Chapter 80: An Uncomfortable Encounter

Three hours later, at the fashion boutique.

“Oh my goodness, it suits you perfectly! I’ve never seen this gown look so stunning on anyone!” The sales assistant exclaimed to Alice Liddell, who stood before the mirror. “What do you think?”

“Thank you, I suppose it’s fine,” Alice Liddell replied, her voice tinged with weary politeness.

“We’ll take it,” the Duchess Liddell declared, waving a dismissive hand from beside her. “Now, try on that one over there.”

“More? Must I?” Alice Liddell cried out, her face contorted in a grimace.

After three grueling hours of shopping, the Duchess Liddell remained utterly indefatigable, her enthusiasm and stamina seemingly boundless.

Alice Liddell, however, was on the verge of collapsing. She had been dragged from one store to the next by the Duchess Liddell, a seemingly endless parade of clothes and jewelry passing over her body, making her feel like nothing more than a glorified mannequin.

Even with her body transformed into that of a woman, she still couldn’t fathom why women were so passionately devoted to shopping, or how they could summon such enduring stamina, a vigor even men might struggle to match.

“I also wanted to pick out a few outfits for your cousin,” the Duchess Liddell responded. “You two are similar in appearance and build, so these looser styles would be perfect for you to try on for her.”

Upon hearing this, Alice Liddell immediately understood that the ‘cousin’ the Duchess Liddell referred to was Queen Isola. In such a public setting, they obviously couldn’t utter ‘Your Majesty’ aloud, much less Queen Isola’s full name.

Resigned, Alice Liddell sighed and carried the clothes into the changing room.

Several minutes later, as she finally stepped out of the boutique, Alice Liddell promptly slumped onto a long bench by the roadside. “I can’t go on. Please, let me rest for a while!”

“Mind your posture!” the Duchess Liddell admonished.

Alice Liddell instantly rearranged her skirt and closed her legs. Exhausted from rushing around, she had nearly let her true nature slip.

“Oh, I had hoped to pick out a few more things for myself, but seeing you like this, I can hardly expect you to accompany me,” the Duchess Liddell said, shaking her head. “Never mind. I’ll browse a few more shops, then have someone deliver the purchases back. You can just wait for me here.”

“Wonderful!” Alice Liddell exclaimed, raising her hands as if granted a reprieve.

Once the Duchess Liddell had departed, Alice Liddell leaned back against the bench, resting, her backside feeling as though it had taken root.

‘I’m staying right here. No one is moving me, absolutely no one!’

It was fortunate that the ominous premonition had vanished over two hours ago; otherwise, she would never have dared to separate from the Duchess Liddell.

This was hardly surprising. In areas where the Church’s procession passed, Church knights or local constables would surely be patrolling the route to ensure its smooth progress.

Regardless of whether it was a killer or a robber who had been stalking them earlier, upon seeing the Church’s procession, they would undoubtedly retreat, knowing better than to challenge such authority.

Alice Liddell relaxed, savoring the tranquility of the moment.

However, this peace was shattered just a few minutes later.

“My beautiful lady, your presence here, seated so gracefully, is more enchanting than the Mirror Lake on an autumn afternoon. It compels one to capture your likeness on canvas.” A young gentleman stood before her, doffing his hat in a respectful bow. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Charles, a painter. You appear somewhat weary; might I have the honor of inviting you to the café on the corner for a moment’s respite?”

“No, thank you. I’m waiting for someone,” Alice Liddell refused with an elegant, composed smile, simultaneously cursing under her breath.

‘With a face like this, it’s almost impossible to avoid drawing male attention on the street.’ The Duchess Liddell had taught her early on that the Imperial City was rife with fortune-hunters, posing as scions of noble families or artists to accost women. Half their identities were genuine, the other half fabricated.

“What a pity. I hope we may have the good fortune to meet again someday.” The gentleman gave up quickly, stepping back and departing.

Alice Liddell sat quietly for another two minutes, then suddenly heard the voice of the man who had just approached her, now coming from a distance: “Ah, my beautiful lady, your face is even more captivating than the angel statue in the Imperial Art Square! I am Henry, a sculptor…”

‘This scoundrel is unbelievable! He found a new target so quickly, so close by, and now he’s a sculptor, even changing his name!?’

Alice Liddell couldn’t help but turn to look.

The man who had just propositioned her was now across the main road at a distant intersection, approaching another woman with his newly assumed identity.

He stood directly between Alice Liddell and the woman, obstructing Alice Liddell’s view, preventing her from seeing the girl clearly.

He rapidly extended an invitation to the girl: “I know a wonderful coffee shop; their maple syrup shortbread is divine. I wonder—”

“You’re blocking my way. Would you mind moving?” The sharp, cold voice of the young woman abruptly cut him off.

Alice Liddell felt a sudden jolt of surprise.

Her astonishment wasn’t at the girl’s unapologetic attitude, but at her voice… It sounded somewhat familiar.

“My apologies, I… I was out of line…” The rebuffed man replied awkwardly, slinking away.

Once he moved, Alice Liddell finally caught sight of the young woman standing at the intersection.

Snow-white hair, alabaster skin, vibrant red lips, and an expression as rigid as an ice sculpture. Even from this distance, one could distinctly feel her awe-inspiring, chilling beauty.

Indeed, it was a ‘familiar face’—the Snow Princess of the Winter Kingdom!

Alice Liddell gasped, nearly leaping from the bench in shock.

‘How is she here!?’

‘Shouldn’t she be in the Winter Kingdom, ascending to the throne as queen? Why is she wandering the Imperial Capital in plain clothes?’

‘Did I see wrong? Is it just someone who looks like her?’ Alice Liddell couldn’t help but doubt herself.

But after a careful examination, she despairingly dismissed that possibility.

Such a countenance, such a bone-chilling aura—there couldn’t possibly be another person like her!

Then, Alice Liddell abruptly snapped to attention, quickly turning her face in another direction before the Snow Princess could notice her.

She felt utterly distraught.

That day, when Queen Isola attempted to contact Samira, the Wilderness Witch, using her magic mirror, the other side of the mirror had fallen into the Snow Princess’s hands due to Samira’s failed usurpation in the Winter Kingdom.

At that time, the Snow Princess had seen the three of them through the mirror, though Queen Isola had quickly re-shrouded her mirror in mist after just a glimpse. Still, the Snow Princess had indeed seen them.

Alice Liddell wasn’t worried about the Duchess Liddell, who was still shopping aimlessly on the street; she was only worried about herself.

Queen Isola and the Duchess Liddell possessed powers of illusion, so the impression the Snow Princess had of them at the time should have been insufficient to recognize them in person.

But Alice Liddell was entirely different. The Snow Princess had seen her true, unaltered face!

Although she had merely stood behind Queen Isola and the Duchess Liddell like a subordinate, uttering no words, there was no guarantee the Snow Princess hadn’t noticed her.

‘If my identity is discovered here, I’ll perish before I even begin my mission!’

Alice Liddell cautiously took out a handheld mirror from her small bag; she usually carried Queen Isola’s magic mirror with her.

With her back to the intersection where the Snow Princess stood, she raised the mirror, pretending to touch up her makeup. Simultaneously, she angled the mirror towards the Snow Princess, allowing her to observe the other woman’s movements without directly showing her own face.

After several carriages passed through the intersection, the area momentarily cleared, and waiting pedestrians began to cross the road.

The Snow Princess didn’t seem to have particularly noticed Alice Liddell, but she too began to cross the main road with the other pedestrians, walking directly towards Alice Liddell’s side—it seemed she had intended to come this way all along.

Alice Liddell’s heart sank.

‘This is… bad!’