On the hill, before the sun had fully risen, a fragment of light was born in Lantis's hands. The golden glow filtered softly through her long black hair. Hikaru looked up at Lantis, still out of breath. Soaked from head to toe, their face a mess of tears, sweat, and fountain water. "[gentle]...I was scared too." Lantis's voice was far gentler than usual. Her deep blue eyes sparkled in the morning light. Hikaru couldn't say anything. They just stared at that golden fragment. —That was when it happened. "[excited]Ah-ha-ha! You did it, dechu~!!" Glittering rainbow powder fell from the sky. Puppet came diving down, his butterfly wings fluttering rapidly. "[surprised]Puppet!?" "[laughing]Finally, the first piece, dechu! Hikaru-kun, you're not half bad, dechu ka!" Puppet circled around Hikaru's head. His golden eyes gleamed with mischief. "[serious]But it's still not enough, dechu." His voice suddenly shifted to a serious tone. "[cold]That's only one fragment out of four, dechu. The time limit is tonight. Now—the final trial, dechu!" Puppet snapped his tiny fingers. The next moment, Hikaru's and Lantis's bodies floated gently into the air. "[surprised]Whoa!? Wh-what the!?" "[whispers]...What are you doing." Their bodies passed over the top of the Tower of Will and flew above the town of Fontaine. The "Starfell Circle" in the center of town—that plaza where they'd held the rock-paper-scissors tournament. They landed with a THUD right in the middle of the plaza. "Ow...!" When Hikaru looked up while rubbing their backside, the plaza was already packed with people. "[surprised]Why are there so many people...!" "[laughing]Pape-chan went around advertising it this morning, dechu! 'The final Grand Confession Tournament will be held at the Starfell Circle! If you come watch, your luck will improve, dechu!' I said!" "[angry]Who told you to go gathering people on your own!?" The fruit seller, Monica the landlady of the Weathervane Pavilion, the librarian from the Book Tower—familiar faces were already lined up in the plaza. And—within the crowd, there was a small figure with blue hair, and a tall figure with golden hair. "[scared]Umi...! Fuu...!" Umi stood at the edge of the plaza, her face angry. But her small fists were trembling. Fuu quietly watched the situation unfold. "[excited]Everyone's here, dechu ne! Now—let the final trial, the 'Grand Confession of the Heart Tournament,' begin, dechu!" Puppet emitted a brilliant rainbow light. In the center of the plaza, a small wooden platform sprouted up from the ground. "[excited]The rules are simple, dechu! Stand on this platform and honestly shout out what you truly feel in your heart right now! That's all, dechu!" The residents buzzed with murmurs. "[scared]W-wait a second, Puppet! In front of this many people...!" "[laughing]It's fine, dechu! It's only embarrassing at first, dechu! Now, first up—Umi-chan, dechu!" Umi flinched, her body trembling. "[angry]W-why am I first!?" Her voice cracked. The sight of her small body straining on tiptoes in anger only made her look more childish. "[serious]Umi-chan, what are you most afraid of right now, dechu ka?" Puppet's voice wasn't its usual provoking tone—it was quiet, and gentle. Umi's mouth opened for a moment. But the words wouldn't come. The residents' gazes focused on the small Umi. A girl with a childlike body dressed in adult's clothes. Her blue hair swayed in the morning breeze. (They'll laugh at me—) In her mind, the voices of yesterday's children came back. 'She's so tiny, but she's wearing grown-up clothes!' 'Does she think she's a princess?' (They'll laugh at me again. Showing myself like this, in front of so many people—) Umi bit her lip tightly. "[whispers]...I'm scared." Her voice trembled faintly. "[crying]I'm scared... When people see how small I am, and they worry about me... I hate it so much... I've always been scared of being a burden..." Tears spilled from her large sapphire-blue eyes. "[crying]The truth is, I want to be more reliable...! Right now, I can't do anything, I'm tiny, I'm weak... I hated myself like that the most...!" Her voice echoed through the plaza. In that moment—a pale blue light shimmered before Umi's chest. The light crystallized. A blue, translucent fragment floated gently upward. A fragment of the heart's truth. "[crying]...Huh?" Umi stared at the fragment floating before her eyes, her vision blurred by tears. "[excited]Umi~~~!!" Hikaru rushed over and tried to hug Umi. "[angry]Don't come near me!! I'm not crying!!" Umi shoved Hikaru away with all her strength. Her face was a mess of tears, yet her cheeks were puffed out in anger. "[surprised]Whoa!" Hikaru fell flat on their backside with ease. Laughter erupted from the residents. "[angry]Don't laugh~~!!" Umi shouted at the residents. But her voice was still choked with tears, not scary at all. "[laughing]Ahaha! Umi-chan is the best, dechu! That's a wonderful face, dechu yo!" "[angry]Shut up!!" Puppet spun around in the air. —At that moment. Fuu quietly stepped forward. Her tall figure stood before the platform. "[gentle]May I, as well?" The plaza fell completely silent. The blonde Fuu wore her usual composed expression. But her eyes wavered just slightly. "When the curse changed my body, I was actually very scared." Her words were concise. Just like Fuu always was. "But I thought if I said I was scared, everyone would become anxious. So I kept pretending I was fine." Fuu's voice was straightforward, without lies. "[gentle]When my most important comrades were struggling, I couldn't bring myself to complain too. ...But." Fuu took a breath and lifted her head. "[serious]I realized, after hearing Umi's words just now, that that was wrong too." In that instant, a green light gently overflowed from Fuu's chest. Wind swept through the plaza, softly swaying Fuu's golden hair. A green fragment appeared in her hand. "[surprised]Fuu, you..." Fuu turned around and smiled just a little. "[gentle]Thank you, Hikaru." Loud applause rose from the residents. Some were even wiping away tears. "[laughing]That makes three out of four fragments, dechu! Just one more, dechu ne~~" Puppet grinned and turned toward Hikaru and Lantis. "[sad]...Huh." "[excited]This is the final trial, dechu! Hikaru-kun and Lantis-chan, both of you together, stand on the platform, dechu!" "[scared]Whaaaaaat!? Why just the two of us!?" Hikaru's face turned bright red. "[laughing]And then, say one honest thing to each other! That's all, dechu! Simple, dechu yo!" "[surprised]It's not simple!! In front of this many people!!" "[serious]Then, are you fine with staying in that form forever, dechu ka?" Hikaru's words stopped dead. They glanced at Lantis. Lantis, in her female form with black hair, stared back at Hikaru without changing her expression. "[whispers]...Fine." Resigned, Hikaru started walking toward the platform. —In that moment. BANG! "[surprised]Whoa!!" They tripped on the stone steps and fell spectacularly. Laughter burst out. "[angry]Nobody saw that!! Nobody saw that!!" Hikaru shouted with a bright red face, quickly getting back up. The residents laughed even harder. "[laughing]That's so like Hikaru-kun, dechu!" "[whispers]Hurry up and get on." Lantis was already standing on the platform. Her long black hair swayed gently in the wind. Her deep blue eyes looked down at Hikaru. Feeling like their heart was about to explode, Hikaru slowly climbed onto the platform. They faced each other. The residents held their breath and watched. Silence. The first to open their mouth was Lantis. "[whispers]...I." Lantis's voice was small, but clear. "Whether man or woman, Hikaru is Hikaru." The plaza fell completely silent. "[whispers]...When I realized that, I became afraid." Lantis's chest began to glow with golden light. The remnants of the fragment that had appeared on the hill earlier grew brighter, shimmering faintly. (Lantis...) Hikaru's eyes grew hot with tears. Lantis said nothing more. But her eyes said everything. They were the gentlest eyes Hikaru had ever seen. "[crying]~~~~~~!!" Hikaru covered their face with both hands. "[angry]Don't make me say it!! It's embarrassing, I'm gonna die!!!" A shout leaked out from beneath their covered hands. They lowered their hands. With a face still messy with tears, Hikaru took a deep breath— "[excited]I love Lantis————!!!!!" Hikaru's voice echoed throughout the town. It was a full-powered scream that could be heard anywhere in Fontaine. In that moment, the four fragments shone simultaneously. Gold, blue, green, and—the fourth, rainbow-colored fragment overflowed from Hikaru's chest. The four fragments danced up into the air and became one. BOOOOOOM!! A rainbow light exploded, filling the plaza. "[surprised]Whoaaaaaa!!" The light enveloped Hikaru. Their body floated gently upward. Their limbs began to change. The rough, boyish hands returned to their original slender, soft hands. Their short red hair smoothly grew out, swaying softly around their shoulders. Their clothes returned to their original girl's clothes, and their body's lines shifted. —They had returned to a girl's body. "[whispers]...I..." They looked at their own hands. Slender fingers. Long eyelashes. Fiery red hair swayed at the edge of their vision. When they spoke, "atashi" came out naturally instead of "ore." "[surprised]...I'm back." Before them stood Lantis. Her lustrous black hair, which had reached her waist, was now cut short. Broad shoulders. Strong arms. Her deep blue, narrow eyes gazed at Hikaru in her original—male form. Lantis had also returned to his original form. "...Hikaru." His voice was his original low voice too. For a while, the two stared at each other in silence. Both of them were red up to their ears. "[whispers]...We're back to normal." "[whispers]...Yeah." Lantis abruptly turned away. Hikaru, following suit, turned away too. "[excited]A huge ovation, dechuuuu!!" Puppet spun around in the air, scattering rainbow-colored light powder. The residents erupted in thunderous applause and cheers. "[laughing]Magic Knight-sama, that's wonderful!" "[crying]Uuuu, I'm so moved..." "[excited]That was amazing! So cool!" Umi had returned to her original dignified young lady form. Long blue hair swayed at the middle of her back. Her slightly upturned sapphire-blue eyes. But her eyes were still bright red. "[angry]Hikaru! You... think about the setting more!" "[laughing]S-sorry...!" Fuu had also returned to her original form. Her golden hair swayed in the wind, and she smiled quietly. —Dusk. The commotion settled down, and the residents gradually left the plaza. Umi returned to the Weathervane Pavilion with Fuu, and Lantis was being spoken to by the fruit seller about something. Hikaru stood alone under the old clock tower at the corner of the plaza. The sky was dyed orange. At the top of the clock tower, a small light floated alone. "Puppet." When Hikaru called out, the light drifted down. "[surprised]Wh-what is it, dechu ka!? Pape-chan was just looking at the sky, dechu!" Puppet hurriedly tried to make his usual mischievous face. But—Hikaru didn't miss the fact that his large golden eyes were just slightly wet. "[gentle]Puppet. Thank you." "[surprised]...Huh?" "Because you were here, I was able to say what I felt." Puppet's movement stopped completely. "[flustered]Wh-what are you saying, dechu ka! Pape-chan just gave you trials, dechu! I don't need thanks, dechu! I don't need them at all, dechu kara ne!!" His voice cracked. "[laughing]...Yeah. But, thank you." Puppet abruptly turned away. Silence. "[whispers]...Will we meet again?" Hikaru asked. Puppet looked up at the sky for a while. His rainbow mohawk was beautiful, backlit by the sunset. "[whispers]...Who knows, dechu ka ne. But as long as the spring exists, we might meet again, dech