Alice in the Land of Steam

Shouldn't Chapter 1324 be here?
When Saint Charlotte arrived at the Fairy Sleep Inn, Alice was standing at the inn's entrance, staring blankly in the direction of the battlefield. The leaden-gray horizon was gradually stained with darkness, and the ocean seemed endless, with no end in sight. No matter how sad the mood or how firm the belief, it would eventually be submerged in it, silently.

The little lamb paced anxiously back and forth at the door, looking restless, until it finally relaxed when it saw its owner appear. It happily ran to Saint Charlotte's side, bleating twice, as if confiding its worries or expressing its concern for her.

Saint Charlotte gently stroked its head in response.

The bleating of the lamb brought Alice back to reality. She looked up and saw a familiar figure, but someone seemed to be missing. Startled, she quickly asked, "Xia, what brings you here? Weren't you with Ietta? Is Ietta... alright?"

When the Cloud Whale Sky Island was hurled away by the Dark Witch Caraboss, the island's inhabitants naturally felt the impact. Fortunately, even during the battle, Ieta didn't forget to maintain the wind barrier surrounding the entire sky island, and the Fairy Slumber Inn's structure was relatively stable, so the people in the inn were unharmed. However, Caraboss's words at that time also reached everyone's ears, leaving them—especially Alice—with mixed feelings.

Before Hino and Ieta, Alice was the first person to truly confront the Dark Witch. Of course, this is from the perspective of the Young Queen. If we don't limit ourselves to this, Sister Livia and Caraboss's interaction actually started earlier. However, the sister was not a true Young Queen, but an artificial queen created by the True Spirits based on the research theories of the Cursed Ring King Chenos. She was inherently powerless against the Dark Witch, so the latter naturally didn't need to preach any principles of "faith" or "enlightenment" to her.

It wasn't until Alice, until the fantasy and dark kingdoms clashed in the universe, staging a duel measured in light-years, that this cruel truth was revealed to her. Alice initially didn't believe it; she thought love, courage, and justice were the keys to victory, and that the story should have unfolded this way, because she was deeply fascinated by similar plots in every game she had played. But perhaps the final outcome proved Carabosse right?

This isn't a game; it's reality. In a game, you don't have to fight with the belief of "killing someone for someone else," because they're just a bunch of data. Who would fight to the death with a virtual character, determined to prove their ideals and path are correct? But reality is different. Reality demands proof; otherwise, what's the point of fighting?

Even now, Alice still disagrees with Carabosse's statement, yet she subtly understands her somewhat. That's why she's so worried about Ieta. The genius player has always considered herself a very resolute person, never easily swayed by the enemy's words, but even she couldn't completely resist Carabosse's persuasion. Who knows what Ieta will become after hearing those words?

You should know that Miss Angel was originally the most vulnerable, timid, and easily swayed person on Cloud Whale Sky Island.

Saint Charlotte saw right through Alice's thoughts and shook her head: "Ietta is fine and is resting in the windmill tower. Also, Alice, don't treat her like a child anymore. She is actually... very strong."

Alice opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Saint Charles was right; even children will eventually grow into adults.

But for some reason, Alice had a vague feeling that it wasn't a good thing.

That's never been the case.

The shepherdess gave the genius player a deep look, but ultimately said nothing. She simply reached out and gently stroked the player's head, just as she had stroked the lamb's head earlier, before walking into the inn without a word.

The situation was relatively normal, the only unexpected thing was that Shaymi was frightened by the earthquake and a little scared, while Leticia was the complete opposite, so excited that she couldn't wait to rush out and fight the Dark Witch to the death. Lorona was comforting Shaymi, while Gloria desperately held Leticia back, preventing her from going out and causing trouble.

Both were surprised to see Saint Charlotte return and inquired about Ieta's condition. They were finally relieved to hear from her sister that she was safe and sound. However, Saint Charlotte's return to the inn wasn't just to deliver this news; she had more important matters to attend to.

"Where is Siesta?" Saint Charlotte asked Celia, who was rummaging through the medicine cabinet. Celia was about to go out to treat the island's residents injured in the earthquake. Hearing Saint Charlotte's question, she paused, turning to answer with a complex expression that was hard to describe. As a fairy, with her innate sensitivity, she seemed to have sensed something: "She's in the kitchen preparing food for everyone. Celia, you're not looking for your sister because of...?"

"Thank you."

Saint Charlotte interrupted her unspoken guess, turning and heading towards the kitchen. Sharia glanced at the medicine cabinet she'd rummaged through, then at the girl's retreating figure, and ultimately, still worried, followed. As soon as she entered the kitchen, she heard Saint Charlotte say to her sister, Siesta, "I need your help, Siesta..."

"Oh dear, this is the first time I've heard you speak so seriously, Xia. Although the situation is indeed unfavorable, it's not that bad, is it?"

The proprietress, Siesta, spoke with her usual calm and reassuring tone, but she had unconsciously put down the cleaver. Her lips, no longer relaxed or upturned, were now slightly pursed, forming a serious and focused expression. Only the bartender, who knew her sister well, knew this was her way of being serious. Even for her younger sister, Sheria, it had been a long time since she had seen her sister with such an expression. The last time was probably when she had just passed her coming-of-age ceremony and was about to embark on the most important pilgrimage of her life.

Saint Charlotte remained silent, simply watching Siesta quietly.

The proprietress couldn't stand the stares, especially from her best friend, so she quickly gave in: "Okay, I promise you, but you have to tell me first what you need my help with?"

“I would like to ask you,” the shepherdess said, enunciating each word clearly, “to take me to someone.”

"Well……"

This strange request startled both Siesta and Sheria for a moment. Siesta was the first to react, frowning slightly, seemingly troubled: "The type of fairy magic that can send one person to another, regardless of spatial distance, does exist. However, it requires a very high level of magical power. Perhaps we'll need to borrow Her Majesty's power again. But last time, when we left the Heavenly Sanctuary, to help everyone escape the encirclement of the combined forces of the Order, Sheria, Shemi, and I already borrowed Her Majesty's power once. Fairy magic itself has a strong element of uncertainty, so I'm not sure if it will succeed this time..."

Saint Charlotte's eyes remained clear and firm, unwavering: "Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance—it's destined to be my fate."

So said the girl of destiny, Wang Quan.

Faced with her friend's request, Siesta couldn't bring herself to refuse.

Actually, she was lying. Fairy magic cannot fail, at least not under the protection of Queen Titania.

Queen Titania, the oldest deity among the fairy spirits, was born bathed in the gaze of the creator god. She possesses the magic of all the fairies in the world, and thus can also bestow this magic upon her followers. Fairy magic is inherently unpredictable, but with Queen Titania's power, this uncertainty can be transformed into certainty, allowing the search for a single, fixed future from every possible path of fate. When the fairies borrow the Queen's power, it can be understood as the Queen herself unleashing fairy magic, thus ensuring its success. So why does she lie?
Siesta herself wasn't quite sure. Maybe it was because she knew her friend too well, or maybe it was because of her fairy intuition? Fairies, who are born with pure hearts and pure spirituality, can always keenly perceive things that ordinary people often overlook. However, sometimes, this may not be a good thing.

The landlady of the Fairy Sleep Inn sighed softly, "Alright, I'll help you, Xia."

A smile slowly appeared on the shepherdess's face. It looked like a smile of gratitude, but if you looked closely, you could see that it also hid a bit of guilt and apology: "Thank you, Siesta."

"Don't rush to thank me," Siesta said with a smile. "In return, you have to promise me one thing."

Saint Charlotte asked instinctively, "What is it?"

The proprietress put away her smile and emphasized seriously, word by word: "Never force yourself, no matter what."

Saint Sharia silently looked at Siesta, and Siesta silently looked at her friend. The two seemed to have reached a consensus through some indescribable means, understanding each other's feelings and emotions. Suddenly, Siesta turned to the bartender who had been silently observing from the doorway and said, "Sharia, you should prepare yourself too. If we're going to borrow Lady Titania's power, I alone won't be enough."

Sheryl took a beat to react, quickly responded, and then asked, "Should we call Shemi along?"

“No need this time, let her get some rest.” The landlady gently touched her lips with her finger and slowly shook her head, rejecting her sister’s suggestion. Her tone was light: “Besides, with her magic power and proficiency in fairy magic, it doesn’t really make any difference whether she’s there or not.”

To say something like that, she really is the same as my older sister.

Sheria agreed wholeheartedly and accepted the order to prepare for casting fairy magic. In truth, there wasn't much to prepare; it was simply a matter of finding a place with abundant magic and a relatively secluded location. Abundant magic was a basic requirement, and seclusion was mainly for concentrating one's mind and preventing anyone from suddenly barging in and causing trouble while casting the spell.

but.

As she left the kitchen, Sheryl realized with a start that Xia hadn't given a clear answer to her sister's request, and her sister, as if expecting it, hadn't pressed her for a definitive answer. What exactly did this intriguing unspoken understanding reveal?

She had no more time to think, because she was about to cast her fairy magic.

But this question will remain in the bartender's mind for a very long time to come.

……

The makeshift field hospital was still bustling with activity, and even busier due to the appearance of the Dark Witch. Even Ling, who was originally just an assistant doing odd jobs, was forced to pick up a scalpel and medicine to treat the wounds of the ever-increasing number of patients.

Although the young man wasn't a professional doctor, his expression was even calmer than his sister's when treating wounds and removing dead tissue. On the battlefield, darkness relentlessly spread, swallowing more and more lives; in the field hospital, the young man's movements grew faster and faster, yet he couldn't save the endless stream of wounded being brought in.

This feeling of powerlessness was enough to crush a fragile heart, but for the young man it seemed to be just a common scene in real life. It wasn't until the Cloud Whale Sky Island was defeated by the Dark Witch Carabosse that the violent commotion caused his hand to tremble slightly, but it was fleeting and as if it had never existed.

After calmly completing the entire process of cleaning, stopping the bleeding, suturing, and bandaging, the young man finally stood up and said to his sister, who was still busy beside him, "I'll be leaving for a bit. You're in charge here, Medine."

The air was thick with the stench of blood, sweat, and the pungent smell of disinfectant, creating a suffocating atmosphere. The pink-haired girl froze, not even having time to ask where her brother was going, what he was doing, or if he would ever come back, before she could watch helplessly as his figure walked out of the hospital and disappeared from sight.

Even if she could react, she couldn't stop it, was powerless to stop it, or rather, had no intention of stopping it.

Because I had a vague premonition.

My brother must be going to do something very important, right?

So important...no one can replace him.

……

Calmly walking out of the hospital, bypassing the stretchers and paramedics coming and going, ignoring the arguing sounds coming from not far away, Ling Ge came to a high ground far from the battlefield. He was alone there, but he could see the lingering black fog on the battlefield in the distance, like a thirsty ocean, swallowing everything.

He stopped and silently took out the game console and cartridges he always carried with him from his pocket. Suddenly, his movements froze, and for the first time, a look of astonishment appeared on his face.

Because he saw someone.

A person who should theoretically never be here.

Give me some cats