Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who's the Witch of Fate’s Great Call - Chapter 27
A scoff is still a laugh. Vylon, utterly bemused, pulled her close and held her tightly. Only after embracing her did the headache that had been throbbing in his head finally subside.
Of course, Kalynia, who had only been pretending to sleep, did not stay still.
She struggled, trying to free herself from his grasp.
“Your Majesty, didn’t you say it’s not good to sleep in improper positions?”
The words he had casually said earlier came right back at him. He parted his lips, searching for another excuse. Though he’d decided not to do anything tonight, it felt like a waste to just let her go.
“I have no choice. If I don’t hold you like this, who knows when you might try to bite my nose again.”
Vylon had found a plausible excuse. He held her firmly with his arms and legs, making it impossible for her to move.
Kalynia hissed like an annoyed cat, demanding to be released. He pretended to be asleep, showing no intention of letting her go.
“Haah, this is exhausting.”
As she sighed in resignation, the irksome man even chuckled softly through his nose. Annoyed, she resisted again, but his strong arms didn’t budge.
Kalynia eventually gave up. Given that things had come to this, she rested her cheek on his chest and closed her eyes.
Though she was held so tightly she couldn’t move, it felt surprisingly comfortable once she accepted it. His warmth and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against her ear were like a soothing lullaby. Though she didn’t want to admit it, she felt as if she could fall asleep easily.
“Good night, Your Majesty, the one who does as he pleases.”
As she whispered a soft goodnight, the man pretending to sleep kissed her lightly on the top of her head.
* * *
For the first time in a long while, she had slept soundly. When she opened her eyes and saw Vylon propped up on one hand, staring at her, she thought she might still be dreaming.
Wouldn’t that posture be bad for his back?
Kalynia wondered. But what did his spinal health have to do with her? It didn’t concern her at all.
Instead of offering him some well-meaning advice, she decided to conserve her energy.
But…
“You slept well, Kalynia.”
His unexpectedly friendly tone made her feel selfish for keeping quiet. In the end, she couldn’t resist and told him that his posture wasn’t good for his back.
Hearing her advice, Vylon’s eyes shifted left, then right, and he smirked.
What kind of response was that to her thoughtful advice?
She resolved never to offer unsolicited advice again. Just as she made up her mind, he leaned over and kissed her forehead.
“…Why are you doing this so early in the morning?”
They hadn’t even had breakfast yet, so it wasn’t like he’d eaten anything strange. His behavior had been odd, not just this morning but since last night.
Kalynia looked at him suspiciously, but he avoided her gaze and gave a vague reply.
“Who knows.”
What on earth was he thinking?
In any case, thanks to a good night’s sleep, Kalynia felt in excellent condition. Though, as usual, there was nothing to do with all this energy.
Sitting at her desk, she rested her chin on her hand and began reading the titles of the books on the shelf. With no more letters to write, this was all she had to do.
Chronicles of the Snow Kingdom, Almanac of the Nobility, A Century of History… all of them were related to history. If there had been a book on herbal medicine, she would’ve read it immediately. Her tastes did not align at all with the room’s previous occupant.
“Well, I’m bored, so maybe I’ll read one…”
Just as she was contemplating, a visitor appeared. The man requesting an audience was someone she’d glimpsed briefly at the modest wedding.
“Duke Hamilton, at your service, Your Majesty.”
Noticing her curiosity, he introduced himself, and Kalynia realized that he bore a striking resemblance to Harriette. Only after hearing his name did she notice.
“Why did you want to see me?”
“Well…”
He hesitated, seeming reluctant to speak. If she hadn’t been so desperately bored, she would have sent him away.
Kalynia’s extreme boredom was a stroke of luck for the duke. Comparing her options of browsing book titles versus listening to the duke’s story, the latter seemed far more entertaining.
She would normally say, ‘Go on, I’m dying of boredom here.’ But then she recalled the king’s occasional lectures about maintaining her dignity as queen.
“Speak, Duke. Do you have a request of me?”
Kalynia attempted a queenly tone. Though she was only guessing, the duke seemed startled, as if she’d hit the nail on the head.
