Fairy tales.
They are such a wonderful form of literature.
With stories shaped by boundless imagination and delicate moral lessons, they give children every reason to read and fantasize.
Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White—these are examples of the classic stories that remain etched in our memories long after childhood disappears.
But the one that has stayed with me the most is something very special.
Not only do I share the same name as the main protagonist, but I was also completely drawn by its whimsical storytelling and unique characters, making me feel like a kid again.
And that's why, on a tranquil afternoon, I found myself sitting beneath a tree in the park, with that very book resting on my lap, letting my thoughts drift between fantasy and reality.
Life was going smoothly for me.
Recently, I graduated summa cum laude with a degree in mechanical engineering, acquired a scholarship for advanced studies in robotics, and published a research paper that earned me praise from numerous professors in my field.
To top it all off, I had a small circle of friends who shared my love for science and literature, a comfortable apartment loaded with devices and books, and the freedom to explore whatever project piqued my curiosity.
On the surface, everything seemed perfect—stable, redundant, and secure.
Yet, despite it all, there was a part of me that yearned for something... extraordinary.
Something that would pull me out of the same boring daily life and lead me on a new journey filled with excitement and entertainment.
Squeak... squeak...
As if in response to my thoughts, I heard the call of an animal.
I glanced up, slightly amused, as a small rabbit hopped out of the scrub at a distance, its tiny paws scuttling across the grass. Its fur was fluffy and white as snow, while its eyes were red as roses, gleaming in tension.
However, what's odd is that the rabbit wore a little coat, and, to my surprise, it turned toward me before pausing, as if beckoning.
Seeing this, curiosity prickled up my spine.
A white rabbit… wearing a coat? That looks like it came straight out of a fairy tale.
I rubbed my eyes and blinked, trying to ensure I wasn't imagining things.
Yet, the rabbit was still there, its ears perked up and twitching. Before I could react, it dashed between the roots of a tree, where the ground sloped down into a hollow.
The little critter paused at the entrance, glancing back with an impossibly earnest look—then it hopped down the hole.
For a moment, I hesitated, book ignored, the afternoon stretching out like a question.
Should I follow the rabbit?
.....
Sure, why not?
The world had already given me a life of splendid certainties.
Perhaps a little bit of nonsense wouldn't hurt.
I picked up my book and tucked it under my arm before approaching the hole where the little white rabbit had gone. From a distance, it appeared smaller, but as I got closer, it opened up like a narrow tunnel, just wide enough for someone like me to squeeze through.
Strange... This ain't something a rabbit could make.
Meh, who am I to judge?
Without thinking much, I squatted and slipped into the burrow. The walls were dry and loamy, pressed tight against me as I descended, the daylight shrinking behind me—until the ground suddenly gave way beneath my feet—
—and I fell.
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I'm still falling.
For five minutes, at least.
And I couldn't see the bottom of this goddamn hole.
The wind rushed past my face, tugging at my hair and my sanity. In some way, this was both terrifying and ridiculously funny. Like, did the rabbit dig its way to another continent?
I flailed a little, mostly for show, as though my arms could bargain with gravity.
Pages from my book drifted by, carried by the draft, fluttering like impatient little birds. I tried to grab one, but it slipped through my fingers.
Damn you, pages!
I shook my fist at them because, apparently, even physics had a sense of humor.
But then I started noticing things.
Fleeting, fragmented memories panned upward like the closing credits of a film. The first few were familiar, which included me as a child reading fairy tales, a robotics blueprint I designed in high school, and the moment I graduated from college.
Those were great times... Wait, does that mean I'm dead?
As I struggled with that thought, the following fragments were quite strange. Some displayed a tall man with green hair, while others showed a blonde girl with pointy ears.
Who are those people? Why do I feel like I've seen them before?
Before I could make sense of things, a sharp pain pierced my head as more foreign memories flashed before me, making me nauseous to the point of blacking out.
"Remember me, you two."
A male voice echoed in my ears as my vision blurred and my body stiffened, as if suspended in time and space.
Then darkness swallowed everything.
...
...
...
...
Crack...
Suddenly, the sound of something breaking resounded around me—sharp, crystalline, and all too close—like the world itself had shattered at the edges.
Crash!
A cold breeze brushed against my cheek as I fell again, but landed on solid ground.
Ugh... What a rough touchdown... cough! cough!
I whined, blinking against the sudden brightness as I tried to make sense of my surroundings.
My arms and legs felt a bit tingly, like I've been asleep for centuries. The floor underneath me was hard yet rough, almost ancient to the touch. Around me were shards of glass... no, wait... crystals that refract light on my face.
Gah! Too bright!
I grabbed one of the shards away from the light, but saw my reflection in the process.
Gasp!
My breath seized as the surface showed a different face.
Blonde hair framed features I didn't recognize—my eyes were red, broader, and sharper, and my ears pointed at the tips. My hands instinctively brushed against my cheeks, trembling as the realization hit me—
—I've become a gorgeous-looking elf.
"Ahem..."
Someone cleared their throat, and I froze in mid-stroke, my pulse racing.
Slowly, I raised my head toward the sound and saw a fierce-looking man standing nearby. He had gleaming silver hair, sanpaku eyes with captivating golden pupils, and an aura of nobility radiating from his entire body.
This person looks dangerous.... and a bit grumpy.
Looking behind him, I noticed several people dressed in white uniforms, their faces obscured by distinctive masks. They seemed to be tending to him in the dark, foreboding room where I had found myself.
These must be his entourage... So, he's some kind of celebrity.
I opened my mouth, trying to figure out how to speak to these people—or if I should respond to them at all. Either way, I have to react soon before things get awkward.
Hnggh....
Just then, a gentle groan broke the silence.
I slowly turned my head, heart skipping a beat, and saw another elf sitting right next to me.
Wait, she also has blonde hair.
Our eyes met, breath caught, and one thought running through my mind.
What's going on?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Same hair color... Same red eyes...
Could be just my reflection... but I saw her blink, so she's a separate person.
Perhaps she's a doppelganger or my identical twin.
"Excuse me, you two."
Before I could ponder these inquiries, a feminine voice called out, catching our attention. We turned to see a blonde woman approaching us, wearing a white bird mask, a gown-like white robe, and a pair of black angelic wings on her back.
What a beautiful angel she is, but how am I understanding what she said?
"They appeared to be responsive, Lord Perugius. What should be our next step?"
Her words flowed as naturally as if I had learned their language from the start, yet something about them felt unfamiliar—like my ears understood before my brain caught up.
Also, the bird woman referred to the silver-haired man as Perugius.
"Ask them their names, Sylvaril. We must learn their identities."
The woman respectfully bowed her head at her lord before turning toward us. The bird mask she wore hid her expression, but her posture softened, as though she intended to lessen the tension rather than worsen it.
She stopped a few steps away, wings folding neatly behind her, and asked gently.
"Can both of you speak?"
My mouth remained agape, unable to come up with a response these people would possibly understand. I glanced at the blonde elf next to me, her eyes focusing on the bird woman.
"Yes, I can," she responded softly.
Sylvaril nodded before turning to me. "How about you? Can you talk?"
"Ah..." I stuttered, shuffling through my memories for a simple response. "Y-yeah, I think so."
"Good," the bird woman acknowledged, nodding again. "Then please, tell us your names."
Names.
It has been a while since I could remember mine after the long fall from that rabbit hole. If I'm not mistaken, I have the same name as the main heroine from a fairy tale. What was it again?
"I couldn't remember."
As I was recalling my name, the blonde elf responded in a melancholic tone. I guess I couldn't blame her for not knowing her own identity.
"That's alright," Sylvaril reassured as she switched her attention to me. "Your turn."
I pressed my fingers against my temple, trying to steady the swirl of thoughts in my mind. My name... It was right there, floating just out of reach, like the last page of a book carried by the wind. A faint image flickered—an open park, a book on my lap, the familiar title on the cover.
[Alice in Wonderland]
That's it. My name was—
"—Alice," I murmured, the word leaving my lips before I fully realized it.
Sylvaril straightened her posture before turning to Perugius, whose golden eyes furrowed, as if assessing only he could sense.
"Interesting... this one remembered her name, while the other one didn't."
Beside me, the blonde elf lowered her head, shoulders shaking ever so slightly. Not with fear—more like she was desperately trying to find something in the void of her empty memories.
"No matter," he continued, taking a few steps forward. "I will grant you two proper names."
The silver-haired man stopped in front of us as he opened his mouth once more.
"From now on, your new names will be...
Alice Dragonroad and Elinalise Dragonroad."