38. The Time When You Weren't There
38. The Time When You Weren't There
[Chapter 38] - The Time You Were Gone
-Vivian...?
"Ainsel?"
Ainsel's expression, which had been sunken, began to brighten as she looked at me. Realizing that Ainsel had finally regained consciousness, I felt a sudden surge of emotion.
To be honest, a part of me had been constantly anxious, not knowing what would happen to Ainsel. She said she trusted me, but what if I couldn't help her and something went wrong? That anxiety.
That anxiety, having just vanished, made my eyes well up. To keep from being caught crying, I let out a long sigh and looked at Ainsel.
Ainsel, perhaps still dazed, looked at me and gave a silly smile. She can smile at a time like this? I thought I was burning up inside all this time.
I pettily dragged my finger across Ainsel's main body, leaving a fingerprint. Ainsel let out a "Heaek!" and let out a small scream.
-Why, why are you doing this...!
"You can smile at a time like this?! Do you have any idea how worried I was?! You said you trusted me, and then your consciousness didn't return, and I was so on edge...!"
I only felt better after rubbing the mirror until it was covered in fingerprints. Ainsel waved her hands as if she couldn't see well, urging me to wipe the mirror.
"Really... You asked to see me in the room, then suddenly lost consciousness, and when I looked into it, they said they didn't know when you'd wake up because of the contract..."
-I, I'm sorry... I really didn't know it would turn out like that back then...
"Ugh! Don't make excuses!"
When I smeared fingerprints all over Ainsel as she made annoying excuses, she started to tear up as if she were about to cry. I'm the one who wants to cry, so why is she crying?
After bickering with Ainsel for a few more minutes, I finally wiped the fingerprints off the mirror. Ainsel, blinking as if she could see properly now, looked at me and hesitated.
"...Still, it's a relief. It was worth having Fran treat you."
-...? Fran? You mean, the Frankenstein from the Coven?
"Yes, that's right. That Frankenstein. First, I need to tell you about the time you were gone."
I started to explain, step by step, everything I had experienced since Ainsel lost consciousness. Now that I think about it, so much has happened.
"First, after entering the room you opened, I realized the King was dead and that Aurora had become a Leanan Sidhe. And with Silphy's help, I was able to escape from there."
The time I drove Aurora out with Silphy's help.
"And eventually, the King was found as a corpse by Vin Chaud. Aurora's corpse was included as well. Silphy said that Aurora was likely dead too. She really hasn't been seen since then, either."
The time the King and Aurora were found as corpses.
"After that... I held the King's funeral."
The time I held the funeral after the King's death was revealed.
"After the King died, the Council of Elders held a meeting asking what to do with me since I hadn't received the royal castle, and I ended up staying here until the Princess's academy graduation."
The time I fought with the Council of Elders over my treatment.
"And... I realized there was a doctor named Fran in the Coven who treats fairies, so I sent a letter to wake you up. That's how Fran came, and she treated you."
The time Silphy brought Fran through the letter I sent to the Coven.
"And before Fran came here..."
And, the story about the 'Mermaid Princess' by 'someone'.
As I told her everything I had been through, Ainsel didn't say a word, avoiding my gaze with a tearful expression.
"...It's not your fault. Why are you looking like that?"
-But... because I made the wrong judgment... you had a hard time alone...
"...It was hard, sure. I don't know how many times I thought, 'What if you were here? Maybe I could have made a different choice?'"
At my words, Ainsel's shoulders flinched.
Does Ainsel think I'm blaming her? I slowly pressed my forehead against the surface of Ainsel, the mirror. I felt the cold, inorganic texture, but the spot where we touched grew warm.
"So... if you're going to do this, don't do weird things like saying you'll take responsibility next time. Okay? I'm really exhausted. If you don't help me, I'm really worn out."
-I, I'm sorry...
"I didn't tell you to apologize. Just say you will."
-...Okay. I won't do it again.
When I pulled my forehead away from the mirror, I saw Ainsel tearing up.
Ainsel, who had been tearing up, made eye contact with me and finally burst into loud sobs. I pretended to stroke Ainsel's head and gave a bitter smile.
*
After Ainsel calmed down a bit, we talked about many things.
Among them, the most intense conversation was the moment Aurora's death was confirmed. Ainsel, who couldn't say anything about Aurora due to the contract—
-Aurora XXX! XXXX! Ah! That feels refreshing! She's finally dead!
She proved Aurora's death by cursing her.
Since the contract is broken by the other party's death, Ainsel, who had been under a 'contract that prevented her from harming Aurora', jumped for joy at the fact that Aurora was dead and the contract was over.
I didn't know when she had died, but I could be a little relieved by Aurora's ambiguous death. Now, it was as if there was nothing threatening the Princess.
I looked at Ainsel, who was hopping around in joy, and asked.
"You hate her so much, how on earth did you get caught in that contract?"
-I told you back then. 'Someone' stole my main body. It was just for a very brief moment, while I was distracted by my clone. When I came to my senses, I was locked in that room, and eventually, I was forced into the contract.
The 'someone' Ainsel mentioned while jumping around in anger.
I figured that 'someone' who made Aurora a Leanan Sidhe, controlled the Mermaid Princess, and stole Ainsel's main body was likely all the same person.
Who on earth could it be?
Why do they turn people obsessed with love into other 'fairies' and create terrible endings?
They said the Mermaid Princess, when found at the end, was not a 'mermaid' but a different 'fairy'.
Whether that 'someone' is a fairy or a human, they were definitely turning them into a different existence, a 'fairy'.
I don't know the reason, but it seemed they only approached and harmed people obsessed with 'love'.
"...Well, since the Coven said they'd handle it, won't they be caught soon? Fran said she didn't need my help, either. They'll handle it well."
-...Come to think of it, why do you call that person Fran so familiarly?
"Well, because Fran told me to call her that. And, she seems closer to the Princess than to me. Is it because they practice dancing together every day? At first, the Princess hated Fran so much..."
Every time I talked about Fran and the Princess, Ainsel's complexion turned paler and paler. Ainsel, seething at the thought of having her position as the Princess's friend stolen, told me to go to the Princess right away, but—
"Calm down... It's already time for the Princess to sleep. So, let's go find her first thing tomorrow morning. The Princess will definitely be happy, too."
-Will she...? Isn't it too late...? What if she likes that witch more than me now...
"That won't happen. Don't worry so much... Oh, right, come to think of it, what about the earrings?"
It wasn't like I could carry the main body around, and while it was certainly heavy, it was much more comfortable to carry Ainsel on my ear.
Originally, I thought about making it a necklace, but making it a necklace made Ainsel's gaze uncomfortable because of my chest, so I had no choice but to wear it on my ear.
Ainsel told me not to worry, saying there was a small box under the bed, so I should open it. I bent down to look under the bed, and there really was a small box, so I took it out and opened it.
Inside the box were countless mirror earrings. The decorations were slightly different, but when I picked up a small earring that Ainsel could fit into, Ainsel smiled brightly and called me.
-I always kept replacements for the earrings here. You can just bring that close to me.
"Like this?"
When I brought the earring close to Ainsel's main body, Ainsel's small figure began to be reflected in the mirror attached to the earring. Is this how you make a clone? I familiarly put the earring on my ear to check.
-Ha... This stable eye level. It feels like it's been so long.
"I guess it's been a while since I used earrings, my ear hurts."
When I said that in a whining tone while giggling, Ainsel also giggled and laughed. I walked around the room with Ainsel on my ear, and as expected, the earring was the most familiar and best.
Feeling the familiarity I hadn't felt in a long time, I stroked Ainsel, who was hanging on my ear, and whispered in a small voice. Rejoicing in Ainsel's recovery.
"Welcome back, Ainsel."
-I'm back. Vivian.
*
-Princess!!!!!
"Ainsel!!!!!"
Squeeze!
As soon as I told her the news that Ainsel had regained consciousness, the Princess hugged the earring containing Ainsel tightly. The Princess even rubbed the mirror against her cheek to distinguish whether this was a dream or reality.
Realizing this was reality, she looked at Ainsel with teary eyes and gave a silly smile. Saying it was such a relief, and that she had missed her so much while she was gone.
Then Ainsel also burst into tears and cried along with the Princess. Saying she was the same, that she had missed the Princess. Saying she was sorry. Sob sob.
'Nice to see...'
It was nice to see the Princess holding the mirror and hopping around, rejoicing at Ainsel's return. As I was watching that, Fran, who had come to my side at some point, was staring at me intently.
She still had her usual blank expression, but perhaps because we had spent some time together, I could figure out how to read Fran's expression just a little bit. Fran's expression right now was one of regret.
"Are you sad because you might be separated from the Princess?"
At my question, Fran shook her head.
"No. My work here is done. I will return to my main house promptly."
"Already? Can't you stay and watch the Princess's ball? The Princess would want that, too."
"That is—"
The moment Fran was about to say something, the Princess grabbed Fran's sleeve and looked up at Fran. As if asking where she was going, telling her not to go, she looked up at Fran with sad, deer-like eyes.
"Are you leaving already?"
"...No. I will watch the Princess's ball and then return."
"Hehehe."
The Princess, holding Fran in one hand and Ainsel in the other, smiled brightly. Is she happy because she made two friends? The Princess started introducing Fran and Ainsel to each other.
"This is Ainsel! My friend, the mirror fairy!"
"...Nice to meet you, Ainsel."
"This is my friend Fran! She's an artificial human!"
-...Nice to meet you. Frankenstein.
...Does the Princess know that she is the only one among those three who is genuinely smiling?
Contrasting with the brightly smiling Princess, Fran was still expressionless, and Ainsel had a sour expression.
As I was watching the three of them exchange beautiful greetings—
The Queen Dowager's maid knocked on the door.
"Come in."
"Your Majesty the Queen, the Queen Dowager says, 'Just when are you going to come find me? If you don't come visit today, we'll see about that at the ball.'"
"Ah."
"And... this is just my personal opinion, but I don't think you'll escape her wrath even if you go to see the Queen Dowager today..."
As the Queen Dowager's maid looked at me with a truly worried expression, I finally remembered.
That I had promised the Queen Dowager I would decide on the Princess's name and tell her within two weeks.
And that the promised date had passed as of yesterday.
'...I'm screwed.'