Chapter 161: The Tea Party’s Purpose and a Princess’s Ambition

“It’s always a good thing when the girls you like also like you, isn’t it? Stop making such a sour face.”

The Mad Hatter suddenly snapped his fingers, and the fragments of soul that had emerged from his fingertips instantly returned to Alice Liddell.

“You, however, have no idea how to empathize with others’ troubles.”

Alice Liddell glared at the Mad Hatter, clearly displeased.

“Are you agonizing over who to choose, or are you distressed by the realization that your heart belongs to both of them, making you a scoundrel? Ah, or perhaps ‘scoundreless’ would be more appropriate?”

The Mad Hatter continued to tease her relentlessly.

“Please, stop tormenting me!”

Alice Liddell covered her face.

“Regardless, I wholeheartedly support you two being together.”

The Mad Hatter suddenly gave them both a thumbs-up.

“To see such star-crossed lovers, once destined for separation by death, now reunited and able to openly declare their feelings—I am truly delighted by this turn of events. Not everyone in this world has the chance to be with the one they love, so do not allow yourselves to have any regrets.”

Alice Liddell and Jeanne Decker exchanged glances, both shyly averting their eyes.

“However…”

The Mad Hatter’s tone abruptly shifted.

“Personally, I don’t think you should refuse Her Majesty, the Red Queen.”

“Though it might sound a bit odd coming from me, whose side are you actually on?” Alice Liddell frowned, scrutinizing the Mad Hatter with a look of surprise and suspicion.

“I’m just afraid that if you refuse the Red Queen, she’ll hold it against me, and I might not survive.” The Mad Hatter awkwardly took off his hat and scratched his head.

“When it comes to being a scoundrel, you have no right to lecture me!” Alice Liddell retorted with disdain.

“I’m merely more straightforward.” The Mad Hatter burst into laughter. “However, back in my youth, I certainly had far more romantic interests than you.”

Alice Liddell frowned, looking at the Mad Hatter.

“Aside from the March Hare, I haven’t noticed any other girls around you.”

“Well…” The Mad Hatter raised an eyebrow slightly. “Unfortunately, all my former lovers and friends perished.”

“Eh?” Alice Liddell’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I once led a rather radical anti-imperial national liberation organization. It was suppressed after only three years, and most of my comrades were killed by the Inquisition and the Holy Temple assassins,” the Mad Hatter explained, his voice as flat as if he were discussing someone else’s affairs. “A revolution without capital is merely a fleeting performance.”

Alice Liddell and Jeanne Decker looked at each other, unsure what to say.

“However, it is precisely because of those past failures that the Tea Party will not repeat them,” the Mad Hatter said, his gaze suddenly becoming serious.

“Speaking of which, what exactly is this organization of yours?” Jeanne Decker looked back and forth between Alice Liddell and the Mad Hatter.

If she were to join this organization, she would at least need to know what it was about.

“If we were to elaborate on this topic, it would be a very long story. We could brew a pot of tea and discuss it at leisure,” the Mad Hatter said with a smile, spreading his hands. “Ladies, it’s tea party time!”

****

Meanwhile, in a villa on the outskirts of the Imperial City, the Snow Princess of the Winter Kingdom sat in a cellar serving as a wine vault. Before her stood a puppet, its face inlaid with a rhomboid metal crystal that shimmered with an eerie glow.

“Your Majesty, it has been confirmed that the Empire has indeed withdrawn a portion of its troops from the northern border. The news that Duke Alençon’s military authority has been restricted is likely true,” the metal crystal on the puppet’s face vibrated, producing a voice.

“Well done, Magna.” The Snow Princess nodded, expressionless. “What do you make of this situation?”

This puppet was currently being controlled by Magna, the Royal Tutor of the Winter Kingdom, who was thousands of miles away.

The puppet itself was merely an ordinary golem. Any mage of the Fifth Rank, or ‘Archmage,’ could animate a golem. However, operating it from such a vast distance required an additional threshold.

Divine-ranked mages could also create magical artifacts using special materials. The Echo Stone embedded in the puppet’s face was forged through alchemy by Magna, who held the Third Rank as a ‘Stormbringer.’

Echo Stones were paired artifacts. Magna held one, and whenever she cast a spell to interfere with her stone, the other would manifest a weakened interference effect. Through these Echo Stones, she could transmit sound and a portion of her spells.

With this artifact, she could not only communicate with the Snow Princess at any time but also provide a certain degree of combat support.

The Snow Princess had specifically traveled to the Empire to personally fulfill the Winter Kingdom’s agreement to train mages for the Empire, and this was not merely to seek an opportunity to appear on the diplomatic stage.

As an ambitious figure poised to seize control of the Winter Kingdom, she felt it necessary to personally acquaint herself with the most powerful nation on the continent.

The Winter Kingdom had always been an ally of the Empire, but in truth, it was merely the largest among many dependent states.

Such a situation for her homeland was insufficient to satisfy the Snow Princess’s ambition.

Upon arriving in the Imperial City, she had consistently utilized the Winter Kingdom’s established intelligence network to gather information.

News of Duke Alençon, the border marquis, losing his position due to the political failure and subsequent suicide of his adopted daughter, had also reached the Snow Princess’s ears.

Furthermore, Jeanne Decker had uncovered news of the Inquisition’s execution grounds being raided during an execution. The Inquisition had tried desperately to conceal the incident, but because so many Inquisitors had been defeated, many well-informed factions quickly learned of this humiliating event.

“The Dragonspine Kingdom, supported by the Empire, has been quite turbulent these past few years. Although no major threats are apparent right now, reducing border garrisons at this point seems overly hasty,” Magna offered her opinion.

“It’s simply that the position of the Northern Duke has interfered with too many people’s interests. The covert struggles behind it are, in some ways, quite spectacular, yet also truly laughable. What’s even more interesting is that the saintess promoted by the Church was exposed as a heretic, and then the Inquisition’s execution grounds for said saintess were actually raided. My informant also tells me that the Grand Inquisitor of the Inquisition is currently recuperating from severe injuries. Hmph, Magna, do you think ten years ago anyone would have dared to slap the Holy Church’s face like this?”

“Your Majesty, did you… just laugh?” Magna was somewhat surprised, vaguely detecting a trace of imperceptible amusement in the Snow Princess’s final words.

‘Laughter’ is truly a rare thing for the Snow Princess.

“It’s truly fascinating. After staying here for less than two months, I can clearly sense that this nation is in decline,” the Snow Princess murmured.

“What are you contemplating, Your Majesty?” Magna inquired.

“Have you ever imagined, Magna? What if the Empire truly reaches its breaking point one day?” the Snow Princess calmly replied. “Perhaps the era belonging to our Winter Kingdom… might have a chance to dawn?”