Returning to the Barriston estate—the gates were as grand as those of the royal castle.

  A massive arched gate, wide enough for a legendary dragon to pass through. The heavy bck iron bars were adorned with intricate, eborate carvings. Blue and white Luminaria bloomed in full glory throughout the gardens.

  Outsiders whispered that it was built to mimic the prestige of the royal pace. But to me, it always felt strangely uncomfortable.

  ...It was too magnificent.

  Sometimes, I couldn't help but think it looked less like a manor and more like a cage.

  As I passed through the gates, the front doors were already open. In the corner of my downward-tilted vision, I caught a glimpse of long white hair fluttering softly in the night breeze.

  Waiting for me was Lord Nol Barriston—my foster parent, and now the kingdom’s Left Minister.

  "Welcome home, Ray. You’ve worked hard today."

  His words were kind. His tone was gentle, and he even wore a faint smile. Yet, for some reason—my throat tightened.

  (...What am I so wary of?)

  I told myself I was being silly. "I have returned," I replied simply.

  I bowed deeply and tried to brush past him. At that exact moment—

  "……You can stop the transformation now, can't you?"

  Snap. He flicked his fingers.

  The flow of magic shifted instantly. A faint light pulsed beneath my armor, gently enveloping my body, changing it.

  I was used to this. It was a sensation I had repeated countless times since childhood. What started as resistance had long since become a part of my daily life.

  Silently, my hair began to grow. The silver-white strands cascaded over my shoulders, and my bangs softened around my eyes. The contours of my body shifted—becoming slender, softer. Becoming more...

  "like myself."

  (...The magic is gone.)

  I was no longer "Ray."

  I had returned to being "Selesta."

  The only thing that remained unchanged was the color of my hair. Whether as Ray or as Selesta, I remained "white." If I looked in a mirror, I would see a face that was "too well-formed." Clear, pale skin and delicate features. My maids praised my beauty, but I never liked it much.

  (...I am too hollow, too half-hearted to stand beside someone like the Queen.)

  She is strong and beautiful. She possesses a light that can embrace everything. I am different. I’m struggling just to keep myself together. I feel my heart and body are too small to carry any real burden—

  (...And yet... after she actually went and chose someone like me...)

  I thought I was moving of my own free will.

  But I had so many complexes that I had lived my life begging my uncle for help. When he transforms me so easily like this, I lose track of where "I" end and the "lie" begins.

  It feels as if my heart doesn't truly belong to me. That sensation remained stuck deep in my chest again tonight.