Chapter 5 - Wonderland-4 (1/2)

Chapter 5: Chapter 1 Wonderland-4

The moment SoYoon stepped out of Duke's house, she lowered her mask and drank the antidote. Duke may have been a creep, but it was well known that he would never tamper with a potion for which a customer had paid a fair price. Resisting the urge to throw up, she threw the empty bottle into a nearby trash can, lifted her mask back onto her face, and walked toward the neutral zone. She was hoping to head back home after stopping at the neutral zone's Central.

In the neutral zone, where fighting was prohibited, the atmosphere was much brighter. She had been spent all day stressed out about the attention she was getting regarding her competence as the new White Rabbit, and the calm—and lack of interest in her—at the neutral zone was like a breath of fresh air.

The Central was without equal within the neutral zone—an essential area of Wonderland. It was the only place in Wonderland where you could buy household items. It had wide streets filled with stores and vendors that reminded her of a farmer's market. Further within its center, there were restaurants, cafes, pubs, etc.

It had been such a long time since she had experienced the outside air that SoYoon felt a surge of emotions. It lasted for about five minutes. When she walked into the first clothing store and saw the price tag, she woke up from her reverie. If it had been Earth, the T-shirt wouldn't have amounted to $10. How could it cost 500,000 carol here?

SoYoon associated dollars to carol in similar calculation terms, and so, thinking she didn't want to get cheated by a bad deal, she went to a different store. However, the situation was the same. This place was actually more expensive.

”Expensive…”

The owner, hearing SoYoon mumbling, spoke up.

”What are you talking about? These are last year's Outhouse items. Do you know how difficult it was to get these?!”

Realizing that all the items had to be imported into Wonderland because it had no manufacturing warehouses made the price seem a bit more reasonable. Soap, toothpaste, and other household products—the previous White Rabbit didn't have any of these things—pants and underwear, shoes, etc. After buying all the things that she needed that she couldn't borrow from the previous White Rabbit's house, she ate dinner at a nearby restaurant.

The first day in Wonderland came and went.

***

The next day, after eating a breakfast of bread and canned coffee, Heart introduced SoYoon to a person who could get rid of the tracking spell cast on her. Following the map that Heart gave her, she had no problem finding her way. The closer she got to her destination, the more varieties of burning, unpleasant smells greeted her.

They finally arrived at the large grounds of a two-story residence where a crumbling wall that lost its purpose stood. SoYoon easily jumped over it and found the source of the potent smell. A hoard of men lay near the front door and windows, splayed every which way. Each one was burned—masses of skin melted over corpses.

SoYoon remembered Heart's warning that she was not to trespass without the home owner's permission. She walked to the front door, moving the corpses with the tip of her feet, and knocked as Heart had instructed. After a short while, she heard the upstairs window opening. SoYoon looked up at the window.

Soon, a man wearing a white bonnet stuck his head out the window. Drowsily, he yawned, leaned his arm against the window, then plopped his head atop it. Thinking that he might fall asleep at any moment, SoYoon called out his name.

”Mad Hatter.”

At SoYoon's call, the Mad Hatter's face, which had been buried in his arms, poked up. Then, as if he had a headache, he pressed his temples tenderly and moaned. He slowly looked down and saw SoYoon.

”I've never seen you before. Who are you?”

”The White Rabbit. Heart told me to come here.”

”The White Rabbit… Oh, that's right. We've had a change. If you've come to introduce yourself, I've seen your face now. You can leave. If you have other business… I would still appreciate it if you could leave…”

Mad Hatter's eyes, which had been barely open, was now closed shut. His long eyelashes cast shadows over his pale cheeks. SoYoon banged on the front door again and said, ”I have business.”

”…Come inside.”

Having granted her access, Mad Hatter closed the window and popped back inside. At the same time, the front door opened.

SoYoon stepped inside. A luxurious setting fit for royalty greeted her.

”Welcome, guest. I do hope that next time, you will come in the afternoon.”

Even though he was wearing a wrinkled shirt and slacks and a stretched-out cardigan, this man gave off an aura of sophistication. Even the ridiculous lace bonnet—tied with a pink bow beneath his chin and propped atop his sleep-deprived-looking face—did not hinder his good looks. It reminded SoYoon that beauty truly could be wasted.

Mad Hatter escorted SoYoon to the living room sofa. Truthfully, there were so many things scattered around the room that the only place a person could sit was that sofa.

Walking toward the sofa, SoYoon said, ”There appeared to be corpses outside. Do you not need to remove them?”

”Yes, it's some kid's attempt at boldness. It'll get cleared out eventually. So let's hear this business of yours.”

Instead of answering, SoYoon removed her sword and unbuttoned her shirt. It seemed to be easier to show him than explain it with words. The Mad Hatter watched her apathetically and smirked as he saw her bare body underneath her shirt.

”You're a girl? You're so thin. I thought you were a boy. It's going to be hard to seduce me with that…”