Yiruo stood in front of the dressing mirror, taking a deep breath. She had carefully smoothed her white stockings—every inch from her ankles to her calves to her knees was snugly wrapped around her fair skin. She bent over and tugged the top edge of the stockings one last time, confirming there wasn’t a single wrinkle, before finally straightening up.
The pair of round-toe patent leather shoes lay quietly on the floor, their black lacquer gleaming softly in the light. She slipped her feet inside; the openings fit perfectly around her ankles, neither too tight nor too loose. She stomped gently—thud, thud—as the soles struck the floor with a crisp sound.
The shoes fit her feet perfectly. Yiruo felt a little more at ease, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly.
“Master! So pretty!”
Rabi circled around her, the red gleam in its glass eyes flickering faster than usual, as if it were extremely excited. “Master will definitely charm everyone when you go out! Rabi guarantees it!”
Yiruo’s face flushed. She tugged at her skirt and turned back to face the mirror.
The girl in the mirror at that moment was almost breathtakingly beautiful. The lilac dress outlined her slender figure, the ribbon bow at her collar hung obediently, and the puff sleeves created sweet folds at her shoulders. Her exposed arms were as delicate as white jade.
Black round-toe shoes, white stockings, and a light purple skirt. Her dark blue hair cascaded smoothly over her shoulders, a few stray strands slipping past her ears, making her small face look even fairer. The girl’s eyes held a hint of nervousness and anticipation, her eyelashes trembling like a startled butterfly.
She seemed like a little fairy who had strayed into the human world.
Yiruo looked at herself in the mirror, the blush on her cheeks deepening. “…It’s okay,” she mumbled quietly.
“Hee hee.”
A soft chuckle suddenly came from inside the mirror. Yiruo’s pupils sharply contracted. The “her” in the mirror twitched the corner of her mouth.
Yilena’s voice was sickly sweet, but her gaze was like a cat that had finally seen its prey let down its guard. Yiruo took half a step back, instinctively covering her chest. “You—how did you come out again?”
“Oh my~ Big Sister doesn’t welcome my appearance? Hee hee, you’ve already grown up~”
Yiruo subconsciously pressed her hand over her chest. Yilena tilted her head, her crimson eyes instantly filled with watery mist. She raised her hand and wiped the corner of her eye with the back of her hand, putting on a wronged expression.
But the curve of her lips gave her away.
“Last time you used my body without my permission, I haven’t settled with you yet!” Yiruo glared at the “herself” in the mirror with some anger, her voice rising a pitch.
“What are you talking about? I don’t know anything~” Yilena blinked, her face full of innocence. That expression of pretending not to know was almost exactly the same as that witch girl’s.
Yiruo’s temples throbbed. ‘This damn little sister… How is she completely identical to that crazy witch? Even one or two of them are like this, enough to make someone furious to death!’
Just then—
“Knock, knock, knock.”
A knock sounded at the door. Yiruo jolted all over, her legs going weak, and she started to fall backward.
“Master!” Rabi flew over swiftly and propped her up with its head, just barely keeping her from hitting the floor.
“Little Yiruo… Are you done?” Leya’s voice came from outside the door, tinged with concern. “There are many guests in the hall now~ Everyone is looking forward to seeing you~ If you don’t want to come down, that’s fine too, don’t force yourself~”
Yiruo steadied herself with support, her face pale. She took a deep breath, then opened her mouth. Her palms were completely sweaty.
‘So nervous. I don’t want to face so many people dressed like this. And even less do I want to recite those embarrassing “incantations.” But everyone is waiting for me. What should I do…’
“Hee hee~”
Yiruo looked up and met that pair of eager crimson eyes. “How about~” Yilena’s voice drifted out from the mirror, speaking slowly, “I go down first in your place and try it?” Yilena propped her face in her hands, grinning like a cat that had just stolen a fish. “What do you think?”
Yiruo hugged Rabi tightly in her arms, her tone full of distrust. “Are you sure you won’t cause trouble when you come out?”
“Oh my~ Big Sister, what kind of talk is that~ I just want to come out and get some air~ and incidentally help Big Sister solve her worries~ It kills two birds with one stone~”
Yiruo bit her lip. She really didn’t want to go downstairs. ‘But Leya is waiting outside, and everyone is waiting too…’
“Knock, knock, knock!” The knocking came again. Yiruo panicked; her mind went blank. “Okay.”
“Eh?” Yilena was startled, as if she hadn’t expected such a quick agreement.
“But—” Yiruo held up one finger, staring seriously at the girl in the mirror. “This time I have to watch you control the body, and it’s only for today. Don’t mess around.” The girl tried to put on a serious threatening tone, but her soft voice made the threat sound more like coaxing. “I… I can call Alina to deal with you.”
Yilena blinked. “Okay~ I’ll listen to Big Sister~” She leaned closer to the mirror. “Then Big Sister, come a little closer?”
Yiruo hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward. The girl in the mirror raised her hand, pressing her palm against the glass. The glass was cold and smooth; her handprint fell on it, and a mist slowly spread from her fingertips. Yiruo took a deep breath and also raised her hand. Two hands, separated by the mirror, palms facing each other. At that moment, their fingertips met; through the mirror, two identical heartbeats pulsed together.
And in that instant… the world turned upside down.
Yiruo’s vision suddenly shook. Everything around her began to warp and blur, as if kneaded into a ball by an invisible hand, then slowly unraveled. She couldn’t tell up from down, nor whether she was inside or outside the mirror.
The only thing she knew was that her hand was still pressed against that cold surface.
Then… she felt warmth. It was the heat of the living, warm, pulsing with a heartbeat. The temperature transmitted through her fingertips made Yiruo involuntarily flinch her fingers. Yiruo’s pupils sharply contracted. Then she felt her hand being tightly pulled.
She felt her body yanked by some force, the world spinning around her several times—the next second, her back slammed into a cold, flat surface.
The mirror. She was inside the mirror. And outside the mirror, that girl in the lilac dress slowly withdrew her hand from the glass, looked down at her own palm, then raised her head to meet Yiruo’s gaze inside. Her crimson eyes held the pleasure of success.
“Big Sister~ Is it comfortable inside?” Yilena tilted her head and winked at her. Then she turned around, stepped in her little leather shoes, and walked toward the door with light steps.
“You—!” Yiruo lunged at the mirror, slapping both hands against that invisible barrier. She could see outside, she could hear sounds, but the only thing her fingers touched was cold glass. The world inside the mirror—an inverted world. ‘That brat of a little sister—!’
“Don’t worry~” Yilena’s voice drifted in from outside, lazy and leisurely. “I’m just borrowing it for a little while~ I’ll give it back~” She glanced back, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips. “Besides~ Big Sister didn’t want to go down anyway, right~ I’m helping you~”
With that, she didn’t look back.
Outside, Rabi was floating in midair, the red gleam in its glass eyes flickering as if it sensed something off about its master. “Master…”
“Mhm~” Yilena turned her head, smiling as she looked at the puppet in front of her.
“You’re not Master! What did you do to Master!” Saying that, Rabi prepared to attack, dark blue mana beginning to gather.
“Slap.” Yilena simply raised her hand and flicked Rabi’s forehead gently. Rabi instantly lost consciousness, falling to the ground with a thud.
Outside the door, Leya was muttering in confusion. She had clearly heard voices inside a moment ago, but now it had suddenly gone silent. She suddenly grew worried and was about to open the door directly.
“Click.” The door opened. A girl in a lilac dress poked her head out from inside. “Hee hee~ Sister Leya, don’t rush me~” Yilena’s voice was soft, carrying a hint of coaxing. She pushed the door open, stepping out fully, her skirt swaying gently with the movement. Then she strode forward, brushing past Leya like the wind.
“Sister Leya~ I’ll go down first~” She turned her head, blinked at Leya, and a meaningful curve tugged at her lips. “Look forward to my wonderful performance~”
Leya stood there, watching that small back bounce and disappear at the stairway, tilting her head. ‘Something’s off… Was that really Little Yiruo just now?’ She scratched the back of her head, unable to figure it out for a moment. ‘Oh well, let’s go down and see.’ She quickened her pace and chased after.
And in the world inside the mirror, Yiruo was sprawled against the cold mirror, her forehead pressed to the glass, watching that figure grow farther away. She clenched her fists and muttered quietly: “…Don’t screw it up on me.”
Downstairs, wind chimes chimed softly. A young girl’s soft laughter quietly rang out.