Ever since she was young, Alice had always loved to explore.

From the smallest curiosities to the grandest discoveries, the thrill of finding something new was what defined her.

She loved uncovering secrets.

She loved wandering into places she wasn’t supposed to go.

She loved the feeling of stepping into the unknown.

It was her little hobby—her own adventure.

But on one particular day, that same curiosity led her somewhere she never expected.

A small hole.

Deep in the ground.

Something about it called to her.

The entrance was dark and narrow, yet it held an almost irresistible allure—a silent invitation beckoning her forward.

And before she even realized it, she had stepped inside.

The next thing she knew…

She was somewhere else.

A vast, open field stretched out before her, blanketed in a sea of blood-red flowers.

The sky above was an endless shade of gray, as if time itself had stopped moving.

Alice blinked.

“Where…?”

Her voice was small, uncertain.

For the first time in her life, Alice felt afraid.

She was alone.

The familiar laughter of her friends—the comforting presence of her parents—the warm voices of the neighbors who always greeted her—

All of it was gone.

She turned in circles, searching for something—anything—but the only thing that greeted her was silence.

The air felt heavy, like a dream she couldn’t wake up from.

Yet… strangely enough…

She didn’t feel hungry.

She didn’t feel thirsty.

She didn’t feel tired.

Even as the minutes stretched into hours—even as the hours melted into days—

She felt… full.

Like something was sustaining her.

And though the situation should have been terrifying…

Somewhere deep inside, Alice felt a strange sense of ease.

Luckily, she wasn’t alone in the endless sea of red.

After wandering for what felt like days, she finally encountered someone—

Or rather… something.

“Oh my~”

Alice stopped in her tracks.

Right in front of her sat a gigantic red cat, its fur as dark as fresh blood.

Its body was long and serpentine-like, almost too flexible for a normal feline.

Its large crimson eyes shimmered with amusement as it gazed at her, its wide grin stretching unnaturally from ear to ear.

Alice tilted her head.

“A cat?”

The creature chuckled—a deep, eerie sound that sent shivers down her spine.

“Hm~ Hm~ For the successor to be such a lovely little child~” the cat purred, tilting its massive head. “You are much too soft, Iracebeth. But then again, you were never the merciful type—not with all those heads you chopped off~”

Alice blinked.

“What are you talking about, Mr. Cat?”

The cat’s grin widened.

“Kufufu~ Most children would be trembling in fear upon seeing this hideous face of mine~ but you? You’re peculiar. Perhaps it’s a trait you’ve inherited from your predecessor~”

It stretched its long, clawed paw forward, lazily flicking one of the blood-red petals on the ground.

“Well, a promise is a promise… Though I can’t say if you’re truly worthy yet, I shall fulfill my old master’s wish. Come, child, follow me. You’re lost, aren’t you?”

Alice hesitated.

“You’re going to help me, Mr. Cat?”

The creature’s tail swayed behind it as its grin deepened.

“Oh my, yes, of course~ It’s only natural for adults to help a lost child, wouldn’t you agree?”

Alice’s small hands clenched at her sides.

She didn’t know if she could trust this strange cat… but what other choice did she have?

And besides…

Her gut told her to follow.

The cat suddenly twirled around, its long body twisting into the air with an unnatural fluidity.

“But before we go…” it cooed, glancing back at her. “How about a little exploration first? Sounds fun, right~?”

Alice hesitated for only a moment before nodding.

After all, she had always loved to explore.

“My name is Cheshire~ The ever-beautiful and fantastical guardian of this realm! What’s your name, child?”

“I’m Alice! Hehe!”

That was the start of it all.

Alice and Cheshire quickly hit it off, their shared curiosity leading them across the vast crimson world.

They ventured through desolate towers, climbing to their highest peaks where the wind howled like a song of forgotten times.

They crept through abandoned castles, their empty halls echoing whispers of the past.

They wandered deep into dense black forests, where the trees twisted unnaturally and shadows seemed to breathe.

Along the way, they encountered strange creatures—phantasmal beings with forms eerily similar to Cheshire’s, their bodies shifting like liquid, their eyes gleaming with secrets untold.

Despite the unsettling atmosphere, Alice wasn’t afraid.

The overwhelming black and red hues that painted this world should have felt ominous… yet, for some reason, she found comfort in them.

The air itself carried a strange energy—something warm, powerful, familiar.

It seeped into her skin, flowed through her veins, pulsed with every heartbeat.

It felt right.

Even if she didn’t understand it yet.

Their journey came to an abrupt halt when they finally reached the peak of a black mountain.

At the summit stood an altar, its dark stone glistening under the eerie crimson sky.

Alice’s golden gaze trailed upwards, past the worn stairs leading to the altar, past the thick, mist-like air that curled around the peak—

And there, floating above the altar, were three objects.

A stone, shaped like a heart, pulsing with an otherworldly red glow.

A crown, brimming with energy, its jagged edges radiating power.

A deck of cards, shuffling in mid-air as if carried by unseen hands.

Alice’s breath hitched.

She didn’t know why, but something about these items felt… important.

Her fingers twitched, an unexplainable longing stirring within her.

“So, if I take all of these… I’ll finally be able to go back home, Cheshire?”

Cheshire grinned.

“Mmhm~”

Alice’s small hands reached out.

The moment her fingertips brushed against the floating objects—

The world shifted.

The wind roared.

The sky bled.

And with that single act—

Alice’s life and destiny were forever changed.

But after obtaining the items, Alice couldn’t return home.

A sinking feeling coiled in her stomach as she turned to Cheshire, confusion flashing across her young face.

“W-Why…?”

The cat simply grinned.

“Kufufufu~ Let this be a lesson, young Alice! You shouldn’t trust suspicious adults too much~”

Alice’s eyes widened in horror.

“Y-You lied to me!”

Her small hands clenched into fists, her golden eyes trembling with disbelief.

“L-Liar!!!”

The weight of broken trust and deception crashed down on her, an emotion foreign yet all too painful for a six-year-old girl to fully comprehend.

The realization stung, and before she knew it—

She was crying.

Tears slipped down her cheeks, her body shaking as she tried to grasp why someone she had trusted, someone she had called a friend, had betrayed her so easily.

And yet—

Cheshire only laughed.

A deep, whimsical chuckle, as if Alice’s pain was the funniest joke in the world.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that, dear successor~ It was all in good fun! Besides, isn’t it better this way? If I had told you the truth, you wouldn’t have taken the items, now would you~?”

Alice hiccupped, glaring at him through blurry vision.

“You’re mean!”

Cheshire tilted his head, unfazed.

“Perhaps~”

Then, suddenly—

A voice.

Gentle. Kind. Completely unlike Cheshire’s mocking tone.

“Cheshire… who is this?”

Alice gasped, quickly rubbing her tears away as she turned toward the source of the voice.

Standing before her was a woman dressed in pure white.

A stark contrast to the dark, crimson-stained world Alice had been wandering in.

Everything about her—her flowing white gown, her pale complexion, the soft glow surrounding her—felt unreal, like a vision from a dream.

Alice sniffled, mesmerized.

Meanwhile, Cheshire straightened up, his grin never fading as he lazily turned toward the woman.

“Oh~ Queen Mirana… To what pleasure does the White Queen have in these godforsaken lands~?”

Cheshire’s voice dripped with exaggerated courtesy as he bowed deeply, his tail curling behind him.

Yet, despite his theatrics, Mirana paid him no mind.

Her piercing gaze remained locked on Alice—

A look of intrigue.

Mirana’s gaze lingered on Alice, her silver eyes softening with a flicker of recognition.

“This young child… is she?”

She mumbled to herself, as if confirming a suspicion—her gaze drawn to the faint glow of the red heart’s essence now intertwined with Alice.

Cheshire chuckled beside her.

“That she is~”

Mirana exhaled quietly.

“I see…”

A gentle smile curved her lips, but for a fleeting moment, sadness flickered across her expression—so brief, so subtle, that even Alice barely noticed before it disappeared entirely

She stepped forward, her long, flowing gown shimmering under the crimson light.

“Young child, may I ask for your name?”

Alice hesitated.

She didn’t understand what was happening, nor why these two strange beings spoke as if they knew her.

But for now, she pushed down her lingering confusion, wiping away the last remnants of her tears.

“Alice…” she mumbled softly.

Mirana’s smile deepened.

“Alice, huh? Such a pretty name.”

With gentle steps, she approached the red-eyed girl and slowly knelt before her, reaching out.

Alice flinched for a moment, but Mirana’s touch was warm—her fingers light as they brushed over her hair, before resting atop her head.

A soft pat.

A warmth Alice hadn’t felt since she arrived in this strange world.

“I don’t know what this cat has been telling you,” Mirana said, casting a knowing glance at Cheshire, “but I’m sorry, young Alice… you won’t be able to return home for a short while.”

Alice’s breath hitched.

“But… Mom and Dad are waiting!”

She clenched her small fists, looking up with desperation—pleading for an answer that would tell her this was all a mistake.

Mirana’s expression didn’t waver. Instead, she chuckled softly, her voice light as silk.

“I know, fufu~ That’s why… during your stay here, may I be your mother instead?”

Alice froze.

Her young mind struggled to process what she had just heard.

“…Why?”

Her question was simple, yet it carried layers of meaning.

Why would this stranger want to be her mother?

Why did she look at her that way?

Why did her voice feel so familiar, yet distant?

Mirana had many ways to answer—many truths she could reveal—yet she chose to remain silent.

Instead, she simply smiled again, gently lifting Alice into her arms.

Warmth enveloped her.

A soothing, comforting presence—like a soft lullaby.

“Because you are special to me, Alice… Holloway.”

Alice blinked.

“Holloway?”

Mirana chuckled, her embrace tightening just a little.

“Yes… it has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

Her voice was playful, yet gentle.

“Now that we’re about to become family, it’s only natural that you inherit my name, right?”

Alice shook her head.

“But I haven’t—”

Mirana placed a finger over her lips, silencing her softly.

“Shush now, young Alice… There’s virtue in patience. You might want to hold back your answer before deciding anything.”

She smiled once more—soft, knowing, yet holding an unspoken weight.

The words they exchanged that day…

marked both the beginning and the end

of the bond they forged.

…

As Alice slowly opened her eyes, the lingering weight of drowsiness clung to her mind. She blinked, her brows knitting together as the remnants of a distant memory settled heavily upon her.

“Why am I remembering all of that now…?”

A quiet sigh left her lips as she pushed herself up from her makeshift bed.

The cool air of the realm brushed against her skin, a familiar yet distant sensation.

Standing up, she dusted off her cloak and adjusted the large, oversized witch hat atop her head.

Her crimson gaze flickered across the endless expanse of the white realm.

It stretched before her, vast and unchanging, an ocean of ivory mist and towering spires that gleamed like frozen glass.

The sight filled her with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.

Even though the White Realm was not truly her home, it was a place deeply etched into her soul.

She had spent years merely watching from its borders, never daring to step too far in—not since the White Incident that day.

Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the brim of her hat.

For so long, she had restrained herself from coming this deep into the realm, reluctant to revisit the place that had once shaped her, broken her, and in some twisted way, made her who she was now.

But now, here she was.

Whether she had walked in willingly, or been dragged back by fate, she couldn’t say.

Alice let out a small chuckle, shaking her head.

“Well~ whether it was a dream or a nightmare, it doesn’t really matter now, does it?”

She smiled to herself, shaking off the last remnants of her uneasy mood.

No use dwelling on the past when the present demanded her attention.

Her grin, however, quickly twisted into an annoyed scowl.

“That stupid cat… I don’t know where you’ve run off to, but I’ll kill you—even if you’re already dead!”

Her crimson eyes flashed with determination.

Clenching her fists tightly, she kicked off the ground— her body soaring through the white mist, cutting through the air like a streak of defiance.

Yet, beneath her irritation, beneath the heat of her threat, there was something else.

A quiet, gnawing feeling nestled deep within her chest.

A sense of worry.

Even if she hated to admit it.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep