Alice in the Land of Steam

Standing atop the highest wall of Blackfire Keep, Cheryl gazed intently at this ancient land. A fiery red sun was slowly rising from the distant horizon, bestowing a baptism of light upon all souls awaiting salvation.

In the aftermath of a catastrophe, Atorica was in ruins. War had destroyed so much, but victory brought hope. Soldiers laid down their weapons and rebuilt their homes with their own hands. The miners, who had only found a semblance of security in the darkness, stepped back onto the surface, feeling the long-lost passion and hope of their ancestors who had risen up to fight a century earlier. Three thousand meters underground, the ceaseless roar of machinery and the scraping of mine carts on the tracks echoed once more. Countless ores, like flesh and blood, were chiseled from the sleeping behemoth, then transported through vein-like tunnels to its heart or brain, creating a new miracle.

The guardian, named Serphis, revealed its true form, transforming into a colossal beast tens of meters tall. Its roar summoned storms, sweeping away debris and ruins; its stomping caused earthquakes, burying cracks and bones; and when it flapped its wings, springs gushed from the earth, nourishing wounds and barrenness. Having gained the power of fairies, its abilities were no longer limited to combat, but also included creation and gestation. It is a generous treasure of time, having witnessed Atorica's past, now reshaping Atorica's present, and will change Atorica's future.

Even if one day, long, long after I am gone, it will still be the one protecting this land.

Compared to the short and insignificant life of mortals, only such a long existence is suitable to be the guardian of the land of Atorica, right?

Cheryl was so convinced of this that she never regretted rejecting Ovira's proposal and completely giving up that power that was within her grasp; she also never regretted giving the fairy sword Hydras to that last winged elf girl. In fact, it was more like returning it to her.

Everything that doesn't belong to you will eventually be returned to its original master, including the power bestowed by fairies, the swords forged by fairies, and even the future of this land. What truly belongs to you is only your ideal—the ideal you inherited from your brothers, companions, and comrades. Only that ideal belongs to you, and you will never give it up.

A sudden gust of wind arose, whipping through the girl's hair and the hem of her dress, and racing across every brick of the city wall, causing them to tremble and groan. It was as if an unparalleled force was announcing its existence, not to boast, but simply to say goodbye.

Cheryl looked up and saw a huge whale rising from the rocks, its shadow blocking out half the sun.

The travelers have come from afar, inquiring about ancient secrets, listening to the whispers of the earth, and participating in a war destined to influence the next three hundred years, yet now forgotten by all. What did they gain, and what did they leave behind? Everything remains an unknown mystery, but one thing is certain: their journey will not end here.

Keep moving forward, keep fighting until you get what you want. You are bound to lose a lot in the process, but if you stop because of this, then what is the point of your beliefs, your hopes, your future?

But I hope you never reach a day when you need to measure value by ideals.

As she gazed at the receding silhouette of the giant whale, Cheryl, the leader of the Holy War Army, held such faithful hopes in her heart and offered her sincerest blessings to these travelers who always harbored lofty ambitions.

……

Compared to the joy of embarking on a new journey, the Fairy Sleep Inn was filled with a solemn atmosphere.

Because Lorena brought everyone some bad news: after a friendly exchange (she claimed to) that last night, she finally learned from Bai Ye the real reason why Linge was in a deep sleep.

"So, it's not that Linger can't wake up, but that he doesn't want to?" Alice rested her hands on the bridge of her nose, striking a profound pose, and repeated Rorona's conclusion in a deliberately deep tone, which was, in short, nonsense.

I think so.

Rorona gave her a polite smile, not intending to expose her true feelings. In the current situation, it was reassuring that the genius player was still in the mood to act silly. It was better than Ietta remaining silent and Medien seemingly lost in thought.

The atmosphere on Narwhale Island shouldn't be like this. It should be more optimistic, vibrant, and hopeful, like the peaceful and beautiful daily life we ​​all experienced together, a life that will never end.

Unfortunately, in our cruel and ruthless real world, the only "forever" that can be achieved is probably "don't expect 'forever,' because it is just a wishful thinking."
Princess Haixi sighed quietly, never imagining she would be so pessimistic. Even during the worst of the curse, when her mother and sister were nearly driven to despair by her illness, and the entire population of Nereides worried that the princess of the Mirror Sea might one day succumb to death, she alone remained steadfast in her belief that it was all merely a trial, that she possessed the courage and strength to overcome it, and that she would never succumb to this so-called disease.

“That makes sense now.” Alice’s eyes flickered. “The key question is why Ling Ge doesn’t want to wake up. Has Bai Ye given a reason?”

“No.” Lorena shook her head. “Perhaps she thinks we should know.”

Alice was completely clueless, so she instinctively turned her gaze to the person who knew Ling the most in the room. Everyone else did the same, and all eyes fell on the pink-haired girl, awaiting her explanation. It was undoubtedly a very oppressive scene, but Medion was already used to it, not even as bad as the sorrowful and melancholy eyes of the believers waiting outside the Church of Heaven during the seven-day prayers.

Although they were all merely tempted by bread and milk, not truly devout temporary believers, the goddess once said that every soul deserves salvation.

"..." Medion was silent for a moment before speaking softly, "Perhaps it's because he's tired?" "Tired?" Alice was puzzled. What kind of answer was that?
"Yes, it's normal to want to rest when you're tired, isn't it, Alice?" Medine's tone was calm, clearly indicating that she was the one who should be most anxious.

In contrast, Alice was rather dissatisfied, even raising her voice considerably: "Hasn't he been resting for far too long? Besides, is this the time for peaceful sleep? Everyone is waiting for him to make the decisions! No, I can't accept this, we have to find a solution..."

We absolutely must find a way to wake Linger up!
She had intended to say that, but when she looked up, she met Medion's deep gaze, and the words she was about to utter caught in her throat, and she could no longer speak.

“I understand your thoughts, Sister Alice,” Medion said softly. “But we should understand Linger even more, shouldn’t we? Recent events have put him under immense pressure. He’s really, really tired and just needs a little rest. Can’t we even allow him that short break?”

The pink-haired girl's gaze swept over Alice, then over the faces of everyone present. Whether out of guilt or some other more complex emotion, everyone instinctively avoided her gaze. Perhaps, as Medien said, the deaths of Saint Charlotte and Ovira had dealt a heavy blow to the young man's psyche. Everyone grieves for the loss of their comrades, but no one's sorrow can compare to that of the young man, for he had used the power of his faith to personally send his beloved girls to the battlefield, ultimately facing such a cruel end.

He was the person furthest from divinity in the world, yet possessed the purest faith; he was the only one in the world to gain the approval and trust of the young queen, a trust that ultimately led him down a wrong path; he could finally entrust his true feelings to someone, only to have them shattered each time in a hasty farewell. If the world is a grand stage play, then this young man must be the most contradictory and ironic character. No one could remain unmoved after such vicious mockery from the playwright, yet he persevered until now, though he finally felt weary. But as Medien said, this brief rest was permissible, and it was what he deserved…

"That's not how it is!"

Alice suddenly interrupted Medine's words loudly, drawing everyone's attention to her. They saw the genius player's tightly clenched and trembling fists, and her stubborn expression that refused to believe such absurd claims: "Linger... that guy isn't that fragile, is he? Even if so many things really happened, that guy isn't so easily defeated. Don't you all know that better than I do?"

She cast a pleading look at everyone present, including Medine, or rather, only Medine.

Everyone fell silent for a moment.

Indeed, they found it hard to imagine Ling Ge being so weak as to want to run away. In everyone's memory, that young man had always been the strongest person in the world, sometimes even making people doubt his heart of stone. He wouldn't cry, wouldn't get hurt, and even if he occasionally felt lost, he would quickly pick himself up and continue leading everyone to fight against the powerful enemy. Could someone like Ling Ge one day also become disillusioned with the real world, even preferring to hide in his dreams rather than continue facing it?

“Perhaps so,” Medine said softly, breaking the silence. “I know how strong Ringer is, and I understand him better than anyone else.”

Because she was Lin Ge's sister, the family he vowed to protect for life after losing his adoptive father, and his only bond in the world before embarking on this journey and meeting new companions. She still remembered how cold the boy was when his father first adopted him, wary of all care and comfort, like a lone hedgehog; and how gentle he was after truly accepting these two unrelated relatives. He patiently followed his father's teachings, carefully nurtured his sister's dreams, and his warm smile could melt even the hardest ice in the world. If she remembered all this so vividly, then she could never forget that after his father's death, the young man remained silent at the funeral, without shedding a single tear. It wasn't because he had become cold-blooded again, but because those tears had already dried up in unseen corners and been wiped away by him.

Losing his father's protection, a young man who hadn't even graduated from university had to shoulder the heavy responsibility of running a church and raising his younger sister. This seemed even more difficult than being homeless, and naturally required an even stronger resolve, such as an unwavering heart. When those desperate believers stood outside the Tianxin Church, confessing or praying to the expressionless pastor before the icon of the goddess, could they understand that what stood before them was merely a young soul? They saw him as an equal, or even more transcendent, as if everyone who met those all-seeing eyes was vulnerable, no different from a child.

If a person can achieve this, he shouldn't be defeated by reality or tempted by dreams. He should be like a hero in mythology, wiping the blood from his face, hiding his wounds, and still walking at the forefront of the crowd, becoming their goal and banner... That's exactly what Alice wanted to express, and what she hoped to see.

“Isn’t that right?” Hearing Medine’s words, Alice thought she agreed with her statement, and her eyes lit up: “You’ll understand too, Medine…”

"But that was before, Sister Alice."

Alice was taken aback by the pink-haired girl's light, airy voice. The helpless yet regretful tone made her feel like a spoiled child, needing patient comfort from an adult. In reality, whether in the past, present, or future, Medine had always been seen by her and everyone else as someone who needed care. Even Shamy and Leticia, those two oblivious individuals, repeatedly declared they would protect Medine. This image of needing care might stem from her brother's overprotective nature. Ringer was the leader of the group, and everyone followed and imitated him, valuing his opinions more than their own. Therefore, if Ringer saw Medine as someone who needed protection, everyone else would feel the same way.

But in reality, a person can grow into a completely different person without anyone noticing.

Now, Medea felt so unfamiliar that Alice felt lost, as if she were facing a game she had never heard of, never experienced, and never imagined, and didn't know where to begin.

It's not just her; others probably feel the same way too.

Only the pink-haired girl remained unmoved, saying to her word by word, "Ling Ge used to be very strong, but not anymore."

"Because someone changed him."

"It made him vulnerable." (End of Chapter)