My chest is so loud. Thump, thump. Even with a cloth covering it, I can feel the mirror's presence. Parnasse Car 8. Kuraf Rumena's room was surrounded by the same wood-grain walls as always. A small lamp with brass fixtures. A narrow but orderly bed. And——a mirror. Everything's the same, except for one thing. The mirror has a cloth draped over it. Kuraf pinched the edge of the cloth. Just a little. Just barely, I lift it. What reflected back was an unfamiliar face. Round, bright brown eyes. Long black hair falling loosely in waves from shoulders to chest. A thin body. Small hands. The Parnasse's exploration jacket somehow doesn't seem to fit right. The lightweight space boots are the same as always, but still... something's off. A girl. No matter how you look at it, a girl. "[angry]...What?" A high voice came out. Shocked by that too, Kuraf yanked the cloth back forcefully. A sigh escaped. I remember what happened a few days ago. Walking down the train's corridor, something came rolling from somewhere. A sphere about eight centimeters in diameter. Fine patterns like star charts floated across its surface——a beautiful jewel. I picked it up. That's all. The next moment, it glowed with a flash——and everyone on the Parnasse changed. Harmony of the Sphere. That's what I found out it was called later. A type of ancient amulet, manufacturer and manufacturing period completely unknown. And apparently it reacts to "the person you're most concerned about in your heart" and glows. Kuraf gripped the edge of the cloth tightly. (The person I'm most concerned about in my heart) No. No, no, no. Absolutely not. There's no such person. I just picked it up. It just happened to react. It just happened to glow. Definitely. Kuraf took a deep breath and left the room. ―――――― The dining car is in Car 5. Walking down the Parnasse's corridor, wood-grain walls and brass handrails continue on. Of the 220-meter-long train, the residential area is around Cars 7 to 9. This is where crew members often pass each other. Today——something feels oddly restless. The moment Kuraf opened the dining car door, she stopped. Several unfamiliar voices are flying around. The automatic cooker is baking bread as usual, but something feels off. Of the twenty seats, several are occupied by people who look both familiar and unfamiliar. Everyone's in the same situation as Kuraf. A young man in a white coat sits with a difficult expression before a data pad. Natasha. Usually a calm female doctor, but now he looks like nothing but a "young, inexperienced older brother." The crew member across from him, apparently a patient, looks restless for some reason. "[serious]Please look at this. I've compiled a record of the symptoms" A low voice. Speaking in a voice he's clearly not used to, Natasha holds out the data pad. The crew member's eyes waver. "[scared]Um, so you're... the doctor...?" "[cold]That's correct. Natasha Buruzaku. I'd appreciate it if you could believe me" He looks pained. Kuraf felt a little sympathy in her heart. By the window, Bronya in a boy's form sips coffee with a smile. Usually calm, meticulously managing the archives, but now with short hair and a sturdy build. Yet his expression hasn't changed at all. "[excited]This might actually be pretty cool" Someone from across the way says, "Why are you the only one having fun?" Kuraf takes one piece of bread from the automatic cooker and sits at an end seat. One bread, 3 Rooks. Food on the Parnasse is cheap. While eating, I survey the dining car. Everyone's confused. And that——is Kuraf's fault. The bread tastes like almost nothing. (Everyone's like this because I touched it) I know. There's a custom called the amulet finder's responsibility. Whoever finds an ancient amulet that exists across the cosmos has the obligation to manage it until its effects are lifted. There's also a legend that if you abandon or break it, the effect becomes permanent. So I can't let go of the jewel. Even when I put it in a case, it somehow rolls out. It all started from when Kuraf picked it up. (I have to do something about this) Finishing all the bread, I stand up. ―――――― The archives in Car 3 are cramped. About 1,200 books line the walls, and a brass lamp casts warm light. Because Bronya manages it, the books are arranged perfectly. Kuraf stands before the shelf and checks the spines one after another. Amulets. Ancient relics. Harmony of the Sphere. Pull out one book. Flip through it. Not relevant. Put it back. Next book. Not relevant again. Put it back. Stars flow past the window. The Parnasse is currently traveling through the Yarulo Sector——a region about 120 light-years in diameter where seven inhabited planets are scattered. The train runs along what's called a stellar orbit, a path of energy. From the window, that orbit sometimes appears as a faint line of light. Now a faint white glow flows past the window frame. Kuraf glances at that light for just a moment, then returns to the books. The option of consulting someone was never in her head from the start. I don't know why. It's always been like that. I sometimes remember the day I lost my family. It was an asteroid exploration accident. It happened in an instant, and I couldn't do anything. After realizing there was nothing I could do——I started thinking that showing weakness means the end. Crying, relying on someone, none of it brought back what I lost. So I had no choice but to do it myself. I've been doing that ever since. I pull out another book. That's when a line caught my eye. ——Belidot Star Rilkenote, Vestel Academy. Amulet specialists on staff. Kuraf traces that line with her finger. I read it once more. Then I decide. I'll go to Belidot. I'll investigate there. Find a way to reverse it. I put the book back on the shelf and left the archives. Without telling anyone. ―――――― The helm is in Car 1. Walking to the front car, the corridor feels longer than usual. Standing before the helm console where a star chart hologram is constantly displayed, Kuraf begins entering the course to Belidot Star. About five days using the stellar orbit from here. There's a specialist at Vestel Academy. It'll be fine. I can manage it. Clink. Something hits my feet. Looking down, a sphere rolls over and hits Kuraf's boot, stopping. The jewel. Harmony of the Sphere. I was supposed to have it in a shock-resistant case in Car 11's cargo hold, but it's rolled all the way here again. The star chart pattern on its surface glows with a faint light. Kuraf's chest thumps hard. (It's glowing again) The jewel's properties come to mind. It glows in response to the person you're most concerned about in your heart. (No way. Is someone else on my mind again...?) "[serious]...It's coincidence" I say it out loud. The high voice echoes through the helm. The jewel stops glowing immediately. But Kuraf's heartbeat doesn't settle for a while. Something keeps throbbing deep in her chest. Even when I place my hand on the console screen, my fingertips tremble slightly. (It's definitely coincidence. That jewel's sensitivity is too high. It's just reacting to little things. I don't have anyone on my mind. I don't, I don't, absolutely not) I resume entering the course. Punching in numbers, my hands are clumsier than usual. I mistype, erase, retype. My heartbeat is loud for no reason. ―――――― The observation lounge in Car 10 has a glass ceiling. Six sofas and a small counter bar. No one's here now. Kuraf sits on the sofa at the far end and tilts her head back. Stars spread across the sky. The stars of the Yarulo Sector are much closer and far more numerous than Earth's night sky. White light, blue light, hazy bands of light. Through it all, the Parnasse's stellar orbit continues as a faint line of light. Through the window glass, the orbit's glow trembles slightly. It's beautiful, I suppose. But right now, that's not really the point. "[serious]I don't like anyone anyway" I say it out loud. To an empty room. Like I'm convincing myself. But——a face flashes in my mind. That person I sometimes do helm work with. Always has a cool expression, doesn't say much unnecessary, but somehow... I'm concerned. My eyes follow them without meaning to. When I was touching the console in the helm earlier, I thought, "They're always operating here." That's all. That's all it is. (No. That's all it is) I try to brush it away. But it won't disappear. "[angry]So I'm telling you, I don't like them" When I say it out loud again, I'm startled by my own high voice. I'm still not used to this voice. Before the change, it was a bit lower. I sigh and hug my knees. Beyond the glass ceiling, a star streaks. A meteor, or maybe a rail worm——an energy-based lifeform called a Railworm touching the orbit. I can't tell which. But a thin line of light disappears smoothly. Kuraf watches it blankly. (The way to reverse it is apparently "to be honest with your feelings") That's what came up when I researched. But the details are unclear. How do you become "honest"? Do you have to say it in words to someone? Or just acknowledge it within yourself? I have no idea. Besides——there are no "feelings" to begin with. Since there aren't any, there's no way to be honest about them. Thump. Loud again. Kuraf buries her face in her knees. In the darkened view, only the heartbeat echoes. Deny, suppress, the face appears again, deny again. Repeating that over and over, the light outside the window seemed to change slightly, and I lift my head. The flow of stars is different from before. I wonder if I entered the course to Belidot correctly. I'm starting to worry. I'll check tomorrow. Tobias Kern is the director of Vestel Academy, apparently. Bad-tempered but first-rate knowledge, according to the literature. Whether I can get him to talk properly. The entrance fee is 5 Rooks, and there are 80,000 books in the collection—— Then. A faint glow at my feet. "[surprised]!" The jewel. The sphere that had rolled onto the lounge floor was glowing with a pale light. The same glow as before. But this time, it's different. The light lasts longer than before. Kuraf stands up. I look away from the jewel toward the lounge entrance. The corridor continues. The corridor where no one should be. But——I hear footsteps. Clink, clink, clink. Slow but distinct footsteps approaching. The jewel's light sways in time with the footsteps. Kuraf's heartbeat grows louder again. The footsteps draw closer.