“Hnng-~!”
Stretching her hands up as a cute yawn escaped her lips, Alice rubbed her groggy eyes and slowly relaxed her aching muscles.
“Oya- looks like you’re awake now, my dear master-“
Looking to her side, where the floating head of her familiar continued to roll over with his iconic ear-to-ear smile, Alice sighed.
“Good morning, Cheshire…” Alice said in a tired voice.
“Hm~? Are you still tired?”
“Maybe…?”
The amount of work and effort she put in yesterday wasn’t something she could just ignore, especially after facing two rooks and two card aces.
‘They’re getting awfully stronger than usual….’
“I may have pushed myself a bit too hard yesterday… most of my mana hasn’t replenished yet.”
Cheshire’s cat-like head shook as he watched the struggles of his master.
Usually, Alice would be brighter and more energetic whenever morning came, but now she was struggling to even get out of bed.
“That’s why I told you to skip student council duties yesterday~ This is the problem when a person can’t say no.”
“Well, Dorothy begged me to come, hehe~” Alice said while scratching the back of her head. “You know how persistent she can be.”
Cheshire floated closer, his expression turning slightly more serious. “But you need to take care of yourself, Alice. Overexerting your mana like that can have serious consequences.” “I know, I know…hehe~” Alice groaned as she swung her legs over the side of the bed.
“But there’s just so much to do. With the upcoming events and the council’s plans, I can’t afford to slack off”
“Even so, your health should come first- “Cheshire insisted, his voice gentle but firm. “How about taking it easy today? Let your body and mana recover fully.”
Alice pondered this for a moment. As much as she hated to admit it, Cheshire had a point. Pushing herself too hard would only lead to more problems in the long run. “Alright, maybe I’ll take it a bit easier today.”
“Mhm- good, I’ll inform the president lat-“
“But not after I’ve done half my duties for today, hehe~”
“Hey…”
“Oh, come on, don’t look at me like that, Cheshire. You know how busy the council is right now, right? We haven’t even sorted out the plans for the upcoming Grand Festival, not to mention the constant disputes between random student clubs. There’s also the ongoing subtle conflict between the nobles and commoner students we’re trying to prevent. Don’t you feel bad for Dorothy, who has to take responsibility for all of that?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Eh?”
“She chose and accepted the role of student council president herself. She knows her responsibility, and…” A cat-like paw manifested near the clouds of smoke surrounding Cheshire’s head, pinching Alice’s cheek. “You’re not even a proper member of the student council. Why are you even diligently helping them out?”
“O-Ouch, it hurts~ But I’m the secretary. I should help out, right?”
“That was yesterday. Last week, you were the vice president, and three days before that, you were the disciplinary head. Are you planning on taking every open role they have? Hmm~?”
Alice winced as the paw pinched her cheek, her eyes slightly watering. “I just want to help where I can, Cheshire. They need all the help they can get, and I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”
Cheshire sighed, releasing her cheek and floating back a bit. “You have a good heart, Alice, but you also need to set boundaries. Overextending yourself won’t do anyone any good, especially if you burn out.”
“I know…” Alice rubbed her cheek, feeling a bit sheepish. “But it’s hard to say no to Dorothy you know? Even the other members eyes are darted onto me whenever trouble rises”
“That’s exactly why you need to learn to prioritize. Your well-being comes first. Besides, the council has other members who can handle the workload. You don’t have to do everything by yourself.”
Alice nodded slowly, understanding Cheshire’s point. “Alright, I’ll try to take it easier. But I still want to help out a bit today. Just until things settle down a bit more.”
Cheshire’s smile returned, albeit a bit resigned. “Fine, but promise me you’ll take breaks and not overdo it.”
“I promise” Alice said, smiling back.
Gently patting Cheshire’s head, Alice giggled as his soft purrs echoed in her room.
Even though Cheshire was usually annoying her most of the time, when it came to matters involving her health and overall safety, he was the best guardian she could ever have.
Though she would’ve liked it if Cheshire was this honest and caring all the time, his witty and quirky side was part of his charm, so she couldn’t really complain.
“Scratch my ears more~”
“Yes, yes~”
Chucking a little more, Alice finally got up from her bed and immediately went straight for her bathroom.
As she prepared for the day, the familiar sounds of running water and the routine of brushing her teeth and washing her face helped her clear her mind.
Despite the challenges ahead, she felt a sense of comfort and determination.
After a quick shower, she dressed in her academy uniform, adjusting the neat folds and straightening her collar.
The uniform, with its crisp lines and emblematic insignia, always gave her a sense of belonging and pride. She was ready to face the day.
“Oh yeah Cheshire, I almost forgot, what about your investigations?”
“You mean the stalking mission you’ve given me?” Cheshire asked with a smirk.
“H-Huh? It’s not a stalking mission, I-I was just telling you to investigate… no, to monitor
him!”
“Hm~ what you’ve ordered me to do is borderline stalking, you know~?”
“S-shut it! Just tell me already,” Alice demanded, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Cheshire chuckled a little. “Well, not much has changed during the past few days I’ve watched over him. He’s still as hardworking as ever, and as always, he’s either surrounded by beautiful girls or with that black-haired girl.”
“Seo, huh…” Alice murmured, her brow furrowing slightly.
“Yes, that girl. And also, it seems he’s already gone on a date with that new member of the
-council-“
“Rose…?”
“Yes~”Cheshire smiled. “Though I wasn’t able to confirm it with my own eyes, according to the ongoing rumors, the two are already dating and are just waiting for the right time to publicly announce it.”
“T-there’s no way those rumors could be true!” Alice exclaimed, her voice rising with a mix
of disbelief and irritation.
“Who knows~? It is a fact that the two were seen on a date, though,” Cheshire teased,
enjoying Alice’s flustered reaction.
“What-“
Cheshire chuckled out loud at his master’s reaction. “This is why I kept telling you to make a
move already. Now your fair prince is being taken away.”
“He’s not my prince…” “Then what is he?” Cheshire pressed, his eyes glinting with mischief.
“Just… Just someone who matches the queen’s description,” Alice replied, her voice wavering.
“Again, with these inconsistent denials- I’m telling you this now, my dear beloved master, but fate can be broken. It doesn’t matter if he truly is the one destined to be by your side; if no moves are made, he will forever stay as nothing more than a junior in your life~” Alice couldn’t say a word as she tried to maintain a neutral face, but deep inside, she was greatly bothered. After all, she knew everything Cheshire said was the truth…
‘Is he really not the person I’m supposed to trust… The person I’m supposed to give my truth
to?’
Cheshire’s words echoed in her mind, causing her to reflect on her feelings and actions. She had always relied on the belief that fate would guide her to her destined path, but now she was beginning to realize that perhaps she needed to take action to shape her own destiny. Cheshire, sensing her inner turmoil, softened his tone. “Alice, you know I care for you. I just don’t want to see you miss out on something-or someone-important because you were too afraid to take a step forward.”
Afterall, he made a promise to the white queen to take care of Alice in the best way possible…
“Yes….”
As she walked through the corridors of Heavenly Hall, the morning light streamed through the large windows, casting a warm glow on the stone walls. Yet her mind and heart were still
in chaos…
Slap!
Slapping both her cheeks, Alice huffed, trying to shake off thoughts of Riley and the
complexities that came with him.
‘Focus, Alice! You’re already stressed enough with the ongoing movement of the queen. You
can’t let yourself be bothered by uncertainties!’
The academy was already bustling with activity, students hurrying to their classes and groups
chatting animatedly about their plans for the day.
People greeted her along the way, even the academy staff wished her good mornings.
Eventually, she arrived in front of the student council’s office.
As she approached, Alice could already hear the familiar hum of activity inside.
Knocking on the door, she expected to see the usual sight of her fellow council members, busy
with their respective tasks, but…
“Good morning pres-“
“Senior?”
“…R-Riley???”
Right in front of her was the man she had been trying to ignore.
As she saw her red, blushing face reflected in his blue eyes, the intense color of pink inside
him seemed to deepen.
“Riley, you can’t have a member waiting, now, can you?” The student council president
Dorothy’s words echoed, breaking the spell between Riley and Alice as they stood locked in each other’s gaze.
“Ah, yes. Please come in, Senior Alice,” Riley said, holding the door open.
“Y-yes….”
Entering the usual extravagant yet minimalist room, Alice’s eyes landed upon the members of
the council.
President Dorothy was there, Celine was sleeping as usual, their new member Rose was
brewing tea, and their newly hired domestics head Stacy who was busy handling papers
Dorothy had given her yesterday.
Everything seemed the same as usual, except for one person-the only man in the room, sitting in the corner of the sofa with a look of confusion and uncertainty written all over his
face.
His very presence contradicted the bright, shiny atmosphere of the room.
‘Why is he here…?’
Questions started popping up in her innocent mind.