Saying so, Masachika realized he wouldn’t know how to explain why a queen would turn someone into a pig. So, he gave up pursuing that line of thought and sat up. As he rested deeply on the sofa, lost in thought, Maria, who had finished eating, suddenly asked him. “And so? What was Kuze-kun so sad about?” “!” At the sudden question getting to the core of the matter, Masachika’s body tensed for a moment... then he relaxed, answering somewhat resignedly. “It’s nothing really... I just thought, you know, like I was the antagonist.” Saying this somewhat nonchalantly, he thought it was a bit too dismissive and decided to elaborate. “Overflowing with talent... I’m like the antagonist who mocks the efforts of the protagonist. Without much effort, and without any particular passion, I’m the disliked character who still manages to produce results.” “...You're talking about the piano showdown, aren’t you?” “Well, that too... I guess.” “But... Kuze-kun, you’ve put in a lot of effort too, haven’t you? You used to tell me that a lot in the past. I remember it well.” “!” Touched by memories of Maa-chan, a serious expression momentarily took over Masachika’s face... but he quickly replaced it with a sarcastic smile. “Well, I did make an effort to be liked by my parents, I suppose.” “........” “For me, whether it was piano, karate, or studying, they were all means to that end. It’s not like I did them because I liked them, and I’ve never really put my heart and soul into anything in the first place.”