Chapter 9: No One Is More Honest Than Me
760 Words
Elena couldn't help but grin at what popped up on her system screen.
At that same moment, [Portrait: The Cunning Goblin] changed in her [World Perception]:
[The Delusional Mirror]
[Age]: Young
[Level]: 61
[Alignment]: Chaotic Neutral
[Abilities]: See Through Illusions
[Weakness]: Obsession... Obsession... Obsession...
[Description]: This is supposedly the third "painting" in castle's gallery—but is it really just a mirror pretending to be art? Nobody remembers when it showed up or if it was always like this.
Elena kept smiling.
I knew I was right.
It's all fake.
That blood rain and those oozing walls—only she could see them! The maid strolled past like nothing was wrong; normally, just smelling this would send vampires into a frenzy!
And what about that "painting"?
Lightning had shown the truth—it was just a mirror. None of the other portraits reflected anything nearly as clearly.
Once you spotted one illusion, everything else started to fall apart.
"Somehow, princess, your beautiful smile freaks me out," the "portrait" suddenly said.
The "goblin" melted away and turned into a smooth glass surface. A row of eyes blinked open along the frame, and a mouth full of sharp teeth opened up below.
"But you're clever. You saw through your delusions—and mine."
Elena's heart raced—it was actually talking!
But its [Chaotic Neutral] alignment made her hesitate.
Dark World Rule #4: Never engage with chaotic beings—even Chaotic Good ones. If they speak first, respond.
Translation: They're all dangerous nutjobs. Stay away from them.
But since the mirror had started it…
"You're a mirror pretending to be a painting," Elena muttered. "What a liar."
"No way! I'm the most honest mirror ever!" it protested. "No one tells the truth better than me!"
"Then why are you hiding?"
"It's kind of a long story—but not too long." Its eyes rolled around wildly. "Once upon a time, there was this little girl with a teddy bear who wanted to play hide-and-seek. I told her that if I hid, no one would find me. She didn't believe me, so I took it as a challenge and have been hiding ever since—until you found me! Clever princess."
Elena: (ΩДΩ)!!
"How long have you been hiding?"
"Five years… Ten? Maybe more? I can't really remember." Its eyes spun in confusion.
Definitely chaotic.
And obsessed.
But could she trust it?
Mary's first rule: The third corridor painting always lies.
But Mary mentioned paintings—not mirrors.
"Either way, I don't believe you. Goodbye." Elena turned to walk away.
"WAIT! Princess! You've got to trust me! I swear I'm being honest!" The mirror's eyes were darting around like crazy.
Elena paused, trying not to smirk.
Weakness: Obsession.
It didn't matter if it was obsessed with lying or proving itself right. What mattered was how much truth she could get out of it.
"Fine." She let out a dramatic sigh. "Prove it."
The mirror's eyes lit up with excitement.
"First question: Why do I see blood everywhere when it should only be in goblets?"
"Because you're dealing with some mental issues, princess," it said smugly. "You're seeing your biggest fear—blood. But hey, you're already fighting back against it, right?"
Mental issues?
Elena kept her face straight. "What's causing this?"
"A powerful being," the mirror whispered nervously. "He won't attack directly—your dad is too strong for that—but he wants you dead. You're in serious trouble."
A powerful being?
Stepmother? Alucard? Someone else?
Just how many people want me dead?!
"Who is he? Why does he want me gone? How do I survive this?"
The mirror's teeth chattered together. "Honestly? I can't tell you that. He's as strong as your father is—and your chances of surviving this are almost zero."
Almost zero.
That ruled out Stepmother and Alucard—neither one had Dracula's power.
So… who the heck could it be?!
Surviving really feels impossible now.
Unless the mirror's just lying through its teeth.
"Next question," Elena pressed on. "What's Alucard got to do with those frogs?"
The mirror grinned wide. "This morning, I saw his cravat glowing with witchcraft vibes—it comes from a witch's heart; her life force is strong enough to curse humans but vampires? That magic isn't nearly enough for them."
"You're the only human here, princess." It gave an exaggerated pause before continuing, "And since Alucard came back wearing that curse...you must've noticed by now, huh? Am I right about that?"
Elena narrowed her crimson eyes at him.
A witch's curse…
- Writer
