Alice in the Land of Steam

Chapter 1473 Gloria's Wonderland Adventure... or...?

Gloria found herself on an unfamiliar street.

Her first reaction was that her curse had struck again, throwing her into a completely unfamiliar place, using a completely unfamiliar identity, surrounded by humans who claimed to be related to her but were complete strangers... just like countless times before. She couldn't help but feel frustrated. She thought she should have gotten used to this process long ago, but when it happened again, Gloria realized that she wasn't prepared, or rather, her once-proud adaptability had been worn away by the comfortable time on Cloud Whale Sky Island.

On Cloud Whale Sky Island, for some special reason, the curse was effectively contained. Although it still occasionally flared up, it no longer disrupted her life. Whether she was a windball player, a pirate captain, or a nun, every day when she opened her eyes, she was greeted by familiar scenery, familiar people, and familiar routines. For others, familiarity might mean monotony, boredom, and repetitive cycles, but for Gloria, it meant absolutely nothing. She enjoyed everything in life, including the parts it forced upon her and the parts it generously bestowed upon her.

pity--

She thought with a touch of regret: Has this comfortable life finally come to an end? She will have to return to the past, switching between countless different identities. On the surface, each identity seems to offer an enviable life, but in reality, it cannot bring her even a trace of belonging. Perhaps this is another kind of special kind of wandering in this world? Some people are physically homeless, while others are spiritually adrift.

This time, however, Gloria has no intention of accepting the curse.

She decided to rebel.

This would have been unimaginable in the past, because Gloria knew very well that her personality was born to adapt to the curse, so how could she possibly rebel against it? But perhaps her time living on the Cloud Whale Sky Island, while wearing down her spirit, also allowed her to finally find her own purpose. She loved being with everyone, loved the days spent at the Fairy Slumber Inn, loved the primrose fields of Ietta and the landlady's carefully prepared meals... These attachments made her eager to abandon everything and return to that island.

No matter how far apart they are, she will do it, because it is also for Bai Ye.

Bai Ye relies on everyone. She is so lonely and fragile. If she were to wake up one day and find herself no longer on Cloud Whale Sky Island, she would be very sad. Therefore, even for Bai Ye's sake, she must find a way back. This is the meaning of her existence: she will do anything that Bai Ye does not want to do, dare not do, or is unwilling to do.

Bai Ye didn't want to face the curse, so she came to face it in her place; Bai Ye didn't dare to get too close to her companions, so she came to help her get along well with everyone; Bai Ye didn't want to leave Cloud Whale Sky Island, so she would take her back.

Of course, Bai Ye herself would never admit it, and she wouldn't even thank herself, but what does it matter?

The key point is not what Bai Ye wants to do, but what she should do.

Gloria quietly made up her mind, but only then did she suddenly realize a very serious problem: What about Bai Ye?
Several minutes had passed since she regained consciousness, and she hadn't heard Bai Ye's voice. Logically, she should have been the one with the fastest reaction. Every time she switched identities, she was the first to notice something was wrong and alert herself. While Gloria was still vaguely receiving memories and experiences of her new identity, Bai Ye had already clarified every detail and, based on those details, devised a perfect disguise plan, practically guiding Gloria step-by-step: what kind of personality her identity should project, what to say and do at what time…

Gloria is almost a perfect actress, able to immerse herself in any role without reservation and deliver impeccable performances. But without Bai Ye's patient guidance and detailed supplementation, she would never have been able to portray each role so seamlessly and naturally, as if such a person truly existed in the world.

In Alice's words, the two were "the best partners".

But this time, his partner seemed a little slow to react?

Could it be... that he's still sleeping?

"You can't be this lazy!" Gloria called softly, "Wake up, White Night, wake up! Now is not the time to sleep!"

Still no response.

Her mind was completely blank, so clean it was as if no other consciousness had ever existed. Had Bai Ye disappeared? No, no, no, that was impossible. Bai Ye was the main personality of this body; if anyone should disappear, it should be Bai Ye himself. Then, was he deliberately hiding to tease me? That seemed unlikely too. While Bai Ye enjoyed mocking and belittling his alternate personality, he wouldn't be that malicious. After eliminating all impossible explanations, Gloria finally found a reasonable answer—

I'm dreaming!
That's right, only dreams can explain what happens to you!
But for Gloria, this was an incredible experience. She and Bai Ye were two personalities in the same body, with independent consciousness, so their dreams were naturally independent as well. Therefore, Gloria didn't know what kind of dreams Bai Ye had every night, and although Bai Ye had the ability to enter dreams, he couldn't enter Gloria's dreams—that was the ostensible reason.

The real reason is that Gloria doesn't dream at all!

For her, dreams were a concept even more distant than the self. Since gaining consciousness, she seemed to have never dreamed. Each time she switched body control with Bai Ye, she would tell the outside world that she was "going to sleep," but it was more like she was dozing in Bai Ye's consciousness space—a state of unconsciousness, feeling nothing, and naturally, not dreaming. Gloria speculated that it might be because she had switched identities too many times, and the memories of different identities had piled up, forming a chaotic state. If she were to dream, it would mean that each of these identities would have to be trapped in a dream, which was simply impossible.

Essentially, dreams are very pure things. Gloria doesn't yet have the right to dream; only occasionally do fragments of memory turn into murmurs, making her murmur to herself even in her sleep, as if talking in her sleep. If everything is as she suspects, then this is very likely her first dream, a dream that will be extremely memorable!
Undoubtedly, every first time is worth commemorating. Although she didn't know why she could suddenly dream, Gloria was still very happy. The easygoing, or rather, go-with-the-flow part of her personality began to take effect, allowing her to quickly accept her current situation. This was followed by a strong sense of curiosity: what kind of dream would she, who had never dreamed before, have?
She looked up and around, finally able to properly observe this new world that felt so unfamiliar to her. At the same time, countless clamorous sounds, noisy smells, and bright lights surged up like the tide finally feeling gravity, breaking the sad silence, as if the world had originally been isolated, static, or even non-existent, and only when Gloria truly accepted it was she allowed to express her own state.

The construction of the world does not depend on material reality, but on the mind, which is also a characteristic of dreams.

The air was filled with the sweet aroma of honey-roasted apples and cinnamon, mingled with a crisp scent she'd never smelled before—a scent akin to moonlight and lily of the valley. A cobblestone path stretched out beneath her feet, each stone smooth as a mirror, reflecting the glass lamps hanging overhead. These lamps, without candlelight, emitted warm orange, pale gold, and silvery halos, like a small piece of sunset or starlight preserved within them. The buildings lining the street seemed straight out of a fairytale, their eaves curving gracefully, their walls covered in glowing vines that seemed to hum softly, and the flowerpots on the windowsills swaying gently to music drifting from afar.

People dressed in shimmering, iridescent garments walked by. Their figures were more slender and graceful than humans, and their platinum-gold hair seemed to shimmer with light. Their eyes were different colors, sometimes as clear as the sky, sometimes as blue as flowing water, but whatever the color, they were as bright as if jewels were sparkling in their pupils. Gloria hid under the eaves, curiously observing these people. She recognized them; they were the Light Elves. So, this must be the Light Elf Kingdom, right? But she had never been to such a place before. Why was she suddenly dreaming about it?

The laughter of passersby jingled like the tinkling of wind chimes, their conversations soft and pleasant. Men, women, and children alike were all neatly dressed, their healthy complexions and vibrant spirits testifying to the prosperity and peace of this nation. Gloria lowered her head, glancing at her simple pajamas and slippers, and suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Walking in a strange country dressed like this, even though no one knew her, the young girl couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

She subconsciously tugged at the cuffs of her pajamas. The craftsmanship of the travel fairy was undeniable; their innate inspiration seemed to have nowhere to go, even extending to the meticulously sewn pajamas. But in essence, it wasn't an outfit suitable for a formal occasion, and the relatively simple cotton style clashed with the bustling surroundings. Just as Gloria was pondering whether she should find a place to change, a slight itch suddenly ran through her body, like someone gently tickling the soles of her feet through her boots.

She was startled, instinctively looked down, and then her eyes widened in disbelief.

Unbeknownst to her, her simple pajamas were enveloped in a soft white light, while passersby seemed oblivious, as if unaware of the small miracle unfolding before them. When the light faded, her clothes vanished, replaced by a silver-white evening gown, its layers of fabric resembling blossoms in early spring, yet so light they seemed unreal; the cuffs were made of sheer lace and tulle, outlining the delicate lines of her wrists. Even her slippers had transformed into tiny, exquisite crystal shoes, making a soft, melodious sound as she stepped on the smooth pebbles.

She raised her hand and found that even her hair had been carefully styled. Her originally casually draped gray hair had been braided into an elegant long braid, which obediently wrapped around her shoulder, with a small star-shaped hair clip at the end of the braid.

—She's just like a princess in a fairy tale, enchanted by a fairy godmother.

Ah, Gloria suddenly realized: This is a dream!

Isn't it normal for wishes to come true in dreams? As the owner of the dream, she possesses power even greater than that of a goddess, so a mere dress is nothing to her!
Thinking of this, Gloria felt a surge of joy. She twirled on the spot, her skirt billowing like ripples. Although there was no mirror, she could feel that she had completely blended into the street, even more dazzling than most of the passersby.

If it were me now, I wouldn't stand out in a crowd, right?

She straightened her skirt slightly, straightened her back, and then tried to recall the various aristocratic etiquette and manners she had learned when she changed her identity, walking into the crowd as gracefully and naturally as possible. At first, Gloria was quite worried that her behavior might give her away, but she soon realized that this pretense was unnecessary, because people immersed in the festive atmosphere had no time to notice a strange young girl. They whispered or talked loudly, their conversations drifting into her ears like fragmented musical notes.

"...I never expected His Majesty to choose today..."

"...Even if it's not today, it probably won't be too late."

"That's right, that lord and the princess saved our country together, no one is more suitable for them..."

"...Hurry up and get to the square, or you won't be able to get a good spot..."

"Six-Pointed Star Square," "King," "Princess's Wedding"—these keywords were repeatedly mentioned. Gloria followed the flow of people, moving lightly as she listened intently and pieced together the information in her mind. Tonight seemed to be a grand ceremony in the Kingdom of Light Elves, the King holding a wedding for his beloved daughter, the whole country celebrating, and all the citizens gathering at "Six-Pointed Star Square" in front of the palace.

Hmm, that's strange.
Wasn't I the one in the dream? Why is the princess I don't even know getting married? And who is she marrying? But come to think of it, why would I dream about a wedding? Do I sometimes have these kinds of thoughts? Oh dear, this is so embarrassing! I can't let Bai Ye know…

The thought that Bai Ye could freely enter other people's dreams made Gloria raise her head and look around warily, afraid of seeing that familiar figure with a mocking smile on her face.

Fortunately not.

She secretly breathed a sigh of relief and made a decision: she would go and observe the wedding!

Give me some cats