I'm Only a Stepmother, But my Daughter is Just so Cute

CHAPTER 10

The way things were going, the merchants would never be welcome at the castle ever again. A brown-haired merchant, after much hesitation, opened his mouth to say, [I-I have a true magical artifact in my possession.]

[I trust it's not something like that invisible dress again?]

[Of course not, Your Majesty! You boys over there, bring it in!] He barked the order at two servants who immediately leapt into action. They returned presently, carrying a large, flat object with a cloth draped over it. [This is a magic mirror made by fairies. They say it's a mirror of truth.] The merchant observed Abigail's face uneasily, cold sweat trickling down his back. Much to his relief, the queen appeared rather intrigued this time round.

[...A mirror, you say?] Abigail stood up and slowly approached the covered object, her gaze fixed on it. She reached out a hand and the cloth came away to reveal a bright, reflective surface. The gleam in her eyes intensified as she put her hand against/on the mirror and muttered under her breath, [Mirror, mirror.]

The words flowed naturally, almost as if she had owned the mirror from the start. Her lips parted once again. [Who's the fairest of them all?]

The mirrored surface began to ripple. Abigail's reflection vanished under a wash of pitch-black darkness, followed shortly by a voice. [Not you, at the very least. That stupid question isn't doing you any favours either.]

An insolent answer. The merchants all paled as one when they heard it. The merchant responsible for this burgeoning disaster, in particular, was one step away from a mental breakdown. Shaking like a leaf, he managed to find his voice. [I-I'm very sorry, Your Majesty. It looks like the servants brought in a defective mirror...!]

The aforementioned servants were similarly on the verge of collapse themselves but it was nothing compared to the added frustration the merchant suffered as bewilderment gave way to understanding. Magic mirrors were originally made to serve as conversational partners to noblewomen. They were made to only compliment the other party without end. Among these standard, praise-filled mirrors, one mirror stood out. A maverick that refused to fulfil its intended purpose. It had been put aside to be returned to the fairies, but to think the servants would mistakenly bring in that one mirror of all things....

[A defect? Did you just call me a defect? You think to compare me with trash that can only spout blind flattery?!] The enraged mirror was virtually frothing at the mouth. The merchant hastily threw the cloth back over it, immediately reducing the mirror's tirade to muffled, if still intelligible, howls. [Hey, yo! What the hell are you doing?! Get this thing off of me!]

[Take this thing away and bring me a different one!]

[Y-yes, sir!] As the indignant mirror blistered the unfortunate merchant's ears with what was clearly a comprehensive vocabulary of expletives, the servants scurried to do as they were bid.

Unexpectedly, Abigail indicated for them to leave it be. [Y-Your Majesty...?]

[No need.] So saying, Abigail removed the drape once more. Her placid expression was again reflected along with the hapless merchants. [Did you just call me stupid?]

[Yes.] The mirror replied belligerently. Unperturbed, Abigail continued speaking.

[And why am I stupid?]

[Because you're asking a stupid question. 'Who's the fairest of them all?' No one would be able to properly answer such a subjective question!] Abigail's face twitched slightly at the mirror's scathing words. As if the scorn in its tone wasn't enough already, it then dealt the final strike.