I just wanted to pee.
After the sugar, the juice, the fried everything—I needed a moment of peace. So I snuck away from the festival crowd and found the nearest outhouse. Not exactly majestic, but it had a roof and didn't smell like death. Standards, right?
I sighed as I took position.
And then—DING!
A blue screen appeared right in front of my face.
> [Achievement Unlocked!] "Strong Bonds, Stronger Hearts" You've deepened your connection with your companions.
I blinked. "Really? Now?!"
I tilted my head to read it.
Then my aim tilted too.
And just like that… disaster.
"…No. No no no—"
I looked down.
Pants. Wet. Frontline hit. Casualties reported.
"Why… why would it pop up now?!"
I exited the restroom walking like a cursed crab, trying to act normal. Maybe if I walked fast enough, no one would—
"Pffft—BAHAHAHAHA!"
Lucen fell to his knees, cackling like he was watching the gods themselves trip on air.
"*You—wet yourself?! Riku, the Glorious Yes King, defeated by his own waterworks!"
"It's not what it looks like!"
Lucen's eyes were glowing. Literally. "Divine eyes confirm: it's exactly what it looks like."
I was about to command him to trip on a pinecone when—
Aelira showed up.
She looked at me.
Looked at Lucen.
Then looked down.
"…You peed yourself."
"I DIDN'T—"
She smirked. "Should I bring you a towel, Your Majesty?"
"IT WAS THE SCREEN!"
"Ah yes, the ancient Toilet Quest," she said, arms crossed. "A classic hero's journey."
I buried my face in my hands.
This was the worst.
This was hell.
This was—
"Wait. Where's Lumière?"
We froze.
The teasing stopped.
We looked around. No cotton candy. No pink hair. No humming.
Aelira's smile dropped. "She was just here…"
Lucen stood. His face darkened. "She's gone."
I felt it—like the entire air shifted.
I tried calling out. "Lumière?! PRINCESS?!"
Nothing.
I looked around, people still partying, still cheering.
But she was nowhere.
"She wouldn't wander off without saying something," Aelira said.
"She wouldn't disappear," I said.
Lucen's eyes glowed again. He was scanning. Fast. Silent.
"…She's not in the festival grounds," he muttered.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean… someone's taken her."
The wind blew. The music felt distant. And suddenly, my wet pants didn't matter anymore.
---
[To be continued…]