episode_0004

[Episode 4] – Conversing with the Mirror – The Mad Queen (3)

“His Majesty has requested an audience with Her Majesty, the Queen Consort.”

“His Majesty?”

Why would His Majesty suddenly…?

The maid, as if almost informing me, glanced around the room as if searching for something. Then, as if something was amiss, she smirked.

“Could it be that you were in conversation with someone?”

“Oh, no?”

“…? I could have sworn I heard voices as if in conversation…”

As I listened to the maid’s muttered words, I unconsciously swallowed hard. I glanced at the mirror beside me, my eyes flickering.

– Tsk. Don’t look at me, don’t even bother replying. To everyone else, I’m just an ordinary mirror, you know. If you start talking to me for no reason… You understand, right?

As if signaling not to speak further, Ainsel raised her index finger to her lips. I nodded slightly, so the maid wouldn’t notice.

To others, Ainsel appeared as an ordinary mirror.

If I were to show myself conversing with Ainsel in front of others…

I’d appear as a crazy woman talking to herself in the mirror. Already known as “Mad Vivian,” I didn’t want to add “Madwoman Conversing with the Mirror” to my titles here.

“Sigh—”

Lost in thought for a moment, the maid who had been waiting for my response let out a deep sigh. It was a clear sigh, urging me to listen.

“Your Majesty? His Majesty has requested an audience… How may I assist you? Do you need assistance with your attire? Or shall I inform His Majesty that you will return shortly?”

…Judging by the maid’s attitude, one could vaguely guess Vivian’s position within the palace. Even if Vivian was a decaying queen consort, the maid’s blatant disregard was unexpected.

As I pondered how to respond to the maid’s question, Ainsel let out an incredulous laugh from beside me.

-Ha, the woman who wouldn’t even meet Vivian’s eyes when she was alive, now crawls out of the woodwork the moment she hears rumors of Vivian losing her memory?

…..?

Hey, Ainsel?

The maid’s attitude seemed to displease Eincelle, as her voice grew cold, wondering if it was due to Vivian’s disregard or the maid’s own bad mood.

“You, earlier you asked how Vivian usually speaks or behaves. This is a good opportunity, so listen carefully and mimic me properly.”

Was it really Eincelle who had cried earlier like a child? Nervously, I began to mimic Eincelle’s words in response to her icy, tense voice.

“Elli, come here.”

“Ellie, come here.”

Was the maid’s name ‘Elli’? As I called her, the maid’s shoulders visibly tensed. With a mechanical creak, she turned her head and gazed at me with trembling eyes.

“Oh, Your Majesty…?”

“I told you to come here. You need to say it twice for you to understand.”

With a cold, stern voice that seemed almost unreal coming from my own throat, Ellie approached me with trembling steps.

“Slap Ellie’s cheek firmly. Then she’ll automatically kneel.”

“…Your standards are too high.”

Feeling that hitting someone was excessive, I tried to soften my words as much as possible. Understanding my words, Ellie slowly knelt before me.

“…You’re definitely different from Vivian. Alright, then let’s continue, and follow well.”

To Eincelle, Ellie might have been just another maid, but to me, the kneeling maid before me was someone I had only just seen. Frankly, following Eincelle’s orders was overwhelming enough, let alone resorting to violence.

And besides, I had never used violence on anyone before.

“Elli, you’ve disobeyed me.”

“Yes, yes…?”

“What did I tell you last time? How should you come when I call?”

Upon hearing this, Ellie’s face turned pale, almost blue. From their conversation, it seemed that Ellie had worked under Vivian even while Vivian was alive.

“Crawl like a dog on all fours and come to me…”

“You remember it well. Like me.”

In accordance with Einsel’s words, when Elly smiled, her body began to tremble like a reed. She trembled so violently that her teeth clattered and her pupils shook as if she were insane.

Convinced that the rumor of Vivian’s memory loss was false, Elly prostrated herself almost to the ground, confessing her guilt like a condemned prisoner on the gallows.

“Y-Your… forgiveness… I have committed… unforgivable sins… dared to deceive Your Majesty the Queen…”

Elly foolishly believed only the rumor of Vivian’s memory loss and had intended to mock her. Perhaps she thought it would be alright since Vivian wouldn’t remember anything at all. She wondered why she had such a stupid thought, but perhaps she wanted to return even a little of the torment she had suffered to Vivian.

…I had some expectations, but I seemed to know how vile Vivian’s character really was, and how much people around her despised her.

“Elly, are you truly foolish? What did I tell you to do if you want my forgiveness?”

As our gazes met when Elly lifted her head, she smiled fearfully. Then, without hesitation, she slammed her forehead hard against the floor.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Once, twice, thrice.

“…This is maddening, seriously.”

Elly, who didn’t stop smashing her forehead into the marble floor until blood flowed, looked at me with a smile after feeling the blood flow from her forehead.

“I-If I do this, will Her Majesty the Queen forgive me…?”

“…Yes, that should please her.”

The last part wasn’t following Einsel’s words. I just said it because I didn’t want to see this fanatical side of Elly anymore.

Whether the fact that she had received forgiveness truly made her happy, Elly looked at me and smiled broadly, despite her forehead being shattered and bleeding profusely.

“…First, I need to improve Vivian’s reputation even a little. At this rate, I might end up being stabbed to death even if I live like a mouse.”

As I continued, the thought crossed my mind that someone might assassinate me without even Vivian knowing about the deep emotions within me. It’s something to avoid as much as getting stabbed in my sleep.

While pondering how to improve my reputation, Ainsel, lying on the ground, growled at Eli, who was seeking forgiveness. “Why crawl up to Vivian, a mere servant? You don’t even understand your place!”

Ainsel’s rush to defend herself against Vivian’s dislike, almost to the point of retching, seemed somewhat absurd when Vivian received criticism, as if she herself had been criticized. “Is this how it goes? My child gets cursed, and I get cursed?”

“…I don’t know. At least I shouldn’t curse Vivian in front of Ainsel,” I thought.

Just as I wondered if I should wipe the blood trickling down Eli’s forehead, a sharp knock echoed from the door once again.

Startled, I looked towards the source of the noise. A middle-aged man, with a receding hairline and a tired expression, appeared with an indifferent look, alternately glancing at Eli and me. After a sigh, he spoke, “It seems the doctor has misdiagnosed Her Majesty.”

“Y-Your Highness…?” Eli turned her surprised gaze to ‘His Highness’. His stress-induced receding hairline and fatigued eyes displayed a half-hearted retreat, and his weary eyes bore a dull shade of blue.

In his exhaustion, he appeared to be in his 50s or 60s. Slowly entering the room, he knelt beside Eli, gazing at me. “It’s a relief to see you well, Your Majesty.”

Although his tone sounded caring and concerned, his expression and voice betrayed no emotion. Greeting me with a sly smile, he mirrored Ainsel’s words, and I responded with a smile brighter than his own.

“…Yes, I am well, but it seems your hair is not, Your Highness. I’m worried for you.”

My sarcastic remark caused a vein to pop on his forehead.

‘Raising Simulation Game’ is a game where the target of training grows by meeting various characters, so there are numerous NPCs that help the princess grow. In addition to the royal family, there are also educational staff in charge of the subject’s education, and part-time workers who help the subject’s social life. You can meet many different NPCs.

Among them, Jea-sang was no exception. His exact age was unknown, but he was called “Bangsho.” He was an old Jea-sang suffering from stress-induced hair loss, and in the game, he was one of the characters who helped the princess with her education and could be encountered within the royal family.

“He looks just like the illustration. No, is he a bit more plump? Well, it doesn’t matter anyway; he’ll be completely stripped down in the latter half.”

As I gazed intently at Bangsho’s receding forehead, he coughed loudly as if to express his displeasure. “First, I apologize for entering the queen’s room without permission. I couldn’t calm my anxious heart when I heard some commotion…”

It was abundantly clear from Jea-sang’s voice that there was no sincerity in his words. His casual manner of speaking made it seem as if a machine were talking.

“Right… So? Jea-sang must be busy; why did you request my presence?”

“Of course, it was out of concern for the queen. It’s Jea-sang’s role to look after the country’s mother, the queen.”

Did he even grease his tongue before coming here?

I couldn’t hide my surprise at how quickly Jea-sang answered without hesitation. I glanced over to see Eli still kneeling beside me.

“You may leave now.”

“Yes, yes..!”

As soon as I gave permission to leave the room, Eli bolted out as if fleeing a thunderbolt.

Once the door was fully closed, Einzel and I could finally ask Bangsho what we wanted to know.

“To the point. You didn’t summon me out of genuine concern, did you?”

“My sincere desire to assist the Queen has always been genuine—”

“Stop. Will your insincere flattery really appease your conscience?”

Bangsyo, who chuckled at my response, straightened his bent knees and rose to his feet. He lightly tapped his tired knees and then sat down, looking at me.

“First of all, I came to check on the Queen’s condition. The doctor mentioned that she had lost her memory. However… well, it seems that was a misdiagnosis. Haha.”

…It couldn’t have been a misdiagnosis, as Vivian truly has no memory. Instead of lost memories, there is only the fairy by my side, aiding me like a mirror spirit…

“Hmph.”

I didn’t respond to Bangsyo’s words and simply laughed it off.

After chuckling along with me, Bangsyo soon stopped and spoke again.

“…It’s great news that the Queen is in good health, but unfortunately, not all the news is good. There’s some bad news.”

“Bad news?”

Seeing Bangsyo’s serious expression, a chill ran down my spine. In movies or novels, it’s usually bad news that takes precedence in such cases rather than good news.

“Because of the ‘resurrection’ at the funeral parlor, rumors are spreading that the Queen is a ‘witch.’ We’ve already issued a gag order to the witnesses, but…”

“…And?”

“There are various discussions in the council. Some are even suggesting a divorce between the Queen and His Majesty. As you know, if the Queen were to divorce His Majesty…”

As Bangsyo spoke gravely, I bit my dry lips. Could it be that I might face death? But…

“It seems inevitable that you won’t be able to avoid the ‘witch trial’ at the ‘temple.’ Although it has reached the temple’s ears, due to the authority of the Queen and His Majesty, the matter hasn’t gained traction.”

Damn it.

I forcibly held back the urge to curse.

So, if I step down from the Queen’s position, the ‘temple’ will brand me a ‘witch,’ conduct a ‘witch trial,’ and condemn me as a heretic.

What should I do…?