Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1472 Shouldn't we not disturb them?

As if to resonate with the fierce battle taking place thousands of kilometers away, the pen tip paused slightly as it passed over the page. The undried ink spread out into a small black dot on the pure white background. The strong contrast gave people a sudden dizzying illusion, making them wonder if the world was turning upside down and they could no longer distinguish between reality and illusion.

After a brief hesitation, the girl tried to write again, only to find that she could no longer produce a single word. The knowledge that was just moments before, fresh and imprinted in her mind, was being erased by a mysterious hand. The sanctuary of reason built upon this knowledge crumbled, losing its clear logic and rigorous structure. Ovira tried to trace its origins, but was gently refused entry. A voice told her: "That's enough. You've reached your limit. One doesn't necessarily need to understand all knowledge."

Even if you are a young girl who symbolizes mystery and royalty.

The ink smudged on the paper for a few swirles before fading. Ovira's expression was a mixture of emotions; she didn't want to fail at this point, yet she deeply regretted not having achieved perfection. After a long silence, she sighed helplessly, gently put down her pen, and yielded to the other person's suggestion. The reason was simple: it was her own voice.

No one knew this feeling better than Ovira. The pursuit of knowledge has its limits, and those limits are also the limits of the laws of the universe. As the Queen of Mysteries, she was not the creator of knowledge, but merely a custodian, guardian, and user. Although she possessed a higher level of authority than ordinary people, she was still bound by this rule. Tonight, she had touched upon far too much forbidden knowledge, much of it even concerning the secrets of the universe's birth, the destiny of the creation of life, and the sole creator of this mortal world, the holder of the highest authority in both worlds, that loving and compassionate goddess.

Once knowledge is traced back to the beginning of creation, it is beyond the comprehension of a mere mysterious royal power. Perhaps it is necessary to combine the power of the sixteen young female royal powers of chaos and order, fantasy and reality, along with the authority of Themis, the guardian of the Heavenly Sanctuary appointed by her mother, in order to reveal all the answers and unravel all the mysteries.

Unfortunately, with the internal divisions within the girl's royal power, the escalating war, and life-or-death duels waged on beliefs... such plots keep recurring, making a perfect ending perhaps impossible.

At least, it's impossible for them.

The one who can truly rewrite the ending is—

Ovira's gaze lingered on the paper. The intricate and beautiful floral script originated from the courtly education she received in her childhood. The light elves of Beman used it to record poems for history and celebrations, but now it carried the heaviest secrets in the universe: the Heavenly Sanctuary, the Golden Apple, Eden and the Mirror Star, the Reality Project, the Earth's Core Seal, 130 million laws other than Chaos and Order, and more importantly... the identity of that young man.

"What do you want me to do, Ling?"

A faint sigh echoed in the empty cabin.

There was no response, because the person she was asking was still fast asleep, having some wonderful dream, his breathing was calm and even, making it hard to disturb him.

At least you can still dream, which is a good thing.

Thinking of this, Princess Beman felt a little disheartened. She put away her paper and pen, left the long table, and went to the sleeping young man. She slowly squatted down, cupped her cheeks in her hands, and gazed intently at his peaceful sleeping face. If she could, Ovira really wanted to know what kind of dream Ling was having, but dreams belong to the realm of emotions, and emotions are precisely the only knowledge that the Mysterious King cannot comprehend. Therefore, although she understands everything, she cannot see through the essence of dreams, and can only let her random associations drift towards the other side of her longing.

The fact that the power of faith has never run dry suggests that the person in the dream must be highly trusted by Linger.

Moreover, she must trust Linger very much, and even depend on him a lot, right?

If two people treat each other well, the dream can continue indefinitely. Even without Caius's song, the lost traveler will occasionally feel tired and choose to rest for a while in a safe harbor.

Thinking like this, it's hard not to feel a little envious of the version of myself in my dreams.

Being able to stay with Ling Ge and create beautiful memories without having to face the storms of the outside world or bear so much responsibility is like being blessed by the whole world, carefree and free.

Although saying this might sound like a child throwing a tantrum, after all, who would hold a grudge against their dream self?
If Alice finds out, she'll definitely make fun of me.

"Will you laugh at me too, Ling?"

The princess muttered to herself, her heart heavy with unspoken words. For instance, everyone had always thought Princess Ovira was a quiet and sensible child, never crying or fussing when alone. But in reality, she simply couldn't find anyone to confide in. Some things could only be said to herself: "I know I shouldn't think like this. After all, everyone is working so hard, how can I let them down just to satisfy my own selfish desires? But one can't always be on edge. Sister Xia said that if a string is always taut, it might snap at any moment, so learning to relax is very important. Of course, I don't really need to relax, I'm just thinking about it. Lin Ge, you'll understand, right? However, I used to think that reading new books, venturing into unknown territories, and understanding ancient wisdom were the best ways for someone who loves knowledge to relax. But these past few days have made me realize that's not necessarily true. Some knowledge is better left unexplored." Seeking answers is too tiring. Writing novels suits me much better. Every time I create a new character, plot, or story, I feel a sense of anticipation and excitement—perhaps my mother felt something similar when she created the world? However, I haven't written anything in a long time. The story is still stuck in the period when we first arrived on the Eastern Continent. I don't know when I'll catch up. Hmm, if I can find some free time later, I'll finish it in a week; but if something unexpected happens, it might not go so smoothly. In that case, Lin Ge, why don't you write it for me? Oh dear, I know you're going to say things like, 'I can't write novels,' 'I'm just a reader,' 'This is the path you chose,' but there's no way around it. I can only entrust it to you. As for the others, Alice can't write at all, she just messes around. Ietta knows nothing about writing. Hino could, but she's probably busier than me… Hmm?”

The incessant chatter suddenly stopped.

The girl stared blankly at the young man in front of her.

The moonlight illuminated his profile, making one realize, in a daze, that it was already late at night.

This is a long-awaited beautiful night in Atoliga. For this land, which has always endured war and suffering, silent bloodshed, biting winds, or the ceaseless pounding of pickaxes from the earth are the norm. Therefore, its occasional displays of tenderness are all the more memorable. Sandstorms raise curtains, so its night sky is not always clear; dust obscures vision, so its moonlight is not always bright. If you are fortunate enough to witness a clear night sky over this land, and to be bathed in the gentle moonlight, then perhaps it will bring you good fortune tomorrow.

Outside the enormous glass porthole, the shadow of the Nibelungen silently glides across the sea of ​​clouds. Continuous wisps of cloud spread across the deep blue sky, forming an endless silvery-white plain, gilded with a cold, ethereal glow by the moonlight. The ancient ark occasionally skims across the clouds, leaving long, gentle trails, like fish swimming through a galaxy; sometimes it plunges into the clouds, stirring up long, treacherous waves, like a giant whale playing in a deep, desolate wilderness. Looking further afield, the undulating mountains, veiled in fine snow, resemble the backs of ancient, slumbering gods, silently bearing the sorrows and grief of millennia.

There was no war, no strife, and even the wind was so gentle it seemed as if afraid to disturb the dream.

And he slept in the very center of this tranquil embrace. The moonlight, like water, gently washed over the young man's silhouette. His eyelashes cast two delicate silhouettes beneath his eyelids, fluttering gently with each breath, like some kind of nestled butterfly. As Ovira gazed at him, she suddenly felt a wondrous resonance between her heartbeat and his breath, incredibly soft and indescribable, like cotton candy slowly expanding in her chest.

Ovira slowly, very slowly bent down.

Her shadow fell on his cheek, mingling with the moonlight before separating again. She could smell the faint scent emanating from him, a mixture of old book pages and the crisp air outside the window—a scent she knew well, yet which still made her heart flutter every time she approached. Reason whispered a warning: this was an impulse, an emotion driven by feelings, an impulse that even the mysterious power of kings could not unravel.

But at this moment, she suddenly didn't want to analyze it anymore.

All the words left unwritten, all the knowledge erased, all the heavy responsibilities and expectations… at this moment, were diluted into a blurry background by the boundless sea of ​​clouds and the distant moonlight outside the window. She only wanted to do something without reason, and without needing to be understood.

Her lips gently touched his forehead.

The touch was cool, like a snowflake falling beside a fireplace, melting instantly, leaving only a damp mark. With her eyes closed, she felt all her thoughts—about the laws of the universe, the mysteries of creation, the unfinished novel, and the possible future—contract in that moment, becoming the smallest and most untouchable things in the world.

Ling Ge, if only you could feel my warmth right now…

How wonderful that would be!

The slightly intoxicating fragrance at the tip of her hair, the uneasy pulse in her palm, the low trembling in her chest, the melancholy in her eyes, and the light breath on her lips... This intoxicating temperature gradually moved down, finally imprinting itself on her slightly cool lips.

Fortunately.

Ovira couldn't help but think: He's asleep.

Therefore, one cannot feel this timid temperature.

……

In the next room, Little Bat, who was dozing against the wall, was suddenly startled and came back to her senses from her half-awake state. A look of confusion still lingered on her face. She vaguely remembered that she seemed to have had a very strange dream. In the dream, Ling and Ovira appeared. For some reason, the two were back to back, holding hands. The background was an extremely empty night sky, and there was an unbelievably bright moon, like transparent glass.

When she recalls the scenes from her dream, she always has a strange feeling—is it confusion or worry? In any case, this feeling firmly occupies Leticia's mind, making her restless and uneasy, always feeling that she must do something.

She cautiously raised her eyes, observing her surroundings. Selena was curled up in the corner, fast asleep, occasionally smacking her lips, appearing quite relaxed. Having successfully found Nibelungen, she seemed confident about the battle to come, which allowed her to sleep soundly without any worries. However, to be honest, the way she slept didn't resemble a wolf much; she looked more like a domesticated canine.

Leticia made a few rather rude comments, then secretly glanced at her grandmother. As one of the heroes who had conquered Nibelungen, the grandmother rightfully occupied the only intact chair in the room—an old sofa draped with a jeweled rug and goose down. Perhaps that dictator had once sat on the same sofa, peering through the enormous porthole that occupied half the wall, smugly admiring the world he was about to conquer. However, his posture certainly hadn't been as elegant as her grandmother's; after all, he was just a nouveau riche, how could he compare to the noble Valenhild of the Bloodfang clan?
Leticia looked around for a while, and after confirming that her grandmother was asleep, she tiptoed and tiptoed out of the house.

But before her hand could even touch the doorframe, a voice came from behind her, startling the little bat: "Leticia, it's so late, where are you going?"

The little bat stiffened. Although she didn't notice her grandmother's gaze, she knew it was scrutinizing. She stammered, "I...I...I wanted to go see Ovira and Ling! I just...just to check if they've had a good rest, that's all!"

Is this what you call admitting guilt without being asked?
Navra leaned back on the sofa and said calmly, "No need to go."

"Eh……"

"Leticia, haven't you ever heard the saying?"

"W-what words?"

"Curiosity killed the cat." The vampire countess, quite experienced in this matter, sighed softly. She was only sharing such valuable life experience with her beloved granddaughter: "If you go and disturb them now, I'm not sure you'll come back alive."

Is it really that scary?!
I...I...I am Leticia, the immortal vampire, the eternal queen of maidens! How could this be...how could this be...?

The little bat silently withdrew its hand.

Let's cherish life.

Give me some cats