“W-wait a minute! Diena? No way right? You have to think carefully! I already have three fiancées!"

I shouted firmly at Diena, who was gazing at the statue with eyes full of desire.

At my voice, Diena snapped out of it, startled, and smacked both her cheeks with her hands, looking at me with flushed cheeks.

“Of course, of course! I've given up on the idea of Ken as a woman! Please don't misunderstand!!"

"…For someone who says that, you sure seem flustered."

"Ugh!!"

Diena blushed and kicked the barrier in frustration, as if I'd hit the nail on the head.

The barrier, like jelly, gently absorbed her foot and kindly returned it.

"Anyway! I'm not going to be fooled by such nonsense!!"

Trying to brush off her exposed feelings, Diena shouted at the statue.

'Yeah, no matter how tempted Diena might be, she wouldn’t fall for something like that.'

I was really tense for a moment, thinking she might make the wrong choice, but seeing her normal reaction made me sigh in relief.

However.

[Foolish human…. My words are not yet finished.]

It wasn’t finished yet?

“W-wait a minute!"

Feeling an inexplicable sense of unease, I quickly interrupted the statue.

“As you can see, Diena is not tempted by your offer! She's already given her answer and said no, so there's nothing more to discuss!"

"…Ugh."

Why do you sound disappointed?

I anxiously glanced at Diena's awkward side profile before looking back at the statue.

"And besides, I already have three fiancées! Even if I were to become a woman, I couldn't possibly end up with Diena!"

"…Ugh."

"No need to take it personally."

"But…"

With each declaration I shouted at the statue to steer us through this situation, Diena's expression shifted repeatedly. She went from being flustered to sad, then contemplative.

At this rate, she might really make a wrong decision.

'I just need to end this trial somehow…'

[Foolish human…]

But the statue stood firm and answered without a hint of being swayed by my words.

[In my presence, you cannot lie. I can see your desires.]

"So Diena…"

[She indeed harbors a great desire.]

"…What?"

"Aah! W-wait! I understand, so please stop there!!"

Suddenly blushing at the statue's words, Diena shouted loudly.

I tilted my head in confusion at her reaction, but the statue ignored her and continued speaking.

[She desires to ◩○◩◩ with you, and to achieve ◩◩◩…]

"Aaaaaaaah!!!"

"Eeeeek!!! My ears!!!"

As the statue's words continued, Diena suddenly moved next to me and unleashed a loud scream directly into my ears at full volume.

Wuuuuu…

…So, when overwhelmed by such loud sounds, all you can hear is a ringing noise.

[...Thus, she must be tested to see if she is worthy of obtaining treasure with her great desire.]

"...What? What did you say?"

[Verbal lies are among the many common mistakes of foolish humans. Therefore, prove it through action.]

Due to Diena's sonic attack, I couldn't catch exactly what the statue was saying.

However, Diena, who was listening intently beside me, went pale, looking extremely flustered.

As if something disastrous was about to happen...

'Wh-what on earth...'

Amidst my confusion and fear due to not understanding the flow of events.

Zzing...

"Huh, huh?! Wh-what's happening!"

The barrier surrounding me began to tremble.

[Confront your desires and show the truth of your lies.]

I barely heard the statue's last words as my hearing returned to normal.

And as soon as those words ended.

The barrier encircling me closed in like a carnivorous plant.

And suddenly—

Swoosh.

I found myself transformed into a woman again.

"...Huh?"

A delicate voice I hadn't heard in a long time escaped my lips in a sigh of disbelief.

Looking down, the two large mounds I had seen before swayed suggestively.

I touched them, confirming they were real.

I had become a woman once more.

"Wa-wait, wait, wait—!!"

Startled by the sudden feminization, I reached out and yelled "Stop!" at the statue.

"...Haa, haa."

But then, Diena's orange ponytail caught my eye, diverting my attention from the statue to her.

She gazed at me intensely, drooling slightly, like a dog waiting for a treat.

"D-Diena? Why are you looking at me like that?"

She didn't answer my question.

Just like a dog that has lost its senses in front of a real treat.

And instead of her, the statue spoke.

[ Now, woman... Show me your desires honestly. ]

"Ah, no, but Diena just a moment ago…"

I protested vehemently in a weakened voice to the statue that pressed on with its story regardless.

Grab.

"Eek!"

"Haa, haa, Ke, Kenna..."

Suddenly, Diena, with a flushed face, had come close and grabbed both of my hands, stopping my protest.

It was as if she had reached her limit and was now overflowing with desire.

No matter how I looked at her, she was sincere.

'I-I’m sorry to Diena, but...'

Now that it had come to this, I had no choice but to stop her by force if necessary.

Of course, fortunately, my first time was with Raphne, so it wouldn't be my first experience.

Strictly speaking, it would be my first experience as a woman.

If I got overwhelmed here, it would be a disaster...

Uh, wait?

"W-why my arms..."

They wouldn't move.

Even though I tried to struggle with all my might, it was as if my hands were stuck to a rock, and I couldn't shake Diena off.

"Haa, Kenna... You're so beautiful..."

Meanwhile, Diena approached me with eyes as if possessed by a ghost and brought her lips close to my neck.

"N-no... Diena, please don’t! I have a fiancée!"

A wave of fear washed over me.

A familiar emotion.

This is the fear emerging from the weakened heart when my body becomes a woman.

I was scared of Diena, who held my arms and pressed her body against me, as if she would consume me.

My shoulders trembled at the sight of her, and soon a heat reached the tip of my nose, with tears welling up in my eyes.

"Ugh, sob, D-Diena..."

The fear of what she might do to me was suffocating.

And the powerlessness in being unable to do anything about it.

So, like a helpless child, I began to sob.

[ ...Oh. ]

"...Huh, what? K-Kenna?"

[ Foolish human.... You have made her cry... ]

“You set this up for that very purpose, didn't you!?”

[ All of this is the result of actions born from your desires. I am merely... ]

"Don't act like you had nothing to do with it, you lunatic━!"

"Ugh, sob, hic."

This is bad.

Even as the statue and my friend exchanged strange banter, my tears wouldn't stop.

Fear surged through me, making my limbs tremble, and despair seeped in, as there was nothing I could do against it.

"Kenna... This, I mean... I'm sorry... I didn't mean for this to happen!"

"Diena..."

She was still holding both of my hands.

While worried about my crying, her gaze betrayed instinct as it traveled down to stare at my chest.

"My arms hurt..."

"Gah! Sorry! I lost my senses and just..."

Realizing she was clinging on too tightly, Diena quickly let go of my arms.

Even against her grip, my delicate arms were turning red.

"Ugh, sob, it hurts... I'm scared..."

"K-Kenna, uh, I mean..."

"Sob, Diena's a pervert, a creep, a… I told you I have a fiancée."

As the emotions surged through me and I hurled blame with harsh words, Diena clutched her chest, visibly pained.

She looked at me with dilated pupils and a pale face, as if afflicted by a curse magic that dealt gradual damage.

"I'm so, so sorry. I was genuinely out of my mind…"

A moment ago, she indeed didn’t seem in her right mind.

"Eek━! Anyway, Guardian!! As you can see, I've given up on turning Ken into a woman, so please just hand over the treasure already!"

[ But you were just about to... ]

"Ultimately, I didn't do it, so just let it go━!"

Perhaps feeling guilty about nearly forcing something bad on me, Diena argued back with more vigor than before.

Although the statue showed no change in expression, after a brief moment of hesitation, it spoke, seemingly a bit taken aback.

[ Foolish human.... I have indeed seen your unfeigned heart. ]

"Phew... Finally…."

"Sob, th-then, now we get the crafting instructions, right?"

"Yes, s-so please stop crying. I really am sorry!"

"Okay…"

If we ended up getting the crafting instructions... well, then I suppose it doesn't matter.

Anyone would lose their composure if a stunning woman suddenly appeared before them and said, 'Do as you wish.'

As if to prove that, Diena apologetically yet wistfully glanced over my body.

It was an experience that gave a deep understanding of a woman’s feelings in many ways.

At that moment, the previously silent statue continued speaking.

[ Woman, at the last moment, you revealed all your true and honest feelings… ]

"…Hmm."

Diena wore an inexplicably unsatisfied expression.

Regardless, the statue continued its speech.

The following words were:

[ Since you displayed both desires honestly, I shall reward you with both prizes as a reward. ]

I was dumbfounded.

Was this like the story of the gold axe and the silver axe?

"Wh-what?! W-wait, what do you mean?"

Startled by the confusing words, I raised my voice in protest.

But the statue, having said its piece, disappeared into the ground with a rumbling sound.

As the statue vanished, a secret passage behind it was revealed.

"…Ken."

"......."

I remained a woman.

...What a crazy chunk of stone.

Despite clearing the trial due to the whims of the bizarre perverse statue, I was still a woman.

Fortunately, there were two good points.

First, there was indeed a proper crafting scroll for the Demon Sword in the place we entered through the secret passage.

Second, the curse of feminization could be resolved with Raphne's Pendant anyway.

In the end, although it was a trial, it was still a type of curse.

It was truly fortunate that I had recreated the pendant that had been lost to Past Alteration.

"......."

"…Why, why do you keep looking at me?"

"No, no… it's just."

However, unlike the familiar atmosphere on the way to the temple, on the way back, we walked in a strangely awkward silence.

Diena kept glancing sideways at me.

I understood her feelings, but it was troubling when she looked at me with such an entranced expression.

So, Diena and I eventually achieved our goal and returned safely to the village inn.

Afterward, I used Raphne's Pendant to lift the curse and became a man again.

"Hey, Ken, why did you become a woman? What were you two doing? Why can't you answer?"

"Did you really need to become a woman to get the crafting instructions? If you're honest with me, I might overlook it."

"...Pervert."

With Raphne's piercing eyes, Mary's sadness, and Emily's embarrassed and disgusted gaze fixed on me, our complicated short trip with Diena came to an end.

...I'm exhausted.

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