[V7EX2] The Saintess and the Mirror

This location was known as the Mirror Chamber, a small windowless room with a stone pedestal placed at the center.

Atop the pedestal, resting on a crimson cushion, was the heirloom passed down House Achenwall for generations——the Mirror of Bern, an ancient artifact.

Entering the room by herself, Constanze picked up the Mirror of Bern from its pedestal and gazed at her reflection in the mirror’s surface.

A woman with neatly tied hair and sharp features stared back at her from the other side of the mirror. However, the woman in the mirror appeared to be extremely displeased.

——”This is disgusting. Revolting.”

The Constanze in the mirror grumbled in a voice that made no effort to conceal her discontent. Meanwhile, Constanze spoke to the mirror with a smile that was both gentle and firm.

“Please do not sulk, Mirror-sama.”

Her composure reflected the calmness of a woman resolved to face imminent death.

In contrast, the face of her reflection, borrowed by the Mirror of Bern, became increasingly stern.

——”I am not sulking; I am furious. Why must you be sacrificed, Constanze!”

“Because I am the only one who can overturn this situation.”

The war between the Empire and Ridill had reached a tipping point, with the Empire fully backed into a corner.

The most significant threat was from the Seven Sages, the pinnacle of Ridill’s mages.

Approximately 30% of their infantry had been rendered useless by the curses of the Abyss Shaman, Adeline Albright.

In the Second Echelga Front, the Imperial cavalry, praised for their immense mobility, were entangled by the Thorn Witch Sabrina Roseberg’s vines and immobilized. They were then obliterated by the spells of the Thunder Mage, Graham Sanders.

Margrave Valmbelk, the “Western Wolf,” fought valiantly at the border, pushing back the Ridill army. However, Ridill had now bypassed Valmbelk and was attempting to surround the Empire’s second capital.

Once the large-scale magical bombardment begins, the second capital will be turned into a sea of flames.

“Mirror-sama, with your power, can you create a reflection barrier covering the entire second capital?”

——”Of course, my power is immense, even greater than the ‘Key of Knowledge’ and the ‘Star Weaver,’ both created around the same time.”

The Mirror of Bern was a magical tool for creating an incredibly wide reflection barrier, surpassing even other ancient artifacts in scale and precision.

There was nothing it could not deflect, except for phenomena like the black flames spat out by black dragons. It could even accurately reflect attacks from other ancient artifacts.

Which was exactly why the burden on the user became so great. Creating a reflection barrier covering the second capital would undoubtedly cost the life of the contractor.

——”But, Constanze, are you telling me… to take the life of my friend?”

Hearing the Mirror of Bern’s question, Constanze lowered her eyes and smiled.

“You would refer to me as a friend?”

The reflection of Constanze in the mirror pursed her lips as if sulking.

——”What is this!? Do you not consider me a friend!?”

“Of course I do, Mirror-sama. You are my lifelong friend and confidant. I have known you since I was a child.”

Constanze closed her eyes, recalling the moment when she contracted with the mirror.

Since entering into the contract, Constanze had visited the Mirror of Bern almost every day, engaging in both serious and trivial conversations, and sometimes even quarreling. These had been Constanze’s most enjoyable memories.

“Mirror-sama, I ask you as a friend. Please lend me your power. I want to protect this country.”

The Constanze reflected in the mirror fell silent as if sulking. But as Constanze stared into her reflection without backing down, the mirror eventually relented.

——”After using my power, I will fall asleep. This time, my slumber will be very long, perhaps on the scale of several decades.”

“They might start calling the Mirror of Bern a sleepyhead.”

——”I care not! And when I awaken, if the next contractor or whatever appears, I will find some random fault and reject them completely.”

“Oh my, Mirror-sama. In that case, my descendants will be in trouble.”

——”That means nothing to me! I will not tolerate taking a friend’s life with my own hands anymore!”

The Constanze in the mirror started sobbing like a child, with the tip of her nose turning a bright red.

Though Constanze wanted the mirror to stop crying with her face, she also found herself sniffling. One of her tears fell and dampened the surface of the mirror.

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