ALL NOVEL Chapter 44 : Alice and Princess Ivy’s Representative.
Mansion of Marquess Reinhard, June 28, 03:00 AM.
In a room, Marquess Reinhard is seen holding his son's very weak hand. Marquess Reinhard's son, named Ronald, and only around 8 years old, suddenly fell ill at the age of 6 without a clear reason, which was quite unusual.
Marquess Reinhard is a doting parent, especially because his son is his only child, and his wife passed away during Ronald's birth. Marquess Reinhard is willing to do anything for his child's future and safety.
Various physicians, wizards, and others have been brought in to heal his son, but all efforts have been in vain. His son's illness cannot be cured, and for two years, he has been in a state of unconsciousness, albeit still breathing. To meet his son's nutritional needs, Marquess Reinhard must hire a wizard who can provide the necessary nutrients to sustain his son's body.
The disease afflicting Ronald, Marquess Reinhard's son, is very similar to the Sleeping Beauty syndrome. His son can still breathe but remains unconscious, effectively in an endless coma. However, his condition worsens over time.
His son's breathing becomes increasingly unstable and irregular, indicating his deteriorating condition. One night, the physicians predicted that his son had at most 2 days to live, and at the very least, only a few hours. Despite their efforts, the physicians, who were emissaries of Princess Ivy, could do nothing to help.
After the physicians left the room, Marquess Reinhard remained inside, continuously shedding tears as he gazed at his unconscious son. Marquess Reinhard's hands tightly grasped his son's right hand, which seemed devoid of strength.
"Stay with me, my child. Please don't leave this sorrowful father alone."
With deep sadness, Marquess Reinhard continued to hope that his son would survive, even though he knew his son's time was running out. Ronald showed no response to Marquess Reinhard's words, but Marquess Reinhard was convinced that their hearts were connected.
Usually, parents and children share a deep bond in their hearts, enabling them to communicate indirectly through their feelings.
Ronald's room could be described as luxurious and spacious, much like the chambers of nobility. From a young age, Ronald was a cheerful child who loved to draw, evident from the many drawings adorning the walls of his room.
With profound sorrow, Marquess Reinhard continued to pray and hope in his heart for his son's recovery.
"If the Gods truly exist, please heal my son."
Suddenly, the calm air was replaced by a strong gust of wind, and a white light began to emanate next to Marquess Reinhard, startling him.
"I can heal your child."
From the white light emerged a mysterious figure.
=========================
A few moments earlier...
Alice is currently on the roof of Marquess Reinhard's mansion. Her current goal is to inspect Marquess Reinhard's child and leverage it to an advantage.
"This should be the right time."
Under the beautifully bright night sky, Alice gazes downward. She appears as her true self, Alice Vasilissa, with her white hair lifted by the wind.
"At least I should find out the conditions inside this mansion."
Alice glances around; on the outskirts of Marquess Reinhard's Mansion, there's a vast expanse of trees, and many guards are patrolling below.
"Arina and Clarissa should be guarding the area to prevent any disturbances."
Alice briefly contemplates whether to use skills, magic, or something else to assess the mansion's situation. Suddenly, she recalls her White Fox in the Abyssal Forest, not having seen it for days. Normally, players can unsummon pets if not needed, but Alice can't currently unsummon.
[Summon: White Fox]
A magical circle appears in front of Alice, summoning a white fox sleeping in front of her.
"Well, this should keep it from getting bored if I give it a little task."
"Yukikaze, wake up."
Alice's White Fox is named Yukikaze, inspired by an unsinkable ship. Symbolically, it signifies that Alice's White Fox has never been defeated by an enemy.
Yukikaze's unique sound reaches Alice's ears. She doesn't mind, knowing ordinary humans can't hear the White Fox's voice. Yukikaze starts waking up, resembling a dog eager for its owner's affection.
Alice smiles briefly, then gently pets Yukikaze.
"Use your skill to survey the area."
Yukikaze nods, emitting a wave of air that spreads everywhere. Alice places her hand on Yukikaze's head, gaining a clear view of the entire mansion as if each room has no walls.
"Hmm?"
Alice sees a man and a child lying on a bed. From their appearance and attire, she recognizes them as Marquess Reinhard and his child.
In addition to seeing the room's contents, Alice can hear the sounds she wants. She hears a father's concern for his severely ill child. Alice smiles, recognizing this as her opportunity to intervene.
[Ultimate Skill: Ultimate Teleportation]
Alice instantly disappears from Marquess Reinhard's mansion roof. Meanwhile, Yukikaze, her White Fox, remains alert, waiting for further orders. Yukikaze now truly resembles a guardian wolf.
Alice appears in Marquess Reinhard's child's room, Ronald. She materializes about 2 meters in front of the bed, causing a gust of wind in the room. She envelops herself with a light elemental aura, resembling an angel or hero.
"I can heal your child."
Marquess Reinhard, surprised and cautious, assumes a protective stance for his child.
(From his position, it seems he can't fight—an attitude of desperation to protect someone.)
"Who are you?" Marquess Reinhard asks, panic evident in his tone.
Alice takes a breath and exhales.
"Huffftt, no need to worry, human. I've come here to heal your child."
(I'm also curious about the illness affecting this child.)
"Is that true?" Marquess Reinhard asks, looking like a father desperately wanting his child to recover.
"Yes, no need to worry."
[Ultimate Skill: Ultimate Curse Detector]
Alice straightens her hand, and a purple aura immediately emerges, penetrating Marquess Reinhard's child. Naturally, Marquess Reinhard panics upon seeing his child enveloped in a purple aura.
"W-what are you doing!?"
Alice doesn't answer Marquess Reinhard's question because she's curious about the curses present in this world. At least information about curses in the world might be useful to Alice someday.
Closing her eyes, Alice focuses on detecting the curse on Marquess Reinhard's child. From the beginning, Alice's instincts tell her that the child is under a curse, not an illness.
(This...)
Alice's expression turns highly disappointed; she discovers only a level 3 curse, which is quite underwhelming.
(Just a level 3 curse? I thought it would be at least level 10 or higher.)
Alice looks at Marquess Reinhard, who appears resigned since he can't do anything.
(The right moment!)
[Special Skill: Cursed Breaker]
Confidently, Alice clenches her fists, instantly shattering the curse on Marquess Reinhard's child. The child wakes up and immediately starts coughing.
Marquess Reinhard, seeing his child awake, immediately embraces him with fatherly love, afraid of losing him. Alice averts her gaze, reminded of her family on Earth.
"My child, are you okay?"
"You should rest now."
"Y-yes, Father, I'll rest."
"I've healed your child, and of course, it's not free," Alice speaks to break the dramatic moment.
"You know? Nothing is free in this world."
Alice recalls having to pay even for using a public toilet back on Earth.
"So, what can I do?" Marquess Reinhard asks in a very soft tone.
"But before that..."
Suddenly, a dark aura enters Marquess Reinhard's child's body.
"I'm making this as insurance; you must remain loyal to me."
(For some reason, my gut tells me not to trust someone like this.)
Marquess Reinhard immediately kneels before Alice, raising one hand at a 90° angle. Alice just stares at him with her glowing red eyes.
"I swear to be loyal to you, no matter the circumstances."
Alice nods as if indifferent to Marquess Reinhard's oath.
"First, you must provide all information about this kingdom, the economic and political situation, and so on."
"Second, you must side with Princess Ivy."
"Third, I am a Goddess; you can address me as Goddess."
"I understand, Goddess."
"I have placed my power on your child; if you are not loyal, your child will die instantly."
"I understand."
"I will visit again at night; prepare all reports on the current kingdom situation."
Alice speaks in a very cold and firm tone.
"Alright! I will prepare all the reports and information that the Goddess needs."
"Good."
Alice instantly disappears from Marquess Reinhard's presence. Marquess Reinhard's expression changes immediately after Alice's departure.
"Huh."
=========================
During the daytime, Alice has just completed a mission to capture wanted knights in the city of Arclens. Wearing a white mask and a brown cloak, Alice stands outside the knight's office, holding a bag of coins earned from capturing the fugitives.
"Not bad for today."
Alice decides to put the money bag into her cloak pocket, then she takes a letter she received and starts opening it.
Of course, Alice cannot read the letter and decides to walk into a narrow and dark alley. Once in the alley, Alice removes her mask, and a black hole appears right next to her, indicating her intention to retrieve something.
"Fortunately, I didn't discard the translator item."
Alice then takes a pair of glasses from the black hole and puts them on. After wearing the glasses, Alice starts reading the letter silently.
Greetings,
We are representatives of Princess Ivy, inviting you to dinner at the following location.
We hope the White Masked Hero attends the dinner event we have prepared. Thank you.
Regards,
Personal Assistant to Princess Ivy,
(Mikami Frank Aleit Greise)
Deputy Personal Assistant to Princess Ivy,
(Rufus Arnold Volker von Althaus)
"Ah, here is also an official seal from the empire and Princess Ivy."
"It seems they are very interested in me. I will meet them first and then visit Marquess Reinhard."
Alice takes off her glasses and puts them back into the black hole that appeared next to her earlier. After that, Alice puts on her mask again and immediately puts the letter into her cloak pocket.
"It seems Clarissa is still busy capturing fugitives, and Arina..."
Suddenly, Arina appears right behind Alice, kneeling and bowing her head.
"Protect me in the shadows from now on; I want to be alone to appear weaker."
"Understood, Alice-sama."
"Well, it seems to dominate this kingdom; I have to get involved in super complicated politics."
"But that's okay; conquering a kingdom isn't as easy as in the fantasy novels I've read. There are many complexities and major or minor things to consider."
Alice then looks at both of her arms.
"Hopefully, I can find a strong opponent someday."
Alice smiles, although her smile is not visible due to wearing a mask.
"The longer it goes, the stranger the name White Masked Hero becomes. I'll have to think of a better new name later."
==========================
June 28, Star Mansion, 7:00 PM.
Star Mansion is a fairly large mansion owned by one of the nobles in the city of Arclens. Unlike other mansions that serve as private residences, Star Mansion is a mansion that can be rented at a relatively high price, depending on the duration of the lease.
The location of Star Mansion is in the north of the city of Arclens, precisely on top of a hill. It's named Star Mansion because the residents of this mansion can enjoy the beautiful star-studded sky through the windows.
Alice is currently outside the mansion, greeted by several knights guarding it tightly.
In short, Alice begins to enter the mansion accompanied by knights who seem to be escorting her. Of course, Alice is quite surprised; it has only been a few days since she arrived here, and she's already been invited by the personal assistant of a princess.
(I commend their instincts for inviting me.)
(I didn't expect to be welcomed like this, especially just a few days since I arrived here.)
Alice smiles broadly, although not visible due to the mask. Alice continues to observe the surroundings, which seem to be tightly guarded as if there will be a meeting between state officials or someone very important.
In short, Alice begins to enter a room, and it turns out to be a spacious dining room. There is a long table with only three chairs. On the left side of the room, instead of a wall, there is a large window providing a clear view of the night.
On the right side, there is a wall adorned with paintings by an unknown artist, mainly portraying faces. A large chandelier hangs in the center of the room, and there are candles on the dining table.
Upon entering the room, Alice is greeted by Mikami and Rufus, who are already standing in front of her.
"Thank you for coming," Rufus welcomes.
"I hope you enjoy tonight's dinner," Mikami continues the conversation.
"Thank you," Alice speaks softly, then proceeds to shake hands with Mikami and Rufus. After that, they take their seats, and several servants are ready to serve the meal.
Once Alice, Mikami, and Rufus are seated, a beautiful female servant brings several bowls of soup as the appetizer. Alice is intrigued and curious if the taste of this soup is similar to or different from her previous life.
"Please enjoy your appetizer, sir," the servant says.
Alice tries to be elegant as she starts to eat the soup provided, and Mikami and Rufus eat like nobles, maintaining a graceful and elegant impression. Alice occasionally glances at them to imitate their elegant and noble way of dining.
After a while, the three of them finish the soup, and many servants start bringing the main course: grilled beef with a special seasoning unique to the Igrasian empire.
As this progresses to the main course, Alice decides to directly inquire about the main purpose of their invitation.
"So, what is your intention in inviting me here? I'm, of course, honored to be invited by distinguished individuals like yourselves," Alice asks in a flat yet slightly awkward tone.
Mikami and Rufus glance at each other, and then Rufus begins to answer Alice's question.
"Yes, we would like to invite you to become a subordinate of Princess Ivy."
Alice suddenly coughs, not expecting to be directly invited as a subordinate of Princess Ivy. Rufus, seeing Alice cough, continues his words.
"Well, there's no need to answer now; please enjoy your meal."
"Alright, I'll think about it."
The three of them start enjoying the main course while chatting. Of course, Alice takes this opportunity to dig deeper into information about Princess Ivy.
"So, what benefits will I gain from being a subordinate of Princess Ivy?" Alice asks in a gentle tone.
"Well, we'll ensure your future, no need to worry about money and such," Rufus answers very casually.
(Money... Well, that's reasonable, but unfortunately, I'm not interested.)
"Then, we can grant you an authority in this Empire. If you work very hard, you could have high authority in this Empire."
(Throne... Ordinary people would be immediately interested.)
"Lastly, you can have a harem if you wish."
(Complete! Wealth, Throne, Women. If I were a native of this world, I would agree immediately, but unfortunately, I already have all of that.)
"Not only that, but your descendants will also reap the benefits."
(Truly sweet words like candy.)
"Interesting... Unfortunately, for now, I decline. Maybe I can change my mind at another time."
Disappointment is evident on Mikami and Rufus's faces. However, both try to hide their disappointment due to their high self-esteem.
"Is that so... No problem; let's continue this dinner," Rufus says.
"May I make a request?"
Mikami interrupts.
Alice immediately stops eating and looks at Mikami.
"What is it?"
"I want to spar with you."
Alice smiles because this is something she's been waiting for.
"When?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"Alright, I'll come tomorrow."
In short, Alice continues her meal until it's finished. While eating, Alice lifts her mask slightly so her face remains unseen.
In an unknown location...
"A healer? A Goddess? I must capture her for the cult."
"The security at Marquess Reinhard's Mansion is truly weak, hahaha."
"I will come when Marquess Reinhard meets them for the second time."
