Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who's the Witch of Fate’s Great Call - Chapter 11
Kalynia, who had barely escaped a serious situation while trying to steal the mirror, planned to return to the inn to wait for Catherine. But before Catherine could arrive, the soldiers from the castle stormed into the inn.
The pursuit was so swift. She worried that Catherine, still in the castle, might have been captured.
‘If anything happens, she’ll escape to the sky. Catherine will be alright.’
As her anxious thoughts spiraled, Kalynia shook her head vigorously. Among the seven sisters, Catherine was the fastest at flying, even without a broomstick.
‘I should be more worried about my own life right now!’
Kalynia abandoned waiting and fled from the inn. The soldiers persistently pursued her, likely under orders from the king himself not to let her escape.
‘Lust-crazed human scum!’
She gritted her teeth and managed to shake off her pursuers only after crossing the Snow Kingdom’s border.
‘I’ll never ever set foot near the Snow Kingdom again!’
* * *
And so, a month passed since that vow.
Now, she found herself dressed as a maid, cleaning in the Snow Kingdom’s castle. The situation had taken this turn entirely because of her sisters.
Do you know what she did!
Upon returning home after her humiliating failure, she heard Catherine’s furious voice through the window. Kalynia hid below the window, listening to the scene unfolding inside without daring to enter.
‘I waited over the inn, watching to see if she was coming, but she didn’t show up at all! She abandoned me and ran off alone!’
Abandoned her? Kalynia felt wronged. She had intended to wait at the inn, but when the soldiers arrived, she’d only escaped to avoid capture.
She’d tried several times to return to the inn, but what could she do when the soldiers were right on her tail every time?
Kalynia decided to go inside and explain herself before the misunderstanding deepened. That is, until she overheard her sisters’ chilling statements.
‘When Kalynia comes back, she’s spending a month as a frog!’
‘She stole Mother’s heirloom and abandoned her sister. This time, she won’t get away with it!’
‘I agree!’
‘Me too!’
‘It’s a bit sad, but there’s no choice. We’ve been too lenient with her!’
Kalynia, who had been on her way in, quietly turned back. She wasn’t willing to spend days as a frog, catching flies with a slimy body.
To avoid the punishment of becoming a frog and to earn her sisters’ forgiveness, she desperately needed Grimdelwald’s mirror.
So, despite the trouble she’d caused, she returned to the Snow Kingdom.
‘I failed because I was too hasty. This time, I’ll proceed slowly and calmly.’
Determined, she applied when she heard the castle was hiring maids.
She worried they might have strict selection criteria, but fortunately, after a simple interview, she was given her uniform.
‘Isn’t it risky to hire people so carelessly?’
Even if they were short-staffed, this was still the residence of the king. She, a witch, found herself more concerned about their lax security.
Of course, she wasn’t given immediate access to the king’s bedchamber, where the mirror was kept. Instead, she was assigned to clean the stairs, a high-traffic area that constantly needed sweeping and mopping.
‘How many times am I climbing these stairs today?’
Going up and down repeatedly while cleaning was exhausting. Every time frustration arose, Kalynia took a deep breath to calm herself.
Slowly, she reminded herself, this time, step by step. Rushing would only lead to failure.
Working diligently, she finally reached the bottom of the stairs. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she paused to catch her breath when she heard a slight commotion above.
The maid polishing the handrail, ensuring it sparkled, quickly bowed her head when someone approached. Kalynia stepped aside, holding her bucket as she checked who it was.
The king appeared at the top of the stairs, descending slowly. Kalynia lowered her head, tense, her heart pounding. She knew he wouldn’t recognize her thanks to the magical disguise, but the situation still made her nervous.
It’s fine. He wouldn’t suspect the witch who fled would dare to return. Even if he sees my face, he won’t recognize me.
Just as she expected, Vylon seemed about to walk past her.
But suddenly, he stopped and turned to face her.
“Lift your head.”
At his commanding tone, Kalynia’s shoulders flinched.
Could the spell have worn off without her noticing? But even so, she’d kept her head down…
How could he have recognized her?
