For the first time since becoming a mirror, Lee Eunwoo had a problem.
Not the usual kind.
Not "too many crying knights."
Not "why do people keep praying at furniture."
No.
This was worse.
The king was thinking.
And smart kings thinking about mysterious magical artifacts was historically a terrible sign.
Inside the mirror realm, Eunwoo paced nervously.
"Well that was bad."
He replayed the scene in his mind.
King Edric staring into the mirror.
The analytical eyes.
The calm expression.
The lack of emotional reaction.
"That man definitely suspects something."
Eunwoo floated back to the system panel.
[Mirror System Status]
Owner: Lee Eunwoo
Title: Watcher Beyond Reflection
Stored Abilities: 168
Mirror Integrity: 100%
Threat Detection: Low
"Low?"
Eunwoo pointed at the screen.
"The king just inspected me like a science project!"
The system remained completely indifferent.
Outside the mirror, the temple slowly returned to normal.
Priests resumed their daily tasks.
A few late pilgrims wandered through the chamber.
Life continued.
But the atmosphere had changed.
News of the king's visit spread quickly.
And when kings showed interest in things…
Things tended to escalate.
The first visitor of the afternoon was a noblewoman.
She entered the chamber dramatically, escorted by two maids.
Her dress was so large it nearly knocked over a candle stand.
Eunwoo sighed.
"Ah yes, the noble class."
The woman approached the mirror with exaggerated elegance.
"I have heard this mirror reveals truth."
Eunwoo leaned forward.
"Oh boy."
She stared into her reflection.
Adjusted her hair.
Tilted her head.
Examined her face from three different angles.
Then she gasped.
"My complexion!"
The system chimed.
DING.
Ability Detected: Advanced Makeup Application
Copy?
Eunwoo stared at the prompt.
"…Fine."
Copied.
Suddenly Eunwoo understood seventeen different ways to apply powdered foundation.
He immediately regretted it.
"Why do I know contouring techniques."
Meanwhile the noblewoman smiled happily.
"I feel more confident already!"
She left the temple satisfied.
Eunwoo rubbed his temples.
"I am becoming dangerously well-rounded."
Another hour passed.
More pilgrims came.
More abilities were copied.
A fisherman gave him Advanced Net Throwing.
A baker gave him Bread Fermentation Mastery.
Eunwoo was now technically capable of running an entire medieval village economy.
Then the chamber quieted again.
His gaze wandered across the room.
The stone pillars.
The altar.
The wooden shelf.
Sir Frogbert.
The ugly frog statue sat exactly where it always did.
Except—
It wasn't facing the same direction as before.
Eunwoo frowned.
"…Okay."
"I'm starting to notice this."
The frog statue now pointed slightly toward the mirror.
Like it had rotated.
Just a little.
Eunwoo stared at it.
"You didn't do that earlier."
Sir Frogbert continued being extremely suspiciously silent.
From the corner of the room came a soft voice.
"The frog moved again."
Eunwoo jumped.
Constance sat on her usual bench.
He hadn't even noticed when she arrived.
Her head tilted slightly toward the shelf.
"The wood scraped."
Eunwoo looked at the statue again.
Then back at her.
"You're telling me this ugly frog keeps moving."
Of course she couldn't hear him.
But she smiled faintly.
"It's interesting."
She leaned back comfortably.
"The temple sounds different every day."
Eunwoo watched her for a moment.
Then looked away again.
"Still weird."
The temple doors opened again.
This time a group of royal soldiers entered.
Eunwoo immediately tensed.
"Oh no."
The soldiers approached the altar respectfully.
One of them carried a scroll sealed with a royal insignia.
He read aloud.
"By order of His Majesty King Edric III."
Eunwoo groaned.
"Here we go."
The soldier continued.
"The mirror artifact located in the mountain temple will remain under observation."
Eunwoo froze.
"Observation?"
The soldier kept reading.
"No attempts to move or damage the artifact are permitted until further investigation is conducted."
Eunwoo slowly relaxed.
"Oh."
"That's… actually reasonable."
The soldier rolled up the scroll.
"Royal scholars will visit periodically."
Eunwoo's soul left his body.
"NO."
The soldiers placed the scroll on the altar beside the mirror.
Then they left.
The doors closed again.
Silence returned.
Eunwoo stared at the scroll.
"Scholars."
"Plural."
He floated slowly downward inside the mirror realm.
"This is how my peaceful life ends."
From the corner Constance spoke softly.
"The soldiers sounded nervous."
Eunwoo glanced at her.
"Yes."
"They should be."
She tapped her fingers gently against the bench.
"The temple feels… busier lately."
Eunwoo nodded absentmindedly.
"Your king is about to turn me into a research project."
Constance smiled faintly.
"I think the mirror will be fine."
Eunwoo sighed.
"I wish I had that confidence."
His gaze drifted back to the shelf.
Sir Frogbert stared silently at the chamber.
Still ugly.
Still suspicious.
Still slightly rotated toward the mirror.
Eunwoo narrowed his eyes.
"…You're definitely moving."