The soul that had always been felt beside him had departed. She who had settled somewhere would surely have opened her eyes. Yet despite a day passing, no one came looking for him.

Surely, he had placed detailed constraints on time, place, bloodline, and status, so it should have worked as intended.

Even if the mirror had lost several years of memories, he thought she would naturally run to him as soon as she opened her eyes. Yet why did no one come?

He felt hollow inside.

It resembled despair.

“…You didn’t come to look for me.”

After a moment passed, the man decided to acknowledge it. She was not coming. She had hidden herself.

“Haah……”

He slowly rose. Soon the loosely draped silk robe opened, revealing a well-muscled body in its raw form.

His long limbs moved, and with a thud, his white feet briefly left their mark on the marble.

Standing by the window, moonlight poured over him. The white moonlight rolled down his sculptural skin.

At some point, the man laughed thinly. Despite it being a pleasant baritone, it was strangely chilling to the bone. He clenched his fist in the air as if grasping something invisible.

“My mirror.”

The eyes of one stained with obsession and driven to madness curved beautifully, as if imagining someone from his memories.

“Seems to enjoy playing hide-and-seek.”

He recalled his mirror. That pure, clear soul.

Memories revisited and revisited over a very long time might have faded in brightness, but nothing was forgotten.

The chattering voice. The blunt manner of speaking. The bad habit of blurting out inner thoughts.

But that kind soul.

Back then, it had departed through death, but once again by his side…

Now a soul that had left its trace.

“This time will be different.”

That was what he intended to make happen. Having spent a long time binding the soul to this land, now it couldn’t escape anywhere, so he could regard a little wandering as amusement.

With a chilling smile, he called for someone waiting outside.

“Chief chamberlain.”

As if bound by invisible ropes, the face of the person brought in like a criminal, trapped in a shadow filled with murderous intent, was deathly pale. The man called the chief chamberlain barely looked at him and spoke.

“Y-Your Majesty. D-did you call for me.”

The man smirked at the voice that couldn’t hide its fear, then gently curved his eyes. It was a very pretty smile even to another man’s eyes, but the heart of the one facing it was not pleased at all.

The man whispered softly.

“Why are you so frightened, chief chamberlain? Are you afraid of me?”

The chief chamberlain shook his head frantically.

“N-no, no! Wh-why did you call me, Your Majesty……”

The man, the emperor, flashed his eyes coldly at the chief chamberlain wrapped in fear that his head might fall. Murderous intent naturally rose upon seeing him, but he suppressed his energy. Unfortunately, it was not yet time for this man to die.

He had no intention of easily letting go of the bloodlines of traitors.

“Hiiik……”

Perhaps sensing the passing murderous intent, the chief chamberlain froze, and the emperor wiggled his finger.

“Come closer.”

“Yes, yes, Your Majesty.”

At that languid gesture, the chief chamberlain approached like a frightened dog and bowed his head.

“Tell all the unmarried ladies of the capital to attend the banquet to be held tomorrow without fail.”

“Uh, yes?”

For a moment, forgetting even his fear, the chief chamberlain raised his head sharply. Though he bowed his head again at the icy blue gaze.

“Your Majesty. Th-that, that means?”

The emperor smiled generously even while looking at the stupid expression of the chief chamberlain. But the chief chamberlain’s expression turned even more blue.

“It means exactly what I said. If anyone answers that they will not attend, tell them again. Without fail.”

The emperor’s birthday celebration.

“Without a single absence.”

Watching the eyes that curved coldly, the chief chamberlain swallowed dryly.

“To fill that seat.”

When this order was delivered, the nobles would surely understand it this way: Perhaps a candidate for the emperor’s companion might be selected at this event!

Especially if the condition was set as all unmarried ladies of the capital, they couldn’t help but think that way.

After the surprised chief chamberlain quickly nodded and disappeared, the emperor smiled seductively in the room where only a chilling presence remained.

It’s alright.

If she wouldn’t come to see him after settling into an unfamiliar body…

‘I’ll have to make her come directly.’

❀❀❀

It was a day of shock and horror at becoming Karlea. But she soon recovered neatly.

Because.

“Haah……”

It was because of the food.

“Um, d-does it suit your taste? This is veal, which you particularly liked, Miss.”

Karlea trembled with each bite of food, barely hearing Cassie’s words.

Those foods she had never been able to eat when she was a mirror! This splendid feast of flavors! The texture of the tender meat with bursting juices was fantastic. In this moment, even her fond feelings for El seemed slightly diluted.

“Sniff, it’s so, so delicious.”

“Are you crying because it’s delicious?”

“Yes. Cassie, you wouldn’t understand……”

Karlea was unaware that all the servants of the mansion were aghast at the sight of her savoring each piece of meat with reddened cheeks.

She looked regretfully at the empty plate, then raised one finger toward Cassie who was on standby.

Cassie’s eyes wavered as she met that shy gaze.

Could it be?

Karlea nodded, reading that anxious gaze.

“Yes. I’ll have one more plate.”

It was her fourth plate.

Cassie’s face darkened considerably.

“Are you r-really okay with this?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Oh, and the desserts you prepared. Bring me a little of each kind, don’t leave anything out.”

Everyone’s eyes widened as if they’d heard something impossible. Only then did Karlea notice their reaction and chuckled. Of course, she understood why Cassie and the surrounding maids were reacting that way.

The original Karlea would have avoided fattening foods and focused on maintaining her figure through small meals, as most noble ladies did, so her current behavior must be shocking.

She knew this, but what could she do? After spending years as a mirror unable to drink even a sip of water, she couldn’t stop chewing, tearing, and swallowing.

However, Karlea couldn’t freely indulge in the paradise of sweet desserts. The door burst open and the old butler rushed in with a face drained of color.

“M-Miss!”

His urgent expression gave her an ominous feeling. And her premonition became reality.

“This is terrible, Miss!”

“Butler? What’s wrong?”

“The inevitable has finally happened!”

Karlea blinked as she received what the butler held out. Before she could ask again, the butler’s trembling voice continued.

“An imperial decree about the banquet has arrived, Miss.”

Imperial decree?

“We sent word that you wouldn’t be able to attend today’s main banquet due to your condition, though yesterday’s was just the eve celebration……”

Eve celebration? What’s that? As she blinked in confusion, the butler, anxiously watching her reaction, spoke urgently.

“Urgent letters have been sent throughout the capital. His Majesty’s decree ordering all unmarried ladies in the capital to attend without fail……”

She couldn’t recall if something like this had happened in the original work. The original story began with the two male leads and the saintess meeting fatefully at the banquet, so it made sense she wouldn’t know.

“Well, Miss. After that unfortunate incident at yesterday’s banquet, it might be uncomfortable for you, but……”

Looking at the butler who muttered as if testing her reaction, she could somewhat guess how the original Karlea would have responded.

But she wasn’t the previous Karlea. She had no intention of acting like her. So things would change from now on. Yes, this was rather a good opportunity. She calmly put down the fork she was holding.

“If it’s an order that can’t be refused, then I must go.”

“Ah, M-Miss?”

She smiled brightly at the surprised butler.

“I’d prefer not to get slapped or drenched in wine like yesterday, but if I must go, then I must. So don’t speak so cautiously, butler.”

“……”

Everyone in the dining room froze. Karlea nodded as she saw the startled gazes.

“I know what you’re worried about. I don’t remember anything, so you don’t know what mistakes I might make, but……”

Karlea rose to her feet, facing expressions that found their young lady utterly unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

She had no intention of imitating the original owner of the body, nor did she plan to pretend she knew things. She knew well that sometimes the best approach was to honestly admit what she didn’t know and ask for help.

“If we can’t avoid it, we must face it head-on. I can’t just keep hiding like this. So will you all help me? Tell me the things I need to know right now, briefly. I’ll try my best to memorize them.”

“……”

She laughed inwardly as she looked at them all with expressions as if they’d been slapped.

Though she’d spent years in the novel, being inside a mirror meant she had no experience in high society, so she lacked all the noble education that ordinary ladies possessed. Therefore, she had no idea what might happen to her if she attended the banquet as Karlea. But none of that mattered.

Only one thing was important.

‘Finally, you.’

El.

‘My young tyrant.’

She would be able to see him as he was now.

That alone was reason enough to go.