Kawaii princess's Arc

Chapter 41 of 54

The rival's boots struck the tower steps as the colors faded. The head scout raised a hand and pointed past the stage to a taller frame at the arena's far end — an iron bell tower, its great cracked bell frozen mid-swing. "The final stage," he called. "One question. One answer. Spoken aloud." Kawaii Princess felt the token cool in her palm. She had no voice to spend. She walked toward the iron frame anyway. A second tower stood beside it, smaller, crusted with ice-bound bells that hummed the rule in low, freezing tones: answer, or forfeit. Around the base, stone figures in hooded armor lined the path, each with one hand raised, frost glittering on their shoulders. The crowd behind them stood just as still, breath held, waiting for sound. She stopped under the cracked bell and tried. Her throat moved. Nothing came. The rival smiled at the foot of the steps. Kawaii Princess pressed her hand to the iron post, then to her own chest, then dropped her arm. The frozen bells above kept humming the rule. The stone hands stayed raised. No answer left her mouth. The head scout's voice carried down, flat and even. "No answer given. Round forfeit." The token was lifted from her palm by a gloved runner and carried back up the tower steps. Kawaii Princess stood beneath the cracked bell with empty hands. The final stage had a rule now, and silence had cost her the round — but the contest was not yet called, and the crowd was still watching, still waiting to see what she would do without a voice.