The edge of the fountain was cold. Hikaru lay curled up on the stone. It seemed they had cried themselves to exhaustion last night, muffling their sobs, and fallen asleep right there. Their consciousness sank deep. (This place is…) The scenery in the dream was not the familiar Mirza Valley. It was the shore of a mist-shrouded spring. But the air was colder, and everything looked ancient. The spring from three hundred years ago, back when no one knew of it yet. A woman stood at the water's edge. Her long silver hair swayed gently, though there was no wind. She gazed intently at the spring's surface. Her profile was hidden. But her back alone told the story—she was in immense, unbearable pain. "I love you." A hoarse voice, swallowed by the mist. "I just couldn't say those simple words." The woman dipped her trembling hand into the spring water. In that instant, her body was enveloped in light. A soft, sorrowful light. When the light faded, no one remained at the spring's edge. In the shadow of a rock a short distance away, a single figure watched. A tiny fairy with wings. Its rainbow mohawk had lost all color, turned pitch black. Tears streamed from its large golden eyes. "…A heart that hides itself and vanishes is the saddest of all, dechu." It wasn't the usual mischievous voice. Puppet crouched alone at the edge of the empty spring. "Why didn't you say it, dechu ka. You should have said it, dechu. Puppet-chan is… Puppet-chan is…" The words that followed were drowned out by sobs. Hikaru screamed inside the dream. "[crying]Why didn't you stop her?! You were right there, weren't you?! You could have helped her?!" Puppet didn't turn around. But that tiny back answered. "…The one who can stop them isn't Puppet-chan, dechu. It's only that person's own heart, dechu." The scenery warped and twisted. Scene after scene flooded in. Different faces, different people, touching the spring water and vanishing. And Puppet, watching from the shadow of the rock. Always alone. Never noticed by anyone. Again, and again. Three hundred years of solitude crashed over Hikaru like a tidal wave. "[crying]Uwaaaaaah…!!" It felt like their heart would burst. Someone's true feelings, vanishing without ever reaching anyone. And a fairy who had watched over it all, utterly alone, for three hundred years. At that moment, Hikaru's eyes snapped open. —SPLOOSH!! "[surprised]Bwah…!!" They had fallen spectacularly into the fountain. The cold morning water soaked through their entire body. As they surfaced, drenched, the dawn sky spread out before them. The edge of the horizon was just beginning to glow faintly orange. Day three. The final day. "[crying]Even Puppet… waited three hundred years." Hikaru crawled out of the fountain. That tiny back they had seen in the dream. The fairy who cried alone, unnoticed by anyone. That had surely really happened. "[crying]I don't want Lantis to hate me… The thing I hate most… is not being able to see her anymore." Once they said it aloud, the tears overflowed. But it was different from before. Not because they were sad. Not because they were scared. It was simply that the feelings they wanted to convey overflowed and wouldn't stop. "[angry]I already know… this isn't because of the curse!!" They shouted it alone. They shouted it themselves, and surprised themselves doing it. Just then, they heard the clatter of wheels. A morning delivery cart. The driver, an older man, stared openly at the soaking-wet boy shouting beside the fountain. "Good morning." "[surprised]…Ah, good morning." They reflexively returned the greeting. The cart trundled past. In the now silent plaza, Hikaru stood alone, face bright red. "…What am I doing." But there was no more hesitation. Still in their wet clothes, Hikaru broke into a full sprint. The town of Fontaine was beginning to stir with preparations for the morning market. "[panting]Lantis…!" Hikaru kicked off the cobblestones and ran. A boy's legs are fast. Their lungs burned. Their wet clothes were heavy. Still, they didn't stop. In front of the Weathercock Inn—not there. "[panting]Where is she…!" In front of the fountain in the Starfall Circle—not there. The entrance to the Library Tower—not there. Out of breath, they put their hands on their knees. The townscape, lit by the morning sun, looked warped through their tears. "[gentle]Oh my, Magic Knight-sama. What's the matter, in such a rush?" When they looked up, the fruit vendor preparing for the morning market was peering at them with concern. "[panting]A woman with black hair, carrying a sword… have you seen her?!" "[thinking]Ah, that beautiful lady? She headed up towards the hill." "[excited]Really?!" "[laughing]Chasing after your girlfriend, are you?" Hikaru's movement stopped dead. "[scared]N-no! …Or maybe, not no…" They froze on the spot for three full seconds. "[excited]Thank you!!" That was all they said before sprinting off at full speed again. The stone steps leading up the hill were long. With each step they bounded up, their heart felt ready to explode. Their thighs were screaming. They were soaked from head to toe with sweat and fountain water. But if they stopped, they would definitely regret it. They gritted their teeth. Up ahead, they could see the Tower of Will. The massive, gleaming white tower sparkled in the morning sun. And—at the top of the hill, there was a figure. Long black hair swaying in the morning breeze. "…Lantis!!" They shouted. Lantis slowly turned around. Her usual taciturn expression. Deep blue eyes. But there were faint shadows under them. She hadn't slept all night. "…Why are you here." Lantis started to speak. But Hikaru cut her off, shouting. Hands on their knees, on the verge of collapsing, they still lifted their head and looked straight at Lantis. "[crying]I don't know!!" Tears streamed down their face. "[crying]I don't understand my own feelings at all!! But the thing I hate most is you disappearing on me!!" They couldn't breathe. Still, the words wouldn't stop. "[crying]It's not because of the curse, or because we're comrades, or anything like that…! It's because it's you, that's why I hate it!!" They let it all out. They put their hands on the ground, panting so hard they nearly sprawled out. Their face was a mess of tears, sweat, and fountain water. Lantis silently gazed at Hikaru. Her long black hair shimmered, backlit by the morning sun. "[scared]…You're an idiot." Her voice trembled, just a little. At that moment— Lantis's chest began to glow with a gentle, warm light. A pale golden light. The light crystallized, floating softly into Lantis's palm. A fragment of the Heart of Truth. "…This is." Lantis stared at the shining fragment in a daze. Then, she slowly returned her gaze to Hikaru. A breeze blew between them. "[whispers]…I was scared, too." Just a single sentence. But she said nothing more. Hikaru lifted their tear-streaked face and looked back at Lantis. It was more than enough. Because Lantis's eyes were gentler than they had ever seen before. The morning sun dyed them both gold. In the distance, the Tower of Will shone quietly. One fragment had been gathered. But Umi and Fuu's fragments were still not yet complete.