Notes:
() - Heroine's thoughts, Blue Text - Flashbacks
Mad Hatter - Prince of Wondermare - Moon End
Chapter 7 - Is Something Wrong at This Hour?
-Flashback-
Hatter: In three days, there'll be a tea party in the sky garden, so please come alone. Just you.
-Flashback-
Then, on the night of the promised day approaching tomorrow... As I was lodging in the guest room of the building, I was still worrying about it.
-Flashback-
Hatter: What I should do from here on, I've already came up with that answer. Lady MC... What will you do...
-Flashback-
(Just what kind of answer did Hatter-come up with?)
Curious about that answer more than anything, I became unable to sleep. I frantically remembered all my conversations with Hatter-san up till now.
(He said that he was testing me to see if I was suitable to become the new Alice. Even though he said that came up with an answer... This promise too, could he be testing me? I don't know...)
It was still before the promised day, but I wanted to know Hatter-san's true motives and headed to his room...
......
Hatter: ...Is there something wrong at this hour?
He was a little surprised when he saw me and invited me into the room. Even though I don't know what he's usually thinking, he looked a bit happy...
Chapter 8 - You're the Most Suitable to Become Alice
As Hatter-san looked at me, it seemed like he was aware of everything.
Hatter: Do you want to ask me something?
When he smiled gently, he invited me in the room. Although...
MC: ...
(How should I start...)
Even though I was thinking about it this whole time, I couldn't bring out the words at the moment... Hatter-san just sent me a puzzling gaze as he stood there silently.
MC: Um... I...
When I took a deep breath, I spoke with all my might.
MC: You said that you were testing me to see if I was suitable to become the new Alice. Also, the answer that you came up with...
Hatter: ...
Hatter-san didn't say anything towards my words and just stared at me.
MC: But... No matter how much I think about it, I couldn't understand your way of thinking. Even though I might understand if I go to the garden. I want to know now. Please tell me what you meant by the new Alice- !
Before I was done talking, he placed his index finger on my lips.
Hatter: I told you. Questions related to Alice are taboo.
MC: ...
Hatter: If you had said that... Who knows what kind of situation you'll put me through.
Hatter-san's index finger went from my lips to my nape.
MC: ...
That sensation made me tremble, but...
MC: If I go to the garden without knowing anything at the moment... I won't know what kind of situation you'll put me through.
I looked straight at his sharp gaze. Then...
Hatter: Kuku, hahaha!!
He grabbed hold of his silk hat and laughed out loud.
MC: ...!?
Hatter: ...Pardon me! It's just that it's been so long since I've been this excited. Being able to overcome my own implies on how taboo it is, as expected, you really are suitable to become Alice!
MC: Eh...
When he said that happily, he finally talked about Alice. Alice's existence in the world... When it gave hope and became taboo, that was the start of how the mysterious girl was created.
Hatter: Before you came to Wondermare, there were many people that had the existence to become the new Alice. Although, none of them had a suitable soul...
MC: Many people? Then, Hatter-san, you-
Hatter: That's right, I've been searching so much up till now and tested you without you knowing the same way.
As he made a mysterious smile, the faint indirect lighting shined on him.
Hatter: The girls that were candidates to become Alice all had the same reactions as you did towards my questions from the start. Although, they got used to my ongoing questions and I became so obvious... That in the end, they all stopped looking for an answer. Every time I felt that despair, I would forget the passion from the time the world was changing before my eyes. Well, actually, the current world is oddly exquisite and confusing, which makes it interesting. Even so, Lady MC, you're the only one that's different.
He took a step closer to me. Both of his warm hands held my cheeks.
MC: Hatter... -san?
Hatter: You're the kind of person that pursues the answer... That's what makes you like the Alice from that time. I really did make the right decision. You're the one that I've been searching for after all these long years.
As he looked at me with those eyes that were shining brightly, it felt like I was being burned from how heated they looked.
Hatter: Now then, let's head off. To the meet up spot. To that garden...
MC: Ah, please wai-
Before I could get the words out of my mouth, Hatter-san took me out of the room while holding me...
Chapter 9 - I Got Carried Away
When Hatter-san took me out of the room and to the top of the tall building... We headed to the sky garden. It felt like a different place than the time when I went to the tea party before, it was quiet and was giving me a bad feeling.
MC: ...
As a cold breeze blew, I held my own shoulders.
Hatter: Were you scared along the way here?
As uneasiness was forming within me from his teasing, Hatter-san held me.
MC: In the end... I still haven't heard what you wanted to do.
Hatter: It's something that I wanted to do with you.
When he looked at me, he pondered about it for a few seconds and snapped his fingers. Then, a mobile styled closet appeared out of nowhere...
Hatter: It's this, Lady MC.
MC: Eh...!?
When he chanted some kind of spell, my body became enveloped in light.
Hatter: First off, a girly apron dress and then, some cute shoes...
It felt as if he was remaking me... I was looking closer like the illustration of the Alice in the fairytale.
Hatter: For the finishing touch, this hat that I worked hard into making...
MC: P-Please wait!
Feeling embarrassed from being dressed up like the girl from the fairytale, I frantically spoke to Hatter-san.
MC: ...I'm not the "Alice" that you know of...
As I tightly gripped the hem of the blue apron dress, I appealed to him...
Hatter: ...
Hatter-san furrowed his brow sadly.
Hatter: My apologies. I got carried away.
Once again, he snapped his fingers and my body became enveloped in light again.
MC: !
Before I knew it, I was back in my old clothes.
Hatter: Don't get me wrong. I just wanted to welcome you as the new Alice.
Seeing Hatter-san feeling down was kind of cute...
MC: Also, the Alice that I know of doesn't wear a hat.
As I looked at his face, I smiled.
Hatter: Oh, is that so?
When he smiled disappointedly, he returned the hat that he made in the closet.
Hatter: Despite that I went through a lot of trouble into creating this for this day...
Then, he looked at me again with a satisfied look in his green eyes.
Hatter: Now then, let's do this properly. I want to turn you into the new Alice. Then, that existence will make the world change at the same time... Do you understand?
As Hatter-san placed his hand on his chest, he bowed and looked at me. While those charming eyes looked like they could cast magic...
MC: ...Yes.
I nodded without thinking.
Hatter: ...
Hatter-san made a satisfied smile. It strangely felt like Hatter-san's smile was on the face of an innocent child instead of the face of a captivating adult.
Hatter: Well then, shall we get ready, Milady?
With expectations and uneasiness holding me, I nodded to him again. Then, he held my hand and escorted me into the sky garden...
Last Chapter - Now, the Transformation of the World!
As the stars in the night sky were twinkling in suspense... When we passed through the rose hedge and went deeper into the dark garden... Hatter-san and I continued walking. Then, over ther was...
MC: Eh... This is!?
-Flashback-
MC: Do you have a dream?
Hatter: Of course. Someday, I want to have a tea party in the sky, so I'm doing a little research on an iron ship that can fly in the sky.
-Flashback-
Deep inside the garden was the huge iron ship that he mentioned of researching the other day. As lights were shining on the ship brightly, I couldn't think of anything stranger than that in this world.
MC: ...
I was speechless from that scene.
Hatter: Fufu... Were you surprised? I prepared this in secret until a time like this have come someday.
MC: Eh... But, what I heard before was that you wanted to hold a tea party in the sky someday.
Hatter: Yes, that's... Well, it was for publicity.
As he looked at me with a raised brow, he straightened his amusedly.
Hatter: Besides, isn't it obvious, since this is my reunion with the girl that holds the power to change the world, I can't waste any time...
MC: This ship, just where is it going...?
Hatter: Anywhere. It can go to any place you'd like... Whoa!
MC: ...
Just as Hatter-san was blown by the wind, he held me as he was staggering. I smelled a nice soft scent coming from his nape.
MC: Ah...
At that moment, Hatter-san picked me up.
Hatter: I wouldn't like to see you being carried away by the strong wind.
When Hatter-san approached the front of the flying ship while carrying me, he puts me down in front of the entrance.
Hatter: Now then, are you ready? Lady MC... Just in case, let's go over this one last time.
At the top of the building, a cold wind blew.
Hatter: Once you get on this ship, you can never go back to the existence that you've had up till now...
MC: The existence that I've had up till now...?
Hatter: That's right. Once you get on this ship and go on a journey with me... The world will go through a change again.
I was sure that was nothing more than Hatter-san's delusion. Although, the words that he said deeply had a sense of reality in them...
Hatter: Of course, I'll support you, guide you at times and will always stay close to you. After all, you're the woman that I've been waiting to finally meet and my lifelong prize. Now, your answer from these lovely lips is...
As I felt pain in my heart, it went fast. When I raised my head, I looked at Hatter-san as he stood in front of me.
Hatter: ...
Taking that as me giving an affirmation, Hatter-san made a gentle smile on his beautiful face.
Hatter: Now then, Lady MC, are you determined to become the new Alice?
As I heard the sound of the wind and the roaring engine of the flying ship... The strong wind blew and made Hatter-san's clothes flutter. Then, he presented his hand...
(The new Alice...)
As I tried to grasp the meaning behind those words, I thought it over in my head...
MC: !
Suddenly, Hatter-san grabbed my arm and strongly pulled me towards him. With the nightly wind blowing, the flower petals in the garden whirled up all at once.
Hatter: ...I'm doing this. I couldn't wait for your answer. Still, so much has happened up till now and has made my heart pound with expectations.
His hand that was holding me led me to his chest next.
(Ah...)
Hatter-san's heart was beating loudly.
Hatter: Do you see? My strong feelings right now.
When he lets go of my hand, he fixed my hair that became disheveled from the strong wind and softly brushed it over my ear. Then, he placed his lips on my forehead.
Hatter: Now then... Alice, now is the time to go on a journey to search for a lost world...!
As he shouted that within the darkness of night, he held me to his chest. The next moment, the ship flew up towards the sky that was entirely filled with stars. When I looked down at the town, where thousands of people are living in, tens of thousands of lamps were flickering brightly.
(This journey, I hope that it'll satisfy Hatter-san.)
When I thought of that and looked up at his face as he was holding my shoulder...
MC: Ah...
When we got blown by a strong wind in the sky, Hatter-san's silk hat fluttered into the night sky. Then, it disappeared among the bright stars...
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