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wildflower-otome · 1 year ago

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[Translation] Clover on Kuni no Alice ~White Calling~ - Chapter 5

ACT 5 - Accelerating blue heart beat

Just as Boris had said, once she had experienced one assembly, she now understood all too well what they were like.

Watching Nightmare's flustered chairmanship continue even past the second discussion, she thought to herself that his aide Gray must be having quite the hard time.

The speeches he gave were faltering, and there were many occasions where just when she had thought he was doing a little better, he would vomit blood and end up having to be taken to the hospital.

However, it appeared that the pact was effective, despite the longstanding bad blood between Heart Castle and Hatter Mansion, no one took out their guns, despite being under the same roof together. It did not seem as if either Blood or Vivaldi intended to openly break the rules.

Even so, that strained atmosphere wasn’t good for her health. It wouldn’t be wholly unexpected for someone to say something careless that could become the spark to set off an explosive situation.

Despite her mental exhaustion, Alice did not stop attending the assemblies. Blood and Elliot had said that if it tired her out that much, it wouldn’t bother them if she were to skip out, but for now Alice’s perfect attendance continued.

‘.....I wonder if Peter is alright.’

What was on her mind was the White Rabbit, sitting in the Heart Castle seating area.

About ten time periods had passed since the attack. As she gazed at him from the Hatter Family section, Alice was unable to tell the state of the injuries on his body, hidden as it was by a thick coat.

The time she had spent in this world was not of short duration. She already knew that dirt and injuries would return to normal on their own.

But, even if she knew that in her head, whether her emotions had caught up to that fact was another matter entirely.

Perhaps he had already fully healed. Or maybe he was still wounded, but suppressing the pain.

Attending the assembly as a member of Heart Castle, Peter was having his usual war of words with Ace and Vivaldi. If she judged just from that, he was the same as always.

‘.....Maybe it would be better if I were to go and see him….’

Luckily, the discussion had finished just at that moment. There was still some time until the next one.

Back then, Alice had been in shock, and hadn’t been able to even say thank you. Even though he had protected her twice, she must have seemed so ungrateful. She couldn’t help but sigh with self-loathing, again and again.

Just as she had made up her mind and stood up from the sofa that her room had been furnished with, opening the door in order to go outside-

‘Big sister, big sister-! Where are you going? If you’re going out, come play with us. We’ve just started our break.’

‘Yeah…..we were finally able to see Big Sis, Brother. Hey, come play with us.’

‘-!?’

Just as she had opened the door, two young men had tumbled in, with the same kind of momentum as if they had broken through it. Alice, who had instinctively retreated, ended up backtracking into her room once more.

‘.....? Who are you?’

The ones before Alice’s eyes were two men with similar looking gazes. Both had black hair but eyes of different colours. The black suits they wore were alike enough to be mirror images of each other.

However, it did not appear that they had heard Alice’s question.

‘We’ve been doing nothing but work…..It’s about time we just start ignoring the rules. We’re fiiinally on our break. We’ve been working hard because we wanted to play with you, Sis. You’ll praise us, won’t you?’

The young man with straight hair tied behind him spoke enthusiastically.

The other youth standing next to him listening also nodded his head and continued. His hair was short, his bangs held back a little by some hair pins. Arranged in a cross shape, the pins stood out against the black hair.

The faces of the two young men looked very alike. If it weren’t for their hairstyles and the way they spoke, they were similar enough she wouldn’t have been able to tell them apart.

‘It’s not fair…..you gotta give us lots of special treatment, or we’ll have worked so hard all for nothing.’

And then, the moment they had finished saying what they had wanted to say, the two reached out their hands towards Alice.

‘Wh-.....wh-what are you doing!?’

The youth with the long hair wrapped his arms around the girl’s waist as the man with the short hair grabbed her hands as she tried to move around.

‘Hey-…..What are you doing?! Let me go!’

As the girl frantically twisted her body around trying to escape from the two pairs of arms that were touching her, the faces of the two men looked surprised. Though it was written on their faces that they didn’t understand why she was reacting this way, the whole situation was too much for Alice.

Two men she didn’t know had appeared out of nowhere all of a sudden and had clung onto her as if it were only very natural…..to fight back was an obvious decision. Considering the attack that had happened not so long ago, it was only a given she would have her guard up.

Nonetheless, it appeared they had taken her reaction in a different way.

‘Eh? Huh? Why are you struggling? Was I too forceful? Sorry, we became adults for the first time in a while, so I haven’t quite got the hang of my strength yet. If I hurt you, I’ll apologise, I’m sorry.’

As the long-haired one apologised, he slowly let go of her.

On the other hand, the youth standing next to him bent his head closer.

‘I’ll be gentle. I won’t hurt you at all. Alright? So don’t flail around so much.’

So speaking, unlike the young man from earlier, he embraced her gently. Although there was no feeling of pressure, it still didn’t change the fact she was being hugged.

‘-! Let me go-! …..Stop it!’

It didn’t appear that he understood the reason why she was trying to free herself. The two youths looked at each other, as if communicating through eye contact that they didn’t get what was happening. Alice couldn’t help but be more mystified by the fact that they were unable to comprehend why she was acting this way.

‘Huh-.....Does it still hurt, Big Sis? But I’m being so gentle…..’

‘I’m not struggling because it hurts-!’

She wondered if they thought she wouldn’t feel anything at all at being embraced by two men she didn’t know. The place she was living at was a mafia gang’s headquarters to be sure, but it couldn’t be anything but humiliating to have someone think her a woman so lacking in pride.

‘What is wrong with you two!? What are you playing at, coming into a person’s room and doing something like this!?’

The attack from that night was still very vivid in her mind. She would like to think that they wouldn’t point a gun at her since they were being all clingy like this, but in this world what Alice thought was common sense wasn’t always the case for everyone else.

She asked her question firmly, but at the exact same time, the two of them opened their eyes wide.

‘.....Big Sis, what are you saying?’

‘Don’t you know who we are?’

Hearing them speak as if she were the strange one, Alice at last snapped. She was exhausted from the assembly and now this unexpected situation and ended up shouting in a louder voice than usual.

‘I don’t know you, of course I don’t know who you are!’

When she yelled in a loud voice that was unbefitting of a lady, the two youths hung their heads, looking despondent.

Before she had realised it, the short-haired youth had let go of Alice as well. Still with sad looking expressions on their faces, they quietly looked down at Alice.

‘............Huh?’

Seeing their completely depressed looking faces, she at last stopped moving around.

Now that she thought about it, there was something familiar about their expressions.

They were faces she had seen any number of times. And when she had seen these faces, it was never just one of them. Always the two of them together, twins she thought of as little brothers—young boys.

In the past, Alice had scolded them whenever they had gone too far with the practical jokes. They were clever children, who could tell the difference between when she spoke to keep them in check, and when she was truly angry. And when they realized they had done something bad, they always had the same look on their faces as just now.

They apologized to her, with faces that looked sad, as if they’d had a shock.

‘Big sister is mad at me, brother…..was I really that rough? She’s mad at me because of that, isn’t she? Did it hurt, big sister?’

The youth with the hair tied up with a blue ribbon asked if worried.

At the same time, the shorthaired youth knelt down, lowering his gaze so that he was at eye level with Alice.

‘Big sister, are you alright? Where does it hurt? Tell me where and I’ll massage it for you.’

Timidly, not with the unrestraint of before…..the youth touched Alice’s body as if he were handling something broken.

‘Could it be…..are you two Dee and Dum..?’

It was impossible, she wondered if this was a good or bad thing in a Wonder World that didn’t follow ordinary common sense.

But, the red and blue eyes she gazed into belonged to the boys that she knew well.

Calling her “big sister” was also one of their habits.

As Alice nervously asked them, the youths again looked puzzled. It was obvious from their expressions that they were wondering why she would ask them such a thing.

‘? What are you talking about, big sister? Why would you ask that now?’

‘That’s right, big sister. Are you asking because you’re mad? Do you hate us now?’

Speaking one after another as they tilted their heads in confusion, they stared at Alice as if to guess the answer from her expression.

However, Alice also wanted to ask them a question in return.

‘…Why do you look like grown ups?’

She spoke so as to enquire the reason, and also to ask how they had done it, but those intentions half-heartedly ending up mixing together.

In Alice’s mind, they should have been shorter than her. With strength that didn’t suit their small bodies, they would innocently cling on to her, or get her mixed up in their dangerous games. A pair of twins who combined cuteness with the cruelty that only children had, that was Dee and Dum.

Seeing Alice’s surprise, the two blinked at the same time, again as if they had pre-planned it. The differently coloured eyes closed at the same time, and then opened again.

‘Why, I wonder why…..Big sister, don’t you know? Don’t you know without having to ask?’

Excitedly, as if enjoying himself, the long haired man opened his mouth, with a look on his face like that of a child planning a prank. From the fact that his tie was coloured blue, perhaps it was correct to see him as Dee.

And if that was the case, that would mean the other person, with the short hair and red tie, was Dum.

‘You see, we became adults so that you would like us, big sister. We thought if we became older, you’d fall in love with us.’

‘So that I’d like you…why?

Alice had already liked them to start with. Even when she got dragged into their dangerous games, she thought they were adorable, and even now she thought that she liked them well enough.

As important family members.

But she didn’t feel that way just towards them. Blood and Elliot, and even the servants who were the so-called faceless, all the people of Hatter Mansion were important existences to her.

‘But…..we heard you often go to the doors in the Forest recently. We were worried. That you might end up leaving…We don’t want you to go anywhere, big sister.’

‘Huh?’

‘If you come to like us more and more…..you won’t go to the doors anymore, will you? Right, big sister?’

Before she had realized it, the hand that had been rubbing her back was now holding Alice’s hand. It was a hand that was bigger than it had been before, and a sturdy looking one. It had once been about the same size as Alice’s, but now had grown large enough to envelop her’s.

‘We want you to like us, big sister, so we grew up. You like grown up guys like the Boss, right? So, what do you think? Do you like us more?’

‘If you like us big sister, we’ll stay as adults forever. Which do you prefer?’

To be asked to make such an important decision right here and now only put Alice at a loss. In any case, to suddenly be looked down on by gazes that up until now had always been at the same level of her own made her feel uncomfortable.

‘More importantly, how did you become adults? It must have been difficult right?’

As she changed the subject in a fluster, the twin gatekeepers answered as if it were no big deal.

‘”How” you ask…..We went forwards. We wanted to be adults, so we just went forward a little.’

‘”Just”…..you’re acting like it’s so easy…..’

As she tilted her head quizzically at Dee’s unconcerned answer, Dum, who had let go of her hand, continued to grin broadly.

‘It’s easy, you know? All we do is just go backwards and forwards. It’s not difficult at all. Should I go back?’

As quickly as he had spoken, he turned back into the form of a child. There were no flashes of light or smoke like there were in fairytales. Even though he had changed form in an instant, he didn’t act as if it were particularly anything special.

‘Simple, right? We can do stuff like this easily. So, we can always become whichever way you prefer.’

And then the blue military uniformed boy appeared. While at the same time Dum returned to adult form, he continued to grin.

‘It’s really easy, and something anyone can do. All of us role holders can. Whenever you wish it, we can change into whatever form you like. Hey, doesn’t that make you happy?’

And then once more the red military uniform wearer returned to boy form. The change was fast, like in a magic show or a slide of film, but without a trick or mechanism to it, just as they had said.

‘Which do you prefer, big sister? Adult form or child form, which is better? We can become either.’

‘…..…….’

‘We’ll become what you like, big sister. What’s most important is having you like us, after all.’

So spoke the twin boys wearing the different colours, as they swapped forms again. She somehow got the feeling that they enjoyed the changing itself.

‘Just as nonsensical as always…..’

Alice murmured her thoughts to herself, but they likely did not hear. They were amusing themselves by repeatedly changing, becoming adults, and then children, over and over.

Seeing that they were still the same whether in adult or child form, Alice’s shoulders at last relaxed.

‘…..But, they were worried for me.’

Even though she had never talked to them about the Forest doors before. She thought Blood had found out because of his good instincts, but she hadn’t thought that even they would have been able to see through her.

The twins were adorable and cruel…..but for all that, kind.

As she fondly watched over their playing, Dee in his adult form ran up to her as if he had remembered something.

‘Ah, and another thing, big sis. Thanks for the pudding you brought back for us the other day. It was really yummy! We ended up not being able to wait until our break and ate it straight away.’

‘Yeah…it was yummy. It tasted even better when I thought about the fact that it was from you. Thanks.’

When they received something, they properly gave their thanks. They likely remembered that Alice had previously said she liked well mannered children. She smiled happily back.

‘Really? I’m glad it made you happy.’

Even if they thought that they didn’t want her to go to the Forest’s doors, they wouldn’t stop her. They would let Alice do as she pleased.

But even so, so that she wouldn’t go away, to tie her here…..she hadn’t thought they would say that they wanted her to like them.

In this world Alice was a rare Outsider and therefore had the qualities to become easily liked. It was because of that she was able to live in this world.

Unable to completely accompany the twins in their games, Alice was powerless and weak. But even so, the two of them had said they wanted her to like them. There was no way that wouldn’t make her happy.

‘Dee, Dum.’

‘Hm? What is it, big sis?’

‘Has something happened?’

Even though they were now bigger, the gazes that looked at her were exactly the same. They sometimes went a little too far with their pranks, but to Alice they were the kind twins that she treasured, and who couldn’t be replaced.

‘Thank you.’

‘? You’re being weird, sis. We’re the ones who received a gift, so why would you say thank you?’

‘Or could it be, we did something to you without realizing it?’

As the two of them tilted their heads as if puzzled, Alice repeated herself while continuing to smile.

‘I just thought to myself what good children you two are. That’s why I said thank you.’

As she reached out her hand to pat the heads of the youths who looked blankly confused, Alice quietly closed her eyes.

***

The assembly period continued on at a sluggish pace, even after that. The event holder was the sickly dream demon after all. And not just that, the gathering was made up of the fiercely individualistic role holders. Unifying them would already have been tough work, but since the man in charge was the kind of person to constantly be coughing up blood, things never seemed to get done.

To begin with, as Blood had said, it wasn’t as if the assemblies had any set topics of discussion. If the agenda was only going to be a hollow one anyway, Alice thought to herself they may as well not hold the event to begin with, but apparently that was something she could not say.

In this area, though the rules of this world might have a compelling force, and though she may want to do something about what couldn’t be changed, there was nothing to be done. The reason why was because the Hatter and Queen continued to attend, with seemingly no intention of breaking the rules, despite declaring that it was fine to do so sometimes.

But there was something else that was bothering Alice much more than that.

‘…..?’

All role holders stayed in Clover Town during the Assembly period. Of course, that meant it wasn’t out of the ordinary for her to meet with familiar faces while in town, but there was something different about this.

Alice felt a gaze on her different from the ones she had felt during the time she had spent walking around town with Boris before the Assembly. Whether it was a malicious one or not…..since it was a distant presence she wasn’t sure, but even so she knew that someone was following her.

It wasn’t the type of gaze she had grown familiar with due to being with the Hatter Mansion group which included Blood. Those gazes were ones of curiosity and fear towards the infamous Mafia. She never felt them when she was by herself.

However…..right now, although she was walking around the town alone, she knew that there was someone watching her.

It was likely she was being tailed.

‘…..…….’

There was no one who would feel comfortable being followed around by someone they couldn’t see. It was simply creepy.

It was likely that Blood and the others would take care of it immediately if she were to say something to them. However….she didn’t really want to think about what kind of result that would entail. If someone was following her with a clear malicious or antagonistic intent, Alice would act decisively, however if they were just sounding her out, she hesitated to be a tattletale.

Given the attack that had taken place not long before, it appeared there was something happening in the vicinity of Clover Tower. Apparently, it was not just a place for influential people to meet and hold discussions with no substance.

It wasn’t as if she had not thought of asking someone from the Mansion. However, Alice wasn’t sure whether it was something that it was alright for her to ask about.

Alice had never before pried deeply into the darker side of the Mafia. The things she knew were only inoffensive and surface-level, however she wondered if it was something that was really ok for her to deliberately involve herself with.

To begin with, she was just a free-loader. It hadn’t taken her long to realise even the fact that she had been welcomed as a guest at Hatter Mansion was in and of itself unprecedented.

Alice was happy that they had accepted her despite her powerlessness. She was grateful for Blood’s kindness in giving her a job, despite not being good with people in general. If she were to tell the man himself that he would likely look disgusted, but to Alice, the job he had given her was even now one of the things she could not lose.

She thought that she liked Hatter Mansion. She wanted to stay there forever.

Her place with them was where she had chosen to stay in this world, they were her family.

Even so—she was conscious of their world of shady dealings as a frightening one. She instinctively avoided it as something she didn’t want to see, and that she shouldn’t see. She was aware that this way of doing things was dishonest, but it was the only thing she could do since it was already too late for her to be able to put distance between them now.

‘If you don’t want to see it, there is no need to force yourself to. It is a normal reaction for a young lady like you. It isn’t necessary for you to feel down on yourself.’

She wondered how long it had been since she had been told that.

At that time, she was still in the Country of Hearts—having just returned from his “work”, Blood had had the usual lethargic looking smile on his face.

He had continued as he took off his coat, which was covered in sticky looking stains that were likely blood splatter from his opponents.

‘If you say that you don’t wish to know, you may stay unaware. For us, having you stay here is meaningful in and of itself.’

The words that the Hatter Mansion boss had quietly said even now whirled around and around inside Alice’s mind.

‘It’s been pretty dangerous recently….’

‘….Yeah. Apparently it’s a feud between rivals. According to rumours, two Mafia groups are fighting against each other…..and one of them is the Hatter Family.’

‘Huh?’

Perhaps because she had been lost in thought, she was slow to react. Hearing the familiar name, her whole body changed direction.

And before her as she turned around were the two women who had been whispering town gossip. They were normal people whose faces were difficult to see, those called the non-role holders.

As Alice drew nearer to them in a fluster, the two of them raised their voices saying, ‘Ah-’, as if surprised. She had walked around this area with Blood and the others before, so they likely knew who Alice was.

Alice did not plan on letting go of this opportunity.

‘Excuse me. Would I be able to ask you a few questions?’

‘Uh-…..um, that is-‘

‘We don’t really….’

Just because they had lowered their voices to a murmur, it did not erase their whispering from earlier.

To push her point, Alice smiled at the two of them and repeated herself again.

‘I’d like to ask you a bit more about what you were talking about just now.’

It appeared that in times like these being labelled as a member of the notorious Hatter Mansion came in handy. The two women looked around them warily before speaking in a wrung out tone.

‘No, we only know the rumours…..not really anything concrete.'

‘I’m fine with that.’

If I was Elliot I might have started shooting a long time ago, you know?

With those dangerous thoughts in her mind, Alice irritably urged them to continue.

‘Please tell me the rest. What’s happening with the Hatter Family?’

‘Um…..’

‘…..That is-…..We don’t know the details but…’

The women looked at each other, then as if they had given up, spoke reluctantly.

‘This is just a rumour, you know? We’ve heard that another Mafia group has started a feud with the Hatter Family.’

‘…..A feud?’

Not only was he a territory leader that vied for land, Blood was also a man who led a Mafia Family as its head. And speaking of Mafia, it was likely not an unusual thing for there to be run-ins with other organizations over material goods and information.

Although Alice had not been directly involved, it was likely there had been many such disputes up until now.

Seeing Alice’s expression look doubtful, the woman lowered her voice and spoke further.

‘Did you know that there have been some bombing incidents in Clover Town recently?’

‘…..Bombings…!?’

Hearing the dangerous sounding words, Alice’s voice naturally lowered too.

As the woman nodded, she continued to speak in hushed tones.

***

‘…..…..’

That night, Alice went to the café that she and Blood had gone to before.

As she was by herself, she was given a seat at the counter, not at a table. However, a certain type of black tea in hand, Alice was thinking about something else entirely.

Ever since the Assembly had begun, she had definitely had a strange feeling that something was off.

Back then, the now grown-up twins had appeared in front of Alice for the first time, but before then, she had never seen them attending the Assembly. This was despite the fact that as role holders, they had a duty to attend.

She wondered where they had been going during that time.

Supposing they had been participating in the Assembly from a spot where Alice could not see them, why would they have done so?

‘…..…..’

They had become adults because they had wanted her to like them. While remembering the blue and red gazes that had looked at her as they had said that, Alice sighed.

Perhaps they had been in the middle of “work” during those times too, and were late in arriving to the venue. As could be seen from looking at the other participants, Alice knew that the purpose of the Assemblies were not the discussions, but the fact that they had participated.

The twin’s empty seats during the discussions. Even since they had become adults, they now occupied them, but what had they been doing before that?

“It’s because the Hatter Family members have made their appearance due to it being an Assembly period. The reason the bombings began…..and pretty frequent ones at that.”

What the gossip loving women had said echoed in her ears.

‘…..…..’

Right now, she was unable to tell even if the steaming tea she had just taken a sip of tasted the same as it had back then.

Though the warm tea should have warmed her body, right now it was the bitterness spreading throughout her mouth that was on her mind.

What Elliot and the Twins had said regarding the Assembly period. The meaning of it had at last sunk in. She wondered why she was always so slow to realise.

The capable number 2 had let slip that things would get busy.

Hadn’t the Gatekeepers also said that they wouldn’t be able to take breaks anymore?

‘I’m such an idiot.’

If she had listened more closely to the information circulating throughout town, she would have been able to realise much sooner that the women’s gossip was not simply something they had made up.

During the Assembly period, though Blood had made it seem he was spending his time in the room allotted to him as temporary accommodation with the same languidness as always, he had secretly been planning his dealings with other organisations. There was surely no man as talented as he when it came to moving dangerous business deals and negotiations in an extremely advantageous direction for himself. She suspected he must be busy in a different way than when he had been at the Mansion.

‘…..…..’

She was the only one for whom it was different.

When she was at the Mansion, she had been able to work amongst the maids, but here at the Tower, there was no work for her to do. There was nothing she could do.

She felt pathetic and frustrated at the same time.

‘..Haah.’

Though they lived in the same territory and went to the same places, it likely couldn’t be helped that she remained unable to do the same things they did.

She wondered if it was really alright for her to leave things at that.

As she took a quick look around her, perhaps because she had come right at a time when not many people came, Alice realized she was the only customer.

Gazing at the cakes in the showcase, she remembered Elliot’s reaction when she had passed out the gifts she had brought back.

‘Wow….is this carrot cake from that cafe!? I’d heard they didn’t make many, so they were pretty hard to get hold of…..so you bought some for me, Alice! I’m so moved-‘

His brown ears standing straight up, he raised his voice, not hiding his happiness. Even so, at least from the fact that he hadn’t crushed the cake through over-enthusiasm, it appeared he still had some reason remaining.

‘What…..what a lucky guy I am…..Blood, look at it! Here, right here, this delicious looking cake! Alice picked it out just for me-!’

‘Uh…..strictly speaking, Blood was the one that paid for it….’

Alice interjected thinking that at this rate, she would be the one made to take all the credit, but it appeared she had made a blunder.

‘Blood…..What…..what a great guy you are!! That you’d give me the delicious cake you must have wanted to eat yourself! You’re the best boss there is-! Nightmare hasn’t got a thing on you.’

His eyes shining like a child’s, Elliot was clearly moved. The purity of his emotion was to a level where it was hard to believe he was part of the Mafia, even if you knew that he was.

‘…..Ugh-‘

It was enough to make even Blood, who had been in a bad mood ever since the gun fight groan despite himself. That was how strong an effect it had.

‘That’s it, instead I’ll give you my carrot cookies! Cake is nice too, but these are pretty good. Here, take them-!‘

‘No, Elliot…..your consideration is actually a real pain in the-….wait, that’s not what I-‘

The strained excuses of the Hatter trying somehow to avoid the heartfelt gift from his trusted confidant went on for quite a while, she thought.

That time too, Elliot had also just returned from work…..he had just finished up with some complicated looking documents. She had thought they were probably written reports, but they were in the middle of a feud. She was unable to think they were completely unrelated.

‘…..…..’

As she drank the remaining tea, Alice at last began to move.

Nothing would come of it no matter how much she worried. She stood up decisively, paid the bill and left the café.

Her surroundings were enveloped in a pale orange light. It would soon be evening. Before this it had been night, and before that evening as well.

If she remembered correctly, the next discussion was in three afternoons, so she likely still had a bit of time.

She moved slightly away from the café and began to walk.

‘…..Huh?’

It was like a repeat of what had happened before.

‘…..!’

Men she had not seen before stood there blocking Alice’s way. They stood there silently, unnoticed by her until just now.

As Alice panicked and turned away from them, it was the same in the other direction. Except for the wall, groups of them stood side by side in each direction.

‘…..…..’

She was surrounded.

As a horrible feeling rose within her, one man brandished a gun.

The end of the gun was pointed at the left side of her chest.

‘You’re the Outsider from Hatter Mansion, right?’

‘…..What a rude way to address a lady.’

‘You’re coming with us.’

The men did not speak more than necessary. Not reacting to Alice’s provocation, their dispassionate movements as they moved to accomplish their objective seemed almost mechanical.

At the very least, it did not appear they planned on doing anything to her here, but if she were to go with them, she was unable to think it would end well. This world wasn’t the kind of place for such optimistic thinking.

She took a discreet glance at the clothing the men were wearing, but as she had thought, they weren’t the same as any she had seen anyone at the Castle or Tower wearing. The fact that they were black suits was the only thing they had in common with the Assembly participants, but the emblems on them were ones Alice did not know.

‘…..…..’

There was no guarantee she would be safe if she went with them, but if she resisted here, she would likely just be shot. As Alice had not yet answered, the man’s finger was already stretching out towards the trigger.

‘…..Alright. I just have to go with you, right?’

She would likely be causing Blood and the others trouble, but it would all be for nothing if she got shot here. It wouldn’t just be herself in danger, she didn’t want to imagine her carelessness causing the feud with the Hatter Family to worsen.

Bang!

At the moment Alice had reluctantly been about to follow them, a shot rang out.

‘Huh?’

Before her as she turned around in surprise, were several men and women wearing familiar hats and black suits. All of them held guns and were shooting in an offhand manner as they drew near to where Alice and the men were.

Their suits were adorned with monochrome card suit symbols. Their golden hair was decorated with crimson roses, feathers and also…..a black hat.

‘This really won’t do~’

‘You’re right. We cannot allow you to lay hands on our young lady.’

Their attitudes were really just like their master’s. Even in a situation like this, they were shooting in a languid sort of way.

They were Blood’s subordinates, who had accompanied him from Hatter Mansion.

‘This way please, young lady.’

‘Eh…..Ah-‘

Having come close to her before she had even realized it, a single maid grabbed her arm and pulled her along. As she skillfully fended off the men with a gun in one hand, she guided Alice towards the rest of her comrades.

‘Tch-…..Shoot! Don’t let her get away-!’

Taking that as their signal, the men who’d had their encirclement broken before their eyes began shooting all at once.

‘…Kyah-!’

To think she’d be attacked in the exact same place, picking up where they had left off before…..as she ran, her head bent down, bullets grazed the area near her feet.

Perhaps out of fear, or on reflex. For a single instant Alice closed her eyes and stood stock still.

‘Young lady-…’

Noticing the hint of tension in the languid voice, Alice looked up. However, feeling something hard against the back of her head, she stopped moving yet again.

‘Don’t move, or I’ll shoot.’

‘…..…..’

‘Stay right where you are. All of you, drop your guns.’

It was likely an ambusher that had been lying in wait on a road that had been in a blind spot.

The maid turned around to look at Alice who could no longer move, a stiff expression on her face as she also stopped moving.

And then Alice’s bad premonition became reality. In response to his demands, the Hatter group had laid down their guns.

The clatter of the hard objects hitting the ground sounded like toys, but what would happen to them after this— it was plain as day.

Shaking herself out of it as her stiff body seemed about to start trembling, Alice raised her voice.

‘-! You musn’t! Hurry up and get out of here!’

‘If we did that, the Boss would kill us~’

‘That’s right. We couldn’t leave our young lady behind in a situation like this.'

The maid hadn’t been the only one to disarm. The subordinates had all thrown down their guns at once.

They were members of the Mafia. They had likely experienced similar situations before this. They had to know their lives would be forfeit if they were to give in to the man’s demand.

‘You guys!’

‘—Shut up. We want to take you with us, but keep making all that noise and we won’t mind hurting you a little.’

‘-‘

The hard feeling of the object pressed against her head went through her hair, reaching her skin. Biting her lip, Alice’s face twisted with a feeling of helplessness.

She knew that she was weak. And she knew the strength of the organization that she was part of.

However, to become a hindrance to them in this kind of way…..as she experienced bitter emotions, the man behind her instructed his comrades.

‘Hurry up and take the Outsider. The others are in our way. Take care of them here.’

‘Understood.’

And then another person pulled up Alice’s arm. Hard enough that it hurt.

But in this situation she couldn’t voice a complaint. As a small form of resistance, she glared hard at him but the men’s mouths twisted as if mocking her. They were likely thinking that even if she glared at them, there was nothing Alice, who lacked any special abilities, could do anyway. And they wouldn’t be wrong.

All the same—that single instant’s delay was fatal for them.

‘Alice. Please close your eyes.’

‘Eh-! …..-!’

Though Alice turned towards the cool sounding voice despite herself, this time her body listened to her.

As she obediently closed her eyes, a single shot rang out.

‘Bang-!’

‘Wha…..!?’

Despite hearing the sound of something heavy falling within her closed off field of vision, she didn’t open her eyes.

She didn’t even need to imagine what had just happened. There was no longer anyone restraining her arms.

Before her eyes, the dead body of that man was likely there, having collapsed bleeding to the ground.

‘Young lady!’

As if to say now was their chance, the maid closest to her pulled on her arm once more. In her other hand she gripped the gun she had at some point retrieved. Following in the direction she was drawn, Alice continued after her.

‘Looks like the shoe’s on the other foot now.’

‘Let’s hurry up and take care of them.’

The other servants all counterattacked at once.

On the other side, the men’s control of the situation had been disrupted from the suddenness of their attack. Just how much losing composure contributed to their slowed response….the end result told all.

***

‘It’s alright now~’

‘…..Ah.’

‘We’re all done here.’

Sorry for making you wait~, the familiar maids spoke in the same tone as always.

As Alice came out from the nearby storage room she had been hiding in, just as they had said, it was all over. The people lying on the ground were mostly the wounded, and they had been tied up—she purposely decided not to think about the ones that were dead.

The redness of the blood spilt on the ground absorbed the red of the setting sun, gradually darkening in colour.

Doing her best to look away from it, Alice took a breath—and turned to face towards the sound of the footsteps behind her.

‘Ah…..’

‘Alice.’

The figure of the person who had quietly called her name did not belong to one of the Hatter Mansion servants. The golden clock he carried on his shoulder made a jangling noise.

‘Peter.’

The White Rabbit whom she had seen from far away at the meeting place where the Assembly was held was now right before her eyes.

And…..he did not seem to be in a good mood. It was rare for her to see him shaking his head at her as he sighed.

‘You really are-…..did Blood Dupre tell you nothing? It is too dangerous for you to walk around outside alone during the Assembly period.’

‘…..I’m sorry.’

Back then, in that moment when it seemed there was no escape, Alice had realised that the voice that had echoed out belonged to him.

She had been surprised, thinking that there was no way the Prime Minister of Heart Castle would appear when the Hatter Family were in a bind, but the fact he had saved them was the truth.

‘Thank you. Because of you…..we were saved.’

If Peter hadn’t showed up, her colleagues would likely have been in danger, and she wasn’t sure what demands the men would have made of Blood had she been made a hostage.

‘It was not you that was at fault…..it was those role-less cards.’

The glittering red gaze went towards the servants who stood behind Alice. It was the kind of intensely cold red that would never be directed towards Alice. The servants endured it in silence.

Hand on his pocket watch, the White Rabbit icily continued.

‘Really….. though you must have been sent out for her protection in preparation of a worst case scenario, I do not know for what purpose you are following her if you are not able to keep Alice out of danger. You’re all useless.’

‘…..Peter.’

‘No, it’s fine, young lady.’

‘It is as the Prime Minister says~’

‘But…..’

They had tried to protect her. It had gone wrong because she had stopped, it was her responsibility to bear. She could not agree that it was all only their fault.

However, they all shook their heads, as if to say, ‘Please don’t let it bother you.’ Continuing to argue would only be ignoring their feelings.

But Peter’s words of criticism were not yet over.

‘Having self-awareness is well enough, but ineffective guards are unnecessary. Ah, that’s it.’

With a faintly chilly smile…..the White Rabbit swung his pocket watch. The ringing sound of its chain echoed, the golden clock transforming instantaneously into a pink coloured gun.

Watching him, Alice had a bad feeling.

‘Wait, Peter…..what are you thinking!?’

‘Let us be rid of these good-for-nothings, Alice. Instead, I will stay by your side forever and protect you. I will never allow you to be in any danger. So, it's alright, isn't it?’

Seeing him point the gun towards the servants in a single flowing movement, Alice felt a real headache coming on. This man had no idea at all.

‘Of course it isn’t, stop this. Don’t do anything to my coworkers, please.’

‘Wha-! You would cover for these incompetents-?! I will protect you, so you don’t need them, do you-?’

It appeared the White Rabbit was confounded to see Alice step in between them. He hurriedly lowered the gun but did not yet return it to its clock form.

‘What happened this time wasn’t all their fault, it was mine as well. So, you mean to say you’ll get rid of me too, along with everyone else?’

‘Of course not-!’

She had asked the question while certain he would say no, but just as she had expected, he vigorously shook his head. The soft white hair swayed fluffily as if it were snow.

‘Then don’t shoot anyone from Hatter Mansion, please. If you say you’ll shoot even then, I won’t ever speak to you again.’

‘…..Alice…..’

Peter’s head hung despondently, and despite it being written on his face that he didn’t understand why she would say such a thing, at a time like this Alice could not compromise. This was Peter, if she lost focus for even a moment, it was likely he would carry out his plan before Alice could stop him.

‘—Your answer?’

‘Alright….I understand. I won’t shoot them.’

The words were reluctant.

He had not been convinced, but the fact that Alice was in earnest had likely gotten through to him. Once the White Rabbit let go of the gun, a golden clock took its place hanging from the end of the chain.

It appeared he had calmed down for the time being. Feeling relieved, this time Alice turned around towards the servants behind her.

‘By the way…..were you guys following me the whole time?’

Even though just a moment ago she had been backing them up, Alice’s voice now sounded a little severe.

The timing with which they had appeared was too convenient for them to have come across her by chance. Added to the fact she had also felt the presence of someone following her recently.

As she glared at them, while averting their gazes they muttered their answers.

‘…..Well…..During the Assembly period things are particularly unstable, you see.’

‘That’s right…..the Boss was worried too…..’

‘We wouldn’t normally do this kind of stalker-ish thing, you know?’

‘Yeah. Doing something so tiresome is a pain~’

It was a rare thing to see them mutter, without giving a clear answer.

However, Alice knew. To a certain extent, the servants of Hatter Mansion were all assigned a rank in proportion to their abilities. Those who protected the Mansion in its master’s absence, and those who protected him while he was out, they all had different roles.

These people were part of the top class of subordinates, who were allowed to travel together with Blood to the place where the Assembly took place. One or two of them acting on their own was one thing, but for so many of them to be on the move?

There was no way their master didn’t know of it, and no possibility they would act on their own without instructions.

‘…..…..Sheesh.’

They had likely been assigned to her in consideration of the recent attack, but if that was the case, he could at least have said a few words to her about it. The strange presence she had felt whenever she had gone out of late had likely been them. The fact that they didn’t deny it straight out was the proof.

‘Well, I guess it’s fine. I would have been in trouble if you guys hadn’t been there. It’s a bit late but thank you.’

Erasing her air of displeasure, she smiled at them, and they looked relieved.

‘Alice…..It’s not fair.’

‘Huh-…..Kyah-!’

Before she could guess at the intention of that low voice, arms had suddenly reached out from behind and wrapped themselves around Alice’s waist. Her body lost its balance, but whether luckily or unluckily, the arms around her supported her firmly, and she did not fall.

‘It’s unfair, Alice! You’re always so kind only to those role-less people…..why won’t you be even a little bit kind to me!?’

‘P-Peter…..-‘

When she looked down, perhaps because his head was hanging low, she couldn’t see his face, only the pure white hair close to her. Both his arms encircling Alice’s waist, the White Rabbit was clinging on as if stuck to her. The Mansion’s Twins were one thing, but for someone bigger than Alice, it was rather an odd posture to be in.

And not only that, since Peter was embracing her so as to envelop both of Alice’s arms, it did not look as if she could escape of her own power.

‘There you go, clinging on to me again regardless of where we are…..let me go please. I can’t move.’

‘Alice, why are you so cold to me? Ah, I see. You must be embarrassed! What a shy person you are!’

‘That’s not the issue here.’

The White Rabbit’s arms around her tightened to the point that it hurt— his hold was strong enough that it seemed she could almost forget about the injuries he had gotten from the attack from before.

‘Peter, now that I think about it…..how are your wounds? Are you alright?’

After all, his back had been wounded by shards of glass. It must have caused him a lot of pain.

However, separate from Alice’s worry, for some reason when the White Rabbit lifted his head upwards, he was smiling broadly. If Alice wasn’t mistaken, it was the kind of smile that could even be said to look happy.

‘To think that you would worry for me…..Ah, Alice! How kind you are…..You’ve been worried for me, your beloved, all this time! I’m so happy, Alice.’

‘…..Hey…..Listen to people when they’re talking.’

‘I am, I am listening, Alice. You were worried about my injuries, were you not? To have you worry for me…..Ah, how wonderful…..’

‘…..…..Seems like you’re fine already.’

Despite being exasperated by Peter’s tight hug, from the looks of things there really was no need to worry.

Even as she loosened a hand from Peter’s hold and stretched it out over his back to check, he just kept smiling even more, without seeming to be in pain even a little.

Although the amount of blood he had shed back then had been by no means a small amount.

‘You’re really all OK now?’

‘Yes. Injuries of that level are as nothing in the face of my love for you-!’

‘…..…..’

As she had thought, he didn’t listen to what people said at all.

Exasperation aside, it was true that she felt relieved. Blood had said there was no need to worry, but there was a big difference between hearing it from someone else and confirming it for herself.

‘It’s a bit late but…..Thank you, Peter. This time, and the time before that, you saved me.’

As she patted his back in a soothing sort of way, the White Rabbit looked even more pleased, his eyes narrowing. The gaze that had been so very cold and piercing just a moment ago had now softened completely.

‘I’m your White Rabbit, after all. I want to do anything I can for you.’

‘…..…..’

Hearing those words brought back to Alice’s mind the ones Peter had spoken previously in the Forest.

Badump, she had a feeling her heart had beat faster just like it had back then.

He had spoken the same sort of line. He said he would, and could, do anything for her.

But if that meant the price would be repeatedly suffering the same injuries as before…..Alice couldn’t simply agree with that.

‘Speaking of which, as thanks, why don’t we go out to eat together? I’ll treat you.’

‘Wh-…..What!?’

It appeared Peter was wholeheartedly surprised by Alice’s suggestion. The eyes that had been narrowed flew wide open to stare at her, the arms that had been so tightly wrapped around her loosening.

The over-the-top reaction was enough to make Alice smile wryly in response.

‘Alice and I having a meal, just the two of us-…..That is, a d-date!? To think you would invite me on a date, aah, I cannot believe it!’

‘It’s not such a big deal as a date though. What, do you hate the idea of going somewhere with me that much? If that’s the case, I won’t force you then…..’

Aware that he would deny it, Alice purposely questioned him teasingly, but he once again clung on to her and raised his voice.

‘I’ll go-! Of course, I shall accompany you-, there is no way I would not-! A date, just Alice and I…..Ahh-‘

‘…..Yeah, yeah.’

While exasperated at the White Rabbit getting worked up all by himself, Alice suddenly noticed there was a gaze on her, as if someone was wanting to say something, and turned around.

‘…..…..’

‘Young lady~’

‘Um…..’

The suit-wearing servants were standing there, looking as if they weren’t sure whether to laugh or leave.

‘Ah…..!’

As she realised they had been watching their entire conversation, Alice’s face all at once became a bright shade of red.

***

‘Here you are, thank you for waiting.’

A large plate with a steaming pie was placed onto the table.

‘Wah…..It looks delicious.’

As Alice’s eyes narrowed in appreciation as she took in the appetising fragrance, Peter briskly and efficiently placed a serving place in front of her. In his hands he already held a knife and fork.

‘I’ll cut the pieces right now, so please wait a moment.’

‘Huh? It’s fine, I can do it myself.’

Alice spoke in a fluster, but the White Rabbit did not listen. In a mild voice, he refused.

‘I want to do it. Alice…..This is a date after all, won’t you allow me to serve you?’

‘…..But this time, I want to be the one to show my thanks.’

‘Then all the more reason. You even showed me the way here, please allow me to do at least this much.’

The White Rabbit’s hands did not stop moving as he spoke. Skilfully dividing up the pie, he carried the food over to Alice’s plate.

This made Alice, who worked as a maid at Hatter Mansion, feel somehow embarrassed. It was as if she were being spoiled like a princess, or a woman being coaxed by her lover.

They had come to a restaurant close by to the one that Boris had guided her to before. Back then she had only passed by, but the delicious smell coming from it had remained in Alice’s memory.

Apparently, it was a restaurant that specialised in mushroom dishes, mushrooms of all different kinds were on display throughout the shop. The colours of some of them looked poisonous, but luckily the ones that had been taken to Alice’s table were the normal brown.

‘Here you are. Please get started.’

‘…..Thank you.’

‘Not at all.’

Fork in hand, Alice took a single bite—and her eyes involuntarily opened wide.

‘It’s good…-‘

The savoury smell and flakiness of the pie’s pastry, together with the smoothness of the mushroom were a perfect combination. As she chewed, soup oozed out of it, and that was delicious as well.

When she’d heard they served mushroom dishes she hadn’t been sure what to expect, but the menu had been more wonderful than she had thought. Alice continued eating with renewed interest, but suddenly noticing a gaze coming from beside her, she paused.

‘Aren’t you going to eat too, Peter?’

‘No, it’s just that seeing you enjoy what you’re eating so much makes me happy somehow…..I didn’t want to miss the opportunity.’

‘What are you talking about? You should eat too, no need to be considerate. My salary is good enough you don’t have to worry about my being able to pay.’

The master of Hatter Manson was a man who paid his subordinates a salary in keeping with the work they did. And Alice, who never wasted money on things she didn’t need, had a fair amount saved up. She hadn’t hesitated to use it for having a meal with a friend.

However, the White Rabbit quietly shook his head from left to right.

‘I cannot allow you to pay. I will treat you.’

‘…..All the more then.’

What kind of woman would she be, to be the only one eating, though she had asked for food enough for two, and to have him be the only one paying as well? At the very least, Alice did not want to have such a meal.

‘Ah…..could it be that you don’t like mushrooms, Peter? If so, I apologise…..’

‘No, it is not as if I particularly dislike mushrooms.’

‘Then, what do you like to eat? Maybe carrots since you’re a rabbit?’

He said that he didn’t dislike them, but for all that, the White Rabbit’s expression was not a joyful one. Even if he was also a rabbit, he was clearly different from the brown rabbit who lived at the Mansion.

‘I like anything. I can eat anything.’

‘Then you can have some of this mushroom dish, right? —Here.’

Using the serving fork, Alice placed some food on his plate. She was used to working as a maid in her everyday life, so waiting on someone like this was something Alice was more familiar with.

‘Ah, Alice. You don’t need to..-‘

‘It’s fine. Here, eat up, no need to hold back.’

‘…..Very well. It is food that you yourself have served me. I cannot be so rude as to not eat it.’

If he didn’t dislike the food, he would readily eat it. So thinking she had acted, but Alice soon had a feeling something was wrong.

Thank you for the meal, being especially polite, Peter carefully used the knife and fork to begin cutting. He carried one of the cut pieces towards his mouth.

It couldn’t be that he was acting the part of Prime Minister for show. Each one of his movements was refined, the very picture of correct table manners.

But there was something decisively different about the way he ate compared to Alice.

‘? Peter, are you sure you don’t dislike mushrooms after all?’

‘That is…..’

‘But, aren’t you forcing yourself?’

Alice knew well what a person’s face looked like when they were eating something they enjoyed.

It was certainly the case for the group at Hatter Mansion. Blood when he was drinking tea, Elliot when he was eating carrot dishes…..it was a normal thing for anyone with something they liked in front of them to enjoy the taste and be happy about it.

On the other hand, what would happen if they were given something that they disliked. It was something she knew from seeing her master trying to escape from eating orange coloured food. It wasn’t as obvious as Blood’s hatred for carrots, but there was a similar expression on Peter’s face.

‘You don’t need to force yourself if you don’t like it.’

‘It is not as if I dislike it…..’

The hand that been almost mechanically and dispassionately carrying food to his mouth stopped, and Peter looked troubled.

‘There is nothing in particular that I like.’

‘…..Huh?’

‘The truth is, I do not like anything…..after all, food does not particularly taste of anything, does it?’

‘…..…..’

Hearing him speak as if puzzled, Alice completely stopped moving.

Perhaps noticing her response, the White Rabbit let go of the knife and fork and tilted his head.

‘No matter what I eat, there is not much difference. All I need know is if there is poison in it or not.’

‘…..…..’

Hearing him talk, Alice felt as if the atmosphere around them had grown cold of a sudden. Even though it wasn’t as if someone was after her like before.

It was a wonder she hadn’t dropped her knife and fork. The taste of the mushroom in her mouth suddenly felt far away.

No, it wasn’t just the taste of the food. Even the noise inside the shop that had sounded normal until now felt somehow forced.

‘…..…..’

Gulp, she heard the sound of her throat swallowing, but even that…..felt distant.

A world without taste. A living being who, even though they ate, didn’t feel a thing.

There was no way all the rabbits who lived in this world were the same. There was Elliot, who truly loved carrot dishes beyond anything. It didn’t change the fact that he liked carrots the best, but it was not as if he didn’t understand the taste of food outside of carrots.

But—it was completely different for Peter.

‘…..…..’

No matter what he ate, it had no taste. It was simply something he did to take in the sufficient nutrients needed to keep his body moving.

It was probably for that reason his perfect way of eating and his reaction as he ate left an impression of disconnection.

She hadn’t noticed it at all up until now. If they hadn’t talked about taste just now, Alice might never have realised.

Even when he had prepared tea for her at Heart Castle, Peter had often accompanied Alice in drinking tea. He had been as happy as if it were himself when she had nodded saying it was delicious.

She had always thought his reaction was a bit much…..but at last she understood its meaning.

He had never provided her with anything that he himself felt tasted good. Just things that he thought Alice would like, it had been for no other purpose than to make Alice happy.

‘…..…..’

She took a sip from the cup of cold water on the table. It slid down her throat, which had become dry before she had realised it, with a cold and chilly sensation.

He had said things had no flavour, but that did not necessarily mean he had no sense of taste. If he didn’t, it would have been too difficult to judge whether or not something had poison in it.

However, Alice could not even imagine what his world, one where nothing had any flavour, was like. No matter what he drank, or ate, for it to simply slip down his throat into his body like the water she had just had…..she could not understand it all.

‘Alice, is something wrong? It can’t be, there was poison in the-…..’

‘N-no! That’s not it…..’

As she held back the White Rabbit who even now seemed about ready to brandish his gun and start shooting at the restaurant workers, inside of her chest was a jumble of questions.

—Is that not hard for you, Peter?—

Forcibly swallowing back down the questions rising towards her lips, she changed them into a sigh.

Eating was a necessary act for life to continue on. She thought that for it to just be a duty, something about which you didn’t feel anything at all, was just too sad.

She could understand it if he said that he disliked eating. But that he neither liked or disliked the action itself…..she thought that it must be a very lonely thing.

‘That’s not it. I was just…..a little surprised, that’s all.’

Restraining the White Rabbit from changing his golden watch into a gun, once Alice settled the bill and left the restaurant, the colours of the sky had changed yet again.

***

‘I think I put them in here, if I’m remembering right…..’

In her room at the Tower. Having returned to the room she had become completely used to living in, Alice was slowly digging around amongst the small amount of hand luggage.

And, having taken out a single case from the pile, she opened the lid.

‘…..…..’

Inside were the snacks the maids she was friendly with had wrapped for her when she had left the Mansion. Because they would last for a long time, it was mostly candy and chocolate that had been packed in.

She took into her hand a single small snack that had been wrapped in silver paper. Unwrapping it silently, she popped the small block of dark brown that appeared into her mouth.

Along with the snapping noise as she chewed, a familiar flavour spread throughout her mouth.

It was sweet. And also, bitter. It was chocolate. A person who had had chocolate before would know what it was immediately.

‘But….maybe Peter wouldn’t.’

As he had said himself, he was a clever Rabbit. He would definitely be able to identify that it was chocolate.

However—the taste alone was something he surely wouldn’t understand. If his basis for judgement was only whether or not something had poison in it, he would likely just decide that it was not poisonous and leave it at that.

And that….somehow felt lonely to her. She thought that perhaps one of the main reasons she felt that way was because Peter himself accepted it as a given.

‘….There’s something wrong with me.’

Their first meeting had been awful, no matter how often she recalled it, it should have been bad enough for her to wonder how they had even become friends.

But now….she was thinking about him so much.

Because she thought she was such a fool for not noticing in all the times they’d had tea together until now that nothing had flavour to him.

It had to be because she was worried for him as a friend. She would have liked for that to be the reason, but the emotions that were moving her now did not at all seem to be that of friendship.

Was it truly just that causing this stirring in her chest?

‘….Peter….’

I love you. You are the only one I love.

If you are happy, that is all that matters to me.

—Because I love you—

The White Rabbit’s love confessions were always one-sided. They did not desire an answer from Alice. Even if she were to answer, it wouldn’t be unusual for it not to reach those long ears. Only taking up what was convenient, in a certain sense, those ears were highly efficient.

‘You’re….so unfair….’

She had not planned on changing. Even when she had come to this world, she would always remain as she was….her cowardly, pessimistic, grey-coloured self, who was the furthest thing from pure white. Though she had planned on staying as the half-hearted Alice Liddell who was unable to become anything, right now she was wavering so much.

Over someone she couldn’t help but think about….Why did the man who did not understand what things tasted like say that he loved her?

Alice hadn’t done anything for him.

Even though she hadn’t done anything to make him fall in love with her. Even though she wasn’t the kind of person people fell in love with.

Why did you fall in love with me?

‘We’re friends, so that’s why it bothers me. It can’t be anything else….of course it isn’t.’

The more they come to know you, the more they will love you.

The words the dream demon had once said sprang back into Alice’s mind.

Their first meeting had been the absolute worst. A rockier beginning she could not imagine.

However, since their relationship had begun on the worst possible terms….she had been made to realise now that there was no way it would have become worse.

It would seem the relationship that should have begun from hostility had revised itself in a more positive direction before she had realised it.

‘It’s because….we’re friends. That’s the reason I can’t leave him alone….’

She was unable to hate him. On the contrary, there were aspects to him that she even found likeable.

His actions were one-sided, and many of the things he did were a bother. He would sometimes say stalker-ish things with no shame whatsoever.

She wondered how much he knew about her.

And, conversely, she wondered how much she knew about him.

She had lived at her place of residence for an amount of time that was no longer of short duration. But even there, the place she had decided was where she belonged, she remained unable to delve into the side of them that was Mafia.

The courage to draw near to the closest possible place to the White Rabbit….there was no way she had such a thing.

‘….-‘

Tightly.

She pressed her hands to her chest, to calm a heartbeat that seemed about to accelerate out of control.

—I hate this.

When it came to romance, Alice couldn’t help but become a foolish child again. Even while thinking she didn’t want to become conceited, another part of her thought that she didn’t want to be betrayed, and she became selfish.

‘No….that can’t be….why.’

Let it be something else.

The wrapper in her hand made a crinkling noise as she crumpled it into a ball.

She thought she had already had enough of love. Romance was a pain, and for all the effort it took, it was never guaranteed that things would go how you wished them to.

—You don’t necessarily want to be loved by everyone—

What came into her mind was the dream demon’s smile when he had appeared in her dreams in the country of red.

As if to say that he saw through her completely, there was a faint smile on his handsome face as he spoke.

—You just want to be loved by someone.—

Even now she could vividly recall Nightmare’s voice as he made that declaration as if it was only the obvious truth.

‘I won’t fall in love. Wanting to be by his side, is something I would never….’

As long as they could be friends, she was fine with that. She would not wish for anything more.

Peter had problematic aspects to him, but Alice had already let down her guard, and at this late stage, she would likely even feel sad if distance were to be put between them.

But….what if they ended up becoming even closer?

And when they did, what if he were to grow distant from her?

“Alice, I’m so sorry, I-….”

“I’m sorry, Alice, I’ve-….”

Phantom voices overlapped with the voices of the past that remained in her memory.

Just like back then.

He might grow distant, too.

‘….….’

Wordlessly, her mouth twisted faintly.

The bitterness that continued to remain as if stuck to the inside of her throat wasn’t just because of the chocolate.

Alice purposely pretended she hadn’t noticed it.

#heart no kuni no alice #translation #hnkna #alice in the country of clover #otome game