Chapter 5: Tracing the Threads
YURA pushed the heavy door open with a cry of joy.
This room was quite different from the vast space she’d seen the day before. The wall was completely covered in mirrors. The mirrors were lined up, facing this way and that, replacing typical wall decorations. There were several white pillars supporting the ceiling.
In the high ceiling was an open, rounded skylight.
It was beautiful, like a painting of another world.
“This is how I can get home…”
Once a year, at the beginning of the new year…a room no one uses save for the summer solstice.
Ashes’ words sprang to mind.
Once I find the mirror here, I can go home. But that means I have to say goodbye to everyone.
Yura hesitated on what to say in parting to the young man who’d brought her all the way to this room. What should she say?
“Well, see you.”
Yura reached for the young man, who had turned to leave.
“Wait! Um, I’m…” Yura continued. “I’m Yura.”
“Yura? That’s your name?” he said, his eyes widening, reacting just as Yura thought he would. Then he laughed and lowered his eyes. “I’m…I’m Sei. Sei Wohl Fareeja.”
Yura smiled.
“Thank you, Sei.”
Sei did not look away this time. His eyes were still downcast as he spoke, but Yura flashed him a cheerful smile.
“Please be careful on your way back.”
Yura instinctively waved. He gave a bow before departing hastily. She couldn’t help feeling disappointed at how quickly he disappeared but turned her sights back to the task before her.
It’s so beautiful in midday, I can’t imagine what it was like during the night, Yura thought as she gazed around the room, but it was even more massive than she’d first realized. It was vast and felt terrifyingly wide. Whether that was because of the mirrors facing each other or just the room’s true size, she couldn’t begin to guess.
Either way, walking through such a vast room felt intimidating. After hesitating for only a moment, Yura stepped forward.
Now, where did they store it? The Twin Hazing Mirror, was that what it was called? If what Leila said was true, then it should be here.
A carpet was spread across the center of the room. Yura felt a ray of light shining on her as she stepped onto the carpet. It was coming from the skylight.
Gazing up at the ceiling decorations, Yura remembered how she used to love gazing up at the sky. It felt like she was looking up for the first time in a long time.
Back then, I’d look up as I’d walk forward. I loved looking at the sky.
She looked around slowly.
How long has it been? she wondered as she searched for the mirror in question. How long since I forgot to look up…? When did I start always keeping my eyes trained on the ground?
A sharp light shined in Yura’s eyes and she closed them.
Squinting against that light, she finally found what she was looking for.
At the end of the chamber was a raised platform. It was like the one she’d seen last night holding up the throne, but this one had the mirror Yura was looking for on it.
There were a mishmash of sculptures and a decorative stand upon it. The stand was larger than the mirror and looked more like a sacred altar.
The mirror stood atop a golden cloth stretched across the platform. Three goddesses stood there, lifting their arms and holding up the mirror. Behind them were a thicket of sculpted trees, their twisted branches supporting the mirror.
“Amazing…” Yura muttered in awe. This was definitely the mirror she’d seen at Tomoko’s shop. However, seeing it in a place like this, on a stand like that, really underscored the difference between the two worlds.
Even the way it shone was different. Yura blinked. The mirror in Tomoko’s shop wasn’t very polished, but this one was, so much so that the color she’d thought of as silver was more like platinum.
It was as if someone who’d seemed like a measly beggar had actually been revealed as a wandering noble. Even someone with poor aesthetic sensibilities like Yura could tell it really was magnificent.
“Now, what do I do?” Yura muttered, putting a hand on her hip.
She walked closer and looked up at it. It looked as if she could easily walk up the stand and go through the mirror.
The goddess statues supporting the mirror were about as tall as children. The closer she got, the more obvious it was how splendid they were, though nothing was as polished as the mirror’s surface.
I need to try my best not to dirty it, she thought.
She stood before the mirror, getting nervous, and drew in a breath. The mirror shimmered, as if it might be about to cast a spell this very moment. The light reflected into all corners of the room, as if the same world awaited on the other side too.
Yura focused, and those decoratively engraved letters seemed to be shimmering white.
She reached out a hand and gently touched the mirror.
It felt cool to the touch. But there was no change.
This time, she touched it with both hands.
Still, there was no change.
How strange, she thought, this time touching the mirror’s outer frame. She was leaving fingerprints on that polished silver.
Still, there was no change whatsoever. The silvery glow didn’t appear in the mirror like before.
“This is it, isn’t it…?” she said, trying to be sure. She focused on that script. That familiar decoration. But it remained just a mirror, showing no signs of changing.
“No way…”
The realization finally hit her. Speechless, Yura quickly turned away and glanced around, looking for anything that looked similar. However, in this massive room, this was the only elliptical mirror.
Her knees began to tremble. But she gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and once more approached the mirror, this time hitting it with her fist.
Her movements were awkward with her missing heel, so she moved back a bit to ensure she wouldn’t slip on the polished floor. From several steps away, she charged at the mirror. It was like Don Quixote relentlessly charging at the windmills—where she slipped and fell instead.
Afraid if she stayed down that she’d become rooted to the ground, Yura stood back up. She began to feel dizzy, like she might have anemia. She staggered back a bit. She leaned against a nearby wall. For a while, she just spaced out. Finally, when her mind returned to the present…
She suddenly noticed it. Her eyes landed on the mirror behind her. That was the only one. Inside that mirror stood a girl who looked like she was lost.
Wearing a dress with elegant frills and a large, open collar. With dainty arms and legs and a bit of mud on her. The flower in her long hair had slipped sideways, almost comically so.
But…something felt strange. Yura looked in the mirror again.
When she grabbed the hem of her long dress, so did the girl in the mirror. Like a doll in a glass case, she had beautiful posture. Perhaps it was because of the polished mirror, but her hair seemed shinier than usual. Her skin and face were brilliant.
No…it doesn’t just seem that way. That’s how it really is.
Yura stared transfixed at the person in the mirror. She quickly stepped back, then trembling, came closer once more. Each time she took a step, the girl in the mirror walked toward her.
Who in the world is she?
Her hair seemed to have been turned dark brown by the sun. And that hairstyle was familiar…
One step forward.
She definitely didn’t look like a doll. Especially not with her charming, very lifelike looks.
One step, then another.
That smooth, ivory skin. Those clear eyes. Those pink lips without a hint of rouge. And those tightly closed slender fingers.
Her pulse quickened. Her forehead was slick with sweat. The girl in the mirror’s lips trembled. Within that clear mirror, she stood, with such a beautiful face.
Who are you?
Those eyes with that cool, innocent twinkle. If she smiled, surely anyone would be taken in by her reserved but charming aura.
Is this…
…unparalleled beauty?
Ashes’ voice echoed in her mind. Her raised hand began to shake. Kept shaking.
She wasn’t just beautiful. This girl was so beautiful, anyone could fall for her.
An unparalleled beauty. Those words of praise were meant for you.
As if she’d pulled back too quickly, her legs tangled up in each other and caused her to fall to the floor. The girl in the mirror grew pale. When she raised her arms, her partner mimicked her. The same as when she trembled. When she touched her cheeks. When she grabbed her hair and when she touched her body.
They were all the same. This warped figure was almost like a refracted version of Yura. It was like the pantomime of an experienced artist. The two of them seemed to be mimicking each other through the mirror. However, neither was laughing…
When she realized it, Yura began to cry.
No, no, this isn’t me. This isn’t me. This isn’t the real me!
Releasing a voiceless scream, Yura fled the mirror room. Her single broken heel slipped and sent her tumbling painfully to the floor once again.
Maybe it’s just that room, Yura thought as she crawled along. Maybe it’s just that mirror. Everything that happened is just so unbelievable, right? So, that must be it; it has to be.
She tossed her heel aside and threw her body forward as she tried to run. Every movement caused her twisted ankle to hurt even more. She was afraid she’d fall. And yet, Yura charged on.
No, no, no!
She ran away, praying in vain over and over.
It can’t be true! How could I bear such a reality?
She continued to plead. To wish, to beg, to pray.
Please, please don’t let this be true…!
Her fear was so all-consuming, it was as if she’d fallen into quicksand and no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn’t get free.
Yura dashed past shocked servants, looking for water. For anything.
Perhaps it was only that room. Or maybe if the mirror didn’t work, water would? In water, her reflection wouldn’t look so strange. That’s right; that must be it.
She finally found a small waterway and peered into it. Her prayers had been for naught. Her face was crumpled, and she looked so horribly pitiful. And the Yura that should’ve been there was not.
Her whole body was covered in goosebumps. She could feel a sob welling up inside. Her voice on the verge of cracking, Yura finally broke down and cried.