Chapter 8
She hoped he hadn’t heard, but it seemed he had caught everything. Kalynia felt a pang of distress and forced an awkward smile.
“The treasury?”
Feigning innocence, Vylon narrowed one eye.
“You must have heard something about the magic mirror being in the treasury.”
It seemed he had no intention of letting her off the hook.
Understandably so. After all, a woman at a party with no interest in dancing, wandering around in hidden corners, would be bound to raise suspicions.
Kalynia decided to come clean. Hiding the truth here would only make her seem more suspicious.
“Yes, I heard rumors that there’s a magic mirror in this country. I was so curious that I thought I’d have to confirm it myself when I came to the Snow Kingdom!”
Is it wrong to be curious?
Her confidence grew as she decided to shamelessly embrace her curiosity. She raised her chin with a composed expression.
“Is it true that this country has a magic mirror that answers truthfully to any question?”
“…Yes, it does.”
“In that treasury?”
She didn’t expect him to reveal the location. Yet, surprisingly, Vylon answered.
“No. The mirror is in my bedchamber.”
Of course, just because he’d answered easily didn’t mean it was true. Unlike the magic mirror, he was one of the most deceitful people she’d ever encountered.
But Kalynia didn’t think he was lying.
When someone lies, they tend to give themselves away in subtle ways, even unconsciously. He spoke while meeting her gaze directly.
If the mirror was indeed in his bedchamber, this was bad news.
Just when she’d managed to find the treasury, she now had to search for the king’s bedchamber instead.
She couldn’t just outright ask him where it was either.
As Kalynia pondered her next move, Vylon asked her a question.
“What’s your name?”
A cold sweat broke down her back. She couldn’t reveal her real name. If she gave her actual name, it would instantly reveal she wasn’t invited.
She paused, drawing out the silence to buy herself time to think.
“Don’t you know the names of the princesses you invited?”
“I didn’t invite them based on recognizing all their faces.”
Kalynia debated which princess name to give. If she chose poorly, she might blow her cover as a fake.
If she picked a nearby kingdom, he might recognize the princess’s face.
It should be a princess from a more distant land…
A clever idea suddenly came to her.
“If you show me the magic mirror, I’ll tell you my name.”
“Show you the mirror?”
“I just want to see if it truly answers questions!”
If he asked the mirror her name, she’d confirm its authenticity, while he’d get her name.
Of course, it wouldn’t be her real name, and her identity as a witch might even be exposed. But if that happened, she’d simply grab the mirror and run.
Kalynia flashed a smile, hiding her scheme.
“…Follow me.”
After a moment of consideration, the king led the way. Kalynia silently cheered as she followed him. It was lucky he’d fallen for her quickly devised plan.
The king’s bedchamber was a spacious room adorned with luxurious furniture and carpets. And indeed, along one wall hung a large mirror.
The aura emanating from it was completely different from the ordinary mirrors in the ballroom. Its presence was so imposing it felt as though Grimdelwald herself were standing there.
As Vylon approached the mirror, Kalynia grabbed his arm. All she needed was to confirm the mirror’s authenticity—actually revealing her name would put her in a pinch.
“In truth, Your Majesty, the mirror was just an excuse to get into your bedchamber.”
Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Vylon watched the unnamed princess grip his arm and stand on her tiptoes.
“I wanted a kiss, but you’re not helping at all.”
Kalynia pouted. After a mere moment’s hesitation, Vylon brushed his lips against hers briefly before pulling back.
“Are you mad that I lied about the mirror to get here?”
“Not really.”
“If it bothers you, if you’re uncomfortable, then please push me away now!”
“…No.”
Without another word, Vylon placed a hand on the back of her head. As she flinched, he pressed his lips to hers, more forcefully this time.
While she had initiated to deceive him, she hadn’t expected such a fervent kiss in return.
It was somewhat beyond her expectations, but Kalynia didn’t push him away.
This was proof her act to lower his guard was working. Satisfied, she placed a hand on his chest, then slowly slid it downward. Once she pricked him with the anesthetic needle and stole the mirror, her mission would be complete.
This was easier than expected.
Unable to fully contain her amusement, a small chuckle escaped her. Sensing her laughter, Vylon pulled back, panting heavily.
“So, what’s your name?”
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