Chapter 157: The Weight of an Accident

“Alright, alright, calm down. Honestly, I don’t mind it that much.”

Alice squatted beside Jeanne Decker, patting her shoulder. ‘What the hell? Why am I the one comforting her after being forcefully…’ Alice mused inwardly.

Her true distress wasn’t about the incident itself, but its inevitable aftermath. This event had irrevocably altered their relationship.

In a way, now was the most awkward time for a true reunion. How could she possibly tell Jeanne Decker, ‘You just slept with your old best friend’? Even if Jeanne Decker harbored prejudice against witches, it might not be as uncomfortable as this current situation.

Jeanne Decker finally composed herself, looking up at Alice with a helpless expression. “What should we do now?”

“You’re asking me?” Alice gave a bitter laugh. “Wouldn’t you say at least seventy percent of the responsibility lies with you?”

“Ugh…” Jeanne Decker found herself unable to refute it.

Alice observed Jeanne Decker, who was utterly at a loss. It was the first time she had ever seen her in such a vulnerable state. This stark contrast was, in fact, quite endearing.

“If you genuinely wish to move past this without a trace, there is a way,” Alice sighed. “You could ask the Mad Hatter to extract this recent memory, allowing you to forget it. If you’re uneasy, I can accompany you. There’s no need to worry about the Mad Hatter knowing now, as he was the mastermind behind this whole affair.”

Jeanne Decker looked at Alice in surprise.

“Well?” Alice prompted again.

Jeanne Decker considered it seriously, but ultimately shook her head. “No, you’re right. Running away is useless; avoidance won’t solve the problem. I was just too flustered. I should face this head-on. I will take responsibility, even if I don’t know how.”

“Really?” Alice felt a pang of embarrassment.

Truth be told, she didn’t know what to do either. For something like this, what exactly constituted ‘taking responsibility’?

“Speaking of which, why are you willing to go so far as to delete your memory with me?” Jeanne Decker asked, her voice laced with confusion. “You’ve saved me time and again. Why are you so good to me? You once said there were other reasons, didn’t you? Can you tell me now?”

“This…” Alice froze.

She was currently grappling with that very question.

Just then, her witch’s intuition flared, and the magic mirror lying on the bedside table once again appeared in her mind’s eye. Someone was attempting to contact her through the magic mirror in Liddell Manor.

She quickly turned her head towards the mirror, and Jeanne Decker’s gaze followed.

“That mirror…” Jeanne Decker recalled recent events. “What’s going on?”

At this moment, Alice felt a dilemma. She hadn’t responded to the previous contact, and then ‘that thing’ had happened with Jeanne Decker. Receiving a call now seemed suspiciously like an interrogation.

However, Jeanne Decker’s words applied equally to her: avoidance solves nothing.

“Don’t make a sound,” Alice instructed Jeanne Decker, then carefully approached and picked up the magic mirror, turning its back towards Jeanne Decker before performing a divination.

As the mists dispersed, the Duchess Liddell’s figure appeared in the mirror.

“My apologies, Madam. I couldn’t respond to your call in time…” Alice tried to maintain a calm demeanor.

“You look like you’ve done something naughty,” Duchess Liddell said, a knowing smile gracing her lips.

Alice was instantly speechless. ‘How did she figure that out at first glance?’

“Alright, no more beating around the bush,” Duchess Liddell continued to smile. “Where is the stray cat that snuck a taste?”

“A stray cat that snuck a taste!?” Alice’s eyes widened, and she reflexively pointed at herself. ‘Is she talking about me?’ She cast a questioning glance at Alice.

Alice had no energy to answer her, focusing instead on dealing with Duchess Liddell through the mirror. “Why do you ask?”

“I received the news a bit late. I just found out that girl was scheduled for execution today, and I’m guessing you’ve already rescued her,” Duchess Liddell said meaningfully. “And I suspect what happened afterward must have been quite exciting, wouldn’t you agree? How about I join in the fun?”

‘You’ve guessed far too much!’ Alice screamed inwardly.

“You didn’t respond to me earlier, truly because you were asleep? Let me hear your excuse,” Duchess Liddell asked, looking directly into Alice’s eyes.

She had long ago deduced the approximate content of Queen Isola’s prophecy based on Queen Isola’s reactions. According to her estimations, something was bound to happen after Alice rescued Jeanne Decker.

Alice thought it over, then finally sighed. “Alright, it’s pretty much as you imagine.”

She knew her ability to lie would never deceive a seasoned expert like Duchess Liddell. Rather than futilely making excuses only to be exposed, it was better to be straightforward.

“Oh, how candid,” Duchess Liddell raised an eyebrow. Alice’s quick admission had somewhat surprised her.

“There’s no point in lying to you anyway,” Alice shrugged.

“That esteemed person is so devoted to you, and I’m not here to scold you, as it is your freedom. However, I want to confirm: does this mean you’ve made your choice?” Duchess Liddell asked earnestly, carefully avoiding any mention of Queen Isola’s identity.

“It’s not quite that simple; it’s hard to explain in a few words. I can only say that, strictly speaking, what happened here was an accident,” Alice replied seriously.

Jeanne Decker stood behind the magic mirror, listening to their conversation in a daze. It seemed that the mirror could also be used as a magical communication device.

From their conversation, it appeared this witch previously… had someone?

‘I actually made a move on a girl who already had someone!?’

“So, how do you plan to handle this?” Duchess Liddell asked.

“I’m still thinking,” Alice answered honestly.

“You…” Duchess Liddell pressed a hand to her forehead. “You always manage to surprise me. Don’t you think there are a few too many ‘accidents’ in your destiny?”

“I apologize,” Alice said.

“If you have no ideas at the moment, how about you hear my opinion?” Duchess Liddell offered.

Alice paused, then nodded. “Please, speak.”

“I believe you should still choose that esteemed person. Even if you shared some past affection with that Northern girl, it cannot compare, can it? Think back to when you were falsely imprisoned in Maplewood City. That girl, as your friend, couldn’t save you at all. It was that esteemed person who braved life and death with you, and helped you escape, wasn’t it?”

“Wait a moment!” Duchess Liddell had rattled off the ‘spoiler’ content Alice was still debating whether to reveal, and Alice had no time to stop her.

Alice quickly looked up at Jeanne Decker, realizing it was too late. Jeanne Decker was staring at her, utterly shocked.