Alice in the Land of Steam

There is a square in the center of the city, which has been ruined for a long time but is now full of vitality. During the day, the long-handled ferns, gray-tailed grass and purple-leaved bushes here are bathed in the warmest sunshine, and the berries in the bushes sparkle like glass; at night, the quiet night flows like water, gently caressing the grass stems and leaves that are still warm, and insects often chirp under the entangled and coiled ivy leaves, playing those harmonious notes belonging to living things.

In the center of the square there is a dried-up fountain. It should have been made of white and delicate alabaster, but it was dyed dark green by creeping lichens and mosses. The angel statue on the base of the fountain has disappeared, and instead there is a tall and lush apple tree. Green and red fruits are crowded under the dense branches and leaves. Because no one has picked them for many years, some fruits have fallen to the ground and lie quietly in the grass, like smooth and clear crystal balls.

The great witch of the Moriah people claimed that all pure things can reflect people's inner heart, such as starlight, which is the origin of Moriah astrology. However, secular fortune tellers only pay attention to its superficial meaning, emphasizing form rather than core, so they choose to use crystal balls as their divination tools. This deviant tradition has a history of at least 1,500 years.

One hand gently picked it up and held it in the palm, just like caressing a bright gem. Her fingers were slender, white and a little thin, and her knuckles were slightly green, the same green color as the first fruits sprouting on the branches in midsummer, very suitable for holding hands, or holding the fingertips and kissing gently.

The girl with long green sky-blue hair sat cross-legged under the tree, with her beloved lamb lying beside her. She had already gathered a large handful of fruits in her arms, most of which were ripe and deep red, with only a few still green and particularly eye-catching.

"You picked so many apples," a voice came from a distance, "are you planning to take them back to make apple pies?"

The girl looked up and saw a familiar figure walking towards the tree: "Lingge."

She blinked her eyes, her long, glittering eyelashes flickering in the shadow of the apple tree. "It's so late, haven't you rested yet?"

"In fact, I haven't even had dinner yet."

Linger said, his voice startled the little lamb who was dozing with his eyes squinting. The lamb immediately opened his eyes and bleated at the young man in dissatisfaction. It was not known whether he was angry that he had disturbed his sweet dream, or that Saint Shallia was so friendly to this guy. To him, a guy who disturbed people's sweet dreams should be severely punished and then driven away. Unfortunately, the little lamb did not have such ability, and Saint Shallia would not do so, so he could only threaten him with a few words to satisfy his pleasure.

Ling Ge naturally ignored this guy who only knew how to talk big, and walked straight to Saint Xia Liya's side, sitting down at a suitable distance. Saint Xia Liya looked back at him, her clear eyes reflecting the young man's somewhat thin profile, and she said softly: "You must eat well, Ling Ge, so that you can be healthy."

"That's what I wanted to tell you as well." The young man said slowly, "At this moment, not only me, but also your sisters, the proprietress and others are still waiting for dinner in the hotel. As for why they don't start eating first, I think you should know the reason, Saint Xia Liya?"

The girl pursed her lips subconsciously when she heard this. Compared with before, her lips were slightly paler and seemed a little dry. This was not only due to lack of food and water, but also a manifestation of psychological irritability. The lamb looked at Lingge unkindly. It didn't care who didn't eat, but only cared whether its owner was bullied - especially by the stupid Lingge.

The young man glanced at it sideways, then slowly withdrew his gaze. He neither continued to try to wake Saint Xia Liya up with words, nor did he think of skipping these questions and directly inviting her back to the hotel. He just leaned against the sturdy and rough trunk of the apple tree, and looked out at the square that had long been submerged by the night and the tide with a casual attitude.

The tip of the apple leaf has a cluster of faint silver marks. When you look up, you can see their light flickering in countless gaps, replacing the night sky without stars. Many years ago, Saint Shalia sat under this tree, telling her sisters stories that only existed in beautiful fantasies in a soft and soothing tone, and gradually turned herself into a vivid fairy tale.

At that time, they had not yet experienced the obscure emotions of the world, and did not understand that even as living beings, they would have all kinds of differences based on their own will and desires. They just lived simply, and such souls were sometimes even purer than the dust under the clear sky, and more transparent than the sea under the scorching sun.

At that time, the girls had not yet parted ways, and all their wishes were brewing in the mysterious and dreamy country. On the distant blue planet, there was a self-proclaimed god who opened the prelude to the chaotic world, but what did this have to do with them? So Saint Xia Liya could still sit under the apple tree and tell fairy tales to her sisters; Fei Er and Favrona could still laugh and play, as if they had never carried any deep hatred; even Leticia was still an innocent girl at that time, believing in the fairy tales told by her elder sister, which was completely different from her today.

I wonder if she will think of herself in the future when she no longer cares about the happiness and visions described in fairy tales? Time does not recur in memory, but echoes in the soul.

"I," Saint Xia Liya spoke slowly after a long time, with a bit of confusion in her voice: "Did I make everyone worried?"

"Not yet." Ling Ge said, "But if you don't go back, they will soon be worried about you."

"I don't want them to worry about me." Saint Shallia quickly replied, "Because I want to be a qualified sister."

This is what the young man said to her in the mountains of Sosen about a year ago. The night sky was also starless and moonless like tonight, but there was a bonfire burning in the forest. The flying butterflies and scattered sparks together illuminated the gloom in the eyes of this girl who was repeatedly lost on the road of destiny. She got encouragement from the young man, and perhaps also got a kind of guarantee about the future, so she was sure that she had been a qualified sister for a long time before and for a long time after.

She thought so, and naturally did so. Unfortunately, after four full seasons had passed, she had different moods on the same night. The gloom returned, and she began to feel confused.

“It’s a no-brainer.”

Linger glanced at her and said, "Just come back with me." "No." Saint Xia Liya shook her head gently, "This is a very difficult thing, Linger, because I haven't figured out...how to face them."

The "they" here probably not only refers to Olvera and others in the hotel, but also includes those Chaos Kings who have gone against the grain, including the Reality Witch Tiantis who created all this, and the Dark Witch Caraboss who is now on high alert outside the Initial Star Field. Of course, considering some more complicated factors, Alice who may be missing and the self-enclosed Celestial Themis in the control center can also be included in this category.

She was worried about too many things, so she hesitated and didn't know what to do. The cursed fate kingship had indeed been entangled and wandered at countless crossroads, losing itself; but Linger stood in the position of an observer, he knew very well that the girl's hesitation at this moment was not affected by the curse, but something that was far deeper, more complex, and more difficult to get rid of than the curse - emotion.

This precious treasure the goddess obtained from the aliens is the only gift she bestows upon all living beings in the world, and it is also the source of all events.

"You don't need to add such a heavy burden to yourself, Saint Shalia."

Ling Ge suddenly said: "You may think that if you want to be a qualified sister, you must protect your sisters and take their lives, wishes and even ideals on your shoulders. But you seem to have never thought that before becoming sisters, each of you is an independent individual with your own feelings and thoughts. Don't simply use the word responsibility to summarize the relationship between you. This is a very conceited idea. In fact, they are not standing here for you, and you naturally don't need to force yourself to do those unskilled things for them."

The young man's eyes fell on the still confused face, and he said word by word: "Ovira doesn't want to disappoint the expectations of her parents and teachers, Yieta wants to find the true meaning of happiness, Leticia wants to stay with her grandmother forever, Lorena is committed to finding a way to purify the pollution, Bai Ye and Gloria firmly believe that they can become each other's support, Xino adheres to the wishes of their ancestors to protect the dreams of all mortals... They stand here for their own reasons and decide to move forward. After that, there are some pasts that have long been buried deep in the years. If they can find them back, they may accept it with pleasure, but if they can't find them back, they won't have too many regrets."

"You are the only one who is addicted to it, Saint Shallia. Putting aside the sense of responsibility that comes with being your sister, what exactly is the reason for you to stand here? If it is just to lead your sisters back to the Holy Temple of Heaven, then you have already done it. Even if you do nothing else, no one can blame you. But is it really so? I think Saint Shallia who decided to help mankind 120 million years ago, Saint Shallia who founded the Goddess of Creation 3,000 years ago, and Saint Shallia who used her life to protect her students and believers from crossing to the East Continent to seek refuge 1,200 years ago... They would not think so, right?"

"I won't treat each of your lives as the same person. After all, even your memories are different. But some things are passed down with the soul, Saint Shallia - at this moment, ask yourself, what is the reason for you standing here?"

He spoke in a very serious tone, and his deep and long gaze seemed not like a conversation between friends, but a pastor comforting, admonishing, and guiding his believers. What kind of answer would the lost lamb get if she questioned her conscience at this moment?

"I--"

Saint Shallia opened and closed her lips, as if she wanted to say something, but no syllable came out. She closed her mouth again, and her two thin cherry-pink lips touched each other gently, transmitting the delicate and cold temperature to each other. The wind blew through the branches and leaves above her head, and the ripe apples swayed slightly in the bushes, making a rustling sound. It is said that in the ancient culture of the Moryas, bright fruits were used to refer to human blood.

"Where's Linger?" Saint Xia Liya suddenly spoke, but she didn't answer the question. Instead, she asked the young man in front of her a question: "Why did Linger decide to move on? This matter is, after all, a matter between the young girls' royal power. If you stay in the Holy Temple of Heaven, I don't think Tiantis will do anything to you. But have you decided to leave here with us and face the unknown future?"

If not, why would he care so much about his feelings for himself and the young girls? Staying here, he can avoid all disputes. No matter what happened on that distant blue planet, it has nothing to do with him; and the more he is involved with the young girls, the deeper he will fall, and one day he will reach a point where he cannot be reversed. Why did Lingge, who used to be indifferent to everything and only wanted to end this journey and return to Linville City, and his greatest wish was to live a peaceful life with his sister, change his mind?
Saint Shallia felt that the answer might be more important than her own.

This feeling does not require a reason, thinking, or even signs. Fate will always give certain people inspiration at a certain moment, guiding them to discover, try, and verify something. Some people can grasp it, while others regard it as a joke that has nothing to do with them and ignore it. Saint Xia Liya knows that the latter will most likely end in regret and remorse, so she wants to be the former - especially when this inspiration involves the young people in front of her, this feeling of desire and impulse becomes stronger.

Even the lamb noticed that when Saint Xia Liya asked this question, the young man was obviously stunned for a moment, and then hesitated and thought. He seemed to be embarrassed. Was his question too much? Saint Xia Liya couldn't help thinking so. She almost wanted to say sorry to the young man and take back the question just now to show that she didn't mean it. But before she opened her mouth, Ling Ge had made a decision.

"I've always had a guess."

“I don’t know if it’s right or not, but there’s no other reason to explain this choice — a choice that sometimes even surprises me,” the young man said.

Saint Xia Liya immediately said: "I believe you, Lingge."

Then, regardless of the lamb's bleating objection, she leaned forward slightly, propped her hands on the grass, and stared at Lingge with her clear and bright eyes, conveying her deepest emotions at the closest distance acceptable to secular etiquette. The apples in her arms rolled to the ground, green and ripe, deep blue and bright red, all scattered around her, like clusters of wild apple blossoms in full bloom.

Perhaps it was the undisguised trust in the girl's lake green eyes that gave the young man some confidence, or perhaps it was because the young man had already had the desire to confide in someone, but had not found the right person. So, he deliberately lowered his tone, slowed down his voice, and seemed to be on guard against possible eavesdroppers in the dark - the suspicion did not come from the bottom of his heart, but from some instinct. After all, this guess involved the most important person in his life:

"I doubt it," the young man tried to make his tone sound calm, but because it was too calm, it gave people a feeling of disturbing the night: "Metien, maybe it is the golden apple that the Witch Society is looking for." (End of this chapter)