Chapter 210: Mirror Master

The queen looked at the white-haired man who stepped out of the magic mirror.

"Are you the magic mirror?" The two sized each other up, and the queen asked, without much surprise.

"No." The monk does not lie, Tang Luo said, "I was merely sealed inside this mirror, and now I have finally come out."

There was no problem, except that this seal had lasted only a short time.

"Hmph, is that so?" The queen was noncommittal.

"I just woke from sleep, escaping the darkness," Tang Luo spoke first, "Where is this place, who are you, and from whose hands did you obtain this mirror?"

"You..." The queen regarded Tang Luo with interest, showing no panic, "You know nothing?"

"I said I just woke from sleep—how would I know which fellow sealed me into this mirror?" Tang Luo declared righteously.

This was not a lie; before entering the mission, he had indeed been asleep.

Waking from sleep posed no problem, and escaping the darkness was merely an objective description of the facts.

And in the "Gods and Demons" game, the "Gods and Demons" are unknown entities, an X, whose existence is debatable, so every word Tang Luo spoke was true.

"Interesting." The queen laughed, "I originally thought this mirror would only amuse me."

"Huh?" Tang Luo asked, "What do you mean? I don't recall ever speaking to you, before you asked, 'Who is the most beautiful woman in the world?'"

"This magic mirror used to answer my questions," the queen said, running her hand over the mirror past Tang Luo, "such as, 'Who is the most beautiful woman in the world?'"

"Who?"

"Naturally, me." The queen thrust out her chest, making one suspect that the tight clothing covering her would tear apart at any second.

"Don't you feel short of breath?" Tang Luo asked.

"Indeed, a little." The queen unfastened the buttons on her clothing, exposing a deep cleavage, and raising her chin toward Tang Luo, she said, "The magic mirror belongs to me; since you emerged from within it, you are therefore my property."

"... So now it's my turn to answer your questions?" Tang Luo asked.

The queen shook her head: "You've come out, so of course it's not limited to merely answering questions to amuse me."

"What if I refuse?" Tang Luo said.

According to the description in fairy tales, the queen is actually a witch, and Tang Luo wanted to see what abilities she possessed.

"If you refuse, then although I don't know how you came out, I'll have to send you back first." Having said that, the queen recited an extremely complex incantation at breakneck speed.

In the oval standing mirror over a person tall behind Tang Luo, a tremendous suction immediately came forth.

Instantly, it sucked Tang Luo back inside.

"It seems that merchant didn't completely deceive me." The queen looked at the mirror and said.

This magic mirror was obtained by her from a merchant.

The merchant told her that the mirror housed a wisdom-filled elf, omniscient, who would answer all her questions.

However, one could only ask once every three days.

The intrigued queen kept the mirror, and the merchant also reminded her that the elf might possibly escape the mirror, and at that time, merely chanting the incantation would suffice to draw the elf back into the mirror.

After some time of experimentation by the queen, she found that what the merchant said was not entirely true.

This magic mirror did indeed answer her questions, but the mirror did not contain a wisdom-filled elf—at least, before seeing Tang Luo, the queen believed the mirror held a foolish and ignorant elf.

It would only answer some very simple questions.

For slightly more difficult ones, it would respond with silence.

The once-every-three-days questioning was about the same.

And now, the queen was even more certain that the merchant's words contained some "errors."

What was inside the mirror was not an elf, but a man.

An elf is a formless ball of light that can dwell in other objects, but an elf can never dwell in a human body.

Fortunately, that incantation was not deceitful.

Otherwise, the queen would have found that merchant and confiscated all his property.

"Dong, dong, dong."

The knocking sound came, and the queen saw the scene reflected in the mirror vanish, replaced by that man.

He was knocking on the mirror surface from within: "Hey, can you hear me speaking?"

"I can hear you. How so, 'elf'? Have you changed your mind?" the queen said, "Are you planning to continue sleeping in the darkness, or become my possession?"

"What benefit can I gain?" Tang Luo asked.

"You can become my jester—that is your greatest honor; what else do you want?" the queen said.

No wonder she, who idly asks the magic mirror who is the most beautiful woman in the world, is quite self-absorbed.

"Foolish woman." Tang Luo said.

This woman needs a Buddhist awakening blow to the head.

The queen's proud smile turned into a sneer, and with her arms crossed, she looked down at Tang Luo: "Then just stay where you are, for you yourself let this opportunity pass."

Saying that, she walked to one side, picked up a black cloth, and walked back.

"I will put you into a box, find the king's best blacksmith to forge a chain, have the best locksmith make a lock, then lock the box and sink it into the deepest lake."

This speech carried a very fairy-tale narrative feel.

"Step back." Tang Luo said.

"What?"

"I mean step back a distance, be careful, for I do not wish to hurt you." Tang Luo said.

The queen showed a look of surprise; she saw that on this sturdy mirror, which would leave no trace even if dropped from a height, cracks appeared.

Then, the mirror shattered.

Mirror shards and wood fragments flew in all directions.

One part came straight toward the queen.

The queen threw down the black cloth, made a complex hand gesture with both hands, and simultaneously uttered a low incantation.

A translucent blue arc-shaped light shield appeared before her; the fragments struck the shield, their impact fully absorbed, and fell to the ground.

"Oh, what is this?" Tang Luo asked with interest.

"You!"

The queen retreated two steps warily.

"Now that I've awakened, do you still think this mirror can stop me?" Tang Luo said.

The queen narrowed her eyes; one could see the flames of anger, born of emotion, flickering within them.

No, this was not an expression of emotion, but a sign of some ability being used.

Tang Luo's left shoulder suddenly erupted in a ball of flame, which began to blaze fiercely.

Within two seconds, it had engulfed his entire upper body.

"... So weak." Before the queen could even show a smile, the white-haired man within the flames spoke.

Then, seemingly as he inhaled, all the flames appeared to be sucked in and devoured by him.

Not to mention burning the opponent—even his hair and cuffs remained unscathed in the slightest.

"Anything else?" Tang Luo smiled at the queen, "My foolish queen."

"... Don't get cocky!"

The queen chanted a short, powerful syllable and waved her hand toward Tang Luo.

As she moved, a visible ripple appeared and instantly struck Tang Luo.

It caused his clothes to flutter twice.

"Please continue your performance." Tang Luo stood in place, extended one hand, and invited.

The queen extended a finger, "drawing in the void" before her; light flickered at her fingertips, and the motion formed a rather complex symbol.

Then the symbol flew toward Tang Luo at a moderate speed and imprinted itself on his forehead.

"The Slave's Seal, from now on——" The queen had not finished speaking when she grunted, retreated two steps, and blood flowed from her nostrils.

"Indeed, a foolish woman." Tang Luo shook his head, suddenly feeling pessimistic about this mission, "Don't you know that putting shackles on a giant beast, linking it to yourself, even if it lazily refuses to resist, a casual movement will harm yourself?"

The queen did not answer Tang Luo's words, instead trying her best to wipe the blood from around her nose and mouth.

She was obviously very concerned about her appearance.

Tang Luo then walked to a nearby chair and sat down, adopting the air of a host: "Now, tell me who you are, and was that just now a witch's sorcery?"

We must first confirm this queen's identity.

Through practice, the queen also realized the strength of this man who walked out of the magic mirror.

"Olianna, Queen of the Tausent Kingdom." The queen performed a court noble's salute.

Tang Luo's strength earned her respect—at least temporary awe.

"Looks like there's no problem, then it's this person." Tang Luo thought to himself, then spoke aloud, "I am called Xuanzang; I only remember this name. Since I came out of the mirror, hah, you can call me Mirror Master."

"You only remember your name?" The queen thought to herself.

Tang Luo then surveyed this spacious room, which could be described as magnificent—uh, a wardrobe?

Besides the destroyed magic mirror, the room was filled with splendid garments, essentially dresses, of various styles.

In style, they were all similar to what the queen wore—courtly fashion.

"Queen, do current queens all know these sorcery methods?" Tang Luo asked.

"No, this is sorcery; I am a sorceress." Queen Olianna said.

"Much the same, just a different title." Tang Luo waved his hand; a sorceress is still a witch or shrine maiden, really all the same.

Olianna managed a smile that could barely be called pleasant, without refuting Tang Luo's words.

"I don't know what plans you have, Mirror Master," she said after a while.

"Let me think." Tang Luo feigned deep thought, "It seems there's nowhere to go; having finally come out, of course I should enjoy life. Why not let me be a court advisor, loafing in the palace?"

Olianna coughed, "A court advisor, loafing in the palace?"

This master really dares to say that.

"I am merely a queen; I cannot decide these things, and moreover—" Olianna paused, "—there is no court advisor in the palace."

"No court advisor? Then what idle, easy, high-status position is there?" Tang Luo asked, "Preferably one where you can stick your finger in any matter, and after stirring it, just throw up your hands."

"..."

Olianna was speechless for a moment, "You bastard, do you want to be king?"