Asking Rapel, “Are you Mona White?”!
This will force Rapel to open the door to the dungeon where the artifact is hidden, even if he doesn’t want to.
Once I have it, my chances of survival will increase by a hundredfold.
I feel guilty that I’m taking away the only weapon the Prince has against the Emperor, but… I can destroy the Emperor’s Brilliante for him when he needs it.
It was during the short holiday that I came to this conclusion.
I had been in a constant state of turmoil, and my mind was dizzy.
But having people to protect me and look after me gave me peace of mind, and I had more time than I ever had in the Templars.
Because of that, I was able to talk to my sister a lot.
I vowed to get the artifact, survive, and return to our world.
My sister only laughed quietly at my words, but……. That was enough to convey her feelings.
“Captain. The Commander and newest knight, Sir Heather, wishes to see you.”
“…Tell them to come in.”
Rapel’s secretary grabbed the doorknob, which had been replaced with a wooden one in place of the chipped crystal one from before.
My sister and I looked at each other at the same time.
We didn’t say a word, but it was clear that she was echoing our vows in this moment.
Finally, the door opened and we stepped inside.
As soon as the secretary was out of earshot and Rapel was asking us what we were doing with an annoyed glare, we both yelled out at the same time.
” You’re Mona White!”
“…….”
But nothing happened.
Puzzled, I shouted again.
“You’re Mona White! Um…Rapel Isdon is actually Mona White! Mona White’s identity is Rafael Isden! Mmm……. Open Sesame! Oh, no way!”
“Do you really think you can?”
Rapel clicked her tongue and gave me a condescending look.
Especially when I said, “Open Sesame!
Ah, I know that last one wasn’t quite right!
I blushed in embarrassment and kept my mouth shut. My sister asked the question for me.
“Why not…?”
“Do you think I didn’t see this coming? I’ve done everything. I changed the conditions so that it only responds to men.”
“What? You mean that was possible?”
“Of course. I set the rules.”
My sister, who had created the persona of Mona White, stiffened as if she hadn’t expected this.
“Yeah. When you twist on the original, of course, the original characters change.
Especially if it’s Mona White. She knows who we are.
“Wait, you only made it react to men? I’m a man.”
“You’re a man on the outside, Miss Baek, but a woman on the inside.”
At my sister’s words, Rapel replied with a leisurely laugh and poured wine into a glass… no. That’s not wine.
It was a fruit liquor called John Mustang(?) -Melon flavored-.
As she swirled the clear, light green liquid in her mouth, it looked foreign.
I wondered if she’d developed new tastes since the National Foundation Festival.
“Why don’t you try it? I’m sure you’ll like it just as much as I do.”
Apparently sensing my stare, Rapel smirked and handed me a glass.
I took it casually, then snapped out of it.
“Am I insane? It could be poisoned.”
“I don’t use those kinds of dirty tricks.”
“You’re being ridiculous. The last time you tried to assassinate me, you used clean tricks?”
“Clean. I tried to do it the other way, with skill, and I was defeated cleanly.”
How cool is that, to admit defeat so cleanly!
I guess she’s a bit like me after all!
“Anyway, if you don’t like it, so be it. I’m the only one who has to taste this deliciousness. Such a shame.”
As she said this, Rapel took another swig of her fruit wine.
Then he let it out with a satisfied smile.
“Mhm- John Mustang.”
Is it just me, or does the brand name feel a bit like…?1(It seems to be the car Mustang, that was inspired by John Wick or smth😭?)
“Mmm, yeah. I’ll take that.”
Rapel set her glass down and shook her head. What was she going to do this time?
“‘Baek Mo-na. I’m going to challenge you again, this time face-to-face.”
Rapel leaped from her chair and across the desk, instantly closing the distance and drawing her sword.
My sister tucked me behind her and grabbed a pair of bird-shaped earrings.
The earrings are a magical tool she created that, when imbued with mana, transforms into a large bird that attacks opponents.
“If your swordsmanship is enough to block my magic, then go for it.”
“You mean to tell me that head-to-head combat is a two-for-one affair?”
“You tried to kill me in the dirty way of assassination too!”
Rapel’s glare grew fiercer as I hid behind my sister and yelled.
She gritted her teeth and hissed.
“Get out from behind her! That spot is mine!”
I wondered if Rapel still wanted to be her sister at this point.
To my sister, Rapel is just someone who threatens her life.
Why can’t she accept that she doesn’t like her?
“Sis, how do you think I am, that I have this kind of personality, that I’m so clueless, that I’m so stupid?!”
“You’re very good at self-reflection, sis.”
“Who the hell are you to say I’m stupid? Do you want to die, Baek Mi-na?”
“Why do you both have to be so sweet before me?”
…… I don’t see how this is sweet, it’s just a normal real-life sisterly fight.
“It’s safe to say that if you’re ready to take her life, you’re willing to come to me in person.”
It was a blink.
Rapel’s sword drew closer, and at the same time, my sister’s earrings grew larger.
I quickly drew my own sword.
A large silver swan suddenly blocked my view, and with a loud clang, it was flung into the corner of the room.
Rapel glanced at my sister’s earrings, which had reverted to tiny dangles.
“You think that thing is a match for me?”
That big hunk of metal was easily cast aside.
No wonder she’s the strongest in the magic and the sword world.
“You can’t even put a scratch on me with a mere remnant like that.”
Rapel took another step forward.
But she didn’t get any closer.
“…Damn it.”
Just one step closer, and I could feel her mana being absorbed into me.
Now I don’t even have to touch her, just getting closer is enough to drain her mana?
“This is why I’m trying to kill you, because if I don’t take it from you, you’ll take my place.”
What are you talking about? I have no intention of taking Rapel’s place.
I don’t know why Rapel would say that let alone Irillin.
We may be doppelgangers, but Rapel is Rapel, and I know damn well that I’m Baek Mo-na.
“Go back.”
Biting her lip, Rapel approached the window of the office.
Then she opened it and jumped out.
When my sister and I looked down in surprise, she was gone.
* * *
As we walked back to my sister’s hostel, I was speculating about Rapel’s whereabouts.
In fact, I had been sensing it since I went to Rapel’s office, but I had been pretending not to notice it because it hadn’t come close.
Now that it was closer, it seemed to have decided to talk to me.
When it got close enough to be right behind my back, I spun around and grabbed a finger that was about to poke me in the back.
“……!”
I looked up to see Vin’s frozen face, wide-eyed.
He jerked his hand away from my grasp, and then his gaze dropped.
His silver eyelashes fluttered, pointing downward. There was a flush on his face.
He seemed embarrassed to have touched me.
I tried to pull my hand away in a moment of self-consciousness, but this time Vin grabbed it tightly.
Then he looked up from his lowered gaze and beamed at me.
“Did you and the Captain have a good day?”
He even asked casually, as if he didn’t know what he was holding in his hand.
Where the hell was the shy person who was just now?
“Wow. Watching my sister’s love life so closely. What an informative and entertaining time, you bastards.”
The older sister spat out with a rotten expression and walked right into the hostel in front of us.
Ugh, where are you going, you should take me with you!
Now I’m really on my own?
” Si-Sith! Wait!”
“I asked you, is everything okay?”
Vin said, swiveling my head, which was tilted towards the hostel.
His touch was gentle, but his grip on my hand was stronger.
“Uh, yeah.”
We almost dueled, and the leader leaped out the window.
I can’t tell Vin.
“You look like you’ve had a rough day.”
“…….”
“Why are you and Captain in such bad terms?”
“…You. Why are you following me?”
This time I turned the tables.
Typical of my tactics, Vin raised one eyebrow in disbelief and huffed, but he answered nonetheless.
“To protect you. Since you’re not authorized to have an escort, I have to protect myself.”
“It’s not like Count Isvino Adelen is going to break into a place full of knights.”
“And then there’s the captain, who is a threat to you.”
He doesn’t know the details because I won’t tell him, but he knows that Rapel attacked me.
“You still don’t want to tell me what happened with her?”
“Yes.”
“Even later?”
“I told you, it wouldn’t do you any good to hear it.”
“Even if it wouldn’t do me any good, I still want to know.”
“……You can’t.”
I shook my head firmly and wiggled my hands. It was my signal to let go.
Vin smiled and slowly released my hand.
I don’t know if I’m delusional, but the way he brushed my fingers subtly under the guise of letting go felt like he was trying to savor the feel of my hand.
“I’m going in.”
“Come on in, it’s late.”
…I don’t think I’m delusional, judging by the unusually wide smile on his face.
