94. Three Questions and Answers (2)
94. Three Questions and Answers (2)
[Chapter 94] - Three Questions (2)
"...If you're not going to take this seriously, won't you just go back?"
"C-can't you give me a chance to ask again...?"
As I looked at her pitifully, Snow White let out a deep sigh and furrowed her brow slightly, as if telling me to hurry up and speak. Honestly, wouldn't anyone fail to ask a proper question if they were counting down while trying to think? I calmly exhaled, steadied my breath, and threw out my first question.
"Then... about Aurora."
The first question I had struggled to come up with was about Aurora.
According to the theory Ainsel came up with, it seemed like Snow White was the one who turned Aurora into a Leanan Sidhe. And that it was also Snow White who kidnapped Ainsel's clone back then. It was all just suspicion, but...
Honestly, if I was curious about anything, this was it. Why would Snow White do such a thing? Even if she came from another world, in any world, Aurora should be Snow White's 'biological mother', right?
I swallowed dryly from nervousness and asked.
"...Are you the one who turned Aurora into a Leanan Sidhe?"
At my question, Snow White narrowed her eyes slightly. Resting her chin on her hand with an indifferent expression, she answered immediately, as if there was no need to even think about this question.
"That's right. I did it."
"......"
I glanced down at the bright red Red Thread tied to my wrist.
The Red Thread, which is said to break if the other party lies, was still connecting me and Snow White. Seeing that unbroken thread, I felt some intense emotion, so I asked Snow White.
"Why on earth...? Aurora is your biological mother...?"
"Is that your second question? Isn't it my turn now?"
"Huh?"
No way, did the first question end just like that?
As I looked at Snow White in panic, she let out a scoff, as if mocking me. Seeing Snow White's smile, which seemed to mock me for being truly stupid, I felt my face turn bright red without me realizing it.
"Seriously, I can't get used to it whenever you do these stupid things. I don't know if you're innocent or just an idiot."
"......"
And then, I finally realized. The method of asking questions in this Three Questions game.
It seemed like direct questions like this wouldn't work.
If I didn't use a more clever way of questioning, Snow White would definitely just answer vaguely like this next time too. I should have asked 'Why did you turn Aurora into a Leanan Sidhe?' instead of 'Are you the one who turned Aurora into a Leanan Sidhe?'.
'If I had done that, I could have heard even her intentions...'
As I was frustrated by my own stupidity for wasting my question turn so absurdly, Snow White sighed, rolled her eyes to look at me, and then asked me in a calm voice.
"Then it's my turn."
"Yes, ask me anything."
I wondered if she needed time to think like I did, but it seemed that wasn't necessary. Perhaps she had already decided on the question to ask me, as she began to question me without hesitation.
"Three years ago, why did you try to make Titania meet Brownie?"
"...Huh? Is that all?"
When I asked if that was all, Snow White just nodded. To this somewhat anticlimactic question, I began to answer calmly. Why did I try to make Titania and Brownie meet? Well...
"...Even if Titania doesn't become a witch, Brownie's magic will always be helpful to Titania. Of course, I didn't try to approach that child just because of Brownie's magic and the hut. I also wanted to solve the problem Brownie was suffering from."
When I answered, Snow White slowly looked at the Red Thread tied to her wrist.
There was no way the Red Thread would break just by looking at it. Because I hadn't lied. Snow White tapped the Red Thread with her finger just in case, but as expected, the Red Thread didn't break.
Looking at that unbroken Red Thread, Snow White gave a scoffing laugh. It wasn't mocking me, nor was it because the situation was funny; it was a laugh that seemed somewhat hollow, like a sigh.
"...Really, I can't understand it."
I felt like I vaguely understood why Snow White was reacting that way.
Because the 'Vivian' that Snow White knows is the same Vivian I know well.
That 'Villainess Vivian', who lived as if rejecting and hating others was the norm and that nothing was more important than herself, would never say something that sounded like she cherished someone else.
"I thought I knew you better than anyone else..."
Furthermore, since the person she cherishes is not 'herself' but 'another self', that must be why she's reacting like that. Besides, the Red Thread had confirmed that my answer was the truth, not a lie...
"Now I really don't know you."
She was clearly that confused.
Snow White hesitated for a moment and then lowered her head.
Perhaps trying to collect her confused thoughts, Snow White sighed and glanced at me. Her sharp red eyes looking at me still seemed to say, "I hate you."
For a while, silence settled between us. As the conversation paused, only the sound of waves rolling in from afar and the chirping of night insects in the bushes could be heard intermittently.
"...You don't know about me?"
I broke the heavy silence that had settled between us with a calm voice. As I slowly opened my mouth, Snow White's gaze turned toward me. Feeling unnecessarily annoyed, I continued calmly.
"It's natural that you don't know. This is the first time we've had a proper conversation. Shouldn't we at least talk to each other to know anything about one another?"
"......"
"I don't know you either. I think of you as being like Titania, but I've never thought of you as the 'same being' as Titania. You are you, and Titania is Titania. To me, you are different people."
I truly had never placed Snow White and Titania on the same level.
Titania is Titania, and Snow White is Snow White. Even if their faces are the same, and even if Snow White really is Titania from another world, they were strictly different beings.
"But you, you don't try to see me as 'me', and always try to see me as the 'Vivian' you know."
I lifted my head and met the eyes of Snow White, who was looking at me. As if slightly surprised by me showing this side for the first time, Snow White widened her eyes slightly and just stared at me.
"You don't even try to know 'me'. So how could you know me? You know nothing about me. And I know nothing about you."
I placed my hand on my chest and pointed to 'me'. Not 'Vivian', but 'me'.
"No, I...!"
Then, perhaps overwhelmed by emotion, Snow White clenched her fists and looked at me. She opened her lips as if she had a lot to say, but like a goldfish, she only moved her lips and couldn't continue.
"Yes, if you have something to say, say it. Or, would it be easier for you to talk if I ask a question?"
Then, Snow White was clenching and unclenching her fists, not knowing what to do. I had met Snow White a few times until now, but it seemed like the first time I had seen her look so confused. However...
"Then, here is my second question. Princess."
I shook the Red Thread on my wrist and looked at Snow White, who was only moving her lips. Asking if it would be easier to talk if I asked a question in the Three Questions game. Or if she would use her veto to refuse to speak.
"Won't you give me a chance to know you?"
Hearing my question, Snow White bit her lower lip hard. She opened her lips for a moment to exercise her veto right away, but soon closed her mouth again and tapped the table irritably.
Tok, tok, tok, tok. The speed at which Snow White tapped the table with her finger became faster and faster. After thinking and thinking as if annoyed, Snow White glared at me and opened her mouth.
"...Fine, I'll tell you."
At the sight of Snow White letting out a deep sigh as if she had given up, I let out a sigh of relief without realizing it. I was worried about what I would do if she refused, but fortunately, it seemed Snow White had given me a chance.
However, as if telling me not to be relieved, Snow White looked at me and smiled bitterly. Truly, at that bitter smile, I had a bad premonition, and for a moment, my heart felt like it had dropped.
"Thirty-four times."
And bad premonitions never failed to be right at times like this. I tilted my head at the words I didn't understand for a moment, but I couldn't help but be shocked at Snow White's following words.
"That's the number of times I've died at the hands of you... Vivian, and Aurora."
"......Huh?"
In the game, Snow White was killed by Vivian so many times. Really, really many times. Vivian would kill Snow White whenever she had the chance.
But, killed even by Aurora? How on earth? As I bit my lip, not knowing what expression to make, Snow White smiled brightly and continued her story.
"The most common way I died was poisoning. It was to the point where the silver utensils used to detect poison were useless. I died a lot from really unique poisons. Next is... let's see. Murder disguised as an accidental death. Like bribing a maid to push me down the stairs because they said they would never get caught, or breaking the axle of a carriage to cause an accident, and then..."
"W-wait...!"
My mind felt like it was turning blank at the sudden story. Why? Wasn't Snow White on the 'Witch Route'? Thirty-four times? How on earth? What happened, and how...?
Perhaps she liked the look of me being confused, Snow White looked at me and chuckled. Her expression seemed to say, "Do you finally understand why I hate you?", so I couldn't say anything.
"Why? You asked for a chance to know me, didn't you?"
Yes, this was the question I had asked her to tell me about.
I had asked her to give me a chance to know her.
So this story is...
"So, listen quietly. This is the opportunity I'm giving you."
It was a story I couldn't refuse.
*
