SIAHG 20

Chapter 20

I had no idea what that so-called “one and only mirror” mentioned in the tip was. I didn’t feel like going on an adventure to find it either.

For now, I calculated how best to use the mirror shard I just obtained.

“Lady April?”

The crown prince called me.

“When did you come?”

“Your Highness!”

He looked perfectly composed, as if he hadn’t just collapsed. Of course, with his entire neck dark purple, it wasn’t convincing.

“Just now. Are you in much pain, Your Highness?”

I looked teary-eyed, like a friend upset that another was suffering.

“I feel no pain. A royal must not feel pain, even if he is in agony. But strangely enough, I feel comforted by your concern, my lady. Perhaps it means I am already close to death.”

I sat on the chair beside his bed and conversed with him. It was an odd conversation.

“Does Lady April own a doll at home?”

“Pipi! How did you know that?”

“I overheard it in passing. I, too, had a doll as a child. It was my comfort doll. But my father tore it apart.”

“Then both the doll and Your Highness’s heart must have been hurt.”

In a low, secretive tone, the crown prince said,

“He tore it apart so that it would hurt. One must never appear weak. If you have no worth, you end up like that doll—destroyed. If you are not perfect, you will be the one torn apart… or else something precious to you will be. Oh, you don’t understand? That is why I told you this, Lady April.”

At that moment, I realized why the crown prince always seemed so composed.

‘Is this the darkness of a romance novel’s male lead?’

A royal male lead always carried some deep trauma or dark secret.

But why was he telling me, the “foolish lady,” instead of the heroine?

Did I… accidentally charm him too well?

“What would you have done, my lady?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. That was a long story. But April wouldn’t be torn apart. She’s very strong.”

I smiled brightly. I meant it.

‘I’ll just let myself be carried comfortably, sucking honey until I escape.’

The crown prince chuckled softly.

Then, as though amused, he asked,

“Do you, Lady, perhaps have a gift for putting people at ease?”

Crown Prince Azeph’s favorability has risen significantly!

I was about to answer, but his scarlet eyes had already closed again. He had fainted once more.

‘He really has his burdens.’

I tucked his blanket when Yeniel entered just then.

“Lady April, thank you so much. I’m relieved nothing happened. From now on, others will take care of him.”

I touched the mirror shard in my pocket.

To hear an unconditional truth about someone’s affection—
Of course I had to use it on Yeniel, the center of this faction.

“Sir Max, open His Highness’s mouth.”

“Your Highness, Your Highness…!”

Even though Max hated Sian, he had no room for that now, with his lord hovering between life and death.

Sian poured the antidote into the prince’s mouth.

“He swallows well. Just in case, I’ll prevent reflux with magic.”

A brief glow lit up from Sian’s hand.

The prince’s condition rapidly improved.

I quietly approached Yeniel.

“Lady Yeniel, may April ask you something?”

I had realized just now: they already considered me one of them. Otherwise, they’d never have left a gravely ill crown prince in the care of a foolish noblewoman like me.

“Of course. If Lady April asks, I’ll answer anything.”

The item activated.

Mirror Shard (Rare Item) activates! The shard will vanish once the “truthful answer” is received.

“Who is your favorite person here in the Otherworld?”

Thanks to the item’s effect, she would not find the question strange. Even the phrase “Otherworld” raised no suspicion.

It was a casual question.

Naturally, as the heroine, she was surely leaning toward either the crown prince or Sian. Then I’d know to step aside.

Max? No way—Yeniel’s standards weren’t that low.

Calmly, Yeniel replied,

“Lady April.”

…What?

I thought I misheard.

“The person I like most here is Lady April.”

The Mirror Shard has disappeared!
(It was the truth.)

‘Did I just… capture the heroine?’

Of course, I couldn’t know if Yeniel’s favorability was already 90% or more. Even if she confessed, it didn’t mean she’d accept me.

Wait.

Maybe it wasn’t that she liked me so much, but that the crown prince and Sian’s favorability was just that low.

A reasonable thought.

The prince recovered quickly, and the group relaxed.

“How did you deal with the monster outside? I couldn’t check because I was too busy worrying.”

Yeniel asked Sian.

“I summoned a high-ranking spirit. My given trait is the ability to reach greater heights in spirit magic.”

‘Lucky. I’m jealous.’

Max, who was finally relieved after seeing the prince improve, scowled at the mention of Sian’s high spirit.

“Che.”

Yeniel ignored it and added gracefully,

“I too gained something special. I was given the qualification of a <Key>.”

What?

Wasn’t that like the gallery feature from the game?

Yeniel explained,

“It felt as though the knowledge was placed directly into my head. I am one of two keys, and only the keys can open the door to leave this world. That alone is my ability.”

She wasn’t the type to lie for no reason.

Sian mused,

“Two keys. Then the other must also be among those who entered this mansion with us.”

I found it obvious.

Heroine Yeniel.
Villainess Evelyn.

They were both playable characters. The other key had to be Evelyn.

“At least one key is on our side. That’s a relief.”

“I!”

Nobody asked, but Max shouted,

“I gained incredible speed and stealth! And my strength is unmatched!”

He grinned proudly.

Then Yeniel turned to me.

“What about you, Lady April?”

April Sharon: Awakening in progress…… (83/100)%

Of course I didn’t know yet. I was still awakening.

If only I’d listened to my brother babbling about April’s abilities before.

If I made something up now, and then the real trait appeared later, I’d be accused of lying and my suspicion points would shoot up.

“April’s mood is wonderful today!”

“Not that! Your trait! Your special ability! You don’t seem to have one!”

Max barked triumphantly.

‘Oh, so he’s grown bold after awakening?’

He had waited to confirm I had no ability. Classic bullying the weak.

“Sir Max!”

I seized his hair in a lightning-fast move.

He tried to dodge, and yes, he was faster now. But no match for me.

Max needed discipline.

I shivered at how much I was starting to resemble a true daughter of the Sharon household.

“April is shocked! Sir Max, you mustn’t yell at friends. That’s not gentlemanly!”

“Aaagh! Ow, ow! My hair!”

Shake, shake.

I would pluck his scalp clean if I had to.

April’s strength was clearly real—Max couldn’t break free.

“When April was three, she learned something important from her tutor! You must not yell at friends!”

Grip, shake shake.

I squeezed harder, pretending I’d forgotten I was still holding his hair.

Tufts of hair ripped out.

Max had clearly forgotten his place after awakening. I would educate him properly.

Locks of hair rained down.

“Sir Max! Are you listening to April?”

“Aaagh! Ow ow ow!”

“Yes?”

“Aaaaagh! I’m sorry! I admit it!”

Even as he begged from the pain, I put on a hurt expression.

“Sir Max doesn’t listen to April. That makes her very sad.”

“Ugh, please—!”

I had planned to pluck him bald, but unfortunately, the crown prince woke up first.

He blinked at us, dazed.

Maybe I should let go now.

The prince murmured,

“An illusion?”

He must have thought he was still dreaming.

The crown prince’s favorability has risen significantly!
The crown prince’s favorability has risen significantly!
The crown prince’s favorability has risen significantly!

So it was a reward.
His favorability had risen three times in a row.