Alice in the Land of Steam

Unlike the previous two times, this time, they did not meet the young lady of the Resbellite family so easily.

As the kingdom's oldest noble family, and adhering to tradition and antiquity to this day, the Resbellite family still maintains its own private army, only now replaced by modern-day suits and ties worn by heavily armed knights of the old era. They meticulously guard this castle abandoned by time, as if to completely isolate it from the world. Even the townspeople at the foot of the mountain rarely cross this line to peek into the secrets firmly sealed by the Resbellite family, let alone two outsiders.

Since Ling and Gloria had neither made an appointment in advance nor clearly stated their purpose, they were naturally politely turned away by the castle's security personnel. Although Gloria repeatedly urged him to force his way in, saying that this was his dream and he could come and go as he pleased, the young man had never considered such a dangerous suggestion. Besides, did he think that one could do whatever one wanted in a dream? He didn't think so.

If you underestimate dreams, you will definitely suffer a great loss in the end. It seems that although Gloria has a close relationship with Bai Ye, she has not learned this lesson from her.

“But how are we going to find Bai Ye if we don’t do this?” Gloria asked, looking troubled.

"We'll have to think of another way." Lin Ge was quite calm, as if he could always find a solution, it was just a matter of time. But what Gloria needed most right now was time. On one hand, she was eager to confront Bai Ye, and on the other hand, she had things she wanted to verify, so she didn't want to waste time here.

"Let me think, let me think, there must be a good way, I just forgot it..."

She muttered to herself, spun halfway around in place, and suddenly exclaimed, "Ah! I remember now!"

Ling noticed that she said "I remembered" instead of "I thought of it," and seemed thoughtful. But Gloria didn't give him much time to think; she grabbed his hand and ran towards the castle on the mountain: "I know a path that might help us avoid the guards and sneak into the castle!"

Lin Ge didn't ask her how she knew, but just followed the girl half-heartedly. The two of them took a hidden path overgrown with weeds and circled around to the side of the castle. Under a seemingly ordinary wall, at the base of the wall covered by weeds, Gloria squatted on the ground and rummaged around for a long time. After clearing away all the stones piled up there, a hole appeared in front of them that was just big enough for one person to pass through.

"It's still there after all." Gloria breathed a sigh of relief.

Then she turned around and raised an eyebrow at the young man triumphantly: "Now we can go in."

Lin Ge paused for a moment, refraining from asking how or where she had learned of this hidden entrance. He simply said, "If we just barge in like this, we'll be kicked out if the guards find out. Let's find a way to scout out the castle first, at least to know the terrain and the location of our target..."

"No need for all that trouble!" Gloria waved her hand dismissively, taking over the task without a care in the world. "Leave these to me!"

Where did the confidence come from?
Seeing her confident expression, Lin Ge couldn't bear to dampen her enthusiasm and chose to believe her for the time being.

The two entered the castle in this extremely unseemly way. After emerging from the hole, Ling was first attracted by a strong floral fragrance, and then noticed his surroundings. Was this a garden? The reason for his uncertain tone was that although he could smell the fragrance, he could not see a single flower. There were only carefully manicured green shrubs, layer upon layer like walls, surrounding the two of them. Several paths led deeper into the castle, but neither of them knew which one was the right one, or which one would lead them astray and trap them in a cage.

It seems more like a maze than a garden.

"Oh dear." Gloria watched the scene with great interest, showing no signs of the tension of being in a maze, and even had the leisure to remark, "Lady Lena still has such a wicked sense of humor."

"Lady Lena?" Ling had heard this name before, from the townspeople at the foot of the mountain. It was said that she was a renowned physician specially hired by the Resbellite family for their noble young lady, with a mysterious background and mastery of magical floral therapy. Some even said that she was actually a witch who could glimpse the past and present lives of people through the fragrance of flowers and sunlight.

“Yes.” Gloria nodded gently and explained, “Lady Lena likes to have afternoon tea in the garden, but she doesn’t want to be disturbed, so she specially turned the garden into a maze. If anyone disturbs her while she is having afternoon tea and does not have her permission, they can only wander around in the maze. They will only be released when she finishes her afternoon tea or when she is in a good mood.”

Gloria didn't notice the familiarity and nostalgia that unconsciously crept into her tone when she spoke of Lady Lena, or rather, although she noticed it, she couldn't control herself. Emotions are the hardest things to suppress in this world, and Gloria clearly harbored a deep and unique affection for this castle beneath her feet. If Lin Ge were to describe it, it would probably be like… coming home?

So, even though she could put on such a good facade in public, once she got home, she naturally shed those pretenses and became her true self again.

“Then,” Ringer asked her, “do you know the right way?”

“Of course!” Gloria patted her chest to assure her, “Although it’s been a long time since I’ve been here, I remember it perfectly. Just follow me obediently!”

It's been a long time since I've been here... I know you're excited and don't want to pretend anymore, but could you please not be so direct? It makes it seem like all your previous little schemes were for nothing.

The young man sighed inwardly but said nothing. Instead, he obediently followed behind Gloria, watching her excited and somewhat jubilant back. He thought that perhaps this wasn't so bad. At least the Gloria in front of him was much cuter than the Gloria who had tried to hide her feelings and seemed preoccupied yesterday.

Navigating the maze went more smoothly than Linger had imagined.

Gloria knew every fork in the road and every turn like the back of her hand, as if the winding path was etched into her very bones, allowing her to instinctively find the right direction even with her eyes closed. She walked briskly, occasionally stopping to wait for the young people who lagged behind, her face always bearing the relaxed and joyful expression one only shows when returning home.

Ling followed behind her, his gaze sweeping over the meticulously trimmed shrub wall. Their shapes were so regular, as if sculpted from the same mold, their tender green leaves gleaming brightly in the afternoon sun, casting shadows that divided the maze into spaces of light and shadow. Occasionally, a butterfly would flutter overhead, its wings dusted with violet pollen, leaving a faint trail of fragrance in the air.

"We're almost there." Gloria turned around, her voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement. "Can you smell the flowers? They're getting stronger—"

indeed.

The fragrance wafted from the depths of the labyrinth, initially faint, but gradually growing richer and more intense as the two ventured deeper, as if an invisible hand were guiding them forward. Ling recognized the scent as violets, yet it possessed an indescribable charm, as if fermented by time, settling into some ancient and profound secret. Gloria stopped at the final bend.

She took a deep breath, seemingly to calm herself, then turned to look at Ling Ge. Her gray-blue eyes reflected dappled light and shadow, showing a mixture of nervousness, anticipation, and a complex emotion that Ling Ge couldn't decipher.

"It's just ahead," she whispered, as if telling herself.

Lin Ge nodded without saying anything more.

Gloria then turned around and took the final step.

Suddenly, everything became clear.

A vast garden unfolds before you, bathed in unreserved sunlight that transforms the violets into a flowing purple sea. The blossoms sway gently in the breeze, like undulating waves stretching from your feet all the way to the distant stone walls of the ancient castle. A few bees flit among the flowers, their soft buzzing blending with the rustling of leaves in the wind, creating a languid afternoon concerto. In the center of the garden stands a white round table, covered with a lace-trimmed tablecloth, its delicate silverware gleaming softly in the sunlight. A pot of black tea steams gently, and beside it, a porcelain plate holds slices of cake, the red of strawberries contrasting beautifully with the white of cream.

Two people were sitting at the table.

One was a refined and elegant noblewoman. She wore a pale purple dress, and her long, dark brown hair was styled in a bun, loosely held up by a single silver hairpin. A few stray strands fell beside her ears, softening her features. She held a folding fan in her hand, but did not open it; instead, it rested lightly on her knee, as if it were merely a decorative accessory. Hearing the commotion of people entering the tea party, she looked up, her gaze calmly meeting the two uninvited guests. She showed neither surprise nor panic, as if she had anticipated their arrival.

The other girl looked almost exactly like Gloria.

The same long, greyish-brown hair, the same misty eyes, the same delicate facial features—the only difference lay in their clothing and demeanor. If Gloria was Cinderella from a fairy tale, then this girl in a lace-trimmed dress and a lace hat was undoubtedly a noble princess. She stood upright, her hands clasped on her knees, displaying a politeness that was both reserved and aloof. Even facing two uninvited guests, she showed no sign of losing her composure, merely looking down at them with a cold gaze, as if scrutinizing two strangers who shouldn't be there.

Looking at her like this, Lin Ge felt a strange sensation welling up inside him. Was it familiarity, or reassurance? After all, the personality of this Bai Ye before him seemed to be the closest to the original Bai Ye. As for the previously obedient and quiet female student, and the passionate and flamboyant actress, they had become so incongruous that they felt eerily strange.

Is it because she's returned to the most familiar place in her life that she, like Gloria, is too lazy to pretend? Or is this the true nature of the Resbellite heiress?
“White Night!” Gloria blurted out.

She took a step forward, but stopped a second later, as if she had tripped over something. Lin Ge noticed that her fists were clenched tightly, so tightly that her shoulders trembled slightly, whether from excitement or nervousness, or both, he couldn't tell.

The other person frowned slightly.

Her gaze lingered on Gloria's face for a moment, then shifted to Ling, scrutinizing and recalling the two of them repeatedly before finally returning to Gloria. When she spoke, her voice was cool and restrained: "Hello... Do we know each other?"

"Sigh." Gloria wasn't surprised by the answer at all; instead, she felt a little tired and sighed, "You're doing it again. Aren't you tired of always pretending?"

Upon hearing this seemingly provocative remark, Bai Ye's brows furrowed even more, and combined with her cold expression, it was indeed somewhat intimidating. But strangely, Lin Ge was certain that she wasn't angry at all.

“I really don’t know you.” But his tone sounded even more intimidating: “So please stop talking to me in that familiar tone.”

"Oh my, so polite? Is this the well-mannered and refined young lady everyone talks about? I've seen it for myself today." Gloria didn't hold back and spoke sarcastically. Perhaps she had accumulated a lot of resentment after her two previous unsuccessful attempts, and now she was finally able to vent it.

Bai Ye glanced at her indifferently, then turned to the noblewoman beside him: "Madam Lena, please call the guards to remove these two uninvited guests."

"Getting impatient?" Gloria chuckled mischievously. "Lady Lena would never do that!"

She was very confident, and things indeed unfolded as Gloria had predicted.

Lady Lena smiled slightly, remaining silent. She twirled her folding fan between her fingertips, then gently tapped it on her chin. Her gaze swept back and forth between Ling and Gloria, finally settling on Gloria, a barely perceptible tenderness flashing in her eyes.

“Not an unwelcome guest, but a distinguished guest,” she said, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze in March, “a distinguished guest who has come from afar.”

“But—” Bai Ye wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Lady Lena raising her hand.

“Don’t be nervous, Bai Ye.” Lady Lena walked to the girl’s side and gently patted her shoulder, the gesture as natural as if she had done it countless times. “Some things, you just have to face eventually. You’ve always known this day would come, haven’t you?”

Bai Ye's expression changed.

Had she sensed it all along? Had she anticipated it? Or was she simply waiting for this moment? No one in the world could possibly know this young girl's thoughts perfectly, except for the woman before her, who was and still was the girl's attending physician, sent specifically to cure her fate. (End of Chapter)