Kokoro had no idea what to say.

Of course she, too, had a wish she wanted to come true. But it was kind of a questionable wish she was unsure she wanted to reveal. Especially to the boys, who would probably start to avoid her if she told them. OK – so if they did locate the key, how would they decide whose wish to make come true?

Deciding by rock-paper-scissors would work, but if, one by one, they were to explain their wish in front of everyone, like an election speech, trying to convince the others of the intensity of their desire, then Kokoro, who wasn’t much of a speaker, would be at a disadvantage. Aki or Masamune would certainly run away with it.

But the key was yet to be found. And there was no guarantee it ever would be.

Kokoro herself, when she was in the mood, had secretly looked around, but had come up empty-handed. Like Aki said, it would be a real shame if it all ended with no one’s wish coming true.

‘I’m OK looking with you all,’ Rion said.

Ureshino nodded his assent. ‘Me too. Sure.’

Ever since Ureshino had left the castle to go back to school, and had returned beaten up, the atmosphere in the castle had definitely changed. Everyone was more comfortable about opening up to the rest.

We two still haven’t replied, she thought, and her eyes and Subaru’s met. Kokoro was the first to nod.

If her wish came true, that would make her happiest, certainly, but enjoying her time in the castle until March was equally important. It was only now, when she heard that they had just six months left, that the reality sank in. She’d been so oblivious. What would happen if, after the castle disappeared, she was still not able to go to school?

She’d been thinking the next school year was way off, but it was inexorably coming nearer. When she thought of herself as a sophomore in junior high, she felt the blood drain from her and her stomach started to ache.

For Kokoro, too, there was no other option – they had to find the key.

‘I agree. Let’s look for it together,’ Kokoro nodded, and Subaru, beside her, broke into a smile.

‘OK,’ he said. ‘We’re now going to start searching for it properly. So let’s do things systematically. What if we draw a map of the castle and cross off the areas we’ve already covered?’

‘I think I did a complete search of the dining room,’ Aki said, quickly raising her hand. ‘I looked everywhere – from the empty fridge to right at the back of the curtains. Of course, I’d like all of you to check, too.’

‘I looked five or six times in here,’ Masamune said, casting his eye around the Game Room. He pointed at the mounted stag’s head and the fireplace.

Subaru nodded, too.