Siesta, in an effort to win Saito, challenges Louise to a contest. If he can locate Louise at the Seipnir ball, she will relinquish her advances towards him. Louise accepts, telling Saito that if he succeeds, she will allow him to “continue what he started before”. The ball arrives, and each participant takes a turn at the mirror of truth, which transforms him or her into their ideal self. Saito, on the way to the ball, notices a dark shape flying over the academy. Believing Louise to be in danger, he rushes in and begins to search for her. Locating her on the balcony, he has a brief conversation with her before the two kiss. Sheffield then arrives and disrupts the ball, destroying the mirror and reverting everyone to their former selves. Saito then discovers that the girl he kissed is not Louise, but is in fact Princess Henrietta, who had taken Louise’s form. She explains that she has always envied Louise, considering her to be much more courageous than herself. She embraces Saito when he attempts to comfort her, and the two almost kiss again. Louise discovers them in this act and runs away crying, ignoring Saito’s attempts to explain. She is confronted and hypnotized by Sheffield who then takes her captive. While going after her, Saito is confronted by Tabitha, who is now in league with Sheffield. After a brief skirmish, Saito defeats Tabitha, but spares her life. He then manages to free Louise from her hypnosis, whereupon the two are surrounded by enemies. They are saved by a sudden wave of fire magic, originating from Colbert and Kirche, riding the dark shape from earlier, which is revealed to be an enormous flying machine.
