Morning at the Windvane Inn. The scent of freshly baked bread drifted through the first-floor dining hall. Lantis, her long black hair tied back, quietly lifted spoonfuls of soup at a window seat. Across from her, the shrunken Umi sat on her chair, legs dangling, sullenly tearing apart a piece of bread. Hikaru sat a little distance away from the two of them. They ruffled their blazing red hair and poked at the fried egg on their plate with a fork. (*I can't even look at Lantis properly…*) Yesterday evening. The rock-paper-scissors tournament in the Starfall Garden. The feeling of their hands clasped together for ten seconds still seemed to linger in their right hand. "[whispers] It's the curse, it's the curse…" Hikaru was muttering under their breath when— BANG! The dining hall's window glass suddenly blazed with rainbow light. "[excited] Gooood morning! It's such nice weather today!" A tiny fairy phased through the window and flew in. A pink and light-blue mohawk bounced up and down. "[surprised] Wha—… what the hell, first thing in the morning?!" Hikaru shot to their feet. Puppet paid them no mind, doing a little spin in midair. "[serious] Listen up! Today's trial is the 'Embarrassing Line Battle'!" "…Embarrassing… lines?" Lantis set down her spoon. "[excited] That's right! You have to look your opponent in the eye and say something you genuinely mean from the heart! Lies or flat readings will be totally obvious~. If you get caught, as punishment, everyone's curse gets worse for one hour!" "[scared] Th-there's no way we can do that!" Hikaru slammed their hands on the table with a clatter. "[teasing] Oh my~? Doesn't Hikaru-kun have even *one* thing they want to say to Lantis-chan~?" "[scared] Wha—…!" Words failed them. When they glanced at Lantis, their eyes met those deep blue ones directly. *Thump.* Their heartbeat jumped. Hikaru frantically averted their gaze and slammed their forehead against the table. *THUNK.* "[crying] I'd rather die…!" "[sad] Me too… I'm the absolute worst at this kind of thing…" Umi hung her head, her face pale. Her small hands were clenched tightly on her lap. "[serious] But if you refuse, the curse gets worse. What'll it be?" "[angry] …Fine! We just have to do it, right?! We'll do it!" Umi shouted. "[excited] It's settled! The venue is Windmill Village Milène! The villagers have already been notified~!" "[surprised] What?! You already told them?!" Puppet didn't answer, turning into a rainbow light and zipping out the window. A heavy silence fell over the three left behind. "…Let's go." Lantis quietly stood up. Her long black hair shimmered in the morning sunlight. Her profile looked so much more feminine than usual, and Hikaru looked away again. When they arrived at the square in Windmill Village Milène, the villagers had already formed a circle, waiting. Twelve windmills turned slowly in the early summer breeze. "[laughing] Ha ha ha! We've been waiting, Magic Knights!" The large village chief, Bartos, greeted the three with a hearty laugh. "[excited] Now then, let's begin! The first match is— Umi-chan versus Hikaru-kun!" Puppet clapped their hands in the air, and cheers rose from the villagers. Umi stepped forward into the center of the square. Her small body looked up steadily at Hikaru. "[sad] Hikaru… you, well…" "[scared] Y-yeah…?" Umi's cheeks turned bright red as she forced the words out. "[embarrassed] You… you look like a boy, but inside you're incredibly stupidly honest, and sometimes I respect that…!" A moment of silence. The next instant, the villagers burst into laughter. "[surprised] I-is that a compliment?! Or an insult?!" "[angry] It's a compliment!! For me, that was a huge compliment!!" Umi's face was bright red as she jumped up and down. Her figure looked so utterly childish that the villagers' laughter only grew louder. "[crying] D-don't laugh! So what if I'm a kid…!" Tears in her eyes, Umi ran off to a corner of the square. "[excited] The crowd's warmed up! Now, the main event! Lantis-chan versus Hikaru-kun!" Puppet declared loudly. Hikaru's heart began to pound like a frantic alarm bell. Standing before them, Lantis slowly turned to face Hikaru. Long black hair swaying in the wind. Deep blue eyes gazed straight at Hikaru. "[serious] …I'm listening." A quiet voice. But that voice seeped gently into the depths of Hikaru's chest. The villagers watched, holding their breath. Hikaru stared intently into Lantis's eyes. (*She's beautiful.*) That was the only thought that surfaced in their mind. Long eyelashes. A slender, straight back. Black hair swaying in the wind. Everything about her was beautiful. Back when she was a boy, Hikaru had thought she was cool. But now, they just thought she was beautiful, plain and simple. "[whispers] I… I thought you looked… beautiful. Today… you." Hikaru's whole body turned bright red as they squeezed the words out in a trembling voice. The square fell utterly silent. Only the sound of the windmills turning—creak, creak—echoed. The next moment— "WHOOOOAAAA!!" "They said it! They actually said it!" "The Magic Knight confessed!!" The villagers erupted in a deafening roar of cheers. Lantis stood frozen, her expression unchanged. But. Hikaru didn't notice that just the tips of her ears had turned faintly red. That was when it happened. "[gasp] Lady Lantis!!" Out of breath, Umi came running in from the village entrance. Clutched in her small hands was a beautiful envelope. "[surprised] Umi? What's wrong? Why are you so out of breath?" "[panting] At the inn… a delivery… this…" Umi held out the envelope in front of Lantis. On the front, in elegant handwriting, were the words: *To Lady Lantis, from Phelio* "[surprised] Phelio? The prince, right? The one who turned into a girl from the curse…" "[excited] A l-letter?! Is it a love letter?! Puppet wants to see!" Puppet tried to pounce on it, but Umi desperately swatted them away. Lantis silently accepted the envelope. She broke the seal and scanned the letter inside. Her expression didn't shift in the slightest. "[curious] What's it say? What's it say?" Hikaru tried to peer at the letter over Lantis's shoulder— in that instant. *Riiip.* Without a word, Lantis tore the letter in two with both hands. The torn scraps fluttered in the wind. One piece, two pieces— carried by the early summer breeze, they spiraled up into the sky. The clamor of the square fell silent, as if doused with water. "[scared] …………" No one could say a word. Lantis quietly pressed one of the torn pieces of paper into Hikaru's palm. Her hand trembled faintly. "…Lantis?" Lantis didn't answer. Without uttering a single word, she turned on her heel and walked away from the square. Her long black hair swayed heavily in the wind. Her back grew more and more distant. Hikaru stood rooted to the spot, holding the torn scraps of the letter in both hands. "[whispers] Why…?" "[scared] Was Lady Lantis… angry? I've never seen her make such a scary face before…" Umi's voice was trembling too. "[muttering] …That was a little different from the plan." Even Puppet didn't let out their usual cackle. They sat cross-legged in the air, blinking their golden eyes. Hikaru stared at the scraps of paper in their hands. Phelio's writing was cut off at the torn edge. *I could never take my eyes off your dignified figure. Whether the curse is broken or not—* (*Phelio is serious about Lantis…*) "[confused] But why did she tear up the letter…? Did she not like it…?" "[angry] Hikaru, you…!" Umi started to say something, but stopped mid-sentence. She clenched her small hands tightly and hung her head. "[whispers] Was it because I said that stuff? Was it rude of me to try and peek…?" Hikaru kept going in circles in their head. —Jealousy. That word didn't cross Hikaru's mind, not even for a second. Twilight in Windmill Village. Hikaru was still standing in the square. Still clutching the torn letter tightly. A little over one day left until the time limit. The fragments of truth they'd collected: still zero. The wind blew. The torn scraps of paper rustled softly in Hikaru's hands.