15. Great Teacher Vivian (2)
15. Great Teacher Vivian (2)
[Episode 15] - Great Teacher Vivian (2)
It was the day before the lesson with the Princess.
It was around the time I was soothing Ainsel, whose self-esteem had hit rock bottom. I clasped my hands together and spoke to Ainsel, who was rolling around on the floor hugging her knees, as if I were begging.
"I, I'm going to need your help with the lesson starting tomorrow... No, I absolutely need you, Ainsel!"
-Me..? Me..? How..? I'm just a mirror, you know..?
"Well, obviously, because I plan to teach the Princess about 'fairies' from now on."
When I said I would teach the Princess about fairies, Ainsel looked up at me while still lying on the floor. Her gaze seemed to say, 'Is this human sane?'
-Are you serious?
"Of course. Honestly, do you think I have anything to teach the Princess? I told you my memories are hazy, right?"
-...Then why on earth did you volunteer to be the Princess's 'education supervisor'? What on earth are you counting on..?
Ahem! I cleared my throat, put my palms together, and held them out to Ainsel. Ainsel stared at me blankly, drawing a question mark over her head as if she were dumbfounded.
"Obviously, I'm counting on Ainsel, the one I rely on most in the world!"
When I put both palms together and gave her a thumbs up, I could feel killing intent in Ainsel's eyes. If Ainsel weren't a mirror but a person, it wouldn't have been strange if a fist had flown at me at that moment.
"Don't look at me like that. You call everyone else 'Queen-nim' or 'King-nim', but you only say 'Princess~ Princess~' to her, so it's obvious you're interested in her, right?"
-Th, that's not it..! I'm just..!
"I have some knowledge about 'fairies' through Vivian's memories. But it's not precise, so I need your help."
I knew about the fairies that appeared in the game, to some extent. But even though I possessed Vivian's body, I wasn't a 'witch'. I didn't even know how to ask for help from fairies like a witch would.
"I'm planning to introduce you to the Princess tomorrow during the lesson when I teach her about 'fairies'. How about it? Good idea, right?"
Ainsel, who had gotten up from the floor, looked at me as if she were dumbfounded, then soon let out a sigh. Silence followed for a moment, and then Ainsel shook her head.
-Are you planning to raise the Princess as a witch? She certainly has the aptitude for it, but I'm against the idea of raising her as a witch.
"I don't intend to raise the Princess as a witch either."
-...? Then why are you saying you'll teach her about 'fairies'?"
I couldn't say, 'Because she has to meet the 'Seven Dwarfs' later,' so I rested my chin on my hand and fell into thought for a moment. Whether she likes it or not, the Princess will inevitably get involved with 'fairies' someday.
'If she knows how to deal with fairies even a little bit before that, she'll be less likely to get hurt or deceived by them.'
I glanced at Ainsel, who was sitting in front of me, by raising only my eyes. Ainsel had clearly said, 'Fairies cannot lie,' but I knew the meaning of those words.
'Fairies just can't tell lies, but they can hide the truth with clever words.'
So, I wanted to teach the young 'Snow White' before that happened, so she wouldn't be deceived by such clever words from fairies. To show her that just because a fairy has a cute appearance doesn't mean they are all trustworthy beings.
I put on a friendly smile and answered Ainsel.
"Well, there's no one around the Princess to teach her about 'fairies', is there? How scary would that be? To have things only you can see that no one else can."
-I see... I've never thought about it that way...
"So, I just wanted to teach her before she gets a little older."
After hearing my story, Ainsel seemed to be in deep thought, resting her chin on her finger. Having made up her mind, Ainsel nodded slightly.
-Fine. If that's the reason, I'll help you.
"Really?"
-Of course. But...
Ainsel opened her eyes wide and stared at me intently. Her gaze was so intense, as if she had a grievance against me, that I had no choice but to turn my head slightly to avoid it.
-It bothers me that someone who's going to teach about 'fairies' is just pretending to be a 'teacher' with shallow knowledge. If you're going to do it, I think you need to be thorough and prepared.
"Uh, huh? Th, that would be the case, wouldn't it..?"
-So, shall we cut down on your sleeping time starting today?
Ainsel gave a pleasant, smiling look, but I could feel a passion bordering on madness in the eyes visible between her squinted lids. I got goosebumps at her smile, which looked as if she had been waiting for this moment.
-Haa... You're not the real Vivian, but I never imagined the day would come when I'd be teaching Vivian...
"Ainsel..?"
-Hehehe, brace yourself. Within a month from today, I'll at least make you a 'witch apprentice'. From today for the next month, your sleep time is fixed at three hours a day!
...And so, I had no choice but to be taught about 'fairies' and 'witches' by Ainsel almost all night. Ainsel, who was excited, showed me no mercy in teaching me.
I had to tremble at the hellish education, and what I learned by staying up all night on the first day was how to utilize the 'magic power' inside Vivian's body and how to summon 'fairies'.
-No! I told you, you have to feel it circulating in your body!? Like this! Pak! And shung! from your chest! No, why can't you do this?!
"Don't ever think about teaching anyone else but me. If it weren't for me, I would have smashed the mirror already."
*
The sunlight beating down on the lake was stinging my eyes.
Maybe it was because I had stayed up almost all night, but the sunlight reflecting off the water was dazzling and made my eyes hurt. Even while rowing, I felt sleepy, exhausted, and could clearly feel my stamina hitting rock bottom.
Still, the reason I could endure it was perhaps thanks to the Princess, who was looking at the Undine below me and enjoying herself. Seeing her so happy, the stress I had received while learning from Ainsel seemed to fly away.
"Ahaha! Stop it! It tickles!"
The Undine began to spray streams of water at the Princess's face like a water gun. Perhaps because the shallow stream of water touching her skin tickled, the Princess was busy wiping the water off her skin with her hands.
Since the Princess's mood had been lifted by the Undine's antics, I wiped the Princess's face with a handkerchief, then took out the mirror earring containing Ainsel and placed it in the Princess's hand.
The Princess tilted her head as she looked at the mirror in her hand.
"What is this?"
"My friend."
"Is a mirror your friend, Queen-nim?"
...What a pure answer, like a child's.
It was an answer that was strange to say was right, but also awkward to say was wrong, so I just tapped the mirror with my finger. Then, ripples appeared on the surface of the mirror, and afterimages began to rise slowly.
"Queen-nim, this mirror is strange. It doesn't show me, it only keeps showing Queen-nim's face."
The Princess, seemingly fascinated by the mirror that strangely didn't reflect herself but only Vivian's face, lifted the mirror up, lowered it, and shook it back and forth as she looked at it.
The moment the pure Princess was shaking the mirror out of curiosity.
Ainsel pleaded as if she couldn't stand the dizziness.
-Pr, Princess..! Please don't shake it so much..!"
"Eek!"
"Oh, oh! Ainsel?!"
When a voice came from the mirror, the startled Princess screamed and almost threw the mirror into the lake. Fortunately, the mirror didn't fall into the lake but hit the side of the boat and rolled around on the floor.
The Undine climbed on top of Ainsel, who had been rolling on the floor for a while, and laughed kkareuk-kkareuk. Seeing that, the Princess's expression turned pale. As if she felt bad for throwing my things carelessly.
"I, I'm sorry..! Bu, but... a voice suddenly came from the mirror..."
"It's alright. It's not your fault. If there's any fault... it's the mirror's fault for not greeting you properly."
I giggled and picked up Ainsel, who had fallen to the floor. When I wiped the dirty surface of the mirror with a handkerchief, I saw Ainsel looking dejected.
"Ainsel, you need to greet her properly."
-Bu, but... I need to prepare myself mentally...
Prepare herself mentally, my foot.
I handed Ainsel back to the Princess. The Princess, seeing the dejected Ainsel, hesitated, but unexpectedly spoke before Ainsel could.
"Mi, mirror, hello? A, and I'm sorry for throwing you earlier. Did it hurt..?"
A bright smile bloomed on Ainsel's face upon receiving the Princess's first greeting. Ainsel, who gave a smile even brighter than the one she had shown me until now, answered the Princess in a voice full of excitement.
-It's okay! Princess! It didn't hurt at all!
"Really? Th, then that's a relief."
Phew-
The Princess sighed in relief, calming her startled heart.
Ahem, Ainsel cleared her throat, bowed her head, and introduced herself to the Princess. Seeing her act more polite and kind than when she met me, I felt a slightly subtle emotion.
-Then, to introduce myself again... Ahem! Nice to meet you! Princess! I'm Ainsel, the fairy of the mirror!
"Fairy of the mirror?"
-Yes! Princess! I'm Vivian's friend... so! From now on, I'm going to be by Vivian's side and teach you all sorts of things about 'fairies' together!
"O, oh I see... Then Ainsel is my teacher too.. right? Ah, I look forward to working with you."
Bow-
Seeing the Princess bow to the small mirror in her hand, Ainsel's face was like the sun. The moment I looked at that smile, I felt like I was going to go blind, so I had no choice but to squint.
-Hehehe! You can just call me Ainsel! You don't have to use honorifics! I'd like it if you just thought of me as your fr, friend..!"
You... you weren't like this.
Why on earth are you only like this in front of the Princess?
Whether it was because Ainsel's word 'friend' made her happy, the Princess looked at Ainsel with a bashful smile. Then, clutching the mirror in her hand tightly, she answered Ainsel.
"Hehehe... Then I look forward to working with you, Ainsel."
-Ye, yes..!"
...Yeah, if you're happy, that's fine.
I slowly rowed the boat and began to move back to where we started. Then, in the distance, Ellie began to shout and wave her hands. As if something had happened.
When we arrived on land, Ellie approached in a hurry and looked for me.
"Ellie? What's the matter that you're shouting like that?"
"Th, that is... The Queen Dowager-nim said she would like to invite Queen-nim to dinner tonight..."
"? Tonight?"
"Ye, yes... And so suddenly..."
Suddenly? I had no choice but to open my eyes wide at the sudden news. Feeling a gaze for some reason, I glanced back, and the ladies-in-waiting and maids serving the Queen Dowager had gathered at a place slightly away.
As if to make sure I didn't run away.
'...I had to meet the Queen Dowager-nim eventually. But being summoned by them is so unexpected..?'
When I glanced back again to look at the Princess and Ellie, Ellie was asking the Princess, 'Weren't you scared of the boat ride?' The Princess smiled brightly at Ellie's question, saying, 'Not at all!'
After stroking my chin and thinking for a moment, I approached the Princess.
"Princess, do you have any scheduled plans for the evening?"
"No! I don't! I originally had a lesson after dinner, but..."
With the Marchioness gone, the Princess's evening lesson was naturally an empty time. I smiled, put my hands under the Princess's armpits, and lifted her up into my arms.
"Then, let's go see the Queen Dowager-nim for the first time in a while."
"Th, the Queen Dowager-nim...?"
As soon as I said that, the Queen Dowager's attendant, who was waiting behind, approached me. The attendant with a cold expression spoke to me in a cold voice that matched her expression.
"The person invited to the dinner is only the Queen-nim. Even if it is the Princess-"
"The Queen Dowager-nim must want to see her granddaughter, the Princess, after such a long time."
I cut off the attendant's words and answered, and the attendant's eyebrows twitched. Whether she liked it or not, I approached the side where the attendant was standing while holding the Princess.
The attendant looked at me as if she were flustered, but the Queen Dowager was one of the people I had to meet anyway. So there was no reason to avoid it now, and no need to avoid it either.
"Lead the way, I'm going with the Princess."