Then—
—Lady Mia…
A sorrowful voice echoed from somewhere. It was a fragile voice Mia knew well.
It was coming from behind her.
She spun around. But no one was there.
"Salamander? Is that you? Where are you?"
—I'm here. Please, look this way.
Mia's mind spun in confusion. She could hear the voice clearly—But she saw nothing.
"I can't see you. Where are you?"
Suddenly, a cold shiver ran down her spine. She could feel someone… something watching her.
Mia slowly turned toward that presence in horror.
The vanity. The mirror.
In the mirror, she saw the salamander—Clinging to the glass like a lizard on a window, staring out from the other side.
And behind him, walking forward inside the mirror world—Was Jakiel.
He held the salamander in his arms and spoke:
—You've lost.
"Roy… Where's Roy?"
Jakiel smiled in the mirror. Then he raised a hand and pointed to one of the beds in his world.
On that bed, someone lay beneath the covers. But it was too far away to tell clearly.
"How do I even know that's Roy? I can't see a thing from here!"
—Does it matter? You're all dead anyway.
Before he even finished speaking, Mia felt the world spin violently.
And in the blink of an eye—She found herself bound to the bed.
Her entire body was tied up, only her head free. The bindings were thick vines, plant-like in texture.
—Traveling the path to the afterlife together should keep you three from feeling lonely. Just lie still. It'll all be over soon.
Jakiel's voice came from nowhere again.
Mia struggled with all her might. But even her feet were tightly wrapped. She couldn't move at all.
"You… you bastard…!"
Just as she was about to start cursing—She heard the faint sound of breathing.
She turned her head sharply.
Roy—Roy was lying on the bed beside her, also bound.
The difference was that while Mia was tied with green vines, Roy was wrapped in yellow ones.
"Ro…"
Mia almost called out, but stopped herself. Was it safe to wake her now?
—Lady Mia…
"Salamander!"
The salamander appeared in midair—But he was half-transparent, like a ghost.
"What happened to you? Where's Jakiel?"
—I think he got summoned to the palace. He disappeared suddenly.
"Really? So we bought ourselves a little time?"
—Yes. But we have to escape quickly. There's no telling when he'll be back.
"But how? I only know fire magic. And I can't use it while tied up like this."
—I'm afraid I'm in no shape to help…All my mana's been drained. I can't use magic anymore.
The salamander looked heartbroken. His fading body said it all. Mia's chest tightened.
"Right! Maybe I can call the fairy!"
—This castle is under a dark magic barrier. Fairies and spirits cannot enter spaces tainted by black magic.
"Ugh… damn it."
Mia let out a long sigh. The ancient sword and shield Behemoth had given her could be summoned with a spell—
But they didn't respond to commands, and couldn't act on their own.
In this state, they were useless.
Jakiel, of course, would have accounted for that.
Just then—
"Mmm… urgh…"
A groan.
"Roy?!"
"My head… it hurts…"
Roy opened her eyes.
"Roy! Are you okay?!"
Mia called out. Roy stared at her in shock, then looked at their bound bodies, one after the other, bewildered.
"Why am I here… tied up like this? How did you end up here…?"
"You've been sleeping for ages. What's the last thing you remember?"
Roy furrowed her brow in thought.
"I passed out at some stone tower…But after coming here, I was awake most of the time."
"But the salamander said you were asleep the whole time…"
"No, it's the opposite. That happened in the previous place. Since I got here, I've mostly been awake."
Mia blinked in disbelief and looked toward the salamander. He flicked his tongue sheepishly.
—The Vampire Labyrinth must've been more dangerous for beings with mana…
I think I lost my strength there and haven't really recovered since arriving here.
"Well… I'm just glad you're okay. Though, I have to say… it's embarrassing being the one who came to rescue you, only to end up like this."
Mia chuckled awkwardly. Roy blinked at her.
"You… came to rescue me? Seriously?"
"Why else would I be here?"
"I thought you only came to rescue that lizard…"
"I came for both of you, idiot. I was the one who sent him here in the first place."
"I knew that part but…I didn't think you'd actually come for me…"
Roy mumbled, clearly shaken. But Mia was too pressed for time to dwell on it.
"Anyway, we need to get out of here before that wretched old man comes back."
"Oh, that. I might be able to help."
"…Huh? How?"
"Well, actually…We're not alone in here."
"Huh?"
"There are others here."
"What do you mean? There are more people besides the three of us?"
"Yep. If I call them, they'll come. Miki, Poki, Cookie! Come on out!"
The moment Roy said it, a white, mist-like substance began to slither out from the landscape painting on the wall.
Mia nearly fainted in shock. Something was coming out of the painting?!
The misty figures stood side by side in the room and gradually took form.
Three girls in nightgowns.
Mia was so terrified, her teeth chattered. What kind of sorcery was this…?
The girls looked like they were in their mid-to-late teens.
All three had blonde hair, and a fale green gemstone embedded in their foreheads. Just like Julius.
—You called, Roy?
The eldest-looking girl spoke.
"As you can see, we're tied up. Some evil mage who lives here did this to us.
Do you know how to undo it?"
The ghostly girls, now half-transparent, stared silently at Roy and Mia.
—So Jakiel has turned you into this as well.
—Just like us.
—Yes, just like us.
Their eyes were unfocused and glassy as they spoke in unison. Mia shivered.
"Well, you do know something, don't you? Tell us already."
At Roy's urging, the eldest girl raised a delicate finger and pointed to the air.
—Destroy this castle. That's the only way. Simple, isn't it?
"Even if we wanted to, we're tied up right now. Can you at least untie us?"
At Mia's words, the girls shook their heads.
—We can't do anything in the real world.
"Then… you're saying you have no way to help?"
Roy asked. The girls exchanged glances. Then one of them spoke:
—If your goal is to escape from Jakiel, there's one thing we can do.
"What is it?"
—You can enter with us… into our world.
One girl pointed to the painting from which they had emerged.
"Go in there? And can we get back out? Freely?"
—No. Someone on the outside has to call you out.
"How did you come out in the first place?"
Roy hesitated, then replied:
"I was feeling so hopeless, I just muttered something like…
'If only someone would come help me, even if it's from that painting.'
Then they appeared… and we became friends."
"Then isn't it possible Jakiel will notice if we go in there? That old man isn't just anybody."
—Yes. He probably will.
One of the ghost girls answered. Mia stared, speechless.
"Then it's not much of an escape."
—At the very least, inside there, we can untie your bindings. And you'll be able to move freely… to hide better.
Mia and Roy exchanged glances. Then, the salamander, who had been silent, spoke:
—Given our situation, we may as well hear them out. Mia squeezed her eyes shut.
"Fine. We've got no other choice. Roy, are you ready?"
"Y-Yeah."
"Okay. Then we're counting on you, ghost sisters."
Each of the three ghost girls approached them. Mia felt the chill of a ghostly hand touch her forehead.
And then—
Thump. Clatter—
"Ow, ouch…"
They landed, still bound, in the middle of a cold grassy field. One of the girls was already undoing Mia's vines.
She didn't look ghostly anymore—just like a normal human girl.
"This really is… inside the painting!"
A lush forest. Birdsong in the trees, the scent of fresh grass in the air.
There was no doubt—this was a real forest.
Exactly like the one in the painting.
"All done!"
The girl, no longer ghost-like, beamed cheerfully. She had undone the thick vines in the blink of an eye.
Mia was amazed.
Nearby stood Roy and the salamander, looking much healthier.
"Roy! Salamander!"
Roy and Mia grabbed hands and jumped with joy. The salamander clambered onto Mia's shoulder with glee.
"Wait—what's that sound?"
One of the taller girls put a finger to her lips. She scanned the area carefully.
Mia was confused.
"I don't hear anything."
"He's here!"
Another girl cried out.
"Wh-Who?"
Roy asked. The smallest girl replied, her eyes full of fear:
"Jakiel's back!"
"But we don't see any—"
Before Mia could finish her sentence, the girl shouted,
"Hide! Quickly, behind that tree!"
Mia grabbed Roy's arm and dove behind the nearest tree.
In that moment—
—You little rats! Did you think I wouldn't find you?!
Jakiel's bellow thundered through the forest, shaking the very trees.