emitting the faint light of Aethera, it meticulously recorded the four's conversation and actions. The black robe sta