Upon returning to her room, Alice, who had finished closing the door slumped down in a sitting position with her knees bent, she put her arms around her knees with tears wetting her face.
"Why would someone want to kill me? What did I do wrong that I was targeted by that man? What's the point? What does he want from me?"
All the questions filled Alice's mind.
She couldn't have complained to her father and mother because they could have complained to her grandfather, Arga, making the situation even more chaotic between the three factions without knowing who wanted to die.
But on the other hand, she was concerned for her safety. If she does not complain then she will repeat the same mistakes that happened to her in her previous life as Nia.
"Whoever, help me! I don't want to die!"
No one heard Alice's heart scream filled with despair in sorrow.
When she imagined herself about to die, she knew there would be pain left by those around her, such as her family and close friends, they would surely be plunged into deep sorrow.
"Will I be able to change? Will this be easy for me to get through?"
When those questions filled her mind, she wasn't sure what she was doing right now would bring her any change.
Indeed, Alice admitted that she had improved a little. But to deal with others who are far more experienced, there is a possibility that she will die immediately without the opportunity to put up a fight according to their wishes.
•••••
As the morning is seen through the window, the sound of an open door shows a blonde butterfly haircut, a pair of crimson eyes, having a beautiful face that looks cheerful as the door opens completely.
"Sweetheart, is it time for break-huh?"
The woman was none other than Luna, Alice's mother.
The reason why she was surprised when she entered her daughter's room because there was no where she was, made her wonder where she had gone. When he imagined bad things to happen to her, fear and fear filled her heart.
In a state of panic, she checked her room to make sure that Alice was not in her room. Upon finding out, Luna immediately goes to Ren's room, her husband.
"Sweetheart, this is bad! Alice, our daughter is missing!"
"Huh?"
Hearing words from the outside that sound similar to his wife Luna's, Ren who finished changing from pajamas to formal aristocratic clothes, with long black sleeves covering the white shirt inside with shiny black buttons, with long black leather pants, and a black leather shirt. and black shoes as he walked to open the door to see his frantic wife.
"Isn't she used to disappear?" asked Ren, clearly he was used to his daughter who always disappeared when her arms were at her age when she was still crawling up to 6 years old.
But, not for Luna who's not used to losing her daughter. Her maternal instincts alarmed her, afraid bad things would happen to her daughter.
"This is no time for quiet, sweetheart! We need to find her immediately!"
Before being able to run around everywhere, Ren prevents Luna by grasping her left hand tightly as she will run away from her sight in a panic.
"No need to panic, I'll search for our daughter's whereabouts."
"Fine."
Relieved to know that her husband intends to find his own whereabouts, Luna hopes Ren can find their daughter soon before breakfast takes place.
"Don't tell Father-in-law because I'm afraid he'll order the maid and knights to find our daughter."
"Fine."
Seeing her husband's departure to find her daughter, Luna knows very well that if she complains to her father, Arga, it will cause a stir that makes maid and knights immediately search for their daughter's whereabouts.
But the truth is, their daughter could not have been anything but disappeared. However, his uproar could cause other nobles to wonder what was really going on in their minds caused a commotion among other nobles with rumors that Arga was overprotective of protecting Alice, his own granddaughter.
Along the hall was traced by Ren on the second floor, ranging from; the lodging area, the dining hall, the artifact repository, the medical equipment warehouse, the operating room to the meeting room, he found no whereabouts of his daughter at all.
Not on the second floor, Ren quietly without letting fear, panic, and worried about filling his heart immediately looking for her on the third floor because that floor might not have anyone on guard unlike the ground floor or the first to have knights and maids in the inn who are busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen there.
Most likely, his daughter may have played in the hallway so without lingering, he immediately climbed the stairs to the third floor which penetrated into the empty public hall without anything.
"She's not here."
Immediately moved to another place, where the area was a private office located in the hallway from the north of the public hall.
His eyes looked closely at each door, no sign of the door opening slightly or of the sound of the interior in any private office room with each other's names on the board at the door made Ren convinced that all the nobles had not been busy doing morning activities.
"Is it possible that my daughter is in my father-in-law's private room?"
Not far from the private office area of the nobility, Ren immediately stopped in front of the double entrance engraved with beautiful dark golden carvings in the carved section that formed the inverted s and s, with a metallic brown base door about 3 meters high.
"I hope Father-in-law isn't inside."
Ren's two hands were placed at the door to open it in the hope of not having his father-in-law inside, Arga. Because if Arga's inside, there's a chance he's curious about his son-in-law's arrival here to find something he shouldn't be here arousing suspicion.
"Calm down, Ren. You can do it."
After convincing himself, he inevitably insisted to open the door even though there was a risk of being suspected by his father-in-law later.
"Do you have any needs, Mr. Ren?"
"Whoa!"
Jumping in surprise when he heard a voice from behind him, Ren immediately turned to find out who was behind him at this time.
Behind his, a dark green mohawk-haired man, a pair of narrow azure eyes that are always closed, has a handsome face with an ideal posture ranging from; about 174 cm tall, medium-sized body with a firm posture behind a long dark blue robe, and a long black-colored body. made of luxurious velvet cloth and coated with expensive fur like sable staring smile at Ren.
The man was none other than Gerald, an adviser to King Arga.
"It's you," there was a sense of relief from Ren's face so knowing that it was none other than Gerald.
"I'm here to find my daughter. She hasn't been in her room since this morning."
"Maybe breathing some fresh air outside in the front yard of the palace?"
"Are you sure she's there?"
"I don't know. But I saw her this morning at sunrise where she was sitting by the fountain in the front yard."
Not wanting to tell his what he saw this morning, Gerald only told me in spite of a lie hoping Ren wouldn't ask further.
As Gerald suspected, Ren who nodded patted his shoulder and smiled as he ran to the stairs on the third floor leading to the second floor.
"Thank you very much, Gerald."
"No problem. I'm just doing what I'm supposed to do."
As soon as he saw Ren's disappearing figure in the distance, Gerald's relaxed expression changed drastically to serious, his narrow eyes opened showing a pair of azure eyes.
"Well, I didn't help her from the front like Miss Lisa did. But still, I helped her through my way.
Again walking away from the king's private office outside, for Gerald this decision is perfect for him who works unnoticed by others according to his performance.
After all, it's not Gerald's first time doing this but it's been many times so he doesn't hesitate to reach out to Alice for the future of this kingdom, in his curiosity to know whether she can be the next leader or not.
In the front yard of the palace, Ren looked around and found no whereabouts of his daughter at all. Confused, Ren immediately asked the two guards outside the palace door rather than inside.
"Have you seen my daughter?"
The two knights exchanged glances and looked at Ren after the two nodded.
"We saw Alice-sama returning to her room in the morning after doing a jog at dawn."
"Joging?"
"Yeah. She's been doing this nonstop for a week. She said it was useful to improve her physique for the better in order to lead the kingdom in the future."
Unexpectedly if his daughter was really serious about it, Ren did not know whether he should be happy or not because his daughter carried out a task that she should not be carrying out but rather an adult task.
"Thank you very much for the information."
Not wanting the knights to know, Ren re-entered the wooden double door that showed the lobby inside.
There's no one, except for the three knights inside. They all stare in bewilderment at Ren's unusual-looking attitude.
"Where's my daughter?"
"We saw her go back to her room."
"Really?"
"Yes," one of the senior soldiers nodded to Ren, telling the truth without any lies.
But Ren didn't feel like meeting his daughter earlier. Even if he did, he might have already entered the room. That's the only positive thought of him.
"Maybe I'll try to check again."
Nodding once, Ren returns to the second floor from one side of the circular lobby. He once again returned to the lodging area.
"Sweetheart, how? Have you found our daughter's whereabouts?"
As he approaches his daughter's room, he is surprised to see Luna, his wife who approaches him with a worried look on her face regardless of the two maids who accompany him to comfort him.
But instead of comforting her, Luna is even more worried about her missing daughter's condition. Afraid something bad might happen to her.
"Calm down, sweetheart. I'm sure she's fine."
"Really?"
"Yes," although Ren couldn't bear to see his wife like this, he somehow had to convince her that everything was okay.
Otherwise, his wife would faint if he simply answered her question. Especially if she finds out that their daughter is doing physical training without their knowledge secretly causing her to be angry with Ren.
Meanwhile, Ren is confused about where Alice is going while Luna is worried about Alice's absence in the room, somewhere on the third floor in the depth of the library room.
There was a 6-year-old girl staring proudly at the clean room after she had cleaned it long enough without realizing that her mother and father were looking for her.
That person is none other than Alice.
Let's flash back a little while ago.
After Alice finished jogging around the castle after several weeks of training, she took a short break in a chair near the flower garden on either side of the palace.
"Can I really survive in this world?"
There was a doubt eating away at her heart.
She wasn't sure if she could face them, the strongest enemy who didn't know who they were. They could have stabbed her in the back while Alice was off her guard.
Even if she's careful, there's a chance that people who want to eliminate her will know that her attitude is like keeping an eye on others, so they change the plan.
Something like that makes her unsure of what to do later.
If she is faced with something stronger, for example the person who intends to kill her has a magical affinity and which is extraordinarily strong, it is possible that the exercise she undergoes would be useless causing her to die.
Likewise, if the enemy uses physically stronger than her, don't fight back, even shouting can't make her die easily directly by the enemy.
Imagining it made a cold sweat on her back, Alice's hair stood tense as if she had not wanted death a second time. Afraid that a third life might not exist a second time.
"If only I didn't look like this," she complained, who felt that the world was unfair.
Born into a noble family, especially the royal family was pretty good according to Alice. There are not only a few ikemen face, there are also good food and drinks, love and attention from their parents, and close friends. That's an advantage.
Her shortcomings are two, she is weak in physique and magic. Never mind the weak physique, which it has is very small like a candle that will be extinguished when it is about to disappear.
Knowing that complaining is pointless, Alice shakes her head many times and then slaps hard on both cheeks to sober herself up from complaining that will cause her to be just like she was.
"I mustn't complain. Even if I can't live for the third time or don't have any change, at least I've tried hard," convincing her of this, her view is filled with fiery determination unlike before which fear, worry, and doubt are one.
"Alright. I have to keep doing it."
Not wanting to linger outside, Alice leaves after a warm sun hits her body about 6:00 AM to return to her room.
Upon entering the lobby and going up the stairs to the lodging area, she accidentally sees Gerald in the middle of the hallway waiting for someone to pass through.
"What's he doing there?"
Her instincts are signaling. There's something unusual about Gerald's attitude that Alice doesn't know what he looks like, but from her long experience as an otaku, most men with squinty eyes have a mysterious past so she's afraid that if she approaches him without being alert then there's a chance he'll be killed by her.
"What do you want here? Are you waiting for me?"
"Ah, Alice-sama. I happen to want to talk to you about something," Gerald approached Alice, looking at the distance he had spread with caution when he said it kindly and smiling on his face with his squinted eyes closed.
"What do you want to talk to me about? Just say it!" urged Alice, no matter what Gerald wants, she remains cautious and vigilant at a distance of about 20 meters.
Knowing that Alice's alertness was obvious, Gerald's mind was very certain that Lisa might have told him this. Otherwise, how could Alice be careful like that without keeping a distance from others.
"I just want to tell you something." Alice nodded. She remained silent while looking at Gerald with a serious look on his face, wondering what he would say next.
"First, I am not your enemy. Secondly, I come as the one who will help you with this problem. Third, the one who plans to kill you is Mr. Edi."
At first glance, her surprise was seen on her face but was quickly replaced with an irritated face while Alice still looked at Gerald.
"What nonsense are you saying?! How could my friend's father do that?!"
Hearing her cold words and her hateful expression on Alice's face, Gerald could understand that the little girl in front of him in the distance could not believe his so he was not angry but remained calm.
But, suddenly his squinty eyes opened showing a pair of azure eyes that looked sharply at Alice with a serious face that was inversely proportional to the friendly and relaxed manner of her.
"No, you're wrong about that."
The expression "how could I believe you!" is another expression "explain it to me!" in order to prove that Gerald is really a friend, not an enemy who wants to get rid of her by stabbing her in the back.
In response to the resentful expression of her clearly implied face for him, Gerald nodded without objecting to explain what he knew to Alice even though it would end up being a bitter reality that Alice had to swallow alone.
"The reason Mr. Edi is after you to be eliminated is power. He plans to use his son to marry you, but Mr. Ken doesn't seem to want that."
"Don't want that?"
"Yes," nodded Gerald. He returns to relaxed and friendly mode with a small smile on his face, his squinty eyes again shut tight as he approaches Alice.
Even though Alice was keeping a close watch on him. The distance between them is now 10 meters and then 5 meters until Gerald finally gets close to him.
"Mr. Ken says that he doesn't want to be your husband, he plans to be a knight who protects you from harm."
"But, why did he intend to kill me? What does that get?"
Granted, Gerald did not understand what Edi was thinking. But judging from the situation, he understands something through secret talks Edi had with his three subordinates in his room at midnight.
"Are you sure you want to hear it even though it's going to be very painful and bitter?" No matter how she feels, Alice nods ready to receive an answer from Gerald despite the pain and bitterness later.
"He wants to get rid of you not only easily, but also plans to make his son king to lead the kingdom of Thijam."
"But why use a ha..."
"Because if you're not eliminated, there's a good chance you'll report this to anyone."
"....."
Silent because she couldn't respond to anything, what Gerald said was right.
Eliminating people is easier than talking good. It was never thought of by Alice, who probably had the same thoughts as her mother, Luna.
But still, it hurts to know that the father of her close friend plans to eliminate her for the sake of power to make his son king in this kingdom, the Kingdom of Thijam.
"The reason why you knew about this from Miss Lisa, I told her to make her work with me to help you."
"But, what do you get out of helping me?"
There's nothing Gerald can get to help Alice, at least that's what Alice thinks. However, Gerald did not respond to it but chuckled, still smiling behind his friendly mask.
"I did it to protect you from harm. Moreover, I want to know what the future will be like as queen in the future."
Surprised to hear from Gerald, Alice did not expect that the man in front of her helped her out of curiosity, nothing more than that.
"But, what do you expect of me?" Her words sounded desperate as she humbled herself in front of Gerald. "I don't have much, even my physically weak."
Embracing her body, tears flow down her face profusely, frightened and worried that her death will cost Gerald a shock at the attitude of the girl who is plunged into fear and grief.
"How can I lead the kingdom of Thijam when I am weak?"
What Gerald next hears is a sentence of despair with doubt, he sees Alice's expression in pain while crying understanding what a 6-year-old girl is suffering from in front of his.
At first glance, Gerald wanted to come forward to hold her and calm her down, but that wasn't the best choice he did. In fact, he could only do one thing to keep Alice from this miserable wretchedness.
"Ignore the thoughts of others! They want to bring you down to ruin, including to get rid of you!"
Gerald's words were firm without being formal, staring sharply with his azure eyes open from his narrow eyes staring straight into Alice's crimson eyes.
Alice, surprised by Gerald's different demeanor, returns down with her face increasingly sad as she imagines it, remaining in tears while hugging her body to relieve her fear a little.
Knowing that those words could not convince Alice, Gerald was forced to offer other suggestions.
"If you're not strong then use this for your own safety!"
Suddenly Gerald throws something at Alice, Alice who is startled by an unexpected move almost fretfully catches the object thrown at her.
Fortunately, the object did not fall and was caught even though she had a moment of exhaustion.
"This..." looked at Gerald with a puzzled look on her face, there was a curiosity of Alice's attitude as if curious as to what the key was.
Understanding her confusion, Gerald explains to her with a more relaxed attitude but there is no small smile behind his face mask but seriousness even though his eyes are closed again.
"That's the key to the Artifact Warehouse. There you can get the artifacts you want to use to survive. To activate it easily, you can ask Miss Lisa for help to give you where in the artifact so that it can be adjusted to your size and used at the same time."
Confused by this, there's one thing Alice doesn't understand about how to use artifacts.
Whether it's magic or just how much it's poured into the artifact to activate it, he doesn't hesitate to ask Gerald.
"Are they activated through magic or something?"
"They're active when they're poured into it. With you using it, which depends on how big the capacity is. If poured in bulk, it can last 10 times for use. If there's little room then it can only be used once."
Suddenly Gerald did not want Alice to feel proud to be able to use it, forced to continue the explanation even though this would offend her.
"But, you can't use it with which capacity you are because weak."
"Yes, I understand," not hating Gerald's words which had no intention of insulting and degrading her, Alice knew very well that where her property was impossible to use the artifact.
"In other words, I just need to ask Aunt Lisa for help?"
"Yes."
Now Alice understands the outline proposed by Gerald to her.
What Gerald said as a friend was what he was. As proof of his willingness to help herself become queen in the future, Alice believes that he has someone who intends to protect her from harm. But still, it's not worth doing this because there's still suspicion from behind Gerald's motive for helping him so far.
However, Alice did not say anything but showed a sincere smile behind her face mask.
"Okay, I'll take the proposal from you. Thank you for proposing this to me.
"You're welcome." Gerald's words sounded sincere, his face looking calm with a relaxed attitude on Alice. "As long as you're safe and happy, I think that's enough for me to keep you out of trouble."
Indeed, Gerald's words sound familiar. But anyway, Alice remains an ordinary girl who hasn't known love in her entire life as Nia in her old life, flowers blooming in her heart with slightly blushing cheeks.
"No, it's not.... I can't fall in love with him."
Knowing that falling in love with his would be very troublesome, Alice believes that Gerald may not have a partner.
Overall, he was an ikemen other than his own father. It is impossible for Gerald to have no partner at all or be engaged as husband and wife.
"Well, then, if you'll excuse me."
"Fine."
Rejoined to pass by Gerald, Alice immediately runs because she does not want her to keep feeling her increasingly strong heart rate. Afraid that if she stays here, she'll fall in love with Gerald even more.
The confused Gerald does not understand why Alice is running, thinking that she plans to make preparations for her physical training again. The hope is that the key is useful in the right hands for a little girl like Alice so that the future of the Kingdom of Thijam does not go in a bad direction but in a good direction.