“Phew...”

  The moment the transformation faded, I let out a long, heavy sigh as if exhaling all my pent-up thoughts. My hair, the color of a white lily, grew long and cascaded down my shoulders. The armor around my chest still felt a bit tight, but at st, breathing became somewhat easier.

  ...However, it was my heart, more than my body, that was at its limit. Even though I hadn’t moved, my entire being felt as heavy as lead. My thoughts and emotions were sluggish, clinging to me like thick mud.

  “Hehe... I heard Her Majesty the Queen proposed to you.”

  My uncle’s voice rang out from behind me. It was light, almost joking. But what y behind that smile—I had never been able to read it. It was an elusive mask, perfectly suited for a man called a "pilr of the nation."

  “...Ha.”

  “Hehe. Her Majesty is quite the eccentric. To think she would choose someone like you...”

  He paused, and for a moment, I felt a shiver run down my spine as if someone were tracing a finger along my back. But he hadn't actually touched me. It must have been an illusion... surely.

  “—To choose such a 'loyal knight.' Well, as a ruler, I suppose I can understand the logic.”

  That low, chuckling voice hadn't changed since the old days—and yet, it left a gritty, unpleasant sensation deep in my chest.

  (...I know that look. I’ve seen it before. Whenever he’s plotting something.)

  Back when I was first adopted, he used to py all sorts of pranks just to make me ugh. ...But this was different.

  “Well, don’t take it to heart too much. The fuss will die down soon. Most people probably think it was just a joke anyway. ...Right, Ray?”

  My shoulders jolted at that name. My alias as a man. Every time he called me “Ray,” it felt like a tiny thorn pricking my skin.

  “By the way, how is your work as a knight?”

  My thoughts stumbled at his casual follow-up question. But before I could even answer—

  “I need you to eventually become my successor, after all.”

  Those words sank like lead into the depths of my heart. His voice echoed in the back of my mind.

  “I’m counting on you, Ray.”

  Ah—it’s no use. Something was crumbling, melting away. The more I tried to think, the more my mind sank into a fog.

  “...Yes, as you wish.”

  My own voice sounded distant. My mouth felt heavy, and my vision blurred. Lately, it had been like this all the time.

  Whenever I tried to remember someone, their name would grow hazy. Whenever I tried to speak, my throat would tighten. But that must be—because my time spent as "Selesta" is simply too short.

  Before I knew it, I was spending almost all my time as "Ray." My true self was being pushed deep into the shadows; my words, my very silhouette, sometimes became impossible to grasp.

  (...I’m just tired. Yes, that’s all.)

  And yet, in fleeting moments, I can't help but wonder.

  Will the real "me" simply disappear somewhere?

  I swallowed that anxiety, yet again.

  “In any case, you should get some rest. It’s been a long day, hasn’t it?”

  “...Yes, Uncle.”