Male Lead, Don’t Push, Pull!

“Fool,” I cursed.

Of course, the word refers to Kyle.

“Idiot.”

This is also an alternative word for Kyle.

“I’m always the only one apologizing, always the only one making amends.”

With a small growl, I stomped away.

“This time, I’m not giving in.”

I’m also really pissed off! Are you only allowed to pout?

I can pout too!

Boom, boom, boom!

When I think about it, it all started with me sending Kyle a reconciliation letter. Technically, he should have apologized for knocking me over!

Even then, Kyle, you still didn’t say sorry!

I let it slide because I was so caught up in the thought of looking good for you at the time….

“Isn’t this a terrible habit?”

It’s not like I’m supposed to be the one who apologizes every time. I’d love to hear Kyle apologize to me too!

I want Kyle to tell me he’s sorry!

I wanted Kyle to be nervous about me, rather than me constantly worrying about whether or not I was in the wrong!

As I walked along with these thoughts, I found myself in the western section of the academy, in the Magic Department.

The students of the Magic Department, who would normally have their heads buried in their books and magical tools, were all smiling and enjoying the festive night.

The sight of them made me feel sick again.

If only Kyle hadn’t been so fussy, I might have been able to enjoy the day with my old childhood friend!

As I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that I needed to climb the tower of truth and check out the mirror.

It was a decision that was born out of rebellion against Kyle.

After all, I had canceled my plans for the day because of him! If he’s not willing to reconcile, I’m not willing to hang on to him.

I guess it’s for the best. Like Darlene said, I’m going to check myself in the mirror and find out who my future husband is!

And I’m going to make it work!

I walked briskly towards the Tower of Truth.

I was nervous that there would be a teacher in charge of the tower, but to my surprise, there were no people around.

I suspected it was because the tower was so far west of the Magic Department.

But things weren’t going to be so easy.

“What is this?”

Instead of no one watching, the entrance to the tower was wrapped in a huge chain.

And in the middle of it all was a heavy padlock.

“How do I open this lock?”

Why didn’t I have anything, let alone a key?

I look around, but there is only one entrance to the tower.

‘I’m in the Department of Magic, so you should be able to get in easily if you come with me.’

Is this what Daniel meant? If I’d known it would be like this, I would have looked for Daniel on the way back.

I grabbed the old lock and turned it around.

It was because I couldn’t throw away my lingering feelings that there might be some kind of secret device.

But contrary to my hopes, there was nothing.

“Hmph…”

I don’t know where to begin.

A sudden sense of despondency washed over me, and I sank down onto the floor. I leaned my back against the wall and tilted my head to look up at the closed lock.

At that moment, I spotted some words stamped in a circle near the keyhole of the lock.

“Huh? What is that?”

I tilted my head, grabbed the lock, and peered into the keyhole.

The writing, very small, was in an ancient language.

It was pretty complicated…. But what does it say?

I stumbled over the words, which I would never have been able to read unless I was a student of the Ancient Language Department.

“﹤Those who want to know the truth, knock on the door﹥?”

And just as I half-heartedly knocked on the door.

Click-.

The tightly closed lock opened and the chains surrounding the door disappeared.

I blinked at the magical sight.

Wait, is the tower open now?

I rushed into the tower as fast as I could.

I thought about closing the door but decided to leave it slightly ajar by placing a stone in the gap. I was worried that the door would lock again, and I wouldn’t be able to get out.

“Wow….”

I swallowed my exclamation as I stepped inside the tower.

The tower, said to have been used by the Archmage Helinoa as his living quarters and laboratory, had an eerie atmosphere from the moment I entered.

It was dilapidated, but there was an aura about it that could not be ignored simply because it was old.

“This is why it’s called a holy place.”

It’s something the students of the Department of Magic would appreciate.

After looking around for a moment, I spotted a wooden door on one side of the ground floor.

I opened the old, creaky door to reveal a spiral staircase leading upwards.

The unlit staircase in the wall was lit solely by the moonlight streaming through the windows.

Gulp.

I guess I’ll have to climb these stairs to see the Mirror of Truth, huh?

The eerie atmosphere gave me a little chill, but at the same time, it piqued my curiosity.

I took a step towards the top.

Luckily, the stairs were made of stone.

If they were made of wood, the creaking sound would have made me give up and run.

“Phew.”

Soon enough, I finally reached the top of the tower.

I gasped for air as I stood in front of the massive, arched entrance. I cautiously stretched my arm towards the dusty doorknob.

Squeak–

The room, whose owner had disappeared and was now only a mere monument, was silent as if time had stopped. Everything was neatly arranged, as if the room had been occupied until yesterday.

The desk that Helinoa had used, his bed, and even a huge table piled high with old, unused magical research instruments.

And then I noticed the one thing that stood out the most.

The Mirror of Truth.

The object rumored to tell me who my future mate would be.

Covered in a red cloth, I instinctively realized that this was what I was looking for.

My heart began to pound with a strange sense of urgency.

In the original story, Viviane Rosiere had no husband. She was branded a traitor before she could marry and disappeared with the dew of her sentence.

‘Unni Cornell married the man she saw in the mirror!’

Gulp.

Don’t be surprised when someone shows up. There’s no guarantee I’m going to marry the man in the mirror, is there?

I slowly pulled the red cloth down.

And in the mirror of truth that was finally revealed.

“…!”

There was a reflection of me with a dumbfounded expression on my face.

I held onto the mirror and glared at it, hoping that maybe if I stared at it for more than ten seconds, something would come to me, but nothing happened.

Was this another one where I had to recite an incantation?

“Those who want to know the truth, knock on the door…?” I whispered half-hopefully.

Nothing changed.

I turned my head this way and that, and even chanted some strange incantation I’d picked up somewhere, but nothing happened.

It dawned on me that I had been tricked.

“Ahaha.”

The tension drained from my voice.

“I’m a fool for believing the school legend.”

It was just another one of those false rumors about the statues in the schoolyard coming to life at night and the cemetery being there before the school was built.

‘The kitchen staff…. They all say how much they love me…. You all worked together to deceive me?’

For this sin, I’d never accept an apology unless it was a sweet Mont Blanc cake.

I glared at the mirror, which was fulfilling its role as a decorative object.

There was nothing special about it, except that it was old and dull with handprints.

Still, it was a legendary mirror, so I expected it to be beautifully decorated.

It was a simple, utilitarian design, as if Helinoa had no sense of aesthetics.

My reflection, full of emptiness, glistened in the moonlight.

And then the moment.

“Huh?”

My face that filled the mirror became blurry, and a vague figure like fog appeared.

The face in the mirror was a familiar one.

Black hair, ocean-blue eyes. A handsome face. He had a slightly piercing look in his eyes, but when he smiled, he looked so sweet….

Kyle Ygritte?

I was so surprised that my eyes widened like those of a rabbit.

It took me a moment to realize that I saw Kyle’s face in the mirror.

“Vivi.”

“Heuk!”

Kyle in the mirror was talking to me!

“Kyah! It’s a ghost!”

“Vivi, it’s me.”

“Ky…le?”

Jumping in my seat like a freshly caught fish, I realized that his voice had come from behind me.

I spun around and saw the real Kyle, not a ghost, standing there, his breathing labored.

I glanced back and forth between Kyle and the mirror behind me. Just as he was standing in front of me, he was standing in the mirror.

I instantly realized I was mistaken and blushed bright red. For a second, I thought my future husband was Kyle….

“Are you okay?” Kyle asked, as he leaned over to me. A large hand cupped my cheek. 

I jumped, pulling back.

“Uh, uh! I’m totally fine!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! Really!”

I felt a fever rising to my head with shame.

Trying to hide my embarrassment, I changed the subject.

“Then why are you here, Kyle?”

“I came looking for you….”

Instead of answering my question, Kyle looked at me and then around the room.

Then, in a slightly broken voice, he asked, “Is this what you guys were supposed to do?”