Chapter 4: Curtain Call for the Soul

“W-What are you…?”

Purina, startled by her own reflection in the mirror, cried out.

In the mirror stood Purina.

But she was subtly different.

Unlike the wide-eyed, shocked Purina, the Purina in the mirror sighed, looking at her with pity.

‘I told you. I’m you.’

“Have I… finally gone mad? Now I’m hearing voices and seeing hallucinations…?”

Purina clutched her head and sank to the floor, unable to believe it.

‘Sorry, but that’s not it. I’m the being the ‘you in the mirror’ prepared for you.’

“The being the ‘you in the mirror’ prepared…?”

‘Yeah, someone to help you when you’re struggling.’

“But how…?”

Purina looked up at the girl in the mirror, still skeptical.

For Purina, trusting her wasn’t easy.

One small mistake could mean the death of all Fontaine’s people.

“This… this is something only I can do. To save Fontaine, I have to do it.”

Purina clenched her trembling hands and spoke.

Seeing her quivering eyes, the Purina in the mirror responded.

‘You’re right. Only you can do this, Purina. But—’

The Purina in the mirror crouched down, resting her chin in her hand.

‘—I’m also you.’

Purina looked up at her words.

The girl, meeting her gaze, smiled softly.

‘Which means I can do it too.’

Purina’s eyes trembled.

‘So, Purina, you don’t have to carry everything alone. You have ‘me.’’

“Ah, ahh…”

It was inevitable.

For nearly a hundred years, she had borne a truth no one could know, a truth that mustn’t be known, while acting.

Endless loneliness.

The stress of performing the same act every day.

Whenever she wanted to give up, the lives of Fontaine’s people weighed on the scale.

She couldn’t give up.

Purina’s justice was the sacrifice of the few for the many.

So she kept acting.

To her, who had hidden even her true self to play the ‘God of Water,’ the Purina in the mirror was salvation.

“Sob, sniff…”

As Purina hugged the mirror and sobbed, the Purina in the mirror smiled bitterly.

‘If I had a body, I’d hold you, Purina.’

It was a pity, nothing more.

“Are you… really sure about this?”

At her worried voice, I smiled lightly and replied.

‘Don’t worry. I’m confident in acting.’

“B-But acting as the ‘God of Water’ won’t be easy. If you act even slightly different from me… people might get suspicious.”

‘I’ve watched you for so long. That part’s easy.’

I’m not joking. I’m confident in my acting.

Once, I dreamed of being a musical actress, so acting is my strength.

‘Just watch. All you need to do is sit back and rest.’

“Can I really trust you…?”

Purina’s too scared for her own good.

She probably thinks one tiny mistake could doom Fontaine.

‘The reason I exist is for your happiness. I’d never make you sad.’

Yes, my purpose is for Purina.

It’s the goal and driving force I set for my second life.

For her, I’d do anything.

Even if it means my death.

‘Alright, let’s switch.’

“O-Okay.”

My vision flickered.

The sensation of always watching from a step behind vanished.

The perspective shifted.

The body’s senses, its control, came to me.

“Phew.”

‘D-Did it work?’

“Looks like it.”

I clenched and unclenched my hands, getting used to the sensation I hadn’t felt in a while.

“Hmm, good.”

From today, I must become the ‘God of Water.’

Acting is a lie.

Deceiving myself and even the audience.

That’s what acting is.

Every gesture must carry emotion, but the gaze mustn’t turn to the audience.

The gaze should only meet the other actors in the same play.

So, who’s the actor here, and who’s the audience?

“My people! Rejoice, cheer!”

It’s impossible to know.

My acting is to deceive the gods.

I might be the only actor, or everyone except the heavens could be actors.

But in this moment, it’s clear who the actors and audience are.

“Let the judgment of this foolish one begin now!”

I’m the actor, and the people looking up at me below are actors too.

In my play, there’s only one audience.

“Praise me, Purina de Fontaine!”