Chapter 1. The Magic Mirror Became the Villainess

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She was an orphan. Being alone in the world without anyone to care for her, she had done all sorts of things and suffered greatly. Thanks to that, she learned early how to survive in the world.

Smile! Smile and talk well wherever you are, and don’t be the nail that sticks out!

That was enough. That way, she received less scolding and could avoid troublesome matters. Having lived twenty-two years like that, she was confident she could blend in anywhere.

No, she thought she could…

‘What is happening!’

Until she realized the world she had fallen into was inside a novel.

That’s right. One day she suddenly dropped into the world of a novel. It was a romance fantasy novel she had been obsessed with before dying, but the circumstances of her transmigration were truly awful.

Usually, when you see novel protagonists, don’t they transmigrate into wealthy nobles and live well? She nearly died the moment she opened her eyes. Even after barely overcoming that crisis, things weren’t smooth.

But what could she do? She had to survive.

She employed every method possible to survive. She lied diligently with all her heart, displayed her abilities earnestly, and talked a lot.

The problem arose from there. She did all those things too well. And so, she ended up in this state.

“Die, you wicked mirror!”

The man rushing toward her with bloodshot eyes was a stranger. But the sharp tip of his sword was pointed directly at her. The situation was so sudden that she couldn’t even scream, only stare at the scene.

‘Huh, is this how I die?’

She seemed to have that thought very briefly. But unlike her dazed self, someone beside her appeared to properly recognize the situation.

“Mirror!”

That child moved desperately. With a contorted face, having lost all composure, he screamed desperately. He stretched out his short arms and blocked her path.

As if trying to be stabbed by that sword instead.

The moment that small, small back blocked her view—

‘Huh? That won’t do.’

In that brief moment, she thought of several things.

That child is the main male lead, he won’t die here.

I know. But he’ll be hurt. And what if something goes wrong?

… What ultimately came to mind was just one thing.

‘I don’t want you to get hurt.’

Was it because of that strong wish?

At that moment, a miracle happened.

When she came to her senses, she found herself using the body she had been unable to move—this frustrating body—to push the child away.

-Tyrant!

The moment she met the child’s wide-open eyes, his small body was easily pushed aside, and the sharp sword mercilessly shattered the fragile glass.

–Crash!

It was a strange feeling. There was no particular pain, but she felt drained.

Of course that was natural. She hadn’t transmigrated into a human. She had transmigrated into a talking magic mirror. A magic mirror with no flowing blood, no heart, and therefore, not alive.

Beside her transmigrated self, there was no witch chanting “Mirror, mirror” like in a fairy tale, but… Instead, this child was by her side.

The tyrannical male lead of the original novel. But still the emperor in his childhood.

“Mirror!”

She saw tears falling in drops. Ah, never had she longed for her original body from before the transmigration as desperately as now.

If she had it, she would have embraced those small shoulders at least once. She would have wiped away those trembling eyes that knew they would be left alone.

‘Though I had no attachment to this life without hands or feet.’

She thought. My attachment is to this child. If I leave, this child will be left alone.

This child had once quietly mumbled, in a way that didn’t suit him:

‘Mirror, I wish you could become human.’

Since he was always cold and calm, she was quite surprised, but she laughed playfully and moved past the situation.

But in truth, she thought then too.

Even if she couldn’t become human, it might be enjoyable to watch this child grow up from beside him.

Occasionally she faced life-threatening situations due to the child’s nasty personality, but still, the time they spent together was enjoyable.

So… she was too sad about parting with this child. How much better it would have been if it wasn’t a farewell like this.

“Mirror, ugh, Mirror!”

Her young emperor, her young tyrant, wailed. It was at that moment. She saw the power that the child had been mumbling about wanting to awaken quickly surge and overwhelm all the intruders who had rushed in.

What a relief, she thought. With that power, no one would be able to look down on this child anymore.

Would the child become a strong and dignified emperor like in the original work? Still, she hoped he would have as little blood on his hands as possible. No, she hoped he would be happy.

Many thoughts rushed in.

“Ah, no. What should I do? What should I…”

The child who approached staggering suddenly fell to his knees and reached out to touch the cold mirror. But he only cut his hand on the broken pieces and bled.

‘I couldn’t even say goodbye.’

Apart from her regret, she could see less and less. The child’s face turned black, and she realized she was dying.

Ah, this is the end.

“No, no. Don’t go. Please?”

The child whispered desperately.

“Don’t leave like this! I won’t allow it! I won’t allow it!”

Then he screamed in rage.

“You said you wouldn’t leave me! You, you said you were mine! You said you’d be different!”

I’m sorry.

She whispered.

“No! Please! I don’t want this! Don’t go, Lea!”

I’m truly sorry.

“Aaaagh!”

But it didn’t reach him. It seemed not to reach him. Then the child disappeared from view and his voice could no longer be heard.

Feeling as though she was falling from a cliff, she soon became unable to think at all.

So this is death. Transmigration isn’t much after all……

That’s what she thought.

At that moment, as if in a dream, she heard someone’s whispering voice.

‘You won’t be able to have anything. I’ll make sure of it.’

It was a voice so full of malice it made her shudder.

Who are you? Are you talking to me?

But she couldn’t think anymore. Soon, screaming as she felt herself being sucked into somewhere, she snapped her eyes open.

But before she could gather her wits.

–Slap!

Along with a clear sound came a burning pain.

What the.

She blinked in confusion and raised her hand to the source of the pain. It was her cheek.

‘Why does it hurt? Wait, how do I even have a cheek? I’m… a mirror?’

But this time, someone screamed right in her face.

“Aaaagh!”

‘Oh my god.’

She thought her eardrums might fall off.

Startled, she looked ahead to find a noblewoman with heavily smeared eye makeup, tears streaming down her face.

She looked incredibly upset, but all she could feel was bewilderment. Who is this person? What is this situation?

Just then, the woman who had slapped her cheek screamed.

“What have I done so wrong that you, you, who do you think you are to do such a thing to our family!”

The woman, seemingly unable to contain her rage, grabbed something and immediately swung it.

–Splash!

Soon a cold, wet sensation spread throughout her body. From the strong scent that rose up, she realized it was wine.

She felt dazed by the rapidly unfolding situation. Getting slapped, drenched with water, no, what kind of dream is this……

‘Dream?’

At that moment, a lightning realization flashed through her mind.

She had died. That was a certain fact.

So these situations… couldn’t possibly be real.

‘Ah. Is this a dream?’

Perhaps it was a daydream one has before dying. Maybe even a gift from someone who pitied her, always hanging on a wall.

Thinking this way, the anger that had risen to her head disappeared, and she felt joyful. Even the stickiness of the wine seeping inside her dress felt welcome.

She opened her mouth kindly, looking at the person in front of her.

“Excuse me.”

“……”

A moment of silence.

The woman in front of her blinked as if surprised. Then, as if her pride had been hurt, she shouted while trembling all over.

“Wh-what?”

Seeing her defensive posture, as if she were the one who had been hit, made her look quite pitiful.

‘Is she drunk?’

This place looked like a nobles’ banquet hall. The light from the sparkling chandeliers was quite brilliant.

Due to her experience as the emperor’s mirror, she was quite knowledgeable about noble etiquette. Thus, she knew well how absurd the actions of this woman—slapping, shouting, and splashing wine—truly were.

“Hey, Miss.”

Saying this, she took the woman’s hand and soothed her, causing the woman to blink frantically.

“Miss…?”

“Yes, you.”

To be so surprised at that. This dream is quite vivid.

She curved the corners of her mouth and narrowed her eyes. She was confident in her innocent and gentle-looking smile. In that state, she whispered softly.

“I don’t know what happened, but please calm down. If I’ve done something wrong, I’ll apologize. I’m really sorry.”

A moment of silence. Meeting trembling eyes. But for some reason, the woman seemed even more enraged.

“S-sorry?”

“Yes. I’m sorry. But you should also think carefully. Causing such a disturbance here won’t be good for you either.”

“…Ha, you, this time you’ve really gone mad……”

She tilted her head. Why such a reaction? She had kindly expressed concern, but the returning gaze was quite disrespectful. It was exactly like looking at food waste that couldn’t even be recycled.

‘Wow, this is a really vivid dream…..’

Blinking for a moment, she looked around. And met the gazes staring intently at her. Suddenly, cold sweat ran down her back.