123. Mirror, Mirror
123. Mirror, Mirror
[Chapter 123] - Mirror, Mirror.
-...go, Princess-nim...
Ainsel looked at Titania, who had returned to the room supported by the maids. She had fallen and both her knees were scraped, and her palms were all scratched up—it looked painful just to see.
The maids carefully treated Titania's wounds and then left the room. It was because Titania had ordered them to leave as she wanted to be alone.
Thinking that now she should give Titania time to think, Ainsel slipped out of her main body and headed to her clones. All the mirrors in the castle were currently 'clones' that Ainsel could freely travel through. Unlike before, she could now go to any mirror inside the castle.
Leaving her main body, Ainsel began to move through the clones and roam the castle. And then, the moment Ainsel entered a certain room—
"Kyaa! There in the mirror, Queen Jeonha's face...!"
"...You must be very tired?"
"No! I'm telling you, eonni?! Just now, in that mirror, Queen Jeonha's face went sseuseuk and..."
"Yeah, yeah, let's go inside and rest."
She had made eye contact with the maid who was cleaning. Sometimes she got caught by people who were really tired or by babies who couldn't speak, but everyone just thought they had seen wrong, so rumors hadn't spread yet. It was just one of the castle's top ten ghost stories, a bit of amusement for the maids. A ghost story about seeing Queen Jeonha's face if you look into the mirror at dawn.
Ainsel let out a small sigh and sseuseuk passed through the mirrors, surveying the mood of the castle. The atmosphere in the castle was exactly as Ainsel had expected—extremely chaotic. Everyone was whispering and exchanging various stories about Titania's earlier behavior.
As she moved through the corridor, Ainsel spotted a group of maids. Approaching as close as possible, Ainsel pricked up her ears and began eavesdropping on their conversation.
One of the maids in the group said, "Could it be that the Princess has finally gone mad...? There's no way the former Queen Jeonha would be there... To the point of seeing things..." and trailed off.
Among the maids, rumors began to spread that the Princess couldn't bear her longing for Queen Jeonha and had finally gone mad. Seeing the maids' baseless rumors spreading through the castle, Ainsel shook her head and headed to Vin Chaud's office.
Inside the office, Vin Chaud was confirming through the Captain of the Guard that Vivian had indeed visited the castle. The Captain, who had permitted Vivian's entry, was explaining the situation to Vin Chaud in detail.
"It's true! Here is the funeral invitation for Grand Queen Dowager Jeonha that Vivian-nim personally gave me! It states that Vivian Liliensole's visit is permitted...! Moreover, I am not the only one who confirmed her appearance! There are testimonies from other guards as well!"
"I see, it is definitely Grand Queen Dowager Jeonha's handwriting..."
Vin Chaud looked at the funeral invitation he received from the Captain and let out a long sigh. It was certain that Vivian had entered the castle, but the problem was that no one had seen her leave. Vin Chaud sighed and began to ponder what to do.
Then the Captain continued in a voice close to shouting.
"And there was also a funeral wreath that seemed to have been placed just now in front of Grand Queen Dowager Jeonha's tombstone! Surely, Vivian-nim—"
"A funeral wreath?"
-A funeral wreath...?
"Yes. I brought it as it seemed like it could be evidence..."
The Captain took a small box from his pocket and handed it to Vin Chaud. He handled the wreath as carefully as possible to avoid damaging it, as it had been offered at Grand Queen Dowager Jeonha's grave. When Vin Chaud opened the box, there was a single small lily flower inside.
Vin Chaud looked down at the wreath and let out a small sigh.
"What evidence can this possibly be! And you dare to bring a flower placed in front of a tombstone without permission...! Go return it to Grand Queen Dowager Jeonha's tombstone immediately!"
"Ah, understood!"
With Vin Chaud's scolding, the Captain received the box and ran out. While Vin Chaud clicked his tongue and let out an irritated sigh, Ainsel's eyes went wide after seeing the wreath.
-That is...
Ainsel left the office and headed to Veronica to tell her what she had found. Saying that she had finally located Vivian's residence, which she hadn't been able to find for almost a year, Ainsel crossed from clone to clone and rushed to Veronica.
*
"...Katarina?"
-Yes! Katarina! The 'Hermit' Katarina, one of the witches of the Coven! Vivian is definitely with that Katarina!
"How did you know...?"
-I could feel 'Katarina's' magical power on the wreath Vivian left behind! I remember her because I met her once at a gathering a long time ago!
Ainsel, catching her breath from running, told Veronica what she had found out, extremely excited. Contrary to Ainsel's expectation that Veronica would be surprised, Veronica just let out a small "Hmm—" in contemplation.
-...? You're not very surprised? Even though Vivian is with another witch...
"Ah... I was surprised. I didn't know she would be with that 'Katarina' either. It's just... now I understand why we couldn't find Vivian until now. Since she was with that 'Katarina,' it makes sense we couldn't find her, right?"
Ainsel nodded slightly.
It wasn't for nothing that Katarina was called 'The Hermit' in the Coven. Katarina was called a hermit because she used magic to hide her residence. Surely, the reason they couldn't find Vivian was also due to Katarina's magic, Ainsel sighed.
There were only two ways to find out where Katarina lived. The first was to ask the Great Witch, and the second was to ask a witch of the Coven who was acquainted with Katarina. Of course, Ainsel didn't know which witch had a connection with Katarina. And even if she did, there was no way to contact that witch.
-Haa... We know who she's with, but there's no way to find her...
Ainsel sighed in frustration, but Veronica was different. Veronica sat on a chair, crossed her legs, propped her chin on her hand, and fell into thought for a moment.
For Veronica, the current problem was that while finding Vivian was good, the biggest issue was that she happened to be with a witch of the Coven. Because she herself was in a state where she couldn't get involved with a Coven witch.
'If I get close to a Coven witch myself, I might get caught by the Great Witch... I have no choice, but to place Ainsel's clone there, I'll have to secretly send one of the dwarfs.'
Finishing her thoughts quickly, Veronica stood up and asked Ainsel.
"You made a clone to place at Vivian's location last time, right? Where is it?"
-Huh? Ah... it's in that drawer. But why? We know who she's with, but we don't know where she is, do we?
"I know where she is."
-What?! How?!
Fumbling, Veronica took a small mirror from the drawer and smiled slightly. Then she hesitated for a moment and chuckled, saying she couldn't remember how many times it had been now.
"How many times was it? Last regression, Katarina saved me when I was about to die at the hands of a hunter. I even lived with Katarina for a few months back then. So I know where Katarina is. Probably by now she's opened a small 'pastry shop' in the countryside, as she wished? Vivian must be helping her with that."
-Ah...
Seeing Ainsel's pitying expression, Veronica let out a short sigh and opened the door leading to the hut. Just as she was about to return to the hut, Veronica lowered her head to look at Ainsel and spoke.
"Ainsel. I told you that even if you remember all my 'regressions,' that's not something for you to feel guilty about. I've said it many times, but there was nothing you could do back then."
Veronica recalled the conversation she had with Ainsel at the academy. She had been so angry at Ainsel's passive attitude of constantly avoiding her that she had finally exploded and confronted Ainsel. Asking why she kept avoiding her. Hadn't she apologized? Hadn't she said she was reflecting? She knew she was being unreasonable, but they were going to see each other for a long time, and wouldn't this atmosphere be difficult for Titania too?
At that time, Ainsel had also burst into tears and poured out her sobs to Veronica. Saying that because she remembered all of Veronica's 'regressions,' she didn't know how to act. That she was at a loss from the guilt. She had vowed to try and protect you, the princess, from getting hurt this time, but you appeared remembering the wounds from before. And so, and so...... She didn't know what to do at all. She had confessed to Veronica while crying profusely.
-But still...
"Enough. Go tell this news to Titania. Tell her that soon she will be able to see the mother she loves."
-......Yes.
With a huljjeok sound, Ainsel ran straight to Titania. Veronica gently held Ainsel's clone and let out a small sigh.
She knew why Ainsel felt guilty. It was true that in all the regressions, Ainsel had never given her any help. At that time, she definitely hated her and was angry. She even loathed Ainsel, who ignored her pleas for help. But in every cycle, Ainsel had been forcibly 'contracted' by 'Vivian' under threat.
Now that she knew that, she didn't feel like saying anything. The bad one was the Vivian from there, right? Besides, now she was staying by Titania's side to help this 'me' here. Because she always helps this 'me' here. That alone was enough.
She was glad to come here and learn Ainsel's true feelings. Just the fact that Ainsel cared for Titania made Veronica feel comforted.
Veronica took a step and headed toward the hut. To grant this 'my' wish. To ease her beloved younger sister's feelings.
*
-Princess-nim! Princess-nim! Look at me! Yes?!
Arriving in Titania's room, Ainsel struggled to divert the attention of Titania, who was covering herself with the blanket. She jumped up and down in place and waved her arms, but it was useless against the gloomy Titania.
-We found out where Vivian is! Veronica said she'll soon go place my clone there... so soon I'll be able to show you Vivian!
"Where is Mom...?"
Titania, peeking her head out from the blanket, finally looked at Ainsel. Now, as soon as there was a signal from Veronica, she could project Vivian through the clone. Ainsel enthusiastically swung her arms to focus Titania's attention.
-Yes! Very soon! If you just wait a little...!
Tok tok.
At that moment, Ainsel felt a signal coming from her clone.
Beaming brightly, Ainsel looked at Titania with joy. She thought she would finally see Titania's smile. Since Vivian had left, she had rarely smiled. She thought Titania would cheer up a bit if she saw Vivian's face.
-Hehe! The signal has come! I'll show you now!
But.
Ainsel and Veronica 'still' did not know.
Even though Vivian was with Katarina, they had not expected them to be living together. No, they had never even thought of it. Moreover, the relationship between the two...
"V-Vivian... Are you okay...?"
"......No, I'm not okay."
"I-if I can comfort you, I will... How about a h-hug, like that time...?"
"...Thank you, as always, Katarina."
Neither of them had expected them to be this close.
The large mirror on the wall was reflecting Katarina and Vivian. Vivian sobbing and sniffling in a corner of what looked like a shop, and Katarina consoling her.
Titania, who could only, only stare at that sight.
"Ha."
Finally let out a bitter, hollow laugh.