Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who's the Witch of Fate’s Great Call - Chapter 22
Since it came to this, he was determined to go and find her himself. No matter how far away, he would track her down. He was prepared to leave, even if his retainers clung to his pants and begged him not to go.
But then, the mirror said something frightening.
I grieve, Majesty Vylon, for thy quest is in vain,
No princess exists to bear thee an heir to thy reign.
“…What do you mean, she cannot be found?”
She dwells far beyond where sight can extend,
Or perchance, dear sire, she exists not to apprehend
Unwilling to believe the mirror, Vylon angrily demanded it tell the truth, not lies. It was a waste of energy, though. No matter how much he threatened to shatter it, the mirror only spoke the truth. From the beginning, it hadn’t needed any threats to do so.
The princess fated to break thy curse,
Is nowhere in sight, for better or worse.
He asked the same question the next day, and the day after that, but the answer remained the same. Finally, Vylon gave up.
“They say a princess’s kiss is the best way to break a curse.”
“Invite a princess to the kingdom, Your Majesty!”
The ministers rose up, saying he must not give up. They spoke of a princess known for her outstanding beauty, or another praised for her excellent character.
“Invite the princesses from various nations and hold a ball!”
“It will be useless. The mirror said so.”
“Do not believe the words of that wicked mirror so easily!”
After days of persistent persuasion from his ministers, Vylon, who hadn’t even listened at first, finally gave in.
If there was any hope left, it lay in the mirror’s statement that she cannot be seen because she is too far away. So Vylon sent invitations even to princesses of countries he had barely heard of.
This was the last chance. If it was proven at this ball that it was impossible, he intended to give up completely. He thought that would be best for the women and for himself, as it would spare them all any more pain.
The princesses who arrived, however, were disappointing.
“Greetings, Sun of the Snow Kingdom. I am… urpp!”
As for the ‘best way’ being a princess’s kiss, even a light kiss on the back of his hand made the princesses turn pale.
“See? It’s all pointless.”
Though irritated, the ministers hadn’t lost hope.
“A kiss would be different, Your Majesty!”
They were awfully eager for something that didn’t concern them.
But what if a princess vomited immediately after a kiss? What if it happened while their lips were still touching?
Just the thought was terrible, so Vylon refused to enter the ballroom.
“You expect me to watch a group of princesses vomit one after another?”
He declared that he would not love anyone, nor even attempt to love anyone, and his tone was as sharp as a freshly honed blade.
In the end, he was human, too. He had a desire to be loved by someone, and each time that desire was thwarted, he despaired. This was why he hadn’t been able to give up, but now, this was the end.
“That’s enough. I’ll never escape this curse. Since Grimdelwald’s death, it’s been set in stone that the royal bloodline would be this way.”
It was bitter, but he was ready to let go when the ministers continued to pester him. They insisted that this princess might be different, or that he hadn’t yet met that princess. They clung on.
Though he knew they meant it sincerely, he couldn’t accept it positively.
“Just give me your child instead, Count. I’ll take him as my adopted son and raise him as my heir.”
“Pardon?”
The count, who was the king’s advisor, was unwilling to part with his only son. He turned pale.
“It would be better that way. Snow White’s bloodline should no longer exist in this world.”
“How could you say such a thing, Your Majesty!”
Turning his head to avoid the count’s tearful face, he noticed a woman passing by.
Pretending not to hear their conversation, pretending not to care, but clearly aware of them, she was an unfamiliar woman who moved quietly, catching his attention.
“Your Majesty, does that princess catch your eye?”
As he watched her until she disappeared, the count asked in a low voice.
“…No. I was just watching her pass by.”
“As someone who has served Your Majesty by your side for years, I must say, this is the first time I’ve seen you look at a woman like that.”
“……”
“Love is all about timing, Your Majesty.”
“……”
“That lady might be your destined princess!”
The count’s voice was lively, as if he was certain she was the destined princess.
Vylon had no choice but to admit it. That unknown woman who had just passed by intrigued him.
He had seen portraits of every princess invited, so he should have recognized her face. Yet, he couldn’t remember ever seeing her before.
It wasn’t unusual for people to look different from their portraits, but… who was she?
His gaze kept drifting toward the direction where she had disappeared. She must be a princess if the count called her one, even if he couldn’t recall her face.
“Ahem, I’ll be right back.”
Leaving the encouraging count behind, Vylon clenched his fists and followed Kalynia.
Dressed for the party, and with a face he didn’t recognize, he assumed she was one of the princesses. Only later would he learn that the count had merely made a guess.
In any case, when he caught up with Kalynia in front of the treasury, he was startled.
